L’ANVUR e la qualità della didattica universitaria

L’Agenzia Nazionale di Valutazione del Sistema Universitario e della Ricerca (ANVUR) ha il compito di valutare la qualità della ricerca e della didattica delle Università Italiane. Sulla base delle linee guida europee (ESG) pubblicati dall’ENQA, l’ANVUR ha proposto un sistema di valutazione interno basato sull’autovalutazione e su procedure di assicurazione interna della qualità, un sistema di valutazione esterna annuale dei risultati della ricerca e della didattica (Valutazione Periodica) e un sistema di accreditamento deicorsi di studio universitari. L’intero sistema integrato denominato AVA (Autovalutazione; Valutazione Periodica; Accreditamento) esprime il modello di AQ di ateneo italiano.La prima applicazione del sistema integrato AVA nell’anno 2013 ha mostrato l’esigenza di miglioramenti dei corsi di studio sia da un punto di vista tecnico che da quello operativo. Tuttavia, la sfida più importante per l’intero sistema universitario è il cambiamento di mentalità da un approccio burocratico-compilativo ad uno che veda il miglioramento della qualità della formazionecome l’obiettivo principale da raggiungere proprio mediante un sistema di valutazione articolato e partecipato

Final results of project on feline spongiform encephalopathy

Feline spongiform encephalopathy (FSE) is a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy associated with the accumulation of an abnormal isoform of the prion protein (PrPsc) in the Central Nervous System. This research allowed to identify other neurological diseases affecting the Italian cat population

The role of vascular endothelial growth factor and matrix metalloproteinases in canine lymphoma: in vivo and in vitro study

Background: Canine lymphoma represents the most frequent haematopoietic cancer and it shares some similarities with human non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) play a coordinated role during invasion and proliferation of malignant cells; however, little is known about their role in canine haematologic malignancies. The aim of this study was to investigate the mRNA and protein expression of VEGF and the most relevant MMPs in canine lymphoma. Lymph node aspirates from 26 B-cell and 21 T-cell lymphomas were collected. The protein expression levels of MMP-9, MMP-2 and VEGF-A were evaluated by immunocytochemistry, and the mRNA levels of MMP-2, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1, TIMP-2, RECK, VEGF-A and VEGF-164 were measured using quantitative RT-PCR.Results: MT1-MMP, TIMP-1 and RECK mRNA levels were significantly higher in T-cell lymphomas than in B-cell lymphomas. Higher mRNA and protein levels of MMP-9 and VEGF-A were observed in T-cell lymphomas than in B-cell lymphomas and healthy control lymph nodes. A positive correlation was found between MMP-9 and VEGF-A in T-cell lymphomas. Moreover, MMP-9, MT1-MMP, TIMP-1 and VEGF-A were expressed at the highest levels in high-grade T-cell lymphomas.Conclusions: This study provides new information on the expression of different MMPs and VEGF in canine lymphoma, suggesting a possible correlation between different MMPs and VEGF, immunophenotype and prognosis

Matrix metalloproteinases and their inhibitors in canine mammary tumors

BACKGROUND: Malignant canine mammary tumors represent 50% of all neoplasms in female dogs. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) are thought to be involved in tumor progression, and they are also associated with the reactive stroma, which provides structural and vascular support for tumor growth. RESULTS: MMP-2, MMP-9 and MT1-MMP were expressed at both the mRNA and protein levels in tumor samples. MMP-2 and MMP-9 immunohistochemical reactions were evident both in the epithelial tumor cells and in the stromal compartment to varying degrees; in particular, the intensity of the MMP-2 staining was stronger in the stromal fibroblasts close to epithelial tumor cells in simple carcinomas than in adenomas. These data were supported by gelatin-zymography; bands for the active form of MMP-2 were found in 94% of carcinoma samples, compared with 17% of benign tumor samples. The gene expression and immunohistochemical results for MT1-MMP were comparable to those for MMP-2. The immunoreactivity for MMP-13 and TIMP-2 was lower in carcinomas than in adenomas, confirming the mRNA data for MMP-13 and the other MMP inhibitors that were evaluated. The active form of MMP-9, but not the active form of MMP-2, was identified in the plasma of all of the tested dogs. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that MMP-9, MMP-2 and MT1-MMP, which are synthesized by epithelial cancer cells and cancer-associated fibroblasts, play an important role in malignant canine mammary tumors. The reduction of MMP-13 and TIMP-2 could also be a significant step in malignant transformation. MMP-2 and MT1-MMP could be further evaluated as future biomarkers for predicting the progression and prognosis of canine mammary tumors

Canine Coronavirus Highly Pathogenic for Dogs

Canine coronavirus (CCoV) is usually responsible for mild, self-limiting infections restricted to the enteric tract. We report an outbreak of fatal disease in puppies caused by a pathogenic variant of CCoV that was isolated from organs with severe lesions