Zehn Jahre Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit: vergebene Chance oder zwei Schritte vorwärts und einer zurück?

"Die in Wien ansässige Nichtregierungsorganisation (NGO) ZARA - Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit wurde 1999 gegründet. Sie hat in den letzten zehn Jahren Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit in Österreich wesentlich mitgestaltet. Dieser Beitrag steckt ausgehend von den von ZARA gesammelten Erfahrungen als Akteur in der Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit dieses Tätigkeitsfeld ab und identifiziert seine wesentlichen zivilgesellschaftlichen und staatlichen AkteurInnen. Es wird gefragt, was Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit in Österreich bedeutet und welche Ziele sie verfolgt, wobei hier ein spezieller Fokus auf ZARA gelegt wird. Abschließend werden Veränderungen in den Schwerpunkten von Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit in den letzten zehn Jahren angesprochen und ihre Entwicklungspotenziale ausgelotet." (Autorenreferat)"ZARA - Zivilcourage und Anti-Rassismus-Arbeit, a Vienna based anti-racism NGO, was founded in 1999. The organization has been an actor in the field of anti-racism in Austria and has played an important role now for more than ten years. This article aims on defining the field of anti-racism work, based on the experiences gained by ZARA, and identifies the main civil society and public organizations with competences in this field. More specifically, the objectives and the status of anti-racism in Austrian society are being characterized, placing a special focus on the position of ZARA. The contribution closes by depicting changes in the focus of anti-racism work over the last ten years, also highlighting potentials for further development." (author's abstract

Integration als kommunales Politikfeld: Entstehungsbedingungen, Problemlagen und Modelle

'Der Artikel versucht, Integration als kommunales Politikfeld näher zu beleuchten und dessen mögliche zukünftige Bedeutung zu skizzieren. Ausgehend von einem Verständnis von Integration als zweiseitigem Prozess wird vor allem auf Leistungen der Aufnahmegesellschaft fokussiert, die eine notwendige Voraussetzung für die (aktive) Integration der Zugewanderten sind. Daher wird gefragt, wie Kommunen gestalterisch tätig werden, um den Zielen Chancengleichheit, rechtliche Gleichstellung und kulturelle Vielfalt näher zu kommen. Dazu werden Einschätzungen von politisch-administrativen EntscheidungsträgerInnen zum Thema Integration in niederösterreichischen Gemeinden, deren Problemsicht und Unterstützungsbedürfnisse sowie kommunale Konzepte und Maßnahmen herangezogen, die in kommunalen Integrationsleitbildern erarbeitet wurden. Auch die Wahrnehmung von Zugewanderten ist Gegenstand des Beitrags. Basierend auf diesen Daten und den Erfahrungen aus der Leitbildentwicklung werden ausgewählte Aspekte des Entstehungsprozesses und der Entstehungsbedingungen des kommunalen Politikfelds Integration diskutiert.' (Autorenreferat)'The article deals with the policy field of integration at community level and attempts to highlight ramifications for future developments in communities and cities. Integration is understood as a two-way-process, but the focus is placed on the efforts of the receiving society, which represents a necessary precondition for an (active) integration of immigrants. Therefore, strategies undertaken by communities or municipalities to achieve equal opportunity, equality under law and an understanding of cultural diversity are presented. The analysis is based on concepts as well as measures developed in the context of the process of drafting guidelines for integration in communities and municipalities in Lower Austria. The survey addressed relevant policy makers and asked for their assessment of: the current status quo conditions of integration, an identification of challenges as well as needs for support at community level. For the development of integration policy also the perceptions of the majority population about immigrants are important. Referring to the analysed data and experiences that were gained during the process of developing integration guidelines, the authors also discuss some aspects of the processes and preconditions of integration policy development at community level.' (author's abstract)

Varying the item format improved the range of measurement in patient-reported outcome measures assessing physical function

BACKGROUND: Physical function (PF) is a core patient-reported outcome domain in clinical trials in rheumatic diseases. Frequently used PF measures have ceiling effects, leading to large sample size requirements and low sensitivity to change. In most of these instruments, the response category that indicates the highest PF level is the statement that one is able to perform a given physical activity without any limitations or difficulty. This study investigates whether using an item format with an extended response scale, allowing respondents to state that the performance of an activity is easy or very easy, increases the range of precise measurement of self-reported PF. METHODS: Three five-item PF short forms were constructed from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS(R)) wave 1 data. All forms included the same physical activities but varied in item stem and response scale: format A ( Are you able to ... ; without any difficulty / unable to do ); format B ( Does your health now limit you ... ; not at all / cannot do ); format C ( How difficult is it for you to ... ; very easy / impossible ). Each short-form item was answered by 2217-2835 subjects. We evaluated unidimensionality and estimated a graded response model for the 15 short-form items and remaining 119 items of the PROMIS PF bank to compare item and test information for the short forms along the PF continuum. We then used simulated data for five groups with different PF levels to illustrate differences in scoring precision between the short forms using different item formats. RESULTS: Sufficient unidimensionality of all short-form items and the original PF item bank was supported. Compared to formats A and B, format C increased the range of reliable measurement by about 0.5 standard deviations on the positive side of the PF continuum of the sample, provided more item information, and was more useful in distinguishing known groups with above-average functioning. CONCLUSIONS: Using an item format with an extended response scale is an efficient option to increase the measurement range of self-reported physical function without changing the content of the measure or affecting the latent construct of the instrument

Loss of adipose triglyceride lipase is associated with human cancer and induces mouse pulmonary neoplasia

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer. Understanding cancer metabolism is instrumental to devise innovative therapeutic approaches. Anabolic metabolism, including the induction of lipogenic enzymes, is a key feature of proliferating cells. Here, we report a novel tumor suppressive function for adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL), the rate limiting enzyme in the triglyceride hydrolysis cascade. In immunohistochemical analysis, non-small cell lung cancers, pancreatic adenocarcinoma as well as leiomyosarcoma showed significantly reduced levels of ATGL protein compared to corresponding normal tissues. The ATGL gene was frequently deleted in various forms of cancers. Low levels of ATGL mRNA correlated with significantly reduced survival in patients with ovarian, breast, gastric and non-small cell lung cancers. Remarkably, pulmonary neoplasia including invasive adenocarcinoma developed spontaneously in mice lacking ATGL pointing to an important role for this lipase in controlling tumor development. Loss of ATGL, as detected in several forms of human cancer, induces spontaneous development of pulmonary neoplasia in a mouse model. Our results, therefore, suggest a novel tumor suppressor function for ATGL and contribute to the understanding of cancer metabolism. We propose to evaluate loss of ATGL protein expression for the diagnosis of malignant tumors. Finally, modulation of the lipolytic pathway may represent a novel therapeutic approach in the treatment of human cancer

CSR and corporate governance in Austria

This article deals with the political discourse on corporate social responsibility in Austria and presents two organisations that represent social partner organisations and NGOs promoting CSR, although they focus on different topics and elements of CSR. Standardisation, transparency and credibility are important aspects in a broad range of CSR initiatives. Codes of corporate governance are cited as an example of the problems faced when introducing voluntary instruments in the CSR context. Although many different organisations are participating in the CSR debate and have launched various initiatives, companies have not implemented holistic CSR measures aiming at sustainable development to a significant degree. </jats:p

ACCESS TO JUSTICE: A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY ON CASES OF DISCRIMINATION IN THE EU

Project managementHuman European Consultancy – Marcel Zwamborn / Kantjil Janssen / Ivette Groenendijk Ludwig Boltzmann Institute of Human Rights (BIM) – Barbara Liegl / Katrin WladaschCentral research team and main authors of this reportAshley Terlouw, Barbara Liegl, Katrin Wladasch and Niall Crowley National research teamsAustria – Barbara Liegl / Katrin WladaschBelgium – Julie Ringelheim / Jogchum VrielinkBulgaria – Margarita Ilieva / Daniela Furtanova / Stoyan NovakovCzech Republic – Pavla Boučková / Miroslav DvořákFinland – Tuomas Ojanen / Milla Aaltonen / Outi LepolaFrance – Daniel Borillo / Vincent-Arnaud ChappeItaly – Mario di Carlo / Marco AlberioUnited Kingdom – Caroline Gooding / Jane AstonInternational audienceThe purpose of the project is to gain insight into the obstacles and incentives for complainants in pursuing their complaints and gaining access to justice through equality bodies or similar entities and thus to assist stakeholders in the field of access to justice in discrimination cases, to enhance the effectiveness and efficiency of their actions. This report aims to:-provide an overview of existing information, research and data regarding the different bodies and organisations tasked with securing access to justice in cases of discrimination in the EU Member States covered in this study;-give an insight into the perspectives and experiences of a particular group of complainants on bringing cases of discrimination and into the perspectives of equality bodies, other similar bodies and intermediary bodies on access to justice in cases of discrimination;-identify issues in relation to access to justice concerned with the procedures used in discrimination cases, the support available to complainants in discrimination cases and aspects of access to justice that go beyond the individual case