Formación ética y ciudadana. Vicisitudes de la transformación curricular en la Patagonia Argentina

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.17227/01234870.41folios51.68What type of ethical and civic education is effectively provided at school? This article analyzes the curricular prescriptions of Ethical and Citizenship Education in primary schools of the Argentine Patagonia, as well as its relations and contradictions with the school practices of moral education It inquires the process of definition of the area in the context of the Educational Reform in the 90s. Also, it pursuits to remake the way it was incorporated in the provincial curriculum design. Throughout focus groups and interviews to teachers from different public and private schools of three towns from de north of Santa Cruz, we analyze the descriptions and expectative of the teachers about their teaching practice in the moral area, as well as the possible causes of the differences and the contradictions between the policies of the curricular statement and educational proposals offered at school.¿Qué tipo de educación ética y ciudadana ofrecen efectivamente las escuelas? En este artículo se analizan las prescripciones curriculares de formación ética y ciudadana en las escuelas de educación básica de la Patagonia Argentina, y sus relaciones y contradicciones con las prácticas escolares de educación moral. Se indaga el proceso de definición del área en el contexto de la reforma educativa de los años noventa y busca reconstruir su modalidad de incorporación en el diseño curricular provincial de Santa Cruz, como expresión de las intenciones explícitas e implícitas de esa política curricular. A través de grupos focales y entrevistas a docentes de diferentes escuelas públicas y privadas de tres localidades del norte santacruceño, se analizan las descripciones, valoraciones y expectativas de los docentes sobre sus prácticas de enseñanza en el terreno moral, así como también las posibles causas de las distancias y contradicciones entre las políticas de enunciación curricular y las propuestas formativas que ofrecen las escuelas

IL-33 Receptor-Expressing Regulatory T Cells Are Highly Activated, Th2 Biased and Suppress CD4 T Cell Proliferation through IL-10 and TGFβ Release

Immunomodulatory Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) form a heterogeneous population consisting of subsets with different activation states, migratory properties and suppressive functions. Recently, expression of the IL-33 receptor ST2 was shown on Tregs in inflammatory settings. Here we report that ST2 expression identifies highly activated Tregs in mice even under homeostatic conditions. ST2+ Tregs preferentially accumulate at non-lymphoid sites, likely mediated by their high expression of several chemokine receptors facilitating tissue homing. ST2+ Tregs exhibit a Th2-biased character, expressing GATA-3 and producing the Th2 cytokines IL-5 and IL-13 –especially in response to IL-33. Yet, IL-33 is dispensable for the generation and maintenance of these cells in vivo. Furthermore, ST2+ Tregs are superior to ST2− Tregs in suppressing CD4+ T cell proliferation in vitro independent of IL-33. This higher suppressive capacity is partially mediated by enhanced production and activation of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-10 and TGFβ. Thus, ST2 expression identifies a highly activated, strongly suppressive Treg subset preferentially located in non-lymphoid tissues. Here ST2+ Tregs may be well positioned to immediately react to IL-33 alarm signals. Their specific properties may render ST2+ Tregs useful targets for immunomodulatory therapies

MiR-25 regulates Wwp2 and Fbxw7 and promotes reprogramming of mouse fibroblast cells to iPSCs.

BACKGROUND: miRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that regulate gene expression and have critical functions in various biological processes. Hundreds of miRNAs have been identified in mammalian genomes but only a small number of them have been functionally characterized. Recent studies also demonstrate that some miRNAs have important roles in reprogramming somatic cells to induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). METHODS: We screened 52 miRNAs cloned in a piggybac (PB) vector for their roles in reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblast cells to iPSCs. To identify targets of miRNAs, we made Dgcr8-deficient embryonic stem (ES) cells and introduced miRNA mimics to these cells, which lack miRNA biogenesis. The direct target genes of miRNA were identified through global gene expression analysis and target validation. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: We found that over-expressing miR-25 or introducing miR-25 mimics enhanced production of iPSCs. We identified a number of miR-25 candidate gene targets. Of particular interest were two ubiquitin ligases, Wwp2 and Fbxw7, which have been proposed to regulate Oct4, c-Myc and Klf5, respectively. Our findings thus highlight the complex interplay between miRNAs and transcription factors involved in reprogramming, stem cell self-renewal and maintenance of pluripotency

Rif1 maintains telomeres and mediates DNA repair by encasing DNA ends

In yeast, Rif1 is part of the telosome, where it inhibits telomerase and checkpoint signaling at chromosome ends. In mammalian cells, Rif1 is not telomeric, but it suppresses DNA end resection at chromosomal breaks, promoting repair by nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ). Here, we describe crystal structures for the uncharacterized and conserved ∼125-kDa N-terminal domain of Rif1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Rif1-NTD), revealing an α-helical fold shaped like a shepherd's crook. We identify a high-affinity DNA-binding site in the Rif1-NTD that fully encases DNA as a head-to-tail dimer. Engagement of the Rif1-NTD with telomeres proved essential for checkpoint control and telomere length regulation. Unexpectedly, Rif1-NTD also promoted NHEJ at DNA breaks in yeast, revealing a conserved role of Rif1 in DNA repair. We propose that tight associations between the Rif1-NTD and DNA gate access of processing factors to DNA ends, enabling Rif1 to mediate diverse telomere maintenance and DNA repair functions

Situación actual de la formación ética y ciudadana en las escuelas primarias del norte de Santa Cruz

La definición de un área de Formación Ética y Ciudadana supuso, en la década de los noventa, un intento de orientar desde los diseños curriculares oficiales las prácticas de educación moral que tradicionalmente han integrado el currículo implícito de las escuelas. Esta investigación procura evaluar el impacto efectivo de aquel intento en escuelas de educación básica de la Patagonia argentina, a través de la exploración de sus actores en tres localidades del norte santacruceño (Caleta Olivia, Pico Truncado y Cañadón Seco)

Situación actual de la formación ética y ciudadana en las escuelas primarias del norte de Santa Cruz

The definition of an area of ethical and civic education supposed, in the 90s. an attempt to orient the practices of moral education in the primary school curriculum from the official curricular designs. This research intends to assess the effect of that attemptin the schools of Basic Education, through the exploration of the actors in three towns of the north in the province of Santa Cruz (Caleta Oliva, Pico Truncado y Cañadon Seco).La definición de un área de Formación Ética y Ciudadana supuso, en la década de los noventa, un intento de orientar desde los diseños curriculares oficiales las prácticas de educación moral que tradicionalmente han integrado el currículo implícito de las escuelas. Esta investigación procura evaluar el impacto efectivo de aquel intento en escuelas de educación básica de la Patagonia argentina, a través de la exploración de sus actores en tres localidades del norte santacruceño (Caleta Olivia, Pico Truncado y Cañadón Seco)

ST2⁺ Tregs suppress CD4⁺ T cell proliferation more effectively than ST2⁻ Tregs <i>in vitro</i>.

<p><i>(A)</i> Proliferation profiles of CellTrace-labelled WT CD25^- CD62L^hi CD4⁺ responder T cells (Tresp) co-cultured with WT ST2⁺ (black) and ST2⁻ (grey) CD25⁺ Tregs during an <i>in vitro</i> suppression assay at day 4 of culture. T cells were stimulated by APCs and anti-CD3 antibody with <i>(right column)</i> or without <i>(left column)</i> the addition of recombinant IL-33. Treg:Tresp ratios are indicated <i>(left)</i>. Percentage of divided cells and the division index (number in brackets) are shown in each histogram in the respective color. <i>(B)</i> Proliferation profile of Tresp cultured under the same conditions as in 3A but without Tregs, either with (grey) or without (black) the addition of anti-CD3 antibody. <i>(C)</i> MFI of the ST2 staining on all Tregs recovered from the cultures described in 3A. Data are representative of 2–3 independent experiments.</p

ST2⁺ Tregs preferentially home outside of secondary lymphoid organs and exhibit a highly activated phenotype.

<p>Flow cytometric analysis of the phenotype and frequency of WT ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Foxp3⁺ Tregs in spleen, pLN, blood, lung, lamina propria of the small intestine (siLP) and colon (coLP): <i>(A)</i> Frequency of ST2⁺ Tregs <i>(left)</i> and MFI of the ST2 staining on the ST2⁺ Treg fraction <i>(right)</i>. <i>(B)</i> MFI of chemokine receptor and α4β7 staining on ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Tregs. <i>(C)</i> KLRG1 and CD103 expression in ST2⁺ <i>(top)</i> and ST2⁻ <i>(bottom)</i> Tregs from spleen; quantified frequencies from indicated organs <i>(right)</i>. <i>(D)</i> Frequency of CD44^hi, CD62L^lo and CTLA-4⁺ T cells within ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Treg populations. <i>(E)</i> MFI of the Foxp3 staining <i>(left)</i> and geometric mean index of GATA-3 <i>(right)</i> in ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Tregs. <i>(F)</i> Quantification of mRNA expression of the indicated genes from FACS-sorted ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ CD25⁺ Tregs from spleen and pLN <i>ex vivo</i>. mRNA expression normalized to <i>Hprt</i> endogenous control. <i>(G)</i> Frequency of ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Tregs with IL-10 production capability as detected by GFP expression from <i>B6</i>.<i>Foxp3</i>^<i>hCD2</i> <i>xIl10</i>^<i>gfp</i> reporter mice. Fig <i>2A</i>: Data are representative of at least 2 independent experiments. Bar graphs show the mean ± SD of at least 5 biological replicates. Fig <i>2B</i>: pooled data from 2 independent experiments with 3–5 biological replicates each. Bar graphs show the mean ± SD. Fig <i>2C–2E</i> and <i>2G</i>: Data are representative of at least 2 independent experiments. Scatter plots depict one mouse as individual dot with mean ± SD. Fig <i>2F</i>: pooled data from 2 independent experiments. Significance was tested using unpaired Student’s t test. * p ≤ 0.05; ** p ≤ 0.01; *** p ≤ 0.001; non-significant (ns) p > 0.05.</p

ST2⁺ Tregs express Th2 cytokines and suppress CD4⁺ T cell proliferation via IL-10 and TGFβ.

<p><i>(A-D)</i> ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Tregs from spleen and lymph nodes of WT mice activated <i>in vitro</i> by plate-bound anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibodies in the presence of IL-2 with or without recombinant IL-33 for 60–70 hours: <i>(A)</i> Fold change in the number of viable Tregs upon IL-33 treatment. <i>(B) Tgfb1</i> mRNA expression normalized to <i>Hprt</i> endogenous control. <i>(C)</i> Cytokine concentration in the supernatants as determined by cytometric bead array. <i>(D)</i> Geometric mean index of GATA-3 in stable ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Tregs at the end of culture. <i>(E) In vitro</i> suppression assay with ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ Tregs as described in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0161507#pone.0161507.g003" target="_blank">Fig 3</a> (Treg:Tresp ratio 1:5) with addition of blocking anti-IL-10R antibody or TGFβRI inhibitor. The relative division index indicates the fold increase in division of Tresp upon treatment. Division index of untreated Tresp was set to 1 in each group. <i>(F)</i> Quantification of mRNA expression of the indicated genes from sorted ST2⁺ and ST2⁻ CD25⁺ Tregs <i>ex vivo</i>. mRNA expression normalized to <i>Hprt</i> endogenous control. Fig <i>4A</i>–<i>4C</i>, <i>4E</i> and <i>4F</i>, data pooled from 2–3 independent experiments each performed with 2 replicates per condition. Fig <i>4D</i> is representative of 2 independent experiments with at least 2 replicates per condition each. Bar graphs show the mean ± SD. Significance was tested using unpaired Student’s t test. * p ≤ 0.05; ** p ≤ 0.01; *** p ≤ 0.001; non-significant (ns) p > 0.05.</p