Inverse problem for a nonlocal diffuse optical tomography equation

In this article a nonlocal analogue of an inverse problem in diffuse optical tomography is considered. We show that whenever one has given two pairs of diffusion and absorption coefficients $(\gamma_j,q_j)$, $j=1,2$, such that there holds $q_1=q_2$ in the measurement set $W$ and they generate the same DN data, then they are necessarily equal in $\mathbb{R}^n$ and $\Omega$, respectively. Additionally, we show that the condition $q_1|_W=q_2|_W$ is optimal in the sense that without this restriction one can construct two distinct pairs $(\gamma_j,q_j)$, $j=1,2$ generating the same DN data.Comment: 26 pages, 3 figure

Major public debt reductions: Lessons from the past, lessons for the future

The financial crisis of 2008/2009 has left European economies with a sizeable public debt stock bringing back the question what factors help to reduce these fiscal imbalances. Using data for the period 1985-2009 this paper identifies factors determining major public debt reductions. On average, the total debt reduction per country amounted to almost 37 percentage points of GDP. We estimate several specifications of a logistic probability model. Our findings suggest that, first, major debt reductions are mainly driven by decisive and lasting (rather than timid and short-lived) fiscal consolidation efforts focused on reducing government expenditure, in particular, cuts in social benefits and public wages. Second, robust real GDP growth also increases the likelihood of a major debt reduction because it helps countries to "grow their way out" of indebtedness. Third, high debt servicing costs play a disciplinary role strengthened by market forces and require governments to set up credible plans to stop and reverse the increasing debt ratios. JEL Classification: C35, E62, H6binary choice models, Fiscal Policy, public debt

New governance modes for Germany's financial reporting system

The question raised in this paper is whether changes over the last 20 years in the German financial accounting system signal a retreat of the nation state from this policy field. Using a comprehensive perspective on accountancy we consider the steps in the accounting process, i.e. standard setting, enforcement and disclosure, and analyse whether significant privatisation tendencies can be observed in accounting, whether and how the state safeguards its scope for interventions in the public interest and how these changes compare to the ongoing globalisation in accounting. We find that changes in all these areas are first of all driven by the application of European legislation, but also by voluntary harmonisation and an increased involvement of private actors. Altogether, a shift towards a (more) societal governance mode can be witnessed. However, the State increases its interventions at the same time by regulating arenas in which it was previously not active. --

How to Win the Olympic Games – The Empirics of Key Success Factors of Olympic Bids

This paper examines the probability of the success of city bid campaigns on the basis of the quantified factors of a total of 43 bids for the Summer Olympic Games between 1992 and 2012. By using a model with the distance of the sporting venues to the Olympic Village, the local temperatures and unemployment rates, we can correctly predict the decision in 97 % of failed bids and in 60 % of successful bids.Olympic Games, Bidding process, Key success factors, Binary logistical regression

Convergence patterns in accounting regulation: Six country cases of the transforming regulatory landscape

This paper inquires into recent changes of accounting regulation in six OECD countries: Germany, France, England, USA, Canada and Japan. Having formerly been embedded into different institutional environments, accounting systems varied widely in the heyday of the interventionist nation state. Since then, international harmonisation has been transforming national accounting systems, leading to increasing convergence between the various systems. It is the aim of this paper to describe these changes systematically, estimate the degree of international convergence and assess how different institutional origins affect convergence patterns. We develop a framework for comparing accounting systems and identify four criteria that describe the anatomy of a national accounting system: (1) Predominant uses of accounting, (2) Extent of professional self-regulation, (3) Legal backing and (4) Degree of internationalisation. Our findings indicate that global convergence in accounting regulation exists, although limited variations between nation states still remain and depend upon the prevailing national institutional arrangements, which have not (yet) converged. -- Gegenstand des vorliegenden Arbeitspapieres ist die Aufarbeitung des Wandels der Regulierung von Rechnungslegung vom goldenen Zeitalter des Nationalstaats bis heute. Dies erfolgt für die sechs größten OECD Staaten, Deutschland, Frankreich, das Vereinigte Königreich als EU-Fälle und die Vereinigten Staaten, Kanada und Japan als Fälle außerhalb der EU. Traditionell unterscheiden sich die Rechnungslegungssysteme in diesen Ländern aufgrund ihrer Einbindung in institutionelle Rahmenbedingungen wie etwa dem Finanz- oder Rechtssystem. Ziel des Arbeitspapieres ist es zu untersuchen, in welchem Umfang es durch die internationalen Harmonisierungsbemühungen zu einer Konvergenz der Rechnungslegung gekommen ist und wie der Anpassungsprozess durch die unterschiedlichen institutionellen Arrangements beeinflusst wurde. Die Darstellung der Entwicklungen erfolgt anhand von vier Kategorien: (1) dem vorherrschenden Rechnungszweck, (2) dem Ausmaß an (staatsfreier) Selbstregulierung, (3) der rechtlichen Absicherung und (4) dem Grad an Internationalisierung der Rechnungslegung. Unsere Ergebnisse deuten auf eine Konvergenz in weiten Teilen der Regulierung von Rechnungslegung hin. Diese werden jedoch vom Fortbestehen nationaler Präferenzen insbesondere im Bereich der Anspruchsbemessung begleitet.

Space-time error estimates for deep neural network approximations for differential equations

Over the last few years deep artificial neural networks (ANNs) have very successfully been used in numerical simulations for a wide variety of computational problems including computer vision, image classification, speech recognition, natural language processing, as well as computational advertisement. In addition, it has recently been proposed to approximate solutions of high-dimensional partial differential equations (PDEs) by means of stochastic learning problems involving deep ANNs. There are now also a few rigorous mathematical results in the scientific literature which provide error estimates for such deep learning based approximation methods for PDEs. All of these articles provide spatial error estimates for ANN approximations for PDEs but do not provide error estimates for the entire space-time error for the considered ANN approximations. It is the subject of the main result of this article to provide space-time error estimates for deep ANN approximations of Euler approximations of certain perturbed differential equations. Our proof of this result is based (i) on a certain ANN calculus and (ii) on ANN approximation results for products of the form $[0,T]×R^d∋(t,x)↦tx∈R^d where T∈(0,∞), d∈N$, which we both develop within this article

Macrocycle Therapeutics to Treat Life-threatening Diseases

Polyphor's macrocycle platform led to the discovery of novel antibiotics addressing specifically Gramnegative bacteria by targeting outer membrane proteins. Furthermore, POL6014, an inhibitor of neutrophile elastase and balixafortide, a CXCR4 inhibitor have been discovered and developed from the platform. Currently a combination of balixafortide and eribulin is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of patients with advanced metastatic HER2-negative breast cancer