Riesterrente: Politik ohne Marktbeobachtung

Unfaire Vertriebsmethoden, begrenzte Offenlegung von Kosten, zweifelhafte Beratungen, unzureichende und unverständliche Verbraucherinformation sowie erfolglose Beschwerden attestieren insbesondere Verbraucherorganisationen der Riesterrentenversicherung und ihrem privatwirtschaftlichen Vertrieb auch noch fast ein Jahrzehnt nach der Einführung der staatlich geförderten privaten Altersvorsorge. Demgegenüber stellt die Bundesregierung diesem Riesterprodukt ein mit wenigen Abstrichen durchweg positives Gesamturteil aus: Die Transparenz für den Verbraucher sei gegeben, weitere als die bereits eingeleiteten regulierenden Eingriffe durch den Gesetzgeber seien nicht erforderlich. Offenbar entspringt die Kritik der Verbraucherorganisationen aber nicht einer kollektiven Einbildung, denn es gibt Hinweise, dass die Anbietervielfalt dem Verbraucher letztlich nicht ausreichend zugute kommt. So sind Kosten und Leistungen kaum zu überprüfen und zu vergleichen. Dafür, dass es um ein Produkt geht, das von der Politik als eine tragende Säule der Altersvorsorge mit zunehmendem Gewicht eingeführt wurde, muss die Datenlage als eklatant unzureichend bezeichnet werden. Eine umfassende Marktbeobachtung und eine begleitende Evaluierung des Riestermarktes sind überfällig.Behavioral economics and finance, Consumer market observation, State-aided private oldage provision, Product quality

Riesterrente: Politik ohne Marktbeobachtung

Unfaire Vertriebsmethoden, begrenzte Offenlegung von Kosten, zweifelhafte Beratungen, unzureichende und unverständliche Verbraucherinformation sowie erfolglose Beschwerden attestieren insbesondere Verbraucherorganisationen der Riesterrentenversicherung und ihrem privatwirtschaftlichen Vertrieb auch noch fast ein Jahrzehnt nach der Einführung der staatlich geförderten privaten Altersvorsorge. Demgegenüber stellt die Bundesregierung diesem Riesterprodukt ein mit wenigen Abstrichen durchweg positives Gesamturteil aus: Die Transparenz für den Verbraucher sei gegeben, weitere als die bereits eingeleiteten regulierenden Eingriffe durch den Gesetzgeber seien nicht erforderlich. Offenbar entspringt die Kritik der Verbraucherorganisationen aber nicht einer kollektiven Einbildung, denn es gibt Hinweise, dass die Anbietervielfalt dem Verbraucher letztlich nicht ausreichend zugute kommt. So sind Kosten und Leistungen kaum zu überprüfen und zu vergleichen. Dafür, dass es um ein Produkt geht, das von der Politik als eine tragende Säule der Altersvorsorge mit zunehmendem Gewicht eingeführt wurde, muss die Datenlage als eklatant unzureichend bezeichnet werden. Eine umfassende Marktbeobachtung und eine begleitende Evaluierung des Riestermarktes sind überfällig

Verbraucherwissenschaft: in welchen Themenbereichen wird geforscht?

Spitzenreiter der Verbraucherforschung sind die Themenbereiche Nachhaltigkeit, Ernährung und Gesundheit, Verbraucherverhalten und spezielle Verbrauchergruppen - so die Ergebnisse einer Momentaufnahme. Für Nachhaltigkeit und Verbraucherverhalten melden die befragten Forscher zudem auch einen dringenderen Forschungsbedarf als für andere Themenfelder der Verbraucherforschung an. Hingegen sind Märkte, die in der verbraucherpolitischen Diskussion als zu komplex und intransparent gelten wie soziale Sicherung, Netzwerk- und Finanzdienstleistungen, auf der Arbeitsskala wie auch beim Forschungsbedarf nur im mittleren Feld vertreten. Die Ergebnisse der Befragung zeigen, dass die jüngsten Initiativen zur Vernetzung in der Verbraucherforschung in der Wissenschaft offensichtlich noch nicht angekommen sind

Reactions to uncertainty and the accuracy of diagnostic mammography.

BackgroundReactions to uncertainty in clinical medicine can affect decision making.ObjectiveTo assess the extent to which radiologists' reactions to uncertainty influence diagnostic mammography interpretation.DesignCross-sectional responses to a mailed survey assessed reactions to uncertainty using a well-validated instrument. Responses were linked to radiologists' diagnostic mammography interpretive performance obtained from three regional mammography registries.ParticipantsOne hundred thirty-two radiologists from New Hampshire, Colorado, and Washington.MeasurementMean scores and either standard errors or confidence intervals were used to assess physicians' reactions to uncertainty. Multivariable logistic regression models were fit via generalized estimating equations to assess the impact of uncertainty on diagnostic mammography interpretive performance while adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsWhen examining radiologists' interpretation of additional diagnostic mammograms (those after screening mammograms that detected abnormalities), a 5-point increase in the reactions to uncertainty score was associated with a 17% higher odds of having a positive mammogram given cancer was diagnosed during follow-up (sensitivity), a 6% lower odds of a negative mammogram given no cancer (specificity), a 4% lower odds (not significant) of a cancer diagnosis given a positive mammogram (positive predictive value [PPV]), and a 5% higher odds of having a positive mammogram (abnormal interpretation).ConclusionMammograms interpreted by radiologists who have more discomfort with uncertainty have higher likelihood of being recalled

Compact Saloplastic Poly(Acrylic Acid)/Poly(Allylamine) Complexes: Kinetic Control Over Composition, Microstructure, and Mechanical Properties

Durable compact polyelectrolyte complexes (CoPECs) with controlled porosity and mechanical properties are prepared by ultracentrifugation. Because thestarting materials, poly(allylamine hydrochloride) (PAH) and poly(acrylic acidsodium salt) (PAA), are weak acids/bases, both composition and morphology are controlled by solution pH. In addition, the nonequilibrium nature of polyelectrolyte complexation can be exploited to provide a range of compositions and porosities under the infl uence of polyelectrolyte addition order and speed, and concentration. Confocal microscopy shows these “saloplastic” materials to be highly porous, where pore formation is attributed to a combination of deswelling of the polyelectrolyte matrix and expansion of small inhomogenities by osmotic pressure. The porosity (15–70%) and the pore size ( < 5 μ m to > 70 μ m) of these materials can be tuned by adjusting the PAA to PAH ratio, the salt concentration, and the pH. The modulus of these CoPECs depends on the ratio of the two polyelectrolytes, with stoichiometric complexes being the stiffest due to optimized charge pairing, which correlates with maximized crosslinking density. Mechanical properties, pore sizes, and pore density of these materials make them well suited to three dimensional supports for tissue engineering applications

Suicide methods in Europe: a gender-specific analysis of countries participating in the "European Alliance Against Depression"

Objective: To identify the most frequent gener-specific suicide methods in Europe. Design: Proportions of seven predominant suicide methods utilised in 16 countries participating in the European Alliance Against Depression (EAAD)were reported in total and cross-nationally. Relative risk (RR)relating to suicide methods and gender was calculated. To group countries by pattern of suicide methods, hierarchical clustering was applied. Setting and participants: Data on suicide methods for 119 122 male and 41 338 female cases in 2000-4/5 from 16 EAAD countries, covering 52% of European population were obtained. Results: Hanging was the most prevalent suicide method among both males (54.3%) and females (35.6%). For males, hanging was followed by firearms (9.7%) and poisoning by drugs (8.6%); for females, by poisoning by drugs (24.7%)and jumping from a high place (14.5%). Only in Switzerland did hanging rank as second for males after firearms. Hanging ranked first among females in eight countries, poisoning by drugs in five and jumping from a high place in three. In all countries, males had a higher risk than females of using firearms and hanging and a lower risk of poisoning by drugs, drowning and jumping. Grouping showed that countries might be divided into five main groups among males; for females, grouping did not yield clear results. Conclusions: Research on suicide methods could lead to the development of gender-specific intervention strategies. Nevertheless, other approaches, such as better identification and treatment of mental disorders and the improvement of toxicological aid should be put in place

The abundant marine bacterium Pelagibacter simultaneously catabolizes dimethylsulfoniopropionate to the gases dimethyl sulfide and methanethiol

Marine phytoplankton produce ~109 tons of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) per year1,2, an estimated 10% of which is catabolized by bacteria through the DMSP cleavage pathway to the climatically active gas dimethyl sulfide (DMS)3,4. SAR11 Alphaproteobacteria (order Pelagibacterales), the most abundant chemoorganotrophic bacteria in the oceans, have been shown to assimilate DMSP into biomass, thereby supplying this cell’s unusual requirement for reduced sulfur5,6. Here we report that Pelagibacter HTCC1062 produces the gas methanethiol (MeSH) and that simultaneously a second DMSP catabolic pathway, mediated by a cupin-like DMSP lyase, DddK, shunts as much as 59% of DMSP uptake to DMS production. We propose a model in which the allocation of DMSP between these pathways is kinetically controlled to release increasing amounts of DMS as the supply of DMSP exceeds cellular sulfur demands for biosynthesis

Combined current and temperature mapping in an air-cooled, open-cathode polymer electrolyte fuel cell under steady-state and dynamic conditions

In situ diagnostic techniques provide a means of understanding the internal workings of fuel cells so that improved designs and operating regimes can be identified. Here, for the first time, a combined current density and temperature distributed measurement system is used to generate an electro-thermal performance map of an air-cooled, air-breathing polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack operating in an air/hydrogen cross-flow configuration. Analysis is performed in low- and high-current regimes and a complex relationship between localised current density, temperature and reactant supply is identified that describes the way in which the system enters limiting performance conditions. Spatiotemporal analysis was carried out to characterise transient operations in dead-ended anode/purge mode which revealed extensive current density and temperature gradients

Food-Chain-Politik – Element einer strategischen Neuorientierung der Agrarpolitik

European agricultural policy has undergone profound changes during the past decade. The nucleus of this reform has been the transformation of the agricultural and food policy from a producer centred perspective of agriculture to a more market and consumer oriented food chain approach. Such a systemic perspective calls for a stronger and systematic integration of the more demand-oriented policy fields of food, consumer and public health policy as well as of elements of politics of sustainable development along the whole food chain. The paper analyzes the reasons and consequences of these developments, and calls for an integrated “food chain politics” approach. Implications for the future design of practical and academic agricultural policy are drawn