CRUCIAL EVENTS IN PRE-SERVICE PRIMARY TEACHERS’ MATHEMATICAL EXPERIENCE

Relationship with mathematics is a crucial variable in the professional development of pre-service primary teachers: it can largely affect pre-service teachers’ reactions to educational prompts and also their future didactical choices in classroom. Many researches showed that pre-service primary teachers have often developed a negative relationship with mathematics during their mathematical experience as students. This paper adopts a narrative methodology to investigate about the origins and development of these relationships. Specifically, it investigates how pre-service primary teachers tell the events that they recognize as crucial for the development of their relationship with mathematics. Results indicate the relevance of success/failure experiences, and the key-role of the teacher therein

Mathematical induction at the tertiary level: looking behind appearences

The relevance of inductive proofs in Mathematics is beyond question and the research in Mathematics Education has widely documented the students’ difficulties in under- standing and applying mathematical induction, both at secondary school level and at university level. In this paper, we present a qualitative study involving third year Mathematics degree students aimed at investigating the solidity/fragility of mathe- matical induction comprehension. The results highlight that mathematical induction is a very hard topic also in this context, in which are involved mathematical competent students. We argue the need to design non-standard activities able to get the miscon- ceptions emerge, in order to support a deep understanding of the topic

Turning moments: the crossroads of the prospective secondary teachers’ attitude towards math

Relationship with mathematics strongly affects teachers’ practices. Specialist mathematics teachers’ positive relationship is often taken for granted, although recent studies suggest that this may not be the case. In this paper we present a narrative research aimed at investigating which events do prospective secondary teachers recognise as crucial in the development of their relationship with mathematics. The analysis reveals that experiences of success/failure in mathematics, teacher’s opinion, teacher’s charisma, and experiences of helping someone with maths are frequent factors influencing these events, impacting on prospective teachers' emotions, perceived competences, and view of mathematics

Turning moments: the crossroads of the prospective secondary teachers' attitude towards math

Relationship with mathematics strongly affects teachers’ practices. Specialist mathematics teachers’ positive relationship is often taken for granted, although recent studies suggest that this may not be the case. In this paper we present a narrative research aimed at investigating which events do prospective secondary teachers recognise as crucial in the development of their relationship with mathematics. The analysis reveals that experiences of success/failure in mathematics, teacher’s opinion, teacher’s charisma, and experiences of helping someone with maths are frequent factors influencing these events, impacting on prospective teachers' emotions, perceived competences, and view of mathematics

Un acercamiento a las teorías de la decisión, aplicadas a la resolución de conflictos interpersonales; durante un proceso autocompositivo . -provincias de Córdoba y de San Luis

Las personas que asisten a un proceso autocompositivo (inclusivo, alternativo y democrático) de resolución de conflictos, en general carecen de los conocimientos técnicos necesarios para realizar la toma de decisiones que se ajuste a su pretensión. Estas personas, manifiestan sentimientos de incertidumbre e inseguridad al momento de tomar sus propias decisiones; razón por la cual en muchas oportunidades prefieren dejar las mismas en manos de terceras personas: abogados, jueces, mediadores, árbitros, conciliadores o agentes de justicia. Aunque a la par en repetidas oportunidades los justiciables, manifiestan sentimientos de injusticia o disconformidad con los resultados obtenidos en los procesos que transitan.Fil: Di Pietro, María Cristina. Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Facultad de Derecho y Ciencias Sociales; Argentin

Calcite moonmilk of microbial origin in the Etruscan Tomba degli Scudi in Tarquinia, Italy

A white deposit covering the walls in the Stanza degli Scudi of the Tomba degli Scudi, Tarquinia, Italy, has been investigated. In this chamber, which is still preserved from any kind of intervention such as cleaning and sanitization, ancient Etruscans painted shields to celebrate the military power of the Velcha family. Scanning electron microscopy analysis has revealed the presence of characteristic nanostructures corresponding to a calcite secondary mineral deposit called moonmilk. Analysis of the microbial community identified Proteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Actinobacteria as the most common phyla in strong association with the moonmilk needle fibre calcite and nanofibers of calcium carbonate. Employing classical microbiological analysis, we isolated from moonmilk a Streptomyces strain able to deposit gypsum and calcium carbonate on plates, supporting the hypothesis of an essential contribution of microorganisms to the formation of moonmilk

Insufficient knowledge among psoriasis patients can represent a barrier to participation in decision-making.

Patient participation in treatment decisions can have positive effects on patient satisfaction, compliance and health outcomes. The objectives of this study were to examine attitudes of psoriasis patients regarding participation in treatment decisions and to evaluate the effect of a decision-aid for discussing treatment options. A "quasi experiment" was conducted in a large dermatological hospital in Italy: a questionnaire evaluating the decision-making process and treatment knowledge was self-completed by 231 consecutive psoriasis patients after routine clinical practice and by a second sample of 171 patients exposed to a decision-board. In routine clinical practice 67.9% of patients wanted to be involved in decision-making, 28.4% wanted to leave decisions entirely to the doctor and 3.7% preferred making decisions alone. 17.9% and 25.3% of the control and decision-board group had good knowledge. At multivariate analysis good knowledge increased the likelihood of preferring an active role (risk ratio (RR) = 2.21; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.3-3.9; p = 0.006). The decision-board only marginally improved patient knowledge and doctor-patient communication. In conclusion, large proportions of psoriasis patients want to participate in decision-making, but insufficient patient knowledge can represent a barrier

The molecular chaperone Hsp90 is a component of the cap-binding complex and interacts with the translational repressor Cup during Drosophila oogenesis

In metazoa, the spatio-temporal translation of diverse mRNAs is essential to guarantee proper oocyte maturation and early embryogenesis. The eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), which binds the 5′ cap structure of eukaryotic mRNAs, associates with either stimulatory or inhibitory factors to modulate protein synthesis. In order to identify novel factors that might act at the translational level during Drosophila oogenesis, we have undertaken a functional proteomic approach and isolated the product of the Hsp83 gene, the evolutionarily conserved chaperone Hsp90, as a specific component of the cap-binding complex. Here we report that Hsp90 interacts in vitro with the translational repressor Cup. In addition, we show that Hsp83 and cup interact genetically, since lowering Hsp90 activity enhances the oogenesis alterations linked to diverse cup mutant alleles. Hsp90 and Cup co-localize in the cytoplasm of the developing germ-line cells within the germarium, thus suggesting a common function from the earliest stages of oogenesis. Taken together, our data start elucidating the role of Hsp90 during Drosophila female germ-line development and strengthen the idea that Cup has multiple essential functions during egg chamber development

Fusarium oxysporum Casein Kinase 1, a Negative Regulator of the Plasma Membrane H+-ATPase Pma1, Is Required for Development and Pathogenicity

Like many hemibiotrophic plant pathogens, the root-infecting vascular wilt fungus Fusarium oxysporum induces an increase in the pH of the surrounding host tissue. How alkalinization promotes fungal infection is not fully understood, but recent studies point towards the role of cytosolic pH (pHc) and mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling. In fungi, pHc is mainly controlled by the essential plasma membrane H+-ATPase Pma1. Here we created mutants of F. oxysporum lacking casein kinase 1 (Ck1), a known negative regulator of Pma1. We found that the ck1Δ mutants have constitutively high Pma1 activity and exhibit reduced alkalinization of the surrounding medium as well as decreased hyphal growth and conidiation. Importantly, the ck1Δ mutants exhibit defects in hyphal chemotropism towards plant roots and in pathogenicity on tomato plants. Thus, Ck1 is a key regulator of the development and virulence of F. oxysporum