A general model of focal adhesion orientation dynamics in response to static and cyclic stretch

Understanding cellular response to mechanical forces is immensely important for a plethora of biological processes. Focal adhesions are multi-molecular protein assemblies that connect the cell to the extracellular matrix and play a pivotal role in cell mechanosensing. Under time varying stretches, focal adhesions dynamically reorganize and reorient and as a result, regulate the response of cells in tissues. Here, I present a simple theoretical model based on, to my knowledge, a novel approach in the understanding of stretch sensitive bond association and dissociation processes together with the elasticity of the cell-substrate system to predict the growth, stability and the orientation of focal adhesions in the presence of static as well as cyclically varying stretches. The model agrees well with several experimental observations; most importantly, it explains the puzzling observations of parallel orientation of focal adhesions under static stretch and nearly perpendicular orientation in response to fast varying cyclic stretch

Le Paralisi Cerebrali Infantili (PCI) e lo sguardo della Pedagogia speciale

The Cerebral Palsy (CP), a result of an early lesion to the Nervous System, which determines a damage to expressive, executive and communicative aspects of the movement. The rehabilitation project must be flexible and personalized; it must be capable of stimulating the motivation at learning to control the movement as something adaptive to the environment, not just as a simple acquisition of correct motor abilities. That’s the reason why we need to integrate medical and pedagogicalperspectives.The Cerebral Palsy (CP), a result of an early lesion to the Nervous System, which determines a damage to expressive, executive and communicative aspects of the movement. The rehabilitation project must be flexible and personalized; it must be capable of stimulating the motivation at learning to control the movement as something adaptive to the environment, not just as a simple acquisition of correct motor abilities. That’s the reason why we need to integrate medical and pedagogicalperspectives

L’emergenza come occasione per un ripensamento critico del modello aziendalistico di formazione

La didattica a distanza è stata in gran parte una sorta di riproposizione di quella tradizionale in presenza senza uno studio approfondito dei modelli e dei dispositivi pedagogici e metodologici adatti a questa specifica modalità. Inoltre, la DAD ha reso ancora più evidenti le molte criticità della stessa didattica tradizionale in presenza. Tra queste si possono ricordare, per esempio, le modalità di correzione dell’errore e del modo di intenderlo, la valutazione e infine il rapporto della scuola con la multimedialità, ancora intriso di pregiudizi e stereotipiDistance teaching has largely been a sort of re-proposition of traditional face-to-face teaching without having considered the available studies on pedagogical and methodological models for this specific modality as well as its suitable devices. Furthermore, distance teaching made even more evident some critical issues of the traditional way of teaching. Among these, we can mention, for instance, the way of correcting the error and its understanding, the evaluation and the relationship between school and multimedia, suffering of prejudices and stereotypes

La conquista dell’autonomia: problemi educativi e inclusione

The educational relationship, which is also the parent-son relationship, is defined by mutualdependence. In order to let a child is to undertake a path of autonomy, it is necessary for theparents to be willing to allow him to. All parents experience a desire to protect their childrenfrom frustrating or painful experiences, disappointments and conflicts. Some become overprotectiveand end up obstructing the child's independence. In the case of children and adolescentswith disabilities, the parents' fear their children could suffer unrecoverable trauma makes thisdanger even more frequent. When it comes to the achievement of the autonomy of children andadolescents, an important role is played by other variables, such as Self-care, metacognitive skillsand self-esteem. Important functions, such as memory and attention, are connected to the cognitiveSelf. Despite several neurological, pedagogical and bio-psychological studies stating thecontrary, those functions can still be regarded as if they were somehow innate, therefore withlittle chances to be modified. Their biological dimension is sometimes exasperated, sometimesdenied and these functions are brought back to the ethical or moral sphere of the will

Didattiche e progettazioni: storie e tracce evolutive verso l’inclusione

The stories and evolutive traces that marked the long path toward school inclusion give us today new reads and synergies between Special Education and the Inclusive Pedagogy.By reminding never to lose the overall vision and not allow fragmented and simplistic visions, authors bring to light epis‐ temological statutes and conceptual evolutions between propulsive and conservative thrusts, general and specialized frontiers. The contribution aims to delineate new frameworks of reflection for building inclusive contexts.Authors come together on the individualized dimension and that of the multiple differences of special didactic and on the intersections in the design of an inclusive curriculum. This allows the reader to focus the attention on new levels of reciprocity between the individual and the community, between Special Pedagogy and Inclusive Pedagogy.The stories and evolutive traces that marked the long path toward school inclusion give us today new reads and synergies between Special Education and the Inclusive Pedagogy.By reminding never to lose the overall vision and not allow fragmented and simplistic visions, authors bring to light epistemological statutes and conceptual evolutions between propulsive and conservative thrusts, general and specialized frontiers. The contribution aims to delineate new frameworks of reflection for building inclusive contexts.Authors come together on the individualized dimension and that of the multiple differences of special didactic and on the intersections in the design of an inclusive curriculum. This allows the reader to focus the attention on new levels of reciprocity between the individual and the community, between Special Pedagogy and Inclusive Pedagogy

Beta-Blocker Use in Older Hospitalized Patients Affected by Heart Failure and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: An Italian Survey From the REPOSI Register

Beta (β)-blockers (BB) are useful in reducing morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF) and concomitant chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Nevertheless, the use of BBs could induce bronchoconstriction due to β2-blockade. For this reason, both the ESC and GOLD guidelines strongly suggest the use of selective β1-BB in patients with HF and COPD. However, low adherence to guidelines was observed in multiple clinical settings. The aim of the study was to investigate the BBs use in older patients affected by HF and COPD, recorded in the REPOSI register. Of 942 patients affected by HF, 47.1% were treated with BBs. The use of BBs was significantly lower in patients with HF and COPD than in patients affected by HF alone, both at admission and at discharge (admission, 36.9% vs. 51.3%; discharge, 38.0% vs. 51.7%). In addition, no further BB users were found at discharge. The probability to being treated with a BB was significantly lower in patients with HF also affected by COPD (adj. OR, 95% CI: 0.50, 0.37-0.67), while the diagnosis of COPD was not associated with the choice of selective β1-BB (adj. OR, 95% CI: 1.33, 0.76-2.34). Despite clear recommendations by clinical guidelines, a significant underuse of BBs was also observed after hospital discharge. In COPD affected patients, physicians unreasonably reject BBs use, rather than choosing a β1-BB. The expected improvement of the BB prescriptions after hospitalization was not observed. A multidisciplinary approach among hospital physicians, general practitioners, and pharmacologists should be carried out for better drug management and adherence to guideline recommendations

Devianza

II volume considera sia storicamente sia in relazione allo stato della ricerca in merito, alcune voci fondamentali nell'ambito della Pedagogia speciale. Il contributo declina, in particolare, il concetto di "devianza" in senso storico e in chiave inclusiva, in tutte le diverse accezioni che può assumere e in relazione alle ricerche più attuali

Sguardi e volti: il paradosso della nostalgia del futuro

Il saggio analizza i ritratti di Paolo Ciampini in relazione al rapporto tra nostalgia e desiderio e alla possibilità di riscatto e consolazione di fronte al dolore e alla perdita, attraverso la riproduzione (o la contemplazione) artistica