Transformative spaces in the making: key lessons from nine cases in the Global South

Creating a just and sustainable planet will require not only small changes, but also systemic transformations in how humans relate to the planet and to each other, i.e., social–ecological transformations. We suggest there is a need for collaborative environments where experimentation with new configurations of social–ecological systems can occur, and we refer to these as transformative spaces. In this paper, we seek a better understanding of how to design and enable the creation of transformative spaces in a development context. We analyse nine case studies from a previous special issue on Designing Transformative Spaces that aimed to collect examples of cutting-edge action-oriented research on transformations from the Global South. The analysis showed five design phases as being essential: Problem Definition Phase; Operationalisation Phase; Tactical Phase; Outcome Phase; and Reflection Phase. From this synthesis, we distilled five key messages that should be considered when designing research, including: (a) there are ethical dilemmas associated with creating a transformative space in a system; (b) it is important to assess the readiness of the system for change before engaging in it; (c) there is a need to balance between ‘safe’ and ‘safe-enough’ spaces for transformation; (d) convening a transformative space requires an assemblage of diverse methodological frameworks and tools; and (e) transformative spaces can act as a starting point for institutionalising transformative change. Many researchers are now engaging in transdisciplinary transformations research, and are finding themselves at the knowledge–action interface contributing to transformative space-making. We hope that by analysing experiences from across different geographies we can contribute towards better understanding of how to navigate the processes needed for the urgent global transformations that are being called for to create a more equitable and sustainable planet Earth

The relationship between redox enzyme activity and electrochemical potential—cellular and mechanistic implications from protein film electrochemistry

In protein film electrochemistry a redox protein of interest is studied as an electroactive film adsorbed on an electrode surface. For redox enzymes this configuration allows quantification of the relationship between catalytic activity and electrochemical potential. Considered as a function of enzyme environment, i.e., pH, substrate concentration etc., the activity–potential relationship provides a fingerprint of activity unique to a given enzyme. Here we consider the nature of the activity–potential relationship in terms of both its cellular impact and its origin in the structure and catalytic mechanism of the enzyme. We propose that the activity–potential relationship of a redox enzyme is tuned to facilitate cellular function and highlight opportunities to test this hypothesis through computational, structural, biochemical and cellular studies

Organising a safe space for navigating social-ecological transformations to sustainability.

The need for developing socially just living conditions for the world's growing population whilst keeping human societies within a 'safe operating space' has become a modern imperative. This requires transformative changes in the dominant social norms, behaviours, governance and management regimes that guide human responses in areas such as urban ecology, public health, resource security (e.g., food, water, energy access), economic development and biodiversity conservation. However, such systemic transformations necessitate experimentation in public arenas of exchange and a deepening of processes that can widen multi-stakeholder learning. We argue that there is an emergent potential in bridging the sustainability transitions and resilience approaches to create new scientific capacity that can support large-scale social-ecological transformations (SETs) to sustainability globally, not just in the West. In this article, we elucidate a set of guiding principles for the design of a 'safe space' to encourage stronger interactions between these research areas and others that are relevant to the challenges faced. We envisage new opportunities for transdisciplinary collaboration that will develop an adaptive and evolving community of practice. In particular, we emphasise the great opportunity for engaging with the role of emerging economies in facilitating safe space experimentation

A genomic toolkit for winged bean Psophocarpus tetragonolobus

A sustainable supply of plant protein is critical for future generations and needs to be achieved while reducing green house gas emissions from agriculture and increasing agricultural resilience in the face of climate volatility. Agricultural diversification with more nutrient-rich and stress tolerant crops could provide the solution. However, this is often hampered by the limited availability of genomic resources and the lack of understanding of the genetic structure of breeding germplasm and the inheritance of important traits. One such crop with potential is winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus), a high seed protein tropical legume which has been termed ‘the soybean for the tropics’. Here, we present a chromosome level winged bean genome assembly, an investigation of the genetic diversity of 130 worldwide accessions, together with two linked genetic maps and a trait QTL analysis (and expression studies) for regions of the genome with desirable ideotype traits for breeding, namely architecture, protein content and phytonutrients

Natural Antioxidants for the Prevention of Atherosclerosis

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/90387/1/j.1875-9114.1995.tb02875.x.pd

Comparison of the TBARS Assay and BODIPY C11 Probes for Assessing Lipid Peroxidation in Red Deer Spermatozoa

P. 360-368Several methods are used to measure lipid peroxidation (LPO) in spermatozoa. The objective of this study was comparing the thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) method and the BODIPY 581/591 C11 (B581) and BODIPY 665/676 C11 (B665) fluorescent probes to measure induced peroxidative damage in thawed epididymal spermatozoa from Iberian red deer. Samples from three males were thawed, pooled, diluted in PBS, incubated at room temperature and assessed at 0, 3, 6 and 24 h under different experimental conditions: Control, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) 0.1 mm or 1 mm, or tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBH) 0.1 mm or 1 mm. LPO was assessed by the TBARS assay [malondialdehyde (MDA) detection] and by the fluorescence probes B581 and B665 (microplate fluorimeter and flow cytometry). Increasing MDA levels were only detectable at 1 mm of TBH or H2O2. Both fluorescence probes, measured with fluorometer, detected significant increases of LPO with time in all treatments, except Control. Flow cytometry allowed for higher sensitivity, with both probes showing a significant linear relationship of increasing LPO with time for all oxidizing treatments (p < 0.001). All methods showed a good agreement, except TBARS, and flow cytometry showed the highest repeatability. Our results show that both B581 and B665 might be used for LPO analysis in Iberian red deer epididymal spermatozoa, together with fluorometry or flow cytometry. Yet, the TBARS method offered comparatively limited sensitivity, and further research must determine the source of that limitation.S

Governing and accelerating transformative entrepreneurship: exploring the potential for small business innovation on urban sustainability transitions

The alluring yet nebulous concept of transformative change is increasingly gaining traction in conversations about pathways to more sustainable futures. As such, new conceptual tools are needed to illuminate variety of actors, interests, and capacities at play in potentially radical experiments. This paper draws upon multi-level governance theory, sustainability transitions scholarship, and sustainability entrepreneurship literature, to interrogate the transformative potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We (1) identify characteristics of SMEs that might make them relatively more able to produce radical innovations, (2) explore dimensions of the broader socio-political context that influence the likelihood of this potential to be translated into action in urban spaces, and (3) discuss implications of these dynamics for transformative sustainability governance

An Essential Difference between the Flavonoids MonoHER and Quercetin in Their Interplay with the Endogenous Antioxidant Network

Antioxidants can scavenge highly reactive radicals. As a result the antioxidants are converted into oxidation products that might cause damage to vital cellular components. To prevent this damage, the human body possesses an intricate network of antioxidants that pass over the reactivity from one antioxidant to another in a controlled way. The aim of the present study was to investigate how the semi-synthetic flavonoid 7-mono-O-(β-hydroxyethyl)-rutoside (monoHER), a potential protective agent against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity, fits into this antioxidant network. This position was compared with that of the well-known flavonoid quercetin. The present study shows that the oxidation products of both monoHER and quercetin are reactive towards thiol groups of both GSH and proteins. However, in human blood plasma, oxidized quercetin easily reacts with protein thiols, whereas oxidized monoHER does not react with plasma protein thiols. Our results indicate that this can be explained by the presence of ascorbate in plasma; ascorbate is able to reduce oxidized monoHER to the parent compound monoHER before oxidized monoHER can react with thiols. This is a major difference with oxidized quercetin that preferentially reacts with thiols rather than ascorbate. The difference in selectivity between monoHER and quercetin originates from an intrinsic difference in the chemical nature of their oxidation products, which was corroborated by molecular quantum chemical calculations. These findings point towards an essential difference between structurally closely related flavonoids in their interplay with the endogenous antioxidant network. The advantage of monoHER is that it can safely channel the reactivity of radicals into the antioxidant network where the reactivity is completely neutralized

Governing and accelerating transformative entrepreneurship: exploring the potential for small business innovation on urban sustainability transitions

The alluring yet nebulous concept of transformative change is increasingly gaining traction in conversations about pathways to more sustainable futures. As such, new conceptual tools are needed to illuminate variety of actors, interests, and capacities at play in potentially radical experiments. This paper draws upon multi-level governance theory, sustainability transitions scholarship, and sustainability entrepreneurship literature, to interrogate the transformative potential of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We (1) identify characteristics of SMEs that might make them relatively more able to produce radical innovations, (2) explore dimensions of the broader socio-political context that influence the likelihood of this potential to be translated into action in urban spaces, and (3) discuss implications of these dynamics for transformative sustainability governance