Suchergebnisse

In several recent studies George Rabinowitz and his co-authors challenge the 'classical' spatial model of issue voting, the proximity model by introducing a directional model. In this article we examine whether different measurement of perceived issue positions of candidates or parties leads to diverging judgments about the predictive power of the directional model (which is claimed to be empirically superior) as compared to the proximity model, using data from the USA and Germany. The results demonstrate that the measurement preferred by Rabinowitz et al. tends to bias empirical findings in favour of directional theory. If we use a more plausible operational definition of issue positions of candidates and parties the directional model in both countries fails to turn out superior. (European Journal of Political Research / FUB)

Background  This participatory action research (PAR) project involved a collaboration with a self‐advocacy group of people with intellectual disabilities that sought to build group capacity for advocacy.Materials and Methods  This study used a focus group, sustained participatory engagement and a reflexive process to gather qualitative and quantitative data over 15 months. All methods were adapted to ensure accessibility and to support active participation.Results  The collaboration generated action products, including tools to support advocacy and an accessible action and reflection process. Research findings suggest that active participation is essential for group control, but alone does not automatically lead to control. The manner in which supports are provided, including member supports, advisor supports, strategy supports and systems supports, influences the extent to which members have a sense of control over decision making and participation and thus, improved capacity for advocacy.Conclusions  A PAR approach can be used to increase a group's capacity for advocacy and meaningfully involve self‐advocacy groups in participatory research that leads to change.

9 páginas, 3 tablas, 2 figuras. ; This study was undertaken to provide a thorough analysis of the neutral lipid (NL) and polar lipid (PL) fractions of horse meat that included the content and distribution of acyl and alkenyl moieties in foals under different rearing conditions. Two groups of crossbred horses were studied; the first group was selected from suckling foals produced under grazing conditions and slaughtered at 4 months of age (n=8), and the second group was selected from concentrate-finished foals and slaughtered at 12 months of age (n=7). There were significant differences related to the age and feeding practices of foals which affected the intramuscular (IM) fat content and the fatty acid (FA) composition of NL and PL fractions. Samples from suckling foals were leaner and provided the highest content of methylation products from the plasmalogenic lipids, and total and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA). By contrast, the meat from concentrate-finished foals had a higher IM fat level resulting in a greater accumulation of 16:0 and total monounsaturated FAs in the NL fraction, whereas the muscle PL fraction retained a similar FA composition between both groups. Linolenic acid was preferentially deposited in the NL fraction, but linoleic acid and the long-chain n-3 and n-6 PUFAs were incorporated into the PL fraction where they served as cell membrane constituents and in eicosanoid formation. ; X. B. thanks the Department of Economic Development and Competitiveness of the Basque Government for his doctoral fellowship, and N. A. thanks the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness and the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) for her contract through the 'Ramón y Cajal (RYC-2011-08593)' program. Financial support was provided by the UPV/EHU (EHUA 13/29; ZALDITRANS Project) and the Basque Government (IT766-13). Collaboration and help provided by horse producers is very much appreciated. ; Peer Reviewed