Do Tuition Fees Affect the Mobility of University Applicants?: Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Several German states recently introduced tuition fees for university education. We investigate whether these tuition fees influence the mobility of university applicants. Based on administrative data of applicants for medical schools in Germany, we estimate the effect of tuition fees on the probability of applying for a university in the home state. We find a small but significant reaction: The probability of applying for a university in the home state falls by 2 percentage points (baseline: 69%) for high-school graduates who come from a state with tuition fees. Moreover, we find that students with lower high-school grades react more strongly to tuition fees. This might have important effects on the composition of students across states.mobility of high-school graduates, tuition fees, natural experiment

Hochschulstudium: nicht ausgeschöpfte Potentiale trotz "Akademisierungswahn"

In den vergangenen Jahren ist die Zahl der Studienanfängerinnen und -anfänger an deutschen Hochschulen deutlich gestiegen. Ihren bisherigen Rekordwert erreichte sie im Studienjahr 2011: Damals schrieben sich 518 700 Studienanfängerinnen und -anfänger erstmals an einer deutschen Hochschule ein. Die Studienanfängerquote erreichte 56 Prozent. Das heißt, jeder 2. Schulabgänger nimmt im Laufe seines Lebens ein Studium auf. Während die Einen von einem Akademisierungswahn sprechen, heben die Anderen hervor, dass Bildung der beste Prädiktor für ein sicheres Einkommen auf der individuellen Ebene und für Wettbewerbsfähigkeit auf der gesamtwirtschaftlichen Ebene ist. Die Potentiale sind noch längst nicht ausgeschöpft: Selbst mit der hohen Studierquote in Deutschland sind Kinder aus Nichtakademiker-Familien an deutschen Universitäten nach wie vor stark unterrepräsentiert

Reith reinvented: BBC boss explains how new newsroom will ‘allow us to do what we do better.”

“How many of you would be comfortable explaining quantitative easing to a friend in the pub?” In the room full of LSE students, not a single hand went up in reply to the question posed by Mary Hockaday, Head of the new multimedia integrated BBC Newsroom. Ms Hockaday was making a point about the continuing importance of good journalism in a digital age, a point that she continually returned to throughout her inspiring presentation on the future of professional journalism in a changing media landscape

Repercussões da hipertensão portopulmonar nas propriedades mecânicas do sistema respiratório de ratos

Tese (doutorado)—Universidade de Brasília, Faculdade de Medicina, Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Médicas, 2013.Introdução: A associação entre doença hepática e alterações vasculares pulmonares é conhecida desde 1884 quando Fluckiger descreveu o caso de uma paciente. Uma das síndromes pulmonares causadas por alterações vasculares em doença hepática é a síndrome portopulmonar (SPP), caracterizada por vasoconstrição e aumento da resistência vascular pulmonar. Hipertensão portopulmonar (HPP) é uma complicação da hipertensão portal cirrótica ou não cirrótica e tem uma prevalência de 5 a 6% entre os pacientes com doença hepática descompensada. É verdade que os fatores hemodinâmicos, juntamente com a tensão de superfície da interface ar-líquido e da tensão dada pelo tecido elástico e fibras de colágeno que compõe o tecido pulmonar são responsáveis para a estabilidade mecânica do parênquima pulmonar. Então, será que as repercussões estruturais e hemodinâmicas causadas por HPP são capazes de alterar a impedância do sistema respiratório? Métodos: O estudo foi divido em duas fases, onde foram utilizados dezesseis ratos Wistar machos em cada uma das fases, e divididos em dois grupos: CTRL (n = 8) e LVP (n = 8). O modelo de HPP foi induzido por ligadura da veia porta (LVP). As variáveis ventilatórias foram registradas em ventilação espontânea por 10 minutos, a mecânica da parede torácica, dos pulmões e do sistema respiratório foram medidas por meio do método de oclusão rápida das vias aéreas ao final inspiração e a proporção de fibras colágenas e elásticas no parênquima e artérias pulmonares foram medidas duas semanas após a indução HPP. Em ambos os grupos as variáveis ventilatórias volume corrente (VT), tempo inspiratório (TI), tempo expiratório (TE), tempo total do ciclo ventilatório (Ttot), relação entre o tempo inspiratório e o tempo total do ciclo ventilatório (TI/Ttot), o fluxo aéreo médio (VT/TI), a frequência ventilatória e o volume minuto foram estudadas, bem como as variáveis mecânicas variação de pressão no componente resistivo (_P1), variação de pressão no componente viscoelástico (_P2), variação total de pressão (_Ptot), elastância dinâmica (Edyn), elastância estática (Est) e resistência (R). Os dados foram analisados por meio do teste t de Student. Resultados: Quando analisamos as variáveis ventilatórias observamos no grupo LVP em relação ao grupo controle: queda de 17% no VT (p = 0,003); aumento de 47% do TI (p < 0,0001); queda de 24% na frequência respiratória (p < 0,0001); queda de 37% no volume minuto (p < 0,0001); aumento de 30% no Ttot (p < 0,0001); queda de 44% no VT/TI (p < 0,0001); e aumento de 13% na TI/Ttot (p = 0,0005). Já nas propriedades mecânicas do sistema respiratório observamos no grupo LVP em relação ao grupo controle: aumento de 9% no _P2 (p = 0,016); aumento de 11% na Est (p = 0,0008); e aumento de 10% na Edyn (p = 0,0001). Nos pulmões observamos: aumento de 45% no _P2 (p = 0,04); aumento de 24% na Est (p = 0,0001); e aumento de 26% na Edyn (p < 0,0001). E na parede torácica observamos: aumento de 53% no _P1 (p < 0,0001); e aumento de 52% na R (p < 0,0001). Na análise morfométrica do parênquima pulmonar, observamos um incremento de 31,19% na proporção de fibras elásticas (p < 0,0001) no grupo LVP quando comparado ao grupo controle, no entanto não houve diferença entre os grupos quando analisada a proporção de fibras colágenas. Ao analisar morfometricamente, as artérias pulmonares, observamos um incremento de 23,36% e 25,66% na proporção de fibras elásticas (p < 0,0001) e colágenas (p < 0,0001), respectivamente, do grupo LVP em relação ao grupo controle. Conclusão: a sobrecarga hemodinâmica causada pela HPP foi capaz de provocar alterações nas propriedades resistivas da parede torácica, nas propriedades viscoelásticas e elásticas dos pulmões e do sistema respiratório. _____________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACTRationale: The association between liver disease and pulmonary vascular changes is known since 1884 when Fluckiger described the case of a patient. One of the syndromes caused by pulmonary vascular disorders in liver disease is Portopulmonary Syndrome (PPS), characterized by vasoconstriction and increased pulmonary vascular resistance. Portopulmonary hypertension (PPH) is a complication of cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic portal hypertension and has a prevalence of 5-6% among patients with decompensated liver disease. It is true that hemodynamic factors with the surface tension of the air-liquid interface and the elastic recoil given by elastic tissue and collagen fibers that compose the lung tissue are responsible for the mechanical stability of the lung parenchyma. So, will the structural and hemodynamic effects caused by PPH are able to alter the impedance of the respiratory system? Methods: The study was divided into two stages, which were used sixteen male Wistar rats in each of the stages and divided into two groups: CTRL (n = 8) and LVP (n = 8). The PPH model was induced by ligation of the portal vein. The ventilatory variables were recorded in spontaneous breathing for 10 minutes, the mechanics of the chest, lungs and respiratory system were measured by the end-inflation occlusion method and the proportion of collagen and elastic fibers in the parenchyma and lungs arteries were measured two weeks after PPH induced. In both groups the ventilatory variables tidal volume (VT), inspiratory time (TI), expiratory time (TE), duty cycle (Ttot), inspiratory time and duty cycle ratio (TI/Ttot), mean airway flow (VT/TI), respiratory rate and minute volume were studied, as well as mechanical variables resistive component pressure variation (_P1), viscoelastic component pressure variation (_P2), total pressure variation (_Ptot), dy namic elastance (Edyn), static elastance (Est) and resistance (R). Data were analyzed using the student t test. Results: Ventilatory variables observed in the LVP group compared to the control group: 17% reduction in VT (p = 0.003), increase of 47% of TI (p < 0,0001), 24% decrease in respiratory rate (p < 0,0001) 37% decrease in minute volume (p < 0,0001), a 30% increase in Ttot (p < 0,0001) 44% decrease in VT/TI (p < 0,0001) and a 13% increase in the TI/Ttot (p = 0,0005). The mechanical properties of the respiratory system observed in the LVP group compared to the control group: 9% increase in _P2 (p = 0,016), 11% increase in Est (p = 0,0008) and 10% increase in Edyn (p = 0,0001). In the lungs observed: 45% increase in _P2 (p = 0,04) 24% increase in Est (p = 0,0001) and 26% increase in Edyn (p < 0,0001). The chest observed: 53% increase in _P1 (p <0,0001) and 52% increase in R (p < 0,0001). Morphometric analysis of the pulmonary parenchyma showed an increase of 31,19% in the proportion of elastic fibers (p < 0,0001) in LVP compared to the control group, however there was no difference between the groups when analyzing the proportion of collagen fibers. By analyzing morphometrically the pulmonary arteries, we observed an increase of 23,36% and 25,66% at a proportion of elastic fibers (p < 0,0001) and collagen fibers (p < 0,0001), respectively, in LVP to the control group. Conclusion: The hemodynamic overload caused by PPH was able to cause changes in the chest resistance, elastic and viscoelastic properties of the lungs and respiratory system

"Meine Herkunft als Österreicher und Böhme" : Rainer Maria Rilkes böhmisches Selbstverständnis

Nicht Zwiespältigkeit, sondern Zwiefältigkeit kennzeichnet jene Grundspannung in Rainer Maria Rilkes Leben und Werk, die er als "reinen Widerspruch" definiert. Aus seiner Herkunft "als Österreicher und Böhme" entwickelt der "europäische Dichter" ein "böhmisches Selbstverständnis", das nicht nur für seine slavophilen Prager Jahre, sondern auch für seine Spätzeit als "čechoslovakischer Staatsbürger" in der Schweiz nachgewiesen wird. Das Österreichische deutet Rilke als versäumte übernationale Utopie, die Staatlichkeit der ČSR, verkörpert im Präsidenten Masaryk, als zukunftsweisende Möglichkeit eines emanzipierten "Nachfolgestaates"

Do Tuition Fees Affect the Mobility of University Applicants? Evidence from a Natural Experiment

Several German states recently introduced tuition fees for university education. We investigate whether these tuition fees influence the mobility of university applicants. Based on administrative data of applicants for medical schools in Germany, we estimate the effect of tuition fees on the probability of applying for a university in the home state. We find a small but significant reaction: The probability of applying for a university in the home state falls by 2 percentage points (baseline: 69%) for high-school graduates who come from a state with tuition fees. Moreover, we find that students with lower high-school grades react more strongly to tuition fees. This might have important effects on the composition of students across states.mobility of high-school graduates, tuition fees, natural experiment

The Impact of Family Friendly Workplaces on Satisfaction and Work

This paper provides novel evidence on the effect of family-friendly firm policies on satisfaction and working time of parents. The focus of this study is on two specific firm policies: Childcare support and flexible working schedules. We exploit the fact that since the mid 2000s an increasing share of employers react to their employees' needs by offering a family-friendly work environment. These changes over time allow us to identify causal effects of the two family-friendly policies. Identification is based on a difference-in-differences strategy in a panel dataset on families with young children in Germany (FiD). The model is combined with matching to decrease potential bias arising from observable factors correlated with the offer of family-friendly policies and the change in the considered outcomes. We find that for mothers, childcare support strongly increases satisfaction related to childcare and additionally raises life and job satisfaction. Particularly middle and lower educated mothers increase their working time when childcare support is offered. The effects are mainly driven by immediate use of childcare support. Flexible working schedules only affect mothers' job satisfaction, but do not seem to change family related satisfaction and working time. Fathers show nearly no reactions to either childcare support or flexible working schedules. Childcare support seems to be a truly family-friendly practice and valued by mothers, while this is not so clear for flexible working schedules

Helping with the kids? How family-friendly workplaces affect parental well-being and behavior

Despite political efforts, balancing work and family life is still challenging. This paper provides novel evidence on the effect of firm level interventions that seek to reduce the work-life conflict. The focus is on how a specific workplace policy, namely childcare support, affects the well-being, working time, and caring behavior of mothers with young children. We exploit the fact that since the mid 2000s an increasing number of employers have become proactive and implemented more family-friendly workplaces. These changes over time allow us to identify causal effects of childcare support using a difference-in-differences approach combined with matching. Based on a large panel dataset on families with children in Germany (FiD), we find evidence pointing to welfare enhancing effects of childcare support, as it strongly increases both childcare satisfaction and job satisfaction. In particular mothers who worked limited hours before the introduction, possibly due to constraints, increase their working time and use formal care more intensively. Satisfaction levels are also more strongly affected if mothers are career-orientated. In comparison, flexible work schedules, another family-friendly policy, only affect job satisfaction. Paternal well-being and behavior is not affected by the workplace policy