Deviancy as social problem: the answers of psychology [La devianza come problema sociale: le risposte della psicologia]

Scopo: Il comportamento deviante è tale in quanto infrange una serie di norme sociali più o meno consapevolmente riconosciute dai più. Scopo dello studio è descrivere e analizzare le caratteristiche di tale comportamento. Materiali e metodi: Si è tentato di individuare le cause della devianza in un rapporto complesso con le figure genitoriali, con l’Autorità generalmente intesa, con i Gruppi sociali che detengono il Potere ecc. valutando teorie a partire dalla psicoanalisi fino alla più recente sociologia. Risultati e conclusioni: Pur ammettendo la possibile presenza di un certo tipo di disturbi di personalità nella struttura psichica del deviante, non si può non puntare l’attenzione sulle metodiche che le varie società utilizzano per l’integrazione dei cittadini, soprattutto nelle agenzie fondamentali preposte all’educazione del minore: famiglia e scuola. Metodi didattici all’avanguardia, che senz’altro forniscano al discente griglie comportamentali e regole di condotta, che però al tempo stesso non dimentichino la dimensione fondamentale del gioco, dello svago e della ricerca personale, sono da incentivare fortemente. Con la consapevolezza che, nel bambino e nell’adolescente, “trasgredire” determinate regole con coscienza critica e capacità di discernimento, aiuta a formare un cittadino consapevole, responsabile e rivolto all’innovazione di paradigmi comportamentali spesso datati e inadeguati, anche se comunemente accettati con passività dai più.Scope: Deviant behaviour is the one that breaks those rules most people regard as social. The study describes and analyzes the characteristics of this behavior. Materials and Methods: Psychology and also the latest Sociological Theories have tried to find the causes of deviance in the complex and difficult relationship with parental figures, with Authority in general, with the Part of society that holds Power etc. Results and Conclusions: While admitting the possible presence of some kinds of personality disorders in the deviant’s psychic structure we cannot avoid focusing on the methodologies used for the integration of citizen above all in those fundamental units in charge of minors’ education: Family and School. Advanced teaching methods which can provide behavioural models and rules are to be strongly encouraged, without forgetting the essential dimension of playing, of research and also of individual personal growth. Nevertheless we must be aware that ‘breaking’ the rules with a sense of responsibility and discernment helps a young man to grow informed and responsible, able to renew his behavioural patterns often dated and deficient albeit mainly passively accepted

Scratch2 prevents cell cycle re-entry by repressing miR-25 in postmitotic primary neurons

During the development of the nervous system the regulation of cell cycle, differentiation, and survival is tightly interlinked. Newly generated neurons must keep cell cycle components under strict control, as cell cycle re-entry leads to neuronal degeneration and death. However, despite their relevance, the mechanisms controlling this process remain largely unexplored. Here we show that Scratch2 is involved in the control of the cell cycle in neurons in the developing spinal cord of the zebrafish embryo. scratch2 knockdown induces postmitotic neurons to re-enter mitosis. Scratch2 prevents cell cycle re-entry by maintaining high levels of the cycle inhibitor p57 through the downregulation of miR-25. Thus, Scratch2 appears to safeguard the homeostasis of postmitotic primary neurons by preventing cell cycle re-entry

Relationship between spatially restricted Krox-20 gene expression in branchial neural crest and segmentation in the chick embryo hindbrain

Previous studies have suggested that the rostrocaudal patterning of branchial arches in the vertebrate embryo derives from a coordinate segmental specification of gene expression in rhombomeres (r) and neural crest. However, expression of the Krox-20 gene is restricted to neural crest cells migrating to the third branchial arch, apparently from r5, whereas this rhombomere contributes cells to both the second and third arches. We examined in the chick embryo how this spatially restricted expression is established. Expression occurs in precursors in both r5 and r6, and we show by cell labelling that both rhombomeres contribute to Krox-20-expressing neural crest, emigration occurring first from r6 and later caudally from r5. Krox-20 transcripts are not detected in some precursors in rostral r5, presaging the lack of expression in cells migrating rostrally from this rhombomere. After transposition of r6 to the position of r4 or r5, many Krox-20-expressing cells migrate rostral to the otic vesicle, whereas when r5 is transplanted to the position of r4, only a small number of migrating cells express Krox-20. These results indicate that, in the chick, Krox-20 expression in branchial neural crest does not correlate with rhombomeric segmentation, and that there may be intrinsic differences in regulation between the r5 and r6 Krox-20-expressing populations

zoolog R package: Zooarchaeological analysis with log-ratios

Log Size Indexes (LSI) allow the increase of the number of data and have been used in a number of zooarchaeological studies since 1950. However, some standards to calculate the log ratios remain unpublished, the calculation of the indexes can be tedious, and it is further hindered by the diversity of data recording practices. The R package ‘zoolog’ enables calculation of thousands of log-ratios in seconds, with the advantage that the users can choose between different public references, which increases the repeatability and comparability of the results, allowing the smooth integration of references and databases with heterogeneous nomenclatures. Alternatively, the users may use their own references. This paper presents the main functionalities and procedures enabled by the package ‘zoolog’, together with some examples of use. A real dataset and several examples with R code are provided with the aim of facilitating osteometrical analyses in zooarchaeology.This work was developed as part of the ERC-Starting Grant ZooMWest (Grant agreement 716298)

Los genes del desarrollo embrionario en distintas patologías: la necesidad de un abordaje pluridisciplinar.

EditorialN

Snail blocks the cell cycle and confers resistance to cell death

The Snail zinc-finger transcription factors trigger epithelial-mesenchymal transitions (EMTs), endowing epithelial cells with migratory and invasive properties during both embryonic development and tumor progression. During EMT, Snail provokes the loss of epithelial markers, as well as changes in cell shape and the expression of mesenchymal markers. Here, we show that in addition to inducing dramatic phenotypic alterations, Snail attenuates the cell cycle and confers resistance to cell death induced by the withdrawal of survival factors and by pro-apoptotic signals. Hence, Snail favors changes in cell shape versus cell division, indicating that with respect to oncogenesis, although a deregulation/increase in proliferation is crucial for tumor formation and growth, this may not be so for tumor malignization. Finally, the resistance to cell death conferred by Snail provides a selective advantage to embryonic cells to migrate and colonize distant territories, and to malignant cells to separate from the primary tumor, invade, and form metastasis

Snail1 controls bone mass by regulating Runx2 and VDR expression during osteoblast differentiation

Bone undergoes continuous remodelling throughout adult life, and the equilibrium between bone formation by osteoblasts and bone resorption by osteoclasts defines the final bone mass. Here we show that Snail1 regulates this balance by controlling osteoblast differentiation. Snail1 is necessary for the early steps of osteoblast development, and it must be downregulated for their final differentiation. At the molecular level, Snail1 controls bone mass by repressing the transcription of both the osteoblast differentiation factor Runx2 and the vitamin D receptor (VDR) genes in osteoblasts. Sustained activation of Snail1 in transgenic mice provokes deficient osteoblast differentiation, which, together with the loss of vitamin D signalling in the bone, also impairs osteoclastogenesis. Indeed, the mineralisation of the bone matrix is severely affected, leading to hypocalcemia-independent osteomalacia. Our data show that the impact of Snail1 activity on the osteoblast population regulates the course of bone cells differentiation and ensures normal bone remodelling

Regulative response of the cranial neural tube after neural fold ablation: spatiotemporal nature of neural crest regeneration and up-regulation of Slug

After unilateral ablation of the avian cranial neural folds, the remaining neuroepithelial cells are able to replace the missing neural crest population (Scherson et al., 1993). Here, we characterize the cellular and molecular nature of this regulative response by defining: (1) the time and location of neural crest cell production by the neuroepithelium; (2) rostrocaudal axial differences in the regulative response; and (3) the onset of expression of Slug, a transcription factor present in premigratory and migrating neural crest cells. Using DiI and HNK-1 antibody labeling techniques, we find that neural crest regeneration occurs only after apposition of the remaining neuroepithelium with the epidermis, suggesting that the developmental mechanism underlying regeneration of the neural crest may recapitulate initial generation of the neural crest. The regulative response occurs maximally at the 3–5 somite stage, and slowly declines thereafter. Surprisingly, there are profound regional differences in the regenerative ability. Whereas a robust regulation occurs in the caudal midbrain/hindbrain, the caudal forebrain/rostral midbrain regenerates neural crest to a much lesser extent. After neural fold removal in the hindbrain, regenerated neural crest cells migrate in a segmental pattern analogous to that seen in unablated embryos; a decrease in regulative response appears to occur with increasing depth of the ablation. Up-regulation of Slug appears to be an early response after ablation, with Slug transcripts detectable proximal to the ablated region 5–8 hours after surgery and prior to emergence of neural crest cells. Both bilateral and unilateral ablations yield substantial numbers of neural crest cells, though the former recover less rapidly and have greater deficits in neural crest-derived structures than the latter. These experiments demonstrate that the regulative ability of the cranial neuroepithelium to form neural crest depends on the time, location and extent of neural fold ablation

Epithelial-mesenchymal transitions: the importance of changing cell state in development and disease

The events that convert adherent epithelial cells into individual migratory cells that can invade the extracellular matrix are known collectively as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Throughout evolution, the capacity of cells to switch between these two cellular states has been fundamental in the generation of complex body patterns. Here, we review the EMT events that build the embryo and further discuss two prototypical processes governed by EMT in amniotes: gastrulation and neural crest formation. Cells undergo EMT to migrate and colonize distant territories. Not surprisingly, this is also the mechanism used by cancer cells to disperse throughout the body

eEF1A Mediates the Nuclear Export of SNAG-Containing Proteins via the Exportin5-Aminoacyl-tRNA Complex

Erratum: (Cell Reports 5, 727–737; November 14, 2013) In this article, the two lanes in Figure 4E were inadvertently used twice when making the composite. The correct version of Figure 4 appears her