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Cardiovascular (CV) diseases account for over 4 million deaths every year in Europe and over 220 000 deaths in Italy, representing the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. The European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guidelines have visionary included in the at very high CV risk group patients without previous acute ischemic events, such as those with subclinical atherosclerosis, chronic coronary syndrome or peripheral arterial disease, familial hypercholesterolemia, diabetes mellitus with target organ damage or multiple associated risk factors, and those with high calculated CV risk score, recommending to consider them and to achieve the same LDL-cholesterol targets as for secondary prevention patients. The aim of this position paper is to provide an updated overview of ESC guidelines that focuses on these patient categories to raise awareness within the clinical community regarding CV risk reduction in this specific epidemiological context.

Erasmus mobility has become an important feature of higher education in Europe and beyond, with the potential to generate significant changes at individual, institutional and systemic levels. More than three decades after the foundation of this successful program, evaluations reveal that, despite notable progress, several aspects of the Erasmus student experience can be further improved. Based on the lived experiences of Erasmus alumni, in this article, we explore recurrent challenges that emerge in educational mobility and how they could be better addressed. Three key dimensions are identified in the qualitative accounts of former Erasmus students and analyzed in light of previous research: mobility preparation, institutional support for integration, and recognition of study abroad.

Computer-based test (CBT) and paper-based test (PBT) are two test modes to the test takers that have been widely adopted in the field of language testing or assessment over the last few decades. Due to the rapid development of science and technology, it is a trend for universities and educational institutions striving rather hard to deliver the test on a computer. Therefore, research on the comparison between these two test modes has attracted much attention to investigate whether the PBT could be completely replaced. At the same time, task difficulty is always a key element to reflect test takers' performances. Numerous studies have laid a solid foundation and guidance about the comparative study of test takers' performance on CBT and PBT, but there still remains a scarcity from the perspective of task difficulties with different Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) task levels in particular. This study, therefore, compared the test takers' performance on both CBT and PBT across tasks with different CEFR levels. A total of 289 principal recommended high school test takers from Macau took the pilot Test of Academic English (TAE) at a local university. The results indicated that there was a difference between test takers' performance on different test modes across different CEFR levels, but only CEFR A2 level showed a statistically difference between CBT and PBT. And since science and technology are continuously developing, it is essential for the university to consider switching the test mode from PBT to CBT.

Patch testing is the only clinically applicable diagnostic method for Type IV allergy. The availability of Type IV patch test (PT) allergens in Europe, however, is currently scarce. This severely compromises adequate diagnostics of contact allergy, leading to serious consequences for the affected patients. Against this background, the European Society of Contact Dermatitis (ESCD) has created a task force (TF) (i) to explore the current availability of PT substances in different member states, (ii) to highlight some of the unique characteristics of Type IV vs. other allergens and (iii) to suggest ways forward to promote and ensure availability of high-quality patch testing substances for the diagnosis of Type IV allergies throughout Europe. The suggestions of the TF on how to improve the availability of PT allergens are supported by the ESCD, the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, and the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology and intend to provide potential means to resolve the present medical crisis., (© 2024 The Authors. Contact Dermatitis published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Myocardial revascularization in coronary artery disease via percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery effectively relieves symptoms, significantly improves prognosis and quality of life when combined with guideline-directed medical therapy. Hybrid coronary revascularization is a promising alternative to percutaneous coronary intervention or CABG in selected patients and is defined as a planned and/or intended combination of consecutive CABG surgery using at least 1 internal mammary artery to the left anterior descending (LAD), and catheter-based coronary intervention to the non-LAD vessels for the treatment of multivessel disease. The main indications for hybrid coronary revascularization are (i) to achieve complete revascularization in patients who cannot undergo conventional CABG, (ii) to treat patients with acute coronary syndromes and multivessel disease with a non-LAD vessel as the culprit lesion that needs revascularization and (iii) in highly select patients with multivessel disease with complex LAD lesions and simple percutaneous coronary intervention targets for all other vessels. Hybrid coronary revascularization patients receive a left internal mammary artery graft to the LAD artery through a minimal incision along with percutaneous coronary intervention to the remaining diseased coronary vessels using latest generation drug-eluting stents. A collaborative environment with a dedicated heart team is the optimal platform to perform such interventions, which aim to improve the quality and outcome of myocardial revascularization. This position paper analyses the rationale of hybrid coronary revascularization and the currently available evidence on the various techniques and delves into the sequence of the interventions and pharmacological management during and after the procedure., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.)

In this study we compare the titles of scientific letters and those of research papers published in the field of astrophysics in order to identify the possible differences and/or similarities between both genres in terms of several linguistic and extra-linguistic variables (length, lexical density, number of prepositions, number of compound groups, number of authors and number of countries mentioned in the paper bylines). We also carry out a cross-genre and cross-journal analysis of the referred six variables. Our main findings may be summarized as follows: (1) When compared to research paper titles, scientific letter titles are usually shorter, they have a lower lexical density, they include a higher number of prepositions per number of words and a lower number of compound groups per number of words, although they have more up to 4-word compound groups, i.e. the simplest ones. As a consequence, scientific letter titles include less information, which is also less condensed, than research paper titles. (2) The predominance of compound adjectives over compound nouns in the titles of both genres highlights the scientificity of astrophysical discourse. (3) In general terms, our data show a positive correlation between title length and the number of countries mentioned in the bylines for both genres. The positive correlation between title length and number of authors is only met in the case of research papers. In light of these findings, it may be concluded that scientific letters are a clear example of a timeliness and more "immediate" science, whereas research papers are connected to a more timeless and "elaborate" science. It may also be concluded that two different collaboration scenarios are intertwining on the basis of three separate geographic and linguistic publication contexts (Mainland Europe, The United Kingdom and The United States of North America).

Background: There is clear evidence demonstrating the benefits of physical activity (PA) on pain and overall health, however, PA is challenging for many individuals living with chronic pain. Even non-exercise specialists can (cost) effectively promote PA, but many health professionals report a number of barriers in providing guidance on PA, suggesting that it is not consistently promoted. This expert position paper summarizes the evidence and provides five recommendations for health professionals to assess, advise and support individuals living with any chronic pain condition with a long life expectancy in adopting and sustaining physically active lifestyles., Methods: This position paper was prepared by the 'On The Move' Task Force of the European Pain Federation EFIC. Final recommendations were endorsed by the European Pain Forum, Pain Alliance Europe and the Executive Board of EFIC., Results: We recommend that all health professionals (1) Take a history of the persons' PA levels, and put PA on the agenda, (2) Advise that PA is important and safe for individuals living with chronic pain, (3) Deliver a brief PA intervention and support individuals living with chronic pain in becoming physically active, (4) Discuss acceptable levels of PA-related soreness and pain and (5) Provide ongoing support in staying physically active., Significance: Physical activity is safe and offers several advantages, including general health benefits, low risk of side effects, low cost and not requiring access to healthcare. Adoption of these recommendations can improve the quality of care and life of individuals living with chronic pain and reduce their overall health risks., (© 2024 The Authors. European Journal of Pain published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Pain Federation ‐ EFIC ®.)

Background and Objective: The European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines Panel on non-neurogenic male lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) aimed to develop a new subchapter on underactive bladder (UAB) in non-neurogenic men to inform health care providers of current best evidence and practice. Here, we present a summary of the UAB subchapter that is incorporated into the 2024 version of the EAU guidelines on non-neurogenic male LUTS., Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted from 2002 to 2022, and articles with the highest certainty evidence were selected. A strength rating has been provided for each recommendation according to the EAU Guideline Office methodology., Key Findings and Limitations: Detrusor underactivity (DU) is a urodynamic diagnosis defined as a contraction of reduced strength and/or duration, resulting in prolonged bladder emptying and/or failure to achieve complete bladder emptying within a normal time span. UAB is a terminology that should be reserved for describing symptoms and clinical features related to DU. Invasive urodynamics is the only widely accepted method for diagnosing DU. In patients with persistently elevated postvoid residual (ie, >300 ml), intermittent catheterization is indicated and preferred to indwelling catheters. Alpha-adrenergic blockers are recommended before more invasive techniques, but the level of evidence is low. In men with DU and concomitant benign prostatic obstruction (BPO), benign prostatic surgery should be considered only after appropriate counseling. In men with DU and no BPO, a test phase of sacral neuromodulation may be considered., Conclusions and Clinical Implications: The current text represents a summary of the new subchapter on UAB. For more detailed information, refer to the full-text version available on the EAU website (https://uroweb.org/guidelines/management-of-non-neurogenic-male-luts)., (Copyright © 2024 European Association of Urology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The role of long-term parenteral support in patients with underlying benign conditions who do not have intestinal failure (IF) is contentious, not least since there are clear benefits in utilising the oral or enteral route for nutritional support. Furthermore, the risks of long-term home parenteral nutrition (HPN) are significant, with significant impacts on morbidity and mortality. There has, however, been a recent upsurge of the use of HPN in patients with conditions such as gastro-intestinal neuromuscular disorders, opioid bowel dysfunction, disorders of gut-brain interaction and possibly eating disorders, who do not have IF. As a result, the European Society of Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism (ESPEN), the European Society of Neuro-gastroenterology and Motility (ESNM) and the Rome Foundation for Disorders of Gut Brain Interaction felt that a position statement is required to clarify - and hopefully reduce the potential for harm associated with - the use of long-term parenteral support in patients without IF. Consensus opinion is that HPN should not be prescribed for patients without IF, where the oral and/or enteral route can be utilised. On the rare occasions that PN commencement is required to treat life-threatening malnutrition in conditions such as those listed above, it should only be prescribed for a time-limited period to achieve nutritional safety, while the wider multi-disciplinary team focus on more appropriate biopsychosocial holistic and rehabilitative approaches to manage the patient's primary underlying condition., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest None declared., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

A significant amount of European basic and clinical neuroscience research includes the use of transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and low intensity transcranial electrical stimulation (tES), mainly transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Two recent changes in the EU regulations, the introduction of the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) (2017/745) and the Annex XVI have caused significant problems and confusions in the brain stimulation field. The negative consequences of the MDR for non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) have been largely overlooked and until today, have not been consequently addressed by National Competent Authorities, local ethical committees, politicians and by the scientific communities. In addition, a rushed bureaucratic decision led to seemingly wrong classification of NIBS products without an intended medical purpose into the same risk group III as invasive stimulators. Overregulation is detrimental for any research and for future developments, therefore researchers, clinicians, industry, patient representatives and an ethicist were invited to contribute to this document with the aim of starting a constructive dialogue and enacting positive changes in the regulatory environment., (Copyright © 2024 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

This study investigates the views of contemporary Muslim jurists about withdrawing treatment of the terminally ill. Its aim is threefold. Firstly, it analyses jurists' views concerning core themes within the process of withdrawing treatment. Secondly, it provides insight into fatwas about withdrawing treatment. Thirdly, it compares these views with current medical standards in Europe and the Atlantic world on withdrawing treatment. The data consisted of six papers by Muslim jurists presented at the conference of the Islamic Fiqh Council in 2015. We conducted a directed content analysis (DCA) through a predetermined framework and compiled an overview of all previous fatwas referred to in the papers, which are also analysed. The results show that the general consensus is that if health cannot be restored, treatment may be withdrawn at the request of the patient and/or his family or on the initiative of the doctor. The accompanying fatwa emphasizes the importance of life-prolonging treatment if this does not harm the patient. It becomes apparent in the fatwa that the doctor has the monopoly in decision-making, which is inconsistent with current medical standards in Europe. Managing disclosure in view of the importance of maintaining the hope of Muslim patients may challenge the doctor's obligation to share a diagnosis with them., (© 2022. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Breastmilk is the optimal source of nutrition for infants and should ideally be provided exclusively for the first 6 months of life, and alongside complementary food until 2 years of life. However, there are circumstances where a breastmilk substitute (BMS) may be required. This includes maternal and/or child conditions or personal preference. Whilst these circumstances should never be used as an opportunity to promote BMS, healthcare professionals (HCPs) need to have the knowledge of suitable alternatives and should always be guided by scientific and health motives when recommending a BMS. The Task Force 'Milk Formula Industry Sponsorship' from the European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI), provides with this publication recommendations for EAACI interactions with the BMS manufacturers and how this will be supervised., (© 2024 The Authors. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Purpose: Incisional hernia (IH) is one of the most common complications after abdominal surgeries and may bring great suffering to patients. This study aims to evaluate the global trends in IH research from 2003 to 2023 and visualize the frontiers using bibliometric analysis., Methods: The literature search was conducted on the Web of Science for IH studies published from 2003 to 2023 and sorted by citation frequency. The top 100 most-cited articles were analyzed by the annual publication number, prolific countries and institutions, influential author and journal, and the number of citations through descriptive statistics and visualization., Results: The top paper was cited 1075 times and the median number of citations was 146. All studies were published between 2003 and 2019 and the most prolific year was 2003 with 14 articles. Jeekel J and Rosen M were regarded as the most productive authors with ten articles each and acquired 2738 and 2391 citations, respectively. The top three institutions with the most productive articles were Erasmus Mc, Carolinas Med Ctr, and Univ Utah, while the top three countries were the United States, Netherlands and Germany. The most frequent keyword was "incisional hernia" with 55 occurrences, followed by "mesh repair", "randomized controlled trial", and "polypropylene"., Conclusion: The 100 most-cited papers related to IH were published predominantly by USA and European countries, with randomized controlled trial (RCT) and observational study designs, addressing topics related to risk factors, complications, mesh repair, and mesh components., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature.)

International consensus supports the development of standardized protocols for measured glomerular filtration rate (mGFR) to facilitate the integration of mGFR testing in both clinical and research settings. To this end, the European Kidney Function Consortium convened an international group of experts with relevant experience in mGFR. The working group performed an extensive literature search to inform the development of recommendations for mGFR determination using 1-compartment plasma clearance models and iohexol as the exogenous filtration marker. Iohexol was selected as it is non-radio labeled, inexpensive, and safe, can be assayed at a central laboratory, and the other commonly used non-radio-labeled tracers have been (inulin) or are soon to be (iothalamate) discontinued. A plasma clearance model was selected over urine clearance as it requires no urine collection. A 1 compartment was preferred to 2 compartments as it requires fewer samples. The recommendations are based on published evidence complemented by expert opinion. The consensus paper covers practical advice for patients and health professionals, preparation, administration, and safety aspects of iohexol, laboratory analysis, blood sample collection and sampling times using both multiple and single-sample protocols, description of the mGFR mathematical calculations, as well as implementation strategies. Supplementary materials include patient and provider information sheets, standard operating procedures, a study protocol template, and support for mGFR calculation., (Copyright © 2024 International Society of Nephrology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Telemedicine applications present virtually limitless prospects for innovating and enhancing established and new models of patient care in the field of Internal Medicine. Although there is a wide range of innovative technological solutions in Europe, there are overarching elements associated with such technologies when applied to the practices of Internal Medicine specialists. The European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM) strongly advocates for active leadership and influence from the Internal Medicine societies and specialist physicians across Europe in the development and application of telemedicine and digital technologies in healthcare. This position paper's conclusions were drawn via Delphi method, which was developed collaboratively from July 2021 to December 2023. The panel, consisting of experts in clinical medicine, public health, health economics and statistics, assessed various aspects related to telemedicine. Participants assigned scores on a Likert scale reflecting perceived value and potential risks. The findings were consolidated in a comprehensive checklist aligning with relevant literature and a SWOT analysis. Specifically, key issues that need to be addressed include promoting the professional development of e-health competencies in the healthcare and medical workforce, using educational campaigns to promote digital literacy among patients and caregivers, designing and implementing telemedicine applications tailored to local conditions and needs and considering the ethical and legal contexts under which these applications are employed. Importantly, there is currently no consensus on care models or standardized protocols among European Internal Medicine specialists regarding the utilization of telemedicine. This position paper aims to outline the opportunities and challenges associated with the application of telemedicine in Internal Medical practice in Europe., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest. The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers, at the time of submission. This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision., (Copyright © 2024 Pietrantonio, Florczak, Kuhn, Kärberg, Leung, Said Criado, Sikorski, Ruggeri, Signorini, Rosiello, Drago, Vinci, Barreto, Montano, Dicker and Gomez Huelgas.)

Background: Climate change is one of the greatest threats to health that societies face and can adversely affect mental health. Given the current lack of a European consensus paper on the interplay between climate change and mental health, we signal a need for a pan-European position paper about this topic, written by stakeholders working in mental health care., Methods: On behalf of the European Psychiatric Association (EPA), we give recommendations to make mental health care, research, and education more sustainable based on a narrative review of the literature., Results: Examples of sustainable mental healthcare comprise preventive strategies, interdisciplinary collaborations, evidence-based patient care, addressing social determinants of mental health, maintaining health services during extreme weather events, optimising use of resources, and sustainable facility management. In mental health research, sustainable strategies include investigating the impact of climate change on mental health, promoting research on climate change interventions, strengthening the evidence base for mental health-care recommendations, evaluating the allocation of research funding, and establishing evidence-based definitions and clinical approaches for emerging issues such as 'eco-distress'. Regarding mental health education, planetary health, which refers to human health and how it is intertwined with ecosystems, may be integrated into educational courses., Conclusions: The EPA is committed to combat climate change as the latter poses a threat to the future of mental health care. The current EPA position paper on climate change and mental health may be of interest to a diverse readership of stakeholders, including clinicians, researchers, educators, patients, and policymakers.

Context: The European Association of Urology (EAU) Guidelines Panel for Urological Trauma has produced guidelines in order to assist medical professionals in the management of urological trauma in adults for the past 20 yr. It must be emphasised that clinical guidelines present the best evidence available to the experts, but following guideline recommendations will not necessarily result in the best outcome. Guidelines can never replace clinical expertise when making treatment decisions for individual patients regarding other parameters such as experience and available facilities. Guidelines are not mandates and do not purport to be a legal standard of care., Objective: To present a summary of the 2023 version of the EAU guidelines on the management of urological trauma., Evidence Acquisition: A systematic literature search was conducted from 1966 to 2022, and articles with the highest certainty evidence were selected. It is important to note that due to its nature, genitourinary trauma literature still relies heavily on expert opinion and retrospective series., Evidence Synthesis: Databases searched included Medline, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Libraries, covering a time frame between May 1, 2021 and April 29, 2022. A total of 1236 unique records were identified, retrieved, and screened for relevance., Conclusions: The guidelines provide an evidence-based approach for the management of urological trauma., Patient Summary: Trauma is a serious public health problem with significant social and economic costs. Urological trauma is common; traffic accidents, falls, intrapersonal violence, and iatrogenic injuries are the main causes. Developments in technology, continuous training of medical professionals, and improved care of polytrauma patients reduce morbidity and maximise the opportunity for quick recovery., (Copyright © 2023. Published by Elsevier B.V.)

Introduction: The evidence on the utility and effectiveness of rehabilitation interventions delivered via telerehabilitation is growing rapidly. Telerehabilitation is expected to have a key role in rehabilitation in the future., Aim: The aim of this evidence-based position paper (EBPP) is to improve PRM physicians' professional practice in telerehabilitation to be delivered to improve functioning and to reduce activity limitations and/or participation restrictions in individuals with a variety of disabling health conditions., Methods: To produce recommendations for PRM physicians on telerehabilitation, a systematic review of the literature and a consensus procedure by means of a Delphi process have been performed involving the delegates of all European countries represented in the UEMS PRM Section., Results: The systematic literature review is reported together with the 32 recommendations resulting from the Delphi procedure., Conclusions: It is recommended that PRM physicians deliver rehabilitation services remotely, via digital means or using communication technologies to eligible individuals, whenever required and feasible in a variety of health conditions in favor of the patient and his/her family, based on evidence of effectiveness and in compliance with relevant regulations. This EBPP represents the official position of the European Union through the UEMS PRM Section and designates the professional role of PRM physicians in telerehabilitation.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used as a color developer in a thermal paper that after a heating process reacts with a leuco dye and changes it to a colored form. Receipts from cash registers are considered as the main source of consumer exposure to bisphenols together with polycarbonates and epoxy resins. Levels of BPA and its possible alternatives were determined in thermal paper samples collected between May 2018 and May 2019 in 22 European and 17 non-European countries on all inhabited continents (220 samples in total, 133 of which were from Europe and 87 from other countries). These measurements were intended to check the level of BPA presence in receipts originating from different countries, especially from Europe in the light of changing regulations restricting its use. The effect of thermal printing on developer content was also analyzed, but no major changes in concentrations of bisphenols were observed during the process. Thus, printed receipts could be used for the determination of bisphenol content. Analysis of receipts from 39 countries has shown that BPA is still the most common compound used around the world with 69% samples containing this color developer. Among other tested bisphenols, BPS was used as a color developer in 20% samples, but it was noted that all samples collected from Japan and the United States of America were found to contain only BPS. Other bisphenols (F, AF, E, and B) considered as possible alternatives for BPA were detected only at trace levels or not detected at all, which showed that they were not used as color developers. The relatively large use of BPS as a BPA substitute is worrying because this compound not only has similar endocrine properties but is also poorly biodegradable. Besides, its relatively high polarity facilitates spreading in the environment., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To assess the extent of paper waste generated per year by instructions for use (IFUs) brochures included in intraocular lens (IOL) packaging in Europe and the U.S., Setting: Rothschild Foundation Hospital, Paris, France; Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust; Center for Sight, London, United Kingdom., Design: Experimental study., Methods: A sample of IOLs were collected and each IFU was weighed. In addition, the cumulative weight of these brochures used in cataract surgeries performed annually in Europe and the U.S. was estimated, and the potential annual paper conservation that could be achieved if all manufacturers adopted electronic IFUs (e-IFUs) in Europe and the U.S. was determined., Results: The mean and standard deviation of the weight for overall IFUs, classic IFUs, and e-IFUs were 17.6 ± 13.8 g, 23.5 ± 13.2 g, and 2.9 ± 1.9 g, respectively. The estimated cumulative weight of paper generated from the IFUs accompanying implants used in European and U.S. cataract surgeries is 153 tons. If all manufacturers transition to e-IFUs, the cumulative weight saved would be 128 tons (-84%), equivalent to 120 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent and the preservation of more than 2000 trees annually., Conclusions: The classic IFUs in IOL packaging result in a significant amount of paper waste annually. Therefore, there is an urgent need for a rapid transition to e-IFU technology. The adoption of e-IFUs has already been authorized in Europe and the U.S., and it is crucial to expedite this process., (Copyright © 2023 Published by Wolters Kluwer on behalf of ASCRS and ESCRS.)

In this study, we carry out a qualitative and quantitative analysis of abbreviations in 300 randomly collected research paper titles published in the most prestigious European and US-based Astrophysics journals written in English. Our main results show that the process of shortening words and groups of words is one of the most characteristic and recurrent features in Astrophysics research paper titling construction. In spite of the convenience of abbreviations as a mechanism for word-formation, some of them may pose certain difficulties of understanding and/or misinterpretation because of their specificity, ambiguity, or overlapping. To overcome these difficulties, we propose a series of options which with no doubt would lead to a better interaction among the different branches of Astrophysics in particular and of science in general and would definitely improve how research is currently performed and communicated.

Psychodermatology is a subspecialty of dermatology that is of increasing interest to dermatologists and patients. The case for the provision of at least regional psychodermatology services across Europe is robust. Psychodermatology services have been shown to have better, quicker and more cost-efficient clinical outcomes for patients with psychodermatological conditions. Despite this, psychodermatology services are not uniformly available across Europe. In fact many countries have yet to establish dedicated psychodermatology services. In other countries psychodermatology services are in development. Even in countries where psychodermatolgy units have been established, the services are not available across the whole country. This is especially true for the provision of paediatric psychodermatology services. Also whilst most states across Europe are keen to develop psychodermatology services, the rate at which this development is being implemented is very slow. Our paper maps the current provision of psychodermatology services across Europe and indicates that there is still very much more work to be done in order to develop the comprehensive psychodermatology services across Europe, which are so crucial for our patients., (© 2023 The Authors. Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology.)

Multiple sclerosis is a complex, autoimmune-mediated disease of the central nervous system characterized by inflammatory demyelination and axonal/neuronal damage. The approval of various disease-modifying therapies and our increased understanding of disease mechanisms and evolution in recent years have significantly changed the prognosis and course of the disease. This update of the Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Consensus Group treatment recommendation focuses on the most important recommendations for disease-modifying therapies of multiple sclerosis in 2021. Our recommendations are based on current scientific evidence and apply to those medications approved in wide parts of Europe, particularly German-speaking countries (Germany, Austria, Switzerland)., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

The growing prevalence and burden of Alzheimer's disease has catalysed huge investments in research on its causes, diagnosis, treatment and care. After many high-profile failures, recent clinical trials of anti-amyloid drugs have marked a turning point for the field, leading to the approval of the first disease-modifying therapies for Alzheimer's disease by the FDA. It is now up to European regulators to determine whether there is sufficient evidence to approve these drugs for patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer's disease. Here, we outline Alzheimer Europe's position on anti-amyloid therapies for Alzheimer's disease, which was adopted by the Board of Alzheimer Europe following consultations with our member associations and with the European Working Group of People with Dementia. Beyond questions of drug efficacy, safety and cost, we highlight important issues that must be addressed by industry, regulators, payers, healthcare systems and governments, to ensure that patients have timely, appropriate and equitable access to innovative treatments, regardless of their socio-economic background, insurance status, or place of residence. We also call for continued investment in research on treatments that might benefit people with more advanced Alzheimer's disease - as well as support and care services that can help people live well with dementia at all stages of the disease., Competing Interests: Angela Bradshaw and Jean Georges are employees of Alzheimer Europe, which has received grants from the European Union’s Health, Horizon Europe and Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values programme (CERV) programmes, the Innovative Health Initiative, the Joint Programme for Neurodegenerative Disease Research (JPND) and the Luxembourg Fonds National de la Recherche, as well as sponsorship and support from AbbVie, Biogen, Eisai, Essity, Fujirebio, GE Healthcare, Grifols, Janssen, Lilly, MSD, Novo Nordisk, Nutricia, Prothena, Roche and TauRx.

This manuscript reports back from the discussion in the European Bioanalysis Forum community on the challenges observed when implementing Good Clinical Practices in the bioanalytical laboratory. It is not intended to challenge any regulatory requirements but to open a discussion on where the bioanalytical community sees ambiguities on implementing Good Clinical Practices or areas where expectations are either felt not being owned by Bioanalysis or where Good Clinical Practices requirements are at risk of getting contaminated with requirements originating from Good Laboratory Practices. In addition to this, the discussions focused on three additional main challenges: the informed consent withdrawal, expedited reporting of unexpected results and the risk-based approach to quality management, The European Bioanalysis Forum community is continuing discussions, but already this manuscript should help to appreciate the challenges and to try and resolve them, involving all stakeholders.

A large proportion of the world's disease burden is attributable to mental illnesses. Although effective interventions are available, many patients still have limited access to evidence-based treatments. Aside from access, treatment gaps, including inappropriate medication selection and monitoring, are also routinely recognised. Mental health clinical pharmacists can help address these gaps and enable patients to receive optimised pharmaceutical care, particularly appropriate medication selection and monitoring. The European Society of Clinical Pharmacy (ESCP) Special Interest Group on Mental Health was established to improve standardised service provision in mental health settings across Europe. The Special Interest Group identified significant barriers (predominantly associated with reimbursement and position within the multidisciplinary team) to effective pharmaceutical care amongst those with mental illnesses. This commentary presents recommendations to address these gaps through improved mental health clinical pharmacy service provision., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Cesarean delivery rates are rapidly increasing in Southeastern Europe (to more than 60%), North Africa (with a rate as high as 72% in Egypt), and in urban areas in Southern Africa (a rate of over 50% in Lagos, Nigeria). Data on the background to these increases are scarce, but likely to include poor birthing facilities in general hospitals, convenience for the doctor, private medicine, fear of litigation, socioeconomic status, shortage of midwives and nurses, and disappearance of vaginal instrumental deliveries. Options to reverse cesarean delivery trends are discussed. In this context there is a need to be better informed about how women are being counseled regarding vaginal or cesarean delivery. The long-term consequences in subsequent pregnancies for mothers and children may well be largely ignored, while these risks are highest in LMICs where higher birth numbers are desired. FIGO has begun discussions with obstetric and gynecologic societies, healthcare bodies, and governments in several countries discussed in this article, to find ways to lower the cesarean delivery rate. The requests came from the countries themselves, which may prove beneficial in helping advance progress., (© 2023 The Authors. International Journal of Gynecology & Obstetrics published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics.)

Non-native species are spreading at an unprecedented rate over large spatial scales, with global environmental change and growth in commerce providing novel opportunities for range expansion. Assessing the pattern and rate of spread is key to the development of strategies for safeguarding against future invasions and efficiently managing existing ones. Such assessments often depend on spatial distribution data from online repositories, which can be spatially biased, imprecise, and lacking in quantity. Here, the influence of disparities between occurrence records from online data repositories and what is known of the invasion history from peer-reviewed published literature on non-native species range expansion was evaluated using 6693 records of the Pacific oyster, Magallana gigas (Thunberg, 1793), spanning 56 years of its invasion in Europe. Two measures of spread were calculated: maximum rate of spread (distance from introduction site over time) and accumulated area (spatial expansion). Results suggest that despite discrepancies between online and peer-reviewed data sources, including a paucity of records from the early invasion history in online repositories, the use of either source does not result in significantly different estimates of spread. Our study significantly improves our understanding of the European distribution of M. gigas and suggests that a combination of short- and long-range dispersal drives range expansions. More widely, our approach provides a framework for comparison of online occurrence records and invasion histories as documented in the peer-reviewed literature, allowing critical evaluation of both data sources and improving our understanding of invasion dynamics significantly., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Gastro-oesophageal reflux (GOR) and food allergy (FA) are common conditions, especially during the first 12 months of life. When GOR leads to troublesome symptoms, that affect the daily functioning of the infant and family, it is referred to as GOR disease (GORD). The role of food allergens as a cause of GORD remains controversial. This European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) position paper aims to review the evidence for FA-associated GORD in young children and translate this into clinical practice that guides healthcare professionals through the diagnosis of suspected FA-associated GORD and medical and dietary management. The task force (TF) on non-IgE mediated allergy consists of EAACI experts in paediatric gastroenterology, allergy, dietetics and psychology from Europe, United Kingdom, United States, Turkey and Brazil. Six clinical questions were formulated, amended and approved by the TF to guide this publication. A systematic literature search using PubMed, Cochrane and EMBASE databases (until June 2021) using predefined inclusion criteria based on the 6 questions was used. The TF also gained access to the database from the European Society of Paediatric Gastroenterology and Hepatology working group, who published guidelines on GORD and ensured that all publications used within that position paper were included. For each of the 6 questions, practice points were formulated, followed by a modified Delphi method consisting of anonymous web-based voting that was repeated with modified practice points where required, until at least 80% consensus for each practice point was achieved. This TF position paper shares the process, the discussion and consensus on all practice points on FA-associated GORD., (© 2022 European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Following the fast spread of Covid-19 across Europe and North America in March 2020, many people started stockpiling commodities like toilet paper. Despite the high relevance for public authorities to adequately address stockpiling behavior, empirical studies on the psychological underpinnings of toilet paper stockpiling are still scarce. In this study, we investigated the relation between personality traits, perceived threat of Covid-19, and stockpiling of toilet paper in an online survey (N = 996) across 22 countries. Results suggest that people who felt more threatened by Covid-19 stockpiled more toilet paper. Further, a predisposition towards Emotionality predicted the perceived threat of Covid-19 and affected stockpiling behavior indirectly. Finally, Conscientiousness was related to toilet paper stockpiling, such that individuals higher in Conscientiousness tended to stockpile more toilet paper. These results emphasize the importance of clear communication by public authorities acknowledging anxiety and, at the same time, transmitting a sense of control., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

The European Universities Initiative (EUI), created by the European Commission in 2017, is a recent novel phenomenon within the European Union policy toolkit that explicitly targets the development of transnational cooperation in higher education (HE). To date, the EUI counts 44 European university alliances, involving around 340 HE institutions. In this paper, we argue that the EUI can be seen as a case of a transnational institution building process representing a potentially significant structural reform for European higher education. Anchored in new institutionalism, we explore the regulative, normative, and cultural-cognitive dimensions of the EUI. Methodologically, this study analyzes the perspectives of European policy actors (n = 4), a set of policy documents (n = 13) and the mission statements of the EUI's partnerships funded before 2022 (n = 41). The results show that the EUI emerges as the 'next level of cooperation' in European HE since it aims to transform European cooperation (regulative dimension), to create and diffuse a new model for European HE following a challenge-based approach (normative dimension), and to work as a way to reinforce and institutionalize European and global scripts for European HE (cultural-cognitive dimension).

The increasing use in clinical practice of software such as mobile apps and clinical decision support (CDS) software has only recently been taken up by regulators around the world. Specifically, the European Commission and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have updated their regulatory framework in the last years. Van Laere et al have given an extensive overview of the European and US approaches to regulate CDS software. This commentary further discusses regulatory differences between the two geographies and their impact on manufacturers of medical device software. We discuss the practical implementation of the regulatory framework for medical device software (especially CDS software) with a reference to the available international guidance documents and their limitations. Given the direction of stricter regulatory oversight in Europe, additional European guidelines/examples are desirable to enable a pragmatic regulatory approach ensuring continued access to innovative medical device software for European patients., (© 2023 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Introduction: Adolescence is a critical stage of rapid biological, emotional and social change and development. Adolescents and young adults (AYA) with asthma and allergies need to develop the knowledge and skills to self-manage their health independently. Healthcare professionals (HCP), parents and their wider network play an essential role in supporting AYA in this process. Previous work showed significant limitations in transition care across Europe. In 2020, the first evidence-based guideline on effective transition for AYA with asthma and allergies was published by EAACI., Aim: We herein summarize practical resources to support this guideline's implementation in clinical practice., Methods: For this purpose, multi-stakeholder Task Force members searched for resources in peer review journals and grey literature. These resources were included if relevant and of good quality and were pragmatically rated for their evidence-basis and user friendliness., Results: Resources identified covered a range of topics and targeted healthcare professionals, AYA, parents/carers, schools, workplace and wider community. Most resources were in English, web-based and had limited evidence-basis., Conclusions: This position paper provides a valuable selection of practical resources for all stakeholders to support effective transitional care for AYA with asthma and allergies. Future research should focus on developing validated, patient-centred tools to further assist evidence-based transition care., (© 2022 The Authors. Allergy published by European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Economic regulation is an instrument of the state or other institutions to correct market failures, rectify the business environment, or protect consumers. Regulation can be a major driver of innovation, and it has proven to be so in the past. On the other hand, there are also documented cases of ineffective regulation due to information delays or shortcomings in government decision-making. The complexity of the impact of regulatory changes on innovation can currently be observed in the medical device market in Europe. Regulation (EU) 2017/745 whose main idea is to ensure greater safety and health protection for consumers, is a challenge for originator, manufacturer, mostly small and medium-sized enterprises. The regulation is associated with an increase in the cost of developing and maintaining the product on the market. We can now gradually begin to analyze whether it can be ranked among those that have become drivers of innovation., (© 2023 The Author(s); Published by Kerman University of Medical Sciences This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.)

Background and Aims: This bibliometric analysis aims to analyze the high-cited papers (HCPs), those which have received >100 citations) on Sarcopenia to provide insight into publication performances and research characteristics of the literature., Methods: Global HCPs on Sarcopenia research were identified from the Scopus database from January 1993 to August 2022. VOSviewer, and Biblioshiny software were used to visualize the collaborative interaction among most productive countries, organizations, authors, and keywords. Select bibliometric measures were applied to evaluate the publication productivity and their influence in this area., Results: Out of 6219 publications on Sarcopenia only 398 were HCPs. These HCPs received an average of 271.7 citations per publication (CPP). The most productive organizations were the Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy, and Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Center on Aging, USA. The most impactful organizations in terms of CPP and relative citation index were CHU de Toulouse, France, and Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Italy. The most productive authors were Landi F and Morley JE, and Anker SD from Italy and Germany respectively. The most impactful authors were: Cederholm T (Sweden), Cruz JAJ (Spain) and Rolland Y (France). There were few/no HCPs from South America, Africa, South Asia, and USSR., Conclusion: Sarcopenia research has been predominantly done in USA, Europe, and China, and rarely from low and middle-income countries. Further focus of research should be on its etiopathogenesis (especially at the molecular level), prevalence in different communities, methods to diagnose it in early stages, and its cost-effective management., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest Authors #1 (RV), and 3 (AM) are of the Editorial board of DMSCRR., (Copyright © 2022 Diabetes India. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Heart failure (HF) is a long-term clinical syndrome, with increasing prevalence and considerable healthcare costs that are further expected to increase dramatically. Despite significant advances in therapy and prevention, mortality and morbidity remain high and quality of life poor. Epidemiological data, that is, prevalence, incidence, mortality, and morbidity, show geographical variations across the European countries, depending on differences in aetiology, clinical characteristics, and treatment. However, data on the prevalence of the disease are scarce, as are those on quality of life. For these reasons, the ESC-HFA has developed a position paper to comprehensively assess our understanding of the burden of HF in Europe, in order to guide future policies for this syndrome. This manuscript will discuss the available epidemiological data on HF prevalence, outcomes, and human costs-in terms of quality of life-in European countries., (© 2022 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Spinal dysraphism (SD) or spina bifida (SB) is a congenital deformity that results from embryonic neural tube closure failure during fetal development. This evidence-based position paper represents the official position of the European Union through the UEMS PRM Section. This paper aims to evaluate the role of the physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) physician and PRM practice for children and adults with spinal dysraphism. A systematic literature review and a consensus procedure involved all European countries delegates represented in the UEMS PRM section through a Delphi process. The systematic literature review is reported together with thirty-two recommendations resulting from the Delphi procedure. The professional role of the PRM physician requires specific expertise in the treatment of patients with SD to plan, lead and monitor the rehabilitation process in an interdisciplinary setting and to participate in the assessment of the needs of these patients in the transitional phase from childhood to adulthood, with particular attention to the activity limitation and participation restriction.

Background and Purpose: This position paper makes recommendations following an audit of care provided to people presenting with a seizure to emergency departments (EDs) in Europe., Methods: Participating countries were asked to include five hospitals agreeing to identify 50 consecutive seizure patients presenting to their ED between 1 August 2016 and 31 August 2017. Anonymous data were collected to a web database. Where quoted, percentages are mean site values and ranges are the 10th-90th centile., Results: Data were collected on 2204 ED visits (47 sites, up to six per country, across 15 countries): 1270 (58%) known epilepsy, 299 (14%) previous blackouts but no epilepsy diagnosis, 634 (29%) with a first seizure. Wide variability was identified for most variables. Of those with known epilepsy, 41.2% (range 26.2%-59.6%) attended the ED in the previous 12 months, but only 64.7% (range 37.2%-79.8%) had seen an epilepsy specialist in the previous 12 months. 67.7% (range 34.0%-100%) were admitted, 53.1% to a neurology ward (range 0.0%-88.9%). Only 37.5% first seizure patients (range 0.0%-71.4%) were given advice about driving., Conclusions and Recommendations: It is recommended that in Europe guidance is agreed on the management and onward referral of those presenting to the ED with a seizure; a referral process is created that can be easily implemented; it is ensured that the seizure services receive referrals and see the patients within a short time period; and a simple system is developed and implemented to allow continuous monitoring of key indices of epilepsy care., (© 2022 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.)

Management of datasets that include health information and other sensitive personal information of European study participants has to be compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR, Regulation (EU) 2016/679). Within scientific research, the widely subscribed'FAIR' data principles should apply, meaning that research data should be findable, accessible, interoperable and re-usable. Balancing the aim of open science driven FAIR data management with GDPR compliant personal data protection safeguards is now a common challenge for many research projects dealing with (sensitive) personal data. In December 2020 a workshop was held with representatives of several large EU research consortia and of the European Commission to reflect on how to apply the FAIR data principles for environment and health research (E&H). Several recent data intensive EU funded E&H research projects face this challenge and work intensively towards developing solutions to access, exchange, store, handle, share, process and use such sensitive personal data, with the aim to support European and transnational collaborations. As a result, several recommendations, opportunities and current limitations were formulated. New technical developments such as federated data management and analysis systems, machine learning together with advanced search software, harmonized ontologies and data quality standards should in principle facilitate the FAIRification of data. To address ethical, legal, political and financial obstacles to the wider re-use of data for research purposes, both specific expertise and underpinning infrastructure are needed. There is a need for the E&H research data to find their place in the European Open Science Cloud. Communities using health and population data, environmental data and other publicly available data have to interconnect and synergize. To maximize the use and re-use of environment and health data, a dedicated supporting European infrastructure effort, such as the EIRENE research infrastructure within the ESFRI roadmap 2021, is needed that would interact with existing infrastructures., (Copyright © 2022. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor neuron disease that affects both upper and lower motor neurons and is fatal in its course. This evidence-based position paper represents the official position of the UEMS PRM Section. The aim of the paper is to define the role of the physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) physician and PRM professional practice for people with ALS. A systematic review of the literature and a consensus procedure by means of a Delphi process have been performed involving the delegates of all European countries represented in the UEMS PRM Section. The systematic literature review is reported together with thirty-two recommendations resulting from the Delphi procedure. The responsibility of the PRM physician is functional assessment of persons with ALS and delivering the optimal and most effective PRM program of care. The rehabilitation program of patients with ALS should be delivered and monitored by the multiprofessional team, with the PRM physician as principal coordinator.

The studies reported here examined differences in user behaviour when presented with a low-fidelity paper prototype compared to fully operational product, and evaluated the effectiveness of different types of enhanced labelling of controls. In the first study with a paper prototype, 30 users of high-pressure washers were asked to choose the settings of the temperature control for different cleaning objects, comparing standard with information-enriched control labelling. In the second study, 34 users operated a real high-pressure washer with different forms of control labelling. The results of both studies provided evidence for some benefits of an information-enriched control labelling over traditional temperature-centred controls labelling. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of the data of the two studies suggested that low-fidelity paper prototypes may have to be used with caution. Therefore, designers need to be aware that the behavioural effects induced by different design modifications may be overestimated when using paper prototypes. The implications of the findings are discussed within the framework of an enlarged concept of fidelity.

As part of an International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) international epidemiological study of workers in the pulp and paper industry, previously unpublished exposure measurements were assembled in a database. This article summarizes the results of 3,873 measurements carried out in the production departments of paper and paperboard mills and recycling plants in 12 countries. In the paper and paperboard mills, most of the agents were measured in the pulping and refining departments and in on-machine coating and winding of paper/paperboard. Exposures to asbestos, carbon monoxide, formaldehyde, fungal spores, bacteria, nitrogen dioxide, minerals dusts, paper dust, sulphuric acid and different solvents sometimes exceeded exposure limit values. In the re-pulping and de-inking departments of recycling plants high exposures to formaldehyde, fungal spores, bacteria and paper dust were observed. High exposures to asbestos, bioaerosols, carbon monoxide and paper dust were found in many departments; ammonia, formaldehyde, mineral and paper dust and solvents were found in coating machines; and diphenyl and polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) were found in some special circumstances. Measurements in the newsprint and uncoated paper machine departments revealed only a few elevated exposures. In nearly all departments, measurements of epichlorohydrin, PCBs, sulphur dioxide, hydrogen sulphide and mercaptans tended to be low, often even below their detection limits. In spite of some uncertainties in the measurement data, the study provides new insights into the level and variation of occupational exposures of production workers in the paper and paperboard industry.