Many Italian universities during the COVID-19 pandemic had numerous students attending hospital wards. The training of health care students was necessary to prepare for good practices in implementing knowledge about COVID-19 and minimizing contagion among students who carried out the internship. In February 2020, a course aiming to guide health personnel so that they can appropriately address the health emergency posed by the new coronavirus was created, making use of the scientific evidence currently available as well as official sources of information and updates. The aim of this study was the development and validation of a useful tool to evaluate the progress in knowledge regarding COVID-19 of students in degree courses for the health care professions. The reliability of the test was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha (α) coefficient, while the responsiveness of the test between T0 and T1 was measured with a student t test. The standard error of measurement was used to calculate the minimal detectable chanRome were enrolled, for a total population of 1,017 students from different course years. The test showed good internal consistency, with Cronbach’s α values of 0.82. The item-total analysis also showed good results, with homogeneous α values from 0.80 to 0.82 for each item. The student t test showed a difference of 3.59 between T0 and T1 (p less then 0.001). The minimal detectable change was 0.47. The test is a useful tool for assessing progress in skills regarding COVID-19 for students from bachelor’s degree courses in the health professions. It allows the improvement and acquisition of skills as well as a qualitative analysis of the organization of internship degree courses.

We compared sonoanatomy of the internal jugular vein (IJV) the high (HA), conventional (CA) and the medial oblique approach (MA) to identify the best approach and head position for IJV cannulation.

Total of 45 volunteers aged 18-65 years were included in this study. The degree of overlap in percentage, depth of IJV from skin, antero-posterior (AP) and transverse diameters (TD) of IJV were measured in real time with ultrasound (US). Measurements were taken in the HA, CA and MA in neutral and 30° head rotation on both the right and left side of the neck.

The HA had lower percentage of overlap when compared to CA and MA in neutral and 30° head rotation (p= 0.002 to ≤0.001). The IJV was more shallow in the CA and MA. The AP and TD of the IJV were larger in the MA when compared to HA (p=<0.001) and CA (p =0.026 to < 0.001) and the right IJV has a larger AP and TD in all approaches.

The HA had the least percentage of overlap compared to CA and MA, therefore the risk of accidental ICA puncture can be reduced. The apparent overlap seen in MA may not reflect the actual scenario because of the way the US beam cuts the vessel. The AP and TD of IJV were significantly increased in the MA, which would ease CVC.

We conclude and recommend the medial oblique probe position with 30° head rotation provides optimal real time sonographic parameters for US guided IJV cannulation.

We conclude and recommend the medial oblique probe position with 30° head rotation provides optimal real time sonographic parameters for US guided IJV cannulation.

Giant omphalocele and large gastroschisis remain challenging issues faced by pediatric surgeons and neonatal intensivists. In this report, we presented 3 neonatal cases with complex congenital abdo-minal wall defects that were successfully treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC). Case 1 had a ruptured giant omphalocele and was treated with VAC for 24 days. She was successfully discharged at 78 days old. Case 2 had large gastroschisis that was unretractable using silo reduction. She was treated with VAC for 19 days and was succes-sfully discharged at 69 days old. Case 3 had large gastroschisis, and his defect had been closed using Gore-tex after silo reduction. VAC was applied for 14 days, and the baby was discharged at 67 days old. The VAC system can be effectively used to assist with visceral reduction, promote granulation tissue development, and skin epithelialization. This method represents a life-saving treatment for neonates with giant omphalocele and large gastroschisis.

Giant omphalocele and large gastroschisis remain challenging issues faced by pediatric surgeons and neonatal intensivists. In this report, we presented 3 neonatal cases with complex congenital abdo-minal wall defects that were successfully treated with vacuum-assisted closure (VAC). Selleck GDC-0879 Case 1 had a ruptured giant omphalocele and was treated with VAC for 24 days. She was successfully discharged at 78 days old. Case 2 had large gastroschisis that was unretractable using silo reduction. She was treated with VAC for 19 days and was succes-sfully discharged at 69 days old. Case 3 had large gastroschisis, and his defect had been closed using Gore-tex after silo reduction. VAC was applied for 14 days, and the baby was discharged at 67 days old. The VAC system can be effectively used to assist with visceral reduction, promote granulation tissue development, and skin epithelialization. This method represents a life-saving treatment for neonates with giant omphalocele and large gastroschisis.

Currently, the world is facing an unprecedent change of everyday life, due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has been affecting all the nations for more than one year. The public health systems were restructured in all the countries as a response to the constant emergency status, ne-glecting some services like toxicological analyses. In this scenario, the current spread of the New Psychoactive Substances is less controlled than before and the data on its expected mutation come from seizures analyses. Where the global distribution of drugs of abuse was affected by the restriction, fentanyl seizures did not drop during the pandemic. Moreover, new synthesis of fentanyl analogues resulted in new toxic adulterants as by products. Furthermore, diversion of benzodiazepines and new designer benzodiazepines were reported during the pandemic period. In this scenario, the scientific community and the international agencies should tighten their collaboration in order to monitor the emerging of new unknown substances.

Currently, the world is facing an unprecedent change of everyday life, due to the Covid-19 pandemic that has been affecting all the nations for more than one year.