Empirical macromodels under test: a comparative simulation study of the employment effects of a revenue neutral cut in social security contributions

In the paper we simulate a revenue-neutral cut in the social security contribution rate using five different types of macro- / microeconomic models, namely two models based on time-series data where the labour market is modelled basically demand oriented, two models of the class of computable equilibrium models which are supply oriented and finally a firm specific model for international tax burden comparisons. Our primary interest is in the employment effects the models predict due to the cut in the contribution rate. It turns out that qualitatively all models considered predict an increase in employment three years after the cut. But the employment effects differ considerably in magnitude, which follows immediately from the different behavioral assumptions underlying the different models. -- In dem Beitrag wird der Beschäftigungseffekt infolge einer aufkommensneutralen Senkung der Sozialversicherungsbeiträge simuliert. Zu diesem Zweck werden fünf unterschiedliche ökonomische Modelle verwendet, namentlich zwei Modelle, die auf Zeitreihendaten aufbauen und in denen der Arbeitsmarkt überwiegend von der Nachfrageseite dominiert wird, zwei Modelle aus der Klasse der computable equilibrium models, die typischerweise angebotsorientiert sind, und ein mikroökonomisches, firmenspezifisches Steuerbelastungsvergleichsmodell. Alle Simulationsergebnisse der Modelle weisen auf einen, wenngleich teilweise kleinen, positiven Beschäftigungseffekt hin, der sich allerdings beträchtlich in seiner Größenordnung unterscheidet. Dies ist eine unmittelbare Folge aus den unterschiedlichen Verhaltensannahmen, die den einzelnen Modellen unterliegen.

Empirical Macromodels Under Test : A Comparative Simulation Study of the Employment Effects of a Revenue Neutral Cut in Social Security Contributions

In the paper we simulate a revenue-neutral cut in the social security contribution rate using five different types of macro- / microeconomic models, namely two models based on time-series data where the labour market is modelled basically demand oriented, two models of the class of computable equilibrium models which are supply oriented and finally a firm specific model for international tax burden comparisons. Our primary interest is in the employment effects the models predict due to the cut in the contribution rate. It turns out that qualitatively all models considered predict an increase in employment three years after the cut. But the employment effects differ considerably in magnitude, which follows immediately from the different behavioral assumptions underlying the different models

Expression and processing of recombinant sarafotoxins precursor in Pichia pastoris

Sarafotoxins are peptides isolated from the Atractaspisw snake venom. with strong constrictor effect on cardiac and smooth muscle. They are structurally and functionally related to endothelins. The sarafotoxins precursor cDNA predicts an unusual structure 'rosary-type', with 12 successive similar stretches of sarafotoxin (SRTX) and spacer, in the present work, the recombinant precursor of SRTXs was sub-cloned and expressed in the yeast Pichia pastoris. and secreted to the culture medium, Characterization by SDS-PAGE, immunoblot, mass spectrometry and biological activity, suggests that intact precursor was expressed but processing into mature toxins also occurred. Furthermore, our results indicate that the correct proportion of sarafotoxin types as contained in the precursor, is obtained in the yeast culture medium. Contractile effects of the expressed toxins, on rat and Bothrops jararaca isolated aorta, were equivalent to 5 X 10(-10) M and 5 x 10(-11) M of sarafotoxin b, respectively. The enzymes responsible for the complete maturation of sarafotoxins precursor are still unknown. Our results strongly suggest that the yeast Pichia pastoris is able to perform such a maturation process. Thus, the yeast Pichia pastoris may offer an alternative to snake venom gland to tentatively identify the molecular process responsible for SRTXs release. (C) 2001 Elsevier B.V. Ltd. All rights reserved