Vorwort zum Publikationsprojekt "Soziale Arbeit in der multiethnischen Gesellschaft"

Nachdem wir auch in Deutschland begriffen haben, dass wir ein Einwanderungsland sind und noch dazu eine europäische Nummer Eins in den Hoffnungen vieler potentieller Emigranten, müssen wir uns mit der Frage auseinandersetzen, wie sehr wir uns in unserem sozialarbeiterischen und sozialpädagogischen Denken, Fühlen und Tun auf unsere eigene Geschichte als ‚Sozialstaat‘ beziehen und wie wir uns auch auf andere soziale, ethnische, religiöse und gesellschaftspolitische Traditionen von Menschen einlassen müssen

Abgeordnete, Parteien und Koalitionspolitik: individuelle Präferenzen und politisches Handeln im Nationalrat

'Geschlossenes Verhalten von parlamentarischen Fraktionen kann daraus resultieren, dass die ihnen angehörenden Abgeordneten in ihren Präferenzen übereinstimmen oder daraus, dass sie von ihren jeweiligen Parteien zu einem einheitlichen Verhalten bewegt werden ('Fraktionszwang'). Parteien sind nur dann wirklich stark, wenn das Verhalten der Abgeordneten der Parteilinie entspricht, ihren individuellen Präferenzen aber widerspricht. Auf der Basis einer empirischen Erhebung der Präferenzen der Abgeordneten zum Nationalrat in der XX. Gesetzgebungsperiode (1996-1999) zeigen wir, dass es innerhalb der einzelnen Fraktionen erhebliche Divergenzen der Präferenzen gibt. In zwei policy-Dimensionen würde es im Parlament andere Mehrheitspositionen nach dem Median-Wähler-Theorem geben, wenn die Abgeordneten entsprechend ihrer individuellen Präferenzen und nicht entlang von Parteilinien abstimmen würden. In der sozio-ökonomischen policy-Dimension verschiebt die zweistufige Aggregation der Präferenzen - zuerst in den Parteien, dann im Parlament - den Median von der linken in die rechte Hälfte des policy-Spektrums. Die österreichischen Parteien sind also stark.' (Autorenreferat)'Cohesive parliamentary party behaviour can be caused either by the representatives' preference identity or by the influence the parties exercise on them. Parties can be considered strong only if their respective MPs follow the party line when it conflicts with their individual preferences. Based on a survey among MPs in the 1995-1999 parliament we show that there are considerable preference divergences within the individual parliamentary parties. In two policy dimensions the median voter position would shift considerably if MPs would vote according to their individual preferences rather than according to the median voter preferences of their own parliamentary party. In the economic policy dimension the two-step aggregation of preferences (first within the parties and then in parliament) shifts the median position from the left to the right. The policy positions of the parties, that is the aggregates of the preferences of their respective MPs, produce three different potential majority coalitions (minimal policy range) in five policy dimensions. The change from the SPÖ-ÖVP coalition of the 1996-1999 parliament to a ÖVP-FPÖ coalition in the post-1999 parliament cannot be explained by the policy distances between the parties. In a red-green coalition (which lacks a parliamentary majority), policy differences would be smaller than in the ÖVP-FPÖ coalition.' (author's abstract

An algorithmic approach to one-round electoral systems

A family of algorithms provides a formalization of how the basic one-round electoral systems – highest average and largest remainders, single transferable vote and single non-transferable vote systems – proceed in transforming votes into seats. In this way, the basic one-round electoral systems are parametrized with the four parameters n (size of the constituency), m (size of the nomination lists), ck (a factor providing the electoral formula) and l (signed election threshold). The parametrization reveals that the most important electoral systems have a common basic structure

Matrix theory of gravitation

A new classical theory of gravitation within the framework of general relativity is presented. It is based on a matrix formulation of four-dimensional Riemann-spaces and uses no artificial fields or adjustable parameters. The geometrical stress-energy tensor is derived from a matrix-trace Lagrangian, which is not equivalent to the curvature scalar R. To enable a direct comparison with the Einstein-theory a tetrad formalism is utilized, which shows similarities to teleparallel gravitation theories, but uses complex tetrads. Matrix theory might solve a 27-year-old, fundamental problem of those theories (sec. 4.1). For the standard test cases (PPN scheme, Schwarzschild-solution) no differences to the Einstein-theory are found. However, the matrix theory exhibits novel, interesting vacuum solutions.Comment: 24 page

Improved endothelial function after a modified harvesting technique of the internal thoracic artery

Objective: One of the most important factors in bypass surgery is the preservation of endothelial function in the arterial graft. It was of interest, therefore, whether a slightly modified preparation procedure during surgery could contribute to improved endothelial function of the graft. We compared the functional activity of internal thoracic arteries (ITA) prepared according to the traditional harvesting method with occlusion by a clip, dissection at the distal end and storage of the artery in papaverine until its implantation (CA) with the functional activity of arteries which were also prepared and wrapped in papaverine, but were left perfused and dissected immediately before their anastomoses (PA). Methods: Samples of ITA were obtained from a total number of 28 patients, undergoing bypass surgery, and randomly distributed into two groups. The arteries were cut into rings and suspended in organ baths, containing Krebs-Henseleit solution, for isometric tension recording. Cumulative concentration response curves were determined for the contractile agents endothelin-1 (ET-1), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), noradrenaline (NA) and potassium chloride (KCl) and the relaxant compounds acetylcholine (ACH) and sodium nitroprusside (SNP) during active tone induced by 30 mM KCl. Results: ET-1 and 5-HT stimulated rings from both groups within the same concentration ranges but elicited significantly (P<0.05) higher contractile responses in CA compared to PA. By contrast, concentration response curves for KCl and NA where nearly superimposable. On the other hand, maximal endothelium-dependent relaxant responses to ACH proved to be significantly stronger in PA (0.84±0.20 g) as compared to CA (0.31±0.05 g, P<0.05) while endothelium independent relaxant responses to SNP where similar in both groups. Conclusion: These data suggest that leaving the ITA perfused during harvesting might improve considerably the endothelial function of the graf

Causes of climate change over the historical record

This review addresses the causes of observed climate variations across the industrial period, from 1750 to present. It focuses on long-term changes, both in response to external forcing and to climate variability in the ocean and atmosphere. A synthesis of results from attribution studies based on palaeoclimatic reconstructions covering the recent few centuries to the 20th century, and instrumental data shows how greenhouse gases began to cause warming since the beginning of industrialization, causing trends that are attributable to greenhouse gases by 1900 in proxy-based temperature reconstructions. Their influence increased over time, dominating recent trends. However, other forcings have caused substantial deviations from this emerging greenhouse warming trend: volcanic eruptions have caused strong cooling following a period of unusually heavy activity, such as in the early 19th century; or warming during periods of low activity, such as in the early-to-mid 20th century. Anthropogenic aerosol forcing most likely masked some global greenhouse warming over the 20th century, especially since the accelerated increase in sulphate aerosol emissions starting around 1950. Based on modelling and attribution studies, aerosol forcing has also influenced regional temperatures, caused long-term changes in monsoons and imprinted on Atlantic variability. Multi-decadal variations in atmospheric modes can also cause long-term climate variability, as apparent for the example of the North Atlantic Oscillation, and have influenced Atlantic ocean variability. Long-term precipitation changes are more difficult to attribute to external forcing due to spatial sparseness of data and noisiness of precipitation changes, but the observed pattern of precipitation response to warming from station data supports climate model simulated changes and with it, predictions. The long-term warming has also led to significant differences in daily variability as, for example, visible in long European station data. Extreme events over the historical record provide valuable samples of possible extreme events and their mechanisms