How to Stimulate Single Mothers on Welfare to Find a Job: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

We present the results from a natural experiment in which single mothers on welfare were stimulated to find a job. Two policy instruments were introduced: an earnings disregard and job creation. The experiment was performed at the level of municipalities in The Netherlands, a country with relatively high benefits and low incentives for single mothers to leave welfare for work. In our analysis, we make a distinction between native and immigrant welfare recipients. For immigrant single mothers and some groups of native single mothers we find a positive employment effect of an earnings disregard. Job creation in addition to the earnings disregard increased working hours for some groups of single mothers. Although the outflow from welfare was not affected, welfare expenditures were reduced

Genome-wide analyses identify a role for SLC17A4 and AADAT in thyroid hormone regulation.

Thyroid dysfunction is an important public health problem, which affects 10% of the general population and increases the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Many aspects of thyroid hormone regulation have only partly been elucidated, including its transport, metabolism, and genetic determinants. Here we report a large meta-analysis of genome-wide association studies for thyroid function and dysfunction, testing 8 million genetic variants in up to 72,167 individuals. One-hundred-and-nine independent genetic variants are associated with these traits. A genetic risk score, calculated to assess their combined effects on clinical end points, shows significant associations with increased risk of both overt (Graves' disease) and subclinical thyroid disease, as well as clinical complications. By functional follow-up on selected signals, we identify a novel thyroid hormone transporter (SLC17A4) and a metabolizing enzyme (AADAT). Together, these results provide new knowledge about thyroid hormone physiology and disease, opening new possibilities for therapeutic targets

A first update on mapping the human genetic architecture of COVID-19

peer reviewe

Wer bin ich? Eine Untersuchung zum Thema Identität in der Serie "Girls" (HBO)

Die Arbeit setzt sich mit der Serie Girls des amerikanischen Kabelsenders HBO auseinander, sowie mit der Analyse der Hauptfigur Hannah Horvath auf eigener Identitätssuche und den Fragen, wo es Vergleichsmöglichkeiten der Figur Hannah Horvath aus der Serie Girls mit der Macherin Lena Dunham gibt und wie Dunham indirekt selbst mit zum Erfolg der Serie beiträgt. Bei der Autobiographie von Dunham und der Serienfigur Hannah ergeben sich Vergleichsmöglichkeiten bezüglich der Schritte ins Erwachsenwerden, eine Orientierungslosigkeit in New York, Jobs und Selbstfindung, sowie das gemeinsame Ziel zu Schreiben. Weiter gibt es Punkte, die den Körper und die Psyche betreffen, wie Ängste, Zwangsstörung und Hypochondrie, Beschäftigung mit dem Körper, Körperbild und Selbstakzeptanz

Oligomeric rare-earth metal cluster complexes with endohedral transition metal atoms

Comproportionation reactions of rare-earth metal trihalides (RX3) with the respective rare-earth metals (R) and transition metals (T) led to the formation of 22 oligomeric R cluster halides encapsulating T, in 19 cases for the first time. The structures of these compounds were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and are composed of trimers ({T3R11}X-15-type, P6(3)/m), tetramers ({T4R16}X-28{R-4} (P-43m), (T4R16}X-20 (P4(2)/nnm), {T4R16}X-24(RX3)(4) (I4(1)/a) and (T4R16}X-23 (C2/m) types of structure) and pentamers ({Ru5La14}(2)Br-39, Cc) of {TRr}(n) (n=2-5) clusters. These oligomers are further enveloped by inner (X-i) as well as outer (X-a) halido ligands, which possess diverse functionalities and interconnect like oligomers through i-i, i-a and/or a-i bridges. The general features of the crystal structures for these new compounds are discussed and compared to literature entries as well as different structure types with oligomeric T centered R clusters. Dimers and tetramers originating from the aggregation of {TR6} octahedra via common edges are more frequent than trimers and pentamers, in which the {TRr} clusters share common faces. (C) 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Degradation of Root Community Traits as Indicator for Transformation of Tropical Lowland Rain Forests into Oil Palm and Rubber Plantations.

Conversion of tropical forests into intensely managed plantations is a threat to ecosystem functions. On Sumatra, Indonesia, oil palm (Elaeis guineensis) plantations are rapidly expanding, displacing rain forests and extensively used rubber (Hevea brasiliensis) agro-forests. Here, we tested the influence of land use systems on root traits including chemical traits (carbon, nitrogen, mineral nutrients, potentially toxic elements [aluminium, iron] and performance traits (root mass, vitality, mycorrhizal colonization). Traits were measured as root community-weighed traits (RCWTs) in lowland rain forests, in rubber agro-forests mixed with rain forest trees, in rubber and oil palm plantations in two landscapes (Bukit Duabelas and Harapan, Sumatra). We hypothesized that RCWTs vary with land use system indicating increasing transformation intensity and loss of ecosystem functions. The main factors found to be related to increasing transformation intensity were declining root vitality and root sulfur, nitrogen, carbon, manganese concentrations and increasing root aluminium and iron concentrations as well as increasing spore densities of arbuscular mycorrhizas. Mycorrhizal abundance was high for arbuscular and low for ectomycorrhizas and unrelated to changes in RCWTs. The decline in RCWTs showed significant correlations with soil nitrogen, soil pH and litter carbon. Thus, our study uncovered a relationship between deteriorating root community traits and loss of ecosystem functionality and showed that increasing transformation intensity resulted in decreasing root nutrition and health. Based on these results we suggest that land management that improves root vitality may enhance the ecological functions of intense tropical production systems.Oüpen-Access Publikationsfonds 201

Principle component analysis of root community-weighed traits.

<p>The traits used for PCA and their abbreviations are listed in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0138077#pone.0138077.t002" target="_blank">Table 2</a>. B = Bukit 12, H = Harapan, O = oil palm, R = rubber plantation, J = jungle rubber, F = forest.</p

Geographic location of the research plots in two landscapes and four forest types on Sumatra (Indonesia).

<p>O = oil palm plantation, R = rubber plantation, J = jungle rubber, F = secondary rain forest.</p><p>Geographic location of the research plots in two landscapes and four forest types on Sumatra (Indonesia).</p

Mean PC scores of the land use systems.

<p>Different letters in columns indicate significant differences at P < 0.05 determined with the HSD test. B = Bukit 12, H = Harapan, O = oil palm, R = rubber plantation, J = jungle rubber, F = forest.</p><p>Mean PC scores of the land use systems.</p