Frontline Response to Domestic Violence in Slovenia

In Slovenia, domestic violence is a common social problem that infringes upon fundamental human rights. Results of a European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights survey from 2014 showed that, after the age of 15, 22 % of Slovenian women had experienced physical and/or sexual violence, which is 11 % lower than for the EU overall. The European Institute for Gender Equality, in their report from 2017, estimated that the cost of intimate partner violence against women in Slovenia could amount to EUR 440 million annually. Violence against women continues to be underreported and stigmatised. The Slovenian police are one of the main front-line responders that react to domestic violence incidents. A comprehensive protocol is set in place that enables the police to react as effectively as possible. Interinstitutional cooperation is also available to deal with a case of violence in a multidisciplinary team treating domestic violence. Despite the national policy on preventing and eliminating domestic violence, raising public awareness about it, allocating resources to education and training initiatives, an intervention programme for perpetrators, as well as a coordinated system for providing victim assistance – some deficiencies remain in the implementation of these policies.

Safety of COVID-19 mRNA Vaccines in Patients with Cancer Enrolled in Early-Phase Clinical Trials

Pivotal trials of COVID-19 vaccines did not include cancer patients, with questions remaining about their safety and efficacy in this population. Patients enrolled in early-phase clinical trials receive novel treatments with unknown efficacy and safety profiles. Studies on the safety of COVID-19 vaccines in these patients are urgently required. This is a retrospective, real-world, cohort study of patients receiving anticancer treatments and COVID-19 vaccines between 1 February and 25 June 2021 at the Division of New Drugs Development for Innovative Therapies of the European Institute of Oncology. One hundred thirteen patients were enrolled, 40 in early-phase clinical trials, and 20 under novel immunotherapy agents. Nearly three-quarters of the patients experienced at least one adverse event (AE) after the first dose (1D) (74.3%) and second dose (2D) (72.6%). Most of the AEs were local (67.3% 1D and 61.9% after 2D), while 31.8% (1D) and 38.1% (2D) of the patients had systemic AEs. No AEs above grade 2 were observed. Therefore, COVID-19 vaccines appear to be safe in patients enrolled in early-phase clinical trials, including patients receiving novel immunotherapy compounds. All cancer patients should be prioritized for COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of ongoing treatments or enrollment in early-phase trials.

Sieben Jahre EIT RawMaterials Regional Center in Leoben – Rohstoffforschung im Kontext Globaler Entwicklung

ZusammenfassungDas Resources Innovation Center Leoben (RIC Leoben) an der Montanuniversität bündelt heute die internationalen Beteiligungen der Institution im Bereich der Nachhaltigkeit in Rohstoffforschung und Ausbildung. Das RIC geht zurück auf das Jahr 2015, wo es als Regional Center des EIT RawMaterials, einer Knowledge & Innovation Community des European Institute for Innovation and Technology, einem europäischen Netzwerk aus mittlerweile rund 300 Partnern des Rohstoffsektors, gegründet wurde. Besonders in den Bereichen Bildung, Sustainable Exploration & Mining, Technological Innovation und Recycling sowie der strategischen Weiterentwicklung und Mitgestaltung der Community ist die Montanuniversität durch das RIC hier tätig. 2017 wurden die Aktivitäten um die Mitgliedschaft in der EIT Climate-KIC, einer weiteren Knowledge & Innovation Community, erweitert, in der die Themen Urban Transitions und Sustainable Production Systems vorangetrieben werden, um die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels zu begrenzen und eine klimaresiliente Gesellschaft zu fördern. Ein zusätzlicher Bereich im Portfolio des RIC Leoben sind die Sustainable Development Goals der Vereinten Nationen, zu denen durch vielerlei Initiativen beigetragen wird. Eine Schlüsselaktivität in diesem Bereich ist die Implementierung ebendieser im österreichischen Hochschulsektor durch ein gemeinsames Netzwerk aller österreichischen Universitäten und die Übernahme einer Patenschaft für SDG 12. Die Aktivitäten des RIC haben auch zur inhaltlichen Gestaltung der European University on Responsible Consumption and Production beigetragen, die erfolgreich im Lead aus dem RIC heraus gegründet wurde. Ebenso bündelt das RIC die Wasserstoff- und Kohlenstoffaktivitäten der Universität. Allen Arbeiten im Resources Innovation Center Leoben ist eines gemein: Sie sind thematisch verknüpft und ergänzen sich. Die Resultate zielen alle auf nachhaltige Innovation im Ressourcenbereich für eine bessere Zukunft ab.

Lower probability and shorter duration of infections after Covid-19 vaccine correlate with anti-SARS-CoV-2 circulating IgGs

The correlation between immune responses and protection from SARS-CoV-2 infections and its duration remains unclear. We performed a sanitary surveillance at the European Institute of Oncology (IEO) in Milan over a 27 months period. Pre-vaccination, in 1493 participants, we scored 266 infections (17.8%) and 8 possible reinfections (3%). Post-vaccination, we identified 30 infections in 2029 vaccinated individuals (1.5%). We report that the probability of infection post-vaccination is i) significantly lower compared to natural infection, ii) associated with a significantly shorter median duration of infection than that of first infection and reinfection, iii) anticorrelated with circulating antibody levels.

Human Papillomavirus Same Genotype Persistence and Risk of Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia 2+ Recurrence

To evaluate the significance of HPV persistence as a predictor for the development of CIN2+ recurrence and the impact of multiple genotypes and of HPV 16/18 on recurrence risk. A prospective cohort observational study was carried out at the European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy, from December 2006 to December 2014. A total of 408 women surgically treated by excisional procedure for pre-neoplastic and neoplastic cervical lesions were enrolled. HPV test was performed at baseline and at first follow-up visit planned at 6 ± 3 months after treatment. Two-year cumulative incidences for relapse were estimated and compared by the Gray’s test. Overall, 96 (23.5%) patients were persistent for at least one genotype at three to nine months from baseline and 21 (5.1%) patients relapsed. The two-year cumulative relapse incidence was higher in HPV persistent patients compared to not-persistent (CIF = 27.6%, 95% CI: 16.2–40.2% versus CIF = 1.7%, 95% CI: 0.3–5.8%, p < 0.001), in women with persistent multiple infections (CIF = 27.2%, 95% CI: 7.3–52.3%, p < 0.001), and with the persistence of at least one genotype between 16 and 18, irrespective of the presence of other HR genotypes (CIF = 32.7%, 95% CI: 17.9–48.3%, p < 0.001), but not significantly different from women positive for single infections or any other HR genotype, but not for 16 and 18. The risk of CIN2+ recurrence should not be underestimated when same HPV genotype infection persists after treatment.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE FOR EMPOWERMENT OF WOMEN FROM ETHNIC MINORITY: CHALLENGES AND POSSIBILITIES

The empowerment of women and the improvement of their political, social, economic and health status is a highly important and is one of the Global Sustainable Goals. Gender Equality index 2020 of EU-28 is 67.9, slowly increasing (European Institute for Gender Equality, 2021). Although there are some researches related to women empowerment and economic development (Siba, 2019, Hemalatha, 2020, Doss, Malapit, Comstock, 2020, etc.) or social entrepreneurship (Biggeri, Testi, Bellucci, During, Persson, 2018; Briar-Lawson, Miesing, Ram, 2020, etc.), combining these two fields and especially adding women from ethnic minority is very rare in scientific researches.The aim of the paper is to highlight challenges and possibilities of social entrepreneurship for empowerment of women from ethnic minority.This paper is based on Erasmus+ project “Empowering Women from Ethnic Minorities Through Social Enterprises” (abbrev. EMwoSE) analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data retrieved in Ireland, United Kingdom, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania and Turkey. International data gives to the paper additional value in picturing the bigger picture of the situation in European countries.However, women starting a social enterprise is itself contributing to women’s empowerment, assuming that social enterprise can be culturally more acceptable for women from ethnic minorities.

Role of inhibin B in detecting recurrence of granulosa cell tumors of the ovary in postmenopausal patients

IntroductionSeveral biomarkers have been proposed for the detection of recurrences in adult-type granulosa cell tumors of the ovary. Here we validate the value of inhibin B in detecting recurrences and investigate its role in guiding follow-up examinations and treatment strategies in postmenopausal patients with ovarian adult-type granulosa cell tumors.MethodsData from 140 patients with a diagnosis of adult-type granulosa cell tumor of the ovary referred to the European Institute of Oncology of Milan from January 1996 to March 2016 were retrospectively collected. Among these, we selected data from 47 postmenopausal women for whom serial inhibin B measurements and related imaging examinations were performed according to the follow-up program, with a total of 315 serum inhibin B samples, together with the corresponding clinical examination, and 180 imaging examinations, confirming the presence or absence of macroscopic disease.ResultsAt a cut-off of 7 pg/mL, inhibin B levels were significantly correlated with the presence/absence of disease (p<0.01), with a sensitivity of 98.8% (95% confidence interval (CI) 95.8% to 99.9%) and a specificity of 88.9% (95% CI 82.6% to 93.5%). Further, inhibin B was positively correlated with the size of the lesion, and levels were significantly higher in patients with larger lesions also at a cut-off size of 3 cm (total diameter). Logistic regression showed that 15.6 pg/mL, 44.6 pg/mL, and 73.6 pg/mL inhibin B corresponded to 25%, 50%, and 75% probability of having an abnormal computer tomography scan, respectively.ConclusionsOur results confirmed that inhibin B is a sensitive and specific marker for adult-type granulosa cell tumors of the ovary that may be used during follow-up for detection of recurrences. Moreover, it could guide clinicians in the decision regarding when to perform imaging, avoiding redundant interventional tests in the absence of clinical suspicion.

Continuity of Cancer Care: The Surgical Experience of Two Large Cancer Hubs in London and Milan

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic is having a large effect on the management of cancer patients. This study reports on the approach and outcomes of cancer patients receiving radical surgery with curative intent between March and September 2020 (in comparison to 2019) in the European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS (IEO) in Milan and the South East London Cancer Alliance (SELCA). Both institutions implemented a COVID-19 minimal pathway where patients were required to self-isolate prior to admission and were swabbed for COVID-19 within 72 h of surgery. Positive patients had surgery deferred until a negative swab. At IEO, radical surgeries declined by 6% as compared to the same period in 2019 (n = 1477 vs. 1560, respectively). Readmissions were required for 3% (n = 41), and <1% (n = 9) developed COVID-19, of which only one had severe disease and died. At SELCA, radical surgeries declined by 34% (n = 1553 vs. 2336). Readmissions were required for 11% (n = 36), <1% (n = 7) developed COVID-19, and none died from it. Whilst a decline in number of surgeries was observed in both centres, the implemented COVID-19 minimal pathways have shown to be safe for cancer patients requiring radical treatment, with limited complications and almost no COVID-19 infections.