Knowledge shifts in a probability classroom: a case study coordinating two methodologies

Knowledge shifts are essential in the learning process in the mathematics classroom. Our goal in this study is to better understand the mechanisms of such knowledge shifts, and the roles of the individuals (students and teacher) in realizing them. To achieve this goal, we combined two approaches/methodologies that are usually carried out separately: the Abstraction in Context approach with the RBC+C model commonly used for the analysis of processes of constructing knowledge by individuals and small groups of students; and the Documenting Collective Activity approach with its methodology commonly used for establishing normative ways of reasoning in classrooms. This combination revealed that some students functioned as “knowledge agents,” meaning that they were active in shifts of knowledge among individuals in a small group, or from one group to another, or from their group to the whole class or within the whole class. The analysis also showed that the teacher adopted the role of an orchestrator of the learning process and assumed responsibility for providing a learning environment that affords argumentation and interaction. This enables normative ways of reasoning to be established and enables students to be active and become knowledge agents.     

Construction of photoresponsive supramolecular micelles based on ethyl cellulose graft copolymer

In this work, a UV-Visible light controlled supramolecular system based on ethyl cellulose(EC) was constructed, combining the host-guest interaction of β-cyclodextrin(β-CD) group and trans-isomer of azobenzene(tAzo) group. To link β-CD to the hydrophobic section, renewable EC was used as macroinitiator to initiate the polymerization of ε-caprolactone(ε-CL) to form biocompatible and biodegradable comb copolymer EC-g-PCL, and β-CD was attached to the end of PCL side chain via click reaction. Meanwhile, hydrophilic PEG-tAzo was obtained by N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide(DCC) coupling. Then, the structures of the products were characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) and gel permeation chromatography(GPC). Subsequently, with the formation of inclusion complexes by β-CD and tAzo groups, the obtained EC-g-PCL-β-CD/PEG-tAzo supramolecular system self-assembled in water with hydrophobic EC-g-PCL-β-CD as core and hydrophilic PEG-tAzo as shell. Furthermore, dynamic light scattering(DLS) and transmission electron microscopy(TEM) were utilized to investigate the particle size and size distribution, while NMR and UV-Vis spectra were applied to explore the UV-Visible light stimuli-responsiveness of the micelles.     

Two-dimensional colloidal alloys

We study the structure of mixed monolayers of large (3 μm diameter) and small (1 μm diameter) very hydrophobic silica particles at an octane-water interface as a function of the number fraction of small particles ξ. We find that a rich variety of two-dimensional hexagonal super-lattices of large (A) and small (B) particles can be obtained in this system due to strong and long-range electrostatic repulsions through the nonpolar octane phase. The structures obtained for the different compositions are in good agreement with zero temperature calculations and finite temperature computer simulations.     

The gear effect. VII—Conformational analysis of methyl N,N-diisopropylcarbamate,its thiol and diseleno analogues. An experimental proof for a two-step conformational interconversion mechanism

The conformations of the isopropyl groups and the barriers to conformational interconversion in methyl N,N-diisopropylcarbamate, its thiol and seleno analogues have been studied by ¹H d.n.m.r. In the diselenocarbamate, complete bandshape analysis of the Se-methyl proton signals proves unequivocally that the conformational interconversion takes place by rotation of one isopropyl group at a time rather than by a concerted rotation of both groups. The populations and barriers observed for the new compounds fit well into the general scheme found previously for other N,N-diisopropylamides and -thioamides.     

Detection and quantification of sucrose as dietary biomarker using gas chromatography and liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry

Several epidemiological studies suggest a link between the intake of refined sugars and an increased risk for colorectal, breast, pancreatic and endometrial cancer. However, other studies failed to confirm these conclusions and the reason for this may be the ambiguity of dietary assessment methods - mainly self-reporting - employed. Sucrose is an established biomarker for sugars intake, allowing the objective assessment of dietary sucrose. So far, urinary excretion of sucrose was mainly determined using an enzyme assay. However, this method is time-consuming and labour-intensive. In this study, we present a mass spectrometric method for the determination of sucrose in urine using liquid chromatography with mass spectrometry (LC/MS) which can be used for large-scale epidemiological studies.     

Computational studies of semiconductor quantum dots

Light-absorption and luminescence processes in nano-sized materials can be modelled either by using computational approaches developed for quantum chemical calculations or by applying computational methods in the effective mass approximation (EMA) originally intended for solid-state theory studies. An overview of the theory and implementation of an ab initio correlation EMA method for studies of luminescence properties of embedded semiconductor quantum dots is presented. The applicability of the method and the importance of correlation effects are demonstrated by calculations on InGaAs/GaAs quantum-dot and quantum-ring samples. Ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) quantum chemical studies of optical transitions in freestanding silicon nanoclusters are also discussed. The accuracy of the optical gaps and oscillator strengths for silicon nanoclusters obtained using different computational methods is addressed. Changes in the cluster structures, excitation energies and band strengths upon excitation are reported. The role of the surface termination and functional groups on the silicon nanocluster surfaces is discussed.     

Liquid crystalline phases and their dispersions in aqueous mixtures of glycerol monooleate and glyceryl monooleyl ether

The aqueous phase behavior of mixtures of 1-glycerol monooleate (GMO) and its ether analogue, 1-glyceryl monooleyl ether (GME) has been investigated by a combination of polarized microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and NMR techniques. Three phase diagrams of the ternary GMO/GME/water system have been constructed at 25, 40, and 55 degrees C. The results demonstrate that the increasing amount of GME favors the formation of the reversed phases, evidenced by the transformation of the lamellar and bicontinuous cubic liquid crystalline phases of the binary GMO/water system into reversed micellar or reversed hexagonal phases. For a particular liquid crystalline phase, increasing the GME content has no effect on the structural characteristics and hydration properties, thus suggesting ideal mixing with GMO. Investigations of dispersed nanoparticle samples using shear and a polymeric stabilizer, Pluronic F127, show the possibility of forming two different kinds of bicontinuous cubic phase nanoparticles by simply changing the GMO/GME ratio. Also NMR self-diffusion measurements confirm that the block copolymer, Pluronic F127, used to facilitate dispersion formation, is associated with nanoparticles and provides steric stabilization.     

A block‐preconditioner for a special regularized least‐squares problem

We consider a linear system of the form A₁x₁ + A₂x₂ + η=b₁. The vector ηconsists of independent and identically distributed random variables all with mean zero. The unknowns are split into two groups x₁ and x₂. It is assumed that AA₁ has full rank and is easy to invert. In this model, usually there are more unknowns than observations and the resulting linear system is most often consistent having an infinite number of solutions. Hence, some constraint on the parameter vector x is needed. One possibility is to avoid rapid variation in, e.g. the parameters x₂. This can be accomplished by regularizing using a matrix A₃, which is a discretization of some norm (e.g. a Sobolev space norm). We formulate the problem as a partially regularized least‐squares problem and use the conjugate gradient method for its solution. Using the special structure of the problem we suggest and analyse block‐preconditioners of Schur compliment type. We demonstrate their effectiveness in some numerical tests. The test examples are taken from an application in modelling of substance transport in rivers. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Copolymers derived from rapeseed derivatives via ADMET and thiol-ene addition

Novel (co)polymers were synthesized from substances obtained from rapeseed via ADMET and thiol-ene additions. α,ω-Dienes derived from oleic and erucic acid were copolymerized with a ferulic acid derivative, a representative phenolic acid (p-hydroxycinnamic acid) present, for instance, in rapeseed cake. Copolymers with different ratios of these monomers were prepared via two different routes (ADMET and thiol-ene) and studied in detail. Both monomer and polymer synthesis were optimized in order to achieve high yielding synthetic procedures that meet the requirements of green chemistry. Some thermal properties of the resulting copolymer series were then studied and correlated to the co-monomer composition.     

Luminescent rhenium(I) polypyridine fluorous complexes as novel trifunctional biological probes

We present the synthesis, characterization, and photophysical properties of three luminescent rhenium(I) polypyridine fluorous complexes [Re(Me(2)bpy)(CO)(3)(L)](PF(6)) (Me(2)bpy = 4,4'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridine; L = 3-amino-5-(N-((3-perfluorooctyl)propyl)aminocarbonyl)pyridine (py-Rf-NH(2)) (1), 3-isothiocyanato-5-(N-((3-perfluorooctyl)propyl)aminocarbonyl)pyridine (py-Rf-NCS) (2), 3-ethylthioureidyl-5-(N-((3-perfluorooctyl)propyl)aminocarbonyl)pyridine (py-Rf-TU-C(2)H(5)) (3)). The isothiocyanate complex 2 has been used to label bovine serum albumin (BSA) and glutathione (GSH). The photophysical properties of the resultant bioconjugates have been studied. The isolation of the luminescent fluorous rhenium-GSH conjugate from a mixture of 20 amino acids has been demonstrated using fluorous solid-phase extraction (FSPE). Additionally, the cytotoxicity of complexes 1 and 3 toward HeLa cells has been examined by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The cellular uptake properties of complex 3 have also been investigated by laser-scanning confocal microscopy.