Transnational tobacco company interests in smokeless tobacco in Europe: analysis of internal industry documents and contemporary industry materials.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvy Peeters

Full Text Available European Union (EU legislation bans the sale of snus, a smokeless tobacco (SLT which is considerably less harmful than smoking, in all EU countries other than Sweden. To inform the current review of this legislation, this paper aims to explore transnational tobacco company (TTC interests in SLT and pure nicotine in Europe from the 1970s to the present, comparing them with TTCs' public claims of support for harm reduction.Internal tobacco industry documents (in total 416 documents dating from 1971 to 2009, obtained via searching the online Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. This library comprises documents obtained via litigation in the US and does not include documents from Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, or Swedish Match. To help overcome this limitation and provide more recent data, we triangulated our documentary findings with contemporary documentation including TTC investor presentations. The analysis demonstrates that British American Tobacco explored SLT opportunities in Europe from 1971 driven by regulatory threats and health concerns, both likely to impact cigarette sales negatively, and the potential to create a new form of tobacco use among those no longer interested in taking up smoking. Young people were a key target. TTCs did not, however, make SLT investments until 2002, a time when EU cigarette volumes started declining, smoke-free legislation was being introduced, and public health became interested in harm reduction. All TTCs have now invested in snus (and recently in pure nicotine, yet both early and recent snus test markets appear to have failed, and little evidence was found in TTCs' corporate materials that snus is central to their business strategy.There is clear evidence that BAT's early interest in introducing SLT in Europe was based on the potential for creating an alternative form of tobacco use in light of declining cigarette sales and social restrictions on

Transnational tobacco company interests in smokeless tobacco in Europe: analysis of internal industry documents and contemporary industry materials.

Science.gov (United States)

Peeters, Silvy; Gilmore, Anna B

2013-01-01

European Union (EU) legislation bans the sale of snus, a smokeless tobacco (SLT) which is considerably less harmful than smoking, in all EU countries other than Sweden. To inform the current review of this legislation, this paper aims to explore transnational tobacco company (TTC) interests in SLT and pure nicotine in Europe from the 1970s to the present, comparing them with TTCs' public claims of support for harm reduction. Internal tobacco industry documents (in total 416 documents dating from 1971 to 2009), obtained via searching the online Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. This library comprises documents obtained via litigation in the US and does not include documents from Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, or Swedish Match. To help overcome this limitation and provide more recent data, we triangulated our documentary findings with contemporary documentation including TTC investor presentations. The analysis demonstrates that British American Tobacco explored SLT opportunities in Europe from 1971 driven by regulatory threats and health concerns, both likely to impact cigarette sales negatively, and the potential to create a new form of tobacco use among those no longer interested in taking up smoking. Young people were a key target. TTCs did not, however, make SLT investments until 2002, a time when EU cigarette volumes started declining, smoke-free legislation was being introduced, and public health became interested in harm reduction. All TTCs have now invested in snus (and recently in pure nicotine), yet both early and recent snus test markets appear to have failed, and little evidence was found in TTCs' corporate materials that snus is central to their business strategy. There is clear evidence that BAT's early interest in introducing SLT in Europe was based on the potential for creating an alternative form of tobacco use in light of declining cigarette sales and social restrictions on smoking, with

Small groups, large profits: Calculating interest rates in community-managed microfinance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasmussen, Ole Dahl

2012-01-01

Savings groups are a widely used strategy for women’s economic resilience – over 80% of members worldwide are women, and in the case described here, 72.5%. In these savings groups it is common to see the interest rate on savings reported as "20-30% annually". Using panel data from 204 groups...... in Malawi, I show that the right figure is likely to be at least twice this figure. For these groups, the annual return is 62%. The difference comes from sector-wide application of a non-standard interest rate calculations and unrealistic assumptions about the savings profile in the groups. As a result......, it is impossible to compare returns in savings groups with returns elsewhere. Moreover, the interest on savings is incomparable to the interest rate on loans. I argue for the use of a standardized comparable metric and suggest easy ways to implement it. Developments of new tools and standard along these lines...

US Interest Groups Prefer Emission Trading: A New Perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard

1999-01-01

If there is to be environmental regulation, what kind of regulation would the main interest groups then prefer? This political distortion must be taken into account when designing future environmental regulation such as CO2 regulation. The three main interest groups in the US (private business......, it is suggested that a grandfathered permit market is a more effective policy than a tax in relation to organized interests such as industry, electric utilities and environmental organizations. In perspective, the grandfathered permit market may be mixed with the use of taxes. In the case of CO2 regulation......, for example, taxes may be applied to badly organized polluters, such as households and the transport sector, because their lobbying power is weak. Udgivelsesdato: OCT...

“Democratic Government”, Interest Groups and American Trade Politics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhanyu Dong

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The study of American trade politics is of great significance when interpreting U.S.A. trade policies and understanding China-U.S.A. trade relations. In order to explain the mechanism of American trade politics, this paper constructs a new analytical framework of “democratic government-interest groups”, which argues that U.S.A. trade policies are not only the choices made by the democratic government between state interests and political private benefits, but also the outcomes of interaction between the U.S.A. government and interest groups. The case study of the U.S.A. trade policies toward China since the new century also demonstrates how the interaction between the government and interest groups ultimately shapes trade policies. Therefore, we need to understand the logic of American trade politics, generate more mutual benefits for our two countries, and work together to promote the bilateral free trade as well as the bilateral relations between China and the U.S.A.

Under-vaccinated groups in Europe and their beliefs, attitudes and reasons for non-vaccination; two systematic reviews.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Fournet, N

2018-01-01

Despite effective national immunisation programmes in Europe, some groups remain incompletely or un-vaccinated (\\'under-vaccinated\\'), with underserved minorities and certain religious\\/ideological groups repeatedly being involved in outbreaks of vaccine preventable diseases (VPD). Gaining insight into factors regarding acceptance of vaccination of \\'under-vaccinated groups\\' (UVGs) might give opportunities to communicate with them in a trusty and reliable manner that respects their belief system and that, maybe, increase vaccination uptake. We aimed to identify and describe UVGs in Europe and to describe beliefs, attitudes and reasons for non-vaccination in the identified UVGs.

Utility of a dermatology interest group blog: the impact of medical student interest groups and Web 2.0 tools as educational resources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jalalat SZ

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Sheila Z Jalalat, Richard F Wagner Jr Department of Dermatology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA Abstract: The open access University of Texas Dermatology Interest Group blog was established in 2004 for the purposes of increasing communication and collaboration between medical students and dermatology faculty, residents, and alumni, as well as to promote educational opportunities and the missions for which the interest group was created. This blog is unique because of its longevity and continuous postings directed toward the educational and professional needs of medical students and residents. A blog user survey was performed to assess viewers' thoughts, purpose of viewing, demographic profile, subscriber status, usage of the blog and other Web 2.0 tools (forums, Facebook, blogs, Twitter, podcasts, and perceived usefulness. Sixty-one anonymous online surveys were completed during a 1-month period. Statistical analyses of the responses demonstrated that the utilization of web-based tools and the blog were valuable resources for students, especially for blog subscribers, those more involved in an interest group, and those reading the blog for a longer period of time. The usefulness and impact of this method of communication and dissemination of information in medical education may encourage other student groups, faculty advisors, and educators to implement similar educational tools at their institutions. Keywords: education, medical student, dermatology, blog

Transnational Tobacco Company Interests in Smokeless Tobacco in Europe: Analysis of Internal Industry Documents and Contemporary Industry Materials

Science.gov (United States)

Peeters, Silvy; Gilmore, Anna B.

2013-01-01

Background European Union (EU) legislation bans the sale of snus, a smokeless tobacco (SLT) which is considerably less harmful than smoking, in all EU countries other than Sweden. To inform the current review of this legislation, this paper aims to explore transnational tobacco company (TTC) interests in SLT and pure nicotine in Europe from the 1970s to the present, comparing them with TTCs' public claims of support for harm reduction. Methods and Results Internal tobacco industry documents (in total 416 documents dating from 1971 to 2009), obtained via searching the online Legacy Tobacco Documents Library, were analysed using a hermeneutic approach. This library comprises documents obtained via litigation in the US and does not include documents from Imperial Tobacco, Japan Tobacco International, or Swedish Match. To help overcome this limitation and provide more recent data, we triangulated our documentary findings with contemporary documentation including TTC investor presentations. The analysis demonstrates that British American Tobacco explored SLT opportunities in Europe from 1971 driven by regulatory threats and health concerns, both likely to impact cigarette sales negatively, and the potential to create a new form of tobacco use among those no longer interested in taking up smoking. Young people were a key target. TTCs did not, however, make SLT investments until 2002, a time when EU cigarette volumes started declining, smoke-free legislation was being introduced, and public health became interested in harm reduction. All TTCs have now invested in snus (and recently in pure nicotine), yet both early and recent snus test markets appear to have failed, and little evidence was found in TTCs' corporate materials that snus is central to their business strategy. Conclusions There is clear evidence that BAT's early interest in introducing SLT in Europe was based on the potential for creating an alternative form of tobacco use in light of declining cigarette sales

Teamwork Satisfaction: Exploring the Multilevel Interaction of Teamwork Interest and Group Extraversion

Science.gov (United States)

French, Kimberly A.; Kottke, Janet L.

2013-01-01

Multilevel modeling is used to examine the impact of teamwork interest and group extraversion on group satisfaction. Participants included 206 undergraduates in 65 groups who were surveyed at the beginning and end of a requisite term-length group project for an upper-division university course. We hypothesized that teamwork interest and both…

Multidrug-resistant Bacteroides fragilis group on the rise in Europe?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hartmeyer, G N; Sóki, J; Nagy, E

2012-01-01

We report a case of multidrug-resistance (MDR) in a strain of Bacteroides fragilis from a blood culture and abdominal fluid in a Danish patient. The patient had not been travelling for several years and had not received antibiotics prior to the present case. We also summarize the cases that have...... been reported to date of MDR B. fragilis group in Europe. As far as we know, a case like this with MDR B. fragilis has not been described in Scandinavia before....

The primary care diagnosis of dementia in Europe: an analysis using multidisciplinary, multinational expert groups.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lepeleire, J. De; Wind, A.W.; Iliffe, S.; Moniz-Cook, E.; Wilcock, J.; Gonzalez, V.M.; Derksen, E.W.C.; Gianelli, M.V.; Vernooy-Dassen, M.J.F.J.

2008-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To explore the extent of variation in the detection of dementia in primary care across Europe, and the potential for the development of European guidelines. METHOD: A mixture of focus group and adapted nominal group methods involving 23 experts of different disciplines and from eight

Identity as constraint and resource in interest group evolution

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Halpin, Darren; Daugbjerg, Carsten

2015-01-01

, and the capability of challengers to demonstrate to key audiences that the ‘radical’ change is in some way consistent with the founding identity of the group. We demonstrate the application of this approach by examining a case of radical change—a shift in overall form—in a well-known UK interest group, the Soil...

Central Europe: Ethical Overlaps of Environmental and Economic Interests in Coming Years.

Science.gov (United States)

Caha, Zdeněk

2017-10-25

Despite the size and thanks to the rich brown coal reserves, the Czech Republic is one of the leading energy producers in Europe, and the 7th biggest exporter of electricity in the world. However, following the climate change mitigation, the novel energy policy that enhances the reduction of coal mining is about to be implemented. A preliminary material flow analysis of the Czech energy sector was carried out. The data obtained confirmed that this government act would result in a dramatic reduction of revenues from electricity sales. Conversely, increased costs would be necessary in order to modernize nuclear power plants and promote the production of renewable energy. In addition, the economic analysis revealed that the act might be prejudicial to economic relations in Central and Western-European countries as some of them are significantly dependent on the electricity imported from the Czech Republic. Disputes between engineers and politicians were highlighted. The aforementioned interrelations were subsequently analyzed and a conclusion was made stating that global interests should have the highest moral priority.

Conservationism is not Conservatism: Do Interest Group Endorsements Help Voters Hold Representatives Accountable?

OpenAIRE

Kaufman, Aaron

2013-01-01

Much research assumes that voters know or can learn the positions their representatives take on key issue. Arthur Lupia found that voters could learn such information through advertisements and interest group endorsements. We examine whether these cues improve voters’ ability to infer their representative’s voting behavior and find that most interest groups fail to do so. In a follow-up study, we find that voters are ignorant of which positions the interest groups take on issues. Finally, we ...

Transition to Market Economy in Eastern Europe: Interest groups and political institutions in Russia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schjødt, Esben Bergmann; Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard

2002-01-01

revolutions," the old state monopolies were not removed. State monopolies have small-group advantages in contrast to the large group of private firms, which are numerous and not yet organized. It leads to an asymmetrical pattern of lobbyism in favor of non-transition, which can only be mitigated...... out comprehensive economic reforms. Free trade with the West and potential competition may put pressure on the old state monopolies. However, lobbies in the European Union may oppose free trade to maintain their monopoly....

Interest group influence and the delegation of police authority.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sloof, R.

1997-01-01

An interest group's choice between lobbying politicians and lobbying bureaucrats, and the decision ofpoliticians whether to delegate policy authority, are investigated simultaneously. Lobbying is modeledas strategic information transmission. By assumption only bureaucrats have the expertise to

The health policy pathfinder: an innovative strategy to explore interest group politics.

Science.gov (United States)

Nannini, Angela

2009-10-01

Moving a specific nursing health policy agenda forward depends on skill in building coalitions with other interest or stakeholder groups, including consumers. Often, nursing students study health policy in a discipline-specific environment without experiential opportunities to argue their views with other stakeholders in policy arenas. The health policy pathfinder, an innovative learning strategy for understanding interest group politics, will assist nursing students in meeting the following objectives: 1) analyze and articulate diverse policy arguments from various stakeholder groups; 2) identify opportunities for collaborations between stakeholder groups; 3) identify the influence of interest groups on the policy making process; and 4) critically evaluate evidence from a variety of sources ranging from peer-reviewed publications to grey literature to Internet blogs. This article describes the health policy pathfinder, including design, execution, and evaluation steps, and provides a brief excerpt from a student pathfinder. Copyright 2009, SLACK Incorporated.

Interest groups and health reform: lessons from California.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, T R; Dowell, E B

We review the 1992 policy choices in California for expanding health insurance coverage, focusing on the rejection of an employer mandate by legislators and voters. We analyze how interest-group politics, gubernatorial politics, and national politics shaped those choices. Although public opinion and the shift of organized medicine showed considerable support for extending health insurance coverage, the opposition of liberal and conservative groups and a foundering economy prevented a significant change in public policy. The president's health reform plan appears to address many of the unresolved concerns in California, but overcoming resistance to any kind of mandate will require skilled leadership and negotiation.

How Do Business Interest Groups Respond to Political Challenges?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paster, Thomas

2018-01-01

adaptation. The paper illustrates these two response strategies with four episodes of political conflict in the political-economic history of Germany: (i) the adoption of social insurance under Bismarck, (ii) the adoption of unemployment insurance in the 1920s, (iii) the adoption of board...... their interests, using four episodes of political conflict in Germany. The paper elaborates a model of response strategies and their likely impact on political outcomes. The model suggests that business interest groups can respond to political challenges in two ways: by seeking confrontation or by pursuing...

The mechanism of influence of interest groups in the European Union: political and sociological analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. S. Kanevsky

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Interaction between interest groups and political institutions is one of the cornerstones of the European Union policy making process. Although majority of Russian and foreign works dedicated to lobbying and decision making in the EU, concentrate on a governmental stadial system and normative procedures that regulate interest groups access to policy making centers. Such institutional approach doesn’t clarify why the EU has concrete policies, why not all interest groups are able to win, who sets the agenda and in whose interests decisions are made. Current article, using contemporary theories and research, analyzes process of interaction between interest groups and governmental structures in the EU. It also proposes explanations of wins and losses in the policy making process, trying to answer how interest groups interacts with each other and what patterns can be identified in the process of interest aggregation by governmental structures.

Careers, Connections and Corruption Risks in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charron, Nicholas; Dahlström, Carl; Fazekas, Mihály

the interplay between politics and bureaucracy. It suggests that corruption risks are minimized when the two groups involved in decision-making on public contracts—politicians and bureau-crats—have known different interests. This is institutionalized when politicians are accountable to the electorate, while.......4 million procurement contracts. Both show a remarkable sub-national variation across Europe. The study finds corruption risks significantly lower where bureau-crats’ careers do not depend on political connections....

Identification of voters with interest groups improves the electoral chances of the challenger

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sadiraj, V.; Tuinstra, J.; van Winden, F.

2010-01-01

This short paper investigates the consequences of voters identifying with special interest groups in a spatial model of electoral competition. We show that by effectively coordinating voting behavior, identification with interest groups leads to an increase in the size of the winning set, that is,

Interest groups, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 1

African Journals Online (AJOL)

interest groups can bring about changes in the water policy arena. ... Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 1 as a case study. ... attempts to influence public policy and their representation ... ties concern the relations between state actors and non-state ..... 'bears responsibility here [LHWP], since it is the sponsor of.

The visible hand of the state : on the organizational development of interest groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fraussen, B.

2014-01-01

To understand dynamics within communities of organized interests, researchers have primarily studied organizational births and deaths. The organizational development of established interest organizations has received far less attention. This article claims that the evolution of interest groups'

Political and Economic Scope for Permit Markets in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Gert Tinggaard

1999-01-01

(organized polluters) due to the possibility of a free, initial distribution (grand-fathering). As such, a mix of green taxes (in relation to non-organized interests) and grandfathered permit markets (in relation to organized interests) should be considered in the search for cost-effective and politically...... of permit markets in the US. Therefore, the policy recommendation for e.g. CO2 reduction in Europe is to apply taxation in relation to large and non-organized groups only, such as households and the transportation sector. A permit market, on the other hand, is politically more attrac-tive to the industry...

Maldives. Package on population education for special interest groups developed.

Science.gov (United States)

1995-01-01

The Population Education Program of the Non-Formal Education Center has developed a package of Population Education for Special Interest Groups comprising a learning package and fieldworker's guide. The learning package is especially developed for teaching population education for out-of-school populations. Special interest groups in Maldives include newly married couples, adolescents, and working youth. Produced under the guidance of UNESCO, Bangkok, the package contains 36 different materials such as posters, charts, leaflets, booklets, stories, and illustrated booklets which may be taught in 36 to 45 periods. The materials deal with eight themes, namely, family size and family welfare, population and resources, delayed marriage and parenthood, responsible parenthood, population-related values and beliefs, women in development, AIDS/STD, and respect for old people. Accompanying the learning package is the fieldworker's guide used to teach the package. It contains individual guides for each of the 36 learning materials. The guide gives the titles of the materials, format, objectives of the materials, messages, target groups, and an overview of the content of each learning materials. The methodologies used for teaching the learning materials include role playing, group discussion, questioning, brainstorming, survey, creative writing, problem-solving and evaluation. The package will be used by fieldworkers to conduct island-based population education courses. full text

"Self-promotion": How regulatory focus affects the pursuit of self-interest at the expense of the group

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zaal, Maarten; Van Laar, C.; Stahl, Tomas; Ellemers, Naomi; Derks, Belle

Self-interested behavior may have positive consequences for individual group-members, but also negatively affects the outcomes of the group when group-level and individual-level interests are misaligned. In two studies, we examined such self-interested, group-undermining behavior from the

EDF group - Reference Document 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The EDF Group is an integrated energy supplier operating in a wide range of electricity-related businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, sale and trading of energy. It is the main operator in the French electricity market and one of the leading electricity groups in Europe. With an installed capacity of 130.8 GW (123.9 GW in Europe), it contributes to the supply of energy and services to more than 40 million customers throughout the world (with approximately 36.7 million customers in Europe, more than 28 million of whom are in France). The EDF Group has built a business model balanced between deregulated and regulated operations in France and an international presence. In 2005, the Group recorded consolidated sales of euros 51,051 million, net income (Group share) of euros 3,242 million, and it achieved earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortization of euros 13,010 million. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document for the year 2005. It contains information about: the Group activities, risk factors, Business Overview, Organizational Structure, Property, Plants and Equipment, Operating and Financial Review, Capital Resources, Research and Development, Patents and Licences, Trend Information, Financial Prospects, Administrative, Management, and Supervisory Bodies and Senior Management, Remuneration and Benefits, Board Practices, Employees/Human Resources, Major Shareholders, Related Party Transactions, Financial Information Concerning the Company's Assets and Liabilities, Financial Position and Profits and Losses, Material Contracts, Information on Holdings etc

Interest Groups' Influence over Drug Pricing Policy Reform in South Korea

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Woojin

2005-01-01

In 1999, the Korean government made a drug pricing policy reform to improve the efficiency and transparency of the drug distribution system. Yet, its policy formation process was far from being rational. Facing harsh resistance from various interest groups, the government changed its details into something different from what was initially investigated and planned. So far, little evidence supports any improvement in Korea's drug distribution system. Instead, the new drug pricing policy has deteriorated Korea's national health insurance budget, indicating a heavier economic burden for the general public. From Korea's experience, we may draw some lessons for the future development of a better health care system. As a society becomes more pluralistic, the government should come out of authoritarianism and thoroughly prepare in advance for resistance to reform, by making greater efforts to persuade strong interest groups while informing the general public of potential benefits of the reform. Additionally, facing developing civic groups, the government should listen but not rely too much on them at the final stage of the policy formation. Many of the civic groups lack expertise to evaluate the details of policy and tend to act in a somewhat emotional way. PMID:15988802

Interest groups' influence over drug pricing policy reform in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Chung, Woo Jin; Kim, Han Joong

2005-06-30

In 1999, the Korean government made a drug pricing policy reform to improve the efficiency and transparency of the drug distribution system. Yet, its policy formation process was far from being rational. Facing harsh resistance from various interest groups, the government changed its details into something different from what was initially investigated and planned. So far, little evidence supports any improvement in Korea's drug distribution system. Instead, the new drug pricing policy has deteriorated Korea's national health insurance budget, indicating a heavier economic burden for the general public. From Korea's experience, we may draw some lessons for the future development of a better health care system. As a society becomes more pluralistic, the government should come out of authoritarianism and thoroughly prepare in advance for resistance to reform, by making greater efforts to persuade strong interest groups while informing the general public of potential benefits of the reform. Additionally, facing developing civic groups, the government should listen but not rely too much on them at the final stage of the policy formation. Many of the civic groups lack expertise to evaluate the details of policy and tend to act in a somewhat emotional way.

THE CARE PROJECT - Coordinated Accelerator Research in Europe

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

A one-day presentation of the project will take place on Monday February 10th in the CERN Council Chamber. The meeting will start a 9am and is expected to end at 4:30pm. The meeting, which is open to the whole community, will present an initiative on accelerator R&D in Europe, supported by ECFA, with the aim to bid for European Union support through the Framework 6 scheme. This initiative is coordinated by a steering group (ESGARD - European Steering Group on Accelerator Research and Development), which has been set up to coordinate European efforts on accelerator R&D and the submission of such bids. The initial bids have to be submitted by April 15th. All those interested in accelerator R&D are welcome to attend. Presentation of the CARE project (Coordinated Accelerator Research in Europe) to be submitted within FP6 February 10th, at CERN in the council room Agenda Chair : C. Wyss 9:00 General presentation of FP6 and introduction of IA proposal (R. Aleksan) 9:45 Networking activities on e ...

Disparities in type 2 diabetes prevalence among ethnic minority groups resident in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Meeks, Karlijn A. C.; Freitas-Da-Silva, Deivisson; Adeyemo, Adebowale; Beune, Erik J. A. J.; Modesti, Pietro A.; Stronks, Karien; Zafarmand, Mohammad H.; Agyemang, Charles

2016-01-01

Many ethnic minorities in Europe have a higher type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence than their host European populations. The risk size differs between ethnic groups, but the extent of the differences in the various ethnic minority groups has not yet been systematically quantified. We conducted a

Workplace violence: trends and risk groups in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bossche, S.N.J. van den; Taris, T.W.; Houtman, I.L.D.; Smulders, P.G.W.; Kompier, M.A.J.

2010-01-01

Incidence rates of physical violence in Europe have increased in the past decade, but little is known about the causes. It has been suggested that the growth of the service sector (leading to more interactions with clients) and the intensification of work (more time pressure, less control, more use

Areas of interest of potential users for naturalistic observation studies. PROmoting real Life Observations for Gaining Understanding of road user behaviour in Europe PROLOGUE, Deliverable D1.2.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schagen, I.N.L.G. van Craen, S. de Nes, N. van & Eenink, R.

2010-01-01

Identification of the interests of potential users is crucial for setting up a useful and broadly supported large-scale naturalistic driving (ND) study. This report describes the results of a survey amongst 72 road transport professionals in Europe from different organisation types that aimed at

The political feasibility of Norway as the ‘green battery’ of Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gullberg, Anne Therese

2013-01-01

Norway has great potential for producing pumped-storage hydropower, and the European Union (EU) hope Norway can contribute to Europe's transition to a renewable energy system by serving as a ‘green battery’. This is certainly technically feasible. However, this paper asks whether the green battery idea is politically feasible. The paper analyses four scenarios, three of which Norway serves as a green battery and one domestic. It focuses on decision-makers' and interest groups' positions on new interconnectors from Norway to continental Europe and the United Kingdom (UK), pumped-storage hydropower, and new renewable energy production in Norway. The paper argues that the present policy is characterised by incremental change—decisions about new interconnectors are made on an individual basis. Moreover the paper argues there is little reason to believe that this status quo policy will change based on any of the green battery scenarios in the near term. Still, decision-makers and interest groups are positive, in principle, towards new interconnectors and pumped-storage hydropower. Hence, Norway might become a green battery in the longer term. In the short term, however, a politically feasible contribution from Norway is balancing power through already existing hydropower capacity. - Highlights: ► Norwegian status quo policy is characterised by incremental change. ► Status quo is no likely to be replaced by a green battery scenario in the short term. ► Norway might become the green battery of Europe in the longer term

The Influence of Some Romanian Interest Groups Upon the Activity of Government and Parliament

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bianca COBÂRZAN

2005-10-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on two specific interest groups, NGOs and trade unions, and on their influence upon the government and parliament. Our paper is based on an analyze of the activity of several interest groups during the period 2002-2004 and on the results of several researches and reports published on the last years. The analyze identifies petitioning for rule making, public meetings and debates, monitoring the activity of the public institutions and participating in advisory or regulatory committees as being the most common used mechanisms to influence the government and the parliament in Romania. Also, the analyze shows that administrative procedures affect the degree of bureaucratic autonomy. Overall, the results of this brief research show some pluralist forms of the interaction between the interest groups and the public institutions.

Youth, Europe and the Nation: The Political Knowledge, Interests and Identities of the New Generation of European Youth

Science.gov (United States)

Faas, Daniel

2007-01-01

Europe is undergoing considerable demographic, economic, cultural and socio-political change. National citizenship identities have been challenged by the simultaneous processes of European integration and the migration of people into and across Europe. This paper explores how the current generation of youth relates towards Europe, and highlights…

The future of aortic surgery in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Czerny, Martin; Bachet, Jean; Bavaria, Joseph

2012-01-01

the interested reader with an overview of how aortic surgery and (perhaps more accurately) aortic medicine has evolved in Europe, and its present standing; also to provide a glimpse into the future, trying to disseminate the thoughts of a group of people actively involved in the development of aortic medicine......At least every ten years, each specialty should reflect upon its past, its present and its future, in order to be able to reconfirm the direction in which it is headed, to adopt suggestions from inside and outside and, consequently, to improve. As such, the aim of this manuscript is to provide...

Risk perception in an interest group context: an examination of the TMI restart issue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Soderstrom, E.J.; Sorensen, J.H.; Copenhaver, E.D.; Carnes, S.A.

1984-01-01

Human response to environmental hazards and risks has been the subject of considerable research by social scientists. Work has traditionally focused on either individual response to the risks of an ongoing or future threat (hazards research), or group and organizational response to a specific disaster event (disaster research). As part of a larger investigation of the restart of the Unit 1 reactor at Three Mile Island (TMI), the response of interest groups active in the restart issue to the continued threat of TMI and to future risks due to restart was examined. After reviewing the restart issue in general, the local dimensions of the restart issue from interest group perspectives are discussed. A method for defining appropriate issues at the community level is reviewed. Differences in the perceived local impacts of alternative decisions, and systems of beliefs associated with differing perceptions are discussed. Finally, the implications of interest group versus individual perceptions of local issues for decision making about TMI, in particular, and about technological hazards management, in general, are discussed. Associated implications for determining socially acceptable risk levels are identified

USA, Russia and the Geopolitical Theatre in the South-Eastern Europe: The Place of Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin Pintescu

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Core issues addressed in this article are: the existing threats to address the interests of the US geopolitical and geostrategical, particularly in South-Eastern Europe; the resources available to the American State for the protection of those interests; main features (elements geopolitical of Romania; importance for Romania's Alliance with US. Only states or groups of states that may threaten the economic interests of the U.S. military are originated from Eurasia: China, Russia, the Organization of Shanghai cooperation, the European Union. The main opponent of the U.S. in South-Eastern Europe is Russia. Geostrategical interests of Russia remains fundamentally the attempt to divide alliance NATO (in particular by providing the economic benefits of Germany and France and isolate Eastern Europe; in this way, the US military presence in Europe would become problematic. Currently, the US has enough economic and military means in order to avoid this situation.Geopolitical and geostrategical problems of Romania are of two kinds: external and internal. Externally, Romania has some diplomatic disagreements with Ukraine. At the same time, Romania was not able to resolve in the manner of the former Federal Republic of Germany, a consequence of the Second World War: the unification with the Republic of Moldova, the State created artificially by former USSR after the Second World War. Internally, the main geopolitical problems of Romania are the following: underdevelopment and the absence of real economic competitiveness of industry and agriculture; the demographic decline, lowering the standard of living of population. In the absence of support of the USA for Romania, this country will increase the degree of economic dependence towards Russia.

Self-interested agents create, maintain, and modify group-functional culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Manvir; Glowacki, Luke; Wrangham, Richard W

2016-01-01

We agree that institutions and rules are crucial for explaining human sociality, but we question the claim of there not being "alternatives to CGS [that] can easily account for the institutionalized cooperation that characterizes human societies" (target article, sect. 7). Hypothesizing that self-interested individuals coercively and collaboratively create rules, we propose that agent-based hypotheses offer viable alternatives to cultural group selection (CGS).

EDF group - Reference Document 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

The EDF Group is an integrated energy supplier operating in a wide range of electricity-related businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, sale and trading of energy. It is the main operator in the French electricity market and one of the leading electricity groups in Europe. With an installed capacity of 125,4 GW, it contributes to the supply of energy and services to more than 42 million customers throughout the world (with approximately 36 million customers in Europe, more than 28 million of whom are in France). The EDF Group has built a business model balanced between deregulated and regulated operations in France and an international presence. In 2004, the Group recorded consolidated sales of euros 46,928 million, net income (Group share) of euros 1,341 million, and it achieved earnings before interests, taxes, depreciation and amortization of euros 12,127 million. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document for the year 2004. It contains information about: the Group activities, capital, relations with Gaz de France utility, strategy, industrial environment, history, activity in France, international activity, transverse activities and functions, disputes, arbitration and risk factors, Property, Plants and Equipment, Operating and Financial Review, Administrative, Management, and Supervisory Bodies and Senior Management, Remuneration and Benefits, recent trends and perspectives

Non-controlling interests, financial performance and the equity of groups. An empirical study of groups listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radosław Ignatowski

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to (a analyze IFRS requirements for the recognition and presentation of non-controlling (minority interests in consolidated financial statements in relation to theoretical concepts of consolidation of financial statements, and (b assess the share and importance of non-controlling inter-ests in financial performance and the equity of the groups of companies in practice.For the purpose of the article, selected scientific methods have been used, including: descriptive and analytical ones (for analyzing the theoretical concepts and IFRS requirements, critical analysis, especial-ly used for the literature review, and for the assessment of practice: primary empirical research methods, and quantitative methods, including descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests and correlation analysis. The empirical material collected was used to verify several hypotheses related to non-controlling interests of the groups whose parents are registered in Poland and whose securities are traded on a regulated, Polish capital market (Warsaw Stock Exchange. The empirical evidence is that non-controlling interests represent a very small part of group’s equity (taking the mean of about 3.5%, but the median below 1% and obviously, they are significantly lower than the share of majority interests. Their deviation among the different classes of companies (big, small and banks is negligible. Slightly higher is the share of minority interests in the group’s net profit and total comprehensive income. However, no significant difference is to be found between the shares of non-controlling interests in the group’s equity, net profit and total comprehensive income. Overall, shares of majority (minority interests in a group’s income are in line with their shares in the group’s equity. The hypothesis on comparable returns on non-controlling and majority interests (in terms of ROE cannot be rejected if both net profit and losses are considered

The origins of lactase persistence in Europe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuval Itan

2009-08-01

Full Text Available Lactase persistence (LP is common among people of European ancestry, but with the exception of some African, Middle Eastern and southern Asian groups, is rare or absent elsewhere in the world. Lactase gene haplotype conservation around a polymorphism strongly associated with LP in Europeans (-13,910 C/T indicates that the derived allele is recent in origin and has been subject to strong positive selection. Furthermore, ancient DNA work has shown that the--13,910*T (derived allele was very rare or absent in early Neolithic central Europeans. It is unlikely that LP would provide a selective advantage without a supply of fresh milk, and this has lead to a gene-culture coevolutionary model where lactase persistence is only favoured in cultures practicing dairying, and dairying is more favoured in lactase persistent populations. We have developed a flexible demic computer simulation model to explore the spread of lactase persistence, dairying, other subsistence practices and unlinked genetic markers in Europe and western Asia's geographic space. Using data on--13,910*T allele frequency and farming arrival dates across Europe, and approximate Bayesian computation to estimate parameters of interest, we infer that the--13,910*T allele first underwent selection among dairying farmers around 7,500 years ago in a region between the central Balkans and central Europe, possibly in association with the dissemination of the Neolithic Linearbandkeramik culture over Central Europe. Furthermore, our results suggest that natural selection favouring a lactase persistence allele was not higher in northern latitudes through an increased requirement for dietary vitamin D. Our results provide a coherent and spatially explicit picture of the coevolution of lactase persistence and dairying in Europe.

The origins of lactase persistence in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Itan, Yuval; Powell, Adam; Beaumont, Mark A; Burger, Joachim; Thomas, Mark G

2009-08-01

Lactase persistence (LP) is common among people of European ancestry, but with the exception of some African, Middle Eastern and southern Asian groups, is rare or absent elsewhere in the world. Lactase gene haplotype conservation around a polymorphism strongly associated with LP in Europeans (-13,910 C/T) indicates that the derived allele is recent in origin and has been subject to strong positive selection. Furthermore, ancient DNA work has shown that the--13,910*T (derived) allele was very rare or absent in early Neolithic central Europeans. It is unlikely that LP would provide a selective advantage without a supply of fresh milk, and this has lead to a gene-culture coevolutionary model where lactase persistence is only favoured in cultures practicing dairying, and dairying is more favoured in lactase persistent populations. We have developed a flexible demic computer simulation model to explore the spread of lactase persistence, dairying, other subsistence practices and unlinked genetic markers in Europe and western Asia's geographic space. Using data on--13,910*T allele frequency and farming arrival dates across Europe, and approximate Bayesian computation to estimate parameters of interest, we infer that the--13,910*T allele first underwent selection among dairying farmers around 7,500 years ago in a region between the central Balkans and central Europe, possibly in association with the dissemination of the Neolithic Linearbandkeramik culture over Central Europe. Furthermore, our results suggest that natural selection favouring a lactase persistence allele was not higher in northern latitudes through an increased requirement for dietary vitamin D. Our results provide a coherent and spatially explicit picture of the coevolution of lactase persistence and dairying in Europe.

Identifying Critical Nutrient Intake in Groups at Risk of Poverty in Europe: The CHANCE Project Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolić, Marina; Glibetić, Maria; Gurinović, Mirjana; Milešević, Jelena; Khokhar, Santosh; Chillo, Stefania; Abaravicius, Jonas Algis; Bordoni, Alessandra; Capozzi, Francesco

2014-01-01

The aim of the CHANCE project is to develop novel and affordable nutritious foods to optimize the diet and reduce the risk of diet-related diseases among groups at risk of poverty (ROP). This paper describes the methodology used in the two initial steps to accomplish the project’s objective as follows: 1. a literature review of existing data and 2. an identification of ROP groups with which to design and perform the CHANCE nutritional survey, which will supply new data that is useful for formulating the new CHANCE food. Based on the literature review, a low intake of fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, fish, energy, fiber, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and C, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc and a high intake of starchy foods, processed meat and sodium were apparent. However, the available data appeared fragmented because of the different methodologies used in the studies. A more global vision of the main nutritional problems that are present among low-income people in Europe is needed, and the first step to achieve this goal is the use of common criteria to define the risk of poverty. The scoring system described here represents novel criteria for defining at-risk-of-poverty groups not only in the CHANCE-participating countries but also all over Europe. PMID:24699195

Identifying Critical Nutrient Intake in Groups at Risk of Poverty in Europe: The CHANCE Project Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marina Nikolić

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of the CHANCE project is to develop novel and affordable nutritious foods to optimize the diet and reduce the risk of diet-related diseases among groups at risk of poverty (ROP. This paper describes the methodology used in the two initial steps to accomplish the project’s objective as follows: 1. a literature review of existing data and 2. an identification of ROP groups with which to design and perform the CHANCE nutritional survey, which will supply new data that is useful for formulating the new CHANCE food. Based on the literature review, a low intake of fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, fish, energy, fiber, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and C, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc and a high intake of starchy foods, processed meat and sodium were apparent. However, the available data appeared fragmented because of the different methodologies used in the studies. A more global vision of the main nutritional problems that are present among low-income people in Europe is needed, and the first step to achieve this goal is the use of common criteria to define the risk of poverty. The scoring system described here represents novel criteria for defining at-risk-of-poverty groups not only in the CHANCE-participating countries but also all over Europe.

Identifying critical nutrient intake in groups at risk of poverty in Europe: the CHANCE project approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Nikolić, Marina; Glibetić, Maria; Gurinović, Mirjana; Milešević, Jelena; Khokhar, Santosh; Chillo, Stefania; Abaravicius, Jonas Algis; Bordoni, Alessandra; Capozzi, Francesco

2014-04-02

The aim of the CHANCE project is to develop novel and affordable nutritious foods to optimize the diet and reduce the risk of diet-related diseases among groups at risk of poverty (ROP). This paper describes the methodology used in the two initial steps to accomplish the project's objective as follows: 1. a literature review of existing data and 2. an identification of ROP groups with which to design and perform the CHANCE nutritional survey, which will supply new data that is useful for formulating the new CHANCE food. Based on the literature review, a low intake of fruit and vegetables, whole grain products, fish, energy, fiber, vitamins B1, B2, B3, B6, B12 and C, folate, calcium, magnesium, iron, potassium and zinc and a high intake of starchy foods, processed meat and sodium were apparent. However, the available data appeared fragmented because of the different methodologies used in the studies. A more global vision of the main nutritional problems that are present among low-income people in Europe is needed, and the first step to achieve this goal is the use of common criteria to define the risk of poverty. The scoring system described here represents novel criteria for defining at-risk-of-poverty groups not only in the CHANCE-participating countries but also all over Europe.

Religious Groups as Interest Groups: The United States Catholic Bishops in the Welfare Reform Debate of 1995–1996 and the Health Care Reform Debate of 2009–20101

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anne Marie Cammisa

2016-02-01

Full Text Available The United States has a long history of religious influence on public policy: the anti-slavery movement, progressivism, prohibition, civil rights, abortion, school vouchers, school prayer and nuclear disarmament are all issues that have involved religion and religious groups in policymaking. In recent decades, the number of religious interest groups (as well as interest groups in general has greatly expanded, but the role that the religious organizations play as interest groups in the policy arena has received relatively little attention. How are they similar to and different from other interest groups? What tactics do they use? How successful are they? Under what conditions is success or failure more likely? This article examines Roman Catholic religious groups as interest groups in the congressional policymaking process. First, it places Catholic interest groups in the context of the interest group literature, and second, it examines Catholic interest groups’ activity in the passage of welfare reform in 1996 and in the passage of health care reform in 2010. In both cases, they played a greater role in context-setting than in actually changing provisions.

Challenges in the transition to clinical training in dentistry: An ADEE special interest group initial report.

Science.gov (United States)

Serrano, C M; Botelho, M G; Wesselink, P R; Vervoorn, J M

2018-02-03

Curricular integration in higher education has been widely supported in the educational literature. As a result, several health care and specifically dental curricula have evolved from compartmentalised disciplinary training to integrated modalities; however, in many courses, a pre-clinical-clinical watershed remains a barrier to integration in dental education. This article introduces a general description of the pre-clinical-clinical transition in dentistry according to the outcomes of the discussion held during the first working group session of the "Transition to Clinical Training" Special Interest Group during the 2016 annual meeting of the Association for Dental Education in Europe. An online questionnaire was made available before the meeting to survey the curricular characteristics of the participants' schools. During the meeting, a working session related to the pre-clinical-clinical transition occurred. Conclusions from the discussion are summarised in this article. Fourteen dental schools from 12 countries participated in the online survey. The included programmes had an average duration of 5.3 years (SD = 0.48), with high school or the local equivalent as the required entrance level for dentistry. The hybrid curriculum was the leading curriculum design (n = 9) followed by competence-based curricula (n = 3), with patient treatment as the core of clinical training in every included programme. The pre-clinical-clinical transition in dentistry is a recognisable matter in dental education that requires assessment and research to ease the management of a stage with relevant influence on educational outcomes. This article presents an initial framework for further research and educational intervention. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Islamist groups in the UK and recruitment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammed Ilyas

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Since 2001 and 7/7 the search to find out why and how Muslims born in Europe join political and violence orientated Islamist groups has occupied policy makers and social scientist. The search has produced explanations that suggest social grievance, Islam and physiological problems are the motivations for why some Muslims join and act on behalf of Islamist groups in the UK. However, the approaches tend not to focus the role emotions generated from events that involve Muslim suffering play in some individuals becoming interested in acquiring and acting upon them. These events are often experienced variously by Muslims living in Europe through the media and are used by Islamist groups as resources to recruit. Consequently, this paper is based on interviews carried out with Islamists in the UK and tentatively discusses two process that take into account the emotional effect of events that concern Muslims in order to make sense of how some Muslims become compelled to acquire extreme ideas, act upon extreme ideas (independently or behalf of a group or join Islamist groups.

Interest organizations across economic sectors : explaining interest group density in the European Union

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berkhout, Joost; Carroll, Brendan J.; Braun, Caelesta; Chalmers, Adam W.; Destrooper, Tine; Lowery, David; Otjes, Simon; Rasmussen, Anne

2015-01-01

The number of interest organizations (density) varies across policy domains, political issues and economic sectors. This shapes the nature and outcomes of interest representation. In this contribution, we explain the density of interest organizations per economic sector in the European Union on the

Interest organizations across economic sectors: explaining interest group density in the European Union

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Berkhout, Joost; Carroll, Brendan; Braun, Caelesta; Chalmers, Adam; De Strooper, Tine; Lowery, David; Otjes, Simon; Rasmussen, Anne

2015-01-01

The number of interest organizations (density) varies across policy domains, political issues and economic sectors. This shapes the nature and outcomes of interest representation. In this contribution, we explain the density of interest organizations per economic sector in the European Union on the

THE STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE AND THE ACTORS OF SOUTH-EASTERN EUROPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florin Eduard GROSARU

2012-01-01

Full Text Available There is no doubt regarding the importance that south-eastern Europe has gained over the past years in geopolitical and geostrategic terms. Due to its history and considering the changes that have taken place here after the fall of the Iron Curtain, and also as a consequence of the “hot spots” emerged here on ideological, political, economic and terrorist grounds, this part of the continent still is an area of control and interests confrontations orchestrated by the actors that provide the international affairs with a multipolar dimension. All the aforementioned factors lead to various phenomena in which individual or group interests result in regional as well as global consequences.

Systematic mapping review of the factors influencing dietary behaviour in ethnic minority groups living in Europe: a DEDIPAC study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Osei-Kwasi, Hibbah Araba; Nicolaou, Mary; Powell, Katie; Terragni, Laura; Maes, Lea; Stronks, Karien; Lien, Nanna; Holdsworth, Michelle

2016-01-01

Europe has a growing population of ethnic minority groups whose dietary behaviours are potentially of public health concern. To promote healthier diets, the factors driving dietary behaviours need to be understood. This review mapped the broad range of factors influencing dietary behaviour among

Lobbying friends and foes in climate policy: The case of business and environmental interest groups in the European Union

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gullberg, Anne Therese

2008-01-01

Drawing on two conflicting hypotheses from the theoretical literature on lobbying, I consider the strategies applied by interest groups lobbying to influence climate policy in the European Union (EU). The first hypothesis claims that interest groups lobby their 'friends', decision-makers with positions similar to their own. The second claims that interest groups lobby their 'foes', decision-makers with positions opposed to their own. Using interviews with lobbyists and decision-makers, I demonstrate that in the field of climate policy, interest groups in the EU lobby both friends and foes, but under different conditions. Moreover, I find that the interest groups' motives are not always in line with the theoretical hypotheses. Interest groups lobby their friends on single policy decisions to exchange information, to further a common cause and to exert pressure, and their foes because a foe on one issue might prove to be a friend on another issue. Interest groups direct general lobbying towards both friends and foes. This paper provides a new empirical contribution to a literature that has so far been heavily dominated by studies focusing on lobbying in the US

U.S. Geological Survey Karst Interest Group Proceedings, Bowling Green, Kentucky, May 27-29, 2008

Science.gov (United States)

Kuniansky, Eve L.

2008-01-01

States are developed in carbonate rocks and karst areas. These aquifers and the springs that discharge from them, serve as major water-supply sources and as unique biological habitats. Commonly, there is competition for the water resources of karst aquifers, and urban development in karst areas can impact the ecosystem and water quality of these aquifers. The concept for developing a Karst Interest Group evolved from the November 1999 National Ground-Water Meeting of the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Water Resources Division. As a result, the Karst Interest Group was formed in 2000. The Karst Interest Group is a loose-knit grass-roots organization of USGS employees devoted to fostering better communication among scientists working on, or interested in, karst hydrology studies. The mission of the Karst Interest Group is to encourage and support interdisciplinary collaboration and technology transfer among USGS scientists working in karst areas. Additionally, the Karst Interest Group encourages cooperative studies between the different disciplines of the USGS and other Department of Interior agencies and university researchers or research institutes. The first Karst Interest Group workshop was held in St. Petersburg, Florida, February 13-16, 2001, in the vicinity of karst features of the Floridan aquifer system. The proceedings of that first meeting, Water-Resources Investigations Report 01-4011 are available online at: http://water.usgs.gov/ogw/karst/ The second Karst Interest Group workshop was held August 20-22, 2002, in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in close proximity to the carbonate aquifers of the northern Shenandoah Valley. The proceedings of the second workshop were published in Water-Resources Investigations Report 02-4174, which is available online at the previously mentioned website. The third workshop of the Karst Interest Group was held September, 12-15, 2005, in Rapid City, South Dakota, which is in close proximity to karst features

Non-controlling interests, financial performance and the equity of groups. An empirical study of groups listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange 

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Radosław Ignatowski

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this article is to (a analyze IFRS requirements for the recognition and presentation of non-controlling (minority interests in consolidated financial statements in relation to theoretical concepts of consolidation of financial statements, and (b assess the share and importance of non-controlling inter-ests in financial performance and the equity of the groups of companies in practice. For the purpose of the article, selected scientific methods have been used, including: descriptive and analytical ones (for analyzing the theoretical concepts and IFRS requirements, critical analysis, especial-ly used for the literature review, and for the assessment of practice: primary empirical research methods, and quantitative methods, including descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests and correlation analysis. The empirical material collected was used to verify several hypotheses related to non-controlling interests of the groups whose parents are registered in Poland and whose securities are traded on a regulated, Polish capital market (Warsaw Stock Exchange. The empirical evidence is that non-controlling interests represent a very small part of group’s equity (taking the mean of about 3.5%, but the median below 1% and obviously, they are significantly lower than the share of majority interests. Their deviation among the different classes of companies (big, small and banks is negligible. Slightly higher is the share of minority interests in the group’s net profit and total comprehensive income. However, no significant difference is to be found between the shares of non-controlling interests in the group’s equity, net profit and total comprehensive income. Overall, shares of majority (minority interests in a group’s income are in line with their shares in the group’s equity. The hypothesis on comparable returns on non-controlling and majority interests (in terms of ROE cannot be rejected if both net profit and losses are considered

An energy policy for Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

This document takes stock on the future energy policy of Europe. It discusses successively the challenges, the sustainability, the security of supply, the competitiveness, a strategic objective to guide europe energy policy, the action plan, the internal energy market, the solidarity between member states and security of supply for oil gas and electricity, a long term commitment to greenhouse gases reduction and the EU emissions trading System, the ambitious program of energy efficiency measures at Community national local and international level, a longer term target for renewable energy, a european strategic energy technology plan, a turn towards a low CO 2 fossil fuel future, the future of Nuclear, an international energy policy that actively pursues europe interests, the effective monitoring and reporting and how taking work forwards. (A.L.B.)

Effect of Global Posture Strategy on U.S. Influence in Europe

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

McCormack, Daniel F

2005-01-01

.... interest in NATO and Europe. Will following this new strategy take the U.S. across an invisible threshold where its force presence in Europe no longer guaranties leadership and influence in NATO? How is U.S...

An energy policy for Europe; Une politique de l'energie pour l'Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-01-15

This document takes stock on the future energy policy of Europe. It discusses successively the challenges, the sustainability, the security of supply, the competitiveness, a strategic objective to guide europe energy policy, the action plan, the internal energy market, the solidarity between member states and security of supply for oil gas and electricity, a long term commitment to greenhouse gases reduction and the EU emissions trading System, the ambitious program of energy efficiency measures at Community national local and international level, a longer term target for renewable energy, a european strategic energy technology plan, a turn towards a low CO{sub 2} fossil fuel future, the future of Nuclear, an international energy policy that actively pursues europe interests, the effective monitoring and reporting and how taking work forwards. (A.L.B.)

Cancer rehabilitation indicators for Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baili, Paolo; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette; Van Hoof, Elke; Bartsch, Hans Helge; Travado, Luzia; Garami, Miklos; Di Salvo, Francesca; Micheli, Andrea; Veerus, Piret

Little is known of cancer rehabilitation needs in Europe. EUROCHIP-3 organised a group of experts to propose a list of population-based indicators used for describing cancer rehabilitation across Europe. The aim of this study is to present and discuss these indicators. A EUROCHIP-3 expert panel

A Topic Space Oriented User Group Discovering Scheme in Social Network: A Trust Chain Based Interest Measuring Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Dong

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Currently, user group has become an effective platform for information sharing and communicating among users in social network sites. In present work, we propose a single topic user group discovering scheme, which includes three phases: topic impact evaluation, interest degree measurement, and trust chain based discovering, to enable selecting influential topic and discovering users into a topic oriented group. Our main works include (1 an overview of proposed scheme and its related definitions; (2 topic space construction method based on topic relatedness clustering and its impact (influence degree and popularity degree evaluation; (3 a trust chain model to take user relation network topological information into account with a strength classification perspective; (4 an interest degree (user explicit and implicit interest degree evaluation method based on trust chain among users; and (5 a topic space oriented user group discovering method to group core users according to their explicit interest degrees and to predict ordinary users under implicit interest and user trust chain. Finally, experimental results are given to explain effectiveness and feasibility of our scheme.

Gas crisis in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2002-01-01

The gas crisis in Europe is getting more evident. Basing his discussion on BP's annual statistical review of world energy, 2002, the author concludes that an increasing number of the major European consumers of natural gas may acquire a supply- and safety problem and become more dependent on imported gas for operating power stations. This is going to be most dramatic for France, Germany and Italy. Great Britain have gas reserves that will last for about seven years. Spain is an interesting ''phenomenon'' in the European gas market; they have trebled their gas consumption during the last decade. Europe's dependence on a high production rate on the Norwegian Shelf has become stronger from year to year

Europe - the first hydrogen economy?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hart, D.

1999-01-01

An examination of the state of research relating to hydrogen production and utilization indicates that interest in hydrogen from major companies in Europe has increased by several orders of magnitude in recent years. Of the three major areas where a hydrogen economy could be expected to start, namely, Japan, the United States and Europe, the latter may have advantages in diversity of resources, attitudes towards environmental issues and specific fiscal and regulatory structures. Examples of ongoing research and development projects in Europe include Norway's hydrogen combustion turbine to run on hydrogen from decarbonised natural gas, a project in the Netherlands involving mixing hydrogen and methane in the natural gas grid and a variety of projects involving liquid hydrogen refuelling, hydrogen aircraft, hydrogen fuelling stations and fuel cell vehicle development. There are also ongoing projects in carbon sequestration and hydrogen production for power generation and vehicle use. The author's main contention is that the combination of natural surroundings, environmental problems and attitudes, and business and government frameworks strongly suggest that Europe may be the first to have a hydrogen-based economy. 8 refs

Micro power plants - interests, conflicts and possibilities - a focus group study with emphasis on business and environmental stakeholders; Smaakraftverk - interesser, konflikter og muligheter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bjoerck, M.; Vistad, O.I.

2009-05-15

In recent years, interest for the development of micro hydro-electric power plants have been on the increase. There are many and often varying public interests associated with energy development. We have particularly examined the main arguments that are used and what values seem to be based on prevailing attitudes and opinions. Our selected study sites are three municipalities with a relatively extensive small hydro power development: Foerde, Sogn and Fjordane, Hordaland and Kvinnherad Sirdal in Vest-Agder. We have used qualitative methods through semi-structured interviews and discussions in groups, so-called focus groups. Focus groups create an interaction between group participants that can bring out more information than by interviewing each participant individually. Qualitative methods are used to capture the phenomena and assessments that are difficult to quantify or measure, such as people's views and assessments. Our data is not documented facts, but 'assessments of reality.' We had two focus groups in each municipality, a group with representatives from interested organizations in conservation, outdoor recreation, or personal scientific expertise / interest (referred to as environmental groups), and one with representatives from landowners, developers, and other economic interests (called Business Groups). For many of the topics we touched upon such varied viewpoints fairly systematically between our two groups. Business groups see great economic opportunities for both local communities and landowners, arguing that while the development of small hydro power is a very important environmental measure because it allows renewable energy without adverse climate effects and will replace the climate damaging coal in Europe. Environmental groups argue that the new small hydro energy produces no net greenhouse benefit because it only comes on top of polluting coal power, it replaces it. They think it is important to question the environmental impact

The CARE project - Coordinated Accelerator Research in Europe

CERN Multimedia

2003-01-01

A one-day presentation of the project will take place on Monday February 10th in the CERN Council Chamber. The meeting will start a 9am and is expected to end at 4:30pm. The meeting, which is open to the whole community, will present an initiative on accelerator R&D in Europe, supported by ECFA, with the aim to bid for European Union support through the Framework 6 scheme. This initiative is coordinated by a steering group (ESGARD - European Steering Group on Accelerator Research and Development), which has been set up to coordinate European efforts on accelerator R&D and the submission of such bids. The initial bids have to be submitted by April 15th. All those interested in accelerator R&D are welcome to attend.

Systematic mapping review of the factors influencing physical activity and sedentary behaviour in ethnic minority groups in Europe: a DEDIPAC study.

Science.gov (United States)

Langøien, Lars Jørun; Terragni, Laura; Rugseth, Gro; Nicolaou, Mary; Holdsworth, Michelle; Stronks, Karien; Lien, Nanna; Roos, Gun

2017-07-24

Physical activity and sedentary behaviour are associated with health and wellbeing. Studies indicate that ethnic minority groups are both less active and more sedentary than the majority population and that factors influencing these behaviours may differ. Mapping the factors influencing physical activity and sedentary behaviour among ethnic minority groups living in Europe can help to identify determinants of physical activity and sedentary behaviour, research gaps and guide future research. A systematic mapping review was conducted to map the factors associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviour among ethnic minority groups living in Europe (protocol PROSPERO ID = CRD42014014575). Six databases were searched for quantitative and qualitative research published between 1999 and 2014. In synthesizing the findings, all factors were sorted and structured into clusters following a data driven approach and concept mapping. Sixty-three articles were identified out of 7794 returned by the systematic search. These included 41 quantitative and 22 qualitative studies. Of these 58 focused on physical activity, 5 on both physical activity and sedentary behaviour and none focused on sedentary behaviour. The factors associated with physical activity and sedentary behaviour were grouped into eight clusters. Social & cultural environment (n = 55) and Psychosocial (39) were the clusters containing most factors, followed by Physical environment & accessibility (33), Migration context (15), Institutional environment (14), Social & material resources (12), Health and health communication (12), Political environment (3). An important finding was that cultural and religious issues, in particular those related to gender issues, were recurring factors across the clusters. Physical activity and sedentary behaviour among ethnic minority groups living in Europe are influenced by a wide variety of factors, especially informed by qualitative studies. More comparative studies are

EDF group - Reference Document 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

The EDF Group is an integrated energy supplier operating in a wide range of electricity-related businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, sale and trading of energy. It is the main operator in the French electricity market and holds strong positions in the other three principal European markets (Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy) making it one of the leading electricity groups in Europe, and a recognized actor in the gas market. With an installed capacity of 123.7 GW in Europe (128.2 GW worldwide) it holds, among the major European energy specialists, the largest production fleet and the one emitting the least CO 2 , owing to the share of nuclear technology and hydropower in its generation mix. The EDF group supplies electricity, gas and associated services to more than 37.8 million customers throughout the world and in Europe (more than 28 million of whom are in France). The EDF Group has built a business model balanced between France and the international markets, and between deregulated and regulated operations. In 2006, the Group recorded consolidated sales of euros 58,932 million, net income (Group share) of euros 5,605 million, and it achieved earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of euros 13,930 million. From July 1, 2007, the EDF group will carry out its trading activities in a European energy market fully open to competition. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document for the year 2006. It contains information about: the Group activities, risk factors, Business overview, Organizational structure, Property, plants and equipment, Operating and financial review, Capital resources and cash flows, Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, Trend information, Financial forecasts or estimates, Administrative, management and supervisory bodies and senior management, Remuneration and benefits, Board practices, Employees/Human resources, Major shareholders, Related party transactions, Financial information

Nuclear power in Eastern Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, S. (Sussex Univ., Brighton (UK). Science Policy Research Unit)

1991-01-01

The main aim of this article is that of illustrating the experience of the use of nuclear power in Eastern Europe in order to estimate the degree of adequacy or inadequacy of COMECON's nuclear technology. The author examines four areas of interest concerning: the feasibility of new orders for nuclear plants in Eastern Europe; the pros and cons of completing half-built nuclear power plants; current policy towards existing nuclear power plants; and a review of the available evidence on the operating performance of plants in Eastern Europe. The common belief that the nuclear power experience had by old COMECON countries is uniformly bad does not seem to be fully supported by the limited evidence available. In the author's opinion, the prospects for a successful nuclear power industry in these countries depends on a series on interdependent factors among which, human skills hold a prominent position.

The essential tension between leadership and power: when leaders sacrifice group goals for the sake of self-interest.

Science.gov (United States)

Maner, Jon K; Mead, Nicole L

2010-09-01

Throughout human history, leaders have been responsible for helping groups attain important goals. Ideally, leaders use their power to steer groups toward desired outcomes. However, leaders can also use their power in the service of self-interest rather than effective leadership. Five experiments identified factors within both the person and the social context that determine whether leaders wield their power to promote group goals versus self-interest. In most cases, leaders behaved in a manner consistent with group goals. However, when their power was tenuous due to instability within the hierarchy, leaders high (but not low) in dominance motivation prioritized their own power over group goals: They withheld valuable information from the group, excluded a highly skilled group member, and prevented a proficient group member from having any influence over a group task. These self-interested actions were eliminated when the group was competing against a rival outgroup. Findings provide important insight into factors that influence the way leaders navigate the essential tension between leadership and power. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved).

The Problems of Tourist Sustainability in Cultural Cities: Socio-Political Perceptions and Interests Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Alvarez-Sousa

2018-02-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to analyse the social and political capacity of cities affected by cultural tourism. An investigation is carried out into the state of the situation in saturated destinations, the problems this poses to tourist sustainability and the positions of the various different interest groups. In Europe, many cultural cities-cum-tourist hotspots have reached such high levels of socio-political saturation that the resident population’s capacity for carrying tourism has become overstretched. This has led to a state of irritation among the local population. Social movements now include this on their agenda but the various different interest groups (residents, political groups, entrepreneurs, management bodies all react differently. We present data relating to the case of Barcelona, with analyses of residents’ and tourists’ opinions, the actions of social mobilization carried out by pressure groups, media repercussion and the reactions of the business sector and political groups. We examine data collected from surveys and opinions carried in the media. The sustainability and management of interests indicate changes in both the number and the type of tourists, the occupation of public spaces, the distribution of profit among entrepreneurs, residents and the political and economic model of society in the future.

The genomic history of southeastern Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mathieson, Iain; Alpaslan-Roodenberg, Songül; Posth, Cosimo; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Rohland, Nadin; Mallick, Swapan; Olalde, Iñigo; Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen; Candilio, Francesca; Cheronet, Olivia; Fernandes, Daniel; Ferry, Matthew; Gamarra, Beatriz; Fortes, Gloria González; Haak, Wolfgang; Harney, Eadaoin; Jones, Eppie; Keating, Denise; Krause-Kyora, Ben; Kucukkalipci, Isil; Michel, Megan; Mittnik, Alissa; Nägele, Kathrin; Novak, Mario; Oppenheimer, Jonas; Patterson, Nick; Pfrengle, Saskia; Sirak, Kendra; Stewardson, Kristin; Vai, Stefania; Alexandrov, Stefan; Alt, Kurt W; Andreescu, Radian; Antonović, Dragana; Ash, Abigail; Atanassova, Nadezhda; Bacvarov, Krum; Gusztáv, Mende Balázs; Bocherens, Hervé; Bolus, Michael; Boroneanţ, Adina; Boyadzhiev, Yavor; Budnik, Alicja; Burmaz, Josip; Chohadzhiev, Stefan; Conard, Nicholas J; Cottiaux, Richard; Čuka, Maja; Cupillard, Christophe; Drucker, Dorothée G; Elenski, Nedko; Francken, Michael; Galabova, Borislava; Ganetsovski, Georgi; Gély, Bernard; Hajdu, Tamás; Handzhyiska, Veneta; Harvati, Katerina; Higham, Thomas; Iliev, Stanislav; Janković, Ivor; Karavanić, Ivor; Kennett, Douglas J; Komšo, Darko; Kozak, Alexandra; Labuda, Damian; Lari, Martina; Lazar, Catalin; Leppek, Maleen; Leshtakov, Krassimir; Vetro, Domenico Lo; Los, Dženi; Lozanov, Ivaylo; Malina, Maria; Martini, Fabio; McSweeney, Kath; Meller, Harald; Menđušić, Marko; Mirea, Pavel; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Petrova, Vanya; Price, T Douglas; Simalcsik, Angela; Sineo, Luca; Šlaus, Mario; Slavchev, Vladimir; Stanev, Petar; Starović, Andrej; Szeniczey, Tamás; Talamo, Sahra; Teschler-Nicola, Maria; Thevenet, Corinne; Valchev, Ivan; Valentin, Frédérique; Vasilyev, Sergey; Veljanovska, Fanica; Venelinova, Svetlana; Veselovskaya, Elizaveta; Viola, Bence; Virag, Cristian; Zaninović, Joško; Zäuner, Steve; Stockhammer, Philipp W; Catalano, Giulio; Krauß, Raiko; Caramelli, David; Zariņa, Gunita; Gaydarska, Bisserka; Lillie, Malcolm; Nikitin, Alexey G; Potekhina, Inna; Papathanasiou, Anastasia; Borić, Dušan; Bonsall, Clive; Krause, Johannes; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David

2018-03-08

Farming was first introduced to Europe in the mid-seventh millennium bc, and was associated with migrants from Anatolia who settled in the southeast before spreading throughout Europe. Here, to understand the dynamics of this process, we analysed genome-wide ancient DNA data from 225 individuals who lived in southeastern Europe and surrounding regions between 12000 and 500 bc. We document a west-east cline of ancestry in indigenous hunter-gatherers and, in eastern Europe, the early stages in the formation of Bronze Age steppe ancestry. We show that the first farmers of northern and western Europe dispersed through southeastern Europe with limited hunter-gatherer admixture, but that some early groups in the southeast mixed extensively with hunter-gatherers without the sex-biased admixture that prevailed later in the north and west. We also show that southeastern Europe continued to be a nexus between east and west after the arrival of farmers, with intermittent genetic contact with steppe populations occurring up to 2,000 years earlier than the migrations from the steppe that ultimately replaced much of the population of northern Europe.

Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Czvikovszky, T.; Dobó, J. [Research Institute for Plastics, Budapest (Hungary)

1968-10-15

The preparation of wood-plastic combinations can be regarded as a special field of graft-copolymerization. It is therefore quite understandable why this idea was first introduced by graft-copolymerization specialists. On the basis of the theory and technique of radiation-induced graft- copolymerization, which has been greatly developed since 1950, wood-plastic combinations appeared simultaneously in the United States of America and in Europe. As is known, intensive American research on wood-plastic combinations is based on four patents by Kenaga from 1958, which were published in 1963. The worldwide interest in the matter was initiated, however, by Karpov's paper of 1960 based on Soviet patents from 1958 and 1960.

Global patterns in students' views of science and interest in science

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Griethuijsen, R.A.L.F.; van Eijck, M.W.; Haste, H.; den Brok, P.J.; Skinner, N.C.; Mansour, N.; Gencer, A.S.; BouJaoude, S.B.

2015-01-01

International studies have shown that interest in science and technology among primary and secondary school students in Western European countries is low and seems to be decreasing. In many countries outside Europe, and especially in developing countries, interest in science and technology remains

Governing Europe by comparison, peer pressure & self-interest

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krejsler, John B.; Olsson, Ulf; Kenneth, Petersson

2012-01-01

The Bologna Process and the creation of a European Higher Education Area (EHEA) signify that European nations commit to making different education systems comparable and advancing quality by competition. Employing a governmentality lens, this article scrutinizes the Bologna Process as a set of tr...... and self-interest. This complex of advancing national educational policies by means of on-going and gradual transnational consensus-building is exemplified in analyses of the crucial 2009 Bologna Stocktaking Report and its context....

Web-based tailored lifestyle programs: exploration of the target group's interests and implications for practice.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verheijden, M.W.; Jans, M.P.; Hildebrandt, V.H.

2008-01-01

An important challenge in Web-based health promotion is to increase the reach of the target audience by taking the target groups' desires into consideration. Data from 505 members of a Dutch Internet panel (representative for Dutch Internet users) were used to asses the target group's interests and

Urban air quality in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viana, Mar (ed.) [Spanish Research Council - CSIC, Barcelona (Spain). Inst. for Environmental Assessment and Water Research

2013-07-01

This book provides an overview of air quality in urban environments in Europe, focusing on air pollutant emission sources and formation mechanisms, measurement and modeling strategies, and future perspectives. The emission sources described are biomass burning, vehicular traffic, industry and agriculture, but also African dust and long-range transport of pollutants across the European regions. The impact of these emission sources and processes on atmospheric particulate matter, ozone, nitrogen oxides and volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds is discussed and critical areas for particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide in Europe are identified. Finally, this volume presents future perspectives, mainly regarding upcoming air quality monitoring strategies, metrics of interest, such as submicron and nanoparticles, and indoor and outdoor exposure scenarios.

THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL GUIDANCE ACTIVITIES IN THE CONTEXT OF THE NECESSITY OF KNOWING THE VOCATIONAL INTERESTS IN A DYNAMIC EUROPE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria-Elena, GHEORDUNESCU

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Strategy Europe 2020 aims to ensure an economic growth: smart, more efficient throught investment in education, reseatch and innovation; durable, by decisive orientation to a new economy with low-emisions of carbon dioxide and favorable to inclusion, by focusing on creating jobs and redcuing poverty. The priorites of the strategy will be achieved through five objectives, one which is linked to emplyment, namely: employment rate of 75% for population aged between 20 and 64 years. Providing such rate of occupancy implies policies at microeconomical level, but we consider also at individual level. So the young, future employees must be properly trained, and have the right to be able to handle a job. Current realities show that employers are interested in having by their side in accomplishing their goals, employees who are proactive, who improvise, who can cope with various demands in which they are involved, and respond positively to companies. They require a career choice to meet the vocational interests. Based on these issues, this paper aims to analyze the importance of knowing the vocational interests in school orientation by highlighting the correlation between the selected profile and personality of each. However, in this paper we try to show that school guidance is an early process and that if they knew their vocational interests, young people would be more decisive in the choice of future profession. We believe that, if the counseling activites and school oriantation would be conducted in a professiona way, youth might focus on those occupations which best define them and also could access appropriate university programs with favorable effects on employment levels.

Creationism in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily situated in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere—including Europe, where creationism plays....... It will be of interest to students and scholars in the history and philosophy of science, religious studies, and evolutionary theory, as well as policy makers and educators concerned about the spread of creationism in our time....

The role of student surgical interest groups and surgical Olympiads in anatomical and surgical undergraduate training in Russia.

Science.gov (United States)

Dydykin, Sergey; Kapitonova, Marina

2015-01-01

Traditional department-based surgical interest groups in Russian medical schools are useful tools for student-based selection of specialty training. They also form a nucleus for initiating research activities among undergraduate students. In Russia, the Departments of Topographical Anatomy and Operative Surgery play an important role in initiating student-led research and providing learners with advanced, practical surgical skills. In tandem with department-led activities, student surgical interest groups prepare learners through surgical competitions, known as "Surgical Olympiads," which have been conducted in many Russian centers on a regular basis since 1988. Surgical Olympiads stimulate student interest in the development of surgical skills before graduation and encourage students to choose surgery as their postgraduate specialty. Many of the participants in these surgical Olympiads have become highly qualified specialists in general surgery, orthopedic surgery, neurosurgery, urology, gynecology, and emergency medicine. The present article emphasizes the role of student interest groups and surgical Olympiads in clinical anatomical and surgical undergraduate training in Russia. © 2015 American Association of Anatomists.

Travel Health Advisory Group: a joint travel industry and travel health Special Interest Group promoting healthy travel in Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Leggat, Peter A; Zwar, Nicholas; Hudson, Bernie

2012-09-01

The Travel Health Advisory Group (THAG), established in 1997, is a joint initiative between the travel industry and travel health professionals in Australia that aims to promote healthy travel. THAG seeks to promote cooperation in improving the health of travellers between the travel industry and travel medicine professionals and to raise public awareness of the importance of travel health. From 2011, THAG has been a Special Interest Group of The Australasian College of Tropical Medicine and its membership has been active in several areas, including web-based travel health information, travel health promotion, media releases, research and education in Australia. Information is given on the objectives, membership and an overview of the various activities of the group. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Legislation helps open up new markets in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roberts, M.

1993-01-01

Recession may have slowed sales growth and acquisitions in the European water treatment sector, but legislation continues to foster demand for new technologies and products. The strength of this demand has pulled some new players into the European market, notes Mario Jackel, consultant at SRI International (Zurich). Japanese companies, long absent from the European scene, are now represented by water treatment equipment and chemicals group Kurita (Tokyo), which is building a formulated products plant in Viersen, Germany. The group-formerly targeting Eastern Europe-is now progressively shifting its attention toward the Western European boiler and cooling water markets, which has raised a lot of eyebrows. More threatening in the Western European markets is International Water Consulting (IWC), a water treatment company established in 1987 by Huels (Marl, Germany), a subsidiary of the giant Veba oil and energy group. IWC initially served the Veba group but then turned to the Benelux and German markets. open-quotes Right now they are extending to other Western European countries, and competitors are worried where they may end up,close quotes says Jackel. For the most part open-quotes there are no revolutionary new water treatment chemicals coming down the pipeline,close quotes so most water treatment companies are concentrating on service innovations, Jackel says. Nalco Europe (Leiden, the Netherlands), the market leader in Europe with about $370 million in sales, launched its Trasar real-time process monitoring technology in Europe in mid-1992, about six months after the US introduction. There are now more than 20 of the systems operating in Europe, mainly in cooling water applications, says John Sutley, president of Nalco Europe (Leiden, the Netherlands)

Creating and sustaining a military women's Health Research Interest Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Candy; Trego, Lori; Rychnovsky, Jacqueline; Steele, Nancy; Foradori, Megan

2015-01-01

In 2008, four doctorate military nurse scientists representing the triservices (Army, Navy, and Air Force) identified a common interest in the health and care of all women in the armed forces. For 7 years, the team's shared vision to improve servicewomen's health inspired them to commit to a rigorous schedule of planning, developing, and implementing an innovative program that has the capability of advancing scientific knowledge and influencing health policy and practice through research. The ultimate goal of the Military Women's Health Research Interest Group (MWHRIG) is to support military clinicians and leaders in making evidence-based practice and policy decisions. They developed a 4-pronged approach to cultivate the science of military women's healthcare: evaluate the existing evidence, develop a research agenda that addresses gaps in knowledge, facilitate the collaboration of multidisciplinary research, and build the bench of future researchers. The MWHRIG has been a resource to key leaders; its value has been validated by multiservice and multidisciplinary consultations. However, the journey to goal attainment has only been achieved by the enduring commitment of these MWHRIG leaders and their passion to ensure the health and wellbeing of the many women who serve in the United States military. This article describes their journey of dedication.

Determinants of banks’ net interest margins in Central and Eastern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomislav Rizdak

2013-03-01

Full Text Available This research analyzes the main determinants of the net interest margin of banks operating in Central and Eastern European (CEE countries in the period from 1999 to 2010. The results reveal several main drivers of net interest margins in the CEE. Prior to 2008 the net interest margins declined primarily due to strong capital inflows and stable macroeconomic environment. In the crisis period, significant rise in government debt accompanied by the increase in macroeconomic risks and abating capital inflows were pushing margins up while other factors such as low credit demand, higher capitalization and significantly increased share of non-performing loans pressured banks’ margins down. The results also confirm the important contribution of higher efficiency to lowering banks’ margins.

Natural-orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) in Europe: summary of the working group reports of the Euro-NOTES meeting 2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Meining, A; Feussner, H; Swain, P

2011-01-01

The fourth Euro-NOTES workshop took place in September 2010 and focused on enabling intensive scientific dialogue and interaction between participants to discuss the state of the practice and development of natural-orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) in Europe. Five working groups were...... collaboration and indications, robotics and platforms, and matters related to training and education. This review summarizes consensus statements of the working groups to give an overview of what has been achieved so far and what might be relevant for research related to NOTES in the near future....

The notion of general interest in the energy field

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bauby, P.

2008-01-01

The 1980's have been marked by a reversal of the reference paradigm concerning the manner in which energy issues are tackled: whilst during the whole period following the Second World War, primacy was placed on the pursuit of general interest in energy policies like in the industrial forms of organisation, the issues have tended to be tackled first of all in terms of 'markets', particularly in Europe and in developed countries. This article aims to raise once more and redefine energy issues, not using the opposition and exclusion between markets and general interest as a reference, but their relations and interactions as they are constructed, in particular within the framework of European integration processes. After giving a reminder of the essence of 'general interest', it will examine the energy issues in Europe and the construction of their relationship with the europeanization of public services. It will analyse the perspectives of a Community energy policy around three key questions: what internal market? What common policy? What public service obligations? (authors)

Increasing medical student exposure to musculoskeletal medicine: the initial impact of the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Interest Group

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mickelson DT

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Dayne T Mickelson,1 Philip K Louie,2 Kenneth R Gundle,3 Alex W Farnand,4 Douglas P Hanel5 1Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, Duke University, Durham, NC, USA; 2Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA; 3Department of Orthopedics and Rehabilitation, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, USA; 4Department of General Surgery, Presence Saint Joseph Hospital – Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; 5Department of Orthopedic Surgery and Sports Medicine, University of Washington, Harborview Medical Center, Seattle, WA, USA Purpose: To investigate the impact of the Orthopaedic Surgery and Sports Medicine Interest Group (OSSMIG on medical student interest and confidence in core musculoskeletal (MSK concepts through supplemental education and experiences at a single tertiary, academic institution.Methods: Medical student OSSMIG members at various levels of training were anonymously surveyed at the beginning and end of the 2014–2015 academic year.Results: Eighteen (N=18 medical student interest group members completed the survey. Significant improvement in their level of training was observed with regard to respondents’ self-assessed competence and confidence in MSK medicine (p<0.05. Additionally, respondents’ attitudes toward exposure and support from the interest group were significantly higher than those provided by the institution (p<0.05. Members believed OSSMIG increased interest in MSK medicine, improved confidence in their ability to perform orthopedics-related physical exams, strengthened mentorship with residents and attendings, and developed a connection with the Department of Orthopedic Surgery and its residents (median “Strongly Agree”, interquartile range one and two scale items.Conclusion: Since its inception 8 years ago, OSSMIG has been well received and has positively impacted University of Washington School of Medicine students through various interventions

Ancient DNA from hunter-gatherer and farmer groups from Northern Spain supports a random dispersion model for the Neolithic expansion into Europe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Montserrat Hervella

Full Text Available BACKGROUND/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The phenomenon of Neolithisation refers to the transition of prehistoric populations from a hunter-gatherer to an agro-pastoralist lifestyle. Traditionally, the spread of an agro-pastoralist economy into Europe has been framed within a dichotomy based either on an acculturation phenomenon or on a demic diffusion. However, the nature and speed of this transition is a matter of continuing scientific debate in archaeology, anthropology, and human population genetics. In the present study, we have analyzed the mitochondrial DNA diversity in hunter-gatherers and first farmers from Northern Spain, in relation to the debate surrounding the phenomenon of Neolithisation in Europe. METHODOLOGY/SIGNIFICANCE: Analysis of mitochondrial DNA was carried out on 54 individuals from Upper Paleolithic and Early Neolithic, which were recovered from nine archaeological sites from Northern Spain (Basque Country, Navarre and Cantabria. In addition, to take all necessary precautions to avoid contamination, different authentication criteria were applied in this study, including: DNA quantification, cloning, duplication (51% of the samples and replication of the results (43% of the samples by two independent laboratories. Statistical and multivariate analyses of the mitochondrial variability suggest that the genetic influence of Neolithisation did not spread uniformly throughout Europe, producing heterogeneous genetic consequences in different geographical regions, rejecting the traditional models that explain the Neolithisation in Europe. CONCLUSION: The differences detected in the mitochondrial DNA lineages of Neolithic groups studied so far (including these ones of this study suggest different genetic impact of Neolithic in Central Europe, Mediterranean Europe and the Cantabrian fringe. The genetic data obtained in this study provide support for a random dispersion model for Neolithic farmers. This random dispersion had a different

Group EDF at a glance 2005; Groupe EDF l'essentiel 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2006-05-15

The EDF Group is a leading player in the European energy industry, present in all areas of the electricity value chain, from generation to trading, and increasingly active in the gas chain in Europe. 2005 was a crucial year for EDF: growth in sales and a doubling of net income, the opening of the capital, the stepping up of our strategic development plan focused on Europe, a new public service agreement in France. This document presents the main points of the group activities in 2005: the group profile, the growing of the group, the solid position in France (sales and marketing, production and global warming, the radioactive wastes management and the business), consolidating positions in Europe and the international activities by pursuing a selective strategy. (A.L.B.)

The Forte Kreis : an Attempt to Spiritual Leadership over Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poorthuis, Marcel

2017-01-01

Just before the outbreak of World War 1, a group of writers, artists and philosophers decided to establish a spiritual rule over Europe, the Forte Kreis. The group aimed at a reconciliation in Europe, by establishing pacifism, but also between East and West by creating a new language. Their thoughts

Qatar chooses Snam to market LNG in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1992-01-01

This paper reports that Qatar has chosen Italy's Snam SpA as its European partner to sell liquefied natural gas to Europe from a $4.8 billion joint venture project involving supergiant North offshore gas field. State owned Qatar General petroleum Corp. (QGPC) and Snam signed an agreement in Doha to create a joint company owned 65% by QGPC and the remainder by Snam. Italy's state electricity monopoly, ENEL, which is seeking Qatari gas a fuel for its power plants, may later acquire part of Snam's interest in the project. The joint venture will transport and market North LNG to Europe. Exports to Europe by Snam via Italy, to begin in 1997, are expected to be 283 bcf/year at first and may climb to 459 bcf/year, depending upon demand

Implementation of the EU-policy framework WFD and GWD in Europe - Activities of CIS Working Group Groundwater

Science.gov (United States)

Grath, Johannes; Ward, Rob; Hall, Anna

2013-04-01

At the European level, the basic elements for groundwater management and protection are laid down in the Water Framework Directive (WFD) (2000/60/EC) and the Groundwater Daughter Directive (2006/118/EC). EU Member States, Norway and the European Commission (EC) have jointly developed a common strategy for supporting the implementation of the WFD. The main aim of this Common Implementation Strategy (CIS) is to ensure the coherent and harmonious implementation of the directives through the clarification of a number of methodological questions enabling a common understanding to be reached on the technical and scientific implications of the WFD (European Communities, 2008). Groundwater specific issues are dealt with in Working Group C Groundwater. Members of the working group are experts nominated by Member states, Norway, Switzerland and Accession Countries (from administrative bodies, research institutes, …) and representatives from relevant stakeholders and NGOs. Working Group C Groundwater has produced numerous guidance documents and technical reports that have been endorsed by EU Water Directors to support and enable Member States to implement the directives. All the documents are published by the EC. Access is available via the following link: http://ec.europa.eu/environment/water/water-framework/groundwater/activities.htm Having addressed implementations issues during the 1st river basin planning cycle, WG C Groundwater is currently focussing on the following issues: groundwater dependent ecosystems, and climate change and groundwater. In the future, the outcome and recommendations of the "Blueprint" - to safeguard Europe's water resources - which was recently published by the EC will be of utmost importance in setting the agenda for the group. Most likely this will include water pricing, water demand management and water abstraction. Complementory to the particular working groups, a Science Policy Interface (SPI) activity has been established. Its purpose is

The future of nuclear power in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kurtz, D.

1996-01-01

The current and future prospects of the nuclear power industry in Europe are assessed in this Financial Times Energy Publishing report. Key issues relating to the development of the industry in both Eastern and Western Europe are addressed. Changing governmental and popular attitudes to nuclear power are described and nuclear energy's likely future contribution to Europe's energy needs is discussed. Detailed production and consumption statistics make the document useful reading for those in nuclear generating companies, electric utilities, major power consumers, waste management companies, governments, regulatory bodies, investors and environmental groups amongst others. (UK)

Europe's neglected infections of poverty.

Science.gov (United States)

Hotez, Peter J; Gurwith, Meredith

2011-09-01

To review the prevalence, incidence, and geographic distribution of the major neglected infections of poverty in Europe as a basis for future policy recommendations. We reviewed the literature from 1999 to 2010 for neglected tropical diseases listed by PLoS Neglected Tropical Diseases (http://www.plosntds.org/static/scope.action) and the geographic regions and countries of (continental) Europe. Reference lists of identified articles and reviews were also hand searched, as were World Health Organization databases. In Eastern Europe, the soil-transmitted helminth infections (especially ascariasis, trichuriasis, and toxocariasis), giardiasis, and toxoplasmosis remain endemic. High incidence rates of selected food-borne helminthiases including trichinellosis, opisthorchiasis, taeniasis, and echinococcosis also occur, while brucellosis and leptospirosis represent important bacterial zoonoses. Turmoil and economic collapse following the war in the Balkans, the fall of Communism, and Europe's recent recession have helped to promote their high prevalence and incidence rates. In Southern Europe, vector-borne zoonoses have emerged, including leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, and key arboviral infections. Additional vulnerable populations include the Roma, orphans destined for international adoption, and some immigrant groups. Among the policy recommendations are increased efforts to determine the prevalence, incidence, and geographic distribution of Europe's neglected infections, epidemiological studies to understand the ecology and mechanisms of disease transmission, and research and development for new control tools. Copyright © 2011 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Disparities in HIV clinic care across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lazarus, Jeffery V.; Laut, Kamilla Grønborg; Safreed-Harmon, Kelly

2016-01-01

Background: Although advances in HIV medicine have yielded increasingly better treatment outcomes in recent years, HIV-positive people with access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) still face complex health challenges. The EuroSIDA Study Group surveyed its clinics to explore regional differences...... in clinic services. Methods: The EuroSIDA study is a prospective observational cohort study that began enrolling patients in 1994. In early 2014, we conducted a 59-item survey of the 98 then-active EuroSIDA clinics. The survey covered HIV clinical care and other aspects of patient care. The EuroSIDA East...... Europe study region (Belarus, Estonia, Lithuania, the Russian Federation and Ukraine) was compared to a "non-East Europe" study region comprised of all other EuroSIDA countries. Results: A larger proportion of clinics in the East Europe group reported deferring ART in asymptomatic patients until the CD4...

School Board Chairmen and School Superintendents: An Analysis of Perceptions Concerning Special Interest Groups and Educational Governance.

Science.gov (United States)

Feuerstein, Abe; Opfer, V. Darleen

1998-01-01

Surveyed all Virginia school board chairmen and superintendents on local governance issues. Discusses both groups' perceptions of board members' orientation to their role as elected representatives, their personal attitude toward the electoral process, their assessment of interest-group involvement in district decision making, their feelings…

Interest Groups and Strategic Constructivism: Business Actors and Border Security Policies in the European Union

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Baird, T.E.

Evidence suggests that business lobbying shapes European Union (EU) border security policies, but there has been no detailed empirical and theoretical work detailing how interest groups exert influence in this domain. Building on strategic constructivist accounts of policy-making, the article argues

The driving forces of stability. Exploring the nature of long-term bureaucracy-interest group interactions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Braun, C.H.J.M.

2013-01-01

This article explores the nature of long-term interactions between bureaucrats and interest groups by examining two behavioral logics associated with stability in public policy making. In addition to the implicit short-term strategic choices that usually feature in resource-exchange explanations of

Instruments for the Financing Investment Opportunities in Post-Crisis Europe: The Investment Plan for Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Trandafir

2016-05-01

Full Text Available The study is based on an analysis of the opportunities provided by The Investment Plan for Europe. The Plan, launched in December 2014, aims at stimulating additional investment at least EUR 315 billion in real economy in the 2015-2017 period and making the most of every public euro mobilized through both new and existing instrument, in order to achieve the high multiplier effect. The challenge for the Member States is to put the funds made available by these instruments to productive use in order to support sustainable jobs and growth in Europe. In this context, Romania is facing a major challenge: to promote projects of interest to investors, economically viable, sufficiently mature and consistent with EU policy priorities. According official sources, until the mid - March 2016, only two projects was selected for financing through The Investment Plan for Europe. The study contributes to the identification of the new innovative financial instruments that could improve the access to finance in general and to Romanian projects especially. The analysis uses the most recent official data, official documents published by the European Commission and other institutions in the field.

EDF Group - Annual Report 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

The EDF Group is a leading player in the European energy industry, present in all areas of the electricity value chain, from generation to trading, and increasingly active in the gas chain in Europe. Leader in the French electricity market, the Group also has solid positions in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. In the electricity sector, it has the premier generation fleet and customer portfolio in Europe and operates in strategically targeted areas in the rest of the world. The Group is also the leading network operator in Europe, giving it a sound business model, equally balanced between regulated activities and those open to competition. This document is EDF Group's annual report for the year 2005. It contains information about Group profile, governance, business, development strategy, sales and marketing, positions in Europe and international activities. The document is made of several reports: the Activity and Sustainable Development report, the Financial Report, the Sustainable Development Report, the Sustainable Development Indicators, the Management Report, the Report by the Chairman of EDF Board of Directors on corporate governance and internal control procedures

EDF Group - Annual Report 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

The EDF Group is a leading player in the European energy industry, present in all areas of the electricity value chain, from generation to trading, and increasingly active in the gas chain in Europe. Leader in the French electricity market, the Group also has solid positions in the United Kingdom, Germany and Italy. In the electricity sector, it has the premier generation fleet and customer portfolio in Europe and operates in strategically targeted areas in the rest of the world. The Group is also the leading network operator in Europe, giving it a sound business model, equally balanced between regulated activities and those open to competition. This document is EDF Group's annual report for the year 2006. It contains information about Group profile, governance, business, development strategy, sales and marketing, positions in Europe and international activities. The document is made of several reports: the Activity and Sustainable Development Report, the Financial Report, the Sustainable Development Report, the Sustainable Development Indicators, and the Report by the Chairman of EDF Board of Directors on corporate governance and internal control procedures

Experience in implementing projects in Eastern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weichard, A.; Bauer, I.; Rieck, R.; Ziehm, R.

2007-01-01

The article covers the present projects and activities in Eastern Europe of Nukem Technologies GmbH. The company's East European business began in 1973 in the field of uranium trading. After difficult negotiations in the period of the ''cold war'' it became possible to enter into an agreement with the Soviet foreign trade organization, Techsnabexport, about purchases of uranium for Western nuclear power plants. In the course of Nukem's realignment in the late 1980s, the focus was shifted more and more to the possibility of exporting into other countries the technologies developed and proven in Germany. This included countries in Eastern Europe. The situation changed abruptly with the political opening of Eastern Europe. A large potential market opened to Nukem as a supplier of technologies and plants for waste treatment and, later, the wider area of decommissioning. The partners in Eastern Europe were interested in proven, modern solutions. The ensuing success was also due to the fact that Nukem, in the early nineties, hired specialists from the new German federal states who had studied in the Soviet Union and were familiar with Russian technology, language, and culture. Soliciting analogous projects in the countries of Eastern Europe other than the former Soviet Union was begun in a parallel process. Very soon it turned out that also the interim storage of spent fuel elements constituted a potential market. (orig.)

Therapeutic inertia amongst general practitioners with interest in diabetes.

Science.gov (United States)

Seidu, Samuel; Than, Tun; Kar, Deb; Lamba, Amrit; Brown, Pam; Zafar, Azhar; Hussain, Rizwan; Amjad, Ahmed; Capehorn, Mathew; Martin, Elizabeth; Fernando, Kevin; McMoran, Jim; Millar-Jones, David; Kahn, Shahzada; Campbell, Nigel; Brice, Richard; Mohan, Rahul; Mistry, Mukesh; Kanumilli, Naresh; St John, Joan; Quigley, Richard; Kenny, Colin; Khunti, Kamlesh

2018-02-01

As the therapeutic options in the management of type 2 diabetes increase, there is an increase confusion among health care professionals, thus leading to the phenomenon of therapeutic inertia. This is the failure to escalate or de-escalate treatment when the clinical need for this is required. It has been studied extensively in various settings, however, it has never been reported in any studies focusing solely on primary care physicians with an interest in diabetes. This group is increasingly becoming the focus of managing complex diabetes care in the community, albeit with the support from specialists. In this retrospective audit, we assessed the prevalence of the phenomenon of therapeutic inertia amongst primary care physicians with an interest in diabetes in UK. We also assessed the predictive abilities of various patient level characteristics on therapeutic inertia amongst this group of clinicians. Out of the 240 patients reported on, therapeutic inertia was judged to have occurred in 53 (22.1%) of patients. The full model containing all the selected variables was not statistically significant, p=0.59. So the model was not able to distinguish between situations in which therapeutic inertia occurred and when it did not occur. None of the patient level characteristics on its own was predictive of therapeutic inertia. Therapeutic inertia was present only in about a fifth of patient patients with diabetes being managed by primary care physicians with an interest in diabetes. Copyright © 2017 Primary Care Diabetes Europe. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Managing the conflict between individual needs and group interests--ethical leadership in health care organizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Shale, Suzanne

2008-03-01

This paper derives from a grounded theory study of how Medical Directors working within the UK National Health Service manage the moral quandaries that they encounter as leaders of health care organizations. The reason health care organizations exist is to provide better care for individuals through providing shared resources for groups of people. This creates a paradox at the heart of health care organization, because serving the interests of groups sometimes runs counter to serving the needs of individuals. The paradox presents ethical dilemmas at every level of the organization, from the boardroom to the bedside. Medical Directors experience these organizational ethical dilemmas most acutely by virtue of their position in the organization. As doctors, their professional ethic obliges them to put the interests of individual patients first. As executive directors, their role is to help secure the delivery of services that meet the needs of the whole patient population. What should they do when the interests of groups of patients, and of individual patients, appear to conflict? The first task of an ethical healthcare organization is to secure the trust of patients, and two examples of medical ethical leadership are discussed against this background. These examples suggest that conflict between individual and population needs is integral to health care organization, so dilemmas addressed at one level of the organization inevitably re-emerge in altered form at other levels. Finally, analysis of the ethical activity that Medical Directors have described affords insight into the interpersonal components of ethical skill and knowledge.

Populism in Europe: Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartlett, J.; Birdwell, J.; de Lange, S.

2012-01-01

Nationalist populist parties and movements are growing in support throughout Europe. These groups are known for their opposition to immigration, their ‘anti-establishment’ views and their concern for protecting national culture. Their rise in popularity has gone hand-in-hand with the advent of

Research Data Alliance's Interest Group on "Weather, Climate and Air Quality"

Science.gov (United States)

Bretonnière, Pierre-Antoine; Benincasa, Francesco

2016-04-01

Research Data Alliance's Interest Group on "Weather, Climate and Air Quality" More than ever in the history of Earth sciences, scientists are confronted with the problem of dealing with huge amounts of data that grow continuously at a rate that becomes a challenge to process and analyse them using conventional methods. Data come from many different and widely distributed sources, ranging from satellite platforms and in-situ sensors to model simulations, and with different degrees of openness. How can Earth scientists deal with this diversity and big volume and extract useful information to understand and predict the relevant processes? The Research Data Alliance (RDA, https://rd-alliance.org/), an organization that promotes and develops new data policies, data standards and focuses on the development of new technical solutions applicable in many distinct areas of sciences, recently entered in its third phase. In this framework, an Interest Group (IG) comprised of community experts that are committed to directly or indirectly enable and facilitate data sharing, exchange, or interoperability in the fields of weather, climate and air quality has been created recently. Its aim is to explore and discuss the challenges for the use and efficient analysis of large and diverse datasets of relevance for these fields taking advantage of the knowledge generated and exchanged in RDA. At the same time, this IG intends to be a meeting point between members of the aforementioned communities to share experiences and propose new solutions to overcome the forthcoming challenges. Based on the collaboration between several research meteorological and European climate institutes, but also taking into account the input from the private (from the renewable energies, satellites and agriculture sectors for example) and public sectors, this IG will suggest practical and applicable solutions for Big Data issues, both at technological and policy level, encountered by these communities. We

Mineral facilities of Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Almanzar, Francisco; Baker, Michael S.; Elias, Nurudeen; Guzman, Eric

2010-01-01

This map displays over 1,700 records of mineral facilities within the countries of Europe and western Eurasia. Each record represents one commodity and one facility type at a single geographic location. Facility types include mines, oil and gas fields, and plants, such as refineries, smelters, and mills. Common commodities of interest include aluminum, cement, coal, copper, gold, iron and steel, lead, nickel, petroleum, salt, silver, and zinc. Records include attributes, such as commodity, country, location, company name, facility type and capacity (if applicable), and latitude and longitude geographical coordinates (in both degrees-minutes-seconds and decimal degrees). The data shown on this map and in table 1 were compiled from multiple sources, including (1) the most recently available data from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Minerals Yearbook (Europe and Central Eurasia volume), (2) mineral statistics and information from the USGS Minerals Information Web site (http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/country/europe.html), and (3) data collected by the USGS minerals information country specialists from sources, such as statistical publications of individual countries, annual reports and press releases of operating companies, and trade journals. Data reflect the most recently published table of industry structure for each country at the time of this publication. Additional information is available from the country specialists listed in table 2.

Global Patterns in Students' Views of Science and Interest in Science

Science.gov (United States)

van Griethuijsen, Ralf A. L. F.; van Eijck, Michiel W.; Haste, Helen; den Brok, Perry J.; Skinner, Nigel C.; Mansour, Nasser; Savran Gencer, Ayse; BouJaoude, Saouma

2015-08-01

International studies have shown that interest in science and technology among primary and secondary school students in Western European countries is low and seems to be decreasing. In many countries outside Europe, and especially in developing countries, interest in science and technology remains strong. As part of the large-scale European Union funded `Science Education for Diversity' project, a questionnaire probing potential reasons for this difference was completed by students in the UK, Netherlands, Turkey, Lebanon, India and Malaysia. This questionnaire sought information about favourite courses, extracurricular activities and views on the nature of science. Over 9,000 students aged mainly between 10 and 14 years completed the questionnaire. Results revealed that students in countries outside Western Europe showed a greater interest in school science, in careers related to science and in extracurricular activities related to science than did Western European students. Non-European students were also more likely to hold an empiricist view of the nature of science and to believe that science can solve many problems faced by the world. Multilevel analysis revealed a strong correlation between interest in science and having such a view of the Nature of Science.

Aedes albopictus and Its Environmental Limits in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Cunze, Sarah; Kochmann, Judith; Koch, Lisa K; Klimpel, Sven

2016-01-01

The Asian tiger mosquito Aedes albopictus, native to South East Asia, is listed as one of the worst invasive vector species worldwide. In Europe the species is currently restricted to Southern Europe, but due to the ongoing climate change, Ae. albopictus is expected to expand its potential range further northwards. In addition to modelling the habitat suitability for Ae. albopictus under current and future climatic conditions in Europe by means of the maximum entropy approach, we here focused on the drivers of the habitat suitability prediction. We explored the most limiting factors for Aedes albopictus in Europe under current and future climatic conditions, a method which has been neglected in species distribution modelling so far. Ae. albopictus is one of the best-studied mosquito species, which allowed us to evaluate the applied Maxent approach for most limiting factor mapping. We identified three key limiting factors for Ae. albopictus in Europe under current climatic conditions: winter temperature in Eastern Europe, summer temperature in Southern Europe. Model findings were in good accordance with commonly known establishment thresholds in Europe based on climate chamber experiments and derived from the geographical distribution of the species. Under future climatic conditions low winter temperature were modelled to remain the most limiting factor in Eastern Europe, whereas in Central Europe annual mean temperature and summer temperatures were modelled to be replaced by summer precipitation, respectively, as most limiting factors. Changes in the climatic conditions in terms of the identified key limiting factors will be of great relevance regarding the invasive potential of the Ae. albopictus. Thus, our results may help to understand the key drivers of the suggested range expansion under climate change and may help to improve monitoring programmes. The applied approach of investigating limiting factors has proven to yield valuable results and may also provide

Interest Groups, the Courts, and Educational Equality: A Policy Regimes Approach to "Vergara v. California"

Science.gov (United States)

Superfine, Benjamin Michael; Thompson, Alea R.

2016-01-01

In "Vergara v. California" (2014), a trial-level court ruled that California laws governing teacher tenure and dismissal were unconstitutional. This study analyzes "Vergara" in light of the shifting use of the courts to promote equal educational opportunities and the changing power bases of educational interest groups,…

Upgraded coal interest group. Quarterly report, July 1, 1995--September 30, 1995

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weber, W. [Electric Power Research Inst., Chattanooga, TN (United States); Lebowitz, H.E. [Fossil Fuel Sciences, Palo Alto, CA (United States)

1995-12-31

The objectives of the Upgraded Coal Interest Group (UCIG) are as follows: Review and update the status of various coal upgrading technologies and developments and critically assess the results. Perform engineering screening analyses on various coal upgrading approaches. Perform commercialization analyses that will promote the availability and use of upgraded coal products by quantifying the benefits of using them. Identify market opportunities for introduction of upgraded coals. Perform critical analyses on a variety of coals and technologies in areas important to users but not readily available. Perform critical experiments which will show the differences between technologies.

Multiple Perspectives on Imprisonment in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kjær Minke, Linda; Schinkel, Marguerite; Beijersbergen, Karin

2016-01-01

At present, there are over 1.6 million prisoners in Europe and conditions in European prisons vary widely. In 2010, the European Society of Criminology’s Working Group on Prison Life and the Effects of Imprisonment was established. In this working group scholars from over 20 different countries aim...

Sustainable energy successes in Central and Eastern Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Olesen, G.B.; Oesterfelt, P. [eds.

1998-12-31

The publication describes more than 20 `good practices` in energy conservation in Central and Eastern Europe: successful campaigns and projects for increased energy efficiency and renewable energy. The cases are collected mainly by NGO-organisations in INFORSE (International Network for Sustainable Energy) - Europe as part of their contributions to the ECO-Forum Energy and Climate Group. (LN)

Food groups for allergen risk assessment: Combining food consumption data from different countries in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Birot, Sophie; Madsen, Charlotte Bernhard; Kruizinga, Astrid G

2018-01-01

To prevent allergic reactions, food producers have to be able to make a knowledge based decision on whether to label their products with precautionary labelling. As many manufactured food products are sold in different countries across Europe, the allergen risk assessment should be estimated...... at the European levels. As currently, there are no pan-European food data suitable for food allergy risk assessment. The aim of this paper is to investigate if consumption data, at a meal level, from National Food Consumption Surveys, can be combined to form a common Food Consumption database. In this first...... attempt we developed a procedure to investigate, if national food consumption data can be combined and grouped using data from Netherlands, France and Denmark. The homogeneity of consumption patterns and the relevance of difference in risk of allergic reaction were compared, using a fixed framework...

Biofuel implementation in East Europe: Current status and future prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kondili, E.M.; Kaldellis, J.K.

2007-01-01

There is a continuously increasing interest concerning the biofuel implementation in Europe, mainly because of environmental protection and energy supply security reasons. In this context, the European Union (EU) strongly encourages the use of biofuels through a number of Directives. To that effect, EU members follow the Directives implementing various political, fiscal and technical measures and incentives. In the light of the potential created by the recently joined Eastern European countries, an increasing interest is shown in the whole biofuel supply chain within the EU. In parallel, the status of the Eastern European countries domestic market, as far as biofuels are concerned, is an interesting issue, since most of these countries present a significant potential, however still lagging in biofuel implementation. In the above context, the objective of the present work is to give a concise and up-to-date picture of the present status of biofuel implementation in East Europe. The work also aims at identifying the prospects of these countries as far as biofuels are concerned and their role in the EU framework as potential suppliers of a wider market. (author)

Cost of depression in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobocki, Patrik; Jönsson, Bengt; Angst, Jules; Rehnberg, Clas

2006-06-01

there is no earlier cost-of-illness study conducted on depression in Europe, it is, however, difficult to evaluate the validity of our results for individual countries and thus further research is needed. The cost of depression poses a significant economic burden to European society. The simulation model employed shows good predictability of the cost of depression in Europe and is a novel approach to estimate the cost-of-illness in Europe. IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH CARE PROVISION AND POLICIES: Health and social care policy and commissioning must be evidence-based. The empirical results from this study confirm previous findings, that depression is a major concern to the economic welfare in Europe which has consequences to both healthcare providers and policy makers. One important way to stop this explosion in cost is through increased research efforts in the field. Moreover, better detection, prevention, treatment and patient management are imperatives to reduce the burden of depression and its costs. Mental healthcare policies and better access to healthcare for mentally ill are other challenges to improve for Europe. This study has identified several research gaps which are of interest for future research. In order to better understand the impact of depression to European society long-term prospective epidemiology and cost-of-illness studies are needed. In particular data is lacking for Central European countries. On the basis of our findings, further economic evaluations of treatments for depression are necessary in order to ensure a cost-effective use of European healthcare budgets.

Improving Access to European E-theses: the DART-Europe Programme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Moyle

2008-11-01

Full Text Available DART-Europe (Digital Access to Research Theses - Europe is a partnership of research libraries and library consortia who are working together to improve global access to European research theses. The Programme is endorsed by LIBER (Ligue des Bibliothèques Européennes de Recherche as part of the work of the LIBER Access Division, and it is the European Working Group of the NDLTD (Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations. DART-Europe serves as a European networking forum on issues relating to electronic theses. The DART-Europe partners share an enthusiasm for open access to research theses, and they have helped to provide researchers with the DART-Europe E-theses Portal, a service which enables the discovery of the open access research-level e-theses offered by institutions and consortia from a growing number of European countries. This article gives an overview of DART-Europe, its progress and its future plans, with particular reference to the DART-Europe E-theses Portal.

Perceived legitimacy follows in-group interests: Evidence from intermediate-status groups.

Science.gov (United States)

Caricati, Luca; Sollami, Alfonso

2017-03-01

In two experiments, the effect of (in)stability of status differences on the perception of perspective legitimacy and in-group threat among intermediate-status group members (i.e., nurses students or nurses) was analysed. Both studies indicated that in downwardly unstable condition, legitimacy was lower and in-group threat was higher than in stable condition. In upwardly unstable condition, perceived legitimacy was higher and in-group threat was lower than in stable condition. The indirect effects of (in)stability via in-group threat on perceived legitimacy were significant. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.

Offshore Wind Energy Ready to Power a Sustainable Europe. Final Report. Concerted Action on Offshore Wind Energy in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2001-12-01

The objective of the project Concerted Action on Offshore Wind Energy in Europe [CA-OWEE] is to define the current state of the art of offshore wind energy in Europe through gathering and evaluation of information from across Europe and to disseminate the resulting knowledge to all interested, in order to help stimulate the development of the industry. The project is being funded by the European Commission and will be completed at the end of 2001. The knowledge gathered will be freely available through an internet site, a workshop and a printed report. This project divides offshore wind energy into five clusters of subjects and reviews the recent history and summarise the current state of affairs, relating to: Cluster 1 offshore technology, of the wind turbines and the support structures, Cluster 2 grid integration, energy supply and financing, Cluster 3 resources and economics, Cluster 4 activities and prospects, Cluster 5 social acceptance, environmental impact and politics. The conclusions from these surveys are then used to define recommendations for the future RTD strategy for Europe. The project's 17 partners come from 13 countries, thus covering the majority of the European Community's coastline. The partners cover a wide range of expertise and include developers, utilities, consultants, research institutes and universities

Severe accident management; the approach in the USA. Applications of US methods in Europe. Other approaches in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vayssier, G.

1999-01-01

In this lecture severe accident management, applications of US methods in Europe are presented. Author deals with historical perspective, US industry position to core melt accidents, method of Westinghouse owners group, method of Combustion Engineering owners group, method of Babcock and Wilcox Owners group, interaction with/inspection by the USNRC and with assessment of US SAMG methods

Europe – political cleavage in the French presidential elections .

OpenAIRE

Loredana Pătruţiu Balteș

2012-01-01

The French presidential elections of 2012 brought a new political approach concerning the candidates speech, because Europe became one of the main electoral themes within a national election. In full European economic crisis, the French people seem more than ever interested about the future of European construction, and in this context, the presidential candidates had to tackle this topic of interest in their election campaign. Analyzing the speeches of the first three candidates among the Fr...

Human Rights and Wrongs in Iran's Drug Diplomacy with Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Janne Bjerre

2017-01-01

Europe has a strong interest in and a history of assisting Iran in controlling inflows of drugs from Afghanistan. But due to Iran's increasing use of the death penalty in drug trafficking cases, Europe has terminated its cooperation. Based on interviews with Iranian policy......-makers and representatives of both human rights organizations and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), this article presents Denmark's withdrawal of drug control funding in 2013 as a case study, analyzing the dilemmas and trajectories of joint Iranian-European drug diplomacy and the prospects...

The balancing act of establishing a policy agenda : Conceptualizing and measuring drivers of issue prioritization within interest groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Halpin, D.R.; Fraussen, B.; Nownes, A.J.

2017-01-01

Interest groups are important intermediaries in Western democracies, with the potential to offer political linkage and form a bridge between the concerns of citizens and the agendas of political elites. While we know an increasing amount about the issue-based activity of groups, we only have a

Survival differences in European patients with AIDS, 1979-89. The AIDS in Europe Study Group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgren, Jens Dilling; Pedersen, C; Clumeck, N

1994-01-01

. The regional differences in survival were less pronounced for patients diagnosed in 1989 compared with earlier years. Improved survival in recent years was observed for patients with a variety of manifestations used to define AIDS but was significant only for patients diagnosed with Pneumocystis carinii...... pneumonia. The three year survival, however, remains unchanged over time. CONCLUSIONS--Survival of AIDS patients seems to vary within Europe, being shorter in southern than central and northern Europe. The magnitude of these differences, however, has declined gradually over time. Short term survival has...

Emergence of interest groups on hazardous waste siting: how do they form and survive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, R.G.; Payne, B.A.

1985-01-01

This paper discusses the two components of the facilitative setting that are important for group formation. The first component, the ideological component, provides the basic ideas that are adopted by the emerging group. The ideological setting for group formation is produced by such things as antinuclear news coverage and concentration of news stories on hazardous waste problems, on ideas concerning the credibility of the federal government, and on the pervasivensee of ideas about general environmental problems. The organizational component of the facilitative setting provides such things as leadership ability, flexible time, resources, and experience. These are important for providing people, organization, and money to achieve group goals. By and large, the conditions conducive to group formation, growth, and survival are outside the control of decision-makers. Agencies and project sponsors are currently caught in a paradox. Actively involving the public in the decision-making process tends to contribute to the growth and survival of various interest groups. Not involving the public means damage to credibility and conflict with values concerning participatory democracy. Resolution in this area can only be achieved when a comprehensive, coordinated national approach to hazardous waste management emerges. 26 refs

Food and Agriculture Policy in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Birt, Christopher A

2016-01-01

Diet includes many risk factors for the most common non-communicable diseases (NCDs), but diets consumed in Europe and in other parts of the developed world are not being modified sufficiently to take account of health priorities concerning, in particular, the prevention of NCDs, while much excess mortality and morbidity could be prevented by government actions to regulate appropriately both the agricultural and food industries, and to apply appropriate taxes and subsidies to promote healthier nutrition. In Europe, the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) continues to promote production of saturated fat rich foods and sugar, with scarce attempts to promote increased production of fruit and vegetables. Meanwhile, the food industry continues to market secondary food products rich in sugar, salt and saturated fats. Powerful lobbies seek to block reform; however, necessary reforms are indicated in the interests of improved nutritional health.

Thymic Carcinoma Management Patterns among International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group (ITMIG) Physicians with Consensus from the Thymic Carcinoma Working Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Annemarie; Riely, Gregory; Detterbeck, Frank; Simone, Charles B; Ahmad, Usman; Huang, James; Korst, Robert; Rajan, Arun; Rimner, Andreas

2017-04-01

Thymic carcinomas are rare epithelial malignancies with limited data to guide management. To identify areas of agreement and variability in current clinical practice, a 16-question electronic survey was given to members of the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group (ITMIG). Areas of controversy were discussed with the Thymic Carcinoma Working Group and consensus was achieved, as described. A total of 100 ITMIG members responded. There was general agreement regarding the role for multimodality therapy with definitive surgical resection in physically fit patients with advanced but resectable disease. Areas of controversy included the need for histologic confirmation before surgery, the role of adjuvant therapy, the optimal first-line chemotherapy regimen, and the recommended treatment course for marginally resectable disease with invasion into the great vessels, pericardium, and lungs. The results of the questionnaire provide a description of the management of thymic carcinoma by 100 ITMIG members with a specific interest or expertise in thymic malignancies. Although there was agreement in some areas, clinical practice appears to vary significantly. There is a great need for collaborative research to identify optimal evaluation and treatment strategies. Given the need for multimodality therapy in many cases, a multidisciplinary discussion of the management of patients with thymic carcinoma is critical. Copyright © 2016 International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Financing Constraints and Firm Growth in Emerging Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leitner Sandra M.

2016-04-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to shed light on the effects of different types of financing constraints on firm sales and employment growth in Emerging Europe before and after the onset of the financial crisis. It analyzes the group of emerging NMS-10 economies (plus Turkey and the group of economically and financially lagging Western Balkan countries. The paper demonstrates that financing constraints significantly obstruct firm growth, particularly in the Western Balkan countries, which calls for policy intervention to ensure swifter job-rich growth and catching-up with the rest of Europe. It also emphasizes that particular firm characteristics are essential for growth in Emerging Europe and demonstrates that exporting only and innovating are recipes for faster firm growth, while importing only and a high foreign ownership share seriously retard firm growth. Finally, it stresses the importance of the particular institutional environment for firms to thrive.

Postcolonial Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

How has European identity been shaped through its colonial empires? Does this history of imperialism influence the conceptualisation of Europe in the contemporary globalised world? How has coloniality shaped geopolitical differences within Europe? What does this mean for the future of Europe......? Postcolonial Europe: Comparative Reflections after the Empires brings together scholars from across disciplines to rethink European colonialism in the light of its vanishing empires and the rise of new global power structures. Taking an interdisciplinary approach to the postcolonial European legacy the book...... argues that the commonly used nation-centric approach does not effectively capture the overlap between different colonial and postcolonial experiences across Europe....

The Political Geography of Europe: 1900-2000 A.D.

Science.gov (United States)

Blouet, Brian W.

1996-01-01

Traces the often chaotic restructuring of European national boundaries from before World War I to after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Offers a concise and interesting overview of the political, economic, and military events that shaped modern Europe. Includes seven detailed maps showing shifting boundaries and alliances. (MJP)

Patient Blood Management in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bruun, M T; Pendry, K; Georgsen, J

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Patient Blood Management (PBM) in Europe is a working group of the European Blood Alliance with the initial objective to identify the starting position of the participating hospitals regarding PBM for benchmarking purposes, and to derive good practices in PBM from...

Legalistic or Inspirational? Comparing University Conflict of Interest Policies

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Elise; Williams-Jones, Bryn

2009-01-01

In response to growing public and policy concern about conflicts of interest (COI) in university research, academic institutions in North America and Europe have introduced policies to manage COI. However, depending on their form and content, COI policies can be more or less helpful in the effective management of COI. In this paper, we examine and…

Review article: the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori and the incidence of gastric cancer across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, S E; Morrison-Rees, S; Samuel, D G; Thorne, K; Akbari, A; Williams, J G

2016-02-01

There is little up-to-date review evidence on the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori across Europe. To establish regional and national patterns in H. pylori prevalence across Europe. Secondly, to establish trends over time in H. pylori prevalence and gastric cancer incidence and, thirdly, to report on the relationship between H. pylori prevalence and age group across Europe. A review of H. pylori prevalence from unselected surveys of adult or general populations across 35 European countries and four European regions since 1990. Secondly, an analysis of trends over time in H. pylori prevalence and in gastric cancer incidence from cancer registry data. Helicobacter pylori prevalence was lower in northern and western Europe than in eastern and southern Europe (P Europe from 1993 to 2007 was 2.1% with little variation regionally across Europe (north 2.2%, west 2.3%, east 1.9% and south 2.0%). Sharp increases in age-related prevalence of H. pylori often levelled off for middle age groups of about 50 years onwards, especially in areas with high prevalence. This review shows that H. pylori prevalence is much higher in less affluent regions of Europe and that age-related increases in prevalence are confined to younger age groups in some areas. There were sharp reductions in both H. pylori prevalence and gastric cancer incidence throughout Europe. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Understanding Food Insecurity in the USA and Canada: Potential Insights for Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Gundersen, Craig

2016-01-01

Food insecurity is a leading nutrition-related health care issue in the USA due to the magnitude of the problem (almost 50 million Americans are food insecure) and its association with a wide array of negative health and other outcomes. Alongside this interest in the USA, there has also been growing interest in Canada. In contrast, food insecurity has received less attention in Europe. Nevertheless, there is both direct and indirect evidence that food insecurity and its attendant consequences are present in Europe. Given the similarities between the USA, Canada, and Europe, previous research can offer numerous insights into the causes and consequences of food insecurity in Europe and possible directions to address these through measurement and public policies. I first cover the methods used to measure food insecurity in the USA and Canada. In both countries, a series of 18 questions in the Core Food Security Module are used to identify whether a household is food insecure. I then briefly cover the current extent of food insecurity in each country along with some discussion of the recent history of food insecurity. A central advantage to using the Core Food Security Module in Europe is that the measure has been proven useful in other high-income countries, and using a standardized measure would allow for cross-country comparisons. I next cover two large-scale food assistance programs from the USA, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (formerly known as the Food Stamp Program) and the National School Lunch Program. For each, I summarize how the program is structured, how eligibility is established, and how participation proceeds. Europe has generally used income-based assistance programs to improve the well-being of low-income households; I consider a couple of reasons for why food assistance programs may also be worth considering. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Europe vs. the U.S. A New Look at the Syndicated Loan Pricing Puzzle

OpenAIRE

Burietz, Aurore; Oosterlinck, Kim; Szafarz, Ariane

2017-01-01

According to the syndicated loan pricing puzzle (Carey and Nini, Journal of Finance, 2007) interest rates charged to corporate borrowers are lower in Europe than in the U.S. Our investigation suggests that controlling for region-specific credit ratings makes the Europe-U.S. gap insignificant, and solves the puzzle. We speculate that the puzzle originates from the lack of uniformity of accounting standards.

BULGARIA’S MULTI-VECTOR FOREIGN POLICY APPROACH TO SECURITY CHALLENGES IN EASTERN EUROPE

Science.gov (United States)

2017-04-06

tenuous than ever with the new controversial Trump administration and the EU nascent foreign policy efforts already failed in handling the challenges...AIR WAR COLLEGE AIR UNIVERSITY BULGARIA’S MULTI-VECTOR FOREIGN POLICY APPROACH TO SECURITY CHALLENGES IN EASTERN EUROPE by Dimitar Y...the abatement of US interest in Europe, will require wise foreign policy maneuvers to address the changes in the transformed security environment. As

Group EDF at a glance 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-05-01

The EDF Group is a leading player in the European energy industry, present in all areas of the electricity value chain, from generation to trading, and increasingly active in the gas chain in Europe. 2005 was a crucial year for EDF: growth in sales and a doubling of net income, the opening of the capital, the stepping up of our strategic development plan focused on Europe, a new public service agreement in France. This document presents the main points of the group activities in 2005: the group profile, the growing of the group, the solid position in France (sales and marketing, production and global warming, the radioactive wastes management and the business), consolidating positions in Europe and the international activities by pursuing a selective strategy. (A.L.B.)

EDF group - Reference Document 2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

The EDF group is an integrated energy company with a presence in a wide range of electricity-related businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, supply and energy trading. It is France's leading electricity operator and has a strong position in the three other main European markets (Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy), making it one of Europe's leading electrical players as well as a recognized player in the gas industry. With worldwide installed power capacity totaling 136.3 GW as of December 31, 2009 (134.0 GW in Europe) and global energy generation of 618.5 TWh, it has the largest generating capacity of all the major European energy corporations with the lowest level of CO 2 emissions due to the significant proportion of nuclear and hydroelectric power in its generation mix. The EDF group supplies gas, electricity, and associated services to more than 37.9 million customer accounts worldwide (including approximately 27.7 million in France). The EDF group's businesses reflect its adoption of a model aimed at finding the best balance between French and international activities, competitive and regulated operations and based on an upstream-downstream integration. In 2009, the Group's consolidated revenues were euros 66.3 billion, the net income (Group share) was euros 3.9 billion, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization was euros 17.5 billion. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document and Annual Financial Report for the year 2009. It contains information about: the Group activities, risk factors, Business, Organizational structure, Property plant and equipment, Operating and financial review, Capital resources and cash flows, Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, Information on trends, Financial outlook, Administrative, management, and supervisory bodies and senior management, Compensation and benefits, Functioning of the administration and management bodies, Employees/Human resources

The peatland map of Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tanneberger, Franziska; Tegetmeyer, C.; Busse, S.; Barthelmes, A.; Shumka, S.; Mariné, A.M.; Jenderedjian, K.; Steiner, G.M.; Essl, F.; Etzold, J.; Mendes, C.; Kozulin, A.; Frankard, P.; Milanović,; Ganeva, A.; Apostolova, I.; Alegro, A.; Delipetrou, P.; Navrátilová, J.; Risager, M.; Leivits, A.; Fosaa, A.M.; Tuominen, S.; Muller, F.; Bakuradze, T.; Sommer, M.; Christanis, K.; Szurdoki, E.; Oskarsson, H.; Brink, S.H.; Connolly, J.; Bragazza, L.; Martinelli, G.; Aleksāns, O.; Priede, A.; Sungaila, D.; Melovski, L.; Belous, T.; Saveljić, D.; Vries, De F.; Moen, A.; Dembek, W.; Mateus, J.; Hanganu, J.; Sirin, A.; Markina, A.; Napreenko, M.; Lazarević, P.; Stanová, V.Š.; Skoberne, P.; Pérez, P.H.; Pontevedra-Pombal, X.; Lonnstad, J.; Küchler, M.; Wüst-Galley, C.; Kirca, S.; Mykytiuk, O.; Lindsay, R.; Joosten, H.

2017-01-01

Based on the ‘European Mires Book’ of the International Mire Conservation Group (IMCG), this article provides a composite map of national datasets as the first comprehensive peatland map for the whole of Europe. We also present estimates of the extent of peatlands and mires in each European country

A new growth path for Europe : Generating prosperity and jobs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jaeger, C.C.; et al.,; Paroussos, L.; Kupers, R.T.L.; Mangalagiu, D.

2011-01-01

The synthesis report of the study “A New Growth Path for Europe. Generating Prosperity and Jobs in the Low-Carbon Economy” has generated unusually strong interest and intense debate. It was performed by researchers from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Oxford University, Université

Soltherm Europe Initiative: Joining forces to expand solar markets, fast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leun, K. van der

2001-01-01

The article describes the partnership formed by the European Commission and the Europe-wide Soltherm Europe Initiative. The Initiative was formed in response to the Commission's aims to extend the use of solar energy. Ten countries and two international bodies make-up membership of the Initiative. For the Commission's target of 100 million square metres of solar collectors to be installed by 2010, a rapid growth in the market will need to occur. The potential savings in energy and carbon dioxide (through solar water heaters) are discussed, and figures given. The market development options for achieving the short-term goal of 15 million square metres of collector surface by 2004, and the longer-term aim of 100 million square metres by 2010 are discussed. The Initiative aims to be a platform for integration and promoting co-operation between all parties with an interest in achieving the Commission's solar objectives. Interested parties are invited to join the Initiative

EDF group - Reference Document, Annual Financial Report 2011

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2012-01-01

The EDF group is an integrated energy company with a presence in a wide range of electricity-related businesses: nuclear, renewable and fossil-fuel fired energy production, transmission, distribution, marketing as well as energy management and efficiency services, along with energy trading. It is France's leading electricity operator and has a strong position in Europe (United Kingdom, Italy, countries in Central and Eastern Europe), making it one of the world's leading electrical providers as well as a recognized player in the gas industry. With a worldwide net installed capacity of 134.6 GWe as of 31 December 2011 (124.2 GWe in Europe) and global energy generation of 628.2 TWh, the Group has one of the largest generating capacities of all the major worldwide energy corporations with the lowest level of CO 2 emissions per KWh generated due to the proportion of nuclear, hydroelectric power and other renewable energies in its generation mix. The EDF group supplies electricity, gas and associated services to more than 37.7 million customer accounts worldwide (including nearly 27.9 million in France). The Group's businesses reflect its adoption of a model aimed at finding the best balance between French and international activities, competitive and regulated operations and based on an upstream-downstream integration. In 2011, the Group's consolidated sales revenues was 65.3 billion Euros, earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization came to 14.8 billion Euros, and net income excluding non-recurring items stood at 3.5 billion Euros. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document and Annual Financial Report for the year 2012. It contains information about: the Group activities, risk factors, Investments, Business, Strategy, Organisational charts, Property, plant and equipment, Operating and financial review, Cash flows and capital, Research and development, patents and licenses, Information on trends, Financial outlook

The Rhetoric of Prejudice: Can Europe Still Be Inclusive? Some Remarks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirella Pasini

2017-08-01

Full Text Available On May 9, 2017, Europe Day, a date chosen as a sign of goodwill for the future of Europe, a group of philosophers, linguists, historians, political scientists and media experts, coming from Belgium, France, Greece, Iceland, Norway, Poland, and Italy of course, gathered in Genoa (Italy to debate The Rhetoric of Prejudice. The subtitle of the Conference, which should not to be overlooked, posed a crucial question: can Europe still be inclusive?

Summary of the 2016 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Boule, Lisbeth A; Ju, Cynthia; Agudelo, Marisela; Parira, Tiyash; Cannon, Abigail; Davis, Booker; Eby, Jonathan; Cresci, Gail; Samuelson, Derrick R; Shukla, Pradeep; Alrefai, Waddah A; Sureshchandra, Suhas; Pandey, Subhash C; Schnabl, Bernd; Curtis, Brenda J; Wyatt, Todd A; Choudhry, Mashkoor A; Kovacs, Elizabeth J

2018-02-01

On November 18, 2016 the 21st annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held at the Center for Translational Research and Education at Loyola University Chicago's Health Sciences Campus in Maywood, IL. The 2016 meeting focused broadly on alcohol and inflammation, epigenetics, and the microbiome. The four plenary sessions of the meeting were Alcohol, Inflammation, and Immunity; Alcohol and Epigenetics; Alcohol, Transcriptional Regulation, and Epigenetics; and Alcohol, Intestinal Mucosa, and the Gut Microbiome. Presentations in all sessions of the meeting explored putative underlying causes for chronic diseases and mortality associated with alcohol consumption, shedding light on future work and potential therapeutic targets to alleviate the negative effects of alcohol misuse. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

L’Europa del generale De Gaulle (The Europe of General de Gaulle

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lorenzo SCARCELLI

2016-06-01

Full Text Available De Gaulle at the head of the French resistance against the Nazis and after the war, he defended the sovereignty of France against the idea of a supranational Europe. De Gaulle at first opposed to a united Europe and the design of a Defence Community, then became its promoter, as he saw in a united Europe the mean to achieve the interests of France, through the project for a third force, between the United States and the Soviet Union. De Gaulle, worried that the EEC could lose its independence and become a satellite of the United States, sought a closer alliance between France and Germany, through the Fouchet Plan, in order to weaken the relationship between the European Community and the United States and create French primacy in European political cooperation. But with the advance of a supranational Europe, De Gaulle began the period of the Empty Chair. After the output of de Gaulle, the leaders of the EEC, designed a new path to realize the economic, political and military integration of Europe.

Lucilia silvarum Meigen, 1826 (Diptera: Calliphoridae)--a new species of interest for forensic entomology in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Fremdt, Heike; Szpila, Krzysztof; Huijbregts, Johannes; Lindström, Anders; Zehner, Richard; Amendt, Jens

2012-10-10

In Europe, the blowfly genus Lucilia is represented in Forensic Entomology mainly by the species L. ampullacea, L. caesar, L. illustris and L. sericata. In the US, Lucilia silvarum is rarely recorded as a carrion breeding species but usually as a more or less exclusive parasite of frogs and toads. We present three forensic cases from different European countries reporting, for the first time, L. silvarum on human bodies that were found close to lakes, wetlands, or riversides. To use this species for post-mortem interval estimations, thermal development data is needed. The first step is accurate identification by morphological and molecular means. Therefore, we analysed a 611 bp part of the mitochondrial COI region for 23 specimens of L. silvarum from 9 different geographical regions, all of which give the same haplotype. Differences within the haplotype varied by up to 0.2%. Comparison between the haplotype found and those published on GenBank showed up to 1.2% variance. Moreover, we present an updated key for the morphological identification of the third larval instars of European Lucilia spp. of forensic importance, adding not only L. silvarum, but also L. cuprina which was recorded in Europe for the first time about 20 years ago. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

'Group value foresight' - Treating the nuclear interest in IVO Group Communications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heininen-Ojanpera, Marke

1999-01-01

Fortum is a new international energy group formed through the combination of the IVO Group and the Neste Group, two Finnish industrial groups with extensive operations in the energy sector in the Nordic countries and certain other countries throughout the world. IVO Group uses almost all fuels to generate electricity: nuclear, hydro, gas, oil, coal, peat, biomass, municipal waste, wind and solar. The main capacity is generated by nuclear, coal and water but gas, particularly in cogeneration, has been expected to grow. The major challenge in communicating is to find a balanced way of dealing with this variety so that the messages will be open and objective and, at the same time, not harming unnecessarily any of the generation forms in business terms. Moreover, new business procedures are welcome. The majority of the communicating issues deal with either competition or environmental questions under the threat of bad publicity and more strict regulatory controls. From the beginning, one of the working groups was responsible for defining the issues and sorting out the weak signals related to nuclear energy. In terms of corporate communications, special nuclear policies and messages have been worked out each year. For many reasons, the earlier nuclear policies and communication agendas have been unnecessarily strongly emphasising the nuclear option only. Today, the Group Value Foresight process, among others, has helped IVO to find the correct weighting of any nuclear issue and option in relation to other major forms of generation and related issues. The policies and messages have become more reasonable and more sensitive to changing situations in the market and in relation to public perception. There is less and less need for presenting the nuclear option in public with a quivering voice of offended authority

Alzheimer Europe's position on involving people with dementia in research through PPI (patient and public involvement)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gove, Dianne; Diaz-Ponce, Ana; Georges, Jean

2018-01-01

This paper reflects Alzheimer Europe's position on PPI (patient and public involvement) in the context of dementia research and highlights some of the challenges and potential risks and benefits associated with such meaningful involvement. The paper was drafted by Alzheimer Europe in collaboration...... with members of INTERDEM and the European Working Group of People with Dementia. It has been formally adopted by the Board of Alzheimer Europe and endorsed by the Board of INTERDEM and by the JPND working group 'Dementia Outcome Measures - Charting New Territory'. Alzheimer Europe is keen to promote...

How Do Politicians Attribute Bureaucratic Responsibility for Performance? Negativity Bias and Interest Group Advocacy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Poul A.; Moynihan, Donald P.

2017-01-01

Voters reward or punish politicians by deeming them responsible for positive and negative outcomes, but how, in turn, do politicians attribute responsibility to those who actually deliver public services? Inattention to this question renders incomplete current perspectives on democratic processes...... to attribute causal responsibility to bureaucratic leaders, but only in cases of low performance, suggesting a negativity bias in public sector responsibility attribution processes. Additionally, we offer evidence that interest group advocates influence how elected officials use performance information...... to attribute responsibility, but contingent on ideological alignment....

Innovative and collaborative industrial mathematics in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hjorth, Poul G.

2017-01-01

This paper presents a brief review of how industrial mathematics, inspired by the Oxford Study Group activity, organized itself in Europe, gave rise to the European Consortium for Mathematics in Industry, the series of European Study Groups with Industry, and to new modes of productive contacts b...... between industry and applied mathematicians in academia....

Towards a new understanding of cohabitation: Insights from focus group research across Europe and Australia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brienna Perelli-Harris

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Background: Across the industrialized world, more couples are living together without marrying. Although researchers have compared cohabitation cross-nationally using quantitative data, few have compared union formation using qualitative data. Objective: We use focus group research to compare social norms of cohabitation and marriage in Australia and nine countries in Europe. We explore questions such as: what is the meaning of cohabitation? To what extent is cohabitation indistinguishable from marriage, a prelude to marriage, or an alternative to being single? Are the meanings of cohabitation similar across countries? Methods: Collaborators conducted seven to eight focus groups in each country using a standardized guideline. They analyzed the discussions with bottom-up coding in each thematic area. They then collated the data in a standardized report. The first and second authors systematically analyzed the reports, with direct input from collaborators. Results: The results describe a specific picture of union formation in each country. However, three themes emerge in all focus groups: commitment, testing, and freedom. The pervasiveness of these concepts suggests that marriage and cohabitation have distinct meanings, with marriage representing a stronger level of commitment. Cohabitation is a way to test the relationship, and represents freedom. Nonetheless, other discourses emerged, suggesting that cohabitation has multiple meanings. Conclusions: This study illuminates how context shapes partnership formation, but also presents underlying reasons for the development of cohabitation. We find that the increase in cohabitation has not devalued the concept of marriage, but has become a way to preserve marriage as an ideal for long-term commitment.

Why Are Half of Women Interested in Participating in Group Prenatal Care?

Science.gov (United States)

McDonald, Sarah D; Sword, Wendy; Eryuzlu, Leyla N; Neupane, Binod; Beyene, Joseph; Biringer, Anne B

2016-01-01

To determine the likelihood of participating in group prenatal care (GPC) and associated factors among low-risk women receiving traditional prenatal care from obstetricians, family physicians or midwives, and to determine factors associated with likelihood of participating. Prior to completing a self-administered questionnaire, a 2-min compiled video of GPC was shown to pregnant women receiving traditional prenatal care. Data were collected on opinions of current prenatal care, GPC, and demographics. Biologically plausible variables with a p value ≤0.20 were entered in the multivariable logistic regression model and those with a p value care provider (aOR 1.67, 95% CI 1.12-2.44), and valued woman-centeredness ("fairly important" aOR 2.81, 95% CI 1.77-4.49; "very important" aOR 4.10, 95% CI 2.45-6.88). Women placed high importance on learning components of GPC. The majority would prefer to be with similar women, especially in age. About two-thirds would prefer to have support persons attend GPC and over half would be comfortable with male partners. Approximately half of women receiving traditional prenatal care were interested in participating in GPC. Our findings will hopefully assist providers interested in optimizing satisfaction with traditional prenatal care and GPC by identifying important elements of each, and thus help engage women to consider GPC.

EDF at a glance. EDF group 2002; Organisation et chiffres cles. Groupe EDF 2002

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2003-07-01

This document presents the organization and key data of the Electricite de France (EdF) group for 2002: business (generation and trading, transmission, distribution, supply, energy services), corporate governance (board of directors, executive committee), different branches of the group (continental Europe, western Europe, Middle-East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, Americas), main affiliates, international contacts and addresses, financial performance (consolidated sales, Ebitda), customers (residential, commercial, business and industrial, local authorities), generation (balanced energy mix), human resources, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development indicators. (J.S.)

The anthropological demography of Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Inge Hutter

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This paper introduces a collection of related research studies on the anthropological demography of Europe. Anthropological demography is a specialty within demography that uses anthropological theory and methods to provide a better understanding of demographic phenomena in current and past populations. Its genesis and ongoing growth lies at the intersection of demography and socio-cultural anthropology and with their efforts to understand population processes: mainly fertility, migration, and mortality. Both disciplines share a common research subject, namely human populations, and they focus on mutually complementary aspects. The authors of this paper focus on the differences between the disciplines of anthropology and demography, the emergence of anthropological demography and its theoretical, methodological, and empirical aspects. In addition, they critically summarize the contributions that were presented in the first workshop of the Working Group on Anthropological Demography of Europe of the European Association for Population Studies, held in Rostock in Fall 2005 and reflect on how these papers add to the further development of anthropological demography in Europe, i.e. elaborating the epistemology of anthropological demography; applying additional theoretical perspectives to better understand demographic behaviour in Europe ; illustrating the way in which culture plays a role in case studies on European demographic behaviour; and emphasizing the need for a holistic approach to data collection and the added value of triangulating quantitative and qualitative analyses.

Treatment of Chechen IDPs, asylum-seekers and refugees in Europe

OpenAIRE

Rimmer, Clare

2008-01-01

In March 2007, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) launched updated Guidelines on the Treatment of Chechen Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), Asylum Seekers and Refugees in Europe. This article analyses the treatment of Chechen IDPs, asylum seekers and refugees in Europe, concentrating on these groups of people from the Chechen Republic outside of the Russian Federation.

Public service broadcasting (PSB regulation in Indonesia: Between market and public interest

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Masduki

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The reform of public service broadcasting (PSB faces many obstacles in countries with political transition such as Indonesia. After 1998-political change, the arrival of ideas to establish PSB in Indonesia in two decades lacks of appropriate policies. As in other transitional states in Eastern Europe, there is the lack of regulatory design as well as its implementation. This paper examines process of formulating PSB law in 2002, particularly pays attention to industry capture over the making process as a critical tool to observe a long-controvercial of broadcasting law revision process in Indonesia (2012-2016. By use public interest and capture theories in regulation, this paper answers why the outcome of PSB regulation is weak by observing how the law was made. This study provides new analysis on PSB media law that still rare in Indonesia. As independent and non-profit body, Indonesian PSB represented by RRI (Radio of the Republic Indonesia and TVRI (Television of the Republic Indonesia is protected by Broadcasting Act.32/2002. It was enacted in favor of two actors: authoritarian officials with interest to use PSB as their mouthpiece in one side and the industry groups with interest to apply free market policy on the other.

Area Studies and Eastern Europe: How Eastern Europe Collapsed

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mirjana Kasapović

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In the first part, the author outlines the development of area studies in contemporary comparative politics, and points to their importance for the development of political science. In the second part, she examines the methodology – research design and methods – of regional comparatistics, paying particular attention to the problem of defining the region as a central category in this field of comparative politics. The third and central part is focused on the emergence of Eastern Europe as a historical-political and socio-cultural region in the course of history, especially after World War II, and on its dissolution in the processes of democratic transformation of communist regimes in the last two decades. The dissolution of Eastern Europe has resulted in restoration of a tripartite political geography in the area which it used to take up, made up of Central Europe, Southeast Europe and the proper Eastern Europe.

Health Technology Assessment for Molecular Diagnostics: Practices, Challenges, and Recommendations from the Medical Devices and Diagnostics Special Interest Group.

Science.gov (United States)

Garfield, Susan; Polisena, Julie; S Spinner, Daryl; Postulka, Anne; Y Lu, Christine; Tiwana, Simrandeep K; Faulkner, Eric; Poulios, Nick; Zah, Vladimir; Longacre, Michael

2016-01-01

Health technology assessments (HTAs) are increasingly used to inform coverage, access, and utilization of medical technologies including molecular diagnostics (MDx). Although MDx are used to screen patients and inform disease management and treatment decisions, there is no uniform approach to their evaluation by HTA organizations. The International Society for Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research Devices and Diagnostics Special Interest Group reviewed diagnostic-specific HTA programs and identified elements representing common and best practices. MDx-specific HTA programs in Europe, Australia, and North America were characterized by methodology, evaluation framework, and impact. Published MDx HTAs were reviewed, and five representative case studies of test evaluations were developed: United Kingdom (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence's Diagnostics Assessment Programme, epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase mutation), United States (Palmetto's Molecular Diagnostic Services Program, OncotypeDx prostate cancer test), Germany (Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Healthcare, human papillomavirus testing), Australia (Medical Services Advisory Committee, anaplastic lymphoma kinase testing for non-small cell lung cancer), and Canada (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Rapid Response: Non-invasive Prenatal Testing). Overall, the few HTA programs that have MDx-specific methods do not provide clear parameters of acceptability related to clinical and analytic performance, clinical utility, and economic impact. The case studies highlight similarities and differences in evaluation approaches across HTAs in the performance metrics used (analytic and clinical validity, clinical utility), evidence requirements, and how value is measured. Not all HTAs are directly linked to reimbursement outcomes. To improve MDx HTAs, organizations should provide greater transparency, better communication and collaboration between industry and HTA

Demand powers ahead [Gas in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Potter, N.

1994-01-01

Natural gas demand in Europe has been growing steadily for many years and is likely to go on increasing in the domestic sector, the industrial sector and in power generation. In this review a number of features of the market supply situation are reported. Potential new markets for Norwegian gas in eastern and central Europe are being evaluated. Other exporting countries are also keen to obtain a greater share in the expanding European market. Among them are Russia, Algeria and Nigeria, but political uncertainties in each of these countries are a cause for concern. Algeria has new pipelines to supply Italy, Spain and Portugal. The Russian company, Gazprom, has launched the construction of a pipeline to link new gas fields in northern Siberia with western Europe and has set up contracts with German companies which are facilitating the sale of Russian gas in Europe. Supply potential also exists in some of the other countries of the former Soviet Union, such as Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan. A group of leading European gas utilities are exploring the feasibility of imports from Iran either via a pipeline link or as liquefied natural gas. The United Kingdom hopes to export North Sea gas into Europe through the proposed Interconnector pipeline from Bacton to Zeebrugge, in th long-term, though, the pipeline may be used for imports into the UK. A controversial proposal to introduce third-party access to European pipelines could alter the whole structure of the market. (UK)

Heat Roadmap Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Connolly, David; Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Lund, Henrik

2015-01-01

This document is a summary of the key technical inputs for the modelling of the heat strategy for Europe outlined in the latest Heat Roadmap Europe studies [1, 2]. These studies quantify the impact of alternative heating strategies for Europe in 2030 and 2050. The study is based on geographical...... information systems (GIS) and energy system analyses. In this report, the inputs for other modelling tools such as PRIMES are presented, in order to enable other researches to generate similar heating scenarios for Europe. Although Heat Roadmap Europe presents a complete heat strategy for Europe, which...... includes energy efficiency, individual heating units (such as boilers and heat pumps), and heat networks, the recommendations here are primarily relating to the potential and modelling of district heating. Although other solutions will play a significant role in decarbonising the heating and cooling sector...

Local conflicts of the 1980s in the Middle East and the interests of the Group of Seven

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nemych, O. V.

2015-05-01

Full Text Available The author studies local conflicts of the 1980s in the Middle East and the interests of the Group of Seven. The purpose of the article is to represent the motivations of G7 of solution local conflicts of the 1980s in the Middle East. The author identified that interests of Group of Seven in resolving of local conflicts 1980s in the Middle East are can be determined by numbers of economic and political factors. This article is based on the analysis of sources and historiography. As a result of this research the author came to the conclusion that control over it – in terms of pricing policy accomplished OPEC – was an important precondition for the economy depended on oil imports of G Seven countries. Political motives component of G7 participation in resolving local conflicts in the Middle East was the trying to prevent the spread of Soviet influence on this region. Priority actions in shaping strategy of Seven countries were actually delegated to the United States, who played the leader of the Western world in the fight against the socialist camp. As a result shown that the motives solution of local conflicts in the Middle East for the Group of Seven countries were built on its own geopolitical and economic interests, rather than on a deep analysis of the internal causes of crises in Afghanistan, Lebanon or Iran.

Risk Factors and Outcomes for Late Presentation for HIV-Positive Persons in Europe: Results from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe Study (COHERE)

Science.gov (United States)

Mocroft, Amanda; Lundgren, Jens D.; Sabin, Miriam Lewis; Monforte, Antonella d'Arminio; Brockmeyer, Norbert; Casabona, Jordi; Castagna, Antonella; Costagliola, Dominique; Dabis, Francois; De Wit, Stéphane; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Furrer, Hansjakob; Johnson, Anne M.; Lazanas, Marios K.; Leport, Catherine; Moreno, Santiago; Obel, Niels; Post, Frank A.; Reekie, Joanne; Reiss, Peter; Sabin, Caroline; Skaletz-Rorowski, Adriane; Suarez-Lozano, Ignacio; Torti, Carlo; Warszawski, Josiane; Zangerle, Robert; Fabre-Colin, Céline; Kjaer, Jesper; Chene, Genevieve; Grarup, Jesper; Kirk, Ole

2013-01-01

Background Few studies have monitored late presentation (LP) of HIV infection over the European continent, including Eastern Europe. Study objectives were to explore the impact of LP on AIDS and mortality. Methods and Findings LP was defined in Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE) as HIV diagnosis with a CD4 count Europe among homosexual men, and male and female heterosexuals, but increased over time for female heterosexuals and male intravenous drug users (IDUs) from Southern Europe and in male and female IDUs from Eastern Europe. 8,187 AIDS/deaths occurred during 327,003 person-years of follow-up. In the first year after HIV diagnosis, LP was associated with over a 13-fold increased incidence of AIDS/death in Southern Europe (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 13.02; 95% CI 8.19–20.70) and over a 6-fold increased rate in Eastern Europe (aIRR 6.64; 95% CI 3.55–12.43). Conclusions LP has decreased over time across Europe, but remains a significant issue in the region in all HIV exposure groups. LP increased in male IDUs and female heterosexuals from Southern Europe and IDUs in Eastern Europe. LP was associated with an increased rate of AIDS/deaths, particularly in the first year after HIV diagnosis, with significant variation across Europe. Earlier and more widespread testing, timely referrals after testing positive, and improved retention in care strategies are required to further reduce the incidence of LP. Please see later in the article for the Editors' Summary PMID:24137103

Current state and future of Paediatric Allergology in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tsilochristou, Olympia; Maggina, Paraskevi; Zolkipli, Zaraquiza

2018-01-01

The history of pediatric allergology (PA) in Europe is relatively youthful, dating back to 1984, when a small group of pediatricians founded the European Working Group on Pediatric Allergy and Immunology - later giving rise to ESPACI (European Society on Pediatric Allergology and Clinical...

The International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group thymic initiative: a state-of-the-art study of thymic malignancies.

Science.gov (United States)

Detterbeck, Frank; Korst, Robert

2014-01-01

Thymic malignancies are relatively rare tumors. A general lack of knowledge, misconceptions about benignancy, confusion about the definition of terms, and variability in reporting of outcomes have further hampered progress in these diseases. The International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group has emerged to counter these challenges and has brought together a worldwide multidisciplinary community determined to improve outcomes for these patients. Although the organization is young (initiated in 2010), major early accomplishments have created a foundation and infrastructure for scientific research. These include consensus definitions of terms, an unprecedented global database, development of practical clinical resources and, together with the International Association for the Study of Lung Cancer, development of proposals for the first formal stage classification of these malignant tumors. Many articles have been published or are under way, and a second phase of projects building on the early success is proceeding. The greatest accomplishment of the International Thymic Malignancy Interest Group lies in the establishment of an open culture of collaboration and the engagement of a broad group of individuals united by a common mission. It is a testament to what can be achieved, despite ongoing and inherent challenges, by determination and a collective effort. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Summary of the 2017 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting.

Science.gov (United States)

Hulsebus, Holly J; Curtis, Brenda J; Molina, Patricia E; Afshar, Majid; Boule, Lisbeth A; Morris, Niya; Keshavarzian, Ali; Kolls, Jay K; Yeligar, Samantha M; Price, Michael E; Wyatt, Todd A; Choudhry, Mashkoor A; Kovacs, Elizabeth J

2018-06-01

On June 24, 2017, the 22nd annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held as a satellite conference during the annual Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Scientific Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The 2017 meeting focused broadly on mechanisms that link alcohol to tissue injury and inflammation, and how this research can be translated to improve human health. Two plenary sessions composed the meeting, which first explored the association between alcohol and trauma/tissue injury, and finished with a discussion of alcohol and mucosal inflammation. The presentations encompassed diverse areas of alcohol research, from effects on the brain, to airway and pulmonary systems, to gut barrier disruption. The discussions also thoughtfully highlighted how current laboratory and clinical research can be used to prevent or treat alcohol-related morbidity and mortality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The future of nuclear energy in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schmidt-Kuester, W.J.

2000-01-01

Are concerns about global warming of the Earth's atmosphere going to rekindle interest in nuclear power and in building new nuclear power plants in Europe? As a consequence of the discussions about the climate, the use of nuclear power as an important energy source is currently being re-evaluated, finds Dr. Wolf-J. Schmidt-Kuester, Secretary General of FORATOM, the European Atomic Forum, headquartered in Brussels. In his article, he argues that a renaissance of nuclear power will be possible also in Europe once politics supports resuming an unbiased discussion of all topics associated with the energy problem. Europe must face two problems in the energy sector for which solutions must be found: the growing dependence on fossil energy resources, and the need to curb greenhouse gas emissions, especially those of carbon dioxide. Nuclear power is already making a sizable contribution towards the solution of these problems, but its future potential has hardly been tapped. Public acceptance of nuclear power shows that the intention to opt out of the peaceful uses of nuclear power is not based on an identical attitude of the public, but is motivated politically, finding only little public support, as in the cases of Sweden and Germany. (orig.) [de

Corporatism In Western Europe: Current State And Prospects For Evolution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Р. Ja. Feldman

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The article conducts a political analysis of the Western European institutions of corporatism. The main task of the author is the study of the policy of harmonizing the interests of labor and capital (trade unions and employers’ associations, which is implemented in countries such as the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Denmark etc. Dynamics of political processes unfolding in the space of Western Europe, suggests that the mechanisms of articulation and political representation of social and labour interests have significantly transformed over the past 30 years. The use of institutional and systemic approaches along with the empirical methods, leads to the conclusion that the most developed European countries are moving from the classical model of corporatism to a more pluralistic forms of interaction between the state, labour and capital. Social partnership as an instrument of collective bargaining between employees and employers is displaced from the political sphere to the sectoral and organizational levels. The typical institutions of democratic corporatism (tripartite commissions, socio-economic councils, etc., who played a crucial role in rebuilding post-war Europe, become rudimentary organs of the national political systems. In addition, there is a tendency to weaken the political influence of trade unions, who successfully struggled for the satisfaction of collective demands of workers in the beginning of XX century. Large multinational companies prefer to influence the political decision-making centers autonomously, ignoring the associative membership in the guild organizations. As a consequence, corporatist bargaining is being replaced by direct and indirect lobbying, Government Relations and election fundraising. When accounting for identified trends, the author presents a hypothesis that the evolution of corporatism in Western Europe will lead to its gradual degeneration. Taking into account the identified trends, the

Overview of brachytherapy resources in Europe: A survey of patterns of care study for brachytherapy in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guedea, Ferran; Ellison, Tracey; Venselaar, Jack; Borras, Josep Maria; Hoskin, Peter; Poetter, Richard; Heeren, Germaine; Nisin, Roselinne; Francois, Guy; Mazeron, Jean Jacques; Limbergen, Erik Van; Ventura, Montserrat; Taillet, Michel; Cottier, Brian

2007-01-01

Background and purpose: The Patterns of Care for Brachytherapy in Europe (PCBE) study is aimed at establishing a detailed information system on brachytherapy throughout Europe. Materials and methods: The questionnaire was web-based and the analysis used data from each radiotherapy department with brachytherapy. There were three groups: Group I with 19 countries (15 initial European Community (EC) countries plus Iceland, Monaco, Norway and Switzerland -EC+4-), Group II with 10 countries (New European Community countries -NEC-) and Group III with 14 countries (Other European Countries -OEC-). Results: In the European area there are 36 of 43 countries (85%) which achieved data collection from at least 50% of centres, and were included in the analysis. The tumour site that had the largest number of treated patients was gynaecological tumours. Several variations have been found in the mean number of patients treated per consultant radiation oncologist and physicist; and in the proportion of brachytherapy patients with gynaecology, prostate and breast tumours, by country and by European area. The provided data showed that the average number of brachytherapy patients per centre increased by 10% between 1997 and 2002. Conclusions: A European wide evaluation of brachytherapy practice using a web-based questionnaire is feasible and that there is considerable variation in both patterns of practice and available resources

Workplace violence and the changing nature of work in Europe: Trends and risk groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bossche, S.N.J. van den; Taris, T.W.; Houtman, I.L.D.; Smulders, P.G.W.; Kompier, M.A.J.

2013-01-01

Incidence rates of third party workplace violence in Europe have increased, but little is known about the causes thereof. It has been suggested that the growth of the service sector and the intensification of work could be responsible for the increase. This study aimed to identify trends in the

Workplace violence and the changing nature of work in Europe: trends and risk groups

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bossche, S. van den; Taris, T.; Houtman, I.; Smulders, P.; Kompier, M.

2013-01-01

Incidence rates of third party workplace violence in Europe have increased, but little is known about the causes thereof. It has been suggested that the growth of the service sector and the intensification of work could be responsible for the increase. This study aimed to identify trends in the

Survival differences in European patients with AIDS, 1979-89. The AIDS in Europe Study Group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lundgren, Jens Dilling; Pedersen, C; Clumeck, N

1994-01-01

OBJECTIVES--To examine the pattern of survival and factors associated with the outcome of disease in patients with AIDS. DESIGN--Inception cohort. Data collected retrospectively from patients' charts. SETTING--52 clinical centres in 17 European countries. SUBJECTS--6578 adults diagnosed with AIDS....... The regional differences in survival were less pronounced for patients diagnosed in 1989 compared with earlier years. Improved survival in recent years was observed for patients with a variety of manifestations used to define AIDS but was significant only for patients diagnosed with Pneumocystis carinii...... pneumonia. The three year survival, however, remains unchanged over time. CONCLUSIONS--Survival of AIDS patients seems to vary within Europe, being shorter in southern than central and northern Europe. The magnitude of these differences, however, has declined gradually over time. Short term survival has...

Motivational and Ideological Underpinnings of Welfare Preferences in Eastern and Western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Hadarics, Márton

2016-01-01

In our study we investigated the motivational and ideological correlates of the approval of welfare services in postsocialist Central Eastern and Western Europe. In the centre of our inquiry stood how the motivations of selflessness and conventionality, along with distributional justice principles, are related to our welfare preferences beyond our rational self-interest, furthermore, how these associations depend on social-cultural circumstances. We have found that the motivational background of egalitarian economic and welfare attitudes are substantially different in the two regions. While beside of the rationalisation of self-interest, it seems to be related to selflessness-driven solidarity in Western Europe, pro-welfare and egalitarian distributional views are primarily motivated by conventionality-driven norm adherence in postsocialist countries in the form of the mechanism of postsocialist economic system nostalgia. Our results highlight the benefits of a context-specific ’motivated social cognition’ approach to ideological and political attitudes. PMID:27247699

Unparalleled rates of species diversification in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Valente, Luis M.; Savolainen, Vincent; Vargas, Pablo

2010-01-01

The most rapid species radiations have been reported from ‘evolutionary laboratories’, such as the Andes and the Cape of South Africa, leading to the prevailing view that diversification elsewhere has not been as dramatic. However, few studies have explicitly assessed rates of diversification in northern regions such as Europe. Here, we show that carnations (Dianthus, Caryophyllaceae), a well-known group of plants from temperate Eurasia, have diversified at the most rapid rate ever reported in plants or terrestrial vertebrates. Using phylogenetic methods, we found that the majority of species of carnations belong to a lineage that is remarkably species-rich in Europe, and arose at the rate of 2.2–7.6 species per million years. Unlike most previous studies that have inferred rates of diversification in young diverse groups, we use a conservative approach throughout that explicitly incorporates the uncertainties associated with phylogenetic inference, molecular dating and incomplete taxon sampling. We detected a shift in diversification rates of carnations coinciding with a period of increase in climatic aridity in the Pleistocene, suggesting a link between climate and biodiversity. This explosive radiation suggests that Europe, the continent with the world's best-studied flora, has been underestimated as a cradle of recent and rapid speciation. PMID:20106850

Health disparities in Europe's ageing population: the role of social network.

Science.gov (United States)

Olofsson, Jenny; Padyab, Mojgan; Malmberg, Gunnar

2018-01-01

Previous research suggests that the social network may play very different roles in relation to health in countries with differing welfare regimes. The study aimed to assess the interplay between social network, socioeconomic position, and self-rated health (SRH) in European countries. The study used cross-sectional data on individuals aged 50+ from the fourth wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) and includes data from 16 countries. The outcome is poor SRH. All analyses are adjusted for age and stratified by gender. Low satisfaction with the social network was associated with poor SRH among women in all country groups, but predicted poor SRH among males in West/Central and Eastern Europe only. The results from the multivariable analysis showed an increased likelihood of poor SRH among those with relatively lower education, as well as among those with low satisfaction with the social network (women from all country groups and men from Western/Central and Eastern Europe). However, the results from interaction analysis show that poor SRH for those with lower relative position in educational level was greater among those with higher satisfaction with the social network among male and female participants from Northern Europe. The health of individuals who are highly satisfied with their social network is more associated with socioeconomic status in Northern Europe. This study highlights the significance of social network and socioeconomic gradients in health among the elderly in Europe.

View from Europe: stability, consistency or pragmatism

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunster, H.J.

1988-01-01

The last few years of this decade look like a period of reappraisal of radiation protection standards. The revised risk estimates from Japan will be available, and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation will be publishing new reports on biological topics. The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) has started a review of its basic recommendations, and the new specification for dose equivalent in radiation fields of the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) will be coming into use. All this is occurring at a time when some countries are still trying to catch up with committed dose equivalent and the recently recommended change in the value of the quality factor for neutrons. In Europe, the problems of adapting to new ICRP recommendations are considerable. The European Community, including 12 states and nine languages, takes ICRP recommendations as a basis and develops council directives that are binding on member states, which have then to arrange for their own regulatory changes. Any substantial adjustments could take 5 y or more to work through the system. Clearly, the regulatory preference is for stability. Equally clearly, trade unions and public interest groups favor a rapid response to scientific developments (provided that the change is downward). Organizations such as the ICRP have to balance their desire for internal consistency and intellectual purity against the practical problems of their clients in adjusting to change. This paper indicates some of the changes that might be necessary over the next few years and how, given a pragmatic approach, they might be accommodated in Europe without too much regulatory confusion

The Intersection of NASA Astrophysics Education and Public Outreach and Higher Education: A Special Interest Group Meeting

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, M.; Smith, D.; Schultz, G.; Bianchi, L.; Blair, W.

2011-09-01

This paper presents highlights from a group discussion on how the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD) education and public outreach (EPO) community could better support undergraduate astronomy education through EPO products and resources - current and future - targeted at the college level. The discussion was organized by the SMD Astrophysics EPO Forum through a Special Interest Group Meeting at the 2010 ASP Annual Meeting in Boulder. Our session took advantage of the simultaneous presence of EPO professionals and the Cosmos in the Classroom participants to seek out diverse perspectives on and experiences in higher education.

Meeting Europe's resource challenge within and beyond EU borders

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ahtonen, Annika; Frontini, Andrea

2013-01-01

The European Union (EU) faces a serious resource challenge. It is dependent on external sources of energy and other raw materials, and this makes it vulnerable to resource availability and price fluctuations. If not managed, this could have serious implications for Europe and its competitiveness, for public and private sectors, for citizens and for overall European well-being. The EU takes environmental challenges seriously, at least on paper, and has developed a number of internal policies and initiatives to tackle problems related to loss of biodiversity, inefficient use of resources and poor waste management. It is widely recognised that the EU should work together to tackle the energy challenge. At the same time, the EU has a two-fold approach to the external dimensions of resource challenges. Firstly, the EU has made sustainable development a fully-fledged component of its own narrative worldwide. Secondly, as do all actors, it has an interest in protecting its self-interests amidst increasing global competition over resources. However, in order to tackle the resource challenge effectively, the EU must both turn words into action within Europe and clarify its external strategy and the means to implement it

Prevalence of common food allergies in Europe: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Nwaru, B I; Hickstein, L; Panesar, S S; Roberts, G; Muraro, A; Sheikh, A

2014-08-01

Allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish constitutes the majority of food allergy reactions, but reliable estimates of their prevalence are lacking. This systematic review aimed to provide up-to-date estimates of their prevalence in Europe.Studies published in Europe from January 1, 2000, to September 30, 2012, were identified from searches of four electronic databases. Two independent reviewers appraised the studies and extracted the estimates of interest. Data were pooled using random-effects meta-analyses. Fifty studies were included in a narrative synthesis and 42 studies in the meta-analyses. Although there were significant heterogeneity between the studies, the overall pooled estimates for all age groups of self-reported lifetime prevalence of allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish were 6.0% (95% confidence interval: 5.7-6.4), 2.5% (2.3-2.7), 3.6% (3.0-4.2), 0.4% (0.3-0.6), 1.3% (1.2-1.5), 2.2% (1.8-2.5), and 1.3% (0.9-1.7), respectively. The prevalence of food-challenge-defined allergy to cow's milk, egg, wheat, soy, peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish was 0.6% (0.5-0.8), 0.2% (0.2-0.3), 0.1% (0.01-0.2), 0.3% (0.1-0.4), 0.2% (0.2-0.3), 0.5% (0.08-0.8), 0.1% (0.02-0.2), and 0.1% (0.06-0.3), respectively. Allergy to cow's milk and egg was more common among younger children, while allergy to peanut, tree nuts, fish, and shellfish was more common among the older ones. There were insufficient data to compare the estimates of soy and wheat allergy between the age groups. Allergy to most foods, except soy and peanut, appeared to be more common in Northern Europe. In summary, the lifetime self-reported prevalence of allergy to common foods in Europe ranged from 0.1 to 6.0%. The heterogeneity between studies was high, and participation rates varied across studies reaching as low as food allergies and initiating strategies to increase participation will advance this evidence base. © 2014

Creationism in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily situated in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere—including Europe, where creationism plays...... the teaching of creationism as a scientific discipline on an equal footing with the theory of evolution." Creationism in Europe offers a discerning introduction to the cultural history of modern Europe, the variety of worldviews in Europe, and the interplay of science and religion in a global context...

Analysis of expected ATM processes changes in Central Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomislav MIHETEC

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper evaluates feasibility of the new Air Traffic Management (ATM organisation in Functional Airspace Block Central Europe (FAB CE and specifies the implementation scenarios that are proposed by Central European Air Traffic Services Coordination Group (CEATS CG. The paper elaborates elements of required Functional Airspace Block Central Europe implementation and identifies and assesses the implementation blockers. Provision of air navigation services in European Civil Aviation Conference (ECAC area is diversely regulated and highly fragmented.

Public religion and urban space in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oosterbaan, Martijn

Conflicts related to demographic and cultural change in Europe regularly find their expression in struggles over the presence and visibility of religious buildings and groups. As this editorial argues, these conflicts can best be understood from a postsecular perspective that takes into account

Novel insect-specific flavivirus isolated from northern Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Huhtamo, Eili; Moureau, Gregory; Cook, Shelley; Julkunen, Ora; Putkuri, Niina; Kurkela, Satu; Uzcátegui, Nathalie Y.; Harbach, Ralph E.; Gould, Ernest A.; Vapalahti, Olli; de Lamballerie, Xavier

2012-01-01

Mosquitoes collected in Finland were screened for flaviviral RNA leading to the discovery and isolation of a novel flavivirus designated Hanko virus (HANKV). Virus characterization, including phylogenetic analysis of the complete coding sequence, confirmed HANKV as a member of the “insect-specific” flavivirus (ISF) group. HANKV is the first member of this group isolated from northern Europe, and therefore the first northern European ISF for which the complete coding sequence has been determined. HANKV was not transcribed as DNA in mosquito cell culture, which appears atypical for an ISF. HANKV shared highest sequence homology with the partial NS5 sequence available for the recently discovered Spanish Ochlerotatus flavivirus (SOcFV). Retrospective analysis of mitochondrial sequences from the virus-positive mosquito pool suggested an Ochlerotatus mosquito species as the most likely host for HANKV. HANKV and SOcFV may therefore represent a novel group of Ochlerotatus-hosted insect-specific flaviviruses in Europe and further afield. PMID:22999256

How are clinical commissioning groups managing conflicts of interest under primary care co-commissioning in England? A qualitative analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, Valerie; Allen, Pauline; McDermott, Imelda; Checkland, Kath; Warwick-Giles, Lynsey; Gore, Oz; Bramwell, Donna; Coleman, Anna

2017-11-08

From April 2015, NHS England (NHSE) started to devolve responsibility for commissioning primary care services to clinical commissioning groups (CCGs). The aim of this paper is to explore how CCGs are managing potential conflicts of interest associated with groups of GPs commissioning themselves or their practices to provide services. We carried out two telephone surveys using a sample of CCGs. We also used a qualitative case study approach and collected data using interviews and meeting observations in four sites (CCGs). We conducted 57 telephone interviews and 42 face-to-face interviews with general practitioners (GPs) and CCG staff involved in primary care co-commissioning and observed 74 meetings of CCG committees responsible for primary care co-commissioning. Conflicts of interest were seen as an inevitable consequence of CCGs commissioning primary care. Particular problems arose with obtaining unbiased clinical input for new incentive schemes and providing support to GP provider federations. Participants in meetings concerning primary care co-commissioning declared conflicts of interest at the outset of meetings. Different approaches were pursued regarding GPs involvement in subsequent discussions and decisions with inconsistency in the exclusion of GPs from meetings. CCG senior management felt confident that the new governance structures and policies dealt adequately with conflicts of interest, but we found these arrangements face limitations. While the revised NHSE statutory guidance on managing conflicts of interest (2016) was seen as an improvement on the original (2014), there still remained some confusion over various terms and concepts contained therein. Devolving responsibility for primary care co-commissioning to CCGs created a structural conflict of interest. The NHSE statutory guidance should be refined and clarified so that CCGs can properly manage conflicts of interest. Non-clinician members of committees involved in commissioning primary care

Funding research data management and related infrastructures : Knowledge Exchange and Science Europe briefing paper

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijsterbosch, Magchiel; Duca, Daniela; Katerbow, Matthias; Kupiainen, Irina; Dillo, Ingrid; Doorn, P.K.; Enke, Harry; de Lucas, Jesus Eugenio Marco

2016-01-01

Research Funding Organisations (RFO) and Research Performing Organisations (RPO) throughout Europe are well aware that science and scholarship increasingly depend on infrastructures supporting sustainable Research Data Management (RDM). In two complementary surveys, the Science Europe Working Group

Trade of Solid Biofuels, and Fuel Prices in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alakangas, E.; Hillring, B.; Nikolaisen, L.S.

2002-01-01

Traditionally, biomass fuels are used in the same geographical region, in which they are produced. In more recent years, this pattern has been changed in Northern Europe by large-scale use of biomass for district heating and a vast supply of recycled wood and forest residues. The trade situation has come about as a result of means of control on waste and energy. Sea shipments allow bulk transports of biomass over long distances at low cost. In most countries, the customs statistics do not record trade in such a detail that the international trade of different biomass types could be identified. Today, solid biofuels like wood residues, pellets and wood chips are already traded in Europe and have reached a level of almost 50 PJ/a. In some countries, there is a growing interest in the international biomass trade, because the trade can provide biofuels at lower prices. The largest volumes of biomass are traded from the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) to the Nordic countries (especially Sweden and Denmark, but also Finland). Some volumes are also traded from Finland to other Nordic countries, and between neighbouring countries in Central Europe, especially the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. The traded biofuel is most often of refined wood fuels (pellets and briquettes) and industrial by-products (sawdust, chips), in Central Europe also wood waste

Trade of Solid Biofuels, and Fuel Prices in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alakangas, E. [VTT Processes, Jyvaeskylae (Finland); Hillring, B. [Swedish Univ. of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala (Sweden); Nikolaisen, L.S. [Danish Technological Inst. (DTI), Aarhus (Denmark). Centre for Biomass Technology

2002-07-01

Traditionally, biomass fuels are used in the same geographical region, in which they are produced. In more recent years, this pattern has been changed in Northern Europe by large-scale use of biomass for district heating and a vast supply of recycled wood and forest residues. The trade situation has come about as a result of means of control on waste and energy. Sea shipments allow bulk transports of biomass over long distances at low cost. In most countries, the customs statistics do not record trade in such a detail that the international trade of different biomass types could be identified. Today, solid biofuels like wood residues, pellets and wood chips are already traded in Europe and have reached a level of almost 50 PJ/a. In some countries, there is a growing interest in the international biomass trade, because the trade can provide biofuels at lower prices. The largest volumes of biomass are traded from the Baltic countries (Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania) to the Nordic countries (especially Sweden and Denmark, but also Finland). Some volumes are also traded from Finland to other Nordic countries, and between neighbouring countries in Central Europe, especially the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Slovenia and Italy. The traded biofuel is most often of refined wood fuels (pellets and briquettes) and industrial by-products (sawdust, chips), in Central Europe also wood waste.

State of Play of CME in Europe in 2013: Proceedings from the Sixth Annual Meeting of the European CME Forum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eugene Pozniak

2014-07-01

Full Text Available European CME Forum is a not-for-profit organisation that is dedicated to bringing together all stakeholder groups with an interest in European Continuing Medical Education (CME in order to promote multi-channel discussion in an independent and neutral environment. This report summarises the presentations and discussions that took place at the Sixth Annual Meeting of the European CME Forum, held in London on the 14th and 15th November 2013, which was preceded by a series of ‘Day 0’ meetings as pre-meeting sessions for delegates from specific interest groups. The predominant target audience comprised people with an interest in European CME including the accreditation bodies, scientific societies, education providers, industry and European medical communications agencies. The year prior to the meeting saw the introduction of new accreditation standards from UEMS-EACCME, with other accreditors examining how they should be evolving their own; the introduction of the US Physicians’ Payment Sunshine Act and its rather unexpected ramifications in Europe; pharmaceutical companies also starting to employ the grant process for funding CME, and their own increasing insistence on being hands-off from CME programmes. This in turn has led to education providers needing to be more knowledgeable and accountable and looking for their own guidance to help them navigate these evermore complicated waters. Against this back-drop, session themes for the sixth annual meeting were focused on sharing best practices and identifying what constitutes good CME in practice, discussing the role of industry in CME, summarising the latest trends relating to accreditation in Europe, discussing the current legal and regulatory frameworks impacting on CME, and communicating new innovative CME ideas (e.g. relating to e-learning.

Europe, arms control and American security

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burns, W.F.

1992-01-01

What has come to be called the Revolution of 1989 has swept away longstanding political and economic arrangements in Eastern Europe. Perhaps more important, it has also called into question the fundamental underpinnings of European security created during the nonpeace that followed World War II. In June 1990, the Warsaw Treaty Organization abandoned the notion that NATO was the ideological enemy. At the same time, NATO ministers agreed at Tunberry, Scotland, to consider defining the Atlantic Alliance as more of a partner of the Soviet Union than as an enemy. The Washington summit of May 1990 between president Mikhail Gorbachev and president George Bush further highlighted the recent changes in the Soviet Union and its former satellites. Issues going to the heart of the viability of the Soviet Union and the communist system of political and economic organization competed with German reunification as central themes. Arms control issues, particularly as they pertain in European military stability, became contingent and dependent on the development of a broader political and economic framework for a new Europe. Whether this framework is viable remains an open question as Gorbachev's role is challenged more and more within the Soviet Union. This paper deals with European arms control issues from the point of view of the United States and its own security interests. The United States involved its security inextricably with that of Western Europe as a conscious decision in the turmoil following World War II

Motivational and Ideological Underpinnings of Welfare Preferences in Eastern and Western Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Márton Hadarics

2016-02-01

Full Text Available In our study we investigated the motivational and ideological correlates of the approval of welfare services in postsocialist Central Eastern and Western Europe. In the centre of our inquiry stood how the motivations of selflessness and conventionality, along with distributional justice principles, are related to our welfare preferences beyond our rational self-interest, furthermore, how these associations depend on social-cultural circumstances. We have found that the motivational background of egalitarian economic and welfare attitudes are substantially different in the two regions. While beside of the rationalisation of self-interest, it seems to be related to selflessness-driven solidarity in Western Europe, pro-welfare and egalitarian distributional views are primarily motivated by conventionality-driven norm adherence in postsocialist countries in the form of the mechanism of postsocialist economic system nostalgia. Our results highlight the benefits of a context-specific ’motivated social cognition’ approach to ideological and political attitudes.

Developing intra-curricular photonics educational material for secondary schools in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Prasad, Amrita; Debaes, Nathalie; Fischer, Robert; Thienpont, Hugo

2014-07-01

There is an imminent shortage of skilled workforce facing Europe's hi-tech industries mainly due to the declining interest of young people in science and engineering careers. To avert this trend the European Union funded the development of the `Photonics Explorer' - an intra-curricular educational kit designed to engage, excite and educate students about the fascination of working with optics hands-on, in their own classrooms! Each kit equips teachers with class sets of experimental components provided within a supporting didactic framework based on guided inquiry based learning techniques. The material has been specifically designed to integrate into the curriculum and enhance and complement the teaching and learning of science in the classroom. The kits are provided free of charge to teachers, in conjunction with teacher training courses. The main challenge of this program was the development of educational material that seamlessly integrates into the various national curricula across Europe. To achieve this, the development process included a preparatory EU wide curricula survey and a special `Review and Revise' process bringing together the expertise of over 35 teachers and pedagogic experts. This paper reports on the results of the preparatory study which identified two specific age groups at secondary schools for photonics educational material, the didactic content of the Photonics Explorer kit resulting from a pan-European collaboration of key stakeholders, EU wide dissemination and sustainability of the program.

Cancer rehabilitation indicators for Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baili, Paolo; Hoekstra-Weebers, Josette; Van Hoof, Elke

2013-01-01

, but to obtain comparable data across European countries it will be necessary to administer a questionnaire to randomly selected samples of patients from population-based cancer registry databases. However, three factors complicate questionnaire studies: patients may not be aware that they have cancer......Little is known of cancer rehabilitation needs in Europe. EUROCHIP-3 organised a group of experts to propose a list of population-based indicators used for describing cancer rehabilitation across Europe. The aim of this study is to present and discuss these indicators. A EUROCHIP-3 expert panel...... reached agreement on two types of indicators. (a) Cancer prevalence indicators. These were proposed as a means of characterising the burden of cancer rehabilitation needs by time from diagnosis and patient health status. These indicators can be estimated from cancer registry data or by collecting data...

Coming to the party of their own volition: Interest groups, the Lesotho Highlands Water Project Phase 1 and change in the water sector

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Meissner, Richard

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Interest groups are omnipresent phenomena of most political societies. They are present because of their attempts to influence public policy and their representation role. These roles are fundamental agential roles. Through these roles interest...

HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY'S COMPETITION IN TERMS OF ATTRACTING AND RETAINING VALUABLE HR IN EASTERN EUROPE – THE CASE OF ROMANIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruxandra CIULU

2011-06-01

Full Text Available The particularity of hospitality industries in Eastern Europe is that, although most the officials consider tourism & hospitality a strategic priority, a vast majority of researchers and industrialists agree that not enough steps have been taken. Our research focused on the case of Romania, a country facing the challenge of limited qualified personnel in the field, and was built upon qualitative and quantitative tools, examining three groups of potential, part-time & full-time employees, as well as employers, as a fourth group. Results largely support literature in terms of employees being underpaid, undertrained and insufficiently motivated. Still, they can be considered rather suprising in terms of decreasing interest of graduates for the hospitality sector over time and migration to other sectors.

Efforts to promote scientific co-operation in South-East Europe

CERN Document Server

2001-01-01

On 13 and 14 May this year CERN hosted a meeting of a task force entrusted with the task of making recommendations for the reconstruction of scientific collaboration in the countries of South-East Europe (1). This meeting follows a conference attended by delegates from the countries of South-East Europe and international experts which was held in Venice between 24 and 27 March this year. The conference was organised under the aegis of UNESCO's Regional Office for Science and Technology for Europe (ROSTE), attended by representatives of the European Science Foundation (ESF), the European Union and the Academia Europaea as well as by observers from CERN. The aim of the conference was to seek resources and assess the prospects for integration of R&D facilities in the countries of South-East Europe into the networks of European countries. Les membres du groupe de Reconstruction d'une coopération scientifique dans l'Europe du sud-est, réunis au CERN, le 14 mai dernier, dé...

An interest group at work: Environmental activism and the case of acid mine drainage on Johannesburg’s West Rand

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Funke, Nicola S

2012-02-01

Full Text Available -product of mining. This chapter analyses environmental interest groups that campaign on the AMD issue on Johannesburg’s West Rand. To contextualise these advocacy efforts, the chapter scientifically outlines why AMD is a fundamental problem and what socio...

Implicit User Interest Profile

CERN Document Server

Chan, K

2002-01-01

User interest profile presents items that the users are interested in. Typically those items can be listed or grouped. Listing is good but it does not possess interests at different abstraction levels - the higher-level interests are more general, while the lower-level ones are more specific. Furthermore, more general interests, in some sense, correspond to longer-term interests, while more specific interests correspond to shorter-term interests. This hierarchical user interest profile has obvious advantages: specifying user's specific interests and general interests and representing their relationships. Current user interest profile structures mostly do not use implicit method, nor use an appropriate clustering algorithm especially for conceptually hierarchical structures. This research studies building a hierarchical user interest profile (HUIP) and the hierarchical divisive algorithm (HDC). Several users visit hundreds of web pages and each page is recorded in each users profile. These web pages are used t...

The Visegrád Group as a Vehicle for Promoting National Interests in the European Union: The Case of the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Neuman Marek

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This contribution asks whether sub-regional integration projects such as the Visegrád Group may be understood as mechanisms for pursuing one Group member’s national interests while it stands at the European Union’s helm. I assess this question based on the case of the first Visegrád Group member to assume the EU Council presidency: the Czech Republic. Examining three specific policy areas – the reinvention of the EU’s Eastern neighbourhood policy; the strengthening of EU energy security; and the incorporation of a stronger human rights and external democratisation approach into EU foreign policy – this case study presents a mixed picture. It confirms the potential of the Visegrád Group to be a vehicle for furthering the national preferences of one Group member while it holds the rotating EU Council presidency. Whether or not this potential is fully realised will depend primarily on the degree to which the interests of the four Visegrád countries converge.

Eastern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Baret, J.P.; Corcuff, A.; Jousten, M.; Cherie, J.B.; Gorge, X.; Augustin, X.; Belime, F.

1999-01-01

By its economical and political impact, nuclear energy has an important contribution the countries of Eastern Europe that goes beyond simple energy source. The most important challenge is to gain a safety culture. Improvements have been noted but the reactors safety must stay a priority of the international cooperation in Eastern Europe. The plan for the completion and improvement of Mochovce nuclear plant is described, the situation of Chernobyl and how to make the sarcophagus in safe is discussed, the experience of a french P.M.E. ( small and medium size firm) called Corys Tess that has chosen to position itself on the Eastern Europe nuclear market is related. (N.C.)

Activities of Gaz de France Group

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2003-01-01

The Board of Directors of Gaz de France approved the Group's consolidated accounts for 2004. In a more dynamic economic environment than in 2003, the Gaz de France Group reports enhanced results and has continued to pursue its growth in Europe. Increase in net sales driven by sustained growth in sales (+ 8.9%): In 2004, net sales rose 8.9% compared with the 2003 financial year to reach a total of euro 18,129 m. This strong increase in business activities was driven by sustained growth in sales volumes both in France and Europe. Total Group sales volumes amounted to 730 TWh (approximately 66 billion cubic metres), equal to growth of 10.3%. Natural gas sales volumes increased by approximately 10% in France, and are almost 18% higher in Europe, notably in the United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. The Group has pursued the profitable development of its activities outside France. As a result, international activities account for 29% of total sales in 2004, against 23% in 2003. The contribution made by international subsidiaries - particularly those specializing in exploration and production - grew by a very substantial 44.3% to reach a total of euro 502 m in 2004. Energy and Services Offering Branch: this core business line, which includes natural gas and oil exploration and production, energy trading and sales, and services associated with the supply of energy, boasts net sales of euro 16,498 m, equal to growth of 10.8% compared with 2003. Infrastructures Branch: this division, which groups together all activities related to the management of transmission and distribution infrastructures in both the French domestic and international markets, generated net sales of euro 6,794 m in 2004, virtually unchanged from the previous year. This situation is the result of higher sales generated by the distribution subsidiaries operating outside France (+9.2%) offset by a decline in the sales performance of the Transmission, Storage and Distribution in France

[Alcohol and drugs in Central Europe--problems and possible solutions].

Science.gov (United States)

Nespor, K; Cs emy, L

1994-08-22

The high alcohol consumption and increasing abuse of other addictive inducing substances in Central Europe calls for broadley conceived preventive programmes and cheap and widely applicable therapeutic strategies (early treatment at the first contact level, self-help manuals, self-aid organizations). Social instability along with greater availability of alcohol and drugs create a dangerous combination. In addition to strategies of stress prevention at the societal level also strategy at the individual level is important (e.g. relaxation training, yoga, psychotherapy). It is also important to change the "image" of western society and commercial interests of those who make profits on alcohol and drugs should be under control and advertising should be greatly restricted if not prohibited. Prevention of problems caused by alcohol and drugs in particular in youths must be combined and really effective strategies should be used such as peer programmes. The authors mention also their own preventive programme FIT IN and print materials oriented specifically on certain population groups.

Europe in the Balkan mirror

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milutinović Zoran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article discusses the three dominant, Europe-wide, constructions of Europe in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, and claims that all three found their proponents in the Balkans in the same period, while no specifically Balkan construction of Europe can be identified. The discourses which constructed Europe were transnational, and every search for national discourses must recognize that they are always fractured and contradictory, composed of various elements originating in Europe-wide discourses on Europe. Throughout this period the dominant discourse of Europe was shaped by the discourse of modernity and modernization, not only in Europe but in other parts of the globe as well. Several commentators have already noted that the current challenge of the interwar construction of Europe - peace, prosperity, democracy and human rights - mirrors the crisis of Yugoslavia, and many examples point to the unsustainability of this construction at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Gadamer’s hermeneutics offers a valuable lesson in humility and defines the oft-repeated phrase of “belonging together” as listening to the other in the belief that the other may be right, which should be taken as a starting point for any future construction of Europe.

The Energy Story. A Key Common Interest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Jong, Jacques

2008-01-01

Few countries confront the European Union with its own divisiveness and limitations as much as the Russian Federation does. Shared interests do not easily translate into harmonious relations. Russia and the European Union may depend on each other, but it proves extremely difficult to agree on the policies that serve these interests. Their asymmetric dependence generates uneasiness and discomfort rather than trust and security.This publication discusses the patterns of agreement and conflict, of continuities as well as the sudden twists that seem so characteristic of relations between 'Europe' and Russia. It focuses on the three issues that continue to be most prominent in these relations: security; energy; and human rights. It argues that, based on recent experience, 'more' may not necessarily be 'better' in the European Union's approach towards Russia. We argue for a Russia strategy that may seem less ambitious and comprehensive, but that may ultimately be more productive

Influencers of Life Insurance Investments: Empirical Evidence from Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aditi Mitra

2017-09-01

Full Text Available This study analyzes the impact of economic, demographic and cultural factors on life insurance consumption in 28 European countries. The period of study is post financial crisis from 2009-2014, and the study considers many of the emerging Eastern European economies where there have been significant insurance sector reforms recently. Europe is the world’s largest insurance market with 35% of the overall insurance premium contribution, but ranks third in insurance per capita, hence Europe is an interesting region in which to study insurance demand. The study observed four economic parameters: GDP per capita, gross savings, competitiveness of the nation, and inflation, as significant impacts on the insurance consumption in the region. Two demographic factors, population and education, and two cultural factors, individualism and long term orientation, appear to impact insurance consumption in the selected countries.

Nuclear power in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perera, J.

2000-01-01

Currently nuclear power accounts for more than 25% of total electricity production in Europe (including Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union) However, significant new construction is planned in Central and Eastern Europe only, apart from some in France and, possibly in Finland. Many countries in Western Europe have put nuclear construction plans on hold and several have cancelled their nuclear programs. This report looks at the history of nuclear power and its current status in both Eastern and Western Europe. It provides an outline of nuclear fuel cycle facilities, from uranium procurement to final waste disposal. Economic and environmental issues are discussed, as well as the prospect of increased East-West trade and cooperation in the new poso-cold war world. Detailed profiles are provided of all the countries in Western Europe with significant nuclear power programs, as well as profiles of major energy and nuclear companies

Controlling prescription drug costs: regulation and the role of interest groups in Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration.

Science.gov (United States)

Frakt, Austin B; Pizer, Steven D; Hendricks, Ann M

2008-12-01

Medicare and the Veterans Health Administration (VA) both finance large outpatient prescription drug programs, though in very different ways. In the ongoing debate on how to control Medicare spending, some suggest that Medicare should negotiate directly with drug manufacturers, as the VA does. In this article we relate the role of interest groups to policy differences between Medicare and the VA and, in doing so, explain why such a large change to the Medicare drug program is unlikely. We argue that key policy differences are attributable to stable differences in interest group involvement. While this stability makes major changes in Medicare unlikely, it suggests the possibility of leveraging VA drug purchasing to achieve savings in Medicare. This could be done through a VA-administered drug-only benefit for Medicare-enrolled veterans. Such a partnership could incorporate key elements of both programs: capacity to accept large numbers of enrollees (like Medicare) and leverage to negotiate prescription drug prices (like the VA). Moreover, it could be implemented at no cost to the VA while achieving savings for Medicare and beneficiaries.

Taenia solium in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Allepuz, Alberto; Dermauw, Veronique

2017-01-01

is known about the true endemicity status of T. solium throughout Europe. Three recent reviews indicate that autochthonous human T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis may be possible in Europe, but that current peer-reviewed literature is biased towards Western Europe. Officially reported data on porcine...

The Looming Shadows of the Walls. Is a Cosmopolitan Europe still Possible?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vincenzo Cicchelli

2015-01-01

Full Text Available In a Europe of many lights and shadows, cosmopolitan sociology provides a valid theoretical framework to distinguish one from the other. If cosmopolitan sociology is an attempt to understand how individuals, social groups and institutions deal with the challenges of ever more transnational social processes, then the European issue can be fully inserted within such an approach. From this point of view, following the austerity policies and recent events involving Syrian refugees and the attack by Daesh activists at the heart of Europe, sociology has started to enquire whether a cosmopolitan Europe is still possible. Conversaly, in the history of Europe and in its Constitutional Treaties, traces of cosmopolitanism are to be found almost everywhere. In this context, our study examines the crisis pervading Europe today and highlights the standing back to a certain extent of cosmopolitan sociology. At the same time, it stresses the hope that a change of direction will occur and the opportunity grasped of reflecting more deeply on the founding principles of cosmopolitan Europe.

Skin test concentrations for systemically administered drugs -- an ENDA/EAACI Drug Allergy Interest Group position paper

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brockow, K; Garvey, L H; Aberer, W

2013-01-01

Skin tests are of paramount importance for the evaluation of drug hypersensitivity reactions. Drug skin tests are often not carried out because of lack of concise information on specific test concentrations. The diagnosis of drug allergy is often based on history alone, which is an unreliable...... indicator of true hypersensitivity.To promote and standardize reproducible skin testing with safe and nonirritant drug concentrations in the clinical practice, the European Network and European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology (EAACI) Interest Group on Drug Allergy has performed a literature...... search on skin test drug concentration in MEDLINE and EMBASE, reviewed and evaluated the literature in five languages using the GRADE system for quality of evidence and strength of recommendation. Where the literature is poor, we have taken into consideration the collective experience of the group...

The Otolith Group’s “Monuments to Dead Television.” Independent Cinema and the Migrant Experience in Europe between Television and the Museum

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beatrice Ferrara

2014-04-01

Full Text Available “Monument to dead television” is the expression the British collective The Otolith Group uses to define its activity of recuperating long-lost quality films, and re-screening them in contemporary art museums and gallery spaces. What these films share is a cinematic vocation and a complex approach to the question of memory and migration in Europe, and to the role of images as testimonies or documents. This essay explores The Otolith Group’s interest in such forgotten archives of modern television in order to unearth their significance for contemporary museums today.

Why do intimate partners live apart? Evidence on LAT relationships across Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aart C. Liefbroer

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Most research asks whether or not cohabitation has come to rival marriage. Little is known about the meaning of living apart together (LAT relationships, and whether LAT is an alternative to marriage and cohabitation or a dating relationship. Objective: We examine across Europe: (1 the prevalence of LAT, (2 the reasons for LAT, and (3 the correlates of (a LAT relationships vis-à-vis being single, married, or cohabiting, and (b different types of LAT union. Methods: Using Generations and Gender Survey data from ten Western and Eastern European countries, we present descriptive statistics about LATs and estimate multinominal logistic regression models to assess the correlates of being in different types of LAT unions. Results: LAT relationships are uncommon, but they are more common in Western than Eastern Europe. Most people in LAT unions intend to live together but are apart for practical reasons. LAT is more common among young people, those enrolled in higher education, people with liberal attitudes, highly educated people, and those who have previously cohabited or been married. Older people and divorced or widowed persons are more likely to choose LAT to maintain independence. Surprisingly, attitudinal and educational differences are more pronounced in Eastern Europe than in Western Europe. Conclusions: A tentative conclusion is that LAT is more often a stage in the union formation process than an alternative to marriage and cohabitation. Yet some groups do view LAT as substituting for marriage and cohabitation, and these groups differ between East and West. In Eastern Europe a cultural, highly educated elite seems to be the first to resist traditional marriage norms and embrace LAT (and cohabitation as alternative living arrangements, whereas this is less the case in Western Europe. In Western Europe, LAT unions are mainly an alternative for persons who have been married before or had children in a prior relationship.

EDF at a glance. EDF group 2002

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

This document presents the organization and key data of the Electricite de France (EdF) group for 2002: business (generation and trading, transmission, distribution, supply, energy services), corporate governance (board of directors, executive committee), different branches of the group (continental Europe, western Europe, Middle-East and Africa, Asia-Pacific, Americas), main affiliates, international contacts and addresses, financial performance (consolidated sales, Ebitda), customers (residential, commercial, business and industrial, local authorities), generation (balanced energy mix), human resources, corporate social responsibility, sustainable development indicators. (J.S.)

Creationism in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

For decades, the creationist movement was primarily situated in the United States. Then, in the 1970s, American creationists found their ideas welcomed abroad, first in Australia and New Zealand, then in Korea, India, South Africa, Brazil, and elsewhere—including Europe, where creationism plays...... an expanding role in public debates about science policy and school curricula. In this, the first comprehensive history of creationism in Europe, leading historians, philosophers, and scientists narrate the rise of—and response to—scientific creationism, creation science, intelligent design, and organized...... antievolutionism in countries and religions throughout Europe. Providing a unique map of creationism in Europe, the authors chart the surprising history of creationist activities and strategies there. Over the past forty years, creationism has spread swiftly among European Catholics, Protestants, Jews, Hindus...

Tax Evasion, Tax Avoidance and The Influence of Special Interest Groups: Taxation in Iceland from 1930 to the Present

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karlsson Johannes

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper focuses on tax evasion and tax avoidance in Iceland, and on how special interest groups have shaped the taxation system to serve their own ends. The period covered is from 1930, when the present Icelandic system of power was established, to the present.

Identifying and managing conflicts between forest conservation and other human interests in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Niemela, J.; Young, J.; Alard, D.; Askasibar, M.; Henle, K.; Johnson, R.; Kurttila, M.; Larsson, T.B.; Matouch, S.; Nowicki, P.L.; Paiva, R.Q.; Portoghesi, L.; Smulders, M.J.M.; Stevenson, A.; Tartes, U.; Watt, A.

2005-01-01

In this paper, circumstances where various human activities and interests clash with the conservation of forest biodiversity are examined, with particular focus on the drivers behind the conflicts. After identifying past and current human-related threats potentially leading to conflicts in forests,

Waste Management and Attitudes Towards Cleanliness in Medieval Central Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Havlíček Filip

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The paper deals with the relationships between people and waste in the Middle Ages, primarily in urban environments in Central Europe. At the center of interest are the attitudes of the inhabitants of medieval cities towards cleanliness and a description of different waste management practices. This paper also describes an experiment using ashes to launder clothing as one possible use of a particular waste material.

FDI and Economic Growth in Central and Eastern Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gheorghe H. Popescu

2014-11-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the major trends in scholarship about the role of FDI and exports on economic growth, the effect of tax policies on FDI, the formation of the economic catch up of the Central and Eastern Europe (CEE region and the determinants of FDI inflows in CEE nations. I am specifically interested in how previous research investigated the influence of FDI on host country economic growth, the inward FDI stock as a percentage of GDP, the features and restrictions of fiscal schemes in CEE economies and the institutional soundness displayed in policies towards FDI. The analysis presented in this paper contributes to research on FDI as a mechanism in the transition to the market, the dissimilarities in the FDI-assisted development methods among the CEE nations, the impact of FDI inflows for productivity convergence in CEE and the current slowing of growth in emerging Europe.

Socioeconomic inequalities in stillbirth rates in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zeitlin, Jennifer; Mortensen, Laust; Prunet, Caroline

2016-01-01

in their country. Conclusions: Data on stillbirths and socioeconomic status from routine systems showed widespread and consistent socioeconomic inequalities in stillbirth rates in Europe. Further research is needed to better understand differences between countries in the magnitude of the socioeconomic gradient.......Background: Previous studies have shown that socioeconomic position is inversely associated with stillbirth risk, but the impact on national rates in Europe is not known. We aimed to assess the magnitude of social inequalities in stillbirth rates in European countries using indicators generated...... from routine monitoring systems. Methods: Aggregated data on the number of stillbirths and live births for the year 2010 were collected for three socioeconomic indicators (mothers' educational level, mothers' and fathers' occupational group) from 29 European countries participating in the Euro...

The energy future of Central Europe; Slovakia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lejon, E.

1996-01-01

In this part of the book author deals with the energy future of Central Europe. The energy strategy, structure of energy supplies in Austria, Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Bavaria, as well as restructuralization of the energy sources are analysed. From the ecological perspective, the Gabcikovo-Nagymaros Project (GNP) represents a very clear example, since the Project could play a very important role as a part of the strategy to reject nuclear energy , the same strategy that was clearly declared by the Austrian government, as well as for a transportation strategy based more on railroads and navigation. The GNP could serve as an impulse promoting further and more close Central European cooperation in renewable energy sources. It could assist in harmonization of the interest in the sphere of transportation policies of Switzerland, Bavaria, Austria, Slovakia, and Hungary. Such a community oriented towards common interests would definitely be of enormous importance for the development of transportation in Central Europe. Geothermal potential of Slovakia and other Central European states are presented. Surveys conducted in Slovakia show that it is possible to reduce pollution in specific areas by substituting fossil energy sources with geothermal heating a total reduction of pollution by 39,000 tons annually, out of which 159 tons represent the annual reduction of sulfur dioxide pollution. The reduction per GWh of geothermal heat in the particular cities was calculated to be about 527 tons of carbon dioxide and 2.1 ton of sulfur dioxide. Other opportunities for renewable energy in Slovakia, as well as potential of energy savings are estimated

CENTRAL EUROPE: Austron

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1991-01-01

For many of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe access to international research centres such as CERN, the European Space Agency (ESA), the Institut Laue-Langevin (ILL) or to national centres such as the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory in the UK or DESY in Germany, is hindered by the absence of intermediate research institutions. Since mid-1990 this question has been studied by an 'Austron' Study Group set up under the auspices of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and which cooperates with the so-called 'Pentagonal' initiative of Austria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Italy and Yugoslavia to promote cooperation in the area, with which Poland is now associated

Multilingual Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Phillipson, Robert

2013-01-01

Review of: Multilingual Europe: Multilingual Europeans. (European Studies: An Interdisciplinary Series in European Culture, History and Politics, Vol. 29). Eds. Láslá Maràcz & Mireille Rosello. Rodopi, 2012. 323 pp.......Review of: Multilingual Europe: Multilingual Europeans. (European Studies: An Interdisciplinary Series in European Culture, History and Politics, Vol. 29). Eds. Láslá Maràcz & Mireille Rosello. Rodopi, 2012. 323 pp....

The Visegrád Group as a Vehicle for Promoting National Interests in the European Union : The Case of the Czech Republic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Neuman, Marek

This contribution asks whether sub-regional integration projects such as the Visegrád Group may be understood as mechanisms for pursuing one Group member’s national interests while it stands at the European Union’s helm. I assess this question based on the case of the first Visegrád Group member to

Blacklisting and the ban: contesting targeted sanctions in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Goede, M.

2011-01-01

This article examines the practice of targeted sanctions as they are deployed against individuals and groups suspected of financing and facilitating terrorism in Europe. Substantial academic attention and critique has surrounded targeted sanctions and blacklists, as these practices challenge

Work–Family Conflict Among Employees and the Self-Employed Across Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S.M. Annink (Anne); L. den Dulk (Laura); A.J. Steijn (Bram)

2016-01-01

textabstractThis article examines the level of work–family conflict of self-employed persons, a changing but neglected group in work–life research, compared to employees in Europe. Differences between the two groups are explained by looking at job demands and resources. The inclusion of work–family

Smart grid cyber security for Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pearson, Ivan L.G.

2011-01-01

In Europe, environmental and economic considerations are driving a revolution in power transmission and distribution. Specifically of interest to this paper, utility companies are increasingly using information and communication technology (ICT) to increase the efficiency and reliability of the grid, as well as to incorporate smaller-scale sources of intermittent wind and solar power into our electricity supply. This should have a positive effect on Europe's energy policy objectives. However, developments in the field of international security have made clear that increased reliance on ICT within the electricity sector will create new vulnerabilities that may undermine these gains. This paper argues that the European Union (EU) has the opportunity to mitigate these vulnerabilities by virtue of its strengthening regulatory position in the European market, and its record of promoting energy technology research. However, the organization will need to act now in recognizing that cyber security as an essential dimension of its energy policy. This paper recommends that the Commission acts now to appoint a coordinator to accelerate the adoption of sensitive institutional changes in this vein. It also suggests that the EU would benefit from cooperation with the United States-a country with strong cyber capabilities that would complement the European program. - Highlights: → Increased reliance on ICT has created new challenges in Europe's electricity sector.→ The European Union has the opportunity to mitigate these.→ The Union must acts now to prevent a potentially costly technological lock-in.→ It should designate a coordinator to drive through necessary legislative reforms.→ The United States would be a good international partner on the issue.

Smart grid cyber security for Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pearson, Ivan L.G., E-mail: ivan.pearson@ec.europa.eu [F03 - Energy Security Unit (ESU), European Commission, Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy (Netherlands)

2011-09-15

In Europe, environmental and economic considerations are driving a revolution in power transmission and distribution. Specifically of interest to this paper, utility companies are increasingly using information and communication technology (ICT) to increase the efficiency and reliability of the grid, as well as to incorporate smaller-scale sources of intermittent wind and solar power into our electricity supply. This should have a positive effect on Europe's energy policy objectives. However, developments in the field of international security have made clear that increased reliance on ICT within the electricity sector will create new vulnerabilities that may undermine these gains. This paper argues that the European Union (EU) has the opportunity to mitigate these vulnerabilities by virtue of its strengthening regulatory position in the European market, and its record of promoting energy technology research. However, the organization will need to act now in recognizing that cyber security as an essential dimension of its energy policy. This paper recommends that the Commission acts now to appoint a coordinator to accelerate the adoption of sensitive institutional changes in this vein. It also suggests that the EU would benefit from cooperation with the United States-a country with strong cyber capabilities that would complement the European program. - Highlights: > Increased reliance on ICT has created new challenges in Europe's electricity sector.> The European Union has the opportunity to mitigate these.> The Union must acts now to prevent a potentially costly technological lock-in.> It should designate a coordinator to drive through necessary legislative reforms.> The United States would be a good international partner on the issue.

Does Europe have a centre? Reflections on the history of Western and Central Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Mout, Nicolette

2006-05-01

Any definition of Central Europe based on geographical and/or historical facts causes difficulties. The line dividing Europe during the Cold War has a very limited use because it does not take into account Central Europe as a special part of the continent. Historians such as Geoffrey Barraclough, Hugh Seton-Watson and Oskar Halecki discussed the idea of a separate identity of Central Europe during the Cold War. Especially after the fall of the Berlin Wall, this discussion was re-opened. From a historian's point of view, the most important contributions came from Piotr Wandycz and Jeno Szucs. An imaginary centre of Europe can only be found in the continent's common history.

Protostelids from deciduous forests: first data from southwestern Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Aguilar, María; Lado, Carlos; Spiegel, Frederick W

2007-07-01

The first data of Protostelids from the southwest of Europe are presented in this paper. A total of 21 species were identified from samples collected in Somiedo Biosphere Reserve (Spain). This is the highest species richness recorded to date for Europe or for a latitude this high (>40 degrees ). Seven species (Cavostelium apophysatum, Endostelium zonatum, Microglomus paxillus, Protosporangium fragile, Protostelium okumukumu, Soliformovum expulsum and Schizoplasmodiopsis micropunctata) are new records for Europe. Approximately 65% of the microscopic protostelid species described in the world have been found in this Reserve, a fact that increases the biological value of this protected area and suggests that Spain is an excellent location to study this group. A microhabitat study has been carried out finding differences in species composition and abundance between ground litter, aerial litter, and bark substrates. Comments on the distribution and ecology of the species, as well as illustrations of some species are included.

Map of critical raw material deposits in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Guillaume, Bertrand

2016-04-01

Map of critical raw material deposits in Europe Guillaume BERTRAND1, Daniel CASSARD1, Nikolaos ARVANITIDIS2, Gerry STANLEY3 and the EuroGeoSurvey Mineral Resources Expert Group4. 1 - Bureau de Recherches Géologiques et Minières (BRGM), Georesources Divison, 3 avenue Claude Guillemin, 45060 Orléans cedex 2, FRANCE. 2 - Sveriges Geologiska Undersökning (SGU), Box 670, SE-751 28, Uppsala, SWEDEN 3 - Geological Survey of Ireland (GSI), Beggars Bush, Haddington Road, Dublin D04 K7X4, IRELAND 4 - EuroGeoSurveys, Rue Joseph II 36-38, 1000 Brussels, BELGIUM The Critical Raw Material (CRM) Deposit Map of Europe, prepared by EuroGeoSurvey's Mineral Resources Expert Group (MREG), shows European mineral deposits from the ProMine Mineral Deposit database containing critical commodities, according to the 2014 list of critical raw materials of the European Commission. EuroGeoSurveys (EGS), The Geological Surveys of Europe, is a not-for-profit organization representing 37 National Geological Surveys and some regional Geological Surveys in Europe. It provides the European Institutions with expert, independent, balanced and practical pan-European advice and information as an aid to problem-solving, policy development, regulatory and programme formulation in areas such as natural resources, energy and geo-hazards. The EGS MREG is actively involved in contributing to policy and strategy-making processes aimed at identifying, characterizing and safeguarding resource potential, especially for critical raw materials through data provision, research, technological development and innovation. The European Union aspires to reducing the import dependency of raw materials, especially CRM, that are essential to Europe's industries. In this respect, mineral resource information, data sharing and networking by European Geological Surveys is crucial. The Strategic Implementation Plan of the European Innovation Partnership on Raw Materials highlights the need for establishing and maintaining a

Renewable energy policies in Europe: Converging or diverging?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kitzing, Lena; Mitchell, Catherine; Morthorst, Poul Erik

2012-01-01

Nations today are urgently challenged with achieving a significant increase in the deployment of renewable energies. In Europe that need has given rise to a debate about the most effective and efficient support strategy. Whilst the different interests debate whether full European harmonisation...... or strengthening of national support policies for electricity from renewable energy sources (RES-E) is the best way forward, individual national support schemes are rapidly evolving. This study investigates how the EU member states have applied support policy types over the last decade. By identifying predominant...

Gas and Electricity: A Challenge for Europe and for France

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chevalier, J.M.; Percebois, J.

2010-01-01

Network industries in Europe are subject to an underlying trend towards deregulation. This deregulation, which is accompanied by the gradual opening up of markets and increased competition, creates new opportunities but also new problems in terms of coordination. At the same time, the energy markets have seen new environmental constraints added to their specifications. It is against this backdrop that the authors have had to consider the way in which the electricity and gas markets in Europe operate and their development. By focusing their analysis on the gas and electricity markets, the authors have chosen to give priority to the institutional aspect which, in their view, constitutes the driving force for the construction of a European energy market. In their view, France has a major role to play in this institutional momentum. The report's main recommendations are designed primarily to strengthen the powers of certain entities in order to accelerate the harmonisation of procedures and standards, coordination, the circulation of information, and transparency. Hence, the authors propose: - increasing the independence of national regulators and ensuring, in particular, that the protection of the collective interest comes before individual interests (operators but also the short-term interests of consumers); - increasing the powers of the Association of European Regulators (ERGEG-Plus) and harmonising the scope of action of the various European regulators. It would be desirable if, for example, the club of regulators could establish a 'code of good conduct' that sets the common rules for access to the networks, congestion and transit processing; - increasing the powers of the association of network operators (for natural gas and electricity). These associations must act in close consultation with the association of regulators; - coordinating and creating the impetus necessary for future investments. For the authors, it would appear to be difficult to transpose the

Risk factors and outcomes for late presentation for HIV-positive persons in Europe: results from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe Study (COHERE).

Science.gov (United States)

Mocroft, Amanda; Lundgren, Jens D; Sabin, Miriam Lewis; Monforte, Antonella d'Arminio; Brockmeyer, Norbert; Casabona, Jordi; Castagna, Antonella; Costagliola, Dominique; Dabis, Francois; De Wit, Stéphane; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Furrer, Hansjakob; Johnson, Anne M; Lazanas, Marios K; Leport, Catherine; Moreno, Santiago; Obel, Niels; Post, Frank A; Reekie, Joanne; Reiss, Peter; Sabin, Caroline; Skaletz-Rorowski, Adriane; Suarez-Lozano, Ignacio; Torti, Carlo; Warszawski, Josiane; Zangerle, Robert; Fabre-Colin, Céline; Kjaer, Jesper; Chene, Genevieve; Grarup, Jesper; Kirk, Ole

2013-01-01

Few studies have monitored late presentation (LP) of HIV infection over the European continent, including Eastern Europe. Study objectives were to explore the impact of LP on AIDS and mortality. LP was defined in Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE) as HIV diagnosis with a CD4 count HIV diagnosis among persons presenting for care between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2011. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with LP and Poisson regression to explore the impact on AIDS/death. 84,524 individuals from 23 cohorts in 35 countries contributed data; 45,488 were LP (53.8%). LP was highest in heterosexual males (66.1%), Southern European countries (57.0%), and persons originating from Africa (65.1%). LP decreased from 57.3% in 2000 to 51.7% in 2010/2011 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.96; 95% CI 0.95-0.97). LP decreased over time in both Central and Northern Europe among homosexual men, and male and female heterosexuals, but increased over time for female heterosexuals and male intravenous drug users (IDUs) from Southern Europe and in male and female IDUs from Eastern Europe. 8,187 AIDS/deaths occurred during 327,003 person-years of follow-up. In the first year after HIV diagnosis, LP was associated with over a 13-fold increased incidence of AIDS/death in Southern Europe (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 13.02; 95% CI 8.19-20.70) and over a 6-fold increased rate in Eastern Europe (aIRR 6.64; 95% CI 3.55-12.43). LP has decreased over time across Europe, but remains a significant issue in the region in all HIV exposure groups. LP increased in male IDUs and female heterosexuals from Southern Europe and IDUs in Eastern Europe. LP was associated with an increased rate of AIDS/deaths, particularly in the first year after HIV diagnosis, with significant variation across Europe. Earlier and more widespread testing, timely referrals after testing positive, and improved retention in care strategies are required to further

Risk factors and outcomes for late presentation for HIV-positive persons in Europe: results from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe Study (COHERE.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amanda Mocroft

Full Text Available Few studies have monitored late presentation (LP of HIV infection over the European continent, including Eastern Europe. Study objectives were to explore the impact of LP on AIDS and mortality.LP was defined in Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE as HIV diagnosis with a CD4 count <350/mm(3 or an AIDS diagnosis within 6 months of HIV diagnosis among persons presenting for care between 1 January 2000 and 30 June 2011. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with LP and Poisson regression to explore the impact on AIDS/death. 84,524 individuals from 23 cohorts in 35 countries contributed data; 45,488 were LP (53.8%. LP was highest in heterosexual males (66.1%, Southern European countries (57.0%, and persons originating from Africa (65.1%. LP decreased from 57.3% in 2000 to 51.7% in 2010/2011 (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 0.96; 95% CI 0.95-0.97. LP decreased over time in both Central and Northern Europe among homosexual men, and male and female heterosexuals, but increased over time for female heterosexuals and male intravenous drug users (IDUs from Southern Europe and in male and female IDUs from Eastern Europe. 8,187 AIDS/deaths occurred during 327,003 person-years of follow-up. In the first year after HIV diagnosis, LP was associated with over a 13-fold increased incidence of AIDS/death in Southern Europe (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR] 13.02; 95% CI 8.19-20.70 and over a 6-fold increased rate in Eastern Europe (aIRR 6.64; 95% CI 3.55-12.43.LP has decreased over time across Europe, but remains a significant issue in the region in all HIV exposure groups. LP increased in male IDUs and female heterosexuals from Southern Europe and IDUs in Eastern Europe. LP was associated with an increased rate of AIDS/deaths, particularly in the first year after HIV diagnosis, with significant variation across Europe. Earlier and more widespread testing, timely referrals after testing positive, and

Ophthalmic epidemiology in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delcourt, Cécile; Korobelnik, Jean-François; Buitendijk, Gabriëlle H S

2016-01-01

The European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium is a recently formed consortium of 29 groups from 12 European countries. It already comprises 21 population-based studies and 20 other studies (case-control, cases only, randomized trials), providing ophthalmological data on approximately 170,000 Euro......The European Eye Epidemiology (E3) consortium is a recently formed consortium of 29 groups from 12 European countries. It already comprises 21 population-based studies and 20 other studies (case-control, cases only, randomized trials), providing ophthalmological data on approximately 170......,000 European participants. The aim of the consortium is to promote and sustain collaboration and sharing of data and knowledge in the field of ophthalmic epidemiology in Europe, with particular focus on the harmonization of methods for future research, estimation and projection of frequency and impact...

World review: Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2000-01-01

The article gives information on contracts announced (and to whom) and recently completed in some parts of Europe in the petroleum, natural gas and petrochemicals industries. Countries specifically mentioned are Belgium, Czech Republic, France, the former Soviet Union, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom. It is suggested that in E. Europe, the demand for gas could triple by 2020, in S. Europe the market for gas will double in the next ten years and the Mediterranean will continue to be a developing global refinery into the 21st century

Co-operation with Eastern Europe countries taking ENAC as an example

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Taylor, D.

1994-01-01

In the aftermath of the Chernobyl accident, the European Community launched an ambitious programme of nuclear safety assistance. The purpose of this programme is to improve the safety of the Nuclear Power stations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union plants. It was felt in the Western European nuclear industry that the emphasis should be on finding practical solutions to improve the most urgent problems. To achieve this objective, the nuclear industry in Western Europe founded a consortium called ENAC (European Nuclear Assistance Consortium) comprising companies form seven European countries ( Great Britain, France, Germany, Spain, Belgium, Italy, Netherlands). The co-operation between theses companies and the Russian designers would ensure that the solutions developed meet the approval of all interested parties. This presentation outlines the overall objectives of ENAC. 2 tabs., 1 fig

Study on underground gas storage in Europe and Central Asia; Etude sur le stockage souterrain du gaz en Europe et en Asie Centrale

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sedlacek, R. [NlfB, Germany (Germany); Rott, W. [Wintershall AG, Celle (Germany); Rokosz, W. [POGC, Poland (PL)] (and others)

2000-07-01

The Working Party on Gas of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UN/ECE), at its sixth session in 1996, decided to undertake a study on 'Underground gas storage in Europe and Central Asia'. The study was launched by the Working Party on Gas in the recognition of the role of underground gas storage (UGS) in the creation of unified European gas market, its liberalization, security of gas supply and cooperation among gas enterprises. The data analysed by the study was collected through the comprehensive questionnaire, circulated among gas companies/organizations of the ECE member-countries. To carry out the study, a special Ad Hoc Group of Experts, representing leading gas companies of the region, was set up. The study deals with a wide range of issues related to the underground storage of gas, such as current status of UGS in Europe and Central Asia, new and emerging technologies, new and existing UGS projects, regulatory framework, cost of storage in USA and in Europe, future gas markets development. An attempt was also made to identify the UGS facilities that play (and could provide in the future) the international contract border services. (authors)

Organic Marketing Initiatives in Europe

OpenAIRE

Sylvander, Bertil; Kristensen, Niels Heine

2004-01-01

In the second half of the 20th century, agriculture in Europe has undergone profound technological change, associated with and to an extent supporting the long post-war economic boom. This process has not gone unchallenged, however; some resistance to the process has come from a growing perception of environmental (and to an extent social) degradation, and some farms and businesses, particularly in Less Favoured Areas, have been simply unable to keep up. For both groups, organic farming has m...

High Energy Physics in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1980-01-01

A thorough survey of the present and possible future activities and resources in high energy physics in the CERN Member States has been carried out by a Working Group of ECFA (European Committee for Future Accelerators) under the Chairmanship of John Mulvey. The aim has been to obtain a view of the present European scene and to see whether it looks well adapted to the effective exploitation of possible future machines in Europe (particular LEP) and the rest of the world

The genetic structure of the mountain forest butterfly Erebia euryale unravels the late Pleistocene and postglacial history of the mountain coniferous forest biome in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmitt, Thomas; Haubrich, Karola

2008-05-01

The distribution of the mountain coniferous forest biome in Europe throughout time is not sufficiently understood. One character species of this habitat type is the large ringlet, Erebia euryale well reflecting the extension of this biome today, and the genetic differentiation of this species among and within mountain systems may unravel the late Pleistocene history of this habitat type. We therefore analysed the allozyme pattern of 381 E. euryale individuals from 11 populations in four different European mountain systems (Pyrenees, Alps, Carpathians, Rila). All loci analysed were polymorphic. The mean F(ST) over all samples was high (20%). Furthermore, the mean genetic distance among samples was quite high (0.049). We found four different groups well supported by cluster analyses, bootstraps and hierarchical variance analyses: Pyrenees, western Alps, eastern Alps and southeastern Europe (Carpathians and Rila). The genetic diversity of the populations was highest in the southeastern European group and stepwise decreased westwards. Interestingly, the populations from Bulgaria and Romania were almost identical; therefore, we assume that they were not separated by the Danube Valley, at least during the last ice age. On the contrary, the differentiation among the three western Alps populations was considerable. For all these reasons, we assume that (i) the most important refugial area for the coniferous mountain forest biome in Europe has been located in southeastern Europe including at least parts of the Carpathians and the Bulgarian mountains; (ii) important refugial areas for this biome existed at the southeastern edge of the Alps; (iii) fragments of this habitat types survived along the southwestern Alps, but in a more scattered distribution; and (iv) relatively small relicts have persisted somewhere at the foothills of the Pyrenees.

DISTRIBUTION OF CRAYFISH IN EUROPE AND SOME ADJOINING COUNTRIES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

HOLDICH D. M.

2002-07-01

Full Text Available The distribution of crayfish in Europe is examined using information from a variety of sources mainly for the last two decades. All European countries have at least one indigenous crayfish species (ICS, many with large stocks, and most countries in Western Europe have at least one non-indigenous crayfish species (NICS. Some species termed indigenous in certain countries may have been introduced in relatively recent times. However, the meaning of the term indigenous (native varies between countries. NICS continue to expand their ranges and present a continued threat to ICS through competition and transmission of diseases, notably crayfish plague. The current high level of interest in crayfish means that many countries are monitoring their crayfish situation and, where necessary, taking steps to renew stocks of threatened indigenous species, some of which are apparently on the verge of extinction. A more regular monitoring programme for European crayfish as a whole is needed if the demise of indigenous species is to be prevented.

Late presentation for HIV care across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mocroft, Amanda; Lundgren, Jens; Antinori, Andrea

2015-01-01

Late presentation (LP) for HIV care across Europe remains a significant issue. We provide a cross-European update from 34 countries on the prevalence and risk factors of LP for 2010-2013. People aged ≥ 16 presenting for HIV care (earliest of HIV-diagnosis, first clinic visit or cohort enrollment......) after 1 January 2010 with available CD4 count within six months of presentation were included. LP was defined as presentation with a CD4 count HIV diagnosis. Logistic regression investigated changes in LP over time. A total.......02-1.32), and a significant decline in LP in northern Europe (aOR/year later 0.89; 95% CI: 0.85-0.94). Further improvements in effective HIV testing strategies, with a focus on vulnerable groups, are required across the European continent....

Do Performance-based Health Measures Reflect Differences in Frailty Among Immigrants Age 50+ in Europe?

Science.gov (United States)

Brothers, Thomas D; Theou, Olga; Rockwood, Kenneth

2014-09-01

Life course influences, including country of residence and country of birth, are associated with frailty index scores. We investigated these associations using performance-based health measures. Among 33,745 participants age 50+ (mean age 64.8 ± 10.1; 55% women) in the Survey of Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, grip strength, delayed word recall, and semantic verbal fluency were assessed. Participants were grouped by country of residence (Northern/Western Europe or Southern/Eastern Europe), and by country of birth (native-born, immigrants born in low- and middle-income countries [LMICs], or immigrants born in high-income countries [HICs]). Participants in Southern/Eastern Europe had lower mean test scores than those in Northern/Western Europe, and their scores did not differ by country of birth group. In Northern/Western Europe, compared with native-born participants, LMIC-born immigrants demonstrated lower mean grip strength (32.8 ± 7.6 kg vs. 35.7 ± 7.7 kg), delayed recall (2.9 ± 1.9 vs. 3.6 ± 1.9), and verbal fluency scores (16.0 ± 6.9 vs. 20.3 ± 7.0). HIC-born immigrants had mean scores higher than LMIC-born immigrants, but lower than native-born participants (all pnational income levels of both country of residence and country of birth. This was similar to previously observed differences in frailty index scores.

Normative Power Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Manners, Ian

2009-01-01

The chapter develops a normative power approach to European studies that can be applied across and beyond its constitutive disciplines in order to interrogate and transgress the ideas and spaces on/of Europe. In four parts the chapter explores the terms ‘normative', ‘power', and ‘Europe', before......' - in order to make sense of ideas of the common good. Part two looks at three different types of power - ‘relational', ‘structural', and ‘normative' - as a means of understanding the power of ideas of the common good. Part three considers three different means of understanding Europe - ‘civilizational......', ‘categorical', and ‘cultural' - to show how the power of ideas of the common good shape our means of comprehending contemporary Europe. Part four attempts to apply the approach to the question of a European counter-terrorist response. This example was chosen because of the challenges it presents...

Affective neural response to restricted interests in autism spectrum disorders.

Science.gov (United States)

Cascio, Carissa J; Foss-Feig, Jennifer H; Heacock, Jessica; Schauder, Kimberly B; Loring, Whitney A; Rogers, Baxter P; Pryweller, Jennifer R; Newsom, Cassandra R; Cockhren, Jurnell; Cao, Aize; Bolton, Scott

2014-01-01

Restricted interests are a class of repetitive behavior in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) whose intensity and narrow focus often contribute to significant interference with daily functioning. While numerous neuroimaging studies have investigated executive circuits as putative neural substrates of repetitive behavior, recent work implicates affective neural circuits in restricted interests. We sought to explore the role of affective neural circuits and determine how restricted interests are distinguished from hobbies or interests in typical development. We compared a group of children with ASD to a typically developing (TD) group of children with strong interests or hobbies, employing parent report, an operant behavioral task, and functional imaging with personalized stimuli based on individual interests. While performance on the operant task was similar between the two groups, parent report of intensity and interference of interests was significantly higher in the ASD group. Both the ASD and TD groups showed increased BOLD response in widespread affective neural regions to the pictures of their own interest. When viewing pictures of other children's interests, the TD group showed a similar pattern, whereas BOLD response in the ASD group was much more limited. Increased BOLD response in the insula and anterior cingulate cortex distinguished the ASD from the TD group, and parent report of the intensity and interference with daily life of the child's restricted interest predicted insula response. While affective neural network response and operant behavior are comparable in typical and restricted interests, the narrowness of focus that clinically distinguishes restricted interests in ASD is reflected in more interference in daily life and aberrantly enhanced insula and anterior cingulate response to individuals' own interests in the ASD group. These results further support the involvement of affective neural networks in repetitive behaviors in ASD. © 2013 The

Varicella vaccination in Europe – taking the practical approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sadzot-Delvaux Catherine

2009-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Varicella is a common viral disease affecting almost the entire birth cohort. Although usually self-limiting, some cases of varicella can be serious, with 2 to 6% of cases attending a general practice resulting in complications. The hospitalisation rate for varicella in Europe ranges from 1.3 to 4.5 per 100,000 population/year and up to 10.1% of hospitalised patients report permanent or possible permanent sequelae (for example, scarring or ataxia. However, in many countries the epidemiology of varicella remains largely unknown or incomplete. In countries where routine childhood vaccination against varicella has been implemented, it has had a positive effect on disease prevention and control. Furthermore, mathematical models indicate that this intervention strategy may provide economic benefits for the individual and society. Despite this evidence and recommendations for varicella vaccination by official bodies such as the World Health Organization, and scientific experts in the field, the majority of European countries (with the exception of Germany and Greece have delayed decisions on implementation of routine childhood varicella vaccination, choosing instead to vaccinate high-risk groups or not to vaccinate at all. In this paper, members of the Working Against Varicella in Europe group consider the practicalities of introducing routine childhood varicella vaccination in Europe, discussing the benefits and challenges of different vaccination options (vaccination vs. no vaccination, routine vaccination of infants vs. vaccination of susceptible adolescents or adults, two doses vs. one dose of varicella vaccine, monovalent varicella vaccines vs. tetravalent measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines, as well as the optimal interval between two doses of measles, mumps, rubella and varicella vaccines. Assessment of the epidemiology of varicella in Europe and evidence for the effectiveness of varicella vaccination provides support for

Aspects of governmental job-creation efforts in Western Europe and North America.

OpenAIRE

Hollister RG

1986-01-01

ILO pub-WEP pub. Working paper, comparison of employment policies for employment creation in Western Europe and the USA - covers job creation measures, target groups, financing, and the relationships between job creation and economic policy and social policies (esp. Social security); looks at problems of design implementation and evaluation of employment creation projects; discusses obstacles to employment creation in the context of economic recession in Western Europe, and in a developing co...

EDF Group - Annual Report 2016

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2017-01-01

EDF group is the world's leading electricity company and global leader for low-carbon energy production. Particularly well established in Europe, especially France, the United-Kingdom, Italy and Belgium, as well as North and South America, the Group covers all businesses spanning the electricity value chain - from generation to distribution and including energy transmission and trading activities - to continuously balance supply. A marked increase in the use of renewables is bringing change to its electricity generation operations, which are underpinned by a diversified and complementary energy mix founded on nuclear power capacity. EDF offers products and advice to help residential customers manage their electricity consumption, to support the energy and financial performance of its business customers, and to help local authorities find sustainable solutions. This document is EDF Group's annual report for the year 2016. It contains information about Group profile, governance, business, development strategy, sales and marketing, positions in Europe and international activities. The document comprises the Group's activities and performances Report and the 'EDF at a glance' 2017 report

The organizational framework of community pharmacies in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Martins, Sílvia Filipa; van Mil, J W Foppe; da Costa, Filipa Alves

2015-10-01

The role of the pharmacist has undergone profound changes over the recent years. In most European countries, the tendency seems to be that pharmacists are moving from being product-oriented to service-oriented. An interesting series of papers describing care related services of pharmacy in various countries has been published in 2006, but much has changed since then. This paper aims to provide an updated view on the overall health care sector in Europe, with a special focus on services in community pharmacy. To list and compare health care and community pharmacy structure in Europe; and to discuss the facilitators and barriers that can be found in health care systems and may promote or hinder the implementation of new community pharmacy services. European community pharmacy practice. A cross-sectional study was undertaken where data were collected using an online survey sent to a purposive sample of representatives from 27 European countries. Main outcome measure variation in professional community pharmacy services across Europe. Data were obtained from 22 respondents in 19 countries (70.4%). Health care is mainly provided by a form of public National Health Services in 17 of the 19 countries. Demographic criteria for founding new pharmacies were present in 17 countries. Medicines are exclusively available in pharmacies in approximately one third of the countries. Smoking cessation (93.8%), drug waste management (81.3%) and pharmaceutical care programmes for specific diseases (77.8%) were reported as the most widely disseminated services in European pharmacies. There are still major differences between community pharmacy practice in Europe. Differences are mostly due to the legal framework and remuneration issues, which impact on the range of services available from pharmacies to the community of each country.

Migratory Prostitution with Emphasis on Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

M&oring;rdh; Genç

1995-03-01

In many European countries, foreigners constitute the majority of certain groups of prostitutes, e.g., approximately 90% of the window prostitutes in the red light district of Amsterdam are not native to the Netherlands. The same is true for prostitutes working in bars in Vienna. In cities where registered prostitution is legal, unregistered prostitutes, most of whom are foreigners, often outnumber the registered ones. Central European countries often receive "sex workers" from eastern Europe, e.g., from Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Romania, whereas the majority of migratory prostitutes in Great Britain and continental western Europe come from Africa, the Caribbean, and South America. In northern Europe, women from Russia, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, and the Baltic states are prostituting themselves in increasing numbers. Scandinavia has so far been affected relatively less by this mobility. In Spain, France, and Italy, women from Arabic and subSaharan countries are common among prostitutes. Foreign prostitutes move into Turkey along two main routes: women from the Balkan countries come to the western part of the country, whereas those from the former Soviet Union cross the border from Georgia, where they usually operate at resorts along the eastern Black Sea coast. Prostitutes are also mobile within the former communist bloc. For instance, women from Russia prostitute themselves in Lithuania, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. the customers are locals, particularly those with "hard currency", such as businessmen and "sex tourists" from the West. Following the outbreak of civil war in the former Yugoslavia, women from that country are now more frequently seen among the population of migratory prostitutes in Europe.

Proceedings from the second UEMS Conference on CME-CPD in Europe, 28 February 2014, Brussels, Belgium

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Julie Simper

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Over a year since the implementation of the new UEMS-EACCME® accreditation criteria for Live Educational Events (LEEs, the second Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes (UEMS Conference on continuing medical education and continuing professional development (CME-CPD in Europe was a much anticipated event. The conference, which took place 28 February 2014 in Brussels, Belgium, provided an important opportunity for stakeholders to discuss and debate:• The role of accreditation in CME-CPD, with a focus on EACCME® accreditation as a means of assuring the quality of CME-CPD in Europe.• The UEMS-EACCME®'s accreditation process.• Implementation of the new criteria for the accreditation of LEEs.A key theme of the event was increased collaboration and dialogue amongst the various stakeholders in international CME-CPD. This was exemplified by both the diversity of the faculty members, as well as the full-house audience of approximately 300 international delegates representing accrediting bodies, medical societies and associations, education providers, industry supporters, and European regulators and legislators. In addition to views on CME-CPD from several of the stakeholder groups, sessions provided a glimpse into the European political environment, CME-CPD statistics, and practical discussions on needs assessment, learning objectives, outcomes measurement, and conflicts of interest management. The day's full agenda also included reiteration of the need for self-regulation of European CME-CPD and commitment to the shared goal of improving patient care by providing high-quality, accredited educational initiatives.

Islam in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Jørgen Schøler

2008-01-01

A discussion of various approaches to Islam and Muslims in Europe in seven books published in the USA and the UK between 2005 and 2007.......A discussion of various approaches to Islam and Muslims in Europe in seven books published in the USA and the UK between 2005 and 2007....

Europe representations in textbooks

OpenAIRE

Brennetot , Arnaud

2011-01-01

This EuroBroadMap working paper presents an analysis of textbooks dealing with the representations of Europe and European Union. In most of these textbooks from secondary school, the teaching of the geography of Europe precedes the evocation of the EU. Europe is often depicted as a given object, reduced to a number of structural aspects (relief, climate, demography, traditional cultures, economic activities, etc.) whose only common point is their location within conventional boundaries. Such ...

Publication ethics in biomedical journals from countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Broga, Mindaugas; Mijaljica, Goran; Waligora, Marcin; Keis, Aime; Marusic, Ana

2014-03-01

Publication ethics is an important aspect of both the research and publication enterprises. It is particularly important in the field of biomedical science because published data may directly affect human health. In this article, we examine publication ethics policies in biomedical journals published in Central and Eastern Europe. We were interested in possible differences between East European countries that are members of the European Union (Eastern EU) and South-East European countries (South-East Europe) that are not members of the European Union. The most common ethical issues addressed by all journals in the region were redundant publication, peer review process, and copyright or licensing details. Image manipulation, editors' conflicts of interest and registration of clinical trials were the least common ethical policies. Three aspects were significantly more common in journals published outside the EU: statements on the endorsement of international editorial standards, contributorship policy, and image manipulation. On the other hand, copyright or licensing information were more prevalent in journals published in the Eastern EU. The existence of significant differences among biomedical journals' ethical policies calls for further research and active measures to harmonize policies across journals.

Interesting Interest Points

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aanæs, Henrik; Dahl, Anders Lindbjerg; Pedersen, Kim Steenstrup

2012-01-01

on spatial invariance of interest points under changing acquisition parameters by measuring the spatial recall rate. The scope of this paper is to investigate the performance of a number of existing well-established interest point detection methods. Automatic performance evaluation of interest points is hard......Not all interest points are equally interesting. The most valuable interest points lead to optimal performance of the computer vision method in which they are employed. But a measure of this kind will be dependent on the chosen vision application. We propose a more general performance measure based...... position. The LED illumination provides the option for artificially relighting the scene from a range of light directions. This data set has given us the ability to systematically evaluate the performance of a number of interest point detectors. The highlights of the conclusions are that the fixed scale...

Large Scale Anthropogenic Reduction of Forest Cover in Last Glacial Maximum Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Kaplan, Jed O; Pfeiffer, Mirjam; Kolen, Jan C A; Davis, Basil A S

2016-01-01

Reconstructions of the vegetation of Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) are an enigma. Pollen-based analyses have suggested that Europe was largely covered by steppe and tundra, and forests persisted only in small refugia. Climate-vegetation model simulations on the other hand have consistently suggested that broad areas of Europe would have been suitable for forest, even in the depths of the last glaciation. Here we reconcile models with data by demonstrating that the highly mobile groups of hunter-gatherers that inhabited Europe at the LGM could have substantially reduced forest cover through the ignition of wildfires. Similar to hunter-gatherers of the more recent past, Upper Paleolithic humans were masters of the use of fire, and preferred inhabiting semi-open landscapes to facilitate foraging, hunting and travel. Incorporating human agency into a dynamic vegetation-fire model and simulating forest cover shows that even small increases in wildfire frequency over natural background levels resulted in large changes in the forested area of Europe, in part because trees were already stressed by low atmospheric CO2 concentrations and the cold, dry, and highly variable climate. Our results suggest that the impact of humans on the glacial landscape of Europe may be one of the earliest large-scale anthropogenic modifications of the earth system.

Europe

OpenAIRE

2015-01-01

Voilà deux militants de la cause européenne qui plaident, chacun à sa manière, pour un sursaut afin que renaisse ce « désir d’Europe » qui nous fait tant défaut. « Il n’est pas trop tard, mais il est temps… », écrit P. COLLOWALD dans ses mémoires préfacées par Jacques Delors. Constatant que, « dans les jugements hâtifs de notre époque, on manque souvent de discernement, par ignorance et par manque de recul historique », cet ancien responsable de l’information à la Commission et au Parlement e...

Cities In Western Europe and The United States: Do Policy Differences Matter?

OpenAIRE

Peter Gordon; Wendell Cox

2012-01-01

Amid concerns of how U.S. cities "sprawl", it is useful to look at the cities of other developed nations, in particular Western Europe which has attained U.S. - type prosperity, but which is reputed to have cities Americans should look to as a model. We examine recent data which suggest that there are substantial development and transportation similarities between the two groups and that the cities of Western Europe are becoming more like those of the U.S.

Natural gas vehicles in Europe: Commercialization prospects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vettori, P.; Merigo, F.

1992-01-01

This paper tables numerous statistical data to evidence that whereas the use of natural gas as an automotive fuel for private and public vehicles is growing in Asia, North and South America, in Europe this trend is currently being followed only in Italy. However, with the relatively recent expansion of the European Communities' natural gas distribution network, coupled with growing interest in this fuel as a cost effective and environmentally compatible alternative to petroleum, the demand for natural gas automotive fuels is expected to increase even in this continent. The trucking industry in particular should derive significant benefits from the switch to natural gas

"Physics and Life" for Europe's Science Teachers

Science.gov (United States)

2003-04-01

The EIROforum Contribution to the European Science and Technology Week 2003 [Physics on Stage 3 Logo] What do you know about modern science? Was your school science teacher inspiring and enthusiastic? Or was physics class a good time to take a nap? Unfortunately, many young Europeans don't have the fondest memories of science in school, and the result is a widespread disinterest and lack of understanding of science among adults. This has become a real problem - especially at a time when science is having a growing impact on our daily lives, and when society needs more scientists than ever! What can be done? Some of Europe's leading research organisations, scientists and teachers have put their heads together and come up with a unique approach called "Physics on Stage" . This will be the third year that these institutes, with substantial support from the European Commission, are running this project - attacking the problem at its roots. EIROforum and "Physics on Stage 3" [EIROforum Logo] "Physics On Stage 3" is based on the very successful "Physics On Stage" concept that was introduced in 2000. It is directed towards science teachers and students in Europe's secondary schools. It is a part of the year-long build-up to the European Science and Technology Week 2003 (3-9 November), an initiative by the European Commission, and is run by seven of Europe's leading Intergovernmental Research Organizations (the EIROforum) [1]. The project addresses the content and format of science teaching in European schools , seeking to improve the quality of teaching and to find new ways to stimulate pupils to take an interest in science. Innovative and inspirational science teaching is seen as a key component to attract young people to deal with scientific issues, whether or not they finally choose a career in science. Hence, "Physics On Stage 3" aims to stimulate the interest of young people through the school teachers, who can play a key role in reversing the trend of falling

Prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in Europe: A meta-analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Eades, Claire E; Cameron, Dawn M; Evans, Josie M M

2017-07-01

Estimates of the prevalence of gestational diabetes vary widely. It is important to have a clear understanding of the prevalence of this condition to be able to plan interventions and health care provision. This paper describes a meta-analysis of primary research data reporting the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus in the general pregnant population of developed countries in Europe. Four electronic databases were systematically searched in May 2016. English language articles reporting gestational diabetes mellitus prevalence using universal screening in general pregnant population samples from developed countries in Europe were included. All papers identified by the search were screened by one author, and then half screened independently by a second author and half by a third author. Data were extracted by one author. Values for the measures of interest were combined using a random effects model and analysis of the effects of moderator variables was carried out. A total of 3258 abstracts were screened, with 40 studies included in the review. Overall prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus was 5.4% (3.8-7.8). Maternal age, year of data collection, country, area of Europe, week of gestation at testing, and diagnostic criteria were found to have a significant univariate effect on GDM prevalence, and area, week of gestation at testing and year of data collection remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis. Quality category was significant in multivariate but not univariate analysis. This meta-analysis shows prevalence of GDM that is at the upper end of previous estimates in Europe. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

EDF Group - Annual Report 2014. The people who power tomorrow

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2015-01-01

The EDF Group is the world's leading electricity company and very well established in Europe. Its business covers all electricity-related activities, from generation to networks and commerce. It is an important player in energy trading through EDF trading. This document is EDF Group's annual report for the year 2014. It contains information about Group profile, governance, business, development strategy, sales and marketing, positions in Europe and international activities. The document is made of several reports: the Activity and Sustainable Development Report, the 'EDF at a glance' report, and the EDF Group Performance sheet

Maternal DNA lineages at the gate of Europe in the 10th century AD

Science.gov (United States)

Modi, Alessandra; Vai, Stefania; Pilli, Elena; Mircea, Cristina; Radu, Claudia; Urduzia, Claudia; Pinter, Zeno Karl; Bodolică, Vitalie; Dobrinescu, Cătălin; Hervella, Montserrat; Popescu, Octavian; Lari, Martina; Caramelli, David; Kelemen, Beatrice

2018-01-01

Given the paucity of archaeogenetic data available for medieval European populations in comparison to other historical periods, the genetic landscape of this age appears as a puzzle of dispersed, small, known pieces. In particular, Southeastern Europe has been scarcely investigated to date. In this paper, we report the study of mitochondrial DNA in 10th century AD human samples from Capidava necropolis, located in Dobruja (Southeastern Romania, Southeastern Europe). This geographical region is particularly interesting because of the extensive population flux following diverse migration routes, and the complex interactions between distinct population groups during the medieval period. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial control region of 10 individuals. For five of them, we also reconstructed the complete mitochondrial genomes using hybridization-based DNA capture combined with Next Generation Sequencing. We have portrayed the genetic structure of the Capidava medieval population, represented by 10 individuals displaying 8 haplotypes (U5a1c2a, V1a, R0a2’3, H1, U3a, N9a9, H5e1a1, and H13a1a3). Remarkable for this site is the presence of both Central Asiatic (N9a) and common European mtDNA haplotypes, establishing Capidava as a point of convergence between East and West. The distribution of mtDNA lineages in the necropolis highlighted the existence of two groups of two individuals with close maternal relationships as they share the same haplotypes. We also sketch, using comparative statistical and population genetic analyses, the genetic relationships between the investigated dataset and other medieval and modern Eurasian populations. PMID:29538439

Churchill, Europe and Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Warren Dockter

2016-12-01

Full Text Available From the early 1930s until his peace time premiership (1951-1955, Winston Churchill was one of the strongest advocates of the concept of a United Europe. While this is well known among scholars of 20th century British history, Churchill’s actual vision for what a United Europe might look like has received less attention. Still less attention has been paid to Churchill’s opinions of the roles other nations might play within the new Europe. This article will examine Churchill’s view of Turkey in the new European order and will reveal that Churchill saw Turkey as a part of, (or at least an extension of Europe. However, this article will also reveal that Churchill’s conceptualisation of Turkey’s role was largely predicated on 19th century geostrategic thinking.

Healthcare databases in Europe for studying medicine use and safety during pregnancy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Charlton, Rachel A; Neville, Amanda J; Jordan, Sue

2014-01-01

data recorded by primary-care practitioners. All databases captured maternal co-prescribing and a measure of socioeconomic status. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that within Europe, electronic healthcare databases may be valuable sources of data for evaluating medicine use and safety during pregnancy......PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to describe a number of electronic healthcare databases in Europe in terms of the population covered, the source of the data captured and the availability of data on key variables required for evaluating medicine use and medicine safety during pregnancy. METHODS....... The suitability of a particular database, however, will depend on the research question, the type of medicine to be evaluated, the prevalence of its use and any adverse outcomes of interest. © 2014 The Authors. Pharmacoepidemiology and Drug Safety published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd....

Energy industry in central and eastern Europe status of the accession negotiations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiber, K.

2003-01-01

Energy was the starting point for the European Union with the signature of the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC) Treaty back in 1951. Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy and Luxembourg decided for the first time to create supranational and democratic institutions in the common interest of the European citizens. This was the basis for guiding Europe over the past fifty years towards the European Union of today. Now we are on the point of making a historic decision. Far more is at stake in this enlargement round than the simple acceptance of new Member States and the enlargement of the Union. It is a question of ending the artificial division of Europe brought about by two world wars and of taking a decisive step towards the completion of European unification. (orig.) [de

Inclusive Schooling: Fostering Citizenship among Immigrant Students in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Rutkowski, David; Rutkowski, Leslie; Engel, Laura C.

2014-01-01

Growing ethnic and cultural diversity within Europe has brought increased attention to the impact and inclusion of immigrant populations and has also presented societies with valuable opportunities for intercultural learning between diverse groups. Using the International Civic and Citizenship Study data from 24 European education systems, in this…

Europe Says OXI : "Online Camaraderie" and the European Crisis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alinejad, D.

2016-01-01

This paper presents a small-scale case study of the Facebook page, Europe Says OXI, and a group of political activists spread across European cities who are affiliated with the page. It focuses on how digital communications practices play a role in social movement participation, and follows these

Lack of interest in physical activity - individual and environmental attributes in adults across Europe: The SPOTLIGHT project.

Science.gov (United States)

Carraça, Eliana V; Mackenbach, Joreintje D; Lakerveld, Jeroen; Rutter, Harry; Oppert, Jean-Michel; De Bourdeaudhuij, Ilse; Compernolle, Sofie; Roda, Célina; Bardos, Helga; Teixeira, Pedro J

2018-06-01

A considerable proportion of European adults report little or no interest in physical activity. Identifying individual-level and environmental-level characteristics of these individuals can help designing effective interventions and policies to promote physical activity. This cross-sectional study additionally explored associations between level of interest and physical activity, after controlling for other individual and environmental variables. Measures of objective and perceived features of the physical environment of residence, self-reported physical activity and other lifestyle behaviors, barriers towards physical activity, general health, and demographics were obtained from 5205 European adults participating in the 2014 online SPOTLIGHT survey. t-Tests, chi-square tests, and generalized estimating equations with negative binomial log-link function were conducted. Adults not interested in physical activity reported a higher BMI and a lower self-rated health, were less educated, and to a smaller extent female and less frequently employed. They were more prone to have less healthy eating habits, and to perceive more barriers towards physical activity. Only minor differences were observed in environmental attributes: the non-interested were slightly more likely to live in neighborhoods objectively characterized as less aesthetic and containing more destinations, and perceived as less functional, safe, and aesthetic. Even after controlling for other individual and environmental factors, interest in physical activity remained a significant correlate of physical activity, supporting the importance of this association. This study is among the first to describe characteristics of individuals with reduced interest in physical activity, suggesting that (lack of) interest is a robust correlate of physical activity in several personal and environmental conditions. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Depression in Europe: does migrant integration have mental health payoffs? A cross-national comparison of 20 European countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Levecque, Katia; Van Rossem, Ronan

2015-01-01

Objectives. Depression is a leading cause of ill health and disability. As migrants form an increasing group in Europe, already making up about 8.7% of the population in 2010, knowledge on migrant-related inequalities in depression is of main public health interest. In this study, we first assess whether migrants in Europe are at higher risk for depression compared to the native population. Second, we assess whether the association between migration and depression is dependent on different forms of migrant integration. Migrant integration is looked at both from the individual and from the national level. Design. Hierarchical linear regression analyses based on data for 20 countries in the European Social Survey 2006/2007 (N = 37,076 individuals aged 15 or more). Depression is measured using the center for Epidemiologic Depression Scale. We consider migrant integration over time (first- and second-generation migrants, differentiated according to European Union (EU) or non-EU origin), barriers to integration (low educational level, financial difficulties, being out of the labor market, ethnic minority status, discrimination), and the host country environment (national migrant integration policy). Controls are gender, age, partner relationship, social support, and welfare state regime. Results. Natives and second-generation migrants do not differ significantly in their risk profile for depression. First-generation migrants show higher levels of depression, with those born outside of Europe to be the worst off. This higher risk for depression is not attributable to ethnic minority status but is mainly due to experienced barriers to socioeconomic integration and processes of discrimination. A country's national policy on migrant integration shows not to soften the depressing effect of being a first-generation migrant nor does it have indirect beneficial health effects by reducing barriers to integration. Conclusion. In Europe, first-generation EU and non-EU migrants

Sustainability and Interest Group Participation in City Politics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kent E. Portney

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Many cities across the United States have embraced programs aimed at achieving greater sustainability. This may seem surprising, particularly since adopting aggressive environmental protection programs is regarded by some as inimical to economic development. An alternative perspective is that in the modern city sustainability can be part of an economic development strategy. What is largely missing from the literature on sustainable cities’ policies and programs is systematic analysis of the political dynamics that seem to affect support for, and adoption and implementation of, local sustainability policies. To explore the actual behavior of cities with respect to sustainability and economic development policies, two original databases on 50 large U.S. cities are used. One source of data is composed of survey responses from city councilors, agency administrators, and leaders of local advocacy groups in each of these cities. The second database contains information as to what these 50 cities actually do in terms of sustainable programs and policies. In testing a series of hypotheses, findings suggest that: a high number of programs aimed at achieving sustainability is linked to the inclusion of environmental advocacy groups; that this relationship is not compromised by business advocacy; and that inclusion of environmental groups in policymaking seems to be supported, rather than impeded, by high rates of economic growth by the cities.

Balanced or biased? Interest groups and legislative lobbying in the European news media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Bruycker, I.; Beyers, J.

2015-01-01

This article examines the coverage of legislative lobbying in European news media. The starting point thereby is that lobbying in the crowded European Union (EU)-level interest community is not only a struggle for direct access to policymakers, but that in order to realize policy goals many interest

Graves' orbitopathy as a rare disease in Europe: a European Group on Graves' Orbitopathy (EUGOGO) position statement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Perros, P.; Hegedüs, L.; Bartalena, L.; Marcocci, C.; Kahaly, G. J.; Baldeschi, L.; Salvi, M.; Lazarus, J. H.; Eckstein, A.; Pitz, S.; Boboridis, K.; Anagnostis, P.; Ayvaz, G.; Boschi, A.; Brix, T. H.; Currò, N.; Konuk, O.; Marinò, M.; Mitchell, A. L.; Stankovic, B.; Törüner, F. B.; von Arx, G.; Zarković, M.; Wiersinga, W. M.

2017-01-01

Graves' orbitopathy (GO) is an autoimmune condition, which is associated with poor clinical outcomes including impaired quality of life and socio-economic status. Current evidence suggests that the incidence of GO in Europe may be declining, however data on the prevalence of this disease are sparse.

The new Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Richardson, J.

1991-01-01

This article examines the opportunities for business growth in an area of changing social, economic and political climate. The topics include existing political and economic ties, how these ties are evolving, comparisons between east and west, pollution and environmental issues, battery markets in eastern Europe, motive power, standby power, the transition of eastern europe to a market economy, and opportunities for the west

European survey of diagnosis and management of the polycystic ovary syndrome: results of the ESE PCOS Special Interest Group's Questionnaire.

Science.gov (United States)

Conway, Gerard; Dewailly, Didier; Diamanti-Kandarakis, Evanthia; Escobar-Morreale, Hector F; Franks, Steven; Gambineri, Alessandra; Kelestimur, Fahrettin; Macut, Djuro; Micic, Dragan; Pasquali, Renato; Pfeifer, Marija; Pignatelli, Duarte; Pugeat, Michel; Yildiz, Bulent

2014-10-01

There is evidence for differences between endocrinologists and other specialists in their approach to diagnosis and management of the polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A mailed survey consisting of a simple questionnaire aiming to understand current practice for diagnosis and management of the PCOS by specialists across Europe. The questionnaire consisted of 23 questions grouped to achieve information on i) the general characteristics of the respondents, ii) patients with PCOS seen by endocrinologists, iii) the main diagnostic criteria, iv) biochemical parameters used in the differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenism, v) long-term concerns, and, finally vi) treatment choices. A total of 357 questionnaires representing 13.3% of the members of European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) were available for final analysis; 93% of the respondents were endocrinologists In relation to the diagnostic criteria, respondents were most likely to select menstrual irregularity as the most frequent criteria used for the diagnosis of PCOS although very high rates were achieved for the use of hirsutism and biochemical hyperandrogenism. It therefore appears that the NIH criteria were followed by the majority of respondents. The most frequent biochemical parameters in the differential diagnosis of hyperandrogenism were total testosterone or free androgen index. Obesity and type 2 diabetes were regarded as the principal long-term concerns for PCOS. The most common treatments for patients with PCOS were metformin (33%), lifestyle modification (25%), and oral contraceptives (22%). More direct treatments of infertility include clomiphene citrate alone or in combination with metformin, prescribed by 9 and 23%, respectively, whereas only 6% used other methods for induction of ovulation. The survey produced by ESE is a good start for evaluating the perspective in the diagnosis and treatment of PCOS by endocrinologists in Europe. © 2014 European Society of Endocrinology.

Desertification in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fantechi, R.; Margaris, N.S.

1986-01-01

Desertification in Europe highlights a phenomenon which is widespread in most of Southern Europe. The continuous loss of fertile soil, wind and water erosion, vegetation degradation, droughts and forest fires all contribute to the creation of a potentially alarming situation. If one adds to this list the threat posed by acid rain, and the possibility of a climatic change inducing drier and warmer conditions in areas already heavily affected by degradation of soil and vegetation, the problem of desertification in Europe could be seen as being grave. This book focuses on those processes in which nature and Man cooperate in producing accelerated and irreversible barreness of once fertile soils. One paper discusses the use of short-lived radioisotopes to provide chronologies of sedimentation

Generation in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aveline, Michelle; Mason, Laura.

1994-01-01

Information for this document has been collected from a range of primary sources which include annual reports, strategy statements and company information leaflets. The first part consists of profiles for each of the countries of Western Europe and selected countries in Eastern Europe. In each case an overview of the organization of the electricity industry is given and information where available on interconnections, new projects, ongoing work at existing plant, environmental issues and details of plant and closures. In the second part, details are given of some of the largest power generating companies in Europe listed in alphabetical order. The most up-to-date figures available have been used in all cases and the companies have been invited to comment on the text. (UK)

History-Based Instruction Enriched with Various Sources of Situational Interest on the Topic of the Atom: the Effect on Students' Achievement and Interest

Science.gov (United States)

Pekdağ, Bülent; Azizoğlu, Nursen

2018-05-01

This study examines the effect of history-based instruction on the topic of the atom on students' academic achievement and their interest in the history of science, investigating as well the relationship between student interest and academic achievement. The sample of the study consisted of two groups of freshman students from an undergraduate elementary science teachers program. The same chemistry instructor taught the groups, which were randomly assigned as an experimental and a control group. The students in the control group received traditional teacher-centered instruction, while the experimental group students were taught the topic of the atom using history-based instruction enriched with various sources of situational interest such as novelty, autonomy, social involvement, and knowledge acquisition (NASK). Data gathering instruments were the Atom Achievement Test and the History of Science Interest Scale, administered to both of the groups before and after the instruction. The data were analyzed with the independent-samples t test, the paired-samples t test, and one-way ANCOVA statistical analysis. The results showed that the history-based instruction including NASK was more effective than traditional instruction in improving the students' learning of the subject of the atom as well as in stimulating and improving students' interest in the history of science. Further, students with high interest displayed significantly better achievement than students with low interest. The better learning of the topic of the atom was more pronounced in the case of students with a high interest in the history of science compared to students with moderate or low interest.

Social innovation in Western Europe: networks and programmes as drivers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oeij, P.R.A.; Dhondt, S.; Solley, S.; Hill-Dixon, A.

2018-01-01

Networks and cooperation are vital for social innovation (SI). Policy which stimulates the development of SI ecosystems is likely to encourage the sustainability of social innovations. This chapter focuses on Western Europe, detailing how networks, individuals and groups are the main drivers in

Maternal genealogical patterns of chicken breeds sampled in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyimo, C M; Weigend, A; Msoffe, P L; Hocking, P M; Simianer, H; Weigend, S

2015-08-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the maternal genealogical pattern of chicken breeds sampled in Europe. Sequence polymorphisms of 1256 chickens of the hypervariable region (D-loop) of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) were used. Median-joining networks were constructed to establish evolutionary relationships among mtDNA haplotypes of chickens, which included a wide range of breeds with different origin and history. Chicken breeds which have had their roots in Europe for more than 3000 years were categorized by their founding regions, encompassing Mediterranean type, East European type and Northwest European type. Breeds which were introduced to Europe from Asia since the mid-19th century were classified as Asian type, and breeds based on crossbreeding between Asian breeds and European breeds were classified as Intermediate type. The last group, Game birds, included fighting birds from Asia. The classification of mtDNA haplotypes was based on Liu et al.'s (2006) nomenclature. Haplogroup E was the predominant clade among the European chicken breeds. The results showed, on average, the highest number of haplotypes, highest haplotype diversity, and highest nucleotide diversity for Asian type breeds, followed by Intermediate type chickens. East European and Northwest European breeds had lower haplotype and nucleotide diversity compared to Mediterranean, Intermediate, Game and Asian type breeds. Results of our study support earlier findings that chicken breeds sampled in Europe have their roots in the Indian subcontinent and East Asia. This is consistent with historical and archaeological evidence of chicken migration routes to Europe. © 2015 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

EDF group - Reference Document 2008. Leading the energy change

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2009-01-01

The EDF group is an integrated energy company with a presence in a wide range of electricity-related businesses: generation, transmission, distribution, supply and energy trading. It is France's leading electricity operator and has a strong position in the three other main European markets (Germany, the United Kingdom and Italy), making it one of Europe's leading electrical players as well as a recognized player in the gas industry. With worldwide installed power capacity totaling 127.1 GW (124.8 GW in Europe) and global energy generation of 609.9 TWh, it has the largest generating capacity of all the major European energy corporations with the lowest level of CO 2 emissions due to the significant proportion of nuclear and hydroelectric power in its generation mix. The EDF group supplies gas, electricity, and associated services to more than 38 million customer accounts worldwide (including approximately 28 million in France). The EDF group's businesses reflect its adoption of a model aimed at finding the best balance between French and international activities, and between competitive and regulated operations. In 2008, the Group's consolidated revenues were euros 64.3 billion, the net income (Group share) was euros 3.4 billion, and earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization was euros 14.2 billion. Since July 1, 2007, the EDF group conducts its business in a European market that is completely open to competition. Since January 1, 2008, ERDF, a wholly owned subsidiary of EDF, has assumed responsibility for all distribution in France, while RTE-EDF Transport is responsible for all transmission activities. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document for the year 2008. It contains information about: the Group activities, risk factors, Business overview, Organizational structure, Property plant and equipment, Operating and financial review, Capital resources and cash flows, Research and development, patents and licenses

Migration and Multilingualism in Western Europe: A Case Study of the Netherlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Extra, Guus; Vallen, Ton

1997-01-01

Reviews demographic and linguistic consequences of recent processes of migration and minority group influx in Western Europe and describes the case of the Netherlands to illustrate these effects. Highlights first- and second-language studies of immigrant and ethnic minority groups and notes resulting major demographic trends in Dutch society and…

Large Scale Anthropogenic Reduction of Forest Cover in Last Glacial Maximum Europe.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jed O Kaplan

Full Text Available Reconstructions of the vegetation of Europe during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM are an enigma. Pollen-based analyses have suggested that Europe was largely covered by steppe and tundra, and forests persisted only in small refugia. Climate-vegetation model simulations on the other hand have consistently suggested that broad areas of Europe would have been suitable for forest, even in the depths of the last glaciation. Here we reconcile models with data by demonstrating that the highly mobile groups of hunter-gatherers that inhabited Europe at the LGM could have substantially reduced forest cover through the ignition of wildfires. Similar to hunter-gatherers of the more recent past, Upper Paleolithic humans were masters of the use of fire, and preferred inhabiting semi-open landscapes to facilitate foraging, hunting and travel. Incorporating human agency into a dynamic vegetation-fire model and simulating forest cover shows that even small increases in wildfire frequency over natural background levels resulted in large changes in the forested area of Europe, in part because trees were already stressed by low atmospheric CO2 concentrations and the cold, dry, and highly variable climate. Our results suggest that the impact of humans on the glacial landscape of Europe may be one of the earliest large-scale anthropogenic modifications of the earth system.

Does Europe Matter? A Comparative Study of Young People's Identifications with Europe at a State School and a European School in England

Science.gov (United States)

Savvides, Nicola; Faas, Daniel

2016-01-01

This article explores the extent to which young people in predominantly middle-class environments identify with Europe and considers the influence of European education policy, school ethos and curricula. We compare data drawn from individual and focus group interviews with students aged 15-17 at a state school and a European School in England.…

Electrifying Europe. The power of Europe in the construction of electricity networks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lagendijk, V.C.

2008-01-01

intertwined with the European movement over the course of the 1920s. While engineers proposed bold schemes for European electricity networks, politicians pursued the study of such projects within international organisations. Arguments for a European network cited not only technical and economic reasons of rationality and efficiency, but had idealistic and ideological undercurrents as well. Such a network, it was argued, would contribute to economic and political stability, stimulate renewed international investments, lead to economic rejuvenation of underdeveloped countries in Eastern Europe, and create a strong physical interdependence between countries. These efforts did not see a European network materialise, however. The idea of organising electricity supply on a European level nevertheless was inscribed into the minds of engineers and policy-makers, also after World War II. Stressing solidarity, both Western European network operators and American Marshall Planners agreed that European collaboration in the field of electricity was essential to make more electricity available for economic recovery and growth, and to make more efficient use of existing and new capacity. Cooperation was shaped by gradually emerging interconnections between national networks. This took place in a framework of close personal relationships between electrical engineers in charge of their respective national systems. Within several international organisations - both technical and political-economic - the very same group of network operators was influential. The U.S.-led NATO alliance also saw interconnected systems as contributing to Western Europe's defence strength in the light of the Cold War. In order to prevent the antagonistic Soviet bloc from benefitting from Western development, the export of electrical equipment as well as network connections were prevented as much as possible. Still, this exclusion of Central and Eastern Europe was contested. Schemes proposing electricity transmission

Small States in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

This book offers an accessible, coherent and informative analysis of contemporary and future foreign policy challenges facing small states in Europe.......This book offers an accessible, coherent and informative analysis of contemporary and future foreign policy challenges facing small states in Europe....

Nuclear energy in Western Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loennroth, M.; Walker, W.

1984-01-01

This is an overview of nuclear energy in Western Europe, as seen by two Western Europeans, attempting to place the topic into the context not only of energy supply but also of industrial relations, institutional structure, and sociocultural factors. Although its main focus is Western Europe, it is sometimes necessary to glance at the wider context, in particular the industrial relations with the United States and Japan. Export markets are also considered, in particular, in the Pacific. The paper does not, however, deal with nonproliferation policies and the possible difference of opinion within Western Europe and between Western Europe and other regions over this topic. (author)

Mapping low intake of micronutrients across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Mensink, G B M; Fletcher, R; Gurinovic, M; Huybrechts, I; Lafay, L; Serra-Majem, L; Szponar, L; Tetens, I; Verkaik-Kloosterman, J; Baka, A; Stephen, A M

2013-08-01

Achieving an understanding of the extent of micronutrient adequacy across Europe is a major challenge. The main objective of the present study was to collect and evaluate the prevalence of low micronutrient intakes of different European countries by comparing recent nationally representative dietary survey data from Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, The Netherlands, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. Dietary intake information was evaluated for intakes of Ca, Cu, I, Fe, Mg, K, Se, Zn and the vitamins A, B₁, B₂, B₆, B₁₂, C, D, E and folate. The mean and 5th percentile of the intake distributions were estimated for these countries, for a number of defined sex and age groups. The percentages of those with intakes below the lower reference nutrient intake and the estimated average requirement were calculated. Reference intakes were derived from the UK and Nordic Nutrition Recommendations. The impact of dietary supplement intake as well as inclusion of apparently low energy reporters on the estimates was evaluated. Except for vitamin D, the present study suggests that the current intakes of vitamins from foods lead to low risk of low intakes in all age and sex groups. For current minerals, the study suggests that the risk of low intakes is likely to appear more often in specific age groups. In spite of the limitations of the data, the present study provides valuable new information about micronutrient intakes across Europe and the likelihood of inadequacy country by country.

Hands-on-Universe, Europe Bringing frontline interactive astronomy to the classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Ferlet, R.

Hands-on-Universe, Europe (EU-HOU) aims at re-awakening the interest for science in the young generations through astronomy and new technologies. It relies on real observations acquired through a worldwide internet-based network of automatic telescopes or with didactical tools (webcam, radiotelescope). Pupils manipulate images in the classroom environment, using specific software within pedagogical resources constructed in close collaboration between researchers and teachers. EU-HOU is freely available on the web, and trains european teachers.

Is the modernisation of postgraduate medical training in the Netherlands successful? Views of the NVMO Special Interest Group on Postgraduate Medical Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheele, Fedde; Van Luijk, Scheltus; Mulder, Hanneke; Baane, Coby; Den Rooyen, Corry; De Hoog, Matthijs; Fokkema, Joanne; Heineman, Erik; Sluiter, Henk

Background: Worldwide, the modernisation of medical education is leading to the design and implementation of new postgraduate curricula. In this article, the Special Interest Group for postgraduate medical education of the Netherlands Association for Medical Education (NVMO) reports on the

EAVI Studies on Media Literacy in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paolo Celot

2012-12-01

Full Text Available It is predicted that media, in all its forms, will grow between ten and one hundred times its current volume over the next decade. Therefore, over time the three basic literacy skills of reading, writing and arithmetic will no longer be sufficient. People are also increasingly required to develop advanced skills in critical thinking, in order to decode the messages delivered by media. This type of new literacy is called media literacy (ML. The article presents a brief description of the results of wide comparative studies covering all 27 European Union Member States, conducted by the author in consortium with other partners for the European Commission. The results served as a basis to draw up future scenarios and perspectives for media literacy in Europe, outline emerging trends, and propose international expert recommendations which indicate priorities to develop new, concrete initiatives. The European Association for Viewers’ Interests (EAVI studies are some of the most comprehensive across Europe to date in terms of their purpose and scope. They highlight that the ultimate focus of media literacy is the development of individual critical understanding and the acquisition of skills sufficient to participate in social and political life, fostering active citizenship and a full democracy.

Do More Powerful Interest Groups have a Disproportionate Influence on Policy?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Z. Sharif (Zara); O.H. Swank (Otto)

2012-01-01

textabstractDecisions-makers often rely on information supplied by interested parties. In practice, some parties have easier access to information than other parties. In this light, we examine whether more powerful parties have a disproportionate influence on decisions. We show that more powerful

Stillbirth and congenital anomalies in migrants in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Anne-Marie Nybo; Gundlund, Anna; Villadsen, Sarah Fredsted

2016-01-01

The risk of giving birth to a stillborn child or a child with severe congenital anomaly is higher for women who have immigrated to Europe as compared to the majority population in the receiving country. The literature, however, reveals great differences between migrant groups, even within migrants...... disparity is a result of the socioeconomic disadvantage most migrants face. Consanguinity has been considered as another cause for the increased stillbirth risk and the high risk of congenital anomaly observed in many migrant groups. Utilization and quality of care during pregnancy and childbirth...

Supranational Cooperation in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Deugd, Nienke; Stamm, Katharina; Westerman, Wim

The sovereign debt crisis and the euro crisis have prompted heads of state and government in Europe to intensify supranational cooperation. However, some political leaders and policy makers aim for more. They propose the introduction of a common European economic government that would prevent Europe

Europæiske menneskerettigheder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Werlauff, Erik

Bogen behandler de europæiske menneskerettigheder, således som de udspringer af Den Europæiske Menneskeretskonvention, EMRK. Menneskerettighedernes historiske og sociale baggrund forklares, og EMRK-retsgrundlaget sammenholdes med den danske Grundlov og med EU-retten, herunder med den omstændighed...

2003 annual results of EdF group; Resultats annuels 2003 du groupe EDF

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-03-01

The Electricite de France (EdF) group Board of Directors, meeting on March 11, 2004, under the Chairmanship of Francois Roussely, reviewed the audited consolidated financial statements for the year ended 12/31/2003. This document presents the consolidated results of EdF group for 2003: consolidated financial statements, highlights of the year, focus on 2003 events, commercial results, EDF in Europe and worldwide, EDF France highlights, key figures. (J.S.)

Recommendations from the European Society of Thoracic Surgeons (ESTS) regarding computed tomography screening for lung cancer in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jesper Holst; Rzyman, Witold; Veronesi, Giulia

2017-01-01

In order to provide recommendations regarding implementation of computed tomography (CT) screening in Europe the ESTS established a working group with eight experts in the field. On a background of the current situation regarding CT screening in Europe and the available evidence, ten recommendati...

Self-perceived health among Eastern European immigrants over 50 living in Western Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Lanari, D; Bussini, O; Minelli, L

2015-01-01

This paper examines whether Eastern European immigrants aged 50 and over living in Northern and Western Europe face a health disadvantage in terms of self-perceived health, with respect to the native-born. We also examined health changes over time (2004-2006-2010) through the probabilities of transition among self-perceived health states, and how they vary according to nativity status and age group. Data were obtained from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). Logistic regressions and probabilities of transition were used. Results emphasise the health disadvantage of Eastern European immigrants living in Germany, France and  Sweden with respect to the native-born, even after controlling for socio-economic status. Probabilities of transition also evidenced that people born in Eastern Europe were more likely to experience worsening health and less likely to recover from sickness. This paper suggests that health inequalities do not affect immigrant groups in equal measure and confirm the poorer and more steeply deteriorating health status of Eastern European immigrants.

Discovery of and Interest in Health Apps Among Those With Mental Health Needs: Survey and Focus Group Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Schueller, Stephen M; Neary, Martha; O'Loughlin, Kristen; Adkins, Elizabeth C

2018-06-11

A large number of health apps are available directly to consumers through app marketplaces. Little information is known, however, about how consumers search for these apps and which factors influence their uptake, adoption, and long-term use. The aim of this study was to understand what people look for when they search for health apps and the aspects and features of those apps that consumers find appealing. Participants were recruited from Northwestern University's Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies' research registry of individuals with mental health needs. Most participants (n=811) completed a survey asking about their use and interest in health and mental health apps. Local participants were also invited to participate in focus groups. A total of 7 focus groups were conducted with 30 participants that collected more detailed information about their use and interest in health and mental health apps. Survey participants commonly found health apps through social media (45.1%, 366/811), personal searches (42.7%, 346/811), or word of mouth (36.9%, 299/811), as opposed to professional sources such as medical providers (24.6%, 200/811). From the focus groups, common themes related to uptake and use of health apps included the importance of personal use before adoption, specific features that users found desirable, and trusted sources either developing or promoting the apps. As the number of mental health and health apps continue to increase, it is imperative to better understand the factors that impact people's adoption and use of such technologies. Our findings indicated that a number of factors-ease of use, aesthetics, and individual experience-drove adoption and use and highlighted areas of focus for app developers and disseminators. ©Stephen M Schueller, Martha Neary, Kristen O'Loughlin, Elizabeth C Adkins. Originally published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research (http://www.jmir.org), 11.06.2018.

Is the modernisation of postgraduate medical training in the Netherlands successful? Views of the NVMO Special Interest Group on Postgraduate Medical Education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Scheele, Fedde; van Luijk, Scheltus; Mulder, Hanneke; Baane, Coby; den Rooyen, Corry; de Hoog, Matthijs; Fokkema, Joanne; Heineman, Erik; Sluiter, Henk

2014-01-01

Worldwide, the modernisation of medical education is leading to the design and implementation of new postgraduate curricula. In this article, the Special Interest Group for postgraduate medical education of the Netherlands Association for Medical Education (NVMO) reports on the experiences in the

Imams in Western Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

As European Muslims and Muslims in the Middle East diverge, imams in Europe have emerged as major agents of religious authority who shape Islam’s presence in Western societies. This volume examines the theoretical and practical questions concerning the evolving role of imams in Europe. To what...

Croatian Air Traffic in the Integration Process of the Countries of 21st Century Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanja Steiner

2012-10-01

Full Text Available The paper analyses the guidelines regarding air traffic developmentin Croatia within the context of integration processesof the European countries, which has been articulated bythe EATCHIP and EATMS project as a unique European airtraffic management. The positive projection of the developmentis based on the re-integration of the intemational airroutes (overflights with the Croatian interests from thegeotraffic aspect mostly overlapping with the interests ofSlovenia and Bosnia and He1zegovina. As conclusion, a conceptof common strategies of these countries is suggested, in requilingthe operationalisation of air conidors in this part of Europe.

Uranium deposits of the world. Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dahlkamp, Franz J.

2016-07-01

Uranium Deposits of the World, in three volumes, comprises an unprecedented compilation of data and descriptions of the uranium regions in Asia, USA, Latin America and Europe structured by countries. With this third, the Europe volume, Uranium Deposits of the World presents the most extensive data collection of the set. It covers about 140 uranium regions in more than 20 European countries with nearly 1000 mentioned uranium deposits. Each country and region receives an analytical overview followed by the geologically- and economically-relevant synopsis of the individual regions and fields. The presentations are structured in three major sections: (a) location and magnitude of uranium regions, districts, and deposits, (b) principal features of regions and districts, and (c) detailed characteristics of selected ore fields and deposits. This includes sections on geology, alteration, mineralization, shape and dimensions of deposits, isotopes data, ore control and recognition criteria, and metallogenesis. Beside the main European uranium regions, for example in the Czech Republic, Eastern Germany, France, the Iberian Peninsula or Ukraine, also small regions an districts to the point of singular occurrences of interest are considered. This by far the most comprehensive presentation of European uranium geology and mining would not be possible without the author's access to extensive information covering the countries of the former Eastern Bloc states, which was partly not previously available. Abundantly illustrated with information-laden maps and charts throughout, this reference work is an indispensable tool for geologists, mining companies, government agencies, and others with an interest in European key natural resources. A great help for the reader's orientation are the substantial bibliography of uranium-related publications and the indices, latter containing about 3900 entries in the geographical part alone. The three volumes of Uranium Deposits of the

LGBT organizations in USA as interest groups: Characteristics and influence

OpenAIRE

Antonić Slobodan

2012-01-01

This paper provides an overview of the major LGBT organizations in the U.S., their organizational resources, and ways to influence politicians and the media. LGBT movement during the 1990s, completed its transition from liberationist and the system outside position, to the lobbyist and system insider position. The paper discusses the criticism dissidents from LGBT movement consider the alienation of LGBT establishment of the true interests of its membership. At the end of the article LG...

The Politics of Counterterrorism in Western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

1994-04-01

before the Celts. In fact it is believed that the Basques have been in Europe for over twenty thousand years, enduring conquests by the Romans, Visigoths ...threat. In fact, the Parliamentary left questioned whether BR was indeed a far left group or a creation of neo -fascist subversives and strongly... neo -fascists and right-wing violence. Two defendants in the Bologna bombing include the former secretary general of SISMI and a colonel on the SISMI

Europæisk offentlighed i danske medier

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ørsten, Mark

2006-01-01

Nyere forskning viser, at en europæisk offentlighed er under udviklingen. Graden af europæisering er dog forskellig fra land til land. Men en ting er undersøgelserne enige om: Danske medier ligger i front, når det gælder europæisering. Udgivelsesdato: efterår......Nyere forskning viser, at en europæisk offentlighed er under udviklingen. Graden af europæisering er dog forskellig fra land til land. Men en ting er undersøgelserne enige om: Danske medier ligger i front, når det gælder europæisering. Udgivelsesdato: efterår...

Possible steps on the road to a nuclear-weapon-free Europe: The plan for the denuclearization of Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gorbulin, V.; Shevtsov, A.

1998-01-01

In connection with the plans for NATO expansion in Eastern Europe, the issue of defining the role of nuclear weapons in Europe has become exceptionally acute. A 'hidden' nuclear proliferation in Europe arising from NATO expansion would unambiguously conflict with the spirit of the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT). At the same time the volume of possible military tasks of battlefield nuclear weapons has drastically shrunk in the pos-Cold War period. As a solution to the problems that have arisen, three steps to a nuclear-weapon-free Europe are proposed: obtain commitments from the USA, Great Britain and France not to expand the base areas of battlefield nuclear weapons; create a nuclear-weapon-free zone in Central and East Europe; eliminate battlefield nuclear weapons in Europe

Greece is the future of Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Douzinas, Costas; Risager, Bjarke Skærlund

2014-01-01

Austerity and popular resistance are essential to a political diagnosis for contemporary Europe. Political developments in Greece will show whether the future of Europe is one of neoliberal restructuring or one of a democratic socialist alternative. An interview with Costas Douzinas.......Austerity and popular resistance are essential to a political diagnosis for contemporary Europe. Political developments in Greece will show whether the future of Europe is one of neoliberal restructuring or one of a democratic socialist alternative. An interview with Costas Douzinas....

Modeling the potential distribution of three lichens of the Xanthoparmelia pulla group (Parmeliaceae, Ascomycota in Central Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katarzyna Szczepańska

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presents models of potential geographical distribution of Xanthoparmelia delisei, X. loxodes, and X. verruculifera in Central Europe. The models were developed with MaxEnt (maximum entropy algorithm based on 224 collection localities and bioclimatic variables. The applied method enabled to identify the areas where climatic conditions are the most suitable for modeled species outside their known localities. According to obtained model, high potential distribution of the X. delisei and X. loxodes was found in the northern and northeastern Poland, when areas most suitable for X. verruculifera were placed in the south, especially in the Carpathians. Model also suggests that potential distribution of X. delisei could be wider than known data on its occurrence and extend to Lithuania, Belarus and the Czech Republic. MaxEnt modeling of X. loxodes showed the widest potential distribution for this species in Central Europe with the best regions in Lithuania. Potential distribution in all models was strongly influenced by precipitation-related variables. All the modelled species prefer areas where precipitation in the coldest quarter is very low.

Somalis in Europe

OpenAIRE

FAGIOLI-NDLOVU, Monica

2015-01-01

INTERACT - Researching Third Country Nationals? Integration as a Three-way Process - Immigrants, Countries of Emigration and Countries of Immigration as Actors of Integration Somalis have a long history in Europe; the first Somalis were seamen who arrived in the UK working on British ships at the beginning of the 20th century. Throughout different waves of migrations directly related to European colonial history, Somalis have settled down in various cities throughout Europe. More recently,...

Europe - space for transcultural existence?

OpenAIRE

Tamcke, Martin; Janny, de Jong; Klein, Lars; Waal, Margriet

2013-01-01

Europe - Space for Transcultural Existence? is the first volume of the new series, Studies in Euroculture, published by Göttingen University Press. The series derives its name from the Erasmus Mundus Master of Excellence Euroculture: Europe in the Wider World, a two year programme offered by a consortium of eight European universities in collaboration with four partner universities outside Europe. This master highlights regional, national and supranational dimensions of the European democrati...

Cost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustavsson, Anders; Svensson, Mikael; Jacobi, Frank

2011-01-01

-term impairments and disabilities. Therefore they are an emotional, financial and social burden to the patients, their families and their social network. In a 2005 landmark study, we estimated for the first time the annual cost of 12 major groups of disorders of the brain in Europe and gave a conservative estimate...... report we cover 19 major groups of disorders, 7 more than previously, of an increased range of age groups and more cost items. We therefore present much improved cost estimates. Our revised estimates also now include the new EU member states, and hence a population of 514 million people....

Europe's Common Market: Natural gas sector normatives and certification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musazzi, V.

1992-01-01

Europe's Common Market offers an interesting challenge to its member countries' natural gas distribution system operators in that which regards the creation of a European-wide natural gas control board, and European standardization and regulatory committees contemporaneously guaranteeing a free market for suppliers, as well as, consumer protection. Relative legislation and normatives activities will be deemed the responsibility of the European administrative structure and the the European Normatives Committee respectively. This paper briefly illustrates the progress that has been accomplished thus far in the standardization of technical aspects. Focus is on the certification of natural gas distribution system constructors

Late presentation for HIV care across Europe: update from the Collaboration of Observational HIV Epidemiological Research Europe (COHERE) study, 2010 to 2013.

Science.gov (United States)

Mocroft, Amanda; Lundgren, Jens; Antinori, Andrea; Monforte, Antonella d'Arminio; Brännström, Johanna; Bonnet, Fabrice; Brockmeyer, Norbert; Casabona, Jordi; Castagna, Antonella; Costagliola, Dominique; De Wit, Stéphane; Fätkenheuer, Gerd; Furrer, Hansjakob; Jadand, Corinne; Johnson, Anne; Lazanas, Mario; Leport, Catherine; Moreno, Santiago; Mussini, Christina; Obel, Niels; Post, Frank; Reiss, Peter; Sabin, Caroline; Skaletz-Rorowski, Adriane; Suarez-Loano, Ignacio; Torti, Carlo; Warszawski, Josiane; Wittkop, Linda; Zangerle, Robert; Chene, Genevieve; Raben, Dorthe; Kirk, Ole

2015-01-01

Late presentation (LP) for HIV care across Europe remains a significant issue. We provide a cross-European update from 34 countries on the prevalence and risk factors of LP for 2010-2013. People aged ≥ 16 presenting for HIV care (earliest of HIV-diagnosis, first clinic visit or cohort enrollment) after 1 January 2010 with available CD4 count within six months of presentation were included. LP was defined as presentation with a CD4 count HIV diagnosis. Logistic regression investigated changes in LP over time. A total of 30,454 people were included. The median CD4 count at presentation was 368/mm(3) (interquartile range (IQR) 193-555/mm(3)), with no change over time (p = 0.70). In 2010, 4,775/10,766 (47.5%) were LP whereas in 2013, 1,642/3,375 (48.7%) were LP (p = 0.63). LP was most common in central Europe (4,791/9,625, 49.8%), followed by northern (5,704/11,692; 48.8%), southern (3,550/7,760; 45.8%) and eastern Europe (541/1,377; 38.3%; p HIV testing strategies, with a focus on vulnerable groups, are required across the European continent.

Investigation of Clostridium botulinum group III's mobilome content.

Science.gov (United States)

Woudstra, Cédric; Le Maréchal, Caroline; Souillard, Rozenn; Anniballi, Fabrizio; Auricchio, Bruna; Bano, Luca; Bayon-Auboyer, Marie-Hélène; Koene, Miriam; Mermoud, Isabelle; Brito, Roseane B; Lobato, Francisco C F; Silva, Rodrigo O S; Dorner, Martin B; Fach, Patrick

2018-02-01

Clostridium botulinum group III is mainly responsible for botulism in animals. It could lead to high animal mortality rates and, therefore, represents a major environmental and economic concern. Strains of this group harbor the botulinum toxin locus on an unstable bacteriophage. Since the release of the first complete C. botulinum group III genome sequence (strain BKT015925), strains have been found to contain others mobile elements encoding for toxin components. In this study, seven assays targeting toxin genes present on the genetic mobile elements of C. botulinum group III were developed with the objective to better characterize C. botulinum group III strains. The investigation of 110 C. botulinum group III strains and 519 naturally contaminated samples collected during botulism outbreaks in Europe showed alpha-toxin and C2-I/C2-II markers to be systematically associated with type C/D bont-positive samples, which may indicate an important role of these elements in the pathogenicity mechanisms. On the contrary, bont type D/C strains and the related positive samples appeared to contain almost none of the markers tested. Interestingly, 31 bont-negative samples collected on farms after a botulism outbreak revealed to be positive for some of the genetic mobile elements tested. This suggests loss of the bont phage, either in farm environment after the outbreak or during laboratory handling. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Burden of testicular, paratesticular and extragonadal germ cell tumours in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Trama, A.; Mallone, S.; Nicolai, N.; Necchi, A.; Schaapveld, M.; Gietema, J.; Znaor, A.; Ardanaz, E.; Berrino, F.

We provide updated estimates of survival, incidence, complete prevalence, and proportion cured for patients with testicular/paratesticular and extragonadal germ cell cancers in Europe, grouped according to the new list of cancer types developed by RARECARE. We collected data, archived in European

One-year mortality of HIV-positive patients treated for rifampicin- and isoniazid-susceptible tuberculosis in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America.

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-28

The high mortality among HIV/tuberculosis (TB) coinfected patients in Eastern Europe is partly explained by the high prevalence of drug-resistant TB. It remains unclear whether outcomes of HIV/TB patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB in Eastern Europe differ from those in Western Europe or Latin America. One-year mortality of HIV-positive patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America was analysed and compared in a prospective observational cohort study. Factors associated with death were analysed using Cox regression modelsRESULTS:: Three hundred and forty-one patients were included (Eastern Europe 127, Western Europe 165, Latin America 49). Proportions of patients with disseminated TB (50, 58, 59%) and initiating rifampicin + isoniazid + pyrazinamide-based treatment (93, 94, 94%) were similar in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America respectively, whereas receipt of antiretroviral therapy at baseline and after 12 months was lower in Eastern Europe (17, 39, 39%, and 69, 94, 89%). The 1-year probability of death was 16% (95% confidence interval 11-24%) in Eastern Europe, vs. 4% (2-9%) in Western Europe and 9% (3-21%) in Latin America; P Eastern Europe were at nearly 3-fold increased risk of death compared with those in Western Europe/Latin America (aHR 2.79 (1.15-6.76); P = 0.023). Despite comparable use of recommended anti-TB treatment, mortality of patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB remained higher in Eastern Europe when compared with Western Europe/Latin America. The high mortality in Eastern Europe was only partially explained by IDU, use of ART and CD4 cell count. These results call for improvement of care for TB/HIV patients in Eastern Europe.

Mammographic screening programmes in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Giordano, Livia; von Karsa, Lawrence; Tomatis, Mariano

2012-01-01

To summarize participation and coverage rates in population mammographic screening programmes for breast cancer in Europe.......To summarize participation and coverage rates in population mammographic screening programmes for breast cancer in Europe....

Europe : where are its cultural borders?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Helmond, van F.J.M.G.; Ulijn, J.M.

2010-01-01

In this essay it is stated that Europe fundamen tally is a cultural phenomenon: an idealistic image of European community and identity. Which implicates that Europe is far from perfect and completed. Europe is a destiny as well as a wish -dream. 0.1 On the every-day surface the image of the

Building a sustainable complementary and alternative medicine research network in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Reiter, Bettina; Baumhöfener, Franziska; Dlaboha, Meike; Odde Madsen, Jesper; Regenfelder, Stephanie; Weidenhammer, Wolfgang

2012-01-01

Since CAMbrella is a networking project funded by the European Commission explicitly to build and sustain a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) research network in Europe, communication and dissemination play a large role and form a work package of their own. The present article gives an outline of the communication and dissemination work in the CAMbrella consortium. The intensive building of sound internal communication is an essential part in establishing a functioning structure for collaboration in a diverse group of 16 partner institutions from 12 countries, as exists in the CAMbrella project. The means and tools for dissemination of results to the scientific community and the European public at large, as well as to the European policy makers, are presented. The development of the corporate design and a dissemination strategy are described in detail. In addition, some basic information regarding previous CAM research efforts, which might be interesting for future consortium building in the field of CAM research, is given. Internal communication within a heterogeneous research group, the maintenance of a work-oriented style of communication and a consensus oriented effort in establishing dissemination tools and products will be essential for any future consortium in the CAM field. The outlook shows the necessity for active political encouragement of CAM research and the desideratum of a Pan-European institution analogous to the NIH (National Institutes of Health) in the USA.

Rickettsioses in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Portillo, Aránzazu; Santibáñez, Sonia; García-Álvarez, Lara; Palomar, Ana M; Oteo, José A

2015-01-01

Bacteria of the genera Rickettsia and Orientia (family rickettsiaceae, order rickettsiales) cause rickettsioses worldwide, and are transmitted by lice, fleas, ticks and mites. In Europe, only Rickettsia spp. cause rickettsioses. With improvement of hygiene, the risk of louse-borne rickettsiosis (epidemic typhus) is low in Europe. Nevertheless, recrudescent form of Rickettsia prowazekii infection persists. There could be an epidemic typhus outbreak if a body lice epidemic occurs under unfavorable sanitary conditions. In Europe, endemic typhus or Rickettsia typhi infection, transmitted by rats and fleas, causes febrile illness. At the beginning of this century, flea-borne spotted fever cases caused by Rickettsia felis were diagnosed. Flea-borne rickettsiosis should be suspected after flea bites if fever, with or without rash, is developed. Tick-borne rickettsioses are the main source of rickettsia infections in Europe. Apart from Rickettsia conorii, the Mediterranean Spotted Fever (MSF) agent, other Rickettsia spp. cause MSF-like: Rickettsia helvetica, Rickettsia monacensis, Rickettsia massiliae or Rickettsia aeschlimannii. In the 1990s, two 'new' rickettsioses were diagnosed: Lymphangitis Associated Rickettsiosis (LAR) caused by Rickettsia sibirica mongolitimonae, and Tick-Borne Lymphadenopathy/Dermacentor-Borne-Necrosis-Erythema-Lymphadenopathy/Scalp Eschar Neck Lymphadenopathy (TIBOLA/DEBONEL/SENLAT), caused by Rickettsia slovaca, Candidatus Rickettsia rioja and Rickettsia raoultii. Lastly, European reports about mite-borne rickettsiosis are scarce. Copyright © 2015 Institut Pasteur. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Intra-household tensions and conflicts of interest in migration decision making: a case study of the Todgha valley, Morocco

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Haas, H.; Fokkema, C.M.

2009-01-01

This paper explores the role of intra-household tensions and conflicts of interest in explaining the diverse return and pendulum migration strategies among Moroccan migrants who first migrated to Europe in the 1960s and 1970s. Migration strategies and motivations of migrants and their households are

Self-Interest and the Design of Rules.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Manvir; Wrangham, Richard; Glowacki, Luke

2017-12-01

Rules regulating social behavior raise challenging questions about cultural evolution in part because they frequently confer group-level benefits. Current multilevel selection theories contend that between-group processes interact with within-group processes to produce norms and institutions, but within-group processes have remained underspecified, leading to a recent emphasis on cultural group selection as the primary driver of cultural design. Here we present the self-interested enforcement (SIE) hypothesis, which proposes that the design of rules importantly reflects the relative enforcement capacities of competing parties. We show that, in addition to explaining patterns in cultural change and stability, SIE can account for the emergence of much group-functional culture. We outline how this process can stifle or accelerate cultural group selection, depending on various social conditions. Self-interested enforcement has important bearings on the emergence, stability, and change of rules.

Political Parties and Interest Groups Members' Patterns of Social Network Site Usage in Kyrgyzstan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elira Turdubaeva

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Kyrgyzstan, with a high level of political participation and an avant-garde position regarding internet access in Central Asia, broadband and social media penetration in the population, is a critical case for studying social network sites (SNSs in relation to political participation. This study analyzes the practices and attitudes of SNS users in Kyrgyzstan. Two types of users – members of political parties and members of interest organizations – are interviewed in focus groups about their practices and attitudes towards political content in the social network site Facebook. The findings indicate that, to some extent, the political engagement is indeed occurring within the Facebook environment, suggesting that the popular social networking sites (SNSs are an avenue for young people to express and share their political views. Facebook allowed users to share their political beliefs, support specific candidates, and interact with others on political issues. Participants’ perceptions regarding the appropriateness of political activity on Facebook, as well as the specific types of political activities they engaged in and witnessed within the site, were also explored.

Renewable energy in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Deshaies, M.

2009-01-01

Europe's increasing demand for energy and its environmental preoccupations are creating a favourable environment for the development of renewable energy sources. This article stated that although many European countries have adopted voluntary policies since the 1990s to increase the use of renewable energy sources, they have not been developed in an equal or consistent manner. A table was included to show the consumption of renewable energies by country; the percentage of renewable energies in 1995 as compared to 2006; and the consumption of primary energy resources. Combined, Germany, Spain and Denmark produce 75 per cent of wind energy in Europe, while 75 per cent of Europe's hydroelectricity is produced in Norway, Sweden, France, Italy, Austria and Switzerland. Germany has also made significant contributions in developing biomass energy. The article emphasized that the development of renewable energy sources is limited by the fact that it cannot keep up with growing energy demands. In addition, renewable energies cannot yet replace all fossil fuel consumption in Europe because of the variation in development from one country to another. 1 ref., 2 tabs., 4 figs.

Experience in implementing projects in Eastern Europe; Erfahrungen bei der Realisierung von Projekten in Osteuropa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weichard, A.; Bauer, I.; Rieck, R.; Ziehm, R. [NUKEM Technologies GmbH, Alzenau (Germany)

2007-11-15

The article covers the present projects and activities in Eastern Europe of Nukem Technologies GmbH. The company's East European business began in 1973 in the field of uranium trading. After difficult negotiations in the period of the ''cold war'' it became possible to enter into an agreement with the Soviet foreign trade organization, Techsnabexport, about purchases of uranium for Western nuclear power plants. In the course of Nukem's realignment in the late 1980s, the focus was shifted more and more to the possibility of exporting into other countries the technologies developed and proven in Germany. This included countries in Eastern Europe. The situation changed abruptly with the political opening of Eastern Europe. A large potential market opened to Nukem as a supplier of technologies and plants for waste treatment and, later, the wider area of decommissioning. The partners in Eastern Europe were interested in proven, modern solutions. The ensuing success was also due to the fact that Nukem, in the early nineties, hired specialists from the new German federal states who had studied in the Soviet Union and were familiar with Russian technology, language, and culture. Soliciting analogous projects in the countries of Eastern Europe other than the former Soviet Union was begun in a parallel process. Very soon it turned out that also the interim storage of spent fuel elements constituted a potential market. (orig.)

Health care for irregular migrants: pragmatism across Europe: a qualitative study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dauvrin, M.; Lorant, V.; Sandhu, S.; Devillé, W.; Dia, H.; Dias, S.; Gaddini, A.; Ioannidis, E.; Jensen, N.K.; Kluge, U.; Mertaniemi, R.; Puigpinós i Riera, R.; Sárváry, A.; Straßmayr, C.; Stankunas, M.; Soares, J.J.F.; Welbel, M.; Priebe, S.

2012-01-01

Background Health services in Europe face the challenge of delivering care to a heterogeneous group of irregular migrants (IM). There is little empirical evidence on how health professionals cope with this challenge. This study explores the experiences of health professionals providing care to IM in

EDF Group - Annual Report 2013

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The EDF Group is emerging as a global leader in electricity and an industrial benchmark spanning the entire business from generation and networks to sales and marketing. The group is growing stronger and changing. A long-term vision and relentless determination to provide a modern public service underpin its robust business model. This document is EDF Group's annual report for the year 2013. It contains information about Group profile, governance, business, development strategy, sales and marketing, positions in Europe and international activities. The document comprises the Activity Report and the Sustainable Development Indicators

Workplace drug testing in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Verstraete, A G; Pierce, A

2001-09-15

Not much information is available on workplace drug testing (WDT) in Europe. There is no specific legislation and there are no generally accepted guidelines. Many companies establish a drug policy with little or no provisions for drug testing. Often, testing is performed on-site by occupational physicians, with little or no quality control, no systematic confirmation of positives, no chain of custody and no adulteration testing. In some parts of Europe, e.g. in the United Kingdom and some Scandinavian countries, WDT is increasing in importance, but it is not as widespread as in USA. The most frequently performed tests are amphetamines, cannabinoids, cocaine, opiates and alcohol. The percentage of positives is variable, but seems to decrease with the years following the introduction of WDT. Cannabis is the drug that is most frequently found.Recently, the European Workplace Drug Testing Society (EWDTS) was founded, with the aims to ensure that WDT in Europe is performed to a defined quality standard and in a legally secured way and to provide an independent forum for all aspects of WDT.A working group in the United Kingdom has recently finalised the United Kingdom laboratory guidelines for legally defensible WDT and discussions are under way with the EWDTS to establish common guidelines. Many efforts will be needed to establish WDT as an accepted part of a company policy on drugs: establishing and maintaining the confidence in the results of the laboratory, establishing the legal status of WDT, preserving the privacy and rights of the employees, proving the cost-effectiveness of WDT in a European context, finding a balance between strict guidelines and enough flexibility to tailor testing to the changing needs. It is hoped that the exchange of experience between different countries will contribute to reaching these goals.

Factors affecting the future of nuclear power in OECD Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, S.

1997-01-01

This report provides a brief review of nuclear power in OECD Europe and addresses the prospects for its future over, say, the next quarter century. Most of the data and findings are drawn from studies published by the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The NEA is a small agency with a rather modest budget whose 27 members are industrialized countries from North America, Asia and Europe. The Agency works to pool the expertise of our member countries to produce technical, economic and legal work of considerable depth and quality addressing issues of common interest to those countries. Our work covers such fields as nuclear science, nuclear power economics, nuclear safety, radiation protection, waste management and nuclear liability. The studies carried out in the framework of the Agency require fewer resources than would be needed by our member countries if they were to pursue them individually, which is especially important at a time of cut-backs in national programmes in such critical areas as nuclear safety research. (author)

Europe's nuclear dominos

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sharp, J.

1993-01-01

As long as the United States continues to play a leading role in NATO, the incentive for European powers to acquire independent nuclear weapons is virtually zero. Most European power, however, have relatively sophisticated nuclear establishments and could easily manufacture nuclear explosives if they judged that their security required an independent capability. They might judge so if the United States pulls out of Europe and out of NATO. It is the opinion of the author that if the United States withdraws, and if France and Britain insist on maintaining their current status as independent nuclear weapons powers, they will encourage proliferation by example. The likelihood of different countries deciding to manufacture nuclear weapons under these cicumstances is evaluated. The future of NATO is assessed. The conclusions of and future structure of the Conference on Cooperation and Security in Europe (CSCE) is discussed. The impact of United Nations involvement in preventing proliferation is evaluated. Recommendations are proposed for the utilization of existing organizations to deter proliferation in Europe

A review of gas tariff systems in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wessels, L.; Swagerman, D.

1996-01-01

This review of the gas tariff systems in Europe did not confirm the previously established opinion that there is a large difference between the situation in Western Europe and the Central and Eastern Europe. The differences are not as great as the differences inside Western Europe and inside the Central and Eastern Europe countries. This overview was done according to the UN Gas centre questionnaire that was sent to all the countries with economies in transition and the information Gasunie has about he tariff system in western Europe

Intensive agriculture reduces soil biodiversity across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsiafouli, Maria A; Thébault, Elisa; Sgardelis, Stefanos P; de Ruiter, Peter C; van der Putten, Wim H; Birkhofer, Klaus; Hemerik, Lia; de Vries, Franciska T; Bardgett, Richard D; Brady, Mark Vincent; Bjornlund, Lisa; Jørgensen, Helene Bracht; Christensen, Sören; Hertefeldt, Tina D'; Hotes, Stefan; Gera Hol, W H; Frouz, Jan; Liiri, Mira; Mortimer, Simon R; Setälä, Heikki; Tzanopoulos, Joseph; Uteseny, Karoline; Pižl, Václav; Stary, Josef; Wolters, Volkmar; Hedlund, Katarina

2015-02-01

Soil biodiversity plays a key role in regulating the processes that underpin the delivery of ecosystem goods and services in terrestrial ecosystems. Agricultural intensification is known to change the diversity of individual groups of soil biota, but less is known about how intensification affects biodiversity of the soil food web as a whole, and whether or not these effects may be generalized across regions. We examined biodiversity in soil food webs from grasslands, extensive, and intensive rotations in four agricultural regions across Europe: in Sweden, the UK, the Czech Republic and Greece. Effects of land-use intensity were quantified based on structure and diversity among functional groups in the soil food web, as well as on community-weighted mean body mass of soil fauna. We also elucidate land-use intensity effects on diversity of taxonomic units within taxonomic groups of soil fauna. We found that between regions soil food web diversity measures were variable, but that increasing land-use intensity caused highly consistent responses. In particular, land-use intensification reduced the complexity in the soil food webs, as well as the community-weighted mean body mass of soil fauna. In all regions across Europe, species richness of earthworms, Collembolans, and oribatid mites was negatively affected by increased land-use intensity. The taxonomic distinctness, which is a measure of taxonomic relatedness of species in a community that is independent of species richness, was also reduced by land-use intensification. We conclude that intensive agriculture reduces soil biodiversity, making soil food webs less diverse and composed of smaller bodied organisms. Land-use intensification results in fewer functional groups of soil biota with fewer and taxonomically more closely related species. We discuss how these changes in soil biodiversity due to land-use intensification may threaten the functioning of soil in agricultural production systems. © 2014 John Wiley

Living Arrangements of Young Adults in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katrin Schwanitz

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Comparative research suggests that there are great cross-national and cross-temporal differences in living arrangements of young adults aged 18-34 in Europe. In this paper, we examine young adults’ living arrangements (1 across several European countries and different national contexts, and (2 by taking into account cross-time variability. In doing so, we pay careful attention to a comprehensive conceptualisation of living arrangements (including extended and non-family living arrangements. The aim of this paper is to deepen our understanding of family structure and household arrangements in Europe by examining and mapping the cross-national and cross-temporal variety of young adults’ living arrangements. For our analysis we use data from the Integrated Public Use Microdata Series International (IPUMSi for the census rounds 1980, 1990, and 2000 for eight European countries (Austria, France, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Portugal, Romania, and Switzerland. We employ log-linear models to ascertain the influence of individual and contextual factors on living arrangements. The analyses lend further support to a North/West – South/East divide in living arrangements and general gender differentials in extended family living. Other interesting results are the heterogeneity in the living arrangements of single mothers across geographic areas, and the upward trend of extended household living for young men and women between 1980 and 2000.

Training in psychiatry throughout Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Brittlebank, Andrew; Hermans, Marc; Bhugra, Dinesh; Pinto da Costa, Mariana; Rojnic-Kuzman, Martina; Fiorillo, Andrea; Kurimay, Tamas; Hanon, Cecile; Wasserman, Danuta; van der Gaag, Rutger Jan

2016-03-01

Psychiatry is the largest medical specialty in Europe. Despite efforts to bring harmonisation, training in psychiatry in Europe continues to be very diverse. The Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes (UEMS) has issued as from 2000 a charter of requirements for the training in psychiatry with an additional European Framework for Competencies in Psychiatry in 2009. Yet these have not been implemented throughout Europe. In this paper, the diversity in training throughout Europe is approached from different angles: the cultural differences between countries with regards to how mental health care is considered and founded on, the cultural differences between people throughout Europe in all states. The position of psychotherapy is emphasised. What once was the cornerstone of psychiatry as medical specialty seems to have become a neglected area. Seeing the patient with mental health problems within his cultural context is important, but considering him within his family context. The purpose of any training is enabling the trainee to gain the knowledge and acquire the competencies necessary to become a well-equipped professional is the subject of the last paragraph in which trainees consider their position and early career psychiatrists look back to see whether what they were trained in matches with what they need in the working situation. Common standard for training and certification are a necessity within Europe, for the benefit of the profession of psychiatrist but also for patient safety. UEMS is advised to join forces with the Council of National Psychiatric Associations (NPAs) within the EPA and trainings and early career psychiatrist, to discuss with the users what standards should be implemented in all European countries and how a European board examination could ensure professional quality of psychiatrists throughout the continent.

Psychologie - Fachdatenbank mit europäischem Fokus

OpenAIRE

Schön, Dana

2010-01-01

Die Sichtbarkeit von europäischer Wissenschaftsliteratur ist notwendige Voraussetzung für deren Rezeption im internationalen Kontext. Ein bibliographisches Nachweissystem psychologischer Fachliteratur auf der Basis moderner Suchtechnologie mit Fokus auf europäischen Werken kann einen wichtigen Beitrag dazu leisten. Mehrere europäische Institute stellen ihre bibliographischen Datenbestände zum Aufbau einer umfassenden europäischen Fachdatenbank für die Psychologie zur Verfügung. Die Bereitstel...

English-Only Europe?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Phillipson, Robert

and international relations. In this book, Robert Phillipson considers whether the contemporary expansion of English represents a serious threat to other European languages. After exploring the implications of current policies, Phillipson argues the case for more active language policies to safeguard a multilingual......English-Only Europe? explores the role of languages in the process of European integration. Languages are central to the development of an integrated Europe. The way in which the European Union deals with multilingualism has serious implications for both individual member countries...

Disparities in multimorbidity across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Camilla Riis; Halling, Anders; Andersen-Ranberg, Karen

2017-01-01

Introduction: Europe is the continent with the highest share of older adults, many of which suffer from multiple chronic conditions (multimorbidity) and the associated negative outcomes. Health inequalities across European regions exist, but little is known about regional differences in multimorb......Introduction: Europe is the continent with the highest share of older adults, many of which suffer from multiple chronic conditions (multimorbidity) and the associated negative outcomes. Health inequalities across European regions exist, but little is known about regional differences...... in multimorbidity. Material and methods: Cross-sectional analyses of data collected in the 5th wave of the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) during 2013. The study population included 50+-year-olds from 14 European countries and Israel. Results: Across all regions age and gender adjusted...... multimorbidity prevalence was 31.4% [30.7; 32.2]. Northern Europe had the lowest multimorbidity prevalence of 26.2% [25.2; 27.1], while Eastern and Central Europe had the highest, 35.2% [33.8; 36.5] and 34.8% [33.8; 35.9], respectively. In all regions female gender, increasing age, lower education, and lower...

A qualitative comparative survey of First Cycle radiography programmes in Europe and Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akimoto, Tatsuhito; Caruana, Carmel J.; Shimosegawa, Masayuki

2009-01-01

Purpose: To qualitatively compare First Cycle Radiography programmes in Europe and Japan. Methods: This qualitative survey was conducted via a series of case-studies of university-based radiography curricula in Europe and Japan. Findings and conclusions: The main themes arising from the survey were that: (a) in Europe the freedom that most universities have in setting their own curricula and examinations means that in practice there is still a wide variability in curricula between and within states. On the other hand in Japan curricula are more uniform owing to central government guidelines regarding radiography education and a centrally administered national radiography examination. This means that student and worker mobility is much easier for Japanese radiographers. (b) in some countries in Europe principles of reporting and healthcare management are being expanded at the expense of the more technological aspects of radiography. Physical science competences on the other hand are considered highly in Japanese culture and form a major part of the curriculum. This may indicate that Japanese students would be in a much better position to cope with role developments linked to changes in imaging technology. Pragmatically oriented studies need to be carried out to determine ways in which radiographers can enhance their role without sacrificing their technological competences. The profession cannot afford to lose its technological expertise - it is neither in the interest of the profession itself and even less of the patient.

Chinese energy investments in Europe: An analysis of policy drivers and approaches

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liedtke, Stephan

2017-01-01

Enhancing the understanding of China-EU energy relations, the article examines Chinese energy investments in Europe from 2008 to 2015 and analyzes the energy interests and policy approaches underpinning them. Analysis of this data shows that within the EU, 30 Chinese investments largely focused on the oil and gas sector, especially through the acquisition of company shares. Chinese energy investments in Europe reflect a clear political and commercial strategy that addresses the PRC's need to balance supply chain security of fossil fuels, environmentally friendlier energy production and use as well as to enhance the market position and energy-industrial capabilities of Chinese state-owned or state-supervised energy companies. Based on a comprehensive set of domestic incentives for international investment the Chinese penetration of the European energy sector is embedded within two levels of political cooperation. The first level revolves around bilateral investment agreements between China and 27 EU member states. On the second level, China and the EU have established a variety of formats that guide their energy cooperation. The conclusion of the proposed bilateral investment agreement between the PRC and the EU would create a uniform investment environment across the continent and facilitate mutual economic benefits for both parties. - Highlights: • A timeline of Chinese energy investments in Europe, 2008–2015, is presented. • Two tables dividing Chinese investments by sector and company type are presented. • Most Chinese investments concentrate on shares of Europe's fossil fuel sector. • Chinese investments rest on bilateral agreements with EU members. • Chinese investments in EU serve ‘internationalization’ of Chinese companies.

Assessment of Single European Sky Implementation in the Functional Airspace Block Central Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tomislav Mihetec

2017-12-01

implementation is performed through sub-regional grouping of Air Navigation Service Providers in a form of Functional Airspace Blocks. This paper analyses the level of implementation of ATM-related projects in the Functional Airspace Block Central Europe and their relation to other Functional Airspace Blocks defined in Europe. From this paper it is obvious that even though the planning of Single European Sky projects is based on the collaborative implementation of Functional Airspace Block level, the real implementation is fragmented and based on national levels.

The Positive Psychology of Interested Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunter, Jeremy P.; Csikszentmihalyi, Mihaly

2003-01-01

Using the experience sampling method with a diverse national sample of 1,215 high school students, identified 2 groups of adolescents, those who experience chronic interest in everyday life experiences and those who experience widespread boredom. Suggests that a generalized chronic experience of interest can be a signal of psychological health.…

Optimal HIV testing and earlier care: the way forward in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coenen, T; Lundgren, J; Lazarus, Jeff

2008-01-01

The articles in this supplement were developed from a recent pan-European conference entitled 'HIV in Europe 2007: Working together for optimal testing and earlier care', which took place on 26-27 November in Brussels, Belgium. The conference, organized by a multidisciplinary group of experts rep...

Cultural Diversity on the Council of Europe Documents: The Role of Education and the Intercultural Dialogue

Science.gov (United States)

Fuentes, Juan Luis

2016-01-01

Democratic governance of cultural diversity is one of the more important worries of the majority of European states. A few years ago, this concern existed mainly in central and northern Europe; today, however, it has become a matter of general interest for the whole continent. This is shown through two relevant facts: the European Union declared…

Sustainable growth in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andreini, P.

1993-01-01

The measures till now adopted did not stop environmental deterioration in Europe and the growth of economic activities in the future will make the situation more and more heavy. The European Communities (EEC) Cabinet launched a long term program for a sustainable growth in Europe, which could conciliate economic needs with environmental protection. This paper presents the first part of the program

Uncovering patterns of interest in useful plants. Frequency analysis of individual students’ interest types as a tool for planning botany teaching units

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter Pany

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The paper presented examines how useful plants can help counteracting “plant blindness” – a phenomenon leading people to overlook plants in everyday-life. Recent research indicates that people are most likely interested in useful plants, hence this group of plants could be used to trigger interest in botanical content in general. This study has investigated the structure of interest in five subgroups of useful plants (medicinal plants, stimulant herbal drugs, spice plants, edible plants, and ornamental plants. For this purpose, the FEIN-questionnaire (Fragebogen zur Erhebung des Interesses an Nutzpflanzen = Questionnaire acquiring interest in useful plants was filled in by N = 1299 pupils from grade 5 to 12. Data analysis shows (for all age groups and both genders that medicinal plants and stimulant herbal drugs trigger high interest while spice plants, edible plants and ornamental plants raise only lower interest. However, mean values do not allow conclusions on individual level (e.g. in a school class. In order to gain information about the interest structure in a specific target group teachers deal with in practice, we have analysed the interests on individual level using frequency analysis of different interest types. Results show that stimulant herbal drugs seem to strongly polarize students, whereas medicinal plants are interesting for almost the whole sample. Eventually, medicinal plants turned out to be well suited to introduce botanical content by means of plants catching the interest of as many students as possible. Therefore, medicinal plants should be established as flagships counteracting plant blindness.

Beyond emancipation: subjectivities and ethics among women in Europe's Islamic revival communities

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jouili, J.S.

2009-01-01

This article addresses the complex reflections regarding gender relations expressed by women active in the contemporary Islamic revival movements in Europe (especially France and Germany). Much recent research conducted among these groups aims to counter the rather negative accounts prevailing in

Health systems' responses to 25 years of HIV in Europe: inequities persist and challenges remain.

Science.gov (United States)

Atun, Rifat A; McKee, Martin; Coker, Richard; Gurol-Urganci, Ipek

2008-05-01

Europe is currently experiencing the fastest rate of growth of HIV of any region of the world. An analysis of policy and health system responses to the HIV epidemic in Europe and central Asia (hereafter referred to as Europe) over the last 25 years reveals considerable heterogeneity. In general, while noting hazards of broad generalisations and the differences that exist across countries in a particular grouping, effective policies to control HIV have been implemented more widely in western than in central and eastern Europe. However, the evidence suggests persistence of inequalities in access to preventive and treatment services, with those at highest risk, such as commercial sex workers, prisoners, intravenous drug users, and migrants often particularly disadvantaged, despite many targeted programmes. Responses in individual countries, especially in the early stages of the epidemic, were influenced by specific cultural and political factors. Strong leadership and active involvement by civil society organisations emerge as important factors for success but also a limiting factor to the response observed in eastern Europe, where civil society or NGO culture is weak as compared to western Europe. Scaling up of effective responses in many countries in eastern Europe will be challenging-where increased financial resources will have to be accompanied by broader changes to health system organization with greater involvement of the civil society in planning and delivery of client-focused services.

Comparing Generic Drug Markets in Europe and the United States: Prices, Volumes, and Spending.

Science.gov (United States)

Wouters, Olivier J; Kanavos, Panos G; McKEE, Martin

2017-09-01

solutions to address issues in Europe and the United States, such as streamlining the generic drug approval process and requiring generic prescribing and substitution where such policies are not yet in place. The history of substitution laws in the United States provides insights into the economic, political, and cultural issues influencing the adoption of generic drug policies. Governments should apply coherent supply- and demand-side policies in generic drug markets. An immediate priority is to convince more physicians, pharmacists, and patients that generic drugs are bioequivalent to branded products. Special-interest groups continue to obstruct reform in Europe and the United States. © 2017 The Authors The Milbank Quarterly published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Millbank Memorial Fund.

The COST Action IC0604 "Telepathology Network in Europe" (EURO-TELEPATH).

Science.gov (United States)

García-Rojo, Marcial; Gonçalves, Luís; Blobel, Bernd

2012-01-01

The COST Action IC0604 "Telepathology Network in Europe" (EURO-TELEPATH) is a European COST Action that has been running from 2007 to 2011. COST Actions are funded by the COST (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) Agency, supported by the Seventh Framework Programme for Research and Technological Development (FP7), of the European Union. EURO-TELEPATH's main objectives were evaluating and validating the common technological framework and communication standards required to access, transmit and manage digital medical records by pathologists and other medical professionals in a networked environment. The project was organized in four working groups. orking Group 1 "Business modeling in pathology" has designed main pathology processes - Frozen Study, Formalin Fixed Specimen Study, Telepathology, Cytology, and Autopsy -using Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN). orking Group 2 "Informatics standards in pathology" has been dedicated to promoting the development and application of informatics standards in pathology, collaborating with Integrating the Healthcare Enterprise (IHE), Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM), Health Level Seven (HL7), and other standardization bodies. Working Group 3 "Images: Analysis, Processing, Retrieval and Management" worked on the use of virtual or digital slides that are fostering the use of image processing and analysis in pathology not only for research purposes, but also in daily practice. Working Group 4 "Technology and Automation in Pathology" was focused on studying the adequacy of current existing technical solutions, including, e.g., the quality of images obtained by slide scanners, or the efficiency of image analysis applications. Major outcome of this action are the collaboration with international health informatics standardization bodies to foster the development of standards for digital pathology, offering a new approach for workflow analysis, based in business process

The Australopithecines – An Extinct Group of Human Ancestors: My Scientific Interest in South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaszycka Katarzyna A.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available I introduce the subject of my research interest in South Africa - the australopithecines - a group of bipedal, small-brained and large-toothed creatures from the Plio-Pleistocene, from which the human genus arose. I then briefly discuss various topics of my research, concerning: (1 Taxonomic status and morphological description of the extinct human relative from the Kromdraai site (Australopithecus robustus; (2 Graphic reconstruction of the partial skull from Kromdraai - specimen numbered TM 1517; (3 Assessment of size sexual dimorphism of the South African australopithecines (Australopithecus robustus and Australopithecus africanus, which, in terms of facial features, was pronounced - being almost gorilla-sized; (4 Social behavior of a fossil hominid species from around 2 million years ago, which, in terms of the social structure, was most likely a multimale-multifemale one; and (5 An event from the history of paleoanthropology, concerning the content of the 1924/25 photographs of the Taung Child (Australopithecus africanus - the first australopithecine skull discovered.

Radionuclide therapy practice and facilities in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoefnagel, C.A.; Clarke, S.E.M.; Fischer, M.; Chatal, J.F.; Lewington, V.J.; Nilsson, S.; Troncone, L.; Vieira, M.R.

1999-01-01

Using a questionnaire the EANM Task Group Radionuclide Therapy in 1993 collected data on the current practice of radionuclide therapy in European countries. Subsequently, at the request of the EANM Executive Committee, the EANM Radionuclide Therapy Committee has made an inventory of the distribution of facilities for radionuclide therapy and undertaken an assessment of the total number of patients treated throughout Europe and of the types of treatment provides, with the aim of supporting the development of policy to adjust the available capacity to the needs by the year 2000. For this purpose, a second, more detailed questionnaire was sent out the members and national advisors of the Committee (see below), who gathered the data for each country that was a member of the EANM at the time. It is concluded that a wide bariation in therapy practice exists across Europe, particularly in the utilisation of radionuclide therapy, the requirement and availability of proper isolation facilities and the background training of those undertaking therapy. More uniform guidelines and legislation are required, although changes in legislation may have a significant impact in some countries. Although there is wide variation in the therapies used in each country, one the whole it appears that there is an underutilisation of nuclear medicine as a therapeutic modality. A rapidly increasing role may be expected, in particular for oncological indications requiring high-dose radionuclide treatment. Therefore there is an urgent need for a greater number of isolation beds in dedicated centers throughout Europe

Mapping earthworm communities in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rutgers, Michiel; Orgiazzi, Alberto; Gardi, Ciro

Existing data sets on earthworm communities in Europe were collected, harmonized, modelled and depicted on a soil biodiversity map of Europe. Digital Soil Mapping was applied using multiple regressions relating relatively low density earthworm community data to soil characteristics, land use...

Background noise levels in Europe

OpenAIRE

Gjestland, Truls

2008-01-01

- This report gives a brief overview of typical background noise levels in Europe, and suggests a procedure for the prediction of background noise levels based on population density. A proposal for the production of background noise maps for Europe is included.

Eastern Europe's market role

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schreiber, K.F.

1991-01-01

Until the late 1980s, trade in nuclear fuel between market economy countries and those with planned economies was limited. The exception to this was in the enrichment market across Western Europe during the 1970s. Most of the nuclear generating plants in the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe are light water reactors needing enriched uranium. Under the fuel supply agreements with Eastern Europe, the Soviet Union has provided all of the regions' enrichment services, and therefore it has developed the only enrichment facilities. Techsnabexport (TENEX), the USSR foreign trade organization for the nuclear fuel cycle, first appeared in the early 1970s. It was as an alternative supplier to the US government, which had a monopoly in the West regarding enrichment. In 1986 the USSR entered and soon dominated the spot market for enrichment. Political changes in Eastern Europe at the end of 1989 and throughout 1990 opened the nuclear fuel market even wider. In 1990 the USSR began allowing exports of concentrates, as well as enriched product, and a free flow of trade to the Western market is now developing for both enrichment and uranium. (author)

The biogenetical revolution of the Council of Europe - twenty years of the Convention on Human Rights and Biomedicine (Oviedo Convention).

Science.gov (United States)

Nawrot, Oktawian

2018-05-16

The Council of Europe's legal regulation concerning development of biology and medicine undoubtedly form the most interesting, but certainly not perfect, over-national system of protection of human beings in prenatal stages of development. The strength of the mentioned system is that it based on well-known and common acceptable values and rules such as human dignity and its protection. The aim of the paper is to present the reasons behind adopting such a system, as well as the consequences of the latter.The author argues that in such a way a revolution within the human rights system of the Council of Europe took place. This revolution caused a significant expansion of the Council of Europe's system of human rights' protection and changed the perspective of the protection from vertical to the horizontal.

Health, Well-Being and Energy Poverty in Europe: A Comparative Study of 32 European Countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomson, Harriet; Snell, Carolyn; Bouzarovski, Stefan

2017-05-31

Despite growing pan-European interest in and awareness of the wide-ranging health and well-being impacts of energy poverty-which is characterised by an inability to secure adequate levels of energy services in the home-the knowledge base is largely British-centric and dominated by single-country studies. In response, this paper investigates the relationship between energy poverty, health and well-being across 32 European countries, using 2012 data from the European Quality of Life Survey. We find an uneven concentration of energy poverty, poor health, and poor well-being across Europe, with Eastern and Central Europe worst affected. At the intersection of energy poverty and health, there is a higher incidence of poor health (both physical and mental) amongst the energy poor populations of most countries, compared to non-energy poor households. Interestingly, we find the largest disparities in health and well-being levels between energy poor and non-energy poor households occur within relatively equal societies, such as Sweden and Slovenia. As well as the unique challenges brought about by rapidly changing energy landscapes in these countries, we also suggest the relative deprivation theory and processes of social comparison hold some value in explaining these findings.

Bat Rabies Surveillance in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schatz, J.; Fooks, A. R.; McElhinney, L.

2013-01-01

Rabies is the oldest known zoonotic disease and was also the first recognized bat associated infection in humans. To date, four different lyssavirus species are the causative agents of rabies in European bats: the European Bat Lyssaviruses type 1 and 2 (EBLV-1, EBLV-2), the recently discovered...... putative new lyssavirus species Bokeloh Bat Lyssavirus (BBLV) and the West Caucasian Bat Virus (WCBV). Unlike in the new world, bat rabies cases in Europe are comparatively less frequent, possibly as a result of varying intensity of surveillance. Thus, the objective was to provide an assessment of the bat...... rabies surveillance data in Europe, taking both reported data to the WHO Rabies Bulletin Europe and published results into account. In Europe, 959 bat rabies cases were reported to the RBE in the time period 1977–2010 with the vast majority characterized as EBLV-1, frequently isolated in the Netherlands...

Infectious diseases in North Africa and North African immigrants to Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Khyatti, Meriem; Trimbitas, Roxana-Delia; Zouheir, Yassine; Benani, Abdelouaheb; El Messaoudi, Moulay-Driss; Hemminki, Kari

2014-08-01

The epidemiological transition has reduced infectious diseases mortality in most European countries, yet increased migrant influx risks importing diseases. All reported prevalence rates must be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the disease in question, respective European Union (EU) country and migratory patterns at work. Tuberculosis has seen a re-emergence in Europe and is concentrated among migrants. Migrants arriving from North Africa (NA) and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) carry higher rates of hepatitis C and B than the local EU population. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impact of NA migrants to Europe is very low but a hallmark of the HIV epidemic is the penetration and circulation of non-B strains, recombinant forms and HIV-drug-resistant profiles through SSA migrants using NA as a transit point into Europe. Leishmaniasis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease prevalent to Southern Europe although not specifically isolated in migrant groups. Although not endemic in NA countries, malaria represent S: a risk in terms of re-emergence in Europe through transitory migrants arriving from SSA with the destination to Europe. Schistosomiasis has been largely eliminated from NA. High migrant flux into European countries has resulted in changing patterns of communicable disease and collectively requires a continuous surveillance. World Health Organization guidelines recommend targeted screening and preventative vaccination, followed by integration of migrants into the local health-care systems allowing for long-term treatment and follow-up. Finally, effective public health campaigns as a form of prevention are essential for the mitigation of disease dissemination in the migrant pool and for second-generation children of migrants. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Mortality from HIV and TB coinfections is higher in Eastern Europe than in Western Europe and Argentina

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Podlekareva, Daria; Mocroft, Amanda; Post, Frank A

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Tuberculosis (TB) is a leading cause of death in HIV-infected patients worldwide. We aimed to study clinical characteristics and outcome of 1075 consecutive patients diagnosed with HIV/TB from 2004 to 2006 in Europe and Argentina. METHODS: One-year mortality was assessed...... in patients stratified according to region of residence, and factors associated with death were evaluated in multivariable Cox models. RESULTS: At TB diagnosis, patients in Eastern Europe had less advanced immunodeficiency, whereas a greater proportion had a history of intravenous drug use, coinfection...... with 7, 9 and 11% in Central/Northern Europe, Southern Europe, and Argentina, respectively (P

Economic Growth and Transboundary Pollution in Europe. An Empirical Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ansuategi, A. [Ekonomi Analisiaren Oinarriak I Saila, Ekonomi Zientzien Fakultatea, Lehendakari Agirre Etorbidea, 83, 48015 Bilbao (Spain)

2003-10-01

The existing empirical evidence suggests that environmental Kuznets curves only exist for pollutants with semi-local and medium term impacts. Ansuategi and Perrings (2000) have considered the behavioral basis for the correlation observed between different spatial incidence of environmental degradation and the relation between economic growth and environmental quality. They show that self-interested planners following a Nash-type strategy tend to address environmental effects sequentially: addressing those with the most immediate costs first, and those whose costs are displaced in space later. This paper tests such behavioral basis in the context of sulphur dioxide emissions in Europe.

Economic Growth and Transboundary Pollution in Europe. An Empirical Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ansuategi, A.

2003-01-01

The existing empirical evidence suggests that environmental Kuznets curves only exist for pollutants with semi-local and medium term impacts. Ansuategi and Perrings (2000) have considered the behavioral basis for the correlation observed between different spatial incidence of environmental degradation and the relation between economic growth and environmental quality. They show that self-interested planners following a Nash-type strategy tend to address environmental effects sequentially: addressing those with the most immediate costs first, and those whose costs are displaced in space later. This paper tests such behavioral basis in the context of sulphur dioxide emissions in Europe

Experience in Strengthening Cooperation Between Radiation Safety Regulators in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magnusson, S.

2016-01-01

HERCA is a voluntary association in which the Heads of Radiation Protection Authorities in Europe work together in order to develop common regulatory approaches in terms of practical implementation. HERCA addresses topics generally covered by provisions of the EURATOM Treaty and its work program is based on significant regulatory issues of common interest. HERCA was established in 2007 and brings together 51 radiation protection Authorities from 31 European countries. The current HERCA work program focuses on Medical and Veterinary Applications, Emergency Preparedness and Response, Non-Medical Sources and Practices, Radon and Euratom BSS Transposition as well as Education and Training.

Soil carbon stock change following afforestation in Northern Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bárcena, Teresa G; Kiær, Lars Pødenphant; Vesterdal, Lars

2014-01-01

of forest age, former land-use, forest type, and soil textural class. Three major improvements were incorporated in the meta-analysis: analysis of major interaction groups, evaluation of the influence of nonindependence between samples according to study design, and mass correction. Former land use......Northern Europe supports large soil organic carbon (SOC) pools and has been subjected to high frequency of land-use changes during the past decades. However, this region has not been well represented in previous large-scale syntheses of land-use change effects on SOC, especially regarding effects...... of afforestation. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis of SOC stock change following afforestation in Northern Europe. Response ratios were calculated for forest floors and mineral soils (0–10 cm and 0–20/30 cm layers) based on paired control (former land use) and afforested plots. We analyzed the influence...

The Development and Dissemination of Council of Europe Policy on Education about Religions and Non-Religious Convictions

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Robert

2014-01-01

This article, written from an insider perspective, and in a personal capacity (the author has been involved with the Council of Europe's work on religion and education since its inception in 2002), gives an account of the developing interest in the study of religions (and latterly non-religious convictions) in publicly funded schools by the…

Construction research needs in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

1991-01-01

fælles europæisk forsknings- og udviklingsstrategi for byggesektoren har det europæiske netværk af byggeforskningsinstitutter, ENBRI, sammenfattet de nationale forskningstemaer samt analyseret perspektiver og behov. Dette materiale er anvendt som diskussionsoplæg ved symposiet Construction research needs...

Europe's New Energy Policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Piebalgs, A.; Conn, I.; Dobbeni, D.; Josefsson, L.G.; Mogg, L.; Rifkin, J.; Scaroni, P.; Tanaka, N.

2009-01-01

Europe's energy policy has been completely transformed over the last few years, tackling the dual challenges of climate change and energy security. This has lead to major new laws on issues such as energy liberalisation, renewable energy and energy efficiency. In this volume the detailed reasons for these changes are outlined and the way in which the European Union has risen to these challenges is discussed. Views are given on where Europe's energy policy will go next, the challenges of 2050 and the development of a 'third industrial revolution'. This insight is complemented by the observations and comments of some of the leading figures concerning European and global energy issues, explaining how industry, energy regulators and global thinkers see Europe's energy policy and the challenges that it now faces

Radioactive beams in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Warner, D.D.

1993-01-01

In its report open-quotes Nuclear Physics in Europe - Opportunities and Perspectivesclose quotes, NuPECC concluded that physics with radioactive beams represents one of the foremost frontiers in nuclear physics. It therefore set up a study group to produce a report on the physics case for radioactive beams, together with a comparison of the relative merits of the various European facilities, operational or planned, and the R ampersand D required to achieve the desired goals. This paper presents some of the results of that report and concentrates on the latter two aspects of the task assigned to the Study Group. The facilities discussed are those planning to use the two-accelerator method to produce beams in the energy range of 0.5-25Mev/A. In addition, a report is given on the status of the recently-approved Test Bed facility at the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, where the aim is to test the ability of existing ISOL target/ion-source technology to withstand a primary proton beam intensity of 100μA

Climate Variability and the Occurrence of Human Puumala Hantavirus Infections in Europe: A Systematic Review.

Science.gov (United States)

Roda Gracia, J; Schumann, B; Seidler, A

2015-09-01

Hantaviruses are distributed worldwide and are transmitted by rodents. In Europe, the infection usually manifests as a mild form of haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS) known as nephropathia epidemica (NE), which is triggered by the virus species Puumala. Its host is the bank vole (Myodes glareolus). In the context of climate change, interest in the role of climatic factors for the disease has increased. A systematic review was conducted to investigate the association between climate variability and the occurrence of human Puumala hantavirus infections in Europe. We performed a literature search in the databases MEDLINE, EMBASE and Web of Science. Studies that investigated Puumala virus infection and climatic factors in any European country with a minimum collection period of 2 years were included. The selection of abstracts and the evaluation of included studies were performed by two independent reviewers. A total of 434 titles were identified in the databases, of which nine studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The majority of studies were conducted in central Europe (Belgium, France and Germany), while only two came from the north (Sweden) and one from the south (Bosnia). Strong evidence was found for a positive association between temperature and NE incidence in central Europe, while the evidence for northern Europe so far appears insufficient. Results regarding precipitation were contradictory. Overall, the complex relationships between climate and hantavirus infections need further exploration to identify specific health risks and initiate appropriate intervention measures in the context of climate change. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

EDF Group - Annual Report 2015

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-01-01

EDF Group is the world's leading electricity company and it is particularly well established in Europe, especially France, the United Kingdom, Italy and Belgium. Its business covers all electricity-related activities, from generation to distribution and including energy transmission and trading activities to continuously balance supply with demand. A marked increase in the use of renewables is bringing change to its power generation operations, which are underpinned by a diversified low-carbon energy mix founded on nuclear power capacity. With activities across the entire electricity value chain, EDF is reinventing the products and services it offers to help residential customers manage their electricity consumption, to support the energy and financial performance of business customers and to support local authorities in finding sustainable solutions for the cities of the future. This document is EDF Group's annual report for the year 2015. It contains information about Group profile, governance, business, development strategy, sales and marketing, positions in Europe and international activities. The document is made of several reports: the 2016 Book, the '2016 at a glance' report, the Profile and Performance 2015 report, the 2015 Reference Document - Annual Financial Report

Developing clinical practice guidelines: target audiences, identifying topics for guidelines, guideline group composition and functioning and conflicts of interest.

Science.gov (United States)

Eccles, Martin P; Grimshaw, Jeremy M; Shekelle, Paul; Schünemann, Holger J; Woolf, Steven

2012-07-04

Clinical practice guidelines are one of the foundations of efforts to improve health care. In 1999, we authored a paper about methods to develop guidelines. Since it was published, the methods of guideline development have progressed both in terms of methods and necessary procedures and the context for guideline development has changed with the emergence of guideline clearing houses and large scale guideline production organisations (such as the UK National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence). It therefore seems timely to, in a series of three articles, update and extend our earlier paper. In this first paper we discuss: the target audience(s) for guidelines and their use of guidelines; identifying topics for guidelines; guideline group composition (including consumer involvement) and the processes by which guideline groups function and the important procedural issue of managing conflicts of interest in guideline development.

Biotechnological research in Europe

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rehm, H J

1982-01-01

The current research possibilities in the expanding field of biotechnology in Europe are very briefly described. Remarks on research and development are limited to six topics: fermented food products; biomass production; product formation; bioreactors; waste-water treatment, environmental processes and methane formation; central research institutions. It is summarised that increased efforts at co-operation on all levels are vital for an improved development in the field of biotechnology throughout Europe.

HARMONIZED EUROPE OR EUROPEAN HARMONY?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cosmin Marinescu

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Recent evolutions in Europe raise questions on the viability of the present economic and social model that defines the European construction project. In this paper, the author will try to explain the viability of institutional European model that sticks between free market mechanisms and protectionism. The main challenge for the EU is about the possibility to bring together the institutional convergence and the welfare for all Europeans. This is the result of the view, still dominant, of European politics elite, according to which institutional harmonization is the solution of a more dynamic and prosper Europe. But, economic realities convince us that, more and more, a harmonized, standardized Europe is not necessarily identical with a Europe of harmony and social cooperation. If „development through integration” seems to be harmonization through „institutional transplant”, how could then be the European model one sufficiently wide open to market, which creates the prosperity so long waited for by new member countries?

Fusion program. The interest for the industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dominguez Bautista, M. T.

2007-01-01

On November 21, 2006, the ministers representing all the parties taking part in ITER (EU, china, India, Japan, Rusia, USA and south Korea signed the so-called ITER agreement, thereby affirming the decision to build this fusion energy demonstration experiment. As of that moment, each partner has been preparing its Domestic Agency that will manage its contribution. Europe will play a relevant role in this facility, the site of which is located in Cadarache, and will provide 50% of its investment. This leading role of Europe is the continuation of years of decisive support for the fusion program. In successive Framework Programs of EURATOM, resources have been allotted to fusion and projects have been executed with specific organizations to coordinate them (EFDA). One of the most significant decision to accomplish this coordination was to involve the industry; in 1994, the ITER EDA Framework Contract was signed to develop the ITER engineering. Since then the EFET group, formed by seven European engineering firms including Empresarios Agrupados and Sener, has developed design work for ITER. together with these engineering activities, engineering firms and manufacturers were qualified to develop prototypes as apart of the so-called 17-technology program. these decisions have made it possible to provide ITER with the industry experience in the execution of large projects and have provided industry with a knowledge of this facility features. Now the time has come to execute the project, and the challenge will be to know how to take advantage of the experience gained by Europe. This article discusses in greater detail the areas to which the European industry has contributed and the expected conditions for this participation. (Author)

Researching the value system of interest groups as the starting point for directing urbanisation of the countryside

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mojca Golobič

2001-01-01

Full Text Available When planning rehabilitation of transitory, rural space, where processes of restructuring agriculture intertwine with urban processes, key definitions concern places where restructuring agriculture and changes in land use are causing degradation and places where further urbanisation or re-naturation are the better option. In these definitions it is necessary to follow opinions and goals of users that are nevertheless difficult to obtain in a mode that can be directly integrated in standardised rational procedures of physical planning. The presented procedure facilitates the procurement of such knowledge and its transparent integration in local development plans. Thus we can identify interest groups, their viewpoints, and potential conflicts in initial value systems and check their conflicting or harmonising starting points in space.

LOBBYING AND GR-PRACTICES IN EASTERN EUROPE AND THE BALTIC STATES: THE POLITICAL-SOCIOLOGICAL ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu. M. Bolshakova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This article analyzes the phenomenon of lobbying as a form of communication of public authorities, business and socio-political actors. The article based on the evaluation results of a poll presents a generalized picture of the functioning of lobbyists on the political landscape, disclosed the specifics of the use of GR-tech lobbyists at national and supranational level in the European Union. Analyzed data from a sociological study of the impact of information on the effectiveness of management decision-making by lobbyists in Eastern Europe and the Baltic States, evaluate the effectiveness of various political aktor-lobbyists. The system of power in the EU multi-level, lobbying is carried out with a strong competition between different interest groups. By the way, the Russian business poorly informed about the possibilities and mechanisms to defend their interests at EU level and does not use this tool. Institutes of the EU authorities, is the center of the work of lobbyists are the European Council, the Council of Ministers, the European Parliament and the European Commission. With regard to professional lobbying transparency of the process, about one in four out of five respondents said that business, trade associations and professional organizations are transparent in their approach to the process of political and administrative lobbying, while only one in five said this factor in relation to companies. Respondents clearly express support for democratization and openness of the political process, which is transparent to the various representatives and interest groups, and the lobbyists are expected to be open about their interests represented. It is not clear defined interests or lack of transparency called the most negative aspect of lobbying. Thus, many experts noted that the successful lobbying can change the state of the social environment and the socio-political relations. When both unsuccessful lobbying ends

Developing research priorities for palliative care of people with intellectual disabilities in Europe: a consultation process using nominal group technique.

Science.gov (United States)

Tuffrey-Wijne, I; Wicki, M; Heslop, P; McCarron, M; Todd, S; Oliver, D; de Veer, A; Ahlström, G; Schäper, S; Hynes, G; O'Farrell, J; Adler, J; Riese, F; Curfs, L

2016-03-24

Empirical knowledge around palliative care provision and needs of people with intellectual disabilities is extremely limited, as is the availability of research resources, including expertise and funding. This paper describes a consultation process that sought to develop an agenda for research priorities for palliative care of people with intellectual disabilities in Europe. A two-day workshop was convened, attended by 16 academics and clinicians in the field of palliative care and intellectual disability from six European countries. The first day consisted of round-table presentations and discussions about the current state of the art, research challenges and knowledge gaps. The second day was focused on developing consensus research priorities with 12 of the workshop participants using nominal group technique, a structured method which involved generating a list of research priorities and ranking them in order of importance. A total of 40 research priorities were proposed and collapsed into eleven research themes. The four most important research themes were: investigating issues around end of life decision making; mapping the scale and scope of the issue; investigating the quality of palliative care for people with intellectual disabilities, including the challenges in achieving best practice; and developing outcome measures and instruments for palliative care of people with intellectual disabilities. The proposal of four major priority areas and a range of minor themes for future research in intellectual disability, death, dying and palliative care will help researchers to focus limited resources and research expertise on areas where it is most needed and support the building of collaborations. The next steps are to cross-validate these research priorities with people with intellectual disabilities, carers, clinicians, researchers and other stakeholders across Europe; to validate them with local and national policy makers to determine how they could best be

Uranium Mining in and for Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wallner, A.; Stein, P.

2012-01-01

The exhibition „Uranium Mining in and for Europe“ took place in the European Parliament in Brussels on September 25/26 2012. This brochure sheds light on this highly topical issue with additional information to the exhibition but also as a stand-alone pu¬blication. It shows why uranium mining is again on the agenda in Europe and the risks resulting from a possible revival of this technology. After a short introduction on general aspects of nuclear energy our brochure focuses on uranium mining: necessary process steps, energy needs and CO2 emissions and the environmental impacts. Several examples illustrate the current develop-ment in several countries of the European Union. Our brochure is for all those who want to gain deeper understanding of nuclear energy. The panels of this exhibition are available for lending on request; the digital version can be found on the home page of the Austrian Institute of Ecology. Special thanks go to Peter Diehl and a multitude of European NGOs, which provided their knowledge on current issues on uranium mining and that way made an important contribution to this brochure. The exhibition and this brochure were commissioned by the Vienna Ombuds Office for Environmental Protection (Wiener Umweltanwaltschaft). Both are based on an earlier version of the exhibition which was titled “Return of Uranium Mining to Europe?” from 2008, developed in the framework of the Joint Project with the support of the Austrian Lebensministerium. We appreciate your interest in this important topic and hope you will find this brochure to be stimulating and informative reading. (author)

Demand response experience in Europe: Policies, programmes and implementation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torriti, Jacopo; Hassan, Mohamed G.; Leach, Matthew

2010-01-01

Over the last few years, load growth, increases in intermittent generation, declining technology costs and increasing recognition of the importance of customer behaviour in energy markets have brought about a change in the focus of Demand Response (DR) in Europe. The long standing programmes involving large industries, through interruptible tariffs and time of day pricing, have been increasingly complemented by programmes aimed at commercial and residential customer groups. Developments in DR vary substantially across Europe reflecting national conditions and triggered by different sets of policies, programmes and implementation schemes. This paper examines experiences within European countries as well as at European Union (EU) level, with the aim of understanding which factors have facilitated or impeded advances in DR. It describes initiatives, studies and policies of various European countries, with in-depth case studies of the UK, Italy and Spain. It is concluded that while business programmes, technical and economic potentials vary across Europe, there are common reasons as to why coordinated DR policies have been slow to emerge. This is because of the limited knowledge on DR energy saving capacities; high cost estimates for DR technologies and infrastructures; and policies focused on creating the conditions for liberalising the EU energy markets. (author)

An overview of nursing in Europe: a SWOT analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Manzano-García, Guadalupe; Ayala-Calvo, Juan-Carlos

2014-12-01

This article sets out a global analysis of the weaknesses, threats, strengths and opportunities that define the current situation of nursing in Europe. The nursing profession in Europe is suffering from a crisis of self-efficacy with the syndrome of burnout being one of its consequences. Other weaknesses include shortage of staff, job insecurity, devalued nursing image in society and the lack of recognition of emotional and psychological dimensions of care. The threats to this profession are linked to the lack of prestige and social recognition and to the current economic crisis in Europe. The European economic crisis favours staff shortages and increased European migration flow. The strength of the group lies in the art of caring, which is its defining feature. Primary Care Nursing and Hospital Liaison Nursing demonstrate the great professional adaptability in meeting the needs of the ever-changing society. The European Higher Education Area and the strengthening of the specialties provide opportunities for the nursing profession. Both represent an important progress towards solid professionalism that will give nursing greater visibility. Moreover, nursing must implement strategies to disseminate its activity and emerge from anonymity. Nursing must show society the image it wants to project. © 2014 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Heat Roadmap Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

David, Andrei; Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Averfalk, Helge

2017-01-01

The Heat Roadmap Europe (HRE) studies estimated a potential increase of the district heating (DH) share to 50% of the entire heat demand by 2050, with approximately 25–30% of it being supplied using large-scale electric heat pumps. This study builds on this potential and aims to document that suc......The Heat Roadmap Europe (HRE) studies estimated a potential increase of the district heating (DH) share to 50% of the entire heat demand by 2050, with approximately 25–30% of it being supplied using large-scale electric heat pumps. This study builds on this potential and aims to document...

Europe's economic integration: Maastricht and Europe. Europas wirtschaftliche Integration: Maastricht und Europa

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaeggi, U. (DuPont de Nemours International S.A., Genf (Switzerland))

1994-10-01

The Maastricht Treaty is a decisive step towards Europe's economic integration, which will ultimately provide an alignment of economic policies and a common currency. Companies wishing to keep abreast of their competitors and contribute to improving the competitivity of Europe's industry are faced with the challenge of changing their traditional ways of business relations. (orig.)

Cost of disorders of the brain in Europe 2010.

Science.gov (United States)

Gustavsson, Anders; Svensson, Mikael; Jacobi, Frank; Allgulander, Christer; Alonso, Jordi; Beghi, Ettore; Dodel, Richard; Ekman, Mattias; Faravelli, Carlo; Fratiglioni, Laura; Gannon, Brenda; Jones, David Hilton; Jennum, Poul; Jordanova, Albena; Jönsson, Linus; Karampampa, Korinna; Knapp, Martin; Kobelt, Gisela; Kurth, Tobias; Lieb, Roselind; Linde, Mattias; Ljungcrantz, Christina; Maercker, Andreas; Melin, Beatrice; Moscarelli, Massimo; Musayev, Amir; Norwood, Fiona; Preisig, Martin; Pugliatti, Maura; Rehm, Juergen; Salvador-Carulla, Luis; Schlehofer, Brigitte; Simon, Roland; Steinhausen, Hans-Christoph; Stovner, Lars Jacob; Vallat, Jean-Michel; Van den Bergh, Peter; den Bergh, Peter Van; van Os, Jim; Vos, Pieter; Xu, Weili; Wittchen, Hans-Ulrich; Jönsson, Bengt; Olesen, Jes

2011-10-01

The spectrum of disorders of the brain is large, covering hundreds of disorders that are listed in either the mental or neurological disorder chapters of the established international diagnostic classification systems. These disorders have a high prevalence as well as short- and long-term impairments and disabilities. Therefore they are an emotional, financial and social burden to the patients, their families and their social network. In a 2005 landmark study, we estimated for the first time the annual cost of 12 major groups of disorders of the brain in Europe and gave a conservative estimate of €386 billion for the year 2004. This estimate was limited in scope and conservative due to the lack of sufficiently comprehensive epidemiological and/or economic data on several important diagnostic groups. We are now in a position to substantially improve and revise the 2004 estimates. In the present report we cover 19 major groups of disorders, 7 more than previously, of an increased range of age groups and more cost items. We therefore present much improved cost estimates. Our revised estimates also now include the new EU member states, and hence a population of 514 million people. To estimate the number of persons with defined disorders of the brain in Europe in 2010, the total cost per person related to each disease in terms of direct and indirect costs, and an estimate of the total cost per disorder and country. The best available estimates of the prevalence and cost per person for 19 groups of disorders of the brain (covering well over 100 specific disorders) were identified via a systematic review of the published literature. Together with the twelve disorders included in 2004, the following range of mental and neurologic groups of disorders is covered: addictive disorders, affective disorders, anxiety disorders, brain tumor, childhood and adolescent disorders (developmental disorders), dementia, eating disorders, epilepsy, mental retardation, migraine, multiple

Creating markets for air pollution control in Europe and the USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Klaassen, G.; Nentjes, A.

1997-01-01

This paper surveys recent efforts to relax the rigid regulatory frameworks for air pollution control in Europe and the USA. European policies have mainly taken the form of bubbles and compensation or offset schemes. Emission trading has been limited to intra-firm solutions for various reasons: industry structure, absence of real scarcity, and too restrictive trading rules. Bubbles have been granted to homogenous sectors only and can be characterized as direct regulation for a group rather than tradeable permit systems. By contrast, the sulphur allowance program in the USA has laid down the foundation for a pollution permit market with few formal restrictions. Problems that arise arc mainly related to local environmental and public utility controls. Europe can learn from the USA that regular national permit markets could be installed, preferably for homogenous sectors. In designing the permit system, the differences between the USA and Europe in terms of ecosystem sensitively, stringency of regulation and differentiation of regional environmental policy have to be taken into account. 1 fig., 2 tabs., 54 refs

Gas in Europe: supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

It is predicted that natural gas consumption in western Europe could rise by more than 55% over the next two decades, from 290bn cubic metres (cm) in 1991 to 450bn cm in 2010. This growth, projected by the consultants, Arthur D Little, reflects the environmental and economic attractions of natural gas, particularly in the power generation sector. Another consultant, Poten and Partners, predicts an even greater rise in gas consumption, from 301bn cm in 1992 to 482 bn cm in 2010. However, while demand is forecast to increase in all major European gas markets, indigenous production within Europe is expected to remain stable for the foreseeable future, with indigenous supplies projected to peak at approximately 350bn cubic metres per year (cm/y) in the late 1990s. This raises the prospect of significant supply constraints emerging in Europe. (author)

The biology and ecology of Necrodes littoralis, a species of forensic interest in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Charabidze, Damien; Vincent, Benoît; Pasquerault, Thierry; Hedouin, Valéry

2016-01-01

Necrodes littoralis (Linnaeus, 1758) (Coleoptera: Silphidae), also known as the "shore sexton beetle," is a common silphid beetle that visits and breeds on large vertebrate cadavers. This study describes, for the first time, the involvement of N. littoralis on human corpses based on a large dataset of 154 French forensic cases. Various parameters regarding corpse location, decomposition stages, and entomofauna were extracted from each file. Compared to all of the forensic entomology cases analyzed between 1990 and 2013 (1028), N. littoralis was observed, on average, in one case out of eight; most of these cases occurred during spring and summer (73.5%). More than 90% of the cases were located outdoors, especially in woodlands, bushes, and fields. The decomposition stage of the corpse varied among cases, with more than 50% in the advanced decomposition stage, 36% in the early decomposition stage, and less than 10% in the fresh, mummified, or skeletonized stages. Regarding other necrophagous species sampled with N. littoralis, Calliphorid flies were found in 94% of the cases and Fanniidae/Muscidae in 65% of the cases. Chrysomya albiceps, a heliophilic species mostly located in the Mediterranean area, was present in 34% of the cases (only 20% in the whole dataset). The most common coleopteran species were Necrobia spp. (Coleoptera: Cleridae) and Creophilus maxillosus (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae); these beetles were observed in 27% of the cases. The over-representation of these species is likely due to similar requirements regarding the climate and decomposition stage. As N. littoralis is frequently observed and tends to become more common, we conclude that the developmental data for this species would be a precious tool for forensic entomologists in Europe.

7 CFR 3400.12 - Conflicts of interest.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 7 Agriculture 15 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Conflicts of interest. 3400.12 Section 3400.12 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture (Continued) COOPERATIVE STATE RESEARCH, EDUCATION... Review of Research Grant Applications § 3400.12 Conflicts of interest. Members of peer review groups...

Interests and propriety: some voices of brazilian cultural field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rafael Cruz

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article originates of the strangeness generated by using the term piracy for any type of unauthorized reproduction. The article try to understand the relationship between values and interests related to two forms of propriety, copyright and intellectual property. For an interest in the collective representation, the general idea or dominant ideology associated with the subject, uses of media reports as documentary fonts for analysis of values and interests of three groups involved in discussions about the topic: the culture industry, government and artists / producers. Finally, performs a synthesis of the comparison between the values defended and the interests manifests (or hidden of the groups.

The Social Economy in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Spear, Roger

2010-01-01

This paper gives an overview of the social economy in Europe. Drawing on the most recent statistical data, the paper examines the social economy’s size in different European countries, and current trends and challenges in Europe; it also reviews its status and political context at the EU level. T...

42 CFR 52h.5 - Conflict of interest.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 1 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Conflict of interest. 52h.5 Section 52h.5 Public... RESEARCH GRANT APPLICATIONS AND RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT PROJECTS § 52h.5 Conflict of interest. (a) This section applies only to conflicts of interest involving members of peer review groups. This...

Unravelling the impact of ethnicity on health in Europe: the HELIUS study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stronks, Karien; Snijder, Marieke B.; Peters, Ron J. G.; Prins, Maria; Schene, Aart H.; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.

2013-01-01

Populations in Europe are becoming increasingly ethnically diverse, and health risks differ between ethnic groups. The aim of the HELIUS (HEalthy LIfe in an Urban Setting) study is to unravel the mechanisms underlying the impact of ethnicity on communicable and non-communicable diseases. HELIUS is a

A survey on education in cariology for undergraduate dental students in Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schulte, A.G.; Buchalla, W.; Huysmans, M.C.D.N.J.M.; Amaechi, B.T.; Sampaio, F.; Vougiouklakis, G.; Pitts, N.B.

2011-01-01

The aim of the survey was to collect relevant information about education in cariology for dental undergraduate students in Europe. The ORCA/ADEE cariology curriculum group prepared a questionnaire that was mailed in 2009 to 179 European dental schools. One hundred and twenty-three dental schools

Taxonomy and phylogeny of the Caloplaca cerina group in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soun, J.; Vondrak, J.; Sochting, U.

2011-01-01

Using ITS nrDNA sequence data, the Caloplaca cerina group (Teloschistaceae) is defined here as a monophyletic, but internally richly branched lineage. The group is also characterized by a combination of morphological and anatomical characters. Its internal lineages are supported by phenotypic cha...

International convergence of capital market interest rates.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fase, M.M.G.; Vlaar, P.J.G.

1997-01-01

This article investigates the extent of capital market interest rate convergence among six EU countries on the one hand, and a group of four countries with floating exchange rates - US, Germany, Japan and Switzerland - on the other. We conclude that interest rate changes within the EU have been and

Sales of gas in Europe and Norway - a manufacturer's perspective; Salg av gass i Europa og Norge - en produsents perspektiv

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Viste, Nina Holm (Norske Shell, (Norway))

2009-07-01

The 3 hard truths are: Increased demand for energy; supply of energy will struggle to keep pace; environmental impact will increase significantly. These truths are very hard and uncomfortable. The financial crisis a break - it does not change the long-term picture. Increasing import demand to Europe - Shell helps to close the supply gap. Long-term contracts and spot markets are complementary and cover different customer needs. Gas from Norway is attractive in Europe. Norwegian gas market has limited the size and growth potential ... but is interesting for Shell on the competitive conditions. (AG)

Europe's thirst for Russian gas increases fears over security of supply

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shepherd, John [nuclear 24, London (United Kingdom)

2014-10-15

A new report from Russian Gazprom indicates that Europe is becoming increasingly reliant on gas from Russia. In 2013 the volume of Gazprom Group's gas sales to countries beyond the Commonwealth of Independent States amounted to 174.3 billion cubic metres, which accounts for one-third of the total gas consumption in Europe. Europe might normally welcome the increasing free-flow of gas to the continent, but the fact that this rising dependency on Russia comes at a time of even greater political tensions should be a wake-up call to policymakers. Policymakers should focus more on what is practical than what is politically correct. If one nation wants to tilt at windmills and abandon the security of energy supply offered by modern, safe and technological solutions of the future, such as baseload nuclear, it does not mean everyone has to follow suit. Europe's collective political leadership would do well to remember that you do not cast out or effectively demonise tried and tested solutions to keeping nations safe, warm, productive and economically vibrant at a time when very real threats to energy supply loom on the horizon.

Representation Theory of Algebraic Groups and Quantum Groups

CERN Document Server

Gyoja, A; Shinoda, K-I; Shoji, T; Tanisaki, Toshiyuki

2010-01-01

Invited articles by top notch expertsFocus is on topics in representation theory of algebraic groups and quantum groupsOf interest to graduate students and researchers in representation theory, group theory, algebraic geometry, quantum theory and math physics

Toward an Europe without nuclear weapons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collin, J.M.

2003-10-01

Where it is exposed that France and Great Britain could propose a progressive and controlled disarmament agenda on beginning by Europe, because of their special situation of only nuclear powers in Europe. (N.C.)

One-year mortality of HIV-positive patients treated for rifampicin- and isoniazid-susceptible tuberculosis in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Podlekareva, DN; Schultze, A; Panteleev, A

2017-01-01

in Western Europe or Latin America. METHODS: One-year mortality of HIV-positive patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB in Eastern Europe, Western Europe, and Latin America was analysed and compared in a prospective observational cohort study. Factors associated with death were analysed using Cox......OBJECTIVES: The high mortality among HIV/tuberculosis (TB) coinfected patients in Eastern Europe is partly explained by the high prevalence of drug-resistant TB. It remains unclear whether outcomes of HIV/TB patients with rifampicin/isoniazid-susceptible TB in Eastern Europe differ from those...... cell count. These results call for improvement of care for TB/HIV patients in Eastern Europe....

Des organisations de recherche européennes de premier plan unissent leurs efforts dans le cadre du groupe EIROFORUM

CERN Multimedia

CERN Press Office. Geneva

2001-01-01

Since the early 1950s, a number of powerful research infrastructures and laboratories which are used by an extensive network of scientists have been developed and deployed within Europe by European Intergovernmental Research Organisations (EIRO). Together, they represent European spearheads in some of the most crucial basic and applied research fields.

Heat Roadmap Europe 1

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Connolly, David; Mathiesen, Brian Vad; Østergaard, Poul Alberg

2012-01-01

Heat Roadmap Europe (Pre-study 1) investigates the role of district heating in the EU27 energy system by mapping local conditions across Europe, identifying the potential for district heating expansion, and subsequently simulating the potential resource in an hourly model of the EU27 energy system....... In 2010, approximately 12% of the space heating demand in Europe is met by district heating, but in this study four alternative scenarios are considered for the EU27 energy system: 1. 2010 with 30% district heating 2. 2010 with 50% district heating 3. 2030 with 30% district heating 4. 2050 with 50......% district heating These scenarios are investigated in two steps. Firstly, district heating replaces individual boilers by converting condensing power plants to combined heat and power plants (CHP) to illustrate how district heating improves the overall efficiency of the energy system. In the second step...

The Areva Group; Le groupe Areva

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-08-01

This document provides information on the Areva Group, a world nuclear industry leader, offering solutions for nuclear power generation, electricity transmission and distribution and interconnect systems to the telecommunications, computer and automotive markets. It presents successively the front end division including the group business lines involved in producing nuclear fuel for electric power generation (uranium mining, concentration, conversion and enrichment and nuclear fuel fabrication); the reactors and services division which designs and builds PWR, BWR and research reactors; the back end division which encompasses the management of the fuel that has been used in nuclear power plants; the transmission and distribution division which provides products, systems and services to the medium and high voltage energy markets; the connectors division which designs and manufactures electrical, electronic and optical connectors, flexible micro circuitry and interconnection systems. Areva is implemented in Europe, north and south america, africa and asia-pacific. (A.L.B.)

Conflict of Interest Policies and Industry Relationships of Guideline Development Group Members: A Cross-Sectional Study of Clinical Practice Guidelines for Depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Cosgrove, Lisa; Krimsky, Sheldon; Wheeler, Emily E; Peters, Shannon M; Brodt, Madeline; Shaughnessy, Allen F

2017-01-01

Because of increased attention to the issue of trustworthiness of clinical practice guidelines, it may be that both transparency and management of industry associations of guideline development groups (GDGs) have improved. The purpose of the present study was to assess a) the disclosure requirements of GDGs in a cross-section of guidelines for major depression; and, b) the extent and type of conflicts of panel members. Treatment guidelines for major depression were identified and searched for conflict of interest policies and disclosure statements. Multi-modal screens for undeclared conflicts were also conducted. Fourteen guidelines with a total of 172 panel members were included in the analysis. Eleven of the 14 guidelines (78%) had a stated conflict of interest policy or disclosure statement, although the policies varied widely. Most (57%) of the guidelines were developed by panels that had members with industry financial ties to drug companies that manufacture antidepressant medication. However, only a minority of total panel members (18%) had such conflicts of interest. Drug company speakers bureau participation was the most common type of conflict. Although some progress has been made, organizations that develop guidelines should continue to work toward greater transparency and minimization of financial conflicts of interest.

Transnational Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bondebjerg, Ib

2016-01-01

-productions has increased the distribution of original and often local stories in Europe. The article analyses examples of some successful European drama series, their audiences and reception. The analysis is discussed in the context of national and transnational media policy and the impact of globalisation......This article deals with the social and cultural dimensions of globalization and uses both qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse the effects of stronger European integration on media production and reception. It combines theories and methods from sociology, anthropology and media studies...... in this development. The article concludes that encounters of the kind we find in different forms of TV drama will make Europe more diverse and richer for a much broader audience. The interaction between the particular and universal in “narratives” on our past and contemporary social and cultural order contribute...

Challenges and Action Points to Amplify Agroecology in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander Wezel

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Agriculture in Europe results in the production of food for both the European population and for the export sector. Significant environmental and social problems have emerged with the intensification of European agriculture. These include the loss of biodiversity, the contamination of soils, water, and food with pesticides, and the eutrophication of water bodies. Industrialized agricultural and food systems are also a major contributing factor in the decline of farm numbers, and the high use of antibiotics has led to serious human health problems. In this respect, agroecology can provide insights into important pathways and guide the design, development, and promotion of the transition towards sustainable farming and food systems. An analysis of the major challenges for the amplification of agroecology in Europe was carried out by 310 stakeholders in a World Café exercise and 23 sessions and workshops during the Agroecology Europe Forum 2017. The different challenges that were identified can be grouped into seven categories: (1 definition and concepts; (2 education, training, and knowledge sharing; (3 research approach and funding; (4 policies; (5 productivity and practices; (5 food systems and consumer awareness; and (6 co-optation. To address these challenges, the following key actions are recommended: (1 to develop a common understanding of agroecology; (2 to enhance education in agroecology and knowledge exchange; (3 to invest in agroecological research; (4 to develop policies enhancing agroecology; (5 to support new and existing agroecological practices; (6 to transform food systems; and (7 to strengthen communication and alliances. In this paper we present and discuss these recommendations for pathways and actions to develop sustainable agro-food systems in Europe through agroecology.

Fast Reactor Research in Europe: The Way Towards Sustainability (Summary)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schenkel, R.

2012-01-01

Full text: The European Union (EU) has taken the lead in responding to climate change, announcing far-reaching initiatives ranging from promoting energy efficient light bulbs and cars to new building codes, carbon trading schemes, development of low carbon technologies and greater competition in energy markets. Nuclear energy remains central to the energy debate in Europe. One third of EU electricity is produced via nuclear fission and eight new reactors are under construction. Traditionally non-nuclear countries are manifesting an interest in building nuclear power plants while the clock is ticking down on Belgium, Germany and the United Kingdom's decision to renew or close existing nuclear infrastructures. Sustainability in nuclear energy production is ensured in the medium term as a result of the large and diverse uranium resources available in politically stable countries around the world. The quantities available with high probability ensure more than one hundred years of nuclear energy production. This extrapolation depends, however, on the forecast for future nuclear energy production. The use of fast neutron breeder reactors would lead to a much more efficient utilization of the uranium, extending the sustainable energy production to several thousands of years. The presentation will outline the fast reactors of the new generation currently being developed within the Generation IV initiative. Broad conclusions of the presentation are that: - There is a growing nuclear renaissance in Europe for good reason; - Nuclear energy is a green and sustainable option for Europe and indeed the world's energy needs; - Nuclear energy is a competitive energy that makes economic sense; - Nuclear fission reactors have a safety and environmental track record that is second to none, yet public misperceptions persist and must be tackled; - Waste management solutions exist while new developments hold great promise; - The evolution and promise of nuclear technologies must also be

Health technology assessment: research trends and future priorities in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, Camilla Palmhøj; Funch, Tina Maria; Kristensen, Finn Børlum

2011-07-01

To provide an overview of health services research related to health technology assessment (HTA) and to identify research priorities from a European perspective. Several methods were used: systematic review of articles indexed with the MeSH term 'technology assessment' in PubMed from February 1999-2009; online survey among experts; and conference workshop discussions. Research activity in HTA varies considerably across Europe. The research was categorised into six areas: (1) the breadth of analysis in HTA (such as economic, organizational and social aspects); (2) HTA products developed to meet the needs of policy-makers (such as horizon scanning, mini-HTA, and core HTA); (3) handling life-cycle perspectives in relation to technologies; (4) topics that challenge existing methods and for which HTA should be developed to address the themes more comprehensively (such as public health interventions and organizational interventions); (5) development of HTA capacity and programmes; and (6) links between policy and HTA. An online survey showed that the three areas that were given priority were the relationship between HTA and policy-making (71%), the impact of HTA (62%) and incorporating patient aspects in HTA (50%). Policy-makers highlighted HTA and innovation processes as their main research priority (42%). Areas that the systematic review identified as future priorities include issues within the six existing research areas such as disinvestment, developing evidence for new technologies, assessing the wider effects of technology use, and determining how HTA affects decision-making. In addition, relative effectiveness and individualized treatments are areas of growing interest. The research priorities identified are important for obtaining high quality and cost-effective health care in Europe. Managing the introduction, use and phasing out of technologies challenges health services throughout Europe, and these processes need to be improved to successfully manage future

Crossing alone the Mediterranean sea. Some critical issues about unaccompanied minors in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Giulio Valtolina

Full Text Available Abstract Despite the increasing social impact of unaccompanied migrant minors (UAMs in many European Union (EU member states, EU regulations on UAMs are still inadequate and the necessary protection measures are thus insufficient. More specifically, the “best interest of the child”, stated in a large number of international documents, may not be properly guaranteed. In addition, there is often a discrepancy between the rights of migrant children, according to the international legislation, and the actual protection they receive. Moreover, despite the declared aim of reaching a common standard of reception and inclusion, policies and practices across Europe are still very different. The paper attempts to highlight and discuss some critical issues regarding UAMs in Europe. Over and beyond the need for the EU to develop a common framework, greater efforts should be made in order to improve inclusion of UAMs, especially to ensure the management of the phenomenon beyond the current emergency.

32nd European Study Group with Industry, Final Report

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

ESGI (European Study Group with Industry) is Europe's leading workshop for interaction between mathematicians and industry. These workshops have taken place in Great Britain for a number of years, going back to 1968 when Prof. Alan Tayler initiated the so-called Oxford Study Group with Industry...

Identification of mega-environments in Europe and effect of allelic variation at maturity E loci on adaptation of European soybean.

Science.gov (United States)

Kurasch, Alena K; Hahn, Volker; Leiser, Willmar L; Vollmann, Johann; Schori, Arnold; Bétrix, Claude-Alain; Mayr, Bernhard; Winkler, Johanna; Mechtler, Klemens; Aper, Jonas; Sudaric, Aleksandra; Pejic, Ivan; Sarcevic, Hrvoje; Jeanson, Patrice; Balko, Christiane; Signor, Marco; Miceli, Fabiano; Strijk, Peter; Rietman, Hendrik; Muresanu, Eugen; Djordjevic, Vuk; Pospišil, Ana; Barion, Giuseppe; Weigold, Peter; Streng, Stefan; Krön, Matthias; Würschum, Tobias

2017-05-01

Soybean cultivation holds great potential for a sustainable agriculture in Europe, but adaptation remains a central issue. In this large mega-environment (MEV) study, 75 European cultivars from five early maturity groups (MGs 000-II) were evaluated for maturity-related traits at 22 locations in 10 countries across Europe. Clustering of the locations based on phenotypic similarity revealed six MEVs in latitudinal direction and suggested several more. Analysis of maturity identified several groups of cultivars with phenotypic similarity that are optimally adapted to the different growing regions in Europe. We identified several haplotypes for the allelic variants at the E1, E2, E3 and E4 genes, with each E haplotype comprising cultivars from different MGs. Cultivars with the same E haplotype can exhibit different flowering and maturity characteristics, suggesting that the genetic control of these traits is more complex and that adaptation involves additional genetic pathways, for example temperature requirement. Taken together, our study allowed the first unified assessment of soybean-growing regions in Europe and illustrates the strong effect of photoperiod on soybean adaptation and MEV classification, as well as the effects of the E maturity loci for soybean adaptation in Europe. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Health, Well-Being and Energy Poverty in Europe: A Comparative Study of 32 European Countries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Harriet Thomson

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Despite growing pan-European interest in and awareness of the wide-ranging health and well-being impacts of energy poverty—which is characterised by an inability to secure adequate levels of energy services in the home—the knowledge base is largely British-centric and dominated by single-country studies. In response, this paper investigates the relationship between energy poverty, health and well-being across 32 European countries, using 2012 data from the European Quality of Life Survey. We find an uneven concentration of energy poverty, poor health, and poor well-being across Europe, with Eastern and Central Europe worst affected. At the intersection of energy poverty and health, there is a higher incidence of poor health (both physical and mental amongst the energy poor populations of most countries, compared to non-energy poor households. Interestingly, we find the largest disparities in health and well-being levels between energy poor and non-energy poor households occur within relatively equal societies, such as Sweden and Slovenia. As well as the unique challenges brought about by rapidly changing energy landscapes in these countries, we also suggest the relative deprivation theory and processes of social comparison hold some value in explaining these findings.

Social Participation and Health among Ageing People in East-Central Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Makai, Alexandra; Prémusz, Viktória; Füge, Kata; Figler, Mária; Lampek, Kinga

2015-01-01

In this study we examined the health of the ageing population of East-Central Europe. Data derived from the 6th round of the European Social Survey. The aim of our research was to examine the most important factors that determine ageing people's health status. We paid particular attention to the social ties of our target group.

Development of Healthy Cities networks in Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Goepel, Eberhard

2007-01-01

The Healthy Cities network in Europe was inspired by the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion when it was launched in 1987. The networking process was initiated by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, but developed its own dynamics in different European countries during a time marked by fundamental political transformations in many of the countries of Eastern Europe. The networks then connected with the 'Local Agenda 21' and the 'Sustainable Cities and Towns Campaign' to create a new and broader programmatic agenda at the local level. In particular, the ''Aalborg plus 10 - commitments"--of local governments in 2004 have the potential to inspire a new phase of participatory and sustainable policies at the level of local communities in Europe. However, the extent to which these initiatives will influence the macro-politics of the European Union towards a proclaimed "Europe of Citizens" remains to be watched carefully during the coming years.

Similar herpes zoster incidence across Europe: results from a systematic literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Pinchinat, Sybil; Cebrián-Cuenca, Ana M; Bricout, Hélène; Johnson, Robert W

2013-04-10

Herpes zoster (HZ) is caused by reactivation of the varicella-zoster virus (VZV) and mainly affects individuals aged ≥50 years. The forthcoming European launch of a vaccine against HZ (Zostavax®) prompts the need for a better understanding of the epidemiology of HZ in Europe. Therefore the aim of this systematic review was to summarize the available data on HZ incidence in Europe and to describe age-specific incidence. The Medline database of the National Library of Medicine was used to conduct a comprehensive literature search of population-based studies of HZ incidence published between 1960 and 2010 carried out in the 27 member countries of the European Union, Iceland, Norway and Switzerland. The identified articles were reviewed and scored according to a reading grid including various quality criteria, and HZ incidence data were extracted and presented by country. The search identified 21 studies, and revealed a similar annual HZ incidence throughout Europe, varying by country from 2.0 to 4.6/1 000 person-years with no clearly observed geographic trend. Despite the fact that age groups differed from one study to another, age-specific HZ incidence rates seemed to hold steady during the review period, at around 1/1 000 children European Union Member States and to monitor the impact of VZV immunization on the epidemiology of HZ. Available data in Europe have shortcomings which make an accurate assessment of HZ incidence and change over time impossible. However, data are indicative that HZ incidence is comparable, and increases with age in the same proportion across Europe.

West Europe Report

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1986-01-01

.... This report from Western Europe, Austria, Finland, Greece, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, Greenland, Netherlands, Federal Republic of Germany, France and Italy, contains articles on Politics...

Electricity in Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holmes, A.

1985-01-01

European electricity consumption and demand is summarized in Chapter 1. The relationship between government and electricity producers is touched on. Five further chapters examine aspects of electricity in Europe. Chapter 2 discusses the electricity trade (import and export of electricity). The next looks at the current status of nuclear power in individual European countries. The environmental impact of generating electricity (eg acid rain, radioactive waste disposal) is assessed next and then the price of electricity in Europe is reviewed (with comparisons between the countries). Profiles of the situation in each country are presented in the last chapter. There are 72 tables presenting the facts and figures on which the text is based. (U.K.)

Home care in Europe: growing interest among decision makers, but little information available for policy development.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Genet, N.

2010-01-01

Research problem: Integrated systems of home care are assumed to be an adequate response to current and future challenges to health and social services that result from demographic and social developments. The interest in home care systems and the willingness to learn from foreign experiences is

Unhomely Europes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dimitris Eleftheriotis

2007-10-01

Full Text Available This special issue of PORTAL constitutes an indirect, sideways reflection on the EU’s move toward (re-discovering, establishing, and promoting shared cultural values. It seeks to unveil not the official historical contexts and traditions in which contemporary inventions of cultural identity occur. Rather, its aim is to discover and listen to competing voices and alternative visions—be they cultural, social, political, literary or cinematic—that give different shape to trans-European identities and model union, commonality, and belonging, according to transregional or translocal values. The special issue, then, is an exploration of possible forms of frictions occurring across the European cultural and historical landscape. It questions the pre-eminence of formal EU discourses on values, and the branding of Europe in the global marketplace, by listening to marginalised, unheard or discordant Euro-voices. The issue demonstrates the need for more rigorous theorisations of notions such as ‘value,’ whether ‘shared’ or ‘cultural,’ in the European region, and posits alternative mappings and visions of European belonging and identity. The essays included in this special issue consider Europe as a locus of frictions, consensus, tension, contestation and reconciliation. This locus is capable of co-locating Scotland with the Costa Brava, crossing Swedish views of Russia with their converse, recognising a Europe of borders that continuously unfold, acknowledging the interference of historical memories, and inflecting the Houellebecquian Euro-futurescape with Greco-Australian undertones; to cite a few examples of vibrant transvaluation occurring in the issue.

Suggestion, persuasion and work: Psychotherapies in communist Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Marks, Sarah

2018-01-01

This article traces what recent research and primary sources tell us about psychotherapy in Communist Europe, and how it survived both underground and above the surface. In particular, I will elaborate on the psychotherapeutic techniques that were popular across the different countries and language cultures of the Soviet sphere, with a particular focus upon the Cold War period. This article examines the literature on the mixed fortunes of psychoanalysis and group therapies in the region. More specifically, it focuses upon the therapeutic modalities such as work therapy, suggestion and rational therapy, which gained particular popularity in the Communist countries of Central and Eastern Europe. The latter two approaches had striking similarities with parallel developments in behavioural and cognitive therapies in the West. In part, this was because clinicians on both sides of the 'iron curtain' drew upon shared European traditions from the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Nevertheless, this article argues that in the Soviet sphere, those promoting these approaches appropriated socialist thought as a source of inspiration and justification, or at the very least, as a convenient political shield.

Repetition of Attempted Suicide Among Immigrants in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Lipsicas, Cendrine Bursztein; Mäkinen, Ilkka Henrik; Wasserman, Danuta; Apter, Alan; Kerkhof, Ad; Michel, Konrad; Renberg, Ellinor Salander; van Heeringen, Kees; Värnik, Airi; Schmidtke, Armin

2014-01-01

Objectives To compare frequencies of suicide attempt repetition in immigrants and local European populations, and the timing of repetition in these groups. Method: Data from 7 European countries, comprising 10 574 local and 3032 immigrant subjects, were taken from the World Health Organization European Multicentre Study on Suicidal Behaviour and the ensuing Monitoring Suicidal Behaviour in Europe (commonly referred to as MONSUE) project. The relation between immigrant status and repetition of suicide attempt within 12-months following first registered attempt was analyzed with binary logistic regression, controlling for sex, age, and method of attempt. Timing of repetition was controlled for sex, age, and the recommended type of aftercare. Results: Lower odds of repeating a suicide attempt were found in Eastern European (OR 0.50; 95% CI 0.41 to 0.61, P Europe stands in contrast to their markedly higher tendency to attempt suicide in general, possibly pointing to situational stress factors related to their suicidal crisis that are less persistent over time. Our findings also raise the possibility that suicide attempters and repeaters constitute only partially overlapping populations. PMID:25565687

Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2007

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

de Mouzon, J; Goossens, V; Bhattacharya, S

2012-01-01

This 11th European IVF-monitoring report presents the results of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments initiated in Europe during 2007.......This 11th European IVF-monitoring report presents the results of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments initiated in Europe during 2007....

Life in Europe under climate change

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alcamo, J.; Olesen, Jørgen E

Life in Europe will indeed go on as the climate changes, but not in the same way as before. The air will be warmer, winds will change, patterns of rainfall and snowfall will alter, and sea level is likely to rise. These phenomena are already being seen. Europe will in the future experience marked...... changes in vegetation cover, increased floods along rivers and coastlines as well as more frequent droughts and forest fires, often leading to large societal costs. The changes will be minor in some cases, profound in others, but in any case, pervasive.......Life in Europe will indeed go on as the climate changes, but not in the same way as before. The air will be warmer, winds will change, patterns of rainfall and snowfall will alter, and sea level is likely to rise. These phenomena are already being seen. Europe will in the future experience marked...

Peculiarities of International Migration of Population in Europe at the Present Stage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iurchenko Svitlana A.

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Under conditions of globalization, international migration of population is steadily growing and significantly affects the socio-economic development of countries and regions. The aim of the article is to identify the features of international migration of population in Europe. The migration trends in the region and its subregions are analyzed. It is shown that Western Europe is leading according to the number of migrants residing on its territory, but the maximum growth of migrants for the period of 1990-2015 is observed in Southern Europe. The proportion of women and population of active age groups is increasing in the structure of migrants. In recent years the flow of refugees has increased. The impact of the migration crisis on the economies of the host countries is analyzed. Calculations of coefficients of multiple correlation demonstrated the level of dependence between the indicators of migration and GDP, population size, share of urban population. It is concluded that it is necessary to develop migration policies at different hierarchical levels.

Environmental protection in Eastern Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kabala, S.

1990-01-01

There is a need for the development of institutional structures to make the transfer of technology work to improve the ability of Eastern Europe to find solutions to its environmental problems. Envisioned is technical assistance: U.S. experts who will work on-site with Eastern European experts. The idea is to technically train individuals in pollution-prevention methods. Trained experts could then upgrade processes to save input, energy, and materials. In the exchange of environmental information, discussions have led to four issues: it is expensive to transfer equipment and make qualified personnel available for a long period; information is comparatively inexpensive to convey; in Eastern Europe there are trained and competent personnel; the theoretical knowledge, academic knowledge, and education are at a very high level but little of this knowledge has been put into practice. The technology transfer goal is to develop a response to needs identified by partner institutions and counterpart professionals that will enable Eastern Europe to tap resources that do exist- scientific, managerial, and economic resources and tap information resources in the US in order to address the environmental problems that exist in Eastern Europe

Europe phrasebook

CERN Document Server

2001-01-01

This book replaces "Western Europe Phrasbook". It includes Basque, Catalan, Dutch, French, German, Greek, Irish, Italian, Maltese, Portugese, Scottish Gaelic, Spanish and Welsh. This fully updated edition includes special sections on going out, sports and festivals, as well as local dishes, shopping and sightseeing.

Market and Money: Economic Instruments of Political Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Florina Pînzaru

2006-10-01

Full Text Available By the creation of the unique currency, the European construction advanced, in the late twenty years, more in economic terms than in political ones. Still, at a closer look there can be found interesting arguments to sustain the idea of a political background for this surprising economic acceleration. Creating the common market and a new currency are things which have been possible only because of favourable factors in economy and of strong political will. This paper analyses the market as a frame of a political construction, and euro as a decisive tool for the purpose of the United Europe. For the first time in history, there is a space which approaches beliefs and values with the “help” of a currency, integrated in the political agenda.

Quantum cascade lasers, systems, and applications in Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Lambrecht, Armin

2005-03-01

Since the invention of the Quantum Cascade Laser (QCL) a decade ago an impressive progress has been achieved from first low temperature pulsed laser emission to continuous wave operation at room temperature. Distributed feedback (DFB) lasers working in pulsed mode at ambient temperatures and covering a broad spectral range in the mid infrared (MIR) are commercially available now. For many industrial applications e.g. automotive exhaust control and process monitoring, laser spectroscopy is an established technique, generally using near infrared (NIR) diode lasers. However, the mid infrared (MIR) spectral region is of special interest because of much stronger absorption lines compared to NIR. The status of QCL devices, system development and applications is reviewed. Special emphasis is given to the situation in Europe where a remarkable growth of QCL related R&D can be observed.

Europeanization of the World or Globalization of Europe?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jerry Bentley

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Building on his long career as a distinguished historian of early modern Europe, John Miles Headley has recently turned his gaze to the influence of Europe in the larger world. In The Europeanization of the World, Headley makes an insistent case for the uniqueness of European values—particularly human rights and democracy—and argues that these values are Europe’s most precious gifts to the larger world. Without seeking to diminish the remarkable intellectual and cultural achievements of European peoples, this presentation will suggest a more nuanced view of relations between Europe and the larger world. Human rights and democracy mean different things to different peoples in different contexts at different times, and there have in fact been numerous expressions of both in societies beyond Europe. Furthermore, European theorists of human rights and democracy drew influence from societies beyond Europe. To the extent that the Europeanization of the world is a persuasive idea, it is possible only because of a prior globalization of Europe.

O Mercosul e a Alca: os interesses (irreconciliáveis da União Européia e dos EUA Mercosur and FTAA: the conflicting interests of the European Union and the United States

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Messias de Sá Pinto

2005-06-01

Full Text Available Os interesses dos EUA na América Latina e a criação da Alca são fatores determinantes para explicar o propósito da União Européia de estabelecer um Acordo de Associação com o Mercosul. Enquanto que à UE interessa o alargamento do Mercosul, os EUA preferem, por meio da criação da Alça, induzir a sua dissolução e retirar vantagens da integração assimétrica. O nosso objetivo é demonstrar que, face aos cenários possíveis de evolução dos entendimentos regionais na América Latina, o mais plausível (co-existência do Mercosul, do Acordo de Associação UE/Mercosul, e da Alca é também aquele que permite reconciliar os interesses da UE e dos EUA na região.The interests of the United States in Latin America and the creation of the FTAA are two determinant factors in explaining the European Union intention to establish an Association Agreement with Mercosur. While the European Union is interested in the Mercosur enlargement, the US prefer, through the creation of the FTAA, to induce its dissolution and obtain advantages from asymmetric integration. Our purpose is to demonstrate that, given the possible scenarios of evolution in regional agreements in Latin America, the most plausible (co-existence of Mercosur, EU/Mercosur Association Agreement and FTAA is also the one that allows for a reconciliation of EU and US interests in the region.

Potato developments in a changing Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Haase, N.U.; Haverkort, A.J.

2006-01-01

The papers in this book reflect societal and commercial changes such as consumer behaviour and marketing aspects in relation to fresh and processed potatoes in western, central and eastern Europe. Seed trade between western and central Europe is entering a new stage with altered inspection

Promotion of Sustainable Renovation in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fokaides, Paris A.; Kanarachos, Andreas; Kanarachos, Georgette

2013-01-01

pressing the energy renovation of buildings. Both the obstacles and the contribution of national regulations will be discussed, towards promotion of sustainable renovation in Europe today. This study is also expected to report on research initiatives currently being undertaken in Europe on the energy...

Europe Report, Science and Technology.

Science.gov (United States)

1986-09-29

MICROELECTRONICS Italian SGS President: Survival Strategies for Small Firms (Rudolf Schulze; VDI NACHRICHTEN , 11 Jul 86) 47 SCIENTIFIC AND INDUSTRIAL POLICY...29 September 1986 WEST EUROPE/^OtoEIECTRONICS ITALIAN SGS PRESIDENT: SURVIVAL STRATEGIES FOR SMALL FIRMS Duesseldorf VDI NACHRICHTEN in German...for Europe," first paragraph is VDI NACHRICHTEN introduction] [Text] Duesseldorf, 11 Jul 86—Japanese producers are in the process of taking over the

Middle Eastern Christians in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sparre, Sara Cathrine Lei; Hunter, Alistair; Jørgensen, Anne Rosenlund

This booklet, published in English, Danish, Swedish and Arabic, has the aim to present overall findings of the research project Defining and Identifying Middle Eastern Christians in Europe (DIMECCE) to a broader audience.......This booklet, published in English, Danish, Swedish and Arabic, has the aim to present overall findings of the research project Defining and Identifying Middle Eastern Christians in Europe (DIMECCE) to a broader audience....

West Europe Report

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1987-01-01

.... This document contains articles about Western Europe. Some topics discussed are socialism, political parties, international relations, foreign policy, sociology, consumerism, economics, military operations, commerce, industries, energy, trade, private...

Passion and Exploitation Among Young Adults with Different Labor Market Status in Europe

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tuula Bergqvist

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The aim of this article is to describe and analyze the relationship between attitudes to work, wellbeing, and labor market status among young adults in Europe and to discuss the extent to which the relationship can be understood in terms of passion or exploitation. This aim is made concrete in the following research questions: To what extent do young adults in Europe have a passionate attitude to work? Are there differences between groups with various labor market status and nationalities? Are there differences in levels of well-being between the groups of young adults with different labor market status, and differences between the countries? The results are based on an individual survey conducted with three categories of young people (18–34 years old: long-term unemployed, those in precarious employments, and those regularly employed. The study had a cross-national comparative design and the countries included were France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Sweden, and Switzerland.

Extreme conditions over Europe and North America: role of the Atlantic Multidecadal Variability

Science.gov (United States)

Ruprich-Robert, Yohan; Msadek, Rym; Delworth, Tom

2016-04-01

The Atlantic Multidecadal Variability (AMV) is the result and possibly the source of marked modulations of the climate over many areas of the globe. For instance, the relatively warm and dry climate of North America throughout the 30-yr interval of 1931-60, during which the Dust Bowl and the 1950's drought occurred, has been linked to the concomitant warm phase of the AMV. During this period relative warm and wet conditions prevailed over Europe. After 1960, the Atlantic began to cool, and for almost three decades the North American climate turned wetter and cooler whereas Europe experienced cooler and dryer conditions. However, the shortness of the historical observations compared to the AMV period suggested by longer proxy (~60-80yr) does not allow to firmly conclude on the causal effect of the AMV. We use a model approach to isolate the causal role of the AMV on the occurrence of extreme events over Europe and North America. We present experiments based on two GFDL global climate models, a low resolution version, CM2.1 and a higher resolution model for the atmospheric component, FLOR. In both model experiments sea surface temperatures in the North Atlantic sector are restored to the observed AMV pattern, while the other basins are left fully coupled. In order to explore and robustly isolate the AMV impacts on extreme events, we use large ensemble simulations (100 members for CM2.1 and 50 for FLOR) that we run for 20 years. We find that a positive phase of the AMV increases the frequency of occurrence of drought over North America and of extremely cold/warm conditions over Northern/Central Europe during winter/summer. Interestingly, we find that the AMV impacts on these extreme conditions are modulated by the Pacific response to the AMV itself. Members that develop a weak Pacific response show more extreme events over Europe whereas those that develop a strong Pacific response show more extreme events over North America.

Physical activity recommendations for health: what should Europe do?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fogelholm Mikael

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Accumulating scientific evidence shows physical activity to have profound health benefits amenable to substantial public health gains. Accordingly, recommendations on how much and what kind of physical activity enhances health have been issued. The 1995 recommendation from the U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention and the American College of Sports Medicine has been adapted worldwide, including Europe. Recently an extensive review of new evidence was undertaken and refined recommendations were issued by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. We summarise the development of physical activity recommendations and consider the need and possible ways to update the current European situation. Discussion The new recommendations include several new elements when compared to the 1995 recommendation, the most notable being the greater emphasis on the contribution of vigorous-intensity activities, and the inclusion of activities for muscle strength and bone health. They also include specific recommendations for young people, middle-aged adults, older adults and some special groups. The existing Pan-European and national physical activity recommendations in Europe are mostly based on the 1995 recommendation and primarily target adults and young people. Thus the degree to which they are compatible with the new recommendations varies. In view of the growing public health importance of physical activity, we discuss the need to review the existing physical activity recommendations at the European level and assess their consistency with the new evidence and the new recommendations. Summary We argue that a review of the current physical activity recommendations in Europe should be undertaken in view of the most recent research evidence. We recommend that such a task should be taken on by WHO Europe in parallel with the ongoing work by WHO global Headquarters. Following this, each country should develop communication

East-west cooperation in the environment in Europe-problems, strategies, perspectives

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Schreiber, Helmut

1989-12-01

This report deals with problems and developments in the field of East-West cooperation in Europe. The major emphasis is put on the cooperation in the environmental field. Nevertheless it has to be stated that developments in the environmental field should not be separated from the developments in other fields of possible cooperation like economy, science and culture. The report is divided in five chapters and an appendix. In the first chapter the results of the study will be discussed on the basis of the research questions given by the National Energy Administration. The second chapter contains some background information on some basic trends in environmental problems in Eastern Europe; the German Democratic Republic, Poland, Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union are the countries described here. Special emphasis is laid on Poland, a country of particular interest for Sweden. In the third chapter answers are given to the question, why East-West environmental cooperation is necessary. In chapter four existing forms of cooperation are surveyed. In this chapter, the author deals mainly with cooperations in the field of environmental protection, but he also gives an overview on cooperations in other fields. Four countries are included in this overview: the FGR, France, Great Britain and the Netherlands. In chapter five, questions of general concern for East-West environmental cooperation are discussed. Appendix 1 gives an overview of the more important bilateral agreements between Eastern and Western European countries. Appendix 2 lists the institutions and names of the persons we interviewed. Appendix 3 gives an overview on the literature on East-West environmental cooperation in Europe.

Cancer Control in Central and Eastern Europe

OpenAIRE

La Vecchia, Carlo; Conte, Pierfranco

2016-01-01

In Central and Western Europe, cancer mortality is declining at slower rates as compared with rates in the rest of the world. More than a generation has now passed since the end of nonmarket economies in Central and Eastern Europe. It is time for this area of the continent to close the gap in cancer incidence and mortality rates between it and Western Europe and other high-income areas of the world.

Science in Society in Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mejlgaard, Niels; Bloch, Carter Walter

2012-01-01

This paper introduces a special section of Science and Public Policy on science in society in Europe. Based on extensive data collected for the Monitoring Policy and Research Activities on Science in Society in Europe (MASIS) project, contributions to this special section explore pertinent issues...... related to the location, role and responsibility of science across EU member states and associated countries. By developing analytical typologies and classifying countries, the collection of papers provides a novel and detailed picture of Europe. It reveals considerable variation regarding...... the interactions of science and society at the national level, and it offers a platform for international learning. The identification of patterns and trends concerning the place of science in society may also feed into emerging European discussions about ‘responsible research and innovation’....

US-Russia Conflicts of Interests on the European Gas Market: Economic and Geopolitical Implications of the Crimea Crisis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mariana Papatulica

2014-01-01

Full Text Available In an attempt to reduce the influence of Russia as a main energy supplier to Europe, several members of the US Congress have increased pressure on the US government so as to urgently obtain permits to liberalize US exports of natural gas, mainly to Europe. Russia has recently cancelled an important gas price discount, previously granted to Ukraine, in order to exert pressures related to the situation in Crimea. This movement was a new attempt of Russia to exercise its "power" as a big energy exporter, seriously threatened in the future by the growth of US exports of natural gas. While having a certain interest in countering Russian influence in Europe, the US are limited, for the short term, in their ability to strategically deploy their energy exports for geopolitical purposes. Instead, the United States can support projects to diversify energy sources of the neighbouring countries of Russia, including Ukraine, in order to diminish their dependence on energy imports from Russia. While US is the leading provider of security for Europe, Russia has chosen to be the main supplier of energy. Nevertheless, the latter one has used energy, rather frequently, as a "political weapon" in relationship with its neighbours and as psychological pressure instrument on the European Union, in order to limit its price negotiation force.

Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2008

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ferraretti, A P; Goossens, V; de Mouzon, J

2012-01-01

This 12th European IVF-monitoring (EIM) report presents the results of treatments involving assisted reproductive technology (ART) initiated in Europe during 2008.......This 12th European IVF-monitoring (EIM) report presents the results of treatments involving assisted reproductive technology (ART) initiated in Europe during 2008....

Determination Public Acceptance Segmentation for Nuclear Power Program Interest

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Syirrazie Che Soh; Aini Wahidah Abdul Wahab

2012-01-01

This paper is focus to discuss segmentation aspect among inter-disciplinary group of public. This discussion is the pre-stage to ensure the right initiative strategies are implemented to gain public interest and acceptance towards on developing nuclear power plant. The applied strategies are implemented based on different interest among the different groups of public. These strategies may increase public acceptance level towards developing nuclear power plant. (author)

Avoidable hospitalization among migrants and ethnic minority groups: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Dalla Zuanna, Teresa; Spadea, Teresa; Milana, Marzio; Petrelli, Alessio; Cacciani, Laura; Simonato, Lorenzo; Canova, Cristina

2017-10-01

The numbers of migrants living in Europe are growing rapidly, and has become essential to assess their access to primary health care (PHC). Avoidable Hospitalization (AH) rates can reflect differences across migrant and ethnic minority groups in the performance of PHC. We aimed to conduct a systematic review of all published studies on AH comparing separately migrants with natives or different racial/ethnic groups, in Europe and elsewhere. We ran a systematic search for original articles indexed in primary electronic databases on AH among migrants or ethnic minorities. Studies presenting AH rates and/or rate ratios between at least two different ethnic minority groups or between migrants and natives were included. Of the 35 papers considered in the review, 28 (80%) were conducted in the United States, 4 in New Zealand, 2 in Australia, 1 in Singapore, and none in Europe. Most of the studies (91%) used a cross-sectional design. The exposure variable was defined in almost all articles by ethnicity, race, or a combination of the two; country of birth was only used in one Australian study. Most of the studies found significant differences in overall AH rates, with minorities (mainly Black and Hispanics) showing higher rates than non-Hispanic Whites. AH has been used, mostly in the US, to compare different racial/ethnic groups, while it has never been used in Europe to assess migrants' access to PHC. Studies comparing AH rates between migrants and natives in European settings can be helpful in filling this lack of evidence. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

Taenia solium in Europe: Still endemic?

Science.gov (United States)

Devleesschauwer, Brecht; Allepuz, Alberto; Dermauw, Veronique; Johansen, Maria V; Laranjo-González, Minerva; Smit, G Suzanne A; Sotiraki, Smaragda; Trevisan, Chiara; Wardrop, Nicola A; Dorny, Pierre; Gabriël, Sarah

2017-01-01

The pork tapeworm, Taenia solium, causes an important economic and health burden, mainly in rural or marginalized communities of sub-Saharan Africa, Asia, and Latin-America. Although improved pig rearing conditions seem to have eliminated the parasite in most Western European countries, little is known about the true endemicity status of T. solium throughout Europe. Three recent reviews indicate that autochthonous human T. solium taeniasis/cysticercosis may be possible in Europe, but that current peer-reviewed literature is biased towards Western Europe. Officially reported data on porcine cysticercosis are highly insufficient. Favourable conditions for local T. solium transmission still exist in eastern parts of Europe, although the ongoing integration of the European Union is speeding up modernisation and intensification of the pig sector. Further evidence is urgently needed to fill the gaps on the European T. solium endemicity map. We urge to make human cysticercosis notifiable and to improve the reporting of porcine cysticercosis. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Hadron therapy takes off in Europe

CERN Multimedia

CERN Bulletin

2011-01-01

A joint meeting of ULICE, ENLIGHT and PARTNER recently took place in Marburg (Germany). The three initiatives are shaping both the present and the future of hadron therapy in Europe, where new cutting-edge facilities have started to fight cancer with beams of protons and carbon ions.   A pictorial representation of a raster scan on a tumour. (Photo courtesy of HIT/GSI/Siemens.) Thanks to a very active multidisciplinary community consisting of physicists, biologists, radiobiologists, engineers, IT specialists and medical doctors, hadron therapy is taking off in Europe. Indeed, after a few decades during which the innovative technique was mainly used experimentally in Japan, the US and a couple of pioneering laboratory-based facilities in Europe, today an increasing number of hospitals are being equipped with synchrotrons and dedicated treatment rooms. “Asia and Europe are at the forefront of research and use of carbon ions in the treatment of some rare and radio-resistant t...

Auditing HIV Testing Rates across Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Raben, D; Mocroft, A; Rayment, M

2015-01-01

European guidelines recommend the routine offer of an HIV test in patients with a number of AIDS-defining and non-AIDS conditions believed to share an association with HIV; so called indicator conditions (IC). Adherence with this guidance across Europe is not known. We audited HIV testing behaviour...... audits from 23 centres, representing 7037 patients. The median test rate across audits was 72% (IQR 32-97), lowest in Northern Europe (median 44%, IQR 22-68%) and highest in Eastern Europe (median 99%, IQR 86-100). Uptake of testing was close to 100% in all regions. The median HIV+ rate was 0.9% (IQR 0.......0-4.9), with 29 audits (60.4%) having an HIV+ rate >0.1%. After adjustment, there were no differences between regions of Europe in the proportion with >0.1% testing positive (global p = 0.14). A total of 113 patients tested HIV+. Applying the observed rates of testing HIV+ within individual ICs and regions to all...

Learning potential, career interest and coping profile of a group of SOF candidates

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Van Heerden, Adelai

2015-09-01

Full Text Available and self-efficacy), learning potential and career related interests and to explore their reasons for wanting to become and their perceptions of what it takes to achieve success as an Operational Forces soldier. Furthermore, those that were successful...

Rotarex Group: diversified ranges; Rotarex Group: une offre diversifiee

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2000-09-01

The Rotarex Group, located at Lintgen (Luxembourg), is a multinational company chaired by Jean-Claude Schmitz. With a workforce of some 1,000 people in the world, this group is specialized in valves, accessories and pressure reducers for a wide range of gas applications: from LP Gas to special gas (VHP, cryogenics,...) as well for medical and industrial gas, and also for CNG. The group is present at the San Diego exhibition, mainly though its affiliate Rotarex North America, headed by Bert Pistor, vice-president of Ceodeux Inc. Rotarex North America is well known on the US market for its OPD device for propane cylinders. But the company will show also a new generation of valves for cylinders. The group will represent its different affiliates in the world (South America, Africa, Europe, Far East, Australia,...), as its expansion is widening: a subsidiary was launched last Spring in Morocco, a new plant is built in the Czech Republic. In Europe, Ceodeux LPG TEC is one of the main European manufacturers of valves and equipments for LPG and refrigerating gas. Having already reinforced its presence on the French and Italian markets, Ceodeux LPG TEC is expanding through technique on its traditional markets as well as on new markets. In the field of automotive LPG, the company offers series of equipments linked to the LPG tank: single devices or multi-valves. These are equipped with a safety relief valve and can be completed by a thermal safety system or a second safety relief valve. For France, all these systems are type approved according to UN Regulation 67-01. France is in implementing, one year ahead of other European countries, this new Regulation for new LP gas vehicles as well for vehicles called back for retrofitting with new safety valves. Some 100,000 vehicles will receive a 27 bar safety valve or a new multi-valve fitted with this safety valve. This retro-fitting operation will be paid for 50% by vehicle's owners and 50 % by French Authorities and LP Gas

Bioenergy development pathways for Europe. Potentials, costs and environmental impacts

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

De Wit, M.P.

2011-09-26

feedstocks and conversion technologies for biofuel production, simulations indicate that advanced second generation biofuels may surpass first generation biofuels somewhere in the next two decades. To establish a sizeable second generation biofuels industry a sufficiently large resource base of lignocellulose feedstocks is required. To expand beyond residues and wastes, short rotation crops form a particular interesting feedstock category, that is optimized for fast growth and high yields. Based on observed cost reductions in recent decades for the cultivation of poplar in Italy and eucalyptus in Brazil ranges in progress ratios were found of respectively 63-73% and 71-78%. Similar ratio's may apply to willow production in Europe. To expand biomass production responsibly in Europe policy makers and the agricultural sector face the challenge to stimulate efficient bioenergy applications and rationalize agriculture sustainably, e.g. by deployment of sustainability criteria. Integration of bioenergy production in the existing agriculture can realize strong synergy between a sustainable energy supply and the environment. This pleas for an integral European vision on sustainable energy and agriculture.

Energy for Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ponsonby, F.E.N.; Normanton, T.; Osborn, J.H.

1979-01-01

The subject is discussed under the following headings: foreword; conclusion; summary; the need for energy and an energy policy; the challenges for energy policy makers; the energy situation in the European Community; evolving an energy policy for the European Community; Europe and the energy needs of the developing countries; coal for the European Community; the need of the European Community for nuclear power (the public debate, peaceful use of nuclear energy, why does the world need nuclear power, nuclear fuel supplies, reprocessing, radioactive waste disposal, siting of nuclear power stations, reactor safety, decommissioning, the fast breeder reactor); oil and gas for the European Community; additional energy for Europe (district heating, geothermal of energy, solar energy, fusion power, wind - wave- and tidal-power, hydraulic power); conclusions. (UK)

The incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Roberts, Stephen E; Morrison-Rees, Sian; John, Ann; Williams, John G; Brown, Tim H; Samuel, David G

Acute pancreatitis is increasingly one of the most important acute gastrointestinal conditions throughout much of the world, although incidence and aetiology varies across countries and regions. This study investigated regional and national patterns in the incidence and aetiology of acute pancreatitis, demographic patterns in incidence and trends over time in incidence across Europe. A structured review of acute pancreatitis incidence and aetiology from studies of hospitalised patient case series, cohort studies or other population based studies from 1989 to 2015 and a review of trends in incidence from 1970 to 2015 across all 51 European states. The incidence of acute pancreatitis was reported from 17 countries across Europe and ranged from 4.6 to 100 per 100 000 population. Incidence was usually highest in eastern or northern Europe, although reported rates often varied according to case ascertainment criteria. Of 20 studies that reported on trends in incidence, all but three show percentage increases over time (overall median increase = 3.4% per annum; range = -0.4%-73%). The highest ratios of gallstone to alcohol aetiologies were identified in southern Europe (Greece, Turkey, Italy and Croatia) with lowest ratios mainly in eastern Europe (Latvia, Finland, Romania, Hungary, Russia and Lithuania). The incidence of acute pancreatitis varies across Europe. Gallstone is the dominant aetiology in southern Europe and alcohol in eastern Europe with intermediate ratios in northern and western Europe. Acute pancreatitis continues to increase throughout most of Europe. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Issue Mapping for an Ageing Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rogers, R.; Sánchez-Querubín, N.; Kil, A.

2015-01-01

Issue Mapping for an Ageing Europe is a seminal guide to mapping social and political issues with digital methods. The issue at stake concerns the imminent crisis of an ageing Europe and its impact on the contemporary welfare state. The book brings together three leading approaches to issue mapping:

Health consumer and patients' organizations in Europe: towards a comparative analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Baggott, Rob; Forster, Rudolf

2008-01-01

Abstract Despite the rise of health consumer and patients’ organizations (HCPOs) in modern health‐care systems, studies are few and far between. In particular there is a lack of comparative research across Europe and at the pan‐European level. In an effort to address this gap, an expert workshop was held in Vienna in February 2006. This involved 22 delegates from 10 European Countries and was funded by the European Science Foundation (ESF). The workshop reviewed the development of HCPOs in Europe and their role in the policy process in order to establish a platform for further research in this field. It found evidence of an increase in HCPOs across European countries, increased engagement with policy makers and political institutions, and the creation of alliance organizations bringing together HCPOs across the sector. However, variations between countries were observed, relating to different political, cultural and health system contexts. There was no consensus on whether the rise of HCPOs constituted a new social movement. An increase in HCPO activity at the pan‐European level was noted, reflecting the increased interest of EU institutions in health policy. At both domestic and European levels, concerns about the representativeness and legitimacy of HCPOs were raised as well as questions about their independence (notably with regard to the drugs industry). HCPOs face a number of obstacles including: lack of capacity and resources, fragmentation and the power of more established interests within the health‐care system. The workshop concluded that further research is needed in this field, in the form of a comparative study of HCPOs in European countries and an analysis of their activities at the pan‐European level. PMID:18275405

EDF group - Reference Document, Annual Financial Report 2012

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The EDF Group is an integrated energy utility active in all areas of the electricity market: nuclear, renewable and fossil fuel energy generation, transmission, distribution and marketing, energy efficiency and management services, as well as energy trading. It is the leading player in the French electricity market, and holds strong positions in Europe (UK, Italy, Central and Eastern Europe) that make it one of the world's leading electricity utilities and a renowned player in the gas industry. With a net installed capacity of 139.5 GWe worldwide at 31 December 2012 (128.5 GWe in Europe), and global production of 642.6 TWh, the Group ranks among the world's leading energy utilities, with the biggest fleet emitting the least amount of CO 2 per kilowatt-hour generated 3 thanks to the proportion of nuclear, hydropower and other renewable energies in its generation mix. The EDF Group supplies electricity, gas and related services to more than 39.3 million customer accounts 4 worldwide (nearly 28.6 million in France). The Group's activities reflect the choice of a model balanced between France and international markets, spanning competitive and regulated operations and based on upstream-downstream integration. In 2012, the Group recorded consolidated revenue of euros 72.7 billion, operating profit before depreciation and amortisation of euros 16.1 billion and net income excluding non-recurring items of euros 4.2 billion. This document is EDF Group's Reference Document and Annual Financial Report for the year 2012. It contains information about: the Group activities, risk factors, Organisational charts, Property, plant and equipment, Operating and financial data, Cash flows and capital, Research and development, patents and licenses, Information on trends, Financial outlook, Administrative, management and supervisory bodies and Executive Management, Compensation and benefits, Functioning of administrative and management bodies, Employees - Human