Development of key competences through Latin and Greek in secondary school in Italy and Spain

AbstractWith regards to the latest European Recommendations, developing key competences has become an important goal of education. The purpose of this comparative study is to focus on this topic considering the teaching of Latin and Greek in upper secondary school in Italy and Spain. A multiple case study with a mixed research design was used, with 173 students and 25 teachers as participants in the quantitative part and 40 students and 18 teachers in the qualitative part. The underlined results are a) the importance of working on the learning concepts of the students of Classics, as this influences the way they study b) the teaching factors that help pupils to develop key competences are evaluation, feedback, teacher personality, interactivity and discipline. Useful paths for daily teaching and new perspectives for future research in this field are offered

On the Origin of Neo-Sex Chromosomes in the Neotropical Dragonflies Rhionaeschna bonariensis and R. planaltica (Aeshnidae, Odonata)

Odonata have holokinetic chromosomes. About 95% of species have an XX/X0 sex chromosome system, with heterogametic males. There are species with neo-XX/neo-XY sex chromosomes resulting from an X chromosome/autosome fusion. The genus Rhionaeschna includes 42 species found in the Americas. We analyzed the distribution of the nucleolar organizer region (NOR) using FISH with rDNA probes in Rhionaeschna bonariensis (n = 12 + neo-XY), R. planaltica (n = 7 + neo-XY), and Aeshna cyanea (n = 13 + X0). In R. bonariensis and A. cyanea, the NOR is located on a large pair of autosomes, which have a secondary constriction in the latter species. In R. planaltica, the NOR is located on the ancestral part of the neo-X chromosome. Meiotic analysis and FISH results in R. planaltica led to the conclusion that the neo-XY system arose by insertion of the ancestral X chromosome into an autosome. Genomic in situ hybridization, performed for the first time in Odonata, highlighted the entire neo-Y chromosome in meiosis of R. bonariensis, suggesting that it consists mainly of repetitive DNA. This feature and the terminal chiasma localization suggest an ancient origin of the neo-XY system. Our study provides new information on the origin and evolution of neo-sex chromosomes in Odonata, including new types of chromosomal rearrangements, NOR transposition, and heterochromatin accumulation.Fil: Mola, Liliana Maria. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Vrbová, Iva. No especifíca;Fil: Tosto, Daniela Sandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Parque Centenario. Instituto de Agrobiotecnología y Biología Molecular; ArgentinaFil: Zrzavá, Magda. University of South Bohemia; República ChecaFil: Marec, František. No especifíca

Identificação molecular de Helicoverpa spp. em culturas Bt e não Bt no centro da Argentina

The objective of this work was to identify, by molecular analysis, the species of the genus Helicoverpa in corn, soybean, and lucerne Bt and non-Bt crops, in central Argentina. A total of 1,343 carterpillars were analyzed by PCR-RFLP. Helicoverpa zea was the only species detected on non-Bt and on most Bt corn hybrids. The species H. gelotopoeon predominated on non-Bt soybean and on lucerne, and H. zea larvae occurred in low proportion. Bt soybean did not show Helicoverpa spp. infestations. The exotic H. armigera was not found, though adult moths of this species were light-trapped in a complementary sampling.O objetivo deste trabalho foi identificar, por análise molecular, as espécies do gênero Helicoverpa nas lavouras – Bt e não Bt – de milho, soja e alfafa, no centro da Argentina. Um total de 1.343 lagartas foram analisadas por PCR-RFLP. A espécie H. zea foi a única detectada no milho não Bt e na maioria do Bt. A espécie H. gelotopoeon predominou na soja não Bt e na alfafa, mas H. zea ocorreu em baixa proporção. A soja Bt não apresentou infestações por Helicoverpa spp. A exótica H. armigera não foi encontrada, porém, mariposas adultas dessa espécie foram capturadas com armadilha luminosa em uma amostragem complementar.Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola (IMYZA)Fil: Balbi, Emilia Ines. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Flores, Fernando Miguel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Marcos Juárez; ArgentinaFil: Tosto, Daniela Sandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Arneodo Larochette, Joel Demian. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Microbiología y Zoología Agrícola; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentin

Population genetics structure of glyphosate-resistant Johnsongrass (Sorghum halepense L. Pers) does not support a single origin of the resistance

Single sequence repeats (SSR) developed for Sorghum bicolor were used to characterize the genetic distance of 46 different Sorghum halepense (Johnsongrass) accessions from Argentina some of which have evolved toward glyphosate resistance. Since Johnsongrass is an allotetraploid and only one subgenome is homologous to cultivated sorghum, some SSR loci amplified up to two alleles while others (presumably more conserved loci) amplified up to four alleles. Twelve SSR providing information of 24 loci representative of Johnsongrass genome were selected for genetic distance characterization. All of them were highly polymorphic, which was evidenced by the number of different alleles found in the samples studied, in some of them up to 20. UPGMA and Mantel analysis showed that Johnsongrass glyphosate-resistant accessions that belong to different geographic regions do not share similar genetic backgrounds. In contrast, they show closer similarity to their neighboring susceptible counterparts. Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components using the clusters identified by K-means support the lack of a clear pattern of association among samples and resistance status or province of origin. Consequently, these results do not support a single genetic origin of glyphosate resistance. Nucleotide sequencing of the 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase (EPSPS) encoding gene from glyphosate-resistant and susceptible accessions collected from different geographic origins showed that none presented expected mutations in aminoacid positions 101 and 106 which are diagnostic of target-site resistance mechanism.Fil: Fernández, Luis. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: de Haro, Luis Alejandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Distefano, Ana J.. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular. Laboratorio de Agrobiotecnología; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Martínez, María Carolina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular. Laboratorio de Agrobiotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Lia, Verónica Viviana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular. Laboratorio de Agrobiotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Papa, Juan C.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria. Centro Regional Santa Fe. Estacion Experimental Agropecuaria Oliveros. Agencia de Extension Rural Arroyo Seco.; ArgentinaFil: Olea, Ignacio. Gobierno de Tucumán. Ministerio de Desarrollo Productivo. Estación Experimental Agroindustrial Obispo Colombres; ArgentinaFil: Tosto, Daniela Sandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular. Laboratorio de Agrobiotecnología; ArgentinaFil: Hopp, Horacio Esteban. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Biotecnología; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Departamento de Fisiología, Biología Molecular y Celular. Laboratorio de Agrobiotecnología; Argentin

Molecular phylogeny and diversification history of Prosopis (Fabaceae: Mimosoideae)

The genus Prosopis is an important member of arid and semiarid environments around the world. To study Prosopis diversification and evolution, a combined approach including molecular phylogeny, molecular dating, and character optimization analysis was applied. Phylogenetic relationships were inferred from five different molecular markers (matK-trnK, trnL-trnF, trnS-psbC, G3pdh, NIA). Taxon sampling involved a total of 30 Prosopis species that represented all Sections and Series and the complete geographical range of the genus. The results suggest that Prosopis is not a natural group. Molecular dating analysis indicates that the divergence between Section Strombocarpa and Section Algarobia plus Section Monilicarpa occurred in the Oligocene, contrasting with a much recent diversification (Late Miocene) within each of these groups. The diversification of the group formed by species of Series Chilenses, Pallidae, and Ruscifoliae is inferred to have started in the Pliocene, showing a high diversification rate. The moment of diversification within the major lineages of American species of Prosopis is coincident with the spreading of arid areas in the Americas, suggesting a climatic control for diversification of the group. Optimization of habitat parameters suggests an ancient occupation of arid environments by Prosopis species.Fil: Catalano, Santiago Andres. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico - Tucumán. Unidad Ejecutora Lillo; ArgentinaFil: Vilardi, Juan Cesar. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; ArgentinaFil: Tosto, Daniela Sandra. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas; ArgentinaFil: Saidman, Beatriz Ofelia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Instituto de Ecología, Genética y Evolución de Buenos Aires; Argentin

The Italian National External Quality Assessment Program in Cytogenetics: 4 years of activity (2013-2016) following the introduction of poor performance criteria

Background. Italian External Quality Assessment (IEQA) Program in Cytogenetics, established in 2001 by the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), covers both Constitutional and Oncohaematological diagnosis. In 2013, performance criteria were defined and adopted. In this paper, we present the data from the first 4 years of activity (2013-2016) following the introduction of performance criteria. Methods. The enrollment is voluntary, fee-based and open to both public and private Italian laboratories. The scheme is annual and retrospective; a national panel of experts assess technical, analytical and interpretative performance. Results. Overall, 95 distinct Italian laboratories participated in different Cytogenetics IEQA schemes over the 2013-2016 years and most of the laboratories took part in Constitutional diagnosis. General hospitals and local health centers represented 40% of the total participants and the percentage of laboratories from Northern Regions was more than 45% of total participants throughout the 4-year period. As regards the performance evaluation, on average, 11, 9 and 23% of participants were marked as poor performers in Prenatal, Postnatal and Oncohaematological schemes, respectively. With regard to critical errors, ISCN nomenclature in Prenatal and Postnatal schemes, and interpretation in Oncohaematological diagnosis, were identified as main issues. On the other hand, karyotype errors and inadequate analysis decreased strongly, over the 4 years, in Constitutional and Oncohaematological diagnosis, respectively. Conclusions. Our data show that the introduction of poor performance encourages laboratories to address critical issues, and the IEQA participation helps to improve quality in cytogenetic testing. 

New insights into the genetic etiology of Alzheimer's disease and related dementias

Characterization of the genetic landscape of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related dementias (ADD) provides a unique opportunity for a better understanding of the associated pathophysiological processes. We performed a two-stage genome-wide association study totaling 111,326 clinically diagnosed/'proxy' AD cases and 677,663 controls. We found 75 risk loci, of which 42 were new at the time of analysis. Pathway enrichment analyses confirmed the involvement of amyloid/tau pathways and highlighted microglia implication. Gene prioritization in the new loci identified 31 genes that were suggestive of new genetically associated processes, including the tumor necrosis factor alpha pathway through the linear ubiquitin chain assembly complex. We also built a new genetic risk score associated with the risk of future AD/dementia or progression from mild cognitive impairment to AD/dementia. The improvement in prediction led to a 1.6- to 1.9-fold increase in AD risk from the lowest to the highest decile, in addition to effects of age and the APOE ε4 allele

Genome-wide haplotype association study identifies the FRMD4A gene as a risk locus for Alzheimer's disease

Recently, several genome-wide association studies (GWASs) have led to the discovery of nine new loci of genetic susceptibility in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the landscape of the AD genetic susceptibility is far away to be complete and in addition to single-SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) analyses as performed in conventional GWAS, complementary strategies need to be applied to overcome limitations inherent to this type of approaches. We performed a genome-wide haplotype association (GWHA) study in the EADI1 study (n=2025 AD cases and 5328 controls) by applying a sliding-windows approach. After exclusion of loci already known to be involved in AD (APOE, BIN1 and CR1), 91 regions with suggestive haplotype effects were identified. In a second step, we attempted to replicate the best suggestive haplotype associations in the GERAD1 consortium (2820 AD cases and 6356 controls) and observed that 9 of them showed nominal association. In a third step, we tested relevant haplotype associations in a combined analysis of five additional case-control studies (5093 AD cases and 4061 controls). We consistently replicated the association of a haplotype within FRMD4A on Chr.10p13 in all the data set analyzed (OR: 1.68; 95% CI: (1.43-1.96); P=1.1 × 10 -10). We finally searched for association between SNPs within the FRMD4A locus and Aβ plasma concentrations in three independent non-demented populations (n=2579). We reported that polymorphisms were associated with plasma Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio (best signal, P=5.4 × 10 -7). In conclusion, combining both GWHA study and a conservative three-stage replication approach, we characterised FRMD4A as a new genetic risk factor of AD