University of Konstanz

About: University of Konstanz is a education organization based out in Konstanz, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Membrane. The organization has 12115 authors who have published 27401 publications receiving 951162 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Constance & Universität Konstanz.

The impact of globalization on the composition of government expenditures: Evidence from panel data

Abstract: According to the disciplining hypothesis, globalization restrains governments by inducing increased budgetary pressure. As a consequence, governments may attempt to curtail the welfare state, which is often seen as a drag on international competitiveness, by reducing especially their expenditures on transfers and subsidies. This globalization-induced welfare state retrenchment is potentially mitigated by citizens’ preferences to be compensated for the risks of globalization (“compensation hypothesis”). Employing two different datasets and various measures of globalization, we analyze whether globalization has indeed influenced the composition of government expenditures. For a sample of 60 countries, we examine the development of four broad expenditure categories for the period 1971–2001: capital expenditures, expenditures for goods and services, interest payments, and subsidies and other current transfers. A second dataset provides a much more detailed classification: public expenditures, expenditures for defence, order, economic affairs, environment, housing, health, recreation, education, and social expenditures. However, this second data set is only available since 1990—and only for OECD countries. Our results show that globalization did not influence the composition of government expenditures in a notable way.

Anaerobic Oxidation of Methane in Sediments of Lake Constance, an Oligotrophic Freshwater Lake

Abstract: Anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) with sulfate as terminal electron acceptor has been reported for various environments, including freshwater habitats, and also, nitrate and nitrite were recently shown to act as electron acceptors for methane oxidation in eutrophic freshwater habitats. Radiotracer experiments with sediment material of Lake Constance, an oligotrophic freshwater lake, were performed to follow 14CO2 formation from 14CH4 in sediment incubations in the presence of different electron acceptors, namely, nitrate, nitrite, sulfate, or oxygen. Whereas 14CO2 formation without and with sulfate addition was negligible, addition of nitrate increased 14CO2 formation significantly, suggesting that AOM could be coupled to denitrification. Nonetheless, denitrification-dependent AOM rates remained at least 1 order of magnitude lower than rates of aerobic methane oxidation. Using molecular techniques, putative denitrifying methanotrophs belonging to the NC10 phylum were detected on the basis of the pmoA and 16S rRNA gene sequences. These findings show that sulfate-dependent AOM was insignificant in Lake constant sediments. However, AOM can also be coupled to denitrification in this oligotrophic freshwater habitat, providing first indications that this might be a widespread process that plays an important role in mitigating methane emissions.

Selective feeding of four zooplankton species on natural lake phytoplankton.

Abstract: Grazing experiments evaluated by microscopical counting were conducted with different size classes of Daphnia hyalina, D. galeata, Eudiaptomus gracilis, and Cyclops sp., all from Lake Constance, using natural lake phytoplankton as food. Species-specific grazing selectivity coefficients were calculated for the dominant phytoplankton species from weekly experiments. Specific selectivities were found to be largely invariant through the growing season. All zooplankters grazed more efficiently on phytoflagellates such as Rhodomonas and Cryptomonas than on coccales such as Chlorella and Scenedesmus, regardless of their relative abundance in the phytoplankton assemblage. Filtering rates did not decrease in the presence of filamentous algae. Certain filamentous species were grazed efficiently, but only by D. hyalina: Anabaena planktonica, Oscillatoria amphigranulata, and Stephanodiscus binderanus. Large diatom colonies like Asterionella formosa and Fragilaria crotonensis were grazed well only by Cyclops sp. Some algal species were consistently selected against: Mougeotia thylespora and Dinobryon sp. The species-specific selectivity coefficients can be used as weighting factors to assess the 'effective food concentration' relative to Rhodomonas minuta, a reference species for optimal food.

Psychotherapies for PTSD: what do they have in common?

Abstract: Over the past three decades, research and clinical practice related to the field of traumatic stress have developed tremendously. In parallel with the steady accumulation of basic knowledge, therapeutic approaches have been developed to treat people suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related psychological problems. Today, a number of evidence-based treatments are available. They differ in various ways; however, they also have a number of commonalities. Given this situation, clinicians may wonder which treatment program to use, or more specifically, which treatment components are critical for a successful therapy. In this article, seven pioneers who have developed empirically supported psychotherapies for trauma-related disorders were asked to compose an essay of three parts: first, to provide a brief summary of the treatment they have developed; second, to identify three key interventions that are common and critical in treating PTSD; and third, to suggest important topics and future directions for research. The paper ends with a summary highlighting the identified commonalities (psychoeducation; emotion regulation and coping skills; imaginal exposure; cognitive processing, restructuring, and/or meaning making; emotions; and memory processes), pointing to future directions such as trying to better understand the underlying mechanisms of action, and developing treatments that are tailored to the needs of different patient groups.