Suchergebnisse

We study Uganda's journey to become a petroleum producer and provide estimates regarding the size and timing of the oil revenues to be expected. At an average US$38 per capita per year over a 33-year period, oil revenue by itself will not be transformational for the Ugandan economy, but it could provide a welcome boost. The question is whether the Ugandan government will manage to avoid squandering it, and will transform the country's natural resource assets into productive assets. To this end, the government has made significant additions and changes to the policy and institutional framework that will govern the use of revenues, adapted from the Norwegian model. We study the framework put in place and identify a number of potential shortcomings. Weaknesses in public investment management further raise doubts about the transformational impact of the planned investments.

This interdisciplinary paper tries to identify specific small state characteristics with respect to the emergence, function and application of legal norms. Three respective assumptions are derived from theoretical considerations. An exploratory single-case study shows that all assumptions apply to Liechtenstein. The principality can be described as a hybrid legal system that is significantly shaped by foreign legal norms. Liechtenstein's dualistic constitution particularly combines a powerful monarch with extensive direct democratic elements. The microstate's legal system depends on supports from sources beyond its territory and citizenry, such as law schools, legal experts and academic sources. Several brief comparisons and examples regarding Andorra, Monaco and San Marino supplement the sociolegal study. Finally, the authors suggest to apply the assumptions to a wide range of jurisdictions in order to learn more about their explanatory power. ; peer-reviewed

BACKGROUND: The Covid-19 pandemic is affecting the entire world population. During the first spread, most governments have implemented quarantine and strict social distancing procedures. Similar measures during recent pandemics resulted in an increase in post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression symptoms. The development of novel interventions to mitigate the mental health burden are of utmost importance. OBJECTIVE: In this rapid review, we aimed to provide a systematic overview of the literature with regard to associations between physical activity (PA) and depression and anxiety during the COVID-19 pandemic. DATA SOURCE: We searched major databases (PubMed, EMBASE, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science) and preprint servers (MedRxiv, SportRxiv, ResearchGate, and Google Scholar), for relevant papers up to 25/07/2020. STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: We included observational studies with cross-sectional and longitudinal designs. To qualify for inclusion in the review, studies must have tested the association of PA with depression or anxiety, using linear or logistic regressions. Depression and anxiety must have been assessed using validated rating scales. STUDY APPRAISAL AND SYNTHESIS METHODS: Effect sizes were represented by fully adjusted standardized betas and odds ratios (OR) alongside 95% confidence intervals (CI). In case standardized effects could not be obtained, unstandardized effects were presented and indicated. RESULTS: We identified a total of 21 observational studies (4 longitudinal, 1 cross-sectional with retrospective analysis, and 16 cross-sectional), including information of 42,293 (age 6–70 years, median female = 68%) participants from five continents. The early evidence suggests that people who performed PA on a regular basis with higher volume and frequency and kept the PA routines stable, showed less symptoms of depression and anxiety. For instance, those reporting a higher total time spent in moderate to vigorous PA had 12–32% lower chances of presenting depressive symptoms and 15–34% of ...

Abstract
High aspect ratio materials (HARMs) like multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) show material properties that enable innovative applications but also raise concerns about harmful effects to humans due to their asbestos-like pathogenicity. The fibre-pathological paradigm was established for asbestos and other HARM, linking fibre-specific adverse effects to certain material properties such as fibre length, respirability and bio-persistence. A new risk banding scheme for such hazard- and exposure-related properties is introduced. For each relevant property, we defined descriptors and developed/validated methods for their measurement. Based on results from studies conducted in the project or obtained from literature, we defined quantitative band limits. While the fibre-pathological paradigm acted as a starting point, observations of in vitro effect of nanofibers motivated us to incorporate additional properties. Studying macrophage-fibre interactions led us to highlight the importance of the flexural rigidity of fibres for their uptake by macrophages. Also, the bundling of thin constituent fibres was recognized as a mechanism possibly generating less flexible and, therefore, more harmful inhalable particles with high aspect ratio from harmless precursors. Transformation dynamics of fibres in fluids like the phagolysosomal medium were investigated as well to gain a better understanding about fibre bio-durability. Overall, the risk for humans exposed to HARMs is described by the risk banding scheme in which property bands relevant for the hazard potential were juxtaposed to the respective exposure potential. We present results for a selection of HARMs including multiple MWCNTs with varying properties, TiO2 fibres, SiC whiskers, as well as silver and copper nanowires.

zusammenfassungDas DNVF Memorandum – Ziele und Methoden bewegungsbezogener Versorgungsforschung
fasst das erste Mal das stark interdisziplinäre und interprofessionelle Feld der
Bewegungsversorgung im deutschen Gesundheitssystem zusammen. Neben einer
begrifflichen Einordnung und Definition zentraler Maßnahmen und Konzepte der
Bewegungsversorgungsforschung werden bestehende Forschungslücken und
Forschungsbedarfe herausgearbeitet und Methoden zur Weiterentwicklung des noch
recht jungen Forschungsgebiets beschrieben. Ein besonderer Fokus liegt hierbei
auf der Darstellung relevanter Zielparameter und deren standardisierte Erfassung
mittels etablierter und valider Messinstrumente. Ziel des Memorandums ist es,
ein einheitliches Verständnis für den komplexen Gegenstand der
Bewegungsförderung und Bewegungstherapie im Kontext der Gesundheitsversorgung zu
schaffen, neue Forschungsinitiativen anzustoßen und die bestehende gute Evidenz
zur Wirksamkeit von körperlicher Aktivität und körperlichem Training stärker in
die Gesundheitsversorgung zu integrieren.