Career Duration a Competitive Environment: The Labor Market for Soccer Players in Germany

Using detailed information on every single player who appeared in at least one match in the history of the first division in German soccer between 1963/64 and 2002/03 we study the determinants of individual career duration. Although team characteristics and changes in the institutional environment have a statistically significant impact, it is the players’ individual performance that counts: Player age, number of matches played, goals scored as well as player position have a significant impact on the individual’s probability of being terminated.

Portrait of Emperor Francis Joseph

Half-length portrait of the Emperor Francis Joseph in military uniform and decorated with medals.Uncirculated postcard

Homologous Deformation of the Effelsberg 100-m Telescope Determined with a Total Station

Due to gravitation the main reflector of the Effelsberg 100-m telescope of the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy is deformed whenever it is tilted from zenith to arbitrary elevation angles. However, the resulting shape always is a paraboloid again, though with different parameters, a phenomenon which is called homologous deformation. In summer 2008, we have carried out measurements with a total station to determine the magnitude of these deformations in order to evaluate existing assumptions provided by the manufacturer from the telescope's design phase. The measurements are based on a newly developed approach with a Leica TCRP 1201 total station mounted head down near the subreflector. Mini-retro-reflectors are placed at various locations on the paraboloid itself and on the subreflector support structure. The results indicate that the measurement setup is suitable for the purpose and provides the information needed for a determination of elevation dependent delay corrections. The focal length changes only by about 8 mm when the telescope is tilted from 90. to 7.5. elevation angle

A Prospective Substudy of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Malignant ascites (MA) is most commonly observed in patients scheduled for epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) surgery and is supposed as a major risk factor promoting perioperative hemodynamic deterioration. We aimed to assess the hemodynamic consequences of MA on systemic circulation in patients undergoing cytoreductive EOC surgery. This study is a predefined post-hoc analysis of a randomized controlled pilot trial comparing intravenous solutions within a goal-directed algorithm to optimize hemodynamic therapy in patients undergoing cytoreductive EOC surgery. Ascites was used to stratify the EOC patients prior to randomization in the main study. We analyzed 2 groups according to the amount of ascites (NLAS: none or low ascites [<500 mL] vs HAS: high ascites group [>500 mL]). Differences in hemodynamic variables with respect to time were analyzed using nonparametric analysis for longitudinal data and multivariate generalized estimating equation adjusting the analysis for the randomized study groups of the main study. A total of 31 patients in the NLAS and 16 patients in the HAS group were analyzed. Although cardiac output was not different between groups suggesting a similar circulatory blood flow, the HAS group revealed higher heart rates and lower stroke volumes during surgery. There were no differences in pressure-based hemodynamic variables. In the HAS group, fluid demands, reflected by the time to reindication of a fluid challenge after preload optimization, increased steadily, whereas stroke volume could not be maintained at baseline resulting in hemodynamic instability after 1.5 h of surgery. In contrast, in the NLAS group fluid demands were stable and stroke volume could be maintained during surgery. Clinically relevant associations of the type of fluid replacement with hemodynamic consequences were particularly observed in the HAS group, in which transfusion of fresh frozen plasma (FFP) was associated to an improved circulatory flow and reduced vasopressor and fluid demands, whereas the administration of artificial infusion solutions was related to opposite effects. Malignant ascites >500 mL implies increased fluid demands and substantial alterations in circulatory blood flow during cancer surgery. Fresh frozen plasma transfusion promotes recovering hemodynamic stability in patients with malignant ascites >500 mL, in whom artificial infusion solutions could not prevent from hemodynamic deterioration

Effects of sex hormone treatment on the metabolic syndrome in transgender individuals : focus on metabolic cytokines

Context: Hormonal treatment in transgender persons affects many components of the metabolic syndrome (MS). Objective: To determine the role of direct hormonal effects, changes in metabolic cytokines, and body composition on metabolic outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants: 24 transwomen and 45 transmen from the European Network for the Investigation of Gender Incongruence were investigated at baseline and after 12 months of hormonal therapy. Outcome Measures: Best predictors for changes in components of MS, applying least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Results: In transwomen, a decrease in triglyceride levels was best explained by a decrease in fat mass and an increase in fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF-21); the decrease in total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels was principally due to a decrease in resistin. A decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol depended on an inverse association with fat mass. In contrast, in transmen, an increase in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol was predicted by a decrease in FGF-21 and an increase in the waist/hip ratio; a decrease in the high-density lipoprotein/total cholesterol ratio depended on a decline in adiponectin levels. In transwomen, worsened insulin resistance and increased early insulin response seemed to be due to a direct treatment effect; however, improvements in hepatic insulin sensitivity in transmen were best predicted by a positive association with chemerin, resistin, and FGF-21 and were inversely related to changes in the waist/hip ratio and leptin and adipocyte fatty acid-binding protein levels. Conclusions: The effects of hormonal therapy on different components of the MS are sex-specific and involve a complex interplay of direct hormonal effects, changes in body composition, and metabolic cytokine secretion

Genome-Wide Association Study with Targeted and Non-targeted NMR Metabolomics Identifies 15 Novel Loci of Urinary Human Metabolic Individuality

Genome-wide association studies with metabolic traits (mGWAS) uncovered many genetic variants that influence human metabolism. These genetically influenced metabotypes (GIMs) contribute to our metabolic individuality, our capacity to respond to environmental challenges, and our susceptibility to specific diseases. While metabolic homeostasis in blood is a well investigated topic in large mGWAS with over 150 known loci, metabolic detoxification through urinary excretion has only been addressed by few small mGWAS with only 11 associated loci so far. Here we report the largest mGWAS to date, combining targeted and non-targeted 1H NMR analysis of urine samples from 3,861 participants of the SHIP-0 cohort and 1,691 subjects of the KORA F4 cohort. We identified and replicated 22 loci with significant associations with urinary traits, 15 of which are new (HIBCH, CPS1, AGXT, XYLB, TKT, ETNPPL, SLC6A19, DMGDH, SLC36A2, GLDC, SLC6A13, ACSM3, SLC5A11, PNMT, SLC13A3). Two-thirds of the urinary loci also have a metabolite association in blood. For all but one of the 6 loci where significant associations target the same metabolite in blood and urine, the genetic effects have the same direction in both fluids. In contrast, for the SLC5A11 locus, we found increased levels of myo-inositol in urine whereas mGWAS in blood reported decreased levels for the same genetic variant. This might indicate less effective re-absorption of myo-inositol in the kidneys of carriers. In summary, our study more than doubles the number of known loci that influence urinary phenotypes. It thus allows novel insights into the relationship between blood homeostasis and its regulation through excretion. The newly discovered loci also include variants previously linked to chronic kidney disease (CPS1, SLC6A13), pulmonary hypertension (CPS1), and ischemic stroke (XYLB). By establishing connections from gene to disease via metabolic traits our results provide novel hypotheses about molecular mechanisms involved in the etiology of diseases

Development of school laboratory participation over a period of six months: A case study of aspects of divergent thinking and problem discovery

Creativity, especially problem discovery and divergent thinking are skills that will be demanded for more and more jobs in the future. STEM subjects are leading the way. Schools are an important learning place to train the future generation of workers. However, promotion of creativity in STEM subjects is not sufficiently implemented. Chemistry teachers prefer frontal teaching instead of free, pupil-centred methods that encourage creative work. Extracurricular learning activities offer potential due to the free work atmosphere of a self-discovered problem. Pupils then have to solve it. In the context of this study, the development of problem discovery and divergent thinking of gender, parental academic background and gender differences based on parental academic background will be presented in this study. It is based on two school laboratories: Agnes-Pockels-Lab (without accompanying and professional support) and the DroPS project (with accompanying and professional support)

Comparison of German and Japanese student teachers’ views on creativity in chemistry class

Creativity has become an increasingly important skill in today’s rapidly changing times, as industries and economies depend upon innovation. It is therefore a requirement for school graduates, especially those who strive towards a technical or scientific career. However creativity has not been integrated into curricula of STEM subjects in many European countries including Germany. To successfully incorporate it in the classroom, it is important to investigate teachers’ and student teachers’ attitudes towards creativity, as they influence teaching and lesson planning. In cooperation with Kagoshima University, Japan, the possibility to investigate Japanese student teachers’ conceptions of creativity and compare them with those of their German colleagues became available. This is of special interest as many differences exist between Germany and Japanese, such as the culture, society and educational system as well as different rankings in PISA and TIMSS. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate, compare and analyse the concepts and views of German and Japanese student teachers. To achieve this, a research instrument, including the creation of concept maps and a questionnaire have been used. In the evaluation of the data, an extensive qualitative analysis of the propositions in the concept maps and statements in the questionnaire were made. These were supported by structural and quantitative analysis. The results show that almost all the student teachers in this study had a positive attitude towards creativity, but there were differences in the understanding and implementation of creativity in the classroom