Vitamin A Enhances Antitumor Effect of a Green Tea Polyphenol on Melanoma by Upregulating the Polyphenol Sensing Molecule 67-kDa Laminin Receptor

BACKGROUND: Green tea consumption has been shown to have cancer preventive qualities. Among the constituents of green tea, (-)-Epigallocatechin-3-O-gallate (EGCG) is the most effective at inhibiting carcinogenesis. However, the concentrations of EGCG that are required to elicit the anticancer effects in a variety of cancer cell types are much higher than the peak plasma concentration that occurs after drinking an equivalent of 2-3 cups of green tea. To obtain the anticancer effects of EGCG when consumed at a reasonable concentration in daily life, we investigated the combination effect of EGCG and food ingredient that may enhance the anticancer activity of EGCG on subcutaneous tumor growth in C57BL/6N mice challenged with B16 melanoma cells. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: All-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) enhanced the expression of the 67-kDa laminin receptor (67LR) and increased EGCG-induced cell growth inhibition in B16 melanoma cells. The cell growth inhibition seen with the combined EGCG and ATRA treatment was abolished by treatment with an anti-67LR antibody. In addition, the combined EGCG and ATRA treatment significantly suppressed the melanoma tumor growth in mice. Expression of 67LR in the tumor increased upon oral administration of ATRA or a combined treatment of EGCG and ATRA treatment. Furthermore, RNAi-mediated silencing of the retinoic acid receptor (RAR) alpha attenuated the ATRA-induced enhancement of 67LR expression in the melanoma cells. An RAR agonist enhanced the expression levels of 67LR and increased EGCG-induced cell growth inhibition. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Our findings provide a molecular basis for the combination effect seen with dietary components, and indicate that ATRA may be a beneficial food component for cancer prevention when combined with EGCG

Laboratori con le Macchine Matematiche

In questo intervento saranno presentate le attivit\ue0 didattiche svolte all\u2019interno del progetto MMLab-ER (Laboratorio delle Macchine Matematiche per l\u2019Emilia Romagna). Questo progetto, nato dalla collaborazione tra la regione Emilia Romagna e il Laboratorio delle Macchine Matematiche di Modena, si sviluppa in diverse fasi che consistono nell\u2019allestimento di nuovi Laboratori delle Macchine Matematiche in diverse province dell\u2019Emilia Romagna, nella formazione di insegnanti di scuola primaria e secondaria che possano usufruire delle risorse presenti in questi e, successivamente, nello sviluppo di sperimentazioni con studenti di diversi ordini e tipologie di scuole. Le province dell\u2019Emilia Romagna coinvolte nel progetto sono: Piacenza e Rimini per quanto riguarda la prima annualit\ue0 (A.S.2008/2009) e Bologna, Modena e Ravenna per la seconda annualit\ue0 (A.S.2009/10). Il progetto prevede che le attivit\ue0 dei Laboratori e le sperimentazioni proseguano nei prossimi anni attraverso il lavoro di tutor locali (nominati nel corso delle due annualit\ue0 del progetto) e degli insegnanti coinvolti nei corsi di formazione

Laboratory activities in teacher training

The Laboratory of Mathematical Machines of Modena, supported by the Regione Emilia Romagna (Italy), invested the most recent mathematics education researches in the teacher training project MMLab-ER. The training course was unique both in methodology and focus: teachers joined laboratory activities with mathematical machines analysing the interactions (between peer, experts and also with tools) and the cognitive processes involved. The paper presents examples of these activities where teachers construct, and then analyse, different resolution strategies carried out during ruler and compass construction

Dalla formazione insegnanti alle attivit\ue0 in classe con le macchine matematiche: l'esperienza del progetto MMLab-ER

Questo contributo presenta alcune attivit\ue0 svolte durante il progetto MMLab-ER (Laboratori delle Macchine Matematiche per l\u2019Emilia Romagna). La sfida di questo progetto \ue8 stata di sviluppare un programma di formazione che coinvolgesse insegnanti di matematica di diversi gradi per introdurre nelle scuole metodologie didattiche di tipo laboratoriale che si avvalgono dell\u2019uso di strumenti provenienti dalla storia della matematica, le macchine matematiche. Le attivit\ue0 svolte durante il corso di formazione hanno focalizzato l\u2019attenzione degli insegnanti su particolari attivit\ue0 caratterizzanti la cultura matematica e il pensiero teorico, come ad esempio: l\u2019esplorare, il congetturare, l\u2019argomentare e il dimostrare

Tasks for teachers in mathematics laboratory activities: a case study

This paper presents and discusses some examples of tasks for teachers carried out in the MMLab-ER Project. It will be shown how, in the teacher education program, the laboratory approach with artifacts (i.e. ruler and compasses) and specific tasks can shed light on crucial aspects of mathematical activity, and teachers succeeded in implementing this experience in their classrooms

Mathematical background and problem solving: how does knowledge influence mental dynamics in Game Theory Problems

The research reported in this paper concerns applied mathematical problem solving processes in the specific field of Game Theory. My research work refers to previous studies that investigated, with different tools and aims, \u201ctime exploration\u201d processes. Those studies analysed temporal components of mental processes and put into evidence the crucial role of their \u201cmanagement\u201d during problem solving activity. The main purpose of the research reported in this paper is to construct specific theoretical tools in order to study how \u201ctime exploration\u201d processes are influenced by the cultural background during Game Theory problem solving