A statistical meta-analysis of the wellbeing literature

This study employs an empirical meta-analysis to examine the livability factors of wellbeing and assess each precursor’s relative significance. The effect size results of individual studies of existing academic work are pooled by the use of a variety of statistical techniques to determine a meta-effect that yields statistically more significant conclusions and is a more powerful measure in that it has the ability to identify results closer to the true outcomes. The meta-analysis in this paper covers 164 studies and 560 observations published prior to September 2013. After articulating definitions of the central concepts and tenets of the scholarly research on wellbeing, the analysis continues with a literature review identifying recurring factors of wellbeing and the associated correlation. To address the variation in the type of analysis that underlies each study, all studies are converted to an effect size using Fischer’s z and then analyzed under the DerSimonian-Laird random-effects model. The results largely confirm the findings in the literature but also reveal some surprises and suggest avenues for future research. The meta-analysis finds empirical support for the dimensions of living standard, health, freedom, personal and community relationships, peace, and security as significant livability factors of wellbeing

Opinion Monitor for Development Policy 2021: Media content, information, appeals and their impact on public opinion

The DEval Opinion Monitor 2021 examines five key questions: (1) How often and in what way does the media report on the topic of development policy? (2) What impact do arguments for and against development cooperation used in the media have on the general public’s attitude towards the topic? (3) What impact does information on the effectiveness of development cooperation projects have on attitudes towards the topic? (4) What role do moral arguments and various foundations of morality play in attitudes towards the topic? (5) What expectations do citizens have of development cooperation? The report also explores how public opinion on development policy and on specific development policy measures has developed during the coronavirus pandemic. Therefor, the DEval Opinion Monitor 2021 gives development policy decision-makers feedback on the general public’s attitudes to development policy. The publication follows the Opinion Monitor for Development Policy 2018 and the Opinion Monitor for Development Policy 2019, which examined attitudes towards development cooperation and sustainable development in Germany (2018) and media use with a focus on international reporting and global poverty (2019)

Pharmacokinetics of Hyperthermic Intrathoracic Chemotherapy following Pleurectomy and Decortication

In patients with pseudomyxoma peritonei or peritoneal mesothelioma, direct extension of disease through the hemidiaphragm may result in an isolated progression of tumor within the pleural space. We monitored the intrapleural and plasma levels of mitomycin C and doxorubicin by HPLC assay in order to determine the pharmacokinetic behavior of this intracavitary use of chemotherapy. Our results showed a persistent high concentration of intrapleural drug as compared to plasma concentrations. The increased exposure for mitomycin C was 96, and the increased exposure for doxorubicin was 241. When the clearance of chemotherapy from the thoracic cavity was compared to clearance from the abdomen and pelvis, there was a considerably more rapid clearance from the abdomen as compared to the thorax. The pharmacologic study of intrapleural chemotherapy in these patients provides a strong pharmacologic rationale for regional chemotherapy in this group of patients

Second harmonic generation, beam dynamics and spatial soliton generation in periodically poled KTiOPO4

Spatial solitons were investigated in periodically poled KTiOPO4 under conditions of second harmonic generation and many new features associated with soliton generation in quasi-phase-matched samples were observed. The effects on the second harmonic generation tuning curves of the beam narrowing mechanisms responsible for soliton generation were found to be dramatic. It was demonstrated experimentally that the mutual collapse of the fundamental and harmonic beams is a complex phenomenon

Copper-based metalwork in Roman to early Islamic Jerash (Jordan): Insights into production and recycling through alloy compositions and lead isotopes

Metallographic, chemical and lead isotopic analyses of copper-based artefacts recovered from the Northwest Quarter in Jerash (ancient Gerasa) in Jordan provide new information on the civic life and material culture from a key urban site in the Roman Empire's eastern provinces. The samples span the city's occupation from its flourishing under Roman rule into the Byzantine and early Islamic periods. We examined 49 copper-based artefacts using reflected light microscopy and micro-X-ray fluorescence. A subset of these artefacts was analysed by electron microprobe spectroscopy for major and minor elements at higher spatial resolution, and by multi-collector inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for lead isotopes. Results imply that binary bronze dominated the Roman period, (leaded) brass characterised the Byzantine period, while tin-containing alloys were prevalent during the Islamic period. Lead isotopes suggest that during the Roman and Byzantine periods some of the metal in Jerash came from European and/or Mediterranean sources, while copper used during the Islamic period may have been sourced more locally from Timna. The changes in alloy types and lead isotopes suggest that recycling of metals took place in Jerash possibly as early as the Roman period and more frequent from the Byzantine period onwards

Meinungsmonitor Entwicklungspolitik 2021: Medieninhalte, Informationen, Appelle und ihre Wirkung auf die öffentliche Meinung

Der DEval-Meinungsmonitor 2021 befasst sich mit fünf zentralen Fragestellungen: (1) Wie häufig und wie wird über das Themenfeld Entwicklungspolitik in den Medien berichtet? (2) Welche Wirkung haben in den Medien genutzte Argumente für und gegen EZ auf die Einstellung der Bevölkerung zum Themenfeld? (3) Welche Wirkung haben Informationen zur Wirksamkeit von EZ-Projekten auf die Einstellung zum Themenfeld? (4) Welche Rolle spielen moralische Argumente und verschiedene Dimensionen von Moral für die Einstellung zum Themenfeld? (5) Welche Erwartungen haben die Bürger*innen an die EZ? Darüber hinaus wird beleuchtet, wie sich die öffentliche Meinung zu Entwicklungspolitik und zu konkreten entwicklungspolitischen Maßnahmen während der Corona-Pandemie entwickelt hat. Damit liefert dieser Bericht entwicklungspolitischen Entscheidungsträger*innen Orientierungswissen, um das Politikfeld und die Kommunikation mit der Bevölkerung auf Basis solider Informationen zu gestalten. Die Publikation schließt an den Meinungsmonitor Entwicklungspolitik 2018 und den Meinungsmonitor Entwicklungspolitik 2019 an, in denen die Einstellung der Bevölkerung zu EZ und nachhaltiger Entwicklung (2018) beziehungsweise die Mediennutzung mit Blick auf internationale Nachrichten und weltweite Armut (2019) untersucht wurden