Political economy of the Agenda 2010 reforms: How Gerhard Schröder overcame the "blocked republic". ACES Cases No. 2008.3

This essay will show that the Schröder-led government managed to break the political gridlock and introduce the Agenda 2010 because key institutional structures of Germany‟s political economy had lost their obstructive powers. In other words, the formerly semi-sovereign state had reclaimed its sovereignty. To understand how this happened, Peter Katzenstein's concept of the semi-sovereign state is first explored as a framework through which to analyze economic policy continuity and change. Within this framework, the causes for constant reform inertia between 1982 and 2002, in spite of varying political constellations and changes in the country‟s economic structure, are then discussed. This analysis will demonstrate that the Agenda 2010 reforms are predominantly a result of underlying incremental change in the political economy and its effect on the political decision-making process. Finally, the findings of this analysis are summarized and discussed with the aim of better understanding the economic policies of the current grand coalition government of the CDU/CSU and the SPD government under Chancellor Angela Merkel

The art of the almost impossible: three essays on the political economy of structural reforms in Europe

The Introduction – together with the conclusion – provides a framework for the three substantial contributions of this PhD project. It begins with sketching a puzzle that motivates research on the political economy of structural reforms in Europe, namely the inconsistency between the commitment of governments to reform and the actual reform track record across the countries. It discusses the nature and findings of the relevant multidisciplinary political economy literature. Paper One addresses the puzzle why the first major post-war overhaul of the German political economy – the ‘Agenda 2010’ reforms – was undertaken in 2003 by a social-democratic government and not by any of the conservative governments that preceded it. It finds that the lack of government cohesion, the federal legislative system and corporatist structures remain important determinants for institutional stability and change in Germany. Paper Two develops a theoretical argument as to why corporatist European economies may live through extended periods of economic underperformance without significant reform. Building on this argument, it presents a formal model, from which it derives a set of determinants for structural reforms, and finally illustrates these by exploring the causes for reform in Germany and Sweden. Paper Three uses a new database on labour market reform to show that corporatist structures have an intermediating effect on the determinants of structural reform policies. It finds evidence that the interests of employer organisations and trade unions matter for the labour market reform trajectories in countries with corporatist features. Political partisanship and economic crises matter more in pluralist countries. Finally, the Conclusion summarises the findings of the three papers. Subsequently, it outlines the limitations and draws up some wider implications for the theories of institutional change and for public policymaking

A fiscal capacity for the euro area: lessons from existing fiscal-federal systems

Tras la crisis económica y financiera, ha emergido en Europa un amplio consenso sobre la necesidad de reforzar la dimensión fiscal para completar la Unión Económica y Monetaria (UEM). Este documento analiza el papel de las transferencias interregionales en algunas de las principales federaciones fiscales (centrado en Austria, Bélgica, Alemania, España y Estados Unidos), con el objetivo de extraer las conclusiones necesarias para el diseño de un instrumento fiscal para el área del euro. El análisis empírico de compartición de riesgos llevado a cabo en este documento sugiere que una estabilización interregional de los shocks asimétricos es más efectiva cuando está basada en transferencias directas de efectivo a los hogares, tales como las pensiones por desempleo, financiadas por medio de los impuestos cíclicos del Gobierno Central y de las contribuciones a la Seguridad Social. Estos resultados sugieren que un instrumento centralizado de estabilización macroeconómica para el conjunto del área esté basado en la mejora de los mecanismos de estabilización automática. Al mismo tiempo, parece importante que dicho instrumento de estabilización central esté integrado en un marco general de política fiscal que asegure los incentivos adecuados para los Gobiernos nacionales.Tras la crisis económica y financiera, ha emergido en Europa un amplio consenso sobre la necesidad de reforzar la dimensión fiscal para completar la Unión Económica y Monetaria (UEM). Este documento analiza el papel de las transferencias interregionales en algunas de las principales federaciones fiscales (centrado en Austria, Bélgica, Alemania, España y Estados Unidos), con el objetivo de extraer las conclusiones necesarias para el diseño de un instrumento fiscal para el área del euro. El análisis empírico de compartición de riesgos llevado a cabo en este documento sugiere que una estabilización interregional de los shocks asimétricos es más efectiva cuando está basada en transferencias directas de efectivo a los hogares, tales como las pensiones por desempleo, financiadas por medio de los impuestos cíclicos del Gobierno Central y de las contribuciones a la Seguridad Social. Estos resultados sugieren que un instrumento centralizado de estabilización macroeconómica para el conjunto del área esté basado en la mejora de los mecanismos de estabilización automática. Al mismo tiempo, parece importante que dicho instrumento de estabilización central esté integrado en un marco general de política fiscal que asegure los incentivos adecuados para los Gobiernos nacionales

Adjuvant Radiotherapy in Patients with Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oral Cavity or Oropharynx and Solitary Ipsilateral Lymph Node Metastasis (pN1) : A Prospective Multicentric Cohort Study

(1) Background: Evaluation of impact of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity/oropharynx (OSCC) of up to 4 cm (pT1/pT2) and solitary ipsilateral lymph node metastasis (pN1). A non-irradiated group with clinical follow-up was chosen for control, and survival and quality of life (QL) were compared; (2) Methods: This prospective multicentric comprehensive cohort study included patients with resected OSCC (pT1/pT2, pN1, and cM0) who were allocated into adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) or observation. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival and QL after surgery; (3) Results: Out of 27 centers, 209 patients were enrolled with a median follow-up of 3.4 years. An amount of 137 patients were in the observation arm, and 72 received adjuvant irradiation. Overall survival did not differ between groups (hazard ratio (HR) 0.98 [0.55–1.73], p = 0.94). There were fewer neck metastases (HR 0.34 [0.15–0.77]; p = 0.01), as well as fewer local recurrences (HR 0.41 [0.19–0.89]; p = 0.02) under adjuvant RT. For QL, irradiated patients showed higher values for the symptom scale pain after 0.5, two, and three years (all p < 0.05). After six months and three years, irradiated patients reported higher symptom burdens (impaired swallowing, speech, as well as teeth-related problems (all p < 0.05)). Patients in the RT group had significantly more problems with mouth opening after six months, one, and two years (p < 0.05); (4) Conclusions: Adjuvant RT in patients with early SCC of the oral cavity and oropharynx does not seem to influence overall survival, but it positively affects progression-free survival. However, irradiated patients report a significantly decreased QL up to three years after therapy compared to the observation group

Political economy of the Agenda 2010 reforms: how Gerhard Schröder overcame the 'blocked republic'

This essay will show that the Schröder-led government managed to break the political gridlock and introduce the Agenda 2010 because key institutional structures of Germany‟s political economy had lost their obstructive powers. In other words, the formerly semi-sovereign state had reclaimed its sovereignty. To understand how this happened, Peter Katzenstein's concept of the semi-sovereign state is first explored as a framework through which to analyze economic policy continuity and change. Within this framework, the causes for constant reform inertia between 1982 and 2002, in spite of varying political constellations and changes in the country‟s economic structure, are then discussed. This analysis will demonstrate that the Agenda 2010 reforms are predominantly a result of underlying incremental change in the political economy and its effect on the political decision-making process. Finally, the findings of this analysis are summarized and discussed with the aim of better understanding the economic policies of the current grand coalition government of the CDU/CSU and the SPD government under Chancellor Angela Merkel

Microfluidic device for control and sensing of dynamic oxygen levels during cell cultivation

Kaganovitch E, Krischer M, Probst C, et al. Microfluidic device for control and sensing of dynamic oxygen levels during cell cultivation. In: 20th International Conference on Miniaturized Systems for Chemistry and Life Sciences (MicroTAS 2016). Red Hook, NY: Curran Associates, Inc.; 2017: 355-356

Atlas der Datenkörper. Körperbilder in Kunst, Design und Wissenschaft im Zeitalter digitaler Medien

Digitale Technologien und soziale Medien verändern die Selbst- und Körperwahrnehmung und verzerren, verstärken oder produzieren dabei spezifische Körperbilder. Die Beiträger*innen kartographieren diese Phänomene, fragen nach ihrer medialen Existenzweise sowie nach den Möglichkeiten ihrer Kritik. Dabei begegnen sie ihrer Neuartigkeit mit einer transdisziplinären Herangehensweise. Aus sowohl der Perspektive künstlerischer und gestalterischer Forschung als auch der Kunst-, Kultur- und Medienwissenschaft sowie der Psychologie und Neurowissenschaft wird die Landschaft rezenter Körperbilder und Techniken einer digitalen Körperlichkeit untersucht

Adjuvant radiotherapy in patients with squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or oropharynx and solitary ipsilateral lymph node metastasis (pN1) — a prospective multicentric cohort study

(1) Background: Evaluation of impact of adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity/oropharynx (OSCC) of up to 4 cm (pT1/pT2) and solitary ipsilateral lymph node metastasis (pN1). A non-irradiated group with clinical follow-up was chosen for control, and survival and quality of life (QL) were compared; (2) Methods: This prospective multicentric comprehensive cohort study included patients with resected OSCC (pT1/pT2, pN1, and cM0) who were allocated into adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) or observation. The primary endpoint was overall survival. Secondary endpoints were progression-free survival and QL after surgery; (3) Results: Out of 27 centers, 209 patients were enrolled with a median follow-up of 3.4 years. An amount of 137 patients were in the observation arm, and 72 received adjuvant irradiation. Overall survival did not differ between groups (hazard ratio (HR) 0.98 [0.55–1.73], p = 0.94). There were fewer neck metastases (HR 0.34 [0.15–0.77]; p = 0.01), as well as fewer local recurrences (HR 0.41 [0.19–0.89]; p = 0.02) under adjuvant RT. For QL, irradiated patients showed higher values for the symptom scale pain after 0.5, two, and three years (all p < 0.05). After six months and three years, irradiated patients reported higher symptom burdens (impaired swallowing, speech, as well as teeth-related problems (all p < 0.05)). Patients in the RT group had significantly more problems with mouth opening after six months, one, and two years (p < 0.05); (4) Conclusions: Adjuvant RT in patients with early SCC of the oral cavity and oropharynx does not seem to influence overall survival, but it positively affects progression-free survival. However, irradiated patients report a significantly decreased QL up to three years after therapy compared to the observation group