bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
European Community lobbying1
Authors: ANDERSEN SVEIN S. , ELIASSEN KJELL A.
Published: May 2006

Abstract. During the late 1980s, direct lobbying of EC institutions became an increasingly important part of the decision‐making process within the Community. Such lobbying strengthens EC autonomy over the interests of member states. Today the system is characterized by unclear principles regulating interest representation and is open to lobbying by many different actors in relation to a range of issues. It tends to be easier for lobbyists to influence technicalities than to advocate general principles. In technical questions, the representatives of industry or affected social interests seem to have more legitimacy when lobbying the Commission. The lobbying pattern varies according to policy areas, for example, between the agriculture and the financial sector. We assume that, in a representative EC system where the parliamentary chain of command is the core, interest representation will have to be more regularized. Thus, corporatist structures is likely to increase in importance, at the expense of the lobbying patterns of late 1980s and early 1990s.
A preliminary ordering of policy network labels
Authors: JORDAN GRANT , SCHUBERT KLAUS
Published: May 2006

Abstract. This introduction seeks to sketch out the relationship between a variety of terms that are used in contemporary discussion of the interaction between Government/State and interest groups. It starts with a short reflection on the main theories of interest intermediation — pluralism and corporatism — and argues for reserving the term policy network as a generic label embracing different types of network relationship. This piece thus attempts to record the variety of labels currently used to describe state/interest relations, to show the overlap between certain of these labels, and how they relate one to the other. The existing confusion of labels signal a greater variety than they deliver.
The extreme right in the Netherlands
Authors: VOERMAN GERRIT , LUCARDIE PAUL
Published: May 2006

Abstract. The Extreme Right in the Netherlands has always been relatively weak; there was neither a strong ideological right‐wing tradition nor a solid social base. Moreover, the Extreme Right has always been fragmented and divided. Historically, three varieties can be distinguished: theocratic Protestantism (‘Very Old Right’), neo‐fascism or national socialism (‘Old Right’) and ethnocentric nationalism (‘New Right’). The third variety, since 1984 represented by the Centre Democrats, has gained some ground in recent years. Though reliable data are still scarce, it seems plausible that the party has attracted not only ideologically motivated extremists but also ‘protest voters’, mainly in older urban working class areas.
Why do they vote for Le Pen?*
Authors: MAYER NONNA , PERRINEAU PASCAL
Published: May 2006

Abstract. The results of a survey conducted after the second round of the 1988 presidential election stress the inadequacy of the classical models of voting behaviour, as far as the Le Pen vote is concerned. The majority of lepenist electors identify themselves neither with the National Front, nor with the extreme‐Right; they show no electoral stability, no strong sociological specificity. Less educated than the average, they do not correspond to the profile of the rational voter. With the exception of a small hardcore of regular voters, politicized, extremist and dedicated to the National Front, Le Pen supporters are protest voters that come and go.
Labour movement organization and political intervention
Authors: BOREHAM PAUL , COMPSTON HUGH
Published: May 2006

Abstract. In contrast to much of the recent emphasis on micro economic reform and market oriented economic policy, there is a strong argument in favour of considering political institutional factors. In particular, these include the power of labour in systems of collective bargaining and in broader policy formulation institutions which is an essential element of successful economic policy, especially the achievement of low rates of unemployment. The research reported in this paper is aimed at developing an explanation of the ability of the organized labour movement to promote its political interests through the institutional decision making structures of modern capitalist economies. We argue that, where labour participation is formalised in these institutional arrangements, specific policy measures conducive to low unemployment will be favoured, including relatively high levels of public capital expenditure and the protection of manufacturing employment. Most comparative studies of the consequences of collective action and of political intervention in the market employ a cross‐sectional design that limits the number of cases in statistical analyses to the number of countries covered. In this paper we present the results of an analysis of comparative data on 11 OECD countries using a pooled time series regression procedure that enables us to use many more cases than is possible with the cross‐sectional design. In this way we arrive at more firmly grounded conclusions as to the efficacy of labour movement strategies in reducing unemployment.
Cabinets in the Netherlands (1918–1990): The importance of ‘dominant’ and ‘central’ parties
Authors: VAN ROOZENDAAL PETER
Published: May 2006

Abstract. Coalition theory has provided political scientists interested in cabinets in West European multiparty democracies with interesting theoretical concepts. These concepts have been applied on their own, in connection with other theoretical approaches but also in descriptively oriented empirical research. Both large scale cross‐national and country specific analyses have been conducted. In this article I will examine the importance of the recently developed concepts of dominant and central players for cabinets in the Netherlands (1918–1990). I will show that especially the concept of the central player has important applications.
Domestic political determinants of inflation
Authors: SUZUKI MOTOSHI
Published: May 2006

Abstract. Political economists have advanced a variety of diverse and competing hypotheses to explain the domestic political dimension of inflation. With few exceptions, however, these hypotheses have been tested individually without regard to competing explanations. This study uses pooled time‐series data on fifteen industrial democracies to examine five prominent political hypotheses that purport to explain either political pressures that cause inflation or institutional arrangements that insulate governments from these pressures. The results indicate that: (1) Central Bank independence provides an effective counterweight to inflation by insulating monetary policy making from inflationary (particularly, partisan) impulses; (2) Government spending increases caused by distributive and redistributive politics intensify inflationary pressures even in countries with independent Central Banks and neocorporatist arrangements; (3) Inflation is determined partially by the ideology of the party controlling government. Leftist governments in pursuit of income redistribution produce higher inflation than conservative governments; (4) Elections do not have significant effects on inflation under any structural circumstances; and (5) Neocorporatism does not consistently reduce inflation or contain the inflationary effects of partisan manipulation and fiscal expansion. However, neocorporatism may stop inflation if wage moderation by labour is accompanied by the government's commitment to pursue restrictive monetary policy.
Selecting the party leader in Britain
Authors: PUNNETT R. M.
Published: May 2006

Abstract. Unlike most European countries, party leadership roles in Britain are largely concentrated into the hands of one person. The pattern was established in the nineteenth century, when the posts of Prime Minister and party leader were intertwined, and has been maintained by the modern parties. Each of the main British parties has changed its method of selecting its leader in the last thirty years and between them the parties use, or have used relatively recently, the four basic methods of selection—by the party elite, by parliamentarians, by activists and by party members. The broad trend has been for the parties to make their procedures more open and participatory. While this pattern has reflected the ‘spirit of the age’ the major reasons for the change have been political considerations. The Conservatives changed from selection by party elites to selection by MPs in an attempt to modernise their image. Labour adopted an electoral college as a result of power struggles between left and right in the party. The Liberals eventually accepted that it was not sensible for their leader to be selected by just a dozen or less MPs (and the Social Democrats and Liberal Democrats duly followed this logic). Despite the adoption of more open procedures the selectorates are still relatively small (with only the Liberal Democrats involving all members), while control over the process of nomination remains firmly in the hands of the MPs. One consequence of this is that British party leaders have been characterised, above all, by the extent of their parliamentary experience. Within that characteristic, however, the detailed rules of the different selection procedures have been crucial in determining which particular parliamentarians would emerge.
Understanding variation in public support for European integration
Authors: GABEL MATTHEW , PALMER HARVEY D.
Published: May 2006

Abstract. Much of the research on the European Community focuses on elites and institutions and as a result downplays the importance of the mass public in determining the direction of European integration. A common justification for this viewpoint is that members of the public provide a stable reservoir of strong support for European integration. Recent political events, however, raise doubts about this depiction of a ‘passive public’. Consequently, there is a need for a fuller understanding of European attitudes. We specify a number of hypotheses dealing with the effects of international trade interests, security concerns, and demographic characteristics on cross‐national and cross‐sectional variations in public support for European integration. Using Eurobarometer surveys and OECD data on EC trade from 1973–1989, we investigate these hypotheses in a pooled cross‐sectional model. Our statistical results reveal that an individual's level of support is positively related to her nation's security and trade interests in EC membership and her personal potential to benefit from liberalized markets for goods, labour, and money.
Attitudinal dispositions to vote for a ‘new’ extreme right‐wing party: The case of ‘Vlaams Blok’
Authors: BILLIET JAAK , DE WITTE HANS
Published: May 2006

Abstract. The Vlaams Blok, a ‘new’ extreme right‐wing party, grew substantially during the 1980s in the Flemish part of Belgium. Two alternative hypotheses about the motivation and attitudes of voters for extreme right‐wing parties are examined. Is the voters’ choice for such a political party inspired by substantive considerations about the programme of the party (the ‘rational choice’ model), or is right‐wing voting mainly an expression of protest? The Flemish part of the Voters’ Study relating to the 1991 General Election contains useful data for answering these questions. The likelihood of voting for the Vlaams Blok, as a function of thirteen relevant attitudinal variables, is analysed by means of logistic regression. Voting for the Vlaams Blok is determined by a negative attitude towards immigrants. Nationalist attitudes and feelings of social isolation seem to have a partial and moderate additional impact. In addition, there is some evidence that a vote for the Vlaams Blok should also be seen as a protest vote by some of the voters.
Plurality competition and party realignment in Italy: The 1994 parliamentary elections
Authors: BARTOLINI STEFANO , D'ALIMONTE ROBERTO
Published: May 2006

This paper deals with the 1994 Italian elections to both the Senate and the Chamber of Deputies. It discusses: the new electoral system introduced for these elections; the realignment of the Italian party system since the previous election; patterns in the election results and the implications of these for the future. The paper argues that crucial differences in electoral law explain differences in the pattern of Senate and Chamber results. Considering regional patterns of voting, only the southern part of the country showed signs of close competition between the main party cartels. Comparing plurality and PR voting at constituency level, the paper highlights the inability of candidates of the left to mobilise supporters of other parties in their cartel in plurality elections, a factor that does not augur well for the left in future elections.
Decline of electoral turnout: The case of Norway
Authors: NARUD HANNE MARTHE , VALEN HENRY
Published: May 2006

Why do sudden changes occur in electoral turnout from one election to the next? This article proposes two general hypotheses as explanations for declining turnout. The first hypothesis draws on rational choice theory, and is based on the assumption that elections are devices for the selection of governments. It states that abstention is rational when government alternatives are unclear. The second hypothesis implies that non‐voting is a result of social‐psychological mechanisms, and suggests that voters abstain in situations of disagreement with their own party concerning some important issue. The hypothesis predicts that strong identifiers under cross‐pressure are more inclined to stay home than weak identifiers and non identifiers. In using the 1993 parliamentary election in Norway as a test case, the analysis suggests that the application of a rational choice approach is fruitful for studying electoral turnout. Because of the absence of clear‐cut government alternatives voter involvement was low in the election and people did not distinguish much between the various political platforms offered to them. The second hypothesis of disagreement with own party received only limited support. The differences due to cross‐pressures are not very big, and the prediction that strong identifiers under cross pressure are more inclined to stay home was not supported. Altogether, our case study suggests that very few costs are involved in changing partisanship and that party identification reflects a strong cognitive rather than affective aspect.
Chronic Ethanol Induced Impairment of Hepatic Glycosylation Machinery in Rat Is Independent of Dietary Carbohydrate
Authors: Ghosh Pradeep , Lakshman M.R.
Published: May 2006

In recent years, a number of studies have been reported that have clearly established that hepatic glycosylation machinery is affected by chronic ethanol treatment in rats. We have previously reported that chronic ethanol treatment in rats resulted in decreased glycosylation of transfenin and apolipoprotein E with concomitant decreases in enzymatic activities of Golgi galactosyltransferases and sialyltransferases. In all these studies investigators have invariably used the well‐accepted dietary formulation of alcohol diet as proposed by Lieber and DeCarli. However, questions were raised whether the lower carbohydrate content in Lieber's alcohol diet may be responsible for observed effects of ethanol on hepatic glycosylation machinery. Therefore, to verify whether or not the crucial effects of chronic ethanol treatment on hepatic glycosylation machinery as observed in our studies, were truly caused by ethanol, we have extended our studies on protein glycosylation with the inclusion of a third dietary group that was compensated for carbohydrate content. In this investigation, rats were fed with three dietary regimen corresponding to control, ethanol, and carbohydrate compensated ethanol group and studies were done on (i) labeled leucine, galactose and N‐acetylmannosamine incorporation into transferrin and apolipoprotein E, and (ii) hepatic galactosyltransferase and sialyttrans‐ferase activities in Golgi rich fraction in rat. Our results clearly showed that regardless of the carbohydrate content, marked decreases in the incorporation of labeled sugars into transferrin and the enzymatic activities of galactosyltransferase and sialyltrans‐ferase occurred in rats administered chronic ethanol. Thus, it is reasonable to conclude that it is not the carbohydrate content of the diet but ethanol per se, when administered chronically, greatly impairs the glycosylation machinery of rat liver and that the magnitudes of these effects are selectively specific with regard to the type of sugar or the glycosylation enzyme.
Cirrhosis: A New, But Expected Cause of Biliary Sludge
Authors: Duchmann Jean‐Christophe , Joly Jean‐Paul , Decrombecque Catherine , Delcenserie Richard , Lévy Stéphane , Capron Dominique , Capron Jean‐Pierre
Published: May 2006

BackgroundlAims: Biliary sludge is increasingly recognized as a natural stage in gallstone formation. Logically, cirrhosis, a well‐documented cause of black pigment cholelithiasis, should be another condition predisposing to the development of sludge. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of biliary sludge in an unselected population and to test the hypothesis that cirrhosis could be one of the causes of sludge. Methods: We reviewed the clinical findings and ultrasonograms of 2138 patients, hospitalized or not, consecutively seen in our department between January 1993 and December 1994. Sonograms showing biliary sludge mixed with stones were excluded. Three hundred and eighty‐eight of the 2138 were cirrhotic patients. Results: The overall prevalence of biliary sludge was 4%. Sludge was found in 44 of 388 (11%) of the cirrhotic patients (alcoholism, n= 39; chronic viral B hepatitis, n = 3; hemochromatosis, n = 1; and cryptogenic, n= l), compared with 42 of 1750 (2%) noncir‐rhotic patients (p < 0.000001). Thirteen cirrhotic patients received intravenous alimentation for 2 to 17 days, 8 were given somatostatin for variceal bleeding, and 7 have previously had 1 to 5 sessions of endoscopic sclerotherapy of esophageal varices with polidocanol. Conclusions: This study convincingly demonstrates that cirrhosis must be added to the growing list of conditions associated with biliary sludge.
The Impact of Ethanol and Marinol/Marijuana Usage on HIV+/AIDS Patients Undergoing Azidothymidine, Azidothymidine/Dideoxycytidine, or Dideoxyinosine Therapy
Authors: Whitfield Robert M. , Bechtel Lisa M. , Starich Gale Hansen
Published: May 2006

Therapeutic observations suggest that azidothymidine (AZT)‐resis‐tant HIV+/AIDS patients are frequently offered AZT/dideoxycytidine (DDC) or dideoxyinosine (DDI) therapy. The latter therapies have been associated with the development of acute pancreatitis. During the initial portion of this study, when patients reported limiting ethanol consumption, an increase in CD4+, a decrease in amylase, and a decrease in lipase was observed in patients on DDI monotherapy. Marinol/marijuana usage was associated with depressed CD4+ counts and elevated amylase levels within the DDI subgroup. The purpose of this study was to follow these patients over 1 year and compare clinical indicators of pancreatitis and HIV progression. After 1 year, the remaining 56 patients were reexamined in the fob low‐up portion for clinical indicators of HIV disease progression and pancreatoxic/hepatotoxic effects. Those in the AZT group, who remained on this therapy throughout the year, had significantly increased amylase values from 55.3 to 69.3 IU/liter (p < 0.05). In the AZT/DDC group, those who remained on combination therapy throughout the year, 4 of the 5 clinical indicators of disease progression changed. Amylase, ALT, and AST all increased significantly from 55.2 to 77.8 IU/liter (p < 0.01), from 38.0 to 92.3 IU/liter (p < 0.05), and from 55.2 to 97.0 IU/liter (p < 0.05), respectively. Lipase levels decreased significantly (106.0 to 74.6 IU/liter, p < 0.05). The most remarkable changes occurred in the AZT/DDC group (who reduced ethanol consumption), wherein clinical indicators of pancreatiiis and liver dysfunction declined, including amylase (65.0 to 20.0 IU/liter, p < 0.05), ALT (350.0 to 100.0 IU/liter,p < 0.01), and AST (240.0 to 95.0 IUhter, p < 0.01). No significant changes were noted in the DDI or AIT groups. Marinollmarijuana use was associated with declining health status in both the AZT and AZT/DDC groups. In contrast, all clinical indicators of pancreatitis improved in the DDI patients who utilized MarinoVmarijuana, including amylase (‐34%), lipase (‐30.8%), ALT (‐21.4%), and AST (‐20.1%). This paired follow‐up study suggests that HRI+/AIDS patients on antiretroviral therapies should restrict their ethanol consumption. In HIV+/AIDS patients with the lowest CD4+ counts (those on DDI monotherapy), utilization of MarinoVmarijuana does not seem to have a deleterious impact.
Hearing, Language, Speech, Vestibular, and Dentofacial Disorders in Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
Authors: Church Michael W. , Eldis Frances , Blakley Brian W. , Bawle Erawati V.
Published: May 2006

Fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) is characterized by congenital anomalies traditionally associated with hearing disorders. The present study sought to (a) evaluate possible central hearing loss; (b) verify and extend previous observations on sensorineural and conductive hearing losses; (c) evaluate possible vestibular disorders; (d) examine the relationships between hearing, speech, language, vestibular, and dentofacial disorders in FAS patients; and (e) evaluate the influence of patient age, race, and gender on the expression of these morbidities. A biracial group of 22 FAS patients (aged 3 to 26 years) were evaluated by standard hearing, speech, language, and vestibular tests. Dentofacial and other malformations were also assessed. Of the 22 FAS patients, 17 (77%) had intermittent conductive hearing loss due to recurrent serous otitis media that persisted from early childhood into adulthood, whereas 6 (27%) had sensorineural hearing loss in addition to the conductive hearing loss. Among the 12 patients tested for central hearing function, all (100%) were significantly impaired. Among the patients tested for speech and language ability, 18 of 20 (90%) had speech pathology, 16 of 21 (76%) had expressive language deficits, and 18 of 22 (82%) had receptive language deficits. Hearing, speech, and language deficits were not influenced by age, race, or gender. On the vestibular tests, all performed within normal limits with the possible exception of one child (n= 6). High incidences of dentofacial, temporomandibular joint, ocular, cardiac, and skeletal disorders were observed. Race and gender tended to influence dental malocclusion class. Two subjects exhibited autistic tendencies. In conclusion, new and important findings included a high prevalence of sensorineural, conductive, and central hearing deficits, the persistence of otitis proneness into adulthood, the existence of temporomandibular joint disorders, and the possible influence of gender or race on dental malocclusions. Such disorders can contribute to the learning, behavioral, and emotional difficulties seen in FAS patients and warrant early, aggressive intervention.
Voices of the Afflicted
Authors: Erickson Carlton K.
Published: May 2006

Over the past 10 years, I have been privileged to conduct educational forums for audiences containing many recovering alcoholics or otherwise chemically dependent persons. In these forums about the addictive diseases and their treatment and research possibilities, significant interaction with the audience members occurs. During these interactions, certain anecdotal phenomena seem to predominate.
Effects of Maternal Ethanol Consumption and Buspirone Treatment on Dopamine and Norepinephrine Reuptake Sites and D1 Receptors in Offspring
Authors: Gillespie Roberta A. , Eriksen Jason , Hao Hong‐Lin , Druse Mary J.
Published: May 2006

Previously, it was shown that in utero ethanol exposure results in decreased serotonin (5‐HT) and altered concentrations of 5‐HT reuptake sites and 5‐HT1A receptors in fetal and/or postnatal rats. Because fetal 5‐HT is an essential trophic factor, this laboratory previously investigated the hypotheses that the early ethanol‐associated 5‐HT deficit contributed to subsequent development abnormalities in the serotonergic system and that the effects of the fetal 5‐HT deficit could be prevented by maternal treatment with buspirone, a 5‐HT1A receptor agonist. The present report determined the effects of maternal treatment with buspirone on two other neurotransmitter systems in the developing offspring of ethanol‐fed dams: dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine reuptake sites and D1 receptors in postnatal day 19 offspring of control and ethanol‐fed dams, that received daily injections of saline or 4.5 mg/kg buspirone. These investigations found that in utero ethanol exposure significantly decreased norepinephrine reuptake sites in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus and anteroventral thalamic nucleus. There was also an ethanol effect in the dorsal raphe. D1 receptors were moderately increased (5–10% increase) in the striaturn, and DA reuptake sites were unchanged in PN19 ethanol‐exposed offspring. No other significant ethanol‐related effects were noted. Maternal buspirone treatment did not adversely affect the concentration of DA reuptake sites or D1 receptors in control rats. Thus, whereas buspirone exerts protective effects on the developing 5‐HT system of ethanol‐exposed rats, it does not appear to damage the development of the DA system. Maternal buspirone produced only one significant abnormality in control offspring; it resulted in a significant reduction of norepinephrine reuptake sites in the DR.
Naltrexone Blocks Acquisition of Voluntary Ethanol Intake in Rats
Authors: Davidson D. , Amit Z.
Published: May 2006

The effects of naltrexone (NTX) on the acquisition of ethanol drinking was assessed in rats. NTX (0, 2.5, 5.0, or 10.0 mg/kg) was administered to rats presented with an ascending series of ethanol concentrations (2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% v/v) and water. The 2.5 and 10 mg/kg doses of NTX attenuated the acquisition of voluntary drinking of 8% ethanol, but the 5.0 mg/kg dose of NTX had no effect on ethanol intake. The acquisition paradigm was repeated in experiment 2 with naïve animals that received 0, 5.0, or 7.5 mg/kg of NTX. Neither dose of NTX affected ethanol intake, preference for alcohol, or water intake. Total fluid intake was suppressed in the NTX groups, but only on the second presentations of the 2% and 6% concentrations of ethanol. We suggest that the 2.5 and 10 mg/kg doses of NTX may have attenuated the acquisition of ethanol drinking by at least two different behavioral mechanisms.
Chronic Ethanol Inhibits Inositol Metabolism in Specific Brain Regions
Authors: Zhang J.‐P. , Xia J.‐M. , Sun Grace Y.
Published: May 2006

Many neurotransmitters and hormones in the nervous system transmit signals through receptors coupled to the poly‐phosphoinositide (PI) signaling pathway. In this study, an in vivo protocol with (3H]inositol was used to examine the effect of chronic ethanol administration on inositol metabolism and poly‐PI turnover in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum of mouse brain. C57BL/6 mice were given a nutritionally complete liquid diet containing either ethanol (5%, w/v) or isocaloric sucrose for 2 months. Mice were injected intracerebrally with rH]inositol; after 16 or 24 hr, they were injected intraperitoneally with lithium (8 mEq/kg body weight) to inhibit the inositol monophosphatase (IP1) activity. All mice were decapitated 4 hr after lithium injection. Labeled inositol phospholipids accounted for 16 to 23% of total labeled inositol in different regions of control mouse brain, and the percentages in the hippocampus were consistently higher than the cerebral cortex and cerebellum. In control mice, the percentages of labeled IP, after a 4‐hr lithium treatment were 11.5%, 9.9%, and 3.7% for cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and cerebellum, respectively. Chronic ethanol feeding resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the percent of labeled IP1 and inositol phospholipids, and this effect was observed in the cerebral cortex and, to a lesser extent, hippocampus but not cerebellum. When ratios of labeled IP1 were expressed against labeled inositol phospholipids as an index of the poly‐PI turnover activity, significant decreases in IP/lipid ratios were observed in the cerebral cortex, but not the hippocampus or cerebellum. Although mice killed 24 + 4 hr after the last ethanol feeding would have experienced an 8‐hr period of ethanol withdrawal, compared with the 16 + 4‐hr group, no differences in IP/lipid ratios were observed between the two time groups. These results illustrate regional differences in the effect of chronic ethanol on inositol metabolism in the brain, but no difference in poly‐PI turnover in brain due to ethanol withdrawal.
Manipulation of Alcohol Drinking by Liver Transplantation
Authors: Eriksson C. J. Peter , Koivisto Tiina , Sriwatanawongsa Voravit , Martelius Tirni , Mäkisalo Heikki , Höckerstedt Krister
Published: May 2006

The procedure of liver transplantation in alcoholic liver disease raises the question whether it would be possible to regulate the recipient's future drinking by the choice of donor liver. To address this question, we conducted transplantations with rat lines selected for high (AA) and low (ANA) alcohol preference. AA recipients having alcohol experience before the operation remained heavy drinkers regardless of whether the graft came from an AA or ANA donor. However, in those AA recipients who started drinking only after the operation, differences emerged, with AA grafts creating heavy drinking and ANA donor livers resulting in very low drinking. An overall increase in the acetaldehyde levels was introduced by the ANA livers, thus reflecting the original line differences. Similarly, in subsequent experiments, it was observed that when the aldehyde dehydrogenase inhibitor calcium carbimide was introduced in different amounts to the diet, alcohol drinking was reduced more in animals not used to drinking. The magnitude of this effect, especially in situations with established heavy drinking, is of relevance in future contemplations about liver transplantations between humans with dfferent aldehyde dehydrogenase genotypes.
Smooth Pursuit Eye Movement Dysfunction in Abstinent Cocaine Abusers: Effects of a Paternal History of Alcoholism
Authors: Bauer Lance O.
Published: May 2006

The present study evaluated smooth pursuit eye movement (SPEM) function in 36 cocaine‐dependent patients, with or without a paternal history of alcoholism, and 12 nondrug‐dependent normal volunteers. None of the subjects in either group met DSM‐Ill‐R diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia, or delusional, major affective, or schizotypal personality disorders. None possessed a history of seizures, significant head injury, HIV‐1 infection, or regular medication use. SPEMs were elicited by a pendulum, oscillated at 0.5 Hz, and recorded using electro‐oculographic techniques. Tracking accuracy was estimated by the power of the horizontal electro‐oculograph at the stimulus oscillation frequency. Analyses revealed that the SPEM tracking accuracy of cocaine‐dependent patients without a paternal history of alcoholism was superior to that of the normal control group. SPEM tracking in these patients correlated positively with years of cocaine and polysubstance abuse. In contrast, patients with a paternal history of alcoholism exhibited subnormal SPEM tracking performance. These differences could not be explained by other family history, demographic, or drug use variables.
Voices of the Afflicted
Authors: Erickson Carlton K.
Published: May 2006

Over the past 10 years, I have been privileged to conduct education forums for audiences containing many recovering alcoholics or otherwise chemically dependent persons. In these forums about the addictive diseases and their treatment and research possibilities, significant Interaction with the audience members occurs. During these interactions, certain anecdotal phenomena seem to predominate. The repetitive nature of these reports suggests the need for systematic investigation. As with editorial comments in major medical journals, observed phenomena and unanswered questions from those afflicted can be valuable in the generation of testable hypotheses. Perhaps the ideas presented herein will be useful in the development of future research on alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.
Alterations in Tumor Necrosis Factor‐α, Interferon‐γ, and Interleukin‐6 Production by Natural Killer Cell‐Enriched Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells in Chronic Alcoholism: Relationship with Liver Disease and Ethanol Intake
Authors: Laso Francisco‐Javier , Lapeña Pilar , Madruga José Ignacio , San Miguel Jesús F. , Orfao Alberto , Iglesias M. Carmen , Alvarez‐Mon Melchor
Published: May 2006

No previous studies have been reported on human alcoholism in which the pattern of cytokine secretion by natural killer (NK) cells is explored. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the role of NK cells in the production of cytokines in patients with chronic alcoholism, analyzing at the same time the possible relationship between cytokine production and both alcoholic liver disease and ethanol (EtOH) intake. A total of 30 chronic alcoholic patients—11 without liver disease [alcoholics without liver disease (AWLD) group] and 19 diagnosed of alcoholic liver cirrhosis—were included in this study. Twenty‐five age‐ and sex‐matched healthy volunteers were analyzed as controls. Production of interferon (IFN)‐γ, tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), and interleukin (IL)‐6 was performed on NK‐enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) after stimulation with IL‐2 and IFN‐α. In AWLD patients, the production of TNF‐α was significantly reduced, compared with normal controls, under both IFN‐α (p < 0.01) and IL‐2 (p < 0.05) stimulation. In patients with cirrhosis, TNF‐α production by PBMC enriched in NK cells varied depending on the EtOH intake status at the moment of evaluation. Accordingly, an increased concentration of this cytokine was detected in the supernatants of cirrhotic patients and active EtOH intake, particularly after IFN‐α stimulation (p < 0.05); whereas, in patients with at least 1 year of alcohol withdrawal, TNF‐α levels remained within normal range. The results on the production of IL‐6 and IFN‐γ in AWLD and cirrhotic patients showed that only cirrhotic patients with a prolonged EtOH withdrawal period display abnormal production. Accordingly, in this group of patients, a significantly increased release of IL‐6 was observed after both IFN‐α and IL‐2 stimulation (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively). By contrast, a lower IFN‐γ production (p < 0.005) was detected with respect to the control group. Our results point to the existence of an abnormal cytokine secretion by NK cells from chronic alcoholism patients, which depend on both the existence of liver disease and the status of EtOH intake.
Effects of Ethanol on Rat Sertoli Cell Function: Studies In Vitro and In Vivo
Authors: Zhu Qianlong , Van Thiel David H. , Gavaler Judith S.
Published: May 2006

Chronic alcohol administration to male animals is associated with testicular atrophy and gonadal failure. The Sertoli cell seems to be the first testicular cell injured as a result of alcohol exposure. To investigate the adverse effects of ethanol on testicular and particularly Sertoli cell function, the consequences of in vivo and in vitro ethanol exposure on rat Sertoli cell mRNA and protein levels of transferrin and ornithine decarboxylase were investigated. In vivo, ethanol exposure enhanced the levels of both hepatic and testicular (Sertoli cell) transferrin protein and mRNA. Ethanol exposure also enhanced testicular, but not hepatic, levels of ornithine decarboxylase protein and mRNA. These in vivo findings were confirmed when isolated Sertoli cells were studied in vitro. Specifically, ethanol exposure increased Sertoli cell transferrin protein and mRNA levels. Ethanol exposure increased Sertoli cell ornithine decarboxylase mRNA and protein when cultured in serum‐free media, but not when cultured in the presence of serum. These studies demonstrate that ethanol exposure of rat Sertoli cells is associated with alterations in the levels of mRNA and protein that are known to be important in the process of spermatogenesis. These findings add to the body of evidence that suggests that, within the testes, the Sertoli cell may be an important target for ethanol‐induced gonadal injury.
Vaccination with Protein‐Conjugated and Native Type 3 Capsular Polysaccharide in an Ethanol‐Fed Rat Model of Pneumococcal Pneumonia
Authors: Henriksen Jeffrey L. , Preheim Laurel C. , Gentry Martha J.
Published: May 2006

A chronic ethanol‐fed rat model was used to determine the effect of alcohol ingestion on production of antibody to type 3 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide. Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed a liquid diet containing 36% of calories as ethanol (ethanol‐fed), an isocaloric diet containing dextrin‐maltose (pair‐fed) or standard rat chow (chow‐fed). After 7 days of feeding, the rats were vaccinated subcutaneously with placebo or with either 25 μg of type 3 pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide (SpnCP) or 5 μg of SpnCP linked to the protein carrier CRM197 (SpnCP/CRM197). Rats given the conjugated vaccine received a booster injection 14 days later. Maximum antibody titers were observed six days postvaccination for rats given SpnCP alone and 21 days postvaccination for rats given SpnCP/CRM197. All rats were infected transtracheally with 2–3 times the expected lethal dose50 for each feeding group of type 3 Streptococcus pneumoniae on the day of peak antibody titers. Mortality was recorded for a 10‐day period. Vaccination with SpnCP increased survival of ethanol‐ and chow‐fed, but not pair‐fed rats. This protection was only statistically significant in the chow‐fed group (p < 0.01). Vaccination with SpnCP/CRM197 moderately increased survival of rats in all three feeding groups, but this was not statistically significant in any of them.
Employment Status Influences the Weekly Patterns of Suicide among Alcohol Misusers
Authors: Pirkola Sami , Isometsä Erkki , Heikkinen Martti , Lönnqvist Jouko
Published: May 2006

As part of the National Suicide Prevention Project in Finland, a nationwide psychological autopsy study, all suicide victims (n= 1397) over a 12‐month period were investigated concerning factors associated with any variation in suicide frequency between weekdays and weekends. In particular, employment status was expected to have influenced the weekly pattern of alcohol misuse, and thereby to have caused clustering of suicides at weekends among the employed. Among suicide victims who had misused alcohol, those in employment were significantly more likely to have committed suicide during the weekend that those without work (52% vs. 34%, p < 0.001). In logistic regression analysis, employment was the only independent variable significantly associated with suicide at the weekend. According to forensic chemical analysis, those classified as misusers had frequently used alcohol at the time of suicide, regardless of the weekday, and slightly more often if employed. The clustering of suicides at weekends among employed alcohol misusers is probably explained by a weekly pattern in the use of alcohol, which suggests that besides the established risk factors for suicide among alcohol misusers, the act of using alcohol per se also contributes to the suicidal act
Characteristics of Serum Hyaluronate Concentrations in Patients with Alcoholic Liver Disease
Authors: Tsutsumi Mikihiro , Urashima Sachio , Takase Shujiro , Ueshima Yasuhiro , Tsuchishima Mutsumi , Shimanaka Koshi , Kawahara Hiromu
Published: May 2006

It has been reported that serum hyaluronate [hyaluronic acid (HA)] concentrations are increased in liver diseases, especially in alcoholic liver disease (ALD). However, the characteristics of serum HA concentration in patients with ALD have not been studied. In this study, first, we measured serum HA concentrations in patients with different stages of both ALD and non‐ALD to clarify the characteristics of serum HA concentration in patients with ALD. Second, we measured serum HA concentrations in patients with ALD sequentially after abstinence. We also measured serum HA concentrations in patients with chronic type C hepatitis before and after treatment with interferon. Finally, we analyzed the relationship between serum HA concentrations and the contents of type IV collagen and laminin in the livers of both ALD and non‐ALD patients. Serum HA concentrations in liver disease were higher than the cut‐off value, and increased significantly (p < 0.001) in parallel with the progression of hepatic fibrosis in both ALD and non‐ALD patients. Serum HA concentrations in patients actively drinking with ALD were significantly higher (p < 0.001) than those in non‐ALD. After 4 weeks of abstinence, these concentrations fell to the levels of non‐ALD. Although serum ALT levels were decreased in 80% of patients treated with interferon, serum HA concentrations were not changed or increased. A significant correlation between serum HA concentrations and hepatic type IV collagen and laminin content was present in ALD, but not in non‐ALD. These results clearly suggest that the increase of serum HA concentrations in ALD may be associated with not only hepatic fibrosis, but also alcohol drinking.
Voices of the Afflicted
Authors: Erickson Carlton K.
Published: May 2006

Over the past 10 years, I have been privileged to conduct educational forums for audiences containing many recovering alcoholics or otherwise chemically dependent persons. In these forums about the addictive diseases and their treatment and research possibilities, significant interaction with the audience members occurs. During these interactions, certain anecdotal phenomena seem to predominate. The repetitive nature of these reports suggests the need for systematic investigation. As with editorial comments in major medical journals, observed phenomena and unanswered questions from those afflicted can be valuable in the generation of testable hypotheses. Perhaps the ideas presented herein will be useful in the development of future research on alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence.
Varying Effects of Ethanol on Transfected Cell Lines
Authors: Asai Kiyofumi , Ishii Akira , Yao Una , Diamond Ivan , Gordon Adrienne S.
Published: May 2006

The use of transfected cell lines has provided a powerful approach to study the functions of transfected proteins. This approach has also proven useful to determine the effects of acute and chronic ethanol exposure on particular proteins. We show here, however, that the effects of ethanol on transfected proteins vary between transiently transfected cells and stably transfected cell lines. Moreover, we found that the effect of ethanol on a particular protein depends on the plasmid vectors used for the transfection.
Neonatal Ethanol Exposure Impairs Eyeblink Conditioning in Weanling Rats
Authors: Stanton Mark E. , Goodlett Charles R.
Published: May 2006

Eyeblink conditioning depends on an identified brainstem‐cerebellar circuit and may be useful in functional studies of early cerebellar damage produced by neurotoxicants. The present study asked whether binge‐like neonatal ethanol exposure that damages the cerebellum would also result in eyeblink conditioning deficits. On postnatal day (PND) 23 to PND24, three groups of Long‐Evans rat pups were tested for eyeblink conditioning: (1) ETOH, a group that received intragastric administration of 5.25 g/kg/day of ethanol on PND4 through PND9 via artificial rearing; (2) GC, a gastrostomy control group that received calorically matched milk formula on those days; and (3) SC, suckle controls that were reared normally with their dams. Eyeblink conditioning was severely impaired in the ethanol‐treated group relative to the GC and SC groups, which did not differ. This impairment did not reflect sensory, motor, or motivational effects of ethanol treatment, because startle responses to the auditory conditioned stimulus and reflexive eyeblink responses to the unconditioned stimulus did not differ across the three treatment groups. These results suggest that neonatal binge ethanol exposure disrupted brain development in a manner that selectively impaired associative processes involved in eyeblink conditioning, consistent with alcohol‐induced damage to the brainstem‐cerebellar circuit necessary for this form of learning.
A Fetal Alcohol Behavior Scale
Authors: Streissguth Ann P. , Bookstein Fred L. , Barr Helen M. , Press Shoshanna , Sampson Paul D.
Published: May 2006

This research aimed to develop a Fetal Alcohol Behavior Scale (FABS) that describes the behavioral essence of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) and fetal alcohol effects (FAE), regardless of age, race, sex, and IQ. Using a reference sample of 472 diagnosed patients with FAS or FAE, ages 2 to 51, five studies are described. The FABS demonstrates high item‐to‐scale reliability (Cronbach's α= 0.91) and good test‐retest reliability (r= 0.69) over an average interval of 5 years. It identifies many of the subjects with known or presumed prenatal alcohol exposure in detection studies using both prison and general samples. FABS scores also predict dependent living among adult patients with FAS/FAE. The FABS is uncorrelated with IQ, sex, age, race, and diagnosis (FAS versus FAE). We outline areas of further work to define the specificity and utility of this FABS.
Influence of Ethanol Consumption on Immune Competence of Adult Animals Exposed to Ethanol In Utero
Authors: Jerrells Thomas R. , Weinberg Joanne
Published: May 2006

Ethanol consumption results in significant changes in the immune system of experimental animals and humans. Previous work by ourselves and others has established that in utero exposure to ethanol results in alterations in the immune system of the offspring that persist into adult life. The present study was designed to determine if prenatal exposure to ethanol results in increased vulnerability to the immunosuppressive effects of ethanol consumption in adulthood. Male and female Sprague‐Dawley offspring were selected in adulthood from prenatal ethanol (E), pair‐fed (PF), and ad libitum‐fed control (C) groups, and given either an ethanol‐containing liquid diet or were pair‐fed an isocaloric liquid diet without ethanol for 30 days. At the end of the 30‐day feeding period, lymphocyte responses to the mitogens concanavalin A (Con A) and lipopolysaccharide, and to interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) were tested using in vitro assays. The results of this study support and extend previous data demonstrating long‐term adverse effects of prenatal ethanol exposure on T‐cell responses to mitogens, and provide further evidence that deficits seem to be more robust in male than in female offspring. Prenatal E males showed reduced T‐lymphocyte proliferation to Con A and T‐lymphoblast proliferation to IL‐2, compared with their prenatal PF and C counterparts, regardless of whether they were exposed to the ethanol or the control diet in adulthood. In addition, T‐lymphoblast proliferation to IL‐2 was suppressed in prenatal E, compared with prenatal C, females exposed to control diet in adulthood. This is the first report of a deficit in T‐cell aspects of immunity in E females, although it appears that this deficit may have been partially mediated by nutritional effects. A second major finding in this study is that consumption of ethanol diet in adulthood in itself had significant immunosuppressive effects on T‐cell responses in both males and females. However, contrary to our expectation, previous exposure to ethanol in utero did not exacerbate the changes in immune responsiveness that were observed after adult ethanol consumption.