Business Valuation of Natural Capital; learning by doing

Businesses are starting to take an interest in the natural capital agenda but much more work is needed to map their impacts and dependence on ecosystem services. Business greening organisations argue that such work has the potential to engage influential stakeholders in achieving sustainable outcomes (WBCSD, 2011; Cranston et al 2015). However, the economic valuation of ecosystem services/natural capital has also received criticism from sections of the academic community (e.g. Redford and Adams 2009; Gomez-Baggethun and Ruiz-Perez 2011) and the press (e.g. Monbiot 2014). Such criticism can be helpful in identifying potential pitfalls and areas that may require wider involvement and engagement of stakeholders, further thought and development of methods and policies

Growth and production of Bullia rhodostoma on an open sandy beach in Algoa Bay

The plough shell, Bullia rhodostoma (Mollusca: Gastropoda), has been studied on an open sandy beach where it is a common scavenger. Samples taken over a year indicate hatching of young individuals from December to February. They reach a length of about 10 mm after 1 year and 40 mm after 10 years. The von Bertalanffy growth equation is Lt = 47 (1 - e-0,19(t+0,23)) and the annual mortality rate is 0,79. Mean decalcified dry biomass is 209 mg m-2 and production by growth 189 mg m-2 y-1 giving a P/B of 0,9. Most production by adults (>15 mm shell length) goes into reproduction, particularly In the females which grow larger than the males. Production by reproduction is estimated to be about 135 mg m-2 y-1. Average calorific values are 19,04 kJ g-1 dry tissueDie ploegskulp, Bullia rhodostoma (Mollusca: Gastropoda), is op 'n oop sandstrand bestudeer waar dit 'n algemeen teenwoordige aasvreter is. Monsters wat oor 'n jaar geneem is, dui aan dat die jong individue tussen Desember en Februarie uitbroei. Hulle bereik 'n lengte van ongeveer 10 mm na 1 jaar en 40 mm na 10 jaar. Die Von Bertalanffy groeivergelyking is Lt = 47 (1 - e-0,19(t+0,23))) en die jaarlikse mortaliteitstempo is 0,79. Gemiddelde kalklose drofi biomassa is 209 mg m-2 y-1 wat 'n P/B van 0,9 gee. Die meeste volwasse (>15 mm skulplengte) produksie is in die vorm van voortplanting, veral in die wyfies wat groter as die mannetjies word. Produksie deur voortplanting is omtrent 135 mg m-2 y-1 Gemiddelde kaloriewaardes is 19,04 kJ g-1 droe weefsel

Assembly and Functional Architecture of Bacterial Chemoreceptor Nanoarrays

Transmembrane chemotaxis receptors are found in bacteria in extended hexagonal arrays stabilized by the membrane and by cytosolic binding partners, the kinase CheA and coupling protein CheW. Models of array architecture and assembly propose receptors cluster into trimers-of-dimers that associate with one CheA dimer and two CheW monomers to form the minimal core unit necessary for signal transduction. Reconstructing in vitro chemoreceptor ternary complexes that are homogenous, functional, and exhibit native architecture remains a challenge. Here we report that His-tag mediated receptor dimerization with divalent metals is sufficient to drive assembly of native-like functional arrays of a receptor cytoplasmic fragment. Our results indicate receptor dimerization initiates assembly and precedes formation of ternary complexes with partial kinase activity. Restoration of maximal kinase activity coincides with a shift to larger complexes, suggesting that kinase activity depends on interactions beyond the core unit. We hypothesize that achieving maximal activity requires building core units into hexagons and/or coalescing hexagons into the extended lattice. This discovery may also address a previously observed density-dependent transition between signaling states. To further test this, we implemented a paramagnetic relaxation enhancement (PRE) based solid-state NMR approach to obtain long-range (≥ 20 Å) distance constraints across the trimer of dimers interface. Overall, the work presented here shows that minimally perturbing His-tag mediated dimerization promotes assembly of chemoreceptor arrays with native architecture, and thus enabled us to gain insights into the mode of array assembly and the role of the core functional unit

More ethical and more efficient clinical research:multiplex trial design

BACKGROUND: Today's clinical research faces challenges such as a lack of clinical equipoise between treatment arms, reluctance in randomizing for multiple treatments simultaneously, inability to address interactions and increasingly restricted resources. Furthermore, many trials are biased by extensive exclusion criteria, relatively small sample size and less appropriate outcome measures. FINDINGS: We propose a 'Multiplex' trial design that preserves clinical equipoise with a continuous and factorial trial design that will also result in more efficient use of resources. This multiplex design accommodates subtrials with appropriate choice of treatment arms within each subtrial. Clinical equipoise should increase consent rates while the factorial design is the best way to identify interactions. CONCLUSION: The multiplex design may evolve naturally from today's research limitations and challenges, while principal objections seem absent. However this new design poses important infrastructural, organisational and psychological challenges that need in depth consideration

The nature of love: Harlow, Bowlby and Bettelheim on affectionless mothers

Harry Harlow, famous for his experiments with rhesus monkeys and cloth and wire mothers, was visited by psychiatrist and psychoanalyst John Bowlby and by child psychologist Bruno Bettelheim in 1958. They made similar observations of Harlow’s monkeys, yet their interpretations were strikingly different. Bettelheim saw Harlow’s wire mother