La gestione degli eventi: Industria farmaceutica & Event Management

Il mio lavoro si propone di analizzare due macro aree principali: il settore degli eventi in senso generale, fino a scendere nel dettaglio toccando svariati settori dove gli eventi possono essere messi in atto; da qui, ci avviciniamo alla seconda macro area corrispondente all' industria farmaceutica: dalla sua nascita a livello globale, sino a scendere nel dettaglio dell' industria del farmaco sul suolo Italiano e in particolar modo su quello Pisano. Le due macro aree andranno poi ad incontrarsi quando l'evento diventerà di stampo farmaceutico. Lo scritto prende quindi in esame la realtà industriale dell'industria oftalmica presente nella città di Pisa, Farmigea e, dall'altra parte, la società di servizi che si occupa in buona parte della maggior parte degli eventi e sponsorizzazione di Farmigea. In conclusione porterò ad esempio un caso aziendale, un evento internazionale a cui Farmigea ha preso parte, e dove la società di servizi in question (OCM) si è occupata della sua organizzazione

A multiple timepoint pre-post evaluation of a ‘sexual respect’ dvd to improve competence in discussing sex with patients with disability

Sexual problems are common after chronic illnesses and disability, yet research indicates that this is a neglected area in healthcare services. Evaluation studies provide evidence of the effectiveness of education in enhancing professionals’ knowledge, skills, and comfort in addressing patients’ sexual concerns. However, there are limited evaluations aimed at improving ability to discuss sexuality when working with people with disabilities. The overall aim of this study was to evaluate a ‘Sexual Respect’ DVD as an intervention to improve competence in addressing ‘sexuality and disability’. A mixed methods design was used with both quantitative and qualitative components. Nursing students’ self-report ratings of knowledge, confidence, comfort and willingness (to discuss sexuality) levels were collected across four time points: baseline, pre-intervention, post-intervention, and follow-up. Data were analysed using one-way repeated measures ANOVAs with post hoc comparisons. Open-ended qualitative comments relating to the barriers and facilitators to discussing sexuality were analysed using content analysis and subsequent frequency analysis. Reported barriers included lack of knowledge about sex¬uality and disability issues, the patient’s level of disability, and waiting for the patient to raise sexuality issues first. Facilitators included education/training, written information, and if the patient raised it first. Overall, the DVD intervention had a significant and positive impact on nursing students’ self-reported knowledge, confidence, comfort and willingness levels. The findings are discussed in relation to the PLISSIT model, which emphasises the importance of a proactive approach to addressing sexuality issues

Antidepressant activity of anti-cytokine treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials of chronic inflammatory conditions.

Inflammatory cytokines are commonly elevated in acute depression and are associated with resistance to monoaminergic treatment. To examine the potential role of cytokines in the pathogenesis and treatment of depression, we carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of antidepressant activity of anti-cytokine treatment using clinical trials of chronic inflammatory conditions where depressive symptoms were measured as a secondary outcome. Systematic search of the PubMed, EMBASE, PsycINFO and Cochrane databases, search of reference lists and conference abstracts, followed by study selection process yielded 20 clinical trials. Random effect meta-analysis of seven randomised controlled trials (RCTs) involving 2370 participants showed a significant antidepressant effect of anti-cytokine treatment compared with placebo (standardised mean difference (SMD)=0.40, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.22-0.59). Anti-tumour necrosis factor drugs were most commonly studied (five RCTs); SMD=0.33 (95% CI; 0.06-0.60). Separate meta-analyses of two RCTs of adjunctive treatment with anti-cytokine therapy and eight non-randomised and/or non-placebo studies yielded similar small-to-medium effect estimates favouring anti-cytokine therapy; SMD=0.19 (95% CI, 0.00-0.37) and 0.51 (95% CI, 0.34-0.67), respectively. Adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab and tocilizumab all showed statistically significant improvements in depressive symptoms. Meta-regression exploring predictors of response found that the antidepressant effect was associated with baseline symptom severity (P=0.018) but not with improvement in primary physical illness, sex, age or study duration. The findings indicate a potentially causal role for cytokines in depression and that cytokine modulators may be novel drugs for depression in chronically inflamed subjects. The field now requires RCTs of cytokine modulators using depression as the primary outcome in subjects with high inflammation who are free of other physical illnesses.GMK is supported by a Clinical Lecturer Starter Grant from the Academy of Medical Sciences, UK (grant no. 80354) and a Gosling Fellowship from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, UK (2015). GMK also received funding support from the Wellcome Trust 094790/Z/10/Z). PBJ acknowledges grant sup port from the Wellcome Trust (095844/Z/11/Z & 088869/Z/09/Z) and NIHR (RP-PG-0606-1335, Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre and CLAHRC East of England). RD has received grants from the National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Stroke of the National Institutes of Health (grants R01 NS073939; R01 NS074999).This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from Nature Publishing Group via http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/mp.2016.16

ON THE PATHOGENESIS OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS - A REVISED MODEL OF THE CAUSE(S) OF MULTIPLE-SCLEROSIS, ESPECIALLY BASED ON EPIDEMIOLOGIC DATA

Data from an epidemiological study are used to analyse the course of multiple sclerosis. It could be proved that the course of MS is not as haphazard as was often supposed. In general the course is described as being a chronic progressive one, in the majority of patients preceded by a relapsing-remitting period. In contrast to the relapsing-remitting phase the chronic progressive phase of the course does not show marks of being an autoimmune process. From recent data obtained by MRI and NMR spectroscopy it can be concluded that the chronic progression of handicaps in multiple sclerosis is related to neuronal and axonal damage. The relation between these different pathogenetic processes should be the aim of further research

Long-term effect of acth treatment of relapse in multiple-sclerosis

A controlled, randomized study of the long-term effects of ACTH-treatment (100 units intramuscular, tapered over 12 weeks) of acute relapse in 29 MS patients was performed. Follow-up lasted one year. In some Kurtzke Functional System, the Ambulation Index and the Kurtzke Incapacity Scale a transient greater improvement in the ACTH-treated patients was observed. These superior results in the ACTH group were no longer present at 6 months. Significantly more side-effects were reported in the ACTH-group. After treatment with ACTH a higher, though not statistically significant, relapse rate in the following months was noticed