Investigating marine citizenship and its role in creating good marine environmental health

The negative anthropogenic impacts upon the world ocean are accelerating. Marine citizenship has been proposed as a policy channel to work at an individual level of responsibility to improve marine environmental health and contribute to the achievement of a sustainable future. This interdisciplinary research reflects the principles of post-normal science, through its epistemologically pragmatic and pluralist approach to broadening our understanding of marine citizenship. Drawing on environmental psychology, human geography, environmental law, green political theory, and sociology, this research considers marine citizenship according to four key research questions: i) What is marine citizenship and who participates in it? ii) How are institutional policy frameworks of marine citizenship understood, interpreted and experienced by participants? iii) How do motivational and value-based factors influence marine citizenship choices? And iv) How do place-related factors influence the practice of marine citizenship? Mixed methods were used to bring together a range of data and maximise their thesis contribution. The research design consisted of an online survey of active marine citizens reached via three case studies: two community marine groups and one national citizen science project. This was followed by ethnographic observation of marine citizenship in practice and open-ended interview of purposively selected participants, to maximise insight into diversity of marine citizens and gain in-depth qualitative data. The results provide a number of novel insights into the conception and motivation of marine citizenship. In my research, prevailing interpretations of marine citizenship as a set of pro-environmental behaviours are extended by situating the concept within citizenship theory. Here I give additional focus to the understanding of marine citizenship as the right to construct and transform society’s relationship with the ocean, and how public participation in marine decision-making is perceived as being under-served by legislation and procedure. My data show that marine citizenship is influenced by a complex of interacting variables and that there is no one kind of person who becomes a marine citizen. Yet environmental identity, stimulation and conformity basic human values, climate change concern, place attachment and, in particular, place dependency are important factors for ‘thicker’ marine citizenship. The research uncovered a human affinity with the ocean through unique marine place attachment, which I call thalassophilia. These findings challenge normative approaches to pro-environmental behaviour, which frequently focus on environmental education, information, and awareness raising. Creating opportunities for marine experiences promotes attachment to the ocean and in turn ‘thicker’ marine citizenship. The results collectively point to a marine identity, formed through ocean connectedness and enabled by favourable socio-economic and policy conditions. When associated with good ocean health, marine identity can underpin and be reinforced by marine citizenship. Marine citizenship coincides with broader environmental and civic citizenship; therefore marine experience opportunities may contribute to wider acceptance of policy and public participation in the paradigmatic change now facing humans, as we attempt to mitigate and adapt to climate change in the coming years

Stakeholder dynamics, perceptions and representation in a regional coastal partnership

Effective stakeholder participation is increasingly seen as an essential part of improving marine and coastal management. Coastal partnerships are a well-established informal method for enabling stakeholder participation in coastal management. However, how well they perform this role has been little explored. The North West Coastal Forum is a UK regional coastal partnership, interacting with stakeholders from across local, regional, national and international spatial scales. At the time of this research, the Forum had been in place for 14 years and, with its excellent record keeping, provided a valuable case study of the effectiveness of coastal partnerships to engage with and represent stakeholders over time. This study both analysed Forum records and conducted an electronic survey of Forum members. The diversity of stakeholders that participate in the Forum and how that has changed over time was examined. Forum members’ perception of the purpose of the Forum and their level of satisfaction with Forum performance was also investigated. In addition, we explored members’ values and how they aligned with the organisations they were representing. Results indicated that, whilst many sectors have been represented on the Management Board and at Forum events, there are some which dominated, particularly Local Authorities, and others, such as extractive industries, which were under-represented. Overall, survey respondents’ perceptions of the Forum purpose aligned with its stated purpose very well. Respondents were also supportive of the performance of the Forum: 56% considered the Forum to have delivered on initial expectations “well” or “very well” and only 4% “poorly”. Respondents’ personal values tended towards pro-environmentalism and were broadly in line with the perceived values of their own host organisations, suggesting that stakeholder representatives can be effective conduits. This study indicates that coastal partnerships can be viewed by stakeholders as an effective means for facilitating stakeholder engagement. As such, coastal management efforts should encourage the development and ideally provide long term support for coastal partnership initiatives. However, this study also suggests that active recruitment is needed to encourage a full range of stakeholders to participate and thus enable coastal partnerships to more fully contribute to integrated coastal zone management

Thalassophilia and marine identity: Drivers of ‘thick’ marine citizenship

This is the final version. Available on open access from Elsevier via the DOI in this recordData availability: The research data supporting this publication are openly available from the UK Data Service at: https://reshare.ukdataservice.ac.uk/855922/Changing humanity's relationship with the ocean is identified as one of ten key challenges in the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021–2030). Marine citizenship is one potential policy approach for reducing anthropogenic harms to the ocean and promoting ocean recovery, and there is a need to better understand marine citizenship motivating factors and their interactions. To contribute to a more holistic understanding, we approached this problem using an interdisciplinary, mixed methodology, which prioritised the voices and experiences of active marine citizens. An online survey and semi-structured interviews were conducted to examine factors spanning environmental psychology (values, environmental identity) and human geography (place attachment and dependency). Our data uncovered a unique marine place attachment, or thalassophilia, which is a novel conceptualisation of the human capacity to bond with a type of place beyond human settlements or defined localities. It is the product of strong emotional responses to the sensorial experience of the ocean and shared social or cultural understanding of ocean place identifications. A key driver of deeper marine citizenship is marine place dependency, and it is positively influence by stimulation and non-conformity values, environmental identity, and thalassophilia. We map significant motivating factors to identity process theory and describe a novel marine identity concept. We propose this as an operational mechanism of marine citizenship action, potentially filling the value- and knowledge-action gaps in the context of marine environmental action. This research provides a cornerstone in marine citizenship research by analysing together in one study a multitude of variables, which cross human-ocean relationships and experiences. The identification and characterisation of thalassophilia and marine identity process theory will enable research and practice to move forwards with a clearer framework of the role of the ocean as a place in environmental action.Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC

Reprint: Good laboratory practice: preventing introduction of bias at the bench

As a research community, we have failed to show that drugs, which show substantial efficacy in animal models of cerebral ischemia, can also improve outcome in human stroke. Accumulating evidence suggests this may be due, at least in part, to problems in the design, conduct, and reporting of animal experiments which create a systematic bias resulting in the overstatement of neuroprotective efficacy. Here, we set out a series of measures to reduce bias in the design, conduct and reporting of animal experiments modeling human stroke

Putting coastal communities at the center of a sustainable blue economy: A review of risks, opportunities, and strategies

This is the final version. Available from Frontiers Media via the DOI in this record. New approaches to ocean governance for coastal communities are needed. With few exceptions, the status quo does not meet the diverse development aspirations of coastal communities or ensure healthy oceans for current and future generations. The blue economy is expected to grow to USD2.5–3 trillion by 2030, and there is particular interest in its potential to alleviate poverty in Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States, and to support a blue recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper presents a selective, thematic review of the blue economy literature to examine: (i) the opportunities and risks for coastal communities, (ii) the barriers and enablers that shape community engagement, and (iii) the strategies employed by communities and supporting organizations, which can be strengthened to deliver a ‘sustainable' blue economy and improve social justice for coastal communities. Our review finds that under business-as-usual and blue growth, industrial fisheries, large-scale aquaculture, land reclamation, mining, and oil and gas raise red flags for communities and marine ecosystems. Whereas, if managed sustainably, small-scale fisheries, coastal aquaculture, seaweed farming and eco-tourism are the most likely to deliver benefits to communities. Yet, these are also the sectors most vulnerable to negative and cumulative impacts from other sectors. Based on our evaluation of enablers, barriers and strategies, the paper argues that putting coastal communities at the center of a clear vision for an inclusive Sustainable Blue Economy and co-developing a shared and accessible language for communities, practitioners and policy-makers is essential for a more equitable ocean economy, alongside mainstreaming social justice principles and integrated governance that can bridge different scales of action and opportunity.WW

Is health research undertaken where the burden of disease is greatest? Observational study of geographical inequalities in recruitment to research in England 2013–2018

Background: Research is fundamental to high-quality care, but concerns have been raised about whether health research is conducted in the populations most affected by high disease prevalence. Geographical distribution of research activity is important for many reasons. Recruitment is a major barrier to research delivery, and undertaking recruitment in areas of high prevalence could be more efficient. Regional variability exists in risk factors and outcomes, so research done in healthier populations may not generalise. Much applied health research evaluates interventions, and their impact may vary by context (including geography). Finally, fairness dictates that publically funded research should be accessible to all, so that benefits of participating can be fairly distributed. We explored whether recruitment of patients to health research is aligned with disease prevalence in England. Methods: We measured disease prevalence using the Quality and Outcomes Framework in England (total long-term conditions, mental health and diabetes). We measured research activity using data from the NIHR Clinical Research Network. We presented descriptive data on geographical variation in recruitment rates. We explored associations between the recruitment rate and disease prevalence rate. We calculated the share of patient recruitment that would need to be redistributed to align recruitment with prevalence. We assessed whether associations between recruitment rate and disease prevalence varied between conditions, and over time. Results: There was significant geographical variation in recruitment rates. When areas were ranked by disease prevalence, recruitment was not aligned with prevalence, with disproportionately low recruitment in areas with higher prevalence of total long-term and mental health conditions. At the level of 15 local networks, analyses suggested that around 12% of current recruitment activity would need to be redistributed to align with disease prevalence. Overall, alignment showed little change over time, but there was variation in the trends over time in individual conditions. Conclusions: Geographical variations in recruitment do not reflect the suitability of the population for research. Indicators should be developed to assess the fit between research and need, and to allow assessment of interventions among funders, researchers and patients to encourage closer alignment between research activity and burden

Building Babies - Chapter 16

In contrast to birds, male mammals rarely help to raise the offspring. Of all mammals, only among rodents, carnivores, and primates, males are sometimes intensively engaged in providing infant care (Kleiman and Malcolm 1981). Male caretaking of infants has long been recognized in nonhuman primates (Itani 1959). Given that infant care behavior can have a positive effect on the infant’s development, growth, well-being, or survival, why are male mammals not more frequently involved in “building babies”? We begin the chapter defining a few relevant terms and introducing the theory and hypotheses that have historically addressed the evolution of paternal care. We then review empirical findings on male care among primate taxa, before focusing, in the final section, on our own work on paternal care in South American owl monkeys (Aotus spp.). We conclude the chapter with some suggestions for future studies.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (HU 1746/2-1) Wenner-Gren Foundation, the L.S.B. Leakey Foundation, the National Geographic Society, the National Science Foundation (BCS-0621020), the University of Pennsylvania Research Foundation, the Zoological Society of San Dieg

Mid-level providers in emergency obstetric and newborn health care: factors affecting their performance and retention within the Malawian health system

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Malawi has a chronic shortage of human resources for health. This has a significant impact on maternal health, with mortality rates amongst the highest in the world. Mid-level cadres of health workers provide the bulk of emergency obstetric and neonatal care. In this context these cadres are defined as those who undertake roles and tasks that are more usually the province of internationally recognised cadres, such as doctors and nurses. While there have been several studies addressing retention factors for doctors and registered nurses, data and studies addressing the perceptions of these mid-level cadres on the factors that influence their performance and retention within health care systems are scarce.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This exploratory qualitative study took place in four rural mission hospitals in Malawi. The study population was mid-level providers of emergency obstetric and neonatal care. Focus group discussions took place with nursing and medical cadres. Semi-structured interviews with key human resources, training and administrative personnel were used to provide context and background. Data were analysed using a framework analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Participants confirmed the difficulties of their working conditions and the clear commitment they have to serving the rural Malawian population. Although insufficient financial remuneration had a negative impact on retention and performance, the main factors identified were limited opportunities for career development and further education (particularly for clinical officers) and inadequate or non-existent human resources management systems. The lack of performance-related rewards and recognition were perceived to be particularly demotivating.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Mid-level cadres are being used to stem Africa's brain drain. It is in the interests of both the government and mission organizations to protect their investment in these workers. For optimal performance and quality of care they need to be supported and properly motivated. A structured system of continuing professional development and functioning human resources management would show commitment to these cadres and support them as professionals. Action needs to be taken to prevent staff members from leaving the health sector for less stressful, more financially rewarding alternatives.</p

Rare Codons Cluster

Most amino acids are encoded by more than one codon. These synonymous codons are not used with equal frequency: in every organism, some codons are used more commonly, while others are more rare. Though the encoded protein sequence is identical, selective pressures favor more common codons for enhanced translation speed and fidelity. However, rare codons persist, presumably due to neutral drift. Here, we determine whether other, unknown factors, beyond neutral drift, affect the selection and/or distribution of rare codons. We have developed a novel algorithm that evaluates the relative rareness of a nucleotide sequence used to produce a given protein sequence. We show that rare codons, rather than being randomly scattered across genes, often occur in large clusters. These clusters occur in numerous eukaryotic and prokaryotic genomes, and are not confined to unusual or rarely expressed genes: many highly expressed genes, including genes for ribosomal proteins, contain rare codon clusters. A rare codon cluster can impede ribosome translation of the rare codon sequence. These results indicate additional selective pressures govern the use of synonymous codons, and specifically that local pauses in translation can be beneficial for protein biogenesis