Integration through monetary union: A sceptical view

After several years of unrest in the international monetary scene, the governments of the EEC countries agreed in December 1969 at The Hague to place monetary union in Europe on the agenda. Behind this agreement, however, resides a wide range of differences of opinion, which are partly expressed in the host of plans for European monetary integration that have been published in recent months. One essential divergency of opinion is, whether one should first peg intra-Community exchange rates or whether one should first try to harmonize policies and wait till stable exchange rates come about almost by themselves. A premature fixing of exchange rates would lead to — unwanted waves of imported inflation in the more stable countries and to imported deflation and unemployment in the less stable countries, — regional problems in those parts of the EEC that have had a tradition of wage push, and the danger of undue industrial concentration in those parts that have a tradition , of relatively high labour discipline, and — the necessity for sizeable intra-EEC fiscal transfers in favour of cost-push regions to counterbalance the negative effects of high wage costs. These transfers might easily overstress the European solidarity, that is the readiness to pay, of the more stable national regions. These problems appear to be bigger if one thinks of an enlarged EEC. Contrary to the costs and risks of premature exchange rate fixing, the benefits are, it seems, frequently overestimated: As long as the free flow of goods and capital is guaranteed (and not impaired in defense of outdated fixed parities, as has often been the case in the past) most of the beneficial economic integration effects are secured. To avoid a setback in integration - similar to the recent setback due to the premature fixing of common agricultural prices - it therefore seems advisable not to force together divergent underlying trends, but rather to implement elastic devices for a harmonious growing-together of the various European economies. --

Growth and exit of West German firms: an empirical investigation on the impact of liability statutes

In this paper we discuss determinants of firm survival and growth in Germany within its pre-1989 boundaries. We develop our central hypotheses on the basis of a simple theoretical model describing the self-selection of heterogeneous entrepreneurs into particular legal forms, and the implications for profitability and survival. We also describe institutional details of liability regulation and taxation rules which German entrepreneurs face when choosing a particular legal form for their firms. We then test the predictions of our model by considering the survival chances and employment growth rates of various types of enterprises in a sample of approximately 11000 West German firms in all major sectors of the German economy. in our analysis of firm survival we distinguish between voluntary liquidation without losses to creditors, and bankruptcy as forced liquidation. Firms under limited liability are characterized by higher growth and higher insolvency rates than comparable firm under full liability. We also confirm the previously found negative relationship between employment growth and firm size which persists after controlling for selection biases. The likelihood of insolvencies is a nonmonotonic function of firm size. --

Reactions of cyclic bis(amino)germylenes and -stannylenes with [CpFe(CO)2]2 and CpFe(CO)2Me (Cp = .eta.5-C5H5) : syntheses and single-crystal x-ray structures of four new insertion compounds

The interaction of El(NtBu)2SiMe2, El = Ge, Sn with CpFe(CO)2Me in toluene has yielded CpFe(CO)2[El(NtBu)2SiMe2]Me, El = Ge (2) and El = Sn (3), respectively. Both compounds have been characterized by NMR, IR, MS, elemental analysis, and single crystal X-ray methods. Compound 2 crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group P21/m, Z = 2, a = 9.330(6) A°, b = 12.552(9) A°, c = 9.939(7) A°, ß = 105.01(2)°, V = 1124(1) A°3. The isostructural 3 forms orthorhombic crystals of space group Pnma, Z = 4, a = 17.871(9) A°, b = 12.998(7) A°, c = 9.838(5) A°, V = 2285(2) A°3. The refinement of 2 with 1431 unique, observed (I > 2s(I)) reflections led to final agreement indices of R = 0.043, Rw = 0.048. The structure of 3 was refined to R = 0.027 (Rw = 0.027) by using 1397 unique and observed (I > 2s(I)) reflections. Treatment of [CpFe-(CO)2]2 with 2 equiv. of El(NtBu)2SiMe2 under identical reaction conditions afforded [CpFe(CO)2]2Ge(NtBu)2SiMe 2, 4, for the cyclic germylene, whereas in the case of the tin homolog the tetranuclear complex {[CpFe(CO)2Sn(NtBu)2SiMe2] 2·C7H8}, 5, was isolated. Complete characterizations (NMR, IR, MS, EA, single crystal X-ray determination) were carried out on both compounds. The solid state structure of 5 contains one of the longest (2.992(2) A°) unbridged tin-tin bonds known to date. The trinuclear compound 4 is triclinic, space group P1, Z = 2. Its lattice parameters are: a = 9.549(5) A°, b = 10.102(5) A°, c = 16.438(8) A°, a = 81.98(4)°, ß = 74.00(3)°, ? = 62.80(3)°, V = 1355(1) A°3. Refinement of this structure using 3100 unique, observed (I > 2s(I)) data led to agreement indices of R = 0.023 and Rw = 0.023. The tetranuclear 5 crystallizes as a toluene solvate. Crystal data: monoclinic, space group P21/n, Z = 2, a = 10.547(7) A°, b = 19.944(11) A°, c = 11.366(7) A°, ß = 92.36(5)°. Of 3024 collected data 2724 were considered unique and observed (I > 3s(I)) and used in the refinement. Final agreement indices are R = 0.031, Rw = 0.033

Flexibilisierung von Studiengängen : Lernen im Zwischenraum von formellen und informellen Kontexten

Die School of Management and Law der ZHAW transformiert derzeit einen ganzen Studiengang in ein flexibilisiertes Lernformat. Die Studienform FLEX sieht vor, dass der Präsenzunterricht vor Ort um die Hälfte reduziert und durch dreiwöchige Online-Phasen ersetzt wird. Damit entsteht ein neuer Lernraum, der das formelle Lernen in informellen Kontexten stärkt. Der vorliegende Bericht beschreibt, wie die Transformation des Studienganges über alle 34 Module vollzogen und wie das Spannungsfeld zwischen informellen und formellen Kontext gestaltet wird

Synthese und Strukturen von Bis(amino)germa- und -stanna-Chalkogeniden

Das cyclische Bis(amino)germylen 1 sowie das -stannylen 2 reagieren mit elementarem S, Se oder Te zu Oxidationsprodukten der allgemeinen Formel Me2Si(NtBu)2MEl2M(NtBu)2SiMe2 (M = Ge, El = S (4), El = Se (5), El = Te (6); M = Sn, El = Se (9), El = Te (10)). Nach Röntgenstrukturanalysen (4, 5, 6, 9, 10) bestehen alle Verbindungen aus drei spirocyclisch verbundenen Vierringen SiN2M (2x) und MEl2M, die weitgehend orthogonal zueinander stehen. Die Germanium- und Zinnatome sind folglich verzerrt tetraedrisch koordiniert, während die Chalkogenatome jeweils zwei Nachbaratome unter spitzem Winkel besitzen. Setzt man 1 mit Trimethylamin-N-oxid um, so wird der Sauerstoff an das Germanium übergeben unter Bildung von [Me2Si(NtBu)2GeO]3 (3). Im Gegensatz zu den anderen Verbindungen kann 3 formal als Trimeres aufgefaßt werden: an einem zentralen weitgehend planaren Ge3O3-Sechsring sind spirocyclisch an den Germaniumatomen jeweils drei GeN2Si Vierringe geknüpft (Röntgenstrukturanalyse von 3). In den zentralen Vierringen von 4, 5, 6, 9 und 10 bestehen keine transanularen Wechselwirkungen zwischen den Chalkogenatomen, obwohl diese einen kurzen Abstand untereinander aufweisen. Die gemittelten MEl Abstände betragen: GeO 1,762(5), GeS 2,226(3), GeSe 2,363(3), GeTe 2,592(5), SnSe 2,536(3), SnTe 2,741(3) Å

Reproductive Biology of Middle Mississippi River Shovelnose Sturgeon: Insights from Seasonal and Age Variation in Plasma Sex Steroid and Calcium Concentrations

Shovelnose sturgeon Scaphirhynchus platorynchus are endemic to the Mississippi River drainage and are commercially harvested for roe in several states. Status of shovelnose sturgeon populations throughout much of its range is unknown or declining; Mississippi River stocks are experiencing recruitment overfishing and may be at risk of collapse. Restoration of shovelnose sturgeon populations will require additional information on their reproductive biology, including age at maturity and reproductive status and cycles. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of reproductive stage, fish age, and season on plasma 17-β estradiol (E2) and calcium (Ca2+) concentrations in female shovelnose sturgeon and plasma testosterone (T) concentrations in male shovelnose sturgeon from the middle Mississippi River (MMR). We also assessed the relationship between plasma vitellogenin (VTG) and Ca2+ concentrations for female shovelnose sturgeon. Plasma E2 and Ca2+ concentrations in females and T concentrations in males differed among reproductive stages, consistent with results of prior research on shovelnose sturgeon and other sturgeon species. VTG and Ca2+ concentrations were strongly correlated in female shovelnose sturgeon, indicating that Ca2+ can be used as a surrogate for VTG assays for identification of vitellogenic females, as has been shown for other sturgeon species. Age at maturity was estimated at 10 years for males and 9 years for females based on T and E2 profiles, consistent with other recent age at maturity estimates in the MMR and Wabash River determined by gonadal examination. Peaks in plasma sex steroid and Ca2+ concentrations during April and October possibly reflected the spring spawning season and provide additional evidence in support of recent documentation of fall spawning by shovelnose sturgeon in the MMR. Additional research is needed to elucidate fall spawning by shovelnose sturgeon in the MMR

Central venous oxygen saturation and emergency intubation – another piece in the puzzle?

A recent multicentre observational study examined the effect of emergency intubation on central venous oxygen saturation (SCVo2) in critically ill patients. The main finding was that SCVo2 significantly increases 15 minutes after emergency intubation and institution of mechanical ventilation with 100% oxygen, especially in those patients with pre-intubation SCVo2 values <70%, regardless of whether these patients suffered from severe sepsis. However, in only one-quarter of this subgroup was the SCVo2 normalized to ≥70% solely by this intervention. In contrast, in patients with pre-intubation SCVo2 ≥70%, the SCVo2 failed to increase after intubation. A rise in SCVo2 can be expected when whole body oxygen extraction remains unchanged after intubation and ventilation with pure oxygen

The percutaneous permeation of a combination of 0.1% octenidine dihydrochloride and 2% 2-phenoxyethanol (octenisept®) through skin of different species in vitro

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A water based combination of 0.1% octenidine dihydrochloride and 2% 2 - phenoxyethanol is registered in many European countries as an antiseptic solution (octenisept^®) for topical treatment with high antimicrobial activity for human use, but octenidine based products have not been registered for veterinary use yet. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether octenidine dihydrochloride or 2 -phenoxyethanol, the two main components of this disinfectant, permeate through animal skin <it>in vitro</it>. Therefore, permeation studies were conducted using Franz-type diffusion cells. 2 ml of the test compound were applied onto 1.77 cm²split skin of cats, dogs, cows and horses. To simulate wounded skin, cattle skin was treated with adhesive tapes 100 times, as well. Up to an incubation time of 28 hours samples of the acceptor chamber were taken and were analysed by UV-HPLC. Using the method of the external standard, the apparent permeability coefficient, the flux J_max, and the recovery were calculated. Furthermore, the residues of both components in the skin samples were determined after completion of the diffusion experiment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 28 hours no octenidine dihydrochloride was found in the receptor chamber of intact skin samples, while 2.7% of the topical applied octenidine dihydrochloride permeated through barrier disrupted cattle skin. 2 - phenoxyethanol permeated through all skin samples with the highest permeability in equine, followed by bovine, canine to feline skin. Furthermore, both components were found in the <it>stratum corneum </it>and the dermis of all split skin samples with different amounts in the examined species.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>For 2-phenoxyethanol the systemic impact of the high absorption rate and a potential toxicological risk have to be investigated in further studies. Due to its low absorption rates through the skin, octenidine dihydrochloride is suitable for superficial skin treatment in the examined species.</p