Climate change and seasonal floods: potential long-term nutritional consequences for children in Kerala, India

none2siIn the aftermath of the worst flooding Kerala has experienced in nearly a century, we highlight the urgency of considering the long-term health consequences of floods, especially on young children. Based on the recent Demographic and Health Survey data for India in 2015–2016, we provided evidence showing that abnormally wet conditions increased the likelihood of undernutrition for children aged under 5 as measured by stunting and wasting. Experiencing floods during infancy, being a girs with illiterate mothers making a child particularly vulnerable to being stunted while living in the rural area increases the risk of being wasted due to floods. We put forward that nutritional and water and sanitation interventions at the critical period of flood exposure can reverse the course of undernutrition which in turn can reduce the cost of poor human development in the long run.openMuttarak R; Dimitrova AMuttarak R; Dimitrova

Energy Union: Can Europe learn from Japan’s joint gas purchasing? CEPS Commentary, 11 December 2014

Japan’s two major electricity producing companies reached a preliminary agreement recently to establish a joint venture for the procurement of fossil fuel resources, primarily liquefied natural gas (LNG). The authors of this commentary ask whether this commercial initiative could serve as an example to Europe of how to increase the negotiating power of individual EU member states. They conclude that a private joint gas procurement company may indeed offer a solution for EU member states in Central and Eastern Europe, instead of yet another source of confrontation. Given the political volatility in the region, it could well be the key to balancing out the need for security of supply with an offer to guarantee security of demand, thereby creating the climate for stable commercial relations

A Roadmap to Enhanced Regional Energy Policy: Cooperation in South East Europe. CEPS Special Report, No. 134/April 2016

Regional Energy Policy Cooperation has now gained political traction in the EU as a tool to advance the EU’s energy objectives. Cooperation and coordination is meant to facilitate the convergence of markets and policies, so while the creation of one EU Internal Energy Market remains the goal, regional cooperation is the tool with which to achieve that goal. Cooperation could become the stepping-stone towards the completion of the Internal Energy Market within the European 2030 climate and energy framework and beyond

Effective Regional Energy Policy Cooperation in South East Europe: A Proposal. CEPS Background Briefing Paper, 2 July 2015

Key Points. The implementation of regional energy policy cooperation initiatives is a priority of both the Energy Union and the so-called 2030 Energy and Climate Framework. The Energy Union proposal has singled out south east Europe as one area in which to act. This report identifies the seven key elements that need to be addressed to bring existing and planned regional energy policy cooperation initiatives in south east Europe to life: i) a sound geographical definition, ii) a governance structure, iii) voluntary participation, iv) exchange of information and best practice, v) the development of an external dimension, vi) regional infrastructure planning and development and vii) streamlining the financing instruments across the region. The study finds that significant progress has been made in many areas, and makes concrete proposals to unlock the full potential of coordination in those areas where there is limited progress. These proposals have been tested in discussions in the region

Country-specific determinants of FDI inflows to the MENA region: A systematic review and future research directions

© 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited. Purpose: This paper aims to synthesize, analyze and categorize the empirical literature on country-specific factors that affect foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region. Identifying gaps and methodological challenges in the reviewed articles, recommendations are made to guide future research. Design/methodology/approach: Applying the systematic review methodology, content analysis is conducted of 42 relevant empirical studies that explore country-specific FDI determinants in the MENA region during the period 1998–2018. Findings: This review study identifies four main research gaps in the extant literature: a lack of consensus on a common definition of the MENA region and a weak understanding of the specificities of its investment environment; a limited set of FDI theories used and a lack of other theoretical perspectives; a recurrent focus on the direct relationship between host country–specific determinants and FDI, thus ignoring the moderating and mediating effects of some variables; and the absence of certain country-specific factors pertaining to the MENA countries. Originality/value: This study contributes to the international business field by enhancing our understanding of the FDI determinants in emerging and developing markets, especially the MENA countries. It develops a typology of FDI country-specific factors in the MENA region based on four main categories: macroeconomic and financial, institutional and regulatory, natural resource endowment and socio-cultural. Paths for future research are suggested

Making the most of Energy Union. CEPS Commentary, 16 December 2014

By elevating “Energy Union” to the status of a Commission mission statement, Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker succeeded in forging a new EU consensus on energy and climate change at the October European Council meeting. In a move that was made possible by linking the internal energy market and climate change agendas to security of supply, solidarity and infrastructure, the initiative notably meets the interests of Central and Eastern Europe as well as the peripheral member states. This commentary by a team of energy specialists at CEPS applauds this new development, but cautions that the European Commission will soon need to give it real meaning and substance before Energy Union can become reality. With this objective in mind, the authors outline six priorities to which Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič should give immediate attention

Knowledge of nurse students about the proper behavior during a terrorist act

Introduction: The issues related to adequate medical actions during a terrorist act in recent years emerged as particularly relevant. In the terrorist organizations that continually increase, a lot of money is invested and therefore combating the consequences of their attacks is particularly difficult. In this regard it is necessary that healthcare professionals possess knowledge and skills for proper behavior during a terrorist act.Objective: To investigate nurse students‘ knowledge of the proper behavior during a terrorist act.Material and Methods: Attached is the questionnaire method (direct group anonymous survey) and analysis of the literature. The opinion of 50 third-year nurse students at the Medical University of Varna was explored in January 2016.Results: The results reflect the opinions of the respondents, future nurses, on their holdings of knowledge concerning proper behavior during a terrorist act. The majority of respondents demonstrate knowledge related to key actions in assistance. They know the basic categories of victims and the rules for sorting.Conclusion: The data from the study show that despite the demonstrated knowledge, students are self-critical to their preparation. This necessitates a study of their attitudes on advanced training on the issue

Reversible sodiation of electrochemically deposited binder- and conducting additive-free Si-O-C composite layers

Binder- and conducting additive-free Si-O-C composite layers are deposited electrochemically under potentiostatic conditions from sulfolane-based organic electrolyte. Quartz crystal microbalance with damping monitoring is used for evaluation of the layer growth and its physical properties. The sodiation-desodiation performance of the material is afterward explored in Na-ion electrolyte. In terms of specific capacity, rate capability, and long-term electrochemical stability, the experiments confirm the advantages of applying the electrochemically formed Si-O-C structure as anode for Na-ion batteries. The material displays high (722 mAh g^-1) initial reversible capacity at j = 70 mA g^-1 and preserves stable long-term capacity of 540 mAh g^-1 for at least 400 galvanostatic cycles, measured at j = 150 mA g^-1. The observed high performance can be attributed to its improved mechanical stability and accelerated Na-ion transport in the porous anode structure. The origin of the material electroactivity is revealed based on X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopic analysis of pristine (as deposited), sodiated, and desodiated Si-O-C layers. The evaluation of the spectroscopic data indicates reversible activity of the material due to the complex contribution of carbon and silicon redox centers