150 research outputs found
Association of searching for health-related information online with self-rated health in the European Union.
No full textBACKGROUND: The Internet is widely accessed for health information, but poor quality information may lead to health-worsening behaviours (e.g. non-compliance). Little is known about the health of individuals who use the Internet for health information. METHODS: Using the Flash Eurobarometer survey 404, European Union (EU) citizens aged ≥15 (n = 26 566) were asked about Internet utilisation for health information ('general' or 'disease-specific'), the sources used, self-rated health, and socioeconomic variables. Multivariable logistic regression was employed to assess the likelihood of bad self-rated health and accessing different health information sources (social networks, official website, online newspaper, dedicated websites, search engines). RESULTS: Those searching for general information were less likely to report bad health [odds ratios (OR) = 0.80; 95% confidence intervals (CI): 0.70-0.92], whilst those searching for disease-specific information were more likely (OR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.07-1.38). Higher education and frequent doctor visits were associated with use of official websites and dedicated apps for health. Variation between EU member states in the proportion of people who had searched for general or disease-specific information online was high. CONCLUSIONS: Searching for general health information may be more conducive to better health, as it is easier to understand, and those accessing it may already be or looking to lead healthier lives. Disease-specific information may be harder to understand and assimilate into appropriate care worsening self-rated health. It may also be accessed if health services fail to meet individuals' needs, and health status is currently poor. Ensuring individuals' access to quality health services and health information will be key to addressing inequalities in health
Changes in support for bans of illicit drugs, tobacco, and alcohol among adolescents and young adults in Europe, 2008–2014
No full textObjectives This study assessed the support for bans for
tobacco, alcohol, and illicit drugs in adolescents and young
adults across the European Union (EU).
Methods Data were analysed for the years 2008, 2011, and
2014 for 27 EU member states. 37,253 individuals aged
15–24 years were interviewed ascertaining their support
for banning tobacco, alcohol, cannabis, cocaine, heroin,
and ecstasy. Changes over time were assessed using multilevel
logistic regression.
Results Support for banning heroin, ecstasy, and cocaine
was constantly greater than 90%, although support fell over
time. Support for cannabis ban declined (from 67.6% in
2008 to 53.7% in 2014) as well as support for alcohol ban
(from 8.9% in 2008 to 6.9% in 2014) and tobacco ban
(from 17.9% in 2008 to 16.5% in 2014).
Conclusions Support for banning substances among EU
adolescents and young adults varied, with high support for
heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy, but less support for banning
cannabis, tobacco, and alcohol. There was reduction in
support of banning all substances between 2008 and 2014,
but this varied substantially between European countries
The Great Recession And Increased Cost Sharing In European Health Systems
No full textEuropean health systems are increasingly adopting cost-sharing
models, potentially increasing out-of-pocket expenditures for patients
who use health care services or buy medications. Government policies
that increase patient cost sharing are responding to incremental growth
in cost pressures from aging populations and the need to invest in new
health technologies, as well as to general constraints on public
expenditures resulting from the Great Recession (2007–09). We used data
from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe to examine
changes from 2006–07 to 2013 in out-of-pocket expenditures among
people ages fifty and older in eleven European countries. Our results
identify increases both in the proportion of older European citizens who
incurred out-of-pocket expenditures and in mean out-of-pocket
expenditures over this period. We also identified a significant increase
over time in the percentage of people who incurred catastrophic health
expenditures (greater than 30 percent of the household income) in the
Czech Republic, Italy, and Spain. Poorer populations were less likely than
those in the highest income quintile to incur an out-of-pocket
expenditure and reported lower mean out-of-pocket expenditures, which
suggests that measures are in place to provide poorer groups with some
financial protection. These findings indicate the substantial weakening of
financial protection for people ages fifty and older in European health
systems after the Great Recessio
Impact of the economic crisis on household health expenditure in Greece: An interrupted time series analysis
No full textObjectives and setting The 2008 financial crisis had a particularly severe impact on Greece. To contain spending, the government capped public health expenditure and introduced increased cost-sharing. The Greek case is important for studying the impact of recessions on health systems. This study analysed changes in household health expenditure in Greece over the economic crisis and explored whether the impact differed across socioeconomic groups. Participants We used data from the Greek Household Budget Survey for the years 2004 and 2008-2017. The dataset comprised 51 654 households, with a total of 128 111 members. Design We compared pre-crisis and post-crisis trends in Greek household out-of-pocket payments for healthcare from 2004 to 2017 using an interrupted time series analysis. This study explored spending in euros and as a share of total household purchases. Results Our results indicated that the population level trend in household health spending was reversed after the crisis began (pre-crisis trend: €0.040 decrease per quarter (95% CI: -0.785 to -0.022), post-crisis trend: €0.315 increase per quarter (95% CI: -0.004 to 0.635)). We also found that spending on inpatient services and pharmaceuticals has been increasing since the start of the crisis, whereas outpatient services expenditure has been decreasing. Across all households, out-of-pocket payments incurred a greater financial burden after the crisis relative to pre-existing trends, but the poorest households incurred a disproportionately higher burden. Conclusions This was the first study to use an interrupted time series analysis to assess the impact of the economic crisis on household health expenditure in Greece. Our findings suggest that there was an erosion of financial protection for Greek households as a consequence of the economic crisis. This effect was particularly pronounced among poorer households, which is indicative of a regressive financing system
Letter by Filippidis et al Regarding Article, “Evaluating Strategies for the Treatment of Cerebral Cavernous Malformations”
No full textEnergy Yield Comparison of Spar & Monopile Offshore Wind Turbines using BEM & OLAF Models
No full textEnergy transition is imperative to effectively address the pressing issue of climate change resulting from global warming. In this transition, offshore wind power assumes a pivotal role as a crucial and indispensable source of clean and renewable energy. Offshore benefits become more pronounced as the offshore locations progress far offshore. In deep-water areas, where 80% of the worldwide offshore wind energy can be potentially harnessed, the utilization of floating foundations becomes essential instead of traditional bottom fixed ones. The present study seeks to investigate the disparities in power generation and energy production that arise from the replacement of bottom fixed wind turbines with floating counterparts. The former is represented by the monopile foundation, while the latter by the spar buoy. The power performance difference lies in the ability of floating structures to move, which can lead to suboptimal positioning of the rotor relative to the incoming wind inflow, mainly due to spar’s pitch and surge motions. The investigation is conducted using two distinct aerodynamic model of lower and higher fidelities, BEM and OLAF, respectively, to assess their effects on the outcomes.In the field of offshore wind turbine design, engineers rely on aero-hydro-servo-elastic software codes to simulate the dynamic behavior of floating offshore wind turbine systems in offshore environments. OpenFAST, an open-source software, has been extensively developed and validated for conducting such investigations. In this study, OpenFAST is employed to develop both floating and bottom fixed wind turbine models. Specifically, a coupled aero-hydro-servo-elastic model of a floating spar wind turbine is created, and the simulated motion of the spar is compared with measurements obtained from an actual floating turbine deployed in the Hywind Scotland floating offshore wind farm. Metocean data, spar measurement data, and spar system descriptions are provided by Equinor to facilitate this benchmarking process. Additionally, an equivalent monopile wind turbine model is developed for energy yield comparison purposes. The simulated spar motion results of the developed OpenFAST model exhibit reasonable realism when benchmarked with the measured data for all load cases and modal analysis, despite assumptions and uncertainties influencing the model's accuracy. Model discrepancies primarily stem from undisclosed wind turbine parameters and controller strategy as well as some modeling simplifications inherent in OpenFAST. Nevertheless, through statistical, time series and power spectral density comparisons against full-scale Hywind measurements encompassing various wind speeds (below-rated, rated, and above cut-out), the developed floating model is validated, thereby ensuring the reliability of its energy production outcomes.It is observed that the spar’s pitch and surge mean offset is mostly affected by the current speeds while varying wave conditions (height and period) influence their oscillation amplitudes. Power is slightly affected by the ocean conditions, primarily the wave effects, while it is more strongly influenced by the spar nacelle’s velocity and direction relative to the incoming wind, especially when subjected to lower wind speed fields. Finally, for both BEM and OLAF simulations, monopile bottom fixed structures produce higher amounts of energy annually compared to the floating spar counterparts. The implementation of alternative controllers specifically designed for FOWT, with optimization objectives focused on either maximizing power performance or ensuring structural integrity and longevity, results in estimated AEP reductions when utilizing a spar floater instead of a monopile foundation. For the BEM model, the estimated AEP decrease ranges from 3.46% to 8.62%, depending on the specific controller optimization objective. On the other hand, when employing the VPM-OLAF model, the estimated AEP reduction for a spar floater compared to a monopile substructure ranges from 4.50% to 9.58%, under similar conditions as previously mentioned. By employing OLAF instead of BEM, the computed annual energy yield for both Bottom Fixed and Floating offshore wind turbines increases by approximately 25%. In conclusion, it is recommended that future research prioritizes resolving identified discrepancies in the model setup, addressing phenomena not adequately captured by the current OpenFAST model, and conducting additional validation of the spar model using a wider range of measured parameters. Electrical Engineering | Sustainable Energy Technolog
Freedom in John Fowles' The Magus
No full textFowles weaves together structure, theme, and rhetoric in The Magus to create a view of man's existential situation. The Magus depicts a world where man can discern no ultimate truth beyond existence and death; however, instead of describing man as alienated from the external world like Camus and Sartre, Fowles considers man part of the natural and social world. As Nicholas Urfe learns, man can lead a fulfilling life by responding intuitively and emotionally to the essential mystery and vitality of this world. At the beginning of the novel, Nicholas acts in bad faith by denying his freedom. By the end, however, he has achieved the beginning of moral and psychological maturity as a result of the godgame; he has accepted his emotional, intuitive self, assumed his freedom, and learned to respect the freedom of others. The Magus also considers the darker side of freedom and of man's psyche, the will to power, through a central paradox: Conchis' use of unethical means in teaching Nicholas to assume his freedom. The novel finally implies that the ideal, total respect for others' freedom, can seldom be achieved; the best approximation of this ideal is to recognize our failure to achieve it and still try to respect others' freedom, Structure and rhetoric reinforce this theme of the individual's need to integrate his non-rational with his rational self. The three part separation-initiation-return pattern of the quest myth provides the structural basis for both the interpolated tales and the novel's main action. Both the Conchis of the tales and Nicholas assume their existential freedom and achieve psychological integration through their quests, Conchis by accepting his "dark" Greek blood and Nicholas by accepting Alison. Prior to his quest, Nicholas uses language to deny his freedom rather than to enhance it. In Part III of the novel, however, Nicholas' language reflects his growth as he begins to express authentic responses to experience and people—responses which are no longer merely rational but are also emotional and intuitive. Language, for him, finally becomes a means of asserting that freedom which, according to The Magus, is man's most precious birthright.English, Department o
APPLICATIONS OF THE HELLENIC NATURAL ZEOLITE (HENAZE) AND SPECIFICATIONS OF ZEOLITIC TUFFS
No full textThe Hellenic Natural Zeolite (HENAZE) is free of fibres and contains 89 wt% clinoptilolite, 3 wt% mica + clay minerals, 3 wt% quartz, 2 wt% cristobalie ± tridymite and 3 wt% feldspars. HENAZE do not meet the requirements of the EU Regulation No 651/2013, and thus cannot be used as feed additive for all animal species and consequently as nutrition supplement, since it contains 3 wt% quartz. HENAZE is suitable for use as soil conditioner, since the concentration of trace elements are lower than the maximum allowable concentrations in agricultural soils (EU Directive 278/1986). HENAZE as soil conditioner: a) improved the pH of acid soils by 47-55%, b) reduced the leaching of metals by 33-71% from contaminated soils, c) reduced the Hg concentration by 47-78% in shoots and roots of plants, d) increased the production of agricultural products by 17-95%, e) decreased the plantlosses in new vineyard by 12% and f) improved the quality of tomato by 4-46%. The HENAZE neutralized sewage sludge (producing zeo-sewage-sludge), industrialsludge (producing zeo-sludge), battery solid waste and mine solid wastes (minetailings). The zeo-sewage sludge and zeo-sludge are odorless, cohesive and suitable for safe deposition. The treatment of sewage-sludge and industrial-sludge with the HENAZE, reduced the leaching of metals by 91-100% and of NO3 - by 81-82%. Depending on the trace element contents, the zeo-sewage-sludge can be used as soil conditioner. HENAZE sorbed-removed 37-92% of metals, radionuclides and cyanobacteria from their solutions and waters. The treatment of wastewaters (urban, dyeing-industry, industrial area and tanning-work) with HENAZE, improved the quality characteristics by 48-99%. The HENAZE reduced the NO3 - load by 54-94% in groundwater, nitrate-solutions, industrial and urban wastewaters. Considering, the European, Global and Greek legislation, the mineralogical, chemical, morphological and radiological characteristics, as well as the leachability and bioavailability of chemical elements, the specifications for the different applications-uses of the zeolitic tuffs are defined</jats:p
Navigation Functions for everywhere partially sufficiently curved worlds
No full textAbstract—We extend Navigation Functions (NF) to worlds of more general geometry and topology. This is achieved without the need for diffeomorphisms, by direct definition in the geometrically complicated configuration space. Every obstacle boundary point should be partially sufficiently curved. This requires that at least one principal normal curvature be sufficient. A normal curvature is termed sufficient when the tangent sphere with diameter the associated curvature radius is a subset of the obstacle. Examples include ellipses with bounded eccentricity, tori, cylinders, one-sheet hyperboloids and others. Our proof establishes the existence of appropriate tuning for this purpose. Direct application to geometrically complicated cases is illustrated through nontrivial simulations. I
“Euphoria” or “Only Teardrops”? Eurovision Song Contest performance, life satisfaction and suicide
No full textBackground
The popularity of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) in Europe has been high for decades. We aimed to assess whether a country’s performance in the ESC is associated with life satisfaction and suicide mortality in European countries.
Methods
We analysed nationally representative Eurobarometer survey data on life satisfaction from 33 European countries (N = 162,773) and country-level standardised suicide mortality data for years 2009 to 2015. The associations of winning the Contest, performing terribly, and higher final ranking with life satisfaction and suicide rates were all assessed.
Results
Winning the ESC was not statistically significantly associated with increased life satisfaction or suicide rates, although every ten-place increase in final ranking was associated with an increase in life satisfaction (adjusted odds ratios [aOR] 1.04; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02 to 1.05) and a decrease in suicide mortality rates (β = − 0.30; 95% CI: -0.59 to − 0.01). Terrible performance was associated with greater life satisfaction compared to not competing at all (aOR 1.13; 95%CI: 1.07 to 1.20).
Conclusion
The good news for participating countries is that just competing at the ESC is associated with higher life satisfaction among the population. As improved performance is linked to Ooh Aah Just a Little Bit of improved life satisfaction, further research into how such international competitions may impact public health is needed
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