Electricity market liberalization, price stability, and energy security: the case of Estonia

The efficacy of this thesis‘ hypothesis, given the competing effects of liberalization on each of the components of the energy security model proposed in the theoretical framework in Chapter 1, cannot be evaluated. Each element of the energy security model is complex and diverges empirically from the predicted theoretical outcomes. And these factors are also highly-dependent on a country‘s pre-liberalization resource profile and market structure, further confusing the net effect of liberalization from an abstract, theoretical standpoint. While the effects of increased prices and increased price volatility following a liberalization program induce negative consequences on a country‘s energy security, the diversity and stability of supply provided by liberalization buttress it. These competing effects differ in magnitude and are difficult to quantify. For this reason, the hypothesis can be neither confirmed nor denied. Estonia is likely to face increased prices and increased price volatility as a result of its liberalization program. As explored in Chapter 5, the Nord Pool Spot market exhibits volatility clustering but not mean reversion, with a high degree of volatility. This volatility, as surmised in the theoretical framework, is difficult to hedge against, leaving Estonia‘s economic infrastructure susceptible to a high degree of input price risk which could be disruptive to the continuity of operations for electricity-intensive industries. Liberalization will however inspire confidence in the Estonian electricity market by foreign investors and provide Estonia access to external sources of electricity, which it will need to utilize as it adapts to EU directives mandating its reduction of oil shale use. While these external sources of electricity will be more expensive than internally-produced electricity, they will also provide diversity and security of supply to Estonia. The net effect of these changes on Estonia‘s energy security is impossible to predict.http://www.ester.ee/record=b4541728*es

Shaping the Digital Transformation in Schools: A Maturity Model for Vocational Education and Training

Die digitale Transformation hat weitreichende Auswirkungen auf Wirtschaft und Gesellschaft. Davon sind auch der Bildungssektor und Schulen betroffen, insbesondere berufsbildende Schulen, die derzeit einem starken Veränderungsdruck an der Schnittstelle von Beschäftigungs- und Bildungssystem ausgesetzt sind (Seufert et al. 2019). Im Gegensatz zu rein schulischen Ausbildungen bieten kombinierte schulische und betriebliche Bildungsgänge den Lernenden intensive Einblicke in die Arbeitswelt. Daher sind für berufsbildende Schulen zusätzliche Herausforderungen für eine gelingende Lernortkooperation zu berücksichtigen (Wenner 2018). Für eine systematische Schulentwicklung zur Gestaltung der digitalen Transformation haben sich mittlerweile einige konzeptionelle Ansätze entwickelt (Eickelmann und Gerick. 2017; Gräsel, Schledjewski, und Hartmann 2020), die auf die spezifischen Herausforderungen der Berufsbildung übertragen werden können. Darüber hinaus liefern Reifegradmodelle Entwicklungslinien der digitalen Transformation. Anhand einer umfassenden Literaturstudie sowie Experteninterviews mit Schulleitungen an 18 verschiedenen Berufsschulen im Rahmen des vom Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation (SBFI) in der Schweiz geförderten Projektes «Zukunftsmodelle der Lernortkooperation» wurde ein konzeptioneller Bezugsrahmen für die Gestaltung der digitalen Transformation entwickelt. Damit soll der digitale Reifegrad von berufsbildenden Schulen bestimmt werden können als Ausgangspunkt für eine Standortbestimmung sowie um Impulse für die Schulentwicklung aufzeigen zu können. Dieser Artikel fasst die zentralen Untersuchungsergebnisse zusammen und gibt Impulse für eine organisationspädagogische Handlungspraxis in der Berufsbildung.The digital transformation has far-reaching economic and social effects. This also affects the education sector and schools, especially vocational schools, which are currently facing a strong pressure to change in front of the interface between the employment and education systems (Seufert et al. 2019). In contrast to purely school-based training, combined school- and company-based training programs offer fruitful insights into the world of work to learners. Therefore, additional challenges for successful learning site cooperation need to be considered for vocational schools (Wenner 2018). Meanwhile, several conceptual approaches have been developed for systematic school development to shape the digital transformation (Eickelmann and Gerick 2017; Gräsel, Schledjewski, and Hartmann 2020), which can be transferred to the specific challenges of vocational education and training (VET). In addition, maturity models provide development stages of organisations within the digital transformation process. A conceptual reference framework for shaping the digital transformation has been developed on the basis of a comprehensive literature study and expert interviews with school administrators at 18 different vocational schools as part of the «Future Models of Learning Location Cooperation» project funded by the State Secretariat for Education, Research and Innovation in Switzerland (SERI/SBFI). The aim is to determine the level of digital maturity of vocational schools as a starting point for determining their location and to identify impulses for school development. This article summarizes the core results of the study and provides impulses for organizational pedagogical practice in VET

Privacy-centric digital advertising: implications for research

Yesterday's digital advertising relied on cross-website and cross-app user identity to measure, target, and optimize ads. Spurred by regulatory pressure, today's digital advertising is evolving to become more privacy-protective. Apple and Google are leading this movement by sunsetting old technologies and building more privacy-centric alternatives. Marketing academics and practitioners, in turn, must learn to adapt to this new reality. We outline these new advertising approaches and their implications for advertising strategy, targeting, and measurement. We propose key questions and an agenda for researchers to help shape the privacy-centric future of digital advertising.https://papers.ssrn.com/abstract_id=3947290First author draf

PPAR Gamma Activators: Off-Target Against Glioma Cell Migration and Brain Invasion

Today, there is increasing evidence that PPARγ agonists, including thiazolidinediones (TDZs) and nonthiazolidinediones, block the motility and invasiveness of glioma cells and other highly migratory tumor entities. However, the mechanism(s) by which PPARγ activators mediate their antimigratory and anti-invasive properties remains elusive. This letter gives a short review on the debate and adds to the current knowledge by applying a PPARγ inactive derivative of the TDZ troglitazone (Rezulin) which potently counteracts experimental glioma progression in a PPARγ independent manner

Patient-reported outcomes in adults with type 1 diabetes in global real-world clinical practice: The SAGE study

AimsTo conduct a secondary analysis of the SAGE study to evaluate the association between glycaemic control and patient-reported outcomes (PROs), in adults with type 1 diabetes (T1DM) across different age groups and regions.Materials and methodsSAGE was a multinational, cross-sectional, observational study in adults with T1DM. Data were collected at a single visit, analysed according to predefined age groups (26-44, 45-64, and ≥65 years), and reported across different regions. PRO questionnaires were applied to assess hypoglycaemia fear (Hypoglycemia Fear Survey-II), diabetes-related distress (Problem Areas In Diabetes questionnaire), insulin treatment satisfaction (Insulin Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire), and diabetes-specific quality of life (QoL; Audit of Diabetes-Dependent Quality of Life). Multivariable analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) target achievement (less than 7% and individualised targets) with PRO scores.ResultsThe PRO scores showed relatively low levels of diabetes-related emotional distress and fear of hypoglycaemia, moderate to high treatment satisfaction, and low diabetes-related impact on QoL. Results were generally comparable across age groups with some regional variability. Achievement of the HbA1c less than 7% target was associated with less worry about hypoglycaemia, lower diabetes-related emotional distress, higher insulin treatment satisfaction, and higher QoL. Achievement of individualised HbA1c targets was associated with lower diabetes-related emotional distress and higher insulin treatment satisfaction.ConclusionsBetter glycaemic control was most closely associated with low emotional distress due to diabetes and high patient-reported insulin treatment satisfaction

Ten facts about land systems for sustainability

Land use is central to addressing sustainability issues, including biodiversity conservation, climate change, food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable energy. In this paper, we synthesize knowledge accumulated in land system science, the integrated study of terrestrial social-ecological systems, into 10 hard truths that have strong, general, empirical support. These facts help to explain the challenges of achieving sustainability in land use and thus also point toward solutions. The 10 facts are as follows: 1) Meanings and values of land are socially constructed and contested; 2) land systems exhibit complex behaviors with abrupt, hard-to-predict changes; 3) irreversible changes and path dependence are common features of land systems; 4) some land uses have a small footprint but very large impacts; 5) drivers and impacts of land-use change are globally interconnected and spill over to distant locations; 6) humanity lives on a used planet where all land provides benefits to societies; 7) land-use change usually entails trade-offs between different benefits—"win–wins" are thus rare; 8) land tenure and land-use claims are often unclear, overlapping, and contested; 9) the benefits and burdens from land are unequally distributed; and 10) land users have multiple, sometimes conflicting, ideas of what social and environmental justice entails. The facts have implications for governance, but do not provide fixed answers. Instead they constitute a set of core principles which can guide scientists, policy makers, and practitioners toward meeting sustainability challenges in land use

Preventive medicine of von Hippel-Lindau disease-associated pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors

Pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (PanNETs) are rare in von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) but cause serious morbidity and mortality. Management guidelines for VHL-PanNETs continue to be based on limited evidence, and survival data to guide surgical management are lacking. We established the European-American-Asian-VHL-PanNET-Registry to assess data for risks for metastases, survival and long-term outcomes to provide best management recommendations. Of 2330 VHL patients, 273 had a total of 484 PanNETs. Median age at diagnosis of PanNET was 35 years (range 10-75). Fifty-five (20%) patients had metastatic PanNETs. Metastatic PanNETs were significantly larger (median size 5 vs 2\u2009cm; P\u20091.5\u2009cm in diameter were operated. Ten-year survival was significantly longer in operated vs non-operated patients, in particular for PanNETs <2.8\u2009cm vs 652.8\u2009cm (94% vs 85% by 10 years; P\u2009=\u20090.020; 80% vs 50% at 10 years; P\u2009=\u20090.030). This study demonstrates that patients with PanNET approaching the cut-off diameter of 2.8\u2009cm should be operated. Mutations in exon 3, especially of codons 161/167 are at enhanced risk for metastatic PanNETs. Survival is significantly longer in operated non-metastatic VHL-PanNETs

Albiglutide and cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (Harmony Outcomes): a double-blind, randomised placebo-controlled trial

Background: Glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists differ in chemical structure, duration of action, and in their effects on clinical outcomes. The cardiovascular effects of once-weekly albiglutide in type 2 diabetes are unknown. We aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of albiglutide in preventing cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke. Methods: We did a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial in 610 sites across 28 countries. We randomly assigned patients aged 40 years and older with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (at a 1:1 ratio) to groups that either received a subcutaneous injection of albiglutide (30–50 mg, based on glycaemic response and tolerability) or of a matched volume of placebo once a week, in addition to their standard care. Investigators used an interactive voice or web response system to obtain treatment assignment, and patients and all study investigators were masked to their treatment allocation. We hypothesised that albiglutide would be non-inferior to placebo for the primary outcome of the first occurrence of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke, which was assessed in the intention-to-treat population. If non-inferiority was confirmed by an upper limit of the 95% CI for a hazard ratio of less than 1·30, closed testing for superiority was prespecified. This study is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02465515. Findings: Patients were screened between July 1, 2015, and Nov 24, 2016. 10 793 patients were screened and 9463 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned to groups: 4731 patients were assigned to receive albiglutide and 4732 patients to receive placebo. On Nov 8, 2017, it was determined that 611 primary endpoints and a median follow-up of at least 1·5 years had accrued, and participants returned for a final visit and discontinuation from study treatment; the last patient visit was on March 12, 2018. These 9463 patients, the intention-to-treat population, were evaluated for a median duration of 1·6 years and were assessed for the primary outcome. The primary composite outcome occurred in 338 (7%) of 4731 patients at an incidence rate of 4·6 events per 100 person-years in the albiglutide group and in 428 (9%) of 4732 patients at an incidence rate of 5·9 events per 100 person-years in the placebo group (hazard ratio 0·78, 95% CI 0·68–0·90), which indicated that albiglutide was superior to placebo (p&lt;0·0001 for non-inferiority; p=0·0006 for superiority). The incidence of acute pancreatitis (ten patients in the albiglutide group and seven patients in the placebo group), pancreatic cancer (six patients in the albiglutide group and five patients in the placebo group), medullary thyroid carcinoma (zero patients in both groups), and other serious adverse events did not differ between the two groups. There were three (&lt;1%) deaths in the placebo group that were assessed by investigators, who were masked to study drug assignment, to be treatment-related and two (&lt;1%) deaths in the albiglutide group. Interpretation: In patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease, albiglutide was superior to placebo with respect to major adverse cardiovascular events. Evidence-based glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists should therefore be considered as part of a comprehensive strategy to reduce the risk of cardiovascular events in patients with type 2 diabetes. Funding: GlaxoSmithKline

Ten facts about land systems for sustainability

Land use is central to addressing sustainability issues, including biodiversity conservation, climate change, food security, poverty alleviation, and sustainable energy. In this paper, we synthesize knowledge accumulated in land system science, the integrated study of terrestrial social-ecological systems, into 10 hard truths that have strong, general, empirical support. These facts help to explain the challenges of achieving sustainability in land use and thus also point toward solutions. The 10 facts are as follows: 1) Meanings and values of land are socially constructed and contested; 2) land systems exhibit complex behaviors with abrupt, hard-to-predict changes; 3) irreversible changes and path dependence are common features of land systems; 4) some land uses have a small footprint but very large impacts; 5) drivers and impacts of land-use change are globally interconnected and spill over to distant locations; 6) humanity lives on a used planet where all land provides benefits to societies; 7) land-use change usually entails trade-offs between different benefits—"win–wins" are thus rare; 8) land tenure and land-use claims are often unclear, overlapping, and contested; 9) the benefits and burdens from land are unequally distributed; and 10) land users have multiple, sometimes conflicting, ideas of what social and environmental justice entails. The facts have implications for governance, but do not provide fixed answers. Instead they constitute a set of core principles which can guide scientists, policy makers, and practitioners toward meeting sustainability challenges in land use.The European Research Council under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program; the Marie Skłodowska-Curie (MSCA) Innovative Training Network actions under the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme; the “María de Maeztu” Programme for Units of Excellence of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation; the NASA Land-Cover Land-Use Change Program; the Swiss Academy of Sciences; the National Research Foundation’s Rated Researcher’s Award; the UK Natural Environment Research Council Landscape Decisions Fellowship; and the “Nature4SDGs” project funded by NERC-Formas-DBT [UK Natural Environment Research Council-Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development-Indian Department of Biotechnology (from the Ministry of Science & Technology, Government of India)].https://www.pnas.orghj2022BiochemistryForestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)GeneticsMicrobiology and Plant Patholog