bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Platonism and Planetary Motion: Reason, Balance and Order in Proclus’ Commentary on Republic 617a4–b4
Authors: Pass David Blair 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
This paper focuses primarily on an examination of the discussion about planetary motion found in the portion of Proclus’ commentary on Plato’s Republic that deals with the myth of Er, commenting on Republic 617a4-b4. The passage is important because it provides evidence indicating that the Platonist Proclus argued for rejecting the hypothesis that planetary motion should be understood as some combination of circular movements. Some discussion of the Hypotyposis and the commentary on the Timaeus provides the background for the analysis of the passage in the Republic commentary. I propose that the portion of the commentary on the Republic that deals with the myth of Er is the latest of these three works and therefore develops more fully the ideas found in the Timaeus commentary and the Hypotyposis. The seriousness of Proclus’ long discussion of this short passage of Plato’s myth provides a new perspective for considering the ancient importance of Platonic myth in providing a role for interpretation and a framework for allowing the development of more complex scientific thought as part of the interpretative project. The paper particularly focuses on several key methodological statements which indicate a productive relationship between philosophy and the exact sciences and show serious attention to the problems of understanding the natural world by means of modeling as well as commitment to the importance of subjecting the fundamental premises of any system for understanding the natural world to continual rational examination. The paper also presents evidence indicating that Proclus made a new proposal for understanding planetary motion. This new proposal included the suggestion that mixed lines such as ellipses would provide a better solution than combinations of circles, and the paper argues that Proclus connects this new proposal to the idea that the heavenly bodies display in their movement some of the same causes of straight movement as earthly bodies. The goal of the paper is to provide a case study indicating how later Platonists understood Platonic theory in a way that included the importance of both textual authority and scientific progress and encouraged continual re-evaluation of leading scientific theories.
The World of The Walking Dead – Transmediality and Transmedial Intermediality
Authors: Beil Benjamin , Schmidt Hanns Christian 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
As transmedia franchises increasingly populate our cultural environment, many questions arise about the effect of the different media involved in the depiction of storyworlds. Through the analysis of different examples, with special emphasis on the particular case of The Walking Dead, and drawing primarily from Henry Jenkins’s concept of “transmedia storytelling” and Jens Schroter’s concept of intermediality, this paper aims to show how different media aesthetics contribute to the process of storytelling and enrich the experience of the consumer. Usually overlooked in other analyses, we argue that these formal and aesthetical characteristics, such as the interactive nature of video games, call for a broader approach that transcends the accustomed search of common narrative aspects. This will be exemplified by a closer comparative look at the adventure game The Walking Dead: The Ganie (Telltale Games, 2012) and The Walking Dead: Survival Instiiict (Terminal Reality, 2013). The transformations that the different media demand contribute not only to the narrative, but also provide different tools for the construction of storyworlds and different ways to engage with it.
Development and experimental evaluation of an alarm concept for an integrated surgical workstation
Authors: Zeißig Eva-Maria , Janß Armin , Dell’Anna-Pudlik Jasmin , Ziefle Martina , Radermacher Klaus 
Published: April 2016

Abstract

Introduction: Alarm conditions of the technical equipment in operating rooms represent a prevalent cause for interruptions of surgeons and scrub nurses, resulting in an increase of workload and potential reduction of patient safety. In this work, an alarm concept for an integrated operating room system based on open communication standards is developed and tested.

Methods: In a laboratory experiment, the reactions of surgeons were analysed, comparing the displaying of alarms on an integrated workstation and on single devices: disruptive effects of alarm handling on primary task (ratings of perceived distraction, resumption lag, deterioration of speed, accuracy, and prospective memory), efficiency and effectiveness of identification of alarms, as well as perceived workload were included.

Results: The identification of the alarm cause is significantly more efficient and effective with the integrated alarm concept. Moreover, a slightly lower deterioration of performance of the primary task due to the interruption of alarm handling was observed.

Conclusion: Displaying alarms on an integrated workstation supports alarm handling and consequently reduces disruptive effects on the primary task. The findings show that even small changes can reduce workload in a complex work environment like the operating room, resulting in improved patient safety.
Correlations for mixing energy in processes using Rushton turbine mixer‡
Authors: Story Grzegorz , Kordas Marian , Rakoczy Rafał 
Published: April 2016

AbstractThis study reports the research results on a mixing process using a stirred tank mixer under the action of a rotating magnetic field (RMF). Dimensionless correlations are proposed to predict the power consumption and mixing time for the mixing systems analysed. The results suggest that the mixing behaviour of the experimental set-ups tested may be assessed using the dimensionless mixing energy as the product of the power input and mixing time. In addition, an innovative strategy is proposed on the basis of the synergistic eﬀect of the rotational Rushton turbine and the RMF generator. The values of the dimensionless energy thus obtained were used to compare the mixing process performed by the mixing devices tested. It is shown that the mixing process under the RMF action has significantly higher values of energy consumption than the conventional Rushton turbine. The total energy consumption for the mixing process performed by the RMF mixer may be reduced by concomitant use of a rotational agitator.
Methodology considering surface roughness in UV water disinfection reactors
Authors: Sultan Tipu , Cho Jin-Soo 
Published: April 2016

AbstractWater disinfection making use of an ultraviolet (UV) reactor is an attractive procedure because it does not produce any by-products. In this work, the effects of pipe roughness on the performance of a closed-conduit water disinfection UV reactor were investigated. In order to incorporate the surface roughness effects, a simple, stable, highly accurate model, better than any iterative approximation, was adopted in the numerical simulations. The analysis was carried out on the basis of two performance indicators: reduction equivalent dose (RED) and system dose distribution. The analysis was performed using a commercial computational fluid dynamics (CFD) tool (ANSYS Fluent). The fluence rate within the UV reactor was calculated using UVCalc3D. The pipe surface roughness resulted in longer pathogen residence times and higher dose distribution among the pathogens. The effect of pipe surface roughness on RED depends on the Reynolds number and relative roughness. Pipe surface roughness plays an important role because UV reactors for water disinfection operate at moderate Reynolds numbers. In addition, the positioning of the UV lamp in the reactor plays an important role in determining the RED of the reactor. Search criteria for lamp-positioning are also proposed in the current work. The proposed CFD methodology can be used to analyse the performance of closed-conduit reactors for water disinfection by UV.
Preparation and Properties of ZrO2/Mo Alloys
Authors: Cui Chaopeng , Gao Yimin , Wei Shizhong , Zhang Guoshang , Zhu Xiangwei , Guo Songliang 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
The nano-sized ZrO2 reinforced Mo alloys were prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and subsequent sintering. During preparation, the nano-sized ZrO2 particles were added into the Mo powder via hydrothermal synthesis. This work investigated the differences in mechanical properties and microstructures of the Mo-ZrO2 alloys prepared by hydrothermal synthesis and the other traditional method. As the amount of ZrO2 particles increased, the grain size of the Mo powders reduced obviously. The grains were refined obviously after sintering. The ZrO2 particles added by hydrothermal synthesis can effectively restrain the growth of grains and improve mechanical properties such as strength and hardness.
Effect of L/D Ratio on Phase Holdup and Bubble Dynamics in Slurry Bubble Column using Optical Fiber Probe Measurements
Authors: Gheni Saba A. , Abdulaziz Yasser I. , Al-Dahhan Muthanna H. 
Published: April 2016

Abstract
In this investigation, time average local gas holdup and bubble dynamic data were achieved for three L/D ratios of slurry bubble column. The examined ratios were 3, 4 and 5 in 18″ diameter slurry bubble column. Air-water-glass bead system was used with superficial gas velocity up to 0.24 m/s. The gas holdup was measured using four tips optical fiber probe technique. The results showed that the gas holdup increases almost linearly with the superficial gas velocity in 0.08 m/s and levels off with a further increase of velocity. A comparison of the present data with those reported for other slurry bubble column having diameters greater than 18″ and L/D higher than 5 was made. The results indicated a little effect of diameter on the gas holdup. A local, section-averaged gas holdup increases with increasing superficial gas velocity, while the effect of solid loading are less significant than that of the superficial gas velocity. Chaos analysis was used to analyze the slurry system.
Rising Wage Inequality in Germany
Authors: Gernandt Johannes , Pfeiffer Friedhelm 
Published: April 2016

SummaryThe paper investigates the evolution of wages and wage inequality in Germany based on samples from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP) 1984 to 2005. Real gross hourly wages for prime age dependent male workers increased on average by 23 percent between 1984 and 1994 in West Germany and the wage distribution was fairly stable. Between 1994 and 2005 average wages increased by 7 percent in West Germany and 18 percent in East Germany. In this period wage inequality, measured by the ratio of the ninetieth to tenth percentile of the wage distribution, increased from 2.5 to 3.1 in West Germany and from 2.4 to 3.2 in East Germany. In West Germany rising wage inequality occurred mainly in the lower part of the wage distribution, whereas in East Germany wage inequality predominantly increased in the upper part of the wage distribution. In West Germany the group of workers with low tenure experienced higher increases in wage inequality compared to the group of workers with high tenure.
Corporate Responsibility in der forschenden Arzneimittelindustrie / Corporate Responsibility in the Research-Based Pharmaceutical Industry
Authors: Suchanek Andreas , Lin-Hi Nick 
Published: April 2016

Summary
Corporate Responsibility is a crucial concept in the pharmaceutical industry, especially for research-based pharmaceutical companies. Companies are faced with a tension between fulfilling normative expectations of solidarity and making profits under the pressure of competition. We argue that the seemingly plausible strategy to realize corporate responsibility as corporate philanthropy is systematically misleading and, in the long run, undermining the legitimacy of the core business. Instead, pharmaceutical companies should demonstrate their corporate responsibility by investing in their licence to operate, that is, by preventing possible conflicts between profits and morals. This requires not only investments in governance structures but also the ability to communicate the legitimacy of making profits as well as their corporate integrity.
Einkommenswachstum, steigende Gesundheitsausgaben und Finanzierung / Income Increase, Health Spending Growth and Financing
Authors: Adam Hans 
Published: April 2016

Summary
In 2005, total health spending in Germany amounted to € 239,4 billion or € 2900 per capita. Given the aging of the population in the next decades and the progress in medical technology there are some doubts about the affordability of health spending growth. One important criterion which has been proposed is that increasing health care spending should not lead to an absolute reduction of real per capita non-health care consumption. Calculations for the period 2005-2075 show that non-health consumption will not fall if per capita health care spending growth exceeds per capita gross domestic product growth by 1 percentage point. Health care spending as a share of the gross domestic product will rise from 10.4 percent in 2005 to 21 percent in 2075. An increase in the ratio of health care spending to the gross domestic product must be expected to change the funding of the German health care system. The public provision of health care will decline while the share of income devoted to private health spending (additional insurance, out-of-pocket-payments) will increase.
Das Sisyphus-Syndrom im Gesundheitswesen: Neue Evidenz / The Sisyphus Syndrome in Health: New Evidence
Authors: Zweifel Peter 
Published: April 2016

Summary
Health care may be similar to the work Sisyphus, a Greek hero who was condemned by the Gods to push a big rock up a hill only to see it slip out of his hands before making it to the top. To see why there my be a Sisyphus syndrome in health, consider an initial decision to devote more resources to health. The likely consequence is an increased number of survivors, who exert political pressure in favor of even more health care. If they succeed, the cycle goes into its next round and might even prove explosive. Earlier research failed to identify this political feedback in industrial countries. Using improved model formulation, data, and econometric methodology, this contribution does find evidence suggesting the existence of a Sisyphus syndrome. However, the good news is that the cycle seems to be dampened rather than explosive.
Bestimmungsgründe für den medizinischen Fortschritt / Causes for Medical Advances
Authors: Arnold Robert 
Published: April 2016

Summary
In this article it is analysed which factors determine the medical and technological advances in the field of pharmaceuticals, medical products and medical procedures. We do not have a general theory on the determinants of technological advances. That’s why all arguments, which are in discussion, are analysed for each segment. In conclusion, the pharmaceutical advances are mainly driven by the demand, the progress in medical products is driven by spill-over effects from advances in other areas of the economy and medical procedures are driven by the interest of the researching physicians in raising theirs reputation in the scientific community. These conclusions depend on the existing regulation, which is quite different between the analysed sectors. How the determinants might change when the regulations change, is shown in the outlook chapter of this article.
Die Ausgestaltung von Versorgungsverträgen: Eine vertragstheoretische Analyse / A Contract Theory Approach to Health Care Contracting
Authors: Mühlbacher Axel 
Published: April 2016

Summary
Transaction costs are an obstacle to the efficient operation of selective contracting. Health care delivery systems (§140 a-d SGB V) and selective contracting between networks of service providers and purchasers are advocated as an effective method to improve the performance of the German health care system. The problems of measurability, motivation associated with specific production of health care services forms a stronger regulatory environment. Contracting mechanisms should be analysed before purchasers can rely on obtaining these services from the selective contracting sector. This paper focuses on the theories from new institutional economics to analyze the policies of competitive contracting in the presence of asymmetric information, uncertainty and the inability to write complete contingent contracts. It is crucial, that both parties agree on the avoidance of endogenous risks and the procedures with unforeseeable contingencies (exogenous risks). Strategic behavior because of moral hazard and hold up situations is referred to endogenous risk. Uncertainty based on contingency, error and change of utilization are identified as exogenous risks. In order to control these risks structured renegotiations and risk-sharing and shared-saving arrangements should be scheduled.
Verteilungseffekte der öffentlichen Finanzierung der Hochschulbildung in Deutschland: Eine Längsschnittbetrachtung auf der Basis des Sozioökonomischen Panels / The Distributional Effects of Public Higher Education Financing in Germany: A Longitudinal Approach based on the Socioeconomic Panel
Authors: Borgloh Sarah , Kupferschmidt Frank , Wigger Berthold U. 
Published: April 2016

Summary
This paper examines the distributional effects of public higher education financing in a lifetime perspective. The benefits that university graduates obtain in terms of their tertiary education are compared to the graduates’ education-related (tax) burden. To calculate the education-related tax burden, we resort to the proportionality approach and use data from the Socioeconomic Panel (SOEP) as well as from the Sample Survey of Income and Expenditure (EVS). We show that graduates benefit from positive net effects of public higher education subsidies because they do not pay back the costs of their tertiary education by their corresponding tax payments. We observe especially high net effects for health professionals, and especially low net effects for university graduates in law, economics, and social sciences. Compared to earlier studies, the absolute net effects have even increased for graduates. Based on the observed net effects we compute a differentiated system of tuition fees that take into account the varying net effects for the various university types and fields of study.
Zur Evolution des deutschen Konjunkturzyklus 1958-2004 / On the Evolution of German Business Cycles 1958-2004
Authors: Heilemann Ullrich , Schuhr Roland 
Published: April 2016

Summary
This paper examines changes of the (West) German business cycle from 1958 to 2004. It starts with a multivariate linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based decomposition of the cycle into 4 phases (upswing, upper turning point, downswing, lower turning point). After examining inter-cyclical changes of the cycle, i.e. changes of the weights of the 12 macroeconomic variables employed for classification, the question of intra-cyclical changes is addressed. This is done by using DLDA, a new dynamic variant of LDA which exploits the time series character of the data used to analyse changes of the multivariate structure of the cycle. The DLDA results exemplify that the transition from one to the next phase is much smoother and more continuous than might be expected. Within the sample examined these movements vary as well as the weights attributed to the classifying variables. In a methodological perspective DLDA turns out to be a promising broadening of classification methods.
Fiskalische Effekte der Kommunalverfassungsreformen der 1990er Jahre in Deutschland / Reforming Local Constitutions in Germany during the 1990s – Their Fiscal Effects
Authors: Blume Lorenz , Döring Thomas , Voigt Stefan 
Published: April 2016

Summary
Most German states changed their local constitutions during the 1990s in order to become more citizen-friendly. To reach that goal, many local constitutions now allow for the direct election of mayors, initiatives and referenda, and vote-aggregation as well as vote-splitting. Simultaneously, the five-percent threshold was abolished lowering entry barriers. This contribution asks whether these reforms had any effects on local fiscal policies. Based on the reforms that took place in Schleswig-Holstein, Bavaria and Hesse and drawing on a structural break test it is shown that the direct election of mayors has led to lower government spending. The introduction of direct democratic elements, on the other hand, has led to higher expenditures. The empirical results concerning direct democracy substantially deviate from the findings regarding both Switzerland and the U.S.. It is argued that the difference might be due to the lack of fiscal referenda in Germany.
Capital Stock Approximation using Firm Level Panel Data
Authors: Mueller Steffen 
Published: April 2016

Summary
Many recent studies exploring conditional factor demand or factor substitution issues use firm level panel data. A considerable number of establishment panels contains no direct information on the capital input, necessary for production or cost function estimation. Incorrect measurement of capital leads to biased estimates and casts doubt on any inference on output elasticities or input substitution properties. The perpetual inventory approach, commonly used for long panels, is a method that attenuates these problems. In this paper a modified perpetual inventory approach is proposed. This method provides more reliable measures for capital input when short firm panels are used and no direct information on capital input is available. The empirical results based on a replication study of Addison et al. (2006) support the conclusion that modified perpetual inventory is superior to previous attempts in particular when fixed effects estimation techniques are used.
The method thus makes a considerable number of recently established firm panels accessible to more sophisticated production function or factor demand analyses.
Rational Ignorance is not Bliss: When do Lazy Voters Learn from Decentralised Policy Experiments?
Authors: Schnellenbach Jan 
Published: April 2016

SummaryA popular argument about economic policy under uncertainty states that decentralisation offers the possibility to learn from local or regional policy experiments. Often, an analogy between market competition as a discovery procedure and political competition is used to corroborate this argument. We argue that political learning processes are not trivial and do not occur frictionlessly: Voters have an inherent tendency to retain a given stock of policy-related knowledge which was costly to accumulate, so that yardstick competition is improbable to function well particularly for complex issues, if representatives’ actions are tightly controlled by the electorate.We show that factor mobility does have the potential to endogenously disturb equilibria on regional markets for political theories, and therefore does provide for improved political learning processes compared to unitary systems. But the results we can expect are far from the ideal mechanisms of producing and utilising knowledge often described in the literature. In particular, collective learning may occur in the relatively efficient region, while the status quo may be fortified in the relatively inefficient region.