Refine
Year of publication
- 2017 (3202) (remove)
Document Type
- Article (1229)
- Part of Periodical (582)
- Part of a Book (303)
- Book (234)
- Doctoral Thesis (181)
- Review (160)
- Contribution to a Periodical (151)
- Working Paper (129)
- Report (112)
- Preprint (64)
Language
- English (1689)
- German (1394)
- Portuguese (44)
- Spanish (21)
- French (20)
- Multiple languages (16)
- Turkish (13)
- Ukrainian (2)
- Catalan (1)
- Hebrew (1)
Is part of the Bibliography
- no (3202)
Keywords
- taxonomy (65)
- Deutsch (60)
- Literatur (58)
- Financial Institutions (41)
- new species (40)
- Rezeption (28)
- Literaturwissenschaft (26)
- Fremdsprachenunterricht (24)
- Vergleichende Literaturwissenschaft (23)
- Banking Supervision (22)
Institute
- Medizin (381)
- Präsidium (285)
- Physik (236)
- Wirtschaftswissenschaften (215)
- Gesellschaftswissenschaften (196)
- Sustainable Architecture for Finance in Europe (SAFE) (163)
- Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies (FIAS) (115)
- Biowissenschaften (105)
- Neuere Philologien (105)
- Informatik (91)
The mainstream law and economics approach has dominated positive analysis and normative design of economic regulations. This approach represents a form of applied neoclassical and new institutional economics. Neoclassical and/or new institutional economic theories, models, and analytical concepts are applied automatically to economic regulatory problems.
This automatic application of neoclassical economics to economic regulatory problems loses sight of the valid insights of non-neoclassical schools of economic thought and theories, which may illuminate important aspects of the regulatory problems. This thesis, therefore, advocates an integrated law and economics approach to economic regulations. This approach identifies the relevant insights of neoclassical and non-neoclassical schools of thought and theories and refines them through a process of cross-criticism. In this process, the insights of each school of thought are subjected to the critiques of other schools of thought. The resulting refined insights, which are more likely to be valid, are then integrated consistently through various techniques of integration.
Not only does neoclassical (micro and macro) law and economics overlook the valid insights of non-neoclassical schools of thought, it is also highly reductionist. It ignores the interdependencies of legal institutions, highlighted mainly by the comparative capitalism literature, and the structural interlinkages among socio-economic actors, highlighted by economic sociology and complexity economics. Rather, it takes rational individuals and their interactions subject to the constraint of isolated institution(s) as its unit of analysis. In place of this reductionist perspective, the thesis argues for a systemic approach to economic regulations. This systemic perspective replaces the reductionist unit of neoclassical regulatory analysis with a systemic unit of analysis that consists of the least non-decomposable actors’ network and its associated least non-decomposable institutional network. Then, the thesis develops an operationalized and replicable systemic framework for systemic analysis and design of institutional networks.
Both the systemic and integrated approaches are theoretically consistent and complementary. The systemic approach is in essence a way of thinking that requires a broad and rich informational basis that can be secured by using the integrated approach. Due to their complementarity, they give rise to what I call “the integrated and systemic law and economics approach.” The thesis operationalizes this approach by setting out well-defined replicable steps and applying them to concrete regulatory problems, namely, the choice of a corporate governance model for developing countries and the development of a normative theory of economic regulations. These concrete applications demonstrate the critical bite of the integrated and systemic approach, which reveals significant shortcomings of mainstream law and economics’ answers to these regulatory questions. They also show the constructive potential of the integrated and systemic approach in overcoming the critiques advanced to the neoclassical regulatory conclusions.
The operationalized integrated and systemic approach is both a law and economics as well as a law and development approach. It does not only provide an alternative to mainstream law and economics analysis and design of economic regulations. It also fills a significant analytical lacuna in the law and development literature that lacks an analytical framework for analysis and design of context-specific legal institutions that can promote economic development in developing economies.
In healthy older adults, resveratrol supplementation has been shown to improve long-term glucose control, resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) of the hippocampus, and memory function. Here, we aimed to investigate if these beneficial effects extend to individuals at high-risk for dementia, i.e., patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). In a randomized, double-blind interventional study, 40 well-characterized patients with MCI (21 females; 50–80 years) completed 26 weeks of resveratrol (200 mg/d; n = 18) or placebo (1,015 mg/d olive oil; n = 22) intake. Serum levels of glucose, glycated hemoglobin A1c and insulin were determined before and after intervention. Moreover, cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (3T) (n = 14 vs. 16) was conducted to analyze hippocampus volume, microstructure and RSFC, and neuropsychological testing was conducted to assess learning and memory (primary endpoint) at both time points. In comparison to the control group, resveratrol supplementation resulted in lower glycated hemoglobin A1c concentration with a moderate effect size (ANOVARM p = 0.059, Cohen's d = 0.66), higher RSFC between right anterior hippocampus and right angular cortex (p < 0.001), and led to a moderate preservation of left anterior hippocampus volume (ANOVARM p = 0.061, Cohen's d = 0.68). No significant differences in memory performance emerged between groups. This proof-of-concept study indicates for the first-time that resveratrol intake may reduce glycated hemoglobin A1c, preserves hippocampus volume, and improves hippocampus RSFC in at-risk patients for dementia. Larger trials with longer intervention time should now determine if these benefits can be validated and extended to cognitive function.
Retinal OFF bipolar cells show distinct connectivity patterns with photoreceptors in the wild-type mouse retina. Some types are cone-specific while others penetrate further through the outer plexiform layer (OPL) to contact rods in addition to cones. To explore dendritic stratification of OFF bipolar cells in the absence of rods, we made use of the ‘cone-full’ Nrl-/- mouse retina in which all photoreceptor precursor cells commit to a cone fate including those which would have become rods in wild-type retinas. The dendritic distribution of OFF bipolar cell types was investigated by confocal and electron microscopic imaging of immunolabeled tissue sections. The cells’ dendrites formed basal contacts with cone terminals and expressed the corresponding glutamate receptor subunits at those sites, indicating putative synapses. All of the four analyzed cell populations showed distinctive patterns of vertical dendritic invasion through the OPL. This disparate behavior of dendritic extension in an environment containing only cone terminals demonstrates type-dependent specificity for dendritic outgrowth in OFF bipolar cells: rod terminals are not required for inducing dendritic extension into distal areas of the OPL.
Processes shaping the African Guineo-Congolian rain forest, especially in the West African part, are not well understood. Recent molecular studies, based mainly on forest tree species, confirmed the previously proposed division of the western African Guineo-Congolian rain forest into Upper Guinea (UG) and Lower Guinea (LG) separated by the Dahomey Gap (DG). Here we studied nine populations in the area of the DG and the borders of LG and UG of the widespread liana species, Chasmanthera dependens (Menispermaceae) by amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), a chloroplast DNA sequence marker, and modelled the distribution based on current as well as paleoclimatic data (Holocene Climate Optimum, ca. 6 kyr BP and Last Glacial Maximum, ca. 22 kyr BP). Current population genetic structure and geographical pattern of cpDNA was related to present as well as historical modelled distributions. Results from this study show that past historical factors played an important role in shaping the distribution of C. dependens across West Africa. The Cameroon Volcanic Line seems to represent a barrier for gene flow in the present as well as in the past. Distribution modelling proposed refugia in the Dahomey Gap, supported also by higher genetic diversity. This is in contrast with the phylogeographic patterns observed in several rainforest tree species and could be explained by either diverging or more relaxed ecological requirements of this liana species.
The effect-response framework states that plant functional traits link the abiotic environment to ecosystem functioning. One ecosystem property is the body size of the animals living in the system, which is assumed to depend on temperature or resource availability, among others. For primary consumers, resource availability may directly be related to plant traits, while for secondary consumers the relationship is indirect. We used plant traits to describe resource availability along an elevational gradient on Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania. Using structural equation models, we determined the response of plant traits to changes in precipitation, temperature and disturbance with and assessed whether abiotic conditions or community-weighted means of plant traits are stronger predictors of the mean size of bees, moths, frugivorous birds, and insectivorous birds. Traits indicating tissue density and nutrient content strongly responded to variations in precipitation, temperature and disturbance. They had direct effects on pollination and fruit traits. However, the average body sizes of the animal groups considered could only be explained by temperature and habitat structure, not by plant traits. Our results demonstrate a strong link between traits and the abiotic environment, but suggest that temperature is the most relevant predictor of mean animal body size. Community-weighted means of plant traits and body sizes appear unsuitable to capture the complexity of plant-animal interactions.
Clustering of cardiovascular risk factors and carotid intima-media thickness : the USE-IMT study
(2017)
Background: The relation of a single risk factor with atherosclerosis is established. Clinically we know of risk factor clustering within individuals. Yet, studies into the magnitude of the relation of risk factor clusters with atherosclerosis are limited. Here, we assessed that relation.
Methods: Individual participant data from 14 cohorts, involving 59,025 individuals were used in this cross-sectional analysis. We made 15 clusters of four risk factors (current smoking, overweight, elevated blood pressure, elevated total cholesterol). Multilevel age and sex adjusted linear regression models were applied to estimate mean differences in common carotid intima-media thickness (CIMT) between clusters using those without any of the four risk factors as reference group.
Results: Compared to the reference, those with 1, 2, 3 or 4 risk factors had a significantly higher common CIMT: mean difference of 0.026 mm, 0.052 mm, 0.074 mm and 0.114 mm, respectively. These findings were the same in men and in women, and across ethnic groups. Within each risk factor cluster (1, 2, 3 risk factors), groups with elevated blood pressure had the largest CIMT and those with elevated cholesterol the lowest CIMT, a pattern similar for men and women.
Conclusion: Clusters of risk factors relate to increased common CIMT in a graded manner, similar in men, women and across race-ethnic groups. Some clusters seemed more atherogenic than others. Our findings support the notion that cardiovascular prevention should focus on sets of risk factors rather than individual levels alone, but may prioritize within clusters.
The widespread application of fertilizers has greatly influenced many processes and properties of agroecosystems, and agricultural fertilization is expected to increase even further in the future. To date, most research on fertilizer impacts has used short-term studies, which may be unrepresentative of long-term responses, thus hindering our capacity to predict long-term impacts. Here, we examined the effects of long-term fertilizer addition on key ecosystem properties in a long-term grassland experiment (Palace Leas Hay Meadow) in which farmyard manure (FYM) and inorganic fertilizer treatments have been applied consistently for 120 years in order to characterize the experimental site more fully and compare ecosystem responses with those observed at other long-term and short-term experiments. FYM inputs increased soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks, hay yield, nutrient availability and acted as a buffer against soil acidification (>pH 5). In contrast, N-containing inorganic fertilizers strongly acidified the soil (<pH 4.5) and increased surface SOC stocks by increasing the C stored in the coarse (2.8 mm-200 μm) and fine (200–50 μm) fractions. Application of N fertilizers also reduced plant species richness and the abundance of forbs and legumes. Overall, our results were broadly consistent with those observed in other very long-term studies (the Park Grass and Steinach Grassland experiments) in that fertilization effects on plant and soil properties appeared to be driven by differences in both nutrient input and changes to soil pH. We also established that the direction of long-term fertilization effects tended to be comparable with short-term experiments, but that their magnitude differed considerably, particularly where ammonium sulphate-induced acidification had occurred. We therefore conclude that short-term studies are unlikely to possess the required timeframe to accurately predict long-term responses, thus necessitating the use of long-term study sites. Such experiments should be strategically established in regions where future fertilizer use is expected to increase rapidly.
Bank regulators have the discretion to discipline banks by executing enforcement actions to ensure that banks correct deficiencies regarding safe and sound banking principles. We
highlight the trade-offs regarding the execution of enforcement actions for financial stability. Following this we provide an overview of the differences in the legal framework governing supervisors’ execution of enforcement actions in the Banking Union and the United States. After discussing work on the effect of enforcement action on bank behaviour and the real economy, we present data on the evolution of enforcement actions
and monetary penalties by U.S. regulators. We conclude by noting the importance of supervisors to levy efficient monetary penalties and stressing that a division of competences among different regulators should not lead to a loss of efficiency regarding
the execution of enforcement actions.
The centerpiece of all neuronal processes is the synaptic transmission. It consists of a complex series of events. Two key elements are the binding of synaptic vesicles (SV) to the presynaptic membrane and the subsequent fusion of the two membranes. SV are neurotransmitter-filled membranous spheres with many integral and peripheral proteins. The synaptic SNARE complex consists of three interacting proteins, which energize and regulate the fusion of the SV membrane with the presynaptic membrane. Both processes are closely orchestrated to ensure a specific release of neurotransmitter. Already many experiments have been performed, such as genetic screens and proteome analysis of SV, to determine the functions of the various proteins involved. Nevertheless, the functions of the identified proteins are still not fully elucidated. The aim of this thesis was initially applying a tandem affinity purification (TAP) of SV to identify unknown interaction partner of SV and to determine their role. This was supposed to be performed in the model organism Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). The underlying mechanisms are conserved throughout the phylogentic tree and identified interaction partners will help to understand the processes in the mammalian brain. Although there is no neuron-rich tissue in C. elegans as in other model organisms, the diverse genetic methods allows a rapid creation of modified organisms and a prompt determination of the function of identified proteins. The integral SV protein synaptogyrin has been fused to a TAP-tag. The TAP-tag consists of a ProteinA, a TEV protease cleavage site and a calmodulin binding peptide (CBP). Both affinity purification steps are performed sequentially and allow a highly specific native purification of proteins and their interaction partners. Due to technical difficulties the purification strategy was modified several times during the course of this thesis and then finally abandoned for a more promising project, the SNARE complex purification. In conclusion, one of the reasons was the necessary lack of detergent.
The amended aim of this thesis has been the TAP of solubilized SNARE complex to identify unknown interaction partner and to determine their role. In order to increase the specificity of the purification, in terms of formed complexes, the two SNARE subunits, synaptobrevin (SNB-1 in C. elegans) and syntaxin (UNC-64 in C. elegans), were separately fused to the different affinity tags. As the modifications of the proteins could impair their function and lead to false interaction partners, their functionality was tested. For this purpose, the corresponding fusion constructs were expressed in strains with mutated snb¬1 and unc-64. Non-functional synaptic proteins display an altered course of paralysis in an aldicarb assay. The fusion proteins which were expressed in their respective mutant strains displayed a near to wild-type (WT) behavior in contrast to the naive mutant strains. Multiple TAP demonstrated SNB-1 signals in Western blot analysis and complex sets of proteins in the final elution step in a silver staining of SDS-PAGEs. These samples were sent with negative control (WT purification) for MS analysis to various cooperation partners. 119 proteins were identified which appeared only in data sets with SNARE proteins and not in WT samples. If proteins were detected in ≥ 2 SNARE positive MS analysis and had known neural functions or homologies to neuronal proteins in other species, they were selected for further analysis. These candidates were knocked down by RNAi and tested for synaptic function in a following aldicarb assay. The treatment with their specific RNAi resulted for mca-3 in a strong resistance, while frm-2, snap-29, ekl-6, klb-8, mdh-2, pfk-2, piki-1 and vamp-8 resulted in hypersensitivity. The most responsive genes frm-2, snap-29 and mca-3 were examined, whether they displayed a co-localization together with synaptobrevin in promoter fusion constructs or functional fusion constructs. In fluorescence microscopy images only MCA-3::YFP demonstrated neuronal expression.
In order to substantiate the synaptic nature and functionality of the MCA-3::YFP a swimming assay was performed. Here, fusion construct expressing strains, which contained mutated mca-3, were compared with untreated mutant strains and WT strains according to their behavior. In this swimming assay a partial restoration of WT behavior was shown in the MCA-3::YFP expressing mutant strains. Based on these data, we discovered with MCA 3 a new interaction partner of the SNARE complex. MCA-3 is a plasma membrane Ca2+-ATPase and was initially seen only in their role in the endocytosis. Its new putative role is the reduction of Ca2+ concentration at the bound SNARE complex. Since an interaction of syntaxin with Ca2+ channels has been demonstrated, it would be comprehensible to reduce the local concentration of Ca2+ to a minimum by tethering Ca2+ transporters to the SNARE complex.
The estimation of water balance components as well as water-related indicators on the land surface by means of global hydrological models have evolved in recent decades. Results of such models are frequently used in global- and continental-scale assessments of the current and future state of the terrestrial water cycle and provide a valuable data basis, e.g., for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Water – Global Assessment and Prognosis (WaterGAP) model is one of the state-of-the-art models in that field and has been in development and application for around 20 years. The evaluation, modification and application of WaterGAP is the subject of this thesis. In particular, the sensitivity of climate input data on radiation calculation and simulated water fluxes and storages is evaluated in the first part. Effects of model modification such as updated spatial input datasets, improved process representation or an alternative calibration scheme are the focus of the second part. Finally, three applications of WaterGAP give insight into the capabilities of that model, namely an estimate of global and continental water balance components, an assessment of groundwater depletion and the impact of climate change on river flow regimes. Model experiments, which are described in six journal papers as well as the appendices, were used as the basis for answering the total of 13 research questions. One of the major foci was to quantify the sensitivity of simulated water fluxes and storages to alternative climate input data. It was found that the handling of precipitation undercatch leads to the greatest difference in water balance components, especially in those areas where WaterGAP is not calibrated due to a lack of river discharge observations. The modifications of WaterGAP in the last few decades has led in general to an improved simulation of monthly river discharge, but process representation in semi-arid and arid regions still requires improvements. With the most current model version, WaterGAP 2.2b, and for the time period 1971–2000, river discharge to the oceans and inland sinks is estimated to be 40 000 km3 yr-1, whereas actual evapotranspiration is simulated as 70 500 km3 yr-1. Future research needs for WaterGAP in particular but also for the global hydrological model community in general are defined, promoting a community-driven effort for a robust assessment of the continental water cycle.
In this paper we propose a way forward towards increased financial resilience in times of growing disagreement concerning open borders, free trade and global regulatory standards. In light of these concerns, financial resilience remains a highly valued policy objective. We wish to contribute by suggesting an agenda of concrete, do-able steps supporting an enhanced level of resilience, combined with a deeper understanding of its relevance in the public domain.
First, remove inconsistencies across regulatory rules and territorial regimes, and ensure their credibility concerning implementation. Second, discourage the use of financial regulatory standards as means of international competition. Third, give more weight to pedagogically explaining the established regulatory standards in public, to strengthen their societal backing.
Die Berichterstattung über den Nahostkonflikt gehört seit Jahrzehnten zum Standardrepertoire der Nachrichten. Hierzulande hat fast jeder eine Meinung zum israelisch-arabischen Konflikt, doch wenige verstehen, um was es den Konfliktparteien eigentlich geht, was in bisherigen Verhandlungen erreicht worden ist und wo genau die Hürden für eine Konfliktregelung liegen. Dieses Buch liefert eine kompakte und zugleich anschauliche und detaillierte Analyse des Konflikts zwischen Israel und seinen arabischen Nachbarn. Dabei stehen die lokalen und regionalen Akteure im Mittelpunkt. Um die Konfliktdynamiken zu erklären, geht das Buch vor allem auf die konkurrierenden Interessen und Narrative der Konfliktparteien sowie ihre Wechselwirkungen ein.