Although findings yield differing conclusions, there is a consensus that the US political system has polarized in the last few decades (Mason 2018). Outside of the US, empirical results have been scarce and mixed. Political polarization tends to be easier to measure in a two-party system, whereas multiparty systems might not be as conducive to clear cases of polarization. Media effects are one of

Achieving a more circular production and consumption pattern will require consumers to make proactive choices regarding practices such as repair and product life extension. However, galvanizing such choices and practices may not be left alone up to consumers because their behaviors are driven not only by internal factors (e.g., attitude and motivation), but also by external (e.g., economic, social

Research into repair within the circular economy (CE) typically focuses on technical aspects of design, policy, and markets, and often assumes or implies simplified conditions for the user/owner and the product-system to explain the barriers to scaling repair activities. By integrating life cycle and temporal dimensions (time-sequence) into a broad System of Repairability framework, we demonstrate

The European Commission describes a Circular Economy (CE) as an economy “where the value of products,materials and resources is maintained in the economy for as long as possible, and the generation of waste minimised.”But what is value in this context and how should CE policies consider value? Extended producer responsibility(EPR) policies are an important part of an EU CE Action Plan. However, th

Gait disorders are a relevant factor for falls and possible to measure with wearable devices. If a wearable sensor can detect differences in gait parameters between fallers and non-fallers has not yet been studied. The aim of this study was to measure and compare gait parameters, vestibular function, and balance performance between fallers and non-fallers among a group of older persons. Participan

OBJECTIVES: Son preference and sex selective practices have resulted in a deficit of girls in several countries, primarily across Asia. Emerging evidence indicates that son preference survives migration to Western high-income countries. The objective of this study was to assess male-to-female (M/F) ratios at birth per mother's country of birth in Australia 1997-2016, in total and by parity, and by

In the context of the Circular Economy, there is a lot of discussion on how policies at European Union and member state levels could provide incentives for the design of more durable products. One potential policy approach is to mandate manufacturers to provide lifetime information to consumers at the time of purchase. This could be done through a specific labeling scheme, or by including such inf

Ecodesign policy for energy-using products so far has tended to focus on the energy efficiency requirements, but there is increasing interest in durability requirements as well. This exploratory study analyses whether and when long lifetimes are preferable when considering the trade-offs between durability and other important parameters such as costs and environmental impacts, examining the case o

This paper explores the evolution of Swedish stabilization policies through six policy regimes between 1873 and 2019. We focus on discretionary policy decisions by estimating policy shocks using a SVAR model. Through these shocks, we explore how stabilization policies have evolved over time and how policymakers responded to key economic events such as financial crises and wars. Our results show thThis paper explores the evolution of Swedish stabilisation policies through six policy regimes between 1873 and 2019. We focus on discretionary policy decisions by estimating policy shocks using a SVAR model. Through these shocks, we explore how stabilisation policies have evolved over time and how policymakers responded to key economic events such as financial crises and wars. Our results show th

On 12 July 2021 the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Advisory Committee on Developing Global Standards for Governance and Oversight of Human Genome Editing published a set of reports entitled Human Genome Editing: A Framework for Governance and Recommendations. These reports provide valuable advice and recommendations on appropriate institutional, national and global governance mechanisms fo

Modern well-insulated and highly glazed buildings experience increased overheating, even in cold climates. The study focused on external and internal passive solar shadings on a south-oriented façade, having predetermined that external and internal shadings’ main function is solar heat gain and glare protection, respectively. A daytime-occupied office space with several external shading geometry v