Destabilizing Effects of Terrorism on Party System Stability

In democracies with stable party systems, voters can more easily trace policy decisions from parties and representatives within the government to specific policy outcomes. Consequently, party system stability (PSS) has been reportedly linked to a variety of factors including economic conditions, democratic performance, political institutions, and socioeconomic cleavages. While informative, these lessons offer precious little insight into other factors that can destabilize a party system. In this work, we surmise that terrorist attacks have important implications for two commonly used measures of PSS. The results of a pooled, cross-sectional time series analysis confirm our hypothesis: deadly attacks proximate to elections destabilize party systems, even when controlling for multiple standard controls. In addition, the level of democratic consolidation within states also influences the degree that fatal terrorist attacks affect party system stability. These findings are based on terrorism data collected from the Global Terrorism Database and from PSS data compiled by the authors.     

The Balance‐Sample Size Frontier in Matching Methods for Causal Inference

We propose a simplified approach to matching for causal inference that simultaneously optimizes balance (similarity between the treated and control groups) and matched sample size. Existing approaches either fix the matched sample size and maximize balance or fix balance and maximize sample size, leaving analysts to settle for suboptimal solutions or attempt manual optimization by iteratively tweaking their matching method and rechecking balance. To jointly maximize balance and sample size, we introduce the matching frontier, the set of matching solutions with maximum possible balance for each sample size. Rather than iterating, researchers can choose matching solutions from the frontier for analysis in one step. We derive fast algorithms that calculate the matching frontier for several commonly used balance metrics. We demonstrate this approach with analyses of the effect of sex on judging and job training programs that show how the methods we introduce can extract new knowledge from existing data sets.     

Analysis of human vaginal secretions by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis

Proteins in 68 vaginal secretions from 50 women were analyzed by SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Although there were considerable numbers of intermediate types, the secretions could be classified into the following groups based on the densitometric patterns. A relatively low concentration of 67K protein (albumin) and a high concentration of 52K protein (IgG) were the patterns common to pre- and post-menstrual phases and pregnant stadium. A relatively high concentration of the 67K protein and a moderate concentration of the 52K protein characterized the midcycle. A considerably high concentration of 67K protein compared with the 79K (transferrin), 58K (IgA) and 52K bands was the pattern for menstrual phase and postpartum stage.     

An application of a quantitative analytical system for the grading of pulmonary fat embolisms

The severity of pulmonary fat embolism in 5 autopsied cases has been measured using a quantitative image analytical system. With reference to the mean size of the fat emboli, the cases were divided into 2 groupings regardless of the number of the emboli. The mean sizes of the emboli in 3 cases of the first group were significantly larger (about 490-600 microns 2) than those found in the 2 cases of the other group (about 220 and 235 microns 2). An investigation into the localization of fat emboli revealed that more were lodging in the small arteries and arterioles in the first group than in the second. Our results have indicated that a reliable grading of pulmonary fat embolism can not be established without a quantitative image analysis of the size and localization of the fat emboli, and that this quantitative analytical method is useful in achieving this reliable grading.     

A case of Ebstein's anomaly with double mitral valve

A 5-month-old male infant with no history of serious illness died suddenly and unexpectedly. He was found dead under a heavy 'futon', a coverlet, which covered the whole of his body. As it was suspected he may have been smothered, a medicolegal autopsy was performed, and it was discovered that the infant had Ebstein's anomaly with double mitral valve. The cause of death appeared to be due to heart failure caused by this congenital heart disease.     

Long-term storage of blood samples as whole blood at extremely low temperatures for methemoglobin determination

Changes in methemoglobin (Met-Hb) concentrations during storage of whole blood and a hemolysate at refrigerated or various freezing temperatures were examined using experimentally prepared blood samples. When whole blood was stored at 3 degrees C, rapid reduction of Met-Hb was observed in the nitrite-treated blood whereas neither reduction nor formation of Met-Hb was observed in the untreated and heated blood within 7 days. When hemolysate was stored at 3 degrees C, Met-Hb concentrations were stable within a few days regardless of the initial values. However, slight autoxidation was observed 7 days after storage in the untreated and heated blood. When whole blood was stored at various freezing temperatures, Met-Hb concentrations were practically stable until at least 30 days at -80 degrees C or -196 degrees C regardless of the initial values, although considerable autoxidation was observed at -30 degrees C especially in the blood containing small amounts of Met-Hb. Based on the results obtained, a new method was devised for long-term storage of whole blood at extremely low temperatures for Met-Hb determinations.     

Reference Group Perspective on State Behaviour: A Case Study of Estonia's Counterterrorism Policies

For over a decade Estonia has been untouched by terrorist violence. However, notwithstanding the lack of a viable terrorist threat, the Estonian government adopted extensive counterterrorism measures. What explains the scope of Estonia's counterterrorism measures? The main proposition of this article is that the content of states' counterterrorism policies is shaped by the types of responses adopted by their reference groups. The evidence examined in the study demonstrates that Estonia's primary reference groups, NATO and the EU, have influenced the republic's counterterrorism programme. An unattractive target to terrorists, Estonia adopted broad counterterrorism responses to defend indivisible Euro–Atlantic security and to protect democratic values that terrorists attempt to destroy.     

Index Based Regional Analysis: The Case of the Former Soviet Union and Russia

This paper presents a methodology for analysing inter-regional differences and identifying a suitable combination of policies for a set of regions. The methodology is based on the development of a composite index and is applied to compare (i) the members of the Former Soviet Union (FSU) and (ii) the regions of Russia. All variables considered and incorporated in the relevant index are (1) scaled from 0–100, so that the index is independent of units of measurement, and (2) weighted using survey results. According to the adapted regional development index Lithuania is on the top of the ranking followed by Latvia, Estonia, Ukraine, Belarus, Georgia, Russia, Armenia, Moldova, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan. The FSU countries are positioned on a regional development index – per capita income mapping to investigate whether emphasis should be placed on regional, environmental or sustainable development policies. Finally, an index that incorporates various socioeconomic components is computed for the regions of Russia which are subsequently classified based on the value of this index. This classification shows that the regions with the best index values are in the Central–Southern part of the country (with the exception of Sackha Republic, which is in the West). The regions with the lower index values are in the Western part of the country and in parts of Central Russia (Mariel republic, Moldovia Republic, Perm region).