European Counties Research Articles

1347: Post Registration Cardiovascular Nursing Education and its Main Content Areas in Six European Counties

Restricted accessAbstractFirst published April 20041347: Post Registration Cardiovascular Nursing Education and its Main Content Areas in Six European CountiesJ. Heikkilä [email protected], T. Martin, […], R. Riskilä, and K. Huuskola+1-1View all authors and affiliationsVolume 3, Issue 1https://doi.org/10.1017/147451510400300148

Y chromosome haplogroups: a correlation with testicular dysgenesis syndrome?

Testicular dysgenesis syndrome encompasses low sperm quality, hypospadias, cryptorchidism and testicular cancer. Epidemiological studies and genetic data from familial cases suggest that testicular dysgenesis syndrome has a common etiology. The Y chromosome is known to encode genes that are involved in germ cell development or maintenance. We have therefore investigated if different classes of Y chromosomes in the general population (Y chromosome haplogroups) are associated with aspects of the testicular dysgenesis syndrome. We defined the Y chromosome haplogroups in individuals from different European counties who presented with either (i) oligo- or azoospermia associated with a Y chromosome microdeletion, (ii) unexplained reduced sperm counts (<20 x 10(6)/ml) or (iii) testicular cancer. We failed to find Y chromosome haplotype associations with either microdeletion formation or testicular cancer. However, in a study of the Danish population, we found that a specific Y chromosome haplogroup (hg26) is significantly overrepresented in men with unexplained reduced sperm counts compared with a Danish control population. The factors encoded by genes on this class of Y chromosome may be particularly susceptible to environmental influences that cause testicular dysgenesis syndrome. Our current data highlight the need for further analyses of clinically well-defined patient groups from a wide range of ethnic and geographic origins.

Determinants of customer satisfaction with the health care system, with the possibility to choose a personal physician and with a family doctor in a transition country

Many Eastern and Central European counties are reforming their health care systems. The aim of this study was to determine customer satisfaction with a reformed health care system, with the possibility of free choice of a family physician and patient satisfaction with the family physician in Slovenia and their major determinants. We used a postal survey of the patients who attended their family physician's offices during the study period. We obtained an 84% response rate. Some 72.9% of the respondents were satisfied with the current organisation of health care services, 95.5% of the respondents were satisfied with the possibility of choosing their own family physician and 58% of participants were very satisfied with the level of care received from their personal family practitioners. It was shown that higher patient satisfaction with the family physician was the most powerful predictor of patients’ satisfaction with the health care system. The results show that health care reform in Slovenia has a positive impact on the consumers’ perceptions of health care quality, measured in terms of consumer satisfaction with the health care system, the possibility to choose a family physician and the overall satisfaction with the family physician.

Solving the Problems of Finding Law on the Web: World Law and DIAL

Despite its recent development, the Web already contains an astonishing variety of legal materials from dozens of countries. Significant collections of legislation are already available on the Web from over 50 countries. The full text is available on the Web of all legislation from almost all the jurisdictions of the USA, Canada, Australasia, many Latin American countries and some European countries (such as Norway and Germany), and extensive collections from many other European counties (such as the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Portugal). Substantial collections of legislation are available from many developing countries, including India, Turkey, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Vietnam, Zambia, China, Mexico and Israel.

Blood Pressure Response to Standing in the Diagnosis of Autonomic Neuropathy: The EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study

Autonomic neuropathy is associated with poor prognosis. Cardiovascular reflexes are essential for the diagnosis of autonomic nerve dysfunction. Blood pressure response to standing is the most simple test for the evaluation of sympathetic integrity, however it is still discussed which diagnostic criteria of abnormal response should be considered as optimal. The EURODIAB IDDM Complications Study involved the examination of randomly selected Type 1 diabetic patients from 31 centres in 16 European counties. Data from 3007 patients were available for the present evaluation. Two tests of autonomic function (response of heart rate /R-R ratio/ and blood pressure from lying to standing) just as the frequency of feeling faint on standing up were assessed. R–R ratio was abnormal in 24% of patients. According to different diagnostic criteria of abnormal BP response to standing (>30 mmHg, >20 mmHg, and >10 mmHg fall in systolic BP), the frequency of abnormal results was 5.9%, 18% and 32%, respectively (p < 0.001). The frequency of feeling faint on standing was 18%, thus, it was identical with the prevalence of abnormal blood pressure response to standing when >20 mmHg fall in systolic blood pressure was considered as abnormal. Feeling faint on standing correlated significantly with both autonomic test results (p < 0.001). A fall >20 mmHg in systolic blood pressure after standing up seems to be the most reliable criterion for the assessment of orthostatic hypotension in the diagnosis of autonomic neuropathy in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus.

EU東方拡大への道, 1995-1997年

This paper analyses the process of the preparation for the EU enlargement to the Central and Eastern European Counties (CEECs) from the Madrid European Council in 1995 to the Luxembourg European Council in 1997. It sheds light on and compares roles played by main actors of the European Union, i. e. the European Commission, Germany, France, and the United Kingdom. It also argue that there was a clear division of labour between the Commission and the Member Countries, before and after the publication of the Opinion for the Enlargement (‘Agenda 2000’).The agreement between France and Germany in the mid-November in 1995 created an important foundation for the EU to agree at the Madrid Summit to speed up the preparation for enlargement process. This enabled the Commission to launch the enormous task for preparing the Agenda 2000'. The role of the Commission was dominant and decisive, in processing huge data, contacting the applicants and diffusing information from time to time concerning technical evaluations by the Commission both to the applicants and Member States.In the meantime, the three main Member States were consolidating their positions toward enlargement issues, rather than committing the process actively. Partly as the result of the efforts for policy co-ordinations between Germany and France (especially in the framework of the “Weimer triangle”), the position of the French Government gradually shifted towards that of the German; it started to admit the possibilities to start the accession negotiation with the most prepared candidates (i. e. Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic).The United Kingdom has always been a strong advocate for the EU enlargement Eastwards. Despite changes of government throughout this period, there seemed to be no major policy change between the Conservative and the Labour government; in favour of an early enlargement, with the most prepared CEECs, i. e. Vishgrads (and Baltic countries).Thus, when the Commission submitted the ‘Agenda 2000’ there were little difference in the positions of the three Member States. It means that there already exited a ground to admit the method proposed by the Commission (to start the accession negotiation with the 6 applicants) was created without harsh bargaining between the Member States, well before the Luxembourg Summit. Rather, the focus of the discussion was to keep the ‘inclusiveness’ and ‘comprehensiveness’ of the entire negotiation process, without leaving the ‘second waves’ outsides. Here, the role played by the French government, advocating the idea of the European Conference, which is to gather all the applicants into one umbrella, is remarkable. And the British government, who determined to commit to the European Affairs stronger than its previous government, and tried to take an advantage of taking the next EU Presidency, committed actively to rap up the agreement for the Luxembourg.

Strategic Alliances: International, Local and Regional Government Alliances

Kent County Council now promotes itself as the ‘European County’, a message that it seeks to deliver to the heart of institutional Europe through its Brussels office. Commentators generally agree that Kent has demonstrated how British local authorities can play an influential role at the European level, but will this acknowledged success be sufficient to maintain Kent’s position over the coming years in a rapidly changing Europe where large regions look set to wield the power? This article reviews how Kent formed alliances with authorities in the same region of north-west Europe. How real are these supra-national groupings and what benefits can they bring to the partner areas?

Unravelling Environmental Claim-Making at the Roots: Evidence from a Southern European County

Unravelling Environmental Claim-Making at the Roots: Evidence from a Southern European County

An overview of HIV prevention in central and eastern Europe.

HIV and AIDS present a major challenge to the countries of central and eastern Europe. The manner in which this is being addressed differs from country to country, depending upon historical traditions and prevailing public health practices, social values and political priorities. This paper provides an overview of HIV prevention policies in six central and east European counties: Russia, Romania, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland and Lithuania. By homing in on particular aspects of these policies, the paper aims to highlight some of the more interesting contrasts that exist within this region. The paper concludes that, while significant comparisons can be made between the countries, tight parallels cannot.

UK breast cancer deaths highest in europe.

Infant mortality in the United Kingdom has dropped by a third since 1981, but breast cancer kills more women in the United Kingdom than in any other European county, the latest social trends figures from the Central Statistical Office show.

Perspectives of Hungary Attachment to European Economic Integration

Presently, Hungary is finished with the first stage of adaptation of its political and economic systems to the needs of Western European countries, with the most important change being its involvement with the EC. In the sphere of international relations, it reflects the acceptance of Hungary in to the Council of Europe as well as into negotiations on association agreements. The attachment of the country to these processes is conditioned by a number of international political and economic circumstances. At present, economic advances are taking place in Hungary, which should give it a more hopeful economic future. Hungary has comparative advantages over Czechoslovakia and Poland due to a more stable economic and intrapolitical developments. The prepared association agreement will not remove the danger that Hungary, together with other Central European counties, will remain on the periphery of the multispeed continental integration process.

SANOTHER FIRST PLACE

American teen-agers have the highest rate of abortion in the developed world, double that of teen-agers in most European counties . . . 4.4 percent of women aged 15-19 had abortions every year.