The Experience of Security in Mathematics

In this paper, we report some findings from an investigation of a topic related to affect and mathematics which is not well-represented in the literature. For some mathematicians, mathematics itself is a source of security in an uncertain world, and we investigated this feeling and experience in the case of 19 adult mathematicians working in universities and schools in Greece. The focus reported here is on ways that a relationship with mathematics offers a sense of permanence and stability on the one hand, and an assurance of novelty and progress on the other

La experiencia de la seguridad en matemáticas

In this paper, we report some findings from an investigation of a topic related to affect and mathematics which is not well-represented in the literature. For some mathematicians, mathematics itself is a source of security in an uncertain world, and we investigated this feeling and experience in the case of 19 adult mathematicians working in universities and schools in Greece. The focus reported here is on ways that a relationship with mathematics offers a sense of permanence and stability on the one hand, and an assurance of novelty and progress on the other.En este trabajo presentamos algunos resultados de una investigación sobre un tema relacionado con el afecto y las matemáticas que no está bien repre-sentado en la literatura. Para algunos matemáticos, las matemáticas en sí mismas son una fuente de seguridad en un mundo incierto; nosotros investi-gamos este sentimiento y experiencia en el caso de 19 matemáticos adultos que trabajan en universidades y escuelas de Grecia. El foco de este artículo es en las maneras en que una relación con las matemáticas ofrece un sentido de permanencia y estabilidad por una parte, y garantía de novedad y progreso, por otra

Proceedings of the Seventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education

International audienceThis volume contains the Proceedings of the Seventh Congress of the European Society for Research in Mathematics Education (ERME), which took place 9-13 February 2011, at Rzeszñw in Poland

Pre-service teachers using the Knowledge Quartet as a tool to analyse and reflect on their own teaching

International audienceThis paper reports a qualitative study of the post-lesson reflections of two pre-service teachers in Norway. During their third school placement, Nora and Mia volunteered to use the Knowledge Quartet to analyse and reflect on their own mathematics teaching. Comparing the nature of their reflections at the start and at the end of the placement, we find that Nora and Mia exhibit some development, focusing more on mathematical content at the end of the study than in the beginning. Factors that can influence their reflections are discussed: their own experience of mathematics and their beliefs about mathematics seemed to play an important role in how they interpreted and made use of the framework

Tussive challenge with ATP and AMP: does it reveal cough hypersensitivity?

Recent studies have demonstrated that blockade of P2X3 adenosine triphosphate (ATP) receptors may profoundly inhibit chronic cough. We have considered whether inhaled ATP produces a tussive response and whether chronic cough patients are hypersensitive to inhaled ATP compared to healthy volunteers. A standardised inhalational cough challenge was performed with ATP and adenosine monophosphate (AMP). 20 healthy volunteers and 20 chronic cough patients were randomised as to the order of challenges. C5 (the concentration of challenge solution causing at least 5 coughs) was compared for ATP and AMP. The study population consisted of 6 male and 14 female volunteers in each group. 2/19 healthy volunteers coughed with AMP, none achieved C5. 8/20 chronic cough patients coughed with AMP, 2 achieved C5. 18/20 healthy volunteers coughed with ATP with 15 achieving C5. 19/19 chronic cough patients coughed with ATP, 18 achieved C5. The chronic cough patients had a greater cough response at lower concentrations of ATP. The greater potency of ATP versus AMP in inhalational challenge suggests that tussive responses are mediated through members of the P2X purinergic receptor family. This acute effect was however not sufficient to explain cough hypersensitivity syndrome.

HABITAT USE BY GREATER SANDHILL CRANES IN WYOMING

Wyoming suppors approximately 20% of the Rocky Mountain population (RMP) of greater sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis tabida), as well as a number of whooping cranes (Grus americana) from the Grays Lake, Idaho flock. Cranes begin arriving on post-migration staging areas in Wyoming in mid-March and disperse to summer habitat in April or May, depending on snow cover. Fall pre-migration, staging peaks around mid-September; most cranes leave the state by 1 October. Wet meadows and gram fIelds were the major habitat types used by cranes in Wyoming 1985-1987. Use in these types ranged from 69- 100% of total observations in any given 2-week period. Important grains included barley, wheat and oats. Wet meadows were typically either seasonally flooded wetlands or flood-irrigated haylands. Alfalfa fields and cattailbulrush (Typha sp./Scirpus sp.) marshes were also important habitats for cranes

Summary of current knowledge of the size and spatial distribution of the horse population within Great Britain

<b>Background</b> Robust demographic information is important to understanding the risk of introduction and spread of exotic diseases as well as the development of effective disease control strategies, but is often based on datasets collected for other purposes. Thus, it is important to validate, or at least cross-reference these datasets to other sources to assess whether they are being used appropriately. The aim of this study was to use horse location data collected from different contributing industry sectors ("Stakeholder horse data") to calibrate the spatial distribution of horses as indicated by owner locations registered in the National Equine Database (the NED).<p></p> <b>Results</b> A conservative estimate for the accurately geo-located NED horse population within GB is approximately 840,000 horses. This is likely to be an underestimate because of the exclusion of horses due to age or location criteria. In both datasets, horse density was higher in England and Wales than in Scotland. The high density of horses located in urban areas as indicated in the NED is consistent with previous reports indicating that owner location cannot always be viewed as a direct substitute for horse location. Otherwise, at a regional resolution, there are few differences between the datasets. There are inevitable biases in the stakeholder data, and leisure horses that are unaffiliated to major stakeholders are not included in these data. Despite this, the similarity in distributions of these datasets is re-assuring, suggesting that there are few regional biases in the NED.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b> Our analyses suggest that stakeholder data could be used to monitor possible changes in horse demographics. Given such changes in horse demographics and the advantages of stakeholder data (which include annual updates and accurate horse location), it may be appropriate to use these data for future disease modelling in conjunction with, if not in place of the NED

An Analysis of University Mathematics Teaching using the Knowledge Quartet

We analyse accounts written by three mathematics lecturers on their practice using the Knowledge Quartet framework. This framework has been used to study how a teacher’s knowledge of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy influences his/her actions in the classroom at both the primary and secondary level. We consider how the framework could be used to study university level teaching, and we report on the dimensions of teacher knowledge that were made visible by this framework

An Analysis of University Mathematics Teaching using the Knowledge Quartet

We analyse accounts written by three mathematics lecturers on their practice using the Knowledge Quartet framework. This framework has been used to study how a teacher’s knowledge of mathematics and mathematics pedagogy influences his/her actions in the classroom at both the primary and secondary level. We consider how the framework could be used to study university level teaching, and we report on the dimensions of teacher knowledge that were made visible by this framework