Employment risks and opportunities for an ageing workforce in the EU

"The article provides a detailed analysis of the employment situation of older workers (55-64 years) in the EU member states. Using European Labour Force Survey data we systematically discuss the variation in the employment of older workers along the dimensions of gender, sectoral distribution, type of employment, training and flexible work arrangements. We show that and where Germany has to do some catching up if it wants to create a favourable employment context for this age group. Highlighting country differences we draw the conclusions that this labour market challenge can be characterised to a large extent as a gender problem, that labour market policy for an ageing workforce must start much earlier than just with older people and that their employment situation can to a great extent be sought in the general economic parameters and especially in the degree of employment growth in the service sector." (author's abstract)"Der Beitrag analysiert die Beschäftigungssituation älterer Menschen (55-64 Jahre) in den EU-Mitgliedsländern. Auf der Basis von European Labour Force Survey Daten diskutieren die Autoren systematisch die Ländervarianz in den Kategorien Geschlecht, Sektoren, Art der Beschäftigung, Aus- und Weiterbildung sowie flexible Arbeitsorganisation. Sie zeigen, dass und wo Deutschland Nachholbedarf hat, einen positiven Beschäftigungskontext für diese Altersgruppe herzustellen. Mit Blick auf die Unterschiede zwischen den Ländern stellen die Autoren fest, dass diese Arbeitsmarktherausforderung in starkem Maße als Gleichstellungsproblem charakterisiert werden kann, dass Arbeitsmarktpolitik für eine alternde Bevölkerung nicht erst mit den Alten beginnen darf und dass die Beschäftigungssituation Ältere wesentlich durch wirtschaftliche Parameter bestimmt wird, besonders durch das Beschäftigungswachstum im Dienstleistungssektor." (Autorenreferat

On the enigmatic scent glands of dyspnoan harvestmen (Arachnida, Opiliones): first evidence for the production of volatile secretions

La utilización en encuestas de preguntas con tarjetas de respuesta está totalmente aceptada por la comunidad investigadora. Esto supone una carga de trabajo “extra” en la tarea del entrevistador, lo que explica que en ocasiones no se utilicen correctamente. Pese a esta situación, hay muy poca literatura sobre la influencia de las tarjetas en las respuestas del entrevistado. El objetivo de este trabajo es profundizar en los efectos que la utilización de tarjetas tiene en la calidad de las respuestas del cuestionario, partiendo de la hipótesis que considera que las tarjetas —pese a complicar la tarea del encuestador— suponen importantes mejoras en la administración del cuestionario. Utilizaremos para ello un estudio del Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas con 23 preguntas de tarjeta, comparando las respuestas de los entrevistados que utilizaron las tarjetas con aquellos que no las emplearon.Using “response cards” in question surveys is unanimously approved by the research community. The fact that this represents an extra workload for the interviewer’s task explains why they sometimes are not used correctly. Despite this situation there is a paucity of literature on the influence of the response card on the respondent’s answers. The aim of this study is to deepen the analysis of how using these cards affect the quality of the survey’s responses. To do so, we start from the assumption that the cards —while complicating the interviewer’s task, result in significant improvements in the survey’s administration. For this purpose we will use a study with 23 card questions (question cards) by the Centro de Investigaciones Sociológicas, (the Spanish Centre for Sociological Research), and we will compare the answers of respondents that used cards with those who did not

evidence for a moderator effect

Background: While ethnic discrimination emphasizes boundaries between different cultures, the concept of transculturality focuses on the fact that cultures can merge and that individuals integrate novel cultural elements into their identity. This is an exploratory study that investigates the interplay between perceived ethnic discrimination, psychological adjustment and transcultural identity. Methods: Structured interviews were conducted using a sample of 46 adolescents with a Turkish migratory background and 45 adolescents who were native born Germans. Results: Correlational and multiple regression analyses revealed that perceived discrimination was clearly associated with a poorer psychological adjustment among adolescents with a migratory background. Transcultural identity moderated this relationship. That is, adolescents who showed higher levels of transcultural identity displayed a better psychological adjustment when compared to adolescents who showed lower levels of transcultural identity—provided that they did not feel discriminated against. This is congruent with the idea that transcultural identity can involve considerable benefits for personality. However, when adolescents perceived higher rates of discrimination, higher levels of transcultural identity came attached to a poorer psychological adjustment. Conclusions: The findings suggest that perceived discrimination has negative effects on the well-being of immigrant adolescents—particularly for those who describe their identity as transcultural. The findings are discussed considering specific characteristics of transcultural identity, and how they stand in opposition to discrimination

A Novel Class of Defensive Compounds in Harvestmen: Hydroxy-γ-Lactones from the Phalangiid Egaenus convexus

When threatened, the harvestman Egaenus convexus (Opiliones: Phalangiidae) ejects a secretion against offenders. The secretion originates from large prosomal scent glands and is mainly composed of two isomers of 4-hydroxy-5-octyl-4,5-dihydro-3H-furan-2-one (1), a β-hydroxy-γ-lactone. The compounds were characterized by GC-MS of their microreaction derivatives, HRMS, and NMR. After the synthesis of all four possible stereoisomers of 1, followed by their separation by chiral-phase GC, the absolute configurations of the lactones in the Egaenus secretion was found to be (4S,5R)-1 (90%) and (4S,5S)-1 (10%). Hydroxy-γ-lactones represent a new class of exocrine defense compounds in harvestmen

Effects of Ribosomal Protein S10 Flexible Loop Mutations on Tetracycline and Tigecycline Susceptibility of Escherichia coli

Tigecycline is a tetracycline derivative that is being used as an antibiotic of last resort. Both tigecycline and tetracycline bind to the small (30S) ribosomal subunit and inhibit translation. Target mutations leading to resistance to these antibiotics have been identified both in the 16S ribosomal RNA and in ribosomal proteins S3 and S10 (encoded by the rpsJ gene). Several different mutations in the S10 flexible loop tip residue valine 57 (V57) have been observed in tigecycline-resistant Escherichia coli isolates. However, the role of these mutations in E. coli has not yet been characterized in a defined genetic background. In this study, we chromosomally integrated 10 different rpsJ mutations into E. coli, resulting in different exchanges or a deletion of S10 V57, and investigated the effects of the mutations on growth and tigecycline/tetracycline resistance. While one exchange, V57K, decreased the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) (Etest) to tetracycline to 0.75 μg/ml (compared to 2 μg/ml in the parent strain) and hence resulted in hypersensitivity to tetracycline, most exchanges, including the ones reported previously in resistant isolates (V57L, V57D, and V57I) resulted in slightly increased MICs to tigecycline and tetracycline. The strongest increase was observed for the V57L mutant, with a MIC (Etest) to tigecycline of 0.5 μg/ml (compared to 0.125 μg/ml in the parent strain) and a MIC to tetracycline of 4.0 μg/ml. Nevertheless, none of these exchanges increased the MIC to the extent observed in previously described clinical tigecycline-resistant isolates. We conclude that, next to S10 mutations, additional mutations are necessary in order to reach high-level tigecycline resistance in E. coli. In addition, our data reveal that mutants carrying S10 V57 exchanges or deletion display growth defects and, in most cases, also thermosensitivity. The defects are particularly strong in the V57 deletion mutant, which is additionally cold-sensitive. We hypothesize that the S10 loop tip residue is critical for the correct functioning of S10. Both the S10 flexible loop and tigecycline are in contact with helix h31 of the 16S rRNA. We speculate that exchanges or deletion of V57 alter the positioning of h31, thereby influencing both tigecycline binding and S10 function

Naphthoquinones and Anthraquinones from Scent Glands of a Dyspnoid Harvestman, Paranemastoma quadripunctatum

Extracts of Paranemastoma quadripunctatum (Opiliones, Dyspnoi, Nemastomatidae) contained seven components, all of which likely originated from the secretion of well-developed prosomal scent glands. The two main components (together accounting for more than 90% of the secretion) were identified as 1,4-naphthoquinone and 6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone. The minor components were 1,4-naphthalenediol, two methoxy-naphthoquinones (2-methoxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, and 2-methoxy-6-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and two anthraquinones (2-methyl-9,10-anthraquinone and a dimethyl-9,10-anthraquinone). While some chemical data on scent gland secretions of the other suborders of Opiliones (Cyphophthalmi, palpatorean Eupnoi, and Laniatores) already exist, this is the first report on the scent gland chemistry in the Dyspnoi. Naphthoquinones are known scent gland exudates of Cyphophthalmi and certain Eupnoi, methoxy-naphthoquinones and anthraquinones are new for opilionid scent gland secretions

Massive X-ray screening reveals two allosteric drug binding sites of SARS-CoV-2 main protease

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 is creating tremendous health problems and economical challenges for mankind. To date, no effective drug is available to directly treat the disease and prevent virus spreading. In a search for a drug against COVID-19, we have performed a massive X-ray crystallographic screen of repurposing drug libraries containing 5953 individual compounds against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro), which is a potent drug target as it is essential for the virus replication. In contrast to commonly applied X-ray fragment screening experiments with molecules of low complexity, our screen tested already approved drugs and drugs in clinical trials. From the three-dimensional protein structures, we identified 37 compounds binding to Mpro. In subsequent cell-based viral reduction assays, one peptidomimetic and five non-peptidic compounds showed antiviral activity at non-toxic concentrations. Interestingly, two compounds bind outside the active site to the native dimer interface in close proximity to the S1 binding pocket. Another compound binds in a cleft between the catalytic and dimerization domain of Mpro. Neither binding site is related to the enzymatic active site and both represent attractive targets for drug development against SARS-CoV-2. This X-ray screening approach thus has the potential to help deliver an approved drug on an accelerated time-scale for this and future pandemics