Reconciling multiple societal objectives in cross-scale marine governance: Solomon Islands’ engagement in the Coral Triangle Initiative

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher via the DOI in this record.Environmental governance aims to reconcile an expanding set of societal objectives at ever-larger scales despite the challenges that remain in integrating conservation and development at smaller scales. We interrogate Solomon Islands’ engagement in the Coral Triangle Initiative on Coral Reefs, Fisheries and Food Security to contribute new insight on the scalar politics of multi-level marine governance. We show how regional objectives are re-interpreted and prioritized as they translate into national policy and practice. Our data suggest that enhanced coordination of finances and activities, integration of objectives in shared protocols and priority geographies, and a subtle shift in power relations between the state, donors, and implementation partners have resulted from processes of re-scaling. We discuss important procedural adjustments in cross-level and cross-scale governance across jurisdictional, institutional, and sectoral scales. We also reflect on the changing role of national governments in shifts toward large-scale, multi-national initiatives.LE acknowledges funding from the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies. PJC and DB undertook this work as part of the CGIAR Research Program on Fish Agrifood Systems (FISH). Funding support for this study was provided by an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research grant (FIS/2012/074)

Iatrogenic hypothyroidism and acute psychosis

We present the case of a 39 years old woman who was referred to our day hospital unit because of anxiety. The patient didn\u2019t endorse any past psychiatric symptoms except for an acute psychotic episode in August 2010. In June 2010 she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism (likely due to Hashimoto\u2019s thyroiditis) and was started on Methilmazole 30 mg. Shortly after that she reported persecutory ideation and hallucinations which quickly progressed, until she was hospitalized in a psychiatric facility. Upon admittance her lab work revealed severe hypothyroidism. Methilmazole was suspended, she was started on Haloperidol, and the symptoms went into remission after four days. Despite the fact that she self discontinued Haloperidol shortly after discharge, she showed no sign of psychotic symptoms. While it is widely accepted that hypothyroidism can cause depressive symptoms, to the best of our knowledge very few cases of psychotic symptoms associated with this condition have been described. Based on the patient\u2019s clinical history, on the rapid onset and remission of symptoms, on the lab values and on the doses of medication that were prescribed, we hypothesize that our patient\u2019s psychotic episode was caused by iatrogenic hypothyroidism

A convenient band-gap interpolation technique and an improved band line-up model for InGaAlAs on InP

The band-gap energy and the band line-up of InGaAlAs quaternary compound material on InP are essential information for the theoretical study of physical properties and the design of optoelectronics devices operating in the long-wavelength communication window. The band-gap interpolation of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As on InP is known to be a challenging task due to the observed discrepancy of experimental results arising from the bowing effect. Besides, the band line-up results of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As on InP based on previously reported models have limited success by far. In this work, we propose an interpolation solution using the single-variable surface bowing estimation interpolation method for the fitting of experimentally measured In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As band-gap data with various degree of bowing using the same set of input parameters. The suggested solution provides an easier and more physically interpretable way to determine not only lattice matched, but also strained band-gap energy of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As on InP based on the experimental results. Interpolated results from this convenient method show a more favourable match to multiple independent experiment data sets measured under different temperature conditions as compared to those obtained from the commonly used weighted-sum approach. On top of that, extended framework of the model-solid theory for the band line-up of In1-x-y Ga (x) Al (y) As/InP heterostructure is proposed. Our model-solid theory band line-up result using the proposed extended framework has shown an improved accuracy over those without the extension. In contrast to some previously reported works, it is worth noting that the band line-up result based on our proposed extended model-solid theory has also shown to be more accurate than those given by Harrison's mode

Diffusion of Zn into GaAs and AlGaAs from isothermal Liquid-phase epitaxy solutions

In this work we present results of zinc diffusion in GaAs using the liquid phase epitaxy technique from liquid solutions of Ga‐As‐Zn and Ga‐As‐Al‐Zn. Using silicon‐doped n‐GaAs substrates, working at a diffusion temperature of 850 °C, and introducing a dopant concentration ranging 1018–1019 cm−3, the most important findings regarding the diffusion properties are as follows: (a) zinc concentration in the solid depends on the square root of zinc atomic fraction in the liquid; (b) the diffusion is dominated by the interstitial‐substitutional process; (c) the diffusivity D varies as about C3 in the form D=2.9×10−67C3.05; (d) aluminum plays the role of the catalyst of the diffusion process, if it is introduced in the liquid solution, since it is found that D varies as (γAsXlAs)−1; (e) the zinc interstitial is mainly doubly ionized (Zn++i); (f) the zinc diffusion coefficient in Al0.85 Ga0.15 As is about four times greater than in GaAs; (g) by means of all these results, it is possible to control zinc diffusion processes in order to obtain optimized depth junctions and doping levels in semiconductor device fabrication

Securing a just space for small-scale fisheries in the blue economy

The vast developmental opportunities offered by the world\u27s coasts and oceans have attracted the attention of governments, private enterprises, philanthropic organizations, and international conservation organizations. High-profile dialogue and policy decisions on the future of the ocean are informed largely by economic and ecological research. Key insights from the social sciences raise concerns for food and nutrition security, livelihoods and social justice, but these have yet to gain traction with investors and the policy discourse on transforming ocean governance. The largest group of ocean-users - women and men who service, fish and trade from small-scale fisheries (SSF) - argue that they have been marginalized from the dialogue between international environmental and economic actors that is determining strategies for the future of the ocean. Blue Economy or Blue Growth initiatives see the ocean as the new economic frontier and imply an alignment with social objectives and SSF concerns. Deeper analysis reveals fundamental differences in ideologies, priorities and approaches. We argue that SSF are being subtly and overtly squeezed for geographic, political and economic space by larger scale economic and environmental conservation interests, jeopardizing the substantial benefits SSF provide through the livelihoods of millions of women and men, for the food security of around four billion consumers globally, and in the developing world, as a key source of micro-nutrients and protein for over a billion low-income consumers. Here, we bring insights from social science and SSF to explore how ocean governance might better account for social dimensions of fisheries

Localization of metabotropic glutamate receptors in the outer plexiform layer of the goldfish retina

We studied the localization of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) in the goldfish outer plexiform layer by light-and electron-microscopical immunohistochemistry. The mGluR1α antibody labeled putative ON-type bipolar cell dendrites and horizontal cell processes in both rod spherules and cone triads. Immunolabeling for mGluR2/3 was absent in the rod synaptic complex but was found at horizontal cell dendrites directly opposing the cone synaptic ribbon. The mGluR5 antibody labeled Müller cell processes wrapping rod terminals and horizontal cell somata. The mGluR7 antibody labeled mainly horizontal cell dendrites invaginating rods and cones and some putative bipolar cell dendrites in the cone synaptic complex. The finding of abundant expression of various mGluRs in bipolar and horizontal cell dendrites suggests multiple sites of glutamatergic modulation in the outer retina

Novel Expression Patterns of Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor 6 in the Zebrafish Nervous System

The metabotropic glutamate receptor 6 (mGluR6 or GRM6) belongs to the class III of the metabotropic glutamate receptor family. It is the only known mGluR that mediates direct synaptic transmission in the nervous system and is thought to mediate the ON-response in the ON-pathway of the vertebrate retina. Phylogenetic and gene structure analysis indicated that the zebrafish genome harbours two mglur6 paralogs, mglur6a and mglur6b. Besides expression in the inner nuclear layer and distinct regions in the brain, both mglur6 paralogs are expressed in ganglion cells of the retina, an expression pattern which can also be observed in the downstream effector molecules gnaoa and gnaob. This unexpected expression pattern is consistent with immunohistological labeling using a peptide antibody specific for the mGluR6b paralog. These expression patterns contradict the existing view that mGluR6 is solely located on ON-bipolar cells where it functions in signal transmission. Consistent with expression in ON-bipolar cells, we report a decreased b-wave amplitude in the electroretinogram after morpholino-based downregulation of mGluR6b, showing a function in the ON response. Our data suggest more widespread functions of mGluR6 mediated signaling in the central nervous system, possibly including sign reversing synapses in the inner retina

Mimicking the Neurotrophic Factor Profile of Embryonic Spinal Cord Controls the Differentiation Potential of Spinal Progenitors into Neuronal Cells

Recent studies have indicated that the choice of lineage of neural progenitor cells is determined, at least in part, by environmental factors, such as neurotrophic factors. Despite extensive studies using exogenous neurotrophic factors, the effect of endogenous neurotrophic factors on the differentiation of progenitor cells remains obscure. Here we show that embryonic spinal cord derived-progenitor cells express both ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA before differentiation. BDNF gene expression significantly decreases with their differentiation into the specific lineage, whereas CNTF gene expression significantly increases. The temporal pattern of neurotrophic factor gene expression in progenitor cells is similar to that of the spinal cord during postnatal development. Approximately 50% of spinal progenitor cells differentiated into astrocytes. To determine the effect of endogenous CNTF on their differentiation, we neutralized endogenous CNTF by administration of its polyclonal antibody. Neutralization of endogenous CNTF inhibited the differentiation of progenitor cells into astrocytes, but did not affect the numbers of neurons or oligodendrocytes. Furthermore, to mimic the profile of neurotrophic factors in the spinal cord during embryonic development, we applied BDNF or neurotrophin (NT)-3 exogenously in combination with the anti-CNTF antibody. The exogenous application of BDNF or NT-3 promoted the differentiation of these cells into neurons or oligodendrocytes, respectively. These findings suggest that endogenous CNTF and exogenous BDNF and NT-3 play roles in the differentiation of embryonic spinal cord derived progenitor cells into astrocytes, neurons and oligodendrocytes, respectively

Collaborative creativity: The Music Room

In this paper, we reflect on our experience of designing, developing and evaluating interactive spaces for collaborative creativity. In particular, we are interested in designing spaces which allow everybody to compose and play original music. The Music Room is an interactive installation where couples can compose original music by moving in the space. Following the metaphor of love, the music is automatically generated and modulated in terms of pleasantness and intensity, according to the proxemics cues extracted from the visual tracking algorithm. The Music Room was exhibited during the EU Researchers' Night in Trento, Italy