bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transformation and normalization of oligonucleotide microarray data
Authors: Geller Sue C. , Gregg Jeff P. , Hagerman Paul , Rocke David M.
Published: September 2003

Motivation: Most methods of analyzing microarray data or doing power calculations have an underlying assumption of constant variance across all levels of gene expression. The most common transformation, the logarithm, results in data that have constant variance at high levels but not at low levels. Rocke and Durbin showed that data from spotted arrays fit a two-component model and Durbin, Hardin, Hawkins, and Rocke, Huber et al. and Munson provided a transformation that stabilizes the variance as well as symmetrizes and normalizes the error structure. We wish to evaluate the applicability of this transformation to the error structure of GeneChip microarrays.

Results: We demonstrate in an example study a simple way to use the two-component model of Rocke and Durbin and the data transformation of Durbin, Hardin, Hawkins and Rocke, Huber et al. and Munson on Affymetrix GeneChip data. In addition we provide a method for normalization of Affymetrix GeneChips simultaneous with the determination of the transformation, producing a data set without chip or slide effects but with constant variance and with symmetric errors. This transformation/normalization process can be thought of as a machine calibration in that it requires a few biologically constant replicates of one sample to determine the constant needed to specify the transformation and normalize. It is hypothesized that this constant needs to be found only once for a given technology in a lab, perhaps with periodic updates. It does not require extensive replication in each study. Furthermore, the variance of the transformed pilot data can be used to do power calculations using standard power analysis programs.

Availability: SPLUS code for the transformation/normalization for four replicates is available from the first author upon request. A program written in C is available from the last author.
An XML message broker framework for exchange and integration of microarray data
Authors: Tjandra Donny , Wong Stephen , Shen Weimin , Pulliam Brian , Yu Elaine , Esserman Laura
Published: September 2003

Motivation: Microarrays are an important research tool for the advancement of basic biological sciences. However this technology has yet to be integrated with clinical decision making. We have implemented an information framework based on the Microarray Gene Expression Markup Language (MAGE-ML) specification. We are using this framework to develop a test-bed integrated database application to identify genomic and imaging markers for diagnosis of breast cancer.

Results: We developed extensible software architecture for retrieving data from different microarray databases using MAGE-ML and for combining microarray data with breast cancer image analysis and clinical data for correlation studies. The framework we developed will provide the necessary data integration to move microarray research from basic biological sciences to clinical applications.

Availability: Open source software will be available from SourceForge (http://sourceforge.net/projects/microsoap/).
Examining the independent binding assumption for binding of peptide epitopes to MHC-I molecules
Authors: Peters Björn , Tong Weiwei , Sidney John , Sette Alessandro , Weng Zhiping
Published: September 2003

Motivation: Various methods have been proposed to predict the binding affinities of peptides to Major Histocompatibility Complex class I (MHC-I) molecules based on experimental binding data. They can be classified into two groups: (1) AIB methods that assume independent contributions of all peptide positions to the binding to MHC-I molecule (e.g. scoring matrices) and (2) general methods which can take into account interactions between different positions (e.g. artificial neural networks). We aim to compare the prediction accuracies of these methods, and quantify the impact of interactions between peptide positions.

Results: We compared several previously published and widely used methods and discovered that the best AIB methods gave significantly better predictions than three previously published general methods, possibly due to the lack of a sufficient training data for the general methods. The best results, however, were achieved with our newly developed general method, which combined a matrix describing independent binding with pair coefficients describing pair-wise interactions between peptide positions. The pair coefficients consistently but only slightly improved prediction accuracy, and were much smaller than the matrix entries. This explains why neglecting them—as is done in AIB methods—can still lead to good predictions.

Availability: The new prediction model is implemented at http://zlab.bu.edu/SMM. The underlying matrix and pair coefficients are also available as supplementary materials.
The EMBL sequence version archive
Authors: Leinonen Rasko , Nardone Francesco , Oyewole Olalekan , Redaschi Nicole , Stoehr Peter
Published: September 2003

Summary: The EMBL Nucleotide Sequence Database, maintained at the European Bioinformatics institute, is Europe's primary nucleotide sequences database. Its entries are subject to changes, but only the most recent versions are preserved in the database. The EMBL Sequence Version Archive is a new publicly available database retaining also the earlier versions of these entries.

Availability:  http://www.ebi.ac.uk/embl/sva/
RVP-net: online prediction of real valued accessible surface area of proteins from single sequences
Authors: Ahmad Shandar , Gromiha M. Michael , Sarai Akinori
Published: September 2003

Summary: RVP-net is an online program for the prediction of real valued solvent accessibility. All previous methods of accessible surface area (ASA) predictions classify amino acid residues into exposure states and named them buried or exposed based on different thresholds. Real values in some cases were generated by taking the mid points of these state thresholds. This is the first method, which provides a direct prediction of ASA without making exposure categories and achieves results better than 19% mean absolute error. To facilitate batch processing of several sequences, a standalone version of this tool is also provided.

Availability: Online predictions are available at http://www.netasa.org/rvp-net/. Standalone version of the program can be obtained from the corresponding author by E-mail request.
Parallel BLAST on split databases
Authors: Mathog David R.
Published: September 2003

Summary: BLAST programs often run on large SMP machines where multiple threads can work simultaneously and there is enough memory to cache the databases between program runs. A group of programs is described which allows comparable performance to be achieved with a Beowulf configuration in which no node has enough memory to cache a database but the cluster as an aggregate does. To achieve this result, databases are split into equal sized pieces and stored locally on each node. Each query is run on all nodes in parallel and the resultant BLAST output files from all nodes merged to yield the final output.

Availability: Source code is available from ftp://saf.bio.caltech.edu/
The design of Jemboss: a graphical user interface to EMBOSS
Authors: Carver Tim , Bleasby Alan
Published: September 2003

Design: Jemboss is a graphical user interface (GUI) for the European Molecular Biology Open Software Suite (EMBOSS). It is being developed at the MRC UK HGMP-RC as part of the EMBOSS project. This paper explains the technical aspects of the Jemboss client–server design. The client–server model optionally allows that a Jemboss user have an account on the remote server. The Jemboss client is written in Java and is downloaded automatically to a user's workstation via Java Web Start using the HTML protocol. The client then communicates with the remote server using SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol). A Tomcat server listens on the remote machine and communicates the SOAP requests to a Jemboss server, again written in Java. This Java server interprets the client requests and executes them through Java Native Interface (JNI) code written in the C language. Another C program having setuid privilege, jembossctl, is called by the JNI code to perform the client requests under the user's account on the server. The commands include execution of EMBOSS applications, file management and project management tasks. Jemboss allows the use of JSSE for encryption of communication between the client and server. The GUI parses the EMBOSS Ajax Command Definition language for form generation and maximum input flexibility. Jemboss interacts directly with the EMBOSS libraries to allow dynamic generation of application default settings.

Results: This interface is part of the EMBOSS distribution and has attracted much interest. It has been set up at many other sites globally as well as being used at the HGMP-RC for registered users.

Availability: The software, EMBOSS and Jemboss, is freely available to academics and commercial users under the GPL licence. It can be downloaded from the EMBOSS ftp server: http://www.uk.embnet.org/Software/EMBOSS/, ftp://ftp.uk.embnet.org/pub/EMBOSS/. Registered HGMP-RC users can access an installed server from: http://www.uk.embnet.org/Software/EMBOSS/Jemboss/
Identification and quantification of disease-related gene clusters
Authors: Firneisz Gábor , Zehavi Idit , Vermes Csaba , Hanyecz Anita , Frieman Joshua A. , Glant Tibor T.
Published: September 2003

Motivation: DNA microarray technology and the completion of human and mouse genome sequencing programs are now offering new avenues for the investigation of complex genetic diseases. In particular, this makes possible the study of the spatial distribution of disease-related genes within the genome. We report on the first systematic search for clustering of genes associated with a polygenic autoimmune disease.

Results: Using a set of cDNA microarray chip experiments in two mouse models of rheumatoid arthritis, we have identified ∼200 genes based on their expression in inflamed joints and mapped them into the genome. We compute the spatial autocorrelation function of the selected genes and find that they tend to cluster over scales of a few megabase pairs. We then identify significant gene clusters using a friends-of-friends algorithm. This approach should aid in discovering functionally related gene clusters in the mammalian genome.
A tool-kit for cDNA microarray and promoter analysis
Authors: Shah N. H. , King D. C. , Shah P. N. , Fedoroff N. V.
Published: September 2003

We describe two sets of programs for expediting routine tasks in analysis of cDNA microarray data and promoter sequences. The first set permits bad data points to be flagged with respect to a number of parameters and performs normalization in three different ways. It allows combining of result files into comprehensive data sets, evaluation of the quality of both technical and biological replicates and row and/or column standardization of data matrices. The second set supports mapping ESTs in the genome, identifying the corresponding genes and recovering their promoters, analyzing promoters for transcription factor binding sites, and visual representation of the results. The programs are designed primarily for Arabidopsis thaliana researchers, but can be adapted readily for other model systems.

Availability and Supplementary information:  http://www.personal.psu.edu/nhs109/Programs/
Automatic registration of microarray images. I. Rectangular grid
Authors: Galinsky Vitaly L.
Published: September 2003

Motivation: The analysis of high-throughput experiment data provided by microarrays becomes increasingly more and more important part of modern biological science. Microarrays allow to conduct genotyping or gene expression experiments on hundreds of thousands of test genes in parallel. Because of the large and constantly growing amount of experimental data the necessity of efficiency, robustness and complete automation of microarray image analysis algorithms is gaining significant attention in the field of microarray processing.

Results: The author presents here an efficient and completely automatic image registration algorithm (that is an algorithm for spots and blocks indexing) that allows to process a wide variety of microarray slides with different parameters of grid and block spacing as well as spot sizes. The algorithm scales linearly with the grid size, the time complexity is O(M), where M is number of rows × number of columns. It can successfully cope with local and global distortions of the grid, such as focal distortions and non-orthogonal transformations. The algorithm has been tested both on CCD and scanned images and showed very good performance—the processing time of a single slide with 44 blocks of 200 × 200 grid points (or 1 760 000 grid points total) was about 10 s.

Availability: The test implementation of the algorithm will be available upon request for academics.

Supplementary information:  http://fleece.ucsd.edu/~vit/Registration_Supplement.pdf
Automatic registration of microarray images. II. Hexagonal grid
Authors: Galinsky Vitaly L.
Published: September 2003

Motivation: In the first part of this paper the author presented an efficient, robust and completely automated algorithm for spot and block indexing in microarray images with rectangular grids. Although the rectangular grid is currently the most common type of grouping the probes on microarray slides, there is another microarray technology based on bundles of optical fibers where the probes are packed in hexagonal grids. The hexagonal grid provides both advantages and drawbacks over the standard rectangular packing and of course requires adaptation and/or modification of the algorithm of spot indexing presented in the first part of the paper.

Results: In the second part of the paper the author presents a version of the spot indexing algorithm adapted for microarray images with spots packed in hexagonal structures. The algorithm is completely automated, works with hexagonal grids of different types and with different parameters of grid spacing and rotation as well as spot sizes. It can successfully trace the local and global distortions of the grid, including non-orthogonal transformations. Similar to the algorithm from part I, it scales linearly with the grid size, the time complexity is O(M), where M is total number of grid points in hexagonal grid. The algorithm has been tested both on CCD and scanned images with spot expression rates as low as 2%. The processing time of an image with about 50 000 hex grid points was less than a second. For images with high expression rates (∼90%) the registration time is even smaller, around a quarter of a second.

Supplementary information:  http://fleece.ucsd.edu/~vit/Registration_Supplement.pdf
STRING: finding tandem repeats in DNA sequences
Authors: Parisi Valerio , De Fonzo Valeria , Aluffi-Pentini Filippo
Published: September 2003

Motivation and results: The importance of Tandem Repeats in some genomes is now well established. We have reported elsewhere some interesting new results obtained by means of a preliminary program for finding Tandem Repeats in DNA sequences, together with a brief description of the basic ideas of the algorithm. We describe here a completely new program based only in part on those ideas, we briefly discuss the interpretation of the results, and, by way of example, we provide a few novel results relative to the parasites responsible of two re-emerging diseases, Plasmodium falciparum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Our program is portable, effective, powerful and fast: it can run on current desktop computers, and it finds all significant Tandem Repeats also in the longest segments of sequences in databases (up to millions of bases), in short times (minutes).

Availability: An academic version of the algorithm (full source listing in standard C language) can be freely downloaded (http://www.caspur.it/~castri/STRING/).

Supplementary information: Some illustrative figures and some sample results are provided as supplementary material at: http://www.caspur.it/~castri/STRING/
Guest editorial: research in international new product development – current understanding and future imperatives
Authors: Perks Helen , Wong Veronica
Published: September 2003

Successful new product and service development increasingly relies on the ability to adopt an international perspective, throughout the development process itself, and by targeting international or global markets, rather than simply serving domestic customers. Yet, although there exists an impressive body of research concerning the management of new product development, the evidence base with respect to international (or global) new product development practices and management is largely in its infancy, and is, at best, fragmented. This guest editorial provides a synopsis of the main research streams in the broad field of international new product development, highlighting major gaps in current knowledge and understanding. The special issue is a modest attempt at tapping current thoughts and research investigations in this critical area, seeking, also, to stimulate much‐needed debate and further research. One article examines whether international diversity is positively associated with new product development performance. Two articles tackle the role that national culture plays in influencing consumer acceptance of new products (technology) on the one hand, and firms’ global new product development approach on the other. A final article investigates technology transfer as a special case of new technology adoption in developing markets.
Does culture explain acceptance of new products in a country?
Authors: Yeniyurt Sengun , Townsend Janell D.
Published: September 2003

This paper investigates the role of cultural differences in the acceptance of new products, as moderated by socio‐economic variables. In order to assess the relationship, an analysis utilizing Hofstede's cultural dimensions, along with secondary data representing socio‐economic structure and the penetration rate of new products was undertaken. The results demonstrate that power distance and uncertainty avoidance hinder the acceptance of new products. Also found is that individualism has a positive effect but the masculinity dimension has no significant effect on the diffusion of new products. The findings regarding the moderation effects of the socio‐economic variables are mixed.
Designing global new product teams
Authors: Sivakumar K. , Nakata Cheryl
Published: September 2003

Companies are increasingly bringing personnel together into teams from different countries, physically and/or electronically, to develop products for multiple or worldwide markets. Called global new product teams (GNPTs), these groups face significant challenges, including cultural diversity. Differing cultural values can lead to conflict, misunderstanding, and inefficient work styles on the one hand, and strong idea generation and creative problem solving on the other. A study was conducted to identify team compositions that would optimize the effects of national culture so that product development outcomes are favorable. This began by developing a theoretical framework describing the impact of national culture on product development tasks. The framework was then translated into several mathematical models using analytical derivations and comparative statics. The models identify the levels and variances of culture values that maximize product development success by simultaneously considering four relevant dimensions of GNPT performance. Next, the utility of these models was tested by means of numerical simulations for a range of team scenarios. Concludes by drawing implications of the findings for managers and researchers.
International technology transfer
Authors: Di Benedetto C. Anthony , Calantone Roger J. , Zhang Chun
Published: September 2003

Adoption of foreign‐developed technology by firms in developing nations will accelerate the speed by which they become globally competitive in new product development. In this study, we build and empirically test an extension of the technology acceptance model (TAM) – the “extended TAM” – applied to the study of international transfer of product technology. The extended TAM model derives from the TAM of Davis et al., extensively used in information technology applications. The extended TAM is built on the premise that a person's attitudes toward a behavior influence their intentions to perform that behavior, and behavioral intentions influence the actual performance of the behavior. In the extended TAM, perceived ease of use is operationalized as two independent variables, technological compatibility and ease of adoption, and anticipated benefits of adoption are operationalized in terms of technical and economic benefits to the adopting firm. These antecedents have direct and indirect effects on attitudes toward the adoption of foreign‐developed technology by managers from developing countries, and on behavioral intentions to adopt such technology. We conduct an exploratory empirical test of the model using a convenience sample of respondents representing several industries in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Strong support is found for all hypotheses in the model. We conclude with research and managerial implications regarding international technology transfer and new product development.
The Saliency of Synecdoche: The Part and the Whole of Employment Relations
Authors: Hamilton Peter M.
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACT Literary and rhetorical tropes invoke a transference of meaning from the common usage of a word or phrase. Organizational analysis research and writing in this area has concentrated upon the trope of metaphor. In this article it is argued that we should extend our attention to other tropes. To that end, the article identifies and illustrates the saliency of the trope of synecdoche through a discussion of employment relations. Following a brief identification of metaphor within writings on employment relations, the article goes onto discuss synecdoche as one of the ‘four master tropes’. We then argue that the trope is important in relation to how we write about and understand employment relations. Use of the trope is then illustrated through analysis of interview comments on local pay in the National Health Service. Finally, the saliency or prominence of synecdoche is argued through two related arguments, the nature of the rhetorical setting and the rhetorical nature of the employment relations setting.
The Failure of the Sport7 TV‐channel: Controversies in a Business Network*
Authors: Sminia Harry
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACT During 1996, TV viewers in the Netherlands witnessed the rise and fall of Sport7: a dedicated sports TV channel. Apparently, Sport7 did not succeed to become part of the business network of television and sports. This paper describes and explains why the venture failed. It builds on earlier insights from research on the outcomes of joint ventures and the business networks perspective. These insights are combined and utilized within the framework of the theory of social becoming (Sztompka, 1991). As such, for a new venture like Sport7, the outcome depends on the settlement of a number of controversies that arise with the establishment of a new actor in an existing business network. In the case of Sport7, the settlement of these controversies appeared to go against this new venture, ultimately leading to the demise of this new TV channel.
‘Totally Un‐Australian!’: Discursive and Institutional Interplay in the Melbourne Port Dispute of 1997–98*
Authors: Selsky John W. , Spicer André , Teicher Julian
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACT We examine how discourses are mobilized and deployed by actors in an inter‐organizational domain during a critical industrial relations event. We identify the ways that business interests and union interests in the Melbourne Port industrial dispute of 1997–98 related to each other. We weave concepts from domain theory and organizational discourse theory in deriving the concept of the discursively ordered domain. This suggests that the main processes that occur in a domain are actors’‘mapping’ texts onto discourses and discourses onto interpretive schemes which make certain courses of action rational and sensible. Methodologically, we join an institutional‐historical analysis and a text‐based discourse analysis to gain a well‐rounded understanding of the situation. We extract several discursive frameworks which the major actors mobilized to make sense of the situation, and draw linkages to the actions that those positions made possible. The main findings are that actors in the two networks performed complex mapping in different ways, the material and symbolic outcomes of the dispute are products of those mapping processes, and the material and discursive aspects of the domain interweave. We discuss the value of the concept of discursively ordered domain for mutually enriching domain theory and discourse analysis and for understanding critical events such as major industrial disputes in new ways.
Knowledge Content and Worker Participation in Environmental Management at NUMMI
Authors: Rothenberg Sandra
Published: September 2003

ABSTRACTThis paper looks at, within the context of lean production,howandin what waysemployees participate in environmental improvements. The paper uses data from an automobile plant well known for its participative work structures, New United Motor Manufacturing (NUMMI), to look more closely at the dynamics of worker participation in environmental management (i.e. management of pollution and waste). Findings show that while workers possess important contextual knowledge, the importance of process, intra‐organizational and external knowledge make the role of specialist staff (both internal and external to the environmental function) critically important for environmental improvements. Additionally, environmental improvements often required a combination of more than one knowledge type. The paper discusses how the culture and management structure at NUMMI and other lean plants encourage this combination. Implications for environmental management, lean production, and future research on worker participation are discussed.
Decomposition of Time Series Dynamic Linear Models
Authors: ODOLPHIN E. J. G , JOHNSON S. E.
Published: September 2003

This paper derives the admissible decompositions for a time series dynamic linear model, assuming only that the model is observable. The decompositions depend on factorizations of the characteristic polynomial of the state evolution matrix G into relatively prime factors. This generalizes the method of West (1997) which considers one decomposition in the particular case where G is diagonalizable. Conditions are derived for a decomposition to be independent. These results show that no autoregressive process of order d has an independent decomposition for any integer d. Two illustrations of this procedure are discussed in detail.
A note on estimation by least squares for harmonic component models
Authors: Walker A. M.
Published: September 2003

Abstract. Let observations (X1,…,Xn) be generated by a harmonic model such that Xt=A0 cos ω0t+B0 sin ω0t+εt, where A0,B0,ω0 are constants and (εt) is a stationary process with zero mean and finite variance. The estimation of A0,B0,ω0 by the method of least squares is considered. It is shown that, without any restriction on ω in the minimization procedure, the estimate is an n‐consistent estimate of ω0, and hence () has the usual asymptotic distribution.

The extension to a harmonic model with k>1 components is discussed. The case k=2 is considered in detail, but it was only found possible to establish the result under the restriction that both angular frequencies lie in the interval
Recent Developments Concerning Language Protection Organisations and Right‐wing Extremism in Germany
Authors: Pfalzgraf Falco
Published: September 2003

The debate about the use of anglicisms in German has become increasingly intense since the early 1990s. At the same time, a number of organisations for the protection of the language have emerged in Germany, and investigations have shown that right‐wing groups are attracted to these organisations, and vice versa. Two language protection organisations are investigated here: the publisher of the quarterly Deutsche Sprachwelt and the internet‐based ‘Deutscher Sprachkampf’. Both have obvious connections to right‐wing organisations and individuals, and this article shows how close these contacts are. It explores the extent to which this might relate to German unification, since there seems to be a relationship between the increasing emergence of language protection organisations and the formation of a new German federation.
Imagined homeland: landscape painting in Palestine in the 1920s*
Authors: Manor Dalia
Published: September 2003

Abstract.This essay examines the proposition that landscape representations both reflect and endorse national ideology. By studying in detail selected landscape paintings by Jewish artists in pre‐State Israel some of the assumptions linking landscape and nationalism will be revisited. In particular, I shall challenge received notions in Israeli art historiography that interpret the numerous landscape paintings of the 1920s as directly expressing the identification with Zionism – the Jewish national movement. Analysis of the subject repertoire reveals that artists usually ignored images of the Zionist settlement in Palestine. They preferred instead to depict oriental countryside or ancient cities in an emblematic idealistic manner supported by stylistic borrowings from contemporary French painting. The country in these paintings is more anideathan a reality. Yet they evoke neither the biblical past nor a Zionist futuristic vision, but rather an oriental Arcadia of an unspecified time.
Left–right political scales
Authors: Pedersen Mogens N. , Mair Peter , Castles Francis G.
Published: September 2003

Nomination:‘Some expert judgments ’ live on by Mogens N. Pedersen, p.147

Reflections: Revisiting expert judgements by Peter Mair & Francis G. Castles, p.150
Party as linkage
Authors: Müller Wolfgang C. , Katz Richard S.
Published: September 2003

Nomination: Costs and benefits of party membership reconsidered by Wolfgang C. Müller, p.169

Reflections: Party as linkage by Richard S. Katz, p171
Government survival in Western multi–party democracies
Authors: van Roozendaal Peter
Published: September 2003

AbstractBased upon findings in other fields in the social sciences, it is proposed in this article that cooperation between government parties can be induced when parties in governments are able to exercise credible exit threats. As stability is more likely to be induced by cooperation than by defection, more durable governments can be expected. The possibility for credible exit threats in a government is operationalized via the presence of a dominant party in the government. The corresponding prediction is tested against a data set that contains 261 postwar governments in twelve western multiparty democracies. In the event history analyses of government survival, I control for variables pertaining to the bargaining environment, bargaining complexity, and the ideological diversity of the governments. It is found that the presence of dominant parties in governments does indeed enhance the survival time of governments.
Mapping legislative socialisation
Authors: Mughan Anthony , Box–Steffensmeier Janet , Scully Roger
Published: September 2003

Abstract Legislative socialisation has long been an important force for political deradicalisation in capitalist democracies worldwide. It remains barely explored, however, in large part because it is a process very difficult to track by conventional observational or survey methods. We circumvent these problems by taking advantage of an unusually propitious vote on televising the proceedings of the British House of Commons to chart the institutional deradicalisation of its Labour members. Socialisation effects are shown to be non–linear and, while the difference is not statistically significant, to be marginally stronger among Members of Parliament (MPs) with frontbench experience. The somewhat greater conservatism of frontbenchers, however, cannot be explained by anticipatory socialisation. Rather, it seems to be a function of doing well under ‘rules of the parliamentary game’ threatened by proposals for institutional reform.
Policy representation
Authors: Thomassen Jacques , Schmitt Hermann
Published: September 2003

Abstract This paper examines the extent to which conditions for the ‘representative party government’ model of representation exist in the EU. It suggests that, although application of the model is obviously limited, there is some support for its relevance. Using surveys of voters and candidates for the European Parliament the paper shows that some policy positions of representatives are constrained more by their party group than their nationality, and to some degree there is obvious congruence between the opinions of candidates and their voters. This is particularly so with respect to left–right orientation; far less with respect to European Monetary Union where elites appear much more enthusiastic than their electorates.
Representational roles
Authors: Katz Richard S.
Published: September 2003

Abstract The paper examines the perceptions that representatives and would–be representatives have of their roles as MEPs, what accounts for those differences and what impact they have on MEP behaviour. Three dimensions of role differences were identified. Two of them, AGENT and TRUSTEE can be found in most assemblies but a third, a federal/confederal distinction, is perhaps peculiar to the EU. Individual attitudes to Europe explained this one quite well, nationality explained differences on the AGENT dimension and left–right position provided some explanation for differences on the TRUSTEE role. The combination of role perceptions appear to have some impact on MEPs’ activities.
Representation and the democratic deficit
Authors: Norris Pippa
Published: September 2003

Abstract In the early years of the Community it was assumed that there was a widespread consensus about the future development of Europe, and that decisions by the Council of Ministers were broadly in line with public opinion. In recent years the growth in the powers and responsibilities of European institutions has been considerable, through the Single European Act and the Maastricht Treaty. The Community is now the world's largest trading group, and one of the three most important players on the world economic scene alongside the USA and Japan. The EU has grown from six to fifteen member states, and further waves of enlargement are on the horizon. Yet many fear that processes of representation and accountability have not kept pace with this expansion, producing a legitimacy crisis (Anderson & Eliassen 1996; Hayward 1995). The key issue addressed throughout this Special Issue is the classic one of political representation: how the preferences of European citizens can be linked to decision making within the European Union.
Self‐destructive processes in institution building and some modest countervailing mechanisms
Authors: LANZARA GIOVAN FRANCESCO
Published: September 2003

Abstract.Why is institution building difficult? Why does it often turn out to be self–destructive? And how does it take place in spite of its difficulties? Extending an analytical framework developed by James March (1991), this paper tries to tackle these questions by examining the dilemma between the exploration of alternative institutional arrangements and the exploitation or refinement of current ones. Institution building is viewed as a problem of adaptive intelligence and learning in the intertemporal allocation of resources. Some basic self–destructive processes and failure cycles associated with the exploration/exploitation dilemma are identified and discussed; implications are drawn for four distinct domains: competency, self–interest, identity, and trust. In the second part of the paper three basic modes of institution building are illustrated: focal points, increasing returns, and institutional bricolage. These are shown to be modest but viable mechanisms for countervailing self–destructive dynamics and for building institutions.
Party government in 20 democracies: an update (1990–1995)
Authors: WOLDENDORP JAAP , KEMAN HANS , BUDGE IAN
Published: September 2003

Abstract. The country tables of the data collection ‘Political Data 1945–1990. Party Government in 20 Democracies’ (European Journal of Political Research, Vol. 24, No. 1 (July 1993), pp. 1–119) are updated and corrected to the end of 1995. Errors and omissions on the level of separate Ministers and/or Ministries have been corrected as well. These are listed as ‘changes/corrections’ in the corresponding tables in the original data collection.
The classification of democratic regime types: conceptual ambiguity and contestable assumptions
Authors: ELGIE ROBERT
Published: September 2003

Abstract. This article examines the classification of regime types. It shows that most writers classify regime types with reference to both their dispositional properties (whether there is a president and/or a prime minister, whether or not they are popularly elected and whether or not they serve for a fixed term) and their relational properties (the actual patterns of executive politics in the political system). It is argued that this juxtaposition of dispositional and relational properties creates a conceptual ambiguity. As a result, it is concluded that classifications of regime types should be made on the basis of either dispositional or relational properties but not both together. It then shows that writers who classify regime types with reference to relational properties are likely to make highly contestable assumptions about how power is actually exercised. This is because the question of where executive power lies in a particular country is often subject to not just one incontestable interpretation but to a number of contestable and mutually exclusive interpretations. This point is illustrated by examining the case of the Fifth French Republic. Therefore, it is concluded that the classification of regime types should be made with reference to dispositional properties alone.
Anchoring Political Preferences: The Structural Bases of Stable Electoral Decisions and Political Attitudes in Britain
Authors: ZUCKERMAN ALAN S. , KOTLER‐BERKOWITZ LAURENCE A. , SWAINE LUCAS A.
Published: September 2003

Abstract. The paper applies a structural perspective to the analysis of political preferences. Examining two British surveys, the 1987 cross–section of the electorate and a panel survey that covers the 1983 and 1987 elections, the research explores the bases of persistent voting for the same party, location on left–right scales, and the probability of holding the same policy views on a host of different issues over time. A set of structural variables rests at the heart of the paper's theory: discussion networks, patterns of interactions with members of political parties, social class networks, and location in the social structure. Several hypotheses guide the analysis: The effects of the structural variables on the probability of casting a ballot for the same political party in any one election and in adjacent elections will remain, even after controlling for party identification; political party socialization; location on left–right scales; positions taken on any and all political issues; age, and past levels of electoral stability. The effects of structural variables on left–right position will remain, even after controlling for locations on alternative left–right scales. Finally, reinforcing attitudinal context provides the only consistent determinant of stable policy positions, after controlling for a host of alternative explanations including level of education; age; interest in politics, and a general propensity to offer stable answers to political questions.
Globalism, Exit, and Free Social Riders: A Dysfunctional Integration Theory
Authors: ASPINWALL MARK
Published: September 2003

Abstract. This paper examines the role of capital disinvestment in the development of common EU policies, and suggests that mobile capital in low–tech sectors (where technology gains do not support high unit labour costs) is susceptible to high social costs, and will avoid them through exit. Integration theories have failed to assimilate the implications of this. While theorists have been busy making the case for either states or institutions as the key actors upon whom integrative outcomes in Europe depend, not enough attention has been paid to the influence of organized interests, and particularly whether they derive systemic power from the structure of the international economic system. Three points may be made. First, the relative power of interests changes with the internationalization of the economy. Second, the power of capital relative to labour is likely to vary along several axes: the degree of mobility, the level of international competition faced by the sector or firm, and the sensitivity to policy costs. Third, the dilemma posed by capital mobility to political bargains among socio–economic actors may help us get to the bottom of the long–standing debate among integration theorists regarding both the likely outcome of integrative efforts and the identity of the most relevant actors.
Developments in european political science journal and electronic literature during 1997
Authors: COAKLEY JOHN , Doyle John
Published: September 2003

Abstract. This article continues the annual review of developments in European political science periodical literature. The review covers not just traditional print media but also electronic publishing, and therefore begins with an overview of a pilot project in integrated electronic publishing, the lsquo;SuperJournal’ project, which links a range of British–published political science journals in an electronic cluster that facilitates ease of access by individual users. We continue with a summary of developments in political science journal publishing in central and eastern Europe in the aftermath of the political upheavals after 1989. The article concludes with a listing of the contents of the 1997 issues of selected European political science journals from a range of European countries (normally, those published by national political science associations) and comments on their content.
Electoral alliances: Party identities and coalition games
Authors: Di Virgilio Aldo
Published: September 2003

Abstract The emergence of electoral alliances competing for plurality seats has been one of the main consequences stemming form the introduction of the new electoral laws for the Senate and the Chamber of deputies in Italy. This paper analyzes the politics of electoral alliances at the general elections of April 1996, focusing on two factors: the making of electoral alliances and their internal arrangements for coalition management. From both points of view, the elections have shown some important new developments, including a simplification in the number of coalitions. But although the centre–left alliance was able to broaden its range, the centre–right lost the Lega Nord and suffered the split of Movimento sociale–Fiamma tricolore on its right. Moreover, the centre–right alliance also suffered from a lack of cohesion, wasting its previous coalitional capability. As in the 1994 elections the politics of electoral alliances proved to be a key factor in the electoral competition.
How to lose a majority: the competition in single–member districts
Authors: D’Alimonte Roberto , Bartolini Stefano
Published: September 2003

Abstract Few observers expected that the 1966 elections in Italy would yield a clear–cut outcome. Even fewer people expected that, after the disastrous results of the previous elections, the centre–left coalition would be able to gain a majority of seats in both branches of Parliament. Yet this is precisely what happened on 21 April 1996. This article tries to explain the comeback of the 1994 losers by focusing on three factors which have changed the electoral balance between the two major coalitions in the single–member districts. The first factor was the ability of the centre–left coalition (Ulivo–RC) to broaden its range while its major rival (the Polo) lost key allies. The result has been a more competitive stand of centre–left candidates, particularly in the North. The Polo lost the support of the Lega Nord and suffered the split of the Movimento Sociale on its right. These defections, along with others, led to the loss of a considerable number of seats. Finally, the Polo also suffered from the defection of a considerable number of its voters who voted for one of the parties of the centre–right coalition in the proportional arena, but refused to vote for the Polo candidate in the single–member districts. We conclude by suggesting a number of hypotheses that could explain this split–ticket phenomenon.
Policy convergence and policy feedback: Agricultural finance policies in a globalizing era
Authors: Coleman William D. , Grant Wyn P.
Published: September 2003

Abstract In a comparative study of five countries: Australia, Canada, the Republic of Ireland, the UK, and the USA, this article examines the degree of convergence of agricultural credit policy content, policy instruments, and policy outcomes on a market liberal model. It shows that all five countries have moved toward market liberal policy arrangements over the past quarter century of globalizing and domestic fiscal pressures, but important differences in policy remain. The Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom move further toward a market liberal model than do Australia, Canada, and the USA. The distinct national paths taken to market liberalism give rise to policy feedback that hastens or retards the adoption of a fully market liberal system. Historical choices of policy instruments and path dependence help account for continuing policy divergence.
The ecological correlates of right–wing extremism in Western Europe
Authors: Knigge Pia
Published: September 2003

Abstract This study traces the evolution of right–wing extremism, conceptualized as latent electoral support for extreme right–wing parties (i.e., vote intention), in six Western European countries (i.e., Belgium, France, the Netherlands, West Germany, Denmark, and Italy) between 1984 and 1993. Employing a pooled time–series cross–sectional research design, the author examines the relative strength of three popular explanations of contemporary rightwing extremism: the impact of economic conditions (unemployment and inflation), social developments (immigration), and political trends (public's dissatisfaction with the political regime). Evidence is presented in support of the last two explanations. Rising levels of immigration and public dissatisfaction with the political regime significantly facilitate right–wing extremism. Contrary to the initial hypothesis however, results suggest that a declining national economy (unemployment in particular) diminishes the electoral appeal of extreme right–wing parties.