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The present article explores the structure of and recent developments in research activities in the polar regions. Based on a bibliographic study of published papers indexed in the ISI Web of Science during the period 1981-2007, we have analyzed trends in publication, scientific disciplines and subdisciplines, coauthorship, and international collaboration within the field of polar research. We have uncovered several rather striking trends. Scientific output in terms of refereed publications has increased far more rapidly in polar research compared to science in general, quadrupling rather than doubling over the surveyed period. There is a nearly 1:1 ratio between papers covering the Arctic relative to the Antarctic, with the vast majority within either the geosciences (40%) or biology (33%). There has been particularly a steep rise in the number of climate-related papers. The U.S.A. is by far the largest contributor to polar research on both the Arctic and the Antarctic, followed by Canada, the U.K., Germany, Norway, and Russia. The number of coauthored papers has grown markedly, reflecting geopolitical shifts and changing national and international funding priorities during the period. We believe our publication-based survey reveals interesting developments in scientific activities and international cooperation in general, and in polar science strategies and priorities in particular. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to discuss the influence of migration policy risk on market segmentation of housing and rental markets in the Euro Area. Policy risk is represented by the Migration Policy Uncertainty Index (MPUI) and Migration Fear Index (MFI) of Germany and the United Kingdom; in this study, whether these indexes influence the interaction between the housing and rental markets of the two countries and euro-area countries was examined. The empirical results showed that the influence of the United Kingdom's migration policy risk on the euro-area countries is higher than that of Germany. The United Kingdom's MPUI and MFI significantly contribute to the influence of the United Kingdom's housing market on other markets except for Belgium and Spain. Compared with housing market connectedness, the rental market connectedness is less influenced by migration policy risk and migration fear. This may be because variables related to short-term residence policies influence the rental market. The high policy risk is more likely to influence decisions related to long-term house purchase, but not those related to short-term residence. Finally, this study found that the higher the uncertainty of the migration policies of the United Kingdom and Germany is, the higher the house market segmentation is. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The disruptions associated with health and energy crisis have emphasized the need for hyperlocal cities. However, in Europe, a tool to measure the efficiency of land use and accessibility planning for localizing urban mobility is missing. In this paper, we construct a comparable 15-Minute-Walking City (15-MWC) index that assesses the walking performance of 121 European metropolitan areas and seven amenity types. The data are combined equally following the PROMETHEE II multicriteria approach to assign a final score and to present a ranking of 15-Minutes cities. The main visualization demonstrates European-level disparities and indicates that most of leading cities are in Germany, while most of the worst performers are in the UK. We also reveal a statistically significant difference in 15-MWC performance due to their GDP per capita disparities. The empirical results may serve as a referencing tool for cross-city comparisons and may support policymakers when designing transport and city-planning strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the acceptance of Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) in Japan, the UK and Germany and speculates on the implications for policy and practice. Three on-line surveys of 3,000 members of the public in total, which were conducted in January 2017 (Japan), March 2018 (UK) and November/December 2018 (Germany) were analysed using Principal Component Analysis and then with an Ordered Logit Model. It finds that acceptance of AVs was higher amongst people with higher expectations of the benefits of AVs, those with less knowledge of AVs, and those with lower perceptions of risk. It also finds frequent drivers and car passengers to be more accepting, but that socio-economic factors were mostly insignificant. Finally, there were significant cultural differences between the levels of acceptance between Japan (broadly positive), the UK (broadly neutral) and Germany (broadly negative). These findings suggest that AV promoters should raise (or at least maintain) expectations of AVs among the public; engage with the public to reverse the negative perception of AVs; address AV-generated fears; not bother targeting people by socio-economic group; target frequent car drivers and passengers with information about what AVs could do for them; and target countries where AVs already enjoy a positive image. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an EU-funded project under the Training and Mobility of Researchers (TMR) Programme, with a particular emphasis on the Oxford-based part. Involving six European universities, the overarching investigation was concerned with the tensions between standardization and tradition in education. In Oxford the focus was on aspects of EU education and training policy in four Member States: the United Kingdom, German, Sweden, and France. The paper describes the research undertaken and its outcomes, using the project as an example of EU funding programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The principles of sustainable development are becoming extremely relevant for organisations. In the case of universities, these institutions can act as agents in promoting these principles within society. The literature contains a wide range of studies which show how universities may play a critical role in disseminating sustainability principles on the one hand, and their translation into practice, on the other. At present, many higher education institutions are becoming more aware of their impact on the environment, and trying to understand the environmental needs and implications of their operations. Going further, some universities are incorporating sustainability principles into their activities. One of the questions that universities are now facing is how education for sustainable development can be translated into practice so that it can be effective in transforming society. This paper will discuss the need for and the usefulness of integrative approaches to implement sustainable development in higher education. In addition to a theoretical review of the state of the art, the paper will use case studies from the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (Germany) and Bournemouth University (UK) to illustrate the effectiveness of integration of sustainable development principles in university research and teaching activities, and the many benefits integrative approaches may bring about. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses panel data from the UK and Germany to investigate the difference in the learning effect between workers who enter the labour market with a fixed term and a permanent job. Our results verify the existence of a wage penalty for entering the labour market with a fixed-term contract for the British males (7.1%) and especially for the British females (21.2%). British females also have a very strong learning effect that is especially large for temporary starters. In Germany, the initial wage penalty for temporary starters is smaller than in the UK—4.5% for the males and 3% for the females—and is persistent only for the males. Although initial wage differences are mitigated through the accumulation of skills on the job, this process differs between temporary and permanent starters. This suggests that the type of the starting contract may be a feature of labour market segmentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper compares recent developments in income inequality in Canada, Germany, Sweden, the United Kingdom, and the United States. In addition to describing cross-national variation in changes in income inequality, the paper examines different explanatory factors for these recent developments. The findings reported indicate that there is substantial cross-national variation, not only with regard to the level of inequality, but furthermore with regard to changes in inequality. The results indicate that the equalizing effect of welfare state redistribution did not decrease in all countries. By contrast, in all countries there was a universal tendency towards increased inequality in the pre-tax and transfer distribution, although the magnitude of the change differs from country to country. Even though a polarization of the earnings distribution is reported, the results still give no support to cross-national convergence with regard to income inequality during the 1980s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored patient satisfaction with baricitinib, an oral Janus kinase inhibitor, in patients with atopic dermatitis (AD) treated in routine clinical practice. Adults with moderate-to-severe AD treated with baricitinib in clinical practice for ≥4 weeks in France, Germany, and the UK completed a one-time online survey under market research methodologies. Treatment satisfaction was assessed using a Likert scale and abbreviated Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication (TSQM-9). Patients reported demographic, disease, and treatment information. Data were analyzed descriptively. The survey was completed by 170 patients with a mean age of 39.3 years (SD = 13.5), 59% (n = 101) were female. At baricitinib initiation, 79% rated their AD as "Severe", yet 28% reported body surface area (BSA) involvement ≥10%. Most were "Satisfied" or "Very satisfied" (76%/18%) with baricitinib, with high rates reported for controlling itch (36%/56%). Itch improvements were noted by 97% of patients. Some tapered/stopped (50%/32%) topical corticosteroid use, aligned with reported improvements on the patient global assessment and BSA. Mean TSQM-9 convenience score was 78.0 (SD = 14.0). Satisfaction with itch control was particularly high, reflected in rates of improvement in itch since starting baricitinib. On the TSQM-9, the convenience score was the highest. Many patients tapered/stopped concomitant topicals, indicating baricitinib's effect in controlling AD symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the strategic level, international differences have proved important, especially during international collaborations. Since Dore's classic "British Factory: Japanese Factory," comparative values, behavior, and institutional settings have been extensively investigated, though attention has only recently switched to emerging markets such as that of Russia, which was not covered by Hofstede's comparative values study. Harvard's matched comparison of Soviet and U.S. decision making by Lawrence and Vlachoutsicos (around 1988) provided a classic study portraying behavioral differences just prior to transition. Coincidentally, my matched comparisons between the United States, Great Britain, Germany, and Japan involved the same U.S. company investigated by Harvard, aiding comparisons in all five countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines German direct investment in Great Britain from 1871 to 1918. Trade relations between Germany and Britain were extensive. Germany exported up to 14 percent of its products to Britain, while British companies sent approximately eight percent of their exports to Germany. By capital, the most important investor was the metals industry, followed by chemicals, the electrical industry, oil and coal. Thus the influence of German foreign direct investment (FDI) in the British optical industry was considerable despite its limited nominal amount, because optics were a relatively small industry and domestic British competition was largely absent. Investments in the food and drinks sector were not based on advanced technology, but on fashion. All in all, German FDI in Britain amounted to approximately £12 million or 245 million deutsche mark in 1914. Joint ventures were often dissolved before time, however, due to differences of opinion. Siemens even paid a hefty penalty for breach of contract to regain its independence from its early British partner, the cable manufacturer R.S. Newall & Co. Most German companies in Britain did not attempt to raise capital from the London Stock Exchange. German companies chose their location in Britain according to the function the subsidiaries filled.

What is outstanding about the development of pharmaceutical laboratories in German, British and American drug companies is their differences. The outstanding differences stem from the organisation of medical science and practice, and differences in the structure and evolution of the industry. The use to which a company put its laboratory depended upon the advantage the firm saw in investing in scientists, and the extent to which the company was linked to the medical profession. The industry's relation to government was also crucial. These factors were quite different in Germany from Britain, and different again from the United States. At the Bayer Corp. in Leverkusen there was no commitment to organised research until the late 1880s. The crisis in the dyestuffs trade of the early 1880s made them receptive to change. Research offered Bayer a strategy that might reduce vulnerability to the fluctuations of the business cycle. The need to invest in research staff and facilities was only slowly accepted in the 1880s. Bayer established a pattern of hiring Ph.D. chemists for one year, and then sending them to a university or Technisehe Hochschule laboratory, where they worked on research problems related to the company production programme.

The development of a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test for detecting chicken astroviruses (CAstV) is described. Primers, which amplified a fragment of 510 base pairs, were located in conserved regions within the ORF 1b (RNA polymerase) gene. The limit of detection of the test was estimated to be approximately 60 viral copies using a 10-fold dilution series of in vitro transcribed RNA. Positive signals were produced with representative CAstV samples, some of which were not detected by a previously described RT-PCR test for detecting CAstV, but other avian astroviruses including avian nephritis virus and duck hepatitis virus types 2 and 3 tested negative. When applied to gut content samples and swabs from UK and German broiler flocks with growth problems, CAstVs were detected by RT-PCR in 50/52 (96%) samples. CAstVs were detected in between 30% and 72.5% pooled gut content samples from longitudinal surveys of four broiler flocks displaying below-average performances. Whereas all day 0 samples were CAstV-negative, high detection rates were observed when the surveyed birds were aged 4, 5 and 7 days. Based on partial ORF 1b sequences, a phylogenetic analysis of 20 CAstVs indicated the existence of two groups. One group comprised four CAstV isolates, including FP3 and 11672, and two field CAstVs, which shared >94% nucleotide identity. The remaining 14 CAstVs, comprising the first characterized CAstV and 612 isolates and 12 field CAstVs, shared 85% to 99% nucleotide identity and displayed 76% to 79% nucleotide identity with the 11672-like and FP3-like CAstVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The search for effective and efficient climate policy has led to a major expansion in the use of market-based instruments and voluntary agreements (New Environmental Policy Instruments [NEPIs]) at national and international levels. Yet, despite the prevalence of these instruments as an outcropping of the broader shift toward neoliberal approaches to environmental policies, tremendous diversity exists in the way signatories to the Kyoto Protocol have deployed NEPIs. Drawing on recent geographical and political science research on the neoliberalization of nature, this article reexamines reasons for geographical variations in market environmentalism and, in particular, the role of national policy styles in refracting neoliberal influence on environmental policy. In so doing, I argue that policy styles are too frequently conceptualized in terms of state processes, overlooking complex and territorialized social relations between regulators and regulated parties. To illustrate this claim, I compare the implementation of climate policy in the United Kingdom and Germany, exploring the effects of national policy styles on NEPI deployment, factors contributing to industry reactions to market-based and voluntary measures, and how national policy styles color these evaluations. This is used to argue that understanding geographical variations in market environmentalism requires greater appreciation of the role of industry groups in the creation, defense, and evolution of national policy styles. I conclude by reflecting on the study's implications for the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research on graduate employment points to cross-national similarities regarding the comparative advantage of higher education, but also to quality differences in initial employment positions. This article asks what makes for a good start after higher education and provides an institutional perspective on the specific "production mechanisms" of graduate career mobility in different countries. It argues that the occupational specificity of higher education is vital for establishing either a close or loose link to the labor market, and, accordingly, for shaping early labor market careers. To test this assumption empirically, it analyzes how the organization of professional and management training influences graduate career mobility in two countries that are significantly different in their degree of occupational specificity--Great Britain and Germany. The institutional analysis points to a tight link between higher education and work in Germany and a loose one in Britain. However, the application of discrete time piece-wise constant hazard models to the German Socioeconomic Panel and two British cohort studies (the National Child Development Study and the British Cohort Study 1970) reveals that the picture is more complex than initially assumed. The degree of occupational specificity can explain only the German pattern, where graduates are experiencing more job continuity and higher employment chances in professional and managerial positions than their British counterparts. In Britain, the more turbulent transition from higher education to work depends on a mixture of occupation-specific training and demographic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cross-country comparison is made of the moves to system integration, at the national level, of electricity supply in several Western European countries. Private electricity business firms were dominant in France, Italy and Spain and large generating enterprises and transporting groups grew through mergers and agreements. In Germany, Scandinavia and the UK, municipalities were more common and were resistant to mergers and network development. Several national networks had emerged by the 1940s but hardly any were nationally managed in the sense of ensuring electricity was everywhere supplied from the lowest cost source. The article considers the economic gains from integration and argues that it developed successfully where central governments became actively involved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

British commercial and political hopes to expand trade in the new Soviet state after 1920 were to an extent disappointed. Despite successful ventures by individual companies, in aggregate business fell short of expectations, especially compared with German and American competitors. The reasons were both (micro and macro) economic variables and political factors, in Britain and the USSR. From 1926 the Soviet regime was committed to rapid industrialization and a pattern of imports in which Germany enjoyed some comparative advantage. But, in contrast to major rivals, British governments occasionally tried to use trade as a political instrument to the disadvantage of commercial operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher education (HE) in Germany and the United Kingdom is being continually subjected to the discipline of market forces. An empirical study was conducted using questionnaires with academic staff in 12 institutions in each country to discover the extent to which their values and attitudes were converging and were in keeping with what might be expected within a marketized system. Academics in both countries felt that HE was seriously under‐resourced, yet they were not strongly in favour of increased executive power for their leaders; they believed that the good functioning of their higher education institution (HEI) was impeded by excessive state‐sponsored interference, but did not agree that their HEIs should act more commercially and entrepreneurially. The British especially were opposed to greater privatization of the system. Attitudes in keeping with a market force philosophy seem to be superficially embedded in the value system of these academics, and though the British were more stressed, more hard‐worked and suffered from a status‐deficit in comparison with the Germans, there was no statistical difference between the two groups on a summative judgement of professional satisfaction. There appears to be an underlying professional ethos that enables the academics to remain positive despite the turbulence that market forces may cause, though their dedication may also make them vulnerable to exploitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a comparative analysis of the German and UK higher education systems and their relationship to graduate employment. It scrutinizes the complex interconnections between (1) higher education systems and traditions; (2) the role of higher education in the state, society and the economy; and (3) the views of graduates as expressed in interviews. We explore how far and in what ways opinions, expectations and experiences are shaped by (1) national traditions and culture and (2) current economic, social, political and educational developments. We find that today’s student expectations and perceptions are shaped and transformed by economic, political and social factors, including potent higher education beliefs dating back to earlier centuries, as illustrated by the reflections of graduates five years after graduation. The analysis explores the commonalities within each country grouping which lead to striking differences between the countries that transcend the mostly country-independent disciplinary differences. The analysis has possible implications for the Bologna protocol and issues of European comparability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the intelligence war in Turkey between the German Intelligence Service and the British Secret Intelligence Service (SIS) during World War II. Turkey was strategically importance as it is located in a commanding position across the maritime route between the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Since the invasion of Turkey by Germany became more likely in the last months of 1940 the Special Operations Executive (SOE) was among the British secret organizations which planned or carried out crucial subversive work against the Axis in Turkey. In this intelligence war between Germany and Britain in Turkey, the Goeland Shipping Co. found itself at the centre of the secret work when war was declared in 1939.

Presents an update on environmental management in Europe as of September 2000. Actions taken by European countries on the growing public protests against fuel prices; Steps taken by Germany to meet its climate change obligations; Drop in the greenhouse gas emissions of Great Britain between 1991 and 1999.

This article reflects on the contributions of the U.S. and Great Britain to Japanese and German corporate governance (CG) after World War II. Although different forms of CG have developed around the world in response to market forces and national culture, serious doubts have been cast on the ability of national governments to influence CG through legal changes. If governments can influence CG significantly, therefore, the most propitious circumstances were likely to occur under military occupation,, when an occupying government is free from any local electoral pressure, and citizens are demoralized and helpless in defeat. It seems appropriate therefore to reflect on the immediate post-World War Two period as potentially a miniature controlled laboratory of social experiment when occupying American and British military governments were in very strong position to reform CG in Japan and Germany in their own images. However, it turns out that, although many of their regulatory changes were subsequently modified and even reversed by domestic governments later restored to power, in some subtle ways, these changes did lay a basis for rapid post-war economic recoveries in Germany and Japan,

This article discusses various issues related to Great Britain's school textbook representation of Germany's role in the war with Great Britain during the period from April 1940 to May 1941. The relationship between national identity and history has been given a specific focus in an analysis of the cultural significance of the year 1940. This analysis examines the Conservative vision of national glory as a time when the British nation showed its true character in standing up to the German bully. It is interesting, however, that cultural analysis of the significance of 1940 has not been extended to the Germans, Britain's "finest hour" adversary. The question of what identity such coverage attaches to the German enemy remains unconsidered by commentators. It is the issue of German representation in national curriculum second world war coverage that the article author wishes to take up here in this article. It is an important question. In many ways it is a test case for a variety of educational and historical concerns. The focus is school textbook coverage of Germany's wartime role from April 1940 to May 1941.

The article focuses on the education systems of Germany and Great Britain. According to the author, who has been the observer from the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG), the recent developments in the British education system presents a fascinating spectacle. The dismantling of elements which he had seen as patterns of the British liberality and democracy was also perceived by him. The observer sympathizes with the infuriated reactions of his liberal colleagues in Great Britain and their protest against Thatcherism in education. Nevertheless, at the same time the observer from the FRG cannot but regard their annoyance as a manifestation of an insular limitation of their horizons. It is further noted in the article that the British education system as a whole, however has attracted only little attention in the ERG, comprehensive descriptions of education in Great Britain, accessible to a wider public are virtually non-existent. The author finally comes out with the conclusion that the present British interest in the education system of the FRG has one distinctly recognizable motive.

This article presents information on the German education system. It cites some recent references to the strengths of various aspects of the German education system. A number of these systems are to be grafted on to the British system as a result of the Education Reform Act of 1988. Excellence in German education, tends to be characterized by indicators as the reduction of youth unemployment and the stimulus to the economy and understandably warrants consideration in the light of Great Britain's social and economic problems. It is further noted in this article that consideration of the origins of the educational system of the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) and attempts to conceptualize its evolution lead to examine the post-World War II period of denazification and reconstruction. Similarities to the British tripartite system resulting from the 1944 Education Act will be apparent to any observer of the German federal school system. As education in the FRG is a matter for the individual, it is a mistake to refer to a national curriculum in the German context.

The article analyzes the Chinese-western scholarly interaction. China has signified its willingness to strengthen ties with western universities and maintain or increase the flow of scholarly exchange. Chinese leaders are confident that their scholars will absorb from the West techniques that will be useful for a modern, independent China. An examination of China's academic exchange with Great Britain, France and West Germany was undertaken, and the exchange policies and programs of the U.S. Canada and Japan in relation to China was reviewed.

The article reports on the developments in the science curriculum. It discusses the physics course offered to students in school years 9 and 10 wherein it talks about the advantages and problems of applied physics in the society. Moreover, it discusses the science curriculum relative to social control wherein it mentions the similarities and differences in British and German innovations, influence of the social location on its curriculum design and influence of social location on its curriculum reception.

This article re-examines the International Steel Export Cartel from 1933 to 1939, explaining its structure and attempting to appraise its impact on world steel prices. Unlike the first cartel, the new international cartel set quotas only for exports, so that the relative domestic demand differences within each country did not cause long quota disputes, as in the first cartel. The International Steel Export Cartel (ISEC) of 1933 was heralded as the final victory of international co-operation in the inter-war steel industry and was seen as the first "real" European steel cartel in the inter-war period. 1935 was an important year for the international cartel. Not only did the situation in the Saar change, but in that year Poland and Great Britain joined the international agreements. Prior to 1935 Poland had a bilateral import restriction agreement with Germany, limiting German exports to Poland to products that the Poles did not produce. The international export cartels functioned right up until the Second World War. Meetings were held late into 1938, but after 1938 international markets were completely different from before, and there was no unified cartel policy. The export figures for, the cartels were only kept until July 1938. Up until this date, however, the results do suggest that the international cartels were successful in uniting its members' export sales and organizing the world to fit the needs of its members pricing policies.

The article discusses the competition among European countries in the export of woolen textiles. The three major European exporters of wool textiles were Great Britain, Germany and France. According to the article, in the 1880s Great Britain's share of trade rose in comparison to that of Germany. From 1890 to 1904 German exports fared better, but after 1905 Great Britain commanded a rapidly increasing share of trade. World consumption of wool increased more rapidly due to the self-sufficiency of consuming countries in the production of cloth. The German woolen industry expanded rapidly through the middle decades of the nineteenth century by acquiring broader labor skills and producing a wider range of products. Raw material inputs to the wool textile industry included virgin wool, skin wool, recovered wool, cotton, and other fibres, including hairs, in small quantities. The relatively low woolen cloth prices encouraged some substitution of woolen cloth for cotton and worsted cloth in various markets.

The article presents information on German economic activities in Britain during the First World War. The author says that the German economic activities in Britain fall into four groups. Firstly, Germans became employees in various occupations including teaching, at all levels from governessing to university lecturing. Germans also became important as small retailers in various fields-for instance in tailoring. In addition to becoming small retailers, some Germans established business concerns on a large scale. The founders of major firms entered Britain before the 1870's and in many cases their concerns became purely British, although this did not prevent the development of hostility towards them during the Great War. German economic interests in Britain consisted of the branches of multinationals established during the Victorian and Edwardian periods. In finance, three of the major German banks established offices in London. The Deutsche Bank opened a branch in 1873. Its main business consisted of accepting bills of exchange, mostly on German account, and financing imports and exports to and from all parts of the world.

The article reports about higher technical education and socio-economic development. It discusses social science, development studies and engineering education. Surveys are conducted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to present a factual and quantitative collation of data on social science teaching in schools and other institutions of polytechnic education at university level. It deliberates on social science teaching in higher technical education in Great Britain and the Federal Republic of Germany. It also offers a comprehensive view of development in comparative education in social sciences, innovations in higher technical education in India, and the conditions of curricular innovation. Also, it gives a brief discussion on the technologist as the agent of a new diplomacy in teaching and research.

Delves into the geography of some countries. Discussion of the conditions of countries such as France, Great Britain, Germany and Belgium; Analysis of local causes of factors such as low prestige of geography in some countries; Importance of improving the conditions for geographic research.