83 research outputs found
Protein-based capacitive biosensors for the detection of heavy-metal ions
No full textSome metal ions, such as copper and zinc, are essential nutrients and catalysts in biochemical reactions. Other metal ions, e.g. cadmium and mercury, are highly toxic elements. Heavy metals detection has proven difficult with classical as well as experimental analytical methods. Novel techniques are required for the measurement of bioavailable toxic elements and for detecting small ligands binding, often weak and transient, yet vital to most cellular processes. The here-discussed biosensors were developed for the measurement of bioavailable concentration of toxic metals and to investigate the biochemical characteristics of proteins of biomedical interest. Heavy metal ions binding proteins, e.g. SmtA and S100A12, were used as bio-recognition element. Electrochemical capacitance was used to measure the protein-heavy metal ion interaction. The aim of the thesis is to review the research and the state-of-the-art of the protein-based capacitive biosensors for the detection of heavy metal ions. It covers the main aspects of the biosensor theory, research and development, including the detection principle, with particular attention to the transducer methods and gold electrodes, heavy metal ions coordinating proteins, immobilisation methods and the experimental biosensors applications
IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF A COURSE INTERTWINING TEACHING, LEARNING, AND RESEARCH. THE FACULTY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM “A JUMP INTO QUALITY”
No full textThe term quality is not new to academia (Selesho, 2014). However, recently the more specific concept of ‘quality culture’ allows investing in improving the faculty members’ teaching skills and, therefore, in the quality of the educational offer (Kairiša and Lapiņa, 2019; Loukkola and Zhang, 2010), thus emphasizing continuous improvement processes (Whalen, 2020). This can only happen by intertwining teaching and research paths and creating strategies to assess and appreciate the quality of teaching (ENQUA, 2015). The quality culture construct is also closely related to the concept of organizational learning and culture (Schein, 2010). But, since it is difficult to evaluate the quality culture of an organization (Cameron & Freeman, 1991), and the commitment of management is necessary but not sufficient to favor the development of the culture of quality (Spencer-Matthews 2001), the faculty development strategies must: a) emphasize shared ownership based on collegiality and consultation; b) allow to create greater awareness through knowledge sharing; c) encourage the involvement and participation of staff d) stimulate the agency of staff which is directly involved in the organization of education (Bendermacher & et al., 2017). The objective of this paper is to present a faculty development program, coordinated by the Quality Assurance Board and the Teaching and Learning Center of the University of Verona, aimed at supporting the instructor of the “International Law” course in improving the quality of her course. The instructor has joined the “A jump into quality” project aimed at encouraging the constant improvement of teaching and research and, therefore, the consolidation of a culture of quality through evaluation and self-evaluation tools. This faculty development strategy, being circumscribed within an educational evaluation framework (Stake, 1975), is not aimed to simply evaluate a performance but to identify strengths and elements that could be improved. Through a peer observation process combined with an analysis of discursive practices, the instructor and developers have analyzed the teaching practice, making it possible to become aware of behaviors and postures (Mortari, Silva, Bevilacqua & Pizzato, 2021). Results show how the instructor implements a set of strategies in order to support the students in acquiring knowledge relating to a disciplinary field, which is different from what mainly characterizes the course of study. Her intent of gradually bringing the students closer to the complexity was achieved through two different ways: on the one hand, progressively passing from transmissive acts, aimed at the simple passage of knowledge, to opening acts, aimed at an in-depth exploration of the discipline; on the other hand, creating an argument that did not leave any conceptual passage implicit, for granted. The students mainly used informative, co-constructive, assertive and developmental acts. They indicated their willingness to co-participate in the learning environment by providing data, expanding the argumentation on new reasoning plans and taking a stand within the dialogue. The participatory and interdisciplinary characters of the faculty development program led the developers and the instructor to integrate the collaborative and transformative dimensions identifying in the case-based strategy a way to optimize her teaching approach by actively involving the students in these learning processes
La storia della ricerca
No full textL'oggetto del capitolo riguarda la ricerca empirica messa in atto, in particolare le scelte metodologiche, il quadro metodologico e i vari passaggi effettuati dalla raccolta all'analisi dei dati. I risultati della ricerca fanno emergere un'idea e una pratica di cura che intreccia mondi interiori ed esteriori, dimensioni fisiche, intellettive, emotive, spirituali e relazionali, elementi di fatica, logoramento e potenzialità arricchenti e vivificanti
Recent sensing technologies for pathogen detection in milk: a review
No full textQuality control utilising Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points in the dairy industry generates a large volume of samples. The associated costs are significant. The development and application of fast, sensitive and cost effective analytical systems for pathogen detection in milk could aid the industry in the reduction of overheads, find new uses in dairy farming and production precision management and unlock new markets. Recent progress in pathogen sensing technologies for milk analysis, in particular nucleic acid amplification and biosensors, is reviewed here. The importance of representative samples, detection probability and practical detection limit are clarified. Methods for sample pretreatment are discussed in association with the most applicable detection methods. The major findings are summarised and future perspectives are drawn to inspire new ideas in the scientific community
Sollecitare il potenziale trasformativo dei percorsi di faculty development attraverso strategie di feedback
No full textNell'attuale epoca delle evidenze, la dimensione valutativa gioca un ruolo sempre più ampio e predominante (Beach et al., 2016). La raccolta di dati attraverso strategie di valutazione consente di individuare e definire traiettorie specifiche per lo sviluppo professionale dei docenti, delle comunità di apprendimento interessate a specifiche innovazioni didattiche e dell'istituzione universitaria in senso più ampio.
I programmi di Faculty Development (FD) basati su approcci inquiry-based possono essere configurati, in particolare, come percorsi di apprendimento sia personali, sia organizzativi che possono dare origine a un processo di responsabilità congiunta in termini di sviluppo professionale (Silva, 2022). Sebbene una molteplicità di centri di FD siano attivamente impegnati nel monitorare la partecipazione e la soddisfazione nei confronti dei programmi da loro erogati, ne stiano valutando l’impatto sulla pratica didattica, sull’apprendimento degli studenti e sul cambiamento culturale e che i faculty developers, spesso tale processo non trova spazio di implementazione. Questo nonostante si disponga ormai di una molteplicità di modelli di valutazione, criteri ed esempi su come valutare meglio la qualità, i risultati e l'impatto dei programmi
Il Team based learning nella medical education: il contributo delle evidenze qualitative nella strutturazione di un percorso di valutazione trasformativa
No full textIl Team Based Learning (TBL) è una strategia didattica sviluppata nell’ambito delle discipline economiche e adottata efficacemente anche nell’ambito della medical education (Lotti, 2019). La sperimentazione di TBL oggetto di studio è stata realizzata all’interno della collaborazione fra la Scuola di Medicina e Chirurgia e il Teaching and Learning Center (TaLC) dell’Università di Verona. L’approccio trasformativo che caratterizza i programmi di faculty development del TaLC prevede la progettazione di un processo di valutazione educativa (Stake, 1975) nell’ambito del quale il docente è coinvolto, a partire da evidenze raccolte attraverso un approccio euristico, nell’attivazione di processi riflessivi finalizzati all’acquisizione di una maggiore consapevolezza rispetto alle proprie pratiche didattiche, ai fini di una successiva riprogettazione (Beach et al, 2016).
Obiettivo del presente contributo è presentare i risultati qualitativi inerenti alla percezione degli studenti circa il TBL, circoscrivibili in una più complessa indagine mixed-method, raccolti attraverso un questionario a domande aperte a due fasi e analizzati attraverso un’inductive content analysis (Mortari et al., 2021).
Gli studenti risultano aver percepito l’esperienza didattica sia come soddisfacente, sia migliorativa rispetto alla costruzione della loro professionalità grazie al ricorso a strumenti didattici attivanti e a dispositivi di valutazione formativa, allo sviluppo di un sapere situato e trasferibile, nonché ai percorsi di approfondimento guidato ai concetti. Rispetto alle aree di miglioramento, risultano permanere la necessità di una maggiore attenzione alla gestione del tempo e di una migliore strutturazione del materiale didattico.
È in conclusione possibile evidenziare come i dati qualitativi dello studio rendano conto degli elementi che costituiscono le direttrici di senso e operative della prospettiva offerta dalla valutazione trasformativa (Harvey & Newton, 2007)
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES FOR AN EDUCATION TO VIRTUE ETHICS
No full textIn order to be effective, educative activities should be structured around a significant theoretical background. Our theory of education with regard to virtue ethics is funded on the following theses: a) according to the ethics of care, acting “good” means caring for others; b) in order to care for others, it is necessary to learn how to practice virtues. On the basis of these premises, we present an educative project for children in primary school. The title of the project is “Melarete”: this word was born from a marriage of the Greek terms “meléte”, which means “care”, and “areté”, which means “virtue”. The educative activities in this project are structured in light of the following educative principles, which come from ancient philosophy: a) according to the Aristotelian perspective, in order to learn virtues it is important to practice them; b) according to the Socratic paideia, to learn means to acquire a clear concept of things, which occurs through maieutical discussion. In accordance with these principles, we propose the following main activities: “basket of virtues”, “journal of virtues”, storytelling, and vignettes about ethical problems
An unconventional approach to impedance microbiology: detection of culture media conductivity variations due to bacteriophage generated lyses of host bacteria
No full textA novel and unconventional approach to impedance microbiology has been under investigation. In our approach, solution conductivity variations are generated from bacteriophage lyses of infected host cells and the consequent release of conductive endoplasmic material. To sensitively detect the lysis, low conductive growth media have been developed. A microchip has been fabricated to perform the analysis. The microchip is made of two bare gold electrodes and PDMS microchamber of 36 nL volume. Escherichia coli and selective phages T4 have been used as case study. Proof-of-principle experiments are here presented and discussed. The method was characterised in a wide range between 104 and 108 CFU/mL, where linear relation was found between conductivity variation and cell concentration in a log10 vs. log10 plot. The method is suited to integration with sample preparation based on phage-functionalised magnetic beads. It has a potential detection limit below 1 CFU/chamber and a total assay time of less than 1 hour
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