Potential of differentiated payment levels based on standard cost approaches: A case study of selected rural development measures in Germany

In accordance with EU regulations, payment levels for several measures of rural development programs are calculated on the basis of standard cost approaches, using 'typical’ or average figures for costs incurred and income forgone. Resulting uniform payment rates have been frequently discussed and criticised as being inefficient, having a low cost-effectiveness and generating excessive windfall profits. However, few empirical studies exist which quantitatively examine potentials of a more differentiated standard cost approach. By using German farm accountancy data, this study analyses effects of a payment differentiation according to regional and farm individual characteristics on producer rents, budget expenditures and economic efficiency. Preliminary results show that though overcompensation could be reduced in most cases, savings in budget expenditure are often small and might be even offset by increasing administration costs. Generally our analysis indicates that potential benefits of differentiated standard cost approaches can be partly exploited if a) variances of the cost of participation in the universe of farms are high and the discriminatory natures of differentiation are significant, and b) positive correlations between costs and environmental benefits are strong.differentiated payment levels, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, standard cost approach, rural development schemes, agri-environmental measures,

Vergleich der Stützung ökologischer und konventioneller Landwirtschaft in der EU unter Verwendung des PSE-Konzeptes der OECD

Organic farming has grown considerably in recent years in the European Union, not least due to changes in the political environment. The aim of this paper is to compare the support of organic and conventional farming in the year 2000. A measurement of support is calculated using the methodology of the Producer Support Estimate (PSE) of the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). The results show that the percentage ‘PSE’ of organic farming at 40.2 % in 2000 slightly exceeded that of conventional farming at 39.4 % but, on the other hand, the nominal protection coefficient (‘NPC’) was lower at 1.29 versus 1.42. This indicates that despite a higher level of support the trade distorting effect may be smaller in organic farming. There are however large differences in the percentage ‘PSE’ of organic farming between member states. A regular calculation of separate PSE for organic and conventional farming could inform policy makers, economists and other stakeholders about the distortion and similarities of support between both forms of farming and between EU member states. In addition information on developments of support could be derived. At the moment, the difficulties in obtaining the data needed make this aim rather ambitious

Cyanobakterienkultivierung zur Extraktion toxischer Metabolite

Im Rahmen des Projektes »CyToTest« soll, in Kooperation mit der Firma BioTeZ Berlin-Buch GmbH, ein System entwickelt werden, mit dem direkt am Gewässer auf einfache Art und Weise die Cyanobakterientoxinkonzentration ermittelt werden kann. Dazu ist es nötig Cyanobakterien zu kultivieren und die Toxine zu isolieren. Beides wird gebraucht, um einerseits das Messsystem entwickeln zu können und andererseits an der TFH Wildau ein Verfahren zu entwickeln, mit dem die Cyanobakterien direkt am Gewässer aufgeschlossen und die Toxine extrahiert werden können. Im Rahmen dessen wurden sechs Gattungen Cyanobakterien kultiviert und ein Verfahren etabliert, um die Biomasse kalkulieren zu können. Weiterhin wurde mit der Kalibration der HPLC mit Toxinen begonnen, um die Extrakte später prüfen zu können.Within the project (in cooperation with BioTeZ Berlin- Buch GmbH) »CyToTest« a system shall be developed which allows to detect the concentration of cyanotoxins directly at the waterbody in a simple way. Therefore it is necessary to cultivate cyanobacteria and to isolate their toxins. This is essential for developing the measuring system and a procedure for digest the cyanobacteria and for extract the toxins directly at the waterbody. Therefore six species of cyanobacteria were cultivated and a method was developed for calculating the biomass. Furthermore the calibration of the HPLC with the toxins was begun for checking the extracts

Maßgerechte Kalkulation statt Einheitsprämie

Die Höhe der Förderprämien stellt ein wichtiges Kriterium für die Akzeptanz von Maßnahmen zur Entwicklung des ländlichen Raumes dar. Für viele Förderbereiche sehen die entsprechenden EU-Verordnungen vor, dass sich die Prämienhöhe an den entstehenden Kosten orientiert. Die Berechnungsansätze variieren in den Mitgliedstaaten allerdings erheblich. Das Forschungsprojekt AGRIGRID hat jetzt die Grundlagen für eine harmonisierte Kalkulation von Prämien erarbeitet

Early CT and FDG-metabolic tumour volume changes show a significant correlation with survival in stage I-III small cell lung cancer: A hypothesis generating study

BACKGROUND: Many patients with stage I–III small cell lung cancer (SCLC) experience disease progression short after the completion of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT). The purpose of the current study was to evaluate whether CT or FDG metabolic response early after the start of chemotherapy, but before the beginning of chest RT, is predictive for survival in SCLC. METHODS: Fifteen stage I–III SCLC patients treated with concurrent CRT with an FDG-PET and CT scan available before the start of chemotherapy and after or during the first cycle of chemotherapy, but before the start of radiotherapy, were selected. The metabolic volume (MV) was defined both within the primary tumour and in the involved nodal stations using the 40% (MV40) and 50% (MV50) threshold of the maximum SUV. Metabolic and CT response was assessed by the relative change in MV and CT volume, respectively, between both time points. The association between response and overall survival (OS) was analysed by univariate cox regression analysis. The minimum follow-up was 18 months. RESULTS: Reductions in MV40 and MV50 were −36 ± 38% (126.4 to 68.7 cm(3)) and −44 ± 38% (90.2 to 27.8 cm(3)), respectively. The median CT volume reduction was −40 ± 64% (190.6 to 113.8 cm(3)). MV40 and MV50 changes showed a significant association with survival (HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04 (p = 0.042); HR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.00–1.04 (p = 0.048), respectively), indicating a 2% increase in survival probability for 1% reduction in metabolic volume. The CT volume change was also significantly correlated with survival (HR = 1.01, 95% CI: 1.00–1.03, p = 0.007). CONCLUSIONS: This hypothesis generating study shows that both the early CT and the MV changes show a significant correlation with survival in SCLC. A prospective study is planned in a larger patient cohort to allow multivariate analysis, with the final aim to select patients early during treatment that could benefit from dose intensification or alternative treatment

Potential of differentiated payment levels based on standard cost approaches: A case study of selected rural development measures in Germany

In accordance with EU regulations, payment levels for several measures of rural development programs are calculated on the basis of standard cost approaches, using 'typical’ or average figures for costs incurred and income forgone. Resulting uniform payment rates have been frequently discussed and criticised as being inefficient, having a low cost-effectiveness and generating excessive windfall profits. However, few empirical studies exist which quantitatively examine potentials of a more differentiated standard cost approach. By using German farm accountancy data, this study analyses effects of a payment differentiation according to regional and farm individual characteristics on producer rents, budget expenditures and economic efficiency. Preliminary results show that though overcompensation could be reduced in most cases, savings in budget expenditure are often small and might be even offset by increasing administration costs. Generally our analysis indicates that potential benefits of differentiated standard cost approaches can be partly exploited if a) variances of the cost of participation in the universe of farms are high and the discriminatory natures of differentiation are significant, and b) positive correlations between costs and environmental benefits are strong

Reducing Mutant Huntingtin Protein Expression in Living Cells by a Newly Identified RNA CAG Binder

Expanded CAG trinucleotide repeats in Huntington’s disease (HD) are causative for neurotoxicity. The mutant CAG repeat RNA encodes neurotoxic polyglutamine proteins and can lead to a toxic gain of function by aberrantly recruiting RNA-binding proteins. One of these is the MID1 protein, which induces aberrant Huntingtin (HTT) protein translation upon binding. Here we have identified a set of CAG repeat binder candidates by in silico methods. One of those, furamidine, reduces the level of binding of HTT mRNA to MID1 and other target proteins in vitro. Metadynamics calculations, fairly consistent with experimental data measured here, provide hints about the binding mode of the ligand. Importantly, furamidine also decreases the protein level of HTT in a HD cell line model. This shows that small molecules masking RNA–MID1 interactions may be active against mutant HTT protein in living cells

A Human IgE Antibody Binding Site on Der p 2 for the Design of a Recombinant Allergen for Immunotherapy

Der p 2 is one of the most important allergens from the house dust mite Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus Identification of human IgE Ab binding epitopes can be used for rational design of allergens with reduced IgE reactivity for therapy. Antigenic analysis of Der p 2 was performed by site-directed mutagenesis based on the x-ray crystal structure of the allergen in complex with a Fab from the murine IgG mAb 7A1 that binds an epitope overlapping with human IgE binding sites. Conformational changes upon Ab binding were confirmed by nuclear magnetic resonance using a 7A1-single-chain variable fragment. In addition, a human IgE Ab construct that interferes with mAb 7A1 binding was isolated from a combinatorial phage-display library constructed from a mite-allergic patient and expressed as two recombinant forms (single-chain Fab in Pichia pastoris and Fab in Escherichia coli). These two IgE Ab constructs and the mAb 7A1 failed to recognize two Der p 2 epitope double mutants designed to abolish the allergen-Ab interaction while preserving the fold necessary to bind Abs at other sites of the allergen surface. A 10-100-fold reduction in binding of IgE from allergic subjects to the mutants additionally showed that the residues mutated were involved in IgE Ab binding. In summary, mutagenesis of a Der p 2 epitope defined by x-ray crystallography revealed an IgE Ab binding site that will be considered for the design of hypoallergens for immunotherapy