Explaining spatial variation in homeownership rates: Results for German regions

A wide range of aggregate data is used to examine the spatial variation in homeownership rates among a cross-section of 96 German planning regions. The analysis accounts for potential endogeneity of prices and affordability as well as for spatial dependence in homeownership levels. In addition to familiar demographic and socioeconomic variables, the regional price and affordability of owner-occupied housing, and the regional composition of the housing stock can be identified as important determinants of regional tenure choice patterns. At large, the above factors suffice to explain both the substantial disparities in homeownership rates between eastern and western Germany as well as between rural, urbanized and agglomerated locations. The results of this study offer some interesting implications for housing policy

Auswirkungen der Finanz- und Schuldenkrise auf den deutschen Eigenheimsektor

Die Auswirkungen der Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise auf den Markt für selbst-genutzte Wohnimmobilien in Deutschland sind bislang kaum untersucht. Die-ser Beitrag analysiert die in Folge der Krise auf dem deutschen Eigenheim-markt stattfindenden Anpassungsmechanismen innerhalb eines theoretischen Modells und leitete Aussagen darüber ab, wie die wichtigsten Marktgrößen durch die Krise beeinflusst werden. Um die Aussagekraft der auf Basis des Modells getroffenen qualitativen Erkenntnisse zu überprüfen, werden die Mo-dellaussagen der tatsächlichen aktuellen Entwicklung ausgewählter Woh-nungsmarktindikatoren gegenübergestellt. Wie sich zeigt, ist die Finanzkrise nicht notwendigerweise mit negativen Auswirkungen auf den deutschen Ei-genheimsektor verbunden. Von Seiten des Kredit-, des Immobilienkapital- und des Neubaumarkts gehen Impulse aus, die die durch sinkende Einkommen und steigende Arbeitslosigkeit bedingte negative Beeinflussung der Nachfrage nach selbstgenutztem Wohnraum zumindest teilweise kompensieren

Development of a Virtualized Computing Environment for LHC Analyses on Standard Batch Systems and Measurement of the Inclusive Jet Cross-Section with the CMS experiment at 7 TeV

A measurement of the double-differential inclusive jet cross section with the CMS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at a center-of-mass collision energy of 7 TeV is presented. The LHC experiments have very precisely defined prerequisites for the analysis computing environment. Therefore a dynamic virtualization system of computing worker nodes was developed and is presented in detail

Auswirkungen der Finanz- und Schuldenkrise auf den deutschen Eigenheimsektor

Die Auswirkungen der Finanz- und Wirtschaftskrise auf den Markt für selbst-genutzte Wohnimmobilien in Deutschland sind bislang kaum untersucht. Die-ser Beitrag analysiert die in Folge der Krise auf dem deutschen Eigenheim-markt stattfindenden Anpassungsmechanismen innerhalb eines theoretischen Modells und leitete Aussagen darüber ab, wie die wichtigsten Marktgrößen durch die Krise beeinflusst werden. Um die Aussagekraft der auf Basis des Modells getroffenen qualitativen Erkenntnisse zu überprüfen, werden die Mo-dellaussagen der tatsächlichen aktuellen Entwicklung ausgewählter Woh-nungsmarktindikatoren gegenübergestellt. Wie sich zeigt, ist die Finanzkrise nicht notwendigerweise mit negativen Auswirkungen auf den deutschen Ei-genheimsektor verbunden. Von Seiten des Kredit-, des Immobilienkapital- und des Neubaumarkts gehen Impulse aus, die die durch sinkende Einkommen und steigende Arbeitslosigkeit bedingte negative Beeinflussung der Nachfrage nach selbstgenutztem Wohnraum zumindest teilweise kompensieren. --

How to improve efficiency in cancer care: dimensions, methods, and areas of evaluation

Efficiency in healthcare is crucial since available resources are scarce, and the cost of inefficient allocation is measured in prior outcomes. This is particularly relevant for cancer. The aim of this paper is to gain a comprehensive overview of the areas and dimensions to improve efficiency, and establish the indicators, different methods, perspectives, and areas of evaluation, to provide recommendations for how to improve efficiency and measure gains in cancer care.Methods: We conducted a two-phase design. First, a comprehensive scoping literature review was conducted, searching four databases. Studies published between 2000 and 2021 were included if they described experiences and cases of efficiency in cancer care or methods to evaluate efficiency. The results of the literature review were then discussed during two rounds of online consultation with a panel of 15 external experts invited to provide insight and comments to deliberate policy recommendations.Results: 46 papers met the inclusion criteria. Based on the papers retrieved we identified six areas for achieving efficiency gains throughout the entire care pathway and, for each area of efficiency, we categorized the methods and outcomes used to measure efficiency gain.Conclusion: This is the first attempt to systemize a scattered body of literature on how to improve efficiency in cancer care and identify key areas of improvement. Policy summary: There are many opportunities to improve efficiency in cancer care. We defined seven policy recommendations on how to improve efficiency in cancer care throughout the care pathway and how to improve the measurement of efficiency gains

A far-infrared spectroscopic survey of intermediate redshift (ultra) luminous infrared galaxies

We present Herschel far-IR photometry and spectroscopy as well as ground-based CO observations of an intermediate redshift (0.21 _ z _ 0.88) sample of Herschel-selected (ultra)-luminous infrared galaxies (LIR >1011.5 L_). With these measurements, we trace the dust continuum, far-IR atomic line emission, in particular [C ii] 157.7μm, as well as the molecular gas of z ∼ 0.3 luminous and ultraluminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs and ULIRGs) and perform a detailed investigation of the interstellar medium of the population. We find that the majority of Herschel-selected intermediate redshift (U)LIRGs have LCii/LFIR ratios that are a factor of about 10 higher than that of local ULIRGs and comparable to that of local normal and high-z star-forming galaxies. Using our sample to bridge local and high-z [C ii] observations, we find that the majority of galaxies at all redshifts and all luminosities follow an LCii−LFIR relation with a slope of unity, from which local ULIRGs and high-z active-galactic-nucleus-dominated sources are clear outliers.We also confirm that the strong anti-correlation between the LCii/LFIR ratio and the far-IR color L60/L100 observed in the local universe holds over a broad range of redshifts and luminosities, in the sense that warmer sources exhibit lower LC ii/LFIR at any epoch. Intermediate redshift ULIRGs are also characterized by large molecular gas reservoirs and by lower star formation efficiencies compared to that of local ULIRGs. The high LC ii/LFIR ratios, the moderate star formation efficiencies (LIR/L _COor LIR/MH2 ), and the relatively low dust temperatures of our sample (which are also common characteristics of high-z star-forming galaxies with ULIRG-like luminosities) indicate that the evolution of the physical properties of (U)LIRGs between the present day and z > 1 is already significant by z ∼ 0.3

A 158 Micron [CII] Line Survey of Galaxies at z ~ 1 to 2: An Indicator of Star Formation in the Early Universe

We have detected the 158 {\mu}m [CII] line from 12 galaxies at z~1-2. This is the first survey of this important starformation tracer at redshifts covering the epoch of maximum star-formation in the Universe and quadruples the number of reported high z [CII] detections. The line is very luminous, between <0.024-0.65% of the far-infrared continuum luminosity of our sources, and arises from PDRs on molecular cloud surfaces. An exception is PKS 0215+015, where half of the [CII] emission could arise from XDRs near the central AGN. The L[CII] /LFIR ratio in our star-formation-dominated systems is ~8 times larger than that of our AGN-dominated systems. Therefore this ratio selects for star-formation-dominated systems. Furthermore, the L[CII]/LFIR and L[CII]/L(CO(1-0)) ratios in our starforming galaxies and nearby starburst galaxies are the same, so that luminous starforming galaxies at earlier epochs (z~1-2) appear to be scaled up versions of local starbursts entailing kilo-parsec-scale starbursts. Most of the FIR and [CII] radiation from our AGN-dominated sample (excepting PKS 0215+015) also arises from kpc scale starformation, but with far-UV radiation fields ~8 times more intense than in our star-formation-dominated sample. We speculate that the onset of AGN activity stimulates large-scale star-formation activity within AGN-dominated systems. This idea is supported by the relatively strong [OIII] line emission, indicating very young stars, that was recently observed in high z composite AGN/starburst systems. Our results confirm the utility of the [CII] line, and in particular, the L[CII]/L(FIR) and L[CII]/LCO(1-0) ratios as a tracers of star-formation in galaxies at high redshifts.Comment: 33 pages, 5 figure

NPM1 directs PIDDosome-dependent caspase-2 activation in the nucleolus

The PIDDosome (PIDD–RAIDD–caspase-2 complex) is considered to be the primary signaling platform for caspase-2 activation in response to genotoxic stress. Yet studies of PIDD-deficient mice show that caspase-2 activation can proceed in the absence of PIDD. Here we show that DNA damage induces the assembly of at least two distinct activation platforms for caspase-2: a cytoplasmic platform that is RAIDD dependent but PIDD independent, and a nucleolar platform that requires both PIDD and RAIDD. Furthermore, the nucleolar phosphoprotein nucleophosmin (NPM1) acts as a scaffold for PIDD and is essential for PIDDosome assembly in the nucleolus after DNA damage. Inhibition of NPM1 impairs caspase-2 processing, apoptosis, and caspase-2–dependent inhibition of cell growth, demonstrating that the NPM1-dependent nucleolar PIDDosome is a key initiator of the caspase-2 activation cascade. Thus we have identified the nucleolus as a novel site for caspase-2 activation and function

Search for supersymmetry in events with b-quark jets and missing transverse energy in pp collisions at 7 TeV

Results are presented from a search for physics beyond the standard model based on events with large missing transverse energy, at least three jets, and at least one, two, or three b-quark jets. The study is performed using a sample of proton-proton collision data collected at sqrt(s) = 7 TeV with the CMS detector at the LHC in 2011. The integrated luminosity of the sample is 4.98 inverse femtobarns. The observed number of events is found to be consistent with the standard model expectation, which is evaluated using control samples in the data. The results are used to constrain cross sections for the production of supersymmetric particles decaying to b-quark-enriched final states in the context of simplified model spectra.Comment: Submitted to Physical Review

The European Code of Cancer Practice

There are considerable disparities between the quality of cancer care and clinical outcomes for cancer patients in different European countries, regions, hospitals and communities. These have persisted despite the introduction of many European and National Cancer Plans, an extensive portfolio of clinical guidelines and the existence of evidence based guidelines for the good practice in planning cancer healthcare systems. We describe the European Code of Cancer Practice which is a citizen and patient-centred accessible widely disseminated statement of the core requirements for good clinical cancer practice. The Code sets out 10 key overarching Rights of what a patient should expect from their healthcare system each supported by a plain language explanation. The Rights highlight the importance of equal access to affordable and optimal cancer care, good quality information about an individual patient’s disease and treatment and about the quality and outcomes of the cancer service they will use. Specialised multidisciplinary cancer care teams, shared decision-making, research and innovation, a focus on quality of life, the integration of supportive and palliative care within oncology are all emphasised. There is a need for a systematic approach to supporting cancer survivors with a survivorship care plan including their rehabilitation, reintegration into society and return to work where appropriate without discrimination. The Code has been co-produced by a team of cancer patients, patient advocates and cancer professionals to bridge the gap between clinical guidelines, healthcare policies and patients’ everyday experience. It is robustly evidence-based and supported by a comprehensive review of the medical literature and evidence for good clinical practice. The Code is strongly endorsed by Europe’s professional and patient cancer organisations and the European Commission