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This article will be drawing on two cases to reflect on the impact of different ways of practicing civic engagement in urban digitalization policy. Both cases reflect on the importance of cities playing an active role in the promotion of digital rights, obligation of public participation in digital policy making, and need for political digital education to enable democratic conversations on digital transformation. From a democratic theory point of view, the shifts happening through the digitalization of societies raise interesting questions regarding what modes of governance should be implemented for improving digital sovereignty, which could be in line with "locally" grounded politics. Theoretically, the article will frame these issues of governance and civic participation within the literature on "digital sovereignty," understood as going beyond national territory toward issues of independence, democratic control, and autonomy over digital infrastructures, technologies, and content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Driven by a culture of 'data fundamentalism', datafication is being increasingly introduced in health services, sometimes with little transparency and patient engagement. This paper will be drawing on research from the UK in order to critically reflect on the wider impact of health digitalization and issues of digital rights and data justice, which are sometimes overlooked in this field. The case from the UK deals with the effects of datafication in community health services—and more broadly welfare services—within the field of mental health. People with experience of mental-health service using digital health services are in fact made visible, represented and treated differently as a result of their digital activities and records. Theoretically the paper will frame these issues and case studies within the available literature on Digital Sovereignty. The question of digital sovereignty is understood by the authors as central to deal with issues of independence, control and autonomy over the digital self. It raises Issues of transparency and accountability on several levels, from the Government's purchasing of digital tools, to potential impact on health worker and algorithmicized decision making process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: It is paramount to identify predictors of treatment failure with direct antiviral agents in 'field‐practice' patients, including people who inject drugs (PWID). Data on the efficacy of glecaprevir/pibrentasvir (GLE/PIB) in a field‐practice scenario are scant. The multicentre MISTRAL study enrolled 1177 patients, including PWID, to assess real‐life efficacy and safety of GLE/PIB and to identify the predictive factors for this treatment. Methods: This was a prospective, longitudinal study. The outcome variable was the rate of sustained virological response (SVR) at week 12. Results: A total of 123 patients (10%) were infected from hepatitis C virus (HCV) 3. METAVIR fibrosis score was F4 in 104 subjects (9%); 118 patients (10%) were PWID. Overall, 1163/1177 (99%) patients achieved SVR. The baseline clinical factors discriminating between treatment success and treatment failure were age at treatment (P = 0.031) and creatinine level (P = 0.034). SVR rates were not influenced by gender, substance abuse, previous treatment, treatment duration, fibrosis or chronic kidney disease stage. Compared with non‐substance users, the 118 PWID exhibited a significantly different genotype pattern distribution (χ2 < 0.001). A total of 40/118 (33.9%) of substance users were HCV3 compared to 83/1056 (7.9%) non‐substance users. Only 6 patients (0.5%) reported a serious adverse event. Conclusions: The MISTRAL study provides evidence of GLE/PIB efficacy in a field‐practice scenario in a highly epidemic HCV area in southern Italy; it unveiled significant differences in genotype distribution among the most underserved and difficult‐to‐treat patient subgroups including PWID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information about the practice of participatory design in mental health sector in Great Britain. Several topics being presented include the role and the meaning of participatory encounters and the complex dynamics of exclusion and self-exclusion as well as the introduction of the idea of participation as a paradox and then explores critically at the value of agonistic models of participation. A proposal of two alternative approaches in participatory design in the country is presented.

To clarify the therapeutic role of echo-guided percutaneous puncture (EPP) in management of amebic liver abscess, 20 patients (24 abscesses) received metronidazole plus EPP. Fluid was aspirated through Chiba needles under real-time sonographic guidance so as to reduce cavity size to less than 3 cm. Not more than two EPPs were necessary in the majority of cases and no complication followed the procedure. This scheme resulted in a shortening of time of both hospitalization (≤20 days) and liver lesion healing as assessed by ultrasound (≤4 months). It is concluded that EPP is a valuable and safe therapeutic tool for hepatic amebic abscess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the article "A route map for the patients journey," by Paola Pierri is presented.