A Microanalytical Simulation Model to Predict the Long-Term Evolution of Employment Biographies in Austria: The Demographics Module

The well-known problems of decreasing birth rates and population ageing represent a major challenge for the Austrian pension system. It is expected that the group of pensioners will grow steadily in the future, while the proportion of people that support them - the taxpayers - will shrink. In this regard, microsimulation provides a valuable tool to identify the impact of various policy measures. With microsimulation, it is not only possible to predict cross-sectional data (e.g., the distribution of age groups in 2050), but also to simulate lifecourses of people, providing longitudinal outcomes. The demographics module is the first in a series of modules that are part of a microsimulation prototype. This prototype is being developed in order to predict the long-term evolution of Employment Biographies in Austria

On Positioning of Business, Management and Economics Fields of Study in the University Space

Based on available studies on business and management fields of study as upwardly-mobile university field of study choices as a basis, this study seeks to test this hypothesis of upward mobility. In doing so, it endeavours to identify correlations between field of study choice and educational background and between field of study choice and gender. The base data is taken from a survey of all domestic first-time students at Austrian universities in the 2011/12 winter semester (N=27,575). This data was subjected to a correspondence analysis, which allowed us to visualise and interpret the relations between the positions of these fields of study in the university space. The results indicate a clearly structured (stratified) university space. Our supplementary regression analysis shows that the upwardly-mobile higher education choice hypothesis can be confirmed for the fields of study studied. Our analyses also confirm the feminisation hypothesis for the business and management fields of study studied: women significantly more frequently select fields of study which lead to a career in a pedagogic (business education), social (social economy) or language (international business and management) context. In the group of fields of study explored, business education fields of study had both the highest share of first-time students and the highest level of feminisation. In contrast, economics fields of study, which was included in the analysis in addition to the business studies and management fields of study, have a significantly higher share of male students and the lowest share of higher education climbers. (authors' abstract

Lethal Influenza Virus Infection in Macaques Is Associated with Early Dysregulation of Inflammatory Related Genes

The enormous toll on human life during the 1918–1919 Spanish influenza pandemic is a constant reminder of the potential lethality of influenza viruses. With the declaration by the World Health Organization of a new H1N1 influenza virus pandemic, and with continued human cases of highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza virus infection, a better understanding of the host response to highly pathogenic influenza viruses is essential. To this end, we compared pathology and global gene expression profiles in bronchial tissue from macaques infected with either the reconstructed 1918 pandemic virus or the highly pathogenic avian H5N1 virus A/Vietnam/1203/04. Severe pathology was observed in respiratory tissues from 1918 virus-infected animals as early as 12 hours after infection, and pathology steadily increased at later time points. Although tissues from animals infected with A/Vietnam/1203/04 also showed clear signs of pathology early on, less pathology was observed at later time points, and there was evidence of tissue repair. Global transcriptional profiles revealed that specific groups of genes associated with inflammation and cell death were up-regulated in bronchial tissues from animals infected with the 1918 virus but down-regulated in animals infected with A/Vietnam/1203/04. Importantly, the 1918 virus up-regulated key components of the inflammasome, NLRP3 and IL-1β, whereas these genes were down-regulated by A/Vietnam/1203/04 early after infection. TUNEL assays revealed that both viruses elicited an apoptotic response in lungs and bronchi, although the response occurred earlier during 1918 virus infection. Our findings suggest that the severity of disease in 1918 virus-infected macaques is a consequence of the early up-regulation of cell death and inflammatory related genes, in which additive or synergistic effects likely dictate the severity of tissue damage

Pozycjonowanie kierunków studiów biznesowych, zarządzania i ekonomii w przestrzeni uniwersyteckiej

Based on available studies on business and management fields of study as upwardly‑mobile university field of study choices as a basis, this study seeks to test this hypothesis of upward mobility. In doing so, it endeavours to identify correlations between field of study choice and educational background and between field of study choice and gender. The base data is taken from a survey of all domestic first‑time students at Austrian universities in the 2011/12 winter semester (N=27,575). This data was subject to a correspondence analy‑ sis, which allowed us to visualise and interpret the relations between the positions of these fields of study in the university space. The results indicate a clearly structured (stratified) university space. Our supplementary regression analysis shows that the upwardly‑mobile higher education choice hypothesis can be confirmed for the fields of study studied. Our analyses also confirm the feminisation hypothesis for the business and management fields of study studied: women significantly more frequently select fields of study which lead to a career in a pedagogic (business education), social (social economy) or language (international business and management) context. In the group of fields of study explored, business education fields of study had both the highest share of first‑time students and the highest level of feminisation. In contrast, economics fields of study, which were included in the analysis in addition to the business studies and management fields of study, have a sig‑ nificantly higher share of male students and the lowest share of higher education climbers.Целью этого исследования является проверка гипотезы, касающейся социального продвижения австрийских студентов, начинающих обучение в университетах Австрии на бизнес – специальностях, управлении и экономии. В рамках исследования была определена корреляция между выбором специальности и средним образованием, а также между выбором вуза и полом. Полученные результаты свидетельствуют о существовании чётко структуризованной университетской среды. Гипотеза, касающаяся выбора специальности с точки зрения социального продвижения подтвердилась. Исследования также показали феминизацию анализируемых специальностей из области бизнеса и управления: женщины значительно чаще выберают специальности, открывающие путь к карьерному росту в педагогическом контексте (бизнесовое обучение), общественном (социальная экономика) и языковом(международный бизнес и управление). На специальности экономия был замечен значительно высший процент студентов мужского пола и самыйнизкий процент студентов, признающих высшее образование как путь к социальному продвижению.Celem prezentowanego badania jest sprawdzenie hipotezy dotyczącej awansu społecznego studentów narodowości austriackiej, rozpoczynających naukę na uniwersytetach w Austrii na kierunkach biznesowych, zarządzania oraz ekonomii. W ramach badania określono korelacje pomiędzy wyborem kierunku studiów a wykształceniem średnim oraz wyborem kierunku studiów a płcią. Uzyskane wyniki wskazują na istnienie wyraźnie ustrukturyzowanej przestrzeni uniwersyteckiej. Hipoteza o wyborze kierunku studiów pod kątem awansu społecznego potwierdza się. Badania wykazały również feminizację analizowanych kierunków z obszaru biznesu i zarządzania: kobiety istotnie częściej wybierają kierunki otwierające drogę do kariery w kontekście pedagogicznym (edukacja biznesowa), społecznym (ekonomia społeczna) i językowym (międzynarodowy biznes i zarządzanie). Na kierunku ekonomia stwierdzono istotnie wyższy odsetek studentów płci męskiej oraz najniższy odsetek osób traktujących wyższe wykształcenie jako drogę do awansu społecznego

Household use of solid fuel for cooking and under-five mortality in Nigeria

Background:Exposure to harmful smoke from household use of solid fuel had continuously contributed to childhood deaths in Nigeria. Objective:This study examined the effects of cooking fuels used by households on childhood mortality in Nigeria. The study derives its relevance from the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals 1, 3 and 7, which focused on issues of poverty, good health, affordable and clean energy. Methods:The 2013 Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey dataset was used for analysis with a selection of 10,983 households. Results:The results show that level of education, wealth-status, place of residence and regional locations are factors influencing the use of solid fuel, and under-five mortality (P<0.01). Conclusion:Therefore, improved level of education, economic conditions, availability and provision of cheap and clean fuel will assist the poor to reduce usage of solid fuel, minimize exposure of young children to dangerous smoke and reduce childhood mortality in Nigeria