Switzerland: Migration quotas versus market access. CEPS Commentary October 2016

The Swiss parliament last month gave up on attempts to introduce quotas for foreign residents when it became obvious that any such move would violate Switzerland's obligations on freedom of movement under bilateral agreements with the European Union. The parliament's decision is expected to defuse the latest tension in EU-Swiss relations, which erupted in February 2014 when Swiss voters narrowly approved a constitutional amendment to introduce mandatory quotas for foreign residents, including EU citizens. Parliamentarians have now put continued access to the Union’s internal market above the political imperative for tighter immigration controls. But their choice does nothing to address the dynamic underlying the bilateral relationship, which is unfavourable to Switzerland and becoming more so as time passes

Effects of Policies Designed to Keep Firearms from High-Risk Individuals

This article summarizes and critiques available evidence from studies published between 1999 and August 2014 on the effects of policies designed to keep firearms from high-risk individuals in the United States. Some prohibitions for high-risk individuals (e.g., those under domestic violence restraining orders, violent misdemeanants) and procedures for checking for more types of prohibiting conditions are associated with lower rates of violence. Certain laws intended to prevent prohibited persons from accessing firearms -- rigorous permit-to-purchase, comprehensive background checks, strong regulation and oversight of gun dealers, and requiring gun owners to promptly report lost or stolen firearms -- are negatively associated with the diversion of guns to criminals. Future research is needed to examine whether these laws curtail nonlethal gun violence and whether the effects of expanding prohibiting conditions for firearm possession are modified by the presence of policies to prevent diversion

Sustainability intervention mechanisms for managing road freight transport externalities: A systematic literature review

With road freight transport continuing to dominate global freight transport operations, there is increasing pressure on the freight transport industry and its stakeholders to address concerns over its sustainability. This paper adopts a systematic review to examine the academic literature on road freight transport sustainability between 2001 and 2018. Using content and thematic analysis, the paper identifies and categorises sustainability intervention mechanisms providing useful insights on key research applications areas and continental distribution of sustainable road freight transport (SRFT) research. In addition to the six-overarching sustainability intervention mechanism themes identified: decoupling, Information and Communications Technology (ICT), modality, operations, policy, and other, future research can explore the effectiveness of different interventions mechanisms identified in this study to improve sustainable practices across different continents

Pengaruh penambahan daun bayam merah terhadap sifat organoleptik nugget ikan teri

Latar belakang : Anemia merupakan salah satu masalah kesehatan di seluruh dunia terutama negara berkembang yang diperkirakan 30% penduduk dunia menderita anemia. Anemia banyak terjadi pada masyarakat terutama pada remaja dan ibu hamil. Anemia pada remaja dapat menyebabkan keterlambatan pertumbuhan fisik, gangguan perilaku serta emosional. Hal ini dapat mempengaruhi proses pertumbuhan dan perkembangan sel otak sehingga dapat menimbulkan daya tahan tubuh menurun, mudah lemas dan lapar, konsentrasi belajar terganggu, prestasi belajar menurun serta dapat mengakibatkan produktifitas kerja yang rendah. Kurangnya asupan gizi pada remaja putri umumnya kekurangan zat gizi makro seperti karbohidrat, protein, lemak dan kekurangan zat gizi mikro seperti vitamin dan mineral. Kurangnya zat gizi makro dan mikro dapat menyebabkan tubuh menjadi kurus dan berat badan turun drastis, pendek, sakit terus menerus dan anemia. Tujuan : penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penambahan daun bayam merah terhadap sifat organoleptik nugget ikan teri dengan rasio 10%, 12,5% dan 15%. Metode penelitian : Eksperimen dengan mengunakan metode rancangan acak lengkap dengan proses pengujian 3perlakuan, penambahan daun bayam merah 10%, 12.5% dan 15%. Hasil : Hasil penelitian menunjukan terdapat sifat organoleptik rasa p1 dengan nilai tidak berbeda dengan p2 dengan nilai sig 0.084 tetapi berbeda dengan p3 dengan nilai sig 0.002. Sedangkan p2 tidak berbeda dengan p1 dengan nilai sig 0.084 dan p3 dengan nilai sig 0.314, maka dari data penelitian p3 dapat berbeda nyata dengan p1 dengan nilai sig 0.02 tetapi tidak berbedah dengan p2 dengan nilai sig 0.314. Kesimpulan : Dari hasil penelitian penulis merekomendasikan perlakuan (p3) karena memiliki kandungan gizi tertinggi

Interacciones entre familias y grupos armados ilegales en las zonas rurales de Antioquia

En este artículo se explora el punto de vista de 21 niñas desvinculadas de los grupos guerrilleros y paramilitares de Antioquia con respecto a las interacciones que percibían entre sus familias y tales grupos, así como el papel cumplido por estas interacciones en su decisión de vincularse a ellos. El enfoque teórico utilizado es el interaccionismo simbólico, según el cual, la familia, como una versión del otro generalizado, constituye un escenario interaccional primordial para la constitución subjetiva y referente en la definición del mundo. A partir de este rol de la familia, se reconoce la cualidad de las niñas, y en general de los sujetos, para interpretar los contextos y situaciones, que, a su vez, condicionan sus respuestas y decisiones

Untangling cognitive processes in academic information searching: investigating tool gaps, cognitive load, and user satisfaction

Academic information searching is a cognitively demanding activity requiring users to navigate complex decision-making, evaluation, and synthesis tasks. This study investigates how prior topic knowledge, perceived tool adequacy, and self-assessed search experience influence cognitive load, satisfaction, and confidence during domain-specific academic search tasks. Using a mixed-methods design, 31 participants engaged in authentic search scenarios, providing data via pre- and post-task questionnaires, including a modified NASA-TLX. Findings demonstrate that prior knowledge significantly reduces mental demand, supporting Cognitive Load Theory and reinforcing the value of domain familiarity in search efficiency. Perceived tool adequacy was associated with significantly lower mental and temporal load, though it was not a reliable predictor of satisfaction. Meanwhile, self-rated confidence and efficiency did not significantly relate to cognitive experience, challenging assumptions in existing user experience models. Additionally, satisfaction was positively associated with cognitive engagement, particularly task complexity and concentration, rather than ease of use. These insights extend prior research by grounding cognitive load theory in real-world academic contexts and highlighting the importance of tool support beyond usability. The study underscores a shift from efficiency-driven design toward systems that actively augment cognitive engagement in knowledge work

Hydrogen vehicles in urban logistics : a total cost of ownership analysis and some policy implications

Freight transport accounts for 8-15% of total traffic flow in urban areas within the European Union. The majority of these deliveries are undertaken by diesel-powered vehicles with extremely disproportionate levels of CO2, NOx and particulate matter emissions. Accordingly, a variety of strategic option shave been advanced as key solutions for addressing fossil fuel demand and emissions in urban freight transport. This paper progresses the discourse on hydrogen vehicles as viable strategic options for addressing sustainability concerns in urban logistics by undertaking a comprehensive total cost of ownership analysis. Outcomes from this study not only support the economic competitiveness of hydrogen vehicles, but also analyse implications of several future policy and market scenarios

Non-Canonical WNT5A Signaling Through RYK Contributes to Aggressive Phenotype of the Rheumatoid Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes

We hypothesized that WNT5A could contribute to the enhanced migration and invasiveness of rheumatoid arthritis fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA FLS), which is one of the incompletely understood aspects of the RA FLS aggressive phenotype. This hypothesis is based on the previous evidence of a WNT5A role in both, RA and cell migration. Migration and invasion of RA FLS were assessed after incubation with recombinant Wnt5a (rWnt5a) or silencing of the endogenous WNT5A expression. The expression of WNT5A, WNT receptors, cytokines, chemokines, and metalloproteinases was quantified with RT-PCR. The WNT pathway was explored with gene silencing, antibody and pharmacological inhibition followed by migration assays and phosphoprotein western blots. Here, we reported that rWnt5a promoted migration and invasion of RA FLS, whereas knockdown of the endogenous WNT5A reduced them. These effects were specific to the RA FLS since they were not observed in FLS from osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Also, rWnt5a induced the expression of IL6, IL8, CCL2, CXCL5, MMP1, MMP3, MMP9, and MMP13 from baseline or potentiating the TNF induction, WNT5A signaling required the RYK receptor and was mediated through the WNT/Ca(2+) and the ROCK pathway. These pathways involved the RYK and ROCK dependent activation of the p38, ERK, AKT, and GSK3beta kinases, but not the activation of JNK. Together these findings indicate that WNT5A contributes to the enhanced migration and invasiveness of RA FLS through RYK and the specific activation of ROCK and downstream kinases