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Challenging the claims of pension boards and other groups about the cost-effectiveness, fairness and flexibility of the traditional defined benefit pension plans still in place in 38 states, this report includes a report card on each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia, with a detailed analysis of state teacher pension policies, and grades the states on the extent to which they: (1) Offer teachers the option of a flexible and portable primary pension plan, such as a defined contribution (DC) plan; (2) Ensure that traditional defined benefit (DB) pension plans are portable, flexible, and fair for all teachers; (3) At a minimum, ensure some basic principles of fairness in traditional systems; (4) Shore up pension funding for existing commitments; and (5) Require that pension systems smoothly accrue pension wealth with each year of work. The following are appended: (1) Overview of state teacher pension systems; (2) State retirement eligibility rules; (3) State teacher pension unfunded liabilities, per pupil; (4) Unfunded pension liabilities by state (2014); and (5) State policies on teacher purchase of time.

This multidisciplinary guide, developed for teachers in the secondary schools, stresses the use of Man and Environment in Arkansas. The guide illustrates how teachers in social studies, the arts, English, science, physical education and health, home economics, and mathematics can implement these materials into their present classroom situations. A brief summary of each topic is included. Among the programs summarized are Environmental Imperatives, Air Pollution, Water, Scenic Pollution--Solid Waste, Conservation of Vital Resources, Energy, Population Dynamics, Urbanization, Value Systems, Concepts of Change, and Individual Involvement. The basic concepts contained in the modules are identified. This material was developed to offer teachers the opportunity to obtain insight into the teaching objectives of the modules and panel discussions. A listing of free films is appended. (BT)

Explains some of the properties of refrigerator magnets by conceptualizing their makeup as a line of tiny, consecutive horseshoe magnets. (WRM)

Describes the reordering of a ninth-grade physics course that aimed at making core concepts clear to the students while at the same time developing students' skills and depth of understanding. Discusses its benefits and associated problems. (JRH)

The transgenomic metabolic effects of exposure to either Lactobacillus paracasei or Lactobacillus rhamnosus probiotics have been measured and mapped in humanized extended genome mice (germ-free mice colonized with human baby flora). Statistical analysis of the compartmental fluctuations in diverse metabolic compartments, including biofluids, tissue and cecal short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in relation to microbial population modulation generated a novel top-down systems biology view of the host response to probiotic intervention. Probiotic exposure exerted microbiome modification and resulted in altered hepatic lipid metabolism coupled with lowered plasma lipoprotein levels and apparent stimulated glycolysis. Probiotic treatments also altered a diverse range of pathways outcomes, including amino-acid metabolism, methylamines and SCFAs. The novel application of hierarchical-principal component analysis allowed visualization of multicompartmental transgenomic metabolic interactions that could also be resolved at the compartment and pathway level. These integrated system investigations demonstrate the potential of metabolic profiling as a top-down systems biology driver for investigating the mechanistic basis of probiotic action and the therapeutic surveillance of the gut microbial activity related to dietary supplementation of probiotics.