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Background: The Pontifical Academy for Life (PAV) is an academic institution of the Holy See (Vatican), which aims to develop and promote Catholic teachings on questions of biomedical ethics. Palliative care (PC) experts from around the world professing different faiths were invited by the PAV to develop strategic recommendations for the global development of PC ("PAL-LIFE group"). Design: Thirteen experts in PC advocacy participated in an online Delphi process. In four iterative rounds, participants were asked to identify the most significant stakeholder groups and then propose for each, strategic recommendations to advance PC. Each round incorporated the feedback from previous rounds until consensus was achieved on the most important recommendations. In a last step, the ad hoc group was asked to rank the stakeholders' groups by order of importance on a 13-point scale and to propose suggestions for implementation. A cluster analysis provided a classification of the stakeholders in different levels of importance for PC development. Results: Thirteen stakeholder groups and 43 recommendations resulted from the first round, and, of those, 13 recommendations were chosen as the most important (1 for each stakeholder group). Five groups had higher scores. The recommendation chosen for these top 5 groups were as follows: (1) Policy makers: Ensure universal access to PC; (2) Academia: Offer mandatory PC courses to undergraduates; (3) Healthcare workers: PC professionals should receive adequate certification; (4) Hospitals and healthcare centers: Every healthcare center should ensure access to PC medicines; and (5) PC associations: National Associations should be effective advocates and work with their governments in the process of implementing international policy framework. A recommendation for each of the remaining eight groups is also presented. Discussion: This white paper represents a position statement of the PAV developed through a consensus process in regard to advocacy strategies for the advancement of PC in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maintaining a physically active lifestyle is a determinant factor of a healthy life and personal happiness. Meanwhile, physical inactivity remains a significant issue, resulting in negative consequences for public health. Objectives: This paper investigates the relationships between physical activity, physical inactivity, a healthy life, life expectancy, and personal happiness in European Union (EU) countries. Methods: This empirical study uses an artificial neural network and cluster analysis to analyze and interpret data from 27 EU countries. Artificial neural network analysis enables the assessment of the relationships between physical activity and inactivity, a healthy life, and personal happiness, while cluster analysis identifies groups of EU countries based on physical activity, healthy life, and personal happiness indicators. Results: The results show significant positive links between physical activity and improvements in healthy living and personal happiness. Conclusions: This study highlights considerable variations among EU countries regarding the levels of physical activity, healthy living, and personal happiness, emphasizing the importance of promoting physical activity to enhance public health and overall well-being. The findings suggest the need to develop customized policies that address country-specific factors and promote an active lifestyle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The paper explains critical changes to investment funding occurred over the past fifteen years in the European Union and explores the added value that National Development Banks create for sustainable finance. The delivery of the European Green Deal and the recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic require an unprecedented scale of resources. The need to adopt a new sustainable investment approach and adjust the operation of the financial system has become inevitable. Existing research has underlined the role national development banks play in counter-cyclical measures and promotion of the government's public policy goals. However, their standing in the sustainable finance landscape has enjoyed less attention so far. The paper, therefore, looks at how the remit of the Banks has evolved and assesses their progress and further development needs in relation to promoting sustainable finance. Design/Methodology/Approach: The research has followed a two-phase design. The first phase has included the examination of the operational setting of National Development Banks and their impact on overcoming market failures and improving access to finance. The second phase concentrated on drawing a comparison between the new regulatory requirements, in particular the European Green Deal, the EU Taxonomy Regulation and the functioning of the National Development Banks. The methodology has included a detailed literature review, desk research, data collection and re-assessment of earlier surveys, which has been used for prescriptive comparative analysis and cluster analysis. Findings: The paper concludes that National Development Banks, despite their common goals and mandates, demonstrate important variations in terms of government involvement in strategic direction and decisionmaking and the Banks' actual contribution to national policy goals. The outcome confirms the hypothesis that recent changes to the EU strategic and regulatory framework only require minor amendments to the direction of NDB investments. Their original setup and objectives are already in accordance with the new expectations and they invest mostly in economic sectors that the new taxonomy system classifies as sustainable. Practical Implications/ Originality/Value: This is important for the scholarly discourse on the essential conditions for sustainable finance. Meanwhile, the results provide usable guidance for development banks/funding agencies in Europe, too. The paper offers a solid ground for continued explorations of the European financial sector, whereas the recently adopted Digital Finance Package could further widen the agenda of the research direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Value-based healthcare (VBHC) is a conceptual framework to improve the value of healthcare by health, care-process and economic outcomes. Benchmarking should provide useful information to identify best practices and therefore a good instrument to improve quality across healthcare organizations. This paper aims to provide a proof-of-concept of the feasibility of an international VBHC benchmarking in breast cancer, with the ultimate aim of being used to share best practices with a data-driven approach among healthcare organizations from different health systems. Methods In the VOICE community—a European healthcare centre cluster intending to address VBHC from theory to practice—information on patient-reported, clinical-related, care-process-related and economic-related outcomes were collected. Patient archetypes were identified using clustering techniques and an indicator set following a modified Delphi was defined. Benchmarking was performed using regression models controlling for patient archetypes and socio-demographic characteristics. Results Six hundred and ninety patients from six healthcare centres were included. A set of 50 health, care-process and economic indicators was distilled for benchmarking. Statistically significant differences across sites have been found in most health outcomes, half of the care-process indicators, and all economic indicators, allowing for identifying the best and worst performers. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this is the first international experience providing evidence to be used with VBHC benchmarking intention. Differences in indicators across healthcare centres should be used to identify best practices and improve healthcare quality following further research. Applied methods might help to move forward with VBHC benchmarking in other medical conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the economic benefits of internal migration are widely documented, the social costs of internal migration have received comparatively less attention. In addition, most studies focus on the impact of the last-recorded migration, ignoring the cumulative impact of successive migrations. Grounded in the life-course trajectory approach to migration and the convoy model of social networks, this paper addresses this gap by applying sequence and cluster analysis to retrospective data from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) in 26 European countries to establish internal migration trajectories based on the timing, frequency, and direction of migration between NUTS-2 regions. The results reveal that differences in social networks between lifetime stayers, childhood migrants and one-time adult migrants are minimal. A more complex picture emerges for repeat migrants who account for half migrants and are split between return migrants, serial onward migrants, and circular migrants. Regression results show that repeat migrants – whether onward, return, or circular – display social networks less focused on family and more geographically dispersed, which results in a lower frequency of contact than lifetime stayers. However, repeat migrants report the same level of overall satisfaction with their social networks as lifetime stayers, which suggests that they start with different expectations than stayers or simply adjust their expectations in response to the social costs and benefits of migration. • Migrating once over the life course has a limited effect on an individual's social networks compared to lifetime stayers. • The impact of past migrations on social networks diminishes over time, particularly if migrations occurred early in life. • Repeat migrants have more geographically dispersed and less family-focused social networks compared to lifetime stayers. • Circular migrants report the most dispersed network and the lowest frequency of contact among repeat migrants. • Integration of the convoy model from social networks literature with the life-course trajectory approach from migration literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is a configurational analysis that creates a new theoretical elaboration of populist parties in Europe in terms of policy choices. The forms of populism that we can see in contemporary Europe are new, relevant and do not have a theoretical representation in the literature. This paper also provides a clearer understanding of the characteristics of populist and anti-establishment parties in Europe, which can provide valuable insights into likely responses to reformed policy environments. To do so, the paper analyses policy positions connected to the populist literature for 242 parties in Europe in 2014 and 2019 using the Chapell Hill Expert Survey and the PopuList Survey data. Groups of parties with similarly held positions in 2014 and 2019 are identified using cluster analysis to investigate whether differences in positions are defined predominately according to a national, east–west, right–left faction or other criteria. The result highlights that rather than across a classical right–left divide connotation, Europe can be divided into four clusters: right-wing populists, a moderate pro-Europe left, a pro-Europe pro-liberalism centre and an intersectional left based on identity politics. Overall, the moderate left and the centrist liberalism centre are the most common parties across Europe, and the other two factions seem to be born as a reaction to these two. However, the other two factions are growing over the years, especially the populist right-wing in Central and Eastern Europe. This brings to light serious policy implications for the future of the European Union and for considering populism simply as a discursive matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Formative assessments are vital for supporting learning and performance but are also considered to increase the workload of teachers. As self‐assessments in higher education are increasingly facilitated via digital learning environments allowing to offer direct feedback and tracking students' digital learning behaviour these constraints might be reduced. Yet, learning analytics do not make sufficient use of data on assessments. Aims: This exploratory case study uses learning analytics methods for investigating students' engagement with self‐assessments and how this relates to performance in the final exam and self‐reported self‐testing strategies. Materials & Methods: The research study has been conducted at a European university in a twelve‐weeks course of a Bachelor's program in Economic and Business Education including nenroll = 159 participants. During the semester, students were offered nine self‐assessments each including three to eight tasks plus one mid‐term and one exam‐preparation self‐assessment including all prior self‐assessments tasks. The self‐assessment interaction data for each student included: the results of the last self‐assessment attempt, the number of processed self‐assessment tasks, and the time spent on the last self‐assessment attempt, the total self‐assessment attempts, and the first as well as last access of each self‐assessment. Data analytics included unsupervised machine learning and process mining approaches. Results: Findings indicate that students use the self‐assessments predominantly before summative assessments. Two distinct clusters based on engagement with self‐assessments could be identified and engagement was positively related to performance in the final exam. The findings from learning analytics data were also indicated by students' self‐reported use of self‐testing strategies. Discussion: With the help of multiple data from self‐reports, formal exams, and a learning analytics system, the findings provided multiple perspectives on the use of self‐assessments and their relationships with course performance. These findings call for applying assessment analytics and related frameworks in learning analytics as well as providing learners with related adaptive feedback. Conclusion: Future research might investigate different (self‐report) variables for clustering, other student cohorts or self‐assessment forms. Lay Description: What is already known about this topic: Formative assessments are vital for supporting learning and performance.Learning analytics do not make sufficient use of data on assessments. What this paper adds: Students use the self‐assessments predominantly prior to summative assessments.Engagement with self‐assessments was positively related to performance in the final exam. Implications for practice and/or policy: Findings call for applying assessment analytics and implementing related learning analytics frameworks for supporting learning processes and performance.Pedagogically oriented assessment analytics may provide multiple benefits for learners, teachers, schools, and other involved stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental noise has become one of the principal health risks for urban dwellers and road traffic noise (RTN) is considered to be the main source of these adverse effects. To address this problem, strategic noise maps and corresponding action plans have been developed throughout Europe in recent years in response to the European Noise Directive 2002/49/EC (END), especially in populated cities. Recently, wireless acoustic sensor networks (WASNs) have started to serve as an alternative to static noise maps to monitor urban areas by gathering environmental noise data in real time. Several studies have analysed and categorized the different acoustic environments described in the END (e.g., traffic, industrial, leisure, etc.). However, most of them have only considered the dynamic evolution of the A-weighted equivalent noise levels L A e q over different periods of time. In order to focus on the analysis of RTN solely, this paper introduces a clustering methodology to analyse and group spectro-temporal profiles of RTN collected simultaneously across an area of interest. The experiments were conducted on two acoustic databases collected during a weekday and a weekend day through WASNs deployed in the pilot areas of the LIFE+ DYNAMAP project. The results obtained show that the clustering of RTN, based on its spectro-temporal patterns, yields different solutions on weekdays and at weekends in both environments, being larger than those found in the suburban environment and lower than the number of clusters in the urban scenario. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we carried out a comparative analysis of three alliances, namely Quercion petraea, Betonico-Quercion and Lathyro-Quercion, which span Central and Eastern European thermophilous oak forests. The main goal was to find out floristic and ecological differences as well as to assess specificities in the phytosociological and layer structure across the syntaxa in different regions of Europe. Cluster analysis was performed based on the Bray-Curtis distance matrix and the flexible beta algorithm. A phytoindication method was applied to determine ecological relationships. Variability in the phytosociological structure was studied by shares of species of different classes of vegetation. The layer structure features were investigated by comparing species with the highest constancy value within each layer. Analysis of the distribution boundaries of differentiating species allowed the geographical boundaries of the three identified syntaxa clusters to be delineated. In the phytosociological structure, the greatest differences were found in the proportion of species of Quercetea pubescentis and Brachypodio-Betuletea classes. The Central and Eastern European syntaxa groups were shown to be significantly different in the constancy-ranked series of major layer-forming species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study deals with the first empirical study on a performance typology of social enterprises (SEs). Based upon a sample of 61 Greek SEs, the empirical findings outline how the group of 'Impact Maximisers' (43 SEs) performs better than the group of 'Social Missionaries' (18 SEs). This paper goes beyond the evident focus on qualitative research and practice within the social entrepreneurship field. By discussing how different dimensions shed light on the performance potential of SEs in a European country, where they grow exponentially, this study serves as a bellwether for performance comparisons across Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses a variety of methods of statistical cluster analysis to examine how EU countries (other than the new East European members) are grouped. Using the four dimensions, family, market vs state, religion and clientelism, the results of the analysis are that Southern European/Mediterranean (SE/M) countries form a distinct cluster that, both in its existence and in its difference from the conservative cluster, contradicts the notion of ‘three worlds of welfare capitalism’. In addition Ireland, though not geographically contiguous, falls into the SE/M grouping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to investigate the strategic profiles and differences across globally leading business schools. Design/methodology/approach - This paper used the concepts of strategic group identity and domain consensus to examine the differences across the business schools. Cluster analysis is applied to identify strategic groups among 82 global schools from the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia and Australia. Findings - Ten strategic groups - essentially similar strategic "clusters" - are identified by the clustering analysis. The results demonstrate that the groups do have different resource and reputation profiles. Research limitations/implications - Future research can improve the research base by collecting data on financial variables such as endowments, providing metrics by which a school's efficiency can be assessed, or collecting longitudinal data. Furthermore, a form of cognitive strategic mapping could be achieved through survey and interview mechanisms in order to highlight the perspectives of deans and senior managers of business schools. Originality/value - This research contributes to the literature in two aspects. First, this research provides a clear mapping of the strategic "bands" across globally branded business schools. The results are highly timely in today's debate about the nature and future of business schools. Second, this research demonstrates that strategic group theory can be applied in the business school context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on Bourdieu's theory of economic, social and cultural capital to understand the relative effect of the volume and the composition of these capitals on healthcare service use in later life. Based on data from the fifth wave of the Survey of Health, Aging, and Retirement in Europe (n = 64,840), we first look at the contribution of each capital in the use of three healthcare services (general practitioner, dentist and hospital). Using cluster analysis, we then mobilise Bourdieu's concept of habitus to explain how the unequal distribution of material and non‐material capitals acquired in childhood lead to different levels of health and hospital care utilisation in later life. After controlling for demographic and health insurance variables, our results show that economic capital has the strongest individual association among the three capitals. However, the results of a cluster analysis used to distinguish between capital structures show that those with high non‐material capital and low material capital have higher levels of primary healthcare utilisation, and in turn lower levels of hospital use. Bourdieu's approach sheds light on the importance of capitals in all forms and structures to understand the class‐related mechanisms that contribute to different levels of healthcare use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops an empirical taxonomy of SME financing patterns in Europe by performing a cluster analysis including 12,726 SMEs in 28 European countries. The results reveal that SME financing in Europe is not homogenous but that different financing patterns exist. The cluster analysis identifies six distinct SME financing types: mixed-financed SMEs, state-subsidised SMEs, debt-financed SMEs, flexible-debt-financed SMEs, trade-financed SMEs and internally financed SMEs. These SME financing types differ according to the number of financing instruments used and the combinations thereof. Furthermore, the SME financing types can be profiled according to their firm-, product-, industry- and country-specific characteristics. Our findings support policy-makers in assessing the impact of policy changes on SME financing and in designing financing programmes tailored to the specific needs of SMEs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The share of industry in final global energy consumption was more than 30% in 2020, of which, the hard-to-abate sectors accounted for almost 60% of total final consumption in industry. Similarly, in Europe, industry accounts for around 25% of final energy consumption. In order to reduce the impact of industry in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions, Europe has set many policies that support and regulate the sector, including pricing carbon emissions in a cap-and-trade scheme called the European Emission Trading Scheme (EU ETS). According to the EU ETS, in 2021 the verified emissions of all stationary installations were around 1.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions. In 2021, the total allocated allowances amounted to around 1 billion tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions, half of which were freely allocated. After reviewing the existing modeling approaches for industrial clusters and the available datasets, and assessing the energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions at plant level using a geographical information system approach (GIS), a taxonomy for industrial cluster decarbonization was introduced. This taxonomy shows that describing industry as sets of clustered installations rather than based on the conventional sectoral economic classification provides more insights into energy transition. First, the cluster description provides a more accurate techno-economic assessment based on a finer characterization of economies of scale compared to traditional energy systems models. Second, the industrial clustering approach may more realistically show the feasibility, in addition to the costs and benefits from coupling industry with transport (e.g., industrial fleets and logistics) or buildings (e.g., city scale), due to a more detailed representation of the energy sources and sinks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the growing interest in the sustainability of long-term care (LTC) systems, only a few studies have investigated the differences in the LTC financing across European countries. The objective of this paper is to describe the financing of LTC in Europe. For this purpose, we use indicators on LTC financing taken from international databases and reports. Desk research was carried out to identify relevant indicators. Hierarchical cluster analysis was used to identify typologies in LTC financing across the EU/EEA countries based on seven indicators selected. We found large differences in LTC financing across the EU/EEA countries in terms of total expenditure, the division of expenditure between the social and health care system, and in the role of in-kind and cash benefits. Four main financial models across the EU/EEA countries could be distinguished. Further, we identified some shortages in data reporting on the financing of LTC services. Some limitations and contradictions related to the indicators of LTC financing are highlighted. In particular, we stress the need for more comprehensive data to enable further cross-country comparisons and to provide valid input for policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Monetary Union (EMU) is the only Union that allows its members to conduct their own fiscal policy, which has to be consistent with the Maastricht treaty. This paper attempts to shed light on business cycles determinants focusing on fiscal variables in EU economies, in the time period 1996-2013, using quarterly data fully capturing the on-going recession. In this context, it also acknowledges the significant role of the Quality of Institutions and of the Elections in a Political Business cycles framework. Additionally, based on the business cycles characteristics of the EU economies it explores the potential formation of clusters in the EU economy. To this end, a number of relevant econometric techniques are employed such as: HP filtering, LLC tests; Ljung-Box tests; Fourier analysis; Rolling windows; Dynamic Panel Data analysis; Toda-Yamamoto causality test, Panel Seemingly Unrelated Regressions (SUR) and k-means clustering. Our findings suggest that Social Benefits, Social Transfers and Gross Debt are the most significant policy variables with a counter-cyclical character, while taxation was found to have a destabilizing effect. In addition, Elections and the Quality of Institutions were found to significantly affect the key fiscal variables examined. Meanwhile, most peripheral countries lie in one cluster suggesting that the recent crisis has led a number of small(-er) peripheral economies to cluster together. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Proceedings of the Faculty of Economics & Business in Zagreb / Zbornik Ekonomskog Fakulteta u Zagrebu is the property of Ekonomski Fakultet u Zagrebu and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article analyses how educational and initial vocational training systems in Europe vary regarding the way in which they structure educational routes for pupils of different academic ability. The study uses cluster analysis to explore the degree of similarity between 25 European countries, including variables related to: stratification within compulsory education; vocational orientation; links between initial vocational education and the labour market; transitions from secondary education; stratification within tertiary education; and links between educational qualifications and labour market outcomes. I identify three clusters of countries that have distinct patterns of stratification. This article contributes to the literature on educational regimes and school-to-work transitions by adding countries from Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) and integrating multiple dimensions pertaining to the link between educational and social stratification. Thus, it develops a more encompassing representation of the architecture of educational pathways in different European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of European Countryside is the property of Sciendo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to develop a typology of different family policy systems in Europe and evaluate their impact on the employment strategy of mothers with care responsibilities for dependent children. Design/methodology/approach – The paper outlines a typology of family policy regimes in Europe – covering the 26 countries. A typology based on a cluster analysis of macro indicators of family policy – coverage of childcare, effective parental leave and spending on family policies. The cluster analysis is based on data from OECD family data base. Then follows an analysis of the impact of the different family policy regimes on mothers' employment strategies when they return into gainful employment, based on data from the European Social Survey, 2008. Findings – The authors have identified four different family policy models: extensive family policy, long parental leave, family care, and cash for care. For each of the models, different strategies are found for take up of employment for mothers with dependent children. Originality/value – The paper includes 26 European countries, thereby covering the East and Central Europe, which is not the case in most welfare typologies. Furthermore, the authors distinguish clearly in the analyses between the institutional dimension and the outcome – mothers' employment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The existing macroeconomic evidence predominantly demonstrates positive effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) on growth and competitiveness. Countries thus tend to have systematic policies in place for FDI promotion, devised and implemented especially through investment promotion agencies (IPAs). This paper adds to the literature on FDI incentives by examining the beliefs or attitudes of people working in the FDI promotion industry and the extent to which they coincide with the known FDI pull factors. To that end, we utilize a data set of attitudes of people largely working in regional and national IPAs in Europe and the Western Balkans. Cluster analysis reveals that in fact we can talk about three sets of beliefs or attitudes toward FDI: "pessimistic," "Keynesian," and "neoclassical." Keynesians largely favor fiscal measures for attracting FDI, whereas neoclassicals dislike fiscal measures and government interventions and prefer good economic fundamentals and infrastructure and qualified personnel. Interestingly enough, most of the eastern European Union as well as southeastern European respondents can be classified as Keynesians; on the other hand, almost all neoclassicals are from western Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the way European cities are inter-connected with each other and with the rest of the world through Internet backbone networks. It focuses on highlighting the different roles different cities perform in this global network. Drawing upon Internet geography research, this paper attempts to provide a relational understanding of the European urban network based on the cities' connectivities within the Internet backbone network. In order to do so, we used network analysis techniques and introduced four different centrality measures that we then summarized with the use of cluster analysis. This analysis provides insights about the significance of European cities within the emergent global and European economic system, which can be explained both from long-established economic and political geographies, but also from the new roles that some cities perform in this global network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to refine existing approaches for classifying nodes in spatial networks. Apart from generally used variables measuring (i) the total connectivity of a node and (ii) the spatial make-up of this total connectivity, we argue that a third indicator should be taken into account when describing the structure of a spatial network, namely, (iii) the degree of ‘polarisation’ in a node's connectivity configuration. We measure ‘polarisation’ by applying multiple linkage analysis, a technique that allows determining the number of meaningful connections for each node in the network. In this paper, we illustrate this approach by clustering 65 European cities based on their insertion in European air transport networks in 2005. The number of meaningful flows of a city is hereby considered alongside both traditional measures of connectivity. The results of the cluster analysis suggest that including a measure of polarisation may indeed lead to a more satisfying typology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To what extent do European state topographic maps exhibit unique styles of cartography? This paper describes an investigation to classify and analyse stylistic diversity in the official 1 : 50 000 topographical mapping of 20 European countries. The method involves the construction of a typology of cartographic style, based upon the classification of distinct graphical legend symbols into mutually exclusive thematic categories. In order to identify stylistic similarities between national symbologies, hierarchical cluster analysis was performed to compare the relative proportions of symbols within each category. This was complemented by a qualitative analysis of various aspects of cartographic design: colour, 'white' space, visual hierarchy, and lettering. The results indicate a high degree of stylistic diversity throughout Europe, with the symbologies of Great Britain and Ireland demonstrating the strongest example of a supranational style. The typology of cartographic symbologies is shown to be an effective method for determining stylistic association among maps of differing geographical (and potentially historical) origins and it is suggested that the cartographic language paradigm should be revisited as a means for understanding why national differences persist in state cartography. A version of this paper was presented at the Twenty-third International Cartographic Conference in Moscow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - This paper seeks to examine evidence of new forms of regionalisation in both theory and practice, and the relationship between the two. In so doing, it aims to demonstrate the essential complementarity, rather than widely argued alternativeness, of both conventional and new forms of inter-local collaboration at the regional level. The paper also seeks to demonstrate the importance of institutional and local legacies for the nature of regionalisation. Design/methodology/approach - The paper is based on interviews by the author with economic policy makers in several city regions in Europe and North America over the last three years, and the results of a series of workshops involving many of these very policy makers. Findings - There is growing evidence of new forms of inter-local region Building being adopted by policy makers in response to a perceived need to maintain/improve economic competitiveness. Concerns about "giving away" powers and resources when engaging in usual conventional, formalised, fixed forms of regionalisation have created reluctance among many local actors to do so. The need to be more responsive to rapidly changing economic conditions, coupled to a realisation of the need for concerted action, have encouraged economic policy makers to adopt new, more experimental forms of region-wide collaboration. Practical implications - The findings not only challenge established practices and a conventional focus on planning and technocratic views of "regions", but also raise questions about the prevalent regulation theory-inspired arguments in academic debate. Instead, "virtual regionalisation" seems to open new opportunities for defining meaning and operation of "regions" and "regionalism", with the different backgrounds in Europe and North America allowing a somewhat: more "open mind" in the latter than the former. Originality/value - The paper illustrates that in many regions in Europe and North America there is now a multitude of actors and organisations seeking to promote regional competitiveness and growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents data on the German and Europe-wide incidence, time trends and regional variations of childhood leukaemia. Data were provided by the German Childhood Cancer Registry (GCCR), a population-based cancer registry recording all cases of malignant diseases in children under 15 y of age residing in Germany and by the Automated Childhood Cancer Information System (ACCIS) co-ordinated at International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, that combines and evaluates data from several European population-based cancer registries. The incidence of leukaemia (44.0 per million) has increased in Europe as well as in Germany in the last decades (0.6% annually on average). Germany shows no systematic aggregation of regions with low or high cancer incidence in terms of regional clustering. Incidence rates differ between European regions with the highest rates in Northern Europe (48.0 per million) and the lowest rates in Eastern Europe (39.1). Altogether, the results from ACCIS and the GCCR show good agreement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines different models of disability policy in European welfare regimes on the basis of secondary data. OECD data measuring social protection and labour-market integration is complemented with an index which measures the outcomes of disability civil rights. Eurobarometer data is used to construct the index. The country modelling by cluster analysis indicates that an encompassing model of disability policy is mainly prevalent in Nordic countries. An activating and rehabilitating disability-policy model is predominant mainly in Central European countries, and there is evidence for a distinct Eastern European model characterized by relatively few guaranteed civil rights for disabled people. Furthermore, the Southern European model, which indicates a preference for social protection rather than activation and rehabilitation, includes countries which normally have diverse welfare traditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper studies the relationship between key factors influencing senior entrepreneurship and the level of inclusiveness of seniors in entrepreneurial activity in Europe. The objective is to cluster countries with similar patterns in senior entrepreneurial inclusivity and to identify the factors leading to inclusive entrepreneurship of seniors and their social cohesion. The focus is on European countries which participated in Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) between 2001 and 2012, using GEM data as the main source for the analyses. Initially, the authors identify the key factors influencing entrepreneurial activity of seniors within Europe based upon data contained within the literature review. At the same time, utilizing the senior entrepreneurship inclusivity index, the authors measure the level of inclusiveness in each European country. Using the results of these analyses the authors subsequently implement a cluster analysis method to create clusters among European countries based upon the similarities in the relationship between the levels of senior entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial activity of the general population. This helps them identify countries with above average levels of senior entrepreneurship inclusivity. The results allow the authors to assess key similarities in clustered economies in terms of entrepreneurial culture and policies which have a major influence on senior entrepreneurship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meal timing has been associated with metabolic markers in adults, but not in children or adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate associations of meal timing patterns (MTPs) with insulin resistance (IR) and triglyceride levels in children and adolescents. In this cross-sectional study, we included 2,195 participants aged 8–15 years from the European I.Family study (2013/14). Habitual diet exposures were derived using 24-hr dietary recalls and HOMA-IR, HbA1c, and triglycerides were used as metabolic outcome variables. We applied k-means cluster analysis on five dietary exposures (energy proportion in the morning and evening, eating window, pre-sleep fasting and eating frequency), which revealed the following three MTPs: "early-often", "late-long" and "late-infrequent-short". We used linear mixed models to estimate the associations between MTPs and the z-scores of the metabolic outcome variables. The association analysis revealed differences between MTPs in HOMA-IR but not in HbA1c or triglyceride z-scores. The "late-infrequent-short" pattern was associated with a 0.19 (95%-CI: (0.01, 0.36)) higher HOMA-IR z-score compared to the "early-often" pattern in the model adjusted for age, BMI z-score, education, sex, country, and family membership. These findings suggest that the timing of meals may influence IR already in childhood and adolescence. Therefore, the time of meals should be considered in future nutrition research and dietary advice for children and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to define a set of smartness and sustainability indicators applicable to European cities and to assess their outcome in an ex ante perspective with regard to the implementation of Europe 2020 strategy. Following the DPSIR (Driving forces, Pressures, State, Impact, Response) model, we select a bundle of indicators for three relevant sustainability domains (environmental, social and cultural), which are proper to the smart city definition. Then we define groups of homogeneous cities for each domain by using a two-step cluster analysis. Results show the existence of heterogeneous groups of cities that are likely to become smart in the cultural domain, side by side with groups of more developed urban areas that have acquired a substantial advantage in the environmental and social dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The TP of 193 internationalized innovative firms/establishments in Andalusia is studied with the data from a self-designed survey. The objectives: to identify the key variables of TP and technology adoption and to obtain a taxonomy of firms, thus enabling the study of the capacity to absorb technology and to transfer this to the regional market. This paper provides the key variables of TP, which are organizational capacity and the development of own technology. It has been established that the purchase of machinery predominates and that technology transfer has a limited effect in the region. It is noted that the classifications of Pavitt and Soete and Miozzo are not consistent with the performance of these firms in peripheral European regions. Se estudia la TP (compra de tecnología) de 193 empresas/centros innovadores internacionalizados en Andalucía mediante datos de una encuesta de diseño propio. Los objetivos fueron la identificación de las variables clave de la TP y la adopción de tecnología y el desarrollo de una taxonomía de las empresas, que permitan el estudio de la capacidad de absorción de tecnología y su transferencia al mercado regional. Este artículo proporciona las variables clave de la TP, que son la capacidad de organización y el desarrollo de tecnología propia. Se ha establecido el predominio de la compra de maquinaria y que la transferencia de tecnología tiene un efecto limitado en la región. Cabe señalar que la clasificación de Pavitt y la de Soete y Miozzo no corresponden con el desempeño de estas empresas en las regiones de la periferia europea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nearly all societies have now committed themselves to sustainable development by integrating some form of environmental quality, social equity, and economic welfare into their day-to-day activities. As such, there remains a strong political desire for the comprehensive assessment of conditions that evaluate the current status, measure progress, and help set future development goals. Indicators have been nominated as universal tools for progressing sustainable development across scales; however, there remains no consensus regarding the best approach to their design or use. While several studies have investigated the associations between indicators of sustainable development, few have directly addressed the question of how multiple measures can be used simultaneously to assess sustainability regionally. Building upon previous studies, this paper presents a quantitative and spatial assessment of 25 multi-metric indices across 36 European nations. The goals of this research were (1) to increase understanding of indicator complexity and (2) provide an applied example of their simultaneous use for regional assessment. Global Moran’sI-test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) analysis were used to test spatial autocorrelation and multicollinearity, respectively. From the 25 composite indices, an overall rank was also provided for each country. Lastly, Ward’s cluster analysis was used to create country bundles of similarity. Our findings revealed that environmental performance index, global information networking institute coefficient, and happy planet index were numerically and spatially random. Cluster analysis revealed a four-bundle solution, while Norway, Switzerland, and Sweden ranked highest. This approach shows promise for systematically describing, visualizing, and monitoring sustainable development at the continental scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a lack of studies comparing the status of dental specialties worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the differences and similarities between the number and types of dental specialties in 31 countries, including every continent, in the world. Materials and methods: Available official documents and webpages from regulatory bodies, official colleges and councils, and dental institutions were collected from 31 countries and analyzed to obtain reliable data on dental specialties. Differences were analyzed using the Lorentz curve and Gini test. Additionally, a cluster analysis was performed to obtain groups of countries with similar patterns in the number and types of dental specialties. Results: A total of 32 different specialties were officially recognized among all the analyzed countries. Orthodontics and oral surgery (100% and 93.1%, respectively) were the two most frequently officially recognized dental specialties worldwide. The total global degree of inequality in the 31 analyzed countries was 42.4%. The Anglo-Saxon countries showed the greatest similarity, approximately 15-fold higher than the European countries. Cluster analysis differentiated six main groups of countries according to the number and types of dental specialties. European countries formed one of the two largest clusters, and the other cluster was of Anglo-Saxon, Asian, African, and several Eastern European countries with a high number of specialties. Conclusions: Officially recognized dental specialties in the different continents and countries show an asymmetric organization. The number, names, and skills of officially recognized dental specialties exhibited significant differences, showing inequalities in their organization. The Anglo-Saxon pattern of dental specialties showed greater equality than the European pattern. Orthodontics was the only constant element among the different patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast to London’s image as a global city and its position as the most affluent region in Europe, the formally established empirical evidence assembled in this paper suggests that spatial inequality in the capital is a key economic and social problem that is unlikely to be resolved by the prevailing localism doctrine of the ‘big society’. Isolated from an initial and non-discriminate England-wide clustering analysis of 73 Audit Commission-defined quality of life indicators, the results of our study reveal that pivotal to London’s prevailing quality of life distribution is the influence of deprivation, health and educational inequalities, all of which are masked at a pure ‘inner’ and ‘outer’ London comparison, capable only of distinguishing the city’s borough-level transport and community safety diversity. The policy implications of our study are duly considered and several methodological insights are advanced for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses fuzzy-set ideal type analysis to assess the conformity of European leave regulations to four theoretical ideal typical divisions of labour: male breadwinner, caregiver parity, universal breadwinner and universal caregiver. In contrast to the majority of previous studies, the focus of this analysis is on the extent to which leave regulations promote gender equality in the family and the transformation of traditional gender roles. The results of this analysis demonstrate that European countries cluster into five models that only partly coincide with countries’ geographical proximity. Second, none of the countries considered constitutes a universal caregiver model, while the male breadwinner ideal continues to provide the normative reference point for parental leave regulations in a large number of European states. Finally, we witness a growing emphasis at the national and EU levels concerning the universal breadwinner ideal, which leaves gender inequality in unpaid work unproblematized. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Welfare state typologies are generally based on the institutional design of welfare policies. In this paper we analyse whether such typologies also persist when they are applied to effective redistributive outcomes of welfare states’ tax and transfer policies. In contrast to the widespread use of macro indicators, our empirical analysis relies on internationally comparable microdata in order to account for the distribution of resources across households. We perform a hierarchical cluster analysis and check whether the classical typology for Western European welfare states reproduces the typical patterns when it comes to effective economic outcomes. We find that the established welfare regimes not only differ in their welfare state institutions as is known, but also in their economic outcomes. In particular, we identify the social-democratic, conservative, liberal and southern welfare regimes. Belgium and the Netherlands emerge as hybrid cases lying between the social-democratic and conservative model. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper aims to analyze the degree of spatial peripherality of Romanian counties, at European level. Thus, in a first stage, are classified the indicators which measure the accessibility (spatial peripherality).Then, are selected four accessibility indicators. In the second part of the paper is analyzed the accessibility of Romanian counties in Europe, through factor analysis and cluster analysis. The main conclusion is the identification of a clear center-periphery model in terms of spatial peripherality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clusters, as system of companies anchored in a region, contribute and ensure the long-term world competitiveness of national production. The object of this paper is to demonstrate that globalization opens restrictions on growth potential, which can be exploited by the clusters in order to position themselves on the world markets by maximizing on the benefits of global competition. Thus, clusters use the advantages of globalization (including a myriad of networks), channeling the negative effects the latter may cause (taking as an example industrial espionage which has become increasingly prevalent). Clusters can therefore be a means for firms to be competitive at a time of globalization and, at the same time, be integrated in the process. Portraying a policy of growth, most European countries - such as France - have adopted this new industrial policy, which is being introduced in its turn in some Mediterranean countries (like Morocco for instance). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education, vocational training and lifelong learning play a vital role in both an economic and social context. The paper herein aims to identify Romania's place within the UE-countries, considering a series of general indices: total public expenditure on education as a percentage of GDP, private expenditure on education as % of GDP, annual expenditure on public and private educational institutions per pupil/student - by level of education, school expectancy, pupils and students, students - tertiary education, mobility of students in Europe, science and technology graduates, doctorate students in science and technology fields. Analysis methods: main components analysis, cluster analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With this paper we depict a typology of regions, capturing the diversity of regional innovation systems (RISs) across the EU-25. Following the RIS literature, we select twenty-one variables related to the ability of a region to generate and absorb knowledge, and its capacity to transform research and development into innovation and economic growth. On the basis of the results of principal components and cluster analyses, we identify seven types of RIS where the 186 regions group together according to their sectoral specialisation, technological and economic capacity, and performance. By allowing us to identify similar and more advanced regions, the paper facilitates comparisons and benchmarking between similar regions, thus enabling more accurate policy learning. For each group a number of policy recommendations are suggested, contingent on their local specific characteristics. In short, the contribution of this paper is twofold. Firstly, it provides the first RIS typology for the EU-25 regions completed using a large number of variables. Secondly, the conclusions obtained from the analysis may be used to lead policy makers' actions in the field of regional innovation policy in the EU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the occurrence of home-leaving and its key structural determinants across the enlarged EU. By building on the literature for Western Europe and by cluster analysis of the data for 24 member states, it seeks to explore different constellations of structural factors, manifested in the grouping of similar countries, and possibly resulting in diverse, regionally specific incidences of home-leaving by youths under 35 years of age. The exploratory analysis noted three clusters of countries: the north-western, characterised by the earliest home-leaving and best opportunity structures for independent housing; the south-western cluster, marked by the latest leaving of the parental home and only somewhat less favourable opportunities, but highest family support; the north-eastern cluster, characterised by late, yet not extremely late, home-leaving, combined with outstandingly unfavourable opportunities and strikingly low family support. These differences, partly confirmed as statistically significant, are further discussed and related to welfare regime typologies and their usefulness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose - To examine HRM strategies and practices and HRM position within organizations in various cultural, economic and sociopolitical contexts from a longitudinal perspective. Design/methodology/approach - The study uses the 1995 and 1999 Cranet data in a longitudinal methodological framework to explore the changes and trends in 18 European countries with regard to certain HRM issues between the points of time when measurements took place. Country is the unit of analysis, and cluster analysis is used for each of the two waves of data to classify countries into relatively homogeneous groups/clusters. Findings - The overall picture is that the 18 countries form two major clusters. Countries in Europe can be systematically clustered in a North/West-South/East distinction, regarding HRM practices. There is no indication of convergence between the major clusters. However, movement from one cluster to another was observed, with Italy and East Germany moving to the North-western cluster. Research limitations/implications - The level of analysis, which is HR practices at a national (average values) and regional level, is a methodological limitation of the present study. Analysis at this level conceals qualitative differences between countries, which are important in the contextual paradigm. Practical implications - The issue of convergence in HR practices has important implications for HR managers in multinationals who operate in Europe and the transferability of HR practices. Originality/value - This paper addresses the issue of whether over time there is an increasing "Europeanisation" (convergence) of HRM practices in Europe or not, by studying HR practices in 18 European countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the relationship between the degree of centralization and the distributive outcomes in European schemes of social assistance is investigated. For this purpose, a scheme of classification suitable for grouping the EU15 schemes according to features related to centralization is established by using cluster analysis and an indicator for centralization is developed by employing multidimensional scaling. Subsequently, on the basis of Luxembourg Income Study (LIS) data, the effectiveness and efficiency in reducing poverty through social assistance payments are calculated using several measures of poverty for five selected EU systems and the linkage of their distributive impacts to the degree of centralization is examined. Concerning effectiveness in poverty alleviation, the results provide some evidence that extremely centralized systems are more effective with regard to redistribution than extremely decentralized schemes. However, for systems with a medium degree of centralization, the hypothesis that greater decentralization leads to more effectiveness is not supported. With respect to efficiency, no support is lent to the hypothesis that a higher degree of decentralization is accompanied by a better distributive efficiency. Rather, the results seem to suggest that systems with a medium degree of decentralization do better than either extremely centralized or extremely decentralized systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: While evidence shows that occupational therapists can play a key role in the care of people with palliative care needs, more knowledge about effective occupational therapy interventions for this group is needed. Aim: To identify, organise and prioritise intervention components considered to be effective within occupational therapy for people with palliative care needs from the perspective of occupational therapy clinicians, managers and researchers. Design: Group Concept Mapping utilising a mixed methods participatory approach. Using a focus prompt, participants brainstormed, sorted, labelled and rated generated statements about effective occupational therapy intervention components. Multidimensional scaling analysis and cluster analysis were conducted. Setting/Participants: Snowball recruitment was used to recruit participants. Participants included occupational therapists worldwide who were able to read and write in English and were working as clinicians, managers and/or researchers with occupational therapy interventions for people with palliative care needs. Results: Seventy-two occupational therapists from 15 countries participated in the study representing Asia (n = 3, 20%), Europe (n = 8, 53%), Oceania (n = 2, 13%) and North America (n = 2, 13%). A total of 117 statements were identified and organised into five clusters: (1) being client-centred, (2) promoting occupational engagement to optimise quality of life, (3) involving the social and relational environment, (4) enabling occupations and (5) facilitating occupational adaptation. Conclusions: Five clusters of core occupational therapy intervention components were considered to be effective when supporting people with palliative care needs. Research should use this knowledge to inform future occupational therapy interventions for this group of people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delves into the structure of primary energy consumption in European countries, utilizing data from the Eurostat database, and focuses on the years 1990 and 2021. Through cluster analysis, countries were categorized based on their consumption patterns, revealing significant insights into energy security. The findings indicate a discernible shift away from solid fossil fuels, with renewable energy sources witnessing the most substantial growth. Natural gas, serving as a transitional fuel, has seen a rise in consumption, while nuclear energy's development remained relatively stagnant. Oil, despite its declining share, remains a crucial component in the European energy mix. The study also highlights the challenges and implications of over-reliance on a single energy source, emphasizing the need for a diversified energy strategy. The analysis underscores the importance of diversifying primary energy sources to ensure energy security. While renewable sources are environmentally favorable, their inherent instability necessitates backup from other energy sources. Solid fossil fuels, despite their availability, face challenges due to environmental concerns. Natural gas, while flexible, requires extensive infrastructure and is highly politicized. Nuclear energy, despite its potential as an ideal complement to renewables, faces barriers in terms of investment and public perception. Oil, though convenient, is a fossil source with associated CO2 emissions and largely needs to be imported. In conclusion, the study advocates for a well-diversified set of energy sources tailored to individual country-specific situations, emphasizing the importance of strategic planning in energy consumption to ensure long-term energy security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethnopharmacological relevance This paper has two overarching aims: (1) presenting the results of studying the Albacete tariff of medicines of 1526 and (2) broadly analyzing the origin and influences of medicinal traditional knowledge in the region of Albacete, Spain. We use historical and modern literature that may have influenced this knowledge. Our primary goal was to determine the ingredients used in the pharmacy in the 16th century CE in Albacete through the analysis of the tariff, and our secondary goal was to investigate until when ingredients and uses present in pharmacy and herbals persisted in later periods. Methods The identity of medicines and ingredients was determined by analyzing contemporary pharmacopoeias and classical pharmaceutical references. We analyzed further 21 sources (manuscripts, herbals, and books of medicines, pharmacopoeias, pharmacy inventories, and modern ethnobotanical records) for the presence/absence of ingredients and complex formulations of the tariff. Using factorial and cluster analysis and Bayesian inference applied to evolution models (reversible-jump Markov chain Monte Carlo), we compared textual sources. Finally, we analyzed the medicinal uses of the top 10 species in terms of frequency of citation to assess the dependence of modern ethnobotanical records on Renaissance pharmacy and herbals, and, ultimately, on Dioscorides. Results In Albacete 1526, we determined 101 medicines (29 simple drugs and 72 compound medicines) comprising 187 ingredients (85% botanical, 7.5% mineral, and 7.5% zoological substances). All composed medicines appear standardized in the pharmacopoeias, notably in the pharmacopoeia of Florence from 1498. However, most were no longer in use by 1750 in the pharmacy, and were completely absent in popular herbal medicine in Albacete 1995 as well as in Alta Valle del Reno (Italy) in 2014. Among the ingredients present in different formulation are the flowers of Rosa gallica , honey ( Apis mellifera ), the roots of Nardostachys jatamansi , and Convolvulus scammonia , pistils of Crocus sativus , grapes and raisins ( Vitis vinifera ), rhizomes of Zingiber officinale , bark of Cinnamomum verum , leaves and fruits of Olea europaea , mastic generally of Pistacia lentiscus , and wood of Santalum album . The statistical analysis of sources produces four well-separated clusters (Renaissance Herbals and Pharmacopoeias, Ethnobotany and Folk Medicine, Old phytotherapy, and Modern phytotherapy including Naturopathy) confirming our a priori classification. The clade of Renaissance Herbals and Pharmacopoeias appears separated from the rest in 97% of bootstrapped trees. Bayesian inference produces a tree determined by an initial set of two well-distinct core groups of ingredients: 64, locally used in Mediterranean Europe during centuries; and 45, imported, used in pharmacy during centuries. Complexity reached its maximum in Albacete 1526 and contemporary pharmacopoeias, gradually decreasing over time. The analysis of medicinal uses of the top 10 ingredients showed low coincidence between Dioscorides and different Renaissance herbals or medical treatises and of all of them with ethnobotany in Albacete. Conclusions Regarding our question: is there something new under the sun? In some aspects, the answer is “No”. The contrast between expensive drugs, highly valued medicines, and unappreciated local wild medicinal plants persists since the Salerno's school of medicine. Old medicine in Mediterranean Europe, as reflected by Albacete 1526 tariff of medicines, involved strict formulations and preferences for certain ingredients despite other ingredients locally available but underappreciated. This confirms the fact that any system of medicine does not get to use all available resources. Ethnobiological records of materia medica, in rural areas of Albacete, describe systems with a high degree of stability and resilience, where the use of local resources, largely wild but also cultivated, is predominant in contrast with the weight of imported exotic products in pharmacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this research is to identify the regional economic disparities in the level of economic wealth and its dynamics in the NUTS 3 regions in EU28 over the period from 2000 to 2017. By performing a time-series clustering analysis at NUTS 3 level, we expect to uncover the economic disparities that might have been hidden in the aggregate NUTS 2 regions. Our results indicate that at a finer spatial scale (NUTS 3 level) disparities flourish, particularly in the period after the global crisis of 2008, in which different recovery rates are observed. In general, NUTS 2 regions tend to spatially cluster at the national level and, although NUTS 3 regions show slightly this tendency as well, the spatial effect is not as strong as it is for NUTS 2 level, revealing specific behaviours of the local economies and markets that remain hidden at the aggregate NUTS 2 level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population decline is projected to become widespread in Europe, with the continental population set to reverse its longstanding trajectory of growth within the next 5 years. This represents unfamiliar demographic territory. Despite this, literature on decline remains sparse and our understanding porous. Particular epistemological deficiencies stem from a lack of both cross‐national and temporal analyses of population decline. This study seeks to address these gaps through the novel application of sequence and cluster analysis techniques to examine variations in population decline trajectories since 2000 in 696 subnational areas across 33 European territories. The methodology allows for a holistic understanding of decline trajectories capturing differences in the ordering, timing, magnitude and spatial structure of population decline. We identify a typology of population decline distinguishing seven distinct pathways to depopulation and chart their geographies. Results revealed differentiated pathways of depopulation in continental subregions, with consistent and rapid declines in the east, persistent but moderate declines in central Europe, accelerating declines in the south and decelerating population declines in the west. Results also revealed differentiated patterns of depopulation across the rural–urban continuum, with urban and populous areas experiencing a deceleration in population decline, while decline accelerates or stabilises in rural areas. Small‐ and mid‐sized areas displayed heterogeneous depopulation trajectories, highlighting the importance of local contextual factors in influencing trajectories of population decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]