bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fat paradox of steatohepatitis
Authors: Tsukamoto Hidekazu , She Hongyun , Hazra Saswati , Cheng Jason , Wang Jiaohong 
Published: March 2008

AbstractAlcoholic and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH and NASH) constitute two major types of chronic liver disease with worldwide prevalence and are histologically indistinguishable with shared pathogenetic mechanisms. More importantly, they have synergistic interactions for liver pathology. Comparative studies on ASH and NASH have been hampered by the use of different animal models with confounding variables, particularly those with extreme genetic, toxic, and malnutrition etiologies. The mouse intragastric model circumvents these problems and reproduces the natural course and etiological background of ASH and NASH. Further, our recent work reproduces a profound synergism between the two in the model. Intracellular accumulation of neural lipids is a hallmark biochemical feature of ASH and NASH. Although impaired lipid oxidation and export may contribute to this pathological change, enhanced lipogenic regulation is frequently encountered, as characterized by induction of lipogenic or adipogenic transcription factors (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor [PPARγ], liver X receptor α[LXRα], sterol‐regulatory element‐binding protein‐1c [SREBP‐1c]). In contrast, we have recently defined transdifferentiation of hepatic stellate cells (HSC), a pivotal event in liver fibrogenesis, as an ‘antilipogenic’ or ‘anti‐adipogenic’ phenomenon. Thus, there is an apparent paradox between hepatocytes and HSC in steatohepatitis in terms of the outcome of lipogenic regulation. Our recent work suggests that defective insulin signaling in activated HSC may be responsible for this paradox. Further, activated Wnt signaling is implicated in ‘anti‐adipogenic’ stellate cell transdifferentiation in liver fibrogenesis.
Differences of heterotrophic 13CO2 assimilation by Pseudomonas knackmussii strain B13 and Rhodococcus opacus 1CP and potential impact on biomarker stable isotope probing
Authors: Feisthauer Stefan , Wick Lukas Y. , Kästner Matthias , Kaschabek Stefan R. , Schlömann Michael , Richnow Hans H. 
Published: March 2008

SummaryMotivated by the finding that Pseudomonas knackmussii B13 but not Rhodococcus opacus 1CP grows in the absence of externally provided CO2, we investigated the assimilation of 13CO2 into active cells cultivated with non‐labelled glucose as sole energy substrate. 13C found in the bulk biomass indicated a substantial but different CO2 assimilation by Pseudomonas and Rhodococcus, respectively (3500‰ and 2600‰). Cellular fatty acids were labelled from −15‰ to 470‰ and amino acids from 500‰ to 24 000‰ demonstrating clear differences between various compound classes. ‘You are what you eat plus 1‰’ is therefore only valid for the average bulk C without specific isotope signature deviation of the external CO2 or carbonates. Odd‐numbered and 10‐methyl fatty acids, which are much more abundant in Rhodococcus or other Gram‐positive bacteria, were up to fivefold higher enriched in 13C relative to the Pseudomonas fatty acids. A high‐level growth‐phase‐independent, labelling of the oxaloacetate‐derived amino acids indicated heterotrophic CO2 fixation by anaplerotic reactions known to replenish the tricarboxylic acid cycle. Although both strains assimilate CO2 via similar general pathways, Rhodococcus depends to a much higher extent on carboxylations reactions with external CO2 owing to the formation of odd‐numbered fatty acids. As a general consequence, heterotrophic fixation of CO2 should be taken into account in investigations of degradation experiments using isotope tracer compounds.
The coordinate regulation of multiple terminal oxidases by the Pseudomonas putida ANR global regulator
Authors: Ugidos Ana , Morales Gracia , Rial Eduardo , Williams Huw D. , Rojo Fernando 
Published: March 2008

Summary Pseudomonas putida KT2440 contains a branched aerobic respiratory chain with multiple terminal oxidases. Their relative proportion varies according to environmental conditions. The role of the oxygen‐responsive ANR global regulator on expression of these terminal oxidases was analysed. During exponential growth in a highly aerated complete medium, ANR activated expression of the Cbb3‐1 terminal oxidase (equivalent to Pseudomonas aeruginosa Cbb3‐2), but had little role on expression of other terminal oxidases. In early stationary phase, or under oxygen limitation, inactivation of the anr gene led to increased expression of the bo3‐type cytochrome (Cyo) and cyanide‐insensitive (CIO) terminal oxidases, and to a much lower expression of Cbb3‐1. DNase I footprints identified ANR binding sites at the promoters for these oxidases. Their location suggests that ANR is a transcriptional activator of Cbb3‐1 genes and a repressor of CIO genes, consistent with expression data. ANR binding sites at the promoter for Cyo genes suggests a complex regulation in combination with other factors. Therefore, ANR coordinates expression of Cyo, CIO and Cbb3‐1, but does not influence cytochrome aa3 and Cbb3‐2 terminal oxidases under the conditions analysed. Functional assays showed that Cyo has a leading role during aerobic exponential growth, while Cbb3‐1 becomes very important in stationary phase.
Endoscopic incision for obstruction of vesico‐ureteric anastomosis in transplanted kidneys
Authors: He Zhaohui , Li Xun , Chen Lizhong , Zeng Guohua , Yuan Jian , Chen Wezhong , Zhang Caixia 
Published: March 2008

OBJECTIVETo report our experience of endoscopic incision for obstruction of vesico‐ureteric anastomosis (VUA) in transplanted kidneys.PATIENTS AND METHODSBetween February 2001 and March 2006, six men and two women (mean age 38 years, range 27–57) with VUA obstruction in their transplanted kidneys were treated by percutaneous nephrostomy and endoscopic incision. After the anastomosis was completely cut, two JJ stents were placed in the ureter for 4–6 weeks. During the follow‐up, serum urea, creatinine and uric acid levels were measured, and urine culture, ultrasound examination and washout renal scintigraphy were performed every month for the first 6 months, then every 3 months.RESULTSIn all, 12 procedures of endoureterotomy were performed and all procedures resulted in successful incision of the obstruction. There were no complications during or after the procedures. The retrograde and antegrade endoureterotomies were performed with four procedures in two patients and eight procedures in six patients, respectively. At a mean (range) follow‐up of 16 (4–45) months, five of the eight patients had ureteric patency and stable renal function. In three patients there was a recurrence of obstructive uropathy, immediately after JJ stent removal, which finally required open surgical correction.CONCLUSIONSPercutaneous nephrostomy and endoscopic incision is safe and effective for obstruction of VUA in transplanted kidney, and it can be the initial therapy for ureteric obstruction in transplanted kidneys; however, open surgical reconstruction should be considered if the initial endoscopic incision procedure fails.
Microarray analysis of bladder smooth muscle from patients with myelomeningocele
Authors: Hipp Jennifer A. , Hipp Jason D. , Yoo James J. , Atala Anthony , Andersson Karl‐Erik 
Published: March 2008

OBJECTIVETo examine whether gene profiles can provide a molecular evaluation of the quality and therapeutic potential in patients with myelomeningocele (MM), by comparing genetic profiles of smooth muscle cells (SMCs) from healthy bladders and bladders from patients, to identify genes that are over‐ and under‐expressed in MM bladder SMCs.MATERIAL AND METHODSBladder SM biopsies were obtained from ‘healthy’ subjects undergoing bladder surgery for vesico‐ureteric reflux and from patients with a neurogenic bladder secondary to MM. Bladder SMCs were expanded in vitro and total RNA was isolated and hybridized to gene chips to evaluate the differential expression levels of 22 283 genes. Differentially expressed genes were identified by two methods. In the first analysis, we directly compared raw data sets of healthy SMCs to those derived from patients with MM. In the second analysis, we indirectly compared healthy SMCs and MM SMCs to a reference file, to create a genetic signature of genes that are over‐ and under‐expressed in MM SMCs.RESULTSThe direct analysis identified 240 genes that were over‐expressed and 104 that were under‐expressed in MM SMCs. Gene ontology classifications were used to identify biological themes and pathways. Genes that were over‐expressed in MM SMCs were involved in development: mesenchyme homeobox 2 (‐fold change, 9.3); bone morphogenic protein 6 (4.0); fibroblast growth factor 2 (4.8); inhibin A (4.2), cartilage oliogomeric matrix protein (9.97); collagen 11A (6); collagen 5A2 (3) and collagen 1A1 (2.18). The indirect analysis identified 665 genes that were over‐expressed and 1343 that were under‐expressed in MM SMCs. Pathway‐based analysis of these genetic signatures showed an over‐expression of genes involved in muscle development and focal adhesion/extracellular matrix interactions. Genes that were under‐expressed in MM SMCs were mapped to muscle contraction, transmission of nerve impulses, and cell‐cell adhesion pathways.CONCLUSIONOur results are consistent with previous studies showing that MM bladders have an excess of extracellular matrix deposition, improper contraction, and are developmentally immature relatively to healthy SMCs. The clinical implication of microarray analysis of MM SMCs is that it provides potential targets that could induce muscle differentiation and inhibit extracellular matrix production.
Satisfied Pigs and Dissatisfied Philosophers: Schlesinger on the Problem of Evil
Authors: Graver Stephen 
Published: March 2008

AbstractI argue that George Schlesinger's proposed solution to the problem of evil fails because: (1) the degree of desirability of state of a being is not properly regarded as a trade‐off between happiness on the one hand and potential on the other; (2) degree of desirability of state is not capable of infinite increase; (3) there is no hierarchy of possible beings, but at most an ordering of such beings in terms of preferences; (4) the idea of such a hierarchy is anyway morally repulsive. Schlesinger is right that the problem of evil disappears, but what makes it vanish is a recognition of the limits of our concepts of satisfaction and happiness, not the incoherent claim that satisfaction or happiness is capable of unlimited increase.
TRADE LIBERALIZATION AND STRUCTURAL CHANGES IN LATIN AMERICA*
Authors: Ahmad J. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTWide disparities in growth potential and performance and hence, presumably an unequal sharing of benefits of trade liberalization, are among the most pressing issues facing the future course of economic integration in South America. The customary indices of changes in intra‐zonal trade among members of a preferential trade area do not adequately capture these tensions. This paper develops a framework based on differential rates of growth for analyzing the relative changes in production structure and per capita income in each member country vis‐à‐vis the corresponding set of free‐trading partners. The empirical investigation is carried out for member countries of the Latin American Free Trade Association (LAFTA) and of the Central American Common Market (CACM) for the period of their existence.Preliminary results suggest that although ‘reciprocity’ of benefits has been an elusive goal, there is no evidence that structural imbalance in the continent is worsening. In fact, in terms of per capita incomes there appears to be a modest trend toward convergence.
Voluntary Export Restraints and Trade Diversion
Authors: HAMILTON CARL 
Published: March 2008

SUMMARYIt has been shown that when voluntary export restraints are applied against a non‐Member of a trade club, such as the EC and EFTA in Europe, the partner's exports will increase in absolute terms although overall imports are reduced; the trade barrier ‘leaks’ and leads to a misallocation of resources from a global point of view. The partner prefers such a leaking trade barrier to free trade. Compared to traditional customs union theory, where the analysis concentrates on a move from global discrimination to preferential treatment of one foreign country, in this paper the move is in the opposite direction: from free trade with all foreign countries to discrimination against one foreign country (typically a developing one) and retained free trade with the remaining one. Reference was made to international trade in textile, clothing and footwear (TCF). The trade diversion effect of VERs were found to be particularly strong for France and Sweden, less so for Italy and Germany, and non‐existent for the UK. A comparison was made with changes in non‐European countries' integration with LDC exports of TCF (Australia, Canada, Japan and the USA). Finally, the trade diversion effect was illustrated with an analysis of changes in the supply composition of Sweden's home demand for clothing between 1974–82.
Review Article: Transport and Spatial Development in Europe
Authors: VICKERMAN ROGER 
Published: March 2008

The Geography of Europe's Futures, ed. by I. Masser, O. S vidén, M. Wegener Transport and Communications lnnovation in Europe, ed. by G. Giannopoulos and A. Gillespie Transport for a Sustainable Future, by John Whitelegg Transport Economics, 2nd edition, by Kenneth J. Button The European Economy 1914–1990, 3rd edition by Derek H. Aldcroft The Economic Emergence of a New Europe? The Political Economy of Cooperation and Competition in the 1990s, by Grahame F. Thompson
European Business in Japan: A Policy Crossroads?
Authors: STRANGE SUSAN 
Published: March 2008

AbstractUntil the EC Commission policy statement of September 1994, few Europeans had given much thought to EC relations with Japan. Susan Strange argues that this neglect is mistaken in view of the persistent unilateralism of US policy towards both Europe and Japan. Even though serious barriers to foreign‐owned firms (FOFs) remain, it would be a mistake to join the US in multilateralizing gaiatsu (foreign pressure). The historical record shows that the US itself is partly responsible for turning a blind eye to Japanese protection of its home market; and, secondly, that firms and private organizations in contact with reformist Japanese may be more effective in bringing about change.
Regional Convergence in the European Community
Authors: NEVEN DAMIEN , GOUYMTE CLAUDINE 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis article assesses convergence in output per head across regions in the European Community, for the period 1975–90. We use three alternative methodologies to measure convergence, which yield consistent results. We observe that there are strong differences in the pattern of convergence across sub‐periods and across subsets of regions. If the south of Europe seems to catch up in the early 1980s, it stagnates, at best, in the second part of the eighties. At the opposite end, the regions in the north of Europe tend to stagnate or diverge in the first part of the eighties but converge strongly thereafter. This pattern is consistent with the view that northern European countries have adjusted better to the main change in policy regime which occurred in the mid‐1980s, namely the implementation of the internal market programme and the entry of the Iberian peninsula in the Community in 1985. This evidence also lends support to the view that trade liberalization can exacerbate disparities. Finally, our evidence indicates that the distinction between the north and the south of the EC is likely to be more relevant in the analysis of growth patterns than the distinction between the centre and the periphery. Preliminary evidence on migration indicates that the population of the southern regions responds much more slowly to wage and unemployment differences. This may explain partly why southern regions have not converged after 1985.
Seigniorage and EMU: The Fiscal Implications of Price Stability and Financial Market Integration
Authors: GROS DANIEL , GUYVANDILLE  
Published: March 2008

AbstractDisinflation, especially if coupled with financial market liberalization, has implications for public finances because it lowers the revenue from seigniorage. There might thus be a trade‐off between the criteria on inflation convergence and public finances that were set at Maastricht. This article measures the effects of lower inflation and financial market integration on the revenue from seigniorage for the EU Member States that have in the past relied most heavily on this source of revenues. We find that, except for Greece, seigniorage considerations should no longer be a factor in discussions about EMU.
Immigrant and Ethnic Minorities and the EU's ‘Democratic Deficit’
Authors: GEDDES ANDREW 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis article explores the links between the development of European Union immigration policy and the frequently analysed ‘democratic deficit’. It shows that immigration policy at EU level emphasizes tighter control of the numbers of immigrants and asylum‐seekers, rather than the development of measures to combat racism and xenophobia. This emphasis stems from the provisions of the Single European Act, as free movement of EU nationals was seen as necessitating firm control of external frontiers. The consequence of this policy, it is argued, is accentuation of both institutional and participatory aspects of the ‘democratic deficit’.
Review Article: The Contingency of Integration
Authors: LAFFAN BRIGID 
Published: March 2008

The European Community and the Challenge of the Future by Juliet LodgeShaping fhe New Europe, by Hugh MiallUnderstanding the NewEuropean Community, by William Nicoll and Trevor C. SalmonEuropean Community Law by Josephine ShawSingle Market to Social Europe, by Mark Wise and Richard GibbThe European Community in the 1990s‐Ever Closer andlarger, by Wolfgang Wessels and Christian Engel
The EU Referendum in Finland on 16 October 1994: A Vote for the West, not for Maastricht
Authors: ARTER DAVID 
Published: March 2008

AbstractFinland's ‘European policy’ prior to the sudden disintegration of the Soviet Union was based on the search for an accommodation between the economic imperative of access, along with Norway and Sweden, to crucial Western export markets and the political imperative of preserving the credibility of its ‘neutrality’ and special relationship with the Kremlin. During the Cold War the political imperative was necessarily paramount. However, within three months of the demise of the USSR, Finland applied to join the EU and at a referendum on 16 October 1994 registered the highest pro‐accession vote of the three Nordic applicants. The article is a portrait of that decision. It is argued that for many Finns ‐ especially for a younger generation that was significantly more ‘pro‐European’ than in Sweden and Nonvay ‐ the ‘membership dividend’ was perceived principally in expressive terms. It would tie Finland to a bloc of West European democracies to which it had belonged by dint of its politico‐economic system since independence in 1917.
Obstacles to EU Enlargement: The Classical Community Method and the Prospects for a Wider Europe
Authors: PRESTON CHRISTOPHER 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThe probable expansion of the European Union (EU) to 25 or more Member States raises questions about the way in which the EC/EU has traditionally managed the enlargement process and whether this is an appropriate framework for the future. This article argues that the four enlargement rounds to date have all conformed to the ‘classical Community method’, with an exclusive focus on the applicant's admittances of the acquits communitarian, and negotiations focusing solely on transition periods. In view of the number and heterogeneity of the potential applicants in future rounds, the article examines the pressures likely to bear on the classical method and how it might be adapted.
Setting the Agenda for a New Europe: The ERT and EC 1992
Authors: COWLES MARIA GREEN 
Published: March 2008

AbstractScholars have disagreed over the origins of the single market programme and, in particular, over the role played by business groups in influencing the 1992 project. This article provides a systematic examination of the major policy actors behind the 1992 project, notably the European Round Table of Industrialists (ERT). It is argued that, contrary to intergovernmentalist interpretations, the ERT was largely responsible for setting the agenda for the single market programme. The article concludes that traditional theories of European integration cannot capture the political role of non‐state actors in EU regulatory policymaking, and suggests an alternative approach is necessary.
Bridging the Capability‐Expectations Gap: A Case Study of the CFSP Joint Action on South Africa
Authors: HOLLAND MARTIN 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis article applies and responds to Hill's 1993 JCMS article on the expectations‐capability gap that exists in the conduct of the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP). The case study of one of the first CFSP joint actions (South Africa) provides empirical data that suggest that any such gap can be minimized. While accepting Hill's general arguments, the case suggests that the CFSP can be effective and proactive.
National Labour Market Institutions and the European Economic and Monetary Integration Process
Authors: HEYLEN FREDDY , POECK ANDRÉ VAN 
Published: March 2008

AbstractThis article investigates the role of national labour market institutions for the chances of successful transition to Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) in Europe, as well as for its viability. The conclusions are rather pessimistic. Although overlooked by the Maastricht Treaty, the need for real convergence (convergence of unemployment rates) is emphasized as a major condition for success. However, current labour market institutions in the EU make it quite unlikely that this condition will be fulfilled. We show that the implementation of the Maastricht programme may instead turn into an obstacle to monetary unification.
Exploring the Nature of the Beast: International Relations Theory and Comparative Policy Analysis Meet the European Union
Authors: Risse‐kappen Thomas 
Published: March 2008

AbstractRecent work on the European Union (EU) indicates an emerging consensus that the boundaries between the ‘domestic’ and the ‘international’ spheres, as well as between the ‘state’ and ‘society’, have to be crossed when conceptualizing the EU. This article starts with reviewing the controversy between neofunctionalism and intergovernmentalism, arguing that it lacks some categories necessary to capture distinctive features of the EU. It then presents a framework combining insights from work on transnational politics by international relations scholars, on policy networks andPolitikveflechtung(interlocking politics) by comparative policy analysis, and by historical institutionalism. Propositions are generated on the institutional and structural conditions under which network analysis is better suited than intergovernmentalism to capture the EU policy‐making process. Finally, the article argues that social constructivism has to be taken more seriously in the study of the EU and that network analysis should move beyond rational choice models and incorporate theories of communicative action. More work is needed on the role of ideas and principled beliefs in the EU integration process.