How Marie Sklodowska-Curie Doctoral Networks Can Support European Refractory Ecosystem in Context of The European Green Deal

The movement of the Iron&Steelmaking(I&S)industry towards Net-Zero emissions and digitalized processes through disruptive,breakthrough technologies will be achieved through the use of Hydrogen.The biggest challenge for the refractory industry is to continue to meet the performance expectations while,at the same time,moving to a more sustainable production direction.The complexity and urgency of these technological changes,highlighted by the European Green Deal,requires ambitious,international,interdisciplinary and intersectoral projects,bringing together institutes from across the global value chain,to carry out cutting edge research.The European Union,through its flagship doctoral training program,MSCA,has,and continues to support research and development as well as the promotion of the refractory industry in Europe.An introduction to two MSCA projects and some of the results achieved are highlighted within this article.

Open banking and inclusive finance in the European Union:perspectives from the Dutch stakeholder ecosystem

In the European Union(EU),the revised Payment Services Directive(PSD2)aims to provide more convenient and customized financial products through open banking(OB)platforms.However,little attention has been paid to the role of OB in improving the financial well-being of the growing number of the EU’s underserved groups,which currently constitute approximately a quarter of its population.This study examines how the PSD2 and OB impact inclusive finance in the EU based on the perspectives of the Netherlands’ecosystem,one of the leaders in the EU’s financial technology(FinTech)landscape.A fundamental distinction can be drawn between the OB users and the ecosystem’s players.Regarding the impact of financial services on the users’inclusivity,while the PSD2 strengthens the infrastructure necessary for financial inclusion,many challenges remain,mainly because it was not designed for this purpose.This study identifies several areas of improvement that include adjustments to the know your customer and anti-money laundering processes for underserved customers,innovative ways to communicate the PSD2’s potential,and the regulation of technology providers’activities to build trust.Meanwhile,from the ecosystem’s position,there is a need to strengthen and improve microfinance regulation according to the opportunities provided by the PSD2 to support microfinance institutions(MFIs)in scaling up and reaching underserved clients across borders with innovative services.OB improvements can also be achieved by organizations formed by MFIs and FinTechs in collaboration with banks.Such hybrid institutions will combine the best features of each of them:knowledge of the needs of local underserved clients from MFIs,technological innovations from FinTechs,and large and trusted customer bases,infrastructures,and access to institutional investments and governments from banks.Finally,an EU inclusive OB sector depends on the centrality of trusted regulators as coordination bodies.The PSD2 requires adjustments for underserved populations’specific needs.OB improvements can be achieved by organizations formed by MFIs and Fin-Techs in collaboration with banks.Regulated technical service providers(TSPs)are crucial to building trust and customer adoption in OB.The European Banking Authority(EBA)may function as coordination body to design inclusive rules by engaging with OB stakeholders.As inclusive finance moves into open-finance and data eras,an increasing regulatory complexity and scope will require networks of innovative and trusted regulators.

Potential of the Arkhangelsk seismic network for European Arctic monitoring

The Arkhangelsk Seismic Network(ASN)of the N.Laverov Federal Center for Integrated Arctic Research of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences,founded in 2003,includes 10 permanent seismic stations located on the coasts of the White,Barents,and Kara Seas and on the Arctic archipelagos of Novaya Zemlya,Franz Josef Land,and Severnaya Zemlya.The network is registered with the International Federation of Digital Seismograph Networks and the International Seismological Center.We used not only ASN data to process earthquakes but also the waveforms of various international seismic stations.The 13,000 seismic events were registered using ASN data for 2012-2022,and for 5,500 of them,we determined the parameters of the earthquake epicenters from the European Arctic.The spatial distribution of epicenters shows that the ASN monitors not only the main seismically active zones but also weak seismicity on the shelf of the Barents and Kara Seas.The representative magnitude of ASN was ML,rep=3.5.The level of microseismic noise has seasonal variations that affect the registration capabilities of each station included in the ASN and the overall sensitivity of the network as a whole.In summer,the sensitivity of the ASN decreased owing to the increasing microseismic and ambient noises,whereas in winter,the sensitivity of the ASN increased significantly because of the decrease.

On the Praxis-Oriented Semiotic Aesthetics in Eastern European Marxism

Eastern European Marxism,taking a critical stance towards structuralism,gave rise to a unique paradigm of praxis-oriented semiotic aesthetics.This novel approach posits that signs emerge from humans’social praxis and also function as a means of praxis.It further delves into the principle governing the generation and usage of signs,i.e.,the Economy Principle,the homogenization of signs,the situatedness or contextual constraints,as well as their aesthetic features and transcendental attributes.As a result,the praxis-oriented semiotic aesthetics within Eastern European Marxism exhibits distinct theoretical value.

Cardiovascular diseases in European ethnic minorities: Beyond the traditional cardiovascular risk factors

This editorial is intended to be a reflection on cardiovascular disease(CVD)burden in European ethnic minorities.In some European countries,ethnic minority realities,due to their recent appearance,are still to be studied in depth.The experience of several European countries,where the migration processes started earlier,even more than a century ago,can help by being an example.Many studies have shown that major differences in CVD burden exist not only between countries,but also within the same country when considering different social strata and ethnic groups.The CV risk factors underlying heart disease have been well established.Important epidemiological studies have helped us understand that the underlying causes of heart disease as well as the behaviors that can help prevent them are the same.We are now well aware that CVD should be treated by considering a holistic approach.This is why the social determinants(SDs)of health that may worsen the disease burden or that,vice versa,may improve the treatment,and even more significantly,the prognosis of a patient’s illness should be taken into consideration.For ethnic minority patients,this holistic,hermeneutic approach is of importance.Several SDs of health that influence CVDs have been identified but their relevance for the health of ethnic minorities has not yet been clearly defined.In some European countries,most ethnic minorities are largely also religious minorities.Only a few studies have evaluated the role of religion,which is an important SD that affects the probability of having CV risk factors and diseases.Adolescents,particularly those belonging to the second generation,seem to be the weak link.If we believe that these young people are really citizens of their country of birth,then a way of recognizing their belonging to the community starts from a will to better understand their condition,in order to assist them while they grow physically and mentally.Thinking about safeguarding the health of this population should be more than a health task,rather a goal of social justice.

The European Cup Has Limited Effect to “Save” Europe

On June 15th,the one-month European Football Championship(hereinafter referred to as the European Cup)kicked off in Germany.In 2023,Germany’s GDP shrank by 0.3%,which was the worst performance among the world’s major economies.This year,Germany is pinning its hopes on the European Championship to stimulate consumption and boost the economy.

The launch of European technical committee on carbon capture, utilization and storage

The Dutch Standardization Institute(NEN) has initiated the establishment of a European technical committee(CEN/TC 474) that will develop European Standards across the CCUS(carbon capture, utilization and storage) value chain. With broad participation from CEN Members and European organizations, the committee kicked off in Brussels and finalized its scope and first work programme.

European Radiology科学论著摘要(2024年3月、4月杂志)

摘要目的旨在评估侧支图预测急性前循环缺血性脑卒中后病变进展和缺血半暗带的能力。方法从前瞻性收集的数据库中选定数据进行回顾性分析。基于扩散加权成像(DWI)测算病变进展比,即随访病变体积与基线病变体积的比值。达峰时间(Tmax)/DWI比值为病变在基线Tmax>6 s的体积与DWI基线体积的比值。侧支比在随访期相与基线期相上测量,即侧支图中低灌注区在2个期相上最接近DWI病变的体积比值。

Seminars on European Harmonized Standards

European standards and technical specifications promote inter-operability,the safety of EU citizens and the protection of the environment,increasing consumer confidence.To contribute to improving the quality of European standards,CEN and CENELEC,with the support of the European Commission and the European Free Trade Association(EFTA),are organizing seminars dedicated to supporting standards drafters.

China National Traditional Orchestra Make the European Tour Performance Successfully

During the Chinese New Year in 2024,China National Traditional Orchestra,led by President Zhao Cong and Deputy President Tang Feng,held the Chinese New Year tour concert in Europe,performing 9 concerts in9citiesin6countries including France,Austria,Germany,Poland,Hungary and Serbia.At the same time,Chinese embassies and consulates in many Europeancountriesjointly launched a series of folk music and traditional culturepromotionand communication activities,deeply integrated into the overall national cultural diplomacy,and composed a new chapter of cultural integration and mutual learning betweenChinaand European people.

Predicaments and Prospects of European Social Democracy Amidst Multiple Crises

The global financial crisis,the refugee crisis,the COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine crisis have been compounded with one another,bringing a heavy blow to European economy and society.Meanwhile,center-left parties in most of the European countries are suffering severe electoral setbacks with a steep decline in public support for various reasons.European social democracy is obviously losing its way and how to break the current predicaments becomes its highest priority.

The Impact of Big Five Personality Traits on Older Europeans’ Physical Health

Investigating the role of Big Five personality traits in relation to various health outcomes has been extensively studied. The impact of “Big Five” on physical health is here explored for older Europeans with a focus on examining age groups differences. The study sample included 378,500 respondents derived from the seventh data wave of Survey of Health, Aging and Retirement in Europe (SHARE). The physical health status of older Europeans was estimated by constructing an index considering the combined effect of well-established health indicators such as the number of chronic diseases, mobility limitations, limitations with basic and instrumental activities of daily living, and self-perceived health. This index was used for an overall physical health assessment, for which the higher the score for an individual, the worst health level. Then, through a dichotomization process applied to the retrieved Principal Component Analysis scores, a two-group discrimination (good or bad health status) of SHARE participants was obtained as regards their physical health condition, allowing for further con-structing logistic regression models to assess the predictive significance of “Big Five” and their protective role for physical health. Results showed that neuroti-cism was the most significant predictor of physical health for all age groups un-der consideration, while extraversion, agreeableness and openness were not found to significantly affect the self-reported physical health levels of midlife adults aged 50 up to 64. Older adults aged 65 up to 79 were more prone to open-ness, whereas the oldest old individuals aged 80 up to 105 were mainly affected by openness and conscientiousness. .

Is the European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation useful in Chinese patients undergoing heart valve surgery？

Background The European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation （EuroSCORE） is one of the most widely used risk models for the predicting mortality after cardiac surgery. The aim of this study was to validate the EuroSCORE model for predicting operative mortality in heart valve surgery on a Chinese multicenter database and comparing the performance of EuroSCORE with our new risk stratification system, the Sino System for Coronary Operative Risk Evaluation （SinoSCORE）. Methods Data from patients undergoing heart valve surgery between January 2007 and December 2008 were retrospectively collected, from 43 hospitals in China. The EuroSCORE and the SinoSCORE were calculated for each patient. Mortality was defined as any in-hospital death. Area under the receiver operating characteristics curve （AUC） was used to study the discriminatory abilities of the models. The Hosmer-Lemeshow （H-L） goodness-of-fit test was used to study the calibration of the predictive models. Results A total of 15 367 patients were analyzed. For the entire cohort, the observed mortality was 2.34%, the predicted mortality was 3.71% （additive）, 3.19% （logistic） and 3.66% （SinoSCORE）. AUC was 0.747 for SinoSCORE, 0.699 additive and 0.696 for logistic EuroSCORE. Calibration of SinoSCORE and additive EuroSCORE was good （H-L： P=-0.250 and P=0.051, respectively）, but the logistic EuroSCORE model had a poor calibration （H-L： P〈0.05）. The discriminatory ability and calibration of the SinoSCORE were good in low- and high-risk patients, However, the discriminatory ability of the EuroSCORE model was poor in all risk deciles. Conclusions The EuroSCORE does not accurately predict mortality in Chinese patients with heart valve surgery, and the SinoSCORE is superior to the EuroSCORE at predicting in-hospital mortality in Chinese heart valve surgery patients.

Alternative stable states in mountain forest ecosystems： the case of European larch(Larix decidua) forests in the western Alps

European larch(Larix decidua) forests of the western Alps form extensivecultural landscapes whose resilience to global changes is currently unknown. Resilience describes the capacity of ecological systems to maintain the same state, i.e., the same function, processes, structure, and composition despite disturbances, environmental changes and internal fluctuations. Our aim is to explore the resilience of larch forests to changes in climate and land use in the western Italian Alps.To do so, we examined whether larch forests can be described as an alternative stable state in mountain forest ecosystems. We used tree basal area data obtained from field forest inventories in combination with topography, forest structure, land use, and climate information. We applied three different probabilistic methods: frequency distributions, logistic regressions, and potential analyses to infer the resilience of larch forests relative to that of other forest types.We found patters indicative of alternative stable states: bimodality in the frequency distribution of the percent of larch basal area, and the presence of an unstable state, i.e., mixed larch forests, in the potential analyses. We also found:(1) high frequency ofpurelarchforestsathighelevation,(2)the probability of pure larch forests increased mostly with elevation, and(3) pure larch forests were a stable state in the upper montane and subalpine belts.Our study shows that the resilience of larch forests may increase with elevation, most likely due to the altitudinal effect on climate. Under the same climate conditions, land use seems to be the main factor governing the dominance of larch forests. In fact, subalpine larch forests may be more resilient, and natural succession after land abandonment, e.g., towards Pinuscembra forests, seems slower than in montane larch forests. In contrast, in the upper montane belt only intense land use regimes characterized by open canopies and forest grazing may maintain larch forests.We conclude that similar approaches could be applied in other forest ecosystems to infer the resilience of tree species.

Representation of Polish Business Groups in the Institutional System of the European Union

This article is an attempt to present and explain the role played by the Polish business groups in the institutional system of the European Union （EU）.This article presents the forms of representing the interests of Polish business groups in the institutional system of the European Union.

Performance Model Analysis of Armenian Premier League Soccer Players Using Global Positioning System Technology and Comparison between European Championship

The aim of this research was to analyze the PPM of Armenian Premier League using 25 GPS 10 Hz(K-Sport,Montelabbate,Italy),in order to compare data from literature from major European championship.In total 25 matches were analyzed from one team militant in Armenian Premier League(10 wins,10 loses and 5 draws),33 different players(age 24.3±4.2,height 1.76±4.2 and weight 74±3.5)and in total 270 performances(10.8 for matches).Matches were divided in First Half(T1),Second Half(T2),Second Half Substitution(T2 Sub),Full Match,Full Match Substitution(Full Match Sub)and Total Match(Total)that include all the players detected during a games.Furthermore,all matches were divided even by quarters 0-15,15-30,30-45,45-60,60-75 and 75-90,only players that played all match were included in this analyses,in order to check the performance decreasing during the time.All data were added in an Excel Spreadsheet in order to build a database,to organize and better analyze data,cataloging events for data,results,and role of players.Average data from Armenian Premier League in comparison with literature data from European and Italian Championship show that in every parameter,the Armenian Premier League is under the average.This is obviously related to the non-high level of the Armenian football that is in fact placed at the 106°place of the FIFA ranking(update 7 June 2019).Physical data represent an indicator of performance but also of the qualitative level of the league and of individual players.For this reason,the use of the match analysis can be decisive to verify the PPM,in order to better evaluate the championships,teams,and players,in order to build an easier search and discovery of talents.

European Monetary System and IMF

21st Century economy is full competitive market structure,severe capitalism exists in markets.Both capitalism and full competition requires monetary policy to increase demand in business markets.Because markets and firms face isomorphism threats that make competition severe.European Monetary System has gold-euro relations.ECB runs like second IMF in global and European economy.There may be need of third IMF in global economy.It may establish in China as Asia Central Bank.All three IMFs enable monetary authorities to apply effective monetary policy in global economy.Because capitalism requires money and monetary for demand in 21st Century.In addition,without third IMFs,ECB currently apply propositions of neoclassical monetarism in Europe.That policy would support demand and firms in European economy as it is very much important in global economy.

A Critical Examination of the European Standard EN 1504 ＂Products and Systems for Protection and Repair of Concrete Structures＂

The European Standard EN 1504 ＂Products and systems for protection and repair of concrete structures -- Definitions, requirements, quality control and evaluation of conformity＂ can be considered a real milestone for the companies involved in the rehabilitation of buildings, bridges, piers, pipelines, and other civil or industrial concrete structures. However in some cases the examination and, even more, the practical application of the proposed guidelines are made difficult by a complicated sub-division in principles and methods, and by a confusing and repetitive layout. The paper deals in particular with the principles and methods for the rehabilitation of concrete damage due to reinforcement corrosion, often strictly connected, anyway, to those adopted in order to rehabilitate the concrete itself. Suggestions are given for a possible future update of the Standard, based on the personal experience of the Authors.

The External Dimension of Europeanization and Social Conditionality： The Case of the Generalized System of Preferences

The aim of the paper is to clarify the mechanisms of external Europeanization. Studies so far claim that the more distant a country is from the EU core the more indirect the mechanisms of the external Europeanization are. The paper problematizes this claim. Empirically it focuses on the case of social conditionality （SC） as applied in the area of social trade policy. Theoretically it follows Normal Accident Theory, as adapted in the area of the EU studies. The paper focuses on the interactions of the web of actors found in this policy area. It distinguishes between complex and tightly linked interactions. It hypothesizes that the less complex and the more tightly linked actors are the more direct the mechanisms of external Europeanization. SC is a ＂social＂ trade policy instrument that the EU includes to its trade agreements with developing countries through the Generalized System of Preferences （GSP） in order to promote the ratification and application of basic human rights, and labor, sustainable development and good governance standards. The GSP is a trade policy program that allows the exemption of developing countries from exports tariffs as a way of assisting their growth and development. SC is a ＂hard＂ instrument in the sense that it consists of both a positive aspect （carrots） and a negative one （sticks）. Developing countries that ratify and apply basic human rights, and labor, sustainable development and good governance standards qualify for additional trade preferences （carrots）, while failure of compliance results to the withdrawal of the preferences （sticks）.

Study on Planning Model of Chinese Aged Community in Background of European and American Old-age System

Attention to the pension work is the performance of social development and progress, effective selection of effective old-age way to promote the elderly in his later years and it is the inevitable requirement of the development of the times. On the basis of comparative analysis of the pros and cons of various pension methods, the actual social work department must carry out specific judgment on the specificold people. The elderly need not only the material aspects of life care, but also the need for emotional support and spiritual comfort, in the new historical conditions must be in the body and mind and informed lines and other aspects of the elderly to give loved ones, considerate, warm and friendly , respect and care. This paper proposes the novel perspective on the planning model of Chinese aged community in background of European and American old-age system. In the future, we will apply the proposed model into more scenarios to test the performance.