Europe

In recent decades, civil society organisations (CSOs) have grown both in number and in their impact on policy-making, at European and also non-Member state level. Public institutions, motivated by the need to increase their legitimacy, have increasingly delegated functions to CSOs. Concomitantly, CSOs have expanded their access to public funding. In part because of increased access to public funding, and in part because of a stronger relationship with public powers, CSOs are under pressure to demonstrate that they use the resources they are given in an efficient, accountable and transparent manner, e.g. by adopting policies on fiscal transparency, and by maintaining financial solvency. The EU's interest in regulating CSOs is relatively recent. At present, the legal framework addressing CSOs' financial accountability includes two 'categories' of norms: those that regulate the award of public contracts and the concession of grants, and those norms that address transparency and openness. The first category includes the rules on public contracts and the rules on (co-)financing of CSO projects; whereas the second category includes the Financial Transparency Initiative (FTJ) and the Joint Transparency Register
(JTR). The FTJ gathers all information on EU funding in a single database. The JTR gathers information produced by the various organisations (including CSOs) that are interested in lobbying the EU, and who register voluntarily. Defining the boundaries of CSO fiscal accountability and effectively tackling cases of fraud or financial mismanagement remains a difficult endeavor. On the one hand, the EU still lacks a single overarching understanding (and, consequently, legal definition) of CSOs. This translates into the absence of clear legal definitions, and more generally into
the opacity of the information available on CSOs through EU databases. Moreover, as CSOs are 'private entities', they are not submitted to the same integrity mechanisms and norms that apply to public institutions, including internal and external oversight. Finally, a significant administrative burden imposed on CSOs may, in the end, counter EU efforts to tackle financial mismanagement by CSOs. In many respects, the issue of CSO financial accountability has come to resemble a dialogue of the deaf: EU institution-proposed reforms have been postponed, or have not produced the outcomes expected, or have been fiercely opposed by CSOs. At the same time, the self-regulatory tools (including policies on selecting donors, self monitoring and codes of conduct and standards) developed by CSOs to enhance their
financial accountability have not obtained official recognition from EU institutions.

Viral haemorrhagic septicaemia virus (VHSV) has, in recent decades, been isolated from an increasing number of free-living marine fish species. So far, it has been isolated from at least 48 fish species from the northern hemisphere, including North America, Asia and Europe, and fifteen different species including herring, sprat, cod, Norway pout and flatfish from northern European waters. The high number of VHSV isolations from the Baltic Sea, Kattegat, Skagerrak, the North Sea and waters around Scotland indicate that the virus is endemic in these waters. The VHSV isolates originating from wild marine fish show no to low pathogenicity to rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon, although several are pathogenic for turbot. Marine VHSV isolates are so far serologically indistinguishable from freshwater isolates. Genotyping based on VHSV G- and N-genes reveals four groups indicating the geographical origin of the isolates, with one group representing traditional European freshwater isolates and isolates of north European marine origin, a second group of marine isolates from the Baltic Sea, a third group of isolates from the North Sea, and a group representing North American isolates. Examples of possible transfer of virus from free-living marine fish to farmed fish are discussed, as are measures to prevent introduction of VHSV from the marine environment to aquaculture.

There are more types of borders today than ever before in history. Borders of all kinds define every aspect of social life in the twenty-first century. From the biometric data that divides the smallest aspects of our bodies to the aerial drones that patrol the immense expanse of our domestic and international airspace, we are defined by borders. They can no longer simply be understood as the geographical divisions between nation-states. Today, their form and function has become too complex, too hybrid. What we need now is a theory of the border that can make sense of this hybridity across multiple domains of social life.

Rather than viewing borders as the result or outcome of pre-established social entities like states, Thomas Nail reinterprets social history from the perspective of the continual and constitutive movement of the borders that organize and divide society in the first place. Societies and states are the products of bordering, Nail argues, not the other way around. Applying his original movement-oriented theoretical framework "kinopolitics" to several major historical border regimes (fences, walls, cells, and checkpoints), Theory of the Border pioneers a new methodology of "critical limology," that provides fresh tools for the analysis of contemporary border politics.

Despite a growing number of specific comparisons of selected aspects of regionalism (especially regarding regional institutions and the role of power) in selected regions (particularly in the Triad: Europe, East Asia and North America), there is virtually no systematic debate regarding the fundamentals of comparison, such as “what to compare”, “how to compare” or “why compare”. Consequently, the purpose of this chapter is to contribute to the general discussion about “the problem of comparison” in the study of regionalism and regional integration. It does not attempt a detailed empirical comparison of a set of pre-defined regions according to a fixed set of variables. The chapter will provide an overview of the state of comparative regional integration and regionalism, an outline of the main debates and controversies, and a discussion of the state of the research field and directions in which it ought to be moving.

The massacre of almost 50 Maidan protesters on February 20, 2014 was a turning point in Ukrainian politics and a tipping point in the conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine. This mass killing of the protesters and the mass shooting of the police that preceded it led to the overthrow of the pro-Russian government of Viktor Yanukovych and gave a start to a civil war in Donbas in Eastern Ukraine, Russian military intervention in Crimea and Donbas, and an international conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine. A conclusion promoted by the post-Yanukovych governments and the media in Ukraine that the massacre was perpetrated by government snipers and special police units on a Yanukovych order has been nearly universally accepted by the Western governments, the media, and many scholars. The Ukrainian government investigation identified members of the special company of Berkut as responsible for killings of the absolute majority of the protesters, but did not release any evidence in support, with the exception of videos of the massacre.
              The question is which side organized the “snipers’ massacre.” This paper is the first academic study of this crucial case of the mass killing. It uses a theory of rational choice and a Weberian theory of instrumental rationality to examine actions of major actors both from the Yanukovych government, specifically various police and security forces, and the Maidan opposition, specifically its far right and oligarchic elements, during the massacre.
          The paper analyzes a large amount of evidence from different publicly available sources concerning this massacre and killings of specifics protesters. Qualitative content analysis includes the following data: about 1,500 videos and recordings of live internet and TV broadcasts from mass media and social media in different countries(some 150 gigabytes), news reports and social media posts by more than 100 journalists covering the massacre from Kyiv, some 5,000 photos, and nearly 30 gigabytes of publicly available radio intercepts of snipers and commanders from the special Alfa unit of the Security Service of Ukraine and Internal Troops, and Maidan massacre trial recordings. This study also employs field research on site of the massacre, eyewitness reports by both Maidan protesters and government special units commanders, statements by both former and current government officials, estimates of approximate ballistic trajectories, bullets and weapons used, and types of wounds among both protesters and the police. This study establishes a precise timeline for various events of the massacre, the locations of both the shooters and the government snipers, and the specific timeline and locations of nearly 50 protesters’ deaths. It also briefly analyzes other major cases of violence during and after the “Euromaidan.” This study includes two video appendixes.
            This academic investigation concludes that the massacre was a false flag operation, which was rationally planned and carried out with a goal of the overthrow of the government and seizure of power. It found various evidence of the involvement of an alliance of the far right organizations, specifically the Right Sector and Svoboda, and oligarchic parties, such as Fatherland. Concealed shooters and spotters were located in at least 20 Maidan-controlled buildings or areas. The various evidence that the protesters were killed from these locations include some 70 testimonies, primarily by Maidan protesters, several videos of “snipers” targeting protesters from these buildings, comparisons of positions of the specific protesters at the time of their killing and their entry wounds, and bullet impact signs. The study uncovered various videos and photos of armed Maidan “snipers” and spotters in many of these buildings. The paper presents implications of these findings for understanding the nature of the change of the government in Ukraine, the civil war in Donbas, Russian military intervention in Crimea and Donbas, and an international conflict between the West and Russia over Ukraine.

Obesity is heritable and predisposes to many diseases. To understand the genetic basis of obesity better, here we conduct a genome-wide association study and Metabochip meta-analysis of body mass index (BMI), a measure commonly used to define obesity and assess adiposity, in up to 339,224 individuals. This analysis identifies 97 BMI-associated loci…

In two previously described donors, the extracellular domain of LAIR1, a collagen-binding inhibitory receptor encoded on chromosome 19 (ref. 1), was inserted between the V and DJ segments of an antibody. This insertion generated, through somatic mutations, broadly reactive antibodies against RIFINs, a type of variant antigen expressed on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes. To investigate how frequently such antibodies are produced in response to malaria infection, we screened plasma from two large cohorts of individuals living in malaria-endemic regions. Here we report that 5-10% of malaria-exposed individuals, but none of the European blood donors tested, have high levels of LAIR1-containing antibodies that dominate the response to infected erythrocytes without conferring enhanced protection against febrile malaria. By analysing the antibody-producing B cell clones at the protein, cDNA and gDNA levels, we characterized additional LAIR1 insertions between the...

Many OECD countries have replied to economic recessions with an adaption in public spending on social benefits for families and young people in need. So far, no study has examined the impact of public social spending during the recent economic recession on health, and social inequalities in health among young people. This study investigates whether an increase in public spending relates to a lower prevalence in health complaints and buffers health inequalities among adolescents. Data were obtained from the 2009/2010 "Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC)" study comprising 11 - 15-year-old adolescents from 27 European countries (N = 144,754). Socioeconomic position was measured by the Family Affluence Scale (FAS). Logistic multilevel models were conducted for the association between the absolute rate of public spending on family benefits per capita in 2010 and the relative change rate in family benefits (2006-2010) in relation to adolescent psychological health co...

SummaryA score that can accurately determine the risk of major bleeding during anticoagulant therapy may help to make decisions on anticoagulant use. RIETE is an ongoing registry of consecutive patients with acute venous thromboembolism (VTE). We composed a score to predict the risk for major bleeding within three months of anticoagulant therapy. Of 19,274 patients enrolled, 13,057 (67%) were randomly assigned to the derivation sample, 6,572 to the validation sample. In the derivation sample 314 (2.4%) patients bled (fatal bleeding, 105). On multivariate analysis, age >75 years, recent bleeding, cancer, creatinine levels >1.2 mg/dl, anemia, or pulmonary embolism at baseline were independently associated with an increased risk for major bleeding. A score was composed assigning 2 points to recent bleeding, 1.5 to abnormal creatinine levels or anemia, 1 point to the remaining variables. In the derivation sample 2,654 (20%) patients scored 0 points (low risk); 9,645 (74%) 1–4 poin...

According to Slavic history, the brothers Lech, Czech and Rus reached the lands between the Vistula River and the Oder. On a hill, they saw an oak tree with an eagles nest and Lech decided to fix his residence there, choosing a white eagle for his shield. Czech, on the other hand, went to the South where he founded his country (the Czech Republic), and Rus went to the East, where he later created Russia.

The first indications of inhabitants in the region of present-day Poland are at the Krzemionki Opatowskie site. This is dated to be more than 3500 years BC. The site is located in what is now the Kielce region, a region known for its flint quarries.

The first known city in the region dates back to the 2nd century AD. Kalisz was located in the province where the city of Poznan is currently located. It was used as a commercial trading centre on the Amber route between the Baltic and the Mediterranean.

This article analyses the historical roots of the recent revival of the mutual prejudice between Germany and Italy in Europeanpolitics.The paper seeks to explain the longevity of stereotyped representations of ‘the other’in German-Italian relations down to the present day. To this end, both the national post-war memories and the ‘memory cultures’ of the two countries have to be taken into account. Furthermore, it argues that the resurgence of mutual prejudice between Germany and Italy can also be seen as the expression of a recurrent historical pattern in European politics after 1945. Despite the image of peaceful cooperation that has often been conveyed,the history of European integration has seen disagreements and conflict between the member states, periodically exhuming historic bones of contention and asymmetries. At points of heightened tension, one-sided or controversial post-war historical memories have tended to surface, steeped in stereotype, commonplace and prejudice.One recurrent cause of tension between Italy and Germany has been the prospect of a ‘variable-geometry’ or ‘multiple-speed’ Europe.

To determine (i) the extent to which recommended lifestyle healthy behaviors are adopted and the existence of positive attitudes to health; (ii) the relative influence of socio-demographic variables on multiple healthy lifestyle behaviors and positive attitudes to health; (iii) the association between healthy lifestyle behaviors and positive attitudes to health. Two distinct healthy behavioral measures were developed: (i) healthy lifestyles based on physical activity, no cigarette smoking, no/moderate alcohol drinking, maintaining a "healthy" weight and having no sleeping problems and (ii) positive health attitudes based on having positive emotional attitudes, such as: self-perceived good health status, being calm, peaceful and happy for most of the time, not expecting health to get worse and regular health check-ups. A composite healthy lifestyle index, ranging from 0 (none of behaviors met) to 5 (all behaviors met) was calculated by summing up the individual's scores...

A calculation grid developed by an international expert group was tested across biobanks in six countries to evaluate costs for collections of various types of biospecimens. The assessment yielded a tool for setting specimen-access prices that were transparently related to biobank costs, and the tool was applied across three models of collaborative partnership.

Trends in ovarian cancer mortality over the period 1955-1989 were analyzed for 25 European countries (excluding the Soviet Union and a few small countries) on the basis of the official death certification data from the World Health Organization database. The overall variation in age-standardized ovarian cancer mortality at all ages declined appreciably, from over 17-fold during the period 1955-1959 (i.e., between 10.5/100,000 in Denmark and 0.6/100,000 in Spain, world standard) to 3.4-fold (i.e., between 9.9/100,000 in Denmark and 2.9/100,000 in Spain) in the late 1980s. When a comparison was made between the late 1950s and the 1980s, ovarian cancer mortality increased in most European countries, except Denmark, Sweden, and Switzerland, where certified mortality was already elevated in the late 1950s, although also in these countries the peak rate around or over 10/100,000 was reached during the 1960s. However, when the changes over the last decade were considered, ovarian cancer mortality trends were downward in all Nordic countries, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Czechoslovakia. Mortality was rising somewhat, though to a smaller extent, in Ireland, Britain, and Southern Europe. Trends were more favorable in middle-aged women (35 to 64 years), and, to an even greater extent, in young women (aged 20 to 44), among whom substantial declines, particularly over the last decade, were observed in most European countries, approaching 50% in Britain and Scandinavia. These trends are discussed in terms of changes in risk factor exposure (i.e., trends in average parity and oral contraceptive use), diagnostic and therapeutic improvements, ovariectomy, and changes in case ascertainment and certification.

Among the many educational materials produced by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) are guidelines. ESHRE guidelines may be developed for many reasons but their intent is always to promote best quality practices in reproductive medicine. In an ...

This paper presents the methodologies to determine odour in ambient air by field inspection that will be a new European standard. The objective is to characterise the odour in a defined area. Without making a link with potential annoyance due to the presence of odours, the described methods propose the way to characterise an exposed environment. Two approaches are defined in the new standard: the grid method and the plume method. The grid method can be used to determine the exposure to ambient odours in a defined area of study, using direct observation of recognisable odours in the field by human panel members. This method must be applied over a sufficiently long period of time (6 or 12 months) to be representative of the meteorological conditions of that location. The result is the distribution of the frequency of exposure to odours within the assessment area. The plume method can be used to determine the extent of detectable and recognisable odours from a specific source using dir...

The Eurocrisis displays an astonishing similarity to the causes of the Great Depression in the form of massive current account imbalances, destabilising capital flows, financial fragility, and the commitment to defending a fixed exchange rate arrangement by means of austerity and internal devaluation. From the interwar economic and political disaster Europe eventually drew the lesson that internal balance had to enjoy priority over external balance, giving rise to a three-decade long period of unprecedented economic growth after the Second World War. As Europe has again stumbled into many of the policy errors that caused the Great Depression, it will need to relearn some of these lessons. In particular, the paper suggests that Europeanisation has gone too far and that rather than completing the monetary Union, Europe's prosperity and political stability would be better served by compartmentalisation of financial markets, vertical industrial policies and an escape clause in the common currency allowing for temporary exit in case of fundamental disequilibria.

The study aims to provide an analysis and systematize the complex of factors influencing the transformation of party systems. We attempt to identify the relationship between their general and specific influences in particular countries to explore the transformation process's general patterns and national characteristics in European Union's political spaceion. This study's method is based on an overview of the unique bibliography collected by the researchers, which includes sources devoted to the study of foreign parties and party systems in the European Union by modern political scientists. The analysis shows the specification of internal and external factors that influence the adaptation of the political parties and systems to the EU's changing situation, country, and society. The modern transformation of political parties and party systems in the EU is caused by the phenomenon of globalization, the financial and economic crisis of 2008-2009, the overlapping migration crisis of 2015-2026, Brexit and changes in the institutional environment, and the democratic deficit in the EU itself. The obtained results have verified the research hypothesis. This study discussed modern tendencies in the transformation of political parties and political space in the European Union under the influence of different, controversial but discrete factors of development and complete explanation about the essence of new types of political parties

The stone marten is a widely distributed mustelid in the Palaearctic region that exhibits variable habitat preferences in different parts of its range. The species is a Holocene immigrant from southwest Asia which, according to fossil remains, followed the expansion of the Neolithic farming cultures into Europe and possibly colonized the Iberian Peninsula during the Early Neolithic (ca. 7,000 years BP). However, the population genetic structure and historical biogeography of this generalist carnivore remains essentially unknown. In this study we have combined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequencing (621 bp) and microsatellite genotyping (23 polymorphic markers) to infer the population genetic structure of the stone marten within the Iberian Peninsula. The mtDNA data revealed low haplotype and nucleotide diversities and a lack of phylogeographic structure, most likely due to a recent colonization of the Iberian Peninsula by a few mtDNA lineages during the Early Neolithic. The microsatel...