Exploring the possibility space: taking stock of the diverse capabilities and gaps in integrated assessment models

Integrated assessment models (IAMs) have emerged as key tools for building and assessing long term climate mitigation scenarios. Due to their central role in the recent IPCC assessments, and international climate policy analyses more generally, and the high uncertainties related to future projections, IAMs have been critically assessed by scholars from different fields receiving various critiques ranging from adequacy of their methods to how their results are used and communicated. Although IAMs are conceptually diverse and evolved in very different directions, they tend to be criticised under the umbrella of 'IAMs'. Here we first briefly summarise the IAM landscape and how models differ from each other. We then proceed to discuss six prominent critiques emerging from the recent literature, reflect and respond to them in the light of IAM diversity and ongoing work and suggest ways forward. The six critiques relate to (a) representation of heterogeneous actors in the models, (b) modelling of technology diffusion and dynamics, (c) representation of capital markets, (d) energy-economy feedbacks, (e) policy scenarios, and (f) interpretation and use of model results

Total Catch of a Red-Listed Marine Species Is an Order of Magnitude Higher than Official Data

Accurate information on total catch and effort is essential for successful fisheries management. Officially reported landings, however, may be underestimates of total catch in many fisheries. We investigated the fishery for the nationally red-listed European lobster (Homarus gammarus) in south-eastern Norway. Probability-based strip transect surveys were used to count buoys in the study area in combination with catch per unit effort data obtained independently from volunteer catch diaries, phone interviews, and questionnaires. We estimate that recreational catch accounts for 65% of total catch in the study area. Moreover, our results indicate that only a small proportion (24%) of lobsters landed commercially were sold through the legal market and documented. Total estimated lobster catch was nearly 14 times higher than reported officially. Our study highlights the need for adequate catch monitoring and data collection efforts in coastal areas, presents a clear warning to resource managers that illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fisheries in coastal areas should not be ignored, and shows the potential impact of recreational fisheries

Facultative Symbiont Infections Affect Aphid Reproduction

Some bacterial symbionts alter their hosts reproduction through various mechanisms that enhance their transmission in the host population. In addition to its obligatory symbiont Buchnera aphidicola, the pea aphid Acyrthosiphon pisum harbors several facultative symbionts influencing several aspects of host ecology. Aphids reproduce by cyclical parthenogenesis whereby clonal and sexual reproduction alternate within the annual life cycle. Many species, including the pea aphid, also show variation in their reproductive mode at the population level, with some lineages reproducing by cyclical parthenogenesis and others by permanent parthenogenesis. While the role of facultative symbionts has been well studied during the parthenogenetic phase of their aphid hosts, very little is known on their possible influence during the sexual phase. Here we investigated whether facultative symbionts modulate the capacity to produce sexual forms in various genetic backgrounds of the pea aphid with controlled symbiont composition and also in different aphid genotypes from natural populations with previously characterized infection status and reproductive mode. We found that most facultative symbionts exhibited detrimental effects on their hosts fitness under sex-inducing conditions in comparison with the reference lines. We also showed that the loss of sexual phase in permanently parthenogenetic lineages of A. pisum was not explained by facultative symbionts. Finally, we demonstrated that Spiroplasma infection annihilated the production of males in the host progeny by inducing a male-killing phenotype, an unexpected result for organisms such as aphids that reproduce primarily through clonal reproduction

Survey of Activated FLT3 Signaling in Leukemia

Activating mutations of FMS-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) are found in approximately 30% of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML). FLT3 is therefore an attractive drug target. However, the molecular mechanisms by which FLT3 mutations lead to cell transformation in AML remain unclear. To develop a better understanding of FLT3 signaling as well as its downstream effectors, we performed detailed phosphoproteomic analysis of FLT3 signaling in human leukemia cells. We identified over 1000 tyrosine phosphorylation sites from about 750 proteins in both AML (wild type and mutant FLT3) and B cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (normal and amplification of FLT3) cell lines. Furthermore, using stable isotope labeling by amino acids in cell culture (SILAC), we were able to quantified over 400 phosphorylation sites (pTyr, pSer, and pThr) that were responsive to FLT3 inhibition in FLT3 driven human leukemia cell lines. We also extended this phosphoproteomic analysis on bone marrow from primary AML patient samples, and identify over 200 tyrosine and 800 serine/threonine phosphorylation sites in vivo. This study showed that oncogenic FLT3 regulates proteins involving diverse cellular processes and affects multiple signaling pathways in human leukemia that we previously appreciated, such as Fc epsilon RI-mediated signaling, BCR, and CD40 signaling pathways. It provides a valuable resource for investigation of oncogenic FLT3 signaling in human leukemia

How research projects can contribute to the development of efficient community-led projects?

Trade of fish and fisheries products, including fish meal products, are influenced by both traditional trade policies, like tariffs, and non-tariff measures (NTMs). NTMs comprise several categories of measures such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) , technical barriers to trade (TBT) as well as non-technical measures. UNCTAD (2013) provides an international classification of NTMs; see Table 1 below. NTMs are governmental measures that determine the conditions under which trade takes place. They have become increasingly important as governments reacted to consumers’ concerns about catching and production practises. Consumers are for example concerned about the application of feed and drugs that have been found as residues in fish and related products or the environmental effect of intensive aquaculture production or fishing (FAO, 2014). In some cases, NTMs have also been used as protectionist measures disguised by health, safety or other public purposes. The goal of our analysis is to identify which NTMs are used for which fishery products by trade partners. In this poster, we present first results from the EU perspective. Although not being presented for specific species, the results are interesting for those trading fish and fisheries products since they provide insights about how much markets are regulated by NTMs

Intra-specific variation and inheritance of BYDV-PAV transmission in the aphid Sitobion avenae

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Chronic gamma-irradiation induces a dose-rate-dependent pro-inflammatory response and associated loss of function in human umbilical vein endothelial cells

International audienceA central question in radiation protection research is dose and dose-rate relationship for radiation-induced cardiovascular diseases. The response of endothelial cells to different low dose rates may contribute to help estimate risks for cardiovascular diseases by providing mechanistic understanding. In this study we investigated whether chronic low-dose-rate radiation exposure had an effect on the inflammatory response of endothelial cells and their function. Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were chronically exposed to radiation at a dose of 1.4 mGy/h or 4.1 mGy/h for 1, 3, 6 or 10 weeks. We determined the pro-inflammatory profile of HUVECs before and during radiation exposure, and investigated the functional consequences of this radiation exposure by measuring their capacity to form vascular networks in matrigel. Expression levels of adhesion molecules such as E-selectin, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1, and the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as MCP-1, IL-6 and TNF-α were analyzed. When a total dose of 2 Gy was given at a rate of 4.1 mGy/h, we observed an increase in IL-6 and MCP-1 release into the cell culture media, but this was not observed at 1.4 mGy/h. The increase in the inflammatory profile induced at the dose rate of 4.1 mGy/h was also correlated with a decrease in the capacity of the HUVECs to form a vascular network in matrigel. Our results suggest that dose rate is an important parameter in the alteration of HUVEC inflammatory profile and function. © 2015 by Radiation Research Society

Study on breakup of liquid ligaments in hypersonic cross flow using laser sheet imaging and infrared light extinction spectroscopy

This paper presents and discusses the results of tests of breakup phenomenon of liquid water into a hypersonic cross §ow from the surface of a 7 degree half-angle cone model at zero degree angle of incidence. The present work shows the dependence of the liquid phase characteristics on the cross-section area of the injection hole in a Mach 6 cross flow. The results are analyzed qualitatively by imaging, by Interferometric Laser Imaging for Droplet Sizing (ILIDS), and by InfraRed Light Extinction Spectroscopy (IR-LES). Conclusions are drawn concerning the droplet size distribution and the liquid §ow ¦eld characteristics

France 2072 : Lifestyles at the core of carbon neutrality challenges

International audienceIn this chapter, we propose to explore the conditions under which a stringent target of 1.5°C - written into the Paris Agreement in December 2015 – may be fulfilled at a country level, France, while focusing on energy issues. The analysis horizon spans to 2072 in reference to the Club of Rome’s 1972 Limits to Growth publication, 2072 being the neutral target. To this end, we explore the impact of two contrasting lifestyles for France: the first, named digital, represents an individualistic and technological society, whereas the second, named collective, depicts a society with strong social ties and cooperation between citizens. These scenarios are assessed through different models, each one representing a particular aspect: lifestyles, economy and technologies. While technology-oriented energy models usually omit or over-simplify the lifestyle dimension, the proposed approach gives a more coherent framework for the formulation of alternative demand levels. These demands for energy services enrich the scenario-building process and influence not only the economic system, but also the energy system. The digital society involves significant growth of both GDP and the unemployment rate, and does not result in carbon neutrality, whereas the collective society leads to smaller growth of GDP and a decrease in the unemployment rate, but makes it possible to reach a nil carbon target. These results underline the leverage role of lifestyles in attaining carbon neutrality