Trends in Brazilian academic production in the History of Mathematics Education: directions from EBRAPEM

The number of papers on History of Mathematics Education presented at EBRAPEM (Brazilian Meeting of Graduate Students in Mathematics Education) has increased significantly between 2003 and 2008. This article presents a study with the aim of identifying themes, periods in focus, and sources and theoretical and methodological references used by the authors of the papers on History of Mathematics Education published in the proceedings of VII, VIII, IX, X, XI and XII EBRAPEM. The study indicates that the approach of ongoing research in History of Mathematics Education in Brazil has been similar to the approach of research in History of Education in general. However, the institutional separation between these two areas of investigation is noted as a factor rendering communication between both groups of researchers difficult.

Caracterização morfológica e fenotípica de leveduras do gênero Cryptococcus com ênfase na pesquisa de Cryptococcus neoormans isoladas de amostras de água de mar e areia de três ambientes costeiros do estado de São Paulo: Canal de São Sebastião, Baixada Santista e Ubatuba

The yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is the etiologic agent of cryptococcosis, an infectious cosmopolitan disease that affects humans. Although rare, this disease is potentially fatal, especially for immunocompromised hosts. This pathogen is frequently isolated from excrements of pigeons and parrots, with many environmental sources such as birds, pigeon droppings, eucalyptus leaves, decaying trees, towers, churches and places of storage of grain (the port area). The isolation of this microorganism has been obtained also from the aquatic environment. The identification of environmental sources is needed to protect human health, especially susceptible populations such as immunocompromised. Therefore, this study investigated the presence of Cryptococcus neoformans in yeast isolates obtained from samples of sea water and sand from three regions of São Paulo: São Sebastião Channel, Santos and Ubatuba. Isolates were analyzed according to micro-and macroscopic characteristics and biochemical tests: microculture, urease, ink nankin, auxanograma, zymogram and phenol. We analyzed 199 isolates, 175 of which had features suggestive for Cryptococcus spp. in microculture. All these 175 isolates were sown in the Christensen urea middle to verify the production of urease and submitted to the technique nankin ink to visualize the capsule. Of these, only 24 were selected for the next test that was the auxanograma (assimilation of carbohydrate and nitrogen). Of the 24, 10 were tested in zymograms (fermented sugar), from which 5 were selected for the phenoloxidase test in medium containing dopamine. None of the 5 isolates tested had black or brown color characteristic of Cryptococcus neoformans. According to these tests, we arrived at 5 isolates identified to the genus Cryptococcus, but not the neoformans specie

A família e o indivíduo no curso vital: compreensão trigeracional sobre a morte e o morrer

The death has been considered a forbidden issue. To develop studies that promote reflections about it allows the enlargement of the understanding as regarding the death as about life in that both are related during the human existence. This research aimed to understand the death’s conceptions and family meanings to three different generations. For this goal, through phenomenological methodology, were achieved individual interviews with adolescents, both his parents and the grandfather, all belonging to the same family. After to understand the participant’s experiences, six thematic categories were created: a) Death’s meanings; b) The death of himself; c) The death of another and/or its possibility; d) Sources of support; e) The family in the death’s presence; f) The life in the death’s inevitability presence. From these categories, the dates were phenomenologically. The participants showed similar reports in several times, confirming the literature that says that the daily life experiences among the family members take the family to form a peculiar way to understand and an interpret their experiences. This identity family, however, did not prevent each participant to develop his particular history based in idiosyncratic elements and associated with the stage of life cycle that it is. The reports showed that the prohibition of death in society is still very present, which prevents that discussions about the issue are present in daily life. This study provided for participants to reflect on their experiences around the phenomenon of death and, consequently, about the inseparable relationship between living and dying. It has also reiterated the literature, showing the similarity of views among the family members of three generations face a vital phenomenon potentially impacting the life cycle of individual and family.