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This paper investigates different uses of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) in national journal rankings and discusses the merits of supplementing metrics with expert assessment. Our focus is national journal rankings used as evidence to support decisions about the distribution of institutional funding or career advancement. The seven countries under comparison are China, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Turkey—and the region of Flanders in Belgium. With the exception of Italy, top‐tier journals used in national rankings include those classified at the highest level, or according to tier, or points implemented. A total of 3,565 (75.8%) out of 4,701 unique top‐tier journals were identified as having a JIF, with 55.7% belonging to the first Journal Impact Factor quartile. Journal rankings in China, Flanders, Poland, and Turkey classify journals with a JIF as being top‐tier, but only when they are in the first quartile of the Average Journal Impact Factor Percentile. Journal rankings that result from expert assessment in Denmark, Finland, and Norway regularly classify journals as top‐tier outside the first quartile, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. We conclude that experts, when tasked with metric‐informed journal rankings, take into account quality dimensions that are not covered by JIFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst the link between young people's well‐being and the creative arts is strengthening, there is a lack of research which focuses on the roles that artists play to help teachers and parents engage young people in the creative arts. This paper explores the benefits of and barriers to artists working in education in six European countries (England, Iceland, Germany, Greece, Italy and Austria). Using the '5A's model of creativity' and a view of professional development taking place within 'landscapes of practice', the data were analysed in order to explain how creativity is operationalised in the different contexts. Our study highlights the need for policy at a national and transnational level to value the creative arts in order to help teachers cross boundaries and utilise the full potential of the creative arts in schools. Our study also highlights that further research is needed into how artists shape teaching and curriculum and how schools engage parents in the creative arts in order to build an evidence‐base relating to young people's positive mental health that can affect policy at these levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Teeth fusion is a developmental anomaly characterized by the union of two and, more rarely, three adjacent teeth. The fusion is caused by the physical pressure between two adjacent teeth during their development due to congenital, inherited, acquired or idiopathic factors. Nowadays, fused teeth occur with a frequency ratio between 0.1% and 1% in permanent dentition and 0.5% and 2.5% in primary dentition, and with an equal distribution between males and females. Fused teeth are a rare clinical finding, so there are not standardized clinical protocols and each case should be treated independently. This condition is rare in archaeological populations, likely due to taphonomic processes that cause the lack of information, as well as for the general low occurrence of the defect itself. In the European archaeological literature, there are no reports of two permanent fused teeth so far. Therefore, the present paper represents the first case study of two fused permanent incisors in the past Europe populations as this anomaly has been recognized in an adult man buried in the Longobard cemetery of Guidizzolo (VI–VII century A.D., northern Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This paper introduces the study on the European Union Project on complementary therapies and discusses project outputs and results. The goal of the European Union Project was to improve the professional knowledge and skills of women's health and oncology nurses regarding CT. Background: The increasing and widespread use of complementary therapies in the women's health and oncology population requires nurses to be educated about their suitable and safe use. Many nurses do not have proper training in complementary therapies and therefore should not inform their patients about them. Methods: The 'Improving the Nursing Care with Best Complementary Therapy Strategies Based on European Union Standards' (BestCARE) project was a strategic partnership within Erasmus plus for vocational education and training. The BestCARE project was coordinated by the Akdeniz University Nursing Faculty and was carried out with six partners from Turkey and Europe. Results: Fifteen nurses from Turkey and Italy were trained in complementary therapies in England. In addition, training courses and seminars were held in Turkey and Italy for women's health and oncology nurses. The BestCARE programme consisted of 14 work packages. The BestCARE programme was implemented via websites, an e‐learning training programme, training videos, reference and handbook, a curriculum proposal on complementary therapies and a simulation laboratory. Conclusion and implications for nursing and/or health policy: The BestCARE project allowed nurses to gain knowledge, experience and skills about complementary therapies and created a cultural awareness and sensitivity towards patients, caregivers and health professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Children with congenital anomalies often require surgery but data on the burden of surgery for these children are limited., Methods: A population-based record-linkage study in Finland, Wales and regions of Denmark, England, Italy and Spain. A total of 91 504 children with congenital anomalies born in 1995-2014 were followed to their tenth birthday or the end of 2015. Electronic linkage to hospital databases provided data on inpatient surgical procedures and meta-analyses of surgical procedures were performed by age groups., Results: The percentage of children having surgery in the first year was 38% with some differences across regions and 14% also underwent surgery at age 1-4 years. Regional differences in age at the time of their first surgical procedure were observed for children with cleft palate, hydronephrosis, hypospadias, clubfoot and craniosynostosis. The children had a median of 2.0 (95% CI 1.98, 2.02) surgical procedures before age 5 years with children with oesophageal atresia having the highest median number of procedures (4.5; 95% CI 3.3, 5.8)., Conclusion: A third of children with congenital anomalies required surgery during infancy and often more than one procedure was needed before age 5 years. There was no European consensus on the preferred age for surgery for some anomalies., (© 2023 The Authors. Acta Paediatrica published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Foundation Acta Paediatrica.)

This paper studies the after-tax valuation of convertible bonds in the light of Europe's participation exemption (PEX) rules and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS). The focus is on Italy's representative case. PEX rules exempt from company taxation capital gains realized by companies selling stocks. PEX rules raise the value of convertibles as investor companies can strategically convert the bond into stock to enjoy PEX. Historical cost-based national accounting standards imply taxation upon realization and valuable tax timing options (TTOs). 'Fair value' based IFRS entail mark-to-market taxation, which 'kills' TTOs, but investor companies can convert the bond early in order to enjoy PEX. Early conversion can be valuable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wilderness protection is a growing necessity for modern societies, and this is particularly true for areas where population density is extremely high, for example Europe. Conservation, however, implies very high opportunity costs. It is thus crucial to create incentives for efficient management practices, to promote benchmarking and to improve conservation management. In the present paper we propose a methodology based on data envelopment analysis, DEA, a non-parametric benchmarking technique specifically developed to assess the relative efficiency of decision-making units. In particular, the objective of the discussed methodology is to assess the relative efficiency of the management units of the protected area and to indicate how it could be improved, by providing a set of guidelines. The main advantage of this methodology is that it allows us to assess the efficiency of natural park management not only internally (comparing the performance of the park with itself over time) but also by external benchmarking, thus providing new and different perspectives on potential improvements. Although the proposed methodology is fairly general, we have applied it to the context of Italian national parks in order to produce a representative case study. Specifically, the choice of adequate cost and benefit indicators is a very important and delicate phase of any benchmark analysis. For this purpose, a questionnaire was used to investigate the opinions of Italian national park managers and stakeholders and to define the relevant indicators for the analysis. Finally, relevant policy implications for the case study are given. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The number of elderly patients requiring hospitalisation in Europe is rising. With a greater proportion of elderly people in the population comes a greater demand for health services and, in particular, hospital care. Thus, with a growing number of elderly patients requiring hospitalisation competing with non-elderly patients for a fixed (and in some cases, decreasing) number of hospital beds, this results in much longer waiting times for patients, often with a less satisfactory hospital experience. However, if a better understanding of the recurring nature of elderly patient movements between the community and hospital can be developed, then it may be possible for alternative provisions of care in the community to be put in place and thus prevent readmission to hospital. The research in this paper aims to model the multiple patient transitions between hospital and community by utilising a mixture of conditional Coxian phase-type distributions that incorporates Bayes' theorem. For the purpose of demonstration, the results of a simulation study are presented and the model is applied to hospital readmission data from the Lombardy region of Italy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of EPPO Bulletin is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the past few years, investors from different European countries have become increasingly interested in the new opportunities that socially responsible investing (SRI) can offer. Empirical research into this subject has often assumed as ‘given’ the meaning attributed to the terms ‘ethical’ or ‘socially responsible’, thus concentrating more on other elements (particularly financial performance). This paper, through the analysis of the characteristics of ethical funds traded in Italy, investigates the possible contents that the terms ‘ethical’ and/or ‘socially responsible’ can assume in practice, with particular attention to the underlying values and to how these values are integrated into the selection process. This analysis brings to light the impressive variety of ethical funds traded in Italy. In particular, it reveals the ‘Italian model’, whose distinguishing characteristics seem to be the following: recentness of issue, options for charitable donations, almost exclusive use of screening strategies, use of ‘best in class’ and ‘minimum tolerance quota’ indications, preference for ethical indices, application of commissions no higher than the national average, presence of ethical committees and the utilization of consulting or rating agencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, European identity has not mobilised a feeling of belonging or solidarity that would be comparable to the ways in which national identities stir people's passions and make them ready ‘to die for’ their nations. However, much of the related political debate and scholarly analysis has paid little attention to citizens' understanding of European identity and the way this relates to national identity. This paper aims to contribute towards filling this gap. It explores qualitatively the relationship between national and European identity among Italian citizens with a view to answering the following research questions: How do Italian citizens define Europe? Who is a European? How does feeling European relate to feeling Italian? How do citizens perceive the European integration process? The article is based on 24 qualitative interviews with Italian citizens of varying age, gender, locality of residence and socio-economic status, conducted in spring and summer 2003. The methodology adopted follows the discourse analytical tradition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The paper seeks to analyse certain paradigmatic cases of dialogue--or, indeed, non-dialogue--between national judges and the ECJ, though within the (still possibly emblematic) limits of a focus on the law on the transfer of undertakings. The analysis is less concerned with portraying the detailed impact of the ECJ's decisions on the domestic legal order, and is focused more upon the 'modality' of the dialogue to date carried out between Italian and European judges. The logic, which guides this dialogue (or, the lack of its evolution), furnishes us with a better understanding of the production, circulation and impact of ECJ jurisprudence. This dialogue seems to be characterised, by non-uniform, or multi-speed, developments. On the one hand, Article 177 references have been concentrated around the theme of undertakings in critical difficulties or subject to a creditors' arrangement procedure. In this area, the Italian courts have engaged in explicit dialogue with the ECJ and have made the greatest effort to read--not without some technical-juridical struggle--the national norm in the light of the provisions of the Acquired Rights Directive and its interpretation by the ECJ. By contrast, however, with regard to other specific issues (in particular, those concerning subcontracting) it is apparent that not only were the Italian courts (and the Corte di Cassazione in particular) loathe to enter into direct dialogue with the ECJ, but also that the ECJ's jurisprudence, built up through dialogue with other national courts, was not even consulted in an effort to guarantee an interpretation of national norms, in conformity with Community law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the economic significance of variation in the number and size of towns across Europe during the early 14th century by comparing the towns of England and of northern Italy. The paper starts by examining the towns of the two countries more closely, distinguishing between those that were very large, large, middle-sized and small. In comparison with rural communities, all towns had more people employed outside agriculture, but this was proportionally more marked in a metropolis like London or Florence than in a small town. The larger the town, the higher the proportion of non-agricultural occupations, the stronger the commitment to producing goods in restricted demand, and the greater the weight of commercial and professional activities. The fact that the contrast between northern Italy and England is so sharp at the top end of the urban scale implies that there was more employment in manufacturing and services in Italy. It also suggests that northern Italy had a wider range of specialized occupations. Studies of urbanization and urban hierarchy characteristically go beyond the statistical classification of towns to establish and explain rank-size relationships between them in different economic regions.

Poor local information networks and weak social sanctions in urban settings make joint liability unable to guarantee high repayment rates to microlenders. Yet, microcredit programmes in Western Europe report good performance even if the majority of them require no collateral. We collected data from three Italian microcredit institutions which operate in urban areas, granting individual loans without collateral to single entrepreneurs and teams (associations and cooperatives). We found that teams repay with higher probability. On this basis we developed a microlending instrument which, like joint liability implemented in rural economies, mitigates informational problems but, unlike joint liability, fits the urban context in that it reproduces a cohesion among entrepreneurs based on profit-maximizing behaviour and not on social capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Chemsex in a European context is the use of any of the following drugs to facilitate sex: crystal methamphetamine, mephedrone and gamma‐hydroxybutyrate (GHB)/gamma‐butyrolactone (GBL) and, to a lesser extent, cocaine and ketamine. This study describes the prevalence of self‐reported recreational drug use and chemsex in HIV‐positive men who have sex with men (MSM) accessing HIV services in four countries. It also examines the problematic impacts and harms of chemsex and access to chemsex‐related services. Methods: This is a cross‐sectional multi‐centre questionnaire study of HIV‐positive MSM accessing nine HIV services in the UK, Spain, Greece and Italy. Results: In all, 1589 HIV‐positive MSM attending HIV services in four countries completed the questionnaire. The median age of participants was 38 years (interquartile range: 32–46 years) and 1525 (96.0%) were taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). In the previous 12 months, 709 (44.6%) had used recreational drugs, 382 (24.0%) reported chemsex and 104 (6.5%) reported injection of chemsex‐associated drugs ('slamsex'). Of the 382 engaging in chemsex, 155 (40.6%) reported unwanted side effects as a result of chemsex and 81 (21.2%) as a result of withdrawal from chemsex. The reported negative impacts from chemsex were on work (25.1%, 96), friends/family (24.3%, 93) and relationships (28.3%, 108). Fifty‐seven (14.9%) accessed chemsex‐related services in the past year, 38 of whom (67%) felt the service met their needs. Discussion: A quarter of participants self‐reported chemsex in the past 12 months. There were high rates of harms from chemsex across all countries, including negative impacts on work, friends/family and relationships. Although a minority of those engaging in chemsex accessed support, most found this useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Family Therapy is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Depopulation and economic marginalization of rural districts have induced a progressive land abandonment in agricultural and pastoral districts. In Europe, areas at higher risk of farmland abandonment are characterized by low‐intensity pasture systems whose fate is strongly dependent on state incentives or subsidies to rural development promoting more sustainable land‐use trajectories. Especially in Southern Europe, undergrazing is the main driver of pasture degradation. In such a context, a land management preserving pasture resilience requires a wider knowledge about the impact of practices on the ecological characteristics of pastures and an improved understanding of complex socio‐environmental interactions underlying the adoption of such practices. Based on these premises, this study investigates the extent to which the past land management reflects the current state of agro‐pastoral systems in a local community of Southern Apennine (Basilicata, Italy). Based on a multi‐scale analysis integrating multiple sources of data and exploratory techniques, three land‐use trajectories with different implications for land degradation were identified: (a) areas completely abandoned, (b) areas with a decrease in grazing where the management system is remained unchanged, and (c) areas characterized by a decrease in grazing with changes in the management system. Results outline the importance of landscape history shaping (optimal and sub‐optimal) land management and the influence of landscape structure on livestock performances within different farm management types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study reports on a case of high richness in an assemblage of non‐native freshwater turtles in a suburban wetland of Tyrrhenian Central Italy (Torre Flavia Nature Reserve), providing evidence for first observations of species at regional, national and continental levels. Following a standardized sampling procedure, 54 specimens belonging to seven taxa (ten taxa, including subspecies) were sampled. These included Trachemys scripta (overwintering in the nest of a juvenile, corroborating its reproduction in the wild), Graptemys pseudogeographica, Pelomedusa olivacea (first observation recorded for Europe), Pseudemys concinna, Pseudemys nelsoni, Mauremys sinensis and an unclassified Kinosternidae (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrum vel Sternotherus odoratus; first observation recorded for Europe at the family level). Due to the high frequency of the most common species (Trachemys scripta: >80% in frequency), this non‐native assemblage was characterized by high Simpson dominance, low Simpson diversity and low evenness values. This appears to be the first evidence of a local hotspot of these non‐native reptiles in Europe. These relevant data and their ecological implications (e.g., alien food webs) are discussed, as well as their conservation concerns and wetland management perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In view of globally increasing flood losses, a significantly improved and more efficient flood risk management and adaptation policy are needed. One prerequisite is reliable risk assessments on the continental scale. Flood loss modeling and risk assessments for Europe are until now based on regional approaches using deterministic depth‐damage functions. Uncertainties associated with the risk estimation are hardly known. To reduce these shortcomings, we present a novel, consistent approach for probabilistic flood loss modeling for Europe, based on the upscaling of the Bayesian Network Flood Loss Estimation MOdel for the private sector, BN‐FLEMOps. The model is applied on the mesoscale in the whole of Europe and can be adapted to regional situations. BN‐FLEMOps is validated in three case studies in Italy, Austria, and Germany. The officially reported loss figures of the past flood events are within the 95% quantile range of the probabilistic loss estimation, for all three case studies. In the Italian, Austrian, and German case studies, the median loss estimate shows an overestimation by 28% (2.1 million euro) and 305% (5.8 million euro) and an underestimation by 43% (104 million euro), respectively. In two of the three case studies, the performance of the model improved, when updated with empirical damage data from the area of interest. This approach represents a step forward in European wide flood risk modeling, since it delivers consistent flood loss estimates and inherently provides uncertainty information. Further validation and tests with respect to adapting the model to different European regions are recommended. Plain Language Summary: We present a novel, probabilistic approach to calculate flood losses for residential buildings in Europe. We show how the approach can be applied to the European scale and which data sets are required for the calculation. The validity of the approach is proven on the basis of three historic flood events in Italy, Austria, and Germany. This approach which delivers consistent flood loss estimates including uncertainty information supports more efficient flood risk management and adaptation policy in Europe. Key Points: For the first time, a consistent approach for probabilistic flood loss modeling for residential buildings in Europe is presentedThe approach is validated for three case studies of varying spatial scale in Germany, Italy, and AustriaBN‐FLEMOps can be adapted to individual regions in Europe using an updating approach with empirical data from the target region [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Four species of the destructive forest pathogen Heterobasidion annosum sensu lato (s.l.) are present in Europe: H. annosum sensu stricto (s.s.), H. abietinum and H. parviporum are native species, while H. irregulare is a non‐native invasive species currently reported only in Italy, yet recommended for regulation throughout Europe. In this study, real‐time PCR detection tests were developed for each of the four species, which can be used simultaneously or individually thanks to probes labelled with species‐specific fluorescent dyes. The different performance criteria of each assay were evaluated, and it was determined that they were theoretically capable of detecting amounts of DNA corresponding to 311, 29 and 29 cell nuclei in H. annosum s.s., H. irregulare and H. parviporum, respectively. The specificity of each assay was assessed with a wide set of strains. Real‐time PCR tests successfully detected Heterobasidion species from 36 fruiting bodies taken from the forest, as well as from artificially inoculated or naturally infected wood samples. The multiplex real‐time PCR assays developed in this study could have practical applications both in forest management and in phytosanitary monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Résumé: Les auteurs étudient les disparités salariales chez les jeunes (25–40 ans) dans trois pays européens (Allemagne, France et Italie) en utilisant les statistiques de l'EU‐SILC (2010). La méthode fait appel à des régressions fondées sur la fonction d'influence recentrée et à des techniques d'estimation par repondération. Elle vise à faire apparaître le rôle des caractéristiques relatives à l'individu et au poste de travail aux différents points de la répartition des salaires. La part de l'écart qui reste inexpliquée est considérable en Italie, pour tous les centiles. En France, elle s'atténue dans le haut de la répartition. En Allemagne, elle n'est jamais significative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Torre del Porticciolo fossil locality is notable for producing the first osteological material of a basal (i.e., non‐mammalian) synapsid in Italy, the giant herbivore Alierasaurus ronchii, which although known from fragmentary remains, likely represents the largest known late early to early middle Permian synapsid (6–7 m total length). Recently, a new productive site was discovered about 100 m from the Alierasaurus type locality, but roughly at the same stratigraphic level. The fragmentary nature of most of the recovered bones prompted a taphonomical analysis in order to define the type of find, the kind of burial, and the mode of preservation. The vertebrate remains allowed us to infer a complex taphonomical process involving a multiphase entombment. The recovered bones were subjected to both re‐exhumation and reworking. The last short and violent transportation phase before final entombment occurred as a high‐energy flow, probably caused by a river flood that carried sediment and bones together to be emplaced in a semi‐perennial pond in a crevasse splay deposit. Preliminary analysis of recovered material indicates the presence of a large carnivorous basal synapsid referable to the family Sphenacodontidae. This discovery represents the first carnivorous non‐therapsid synapsid from the Permian of Italy and one of only very few known from Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The establishment and spread of invasive alien species may be influenced by several mutually interacting factors, whose understanding is paramount to develop effective biosecurity policies. However, studies focused on modelling spatially explicit patterns of future invasion risk have so far focused on species response to climate change impacts, while land‐use change has been neglected. We investigated how the interplay between climate and land‐use change could affect the future potential distribution and dispersal corridors of four alien squirrels introduced to Europe (Sciurus carolinensis,Callosciurus finlaysonii, Callosciurus erythraeus and Eutamias sibiricus). Location and Methods: Our study was conducted in Italy. We used Species Distribution Models and circuit theory methods to test whether future scenarios based only on climate change predict a different effect on range and connectivity of alien squirrel populations, compared to scenarios that include both climate and land‐use changes. Results: Scenarios based only on climate change predicted a range increase and a high geographic stability (>50%) for most species, with different, yet limited, effects on connectivity corridors. Conversely, scenarios based on both climate and land‐use change showed a loss in range extent and a low geographic stability (<50%) of both range and dispersal corridors for most species. Main conclusions: Scenarios considering both climate and land‐use change provide predictions on invasion risk that overturn those including only climate change. The effect of global warming alone would lead to a considerable range expansion of all species. Conversely, when land‐use change is added, a potential loss in suitable habitat and dispersal corridors is predicted for alien squirrels, hence limiting their range expansion. We recommend using multiple drivers in models to obtain reliable predictions for implementing biosecurity policies related to invasive alien species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In Europe, autochthonous hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection is mainly a foodborne zoonosis, but it is also transmitted by blood transfusion. Despite the numerous prevalence surveys, only a few studies have investigated HEV incidence. We aimed to determine HEV incidence and risk factors among blood donors in a hyperendemic area in Central Italy. Of 296 blood donors who had tested HEV negative in two previous seroprevalence surveys in L'Aquila, 198 agreed to undergo at least another blood sampling for estimating HEV incidence nearly 2 years after the prevalence surveys. Ten newly acquired infections were detected, yielding an overall incidence of 2.1/100 person‐years (95%CI: 1.0‐3.9), with an estimated participant's cumulative probability of becoming HEV infected of 6.5% (95%CI: 3.5‐12.0) at 4 years after enrolment. Seven newly infected blood donors were IgG positive only, two were IgM positive (one also IgG positive) and one was HEV RNA positive only, harbouring subtype 3c. Incident infection was most strongly associated with eating game meat, raw‐dried pork liver sausage and raw‐dried wild boar sausage. None of these exposures was statistically significant, even if eating raw‐dried wild boar sausage approached significance (P = 0.06). The HEV incidence we found was considerable compared with other similar studies. The nearly significant association of incident infection with wild boar and other game meat consumption was in agreement with the 3c subtype isolation in the viremic donor. However, beyond eating habits, also other exposure sources are likely important in hyperendemic areas, where incidence and risk exposure studies need to be undertaken for effectively preventing HEV transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Notwithstanding the dramatically increasing frequency of acts of terrorism in Europe and the extent of their media coverage, there is lack of knowledge on people's affective reactions and associated emotion regulation strategies. We explored the affective impact on two cohorts of Italian students (n = 193) possibly exposed vicariously through the mass media to the 2015 Paris or the 2016 Brussels terrorist attacks, respectively. We accessed data from three online questionnaires: one on emotion regulation administered before each attack; one on daily affect administered just before and after each attack; and one on causes of weekly affect and life satisfaction administered at the end of the week in which each attack occurred. The attacks were perceived as relevant for influencing negative affect for 22% of the students. For them, suppression—less frequently used than reappraisal—was associated with an improvement of affect after each attack but negatively related to life satisfaction concerning the week in which the attacks occurred. Our data showed that the recent terrorist attacks occurring in Europe had an affective impact on people at some distance who were vicariously exposed and point to the protective role of emotion regulation as a key resource for individuals' well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The aim of this article is to shed light on the nexus between occupational pensions (OPs) and the financialization of pensions in Europe. In particular, we address the following questions: Has the recent evolution of OPs contributed to the financialization of pension policy? Is the nexus between OPs and financialization the result of the increased influence of financial markets in the pension field? Or of a more complex interaction of state, market, and social actors? By comparing Italy, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, we show financialization is a broad process that affects the three countries, but it has followed three different paths. In Italy, financialization is spreading through individual pension schemes rather than OPs. The Dutch collective OPs are still a central part of the pension systems, but are increasingly influenced by the financial markets. In the United Kingdom, employer‐led OPs are in the hands of the financial services industry. This proves that financialization is a powerful trend, but has to deal with domestic socioeconomic institutions (a country's political economies and pensions institutions) that shape actors' strategies and reforms. Financial actors have an increased role in pension politics, but are involved in complex interactions with the state, employers, and trade unions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although studies have examined the distribution and conditions of employer-provided work-family arrangements, we still lack a systematic investigation of how these vary for different countries and industries. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey 2010, this study examines the conditions under which firms provide family-friendly working time arrangements and what the differences are across four countries (Austria, Denmark, Italy and the UK) and four industries. The impact of employee representatives, employee involvement, manager support and female managers varies across countries and industries because of the institutional environment (prevailing family model, industrial relations) and workforce composition (gender). The impact of employee representatives depends on their co-determination rights, and the direction of their effect on the prevailing family model (e.g. negative in conservative countries such as Austria) and the gender composition of the workforce (negative in male-dominated production, but positive in services). Employee involvement in the work organization is significantly positive in Austria and Denmark (both with co-operative industrial relations), while manager support has the strongest effect in the UK (liberal regime). At the industry level, female supervisors are positively associated with family-friendly working time arrangements only in the male-dominated production industry. These findings suggest that the effects of agency variables and their direction vary depending on the institutional context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the brain drain issue has gained such momentum that it has become necessary to adopt tools and methods to take a picture of a phenomenon that is, by its very nature, dynamic and changeable (Portes, ; Meyer, ; Ackers, 2005 Scott, ). This particular study focuses on clarifying the reasons why Italian scientists choose to look elsewhere for the best place to conduct their scientific research, and in what way their scientific experience abroad shapes the image of the Italian scientific system. A first exploratory analysis involving 83 in-depth interviews with Italian scientists (mathematicians, engineers and physicists) working in Europe was conducted based on qualitative and quantitative analytical methods, and the content emerging from these interviews was used for a systematic mapping of the situation that provided the foundations for our preparation of a second tool - a questionnaire - that was subsequently used to conduct a much more broad-based survey that involved 602 respondents. While our findings add complexity to existing theories on the brain drain and brain circulation, they also confirm the potential of highly skilled migration to improve the national development of Italian academic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wine cooperatives were relatively scarce in Europe before the Second World War, but by the 1980s accounted for more than half of all wines made in France, Italy, and Spain, the three major producer countries. Unlike Danish dairy cooperatives, whose success before the First World War was linked to their ability to improve product quality and compete in high-value niche markets, wine cooperatives are often associated with the production of large volumes of low-quality products. This article argues that the initial slow diffusion of wine cooperatives was caused by the difficulties of improving quality due to environmental conditions in European vineyards ('terroir') and measurement problems, rather than institutional shortcomings. Cooperatives only became widespread when the state found them a useful instrument to regulate markets, especially after 1950. The problems associated with poor wine quality were never resolved, and cooperatives have become increasingly uncompetitive in the market place, especially following the major decline in per capita consumption and shift towards premium wines from the 1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale, Aims, and Objectives: Seasonal flu represents a major public health issue, especially for health care workers (HCWs). WHO highlights the need of higher awareness and flu vaccine coverage among HCWs. In Europe the coverage is less than 30-40%. Italy reports some of the lowest rates. The paper aims to illustrate the 2017/2018 flu vaccination campaign within Molinette, the third Italian hospital for dimensions, to provide inputs about strategies for increasing HCWs coverage. The campaign objective was to increase the administered doses at least of 30%., Methods: The intervention included informational material, direct educational sessions for workers, extension of the access time to Occupational Medicine Service, elimination of the reservation requirement, composition of "moving vaccination units" (MVUs), and organisation of vaccination sessions within departments., Results: In 2017/2018, 593 doses were administered. The doses percentage change between 2017/2018 and 2016/2017 vaccination seasons was +46.06%, while it was +84.74% compared with the previous 5-year period mean. The majority was administered by Occupational Medicine Service, while 6.75% by MVUs. Among the total doses, 72.68% were administered to workers, 13.49% to residents, 6.75% to students, and 7.08% to "other". So, 7.68% of total workforce was vaccinated. Only 0.3% of vaccinated people presented mild adverse reactions., Conclusions: A combined campaign, that includes actions for education, increase of awareness, improved access to facilities and active offers to workers has potentiality but there is still work to do. The vaccination increase was determined mostly by the re-organization of the occupational medicine, while the MVUs were useful to HCWs of detached offices., (© 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

This article contributes to the study of policies for the integration of immigrants into the labour markets of European immigration countries by focusing on the specific issue of vocational training for immigrant workers in Italy. Vocational training has a central role in the European employment strategy. Moreover, with regard to migrants, it is also relevant to the topical issue of the governance of international labour migration. The article analyses both the demand and the supply of vocational training in north-east Italy, generally regarded as the rich and industrialised heart of the country. It draws on 30 interviews conducted with key informants and experts from local and regional governmental bodies, trade unions, employment offices, and private educational agencies in the main towns of the Veneto region. Various types of vocational training for immigrant workers are considered, from traditional full-time courses financed by the European Social Fund to new projects for the selection and pre-training of immigrants in their countries of origin. The extent to which these policy tools are able to meet the actual needs of immigrant workers and of the local business sector is investigated, as well as their problematic interaction with the national regulatory framework for immigration control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates how European welfare states respond to reform pressures arising from European integration. We focus on the field of public pensions and examine the impact of two institutional variables that mediate the impact of reform pressures: the extent of public pension provision and the number of national political veto points. We argue that, all else equal, member-states with few veto points and a relatively small public pension sector are the most likely cases of policy change in response to Europeanization, whereas member-states with a high number of veto points and extensive public pension commitments are the least likely candidates for policy change. We test these arguments in four cases of Europeanization in three countries ( Belgium, the Netherlands and Italy). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 20 December 2012 the United General Assembly unanimously passed a resolution banning the practice of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). In this article, Mara Mabilia aims to draw attention to the lives of immigrant women in Europe, and more specifically Italy, from some of the 30 or so chiefly Islamic countries of Africa, where what she prefers to call 'female genital modification' (FGMo) is practised. Her aim is neither to advocate the practice, nor to challenge the bans instituted in the West. Rather, her aim is, more broadly, to probe how women, having undergone these practices, live in host societies that interpret these chiefly as human rights violations through the prism of unacceptable violence. To condemn FGM should not imply condemnation also of the 100-140 million women that the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates have undergone this practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The medieval period in Europe was a time of unprecedented social complexity that affected human diet. The diets of certain subgroups-for example, children, women, and the poor-are chronically underrepresented in historical sources from the medieval period. To better understand diet and the distribution of foods during the medieval period, we investigated stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of 30 individuals from Trino Vercellese, Northern Italy (8th-13th c.). Specifically, we examined diet differences between subgroups (males and females, and high- and low-status individuals), and diet change throughout the life course among these groups by comparing dentine and bone collagen. Our results show a diet based on terrestrial resources with input from C4 plants, which could include proso and/or foxtail millet. Diets of low-status males differ from those of females (both status groups) and of high-status males. These differences develop in adulthood. Childhood diets are similar among the subgroups, but sex- and status-based differences appear in adulthood. We discuss the possibility of cultural buffering and dietary selectivity of females and high-status individuals. Am J Phys Anthropol 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The crayfish Procambarus clarkii inflicts severe ecological and economic damages in Europe. To develop an efficient method for its control, four experiments were carried out to assess the impact of natural pyrethrum (i.e. Pyblast) on crayfish: (1) the 24 h LC100 and LC50 were quantified on crayfish; (2) the breakdown time of the 24 h LC100 was assessed using Daphnia magna as a bioindicator; the effects of 24 h LC100 on crayfish were investigated by applying the biocide into burrows (3) and in a drainage channel (4). RESULTS: Pyblast concentrations of 0.05 and 0.02 mg L−1 corresponded to 24 h LC100 and LC50 respectively. The concentration of 0.05 mg L−1 broke down after 72 h, whereas 0.02 mg L−1 did not cause any significant mortality in D. magna after 24 h. However, 0.05 mg L−1 had no effect on crayfish when introduced into the burrows, but led to a mortality of 95% when applied in the water. CONCLUSION: Experimental evidence is provided for the efficacy of Pyblast to control invasive crayfish. Obviously, before its use on a large scale, further studies are needed to find a concentration that will achieve the target 100% mortality with the shortest recovery time of the environment. Copyright © 2012 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article describes the effects of participating in European Union Framework Programmes (EUFPs) at the level of research units and researchers. We consider EUFPs as policy instruments that contribute to the Europeanisation of academic research and study the changes they produce with respect to: 1) the organisation and activities of Departments, 2) the type of knowledge produced, and 3) the ways of doing research. The analysis is based on a case study of the Sapienza University in Rome. We also discuss the extent to which EUFPs produce different effects at the level of scientific fields. This pilot study analyses changes driven by EUFPs from an institutional perspective and uses the concept of institutionalisation to explain how these changes are translated into rules and practices by research units and researchers. Our preliminary investigation supports the idea that EUFPs do not trigger a process of Europeanisation and lead, within academic institutions, to highly diversified institutional responses by scientific fields rather than to undifferentiated ones. They strengthen leading research groups and Departments, already competitive at the EU level, by enhancing existing international behaviours and practices. However, they do not support and, at times, even decrease competition opportunities for less experienced participants and they do not promote the participation of new groups. Moreover, the absence of relevant organisational changes at the University level and the lack of incentives for EUFP participation seem to strengthen these trends. What emerges is the need for decisions at the University level, taking into account differences across scientific groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crown and root rot has been detected on potted Laurus nobilis plants in a nursery located in the Catania province (Italy). Perithecia referable to a Calonectria species were consistently detected on crowns and stems of symptomatic plants. Based on morphology, cultural features and molecular analysis, the species was identified as Calonectria ilicicola. Koch's postulates were fulfilled by pathogenicity tests carried out on potted Laurus nobilis seedlings. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the occurrence of a disease caused by Ca. ilicicola on Laurus nobilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Theoretically, patient satisfaction is correlated with nursing care, but there is not sufficient evidence to support it. The aim of this study was to address three research questions: (a) What is the correlation between caring as perceived by patients and patient satisfaction? (b) Are there differences across various countries on the correlation on caring as perceived by patients and patient satisfaction? (c) Do caring behaviors affect patient satisfaction? Design: A multicenter correlational design was adopted involving surgical patients from six European countries: Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Finland, Hungary, and Italy. Methods: A convenience sample of 1,565 patients was recruited in autumn 2009. The short version of the Caring Behaviours Inventory (CBI; 24 items) and Patient Satisfaction Scale (PSS; 11 items) were used. Data analysis included descriptive statistics, as well as correlation analysis and stepwise multiple regression, to examine relations between caring behaviors and patient satisfaction. Findings: According to the patients involved, nurses performed caring behaviors between very frequently (score = 5) and always (score = 6). Patient satisfaction with nursing care was also high, between satisfied (score = 3) and very satisfied (score = 4). A positive correlation emerged between CBI and PPS ( r= 0.66, p < .01) ranging between countries from 0.27 to 0.85 (Czech Republic r= 0.27, Cyprus r= 0.76, Finland r= 0.71, Greece r= 0.85, Hungary r= 0.63, and Italy r= 0.45 [ p < .01]). Among the CBI dimensions, 'connectedness' mainly explains patient satisfaction ( R2= 0.404, p < .001), followed by 'assurance' ( R2= 0.032, p < .001) and 'respectful' ( R2= 0.005, p < .001). Conclusions: Caring behaviors enacted by nurses determine a consistent proportion of patient satisfaction. This association between them suggests several implications for nursing education, practice, and management. Clinical Relevance: The results may be utilized by policymakers, nurse ward managers, nurse educators, and clinical nurses as a background for taking appropriate measures to improve nursing care provided, thereby enhancing patient satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information about several topics discussed at the meeting of European Nutrition Foundations in Madrid on April 2010 is presented. Topics of the meeting include the nutrition in the school curriculum and regulations on foods and drinks provided in schools. The meeting features various executives including Juan Ballasteros.

In response to increasing care needs, the reform or development of long-term care (LTC) systems has become a prominent policy issue in all European countries. Cash-for-care schemes-allowances instead of services provided to dependents-represent a key policy aimed at ensuring choice, fostering family care, developing care markets, and containing costs. A detailed analysis of policy documents and regulations, together with a systematic review of existing studies, was used to investigate the differences among six European countries (Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Sweden). The rationale and evolution of their various cash-for-care schemes within the framework of their LTC systems also were explored. While most of the literature present cash-for-care schemes as a common trend in the reforms that began in the 1990s and often treat them separately from the overarching LTC policies, this article argues that the policy context, timing, and specific regulation of the new schemes have created different visions of care and care work that in turn have given rise to distinct LTC configurations. A new typology of long-term care configurations is proposed based on the inclusiveness of the system, the role of cash-for-care schemes and their specific regulations, as well as the views of informal care and the care work that they require. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After causing damage in Asia and the USA, Dryocosmus kuriphilus Yasumatsu recently established in Europe on Castanea. The first outbreak in Europe occurred at a C. sativa nursery for production of plants for planting in Cuneo (Piemonte, Italy) in 2002. The Piemonte official service notified Slovenia that a consignment originating from an infested nursery was sold to Slovenia. Prompt phytosanitary action was taken in Slovenia in 2005 in order to trace back plants from this consignment and prevent establishment of the pest. In the period 2006–2009, intensive surveys of forests and fruit production areas showed absence of the pest in the majority of the Slovenian territory, including the demarcated area from 2005. An earlier introduction of infested plants from Cuneo in January 2004 remained undiscovered until 2007. Despite the radical measure of eliminating the infested orchard and removing infested Castanea trees in the forest bordering this orchard, the pest was not eradicated in this outbreak area. Individual infested trees in the forest were confirmed at a distance of up to 10–34 km in 2008, and a further 15 km in 2009. The results of annual surveys, eradication campaigns based on generic contingency elements and the change of strategy after the finding of infested forests are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eradication efforts are described at 5 sites where infestations of Anoplophora chinensis have been detected in Europe since 2003. The infestations were in France (declared eradicated in 2006), in Croatia, in Italy (Rome) and in the Netherlands (Westland and Boskoop). Each of these infestations was on or nearby a nursery or location where plants originating from Eastern Asia had (probably) been stocked or sold. Infested plants were all found within a distance of 30 m from the presumed source of infestation except in the Rome-infestation where infested plants, in total 40, were found within 500 m of the presumed source of infestation. The history of plant imports and local observations at 3 sites (France, Croatia and Westland in the Netherlands) suggests that larvae arrived in imported plants and adults emerged and laid eggs on plants in the surroundings between 1 and 5 years before the infestation was detected. It was not possible to make such an estimate for the Boskoop infestation in the Netherlands and the Rome infestation in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades, in examining the social causes of low fertility in advanced societies, sociologists and demographers have shown increasing interest in southern European countries. Italy has been recognized as one of these countries plagued by lowest-low fertility. In general, the literature has depicted certain characteristics of Italian families as possible causes of fertility decline. This article examines the situation of contemporary Italian families and intergenerational relationships from a sociological point of view, particularly in comparison with Japanese families. It has sometimes been argued that strong familism characterizes Italian families and society. According to this view, one of the causes of fertility decline in Italy is the continuity of strong families. Empirical data suggest, however, that this familism perspective cannot explain the differences in family patterns observed among Italian regions. In addition, a comparison between Italy and Japan with respect to intergenerational relationships suggests that there are substantial differences between the two countries. It is suggested that a further exploration of the various aspects of social contexts is needed in order to clarify what is distinctive about contemporary Italian families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Estimates of abundances and densities of birds and mammals have often been shown to be scale dependent, in that population sizes over large areas are overestimated if extrapolated from surveys of small plots. Previous tests of the mechanisms suggested to cause this decelerating scaling pattern found evidence of a biased choice of small plots in patches of homogeneous habitat. Here we show that negative density–area relationships can also arise as result of not considering plots where individuals of the species or assemblage of interest are absent in surveys of differing spatial resolution. Location We took a complete census of violets ( Viola spp.) in 800 m2 of chalk grassland in Wye, Kent, UK, and used human population censuses for Finnish, Swiss and Italian municipalities, English districts, states of the USA and European countries. Methods We used mixed models of logarithmically transformed number of individuals or densities as a function of area. Results The census of violets shows that by increasing the survey resolution and by not considering plots without individuals, the effectively occupied area diminishes and a negative density–area relationship arises. The finding that negative density–area relationships are also common for people is evidence that the non-random choice of plots in population surveys of varying areas can be responsible for many observed negative density–area relationships. The shallower slope of the people–administrative area relationship for Switzerland and Finland compared with Italy, as well as for England and the USA compared with Europe, confirms that less than proportionate individuals–area relationships can be the consequence of larger plot areas containing a higher proportion of areas without individuals. Main conclusions Densities should be reported together with the effective areas for which they were estimated. It should be clearly conveyed whether or not plots where the surveyed species was absent were included in the density estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on the European Community (EC) policy-making in education and the conceptualization of policy processes in the creation and development of EC policy activity in higher education. Changes and development in EC Higher Education Policy from 1955-1987; Impact of the agreement between France and Italy on the principle of EC educational cooperation and on the European University issue; Development in the policy design for EC education from 1973-1976; Characteristics of the process launched by the EC at the meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in 2000.

While the strategies of political actors and institutions have been largely analyzed with reference to cases of democratic breakdown, democratic survival has often been viewed as a consequence of socio-economic and cultural ‘preconditions’. The analysis of successful reactions to strong extremist challenges in three cases of democratic survival (Czechoslovakia, Finland and Belgium in the inter-war period) against the background of two cases of breakdown in the same historical context (Italy and the Weimar Republic) is a useful complement to this view. The analysis of the selected cases shows how a stable coalition of democratic forces can effectively protect the democratic system from dangerous extremist attacks by pursuing both repressive and inclusive strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents the author's opinions on fascism in Italy. Views on the economic policies in Italy; Discussion on the economic conditions in Italy; Information on exports of Germany and Italy; Views on the political conditions in Italy; Information on the annual growth rates of industrial production in Europe.

This article focuses on two conferences on child protection. The Fourth European Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect, Acting Upon European Strategies for Child Protection, was held at Abano Terme, Padua, Italy between 28 and 31 March, 1993. It was clear that those members of the various professions concerned with child protection faced with some trepidation the impact of the freeing up of the movement of peoples between European countries, and the implications which that movement has for child protection. The urgent need to move towards agreement over common terms, and comprehensive exchange of information between countries was stressed. The First Balkan Caucasia and Middle East Conference on Child Abuse and Neglect was organized in Ankara, Turkey from 19 to 21 April, 1993. The conference focused on an extended concept of child abuse and neglect tacking into consideration not only case on intra-familiar maltreatment but also extra-familiar abuse and neglect. Thus a wide range of child maltreatment including child labour, child prostitution and children in war was considered together with the regular forms of physical, psychological and institutional abuse and neglect. One of the most interesting conclusions was that whether there is intra- or extra-familiar abuse or neglect of the consequences for the child are almost the same.

Background: Previous research has suggested a positive risk-relationship between volume of consumption and adverse behavioral and social consequences of drinking. However, because the risk-relationship may be modified by factors such as pattern of drinking, attributes of social drinking contexts, and drunken comportment, the shape of the risk-function appear to be contingent upon the larger cultural context of drinking. Methods: In this article, I use graphical risk-curve analyses and model estimations to assess how the risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems is associated with self-reported volume of alcohol consumption in the 3 Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania) as well as Sweden and Italy. The analysis utilized data from 2 general population surveys (including Sweden plus Italy and the Baltic countries, respectively) with approximately 1,000 respondents from each country. Results: The risk-curves for the 3 Baltic countries and Sweden were fairly parallel and clearly steeper than that for Italy. In the logistic regression models, the country-specific Baltic estimates were not entirely homogenous; for Estonia and Latvia, the estimates were similar to that for Sweden and significantly larger than that for Italy, whereas the estimate for Lithuania did not differ significantly from that for Italy. However, the negative binominal regression models suggested that increasing volume of consumption is associated with the risk of experiencing a larger number of different problems in all 3 Baltic countries and Sweden than in Italy. Overall, the result thus suggests that there is a significant relationship between volume of consumption and risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems in all countries but that the relationship generally is stronger in the Baltic countries and Sweden than in Italy. Conclusions: The results were largely in line with the hypothesis of a European north to south gradient in the strength of the risk-relationship, but also add that most Baltic countries may be placed alongside the Nordic countries in this context. Because only volume of consumption is considered, the results cannot be used to specify which factors and mechanisms that actually modify the shape of the risk-function in each culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]