11 research outputs found
NEETs and Youth Guarantee Registration: Examining the Link to Past Undeclared Work
A myriad of factors influence young peopleâs vulnerability and the likelihood of becoming NEET. Moreover, the share of young NEETs in European countries is very high. Institutional and governmental initiatives aiming to promote the inclusion of young people in the labour market are of paramount importance. However, the socio-economic conditions and the level of vulnerability alongside other socio-demographic characteristics are likely to influence the extent to which young people ultimately engage with such programmes. The current study ascertains whether previous experience of informal work increases young peopleâs propensity to participate in programmes offered by public employment services, such as the Youth Guarantee Programme. Indeed, we hypothesise that the experience of working without a contract makes young people more aware and concerned about the risk of remaining trapped in a spiral of vulnerable jobs. To test this, we used data from a survey of 4,273 NEETs and focused on Italy, Portugal, and Spain. The studyâs findings contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between past experience in the informal economy and engagement with the Youth Guarantee. Besides contributing to the literature, the study can also contribute to policy making and practitionersâ assessment of the relative efficacy of Youth Guarantee initiatives among different subgroups of young NEET and tailor the interventions accordingly. In other words, the outcomes of this study should signal to governments that greater efforts should be made to implement initiatives reaching out to young people, as well as acting to reduce the precariousness in job contracts, which negatively impacts their quality of life
The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide, raising serious concerns. A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between 11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing. Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7 December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5-11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples) in the week 12-18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19-25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in which the variant was detected increased from one in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples, and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons. In conclusion, we designed an RT-qPCR assay capable to detect the Omicron variant, which can be successfully used for the purpose of wastewater-based epidemiology. We also described the history of the introduction and diffusion of the Omicron variant in the Italian population and territory, confirming the effectiveness of sewage monitoring as a powerful surveillance tool
The rapid spread of SARS-COV-2 Omicron variant in Italy reflected early through wastewater surveillance
The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant emerged in South Africa in November 2021, and has later been identified worldwide,
raising serious concerns.
A real-time RT-PCR assay was designed for the rapid screening of the Omicron variant, targeting characteristic mutations
of the spike gene. The assay was used to test 737 sewage samples collected throughout Italy (19/21 Regions) between
11 November and 25 December 2021, with the aim of assessing the spread of the Omicron variant in the
country. Positive samples were also tested with a real-time RT-PCR developed by the European Commission, Joint
Research Centre (JRC), and through nested RT-PCR followed by Sanger sequencing.
Overall, 115 samples tested positive for Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant. The first occurrence was detected on 7
December, in Veneto, North Italy. Later on, the variant spread extremely fast in three weeks, with prevalence of positive
wastewater samples rising from 1.0% (1/104 samples) in the week 5â11 December, to 17.5% (25/143 samples)
in the week 12â18, to 65.9% (89/135 samples) in the week 19â25, in line with the increase in cases of infection with
the Omicron variant observed during December in Italy. Similarly, the number of Regions/Autonomous Provinces in
which the variant was detected increased fromone in the first week, to 11 in the second, and to 17 in the last one. The
presence of the Omicron variant was confirmed by the JRC real-time RT-PCR in 79.1% (91/115) of the positive samples,
and by Sanger sequencing in 66% (64/97) of PCR amplicons
Mechanical Properties of Animal Tendons: A Review and Comparative Study for the Identification of the Most Suitable Human Tendon Surrogates
The mechanical response of a tendon to load is strictly related to its complex and highly organized hierarchical structure, which ranges from the nano- to macroscale. In a broader context, the mechanical properties of tendons during tensile tests are affected by several distinct factors, due in part to tendon nature (anatomical site, age, training, injury, etc.) but also depending on the experimental setup and settings. This work aimed to present a systematic review of the mechanical properties of tendons reported in the scientific literature by considering different anatomical regions in humans and several animal species (horse, cow, swine, sheep, rabbit, dog, rat, mouse, and foal). This study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) method. The literature research was conducted via Google Scholar, PubMed, PicoPolito (Politecnico di Torino’s online catalogue), and Science Direct. Sixty studies were selected and analyzed. The structural and mechanical properties described in different animal species were reported and summarized in tables. Only the results from studies reporting the strain rate parameter were considered for the comparison with human tendons, as they were deemed more reliable. Our findings showed similarities between animal and human tendons that should be considered in biomechanical evaluation. An additional analysis of the effects of different strain rates showed the influence of this parameter
Subjective WellâBeing of NEETs and Employability: A Study of NonâUrban Youths in Spain, Italy, and Portugal
Subjective wellâbeing is of paramount importance when support is offered to young individuals seeking
employment and social inclusion in general. The present study looks at different dimensions of youth
wellâbeing and the growing demands for skills to enable labour market integration. Based on survey data,
this article examines the relationships between the role of public employment services in providing support
and their impact on the subjective wellâbeing of youth. Specifically, 1,275 not in education, employment, or
training (NEET) rural youths from Italy, Portugal, and Spain participated in the survey. Drawing upon
Bronfenbrennerâs bioecological model, the current study sets up a model which includes different factors at
the microâ, mesoâ, exoâ, and macroâsystem levels. The results show that nonâurban NEETsâ subjective
wellâbeing is associated positively with public employment services availability, while the relationship with
public employment services interaction and public employment services support is nonâsignificant.
A positive and significant relationship emerged also with selfâefficacy and social support. Some
recommendations for policymakers are discussed
Early Ultrasound Response and Progressive Transmural Remission After Treatment With Ustekinumab in Crohnâs Disease
Background & aims: In this STARDUST substudy, the effect of ustekinumab on transmural bowel inflammation was assessed in adults with moderate-to-severe Crohn's disease (CD) by using intestinal ultrasound (IUS), a noninvasive imaging procedure.
Methods: STARDUST was an international, multicenter, phase 3b, interventional, randomized controlled trial specifically designed to compare treat-to-target and standard-of-care treatment strategies in ustekinumab-treated CD patients. In this substudy, the most affected bowel segment at baseline by IUS was used for all analyses. Key IUS endpoints (centrally read, parameter-blinded) were IUS response, transmural remission, bowel wall thickness (BWT), blood flow, bowel wall stratification, and inflammatory fat.
Results: Seventy-seven patients were evaluated. IUS response could be determined 4 weeks after treatment initiation, with progressive improvement through week 48. IUS response and transmural remission rates at week 48 were 46.3% and 24.1%, respectively. IUS response, transmural remission, BWT, and blood flow normalization rates were more pronounced in the colon and biologic-naive patients. Fair/moderate reliability (Îș = 0.21-0.51) was observed between week 4 IUS response and week 48 overall endoscopic response and fecal calprotectin/complete biomarker outcomes. Endoscopy and IUS baseline agreement was >90% in determining the terminal ileum as the most affected bowel segment. IUS response absence at week 4 was associated with no endoscopic response (based on the simplified endoscopic score for Crohn's disease terminal ileum subscore) at week 48 (negative predictive value = 73%).
Conclusions: In this first international, multicenter, interventional study, IUS showed that ustekinumab-treated CD patients achieved progressive IUS response (46.3%) and transmural remission (24.1%) through week 48, with a more robust response in the colon and biologic-naive patients.
Clinicaltrials: gov number: NCT03107793
Liver transplantation in patients with alcoholic liver disease: A retrospective study
Aim: Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is the most common liver disease in the Western World. Liver transplantation (LT) is the treatment for end-stage ALD. However, many transplant centers are still reluctant to transplant these patients because of the risk of alcohol relapse, recurrence of the primary liver disease and associated post-transplant complications. We examined survival rate, prevalence of primary liver disease recurrence, re-transplantation and post-transplant complications among transplanted patients for alcoholic cirrhosis compared with those transplanted for viral cirrhosis. Methods: data about patients transplanted for alcoholic and viral cirrhosis at the Gemelli Hospital from January 1995 to April 2016 were retrospectively collected. Survival rate was evaluated according to the Kaplan-Meier method. Recurrence was defined as histological evidence of primary liver disease. Data on the onset of complication, causes of death and graft failure after liver transplant were analyzed. Results: There was no statistically significant difference regarding survival rate between the two groups. Only patients transplanted for viral cirrhosis presented with primary liver disease recurrence. There was a higher rate of cancer development in patients transplanted for alcoholic cirrhosis. Cancer was the major cause of death in this population. Risk factors associated with the onset of cancer were a high MELD score at the transplant time and smoking after transplantation. Conclusion: ALD is a good indication for LT. Patients transplanted for alcoholic cirrhosis should receive regular cancer screening and should be advised against smoking. Short Summary: No difference was found between patients transplanted for alcoholic cirrhosis and viral cirrhosis in term of survival rate. Only patients transplanted for viral cirrhosis presented primary liver disease recurrence. A higher rate of cancer development was found in patients transplanted for alcoholic cirrohosis. This complication was associated with post-trasplant smoking