A sequential semidefinite programming method and an application in passive reduced-order modeling

We consider the solution of nonlinear programs with nonlinear semidefiniteness constraints. The need for an efficient exploitation of the cone of positive semidefinite matrices makes the solution of such nonlinear semidefinite programs more complicated than the solution of standard nonlinear programs. In particular, a suitable symmetrization procedure needs to be chosen for the linearization of the complementarity condition. The choice of the symmetrization procedure can be shifted in a very natural way to certain linear semidefinite subproblems, and can thus be reduced to a well-studied problem. The resulting sequential semidefinite programming (SSP) method is a generalization of the well-known SQP method for standard nonlinear programs. We present a sensitivity result for nonlinear semidefinite programs, and then based on this result, we give a self-contained proof of local quadratic convergence of the SSP method. We also describe a class of nonlinear semidefinite programs that arise in passive reduced-order modeling, and we report results of some numerical experiments with the SSP method applied to problems in that class

Hilft die WTO Entwicklungsländern? Theoretische und empirische Aspekte

Der Autor untersucht, inwieweit sich die WTO-Eckpfeiler der Reziprozität und des Meistbegünstigungsprinzips sowie Koalitionen auf Entwicklungsländer auswirken. Es zeigt sich in theoretischen und empirischen Untersuchungen, dass die genannten Aspekte das Potenzial aufweisen, die Position von Entwicklungsländern bei den multilateralen Verhandlungen zu stärken. Eine fairere Verteilung der Außenhandelsgewinne geht jedoch stets mit einer verringerten Effizienz einher, sodass sich auch hier ein fundamentaler Zielkonflikt zwischen Gleichheit und Effizienz einstellt

Buergerversicherung vs. Gesundheitspraemie – Vergleich der Reformoptionen zur Finanzierung der Gesetzlichen Krankenversicherung

The wage-dependence of the Public Health Insurance (PHI) as well as the somewhat inconsistent parallel coverage via PHI and private health insurance constitute drawbacks of the present health care revenue system, leading to undesirable distributional and allocative patterns and disadvantages in the course of demographic and economic change. Two conflicting approaches, the “Buergerversicherung” (“Citizens’ Health Insurance”) and the “Gesundheitsprämie” (“Flat Rate Health Insurance”) try to remedy these by way of different methods – the former with a statutory health insurance for all and a comprehensive income basis for proportionate health insurance contributions, the latter with a flat rate contribution for the present PHI including a massive tax subsidy for the contributions for low-income groups and children. The paper presents simulations of the distributional effects. Differing effects become evident. Moreover these patterns also reflect different “philosophies” of social welfare and public revenue regimes. The “Bürgerversicherung” reduces payments by wage and wage-replacement earners and generally by low income groups, the “Gesundheitspraemie” favors higher-income individuals and particularly two-earner married couples.Social Health Insurance System, Public Finance

Zuzahlungen nach dem GKV-Modernisierungsgesetz (GMG) unter Beruecksichtigung von Haertefallregelungen

The law for the Modernisation of the Social Health Insurance System 2003 ("GKV-Modernisierungsgesetz – GMG" 2003) provides, among other measures, for a noticeable increase in co-payments and also for a reduction of possibilities for claiming exemptions from co-payments. Against this backdrop, the authors of the paper present, at the start, the varying news on co-insurance payments held by different political groups. Thereafter, the theoretical foundations of co-payments are described. Finally, on the basis of extensive empirically founded computations, the effects of the new co-payment rules (together with relevant new exemptions) are compared with the effects of the rules still in force.Social Health Insurance System, co-payment, public finance

Sustainable Value Creation Through Business Models: The What, the Who and the How

Purpose: We discuss traditional assumptions about value creation and confront these with current viewson sustainable value creation (SVC). Against this backdrop, the articles contained in the special issue‘Sustainable Value Creation Through Business Models’ are introduced, and their contributions to the explorationof SVC are highlighted.*Methodology: Assumptions about value creation are summarised and turned into an initial theoreticalframework concerning the what, who and how of value creation. This framework is used to structure anddiscuss current views on SVC that have been presented in the sustainable business model (SBM) litterature.Findings: The proposed framework identifies cornerstones for theorising about SVC in regard to thewhat, who and how of value creation. A main finding is that, although value creation and SVC are widelydiscussed in the literature, there are huge gaps in terms of the who, what and how of value creation, particularlyin the SBM field.Research implications and limitations: The major implication is that the SBM discourse still lacks clearSVC concepts, and closing this gap may enable the creation of a new multi- and interdisciplinary researchprogramme. A major limitation of this paper is the mainly theoretical and preliminary nature of the presenteddiscussion and framework.Originality and value: There is a surprising dearth of definitions and concepts of value creation in boththe traditional business model and SBM research. The originality and value of this paper lie in its potentialto stimulate further research on the theoretical foundations of SVC. Various theoretical propositionsare developed, including notions such as stakeholder-responsive and relational interpretations of valuecreation

Toward Collaborative Cross-Sector Business Models for Sustainability

Sustainability challenges typically occur across sectoral boundaries, calling the state, market, andcivil society to action. While consensus exists on the merits of cross-sector collaboration, ourunderstanding of whether and how it can create value for various, collaborating stakeholders is still limited. This Special Issue focuses on how new combined knowledge on cross-sector collaboration and business models for sustainability can inform the academic and practitioner debates about sustainability challenges and solutions. We discuss how cross-sector collaboration can play an important role for the transition to new and potentially sustainability-driving business models given that value creation, delivery and capture of organizations are intimately related to the collaborative ties with their stakeholders. Sustainable alternatives to conventional business models tend to adopt a more holistic perspective of business by broadening the spectrum of solutions and stakeholders and, when aligned with cross-sector collaboration, can contribute new ways of addressing the wicked sustainability problems humanity faces

Supporting Named Entity Recognition and Document Classification for Effective Text Retrieval

In this research paper, we present a system for named entity recognition and automatic document classification in an innovative knowledge management system for Applied Gaming. The objective of this project is to facilitate the management of machine learning-based named entity recognition models, that can be used for both: extracting different types of named entities and classifying text documents from different sources on the Web. We present real-world use case scenarios and derive features for training and managing NER models with the Stanford NLP machine learning API. Then, the integration of our developed NER system with an expert rule-based system is presented, which allows an automatic classification of text documents into different taxonomy categories available in the knowledge management system. Finally, we present the results of two evaluations. First, a functional evaluation that demonstrates the portability of our NER system using a standard text corpus in the medical area. Second, a qualitative evaluation that was conducted to optimize the overall user interface of our system and enable a suitable integration into the target environment

Splicing-accessible coding 3′UTRs control protein stability and interaction networks

Background 3′-Untranslated regions (3′UTRs) play crucial roles in mRNA metabolism, such as by controlling mRNA stability, translation efficiency, and localization. Intriguingly, in some genes the 3′UTR is longer than their coding regions, pointing to additional, unknown functions. Here, we describe a protein-coding function of 3′UTRs upon frameshift-inducing alternative splicing in more than 10% of human and mouse protein-coding genes. Results 3′UTR-encoded amino acid sequences show an enrichment of PxxP motifs and lead to interactome rewiring. Furthermore, an elevated proline content increases protein disorder and reduces protein stability, thus allowing splicing-controlled regulation of protein half-life. This could also act as a surveillance mechanism for erroneous skipping of penultimate exons resulting in transcripts that escape nonsense mediated decay. The impact of frameshift-inducing alternative splicing on disease development is emphasized by a retinitis pigmentosa-causing mutation leading to translation of a 3′UTR-encoded, proline-rich, destabilized frameshift-protein with altered protein-protein interactions. Conclusions We describe a widespread, evolutionarily conserved mechanism that enriches the mammalian proteome, controls protein expression and protein-protein interactions, and has important implications for the discovery of novel, potentially disease-relevant protein variants