bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Conscience Individuelle Et Discipline Partisane
Authors: Cayrol Roland , Reif Karlheinz
Published: March 2007

Au milieu des années 1960, Kirchheimer a prédit une uniformisation croissante des partis de l'Europe de l'Ouest sur le plan de l'idéologie, des politiques et de la composition de leurs électorats vers un modèle idéal de "parti attrape-tout". A l'aide de données du projet des élites intermédiaires des partis politiques européens, recueillies sous forme de question naires remplis par quelque 10 000 délégués à 40 conférences de partis nationales, nous comparons des modes d'adhésion à différentes normes de règlement de conflit à l'intérieur d'un parti. Contrairement à ses prédictions, les données révèlent un écart considérable entre le pays de même qu'à l'intérieur de la plupart des pays. Les délégués hollandais, danois et italiens adhèrent plus souvent à une "discipline partisane" à l'intérieur du parti que les Allemands ou les Belges. Pour ce qui est d'utiliser la "conscience individuelle" en guise de norme pour résoudre les conflits à l'intérieur d'un parti aux conférences de parti, ici encore les Allemands et les Belgessont particulièrement en faveur tandis que les Italiens, les Hollandais et les Danois y sont remarquablement opposés. A l'intérieur de chaque régime de partis national, les partis socialistes affichent la plus forte proportion de délégués qui adhèrent à la "discipline partisane" et la plus faible adhésion à la norme de la conscience individuelle.
Patronage in a Centralized, Socialist System
Authors: Tarkowski Jacek
Published: March 2007

The patron-client relationships in a centralized, socialist system are neither pathological deviations nor remnants of post-capitalist heritage or feudal mentality. They are structural elements of the politico-economic system-a response from the lower units of the system to straitened channels of interest articulation and aggregation, severe scarcity, and super- centralization of the system. In extreme cases (such as Poland in the 1970s), they become something more than an addendum to the inefficient institutional system-they become a primary determinant of public policy itself. Analysis of various motivations that induce political and economic leaders to assume the role of patron leads to the conclusion that the concept of patron-client relationships is too narrow, in that it restricts the scope of the concept to the direct exchange of favors (a direct social exchange). If the focus of research is the operation of the political and economic system, the existence and the scope of informal transactions and parallel distributive process is of foremost importance, irrespective of the motives and rewards that clients and patrons get from these transactions.
The German Greens
Authors: Bürklin Wilhelm P.
Published: March 2007

This article focuses on the process of partisan realignment in the West German party system of the 1980s by analyzing electoral support for the new party, the Greens. On the basis of quantitative analyses of 1980 and 1983 electoral data, a spatial analysis of the German party system was conducted. This analysis reveals the existence of two distinct dimensions of political conflict, one dividing established oppositions and the corresponding parties from left to right, and a second dividing established from non- established groups and the corresponding parties, especially the Greens. Analysis reveals that the traditional cleavages do not explain conflict over the second dimension. The explanation lies with those variables that correspond to secularized, post-industrial conflicts. The finding that the younger, the better-educated of the new left form the core group of the Greens is interpreted in relation to the economic and ideological deprivation of these groups; this electoral reaction, it is argued, must be explained with reference to the intervening effect of loosening social-structural and ideological attachments of voters in the post-industrial society.
Adjusting the Central Mind of Governments To Adversity
Authors: Dror Yehezkel
Published: March 2007

Growing incapacities to govern result largely from the relative stability of core components of central mind of governments (CMG) for more than 5,000 years, as compared with jumps in conditions, demands and policy instruments. To better handle present and fore seeable adversities, selective-radicalism adjustments are therefore needed in CMG, within a broad approach to governance redesign. In particular, CMG needs upgrading in respect to reality assessment and outlook, overall and long range process-system view, coherence, fuzzy-gambling sophistication, grand-policy thinking, policy-paradigm iconoclasm, crisis decision-making capacities, creativity and innovativeness, realistic visions, constructive- destruction command authority enlightenment abilities and high-quality and rapid learn ing. To better realize such requisites, a number of main institutional recommendations are developed, including advanced supports for top decision makers, think tank clusters, novel policy professionals, task-force structures, policy-enlightenment systems for the public at large and policy effectiveness and policy-making process audit. In conclusion, governance retrofitting is proposed as a main concern for political science, together with other relevant disciplines.
State or Market?
Authors: Lane Jan-Erik , Ersson Svante
Published: March 2007

We argue that politics matters in relation to the fundamental choice of allocation between public resource allocation and the market. These two forms of collective choices can be substituted only to a certain extent. It is difficult to pin down that politics matters for de tailed variation on kinds of public expenditures, particularly in rich countries, but we pre dict that politics is crucial to the basic choice between state and market when different types of countries are included in the analysis: OECD nations, Communist systems and Third World nations. The empirical analysis of variation in a few major expenditure items in 78 countries supports the argument. Estimating a number of regression equations mod elling the place of political factors in the context of public policy making, we find that poli tics is the single best predictor of the overall civilian size of the public sector, as well as of the welfare state ambition in education and health.
Biological Bases of Prejudice
Authors: Flohr Heiner
Published: March 2007

Our knowledge of the causes of social prejudice is insuflicient; conventional sociological and psychological approaches should be com plemented by a search for biological causes. Evolutionary theory can explain why there is a need for prejudices. The formation of prejudices is supported by some characteristics of our cognitive apparatus. Apart from that, behavioural tendencies such as group orientation and xenophobia, as well as the biologically rooted rejection of outsiders, contribute to the formation of prejudices. Prejudices are hard to fight because of their biological basis, but insight into this element may indicate effective countermeasures.
Being Political: A Quarrelsome View
Authors: Gilliatt Stephen
Published: March 2007

In defining the political it is possible to identify a dominant trend preoccupied with the idea of politics as a positive means of conflict management. This has often overshadowed the alternatives which view politics as a conflictual system of thought and action. Such alternatives can be reinforced by taking seriously the understanding that ordinary people have of what is involved in being political. From this, it is possible to conceive of politics less as a means of creating order, by accommodating diversity and constraint or imposing a general standard or authority, and more as a passionate and quarrelsome activity concerned with promoting conflict and disrupting order.
Bureaucratic Morality in Africa
Authors: Olowu Dele
Published: March 2007

An attempt is made here to bring together diverse writings on bureaucratic morality from different African countries. We examine the evidence of low bureaucratic morality and take a critical look at the different attempts to explain and prescribe for this problem. As a step towards the synthesis of these diverse perspectives, we suggest that the critical issue in most African countries is how the use of power is constituted. This influences the effectiveness of regular institutions in ensuring bureaucratic morality and responsibility. A case is made for a review of African constitutions in the light of this analysis and discussion.
Bureaucratic Morality: Concluding Comments
Authors: Dwivedi O.P.
Published: March 2007

During the past three decades there has been an enormous increase in the scope of governmental activity and in the range of its objectives. This expansion has deposited immense power and authority in the hands of public officials, thereby increasing opportunities for abuse of power and authority, as well as incidents of unethical activities. This paper examines these aspects, particularly in the context of expected standards of performance of public servants and the ethical issues confronting public officials in the Western as well as in the Third World nations. The essay concludes with a plea for strengthening the moral resolve of public servants so that they achieve the goal of moral and responsible administration.
Buddhist Politics and Their Revolutionary Origins in Thailand
Authors: Keyes Charles F.
Published: March 2007

Thailand is often viewed as an Asian country which has experienced no fundamental revolutionary change because the two major institutions on which the Thai nation is predicated—the monarchy and the Buddhist monkhood or Sangha—have deep roots in the past. Despite the continuity of these institutions, this article argues that Thai politics, which have been shaped in the past two decades by the influence of a number of activist Buddhist movements, can only be understood if it is recognized that the Thai political order has undergone major revolutionary transformations which stem from a reformation of Buddhism begun in the mid-nineteenth century. This reformation led, this article argues, to a fundamental shift in the practical interpretation of the Buddhist theory of action which, in turn, has led to an increasing number of people viewing themselves as being sufficiently freed from the constraints of previous karma to effect significant changes in their lives and those of the world in which they live.
The Spanish "New" Regions: Territorial and Political Pluralism
Authors: Botella Joan
Published: March 2007

One of the central problems to be solved by democratic transition in Spain was the old, and often violent, regional conflict. The general application of a regional system in a country where only a few territories had strong regional claims raises the question: What are the functions of the new regional institutions? The complexity of the institutional arrangement and the heterogeneity among regions make conflict (both center-regions and also region-region) a permanent possibility. A complex interplay between regional pluralism and political pluralism is suggested.
A Theoretical Framework for Global Policy Studies
Authors: Soroos Marvin S.
Published: March 2007

This paper illustrates the applicability of the theoretical perspective of policy studies to the enterprise of global problem-solving by addressing three questions. First, what types of policy problems exist that are of global concern? Second, how are public policies made at the global level? In responding to this question, specific attention is given to the stages in global policy processes, the arenas in which they take place, and the participating actors. Third, what is the nature of the resulting policies and how are they implemented?
States and Markets: An Ecofeminist Perspective on International Political Economy
Authors: Tickner J. Ann
Published: March 2007

This article examines the way in which the interaction between states and markets since the seventeenth century has depended on the exploitation of nature. The accumulation of wealth and power by the early modern state depended on the enlightenment ideology that saw nature as a resource to be exploited for human progress. An expansionary Eurocentric state system imposed this ideology on other cultures through imperialism and the globalization of capitalism. Feminists believe that this attitude toward nature has also been associated with the exploitation of women and other cultures. While environmentalists look to international regulation to solve ecological problems caused by the development of the international system, feminists and social ecologists claim that not until all these forms of exploitation are ended can an ecologically secure future be achieved.
Legitimacy, Institutional Change, and the Politics of Public Administration in Sweden
Authors: Pierre Jon
Published: March 2007

Public administration in Sweden has been the chief vehicle for the rapid postwar development toward an extensive welfare state. However, during the 1980s, as a result of increasing criticism about inertia and bureaucratization, several major reforms were initiated to "renew" the public sector. These reforms included a wide range of different measures, including deregulation, privatization, and "liberalization" experiments at the local level.

This paper argues that these reforms, along with increased overall efficiency of the public sector, fulfilled a number of political and admin istrative functions. They were aimed at enhancing the overall legitimacy of the public administration and also at displacing conflicts triggered by fiscal problems to the local political level. As a result, the 1980s witnessed local governments becoming increasingly important suppliers of public services. At the same time, state public administration agencies adopted a more subtle and observant role than they had previously played.
Fact and Value in International Relations
Authors: Maxwell Mary
Published: March 2007

Evolutionary biology explains why humans hold two kinds of morality: standard morality (based on the Golden Rule) and group moral ity. Group morality causes us to switch off our standard morality, such as our prohibition on killing, when we are threatened by an enemy or rival group. A new recognition of our psychological predilection to divide moral ity into these two codes of practice reveals the "real" reason behind the scholarly fact/value distinction in International Relations (IR) theory. Namely, "value" belongs to standard morality thinking and applies uncom fortably to the behavior of states. Academics defer to the state as the all- important entity on the world stage "factually" without realizing that they are thereby choosing, endorsing, and valuing group morality. They thus take a position that opposes (rather than merely ignores or disqualifies) standard morality; hence they are not "value-free."
Understanding the Dynamics of Electoral Reform
Authors: Dunleavy Patrick , Margetts Helen
Published: March 2007

After a long period of stasis 1993 marked a burst of change in liberal democracies' electoral arrangements. There were major shifts in three established democratic countries (Italy, Japan, and New Zealand), and a new system in Russia. All four changes show some parallels as well as some distinct features, especially in adopting "mixed" electoral systems. The roots of this pattern lie deep in the multiple criteria involved in debates about voting systems. Multi-dimensionality also explains some of the inherent difficulties of implementing reform, which we consider in the context of the revived electoral reform debate in the UK. Lastly, we examine the pressures for "convergence" in electoral systems at work in plurality rule countries, where party systems show tendencies to fragment; and in proportional representation systems, where public demands for greater accountability have emerged.
A Collective Profile of the American Spectator i n tHe Summer Olympic Games in Montreal 1976
Authors: Mashiach Asher
Published: March 2007

The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any specific and different profiles of the American men and women who participated as spectators in the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, 1976.

The subjects were 764 American spectators which were selected by a random sample method from the file of Olympic ticket buyers. The subjects answered questionnaires dur ing a period of two months before the Olympics through to the last day of the Games. The results of the questionnaire and the data were analyzed by a computer and were subjected to frequency analysis and chi-square tests by the author.

The data accumulated from the questionnaire were analyzed based on four profiles. A. Profile of the subjects based on demographic variables; B. Profile of the subjects based on their personal involvement in sports; C. Profile of the subjects based on their attitudes towards the Olympic Games; D. Profile of subjects based on their motivation for going to the Olympic Games in Montreal.

It was concluded that for most of the subjects, going to the Olympic Games was a fun adventure and individual sports as track and field, gymnastics, and swimming were the most popular events watched by both sexes. It was also concluded that the Olympic Games became a matter of interest to the American public two weeks before the Games, and that the majority of the spectators have little knowledge of international sporting events.
Racial Bias in Women's Collegiate Volleyball
Authors: Eitzen D. Stanley , Furst David
Published: March 2007

Whites and blacks in team sports tend to be distributed by positions according to stereotyped skills and abilities. This phenomenon of racial stacking has been documented for men's team sports at the professional and collegiate levels. Recently, stacking has also been found in women's collegiate basketball. The present study examines the case of women's collegiate volleyball, a sport where the positions are more likely to be stereotyped by race than basketball because the position of setter is so crucial to team effectiveness. Media guides were requested from all of the Division I schools with women's volleyball (n = 261), and 53 percent of the schools provided useable data. Of the 1,399 athletes, 89 (6 percent) were black. These blacks, as predicted, were underrepresented at the setter position (p<.01). They were also overrepresented at the hitter position (p<.02). No significant differences were found for blockers and defensive specialists. This pattern is the same found for women's basketball and consistently for the men's team sports, i.e., blacks are disproportionately found in positions requiring physical characteristics and relatively absent from positions of leadership, intelligence, and outcome control.
The Ignoble Sports Fan
Authors: Meier Klaus V.
Published: March 2007

In an article recently published in this Journal, entitled "The Noble Sports Fan," Garry Smith (1988) presents a sociological analysis of the sports follower role. Unfortunately, his effort is seriously flawed. This paper, consequently, attempts to rectify selected significant errors and inadequacies to be found in Smith's study by providing a critique of four particularly problematic areas, namely: (1) the unquestioned adoption of the structural-functionalist position; (2) the attempted repudiation of the charge that sports spectating acts as an opiate; (3) the misunderstanding of art and artistic endeavors; and (4) the purported nobility of the sports fan. A concluding note offers suggestions for future research to enhance the sociological understanding of the sports spectator.
Stealing Home: Political, Economic, and Media Power and a Publicly-Funded Baseball Stadium in Denver
Authors: Sage George H.
Published: March 2007

In 1990, the Major League Baseball owners announced that the National League would add two new franchises in 1993. Two issues immediately confronted the various groups attempting to secure a baseball franchise for Denver. One was finding an owner for the franchise, the other was providing a stadium for the team. This study focuses on the events and social processes involved in the baseball stadium issue in Denver's bid to secure a major league baseball franchise. The taxpayers of metropolitan Denver were asked to vote on a sales tax initiative that would finance the construction and operation of a new baseball stadium ifaMajorLeagueBaseballfranchisewasultimatelyawardedtoDenver. This study centers on how various forms of power were used to persuade taxpayers that they should pay the costs of constructing a baseball stadium and how the same forms of power were later used to obtain a stadium lease agreement. Other issues addressed by this study include why citizens were not more active in questioning either the public expen diture of money for the construction of a stadium or the terms of the stadium lease agreement. Analyses and explanations for these questions are grounded in the dynamics of power as it was employed by the various entities whose interest was in securing a Major League Baseball franchise for Denver.
The Development and Trials of a Decision-Making Model
Authors: Peters Michael , Marshall James , Shaw Robert
Published: March 2007

We describe an evaluation undertaken on contract for the New Zealand State Services Commission of a major project (the Administrative Decision-Making Skills Project) designed to produce a model of administrative decision making and an associated teaching/learning packagefor use by government officers. It describes the evaluation of a philosophical model of decision making and the associated teaching/learning package in the setting of the New Zealand Public Service, where a deliberate attempt has been initiated to improve the quality of decision making, especially in relation to moral factors.
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Authors: Skaburskis Andrejs
Published: March 2007

Conflicts enlarge the scope of the considerations that need to be addressed by program and project evaluations. The enlargement of a problem's boundaries may include shifts in the ethical premises used to assign values to the plan's indirect consequences. This review of the conflict generated by a Bay Area Rapid Transit System station's potential land-use impact shows how the relevant issues expand beyond the boundaries ordinarily set in cost-benefit evaluations, and involve reassessment of the ethical premises that should be applied when determining the relative value of alternative land-use plans.
An Evaluation of the Methodology and Results of J. P. Goldstein's Study, "the Effects of Motorcycle Helmet Use On the Probability of Fatality and the Severity of Head and Neck Injuries"
Authors: Bedi Iqbal S.
Published: March 2007

The motorcycle helmet effectiveness study conducted by J. P. Goldstein (1986) suggests that there exists a possible "trade-off" between head and neck injuries for a potential helmet user. Some groups have cited this study and have suggested that the current status of the mandatory helmet usage law in Alberta be reviewed. In this article, methodology and results of Goldstein's study are presented and evaluated, and evidence from other studies is presented. Due to methodological weaknesses in Goldstein's study, its results cannot be relied upon for policy formulation, particularly the repeal ofmandatory helmet legislation. Evidence from other studies provides no conclusive evidence of the trade-off between head and neck injuries for a motorcyclist wearing a helmet. The review of other studies indicates that helmets protect motorcycle riders from both head and neck injuries and that the risk of being killed is much higher jor helmetless riders. Perhaps, through helmet restraining collars or use of lighter helmets, both head and neck injuries can be further minimized.
Does the Continuum of Care Influence Time in Treatment?
Authors: Foster E. Michael
Published: March 2007

Using data from the Fort Bragg Evaluation, this article determines whether the continuum of care treatment philosophy extends the length of treatment episodes among children and adoles cents receiving mental health services. This article is the first to examine either the length of treatment episodes for children and adolescents receiving mental health services or the relation ship between time in treatment and the continuum of care. Using hazard modeling, the author finds that children at the Fort Bragg Demonstration are less likely to leave treatment at a point in time and thus remain in treatment longer.
Lessons to be Learned and Benefits to be Gained From a Collaborative School University Music Teaching Experience in an Australian Undergraduate Teacher Education Program
Authors: Temmerman Nita
Published: March 2007

An enduring theme within initial teacher education is how to best combine theory with practice. In Australia, this theme is receiving renewed attention as the result of a recent comprehensive review of teacher education. While in the United Kingdom there is widespread use of school-based teacher education, and in the United States professional development schools have been formed, in Australia such partnerships between schools and universities are not as developed. There is substantial scope for real improvement in the construction of collaborative partnerships, in order to provide both greater opportunity to put theory into practice and to make the theory more relevant and meaningful. This paper describes a collaborative initiative in music education — an area that beginning generalist classroom primary teachers appear to receive minimal if any opportunity for practice within school-based professional experiences. It discusses both the lessons learned and benefits derived from the school/university collaboration for all partners.
Solfeggio 1: A Vertical Ear Training Instruction Assisted by the Computer
Authors: Kiraly Zsuzsanna
Published: March 2007

The aim of this paper is to describe the process of solfège learning when assisted by computers. The research was conducted in the Länsi-Uusimaa Music Institute in Finland. The study focused on pupils’ attitudes, opinions, motivation, and learning-outcomes using computer-based music learning. We also examined how Solfeggio 1, the new electronic ear-training material, works. Jukka Louhivuori (1990) has examined the didactical questions of computer-assisted music education. He emphasized that learning music with a computer does not mean the replacement of “real” music. The notions of learning and teaching can change in quality, mainly in the area of “learning-by-doing” and “discovery learning” in the computer-assisted music classroom. It was found that computer-assisted music learning is more agreeable and effective than traditional music learning. Although results showed that we need a well-functioning, modern environment and a well-educated “researcher-teacher,” well-motivated pupils are the most important aspects.
How Language Variation Affects Inter-Cultural Differentiation of Values By Hong Kong Bilinguals
Authors: Bond Michael H.
Published: March 2007

Chinese bilinguals from Hong Kong responded to an expanded version of Rokeach's (1973) Value Survey written in either Chinese or English. Their task was to rate the perceived positions of a typical Hong Kong Chinese (auto stereotype) and a typical English-speaking Westerner (hetero stereotype). There was considerable differentiation between the two groups. with 18 values showing differences at the 0.01 confidence level. The size of this difference interacted with questionnaire language or task order for six of these discriminating values. A composite of the 17 Western 'favouring' values was then analysed. It yielded interactions between the size of stereotype difference and both language and task order, with the difference smaller in English and when the out-group was rated first. Correlational evidence about the size of the language effect strongly supported derivations from social identity theory.
Fuel Debts and the Probation Service
Authors: Ward Kevin
Published: March 2007

A current fuel debts project in Leeds is indicating how inadequate the response of the Probation Service is to such issues. It seems that many individual officers do not possess the knowledge which would enable them to deal systematically with the fuel boards over individual cases and it is clear that the Probation Service has been unable or unwilling to develop a coherent policy response to such general issues as the Code of Practice. At a time of increasing unemployment linked to massive cuts in public expenditure and higher prices for such essential commodities as fuel, it is clear that probation officers will be confronted with serious fuel debt problems. This article advocates a specific strategy requiring special resources and expertise.
A Future for Juveniles?
Authors: Cosgrove Stephen , Jones Alison , Self Caroline
Published: March 2007

In the light of what the authors see as NAPO's failure to develop a positive, overall strategy with regard to juvenile offenders, they call on the Professional Committee to formulate a coherent policy, and for NAPO to press for the setting up of a Royal Commission on juveniles and the criminal justice system.
Individualisation and Justice
Authors: Smith Dave
Published: March 2007

Prompted by what he sees as a number of serious errors in Elizabeth Barnard's article, "The Context of the British Parole System" (P.J., 27:2, May 1980), the author reappraises the extent of post-war con sensus about and commitment to state welfare services; examines the notions of rehabilitation and correctionalism; exposes the attack on social work implicit in some radical critiques of social institutions; sketches the possibilities for a humanised justice system; and, finally, argues against overt, routinised and inflexible surveillance and control in the Probation Service.
Probation Hostels: Wardens, Regimes and Residents
Authors: Hudson John R.
Published: March 2007

The author brings together a range of views on hostel régimes, warden styles, and residents' needs and points to the usefulness of there being some matching of them and coherence between them. He sug gests that the warden's role is critical and that, as the person on the boundary of the residential institution and the outside world, careful arrangements for support and consultation are needed.
Probation: A new Orthodoxy?
Authors: Burnham Dave
Published: March 2007

The author argues that the Service is in danger of accepting a new orthodoxy which is in conflict with its humanitarian roots. Contrary to common opinion, such changes may not simply be attributable to external and financial pressures.
Who Polices the Police?
Authors: Williams Brian
Published: March 2007

At a fringe meeting Cllr. Paul Boateng, Chairman of the GLC's Police 'Committee, outlined plans to bring the Metropolitan and other police forces under greater democratic control. He argued that the present administration of the police is at once profoundly political and deeply undemocratic. While acknowledging that there are valuable experiments in community involvement going on at present, he urged that 'community policing' should be viewed with circumspection, given its largely unconsidered implications for the civil liberties of offenders. He admitted that he and others advocating greater democratic involvement in policing are involved in a power struggle, and one that can be resolved only politically. Probation officers in the meeting spoke of local concerns in their areas, and Cllr. Boateng seemed glad to receive confirmation of some of his ideas—both about the need for change and about the possibilities of making greater use of the existing element of democratic oversight. He made it clear that he felt that the present state of affairs constituted a political and constitutional crisis, and that the critical time must shortly come on this issue. Lord Scarman's findings and the reactions to them may well have proved him right by the time the Journal is published.
Library Buildings in the 1980s
Authors: Dewe Michael
Published: March 2007

The fourth in a series of articles on library buildings completed in the 1980s, based largely on the library and architectural literature. Describes and evaluates new and remodelled library buildings in Australia and New Zealand.
Information for development: experiences of the International Development Research Centre
Authors: McConnell Paul
Published: March 2007

The first in a series of articles on the activities of the Information Sciences Division (ISD) of the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) introduces IDRC in general and ISD in particular. It traces the evolution of ISD as a substantive programme devoted to tackling information problems in developing countries, and reviews how the Division has responded to the changing global information environment of the past two decades. Statistics are provided on where and on what activities ISD resources have been directed over the years. General programme areas are described with examples of types of projects supported, including specialized information centres, non-bibliographic systems, networks, information technologies and human resources development, all of which are aimed at contributing to the social and economic advancement of developing countries. Also examined are inhouse information activities, including IDRC's Library and bibliographic services, and the Computer Systems Group responsible for MINISIS software. Concludes with a look at various elements in the current information environment that are influencing the future direction of ISD so that it can remain responsive to the needs of developing countries.
Library buildings in the 1980s
Authors: Salem Shawky , Dewe Michael
Published: March 2007

The sixth in a series of articles on library buildings completed in the 1980s, based largely on the library and architectural literature. Describes new library buildings in the Arab states, Iran and Israel.
Medical Records in University College Hospital, Ibadan
Authors: Adebola Adebisi Agbaje
Published: March 2007

The growth in the numbers of patients' medical records in Nigerian hospitals in recent times has created problems for record storage and retrieval. Describes the administration and operation of the medical records system at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, as a case study. Provides statistics of the numbers of records held, available storage space, staff, and the numbers of records retrieved and created in the various records units of the hospital. Data were collected through observation, oral interviews and a survey of official publications and comments relating to the hospital and its medical records department. Problems include inadequate funding, storage and security facilities. Recommends the introduction of new information technologies, including Computer Output Microfilm (COM) and microfilming of existing records as partial solutions.
Conservation, preservation and restoration in N igerian libraries
Authors: Ojo-Igbinoba M.E. , Ojo-Igbinoba M.E.
Published: March 2007

Our libraries are the repositories of man's cultural heritage. If the materials in the world libraries are lost, the recorded history of human civilization is lost as well. (1)
Information technology and scientific and technical information in China
Authors: Bai Zi-guang
Published: March 2007

When China began to carry out its policy of reform and opening up to the outside world, the rapid development of the national economy and science and technology called for the development of scientific and technical information activities. One of the most significant trends in the development of modern scientific and technical information activities in the world is the application of advanced information technologies. Outlines China's efforts in utilizing information techology to facilitate and accelerate the development of scientific and technical information activities and its future development strategies in the application of information technology in the scientific and technical information field, which place special emphasis on the construction and development of nationwide online information system, the creation and development of databases and the development of the telecommunications infrastructure.
Changes in human whole blood 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and platelet 5-HT uptake during treatment with paroxetine, a selective 5-HT uptake inhibitor
Authors: Marsden C.A. , Tyrer P. , Casey P. , Seivewright N.
Published: March 2007

The effects of the specific 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) reuptake inhibitor parox etine on whole blood 5-HT and the uptake of 3H-5-HT by platelets was determined in 17 patients with resistant depression. The biochemical parameters were measured before paroxetine treatment, during treatment and after withdrawal of treatment. Two of the 17 subjects failed to complete the trial; of the remaining subjects 12 showed a marked decrease in whole blood 5-HT and 3H-5-HT uptake into platelets. The remaining three patients showed a variable response both in terms of whole blood 5-HT and platelet uptake during paroxetine treatment. At the end of treatment blood 5-HT tended to return towards normal although this was delayed. There was no significant correlation between the change in blood 5-HT and Hamilton score during paroxetine treatment. The results confirm that inhibition of 5-HT uptake mech anisms are associated with decreased whole blood 5-HT but that changes in whole blood 5- HT do not necessarily reflect the clinical efficacy of 5-HT uptake blocking drugs in the treatment of depression.
Effects of the putative 5-HT agonist 5-OH-DPAC on male rat sexual behaviour: a comparison with effects produced by 8-OH-DPAT and buspirone
Authors: Ahlenius Sven , Larsson Knut
Published: March 2007

The new 5-HT agonist 5-hydroxy-3-(di- n-propylamino)chroman (5-OH-DPAC), 0.025-3.2 mg:kg-1, produced a marked facilitation of male rat sexual behaviour, characterized by a decrease in the number of intromissions preceding ejaculation and in time to ejaculation. The compound is in this regard as efficacious as 8-OH-DPAT, but about 3 times less potent. Buspirone, 2-4 mg:kg-1, also produced a facilitation of the male rat sexual behaviour, but with less efficacy and with considerably less potency than either 8-OH-DPAT or 5-OH-DPAC. In the experiment where 5-OH-DPAC and 8-OH-DPAT were directly compared, the display of flat body posture was recorded immediately before the sexual behaviour observations. These observations indicate: (1) that the occurrence of this behavioural syndrome does not interfere with the performance of sexual behaviour in 8-OH-DPAT treated rats; and (2) at doses where the male rat sexual behaviour was affected to the same degree by 8-OH-DPAT and 5-OH- DPAC, only the former compound produced the flat body posture.
Prophylaxis in recurrent unipolar depression: a new indication for treatment studies
Authors: Montgomery Stuart A.
Published: March 2007

Antidepressants are used for long periods of time and until recently there were no formal requirements for establishing efficacy in the maintenance phase or the prophylactic phase of the treatment of depression. The CPMP guidelines advise regulatory authorities in the EEC to consider the efficacy of antidepressants in the medium and the long term separately from efficacy in the treatment of the acute episode. This paper reviews the efficacy of antidepressants in continuation treatment and prophylactic treatment of unipolar depression. Prophylactic studies are difficult and time consuming and it is important to adopt adequate trial methodology. The minimum criteria for the demonstration of prophylactic efficacy are presented.
Effects of paroxetine and maprotiline on mood, perceptual-motor skills and eye movements in healthy volunteers
Authors: Deijen J.B. , Loriaux S.M. , Orlebeke J.F. , de Vries J.
Published: March 2007

Sixteen healthy young volunteers (seven females, nine males) received repeated doses of either 30 mg paroxetine, 100 mg maprotiline or placebo in a double-blind crossover study. Each of the three treatments lasted 1 week separated by 2 weeks of no treatment. Treatment order was counterbalanced. Subjects were tested before each treatment period, and after 1 and 7 days of treatment. Measurements were made of mood, perceptual-motor skills, and eye movements including pupil size when subjects were watching a traffic film.
Scopolamine and sustained retrieval from semantic memory
Authors: Dunne Michael P.
Published: March 2007

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effects of 0.9 mg oral sco polamine on continuous retrieval of items from natural semantic categories. In experiment 1, scopolamine increased the frequency of item repetition, but had no effect on the number of items subjects could retrieve, or the number of items retrieved per retrieval cue. Experiment 2 introduced a variant of this task where subjects could either retrieve items freely using any preferred strategy, or were constrained to a single retrieval strategy. Again, scopolamine did not impair retrieval of items from semantic categories. It was argued that these negative results are unlikely to be the product of low experimental power, and that the data are consistent with the view that the effects of scopolamine are limited to information acquisition, at least in healthy young subjects.
Antidepressant-like activity of ipsapirone, buspirone and gepirone in the forced swimming test in rats pretreated with proadifen
Authors: Przegaliński E. , Tatarczyńska E. , Chojnacka-Wójcik E.
Published: March 2007

The antidepressant-like activity of ipsapirone, buspirone and gepirone was studied in rats in the forced swimming test (behavioural despair test). lpsapirone and buspirone administered in single doses (5-20 mg/kg) did not affect the immobility time in this test. When administered in the same doses in a three-injection course in 24 h, buspirone was also inactive, while ipsapirone slightly but significantly reduced the immobility time only after a dose of 5 mg/kg. On the other hand, gepirone administered both in single doses (2.5-20 mg/kg) and in a three-injection course (5-20 mg/kg) potently and dose-dependently shortened the immobility time. 1-(2-Pyrimidinyl)-piperazine (1-PP; 5-20 mg/kg), a common metabolite of all the three drugs, administered in single doses or in a three-injection course, was inactive in the forced swimming test. In rats pretreated with proadifen (50 mg/kg), a non-selective drug metabolism inhibitor, both ipsapirone and buspirone administered in single doses (5-20 mg/kg) reduced the immobility time in a dose-dependent manner. Proadifen also potentiated the anti-immobility effect of gepirone (5 and 10 mg/kg). The anti-immobility effect of single doses (20 mg/kg) of ipsapirone, buspirone and gepirone in proadifen-pretreated animals was completely abolished by 1-PP (4 mg/kg). These results indicate that the antidepressant-like activity of the examined drugs in the behavioural despairtest is masked (ipsapirone, buspirone) or attenuated (gepirone) by their metabolite 1-PP.
Corticotrophin releasing factor—a peptide link between stress and psychopathology associated with epilepsy?
Authors: Adamec Robert E.
Published: March 2007

This selective review considers the contribution of recent investigations of corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) to our understanding of the link between stress and psychopathology associated with limbic epilepsy. Data are reviewed which clearly indicate that CRF does not play a simple modulatory role in behaviour. On the one hand, it is clear that CRF reproduces many of the central effects initiated by environmental stressors. One primary effect of limbic and locus coeruleus CRF systems, at least, seems to be to modulate neural circuitry involved in anxiety. On the other hand, its functioning as a modulator of animal anxiety can vary from anxiogenic, to neutral to anxiolytic, depending on the prior experience of the animal. Handling stress eliminates the anxiogenic action of CRF, and repeated limbic seizures change CRF into an anxiolytic. All of these findings suggest that CRF is an important link between stress and affective disturbance, but the nature of that link is complex and poorly understood. Chronic stress and epileptic disorders probably modify CRF functioning itself, as well as neurotransmitter systems with which CRF interacts. Nevertheless, the data suggest a novel hypothesis regarding the relationship between stress and mood in epileptics and the role of CRF in that relationship.
The effects of the α2-adrenoceptor antagonist idazoxan on sleep in normal volunteers
Authors: Wilson S.J. , Glue Paul , Nutt David J.
Published: March 2007

The effects of idazoxan, a novel antidepressant that is a potent and selective α2-adrenoceptor antagonist, were studied on sleep. Twelve normal male volunteers had sleep recordings made using the Oxford ambulatory system (Medilog 9000) with subsequent analysis by automatic sleep staging and visual inspection. Idazoxan was given in a dose of 40 mg three times a day for 21 days. Sleep recording on day 3 demonstrated markedly reduced indices of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, although other sleep parameters were only minimally affected. The effect on REM persisted unchanged at day 18, however on the second day after withdrawal a rebound in REM measures was observed. These data show that idazoxan has an effect on sleep which is very similar to that of other antidepressants, and emphasize a role for noradrenaline in the regulation of REM sleep.
Imipramine in panic disorder. 2. Effects on α2-adrenoceptor function
Authors: Nutt David J. , Glue Paul
Published: March 2007

Untreated patients with panic disorder have been shown to have altered α2-adrenoceptor sensitivity, as assessed by clonidine challenge testing. We investigated clonidine-induced biochemical, physiological, hor monal and psychological responses in six panic patients, before and after treatment with imipramine. Comparison of the clonidine-induced fall in plasma MHPG pre- and post-treatment showed it to be sig nificantly reduced after imipramine. Significantly smaller clonidine-induced falls in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate occurred after imipramine treatment. However, growth hormone and sedation responses were not altered. These data suggest that reduced sensitivity of some central α2-adrenoceptors occurs during treatment of panic disorder with imipramine. However, these changes do not fully explain the therapeutic actions of antidepressants in this condition.
Effects of idazoxan on 5-hydroxytryptamine-mediated behaviour in the mouse and rat
Authors: Dickinson S.L. , Tulloch I.F. , Gadie B.
Published: March 2007

The α2-adrenoceptor antagonists idazoxan and RX811059 induced reciprocal forepaw treading, a component of the 5-HT-behavioural syndrome in rats. This response is independent of 'non-α2-adrenoceptor idazoxan binding sites' (NAIBS) at which RX811059 is inactive. Idazoxan pre-treatment, in rats, enhanced forepaw treading, head weaving and tremor induced by the 5-HT agonist 5-methoxy-N,N dimethyltryptamine (5-MeODMT), increased head twitches (but decreased hindlimb abduction) induced by the 5-HT releaser p- chloroamphetamine (pCA), but did not clearly alter head twitches induced by the 5-HT precursor L-5-hydroxytryptophan in mice. The α1-antagonist prazosin did not alter behaviour induced by either 5-MeODMT or pCA in rats. The α 2-agonist, guanoxabenz, did not alter 5-MeODMT-induced behaviour in rats. St587, an α1-agonist, selectively potentiated tremor induced by 5-MeODMT, but no other behaviour. A possible mechanism for these interactions could be through enhanced, α2-adrenoceptor-mediated, 5-HT release in specific brain areas. Other possibilities, e.g. direct action at subtypes of 5-HT receptors and the importance of these NA-5-HT interactions in the treatment of resistant depression, are discussed.