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This paper examines the processes leading to the spontaneous development of industrial recycling linkages. The famous 'industrial symbiosis' that formed in and around the Danish city of Kalundborg and other similar cases in other parts of Europe and North America are taken as a point of departure. These recycling linkages were found to be primarily the result of the entrepreneurial actions that aimed to create value out of by-products and/or to reduce production costs through the adoption of new inputs. As the incentives driving this behaviour are not new, this paper contends that 'industrial symbiosis' is not, as is usually believed, a break with past practices, but rather a widespread phenomenon that has been neglected by contemporary researchers. Historical evidence is provided to support this claim. It is argued that while significant inter-firm recycling linkages will spontaneously emerge at the regional level, these should not be forced at the expense of inter-regional linkages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this article is to set the scene for the following special issue, which contains four papers relating to research on parliamentary scrutiny of the quality of legislation in different jurisdictions. In Continental Europe, Parliaments (although in a rather different range: more in countries such as Italy and Spain, less in countries such as Germany) have developed a more-in-depth approach in scrutinising the quality of legislation, i.e. a set of tools, standards and bodies to scrutinise it downstream, than that of Westminster jurisdictions. In the latter, a high-standard quality of legislation is guaranteed upstream by having bills drafted by Parliamentary Counsel, although in the United Kingdom there is currently a debate concerning the opportunity to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of the quality of legislation. The hypotheses of this research were that the aforementioned models of parliamentary scrutiny are differently shaped in those jurisdictions due to the drafting model and the form of government established there. Against this background, the United States Congress is a very different animal: due to the peculiarities of the legislative process in the presidential system, the scrutiny in Congress relies on multiple parties. The reason why articles have been commissioned here is to test now on a larger scale the aforementioned hypotheses, which have already been partially proved in a previous article mainly concerning Italy (E. Albanesi, 'Parliamentary Scrutiny of the Quality of Legislation within Europe' (2021) Statute Law Review). This time the analysis will focus on two Continental European parliamentary systems (Spain and Germany), one jurisdiction belonging to the Parliamentary Counsel/Westminster model (Canada) and one presidential system (the U.S.). The articles published here seem to support on a larger scale the aforementioned hypotheses. The article on Canada also helps reflect upon the opportunity to strengthen parliamentary scrutiny of the quality of legislation in Westminster jurisdictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper delves into the different styles and roles that planning adopts in contemporary waterfront redevelopment. Traditionally, waterfront redevelopment practices have consisted of an array of plan-led and market-driven planning styles upon which the derelict areas of post-industrial cities have been transformed. Typical examples from North America and Europe generally tend to focus on the successes that these processes have generated in connection with large-scale and emblematic projects. However, less attention has been devoted to the efforts of a more recent generation of cities undergoing waterfront redevelopment, which often features different planning rationalities, forms of governance, and competing interests. While the precise character of this newer generation does not yet seem defined, the rise of planning practices that combine previous planning styles has been key in allowing these cities achieve their redevelopment aims. In adding to this emerging generation, this paper examines the nature of waterfront redevelopment processes in Aalborg, Denmark, wherein hybrid planning styles characterized bysituation-dependent and relational planning processes have increasingly substituted former practices. The paper concludes that planning adopts different roles depending on the determinants that qualify each redevelopment case, and that hybrid planning may be subjected to public interestdilemmas given its capacity to adapt to certain political and socioeconomic patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is inspired by three issues, namely ongoing research on South Africans of Indian origin, the anecdotal evidence that accumulates through ongoing discussions on a casual level with such people and the increasing interest among researchers about how globalization and transnational movements are impacting upon identity formation among minorities who are seeking employment or a new life in the developed economies of the 'big five' English-speaking countries, i.e. the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the UK. It is in countries such as these that a third identity emerges and develops to instill a sense of triple identity. The information here suggests that, when people of Indian origin migrate to one of these countries, they continue to cling to South Africa because it is their country of birth, as well as to India, more for sentimental rather than practical reasons. The topic of this paper reflects a contemporary phenomenon not just among the Indians in South Africa, but also among other diasporas such as Chinese in Latin America, whose new and final emigration destination always seems to be the US. In addition, people of Chinese origin in the countries of Indochina, such as Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, experienced similar patterns of becoming diasporas in Europe, North America and Oceania in the 1970s. However, migration implores them to renegotiate their identities in order to adapt and settle in accordance with their newly adopted host territories. This gives rise to an identity that straddles three countries, which induces the need to examine new ways of identity building in a global transnational economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past few decades many urban leaders have searched for an appropriate policy response to tackle urban decay. Various kinds of flagship projects emerged in many cities as the products of a property-led approach to the regeneration strategies adopted by local governments in North American and European cities. It was expected that the creation of high-profile milieux would launch chain reactions which would eventually lead to the regeneration of declining neighbourhoods. The focus of this study lies in the anatomy of physical transformation in an inner city neighbourhood within the context of post-socialist transition. In particular, the paper discusses the flagship role of the Golden Angel commercial centre in the physical upgrading of the Smíchov district in Prague. The case study contributes to the understanding of complex circumstances and mechanisms of revitalization in the post-socialist inner city. The empirical material is based on field observations, expert opinions and existing documents. The paper shows that a high-profile project can be one of the driving forces in physical revitalization through the provision of symbolic power, credibility and appeal to a declining neighbourhood. At the same time, it is emphasize that physical transformation is a multi-conditional and context-related process rather than an automatic and straightforward outcome of flagship developments. Successful revitalization depends on a favourable constellation of various factors. On the local level, the key factors include the development potential of the location, the attitude of the local authorities and the commitment of all involved actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-consensual sterilisation is not only a historic abuse. Cases of unethical treatment of women around the time of a pregnancy continue in the Twenty-First Century in five continents. Sterilisation is being carried out by some healthcare professionals at the time of delivery, or soon afterwards, without valid consent. A range of contemporary examples of such practices is given. Respecting women's autonomy should be the touchstone of the consent process. Avoidance of force, duress, deception and manipulation should go without saying. Ethnic minority communities and women living with HIV, in particular, are being targeted for this kind of abuse. Attempts have been made in various countries and by international professional organisations to introduce clinical guidelines to steer health professionals away from this malpractice. Survivors have sought justice in domestic and international courts. This paper critically assesses the evidence on the practical, ethical and legal issues around the handling of consent for these procedures. Suggestions are made about possible regulatory responses that address abuse, whilst maintaining access for those individuals who freely elect to undergo these procedures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the relationship between military expenditure and FDI inflow conditioning on the exposure of a country to armed conflict in the long run. We apply the band spectrum regression estimator, and the maximal overlap discrete wavelet transform, to a panel of 60 developing countries, for the years 1990 to 2013. The estimated results indicate that military expenditure, in the absence of armed conflict, reduces FDI inflow. However, the negative effect is mitigated by increased military expenditure, in the presence of armed conflict. We also show that the effect of military expenditure on FDI is time sensitive, in that it takes time for military expenditure to affect FDI inflow. FDI inflow in response to higher military expenditure is higher for the country that faces higher armed conflict than the country that faces lower armed conflict. The findings are robust in the case of overall as well as internal conflict. These results are also robust to the alternative specification, subsample analysis with different armed conflict thresholds, and the estimation using the time variant long-run models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is over a decade since the mobilities agenda first emerged in substantive form. Cohen and Cohen's [2014. A mobilities approach to tourism from emerging world regions.Current Issues in Tourism.doi:10.1080/13683500.2014.898617] paper provides a timely opportunity to reflect on the achievements of mobilities thinking as it relates to travel and tourism, in other words ‘tourism mobilities’. Viewed in multiple historical contexts, the emergence of a mobilities approach to understanding tourism is entirely justified. Three enduring but fundamental issues regarding the study of tourism mobilities are discussed, including whether the tourism mobilities agenda travels well. International comparative work of this nature on emerging world regions is clearly welcome and offers significant insights. However, viewed against its historical backdrop, it raises questions about the level of interest and penetration of the tourism mobilities agenda generally, and beyond Europe, North America and Australasia specifically. In the process, it raises the spectre that interest in tourism mobilities is perhaps not what it once was and the tourism academy may have moved on to the next grand challenge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1986 McCann-Erickson commissioned a study called Leisure Futures from the Naisbitl Group, This paper summarises some of the general findings for marketing readers. We are moving from an industrial, manufacturing-based economy to a service, information-based one, and many of our basic assumptions and constructs will need to change. New ways of forecasting and managing the future will be needed and Leisure Futures represents a first application of thematic content analysis in five European countries. Leisure trends are compared between these countries and North America in some detail. Overall findings concern the changing consumer and his or her changing expectations respecting technology, convenience, globalisation , affluence, values, and many other related topics. Specific aspects of change are explored and some broad marketing examples and applications discussed. Many apparent consumer paradoxes are explored, and certain key concepts such as the search for balance, and the need to experience both the known and the new, are explained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Energy' presents a number of complex and interrelated challenges regarding the environment, economy, and politics. In this paper, we argue that cartography should help clarify our understanding of energy issues, but ask whether this has in fact been the case. In a review of over 100 articles pulled from twenty-three peer-reviewed geography journals, we qualitatively assess energy maps published since the early 20th century, examining trends in topic and cartographic technique. Energy maps in geography journals have focused on North America and Western Europe while relying on proportional symbols, grayscale production, and the analysis of energy phenomena at the national scale-tendencies that in many instances have limited our understanding of the ways in which energy is actually consumed. Simultaneously, cartographers are limited to the energy data available to them, frequently precluding small-scale consumption analysis or consideration of diurnal and seasonal trends. We argue that the future of energy cartography relies on access to consumption data coupled with greater user interactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this article is to review existing research literature in order to trace changes in a level of public support for alcohol policies, their individual correlates and social/political determinants. Methods: Articles for the review were collected by SCOPUS browser which is a database of abstracts and number of citations. Articles were also searched by MEDLINE browser but the results overlapped with the results obtained by SCOPUS. In our search, we used the combination of the following words: (1) policy support and alcohol; (2) public opinion and alcohol policy and also (3) policy support and alcohol policy. In addition to a systematic review, a number of papers were included through opportunistic methods, such as searching in bibliographies and reference lists of relevant publications. Conclusions: Past decades of research on social support for alcohol control policies showed that the level of support either fluctuates or tends slowly to decline parallel with progressing economic liberalization. Nevertheless, supporters of restrictive alcohol policies still represent large proportion of the contemporary society and in combination with those satisfied with existing level of control - constitute large majority. Control measures targeting young people do enjoy more support which implicates diverting attention from strategies aimed at general adult population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twice a year, most areas of North America and Europe observe a time shift. In spring, a positive shift occurs when clocks are reset from 02:00 to 03:00 hours, generally on a Sunday morning. In late autumn, a negative shift occurs when clocks are reset from 03:00 to 02:00 hours, generally on a Sunday morning. These time shifts can have an impact on the data quality if they are not considered appropriately. Especially for pharmacokinetic studies, this can lead to issues and wrong results in the calculation of time-dependent variables like area under the curve (AUC) or terminal half-life (t1/2). It also affects recording of safety data like adverse events or serial ECGs. This paper describes possible pitfalls in the study set-up and possible impact on data quality and analysis. It also shows traceable data handling options in case a solution in the data collection cannot be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the last three decades, community-oriented approaches have been considered to be progressive and adequate ways to address unemployment, poverty, social marginalization, as well as disorder and crime by a plethora of social scientists and practitioners in Europe and North America. During the last decade, respective programs have been institutionalized in Europe and elsewhere. Within a framework known as the 'activating welfare state,' or even 'the activating city' in Germany, nonprofits working in fields such as labor market (re)integration, social stabilization of 'disadvantaged' communities, or crime prevention adopt increasingly ambivalent roles. On the one hand, (local) administrations integrate them into new networks and forms of cooperative governance; on the other hand, they are forced to comply with the new policies regarding long-term unemployed and welfare recipients (Hartz laws) that combine state subsidies with a strict work commitment (workfare) and, thus, have to bear and procure exclusion processes for those unwilling or unable to conform with the new demands. In addition, nonprofits adopt the role of policing entities, thus creating programs that result in 'the poor policing the poor'. Against this background, the paper discusses the German federal program 'Socially Integrative City' and the Hartz laws as neocommunitarian approaches with regard to labor market (re)integration, security, and (dis)order executed by, among others, nonprofits at the local scale. Nonprofits today are part of a community-based system of mobilizing and motivating, tracing and tracking, securing and socially sorting - thus, being at risk (if not willing) to fail in seeking justice for the 'undesirables.' The paper gives empirical evidence from major German cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a close link between urbanisation and the rise of sports. However, one usually does not associate winter sports with cities. By the late 1880s winter sports, especially skiing, had become popular in European and American mountain regions. During that time some winter sports activities were introduced, mainly for entertainment, to urban areas. The big ice palaces in Russia and North America, where ice skating events were the main focus, are amongst the best examples. It was some decades later that even skiing and other winter sports were transferred to various metropolises of the world. Sources show that in 1927 a first indoor ski palace on artificial snow was opened in Vienna; a few years later similar winter sport spectacles took place in Paris and London; Boston and New York followed shortly after. Parallel to this phenomenon the film industry, which developed at about the same time, also helped spread the white sport to urban consciousness. This paper focuses on the establishment of urban winter sports events. The German sociologist Gerhard Schulze's theory on the Erlebnisgesellschaft shall be the theoretical frame. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

To obtain sustainable growth in revenue and market share, many fashion brands deploy category extensions and line extensions. In this paper, we examine how different fashion brands in Europe, North America, and Asia execute their brand extension strategies over different periods. By classifying different fashion brands into four clusters according to different price points and fashion contents, we conduct a cross-region and cross-cluster analysis to examine how different fashion brands execute their brand extension strategies. Our analysis is based on publicly available data associated with 48 fashion brands over a 90-year period. We discuss our findings along with managerial insights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social entrepreneurship has recently received greater recognition from the public sector, as well as from scholars. However, the lack of a unifying paradigm in the field has lead to a proliferation of definitions. Moreover, several approaches of the phenomenon, as well as different schools of thought, have emerged in different regions of the world. At first glance, because of different conceptions of capitalism and of the government's role, there seems to be a difference between the American and the European conceptions of social entrepreneurship. The objective of this paper is to clarify the concepts of 'social entrepreneurship', 'social entrepreneur' and 'social entrepreneurship organization' and to examine whether there is a transatlantic divide in the way these are conceived and defined. After having justified the need for a definition, we present the different geographical perspectives. North American and European literatures on social entrepreneurship are critically analysed by means of Gartner's four differentiating aspects: the individual, the process, the organization and the environment. We show that there is no clear-cut transatlantic divide, but that, even within the US, different conceptions coexist. We propose definitions for the main concepts associated with social entrepreneurship and, finally, discuss implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an era of personalized medicine rife with population databases and international consortia, genetic discrimination is once again moving to the forefront of the genetics policy debate. In North America and Europe, many countries have taken a political stance on the use of predictive genetic information by insurers. Asia is also becoming more conscious of the challenge raised by genetic discrimination. In this paper, we present data on the different policy options adopted to resolve the genetic and insurance dilemma in 47 different countries located in four world regions. Approaches varied according to legal traditions, the role insurance plays in each state, and the interplay between private and public health care systems. We conclude that a truly informed international debate on genetic discrimination in insurance should properly account for the limits of genetic predictive information and the social value of health and life insurance as perceived by the public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports the results of a survey of the use and place of industrial engineering techniques in 29 manufacturing establishments in the light engineering, electronics, garment, and scientific equipment sectors of Hong Kong industry. The results are compared with, those of similar surveys in Europe and North America. The conclusions are that the number and use of industrial engineering techniques and their place in the organization of manufacturing industry in the newly industrialized city-state of Hong Kong is comparable with that found some seven to ten years preciously in the U.S.A. and Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To describe differences in the age of onset of menopause and in the prevalence of climacteric symptoms in different geographical areas. Design Systematic review of published data on onset of menopause and symptoms in Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia. Methods We identified publications by searching electronic databases, including MEDLINE (1966–October 2009) and EMBASE (1975–October 2009). Primary search criteria were age of menopause and climacteric symptoms. A sensitive analysis that excluded papers without full data was performed. Results The median age at menopause in Europe ranges from 50.1 to 52.8 years, in North America from 50.5 to 51.4 years, in Latin America from 43.8 to 53 years, and in Asia from 42.1 to 49.5 years. The frequency of vasomotor symptoms varies widely depending on the geographical region, selection of criteria, and method of symptom identification. The prevalence of such symptoms ranges from 74% of women in Europe, 36–50% in North America, 45–69% in Latin America and 22–63% in Asia, as reported in different, large, epidemiological studies. Conclusion There are wide geographical differences in the prevalence of menopausal symptomatology and some differences in the age of onset of menopause. Both in Asia and Latin America, women of poorer socioeconomic status have significantly earlier onset of menopause. Within a geographical region, there are ethnic differences in menopause symptoms. Given differences in study methodologies, firm conclusions are not possible. However, regional differences in age at menopause and in climacteric symptoms are important to acknowledge and lay the foundation for an informed approach to the management of menopause and an understanding of its impact on women's health in the different regions of the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Between 1920 and 1940, fertility dropped below replacement level in many Western countries. In today's scholarly literature, the drop is usually explained as a temporary reaction to the exceptional conditions of the inter-war period. This paper confronts that interpretation with the interpretations offered by scholars writing between the wars. According to leading demographers of the time, low fertility was due not to war or economic crisis, but rather to processes that now tend to be associated with the Second Demographic Transition, including secularization, individualization, rising consumerism, and women's emancipation. Since these were seen as structural features of modernization, most inter-war scholars argued that subreplacement fertility would remain an obstinate feature of modern society for an extended period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commissioning radiotherapy is becoming increasingly challenging. Technical developments may result in better clinical outcomes but come at a cost. Radiotherapy services in the UK are often operating at or near capacity with no slack in the system. A balance between technical perfection and reasonable cost of service provision has to be struck. Eighty per cent of UK radiotherapy departments are now equipped to deliver precision treatments which conform precisely to the shape of the tumour in the individual patient. The benefits are an increase in the cure rate and a reduction in long-term side effects due to the unnecessary irradiation of normal tissues. The delivery of intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) with image guidance (IGRT) takes more staff time and is therefore more costly than conventional radiotherapy. Such precision is normal practice in Europe and North America but has only been partially implemented in the UK. This paper provides commissioners with a guide to the technology and its implementation together with an appreciation of its likely benefit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OVERVIEW: In today's competitive environment, the ability of an organization to innovate is paramount. While most organizations have flashes or spurts of innovation, only a handful have been able to innovate on a continuous and sustained basis. This paper surveys the challenges faced by firms when trying to build sustainable innovation programs. These findings have been derived from an examination of innovation programs in over 30 organizations in North America, Europe and Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper would like to contribute to the discussion on the formation of the idea of Europe and contextually shaping of the debate on the New World in early modern and modern history. Following an important Italian historiographic tradition, the paper discusses the eighteenth-century within a wider objective and subjective historical development. The first part of the paper focuses on the Eurocentric realigning of the relations in the Atlantic world. It argues that this realignment remains basically a middle period phenomenon. The resistance by the Anglo and Hispano-American colonies to the “reforms” and the internationalisation of the crisis of American Empires actually caused a real caesura in the political history of the Atlantic. The second part of the paper focuses on the impact of the Eurocentric reorganisation of European/American relations on collective consciousness, political ideologies and historical discourses on both sides of the Atlantic. It argues that this impact was much more lasting and profound. The paper focuses finally on the anti-Eurocentrism matured in the Americas in the late eighteenth-century. It argues that this attitude declines to present the European cultural and ideological heritage, on the basis of an age-long American experience that historiography presents by now as multiethnic, multicultural and métisse. The paper suggests in particular that this American anti-Eurocentrism can be considered to some extent prototypical of a phenomenon destined to develop in nineteenth and twentieth century in the framework of the apogee, crisis and decline of Europe in the international world system and international world society. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The universal goal of medical education is to train excellent physicians, able to maintain the health of individuals and communities. The route to achieving this goal has shifted over time. This paper describes the absolutes and ambiguities of philosophical vision, responsiveness to stakeholders, curriculum content and delivery, and assessment of trainees and training programs across much of the developed world. Description: Traditional medical education is content focused and organized by organ systems. Newer curricula, informed by current learning theories, emphasize a competencies based approach, with clinical scenarios at the centre of teaching and assessment of students. Associated with this is a shift from the in-depth knowledge of the specialist to a 'what must a generalist know' approach. These models are explored as are options for curriculum delivery, input from governments, students, the public and faculty, and methods and importance of accreditation. Conclusion: The goals and the process of training physicians to achieve these exhibit numerous commonalities across time and place throughout the developed world while still allowing for cultural or national adaptations. All models and content aim for minimum basic knowledge, while emphasizing communication skills, cultural awareness and professionalism amongst future physicians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A review and synthesis of behavioural safety literature identified three behaviour change perspectives: cognitive (goal setting); behaviourist (behaviour modification); and eclectic (social learning). Bandura's social learning theory usefully integrates the divergent philosophies of Locke's goal setting and Luthan's behaviour modification. Social learning theory assumes that behaviour is controlled by internal processes and environmental stimuli, and so human action can be explained by the combined effect of goals and feedback. The effectiveness of behavioural safety has been demonstrated consistently, but, despite some success, token reward programmes are controversial because they are close to 'paying for safety'. Researchers have overwhelmingly favoured initiatives based on goals and performance feedback without material reward. Goals and feedback produced good results in the varying cultures of North American, European and Middle-East manufacturing environments, including mines, chemical plants, laboratories, paper mills and shipyards. Goals and feedback, aimed principally at operatives, have been used to improve safety in Finnish, British and Hong Kong construction industries. It is also clear that their effectiveness is strongly related to management commitment; and that they must be supported by a developed safety infrastructure. This suggests that goals should also embrace management safety behaviours, in order to improve management commitment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the roles of country and industry effects on international equity returns using a comprehensive database covering 50 industry groups and 34 countries over the period 1992 to 2001. The study focuses on the evolving process of those effects over time and on geographical differences. The main results are as follows: although the country effects still dominate the industry effects in the full sample period, there has been a major upward shift in industry effects since 1999. The degree of this shift varies across regions and is prominent in Europe and North America, while in Asia Pacific and Latin America, country effects still dominate. The increasing industry effects are not found to be confined to the Technology, Media and Telecommunications sectors and thus are not considered a temporary phenomenon. The above developments have implications for international portfolio diversification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied infraspecific morphological variation within European Dicranum majus Sm. A principal components analysis based on six leaf characters scored in 82 specimens revealed two distinct plant types. Plants with bistratose submarginal upper leaf lamina cells, numerous spine-like dorsal lamina projections, a costa that is dorsally rough far down and has two layers of guide cells in its basal part, and falcate or strongly falcate, long leaves are mainly of a relatively southern origin. Specimens with a unistratose, smooth upper leaf lamina, a costa that is dorsally rough only above and has one layer of guide cells, and with slightly curved to straight, short leaves were only collected in northern Europe. Even if most authors do not formally recognize variation within D. majus, our results suggest that the two kinds of plants should be recognized at least at the variety level. In view of the confusing nomenclature in Dicranum it is beyond the scope of this paper to find a name for the northern plant. Type material of D. majus var. orthophyllum A. Braun ex Milde, a name that was frequently used for northern North American plants, belongs to the southern phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the influx of computer science graduates from South Asia into Europe and North America. It analyses the need and supply chains between two points and identifies the pros and cons of the education imparted to these graduates. The effects of social disorder due to migrations are addressed. The resulting technological vacuum in the donor countries is also analysed. It concludes with recommendations to reduce the impact on both the donor and receiving countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This section introduces a series of articles on the extent that European perspectives on ethics and integrity in governance differ from those in North America, as of December 2005. They include an article which presents an overview of ethical issues in public service organizations in Europe, and an article which describes and assesses ethics codes for public servants in ten Central and East European countries.

The article provides information about Absa Bank, the leading bank in South Africa and which won the predictive analytics category in the Society for Information Management paper competition. The bank won the category for its business intelligence and data warehousing practice and has been recognized for its Information Management Group for its management and use of information. To further highlight Absa Bank's excellence in information management, its operations were compared with other business intelligence and data warehousing in North America and Europe.

This paper investigates the long run relationship of real interest rates within a number of economic blocs such as Asia–Pacific, Europe, North America using cointegration analysis and vector error correction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The forefoot is the foot part most affected by ill-fitting shoes. Footwear fitting considers the measurements of length, width, and arch length. Toe shape has not yet been used in sizing feet and fitting shoes. This study aims to investigate the variation in toe shape, as measured by the hallux valgus angle. An automatic and reproducible hallux valgus angle measuring method using 3D foot scans with no palpation markers is proposed and applied to about half a million samples collected across North America, Europe, and Asia. The measuring method is robust and can detect the medial contour along the proximal phalanx even in extreme cases. The hallux valgus angle has a normal distribution with long tails on both sides in the general population. Large dispersions of HVA values were observed for both genders and in all three geographical regions. Practitioner summary: The hallux valgus angle has a broad distribution in the general population. Females have larger hallux valgus angles than males, and people from Asia have larger hallux valgus angles than people from North America and Europe. Shoe toe boxes should be designed to fit the actual shapes of shoppers' toes. The proposed method for measuring HVA opens a new opportunity to study the causal relationship between shoe wearing habits and HVA on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares the establishment of American assembly plants in Europe during the 1920s and the establishment of Japanese assembly plants in North America during the 1980s. It argues that these were similar in a number of respects, most importantly that the basis of the American advantage of the 1920s and the Japanese advantage of the 1980s was, in fact, the same, namely, a specific social organization of production: Fordism for American companies and 'lean production' for Japanese companies. It is also shown that the same factors which obstructed the dissemination of Fordism in Europe during the 1920s, the resistance of management and labor, have obstructed the dissemination of the Japanese system in North America during the 1980s. The concluding section argues that the general trajectory of American automobile companies in Europe during the 1930s may provide insights into the general trajectory of Japanese companies in the US during the 1990s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper the author proposes an alternative formulation of Ryder's equations of demographic translation by constructing a filter which relates period and cohort-based parametric fertility schedules. The resulting filter is used to study fertility data from eight countries in Europe and North America. The author concludes that although a cohort-based model can explain all but the short-run variations in period fertility, the resulting model would have to be quite complex. In particular, it would need to explain the observed tendency for changes in the tempo and spread of cohort fertility to lead changes in the quantum of cohort fertility by several years. An analysis of the spectral properties of the translation filter indicates that a period-based model could easily produce this pattern. The fact that the period-based model provides a more parsimonious description of the observed patterns sheds doubts on the predictive value of cohort-based models of fertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advocacy is one of the core functions of public health and is a key tool for achieving Sustainable Development Goals. Public health associations play a key role in advocating for the development and implementation of strategies to prevent diseases and promote health and well-being. This study aims to map out the focus of public health advocacy carried out by selected national public health associations over 4 years, between 2018 and 2021, in order to identify gaps and strengths and support associations and professionals in their advocacy efforts. Twelve national public health associations participated in the study. Official policy documents produced between 2018 and 2021 were collected and analysed. The title and summary of the policy documents were examined line by line and coded into the main subject categories and themes. A qualitative thematic analysis was conducted. Policies were assessed from global and regional perspectives. A total of 220 policy documents were analysed. Overall, the largest number of policy documents came from high-income countries and dealt with environmental health and communicable diseases, including COVID-19, with, however, important differences among regions. In the African region, public health advocacy focused mainly on strengthening health systems; Europe and South America were mostly concerned with communicable diseases and pandemic management; and North America and the Western Pacific regions focused primarily on climate change. Limited attention was paid to international health and health as a human right in all regions. Our study showed that, especially in high-income countries, public health associations actively engage in advocacy; however, more effort needs to be devoted to implementing a more international and intersectoral approach at the global level, anchored in health as a human right and aligned with the Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the boundary tourism-experience of the author. The author's fieldwork lead him to travel through borders of some countries in Europe, North America, and Scandinavian Kingdom including the Golden Triangle border of Thailand, Burma, and Laos. The author admitted that the journey involves personal and work-oriented motives.

Information on Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) is mostly limited to Europe and North America. This real-world, retrospective study assessed treatment pathways and clinical outcomes in adults with stage IIB–IV classical HL receiving frontline treatment (n = 1598) or relapsed/refractory HL (RRHL, n = 426) in regions outside Europe and North America between January 2010 and December 2013. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS) in the RRHL group. Among patients with RRHL, 89.0% received salvage chemotherapy; most common regimen was etoposide, methylprednisolone, cytarabine, cisplatin (ESHAP; 26.3%). Median PFS in the RRHL group was 13.2 months (95% confidence interval [CI]: 9.9–20.2) and was longer in patients with vs. without stem cell transplantation (SCT; 20.6 vs. 7.5 months; p = 0.0071). This large-scale study identified a lower PFS for RRHL in the rest of the world compared with Europe and North America, highlighting the need for novel targeted therapies and SCT earlier in the treatment continuum. Clinical trial registration: NCT03327571. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As competency-based curricula get increasing attention in postgraduate medical education, Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) are gaining in popularity. The aim of this survey was to determine the use of EPAs in anesthesiology training programs across Europe and North America. A survey was developed and distributed to anesthesiology residency training program directors in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Netherlands, USA and Canada. A convergent design mixed-methods approach was used to analyze both quantitative and qualitative data. The survey response rate was 38% (108 of 284). Seven percent of respondents used EPAs for making entrustment decisions. Fifty-three percent of institutions have not implemented any specific system to make such decisions. The majority of respondents agree that EPAs should become an integral part of the training of residents in anesthesiology as they are universal and easy to use. Although recommended by several national societies, EPAs are used in few anesthesiology training programs. Over half of responding programs have no specific system for making entrustment decisions. Although several countries are adopting or planning to adopt EPAs and national societies are recommending the use of EPAs as a framework in their competency-based programs, few are yet using these to make "competence" decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We reviewed 272 bird atlases (standardised surveys intended to document the distribution of birds) from around the world. Atlases we located were conducted in 50 countries from six continents with most (82.4%) from Europe and North America. Atlases were mostly run by ornithological societies (67.1%), had amassed at least 27.9 million records of birds over an area roughly 31.4% of the land area of the Earth, and had involved at least 108000 contributors. They had a modal data collection period of 4 years (some ran over several decades) and varied greatly in scale, covering local areas to entire continents (21 km2 ? 10390000 km2); atlases that covered larger areas involved more observers and generated more records. Most atlases (88.3%) were constrained to particular seasons, and most of these focussed on the main local breeding period (81.0%). Spatial sampling units ranged from 0.02 km2 (2 ha) to 3092 km2 and temporal units of sampling varied from 20 minutes to several years. Little information is available on the application of data generated by atlases. We focussed on five major atlases for which information was available. We located 97 scientific publications drawing on data from these five major atlases; papers most frequently focussed on bird distribution (26.8%), ecology (20.6%) and land-use planning (17.5%). Atlas books were cited often, 7?31 times per year. Provision of data to third parties from two major atlases (one from Australia and one from Britain and Ireland) was frequent and remarkably similar. Data were requested mostly for environmental impact studies (almost half of all requests), conservation policy and planning (~20%), research (~20%) and other mapping (~13%). Despite the uses we describe, atlas data seem under-utilised. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to World Travel and Tourism Council estimates, travel and tourism should account for approximately 10.4 percent of global gross domestic product and create nearly 231 million jobs worldwide during 2007. This paper presents an analysis of the performance of the global lodging industry during the year 2007. As such, important lodging industry trends worldwide, including those in North America, mainland Europe, United Kingdom, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific regions, are better understood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using data from a panel of 15 countries over the period 1990-1998, the determinants of the use of noncash payment instruments are analysed. The estimation results highlight the importance of distinguishing between the determinants of the value and volume of noncash transactions. It is found in fact that the volume of these transactions is generally affected by changes in the determinants more strongly than their value, and that variables such as the interest rate have a different impact on the volume and the value of the transactions. The findings also suggest that past habits play a dominant role in the intensity of use of noncash payment instruments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By analysing late nineteenth-century and early twentieth-century psychological and pedagogical recommendations to teachers, focusing on exercises for developing students' voluntary attention, this article investigates how such recommendations intended to develop a bureaucratic ethos, and more specifically the ability to be impartial. Key components in the attention training were memory, perception and reasoning skills, significant elements in the formation of a bureaucratic persona, which were thought to make it possible for a student to solve a task in a disinterested manner. The psychological literature on attention training thereby reflects key elements in the general transition from the old class-based school to a new meritocratic organisation of school systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the development of international networking by Slavic and East European librarians and information specialists, beginning with the 1974 First International Conference on Soviet and East European Studies (Banff, Canada). At first limited to librarians and information specialists from North America and Western Europe, with the collapse of communism in the late 1980s and early 1990s, the level of international cooperation among librarians and information specialists dealing with Slavic and Eastern European materials greatly increased. The Tallinn conference of librarians and information specialists was the fifth such quinquennial meeting held since 1980. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Many people with scleroderma rely on peer-led support groups as a coping resource. Reasons for not attending support groups in scleroderma have been investigated only in North American participants. This study assesses reasons for nonattendance in European countries and compares results with previously published North American findings. The same 21-item survey as used in the North American sample assessed possible reasons for not attending scleroderma support groups. Proportions of items rated Important or Very Important were compared between samples. Consistent with the North American survey findings (N = 242), the two items most commonly rated as (Very) Important reasons for nonattendance among 228 European participants were (1) already having enough support (57%), and (2) not knowing of any local scleroderma support groups (58%). Compared to North American non-attenders, European patients were significantly more likely to rate not knowing enough about what happens at support groups (46% vs 19%), not having reliable ways to get to meetings (35% vs 17%), and being uncomfortable sharing experiences with a group (22% vs 11%) as (Very) Important reasons for nonattendance. Improving access to European support groups, providing education about support groups and group leader training may encourage participation. Rehabilitation professionals might help develop local support groups for people with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma) to address the lack of access to these groups for many patients. The need for transportation and limited local accessibility may also be addressed by implementing online systemic sclerosis support groups. Professionals in the field of rehabilitation may work with people with systemic sclerosis and patient organizations to provide education about support groups to improve support group attendance in Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A negative relationship between stock market returns and inflationary trends has been widely documented for developed economies in Europe and North America. This study provides similar evidence for India. This relationship is investigated in light of Fama's explanation that centres around linkages between inflation and real activity, and between stock returns and real activity. Specifically, the study tests whether the negative stock return-inflation relationship is explained by a negative relationship between inflation and real economic activity, and a positive relationship between real activity and stock returns. The results from the heteroscedasticity and autocorrelation corrected models provide only partial support for Fama's hypothesis. The relationship between real activity and inflation does not account for the negative relationship between real stock returns and the unexpected component of inflation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While it is apparent that much has been learned about "mental health literacy" (MHL) relating to certain mental health problems, such as depression, in recent years, what has been learned about MHL relating to eating disorders (ED-MHL) is unclear. Aims: A scoping review was conducted to inform the current state of knowledge in this field. Methods: A systematic search of relevant literature published between 1997 and 2017 was followed by a narrative synthesis of the findings. Results: The number of eligible studies increased from 32 in 1997–2001 to 98 in 2012–2017 (total = 264). Most studies originated from North America or Europe, recruited individuals with EDs receiving treatment or college students and included both female and male or only female participants. The majority of studies examined MHL relating to anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa and examined attitudes which facilitate recognition and appropriate help-seeking and knowledge and beliefs about professional help available. Conclusion: Interest in ED-MHL is increasing and there is now a considerable body of research addressing some aspects of ED-MHL in a range of study populations. Notable gaps in the literature exist, including a paucity of information about ED-MHL relating to EDs other than anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa, ED behaviour in males and the use of self-help interventions. We hope the findings will provide an incentive to further research in these and other aspects of ED-MHL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is one of the leading causes of mortality in developing nations. In this meta-analysis, we aimed to determine the association between indoor air pollution and risk of COPD. Database searches were conducted using indoor air pollution, biomass and COPD related terms to identify relevant articles. The eligible studies were case-control, retrospective cohort, cross-sectional studies and conducted in adults that assessed COPD using any diagnostic criteria. A total of 35 studies with 73,122 participants were included. The pooled analysis showed that exposure to indoor air pollution due to solid biomass fuels increased risk of COPD by 2.65 (95% confidence interval [CI] 2.13–3.31; n = 73,122) and chronic bronchitis by 2.89 (95% CI 2.18–3.82) times more compared to non-biomass fuels. The risk of COPD was higher in Africa region (odds ratio [OR] 3.19), Asia (OR 2.88), South America (OR 2.15), Europe (OR 2.30) and North America (OR 2.14). The results of our meta-analysis indicated that exposure to indoor air pollution due to biomass smoke is strongly associated with COPD. Abbreviations: CS: cross-sectional; CC: case-control; NR: not reported; ATS: American Thoracic Society; BMRC: British Medical Research Council; GOLD: Global Initiative for Obstructive Lung Disease; IAP: indoor air pollution; BMF: biomass fuel; CB: chronic bronchitis; OR: odds ratio; UCI; upper confidence interval; LCI: lower confidence interval; COPD: chronic obstructive pulmonary disease [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Para-phenylenediamine (PPD) is the commonest and most well-known component of hair dyes. PPD is found in more than 1000 hair dye formulations and is the most frequently used permanent hair dye component in Europe, North America and East Asia. PPD containing hair dyes have been associated with cancer and mutagenicity. Apart from that, PPD has potential toxicity which includes acute toxicity such as allergic contact dermatitis and subacute toxicity. 2. In this study, we examined the effects of the PPD composition on the skin-isolated fibroblast cells. Fibroblast cells were isolated from the skin and cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, the collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), lipid peroxidation (LPO), damage to the lysosome release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and finally release of cytochrome c were examined following the exposure to various concentrations of PPD. 3. Our results showed that exposure to PPD increased ROS generation, LPO, the collapse of MMP, LDH release and cytochrome c release. Our results suggest that PPD can induce damage to the lysosomal membrane. 4. These results showed that PPD composition has a selective toxicity on skin fibroblasts cell and mitochondria are considered one of the goals of its toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a chronological analysis of bibliographic and thematic aspects of exporter–importer business relationships research based on a systematic review of 211 articles published between the years 1975 and 2017 in business journals. The study findings indicate that, in terms of bibliographic aspects, this literature is characterized by (a) an increasing collaboration among different institutions and countries, despite a heavy concentration of authors from Europe and North America; (b) a predominance of a small number of scholars producing a substantial part of the literature; and (c) dominance of empirical articles with relatively moderate average impact. In terms of thematic aspects, behavioral dimensions and relationship characteristics constitute the nucleus of the literature, with research efforts focusing on their environmental and internal drivers and performance outcomes. These study findings carry significant implications for major stakeholders of the exporter–importer relationships research, including authors, editors, and conference organizers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, Lower Bajocian belemnites from Southcentral Alaska are formally investigated and described for the first time. Representatives of the families Megateuthididae (Belemnitina) and Belemnopseidae (Belemnopseina) occur in the Parabigotites crassicostatus to Sphaeroceras oblatum ammonite zones (Propinquans to Humphriesianum chronozones) within the Tuxedni Group of the Cook Inlet region and the Talkeetna Mountains. Among Megateuthididae, we introduce the first records of Brevibelus from Alaska, and the first records of Brevibelus gingensis and Eocylindroteuthis from outside Europe. The new taxa Pseudosimobelus tuxedniensis Dzyuba & C. D. Schraer gen. et sp. nov., Eocylindroteuthis gracilenta Dzyuba & C. D. Schraer sp. nov. and Eocylindroteuthis riegrafi Dzyuba & C. D. Schraer sp. nov. are also described. We conclude from our morphological analysis that Pseudosimobelus gen. nov. represents a transitional form between Megateuthididae and Cylindroteuthididae or may even have been ancestral to the latter. The single rostrum of Belemnopseidae identified herein as Hibolithes? sp. juv. is the earliest record of the family from Alaska. Biogeographically, the belemnites represent pan-Tethyan (Brevibelus and Hibolithes?), typically west Tethyan (Brevibelus gingensis, Brevibelus cf. breviformis and Eocylindroteuthis) and endemic north-east Pacific (Pseudosimobelus gen. nov. and Eocylindroteuthis spp. nov.) elements. These palaeontological data suggest a location of the Peninsular terrane in the Early Bajocian south of the present location. We postulate that the appearance of Brevibelus, Eocylindroteuthis and possibly Hibolithes near the north-western shores of North America in the late Early Bajocian was due to their westward migration via the Hispanic Corridor, the migratory seaway between the western Tethys and the eastern Pacific. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]