Although electroencephalography (EEG) is used to assess neonatal pain in research settings, EEG assessments have not been sufficiently characterized for use as end points to assess the efficacy of analgesics in regulatory-endorsed, industry-sponsored trials. We aimed to identify all studies conducted in neonates with EEG recordings during acute somatic nociceptive skin-breaking procedures, and to create a network of authors who will be invited to contribute their individual participant data (IPD) to an IPD meta-analysis to establish the validity, reliability, and clinical interpretability of an EEG-based neonatal pain measure. To identify literature, we searched MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, ClinicalTrials.gov, and the WHO ICTRP from database inception to July 2, 2025. Eligible studies were primary empirical studies that included neonates with EEG recordings during acute skin-breaking procedures. We identified 55 studies across 11 countries. Heel lance was the most common painful procedure; others included venipuncture, immunization, and lumbar puncture. The impact of 12 analgesic interventions has been studied to date, mostly nonpharmacological interventions. Individual-electrode EEG is more common than EEG caps. We noted relatively high data loss due to EEG data-quality concerns. A wide range of non-EEG pain-relevant measures have been recorded alongside EEG (eg, behavior, vital signs). Coauthorship network analysis highlighted that authors commonly work within discrete authorship hubs, with limited coauthorship across hubs. The predominance of studies was from European and American institutions, which limits generalizability. We conclude that sufficient data are available to undertake an IPD meta-analysis.

Fibroblasts associated to carcinomas express fibroblast activation protein (FAP). FAP-targeted imaging with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with 68Ga-FAP inhibitors (FAPi-PET), is a pan-tumoral imaging that enables in-vivo visualization of the tumor stroma and detection of neoplastic foci in various cancers. The primary aim was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of FAPi-PET in detecting locally advanced gastric cancers (LAGC), including the evaluation of peritoneal disease (PD). Thirty consecutive patients with LAGC were included in this prospective study between Nov-2023 and Nov-2024 at the European Institute of Oncology in Milano. All patients had an indication to staging laparoscopy and underwent FAPi-PET within 1 week prior to surgery. Significant gastric expression of FAP (mean SUVmax 13,12 ± 5,9 SD) was detected in 29 FAPi-PET scans. The only GC without detectable gastric uptake was an early GC. The sensitivity of FAPi-PET for the identification of primary tumor was 96,7%. PD was suspected based on FAPi-PET imaging in 2 patients (mean SUVmax of 7.55 ±2.19 SD). At staging laparoscopy PD was observed in only 1 patient. Conversely, in 2 cases with a negative preoperative FAPi-PET, PD was observed during laparoscopy,. The accuracy of FAPi-PET for PD was 90% (sensitivity 33,3%, specificity 96,3%). FAPi-PET showed a high detection rate for LAGC, even in cases with diffuse histology. This technique appears to provide high specificity for PD. These promising preliminary findings, support further validation of FAPi-PET in upper-GI malignancies to evaluate its impact on clinical practice for staging and treating LAGC.

To investigate gender representation of authors in rheumatology research over the last decade. Using metadata from original and review articles published between 2015 and 2024 in SCImago top two quartile (Q1, Q2) rheumatology journals, author gender was classified using two public databases. Geographic location of first-author affiliation was also obtained. Analyses summarized trends by year, journal quartile, and geographic region. We included 52,796 articles from 38 journals (19 Q1). There was parity in first authorship between women (45%) and men (43%) in Q1 but not Q2 journals (34% women, 50% men). There were more men in last authorship positions (Q1: 35% women, 55% men; Q2: 27% women, 60% men). The ratio of women to men authors by article rose from 0.64 to 0.82 in Q1 journals over 10 years but was stagnant in Q2 journals (0.62 to 0.59). The percentage of total authors that were women increased slightly in Q1 journals (+4.2%) but decreased in Q2 journals (-1.8%). For first authorship, articles from all regions except Asia showed equal representation of men and women. Articles from Asia and Europe showed greatest disparity in last authorship versus other regions. Representation of women in rheumatology research is equal to that of men in some areas, though a gender gap persists in last authorship, articles from lower-ranked journals, and articles from Asian and European institutions.

The article presents a comparative analysis of assessment practices in adult education across six major Open Universities in Europe and Australia. Drawing on an extensive literature review, it explores how assessment functions as both a mechanism for validating learning and enhancing learner engagement, particularly within distance education environments. Central to the analysis is Scriven’s framework, which distinguishes formative and summative assessment based on their purpose—improvement or certification—rather than their timing. This distinction informs how various institutions structure their assessment systems to serve adult learners’ needs. Adult education is characterized by autonomy, prior learning experience, and intrinsic motivation. These learner traits necessitate flexible and supportive assessment strategies. Theoretical insights from Knowles, Jarvis, and Rogers support a shift toward learner-centered evaluation practices, favoring qualitative methods such as self-assessment, case studies, and reflective journals over traditional testing. These approaches are seen as more aligned with adult learning theory and more effective in promoting critical thinking and learner empowerment. The article examines assessment models at the UK Open University (UKOU), Hellenic Open University (HOU) in Greece, CNED (France), FernUniversität in Germany, UNED (Spain), and Open Universities Australia (OUA). While European institutions tend to emphasize continuous feedback and formative assessment—such as tutor-marked assignments, interactive discussions, and group work—Australian universities are more focused on authentic assessments linked to professional contexts. Role-playing, oral presentations, clinical simulations, and reflective portfolios are among the tools used to evaluate practical competencies and employability skills. A cross-cutting theme in all models is the integration of technology. E-assessment tools and online platforms increase accessibility, ensure timely feedback, and support diverse learning styles. Especially for adult learners balancing multiple responsibilities, these digital tools enable flexible assessment design and enhance learner engagement. Despite regional differences, all institutions share a commitment to fair, learner-centered assessment systems that integrate technological innovation. In conclusion, the article emphasizes the importance of designing assessment practices that support both learning and validation. It calls for a redefinition of assessment as an active part of the learning process, tailored to the complex realities of adult learners. The study recommends further empirical research to deepen understanding of how assessment is experienced in practice and to inform future educational policy and design in open and distance learning contexts.

Premenopausal patients with node-positive, hormone receptor-positive, early breast cancer derive benefit from extended endocrine therapy (EET) following 5 years of luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist-based treatment. The benefit of EET may differ according to surrogate breast cancer subtypes in postmenopausal patients. To evaluate the risk of invasive and distant recurrence across all surrogate breast cancer subtypes among patients with node-positive, hormone receptor-positive early breast cancer who remained premenopausal after completing 5 years of adjuvant therapy with an LHRH agonist who received and did not receive EET. This multicenter cohort study conducted in the United States and Italy used data from 2 prospectively maintained datasets: the Young Women's Breast Cancer Study and the European Institute of Oncology Breast Cancer cohort. Eligible patients were diagnosed with early breast cancer at 40 years of age or younger between January 2005 and December 2016, had node-positive hormone receptor-positive disease, and remained premenopausal after 5 years of adjuvant LHRH agonist therapy with no evidence of recurrence. Median (IQR) follow-up was 7.3 (4.9-10.3) years. Data were analyzed June 2025. EET (with tamoxifen monotherapy, LHRH agonist plus tamoxifen, or LHRH agonist plus aromatase inhibitor), irrespective of the duration of EET, measured at study baseline (defined as the first day of the sixth year after the initiation of adjuvant ET). Invasive breast cancer-free survival and distant recurrence-free survival (DRFS) distributions were estimated using the adjusted Kaplan-Meier method among patients with or without the exposure, weighted through propensity score (PS) weighting analysis, with the scientific approach. In total, 487 patients were included (median [IQR] age at diagnosis, 37 [35-39] years in the EET group and 37 [33-39] years in the no EET group), and 276 received EET for a median (IQR) duration of 3.7 (2.2-5.0) years. Overall, 89 patients (18%) had luminal A-like disease, 298 (61%) had luminal B-like disease, and 100 (21%) had ERBB2 (formerly HER2)-positive disease. The PS-weighted hazard ratio (HR) for invasive breast cancer-free survival comparing the EET with the no EET group was 0.68 (95% CI, 0.32-1.45) in luminal A-like, 0.63 (95% CI, 0.40-1.00) in luminal B-like/ERBB2-negative, and 0.62 (95% CI, 0.21-1.87) in ERBB2-positive subgroups. The cause-specific PS-weighted HR for DRFS was 0.25 (95% CI, 0.08-0.75) in luminal A-like, 0.54 (95% CI, 0.32-0.94) in luminal B-like/ERBB2-negative, and 0.54 (95% CI, 0.12-2.53) in ERBB2-positive subgroups. In this cohort study, a lower estimated risk with EET use was observed across all surrogate breast cancer subtypes. However, the lower estimated risk was greatest among patients with luminal A-like disease, a finding that warrants confirmation in larger, prospective cohorts.

The article examines international standards for the protection of agricultural land and the peculiarities of their implementation in Ukraine under conditions of modern transformations of land relations caused by European integration processes, global environmental challenges, and the consequences of martial law. The relevance of the topic is determined by the necessity to harmonize national land legislation with international environmental and legal standards aimed at ensuring sustainable land use and preservation of soil fertility. Based on the analysis of international legal acts, the practice of international institutions, and Ukrainian legislation, it is established that international standards form a comprehensive approach to agricultural land protection combining environmental, economic, and social aspects of land resource management. It is clarified that international approaches to the protection of agricultural land are grounded on the principles of sustainable development, prevention of land degradation, rational land use, ensuring food security, and protection of property rights. It is determined that international treaties, recommendations of international organizations, and the practice of European judicial institutions play an important role in shaping the national system of land protection, influencing the development of legal mechanisms of public land administration. The study substantiates that the adaptation of Ukrainian land legislation to international and European standards is carried out through improvement of legal regulation of agricultural land circulation, development of digital cadastral systems, implementation of transparent mechanisms for monitoring land use, and strengthening environmental control. Particular attention is paid to the impact of decentralization on the effectiveness of land resource management and the expansion of powers of local self-government bodies in the field of land protection. It is concluded that the implementation of international standards for agricultural land protection constitutes a necessary prerequisite for the formation of a modern, efficient, and environmentally oriented land policy in Ukraine. Such an approach contributes to achieving a balance between economic development of the agricultural sector, environmental protection, and safeguarding the rights of landowners and land users, while also creating legal foundations for the restoration of land resources in the post-war period.

Purpose This study investigates the persistent gap between sustainability commitments and their systemic integration within European higher education institutions (HEIs). Drawing on institutional decoupling theory, the study identifies organizational practices that lead to policy-practice decoupling across environmental, social, and governance (ESG) dimensions, hindering the transition toward a sustainable future. Design/methodology/approach Employing a qualitative, interpretive methodology, the study utilizes thematic analysis of 20 semi-structured interviews with diverse stakeholders (students, academic staff, administration, leadership, and representatives from industry) across four European universities. This multi-stakeholder, cross-institutional design provides nuanced insights into the manifestations of decoupling. Findings The analysis reveals widespread decoupling across ESG dimensions: environmental education gaps, digitalization inefficiencies, and misaligned infrastructure investments; social support inadequacies and persistent inequalities; and governance deficits characterized by short-term budgetary thinking, poor strategic coordination, and transparency limitations. These organizational practices collectively constitute the decoupling mechanisms through which formal sustainability commitments are reproduced without substantive operational change. Originality/value This study advances the literature on the implementation gap in HEIs by integrating institutional decoupling theory with a comparative ESG analysis. By disaggregating findings across ESG dimensions, the research identifies specific organizational practices that operate as structural buffers between formal policies and operational realities. Governance deficits function as the structural catalyst sustaining concurrent decoupling across all three ESG domains, and the study offers a diagnostic typology to foster institutional integration and systemic sustainability.

The increasing integration of Virtual Reality (VR) technologies in cultural and historical contexts has significantly transformed the way heritage and legacy are preserved, studied, and experienced. This study provides a bibliometric analysis of the current research landscape surrounding the use of VR in heritage and legacy research. The results obtained highlight a research environment dominated by European institutions—primarily Italian and Spanish—complemented by Asian and French contributions that demonstrate a trend toward progressive internationalization. This field of research combines immersive technologies, photogrammetry for 3D digitization and user-centered designs, moving from conservationist approaches to holistic approaches that prioritize accessibility, educational dissemination and tourism. The results reveal a duality between digital documentation and immersive experience, while, among the countries with the most World Heritage sites, Italy leads in terms of quantity and average citations, China in terms of total volume, and Spain shows underutilized bibliometric potential despite its rich historical heritage. This analysis aims to trace the evolution of this field of research, uncover gaps, and suggest directions for future work that leverages virtual reality to safeguard and disseminate cultural heritage in an immersive and impactful way.

Taxonomy is a cornerstone of biological science and essential to biodiversity policy, yet it faces persistent structural challenges collectively known as the "taxonomic impediment". These include limited capacity, uneven geographic and taxonomic coverage, and a disconnect between the supply of expertise and its societal demand. In this study, we present a meta-research analysis of taxonomic activity in Europe over the past decade, drawing on publication metadata from OpenAlex, Wikidata, and GBIF. Using an open and reproducible workflow, we identify more than 31,000 authors affiliated with European institutions who have contributed to taxonomic publications, and we assess their taxonomic and institutional distribution. Using robust regression models, we show that biodiversity policy variables collectively explain additional variation in taxonomic research effort beyond species richness alone, with the Birds and Habitats Directives showing positive associations and marine-related policy variables showing negative associations. We explore how this supply of expertise compares with demands arising from European biodiversity policy, including legally binding instruments such as the Birds and Habitats Directives and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive, as well as strategic initiatives focused on invasive alien species, crop wild relatives, and species of conservation concern. Our results highlight clear imbalances in capacity across taxonomic groups and regions, with some politically and ecologically significant taxa receiving comparatively little attention. This work illustrates how openly available data can be used to evaluate taxonomic capacity and its alignment with policy needs, providing a framework for strategic planning and investment in taxonomy.

This review aimed to compare recommendations, publication type, number of age groups and food groups, and development processes of European food-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) for children and adolescents. FBDGs can vary greatly by country. An overview of developmental processes, including recent methodological advancements, and age-specific food intake recommendations of FBDGs for children and adolescents in Europe is missing. Scientific databases, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) repository, and websites of European nutrition and health institutes were searched for documents on FBDGs for children and adolescents (1-18 years), published in all languages between January 1, 2002, and October 25, 2022. Data extraction and data coding included variables on age and food groups, sustainability, plant-based diets, quantitative recommendations on food intake, and FBDG development processes. Of 9385 identified documents, 110 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Among 51 European countries, FBDGs referencing children or adolescents were identified in 43 countries. Eleven of those countries primarily addressed the adult population but considered their recommendations also appropriate for children and adolescents. Thirty-two countries had age-group-specific FBDGs, which covered between 1 and 8 age groups (median = 3) and between 2 and 13 food groups (median = 7). Of those, 10 countries provided information on sustainability, 10 on plant-based diets (not specified), and 18 and 15 countries addressed vegetarian and vegan diets, respectively. Wide ranges of recommended mean values for food intake were identified for almost all age and food groups among countries. With regard to FBDG development processes, only 15.6% (5/32) of countries published journal articles and 25.0% (8/32) scientific reports. Overall, European FBDGs for children and adolescents are heterogeneous in food and age groups, recommendations on intake of food groups, information on plant-based diets and FBDG development processes, pointing to a need for harmonizing the development of FBDGs for children and adolescents.

Despite being a biodiversity hotspot, the Republic of Seychelles faces a critical challenge with an estimated 90% of its food imported. This dependency exposes the country to global supply disruptions and climate-related risks, while pressure on protected ecosystems continues to rise. In response, the Erasmus+ Capacity Building Higher Education GreenTraINT project (Green Training INTernational Program for agriculture, livestock farming, and conservation), co-funded by the European Union (2024–2026), aims to strengthen local expertise in sustainable agriculture, livestock farming, and biodiversity conservation. Through a transnational partnership involving European and Seychellois universities and institutions, GreenTraINT is co-designing innovative higher education modules tailored to the island’s priorities in agriculture, livestock, and biodiversity conservation. This paper focuses on a detailed needs analysis conducted in early 2025 across a diverse group of 84 stakeholders, including students, educators, NGOs, and professionals. The findings reveal a strong demand for applied training in sustainable food systems and biodiversity conservation, blended teaching methods, and programs that bridge theory with hands-on skills. Inspired by other Erasmus+ projects such as NETCHEM and SPARKLE, GreenTraINT adopts a multi-stakeholder, needs-driven approach that aligns international academic expertise with local development goals. As a key milestone, a Summer School in 2026 will pilot the newly developed modules. In the long term, GreenTraINT seeks to leave a lasting legacy by integrating its curriculum into national education pathways, thereby contributing to food security and environmental resilience. With less than four years remaining to achieve the 2030 Agenda targets, the project positions higher education reform as a strategic accelerator for SDG implementation in small island developing states (SIDS). By linking curriculum innovation to measurable sustainability priorities, GreenTraINT helps narrow the SDG implementation gap in vulnerable island contexts. The project offers a model for international collaboration in higher education for sustainability in SIDS.

The proliferation of marine data presents both an opportunity for ocean governance and a challenge, contributing to fragmentation across disciplines, institutions, and sectors. Marine Spatial Data Infrastructure (MSDI) stands out as a major framework for integrating marine information. However, an integrated synthesis that combines quantitative mapping of publication patterns with qualitative analysis of thematic evolution remains absent. This study employs a two-step approach combining systematic review and bibliometric analysis of Scopus-indexed literature (2000–2024). Based on a focused corpus of 20 publications rigorously screened for explicit MSDI relevance, we examine publication trends, collaboration patterns, thematic structures, and evolutionary trajectories. Results indicate accelerating scholarly interest in MSDI, with European institutions contributing 75% of the analysed publications. Policy frameworks such as the INSPIRE Directive (Infrastructure for Spatial Information in the European Community) and the Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) emerge as key drivers of research activity. Temporal analysis of this corpus suggests a tentative five-phase evolution in MSDI research: (1) foundational technical standardisation, (2) governance model implementation, (3) semantic interoperability enhancement, (4) policy integration, and (5) advanced applications incorporating FAIR (Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, Reusable) and CARE (Collective Benefit, Authority to Control, Responsibility, Ethics) principles and Artificial Intelligence (AI). These phases, derived from systematic coding of thematic focus across publications, represent observed patterns within the analysed literature rather than definitive stages. This paper concludes that MSDI is moving toward a more socio-technical approach that requires the consideration of a technical-focused tool in present-day ocean governance. Future work should combine semantic AI, decentralised architectures, polycentric governance models, and impact assessment frameworks to align MSDI development with the objectives of equity, inclusion, and sustainability.

This article examines the deep entanglement of Amazonian artifacts housed in European museums, colonial science, and Indigenous cosmologies. By situating specific collection- and curation processes within their historical contexts, it reveals how scientific practices were intricately tied to colonial expansion, functioning as tools to legitimize and sustain European hegemony. Analysis of Amerindian masks and botanical specimens from the Amazon Basin – two distinct yet interrelated sets of Amazonian artifacts currently held in European institutions – highlights how colonial extractive practices, often reliant on Indigenous slave labor, and geopolitical dynamics shaped the acquisition, interpretation, and display of Indigenous materials. The article also critiques how European scholars and political regimes have treated regions such as the Amazon and Africa as interchangeable, enforcing a reductive, hierarchical view of non-European cultures and reducing the diversity of Indigenous societies to objects of control and categorization. By interweaving insights and critiques by Indigenous and Amazonian intellectuals, particularly Yanomami shaman Davi Kopenawa, and drawing on cosmologies of the Rio Negro region, in the Amazon, this study calls for a fundamental reassessment of knowledge-production frameworks shaped by colonialism and scientific exploration. It underscores the inadequacies of Eurocentric approaches and advocates for the transformative potential of Indigenous epistemologies – not as peripheral perspectives, but as foundational contributions that challenge, reshape, and enrich global histories of science.

This study provides a bibliometric review based on 1,891 Scopus-indexed records to integrate the trends and conceptual framework discussed in environmental accounting and corporate disclosure research. The results show intensive research growth since 2015, mainly led by Chinese, American, and Australian authors. Three categories were generated through thematic analysis: environmental strategies, corporate social responsibility, and accountability modes. Environmental accounting has developed from reporting to a strategic management tool, which is closely related to corporate governance, reputation, and sustainability performance. Additional findings show that the strength of international collaboration networks has increased over time, especially with Chinese and European institutions, reflecting a trend towards increasingly globalized research collaboratives. The keyword co-occurrence map indicates a shift in research priorities, from early attention to environmental cost accounting to the latest emphasis on climate-related disclosure, ESG integration, and low-carbon transition strategies. It also shows an increasing academic focus on regulatory drivers, including IFRS S2, the EU CSRD, and national emission policies. The cross-cluster comparison of differences implies a growing similarity in environmental responsibility accounting, corporate strategy, and stakeholder expectations, which underlines a move towards more consistent and decision-useful sustainability reporting systems.

Professor Eduardo Santiago Dellacassa Beltrame is widely recognized in Latin America for his contributions to phytochemistry, pharmacognosy, natural products chemistry, enology, and the study of aromatic and medicinal plants. His career is marked by strong international engagement, scientific leadership, and a consistent commitment to research, teaching, and technological development. Throughout his academic path, Dellacassa received several prestigious international fellowships, including a scholarship from the Italian Government (IILA–Universidad de la República, 1989), a Research Grant from the Third World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), and multiple research stays in leading European institutions. He carried out scientific training and specialization programs in Italy, Spain, France, England, and Mexico, with notable periods at the Università degli Studi di Messina, University of Barcelona, Rothamsted Experimental Station (UK), Istituto Agrario di San Michele all’Adige, INRA Pech Rouge, and the Centro de Investigación y Asistencia en Tecnología y Diseño del Estado de Jalisco. These experiences helped shape a highly international and multidisciplinary academic profile. Dellacassa is an active member of numerous scientific societies, including the Latin American Society of Phytochemistry, American Chemical Society (ACS), International Society of Horticultural Sciences, Spanish Society of Phytotherapy (SEFIT), Royal Spanish Society of Chemistry, and national associations related to chemistry, food science, horticulture, natural products, and essential oils. His broad institutional participation reflects his sustained contributions to scientific development across the region. Professionally, he has served as technical director for additives companies and for pharmacies, and has professional experience in the pharmaceutical sector, particularly in analytical control, production planning, and product development. This industrial background complements his strong academic foundation, enabling him to bridge fundamental science with practical applications. Within the Universidad de la República (UdelaR), Uruguay, Dellacassa developed extensive teaching and academic activity over more than a decade. He has taken part in numerous Academic Merit Committees, evaluation boards, and selection processes in areas such as Pharmacognosy and Natural Products, Organic Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Enology, Food Science and Technology, and Mass Spectrometry. Over the years, he held positions as Assistant, Associate Professor, and Senior Professor, and contributed to funded research projects supported by agencies such as CSIC, INIA, and PDT. His academic contributions span topics from natural product chemistry and sensory analysis of foods to phytochemical characterization and enological science. With a career defined by academic excellence, international collaboration, and commitment to scientific training, Eduardo Santiago Dellacassa Beltrame stands as a leading figure in the field of natural products, aromatics, medicinal plants, and analytical applications in food and pharmaceutical sciences. His trajectory represents a unique combination of scientific rigor, technical expertise, and long-standing contributions to the development of chemistry and natural sciences in Latin America.

The full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russian troops led to mass displacement of people, significant destruction, increased strain on the energy sys­tem and economy, posed new challenges to the healthcare system and created risks for maintaining control over HIV/AIDS. Every minute, one person dies from HIV-related causes worldwide. In 2023, 1.3 million people were newly infected with HIV, and 9.3 million people, or almost a quarter of the 39.9 million people living with HIV, are not receiving life-saving treatment. Even if the world meets the set targets and maintains the progress achieved, by 2050, nearly 30 million people world wide will be living with HIV. Each of them will need lifelong HIV treatment and support to live a full life. In the absence of an effective and widely available vaccine or medicines, the spread of HIV will continue. Objective — to substantiate integrated ways of implementing monitoring, modern diagnostics, and principles of treatment and prevention of HIV infection as the basis of a strategy for overcoming the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Ukraine in the context of military aggression by the Russian Federation and funding limitations. Materials and methods. International policy documents in the field of health and public health were analysed, as well as recent changes in state health policy in Ukraine, international strategies and approaches to over­coming the HIV epidemic, the dynamics of the incidence of HIV, tuberculosis and STIs in Ukraine and worldwide, and forecasts of national and global HIV epidemics in the coming years. A search for relevant information was conducted in the scientometric databases Web of Science, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, PubMed, EBSCO, MEDLINE, SCIE (Science Citation Index Expanded), SSCI (Social Science Citation Index), using the following keywords: «HIV», «AIDS», «tuberculosis», «war», «military actions», «morbidity», «epidemiology», «military conflicts» and official statistics were analysed (Ministry of Health of Ukraine and Center for Public Health) regarding epidemiological indicators of HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in 2021—2025. Results and discussion. Based on the analysis of statistical and scientific information, key areas for strengthening the monitoring and control system and the state of the HIV epidemic in Ukraine were identified, as well as the need to optimise preventive measures and specific treatment in the context of martial law in the country.The main measures to overcome the HIV/AIDS epidemic implemented in recent years by relevant state institutions with the support of leading national and international organisations and the non-governmental sector are presented. Conclusions. The process of Ukraine’s approach to membership in the European Union opens up unique prospects for reforming policy in the field of combating HIV/AIDS, strengthening human rights guarantees and implementing best international practices in the national healthcare system. Despite the prolonged military aggression of the Russian Federation, a number of important steps have been taken in Ukraine to develop state policy aimed at effectively combating the HIV/AIDS epidemic. To reduce logistical costs and improve access to services, it is advisable to continue integrating HIV/AIDS testing and treatment into the general health system, rather than concentrating them exclusively in specialised facilities. In order to maintain the financial sustainability of the system, it is important to continue seeking opportunities to prioritise increasing domestic funding for relevant activities in 2026, in particular by involving public and non-governmental organisations. It is also advisable to intensify cooperation with European healthcare institutions within the framework of European Union programmes (EU4Health).

Book Review: <i>Trade Unions in Europe</i> by Waddington, J. and Hoffmann, R. WaddingtonJ.HoffmannR., Trade Unions in Europe. Brussels: European Trade Union Institute, 2000, 184 pp., ISBN: 978-2-87574-634-4.

Background: Increasing demand for home care is a critical issue for the European Union (EU) and policy directions for improving the quality of care and labour conditions have been set out in the European Care Strategy. Access to collective bargaining is a key element of this. However, worker organisation in the sector is generally weak and trade union strength is in decline particularly in liberal welfare states within the EU. The European Institute for Gender Equality (2021) estimates that about 9 out of 10 paid care workers are women, with one in four having a migrant background. A high level of informality prevails in the sector. According to the European Labour Authority (2022), about half of care workers in domestic settings are undeclared workers. Funding models relying on poorly regulated use of cash transfers can encourage the employment of workers under informal contractual arrangements. Coupled with existing challenges, platform work is now a growing feature of the sector. It is evident that in the digitalised, post-pandemic world of work a new approach to organising workers is required. Approach: This paper examines the challenges and opportunities that this context presents for organising care workers needs, representing the care workforce and creating sustainable approaches to care through digital platform solutions including commercial and cooperative based approaches. Results: The paper sets out a dichotomy of approaches for with regard to representing the concerns of platform based care workers. Implications: The paper outlines the implications of the EU Directive on Platform Work, and also the possible implications associated with the transposition of the Directive on Adequate Minimum Wages and Collective Bargaining Coverage in creating a sustainable workforce in home care provision

This paper investigates how cyberattacks affect the market valuation of European financial institutions. Using an event study methodology on a sample of 31 cyber incidents affecting European financial firms between 2016 and 2024, we document a clear and statistically significant negative market reaction concentrated on the announcement day. Importantly, we find no evidence of abnormal price movements prior to disclosure, which is inconsistent with systematic insider trading. In contrast to prior studies that report pre-announcement abnormal returns (ARs) around cyber incident disclosures, our findings suggest that information leakages and insider trading may be less of a concern in the European financial sector. A time-trend analysis reveals diverging patterns: while the impact of non-confidential attacks has intensified, the market response to confidentiality breaches has weakened, consistent with improved disclosure and crisis management practices.

Since the 1990s, social and media interest in gender (in)equality has spawned several synthetic measurement projects. Compared with the rest of the world, the specific characteristics of European countries and the European Union’s commitment to gender equality justify a unique initiative in this area: the Gender Equality Index (GEI) of the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE). However, scholars have raised critical concerns regarding the theoretical foundations of the GEI, its metric design, and other aspects of its construction. In particular, three technical features have sparked debate: the correction coefficient applied to raw equality scores, the use of geometric means to aggregate indicators, and the inclusion of certain indicators that are not updated as frequently as desired. In this article, we describe and quantify how these three methodological choices influence the portrayal of the speed at which EU countries advance towards full equality between men and women.