bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Did population collapse influence individual fecundity of Northwest Atlantic cod?
Authors: Stares J. C. , Rideout R. M. , Morgan M. J. , Brattey J.
Published: October 2007

Stares, J. C., Rideout, R. M., Morgan, M. J., and Brattey, J. 2007. Did population collapse influence individual fecundity of Northwest Atlantic cod? – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 64:1338 –1347. We examined the influence of population collapse on individual potential fecundity and total population egg production (TEP) of three northwest Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) populations: northern cod (Divisions 2J3KL), southern Grand Bank cod (NAFO Divisions 3NO), and southern Newfoundland cod (Subdivision 3Ps). Fecundity at length increased in conjunction with population collapse for two (3NO, 3Ps) of the three populations. Subsequent moderate population recovery between the 1990s and 2000s in 3Ps was accompanied by a decrease in fecundity at length. A large decrease in fecundity at length for 3NO during the same time period, despite little or no population recovery, coupled with the fact that there was no obvious difference in fish condition between the two time periods, suggested that density-independent factors could be contributing to the changes in fecundity. Use of pre-collapse fecundity–length relationships to estimate TEP in the post-collapse period resulted in underestimation of TEP by as much as 30% in 3NO and 46% in 3Ps, whereas in 2J3KL, TEP was overestimated by as much as 18%. Although the results do not fully support the hypothesis of an inverse relationship between population size and fecundity, they do demonstrate the variable nature of cod fecundity which, if not accounted for, can lead to erroneous perceptions of stock reproductive potential.
Surface Abrasion of Hulled and Hulless Barley: Physical Characterization of the Milled Fractions
Authors: Flores Rolando A. , Hicks Kevin B. , Wilson Jhanel
Published: October 2007

Abrasion techniques were used to remove the hull and pericarp layers of barley kernels to obtain a smaller kernel enriched in endosperm. The objective of this study was to evaluate the fractions produced by two alternative abrading systems on four barley cultivars for potential use in fuel ethanol processes that feature an upstream (of the fermentation) dry fractionation system. Four barley cultivars, two hulled (Thoroughbred and Nomini) and two hulless (Doyce and Merlin), were scarified and whitened at 22 scarification times and three milling degrees (settings 2, 4, and 6), respectively. Three different abrasive surfaces (36, 40, and 50 grit) were used in the scarifier to determine the material removal ratio for each barley cultivar. Material balances and color analyses were conducted for all of the fractions produced. Three fractions were produced with the whitener at each milling degree: broken kernels, fine fractions >323 μm, and fine fractions <323 μm. Setting #2 seems to be the milling level that releases most of the hull in the hulled barley with the whitener. After 50 sec of scarification, rougher surfaces produced more fine material (<1,410 μm diameter) and consequently less coarse material (>1,410 μm diameter). A lower grit (36 grit) abrasive surface induced faster hull removal in hulled barley. Color parameters L* and b* were good indicators of the fine and coarse fractions produced by abrasive methods because they indicate the kernel layer removed and were modeled as a function of the fraction of the material produced. The information obtained in this study has application in designing processes capable of removing and recovering hull and pericarp layers of barley kernels and thereby producing smaller kernels or kernel pieces containing mainly endosperm tissue.
Protein Digestibility of Selected Legumes Treated with Ultrasound and High Hydrostatic Pressure During Soaking
Authors: Han In Hwa , Swanson Barry G. , Baik Byung‐Kee
Published: October 2007

In vitro protein digestibility (IVPD) of lentils, chickpeas, peas, and soybeans treated with ultrasound or high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) during soaking and then heated for 30 min at 98°C was determined using the three‐enzyme method (trypsin, chymotrypsin, and peptidase). The IVPD of raw legumes ranged from 72% for soybeans to 83% for dry green peas. The increase in the IVPD after soaking was observed in lentils but not in other legumes. Heating increased the IVPD of the tested legumes by 2–13%. While the effects of applying ultrasound or HHP on IVPD of legumes were mostly inconsistent or insignificant, soaking under HHP for 1 hr and subsequent heating at 98°C for 30 min increased IVPD of legumes. Compared with raw legumes, the soluble protein concentrates exhibited 2–4% higher IVPD, while insoluble proteins exhibited 0.2–1.5% lower IVPD. SDS‐PAGE of legume proteins before enzyme digestion exhibited 8–18 protein bands from 20 kDa to 100 kDa representing isolated soluble proteins and from 20 kDa to 100 kDa representing insoluble proteins. After enzyme digestion, soluble proteins exhibited 2–6 minor protein bands with molecular weights <30 kDa, while insoluble proteins of lentils, chickpeas, and peas exhibited one major protein band at ≈52 kDa and two or three minor protein bands with molecular weights <30 kDa. The major insoluble proteins observed as electrophoresis bands after enzyme digestion may be responsible for the reduced protein digestibility of legume proteins.
Physicochemical Properties of Rice Starch Modified by Hydrothermal Treatments
Authors: Shih F. , King J. , Daigle K. , An H.‐J. , Ali R.
Published: October 2007

Rice starches of long grain and waxy cultivars were annealed (ANN) in excess water at 50°C for 4 hr. They were also modified under heat‐moisture treatment (HMT) conditions at 110°C with various moisture contents (20, 30, and 40%) for 8 hr. The modified products were analyzed by rapid‐viscosity analysis (RVA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). Generally, these hydrothermal treatments altered the pasting and gelling properties of rice starch, resulting in lower viscosity peak heights, lower setbacks, and greater swelling consistency. The modified starch showed increased gelatinization temperatures and narrower gelatinization temperature ranges on ANN or broader ones on HMT. The effects were more pronounced for HMT than for ANN. Also, the typical A‐type XRD pattern for rice starch remained unchanged after ANN or HMT at low moisture contents, and the amorphous content increased after HMT at 40% moisture content.
Telomerase repeat addition processivity is increased at critically short telomeres in a Tel1-dependent manner in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Chang Michael , Arneric Milica , Lingner Joachim
Published: October 2007

Telomerase is the ribonucleoprotein enzyme that elongates telomeres to counteract telomere shortening. The core enzyme consists of a reverse transcriptase protein subunit and an RNA subunit. The RNA subunit contains a short region that is used as a template by the reverse transcriptase to add short, tandem, G-rich repeats to the 3′ ends of telomeres. By coexpressing two RNA subunits that differ in the telomeric repeat sequence specified and examining the telomere extensions after one cell cycle, we determined that Saccharomyces cerevisiae telomerase can dissociate and reassociate from a given telomere during one cell cycle. We also confirmed that telomerase is nonprocessive in terms of telomeric repeat addition. However, repeat addition processivity is significantly increased at extremely short telomeres, a process that is dependent on the ATM-ortholog Tel1. We propose that this enhancement of telomerase processivity at short telomeres serves to rapidly elongate critically short telomeres.
The nature of telomere fusion and a definition of the critical telomere length in human cells
Authors: Capper Rebecca , Britt-Compton Bethan , Tankimanova Maira , Rowson Jan , Letsolo Boitelo , Man Stephen , Haughton Michele , Baird Duncan M.
Published: October 2007

The loss of telomere function can result in telomeric fusion events that lead to the types of genomic rearrangements, such as nonreciprocal translocations, that typify early-stage carcinogenesis. By using single-molecule approaches to characterize fusion events, we provide a functional definition of fusogenic telomeres in human cells. We show that approximately half of the fusion events contained no canonical telomere repeats at the fusion point; of those that did, the longest was 12.8 repeats. Furthermore, in addition to end-replication losses, human telomeres are subjected to large-scale deletion events that occur in the presence or absence of telomerase. Here we show that these telomeres are fusogenic, and thus despite the majority of telomeres being maintained at a stable length in normal human cells, a subset of stochastically shortened telomeres can potentially cause chromosomal instability. Telomere fusion was accompanied by the deletion of one or both telomeres extending several kilobases into the telomere-adjacent DNA, and microhomology was observed at the fusion points. This contrasted with telomere fusion that was observed following the experimental disruption of TRF2. The distinct error-prone mutational profile of fusion between critically shortened telomeres in human cells was reminiscent of Ku-independent microhomology-mediated end-joining.
Accelerated aging and failure to segregate damaged proteins in Sir2 mutants can be suppressed by overproducing the protein aggregation-remodeling factor Hsp104p
Authors: Erjavec Nika , Larsson Lisa , Grantham Julie , Nyström Thomas
Published: October 2007

The levels of oxidatively damaged, carbonylated, proteins increase with the replicative age of yeast mother cells. We show here that such carbonylated proteins are associated with Hsp104p-containing protein aggregates and that these aggregates, like oxidized proteins, are retained in the progenitor cell during cytokinesis by a Sir2p-dependent process. Deletion of HSP104 resulted in a breakdown of damage asymmetry, and overproduction of Hsp104p partially restored damage retention in sir2Δ cells, suggesting that functional chaperones associated with protein aggregates are required for the establishment of damage asymmetry and that these functions are limited in sir2Δ cells. In line with this, Hsp104p and several Hsp70s displayed elevated damaged in sir2Δ cells, and protein aggregates were rescued at a slower rate in this mutant. Moreover, overproduction of Hsp104p suppressed the accelerated aging of cells lacking Sir2p, and drugs inhibiting damage segregation further demonstrated that spatial quality control is required to rejuvenate the progeny.
Commonly Used Reagents for Visualizing Drosophila Embryo Structures
Authors: Rothwell Wendy F. , Sullivan William
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

A variety of probes and stains are available for labeling specific structures in Drosophila embryos. This article lists some commercially available reagents used for visualizing specific structures.
Equipment Setup for Fluorescence Imaging with One-Nanometer Accuracy (FIONA)
Authors: Selvin Paul R. , Lougheed Tyler , Tonks Hoffman Melinda , Park Hyokeun , Balci Hamza , Blehm Benjamin H. , Toprak Erdal
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

FIONA, short for fluorescence imaging with one-nanometer accuracy, is a simple method for achieving localization of single (or single groups of) fluorophores with nanometer accuracy in the xy plane. This article describes procedures for setting up the equipment necessary for FIONA and achieving total internal reflection (TIR).
DAPI Staining of Drosophila Embryos
Authors: Rothwell Wendy F. , Sullivan William
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

Drosophila embryos can be stained with specific fluorescent probes or antibodies through either direct or indirect immunofluorescence. In particular, several effective probes exist for visualizing DNA. 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI) is a commonly used DNA-binding dye. Because it is specific for double-stranded DNA, no prior RNase treatment is required. While the embryo staining method described here uses DAPI, other fluorescent DNA probes can be processed similarly.
Temperature Gradient Capillary Electrophoresis (TGCE) Assay
Authors: Hsia An-Ping , Chen Hsin D. , Schnable Patrick S.
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

This protocol describes the use of temperature gradient capillary electrophoresis (TGCE) to test for polymorphisms between two DNA fragments. Polymorphisms may be detected within an individual or between individuals depending on the experimental design. In this assay, alleles of interest and a “reference” allele are PCR-amplified with high-fidelity Taq polymerase, and the resulting amplicons are then mixed in a 1:1 ratio. This mixture is denatured and reannealed to allow formation of homoduplexes (in the absence of polymorphisms between the allele of interest and the reference allele) and heteroduplexes (in the presence of polymorphisms). The Reveal System (SpectruMedix), which can analyze four 96-well plates at a time, is then used for electrophoresis and detection, and the data are scored and viewed with Revelation software.
Confocal Microscopy: Principles and Practice
Authors: Fine Alan
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

The confocal microscope is an invaluable tool for high-resolution fluorescence microscopy, and few biological research centers are without at least one such instrument. Much of the interest in confocal microscopy stems from the reliance on fluorescent probes in contemporary biology. Fluorescent-labeled antibodies and ligands are essential tools for localizing specific molecules. Intracellular or membrane-bound fluorescent dyes are widely used to follow morphological changes in cells, and retrograde-transported fluorescent markers have been used to identify living neurons with particular projections for subsequent electrophysiologic or structural study. Voltage- and ion-sensitive indicator dyes have been used to observe patterns of electrical activity in large networks of neurons and in structures too small to be monitored with classic electrode techniques. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) permits the visualization of specific proteins, including engineered functional probes, in essentially unperturbed living tissue. This article outlines the basic principles of confocal microscopy, relevant practical considerations, and various approaches to its implementation, principally from the perspective of visualizing rapid, small-scale phenomena in living tissue.
Principles of Total Internal Reflection Microscopy (TIRFM): Figure 1.
Authors: Zenisek David , Perrais David
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a powerful technique for studying events that occur near a cell surface. The technique allows selective imaging of fluorescent molecules that are closest to a high refractive index substance such as glass. TIRFM has been used to study (1) exocytosis of single synaptic vesicles stained with FM1-43 in living goldfish retinal bipolar neurons and (2) exocytosis of single dense core granules stained with neuropeptide Y-enhanced green fluorescent protein (NPY-EGFP) in living bovine chromaffin cells. This article describes the basic theory behind TIRFM and provides an overview for setting up a TIRFM system.
Fluorescence Imaging with One-Nanometer Accuracy (FIONA): Figure 1.
Authors: Selvin Paul R. , Lougheed Tyler , Tonks Hoffman Melinda , Park Hyokeun , Balci Hamza , Blehm Benjamin H. , Toprak Erdal
Published: October 2007

INTRODUCTION

Fluorescence imaging with one-nanometer accuracy (FIONA) is a technique for localizing a single dye, or a single group of dyes, to within ~1-nm accuracy. This high degree of precision is achieved using total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, deoxygenation agents, and a high quantum yield, low-noise detector. There are several variations of FIONA, including some capable of better than 10-nm resolution. One such variant is single-molecule high-resolution imaging with photobleaching (SHRIMP), which requires only one type of dye, e.g., two green fluorescent proteins (GFPs), or two rhodamines. However, SHRIMP can only achieve high resolution on static systems. Single-molecule high-resolution colocalization (SHREC), on the other hand, is a FIONA variant that is capable of high resolution with dynamic systems. Defocused orientation and positional imaging (DOPI) enables the three-dimensional orientation to be determined, and either by itself or in combination with FIONA can localize the dye-bound molecules to within a few nanometers. Finally, bright-field imaging with one-nanometer accuracy (bFIONA) achieves the temporal and spectral localization of FIONA but with bright-field microscopy, thus avoiding the use of fluorescence.
Social Development and Political Participation: Class, Organizations and Sex
Authors: Lafferty William M.
Published: October 2007

The relationship between social development and political participation has been described by Nie, Powell, and Prewitt in terms of two major contentions: (1) social development leads to increases in both the relative size of the middle class and the scope of the organizational infrastructure; (2) both factors lead in turn to higher rates of political participation, but the one ‐ socioeconomic status ‐ is mediated by civic attitudes, while the other ‐ organizational involvement ‐ is not. In trying to assess these contentions in relation to Norway, the present study arrives at several interesting, but disparate, conclusions: (a) existing findings with relevance for the problem (Martinussen's Distant Democracy) are open to reinterpretation; (b) in a highly developed corporate‐pluralist state such as Norway, organizational involvement must be distinguished as to its dependent‐variable and independent‐variable characteristics; (c) occupational status must be problematized as a sexist indicator; (d) class characteristics are not important determinants of participation in Norway, but sex is; (e) in relation to involvement in the electoral channel, civic attitudes do not mediate class position as much as they mediate sex; and (f) in relation to involvement in the corporate (interest‐group) channel, neither sex nor class are significantly mediated by attitudes. Finally, it is pointed out that the relevance of these findings for the Nie‐Powell‐Prewitt position is uncertain, due to the problematic operationalization of both sex and organizational involvement in the original study*.
Corporate Pluralism in Danish Law‐Making*
Authors: Damgaard Erik , Eliassen Kjeli A.
Published: October 2007

This article investigates the pattern of corporate political representation in Danish law‐making. The most important finding is a large intra‐system variation in scope, level, and structure of outside involvement. There is no evidence of an emerging ‘total’ system of corporate political representation. The dominant pattern is still one of a diversified use of several channels of access by a large variety of groups, organizations, and institutions. While the importance of organized interests is well documented, it is questionable to what extent this indicates a pattern of societal corporatism in the political system. Interest organizations play an important role in pluralist societies as well, and Philippe Schmitter's main point about representational monopoly does not gain support. Generally, the analysis tends to support a model of pluralist corporate representation.
Political Involvement and the Development of Political Attitudes
Authors: Jarlov Carsten , Togeby Lise
Published: October 2007

Political socialization research so far has focused primarily on the direction of attitudes among children and youngsters. The preconditions for the development of political attitudes among these age groups have been neglected. In theoretical discussions cognitive development has been offered as a major prerequisite. In the article it is posited that political involvement is a second major prerequisite.

The effects of political involvement are examined with respect to four aspects of political attitudes among Danish school children: the ability to express attitudes, the correlation between indicators of a particular attitude, the stability of attitudes, and the correlation between different attitudes. Except for the stability of attitudes, results are clear. Political involvement is related to the formation of attitudes. The effect of political involvement is stronger than the effect of any of the traditional socio‐economic variables ordinarily considered in socialization research.
Local Corporatism in Norway*
Authors: Hemes Gudmund , Selvik Norway Arne
Published: October 2007

In several countries changing market conditions and legislation regulating economic activity have led to the emergence of corporalist structures at the local as well as the national level. In Norway these have generated local institutional innovations which have had several important actual and potential consequences, ranging from a growth of neo‐mercantilist policies to increased inter‐community competition for industrial establishment and aid.
Prerequisities and Consequences of Ethnic Mobilization in Modern Society*
Authors: Allardt Erik
Published: October 2007

There are abundant observations of a revival of ethnic feelings among linguistic, territorial minorities in advanced, industrialized societies. Less is known about the nature and intrinsic qualities of this revival. An assessment of the implications of the renaissance of ethnicity requires an analysis both of changes in the nature of ethnicity and of basic organisatory principles in the modem society. The increasing importance of categorizations and labeling performed by the minorities themselves has important implications for policies concerning ethnic and linguistic minorities.
Electoral Justice as a Criterion for Different Systems of Proportional Representation
Authors: Laakso Markku
Published: October 2007

Studies of the properties of different electoral systems have generally concentrated upon the question of proportionality. This article introduces the concept of electoral justice which also incorporates the decision‐making process into models of proportionality. Hypotheses derived from the concept are then tested against post‐1945 Finnish electoral data.
Class Power and Participatory Equality: Attitudes towards Economic Democracy in Denmark and Sweden*
Authors: Madsen Henrik Jess
Published: October 2007

Proposals for capital sharing (i.e. the spreading of ownership rights to productive assets), also known as ‘economic democracy’, have been advanced by the trade unions in both Denmark and Sweden. In view of their redistributive intent, these schemes have met surprisingly little enthusiastic response in traditional labor constituencies. The article makes an attempt to explain why. An examination of wage earner attitudes (which goes into greater detail for Denmark) shows that the presently entertained proposals appeal in a cross‐cutting manner to conflictual notions of class power and participatory opportunity. The result is a fragmentation of wage earner support.
Actors at Large‐Scale Accidents: Lessons from the Bravo and Three Mile Island Accidents
Authors: Fischer David W.
Published: October 2007

This paper explores organizational issues raised via a comparison of the Bravo oil blowout in the North Sea and the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in Pennsylvania. The organizations involved, their interconnections and interests in each accident are compared. Six actor types are used as a classification system for framing the comparison. The underlying issues bearing on allocation of effort to pre‐accident planning are also noted. Finally, a framework from this effort is used for guiding the planning of operations for future accidents.
Foreign Policy and the Democratic Process*
Authors: Carlsnaes Walter
Published: October 2007

In this paper one of the classical questions in the study of politics will be pursued, viz., whether foreign policy decisions are made in a less democratic manner than policies pertaining to the domestic sphere of fully industrialized and democratic states; and if so, how to account for such a condition. These two queries will be examined in terms of three topics, each of which is explored in a preliminary fashion: (a) the characteristic dimensions of the democratic process; (b) the problems of policy comparability across sectorial boundaries; and (c) possible explanatory hypotheses regarding sectorial variances in the democratic process.
Identification, Agreement and Government Performance: The Relative Impact on Voting*
Authors: Pettersen Per Arnt
Published: October 2007

Debating explanations of electoral behavior, American scholars have focused on three main theories: The identification model relying on underlying loyalty of voters towards specific parties; the political agreement or proximity model assuming a rational calculation of parties' ideological positions or stand on salient political issues as the yardstick for choice of party; and the investment model relying on voters' ability to calculate which government alternative will bring most utility for the individual voter. Examining these theories with the use of Norwegian data from the elections of 1965, 1969 and 1977, we find that the identification model is far the most powerful in predicting individual voting behavior. This model also has an edge in explaining support for the individual parties and the total distribution of voters. However, at the major postwar government election in 1965, the investment model certainly is of importance, and at the election in 1977 the significance of the proximity model has increased.
The Distribution of Political Participation in Norway: Alternative Perspectivesona Problem of Democratic Theory*
Authors: Rose Lawrence E.
Published: October 2007

How citizen participation is distributed within the population is one of several fundamental questions of general significance to democratic theorists. This article briefly reviews some of the most salient normative arguments regarding the distribution of democratic citizen participation and then turns to the principal conceptual‐methodological issues to be encountered when considering the basic empirical question. Against this background the Norwegian case is discussed in detail, first in light of prior synchronic investigations, then by means of a diachronic analysis of panel study data from the 1965, 1969 and 1973 national election surveys. These analyses document more broadly based citizen participation in Norway than might otherwise be anticipated and discredit the idea of a cumulative hierarchical overlap pattern of political involvement. The article concludes with a discussion of several considerations relating to these findings, all of which suggest the need for greater sensitivity and explicitness among those who would advance claims or comparisons regarding the distribution of citizen participation in modern democracies.
Can We Trust Recall‐Data?*
Authors: Waldahl Ragnar , Aardal Bernt Olav
Published: October 2007

About 15% of Norwegian voters report a different party than their actual choice when asked about voting at previous Storting elections. Even though this percentage is lower than in other countries, it nonetheless shows that recall‐data do not give a correct picture of people's voting behavior. The political stability among voters is exaggerated. This will have consequences for the monthly political barometers on account of the weighing procedures used. This article discusses different explanations for erroneous recall; incorrect remembering on the one hand and a wish for consistent behavior on the other. The consistency model appears to be most relevant. In this connection the distinction between stable and unstable voters is important.
Programme Evaluation and Effectiveness Auditing in Sweden: The Changing Swedish Policy Style*
Authors: Richardson Jeremy , Kindblad Britt‐Marie
Published: October 2007

Modern governments must increase their capacity for analysing and evaluating public programmes. Evaluations, however, take place in a political context and many policies have unstated political goals. Sweden appears to have a highly developed evaluation and effectiveness auditing system and the Swedish case is instructive, not only because of its experience in the evaluation field, but also because it illustrates the changing policy style. Two main agencies are involved in the evaluation process and they both experience some difficulties in their evaluation studies. These difficulties stem in part from the political environment in which they both operate but also relate to their own organisational styles. The resource squeeze could bring broad environmental charges which could be conducive to a greater influence for the two agencies.
Party Power: Approaches in a Field of Unfilled Classics*
Authors: Heidar Knut
Published: October 2007

Much current research into the working of liberal democracy tends to emphasise and concentrate on the corporate channel of influence. The linkage to centres of power provided by political parties has not received sufficient attention. There is a need for more research into the operation of parties as linkages between grass root activists and national elite politics. Studying party democracy is to study internal distribution of power, and the article turns to the debate on community power studies for guidelines on how to approach empirical research on intra‐party democracy.
The Communist Defeat in the 1948 Finnish Election: Notes on the Impact of Organization
Authors: Laulajainen Pertti
Published: October 2007

The main purpose of this article is to find out those factors which caused the 1948 election defeat of the Communists in Finland. The central explanatory factors will be found in political and other organizations. Socio‐economic factors did not have any significant impact. The author, however, emphasizes the fact that the rapid increase of industrial population in certain regions in the postwar years weakened social control and consequently made easier the operation of the “organization of party agents” which was created by the Social Democrats. This “organization” had a crucial impact on the election defeat of the Communists. The rumours of revolution also had their own significance, for the rumours could be utilized skillfully in the election campaign against Communists.
Public Finance Variations: A New Approach*
Authors: Lane Jan‐Erik , Ersson Svante
Published: October 2007

Few themes have aroused so much interest and contention as the search for environmental determinants of public policy. One major problem area in this debate concerns the identification of explanatory variables accounting for the cross‐country variation in public expenditures. As no agreement has been reached about the basic issues involved, it seems appropriate to formulate a new approach to the problem of accounting for public finance patterns. An argument is presented to the effect that the employment of more rigorous econometric tools may help us draw an outline of the structural pattern behind the public household. The analysis indicates that we must abandon the idea of identifying stable structures that describe the relationships between the public household and the environment.
Ambiguities in Attitudes towards Interest Group Influence*
Authors: Nielsen Hans Jørgen
Published: October 2007

Scandinavian countries are characterized by high electoral participation and high enrollment in interest organizations. Consequently, most citizens are represented in politics by both parties and organizations, and the problem is which kind of representation citizens prefer. Danish survey data show that members appreciate their interest organizations. Furthermore, the public wants government to stay out of industrial relations and to consult interest organizations. However, there are limits to the influence which the public permits organizations. Thus organizations should only have a say on policies in fields related to their narrowly defined interest and they should not be allowed to become too strong. The political problem is to balance the principle of parliamentary supremacy and the principle of taking due regard to all interests concerned.
The Gender Gap in Norwegian Voting Behaviour*
Authors: Listhaug Ola
Published: October 2007

In the period 1957‐81 women in Norway voted less frequently for the socialist parties than did men. In most recent years this pattern has changed so that women are now more likely than men to support the socialist bloc. This shift has been especially strong among the younger and the more educated women. In the younger age group the polarization by gender is also very striking; women have moved to the left and men to the right. While changing demographic patterns partially explain the gender gap in voting behaviour, differences in values must also be taken into account. The most consistent finding is that stronger religious feelings among women make them more likely to vote for the Christian People's party. Values that suggest a greater emphasis on human interactions, less emphasis on material goods, and a concern with peace, increase female support for the socialist parties.
Private Preferences for Public Goods: Towards a Model for the Interaction of Pressure Group and Electoral Politics
Authors: Willis David
Published: October 2007

This essay explores two contrasting paradigms of collective action in the context of some observed anomalies in the development of the welfare states, focussing on private interest mod& of public expenditure growth versus models emphasising social choice and the degree of congruence between the political responsiveness of interest groups to the public expenditure crisis since the early 1970s, and the assumptions underpinning these models on political behaviour in the mixed economies. A bifurcation of the political system, resulting from the development of systems of functional interests representation alongside parliamentary and representative government, gives rise to a potential for strong governments to maintain regime support because of, rather than despite, the political fragmentation of majorities.
Electoral Trends in Denmark in the 1980's
Authors: Andersen Jorgen Goul
Published: October 2007

The article examines the 1984 election in a longer time perspective. As compared to the turbulent 1970's it appears that the class polarization in voting between the ‘old’ classes has been reestablished but that the new social cleavages in party choice are at the same time reinforced. It furthermore turns out that the consensus on the welfare state which was lost in the 1970's is now reestablished, that radical socialist sentiments are weakening, and that the political distrust of the 1970's is declining. In shon, the elections of the 1980's signal a definitive break with the political climate of the 1970's. Opinion polls furthemore indicate that Denmark is heading towards a reestablishing of the 5‐party system before 1973, but with differences in relative strength between the parties, and with a different, but still group‐specific. social base.
A Contextual Effect in Political Perception and Self‐Placement on an Ideology Scale: Comparative Analyses of Sweden and the U.S.1
Authors: Granberg Donald
Published: October 2007

Data on self‐placement and political perception on an ideology scale from surveys of adults in Sweden and the U.S. were analyzed and compared. Consensus in political perception, the correlation between perception of the party's and its leader's position, distinctiveness and polarization, subjective agreement, and a rational democratic coefficient were all substantially higher in Sweden. In spite of these differences, evidence of assimilation and contrast effects in perception was observed within both countries.
The Danish Euro‐Party System*
Authors: Worre Torben
Published: October 2007

In direct elections to the European Parliament, the behaviour of the Danish electorate, unlike that of other member countries of the EC, deviates strongly from the usual party pattern of national, general elections, thus producing a very differently structured Euro‐party system. The existence of this distinct Euro‐party system has been confirmed in the two consecutive Euro‐elections of 1979 and 1984. This article analyses the special electoral behaviour of the Danish voters in Euro‐elections. The deviation is explained primarily by the presence of a European cleavage in the Danish electorate which partly counteracts normal party identification. While supporters of Danish membership of EC vote just as they do in national, general elections, opponents of EC behave in a very different way. The voting in Euro‐elections has become a mixture of election and referendum behaviour.
Social Attitudes and Political Party Preference Among Swedish Youth
Authors: Sidanius Jim
Published: October 2007

Differences in social attitudes between youthful supporters of different Swedish political parties were studied within a cluster sample of 783 Swedish high school students. Analyses of variance disclosed that, overall, respondents with different political party preferences differed with respect to social attitude dimensions: Political‐Economic Conservatism, Social Inequality, Punitiveness, Militarism, Pro‐western Sentiments, Racism, Xenophobia and Religion in that order. Multivariate, logistic regression analysis disclosed, among other things, that (1) the issue of political‐economic conservatism (i.e. ‘left‐right’) was a highly salient one for all party supporters with the exception of fascists, and (2) with the exception of Political‐Economic Conservatism, different combinations of social attitudes were shown to discriminate any given party from all other parties. The theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
State and Capital in Sweden: The Importance of Corporatist Arrangements
Authors: Rothstein Bo
Published: October 2007

In what way does corporatist representation change the behaviour of participating organizations? The classical question is whether the interest organizations' representatives are captured or not. Sweden is one of the countries in which the class‐based interest organizations are heavily represented in the central public administration. The importance of corporatist arrangement in this area in Sweden is due to the fact that the task of implementing government policy is largely given to semi‐independent directorates. Since the early 1970s, the major business organization in Sweden has been strongly demanding cuts in public spending. As it is represented in some of the most important, and expanding, public agencies of the Swedish welfare state, it could be expected that their representatives would demand a decrease in the agencies' yearly budget proposals. During a ten‐year period (1974–1983), there is no sign of such behaviour of the business organization's representatives in these corporatist institutions. On the contrary, business in Sweden can be said to have been more generous with the taxpayers' money than both Social Democratic and bourgeois governments have found possible. Assuming that both its general demand for cuts in public spending and its specific action in the corporatist institutions are rational, it is discussed how this seemingly contradictory behaviour of Swedish business can be explained.

The starting point for the debate about corporatism is the organizations' increasing influence on the state. The Confederation's standpoint is that this influence has now reached such a level that there is need for a change On various occasions. representatives of other interest organizations have also emphasized the importance of keeping a clear‐cut distinction between the area of political responsibility and the area of the organizations' responsibility. In political issues it is the politicians' duty to weigh up the different judgments and standpoints and to come to a common public interest. The interest organizations' task is to pursue their special interests. These interest organizations should not take part in decisions in the political sector. I f this were to happen the special interests would have too much influence on the political decisions.
Is Small Still Flexible? An Evaluation of Recent Trends in Danish Politics
Authors: Nielsen Klaus , Pedersen Ove K.
Published: October 2007

How has Denmark been able to adjust its economic and industrial policies in an era of major changes in the international economy? The article gives a survey of the last 10 years, especially more recent years. Before 1986 wage policy and public‐expenditure policy were dominant. Since then they have been supplemented by a new structural policy to increase the level of technology, to improve education and research and to change the composition of Danish exports as far as products and markets are concerned. The adjustment of policies has taken place in a stable multi‐centred political system. The process has been characterized by institutionalized campaigning, moulding of interests and mobilization of compromises and mutual understanding. The capacity for flexible adjustment seems to originate from the stability of the political system. Likewise, uncertainty and instability seem to weaken the capacity for political flexibility. During the last two years the transformation of the elite consensus into state programmes and administrative decision‐making has been hampered and the whole structural policy approach has been challenged by a neoliberal alternative. This is mainly due to an extraordinary parliamentary stalemate in a situation of extreme minority parliamentarism.
A Comparative Spatial Analysis of European Party Systems*
Authors: Listhaug Ola , Macdonald Stuart Elaine , Rabinowitz George
Published: October 2007

This article examines mass perceptions of political parties in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, West Germany, the Netherlands and France. For each country we construct a map in which the parties, voters, and demographic groups are located to provide a visual and spatial overview of the structure of electoral competition. Two dimensions are adequate for displaying the main ideological cleavages in each of the countries. In each case there is a strong left‐right dimension combined with a more culturally defined and usually weaker second competitive dimension. In general, we find that no parties occupy the center areas of the space, which are usually dense with voters. This leads us to question the adequacy of the traditional spatial model of elections for describing competition in multiparty systems.
Social Structure and Campaign Style: Finland 1954–1987
Authors: Karvonen Lauri , Rappe Axel
Published: October 2007

This study addresses the hypothesis concerning the ideological convergence of political parties in light of election campaigns in Finland. The basic expectation is that the parties have become more alike in terms of their orientation vis‐à‐vis the electorate and in their use of propaganda techniques. The empirical data consists of editorials in the leading newspapers of the four largest Finnish parties in connection with the parliamentary election campaigns of 1954, 1966, 1975 and 1987. The main hypothesis is clearly corroborated, as traditional elements such as class orientation have been replaced by references to the nation at large and to the political elite. A re‐ideologization could be noted in connection with the 1975 campaign, followed by a strong de‐ideologization in 1987. Despite the virtual disappearance of offensive propaganda techniques, recent campaigns were not found to be decisively less ‘propagandists’ than the earlier ones.
120 Years of Swedish Election Campaigns: A Story of the Rise and Decline of Political Parties and the Emergence of the Mass Media as Power Brokers
Authors: Esaiasson Peter
Published: October 2007

A framework for descriptive analysis of election campaigns is suggested, emphasizing the parties' use of direct (personal) and indirect (media) channels for voter communication. The direct campaign channels had their heyday during the 1920s and 1930s. Since the 1940s radio and television have dominated the scene. However, the parties maintained control over opinion formation until the breakthrough of an assertive and independent political journalism at the end of the 1960s.
Election Campaigns in Postwar Norway (1945–1989): From Party‐Controlled to Media‐Driven Campaigns
Authors: Bjørklund Tor
Published: October 2007

From 1945 to the end of the 1980 s, Norway's election campaigns have changed substantially. The mass media – particularly television – have grown in importance, partly structuring the election campaign. In this study the period in question is divided into three phases: (1) 1945–57, a phase characterized by a loyal party press and the breakthrough of radio; (2) 1961–69, a phase characterized by a loyal party press under pressure and the advent of television; (3) 1973–89, a phase characterized by the dissolution of the party press and the beginning of the television era. In the course of these decades, the media's coverage of election campaigns has been ‘liberated’ from the political parties. This move from party‐controlled to media‐driven election campaigns coincides with a more turbulent period among the voters, a period with a higher level of voter volatility. The changing role of the mass media has not led to dramatic shifts in activity, at least not as reflected by two indicators – voter turnout and level of informal discussion. Recent changes in the pattern of voting participation, however, may be associated with the role of the media. The gap between centre and periphery in voter turnout has gradually been bridged, and television is probably one of the bridge‐builders. With television as the major arena for the election campaign, the stream of political impulses which serve as mobilizing forces has become more or less the same in both centre and periphery.
Analysing Central–Local Government Relations in Different Systems: A Conceptual Framework and Some Empirical Illustrations*
Authors: Elander Ingemar
Published: October 2007

Restructuring of central and local government relations has occurred in a number of countries during the 1980s, and has been a striking phenomenon even in such different countries as Poland, Sweden and the US. In the first part of the article a resource framework is presented, designed to make basic comparisons of these relations between different countries. Five sets of resources are identified: constitutional‐legal, regulatory, financial, political and professional resources. It is argued that local‐government disposal of such resources provides a potential for local discretion. The applicability of the framework is illustrated by reference to a study of Poland, Sweden and the US, focusing on the restructuring of central and local government relations in these countries during the 1980s. The conclusion is that decentralization has occurred in all three cases, especially in terms of regulatory and other non‐financial resources. However, in Sweden and the US this trend has been counterbalanced by centralization of financial control. In Poland the post‐communist revolution has paved the way for a restoration of the pre‐war local self‐government system. Democratic elections at the local level are seen as crucial to break down the old, centralized party‐state system, and to reintroduce a dual local government system. In all three cases economic pressure, related to the individual countries' positions in the world capitalist system, seems to have been the main driving force beind the decentralization processes. However, the forms, magnitude and effects of decentralization must be seen in relation to the specific political economies and histories of the three countries. Thus, to understand the causes, mechanisms and effects of central–local government restructuring in depth one has to relate the resource approach to a broader theoretical framework.