Alas, my home is my castle: The excessive screening cost of buying a house

This paper analyzes a model in which housing tenure choice serves as a means of screening households with different utilization rates. If the proportion of low-utilization types is small, there is a separating equilibrium at which tenure choice acts as a screening device: consistent with empirical evidence, low-utilization households buy a house, while high-utilization types rent. Otherwise, there is a pooling equilibrium. The reason why, contrary to standard screening models, a pooling equilibrium possibly exists is indivisibility of home ownership, which makes it a very costly screening device. Introducing partial ownership restores the standard results: non-existence of a pooling equilibrium and possible non-existence of an equilibrium. The same mechanisms are at work in a corporate finance context

Early high flow nasal cannula therapy in bronchiolitis, a prospective randomised control trial (protocol): A Paediatric Acute Respiratory Intervention Study (PARIS)

Background Bronchiolitis imposes the largest health care burden on non-elective paediatric hospital admissions worldwide, with up to 15 % of cases requiring admission to intensive care. A number of previous studies have failed to show benefit of pharmaceutical treatment in respect to length of stay, reduction in PICU admission rates or intubation frequency. The early use of non-invasive respiratory support devices in less intensive scenarios to facilitate earlier respiratory support may have an impact on outcome by avoiding progression of the disease process. High Flow Nasal Cannula (HFNC) therapy has emerged as a new method to provide humidified air flow to deliver a non-invasive form of positive pressure support with titratable oxygen fraction. There is a lack of high-grade evidence on use of HFNC therapy in bronchiolitis. Methods/Design Prospective multi-centre randomised trial comparing standard treatment (standard subnasal oxygen) and High Flow Nasal Cannula therapy in infants with bronchiolitis admitted to 17 hospitals emergency departments and wards in Australia and New Zealand, including 12 non-tertiary regional/metropolitan and 5 tertiary centres. The primary outcome is treatment failure; defined as meeting three out of four pre-specified failure criteria requiring escalation of treatment or higher level of care; i) heart rate remains unchanged or increased compared to admission/enrolment observations, ii) respiratory rate remains unchanged or increased compared to admission/enrolment observations, iii) oxygen requirement in HFNC therapy arm exceeds FiO2 ≥ 40 % to maintain SpO2 ≥ 92 % (or ≥94 %) or oxygen requirement in standard subnasal oxygen therapy arm exceeds >2L/min to maintain SpO2 ≥ 92 % (or ≥94 %), and iv) hospital internal Early Warning Tool calls for medical review and escalation of care. Secondary outcomes include transfer to tertiary institution, admission to intensive care, length of stay, length of oxygen treatment, need for non-invasive/invasive ventilation, intubation, adverse events, and cost. Discussion This large multicenter randomised trial will allow the definitive assessment of the efficacy of HFNC therapy as compared to standard subnasal oxygen in the treatment of bronchiolitis

Reading the Ox-Head: The Reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.Babl, B. 2025. Reading the Ox-Head: The Reception of Bucephalus in the Late Middle Ages. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/492b1fe7-bd5e-430c-ab3d-554fa9659b3bThe character of Bucephalus, the war-horse of Alexander the Great, has evolved over time and in different cultures. However, scholarship on the legends of Alexander and his reception tend to focus on Alexander himself, with little mention of his steed. This is despite the fact that Bucephalus played an integral role in the formation of Alexander’s identity and story, particularly in the representations of Alexander and his legend in horse-centric cultures like those of the ancient Mediterranean and medieval Europe. By switching one’s focus to the horse in the horse-rider duo, one gains new insight not only into Bucephalus but also into the character of Alexander. This research thus compares the depictions of Bucephalus from the ancient world (356 BCE- 500 CE) and the Late Middle Ages (1300-1500 CE), periods from which most extant works date, according to the categories of physical appearance, behaviour, and surrounding legends, by using both textual and visual sources in the form of ancient historiographies, ancient equestrian artwork, the Greek Alexander Romance, and manuscript illustrations. Both periods’ sets of depictions present Bucephalus as the ideal war-horse according to their respective cultures, with Late Middle Age depictions following a rather anachronistic path, presenting Bucephalus often as a caparisoned destrier performing charges with the lance. It is precisely the differences between the two depictions that are most eye-catching. Late Middle Age depictions present an animal with far more supernatural traits than ancient depictions. This likely developed because of the medieval fascination with exotic and fantastical creatures, best expressed in chivalric romance literature and the proliferation of bestiaries in the 13th century. Nevertheless, it is clear that in both time periods Bucephalus was regarded as an important facet to Alexander’s legend, his courage, loyalty and bond to his rider being praised above all.Master

Everybody has won and all must have prices

This dissertation presents four articles as part of the Improve Project (project 100019_159425) funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) and granted to Franz Caspar as principal investigator and Thomas Berger and Martin grosse Holtforth as co-applicants. The Improve Project is concerned with psychotherapy integration and investigates the effects of combining Bernese cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) with elements of emotion-focused therapy (EFT) or aspects of self-regulation theory (SR) in a randomized controlled trial with add-on design. The project falls in the category of assimilative integration, which reflects common integrative practice but lacks empirical support. Previous research and research gaps are presented which the Improve Project and this dissertation aim to fill. Article one of this dissertation presents the study protocol of the Improve Project. Article two describes a study examining the therapeutic adherence to the two treatment conditions CBT + EFT and CBT + SR. Article three, a meta-analysis, was conducted to evaluate the current state of research on defense mechanisms in longitudinal studies. Article four presents a study investigating change in defense mechanisms over the course of psychotherapy depending on treatment condition and diagnostic group. An introduction to the topic of psychotherapy integration is followed by the four articles. On the basis of the presented results, possibilities and limitations of this dissertation are discussed and an outlook for future research in the field of psychotherapy integration is given. Bridging the gap between research and practice may well produce treatments that are rooted in both clinical reality and empirical validation

Methoxyflurane: a review with emphasis on its role in dental practice

Methoxyflurane was developed as an anaesthetic agent and introduced into clinical practice in 1960. It soon became evident that it possessed analgesic properties that other drugs did not. Due to toxicity concerns, it lost favour in general anaesthesia and had been largely abandoned by the late 1970's. The manufacturer withdrew it in 1999, and the Food and Drug Administration in the United States did not renew its license in 2005. It has also been withdrawn by the European Union. However, it continues to be used in Australasia, primarily as an inhaled self-administered analgesic by emergency services immediately following trauma. It has become attractive for use in dental practice, likely due to its effectiveness as an analgesic and its additional sedative qualities. Its acceptance is controversial as its use in dentistry is largely elective. Despite its good safety record in analgesic doses, adverse reactions have been recorded. Practitioners should be well aware of risks associated with its use before considering administration, and carefully assess whether or not there are equally good alternative options that do not the carry the same risks. Methoxyflurane is reviewed below with an emphasis on its use in dental practice.Angus Kingon, Tami Yap, Carmelo Bonanno, Paul Sambrook, and Michael McCulloug

Could Mesophyte Canopy, Bark, and Leaf Litter Traits Drive Future Flammability of Upland Oak Forests?

In the absence of canopy-opening disturbances, upland oak forests in the eastern United States are shifting to shade-tolerant, fire-sensitive tree species (i.e. mesophytes) via a hypothesized positive feedback loop of less flammable, self-promoting conditions, termed mesophication. To evaluate species-specific impacts on mesophication, I quantified canopy, bark, and leaf litter traits of five hypothesized mesophytes [red maple (Acer rubrum), sugar maple (A. saccharum), American beech (Fagus grandifolia), hickory (Carya spp.), and tulip poplar (Liriodendron tulipifera)] and four upland oaks [black oak (Quercus velutina), chestnut oak (Q. montana), scarlet oak (Q. coccinea), and white oak (Q. alba)] in central Kentucky. Red maple, sugar maple, and American beech had increased canopy depth with stem size, smoother bark, and small, thin leaves when compared to oaks. My findings suggest that some mesophytes, such as red maple, sugar maple, and American beech, may decrease future forest flammability by reducing understory light and increasing fuel moisture

A Randomized Trial of High-Flow Oxygen Therapy in Infants with Bronchiolitis

BACKGROUND: High-flow oxygen therapy through a nasal cannula has been increasingly used in infants with bronchiolitis, despite limited high-quality evidence of its efficacy. The efficacy of high-flow oxygen therapy through a nasal cannula in settings other than intensive care units (ICUs) is unclear. METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, we assigned infants younger than 12 months of age who had bronchiolitis and a need for supplemental oxygen therapy to receive either high-flow oxygen therapy (high-flow group) or standard oxygen therapy (standard-therapy group). Infants in the standard-therapy group could receive rescue high-flow oxygen therapy if their condition met criteria for treatment failure. The primary outcome was escalation of care due to treatment failure (defined as meeting ≥3 of 4 clinical criteria: persistent tachycardia, tachypnea, hypoxemia, and medical review triggered by a hospital early-warning tool). Secondary outcomes included duration of hospital stay, duration of oxygen therapy, and rates of transfer to a tertiary hospital, ICU admission, intubation, and adverse events. RESULTS: The analyses included 1472 patients. The percentage of infants receiving escalation of care was 12% (87 of 739 infants) in the high-flow group, as compared with 23% (167 of 733) in the standard-therapy group (risk difference, −11 percentage points; 95% confidence interval, −15 to −7; P<0.001). No significant differences were observed in the duration of hospital stay or the duration of oxygen therapy. In each group, one case of pneumothorax (<1% of infants) occurred. Among the 167 infants in the standard-therapy group who had treatment failure, 102 (61%) had a response to high-flow rescue therapy. CONCLUSIONS: Among infants with bronchiolitis who were treated outside an ICU, those who received high-flow oxygen therapy had significantly lower rates of escalation of care due to treatment failure than those in the group that received standard oxygen therapy. (Funded by the National Health and Medical Research Council and others; Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12613000388718.

Targeting monocarboxylate transporters to reverse lactic acid-driven immunosuppression

Intra-tumoral lactate accumulation and acidosis impair T cell function and anti-tumor immunity. Interestingly, expression of the lactate transporter monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 4, but not MCT1, is prognostic for the survival of rectal cancer patients, indicating that single MCT4 blockade might be a promising strategy to overcome glycolysis-related therapy resistance. To determine whether blockade of MCT4 alone is sufficient to improve the efficacy of immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, the effects of the selective MCT1 inhibitor AZD3965 and a novel MCT4 inhibitor were investigated in a colon carcinoma (CRC) tumor spheroid models co-cultured with blood leukocytes in vitro and the MC38 murine CRC model in vivo in combination with anti-PD L1 antibodies. Inhibition of MCT4 was sufficient to reduce lactate efflux in 3D CRC spheroids but not in 2D cell-cultures. Co-administration of the MCT4 inhibitor and ICB augmented immune cell infiltration, T cell function and decreased CRC spheroid viability in a 3D co-culture model of human CRC spheroids with blood leukocytes. Accordingly, combination of MCT4 and ICB increased intra-tumoral pH, improved leukocyte infiltration and T cell activation, delayed tumor growth, and prolonged survival in vivo. MCT1 inhibition exerted no further beneficial impact. These findings demonstrate that single MCT4 inhibition represents a novel therapeutic approach to reverse lactic-acid driven immunosuppression and might be suitable to improve ICB efficacy

Mehr Unzufriedenheit mit der Öffentlichen Sicherheit im vereinten Deutschland: eine Zusammenstellung objektiver und subjektiver Indikatoren zur Kriminalität

'In jeder Gesellschaft ist ein gewisses Ausmaß von Kriminalität normal. Steigt die Kriminalität jedoch ungewöhnlich oder stetig an, so kann dies als Indikator für eine Beeinträchtigung der Lebensqualität angesehen werden. Die Beschreibung der Sicherheitslage durch die amtliche Kriminalberichterstattung reicht jedoch zur Beurteilung der Wohlfahrtsminderung durch Kriminalität nicht aus. Die Zufriedenheit der Bürger mit dem Schutz vor Kriminalität, die Beunruhigung über Kriminalität sowie das Gefühl persönlicher Bedrohung sind dafür ebenfalls von Bedeutung. Die Gegenüberstellung objektiver und subjektiver Indikatoren der Kriminalität zeigt, daß die Wahrnehmung der Öffentlichen Sicherheit nicht in Übereinstimmung mit der Entwicklung und Verteilung der faktischen Kriminalbelastung stehen muß.' (Autorenreferat

Asymmetrische Information auf Immobilien- und Hypothekenmärkten

Die Entscheidung eines Haushaltes eine Wohnimmobilie zu kaufen oder zu mieten ist seit über 30 Jahren Gegenstand immobilienwirtschaftlicher Forschung. Diese Entscheidung wird von vielen Faktoren beeinflusst, wie z.B. Portfolioentscheidungen, Zugang zu Hypothekenmärkten, persönlichen Erfahrungen und Einstellungen der privaten Haushalte sowie asymmetrische Information. Aus der Bandbreite der Informationsasymmetrien wird in dieser Dissertation der individuelle Nutzungsgrad der Haushalte als zentraler Bestandteil in die behandelten Modelle integriert. Der Nutzungsgrad stellt einen Gradmesser dar, wie schnell und intensiv die Haushalte ihre Immobilie abnutzen. Empirische Arbeiten von Galster (1983), Shilling u.a. (1991) und Gatzlaff u.a. (1998) haben die Existenz von heterogenen Nutzungsgraden bestätigt. In der Literatur zu Mietmärkten sind heterogene Nutzungsgrade seit jeher Gegenstand der Forschung, in Hypothekenmarktmodellen haben sie bisher noch keine Berücksichtigung gefunden. In Teil II werden zwei verschiedene Modelle zu Wohnimmobilienmärkten entwickelt, die auf den Arbeiten von Rothschild und Stiglitz (1976) und Bester (1985, 1987) basieren. Das Hauptresultat der beiden Modelle ist: In einem Wohnimmobilienmarkt mit heterogenen Nutzungsgraden, die exklusives Wissen der Haushalte sind, mieten die Haushalte mit hohen Nutzungsgraden eine Immobilie, während die Haushalte mit niedrigen Nutzungsgraden eine Immobilie kaufen. Teil III befasst sich mit der Finanzierung von Wohneigentum privater Haushalte. Die beiden Hypothekenmarkt-Modelle beinhalten erstmals den privaten heterogenen Nutzungsgrad der Haushalte. Die heterogenen Gruppen von Haushalten können zwischen unterschiedlichen Kontrakten wählen, die durch den Hypothekenzinssatz und die anfängliche Eigenkapitalquote charakterisiert sind, und selektieren sich so selbst in den jeweils für sie vorgesehenen Kontrakt. Hypothekenschuldner mit einem hohen Nutzungsgrad, die eine hohe anfängliche Eigenkapitalquote wählen, lassen die Kredit wahrscheinlicher ausfallen und eine Zwangsvollstreckung folgt. Die empirischen Ergebnisse von Fürstenberg (1969), Campbell und Dietrich (1983), Hendershott und Schultz (2000) und Deng u.a. (2000) können wiederholt bestätigt werden. Die entwickelten Modelle reihen sich in die Forschung von Brueckner (2000), Harrsion u.a. (2004) und BenShahar (2006, 2008) ein und ergänzen diese um asymmetrische Information bzgl. des individuellen Nutzungsgrades der privaten Haushalte