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The Bologna Process (BP) was used as an instrument to construct a European Higher Education Area that would be competitive in the world and to attract foreign students and academics to Europe. For a country such as Australia, this higher education innovation process constituted a possible challenge, especially since Australian HE is a marketized system relying on the influx of overseas students. The BP was, therefore, topic of a discussion spurred on by the Australian government. In this article, the results are presented of a literature review of Australian scholarly papers addressing the discussion on the BP in Australia. An overview is given of the scholars and their publications, of the reasons why they studied the BP, and of their stance regarding the BP. Neo-institutional theory is used to explain the findings.

Content and language integrated learning (CLIL), an educational approach in which subject matter and a foreign language -- predominantly English -- are taught and learnt side by side, has developed into a very popular educational innovation in most European countries. A host of research studies have shown its benefits, and discuss favourable effects especially with respect to L2 gains. However, critical voices have underscored the fact that CLIL attracts or selects mainly high-achieving learners. Hence, the question arises whether it is justified to attribute improved L2 performance mainly to the CLIL intervention, or to favourable learner characteristics. Several reviews of literature were published in the past, but due to a lack of longitudinal findings no conclusive evidence about the added value of CLIL in the process of L2 learning could be produced. The present review aims to fill this void and has undertaken a search of two decades of longitudinal studies into the effects of CLIL on various linguistic skills in the field of English as a foreign language. The findings indicate that robust studies were undertaken in only a limited number of European countries, and that only a few of them were large scale. Yet, the conclusions provide clear indications regarding the contexts in which CLIL leads to significantly better L2 results.

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BACKGROUND : Increased awareness of gastric cancer risk, easy access to upper endoscopy, and high definition endoscopes with virtual chromoendoscopy may have led to the increase in early diagnosis of gastric cancer observed in recent years in Europe, which may be associated with improved survival. Currently, no data exist on the impact of early diagnosis on survival at a populational level in Europe. Our aim was to assess gastric cancer incidence, early diagnosis, and survival in northwestern and southern European countries with a low-to-moderate incidence of gastric cancer. METHODS : Data on 41 138 gastric cancers diagnosed in 2007-2016 were retrieved from national cancer registries of Belgium, the Netherlands, and northern Portugal. Age-standardized incidence and mortality rates were assessed and expressed per 100 000 person-years. Early diagnosis was defined as T1 tumors. Net survival estimates for 2007-2011 vs. 2012-2016 were compared. RESULTS : Age-standardized incidence and mortality decreased over time in Belgium, northern Portugal, and the Netherlands (relative incidence decrease 8.6 %, 4.5 %, and 46.8 %, respectively; relative mortality decrease 22.0 %, 30.9 %, and 50.0 %, respectively). Early gastric cancer diagnosis increased over time for all countries. Net 1-year survival improved significantly between the two time periods in all countries, and at 5 years in Belgium and Portugal. CONCLUSIONS : This is the first study comparing trends (2007-2016) in gastric cancer incidence and mortality in some European countries. We found an increasing proportion of T1 gastric cancers and a decrease in age-standardized mortality over time, supporting the use of secondary prevention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, we investigated whether the perception of the importance of certain types of media, strategic issues, and excellence in the professional field of strategic communication in Europe differs across countries and across generations. Data were used from the 2007 (N = 1,087) and 2016 (N = 2,710) editions of the European Communication Monitor, an annual survey among strategic communication professionals in Europe. For the first time a basic two-level multilevel regression model was used to assess country effects and individual predictors (age, gender, education, position, and experience in the field) of media use (of mass media, owned media, social media, and interpersonal communication) and perceptions of the level of excellence of communication of the organization. Country and generational effects on the perception of strategic issues for the field were analysed using chi-square tests. Results show that in 2016, country effects are significant for the perception of the importance of mass media and social media use, interpersonal communication, and strategic issues for the field. In 2007, no such country effects were found. These results suggest that the influence and the context of the country of residence of the strategic communication professional have increased between 2007 and 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practice indicators (PI) measure provided care making use of real-world data. This study describes trends and variations in adjuvant treatment of early breast cancer (EBC) using the European Society of Breast Cancer Specialists (EUSOMA) database. The analysis was conducted on anonymous cumulative data registered by 56 certified breast centres, which all entered at least 500 new diagnoses in the database in the 10-year period 2010–2019. Practice trends of radiotherapy, endocrine treatment, chemotherapy, and anti-HER2 therapy were evaluated. The association with age group (<50, 50–69, ≥70) and geographical area of the centre (Northern, Central, Southern Europe; NE, CE, SE) was assessed with the Pearson Chi2 test for independence in contingency tables. In total, 150,150 patients with EBC were selected. Overall, radiotherapy was administered more frequently in NE centres, and conversely, endocrine, chemo-, and anti-HER2 therapy were used more frequently in SE centres (p < 0.001). 46.9% of the pN1 patients received postmastectomy radiotherapy, with significant differences by age and geographical region (p < 0.001). Adjuvant endocrine treatment for endocrine-sensitive carcinoma in situ was administered in 46.1%, with a decreasing trend during the study period (58.5–34.5%; p < 0.001). Anti-HER2 therapy was delivered in 75.6% of all patients with HER2BC T1a/bN0, patients older than 70 received anti-HER2 in 67.6% in SE compared to 31.3% in NE centres. Important variations in EBC management between European certified breast centres have been demonstrated. PI using real-world data can help to monitor, evaluate, and eventually guide and align good clinical practice in the management of breast cancer. • Real-world data on early breast cancer management in Europe are informative. • Postmastectomy radiotherapy for pN1 breast cancer varies noticeably across Europe. • Adjuvant endocrine therapy for in situ breast cancer varies noticeably across Europe. • HER2 therapy is used in 76% of patients with HER2+ breast cancer ≤1 cm and N0. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • European PR professionals see a cultural transformation towards hyper consumption, hypermodernisation and hyper narcissism. • Hypermodernity influences the communication between the organisation and its stakeholders. • Perceived post-/hypermodern organisations engage more often in societal debates. • First empirical study in PR about hypermodern culture by the European Communication Monitor. Abstract This article raises the question of whether European public relations (PR) and communications professionals perceive a cultural transformation in the direction of hypermodernity, and if so, attempts to assess how this influences their organizations and their work. Questions were asked in the European Communication Monitor 2017, an annual survey among communications professionals, and 3387 respondents from 50 European countries filled in the questionnaire. The results indicate that European professionals recognize a cultural transformation in the direction of hyper consumption, hyper modernization and hyper narcissism that influences the communication between their organizations and their stakeholders. A cluster analysis shows that less than half of the respondents perceive a transformation of their organization in the direction of hypermodern characteristics and values. Organizations with post/hypermodern characteristics have superior communications departments compared to modern organizations. Post/hypermodern organizations and excellent communications departments also engage more often in societal debates than other types of organizations and departments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim Unknown primary tumour (UPT) is the term applied to metastatic cancer, the origin of which remains unidentified. Since cancer treatment is primarily based on the tumour site of origin, treatment of UPT patients is challenging. The number of reports on incidence, treatment and survival of UPT is limited. We hereby report data on patients (2000–2012) with UPT in the Netherlands. Methods The age-standardised rate (ASR) of ‘other and unspecified’ malignancies in the Netherlands was compared with other European countries. Patients diagnosed with UPT between 2000 and 2012 were selected from the Netherlands Cancer Registry (NCR) to calculate incidence rates. Patient characteristics, treatment and survival rates were assessed. Results The ASR of ‘other and unspecified’ malignancies in the Netherlands did not differ from the European average ASRs (2008–2012). A total of 29,784 patients with an unknown primary tumour were selected from the NCR (2000–2012). The incidence decreased from 14 per 100,000 person years (European standardised rate) in 2000 to 7.0 in 2012. The most common metastatic sites were liver, lymph nodes, bone and lung (42%, 22%, 16% and 14%, respectively), and approximately two-thirds of patients were diagnosed with metastases at a single site. One-third of the patients were treated; these were mainly younger patients. The overall median survival for all patients was 1.7 months. The median survival of untreated patients was 1.0 month and of treated patients 6.3 months. Conclusion The incidence of UPT between 2000 and 2012 is decreasing in the Netherlands, and one-third of these patients received treatment. Survival after diagnosis is limited to months rather than years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The study examines two meso-strategic cancer networks, exploring to what extent collaboration can strengthen or hamper network effectiveness. Unlike macro-strategic networks, meso-strategic networks have no hierarchical governance structures nor are they institutionalised within healthcare services’ delivery systems. This study aims to analyse the models of professional cooperation and the tools developed for managing clinical practice within two meso-strategic, European cancer networks. Methods Multiple case study design based on the comparative analysis of two cancer networks: Iridium, in Antwerp, Belgium and the Institut Català d’Oncologia in Catalonia, Spain. The case studies applied mixed methods, with qualitative research based on semi-structured interviews (n = 35) together with case-site observation and material collection. Results The analysis identified four levels of collaborative intensity within medical specialties as well as in multidisciplinary settings, which became both platforms for crosscutting clinical work between hubs’ experts and local care teams and the levers for network-based tools development. The organisation of clinical practice relied on professional-based cooperative processes and tiers, lacking vertical integration mechanisms. Conclusions The intensity of professional linkages largely shaped the potential of meso-strategic cancer networks to influence clinical practice organisation. Conversely, the introduction of managerial techniques or network governance structures, without introducing vertical hierarchies, was found to be critical solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Migrating long distances requires time and energy, and may interact with an individual's performance during breeding. These seasonal interactions in migratory animals are best described in populations with disjunct nonbreeding distributions. The black‐tailed godwit (Limosa limosa limosa), which breeds in agricultural grasslands in Western Europe, has such a disjunct nonbreeding distribution: The majority spend the nonbreeding season in West Africa, while a growing number winters north of the Sahara on the Iberian Peninsula. To test whether crossing the Sahara has an effect on breeding season phenology and reproductive parameters, we examined differences in the timing of arrival, breeding habitat quality, lay date, egg volume, and daily nest survival among godwits (154 females and 157 males), individually marked in a breeding area in the Netherlands for which wintering destination was known on the basis of resightings. We also examined whether individual repeatability in arrival date differed between birds wintering north or south of the Sahara. Contrary to expectation, godwits wintering south of the Sahara arrived two days earlier and initiated their clutch six days earlier than godwits wintering north of the Sahara. Arrival date was equally repeatable for both groups, and egg volume larger in birds wintering north of the Sahara. Despite these differences, we found no association between wintering location and the quality of breeding habitat or nest survival. This suggests that the crossing of an important ecological barrier and doubling of the migration distance, twice a year, do not have clear negative reproductive consequences for some long‐distance migrants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whereas early modern migration history has been traditionally based on citizenship rolls, marriage registers, censuses and myriad other sources, this research explores the value of eyewitness reports before the Antwerp criminal court in the eighteenth century. On the face of things, these proceedings of the hoogere Vierschaer corroborate earlier findings. Due to the economic slump, Antwerp merely drew an endless stream of humble, unskilled labourers from its rural fringe; immigrants who were often relegated to the most menial, dirty and low-paid jobs. Acts of xenophobic violence against these new arrivals, who spoke a (slightly) different language or had different habits, were no exception. Most migrants seemed to have left town after they had saved a penny. Yet, the files of the Vierschaer also shed light on some slow-burn processes of integration, which have been less thoroughly scrutinized in the past. Some migrants blended smoothly into their new environment, by finding a permanent job (mostly as publican, peddler, or unskilled labourer); by mastering new skills (literacy and language); by seizing opportunities for (modest) social rise; or by establishing strong bonds with their new neighbours, friends, colleagues or parishioners. Findings also suggest that this integration process eventually stroke home. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Primary out-of-hours care is developing throughout Europe. High-quality databases with linked data from primary health services can help to improve research and future health services. Methods: In 2014, a central clinical research database infrastructure was established (iCAREdata: Improving Care And Research Electronic Data Trust Antwerp, www.icaredata.eu) for primary and interdisciplinary health care at the University of Antwerp, linking data from General Practice Cooperatives, Emergency Departments and Pharmacies during out-of-hours care. Medical data are pseudonymised using the services of a Trusted Third Party, which encodes private information about patients and physicians before data is sent to iCAREdata. Results: iCAREdata provides many new research opportunities in the fields of clinical epidemiology, health care management and quality of care. A key aspect will be to ensure the quality of data registration by all health care providers. Conclusions: This article describes the establishment of a research database and the possibilities of linking data from different primary out-of-hours care providers, with the potential to help to improve research and the quality of health care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article will examine the problem of disease transmission through organ transplantation from a civil liability perspective. Both fault liability and strict product liability might be possible. These two types of liability will be compared, while applying them to the actions of the central parties involved in organ donation and transplantation, namely the physician/hospital, the donor and the organ exchange organisation. While product liability is generally an easier way to obtain compensation than fault liability, it might nevertheless place too heavy a burden on the transplant professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To estimate the prevalence of refractive error in adults across Europe. Refractive data (mean spherical equivalent) collected between 1990 and 2013 from fifteen population-based cohort and cross-sectional studies of the European Eye Epidemiology (E) Consortium were combined in a random effects meta-analysis stratified by 5-year age intervals and gender. Participants were excluded if they were identified as having had cataract surgery, retinal detachment, refractive surgery or other factors that might influence refraction. Estimates of refractive error prevalence were obtained including the following classifications: myopia ≤−0.75 diopters (D), high myopia ≤−6D, hyperopia ≥1D and astigmatism ≥1D. Meta-analysis of refractive error was performed for 61,946 individuals from fifteen studies with median age ranging from 44 to 81 and minimal ethnic variation (98 % European ancestry). The age-standardised prevalences (using the 2010 European Standard Population, limited to those ≥25 and <90 years old) were: myopia 30.6 % [95 % confidence interval (CI) 30.4-30.9], high myopia 2.7 % (95 % CI 2.69-2.73), hyperopia 25.2 % (95 % CI 25.0-25.4) and astigmatism 23.9 % (95 % CI 23.7-24.1). Age-specific estimates revealed a high prevalence of myopia in younger participants [47.2 % (CI 41.8-52.5) in 25-29 years-olds]. Refractive error affects just over a half of European adults. The greatest burden of refractive error is due to myopia, with high prevalence rates in young adults. Using the 2010 European population estimates, we estimate there are 227.2 million people with myopia across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In peatland ecosystems, plant communities mediate a globally significant carbon store. The effects of global environmental change on plant assemblages are expected to be a factor in determining how ecosystem functions such as carbon uptake will respond. Using vegetation data from 56 Sphagnum-dominated peat bogs across Europe, we show that in these ecosystems plant species aggregate into two major clusters that are each defined by shared response to environmental conditions. Across environmental gradients, we find significant taxonomic turnover in both clusters. However, functional identity and functional redundancy of the community as a whole remain unchanged. This strongly suggests that in peat bogs, species turnover across environmental gradients is restricted to functionally similar species. Our results demonstrate that plant taxonomic and functional turnover are decoupled, which may allow these peat bogs to maintain ecosystem functioning when subject to future environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Although 80% of their original area has been lost in the past millennium, Europe's wetlands still cover large areas in the northern part of the continent. Most original wetland types are still represented: bogs and fens are common in the boreal, atlantic and temperate parts of the continent. Riverine wetlands, although strongly reduced in size and functionality, still occur along Europe's streams and rivers. Freshwater tidal wetlands have become very rare in Europe's temperate zone. European wetlands are valued because of their biodiversity and their ecosystem services; their protection and restoration is supported by the Ramsar Convention, EU directives and national legislation for nature protection in the various states. These actions need to be intensified to stop any further degradation of the resource and its many services. The ecosystem services of wetlands should be taken into account in management decisions on land and water use. Multiple wetland restoration initiatives in river catchments and fen areas are good examples of the way forward. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Europe's push towards a single harmonised market that offers information on the benefits of foods is encapsulated in Regulation (EC) No 1924/2006, the Nutrition and Health Claims Regulation (NHCR). The NHCR will be the main focus of our contribution. Our contention is that this regulation not only stifles scientific research, limiting it to the relationship between nutrition and health, but also hinders Europe's public health, especially with respect to the intake of micronutrients. We will analyse this with the aid of some aspects of the current state-of-the-art in the nutritional sciences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of English-medium CLIL on EFL proficiency in three European countries. Seven mainstream grammar schools spread across The Netherlands, Germany, and Italy participated with a total of 263 pupils aged 12 to 16. Several language skills were measured by means of written tests in a pre/post- test design. The first test was held when the experimental classes were all at the start of the CLIL intervention in secondary education; the second test two years later. Each of the three countries participated with two CLIL classes and two mainstream classes as control groups. The results show that CLIL classes had better EFL skills from the start: they outperformed the mainstream groups at both test rounds. However, gain scores varied per country and the apparent head start of CLIL pupils makes it difficult to interpret EFL results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Introduction: Penile cancer is a rare neoplasm in Western countries, and detailed studies on trends in population-based survival of penile cancer have never been published before. We examined population-based trends in survival in Europe and the United States of America (USA). Methods: Data from 3297 European and 1820 American penile cancer patients, contributed by 12 European cancer registries and the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program of the USA were included in this study. Period analysis techniques were used to examine relative survival trends overall, as well as for four geographic regions in Europe, and for the age groups 15–54, 55–64, 65–74 and 75+ for both populations between 1990–1995 and 2002–2007. Survival trends were assessed in a multiple regression model of relative excess risk including period of diagnosis, age and continent. Results: The 5-year relative survival of penile cancer patients increased statistically non-significantly from 65% to 70% in Europe and decreased (significantly) from 72% to 63% in the USA. Trends in age-specific 5-year relative survival did not find any significant improvement in either Europe or the USA. The multiple regression analysis confirmed the lack of survival trend, and found significantly higher relative excess risk with age, and, apparently due to lower survival before 2002–2007, higher risk in Europe. Conclusion: Survival for penile cancer patients has not improved in either Europe or the USA since at least 1990. The reasons for the decrease of survival in the USA remain unknown and to be explored. Stronger international cooperation in clinical research may be important to facilitate clinical progress in treatment and thereby improvement of survival of this rare malignancy. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background Despite high curability, some testicular cancer (TC) patient groups may have increased mortality. We provide a detailed age- and histology-specific comparison of population-based relative survival of TC patients in Europe and the USA. Design Using data from 12 European cancer registries and the USA Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results 9 database, we report survival trends for patients diagnosed with testicular seminomas and nonseminomas between 1993–1997 and 2003–2007. Additionally, a model-based analysis was used to compare survival trends and relative excess risk (RER) of death between Europe and the USA adjusting for differences in age and histology. Results In 2003–2007, the 5-year relative survival of patients with testicular seminoma was at least 98% among those aged <50 years, survival of patients with nonseminoma remained 3%–6% units lower. Conclusions There remains little room for survival improvement among testicular seminoma patients, especially for those aged <50 years. Older TC patients remain at increased risk of death, which seems mainly attributable to the lower survival among the nonseminoma patients. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The strategic orientation of European communication professionals was one of the focal points of the European Communication Monitor (ECM) 2010, an annual survey among European communication professionals. In the context of the European way of doing business with the typical dialogical stakeholder approach, strategic versus instrumental action and the reflective dimension of communication that has been found in Europe, the strategic orientation of European professionals is assessed. A so-called strategic orientation index was constructed consisting of the professional role enactment of communication managers, the use of inbound strategic activities, the use of strategies and plans and the use of evaluation and controlling tools in the organization. The results show that there is a considerable strategic orientation of communication professionals in Europe. Professionals in Northern and Eastern Europe score highest on the strategic orientation index. Western European professionals score significantly lower than their colleagues in the North and in the East. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'Costanzo obligation' implies that national administrative authorities are obliged to solve conflicts between provisions of national law and provisions of European law in favour of the provision of European law, when necessary by leaving the provision of national law unapplied. It is paradoxical that this obligation is directly addressed to administrative authorities, as European law is generally not concerned with the internal state structure of the Member States. This article investigates whether the key to solve this paradox may be found in the possibilities that the central governments of the Member States have to supervise their administrative authorities. This article focuses on supervision in France, Germany and the Netherlands by the central government with regard to acts or decisions, adopted by administrative authorities. The article aims to answer the question: can the current supervisory powers close the gap between the Costanzo obligation and the principle of institutional autonomy? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The European Communication Monitor (ECM) is an extensive longitudinal research project to monitor trends in public relations and communication management and analyze the changing framework for the profession in Europe. The 2009 ECM edition identifies the main characteristics of individual practitioners and the organizations where they work. The aim is to monitor the challenges for communication management in the recession and media crisis; the development of the sub disciplines, instruments and strategic issues; and the influence on management decisions. Additionally ECM 2009 evaluates three specific areas: internal communication, research in communication and interactive communication. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article discusses the experience of Dutch Calvinists traveling through predominantly Catholic parts of Europe on their version of the traditional "Grand Tour" in the 17th century. Despite the popular anti-Catholicism of the day in Protestant Europe, the writings of Dutch travelers are shown to display a relatively evenhanded attitude toward the symbols and rituals of Catholicism in France and Italy, attributed both to practical considerations and the influence of humanism. Dutch travelers are also shown to have incorporated stops at sites of significance to Protestantism on the traditional educational journey.

If there is a conflict between a provision of national law and a directly effective provision of EC law, administrative authorities are obliged to set aside national law if consistent interpretation of the latter is not possible, and eventually to apply directly effective provisions of Community law instead. This obligation, which the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has clearly formulated for both primary EC law and secondary legislation, is hereinafter for reasons of convenience referred to as the 'Costanzo obligation'. Although this obligation may seem entirely clear cut and explicable from a European perspective, problems may occur from the point of view of national constitutional and administrative law. In this paper, the effect of the 'Costanzo obligation' with regard to the principle of legality in Germany, France and the Netherlands is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Is strategic communication becoming an established discipline of practice across Europe? Is it in turn becoming institutionalized? And do we mean establishing a renowned practice at the heart of organizational operation? This article aims to address these questions while paying attention to the negative implications some of the terminology has in the English language. Institution is also the label given to prisons, hospitals and other physical structures that are used in society to organize and control groups of people. The article finds evidence that communication managers are not frustrated “inmates” but rather liberated and respected practitioners who are establishing themselves as permanent and necessary fixtures within the organizational infrastructure. As a consequence these practitioners and departments are becoming entwined parts of the organization and therefore institutionalized. Evidence is presented from data collected from 37 European countries from a sample of over 1,500 communication managers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article assesses how the European Union (EU) views the role of port authorities. It addresses the impact of EU law and EU policy on port governance models and, in particular, analyses whether the European Commission's 2007 ports policy communication provides adequate instruments to meet contemporary governance challenges. For that purpose, an overview is first given of some of the main governance challenges of European ports as well as a brief insight in governance reform processes in EU Member States. The article also contains a bird's-eye view on the evolution of EU ports policy, paying particular attention to the basic objectives involved, the debate on the port services' Directive and the process that led to the Commission's new communication. The article concludes with further research questions on the influence of the EU on port governance reform in Member States. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land cover plays an important role in the Earth's climate as it affects multiple biochemical cycles and is critical for food security and biodiversity. As land cover is continuously evolving, influenced by anthropogenic and other factors, the availability of temporally varying land cover data sets of large spatial domains is integral to understanding, monitoring, and informing environmental management efforts. Here we use classification trees to generate annual land cover maps of the European continent for 2001 to 2019 on a ∼250 m resolution. The classification trees are trained using gap-filled and smoothed MODIS normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) satellite data, as well as CORINE reference land cover data. We apply the bagging ensemble technique on oversampled NDVI data, with an additional majority vote for overlapping segments over the continent-wide domain. We distinguish between 39 land cover classes, with a total classification accuracy of 75% and average precision of 76%. The accuracy varies between the classes, with common classes (e.g. agricultural and forest classes) performing better than rarer ones (e.g. artificial land cover). Over the entire continent, we find that artificial land cover, wetlands, and forests have increased on average by 0.76, 0.50 and 0.22%/year respectively, while the agricultural area has decreased by 0.21%/year. We also quantify these changes in land cover on a national and metropolitan level. Given the near-real-time availability of global NDVI data, we note the potential of the presented approach for generating 'near-real-year' annual land cover data sets of large geographic domains, for the continuous monitoring of land cover change and the effects of interventions. • Satellite-based classification of the European land cover. • Annual land cover maps of Europe for 2001–2019 on a ∼250 m resolution. • Distinguishing between 39 land cover classes with an accuracy over 75%. • Land cover change analysed on a continental, national, and metropolitan level. • Artificial land cover proportion is estimated to grow at ∼0.8%/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After fifteen years of harmonisation of phytosanitary measures in the European Union, today's legislation has become increasingly stagnant, complex and detailed. The recent finding of Potato spindle tuber viroid in ornamental plants in the Netherlands and other Member States illustrates the struggle to take prompt emergency measures when specific knowledge is not available. It is proposed that the European Commission should take the initiative to organise the process of pest risk analysis from beginning to end. In addition, the Commission should have budgets at their disposal for instantaneous research to generate the required data and fill in knowledge gaps. Such policy enables evaluation of emergency measures and implementation of permanent requirements on the basis of scientific data within a short period, thereby creating a dynamic legislation that focuses on real pest risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study contradictory hypotheses are tested about the changing income advantages of Communist Party (CP) members derived from the Elite Circulation Thesis and the Elite Reproduction Thesis, using cross-sectional datasets from before and during the transformation process. CP members are matched with non-CP members on several important income determinants such as human capital, occupational class, market capital, age, gender, and marital status. Independent-samples t-tests, on differences in mean personal (ln)income reveal that CP members earn more than non-CP members do before and during the transformation process. An ANOVA shows that the income advantages of CP members are most persistent in the Czech Republic and Russia while they get smaller in Slovakia and Hungary. Comparing the four countries suggests that the remaining income advantages of CP members may partly be explained by transformation specific differences between countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article profiles revolutionist Gilbert Imlay. It says that the British radicals were impressed on his efforts toward abolition and social reform through his books "Topographical Description of the Western Territory of North America" and "The Emigrants." It states that Imlay has been introduced to the triangular trade by Revolutionary War hero Silas Talbot.

The EUROTEACH study which is reported here,comprised 2796 secondary school teachers from 13 European countries. The study firstly aimed at testing an extended Job Demand --Control --Social support (JDCS)model and checking its gender specificity.While this study failed to provide evidence for the buffer hypothesis derived from the JDCS-model,the strain hypothesis was mostly supported.Additional job conditions tested in this study proved to be important predictors of the outcome variables (emotional exhaustion,depersonalisation, personal accomplishment,somatic complaints and job satisfaction)and standard of living indicators also added explained variance in these outcomes.The study proved that the JDCS model cannot be called a male model. Secondly the study looked at the comparability of 3 European regions (South,West,East).Apart from important regional differences in job conditions,standard of living indicators and outcomes,the most impor- tant finding is that the JDCS model explains most variance in outcome variables in Western Europe,and the least in Eastern Europe,and thus seems to suffer from a Western bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background The frequency of secondary interventions after endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) was assessed and correlated with findings at clinical and imaging examination during follow-up. Methods Data were studied from 1023 patients with a follow-up of 12 months or longer, collected by 56 institutions in a multicentre data registry (EUROSTAR). Surveillance data were provided by the centres between September 1996 and November 1999. Results Overall, 186 patients (18 per cent) had a secondary intervention occurring a mean of 14 months after the initial endograft procedure. Twelve per cent of the interventions were transabdominal, 11 per cent consisted of an extra-anatomic bypass and 76 per cent involved a transfemoral procedure. The rates of freedom from intervention at 1, 3 and 4 years were 89, 67 and 62 per cent respectively. Migration (relative risk (RR) 8·9) and rupture (RR 22·6) were the most frequent causes of secondary transabdominal interventions. Graft limb thrombosis was the principal indication for extra-anatomic bypass (RR 37·5 for clinical evidence of graft limb thrombosis). Endoleak, graft kinking, stenosis or thrombosis and device migration were significant causes for secondary transfemoral interventions (RR 2·5–6·9). Conclusion The high incidence of late secondary interventions is a cause for concern with regard to broad application of endovascular AAA repair, and emphasizes the need for lifelong surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discusses a future perspective on literacy in Europe. Literacy as an important marker of social and cultural change; Study of literacy practices; Focus on English orthography in research on literacy development; Trends in literacy education.

Abstract: The European Communication Monitor (ECM) 2010 showed that digital communication and social media have grown in importance in the media mix of European organizations. Both new media types are positively correlated to the perceived impact of public relations (PR) in the organization. Specifically social networks and online videos are considered the most important social media tools. Also European practitioners expect that the content of communication will become more important as and when the use of social media further increases. The consequence that everyone within the organization is able to spread information is perceived as the most problematic aspect of social media. A potential problem is that only about one third of the European organizations have implemented social media policies with communication consultancies leading the way. Communication consultants consider social media significantly more important than practitioners working in organizations. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Editorial. Focuses on a European research project called EuroTech, which centers around quality of work and wellness/health outcomes in teachers. Factors determining a person's quality of life; Challenges faced by EuroTech members; Expression of pleasure taken in the research process.

A range of river floodplain sites in North America and Europe were investigated, to determine what factors were determining nutrient richness and productivity. A principal component analysis revealed that phosphorus richness of the soil and plant growth were strongly associated with the size of the river and the position of the site, both in relation to the distance to the source of the river and to the river channel. N mineralisation and available P were significantly correlated with river water quality. A phytometer experiment revealed that a large amount of the stress experienced by plants growing on the floodplain was due to other than soil factors, and fertiliser experiments showed that at several of the sites, production was not limited by nutrients. Climatic factors (temperature, latitude) also determine plant production. The hydrological regime that a floodplain is subjected to is a vital factor for determining both nutrient dynamics and plantproduction, but it is not straightforward to characterise due to thecomplex and variable nature of the flood pulse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Provides an overview of mental health services in Europe.

Grassland breeding waders have been steadily declining across Europe. Recent studies indicating a dramatic decline in grassland invertebrates' abundance and biomass, the key food of most grassland wader chicks, suggest a likely driver of the demise of waders. While agricultural intensification is generally inferred as the main cause for arthropod decline there is surprisingly little information on the relationship between land use intensity and total arthropod abundance in grasslands. Here, we explored those relationships across several key wader breeding habitats by surveying ground-active, aerial and soil-dwelling invertebrate communities in five European countries that range from natural undisturbed bogs to intensively managed grasslands. Using maximum vegetation growth and soil moisture content we investigated how they shape the size of the invertebrate community within and across different countries. We found predominantly positive relationships between grassland invertebrate abundance, biomass and body weight with increasing vegetation growth and soil moisture. Maximum vegetation growth was strongly positively related to ground-active invertebrate abundance and biomass and abundance of soil dwelling invertebrates (mainly earthworms). Body weight of aerial invertebrates furthermore increased with increasing maximum vegetation growth. Our results provide little support for the hypothesis that agricultural practices associated with intensification of grassland management result in an abundance decline of invertebrate prey for wader chicks. Conservation practices aiming to enhance wader chick survival require a careful balancing act between maintaining habitat productivity to secure high prey abundance, and keeping productivity low enough to maintain open swards that do not need to be cut before chicks have fledged. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose The absolute number of new cancer patients that will require at least one course of radiotherapy in each country of Europe was estimated. Material and methods The incidence and relative frequency of cancer types from the year 2012 European Cancer Observatory estimates were used in combination with the population-based stage at diagnosis from five cancer registries. These data were applied to the decision trees of the evidence-based indications to calculate the Optimal Utilization Proportion (OUP) by tumour site. Results In the minimum scenario, the OUP ranged from 47.0% in the Russian Federation to 53.2% in Belgium with no clear geographical pattern of the variability among countries. The impact of stage at diagnosis on the OUP by country was rather limited. Within the 24 countries where data on actual use of radiotherapy were available, a gap between optimal and actual use has been observed in most of the countries. Conclusions The actual utilization of radiotherapy is significantly lower than the optimal use predicted from the evidence based estimates in the literature. This discrepancy poses a major challenge for policy makers when planning the resources at the national level to improve the provision in European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate whether myopia is becoming more common across Europe and explore whether increasing education levels, an important environmental risk factor for myopia, might explain any temporal trend. Design Meta-analysis of population-based, cross-sectional studies from the European Eye Epidemiology (E 3 ) Consortium. Participants The E 3 Consortium is a collaborative network of epidemiological studies of common eye diseases in adults across Europe. Refractive data were available for 61 946 participants from 15 population-based studies performed between 1990 and 2013; participants had a range of median ages from 44 to 78 years. Methods Noncycloplegic refraction, year of birth, and highest educational level achieved were obtained for all participants. Myopia was defined as a mean spherical equivalent ≤−0.75 diopters. A random-effects meta-analysis of age-specific myopia prevalence was performed, with sequential analyses stratified by year of birth and highest level of educational attainment. Main Outcome Measures Variation in age-specific myopia prevalence for differing years of birth and educational level. Results There was a significant cohort effect for increasing myopia prevalence across more recent birth decades; age-standardized myopia prevalence increased from 17.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 17.6–18.1) to 23.5% (95% CI, 23.2–23.7) in those born between 1910 and 1939 compared with 1940 and 1979 ( P = 0.03). Education was significantly associated with myopia; for those completing primary, secondary, and higher education, the age-standardized prevalences were 25.4% (CI, 25.0–25.8), 29.1% (CI, 28.8–29.5), and 36.6% (CI, 36.1–37.2), respectively. Although more recent birth cohorts were more educated, this did not fully explain the cohort effect. Compared with the reference risk of participants born in the 1920s with only primary education, higher education or being born in the 1960s doubled the myopia prevalence ratio–2.43 (CI, 1.26–4.17) and 2.62 (CI, 1.31–5.00), respectively—whereas individuals born in the 1960s and completing higher education had approximately 4 times the reference risk: a prevalence ratio of 3.76 (CI, 2.21–6.57). Conclusions Myopia is becoming more common in Europe; although education levels have increased and are associated with myopia, higher education seems to be an additive rather than explanatory factor. Increasing levels of myopia carry significant clinical and economic implications, with more people at risk of the sight-threatening complications associated with high myopia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plant uptake and denitrification are considered to be the most important processes responsible for N retention and mitigation in riparian buffers. In many riparian buffers, however, nutrients taken up by plants remain in the system only temporarily and may be gradually released by mineralization later. Still, plants increase the residence time of nutrients considerably by reducing their mobility. We investigated the importance of plant N uptake and N immobilization in litter for N retention in riparian buffers. Nitrogen uptake in vegetation and N dynamics in litter were measured over a two-year period in a range of forested and herbaceous riparian buffers along a climatic gradient in Europe, receiving different loadings of N-enriched groundwater. Plant production, nitrogen uptake, and N retention were significantly higher in the forested buffer sites compared to the herbaceous buffer sites. However, in herbaceous buffers, periodic harvesting of herbaceous biomass contributed considerably to the N retention. No relationship between lateral N loading and plant productivity or N uptake was observed; this indicated that plant growth was not N-limited. In the winter period, decaying leaf litter had a small but significant role in N retention in a majority of the riparian ecosystems studied. Moreover, no responses to the climatic gradient were found. Generally, we can state that annual N retention in the vegetation and litter compartment is substantial, making up 13–99% of the total N mitigation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Introduction: Dementia paralytica, a late neuropsychiatric complication of syphilis, was common in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century. In the course of the subsequent century, the number of patients decreased dramatically, partly due to improved treatment options. One of the great therapeutic breakthroughs was the discovery of malaria fever therapy by Wagner von Jauregg. Aim: This retrospective cohort-study was designed to detect prognostic factors regarding the treatment of dementia paralytica with malaria fever therapy. Methods: Inpatients of the Vincent van Gogh psychiatric hospital in Venray were included in this study if they had a discharge diagnosis of dementia paralytica (general paralysis of the insane) and had been treated with malaria fever therapy in the period from 1907 to 1970. Patients were identified using annual reports and death registries from the hospital. Each patient''s clinical record was reviewed for demographic, clinical, therapeutical and laboratory data. We measured survival after malaria fever therapy. Treatment response was categorized as: complete remission, incomplete remission but no hospitalization required, incomplete remission and permanent hospitalization required, unimproved or death during or shortly after treatment. The cause of death was classified as related or not related to dementia paralytica. Results: Preliminary results suggest that 70 % of the patients were male. Many patients died within 2 months of hospitalisation, but some survived for more than 20 years. Conclusions: Further analysis is currently being done and definite results and conclusions will be presented at the meeting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]