A general and flexible model for the pedagogical description of learning objects

We illustrate a pedagogical metadata model (IMATI-ITD pedagogical metadata model) that captures didactic features of LOs according to the view of the education world. This model allows to describe a variety of contexts and can be effectively instantiated in many specific educational situations, thus combining generality with flexibility features

Multigrid algorithms for hphp-discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of elliptic problems

Abstract. We present W-cycle multigrid algorithms for the solution of the linear system of equations arising from a wide class of hp-version discontinuous Galerkin discretizations of elliptic problems. Starting from a classical framework in multigrid analysis, we define a smoothing and an approximation property, which are used to prove the uniform convergence of the W-cycle scheme with respect to the granularity of the grid and the number of levels. The dependence of the convergence rate on the polynomial approximation degree p is also tracked, showing that the contraction factor of the scheme deteriorates with increasing p. A discussion on the effects of employing inherited or non-inherited sublevel solvers is also presented. Numerical experiments confirm the theoretical results. Key words. hp-version discontinuous Galerkin, multigrid algorithms, elliptic problem

Simboli, immagini e tecnologie a supporto dell'apprendimento dell'italiano come L2

Un esempio di economia della condivisione applicata all’educazione partecipata

Spazio allo Spazio

“Spazio allo Spazio", active since 2010, involves students aged 5 to 20. This educational project was launched by a group of Italian teachers from the Lower Secondary School Fermi in Villasanta who believed Space exploration could be an efficient way to convey the idea that the extraordinary experience of the astronaut, who on the International Space Station must acquire new skills and be able to dominate a challenging and unpredictable context, similar to a disabled person's routine in daily life. This was a winning choice because gradually international institutions promoted similar initiatives. The central theme of space exploration is used to promote values of sustainability, equity and diversity, allowing students to become acquainted with the world of astronauts while facing subjects related to integration and disability. Several national and international universities and institutions, at the forefront of scientific research, have contributed to this project. The main topics of the project are: 1) Space exploration: the astronaut's experience is the starting point for lessons, cultural exchanges, lectures and interdisciplinary strategies to raise awareness about humans in space, the international cooperation for the International Space Station, physical training, technical, scientific and cultural preparation. 2) Career orientation: meetings with experts in different fields, from Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics to Arts and Physical Education, help students achieve better knowledge of themselves, their potential and limits acquiring skills in scientific research methodology in a multilingual environment. 3) Inclusion: as astronauts experience the limits of gravity and disability in Space, students can face their limits, through experiences of adapted physical activity, addressing issues related to the integration and insertion of people with different skills in school and society. 4) Team building: starting from the example of collaboration which takes place in space missions and scientific research, students are encouraged to experience teamwork. This is true for the teachers too, thanks to the strengthening of cooperative teaching, in the sharing of resources and good practices as well as in the implementation of innovative forms of communication and multimedia documentation. The project aims at making students able to face new and more advanced educational challenges and cognitive objectives, developing work strategies by transferring already tested approaches and processes to new situations. This is noticeable in the more self-conscious choices that former students have made about their future. An example is illustrated by an ex-student who directed his training path in the Science and Engineering fiel

Anticancer drugs repurposed for Alzheimer’s disease: a systematic review

Background: The relationship between cancer and dementia is triggering growing research interest. Several preclinical studies have provided the biological rationale for the repurposing of specific anticancer agents in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and a growing number of research protocols are testing their efficacy and safety/ tolerability in patients with AD. Methods: The aim of the present systematic review was to provide an overview on the repurposing of approved anticancer drugs in clinical trials for AD by considering both ongoing and completed research protocols in all phases. In parallel, a systematic literature review was conducted on PubMed, ISI Web, and the Cochrane Library to identify published clinical studies on repurposed anticancer agents in AD. Results: Based on a structured search on the ClinicalTrials.gov and the EudraCT databases, we identified 13 clinical trials testing 11 different approved anticancer agents (five tyrosine kinase inhibitors, two retinoid X receptor agonists, two immunomodulatory agents, one histone deacetylase inhibitor, and one monoclonal antibody) in the AD continuum. The systematic literature search led to the identification of five published studies (one phase I, three phase II, and one phase IIb/III) reporting the effects of antitumoral treatments in patients with mild cognitive impairment or AD dementia. The clinical findings and the methodological characteristics of these studies are described and discussed. Conclusion: Anticancer agents are triggering growing interest in the context of repurposed therapies in AD. Several clinical trials are underway, and data are expected to be available in the near future. To date, data emerging from published clinical studies are controversial. The promising results emerging from preclinical studies and identified research protocols should be confirmed and extended by larger, adequately designed, and high-quality clinical trials

Monitoring of hadrontherapy treatments by means of charged particle detection

The interaction of the incoming beam radiation with the patient body in hadrontherapy treatments produces secondary charged and neutral particles, whose detection can be used for monitoring purposes and to perform an on-line check of beam particle range. In the context of ion-therapy with active scanning, charged particles are potentially attractive since they can be easily tracked with a high efficiency, in presence of a relatively low background contamination. In order to verify the possibility of exploiting this approach for in-beam monitoring in ion-therapy, and to guide the design of specific detectors, both simulations and experimental tests are being performed with ion beams impinging on simple homogeneous tissue-like targets (PMMA). From these studies, a resolution of the order of few millimeters on the single track has been proven to be sufficient to exploit charged particle tracking for monitoring purposes, preserving the precision achievable on longitudinal shape. The results obtained so far show that the measurement of charged particles can be successfully implemented in a technology capable of monitoring both the dose profile and the position of the Bragg peak inside the target and finally lead to the design of a novel profile detector. Crucial aspects to be considered are the detector positioning, to be optimized in order to maximize the available statistics, and the capability of accounting for the multiple scattering interactions undergone by the charged fragments along their exit path from the patient body. The experimental results collected up to now are also valuable for the validation of Monte Carlo simulation software tools and their implementation in Treatment Planning Software packages