Quality Management in Italian Universities: A Case Study in the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio

[EN] This paper examines on a wider scale, quality management in Italian higher education institutions, and then progresses to focus specifically on the case of the Master Course in Global Economy and Business (GLEB), held in the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio. An analysis of the way in which the University of Cassino manages quality is undertaken to identify the responsibilities of those accountable for quality assurance. A preliminary study was carried out through the completion of a digital survey distributed to GLEB graduates, to monitor the success of the course. The results obtained highlight that this course is quite appealing to students, and what also emerges is how innovation and improvement are the foundation of quality education. Being only the first step towards a more exhaustive evaluation, this analysis must be extended by collecting more data, to compare the results with similar courses in other universities through a benchmarking process.  Colamatteo, I.; Bravo, I.; Cappelli, L.; Papetti, P. (2023). Quality Management in Italian Universities: A Case Study in the University of Cassino and Southern Lazio. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 401-409. https://doi.org/10.4995/HEAd23.2023.1635540140

Consumer Behaviour Regarding Certified Food

The consumer decision-making process for buying food products is based on various factors. One of these is the perceived value that the consumer acquires upon seeing a certification label, such as “Protected Designation of Origin” (PDO) and “Protected Geographical Indication” (PGI), which is an indicator of product quality and the degree of sustainability of the supply chain. The aim of the study is to identify the main factors influencing the behaviour and purchasing intentions of Italian consumers through the divulgation of a survey and the application of a statistical approach. The results were elaborated upon using a conceptual model, estimated following the partial least squares approach to structural equation modelling. As a result, the perception of quality influences purchasing decisions and food patterns, as labels play an increasing role in contemporary society, thus making quality standards relevant for the buying outcome. This research contributes to supporting studies on the importance of certifications of origin, as well as highlighting that food safety is a major determinant in the purchasing of certified food products

Arsenic Uptake in Durum Wheat (Triticum durum Desf.) as Influenced by Soil Tillage Practices and Fertilization Sources in Mediterranean Environment

Nowadays, arsenic (As) accumulation in agricultural soils and its transfer in crop yields is representing a growing concern that threatens food safety and security in the Mediterranean environment. Soil tillage and fertilization may increase the accumulation of As in plant tissues; therefore, there is a need to develop sustainable agronomical practices capable of supporting crop yield while mitigating As accumulation. The current study was carried out through a 7-year experiment with the aim of evaluating the As uptake by different parts of the durum wheat plant. The experimental treatments include the following: (i) three soil tillage practices (plowing, subsoiling, and spading) and (ii) two fertilization methods (mineral and organic). A factorial randomized complete block design with three replications was adopted. The experimental period refers to the 2018/2019, 2019/2020, and 2020/2021 growing seasons. The results suggest that the maximum level of As was found in plant roots and the minimum in wheat kernels. The chemical fertilization as 2020 × Mineral (1.522 mg As kg−1 d.m.) and 2020 × Plowing (1.855 mg As kg−1 d.m.) had the maximum As content in the roots. Conversely, the content of As was at a minimum in the wheat kernels for organic fertilization as 2021 × Organic (0.012 mg As kg−1 d.m.) and subsoiling tillage as 2021 × Subsoiling (0.008 mg As kg−1 d.m.). Moreover, the application of an organic fertilization source as a tool for enhancing the soil organic matter content also significantly decreased the As content. The results suggest that reduced tillage practices and the adoption of organic amendment could be classified as sustainable agronomic practices in agri-food systems, which are able to improve plant quality and assure a safe consumption of wheat kernels

Regulation of mitochondrial complex III activity and assembly by TRAP1 in cancer cells

Background: Metabolic reprogramming is an important issue in tumor biology. A recently-identified actor in this regard is the molecular chaperone TRAP1, that is considered an oncogene in several cancers for its high expression but an oncosuppressor in others with predominant oxidative metabolism. TRAP1 is mainly localized in mitochondria, where it interacts with respiratory complexes, although alternative localizations have been described, particularly on the endoplasmic reticulum, where it interacts with the translational machinery with relevant roles in protein synthesis regulation. Results: Herein we show that, inside mitochondria, TRAP1 binds the complex III core component UQCRC2 and regulates complex III activity. This decreases respiration rate during basal conditions but allows sustained oxidative phosphorylation when glucose is limiting, a condition in which the direct TRAP1-UQCRC2 binding is disrupted, but not TRAP1-complex III binding. Interestingly, several complex III components and assembly factors show an inverse correlation with survival and response to platinum-based therapy in high grade serous ovarian cancers, where TRAP1 inversely correlates with stage and grade and directly correlates with survival. Accordingly, drug-resistant ovarian cancer cells show high levels of complex III components and high sensitivity to complex III inhibitory drug antimycin A. Conclusions: These results shed new light on the molecular mechanisms involved in TRAP1-dependent regulation of cancer cell metabolism and point out a potential novel target for metabolic therapy in ovarian cancer

Drp1 Controls Effective T Cell Immune-Surveillance by Regulating T Cell Migration, Proliferation, and cMyc-Dependent Metabolic Reprogramming

Summary: Mitochondria are key players in the regulation of T cell biology by dynamically responding to cell needs, but how these dynamics integrate in T cells is still poorly understood. We show here that the mitochondrial pro-fission protein Drp1 fosters migration and expansion of developing thymocytes both in vitro and in vivo. In addition, we find that Drp1 sustains in vitro clonal expansion and cMyc-dependent metabolic reprogramming upon activation, also regulating effector T cell numbers in vivo. Migration and extravasation defects are also exhibited in Drp1-deficient mature T cells, unveiling its crucial role in controlling both T cell recirculation in secondary lymphoid organs and accumulation at tumor sites. Moreover, the observed Drp1-dependent imbalance toward a memory-like phenotype favors T cell exhaustion in the tumor microenvironment. All of these findings support a crucial role for Drp1 in several processes during T cell development and in anti-tumor immune-surveillance. : Mitochondria are emerging as key players for optimal T cell functionality. Simula et al. demonstrate that the mitochondrial pro-fission factor Drp1 controls thymocyte maturation and plays multiple roles in mature T cells by promoting their proliferation, migration, and cMyc-dependent metabolic reprogramming upon activation; this activity sustains efficient anti-tumor immune-surveillance. Keywords: mitochondrial dynamics, Drp1, T cells, thymocytes, tumor immune-surveillance, metabolic reprogramming, cMyc, cell migration, exhaustion, cell proliferatio