Wahrheit liegt im Auge des Betrachters: Warum glauben manche Österreicher*innen an Covid-19 Verschwörungstheorien?

Verschwörungstheorien haben sich während der Corona-Pandemie beinahe so stark verbreitet wie das Virus selbst. Da der Glaube zu solchen Theorien stark mit der Nichtbefolgung von Maßnahmen gegen die Verbreitung des Virus‘ und der Impfverweigerung korrelieren, ist es für die Soziologie von besonderem Interesse herauszufinden, welche Bevölkerungsgruppen zu solchen Theorien neigen und warum sie dies tun. Dieser Beitrag verbindet Theorien und empirische Ergebnisse aus der Kommunikationswissenschaft, Politikwissenschaft und der Soziologie zu einem gemeinsamen theoretischen Modell, das in einer quantitativen Studie getestet wird. Dieses Modell verbindet Moscovicis Konzept der allgemeinen Verschwörungsmentalität mit Einflüssen des Konsums verschiedener Medien (öffentlich-rechtlicher Rundfunk vs. soziale Medien), politischen Ideologien, grundlegenden Werthaltungen und der sozioökonomischen Lage der Menschen. Dieses Modell wird in einer Sekundärdatenanalyse auf Basis der zweiten Welle des Values in Crisis Panels Austria überprüft. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass Covid-19 Verschwörungstheorien mit generellem Institutionsmisstrauen, dem täglichen Konsum von privatem Rundfunk, Boulevardzeitungen und sozialen Medien, rechten Ideologien, einem niedrigen Bildungsniveau, einem ländlichen Wohngebiet und ökonomischer Benachteiligung einhergehen

Dual‐regulated expression of C/EBP‐α and BMP‐2 enables differential differentiation of C2C12 cells into adipocytes and osteoblasts

CCAAT/enhancer‐binding proteins (C/EBPs) as well as bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) play essential roles in mammalian cell differentiation in shaping adipogenic and osteoblastic lineages in particular. Recent evidence suggested that adipocytes and osteoblasts share a common mesenchymal precursor cell phenotype. Yet, the molecular details underlying the decision of adipocyte versus osteoblast differentiation as well as the involvement of C/EBPs and BMPs remains elusive. We have engineered C2C12 cells for dual‐regulated expression of human C/EBP‐α and BMP‐2 to enable independent transcription control of both differentiation factors using clinically licensed antibiotics of the streptogramin (pristinamycin) and tetracycline (tetracycline) classes. Differential as well as coordinated expression of C/EBP‐α and BMP‐2 revealed that (i) C/EBP‐α may differentiate C2C12 myoblasts into adipocytes as well as osteoblasts, (ii) BMP‐2 prevents myotube differentiation, (iii) is incompetent in differentiating C2C12 into osteoblasts and (iv) even decreases C/EBP‐α's osteoblast‐specific differentiation potential but (v) cooperates with C/EBP‐α on adipocyte differentiation, (vi) osteoblast formation occurs at low C/EBP‐α levels while adipocyte‐specific differentiation requires maximum C/EBP‐α expression and that (vii) BMP‐2 may bias the C/EBP‐α‐mediated adipocyte versus osteoblast differentiation switch towards fat cell formation. Dual‐regulated expression technology enabled precise insight into combinatorial effects of two key differentiation factors involved in adipocyte/osteoblast lineage control which could be implemented in rational reprogramming of multipotent cells into desired cell phenotypes tailored for gene therapy and tissue engineerin

Man sollte nicht den Sack schlagen, wenn man den Esel meint

Wir lasen Christian Flecks Beitrag über »Tertiäre Analphabeten« in Heft 2 der Soziologie zunächst mit schmunzelndem Interesse, wohl nicht zuletzt deshalb, weil sich der Grazer Kollege Gedanken über einen Sachverhalt macht, mit dem zwar die Mehrzahl der im Wettkampf um Forschungsmittel Beteiligten Primärerfahrungen gemacht hat, nämlich der unsachlichen Beurteilung im Rahmen von peer-review-Verfahren, wie sie bei wissenschaftlichen Zeitschriften, Preisausschreibungen oder in der Forschungsförderung praktiziert werden, der aber tatsächlich kaum dokumentiert ist

Deciphering factors linked with reduced SARS-CoV-2 susceptibility in the Swiss HIV Cohort Study

BACKGROUND Factors influencing susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 remain to be resolved. Using data of the Swiss HIV Cohort Study (SHCS) on 6,270 people with HIV (PWH) and serologic assessment for SARS-CoV-2 and circulating-human-coronavirus (HCoV) antibodies, we investigated the association of HIV-related and general parameters with SARS-CoV-2 infection. METHODS We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 PCR-tests, COVID-19 related hospitalizations, and deaths reported to the SHCS between January 1, 2020 and December 31, 2021. Antibodies to SARS-CoV-2 and HCoVs were determined in pre-pandemic (2019) and pandemic (2020) bio-banked plasma and compared to HIV-negative individuals. We applied logistic regression, conditional logistic regression, and Bayesian multivariate regression to identify determinants of SARS-CoV-2 infection and Ab responses to SARS-CoV-2 in PWH. RESULTS No HIV-1-related factors were associated with SARS-CoV-2 acquisition. High pre-pandemic HCoV antibodies were associated with a lower risk of subsequent SARS-CoV-2 infection and with higher SARS-CoV-2 antibody responses upon infection. We observed a robust protective effect of smoking on SARS-CoV-2-infection risk (aOR= 0.46 [0.38,0.56], p=2.6*10-14), which occurred even in previous smokers, and was highest for heavy smokers. CONCLUSIONS Our findings of two independent protective factors, smoking and HCoV antibodies, both affecting the respiratory environment, underscore the importance of the local immune milieu in regulating susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2

Überlagerte kulturelle Faktoren: Ein Sättigungsmodell zur Erklärung des schweizerischen Geburtenrückgangs

None

Social change, mobility, and inequality in Switzerland in the 1990s

This article focuses on changes in economic, cultural, and social capital (as measured by income, educational attainment, and membership in associations), and their association with social stratification in Switzerland in the 1990s. Data were provided by an inequality study from 1991 and the 1999 ISSP on social inequality. The first section deals with social inequality across time and gender. In the second section, changes in the structure of these indicators are examined. Notable exceptions to the stability in the inequality structure are the increase in under- and unemployment, a decrease in low-pay full-time employment, and a moderate increase in women’s educational attainment. Nevertheless, despite the economic crisis in the 1990s, little significant change has taken place in the social and opportunity structure in Switzerland

Dual-regulated expression of C/EBP-α and BMP-2 enables differential differentiation of C2C12 cells into adipocytes and osteoblasts

CCAAT/enhancer-binding proteins (C/EBPs) as well as bone morphogenic proteins (BMPs) play essential roles in mammalian cell differentiation in shaping adipogenic and osteoblastic lineages in particular. Recent evidence suggested that adipocytes and osteoblasts share a common mesenchymal precursor cell phenotype. Yet, the molecular details underlying the decision of adipocyte versus osteoblast differentiation as well as the involvement of C/EBPs and BMPs remains elusive. We have engineered C2C12 cells for dual-regulated expression of human C/EBP-α and BMP-2 to enable independent transcription control of both differentiation factors using clinically licensed antibiotics of the streptogramin (pristinamycin) and tetracycline (tetracycline) classes. Differential as well as coordinated expression of C/EBP-α and BMP-2 revealed that (i) C/EBP-α may differentiate C2C12 myoblasts into adipocytes as well as osteoblasts, (ii) BMP-2 prevents myotube differentiation, (iii) is incompetent in differentiating C2C12 into osteoblasts and (iv) even decreases C/EBP-α’s osteoblast-specific differentiation potential but (v) cooperates with C/EBP-α on adipocyte differentiation, (vi) osteoblast formation occurs at low C/EBP-α levels while adipocyte-specific differentiation requires maximum C/EBP-α expression and that (vii) BMP-2 may bias the C/EBP-α-mediated adipocyte versus osteoblast differentiation switch towards fat cell formation. Dual-regulated expression technology enabled precise insight into combinatorial effects of two key differentiation factors involved in adipocyte/osteoblast lineage control which could be implemented in rational reprogramming of multipotent cells into desired cell phenotypes tailored for gene therapy and tissue engineering

Generationenpolitik - Internationale Ansätze und Entwicklungen

Hämel K, Thenner-Eßkuchen M, Fux B, Leichsenring K. Generationenpolitik - Internationale Ansätze und Entwicklungen. Beiträge zur sozialen Sicherheit. Bern: Bundesamt für Sozialversicherungen; 2009