Cross-country polarisation in CO2 emissions per capita in the European Union: changes and explanatory factors

In this study, we analyse the degree of polarisation—a concept fundamentally different from that of inequality—in the international distribution of CO2 emissions per capita in the European Union. It is analytically relevant to examine the degree of instability inherent to a distribution and, in the analysed case, the likelihood that the distribution and its evolution will increase or decrease the chances of reaching an agreement. Two approaches were used to measure polarisation: the endogenous approach, in which countries are grouped according to their similarity in terms of emissions, and the exogenous approach, in which countries are grouped geographically. Our findings indicate a clear decrease in polarisation since the mid-1990s, which can essentially be explained by the fact that the different groups of countries have converged (i.e. antagonism among the CO2 emitters has decreased) as the contribution of energy intensity to between-group differences has decreased. This lower degree of polarisation in CO2 distribution suggests a situation more conducive to the possibility of reaching EU-wide agreements on the mitigation of CO2 emissions.CO2 emissions, distribution of emissions, European Union, mitigation agreements, polarisation.

EXPLANATORY FACTORS OF CO2 PER CAPITA EMISSION INEQUALITY IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

The design of European mitigation policies requires a detailed examination of the factors explaining the unequal emissions in the different countries. This research analyzes the evolution of inequality in CO2 per capita emissions in the European Union (EU-27) in the 1990–2006 period and its explanatory factors. For this purpose, we decompose the Theil index of inequality into the contributions of the different Kaya factors. The decomposition is also applied to the inequality between and within groups of countries (North Europe, South Europe, and East Europe). The analysis shows an important reduction in inequality, to a large extent due to the smaller differences between groups and because of the lower contribution of the energy intensity factor. The importance of the GDP per capita factor increases and becomes the main explanatory factor. However, within the different groups of countries the carbonization index appears to be the most relevant factor in explaining inequalities.CO2 emissions, emission inequality, European Union, Kaya factors, Theil index.

Inequality across countries in energy intensities: an analysis of the role of energy transformation and final energy consumption

This paper analyzes the role of the energy transformation index and of final energy consumption per GDP unit in the disparities in energy intensity across countries. In that vein, we use a Theil decomposition approach to analyze global primary energy intensity inequality as well as inequality across different regions of the world and inequality within these regions. The paper first demonstrates the pre-eminence of divergence in final energy consumption per GDP unit in explaining global primary energy intensity inequality and its evolution during the 1971–2006 period. Secondly, it shows the lower (albeit non negligible) impact of the transformation index in global primary energy inequality. Thirdly, the relevance of regions as unit of analysis in studying crosscountry energy intensity inequality and their explanatory factors is highlighted. And finally, how regions around the world differ as to the relevance of the energy transformation index in explaining primary energy intensity inequality.Energy efficiency, energy intensities, energy transformation, Theil index

The effect of the Oxytocin hormone in Cocaine addicted rats suffering from abstinence syndrome

Rehabilitation from a history of drug abuse is a very difficult and life changing process. Abstinence syndrome forces the rehabilitating patient to go through anxiety like symptoms. The Oxytocin hormone has been believed to be a potential facilitator in the rehabilitation process. This hormone is very present during interactions of affection (hugs) and birth, it foments trust while it associates to a feeling of calmness. Oxytocin would theoretically be a calming agent to the anxiety like symptoms such as craving. The experiment aimed to test the calming effects of the hormone, consisted of a five-day systemic cocaine injections treatment schedule and a sixth day of intranasal administration of Oxytocin or saline. Six Sprague-Dawley male rats were assigned to two separate groups of three: one group was given Oxytocin on the sixth day and the other was given a saline solution. Both groups were introduced to the Elevated Plus Maze (EPM) test to measure the anxiety. Throughout the first five days the locomotion was monitored and recorded. The collected data showed a constant rising of locomotion from day two through day five where is reached a peak and then lowered down, this occurred for all rats. The rats that received intranasal Oxytocin treatment spent more time in the open arms when put in the EPM test in contrast to the rats that received saline that spent more time inside the closed arms even though the difference between the groups was not significant. These results suggest that Oxytocin could possibly have anxiolytic effects

The effect of the Oxytocin hormone in Cocaine addicted rats suffering from abstinence syndrome

This study aimed to understand the effects of oxytocin in cocaine-addicted rats to prove its ability to help recovering drug addicts overcome the extreme anxiety and craving that makes them relapse during their rehabilitation

Agua, música y delicuescencia subterránea en la poesía de Seamus Heane: complejos simbólicos de Moyola y del zahorí

This article analyses two particular aspects of water symbolism in the poetry of Seamus Heaney: on the one hand, it focuses on the interrelationship between water and music in what we have termed symbolic complex of Moyola; on the other hand, it emphasizes the significance of underground water and deliquescence in what we call symbolic complex of the diviner. These two symbolic complexes show the inspirational force of water in the poetry of the Nobel prize writer. Finally, this symbolic study intertwines as well with other personal and community identity issues of utmost importance in Heaney's oeuvre

Complejos simbólicos de Anteo y Atlas en la poesía de Seamus Heaney

En este artículo abordamos el estudio de la ambivalencia simbólica de la tierra en la poesía de Seamus Heaney, y más concretamente en su poemario The Spirit Level (1996). Se analizan, de una parte, los valores símbolos de índole positiva dentro del que denominamos complejo simbólico de Anteo. De otra, constatamos el valor negativo de la sobrecarga que no pocas veces caracteriza a la tierra en el denominado complejo simbólico de Atlas. A través de ambos opuestos / complementarios nuestro artículo incidirá en la dialéctica, tensión y movimiento propios de la poética heaneyiana. This article focuses on the symbolic ambivalence of earth in the poetry of Seamus Heaney, especially in his collection The Spirit Level (1996). On the one hand, it analyses positive symbolic values within the so-called symbolic complex of Antaeus; on the other hand, the author explores in his symbolic complex of Atlas the negative value of overload which often characterizes Heaney’s earth. Through these complementary opposites, the article emphasizes such Heaneyian poetic features as dialectics, tension and movement

Perspectivas parentales sobre la implementación de AICLE: ¿Qué variables marcan la diferencia?

This article canvasses parents’ outlooks on CLIL program development. To this end, it has applied questionnaires to 237 parents in the western Andalusian provinces of Cádiz and Málaga in order to carry out an in-depth analysis of this cohort’s perspectives on CLIL implementation. After framing the topic against the backdrop of prior investigations and substantiating the need for a study of this nature, the article expounds on its research design and outlines its main findings in relation to the seven main fields of interest which have been canvassed: L2 competence development, methodology, materials and resources, evaluation, training and information, mobility, and improvement and motivation towards English, including and overall appraisal of bilingual programs. A detailed diagnosis of where we currently stand in this process of implementation of CLIL pedagogy is provided and within-cohort comparisons are carried out in terms of a series of intervening variables.El presente artículo sondea el punto de vista de los padres en relación con el desarrollo de programas AICLE. Para ello, se han aplicado cuestionarios a 237 padres en las provincias andaluzas occidentales de Cádiz y Málaga con el objetivo de llevar a cabo un análisis exhaustivo de su opinión sobre la implementación de programas AICLE. Tras inscribir el estudio en el marco de investigaciones previas y justificar la necesidad de investigaciones de esta naturaleza, en el artículo se expone el diseño de investigación llevado a cabo y se resumen sus principales hallazgos en relación con siete campos de interés sondeados: el desarrollo de la competencia L2, metodología, materiales y recursos, evaluación, formación e información, movilidad y mejora y motivación en inglés, incluyendo una valoración global de programas bilingües. Se proporciona asimismo un diagnóstico detallado sobre el lugar donde nos encontramos en relación con este proceso de implementación de pedagogías AICLE, y se establecen comparaciones dentro de la cohorte considerando una serie de variables.This work was supported by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, under Grant FFI2012-32221, and by the Junta de Andalucía, under Grant P12-HUM-23480

CRISPR/Cas9-mediated editing of the TM6 MADS-box gene in the octoploid strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa)

El contenido del poster presentado está desarrollado en: doi:10.1093/jxb/ery400 y Publicado por Oxford University pressThe B-class of MADS-box transcription factors has been studied in many plant species, but remain functionally uncharacterized in the Rosaceae family. APETALA3 (AP3), a member of this class, controls the identity of petals and stamens in Arabidopsis thaliana. In this work, we identified two members of the AP3 lineage in the cultivated strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa): FaAP3 and FaTM6. Interestingly, FaTM6, and not FaAP3, shows an expression pattern equivalent to that of AP3 in Arabidopsis. Genome editing using Cluster Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/Cas9 system is becoming a robust tool for targeted and stable mutagenesis of DNA. However, whether it can be efficiently used in an octoploid species such as F. × ananassa is not known. In our study, we report the application of the CRISPR/Cas9 in F. × ananassa to characterize the function of FaTM6 in flower development. An exhaustive analysis by high-throughput sequencing of the FaTM6 locus spanning the target sites showed a high efficiency genome editing already in the T0 generation. The phenotypic characterization of the mutant lines indicates that FaTM6 plays a key role in petal and especially in anther development in strawberry. Our results validate the CRISPR/Cas9 strategy for gene functional analysis in an octoploid species such as F. × ananassa, and offer new opportunities for engineering strawberry to improve traits of interest in breeding programs.Universidad de Málaga. Campus de Excelencia Internacional Andalucía Tech