Securitisation of Mezzanine Capital in Germany

A recent trend in the German Asset Backed Securities (ABS) market is the securitisation of subordinated loans and profit participation agreements (PPAs) granted to medium-sized enterprises (MEs). This paper provides an overview of this growing market and analyses the benefits of such transactions for the portfolio companies as well as originators and potential investors. Simulations of ten recent transactions indicate that despite of relatively low interest rates charged on obligors, originators and investors can earn attractive returns at fairly low risk. In particular, the junior tranches of these securitisations exhibit quite attractive risk-return profiles.securitisation, middle market transactions, mezzanine loans, medium-sized enterprises, junior tranche

Partnership status, health and mortality : selection or protection?

This research was supported by the ESRC Centre for Population Change (CPC), grant number ES/K007394/1; and the ESRC Centre for Population Change Connecting Generations research programme, grant number ES/W002116/1.Married individuals have better health and lower mortality than non-married people. Studies show that once we distinguish cohabitants from other non-married groups, health differences between partnered and non-partnered individuals become even more pronounced. Some studies argue that partnered individuals have better health and lower mortality because of the protective effects that a partnership offers (protection); others state that partnered people have better health and lower mortality because healthy persons are more likely to form a union and less likely to dissolve it (selection). This study contributes to this debate by investigating health and mortality by partnership status in England and Wales and analysing the causes of mortality differences. We use combined data from the British Household Panel Survey and the UK Household Longitudinal Study and apply a simultaneous equations hazard model to control for observed and unobserved selection into partnerships. We develop a novel approach to identify frailty based on information on self-rated health. Our analysis shows significant mortality differentials by partnership status; partnered individuals have lower mortality than non-partnered people. We observe some selection into and out of union on unobserved health characteristics; however, the mortality differences by partnership status persist. The study offers strong support for the marital protection hypothesis and extends it to non-marital partnerships.Peer reviewe

Estimating affinities of calcium ions to proteins

Ca2+-ions have a range of affinities to different proteins, depending on the various functions of these proteins. This makes the determination of Ca2+-protein affinities an interesting subject for functional studies. We have investigated the performance of two methods – Fold-X and AutoDock vina – in the prediction of Ca2+-protein affinities. Both methods, although based on different energy functions, showed virtually the same correlation with experimental affinities. Guided by insight from experiment, we further derived a simple linear model based on the solvent accessible surface of Ca2+ that had practically the same performance in terms of absolute errors as the more complex docking methods

Didaktik in digitalisierten Laboren und Werkstätten

Der Vortrag 'Didaktik in digitalisierten Laboren und Werkstätten' im Rahmen der zweiwöchigen Veranstaltungsreihe 'Austausch digitale Lehre' der Hochschule Zittau/Görlitz (HSZG) beschreibt die möglichen Bereiche für eine Digitalisierung in Labor und Werkstatt nach dem Ebenenmodell von J.Franke und G. Wegner, 2022. Für jeden Bereich werden Herausforderungen für Lehrende aufgezeigt und anhand dieser eine Checkliste für Lehrende in digitalisierten Lehrszenarien entworfen.:I) Mein Hintergrund II) Ebenen der Digitalisierung III) Checkliste zu Vorüberlegunge

Charakterisierung von reptilienpathogenen Paramyxoviren und Analyse des prokaryotisch exprimierten partiellen Fusionsgens

Viral agents isolated from 18 snakes (families Colubridae, Viperidae, and Crotalidae) showing respiratory symptoms and neuronal diseases were investigated. Identifying the isolates as paramyxoviruses showing characteristic cytopathic effect, was carried out by electronmicroscopy and RNA-PCR of two partial genes (L and F). After sequencing RNA-PCR amplicons, identical sequences were found for the reptilian paramyxoviruses (RPMV) isolated in the same outbreak from different snake species, suggesting they are not host-specific. Sequence alignment of partial L and F genes within the RPMV group revealed sequence homology of at least 79 % for nucleotides (nt), and 94 % for amino acids (aa). Further sequence alignment included the Fer-de-Lance virus (FDLV) as a RPMV representative, the established type species of the paramyxovirus family. The greatest similarity was found to the partial L gene of Sendai virus, with 56 % nt and 61% aa identity. Consequently, the RPMV form a closely related, if somewhat diverse, group, belonging to the family Paramyxoviridae. This result was confirmed by phylogenetic analysis. The RPMV group formed three clusters for the L gene sequence and corresponding clusters for the F gene sequence, leaving the Sendai virus as an outgroup, which was included as a representative of the paramyxovirus family. Another phylogenetic analysis based on partial L and F protein sequences included the FDLV and the established paramyxovirus type species. In this case, the FDLV showed the closest relationship to the Sendai virus. The fusion (F) gene and protein of the reptilian paramyxovirus isolated from the snake Gonosoma oxycephala were also investigated. The sequences of the 1638 nt F gene and its 546 aa F protein were obtained and these sequences were compared to the F protein of the established paramyxovirus type species. The F protein, like its counterparts, was predicted to be glycosylated and to contain a furin cleavage site in the F1 und F2 subunit. Domains were predicted to be the signal-peptide (SP), a hydrophobic fusion peptide, two heptad repeats (HR A and HR B), a leucine zipper motif, and a transmembrane anchor (TM). To further characterize the F protein and identify antigenic determinants, an E. coli expression system and four plasmids containing four various constructs of the F gene were used: the first contained an insert with the entire gene; the second, an insert with the F gene minus the SP and TM; a third construct was inserted with the F2 subunit minus the SP; and the fourth contained an insert with the F1 subunit minus HR B and TM. To monitor expression, an anti-His tag monoclonal antibody in a Western blot (WB) was used. Antigenic epitopes were identified in WB by the use of polyclonal rabbit antiserum, raised against our isolate. No expression was detected for the first construct containing the entire F gene, but all other constructs produced proteins of the predicted molecular weights. The anti-viral rabbit serum detected only the protein encoded by the second construct, that included the predicted furin cleavage site. After treatment of this recombinant protein with furin, the antiserum reacted with only one of the fragments. The reactive fragment was identical to the fourth recombinant protein except for the inclusion of an additional 30 amino acids that contained HR B. The results indicate that HR B of the reptilian paramyxovirus F protein contains a linear antigenic epitope.Die untersuchten 18 Virusisolate stammten aus Schlangen der Familien Colubridae, Viperidae und Crotalidae, die an Lungensymptomatik und zentralnervösen Störungen erkrankt und teilweise verendet waren. Die Erreger wurden anhand ihres cytopathogenen Effektes, mittels Elektronenmikroskopie und RNA-PCR zweier verschiedener partieller Gene als Paramyxoviren identifiziert. Die Sequenzanalyse der RNA-PCR Amplifikate bewies anhand identischer Isolate aus gleichen Infektionsherden, aber verschiedenen Schlangenspezies, dass die hier untersuchten Reptilien Paramyxoviren (RPMV) nicht streng wirtsspezifisch waren. Sequenzvergleiche partieller L und F Gene zeigten für die RPMV untereinander eine Homologie von mindestens 79 % auf nt-Ebene und 94 % auf as-Ebene auf. Das Ermitteln prozentualer Sequenzunterschiede des Fer-de-Lance Virus (FDLV) und der etablierten Paramyxovirus Typspezies resultierte in einer maximalen Homologie von 56 % auf nt-Ebene und von 61 % auf as-Ebene mit dem Sendai Virus, bezogen auf das partielle L Gen. In phylogenetischen Analysen konnten diese Ergebnisse bestätigt werden. Die RPMV bildeten drei Gruppen für die L Gen Sequenzen und entsprechende Gruppen für die F Gen Sequenzen und grenzten sich deutlich vom Sendai Virus ab. Das Fusions (F) Gen, 1638 Nukleotide (nt), eines der RPMV Isolate wurde sequenziert und in das 546 Aminosäuren (as) F Protein übersetzt. Wie von den etablierten Paramyxovirus Typspezies bekannt, konnte das Protein in die F1 und die F2 Untereinheit gegliedert werden und folgende Protein-Motive als Modell dargestellt werden: das Signalpeptid (SP), ein Furin Schnittmotiv, das hydrophobe Fusionspeptid, zwei Heptad Repeat Motive (HR A und B), ein Leuzin Zipper Motiv und ein Transmembrananker (TM). Zwei N-glycosylierte Reste wurden ermittelt. Das F Gen wurde prokaryotisch exprimiert. Hierfür wurden vier verschiedene Plasmide konstruiert: eines beinhaltete das gesamte F Gen, das zweite das gesamte Gen ohne das SP und ohne den TM. Ein drittes beinhaltete die F2 Untereinheit ohne das SP und ein viertes die F2 Untereinheit ohne das HR B und den TM. Die prokaryotische Expression des gesamten RPMV F Gens war nicht erfolgreich. Es konnten aber rekombinante Proteine der vorherbestimmten Molekulargewichte für alle anderen Plasmidkonstruktionen erhalten werden. Mittels eines Anti-RPMV Kaninchenserums konnte ausschliesslich das zweite rekombinante Protein im WB detektiert werden, das auch das Furin Schnittmotiv enthielt. Nach Verdau dieses Proteins mit der Endopeptidase Furin detektierte das Antiserum noch ein Protein, das mit dem vierten rekombinanten Protein bis auf das HR B identisch ist. Das HR B ist eine 30 as lange Domäne, die zugleich das Leuzin Zipper Motiv darstellt und den Untersuchungen zufolge ein lineares antigenetisches Epitop beinhaltet

Off-grid: solar powered LED illumination impacts epigeal arthropods

Advances in LED technology combined with solar, storable energy bring light to places remote from electricity grids. Worldwide more than 1.3 billion of people are living off-grid, often in developing regions of high insect biodiversity. In developed countries, dark refuges for wildlife are threatened by ornamental garden lights. Solar powered LEDs (SPLEDs) are cheaply available, dim, and often used to illuminate foot paths, but little is known on their effects on ground living (epigeal) arthropods. We used off-the-shelf garden lamps with a single ‘white’ LED (colour temperature 7250 K) to experimentally investigate effects on attraction and nocturnal activity of ground beetles (Carabidae). We found two disparate and species-specific effects of SPLEDs. (i) Some nocturnal, phototactic species were not reducing activity under illumination and were strongly attracted to lamps (>20-fold increase in captures compared to dark controls). Such species aggregate in lit areas and SPLEDs may become ecological traps, while the species is drawn from nearby, unlit assemblages. (ii) Other nocturnal species were reducing mobility and activity under illumination without being attracted to light, which may cause fitness reduction in lit areas. Both reactions offer mechanistic explanations on how outdoor illumination can change population densities of specific predatory arthropods, which may have cascading effects on epigeal arthropod assemblages. The technology may thus increase the area of artificial light at night (ALAN) impacting insect biodiversity. Measures are needed to mitigate effects, such as adjustment of light colour temperature and automated switch-offs

Detektierbarkeit der Thrombuslast beim akuten Schlaganfall anhand dünnschichtiger Schnittbildkonstsruktionen am Multizeilen-Computertomographen

Die Arbeit beschäftigt sich mit dem direkten Nachweis eines Thrombus beim akuten Schlaganfall. Anhand einer Interobserverstudie konnte eine hohe Sensitivität bei hoher Spezifität bei der Erkennung des Arterienhyperdensitätszeichens durch die dünnschichtige Rekonstruktion der CT-Bilder nachgewiesen werden. Ein direkter Nachweis der Thrombuslast ist möglich. Bei der quantitativen Messung der Thrombuslast sollte auf die Berechnung der Thrombuslänge zurückgegriffen werden

Also, als wir jung waren... Die Einschätzung des Verhältnisses von Alt und Jung

Jüngere werden im Jahr 2014 bei der Einschätzung des Verhältnisses von Alt und Jung kritischer beurteilt als Ältere. Die Wertschätzung gegenüber der älteren sowie gegenüber der jüngeren Generation ist im Jahr 2014 sehr hoch. Enge Eltern-Kind-Beziehungen hängen positiv mit der Einschätzung sowie mit der Wertschätzung der Jüngeren zusammen. Niedriggebildete äußern sich im Jahr 2014 generell kritischer zum Verhältnis zwischen Alt und Jung als Hochgebildete

Electronic Structure and Luminescence of Quasi-Freestanding MoS2 Nanopatches on Au(111)

Monolayers of transition metal dichalcogenides are interesting materials for optoelectronic devices due to their direct electronic band gaps in the visible spectral range. Here, we grow single layers of MoS2 on Au(111) and find that nanometer-sized patches exhibit an electronic structure similar to their freestanding analogue. We ascribe the electronic decoupling from the Au substrate to the incorporation of vacancy islands underneath the intact MoS2 layer. Excitation of the patches by electrons from the tip of a scanning tunneling microscope leads to luminescence of the MoS2 junction and reflects the one-electron band structure of the quasi-freestanding layer

PTGER4 expression-modulating polymorphisms in the 5p13.1 region predispose to Crohn's disease and affect NF-κB and XBP1 binding sites.

Genome-wide association studies identified a PTGER4 expression-modulating region on chromosome 5p13.1 as Crohn's disease (CD) susceptibility region. The study aim was to test this association in a large cohort of patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and to elucidate genotypic and phenotypic interactions with other IBD genes. A total of 7073 patients and controls were genotyped: 844 CD and 471 patients with ulcerative colitis and 1488 controls were analyzed for the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) rs4495224 and rs7720838 on chromosome 5p13.1. The study included two replication cohorts of North American (CD: n = 684; controls: n = 1440) and of German origin (CD: n = 1098; controls: n = 1048). Genotype-phenotype, epistasis and transcription factor binding analyses were performed. In the discovery cohort, an association of rs4495224 (p = 4.10×10⁻⁵; 0.76 [0.67-0.87]) and of rs7720838 (p = 6.91×10⁻⁴; 0.81 [0.71-0.91]) with susceptibility to CD was demonstrated. These associations were confirmed in both replication cohorts. In silico analysis predicted rs4495224 and rs7720838 as essential parts of binding sites for the transcription factors NF-κB and XBP1 with higher binding scores for carriers of the CD risk alleles, providing an explanation of how these SNPs might contribute to increased PTGER4 expression. There was no association of the PTGER4 SNPs with IBD phenotypes. Epistasis detected between 5p13.1 and ATG16L1 for CD susceptibility in the discovery cohort (p = 5.99×10⁻⁷ for rs7720838 and rs2241880) could not be replicated in both replication cohorts arguing against a major role of this gene-gene interaction in the susceptibility to CD. We confirmed 5p13.1 as a major CD susceptibility locus and demonstrate by in silico analysis rs4495224 and rs7720838 as part of binding sites for NF-κB and XBP1. Further functional studies are necessary to confirm the results of our in silico analysis and to analyze if changes in PTGER4 expression modulate CD susceptibility