Age, Period and Cohort effects in the Decline of Party Identification in Germany

Party identification traditionally is seen as an important linkage mechanism, connecting voters to the party system. Previous analyses have suggested that the level of party identity is in decline in Germany, and in this article, we first expand previous observations with more recent data. These suggest that the erosion of party identity continues up to the present time. An age-period-cohort analysis of the panel data of the SOEP panel suggests that period effects are significantly negative. Furthermore, it can be observed that throughout the 1992-2009 observation period, education level and political interest have become more important determinants of party identity. Contrary to some of the literature, therefore, it can be shown that the loss of party identity is concentrated among groups with lower levels of political sophistication, indicating that the socio-economic profile of the group with a sense of party identification has become more distinct compared to the population as a whole. In the discussion, we investigate the theoretical and democratic consequences of this trend.

Étude de l’orientation cardinale sud dans les sépultures mayas de la Période Classique

Ce mémoire porte sur l’étude de l’orientation des sépultures mayas de la Période Classique (250 - 900/1000 de notre ère). Il s’agit d’une recherche visant à comprendre le choix d’une orientation sud des défunts dans la vallée du Belize et ses environs. L’intérêt porté à cette région vient du fait que l’orientation sud des défunts est un phénomène que l’on retrouve rarement sur le territoire maya, sauf à cet endroit. Alors que la présence de la cardinalité en lien avec la cosmovision maya est attestée dans l’architecture, le plan des sites, la forme et la fonction des divinités, dans l’agriculture, etc., il est plutôt rare qu’elle soit analysée dans les études du traitement funéraire. Ainsi, le but de cette recherche est de saisir l’ampleur de la pratique de l’orientation sud des défunts sur le territoire maya, de comprendre son origine et sa ou ses possible(s) signification(s). Les données des sépultures de la Période Classique de cinq sites de la vallée du Belize (Baking Pot, Barton Ramie, Blackman Eddy, Cahal Pech et Xunantunich), de quatre sites du Plateau Vaca (Minanha, Pacbitun, Mountain Cow et Caracol) et de trois sites situés à l’ouest (Holmul) et au nord (San José et Altun Ha) de ces deux régions sont compilées. Les résultats révèlent que le coeur de cette pratique se trouve dans la vallée du Belize, bien qu’une orientation sud des défunts ait été retrouvée partout. Cette pratique semble apparaitre à la fin de la Période Préclassique et les analyses ne révèlent pas de lien entre l’orientation sud et certaines variables (âge, sexe, position du défunt). Finalement, on arrive à la conclusion qu’il est possible que cette orientation sud des défunts soit en lien avec le passage des défunts dans l’inframonde et que cela forme un choix culturel local en lien avec le statut et l’identité du défunt.

Pelvic-Floor Rehabilitation, Part 2 : Pelvic-Floor Reeducation With Interferential Currents and Exercise in the Treatment of Genuine Stress Incontinence in Postpartum Women : A Cohort Study

Background and Purpose. This descriptive cohort study investigated a physical therapy program of pelvic-floor neuromuscular electrostimulation (NMES) combined with exercises, with the aim of developing a simple, inexpensive, and conservative treatment for postpartum genuine stress incontinence (GSI). Subjects. Eight female subjects with urodynamically established GSI persisting more than 3 months after delivery participated in the study. The subjects ranged in age from 24 to 37 years (X̅=32, SD=4.2). Methods. This was a descriptive multiple-subject cohort study. Each subject received a total of nine treatment sessions during 3 consecutive weeks, consisting of two 15-minute sessions of NMES followed by a 15-minute pelvic-floor muscle exercise program. Patients also practiced daily pelvic-floor exercises during the 3-week treatment period. The treatment intervention was measured using three separate variables. Maximum muscle contractions (pretraining, during training, and posttraining) were measured indirectly as pressure, using perineometry. Urine loss pretraining and posttraining was measured by means of a Pad test. Self-reported frequency of incontinence was recorded daily throughout the period of the study, using a diary. Data were analyzed using a one-way repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA), a Wilcoxon signed-ranks test, and a Friedman two-way ANOVA by ranks. Results. The results indicated that maximum pressure generated by pelvic-floor contractions was greater and both the quantity of urine loss and the frequency of incontinence were lower following the implementation of the physical therapy program. Five subjects became continent, and three others improved. A follow-up survey 1 year later confirmed the consistency of these results. Conclusion and Discussion. The results suggest that the proposed physical therapy program may influence postpartum GSI. Further studies are needed to validate this simple, inexpensive, and conservative physical therapy protocol.