Rekonvaleszenz der Demokratie? Die Erholung bürgerlicher Freiheitsrechte im internationalen Vergleich

Nach den Anschlägen vom 11. September 2001 wurden in einigen westlichen Demokratien bürgerliche Freiheitsrechte durch eine verschärfte Sicherheitsgesetzgebung empfindlich beschnitten. Allerdings zeigen sich im folgenden Jahrzehnt deutliche Erholungseffekte, die wiederum zwischen den Ländern variieren. Auf Grundlage von Daten u. a. des Demokratiebarometers gehen wir der Frage nach, welche Faktoren die unterschiedliche Erholung bürgerlicher Freiheitsrechte in 22 OECD-Staaten zwischen 2002 und 2012 erklären können. Dabei zeigt sich, dass ein starkes und unabhängiges Rechtssystem und eine liberale politische Kultur den Wiederaufbau von Freiheitsrechten fördern, während die Betroffenheit von terroristischen Anschlägen keinen signifikanten Effekt auf die Erholung der Freiheitsrechte hat. Die Ergebnisse sprechen dafür, dass Demokratien dann zu einer Selbstkorrektur im Bereich der Sicherheitsgesetzgebung fähig sind, wenn sie durch rechtsstaatliche Institutionen eingehegt werden, die durch eine liberale politische Kultur unterfüttert sind

Effects of Anacetrapib in Patients with Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease remain at high risk for cardiovascular events despite effective statin-based treatment of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. The inhibition of cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) by anacetrapib reduces LDL cholesterol levels and increases high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. However, trials of other CETP inhibitors have shown neutral or adverse effects on cardiovascular outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial involving 30,449 adults with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive atorvastatin therapy and who had a mean LDL cholesterol level of 61 mg per deciliter (1.58 mmol per liter), a mean non-HDL cholesterol level of 92 mg per deciliter (2.38 mmol per liter), and a mean HDL cholesterol level of 40 mg per deciliter (1.03 mmol per liter). The patients were assigned to receive either 100 mg of anacetrapib once daily (15,225 patients) or matching placebo (15,224 patients). The primary outcome was the first major coronary event, a composite of coronary death, myocardial infarction, or coronary revascularization. RESULTS: During the median follow-up period of 4.1 years, the primary outcome occurred in significantly fewer patients in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (1640 of 15,225 patients [10.8%] vs. 1803 of 15,224 patients [11.8%]; rate ratio, 0.91; 95% confidence interval, 0.85 to 0.97; P=0.004). The relative difference in risk was similar across multiple prespecified subgroups. At the trial midpoint, the mean level of HDL cholesterol was higher by 43 mg per deciliter (1.12 mmol per liter) in the anacetrapib group than in the placebo group (a relative difference of 104%), and the mean level of non-HDL cholesterol was lower by 17 mg per deciliter (0.44 mmol per liter), a relative difference of -18%. There were no significant between-group differences in the risk of death, cancer, or other serious adverse events. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with atherosclerotic vascular disease who were receiving intensive statin therapy, the use of anacetrapib resulted in a lower incidence of major coronary events than the use of placebo. (Funded by Merck and others; Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN48678192 ; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT01252953 ; and EudraCT number, 2010-023467-18 .)

Religion, Religiosity, and the Attitudes Toward Homosexuality—A Multilevel Analysis of 79 Countries

Although the attitudes towards homosexuality have become more liberal, particularly in industrialized Western countries, there is still a great deal of variance in terms of the worldwide levels of homonegativity. Using data from the two most recent waves of the World Values Survey (1999-2004, 2005-2009) this article seeks to explain this variance by means of a multi-level analysis of 79 countries. We include characteristics on the individual level, as age or gender, as well as aggregate variables linked to specificities of the nation-states. In particular, we focus on the religious denomination of a person and her religiosity in order to explain her attitude towards homosexuality. We find clear differences in levels of homonegativity among the followers of the individual religion