Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the oldest and most effective treatments for depression; however, its biological underpinnings are poorly understood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are two chemical messenger systems implicated in the antidepressant action and cognitive side effects of ECT. The Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) strain is a genetic model of depression that shows biological, cognitive, behavioural, and treatment-response abnormalities, making it potentially a useful model in which to investigate the underpinnings of the action of electroconvulsive stimulus (ECS: the amimal model of ECT). In addition, the WKY presents a potentially useful model for translational research on depression. The WKY strain is particularly valuable for the measurement of serum BDNF protein, for which the association with antidepressant treatments is much less clear (mostly stemming from investigations in humans) than that between brain BDNF and antidepressant treatments in rodent studies. The three studies presented add insight into the biological and behavioural effects of ECS. The first study (chapter 2) found no evidence of increased (R)-[11C]rolipram binding (an indirect marker of cyclic-adenosine monophosphate, cAMP) in the brain, despite significant increases of brain BDNF protein expression after repeated ECS. The second study (chapter 3) demonstrated the validity of the WKY strain in the investigation of ECS. Relative to Wistar controls, WKY showed similar antidepressant and cognitive effects (despite some abnormal behavioural responses), immediate but not sustained increases in brain BDNF protein, and a novel finding of increased extra-hypothalamic CRF after 5 daily ECS. The final study (chapter 4) demonstrated baseline strain differences in serum (WKY < Wistar) but not brain BDNF and, in both strains, no change in serum BDNF despite significant changes in brain BDNF after repeated ECS treatment. Preliminary results from a human pilot study investigating similar measures in a small group of people receiving ECT for depression are also presented. The results of this body of work advance our understanding of the activation and role of brain and serum measures of BDNF and the HPA axis in ECS/ECT, and raise important issues in the translation of research from basic science to the human condition of depression.

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the oldest and most effective treatments for depression; however, its biological underpinnings are poorly understood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are two chemical messenger systems implicated in the antidepressant action and cognitive side effects of ECT. The Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) strain is a genetic model of depression that shows biological, cognitive, behavioural, and treatment-response abnormalities, making it potentially a useful model in which to investigate the underpinnings of the action of electroconvulsive stimulus (ECS: the amimal model of ECT). In addition, the WKY presents a potentially useful model for translational research on depression. The WKY strain is particularly valuable for the measurement of serum BDNF protein, for which the association with antidepressant treatments is much less clear (mostly stemming from investigations in humans) than that between brain BDNF and antidepressant treatments in rodent studies. The three studies presented add insight into the biological and behavioural effects of ECS. The first study (chapter 2) found no evidence of increased (R)-[11C]rolipram binding (an indirect marker of cyclic-adenosine monophosphate, cAMP) in the brain, despite significant increases of brain BDNF protein expression after repeated ECS. The second study (chapter 3) demonstrated the validity of the WKY strain in the investigation of ECS. Relative to Wistar controls, WKY showed similar antidepressant and cognitive effects (despite some abnormal behavioural responses), immediate but not sustained increases in brain BDNF protein, and a novel finding of increased extra-hypothalamic CRF after 5 daily ECS. The final study (chapter 4) demonstrated baseline strain differences in serum (WKY < Wistar) but not brain BDNF and, in both strains, no change in serum BDNF despite significant changes in brain BDNF after repeated ECS treatment. Preliminary results from a human pilot study investigating similar measures in a small group of people receiving ECT for depression are also presented. The results of this body of work advance our understanding of the activation and role of brain and serum measures of BDNF and the HPA axis in ECS/ECT, and raise important issues in the translation of research from basic science to the human condition of depression.

This thesis analyzes EU international climate policy discourses around the adoption of the Kyoto Protocol, its entry‐into‐force and the COP15‐negotiations in Copenhagen. Using EU‐press releases and employing Hajer’s argumentative approach, the main focus lies on discursive shifts and self representation. The thesis finds considerable discursive shifts, including a changing role of science, global responsibility and the economy. Findings also include the self‐representation of the EU changing from an emerging to an established and powerful actor but with a sharp rupture after COP15.

The objective of this thesis is to analyze the process of the development of climate change regime within the context of international environmental politics. In this context, this thesis aims to scrutinize how principles, norms, rules and decision-making procedures concerning climate change regime have been created during the course of the climate change cooperation. To this end, having started with the explanation of the emergence of environmental issues as a topic of international politics, the thesis focuses on the general assessment of climate change in terms of science and environmental politics. Then, international climate change negotiations together with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Kyoto Protocol that constitute the basis for climate change regime are studied in this thesis. Finally, the thesis will elaborate on the positions and policies of the key players in relation to climate change for the purpose of clarifying their roles in the formation of climate change regime. This thesis concludes cooperation on climate change constitutes an example of a regime established within the scope of international environmental politics.

International climate change agreements and the European Union legislation have an influence on different levels of governance, including national legal systems and administrative schemes. The following research question is addressed in the doctoral dissertation: “How does Lithuania, specifically the industrial sector, implement GHG reduction requirements under the Kyoto Protocol and the European Union regulations?” Implementation of GHG emission reductions is analyzed from a perspective of multi-level governance and sociology of law. The research is carried out on four levels – supra-state; state; sub-state and societal. These are described as international; national; administrative and industrial arenas in the dissertation. Hence the implementation of climate change legal rules is based on authoritative decision-making across multiple territorial levels. In the dissertation, legal frameworks regarding reductions of GHG emissions are described - and the institutions along with their mandates are identified. There is a hierarchical top-down regulated implementation of legal rules and actors involved at different levels. A perspective based upon Sociology of Law makes it possible to relate the top-down implementation of legal rules to society. In the dissertation the most dominant driving forces and norms affecting actors on each level of implementation are evaluated, by interviewing respondents from state and administrative institutions and industrial companies... [to full text] / Tarptautiniai klimato kaitos susitarimai ir Europos Sąjungos teisės aktai veikia skirtingus valdymo lygmenis, įskaitant nacionalines teisės sistemas ir administravimo modelius. Disertacijoje iškeltas tyrimo klausimas – kaip Lietuva, konkrečiai pramonės sektorius, įgyvendina šiltnamio efektą sukeliančių dujų (toliau – ŠESD) emisijų mažinimo reikalavimus, nustatytus Kioto protokolu ir Europos Sąjungos teisės aktais. Reikalavimų mažinti ŠESD emisijas įgyvendinimas yra analizuojamas daugiapakopio valdymo perspektyvoje. Analizuojami keturi lygmenys – viršvalstybinis, valstybinis, subvalstybinis ir visuomeninis, kurie disertacijoje gretinami su tarptautine, nacionaline, administracine ir pramonės plotmėmis. Taigi klimato kaitos teisės aktų įgyvendinimas paremtas valdžios sprendimų priėmimo dispersija skirtinguose lygmenyse. Disertacijoje apibūdintos teisės sistemos, susijusios su ŠESD mažinimu, identifikuojant institucijas ir jų įgaliojimus. Remiantis teisės sociologijos perspektyva, hierarchinis teisės normų įgyvendinimo principas siejamas su teisės poveikiu (ir atsaku) pramonės sektoriuje. Atlikus kokybinį tyrimą imant interviu iš tyrimo dalyvių, kurie dirba valstybės ir administracinėse institucijose ir pramonės įmonėse, išnagrinėti ir įvertinti skatinantys veiksniai ir normos, veikiančios dalyvių elgseną kiekviename tiriamajame lygmenyje. Ištirtas pramonės sektoriaus atsakas politikos įgyvendinimo procese bei pateikti pasiūlymai dėl Kioto protokolo ir Europos Sąjungos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

Climate change is a critical sustainable development issue with implications for the environment, economies and society as we know it. The problem of climate change is caused by some countries in parts of the world that has a direct effect on people and natural resources in other parts of the world. Climate change is the effect of increased production of Greenhouse gases (GHGs). Due to the vast complexity of the climate change regime the study does not attempt to be comprehensive or conclusive. The aim of the study is to critically evaluate and determine the purpose, enforceability, legal nature, shortcomings and strengths of the non-binding Copenhagen Accord and how the international climate change regime will evolve after the Copenhagen Accord. The study starts with a brief explanation of the international climate change regime and its development, including international environmental law principles, specifically the common but differentiated responsibility principle. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has the ultimate objective to achieve the stabilisation of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The Conference of the Parties (COPs) is the ultimate decision-making and supreme body of the UNFCCC and is authorised to make and implement decisions to promote the implementation of the UNFCCC, it further has the power to adopt new protocols under the UNFCCC and plays a substantial role in the development of new obligations by the parties to the convention. Various COPs, their respective adopted decisions and resolutions which played an important role in the development of the climate change regime are discussed. This includes COP 1 that lead to the Berlin Mandate; COP 3 and the Kyoto Protocol; COP 7 and the Marrakech Accords; COP 11 that marked the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol; COP 13 and the Bali Action Plan. COP 15 in Copenhagen was internationally expected and intended to be the breakthrough in addressing the post 2012 period. As is evident from the content of this study the result of COP 15 at Copenhagen means different challenges for different countries and the “bottom up” architecture of the accord could help encourage and reinforce national actions. An overview of the effect of the Copenhagen Accord on the climate change regime, with specific reference to COP 16 in Cancun, is then done. The “bottom up” architecture of the Copenhagen Accord was brought into the official UNFCCC process by the Cancun Agreements that were reached at COP 16. The study mostly comprised of a literature study, which reviewed the relevant international environmental law dealing with climate change, taking into account customary international law; international treaties and conventions; government documents, policies and reports; textbooks and academic journals as well as electronic material obtained from various internet sources. / Thesis (LLM (Environmental Law and Governance))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Climate change is a critical sustainable development issue with implications for the environment, economies and society as we know it. The problem of climate change is caused by some countries in parts of the world that has a direct effect on people and natural resources in other parts of the world. Climate change is the effect of increased production of Greenhouse gases (GHGs). Due to the vast complexity of the climate change regime the study does not attempt to be comprehensive or conclusive. The aim of the study is to critically evaluate and determine the purpose, enforceability, legal nature, shortcomings and strengths of the non-binding Copenhagen Accord and how the international climate change regime will evolve after the Copenhagen Accord. The study starts with a brief explanation of the international climate change regime and its development, including international environmental law principles, specifically the common but differentiated responsibility principle. The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) has the ultimate objective to achieve the stabilisation of GHG concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. The Conference of the Parties (COPs) is the ultimate decision-making and supreme body of the UNFCCC and is authorised to make and implement decisions to promote the implementation of the UNFCCC, it further has the power to adopt new protocols under the UNFCCC and plays a substantial role in the development of new obligations by the parties to the convention. Various COPs, their respective adopted decisions and resolutions which played an important role in the development of the climate change regime are discussed. This includes COP 1 that lead to the Berlin Mandate; COP 3 and the Kyoto Protocol; COP 7 and the Marrakech Accords; COP 11 that marked the entry into force of the Kyoto Protocol; COP 13 and the Bali Action Plan. COP 15 in Copenhagen was internationally expected and intended to be the breakthrough in addressing the post 2012 period. As is evident from the content of this study the result of COP 15 at Copenhagen means different challenges for different countries and the “bottom up” architecture of the accord could help encourage and reinforce national actions. An overview of the effect of the Copenhagen Accord on the climate change regime, with specific reference to COP 16 in Cancun, is then done. The “bottom up” architecture of the Copenhagen Accord was brought into the official UNFCCC process by the Cancun Agreements that were reached at COP 16. The study mostly comprised of a literature study, which reviewed the relevant international environmental law dealing with climate change, taking into account customary international law; international treaties and conventions; government documents, policies and reports; textbooks and academic journals as well as electronic material obtained from various internet sources. / Thesis (LLM (Environmental Law and Governance))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2012

Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is one of the oldest and most effective treatments for depression; however, its biological underpinnings are poorly understood. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are two chemical messenger systems implicated in the antidepressant action and cognitive side effects of ECT. The Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) strain is a genetic model of depression that shows biological, cognitive, behavioural, and treatment-response abnormalities, making it potentially a useful model in which to investigate the underpinnings of the action of electroconvulsive stimulus (ECS: the amimal model of ECT). In addition, the WKY presents a potentially useful model for translational research on depression. The WKY strain is particularly valuable for the measurement of serum BDNF protein, for which the association with antidepressant treatments is much less clear (mostly stemming from investigations in humans) than that between brain BDNF and antidepressant treatments in rodent studies. The three studies presented add insight into the biological and behavioural effects of ECS. The first study (chapter 2) found no evidence of increased (R)-[11C]rolipram binding (an indirect marker of cyclic-adenosine monophosphate, cAMP) in the brain, despite significant increases of brain BDNF protein expression after repeated ECS. The second study (chapter 3) demonstrated the validity of the WKY strain in the investigation of ECS. Relative to Wistar controls, WKY showed similar antidepressant and cognitive effects (despite some abnormal behavioural responses), immediate but not sustained increases in brain BDNF protein, and a novel finding of increased extra-hypothalamic CRF after 5 daily ECS. The final study (chapter 4) demonstrated baseline strain differences in serum (WKY < Wistar) but not brain BDNF and, in both strains, no change in serum BDNF despite significant changes in brain BDNF after repeated ECS treatment. Preliminary results from a human pilot study investigating similar measures in a small group of people receiving ECT for depression are also presented. The results of this body of work advance our understanding of the activation and role of brain and serum measures of BDNF and the HPA axis in ECS/ECT, and raise important issues in the translation of research from basic science to the human condition of depression.

Submitted by Núcleo de Pós-Graduação Administração (npgadm@ufba.br) on 2017-11-09T18:31:18Z No. of bitstreams: 1 KRISTIAN PASINI NPGA.pdf: 3766074 bytes, checksum: ed754dde42c0746032ae491a5f3018da (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Maria Angela Dortas (dortas@ufba.br) on 2017-11-16T14:34:16Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 KRISTIAN PASINI NPGA.pdf: 3766074 bytes, checksum: ed754dde42c0746032ae491a5f3018da (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-11-16T14:34:17Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 KRISTIAN PASINI NPGA.pdf: 3766074 bytes, checksum: ed754dde42c0746032ae491a5f3018da (MD5) / O Protocolo de Kyoto (PK) é considerado um dos mais significativos acontecimentos políticos mundiais sobre o meio ambiente. Através deste marco da governança ambiental global grandes nações industriais se comprometeram a reduzir suas emissões de gases poluentes na atmosfera. Para viabilizar o cumprimento de metas de emissão de Gases do Efeito Estufa (GEE), foram criados três mecanismos de flexibilização. Dentre estes, o Mecanismo de Desenvolvimento Limpo (MDL) é o único que permite a participação de países em desenvolvimento, como o Brasil. O MDL busca reduzir a emissão de GEE em países em desenvolvimento para assim gerar créditos de carbono que possam ser vendidos a países desenvolvidos signatários do PK que necessitem destes para atender suas metas de redução de GEE. Em aterros sanitários, o MDL é uma alternativa para se viabilizar financeiramente projetos de coleta e queima controlada de biogás, com ou sem geração de energia. A presente dissertação tem por objetivo analisar as contribuições dos projetos de MDL em aterros sanitários brasileiros para a promoção de tecnologias ambientalmente seguras e para o desenvolvimento sustentável. A pesquisa consistiu de duas etapas: na primeira, 17 projetos de MDL em aterros aprovados até o ano de 2007 foram analisados através da análise de conteúdo dos seus respectivos Documentos de Concepção de Projeto (DCPs) e na segunda etapa foi realizado o estudo de dois casos analítico-explicativos por meio de entrevistas semiestruturadas e de triangulação de dados. Os resultados da pesquisa indicaram que rentabilidade é o principal motivador dos projetos de MDL em aterros sanitários e que riscos de investimento e incertezas quanto à matriz energética brasileira são a principal barreira para se implantar projetos de coleta de biogás que gerem eletricidade. Notase também que em boa parte dos projetos não ocorre, tal como previsto nas regras do Protocolo de Kyoto, ampla transferência de tecnologias ambientais para os países em desenvolvimento a partir das nações mais desenvolvidas. Pode-se concluir que os projetos de MDL executados em aterros brasileiros estão longe de atingir seu propósito básico de minimizar os efeitos das mudanças climáticas estimulando um modelo de desenvolvimento mais limpo.

Made available in DSpace on 2010-04-20T20:15:39Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2002-12-06T00:00:00Z / Com uma análise dos benefícios financeiros decorrentes da comercialização de certificados de redução de emissão (CER) de gases de efeito estufa, esta dissertação determina o incremento na taxa interna de retorno para o projeto de expansão de cogeração de energia elétrica com biomassa - bagaço de cana-de-açúcar - para a Cia Açucareira Vale do Rosário. Os objetivos da pesquisa são quantificar o volume de CER que poderiam ser comercializados, bem como analisar o emergente mercado de CER para determinação do valor a ser comercializado os certificados. Em ambos objetivos foram considerados a Convenção Quadro sobre Mudança Global do Clima e o Protocolo de Kyoto, incluso nesta, como estrutura para mensurar o volume de CER e regulamentar o mercado.