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• EFIM publishes a position paper about Environment Degradation and Climate Change. • Health industry should reduce its ecological footprint. • Internists should be involved in policy decisions related to climate change. • Internists must be active agents in advocating sustainable practices for the environment. • Internists should be role models in the adoption of environmentally friendly behavior. The current data on climate change and environmental degradation are dramatic. The consequences of these changes are already having a significant impact on people's health. Physicians — as advocates of the patients, but also as citizens — have an ethical obligation to be involved in efforts to stop these changes. The European Federation of Internal Medicine (EFIM) strongly encourages the Internal Medicine societies and internists across Europe to play an active role in matters related to climate change and environmental degradation. At a national level, this includes advocating the adoption of measures that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and environmental degradation and contributing to policy decisions related to these issues. At a hospital level and in clinical practice, supporting actions by the health sector to reduce its ecological footprint is vital. At the level of EFIM and its associated internal societies, promoting educational activities and developing a toolkit to prepare internists to better care for citizens who suffer from the consequences of climate change. In addition to advocating and implementing effective actions to reduce the ecological footprint of the health industry, recommending the introduction of these themes in scientific programs of Internal Medicine meetings and congresses and the pre- and postgraduate medical training. At a personal level, internists must be active agents in advocating sustainable practices for the environment, increasing the awareness of the community about the health risks of climate change and environmental degradation, and being role models in the adoption of environmentally friendly behaviour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sensitivity analysis in packaging EoL modeling to evaluate influence in EoL impacts. • Take-back presents environmental benefits due to paper and glass recycling. • Incineration with energy recovery reduces EoL impacts from pharmaceutical packaging. • Smaller pharmaceutical packaging and EoL valorization reduces impacts. • Decisions at packaging early design stage influence EoL impacts. Pharmaceutical packaging waste has increased due to a higher global demand for pharmaceutical products, leading to more waste generation and associated environmental impacts. The main goal of this article is to present a cradle-to-grave life cycle assessment of pharmaceutical packaging, evaluating end-of-life (EoL) alternatives, aiming to identify hotspots and opportunities for improvement. A life cycle model was implemented for three types of pharmaceutical packaging (blisters, sachets, bottles; 23 packaging). The functional unit is the storage and delivery of medicines containing the same active pharmaceutical ingredient, dosage, and amount of medicines. Two EoL analyses were performed: 1) compare take-back (recycling and incineration) with domestic waste collection (landfill or incineration); and 2) assess different EoL situations of pharmaceutical packaging in Europe. A life cycle impact assessment was performed for 13 categories. Analysis 1 shows that take-back presents lower environmental impacts than domestic waste collection for seven out of 13 categories due to paper and glass recycling benefits. Analysis 2 shows that in the take-back, higher amounts of packaging are recycled or incinerated, which leads to lower EoL impacts. A sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the influence of parameters and assumptions in packaging EoL impacts. Packaging production contributes significantly to life cycle impacts, followed by transportation, EoL, and packing process. Ecodesign initiatives are recommended, such as packaging with less material and volume, using materials with lower impacts to significantly reduce the impacts of pharmaceutical packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has become pandemic, reaching almost one million death worldwide. At present standard treatment for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is not well defined because the evidence, either from randomized or observational studies, with conflicting results, has led to rapid changes in treatment guidelines. Our aim was to narratively summarize the available literature on the management of COVID-19 in order to combine current evidence and interpretation of the data by experts who are treating patients in the frontline setting. The panel conducted a detailed review of the literature and eventual press releases from randomized clinical trials for each possible available treatment. Inductive PubMed search waws performed for publications relevant to the topic, including all clinical trials conducted. The result was a flowchart with treatment indications for patients with COVID-19. After 6 months of a pandemic situation and before a possible second coronavirus wave descends on Europe, it is important to evaluate which drugs proved to be effective while also considering that results from many randomized clinical trials are still awaited. Indeed, among treatments for COVID-19, only glucocorticoids have resulted in an association with a significant decrease in mortality in published randomized controlled trials. New therapeutic strategies are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper an approach for analysing the potential for implementation of different technology pathways for the European pulp and paper industry (PPI) is presented. The approach is based on detailed technical research and aggregates the knowledge from previous studies to incorporate the whole European PPI. Thus, the potential for different technology pathways can be estimated on a European level whilst still considering important characteristics of individual mills. The usefulness of the approach was exemplified by applying it to a case study of the potential for introduction of carbon capture and storage (CCS) within the European PPI. The results from the case study show that for the European PPI, CCS has an up-hill road in order to be a viable, large scale alternative for reduction of CO2 emissions. If CCS is to be introduced in large scale within the European PPI, large biomass-based point sources of CO2 emissions need to be included when planning for CCS infrastructure and also the infrastructure needs to be built out for clusters emitting <20 MtCO2/yr. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vaccines against human papillomavirus (HPV) are available in Europe since 2006. They have been highly effective in preventing infection and disease caused by the vaccine types. Clinical efficacy data are available for cervical, vulvovaginal and anal precancer and invasive cervical cancer. Disease reduction is best with early vaccination and a coverage of more than 70%. Gender-neutral vaccination provides direct protection for all men and improves the coverage. A good coverage is followed by herd protection of the unvaccinated men and women. School-based programs appear to be most effective; under the age of 15 years, two doses with an interval of 6–12 months are sufficient. From the age of 15 years, the standard regimen with three doses is recommended. A broad catch-up program for young adult women and men improves the effectiveness. The vaccines are also effective in sexually active women and men with previous but cleared infections. Vaccination in addition to local treatment of HPV-related disease appears to reduce recurrent or subsequent HPV-related disease. Combination of HPV vaccination and screening with HPV testing is the most effective approach to prevention of cervical cancer. The screening intervals may increase in the vaccinated cohorts. The upper age limit for vaccination remains to be evaluated, is country specific and depends on cost-effectiveness. The European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology and the European Federation for Colposcopy strongly support gender-neutral vaccination programs for children and young adolescents, with a catch-up program for young adults. • Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is highly effective in preventing cervical disease caused by the vaccine types. • It further reduces the burden of other HPV-related cancers, such as anal, oropharyngeal, vulvar and vaginal cancer. • School-based programs appear to be more cost-effective. • The vaccines have excellent safety profile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper-based materials, due to their availability, environmental benefits and high thermal properties, have already been implemented in several building envelope designs. However, most of them either did not optimise the use of the material or did not provide sufficient thermal insulation for use in permanent buildings. The presented research analyses six original paper-based building envelope core proposals, suitable for use in permanent buildings in temperate climate of Europe, in terms of thermal and environmental efficiency. Proposals include cores with embedded paper tubes structural elements, timber-cardboard studs and sandwich designs. The heat transfer coefficient of the envelopes was obtained for repeatable modules via 2D computer simulations (ThermCAD software), and the environmental impact was assessed for a representative square metre of the envelope via LCA analysis, based in ecoinvent 3.8 database. All analysed designs showed high thermal insulation properties and met the requirements for U max = 0.20 W/m2K, did not cause the risk of surface condensation, nor have excessive thermal bridges. The analysed building envelope designs based on embedded frame wall structure showed environmental superiority over conventional envelopes (timber frame and SIP panels). The research may serve as a proof of concept, for using paper-based building envelopes in sustainable architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study focuses on the implementation of a self - assessment procedure in a Physics class, extended during a seven weeks period in a European secondary level school. The researchers used three modes of assessment based on paper and pencil, computer-web and mobile devices respectively. The aim of the study is to investigate the effect of each mode of assessment on students' motivation and achievement. Analysis of pre- and post-motivation tests revealed a more positive motivational orientation of students towards computers and mobile devices as assessment delivery mediums. Also, student evaluation implemented after the phase of the experimental procedure showed a significant increase in learning achievement for low-achieving students who participated in the mobile-based and computer-based assessment. The positive effects of computers and mobile devices on students' learning motivation suggest that they can be used as a promising alternative to paper and pencil assessment procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades cancer care has seen improvements in the speed and accuracy of diagnostic procedures; the effectiveness of surgery, radiation therapy and medical treatments; the power of information technology; and the development of multidisciplinary, specialist-led approaches to care. Such innovations are essential if we are to continue improving the lives of cancer patients across Europe despite financial pressures on our healthcare systems. Investment in innovation must be balanced with the need to ensure the sustainability of healthcare budgets, and all health professionals have a responsibility to help achieve this balance. It requires scrutiny of the way care is delivered; we must be ready to discontinue practices or interventions that are inefficient, and prioritise innovations that may deliver the best outcomes possible for patients within the limits of available resources. Decisions on innovations should take into account their long-term impact on patient outcomes and costs, not just their immediate costs. Adopting a culture of innovation requires a multidisciplinary team approach, with the patient at the centre and an integral part of the team. It must take a whole-system and whole-patient perspective on cancer care and be guided by high-quality real-world data, including outcomes relevant to the patient and actual costs of care; this accurately reflects the impact of any innovation in clinical practice. The European CanCer Organisation is committed to working with its member societies, patient organisations and the cancer community at large to find sustainable ways to identify and integrate the most meaningful innovations into all aspects of cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our purpose is to study the effect of degradation processes on the optical response of ancient paper specimens. The paper samples under study originate from several European countries, date back to the XV and XVI centuries and show different states of degradation. Paper optical response is checked by reflectance spectroscopy in the wavelength range of 250–1100 nm. Similar spectral forms are shown by paper specimens displaying a broad range of widespread discoloration, of different manufacture, geographical origins and ages. A similar form is also observed by measuring foxing spots of several intensities on a single foxed sheet. Moreover, the entire spectra set shows a clear connection between the paper’s state of degradation and a monotonic transformation of the spectral curves, suggesting the existence of uniform degradation effects implied in the optical response of both foxed as well widespread discoloured papers. These results suggest for usage of optical reflectance as a general and non-destructive method for degradation calibration. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The European Green Deal has set a target for Europe to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, necessitating a transition to more sustainable energy sources. Hydrogen gas (H 2) has emerged as a promising solution, with methane pyrolysis presenting a viable method for its production. This study explores the optimization of methane plasma pyrolysis for hydrogen and high-quality carbon production. Employing a statistical approach by a design of experiment software, critical process parameters are systematically analyzed to predict their impact within a defined range. Additionally, the paper conducts comprehensive characterization of the solid carbon produced during pyrolysis using imaging, spectroscopic and elemental analysis, and gas sorption analysis methods. The experimental investigation was conducted using a thermal plasma reactor with several settings of influential parameters including methane gas (CH 4) content in the plasma gas, electric current, and arc length. The DC-transferred plasma arc is formed using a variable gas mixture of argon gas (Ar) and CH 4, with a constant flow rate of 5 Nl/min. Thirteen tests were designed, evaluating responses such as power input, process stability, and H 2 yield. The H 2 yield indicates the hydrogen produced from CH 4 , with 100% representing total conversion. While the process exhibited inconstancy, attributed to reactor design constraints, a high H 2 yield of 67%–100% was achieved. The results indicate that a higher CH 4 content in the plasma gas and extended arc lengths disturb the plasma arc, hence reducing the H 2 yield. Increased power input, achieved through higher amperage levels, and a wider reaction zone eased by extending the arc length both led to an improved H 2 yield. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) revealed microstructural differences, with carbon samples from the filter exhibiting finer textures and carbon samples from the reactor larger sizes and dendritic particles. Raman spectroscopy confirmed crystalline graphitic-like structures with low defect concentrations, a finding supported by X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) analysis confirmed high-purity carbon with slight impurities from initial filter contamination. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area calculations based on gas sorption analysis showed significant variations, with filter-collected samples exhibiting 40–170 m2/g and reactor-collected ones showing 7–30 m2/g. [Display omitted] • This study investigates a unique approach to optimizing the thermal plasma pyrolysis of methane. • A H 2 yield of 67%–100% was achieved utilizing a DC-transferred plasma arc furnace and an Ar and CH 4 mixture plasma gas. • A lower CH 4 content in the plasma gas and an optimized arc length improve the plasma arc and the H 2 yield. • The carbon shows crystalline graphitic-like structures with low defect concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We study whether distributed ledger technology (DLT) can disintermediate banks. • Early modern economies developed effective peer-to-peer lending based on notaries. • We compare cryptolending and notarial loans: actors, uses, rates, risks, guarantees. • Smart contracts cannot substitute trust intrinsically involved in financial relations. • Cryptolending is a complement rather than an alternative to banks. The application of distributed ledger technology (DLT) in the financial sector has fostered the development of new services that are frequently referred to collectively as 'decentralized finance', or DeFi. In the wake of these recent developments many observers and practitioners regard DLT as a major technological disruption to the financial system, possibly leading to the complete disintermediation of banks and to their substitution with a network of bilateral relations between borrowers and lenders recorded in a common ledger. Recent historiography has shown that a potentially analogous system existed in Ancien Régime societies whereby finance was provided not only by specialized intermediaries, but also by an 'informal' credit network where debtors and creditors entered directly into relationship through notaries. In this paper, we carry out a systematic comparison between cryptolending, an extreme form of DeFi at the technological frontier, and the early system of peer-to-peer lending represented by notarized loans in the early modern period. Our aim is to assess the true novelty of current practices and to understand if, and in what sense, the technological innovation represented by DLT can effectively produce a structural change in the functioning of the financial system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of cancer patients in Europe is rising and significant advances in basic and applied cancer research are making the provision of optimal care more challenging. The concept of cancer as a systemic, highly heterogeneous and complex disease has increased the awareness that quality cancer care should be provided by a multidisciplinary team (MDT) of highly qualified healthcare professionals. Cancer patients also have the right to benefit from medical progress by receiving optimal treatment from adequately trained and highly skilled medical professionals. Built on the highest standards of professional training and continuing medical education, medical oncology is recognised as an independent medical specialty in many European countries. Medical oncology is a core member of the MDT and offers cancer patients a comprehensive and systemic approach to treatment and care, while ensuring evidence-based, safe and cost-effective use of cancer drugs and preserving the quality of life of cancer patients through the entire ‘cancer journey’. Medical oncologists are also engaged in clinical and translational research to promote innovation and new therapies and they contribute to cancer diagnosis, prevention and research, making a difference for patients in a dynamic, stimulating professional environment. Medical oncologists play an important role in shaping the future of healthcare through innovation and are also actively involved at the political level to ensure a maximum contribution of the profession to Society and to tackle future challenges. This position paper summarises the multifarious and vital contributions of medical oncology and medical oncologists to today's and tomorrow's professional cancer care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: In 2007, the European Society of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (ESPRM) established the European Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine Journal Network (EPRMJN) with a view to increase scientific knowledge among physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) specialists and to foster collaboration among the national, regional (multinational) and European PRM journals. In this connection, this paper gives the readers of national and regional, and European PRM journals a complete overview of the European Journal of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine (EJPRM), the official ESPRM journal, and a review of the papers published in 2008. Methods: The evolution of the EJPRM in the last five years was analyzed, and the papers published in 2008 were systematically reviewed and classified by content and discussed. Results: The EJPRM is listed in PubMed and Current Contents; at now the unofficial 2008 Impact Factor is 1.14, like the Impact Factor, also the independent SCImago Journal Rate and Cites per Doc (two years) have increased steadily since 2005. The EJPRM published 72 papers in 2008, with a well balanced coverage of different rehabilitation topics. The rejection rate is around 40%; the review and publication times are 1.2 and 10.0 months, respectively. The published papers are presented here by topic, highlighting multi-journal initiatives (such as the EPRMJN and the Euro-American Focus with the American Journal of PRM), monographic Special Sections, systematic Cochrane PRM reviews, original papers and case reports, and other contents including the Internet Bookshelf. Conclusion: This paper represents the start of the EPRMJN collaborative efforts to increase scientific knowledge among PRM specialists in Europe, independently of the language in which papers are published. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Where is European space science heading? The ‘Green Paper on European Space Policy’ served as the main background document for a European-wide consultation process on space-related issues which took place in 2003, but none of the 12 questions posed in that document specifically addressed nor recognised the role of fundamental research in underpinning any policy for space. As a result of that consultation, this approach was partly corrected in the European Commission''s ‘White Paper’ on space, but uncertainties remain. Involvement in first-class science is absolutely essential for the promotion of European interests and leadership, as it imparts a strong strategic drive to its technological and industrial system. This article discusses the contents of the White Paper and attempts to suggest lines of action concerning space science in relation with the strategy laid out in that document. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Wood waste collected at mechanical treatment plant in various periods of the year. • Organosolv treatment to produce a cellulose pulp for manufacturing containerboard. • Results show good reproducibility of the organosolv process applied to wood waste. • Obtained a pulp with an average cellulose content of about 76%. Wood waste is a valuable material that could constitute an abundant and inexpensive source for the production of new materials the recovery of energy. In Europe, about 46% of wood waste is recycled to particleboard and fiberboard, while the other fraction is incinerated. However, a considerable quantity of wood waste shows potential for its transformation into value-added products due to its compositional quality. In this work, wood waste collected at a mechanical treatment plant underwent organosolv treatment to produce a cellulose pulp suitable for manufacturing containerboard. Three variables (temperature, acid concentration, and ethanol concentration) were investigated to find an optimal solution to produce wood pulp by means of Design of Experiment. Wood waste was microwave-heated at 160 °C for 15 min using an acidified ethanol–water solution (2% w/w H 2 SO 4 and 0.8 w/w ethanol concentration), producing pulp with an average cellulose content of 76% where 93% of initial cellulose was retained. Thanks to a one-pot approach, ethanol was totally recovered, 62% of initial lignin was precipitated, and 20 g/l of hemicellulose-derived sugars solution was obtained. Finally, three wood waste samples collected in different periods of the year yielded comparable outcomes, suggesting a good reproducibility of the organosolv process. ANOVA test with a significance level of 0.01 showed a p-value of 0.029 and 0.235 for cellulose content and cellulose recovery, respectively. This study paves the way for an industrial symbiosis between recycling centers and paper mills located in the same territory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the increasing burden of liver cancer in Europe, it is crucial to investigate how social determinants of health (SDoH) affect liver cancer risk factors and access to care in order to improve health outcomes equitably. This paper summarises the available evidence on the differential distribution of liver cancer risk factors, incidence, and health outcomes in the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom from an SDoH perspective. Vulnerable and marginalised populations have low socio-economic and educational levels and are the most affected by liver cancer risk factors. Reasons for this include varied access to hepatitis B virus vaccination and limited access to viral hepatitis B and C screening, harm reduction, and treatment. Additionally, alcohol-related liver disease remains highly prevalent among individuals with low education, insecure employment, economic instability, migrants, and deprived populations. Moreover, significant variation exists across Europe in the proportion of adults with steatotic liver disease, overweight/obesity, and diabetes, based on geographical area, gender, socio-economic and educational background, and density of ultra-processed food outlets. Inequities in cirrhosis mortality rates have been reported, with the highest death rates among individuals living in socio-economically disadvantaged areas and those with lower educational levels. Furthermore, insufficient healthcare access for key populations with primary liver cancer is influenced by complex healthcare systems, stigmatisation, discrimination, low education, language barriers, and fear of disclosure. These challenges contribute to inequities in liver cancer care pathways. Future studies are needed to explore the different SDoH-interlinked effects on liver cancer incidence and outcomes in European countries. The ultimate goal is to develop evidence-based multilevel public health interventions that reduce the SDoH impact in precipitating and perpetuating the disproportionate burden of liver cancer in specific populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a ubiquitous opportunistic pathogen considered one of the paradigms of antimicrobial resistance, is among the main causes of hospital-acquired and chronic infections associated with significant morbidity and mortality. This growing threat results from the extraordinary capacity of P. aeruginosa to develop antimicrobial resistance through chromosomal mutations, the increasing prevalence of transferable resistance determinants (such as the carbapenemases and the extended-spectrum β-lactamases), and the global expansion of epidemic lineages. The general objective of this initiative is to provide a comprehensive update of P. aeruginosa resistance mechanisms, especially for the extensively drug-resistant (XDR)/difficult-to-treat resistance (DTR) international high-risk epidemic lineages, and how the recently approved β-lactams and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations may affect resistance mechanisms and the definition of susceptibility profiles. To address this challenge, the European Study Group for Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance (ESGARS) from the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases launched the 'Improving Surveillance of Antibiotic-Resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Europe (ISARPAE)' initiative in 2022, supported by the Joint programming initiative on antimicrobial resistance network call and included a panel of over 40 researchers from 18 European Countries. Thus, a ESGARS-ISARPAE position paper was designed and the final version agreed after four rounds of revision and discussion by all panel members. To provide an update on (a) the emerging resistance mechanisms to classical and novel anti-pseudomonal agents, with a particular focus on β-lactams, (b) the susceptibility profiles associated with the most relevant β-lactam resistance mechanisms, (c) the impact of the novel agents and resistance mechanisms on the definitions of resistance profiles, and (d) the globally expanding XDR/DTR high-risk lineages and their association with transferable resistance mechanisms. The evidence presented herein can be used for coordinated epidemiological surveillance and decision making at the European and global level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent launch of Landsat-9 satellite enriches the opportunities to work with dense time series of multispectral medium-resolution images. The integration of Landsat-9 in a multi-constellation series with Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 requires a harmonization of the surface reflectance values that can be obtained from the official Level-2 products. This paper proposes the coefficients of the optimal linear transformations for the European continent, which allow to integrate Landsat-9 with the similar operating missions. These coefficients are based on a regression over 30 independent random extractions of 240,000 samples from images of the same areas but acquired by different sensors within two days. The coefficients were validated on an independent dataset. Furthermore, the effects of the proposed harmonization were tested on four popular vegetation indices, by evaluating the distributions of the differences in values obtained from each sensor pair. Finally, a test on a local scale was carried out with a spectroradiometer survey on 16 locations to collect some reference spectra to be compared with the reflectance values provided by the images. The results demonstrate the interoperability of Landsat and Sentinel-2 missions, since reflectance differences are in most cases within the accuracy specifications of the sensors. However, some discrepancies are observed in the blue and SWIR bands, probably due to inconsistencies in the atmospheric correction processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Assessments of the bike-sharing industry traditionally focus on its effects on other markets, municipalities, or general well-being. This paper deviates from this on how the market is organised. Using information on the aggregate number of firms in cities and greater cities across Europe, we found non-proportional changes in market size with respect to changes in market structure. This is crucial information inferring changes in profits, costs, or degree of product differentiation. To distinguish between these three sources, we utilised additional firm-level data on capacity and type of service provided. Our results suggest that the non-proportional increase in market size after an entry is most likely associated with increased intensity of competition and new forms of offered services, i.e. product differentiation. We did not find evidence that newcomers have been entering with substantially larger capacities per capita compared to incumbents. From a policy perspective, entry into the bike-sharing industry has benefited consumers through market expansion and caused a potential decrease in profits. • A non-proportional market size increase after the entry of the second and third firms. • No association for entry barriers; no entries with larger capacity. • Increases likely associated with differentiation: entrants likely dockless or e-bikes. • Entry and competition benefited consumers through market expansion and may decrease profits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widely recognised benefits of a multidisciplinary approach to treating cancer may be particularly important in prostate cancer, where there are so many treatment options to choose from. It offers patients the best chance of receiving high-quality medical procedures administered by a team of specialists in prostate disease, which is able to tailor treatment and observational strategies to their needs, and ensure access to specialist counselling, supportive care and rehabilitation. This article proposes Prostate Cancer Units as the most suitable structures for organising specialist multidisciplinary care for patients at all stages, from newly diagnosed to advanced disease, including preventing and managing the main complications, whether physical, emotional or psychological, arising from the disease and its treatment. Following the German example with prostate cancer, the British example with urological malignancies and the European breast cancer units, this article proposes general recommendations and mandatory requirements for Prostate Cancer Units, with a view to laying the basis for a network of certified units across Europe. Such a network could help improve standards of care throughout the region, providing patients, practitioners and health authorities with a means of identifying high-quality units and providing a system of quality control and audit. The article is intended as a contribution to the debate within the European uro-oncologic community on the best way to organise prostate cancer care. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The forest sector is vital in Europe, providing economic and social benefits to communities. However, this sector is also responsible for some environmental impacts, and it is crucial to ensure that these impacts do not outweigh the benefits described. For this reason, this paper proposes an environmental and economic assessment of three forest wood products – uncoated woodfree paper, natural cork stoppers, and particle boards. The life cycles of these products were modeled using foreground data and a life cycle assessment was conducted to determine the environmental impacts associated with these three life cycles. For the economic assessment, the net present value method was adopted. From the results, it is possible to conclude that the utilization of 1 ha of forest land for 100 years to plant Eucalyptus globulus used in the production of uncoated woodfree paper generates the least environmental impact per euro. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the reliability of the results achieved given the uncertainty associated with the data used to model the three life cycles. The same critical impact categories and the same critical life cycle stage (raw materials' extraction) were identified for the three systems under study. Given these similarities, an effort must be made by the forest sector to reduce the impacts of these categories and this life cycle stage. To assist on this task, a set of generic and industry-specific recommendations is provided for companies operating in the forest sector. • An environmental and economic assessment of three forest wood products is performed. • The life cycle assessment methodology and the net present value method are used. • The production of uncoated woodfree paper generates the least environmental impact per euro of NPV. • Using sensitivity analysis, the results were found to be reliable. • Recommendations for different stakeholders in the forest sector are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies various functions of Berzelian formulas in European organic chemistry prior to the mid-nineteenth century from a semiotic, historical and epistemological perspective. Basis of new classifications of organic substances; Use in experimental investigations of organic chemical reactions; Dialectic contribution to the experimental culture of synthetic carbon chemistry.

The paper by ESMO “The current and future role of the medical oncologist in the professional care for cancer patients: a position paper by the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO)” conveys some important key messages for the whole oncology community. A working group (WG) involving 21 oncology and related societies would like to comment on the ESMO position paper from a multidisciplinary perspective. The letter focuses on the concept of multidisciplinarity and how collaboration is the ideal situation for the best care of patients: the guidance to the patient must be given in accordance with agreements based on the outcome of discussions within the multidisciplinary team. The commentary therefore wants to highlight those statements that the working group shares and supports, identifying the common ground from where to start a constructive dialogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The chemical aspects of alum rosin sized paper degradation were described. • Direct influence of H 3 O+ ions formed during hydrolysis of aluminium(III) species. • Influence of pH variation on the redox potential of reactive oxygen species acting as oxidizing agent. In Europe, the use of aluminium(III) compounds, namely AlK(SO 4) 2 ·12H 2 O and later on Al 2 (SO 4) 3 ·18H 2 O for hardening gelatin sizes was recorded as early as the 16th century. This review is focused on the critical assessment of published data concerning the following chemical aspects of paper degradation: direct influence of H 3 O+ ions formed during hydrolysis of aluminium(III) species; influence of low-molecular organic acids formed within degradation processes; influence of pH variation on the redox potential of reactive oxygen species acting as oxidizing agent; consequences of the absorption of gaseous NO 2 and SO 2 present in the air for paper degradation; involvement of aluminium species in redox radical oxidation catalytic processes; possible effect of the coordination of Al(III) with small radius and high charge on oxygen atoms of cellulose carboxyl or hydroxyl groups. It is indicated how the understanding of the above mentioned effects can help slow down paper degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road is the dominant mode of transport, and most investment in road infrastructure is undertaken by governments. Fiscal policy considerations exert therefore a profound impact on the size and quality of road networks. To understand the observed steep downtrends and volatility in road infrastructure investment in Europe since the financial crisis, this paper presents long- and shorter-term panel data analyses of their determinants. The results suggest that investment in road infrastructure is used by governments as an instrument to address fiscal debt sustainability concerns and to smooth out swings in government debt. Investment in road infrastructure also competes with other types of government investment, with a high negative elasticity with respect to investment in health and education. These results are striking in light of the high social cost of congestion, accidents, and other related negative externalities, but their welfare implications are not straight-forward to infer, including as higher road infrastructure investment may only have a limited and variable impact on congestion due to induced travel demand. • Road infrastructure investment has plummeted in Europe since the financial crisis. • That downtrend reflects fiscal sustainability concerns. • Investment in roads also competes for funds against other government investment. • New road capacity alone will not resolve Europe's high congestion costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Importing green chemical energy carriers is crucial for meeting European climate targets. However, estimating the costs of supplying these energy carriers to Europe remains challenging, leading to a wide range of reported supply-cost estimates. This study analyzes the estimated supply costs of green chemical energy carriers at the European border using a dataset of 1050 data points from 30 studies. The results reveal significant variations in supply costs, with a projected four-fold difference in 2030 and a five-fold difference in 2050 across all energy carriers. The main drivers of cost differences are varying production costs, particularly influenced by the weighted average costs of capital and capital expenditures of renewable energy sources, electrolyzers, and carrier-specific conversion processes. Transport costs also contribute to variations, mainly influenced by the choice of energy carrier and the weighted average costs of capital. To optimize cost-efficiency and sustainability in the chemical energy carrier sector, this paper recommends prioritizing transparency and sensitivity analyses of key input parameters, classifying energy carriers based on technological and economic status, and encouraging research and development to reduce production costs. • Meta-Analysis of 30 studies on the supply costs of chemical energy carriers to Europe. • Database of supply costs, cost components, and their parametric assumptions. • The supply costs of all energy carriers vary fourfold in 2030 and fivefold in 2050 and are dominated by production costs. • Most significant parameters for production costs are the weighted average costs of capital and capital expenditures of electrolyzers and conversion. • Transport costs depend significantly on the choice of energy carrier and the weighted average costs of capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

District heating and cooling systems have been present on the European market for more than a century, constantly evolving into more efficient energy infrastructures important for decarbonization of the heating and cooling sectors. With roughly 17,000 operational district heating systems, serving over 70 million citizens, currently, the final energy consumption attributed to district heating in Europe is estimated at over 450 TWh. As the European district heating and cooling sector varies extensively in every analyzed aspect, there are vast differences between European countries regarding technical preferences, technological development, market structure and regulatory frameworks of these systems. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive overview of the present status of the district heating and cooling systems in Europe with insight(s) and suggestions into future trends. In addition, the provided data serves as a valuable baseline for future research. Finally, this paper draws attention to the new socio-demographic approach, observed when analyzing the district heating and cooling systems, that has been recently introduced into the scientific community. This new approach also reveals the opportunity for creating new indicators that will influence the modeling of existing and future district heating and cooling systems. • Provides a review on ongoing trends in European district heating and cooling sector. • Analyses European DHC systems from technological, market, and regulatory aspect. • Provides an overview on commonly used performance indicators and energy models. • Discusses the possibility of creating new DHC indicators. • Discusses the trends in future DHC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydropower has played an important role in Europe in recent decades, offering a unique combination of safe, low-cost, and clean power generation. Today, it is still one of the largest renewable energy sources (RES), accounting for about 35 % of RES electricity generation. However, grid stability is threatened by the increasing amount of undispatchable RES. Flexibility and dynamics such as energy storage and rapid response are urgently needed to achieve EU policy goals. In such a context, hydropower can play a key role, not only as a provider of regulated renewable energy but also due to its ability to balance a renewable energy system in the short term and the medium/long term by pumped storage technology. All these aspects underline the new role of hydropower, which aims to strengthen grid stability and power supply resilience and to enable higher penetration of volatile RES. In this context, the aim of this paper is to demonstrate the role of hydropower at the European level as well as the needs and opportunities of modernization to fully exploit its potential. In particular, this study provides, the assessment of the today flexibility offered by hydropower to the power system at the European level by leveraging a database of information collected through the participants to the working groups of the COST Action Pen@Hydropower which includes stakeholders in the hydropower sector of 34 European countries. The study confirms the key role of hydropower in future energy scenarios with 30 % of the flexibility demand at all time scales met by hydropower. Furthermore, the paper presents a review of the digitalization solutions and innovative technologies that support the growth of a new generation of sustainable hydropower together with the modernization opportunities for existing hydropower plants. The results of this work have practical implications for stakeholders in the hydropower sector and policymakers as it provides evidence at the European scale of the role of hydropower technology in balancing the power system and the need to have supportive frameworks and adequate markets to fully exploit the European hydropower potential to achieve the energy transition goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Baltic Dry Index (BDI) is an essential index to measure international dry bulk shipping freight, which can reflect global economic changes to a certain extent. Accurate forecasting of BDI supports shipping market participants in grasping risks and making scientific decisions. Based on the Prophet model, this paper considers the impact of multi-dimensional significant events related to the shipping industry and conducts BDI forecasting research. Firstly, we simulate the most momentous events in the world in recent years, namely the 2008 Global Financial Crisis and the 2019 New Crown Epidemic, and utilize the Prophet model to decompose the BDI sequence into three parts: trend, seasonality, and momentous event shocks. Secondly, we extensively collect other multi-dimensional significant event uncertainty indexes to establish a "significant event database". The Maximal Information Coefficient and Boruta methods were employed to extract the uncertainty index particularly correlated with BDI as an exogenous variable for forecasting. Then, we employ the K-Shape method to cluster exogenous variables and explore the combined sense of clustering. Finally, we utilize the Prophet model to forecast BDI in stages. It discusses the influence of exogenous variables and their cluster combinations on the forecasting effect individually and sequentially. Empirical results show that considering the two momentous events of the Financial Crisis and COVID-19 can remarkably improve the accuracy of BDI forecasting. In addition, the study of exogenous variable significance found that during the Financial Crisis, economic policy uncertainty in Europe and the Americas greatly impacted BDI forecasting. During COVID-19, global and developed economic policy uncertainty was noteworthy in the BDI forecasting. The comparative experimental results show the Prophet model has an exemplary forecasting result and strong robustness. It also performs excellently in model generalization and interpretability. This paper proposes a reliable and advanced algorithm for shipping freight rate index forecasting, which has noteworthy reference value for shipping market participants to make investment decisions and risk avoidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous small mammal localities assigned to the beginning of the Late Middle Pleistocene (Holstein, Likhvin, Hoxne Interglacial) were discovered in Europe during the last years. The stratigraphical position of a number of these faunas and the regional differences are discussed in the paper. The new Likhvin small mammal locality Rybnaya Sloboda (Lower Kama basin, Volga basin, Russia) is the easternmost site of this age in Europe. The rich fauna was discovered in fluvial deposits of the 3rd terrace (III) of the Kama River; sediments that are covered by loess deposits with a series of paleosols. The Rybnaya Sloboda fauna includes 16 species of insectivores, lagomorphs and rodents. Remains of the archaic water vole Arvicola cantianus and the Middle Pleistocene steppe lemming Lagurus transiens dominate the fossils assemblage. The evolutional level of the Arvicolinae remains permits the assignment to the Gun'kovian small mammal assemblage and a correlation with the Likhvin Interglacial (MIS 11) (∼424–374 ka BP). The ecological features of the small mammal assemblage indicate a forest-steppe landscape in the lower Kama basin during MIS 11. The comparison with, and the analysis of numerous European Likhvin (= Holsteinian, = Hoxnian) small mammal faunas indicate a geographical biozonation that shows similarities with the biozonation reconstructed for the Eemian (= Mikulino, MIS 5e) Interglacial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence suggests that napping is associated with cognitive impairment and dementia, but the conclusions are inconsistent. Moreover, the extent of the risk is uncertain. We therefore conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to quantify the connection between napping and cognitive impairment. We performed a systematic search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library for studies that were published up to June 2023, and assessed associations between napping and cognitive impairment. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated as the effect sizes for all studies. Heterogeneity and potential publication biases were assessed. A total of 4535 papers were retrieved, with 20 reports assessing the relationships between napping and cognitive impairment. Pooled analysis indicated that napping was associated with dementia (OR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.07−1.21). Importantly, we found that those napping longer than 30, 45, and 60 min/day were 35%, 41%, and 40%, respectively, more likely to have an increased risk of cognitive impairment (30 min: OR = 1.35; 95% CI: 1.24−1.48; 45 min: OR = 1.41; 95% CI: 1.27−1.58; 60 min: OR = 1.40; 95% CI: 1.26−1.56). North America and Europe showed that associations existed between napping and cognitive impairment (North America: OR = 1.15; 95% CI: 1.04−1.27; Europe: OR = 1.13; 95% CI: 1.08−1.18). This meta-analysis indicated associations between long napping durations and cognitive impairment or dementia, suggesting that longer napping might be a potential risk factor of adverse cognitive outcomes. • Meta-analyses of studies relating napping and cognitive impairment. • Longer daytime napping was associated with cognitive impairment. • Links between napping and cognitive impairment varied by region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and production of cell gene and tissue (CGT)-based therapies requires a specialized workforce. Entering the CGT arena is complex because it involves different scientific and biomedical aspects (e.g., immunology, stem cell biology and transplantation), as well as knowledge of regulatory affairs and compliance with pharmaceutical quality standards. Currently, both industry and academia are facing a worldwide workforce shortage, whereas only a handful of educational and training initiatives specifically address the peculiarities of CGT product development, the procurement of substances of human origin, the manufacturing process itself and clinical monitoring and biovigilance. The training offered by traditional Master's and PhD programs is not suited for training a skilled workforce ready to enter the increasingly fast-growing CGT field. Indeed, typically these programs are of long duration and only partially cover the required competencies, whereas the demand for a specialized workforce relentlessly increases. In this paper, we (i) present and discuss our understanding of the roots of current growth acceleration of the CGT field; (ii) anticipate future workforce needs due to the expected increase of marketed CGT-based therapies and (iii) evaluate potential solutions that seek to adapt, develop and implement current educational and training initiatives. Importantly for these solutions, we call for scientific societies, such as the International Society for Cell & Gene Therapy, to play a more active role and act as catalysers for new initiatives, building bridges between academia and Industry to establish effective educational and training programs that will engage and prepare a new generation of qualified professionals for entry into the CGT field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We exploit daily information on flight traffic between 37 European countries from 2019 to 2022 to identify the drivers of air travel demand during and after the pandemic. By applying two-way fixed-effects regressions on daily data at the route-level, we find that the strict lockdown orders reduced bilateral flights by about 17% on average. Our results suggest that the fall in flight traffic from the first and second lockdowns was about 10% and 12%, respectively, while the third lockdown led to a massive reduction corresponding to 22%. The results also reveal that a one-unit change in the aggregate stringency index led to 0.2% decrease in flight frequency, while reducing the number of passengers by 0.7%. The empirical evidence suggests that a substantial change in travel patterns was explained by the spread of the virus itself, as well as voluntary actions based on individual preferences and fear of infection. The main findings of this paper have important policy implications for a more coherent response to any future virus outbreak as it affects airlines and the general economy. • We assess the drivers of bilateral flights and passenger demand during COVID-19. • European flight data observed from 2019 to June 2022 are used. • Lockdowns and stringent measures explained less than 50% of flight reductions. • Individual preferences and voluntary actions also matter. • Incentives for vaccination uptake and for reducing the fear of infection are needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paralleling the global epidemic of obesity figures in the general population, the incidence of maternal obesity (BMI>30kg/m(2) at the start of pregnancy) has been rising over the last world. While most European countries do not systematically report obesity figures in their pregnant population, the prevalence of maternal obesity varies from 7 to 25% and seems strongly related to social and educational inequalities. Obesity during pregnancy represents an important preventable risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes and is associated with negative long-term health outcomes for both mothers and offspring. These effects are often aggravated by the high incidence of abnormal glucose tolerance and excessive gestational weight gain found in this group. The main controversies around the management of the obese pregnant women are related to (1) the value of repeated weighing during pregnancy, (2) the optimal gestational weight gain to advise and the lifestyle messages to deliver in order to achieve this, (3) the optimal strategy and timing of screening for gestational diabetes (GDM) and (4) the optimal timing and mode of delivery. These controversies are reviewed in this review, with the exception of screening for gestational diabetes that is discussed extensively elsewhere in this issue (Benhalima et al.). An agenda for research is proposed with the hope that it will catch the attention of policy-makers and funders and ultimately lead to the development of European-wide evidence-based guidelines for clinicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of gestational diabetes (GDM) is rising globally and it represents an important modifiable risk factor for adverse pregnancy outcomes. GDM is also associated with negative long-term health outcomes for both mothers and offspring. Acceptance and implementation of the 2013 World Health Organization (WHO) criteria varies globally and within Europe. There is at present no consensus on the optimal approach to GDM screening in Europe. More uniformity in GDM screening across Europe will lead to an opportunity for more timely diagnosis and treatment for GDM in a greater number of women. More targeted research is necessary to evaluate optimal screening strategies based on the 2013 WHO criteria across different European populations with a focus on implementation strategy. Future research should address these important questions so that solid recommendations for GDM screening can be made to European health organizations based on screening uptake rates, maternal well-being, maternal and neonatal health outcomes, equity and cost-effectiveness. Here we describe the ongoing controversy on GDM screening and diagnosis, and provide an overview of important topics for future research concerning GDM screening in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the relationship between logistics, intermodality and airport efficiency. To this end, using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA), the efficiency of the 21 largest European airports has been estimated over the 2009–2014 period. In a second stage, this research analyses the effect of Logistics and Modal Integration on airport efficiency. The airport's ability to compete globally depends, greatly, on the passengers and cargo' access to efficient networks. The results show evidence of the positive impact of the quality of the national logistics system on Airport efficiency. The effect of Logistics on overall airport efficiency is estimated at 0.15% for every 1% increase in the Logistic Performance (LPI), ceteris paribus. Furthermore, airports that have a direct link to a High-Speed Rail (HSR) network are expected to perform, on average, 27 per cent above the rest of the airports. Finally, airports that offer more facilities to optimise the interface between airport and aircraft are expected to achieve higher efficiency levels. • Airport's ability to compete globally depends on the access to efficient networks. • This paper find evidence of the positive impact of the quality of the national logistics system on Airport efficiency. • The effect of Logistics on airport efficiency is estimated at 0.15% for every 1% increase in the Logistic Performance. • Having Direct link to a High-Speed Rail (HSR) is crucial for hub airports efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discloses an innovative methodology for the generation and update of technology roadmaps to support strategic decisions for future hypersonic transportation systems, specifically targeting non-profit oriented R&D. The methodology is fully integrated into up-to-date conceptual design activity flows. It consists of five main steps that through mathematical and logical models moves from stakeholders' analysis up to planning definition and results evaluation. Complementary to the traditional experts-based methodologies, the rational process here presented allows for a well-structured logical definition of activities and/or missions required to enhance the readiness level of technologies, including a more accurate and reliable budget and time resources estimation to support the technology development plan. This methodology is exploited in the framework of the H2020 STRATOFLY Project to assess the potential of hypersonic civil vehicles to reach Technology Readiness Level 6 by 2035 with respect to key technological, societal and economical aspects. The paper discloses a unique assessment of the readiness level of the European air-breathing propulsive technologies. The final results confirm the crucial role of air-breathing propulsive technologies in the development of future hypersonic transportation system and highlight the urgent need to invest in in-flight demonstration missions with increasing functionalities, to target 2050 as entry in to service of the first Mach 8 civil transport. • Innovative Technology Roadmap Methodology for Hypersonic Transportation Systems. • Accurate time and budget resources estimation for each TRL transit. • Guidelines for the definition of activities, demonstrative missions or in-flight missions. • Technology Assessment of air-breathing propulsive technologies in Europe. • High-speed air-breathing technologies: TRL6 by 2035 and TRL9 by 2050 are confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi-energy systems that combine different energy sources and carriers to improve the overall technical, economic, and environmental performance can boost the energy transition. In this paper we posit an innovative multi-energy system for green hydrogen production that achieves negative carbon emissions by combining bio-fuel membrane-integrated steam reforming and renewable electricity electrolysis. The system produces green hydrogen and carbon dioxide, both at high purity. We use thermo-chemical models to determine the system performance and optimal working parameters. Specifically, we focus on its ability to achieve negative carbon emissions. The results show that in optimal operating conditions the system can capture up to 14.1 g of CO 2 per MJ of stored hydrogen and achieves up to 70% storage efficiency. Therefore, we prove that a multi-energy system may reach the same efficiency of an average electrolyzer while implementing carbon capture. In the same optimal operating conditions the system converts 7.8 kg of biogas in 1 kg of hydrogen using 3.2 kg of oxygen coming from the production of 6.4 kg of hydrogen through the electrolyzer. With such ratios we estimate that the conversion of all the biogas produced in Europe with our system, could result in the installation of additional dedicated 800 GWp - 1280 GWp of photovoltaic power, or of 266 GWp - 532 GWp of wind power, without affecting the distribution grid and covering yearly the 45% of the worldwide hydrogen demand while removing from the atmosphere more than 2% of the European carbon dioxide emissions. • A Multi-energy system that produce hydrogen with negative CO 2 emissions. • More than 800 GWp of new photovoltaic power without grid burdens. • More than 800 GWp of new wind power without grid burdens. • Capture 56 Mton/year of CO 2 from the atmosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide about 550 hydrogen refueling stations (HRS) were in operation in 2021, of which 38% were in Europe. With their number expected to grow even further, the collection and investigation of real-world station operative data are fundamental to tracking their activity in terms of safety issues, performances, maintenance, reliability, and energy use. This paper analyses the parameters that characterize the refueling of 350 bar fuel cell buses (FCB) in five HRS within the 3Emotion project. The HRS are characterized by different refueling capacities, hydrogen supply schemes, storage volumes and pressures, and operational strategies. The FCB operate over various duty cycles circulating on urban and extra-urban routes. From data logs provided by the operators, a dataset of four years of operation has been created. The results show a similar hydrogen amount per fill distribution but quite different refueling times among the stations. The average daily mass per bus and refueling time are around 14.62 kg and 10.28 min. About 50% of the total amount of hydrogen is dispensed overnight, and the refueling events per bus are typically every 24 h. On average, the buses' time spent in service is 10 h per day. The hydrogen consumption is approximately 7 kg/100 km, a rather effective result reached by the technology. The station utilization is below 30% for all sites, the buses availability hardly exceeds 80%. • Small/medium-sized hydrogen refueling stations performance analysis. • Investigation of fuel cell buses operation under real-world conditions. • Actual demand is lower than the planned maximum capacity suggesting future bus fleets ramp up potentiality. • On average, the fuel cell buses consume 7 kg H2 /100 km, meeting the EU targets. • The majority of the refuelings are performed overnight from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m. to secure capacity and availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Historical masonry arch bridges constitute the backbone of many existing transportation networks in different countries in Europe and worldwide. They represent valuable cultural heritage assets and play an essential social and economic role. Since construction, old masonry bridges have accumulated structural damage from traffic and environmental actions. Furthermore, depending on their geometrical and mechanical characteristics, they may be particularly vulnerable to extreme events like earthquakes. Thus, accurate structural assessment under different loading conditions is critical for the conservation of these structures. Realistic assessment requires suitable numerical models to represent the characteristic 3D behaviour. The complexity of this task is further compounded by the practical difficulty in obtaining essential information on the internal bridge structure and the masonry mechanical parameters, which are vital to achieve accurate response predictions against service and extreme actions. This paper presents an advanced calibration procedure for a refined macroscale bridge model, allowing for the anisotropic nature of the masonry material. The proposed calibration approach is applied to an actual multi-span masonry viaduct, where sonic, ultrasonic, and ground penetrating radar tests are conducted to investigate the internal structure of the viaduct and determine the elastic properties of the masonry materials. In addition, the dynamic characteristics of the bridge are evaluated through in-situ measurements under environmental vibrations and used for model validation. The results from a standard simplified model calibration and an enhanced calibration are compared considering the vibration modes of the bridge. Simplified calibration is carried out using the results from in-situ tests, while a statistic inference procedure and numerical optimisation are adopted in the refined calibration to achieve improved accuracy. Although the paper focuses on a specific case study, the adopted methodology can be easily applied to studying other masonry bridges and cultural heritage masonry structures. • An advanced calibration procedure for a refined bridge macroscale model is presented. • The proposed calibration approach is applied to a multi-span masonry viaduct. • In-situ non-destructive tests are used to evaluate the internal structure of the bridge and the elastic material parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study compares children's participation in child protection (CP) legislative and policy frameworks of Bulgaria, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Serbia. • The study is based on a comparative case study analysis. • The participation of children in child protection service is framed by a complex set of factors, with the necessary infrastructure in terms of legislation and policy and contextually framed resources, knowledge and awareness being central. • Facilitating the implementation of children's participation in the context of child protection requires the necessary financial and human resources. • The exchange of good practices and experiences between countries with more developed CP systems and those who have a shorter history of CP could create innovation to find solutions for better participation of children. This paper compares children's participation in child protection (CP) legislative and policy frameworks and how this is then reflected in practice among five European countries namely Bulgaria, Ireland, Malta, Norway and Serbia. Literature suggests that whereas many countries have adapted their legislative and policy frameworks, there exists a gap between these frameworks and what happens in practice (Wilson et al., 2020; Jensen et al., 2020). This paper will address this gap by considering the contextual forces that facilitate the participation of children in formal CP services, where listening to their voices and involving them in decision-making processes is important. The authors draw on the Eurofamnet national reports (Abela and Dudova, 2021) to provide an overview of the history of child protection, and other important indicators such as poverty. A case study approach is adopted. The comparative analysis of the five countries suggests that whereas all five countries have adapted their legislation to achieve child participation and CP policies are increasingly becoming child-centered, there exists a gap between the legislative and policy frameworks and what is on offer in practice. The participation and protection of children is interdependent on a child protection service with the necessary infrastructure in terms of legislation and policy but also necessitates contextually framed resources, knowledge and awareness about the benefits of such a policy for the wellbeing of children and their families. The exchange of good practices, knowledge and experiences in terms of child participation between countries with more developed CP systems and those with a shorter history of CP practices could create long-term collaborations and innovation in the area for those countries who most need it. The influential role of international institutions is also an important driving force, especially for those countries who may not have a welfare regime context that is supportive of entering into a conversation with children when they most need protection and support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is growing evidence that diversified cropping systems can contribute to the fundamental reorientation of food production. However, actors involved in crop diversification (CD) initiatives often lack concrete action perspectives, i.e., ideas and expectations on what they can do to achieve their goals. Indeed, various authors have pointed out the lack of operational guidance by high-level theories on innovation governance for actors in innovation niches that have to cope with complexity and unpredictability. This paper aims to fill this gap by studying and cross-analysing the enactment of 25 Case Studies (CSs) consisting of multi-actor CD initiatives spread across 10 European countries. We developed a heuristic framework that aimed to unpack the key components in the CSs' ways of working towards CD (motivations, participants, intervention levels, activities and learnings). Data collection was based on reflexive self-assessment documents produced by the CSs as part of the actor-oriented co-innovation approach. We cross-analysed the data to highlight patterns among the CSs in their ways of working towards CD using both qualitative and quantitative (Multiple Factor Analysis) approaches, in order to provide a diversity of insights to support action perspectives. Seven groups of CSs were defined and qualified through the qualitative approach. Group 1 worked on fostering co-learning between farmers and developing participatory approaches. Group 2 specifically worked on enhancing cooperation between farmers. Group 3 promoted strip cropping through the development of a community of practice. Group 4 was concerned with gradually removing lock-ins to support the introduction of diversifying crops. Group 5 worked at aligning actors to create value chains to enhance grain legume production. Group 6 was about fostering locally integrated food systems for legumes and vegetables. And, Group 7 gathered CSs searching for ways out of wicked situations. The results from the MFA partially confirmed these similarities between the CSs but also revealed major differences between some CSs that were identified as similar with the qualitative approach. In this paper, we propose a framework to describe how actors within innovation niches organized themselves, worked and learned together to stimulate a transition towards more sustainability in food systems. We assume that this framework, is usable by other project leaders of innovation niches to monitor and analyse their change processes towards sustainability jointly with practitioners. Grouping the CSs is a way to scale out these learnings and contribute to the production of action perspectives and mobilizing impact that are useful for people both inside and outside our project. [Display omitted] • Actors involved in crop diversification initiatives often lack of action perspectives to manage complexity and uncertainty. • The enactment of crop diversification in 25 innovations niches was studied using a quali-quantitative comparative approach. • Seven groups were defined through a qualitative approach and then tempered based a the Multi-Factor Analysis. • This analysis contributed to reduce task uncertainty within the case studies of the project by informing social learning. • By making explicit the processes and by comparing them, we provided guidance to actors in coping with complex situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EU is promoting hydrogen as enabling energy carrier that may account for up to 20% of energy and especially fulfill between 20% and 50% of transportation demands and between 5% and 20% of industrial needs. To ensure the success of this shift, Power-to-Hydrogen and Hydrogen-to-X technologies have attracted significant interest because they transform renewable power directly into green hydrogen, via water electrolysis, which can be stored and transferred more readily than other fuels for several end-uses. The present paper aims to discuss the role of such technologies in the current and future energy systems, with a specific reference to the European scenario. The main energy sectors where hydrogen could play an important role will be discussed, such as transportation, power generation, manufacturing sectors, refining and agriculture, with a focus on potential technological integration and synergies, providing a guideline for industrial players up to 2050 with a discussion about technology maturity by presenting short-term/long-term roadmaps. [Display omitted] • Overview of green hydrogen production and Power-to-Hydrogen concepts. • Focus on European hydrogen demand and potential hydrogen applications. • Overview of several concepts of Hydrogen-to-X, enabling sector coupling. • Hydrogen can store energy with capacities ranging from 1 MW to 10 GW. • Hydrogen has the potential to meet 5–20% of industrial energy needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel approach for regional ionosphere grid model with high spatial-temporal resolution is suggested. • The results of the new model is analyzed at different disturb geomagnetic and solar conditions. • A comparative analysis between the results of new model, GIM, NeQuick and GPS-TEC is made. In this paper, a novel approach based on C1 finite element (FE) interpolation is used to construct a regional ionospheric grid model (RIGM) with high spatio-temporal resolution over Europe. The spatial resolution of the new model is 0.50 for a longitude and latitude and a temporal resolution is 15 min. Observations of 38 GPS stations at different days and seasons with different geomagnetic and solar activity conditions are used to evaluate the new method. All stations are used to discretize the whole domain of the problem into separate triangular patches using a Delaunay triangulation algorithm. In this case, GPS stations would be the vertices of the triangular patches. Also, the position of stations in sun-fixed coordinate system with coordinates of latitude and longitude are chosen in order to consider the temporal variations of vertical total electron content (VTEC). To model the behavior of VTEC in each triangular patch, a particular shape function is defined which is fitted to VTEC values at three vertices of each triangle while it satisfies C1 continuity of VTEC at the common edges of the adjacent triangles. The results of the new model are compared with the VTEC of GPS at 4 control stations as well as global ionosphere map (GIM) and NeQuick models. Statistical parameters, including correlation coefficient, root mean square error (RMSE), standard deviation and dVTEC = |VTEC GPS - VTEC model | have been used to evaluate the error of the models. In low geomagnetic activity (KP < 4), the average RMSE at 4 control stations for FE, GIM and NeQuick models are 0.89, 1.05 and 6.42 TECU, respectively, while in the high geomagnetic activity (KP > 4), they are 1.24, 1.68 and 7.62 TECU, respectively. For further analysis, the accuracy of three models in precise point positioning (PPP) has been also evaluated. In PPP method, there is an improvement of about 1–16 mm compared to GIM and NeQuick models at coordinate components of control stations in high geomagnetic activity. The results of the analysis performed in this paper show that the FE model has a very high capability and accuracy in regional VTEC modeling in high and low geomagnetic conditions. The regional accuracy of this model is higher than GIM and NeQuick models and therefore can be considered as a new model for the ionosphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Executive summary: As to the alignment of “Horizon 2020”, ir is a more integrated approach to European science policy than expressed in the proposals previously drafted, and specifically considers: (i) promoting excellence in Science, (ii) establishing a sound industrial leadership and (iii) expressing an ambition to address current and future societal challenges. In this respect, the quest for a knowledge-based economy in Europe should result in proposals for industrial and employment policies that will consolidate the major European advantages in the biomedical, healthcare and pharmaceutical sectors. Horizon 2020 also provides the possibility of adopting a more flexible and simplified management route to drive European research through innovation, research and development. What should be additionally considered? Unmet medical needs, under pressure from demographic changes, await the generation of new medicines and health technologies which will evolve into a driver for a unified European policy. We believe that this should be focused on harnessing pharmaceutical knowledge for clinical use, as part of a response to accommodate patient needs and economic growth based on a robust, scientific approach. The bolder ambition for European research is to unlock key bottlenecks currently undermining European competitiveness. The historical lack of an appropriate business/innovation environment with reduced access to adequate risk finance instruments has severed the path for economic growth and industrial development. These issues are of critical importance and a solution is urgently needed to foster translation from the university to the healthcare sector through the generation and support of start-ups, spin-offs, university-industry consortia, and other platforms, which support translational research. The ultimate goal is implementation of holistic programmes: the ‘bench to bedside’ paradigm of medicines and other healthcare products. The European Research Council supports the basic biomedical research programmes of long term importance for development of medicines; however, fundamental research initiatives on medicines development will not be competitive in such an environment. In order to strengthen the long term outlook, we must foster innovative research within the university sector, EUFEPS proposes that a fund for such research be set up within Horizon 2020, which would be open for individual research groups and which would include Public–Public Partnerships (complementing already existing Public–Private Partnerships). How do we look for implementation? There is an established research agenda for medicines research that is globally focused, and which incorporates a cooperative model between universities and industry, facilitating integration of complex technologies. Regulatory Science will play an important role in this integration. This agenda uses tools arising from systems approaches (including discovery with systems biology and also systems pharmacology) and has the potential for providing better knowledge management, as well as technological innovation (including manufacturing). It also addresses the drive towards personalised medicines and can, with support from both public and private sectors, foster translation of knowledge to new technologies and from that, to new medicinal products and complex integrated systems. This is a part of a strategy capable of solving unmet medical needs, which would increase the quality of life of patients suffering from chronic and debilitating diseases. The instruments to allow the development of a research agenda should strengthen existing partnerships such as the IMI-JU model; allow for the creation of European-network infrastructures that can bring together existing competences with adequate European coordination, thus promoting advanced training and continuous professional development for the pharmaceutical sciences. This will be the cornerstone of a knowledge management strategy, providing education and training for healthcare professionals and scientists. A key role for EUFEPS is to help the research community to embrace these new holistic policies applied to the spectrum of pharmaceutical, medical and cognate sciences. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Trees absorb CO 2 and reduce the impact of GHGs. This paper deals about the carbon uptake dynamics produced by the management of unused lands as tool to help the fulfilment of international commitments on atmospheric CO 2. The paper introduces a new perspective of using the unused lands around Municipalities to compensate the carbon emissions of urban contexts, according to the Sustainable Energy Action Plans as answer to climate change, already approved by the most part of Cities in Europe. The model of the carbon dynamics is based on a genetic algorithm which allows to find the sequence of operations on the unused land in space (portions of the land) and time (rotation of cuts and plantations) to ensure the reaching of a given outcome in terms of carbon captured. The algorithm, therefore, behaves as design support of land management, enriching the literature available for the sector. The paper identifies two possible original scenarios of storing carbon referred as " emergency " and " constant rate "; the first produces after fifty years a maximum carbon uptake of the order of 100 tC/ha while the second a maximum uptake rate of the order of 2 tC/(year ha), after an initial start-up period of 40–50 years. • Mathematical model to evaluate tree growth and carbon sink from reforestation. • Optimization model to manage the carbon uptake in different scenarios. • Forest represents an effective way to remove carbon from atmosphere. • Carbon stock per unit of unused areas around cities and urban area. • Climate mitigation tool suitable by municipality in the context of SECAPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite aspirations to substitute animal experimentation with alternative methods and recent progress in the area of non-animal approaches, such as organoïds and organ(s)-on-a-chip technologies, there is no extensive replacement of animal-based research in biomedicine. In this paper, I will analyse this state of affairs with reference to key institutional and socio-epistemic barriers for the development and use of non-animal approaches in the context of biomedical research in Europe. I will argue that there exist several factors that inhibit change in this context. In particular, there is what I call "scientific inertia", i.e. a certain degree of conservatism in scientific practice regarding the development and use of non-animal approaches to replace animal experimentation. This type of inertia is facilitated by socio-epistemic characteristics of animal-based research in the life sciences and is a key factor in understanding the status quo in biomedical research. The underlying reasons for scientific inertia have not received sufficient attention in the literature to date because the phenomenon transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries in the study of animal experimentation. This paper addresses this issue and seeks to contribute to a better understanding of scientific inertia by using a methodology that looks at the interplay of institutional, epistemic, and regulatory aspects of animal-based research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen is often suggested as a universal fuel that can replace fossil fuels. This paper analyses the feasibility of direct hydrogen utilisation in all energy sectors in a 100% renewable energy system for Europe in 2050 using hour-by-hour energy system analysis. Our results show that using hydrogen for heating purposes has high costs and low energy efficiency. Hydrogen for electricity production is beneficial only in limited quantities to restrict biomass consumption, but increases the system costs due to losses. The transport sector results show that hydrogen is an expensive alternative to liquid e-fuels and electrified transport due to high infrastructure costs and respectively low energy efficiency. The industry sector may benefit from hydrogen to reduce biomass at a lower cost than in the other energy sectors, but electrification and e-methane may be more feasible. Seen from a systems perspective, hydrogen will play a key role in future renewable energy systems, but primarily as e-fuel feedstock rather than direct end-fuel in the hard-to-abate sectors. • Hour-by-hour energy system analysis for direct green hydrogen utilisation in Europe. • Hydrogen for industrial demands can lower biomass consumption. • Power production applications are costly and limited for hydrogen. • Hydrogen for heating is more expensive than heat pumps and district heating. • E-fuels should be the main application for hydrogen in the transport sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]