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 work discusses the development of solar energy exploitation in Czech republic and partially in Germany. It contains basic definitions of terms in the area of renewable energy sources, such as solar energy, fotovoltaic powrplants etc. In next part it describes development of solar systems in Czech republic and birth of legislation that regulates it. The main part of the work analyzes status quo of solar systems in Czech republic, especially in relation to continuous development of legislative environment. Equal attention is paid to solar energy evolution in Germany and its simmilarities with Czech environment. Based on these findings potential trends are outlined.

This dissertation is a collection of three economics essays on different aspects of carbon emission trading markets. The first essay analyzes the dynamic optimal emission control strategies of two nations. With a potential to become the largest buyer under the Kyoto Protocol, the US is assumed to be a monopsony, whereas with a large number of tradable permits on hand Russia is assumed to be a monopoly. Optimal costs of emission control programs are estimated for both the countries under four different market scenarios: non-cooperative no trade, US monopsony, Russia monopoly, and cooperative trading. The US monopsony scenario is found to be the most Pareto cost efficient. The Pareto efficient outcome, however, would require the US to make side payments to Russia, which will even out the differences in the cost savings from cooperative behavior. The second essay analyzes the price dynamics of the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX), a voluntary emissions trading market. By examining the volatility in market returns using AR-GARCH and Markov switching models, the study associates the market price fluctuations with two different political regimes of the US government. Further, the study also identifies a high volatility in the returns few months before the market collapse. Three possible regulatory and market-based forces are identified as probable causes of market volatility and its ultimate collapse. Organizers of other voluntary markets in the US and worldwide may closely watch for these regime switching forces in order to overcome emission market crashes. The third essay compares excess skewness and kurtosis in carbon prices between CCX and EU ETS (European Union Emission Trading Scheme) Phase I and II markets, by examining the tail behavior when market expectations exceed the threshold level. Dynamic extreme value theory is used to find out the mean price exceedence of the threshold levels and estimate the risk loss. The calculated risk measures suggest that CCX and EU ETS Phase I are extremely immature markets for a risk investor, whereas EU ETS Phase II is a more stable market that could develop as a mature carbon market in future years.

[EN] Natural gas is not only the cleanest fossil fuel available today but, unlike other fossil fuels decline, still abundant in Europe and on other continents, so it is a vital component of the energy mix. The demand for energy continues to rise, so natural gas plays a crucial role in the current energy policy of the European Union (EU). Natural gas is a key player in the transition to a low carbon economy and a more sustainable energy system. The substitution of coal and oil to gas is necessary if we want to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases by 2030. In addition, the parallel development of techniques such as carbon capture and storage (CCS), will enable the gas to become a technology with carbon even lower in the near future. Moreover, the abundance of gas in their favor to complement renewables, covering their flashes that occur at sources such as wind or solar and allowing easy adaptation to peak demands. / [ES] El gas natural no solo es el combustible fósil más limpio disponible en la actualidad sino que, a diferencia de otros combustibles fósiles en declive, sigue siendo abundante tanto en Europa como en otros continentes, por lo que constituye un componente vital del mix energético. La demanda de energía sigue aumentando, por lo que gas natural juega un papel crucial en la política energética actual de la Unión Europea (UE). El gas natural es un actor clave en la transición hacia una economía baja en carbono y un sistema energético más sostenible. La sustitución del carbón y del petróleo por el gas es necesaria si queremos reducir las emisiones de gas de efecto invernadero de aquí a 2030. Además, el desarrollo paralelo de técnicas como la captura y almacenamiento de carbono (CCS) , harán posible que el gas se convierta en una tecnología con una emisión de carbono todavía más baja en un futuro próximo. Por otro lado, la abundancia del gas juega a su favor como complemento de las energías renovables, cubriendo las intermitencias que se producen en fuentes como la eólica o la solar y permitiendo una fácil adaptación a los picos de demanda. / [CAT] El gas natural no sols és el combustible fòssil més net disponible en l'actualitat sino que, a diferència d'altres combustibles fòssils en declivi, segueix sent abundant tant en Europa com en altres continents, per la qual cosa constitueix un component vital del MIX ENERGÈTIC. La demanda d'energia segueix augmentant, per això gas natural juga un paper crucial en la política energètica actual de l'Unio Europea (UE). El gas natural és un actor clau en la transició cap a una economia baixa en carboni i un sistema ENERGÈTIC més sostenible. La Sustitució del carbó i del petroli pel gas és necessària si volem reduir les emissions de gas d'efecte hivernacle d'ací a 2030. A més, el desenvolupament paralel de tècniques com la captura i l'emmagatzematge de carboni (CCS) , faran possible que el gas es convertisca en una tecnologia amb una emissió de carboni encara més baixa en un futur pròxim. D'altra banda, l'abundància del gas juga al seu favor com a complement de les energies renovables, cobrint les intermitències que es produeixen en fonts com l'eòlica o la solar i permetent una fàcil adaptació als pics de demanda. / Lloret Bassecourt, P. (2015). ESTADO DE LA TECNOLOGÍA EN LA CADENA DE VALOR DEL GAS NATURAL: APLICACIONES A NUEVOS PRODUCTOS Y SERVICIOS [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/53239 / TESIS

京都大学 / 新制・課程博士 / 博士(医学) / 甲第23085号 / 医博第4712号 / 新制||医||1049(附属図書館) / 京都大学大学院医学研究科医学専攻 / (主査)教授 安達 泰治, 教授 戸口田 淳也, 教授 別所 和久 / 学位規則第4条第1項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

京都大学 / 0048 / 新制・論文博士 / 博士(医学) / 乙第13119号 / 論医博第2132号 / 新制||医||1023(附属図書館) / (主査)教授 大森 孝一, 教授 斎藤 通紀, 教授 長船 健二 / 学位規則第4条第2項該当 / Doctor of Medical Science / Kyoto University / DFAM

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Darbo objektas – „žalioji“ investavimo sistema. Darbo tikslas – ištirti „žaliosios“ investavimo sistemos įgyvendinimo galimybes Lietuvoje. Darbo uždaviniai: remiantis mokslinės literatūros analize, atskleisti „žaliosios“ investavimo sistemos sampratą; išnagrinėti užsienio šalių patirtį kuriant ŽIS; remiantis Aplinkos ministerijos pateikiamais duomenimis, sudaryti ŽIS įgyvendinimo Lietuvoje galimybių tyrimo modelį; atlikti ŽIS įgyvendinimo galimybių Lietuvoje empirinio tyrimo modelio įvertinimą bei nustatyti pagrindines ŽIS įgyvendinimo Lietuvoje galimybes ir kliūtis. „Žalioji“ investavimo sistema yra naujas finansinis mechanizmas, kurio dėka pajamos, gautos iš nustatytosios normos vienetų pardavimo, yra toliau investuojamos į šiltnamio dujų mažinimą. Atlikus ekspertų apklausą, nustatyta, kad Lietuvoje tikslingiausia skirti 80 proc. „sunkaus“ ir 20 proc. „lengvo žalinimo“ projektams. Lietuvoje yra daug neišnaudotų energijos efektyvumo didinimo ir atsinaujinančių išteklių kūrimo galimybių, o stiprioji ŽIS pusė yra jau veikianti Lietuvoje teisinė bazė ir institucinė sistema. Tyrimas parodė, kad per mažai žmogiškųjų išteklių panaudojama ŽIS kūrimui, tobulinimui ir valdymui ir LAAIF yra silpnas žmogiškųjų gebėjimų ir kompetencijos. Nustatyta, kad Lietuva sugebės laiku parduoti tik dalį, o ne visą NNV perteklių. Kadangi Lietuva turi galimybių įgyvendinti ŽIS, ji gali sėkmingai dalyvauti tarptautiniame klimato kaitos kapitalistiniame žaidime pasinaudodama šiuo naujuoju finansiniu... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / An object of the work – “green” investment scheme. The aim of the work - to research the potentialities of implementation of “green” investment scheme in Lithuania. Tasks of the work: on the basis of scientific literature analysis to specify the concept of the “green” investment scheme; to consider the foreign experience in developing GIS; based on data, supplied by the Ministry of the Environment, to create the model of opportunities for implementation GIS in Lithuania; to execute the assessment of empirical study model of GIS Implementation opportunities in Lithuania and to identify the key opportunities and barriers of GIS implementation in Lithuania. “Green” investment scheme is a new financial mechanism, by which the income from sale of the assigned amount units is being further invested in a greenhouse gas reduction. Executing experts survey, identified that dedicating 80 percent for “hard” and 20 percent for “soft greening” projects is the most appropriate variant in Lithuania. In Lithuania is a lot of unused energy efficiency and renewable resource development opportunities and a strong GIS side is already operating legal framework and institutional framework of Lithuania. The study showed that too little human resources is being used for GIS design, development and management and LEIF is weak of human capacity and competence. It was found that Lithuania will be able to sell only a part, but not all AAU surplus. Since Lithuania has the opportunities to implement GIS... [to full text]

The Kyoto Protocol Clean Development Mechanism (‘CDM’) allows developed countries to invest in developing country projects, to effect both greenhouse gas emission reductions and sustainable development, in exchange for carbon credits. This study considers how Brazilian CDM projects currently promote or inhibit sustainable development in Brazil. Brazil originally proposed the CDM-type framework, led the developing countries in the multilateral negotiations, and now ranks third globally for CDM project investment. The critical legal geography literature and corresponding hybrid analytical framework is applied to analyse the overlapping and multi-layered legal space of CDM projects in the context of an uneven physical and human geography. It applies legal and qualitative social research methods including textual analysis of English and Portuguese-language documents, onsite visits, semi-structured and unstructured interviews, focus groups and case studies of twelve Brazilian CDM projects of varying project types to consider: • The environmental policymaking processes underlying Brazil’s position in the international climate negotiations and how that position impacts Brazil’s assessment of proposed CDM projects’ sustainable development benefits; • The role of the Brazilian Proposal from the 1997 Kyoto Protocol negotiations in Brazil’s ongoing assessment of proposed CDM projects; • Brazil’s enunciated sustainable development criteria for CDM projects against the criteria actually applied; • The role of state environmental licensing authorities and nonstate actors in defining appropriate sustainable development benefits for CDM projects; and • The resulting (neo-)regulatory framework for Brazilian CDM projects’ sustainable development benefits in the context of legal pluralism. This dissertation concludes that Brazil’s CDM-specific domestic regulation is driven by the negotiating positions Brazil has taken in the international climate negotiations, most notably the 1997 Brazilian Proposal. As a result, Brazilian government-based CDM-specific regulation only considers the CDM projects’ Greenhouse Gas emission reductions benefits. Brazilian approval of domestic CDM projects also entails confirmation of administrative compliance with certain non-CDM specific regulatory frameworks, but institutional capacity issues within state and local regulatory agencies tend to undermine the effectiveness of assessing administrative compliance rather than legal and regulatory compliance. This government based regulatory framework is augmented by non-state actors, who have a neo-regulatory impact on corporate activity through demands for sustainable development benefits, giving rise to corporate sustainability programmes. There is scope for this neo-regulatory impact to extend to addressing sustainable development issues more broadly through NGO engagement with local and state environmental licensing authorities in the determination of appropriate environmental licensing conditions. In each case, the achievement of substantial sustainable development benefits is impeded by the lack of a mature multi-stakeholder dialogue involving a local government and civil society. As a result, corporate actors dominate consideration of appropriate sustainable development benefits.

The climate protection under international law Key words: international climatic law, United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Kyoto Protocol Abstract The purpose of the thesis is to analyze the system of climate protection in international law. In the thesis, there is described the history of the part of international law concerning climate changes, the contemporary international climatic law itself, and some of the most serious problems concerning the topic. The reason for my research is to introduce the basic system of international climatic law, as well as to show how modern international law is created. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter describes the international climatic law as a part of the international environmental law, shows the forms of treaties used in the international environmental law and presents the reasons why the form of framework convention was used in the case of international climatic law. The second chapter analyzes the history and evolution of international climatic law. From the first political declaration to the most recent international conventions, the most important milestones of the development of the international climatic law are shown. The third chapter presents the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change itself as the...