44 research outputs found
Representatives or experts? Civil society organizations in the EU's external relations
It is often claimed that the participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) can mitigate the democratic deficit of the European Union. This claim rests on the assumption that civil society organizations channel citizens' concerns to the European institutions, a view which is also shared by the European Commission. But whom do Brussels-based CSOs actually represent? Some have accused Brussels CSOs of being elitist and detached from their membership bases, but not much evidence has been provided by either these critics or by the CSO sympathizers. This paper contributes to filling this knowledge gap by exploring the geographical representativeness of EU CSOs and the extent to which they involve their members in organizational activities and decision-making. CSOs in European Trade Policy (ETP) and in European Security and Defence Policy (ESDP) serve as case studies. It is assumed that the different political opportunity structures in these policy fields, namely the Commission's demand for geographical representativeness and member representation in ETP and the Council's interest in CSOs' knowledge and expertise in ESDP, are also reflected in the organizational structures of CSOs. The results confirm this hypothesis with regard to the geographical outreach of the organizations interviewed, but not with regard to the ways CSOs involve their members. CSOs in External Trade Policy have member organizations in a large number of European countries while many CSOs in ESDP lack a membership base. However, the member-based organizations of both policy fields involve their members in strategic decision-making and in diverse organizational activities and they communicate frequently with them. Evidence for a detachment of CSO secretariats in Brussels from their membership bases is scarce in the CSOs subject to this study. -- In der akademischen Debatte wird vielfach die Behauptung geĂ€uĂert, die Partizipation zivilgesellschaftlicher Organisationen (ZGOs) könne das demokratische Defizit der EuropĂ€ischen Union abmildern. Dem liegt die Annahme zugrunde, dass ZGOs BĂŒrgerinteressen zu den EuropĂ€ischen Institutionen kanalisieren, - eine Ansicht, die auch von der EuropĂ€ischen Kommission geteilt wird. Aber wen reprĂ€sentieren die bei der EU aktiven ZGOs eigentlich? BrĂŒsseler ZGOs stehen in der Kritik, elitĂ€r zu sein und sich von der Basis ihrer Mitglieder in den EU-Staaten entfernt zu haben. Bisher gibt es jedoch kaum empirische Untersuchungen, die die These der ZGO-Kritiker oder die der Sympathisanten stĂŒtzen wĂŒrden. Dieses Arbeitspapier trĂ€gt zur SchlieĂung dieser LĂŒcke bei, indem es die geografische ReprĂ€sentativitĂ€t von BrĂŒsseler ZGOs untersucht sowie das AusmaĂ der Mitgliederpartizipation in Entscheidungsprozessen und organisatorischen AktivitĂ€ten. Als Fallstudien dienen ZGOs in der EuropĂ€ischen AuĂenhandelspolitik und in der Sicherheits- und Verteidigungspolitik. Es wird angenommen, dass sich die unterschiedlichen institutionellen Anreize in diesen Bereichen auch auf die interne Struktur von ZGOs auswirken: Im Bereich des AuĂenhandels ist der Hauptansprechpartner die Kommission, die zur Legitimation ihrer Politiken ZGOs geografische ReprĂ€sentativitĂ€t und MitgliederreprĂ€sentation abverlangt. In der Sicherheitspolitik hingegen ist der Rat der EU die SchlĂŒsselinstitution. Er konsultiert ZGOs vor allem aufgrund ihrer Expertise.Die Ergebnisse bestĂ€tigen die Vermutung, dass ZGOs im AuĂenhandel in einer gröĂeren Anzahl von europĂ€ischen Staaten vertreten und damit geografisch reprĂ€sentativer sind. Vielen ZGOs in der Sicherheitspolitik fehlt dagegen jegliche Mitgliederbasis. Was jedoch die Mitgliederpartizipation angeht, so involvieren mitgliedsbasierte ZGOs in beiden Politikfeldern ihre Mitglieder regelmĂ€Ăig und intensiv. Daher findet diese Studie nur spĂ€rliche Belege fĂŒr eine Distanzierung der BrĂŒsseler ZGOs von ihrer nationalen Mitgliederbasis.
Effekt von diffusiven und konvektiven Transportmechanismen auf die Elimination von wasserlöslichen und proteingebundenen Toxinen bei HĂ€modiafiltration mit verschiedenen PorengröĂen in der Leberersatztherapie
Das Leberversagen ist eine schwerwiegende Erkrankung mit geminderter Entgiftungs- und Synthesefunktion der Leber. Ziel der Arbeit war die Entwicklung eines extrakorporalen Leberersatztherapieverfahrens mit hoher Clearance fĂŒr akkumulierende Lebertoxine bei gleichzeitig geringem Albuminverlust. Verschiedene Dialysemodi und Membranen unterschiedlicher PorengröĂe wurden getestet. Durch die offenporige HĂ€modiafiltration lassen sich albumingebundene und wasserlösliche Toxine des Leberversagens effektiv entfernen. Dabei gehen steigende PorengröĂen mit einem zunehmenden Albumintransfer einher
From Theory to Practice: Applying Neural Networks to Simulate Real Systems with Sign Problems
The numerical sign problem poses a seemingly insurmountable barrier to the
simulation of many fascinating systems. We apply neural networks to deform the
region of integration, mitigating the sign problem of systems with strongly
correlated electrons. In this talk we present our latest architectural
developments as applied to contour deformation. We also demonstrate its
applicability to real systems, namely perylene
Interest Groups, NGOs or Civil Society Organisations? The Framing of Non-State Actors in the EU
Scholars have used varying terminology for describing non-state entities seeking to influence public policy or work with the EUâs institutions. This paper argues that the use of this terminology is not and should not be random, as different âframesâ come with different normative visions about the role(s) of these entities in EU democracy. A novel bibliometric analysis of 780 academic publications between 1992 and 2020 reveals that three frames stand out: The interest group frame, the NGO frame, as well as the civil society organisation frame; a number of publications also use multiple frames. This article reveals the specific democratic visions contained in these frames, including a pluralist view for interest groups; a governance view for NGOs as âthird sectorâ organisations, and participatory and deliberative democracy contributions for civil society organisations. The use of these frames has dynamically changed over time, with âinterest groupsâ on the rise. The results demonstrate the shifting focus of studies on non-state actors in the EU and consolidation within the sub-field; the original visions of European policy-makers emerging from the 2001 White Paper on governance may only partially come true
The study of women, infant feeding and type 2 diabetes after GDM pregnancy and growth of their offspring (SWIFT Offspring study): prospective design, methodology and baseline characteristics
Abstract Background Breastfeeding is associated with reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese later in life. Breastfed babies grow more slowly during infancy than formula-fed babies. Among offspring exposed in utero to maternal glucose intolerance, prospective data on growth during infancy have been unavailable. Thus, scientific evidence is insufficient to conclude that breastfeeding reduces the risk of obesity among the offspring of diabetic mothers (ODM). To address this gap, we devised the Study of Women, Infant Feeding and Type 2 Diabetes after GDM Pregnancy and Growth of their Offspring, also known as the SWIFT Offspring Study. This prospective, longitudinal study recruited mother-infant pairs from the SWIFT Study, a prospective study of women with recent gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The goal of the SWIFT Offspring Study is to determine whether breastfeeding intensity and duration, compared with formula feeding, are related to slower growth of GDM offspring during the first year life. This article details the study design, participant eligibility, data collection, and methodologies. We also describe the baseline characteristics of the GDM mother-infant pairs. Methods The study enrolled 466 mother-infant pairs among GDM deliveries in northern California from 2009â2011. Participants attended three in-person study exams at 6â9 weeks, 6Â months and 12Â months after delivery for infant anthropometry (head circumference, body weight, length, abdominal circumference and skinfold thicknesses), as well as maternal anthropometry (body weight, waist circumference and percent body fat). Mothers also completed questionnaires on health and lifestyle behaviors, including infant diet, sleep and temperament. Breastfeeding intensity and duration were assessed via several sources (diaries, telephone interviews, monthly mailings and in-person exams) from birth through the first year of life. Pregnancy course, clinical perinatal and newborn outcomes were obtained from health plan electronic medical records. Infant saliva samples were collected and stored for genetics studies. Discussion This large, racially and ethnically diverse cohort of GDM offspring will enable evaluation of the relationship of infant feeding to growth during infancy independent of perinatal characteristics, sociodemographics and other risk factors. The longitudinal design provides the first quantitative measures of breastfeeding intensity and duration among GDM offspring during early life
Epidemiological and experimental studies on the impact of infant nutrition on body weight and metabolism and on psychomotor and cognitive development in children of diabetic mothers
GesamtdissertationStillen bietet MĂŒttern und Kindern eine Vielzahl von kurz- und langfristigen
Vorteilen. So zeigt eine groĂe Zahl von populationsbezogenen Studien, dass
gestillte im Vergleich zu nicht gestillten, d.h. mit Formula ernÀhrten
SĂ€uglingen ein geringeres Risiko aufweisen, im spĂ€teren Leben Ăbergewicht und
damit assoziierte Stoffwechselstörungen zu entwickeln. DarĂŒber hinaus zeigen
zahlreiche Untersuchungen, dass Stillen einen unabhÀngigen positiven Einfluss
auf die Entwicklung von Kognition und Psychomotorik hat. Demnach könnte
Stillen im Sinne von PrimĂ€rprĂ€vention gerade fĂŒr Kinder diabetischer MĂŒtter
von besonderer Bedeutung sein, da diese einerseits ein erhöhtes Risiko
aufweisen, Ăbergewicht und damit assoziierte Stoffwechselerkrankungen zu
entwickeln, und andererseits eine verzögerte psychomotorische und kognitive
Entwicklung im Vergleich zu Kindern gesunder MĂŒtter zeigen. Bisher fehlen
jedoch fast völlig Untersuchungen zu diesem Themenkomplex. Ziel der
vorliegenden Arbeit war es daher, in einer zweiteiligen epidemiologischen
Studie und einer komplementÀren tierexperimentellen Untersuchung Folgen einer
ErnĂ€hrung mit Muttermilch bei Vorliegen eines mĂŒtterlichen Diabetes zu
charakterisieren.
Hierzu untersuchten wir in der Kaulsdorfer Kohortenstudie (Kaulsdorf Cohort
Study, KCS), einer prospektiven Kohortenstudie an Kindern diabetischer MĂŒtter,
die Auswirkungen der Aufnahme diabetischer Muttermilch (diabetic breast milk,
DBM) auf das spĂ€tere Ăbergewichtsrisiko, die Psychomotorik und die Kognition.
Das Ăbergewichtsrisiko der Kinder war in AbhĂ€ngigkeit von der in der ersten
Lebenswoche (frĂŒhe Neonatalperiode) aufgenommenen Menge an Milch ihrer
diabetischen Mutter erhöht. In der univariaten Analyse war die Aufnahme von
Milch diabetischer MĂŒtter in der spĂ€ten Neonatalperiode (2. bis 4.
Lebenswoche) mit einem zweifach erhöhten Ăbergewichtsrisiko im spĂ€teren
Kindesalter, verglichen mit ausschlieĂlicher Flaschennahrung, assoziiert.
Diese Assoziation blieb auch nach Adjustierung auf eine Reihe von Konfoundern
erhalten. Nach Adjustierung auf das Volumen an DBM, das die Kinder innerhalb
der ersten Lebenswoche aufgenommen hatten, war jedoch kein unabhÀngiger
Einfluss der DBM-Aufnahme wÀhrend der spÀten Neonatalperiode mehr erkennbar.
Die Aufnahme von DBM wĂ€hrend der frĂŒhen Neonatalperiode hatte einen
dosisabhÀngigen positiven Einfluss auf Parameter der psychomotorischen
Entwicklung. Gleichzeitig war jedoch ein dosisabhÀngiger negativer Einfluss
auf einen wesentlichen kognitiven Parameter, nÀmlich das Erreichen des
Meilensteins Sprechen erster Wörter , zu beobachten.
Im Tiermodell fĂŒhrte die ErnĂ€hrung mit der Milch diabetischer RattenmĂŒtter bei
den Nachkommen zur Entstehung einer hypothalamischen Fehlprogrammierung im
Sinne einer erworbenen neuroendokrinen Disposition fĂŒr Hyperphagie,
Ăbergewicht und diabetogene Stoffwechselstörungen: Trotz unverĂ€nderter
peripherer Konzentrationen von Glukose, Insulin und Leptin zeigten mit
diabetischer Muttermilch ernÀhrte Tiere eine up-Regulation orexigener, d.h.
die Nahrungsaufnahme und Körpergewichtszunahme stimulierender, und eine down-
Regulation anorexigener, d.h. die Nahrungsaufnahme und Körpergewichtszunahme
hemmender Neuropeptide im Nucleus arcuatus hypothalami. Zusammengefasst zeigen
diese Untersuchungen, dass bei Kindern diabetischer MĂŒtter die Aufnahme
diabetischer Muttermilch in der frĂŒhen Neonatalperiode zu einer Erhöhung ihres
spĂ€teren Ăbergewichtsrisikos und zu einer Hemmung ihrer kognitiven Entwicklung
fĂŒhren könnte. Im Rattenmodell fĂŒhrte eine ErnĂ€hrung mit diabetischer
Muttermilch zu strukturellen und funktionellen VerÀnderungen in
hypothalamischen Kerngebieten, die fĂŒr die Regulation von Körpergewicht und
Stoffwechsel von zentraler Bedeutung sind. Weitere Studien zu potenziellen
positiven und negativen Folgen einer SÀuglingsernÀhrung mit diabetischer
Muttermilch sind dringend erforderlich. Generell könnte Stillen mit seinen
langfristigen Auswirkungen ein wichtiges Paradigma fĂŒr die perinatale
Programmierung von Gesundheit und Krankheit darstellen.Breast feeding offers a number of short- and long-term advantages to mothers
and their children. Many population-based studies have shown that, e.g.,
breast-fed infants are at lower risk of later overweight and associated
disturbances than formula-fed infants. Furthermore, numerous studies point to
an independent positive influence of breast feeding on psychomotor and
cognitive development. Therefore, breast feeding could, as a measure of
primary prevention, be of particular importance for offspring of diabetic
mothers who are at increased risk of developing overweight and associated
disturbances and often present with delayed psychomotor and cognitive
development, as compared to children of healthy mothers. However, this has
rarely been investigated before. Here, we carried out a two-part
epidemiological study as well as a complementary experimental study to
characterize consequences of ingesting breast milk from diabetic mothers.
In the Kaulsdorf Cohort Study (KCS), a prospective cohort study in children of
diabetic mothers, we investigated consequences of ingesting diabetic breast
milk (DBM) on later overweight risk and on psychomotor and cognitive
development. Childhood overweight risk was increased in children who had
ingested more DBM during the early neonatal period (first week of life).
Univariate analysis revealed that DBM intake during the late neonatal period
(second to fourth week of life) was associated with a doubled risk of
overweight in childhood. Adjustment for a number of confounders did not change
this effect. However, after adjustment only for the DBM volume ingested during
the first neonatal week no independent effect of late neonatal DBM ingestion
was observed. Early neonatal DBM ingestion had a dose-dependent positive
influence on psychomotor development, but showed a dose-dependent negative
impact on an important cognitive parameter, namely on reaching the
developmental milestone speaking first words .
Cross-fostering normal pups to diabetic rat dams led to hypothalamic
malprogramming in terms of an acquired neuro-endocrine disposition to
hyperphagia, overweight, and diabetogenic disturbances: Despite unchanged
peripheral concentrations of glucose, insulin, and leptin, offspring suckled
by diabetic dams presented with an up-regulation of orexigenic neuropeptides,
i.e., of those stimulating food intake and body weight gain, and with a down-
regulation of anorexigenic neuropeptides, i.e., of those inhibiting food
intake and body weight gain, in the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus.
Taken together, early neonatal ingestion of diabetic breast milk might
increase later overweight risk and retard cognitive development in offspring
of diabetic mothers. In the cross-fostering model, exposure to maternal
diabetes during lactation through intake of diabetic breast milk led to
profound structural and functional alterations in hypothalamic nuclei which
are decisively involved in the lifelong regulation of food intake, body
weight, and metabolism. Further studies on possible positive and negative
consequences of infant nutrition with diabetic breast milk are urgently
needed. In general, breast feeding with its long-lasting consequences might be
an important paradigm of perinatal programming of health and disease
Mitigating the Hubbard Sign Problem. A Novel Application of Machine Learning
Many fascinating systems suffer from a severe (complex action) sign problem preventing us from calculating them with Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulations. One promising method to alleviate the sign problem is the transformation of the integration domain towards Lefschetz Thimbles. Unfortunately, this suffers from poor scaling originating in numerically integrating of flow equations and evaluation of an induced Jacobian. In this proceedings we present a new preliminary Neural Network architecture based on complex-valued affine coupling layers. This network performs such a transformation efficiently, ultimately allowing simulation of systems with a severe sign problem. We test this method within the Hubbard Model at finite chemical potential, modelling strongly correlated electrons on a spatial lattice of ions