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Although women's representation in STEM fields and occupations has increased, science and math continue to be stereotyped as male domains. This paper links psychological and sociological explanations for gendered disparities in STEM by examining the relationship between the local "micro-situational" female learning environment and the gender gap in academic self-concept in math and science. We applied hybrid models to TIMSS 2015 data comprised of a pseudo-panel of repeated measures for individual student and peer achievement, academic self-concept, utility value, and interest-enjoyment value in math/science (at age 14). We analyzed data from three countries, including a subsample of students who were taught by the same teacher in both math and science, thus eliminating unobserved teacher heterogeneity. Results indicate that female peer climate in the classroom is important for understanding how girls' self-concept in math/science is formed, even though it was unrelated to the gender gap. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research aim of the project presented in this paper is to contribute to an understanding of the meaning of push- and pull-out in inclusive school systems. We ask: How do Italian and Norwegian teachers regard the fact that it is sometimes seen as necessary for some students to spend time out of class? A vignette with short scenarios to stimulate responses was used for teacher interviews in lower secondary schools in Italy and Norway. Situations in two different contexts were designed for the vignette, including a description of some students, their class and the available resources. The main funding is that most teachers' opinions were sensitive to the context, here the way teaching and learning activities were organised. When presented for a traditional teacher-centred class situation (context 1), most of the respondents thought pull-out was a good solution for some students under certain conditions. Presented with the more differentiated and pupil-centred context 2, a clear majority found that the described learning environment would meet the educational and social needs of all learners within class, regardless of disabilities or learning challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates different uses of the Journal Impact Factor (JIF) in national journal rankings and discusses the merits of supplementing metrics with expert assessment. Our focus is national journal rankings used as evidence to support decisions about the distribution of institutional funding or career advancement. The seven countries under comparison are China, Denmark, Finland, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Turkey—and the region of Flanders in Belgium. With the exception of Italy, top‐tier journals used in national rankings include those classified at the highest level, or according to tier, or points implemented. A total of 3,565 (75.8%) out of 4,701 unique top‐tier journals were identified as having a JIF, with 55.7% belonging to the first Journal Impact Factor quartile. Journal rankings in China, Flanders, Poland, and Turkey classify journals with a JIF as being top‐tier, but only when they are in the first quartile of the Average Journal Impact Factor Percentile. Journal rankings that result from expert assessment in Denmark, Finland, and Norway regularly classify journals as top‐tier outside the first quartile, particularly in the social sciences and humanities. We conclude that experts, when tasked with metric‐informed journal rankings, take into account quality dimensions that are not covered by JIFs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lower levels of sun exposure in childhood have been suggested to be associated with increased risk of multiple sclerosis (MS). In this paper we extend previous work, using two novel analytical strategies.Methods: Data collected in the Environmental risk factors In MS (EnvIMS) study, a case-control study with MS cases and population-based controls from Canada, Italy and Norway, were used. Participants reported on sun exposure behaviours for 5-year age intervals from birth; we focused on the first three age intervals (≤15 years). We compared two life course epidemiology conceptual models, the critical period and the accumulation model. We also used latent class analysis to estimate MS risk for different latent sun exposure behaviour groups.Results: The analyses included 2251 cases and 4028 controls. The accumulation model was found to be the best model, which demonstrated a nearly 50% increased risk of MS comparing lowest reported summer sun exposure with highest [risk ratio (RR) = 1.47 (1.24, 1.74)]. The latent sun exposure behaviour group, characterized by low sun exposure during summer and winter and high sun protection use, had the highest risk of MS; a 76% increased risk as compared with the group with high sun exposure and low sun protection use [RR = 1.76 (1.27, 2.46)].Conclusions: Our analyses provide novel insights into the link between sun exposure and MS. We demonstrate that more time indoors during childhood and early adolescence is linked with MS risk, and that sun protection behaviours in those who spend most time indoors may play a key role in increasing risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The ROBEX (Robotic Exploration of Extreme Environments) alliance, as formed by the German Helmholtz association, aims to explore synergies and bring together technological challenges and scientific questions between two, up to now unrelated, fields: space and deep sea. The final goal of the alliance targets field tests for available and newly developed instrumentation for the deep sea and on a terrestrial lunar analogue. In this regard, two different test campaigns were conducted, one in the area of Svalbard, Norway and one on mount Etna in Sicily, Italy. The volcano environment served as a lunar analogue, enabling seismic scientific experiments and testing of robotic mobility algorithms. The complete field mission infrastructure consists of a stationary lander, a mobile element and instrument carriers. The modular instrument carrier, commonly referred as Remote Unit (RU), was developed accounting for two different mass requirements: 3 kg (RU3) and 10 kg (RU10). While developed in the frame of ROBEX resumes the idea of a lightweight instrument carrier as developed for the MASCOT (Mobile Asteroid surface scout) mission. The RU houses the instrument, shelters it and provides all essential support functions such as rudimentary thermal control (via foil covering), power provision, data acquisition and handling and data transmission to the control centre. This paper presents theoretical and experimental results of the RU3 power subsystem analysis during the mount Etna field campaign. Drawing upon this analysis, necessary adjustments and revisions to further develop the system towards a more power efficient structure for terrestrial and extraterrestrial usage can be concluded. Highlights • RU suitable for harsh environments-space analog demonstration missions. • Test Data confirmed theoretical estimations for power management and consumption. • RU suitable for planetary exploration investigated (exemplary Moon application). • RU capable of surviving a complete lunar day when outfitted with photovoltaic cells. • A qualitative outlook on needed adaptations, focused on mass savings was considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: There is a growing consensus worldwide that palliative care needs to be both more inclusive of conditions other than cancer and to improve. This paper explores some common challenges currently faced by professionals providing palliative care for patients with either cancer or dementia across five countries. Method: One focus group (n = 7) and 67 interviews were conducted in 2012 across five countries: England, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Norway, with professionals from dementia, cancer and palliative care settings. Results: The interviews revealed five common challenges faced across the five countries: communication difficulties (between services; and between professionals, and patients and their families); the variable extent of structural/functional integration of services; the difficulties in funding of palliative care services; problematic processes of care (boundaries, definitions, knowledge, skills and inclusiveness) and, finally, time constraints. Conclusion: These are not problems distinct to palliative care, but they may have different origins and explanations compared to other areas of health care. This paper explored deeper themes hidden behind a discourse about barriers and facilitators to improving care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special tax regime for Spanish cooperatives has been called into question by a recent European Commission decision regarding state aid. The decision is one of a series of proceedings and rulings by the European authorities concerning this subject in Italy, France, Norway and Spain. This paper examines the criteria used by the Commission and the Courts to define the presence of elements of the state aid concept in the cooperative tax regimes under scrutiny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the summer of 1928, the dirigible "Italia" with the Italian navigator and constructor Umberto Nobile and his crew crashed in the polar ice north of Spitzbergen. The accident triggered not only the then most extensive rescue operation ever, it also resulted in a national grievance in Norway, when the national hero Roald Amundsen vanished in the sea on his way from Norway to Spitzbergen. Amundsen was flying north to help to find his old companion. With his disappearance the Norwegian attitude towards Nobile and his fellow Italians turned from bad to worse. This unkind attitude was also strengthened when Nobile came out of the ice safe and sound after 1 month. One Norwegian paper called Nobile "a goldgallooned fascist fool", whose "insane venture had caused the whole tragedy" ( Friheten 8 June 1928). Now Nobile was in safety, while Amundsen was gone forever. When the Italian shipwrecked men came to the coastal town of Narvik in Norway to dock for the waiting train to Italy, the locals met them with hostility. Why had the usually friendly and calm Norwegians suddenly become so hostile and unkind? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]