Between capital investments and capacity building—Development and application of a conceptual framework towards a place-based rural development policy

Within the debate about rural development policy (RDP), there has been increasing call for a stronger territorial focus emphasising the potentials, resources and demands of regions. Investments in territorial capital and regional capacity building have been considered as the two main cornerstones of a place-based approach to rural development (OECD, 2006). On the basis of an analytical literature review, we developed a framework to operationalise a place-based approach of RDP. In the proposed framework, the two cornerstones are further subdivided into six topics: “territorial capital” is broken down into physical, human, natural capital, while “capacity building” encompasses modernisation, restructuring and stabilisation of existing territorial assets. Regional RDP expenditure data for the years 2007 to 2011 are used to test the empirical validity of the framework, explore the regional implementation patterns of RD measures and their spatial distribution across European regions. A cluster analysis was applied to identify groups of EU regions with similar settings of RD priorities. In more than half of the regions either natural capital investments or stabilisation represent the dominant priority. Other regions make broader use of rural development topics and are able to combine different ones in their programme designs. The spatial heterogeneity observed in expenditures allocated to the different rural development topics is interpreted as evidence of the place-based character of the EU RD policy. The intervention of various authorities in the programming of RD policy (EU, Member State and regional), as well as the fact that spending ultimately depends on the voluntary uptake of the measures by individual rural actors are discussed as the important factors explaining this heterogeneity

Kapitalmarkt – Recht und Transaktionen XV

Der vorliegende Tagungsband «Kapitalmarkt – Recht und Transaktionen» fokussiert wie immer auf aktuelle Entwicklungen im Bereich Finanz- und Kapitalmarktrecht unter besonderer Berücksichtigung von Transaktionen. Das Jahr 2019 war geprägt von einem stark wachsenden Bewusstsein für soziale und ökologische Themen, das auch vor Investoren nicht Halt gemacht hat. Eine wichtige Rolle spielten zudem der sich beschleunigende technologische Fortschritt und das sich anbahnende Ende des LIBOR. Entsprechend liegt der von den Herausgebern gesetzte Schwerpunkt auf Corporate Social Responsibility, der LIBOR-Ablösung und den zivil- und finanzmarktrechtlichen Aspekten der DLT-Vorlage des Bundesrates im Bereich Blockchain. Daneben erhalten auch traditionelle Themen wie Rechtsfragen im Zusammenhang mit Börsengängen und Analyst Reports Raum in diesem Band

Key Issues in Developing a Comprehensive Reuse System for Industrial Usage

The comprehensive reuse system which is subject of this presentation is developed within the MEDE

Evaluation of the ecosystem services approach in agricultural literature

BACKGROUND: The ecosystem services approach is increasingly used in scientific literature all over the world. Originally the concept was proposed for natural or semi-natural ecosystems. However, for some years the approach is also used in literature related to agriculture. While ecosystems under agricultural management provide important services, the management also has negative environmental effects and consumes certain ecosystem services. This raises the question in what relation and to which extent the ecosystem services approach is applied in agricultural research. Moreover, it is interesting where and on what scale studies were conducted. NEW INFORMATION: The purpose of this literature data article is to give an open accessible database to analyse ecosystem services indexed literature with an agricultural context. It gives an overview on i) the assimilation of the ecosystem services concept across several scientific disciplines that deal with agriculture, ii) the scale and regions of studies. Further, we evaluated iii) how the relation of agriculture to ecosystem services is conceptualised. This database enables potential users to get better insights into the application of the ecosystem services approach on agricultural research questions and whether new or different findings can be generated in comparison to conventional disciplinary research

Phenotype severity in the bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex: Analysis of genetic and nongenetic contributing factors in 441 families from North America and Europe

OBJECTIVE: To identify genetic and nongenetic risk factors that contribute to the severity of the bladder exstrophy-epispadias complex (BEEC). STUDY DESIGN: Patients with BEEC from North America (n = 167) and Europe (n = 274) were included. The following data were collected: associated anomalies, parental age at conception, mode of conception, periconceptional folic acid supplementation, maternal risk factors during pregnancy, and environmental risk factors. The patients were divided into 3 subgroups according to phenotype severity: (i) mild, epispadias (n = 43); (ii) intermediate, classic bladder exstrophy (n = 366); and (iii) severe, cloacal exstrophy (n = 31). These subgroups then were compared with identify factors that contribute to phenotype severity. RESULTS: Males were overrepresented in all subgroups. A relatively high prevalence of cleft lip, with or without cleft palate, was observed. Maternal smoking and medical radiation during the first trimester were associated with the severe cloacal exstrophy phenotype. Compliance with periconceptional folic acid supplementation was associated with the mildest phenotype (epispadias). CONCLUSIONS: Periconceptional folic acid supplementation appears to prevent the development of the severe phenotype of BEEC

De novo microduplications at 1q41, 2q37.3, and 8q24.3 in patients with VATER/VACTERL association

Item does not contain fulltextThe acronym VATER/VACTERL association describes the combination of at least three of the following congenital anomalies: vertebral defects (V), anorectal malformations (A), cardiac defects (C), tracheoesophageal fistula with or without esophageal atresia (TE), renal malformations (R), and limb defects (L). We aimed to identify highly penetrant de novo copy number variations (CNVs) that contribute to VATER/VACTERL association. Array-based molecular karyotyping was performed in a cohort of 41 patients with VATER/VACTERL association and 6 patients with VATER/VACTERL-like phenotype including all of the patients' parents. Three de novo CNVs were identified involving chromosomal regions 1q41, 2q37.3, and 8q24.3 comprising one (SPATA17), two (CAPN10, GPR35), and three (EPPK1, PLEC, PARP10) genes, respectively. Pre-existing data from the literature prompted us to choose GPR35 and EPPK1 for mouse expression studies. Based on these studies, we prioritized GPR35 for sequencing analysis in an extended cohort of 192 patients with VATER/VACTERL association and VATER/VACTERL-like phenotype. Although no disease-causing mutation was identified, our mouse expression studies suggest GPR35 to be involved in the development of the VATER/VACTERL phenotype. Follow-up of GPR35 and the other genes comprising the identified duplications is warranted