Dannelse som basis for udvikling af moderne matematikundervisning

I denne artikel omtales ambitionerne, opbygningen og resultaterne af et nyt pædagogisk projekt om forbedring af undervisningen i matematik for førsteårsstuderende på Økonomisk Institut ved Københavns Universitet. Initiativet er siden efteråret 2007 blevet udbygget og har hentet væsentlige elementer fra klassisk Kant-Humboldtsk dannelsesteori og moderne universitetspædagogik. Efter at initiativet er iværksat, har de studerende ændret studieadfærd: De er blevet mere aktive og engagerede, og eksamensresultaterne er væsentligt forbedret. Initiativet er ikke fagspecifikt, så andre fag vil kunne lade sig inspirere af vores tanker og metoder.   This article considers the ambitions, design, and results of a new education project intended to improve the teaching of mathematics to first-year students in the Department of Economics at the University of Copenhagen. The initiative, which has been in development since 2007, was inspired by the classical Kantian-Humboldtian theory of Bildung and by modern theories of tertiary teaching methodology. Observations made following the intervention reveal that the students have changed their behaviour; they have become increasingly active and engaged, and the examination results have improved considerably. The initiative is not subject specific and other fields of study may find inspiration in our thoughts and methods

Visible Near-Infrared Spectroscopy and Pedotransfer Function Well Predict Soil Sorption Coefficient of Glyphosate

The soil sorption coefficient (K-d) of glyphosate mainly controls its transport and fate in the environment. Laboratory-based analysis of K-d is laborious and expensive. This study aimed to test the feasibility of visible near-infrared spectroscopy (vis-NIRS) as an alternative method for glyphosate K-d estimation at a country scale and compare its accuracy against pedotransfer function (PTF). A total of 439 soils with a wide range of K-d values (37-2409 L kg(-1)) were collected from Denmark (DK) and southwest Greenland (GR). Two modeling scenarios were considered to predict K-d: a combined model developed on DK and GR samples and individual models developed on either DK or GR samples. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) and artificial neural network (ANN) techniques were applied to develop vis-NIRS models. Results from the best technique were validated using a prediction set and compared with PTF for each scenario. The PTFs were built with soil texture, OC, pH, Fe-ox, and P-ox. The ratio of performance to interquartile distance (RPIQ) was 1.88, 1.70, and 1.50 for the combined (ANN), DK (ANN), and GR (PLSR) validation models, respectively. vis-NIRS obtained higher predictive ability for K-d than PTFs for the combined dataset, whereas PTF resulted in slightly better estimations of K-d on the DK and GR samples. However, the differences in prediction accuracy between vis-NIRS and PTF were statistically insignificant. Considering the multiple advantages of vis-NIRS, e.g., being rapid and non-destructive, it can provide a faster and easier alternative to PTF for estimating glyphosate K-d

Does nuclear tissue infected with bacteria following disc herniations lead to Modic changes in the adjacent vertebrae?

Purpose To investigate the prevalence of infected herniated nucleus material in lumbar disc herniations and to determine if patients with an anaerobic infected disc are more likely to develop Modic change (MC) (bone oedema) in the adjacent vertebrae after the disc herniation. MCs (bone oedema) in vertebrae are observed in 6 % of the general population and in 35-40 % of people with low back pain. These changes are strongly associated with low back pain. There are probably a mechanical cause and an infective cause that causes MC. Several studies on nuclear tissue from herniated discs have demonstrated the presence of low virulent anaerobic microorganisms, predominantly Propionibacterium acnes, in 7-53 % of patients. At the time of a herniation these low virulent anaerobic bacteria may enter the disc and give rise to an insidious infection. Local inflammation in the adjacent bone may be a secondary effect due to cytokine and propionic acid production. Methods Patients undergoing primary surgery at a single spinal level for lumbar disc herniation with an MRI-confirmed lumbar disc herniation, where the annular fibres were penetrated by visible nuclear tissue, had the nucleus material removed. Stringent antiseptic sterile protocols were followed. Results Sixty-one patients were included, mean age 46.4 years (SD 9.7), 27 % female. All patients were immunocompetent. No patient had received a previous epidural steroid injection or undergone previous back surgery. In total, microbiological cultures were positive in 28 (46 %) patients. Anaerobic cultures were positive in 26 (43 %) patients, and of these 4 (7 %) had dual microbial infections, containing both one aerobic and one anaerobic culture. No tissue specimens had more than two types of bacteria identified. Two (3 %) cultures only had aerobic bacteria isolated. In the discs with a nucleus with anaerobic bacteria, 80 % developed new MC in the vertebrae adjacent to the previous disc herniation. In contrast, none of those with aerobic bacteria and only 44 % of patients with negative cultures developed new MC. The association between an anaerobic culture and new MCs is highly statistically significant (P = 0.0038), with an odds ratio of 5.60 (95 % CI 1.51-21.95). Conclusion These findings support the theory that the occurrence of MCs Type 1 in the vertebrae adjacent to a previously herniated disc may be due to oedema surrounding an infected disc. The discs infected with anaerobic bacteria were more likely (P<0.0038) to develop MCs in the adjacent vertebrae than those in which no bacteria were found or those in which aerobic bacteria were found