53 results
Search Results
2. EEG in Neurorehabilitation: A Bibliometric Analysis and Content Review.
- Author
-
Tsiamalou, Athanasia, Dardiotis, Efthimios, Paterakis, Konstantinos, Fotakopoulos, George, Liampas, Ioannis, Sgantzos, Markos, Siokas, Vasileios, and Brotis, Alexandros G.
- Subjects
- *
NEUROREHABILITATION , *BIBLIOMETRICS , *ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY , *AMYOTROPHIC lateral sclerosis , *BRAIN-computer interfaces - Abstract
Background: There is increasing interest in the role of EEG in neurorehabilitation. We primarily aimed to identify the knowledge base through highly influential studies. Our secondary aims were to imprint the relevant thematic hotspots, research trends, and social networks within the scientific community. Methods: We performed an electronic search in Scopus, looking for studies reporting on rehabilitation in patients with neurological disabilities. We used the most influential papers to outline the knowledge base and carried out a word co-occurrence analysis to identify the research hotspots. We also used depicted collaboration networks between universities, authors, and countries after analyzing the cocitations. The results were presented in summary tables, plots, and maps. Finally, a content review based on the top-20 most cited articles completed our study. Results: Our current bibliometric study was based on 874 records from 420 sources. There was vivid research interest in EEG use for neurorehabilitation, with an annual growth rate as high as 14.3%. The most influential paper was the study titled "Brain-computer interfaces, a review" by L.F. Nicolas-Alfonso and J. Gomez-Gill, with 997 citations, followed by "Brain-computer interfaces in neurological rehabilitation" by J. Daly and J.R. Wolpaw (708 citations). The US, Italy, and Germany were among the most productive countries. The research hotspots shifted with time from the use of functional magnetic imaging to EEG-based brain–machine interface, motor imagery, and deep learning. Conclusions: EEG constitutes the most significant input in brain–computer interfaces (BCIs) and can be successfully used in the neurorehabilitation of patients with stroke symptoms, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and traumatic brain and spinal injuries. EEG-based BCI facilitates the training, communication, and control of wheelchair and exoskeletons. However, research is limited to specific scientific groups from developed countries. Evidence is expected to change with the broader availability of BCI and improvement in EEG-filtering algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
3. Legal Challenges to Restrictions on Assistance in Suicide in Italy, Germany and Austria: An Ethico-Legal Analysis.
- Author
-
Jones, David Albert, Palazzani, Laura, Bormann, Franz-Josef, and Hofmann, Stefan
- Subjects
- *
ASSISTED suicide , *SUICIDE , *PATIENT refusal of treatment , *ACTIONS & defenses (Law) , *SUICIDE victims - Abstract
This paper deals with a series of legal cases in Italy, Germany, and Austria, between September 2019 and December 2020, which ruled that laws prohibiting or restricting assistance in suicide were unconstitutional. There are similarities between these three cases, all of which are influenced by the practice of assisted suicide in Switzerland, but also differences, not least because of the antecedent legal contexts. Each case is based on flawed reasoning. They have in common an exaggerated account of autonomy or self-determination, insufficiently qualified by the duty to protect human life or by other ethical constraints. The Italian and Austrian Courts also appeal to the principle of equality and to a supposed analogy with refusal of life-sustaining treatments, both of which raise concerns in relation to further expansion of the provisions. In responding to these flawed judgements, legislators should favour proposals that prevent the normalisation of assisted and non-assisted suicide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
4. A trans‐European perspective on how artists can support teachers, parents and carers to engage with young people in the creative arts.
- Author
-
Dobson, Tom and Stephenson, Lisa
- Subjects
- *
OCCUPATIONAL roles , *TEACHER-student relationships , *ART , *WELL-being , *SOCIAL support , *CAREGIVERS , *TEACHING methods , *FOCUS groups , *CREATIVE ability , *MENTAL health , *ARTISTS , *TEACHERS , *GOVERNMENT policy , *PARENT-child relationships , *CURRICULUM planning , *THEMATIC analysis , *PARENTS , *TEACHER development - Abstract
Whilst the link between young people's well‐being and the creative arts is strengthening, there is a lack of research which focuses on the roles that artists play to help teachers and parents engage young people in the creative arts. This paper explores the benefits of and barriers to artists working in education in six European countries (England, Iceland, Germany, Greece, Italy and Austria). Using the '5A's model of creativity' and a view of professional development taking place within 'landscapes of practice', the data were analysed in order to explain how creativity is operationalised in the different contexts. Our study highlights the need for policy at a national and transnational level to value the creative arts in order to help teachers cross boundaries and utilise the full potential of the creative arts in schools. Our study also highlights that further research is needed into how artists shape teaching and curriculum and how schools engage parents in the creative arts in order to build an evidence‐base relating to young people's positive mental health that can affect policy at these levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
5. Reimagining the homeland: diasporic belonging among Turkish and Kurdish second generations in Italy.
- Author
-
Ince-Beqo, Gül and Ambrosini, Maurizio
- Subjects
- *
YOUNG adults , *DIASPORA , *CHILDREN of immigrants , *IMMIGRANT children , *ECONOMIC opportunities , *PARTICIPANT observation - Abstract
This paper analyzes the experiences of children of immigrants coming to Italy from Turkey. It does so by using in-depth interviews and looking at how they conceptualize their sense of belonging to their home country and the transnational ties that they maintain in relation to their parents' experience. The participants in this research grew up in families whose intention was not to remain in Italy but to continue their journey to Germany. Like their parents, the second-generation members also want to build their lives in Germany, however, the meaning attributed to this place is very different. For these young people, Germany and its diasporas offer a source of identity. Put otherwise, in addition to what Germany can offer in terms of services and economic opportunities, they are also attracted to what diasporas can offer: being Turks and Kurds in Germany. By allowing them to reconnect with the cultural memories of their homeland and enjoy the opportunities and rights offered by a developed country, Germany becomes a diasporic homeland in which to plan a future, a place where, to quote one of them, "one feels at home in the heart of Europe". The idea of a homeland, then, is not only transformed – it is duplicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
6. The Financial Consequences of Export-led Growth in Germany and Italy.
- Author
-
Jones, Erik
- Subjects
- *
BANKING industry , *SELF-defeating behavior , *FINANCIAL crises , *COVID-19 pandemic - Abstract
This paper explains the extent to which the export-led growth strategies deployed in Germany and Italy turn out to be self-defeating. The problem lies in the impact of those strategies on the banking systems of the two countries. The German banks become more international; the Italian banks become more locally oriented. In turn, these changes create tensions that cannot be reconciled easily within the institutional framework that made the export-led growth model successful in the first place. The paper also seeks to explain why tensions in export-led growth models today do not always resemble those it experienced in the past – and it examines what are the implications both for how the two countries responded to the economic and financial crisis and how they are responding to the economic consequences of the novel coronavirus pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
7. Latest findings on the behaviour factor q for the seismic design of URM buildings.
- Author
-
Morandi, P., Butenweg, C., Breis, K., Beyer, K., and Magenes, G.
- Subjects
- *
EARTHQUAKE resistant design , *DAMAGES (Law) , *EARTHQUAKE zones , *LINEAR statistical models , *EFFECT of earthquakes on buildings , *MASONRY - Abstract
Recent earthquakes as the 2012 Emilia earthquake sequence showed that recently built unreinforced masonry (URM) buildings behaved much better than expected and sustained, despite the maximum PGA values ranged between 0.20–0.30 g, either minor damage or structural damage that is deemed repairable. Especially low-rise residential and commercial masonry buildings with a code-conforming seismic design and detailing behaved in general very well without substantial damages. The low damage grades of modern masonry buildings that was observed during this earthquake series highlighted again that codified design procedures based on linear analysis can be rather conservative. Although advances in simulation tools make nonlinear calculation methods more readily accessible to designers, linear analyses will still be the standard design method for years to come. The present paper aims to improve the linear seismic design method by providing a proper definition of the q-factor of URM buildings. These q-factors are derived for low-rise URM buildings with rigid diaphragms which represent recent construction practise in low to moderate seismic areas of Italy and Germany. The behaviour factor components for deformation and energy dissipation capacity and for overstrength due to the redistribution of forces are derived by means of pushover analyses. Furthermore, considerations on the behaviour factor component due to other sources of overstrength in masonry buildings are presented. As a result of the investigations, rationally based values of the behaviour factor q to be used in linear analyses in the range of 2.0–3.0 are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
8. Economics as ideological discourse practice: a Gramsci-Foucault-Lacan approach to analysing power/knowledge regimes of subjectivation.
- Author
-
Maesse, Jens and Nicoletta, Gerardo C.
- Subjects
- *
IDEOLOGY , *ECONOMIC policy , *POLITICAL systems - Abstract
Ideology analyses play an important role in Cultural Discourse Studies because they investigate complex meaning production within various political systems and power structures. The notion of ideology can be analysed in different dimensions. Whereas Marx and Engels proposed a negative as well as a positive conception of ideology, sociologists such as Mannheim understood ideologies as sets of ideas and general world views. Some scholars in Discourse Studies seem to follow a conception of ideology that is located in-between Mannheim's conception and Marx's negative idea of 'false consciousness'. In this paper we define ideology as a political discourse practice devoted to exerting power and influence. Following Marx's positive notion, ideology is seen as a modality that regulates the relationship between the subject and a specific system of knowledge related to political action. Here, ideology refers to discourses as knowledge/ power regimes where the political-power aspect is suppressed through the subjectivation process itself. Following Gramsci, Foucault and Lacan, our theoretical framework helps us to analyse ideological discourse practices as different modalities of subjectivation. We propose three types of ideological subjectivation: oppressive forms, normalizing forms and resisting forms. Finally, these forms are illustrated with examples from economic expert discourses from Italy and Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
9. Parkinson's disease: Evolution of the scientific literature from 1983 to 2017 by countries and journals.
- Author
-
Robert, C., Wilson, C.S., Lipton, R.B., and Arreto, C.-D.
- Subjects
- *
PARKINSON'S disease , *SCIENTIFIC literature , *MOVEMENT disorders , *WEB databases - Abstract
This study charts the evolution of the scientific literature on Parkinson's disease (PD) from 1983 to 2017 to inform communities of scientists, physicians, patients, caregivers and politicians concerned with PD. Articles published in journals indexed in the Science Citation Index-Expanded database of the Web of Science were retrieved and analyzed in seven five-year periods: 1983-1987, 1988-1992, 1993-1997, 1998-2002, 2003-2007, 2008-2012 and 2013-2017. Over 35 years the number of research papers on PD increased 33-fold: 885 papers in 1983-1987 to 29,972 in 2013-2017. At the same time the number of countries contributing to PD research increased from 37 to 131. The USA was the most prolific country throughout, followed by several European (UK, Germany, Italy and France) and English-speaking (Canada and Australia) countries. By 2003, several Asian countries (China, South Korea, India and Turkey) emerged with rapid increases in publications related to PD. By 2013-2017, China surpassed all but the USA to rank 2nd globally in productivity. Despite an increase from 4 to 22 African countries publishing PD research from 1983 to 2017, most were either unproductive or contributed ≤5 papers in each five-year period. There has also been a 12-fold increase in the number of journals (232-2824) containing papers on PD. In 2013-2017 three PD-focused journals (Parkinsonism & Related Disorders, Movement Disorders and Journal of Parkinson's Disease) contained 6.8% of all PD papers while a large majority (82.5%) of journals published ≤ 10 papers. This quantitative study complements the numerous extant qualitative reviews to provide a global perspective on PD research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
10. Divided citizenship: how retirement in the host country affects the financial status of intra-European Union migrants.
- Author
-
BRIDGEN, PAUL and MEYER, TRAUTE
- Subjects
- *
CITIZENSHIP , *IMMIGRANTS , *INCOME , *PENSIONS , *POVERTY , *RETIREMENT , *PATIENT participation , *GOVERNMENT policy , *SOCIOECONOMIC factors - Abstract
Since European Union (EU) enlargement in 2003, labour migration from East to West and South to North has increased. It is to be expected that a share of these workers will want to retire in their host countries. According to the academic literature, EU legislation protects such mobility well by allowing the transfer of rights accrued in any EU country to another. However, such research has focused on legislation, not outcomes. We know little about how migration will affect the financial status of retired migrants in their host country and their ability to sustain a life there, should they stay after retirement. Using migration, wage and pension policy data (Eurostat, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development), this paper projects the post-retirement incomes of a range of hypothetical EU migrants, selected in relation to the most common migratory flows since 2003. After having worked in their home countries (Romania, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy) for at least ten years, these people move to richer countries (Italy, Spain, Germany, United Kingdom) and work there for at least 30 years. To determine whether they can remain settled after decades of labour force participation in the host country, the paper adds their pension entitlements from home and host countries and compares this income with the relative poverty line of the host countries. This shows that good portability of entitlements matters little when these are very low because of a large wage gap between home and host country. Thus, after at least 30 years of enjoying all citizenship rights as workers, most of these individuals are projected to receive incomes below the relative poverty line of their host countries and thus experience a sharp drop in this status. Their citizenship is diminished. The paper concludes by considering policies that could avoid such an outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
11. The role of income poverty and inequality indicators at regional level: An evaluation for Italy and Germany.
- Author
-
Benedetti, Ilaria and Crescenzi, Federico
- Subjects
- *
INCOME inequality , *REGIONAL disparities , *POVERTY reduction , *LIVING conditions , *ADMINISTRATIVE efficiency - Abstract
In light of the EU2030 strategy for poverty alleviation, this paper provides an assessment on the quality of estimates of poverty and inequality indicators at sub-national level (NUTS2) in Germany and Italy. Given the elaborated survey design of EU-SILC and the complexity of some poverty and inequality indicators that we consider in this paper, we use the Taylor linearization approach to estimate their variance. As a further assessment on the goodness of these estimates, we use a Fay–Herriot model to see in what extent we can obtain estimates with lower mean squared error using small area estimation. Our results reveal high territorial heterogeneity in living conditions across sub-national domains, in particular in some southern regions of Italy and some eastern government regions of Germany. Moreover, results from Fay–Herriot model reveals higher gains in efficiency for the 36 government regions of Germany especially for income-inequality indicators. • we use the Taylor linearization approach to estimate variance in poverty indicators. • we use a Fay–Herriot model to obtain estimates with lower mean squared error. • we map the spatial distribution of poverty indicators at NUTS-2 level. • Our results reveal high territorial heterogeneity across sub-national domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
12. A hierarchical spatio-temporal model to analyze relative risk variations of COVID-19: a focus on Spain, Italy and Germany.
- Author
-
Jalilian, Abdollah and Mateu, Jorge
- Subjects
- *
COVID-19 , *SARS-CoV-2 , *HEALTH policy , *SPATIAL variation - Abstract
The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has spread rapidly across the world in a short period of time and with a heterogeneous pattern. Understanding the underlying temporal and spatial dynamics in the spread of COVID-19 can result in informed and timely public health policies. In this paper, we use a spatio-temporal stochastic model to explain the temporal and spatial variations in the daily number of new confirmed cases in Spain, Italy and Germany from late February 2020 to mid January 2021. Using a hierarchical Bayesian framework, we found that the temporal trends of the epidemic in the three countries rapidly reached their peaks and slowly started to decline at the beginning of April and then increased and reached their second maximum in the middle of November. However decline and increase of the temporal trend seems to show different patterns in Spain, Italy and Germany. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
13. 'I like money, I like many things'. The relationship between drugs and crime from the perspective of young people in contact with criminal justice systems.
- Author
-
Rolando, Sara, Asmussen Frank, Vibeke, Duke, Karen, Kahlert, Rahel, Pisarska, Agnieszka, Graf, Niels, and Beccaria, Franca
- Subjects
- *
SUBSTANCE abuse , *CROSS-sectional method , *CRIME , *CRIMINALS , *INTERVIEWING , *SOCIAL isolation , *JUVENILE offenders , *CRIMINAL justice system , *DRUG abusers , *ADULTS , *ADOLESCENCE - Abstract
Based on research undertaken as part of the EU funded EPPIC project, this paper aims to update and elaborate on the relationship between drug use and offending behaviours by exploring variations within a cross-national sample of drug-experienced young people in touch with criminal justice systems. Adopting a trajectory-based approach, interviews were undertaken with 198 young people aged 15–25 in six European countries (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Poland, and UK). Data were analysed by applying the Bennett and Holloway categorization of the drugs-crime link, with a focus on the concept of social exclusion as developed by Seddon. Three main types of mechanisms (economic, pharmaceutical, and lifestyles) are used to interpret the data, showing how the relationship between drugs and offending can vary according to type of substances and over time. Furthermore, it can be associated with very different degrees of social exclusion and needs. The results suggest that while economic inequalities still play key roles in explaining drug use and offending, both behaviours can originate from a state of relative deprivation, resulting from the contradictions inherent in 'bulimic societies' that raise aspirations and desires while providing young people scarce opportunities for self-realisation and social recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
14. Uncovering the morphological differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV based on transmission electron microscopy images.
- Author
-
Taha, Bakr Ahmed, Al Mashhadany, Yousif, Al-Jubouri, Qussay, Haider, Adawiya J., Chaudhary, Vishal, Apsari, Retna, and Arsad, Norhana
- Subjects
- *
TRANSMISSION electron microscopy , *SARS virus , *SARS-CoV-2 , *LIFE cycles (Biology) , *VIRUS diseases - Abstract
Comprehending the morphological disparities between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV viruses can shed light on the underlying mechanisms of infection and facilitate the development of effective diagnostic tools and treatments. Hence, this study aimed to conduct a comprehensive analysis and comparative assessment of the morphology of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The dataset encompassed 519 isolated SARS-CoV-2 images obtained from patients in Italy (INMI) and 248 isolated SARS-CoV images from patients in Germany (Frankfurt). In this paper, we employed TEM images to scrutinize morphological features, and the outcomes were contrasted with those of SARS-CoV viruses. The findings reveal disparities in the characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, such as envelope protein (E) 98.6 and 102.2 nm, length of spike protein (S) 10.11 and 9.50 nm, roundness 0.86 and 0.88, circularity 0.78 and 0.76, and area sizes 25145.54 and 38591.35 pixels, respectively. In conclusion, these results will augment the identification of virus subtypes, aid in the study of antiviral medications, and enhance our understanding of disease progression and the virus life cycle. Moreover, these findings have the potential to assist in the development of more accurate epidemiological prediction models for COVID-19, leading to better outbreak management and saving lives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2023
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
15. Older adult entrepreneurs as mentors of young people neither in employment nor education and training (NEETs). Evidences from multi-country intergenerational learning program.
- Author
-
Santini, Sara, Baschiera, Barbara, and Socci, Marco
- Subjects
- *
AGING , *ASSOCIATIONS, institutions, etc. , *BUSINESS , *COMPARATIVE studies , *CONTINUING education , *EDUCATION , *EMPLOYMENT , *ENTREPRENEURSHIP , *INTERGENERATIONAL relations , *INTERPERSONAL relations , *INTERPROFESSIONAL relations , *LEARNING strategies , *RESEARCH methodology , *MENTORING , *POPULATION , *LABOR unions , *JOB performance , *PRE-tests & post-tests , *EDUCATIONAL outcomes , *OLD age - Abstract
Population aging is exacerbating the loss of competences in the workforce and simultaneously young people neither in employment nor in education and training (NEETs) are struggling to be reengaged in employment. These issues, which are deemed priorities for the European policy agenda, could be addressed by triggering active aging dimensions, valuing and exploiting older adult entrepreneurs' knowledge for enhancing youngsters' entrepreneurial attitudes, through mentoring. This paper reports the results of a study based on an intergenerational learning program, carried out in 2018 in Germany, Italy and Slovenia. The study was aimed at developing and testing one training on mentoring addressing 41 older adult entrepreneurs (55 and over), and two intergenerational learning trainings aiming at boosting entrepreneurial competences of 33 NEETs (aged 18–29). The impact of the program on older adult entrepreneurs and NEETs was assessed through a pre and post-evaluation using qualitative and quantitative tools. Findings at country level were treated as national case-studies and then the latter were compared by considering them as a multiple embedded case-study. Results indicated that, to different extent in the study countries, mentors learned and enhanced mentoring competences, e.g. active listening and the capability of orienting, improved well-being and self-esteem, social inclusion and active aging attitude. Moreover, NEETs acquired entrepreneurial and socio-relational competences by benefiting from the full exploitation of mentors' know-how and the trust relationship with them. Companies, trade unions, educational and voluntary organizations should cooperate to adopt intergenerational learning programs as good practices for older adults and NEETs' lifelong learning promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2020
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
16. A dynamic behavioral model of the long-term development of solar photovoltaic generation driven by feed-in tariffs.
- Author
-
Kërçi, Taulant, Tzounas, Georgios, and Milano, Federico
- Subjects
- *
DYNAMIC models , *DELAY differential equations , *LEARNING by doing (Economics) , *EVOLUTION equations , *TARIFF - Abstract
This work aims to assess the impact of renewable energy incentives, particularly that of the feed-in tariff (FiT), on the long-term development of solar photovoltaics (PVs). With this aim, the paper introduces a dynamic model based on nonlinear delay differential algebraic equations to simulate the evolution of the PV capacity and its commitment in the power grid. The model assumes the FiT budget, the PV cost and willingness of the public to install PVs as the main drivers for solar PV installations. In particular, the learning-by-doing concept to model the PV cost and consequently the PV deployment is proposed for the first time in this paper. The accuracy of the model is validated against historical data of two of the biggest PV markets in the world driven by FiT, namely, Italy during 2008–2014, and Germany during 2000–2014. A sensitivity analysis based on the Italian PV market is carried out to identify the impact of the parameters of the proposed model. Results indicate that the proposed model is a valuable tool that can help policymakers in the decision-making process, such as the definition of the FiT price and the duration of the incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
17. Contemporary vaccination policy in the European Union: tensions and dilemmas.
- Author
-
Paul, Katharina T. and Loer, Kathrin
- Subjects
- *
VACCINATION , *POLICY discourse , *DILEMMA , *IMMUNIZATION , *ASSOCIATIONS, institutions, etc. , *HEALTH behavior , *MANAGEMENT , *HEALTH policy , *MEDICAL protocols , *PRACTICAL politics , *PUBLIC health - Abstract
This paper seeks to contribute to a more nuanced discourse on vaccination policy. Current polarization between either mandatory and entirely voluntary is misleading, as virtually all immunization programs feature a combination of instruments that comprise mandatory and voluntary elements. We develop this argument by presenting five case studies from the European Union (EU). By systematically acknowledging the nuances of political and institutional varieties, we build the case for reframing the terms of the debate in the EU and beyond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2019
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
18. A psychometric systematic review of self-report instruments to identify anxiety in pregnancy.
- Author
-
Evans, Kerry, Spiby, Helen, and Morrell, C. Jane
- Subjects
- *
CINAHL database , *INFORMATION storage & retrieval systems , *MEDICAL databases , *MEDICAL information storage & retrieval systems , *PSYCHOLOGY information storage & retrieval systems , *LONGITUDINAL method , *RESEARCH methodology , *EVALUATION of medical care , *MEDLINE , *PRENATAL care , *PSYCHOLOGICAL tests , *PSYCHOMETRICS , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *RESEARCH funding , *SELF-evaluation , *SYSTEMATIC reviews , *ANXIETY disorders , *CROSS-sectional method , *PREGNANCY , *DIAGNOSIS ,RESEARCH evaluation - Abstract
Aims To report a systematic review of the psychometric properties of self-report instruments to identify the symptoms of anxiety in pregnancy to help clinicians and researchers select the most suitable instrument. Background Excessive anxiety in pregnancy is associated with adverse birth outcomes, developmental and behavioural problems in infants and postnatal depression. Despite recommendations for routine psychological assessment in pregnancy, the optimal methods to identify anxiety in pregnancy have not been confirmed. Design Psychometric systematic review. Data sources A systematic literature search of the multiple databases (1990-September 2014). Review methods Identification of self-report instruments to measure anxiety in pregnancy using COSMIN guidelines to assess studies reporting a psychometric evaluation of validity and reliability. Results Thirty-two studies were included. Studies took place in the UK, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Italy, Scandinavia, Spain and the Netherlands. Seventeen different instruments were identified. Measures of validity were reported in 19 papers and reliability in 16. The overall quality of the papers was rated as fair to excellent using the COSMIN checklist. Only one paper scored excellent in more than one category. Conclusion Many instruments have been adapted for use in different populations to those for which they were designed. The State Trait Anxiety Inventory, Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale have been tested more frequently than other instruments, yet require further assessment to confirm their value for use in pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
19. Italy during the Rhine Crisis of 1840.
- Author
-
Sedivy, Miroslav
- Subjects
- *
BOUNDARY disputes , *GREAT powers (International relations) , *HISTORY of diplomacy , *DIPLOMATIC history , *NINETEENTH century , *HISTORY , *GEOGRAPHIC boundaries , *INTERNATIONAL relations ,EUROPEAN politics & government -- 1815-1848 ,FRENCH foreign relations ,REIGN of Louis Philippe, France, 1830-1848 ,EUROPEAN history, 1815-1871 - Abstract
The paper addresses the impact of the Rhine Crisis of 1840 on Italian countries and explains the role they played in the European State System when the Continent seemed to be on the eve of a general war. As the paper attempts to prove, the crisis seriously alarmed the ruling classes as well as the general public and revealed the internal problems of the Italian countries as well as their deep distrust towards the egotistic and self-serving policies of the Great Powers. The paper therefore introduces the history of Italy during late 1840 within the wider context of European diplomatic history and serves as a probe into the history of the European State System during the Pre-March period in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
20. Working to improve the management of sarcoma patients across Europe: a policy checklist.
- Author
-
Kasper, Bernd, Lecointe-Artzner, Estelle, Wait, Suzanne, Boldon, Shannon, Wilson, Roger, Gronchi, Alessandro, Valverde, Claudia, Eriksson, Mikael, Dumont, Sarah, Drove, Nora, Kanli, Athanasia, and Wartenberg, Markus
- Subjects
- *
SARCOMA , *CANCER treatment , *HEALTH policy , *MEDICAL quality control , *CLINICAL trials , *MEDICAL specialties & specialists , *MEDICAL care laws , *MEDICAL care standards , *COMPARATIVE studies , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICAL cooperation , *RESEARCH , *EVALUATION research - Abstract
Background: The Sarcoma Policy Checklist was created by a multidisciplinary expert group to provide policymakers with priority areas to improve care for sarcoma patients.Main Body: This paper draws on this research, by looking more closely at how France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom are addressing each of these priority areas. It aims to highlight key gaps in research, policy and practice, as well as ongoing initiatives that may impact the future care of sarcoma patients in different European countries. A pragmatic review of the published and web-based literature was undertaken. Telephone interviews were conducted in each country with clinical and patient experts to substantiate findings. Research findings were discussed within the expert group and developed into five core policy recommendations. The five identified priority areas were: the development of designated and accredited centres of reference; more professional training; multidisciplinary care; greater incentives for research and innovation; and more rapid access to effective treatments. Most of the countries studied have ongoing initiatives addressing many of these priorities; however, many are in early stages of development, or require additional funding and resources.Conclusion: Gaps in access to quality care are particularly concerning in many of Europe's lower-resourced countries. Equitable access to information, clinical trials, innovative treatments and quality specialist care should be available to all sarcoma patients. Achieving this across Europe will require close collaboration between all stakeholders at both the national and European level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
21. Regression Discontinuity Designs Based on Population Thresholds: Pitfalls and Solutions.
- Author
-
Eggers, Andrew C., Freier, Ronny, Grembi, Veronica, and Nannicini, Tommaso
- Subjects
- *
REGRESSION discontinuity design , *POPULATION research , *MUNICIPAL government , *POPULATION - Abstract
Abstract: In many countries, important features of municipal government (such as the electoral system, mayors' salaries, and the number of councillors) depend on whether the municipality is above or below arbitrary population thresholds. Several papers have used a regression discontinuity design (RDD) to measure the effects of these threshold‐based policies on political and economic outcomes. Using evidence from France, Germany, and Italy, we highlight two common pitfalls that arise in exploiting population‐based policies (compound treatment and sorting), and we provide guidance for detecting and addressing these pitfalls. Even when these problems are present, population‐threshold RDD may be the best available research design for studying the effects of certain policies and political institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2018
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
22. Non-communicable diseases: mapping research funding organisations, funding mechanisms and research practices in Italy and Germany.
- Author
-
Stephani, Victor, Sommariva, Silvia, Spranger, Anne, and Ciani, Oriana
- Subjects
- *
NON-communicable diseases , *FINANCE , *MEDICAL research , *GOVERNMENT aid to research , *PUBLIC health - Abstract
Background: Evidence shows that territorial borders continue to have an impact on research collaboration in Europe. Knowledge of national research structural contexts is therefore crucial to the promotion of Europe-wide policies for research funding. Nevertheless, studies assessing and comparing research systems remain scarce. This paper aims to further the knowledge on national research landscapes in Europe, focusing on non-communicable disease (NCD) research in Italy and Germany.Methods: To capture the architecture of country-specific research funding systems, a three-fold strategy was adopted. First, a literature review was conducted to determine a list of key public, voluntary/private non-profit and commercial research funding organisations (RFOs). Second, an electronic survey was administered qualifying RFOs. Finally, survey results were integrated with semi-structured interviews with key opinion leaders in NCD research. Three major dimensions of interest were investigated - funding mechanisms, funding patterns and expectations regarding outputs.Results: The number of RFOs in Italy is four times larger than that in Germany and the Italian research system has more project funding instruments than the German system. Regarding the funding patterns towards NCD areas, in both countries, respiratory disease research resulted as the lowest funded, whereas cancer research was the target of most funding streams. The most reported expected outputs of funded research activity were scholarly publication of articles and reports.Conclusions: This cross-country comparison on the Italian and German research funding structures revealed substantial differences between the two systems. The current system is prone to duplicated research efforts, popular funding for some diseases and intransparency of research results. Future research will require addressing the need for better coordination of research funding efforts, even more so if European research efforts are to play a greater role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2017
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
23. Quality palliative care for cancer and dementia in five European countries: some common challenges.
- Author
-
Davies, Nathan, Maio, Laura, Paap, Jasper van Riet, Mariani, Elena, Jaspers, Birgit, Sommerbakk, Ragni, Grammatico, Daniela, Manthorpe, Jill, Ahmedzai, Sam, Vernooij-Dassen, Myrra, and Iliffe, Steve
- Subjects
- *
TREATMENT of dementia , *TUMOR treatment , *CANCER patients , *FOCUS groups , *INTERVIEWING , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICAL quality control , *NURSES , *PALLIATIVE treatment , *PSYCHOLOGISTS , *RESEARCH funding , *STATISTICAL sampling , *SOCIAL workers , *QUALITATIVE research , *JUDGMENT sampling , *THEMATIC analysis - Abstract
Objectives: There is a growing consensus worldwide that palliative care needs to be both more inclusive of conditions other than cancer and to improve. This paper explores some common challenges currently faced by professionals providing palliative care for patients with either cancer or dementia across five countries. Method: One focus group (n = 7) and 67 interviews were conducted in 2012 across five countries: England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway, with professionals from dementia, cancer and palliative care settings. Results: The interviews revealed five common challenges faced across the five countries: communication difficulties (between services; and between professionals, and patients and their families); the variable extent of structural/functional integration of services; the difficulties in funding of palliative care services; problematic processes of care (boundaries, definitions, knowledge, skills and inclusiveness) and, finally, time constraints. Conclusion: These are not problems distinct to palliative care, but they may have different origins and explanations compared to other areas of health care. This paper explored deeper themes hidden behind a discourse about barriers and facilitators to improving care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
24. Scientific Publications on Primary Biliary Cirrhosis from 2000 through 2010: An 11-Year Survey of the Literature.
- Author
-
Baodong Qin, Yan Liang, Zaixing Yang, and Renqian Zhong
- Subjects
- *
CIRRHOSIS of the liver , *LIVER diseases , *SURVEYS , *MEDICAL literature , *OBSTRUCTIVE jaundice , *CHOLESTASIS - Abstract
Background: Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) is a chronic liver disease characterized by intrahepatic bile-duct destruction, cholestasis, and fibrosis. It can lead to cirrhosis and eventually liver failure. PBC also shows some regional differences with respect to incidence and prevalence that are becoming more pronounced each year. Recently, researchers have paid more attention to PBC. To evaluate the development of PBC research during the past 11 years, we determined the quantity and quality of articles on this subject. We also compared the contributions of scientists from the US, UK, Japan, Italy, Germany, and China. Methods: The English-language papers covering PBC published in journals from 2000 through 2010 were retrieved from the PubMed database. We recorded the number of papers published each year, analyzed the publication type, and calculated the accumulated, average impact factors (IFs) and citations from every country. The quantity and quality of articles on PBC were compared by country. We also contrasted the level of PBC research in China and other countries. Results: The total number of articles did not significantly increase during the past 11 years. The number of articles from the US exceeded those from any other country; the publications from the US also had the highest IFs and the most citations. Four other countries showed complex trends with respect to the quantity and quality of articles about PBC. Conclusion: The researchers from the US have contributed the most to the development of PBC research. They currently represent the highest level of research. Some high-level studies, such as RCTs, meta-analyses, and in-depth basic studies should be launched. The gap between China and the advanced level is still enormous. Chinese investigators still have a long way to go. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
25. A IX E F: Symbols in the everyday life of the city.
- Author
-
Jackson, Norman and Carter, Pippa
- Subjects
- *
FASCISM & art , *CITIES & towns , *TOLERATION , *ANTIQUITIES - Abstract
This paper reflects on the significations of the 'mental life' of the city that are represented by the material symbols on display. In trying to comprehend the public display of fascist era 'art' in the city of Trieste, it addresses an example of trying to make sense of the 'impossible'. Reassured of the contested nature of such displays, the paper reflects further on the power of symbols in fascism and how different countries have addressed their legacy. Confirmed of their danger, we examine the risk of leaving their significance unanalysed and contextualise this in a comparison of the respective approaches of Italy and of Germany. We also consider the potential impacts of toleration, and normalisation, of such artefacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2010
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
26. The Knowledge Based Agricultural Bioeconomy: A Bibliometric Network Analysis.
- Author
-
Papadopoulou, Christina-Ioanna, Loizou, Efstratios, Melfou, Katerina, and Chatzitheodoridis, Fotios
- Subjects
- *
ENERGY consumption , *BIBLIOMETRICS , *SCIENTIFIC literature , *AGRICULTURAL development , *CLIMATE change , *SUSTAINABILITY - Abstract
The last ten years have witnessed an increase in publications focusing on bioeconomy as a proposal to confront the global challenges of climate change, depletion of non-renewable resources and ecosystem degradation. This paper investigates the scientific literature on issues related agricultural bioeconomy by applying a bibliometric network analysis. Bibliometric analysis is applied to the publications of the Scopus database during the period 2010–2020 in order to provide an overview of the main aspects that characterize agricultural bioeconomy. The results showed that out of a total of 1100 scientific papers, only 2.45% were published in 2010, while the corresponding share in 2020 was 20.81%. In the five years of 2016–2020, cumulatively, 70.63% of the publications were made, showing the dynamic evolution of bioeconomy. In addition, out of 85 countries in total, Germany and Italy are the two countries with most publications, while the fragmentation of research is evident with the creation of two main nodes, the European and the American. Moreover, keyword analysis showed that biomass and sustainability are two main recurring concepts, confirming that, currently, bioeconomy operates at three different levels: energy demand, land demand, and governance. It is apparent that to boost the development of agricultural bioeconomy, the following aspects should be assessed: the effective use of resources, an understanding of the key drivers of agricultural bioeconomy, and a clear perception of their associations. There is still no consensus as to which are the key factors that will accelerate its sustainable development. Our pursuit is to use the tools of bibliometric analysis to reach more critical conclusions regarding the agricultural bioeconomy, rather than approach it in a static way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
27. Management of natural hazards in Europe: The role of spatial planning in selected EU member states.
- Author
-
Greiving, Stefan, Fleischhauer, Mark, and Wanczura, Sylvia
- Subjects
- *
DISASTERS , *RISK assessment , *RISK management in business , *RESEARCH , *MANAGEMENT - Abstract
This paper presents the results of an assessment made as a part of the research project, Applied Multi-Risk Mapping of Natural Hazards for Impact Assessment (ARMONIA). The aim was to identify which aspects in the so-called disaster management cycle are covered by spatial planning in planning practice in the European Union's member states of Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Spain and the UK. In contrast to the initial hypothesis, the analysis of planning practice has shown that the role of spatial planning in risk assessment and management in many ways has been overestimated. The results have shown that spatial planning is only one of many actors in risk management and that it is, in general, not involved in risk assessment. Further, multi-risk assessment approaches are not used in planning practice, risk indicators are hardly used and vulnerability indicators are not at all used. The paper will interpret these surprising results and will answer the question of the role of spatial planning in natural risk assessment and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
28. In Fear of International Law.
- Author
-
Shearer, Ivan
- Subjects
- *
INTERNATIONAL law , *FEDERAL government - Abstract
The thesis of this paper is that governments of some otherwise enlightened states are increasingly fearful of acknowledging the restraints imposed on them by existing international law. They are also reluctant to enter into new commitments by way of international conventions that would expand the reach of international law. The paper asks whether these fears are based on a true understanding of international law or on some distorted view of it. It will draw comparisons and some contrasts between Australia and the United States in their reactions to a number of recent events as well as to some enduring situations of contemporary relevance. Had time (and the limits of my research) permitted, one might also have examined public attitudes toward international law in China, Japan, and Russia in this context, where similar fears appear to be entertained. France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom, also enlightened states, appear by contrast to belong to a group more dedicated to international law. As Robert Kagan has recently remarked, the experience of two world wars at close quarters, and the formation of the European Union, have made the European countries more dedicated to process, where the United States is more interested in results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2005
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
29. Different Pathways out of the Parental Home: A Comparison of West Germany and Italy.
- Author
-
Rusconi, Alessandra
- Subjects
- *
FAMILY studies , *MARRIAGE , *HOME (The concept) , *FAMILY research , *MARITAL adjustment - Abstract
This paper examines the departure from parental home in two European countries: Italy and West Germany. A common trend toward longer education and marriage delay has had, in the two societies, different residential outcomes. Cohort comparisons indicate that two different pathways out of the parental home emerged: Italians wait for marriage, while Germans increasingly depart for premarital independence. In this paper, the author argues that the timing of and the reasons for leaving home differ according to the resources available, but relate also to the existing cultural values and institutional contexts. Moreover, this paper also points out some important within-country differences, above all gender and regional variation.
- Published
- 2004
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
30. Strategies for a risky business: How drug dealers manage customers, suppliers and competitors in Italy, Slovenia and Germany.
- Author
-
Tzvetkova, Marina, Pardal, Mafalda, Disley, Emma, Rena, Alice, Talic, Sanela, and Forberger, Sarah
- Subjects
- *
DRUG dealers , *RISK management in business , *BUSINESS planning , *DRUG supply & demand , *DRUG traffic , *ECONOMIC impact of crime , *BUSINESS , *COCAINE , *COMPARATIVE studies , *COMPETITION (Psychology) , *CONFLICT (Psychology) , *CRIMINALS , *ECONOMICS , *HEROIN , *INTERPERSONAL relations , *INTERVIEWING , *RESEARCH methodology , *MEDICAL cooperation , *RESEARCH , *TRUST , *EVALUATION research , *ORGANIZATIONAL goals ,BUSINESS & economics - Abstract
Background: A growing body of literature aims to improve understanding of the operations of drug trafficking markets through conducting interviews with dealers and traffickers. Insight into how these individuals conduct business can provide evidence to inform the efforts by policy makers, law enforcement and practitioners to disrupt illicit markets. This paper aims to make a contribution to this evidence base by extending the number of European countries in which interviews have been conducted with incarcerated drug dealers and traffickers.Methods: It draws on interviews with 135 men convicted of offences related to the distribution or sale of heroin or cocaine and imprisoned in Italy, Slovenia and Germany. The research was conducted as part of the Reframing Addictions Project (ALICE-RAP) funded by the European Commission. The sample was diverse. It included a range of nationalities and some individuals who were members of organised crime groups. The majority of the interviewees were dealers who sold at the retail and street level, but there were some who were importers and wholesalers.Findings: Most dealers in each of the three countries reported having more than one regular supplier, and were able to respond to periods of over and under supply without losing customers. Supply arrangements varied in terms of frequency and quantities bought. Dealers engaged in repeated transactions and their relationships with customers were based on trust and reputation. Dealers aimed to sell to regular customers and to provide drugs of good quality. While dealers sought to maximise their profits by cutting drugs with cutting agents, the quality of drugs that they sold could affect their reputation and thus their profits and position in the market. Lastly, while there are some significant differences in the approach between those involved in organised crime groups and those who are not, and between street dealers and those operating at higher levels of the market, there were striking similarities in terms of the day-to-day operational concerns and modes of relationship management.Conclusions: Interviewees' arrangements for securing supplies of drugs provide support to the notion that drug markets are resilient and flexible. Our findings correspond with other empirical research in relation to the centrality of trust in the practical operation of supply and sale of drugs. The research highlights some differences, but important similarities between dealers who were part of organised crime groups and those who were not; dealers all faced some common challenges and adopted some common responses to these. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
31. Domestic preferences and European banking supervision: Germany, Italy and the Single Supervisory Mechanism.
- Author
-
Lombardi, Domenico and Moschella, Manuela
- Subjects
- *
BANKING industry , *INSTITUTIONAL environment , *MONETARY policy , *FREE trade - Abstract
What explains regulators’ preferences concerning the Single Supervisory Mechanism (SSM)? The paper answers this question by providing an alternative account of the creation of the SSM using an institutionalist perspective. It is argued that the creation of the SSM does not simply reflect the material interests of governments and domestic financial firms, but that regulators’ positions were also significantly affected by the institutional environment in which they operated. Two characteristics of domestic supervisory governance are identified: the institutional responsibilities of banking regulators (microprudential and/or macroprudential) and the fragmentation of supervisory and monetary policies. The empirical analysis demonstrates the relevance of these factors for shaping regulators’ preferences both within and across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
32. How can interleukin‐I antagonists be developed to treat skin diseases?
- Subjects
- *
CELL receptors , *LEUCOCYTES , *SKIN diseases , *SINGLE molecules , *SKIN inflammation - Abstract
Linked Article: Calabrese et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:925–941. The interleukin‐1 (IL‐1) family are a group of chemicals called cytokines that form part of our immune system. Unfortunately, the body may start to use these cytokines inappropriately (dysregulation), and they may stimulate certain white blood cells (neutrophils) to increase in number causing inflammation without an infectious trigger. In this paper, the authors from Italy and Germany review the role of the different members of the IL‐1 family in inflammatory skin disorders and the progress being made to develop antibody treatments aiming to reverse their effects. Interleukin‐1 antagonists such as anakinra and canakinumab have already proved useful in the treatment of disorders directly related to neutrophil proliferation, but there is evidence that this group of drugs may also be beneficial in commoner disorders such as psoriasis and atopic eczema. Sometimes a drug that blocks a single cytokine molecule may have limited effect. Laboratory studies suggest that agents that block receptors on the cell surface membrane may be more effective at reducing skin inflammation caused by several IL‐1 subsets. One promising target is IL‐1 receptor accessory protein (IL‐1R3). The authors stress the need for drugs that target the harmful effects of the IL‐1 family at several levels. Linked Article: Calabrese et al. Br J Dermatol 2022; 186:925–941. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
33. Stop and Fricative Devoicing in European Portuguese, Italian and German.
- Author
-
Pape, Daniel and Jesus, Luis MT
- Subjects
- *
CONSONANTS , *DIALECTS , *ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAPHY , *LINGUISTICS , *PHONETICS , *PROBABILITY theory , *RESEARCH funding , *SPEECH evaluation , *TRANSDUCERS , *VOWELS , *DESCRIPTIVE statistics ,PHYSIOLOGICAL aspects of speech - Abstract
This paper describes a cross-linguistic production study of devoicing for European Portuguese (EP), Italian, and German. We recorded all stops and fricatives in four vowel contexts and two word positions. We computed the devoicing of the time-varying patterns throughout the stop and fricative duration. Our results show that regarding devoicing behaviour, EP is more similar to German than Italian. While Italian shows almost no devoicing of all phonologically voiced consonants, both EP and German show strong and consistent devoicing through the entire consonant. Differences in consonant position showed no effect for EP and Italian, but were significantly different for German. The height of the vowel context had an effect for German and EP. For EP, we showed that a more posterior place of articulation and low vowel context lead to significantly more devoicing. However, in contrast to German, we could not find an influence of consonant position on devoicing. The high devoicing for all phonologically voiced stops and fricatives and the vowel context influence are a surprising new result. With respect to voicing maintenance, EP is more like German than other Romance languages. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2015
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
34. The impending globalization of ADHD: Notes on the expansion and growth of a medicalized disorder.
- Author
-
Conrad, Peter and Bergey, Meredith R.
- Subjects
- *
PSYCHIATRIC diagnosis , *ATTENTION-deficit hyperactivity disorder , *WORLD health - Abstract
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) has been medicalized in the United States since the 1960s. Primarily used in North America until the 1990s, ADHD diagnosis and treatment have increasingly been applied internationally. After documenting the expansion of ADHD in a global context, this paper presents five brief international examples examining ADHD usage and expansion: the United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy and Brazil. We then identify and describe several vehicles that facilitate the migration of the ADHD diagnosis: the transnational pharmaceutical industry; the influence of western psychiatry; moving from ICD to DSM diagnostic criteria; the role of the Internet including the related advent of easily accessible online screening checklists; and advocacy groups. Finally, we discuss what this globalization of a diagnosis reflects about the potential global medicalization of other conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
35. Work restrictions experienced by midlife family care-givers of older people: evidence from six European countries.
- Author
-
PRINCIPI, ANDREA, LAMURA, GIOVANNI, SIROLLA, CRISTINA, MESTHENEOS, LIZ, BIEŃ, BARBARA, BROWN, JAYNE, KREVERS, BARBRO, MELCHIORRE, MARIA GABRIELLA, and DÖHNER, HANNELI
- Subjects
- *
EMPLOYMENT , *ELDER care , *PSYCHOLOGY of caregivers , *COMPARATIVE studies , *CONCEPTUAL structures , *FAMILIES , *GOODNESS-of-fit tests , *INTERVIEWING , *MULTIVARIATE analysis , *PROFESSIONAL employee training , *SEX distribution , *SURVEYS , *EMPLOYEES' workload , *SAMPLE size (Statistics) , *MULTIPLE regression analysis , *CROSS-sectional method , *DATA analysis software , *PSYCHOLOGY - Abstract
This paper examines differences in work restrictions of midlife family carers of older people in terms of prevalence, gender and explanatory variables, in six European countries: Germany, Greece, Italy, Poland, Sweden and the United Kingdom. A sample of 2,897 carers aged 45–64 was extracted from the EUROFAMCARE (Services for Supporting Family Carers of Older People in Europe: Characteristics, Coverage and Usage) European project database, in order to analyse four possible work restrictions experienced in connection with the activity of care-giving: the reduction of working hours; giving up working; difficulties in career developments and forced occasional work. The results show that work restrictions are experienced differently between countries especially by women: they are reported to a higher degree in the United Kingdom, Germany and Greece, less so in Italy, and seldom in Poland and Sweden. Gender differences within countries are not so marked. Country differences are explained in the light of the different welfare regimes characterising the countries under investigation, in order to elucidate how policy makers may act to improve working carers' conditions through appropriate policies. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]
- Published
- 2014
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
36. Service robots in elderly care at home: Users' needs and perceptions as a basis for concept development.
- Author
-
Pigini, Lucia, Facal, David, Blasi, Lorenzo, and Andrich, Renzo
- Subjects
- *
FOCUS groups , *FRAIL elderly , *RESEARCH methodology , *NEEDS assessment , *QUALITY of life , *QUESTIONNAIRES , *ROBOTICS , *SCALE analysis (Psychology) , *SURVEYS , *PRODUCT design , *ACTIVITIES of daily living , *ASSISTIVE technology , *INDEPENDENT living , *DATA analysis software - Abstract
Background: Service robots may offer an innovative assistive solution to improve the quality of life of frail elderly people, by assisting them in specific situations identified as relevant to maintain independence. Objective: This paper describes the results of a qualitative and quantitative research based on a user-centered methodology carried out within the EU-funded project "Multi-Role Shadow Robotic System for Independent Living" (SRS), aiming to generate user requirements and realistic usage scenarios maximizing the alignment with users' needs, perceptions, feelings and rights. Methods: A qualitative and quantitative research - based on focus groups (59 participants) and questionnaires (129 respondents) - was carried out in three countries: Italy, Spain and Germany. The survey involved prospective end-users (elderly people and family members who care for them), caregivers, and geriatric experts. Results: Results show that despite elderly people encounter difficulties in many activities of daily life, a semi-autonomous remotely-controlled and self-learning service robot has been judged an interesting solution only in some circumstances. Monitoring and managing emergency situations, helping with reaching, fetching and carrying objects that are too heavy or positioned in unreachable places: these are tasks for which robotic support has been widely accepted, while tasks involving direct physical contact between the person and the robot are not appreciated instead. Relatives of the elderly could act as remote operators; however, family psychological burden and time restrictions should be considered too. Conclusions: A tele-operated robotic system may be of help for frail elderly people. In certain cases this solution may be effective only in conjunction with a 24-hour professional Service Centre able to manage tele-operation when relatives are not available. This survey adds further tokens of knowledge to previous literature studies on this subject; it compares the potential users' and the professionals' views; it helps identifying potentially successful applications of tele-operated robots in the care of elderly people living at home. The results obtained by the present study, generated specific requirements and the first versions of concrete usage scenarios, enabling designers and technologists to start with a first development phase of the SRS concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
37. Potentials of quantitative and qualitative approaches to assessing ecosystem services
- Author
-
Busch, Malte, La Notte, Alessandra, Laporte, Valérie, and Erhard, Markus
- Subjects
- *
ECOSYSTEM services , *QUANTITATIVE research , *COMPARATIVE studies , *STATISTICAL correlation , *DECISION making , *ECOLOGY methodology - Abstract
Abstract: Quantitative and qualitative approaches to assessing and valuing ecosystem services have been compared using case studies from Italy and Germany. This paper describes and analyzes two different methods of applying an ecosystem service approach and discusses their relative strengths, shortcomings and peculiarities. This allows the conditions to be identified that best support the application of one or other of these methods. Suggestions are offered on how to integrate both methodologies in order to improve the implementation of an ecosystem service approach in decision-making processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
38. News: Geomechanics and Tunnelling 2/2012.
- Subjects
- *
CONTRACTS , *UNDERGROUND construction - Abstract
Contract to close gap in the U5 in Berlin awarded to Bilfinger Berger / Lückenschluss U5 in Berlin an Bilfinger Berger vergeben Award worth billions for Strabag in Italy / Milliarden-Auftrag für die Strabag in Italien New Metro Line 2 in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam / Neubau Metrolinie 2 in Ho-Chi-Minh-City, Vietnam Breakthrough in the Saxener Tunnel / Durchbruch im Saxenertunnel Breakthrough in the Fleckberg Tunnel / Durchschlag für im Tunnel Fleckberg Tunnelling completed in Tunnel System Number Three / Vortriebe im Tunnelsystem Nummer Drei abgeschlossen Refurbishment of the Niklasdorf Tunnel / Sanierung des Niklasdorftunnels Engelberg Base Tunnel - Investigation drilling ahead of tunnel refurbishment / Engelbergbasistunnel - Erkundungsbohrungen im Vorfeld der Tunnelsanierung First Crossrail TBM ready for tunnelling / Erste Crossrail-TBM bereit für den Vortrieb Putzmeister and Sany to merge / Putzmeister und Sany schließen sich zusammen Call for papers - Themes for the next issues of Geomechanics and Tunnelling / Themen für die nächsten Ausgaben der 'Geomechanics and Tunnelling' FSV bulletin for the determination of project costs / FSV-Merkblatt zur Ermittlung von Projektkosten Robbins Opens New Subsidiary in South America / Robbins eröffnet neue Niederlassung in Südamerika [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2012
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
39. German and Italian modal particles and clause structure.
- Author
-
Cardinaletti, Anna
- Subjects
- *
MODALITY (Linguistics) , *PARTICLES (Grammar) , *ADVERBS (Grammar) , *VERBS - Abstract
In this paper, I analyse German and Italian modal particles and argue that they are deficient (i.e., weak) adverbs merged with dedicated functional constituents of the Mood/Mod field. I also show that sentence-initial and sentence-final particles are not one and the same element. In particular, sentence-final particles are not (functional) heads in the left-periphery of the clause and cannot be derived by movement of their complement to their specifier. They are instead merged with functional constituents of the IP-internal Mood/Mod field, like sentence-internal particles, and their final position is derived by remnant movement of what follows the particle to a specifier higher than the particle, similarly to what happens with right-dislocated constituents. Verb-based particles are also briefly discussed. In their sentence-final use, they are shown to have the same syntax as adverb-based particles; in their sentence-initial use, they are instead merged in the CP layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
40. The hub continent. Immigrant networks, emigrant diasporas and FDI
- Author
-
Flisi, Sara and Murat, Marina
- Subjects
- *
FOREIGN investments , *IMMIGRANTS , *DIASPORA - Abstract
Abstract: This paper studies the relations between bilateral FDIs and immigrant networks of France, Germany, UK, Italy and Spain, and the emigrant diasporas of Italy and Spain. It focuses on skilled and unskilled immigrants and on ties with developing and developed countries. Results evidence two different network models: FDIs of UK, Germany and France are prompted by the ties of skilled immigrants, while those of Italy and Spain are only influenced by their respective diasporas. The disparity may stem from history. Differently from the findings of previous literature, the effects of networks with developing countries are similar to those with rich economies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
41. News: Geomechanics and Tunnelling 3/2011.
- Subjects
- *
TUNNEL design & construction , *RAILROAD design & construction , *ARCHAEOLOGICAL excavations , *BORING machinery , *CENTRAL business districts , *ELECTRIC motors ,GALLERIA di base del Brennero (Fortezza, Italy & Innsbruck, Austria) ,THAMES Tunnel (London, England) - Abstract
Start of the main construction phase of the Brenner Base Tunnel / Startschuss für die Hauptbauphase des Brenner Basistunnels Construction and finance contract for the new trunk line in Munich / Bau- und Finanzierungsvertrag für die neue Stammstrecke in München Crossrail awards remaining tunnelling contracts / Crossrail vergibt ausstehende Tunnelbau-Lose Aker Wirth to build two telescopic shield machines for the Koralm Tunnel / Aker Wirth baut zwei Teleskopschildmaschinen für den Koralmtunnel Contract for the operational ventilation of the Gotthard Base Tunnel awarded / Werkvertrag für Betriebslüftung des Gotthard-Basistunnels vergeben Investigation tunnel for the Garmisch-Partenkirchen bypass / Erkundungsstollen für die Umgehung von Garmisch-Partenkirchen Call for papers - Themes for the next issues of Geomechanics and Tunnelling / Themen für die nächsten Ausgaben der 'Geomechanics and Tunnelling' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2011
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
42. Comparing air quality in Italy, Germany and Poland using BC indexes
- Author
-
Bodnar, Olha, Cameletti, Michela, Fassò, Alessandro, and Schmid, Wolfgang
- Subjects
- *
AIR pollution measurement , *AIR quality indexes , *HEALTH risk assessment , *SCIENTIFIC method , *MULTIPLE comparisons (Statistics) , *AIR quality , *INTERNATIONAL cooperation - Abstract
In this paper we discuss air quality assessment in three Italian, German and Polish regions using the index methodology proposed by Bruno and Cocchi. This analysis focuses first of all on the air quality in each of the considered countries, and then adopts a more general approach in order to compare pollution severity and toxicity. In this context, air quality indexes are a powerful data-driven tool since they are easily calculated and summarize a complex phenomenon, such as air pollution, in indicators which are immediately understandable. The use of a unique index should be encouraged in a global European perspective where all countries are commonly involved in assessing air quality and taking proper measures for improving it. In particular, the main objective of this work is to evaluate the index performances in distinguishing different health risk related air pollution patterns. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
43. Matching and Making Labour Demand and Supply: Agents in Polish Migrant Networks of Domestic Elderly Care in Germany and Italy.
- Author
-
Elrick, Tim and Lewandowska, Emilia
- Subjects
- *
EMIGRATION & immigration , *LABOR market , *POLISH people , *ELDER care - Abstract
This paper explores the role of agents in migrant networks in the domestic elderly care sector. It is based on a study of female migrants from Poland who work in the sector in Germany and Italy. Using evidence gathered from qualitative interviews, we illustrate the importance of ties other than friends, families and communities in the migration process, including actors such as employers and recruitment agents. We also show that agents—in contrast to intermediaries—are significant actors in migrant networks and can be regarded as perpetuators of migration within these networks. Furthermore, we conclude that the role of agents in migrant networks has been underestimated. Rather than simply helping to match labour supply with labour demand, agents appear to offer migrants social and emotional support as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
44. The potential for aeration of MSW landfills to accelerate completion
- Author
-
Rich, Charlotte, Gronow, Jan, and Voulvoulis, Nikolaos
- Subjects
- *
SEWAGE aeration , *LANDFILLS , *RISK assessment , *PUBLIC health - Abstract
Landfilling is a popular waste disposal method, but, as it is practised currently, it is fundamentally unsustainable. The low short-term financial costs belie the potential long-term environmental costs, and traditional landfill sites require long-term management in order to mitigate any possible environmental damage. Old landfill sites might require aftercare for decades or even centuries, and in some cases remediation may be necessary. Biological stabilisation of a landfill is the key issue; completion criteria provide a yardstick by which the success of any new technology may be measured. In order for a site to achieve completion it must pose no risk to human health or the environment, meaning that attenuation of any emissions from the site must occur within the local environment without causing harm. Remediation of old landfill sites by aerating the waste has been undertaken in Germany, the United States, Italy and The Netherlands, with considerable success. At a pilot scale, aeration has also been used in newly emplaced waste to accelerate stabilisation. This paper reviews the use of aerobic landfill worldwide, and assesses the ways in which the use of aerobic landfill techniques can decrease the risks associated with current landfill practices, making landfill a more sustainable waste disposal option. It focuses on assessing ways to utilise aeration to enhance stabilisation. The results demonstrated that aeration of old landfill sites may be an efficient and cost-effective method of remediation and allow the date of completion to be brought forward by decades. Similarly, aeration of newly emplaced waste can be effective in enhancing degradation, assisting with completion and reducing environmental risks. However, further research is required to establish what procedure for adding air to a landfill would be most suitable for the UK and to investigate new risks that may arise, such as the possible emission of non-methane organic compounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
45. A New Design for JT-6OSA Toroidal Field Coils Conductor and Joints.
- Author
-
Zani, L., Pizzuto, A., Semeraro, L., Ciazynski, D., Cucchiaro, A., Decool, P., della Corte, A., Di Zenobio, A., Dolgetta, N., Duchateau, J.-l., Hertout, P., Kikuchi, M., Lacroix, B., Molinie, F., Muzzi, L., Nicollet, S., Petrizzi, L., Portafaix, C., Ramogida, G., and Roccella, S.
- Subjects
- *
MANUFACTURED products , *BUSINESS logistics , *INDUSTRIAL management , *MARITIME shipping , *FREIGHT & freightage - Abstract
The upgrade of JT-60U to JT-60 Super Advanced (JT-60SA), a fully superconducting tokamak, will be performed in the framework of the Broader Approach (BA) agreement between Europe (EU) and Japan. In particular, the Toroidal Field (TF) system, which includes 18 coils, is foreseen to be procured by France, Italy and Germany. This work covers activities from design and manufacturing to shipping to Japan. The present paper is mainly devoted to the analyses that lead to the conductor design and to the technical specifications of the joints for the JT-60SA TF coils. The conductor geometry is described, which is derived from Cable-In-Conduit concept and adapted to the actual JT-60SA tokamak operating conditions, principally the ITER-like scenario. The reported simulations and calculations are particularly dealing with the stability analysis and the power deposition during normal and off-normal conditions (AC losses, nuclear heating). The final conductor solution was selected through a trade-off between scientific approach and industrial technical orientation. Besides, the TF system connections layout is shown, derived from the industrially assessed twin-box concept, together with the associated thermo-hydraulic calculations ensuring a proper temperature margin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2008
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
46. Effects of productivity on species–area curves in herbaceous vegetation: evidence from experimental and observational data.
- Author
-
Chiarucci, Alessandro, Viciani, Daniele, Winter, Christina, and Diekmann, Martin
- Subjects
- *
SOIL productivity , *PLANT-soil relationships , *PLANT communities , *PLANT species , *PLANT classification , *HABITATS , *BIOTIC communities - Abstract
The effects of productivity on the parameters of the species–area curve were investigated in this paper using two data sets on terrestrial plant communities: (1) one including 48 plots in 12 experimental sites on ploughed, formerly cultivated fields in the Siena region, Italy, and (2) one including 40 plots in hay meadows in the Bremen region, Germany. In both regions, species presence of vascular plants was recorded in nested plots ranging in size from 0.004 to 256 m2 and 0.001 to 1000 m2, respectively. Productivity was estimated as dry standing biomass. In the Siena data set, species richness showed a humped-back relation to biomass in the plot sizes up to 1 m2. For the larger plot sizes, no significant correlations were found. In the Bremen data set, positive relation between species number and biomass was observed at the smallest spatial scale (0.001 m2), whereas the relation disappeared or tended to be negative for the larger plot sizes. In general, the slopes z of the log species–log area curves (SAC) were negatively related to biomass in both data sets, while the intercept c increased with biomass in the Siena data set and was unrelated to biomass in the Bremen data set. The relationship between c and z was negative in the Siena data set and positive in the Bremen data set. The above results differed somewhat depending on which plot sizes were considered for the calculation of the SAC. Literature data confirmed that there are no clear patterns in the inter-correlations between productivity, small scale and large scale species richness. Sites differing in productivity and in the slopes and intercepts of SAC may thus give rise to different species richness–productivity relationships. There can be one possible relation between species richness and biomass at one spatial scale (e.g. humped-back) and another type of relation, even opposite, at another spatial scale. This suggests that the properties of species–area curves do not respond in a uniform way to the changes in productivity, but depend on the type of habitat or plant community and its particular properties. The parameter of the SAC can then hardly be used as scale-independent parameter to investigate the effects of ecological factors, such as productivity, on species richness. The lack of clear patterns in the relations between small scale and large scale species richness implies that the predictions of the species-pool hypothesis may fail when applied to plot sizes as dealt with in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
47. Migration Policies and Political Cultures in Europe: A Changing Trend*.
- Author
-
Melotti, Umberto
- Subjects
- *
EMIGRATION & immigration , *POLITICAL culture , *GOVERNMENT policy - Abstract
This paper discusses the relationships between the migratory policies of the EU countries with more experience of immigration and their national political cultures. It focuses on France, Germany and the United Kingdom. It then looks at Italy, a relatively new country of immigration, which, with 3,000,000 legal immigrants, has become the fourth country of immigration in Europe and the first in the Mediterranean basin. In its final part it highlights the incipient process of 'communitarisation' of the immigration policies of EU countries in the last decade. This process, which has already entailed a significant convergence of their migratory policies, is expected to continue after the recent enlargement of the European Union. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
48. The Contribution of Energy Communities to the Upscaling of Photovoltaics in Germany and Italy.
- Author
-
Wierling, August, Zeiss, Jan Pedro, Lupi, Veronica, Candelise, Chiara, Sciullo, Alessandro, Schwanitz, Valeria Jana, and Dias, Bruno Henriques
- Subjects
- *
PHOTOVOLTAIC power generation , *ECONOMIC indicators , *COMMUNITIES , *RENEWABLE energy transition (Government policy) , *MARKET prices - Abstract
Energy communities (EC) are among the new actors in the energy market, playing an important role in the uptake of photovoltaics (PV) in European markets. This paper estimates their aggregate contribution to the low-carbon energy transition in terms of installed capacities for PV and evaluates their economic performance comparing with market prices. We compiled a database of PV facilities with 3672 entries for Germany and 64 entries for Italy. Our statistical analysis does not support an economic under-performance of EC. The aggregate contribution of EC currently amounts to 600–838 MWp installed capacity in Germany and 10.6 MWp installed capacity in Italy, which makes 1.2–1.7% and 0.07% of all PV installations in Germany and Italy, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
49. Cost Benefit and Risk Analysis of Low iLUC Bioenergy Production in Europe Using Monte Carlo Simulation.
- Author
-
L., Traverso, E., Mazzoli, C., Miller, G., Pulighe, C., Perelli, M. M., Morese, G., Branca, and Beach, Robert H.
- Subjects
- *
MONTE Carlo method , *COST effectiveness , *RISK assessment , *GIANT reed , *INDIVIDUAL investors - Abstract
Extensive surfaces of land are currently under-utilized, marginal and/or contaminated (MUC) in many EU and neighbouring countries. In the past few years, scientific research has demonstrated that bioenergy crops can potentially render this land profitable, generating income for the local populations and, at the same time, reaching the goals of the new Renewable Energy Directive (REDII) without interfering with food production. The main purpose of this paper is to measure net economic returns by computing benefits and costs of low indirect Land Use Change (iLUC) biofuel production on MUC land from the perspective of both the private investors and social welfare. A standard cost-benefit technique was applied to analyse and compare net returns of different advanced bioenergy value-chains in monetary terms. Productivity, economic feasibility and green-house gas (GHG) emissions impact were assessed and considered for the economic analysis. The considered pathways were cellulosic or second generation (2G) ethanol from Giant reed (Arundo donax) in Italy, electricity from miscanthus, biochemicals from spontaneous grass and cultivated Lucerne (Alpha-alfae) with sorghum for biomethane in Germany, and 2G ethanol from Willow (Salix viminalis) in Ukraine. For the risk assessment, Monte Carlo simulation was applied. The results indicated that in Italy and Ukraine, although the production of 2G ethanol would allow positive net yearly margins, the investments will not be profitable compared to the baseline scenarios. In Germany, the work showed good profitability for combined heat and power (CHP) and biochemicals. On the other hand, investments in biomethane showed negative results compared with the baseline scenarios. Finally, the Monte Carlo simulation enabled us to identify the range of possible economic results that could be attained once volatility is factored in. While for Italy the likelihood of yielding positive results remains lower than 20 percent, case studies in Ukraine and Germany showed higher certainty levels, ranging from 49 to 91 percent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
50. Unsustainable imbalances and inequities in Carbon-Water-Energy flows across the EU27.
- Author
-
Wang, Xue-Chao, Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, Wang, Yutao, Foley, Aoife, Huisingh, Donald, Guan, Dabo, Dong, Xiaobin, and Varbanov, Petar Sabev
- Subjects
- *
CARBON dioxide , *ENERGY consumption - Abstract
The EU27 countries exert significant influence on the global patterns of the CO 2 -Emissions-Water-Energy (CWE) nexus. However, whether the associated benefits are similar for all countries is unclear. In this paper, an EU27 multiregional input-output model, at a sector level to identify the inter-regional and -sectoral CWE flows, and clarify the regional, sectoral and worldwide patterns of EU27 CWE network is presented. The results revealed an environmental inequality across the EU27 and impacts on the rest of the world. The EU27 countries contributed 1.4 Gt less CO 2 emissions, 64.5 Gm3 less water utilisation and 49 EJ less energy consumption, compared to the rest of the world while generating the equivalent economic output in 2014. This has dramatic effects upon the global environment. Germany, France and Italy are the biggest beneficiaries in the CWE nexus in the EU27. It is recommended that the EU27 provide more technical support to upstream countries in the EU and elsewhere to strive to improve their resource utilisation efficiencies. • The critical Carbon-Water-Energy (CWE) flows across the EU27 are analysed. • The regional, sectoral and worldwide patterns of EU27 CWE network are clarified. • An environmental inequality across the EU27 and impacts on the rest of the world. • Germany, France and Italy are the biggest beneficiaries in the CWE network of EU27. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
- Full Text
- View/download PDF
Discovery Service for Jio Institute Digital Library
For full access to our library's resources, please sign in.