Suchergebnisse

Hauptbeschreibung This Volume II represents articles prepared in conjunction with the workshops and Round Table Debate "University-Business Partnership through the Triple Helix Approach" which took place at the International Conference 'European Integration and Baltic Sea Region: Diversity and Perspectives', held in Riga from 26th to 27th September 2011 and organised by the University of Latvia Doctoral School European Integration and Baltic Sea Region Studies. This collection of articles provides information, opinions and research that should be of value to practitioners, academics and students.

This volume represents research papers prepared in conjunction with the 4th International Conference 'Baltic Business and Socio-Economic Development'. The Conference was held in Riga at the University of Latvia from September 30 to October 2, 2008, and was organised by the Centre of European and Transition Studies at the University of Latvia and Wismar Business School at Wismar University of Technology, Business and Design, Germany. This collection of studies provides information, opinions, and research that should be of value to practitioners, academics, and students.

Summary
The neo-authoritarian "Trump Era"-induced political problems have been aggravated further by the coronavirus that triggered an economic slowdown. The new landscape put Western capitalism, international cooperation, and European integration at risk. This contribution shows similarities and differences in policies dealt with the recessions of 2008 and 2020 on both sides of the Atlantic, with a focus on the EU and Canada. It examines the rising popularity of the welfare state concept applied both to individuals and industries particularly in the EU, for which the protection of citizens' well-being and solidarity values are at the bloc integration's core. Ideologically opposing solutions for those crises reflect a fundamental shift in policymaking, reinforcing state interventions policies vs neoliberal approach to the extent of intensified discussions of a universal basic income notion as a response to the inequalities. The article highlights the need for multi – and cross-disciplinary approaches, benefiting policymaking.

The novel coronavirus pandemic has triggered an economic slowdown worldwide, aggravating those steadily accumulated inequalities in income and wealth redistribution. Western-type capitalism, international cooperation, and European integration have found themselves at risk. This article points out the resemblances and dissimilarities in policies combating the recessions of 2008 and 2020 on both sides of the Atlantic, focusing specifically on the EU and Canada. It assesses the rising popularity of the welfarestate concept applied both to individuals and entire businesses deemed essential for democracy, notably in the EU, for which the protection of citizens' well-being and solidarity values are at the core of bloc integration. Conceptually conflicting solutions for those crises reflect a profound shift in policy making, reinforcing state interventions vs the neoliberal approach and intensifying discussions on a universal basic income as a tool in redressing socio-economic inequalities. This paper highlights the need for a trans-disciplinary approach to benefi t policy making.

This article examines problems of the digital trends in economies and societies from two perspectives: the extension of a digital economy to social dimensions, and the role of digital government services in regional cohesion perspectives in Latvia. This methodological approach could serve as a tool for integrating a number of main goals related to the digitalisation trends in the EU, that require support of societies as well as the improvement of social welfare at the regional and national levels. The contribution aims to offer insight into the concept of social investment and innovation as well as co-creation concept and the impact of digitalisation of public services on regional cohesion. The study observes these implications in relation to the need to expand and adapt the content and approach of the digital services implementation. The further digital development as a precondition for diminishing regional and well being divide, facilitating administrative processes for people and entrepreneurs, as well as e-services availability in Latvia is discussed. The article concluded that efficient decision-making related to social investment and innovation for improving social welfare at regional and national levels needs implementation of digitalised services in a wider scale as they inevitably become more important due to the increased digital competitiveness of countries. ; This research article has been supported by the European Union's Horizon-2020 research and innovation programme under the Grant agreement 726755.

This research paper has been supported by the European Union's Horizon-2020 research and innovation programme under the Grant agreement 726755. ; This article examines problems of the digital single market from two perspectives: the extension of a digital economy beyond capital, goods and services to other areas of the economy including labour markets, social dialogue and social dimensions, and from the role of digital government services in regional cohesion perspectives in Latvia. This methodological approach could serve as a tool for integrating a number of main goals related to the Digital Single Market (DSM), that require support of societies as well as the improvement of social welfare at the regional and national levels. This contribution aims to offer insight into the concept of social dialogue (SD) in DSM and the impact of the DSM on regional cohesion. The study observes these implications in relation to the need to expand and adapt the content and approach of the DSM implementation. The further digital development as a precondition for diminishing regional and wellbeing divide in Latvia is discussed. The role of electronic government services and social investment is examined based on the qualitative interviews among users of Unified state and municipal customer service centres (CSC) in Latvia. The article provides recommendations to social partners for DSM regulatory system of decision-making as well as social investment for improving social welfare at regional and national levels. It is concluded that the digitalization and implementation of SDM have inevitably become more important due to the increased digital competitiveness of countries. ; H2020 CITADEL project "Empowering Citizens to Transform European Public Administration" (Grant agreement No 726755)

The Open Access version of this book, available at http://www.tandfebooks.com/doi/view/10.4324/9781315401867, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives 3.0 license. This book brings together academics, members of European institutions, and regional and national level policymakers in order to assess the performance and direction of EU Cohesion policy against the background of the most significant reforms to the policy in a generation. Responding to past criticisms of the effectiveness of the policy, the policy changes introduced in 2013 have aligned European Structural and Investment Funds with the Europe 2020 strategy and introduced measures to improve strategic coherence, performance and integrated development. EU Cohesion Policy: Reassessing performance and direction argues that policy can only be successfully developed and implemented if there is input from both academics and practitioners. The chapters in the book address four important issues: the effectiveness and impact of Cohesion policy at European, national and regional levels; the contribution of Cohesion policy to the Europe 2020 strategy of smart, sustainable and inclusive growth; the importance of quality of government and administrative capacity for the effective management of the Funds; and the inter-relationships between institutions, territory and place-based policies. The volume will be an invaluable resource to students, academics and policymakers across economics, regional studies, European studies and international relations.

Summary
EU-Central Asia (CA) relations have developed significantly over recent years. Nowadays, both regions are gong through of a unique global hybrid crisis with major challenges for business and social environment. An international partnership under the follow up on fundamental principles and trends of a global development framework is of prime importance. The article aims to address some of the issues outlined in the Decent Work Agenda which is a core doctrine of the 2030 Agenda's concept and that are relevant to the CA countries. At first the article looks at a brief conceptual overview of the economic transformation of CA economies and role of sustainable business environment in achieving sustainable development goals. The authors discuss the promotion of EU values in employment relations and social dialogue in CA as a precondition for productive and decent employment. Finally, the article article concludes that the theoretical approach to the EU support programmes and instruments followed by their practical implications should be multi- dimensional in nature and benefit from direct in-situ exposure. Furthermore, a comparative assessment approach by experts on benefits of the EU external programmes is badly needed for EU and CA.

Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore clinical-epidemiological characteristics of migraine in Latvia and the disability of migraine patients, to determine the optimal options for care of these patients. Patients selected from three headache centres were asked 40 questions by phone. Among 116 patients, the dominant age group was 25-34 (41.4%) and most patients were women (87.9%). 52.6% of patients were highly educated, and 53.4% had a job involving communication with people. In 56.9% of cases headaches started at the age of 15-24. About 25% migraine attacks lasted for 25-48 hours. The diagnosis "Migraine with aura" was confirmed in 50% of the patients. Headaches were quite frequent: 4-8 times a month or more in 22.4% of patients and 2-4 times a month in 29.3%. As medication, 50.9% used selective serotonin 5-HT (5- hydroxytryptamine) receptor agonists for migraine attacks treatment, 35.3% - nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and 30.2% - acetaminophen-containing medicines. The average quality of life estimated by migraine disability assessment questionnaire (MIDAS) was 13.0, which equates to moderate disability. According to our study clinical characteristics of migraine in Latvia do not differ significantly from that of other European countries. Most of the patients are educated, working women of childbearing age. Migraine diagnosis and treatment seems to be appropriate, but nevertheless, too many sufferers have frequent and persistent headache attacks that require further investigation.

Abstract
Variable platelet response to aspirin and clopidogrel is a well-known phenomenon in patients with coronary artery disease and ischemic cerebral stroke. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the frequency and possible risk factors of antiplatelet resistance in patients with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular diseases. The VerifyNow system was used to evaluate adenosine-5-diphosphate and platelet P2YI2 receptor function in patients with cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease, who received dual antiplatelet therapy. Aspirin resistance was defined as aspirin reaction units (ARU) ≥ 550. Clopidogrel resistance was defined as Platelet Reaction Units (PRU) > 230. In the group of cerebrovascular diseases there were 13.2% (n = 27) patients with aspirin and 24.5% (n = 50) with clopidogrel resistance. However, in the cardiovascular group there were 20% (n = 9) aspirin and 11.1% (n = 5) clopidogrel resistant patients. In the cerebrovascular group, aspirin resistant patients had a lower triglyceride level (p = 0.001, r = 0.26) than aspirin sensitive patients. Clopidogrel resistant patients had a significantly higher level of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1C) (p = 0.016, r = 023), triglycerides (p = 0.033, r = 0.16) and lower level of high-density lipoproteins (p = 0.027, r = 0.16) than clopidogrel sensitive patients. In the cardiovascular group, patients who were resistant to aspirin had a significantly higher high-density lipoprotein level (p = 0.038, r = 0.31). No other factors differed significantly between the aspirin or clopidogrel resistant and sensitive patients in the cardiovascular group. Aspirin resistance was more common in patients with cardiovascular disease, and clopidogrel resistance in patients with cerebrovascular disease, although the difference was not significant. Our findings indicate that diabetes mellitus and an elevated level of lipoproteins could be risk factors for aspirin or clopidogrel resistance in patients with cerebrovascular diseases. Further studies should be conducted using larger patient cohorts with balanced groups of patients to investigate clinical aspects of antiplatelet resistance.