The relationship between the cleavage-position and the EU-Position of Polish parties in the elections of 1997 and 2001

Titelblatt, Danksagung, Inhaltsverzeichnis, Tabellen- u. Abbildungsverzeichnis, Abkürzungsverzeichnis Zusammenfassung Summary Einleitung I. Politische Parteien: Konzeptionalisierung und Erklärungsansätze I.1. Theoretische Aspekte der Parteienforschung im Osteuropa-Kontext I.2. Erklärungsansätze der Parteienforschung im Osteuropa-Kontext II. Entstehung, Struktur und Probleme des polnischen Parteiensystems II.1. Von der Solidarnosc zur Fragmentierung des Parteiensystems in Polen II.2. Die politische Bühne Polens und die Wahlen II.3. Strukturelle Probleme der polnischen Parteien II.4. Herausarbeitung einer neuen polnischen Außenpotitik nach 1989 III. Cleavage-Struktur und Parteien in Polen III.1. Cleavages und EU-Positionen der Parteien: Einführung III.2. Cleavage-Struktur in Polen III.3. Cleavage-Positionen der politischen Parteien in Polen III.4. Der Charakter des EU-Themas in Polen III.5. Die EU-Positionen der polnischen Parteien III.6. Analyse des Zusammenhangs zwischen den cleavage-Positionen und den EU- Positionen der polnischen Parteien IV. Schlussfolgerungen Materialgrundlage 1\. Dokumentationen 2\. Forschungsliteratur 3\. Zeitschriftenbeiträge 4\. Internet RechercheParteienforschern bot sich nach 1989 die einmalige Gelegenheit, die Geburt von Parteiensystemen in den neuen Demokratien Osteuropas zu verfolgen. Nach der antikommunistischen Wende in Osteuropa waren zwar die Voraussetzungen für die Entstehung demokratischer Parteien gegeben, ihre Institutionalisierung hat sich jedoch als komplizierter Prozess erwiesen. Polen im Vorzimmer der Europäischen Union, war auf dem Weg zu einem konsolidierten Parteiensystem. Der Beitritt Polens zur Europäischen Union bot die Möglichkeit, unterschiedliche Hypothesen über strukturelle und politische Faktoren, die die Politik moderner Parteien zu einem großen Teil erklären, zu prüfen. In dieser Dissertation werden zum einen die Rahmenbedingungen der Entwicklung des polnischen Parteiensystems beschrieben, zum anderen werden die Gerinnungsprozesse ihrer Konfliktstrukturen dargestellt. Dabei wird die Frage nach den die Parteiensysteme prägenden Konfliktlinien besonders intensiv diskutiert. Die Erklärung der Entstehung eines Systems rivalisierender Parteien durch soziostrukturelle Konflikte (cleavages) ist eine der etabliertesten Theorien in der modernen Politikwissenschaft, die im Wesentlichen auf die Arbeit von Lipset/Rokkan (1967) zurückreicht. In dieser Abhandlung sollen die politischen Positionen der polnischen Parteien, deren Einbettung in die Sozialstruktur sowie europapolitischen Standpunkte analysiert werden. Des Weiteren wird untersucht, in welchem Zusammenhang die cleavage-Positionen mit den EU-Positionen der polnischen Parteien in den Parlamentswahlen 1997 und 2001 standen. Das Ergebnis der Studie deutet darauf hin, dass das Zusammenspiel der cleavages die Positionen der Parteien in einem hohen Grad bestimmt. Während die ökonomische Dimension wenig zur Erklärung der EU-Standpunkte beiträgt, besitzen die kulturell beladenen Konflikte eine höhere Erklärungskraft.Political scientists had the rare opportunity to study the birth of Party systems in the new democracies of Eastern Europe after 1989. After the fall of communism in Eastern Europe the foundations for the formation of democratic parties were at hand however their institutionalisation has proven to be a complicated process. As Poland approached European Union membership it was already on the way to having a developed Party system. The entry of Poland to the European Union offered the opportunity to test various Hypotheses that attempt to explain the structural and political factors of modern Party politics. This Dissertation will on the one hand describe the developmental framework of the Polish political system, on the other hand it will describe the coagulation of its conflict structures. Questions regarding the conflict lines that helped form the Party system will be discussed intensively. The explanation of the development of rival Parties through socio-structural conflicts (cleavages) is one of the most established theories within modern Political Science. This theory primarily goes back to the work of Lipset/Rokkan (1967). In this Treatise the political positions of the Polish political parties, how they are embedded in the social structure as well as their political viewpoint regarding Europe will be analysed. Furthermore the relationship between the Polish parties cleavage-positions and their EU- positions in the Parliamentary elections of 1997 and 2001 will be examined. The results of this study point to the cleavages determining the EU positions to a high degree. Whereas the economic dimensions contribute little to explaining the EU positions, the culturally loaded conflicts have a higher ability to explain these positions

Protein phosphatase 5 regulates titin phosphorylation and function at a sarcomere-associated mechanosensor complex in cardiomyocytes.

Serine/threonine protein phosphatase 5 (PP5) is ubiquitously expressed in eukaryotic cells; however, its function in cardiomyocytes is unknown. Under basal conditions, PP5 is autoinhibited, but enzymatic activity rises upon binding of specific factors, such as the chaperone Hsp90. Here we show that PP5 binds and dephosphorylates the elastic N2B-unique sequence (N2Bus) of titin in cardiomyocytes. Using various binding and phosphorylation tests, cell-culture manipulation, and transgenic mouse hearts, we demonstrate that PP5 associates with N2Bus in vitro and in sarcomeres and is antagonistic to several protein kinases, which phosphorylate N2Bus and lower titin-based passive tension. PP5 is pathologically elevated and likely contributes to hypo-phosphorylation of N2Bus in failing human hearts. Furthermore, Hsp90-activated PP5 interacts with components of a sarcomeric, N2Bus-associated, mechanosensor complex, and blocks mitogen-activated protein-kinase signaling in this complex. Our work establishes PP5 as a compartmentalized, well-controlled phosphatase in cardiomyocytes, which regulates titin properties and kinase signaling at the myofilaments

Effects of depressive symptoms and peripheral DAT methylation on neural reactivity to alcohol cues in alcoholism

In alcohol-dependent (AD) patients, alcohol cues induce strong activations in brain areas associated with alcohol craving and relapse, such as the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and amygdala. However, little is known about the influence of depressive symptoms, which are common in AD patients, on the brain’s reactivity to alcohol cues. The methylation state of the dopamine transporter gene (DAT) has been associated with alcohol dependence, craving and depression, but its influence on neural alcohol cue reactivity has not been tested. Here, we compared brain reactivity to alcohol cues in 38 AD patients and 17 healthy controls (HCs) using functional magnetic resonance imaging and assessed the influence of depressive symptoms and peripheral DAT methylation in these responses. We show that alcoholics with low Beck’s Depression Inventory scores (n=29) had higher cue-induced reactivity in NAc and amygdala than those with mild/moderate depression scores (n=9), though subjective perception of craving was higher in those with mild/moderate depression scores. We corroborated a higher DAT methylation in AD patients than HCs, and showed higher DAT methylation in AD patients with mild/moderate than low depression scores. Within the AD cohort, higher methylation predicted craving and, at trend level (P=0.095), relapse 1 year after abstinence. Finally, we show that amygdala cue reactivity correlated with craving and DAT methylation only in AD patients with low depression scores. These findings suggest that depressive symptoms and DAT methylation are associated with alcohol craving and associated brain processes in alcohol dependence, which may have important consequences for treatment. Moreover, peripheral DAT methylation may be a clinically relevant biomarker in AD patients

Circulating interleukin-6 receptor in patients with sepsis syndrome

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Strontium ranelate and alendronate have differing effects on distal tibia bone microstructure in women with osteoporosis

The structural basis of the antifracture efficacy of strontium ranelate and alendronate is incompletely understood. We compared the effects of strontium ranelate and alendronate on distal tibia microstructure over 2years using HR-pQCT. In this pre-planned, interim, intention-to-treat analysis at 12months, 88 osteoporotic postmenopausal women (mean age 63.7±7.4) were randomized to strontium ranelate 2g/day or alendronate 70mg/week in a double-placebo design. Primary endpoints were changes in microstructure. Secondary endpoints included lumbar and hip areal bone mineral density (aBMD), and bone turnover markers. This trial is registered with http://www.controlled-trials.com, number ISRCTN82719233. Baseline characteristics of the two groups were similar. Treatment with strontium ranelate was associated with increases in mean cortical thickness (CTh, 5.3%), cortical area (4.9%) and trabecular density (2.1%) (all P<0.001, except cortical area P=0.013). No significant changes were observed with alendronate. Between-group differences in favor of strontium ranelate were observed for CTh, cortical area, BV/TV and trabecular density (P=0.045, 0.041, 0.048 and 0.035, respectively). aBMD increased to a similar extent with strontium ranelate and alendronate at the spine (5.7% versus 5.1%, respectively) and total hip (3.3% versus 2.2%, respectively). No significant changes were observed in remodeling markers with strontium ranelate, while suppression was observed with alendronate. Within the methodological constraints of HR-pQCT through its possible sensitivity to X-ray attenuation of different minerals, strontium ranelate had greater effects than alendronate on distal tibia cortical thickness and trabecular volumetric densit

Effects of strontium ranelate and alendronate on bone microstructure in women with osteoporosis: Results of a 2-year study

Summary: Strontium ranelate appears to influence more than alendronate distal tibia bone microstructure as assessed by high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT), and biomechanically relevant parameters as assessed by micro-finite element analysis (μFEA), over 2years, in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. Introduction: Bone microstructure changes are a target in osteoporosis treatment to increase bone strength and reduce fracture risk. Methods: Using HR-pQCT, we investigated the effects on distal tibia and radius microstructure of strontium ranelate (SrRan; 2g/day) or alendronate (70mg/week) for 2years in postmenopausal osteoporotic women. This exploratory randomized, double-blind trial evaluated HR-pQCT and FEA parameters, areal bone mineral density (BMD), and bone turnover markers. Results: In the intention-to-treat population (n = 83, age: 64 ± 8years; lumbar T-score: −2.8 ± 0.8 [DXA]), distal tibia Cortical Thickness (CTh) and Density (DCort), and cancellous BV/TV increased by 6.3%, 1.4%, and 2.5%, respectively (all P < 0.005), with SrRan, but not with alendronate (0.9%, 0.4%, and 0.8%, NS) (P < 0.05 for all above between-group differences). Difference for CTh evaluated with a distance transformation method was close to significance (P = 0.06). The estimated failure load increased with SrRan (+2.1%, P < 0.005), not with alendronate (−0.6%, NS) (between-group difference, P < 0.01). Cortical stress was lower with SrRan (P < 0.05); both treatments decreased trabecular stress. At distal radius, there was no between-group difference other than DCort (P < 0.05). Bone turnover markers decreased with alendronate; bALP increased (+21%) and serum-CTX-I decreased (−1%) after 2years of SrRan (between-group difference at each time point for both markers, P < 0.0001). Both treatments were well tolerated. Conclusions: Within the constraints of HR-pQCT method, and while a possible artefactual contribution of strontium cannot be quantified, SrRan appeared to influence distal tibia bone microstructure and FEA-determined biomechanical parameters more than alendronate. However, the magnitude of the differences is unclear and requires confirmation with another metho

P11 promoter methylation predicts the antidepressant effect of electroconvulsive therapy

Although electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is among the most effective treatment options for pharmacoresistant major depressive disorder (MDD), some patients still remain refractory to standard ECT practise. Thus, there is a need for markers reliably predicting ECT non/response. In our study, we have taken a novel translational approach for discovering potential biomarkers for the prediction of ECT response. Our hypothesis was that the promoter methylation of p11, a multifunctional protein involved in both depressive-like states and antidepressant treatment responses, is differently regulated in ECT responders vs. nonresponders and thus be a putative biomarker of ECT response. The chronic mild stress model of MDD was adapted with the aim to obtain rats that are resistant to conventional antidepressant drugs (citalopram). Subsequently, electroconvulsive stimulation (ECS) was used to select responders and nonresponders, and compare p11 expression and promoter methylation. In the rat experiments we found that the gene promoter methylation and expression of p11 significantly correlate with the antidepressant effect of ECS. Next, we investigated the predictive properties of p11 promoter methylation in two clinical cohorts of patients with pharmacoresistant MDD. In a proof-of-concept clinical trial in 11 patients with refractory MDD, higher p11 promoter methylation was found in responders to ECT. This finding was replicated in an independent sample of 65 patients with pharmacoresistant MDD. This translational study successfully validated the first biomarker reliably predicting the responsiveness to ECT. Prescreening of this biomarker could help to identify patients eligible for first-line ECT treatment and also help to develop novel antidepressant treatment procedures for depressed patients resistant to all currently approved antidepressant treatments.Peer reviewe

Pre-breakup magmatism on the Vøring margin: Insight from new sub-basalt imaging and results from Ocean Drilling program hole 642E

Highlights • Sub-basalt imaging improvement on the Vøring Margin • Definition of a new seismic facies unit: the Lower Series Flows • Significant organic carbon content within the melting crustal segment • Apectodinium augustum marker for the PETM is reworked into the Lower Series Flows • The Lower Series Flows, early Eocene in age, predate the Vøring Margin breakup Abstract Improvements in sub-basalt imaging combined with petrological and geochemical observations from the Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Hole 642E core provide new constraints on the initial breakup processes at the Vøring Margin. New and reprocessed high quality seismic data allow us to identify a new seismic facies unit which we define as the Lower Series Flows. This facies unit is seismically characterized by wavy to continuous subparallel reflections with an internal disrupted and hummocky shape. Drilled lithologies, which we correlate to this facies unit, have been interpreted as subaqueous flows extruding and intruding into wet sediments. Locally, the top boundary of this facies unit is defined as a negative in polarity reflection, and referred as the K-Reflection. This reflection can be correlated with the spatial extent of pyroclastic deposits, emplaced during transitional shallow marine to subaerial volcanic activities during the rift to drift transition. The drilled Lower Series Flows consist of peraluminous, cordierite bearing peperitic basaltic andesitic to dacitic flows interbedded with thick volcano-sedimentary deposits and intruded sills. The peraluminous geochemistry combined with available C (from calcite which fills vesicles and fractures), Sr, Nd, and Pb isotopes data point towards upper crustal rock-mantle magma interactions with a significant contribution of organic carbon rich pelagic sedimentary material during crustal anatexis. From biostratigraphic analyses, Apectodinium augustum was found in the The Lower Series Flows. This species is a marker for the Paleocene – Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). However, the absence of very low carbon isotope values (from bulk organic matter), that characterize the PETM, imply that A.augustum was reworked into the early Eocene sediments of this facies unit which predate the breakup time of the Vøring Margin. Finally, a plausible conceptual emplacement model for the Lower Series Flows facies unit is proposed. This model comprises several stages: (1) the emplacement of subaqueous peperitic basaltic andesitic flows intruding and/or extruding wet sediments; (2) a subaerial to shallow marine volcanism and extrusion of dacitic flows; (3) a proto-breakup phase with intense shallow marine to subaerial explosive volcanism responsible for pyroclastic flow deposits which can be correlated with the seismic K-Reflection and (4) the main breakup stage with intense transitional tholeiitic MORB-type volcanism and large subsidence concomitant with the buildup of the Seaward Dipping Reflector wedge