The New Elites in the Baltic States: Recirculation and Change

Regime change is closely connected to elite change. although classical theories of elite rule would predict considerable elite continuity. The basic question is how the downfall of communist regimes and introduction of democracy have affected elite patterns in the three Baltic states. The data indicate a combination of continuity and change: circulation of indigenous elites has taken place, while Russians are excluded from power in important state institutions. Elite continuity is explained by lack of "alternative elites" and a need for competent leaders in the state building process. Elite change is explained by ethnic cleavages which raise the issue of indigenous control over power positions.     

Significance of various analytical methods with reference to the causes and manners of death in alcoholics

It was the aim of the present investigation to apply a broad spectrum of analyses to forensic autopsies of alcoholics in order to estimate the significance of the various analytical methods with reference to the cause and manner of death. The analyses were performed on a consecutive series of 73 medico-legal autopsies in alcoholics. Both extensive histology as well as toxicology and microbiology were used. The microbiology did not contribute substantially to the determination of the cause of death, while histology was decisive in six cases. Toxicology analyses were necessary for determining the cause of death in 37 cases. The results of the investigation may help in the selection of analytical priorities.     

Foundation Ownership and Financial Performance: Do Companies Need Owners?

A curious ownership structure is found in Northern Europe—foundations that own and operate business companies. The foundations are non-profit entities, they have no members and no owners, and they cannot be dissolved. In many cases, these entities control more than 50% of the votes in successful international companies. Obviously, this structure completely blocks the market for corporate control, but it also violates other basic principles of agency theory and corporate finance. Nevertheless, we present evidence that a sample of foundation-owned companies listed on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange are at least as efficient as other listed companies in terms of risk adjusted stock returns, accounting returns and Tobins Q. Thus, they question whether profit-seeking ownership is a necessary condition for competitive enterprise.JEL Classification: D23, G34, L31     

Scenes from a mall: Retail training and the social exclusion of low-skilled workers

In this article we examine how post-industrial Britain and Denmark undertake vocational training for low-skilled retail workers. Specifically, we evaluate whether leaders in training skilled industrial workers are also doing the best job with low-skilled service workers. While Danish retail is increasingly becoming a haven for low-skilled workers, British workers are gaining in skills levels with the transition to services even in the retail sector. While some suggest that social democratic countries have sacrificed the political interests of low-skilled workers in order to protect core manufacturing workers, we find no evidence of this. Rather, the high expectations of vocational training in Denmark have forged barriers to the easy admission of low-skilled service workers, while the British system provides more entry points for vocational training at different levels. The structures of coordination that had narrowed the gap between white-collar and blue-collar manufacturing workers during the industrial age are creating new cleavages in the post-industrial economy.     

Injuries due to deliberate violence in areas of Denmark. III. Lesions. The Copenhagen Study Group

As part of a transcultural investigation of violent behavior in Denmark and South America, the lesions from accidents involving deliberate violence registered in three Danish emergency wards during a 1-year period were studied. A quantity of 2211 lesions were diagnosed in 1316 patients (953 male and 363 female patients). Sixty-five percent of the lesions were in the head/neck region, 13% in truncus, 18% in the upper extremities and 5% in the lower extremities. The most frequent diagnosis was an open wound in the head/neck region. Adding contusions and fractures in the same region this amounted to more than half of the total number of lesions. In the upper extremities 62% of the lesions were contusions or open wounds. Serious lesions of internal arteries were few, however always caused by sharp instruments (knives). Serious lesions due to firearms were not recorded/reported. Strangulation had been used against 1.1% of the victims, the male/female ratio being 1:6. The main part of the lesions were of minor severity when assessed on the basis of the scores in the Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS). The lesions were, however, more serious compared to other recent studies, and it appeared that the female victims had fewer but more serious lesions than the male victims. The need for treatment and hospitalization was in the range of other recent studies.     

Injuries due to deliberate violence in areas of Denmark. V. Violence against women and children. Copenhagen Study Group

As part of an European-South American study of deliberate violence cases of violence against women greater than or equal to 15 years of age and violence against and among children under the age of 15 years were registered at 3 Danish emergency wards and at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen. 352 cases of violence against women and 46 cases of violence against children were registered in the three emergency wards corresponding to rates of about 1.6/1000 per year for women, 0.6/1000 per year for boys and 0.7/1000 per year for girls in a provincial/rural district, the catchment region of Holbaek County Hospital, 3.4/1000 per year for women, 2.8/1000 per year for boys and 0.6/1000 per year for girls in a mainly middle income area of the metropolis Copenhagen, the catchment region of Frederiksberg Hospital, and 4.0/1000 per year for women, 4.0/1000 per year for boys and 0.9/1000 per year for girls in a mainly low income area of Copenhagen, the catchment region of the Rigshospital. Nineteen live adult female victims and 17 dead adult female victims of violence were registered in the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Copenhagen, where also one was registered as a victim of homicide. Nearly half of the adult live female victims of violence had been injured at home while this was the case for approximately three fourth of the dead victims. In 35% of the live cases the husband was the aggressor and in 12% a former cohabitant. In 71% of the homicide cases the husband was the aggressor. The live women appeared to have fewer but more serious lesions than men. The pattern of deliberate violence against women appears to be associated with socio-economic and cultural factors. In cases with a preceding quarrel there is statistically a link to alcohol intoxication. In half of the cases of violence against children the aggressor was known to the victim, in 15% the aggressor was one of the parents, while 42% of the cases were violence among children. The pattern of violence according to sex, and the distribution and severity of lesions for 10-14 years old children showed resemblance to the situation for adults. The lesions were more serious in young infant victims, especially boys, than in adult victims.     

Intoxication at home due to carbon monoxide production from gas water heaters

Forensic medicine has a role to play in the community not only when dealing with criminal cases. When the forensic scientist observes fatalities that could have been prevented, he has an obligation to respond with the purpose of preventative measures. In a short period in Copenhagen there were a number of fatalities due to the production of carbon monoxide from gas water heaters. The gas water heaters were in most cases malfunctioning due to sooted convectors and installed without a flue, but at the time of installation maintenance checks were not mandatory, and if carried out they were often unprofessional. It is emphasized that even with well functioning equipment, the danger of intoxication exists when using a heater without a flue over an extended period, if the apartment is thoroughly insulated. The oxygen will then be used in the combustion and CO produced. The symptoms are insidious and uncharacteristic. Examples are described where physicians have failed to diagnose the condition in patients in adjoining apartments. The authorities finally responded to the medical reports with new regulations and with a favourable result. The responsibility with regard to the control of technical installations in a technically advanced society is discussed.     

The morphogenesis of electrically and heat-induced dermal changes in pig skin

In order to establish pathological evidence in dermis for distinguishing between sequelae of electrical torture and those of other superficial injuries, the skin of eleven fully anaesthetized Danish Landrace pigs have been exposed to heat and electrical energy from either 50 Hz alternating current (a.c.) or direct current (d.c.) via 12 mm large contact knobs or via a pointed 0.5 mm large electrode (only 50 Hz a.c.). The lesions have been examined from 1 to 126 days after the injury. While heat lesions exposed to energy lower than 60 joule only gave minor changes, heat lesions exposed to more than 60 joule showed changes in both collagen fibres (basophilic or eosinophilic fibres without any birefringence or coarse cross-striation in polarized light, respectively) and dermal cells (granular cytoplasm). Areas exposed to 50 Hz a.c. via 0.5 mm. electrode showed basophilic collagen fibres and in a few biopsies on day 7 calcium salts on collagen fibres. Using 12 mm large electrodes the changes were minor, but basophilic and eosinophilic collagen fibres with no birefringence or with fine/coarse cross-striation respectively were seen. Even cells with 'vesicular nuclei' were seen on day 1 and 2 after the injury. The changes in the anode area showed resemblance to that of heat lesions (basophilic collagen fibres). Eosinophilic collagen fibres with fine densely spaced cross-striation in polarized light and 'vesicular nuclei' as well as collagen fibres with calcium salts were seen in the cathode lesions. It is concluded that the dermal changes in the cathode area are specific for electrical injury from day 1 to 14. However, earlier studies have demonstrated dermal changes specific for electrical injury at day 0 and the presence of calcified collagen fibres up to 2 months after injury. The dermal changes in anode lesions were non specific and could not be differentiated from those found in heat lesions. Alternating current lesions (50 Hz) were specific from day 1 to day 7, when the pointed electrode was used, but only in a few days when the energy was transferred via the 12-mm electrodes.     

Suicide by carbon monoxide from car exhaust-gas in Denmark 1995-1999

In the period 1995-1999 there were 388 car exhaust-gas suicides in Denmark. Of these 343 (88.4%) were men and 45 (11.6%) were women, the average age being 47 years. The car exhaust-gas suicides made up 9.3% of all suicides in Denmark in the period. The corresponding rate was 11.7% for men and 3.7% for women. In rural areas a larger part of all suicides were committed with car exhaust-gas compared to the more densely populated areas. Mental disease was diagnosed in 124 (32.0%) cases. A suicide note was found in 165 (42.5%) cases. A hose was fitted to the exhaust pipe in 334 (86.1%) cases. Of these the 234 (60.3%) occurred outside, typically in a forest area, while 76 (19.6%) occurred in a closed garage. All the 54 (13.9%) cases with no hose fitted to the exhaust pipe occurred in a garage. Seven (1.8%) victims were found in a burning or burnt-out car, where the following investigation revealed that it was actually a car exhaust-gas suicide. Carboxyhemoglobin was measured in 26 (6.7%) victims. In two of these victims no carboxyhemoglobin was found, as they had survived for some time after the poisoning. The average saturation of the remaining victims was 67%, the lowest saturation being 20% and the highest being 84%. In the period 1969-1987 the number of car exhaust-gas suicides in Denmark increased from 50 to approximately 190 per year and the rate of car exhaust-gas suicides compared to all suicides increased from approximately 5% to approximately 13%. In 1987-1999 these figures decreased from approximately 190 to 63 per year and from 13% to approximately 8%. During these 30 years the number of passenger cars in Denmark doubled, which explains the increase in car exhaust-gas suicides during 1969-1987. A possible explanation for the decrease in 1987-1999 is the introduction of the catalytic converter, which was made mandatory in 1990. We anticipate that car exhaust-gas suicides will continue to decrease in numbers, as more cars are equipped with catalytic converters.