Mathematical practices and mathematical modes of enquiry: Same or different?

Background: In this paper, I share a case study of a teacher’s work on mathematics tasks in the context of a ‘mathematics for teaching’ course aiming to develop mathematical content understandings and mathematical practices among primary teachers in one South African province. The course was developed in a national context of concerns about the nature and levels of primary teachers’ mathematical knowledge. Theories viewing mathematical practices as fundamental, contrasted with those that view mathematical practices and mathematical content in more separate and ‘to be integrated’ ways, are used to frame the analysis and ritically reflect on the findings. Results: Data from this teacher’s pre-test and selected course assessments and interactions suggest that while he was able to develop some aspects of the mathematical practices described in the literature, his overall orientation remained attuned to memorization and recall. Findings also pointed to an ongoing reliance on external validation of the ‘correctness’ of his answers. Conclusions: The data suggest that the presence of elements of mathematical practices cannot be viewed as equivalent to the presence of mathematical modes of enquiry. The analysis presented in this paper suggests that while elements of mathematical practices can be developed, moving towards an encompassing orientation to mathematical modes of enquiry may require more central focus on problem-solving approaches to achieve a change in orientation

Is spoken language all-or-nothing? Implications for future speech-based human-machine interaction

Recent years have seen significant market penetration for voice-based personal assistants such as Apple’s Siri. However, despite this success, user take-up is frustratingly low. This article argues that there is a habitability gap caused by the inevitablemismatch between the capabilities and expectations of human users and the features and benefits provided by contemporary technology. Suggestions aremade as to how such problems might be mitigated, but a more worrisome question emerges: “is spoken language all-or-nothing”? The answer, based on contemporary views on the special nature of (spoken) language, is that there may indeed be a fundamental limit to the interaction that can take place between mismatched interlocutors (such as humans and machines). However, it is concluded that interactions between native and non-native speakers, or between adults and children, or even between humans and dogs, might provide critical inspiration for the design of future speech-based human-machine interaction

LRRK2 Biology from structure to dysfunction: research progresses, but the themes remain the same

Since the discovery of leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) as a protein that is likely central to the aetiology of Parkinson's disease, a considerable amount of work has gone into uncovering its basic cellular function. This effort has led to the implication of LRRK2 in a bewildering range of cell biological processes and pathways, and probable roles in a number of seemingly unrelated medical conditions. In this review we summarise current knowledge of the basic biochemistry and cellular function of LRRK2. Topics covered include the identification of phosphorylation substrates of LRRK2 kinase activity, in particular Rab proteins, and advances in understanding the activation of LRRK2 kinase activity via dimerisation and association with membranes, especially via interaction with Rab29. We also discuss biochemical studies that shed light on the complex LRRK2 GTPase activity, evidence of roles for LRRK2 in a range of cell signalling pathways that are likely cell type specific, and studies linking LRRK2 to the cell biology of organelles. The latter includes the involvement of LRRK2 in autophagy, endocytosis, and processes at the trans-Golgi network, the endoplasmic reticulum and also key microtubule-based cellular structures. We further propose a mechanism linking LRRK2 dimerisation, GTPase function and membrane recruitment with LRRK2 kinase activation by Rab29. Together these data paint a picture of a research field that in many ways is moving forward with great momentum, but in other ways has not changed fundamentally. Many key advances have been made, but very often they seem to lead back to the same places

Nintedanib for Systemic Sclerosis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

BACKGROUND: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common manifestation of systemic sclerosis and a leading cause of systemic sclerosis-related death. Nintedanib, a tyrosine kinase inhibitor, has been shown to have antifibrotic and antiinflammatory effects in preclinical models of systemic sclerosis and ILD. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial to investigate the efficacy and safety of nintedanib in patients with ILD associated with systemic sclerosis. Patients who had systemic sclerosis with an onset of the first non-Raynaud's symptom within the past 7 years and a high-resolution computed tomographic scan that showed fibrosis affecting at least 10% of the lungs were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to receive 150 mg of nintedanib, administered orally twice daily, or placebo. The primary end point was the annual rate of decline in forced vital capacity (FVC), assessed over a 52-week period. Key secondary end points were absolute changes from baseline in the modified Rodnan skin score and in the total score on the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) at week 52. RESULTS: A total of 576 patients received at least one dose of nintedanib or placebo; 51.9% had diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis, and 48.4% were receiving mycophenolate at baseline. In the primary end-point analysis, the adjusted annual rate of change in FVC was 1252.4 ml per year in the nintedanib group and 1293.3 ml per year in the placebo group (difference, 41.0 ml per year; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.9 to 79.0; P=0.04). Sensitivity analyses based on multiple imputation for missing data yielded P values for the primary end point ranging from 0.06 to 0.10. The change from baseline in the modified Rodnan skin score and the total score on the SGRQ at week 52 did not differ significantly between the trial groups, with differences of 120.21 (95% CI, 120.94 to 0.53; P=0.58) and 1.69 (95% CI, 120.73 to 4.12 [not adjusted for multiple comparisons]), respectively. Diarrhea, the most common adverse event, was reported in 75.7% of the patients in the nintedanib group and in 31.6% of those in the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with ILD associated with systemic sclerosis, the annual rate of decline in FVC was lower with nintedanib than with placebo; no clinical benefit of nintedanib was observed for other manifestations of systemic sclerosis. The adverse-event profile of nintedanib observed in this trial was similar to that observed in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; gastrointestinal adverse events, including diarrhea, were more common with nintedanib than with placebo

Natural Intelligence and Anthropic Reasoning

This paper aims to justify the concept of natural intelligence in the biosemiotic context. I will argue that the process of life is (i) a cognitive/semiotic process and (ii) that organisms, from bacteria to animals, are cognitive or semiotic agents. To justify these arguments, the neural-type intelligence represented by the form of reasoning known as anthropic reasoning will be compared and contrasted with types of intelligence explicated by four disciplines of biology – relational biology, evolutionary epistemology, biosemiotics and the systems view of life – not biased towards neural intelligence. The comparison will be achieved by asking questions related to the process of observation and the notion of true observers. To answer the questions I will rely on a range of established concepts including SETI (search for extraterrestrial intelligence), Fermi’s paradox, bacterial cognition, versions of the panspermia theory, as well as some newly introduced concepts including biocivilisations, cognitive/semiotic universes, and the cognitive/semiotic multiverse. The key point emerging from the answers is that the process of cognition/semiosis – the essence of natural intelligence – is a biological universal.Brunel University Londo

25th annual computational neuroscience meeting: CNS-2016

The same neuron may play different functional roles in the neural circuits to which it belongs. For example, neurons in the Tritonia pedal ganglia may participate in variable phases of the swim motor rhythms [1]. While such neuronal functional variability is likely to play a major role the delivery of the functionality of neural systems, it is difficult to study it in most nervous systems. We work on the pyloric rhythm network of the crustacean stomatogastric ganglion (STG) [2]. Typically network models of the STG treat neurons of the same functional type as a single model neuron (e.g. PD neurons), assuming the same conductance parameters for these neurons and implying their synchronous firing [3, 4]. However, simultaneous recording of PD neurons shows differences between the timings of spikes of these neurons. This may indicate functional variability of these neurons. Here we modelled separately the two PD neurons of the STG in a multi-neuron model of the pyloric network. Our neuron models comply with known correlations between conductance parameters of ionic currents. Our results reproduce the experimental finding of increasing spike time distance between spikes originating from the two model PD neurons during their synchronised burst phase. The PD neuron with the larger calcium conductance generates its spikes before the other PD neuron. Larger potassium conductance values in the follower neuron imply longer delays between spikes, see Fig. 17.Neuromodulators change the conductance parameters of neurons and maintain the ratios of these parameters [5]. Our results show that such changes may shift the individual contribution of two PD neurons to the PD-phase of the pyloric rhythm altering their functionality within this rhythm. Our work paves the way towards an accessible experimental and computational framework for the analysis of the mechanisms and impact of functional variability of neurons within the neural circuits to which they belong

A nova graduação da unisinos: compartilhando a experiência de um ato pedagógico

Neste artigo apresentamos o processo de criação de uma proposta inovadora para o ensino na graduação, desenvolvida por um grupo interdisciplinar da Universidade do Vale do Rio dos Sinos - UNISINOS. Além de apontarmos o referencial teórico-epistemológico que sustenta a referida proposta, também discutimos as implicações que as rupturas de paradigma trouxeram para o processo de ensino atualmente em andamento na Universidade. Convidamos o leitor a conhecer o processo que gerou essa forma de entender e viver a educação, bem como a acompanhar o relato da experiência vivida pelo grupo de professores que recebeu a tarefa de pensar uma nova graduação

Gerenciamento inter(rel)ações humanas no Programa Fábrica de Cuidados Gerencia de inter(rel)aciones humanas en el Programa Fábrica de Cuidados Managing human interrelationships in the Fábrica de Cuidados Program

Trata da experiência de oito anos da implantação do Programa "Fábrica de Cuidados - um espaço para criar modelos e tecnologias em saúde". Questão norteadora: quanto tempo é necessário para a criação de relações seguras/sustentáveis entre docentes e comunidade e que problemas/dificuldades são vividos no cotidiano de gerenciar um programa comunitário? Objetivos: Identificar as facilidades/dificuldades destacadas nas relações entre os gestores e as comunidades, caracterizando-as; e discutir as implicações destas facilidades/dificuldades para o gerenciamento do Programa. Método qualitativo e estudo exploratório-descritivo. Os resultados indicam a necessidade de: a) conhecer e confiar no outro; b) tempo e disponibilidade; c) controle do processo. Conclusão: Necessitamos de 10 anos para fortalecer vínculos de confiança no trabalho e nas relações. Houve exigências de ceder e avançar nos desejos e nas necessidades de cada grupo, mas a experiência tem propiciado aprender buscar coletivamente outros caminhos e "fugas" para resolução de problemas da comunidade.<br>La experiencia de ocho años de la implantación del Proyecto "Fábrica de Cuidados - un espacio para crear modelos y tecnologías en salud". Tuvo como cuestión norteadota: ¿Cuánto tiempo es necesario para la creación de las relaciones seguras/sustentables entre los profesores y la comunidad? y ¿Cuáles problemas/dificultades se viven diariamente en la administración de un proyecto comunitario? Objetivos: Identificar las facilidades/dificultades separadas en las relaciones entre los encargados del proyecto caracterizándolas; discutir las implicaciones de estas facilidades/dificultades para la administración. Los resultados apuntan la necesidad de: a) conocer y confiar en el otro, b) tiempo y disponibilidad, c) control del proceso. Conclusión: necesitamos de 10 años para fortalecer un enlace de confiabilidad para trabajar juntos. Esto ha exigido momentos para ceder y avanzar en los deseos y las necesidades de cada persona en las cuestiones colectivas así como en las individuales, pero eso ha proporcionado buscas de aprendercolectivamente otros caminos y "escapes" para la resolución de problemas de la comunidad.<br>Study about the experience of eight years of the implantation of the Program "Factory of Cares - a space to create models and technologies in health". Guiding Questions: How long does it take to create secure/maintainable relationships among professors and community? What problems/difficulties are experienced in the daily management of a communitarian project? Objectives: the identifying the facilities/difficulties detached at the relationship among the managers of the Program, characterizing them; arguing the implications of these facilities/difficulties for the management. The results have pointed to the necessity of: a) know and trust on the other, b) time and availability, c) control of the process. We need of 10 years to strengthen a reliable bond to work together. This has demanded yielding and advancing into desires and of each one's necessities on the collectives issues as well as on the individual ones, but it has propitiated to learn how to search together other ways and "escapes" to solve this community problems