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Welchen Einfluss haben Emotionen, die ihren Ursprung außerhalb der Politik haben, auf Bundestagswahlen? Auf Wahlkreisebene werden die kausalen Effekte der Spielergebnisse der Ersten Herren-Bundesliga vom Wahlwochenende 2013 auf die Zweitstimmenergebnisse geschätzt. Die Analysen des Difference-in-Differences-Designs im Vergleich zu 2009 zeigen: Die Zuteilung von Fußballergebnissen ist quasi-zufällig und stellt ein regional differenziertes natürliches Experiment dar. Die Regierungsparteien profitierten statistisch signifikant von einem guten Abschneiden der lokalen Mannschaft, gemessen über die Tordifferenz, während Oppositionsparteien etwas verloren (nur manchmal signifikant, aber immer mit der erwarteten Richtung der Punktschätzung). Diese Effekte wurden durch die zeitliche Distanz der Spiele bis zur Schließung der Wahllokale moderiert: Je größer der zeitliche Abstand war, desto geringer waren die Effekte, die aber ebenfalls nicht immer statistisch signifikant waren. Keine Evidenz gibt es für die Moderation der Effekte durch die Wettquote als bestes Wissen über den Spielausgang vor der Partie. Insgesamt unterstützen die Befunde die aggregierten Implikationen der Mikrologik der „blinden Retrospektion“ aufgrund von undeutlichen und instabilen Schätzungen nur zum Teil.

This paper synthesizes methodological knowledge derived from comparative survey research and comparative politics and aims to enable researches to make prudent research decisions. Starting from the data structure that can occur in international comparisons at different levels, it suggests basic definitions for cases and contexts, i. e. the main ingredients of international comparison. The paper then goes on to discuss the full variety of case selection strategies in order to highlight their relative advantages and disadvantages. Finally, it presents the limitations of internationally comparative social science research. Overall, the paper suggests that comparative research designs must be crafted cautiously, with careful regard to a variety of issues, and emphasizes the idea that there can be no one-fits-all solution. Dieser Beitrag bietet eine Synopse zentraler methodischer Aspekte der vergleichenden Politikwissenschaft und Umfrageforschung und zielt darauf ab, Sozialwissenschaftler zu reflektierten forschungspraktischen Entscheidungen zu befähigen. Ausgehend von der Datenstruktur, die bei internationalen Vergleichen auf verschiedenen Ebenen vorzufinden ist, werden grundsätzliche Definitionen für Fälle und Kontexte, d. h. die zentralen Bestandteile des internationalen Vergleichs, vorgestellt. Anschließend wird die gesamte Bandbreite an Strategien zur Fallauswahl diskutiert, wobei auf ihre jeweiligen Vor- und Nachteile eingegangen wird. Im letzten Teil werden die Grenzen international vergleichender Forschung in den Sozialwissenschaften dargelegt. Der Beitrag plädiert für ein umsichtiges Design vergleichender Forschung, welches einer Vielzahl von Aspekten Rechnung trägt; dabei wird ausdrücklich betont, dass es keine Universallösung gibt.

Using data from a recent nationwide survey, we provide the first analysis of the supporter base of the Alternative for Germany (AfD) since the party's split and ideological re‐orientation in mid‐2015. Hypotheses are derived from the literature on Populist Radical Right Parties (PRRPs) in Western Europe. Our findings indicate that AfD support—despite the party's euro crisis origins and rapid organizational and ideational changes—is by now due to largely the same set of socio‐economic, attitudinal and contextual factors proven important for PRRPparties elsewhere. Right‐wing political attitudes concerning immigration, political distrust, fears of personal economic decline, as well as gender and socialisation effects are the most relevant explanatory variables. However, some of our findings – the importance of right‐wing economic policy preferences, the strong support by certain immigrant groups, and the role of the long‐term regional political context – stand out and distinguish the AfD from other Western European PRRPs.

Die intergenerationale Umverteilung im deutschen Wohlfahrtsstaat muss aufgrund der gesellschaftlichen Alterung angepasst werden. In der Folge wird das Generationenverhältnis politisch relevant. Wie nehmen Bürger/ -innen den Sozialstaat und das Generationenverhältnis in der alternden Gesellschaft wahr? Die in diesem Beitrag vorgenommene qualitative Analyse von zwölf Gruppendiskussionen zeigt: (1) Die Alterszusammensetzung der Gruppen bestimmte den Diskussionsverlauf erheblich. (2) Verschiedene Generationen empfanden den Generationenvertrag als ungerecht. Die jüngere Generation, welche auch als „ Verlierergeneration “ bezeichnet wird, äußerte jedoch auch Aspek­te, die ihre nachteilige Situation relativierten. (3) Die Erfahrungen mit verschiedenen Generationen in der eigenen Familie wurden von den Teilnehmenden mit Wahrnehmungen der Generationenverhältnisse im Sozialstaat verbunden. (4) Generationengerechtigkeit wurde in allen Diskussionsgruppen normativ äußerst positiv bewertet, ihre Umsetzbarkeit aber zugleich verneint.

An extremely facile approach to produce close‐packed colloidal monolayers over large areas using direct assembly at the air–water interface is presented. The influence of small amounts of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) as well as the influence of the pH value of the subphase on the quality of the resulting monolayer is investigated. It is found that small amounts of SDS at the interface influence capillary forces and form a soft barrier that facilitates the crystallization process. Increased electrostatic repulsion arising from a higher pH of the subphase induced a higher order using carboxylic acid functionalized particles. The deposited close‐packed monolayers were subjected to plasma treatment in order to shrink the colloids and produce non‐close packed monolayers with lattice spacing and symmetry reflecting the order of the initial close‐packed monolayer. A detailed examination of etching conditions and their influence on the shrinkage of the particles was performed, including effects of plasma power, composition, flow rates as well as polymeric‐ and substrate material. The monolayers exhibit vivid coloration, which is determined by their size and packing density. UV–Vis–NIR spectroscopy was used to investigate the change of monolayer color during the size reduction of the individual particles. A simple theoretical model was elaborated to explain the optical properties. Finally, the non‐close‐packed monolayers were used as masks to produce gold nanostructures to exemplify the versatility of the monolayer architectures in nanosphere lithography.

We describe the current career system for young political scientists in Germany academia. The situation is still dominated by the apprenticeship model in which young PhD graduates undertake a second supervised piece of research. Recently introduced junior professorships are still too few and far between to have a major impact and represent only a half-hearted effort. The current system is still unattractive, unproductive, and uncompetitive. A lecturer tenure-track system would shift insecurity to the beginning of a career and would have built-in incentives and resources for young political scientists to engage in high-quality research.

Zur Therapie der Osteoporose stehen hauptsächlich antiresorptive Substanzen, insbesondere Bisphosphonate, zur Verfügung. Aus dieser Gruppe sind aktuell Alendronat und Risedronat als Wochentabletten auf dem Markt, die gegenüber der täglichen Verabreichung den Vorteil von weniger unerwünschten Wirkungen wie Unverträglichkeiten des oberen Gastrointestinaltrakts, aufweisen. Diese Medikamente sind sowohl bei postmenopausalen Frauen als auch bei Männern einsetzbar. Für beide Substanzen konnte eine signifikante Zunahme der Knochendichte und Abnahme neuer Wirbelfrakturen dokumentiert werden. Intravenös verabreichte Bisphosphonate (Zoledronat, Ibandronat, Pamidronat) bleiben in der Regel speziellen Indikationen vorbehalten (Skelettmetastasen, Unverträglichkeit der peroralen Therapie). Die selektiven Oestrogenrezeptor-Modulatoren (SERMs), von denen Raloxifen als Antiresorptivum gut dokumentiert ist, bewirken bei postmenopausalen Frauen mit Osteoporose nicht nur eine Reduktion von Wirbelkörperfrakturen, sondern als günstigen Nebeneffekt auch eine signifikante Senkung der Mammakarzinomrate. Teriparatide, die rekombinante Form des humanen Parathormons rhPTH (1–34), ist ein Vertreter einer knochenaufbaustimulierenden Substanz. Teriparatide führt bei postmenopausalen Frauen sowohl zu einer signifikanten Erhöhung der lumbalen und femoralen Knochendichte als auch zu einer Reduktion von Wirbel- und Nicht-Wirbelfrakturen. Die genaue Rolle von Teriparatide für den klinischen Alltag ist vorläufig noch nicht ganz klar; durch seinen schnellen Wirkungseintritt könnte es jedoch zu einer wichtigen Therapiemöglichkeit bei Osteoporose werden. Neue Resultate mit Strontiumranelate, einem komplexen Salz mit gleichzeitig antiresorptiven und knochenaufbaustimulierenden Effekten sind auch für den Kliniker sehr interessant, wobei die Wirksamkeit dieser Substanz in weiteren kontrollierten Studien spezifisch geprüft werden sollte. The therapy of osteoporosis is mostly based upon the use of drugs which inhibit bone resorption. Among these, the bisphosphonate family is the best known and mostly used by clinicians. Both second and third generation bisphosphonates, like alendronate and risedronate, are now available as weekly tablets which have facilitated the patient compliance to treatment together with a decreased occurrence of gastrointestinal side effects. These compounds are used efficiently to treat postmenopausal osteoporosis and osteoporosis of men as well. Their use did provide good evidence of increased bone mineral density (BMD) and a reduction in fracture rates. The use of intravenous bisphosphonates such as Zoledronate, Ibandronate and Pamidronate remains in most of the cases limited to special indications such as intolerance to the oral formulations and treatment of patients with bone metastases. The selective estrogen modulators (SERM’s) family is limited to a single product on the market as of now, Raloxifene, which does inhibit bone resorption and is well documented by postmenopausal women to increase BMD and reduce vertebral fractures. In addition, a large range of positive nonosseous effects have been documented such as the reduction of the incidence of breast cancer. Other substances do have a strong anabolic effect such as Teriparatide, a recombinant human formulation of PTH 1–34. This compound has demonstrated good efficacy in postmenopausal women, increasing vertebral and hip BMD and reducing the incidence of fractures at both sites. The exact role of Teriparatide in the clinical setting is still open but its overall impact in the therapy of osteoporosis could be major due to its major efficiency over shorter periods of time. Strontium ranelate, a new divalent Strontium salt taken orally, acts both as an anti-catabolic and anabolic agent. The first results provided with strontium ranelate are very promising due to its major effect on the increase in BMD both at the vertebral and hip sites and its ability to reduce the incidence of fractures at both locations. Additional data are awaited to confirm these initial positive results.

Microglia, the brain’s intrinsic macrophages, bind (R)-PK11195 when activated by neuronal injury. The authors used 11C(R)-PK11195 PET to localize in vivo microglial activation in patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA). Increased 11C(R)-PK11195 binding was primarily found in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, putamen, pallidum, pons, and substantia nigra, reflecting the known distribution of neuropathologic changes in MSA. Providing an indicator of disease activity, 11C(R)-PK11195 PET can thus be used to characterize the in vivo neuropathology of MSA.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the impact of 18F‐fluoro‐deoxy‐glucose positron emission tomography after standard diagnostic workup in patients with advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma on staging and radiation treatment planning.

Abstract Aim. To evaluate the role of [18F]-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) in patients presenting with a suspicion of breast cancer relapse after primary treatment. Materials and methods. Sixty consecutive female patients with clinical (n=35) or radiological (n=25) suspicion of breast cancer recurrence were evaluated by FDG-PET. Positive PET findings were further evaluated by histological examination or clinical and radiological follow-up. In 25 patients, the serum tumor marker (CA 15-3) status was compared to the PET results. Results. Disease relapse was proven in 40 patients. Additionally, in three patients a second cancer was diagnosed with (n=1), and without (n=2) concomitant disease relapse. PET missed local recurrence in three patients, and was false positive in another four. In patient-based analysis, the overall sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 89%, 84%, and 87%, and 100%, 97%, and 98% for locoregional recurrence and distant metastases, respectively. FDG-PET was more sensitive than the serum tumor marker CA 15-3 in detecting relapsed breast cancer. Conclusion. FDG-PET is a valuable tool in the follow-up of patients with breast cancer.

Objectives/HypothesisTo evaluate imaging findings using positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F‐fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) in mucosal malignant melanoma (MMM) of the head and neck.

Periodic lateralized epileptiform discharges (PLEDs) are a well defined electroencephalographic entity but whether PLEDs represent an ictal condition or not remains debated. Much work has been done using electroencephalography (EEG) but new approaches using cerebral perfusion imaging may give more information about this question. We aimed to evaluate if PLEDs were associated with high regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF). We studied 18 patients with PLEDs and different pathologies, and performed brain single-photon-emission computed tomography (SPECT) during and, for three cases, after the disappearance of PLEDs. Qualitative variations and locations of rCBF were compared with PLEDs. Association with seizures and type of seizures were also assessed. SPECT showed high rCBF in 18/18 patients (100%). The location of PLEDs and high rCBF matched in 17/18 cases (94%). In the three cases where SPECT was performed after PLEDs disappeared, the high rCBF had cleared (100%). Eighteen cases (100%) presented seizures before recording of PLEDs, mainly motor (partial motor or generalized tonic–clonic). Where there was a decreased rCBF (related to a lesion) there was little relationship to PLEDs and all patients with decreased rCBF had an adjacent increased rCBF. These results confirm preliminary case reports. Hyperperfusion adds further to the argument that PLEDs may be related to a form of partial status epilepticus.

Helicobacter hepaticus has been reported to induce colitis, hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in several different murine models. The aim of this study was to determine if H. hepaticus will cause colitis in monoassociated mice lacking the interleukin-10 gene (IL-10(-/-) mice) and potentiate colitis in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) IL-10(-/-) mice. Germfree IL-10(-/-) mice on either a mixed (C57BL/6 x 129/Ola) or inbred (129/SvEv) genetic background were monoassociated with H. hepaticus ATCC 51448 by oral feeding and rectal enemas. In a second experiment, germfree IL-10(-/-) mice were colonized with stool from SPF mice that harbored or did not harbor endogenous H. hepaticus. After 7 to 9 weeks of colonization, weight loss and mortality were assessed, the colon was isolated for histology and IL-12 secretion, and mesenteric lymph node cells were assessed for T-cell activation markers. It was found that IL-10(-/-) mice monoassociated with H. hepaticus for up to 16 weeks showed almost no histologic colitis or increased IL-12 production. SPF IL-10-knockout mice had no significant difference in weight loss, mortality rate, histologic scores, colonic IL-12 secretion, or T-cell activation with or without H. hepaticus. We conclude that H. hepaticus does not induce or potentiate disease in our IL-10(-/-) mice and therefore is not required to induce colitis in genetically susceptible hosts.

ABSTRACTHelicobacter hepaticushas been reported to induce colitis, hepatitis, and hepatocellular carcinoma in several different murine models. The aim of this study was to determine if H. hepaticuswill cause colitis in monoassociated mice lacking the interleukin-10 gene (IL-10−/−mice) and potentiate colitis in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) IL-10−/−mice. Germfree IL-10−/−mice on either a mixed (C57BL/6 × 129/Ola) or inbred (129/SvEv) genetic background were monoassociated with H. hepaticusATCC 51448 by oral feeding and rectal enemas. In a second experiment, germfree IL-10−/−mice were colonized with stool from SPF mice that harbored or did not harbor endogenous H. hepaticus. After 7 to 9 weeks of colonization, weight loss and mortality were assessed, the colon was isolated for histology and IL-12 secretion, and mesenteric lymph node cells were assessed for T-cell activation markers. It was found that IL-10−/−mice monoassociated with H. hepaticusfor up to 16 weeks showed almost no histologic colitis or increased IL-12 production. SPF IL-10-knockout mice had no significant difference in weight loss, mortality rate, histologic scores, colonic IL-12 secretion, or T-cell activation with or withoutH. hepaticus. We conclude that H. hepaticusdoes not induce or potentiate disease in our IL-10−/−mice and therefore is not required to induce colitis in genetically susceptible hosts.

This study was designed to explore the feasibility of PET using 11C(R)-PK11195 as an in vivo marker of activated microglia/brain macrophages for the assessment of neuroinflammation in Rasmussen's encephalitis (RE). 11C(R)-PK11195 PET was carried out in four normal subjects, two patients with histologically confirmed RE, and three patients with clinically stable hippocampal sclerosis and low seizure frequency. Binding potential maps showing specific binding of 11C(R)-PK11195 were generated for each subject. Regional binding potential values were calculated for anatomically defined regions of interest after coregistration to and spatial transformation into the subjects' own MRI. In one patient with RE who underwent hemispherectomy, the resected, paraffin-embedded brain tissue was stained with an antibody (CR3/43) that labels activated human microglia. Whereas specific binding of 11C(R)-PK11195 in clinically stable hippocampal sclerosis was similar to that in normal brain, patients with RE showed a focal and diffuse increase in binding throughout the affected hemisphere. In RE, 11C(R)-PK11195 PET can reveal in vivo the characteristic, unilateral pattern known from postmortem neuropathologic study. PET imaging of activated microglia/brain macrophages offers a tool for investigation of a range of brain diseases where neuroinflammation is a component and in which conventional MRI does not unequivocally indicate an inflammatory tissue reaction. 11C(R)-PK11195 PET may help in the choice of appropriate biopsy sites and, further, may allow assessment of the efficacy of antiinflammatory disease-modifying treatment.

WE measured regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) during unimanual and bimanual movements using H215O PET. Six healthy volunteers performed unimanual, bimanual-symmetric and bimanual-asymmetric ballistic finger movements. The study was designed to minimize anticipation and preparation of movements. Data were analysed using SPM. Unpredictably paced unimanual movements resulted in significant activation of contra-lateral primary motor-somatosensory cortex (M1-S1) and mesial frontal cortex (p≤ 0.001). Performance of symmetric bimanual movements resulted in bilateral activation, but no additional activation of mesial frontal cortex was shown. Comparison of asymmetric with symmetric bimanual movements revealed additional recruitment of mesial frontal cortex (p≤ 0.001). We suggest that rostral mesial frontal cortex facilitates asymmetric non-mirrored bimanual finger movements.

In order to evaluate the interfemoral variability of bone mineral density (BMD) in patients receiving thyroxin (T4) replacement therapy, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed on both hips and the lumbar spine of 114 individuals. BMD was measured in 47 patients under T4 therapy in suppressive doses because of histologically proven thyroid cancer and 67 age-matched controls free of any known local or generalized disorder that would affect the bones and joints. Variation in BMD between both hips was determined for four different regions of interest, i.e., Ward's triangle, intertrochanteric region, trochanter, and femoral neck. No significant difference in hip BMD was found between patients and controls. Even though some individuals had large interfemoral BMD variation, no significant difference in hip BMD variability between the groups was observed. In patients under suppressive T4 replacement therapy, BMD measurement in one hip is suitable to predict BMD of the other hip and therefore unilateral hip measurement may be adequate.In order to evaluate the interfemoral variability of bone mineral density (BMD) in patients receiving thyroxin (T4) replacement therapy, dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) was performed on both hips and the lumbar spine of 114 individuals. BMD was measured in 47 patients under T4 therapy in suppressive doses because of histologically proven thyroid cancer and 67 age-matched controls free of any known local or generalized disorder that would affect the bones and joints. Variation in BMD between both hips was determined for four different regions of interest, i.e., Ward's triangle, intertrochanteric region, trochanter, and femoral neck. No significant difference in hip BMD was found between patients and controls. Even though some individuals had large interfemoral BMD variation, no significant difference in hip BMD variability between the groups was observed. In patients under suppressive T4 replacement therapy, BMD measurement in one hip is suitable to predict BMD of the other hip and therefore unilateral hip measurement may be adequate.