Federalism, Decentralization, and Economic Growth

The distribution of competencies between the different levels of a federal system may have remarkable effects on economic growth, because mainly the regions of a country contribute to national economic development. Thus, a government’s economic policy is reasonably shaped along regional lines. The theoretical discussion in economics focuses however on the efficiency aspects of a decentralized provision and financing of public services; rarely the argument is raised that decentralization or federalism increases growth through a higher ability of the political system to innovate and to carry out reforms. After a discussion of the theoretical arguments on federalism and growth, we address the empirical question in this paper how important the assignment of decision making competencies and the design of fiscal federalism are for economic development. Finally, on the basis of existing theoretical and empirical studies on economic growth and federalism, open questions and possible ways of answering them are presented.

<i>Baltorussus</i> total makeover:rejuvenation and sex change in an ancient parasitoid wasp lineage

The Orussidae is a small and rare but phylogenetically important family of parasitoid wasps. The fossil record of the family is also very poor. Baltorussus velteni was described from Baltic amber from an allegedly female specimen. This and another recently discovered specimen are examined with microCT scanning and standard microscopy. We reveal that both the holotype and the new specimen are actually males. Furthermore, the results of the microCT scanning allow us to integrate the fossils in a morphological data set assembled for extant Orussidae. Phylogenetic analyses consistently retrieve Baltorussus as a separate basal lineage within the crown group, whereas two Cretaceous fossils are placed as stem group orussids and a Dominican amber fossil in an extant genus. Based on the positions of the fossils, we estimate that the extant Orussidae radiated in the mid-Cretaceous (approx. 100 Ma ago). This is considerably younger than a previously suggested Early Jurassic date (180 Ma ago), which was primarily based on biogeographic evidence

Zusammenarbeit unter Unbekannten

Wie wird eine Kreislaufwirtschaft möglich? Mehr Techniken der Zusammenarbeit mit Unbekannten sind dafür notwendig. Dazu gehören der Einsatz von Standards, vollständige Recyclingfähigkeit und Open Source. Open Source sorgt für um fassende Transparenz, einen freien Zugang zur Information und für alle offenliegende Lösungsansätze

Towards reliable parameter extraction in MEMS final module testing using Bayesian inference

In micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) testing high overall precision and reliability are essential. Due to the additional requirement of runtime efficiency, machine learning methods have been investigated in recent years. However, these methods are often associated with inherent challenges concerning uncertainty quantification and guarantees of reliability. The goal of this paper is therefore to present a new machine learning approach in MEMS testing based on Bayesian inference to determine whether the estimation is trustworthy. The overall predictive performance as well as the uncertainty quantification are evaluated with four methods: Bayesian neural network, mixture density network, probabilistic Bayesian neural network and BayesFlow. They are investigated under the variation in training set size, different additive noise levels, and an out-of-distribution condition, namely the variation in the damping factor of the MEMS device. Furthermore, epistemic and aleatoric uncertainties are evaluated and discussed to encourage thorough inspection of models before deployment striving for reliable and efficient parameter estimation during final module testing of MEMS devices. BayesFlow consistently outperformed the other methods in terms of the predictive performance. As the probabilistic Bayesian neural network enables the distinction between epistemic and aleatoric uncertainty, their share of the total uncertainty has been intensively studied

Design and performance analysis of integrated focusing grating couplers for the transverse-magnetic TM00 mode in a photonic BiCMOS technology

Focusing grating couplers for the excitation of the fundamental transverse-magnetic (TM) mode in integrated silicon photonic waveguides are designed and characterized under the boundary conditions of a photonic BiCMOS foundry. Two types of waveguide geometries are considered – a nanowire and a rib waveguide. Wafer-scale experimental results for nanowire TM grating couplers are in excellent agreement with numerical investigations and demonstrate a robust behavior on the wafer. The mean coupling loss and the 3s interval are -3.9 ± 0.3 dB. The on wafer variation is three times lower than for the fundamental transverse-electric (TE) polarization. Similarly, the coupling in rib waveguides is examined as well. The results indicate that the rib waveguides require a modified geometry when designed for TM. In general, the nanowire waveguide type is more suitable for TM coupling, showing a stable and repeatable performance. © 2020, The Author(s)

Design and performance analysis of integrated focusing grating couplers for the transverse-magnetic TM00 mode in a photonic BiCMOS technology

Focusing grating couplers for the excitation of the fundamental transverse-magnetic (TM) mode in integrated silicon photonic waveguides are designed and characterized under the boundary conditions of a photonic BiCMOS foundry. Two types of waveguide geometries are considered – a nanowire and a rib waveguide. Wafer-scale experimental results for nanowire TM grating couplers are in excellent agreement with numerical investigations and demonstrate a robust behavior on the wafer. The mean coupling loss and the 3σ interval are -3.9 ± 0.3 dB. The on wafer variation is three times lower than for the fundamental transverse-electric (TE) polarization. Similarly, the coupling in rib waveguides is examined as well. The results indicate that the rib waveguides require a modified geometry when designed for TM. In general, the nanowire waveguide type is more suitable for TM coupling, showing a stable and repeatable performance.DFG, 414044773, Open Access Publizieren 2019 - 2020 / Technische Universität Berli

Modulation Linearity Characterization of Si Ring Modulators

Modulation linearity of Si ring modulators (RMs) is investigated through the numerical simulation based on the coupled-mode theory and experimental verification. Numerical values of the key parameters needed for the simulation are experimentally extracted. Simulation and measurement results agree well. With these, the influence of input optical wavelength and power on the Si RM linearity are characterized

Whispering Gallery Modes-based biosensors for real-time monitoring and binding characterization of antibody-based cancer immunotherapeutics

Development of novel protein-based drugs such as antibodies or immunocytokines and initial validation of target binding typically occurs in 2D settings with e.g., surface plasmon resonance or reflection interferometry using antigen-coated planar sensors. However, a versatile tool to assess binding characteristics of tumour-targeting therapeutics where specific biochemical interactions can be monitored in real-time and in a more realistic 3D interaction setting is currently lacking. Here, we report on the development of versatile small optical 3D biosensors using protein G-coated spherical microparticles based on Whispering Gallery Modes (WGMs). These sensors allowed for an oriented immobilization of theoretically any immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgG crystallizable fragment domain (Fc)-tagged protein and have been carefully optimized for specific detection of antigenantibody interactions, as illustrated using the Epithelial Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) antibody Cetuximab and Program Death Ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody Atezolizumab. When both ligand and analyte contained an Fcfragment, protein G binding capacity saturation followed by a "blocking" step with an irrelevant IgG enabled the label-free detection of Fc-tagged antigens with corresponding cognate ligands, as identified using EGFR-Fc, PD-L1-Fc and different members from the tumour necrosis factor receptor family, such as CD27-Fc and 4- 1BBFc. Thus, WGMs and developed protein G-coated biosensors provide a widely applicable tool to evaluate binding of immunotherapeutics to their targets on the sensor surface, imitating cell surface properties

Packaging and assembly for integrated photonics - a review of the ePIXpack photonics packaging platform

[EN] We review recent work done by the photonics packaging platform ePIXpack that serves the academic community with packaging and assembly developments in the area of integrated photonics. The paper includes recent examples of our packaging and assembly work, covering a broad range of technologies from silicon photonics to InP-based devicesThis work was supported in part by the European Union (EU)-funded FP6-project ePIXnet, and in part by the FP7-project BOOM.Zimmermann, L.; Preve, GB.; Tekin, T.; Rosin, T.; Landles, K. (2011). Packaging and assembly for integrated photonics - a review of the ePIXpack photonics packaging platform. IEEE Journal of Selected Topics in Quantum Electronics. 17(3):645-651. https://doi.org/10.1109/JSTQE.2010.2084992S64565117

Axons Giving Rise to the Palisade Endings of Feline Extraocular Muscles Display Motor Features

Palisade endings are nerve specializations found in the extraocular muscles (EOMs) of mammals, including primates. They have long been postulated to be proprioceptors. It was recently demonstrated that palisade endings are cholinergic and that in monkeys they originate from the EOM motor nuclei. Nevertheless, there is considerable difference of opinion concerning the nature of palisade ending function. Palisade endings in EOMs were examined in cats to test whether they display motor or sensory characteristics. We injected an anterograde tracer into the oculomotor or abducens nuclei and combined tracer visualization with immunohistochemistry and α-bungarotoxin staining. Employing immunohistochemistry, we performed molecular analyses of palisade endings and trigeminal ganglia to determine whether cat palisade endings are a cholinergic trigeminal projection. We confirmed that palisade endings are cholinergic and showed, for the first time, that they, like extraocular motoneurons, are also immunoreactive for calcitonin gene-related peptide. Following tracer injection into the EOM nuclei, we observed tracer-positive palisade endings that exhibited choline acetyl transferase immunoreactivity. The tracer-positive nerve fibers supplying palisade endings also established motor terminals along the muscle fibers, as demonstrated by α-bungarotoxin. Neither the trigeminal ganglion nor the ophthalmic branch of the trigeminal nerve contained cholinergic elements. This study confirms that palisade endings originate in the EOM motor nuclei and further indicates that they are extensions of the axons supplying the muscle fiber related to the palisade. The present work excludes the possibility that they receive cholinergic trigeminal projections. These findings call into doubt the proposed proprioceptive function of palisade endings