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Jahresbericht 2022 der Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung
Get PDFDie Rückversicherungsbranche steht auch weiterhin vor großen Herausforderun-gen. So war das Jahr 2022 für die Rückversicherung neben der fortdauernden Corona-Pandemie und Naturkatastrophen-Schäden auch durch den Ukraine-Krieg, die Energiekrise und die Inflation geprägt.
Die Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung analysiert die aktuellen Entwick-lungen des Rückversicherungsmarktes und begleitet diese gegebenenfalls durch Forschungsprojekte. Dabei verbindet die Forschungsstelle RV ihre Forschungs-aktivitäten mit der Rückversicherungspraxis. Hiermit und mit Hilfe der Durchfüh-rung des jährlichen Kölner Rückversicherungs-Symposiums und der Jahrestagung des Förderkreises Rückversicherung wird ein bidirektionaler Wissenstransfer zwi-schen Theorie und Praxis betrieben. Im Jahr 2022 musste das Kölner Rückversicherungs-Symposiums leider aufgrund Covid-19 ausfallen.
Die Inhalte dieser beiden wissenschaftlichen Veranstaltungen sowie die bearbei-teten Forschungsprojekte fließen in die Lehre an dem Institut für Versicherungs-wesen ein und komplettieren so die praxisorientierte Ausbildung in dem Bereich der Rückversicherung.
In der Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung sind derzeit acht Mitarbeiter*innen beschäftigt und zudem vier Professoren tätig. Dabei werden sämtliche Personal-, Sach- und Reisekosten vollständig aus Drittmitteln des För-derkreises Rückversicherung finanziert. Zu diesen Finanzierungen gehört unter anderem die Promotion von Herrn Frank Cremer.
Die im Rahmen der 14. Jahrestagung 2021 des Förderkreises Rückversicherung beschlossene finanzielle Unterstützung des gemeinnützigen Vereins „Hilfe für Guinea e.V.“ wurde in 2022 fortgesetzt. Durch die jährliche Spende an dieses Projekt erfüllt die Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung das für einen offiziellen Forschungsschwerpunkt geforderte Kriterium „Gesellschaftliches Engagement“. Die Spende kommt dem Projekt La Lumière Scolaire zugute. Dieses Projekt finanziert den Schulbau und den laufenden Schulbetrieb für Kinder von Körperbehinderten und Obdachlosen in Guinea.
Die Kölner Forschungsstelle Rückversicherung ist von der TH Köln als offizieller Forschungsschwerpunkt akkreditiert
Analysis of the Levelized Cost of Renewable Hydrogen in Austria
Get PDFAustria is committed to the net-zero climate goal along with the European Union. This requires all sectors to be decarbonized. Hereby, hydrogen plays a vital role as stated in the national hydrogen strategy. A report commissioned by the Austrian government predicts a minimum hydrogen demand of 16 TWh per year in Austria in 2040. Besides hydrogen imports, domestic production can ensure supply. Hence, this study analyses the levelized cost of hydrogen for an off-grid production plant including a proton exchange membrane electrolyzer, wind power and solar photovoltaics in Austria. In the first step, the capacity factors of the renewable electricity sources are determined by conducting a geographic information system analysis. Secondly, the levelized cost of electricity for wind power and solarphotovoltaics plants in Austria is calculated. Thirdly, the most cost-efficient portfolio of wind power and solar photovoltaics plants is determined using electricity generation profiles with a 10-min granularity. The modelled system variants differ among location, capacity factors of the renewable electricity sources and the full load hours of the electrolyzer. Finally, selected variables are tested for their sensitivities. With the applied model, the hydrogen production cost for decentralized production plants can be calculated for any specific location. The levelized cost of hydrogen estimates range from 3.08 EUR/kg to 13.12 EUR/kg of hydrogen, whereas it was found that the costs are most sensitive to the capacity factors of the renewable electricity sources and the full load hours of the electrolyzer. The novelty of the paper stems from the model applied that calculates the levelized cost of renewable hydrogen in an off-grid hydrogen production system. The model finds a cost-efficient portfolio of directly coupled wind power and solar photovoltaics systems for 80 different variants in an Austria-specific context
Novel Suspension Retroviral Packaging Cells Generated by Transposition Using Transposase Encoding mRNA Advance Vector Yields and Enable Production in Bioreactors
Get PDFTo date, the establishment of high-titer stable viral packaging cells (VPCs) at large scale for gene therapeutic applications is very time- and cost-intensive. Here we report the establishment of three human suspension 293-F-derived ecotropic MLV-based VPCs. The classic stable transfection of an EGFP-expressing transfer vector resulted in a polyclonal VPC pool that facilitated cultivation in shake flasks of 100 mL volumes and yielded high functional titers of more than 1 × 106 transducing units/mL (TU/mL). When the transfer vector was flanked by transposon terminal inverted repeats (TIRs) and upon co-transfection of a plasmid encoding for the transposase, productivities could be slightly elevated to more than 3 × 106 TU/mL. In contrast and using mRNA encoding for the transposase, as a proof of concept, productivities were drastically improved by more than ten-fold exceeding 5 × 107 TU/mL. In addition, these VPC pools were generated within only 3 weeks. The production volume was successfully scaled up to 500 mL employing a stirred-tank bioreactor (STR). We anticipate that the stable transposition of transfer vectors employing transposase transcripts will be of utility for the future establishment of high-yield VPCs producing pseudotype vector particles with a broader host tropism on a large scale
Iterative Oblique Decision Trees Deliver Explainable RL Models
Get PDFThe demand for explainable and transparent models increases with the continued success of reinforcement learning. In this article, we explore the potential of generating shallow decision trees (DTs) as simple and transparent surrogate models for opaque deep reinforcement learning (DRL) agents. We investigate three algorithms for generating training data for axis-parallel and oblique DTs with the help of DRL agents (“oracles”) and evaluate these methods on classic control problems from OpenAI Gym. The results show that one of our newly developed algorithms, the iterative training, outperforms traditional sampling algorithms, resulting in well-performing DTs that often even surpass the oracle from which they were trained. Even higher dimensional problems can be solved with surprisingly shallow DTs. We discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different sampling methods and insights into the decision-making process made possible by the transparent nature of DTs. Our work contributes to the development of not only powerful but also explainable RL agents and highlights the potential of DTs as a simple and effective alternative to complex DRL models
Characterization of Diffractive Bifocal Intraocular Lenses
Get PDFMultifocal intraocular lenses incorporate a variety of design considerations, including dimensioning of the base monofocal shape and the diffraction grating. While studying three different lens models, we present a practical approach for mathematical modelling and evaluation of these geometries. Contrary to typical lens measurement methods, non-contact measurements were performed on the Alcon SN6AD1, HumanOptics MS 612 DAY and the AMO ZMA00 lenses using a confocal microscope. Subsequent data processing includes centering, tilting correction, filtering and an algorithmic decomposition into a conic and polynomial part and the diffraction grating. Lastly, evaluation of fitting parameters and grating shape is done to allow for inferences about further optical properties. Results and analysis show the confocal microscope to be a suitable imaging method for lens measurements. The processing of this data enables the reconstruction of the annular diffraction grating over the complete lens diameter. Apodization, near addition and diffraction efficiency characteristics are found utilizing the grating shape. Additionally, near-optical axis curvature, asphericity and higher order polynomials are identified qualitatively from the reconstruction of the monofocal base form. Derived properties also include the lens optical base and addition power. By making use of the surface geometries, as well as the lens’ material and thickness, a full lens model can be created for further studies. In summary, our analytical approach enables the insight to various intraocular lens design decisions. Furthermore, this procedure is suitable for lens model creation for research and simulation
The Serenity Barometer in Coaching—a Self-Reflection Tool for Multiple Contexts
Get PDFHohe psychische Anspannung und fehlende Gelassenheit wirken sich einschränkend auf Akzeptanz- und Veränderungsmöglichkeiten aus. Daher ist es hilfreich, die damit verbundenen mentalen Abläufe erkennen zu können. Das auf Basis der Introvision als Methode der Gelassenheitsförderung entwickelte Selbsteinschätzungstool wird zur Sensibilisierung und zur Unterstützung der Regulierung kontextbezogener Gelassenheit vorgestellt. Die Ausführungen richten sich vor allem an Coaches, die ihren Methodenkoffer ergänzen und die sich hinsichtlich ihrer eigenen Gelassenheit im Coaching reflektieren wollen.High mental tension and a lack of serenity have a limiting effect on acceptance and possibilities for change. Therefore, it is helpful to be able to recognize the mental processes involved. This self-assessment tool developed on the basis of Introvision—a method for promoting serenity—is presented as a reflection tool for raising awareness and supporting the regulation of context-related composure. The paper is aimed mainly at coaches who want to expand their toolbox and self-reflect on their own composure in coaching
The Method Radar: A Way to Organize Methods for Technology Development with Participation in Mind
Get PDFIdentifying appropriate methods for any process, such as uncovering needs of juveniles in social welfare or designing interactive systems, requires intensive research and generally using a categorization system that brings methods in a systematic order. These taxonomy systems are heavily responsible for the later method usage and start the thinking process for researchers and practitioners alike in a specific direction. So making participation visible in such taxonomy systems directly affects the later method usage and makes participation more visible and easier to use. This article presents the Method Radar, a visualized categorization of methods with a focus on participation using the ladder of participation, that makes participation visible right at the beginning of any method selection. The Method Radar builds on the radar representation established in the technology sector, which allows a multi-dimensional classification. In addition, an implementation and systematic process for categorizing these methods are presented. It can be used for any form of method categorization in which participation is supposed to be thought of
Recenzja książki: Gerhard Stahl, China – Zukunftmodell Oder Albtraum. Europa zwischen Partnerschaft und Konfrontation (Chiny – model przyszłości albo przerażająca wizja. Europa pomiędzy partnerstwem a konfrontacją), ss. 191, Bonn 2022, ISBN 978-3-8012-0637-6 (także jako eBook, ISBN 978-3-8012-7041-4), Verlag J.H.W. Dietz Nachf. GmbH, www.dietz‑verlag.de
No full text[email protected] Przyrodniczy w Poznaniu1(111)20521
Zacieranie i odtwarzanie granicy w warunkach pandemii na przykładzie wybranych polsko‑niemieckich dwumiast
No full textArtykuł opisuje życie na pograniczu z perspektywy procesów mobilności. Traktuje swobodę przemieszczania się i różnego rodzaju związane z nią zabiegi jako przykład procesów zacierania granicy (debordering). Sytuacja taka zostaje zestawiona z tymczasowym zamknięciem granic i przywróceniem kontroli z powodu pandemii COVID-19. Takie zablokowanie możliwości przemieszczania się jest opisane jako czynnik głęboko modyfikujący życie na pograniczu i jako przykład procesów odtwarzania granicy (rebordering). Obszarem, na którym obrazowane są te procesy, są polsko-niemieckie dwumiasta. Przedstawione rezultaty opierają się na zrealizowanych na tych terenach jakościowych badaniach empirycznych – spacerach badawczych i wywiadach pogłębionych – które zostały uzupełnione o dodatkowe wywiady telefoniczne przeprowadzone
w trakcie pandemii.The paper explores life on the borderland from the perspective of mobility processes. It treats the freedom of movement and various kinds of associated interventions as an example of processes of border blurring (debordering). This situation is juxtaposed with the temporary closure of borders and the reinstatement of control due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This blockage of mobility is described as a factor profoundly modifying life on the border and as an example of processes of border restoration (rebordering). The area where these processes are illustrated is the German-Polish twin cities. The presented results are based on the qualitative empirical research conducted in these areas – research walks and in-depth interviews – supplemented by additional telephone interviews conducted during the pandemic.Uniwersytet im. Adama Mickiewicza w PoznaniuAmilhat-Szary A.L. (2015), Boundaries and borders, w: The Wiley Blackwell Companion to Political Geography, red. J. Agnew, A. Secor, J. Sharpe, V. Mamadouh, Oxford, s. 13–25.Bærenholdt J.O. (2013), Governmobility: The Powers of Mobility, „Mobilities” Vol. 8, No. 1, s. 20–34.Basu P., Coleman S. (2008), Introduction: Migrant Worlds, Material Cultures, „Mobilities” Vol. 3, No. 2, s. 313–330.Berger P., Luckmann T. (1983), Społeczne tworzenie rzeczywistości, przeł. J. Niżnik, Warszawa.Bissel D. (2007), Animating Suspension: Waiting for Mobilities, „Mobilities” Vol. 2, No. 2, s. 277–298.Burrell K. (2008), Materialising the Border: Spaces of Mobility and Material Culture in Migration from Post‐Socialist Poland, „Mobilities” Vol. 3, No. 3, s. 353–373.Cooper A., Rumford C. (2013), Monumentalising the Border: Bordering Through Connectivity, „Mobilities” Vol. 8, No. 1, s. 107–124.Dolińska K., Makaro, J. (2020), O rodzeniu się wielokulturowości z transgraniczem w tle. Na przykładzie pandemii COVID-19 (i jej skutków) w miastach podzielonych, „Przegląd Zachodni” 4,
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s. 2–12.Galasińska A., Galasiński D. (2005), Shopping for a New Identity, „Ethnicities” Vol. 5, No. 4, s. 510–529.Haselsberger H. (2014), Decoding borders. Appreciating border impacts on space and people, „Planning Theory and Practice” Vol. 15, No. 4, s. 505–526.Hennig A. (2021), The spatial dimension of coronavirus crisis management and the role of subnational actors in the German–Polish border region, „European Societies” Vol. 23, s. 859–871.Jańczak J. (2011), Cross-border Governance in Central European Border Twin Towns. Between De-bordering and Re-bordering, w: De-bordering, Re-bordering and Symbols on the European
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s. 509–527.Markuszewska I., Tanskanen M., Subirós J.V. (2016), Boundaries From Borders: Cross-Border Relationships in the Context of the Mental Perception of a Borderline – Experiences from Spanish-French and Polish-German Border Twin Towns, „Quaestiones Geographicae” Vol. 35, No. 1, s. 105–119.Kaufmann V., Bergman M.M., Joye D. (2004), Motility: mobility as capital, „International Journal of Urban and Regional Research” Vol. 28, Is. 4, s. 745–756.Kloppenburg S. (2013), Mapping the Contours of Mobilities Regimes. Air Travel and Drug Smuggling Between the Caribbean and the Netherlands, „Mobilities” Vol. 8, No. 1, s. 52–69.Kolossov V., Scott J. (2013), Selected conceptual issues in border studies, „Belgeo” 1, s. 1–16.Kurki T. (2014), Borders from the Cultural Point of View: An Introduction to Writing at Borders, „Culture Unbound” Vol. 6, 1055–1070.Lamont M., Molnár V. (2002), The Study of Boundaries in the Social Sciences, „Annual Review of Sociology” 28, s. 167–195.Opiłowska E. (2020), The Covid-19 crisis: the end of a borderless Europe?, „European Societies” Vol 23, s. 589–600.Opioła W., Böhm H. (2022), Euroregions as political actors: managing border policies in the time of Covid-19 in Polish borderlands, „Terittory, Politics, Govenrnance” Vol. 10, Is.6, s. 896–916.Pullan W. (2013), Conflict’s Tools. Borders, Boundaries and Mobility in Jerusalem’s Spatial Structures, „Mobilities” Vol. 8, No. 1, s. 125–147.Robertson C. (2008), Locating the border, „Social Identities” Vol. 14, No. 4, s. 447–456.Sohn C. (2014), Modelling Cross-Border Integration: The Role of Borders as a Resource, „Geopolitics” Vol. 19, No. 3, s. 587–608.Sur M. (2013), Through Metal Fences: Material Mobility and the Politics of Transnationality at Borders, „Mobilities” Vol. 8, No. 1, s. 70–89.Torkington K. (2012), Place and Lifestyle Migration: The Discursive Construction of ‘Glocal’ Place-Identity, „Mobilities” Vol. 7, No. 1, s. 71–92.Urry J. (2009), Socjologia mobilności, Warszawa.Van Houtum H. (2012), Remapping Borders, w: A Companion to Border Studies, red. T.M. Wilson, H. Donnan, West Sussex.Vaughan-Williams N. (2010), The UK border security continuum: virtual biopolitics and the simulation of sovereign ban, „Environment and Planning D: Society and Space” 28 (6), s. 1071–
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Zmiany w prawie aborcyjnym na świecie w okresie pandemii COVID-19 – ujęcie komparatystyczne
No full text[email protected] Mikołaja Kopernika w ToruniuAborcyjny Dream Team, 2022, Aborcja bez Granic: najnowsze dane 2021–2022, https://adt.pl/news/organizacje-aborcyjne/aborcja-bez-granic-najnowsze-dane-z-2021-2022 (dostęp: 9.05.2023).Abortion care guideline. Geneva: World Health Organization; 2022, https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240039483 (dostęp: 30.04.2023).Bartkiewicz A., 2020, Druga fala epidemii w Polsce? A kiedy skończyła się pierwsza?, https://www.rp.pl/komentarze/art8752231-artur-bartkiewicz-druga-fala-epidemii-w-polsce-a-kiedy-skonczyla-sie-pierwsza (dostęp 30.04.2023).Campaña Nacional por el Derecho al Aborto Legal, Seguro y Gratuito, 2023, Quienes somos, https://abortolegal.com.ar/quienes-somos (dostęp: 9.05.2023).CBOS, 2020, Komunikat z badań nr 153/2020. O dopuszczalności przerywania ciąży i protestach po wyroku Trybunału Konstytucyjnego, https://www.cbos.pl/SPISKOM.POL/2020/K_ 153_ 20.PDF (dostęp: 9.05.2023).Fernández Anderson C., 2020, Fighting for Abortion Rights in Latin America: Social Movements, State Allies and Institutions, Taylor & Francis.Fondo Maria, 2023, El Fondo de Aborto para la Justicia Social MARIA (Mujeres, Aborto, Reproducción, Información y Acompañamiento) surge el 28 de mayo de 2009, a partir de la legalización del aborto hasta la semana 12 en la Ciudad de México, https://www.fondomaria.org/paginas/que-es-fondo-maria (dostęp: 9.05.2023).Garnsey C. i in., 2022, Factors influencing abortion decisions, delays, and experiences with abortion accompaniment in Mexico among women living outside Mexico City: results from a cross-sectional study, „Sexual and Reproductive Health Matters”, 29/3.Kimport K., Rasidjan M.P., 2022, Exploring the emotional costs of abortion travel in the United States due to legal restriction, „Contraception”, 120.Klibanoff, E., 2021, Texas’ long fight over abortion rights continues with Supreme Court ruling, https://www.texastribune.org/2021/12/10/texas-abortion-rights-supreme-court-history (dostęp: 30.04.2023).Kortsmit K. i in., 2019, Abortion Surveillance – United States, „Surveillance Summaries”, 2021 70/9.List Rzecznika Praw Obywatelskich Adama Bodnara do Ministra Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji Mariusza Kamińskiego z dnia 23 października 2020 r. – VII.613.112.2020.MAW, https://bip.brpo.gov.pl/sites/default/files/Do%20MSWiA%20ws.%20zgromadze%C5%84%20spontanicznych,%2023.10.2020.pdf (dostęp: 9.05.2023).Michel A.R., Yamin A.E., 2023, Using Rights to Deepen Democracy: Making Sense of the Road to Legal Abortion in Argentina, “Fordham International Law Journal”,. 46/3.Ministère de la Santé, 2023, Evaluation rapide des besoins en soins obstetricaux et neonataux d’urgence (SONU) au Benin en 2016, https://benin.unfpa.org/fr/publications/evaluation-rapide-des-besoins-en-soins-obstetricaux-et-neonataux-durgence-sonu-au-benin (dostęp: 5.07.2023).Moreau, C. i in., 2020, Abortion regulation in Europe in the era of COVID-19: a spectrum of policy responses, „BMJ Sexual & Reproductive Health”, 2021 47/4.NSO Thailand, 2020, The 2018 Survey on Conditions of Society, and Culture and Mental Health, http://www.nso.go.th/sites/2014en/Survey/social/religion/SurveyOnConditions/2018/Full%20Report.pdf (dostęp: 9.05.2023).Robinson D., Simmons M., 2023, Codify Abortion Rights and Access by Way of State Legislatures, „Am J Public Health”, 113/4.Romero M. i in, 2021, Proyecto mirar: a un año de la ley de aborto en Argentina, Centro de Estudios de Estado y Sociedad (CEDES) oraz Ibis Reproductive Health,Sinthuchai N. i in., 2023, Knowledge, attitude, and intended practice of abortion among medical students in Thailand after the amendment of the Thai abortion law, „Contraception X”, 5/100091.Sinthuchai N. i in., 2022, Survey of knowledge and attitude regarding induced abortion among nurses in a tertiary hospital in Thailand after amendment of the abortion act: a cross-sectional study, „BMC Women’s Health”, 22/454.Shoichet C.E., 2022, More Americans who want abortions are turning to Mexico for help, https://edition.cnn.com/2022/07/21/health/mexico-abortion-assistance-cec/index.html (dostęp: 9.05.2023)Stánicz P., Kussinszky A., 2023, Mandatory ’foetal heartbeat’ as a new requirement in Hungary’s abortion law – constitutional and human rights limits of the protection of the foetus with a European outlook, „Journal für Medizin- und Gesundheitsrecht”, 8.UNICEF, 2015, Situation Analysis Of Adolescent Pregnancy in Thailand, https://www.unicef.org/thailand/media/1126/file/Situation%20Analysis%20of%20Adolescent%20Pregnancy%20in%20Thailand.pdf (dostęp: 30.04.2023).WHO Director-General’s opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 – 11 March 2020, 2020, https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19--- 11-march-2020 (dostęp: 30.04.2023).Wicha T., 2022, Spontaneous Assemblies during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Poland – A Case Study Analysis, „Białostockie Studia Prawnicze”, 27/2.30531