Literatur

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Qualitätskonventionen in ökonomischen Feldern

Pierre Bourdieu and co-workers have analyzed markets as social fields. In the article I argue that the analyses done by Bourdieu cannot grasp the production of ?quality“ and ?worth“ in markets. This form of analyses fails also in recognizing that markets are differentiated spheres, whereby quality conventions are one principle therefore. ?Quality“ is related to field structure in a reductionist way. The critic of the concepts of field and habitus in France is introduced. The workings of Luc Boltanski and Laurent Thévenot as well as the associated approach of ?Economics of convention“ (EC) are used to compensate the identified gaps in the Bourdieuian approach to market analysis. The articles aims to sketch out how a combination of both approaches can open a research perspective for the sociological analysis of markets. The concept of quality conventions plays a pivotal role. It is related to the concept of field and combined with it. An illustrating example is given.     

Analysis of mitochondrial SNPs in addition to conventional STR-typing in a case of aggravated theft

In the field of forensic DNA typing, the analysis of Short Tandem Repeats (STRs) can fail in cases of degraded DNA. The typing of coding region Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) of the mitochondrial genome provides an approach to acquire additional information. In the examined case of aggravated theft, both suspects could be excluded of having left the analyzed hair on the crime scene by SNP typing. This conclusion was not possible subsequent to STR typing. SNP typing of the trace on the torch light left on the crime scene increased the likelihood for suspect no. 2 to be the origin of this trace. This finding was already indicated by STR analysis. Suspect no. 1 was excluded for being the origin of this trace by SNP typing which was also indicated by STR analysis. A limiting factor for the analysis of SNPs is the maternal inheritance of mitochondrial DNA. Individualisation is not possible. In conclusion, it can be said that in the case of traces which cause problems with conventional STR typing the supplementary analysis of coding region SNPs from the mitochondrial genome is very reasonable and greatly contributes to the refinement of analysis methods in the field of forensic genetics.     

The More,the Merrier? Interest Groups and Legislative Change in the Public Hearings of the German Parliamentary Committees

The article examines the impact of organised interests on the passage of legislation in the German Bundestag through an empirical analysis of the position papers presented in the public hearings of its standing committees in 2011. These committees are the most important forums to revise legislative proposals. Drawing on resource dependency theory, we employ GLM regression analyses to study if interest groups act as change agents that bring legislation closer to their own policy preferences. Controlling for institutional and bill characteristics, we discuss two major findings that shed light on the role of interest groups in legislation. First, business groups' opposition to government bills triggers legislative changes because their members control the means of production and make investment decisions. In contrast, fundamental opposition of non-business groups has no impact. Second, bills debated and opposed by a greater number of interest groups undergo more changes pointing to the importance of the density of interest groups and balance of opinions on a proposal.     

Tissue distribution of mirtazapine and desmethylmirtazapine in a case of mirtazapine poisoning

An ingestion of an unknown quantity of mirtazapine in a suicide attempt leading to death is described. Sertraline and amitriptyline have been co-ingested. Because mirtazapine is reported to be relatively safe in overdose, body fluids and tissues were investigated for both mirtazapine and desmethylmirtazapine by high-pressure liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry following liquid-liquid extraction. The limit of detection was sufficiently low to also apply the assay in pharmacokinetic studies. The levels of amitriptyline and nortriptyline were very low (38 and 19 ng/mL femoral venous blood) and the amount of sertraline in blood taken from the femoral vein (880 ng/mL) was considerably lower than those seen in overdosage. Accumulation of mirtazapine and N-desmethylmirtazapine was evident in fluids and tissues involved in enterohepatic circulation and excretion. The concentration determined in a brain sample suggests a contribution of the metabolite to the drug's pharmacodynamic activity. Based on literature data, significant adverse or synergistic effects among the drugs detected as well as adverse reactions such as a serotonin reaction appeared less probable. Mirtazapine exhibits alpha(1)-antagonistic properties on the cardiac-vascular system and may cause hyponatraemia. In the face of the cardiac findings at autopsy and the lack of an apparent cause of death, these effects of mirtazapine may have initiated a process leading to death.