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Background: Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a complex developmental condition that affects the whole family. The gap between childrens’ needs and their satisfaction, especially regarding what concerns the presence of social and healthcare services, is still a source of burden, particularly after the transition to adulthood. Our study aimed to gather a comprehensive view on how parents of adults with ASD perceive (and interact with) health and social services, and how the provision of care impacts family quality of life with the aim to advise ASD intervention programs. The goal is to identify specific areas of change useful to influence autism intervention strategies so that they more effectively meet the needs of young people with autism and their families. Methods: We conducted two focus groups with parents of young adults with ASD. A semi-structured focus group methodology was adopted. The QoL conceptual framework guided data collection and analysis as part of a directed theory-driven content analysis approach. Results: The lack of structured care pathways and the low level of integration of different services were the main limits reported by parents during the focus group, while a shared positive perception of the experience conducted together as caring families emerged. Conclusions: The experience here reported claims for a greater role of the institutions in order to facilitate the building of networks that are really inclusive for persons with autism in society and to support the implementation of innovative solutions for the welfare system. Furthermore, parents stressed the need for the provision of support to the family.

Abstract There is an increasing need for effective services and strategies to favor the transition from school to post-school/working experience for individuals with disabilities and specifically with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Post-school options are still limited, and most adults with ASD struggle in finding adequate and stable job opportunities. This work analyzes the increasing number of laws issued in Italy in the last decades in order to improve social and working inclusion. The central role of the individual educational planning (IEP) as part of the broader individual project is discussed. Also the potential of pathways for transversal skills and orientation for future employment outcomes is taken into consideration. Good practices promoting autonomy and supporting transition to work starting from school years are reviewed. The international literature shows different models and tools, which could be applied to the Italian school. The COMPASS consultancy model could favor the achievement of individualized transition IEP goals. Peer mediated intervention could improve social skills, a core weakness in ASD, though a central element for success in the workplace. Another key element is the parental involvement in the construction of the future of their children with ASD.

A novel battery (BAFE; Valeri et al. 2015) was used in order to assess three executive function (EF) abilities (working memory, inhibition and shifting) in a sample of 27 intellectually able preschoolers with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) compared with 27 typically developing children matched on age and nonverbal IQ. Differences in EF skills were analyzed in participants with distinct ASD symptom severity. Children with ASD performed worse than typical controls on both set-shifting and inhibition, but not on visuo-spatial working memory. Additionally, children with more severe ASD symptoms showed a worse performance on inhibition than children with milder symptoms. These results confirm the presence of EF deficits and highlight a link between ASD symptoms and EF impairments in preschool age.

Abstract Many young adults with neurodevelopmental disorders experience poor transition outcomes in key areas, including employment, health care, and independent living. Innovative welfare models highlight the importance of involving the local community, and in particular the parents, as important stakeholders capable to generate services and affect local economy. As indicated by the World Health Organization, the availability of person- centered responses, also providing a health budget, appears to be the basis for taking into account person’s rights to self-determination. Health services and local stakeholders could play an important role to facilitate the implementation of support networks that are functional for an effective social inclusion. In order to improve current practices in transitioning to adulthood, it is of paramount importance to collect and learn from the living experience of people with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.

The psychosocial adjustment of siblings of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a relatively recent field of study, but results in literature are often inconsistent, and studies specifically focused on samples of siblings of children with high-functioning ASD are very few. This paper analyzes the level of social impairment (index of broader autism phenotype), the risk of internalizing and externalizing problems (index of psychological adjustment) and the parenting distress in an Italian sample of siblings of children with high-functioning ASD (n = 26). The presence of risk factors (birth order, sex and number of siblings in the family) and the role of the siblings’ age are also explored. The data were collected through self-report instruments administered to parents. The results do not show higher average risk levels for psychosocial adjustment problems, even though a minority of the cases is at risk for social impairments (7.7 %), internalizing (23.1 %), externalizing (3.8 %) and total difficulties (11.5 %) and for distress in the parent–child system (15 %). Distress in the parent-sibling system seems to be modulated by the sibling’s features and to be higher when the sibling is older than the child with ASD. Additionally, a link between difficulties in psychological adjustment and broader autism phenotype is suggested.

People strategy begins with 2 basic concepts: human resources are the most important asset; and human resources drive an organization. Recognizing this, managers can design creative people strategies that increase productivity and profitability and build loyal customers and employees. When designing such strategies, managers should focus on these 6 elements: 1. investment in people, 2. technology and resources, 3. recruiting and training, 4. openness and trust, 5. reward and recognition, and 6. pay for performance.

The main regulator of neovascularization is Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). We recently demonstrated that QK, a de novo engineered VEGF mimicking peptide, shares in vitro the same biological properties of VEGF, inducing capillary formation and organization. On these grounds, the aim of this study is to evaluate in vivo the effects of this small peptide. Therefore, on Wistar Kyoto rats, we evaluated vasomotor responses to VEGF and QK in common carotid rings. Also, we assessed the effects of QK in three different models of angiogenesis: ischemic hindlimb, wound healing and Matrigel plugs. QK and VEGF present similar endothelium-dependent vasodilatation. Moreover, the ability of QK to induce neovascularization was confirmed us by digital angiographies, dyed beads dilution and histological analysis in the ischemic hindlimb as well as by histology in wounds and Matrigel plugs. Our findings show the proangiogenic properties of QK, suggesting that also in vivo this peptide resembles the full VEGF protein. These data open to new fields of investigation on the mechanisms of activation of VEGF receptors, offering clinical implications for treatment of pathophysiological conditions such as chronic ischemia.

Cardiovascular prevention represents one of the most important strategies of public health, since cardiovascular diseases are the first cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Measures to promote a healthy lifestyle and an adequate control of risk factors need be highlighted also during the COVID-19 outbreak, which has dramatically changed the priorities and the use of available resources by the National Health Systems. Indeed, the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown measures imposed in several countries have caused a widespread diffusion of behaviors with detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system, including inappropriate dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle and smoking. Moreover, as a consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak, a relevant number of programmed follow-up visits and screening procedures have been cancelled, and hospital admissions for severe acute pathologies, such as myocardial infarction, have been significantly reduced, with a parallel increase in fatality and complication rates. This represents a serious social issue, whose impact will last for many years, and which deserves priority attention by the scientific and healthcare communities. In such a context, cardiovascular prevention may play a key role in interrupting this vicious circle. The aim of this update of the 2018 SIPREC consensus document is to analyze and highlight the available evidence produced by medical research over the last 3 years, providing with the synergistic contribution of many scientific societies an integrated tool to support clinical practice. Indeed, important new recommendations have been introduced in the management of hypertension, dyslipidemias and type 2 diabetes, consisting in the identification of lower therapeutic targets, the promotion of combination strategies and the introduction in routine clinical practice of new effective pharmacological classes, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for the treatment of diabetes and heart failure and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors for hypercholesterolemia. Moreover, new evidence has become available for the management of antiplatelet therapy, both in primary and secondary prevention. Finally, much attention has been devoted to telemedicine, which has shown great promise to support cardiovascular prevention and care not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also as part of routine care in the future.

[...]the COVID-19 pandemic and the consequent lockdown measures imposed in several countries have caused a widespread diffusion of behaviors with detrimental effects on the cardiovascular system, including inappropriate dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle and smoking. [...]as a consequence of the COVID-19 outbreak, a relevant number of programmed follow-up visits and screening procedures have been cancelled, and hospital admissions for severe acute pathologies, such as myocardial infarction, have been significantly reduced, with a parallel increase in fatality and complication rates. [...]important new recommendations have been introduced in the management of hypertension, dyslipidemias and type 2 diabetes, consisting in the identification of lower therapeutic targets, the promotion of combination strategies and the introduction in routine clinical practice of new effective pharmacological classes, such as sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors for the treatment of diabetes and heart failure and proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors for hypercholesterolemia. [...]new evidence has become available for the management of antiplatelet therapy, both in primary and secondary prevention. [...]much attention has been devoted to telemedicine, which has shown great promise to support cardiovascular prevention and care not only during the COVID-19 pandemic but also as part of routine care in the future.