Size, openness, and macroeconomic interdependence

The curse of dimensionality, a problem associated with analyzing the interaction of a relatively large number of endogenous macroeconomic variables, is a prevailing issue in the open economy macro literature. The most common practice to mitigate this problem is to apply the so-called Small Open Economy Framework (SOEF). In this paper, we aim to review under which conditions the SOEF is a justifiable approximation and how severe the consequences of violation of key conditions might be. Thereby, we use a multicountry general equilibrium model as a laboratory. ; First, we derive the conditions that ensure the existence of the equilibrium and study the properties of the equilibrium using large N asymptotics. Second, we show that the SOEF is a valid approximation only for economies (i) that have a diversified foreign trade structure and if (ii) there is no globally dominant economy in the system. Third, we illustrate that macroeconomic interdependence is primarily related to the degree of trade diversification, and not to the extent of trade openness. Furthermore, we provide some evidence on the pattern of global macroeconomic interdependence by calculating probability impulse response functions in our calibrated multicountry model using data for 153 economies.International trade

Size, openness, and macroeconomic interdependence

The curse of dimensionality, a problem associated with analyzing the interaction of a relatively large number of endogenous macroeconomic variables, is a prevailing issue in the open economy macro literature. The most common practise to mitigate this problem is to apply the so-called Small Open Economy Framework (SOEF). In this paper, we aim to review under which conditions the SOEF is a justifiable approximation and how severe the consequences of violation of key conditions might be. Thereby, we use a multicountry general equilibrium model as a laboratory. First, we derive the conditions that ensure the existence of the equilibrium and study the properties of the equilibrium using large N asymptotics. Second, we show that the SOEF is a valid approximation only for economies (i) that have a diversified foreign trade structure and if (ii) there is no globally dominant economy in the system. Third, we illustrate that macroeconomic interdependence is primarily related to the degree of trade diversification, and not to the extent of trade openness. Furthermore, we provide some evidence on the pattern of global macroeconomic interdependence by calculating probability impulse response functions in our calibrated multicountry model using data for 153 economies. JEL Classification: F41DSGE Models, Factor models, Open Economy Macroeconomics, Weak and Strong Cross Section Dependence

Visualization of interface instabilities in two-phase flow

The simulation of two-phase flow is a very important topic which influences many modern fields of research, such as the development of combustion engines and turbines. Hence, it is a crucial task to analyze these simulation results. To this end, this thesis introduces new ideas for the calculation of the change in size of the surface area of droplets, the so-called interface stretching, and its visualization. As underlying vector field, both the surface tension force, as well as the actual velocity field provided by the simulation are used. Reconstructing the interface of a Volume-of-Fluid (VOF) field using PLIC (Piecewise Linear Interface Calculation), the changes of the interface can be calculated using different methods and are visualized using various techniques. Coloring corresponding to the stretching or contraction of the surface, as well as vector glyphs can be used to find areas of interest and provide enough information that rough estimates of the transformation of the droplets can me made. Especially using the surface tension force, local changes, such as deformation and changes in topology can be predicted

Essays in behavioral and labor economics

Diese Dissertation untersucht die Rolle einzelner Aspekte menschlichen Verhaltens und deren Auswirkungen auf Arbeitsmarktergebnisse unter Zuhilfenahme von Experimental- und Sekundär- daten. Das erste Kapitel stellt die Relevanz des Themas heraus und zeigt mögliche politische Implikationen auf. Im zweiten Kapitel wird untersucht, ob sich Männer und Frauen in Wettbewerbsverhalten und Leistungsfähikeit unter Druck im Freizeitsport voneinander unterscheiden. Unter Verwendung von Daten aus dem Kegelsport, der sich durch gemischtgeschlechtlichen und direkten Wettbe- werb auszeichnet, finden sich keine Unterschiede im Wettbewerbsverhalten gegen das andere Geschlecht, sobald individuelle Fähigkeiten berücksichtigt werden. Die Leistungsfähikeit von Männern und Frauen unter Druck unterscheidet sich ebenfalls nicht. Das dritte Kapitel behandelt die Determinanten von Verteilungspräferenzen und deren Beziehung zu Löhnen. Im ersten Schritt werden in einem anreizkonformen Experiment offenbarte Verteilungs- präferenzen in Bezug zu Persönlichkeitsmerkmalen gesetzt. Im zweiten Schritt werden indikative Belege aufgezeigt, dass Ungleichheitsaversion und Boshaftigkeit die Einkommen in Deutschland verringern und teilweise geschlechtsspezifische Lohnunterschiede erklären können. Das vierte Kapitel untersucht unter Verwendung von Daten aus einem Laborexperiment, ob Aussehen und Religionsausübung von Bewerbern Einfluss auf Einstellungsentscheidungen haben. Es finden sich, je nach Berufsbild und Charakteristiken der Entscheider, heterogene Effekte von Verschleierung auf die Wahrscheinlichkeit, zum Vorstellungsgespräch eingeladen zu werden. Bessere Arbeitsmarktcharakteristiken der Bewerber können Diskriminierung aufgrund des Kopftuches überkompensieren. Das fünfte Kapitel analysiert, wie sowohl das eigene Erscheinungsbild als auch die Attraktivität von Mitbewerber die eigenen Chancen beeinflussen, zu einem Vorstellungsgespräch eingeladen zu werden. Basierend auf einem Laborexperiment mit randomisierten Lebensläufen zeigt sich, dass das Erscheinungsbild der gleichgeschlechtlichen Mitbewerber zusätzlich zum eigenen Schrönheitsbonus einen inkrementellen Erklärungsbeitrag liefert

The C-terminus of p63 contains multiple regulatory elements with different functions

The transcription factor p63 is expressed as at least six different isoforms, of which two have been assigned critical biological roles within ectodermal development and skin stem cell biology on the one hand and supervision of the genetic stability of oocytes on the other hand. These two isoforms contain a C-terminal inhibitory domain that negatively regulates their transcriptional activity. This inhibitory domain contains two individual components: one that uses an internal binding mechanism to interact with and mask the transactivation domain and one that is based on sumoylation. We have carried out an extensive alanine scanning study to identify critical regions within the inhibitory domain. These experiments show that a stretch of ~13 amino acids is crucial for the binding function. Further, investigation of transcriptional activity and the intracellular level of mutants that cannot be sumoylated suggests that sumoylation reduces the concentration of p63. We therefore propose that the inhibitory function of the C-terminal domain is in part due to direct inhibition of the transcriptional activity of the protein and in part due to indirect inhibition by controlling the concentration of p63. Keywords: p63, transcriptional regulation, auto-inhibition, sumoylatio

A novel convenient preparation of dihydroxyacetone phosphate and its use in enzymatic aldol reactions

A new preparation of the stable barium salt of 2,5-bis(phosphonooxymethyl)-2,5-diethoxy-1,4-dioxane Ba-Image is described, which by treatment with DOWEX 50 H+ gives dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP) in high yield. DHAP prepared by this method was used for aldolase-catalyzed condensations

Visual analysis of droplet dynamics in large-scale multiphase spray simulations

We present a data-driven visual analysis approach for the in-depth exploration of large numbers of droplets. Understanding droplet dynamics in sprays is of interest across many scientific fields for both simulation scientists and engineers. In this paper, we analyze large-scale direct numerical simulation datasets of the two-phase flow of non-Newtonian jets. Our interactive visual analysis approach comprises various dedicated exploration modalities that are supplemented by directly linking to ParaView. This hybrid setup supports a detailed investigation of droplets, both in the spatial domain and in terms of physical quantities . Considering a large variety of extracted physical quantities for each droplet enables investigating different aspects of interest in our data. To get an overview of different types of characteristic behaviors, we cluster massive numbers of droplets to analyze different types of occurring behaviors via domain-specific pre-aggregation, as well as different methods and parameters. Extraordinary temporal patterns are of high interest, especially to investigate edge cases and detect potential simulation issues. For this, we use a neural network-based approach to predict the development of these physical quantities and identify irregularly advected droplets

Enzyme-catalyzed synthesis of 1-deoxymannojirimycin, 1-Ddeoxynojirimycin, and 1,4-Dideoxy-1,4-imino-D-arabinitol

The title compounds 1, 2, and 3 are highly effective glycosidase inhibitors. They were synthesized from achiral starting compounds by enzyme-catalyzed CC coupling of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (1, 2) or hydroxypyruvate (3) with racemic 3-azido-2-hydroxypropanal via fructose, sorbose and xylulose derivatives and their subsequent enantioselective catalytic hydrogenation

Aldolase-catalyzed C-C bond formation for stereoselective synthesis of nitrogen-containing carbohydrates

Rabbit muscle aldolase was found to catalyze stereoselective aldol addition of dihydroxyacetone phosphate (1) to 3-azido-2-hydroxypropana(2 ). The ketose 1-phosphates were isolated as barium salts, 4a/4b, and hydrolyzed with acid phosphatase. The mixture of 6-azido-6-deoxy-D-fructose(5) and 6-azido-6-deoxy-L-sorbose thus obtained was separated by anion-exchange chromatography. Reductive amination of 5 and 6 yielded, respectively, 1-deoxymannojirimycin (7) and 1-deoxynojirimycin (8), with high diastereoselectivity (>98:2). Analogous aldol addition of 1 to 3-azido-2-hydroxybutanal( 9)( E:Z = 92:8) afforded a mixture of the 6-azido-6,7-dideoxyheptuloses 12 and 13, which contained 88% of 6-azido-6,7-dideoxy-D-altro-heptulose(13 ). After anion-exchange chromatography, 13 was isolated as a 18:82 mixture of the β/α anomers. Reductive amination of pure 13 gave a mixture of 2,6,7-trideoxy-2,6-imino-D-glycero-D-manno and D-gluco-heptitol (14 and 15) (3:2 molar ratio), which likewise was separated by anion-exchange chromatography. If a mixture of 12 and 13 was hydrogenated under identical conditions, 2,6,7-trideoxy-2,6-imino-L-glycero-L-gulo-heptitol(16) could be isolated besides 14 and 15

In Situ Mass Spectrometric and Kinetic Investigations of Soai's Asymmetric Autocatalysis

Chemical reactions that lead to a spontaneous symmetry breaking or amplification of the enantiomeric excess are of fundamental interest in explaining the formation of a homochiral world. An outstanding example is Soai's asymmetric autocatalysis, in which small enantiomeric excesses of the added product alcohol are amplified in the reaction of diisopropylzinc and pyrimidine‐5‐carbaldehydes. The exact mechanism is still in dispute due to complex reaction equilibria and elusive intermediates. In situ high‐resolution mass spectrometric measurements, detailed kinetic analyses and doping with in situ reacting reaction mixtures show the transient formation of hemiacetal complexes, which can establish an autocatalytic cycle. We propose a mechanism that explains the autocatalytic amplification involving these hemiacetal complexes. Comprehensive kinetic experiments and modelling of the hemiacetal formation and the Soai reaction allow the precise prediction of the reaction progress, the enantiomeric excess as well as the enantiomeric excess dependent time shift in the induction period. Experimental structural data give insights into the privileged properties of the pyrimidyl units and the formation of diastereomeric structures leading to an efficient amplification of even minimal enantiomeric excesses, respectively