Inherited variation in immune genes and pathways and glioblastoma risk

To determine whether inherited variations in immune function single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), genes or pathways affect glioblastoma risk, we analyzed data from recent genome-wide association studies in conjunction with predefined immune function genes and pathways. Gene and pathway analyses were conducted on two independent data sets using 6629 SNPs in 911 genes on 17 immune pathways from 525 glioblastoma cases and 602 controls from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) and a subset of 6029 SNPs in 893 genes from 531 cases and 1782 controls from MD Anderson (MDA). To further assess consistency of SNP-level associations, we also compared data from the UK (266 cases and 2482 controls) and the Mayo Clinic (114 cases and 111 controls). Although three correlated epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) SNPs were consistently associated with glioblastoma in all four data sets (Mantel–Haenzel P values = 1 × 10−5 to 4 × 10−3), independent replication is required as genome-wide significance was not attained. In gene-level analyses, eight immune function genes were significantly (minP < 0.05) associated with glioblastoma; the IL-2RA (CD25) cytokine gene had the smallest minP values in both UCSF (minP = 0.01) and MDA (minP = 0.001) data sets. The IL-2RA receptor is found on the surface of regulatory T cells potentially contributing to immunosuppression characteristic of the glioblastoma microenvironment. In pathway correlation analyses, cytokine signaling and adhesion–extravasation–migration pathways showed similar associations with glioblastoma risk in both MDA and UCSF data sets. Our findings represent the first systematic description of immune genes and pathways that characterize glioblastoma risk

Progettare la media education. Dall'idea all'azione, nella scuola e nei servizi educativi

Che rapporto c’è tra media education e formazione? Nella “società dell’informazione”, la media education è la formazione. Chi si occupa di media education non può prescindere da competenze specifiche di progettazione formativa e chi si occupa di progettazione formativa non può che trarre giovamento da specifiche competenze di media education, se vuole proporre interventi formativi solidamente ancorati alle modalità odierne di diffusione del sapere. Nato da un lungo lavoro di équipe e da una pluriennale esperienza sul campo, questo volume cerca di accompagnare il media educator – insegnante, educatore, formatore – in tutti quei momenti che si svolgono “dietro le quinte” e che rendono possibile (ed efficace) il suo intervento in aula: progettazione, ricerca dei finanziamenti, monitoraggio, valutazione e documentazione degli interventi. Partendo dal presupposto che “non vi è nulla di più pratico di una buona teoria”, i modelli proposti intendono sia guidare il principiante a sviluppare progetti non improvvisati ed estemporanei, sia offrire all’esperto una base teorica con cui analizzare e rielaborare la propria esperienza sul campo, attivando un processo di riflessione virtuosa e crescita professionale

THE JOURNAL OF MEDIA LITERACY EDUCATION,vol. 3, pp. 1-139, Cherry Hills (New Jersey): National Association- Special issue on the occasion of the World Summit on Children and Media(Karlstad, Sweden, June 2010)

This issue was jointly created by two journals devoted to media literacy education: the US Journal of Media Literacy Education (sponsored by the National Association for Media Literacy Education) and the Italian Media Education: Studi, Ricerche, Buone pratiche (sponsored by MED – Associazione italiana per l'educazione ai media e alla comunicazione). On the occasion a joint Board of Editors was established. Editors wish to thank Maria Ranieri (University of Florence, Italy), who kindly served as Peer Reviewer, and also Erickson Publishing (Italy). Media Education. Studi, Ricerche, Buone pratiche is on-line at the URL: http://riviste.erickson.it/med. Special thanks go to the World Summit on Children and Media Foundation and to Per Lundgren, the conference organizer. We are also grateful to Ulla Carlsson, Cecilia von Feilitzen and Catharina Bucht of NORDICOM who organized a Research Forum at the World Summit and published the book, New Questions, New Insights, New Approaches: Contributions to the Research Forum at the World Summit on Media for Children and Youth 2010 (Gothenburg, 2011)

New Perspectives on Children and Media. On the occasion of the World Summit on Children and Media (Karlstad, Sweden, June 2010)

Num. monografico del "Journal of Media Literacy Education", vol. 3, n. 2 (novembre 2011). Online: www.jmle.org

Reflections on Global Developments in Media Literacy Education: Bridging Theory and Practice

The field of media literacy education is maturing, as evidenced by the quality of presentations of research and practice shared at the 2010 World Summit on Children and Media in Karlstad. In this article, we offer our reflections on the opportunities and challenges faced by media literacy educators as we build our global community network, develop a shared theoretical framework that transcends culture and nationality, and return to consider foundational questions about the relationship between power and agency as new visions of digital literacy emerge as educators and creative media professionals explore the new capacities and limitations of the Internet and social media