Medical Devices Competitiveness and Impact on Public Health Expenditure

This study provides an analytical overview of the state of the European Union medical device industry. The medical device industry sector encompasses an extremely large variety of products and technologies. It covers hundreds of thousands of products that range from more traditional products, such as bandages or syringes, to sophisticated devices that incorporate bioinformatics, nanotechnology and engineered cells. These are designed for use by practitioners, patients and healthy individuals in a variety of settings: hospitals, surgeries and private homes. Besides being a vital and innovative industry, medical devices are a key component of healthcare systems and represent, together with pharmaceuticals, the bulk of ‘medical technology’. The analysis of the sector must therefore investigate medical devices as an industry – an innovative contributor to the economy – as well its key input to healthcare systems. The following aspects are taken into account: a) the impact of innovation in medical devices on health costs and expenditure; b) the innovativeness of the European medical device industry; c) the competitiveness of the European medical device industry as compared to that of the United States and Japan.healthcare expenditure; medical devices; competitiveness; innovation

Factors affecting hesitancy to mrna and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines among college students in Italy

Vaccine hesitancy (VH) may be significant in jeopardizing efforts to mass containment of COVID-19. A cross-sectional survey was carried out on a sample of 2667 Italian college students, before the COVID-19 vaccines became available for this age group (from 7 May to 31 May 2021). An online survey was created to obtain information about socio-demographic, health-related, and psychological factors linked to mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vaccines. Statistically significant higher VH (30.4%) and vaccine resistance (12.2%) rates were found for viral vector than mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (7.2% and 1.0%, respectively; p < 0.001). Factors related to viral vector VH were partially different from those related to mRNA VH. Students with greater endorsement on conspiracy statements and negative attitudes toward the vaccine had higher odds of being vaccine-hesitant or-resistant. Students who had received a previous COVID-19 test and who scored higher on the agreeableness personality dimension had lower odds to be vaccine-hesitant or-resistant. The willingness to choose the vaccine was related to the viral vector but not to the mRNA VH. Taking into consideration the factors involved in vaccine hesitancy/resistance in college students could represent a key public health strategy to increase vaccine coverage and reduce viral spreading

Patient and mentor language style matching as a predictor of working alliance, engagement with treatment as usual, and eating disorders symptoms over the course of an online guided self-help intervention for anorexia nervosa

Objective The aim of this study was to examine the processes involved in a guided self-help (GSH) pre-treatment intervention (RecoveryMANTRA) for patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), by measuring the levels of patient/mentor Language Style Matching (LSM). RecoveryMANTRA was supported by student mentors or peer mentors (recovered individuals) over six weekly chat-based sessions. We examined whether LSM during RecoveryMANTRA predicted patients'working alliance with the clinic therapist, motivation, eating disorder (ED) and general psychopathology. A further aim was to examine differences in LSM between student mentors and peer mentors. Method 87 AN adults received RecoveryMANTRA plus treatment as usual. The LSM algorithm was used to calculate verbal attunement between patient and mentor. Participants were assessed at baseline and at the end of the intervention. Results Both early (1(st) session) and late (6(th) session) LSM predicted higher working alliance with the clinic therapist. Moreover, late LSM predicted lower EDs symptoms at the end of the RecoveryMANTRA intervention. Patient/peer mentor dyads showed higher late verbal attunement than patient/student mentor dyads. Conclusions These findings suggests that in the early phase of treatment relational aspects can impact on engagement with treatment. Verbal attunement in a GSH for AN is associated with working alliance and better clinical outcome

Dental and Dental Hygiene Students' Knowledge and Capacity to Discriminate the Developmental Defects of Enamel: A Self-Submitted Questionnaire Survey.

Background: A prompt and accurate diagnosis of developmental defects of enamel (DDE) is mandatory for proper treatment management. This cross-sectional survey, designed and carried out using anonymous self-administered questionnaires, aimed to assess dental and dental hygiene students' knowledge and their capability to identify different enamel development defects. Methods: The questionnaire consisted of twenty-eight closed-ended questions. Two different samples of undergraduate students were selected and enrolled: a group of dental hygiene (GDH) students and a group of dental (GD) students. A multivariate logistic regression was performed by adopting the correct answers as explanatory variables to assess the difference between the two groups. Results: Overall, 301 completed questionnaires were analyzed: 157 from the GDH and 144 from the GD. The dental student group showed better knowledge than the GDH of enamel hypomineralization and hypoplasia (p = 0.03 for both). A quarter (25.25%) of the total sample correctly identified the period of development of dental fluorosis with a statistically significant difference between the groups (p < 0.01). Amelogenesis imperfecta (AI) was identified as a genetic disease by 64.45% of the sample, with a better performance from the GD (p = 0.01), while no statistical differences were found between the groups regarding molar incisor hypomineralization. Multivariate analysis showed that AI (OR = 0.40, [0.23;0.69], p < 0.01) and caries lesion (OR = 0.58, [0.34;0.94], p = 0.03) were better recognized by the GD. Conclusions: Disparities exist in the knowledge and management of DDE among dental and dental hygiene students in Italy; however, significant knowledge gaps were found in both groups. Education on the diagnosis and treatment of DDE during the training for dental and dental hygiene students needs to be strongly implemented

Liquid flow in scaffold derived from natural source: experimental observations and biological outcome

This study investigates the biological effects on a 3D scaffold based on hydroxyapatite cultured with MC3T3 osteoblasts in response to flow-induced shear stress (FSS). The scaffold adopted here (B-HA) derives from the biomorphic transformation of natural wood and its peculiar channel geometry mimics the porous structure of the bone. From the point of view of fluid dynamics, B-HA can be considered a network of micro-channels, intrinsically offering the advantages of a microfluidic system. This work, for the first time, offers a description of the fluid dynamic properties of the B-HA scaffold, which are strongly connected to its morphology. These features are necessary to determine the FSS ranges to be applied during in vitro studies to get physiologically relevant conditions. The selected ranges of FSS promoted the elongation of the attached cells along the flow direction and early osteogenic cell differentiation. These data confirmed the ability of B-HA to promote the differentiation process along osteogenic lineage. Hence, such a bioactive and naturally derived scaffold can be considered as a promising tool for bone regeneration applications

Real life long-term efficacy and safety of rhGH therapy in children with SHOX deficiency

Objective: This Italian survey aims to evaluate real-life long-term efficacy and safety of rhGH therapy in children with short stature homeobox-containing gene deficiency disorders (SHOX-D) and to identify potential predictive factors influencing response to rhGH therapy. Design and methods: This is a national retrospective observational study collecting anamnestic, anthropometric, clinical, instrumental and therapeutic data in children and adolescents with a genetic confirmation of SHOX-D treated on rhGH. Data were collected at the beginning of rhGH therapy (T0), yearly during the first 4 years of rhGH therapy (T1, T2, T3, T4) and at near-final height (nFH) (T5), when available. Results: 117 SHOX-D children started rhGH therapy (initial dose 0.23 ± 0.04 mg/kg/week) at a mean age of 8.67 ± 3.33years (74% prepubertal), 99 completed the 1st year of treatment, and 46 reached nFH. During rhGH therapy, growth velocity (GV) SDS and height (H) SDS improved significantly. Mean H SDS gain from T0 was +1.14±0.58 at T4 and +0.80 ± 0.98 at T5. Both patients carrying mutations involving intragenic SHOX region (group A) and ones with regulatory region defects (group B) experienced a similar beneficial therapeutic effect. The multiple regression analysis identified the age at the start of rhGH treatment (β -0.31, p = 0.030) and the GV during the first year of rhGH treatment (β 0.45, p = 0.008) as main independent predictor factors of height gain. During rhGH therapy, no adverse event of concern was reported. Conclusions: Our data confirm the efficacy and safety of rhGH therapy in SHOX-D children, regardless the wide variety of genotype

Higher education looking forward: relations between higher education and society

This report includes the five thematic overview reports which were prepared for the European Science Foundation ‘Forward Look’ on ‘Higher education in Europe beyond 2010: resolving conflicting social and economic expectations. The five reports are: • Higher education and the knowledge society discourse (Jussi Välimaa and David Hoffman); • Higher education and the achievement (or prevention) of equity and society justice (John Brennan and Rajani Naidoo); • Higher education and its communities: interconnections and interdependencies (Ben Jongbloed, Jürgen Enders and Carlo Salerno); • The ‘steering’ of higher education systems: a public management perspective (Ewan Ferlie, Christine Musselin and Gianluca Andresani); • The changing patterns of the higher education systems in Europe and the future tasks of higher education research (Ulrich Teichler)

Italian Vascular Flora: New Findings, Updates and Exploration of Floristic Similarities between Regions

The tradition of floristic studies in Italy has made it possible to obtain a good knowledge of plant diversity both on a national and regional scale. However, the lack of knowledge for some areas, advances in plant systematics and human activities related to globalization, highlight the need for further studies aimed at improving floristic knowledge. In this paper, based on fieldwork and herbaria and literature surveys, we update the knowledge on the Italian vascular flora and analyze the floristic similarities between the administrative regions. Four taxa, all exotic, were recorded for the first time in Italy and Europe. In detail, Elaeodendron croceum, Kalanchoe blossfeldiana, and Sedum spathulifolium var. spathulifolium were found as casual aliens, while Oxalis brasiliensis was reported as historical record based on some herbarium specimens. Furthermore, Kalanchoe laxiflora was confirmed as a casual alien species for Italy and Europe. Status changes for some taxa were proposed at both national and regional levels, as well as many taxa were reported as new or confirmed at the regional level. Currently the Italian vascular flora comprises 9150 taxa of which 7547 are native (of which 1598 are Italian endemics) and 1603 are exotic at the national level. The multivariate analysis of updated floristic data on a regional scale showed a clear distribution along the latitudinal gradient, in accordance with the natural geographical location of the regions in Italy. This pattern of plants distribution was not affected by the introduction of alien species. Despite some taxonomic and methodological issues which are still open, the data obtained confirm the important role of floristic investigations in the field and in herbaria, as well as the collaborative approach among botanists, in order to improve the knowledge of the Italian and European vascular flora

Dai balconi ai parchi urbani: buone pratiche per un giardinaggio consapevole

Prodotto nell’ambito del progetto LIFE15 GIE/IT/001039 “Alien Species Awareness Program”(ASAP), è un opuscolo di tipo tecnico-pratico che intende fornire alcune informazioni di base sulle piante esotiche invasive presenti in Italia nonché, seguendo le buone pratiche dettate nel Codice di condotta definito nell’ambito della Convenzione di Berna, proporre un numero non esaustivo di specie native da utilizzare in alternativa alle piante esotiche invasive inserite nella Lista di Rilevanza Unionale e per le quali vi è divieto di importazione, commercio, possesso, riproduzione, trasporto, utilizzo e rilascio in natura. E’ indirizzato a tutti coloro che sono coinvolti direttamente o indirettamente nella produzione, commercializzazione e impiego delle piante ornamentali: aziende florovivaistiche importatori di piante e tutti coloro che svolgono un ruolo nella progettazione e realizzazione di aree verdi quali gli Architetti paesaggisti, i Dottori Forestali, i Dottori Agronomi e a tutti gli appassionati di giardinaggio. La scelta di utilizzare specie autoctone nel verde urbano risponde anche all’esigenza di garantire una migliore tutela e conservazione della biodiversità negli spazi urbani