Major German Research Articles

Semantics of Exāmen

In the major French and German etymological dictionaries of Latin, there is some puzzlement over the semantics of exāmen: how can one word refer to a measurement or examination, but also to a swarm of bees? Walde and Hofmann suggest these two disparate meanings stem from the diverse meanings of the verb exigō (<*ex-agō, ‘to drive out’), from which exāmen derives. They claim these two senses of exāmen become two words in the Latin Sprachgefühl. Ernout and Meillet agree: there is more than one exāmen in the Latins’ sentiment linguistique. I, too, agree. But this approach does not tell us why these terms derive from exigō, nor does it give any hint of an underlying concept which measurements and swarms of bees share, which makes a derivation from exigō appropriate to both.
 The present paper addresses this puzzle by reducing the two meanings of exāmen to one meaning of the parent term *ex-agō: ‘to drive out.’ In sum: a swarm of bees is a ‘driving out’ or outpouring, and a measurement or examination is a ‘driving out’ or setting out for scrutiny. This interpretation is moreover supported by semantically parallel uses of cognate terms in other Indo-European languages, notably Greek and Old Irish, and by semantic parallels in English and in the Slavic language family. Along the way, I touch upon a philosophical puzzle: at what point do evolving linguistic items with a common source become distinct from one another?

Spatial segregation of families with migrant background in the high-status City of Munich: How strong is the effect of socio-economic status?

Ethnic residential segregation can result from preferential choices or from market forces. Depending on whether it evolved voluntarily or forcibly, segregation can have differential effects on immigrant integration. Using the example of Munich as a major German city, we examine the unequal spatial distribution of migrants and non-migrants. Following an approach proposed by Frank Kalter we calculate indices of residential segregation, which are adjusted for differences in socio-economic status. Results show that almost 14 percent of the residential segregation of immigrants can be attributed to socio-economic restrictions. This finding suggests that factors related to immigration and, possibly, also ethnic boundaries are determinants of the unequal spatial distribution also in high-status cities such as Munich.

Local cultures of control, order maintenance policing, and gentrification: A comparison of railway station districts in three German cities

ABSTRACT In recent years, many major German cities have expanded the capacity and legal authority of their municipal order enforcement services and order maintenance policing. The focal action points are central neighborhoods characterized by a concentration of social problems, reinvestment in the built environment, and prevailing feelings of insecurity and the need to improve the quality of life. This study explores the causes of local cultures of control and their relations to order maintenance policing and neighborhood change. We used a document analysis and guided interviews with experts in the railway station districts of Düsseldorf, Leipzig, and Munich. Our findings demonstrate how the local control habitus shapes neighborhood change while being shaped through neighborhood-specific demands for formal social control. Demands for order maintenance policing originate from both the supply (business people) and demand sides (new residents). Moral entrepreneurs convey such demands through the local political context.

Slurry Tales: Newspaper Coverage of Livestock Slurry Reproduces Public Discourse on Agriculture in Germany

The rapid transition of livestock husbandry in the 20th century involved a broad adoption of slurry-based livestock housing systems that resulted in farm economic benefits, but also in societal debate related to the environment and animal welfare. In this article, we apply the method of topic modeling to four major German newspapers to identify thematic emphases and changes in coverage around “slurry”. We considered more than 2300 articles published between 1971 and 2020. Our results show that reporting encompasses economic, environmental, and social topics in which slurry is represented mostly critically (“poisonous substance”), occasionally neutrally (“scent of countryside”), or rarely positively (“input for the bioeconomy”). Three meta-themes overarch the majority of issues and reflect public discourse on agriculture: (i) the dichotomy of agricultural industrialization and family farming; (ii) contrasting actualities of factory farming and animal welfare; and (iii) the responsibility of policy for the emergence, existence and solution of livestock and slurry-related problems. A more balanced recognition of mutual values and constraints by the media could contribute to a discursive reconciliation of public and private interests.

Quantification of 68 elements in river water monitoring samples in single-run measurements

Triple-quadrupole inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-QQQ-MS) is a unique analytical technique which is, next to speciation analyses, applied for the determination of total element concentrations in several matrices. Due to its wide linear range, short analysis times, and the collision-reaction gas technology, it is capable of addressing a high number of analytes in a single run with sufficient low limits of quantification for river water monitoring. Over the last decades, the focus of the environmental monitoring changed from “traditional” and regulated analytes to elements of possibly rising concern from new applications such as the so-called technology-critical elements (TCE). By widening the analytical window of this method for applications in networks of future river water monitoring, a better understanding of natural transport processes and global biogeochemical element cycles will be established and the total number of methods can be reduced. During method development and validation, certified reference materials, calibration check solutions, and spiked river water samples from 12 major German rivers covering different catchment areas were measured and evaluated with the three cell gases He, H2 and O2. The method delivers a best as possible undisturbed simultaneous determination for 68 out of 71 target analytes with recoveries in an accepted range of 80–120% for river water samples (dissolved fraction; <0.45 μm). After comprehensive evaluation, we offer a novel best-practice multi-element method for river water monitoring with the goal of fostering the exchange and discussion between practitioners in long-term river monitoring. It enables the readers to create their own methods based on the scientific needs to monitor elemental “fingerprints” of rivers and their catchments.

Primary and secondary data in emergency medicine health services research – a comparative analysis in a regional research network on multimorbid patients

BackgroundThis analysis addresses the characteristics of two emergency department (ED) patient populations defined by three model diseases (hip fractures, respiratory, and cardiac symptoms) making use of survey (primary) and routine (secondary) data from hospital information systems (HIS). Our aims were to identify potential systematic inconsistencies between both data samples and implications of their use for future ED-based health services research.MethodsThe research network EMANET prospectively collected primary data (n=1442) from 2017-2019 and routine data from 2016 (n=9329) of eight EDs in a major German city. Patient populations were characterized using socio-structural (age, gender) and health- and care-related variables (triage, transport to ED, case and discharge type, multi-morbidity). Statistical comparisons between descriptive results of primary and secondary data samples for each variable were conducted using binomial test, chi-square goodness-of-fit test, or one-sample t-test according to scale level.ResultsDifferences in distributions of patient characteristics were found in nearly all variables in all three disease populations, especially with regard to transport to ED, discharge type and prevalence of multi-morbidity. Recruitment conditions (e.g., patient non-response), project-specific inclusion criteria (e.g., age and case type restrictions) as well as documentation routines and practices of data production (e.g., coding of diagnoses) affected the composition of primary patient samples. Time restrictions of recruitment procedures did not generate meaningful differences regarding the distribution of characteristics in primary and secondary data samples.ConclusionsPrimary and secondary data types maintain their advantages and shortcomings in the context of emergency medicine health services research. However, differences in the distribution of selected variables are rather small. The identification and classification of these effects for data interpretation as well as the establishment of monitoring systems in the data collection process are pivotal.Trial registrationDRKS00011930 (EMACROSS), DRKS00014273 (EMAAGE), NCT03188861 (EMASPOT)

Large-Scale Web Scraping for Problem Gambling Research: A Case Study of COVID-19 Lockdown Effects in Germany

The COVID-19 pandemic and the measures to prevent its spread have had a negative impact on substance use behaviour. It is likely that social distancing and lockdown measures have also altered gambling behaviour, for instance shifting from land-based to online gambling. We used large-scale web scraping to analyse posting behaviour on a major German online gambling forum, gathering a database of more than 200k posts. We examined the usage of different subforums, i.e. terrestrial, online gambling and problem gambling sections, and changes in posting behaviour related to the casino closures that were part of the nationwide restrictions in Germany in 2020. There was a marked increase in newly registered users during the first lockdown compared to the preceding weeks, an increase in the number of posts in the online gambling subforum and concurrent decrease in the terrestrial gambling subforum. Further, the number of short-latency replies was higher during the first lockdown compared to the preceding weeks. Many users who posted in both the online and terrestrial forum contributed at least once to the problem gambling subforum, implying that the topic of problem gambling is widely discussed. Our findings may indicate a shift from terrestrial to online gambling during lockdown, and mirror the general increase in screen time and usage of online platforms after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The analyses help to identify lockdown-related effects on gambling behaviour. These potentially detrimental effects pose a special threat for individuals at risk and may require monitoring and special public health measures.

Restricted by Measures Against the Coronavirus? Difficulties at the Transition from School to Work in Times of a Pandemic

The paper begins with the prerequisite assumption that social deprivation is a fragile and porous category. Thus, our hypothesis is, that how people are affected by the restrictions against the spreading of the coronavirus is often discussed in far too general and simplistic terms. It is often taken as a given, that the virus and the restriction measures not only have caused severe difficulties for us all (due to social distancing, fear, affected health, etc.), but that the measures have exacerbated already previously existing forms of social deprivation. Therefore, it is assumed that marginalized groups are particularly affected by these effects of the pandemic. Two major German studies show the alleged effects of the relevant measures on adolescents and emerging adults (COPSY and FIBS) against the backdrop of social and economic deprivation; their results confirmed that social deprivation entails a higher degree of being affected by the pandemic.However, this picture becomes thwarted by considering the results of 10 narrative interviews, that were conducted by us with emerging adults in a German vocational training institute between April and August 2021 and showed variegated forms of experiencing issues related to the pandemic. In our analysis, we used the method of objective hermeneutics. In this paper, we present our considerations by outlining two contrastive experiences with the Covid-19 pandemic, in order to highlight the divergent ways in which the pandemic has been experienced even among individuals who previously had been affected by social deprivation – at least at first glance – in similar ways. The conceptual lens through which we interpret these two examples is, firstly, the one of precariousness and precarity (Butler 2009). And secondly, the concept of recognition derived from Honneth’s pertinent theory and Butler’s account of recognizability will play a pivotal role. While Honneth’s approach allows us to emphasize the normative and existential role of the fulfilment of our basic desire for recognition and the detrimental implications of disregard, Butler provides us with the means to thoroughly analyse the socio-historical conditions of misrecognition and social invisibility. Moreover, Butler focuses specifically on the recognizability of precariousness (Honneth’s triad of love, being respected as a rights bearer and solidarity shows a different focus). Combining qualitative research on precarious live circumstances with a theoretical perspective on recognition can also be found in a stunning research on couples in atypical working relations (Wimbauer and Motakef 2019). Proceeding from these theories and ‘applying’ them to our empirical material, we seek to call into question a too generalizing and hegemonic picture of how people were affected by pertinent restrictions. Qualitative interviews are able to point us to significant differences in the experience of the restrictions.In terms of an outlook, we suggest that a sensitization for previously excluded kinds of experiences forms a crucial basis for a less normalizing, that is, more inclusive account of interpreting the affectedness and needs of variegated social groups; the pandemic has influenced and altered structures of the recognition of vulnerability and, by the same token, made them more explicit. It thus is an occasion for a critical engagement with the recognizability of needs, deprivation, discrimination, and related phenomena.

Art, Literature, Manuscripts, Architecture – An Emperor Wants to be Remembered: Emperor Maximilian and the Ambraser Helden Buch, with a Focus on Mauritius Von Craûn

Memory and memoria are closely related to each other, but the latter constitutes the physical, mostly public manifestation of the self through art works, writing, musical compositions, buildings, and the like. After a reflection on the current research pertaining to both aspects, this article deals with the famous Ambraser Heldenbuch compiled by Hans Ried for Emperor Maximilian I (1504–1516) as a collection of major medieval German narratives. In particular, the focus rests on the most unique verse novella, Mauritius von Craûn (ca. 1220) where knighthood and courtly love seem to reach their apogee but then abruptly fail. In an odd way, even this rather deconstructive piece of literature, preserved only in this very late manuscript, obviously contributed to Maximilian’s great effort to secure his gedechtnus, the memory by posterity of his glory and accomplishments. However, there is also a great sense of the precarious nature of this goal, hence of memoria. To understand late medieval aristocratic culture, we can rely profoundly on the efforts by that social class to establish memory as a form of self-identity.

Sustainable City Evaluation Using the Database for Estimation of Road Network Performance

This article introduces the Database for Estimation of Road Network Performance (DERNP) to enable wide-scale estimation of relevant Road Network Performance (RNP) factors for major German cities. The methodology behind DERNP is based on a randomized route sampling procedure that utilizes the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP) in combination with the tile-based HERE Maps Traffic API v7 and a digital elevation model provided by the European Union’s Earth Observation Programme Copernicus to generate a large set of independent and realistic routes throughout OpenStreetMap road networks. By evaluating these routes using the PHEMLight5 framework, a comprehensive list of RNP parameters is estimated and translated into polynomial regression models for general usage. The applicability of these estimations is demonstrated based on a case study of four major German cities. This case study considers network characteristics in terms of detours, infrastructure, traffic congestion, fuel consumption, and CO2 emissions. Our results show that DERNP and its underlying randomized route sampling methodology overcomes major limitations of previous wide-scale RNP approaches, enabling efficient, easy-to-use, and region-specific RNP comparisons.

Why Do Women Philosophy Students Drop Out of Philosophy? Some Evidence from the Classroom at the Bachelor’s Level

It is well known that there has been a steady and significant underrepresentation of women in philosophy on different professional levels. Numerous hypotheses explaining this underrepresentation have been suggested, but empirical analyses are not yet extensive. In particular, studies of the phenomenon in different countries are nonexistent. In this paper, we present findings from an exploratory study in which we analyze the interests, abilities, beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and goals of bachelor’s students in a semester-long philosophy of science course at a major German university. We furthermore make the first attempt to compare women-only learning environments with mixed-gender learning environments. Our results suggest that while there are generally some gender differences regarding interests, abilities, beliefs, attitudes, perceptions, and goals of students in the classroom, most of the hypotheses we explore to explain dropout rates by gender differences cannot be supported. We conclude that possible factors leading to the underrepresentation of women in philosophy in Germany might be found in the social and institutional environment within which philosophy is taught.

Miejsce kultury w niemieckich debatach wokół integracji imigrantów

The paper outlines major German experiences that the influx of migrants entailed. Against this background, the author examines the public debate surrounding the issue. The chief notions which inform it include multiculturalism (Multikultur), parallel societies (Parallelgesellschaften ), leading culture (Leitkultur) and welcoming culture (Willkommenskultur). Their very wording is indicative of how important cultural issues are. Indeed, the concern with potential threats to German culture have been a principal theme of the debates. Other aspects, such as the impact on the economy, society, or security tend to be overlooked or treated marginally. This fairly unusual approach to migration problems should be attributed to the characteristics of the German nation, for which culture is a principal mainstay. After all, the Kulturnation was constructed around culture as a unifying element and has become the foremost component in German self-awareness. Conse- quently, the influx of people representing other cultures engenders deeper insecurity and greater fears about the future than elsewhere.

When do established CPG product brands benefit from a corporate-brand endorsement? The moderating role of consumer needs and brand familiarity

PurposeMany consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies have increased the visibility of their corporate brand to consumers by adding a corporate logo (e.g. Unilever “U”) on the packaging of their product brands (e.g. Dove, Domestos, Lipton, Knorr) and showcasing their product-brand portfolio in additional corporate-brand advertising. This paper aims to investigate consumer needs and product-brand familiarity as moderators of the impact of such a strong form of corporate-brand endorsement on the evaluation of established CPG product brands.Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments with n = 670 and n = 118 respondents compare consumer evaluations of eight (Study 2: ten) product brands of a major German (Study 2: Anglo-Dutch) CPG company with versus without corporate-brand endorsement. The authors measure (Study 2: manipulate) the importance a consumer attaches to symbolic, experiential, relational and functional needs in brand choice.FindingsCorporate-brand endorsement improves (decreases) the evaluation of established CGP product brands among consumer segments who base their brand choice in a CPG category predominantly on functional or relational (experiential or symbolic) needs. Furthermore, it exerts a negative effect on product brands among heavy category users due to their higher product-brand familiarity.Practical implicationsRather than endorsing all its product brands with the corporate brand, a CPG company should do so selectively, depending on the positioning and target audience of each product brand.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to demonstrate the importance of consumer needs and product-brand familiarity in corporate-brand endorsement.

Review: Richard Krautheimer in Deutschland: Aus den Anfängen einer wissenschaftlichen Karriere 1925–1933

Review: <i>Richard Krautheimer in Deutschland: Aus den Anfängen einer wissenschaftlichen Karriere 1925–1933</i>

Bedrohte Sprache? Die Haltung niederländischen Sprachwissenschaftler gegenüber den großen Nachbarsprachen im Laufe der Jahrhunderte

This contribution discusses the problem of the alleged threat to the Dutch language by the three surrounding major languages French, German and English. After an introduction on when one can speak of Dutch as an independent language, the paper looks at how the Dutch themselves have defined their language and from when on there is a clear Dutch language community. In the following sections, the historical struggle against French, German and English infl uences is examined in its historical order. For practical reasons, the contribution is limited to the situation on the territory of the Netherlands.

Mode choice of city tourists: Discrete choice modeling based on survey data from a major German city

With growing city tourism, there is an increasing need for urban travel demand models to consider traffic generated by visitors. Existing research has concentrated on socio-demographic and journey-related factors to determine what influences the mode choice of tourists. In contrast, revealed preference data, such as travel time, is almost never considered. In this article, we present the results of discrete choice modeling of city tourists’ mode choice based on revealed preference data from a survey we conducted in Kassel, Germany. We used multinomial logit models and determined the model parameters using maximum likelihood estimations. Surprisingly, travel time played a smaller role in mode choice than assumed from previously established understanding about everyday mobility. In the final model, travel time was only significant for the alternative of walking. Also, most other sociodemographic and journey-related variables showed no significant influence. The final model reproduced the mode choice, but the goodness of fit was lower than expected from other research. We conclude that modeling the travel behavior of tourists is more complex than everyday mobility. An alternative approach that we suggest would be to model trip chains rather than single trips.

Mundhygienekenntnisse und -verhalten bei Kindern

Objectives: Oral hygiene plays an important role in eliminating biofilms and preventing dental caries. However, the implementation of oral health knowledge that children learn from their parents and through school dental health programs remains poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate oral hygiene knowledge and its practical utilization in children and young adolescents (CYAs) aged 2-15 years. Materials and methods: Using a questionnaire-based, interview-style community survey, an on-site practical assessment of CYAs' toothbrushing skills was conducted during two 1-day public science-promoting events held at a major German university hospital in consecutive years. CYAs first answered questions on toothbrushing frequency, dental aids used, and dental care. They subsequently underwent diagnostic staining and demonstrated their brushing technique and method. CYAs' responses (percentages) to questionnaire items addressing oral hygiene knowledge and practice, and on-site assessment of toothbrushing skills served as the main outcome measures. Results: Of 244 participating CYAs, 178 (73%) CYAs had no history of caries; the percentage increased with age from 5% in 2- to 5-year old children to 40% in those aged > 10 years. Of 117/244 (48%) indicating that teeth should be brushed three times daily, 80/117 (68%) self-reported brushing twice daily, 32/117 (27%) reported brushing three times, and 4/117 (3%) stated doing so only once. Although 131/244 (54%) considered that teeth should be brushed for 3 min, 77/131 (59%) self-reported actually doing so and 41/131 (31%) reported brushing for 2 min. Seventeen of 42 (40%) participants aged >10 years showed no systematic brushing method, with 21/42 (50%) failing to clean their teeth completely. Participants aged 6-10 years exhibited the highest proportion (97/134, 72%) of complete cleaning. Good adherence to oral health recommendations (i.e., brushing ≥ twice a day for ≥2 min) was observed in 212/244 (87%) CYAs, while the remaining 32/244 (13%) exhibited poor adherence.Conclusion: CYAs knew about the importance of oral hygiene and cleaned their teeth frequently. However, translation of their knowledge into practice showed deficiencies. Repeated encouragement to put oral health knowledge into practice is important.

미국 50개 주의 자동차 수입에 대한 실증연구

This study intends to compare Japanese automobiles, German automobiles, and Korean automobiles, which are major competitors in the US automobile market, in light of major sales factors, and to draw implications for expanding sales of Korean automobiles in the US. This study compares and analyzes Korean cars, Japanese cars, and German cars by sales factors in the 50 US states instead of country level determinants considered in previous studies. In this respect, it makes differentiated contributions. This study adopts the fixed-effect model estimation using panel data as a research method. First, it performs the estimation using the size of Korean automobile imports, Japanese automobile imports, and German automobile imports as dependent variables. Furthermore, this study estimates the fixed-effect model for Korean automobile imports relative to Japanese automobile imports and Korean automobile imports relative to German automobile imports. According to the research results of this study, the size of imports of Korean automobiles and Japanese automobiles is affected by efficient fuel use or fuel price such as highway fuel efficiency and fuel price. On the other hand, German car imports are not affected by fuel prices and are inversely related with the highway fuel economy. Another finding of this study is that the higher the ratio of fatalities in highway traffic accidents, the lower the Japanese automobile imports. In addition, this study finds that the ratio of single-driver commuting to work has inverse relationship with the German automobile imports. Lastly, it is found that automobile imports from Korea and Japan are found to be affected by overall preferences for products in those countries. Meanwhile, as a result of controlling for major sales factors, Korean cars, Japanese cars, and German cars are equally preferred in California, Florida, Michigan, Virginia, and Rhode Island. In Mississippi, South Carolina, Oregon and Tennessee, Korean and Japanese cars are preferred over German cars while Korean cars and German cars are preferred over Japanese cars in New Jersey, Georgia, and Texas. On the other hand, in Louisiana, Washington, and Pennsylvania, Korean-made cars was found to be remarkably preferred over German and Japanese cars. The results of this study provides a guideline for sales strategy for Korean cars in the US market. This study limits the subjects of imports of Korean cars, Japanese cars, and German cars to 50 states in the United States, and only categorizes cars by production country rather than automobile brands. If these data can be accessed, various studies will be possible in the future.

Germany’s stance on the Nord Stream 2 project: Internal and external determinants

In recent years, Germany’s energy policy has been pursuing several long-term goals: not only to ensure energy security, but also to achieve energy transition and to become a major gas hub in the European Union. In that context, cooperation with Russia as a key exporter of natural gas to Germany was of particular importance. At the same time, relations between the two states showed contradictory dynamics. This became especially evident during the political struggle over the project of the new Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline. The author traces the evolution of the arguments of the key participants in the discussions sparked by the project in Germany before Russia began its special military operation in Ukraine and after it. The first section examines the positions of the main interest groups, leading political parties and regional authorities. The author shows that representatives from the business community and political forces related to them (SPD, CSU, part of the CDU and FDP) were generally inclined to support the project, albeit under certain conditions. The latter particularly included Russia’s guarantees for preserving gas transit through Ukraine. The human rights (legalist) group and eco-activists, affiliated with the Greens, partly the CDU and the FDP, took a much more critical stand regarding Nord Stream 2. Moreover, the federal government’s policy was greatly affected by a number of external factors. Germany made significant diplomatic efforts not only to coordinate its position with other EU countries, but also to overcome the resistance to the project from the United States and Ukraine. Nevertheless, the German government eventually managed through various compromises to advance the Nord Stream 2 project. The situation has changed dramatically after Russia’s recognition of the Donetsk People’s Republic and Luhansk People’s Republic. The German government halted the process of certification of Nord Stream 2. All major German political parties supported this decision.

Using real mobility patterns to assess the impact of 100% electrified mobility in a German city

Until now, individual motorized mobility has been almost exclusively powered by fossil energy sources. The battle against climate change, however, requires a transformation of the mobility system with the ultimate objective of a full electrification of transport. Ultimately, this will increase considerably the load on the distribution grid both in overall size and through temporarily and locally distributed charging. This paper explores the effects of an assumed full electrification of individual motorized transport on the power grid in a major German city using real traffic data collected from a German traffic panel and employing a microscopic and dynamic travel simulation with the Simulation of Urban MObility tool. The main finding of the traffic simulation is that the local and temporary impact on the distribution grid is very sensitive to the distribution of charging stations and their geographical aggregation in transformers. However, behavior change in the form of charging at different points in time and locations or using less power can alleviate local peaks, up to 50% in the simulated scenario. Therefore, this paper addresses the previously uncovered need for a more profound and realistic computation that includes all important aspects of a proper traffic simulation. It further extends the barely covered field of dynamic simulations that operate on real mobility data. With that, limitations arise from the process of transposing driving data into geographical data as it is very sensitive to underlying assumptions. However, we are convinced that the spatialization of charging stations and the randomization of trip assignments represent the most transparent and meaningful way of overcoming these limiting factors.