Beschäftigung von Ausländern : Chance zur Erschließung von Personal- und Qualifikationsreserven (Employment of foreigners : a chance to tap workforce and qualification reserves)

"On the basis of broad empirical data, the paper examines the longer-term development and the level of integration into the labour market of resident foreigners, and, as a preliminary stage of this integration, the participation of their children and grandchildren, most of whom were born here, in the education and training system. Discrepancies to the levels and structures of the German workforce and young Germans, are regarded as integration deficits and as 'reserves' that could be used in future - among other options - to better meet the economic and demographic requirements, without aiming at the immigrants' assimilation. This is especially true from a sectoral viewpoint and with regard to the necessary structural change in the employment of foreigners. Speeding up this process could result in a reduction of unemployment among foreigners living in Germany, and with it a drop in these expenses of the 'non-integration' of immigrants, as could an increased participation of young foreigners in the education and training system. The latter has indeed increased considerably over the past two decades and has come closer to their German counterparts' participation in education, however it still lags far behind. This catching-up process has to be promoted further. In future, 'modern' concepts of an immigration policy need to be pursued which control immigration in accordance with labour market demands and recruit qualified immigrants. However, international competition for 'the best and the brightest' is getting tougher. This is why it is necessary to focus more on making full use of local potentials." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))Ausländer, berufliche Integration, Arbeitsmarktchancen, Qualifikationsstruktur, Qualifikationsdefizit, Bildungsbeteiligung, Erwerbsbeteiligung, Arbeitslosigkeit, sektorale Verteilung

Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer Arbeitsmarktsteuerung der Zuwanderung

Angesichts der aus der absehbaren Bevölkerungsentwicklung resultierenden Arbeitsmarkt-„ Erfordernisse" auf der einen Seite und der EU-Erweiterung mit Freizügigkeit von Kapital und Arbeit auf der anderen wird in Deutschland verstärkt über eine Zuwanderungssteuerung diskutiert. Wie könnte sie aussehen? --

Labour Market Participation of Non-Germans in the Health Sector in Germany: Study within the European Migration Network "Managed Migration and the Labour Market - The Health Sector"

Das Working Paper 6 stellt neben der wirtschaftlichen Bedeutung des Gesundheitssektors die rechtlichen Grundlagen für die Zuwanderung von Arbeitskräften im Gesundheitssektor dar und präsentiert für die einzelnen Berufsgruppen und Herkunftsländer detaillierte Daten zur Beschäftigung. Das Working Paper gibt zunächst einen Überblick über den Gesundheitssektor, um ihn in seiner wirtschaftlichen Bedeutung einordnen zu können. Anschließend wird erläutert, welche rechtlichen Grundlagen für die Erwerbstätigkeit von Ausländern gelten und welche speziellen berufsrechtlichen Voraussetzungen bei Gesundheitsdienstberufen erfüllt werden müssen. Es folgt eine Darstellung der Beschäftigungssituation auf der Basis der Statistiken der Bundesagentur für Arbeit (sozialversicherungspflichtig Beschäftigte) und der Bundesärztekammer, der Bundeszahnärztekammer sowie der Bundesvereinigung deutscher Apothekerverbände. Die Datenanalyse umfasst den Zeitraum von 1999 bis 2005 und ermöglicht es somit, die Entwicklung der Zahl der beschäftigten Ausländer in einzelnen Berufsgruppen und aus einzelnen Herkunftsländern herauszustellen.In addition to the economic significance of the healthcare sector, the Small-scale Study II presents the legal basis for the immigration of workers in the healthcare sector and offers detailed data on employment for the individual professional groups and countries of origin. The study starts by providing an overview of the healthcare sector in order to be able to categorise its economic significance. The legal foundations which apply to gainful employment of foreigners are then explained, together with the specific vocational preconditions which must be met in the healthcare professions. This is followed by a portrayal of the employment situation on the basis of the statistics of the Federal Employment Agency (employment subject to obligatory social insurance) and of the German Medical Association, of the German Dental Association, as well as of the National Union of German Pharmacists’ Associations. The data analysis encompasses the period from 1999 to 2005, and hence makes it possible to emphasise the development of the number of employed foreigners in individual vocational groups and from individual countries of origin

Fragebogen versus Nachuntersuchung am Beispiel des Gelenkdebridements bei Gonarthrose

Am Beispiel des arthroskopischen Gelenkdebridements wurde mit Hilfe des Score der Knee Society überprüft, inwieweit eine Fragebogenerhebung den Ergebnissen einer klinischen Nachuntersuchung standhält. Darüber hinaus wurde am Gesamt-kollektiv die Abhängigkeit der Operationsergebnisse von verschiedenen Parametern betrachtet.Insgesamt ergab sich eine gute Korrelation zwischen Fragebogen und Nachunter-suchung vor allem im Bereich der Funktion des Kniegelenks. Das Operationsergebnis wird nach unserer Studie am ehesten vom Ausmaß des Knorpelschadens und von der Abweichung von der physiologischen Achsenstellung des Beines beeinflußt

TPRc1 :A novel chaperone recepetor at the chloroplast outer membrane.

The correct targeting of proteins to their organelles is crucial for the organisation and viability of a cell. Although mitochondria and chloroplasts have their own genome, over 90% of their protein content is encoded by nuclear DNA and needs to be imported from the cytosol after translation. In this case a cytosolic preprotein-complex is recognized by receptors, which are localized at the outer membrane of the organelle. Cytosolic chaperones like the heat shock protein 70 (Hsc70) and 90 (Hsp90) have been found to be part of the preprotein-complex to keep the proteins in an unfolded, targeting compatible state. The general import receptors, Tom70 at the outer membrane of mitochondria, and Toc64 at the chloroplast envelope, have been shown to bind these chaperones via a tetratricopeptide repeat (TPR) domain i.e. are chaperone receptors. A search for membrane proteins containing a TPR domain resulted in an uncharacterised protein from Arabidopsis thaliana named TPRc1. Its sequence includes an N-terminal TPR domain and a C-terminal membrane anchor suggesting that TPRc1 is a chaperone receptor. In this work, phylogenetic comparison of the TPR domain from TPRc1 showed that TPRc1 is most closely related to uncharacterised plant proteins. Comparison of the TPR domain from TPRc1 to Arabidopsis proteins resulted in a close similarity between the TPR domain of TPRc1 and the Hsp90 binding TPR domains of PPIases. A comparison with TPR domains from other chaperone receptors showed that the TPR domain of TPRc1 is most closely related to the TPR domain of Toc64. According to quantitative real time RNA analysis and western blotting TPRc1 is expressed in all tissues, but highest protein levels can be detected in buds, flowers, siliques and roots. Evidence from confocal microscopy and targeting assays supports localisation to the chloroplast envelope, with the N-terminus including the TPR domain, facing the cytosol. Pulldown assays suggest that the TPR domain of TPRc1 is able to pull down Hsc70 via interaction with the C-terminal end of Hsc70, and that TPRc1 is able to interact specifically with chloroplast precursor complexes. Crosslinking and immunoprecipitation of radiolabeled, into chloroplasts imported TPRc1 resulted in no adducts, suggesting that TPRc1 is isolated in the membrane. Phenotyping of knockout mutants has not been possible so far, since a T-DNA insertion line with an insertion inside an exon of the TPRc1 gene is not available. Taken together, we propose TPRc1 to be a novel Hsc70 binding plant chaperone receptor, which is involved into preprotein targeting to chloroplast similar to Toc64

Ökonomische Auswirkungen der Zuwanderungen nach Deutschland

Das Interesse an der ökonomischen und gesellschaftlichen Bedeutung von Zuwanderungen hat in Politik, Wissenschaft und Gesellschaft in den letzten Jahren spürbar zugenommen. Dies gilt insbesondere in Deutschland als bevorzugtes Zielgebiet von Immigranten. Die Wanderungsursachen sind mit Globalisierung und zunehmender Integration von Volkswirtschaften in die internationale Arbeitsteilung nur unzulänglich umschrieben; jedenfalls haben die Mobilitätsschranken in Europa erheblich an Bedeutung verloren. Mit anhaltendem Zuzug in die Bundesrepublik und verstärkt durch Ungleichgewichte auf den Arbeitsmärkten rücken indes Befürchtungen darüber in den Vordergrund, daß Immigrationen die Situation noch verschärfen und die Anpassungslasten für die heimische Bevölkerung steigern könnten. Auch wachsen Besorgnisse bezüglich der Beanspruchung der Sozialleistungssysteme und der Infrastruktur. Hinzu kommen Bedenken hinsichtlich der kulturellen Identität und der sozialen Kohäsion der Gesellschaft. Die Autoren konzentrieren sich in der vorliegenden Arbeit auf die ökonomischen Wirkungen der Zuwanderung nach Deutschland in längerer Perspektive. Damit liegt eine Studie vor, die sich erstmalig und umfassend mit wesentlichen arbeitsmarktspezifischen, finanzwirtschaftlichen sowie wachstums- und strukturpolitischen Wirkungen der Zuwanderungen nach Deutschland in längerer Frist befaßt. Schwerpunkte sind zum einen eine aktuelle Darstellung der Immigration nach Kohorten (Deutsche und Ausländer) seit Ende des 2. Weltkriegs sowie Projektionen der Bevölkerungsentwicklung in Deutschland für die nächsten Dekaden bei unterschiedlichen demographischen Verläufen; zum anderen wird die wichtige theoretische und empirische Frage nach den Wirkungen auf die Beschäftigungs- und Einkommenssituation der Ansässigen behandelt. Daran schließt sich die Untersuchung von Implikationen für die öffentlichen Haushalte und die Infrastruktur an. Schließlich werden die wachstums- und strukturpolitischen Auswirkungen der Zuwanderungen analysiert - gerade auch mit Blick auf den in der Europäischen Wirtschafts- und Währungsunion aus Osten und möglicherweise aus Süden anhaltenden Wanderungsdruck

The Role of Physical Activity in Nonalcoholic and Metabolic Dysfunction Associated Fatty Liver Disease

Sedentary behavior constitutes a pandemic health threat contributing to the pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Sedentarism is further associated with liver disease and particularly with nonalcoholic/metabolic dysfunction associated fatty liver disease (NAFLD/MAFLD). Insulin resistance (IR) represents an early pathophysiologic key element of NAFLD/MAFLD, prediabetes and T2D. Current treatment guidelines recommend regular physical activity. There is evidence, that physical exercise has impact on a variety of molecular pathways, such as AMP-activated protein kinase and insulin signaling as well as glucose transporter 4 translocation, modulating insulin action, cellular substrate flow and in particular ectopic lipid and glycogen storage in a positive manner. Therefore, physical exercise can lead to substantial clinical benefit in persons with diabetes and/or NAFLD/MAFLD. However, experience from long term observational studies shows that the patients’ motivation to exercise regularly appears to be a major limitation. Strategies to integrate everyday physical activity (i.e., nonexercise activity thermogenesis) in lifestyle treatment schedules might be a promising approach. This review aggregates evidence on the impact of regular physical activity on selected molecular mechanisms as well as clinical outcomes of patients suffering from IR and NAFLD/MAFLD

Cryo-EM structure of the Ustilago maydis kinesin-5 motor domain bound to microtubules

In many eukaryotes, kinesin-5 motors are essential for mitosis, and small molecules that inhibit human kinesin-5 disrupt cell division. To investigate whether fungal kinesin-5s could be targets for novel fungicides, we studied kinesin-5 from the pathogenic fungus Ustilago maydis. We used cryo-electron microscopy to determine the microtubule-bound structure of its motor domain with and without the N-terminal extension. The ATP-like conformations of the motor in the presence or absence of this N-terminus are very similar, suggesting this region is structurally disordered and does not directly influence the motor ATPase. The Ustilago maydis kinesin-5 motor domain adopts a canonical ATP-like conformation, thereby allowing the neck linker to bind along the motor domain towards the microtubule plus end. However, several insertions within this motor domain are structurally distinct. Loop2 forms a non-canonical interaction with α-tubulin, while loop8 may bridge between two adjacent protofilaments. Furthermore, loop5 - which in human kinesin-5 is involved in binding allosteric inhibitors - protrudes above the nucleotide binding site, revealing a distinct binding pocket for potential inhibitors. This work highlights fungal-specific elaborations of the kinesin-5 motor domain and provides the structural basis for future investigations of kinesins as targets for novel fungicides

Nucleotide– and Mal3-dependent changes in fission yeast microtubules suggest a structural plasticity view of dynamics

Using cryo-electron microscopy, we characterize the architecture of microtubules assembled from Schizosaccharomyces pombe tubulin, in the presence and absence of their regulatory partner Mal3. Cryo-electron tomography reveals that microtubules assembled from S. pombe tubulin have predominantly B-lattice interprotofilament contacts, with protofilaments skewed around the microtubule axis. Copolymerization with Mal3 favors 13 protofilament microtubules with reduced protofilament skew, indicating that Mal3 adjusts interprotofilament interfaces. A 4.6-Å resolution structure of microtubule-bound Mal3 shows that Mal3 makes a distinctive footprint on the S. pombe microtubule lattice and that unlike mammalian microtubules, S. pombe microtubules do not show the longitudinal lattice compaction associated with EB protein binding and GTP hydrolysis. Our results firmly support a structural plasticity view of microtubule dynamics in which microtubule lattice conformation is sensitive to a variety of effectors and differently so for different tubulins

Circulating vaspin is unrelated to insulin sensitivity in a cohort of nondiabetic humans

Objective: To study the association of vaspin with glucose metabolism. Design: Cross-sectional and intervention study. Subjects and methods: The association of serum vaspin with metabolic and anthropometric characteristics was investigated in 108 volunteers. Euglycemic–hyperinsulinemic clamps (EHC) were performed in 83 of the participants. Changes of circulating vaspin levels were additionally studied in a crossover study using 300 min EHC with lipid versus saline infusion (n=10). Results: Neither glucose tolerance status nor insulin sensitivity, both as measured using EHCs and using homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), was significantly associated with serum vaspin in the cross-sectional study. Furthermore, there was no effect of short-term lipid-induced insulin resistance due to a 300 min intravenous lipid challenge on circulating vaspin. However, circulating vaspin levels were significantly elevated in women using oral contraceptives (OC), both compared to women without OC intake (1.17±0.26 vs 0.52±0.09 ng/ml, P=0.02) and males (1.17±0.26 vs 0.29±0.04 ng/ml, P=0.01). After exclusion of OC using females and stratification according to body mass index (BMI), a significant sexual dimorphism in subjects with a BMI <25 kg/m2 was observed (males 0.21±0.04 ng/ml versus females 0.70±0.16 ng/ml, P=0.009). Conclusion: Our results support the existence of a sexual dimorphism regarding circulating vaspin. The lack of an association of serum vaspin with HOMA-IR and M value indicates, however, no major role for vaspin concerning insulin sensitivity in nondiabetic humans