bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Kaistia granuli sp. nov., isolated from anaerobic granules in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor
Authors: Lee Hae-Won , Yu Hong-Shan , Liu Qing-mei , Jung Hae-Min , An Dong-Shan , Im Wan-Taek , Jin Feng-Xie , Lee Sung-Taik
Published: October 2007

A Gram-negative, chemo-organotrophic, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped bacterium (designated strain Ko04T) was isolated from anaerobic granules in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket reactor, and was investigated using a polyphasic taxonomic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain Ko04T belongs to the order Rhizobiales in the Alphaproteobacteria. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain Ko04T was most closely related to Kaistia adipata (97.5 %) and that sequence similarities with other species of Rhizobiales with validly published names were less than 92.5 %. The predominant ubiquinone was Q-10 and the major fatty acids were C18 : 1
ω7c/ω9t/ω12t, C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c and C18 : 0. The G+C content of the genomic DNA of strain Ko04T was 67.8 mol%. The level of DNA–DNA relatedness with K. adipata Chj404T was 15 %. The results of the genotypic analyses in combination with chemotaxonomic and physiological data demonstrated that strain Ko04T represents a novel species within the genus Kaistia, for which the name Kaistia granuli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Ko04T (=KCTC 12575T=LMG 23410T).
Microbacterium sediminicola sp. nov. and Microbacterium marinilacus sp. nov., isolated from marine environments
Authors: Kageyama Akiko , Takahashi Yoko , Matsuo Yoshihide , Kasai Hiroaki , Shizuri Yoshikazu , Ōmura Satoshi
Published: October 2007

Two novelMicrobacteriumspecies are described on the basis of phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic studies. The two strains, designated YM10-847Tand YM11-607T, were isolated from river sediment and unidentified hydroid, respectively, of a marine lake. The strains were Gram-positive, catalase-positive bacteria withl-ornithine as the diagnostic diamino acid of the peptidoglycan. The acyl type of the peptidoglycan wasN-glycolyl. The major menaquinones were MK-10 and MK-11 for YM10-847T, and MK-11 and MK-12 for YM11-607T. Mycolic acids were not detected. The DNA G+C content of strains YM10-847Tand YM11-607Twas 67.8 and 71.6 mol%, respectively. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that the two strains belong to the genusMicrobacterium.DNA–DNA relatedness data showed that YM10-847Tand YM11-607Tare two novel species of this genus. On the basis of these results, strains YM10-847Tand YM11-607Trepresent two novel species of the genusMicrobacterium, for which the namesMicrobacterium sediminicolasp. nov. andMicrobacterium marinilacussp. nov. are proposed. The type strains are YM10-847T(=MBIC08264T=DSM 18905T) and YM11-607T(=MBIC07778T=DSM 18904T), respectively.
Thermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicus sp. nov., a thermophilic heterotrophic anaerobe from Yellowstone National Park
Authors: Onyenwoke Rob U. , Kevbrin Vadim V. , Lysenko Anatolly. M. , Wiegel Juergen
Published: October 2007

Strain 39ET, originally characterized asClostridium thermohydrosulfuricumstrain 39E and later renamed asThermoanaerobacter ethanolicusstrain 39E, shows less than 97 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the type strain of the type species of the genusThermoanaerobacter,T. ethanolicusstrain JW 200T. On the basis of a polyphasic analysis that included DNA–DNA hybridization studies with the subspecies ofThermoanaerobacter brockii, its closest phylogenetic relatives, strain 39ETrepresents a novel species of the genusThermoanaerobacter, for which the nameThermoanaerobacter pseudethanolicussp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 39ET(=DSM 2355T=ATCC 33223T).
Catenulispora rubra sp. nov., an acidophilic actinomycete isolated from forest soil
Authors: Tamura Tomohiko , Ishida Yuumi , Sakane Takeshi , Suzuki Ken-ichiro
Published: October 2007

In the course of screening novel secondary metabolites, an acidophilic actinomycete strain, designated Aac-30T, was isolated from forest soil and subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic characterization study. It grew well on media in which the pH ranged from 4 to 6, but not on medium with pH adjusted to 7. It possessed ll-diaminopimelic acid and glycine in the cell-wall peptidoglycan, MK-9(H6) and MK-9(H8) as major isoprenoid quinones, iso-C16 : 0 and anteiso-C17 : 0 as major cellular fatty acids, and phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylinositol as polar lipids. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 69.1 mol%. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the organism belonged to the family Catenulisporaceae and consistently formed a monophyletic cluster with members of the genus Catenulispora. Physiological, biochemical and chemotaxonomic data revealed that this novel organism could be readily differentiated from recognized members of the genus Catenulispora and that it merits separate species status. Based on the phenotypic and genetic evidence presented, strain Aac-30T is considered to represent a novel species of the genus Catenulispora, for which the name Catenulispora rubra sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Aac-30T (=NBRC 101179T=DSM 44948T).
Modicisalibacter tunisiensis gen. nov., sp. nov., an aerobic, moderately halophilic bacterium isolated from an oilfield-water injection sample, and emended description of the family Halomonadaceae Franzmann et al. 1989 emend Dobson and Franzmann 1996 emend. Ntougias et al. 2007
Authors: Ben Ali Gam Zouhaier , Abdelkafi Slim , Casalot Laurence , Tholozan Jean Luc , Oueslati Ridha , Labat Marc
Published: October 2007

An aerobic, moderately halophilic, Gram-negative, motile, non-sporulating bacterium, strain LIT2T, was isolated from an oilfield-water injection after enrichment on crude oil. Strain LIT2T grew between 15 and 45 °C and optimally at 37 °C. It grew in the presence of 1–25 % (w/v) NaCl, with an optimum at 10 % (w/v) NaCl. Predominant fatty acids were C16 : 0 (26.9 %), C18 : 1
ω7c (22.6 %), C16 : 1
ω7c (20.4 %) C19 : 0 cyclo ω8c (10.9 %) and C17 : 0 (8 %). Interestingly, the relative percentages of these last two fatty acids were intermediate compared with most species among the family Halomonadaceae for which fatty acid composition has been determined. The DNA G+C content was 53.7 mol%, which is very low among the family Halomonadaceae. Strain LIT2T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 94.06–95.15 % to members of the genus Chromohalobacter, 94.21–94.65 % to members of the genus Halomonas and 93.57 % with the single species representative of the genus Cobetia. Based on the phylogenetic and phenotypic evidence presented in this paper, we propose the name Modicisalibacter tunisiensis gen. nov., sp. nov. to accommodate strain LIT2T. The type strain of Modicisalibacter tunisiensis is LIT2T (=CCUG 52917T =CIP 109206T). A reassignment of the descriptive 16S rRNA signature characteristics of the family Halomonadaceae permitted placement of the new genus Modicisalibacter into the family.
Bellilinea caldifistulae gen. nov., sp. nov. and Longilinea arvoryzae gen. nov., sp. nov., strictly anaerobic, filamentous bacteria of the phylum Chloroflexi isolated from methanogenic propionate-degrading consortia
Authors: Yamada Takeshi , Imachi Hiroyuki , Ohashi Akiyoshi , Harada Hideki , Hanada Satoshi , Kamagata Yoichi , Sekiguchi Yuji
Published: October 2007

Thermophilic (strain GOMI-1T) and mesophilic (strain KOME-1T) strains were isolated from two different cultures of propionate-degrading consortia obtained from thermophilic digester sludge and rice paddy soil, respectively. The two strains were non-spore-forming, non-motile and Gram-negative. Both strains were obligately anaerobic micro-organisms, showing multicellular filamentous morphotypes more than 100 μm in length. The cell width for strain GOMI-1Twas 0.2–0.4 μm and that of strain KOME-1Twas 0.4–0.6 μm. Strain GOMI-1Tcould grow at 45–65 °C with a pH range of 6.0–7.5 (optimum growth at 55 °C, pH 7.0). The temperature range for growth of strain KOME-1Twas 30–40 °C and the pH range was pH 5.0–8.5 (optimum growth around 37 °C, pH 7.0). Yeast extract was required for growth of both strains. Strain GOMI-1Twas able to grow with a number of carbohydrates in the presence of yeast extract. In yeast extract-containing medium, strain KOME-1Tcould utilize proteins and a limited range of sugars for growth. The G+C contents of the DNA of strains GOMI-1Tand KOME-1Twere respectively 54.7 and 57.6 mol%. Major fatty acids of strain GOMI-1Twere C16 : 0, C14 : 0and iso-C15 : 0, whereas those of strain KOME-1Twere iso-C15 : 0, anteiso-C15 : 0and C14 : 0. Based on comparative analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences of strains GOMI-1Tand KOME-1T, the strains were placed in different phylogenetic positions in the classAnaerolineaeof the bacterial phylumChloroflexi. Their phenotypic and genetic traits strongly supported the conclusion that the strains should be described as two independent taxa in the classAnaerolineae. Hence, we propose the namesBellilinea caldifistulaegen. nov., sp. nov., andLongilinea arvoryzaegen. nov., sp. nov., for strains GOMI-1Tand KOME-1T. The type strains ofBellilinea caldifistulaeandLongilinea arvoryzaeare respectively GOMI-1T(=JCM 13669T=DSM 17877T) and KOME-1T(=JCM 13670T=KTCC 5380T).
Microbulbifer celer sp. nov., isolated from a marine solar saltern of the Yellow Sea in Korea
Authors: Yoon Jung-Hoon , Jung Seo-Youn , Kang So-Jung , Oh Tae-Kwang
Published: October 2007

A Gram-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped, Microbulbifer-like bacterial strain, ISL-39T, was isolated from a marine solar saltern of the Yellow Sea in Korea and was subjected to a polyphasic taxonomic investigation. Strain ISL-39T grew optimally at pH 7.0–8.0 and 37 °C. It contained Q-8 as the predominant ubiquinone and iso-C15 : 0, C16 : 0 and iso-C17 : 0 as the major fatty acids. The DNA G+C content was 57.7 mol%. A phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strain ISL-39T belonged to the genus Microbulbifer. Strain ISL-39T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 94.7–97.5 % with respect to the type strains of four recognized Microbulbifer species. DNA–DNA relatedness data and the differential phenotypic properties and phylogenetic distinctiveness of ISL-39T make this strain distinguishable from the recognized Microbulbifer species. On the basis of the phenotypic, phylogenetic and genetic data, strain ISL-39T represents a novel species of the genus Microbulbifer, for which the name Microbulbifer celer sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ISL-39T (=KCTC 12973T=CCUG 54356T).
Halorubrum litoreum sp. nov., an extremely halophilic archaeon from a solar saltern
Authors: Cui Heng-Lin , Lin Ze-Ying , Dong Ying , Zhou Pei-Jin , Liu Shuang-Jiang
Published: October 2007

An extremely halophilic archaeon, strain Fa-1T, was isolated from a marine solar saltern in Fujian, China. Strain Fa-1T required Mg2+ and at least 2.0 M NaCl for growth. It was able to grow at pH 6.5–9.0 (optimally at pH 7.0–7.5) and at 20–55 °C (optimally at 37–42 °C). The major polar lipids of strain Fa-1T were phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol phosphate methyl ester, phosphatidylglycerol sulfate and a sulfated diglycosyl diether. On the basis of a 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, strain Fa-1T was closely related to nine species of the genus Halorubrum, showing sequence similarities of 97.4–98.4 %. The G+C content of the DNA of strain Fa-1T is 64.9 mol% (T
m). DNA–DNA hybridization values between strain Fa-1T and the most closely related members of the genus Halorubrum were below 51 %. On the basis of the data from this study, strain Fa-1T represents a novel species of the genus Halorubrum, for which the name Halorubrum litoreum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is Fa-1T (=CGMCC 1.5336T =JCM 13561T).
Recommended minimal standards for describing new taxa of the family Halomonadaceae
Authors: Arahal David R. , Vreeland Russell H. , Litchfield Carol D. , Mormile Melanie R. , Tindall Brian J. , Oren Aharon , Bejar Victoria , Quesada Emilia , Ventosa Antonio
Published: October 2007

Following Recommendation 30b of theBacteriological Code(1990 Revision), a proposal of minimal standards for describing new taxa within the familyHalomonadaceaeis presented. An effort has been made to evaluate as many different approaches as possible, not only the most conventional ones, to ensure that a rich polyphasic characterization is given. Comments are given on the advantages of each particular technique. The minimal standards are considered as guidelines for authors to prepare descriptions of novel taxa. The proposals presented here have been endorsed by the International Committee on Systematics of Prokaryotes Subcommittee on the Taxonomy ofHalomonadaceae.
A role for AGL ubiquitination in the glycogen storage disorders of Lafora and Cori’s disease
Authors: Cheng Alan , Zhang Mei , Gentry Matthew S. , Worby Carolyn A. , Dixon Jack E. , Saltiel Alan R.
Published: October 2007

Cori’s disease is a glycogen storage disorder characterized by a deficiency in the glycogen debranching enzyme, amylo-1,6-glucosidase,4-α-glucanotransferase (AGL). Here, we demonstrate that the G1448R genetic variant of AGL is unable to bind to glycogen and displays decreased stability that is rescued by proteasomal inhibition. AGL G1448R is more highly ubiquitinated than its wild-type counterpart and forms aggresomes upon proteasome impairment. Furthermore, the E3 ubiquitin ligase Malin interacts with and promotes the ubiquitination of AGL. Malin is known to be mutated in Lafora disease, an autosomal recessive disorder clinically characterized by the accumulation of polyglucosan bodies resembling poorly branched glycogen. Transfection studies in HepG2 cells demonstrate that AGL is cytoplasmic whereas Malin is predominately nuclear. However, after depletion of glycogen stores for 4 h, ∼90% of transfected cells exhibit partial nuclear staining for AGL. Furthermore, stimulation of cells with agents that elevate cAMP increases Malin levels and Malin/AGL complex formation. Refeeding mice for 2 h after an overnight fast causes a reduction in hepatic AGL levels by 48%. Taken together, these results indicate that binding to glycogen crucially regulates the stability of AGL and, further, that its ubiquitination may play an important role in the pathophysiology of both Lafora and Cori’s disease.
Cro’s role in the CI–Cro bistable switch is critical for λ’s transition from lysogeny to lytic development
Authors: Schubert Rachel A. , Dodd Ian B. , Egan J. Barry , Shearwin Keith E.
Published: October 2007

CI represses cro; Cro represses cI. This double negative feedback loop is the core of the classical CI–Cro epigenetic switch of bacteriophage λ. Despite the classical status of this switch, the role in λ development of Cro repression of the PRM promoter for CI has remained unclear. To address this, we created binding site mutations that strongly impaired Cro repression of PRM with only minimal effects on CI regulation of PRM. These mutations had little impact on λ development after infection but strongly inhibited the transition from lysogeny to the lytic pathway. We demonstrate that following inactivation of CI by ultraviolet treatment of lysogens, repression of PRM by Cro is needed to prevent synthesis of new CI that would otherwise significantly impede lytic development. Thus a bistable CI–Cro circuit reinforces the commitment to a developmental transition.
Activation of the UNC5B receptor by Netrin-1 inhibits sprouting angiogenesis
Authors: Larrivée Bruno , Freitas Catarina , Trombe Marc , Lv Xiang , DeLafarge Benjamin , Yuan Li , Bouvrée Karine , Bréant Christiane , Del Toro Raquel , Bréchot Nicolas , Germain Stéphane , Bono Françoise , Dol Frédérique , Claes Filip , Fischer Christian , Autiero Monica , Thomas Jean-Léon , Carmeliet Peter , Tessier-Lavigne Marc , Eichmann Anne
Published: October 2007

Netrins are secreted molecules with roles in axonal growth and angiogenesis. The Netrin receptor UNC5B is required during embryonic development for vascular patterning, suggesting that it may also contribute to postnatal and pathological angiogenesis. Here we show that unc5b is down-regulated in quiescent adult vasculature, but re-expressed during sprouting angiogenesis in matrigel and tumor implants. Stimulation of UNC5B-expressing neovessels with an agonist (Netrin-1) inhibits sprouting angiogenesis. Genetic loss of function of unc5b reduces Netrin-1-mediated angiogenesis inhibition. Expression of UNC5B full-length receptor also triggers endothelial cell repulsion in response to Netrin-1 in vitro, whereas a truncated UNC5B lacking the intracellular signaling domain fails to induce repulsion. These data show that UNC5B activation inhibits sprouting angiogenesis, thus identifying UNC5B as a potential anti-angiogenic target.
SHARCGS, a fast and highly accurate short-read assembly algorithm for de novo genomic sequencing
Authors: Dohm Juliane C. , Lottaz Claudio , Borodina Tatiana , Himmelbauer Heinz
Published: October 2007

The latest revolution in the DNA sequencing field has been brought about by the development of automated sequencers that are capable of generating giga base pair data sets quickly and at low cost. Applications of such technologies seem to be limited to resequencing and transcript discovery, due to the shortness of the generated reads. In order to extend the fields of application to de novo sequencing, we developed the SHARCGS algorithm to assemble short-read (25–40-mer) data with high accuracy and speed. The efficiency of SHARCGS was tested on BAC inserts from three eukaryotic species, on two yeast chromosomes, and on two bacterial genomes (Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli). We show that 30-mer-based BAC assemblies have N50 sizes >20 kbp for Drosophila and Arabidopsis and >4 kbp for human in simulations taking missing reads and wrong base calls into account. We assembled 949,974 contigs with length >50 bp, and only one single contig could not be aligned error-free against the reference sequences. We generated 36-mer reads for the genome of Helicobacter acinonychis on the Illumina 1G sequencing instrument and assembled 937 contigs covering 98% of the genome with an N50 size of 3.7 kbp. With the exception of five contigs that differ in 1–4 positions relative to the reference sequence, all contigs matched the genome error-free. Thus, SHARCGS is a suitable tool for fully exploiting novel sequencing technologies by assembling sequence contigs de novo with high confidence and by outperforming existing assembly algorithms in terms of speed and accuracy.
Imaging FM Dyes in Brain Slices
Authors: Kay Alan R.
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

This protocol describes a method for monitoring the activity-dependent loading and unloading of synaptic vesicles with a fluorescent probe in intact or semi-intact neuronal systems. It is a fairly general method that could be applied to a number of biological preparations other than nervous systems. So far, the method has been applied to Caenorhabditis elegans, Xenopus tadpoles, lamprey spinal cord, fly brain, rat brain, and mouse brain. The method relies on the chemical properties of styryl pyridinium probes, such as FM1-43, that are somewhat water-soluble but preferentially partition into lipid environments. The probe is taken up by endocytosis and only fluoresces once in the membrane. Stimulation of exocytosis releases the probe into the extracellular space, with a consequent decline in fluorescence, allowing the time course of release to be followed. In intact systems such as brain or brain slices, FM1-43 adsorbs to the extracellular surface of the plasma membrane and is resistant to removal by washing. This gives rise to an intense fluorescence signal associated with the extracellular membrane, which obscures the weaker signal associated with vesicular uptake. FM1-43 and its congeners can be removed by using a modified cyclodextrin (Advasep-7) that in effect serves as a soluble high-affinity scavenger for the probe, allowing it to be washed out of the preparation. Cyclodextrins are water-soluble, doughnut-shaped molecules with hydrophobic holes of the right size to accommodate FM1-43, forming what is called an “inclusion” complex.
Political Budgeting: A Framework for an Institutional Analysis of Swedish National Accounts
Authors: Lane Jan‐Erik , Lofgren Curt
Published: October 2007

Budget making within the public sector may be approached by means of a systems analysis. The processes and results of budget making may be identified as a system, consisting of variables and relationships. The system of political budgeting is a conceptual framework for a quantitative analysis of basic budget facts concerning inputs, processes and outputs. The article outlines the framework and applies it to the public sector in Sweden on the basis of data derived from Swedish national accounts.
Reduction of Party Conflict through Corporate Participation in Danish Law‐Making*
Authors: Damgaard Erik , Eliassen Kjell A.
Published: October 2007

The paper focuses on the link between the two ‘channels of political influence that exist in most liberal democracies: the electoral‐parliamentary channel with political parties as the crucial structures intermediating between citizens and decision‐makers, and the organizational‐corporate channel with interest groups as intermediating structures. Although the two avenues open to citizens’ demands may often function as alternatives, they are not independent of each other. Thus, the involvement of organizational and institutional interests affects the level of partisan conflict in the law‐making process. The main assumption is that if bills are drafted by the active participation of external actors, they are likely to be passed at a relatively low level of conflict in parliament. A number of specific hypotheses based on this assumption are tested on data pertaining to Government bills passed by the Danish parliament 1972–74. The hypotheses relate to different types of bill preparation, subsequent outside contacts to parliamentary committees indicating societal disagreement on bills, and different areas of public policy. While the evidence gives strong support to the hypotheses it also indicates limits to the influence of external actors. This suggests an important difference between the two channels: like the corporate channel the parliamentary channel is one of influence, but unlike the corporate channel, it is also one of national responsibility.
Assessing the Impact of Politics: A Typology and Beyond
Authors: Anckar Dag , Ståhlberg Krister
Published: October 2007

The notion that political structures and processes are important policy determinants has been questioned in a set of studies investigating relations between socio‐economic factors, politics, and policy. However, conclusions concerning the position of politics are often restricted to statements dealing with the relative significance of socio‐economic variables as compared to political variables, whereas attempts at further characterizing the relations have been sparse. The aim of the articlé is to characterize the relation between politics and policy by evaluating the explanatory functions of politics when controlling for socio‐economic conditions. To this end a typology of functions is developed, discriminating principally between determining, intervening, and transforming functions. Some specific ways of utilizing this apparatus are suggested as three areas of application, corresponding to three analytical levels, namely description, explanation, and interpretation, are briefly discussed.
Belief Publics or Elites?
Authors: Veerman Theo J.
Published: October 2007

At first sight, Danish survey data seem to support Philip Converse's theory on (the absence of) coherent belief systems in mass publics. An alternative model is presented, however, accounting for the same data; the existence, within a larger population, of “belief publics’ holding differently structured belief systems, may distort measurement of belief coherence. The data support this model; different belief structures do exist. Finally, there is no sign of ‘elites' with more coherent belief systems within the sample, although such elites should exist according to Converse's theory. Therefore, the model of ‘belief publics' is regarded as the more plausible explanation for the apparent absence of patterned beliefs. The article is primarily concerned with methodological aspects of belief systems analysis, and warns against taking national correlations of opinions at face value; especially the possible existence of ‘split correlations' may seriously distort measurement of, and theorizing on, belief systems.
Principles of Autonomy*
Authors: Lane Jan‐Erik
Published: October 2007

Autonomy has two faces, individual autonomy and institutional autonomy. Political systems not only deal with demands for individual freedom, the traditional rights of citizens to freedom of opinion, association and contract. Institutional autonomy is a pervasive property of all kinds of political systems. To international political systems just as to local and regional political systems, autonomy is a basic property. Both types of systems face the difficult task of maintaining stable relations with the nation state, securing an amount of control for the nation state while retaining some autonomy for themselves. The demand of various regions for independence or semiindependence within nation states has been a dominant theme in the politics of the sixties and the seventies. The autonomy of the nation state is its sovereignty. International political systems present a threat to the autonomy of the nation state, while at the same time they may provide mechanisms by means of which other sources of infringements on autonomy may be counteracted. Autonomy is a fundamental political property. A theoretical understanding of autonomy is conducive to the explanation of those aspects of political systems that are related to stability. Such an interpretation may place autonomy in an equilibrium analysis of how demand and supply of autonomy interacts with other basic political properties like influence and control.
Electoral Politics and The Corporate System: The Question of Support*
Authors: Nielsen Hans Jørgen
Published: October 2007

Much analysis has pointed to the impact of interest organisations on policy‐making. This paper focuses on the importance of interest organisations at the mass level. The sympathies of citizens for parties and interest organisations are compared, and it is shown (a) that organisations more often than parties are ‘neutral objects’; for the citizens and (b) that most citizens — even members of the organisations — rate parties higher than they do interest organisations. Finally, it is shown that organisational membership only has a small impact on political views in a policy field (labour market relations), which should be highly relevant for the organisations. In sum, interest organisations have hardly at the mass level replaced parties as main objects of affection and orientation.
On Riker's Theory of Political Succession
Authors: Nurmi Hannu
Published: October 2007

Riker's view of the dynamical forces of political systems singles out disequilibrium, strategic voting and agenda‐manipulation as the pervasive features determining the nature of political change. We shall investigate these characteristics in some detail and thereafter evaluate the methodological aspects of Riker's theory. Some observations on the general relevance of the equilibrium analysis of multi‐dimensional spatial voting models for the study of political institutions are also made.
The Local Party Organization and Its Members: Between Randomness and Rationality*
Authors: Selle Per , Svåsand Lars
Published: October 2007

In this article we shall argue the importance of approaching the relationship between party organizations and party members by analyzing the interaction between characteristics of the national party system, the party organization as a more or less open or closed system, and the resources of individuals particularly conducive to party membership. We shall mainly discuss the organizational level, taking as a starting point different models from organizational theory: the rational behaviour model, the survival model, the bureaucratic model, and the symbolic action model. We apply these models in our search for how political parties seek to mobilize members. Examples illustrating the relevance of the different models are a warning to those who wish to develop a general theory of party organization.
Loyalty Oaths in Finland
Authors: Wiberg Matti
Published: October 2007

Loyalty oaths are a certain type of promise. What is their moral force? Do I by taking an oath thereby bind myself with some (new) moral ties to, say, the State of Finland? When can we speak of an oath as morally binding? These questions constitute the core of the paper. First, I shall give an analysis of promises and promising in general. Secondly, I shall try to analyse the question ‘Do we have to keep our promises?’ After this I shall consider some differences between standard case promises and loyalty oaths. After this the connection of loyalty oaths to civil liberty will be brought out. Thereafter I shall give a brief presentation of the politically most relevant loyalty oaths in Finland and ask if they can be considered as having any moral force. The paper ends with a few hints on the practical consequences of this analysis.
Coping with Budget Deficits in Sweden
Authors: Premfors Rune
Published: October 2007

During the late 1970s and early 1980s Sweden's budget deficits grew more rapidly than in probably any other country of Western Europe. Government policy responses developed in three phases. In the late 1970s there was very little action taken to cope with run‐away deficits. From 1980 to 1982 a strategy was formulated and partly implemented which heavily emphasized austerity measures through expenditure cuts. From late 1982 a ‘mixed’ strategy has been pursued which combines less drastic cuts with selected revenue increases. The virtual lack of response in the late 1970s and the turn‐about in 1980 may be explained by reference to four major categories of factors: the severity and longevity of the economic crisis itself and the prevailing interpretations of its root causes; the dynamics of public sector growth and the understanding of the processes involved; the ideological and policy predispositions prevalent among policy‐makers, economists, major interest groups and the public at large; and, finally, a set of ‘organizational’ factors mainly associated with the parliamentary situation in Sweden.
The Relationship between Democratic Values and Norms in the Danish Electorate*
Authors: Pedersen Johannes T.
Published: October 2007

In this study we replicate American studies of discrepancy at the aggregate level between popular agreement about abstract democratic principles and the lack of their application to particular political contexts. We explain this discrepancy by adopting a research design which allows us to assess the functional relationships between respondents' evaluation of democratic norms and the major expressions contained in these norms, including the engaged democratic values.

Multivariate statistical analyses showed a systematic tendency for the democratic value component to have the greatest weight and the group evaluation component the least weight in Danes' formation of democratic norms. This stress pattern was replicated across a series of subgroups of Danes varying in level of political interest, amount of formal education, and extent of subjective social competence.
Political Institutions, Public Policy and Economic Growth
Authors: Lane Jan‐Erik , Ersson Svante
Published: October 2007

The argument of the Rise and Decline of Nulions (RADON) opens up a new area of important social science research: to understand the social and political setting of economic growth. The paper tests the argument that institutionalization leads fo the decline of nafions slowing down the rate of economic growth. Employing several indicators on economic growth and controlling for a number of factors the finding with regard to the OECD‐nations is that the Olson emphasis on institutionalization is confirmed.
The End of Ideology Debate Revisited: An Appraisal of Definitional and Theoretical Issues*
Authors: Sainsbury Diane
Published: October 2007

This article deals with the definitional legacy of the end of ideology debate and the problem of defuning ideology. The definitional legacy of the debate is described in terms of assumptions about the characteristics and functions of ideology, and several problematic features are identified. A major argument is that certain theoretical difficulties characterizing the debate were the result of viewing various attributes as definitional properties of ideology rather than hypothetical variables. In an effort to overcome the problematic features of the definitional legacy of the debate, the article recommends the construction of a minimal definition of ideology which converts characteristics and Functions often viewed as a priori elements of ideology into an extensive battery of hypothetical variables.
Comparing Implementation Processes in Sweden and the United States
Authors: Elmore Richard , Gustafsson Gunnel , Hargrove Erwin
Published: October 2007

This article attempts a systematic comparison of how policy is implemented in Sweden and the United States. We suggest that differences might be explained by examining policymaking processes, policy content, and governmental structure. The comparison reveals differences in ‘incentive structure’. Both Sweden and the U.S. have responded to the complexity and uncertainty that accompanies increased demands on central government by adopting ‘softer’ mechanisms for implementation. The effect of these shifts in both systems is to devolve important decisions to lower levels of government. In Sweden, this devolution is still accompanied by strong incentives for national policymakers to undertake implementation, although the incentives may not be as strong as they were in the past. In the U.S., it is accompanied by a radical weakening of incentives to carry out implementation and increasing instability in policy content and relations among key actors.
Political Cleavages and Political Realignment in Norway: The New Politics Thesis Reexamined
Authors: Knutsen Oddbjøm
Published: October 2007

The question of political realignment and dealignment in advanced industrial democracies has been the subject of considerable comparative analysis. The present study takes the literature regarding the ‘new politics’ thesis as the point of departure and examines the relative importance of different political cleavages. The traditional socio‐structural cleavages in the Rokkan/Lipset model for political polarization in industrial society are contrasted with an extended ideological cleavage model which includes five different dimensions. Using data from a nationwide Norwegian survey, the findings indicate that although there is a clear tendency towards a generation‐based structural de‐alignment process in accordance with ‘new politics’ literature. the thesis that the materialist/post‐materialist dimension has taken over as the dominant polarization pattern in Norway is not generally confirmed. The ‘old left‐right’ ideological cleavages ‐ which we have called Leftist/Rightist Materialism ‐ appears to be of greater importance. even in the post‐war generations.
Politics and Economic Growth
Authors: Lane Jan‐Erik , Ersson Svante
Published: October 2007

Traditional growth theory viewed economic growth as a resultant of economic factors, in particular capital investment. Development economics implied a broader approach, emphasizing social structure change and human capital. Finally, it was also hinted that political factors could influence the rate of change in the development of the economic system. Testing various theories of economic growth we find that institutional sclerosis is the basic political factor that is related to the process of economic growth. The next step is to analyse how political structures and public policy have an impact on the basic factor in economic growth, viz. investments.
Exploring the Basis of Declining Party Membership in Denmark: A Scandinavian Comparison*
Authors: Sundberg Jan
Published: October 2007

Short‐term changes in party membership figures have hypothetically been attributed to a connection between electoral success and membership effort. In the long‐term, however, mass party organizations may be doomed to oudive themselves, since elections can be won by utilizing modern mass media techniques. Both assertions could more easily be falsified than confirmed in my study of Scandinavian party membership. After World War II. party membership in Scandinavia has steadily been increasing, except in Denmark where membership has continuously shrunk. Findings show that most rank‐and‐file party members are superfluous in electoral campaigns. But Die main function of party members is no longer campaigning. Instead, they are holding seats in a multitude of municipal councils, boards, and committees. This change is made possible mainly by two factors public party subsidies and the politicization of municipal elections. The causal link between these two factors is, however, not mechanical. Instead it depends on how many public subsidies are offered, the platforms of parties, and the number of seats needed in running the municipalities. In Denmark, public subsidies are unheard of and expensive public elections are held at least annually. Also, the number of supplied seats are few. Thus, if costs are high and rewards are few, then a membership decline is probable.
How to Succeed in Reorganizing: The Case of the Norwegian Health Administration*
Authors: Christensen Tom
Published: October 2007

There has been a growing concern about administrative reform in many countries during the last 10–20 years. The central administrative apparatus has been restructured, partly as an instrument to fulfill collective, political goals. This study of the reorganization of the central health administration in N orway shows that political and administrative leaders increase their control through a planned reorganization. But such a comprehensive reform also creates problems in adjusting to new administrative roles.
Macroeconomic Policy and Government Popularity in Norway 1963–1986*
Authors: Sørensen Rune Jørgen
Published: October 2007

Following the mainstream modelling of ‘politico‐economic interaction’, the author reviews the major analyses of the Scandinavian countries. Noting that empirical findings diverge, both for the reaction function and the popularity function, the article estimates these relations on Norwegian data. For the popularity function, the analysis suggests that rates of inflation have a weak, but statistically significant impact on the popularity of governments. For the recent non‐socialist governments, the analysis suggests greater impact of unemployment and real wage growth as well. The results for the reaction function support the mainstream notion that declining rates of inflation and increasing unemployment tend to cause more expansionary government policies. The estimated equations do not support the proposition that the election cycle or governments position on the opinion polls influences economic decision‐making. Finally, the findings are discussed in the light of traditional normative positions
Democracy and Capitalism: Collective Action Theory and Structural Analysis
Authors: Hadenius Axel
Published: October 2007

The problem which I address in this paper consists in the connection between democracy and capitalism. I begin by specifying a model of actor theory which indicates a number of methods of achieving co‐operation between actors I then review different structural theories of democracy which link up with these methods. Against this background I then seek to clarify—and to some extent evaluate—the arguments which different researchers have adduced in support of the thesis that capitalism is a prerequisite for democracy.
The 1988 Presidential Election in Finland
Authors: Paastela Jukka
Published: October 2007

The article aims to describe and analyse the 1988 presidential election in Finland. The parties and candidates in the election are presented and the electoral system is discussed. For the first time a double‐vote system was used in which there are two ballots, one for the direct election of the president and one for the elector of the president. If a candidate wins more than 50 percent of the vote, then that candidate is elected. If, however, no candidate receives 50 percent or more of the vote, then the electoral college elects the president. Although it was fairly certain that the incumbent president Mauno Koivisto would be re‐elected, the campaign was a heated one, with the electorate very politically engaged. It is concluded that despite the fact regional differences between north and south Finland were aggravated—the candidate for the opposition, Paavo Väyrynen, received considerable support especially in northern Finland‐the presidential election showed that the Finnish political system functions relatively smoothly and that its overall effect is highly legitimizing.
The 1987 Norwegian Local Elections: A Protest Election with a Swing to the Right
Authors: Bjørklund Tor
Published: October 2007

In one way. Norway's local elections would seem to he a deviant case a protest election with a landslide victory to a recently established neo‐liberalistic party, greater volatility among the voters, and an unusually low turnout. However, the election survey and other electoral statistics reveal a continuation and reinforcement of social and regional trends in voting patterns, trends which have emerged during recent elections.
The General Election in Denmark 1988
Authors: Sauerberg Steen
Published: October 2007

Foiketing (Parliament) slates that for the last 30 years it has been Danish policy not to accept nuclear arms on Danish territory (including ports). The government is urged to inform visiting naval ships of this.

Hereatter the Ting (Parliament) proceeds to the next item on the agenda.

Proposal fur motivated agenda set forward by The Social Democrats on April 14 1988
Nine Questions to a Neo‐institutional Theory in Political Science*
Authors: Pedersen Ove K.
Published: October 2007

The purpose of this article is to point to a number of methodological and theoretical problems connected with a theory of institutional change. Nine philosophical‐methodological questions are asked dealing with a wide range of problems rarely raised in neo‐institutional political theory. The questions concern the concept of the state, of institutions, and of language and discourse, and deal with the dialectic between individuals and institutions, choice and rationality, formal organizations and institutions as well as prescriptive versus normative analysis. A critical theory of meaning is sought in order to develop neo‐institutionalism from a research program into an actual set of descriptive and interpretative theories.
Unemployment and Party Choice in Norway
Authors: Bjørklund Tor
Published: October 2007

By the late 1980s, the absolute number of jobless in Norway had reached the same level as that during the Great Depression of the 1930s. Unemployment in the 1930s is known to have had an impact on party choice. Among those hit by unemployment in the 1980s, however, we no longer find a strong correlation between unemployment and party choice. This situation constitutes the point of departure for this article. The relationship between joblessness and party choice is investigated on the basis of four hypotheses: (i) The incumbency thesis, which suggests that the incumbent party receives support in accordance with fluctuations in economic conditions ‐ i. e. it is punished in bad times and rewarded in prosperous times, (ii) The policy thesis, which predicts that voters concerned about unemployment prefer the Labour Party, (iii) The social composition thesis, which argues that the fluctuations between unemployment and party choice are simply due to changes in the social composition of the unemployed, (iv) The generation thesis, which underscores that the impact of unemployment on party choice varies according to historical generation. Confronted with empirical evidence, the social composition thesis is rejected. Likewise, support for the policy thesis has gradually vanished. Some empirical support is given to the incumbency thesis. In the end, however, the generation thesis appears to be the most relevant.
Bringing Social Norms Back In
Authors: Karlson Nils
Published: October 2007

This article gives a rationalistic, individualistic explanation of social norms. Two different explanatory models for aggregate social phenomena are presented. It is argued that the emergence of such norms can be given a kind of socio‐cultural evolutionary explanation, with boundedly rational actors, in social interaction situations having the characteristics of community. Their maintenance in larger settings, however, require that they are internalized into behavioral habits. These results, it is argued, are relevant for several fields of political science.
Paradigm, School, or Sect? Some Reflections on the Status of Rational Choice Theory in Contemporary Scandinavian Political Science
Authors: Nannestad Peter
Published: October 2007

There is a marked difference between American and Scandinavian political science when it comes to the position of rational choice theory within the discipline. In the US it is said to have become “probably the hottest thing going in political science today”, whereas in Scandinavia it seems at present to linger on the borderline between a school and a sect. As part of a possible explanation for this difference, this article points, on the one hand, to some differences between the status of American and Scandinavian political science and on the other hand to some differences between dominant intellectual traditions. The intellectual differences may in turn be linked to differences between American and Scandinavian politics. Thus, in some respects rational choice theory appears to be more congenial to the American than to a Scandinavian political setting. The article concludes with a short discussion of how ongoing changes in Scandinavian and, more generally, European politics might affect the scientific status of rational choice theory in the future.
“New Managerialism” in Swedish Local Government
Authors: Wise Charles R. , Amnå Erik
Published: October 2007

This article examines initiatives for organizational reform in Swedish local government. The analysis investigates these initiatives in the context of reform efforts found in many modern democracies, with particular reference to the development of “new managerialism”. An empirical analysis of local government reform decisions is presented in order to determine the principal objectives and direction of reform initiatives. The analysis reveals that management objectives are emphasized most, followed by economic objectives and then public interest objectives. The implications of these findings for future developments in Swedish local government are discussed.
Comparing the Australian and Scandinavian Welfare States
Authors: Castles Francis G.
Published: October 2007

This paper Compares and Contrasts the Australian and Scandinavian welfare states with a view to demonstrating that, whilst the extent of welfare expenditures and the instruments of social policy vary quite markedly in these countria, policy outcomes in terms of levels of inequality and poverty and social protection are much more similar. In the course of this comparison. the paper casts serious doubts on the usefulness of both the prevailing paradigms for evaluating welfare state performance: measures of expenditure effort and measures of welfare decommodification. Instead. it is argued that welfare state performance can only be properly assessed, as Richard Titmuss pointed out many years ago, by evaluating the impact of fiscal and occupational welfare in addition to the extent and character of the explicit expenditures of the state. When we broaden our conception of social policy in this way. Australia appears much less of a welfare state laggard than it is often taken to be and the oft mooted Scandinavian claim to welfare superiority is. perhaps. rather less compelling than is sometimes argued.