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Beyond the Member State: Subnational Infringements of European Environmental Directives
No full textThis dissertation examines the extent to which subnational authorities comply with European environmental directives. Problematic implementation of EU environmental legislation is well-known, but continued noncompliance with EU environmental legislation, evident in water and air quality, waste management, and biodiversity loss, not only harms the environment and human health but also undermines the legitimacy of EU legislation and the EU as a rulemaking institution. While the determinants of national-level noncompliance, is well-documented, subnational noncompliance is underexplored, particularly across Member states and over time. This dissertation tests the three main theoretical approaches from the EU implementation research—management, enforcement, and legitimacy—to understand what determines subnational noncompliance behavior. Three empirical chapters test these approaches applying a mixed methods research design in the first two chapters and a quantitative design in the third. The research draws on a unique dataset of subnational infringements of EU environmental directives between 2005 and 2018, alongside 28 semi-structured interviews with subnational civil servants and green party members to explain the mechanisms underlying the quantitative findings. The findings show significant variation in compliance across subnational authorities within and across MS, highlighting that political preferences are decisive, with varying interests in environmental policy driving differences in compliance. A comparative analysis across 24 MS reveals that greater subnational autonomy, financial resources, and support for green parties are associated with higher levels of subnational compliance. Additionally, stronger public support for EU integration decreases the likelihood of subnational infringements. This dissertation underscores the complexity of environmental policy implementation, illustrating that while structural constraints are important, subnational political preferences and public opinion are paramount in shaping environmental compliance outcomes. Overall, the dissertation emphasizes the central importance of subnational authorities in achieving compliance with European environmental objectives.Aquesta tesi examina fins a quin punt les autoritats subnacionals compleixen amb les directives mediambientals europees. La implementació problemàtica de la legislació mediambiental de la UE és ben coneguda, però el continu incompliment d’aquesta legislació, evident en la qualitat de l’aigua i l’aire, la gestió de residus i la pèrdua de biodiversitat, no només perjudica el medi ambient i la salut humana, sinó que també mina la legitimitat de la legislació de la UE i de la mateixa Unió com a institució legislativa. Tot i que els determinants de l’incompliment a nivell nacional estan ben documentats, l’incompliment a nivell subnacional està poc explorat, especialment entre els Estats membres i al llarg del temps. Aquesta tesi posa a prova els tres enfocaments teòrics principals de la investigació sobre la implementació de la UE —gestió, aplicació i legitimitat— per comprendre què determina el comportament d’incompliment subnacional. Tres capítols empírics posen a prova aquests enfocaments, aplicant un disseny de recerca de mètodes mixtos en els dos primers capítols i un disseny quantitatiu en el tercer. La recerca es basa en un conjunt de dades únic sobre infraccions subnacionals de les directives mediambientals de la UE entre el 2005 i el 2018, juntament amb 28 entrevistes semiestructurades amb funcionaris subnacionals i membres de partits verds per explicar els mecanismes subjacents als resultats quantitatius. Els resultats mostren una variació significativa en el compliment entre les autoritats subnacionals dins i entre els Estats membres, destacant que les preferències polítiques són decisives, ja que els interessos variables en la política mediambiental impulsen diferències en el compliment. Una anàlisi comparativa entre 24 Estats membres revela que una major autonomia subnacional, els recursos financers i el suport als partits verds estan associats amb nivells més alts de compliment subnacional. A més, un major suport públic a la integració europea disminueix la probabilitat d'infraccions subnacionals. Aquesta tesi subratlla la complexitat de la implementació de la política mediambiental, il·lustrant que, tot i que les limitacions estructurals són importants, les preferències polítiques subnacionals i l’opinió pública són fonamentals per donar forma als resultats de compliment mediambiental. En general, la tesi destaca la importància central de les autoritats subnacionals per aconseguir el compliment dels objectius mediambientals europeus.Programa de Doctorat en Ciències Polítiques i Social
Adopción y familia de origen: vínculos personales y familiares de las personas adoptadas
No full textLas personas adoptadas disponen de vínculos personales con dos estructuras familiares, la de origen y la adoptiva, que deben ser atendidos por un sistema adoptivo que busca proporcionar el bienestar y la protección de los adoptados. La regulación actual de la adopción en los ordenamientos español y catalán garantiza el establecimiento de una relación paternofilial entre la persona adoptada y los progenitores adoptivos pero, en la mayoría de los casos, provoca la supresión de toda conexión entre el adoptado y su familia de origen. Por este motivo, la presente investigación se focaliza en el estudio de las medidas incorporadas a dichos ordenamientos para atenuar el efecto de supresión de vínculos con la familia de origen derivado de la adopción. Estas medidas permiten que la persona adoptada obtenga información sobre sus familiares de origen (derecho a conocer los orígenes), que se establezca un régimen de relación personal entre ellos (adopción abierta) o, en supuestos específicos, que se preserven sus lazos jurídicos de filiación y parentesco.Adopted people have personal ties with two family structures, the family of origin and the adoptive family, which must be delimited in an adoptive system that seeks to promote the well-being and protection of the adoptees. The current regulation of adoption in the Spanish and Catalan legal systems guarantees the establishment of the filiation relationship between the adopted person and the adoptive parents but, in most cases, leads to the suppression of any connection between the adoptee and his or her family of origin. Therefore, the present research studies the measures stablished in said regulations to mitigate the effect of the suppression of ties with the family of origin derived from adoption. These measures give the adopted person access to information about his or her family of origin (right to know one's origins), enable the establishment of a personal relationship between them (open adoption) or, in certain cases, allow the preservation of their original legal kinship ties.Programa de Doctorat en Dre
Echoes and delays: time-to-build in production networks
No full textWe study how time-to-build and delivery lags affect the propagation of sectoral and aggregate shocks in an economy with input-output linkages. Time-to-build significantly contributes to the persistence of shocks, with highly heterogeneous effects across sectors. We analyze delay shocks and demonstrate that bottlenecks can be identified by the product of a sector’s supplier and buyer centralities. Shocks propagate asynchronously through the network, generating endogenous fluctuations via an echo effect. These fluctuations arise due to the presence of loops in the network. We show that the Fourier spectrum of sectoral and aggregate output can be predicted from the durations and weights of the network’s dominant cycles. Sectoral comovements are complex and can be decomposed into the network’s dominant walks
DISENTANGLING THE ROLE OF GABAERGIC HIPPOCAMPAL INTERNEURONS IN MEMORY DEFICITS IN DOWN SYNDROME
No full textLa síndrome de Down, causada per una trisomia parcial o total del cromosoma 21, és una de les causes genètiques més comunes de discapacitat intel·lectual. La recerca en individus amb síndrome de Down i en models murins ha identificat diversos mecanismes patològics que contribueixen a la fisiopatologia dels dèficits cognitius associats a aquesta condició. Un dels mecanismes proposats és un desequilibri entre la transmissió excitadora i inhibidora. Aquesta tesi explora la funció inhibidora en un model murí de síndrome de Down, el Ts65Dn, centrant-se en una àrea cerebral fonamental per a la formació de memòries: el gir dentat de l’hipocamp. Mitjançant un enfocament multinivell, que combina fisiologia sinàptica, transcriptòmica, conducta i histologia, s’analitza la contribució de dos circuits inhibidors GABAèrgics als dèficits de memòria en la síndrome de Down: la inhibició dendrítica mediada per interneurones que expressen somatostatina i la inhibició perisomàtica mediada per interneurones que expressen parvalbúmina.El síndrome de Down, causado por una trisomía parcial o total del cromosoma 21, es una de las formas más comunes de discapacidad intelectual de origen genético. La investigación en individuos con síndrome de Down y con modelos de ratón ha identificado diversos mecanismos patológicos que contribuyen a la fisiopatología de los déficits cognitivos asociados a esta condición. Uno de los mecanismos que explicaría estos déficits es un desequilibrio entre la transmisión excitadora e inhibidora. En esta tesis se explora la función inhibidora en un modelo murino de síndrome de Down, el Ts65Dn, y en un área fundamental para la formación de memorias, el giro dentado del hipocampo. Con un enfoque multinivel, utilizando desde estudios de fisiología sináptica hasta transcriptómica pasando por conducta e histología, se analiza la contribución a los déficits de memoria en síndrome de Down de dos circuitos inhibidores GABAérgicos: la inhibición dendrítica mediada por las interneuronas somatostatina y la inhibición perisomática mediada por las interneuronas parvalbúmina.Down syndrome, caused by a partial or complete trisomy of chromosome 21, is one of the most common genetic causes of intellectual disability. Research in individuals with Down syndrome and mouse models has identified multiple pathological mechanisms contributing to the cognitive deficits associated with this condition. One proposed mechanism involves an imbalance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. This thesis explores inhibitory function in a murine model of Down syndrome, Ts65Dn, focusing on a brain region essential for memory formation—the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus. Through a multilevel approach combining synaptic physiology, transcriptomics, behavior, and histology, the work analyzes the contribution of two key inhibitory GABAergic circuits to memory deficits in Down syndrome: dendritic inhibition mediated by somatostatin-expressing interneurons and perisomatic inhibition mediated by parvalbumin-expressing interneurons.Universitat Pompeu Fabra. Doctorat en Biomedicin
L'escultura mitològica d'Antonio Canova en LSC
No full textTreball de fi de grau en Traducció i InterpretacióTutora: Alexandra Navarrete GonzálezAquest treball analitza la importància de l’accessibilitat cultural per a la comunitat sorda, a partir de la interpretació d’escultures mitològiques d’Antonio Canova a la llengua de signes catalana (LSC). Es parteix del dret universal a la cultura i de la necessitat de garantir la inclusió en l’àmbit museístic, on la manca de recursos en LSC genera una bretxa significativa. El treball revisa projectes nacionals i internacionals que promouen l’accessibilitat a l’art per a persones sordes, i destaca la diversitat i riquesa de les llengües de signes, amb especial atenció a l’LSC i les seves estratègies lingüístiques: ús de l’espai, classificadors, canvis de rol, signom i preguntes retòriques. A partir d’una selecció d’escultures mitològiques de Canova, s’elabora una guia accessible amb imatges, informació descriptiva i interpretació en LSC, analitzant les estratègies emprades per transmetre el valor artístic i simbòlic de les obres. Finalment, se subratlla la necessitat de continuar avançant en l’accessibilitat cultural, la promoció de la diversitat lingüística i la igualtat d’oportunitats, tot reivindicant la interpretació en LSC com a eina clau per a la inclusió i la justícia social dins els museus.Este trabajo analiza la importancia de la accesibilidad cultural para la comunidad sorda, a partir de la interpretación de esculturas mitológicas de Antonio Canova a la lengua de signos catalana (LSC). Parte del derecho universal a la cultura y de la necesidad de garantizar la inclusión en el ámbito museístico, donde la falta de recursos en LSC genera una brecha significativa. El trabajo revisa proyectos nacionales e internacionales que promueven la accesibilidad al arte para personas sordas, y destaca la diversidad y riqueza de las lenguas de signos, con especial atención a la LSC y sus estrategias lingüísticas: uso del espacio, clasificadores, cambios de rol, signo personal y preguntas retóricas. A partir de una selección de esculturas mitológicas de Canova, se elabora una guía accesible con imágenes, información descriptiva e interpretación en LSC, analizando las estrategias empleadas para transmitir el valor artístico y simbólico de las obras. Finalmente, se subraya la necesidad de seguir avanzando en la accesibilidad cultural, la promoción de la diversidad lingüística y la igualdad de oportunidades, reivindicando la interpretación en LSC como una herramienta clave para la inclusión y la justicia social en los museos.This study analyzes the importance of cultural accessibility for the Deaf community o based on the interpretation of Antonio Canova’s mythological sculptures into Catalan Sign Language (LSC). It departs from the universal sight to culture and the need to ensure inclusion within the museum sphere, where the lack of resources in LSC creates a significant gap. The paper reviews national and international projects that promote accessibility to art for Deaf individuals, highlighting the diversity and richness of sign languages, with special attention to LSC and its linguistic strategies: use of space, classifiers, role-shifting, sign names, and rhetorical questions. Based on a selection of Canova’s mythological sculptures, an accessible guide is developed with images, descriptive information, and interpretation in LSC, analyzing the strategies used to convey the artistic and symbolic value of the works. Finally, the need to continue advancing cultural accessibility, promoting linguistic diversity, and ensuring equal opportunities is emphasized, while advocating for LSC interpretation as a key tool for inclusion and social justice within museums
Female sex is linked to a stronger association between sTREM2 and CSF p-tau in Alzheimer's disease
No full textIn Alzheimer's disease (AD), Aß triggers p-tau secretion, which drives tau aggregation. Therefore, it is critical to characterize modulators of Aß-related p-tau increases which may alter AD trajectories. Here, we assessed whether factors known to alter tau levels in AD modulate the association between fibrillar Aß and secreted p-tau181 determined in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). To assess potentially modulating effects of female sex, younger age, and ApoE4, we included 322 ADNI participants with cross-sectional/longitudinal p-tau181. To determine effects of microglial activation on p-tau181, we included 454 subjects with cross-sectional CSF sTREM2. Running ANCOVAs for nominal and linear regressions for metric variables, we found that women had higher Aß-related p-tau181 levels. Higher sTREM2 was associated with elevated p-tau181, with stronger associations in women. Similarly, ApoE4 was related to higher p-tau181 levels and faster p-tau181 increases, with stronger effects in female ApoE4 carriers. Our results show that sex alone modulates the Aß to p-tau axis, where women show higher Aß-dependent p-tau secretion, potentially driven by elevated sTREM2-related microglial activation and stronger effects of ApoE4 carriership in women
Space policy and industrial development in middle powers: Malaysia and Turkey in comparative perspective
No full textData de publicació electrònica: 30-09-2025In recent years, several countries from Argentina to Turkey to Malaysia have significantly increased their investments in national space agencies as part of their industrial development program. Smaller and more efficient satellite designs, coupled with the availability of commercial off-the-shelf components, have reduced the barriers to entry for countries with limited resources and empowered new players to embark on space missions that were once deemed prohibitively expensive. This shift represents a critical change in space exploration and utilization, as space technology has become integral to communication, scientific research, and national security. At the same time, the motivations that inform policymaking vary depending on the political priorities of the governments across these regions. Building on the divergent experiences of two middle powers classified in the upper-middle income group -Turkey and Malaysia- this paper problematizes how the political landscape influences the priorities assigned to space programs in countries that are integrated into critical markets controlled by a global hegemon on unequal terms. In these contexts, the official policy to expand the informational capacity of the state beyond the national borders was shaped by two distinct dynamics. In Turkey, frequent economic crises and security concerns have influenced the direction of the country's space program with a greater focus on military applications rather than neo-developmental goals. By contrast, in Malaysia, the establishment of the Malaysian Space Agency (MYSA) in 2002 emerged out of a concern for utilizing space technology for socio-economic development around Malaysian industrial policy that prioritized high-value-added exports for growth
Correlational study on the sense of humor and positive mental health in mental health professionals
No full textBackground: Mental health professionals require exceptional communication skills and the ability to maintain an empathetic and authentic attitude within the therapeutic relationship. It is crucial that they achieve an optimal balance of physical, mental, and social wellbeing to enhance their performance in this context. This necessity has sparked a growing interest in promoting mental health among these professionals by focusing on the evaluation of both Positive Mental Health and the Sense of Humor. Objective: To assess the level of sense of humor and positive mental health, and to analyse the relationships between the sense of humor construct, the positive mental health construct, and the sociodemographic, occupational, and educational characteristics of mental health professionals who care for patients in hospital and community settings. Methods: An observational, descriptive, and cross-sectional with a non-experimental quantitative approach study has been carried out. The study was conducted involving 130 mental health care professionals. Levels of sense of humor and positive mental health were evaluated using authenticated questionnaires, while the relationship between these two constructs and the sociodemographic, occupational, and training characteristics of health workers were analyzed following STROBE guidelines. Results: The study involved 130 professionals, predominantly women (71.5%), with an average age of 41.4 years. The majority were nurses (45.4%) with varied work experience and educational levels. Regarding the PMHQ questionnaire, an average score of 102.6 was achieved in the general evaluation, showing an insignificant relationship with sociodemographic and occupational variables. However, a significant trend regarding age and autonomy was noted. On the other hand, the Multidimensional Sense of Humor Questionnaire produced an average score of 67.3, also without significant correlations with the variables under scrutiny. Although no positive relationships were found between the general scores of Positive Mental Health Questionnaire and Multidimensional Sense of Humor Questionnaire, a positive correlation emerged between the use of humor and situational control. In summary, the findings suggest that the level of autonomy and the use of humor may be associated with specific sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, although the precise relationship remains complex and requires further research
Altered desensitization and internalization patterns of rodent versus human glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) receptors. An important drug discovery challenge
No full textBackground and purpose: The gut hormone glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP) signals via the GIP receptor (GIPR), resulting in postprandial potentiation of glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. The translation of results from rodent studies to human studies has been challenged by the unexpected effects of GIPR-targeting compounds. We, therefore, investigated the variation between species, focusing on GIPR desensitization and the role of the receptor C-terminus. Experimental approach: The GIPR from humans, mice, rats, pigs, dogs and cats was studied in vitro for cognate ligand affinity, G protein activation (cAMP accumulation), recruitment of beta-arrestin and internalization. Variants of the mouse, rat and human GIPRs with swapped C-terminal tails were studied in parallel. Key results: The human GIPR is more prone to internalization than rodent GIPRs. Despite similar agonist affinities and potencies for Gαs activation, especially, the mouse GIPR shows reduced receptor desensitization, internalization and beta-arrestin recruitment. Using an enzyme-stabilized, long-acting GIP analogue, the species differences were even more pronounced. 'Tail-swapped' human, rat and mouse GIPRs were all fully functional in their Gαs coupling, and the mouse GIPR regained internalization and beta-arrestin 2 recruitment properties with the human tail. The human GIPR lost the ability to recruit beta-arrestin 2 when its own C-terminus was replaced by the rat or mouse tail. Conclusions and implications: Desensitization of the human GIPR is dependent on the C-terminal tail. The species-dependent functionality of the C-terminal tail and the different species-dependent internalization patterns, especially between human and mouse GIPRs, are important factors influencing the preclinical evaluation of GIPR-targeting therapeutic compounds. Linked articles: This article is part of a themed issue Complexity of GPCR Modulation and Signaling (ERNST). To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v182.14/issuetoc
Measuring the effect of GenAI chatbots in CSCL environments: a study with PyramidApp
No full textThe present study explored the impact of a Generative AI (GenAI) chatbot in the PyramidApp (CSCL) tool), using a within-subjects design. Results showed the chatbot improved student answer accuracy and positively influenced both individual and group interactions. Also suggest that GenAI chatbots are valued in the educational sphere by enhancing learning outcomes and collaboration in digital education environments.This work was supported by PID2020-112584RB-C33, PID2023-146692OB-C33, CEX2021-001195-M funded by MICIU/AEI/10.13039/501100011033, SGR 00930, and Erasmus+ KA220-HED-D8B72E6A. DHL (Serra Húnter) also acknowledges the support by ICREA Academia