Übergang vom Berufsleben in die Pension: Eine quantitativ-deskriptive Analyse der Pensionsantritte 2007 bis 2011 in Tirol.

aus dem Inhaltsverzeichnis: Zusammenfassung; Einleitung; Datenbeschreibung und Definitionen; Exkurs: Pensionsrecht; Überblick Pensionsneuzugänge in Tirol 2007-2011; Erwerbskarriere bis 10 Jahre vor Pensionsantritt; Erwerbsfähigkeit im Zeitverlauf; Weiterbildungsbeteiligung älterer Personen; Registererwerbsquoten der Jahre 2007 bis 2011; Abkürzungsverzeichnis; Glossar; Literaturverzeichnis; Anhang

In vivo elimination of MHC-I-deficient lymphocytes by activated natural killer cells is independent of granzymes A and B

NK cells kill target cells mainly via exocytosis of granules containing perforin (perf) and granzymes (gzm). In vitro, gzm delivery into the target cell cytosol results in apoptosis, and induction of apoptosis is severely impaired in the absence of gzm A and B. However, their importance for in vivo cytotoxicity by cytotoxic T cells has been questioned. We used an in vivo NK cytotoxicity assay, in which splenocytes from wild-type and β(2)microglobulin-deficient (MHC-I(neg)) mice are co-injected into recipients whose NK cells were activated by virus infection or synthetic Toll-like receptor ligands. Elimination of adoptively transferred MHC-I(neg) splenocytes was unimpaired in the absence of gzmA and gzmB, but dependent on perforin. This target cell rejection was NK cell dependent, since NK cell depletion abrogated it. Furthermore, target cell elimination in vivo was equally rapid in both wild-type and gzmAxB-deficient recipients, with the majority of specific target cells lost from lymphoid tissue within less than one to two hours after transfer. Thus, similar to T cell cytotoxicity, the contribution of gzmA and B to in vivo target cell elimination remains unresolved.This work was supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and by a government block grant to the John Curtin School of Medical Research

Volkswirtschaftliche Effekte des Rauchens: Eine ökonomische Analyse für Österreich

aus dem Inhaltsverzeichnis: Executive Summary; Einleitung; Politische Maßnahmen zur Eindämmung des Tabakkonsums; Kosten-Nutzen-Analyse; Zusammenfassung; Anhang; Quellenverzeichnis; Abbildungsverzeichnis; Tabellenverzeichnis; Abkürzungen und Begriffserklärungen

Effekte von Fusionen

Seit September 1990 untersucht die Europäische Kommission Zusammenschlüsse großer Unternehmen im Zuge der EG-Fusionskontrollverordnung. Das Entstehen - beziehungsweise das Verstärken - marktbeherrschender Stellungen soll durch diese Kontrolle und die getroffenen Entscheidungen - Genehmigungen, Genehmigungen mit Auflagen und Untersagungen - verhindert werden. In dieser Arbeit werden anhand von Firmenbilanzdaten die Effekte derjenigen Zusammenschlüsse berechnet, die von der Europäischen Kommission genehmigt oder unter Auflagen genehmigt wurden. Ob diese Genehmigungen „richtig“ waren – keine marktmachtfördernde Fusion genehmigt wurde -, soll beantwortet werden, wobei auf firmen- und fusionsimmanente Charakteristika Rücksicht genommen wird. Die durchschnittliche Fusion im verwendeten Datensatz ist nicht profitabel bezüglich Gewinne, jedoch erfolgreich hinsichtlich der Umsatzentwicklung. Betrachtet man Gewinne und Umsätze zusammen entdeckt man, für Genehmigungen mit wie ohne Auflagen, dass profitable Fusionen eher auf Effizienz- als auf Marktmachtsteigerungen zurückzuführen sind. Angesichts der profitablen Fusionen wurde demnach mehrheitlich die richtige Entscheidung von Seiten der Kommission getroffen. Jedoch muss auch beachtet werden, dass in fast jeder untersuchten Untergruppe die größte Anzahl der Fusionen effizienzmindernd ist. Derartige Fusionen zu verhindern ist zwar nicht festgeschriebenes Ziel der Fusionskontrollverordnung, die Auswirkungen dieser Zusammenschlüsse auf die Gesamtwohlfahrt sind jedoch nicht günstig.In September 1990 the European Communities Merger Regulation came into force. Since then the European Commission has scrutinized – and cleared, cleared under commitments or blocked - mergers undertaken by large companies. The regulation’s aim lies in the prevention of market dominating positions. The present work calculates - by means of balance sheet data - the effects of mergers supervised by the Commission. Whether the “right” mergers were cleared and whether there are significant differences in the effects of mergers cleared with and without remedies is brought to light. Within the used database the average merger is not profitable, whereas sales tend to increase. Examining sales and profits together indicates mergers being more likely profitable out of efficiency increases than of gains in market power. This is true for clearances as for decisions under commitments. Hence, concerning profitable mergers a right decision was taken by the European Commission. However, the greater part of mergers is not profitable and results in efficiency decreases. Although it is not the outright aim of the Merger Regulation to prevent such mergers, these are not supporting total welfare

In vitro- and ex vivo-derived cytolytic leukocytes from granzyme A x B double knockout mice are defective in granule-mediated apoptosis but not lysis of target cells

Granzyme (gzm) A and gzmB have been implicated in Fas-independent nucleolytic and cytolytic processes exerted by cytotoxic T (Tc) cells, but the underlying mechanism(s) remains unclear. In this study, we compare the potential of Tc and natural killer (NK) cells of mice deficient in both gzmA and B (gzmAxB-/-) with those from single knockout mice deficient in gzmA (-/-), gzmB (-/-), or perforin (-/-) to induce nuclear damage and lysis in target cells. With the exception of perforin-/-, all in vitro- and ex vivo-derived Tc and NK cell populations from the mutant strains induced 51Cr-release in target cells at levels and with kinetics similar to those of normal mice. This contrasts with their capacity to induce apoptotic nuclear damage in target cells. In gzmAxB-/- mice, Tc/NK-mediated target cell DNA fragmentation was not observed, even after extended incubation periods (10 h), but was normal in gzmA-deficient and only impaired in gzmB-deficient mice in short-term (2-4 h), but not long-term (4-10 h), nucleolytic assays. This suggests that gzmA and B are critical for Tc/NK granule- mediated nucleolysis, with gzmB being the main contributor, while target cell lysis is due solely to perforin and independent of both proteases

Ökonomische Effekte der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien

aus dem Inhaltsverzeichnis: Einleitung; Kultur und Tourismus - ökonomische Aspekte; Untersuchungsmethode; Ökonomische Effekte der Ausgaben der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien; Ökonomische Effekte der Ausgaben der BesucherInnen der Vereinigten Bühnen Wien; Executive Summary; Literaturverzeichnis

MHC Class II–Alpha Chain Knockout Mice Support Increased Viral Replication That Is Independent of Their Lack of MHC Class II Cell Surface Expression and Associated Immune Function Deficiencies

MHCII molecules are heterodimeric cell surface proteins composed of an α and β chain. These molecules are almost exclusively expressed on thymic epithelium and antigen presenting cells (APCs) and play a central role in the development and function of CD4 T cells. Various MHC-II knockout mice have been generated including MHC-IIAα(-/-) (I-Aα(-/-)), MHC-IIAβ(-/-) (I-β(-/-)) and the double knockout (I-Aαxβ(-/-)). Here we report a very striking observation, namely that alphaviruses including the avirulent strain of Semliki Forest virus (aSFV), which causes asymptomatic infection in wild-type C57BL6/J (B6) mice, causes a very acute and lethal infection in I-Aα(-/-), but not in I-β(-/-) or I-Aαxβ(-/-), mice. This susceptibility to aSFV is associated with high virus titres in muscle, spleen, liver, and brain compared to B6 mice. In addition, I-Aα(-/-) mice show intact IFN-I responses in terms of IFN-I serum levels and IFN-I receptor expression and function. Radiation bone marrow chimeras of B6 mice reconstituted with I-Aα(-/-) bone marrow expressed B6 phenotype, whereas radiation chimeras of I-Aα(-/-) mice reconstituted with B6 bone marrow expressed the phenotype of high viral susceptibility. Virus replication experiments both in vivo and in vitro showed enhanced virus growth in tissues and cell cultures derived form I-Aα(-/-) compared to B6 mice. This enhanced virus replication is evident for other alpha-, flavi- and poxviruses and may be of great benefit to producers of viral vaccines. In conclusion, I-Aα(-/-) mice exhibit a striking susceptibility to virus infections independent of their defective MHC-II expression. Detailed genetic analysis will be carried out to characterise the underlining genetic defects responsible for the observed phenomenon.This work was supported by institutional research support to Prof Mullbacher laboratory at the John Curtin School of Medical Research. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript