The Formation of Preferences in Two-level Games: An Analysis of India’s Domestic and Foreign Energy Policy

This paper examines the formation of India’s energy-policy strategy as an act of doubleedged diplomacy. After developing an analytical framework based on the two-level game approach to international relations (IR), it focuses on the domestic context of policy preference formation. India’s energy strategy is shaped by a shortage of energy and the scarcity of indigenous reserves; these problems have together resulted in a growing import dependence in order to sustain economic growth rates, outdated cross-subsidies, overregulation, and nontransparent bureaucratic structures which are adverse to private investment. The Indian government still dominates the energy sector, but large electoral constituencies within the country exert a considerable indirect influence. The paper analyzes how all these domestic necessities combine with India’s general foreign policy goals and traditions to form an overall energy strategy. We finally discuss how this strategy plays out in a competitive international environment where global resources are shrinking (with most claims already distributed) and environmental concerns are on the rise.preferences in two-level games, Indian foreign policy, energy security

The Formation of Preferences in Two-level Games: An Analysis of India's Domestic and Foreign Energy Policy

This paper examines the formation of India's energy-policy strategy as an act of doubleedged diplomacy. After developing an analytical framework based on the two-level game approach to international relations (IR), it focuses on the domestic context of policy preference formation. India's energy strategy is shaped by a shortage of energy and the scarcity of indigenous reserves; these problems have together resulted in a growing import dependence in order to sustain economic growth rates, outdated cross-subsidies, overregulation, and nontransparent bureaucratic structures which are adverse to private investment. The Indian government still dominates the energy sector, but large electoral constituencies within the country exert a considerable indirect influence. The paper analyzes how all these domestic necessities combine with India's general foreign policy goals and traditions to form an overall energy strategy. We finally discuss how this strategy plays out in a competitive international environment where global resources are shrinking (with most claims already distributed) and environmental concerns are on the rise.Der vorliegende Beitrag untersucht die Herausbildung der indischen Energiestrategie unter dem Gesichtspunkt der Mehrebenen-Diplomatie. Zunächst wird ein Analyserahmen - aufbauend auf der Literatur zu 'Two Level Games' in den Internationalen Beziehungen (IB) - entwickelt und anschließend die innenpolitischen Einflüsse auf den Prozess der Präferenzbildung erörtert. Die indische Energiestrategie wird sowohl von Energieknappheit als auch mangelnden eigenen Reserven geprägt. Dies hat aufgrund des rasanten Wirtschaftswachstums, durch überholte Subventionen, Überregulierung sowie intransparente bürokratische Strukturen - was wiederum private Investoren abschreckt - zu mehr Importabhängigkeit geführt. Die Regierung ist nach wie vor der wichtigste Akteur auf dem indischen Energiemarkt, jedoch üben bestimmte Wählergruppen indirekt einen beachtenswerten Einfluss aus. Die Autorin und der Autor analysieren darüber hinaus, wie die verschiedenen internen Faktoren mit Indiens allgemeinen außenpolitischen Zielen und Traditionen zusammenwirken und sich in eine umfassende energiepolitische Strategie einfügen. Abschließend diskutieren sie, wie sich diese Strategie im internationalen Wettbewerb vor dem Hintergrund schwindender Energieressourcen und zunehmender Beachtung der Umweltproblematik entfaltet

Perspektiven und Potentiale von Open Data für die Sportwissenschaft: Das „Was“, das „Warum“ und das „Wie“

Open Science practices have become well established in recent years. In this position paper, we argue that Open Data in particular holds great potential for empirical research in sports science, and sport and exercise psychology in particular, since it fosters the reintegration of scientific knowledge as primary research data in subsequent research life cycles. On that account, the sports science community has to develop a unified position on research data management, which supports the implementation of Open Science practices and standards. To this end, in this article we first define Open Science and research data management (RDM) and describe them in the context of sports science. We then present examples of existing, relevant RDM solutions, with a particular focus on sport and exercise psychology and neighboring disciplines. Finally, we derive perspectives for the development of a sustainable RDM structure and present current developments within the German sports science community.Open Science-Praktiken haben sich in den letzten Jahren in vielen Wissenschaftsdisziplinen etabliert. In diesem Positionspapier argumentieren wir, dass insbesondere Open Data ein großes Potenzial für die empirische Forschung innerhalb der Sportwissenschaft birgt, da es die Reintegration von sportwissenschaftlichen Erkenntnissen als primäre Forschungsdaten in nachfolgende Forschungszyklen fördert. Dies erfordert innerhalb der Sportwissenschaft die Entwicklung einer gemeinsamen Position zum Forschungsdatenmanagement (FDM), welche die Implementierung von Open Science Praktiken ermöglicht. Zu diesem Zweck werden wir in diesem Artikel zunächst Open Science und Forschungsdatenmanagement definieren und im Kontext der Sportwissenschaft beschreiben. Anschließend werden Beispiele für bestehende FDM-Lösungen vorgestellt, unter besonderer Fokussierung auf Sportpsychologie und benachbarte Disziplinen. Abschließend werden Perspektiven für die Entwicklung einer nachhaltigen FDM-Struktur innerhalb der deutschen Sportwissenschaft, mit dem besonderen Fokus auf Sportpsychologie abgeleitet. Wir argumentieren, dass solch eine Struktur auf bereits etablierte FDM-Lösungen aufbauen müssen, um den spezifischen Herausforderungen der Sportwissenschaft als Querschnittswissenschaft Rechnung zu tragen.Open access publication enabled by Technische Informationsbibliothek (TIB)

Systemic risk spillovers in the European banking and sovereign network

We propose a framework for estimating time-varying systemic risk contributions that is applicable to a high-dimensional and interconnected financial system. Tail risk dependencies and systemic risk contributions are estimated using a penalized two-stage fixed-effects quantile approach, which explicitly links time-varying interconnectedness to systemic risk contributions. For the purposes of surveillance and regulation of financial systems, network dependencies in extreme risks are more relevant than simple (mean) correlations. Thus, the framework provides a tool for supervisors, reflecting the market’s view of tail dependences and systemic risk contributions. The model is applied to a system of 51 large European banks and 17 sovereigns during the period from 2006 through 2013, utilizing both equity and CDS prices. We provide new evidence on how banking sector fragmentation and sovereign-bank linkages evolved over the European sovereign debt crisis, and how they are reflected in estimated network statistics and systemic risk measures. Finally, our evidence provides an indication that the fragmentation of the European financial system has peaked

Falls during oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy for gastrointestinal malignancies : (lessons learned from) a prospective study

This prospective cohort study aimed to characterise the impact of oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy and its neurotoxic side effects (i.e., chemotherapy-induced neuropathy) on functional fall-risk and falls. Twenty chemotherapy-naïve participants (mean age, 59 years; 16 males) were consecutively included. A multimodal fall risk assessment was performed at four time points within 6 months. Polyneuropathy was assessed using the Neurologic Disability Scale; the fall risk was assessed by functional tests (Tinetti Test, Chair-Rising Test, and Timed up and Go Test). Patient-reported outcomes comprised the Hospitality Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), the Falls Efficacy Scale – International (FES-I) to assess the fear of falling, and the Physical Activity for the Elderly (PASE) questionnaire. Three falls occurred during the study. All fallen participants had a high fall risk-index (≥4 more risk factors) compared to only 30% of the non-fallen participants (p = 0.03) and suffered more frequently from pre-existing mild polyneuropathy (p = 0.049). Study discontinuation (n = 12) was associated with a higher rate of polypharmacy (p = 0.045), anxiety (HADS-A, p = 0.03), and specific fear of falling (FES-I, p = 0.025). In contrast, study completers (n = 8) reported an improvement in physical activity (PASE) (p = 0.018). In summary, pre-existing fall-risk factors impacted more falls than chemotherapy. A fall risk index offers a time-efficient screening option in an outpatient oncological setting

Droplet ejection and sliding on a flapping film

Citation: X. Chen, N. Doughramaji, A.R. Betz, M.M. Derby, Droplet departure and ejection on flapping films, AIP Advances, 7, 035014.Water recovery and subsequent reuse are required for human consumption as well as industrial, and agriculture applications. Moist air streams, such as cooling tower plumes and fog, represent opportunities for water harvesting. In this work, we investigate a flapping mechanism to increase droplet shedding on thin, hydrophobic films for two vibrational cases (e.g., ± 9 mm and 11 Hz; ± 2 mm and 100 Hz). Two main mechanisms removed water droplets from the flapping film: vibrational-induced coalescence/sliding and droplet ejection from the surface. Vibrations mobilized droplets on the flapping film, increasing the probability of coalescence with neighboring droplets leading to faster droplet growth. Droplet departure sizes of 1–2 mm were observed for flapping films,compared to 3–4 mm on stationary films, which solely relied on gravity for droplet removal. Additionally, flapping films exhibited lower percentage area coverage by water after a few seconds. The second removal mechanism, droplet ejection was analyzed with respect to surface wave formation and inertia. Smaller droplets (e.g., 1-mm diameter) were ejected at a higher frequency which is associated with a higher acceleration. Kinetic energy of the water was the largest contributor to energy required to flap the film, and low energy inputs (i.e., 3.3 W/m2) were possible. Additionally, self-flapping films could enable novel water collection and condensation with minimal energy input

Droplet Coalescence and Freezing on Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic, and Biphilic Surfaces

Frost and ice formation can have severe negative consequences, such as aircraft safety and reliability. At atmospheric pressure, water heterogeneously condenses and then freezes at low temperatures. To alter this freezing process, this research examines the effects of biphilic surfaces (surfaces which combine hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions) on heterogeneous water nucleation, growth, and freezing. Silicon wafers were coated with a self-assembled monolayer and patterned to create biphilic surfaces. Samples were placed on a freezing stage in an environmental chamber at atmospheric pressure, at a temperature of 295 K, and relative humidities of 30%, 60%, and 75%. Biphilic surfaces had a significant effect on droplet dynamics and freezing behavior. The addition of biphilic patterns decreased the temperature required for freezing by 6 K. Biphilic surfaces also changed the size and number of droplets on a surface at freezing and delayed the time required for a surface to freeze. The main mechanism affecting freezing characteristics was the coalescence behavior.Citation: A. Van Dyke, D. Collard, M. M. Derby and A. R. Betz, "Droplet Coalescence and Freezing on Hydrophilic, Hydrophobic, and Biphilic Surfaces," Applied Physics Letters, 107, Issue 14, 201

Knowledge, use and perceptions of probiotics and prebiotics in hospitalized patients

Aim: Little is known about inpatient probiotic and prebiotic consumption or beliefs, despite their increase in availability. Therefore, the purpose of this research was to assess inpatient knowledge, use and perceptions of probiotics and prebiotics. Methods: All subjects were inpatients at two urban medical centers on general medical/surgical floors. Patients were randomly selected to complete a verbally administered questionnaire inquiring about probiotic and prebiotic knowledge, use and perceptions. Patient responses were recorded directly into Survey Monkey (Palo Alto, CA, USA) on a computer. Results: Patients (n = 200) were 58% were women and 56% were Caucasian with a mean age of 56 years. More patients were familiar with the term “probiotic” (43%) compared with “prebiotic” (11%); however, only 20% and 7% could correctly define probiotics and prebiotics, respectively, from a list of responses. More patients were consuming probiotics (53%) than prebiotics (38%). The most common probiotic and prebiotic products consumed were yogurts (72%) and cereals/granola bars (55%), respectively. Patients believed probiotics and prebiotics most beneficial for “digestion or gut health”, but the most common reason to consume these products was “to taste or try” (36% and 43%, respectively). Overall, patients believed probiotics and prebiotics to be safe; however, they also believed that health claims could only somewhat be trusted. Conclusions: This research found that many patients are consuming probiotic and prebiotic products despite limited awareness of the true meaning of these terms. As probiotic and prebiotic use is more common, it is important that clinicians are aware of increased use and provide patients with recommendations based on recent research

A Systematic Review of Research on Augmentative and Alternative Communication Brain-Computer Interface Systems for Individuals with Disabilities.

Augmentative and alternative communication brain-computer interface (AAC-BCI) systems are intended to offer communication access to people with severe speech and physical impairment (SSPI) without requiring volitional movement. As the field moves toward clinical implementation of AAC-BCI systems, research involving participants with SSPI is essential. Research has demonstrated variability in AAC-BCI system performance across users, and mixed results for comparisons of performance for users with and without disabilities. The aims of this systematic review were to (1) describe study, system, and participant characteristics reported in BCI research, (2) summarize the communication task performance of participants with disabilities using AAC-BCI systems, and (3) explore any differences in performance for participants with and without disabilities. Electronic databases were searched in May, 2018, and March, 2021, identifying 6065 records, of which 73 met inclusion criteria. Non-experimental study designs were common and sample sizes were typically small, with approximately half of studies involving five or fewer participants with disabilities. There was considerable variability in participant characteristics, and in how those characteristics were reported. Over 60% of studies reported an average selection accuracy ≤70% for participants with disabilities in at least one tested condition. However, some studies excluded participants who did not reach a specific system performance criterion, and others did not state whether any participants were excluded based on performance. Twenty-nine studies included participants both with and without disabilities, but few reported statistical analyses comparing performance between the two groups. Results suggest that AAC-BCI systems show promise for supporting communication for people with SSPI, but they remain ineffective for some individuals. The lack of standards in reporting outcome measures makes it difficult to synthesize data across studies. Further research is needed to demonstrate efficacy of AAC-BCI systems for people who experience SSPI of varying etiologies and severity levels, and these individuals should be included in system design and testing. Consensus in terminology and consistent participant, protocol, and performance description will facilitate the exploration of user and system characteristics that positively or negatively affect AAC-BCI use, and support innovations that will make this technology more useful to a broader group of people