FORRES 2020: Analysis of the Renewable Energy Sources' Evolution up to 2020: Report for the European Commission, Directorate General for Enterprise and Industry

Renewable energy sources have the potential to make a large contribution to the sustainable energy future of the European Union. In particular they can help to reach the environmental goals of the EU - especially with regard to the commitments under the Kyoto Protocol - and to increase the security of supply by mitigating the dependence on imported fuels. Finally the development of renewable energy sources can contribute to the goal of the Lisbon process to reach sustainable economic growth and to improve the competitiveness of the European Union on a global scale by creating lead markets for innovative technologies. This study provides an overview of the progress made on the European market for renewable energy sources for the EU-25 Member States. The results and analyses describe the present situation, assess the progress of the Member States with regard to their 2010 targets and show future perspectives of renewable energies until 2020. This report was produced within the scope of the FORRES 2020 study, which was initiated and financed by the European Commission, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport with the aim to: - provide input for monitoring the progress of the targets set in the White Paper "Energy for the future: Renewable sources of energy", the Directive on the promotion of electricity from renewable energy sources , and the Directive on biofuels - provide insight into future developments of a green energy market in the European Union and Bulgaria and Romania until 2020

Neurobehavioral status and health-related quality of life in newly diagnosed high-grade glioma patients

To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and cognitive functioning of high-grade glioma patients in the postneurosurgical period. The HRQOL, as assessed by the Short-Form Health Survey-36, tumor-specific symptoms, and objective and subjective neuropsychologic functioning, of 68 newly diagnosed glioma patients were compared with that of 50 patients with non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and to age- and sex-matched healthy controls. The association between tumor lateralization, extent of resection, and use of medication, and the HRQOL outcomes was also investigated. The HRQOL of the two patient groups was similar but significantly lower than that of the healthy controls. Glioma patients reported significantly more neurologic symptoms and poorer objective and subjective neuropsychologic functioning than the NSCLC patients. Using healthy controls as the reference group, cognitive impairment assessed at the individual patient level was observed in all glioma patients and 52% of the NSCLC patients. Poor performance on timed tasks in the glioma group could be attributed, in large part, to visual and motor deficits. Tumor lateralization was found to affect neuropsychologic functioning in a predictable manner. The extent of resection was not related significantly to neuropsychologic functioning. Corticosteroid use was associated with better recognition memory, whereas antiepileptic drug use was correlated negatively with working memory capacity. The general HRQOL of glioma patients is similar to that of patients with NSCLC. However, they suffer from a number of condition-specific neurologic and neuropsychologic problems that have a significant impact on their daily lives in the postsurgical period, before treatment with radiotherap

Keeping safe. Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in persons with Type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia: a qualitative study

AimTo further our understanding of individual use and experience of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in adults with Type 1 diabetes and impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia, we conducted a qualitative study supplementary to a randomized controlled trial, using semi-structured interviews. MethodsTwenty-three participants of the IN CONTROL trial were interviewed within 4weeks after the last study visit. The interview centred around experiences of CGM, taking into account the person's expectations prior to the trial. The interview was semi-structured, using open-ended questions and, if needed, prompts were offered to elicit further responses. Using thematic analysis, the interview transcripts were coded independently by three members of the research team. The consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) were followed. ResultsOverall, CGM was experienced as helpful in gaining more insight into glucose variability, and temporarily improved sense of control, reduced distress and made participants less dependent on others. However, some participants experienced confrontation with CGM output as intrusive, while some reported frustration due to failing technique and difficulty trusting the device. Participants reported active and passive self-management behaviours mirroring individual differences in attitudes and coping styles. ConclusionsIn adults with Type 1 diabetes at risk of recurrent hypoglycaemia due to impaired awareness of hypoglycaemia, CGM use enhances a sense of control and safety for most, but not all. Future studies should further explore differential use of CGM in this population in the context of active and passive self-management style