This article explores the spatial influences that shape the contemporary Czech party system and their consequences for the institutionalisation of the party system. First, the régionalisation of the party system is measured to identify the specific regional clusters of votes for individual parties. Second, after controlling for the impact of social cleavages, the independent effect of two macro-regions on the differences in voting decisions is analysed. In the case of Moravia, no such independent effect is evident. Conversely, in the formerly German-inhabited Sudetenland there is an effect on the vote in the case of two parties (KSČM and ODS). The historical reasons for this spatial regime are briefly discussed. Finally, the relative insignificance of spatial regimes in the Czech party system is explained with reference to its high degree of nationalisation (the level of spatial heterogeneity in regional voting results). The author employs spatial analytical techniques in the article, such as measures of spatial autocorrelation, the spatial regression model, and the Gini Index. The findings suggest that there is a high degree of spatial institutionalisation of the Czech party system and relatively insignificant contextual effects at the macro-regional level.
A new species of Proteocephalus, P. joanae sp. n„ is described from the intestine of the colubrid snake, Xenodon neuwiedi (Günther, 1863) (Serpentes: Xenodontinae), from Brazil. The new species differs from all other members of Proteocephalus by possessing a swollen elongated posterior part of the scolex herein considered as a metascolex. Furthermore, it is the only member of New World Proteocephalus possessing a voluminous glandular apical organ larger than suckers. P. joanae is also characterized by very elongated gravid proglottides. This is the first member of the Proteocephalidea occurring in Xenodon. Even though the species differs significantly from other species of the genus Proteocephalus, which currently contains many species that are morphologically very distinctive, it seems prudent to refrain from reworking the classification of the group until accurate redescriptions of Neotropical species can be conducted, preferably based on examination of type and freshly collected material. The definition of the metascolex is discussed herein.
Excretory/secretory products (ES), collected from in vitro cultures of muscle larvae (l-l) of Trichinella spiralis (Owen, 1835) were examined for the presence of proteolytic enzymes. Several discrete proteinases in the size range of 25-55 kDa were identified by substrate gel electrophoresis and were characterised according to pH optima, substrate specificity and inhibitor sensitivity using azocasein assay. Serine, cystcinc and metalloproleinases active at pi I 5-7 were identified. The serine proteinases were found to predominate and some of them were found to be specific for the larval stage of the parasite. The results from the substrate analysis indicated the presence of collagenolytic and elastolytic activities. The proteinase activity was inhibited by IgG isolated from T. s/nrato-infcctcd mice, an observation of relevance to understanding host/parasite interactions and, ultimately, the development of anti-Trichinella vaccine.