<< Objectives >>DENTA_SOFT will move towards the following objectives:-To explore the synergies and differences between university curricula and methodologies of 5 EU countries in the field of dental medicine-To provide practical approach focusing on the soft skills that students develop and reinforce during their education -To increase competences of both students and teachers by designing teaching and learning materials-To equip students with set of soft skills required in their professional settings.<< Implementation >>Project activities are divided into 3 work packages as follows:WP Project Management (management and coordination activities, meetings, etc.) WP Denta-soft products (study, comparative analysis, survey and report, self-assessment and evaluation questionnaires, training-based task map, manual and application;WP3 Dissemination, exploitation and evaluation (developing promotional and informational materials and events, evaluation and follow-up activities).<< Results >>The tangible results are as follows:-Study on behavioral sciences teaching soft skills (SSk);-Comparative in-depth analysis on programs and methods of teaching;-Survey and report on patients’ perceptions in terms of SSk;-Self-assessment questionnaire on students’ perceptions evaluating their SSk before and after the trainings;-Training-based-task map;-Manual on best educational curricula on how to incorporate SSk training in curricular & extracurricular activities;-Mobile app.

<< Background >>Electrical stimulation (ES) techniques are commonly used approaches in physiotherapy and rehabilitation (PTR) sciences. Electrical stimulation of the tissue is carried out by time-varying voltage or current pulses. The specific functional objectives and capability of target structures are the primary criteria for choice of stimulus parameters. Unit pulses of applied charge are characterized by polarity, width, intensity, frequency, amplitude (volts or amperes), duration (pulse width), shape (rectangular, triangular, sinusoidal), transcutaneous or invasive application, and stimulation site (the nerve, muscle). The methodologies and applications concerning these parameters are mainly focused on the functional and bodily treatment and assessment objectives. Electrical stimulation approaches have advantages from conventional and movement-based rehabilitation, mainly in terms of accuracy and stimulation of the movement, especially with the participation of all muscle fibers. Electrical stimulation has been used for many years for neuromodulation, strengthening, pain and somatosensorial management in rehabilitation programs, although the mechanisms of action are still not well known. Although electrical stimulation approaches are widely used in physiotherapy and rehabilitation, unfortunately there is no standardization even in definitions, such as electrical stimulation, neuromuscular electrical stimulation, transcutaneous electrical stimulation, somatosensorial electrical stimulation...etc. Because of different denominations and treatment protocols (frequency, intensity, etc…) high quality evidences could not be gained still, while it was used frequently. However, in general, the application procedures are mainly not standardized but have great potential for use in clinical practice as a : aid to diagnosis, progress monitoring of patients, guidance for further guidance for further rehabilitation therapy depending on the capabilities affected, and allowing rehabilitation where the active motion is forbidden or could not be initiated, etc. The academic background of physiotherapists (PT) has a clear clinical focus, so the lack of knowledge in the field of electrotherapy, cause them to ignore an approach that could be very useful in their job performance. This situation is well known by professional associations at national and European level, as Turkish Physiotherapy Association, Order of Physiotherapists in Romania, Lithuanian Physiotherapy Association, and Estonian Association of Physiotherapists, who believe in the importance of providing their associates with additional training to complement their professional skills. This knowledge in electrotherapy already exists and is commonly used in universities. The Pamukkale University (PAU), Hatay Mustafa Kemal University (HMKU), Suleyman Demirel University (SDU), Baskent University (BU), Craiova University, Šiauliai State College, and Tartu Health Care College have been working for years in the electrotherapy and electrophysical agents’ field and have also provided several training courses and workshops in this area to undergraduate, master science and philosophy of doctorate physiotherapist students and physiotherapists. This transference of knowledge from the universities to the professionals is, however, punctual and the actual training needs in electrical stimulation applications of physiotherapists are not fully met. Besides, it is known that there are regional differences in professional training and transference of knowledge from the universities around Europe. Pamukkale University (PAU) promotes the development of a training course that intends to fill that gap of knowledge in electrical stimulation approaches of physiotherapist and also do a regional transfer of knowledge throughout Europe, aiming to minimize the differences among countries.<< Objectives >>The project's main objective is to collect existing training contents in electrical stimulation approaches for assessment and treatment, and adapt them to the specific rehabilitation requirements of physiotherapists in European dimension, by this way development of job specific skills needed in the current and future will be supported with continuing vocational education and training by digital education for excellence. To provide to the specialist in physiotherapy and rehabilitation with the necessary knowledge on electrical stimulation approach, a greater awareness and understanding of protocols applied to the functional rehabilitation, enhancing their professional skills and improve the quality of service offered to patients are also the objectives of the project. These aspects will contribute to the acquisition of skills and key knowledge in European professional training in physiotherapy and rehabilitation by supporting development of professional networks across Europe. Sharing best practices and promoting the use of new and standardized electrical stimulation protocols and technologies, and supporting the professional development of physiotherapists (as lecturer, trainer, mentor or other staff) could be realized with the internationalization strategy.This project aims to address a need for shared training that has been detected in the target audience that steers the course and can be solved efficiently by sharing and transferring of best practices and selected materials in teaching to the European dimension for excellence. Academic and researcher from different European Universities (PAU, MKU, SDU, BU, Craiova University, Šiauliai State College and Tartu Health Care College) will be in cooperation as partners, with the aspect of bringing positive and long-lasting effects on the participating Universities and national physiotherapist associations. It is expected that planned course program with 5 module will improve the quality of the adult education offer through professionalization of its staff and building capacity of physiotherapy and rehabilitation education providers to implement high quality learning programs by digital education.This project aims to address a need for shared training that has been detected in the target audience that steers the course and can be solved efficiently by sharing and transferring of best practices and selected materials in teaching to the European dimension for excellence. Academic and researcher from different European Universities (PAU, MKU, SDU, BU, Craiova University, Šiauliai State College and Tartu Health Care College) will be in cooperation as partners, with the aspect of bringing positive and long-lasting effects on the participating Universities and national physiotherapist associations. It is expected that planned course program with 5 module will improve the quality of the adult education offer through professionalization of its staff and building capacity of physiotherapy and rehabilitation education providers to implement high quality learning programs by digital education.<< Implementation >>The project is divided into six work packages, each of which has a clearly defined goal. The WP 1-4 form the core of the project, are linked sequentially and correspond to the development and validation phases of the online course.Proper identification of the needs of the target group (beneficiaries and future users of the results of the project) will enable better targeting of project activities, and respond effectively to their training needs. In addition, the analysis of needs is a fundamental starting point in the process to obtain the best results in the dissemination and exploitation plan, promoting the production of useful and sustainable results and greater impact end. Although the initial phase of the project consists on the searching of the user needs, is particularly relevant to ensure the correct implementation and adaptation of content to the particular professional groups in the countries of the consortium members (Turkey, Romania, Lithuania, and Estonia). Turkish Physiotherapy Association, Order of Physiotherapists in Romania, Lithuanian Physiotherapy Association, and Estonian Association of Physiotherapists will help to apply a questionnaire, regarding their knowledge and application of electrical stimulation techniques and parameters in specific pathologies, to physiotherapists in their country. By this way frequently used electrical stimulation approaches and their parameters will be determined. Moreover, the participation of the physiotherapist associations guarantees the suitability of the course to meet the training demand detected in this group at European level.•Course material will be prepared regarding the results of this questionnaire. And course will have 5 modules (module 1: healthy and denervated muscles physiology, module 2: currents used for electrical stimulation approaches, module 3: electrical stimulation for healthy muscles, module 4: electrical stimulation for de-innervated muscles, and module 5: electrical stimulation for re-innervated muscles). The training modules will consist of working sessions, which require 2 to 3 hours of study each. • The learning methodology will focus on the student. It will be based on structured learning, which implies an effort, ability to analyze and maintain the student interest. This type of learning is particularly suited to provide knowledge in the first place or to strengthen the knowledge acquired, enabling to control the level of understanding of the knowledge that students achieve.• There will be a validation through pilot courses with professional users and experts. On one hand, check the adequacy of telematic course developed against the capabilities and needs of potential users, and secondly, it will validate the usability of the online learning platform developed.• Pilot course will be applied to 30 physiotherapists from each country. The implementation of the pilot course will take place in the online learning platform.• The project details the real training needs of clinicians in their professional performance in the workplace, with a remarked clinical profile, and knowledge and skills from academic and researcher experts in the development and implementation of these approaches, with an academic profile. Furthermore, the presence of professional association guarantees the impact at European level.• The training course will be available in four countries (in their respective languages) after project completion: Turkey, Romania, Lithuania and Estonia. The complete course will also be translated to English for the exploitation and dissemination to all the countries in the rest of Europe. The diffusion through the channels available in professional association will give to the project results an immediate impact on practitioners across Europe.<< Results >>It is expected to achieve the following specific results:•To identify specific training needs in the field of electrical stimulation approaches of European physiotherapists from each of the project’s partner countries. •To develop study plan that enables effective training and achieve real existing needs.•To provide basic knowledge in electrophysical agents to physiotherapists.•To adapt the training material and integrate clinical profile within a telematic course theoretical and practical content that promotes the assimilation of knowledge.•To provide knowledge to the physiotherapists about electrical stimulation approaches in the different fields (healthy, denervated and re-inervated muscle) related to physiotherapy and rehabilitation medicine: assessment of injuries, objectification of the patient's progress and treatment etc.•To provide knowledge to the physiotherapists in order to allow them to be able to apply and interpret the results of electrical stimulation and electrodiagnosis.•To validate the usability and adequacy of course content through pilot testing with users and professionals.•To offer protocols for standardization, and as a result of this to to increase the quality of evidences from low level to higher levels.•To transfer the existing knowledge between Turkey, Romania, Lithuania and Estonia.•To develop, transfer and implement innovative practices at university, national and European levels.•Encouragement of cooperation between vocational education and training (VET) and the universities, through the participation of the professional physiotherapist associations and subsequent dissemination of the project results directly through professional communication channels.•To offer a the course with an online interactive teaching format that favors the ubiquitous accessibility and flexibility in learning, and having a study plan updated to the existing knowledge today in universities and research centers in Europe.•To facilitate the transfer of these innovative practices to partner countries (Turkey, Romania, Lithuania and Estonia) and to the other European countries.•To harmonize the education in electrical stimulation approaches of the physiotherapy and rehabilitation in a common European dimension for the participation, cooperation and exchange of specialists’ experiences in different countries and types of organizations.

Fruit trees and grapevine are propagated vegetatively and are often grafted. As a result they suffer from a high number of pathogens such as viruses and viroids, a number of which are causing severe yield losses and reduce the productive life of the affected plants. As these pathogens cannot be controlled by the application of chemicals, the most efficient way to combat them is the production and commercialization of high quality pathogen-tested propagative material. Nevertheless, this procedure is not simple and both academia and private sectors are working towards its improvement. In this direction was built the herein interdisciplinary proposal which brings together academia and private companies to collaborate through their expertise on the following objectives: 1) to identify new viral and viroid strains or species affecting fruit trees and grapevine, 2) to optimise existing and develop novel detection methods and 3) to improve propagation and sanitation methods for producing high quality (virus-tested) plant material of fruit trees and grapevine. In this project diagnostic tools that are currently used in certification programs will be combined with cutting edge technologies such as NGS and Nanobodies. The project has eight academic partners within the EU and associated countries, three within Third Countries and five non-academic partners. The knowledge obtained will be shared among the partners of the proposal and further disseminated to academic institutions, nurseries and other private sectors. Most importantly training of a new generation of researchers will be done in close contact to the needs of both industrial and academic sectors. In conclusion, the results of this proposal will enrich the knowledge on viruses/viroids associated with different diseases, improve the sensitivity of their detection methods, lead to new detection products and further contribute to the improvement of the disseminated propagative material of fruit trees and grapevine.