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The EU has committed itself to ambitious environmental, social, and techno-productive goals, and national development banks (NDBs) in the European financial architecture can be key actors in investment to finance them. However, not all EU member states have large and mature NDBs. In this light, this article examines the role of Spain´s mid-sized Instituto de Crédito Oficial and concludes that its dual nature, between the investment state and the private sector, provides it with levers to pursue EU goals effectively. Certain elements of this case could be used as lessons for other EU countries with smaller or underdeveloped NDBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recently approved Law 16/2022 amending the Insolvency Law has introduced a special framework for credits issued with the public guarantee of the Instituto de Crédito Oficial in the context of the COVID-19 crisis and Ukraine war. This framework has established important conditions on the effects that the new restructuring plans can impose on these credits, hindering the ultimate purpose of the reform: to enable viable companies to restructure their debt. This article analyses these conditions and provides a practical overview of the different scenarios that may arise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clear legal content of white papers provides certainty, stability and trust in the relations between all the participants in initial coins offering (ICO) procedures and contributes to the successful introduction of blockchain technologies in business. A white paper defines the relationship and interaction between a regulated social reality and program code, which is by itself not susceptible to legal regulation. This article investigates the legal conditions of the white papers that describe the projects of ICO. The author provides a legal analysis of numerous white papers published during ICO implementation around the world. Based on extensive data on implemented ICO projects, the correlation between the legal content of a white paper and the amount of funds collected as a result of the ICO is considered. Having analysed the determinants of the white paper legal content, the author suggests the legal provisions that any ICO white paper should have. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptocurrencies and distributed registers (blockchains) have recently attracted increased interest among specialists from the widest variety of fields. In turn, the public has generated a pool of regularly asked questions, which have not yet been answered thoroughly. This article provides lines of reasoning with regard to several popular questions linked to this subject. It also addresses issues such as the creation of national cryptocurrencies and use of blockchain technology by businesses and governments. In addition, it analyzes the opinion that cryptocurrencies are a financial pyramid. Finally, it briefly examines the configuration of Bitcoin's distributed register and looks at how this register could be affected by the hypothetical creation of a quantum computer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article assesses the opportunities for the publishing industry to utilize blockchain technologies to improve current processes in the book and journal publishing communities. It explains blockchain as a concept and then outlines scenarios and examples where blockchain could be used or is already being used in publishing. The article outlines opportunities that blockchain presents for new business models and the areas of revenue distribution, contract, rights, and royalties, and potential improvements it could bring to the supply chain of content via better workflow, sales, production, and collaboration processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to bring the reader closer to several concepts that are becoming more common day by day, and which find themselves in unstoppable development, such as blockchain technology, tokens, ICO (Initial Coin Offerings) or DAO (Decentralized Autonomous Organizations). Thus, the process of «tokenization», based on abstractly representing a value through the blockchain, is a transcendental innovation in areas such as the financial or the corporate spheres, where ICO --introducing a new business financing channel through the online sale of cryptographic assets-- or DAO --entities managed in a decentralized way through smart contracts by tokens holders-- come onto the scene. Likewise, their undeniable utilities will be enhanced, but the practical problems faced by these technological developments will also be analyzed, being the main one the regulatory uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Bluetooth iCOquit enables remote biochemical verification of smoking status, but its validity among adults attempting to quit smoking is unclear. This study 1) compared the iCOquit, piCO, and Vitalograph sensors to identify device-specific bias, 2) assessed the diagnostic accuracy of the iCOquit for the overall sample and within specific subgroups (sex, race, smoking rate, menthol use), and 3) assessed the validity of iCOquit readings against standardized CO canisters. iCOquit devices were tested with human breath samples from individuals seeking treatment for combustible tobacco use (N = 93) attending an in-person clinic visit. Participants provided breath samples via the iCOquit, piCO, and Vitalograph (order randomized). iCOquit devices were also tested using 5 and 10 parts per million (ppm) canisters. The iCOquit underestimated CO and categorized more participants as abstinent relative to the other CO sensors with human breath samples. The results suggested the iCOquit could not be used interchangeably with the other CO devices. Using a cut-off of < 6 ppm, the diagnostic accuracy of the iCOquit (specificity = 94%; sensitivity = 85%) did not vary across demographic/smoking subgroups. Canister tests with the iCOquit suggested good precision (< 1 ppm). The iCOquit is an affordable option for the remote measurement of CO that provides a reasonably accurate assessment of smoking status of those attempting to quit smoking using abstinence cut-off criteria of < 6 ppm. However, compared to other CO monitors, the iCOquit may underestimate CO, thereby increasing error in assessing abstinence. • The iCOquit demonstrated good accuracy from standardized canister tests. • The iCOquit was compared to piCO and Vitalograph using human breath samples. • The iCOquit underestimated carbon monoxide levels compared to the other monitors. • The iCOquit categorized more cases as abstinent compared to the other monitors. • An abstinence cut-off < 6 parts per million was supported across subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study discusses the method of start-up financing through selling cryptocurrencies in the Internet environment. It is known as ICO (Initial Coin Offering). Its dynamic growth, rapid expansion of the scope of applications and an inflow of funding obtained this way has been observed since the first implementation in 2013. The method has become a global tool now. It implies the development of a new segment of digital economy. The study discusses its nature and specific features, as well as the benefits it offers, with a focus on potential opportunities (measured in terms of growth statistics available now) and risks in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrical conduction behavior of ultrathin cerium doped In 2 O 3 (ICO) films fabricated by reactive plasma deposition (RPD) method at low temperature is investigated. It is found that both carrier density and mobility of ICO film are dependent on the film thickness strongly. When the film thickness is increased from 5 nm to 300 nm, carrier density improved gradually from 0.5 × 10 20  cm −3 to 2.1 × 10 20  cm −3 , while carrier mobility increased from 35.1 cm 2 /Vs to 153.7 cm 2 /Vs and then decreased slightly to 121.5 cm 2 /Vs. The limited carrier mobility is theoretically discussed from analyzing the counterplay between grains boundary scattering-limited and surface scattering-limited mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]