Conceptions about mathematics, its teaching and learning in Compendio Mathematico (1707) written by the Spanish Thomas Vicente Tosca (1651-1723)

The preface of a book is one of the main examples of paratexts, defined by Gérard Genette as those devices and conventions that enable a text to become a book. It can provide information about aspects such as the author''s motivation and intention, the origin of the presented ideas, the potential readers, etc. In the particular case of a mathematical text devoted to some extent to teaching, the preface can provide information about the author''s conceptions and beliefs about mathematics, its teaching and learning. In this work, we analyze the preface of Compendio Mathematico written by Thomas Vicente Tosca in 1707. This approach will allow us to have a view of how the teaching and learning of mathematics as well as mathematics itself were conceived during Spanish pre-enlightenment. O prólogo de um livro é um dos múltiplos exemplos de paratextos, definidos por Gérard Genette como esses elementos e convenções que fazem um texto tornar-se um livro. Isso pode fornecer informações sobre aspectos como a motivação e a intenção do autor, a origem das ideias apresentadas, potenciais leitores etc. No caso particular de textos matemáticos dedicados em certa medida ao ensino, o prólogo pode informar as concepções e crenças do autor sobre a matemática, seu ensino e sua aprendizagem. Neste trabalho, analisamos o prólogo do Compendio Mathematico, escrito por Thomas Vicente Tosca em 1707. Essa abordagem nos permitirá obter uma visão sobre como a matemática, seu ensino e sua aprendizagem foi concebida durante a pré-ilustração na Espanha

Characterization of behavior of correctors when grading mathematics tests

In this work, we present some results obtained from the analysis of the behavior of 91 mathematics teachers (prospective, secondary education and university) when they grade three different types of correct answers to a classical high school problem through a questionnaire. In addition to a descriptive analysis that studies the variability and the interrater reliability, we analyze the role of experience and training as well as the influence of the different solving methods. Furthermore, we try to identify profiles of correctors among secondary education teachers using both quantitative (cluster analysis) and qualitative (content analysis) methods. In particular, we observe a great variability on the assigned grades as well as a low interrater reliability. The belonging to a particular group has impact over the assigned rates while experience has no significant influence. The grades are higher when methods closer to the corrector are used. Finally, we have been able to identify three different clusters, which are determined by the comments and actions regarding three aspects of the students’ answers: argumentation, correctness and method

Perioperative management in thoracic surgery.

Thoracic surgery has undergone significant advances in recent years related to anesthetic and surgical techniques and the prevention and management of complications related to the procedure. This has allowed improvements in patient clinical outcomes in surgeries of this kind. Despite the above, thoracic surgery, especially related to pulmonary resection, is not without risk, and is associated to considerable morbidity and mortality. Fast track or enhanced recovery after anesthesia protocols, minimally invasive surgery, and intraoperative anesthetic management improve the prognosis and safety of thoracic surgery. Patients in the postoperative period of major thoracic surgery require intensive surveillance, especially the first 24–72h after surgery. Admission to the ICU is especially recommended in those patients with comorbidities, a reduced cardiopulmonary reserve, extensive lung resections, and those requiring support due to life-threatening organ failure. During the postoperative period, intensive cardiorespiratory monitoring, proper management of thoracic drainage, aggressive pain control (multimodal analgesia and regional anesthetic techniques), nausea and multimodal rehabilitation are key elements for avoiding adverse events. Medical complications include respiratory failure, arrhythmias, respiratory infections, atelectasis and thromboembolic lung disease. The most frequent surgical complications are hemothorax, chylothorax, bronchopleural fistula and prolonged air leakage. The multidisciplinary management of these patients throughout the perioperative period is essential in order to ensure the best surgical outcomes.post-print512 K

Influence of CaCl2.2H2O Content on the Productive Process of Composites from Cotton Gin Waste

AbstractPrevious studies have shown the feasibility of production of masonry blocks and panels from agglomeration of cotton gin waste and calcium binders. Cotton gin waste is a serious problem for ginning plants, because in Argentina approximately 300,000 t of lignocellulosic wastes are produced annually without any final disposal destination. The accumulation of these residues is associated with pests and fire hazards. Since these composites are produced with simple equipment and a minimum energy requirement, their cost depends mainly on the binder (Portland cement) used and the process efficiency, since with a high productivity model, labor and equipment depreciation costs are significantly reduced. This paper analyzes the influence of CaCl2.2H2O (added as an accelerator for cement paste strength) on the minimum molding time required for composites manufacturing. A central composite experimental design was developed in order to study the interrelated variables. The influence of CaCl2.2H2O content on physical-mechanical cement paste properties and their relationship with composites stability are also evaluated. The results of this work show that CaCl2.2H2O content has significant influence on the efficiency of composites manufacturing as it reduces the molding time required

Actual and intended growth in family firms and non-family-owned firms: are they different?

PurposeDrawing on the motivation theory and family business literature, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of family effect in growth behaviour of small-and-medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThe authors first compare the actual and expected growth of family and non-family-owned SMEs. The authors then compare the growth behaviour of small family firms managed by owner-directors and small family businesses co-managed by family and non-family directors with the non-family-owned SMEs.FindingsThe authors find a negative effect of family ownership on actual and intended small business growth behaviours. In addition, the findings also suggest that small family firms co-managed by non-family and family directors are no different from non-family-owned firms, in terms of reporting past actual growth in employment size and turnover as well as expecting growth in workforce size and turnover. The authors also observe a significant difference in anticipating sales growth between family-controlled and non-family-controlled firms. However, this difference is not explained by the heterogeneity of a top management team.Practical implicationsThe study has important implications for managerial practice to family firms and on policies that improve the growth of SMEs. Specifically, the competence of managers and decision makers matters considerably in evaluating the efficient operation of the business and maximising the economic growth in SMEs.Originality/valueThe study makes two important theoretical contributions to small business growth literature. First, the findings underline a negative family effect in the actual and expected growth behaviour of SMEs. Second, the mode of family ownership alone may not sufficiently capture family effect and offer a thorough understanding of growth behaviour in SMEs

Neutron diffraction, magnetic, and magnetoelectric studies of phase transitions in multiferroic Mn0.90Co0.10WO4

We have studied various spontaneous and magnetic-field-induced phase transitions in single crystals of multiferroic Mn0.9Co0.1WO4 using magnetic and magnetoelectric measurements and neutron diffraction. Compared to pure MnWO4, our data consistently confirm that the anisotropic Co2+ ions induce reorientation of the spin cycloid structure to the ac plane and reveal Pa and Pc components of spontaneous electric polarization.Field-induced phase transitions accompanied by anomalies of magnetic susceptibility and suppression of both Pa and Pc polarizations have been observed for H∥c (∼3 T) and H∥a (∼8.5 T). Neutron diffraction has revealed that in both cases the spin cycloid plane flops in direction almost perpendicular to H, i.e., close to the ab and bc planes, respectively. Parameters describing the magnetic structures including wave vectors, orientations of the main elliptical axes, etc., have been determined in all spontaneous and field-induced states

Diseño e implementación de tareas de alta demanda cognitiva basadas en la sucesión look and say

Pese a que su tratamiento escolar usual se centra en aspectos principalmente de cálculo, las sucesiones son un tópico matemático con el potencial para desarrollar en los alumnos aspectos del razonamiento matemático. En este trabajo se diseña una secuencia de tareas de alta demanda cognitiva basadas en la sucesión ‘look and say’ y se implementa en un grupo de secundaria con especial interés por las matemáticas durante una sesión del Taller de Talento Matemático en la Universidad de Zaragoza. La metodología es exploratoria y descriptiva con análisis mixto de datos cualitativos. Los alumnos participantes resolvieron las tareas con un alto grado de éxito y surgieron bastantes respuestas de gran riqueza conceptual. Estas tareas pueden ser útiles para trabajar aspectos transversales del currículo e identificar alumnos con altas capacidades matemáticas. Even though their school treatment is mainly based on calculations, numerical sequences are a mathematical topic with the potential to develop aspects of mathematical reasoning amongststudents.In this work, we design a sequence of tasksofcognitive high-demandbased on the ‘look and say’se-quence andimplement them with a group of secondary schoolstudents particularly interested in math-ematics during a session of the Workshop of Mathematical Talent at the University of Zaragoza.The methodology is exploratory and descriptive with mixedanalysis of qualitative data.Participants solved the taskswith a high rate of success and several answers were ofhigh conceptual richness. Thesetasksmight be useful to work transversal curricular aspectsand to identifythosemathematically gifted

Reversible collapse of insoluble monolayers

II Encuentro sobre nanociencia y nanotecnología de investigadores y tecnólogos de la Universidad de Córdoba. NANOUC

Colapso reversible de monocapas insolubles. Influencia de la línea de tensión de los dominios

II Encuentro sobre nanociencia y nanotecnología de investigadores y tecnólogos de la Universidad de Córdoba. NANOUC