Digital Competence in K-12 : theoretical models, assessment tools and empirical research

Over the last years the theme of the digital competence in its different aspects has been object of a growing interest. In a number of official documents and communications, international bodies underlined the significance of this competence for lifelong learning and to participate in the so-called 'information society'. Within this context, education research has the duty to provide realistic conceptual models coherent with the school's objectives and which can be put into practice within the school curriculum. In the present paper, we shall introduce a theoretical model, education oriented, to represent this competence and a set of tools to assess it in the school context, i.e., the Instant DCA (iDCA) and the Situated DCA. Then we shall focus on iDCA and on the results of the testing carried out over the last two years in the Italian secondary school.Durante los últimos años el tema de la competencia digital en sus diferentes aspectos ha sido objeto de un creciente interés. Los organismos internacionales han destacado a importancia de esta competencia para el aprendizaje permanente y la inclusión en la sociedad de la información en una serie de documentos oficiales. Dentro de este contexto, la investigación educativa tiene el deber de proporcionar modelos conceptuales coherentes con los objetivos de la escuela y que se puedan poner en práctica dentro del currículum escolar. En el presente trabajo, introducimos un modelo teórico, orientado a la educación, para desarrollar esta competencia y un conjunto de herramientas para evaluarla en el contexto escolar

Indagine sull’uso di tecnologie web per un corso open online. Il caso del corso CCK08

Una nuova sigla si è recentemente aggiunta al panorama degli acronimi dell’e-learning: MOOC ‒ Massive Open Online Courses, ovvero corsi online aperti a tutti, con un numero di partecipanti molto elevato. In questo lavoro viene proposta una riflessione su questo tipo di corsi, tenendo conto soprattutto della dimensione tecnologica di queste iniziative e delle strategie messe in atto dai partecipanti, sul piano dell’uso di una vasta gamma di sistemi e servizi web

Association of Klotho with physical performance and frailty in middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review

Abstract Ageing is an inevitable process of physical deterioration that impairs functional autonomy and quality of life, becoming a public health issue. Since the percentage of people over 60 years is increasing worldwide, the use of easily detectable biomarkers of ageing is a relevant tool for monitoring of the ageing process and treatment. Among them, Klotho, an ageing suppressor gene because its deficiency leads to ageing like phenotype, seems particularly promising. This systematic review includes the last 10 years clinical studies that evaluated the association between plasma Klotho and body composition, physical performance and frailty in both sedentary and active middle-aged and older adults. Sixteen studies have been found: nine regarding the association between Klotho and body composition, two the association of Klotho and frailty and finally five concerning the effects of physical activity on Klotho. The results of these studies, albeit with some exceptions, point out that Klotho is positively associated with muscle strength and negatively with osteoporosis, frailty, disability and mortality while physical activity generally increases Klotho levels. Moreover, even if there are still few clinical studies, Klotho might be positively associated with bone mineral density, muscle strength, longevity, mobility and robustness during ageing

The role of detraining in tendon mechanobiology

INTRODUCTION: Several conditions such as training, aging, estrogen deficiency and drugs could affect the biological and anatomo-physiological characteristics of the tendon. Additionally, recent preclinical and clinical studies examined the effect of detraining on tendon, showing alterations in its structure and morphology and in tenocyte mechanobiology. However, few data evaluated the importance that cessation of training might have on tendon. Basically, we do not fully understand how tendons react to a phase of training followed by sudden detraining. Therefore, within this review, we summarize the studies where tendon detraining was examined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive systematic literature review was carried out by searching three databases (PubMed, Scopus and Web of Knowledge) on tendon detraining. Original articles in English from 2000 to 2015 were included. In addition, the search was extended to the reference lists of the selected articles. A public reference manager (www.mendeley.com) was adopted to remove duplicate articles. RESULTS: An initial literature search yielded 134 references (www.pubmed.org: 53; www.scopus.com: 11; www.webofknowledge.com: 70). Fifteen publications were extracted based on the title for further analysis by two independent reviewers. Abstracts and complete articles were after that reviewed to evaluate if they met inclusion criteria. CONCLUSIONS: The revised literature comprised four clinical studies and an in vitro and three in vivo reports. Overall, the results showed that tendon structure and properties after detraining are compromised, with an alteration in the tissue structural organization and mechanical properties. Clinical studies usually showed a lesser extent of tendon alterations, probably because preclinical studies permit an in-depth evaluation of tendon modifications, which is hard to perform in human subjects. In conclusion, after a period of sudden detraining (e.g., after an injury), physical activity should be taken with caution, following a targeted rehabilitation program. However, further research should be performed to fully understand the effect of sudden detraining on tendons

La competenza digitale nella scuola. Modelli, strumenti, ricerche

Nel corso degli ultimi anni il tema della competenza digitale, nei suoi diversi aspetti, è stato oggetto di attenzione crescente. In vari documenti e comunicazioni, gli organismi internazionalihanno sottolineato la rilevanza di questa competenza per il lifelong learning e per la piena partecipazione alla cosiddetta‘società dell’informazione’. In questo contesto, la ricerca educativaha il compito di mettere a punto modelli concettuali realistici coerenti con gli obiettivi della scuola e facilmente integrabilinel curriculum scolastico. In questo lavoro, presenteremo un modello teorico per la rappresentazione di questa competenza, sensibile alle istanze educative, ed illustreremo una serie distrumenti per valutarla in ambito scolastico, ossia l’Instant DCA (iDCA) e il Situated DCA. Successivamente ci soffermeremo sull’iDCA e sui risultati di una sperimentazione condotta negli ultimidue anni nella scuola secondaria superiore

Removal of an Azo Textile Dye from Wastewater by Cyclodextrin-Epichlorohydrin Polymers

Native cyclodextrins (CDs), α-, β- and γ-CDs, were employed to synthetise three different cyclodextrin-based polymers using epichlorohydrin (EPI) as a cross-linker. These polymers were applied as adsorbent material to remove an azo textile dye, Direct Blue 78 (DB78), from water. The formation of inclusion complexes between the alone CDs and DB78 molecules were first studied in aqueous solutions. Then, adsorption experiments of the dye were performed by means of cyclodextrin/epichlorohydrin (CD/EPI) polymers. The effects of various parameters, such as contact time, adsorbent dosage, initial dye concentration, pH and temperature, were examined to determine the better adsorption conditions. The equilibrium isotherms and the adsorption kinetics were also analysed using opportune mathematic models. The chemical-physical characteristics and the morphology of the adsorbent polymers were, respectively, observed by differential scanning calorimetry and field emission scanning electron microscope. The CD/EPI polymers showed a very good ability in the removal of DB78 from aqueous solution; indeed, the maximum efficiencies in the dye removal were found to be about 99% for β-CD/EPI polymer and about 97% for γ-CD/EPI polymer, at pH 6 and 25°C conditions. It is possible to assume that the good adsorbent aptitude of CD/EPI polymers is due to their double peculiarity to include the dye in the inner cavity of CDs and to adsorb the dye on their porous surfaces by physical interaction

Defesa comunitária, criminalidade organizada e violência no México

The article analyzes different experiences of groups organized to defend the communities in Guerrero and Michoacán, Mexico, against the insecurity generated by drug trafficking through the diversification of their profitable activities. It emphasizes that the participation of communities in the appropriation of their security occurs in a social environment where legality and illegality are confused, a grey zone functional to the context of regional economic reconfigurations that have favored violence. The article questions the heterogeneity of armed defensive groups in this region, accentuating the State's tense tolerance of their demonstration, trying to submit them to the model of citizen participation in security. It also questions the relevance and the limits of the categories with which attempts have been made to characterize groups that organize themselves to guarantee security and order in environments disturbed by violence.O artigo analisa diferentes experiências de grupos organizados para à defesa das comunidades nos estados mexicanos de Guerrero e Michoacán, contra a insegurança e conflitos gerados pelo narcotráfico - diante da expansão e diversificação de suas atividades lucrativas. Ressalta que a participação das comunidades na apropriação de sua segurança ocorre em um ambiente social em que a legalidade e a ilegalidade são ambíguas, pois tem se configurado por uma zona cinza, funcional ao contexto de reestruturais econômicas regionais que contribuíram para o aumento da violência. Além disso, o artigo questiona a heterogeneidade dos grupos defensivos armados dessa região, enfatizando a tensa tolerância do Estado diante da manifestação do fenômeno, tentando submetê-los ao modelo de participação cidadã de segurança. Também questiona a relevância e o limite das categorias com as quais foram feitas tentativas para caracterizar os grupos que se organizam para garantir segurança e ordem em ambientes transformados pela violência

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: a comparison of two staging systems in a population-based study

Background and purpose: To compare two recently developed staging systems for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) [King's College and Milano-Torino staging (MITOS) systems] in an incident, population-based cohort of patients with ALS. Methods: Since 2009, a prospective registry has been recording all incident cases of ALS in the Emilia Romagna region in Italy. For each patient, detailed clinical information, including the ALS functional rating scale score, is collected at each follow-up. Results: Our study on 545 incident cases confirmed that King's College stages occurred at predictable times and were quite evenly spaced out throughout the disease course (occurring at approximately 40%, 60% and 80% of the disease course), whereas MITOS stages were mostly skewed towards later phases of the disease. In the King's College system there was a decrease in survival and an increase in deaths with escalating stages, whereas in the MITOS system survival curves pertaining to intermediate stages overlapped and the number of deaths was fairly homogenous throughout most stages. Conclusions: The King's College staging system had a higher homogeneity (i.e. smaller differences in survival among patients in the same stage) and a higher discriminatory ability (i.e. greater differences in survival among patients in different stages), being more suitable for individualized prognosis and for measuring efficacy of therapeutic interventions

Osteogenic differentiation of MG63 cells in biodegradable scaffolds based on gelatin and genipin

Gelatin is a denatured collagen and commercially available as a biodegradable polymer. It has been extensively utilized for pharmaceutical and medical purposes, and its biosafety has been proven through long clinical applications. It showed an high cell attachment and proliferation, thus it has been widely considered as one of the best material to be used in medicine regenerative. Scaffolds based on pure gelatin showed a low mechanical and biological stability, so that a chemical crosslinking is necessary to improve its mechanical proprieties and success in clinical application. The aim of this study was to test the influence of a new porous composite scaffold based on gelatin/genipin composition on cell adhesion, proliferation and osteogenic potential. Genipin is a natural non toxic crosslinking agent which significantly improve the mechanical stability of the scaffold1. Osteoblast like cell (MG63) were seeded in collagen/genipin scaffolds for 24h, 7, 14, 21 and 28 days. Cell proliferation assay, light and electron microscopy analysis were performed to evaluate cell growth and morphological changes induced by cell/ scaffold interactions. Real Time PCR were carried out to evaluate the expression of the osteogenic markers such as collagen type I, osteonectin, osteopontin, ostecalcin and alkaline phosphatase proteins in MG63 seeded on gelatin/genipin scaffolds. Our results showed that gelatin/genipin scaffold is an excellent substrate for the growth and cell proliferation. Microscopy analysis showed an high cell adhesion on scaffold surface and an deep penetration in the macropores of the sponge. The Real Time data reveal a significant difference in the expression of the ostegenic markers in MG63 grown on gelatin/genipin scaffold compared to control samples. In conclusion, our data demonstrated that gelatin/genipin scaffold showed an high biocompatibility with human cells and an high osteogenic potential and it could be a potential tool in regenerative medicine