G-20-Gipfel in London: Ein Durchbruch zur Regulierung der Finanzmärkte?

Reichen die auf dem G-20-Gipfel beschlossenen Maßnahmen aus, die Finanzmärkte zu regulieren und die Wahrscheinlichkeit zukünftiger Krisen zu senken? Für Rolf J. Langhammer, Institut für Weltwirtschaft, Kiel, dienten die Beschlüsse des G-20-Gipfels der Krisenüberwindung und dem Versuch, ein abgestimmtes Verhalten von nationalen Regulierungsbehörden herbeizuführen. Jenseits beider Ziele blieben aber viele Probleme ungelöst Doris Neuberger, Universität Rostock, sieht in den auf dem G-20-Gipfel beschlossenen Maßnahmen einen Durchbruch zur Stärkung der Überwachung und Regulierung der Finanzmärkte. Allerdings reichten sie nicht aus, um einen systemstabilisierenden funktionsfähigen Wettbewerb sicherzustellen. Nach Ansicht von Hermann A. Wagner, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, brachten die G-20-Beschlüsse keinen wirklichen Durchbruch bei der Regulierung der Finanzmärkte. Man könne allenfalls von einem Durchbruch für die Erkenntnis, dass es eigentlich nur gemeinsam geht, sprechen. Für Thorsten Polleit, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, bleibt die Krisenursache, nämlich ÿ»das staatliche System, indem Geld per Kredit geschaffen wird±, durch die Politikmaßnahmen unangetastet. Einen Ausweg aus dem Krisenzyklus sieht er in einem Reformkonzept für gutes Geld in Form des ÿ»Free Banking±, dem ÿ»Privatisieren des Geldes±. Und Irwin Collier, Freie Universität Berlin, befasst sich mit der Regulierung auf den US-Finanzmärkten

G-20-Gipfel in London: ein Durchbruch zur Regulierung der Finanzmärkte?.

Reichen die auf dem G-20-Gipfel beschlossenen Maßnahmen aus, die Finanzmärkte zu regulieren und die Wahrscheinlichkeit zukünftiger Krisen zu senken? Für Rolf J. Langhammer, Institut für Weltwirtschaft, Kiel, dienten die Beschlüsse des G-20-Gipfels der Krisenüberwindung und dem Versuch, ein abgestimmtes Verhalten von nationalen Regulierungsbehörden herbeizuführen. Jenseits beider Ziele blieben aber viele Probleme ungelöst Doris Neuberger, Universität Rostock, sieht in den auf dem G-20-Gipfel beschlossenen Maßnahmen einen Durchbruch zur Stärkung der Überwachung und Regulierung der Finanzmärkte. Allerdings reichten sie nicht aus, um einen systemstabilisierenden funktionsfähigen Wettbewerb sicherzustellen. Nach Ansicht von Hermann A. Wagner, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, brachten die G-20-Beschlüsse keinen wirklichen Durchbruch bei der Regulierung der Finanzmärkte. Man könne allenfalls von einem Durchbruch für die Erkenntnis, dass es eigentlich nur gemeinsam geht, sprechen. Für Thorsten Polleit, Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, bleibt die Krisenursache, nämlich ÿ»das staatliche System, indem Geld per Kredit geschaffen wird±, durch die Politikmaßnahmen unangetastet. Einen Ausweg aus dem Krisenzyklus sieht er in einem Reformkonzept für gutes Geld in Form des ÿ»Free Banking±, dem ÿ»Privatisieren des Geldes±. Und Irwin Collier, Freie Universität Berlin, befasst sich mit der Regulierung auf den US-Finanzmärkten.Internationaler Finanzmarkt; Finanzmarktkrise; Regulierung; Kapitalmarktliberalisierung; Welt;Foreign direct investment; Employment protection; Domestic anchorage; Uncertainty;

Shrinking-Hole Colloidal Lithography: Self-Aligned Nanofabrication of Complex Plasmonic Nanoantennas

Plasmonic nanoantennas create locally strongly enhanced electric fields in so-called hot spots. To place a relevant nanoobject with high accuracy in such a hot spot is crucial to fully capitalize on the potential of nanoantennas to control, detect, and enhance processes at the nanoscale. With state-of-the-art nanofabrication, in particular when several materials are to be used, small gaps between antenna elements are sought, and large surface areas are to be patterned, this is a grand challenge. Here we introduce self-aligned, bottom-up and self-assembly based Shrinking-Hole Colloidal Lithography, which provides (i) unique control of the size and position of subsequently deposited particles forming the nanoantenna itself, and (ii) allows delivery of nanoobjects consisting of a material of choice to the antenna hot spot, all in a single lithography step and, if desired, uniformly covering several square centimeters of surface. We illustrate the functionality of SHCL nanoantenna arrangements by (i) an optical hydrogen sensor exploiting the polarization dependent sensitivity of an Au-Pd nanoantenna ensemble; and (ii) single particle hydrogen sensing with an Au dimer nanoantenna with a small Pd nanoparticle in the hot spot

Repetitive arm functional tasks after stroke (RAFTAS): a pilot randomised controlled trial

Background Repetitive functional task practise (RFTP) is a promising treatment to improve upper limb recovery following stroke. We report the findings of a study to determine the feasibility of a multi-centre randomised controlled trial to evaluate this intervention. Methods A pilot randomised controlled trial was conducted. Patients with new reduced upper limb function were recruited within 14 days of acute stroke from three stroke units in North East England. Participants were randomised to receive a four week upper limb RFTP therapy programme consisting of goal setting, independent activity practise, and twice weekly therapy reviews in addition to usual post stroke rehabilitation, or usual post stroke rehabilitation. The recruitment rate; adherence to the RFTP therapy programme; usual post stroke rehabilitation received; attrition rate; data quality; success of outcome assessor blinding; adverse events; and the views of study participants and therapists about the intervention were recorded. Results Fifty five eligible patients were identified, 4-6% of patients screened at each site. Twenty four patients participated in the pilot study. Two of the three study sites met the recruitment target of 1-2 participants per month. The median number of face to face therapy sessions received was 6 [IQR 3-8]. The median number of daily repetitions of activities recorded was 80 [IQR 39-80]. Data about usual post stroke rehabilitation were available for 18/24 (75%). Outcome data were available for 22/24 (92%) at one month and 20/24 (83%) at three months. Outcome assessors were unblinded to participant group allocation for 11/22 (50%) at one month and 6/20 (30%) at three months. Four adverse events were considered serious as they resulted in hospitalisation. None were related to study treatment. Feedback from patients and local NHS therapists about the RFTP programme was mainly positive. Conclusions A multi-centre randomised controlled trial to evaluate an upper limb RFTP therapy programme provided early after stroke is feasible and acceptable to patients and therapists, but there are issues which needed to be addressed when designing a Phase III study. A Phase III study will need to monitor and report not only recruitment and attrition but also adherence to the intervention, usual post stroke rehabilitation received, and outcome assessor blinding

Absorption Enhancement in Lossy Transition Metal Elements of Plasmonic Nanosandwiches

Combination of catalytically active transition metals and surface plasmons offers a promising way to drive chemical reactions by converting incident visible light into energetic electron-hole pairs acting as a mediator. In such a reaction enhancement scheme, the conversion efficiency is dependent on light absorption in the metal. Hence, increasing absorption in the plasmonic structure is expected to increase generation of electron-hole pairs and, consequently, the reaction rate. Furthermore, the abundance of energetic electrons might facilitate new reaction pathways. In this work we discuss optical properties of homo- and heterometallic plasmonic nanosandwiches consisting of two parallel disks made of gold and palladium. We show how near-field coupling between the sandwich elements can be used to enhance absorption in one of them. The limits of this enhancement are investigated using finite-difference time-domain simulations. Physical insight is gained through a simple coupled dipole analysis of the nanostructure. For small palladium disks (compared to the gold disk), total absorption enhancement integrated over the near visible solar AM 1.5 spectrum is 8-fold, while for large palladium disks, similar in size to the gold one, it exceeds three

Parallel gradients in FENO and in the prevalences of asthma and atopy in adult general populations of Sweden, Finland and Estonia : A Nordic EpiLung study

The prevalence of asthma is higher in Sweden and Finland than in neighbouring eastern countries including Estonia. Corresponding difference in bronchial eosinophilic inflammation could be studied by FENO measurements. We aimed to compare FENO in adult general populations of Sweden, Finland, and Estonia, to test the plausibility of the west-east disparity hypothesis of allergic diseases. We conducted clinical interviews (N = 2658) with participants randomly selected from the general populations in Sweden (Stockholm and Örebro), Finland (Helsinki), and Estonia (Narva and Saaremaa), and performed FENO (n = 1498) and skin prick tests (SPT) in 1997–2003. The median (interquartile range) of FENO (ppb) was 15.5 (9.3) in Sweden, 15.4 (13.6) in Finland and 12.5 (9.6) in Estonia. We found the lowest median FENO values in the Estonian centres Saaremaa 13.1 (9.5) and Narva 11.8 (8.6). In the pooled population, asthma was associated with FENO ≥25 ppb, odds ratio (OR) 3.91 (95% confidence intervals: 2.29–6.32) after adjusting for SPT result, smoking, gender and study centre. A positive SPT test increased the likelihood of asthma OR 3.19 (2.02–5.11). Compared to Saaremaa, the likelihood of having asthma was higher in Helsinki OR 2.40 (1.04–6.02), Narva OR 2.45 (1.05–6.19), Örebro OR 3.38 (1.59–8.09), and Stockholm OR 5.54 (2.18–14.79). There was a higher prevalence of asthma and allergic airway inflammation in adult general populations of Sweden and Finland compared to those of Estonia. Atopy and elevated FENO level were independently associated with an increased risk of asthma. In conclusion, the findings support the earlier west-east disparity hypothesis of allergic diseases.Peer reviewe

No association between chronic musculoskeletal complaints and Val158Met polymorphism in the Catechol-O-methyltransferase gene. The HUNT study

BACKGROUND: The Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene contains a functional polymorphism, Val158Met, that has been found to influence human pain perception. In one study fibromyalgia was less likely among those with Val/Val genotype. METHODS: In the 1995–97 Nord-Trøndelag Health Study (HUNT), the association between Val/Met polymorphism at the COMT gene and chronic musculoskeletal complaints (MSCs) was evaluated in a random sample of 3017 individuals. RESULTS: The distribution of the COMT Val158Met genotypes and alleles were similar between controls and the twelve different chronic MSCs groups. Even when the Met/Met and Val/Met genotypes were pooled, the distribution of the Val/Val genotype and other genotypes were similar between controls and the chronic MSCs groups. CONCLUSION: In this population-based study, no significant association was found between Val/Met polymorphism at the COMT gene and chronic MSCs