Does Higher Cost Inefficiency Imply Higher Profit Inefficiency? - Evidence on Inefficiency and Ownership of German Hospitals

This paper investigates cost and profit efficiency of German hospitals. More specifically, it deals with the question how hospital efficiency varies with ownership, patient structure and other exogenous factors, which are neither inputs nor outputs of the production process. We conduct a Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA) on a multifaceted administrative German dataset combined with the balance sheets of 374 hospitals for the years 2002 to 2005.The results indicate that private (for-profit) and (private) non-profit hospitals are on average less cost efficient but more profit efficient than publicly owned hospitals.Hospital efficiency, ownership, stochastic frontier analysis, profit function

Observing Interviewees’ Inner Self: How Authenticity Cues in Job Interviews Relate to Interview and Job Performance

Job interviews are among the most popular selection methods. Previous research suggests that interviewees who are perceived as being authentic are evaluated more favorably in job interviews. However, little is known about which behavioral cues elicit perceptions of authenticity in others and whether interviewees who exhibit such authenticity cues are more likely to perform better in the job interview and on their actual job. Drawing from person perception theories, the purpose of this study is to introduce the concept of authenticity cues to interview research and to examine the extent to which authenticity cues are related to (a) raters’ perceptions of interviewee authenticity, (b) interviewer ratings of interview performance, and (c) supervisor ratings of job performance. We used video recordings from 181 employed individuals participating in a mock interview to observe and rate interviewees’ authenticity cues. Results indicate that observers can distinguish between verbal and para/nonverbal authenticity cues and that both verbal and para/nonverbal cues influence the extent to which interviewees are perceived as authentic by independent raters. Moreover, we found that interviewees’ para/nonverbal authenticity cues were particularly relevant to predicting interview performance, whereas only verbal authenticity cues were related to job performance. In our analyses, we further considered the role of first impressions in the interview, interviewees’ verbal cognitive ability, and interviewees’ extraversion. Implications for theories of person perception, authenticity research, and interview practice are discussed

Zwischen Eindeutigkeit und Uneindeutigkeit: Religion als Formproblem // Between Unambiguity and Ambiguity: Religion as a Problem of the Form

Rezension von: Mario Grizelj: "Wunder und Wunden. Religion als Formproblem der Literatur" (Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag 2018) // Review of: Mario Grizelj: "Wunder und Wunden. Religion als Formproblem der Literatur" (Paderborn: Wilhelm Fink Verlag 2018

Contextual and personal resources in unemployed job search: An intra‐individual perspective

Drawing from conservation of resources (COR) theory and the equifinality principle, we challenge the prominent “the‐more‐resources‐the‐better” understanding by examining both the additive and interactive effects of contextual (i.e., networking behaviors and social support) and personal (i.e., job search self‐efficacy) resources on job seeking. Specifically, based on COR theory's resource gain corollary, we propose that higher levels of each resource are positively related to job search intensity and the number of interviews obtained (an additive effect). However, based on the equifinality principle that various resources can contribute to the same goal, we propose that each type of resource can compensate for low levels of the other (an interactive effect). In a four‐wave study following 89 unemployed job seekers over 6 months, we find positive intra‐individual relationships between networking behaviors and job search self‐efficacy with job search intensity. We find that networking behaviors and job search self‐efficacy are also positively related to the number of job interviews obtained and indirectly related through job search intensity for networking behaviors. In line with our predictions, high levels of either networking behaviors or job search self‐efficacy compensate for low levels of the other resource when predicting job search intensity and the number of interviews obtained

Cultivable microbiota associated with Aurelia aurita and Mnemiopsis leidyi

The associated microbiota of marine invertebrates plays an important role to the host in relation to fitness, health, and homeostasis. Cooperative and competitive interactions between bacteria, due to release of, for example, antibacterial substances and quorum sensing (QS)/quorum quenching (QQ) molecules, ultimately affect the establishment and dynamics of the associated microbial community. Aiming to address interspecies competition of cultivable microbes associated with emerging model species of the basal animal phyla Cnidaria (Aurelia aurita) and Ctenophora (Mnemiopsis leidyi), we performed a classical isolation approach. Overall, 84 bacteria were isolated from A. aurita medusae and polyps, 64 bacteria from M. leidyi, and 83 bacteria from ambient seawater, followed by taxonomically classification by 16S rRNA gene analysis. The results show that A. aurita and M. leidyi harbor a cultivable core microbiome consisting of typical marine ubiquitous bacteria also found in the ambient seawater. However, several bacteria were restricted to one host suggesting host-specific microbial community patterns. Interbacterial interactions were assessed by (a) a growth inhibition assay and (b) QS interference screening assay. Out of 231 isolates, 4 bacterial isolates inhibited growth of 17 isolates on agar plates. Moreover, 121 of the 231 isolates showed QS-interfering activities. They interfered with the acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL)-based communication, of which 21 showed simultaneous interference with autoinducer 2. Overall, this study provides insights into the cultivable part of the microbiota associated with two environmentally important marine non-model organisms and into interbacterial interactions, which are most likely considerably involved in shaping a healthy and resilient microbiota

Kinetic and morphological differentiation of Ettringites in plain and blended Portland cements using Metakaolin and the ASTM C 452-68 test. Part I: kinetic differentiation.

22 pages, 3 figures, 5 tables.[ES] En esta Parte I de la investigación, se han logrado verifi- car mediante el ensayo ASTM C 452-68, los resultados obtenidos en anteriores investigaciones realizadas con DRX y SEM y el ensayo Le Chatelier-Ansttet. Para ello, a 10 cementos Portland –6 CPO y 4 CPRS– se les añadió 20%, 30% y 40% de metakaolín (MK). Tanto los 10 CP como los 30 de sus mezclas con metakaolín (MK), se ensayaron durante 2 años, mediante dicho método ASTM C 452-68, y a sus probetas no sólo se les determinó su incremento porcentual de longitud, ∆L(%), sino además, el contenido de sulfatos de sus aguas de conservación. Otras determinaciones complementarias fueron: análisis químico de los materiales cementiceos utilizados y pro- piedades específicas de algunos cementos ensayados. Los resultados experimentales, ∆L(%) frente al tiempo, han confirmado de nuevo que la velocidad de formación de la ettringita de origen alúmina reactiva, Al2O3 r-, de las puzolanas, tiene que ser considerablemente mayor que la velocidad de formación de la ettringita de origen C3A de los CP, lo que ha sido verificado por la evolución durante todo el ensayo, del contenido de sulfatos de las aguas de conservación de las probetas. Debido a ello, se ha pro- puesto denominar a ambos tipos de ettringitas, ettringita de rápida formación, ett-rf, y ettringita de lenta forma- ción, ett-lf, respectivamente.[EN] In this first part of the study, the results obtained in prior research with XRD and SEM, as well as the Le Chatelier- Ansttet test were confirmed with the ASTM C 452-68 test. To this end, 20%, 30% and 40% metakaolin (MK) was added to ten Portland cements, six OPCs and four SRPCs. Both the ten plain PCs and the 30 metakaolin (MK) blends were tested for two years under ASTM C 452-68 specifications, determining not only the percentage increase in length, ΔL(%), of the specimens, but also the sulphate content in the curing water. Other parameters studied included: chemical analysis of the cementitious materials used and specific properties of some of the cements tested. The experimental results, ΔL(%) versus time, re-confirmed that the formation rate of ettringite from the reactive alumina, Al2O3 r-, present in the pozzolan must be substantially higher than the formation rate of ettringite from the C3A present in the PC. This was verified by the variation of the sulphate content in the specimen curing water throughout the test. In light of those findings, in this article these two types of ettringite are denominated rapid forming ettringite or ett-rf, and slow forming ettringite or ett-lf.Peer reviewe

Development of an Antimicrobial Peptide SAAP-148-Functionalized Supramolecular Coating on Titanium to Prevent Biomaterial-Associated Infections

Titanium implants are widely used in medicine but have a risk of biomaterial-associated infection (BAI), of which traditional antibiotic-based treatment is affected by resistance. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are used to successfully kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Herein, a supramolecular coating for titanium implants is developed which presents the synthetic antimicrobial and antibiofilm peptide SAAP-148 via supramolecular interactions using ureido-pyrimidinone supramolecular units (UPy-SAAP-148GG). Material characterization of dropcast coatings shows the presence of UPy-SAAP-148GG at the surface. The supramolecular immobilized peptide remains antimicrobially active in dropcast polymer films and can successfully kill (antibiotic-resistant) Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, and Escherichia coli. Minor toxicity for human dermal fibroblasts is observed, with a reduced cell attachment after 24 h. Subsequently, a dipcoat coating on titanium implants is developed and tested in vivo in a subcutaneous implant infection mouse model with S. aureus administered locally on the implant before implantation to mimic contamination during surgery. The supramolecular coating containing 5 mol% of UPy-SAAP-148GG significantly prevents colonization of the implant surface as well as of the surrounding tissue, with no signs of toxicity. This shows that supramolecular AMP coatings on titanium are eminently suitable to prevent BAI.</p

Tumour-associated endothelial-FAK correlated with molecular sub-type and prognostic factors in invasive breast cancer

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that can be classified into one of 4 main molecular sub-types: luminal A, luminal B, Her2 over-expressing and basal-like (BL). These tumour sub-types require different treatments and have different risks of disease progression. BL cancers can be considered a sub-group of Triple negative (TN) cancers since they lack estrogen (ER), progesterone (PR) and Her2 expression. No targeted treatment currently exists for TN/BL cancers. Thus it is important to identify potential therapeutic targets and describe their relationship with established prognostic factors. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is upregulated in several human cancers and also plays a functional role in tumour angiogenesis. However, the association between breast cancer sub-types and tumour endothelial-FAK expression is unknown. METHODS: Using immunofluorescence, we quantified FAK expression in tumour endothelial and tumour cell compartments in 149 invasive breast carcinomas and correlated expression with clinical, pathological and molecular parameters. RESULTS: Low endothelial-FAK expression was independently associated with luminal A tumours at univariate (p < 0.001) and multivariate (p = 0.001) analysis. There was a positive correlation between FAK expression in the vascular and tumour cell compartments (Spearman’s correlation co-efficient = 0.394, p < 0.001). Additionally, endothelial and tumour cell FAK expression were significantly increased in TN tumours (p = 0.043 and p = 0.033 respectively), in tumours with negative ER and PR status, and in high grade tumours at univariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Our findings establish a relationship between endothelial-FAK expression levels and the molecular sub-type of invasive breast cancer, and suggest that endothelial-FAK expression is potentially more clinically relevant than tumour cell FAK expression in breast cancer