A Comparative analysis of oil production setors in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

Aquest article s'aplica un enfocament comparatiu de la gestió del sector petrolier en dos països rics en petroli a l'Orient Mitjà: Aràbia Saudita i els Emirats Àrabs Units (EAU). Més explícitament, s'examinen els factors que millor expliquen la variació en les estratègies que han vingut aplicant en el sector des de l'establiment de les seves empreses petrolieres nacionals (NOC). Recorrent a la literatura sobre expropiació / privatització en el camp d'Estudis de l'Energia, en aquest treball es proposa un marc teòric per analitzar la lògica que hi ha al darrera de les diferents formes d'exploració i les estratègies de producció en el sector petrolier. Teòricament, aquesta investigació té com a objectiu avançar en un conjunt d'eines d'anàlisi per abordar millor i entendre els determinants reals del procés de presa de decisions en el upstream. Empíricament, el model es prova en els casos divergents d'Aràbia Saudita i els Emirats Àrabs Units, i una sèrie de lliçons s'han extret. En última instància, aquest treball ha d'augmentar la conscienciació entre els erudits i els polític, tant sobre el poc coneixement que tenim sobre els mecanismes interns que impulsen les estratègies ascendents en el majors estats productor de petroli.

Multifunctionality and Diversity in Bacterial Biofilms

Bacteria are highly diverse and drive a bulk of ecosystem processes. Analysis of relationships between diversity and single specific ecosystem processes neglects the possibility that different species perform multiple functions at the same time. The degradation of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) followed by respiration is a key bacterial function that is modulated by the availability of DOC and the capability to produce extracellular enzymes. In freshwater ecosystems, biofilms are metabolic hotspots and major sites of DOC degradation. We manipulated the diversity of biofilm forming communities which were fed with DOC differing in availability. We characterized community composition using molecular fingerprinting (T-RFLP) and measured functioning as oxygen consumption rates, the conversion of DOC in the medium, bacterial abundance and the activities of five specific enzymes. Based on assays of the extracellular enzyme activity, we calculated how the likelihood of sustaining multiple functions was affected by reduced diversity. Carbon source and biofilm age were strong drivers of community functioning, and we demonstrate how the likelihood of sustaining multifunctionality decreases with decreasing diversity

España y Suecia: apuntes comparativos sobre las políticas públicas para la implantación de la TDT

En este artículo se aportan algunos de los resultados preliminares de mi tesis doctoral: “Las políticas públicas de la televisión digital terrestre en la Unión Europea. Estudio comparado de Suecia y España”. Mediante el análisis de las estructuras institucionales implicadas en la transición analógico-digital de la plataforma de difusión terrestre, sus lógicas legitimadoras y las estrategias desarrolladas, se pretende contribuir a la identificación de buenas prácticas y de factores clave de éxito que ayuden a diseñar políticas públicas más efectivas.

Role of the cannabinoid system in the effects induced by nicotine on anxiety-like behaviour in mice

Rationale: Acute behavioural effects and motivational responses induced by nicotine can be modulated by the endocannabinoid system supporting the existence of a physiological interaction between these two systems. Objectives: The present study was designed to examine the possible involvement of the cannabinoid system in the anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like responses induced by nicotine in mice. Methods: Animals were only exposed once to nicotine. The acute administration of low (0.05, sc) or high (0.8 mg/kg, sc) doses of nicotine produced opposite effects in the elevated plus-maze, i.e., anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like responses, respectively. The effects of the pretreatment with the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist, rimonabant (0.25, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg, ip), and the cannabinoid agonist, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol (0.1 mg/kg, ip), were evaluated on the anxiolytic- and anxiogenic-like responses induced by nicotine. Results: Rimonabant completely abolished nicotine-induced anxiolytic-like effects and increased the anxiogenic-like responses of nicotine, suggesting an involvement of CB1 receptors in these behavioural responses. On the other hand, 9-tetrahydrocannabinol failed to modify nicotine anxiolytic-like responses, but attenuated its anxiogenic-like effects. In addition the association of non-effective doses of 9-tetrahydrocannabinol and nicotine produced clear anxiolytic-like responses. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the endogenous cannabinoid system is involved in the regulation of nicotine anxiety-like behaviour in mice, and provide new findings to support the use of cannabinoid antagonists in the treatment of tobacco addiction.

A bi-dimensional genome scan for prolificacy traits in pigs shows the existence of multiple epistatic QTL

Background: Prolificacy is the most important trait influencing the reproductive efficiency of pig production systems. The low heritability and sex-limited expression of prolificacy have hindered to some extent the improvement of this trait through artificial selection. Moreover, the relative contributions of additive, dominant and epistatic QTL to the genetic variance of pig prolificacy remain to be defined. In this work, we have undertaken this issue by performing one-dimensional and bi-dimensional genome scans for number of piglets born alive (NBA) and total number of piglets born (TNB) in a three generation Iberian by Meishan F2 intercross. Results: The one-dimensional genome scan for NBA and TNB revealed the existence of two genome-wide highly significant QTL located on SSC13 (P < 0.001) and SSC17 (P < 0.01) with effects on both traits. This relative paucity of significant results contrasted very strongly with the wide array of highly significant epistatic QTL that emerged in the bi-dimensional genome-wide scan analysis. As much as 18 epistatic QTL were found for NBA (four at P < 0.01 and five at P < 0.05) and TNB (three at P < 0.01 and six at P < 0.05), respectively. These epistatic QTL were distributed in multiple genomic regions, which covered 13 of the 18 pig autosomes, and they had small individual effects that ranged between 3 to 4% of the phenotypic variance. Different patterns of interactions (a × a, a × d, d × a and d × d) were found amongst the epistatic QTL pairs identified in the current work.Conclusions: The complex inheritance of prolificacy traits in pigs has been evidenced by identifying multiple additive (SSC13 and SSC17), dominant and epistatic QTL in an Iberian × Meishan F2 intercross. Our results demonstrate that a significant fraction of the phenotypic variance of swine prolificacy traits can be attributed to first-order gene-by-gene interactions emphasizing that the phenotypic effects of alleles might be strongly modulated by the genetic background where they segregate.

Altered brain-derived neurotrophic factor blood levels and gene variability are associated with anorexia and bulimia

Murine models and association studies in eating disorder (ED) patients have shown a role for the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in eating behavior. Some studies have shown association of BDNF -270C/T single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) with bulimia nervosa (BN), while BDNF Val66Met variant has been shown to be associated with both BN and anorexia nervosa (AN). To further test the role of this neurotrophin in humans, we screened 36 SNPs in the BDNF gene and tested for their association with ED and plasma BDNF levels as a quantitative trait. We performed a family-based association study in 106 ED nuclear families and analyzed BDNF blood levels in 110 ED patients and in 50 sib pairs discordant for ED. The rs7124442T/rs11030102C/rs11030119G haplotype was found associated with high BDNF levels (mean BDNF TCG haplotype carriers = 43.6 ng/ml vs. mean others 23.0 ng/ml, P = 0.016) and BN (Z = 2.64; P recessive = 0.008), and the rs7934165A/270T haplotype was associated with AN (Z =-2.64; P additive = 0.008). The comparison of BDNF levels in 50 ED discordant sib pairs showed elevated plasma BDNF levels for the ED group (mean controls = 41.0 vs. mean ED = 52.7; P = 0.004). Our data strongly suggest that altered BDNF levels modulated by BDNF gene variability are associated with the susceptibility to ED, providing physiological evidence that BDNF plays a role in the development of AN and BN, and strongly arguing for its involvement in eating behavior and body weight regulation.

K(+) channel expression distinguishes subpopulations of parvalbumin- and somatostatin-containing neocortical interneurons

Kv3.1 and Kv3.2 K+ channel proteins form similar voltage-gated K+ channels with unusual properties, including fast activation at voltages positive to −10 mV and very fast deactivation rates. These properties are thought to facilitate sustained high-frequency firing. Kv3.1 subunits are specifically found in fast-spiking, parvalbumin (PV)-containing cortical interneurons, and recent studies have provided support for a crucial role in the generation of the fast-spiking phenotype. Kv3.2 mRNAs are also found in a small subset of neocortical neurons, although the distribution of these neurons is different. We raised antibodies directed against Kv3.2 proteins and used dual-labeling methods to identify the neocortical neurons expressing Kv3.2 proteins and to determine their subcellular localization. Kv3.2 proteins are prominently expressed in patches in somatic and proximal dendritic membrane as well as in axons and presynaptic terminals of GABAergic interneurons. Kv3.2 subunits are found in all PV-containing neurons in deep cortical layers where they probably form heteromultimeric channels with Kv3.1 subunits. In contrast, in superficial layer PV-positive neurons Kv3.2 immunoreactivity is low, but Kv3.1 is still prominently expressed. Because Kv3.1 and Kv3.2 channels are differentially modulated by protein kinases, these results raise the possibility that the fast-spiking properties of superficial- and deep-layer PV neurons are differentially regulated by neuromodulators. Interestingly, Kv3.2 but not Kv3.1 proteins are also prominent in a subset of seemingly non-fast-spiking, somatostatin- and calbindin-containing interneurons, suggesting that the Kv3.1–Kv3.2 current type can have functions other than facilitating high-frequency firing.

Cross recurrence quantification for cover song identification

There is growing evidence that nonlinear time series analysis techniques can be used to successfully characterize, classify, or process signals derived from realworld dynamics even though these are not necessarily deterministic and stationary. In the present study we proceed in this direction by addressing an important problem our modern society is facing, the automatic classification of digital information. In particular, we address the automatic identification of cover songs, i.e. alternative renditions of a previously recorded musical piece. For this purpose we here propose a recurrence quantification analysis measure that allows tracking potentially curved and disrupted traces in cross recurrence plots. We apply this measure to cross recurrence plots constructed from the state space representation of musical descriptor time series extracted from the raw audio signal. We show that our method identifies cover songs with a higher accuracy as compared to previously published techniques. Beyond the particular application proposed here, we discuss how our approach can be useful for the characterization of a variety of signals from different scientific disciplines. We study coupled Rössler dynamics with stochastically modulated mean frequencies as one concrete example to illustrate this point.

Computing infinite plans for LTL goals using a classical planner

Classical planning has been notably successful in synthesizing finite plans to achieve states where propositional goals hold. In the last few years, classical planning has also been extended to incorporate temporally extended goals, expressed in temporal logics such as LTL, to impose restrictions on the state sequences generated by finite plans. In this work, we take the next step and consider the computation of infinite plans for achieving arbitrary LTL goals. We show that infinite plans can also be obtained efficiently by calling a classical planner once over a classical planning encoding that represents and extends the composition of the planningdomain and the B¨uchi automaton representingthe goal. This compilation scheme has been implemented and a number of experiments are reported.

Federalism and democracy. The case of minority nations: a federalist deficit

In this chapter, after pointing out the different logics that lie behind the familiar ideas of democracy and federalism, I have dealt with the case of plurinational federal democracies. Having put forward a double criterion of an empirical nature with which to differentiate between the existence of minority nations within plurinational democracies (section 2), I suggest three theoretical criteria for the political accommodation of these democracies. In the following section, I show the agonistic nature of the normative discussion of the political accommodation of this kind of democracies, which bring monist and pluralist versions of the demos of the polity into conflict (section 3.1), as well as a number of conclusions which are the result of a comparative study of 19 federal and regional democracies using four analytical axes: the uninational/plurinational axis; the unitarianism-federalism axis; the centralisation-decentralisation axis; and the symmetry-asymmetry axis (section 3.2). This analysis reveals shortcomings in the constitutional recognition of national pluralism in federal and regional cases with a large number of federated units/regions with political autonomy; a lower degree of constitutional federalism and a greater asymmetry in the federated entities or regions of plurinational democracies. It also reveals difficulties to establish clear formulas in these democracies in order to encourage a “federalism of trust” based on the participation and protection of national minorities in the shared government of plurinational federations/regional states. Actually, there is a federal deficit in this kind polities according to normative liberal-democratic patterns and to what comparative analysis show. Finally, this chapter advocates the need for a greater normative and institutional refinement in plurinational federal democracies. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to introduce a deeper form of “ethical” pluralism -which displays normative agonistic trends, as well as a more “confederal/asymmetrical” perspective, congruent with the national pluralism of these kind of polities.

On the binary nature of the γ-ray sources AGL J2241+4454 (= MWC 656) and HESS J0632+057 (= MWC 148)

We present optical spectroscopy of MWC 656 and MWC 148, the proposed optical counterparts of the gamma-ray sources AGL J2241+4454 and HESS J0632+0 57, respectively. The main parameters of the Halpha emission line (EW, FWHM and centroid velocity) in these stars are modulated on the proposed orbital periods of 60.37 and 321 days, respectively. These modulations are likely produced by the resonant interaction of the Be discs with compact stars in eccentric orbits. We also present radial velocity curves of the optical stars folded on the above periods and obtain the first orbital elements of the two gamma-ray sources thus confirming their binary nature. Our orbital solution support eccentricities e~0.4 and 0.83+-0.08 for MWC 656 and MWC 148, respectively. Further, our orbital elements imply that the X-ray outbursts in HESS J0632+057/MWC 148 are delayed ~0.3 orbital phases after periastron passage, similarly to the case of LS I +61 303. In addition, the optical photometric light curve maxima in AGL J2241+4454/MWC 656 occur ~0.25 phases passed periastron, similar to what is seen in LS I +61 303. We also find that the orbital eccentricity is correlated with orbital period for the known gamma-ray binaries. This is explained by the fact that small stellar separations are required for the efficient triggering of VHE radiation. Another correlation between the EW of Halpha and orbital period is also observed, similarly to the case of Be/X-ray binaries. These correlations are useful to provide estimates of the key orbital parameters Porb and e from the Halpha line in future Be gamma-ray binary candidates.

Leptonic secondary emission in a hadronic microquasar model

Context.It has been proposed that the origin of the very high-energy photons emitted from high-mass X-ray binaries with jet-like features, so-called microquasars (MQs), is related to hadronic interactions between relativistic protons in the jet and cold protons of the stellar wind. Leptonic secondary emission should be calculated in a complete hadronic model that includes the effects of pairs from charged pion decays inside the jets and the emission from pairs generated by gamma-ray absorption in the photosphere of the system. Aims.We aim at predicting the broadband spectrum from a general hadronic microquasar model, taking into account the emission from secondaries created by charged pion decay inside the jet. Methods.The particle energy distribution for secondary leptons injected along the jets is consistently derived taking the energy losses into account. The spectral energy distribution resulting from these leptons is calculated after assuming different values of the magnetic field inside the jets. We also compute the spectrum of the gamma-rays produced by neutral pion-decay and processed by electromagnetic cascades under the stellar photon field. Results.We show that the secondary emission can dominate the spectral energy distribution at low energies (~1 MeV). At high energies, the production spectrum can be significantly distorted by the effect of electromagnetic cascades. These effects are phase-dependent, and some variability modulated by the orbital period is predicted.

Cholesterol and Fatty Acids Regulate Dynamic Caveolin Trafficking through the Golgi Complex and between the Cell Surface and Lipid Bodies

Caveolins are a crucial component of plasma membrane (PM) caveolae but have also been localized to intracellular compartments, including the Golgi complex and lipid bodies. Mutant caveolins associated with human disease show aberrant trafficking to the PM and Golgi accumulation. We now show that the Golgi pool of mainly newly synthesized protein is detergent-soluble and predominantly in a monomeric state, in contrast to the surface pool. Caveolin at the PM is not recognized by specific caveolin antibodies unless PM cholesterol is depleted. Exit from the Golgi complex of wild-type caveolin-1 or -3, but not vesicular stomatitis virus-G protein, is modulated by changing cellular cholesterol levels. In contrast, a muscular dystrophy-associated mutant of caveolin-3, Cav3P104L, showed increased accumulation in the Golgi complex upon cholesterol treatment. In addition, we demonstrate that in response to fatty acid treatment caveolin can follow a previously undescribed pathway from the PM to lipid bodies and can move from lipid bodies to the PM in response to removal of fatty acids. The results suggest that cholesterol is a rate-limiting component for caveolin trafficking. Changes in caveolin flux through the exocytic pathway can therefore be an indicator of cellular cholesterol and fatty acid levels.

Gene expression profiles in rat mesenteric lymph nodes upon supplementation with Conjugated Linoleic Acid during gestation and suckling

Background Diet plays a role on the development of the immune system, and polyunsaturated fatty acids can modulate the expression of a variety of genes. Human milk contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a fatty acid that seems to contribute to immune development. Indeed, recent studies carried out in our group in suckling animals have shown that the immune function is enhanced after feeding them with an 80:20 isomer mix composed of c9,t11 and t10,c12 CLA. However, little work has been done on the effects of CLA on gene expression, and even less regarding immune system development in early life. Results The expression profile of mesenteric lymph nodes from animals supplemented with CLA during gestation and suckling through dam's milk (Group A) or by oral gavage (Group B), supplemented just during suckling (Group C) and control animals (Group D) was determined with the aid of the specific GeneChip® Rat Genome 230 2.0 (Affymettrix). Bioinformatics analyses were performed using the GeneSpring GX software package v10.0.2 and lead to the identification of 89 genes differentially expressed in all three dietary approaches. Generation of a biological association network evidenced several genes, such as connective tissue growth factor (Ctgf), tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 1 (Timp1), galanin (Gal), synaptotagmin 1 (Syt1), growth factor receptor bound protein 2 (Grb2), actin gamma 2 (Actg2) and smooth muscle alpha actin (Acta2), as highly interconnected nodes of the resulting network. Gene underexpression was confirmed by Real-Time RT-PCR. Conclusions Ctgf, Timp1, Gal and Syt1, among others, are genes modulated by CLA supplementation that may have a role on mucosal immune responses in early life.

Electronic structure of few-electron concentric double quantum rings

The ground state structure of few-electron concentric double quantum rings is investigated within the local spin density approximation. Signatures of inter-ring coupling in the addition energy spectrum are identified and discussed. We show that the electronic configurations in these structures can be greatly modulated by the inter-ring distance: At short and long distances the low-lying electron states localize in the inner and outer rings, respectively, and the energy structure is essentially that of an isolated single quantum ring. However, at intermediate distances the electron states localized in the inner and the outer ring become quasidegenerate and a rather entangled, strongly-correlated system is formed.