Results of EU Parliamentary Elections 2019. EU Centre Background Brief 30 May 2019

No Abstract

Populism in Europe. EU Centre Background Brief, 21st August 2019

This background paper aims to unpack the meaning of populism by drawing from existing literature on the concept and come out with a working definition that underpins the rest of the brief. Following the brief conceptual overviews, the paper will broadly review the rise of right-wing populism in Europe and analyse the key economic, socio-cultural and political reasons for this trend. Subsequently, this paper will briefly review a selection of European countries where right wing parties have gained a foothold in parliaments before concluding on the outlook of right-wing populism in Europe

New age of AIDS in America

Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Humanities, Program in Writing and Humanistic Studies, 2004.Vita.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 29-32).When the cocktail of AIDS drugs called highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was introduced in 1997, it radically changed the picture of HIV and AIDS in the U.S. Deaths from AIDS plummeted by two-thirds. Now, far fewer people are progressing along the once-inevitable path to illness and death. The impact of new therapy has been both dramatic and double-edged: it has spared tens of thousands from death, but has complicated their lives in countless ways. This newspaper series in five parts examines the new landscape of AIDS in the aftermath of success - a success that is still incomplete as there is still no cure. The new therapies carry literal side effects - the toxicities of drugs that infected individuals must take everyday for the rest of their lives. But the drugs have also created social and political side effects as AIDS is transformed to an increasingly chronic disease. The series relays the stories of HIV-infected individuals, clinicians, social workers, and AIDS service and prevention workers in Boston and examines how their lives and work have changed now that AIDS is no longer seen as a "crisis" in the U.S.by Courtney Humphries.S.M

Characteristics of High-Risk Groups: Analysis of Norwalk Student Body Mass Index (BMI) Data

1 in 3 children in the United States is currently classified as overweight or obese, and this prevalence increases as age rises. Obesity varies by racial, environmental, ethnic and socioeconomic factors as well as genetic factors. Childhood obesity is more prevalent among African Americans, American Indians, and Mexican-Americans than in whites, as well as in lower income families.1 2 3 Connecticut has one of the lowest childhood obesity rates in the nation (~11%), yet Norwalk’s childhood obesity rate is well above this mark at 22%4. This project reflects a partnership between the Norwalk Health Department and Norwalk Public Schools to create a report on childhood obesity in Norwalk stratified by age, gender, race, and free and reduced-price lunch eligibility. The objectives of this project were to 1) Analyze BMI data to determine if disparities in obesity prevalence in Norwalk Public Schools exist by demographic characteristics and understand how trends in obesity prevalence have changed over time. 2) Conduct qualitative analyses to identify areas for improvement by both the Norwalk Health Department and the Norwalk Public School System.https://elischolar.library.yale.edu/ysph_pbchrr/1027/thumbnail.jp

Improving the Feeding Value of Dryland Lucerne in Australia

Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) is the most widely grown perennial legume species in southern Australia. Within Australian farming systems it plays an important role in the provision of high-quality feed for livestock, nitrogen fixation and dewatering soils to reduce watertable recharge and dryland salinity (Cocks 2001). The majority of lucerne varieties have been developed for the areas with high rainfall or supplementary irrigation. The new challenge is to develop lucerne cultivars specifically for dryland mixed farming systems in temperate and mediterranean climate zones (Humphries and Auricht, 2001). Persistence in these environments and feeding value to sheep are critical selection traits. In this paper we compare nutritive traits of 35 commercial and experimental accessions of lucerne, sampled during the vegetative phase, and test the hypothesis that there will be significant differences between the accessions for in vitro dry matter digestibility (DMD), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fibre (ADF), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and hemicellulose

Fish and complementary feeding practices for young children: Qualitative research findings from coastal Kenya

This study examines barriers to fish consumption during the complementary feeding period in two coastal counties of Kenya with high rates of child malnutrition. Study findings indicate that young child fish consumption is impacted by factors related to accessibility, food preferences, and caregiver’s knowledge and beliefs about fish during the complementary feeding period. These factors are influenced by prominent community figures such as elder women and health workers, whose own beliefs and understandings are impacted by underlying cultural norms, potentially limiting fish consumption. To our knowledge, this is the first study conducted in the coastal region of Kenya to focus on understanding fish consumption attitudes and beliefs during the complementary feeding phase. Our findings represent a critical first step towards the creation of more effective policies and interventions to address the significant nutritional disparities that exist in the study population

“We All Really Need to Just Take a Breath”: Composite Narratives of Hospital Doctors’ Well-Being during the COVID-19 Pandemic

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic poses a challenge to the physical and mental well-being of doctors worldwide. Countries around the world introduced severe social restrictions, and significant changes to health service provision in the first wave of the pandemic to suppress the spread of the virus and prioritize healthcare for those who contracted it. This study interviewed 48 hospital doctors who worked in Ireland during the first wave of the pandemic and investigated their conceptualizations of their own well-being during that time (March–May 2020). Doctors were interviewed via Zoom or telephone. Interview transcripts were analyzed using structured thematic analysis. Five composite narratives are presented which have been crafted to illustrate themes and experiences emerging from the data. This study found that despite the risks of contracting COVID-19, many doctors saw some improvements to their physical well-being in the first wave of the pandemic. However, most also experienced a decline in their mental well-being due to anxiety, emotional exhaustion, guilt, isolation and poor support. These findings shed light on doctor well-being during COVID-19, and the ways in which they have been affected by the pandemic, both professionally and personally. The paper concludes by highlighting how doctors’ work life and well-being can be better supported during and after the COVID-19 pandemic