The main objective of this study is to develop a self-report instrument to measure pre-service teachers' ICT competencies in education. The questionnaire items of this instrument are based on an existing comprehensive framework and were created with input from experts in the field. The data were collected from a sample of 931 final-year pre-service teachers in Flanders (Belgium). A first subsample was used for an exploratory factor analysis, and a second one to verify the identified factor structure via confirmatory factor analysis. A two-factor structure of ICT competencies was identified: (a) competencies to support pupils for ICT use in class and (b) competencies to use ICT for instructional design. This two-factor structure was confirmed in the confirmatory factor analysis. Recommendations are made on how this reliable instrument can help assess the level and progress of pre-service teachers' ICT competencies.

1 CHO-K1 cells that were stably transfected with the gene for the human AT 1 receptor (CHO-AT 1 cells) were used for pharmacological studies of non-peptide AT 1 receptor antagonists. 2 In the presence of 10 mM LiCl, angiotensin II caused a concentration-dependent and long-lasting increase of inositol phosphates accumulation with an EC 50 of 3.4 nM. No angiotensin II responses are seen in wild-type CHO-K1 cells. 5 Preincubation with the insurmountable antagonist candesartan decreased the maximal angiotensin II induced inositol phosphate accumulation up to 94% and, concomitantly, decreased the maximal binding capacity of the cell surface receptors. These inhibitory e ects were halfmaximal for 0.6 nM candesartan and were attenuated by simultaneous preincubation with 1 mM losartan indicating a syntopic action of both antagonists. 6 Losartan caused a parallel rightward shift of the angiotensin II concentration-response curves and did not a ect the maximal binding capacity. EXP3174 (the active metabolite of losartan) and irbesartan showed a mixed-type behavior in both functional and binding studies. 7 Reversal of the inhibitory e ect was slower for candesartan as compared with EXP3174 and irbesartan and it was almost instantaneous for losartan, suggesting that the insurmountable nature of selective AT 1 receptor antagonists in functional studies was related to their long-lasting inhibition.

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Plasma concentrations after oral administration of the high extraction drug propranolol are increased in patients and animals with inflammation. This could be due to increased serum propranolol binding, but also to decreased first-pass metabolism. We studied the pharmacokinetics of 3 drugs in control rats and in rats with turpentine-induced inflammation: propranolol, which is bound extensively to alpha 1-acid glycoprotein (alpha 1-AGP); metoprolol, another high extraction drug, but which is negligibly bound to alpha 1-AGP; and antipyrine, a low extraction drug, not bound to serum proteins. After IV administration of propranolol in rats with inflammation, systemic clearance, volume of distribution, and free fraction decreased, and the area under the curve (AUC) increased, whereas the half-life did not change. As the systemic clearance of a high extraction drug such as propranolol depends on hepatic blood flow only, a fall in hepatic blood flow or transition to a low extraction situation should be postulated. After oral administration of propranolol, the AUC was increased 20-fold in rats with inflammation; as the decrease in free fraction was only 4-fold, it can be concluded that a considerable decrease in hepatic intrinsic clearance was present. For metoprolol, in contrast to propranolol, after IV administration, no changes in pharmacokinetic parameters as a result of inflammation were observed. After oral administration, the AUC was increased about 4 times in rats with inflammation; as metoprolol is only negligibly bound to serum proteins, the increase in AUC can be attributed to a decrease in hepatic intrinsic clearance.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Nascent actin and tubulin molecules undergo a series of complex interactions with chaperones and are thereby guided to their native conformation. These cytoskeletal proteins have the initial part of the pathway in common: both interact with prefoldin and with the cytosolic chaperonin containing tailless complex polypeptide 1. Little is understood with regard to how these chaperones and, in particular, prefoldin recognize the non-native forms of these target proteins. Using mutagenesis, we provide evidence that ␤-actin and ␣-tubulin each have two prefoldin interaction sites. The most amino-terminally located site of both proteins shows striking sequence similarity, although these proteins are nonhomologous. Very similar motifs are present in ␤-and ␥-tubulin and in the newly identified prefoldin target protein actin-related protein 1. Actin-related proteins 2 and 3 have related motifs, but these have altered charge properties. The latter two proteins do not bind prefoldin, although we identify them here as target proteins for the cytosolic chaperonin. Actin fragments containing the two prefoldin interaction regions compete efficiently with actin for prefoldin binding. In addition, they also compete with tubulins, suggesting that these target proteins contact similar prefoldin subunits.