Modelling Interregional Trade of Energy Crops in Eastern Germany

Renewable resources gain in importance in our modern society. The line of reasoning is based on their positive effects on agriculture, the environment and the economy. To support renewable energy from biomass the EU promotes the cultivation of energy crops. A spatial equilibrium model is applied based on the concept of maximizing net welfare, to provide information whether energy crop production competes with food production for land area. The Model of Interregional Trade of Energy Crops (ITEC) refers to Eastern Germany and adjacent areas of Poland. First results show that the regions have enough feedstocks to meet the required demand for food and biofuel production. In many cases both food crops and biofuels are either traded on interregional basis or exported to "Rest of Europe" indicating that there is no competition between food and energy crops. Only green maize for biogas production strongly competes in areas where the crop is required as feed for cattle.Energy crops, spatial equilibrium analysis, interregional trade, International Relations/Trade,

Управление подбором менеджеров среднего звена в организации ( на материале деятельности ГК «Автосан»)

Выпускная квалификационная работа, объемом 94 страниц, из них приложений на 13 стр.; 1 рисунок, 3 таблицы, 30 источника, 5 приложений. Ключевые слова: поиск, отбор, найм персонала, собеседование, тестирование, управление персоналом. Объектом исследования выступает система поиска, отбора и найма персонала ГК «Автосан». Цель работы – разработать рекомендации по организации подбора менеджеров среднего звена в ГК «Автосан». Степень внедрения/апробация работы: предложенные рекомендации по совершенствованию системы подбора менеджеров среднего звена в ГК «Автосан». Область применения: Управление персоналом на предприятиях, в организациях, учреждениях. Социальная значимость работы. Результаты исследования применимы для совершенствования процесса поиска, отбора и найма персонала в различных сфеGraduation qualifying work, volume 94, pages of these applications on page 13; 1 figure, 3 tables, 30, source 5 applications. Tags: search, selection, recruitment, interviewing, testing, personnel management. The object of study is the search, selection and recruitment of SC "Avtosan". The aim of this work is to develop recommendations on the Organization of the selection of middle managers in SC «Avtosan». Degree of implementation/testing work: proposed recommendations to improve the system of selection of middle managers in SC «Avtosan». Scope: human resource management in enterprises, organizations, establishments. Social significance of the work. The study results apply to improve search, selection and recruitment of staff in various spheres of activity-education, health, business, pu

Angebotsreaktionen im Anbau ökologisch erzeugter Kartoffeln

Although the demand for organic products in Germany continues to increase, there is still a gap in supplied quantities. This issue is also valid for organic potatoes. The paper presents an estimate of the price elasticity of supply for organic potatoes in Germany using a Nerlovian model, where the output is a function of expected price, output in terms of area adjustment and further exogenous variables. The results indicate a short-run elasticity of 0.22, suggesting that organic potato farmers are highly unresponsive to price changes on a temporary basis. However, in the long-run farmers react highly responsive to price changes with an elasticity of 1.86. It shows that price incentives can be effective in promoting organic potato production, although complementary interventions such as area payments are probably necessary and have still to be taken into account

Dual checkpoint blockade of CD47 and LILRB1 enhances CD20 antibody-dependent phagocytosis of lymphoma cells by macrophages

Antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP) by macrophages, an important effector function of tumor targeting antibodies, is hampered by ‘Don´t Eat Me!’ signals such as CD47 expressed by cancer cells. Yet, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) class I expression may also impair ADCP by engaging leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor subfamily B (LILRB) member 1 (LILRB1) or LILRB2. Analysis of different lymphoma cell lines revealed that the ratio of CD20 to HLA class I cell surface molecules determined the sensitivity to ADCP by the combination of rituximab and an Fc-silent variant of the CD47 antibody magrolimab (CD47-IgGσ). To boost ADCP, Fc-silent antibodies against LILRB1 and LILRB2 were generated (LILRB1-IgGσ and LILRB2-IgGσ, respectively). While LILRB2-IgGσ was not effective, LILRB1-IgGσ significantly enhanced ADCP of lymphoma cell lines when combined with both rituximab and CD47-IgGσ. LILRB1-IgGσ promoted serial engulfment of lymphoma cells and potentiated ADCP by non-polarized M0 as well as polarized M1 and M2 macrophages, but required CD47 co-blockade and the presence of the CD20 antibody. Importantly, complementing rituximab and CD47-IgGσ, LILRB1-IgGσ increased ADCP of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) or lymphoma cells isolated from patients. Thus, dual checkpoint blockade of CD47 and LILRB1 may be promising to improve antibody therapy of CLL and lymphomas through enhancing ADCP by macrophages

Genome-wide association identifies nine common variants associated with fasting proinsulin levels and provides new insights into the pathophysiology of type 2 diabetes.

OBJECTIVE: Proinsulin is a precursor of mature insulin and C-peptide. Higher circulating proinsulin levels are associated with impaired β-cell function, raised glucose levels, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Studies of the insulin processing pathway could provide new insights about T2D pathophysiology. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS: We have conducted a meta-analysis of genome-wide association tests of ∼2.5 million genotyped or imputed single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and fasting proinsulin levels in 10,701 nondiabetic adults of European ancestry, with follow-up of 23 loci in up to 16,378 individuals, using additive genetic models adjusted for age, sex, fasting insulin, and study-specific covariates. RESULTS: Nine SNPs at eight loci were associated with proinsulin levels (P < 5 × 10(-8)). Two loci (LARP6 and SGSM2) have not been previously related to metabolic traits, one (MADD) has been associated with fasting glucose, one (PCSK1) has been implicated in obesity, and four (TCF7L2, SLC30A8, VPS13C/C2CD4A/B, and ARAP1, formerly CENTD2) increase T2D risk. The proinsulin-raising allele of ARAP1 was associated with a lower fasting glucose (P = 1.7 × 10(-4)), improved β-cell function (P = 1.1 × 10(-5)), and lower risk of T2D (odds ratio 0.88; P = 7.8 × 10(-6)). Notably, PCSK1 encodes the protein prohormone convertase 1/3, the first enzyme in the insulin processing pathway. A genotype score composed of the nine proinsulin-raising alleles was not associated with coronary disease in two large case-control datasets. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified nine genetic variants associated with fasting proinsulin. Our findings illuminate the biology underlying glucose homeostasis and T2D development in humans and argue against a direct role of proinsulin in coronary artery disease pathogenesis