The gender gap in labor market participation and employment: a cohort analysis for West Germany

Labor market participation rates of West German females have risen during the last decades, whereas participation rates of males have declined or remained stable. Nevertheless, differences in aggregate gender specific participation rates remain. The purpose of this paper is to compare life cycle participation and employment profiles of West German males and females of different skill levels. Going beyond the descriptive cross tabulations of participation and employment rates by year, skill level, and sex, this paper uses a model which simultaneously takes into account the effects of time, age, and birth cohort membership. The estimation results allow for the construction and comparison of gender and skill specific life cycle participation and employment profiles. Even though the gap in average participation and employment rates has narrowed over time, the results confirm a persistent gender gap in the pattern of labor market participation and employment over the life cycle. --Gender Gap in Employment and Participation,Cohort Analysis

The Gender Gap in Labor Market Participation and Employment: A Cohort Analysis for West Germany

Labor market participation rates of West German females have risen during the last decades, whereas participation rates of males have declined or remained stable. Nevertheless, differences in aggregate gender specific participation rates remain. The purpose of this paper is to compare life cycle participation and employment profiles of West German males and females of different skill levels. Going beyond the descriptive cross tabulations of participation and employment rates by year, skill level, and sex, this paper uses a model which simultaneously takes into account the effects of time, age, and birth cohort membership. The estimation results allow for the construction and comparison of gender and skill specific life cycle participation and employment profiles. Even though the gap in average participation and employment rates has narrowed over time, the results confirm a persistent gender gap in the pattern of labor market participation and employment over the life cycle

Theorie und Fabrikation von Subwellenlängenstrukturen am Beispiel polarisierender Metallstreifengitter

Die Dissertation behandelt Subwellenlängen-Metallstreifengitter (d.h. optische Gitter, die abwechselnd aus metallischen und dielektrischen Bereichen bestehen und Perioden im Bereich von ca. 100nm bis 500nm aufweisen), die zur Beeinflussung des Polarisationszustandes von sichtbarem Licht verwendet werden können. Es werden die theoretische Beschreibung derartiger Gitter (mit Hilfe der Theorie des Effektiven Mediums sowie mittels rigoroser Beugungstheorie), die Gitterherstellung mittels verschiedener Verfahren der Mikrostrukturtechnik (Elektronenstrahllithografie, Ionenstrahlätzen) und die Anwendung solcher Gitter betrachtet. Diese einzelnen Themen werden dabei nicht getrennt voneindander behandelt, sondern es werden Zusammenhänge und Querverbindungen aufgezeigt, was zu einem komplexen Verständnis sowohl dieses speziellen Gittertyps als auch der generellen Problematik der Herstellung mikrooptischer Elemente führt. Als Resultat experimenteller Untersuchungen an verschiedenen Gitter-Konfigurationen wurde der normale Polarisationseffekt wie auch seine Umkehrung (der inverse Polarisationseffekt) nachgewiesen, wobei ein maximaler Polarisationseffekt größer als 1000:1 in Transmission erreicht wurde

Kontroverse: Sind Betriebsräte ineffizient?

Auftakt der Kontroverse bildet ein Erfahrungsbericht zur Mitbestimmung in einem gemeinnützigen Konzern. Inwieweit sich diese (negativen) Erfahrungen verallgemeinern lassen, wird in den darauf folgenden Expertenberichten hinterfragt, die den derzeitigen Stand des empirischen Wissens zum Wirken und zu den Effekten von Betriebsräten wesentlich geprägt haben. Inhaltsverzeichnis: Kontroverse - Sind Betriebsräte ineffizient? Vorbemerkung (151); Hubert Schnabel: Zur Diskussion über die betriebliche Mitbestimmung (152-163); Bernd Puck: Betriebliche Mitbestimmung unter Rechtfertigungsdruck. Die relative Bedeutung von Produktivitäts- und Umverteilungseffekten (164-177); Hermann Kotthoff: Betriebsrat: ein Sammelbecken für Zukurzgekommene? (178-184); Thomas Merz; Starke Konfliktpartner gefordert! (185-188); Claus Schnabel: Betriebliche Mitbestimmung - Widersprüche zwischen Forschung und Praxis?(189-192); Thomas Zwick: Perspektiven für die Wirkungsanalyse von Betriebsräten Erwiderung (193-197); Hubert Schnabel: Zur Diskussion über die betriebliche Mitbestimmung (198-200)

Neural responses to advantageous and disadvantageous inequity

In this paper we study neural responses to inequitable distributions of rewards despite equal performance. We specifically focus on differences between advantageous inequity (AI) and disadvantageous inequity (DI). AI and DI were realized in a hyperscanning functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) experiment with pairs of subjects simultaneously performing a task in adjacent scanners and observing both subjects' rewards. Results showed (1) hypoactivation of the ventral striatum (VS) under DI but not under AI; (2) inequity induced activation of the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) that was stronger under DI than under AI; (3) correlations between subjective evaluations of AI evaluation and bilateral ventrolateral prefrontal and left insular activity. Our study provides neurophysiological evidence for different cognitive processes that occur when exposed to DI and AI, respectively. One possible interpretation is that any form of inequity represents a norm violation, but that important differences between AI and DI emerge from an asymmetric involvement of status concerns

German federal-state-wide seroprevalence study of 1st SARS-CoV-2 pandemic wave shows importance of long-term antibody test performance

Background Reliable data on the adult SARS-CoV-2 infection fatality rate in Germany are still scarce. We performed a federal state-wide cross-sectional seroprevalence study named SaarCoPS, that is representative for the adult population including elderly individuals and nursing home residents in the Saarland. Methods Serum was collected from 2940 adults via stationary or mobile teams during the 1st pandemic wave steady state period. We selected an antibody test system with maximal specificity, also excluding seroreversion effects due to a high longitudinal test performance. For the calculations of infection and fatality rates, we accounted for the delays of seroconversion and death after infection. Results Using a highly specific total antibody test detecting anti-SARS-CoV-2 responses over more than 180 days, we estimate an adult infection rate of 1.02% (95% CI: [0.64; 1.44]), an underreporting rate of 2.68-fold (95% CI: [1.68; 3.79]) and infection fatality rates of 2.09% (95% CI: (1.48; 3.32]) or 0.36% (95% CI: [0.25; 0.59]) in all adults including elderly individuals, or adults younger than 70 years, respectively. Conclusion The study highlights the importance of study design and test performance for seroprevalence studies, particularly when seroprevalences are low. Our results provide a valuable baseline for evaluation of future pandemic dynamics and impact of public health measures on virus spread and human health in comparison to neighbouring countries such as Luxembourg or France

High-density lipoprotein cholesterol, coronary artery disease, and cardiovascular mortality

Aims High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is a strong predictor of cardiovascular mortality. This work aimed to investigate whether the presence of coronary artery disease (CAD) impacts on its predictive value. Methods and results We studied 3141 participants (2191 males, 950 females) of the LUdwigshafen RIsk and Cardiovascular health (LURIC) study. They had a mean ± standard deviation age of 62.6 ± 10.6 years, body mass index of 27.5 ± 4.1 kg/m², and HDL cholesterol of 38.9 ± 10.8 mg/dL. The cohort consisted of 699 people without CAD, 1515 patients with stable CAD, and 927 patients with unstable CAD. The participants were prospectively followed for cardiovascular mortality over a median (inter-quartile range) period of 9.9 (8.7-10.7) years. A total of 590 participants died from cardiovascular diseases. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol by tertiles was inversely related to cardiovascular mortality in the entire cohort (P = 0.009). There was significant interaction between HDL cholesterol and CAD in predicting the outcome (P = 0.007). In stratified analyses, HDL cholesterol was strongly associated with cardiovascular mortality in people without CAD [3rd vs. 1st tertile: HR (95% CI) = 0.37 (0.18-0.74), P = 0.005], but not in patients with stable [3rd vs. 1st tertile: HR (95% CI) = 0.81 (0.61-1.09), P = 0.159] and unstable [3rd vs. 1st tertile: HR (95% CI) = 0.91 (0.59-1.41), P = 0.675] CAD. These results were replicated by analyses in 3413 participants of the AtheroGene cohort and 5738 participants of the ESTHER cohort, and by a meta-analysis comprising all three cohorts. Conclusion The inverse relationship of HDL cholesterol with cardiovascular mortality is weakened in patients with CAD. The usefulness of considering HDL cholesterol for cardiovascular risk stratification seems limited in such patient

Antithrombotic management and outcomes of patients with atrial fibrillation treated with NOACs early at the time of market introduction:Main results from the PREFER in AF Prolongation Registry

International audienceAbstract The management of patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has rapidly changed with increasing use of non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) and changes in the use of rhythm control therapy. The prevention of thromboembolic events European Registry in Atrial Fibrillation Prolongation Registry (PREFER Prolongation) enrolled consecutive patients with AF on NOACs between 2014 and 2016 in a multicentre, prospective, observational study with one-year follow-up, focusing on the time of introduction of NOACs. Overall, 3783 patients were enrolled, with follow-up information available in 3223 (85%). Mean age was 72.2 ± 9.4 years, 40% were women, mean CHA 2 DS 2 VASc score was 3.4 ± 1.6, and 2587 (88.6%) had a CHA 2 DS 2 VASc score ≥ 2. Rivaroxaban was used in half of patients, and dabigatran and apixaban were used in about a quarter of patients each; edoxaban was not available for use in Europe at the time. Major cardiovascular event rate was low: serious events occurred in 74 patients (84 events, 2%), including 24 strokes (1%), 62 major bleeds (2%), of which 30 were life-threatening (1%) and 3 intracranial (0.1%), and 28 acute coronary syndromes (1%). Mortality was 2%. Antiarrhythmic drugs were used in about 50% of patients, catheter ablation in 5%. Adverse events were low in this contemporary European cohort of unselected AF patients treated with NOACs already at the time of their first introduction, despite high thromboembolic risk