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Road-based transport is a significant contributor to global transport emissions of greenhouse gases and local pollutants, thus contributing to the environmental impact of the mobility of people and goods. In order to develop strategies to mitigate this impact, it is necessary to build reliable emission inventories that include sector-specific emissions. Furthermore, the methods for creating these inventories should be applicable for forecasts and scenario calculations to facilitate the evaluation of pathways towards a more sustainable transport system. The study at hand proposes a model-based framework to predict travel demand and its spatial distribution for a bottom-up calculation of road transport emissions in Europe. With this framework, it is possible to calculate emissions based on the road network structure, traffic flows and vehicle types. In order to demonstrate the applicability of the framework for scenario calculations, it is applied to three exemplary scenarios where population data is modified. With the developed methodology, a tool for the large-scale assessment of emissions from road transport is provided, which is able to simulate the impact of socio-economic and economic changes on these emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaboration between teachers constitutes an important predictor for the successful implementation of digital media in schools and teaching. The present contribution examines the supporting conditions of ICT (information and communications technology)-related teacher collaboration as a feature of school quality in six selected European educational systems on the basis of the instruments and data administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement's study of ICILS 2013 (International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2013). Along the ICILS 2013 theoretical framework, predictors on the level of the school and classroom, antecedents regarding teachers' attitudes and competencies, variables concerning processes at school and in class, as well as teachers' background variables, are analysed. The regression analysis shows no consistent differences regarding the coefficients of different predictors with respect to ICT-related collaboration in the countries where teachers have expressed a high, medium or low rate of agreement with ICT-related collaboration.

More than half of the forest area of the North German Lowlands is stocked with Scots pine-dominated forests, mostly plantations. Climate change suggests a declining suitability of Europe's temperate zone for conifer plantations, but only a few studies have examined the long-term growth trends of Scots pine in relation to environmental and site factors in this region. We studied the radial growth patterns of Scots pine over the last 60 years at ten sites along a precipitation gradient (830–530 mm mean annual precipitation) from an oceanic to a subcontinental climate, analyzing the spatial and temporal variability of the climate sensitivity of growth to identify the main climatic factors influencing pine growth across this gradient, which covers a large part of the species' tolerated precipitation range. Annual radial increment was sensitive to late-winter temperatures (February, March) and summer drought and heat (June–August), with sensitivity increasing from the oceanic to the drier continental sites. Warmer late-winter periods apparently have stimulated growth during the last decades, while the sensitivity to summer-drought has remained fairly stable. Until recently, the negative impact of warming summers on growth has been compensated by the positive effect of late-winter warming, resulting in stable (or increasing) growth trends. However, our comparison of the climate sensitivity across sites suggests that the drought effect compensation through winter warming will in future be limited by increasing drought exposure. Thus, future productivity declines are likely in the northern German lowlands despite warming winters, discouraging large-scale pine plantations in the face of climate warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Many studies have investigated short-term peak concentrations of pesticides in surface waters resulting from agricultural uses. However, we lack information to what extent pesticides reoccur over medium (> 4 days) and longer time periods (> 10 days). We use here large-scale pesticide monitoring data from across Europe (~ 15 mil. measurements, i.e., quantified concentrations in water at > 17,000 sites for 474 pesticide compounds) to evaluate the degree to which pesticides were not only detected once, but in sequences of a compound repeatedly quantified in the same area (0.015 km2) within 4–30 days. Reoccurrence was observed at ~ 18% of sites for > 76% of compounds, ~ 40% of which not a priori considered to chronically expose aquatic ecosystems. We calculated a probability of reoccurrence (POR) over medium-term (4–7 days) and long-term (8–30 days) time periods for ~ 360 pesticides. Relative PORs (ratio between long-term and medium-term POR) revealed three occurrence patterns: ephemeral, intermittent and permanent. While fungicides dominated intermittently occurring substances, aligning with application strategies and physico-chemical properties, neonicotinoids and legacy pesticides were among substances permanently occurring. The results of this study shed new light on previously underestimated longer-term occurrence of many pesticides in aquatic environments (35% of investigated substances occurring intermittently or permanently were previously not considered to pollute the aquatic environment chronically), entailing new challenges for chronic risk assessments and the evaluation of pesticide effects on aquatic biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Participation and accessibility issues faced by gamers with multi-sensory disabilities are themes yet to be fully understood by accessible technology researchers. In this work, we examine the personal experiences and perceptions of individuals with deafblindness who play games despite their disability, as well as the reasons that lead some of them to stop playing games. We conducted 60 semi-structured interviews with individuals living with deafblindness in five European countries: United Kingdom, Germany, Netherlands, Greece and Sweden. Participants stated that reasons for playing games included them being a fun and entertaining hobby, for socialization and meeting others, or for occupying the mind. Reasons for stop playing games included essentially accessibility issues, followed by high cognitive demand, changes in gaming experience due their disability, financial reasons, or because the accessible version of a specific game was not considered as fun as the original one. We identified that a considerable number of individuals with deafblindness enjoy playing casual mobile games such as Wordfeud and Sudoku as a pastime activity. Despite challenging accessibility issues, games provide meaningful social interactions to players with deafblindness. Finally, we introduce a set of user-driven recommendations for making digital games more accessible to players with a diverse combination of sensory abilities. Digital games were considered a fun and entertaining hobby by participants with deafblindness. Furthermore, participants play games for socialization and meeting others, or for occupying the mind. Digital games provide meaningful social interactions and past time to persons with deafblindness. On top of accessibility implications, our findings draw attention to the importance of the social element of gaming for persons with deafblindness. Based on interviews, we introduce a set of user-driven recommendations for making digital games more accessible to players with a diverse combination of sensory abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coppice forests are socio-ecological systems especially rich in biodiversity. They have been transformed into high forest and abandoned across large areas of Europe over the past 200 years. Coppice loss is likely an important driver of insect declines. It is currently unclear whether habitat quality or decreasing connectivity of the remaining fragments is more important for the survival of insect populations. We related the abundance of two coppice-associated butterflies of conservation concern, Satyrium ilicis and Melitaea athalia, to indicators of habitat quality and habitat connectivity. We estimated butterfly densities using Distance Sampling along a successional gradient (time since last cut: 1–9 years; N = 130 plots) across one of the largest remaining simple oak-birch coppice landscapes in Central Europe. Both species reached abundance peaks within four to six years after the last cut, declining rapidly in abundance with subsequent succession. We found no evidence that coupe size, coppice availability and patch (= coupe) connectivity were related to the density of the species. Besides stand age, the cover of larval foodplants explained predicted butterfly densities well. Only Satyrium ilicis benefitted from high Red Deer densities. Implications for insect conservation: Our results suggest that habitat quality and sufficient availability of coppice of suitable age matters more than coupe size and fragmentation within a traditional managed coppice landscape. Coppice restoration aiming at the study species should ensure a shifting mosaic of successional habitat to provide a large availability of resprouting oak stools and bilberry vegetation that holds dense Melampyrum pratense stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has been established as a valuable tool in clinical and scientific cardiology. This study summarizes the current evidence and role of CMR in the guidelines of the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and is an update of a former guideline analysis. Methods: Since the last guideline analysis performed in 2015, 28 new ESC guideline documents have been published. Twenty-seven ESC practice guidelines are currently in use. They were screened regarding CMR in the text, tables and figures. The main CMR-related sentences and recommendations were extracted. Results: Nineteen of the 27 guidelines (70.4%) contain relevant text passages regarding CMR in the text and include 92 specific recommendations regarding the use of CMR. Seven guidelines (25.9%) mention CMR in the text, and 1 (3.7%, dyslipidemia) does not mention CMR. The 19 guidelines with recommendations regarding the use of CMR contain 40 class-I recommendations (43.5%), 28 class-IIa recommendations (30.4%), 19 class-IIb recommendations (20.7%) and 5 class-III recommendations (5.4%). Most of the recommendations have evidence level C (56/92; 60.9%), followed by level B (34/92; 37.0%) and level A (2/92; 2.2%). Twenty-one recommendations refer to the field of cardiomyopathies, 21 recommendations to stress perfusion imaging, 20 recommendations to vascular assessment, 12 to myocardial tissue characterization in general, 8 to left and right ventricular function assessment, 5 to the pericardium and 5 to myocarditis. Conclusions: CMR is integral part of the majority of the ESC guidelines. Its representation in the guidelines has increased since the last analysis from 2015, now comprising 92 instead of formerly 63 specific recommendations. To enable patient management in accordance to the ESC guidelines, CMR must become more widely available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent reports of oral side effects (SEs) following COVID‐19 vaccination warrant further investigation into their prevalence, severity, and aetiology. This study was conducted to synthesize the first‐ever population‐level evidence about oral SEs of COVID‐19 vaccines in Europe. The European Union Drug Regulating Authorities Pharmacovigilance (EudraVigilance) database was accessed in August 2022 to extract summary data of all potential oral SEs reported after COVID‐19 vaccination. The data were reported descriptively and cross‐tabulated to facilitate sub‐group analysis per vaccine type, sex, and age group. Dysgeusia was the most commonly reported oral SE (0.381 case per each 100 received reports), followed by oral paraesthesia (0.315%), ageusia (0.296%), lip swelling (0.243%), dry mouth (0.215%), oral hypoaesthesia (0.210%), swollen tongue (0.207%), and taste disorder (0.173%). Females had significantly (Sig. < 0.001) a higher prevalence of all most common (top 20) oral SEs, except for salivary hypersecretion, which was equally prevalent among females and males. The present study revealed a low prevalence of oral SEs, with taste‐related, other sensory and anaphylactic SEs being the most common SEs in Europe, similar to what was found earlier among the US population. Future studies should explore the potential risk factors of oral sensory and anaphylactic SEs to verify whether they are causally linked to COVID‐19 vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union is highly dependent on soybean imports from overseas to meet its protein demands. Individual Member States have been quick to declare self‐sufficiency targets for plant‐based proteins, but detailed strategies are still lacking. Rising global temperatures have painted an image of a bright future for soybean production in Europe, but emerging climatic risks such as drought have so far not been included in any of those outlooks. Here, we present simulations of future soybean production and the most prominent risk factors across Europe using an ensemble of climate and soybean growth models. Projections suggest a substantial increase in potential soybean production area and productivity in Central Europe, while southern European production would become increasingly dependent on supplementary irrigation. Average productivity would rise by 8.3% (RCP 4.5) to 8.7% (RCP 8.5) as a result of improved growing conditions (plant physiology benefiting from rising temperature and CO2 levels) and farmers adapting to them by using cultivars with longer phenological cycles. Suitable production area would rise by 31.4% (RCP 4.5) to 37.7% (RCP 8.5) by the mid‐century, contributing considerably more than productivity increase to the production potential for closing the protein gap in Europe. While wet conditions at harvest and incidental cold spells are the current key challenges for extending soybean production, the models and climate data analysis anticipate that drought and heat will become the dominant limitations in the future. Breeding for heat‐tolerant and water‐efficient genotypes is needed to further improve soybean adaptation to changing climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides evidence that strong kin networks are detrimental for democratic participatory institutions and that the medieval Catholic Church's marriage regulations dissolved Europe's clan-based kin networks, which contributed to the emergence of participatory institutions. I show that weak ancestral kin networks are positively associated with ethnicities' democratic traditions in the past and countries' democracy scores today. At the same time, medieval Church exposure predicts weak kin networks across countries, European regions and ethnicities. In a historical difference-in-difference analysis, I provide evidence that exposure to the Church contributed to the formation of medieval communes—self-governed cities with participatory institutions. Moreover, within Christian Europe, stricter regional and temporal marriage prohibitions are associated with commune formation. Lastly, I shed light on one mechanism, civicness, and show that weak kin networks are associated with more political participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased emergence of cereal stem rust in southern and western Europe, caused by the pathogen Puccinia graminis, and the prevalence of alternate (sexual) host, Berberis species, have regained attention as the sexual host may serve as source of novel pathogen variability that may pose a threat to cereal supply. The main objective of the present study was to investigate the functional role of Berberis species in the current epidemiological situation of cereal stemrust in Europe. Surveys in 11 European countrieswere carried out from 2018 to 2020, where aecial infections from five barberry species were collected. Phylogenetic analysis of 121 single aecial clusters of diverse origin using the elongation factor 1-a gene indicated the presence of different special forms (aka formae speciales) of P. graminis adapted to different cereal and grass species. Inoculation studies using aecial clusters from Spain, United Kingdom, and Switzerland resulted in 533 stem rust isolates sampled from wheat, barley, rye, and oat, which confirmed the presence of multiple special forms of P. graminis. Microsatellite marker analysis of a subset of 192 sexually-derived isolates recovered on wheat, barley and rye from the three populations confirmed the generation of novel genetic diversity revealed by the detection of 135multilocus genotypes. Discriminant analysis of principal components resulted in four genetic clusters, which grouped at both local and country level. Here, we demonstrated that a variety of Berberis species may serve as functional alternate hosts for cereal stem rust fungi and highlights the increased risks that the sexual cycle may pose to cereal production in Europe, which calls for new initiatives within rust surveillance, epidemiological research and resistance breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This scientific opinion focuses on the welfare of pigs on farm, and is based on literature and expert opinion. All pig categories were assessed: gilts and dry sows, farrowing and lactating sows, suckling piglets, weaners, rearing pigs and boars. The most relevant husbandry systems used in Europe are described. For each system, highly relevant welfare consequences were identified, as well as related animal‐based measures (ABMs), and hazards leading to the welfare consequences. Moreover, measures to prevent or correct the hazards and/or mitigate the welfare consequences are recommended. Recommendations are also provided on quantitative or qualitative criteria to answer specific questions on the welfare of pigs related to tail biting and related to the European Citizen's Initiative 'End the Cage Age'. For example, the AHAW Panel recommends how to mitigate group stress when dry sows and gilts are grouped immediately after weaning or in early pregnancy. Results of a comparative qualitative assessment suggested that long‐stemmed or long‐cut straw, hay or haylage is the most suitable material for nest‐building. A period of time will be needed for staff and animals to adapt to housing lactating sows and their piglets in farrowing pens (as opposed to crates) before achieving stable welfare outcomes. The panel recommends a minimum available space to the lactating sow to ensure piglet welfare (measured by live‐born piglet mortality). Among the main risk factors for tail biting are space allowance, types of flooring, air quality, health status and diet composition, while weaning age was not associated directly with tail biting in later life. The relationship between the availability of space and growth rate, lying behaviour and tail biting in rearing pigs is quantified and presented. Finally, the panel suggests a set of ABMs to use at slaughter for monitoring on‐farm welfare of cull sows and rearing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is now widely accepted that agriculture and settled village life arrived in Europe as a cultural package, carried by people migrating from Anatolia and the Aegean Basin. The putative fisher-forager site of Lepenski Vir in Serbia has long been acknowledged as an exception to this model. Here, the Mesolithic–Neolithic transition—possibly inspired by interaction with the new arrivals—was thought to have taken place autochthonously on site. Our reinterpretation, based on ancient genomes, as well as archaeological and isotopic evidence, indicates that here, too, house construction, early village society and agriculture were primarily associated with Europe's first farmers, thus challenging the long-held view of Lepenski Vir as a Mesolithic community that adopted Neolithic practices. Although aspects of the site's occupation, such as the trapezoidal houses, were inspired by local Mesolithic traditions, it is far from certain that the village was founded by Iron Gates foragers. A detailed timeline of population changes at the site suggests that Aegean incomers did not simply integrate into an established Mesolithic society, but rather founded new lineages and households. Iron Gates foragers and their admixed descendants largely appear to have been buried separately, on the fringes of the settlement. The diet of those buried outside in pits shows no major shift from aquatic to terrestrial food resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: While incidence rates of depression and anxiety disorders in the elderly have been comprehensively investigated, the incidence rates of other mental disorders have rarely been researched. The incidence rate and predictors of various mental disorders in the elderly were evaluated in different European and associated countries. Methods: A cross-sectional and longitudinal multi-centre survey of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.) diagnoses was conducted in different European and associated countries (Germany, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and Israel) to collect data on the prevalence and incidence of mental disorders in the elderly. The sample size of the longitudinal wave was N = 2592 elderly. Results: The overall 1-year incidence rate for any mental disorder in the elderly is 8.65%. At 5.18%, any anxiety disorder had the highest incidence rate across all diagnostic groups. The incidence rate for any affective disorder was 2.97%. The lowest incidence rates were found for agoraphobia (1.37%) and panic disorder (1.30%). Risk factors for the development of any mental disorder were never having been married, no religious affiliation, a higher number of physical illnesses and a lower quality of life. Conclusion: In comparison to other studies, lower incidence rates for any affective disorder and middle-range incidence for any anxiety disorder were found. To the authors' knowledge, no prior studies have reported 1-year incidence rates for somatoform disorder, bipolar disorder and substance misuse in community-dwelling elderly. These findings indicate the need to raise awareness of psychosocial problems in the elderly and to ensure adequate availability of mental health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) Scientific Initiatives Committee performed a global survey to evaluate current practice for the assessment and management of patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). Methods and results A total of 213 centres from 38 different countries (87% European) responded to the survey. One hundred twenty-one (57%) centres followed HCM patients in a general cardiology outpatient clinic and 85 (40%) centres in a specialized HCM/cardiomyopathy clinic. While echocardiography was the primary imaging modality, cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) has become an important complementary tool. Cardiac anatomy, left ventricular (LV) systolic, and diastolic function were assessed according to current European guidelines and recommendations. To evaluate LV obstruction, 49% of the centres performed bedside provocation manoeuvres in every patient and 55% of the centres used exercise stress echocardiography. The majority of centres used the 5-year risk assessment of sudden cardiac death (SCD) calculated with the HCM Risk-SCD score. However, 34% of the centres also used extensive non-infarct late gadolinium enhancement on CMR and 27% the presence of LV apical aneurysm to help select patients for primary prevention implantable cardioverter-defibrillator therapy. Ninety-nine percent of the responding centres performed regular imaging follow-up of HCM patients. Conclusion Most centres followed European guidelines and recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with HCM. The importance of bedside provocation manoeuvres and exercise stress echocardiography to diagnose LV outflow obstruction requires emphasis. Additional risk markers for SCD are used in many centres and might indicate the need for an update of current European recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.) provides principles for microbiological testing of tissue preparations. According to the Ph. Eur., tests should be performed at different temperatures for detection of aerobic bacteria and fungi (20–25°C) vs. anaerobic bacteria (30–35°C). Semiautomated systems using blood culture bottles are already widely used and they are adequate for growth detection. Resin-containing bottles and the addition of penicillinase permit testing of culture media containing antibiotics. Materials and Methods: At 3 temperatures (21, 30, and 35°C) cornea culture media with and without dextran (CM II and CM I) and thermal disinfected femoral head medium (FH) were spiked with the 6 reference strains recommended by the Ph. Eur. (additionally: Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Cutibacterium acnes). Microbial growth was monitored with the BACTECTM FX unit or visually at 21°C. Results: Growth for all strains was detected with each medium at all 3 temperatures, except for C. acnes at 21°C (all media) and 30°C with FH. C. acnes had the highest times to detection, requiring test durations of 14 days. Microbial growth was faster at 30 and 35°C compared to 21°C. Conclusion: The requirements according to the Ph. Eur. for a successful method suitability test could be fulfilled for the semiautomated blood culture bottle system with the BACTECTM FX unit for the media and microorganisms used. In the presented validation study 35°C was shown to be the incubation temperature with the fastest growth, of the majority of the test strains used, and complete detection within 14 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tree species maps derived from satellite imagery increasingly support forest administrations and nature conservation authorities with large-scale and up-to-date information. However, many species are often excluded or aggregated in classification tasks due to a limited knowledge of the most suitable predictors. Our study aims to gain a better understanding of optical and polarimetric traits for tree species mapping by examining Sentinel-1 and Sentinel-2 time series from 61 tree species in temperate Europe. For a selection of 32 optical, polarimetric and structural variables, the principal component analysis revealed that Sentinel-2 variables mainly explain the variance in the data by contributing to the "seasonality" and "foliage color" components. Sentinel-1 contribute most to the "texture" component. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Tasseled Cap Greenness (TCG) and Radar Vegetation Index (RVI) were chosen as key variables for further analysis. Seasonality was found to be the most dominant aspect in all vegetation indices. Furthermore, the TCG was found to be useful to distinguish between early and late budding species. The RVI showed a large potential to discriminate conifers, which is attributed to the crown volume effect of C-band SAR. Using exploratory data analysis, we further examined the influence of management, biogeographical and meteorological factors on the time series from Fagus sylvatica , Pinus sylvestris , and Picea abies. The NDVI and TCG are relatively robust to different conditions. For the two conifer species however, we found strong spatial variations of the RVI which are presumably caused by different crown conditions across the study area. Using Sentinel-1 data could therefore lead to uncertainties in tree species mapping across large biogeographical gradients. This study contributes to the improvement of tree species mapping based on optical and dual-polarimetric data and thus benefits forest authorities and other stakeholders in their monitoring tasks and decision-making. [Display omitted] • The spectral-temporal characteristics of 61 tree species are investigated. • S1 and S2 mainly depict "seasonality", "foliage color" and "texture" information. • Grouping species by their spectral-temporal traits is better than using the genus. • Volume scattering at C-band SAR has a great potential to discriminate conifers. • S1 backscatter at spruce and pine stands is strongly affected by biogeography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Five-day oral therapies against early COVID-19 infection have recently been conditionally approved in Europe. In the drug combination nirmatrelvir + ritonavir (nirmatrelvir/r), the active agent, nirmatrelvir, is made bioavailable in clinically adequate amounts by the additional administration of a potent inhibitor of its first-pass metabolism by way of cytochrome P450 [CYP] 3A in the gut and liver. In view of the central role of CYP3A in the clearance of many different kinds of drugs, and the fact that many patients with COVID-19 are taking multiple drugs to treat other conditions, it is important to assess the potential for drug interactions when nirmatrelvir/r is given, and to minimize the risks associated with such interactions. Methods: We defined the interaction profile of ritonavir on the basis of information derived from two databases (Medline, GoogleScholar), three standard electronic texts on drug interactions, and manufacturer-supplied drug information. We compiled a list of drugs and their potentially relevant interactions, developed a risk minimization algorithm, and applied it to the substances in question. We also compiled a list of commonly prescribed drugs for which there is no risk of interaction with nirmatrelvir/r. Results: Out of 190 drugs and drug combinations, 57 do not need any special measures when given in combination with brief, low-dose ritonavir treatment, while 15 require dose modification or a therapeutic alternative, 8 can be temporarily discontinued, 9 contraindicate ritonavir use, and 102 should preferably be combined with a different treatment. Conclusion: We have proposed measures that are simple to carry out for the main types of drug that can interact with ritonavir. These measures can be implemented under quarantine conditions before starting a 5-day treatment with nirmatrelvir/r. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody seroprevalence study among >2,000 domestic cats from 4 countries during the first coronavirus disease wave in Europe. We found 4.4% seroprevalence using a virus neutralization test and 4.3% using a receptor-binding domain ELISA, demonstrating probable human-to-cat transmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the effects of populist messages that (a) stress the centrality of "ordinary" people, (b) shift blame to the "corrupt" elites, or (c) combine people centrality and antielitist cues on 3 dimensions of populist attitudes: anti-elitism, homogeneous people, and popular sovereignty. We conducted an extensive 15-country experiment in which we manipulated populist communication as social identity frames (N  =   7,271). Multilevel analyses demonstrate that messages stressing the centrality of the ordinary people activate all dimensions of populist attitudes. In contrast, anti-elite messages activate anti-elitism attitudes only for those individuals with lower levels of education and extreme positions on the ideological left–right spectrum. Our findings suggest that populist political communication plays a key role in activating populist attitudes across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Abnormal weights, eg, obesity, has shown a strong modifying effect on the association between air pollution exposure and lung function impairment in adults.Research Question: How might weight status modify the effects of long-term air pollution exposure on adolescents' lung function, particularly in areas with pollution levels much lower than the current European Union (EU) air quality standards?Study Design and Methods: In this observational study, we investigated 2,224 adolescents from the German Infant Study on the Influence of Nutrition Intervention Plus Environmental and Genetic Influences on Allergy Development and the Influence of Life Style Factors on the Development of the Immune System and Allergies in East and West Germany birth cohorts. Lung function was measured at age 15 years. Underweight, normal weight, and overweight or obese were defined using percentiles of BMI. Average concentrations of air pollution were modelled at residential addresses at four exposure windows between 0 and 15 years. Multivariate linear regression models were fitted by weight group on lung function with exposure at each window or cumulative exposure since birth.Results: The median air pollution concentrations were half to two-thirds of the EU standards. Significant associations were observed only for individuals who were underweight and overweight or obese. For example, per interquartile range increase in nitrogen dioxide at the 15-year exposure window, FEV1 declined by -2.9% (95% CI, -5.2% to -0.5%) for the underweight group and -3.4% (95% CI, -5.4% to -1.2%) for the overweight or obese group. Similarly, longer exposure to moderate-level air pollution since birth was associated significantly with lung function impairment for groups with abnormal weight.Interpretation: Exposure to low to moderate levels of air pollution was associated with lung function impairment for adolescents with abnormal weight. Longer exposure aggravated the adverse effect. Whether a critical exposure window since birth exists warrants further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early and late cardiovascular (CV) toxicities related to many cancer treatments may complicate the clinical course of patients, offsetting therapeutic benefits, and altering prognosis. The early detection, monitoring, and treatment of cardiotoxicity have therefore become essential parts of cancer patient care. CV imaging is a cornerstone of every cardio-oncology unit, but its use may vary across Europe because of the non-uniform availability of advanced imaging techniques and differences in the organization and logistics of cardio-oncology services. The purpose of this EACVI survey in cardio-oncology is to obtain real-world data on the current usage of cardiac imaging in cancer patients. Data from 104 centres and 35 different countries confirmed that cardiac imaging plays a pivotal role in the detection and monitoring of cardiac toxicity in oncology patients in Europe and beyond. However, it also revealed gaps between guidelines recommendations and everyday clinical practice, highlighting some of the challenges that need to be overcome in this rapidly advancing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Invasion of non‐native species in freshwater ecosystems often alters the indigenous macroinvertebrate community and food web structure by changing the resource availability. One of these species is the invasive amphipod Dikerogammarus villosus, whose impact by predation, especially on coexisting amphipods, is still under debate. In this study, we aim to apply compound‐specific stable isotope analysis of amino acid δ15N, which is the state‐of‐the‐art approach for marine systems to estimate trophic positions, (1) to calculate β values (i.e., the differences in δ15N values of trophic and source amino acids in primary producer) for freshwater systems, based on field samples of freshwater primary consumers (i.e., mussels) from the River Rhine, and (2) use these β values in a case study to calculate the trophic position of the invasive D. villosus in comparison with coexisting indigenous and non‐native amphipod species from the river Alb sampled in 2013 and river Speyerbach sampled in 2014, two tributaries of the River Rhine, Central Europe. Our results show that our freshwater β values calculated for six combinations of trophic and source amino acids were lower by between approximately 0.85‰ and 5.67‰ than those found for marine animals in previous studies. This highlights that more attention is needed on the variability of the natural differences in β values between ecosystems. By using the freshwater β values, we showed that the trophic position of D. villosus is comparable to those of coexisting amphipod species. These findings confirm that D. villosus has a flexible and omnivorous feeding strategy like other amphipod species, and suggest that predation is not the main responsible factor for the impact of D. villosus on other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: European regulatory authorities request postmarketing safety and efficacy data for factor IX (FIX) products. Aim: Collect additional clinical data from routine nonacog alfa use in children aged <6 years with haemophilia B. Methods: The EUREKIX registry included retrospective and prospective data collection phases. Safety was assessed via adverse drug reactions (ADRs)/adverse events (AEs) and events of special interest (ESIs) as the primary objective; efficacy was evaluated via annualised bleeding rates (ABRs). Results: The retrospective phase comprised 37 subjects. Of these, 25 had severe haemophilia B. One subject experienced 2 ADRs; another experienced 4 ESIs of hypersensitivity. Median ABR in subjects receiving a predominantly on‐demand regimen (prophylaxis <50% of time; n = 11) was 2.0; median ABR was 3.8 in those receiving predominantly prophylactic treatment (prophylaxis ≥50% of time; n = 24). Joint bleeding was infrequent (median ABR, 0.4; n = 35). The prospective phase included 26 subjects, with 17 continuing from the retrospective phase. A total of 20 subjects had severe haemophilia B. Three subjects experienced 7 treatment‐related AEs; 3 experienced 4 ESIs. Median ABR was 4.5 and 1.1 in subjects who received predominantly on‐demand (n = 5) or prophylactic treatment (n = 19), respectively; the overall median ABR for joint bleeding events was 0.0. Conclusions: Overall, nonacog alfa treatment effectively controlled bleeding events, with no new safety signals identified. These data support the safety and efficacy of nonacog alfa in routine clinical settings in children aged <6 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As Brexit removes the Nordic countries’ most powerful ally from the EU, what does this imply for their approach to European affairs? The literature on small states within the EU suggests that they can counterbalance limited bargaining capacities by entering two types of alliances: strategic partnerships with bigger member states and institutionalised cooperation on a regional basis. Against this backdrop we ask whether, by significantly raising the costs of non-cooperation for Nordic governments, the Brexit referendum has triggered a revival of Nordic political cooperation. We scrutinise this conjecture by analysing Nordic strategies of coalition-building on EU financial and budgetary policy, specifically looking at attempts to reform Europe’s Economic and Monetary Union and proposals to strengthen the EU’s fiscal powers. We find that Nordic governments have successfully collaborated on these issues in the context of new alliances such as the 'New Hanseatic League' or the 'Frugal Four.' Yet, their coalition-building strategies rely on relatively loose and issue-specific alliances rather than an institutionalisation of Nordic political cooperation, implying that this revival of Nordic political cooperation hardly involves the institutions of 'official' Nordic cooperation. We argue that this reflects lasting differences among the Nordics’ approach to the EU as well as electorates’ scepticism about supranational institution-building, implying that ‘reluctant Europeans’ are often also 'reluctant Scandinavians.' [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ship emissions constitute a large, and so far poorly regulated, source of air pollution. Emissions are mainly clustered along major ship routes both in open seas and close to densely populated shorelines. Major air pollutants emitted include sulfur dioxide, NOx , and primary particles. Sulfur and NOx are both major contributors to the formation of secondary fine particles (PM2.5) and to acidification and eutrophication. In addition, NOx is a major precursor for ground-level ozone. In this paper, we quantify the contributions from international shipping to European air pollution levels and depositions. This study is based on global and regional model calculations. The model runs are made with meteorology and emission data representative of the year 2017 after the tightening of the SECA (sulfur emission control area) regulations in 2015 but before the global sulfur cap that came into force in 2020. The ship emissions have been derived using ship positioning data. We have also made model runs reducing sulfur emissions by 80 % corresponding to the 2020 requirements. This study is based on model sensitivity studies perturbing emissions from different sea areas: the northern European SECA in the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and the Black Sea, the Atlantic Ocean close to Europe, shipping in the rest of the world, and finally all global ship emissions together. Sensitivity studies have also been made setting lower bounds on the effects of ship plumes on ozone formation. Both global- and regional-scale calculations show that for PM2.5 and depositions of oxidised nitrogen and sulfur, the effects of ship emissions are much larger when emissions occur close to the shore than at open seas. In many coastal countries, calculations show that shipping is responsible for 10 % or more of the controllable PM2.5 concentrations and depositions of oxidised nitrogen and sulfur. With few exceptions, the results from the global and regional calculations are similar. Our calculations show that substantial reductions in the contributions from ship emissions to PM2.5 concentrations and to depositions of sulfur can be expected in European coastal regions as a result of the implementation of a 0.5 % worldwide limit of the sulfur content in marine fuels from 2020. For countries bordering the North Sea and Baltic Sea SECA, low sulfur emissions have already resulted in marked reductions in PM2.5 from shipping before 2020. For ozone, the lifetime in the atmosphere is much longer than for PM2.5 , and the potential for ozone formation is much larger in otherwise pristine environments. We calculate considerable contributions from open sea shipping. As a result, we find that the largest contributions to ozone in several regions and countries in Europe are from sea areas well outside European waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European weather loach (Misgurnus fossilis) is classified as highly endangered in several countries of Central Europe. Populations of M. fossilis are predominantly found in ditches with low water levels and thick sludge layers and are thus hard to detect using conventional fishing methods. Therefore, environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring appears particularly relevant for this species. In previous studies, M. fossilis was surveyed following eDNA water sampling protocols, which were not optimized for this species. Therefore, we created two full factorial study designs to test six different eDNA workflows for sediment samples and twelve different workflows for water samples. We used qPCR to compare the threshold cycle (Ct) values of the different workflows, which indicate the target DNA amount in the sample, and spectrophotometry to quantify and compare the total DNA amount inside the samples. We analyzed 96 water samples and 48 sediment samples from a pond with a known population of M. fossilis. We tested several method combinations for long‐term sample preservation, DNA capture, and DNA extraction. Additionally, we analyzed the DNA yield of samples from a ditch with a natural M. fossilis population monthly over one year to determine the optimal sampling period. Our results showed that the long‐term water preservation method commonly used for eDNA surveys of M. fossilis did not lead to optimal DNA yields, and we present a valid long‐term sample preservation alternative. A cost‐efficient high salt DNA extraction led to the highest target DNA yields and can be used for sediment and water samples. Furthermore, we were able to show that in a natural habitat of M. fossilis, total and target eDNA were higher between June and September, which implies that this period is favorable for eDNA sampling. Our results will help to improve the reliability of future eDNA surveys of M. fossilis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The canine infectious respiratory disease complex (CIRDC) is an endemic worldwide syndrome involving multiple viral and bacterial pathogens. Traditionally, Bordetella bronchiseptica (Bb), canine adenovirus type 2 (CAV-2), canine distemper virus (CDV), canine herpesvirus (CHV) and canine parainfluenza virus (CPiV) were considered the major causative agents. Lately, new pathogens have been implicated in the development of CIRDC, namely canine influenza virus (CIV), canine respiratory coronavirus (CRCoV), canine pneumovirus (CnPnV), Mycoplasma cynos and Streptococcus equi subspecies zooepidemicus. To better understand the role of the different pathogens in the development of CIRDC and their epidemiological relevance in Europe, prevalence data were collected from peer-reviewed publications and summarized. Evidence of exposure to Bb is frequently found in healthy and diseased dogs and client-owned dogs are as likely to be infected as kennelled dogs. Co-infections with viral pathogens are common. The findings confirm that Bb is an important cause of CIRDC in Europe. CAV-2 and CDV recovery rates from healthy and diseased dogs are low and the most likely explanation for this is control through vaccination. Seroconversion to CHV can be demonstrated following CIRDC outbreaks and CHV has been detected in the lower respiratory tract of diseased dogs. There is some evidence that CHV is not a primary cause of CIRDC, but opportunistically re-activates at the time of infection and exacerbates the disease. The currently available data suggest that CIV is, at present, neither a prevalent nor a significant pathogen in Europe. CPiV remains an important pathogen in CIRDC and facilitates co-infection with other viral and bacterial pathogens. CnPnV and CRCoV are important new elements in the aetiology of CIRDC and spread particularly well in multi-dog establishments. M. cynos is common in Europe and is more likely to occur in younger and kennelled dogs. This organism is frequently found together with other CIRDC pathogens and is significantly associated with more severe respiratory signs. S. zooepidemicus infection is not common and appears to be a particular problem in kennels. Protective immunity against respiratory diseases is rarely complete, and generally only a reduction in clinical signs and excretion of pathogen can be achieved through vaccination. However, even vaccines that only reduce and do not prevent infection carry epidemiological advantages. They reduce spread, increase herd immunity and decrease usage of antimicrobials. Recommending vaccination of dogs against pathogens of CIRDC will directly provide epidemiological advantages to the population and the individual dog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of historic changes in vegetation, relief, and soil is key in understanding how the uplands in central Europe have changed during the last millennium, being an essential requirement for measures on forest conversion and nature conservation in that area. Evidence of forest‐clearing horizons from the medieval period could be systematically documented at four low‐ to mid‐altitudinal sites (360–640 meters above mean sea level) in the Harz (Harz Mountains), Erzgebirge (Ore Mountains), and Českomoravská vrchovina (Bohemian‐Moravian Highlands). Subfossil trees with traces of human cutmarks and burning were recovered from buried wet‐organic soils (paleosols) within a context of mining and settlement archaeology, applying a multiproxy‐approach by using data from archaeology, paleobotany, geochronology, dendrochronology, and pedology. Tree stumps and trunks, as well as small‐scale wood remains represent an in situ record of local conifer stands (spruce, fir, and pine). Some deciduous tree taxa also occur. Dating of the tree remains yielded ages from the 10th/11th to the 13th/14th centuries A.D. After deforestation, the tree remains were buried by technogenic and alluvial–colluvial deposits. The reconstructed conifer‐dominated woodlands on wet soils mirror the local vegetation structure immediately before the medieval deforestation. As such wet sites are common in the uplands, conifers were significantly present in the natural vegetation even at mid and lower altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Association of Cardiovascular Imaging (EACVI) is committed to maintaining the highest standards of professional excellence in all aspects of cardiovascular imaging. The mission of the EACVI is to promote excellence in clinical diagnosis, research, technical development, and education in cardiovascular imaging with a particular focus on education, training, scientific initiatives, and research. The EACVI established the Scientific Initiatives Committee (SIC) in December 2018. This committee has responsibility for surveys among imagers, patients' surveys and surveys including data from clinical practice. The current document describes the aims of the EACVI SIC and the creation of the international EACVI survey network. This document summarizes the EACVI's standards for the survey questions and standards for writing the papers with the results of the surveys. These are in accordance with previous recommendations and were approved by the EACVI SIC and the EACVI Board in 2019. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, the author follows a history of transnational policy-making to illustrate a perspective on the crisis of the 'long 1970s' that is often neglected: continuity of transnational actors and institutions since the 1930s. In the interwar period early global governance practices consolidated, concerned with questions of global order and the kind of normative statehood needed to sustain it. Neoliberalism emerged at this time and in this field of early global governance actors. The concept of early neoliberalism is established in the article and taken as a red thread to think about European integration's early history from a transnational perspective. Further, Robert Marjolin's multi-level agency, his role in early neoliberalism and his thought serve as a prism through which the long 1970s from the financial troubles of the late 1960s to the new language of market optimism of the early 1980s are put into perspective vis-à-vis the continuity of actors and institutions managing the crisis. It is argued that the Left's relationship with neoliberalism needs more careful attention and that Marjolin acted in accordance with some early neoliberal principles since the 1930s before, rather grudgingly, participating in the shaping of a new, contemporary neoliberal paradigm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large fraction of the urban population in Europe is exposed to particulate matter levels above the WHO guideline. To make more effective mitigation strategies, it is important to understand the influence on particulate matter (PM) from pollutants emitted in different European nations. In this study, we evaluate a source apportionment forecasting system aimed to assess the domestic and transboundary contributions to PM in major European cities for an episode in December 2016. The system is composed of two models (EMEP/MSC-W rv4.15 and LOTOS-EUROS v2.0) which allows to consider differences in the source attribution. We also compared the PM10 concentrations and both models present satisfactory agreement in the 4day-forecasts of the surface concentrations, since the hourly concentrations can be highly correlated with in-situ observations. The correlation coefficients reach values up to 0.58 for LOTOS-EUROS and 0.50 for EMEP for the urban stations; and 0.58 for LOTOS-EUROS and 0.72 for EMEP for the rural stations. However, the models under-predict the highest hourly concentrations measured by the urban stations (mean underestimation by 36 %), predictable with the relatively coarse model resolution used (0.25° longitude × 0.125° latitude). For the source receptor calculations, the EMEP/MSC-W model uses a scenario having reduced anthropogenic emissions and then it is compared to a reference run where no changes are applied. Different percentages (5 %, 15 % and 50 %) in the reduced emissions were used to test the robustness of the methodology. The impact of the different ways to define the urban area for the studied cities was also investigated (i.e. 1 model grid cell, 9 grid cells and the grid cells covering the definition given by the Global Administrative Area - GADM). We found that by combining the use of the 15 % factor and of a larger domain for the city edges (9 grid cells or GADM), it helps to reduce the impact of non-linearity on the chemistry which is seen in the mismatch between the total concentration and the sum of the concentrations from different calculated sources. Even limited, this non-linearity is observed in the NO3-, NH4+ and H2O concentrations, which is related to gas-aerosol partitioning of the species. The use of a 15 % factor and of a larger city domain also gives a better agreement in the determination of the main country contributors between both country source receptor calculations. During the studied episode, dominated by the influence of the domestic emissions for the 34 European cities investigated and occurring from December 01st to 09th 2016, the two models agree 68 % of the time (on hourly resolution) on the country, having been the dominant contributor to PM10 concentrations. 75 % of the hourly predicted PM10 concentrations by both models, have the same top 5 main country contributors. Better results are found in the determination the dominant country contributor for the primary component (70 % for POM and 80 % for EC) than for the secondary inorganic aerosols (50 %). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The American rusty crayfish, Faxonius rusticus , is an invasive species in parts of North America where it displaces native crayfish species. In Europe, various invasive North American crayfish species are carriers of the crayfish plague disease agent Aphanomyces astaci that causes devastating population declines of European crayfish. Little is known about either the presence or the influence of A. astaci in North America where it originates. Here, we attempted to isolate A. astaci from North American F. rusticus for the first time and compare it to the strains detected in Europe. We tested the infection status of 84 F. rusticus samples from 10 different locations in the midwestern United States that are outside of the F. rusticus native distribution range. We used quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) to assess the infection status in each individual, and we determined the mitochondrial haplotypes and multilocus microsatellite genotypes when it was possible. We detected A. astaci DNA in 9 individuals from 4 out of 10 locations. Analyses of the axenic culture isolates and the crayfish tissue samples by sequence analyses, haplotyping, and genotyping confirmed the results and revealed a novel A. astaci microsatellite genotype. Our results clearly identify F. rusticus as a host of A. astaci in North America. The threat of these strains to endangered crayfish species in North America remains unknown, but the potential of A. astaci infections should be considered when developing and implementing invasive species management plans for conservation purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper evaluates several daily precipitation products over western and central Europe, identifies and documents their respective strengths and shortcomings, and relates these to uncertainties associated with each of the products. We analyze one gauge-based, three satellite-based, and two reanalysis-based products using high-density rain gauge observations as reference. First, we assess spatial patterns and frequency distributions using aggregated statistics. Then, we determine the skill of precipitation event detection from these products with a focus on extremes, using temporally and spatially matched pairs of precipitation estimates. The results show that the quality of the datasets largely depends on the region, season, and precipitation characteristic addressed. The satellite and the reanalysis precipitation products are found to have difficulties in accurately representing precipitation frequency with local overestimations of more than 40%, which occur mostly in dry regions (all products) as well as along coastlines and over cold/frozen surfaces (satellite-based products). The frequency distributions of wet-day intensities are generally well reproduced by all products. Concerning the frequency distributions of wet-spell durations, the satellite-based products are found to have clear deficiencies for maritime-influenced precipitation regimes. Moreover, the analysis of the detection of extreme precipitation events reveals that none of the non-station-based datasets shows skill at the shortest temporal and spatial scales (1 day, 0.25°), but at and above the 3-day and 1.25° scale the products start to exhibit skill over large parts of the domain. Added value compared to coarser-resolution global benchmark products is found both for reanalysis and satellite-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine litter pollution is a global environmental problem. Beach litter is a part of this problem, and is widely monitored in Europe. The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD) requires a reduction of beach litter. A reduction of 30% has been proposed in the European Plastics Strategy. The aims of this study are to develop (a) a method to calculate sufficiently stable and precise baseline values for beach litter, and (b) to derive a method of power analysis to estimate the number of beach litter surveys, necessary to detect a given reduction, using these baseline values. Beach litter data from the OSPAR (Oslo Paris Convention) region were used, and tailor-made statistical methods were implemented in open source software, litteR. Descriptive statistics and Theil-Sen and Mann-Kendall trend analyses were calculated for the most abundant beach litter types, for 14 survey sites. The length of a baseline period necessary to obtain a specified precision of the mean baseline value, expressed as Coefficient of Variation (CV), was calculated. Power analyses were performed using Monte Carlo simulations combined with Wilcoxon tests to determine significant deviations of the simulated datasets from the baseline mean values. For most survey sites, the mean length of monitoring periods necessary to achieve a CV < 10% amounts to four to five years with four surveys a year. The mean number of surveys necessary to detect a statistically significant reduction of 30% with 80% power ranges from 14 to 20. Power analyses show that a reduction of 10% is difficult to detect, because more than 24 surveys are needed. In contrary, a reduction of 40–50% can be detected easily with a small (<12) number of surveys. The new methods could also be applied to other areas where similar beach litter surveys are performed. Image 1 • A method to calculate stable baseline values for beach litter was developed. • A power analyses method for reduction analysis of beach litter was developed. • The methods were applied to time series of 14 OSPAR beaches. • The new statistical methods were implemented in new R software called litteR. • Application of these methods to other beach litter data sets is feasible. New statistical baseline and power calculation methods for beach litter show that the mean number of years necessary to achieve a stable baseline value with a Coefficient of Variation (CV) < 10% for total abundance and single litter types is in the range of 4.4–4.9 years per beach with four surveys a year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Francisella tularensis is a zoonotic, gram‐negative bacterium that causes tularemia in humans. Depending on its subspecies and the route of transmission, mild to lethal courses have been reported. F. tularensis subsp. holarctica is the only subspecies found in Europe and affects a plenitude of vertebrates including lagomorphs and rodents. Population outbreaks of certain rodent species are likely to be involved in the transmission of this pathogen. This molecular survey aims to evaluate the presence of F. tularensis in small mammals from three Central European countries. Using a real‐time polymerase chain reaction, F. tularensis DNA was detected in common voles (Microtus arvalis) from Switzerland and in field voles (Microtus agrestis) and a bank vole (Myodes glareolus) from Germany, but not in any other small mammal species. All common voles from the Czech Republic were negative for F. tularensis DNA. The prevalence in the three vole species varied between 1.3% and 3.0%. In conclusion, Francisella tularensis DNA was detected in three vole species in two of three countries investigated. The observed low prevalence raises questions on the role of voles for the transmission of Francisella tularensis in Central Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is based on model results from TF HTAP (Task Force on Hemispheric Transport of Air Pollution) phase II, in which a set of source receptor model experiments have been defined, reducing global (and regional) anthropogenic emissions by 20% in different source regions throughout the globe, with the main focus on the year 2010. All the participating models use the same set of anthropogenic emissions. Comparisons of model results to measurements are shown for selected European surface sites and for ozone sondes, but the main focus here is on the contributions to European ozone levels from different world regions, and how and why these contributions differ depending on the model. We investigate the origins by use of a novel stepwise approach, combining simple tracer calculations and calculations of CO and O3. To highlight the differences, we analyse the vertical transects of the midlatitude effects from the 20% emission reductions. The spread in the model results increases from the simple CO tracer to CO and then to ozone as the complexity of the physical and chemical processes involved increase. As a result of non-linear ozone chemistry, the contributions from non-European relative to European sources are larger for ozone compared to the CO and the CO tracer. For annually averaged ozone the contributions from the rest of the world is larger than the effects from European emissions alone, with the largest contributions from North America and eastern Asia. There are also considerable contributions from other nearby regions to the east and from international shipping. The calculated contributions to European annual average ozone from other major source regions relative to all contributions from all major sources (RAIR -- Relative Annual Intercontinental Response) have increased from 43% in HTAP1 to 82% in HTAP2. This increase is mainly caused by a better definition of Europe, with increased emissions outside of Europe relative to those in Europe, and by including a nearby non-European source for external-to-Europe regions. European contributions to ozone metrics reflecting human health and ecosystem damage, which mostly accumulated in the summer months, are larger than for annual ozone. Whereas ozone from European sources peaks in the summer months, the largest contributions from non-European sources are mostly calculated for the spring months, when ozone production over the polluted continents starts to increase, while at the same time the lifetime of ozone in the free troposphere is relatively long. At the surface, contributions from non-European sources are of similar magnitude for all European subregions considered, defined as TF HTAP receptor regions (north-western, south-western, eastern and south-eastern Europe). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Evidence for reducing Helicobacter (H.) pylori by periodontal therapy comes from small studies in China, limiting generalizability. To estimate the association between periodontal disease and anti‐H. pylori IgG titer levels in a European country, we used population‐based data from the Study of Health in Pomerania. Materials and Methods: For pocket depth as the primary exposure, we restricted the age range to participants younger than 60 years (n = 2,481) to avoid selection bias due to edentulism in this cross‐sectional study. For the full age range up to 81 years, we chose the number of missing teeth (n = 3,705). Results: The association between pocket depth and the outcome was weak. Given the ceiling effect for the number of missing teeth (ordinal logistic regression; odds ratio of the interquartile range effect = 1.6; 95% CI: 1.3–1.9; p‐value for linearity = 0.005), we checked whether wearing removable dental prosthesis was associated with higher anti‐H. pylori IgG titer levels (odds ratio = 1.3; 95% CI: 1.1–1.5). Conclusions: Tooth loss and wearing removable dental prosthesis were weakly to moderately associated with higher anti‐H. pylori IgG titer levels in the general population of a European country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: The purpose of this work is to summarize cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) research trends and highlights presented at the annual Society for Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (SCMR) scientific sessions over the past 20 years. Methods: Scientific programs from all SCMR Annual Scientific Sessions from 1998 to 2017 were obtained. SCMR Headquarters also provided data for the number and the country of origin of attendees and the number of accepted abstracts according to type. Data analysis included text analysis (key word extraction) and visualization by 'word clouds' representing the most frequently used words in session titles for 5-year intervals. In addition, session titles were sorted into 17 major subject categories to further evaluate research and clinical CMR trends over time. Results: Analysis of SCMR annual scientific sessions locations, attendance, and number of accepted abstracts demonstrated substantial growth of CMR research and clinical applications. As an international field of study, significant growth of CMR was documented by a strong increase in SCMR scientific session attendance (> 500%, 270 to 1406 from 1998 to 2017, number of accepted abstracts (> 700%, 98 to 701 from 1998 to 2018) and number of international participants (42-415% increase for participants from Asia, Central and South America, Middle East and Africa in 2004-2017). 'Word clouds' based evaluation of research trends illustrated a shift from early focus on 'MRI technique feasibility' to new established techniques (e.g. late gadolinium enhancement) and their clinical applications and translation (key words 'patient', 'disease') and more recently novel techniques and quantitative CMR imaging (key words 'mapping', 'T1', 'flow', 'function'). Nearly every topic category demonstrated an increase in the number of sessions over the 20-year period with 'Clinical Practice' leading all categories. Our analysis identified three growth areas 'Congenital', 'Clinical Practice',and 'Structure/function/flow'. Conclusion: The analysis of the SCMR historical archives demonstrates a healthy and internationally active field of study which continues to undergo substantial growth and expansion into new and emerging CMR topics and clinical application areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how news messages carrying parts of the populist ideology contribute to a polarization of public opinion about populism. It combines a content analysis of news coverage on two policy areas ( N = 7,119 stories) with a two-wave panel survey ( N = 2,338) in four European metropolitan regions (Berlin, Paris, London, and Zurich). In three regions, unopposed media messages with a populist stance have a conditional effect on populist attitudes that depends on prior convictions. A higher dose of exposure to populist news coverage enhances both prior agreement and disagreement with populism. Although the observed interaction patterns vary between regions, the general picture suggests that populist messages in the news foster polarization between public support and disapproval of populism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Hospital waiting times are established instruments to ration healthcare when resources are scarce. However, higher educated patients may be better able to influence access to, and exit from, hospital care when waiting times are long. Methods Based on a representative sample of 11 European countries from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) collected in 2004/2005, this paper investigates whether the relationship between individual educational background and hospital utilization depends on the prevalent hospital waiting times in a country. Logistic regression with interaction effects between individual education and average waiting times per country are conducted. Results Primary education is significantly associated with a lower probability of visiting a hospital overnight (OR = 0.88) compared to secondary and tertiary education. Patients in countries with long waiting times had shorter stays (OR = 0.92), and the significant interaction effect indicates that lower educated patients have longer hospital stays than higher educated patients in countries where waiting times tend to be long (OR = 1.06). Conclusions While the findings imply that educational differences exist with regard to hospital care, future research should investigate potential underlying mechanisms, i.e. patients' perceived access barriers and the perceived quality of hospital treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collaboration between teachers constitutes an important predictor for the successful implementation of digital media in schools and teaching. The present contribution examines the supporting conditions of ICT (information and communications technology)-related teacher collaboration as a feature of school quality in six selected European educational systems on the basis of the instruments and data administered by the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement’s study of ICILS 2013 (International Computer and Information Literacy Study 2013). Along the ICILS 2013 theoretical framework, predictors on the level of the school and classroom, antecedents regarding teachers’ attitudes and competencies, variables concerning processes at school and in class, as well as teachers’ background variables, are analysed. The regression analysis shows no consistent differences regarding the coefficients of different predictors with respect to ICT-related collaboration in the countries where teachers have expressed a high, medium or low rate of agreement with ICT-related collaboration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]