115 research outputs found
Participation in devolved commons management: multiscale socioeconomic factors related to individuals' participation in community-based management of marine protected areas in Indonesia
Management of common-pool natural resources is commonly implemented under institutional models promoting devolved decision-making, such as co-management and community-based management. Although participation of local people is critical to the success of devolved commons management, few studies have empirically investigated how individuals' participation is related to socioeconomic factors that operate at multiple scales. Here, we evaluated how individual- and community-scale factors were related to levels of individual participation in management of community-based marine protected areas in Indonesia. In addressing this aim, we drew on multiple bodies of literature on human behaviour from economics and social science, including the social-ecological systems framework from the literature on common-pool resources, the theory of planned behaviour from social psychology, and public goods games from behavioural economics. We found three key factors related to level of participation of local people: subjective norms, structural elements of social capital, and nested institutions. There was also suggestive evidence that participation was related to people's cooperative behavioural disposition, which we elicited using a public goods game. These results point to the importance of considering socioeconomic factors that operate at multiple scales when examining individual behaviour. Further, our study highlights the need to consider multiscale mechanisms other than those designed to appeal to self interested concerns, such as regulations and material incentives, which are typically employed in devolved commons management to encourage participation. Increased understanding of the factors related to participation could facilitate better targeting of investments aimed at encouraging cooperative management
Vulnerable and forgotten: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on autism special schools in England
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused, and continues to cause, unprecedented disruption in England. The impact of the pandemic on the English education system has been significant, especially for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). While it was encouraging that the educational rights of children and young people with SEND were highlighted during the COVID-19 pandemic, Government decision-making appeared to be centered around the needs of pupils in mainstream schools. In this article, co-authored by an academic researcher and senior leaders from the Pan London Autism Schools Network (PLASN; a collective of special schools in London and the South East of England, catering for pupils on the autistic spectrum), we reflect on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on special schools in England. We document and discuss a range of challenges experienced by PLASN schools, including the educational inequalities that were exposed and perpetuated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the manner in which the needs and realities of special schools were overlooked by the Government. We also detail the creative and innovative solutions implemented by PLASN schools to overcome barriers that they encountered. These solutions centered on facilitating holistic approaches to support, ensuring clear and regular communication with families, providing effective support for home learning, and promoting collaborative ways of working; all of which align with good practice principles in autism education more generally, and are essential elements of practice to maintain post-pandemic. We additionally reflect on how the COVID-19 pandemic could be a catalyst for much-needed change to the SEND system: leading to better educational provision, and therefore better outcomes, for pupils with SEND
Chlamydial Pre-Infection Protects From Subsequent Herpes Simplex Virus-2 Challenge in a Murine Vaginal Super-Infection Model
This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Chlamydia trachomatis and Herpes Simplex Virus-2 (HSV-2) genital tract co-infections have been reported in humans and studied in vitro but the clinical consequences are unknown. Limited epidemiologic evidence suggests that these co-infections could be more severe than single infections of either pathogen, but the host-pathogen interactions during co-infection remain uncharacterized. To determine whether disease progression and/or pathogen shedding differs between singly-infected and super-infected animals, we developed an in vivo super-infection model in which female BALB/c mice were vaginally infected with Chlamydia muridarum (Cm) followed later by HSV-2. Pre-infection with Chlamydia 3 or 9 days prior to HSV-2 super-infection conferred significant protection from HSV-2-induced neurologic disease and significantly reduced viral recovery compared to HSV-2 singlyinfected controls. Neither protection from mortality nor reduced viral recovery were observed when mice were i) super-infected with HSV-2 on day 27 post Cm; ii) infected with UV-irradiated Cm and super-infected with HSV-2; or iii) azithromycin-treated prior to HSV-2 super-infection. Therefore, protection from HSV-2-induced disease requires active infection with viable chlamydiae and is not observed after chlamydial shedding ceases, either naturally or due to antibiotic treatment. Thus, Chlamydia-induced protection is transient and requires the continued presence of chlamydiae or their components. These data demonstrate that chlamydial pre-infection can alter progression of subsequent HSV-2 infection, with implications for HSV-2 transmission from co-infected humans
Electrochemical and Photovoltaic Properties of Electropolymerized Poly(thienylsilole)s
Domestic violence treatment response and recidivism: A review and implications for the study of family violence
Although domestic violence is a significant societal problem, which continues to receive public and private sector attention, intervention and treatment programs have proven inconsistent in their success. This paper reviews the published literature on domestic violence treatment efficacy and post-treatment recidivism and explores the related factors. In addition, challenges in the assessment of domestic violence are briefly discussed. Finally, recent developments are discussed along with their potential benefits, and an appeal is made for the need to study domestic violence in the broader context of family violence
Quarters
Book of photographs b/w and colour that revolves around the concepts of home and domesticity. The book is the result of a collaboration of five RCA students from the Printmaking Department of RCA - the late Sue Barnes, Shelagh Sartin, Susie Allen, Jonnie Turpie and Stephen Mumberson
Albumin enhances negative feedback effect of cortisol on ACTH release from sheep pituitary cells
Performance characteristics of a proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer for measuring volatile organic compounds in ambient air.
Data illustrating the performance characteristics of a proton transfer reaction-mass spectrometer (PTR-MS) under both laboratory and field conditions are presented. Under laboratory conditions, we demonstrate that PTR-MS measures (within 10%) a 2.6 ppbv concentration of gaseous dimethyl sulfide. Using a stepwise dilution of a gaseous isoprene standard, we demonstrate the linearity of the response of PTR-MS across 3 orders of magnitude of mixing ratios, from 100 ppbv to less than 100 pptv. By combining this data set with that of its monosubstituted 13C isotopic analogue, we demonstrate the ability of the instrument to reliably measure concentrations as low as 50 pptv and to detect concentrations at significantly lower levels. We conclude our laboratory characterization by investigating the components of the instrument noise signal (drift, mean, and range) and develop an expression (noise statistic) that reliably predicts the instrumental noise associated with any signal across a wide range of masses. In the field, we deployed a PTR-MS at a clean-air coastal site and an urban kerbside monitoring station to demonstrate the measurement of atmospheric dimethyl sulfide and benzene concentrations, respectively. At both sites, we were able to monitor diurnal variations in concentrations at unprecedented temporal resolutions (<5 min between successive measurements). We then demonstrate how the noise statistic can be applied to enable real fluctuations in atmospheric VOC concentrations to be reliably distinguished from instrument noise. We conclude by demonstrating how PTR-MS can be used to measure real-time VOC emission rate changes from vegetation in response to external forcing by examining the effect varying photon-flux density has upon emissions of isoprene from a Sitka spruce tree
Determination of biogenic volatile organic compounds (C8–C16) in the coastal atmosphere at Mace Head, Ireland
A methodology describing the sampling and analysis of biogenic volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in ambient coastal air is presented. Air samples were collected during a field campaign (September 1998) at Mace Head on the west coast of Ireland. In addition, air samples from seaweed enclosures were taken to assess the VOC source potential of macro-algae at low tide. VOC identification was confirmed using GC–MS and an n-alkane retention index, with quantification carried out using GC–FID. A suite of compounds (C8–C16) were routinely quantified; these included a series of n-alkanes (C11–C16) and oxygenated hydrocarbons (C8–C14). Their mixing ratios in coastal air ranged from C12) were significantly higher in the seaweed enclosure air than in ambient air, suggesting seaweed to be a source of long chain n-alkanes. Oxygenates, however, did not show a significant difference between enclosure and ambient air. Unlike studies carried out in the vicinity of woodlands, no monoterpenes or sesquiterpenes were detected in this study
- …