Research on Teaching and Learning Mathematics at the Tertiary Level:State-of-the-art and Looking Ahead

This topical survey focuses on research in tertiary mathematics education, a field that has experienced considerable growth over the last 10 years. Drawing on the most recent journal publication as well as the latest advances from recent high quality conference proceedings, our review culls out the following five emergent areas of interest: mathematics teaching at the tertiary level; the role of mathematics in other disciplines; textbooks, assessment and students’ studying practices; transition to the tertiary level; and theoretical-methodological advances. We conclude the survey with a discussion of some potential ways forward for future research in this new and rapidly developing domain of inquiry

Effect of two wild rootstocks of genus Passiflora L. on the content of antioxidants and fruit quality of yellow passion fruit

ABSTRACT The nutritional importance of the fruit of passionfruit has prompted studies to assess its composition and antioxidant content and to evaluate it as a functional food in fresh fruit and concentrated juice markets. Currently, the use of wild species as rootstock has been recommended mainly for their positive effects such as tolerance to disease attack and maintenance of fruit quality of grafted cultivars. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of wild species of Passiflora gibertii N.E. Br. and Passiflora mucronata Lam as rootstock on the content of antioxidants and fruit quality of Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa. The experimental design was completely randomized with four treatments and 25 replications, with a total of 100 experimental units. As a control treatment, plants of P. edulis from seed and grafted on the same species were used. Significant correlations were observed among the contents of β-carotene, ascorbic acid, luminosity values, chroma and hue angle. For the combination P. edulis/P. gibertti, the contents of β-carotene and ascorbic acid were highly correlated with luminosity, chroma and hue angle of fruit juice. A similar behavior was observed for the combination P. edulis/P. mucronata Lam. The content of β-carotene in the fruit showed no statistical differences (p < 0.05), indicating no significant rootstock effect on the variables evaluated. The results indicate a potential wild rootstock use for its positive effects on grafted plants while maintaining the commercial quality of the fruits of passionfruit crops

Delays between the onset of symptoms and first rheumatology consultation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the UK: an observational study

Objective To investigate delays from symptom onset to rheumatology assessment for patients with a new onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or unclassified arthritis. Methods Newly presenting adults with either RA or unclassified arthritis were recruited from rheumatology clinics. Data on the length of time between symptom onset and first seeing a GP (patient delay), between first seeing a general practitioner (GP) and being referred to a rheumatologist (general practitioner delay) and being seen by a rheumatologist following referral (hospital delay) were captured. Results 822 patients participated (563 female, mean age 55 years). The median time between symptom onset and seeing a rheumatologist was 27.2 weeks (IQR 14.1–66 weeks); only 20% of patients were seen within the first 3 months following symptom onset. The median patient delay was 5.4 weeks (IQR 1.4–26.3 weeks). Patients who purchased over-the-counter medications or used ice/heat packs took longer to seek help than those who did not. In addition, those with a palindromic or an insidious symptom onset delayed for longer than those with a non-palindromic or acute onset. The median general practitioner delay was 6.9 weeks (IQR 2.3–20.3 weeks). Patients made a mean of 4 GP visits before being referred. The median hospital delay was 4.7 weeks (IQR 2.9–7.5 weeks). Conclusion This study identified delays at all levels in the pathway towards assessment by a rheumatologist. However, delays in primary care were particularly long. Patient delay was driven by the nature of symptom onset. Complex multi-faceted interventions to promote rapid help seeking and to facilitate prompt onward referral from primary care should be developed

Novel infusions from underutilized exotic fruits: sensory analysis and consumer acceptance

This study aimed to develop infusion bags from antioxidant-rich exotic fruits like Syzygium cumini, Psidium cattleianum, Psidium guajava, and Annona muricata, and characterize the physicochemical and sensory properties of the infusions. Infusion bags were prepared from oven dried, coarsely ground fruits which were then brewed in boiling hot water for 5 min. Nine trained panelists evaluated the fruit infusions, agreeing on 19 sensory attributes. A spider plot showed that the infusions did not significantly differ in the magnitude of their sensory attributes except for color. Multiple factor analysis (MFA) revealed that the fruity after taste was more related to the Psidium guajava infusion, contributing to a better liking. The overall liking of the infusions was not related to healthy eating patterns or variety seeking tendencies. The novel data from this study can contribute to the successful marketing of these healthy beverages and the development of the nutraceutical sector

Evaluation of the Antioxidant Activity of Citrus Flavedo Extracts in Food Systems

The worldwide trend to avoid the use of synthetic antioxidants has motivated scientists to unveil and exploit new sources of natural antioxidants. In this study, the antioxidant potential of the flavedo extracts of two locally grown citrus fruits namely, Mandarin fizu and Pamplemousse kaopan, was investigated in mayonnaise prepared from unstripped soybean oil and in bulk unstripped soybean oil. The antioxidant activity of the mandarin extract at two concentrations (0.2% (m/m) and 0.4% (m/m)) was compared to 0.02% (m/m) BHT. Hydroperoxide formation was monitored during storage at 45oC by measuring peroxide value (PV) and conjugated diene value (CD). PV values showed that the mandarin extract was as effective as BHT (p&gt;0.05) and more effective than Pamplemousse kaopan extract (p&lt;0.05) in retarding lipid oxidation in mayonnaise during storage. After 12 days of storage, the CD values of the mayonnaise samples increased in the following order: mandarin extract &lt; BHT &lt; control &lt; pamplemousse extract. Increasing the concentration of the flavedo extract of Mandarin fizu to 0.4% did not increase the effectiveness of the extract in controlling lipid autoxidation in mayonnaise (p&gt;0.05). In unstripped soybean oil, mandarin extract at 0.4% (m/m) was found to be less effective than BHT but more effective than the extract at 0.2% (m/m) (p&lt;0.05). A similar picture was noted for the conjugated diene data. The findings of this research point to the value of Mandarin fizu flavedo extracts as potential sources of natural food additives.Keywords: Flavedo, Mandarin, Pamplemousse, Mayonnaise, Soybean Oil, Peroxide Value, Conjugated Diene Value, Antioxidant

Crystal structure of bis(η2-ethylene)(η5-pentamethylcyclopentadienyl)cobalt

The title compound, [Co(C10H15)(C2H4)2], was prepared by Na/Hg reduction of [Co2(C10H15)2(μ-Cl)2] in THF under an ethylene atmosphere and crystallized from pentane at 193 K. The Co—C(olefin) bonds have an average length of 2.022 (2) Å, while the Co—C(pentadienyl) bonds average 2.103 (19) Å. The olefin C=C bonds are 1.410 (1) Å. The dihedral angle between the planes defined by the cyclopentadienyl ligand and the two olefin ligands is 0.25 (12)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked into chains by C—H...π interactions