Critical market shares for investors and access seekers and competitive models in fibre networks

In this paper we consider and evaluate NGA architectures which meet the foreseeable future bandwidth demand and allow for highest bandwidth and quality for end-users and which no longer rely on copper cable elements. These are FTTH architectures only. From all available FTTH architectures we concentrate on the two most relevant architectures in Europe, Ethernet Point-to-Point and GPON. We assume the incumbent to be the investor in the NGA network infrastructure. If the NGA architecture is based on a Point-to-Point fibre plant we have modelled the competitors as using unbundled fibre loops as the wholesale access service. If the architecture is based on a Point-to-Multipoint fibre plant, we consider an active wholesale access (bitstream access) at the MPoP or at the core network node locations. Our basic modelling relies upon an engineering bottom-up cost modelling approach. We model the total cost of the services considered under efficient conditions, taking into account the cost of all network elements needed to produce these services in the specific architecture deployed. This approach is coherent with a Long Run Incremental Cost approach as applied in regulatory economics. Our modelling approach generates a broad set of results including the relative performance of the various network architectures, investment requirements and the degree of profitable coverage. In this paper, however, we focus on the results on the potential for competition and potential market structures in an NGA environment. --NGA architecture,cost modelling,FTTH,coverage,access models,unbundling

Typische Konstellationen der Beschäftigung ausländischer Arbeitnehmer. Ergebnisse einer Cluster-Analyse von Betrieben des verarbeitenden Gewerbes

"Im folgenden wird der Versuch gemacht - auf der Basis der Angaben von 1969 Betrieben des verarbeitenden Gewerbes aus dem Jahre 1976 - Arbeitsplätze nach Qualifikationsanforderungen und nach Attraktivität der Arbeitsbedingungen zu strukturieren und zu ermitteln, wo ausländische Arbeitnehmer typischerweise eingesetzt werden. Nach Darstellung der relevanten Hypothesen und des Designs des verwendeten Cluster-Verfahrens (Verwendung eines eigenkonstruierten Ähnlichkeitsindex) werden die Ergebnisse ausführlich geschildert: Es zeigt sich, daß ausländische Arbeitnehmer insbesondere dort eingesetzt werden, wo Großserienfertigung vorherrscht bzw. wo die Fluktuation hoch ist und/oder die Arbeitsbedingungen charakterisiert sind durch viel Schicht-, Akkord- und Prämienlohnarbeit. Bei der Clusterung nach Variablen der Qualifikationsstruktur lassen sich insgesamt 13 Betriebstypen ermitteln, bei der Clusterung nach Variablen der Arbeitsbedingungen insgesamt 11. Eine Gegenüberstellung der Betriebstypisierungen zeigt, daß insbesondere Art der eingesetzten Fertigungsverfahren, Qaulifikationsstruktur, Geschlechter-Split und Nationalität der gewerblich Beschäftigten sowie die Arbeitsbedingungen miteinander in Beziehung stehen. Differenziert man die Fertigungsverfahren nach ihrer Ausbringungsmenge, so läßt sich vereinfachend über die Typen hinweg folgender Bezug herstellen: Einzel-, Klein- und Mittlere Serienfertigung: Gelernte und deutsche Frauen Mittlere und Großserienfertigung: ausländische Frauen Großserien-, Massen- und kontinuierliche Prozeßfertigung: un-, angelernte deutsche und ausländische Männer Massenfertigung durch Halbautomaten (Typ mit viel Frauen): Gelernte und deutsche Frauen."ausländische Arbeitnehmer, verarbeitendes Gewerbe, Qualifikationsanforderungen, Arbeitsbedingungen

Evolved orthogonal ribosomes enhance the efficiency of synthetic genetic code expansion

In vivo incorporation of unnatural amino acids by amber codon suppression is limited by release factor-1–mediated peptide chain termination. Orthogonal ribosome-mRNA pairs function in parallel with, but independent of, natural ribosomes and mRNAs. Here we show that an evolved orthogonal ribosome (ribo-X) improves tRNA_(CUA)-dependent decoding of amber codons placed in orthogonal mRNA. By combining ribo-X, orthogonal mRNAs and orthogonal aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase/tRNA pairs in Escherichia coli, we increase the efficiency of site-specific unnatural amino acid incorporation from ∼ 20% to >60% on a single amber codon and from 20% on two amber codons. We hypothesize that these increases result from a decreased functional interaction of the orthogonal ribosome with release factor-1. This technology should minimize the functional and phenotypic effects of truncated proteins in experiments that use unnatural amino acid incorporation to probe protein function in vivo

Evaluation Of Atrial Fibrillation Burden Before Catheter Ablation Predicts Outcome After Pulmonary Vein Isolation

Background: Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) is defined as recurrent AF terminating spontaneously within 7 days. This definition allows the consideration of any AF occurrence lasting < 7 days as paroxysmal, irrespective of the frequency and duration of episodes. The aim of this study was to investigate symptomatic AF burden (AFB) defined as total duration of symptomatic AF episodes within 3 months prior to abalation, for prediction of outcome after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI).Methods: A total of 320 consecutive patients with symptomatic AF (PAF=244, men=214, age=58 y) were enrolled. AFB in patients with PAF was defined as time spent in AF within 3 months prior to PVI. After the AFB cut-off point was optimized at 500 h, patients with PAF were categorized into 2 groups: Group 1 - patients with AFB<500 h (n=192), Group 2 - patients with AFB≥500 h (n=52). Patients with persistent AF (PersAF, n = 76) comprised control group (Group 3). PVI was performed either with irrigated tip catheter (n=215) or using cryoballoon (n=105). The endpoint of study was first documented recurrence of AF >30 sec.Results: Symptomatic AFB was found to be appropriate for prediction of outcome after PVI. The freedom from AF within 2 years was observed in 69%, 31%, and 43% patients in Group 1, 2 and 3, respectively (Group 1 vs. Group 2, p <.001; Group 1 vs. Group 3, p< .001; Group 2 vs. Group 3, p = 0.46).Conclusions: Low AFB < 500 h /3 months was associated with better outcome after PVI. Patients with PAF and high AFB should be treated as patients with PersAF

Amantadine Inhibits SARS-CoV-2 In Vitro

Since the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic started in late 2019, the search for protective vaccines and for drug treatments has become mandatory to fight the global health emergency. Travel restrictions,social distancing, and face masks are suitable counter measures, but may not bring the pandemic under control because people will inadvertently or at a certain degree of restriction severity or duration become incompliant with the regulations. Even if vaccines are approved, the need for antiviral agents against SARS-CoV-2 will persist. However, unequivocal evidence for efficacy againstSARS-CoV-2 has not been demonstrated for any of the repurposed antiviral drugs so far. Amantadinewas approved as an antiviral drug against influenza A, and antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2has been reasoned by analogy but without data. We tested the efficacy of amantadine in vitro in Vero E6 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2. Indeed, amantadine inhibited SARS-CoV-2 replication in two separate experiments with IC50 concentrations between 83 and 119μM. Although these IC50 concentrations are above therapeutic amantadine levels after systemic administration, topical admin-istration by inhalation or intranasal instillation may result in sufficient amantadine concentration in the airway epithelium without high systemic exposure. However, further studies in other models are needed to prove this hypothesis.Peer Reviewe

Generalized DEA: an approach for supporting input/output factor determination in DEA

The determination of input and output factors is a well-known source of pitfalls when applying data envelopment analysis (DEA). The purpose of this paper is to contribute to overcome the respective problems of input/output factor determination related to factor selection, dual-role factors and undesirable factors

Simplified Bioprinting-Based 3D Cell Culture Infection Models for Virus Detection

Studies of virus–host interactions in vitro may be hindered by biological characteristics of conventional monolayer cell cultures that differ from in vivo infection. Three-dimensional (3D) cell cultures show more in vivo-like characteristics and may represent a promising alternative for characterisation of infections. In this study, we established easy-to-handle cell culture platforms based on bioprinted 3D matrices for virus detection and characterisation. Different cell types were cultivated on these matrices and characterised for tissue-like growth characteristics regarding cell morphology and polarisation. Cells developed an in vivo-like morphology and long-term cultivation was possible on the matrices. Cell cultures were infected with viruses which differed in host range, tissue tropism, cytopathogenicity, and genomic organisation and virus morphology. Infections were characterised on molecular and imaging level. The transparent matrix substance allowed easy optical monitoring of cells and infection even via live-cell microscopy. In conclusion, we established an enhanced, standardised, easy-to-handle bioprinted 3D-cell culture system. The infection models are suitable for sensitive monitoring and characterisation of virus–host interactions and replication of different viruses under physiologically relevant conditions. Individual cell culture models can further be combined to a multicellular array. This generates a potent diagnostic tool for propagation and characterisation of viruses from diagnostic samples.Peer Reviewe

GRASS GIS, Star Trek and old Video Tape

This paper discusses the need for the preservation of audiovisual content in the OSGeo communities beyond the established software repositories. Audiovisual content related to OSGeo projects such as training videos can be preserved by multimedia archiving and retrieval services which are currently developed by the library community. This is demonstrated by the reference case of a newly discovered version of the GRASS GIS 1987 promotional video which is being included into the AV-portal of the German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB). Access to the video will be provided upon the release of the web-based portal, allowing for extended search capabilities based on enhanced metadata derived by automated video analysis. This is a reference case for future preservation activities regarding semantic-enhanced Web2.0 content from OSGeo projects