Teaching-Learning of Evaluative Criteria for Mathematical Arguments Through Classroom Discourse: A Cross-National Study

Videotaped lessons of 5th graders on equivalent fractions from 7 American and 6 Japanese classrooms were analyzed in terms of a recurrent pattern in public discourse among a teacher and students. This pattern—called inquiry, response, feedback—occurs when a teacher initiates discourse (mostly with an inquiry), a student or students respond (often with an answer to the teacher inquiry), and the teacher provides feedback to the student's response. We found2 approaches to the teaching-learning of the criteria for evaluating mathematical arguments. In the Japanese classroom, students were encouraged to offer their own argument to the whole class and evaluate arguments proposed by other students. They seldom were given direct evaluation by their teacher. In contrast, American teachers often gave individual elaboration as well as direct evaluation to the student's responses, and some of the teachers offered their own opinions about mathematics, about valid ways of argumentation, or about both. The Japanese approach would help students acquire evaluative criteria indirectly through participating in mathematical discourse, whereas the American approach would help students learn modes of arguments through direct instruction.     

Throughput Measurement of a Multilayer-Coated Schwarzschild Objective Using Synchrotron Radiation

The throughput of a Schwarzschild objective using undulator synchrotron radiation was measured. Conventionally, the throughput was estimated from the squared reflectivity of one multilayer mirror and from the obstruction ratio. However, we evaluated the transmission ratio from the input and output photon flux using a precisely calibrated monochromatic beam from an undulator light source. It was found that the objective has a maximum throughput of 8.5% at a wavelength of 13.9 nm.     

Differences between PREMIER combustion in a natural gas spark-ignition engine and knocking with pressure oscillations

PREMIER (PREmixed Mixture Ignition in the End-gas Region) combustion occurs with auto-ignition in the end-gas region when the main combustion flame propagation is nearly finished. Auto-ignition is triggered by the increases in pressure and temperature induced by the main combustion flame. Similarly to engine knocking, heat is released in two stages when engines undergo this type of combustion. This pattern of heat release does not occur during normal combustion. However, engine knocking induces pressure oscillations that cause fatal damage to engines, whereas PREMIER combustion does not. The purpose of this study was to elucidate PREMIER combustion in natural gas spark-ignition engines, and differentiate the causes of knocking and PREMIER combustion. We applied combustion visualization and in-cylinder pressure analysis using a compression–expansion machine (CEM) to investigate the auto-ignition characteristics in the end-gas region of a natural gas spark-ignition engine. We occasionally observed knocking accompanied by pressure oscillations under the spark timings and initial gas conditions used to generate PREMIER combustion. No pressure oscillations were observed during normal and PREMIER combustion. Auto-ignition in the end-gas region was found to induce a secondary increase in pressure before the combustion flame reached the cylinder wall, during both knocking and PREMIER combustion. The auto-ignited flame area spread faster during knocking than during PREMIER combustion. This caused a sudden pressure difference and imbalance between the flame propagation region and the end-gas region, followed by a pressure oscillation.     

The Change of Grip Strength in a Patient with Congenital Myotonic Dystrophy Over a 4-year Period

Myotonic dystrophy (MyD) is a neuromuscular disease that is autosomal dominant and the most common form of muscular dystrophy affecting adults. The clinical features of MyD include a multisystemic disorder characterized by myotonia, progressive muscle weakness and wasting, cataracts, premature balding and mental retardation. The most severe type of MyD is classified as congenital MyD (CMyD). The muscle weakness in CMyD is very severe, but muscle development can be observed in the period of growth. However, no clinical case of this type has been reported yet. Therefore, we report on a girl with CMyD who had an increase in muscle strength over a four-year period. The girl with CMyD participated in this study from the age of 9 to the age of 12. The measurement of muscle strength was recorded as the maximum score of grip strength with the use of dynamometers. Grip strength was assessed once a year by the same two physical therapists. Grip strength of CMyD for each year was markedly weak when compared with the normal controls, but muscle strength changed within some specific growth areas. The muscle weakness in CMyD was remarkable, but the result showed that specific muscle strength of CMyD in childhood was actually increased.     

Synthesis of novel liquid crystals having the perfluoropyrrolidino group

Novel liquid crystals which have the perfluoropyrrolidino group, a heterocyclic perfluoroalkyl group, and which show smectic phases have been synthesized with perfluoro-(2-pyrrolidinopropionyl fluoride) as one of the starting materials. Analogues with a polymerizable functional group also have been prepared and polymerized to give side chain liquid crystal polymers.     

Preparation of Na+-selective electrodes by ion-implantation of lithium and silicon into single-crystal alumina wafer and its application to the production of ISFET

Summary Sodium ion-selective electrodes (Na⁺-ISE) were prepared by implanting Si⁺ and Li⁺ into alumina wafers and their characteristics were investigated. The alumina wafer had a thickness of 100 m and a diameter of 1.40 cm. The ionselective membrane was produced by ion-implanting of Li⁺ and Si⁺ on both sides of a single-crystal alumina wafer. The total doses of Li⁺ and Si⁺ were controlled to be the same, viz. 10¹³–10¹⁵ ions/cm². The ion-implanted alumina wafer with 10¹⁴ or 4×10¹⁴ ions/cm² of Li⁺ and Si⁺ showed better characteristics than the others.The response curves of the 10¹⁴ ions/cm² implanted alumina wafer had a slope of 42 mV/pNa in a concentration range from 1–10^–4mol/l. The full response achieved after about 1 min was reproducible. The proposed idea of producing Na⁺-ISE by ion-implantation technique was applied to functuate the gate surface of the field effect transitor to sodium ion. The sodium ion-sensitive FET (Na⁺-ISFET) prepared by implanting Li⁺ and Al⁺ at a dose of 5×10¹⁴ ions/cm² showed a slope of 30 mV/pNa in a concentration range from 1–10^–4mol/l.

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Herstellung Na⁺-ionenselektiver Elektroden durch Einbau von Lithium und Silicium in Einkristall-Alumniumoxidblättchen und Anwendung zur Erzeugung von ISFET

Zusammenfassung Na⁺-selektive Elektroden wurden durch Einbau von Si⁺ und Li⁺ in Aluminiumoxidblättchen hergestellt und ihre Charakteristiken untersucht. Die Blättchen hatten eine Dicke von 100 m und einen Durchmesser von 1,40 cm. Ebenso wurde die Membran für einen ISFET hergestellt. Die Gesamtmenge von Li⁺ und Si⁺ wurde auf 10¹³–10¹⁵ Ionen/cm² eingestellt, wobei sich bei 10¹⁴ oder 4×10¹⁴ Ionen/cm² die beste Charakteristik ergab.Die Responsekurven der mit 10¹⁴ Ionen/cm² versehenen Aluminiumoxidplättchen hatten eine Neigung von 42 mV/pNa in einem Konzentrationsbereich von 1–10^–4mol/l. Der nach 1 min erhaltene volle Response war reproduzierbar. Die vorgeschlagene Technik wurde zur Einstellung der Gate-Oberfläche des Feldeffekt-Transistors auf Natriumion benutzt. Der Na⁺-sensitive FET (Na⁺-ISFET), der durch Einbau von Li⁺ und Al⁺ mit 5×10¹⁴ Ionen/cm² hergestellt wurde, zeigte eine Neigung der Signalkurve von 30 mV/pNa in einem Bereich von 1–10^–4mol/l.

     

Ruthenium-catalyzed hydrogenation of alkynylstannanes with migration of the stannyl group

Molecular hydrogen adds to aliphatic and aromatic alkynylstannanes in the presence of a ruthenium catalyst, pushing the stannyl group to the adjacent carbon atom to give alpha-substituted vinylstannanes. This is the first achievement of hydrogenation of alkynylstannanes, which is applicable also to the deuteration affording precursors for an important class of deuterium-labeled compounds.     

Arylmagnesiation of alkynes catalyzed cooperatively by iron and copper complexes

Iron and copper complexes cooperatively catalyzed the arylmagnesiation of unfunctionalized alkynes including dialkylacetylenes, where the presence of both iron and copper catalysts is essential for high yields of 2-aryl-1-alkenylmagnesium bromides.     

Photoswitchable organocatalysis in acylation of alcohol using dithienylethene-linked azoles

Three novel dithienylethenes bearing azole derivatives were synthesized and found to undergo reversible photocyclization of the dithienylethene units upon alternate irradiation with UV and visible light. Among them, the dithienylethene-linked imidazole and N-phenylimidazole exhibited a relatively high organocatalytic activity for the acylation of 2-decanol with acetic anhydride, and the catalytic activity of the dithienylethene-linked imidazole could be switched by reversible photoinduced cyclization/cycloreversion of the dithienylethene unit.