Media(ting) Between Generations: Common Sense and Perceptions of New Media by Young People and Teachers

The wide spread of mobile communication devices, the expansion of social media and participatory media platforms, the ease to edit, share and produce media content, indicate a trend of change in the media system that influences the production and consumption of knowledge and generates new paths for the young\u2019s identity construction. This raises necessary questions about the ways not only young, but also the education agencies \u2013 school in particular \u2013 relate to these transformations, starting from taking into account the production of common sense on the use, risks and opportunities of the media. Based on these considerations, in this paper, we will discuss the results of a qualitative case study carried out in the Veneto Region (Italy) on upper secondary school students and teachers in order to detect and compare the perception that young and educators have of the media, trying to identify boundaries or land on which to build exchange opportunities for dialogue between the generations

Cyclic Peptoids as Mycotoxin Mimics: An Exploration of Their Structural and Biological Properties

Cyclic peptoids have recently emerged as important examples of peptidomimetics for their interesting complexing properties and innate ability to permeate biological barriers. In the present contribution, experimental and theoretical data evidence the intricate conformational and stereochemical properties of five novel hexameric peptoids decorated with N-isopropyl, N-isobutyl, and N-benzyl substituents. Complexation studies by NMR, in the presence of sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaTFPB), theoretical calculations, and single-crystal X-ray analyses indicate that the conformationally stable host/guest metal adducts display architectural ordering comparable to that of the enniatins and beauvericin mycotoxins. Similarly to the natural depsipeptides, the synthetic oligolactam analogues show a correlation between ion transport abilities in artificial liposomes and cytotoxic activity on human cancer cell lines. The reported results demonstrate that the versatile cyclic peptoid scaffold, for its remarkable conformational and complexing properties, can morphologically mimic related natural products and elicit powerful biological activities

Sguardi digitali. Studenti, docenti e nuovi media.

Il volume presenta i risultati di un articolato progetto di ricerca avente come oggetto gli sguardi digitali adottati da studenti e docenti per dare significato all'uso che, fuori e dentro la scuola, essi fanno dei nuovi media. Ci sono gli sguardi dei ragazzi che danno per scontata la presenza di Internet o dei social network nella loro quotidianit\ue0. E gli sguardi adulti sui media e sulle tecnologie, spesso intese da genitori e insegnanti pi\uf9 come fonte di rischio che di opportunit\ue0. In una prospettiva educativa pi\uf9 ampia, c'\ue8 anche lo sguardo della scuola come istituzione che, con alterne fortune, d\ue0 una certa direzione all'introduzione del digitale. Inoltre, nella quotidianit\ue0 delle aule, ci sono gli sguardi degli insegnanti, che testimoniano l'uso dei media da parte dei ragazzi, interpretandolo attraverso la loro competenza professionale e la propria esperienza del digitale. \uc8 in grado la scuola di fronteggiare le tante sfide poste dal digitale? Quali immagini e rappresentazioni stanno circolando tra gli insegnanti e gli studenti? Di quali risorse dispongono i docenti per riconoscere, formare o riposizionare le competenze che i ragazzi hanno rispetto all'uso dei nuovi media? Cosa significa parlare di literacy nell'uso dei media digitali? A partire dalle voci stesse di studenti e docenti, il volume affronta questi interrogativi complessi, nel tentativo di identificare terreni di dialogo e di confronto nei quali, superando l'opposizione noi-loro, le diverse generazioni possano giocare il proprio ruolo nel mondo dei media

Prevalence and significance of BRAF alterations in a pediatric population with low-grade gliomas

Background Low-grade gliomas (LGG) are the most common brain tumours in children, represented by heterogeneous pathological entities. BRAF gene alterations have been recently identified as responsible of constitutive activation of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway (MAPK) and hence involved in the development of LGG in children. There is evidence that the BRAF V600E mutation is more common in supratentorial LGG while the KIAA1549:BRAF fusion in posterior fossa pilocytic astrocytoma (PA). Objective This case series describes the prevalence of BRAF alterations in LGG patients, trying to relate them to outcome. Methods Children aged 0\u201314 years, with a diagnosis of LGG, referred to a single neuro-oncologic centre, were retrospectively reviewed to analyze clinical and histopathological features related to BRAF alterations. Results A total of 35 patients were included (16 males, median age 85.5 \ub1 81.3 months). BRAF mutations were searched on 7/35 children (20 %) resulting positive in 5/7 (71 %). Two of them (40 %) showed the KIAA1549:BRAF fusion. They were both pilocytic astrocytomas located in posterior fossa: 1/2 (50 %) was totally resected, showing stable disease (SD) 1 year after surgey; the other was not surgically treatable and showed a progressive disease during chemotherapy. Three out of five (60 %) presented V600E mutation. All of them were supratentorial: 1 pilomyxoid astrocytoma, treated with two partial resections and subse- quent chemotherapy, was in SD 5 years after diagnosis; 1 diffuse pleomorphic xanthoastrocytoma underwent three partial resections and showed SD after 5 years of vemurafenib; 1 glioneuronal tumor was in SD after complete resection and radiotherapy. Conclusion Our data support the evidence that specific mutations of the BRAF pathway are related to site and histological subtype of brain tumors. This sample is too small to help supporting the hypothesis that these alterations have a prognostic impact. Extent of surgery and localization seem to be the most important prognostic factors

Primary intramedullary spinal cord tumors in children: a single centre experience

Background Primary spinal cord tumors are rare, accounting for 4 % to 8 % of all Central Nervous System (CNS) neoplasms in the pediatric population. Most of them are low grade tumors and prognosis is related to the extent of surgical resection. Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcome of a small group of patients with intramedullary spinal tumors. Methods We retrospectively analyzed clinical and histopathological features, treatment modalities, survival rates of children aged 0\u201314 years with a diagnosis of spinal tumor treated at our department during the last 15 years. Results A total of 93 patients with a CNS tumor were included. Four of them (4.3%) had a spinal localization: 2 males and 2 girls, 3/4 (75%) 5 years of age at diagnosis (mean age 4.4 \ub1 3.6 years). Three (75 %) had cervical localization, one (25 %) was localized in the lumbosacral tract. All cases underwent surgery: 2 biopsies (50 %), 1 partial resection (25 %) and 1 total resection (25 %). All of them were low-grade gliomas: 2 (50 %) pilocytic astrocytomas, 1 (25 %) glioneuronal tumor and 1 ependymoma. All of the children with subtotal resection (biopsy and partial resection) underwent subsequent therapies: 2 were treated with radiotherapy (RT) and chemotherapy (CT), 1 is under medical treatment (SIOP-LGG 2004 protocol). Regimens of CT included Carboplatin-Vincristin in pilocytic astrocytomas, and Cisplatin-Temozolomide in glioneuronal tumor. At current time, all these patients had stable disease. Conclusion Our data support the evidence that the majority of intramedullary tumors are histologically benign and radical resection results in long-term survival. When total surgical resection is not achievable, excellent results in survival rates could be obtained with a multimodal treatment combining RT and CT

Hydrogen peroxide induced by nerve injury promotes axon regeneration via connective tissue growth factor

Abstract Regeneration of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) leverages on extensive exchange of factors released from motor axon terminals (MATs), muscle fibers and perisynaptic Schwann cells (PSCs), among which hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is a major pro-regenerative signal. To identify critical determinants of NMJ remodeling in response to injury, we performed temporal transcriptional profiling of NMJs from 2 month-old mice during MAT degeneration/regeneration, and cross-referenced the differentially expressed genes with those elicited by H2O2 in SCs. We identified an enrichment in extracellular matrix (ECM) transcripts, including Connective Tissue Growth Factor (Ctgf), which is usually expressed during development. We discovered that Ctgf levels are increased in a Yes-associated protein (YAP)-dependent fashion in response to rapid, local H2O2 signaling generated by stressed mitochondria in the injured sciatic nerve, a finding highlighting the importance of signals triggered by mechanical force to motor nerve repair. Through sequestration of Ctgf or inactivation of H2O2, we delayed the recovery of neuromuscular function by impairing SC migration and, in turn, axon-oriented re-growth. These data indicate that H2O2 and its downstream effector Ctgf are pro-regenerative factors that enable axonal growth, and reveal a striking ECM remodeling process during nerve regeneration upon local H2O2 signaling. Our study identifies key transcriptomic changes at the regenerating NMJ, providing a rich source of pro-regenerative factors with potential for alleviating the consequences of peripheral nerve injuries