Job quality between institutional differences and convergence

The alignment of workplace situation and work values is an important indicator of job quality. From an international comparative perspective, it can be assumed that countries differ regarding the respective mismatch levels owing to institutional differences. However, these differences may be dynamic, and globalization approaches posit a general trend towards convergence. This paper tests these assumptions by asking how countries differ in their mismatch levels and how these differences develop over time. The empirical analysis is based on employee data from 1989 and 2005 for the USA, Great Britain, West Germany, Norway, and Hungary. Findings show that in 1989, West Germany exhibited lower mismatch levels than the USA and Great Britain. In contrast, findings for Norway are mixed, while Hungary displays mostly higher mismatch levels. A partial convergence of job security and income mismatch levels has taken place between the USA, Great Britain, and West Germany. Moreover, our findings underline the persistence of institutional differences in job quality.Die Übereinstimmung zwischen Arbeitsplatzsituation und arbeitsorientieren Werten stellt einen wichtigen Indikator der Arbeitsqualität dar. Aus einer international vergleichenden Perspektive kann angenommen werden, dass die entsprechenden Mismatch-Niveaus aufgrund institutioneller Differenzen unterschiedlich ausfallen. Diese Unterschiede können dynamisch sein, wobei Globalisierungsansätze von einem konvergierenden Trend ausgehen. Dieser Beitrag testet diese Annahmen und fragt, inwieweit sich Länder hinsichtlich ihrer Mismatch-Niveaus unterscheiden und wie sich diese Unterschiede im Laufe der Zeit verändern. Die empirische Analyse basiert auf Arbeitnehmerdaten aus den Jahren 1989 und 2005 für die USA, Großbritannien, Westdeutschland, Norwegen und Ungarn. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass in 1989 in Westdeutschland geringere Mismatch-Niveaus vorlagen als in den USA und Großbritannien. Im Gegenzug zeigen sich für Norwegen gemischte Befunde, während die Mismatch-Niveaus in Ungarn meist am höchsten sind. In Bezug auf Arbeitsplatzsicherheit und Einkommen findet eine partielle Konvergenz zwischen den USA, Großbritannien und Westdeutschland statt. Darüber hinaus unterstreichen die Ergebnisse allerdings eine Beständigkeit institutioneller Differenzen der Arbeitsqualität

Wandel der Arbeitsqualität. Arbeits- und Beschäftigungsbedingungen zwischen 1989 und 2006 in einer evaluativ-relationalen Perspektive

Previous studies on changes in job quality have merely described changes in work and employment conditions. Job quality, however, is an evaluative-relational concept: On the one hand, the evaluation of job quality always implies a judgmental perspective; on the other hand, different work and employment conditions weight unevenly in determining job quality as a whole. This paper explores how perceived work and employment conditions have changed in relation to their respective reference points, the work-related values of employees. In addition, the relative effects of single aspects on overall job quality are investigated. The analysis is based on data from the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) from the years 1989, 1997, and 2006. In contrast to existing studies, the findings presented here indicate that perceived work situation and work values of employees change in distinct ways and that particular dimensions of job quality differ in their respective relevance.Bisherige Studien zum Wandel der Arbeitsqualität beschreiben lediglich Veränderungen in den Arbeits- und Beschäftigungsbedingungen. Arbeitsqualität stellt allerdings ein evaluativ-relationales Konzept dar: Zum einen impliziert die Einschätzung der Arbeitsqualität stets eine wertende Perspektive; zum anderen haben die jeweiligen Arbeits- und Beschäftigungsbedingungen ein unterschiedliches Gewicht bei der Bestimmung der Arbeitsqualität. Im vorliegenden Beitrag wird analysiert, wie sich parallel zu den wahrgenommenen Arbeits- und Beschäftigungsbedingungen auch deren zentrale Referenzpunkte, d. h. die arbeitsorientierten Werte der Beschäftigten, verändert haben. Zudem wird der relative Effekt dieser Aspekte auf die Arbeitsqualität insgesamt betrachtet. Die Analyse erfolgt anhand der Daten des International Social Survey Programs (ISSP) von 1989, 1997 und 2006. Im Kontrast zu bisherigen Studien wird deutlich, dass sich neben der wahrgenommenen Situation auch die arbeitsorientierten Werte der Beschäftigten wandeln und den einzelnen Dimensionen der Arbeitsqualität unterschiedliche Relevanz zukommt

Hemipiperazines as peptide-derived molecular photoswitches with low-nanomolar cytotoxicity

The development of photochromic systems is an important and growing area of research, in particular for bioactive molecular photoswitches. Here, the authors report on photopharmacological antimitotic agents, operational under visible light, based on a peptide-derived hemipiperazine photochrome. Molecular photoswitches transform light energy into reversible structural changes. Their combination with known pharmacophores often allows for photomodulation of the biological activity. The effort to apply such compounds in photopharmacology as light-activated pro-drugs is, however, hampered by serious activity reduction upon pharmacophore modifications, or limited biostability. Here we report that a potent antimitotic agent plinabulin and its derivatives demonstrate up to 56-fold reversible activity photomodulation. Alternatively, irreversible photoactivation with cyan light can enhance the cytotoxicity up to three orders of magnitude-all without compromising the original activity level, as the original pharmacophore structure is unchanged. This occurs due to the presence of a peptide-derived photoswitchable motif hemipiperazine inside the plinabulin scaffold. Furthermore, we systematically describe photochromism of these thermally stable and biocompatible hemipiperazines, as well as a photoswitchable fluorophore derived from plinabulin. The latter may further expand the applicability of hemipiperazine photochromism towards super-resolution microscopy.Peer reviewe

Hemipiperazines as peptide-derived molecular photoswitches with low-nanomolar cytotoxicity

The development of photochromic systems is an important and growing area of research, in particular for bioactive molecular photoswitches. Here, the authors report on photopharmacological antimitotic agents, operational under visible light, based on a peptide-derived hemipiperazine photochrome. Molecular photoswitches transform light energy into reversible structural changes. Their combination with known pharmacophores often allows for photomodulation of the biological activity. The effort to apply such compounds in photopharmacology as light-activated pro-drugs is, however, hampered by serious activity reduction upon pharmacophore modifications, or limited biostability. Here we report that a potent antimitotic agent plinabulin and its derivatives demonstrate up to 56-fold reversible activity photomodulation. Alternatively, irreversible photoactivation with cyan light can enhance the cytotoxicity up to three orders of magnitude-all without compromising the original activity level, as the original pharmacophore structure is unchanged. This occurs due to the presence of a peptide-derived photoswitchable motif hemipiperazine inside the plinabulin scaffold. Furthermore, we systematically describe photochromism of these thermally stable and biocompatible hemipiperazines, as well as a photoswitchable fluorophore derived from plinabulin. The latter may further expand the applicability of hemipiperazine photochromism towards super-resolution microscopy.Peer reviewe

Risk Factors for the Occurrence of Feather Pecking in Non-Beak-Trimmed Pullets and Laying Hens on Commercial Farms

Severe feather pecking (SFP) is a behavioral disorder, for which there are multifactorial reasons. Various aspects of pullet and laying-hen husbandry—including housing conditions, management, feeding, and genetics—must be considered, to prevent negative outcomes, such as severe plumage damage, skin injuries, and high mortality rates due to SFP. The aim of this study was to identify housing and management factors in the occurrence of feather pecking, so as to reduce the risk of this behavioral disorder in non-beak-trimmed laying hens on commercial farms with aviaries. Beak trimming may reduce the extent of plumage damage, but it does not prevent feather pecking and cannibalism. Thirty non-beak-trimmed flocks (16 in the first, and 14 in the second laying period) were investigated on 16 commercial farms in Germany. Each flock was visited twice during rearing, and three times during the laying period. During each visit, individual plumage and integument scoring were performed, and data were collected, regarding the housing and management conditions of the flocks. To analyze the influence of management and housing on the plumage condition of the rearing and laying flocks, models were calculated, using univariate multifactorial analysis. In the rearing period, high stocking density and poor litter quality were significant risk factors in plumage damage due to SFP. In the laying period, a lack of free range, poor litter quality, insufficient enrichment, and plumage damage during rearing were significant risk factors for the development of SFP. An individual risk analysis of pullet and layer farms is therefore strongly recommended, to prevent outbreaks of SFP and cannibalism, especially in non-beak-trimmed birds

Distinct expression patterns of VEGFR 1-3 in gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms: supporting clinical relevance, but not a prognostic factor

Introduction: Gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (GEP-NENs) are an increasing tumor entity. Since many patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, treatment is still challenging and dependent on many tumor and patient specific factors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to elucidate the expression rates and the prognostic value of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) 1-3 in GEP-NENs. A potential association to immune checkpoint markers was further investigated. Material and Methods: The expression levels of VEGFR 1-3 were analyzed by immunohistochemistry and correlated with the expression of the checkpoint markers PD-1 and PD-L1. Furthermore, the tumor samples of 249 GEP-NEN patients were studied and correlated with overall survival rates and clinicopathological features. Kaplan–Meier analyses and the log rank test were used for survival analyses. Categorical variables were compared by the χ2 test. Results: The most common primary tumor site was the small intestine (50.6%), followed by the pancreas (25.7%). VEGFR 1 was highly expressed in 59%, VEGFR 2 in 6.4%, and VEGFR 3 in 61.8% of the analyzed samples. The expression of VEGFR 1-3 was not significantly associated with survival rates. Pancreatic NENs had the highest expression of VEGFR 1 and 3 in 80% of the cases. VEGFR 1-3 positivity correlated with the expression levels of immune checkpoint markers. Discussion: VEGFR 1-3 show a distinct expression pattern in different subgroups of neuroendocrine neoplasias indicating a conceivable target. Moreover, there was a substantial association between VEGFRs andimmune checkpoint markers. Taken together, anti-VEGFR therapy represents a promising therapeutic approach in GEP-NEN patients and should be addressed in future studies

NGS-guided precision oncology in metastatic breast and gynecological cancer: first experiences at the CCC Munich LMU

PURPOSE Comprehensive genomic profiling identifying actionable molecular alterations aims to enable personalized treatment for cancer patients. The purpose of this analysis was to retrospectively assess the impact of personalized recommendations made by a multidisciplinary tumor board (MTB) on the outcome of patients with breast or gynecological cancers, who had progressed under standard treatment. Here, first experiences of our Comprehensive Cancer Center Molecular Tumor Board are reported. METHODS All patients were part of a prospective local registry. 95 patients diagnosed with metastatic breast cancer or gynecological malignancies underwent extended molecular profiling. From May 2017 through March 2019, the MTB reviewed all clinical cases considering tumor profile and evaluated molecular alterations regarding further diagnostic and therapeutic recommendations. RESULTS 95 patients with metastatic breast or gynecological cancers were discussed in the MTB (68% breast cancer, 20% ovarian cancer, 5% cervical cancer, 3% endometrial cancer and 4% others). Genes with highest mutation rate were PIK3CA and ERBB2. Overall, 34 patients (36%) received a biomarker-based targeted therapy recommendation. Therapeutic recommendations were implemented in nine cases; four patients experienced clinical benefit with a partial response or disease stabilization lasting over 4~months. CONCLUSION In the setting of a multidisciplinary molecular tumor board, a small but clinically meaningful group of breast and gynecological cancer patients benefits from comprehensive genomic profiling. Broad and successful implementation of precision medicine is complicated by patient referral at late stage disease and limited access to targeted agents and early clinical trials. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER 284-10 (03.05.2018)

Wirkung der Maßnahmen der Bundesregierung innerhalb der Zielarchitektur zum Umbau der Energieversorgung

Um die weitere Entwicklung der Energiewende zu gestalten, wurde mit dem Ersten Fortschrittsbericht zur Energiewende eine Strukturierung der verschiedenen Energiewendeziele nach Sektoren und Kategorien vorgenommen und in eine Hierarchie nach Strategie- und Steuerungsebene gebracht. Diese Strukturierung der Ziele wird in dieser Studie (und auch darüber hinaus) als Zielarchitektur bezeichnet. In der vorliegenden Studie werden die Wirkungen der Instrumente innerhalb der Zielarchitektur und ihr Zusammenspiel zur Erreichung der energiepolitischen Ziele analysiert. Auf Basis der erzielten Ergebnisse wird die Zielarchitektur im Hinblick auf die Erreichung der energie- und klimapolitischen Ziele sowie einer weiteren Optimierung der Energiewende hin untersucht. Dabei sollen insbesondere anhand der beiden Leitkriterien Kosteneffizienz und Systemintegration mögliche Korridore für Steuerungsziele wie auch Flexibilisierungsoptionen der Ziele identifiziert werden

PENGARUH PENGGUNAAN HIDROLISAT TEPUNG BULU AYAM DALAM RANSUM TERHADAP KECERNAAN BAHAN KERING DAN BAHAN ORGANIK SERTA KONSENTRASI AMONIA CAIRAN RUMEN KAMBING KACANG JANTAN

Sumber protein bagi ternak ruminansia di dalam abomasum berasal dari protein mikrobia dan protein pakan yang lolos degradasi rumen (by pass protein). Hidrolisat tepung bulu ayam (HBA) berpotensi digunakan untuk pakan ternak ruminansia, karena kandungan protein kasar yang tinggi dan mengandung protein yang tahan terhadap perombakan oleh mikrobia rumen (rumen undegradable protein/RUP), tetapi mampu diurai secara enzimatis pada saluran pencernaan pasca rumen. Penggunaan protein yang tahan degradasi rumen tetap harus mempertimbangkan kecukupan asupan protein bagi mikrobia dalam rumen yang optimal untuk didegradasi menjadi amonia, agar tidak mengganggu stabilitas lingkungan rumen untuk sintesis mikrobia. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh penggunaan pakan HBA dalam ransum terhadap kecernaan bahan kering, kecernaan bahan organik, konsentrasi amonia cairan rumen kambing kacang jantan. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan selama delapan minggu, mulai tanggal 14 Oktober sampai 9 Desember 2007, di kandang milik peternak yang berlokasi di dukuh Watutebok, desa Potronayan, kecamatan Nogosari, Kabupaten Boyolali. Materi penelitian ini menggunakan Kambing Kacang Jantan sebanyak 12 ekor dengan bobot badan rata-rata 15,98 ± 0,96 kg. Ransum yang diberikan terdiri dari jerami padi fermentasi (JPF), konsentrat, dan hidrolisat tepung bulu ayam (HBA). Rancangan percobaan yang digunakan adalah Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) pola searah dengan empat macam perlakuan (P0, P1, P2, P3), setiap perlakuan terdiri dari tiga ulangan dengan setiap ulangan terdiri dari satu ekor Kambing Kacang Jantan. Ransum yang diberikan untuk P0 (sebagai kontrol) terdiri dari 40 % JPF dan 60 % konsentrat (tersusun dari 51 % BC 132, 9 % bungkil kedelai, 0 % HBA); P1 dengan 40 % JPF dan 60 % konsentrat (52 % BC 132, 6 % bungkil kedelai, 2 % HBA); P2 dengan 40 % JPF dan 60 % konsentrat (53 % BC 132, 3 % bungkil kedelai, 4 % HBA); P3 dengan 40 % JPF dan 60 % konsentrat (54 % BC 132, 0 % bungkil kedelai + 6 % HBA). Peubah yang diamati adalah konsumsi bahan kering, konsumsi bahan organik, kecernaan bahan kering, kecernaan bahan organik, konsentrasi amonia dan derajat keasaman/pH cairan rumen. Data hasil penelitian dari keseluruhan peubah setelah dihitung dengan analisis variansi menunjukkan pengaruh yang berbeda tidak nyata (P≥0,05). Rerata data hasil penelitian dari P0, P1, P2, P3 berturut-turut untuk konsumsi bahan kering 679,54; 635,53; 652,79; 606,45 (g/ekor/hari); konsumsi bahan organik 557,93; 518,41; 534,98; 497,54 (g/ekor/hari); kecernaan bahan kering 52,57; 47,27; 49,24; 51,65 persen; kecernaan bahan organik 62,43; 56,32; 59,58; 64,11 persen; konsentrasi amonia 5,22; 5,22; 4,80; 5,04 (mM); derajat keasaman/pH 7,00; 7,03; 6,97; 7,05. Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini adalah penggunaan hidrolisat tepung bulu ayam (HBA) untuk kambing kacang jantan dengan level pemberian hingga 6 persen dari total ransum tidak meningkatkan kecernaan bahan kering dan bahan organik tetapi pH dan konsentrasi amonia tetap pada kondisi yang optimal untuk proses fermentasi mikrobia dalam rumen. Kata kunci : kambing kacang jantan, hidrolisat tepung bulu ayam, bungkil kedela

Dental therapy before and after radiotherapy–an evaluation on patients with head and neck malignancies

The present investigation evaluates the dental care situation of patients with head and neck cancer before and after radiotherapy. The situations of these patients in 1993 and 2005 were compared to detect similarities, differences and developments. In the years 1993 and 2005, 37 and 36 patients, respectively, with head and neck cancer treated by the local departments of otorhinolaryngology and of radiotherapy were examined consecutively according to their aftercare appointments. Time points of radiotherapy treatment of the patients evaluated in 1993 varied from 1984 to 1993. The patients evaluated in 2005 had received radiotherapy between 1998 and 2005. Therefore the applied radiotherapeutic regimen differed not only between the two groups of patients, but also within each group. The information for these investigations was provided anonymously. It was evaluated with descriptive statistics. The evaluation of the data shows distinct differences with respect to preventive and therapeutic dental care measures. In 2005, 35 out of 36 patients (97.2%) had a dental consultation before radiotherapy (1993, 65%). All 27 dentate patients (100%) obtained a splint for fluoride application (1993, none). 29% fewer edentulous patients were seen than in 1993. The number of teeth destroyed decreased from 19.2% (1993) to 7.8% in 2005. Mycoses due to Candida spp. and chronic failures in wound healing were rare (5.5%). In the course of the 12 years, prophylactic measures, such as the application of splints for fluoride treatment, were intensified. However, concepts for the dental care of patients undergoing radiotherapy, especially following the radiation, should be widened to avoid ruined teeth and long delayed wound healings