Does better, cheaper day care make for more satisfied parents?

Following the major expansion of day care provision in Germany in recent years, the quality of these programs has increasingly also been the subject of public debate. When evaluating the quality of German day care centers, experts have frequently concluded that there is considerable room for improvement. Apart from considering expert opinions, it is also interesting to look at how parents rate the quality of day care centers and whether this differs according to level of income or education. The present article primarily focuses on parental satisfaction with various quality aspects. To determine this, data from an extension study are analyzed for the first time, surveying parents from the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) study and the Families in Germany (Familien in Deutschland, FiD) study whose children attend a day care center. We examine satisfaction with different aspects related to organization, equipment and resources, pedagogic staff, activities with the children, cooperation with parents, and, specifically, cost. A supplementary analysis on potential willingness to pay, depending on household income, provides us with additional information on the extent to which parents would be prepared to pay more for a day care place for their child. [...

The early childhood education and care quality in the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP-ECEC Quality) study - K2ID-SOEP Data

[Objectives of the study] This survey report summarizes main information on the data collection process within the study 'Early childhood education and care quality in the Socio-Economic Panel' (SOEP-ECEC Quality). The project reran from September 2013 to April 2017 and was funded by the Jacobs Foundation (project number 2013-1063). [...]Forschungsprojekt im Auftrag der Jacobs Foundation (Projektnummer 2013-1063)

An approach to derive snow lines from MODIS data on the Tibetan Plateau,its analysis and climatic forcings

Abstract HKT-ISTP 2013 B

Anxiety in a digitalised work environment

This article in the journal Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO) presents a qualitative study which aims at conceptualising digitalisation anxiety. The increasing spread of digital technologies has consequences for how we live, work, and communicate. Alongside positive opportunities, digitalisation also involves risks and can lead to negative reactions such as anxiety. We conducted 26 interviews examining the psychological roots of digitalisation anxiety. We found that the digitalisation megatrend evokes anxieties related not only to individual or organisational changes, but also broader societal considerations. Based on our results, we suggest interventions that could help organisations, teams, and individuals cope with the triggers of digitalisation anxiety in order to improve people’s feelings and experiences related to digitalisation.Dieser Beitrag der Zeitschrift Gruppe. Interaktion. Organisation. (GIO) stellt eine qualitative Studie zur Konzeptualisierung von Digitalisierungsangst vor. Die zunehmende Verbreitung digitaler Technologien hat Auswirkungen darauf wie wir leben, arbeiten und miteinander kommunizieren. Neben den positiven Möglichkeiten und Chancen bringt die Digitalisierung auch Risiken und negative Reaktionen wie Angst mit sich. Um die psychologischen Ursachen dieser so genannten Digitalisierungsangst zu analysieren, führten wir 26 Interviews durch. Wir fanden heraus, dass der Megatrend zur Digitalisierung nicht nur Angst in Bezug auf individuelle oder organisationale Veränderungen, sondern auch im Hinblick auf gesellschaftliche Aspekte mit sich bringt. Basierend auf unseren Ergebnissen schlagen wir Interventionen vor, die Organisationen, Teams und Individuen dabei helfen können, mit den Auslösern von digitaler Angst umzugehen, um die Gefühle und Erfahrungen von Individuen in Bezug auf Digitalisierung zu verbessern

Evolution of Purogangri Ice Cap, central Tibetan Plateau, 2000-2012 - a comparison of two glaciological methods

Abstract HKT-ISTP 2013 B

Physikalische Verfahren zur Behandlung von Saatgut im ökologischen Landbau

A variety of physical treatment methods are able to kill pathogens on and in seeds non-selectively. In all cases, the application of these methods requires optimisation of the relevant treatment parameters such as temperature, treatment time or energy dose. The optimum treatment effect is achieved when the selected parameters induce a maximum reduction of infestation without relevant impairment of germination capac-ity and plant growth. It has been confirmed that different physical measures can be used for the control of seed-borne pathogens. The “classical” hot water treatment method is suitable for a wide range of seeds. Further procedures like the hot air seed treatment method “Thermoseed®”, the vacuum-steam treatment method Steamlab, and others are also suitable

Modeling of biocatalytic reactions: A workflow for model calibration, selection and validation using Bayesian statistics

We present a workflow for kinetic modeling of biocatalytic reactions which combines methods from Bayesian learning and uncertainty quantification for model calibration, model selection, evaluation, and model reduction in a consistent statistical framework. Our workflow is particularly tailored to sparse data settings in which a considerable variability of the parameters remains after the models have been adapted to available data, a ubiquitous problem in many real‐world applications. Our workflow is exemplified on an enzyme‐catalyzed two‐substrate reaction mechanism describing the symmetric carboligation of 3,5‐dimethoxy‐benzaldehyde to (R )‐3,3′,5,5′‐tetramethoxybenzoin catalyzed by benzaldehyde lyase from Pseudomonas fluorescens . Results indicate a substrate‐dependent inactivation of enzyme, which is in accordance with other recent studies

Vermeidung von saatgutbürtigen Krankheiten: Strategien für den Öko-Landbau

Due to legal provisions on the use of organic seed and the generally occurring expansion of organic agriculture the significance of healthy seed in organic farming is increasing. In a project the currently available as well as promising methods and substances shall be tested and evaluated for their use in practice. Results of exemplary investigations concerning the control of Ustilago nuda in spring wheat and spring barley by thermal treatment as well as the control of Tilletia caries in spring wheat by different plant strengtheners are presented

Strategien zur Bekämpfung von Streifen- und Netzfleckenkrankheit der Gerste im Ökologischen Landbau

Barley leaf stripe (Drechslera graminea) and net blotch (Drechslera teres) are important seed transmitted diseases in organic barley cultivation in Europe. In the poster different measures and agents to control both diseases are investigated and discussed. Our research reveals that barley leaf stripe as well as net blotch can be sufficiently controlled in organic farming by physical methods (warm water and hot air treatment) or by the alcoholic plant strengtheners Lebermooser and - less effectively - by Milsana®. The plant protection product Cedomon® was not always sufficiently effective to control barley leaf stripe and net blotch. Depending on the imposed measure and on the barley type (hulless, hulled), variety and seed origin more or less adverse side effects on germination were observed and should thus be considered

Strategien zur Bekämpfung von Brandkrankheiten bei Getreide im Ökologischen Landbau

Getreidebrände als saatgutübertragbare Erkrankungen der Ähre haben im Ökologischen Landbau stärkere Bedeutung erlangt, weil eine Beizung mit hochwirksamen Fungiziden unterbleibt. Eine Bekämpfung ist jedoch zwingend notwendig, weil in der Regel Ertragseinbußen eintreten und die Sporen toxikologisch bedenklich sind. Zudem droht der Saatgutvermehrung Schaden, denn bereits mehr als drei bzw. fünf befallene Pflanzen pro 150 m² führen zur Aberkennung des Basis- bzw. Z-Saatgutes. Resistente Sorten stehen kaum zur Verfügung, denn wegen der Saatbeizung bestand für die Züchtung seit Jahrzehnten keine Notwendigkeit, sich einer Resistenzzüchtung zu widmen. Das spiegelt sich auch in den Zulassungskriterien des Bundessortenamtes wider, wo die Anfälligkeit der Sorten auf Brandkrankheiten nicht berücksichtigt wird. Bei den relevanten Brandkrankheiten handelt es sich bei allen Triticum-Arten um Steinbrand (Tilletia tritici), Zwergsteinbrand (Tilletia controversa) und Flugbrand (Ustilago tritici), bei Gerste um Flugbrand (U. nuda) und Hartbrand (U. hordei) sowie bei Hafer um Flugbrand (U. avenae). Die Bekämpfung der Getreidebrände im Öko-Landbau ist spätestens seit der EU-Verordnung Nr. 1452/2003, welche die Verwendung von Saatgut aus ökologischem Anbau vorschreibt, eine vordringliche Aufgabe der Forschung. In Deutschland werden derzeit verschiedene Forschungsvorhaben zu dieser Problematik durchgeführt (Wilbois et al. 2005; Spieß 2006)