Possible connections between the Montessori method and philosophy for children

This paper aims to focus on certain aspects of two education methods: one initiated in the first half of the twentieth century by Maria Montessori, and the other in the second half of that century by Matthew Lipman. The aim \u2013 neither comparative nor analytical \u2013 is to shed light on the connections and, more specifically, the elements of the Montessori Method that reflect on Lipman\u2019s proposal. The question this paper aims to answer is: can P4C find fertile ground in schools that apply the Montessori Method? The paper will focus, among other elements, on the importance of giving space for thinking experience from childhood on, and on the recognition of the value of childhood. Both Lipman and Montessori have systematically observed children of different ages \u2013 the former in the first half, the latter in the second half of the twentieth century. Both recognized, gave value, and focused their scientific contributions on children\u2019s ability to think and express their thoughts through languages (purposely in the plural form). As educational researchers and professionals know, children have the ability to think, but such ability has not always been (and still isn\u2019t) considered to exist. Even when it is evoked in words, educational choices and proposals seem\u2014even today--to express mistrust towards children\u2019s thought. The two mentioned authors have repeatedly highlighted the importance of an essential right: the right to think and to be given a space \u2013 even as children \u2013 to exercise thinking with others. In particular, both authors \u2013 though envisaging different educational paths \u2013 identified the same categories functional to exercising thinking. Their interconnection may guide the actions of teachers, educators, and learning process experts. In fact, P4C might play a role in educational contexts in which the class is already considered a community of inquiry, in which the teacher is assigned the same role as a facilitator.Este art\uedculo tiene como objetivo centrarse en ciertos aspectos de dos m\ue9todos de educaci\uf3n: uno iniciado en la primera mitad del siglo XX por Maria Montessori, y el otro en la segunda mitad del siglo XX por Matthew Lipman. El objetivo, ni comparativo ni anal\uedtico, es arrojar luz sobre las conexiones y, m\ue1s espec\uedficamente, los elementos del M\ue9todo Montessori que se reflejan en la propuesta de Lipman. La pregunta que este texto pretende responder es: \ubfpuede P4C encontrar terreno f\ue9rtil en las escuelas que aplican el M\ue9todo Montessori? El texto se centrar\ue1, entre otros elementos: en el reconocimiento de la importancia de dar espacio a la experiencia de pensamiento desde la infancia y de possible connections between the montessori method and philosophy for children reconocer el valor de la infancia. Tanto Lipman como Montessori han observado sistem\ue1ticamente a ni\uf1os de diferentes edades: el primero en la segunda mitad y la segunda en la primera mitad del siglo XX. Ambos caracterizaron, dieron valor y centraron sus contribuciones cient\uedficas en la capacidad de los ni\uf1os para pensar y expresar sus pensamientos a trav\ue9s de lenguajes (a prop\uf3sito en forma plural). Como saben los investigadores y profesionales de la educaci\uf3n, los ni\uf1os tienen la capacidad de pensar, pero esa capacidad no siempre se ha considerado (todav\ueda no es considerada). Incluso cuando se evoca con palabras, las opciones y propuestas educativas parecen, a\ufan hoy, expresar desconfianza hacia el pensamiento de los ni\uf1os. Los dos autores mencionados han subrayado en repetidas ocasiones la importancia de un derecho esencial: el derecho a pensar y a tener un espacio, incluso como ni\uf1os, para ejercitar el pensamiento con los dem\ue1s. En particular, ambos autores, aunque previeron diferentes caminos educativos, identificaron las mismas categor\uedas funcionales para ejercitar el pensamiento. Su interconexi\uf3n puede guiar las acciones de maestros, educadores y expertos en procesos de aprendizaje. De hecho, P4C podr\ueda desempe\uf1ar un papel en contextos educativos en los que la clase ya se considera una comunidad de investigaci\uf3n, en la que al profesor se le asigna el mismo papel que un facilitador

Genetics of Frontotemporal Lobar Degeneration

Frontotemporal lobar degeneration (FTLD), the most frequent neurodegenerative disorder with a presenile onset, presents with a spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from behavioral and executive impairment to language disorders and motor dysfunction. Familial aggregation is frequently reported, and about 10% of cases have an autosomal dominant transmission. Microtubule associated protein tau (MAPT) gene mutations have been the first ones identified and are associated with early onset behavioral variant frontotemporal dementia phenotype. More recently, progranulin gene (GRN) mutations were recognized in association with familial form of FTLD. In addition, other genes are linked to rare cases of familial FTLD. Lastly, a number of genetic risk factors for sporadic forms have also been identified. In this review, current knowledge about mutations at the basis of familial FTLD will be described, together with genetic risk factors influencing the susceptibility to FTLD

A História Pública e Divulgação de História: um exercí­cio de divulgação e boas mí­dias

Resenha.https://doi.org/10.33871/23594381.2020.18.2.142-14

A História Pública e Divulgação de História: um exercício de divulgação e boas mídias

Resenha. https://doi.org/10.33871/23594381.2020.18.2.142-14

Selective culture of mitotically active human Schwann cells from adult sural nerves

We devised a simple method to isolate mitotically active human Schwann cells from sural nerve biopsy specimens and expand the population in culture. Nerve fascicles were treated with cholera toxin for 7 days in culture before dissociation, which increased the cell yield at least twenty-five–fold over immediated tissue dissociation. Digesting the tissue completely with enzymes in serum-containing medium resulted in the highest cell viability, and released 2 to 6 × 10 4 cells/mg of tissue. Seeding the cells on a poly- L -lysine substrate in a small volume of serum-free medium optimized the plating efficiency. Although Schwann cells comprised 90% of the initial culture population, their numbers declined over time due to a faster mitotic rate of the fibroblasts in the presence of cholera toxin alone. However, treating the cultures with a combination of cholera toxin and forskolin, which act synergistically to elevate cyclic AMP levels, inhibited fibroblast growth without causing Schwann cell toxicity. Adding glial growth factor to the adenyl cyclase activators maximized Schwann cell proliferation, and the population rapidly and selectively expanded. Therefore, it should be possible to generate large numbers of Schwann cells from diseased nerves to study defects in cell function or from normal nerves to study the effects of Schwann cell grafts on neuronal regeneration.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/50351/1/410310603_ftp.pd

For an education in complex thinking: Montessori and Philosophy for Children: building bridges and making connections

La presente ricerca, di impianto teorico, si prefigge lo scopo di indagare - all’interno della cornice teorica del problematicismo pedagogico - le connessioni tra due proposte educative che concorrono alla promozione dell’esercizio del pensiero complesso già nell’infanzia: il Metodo elaborato da Maria Montessori e la Philosophy for Children sviluppata da Matthew Lipman. Attingendo alla bibliografia scientifica di riferimento, sia nazionale sia internazionale, e a partire dalle connessioni individuate, si arrischiano sconfinamenti in saperi altri: sostando in ambiti di ricerche, apparentemente lontani, vengono interrogate le teorie dell’apprendimento, i rapporti con le tecnologie, fino al confronto con le interessanti conferme che emergono dalle recenti ricerche neuroscientifiche. La scelta dell’oggetto della ricerca nasce da una riflessione relativa all’emergere di fenomeni di negazione dell’infanzia e dei suoi diritti; ra gli altri, il diritto al pensiero. Sembra necessario richiamare alla responsabilità di accompagnare l’infanzia sulle strade della complessità nella cittadinanza GLocale. In questa direzione, le proposte educative prese in esame sembrano offrire, a partire dall’infanzia, modalità diversificate e divergenti delle esperienze di conoscere, sentire, comunicare alle quali poter attingere come bambini e bambine e nelle successive età della vita. Con il presente lavoro di ricerca, che mi ha vista impegnata in diverse forme per tre ricchi e intensi anni, ho tentato di mettere al centro della riflessione l’esercizio del pensiero che emerge come imprescindibile responsabilità educativa a cui i dispositivi propri del Metodo Montessori e della Philosophy for Children possono contribuire a corrispondere.The research undertaken for this doctoral thesis - within the theoretical framework of pedagogical problematicism - explores the connections between two educational proposals that contribute to the promotion of the exercise of complex thought already since childhood: the Method elaborated by Maria Montessori and the Philosophy for Children developed by Matthew Lipman. With reference to the scientific bibliography, both national and international, this work matches Learning Theories, Studies on New Technologies and Practices in Education, comparing it with the interesting discoveries that emerge from recent neuroscientific research. It seems necessary to recall the responsibility of accompanying childhood on the roads of complexity in GLocal citizenship and, so, to offer children the tools and times for developing the capacity to think critically, to reason around events, and to undertake constructive relations with the environment and with others. With the present research, which has engaged me in different forms for three richly intense years, I have tried to centre my analysis on the exercise of thought as an indispensable educational responsibility to which the devices of the Montessori Method and of the Philosophy for Children can contribute

The role of amyloid-β in white matter damage: possible common pathogenetic mechanisms in neurodegenerative and demyelinating diseases

Just as multiple sclerosis (MS) has long been primarily considered a white matter (WM) disease, Alzheimer's disease (AD) has for decades been regarded only as a grey matter disorder. However, convergent evidences have suggested that WM abnormalities are also important components of AD, at the same extent as axonal and neuronal loss is critically involved in MS pathophysiology since early clinical stages. These observations have motivated a more thorough investigation about the possible mechanisms that could link neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration, focusing on amyloid-β (Aβ). Neuroimaging studies have found that patients with AD have widespread WM abnormalities already at the earliest disease stages and prior to the presence of Aβ plaques. Moreover, a correlation between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ levels and WM lesion load was found. On the other hand, recent studies suggest a predictive role for CSF Aβ levels in MS, possibly due in the first instance to the reduced capacity for remyelination, consequently to a higher risk of WM damage progression, and ultimately to neuronal loss. We undertook a review of the recent findings concerning the involvement of CSF Aβ levels in the MS disease course and of the latest evidence of AD related WM abnormalities, with the aim to discuss the potential causes that may connect WM damage and amyloid pathology

Progress in Alzheimer's disease research in the last year

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia in the elderly, with a prevalence of 5 % after 65 years of age, increasing to about 30 % in people aged 85 years or older. It is characterized by progressive cognitive impairment, including impaired judgment, decision-making and orientation, and in some cases accompanied by psycho behavioral disturbances or language impairment. Herein, we summarize and discuss the main articles describing novel findings in AD published over the last year, including clinical, therapeutic, and research issues. \ua9 2013 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg