27 research outputs found
Domestic and international macro‐economic effects of german economic and monetary union simulations on QUEST
No full textDiagnostisches Vorgehen bei spinalen Prozessen im Kindesalter — Ergänzende elektrophysiologische und neuroradiologische Untersuchungen
No full textA Combined Transsylvian-Subtemporal Approach for Management of Tumors Located in the Cavernous Sinus and in Meckel’s Cave
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Imaging of mice and men; adventures in multispectral imaging
No full textCancer of the brain and CNS account for only 2% of new cancer cases in the UK however it is responsible for 7% of cancer deaths of those aged under 70 years of age. Although surgery falls short of a cure it is the primary method of treatment. Two of the key problems in tumour surgery in the brain are a) that many tumours are visually indistinguishable from normal tissue even for experienced surgeons and b) that the risk of post-surgical neurological deficit is related to the proximity of functional (or 'eloquent') neurological tissue. In collaboration with surgeons at the Southampton University NHS Hospitals Trust we seek to address both of these problems. Firstly there is literature evidence that normal and neoplastic tissue have different spectral characteristics in the visible and near-infrared region. We investigate whether these can be practically imaged intraoperatively to establish disease state. Secondly the redox state of haemoglobin is known to affect it's visible and near-infrared spectral characteristics. This project investigates whether it is possible to identify the haemodynamic response associated with functional activity intraoperatively in the human brain. Prion diseases are fatal chronic neurodegenerative diseases of animals and man. They have gained notoriety due to recent outbreaks of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) and the evidence that they can be transmitted between species, including to man. Exposure to BSE infected material has been shown to cause variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease in man. Prion disease is also used as a model of other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimers disease. Remarkably little is known about this class of disease including the specific cause of the neurodegeneration. Prions are a mis-folded protein which have a different conformation than the normal protein. Certain spectral features in the mid infrared region are associated with protein conformation. In collaboration with neuro-biologists within the university and using a synchrotron light source we investigate the application of multispectral imaging in early stage prion disease. By analysis of the protein conformation sensitivity of the mid infrared spectra (with particular interest in the Amide I band) we seek to identify structurally relevant markers in a mouse model before clinical symptoms of the disease are evident. This may lead to better understanding of the disease progression and the neurotoxic element
Unionization Structures and Firms' Incentives for Productivity Enhancing Investments
No full textThis paper examines how unionization structures that differ in the degree of wage centralization affect firms' incentives to increase labor productivity. We distinguish three modes of unionization with increasing degree of centralization: (1) "Decentralization" where wages are determined independently at the firm-level, (2) "coordination" where an industry union sets individual wages for all firms at the firmlevel, and (3) "centralization" where a uniform wage rate is set for the entire industry. We show that firms' investment incentives are largest under complete centralization. However, investment incentives are non-monotone in the degree of centralization so that "decentralization" carries higher investment incentives than "coordination." Depending on the innovation outcome, workers' wage bill is maximized under "centralization" if firms' productivity differences remain small. Otherwise, workers prefer an intermediate degree of centralization, which holds innovative activity down at its lowest level. Labor market policy can spur innovation by either decentralizing unionization structures or by imposing non-discrimination rules on monopoly unions. ZUSAMMENFASSUNG - (Gewerkschaftssysteme und die Anreize der Unternehmen zur Produktivitätssteigerung) Diese Arbeit untersucht den Einfluß unterschiedlicher Gewerkschaftssysteme auf die Anreize von Unternehmen, ihre Arbeitsproduktivität zu erhöhen. Wir unterscheiden zwischen drei Gewerkschaftsstrukturen mit zunehmendem Zentralisierungsgrad: 1.) "Dezentrale Lohnsetzung", bei der Löhne ohne zentrale Koordination auf Unternehmensebene bestimmt werden, 2.) "koordinierte Lohnsetzung", bei der eine Industriegewerkschaft die Lohnforderungen gegenüber einzelnen Arbeitgebern koordiniert und 3.) "zentralisierte Lohnsetzung", bei der ein einheitlicher Lohnsatz für die gesamte Industrie bestimmt wird. Wir zeigen, daß die Investitionsanreize der Unternehmen bei "zentralisierter Lohnsetzung" am stärksten sind. Die Investitionsanreize sind allerdings nicht monoton im Zentralisierungsgrad: "Dezentralisierte Lohnsetzung" führt zu stärkeren Investitionsanreizen als "koordinierte Lohnsetzung". Die Lohnsumme ist in einem zentralisierten Gewerkschaftssystem maximal, solange die Innovationen hinreichend "klein" sind, so daß die Unterschiede in der Produktivität zwischen den Unternehmen gering bleiben. Bei "großen" Innovationen bevorzugen Arbeitnehmer hingegen eine "koordinierte Lohnsetzung", wodurch die Innovationstätigkeit der Unternehmen auf ihr niedrigstes Niveau gedrückt wird. Arbeitsmarktpolitik kann die Innovationsanreize entweder durch eine Dezentralisierung der Lohnsetzung oder durch Diskriminierungsverbote für Monopolgewerkschaften erhöhen.Unions, Oligopoly, Innovation, Productivity, Wage-Setting Centralization, Labor Market Flexibility
Social Pacts, Unemployment, and EMU Macroeconomic Policy
No full textcurrency; economic integration; EMU; Euro; European Central Bank; political economy; unemployment
Unionisation Structures and Firms' Incentives for Productivity Enhancing Investments
No full textThis paper examines how unionisation structures that differ in the degree of wage centralisation affect firms' incentives to increase labour productivity. We distinguish three modes of unionisation with increasing degree of centralisation. (1) "Decentralisation" where wages are determined independently at the firm-level, (2) "coordination" where an industry union sets individual wages for all firms at the firm-level, and (3) "centralisation" where a uniform wage rate is set for the entire industry. We show that firms' investment incentives are largest under complete centralisation. However, investment incentives are non-monotone in the degree of centralisation so that "decentralization" carries higher investment incentives than "coordination." Depending on the innovation outcome, workers' wage bill is maximised under centralisation" if firms' productivity differences remain small. Otherwise, workers prefer an intermediate degree of centralisation, which holds innovative activity down at its lowest level. Labour market policy can spur innovation by either decentralising unionisation structures or by imposing non-discrimination rules on monopoly unions.unionised oligopoly, innovation, productivity, labour market institutions
