El educador social en comunidad terapéutica: situación actual, reflexiones y propuestas

En el presente artículo, se realiza un análisis de la situación actual de los educadores sociales en las Comunidades Terapéuticas españolas. Para ello, se introduce el tema repasando la historia de este colectivo profesional dentro de dichos dispositivos, hasta llegar al momento actual. Se incluye una breve descripción del trabajo individual, grupal y comunitario de estos profesionales, así como los datos de un pequeño estudio sobre las tareas que desarrollan y su nivel de burnout, obteniéndose niveles altos de realización personal, bajos de despersonalización y medios, aunque dispersos, de agotamiento emocional. Se plantea una reflexión sobre los elementos que dificultan el desarrollo de la labor socioeducativa y sobre las necesidades que se deberían cubrir desde los equipos de trabajo para solventar esas dificultades. El artículo finaliza realizando propuestas de futuro encaminadas a mejorar la definición del perfil profesional y la calidad de la labor socioeducativa

Oncogene c-KIT: promoter region and downstream effectors as novel therapeutic targets

An attractive anticancer strategy deals with the impairment of the functions of selected genes relevant for cell proliferation. Among them an interesting target is represented by KIT. c-KIT - V-Kit Hardy-Zuckerman 4 Feline Sarcoma Viral Oncogene Homolog - is a tyrosine kinase receptor involved in the regulation of cell survival and proliferation as well as in progression of some tumors. Its expression has been confirmed to be crucial for leukemias, mastocytosis, gastrointestinal stromal tumor, and lung carcinomas often associated to c-kit mis-regulation. Also the most common skin cancer in domestic dog, mast cell tumor (MCT), is linked to a mutation and/or to an over-expression of c-kit, thus supporting dog as an excellent animal model. In this work we explore two strategies to suppress the cell growth activity of this oncogene. The first one was based on the downregulation of gene expression by induction of non-canonical DNA structures at promotorial level. Indeed, in this region of the human oncogene KIT two guanine-rich sequences (KIT1_man and KIT2_man) were identified. Here, we characterized the canine KIT promoter region in terms of sequence and conformational equilibria in physiologically relevant conditions. Our results demonstrate that the conformational features of the canine KIT1 sequence are substantially shared with the human one whereas an altered distribution among several folded conformations characterizes the two isoforms identified in dog-derived KIT2 sequences. These structural diversities identified KIT1 and KIT2 as two potential distinct targets, which means that G-4 ligands can be designed to preferentially bind human/dog sequences. Thus, an “in house” library of compounds belonging to different chemical scaffolds (i.e., anthracene, anthracenedione, indole, quinoline, isoquinoline, fluorenone and heterocyclic diamidines derivatives) was screened for the recognition of these particular folding. Three promising G4-ligands, belonging to anthracenedione (Bal1,5 – Bapl2,6) and anthracene (Bis1,8) families, were selected and different techniques (Fluorescent Intercalator Displacement, Fluorescence melting studies, CD titrations, Surface Plasmon Resonance and Polymerase Stop Assay) were applied to fully dissect their interaction with KIT-related sequences. Our results showed that Bal1,5 is an efficient G-4 binder towards all the tested sequences, while Bapl2,6 and Bis1,8 preferentially recognize KIT2 sequences. Interestingly, a parallel level of cytotoxicity and suppression of KIT production was observed in cells treated with Bal1,5. In the second approach, downstream effectors of c-KIT pathway were considered as putative therapeutic targets. In particular we focused on a cytoplasmic tyrosine kinase FER. During the third year of my PhD I spent 7 months at Centre de Recherche en Cancérologie de Marseille (France) in the Dr P. Dubreuil’s team. In this period we worked to confirm a potential tumor suppressor role of FER. For this purpose mouse embryonic fibroblasts MEFs wild type and knockout for fer immortalized with SV40 were used. Removing fer, an uncontrolled growth was observed for KO MEFs in the contact inhibition test. However, at the moment a detailed description of the molecular events was not designed. Indeed no defined differences between molecular mechanisms, related to protein complexes involved in cell adhesion mechanisms, were observed between wt and KO MEFs. In conclusion, present results suggest that G-quadruplex structures at the promotorial level represent a promising therapeutic target in order to prevent oncogene KIT transcription. As far as FER is concerned, further studies are necessary to better define its possible tumor-suppressor role

Pedagogia materna e relaçõoes sociais

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina. Centro de Ciencias da EducaçãoO trabalho tem como objeto de estudo a relação educativa entre mãe e filho, enquanto expressão da totalidade do social. Foi realizado a partir do convívio e de entrevistas orientadas, segundo os temas: Educação, Trabalho e Sociedade, a mães da chamada classe subalterna, direta e indiretamente relacionadas ao trabalho produtivos, seguidos de discussões aprofundadas com profissionais envolvidos com programas de educação infantil de quatro municípios do Estado de Santa Catarina. O estudo permitiu compreender a forma que toma em nossa sociedade, a relação pedagógica do grupo familiar, cuja síntese se vê expressa no discurso e repertório educacional materno. Traz os resultados e os pressupostos das relações sociais que caracterizam como naturais os processos de educação materna, que são sociais e culturalmente determinados

Diffusion weighted imaging in cystic fibrosis disease: beyond morphological imaging

To explore the feasibility of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to assess inflammatory lung changes in patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) METHODS: CF patients referred for their annual check-up had spirometry, chest-CT and MRI on the same day. MRI was performed in a 1.5 T scanner with BLADE and EPI-DWI sequences (b = 0-600 s/mm(2)). End-inspiratory and end-expiratory scans were acquired in multi-row scanners. DWI was scored with an established semi-quantitative scoring system. DWI score was correlated to CT sub-scores for bronchiectasis (CF-CTBE), mucus (CF-CTmucus), total score (CF-CTtotal-score), FEV1, and BMI. T-test was used to assess differences between patients with and without DWI-hotspots

The Glitter of Carbon Nanostructures in Hybrid/Composite Hydrogels for Medicinal Use

In recent years, we have witnessed to fast developments in the medicinal field of hydrogels containing various forms of integrated nanostructured carbon that adds interesting mechanical, thermal, and electronic properties. Besides key advances in tissue engineering (especially for conductive tissue, such as for the brain and the heart), there has been innovation also in the area of drug delivery on-demand, with engineered hydrogels capable of repeated response to light, thermal, or electric stimuli. This mini-review focusses on the most promising developments as applied to the gelation of protein/ peptide (including self-assembling amino acids and low-molecular-weight gelators), polysaccharide, and/or synthetic polymer components in medicine. The emerging field of graphene-only hydrogels is also briefly discussed, to give the reader a full flavor of the rising new paradigms in medicine that are made possible through the integration of nanostructured carbon (e.g., carbon nanotubes, nanohorns, nanodiamonds, fullerene, etc.). Nanocarbons are offering great opportunities to bring on a revolution in therapy that the modern medicinal chemist needs to master, to realise their full potential into powerful therapeutic solutions for the patient

A novel HMGA1-CCNE2-YAP axis regulates breast cancer aggressiveness

High Mobility Group A1 (HMGA1) is an architectural chromatin factor that promotes neoplastic transformation and progression. However, the mechanism by which HMGA1 exerts its oncogenic function is not fully understood. Here, we show that cyclin E2 (CCNE2) acts downstream of HMGA1 to regulate the motility and invasiveness of basal-like breast cancer cells by promoting the nuclear localization and activity of YAP, the downstream mediator of the Hippo pathway. Mechanistically, the activity of MST1/2 and LATS1/2, the core kinases of the Hippo pathway, are required for the HMGA1- and CCNE2-mediated regulation of YAP localization. In breast cancer patients, high levels of HMGA1 and CCNE2 expression are associated with the YAP/TAZ signature, supporting this connection. Moreover, we provide evidence that CDK inhibitors induce the translocation of YAP from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, resulting in a decrease in its activity. These findings reveal an association between HMGA1 and the Hippo pathway that is relevant to stem cell biology, tissue homeostasis, and cancer

Mindfulness and Next-Generation Members of Family Firms: A Source for Sustainability

Family businesses are considered complex organizations where emotional and management challenges need to be faced. This is even more difficult when time of succession arrives and the new members are expected to engage with the business. In this study, a total of 204 university students were asked about their present and future situation regarding the family business. Mindfulness levels were also evaluated using the Mindful Attention Awareness Scale. There were no significant mindfulness level differences between students who pertained to a family business and those who did not. In the first group, however, those students who were sure about their future in the family business, and had more motivation about it, obtained higher scores on the mindfulness scale as well as being more satisfied with their social relationships. It could be concluded that certainty and motivation about their future in a family business of young family business members correlates with higher mindfulness levels and social well-being

La práctica en el profesorado de Trabajo Social: una experiencia

El trabajo se propone recuperar reflexivamente la experiencia educativa desarrollada en el primer cuatrimestre de 2019, ligada al proceso de la práctica del primer grupo de graduados del Profesorado de Trabajo Social de la Facultad de Trabajo Social de la UNLP. Para ello se realiza una síntesis de las categorías relevantes de la propuesta pedagógica de la materia Prácticas de la enseñanza, el objetivo y las estrategias del equipo docente. Se identifica como un rasgo característico de la intervención pedagógica la constitución interdisciplinaria del equipo y la realización del diseño programático vertebrado en los requerimientos teórico-metodológicos, éticos y políticos de la práctica. Los aportes de los estudiantes y los del equipo docente se presentan en una amalgama de reflexiones alcanzadas en el desarrollo de la experiencia, respetando el contexto de co-producción de las mismas.Eje temático 1: Neoliberalismo y desigualdades sociales. Precariedades de la vida cotidiana y de la trama institucional.Grupo de trabajo 2: Educación escolar e intervención social: experiencias, interrogantes y desafíos.Facultad de Trabajo Socia

La práctica en el profesorado de Trabajo Social: una experiencia

El trabajo se propone recuperar reflexivamente la experiencia educativa desarrollada en el primer cuatrimestre de 2019, ligada al proceso de la práctica del primer grupo de graduados del Profesorado de Trabajo Social de la Facultad de Trabajo Social de la UNLP. Para ello se realiza una síntesis de las categorías relevantes de la propuesta pedagógica de la materia Prácticas de la enseñanza, el objetivo y las estrategias del equipo docente. Se identifica como un rasgo característico de la intervención pedagógica la constitución interdisciplinaria del equipo y la realización del diseño programático vertebrado en los requerimientos teórico-metodológicos, éticos y políticos de la práctica. Los aportes de los estudiantes y los del equipo docente se presentan en una amalgama de reflexiones alcanzadas en el desarrollo de la experiencia, respetando el contexto de co-producción de las mismas.Eje temático 1: Neoliberalismo y desigualdades sociales. Precariedades de la vida cotidiana y de la trama institucional.Grupo de trabajo 2: Educación escolar e intervención social: experiencias, interrogantes y desafíos.Facultad de Trabajo Socia