Mycotoxins nivalenol and deoxynivalenol differently modulate cytokine mRNA expression in Jurkat T cells.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and its hydroxylated form nivalenol (NIV) are Fusarium mycotoxins that occur in cereal grains alone or in combination. Several studies have shown that these metabolites affect lymphocyte functions. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying their activities are still partially known. To address this issue, we examined the influence of NIV and DON in modulating IFNc, IL-2 and IL-8 mRNA levels in Jurkat T cells. In PMA/ionomycin stimulated cells, pre-incubated with increasing concentrations of NIV, transcription was induced in the range 0.06–2 lM; higher concentrations of NIV were found non-stimulating (4 lM) or inhibitory (8 lM) for IFNc and IL-2 whereas IL-8 was still induced. DON administration elicited a similar profile for IL-8 and IFNc, whilst IL-2 mRNA was induced in a broader range of concentrations. Combination of NIV and DON at 1:1 and 1:10 ratios essentially restored the cytokine transcriptional pattern observed with NIV alone but the level of transcripts, with the exception of IL-8, peaked at lower concentrations suggesting interactive effects. Moreover both mycotoxins caused inhibition of cell proliferation, mediated by induction of apoptosis, confirming previous results and highlighting the usefulness of Jurkat as a T-cell model to study the effects of mycotoxins on the immune functions in humans

Validazione e standardizzazione del questionario «Quin – Quando insegno»

Validation And Standardization Of The Questionnaire «Quin – When I Teach»The professionalism of a teacher is the topic of a wide-ranging debate aimed at overcoming crises of confidence in this category and reaffirming the teacher as a valuable source for students’ growth and cognitive and socio-emotional development. This questionnaire shows the validation and standardization process of a self-perception instrument aimed at teachers and designed to explore some of the main dimensions of teaching that, overcoming the limitations found in the literature, highlights the need to encourage teachers to reflect on themselves in their work. The tool can be used both by individual teachers and by schools as support in their self-evaluation processes. The information that emerges can be shared within the educating community to orient work and teaching practices in a specific school context. In perspective, the tool will be used in combination with others, intended for teachers and students, and accessible via a dedicated digital platform. The system as a whole will allow us to detect experiences, needs and requirements aimed to focus on the good practices implemented and to design targeted improvement actions

Ripensare il successo scolastico a partire dal vissuto degli studenti

L’articolo presenta i principali risultati di una ricerca sul benessere/disagio e le percezioni del contesto scolastico di studenti di scuola secondaria di primo grado. Il campione è di convenienza e prende in considerazione quasi 4500 studenti. A partire da un’analisi del quadro teorico che evidenzia la necessità di considerare le condizioni di benessere come parte del successo scolastico, in quanto comprendono sentimenti di soddisfazione e motivazione, orientano l’apprendimento e aumentano la perfomance, vengono descritti il disegno di ricerca e gli strumenti utilizzati. Si è deciso di utilizzare un approccio mixedmethod attraverso sia la sottomissione di due questionari precedentemente validati, sia la conduzione di alcuni focus group. Il contributo mira a mostrare solo parte dei risultati ottenuti prediligendo gli elementi di coerenza tra i risultati quantitativi e quelli qualitativi. L’analisi e l’interpretazione dei dati offre degli spunti utili per una rivisitazione della costruzione del contesto scolastico e della vita di classe fornendo un focus sugli elementi di maggiore criticità emersi.The paper presents the main results of a study on wellbeing/disaffection and the perception of the school context among lower secondary school students. The convenience sample studied comprises almost 4,500 students. Starting with an analysis of the theoretical framework that points to the need of considering wellbeing conditions as an element of educational success because they include feelings of satisfaction and motivation and because they orient learning and increase performance, we describe the research plan and the tools used. A mixed-method was chosen consisting in the administration of two previously validated questionnaires and in the conduction of several focus groups. The aim of the paper is to illustrate only a part of the results obtained, favouring the elements of coherence between the quantitative and the qualitative results. Data analysis and interpretation offer conclusions that are useful towards a revisitation of the construction of the school and life context in the classroom, providing insight on the most problematic elements emerging from the study

Insegnare a scrivere nel biennio della scuola secondaria di primo grado

Il contributo offre una riflessione sulle strategie e azioni didattiche utilizzate nell'insegnamento della scrittura nel biennio della scuola secondaria di primo grado. Nello specifico è presentata parte dei risultati di una ricerca biennale (2012/2014) sulla scrittura degli studenti del primo biennio della scuola secondaria di primo grado. Si tratta di dati relativi: a) alla progettazione e all'azione didattica di un gruppo docenti di Lettere che insegnano in sette scuole romane; b) all'analisi delle tracce utilizzate nei due anni da tali docenti per le prove di scrittura in classe. La scuola ha da tempo avvertito l’esigenza di un ripensamento complessivo delle modalità di insegnamento/apprendimento della lingua e delle quattro abilità linguistiche di base e, in particolare, della scrittura. In continuità con tale bisogno, i risultati mettono in luce progettualità didattiche sperimentate nella scuola e atteggiamenti di docenti, rispondendo alla esigenza di studi e contributi alla riflessione sul tema in vista di una ricaduta di natura didatticaThis paper provides a reflection on strategies and actions used in teaching writing to lower secondary school students. Specifically, this contribution focuses on some of the results of a two-year research (2012/2014) based on the analysis of writing compositions by students of the first two years of secondary school. Datas concern a) the design and action of teaching by a group of mother tongue teachers from seven schools of Rome; b) the analysis of instructions for students’written composition used in the two years from such teachers. The school has felt for long time the need to rethink its methods of teaching/learning the language and the four basic language skills, writing in particolar. In keeping with this need, the results highlight experimented educational projects in schools and attitudes of teachers, responding to the need for studies and contributions to the reflection on the issue in view of didactic effect

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Responsabilità sociale, valutazione e ricerca educativa

Il problema della valutazione è senza dubbio un tema le cui radici affondano fino alle origini dell’esperienza umana. Molti grandi pensatori del passato si sono arenati di fronte a una sistematizzazioneadeguata dei concetti su quali fondare una scienza del bene e del male. Tuttavia in questi tempi il modello del pensiero tecnocratico imperante, abbacinato dall’idea di poter ridurre la complessità ad un algoritmo, ha fatto del concetto di valutazione una sorta di parola d’ordine, immaginando che sia possibile instaurare un ordine nuovo, più efficiente e più efficace, estendendo e formalizzando la pratica del valutare tutti e tutto

Physico‐chemical and nutritional characteristics of einkorn flour cookies

Einkorn (Triticum monococcum L.) is a diploid wheat whose kernels are rich in proteins, carotenoids, tocols, phenolic acids, and trace minerals. Our research analyzed the physico\u2010chemical and nutritional characteristics of einkorn cookies prepared from refined flour of two einkorns (ID1395 and Monlis) and one common wheat (Blasco). The traits analyzed were color, size, and surface texture (Image Analysis); inner texture (Bending and Penetration tests); carotenoids and tocols content and composition; furosine, glucosylisomaltol, and hydroxymethylfurfural as heat damage indices (HPLC). Einkorn cookies were thinner, larger, slightly darker, with smoother surface, and higher breaking resistance than the control cookies. Furthermore, they had more carotenoids (5.0 vs. 2.2 mg/kg DM) and showed less heat damage (188.5 vs. 242.4 mg furosine/100 g protein) than common wheat cookies. Room\u2010temperature storage under dark in sealed plastic containers led to a decrease in lutein (8%\u201317%) and furosine (20%) and an increase in hardness, especially in einkorn cookies. Practical applications To satisfy the ever\u2010increasing interest of the consumers in foods with better nutritional characteristics, the food industry is continuously exploring new formulations. Einkorn is a very promising candidate because of the outstanding composition of its flour. However, little information is available on sweet\u2010baked goods from einkorn. Our results clearly demonstrate that this wheat is perfect, from both the technological and the composition aspects, for preparing high nutritional value cookies with better nutraceutical properties than standard bread wheat cookies. Therefore, the food industry can directly use einkorn as an input ingredient for sweet\u2010baked goods using current production methods

Se l’obbedienza non fosse una virtù

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