Mobility in Europe: Analysis of the 2005 Eurobarometer Survey on Geographical and Labour Market Mobility

The European Commission has designated the year 2006 as 'European Year of Workers' Mobility'. The purpose of the initiative is to inform EU citizens of the benefits and the costs of both geographical mobility and job or labour market mobility; the realities of working in another country or changing job or career; and the rights they are entitled to as migrant workers. The initiative also aims to promote the exchange of good practice between public authorities and institutions, the social partners and the private sector, and to promote greater study of the scale and nature of geographical and job mobility within the Union

Multicentric Atrial Strain COmparison between Two Different Modalities: MASCOT HIT Study

Two methods are currently available for left atrial (LA) strain measurement by speckle tracking echocardiography, with two different reference timings for starting the analysis: QRS (QRS-LASr) and P wave (P-LASr). The aim of MASCOT HIT study was to define which of the two was more reproducible, more feasible, and less time consuming. In 26 expert centers, LA strain was analyzed by two different echocardiographers (young vs senior) in a blinded fashion. The study population included: healthy subjects, patients with arterial hypertension or aortic stenosis (LA pressure overload, group 2) and patients with mitral regurgitation or heart failure (LA volume–pressure overload, group 3). Difference between the inter-correlation coefficient (ICC) by the two echocardiographers using the two techniques, feasibility and analysis time of both methods were analyzed. A total of 938 subjects were included: 309 controls, 333 patients in group 2, and 296 patients in group 3. The ICC was comparable between QRS-LASr (0.93) and P-LASr (0.90). The young echocardiographers calculated QRS-LASr in 90% of cases, the expert ones in 95%. The feasibility of P-LASr was 85% by young echocardiographers and 88% by senior ones. QRS-LASr young median time was 110 s (interquartile range, IR, 78-149) vs senior 110 s (IR 78-155); for P-LASr, 120 s (IR 80-165) and 120 s (IR 90-161), respectively. LA strain was feasible in the majority of patients with similar reproducibility for both methods. QRS complex guaranteed a slightly higher feasibility and a lower time wasting compared to the use of P wave as the reference

Job mobility in the career of European workers

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Tracing employment in business functions. A sectoral and occupational approach

The aim of this report is to measure the effects of global value chain restructuring on employment in the European Union. In line with the qualitative research of the WORKS project, the business function is used as the main unit of analysis. A business function is defined as a unit of activity that can be categorised within a value chain: a cluster of technologically and economically distinct activities which are usually performed together. Business functions refer to both core and support activities in value chains. The quantitative analysis is performed on the basis of the EU Labour Force Survey. The main conclusion that can be drawn from the analysis is that several business functions are increasingly performed within specialised service sectors. Evidence has been found of a shift of specific business functions from sectors in which they are ‘peripheral’ to the production process, towards sectors in which they constitute the core activity. The most obvious example of this trend has been found in IT services and logistics, but this shift can be observed also in marketing and sales, and legal and financial services.no ISBNstatus: publishe

Mobility in Europe. Analysis of the 2005 Eurobarometer survey on geographical and labour market mobility

This report sets out a descriptive analysis of the data collected by the Eurobarometer Survey (2005). It examines two key areas of enquiry: geographical mobility and job mobility. Mobility appears to be not always the result of individual choices. Indeed, mobility, particularly job mobility, is often found to be a characteristic of the more vulnerable groups in society. The analysis also shows that mobility-related decisions are the result of important and often difficult trade-offs. People attracted by the idea of making a long-distance move report that they fear the loss of contact and support from family and relatives. It would also appear that what is good for the EU as a whole – greater overall levels of mobility – is not necessarily reflected in how individuals feel about mobility in their own lives.nrpages: 94status: publishe

Liberalisation in services of general economic interest: a bottom up citizens’ perspective. Analysis of the PIQUE survey

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Solid/liquid ratios of trace elements and radionuclides during a Nuclear Power Plant liquid discharge in the Seine River: Field measurements vs geochemical modeling

International audienceThis study focuses on the determination of field solid/liquid ratios (Rd) values of trace element (TE) and radionuclide (RN) in the Seine River (France) during a concerted low radioactivity level liquid regulatory discharge performed by a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) and their confrontation with Kd values calculated from geochemical modeling. This research focuses on how field Rd measurements of TE and RN can be representative of Kd values and how Kd models should be improved.For this purpose 5 sampling points of the Seine River during a NPP’s liquid discharge were investigated: upstream from the discharge in order to assess the natural background values in the area of effluent discharge, the total river water mixing distance (with transect sampling), and 2 points downstream from this last area. The main parameters required determining field Rd of TE and RN and their geochemical modeling (Kd) were ac- quired. Filtered waters were analyzed for alkalinity, anions, cations, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), TE, and RN concentrations. Suspended particulate matter (SPM) was analyzed for particulate organic carbon (POC), TE and RN concentrations and mineralogical composition. Field Rd and Kd values are in good agreement for stable Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn and for 7Be. Conversely, measured field Rd for stable Ag, Ba, Sr, Co and Cs are systematically higher than modeled Kd values. Even if only the lowest possible values were obtained for 137Cs and 60Co Rd measurements, these estimated limits are higher than calculated Kd for 137Cs and in good agreement for 60Co. Finally, only two RN exhibit field Rd lower than calculated Kd: 234Th and 210Pb.Comparison of field Rd vs. modeled Kd values for TE and RN allows the identification, for each element, of the main involved adsorption phases and geochemical mechanisms controlling their fate and partitioning in river systems

A randomized controlled trial investigating the effect of liraglutide on self-reported liking and neural responses to food stimuli in participants with obesity

Background/Objectives Obesity is a complex condition and the mechanisms involved in weight gain and loss are not fully understood. Liraglutide, a GLP-1 receptor agonist, has been demonstrated to successfully promote weight loss in patients with obesity (OB). Yet, it is unclear whether the observed weight loss is driven by an alteration of food liking. Here we investigated the effects of liraglutide on food liking and the cerebral correlates of liking in OB. Subjects/Methods This study was a randomized, single-center, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel group, prospective clinical trial. 73 participants with OB and without diabetes following a multidisciplinary weight loss program, were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive liraglutide 3.0 mg (37.40 ± 11.18 years old, BMI = 35.89 ± 3.01 kg) or a placebo (40.04 ± 14.10 years old, BMI = 34.88 ± 2.87 kg) subcutaneously once daily for 16 weeks. Interventions/Methods We investigated liking during food consumption. Participants reported their hedonic experience while consuming a high-calorie food (milkshake) and a tasteless solution. The solutions were administered inside the scanner with a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)-compatible gustometer to assess neural responses during consumption. The same procedure was repeated during the pre- and post-intervention sessions. Results None of the effects involving the intervention factor reached significance when comparing liking between the pre- and post-intervention sessions or groups. Liking during food reward consumption was associated with the activation of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and the amygdala. The liraglutide group lost more weight (BMI post-pre = −3.19 ± 1.28 kg/m 2 ) than the placebo group (BMI post-pre = −0.60 ± 1.26 kg/m 2 ). Conclusions These results suggest that liraglutide leads to weight loss without self-report or neural evidence supporting a concomitant reduction of food liking in participants with OB.</p