Creating an enabling legal framework fro REDD+ investments in Kenya

Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation and the role of conservation, sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries (REDD+) has emerged out of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)/Kyoto Protocol negotiations. It is intended to be a mechanism to channel funding (from both public and private sources) for reducing emissions from the forest sector. It is an international climate change policy that relies on national implementation. In order to attract and manage REDD+ investments (both public and private), countries need to decide on their approach to REDD+ implementation through a series of policy choices, and then implement those policy choices through strong legal frameworks. An important question for REDD+ host countries to consider, therefore, is how to develop robust legal structures to facilitate REDD+ implementation. These legal frameworks could be based on existing laws, and/or require new law making.

A legal perspective of carbon rights and benefit sharing under REDD+: A conceptual framework and examples from Cambodia and Kenya

This article discusses two key issues in REDD+ design and implementation at the national level – carbon rights, and benefit sharing. Both carbon rights and benefit sharing can be understood as new legal concepts (although they build on existing law), and as legal concepts they offer a framework for addressing related areas of REDD+ policy. Many countries are currently considering how to manage carbon rights and benefit sharing issues, including Cambodia and Kenya. Both of these countries host existing forest carbon projects and are also in the process of designing national REDD+ programmes. This article uses a conceptual framework for carbon rights and benefit sharing derived from legal analysis to consider the cases of both Cambodia and Kenya, and also includes a general discussion of the challenges countries might encounter when considering how to manage carbon rights and benefit sharing in the context of REDD+ implementation.

Physical activity and health related quality of life

Background Research on the relationship between Health Related Quality of Life (HRQoL) and physical activity (PA), to date, have rarely investigated how this relationship differ across objective and subjective measures of PA. The aim of this paper is to explore the relationship between HRQoL and PA, and examine how this relationship differs across objective and subjective measures of PA, within the context of a large representative national survey from England. Methods Using a sample of 5,537 adults (40–60 years) from a representative national survey in England (Health Survey for England 2008), Tobit regressions with upper censoring was employed to model the association between HRQoL and objective, and subjective measures of PA controlling for potential confounders. We tested the robustness of this relationship across specific types of PA. HRQoL was assessed using the summary measure of health state utility value derived from the EuroQol-5 Dimensions (EQ-5D) whilst PA was assessed via subjective measure (questionnaire) and objective measure (accelerometer- actigraph model GT1M). The actigraph was worn (at the waist) for 7 days (during waking hours) by a randomly selected sub-sample of the HSE 2008 respondents (4,507 adults – 16 plus years), with a valid day constituting 10 hours. Analysis was conducted in 2010. Results Findings suggest that higher levels of PA are associated with better HRQoL (regression coefficient: 0.026 to 0.072). This relationship is consistent across different measures and types of PA although differences in the magnitude of HRQoL benefit associated with objective and subjective (regression coefficient: 0.047) measures of PA are noticeable, with the former measure being associated with a relatively better HRQoL (regression coefficient: 0.072). Conclusion Higher levels of PA are associated with better HRQoL. Using an objective measure of PA compared with subjective shows a relatively better HRQoL.

The cost-effectiveness of exercise referral schemes

Background Exercise referral schemes (ERS) aim to identify inactive adults in the primary care setting. The primary care professional refers the patient to a third party service, with this service taking responsibility for prescribing and monitoring an exercise programme tailored to the needs of the patient. This paper examines the cost-effectiveness of ERS in promoting physical activity compared with usual care in primary care setting. Methods A decision analytic model was developed to estimate the cost-effectiveness of ERS from a UK NHS perspective. The costs and outcomes of ERS were modelled over the patient's lifetime. Data were derived from a systematic review of the literature on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of ERS, and on parameter inputs in the modelling framework. Outcomes were expressed as incremental cost per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). Deterministic and probabilistic sensitivity analyses investigated the impact of varying ERS cost and effectiveness assumptions. Sub-group analyses explored the cost-effectiveness of ERS in sedentary people with an underlying condition. Results Compared with usual care, the mean incremental lifetime cost per patient for ERS was £169 and the mean incremental QALY was 0.008, generating a base-case incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) for ERS at £20,876 per QALY in sedentary individuals without a diagnosed medical condition. There was a 51% probability that ERS was cost-effective at £20,000 per QALY and 88% probability that ERS was cost-effective at £30,000 per QALY. In sub-group analyses, cost per QALY for ERS in sedentary obese individuals was £14,618, and in sedentary hypertensives and sedentary individuals with depression the estimated cost per QALY was £12,834 and £8,414 respectively. Incremental lifetime costs and benefits associated with ERS were small, reflecting the preventative public health context of the intervention, with this resulting in estimates of cost-effectiveness that are sensitive to variations in the relative risk of becoming physically active and cost of ERS. Conclusions ERS is associated with modest increase in lifetime costs and benefits. The cost-effectiveness of ERS is highly sensitive to small changes in the effectiveness and cost of ERS and is subject to some significant uncertainty mainly due to limitations in the clinical effectiveness evidence base.

Fine mapping of qGW1, a major QTL for grain weight in sorghum

Key message We detected seven QTLs for 100-grain weight in sorghum using an F 2 population, and delimited qGW1 to a 101-kb region on the short arm of chromosome 1, which contained 13 putative genes. Abstract Sorghum is one of the most important cereal crops. Breeding high-yielding sorghum varieties will have a profound impact on global food security. Grain weight is an important component of grain yield. It is a quantitative trait controlled by multiple quantitative trait loci (QTLs); however, the genetic basis of grain weight in sorghum is not well understood. In the present study, using an F2 population derived from a cross between the grain sorghum variety SA2313 (Sorghum bicolor) and the Sudan-grass variety Hiro-1 (S. bicolor), we detected seven QTLs for 100-grain weight. One of them, qGW1, was detected consistently over 2 years and contributed between 20 and 40 % of the phenotypic variation across multiple genetic backgrounds. Using extreme recombinants from a fine-mapping F3 population, we delimited qGW1 to a 101-kb region on the short arm of chromosome 1, containing 13 predicted gene models, one of which was found to be under purifying selection during domestication. However, none of the grain size candidate genes shared sequence similarity with previously cloned grain weight-related genes from rice. This study will facilitate isolation of the gene underlying qGW1 and advance our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of grain weight. SSR markers linked to the qGW1 locus can be used for improving sorghum grain yield through marker-assisted selection.

Fine Mapping of qDor7, a Major QTL Affecting Seed Dormancy in Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench)

Seed dormancy is a key domestication trait for major crops, which is acquired in long-term systems development processes and enables the survival of plants in adverse natural conditions. It is a complex trait under polygenic control and is affected by endogenous and environmental factors. In the present study, a major seed dormancy QTL in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), qDor7, detected previously, was fine mapped using a large, multi-generational population. The qDor7 locus was delimited to a 96-kb region which contains 16 predicted gene models. These results lay a solid foundation for cloning qDor7. In addition, the functional markers tightly linked to the seed dormancy QTL may be used in marker-assisted selection for seed dormancy in sorghum.

Dislocations in the crystallites of nanocrystalline alpha-Fe - A molecular dynamics study

Molecular dynamics simulations are carried out in order to study the atomic structure of crystalline component, of nanocrystalline alpha-Fe when it is consolidated from small grains. A two-dimensional computational block is used to simulate the consolidation process. All the preset dislocations in the original grains glide out of them in the consolidation process, but new dislocations can generate when the grain size is large enough. It shows that dislocations exist in the consolidated material rather than in the original grains. Whether dislocations exist in the crystalline component of the resultant model nana-material depends upon grain size. The critical value of grain size for dislocation generation appears to be about 9 nm. This result agrees with experiments qualitatively.

Era uma vez uma ilha de Pescadores Artesanais: impactos socioambientais dos grandes complexos industriais, conflitos e resistência (Ilha da Madeira/Itaguaí/RJ)

O presente estudo visa analisar os processos de transformações econômicos, políticos e socioambientais decorrentes da instalação dos grandes empreendimentos em territórios tradicionais da pesca, mais especificamente, as experiências da comunidade pesqueira da Ilha da Madeira/baía de Sepetiba/Itaguaí-RJ, desde a instalação da Cia Ingá Mercantil (1964) até os dias atuais, identificando, nos vários ciclos de industrialização: os fatores endógenos e exógenos que contribuem para a vulnerabilidade ou sustentabilidade da pesca artesanal e do meio ambiente. Sinalizando, nesta experiência, alguns aspectos que possam servir de referência para outras comunidades pesqueiras que vivenciam problemas similares. Introduzimos a problemática a partir da contextualização da pesca artesanal no Brasil, as políticas, a regulamentação da atividade, a organização dos pescadores. Ao evidenciar a pesca artesanal no estado do Rio de Janeiro, destacamos os conflitos socioambientais decorrentes da instalação de complexos industriais em territórios tradicionalmente ocupados por pescadores, com destaque para os conflitos relativos à instalação do Porto de Açu, em São João da Barra/RJ e os gasodutos para a refinaria de petróleo na baía de Guanabara. Aprofundamos a temática, a partir de um estudo de caso na Ilha da Madeira, baía de Sepetiba, Itaguaí/RJ. Esse território, tradicionalmente ocupado por pescadores, mergulhou em uma crise socioambiental a partir da década de 60 e, desde então, vem passando por diversas transformações: alteração radical da paisagem, degradação ambiental além do sufocamento da atividade pesqueira. Os fatos são evidenciados por meio de pesquisas bibliográficas, documentais, registros fotográficos, sobretudo, história de oral. Em entrevistas com informantes-chave resgatamos as memórias pessoais e, nesse percurso, fomos recuperando parte da história do território. Caracterizando a paisagem, a vida e trabalho dos pescadores, a cultura local: tradições, costumes, valores, aspectos materiais e simbólicos, em um período anterior a chegada das indústrias, quando a Ilha da Madeira era de fato, uma Ilha. Em suas narrativas os entrevistados foram pontuando as sucessões dos trágicos acontecimentos que ocorreram após a instalação da Ingá até os dias atuais. Esses fatos são demarcados em ciclos que compõem a crise socioambiental no território. Um estudo que retrata a injustiça ambiental, a vulnerabilidade de uma comunidade pesqueira, cuja experiência serve de alerta para outras comunidades tradicionais. Ressaltamos a importância das articulações entre os movimentos locais com instâncias extras locais, sinalizando para a necessidade de democratização dos processos decisórios e da gestão compartilhada dos recursos de uso comum. Também pontuamos a urgência de superação do paradigma que dissocia desenvolvimento, natureza e sociedade, fortalecendo uma lógica de produção que, ao se impor como hegemônica sufoca todas outras formas de organização do trabalho.

Memes pluralistas práticas linguístico-midiáticas em fenômenos bilíngues: um estudo sistêmico-funcional e multimodal sobre propagação via corpora digitais

Investigou-se pelo presente estudo se a concepção presente na Teoria de Replicadores, expressa através do conceito de meme (DAWKINS, 1979), poderia ser um modelo compatível para explicar a propagação de memes no substrato das mídias sociais. No âmbito dos estudos locais, Recuero (2006) sugeriu uma transdução desse modelo, baseando-se nas concepções de Dawkins (1979). Refletindo sobre o posicionamento epistemológico de Recuero (2006), o presente trabalho, baseando-se em Dennett (1995), Blackmore (2002) e Tyler (2011b; 2013b), procedeu às instâncias de Análise Conceitual e Composicional dessa transdução. A partir do conceito de memeplexo (BLACKMORE, 2002), esta pesquisa de base linguística (HALLIDAY, 1987) entende os memes, no substrato das mídias digitais/sociais, como práticas de produção e distribuição linguístico-midiáticas, propaladas a partir de diversas unidades de propagação e das relações criadas pelos internautas nesse processo de transmissão. Investigando tais relações, a partir da instância de Análise Relacional, propõe-se examinar duas unidades de propagação. Expressões meméticas (Que deselegante e #Tenso) e imagens meméticas (oriundas do fenômeno memético Nana em desastres). Integram este estudo dois corpora de expressões meméticas (5275 postagens oriundas ou redirecionadas para o Twitter.com total de 83.655 palavras/tokens) e um corpus bilíngue (Português/Inglês) de imagens meméticas (um total de 134 imagens oriundas do Tumblr.com e Facebook.com). Para analisar os corpora de expressões meméticas utilizou-se a metodologia de Linguística de Corpus (BERBER-SARDINHA, 2004; SHEPHERD, 2009; SOUZA JÚNIOR, 2012, 2013b, 2013c). Para a análise do corpus multimodal de imagens meméticas, utilizou-se a metodologia que chamamos de Análise Propagatória. Objetivamos verificar se essas unidades de propagação e as práticas linguístico-midiáticas que estas transmitem, evoluiriam somente devido a aspectos memético-midiáticos, conforme Recuero (2006) apontara, e com padrão de propagação internalista (DAWKINS, 1979; 1982). Após análise dos dados, revelou-se que, ao nível do propósito, os fenômenos locais investigados não evoluíram por padrão internalista (ou homogêneo) de propagação. Tais padrões revelam ser de natureza externalista (ou heterogênea). Ademais, constatou-se que princípios constitutivos meméticos de evolução como os de fecundidade, longevidade (DAWKINS 1979; 1982) e o de design (DENNETT, 1995), junto com o princípio midiático de evolução de alcance (RECUERO, 2006) mantiveram-se presentes com alto grau de influencia nas propagações de natureza externalista. Por outro lado, o princípio memético da fidelidade (DAWKINS, 1979; 1982) foi o que menos influenciou esses padrões de propagação. Neutralizando a fidelidade, e impulsionados pelo princípio de design, destacaram-se nesse processo evolutivo os princípios linguísticos sistematizadores revelados por este estudo. Isto é: o princípio da funcionalidade (memes evoluem porque podem indicar propósitos diferentes) e o princípio do alcance linguístico (memes podem ser direcionados a itens animados/ inanimados; para internautas em idioma nativo/ estrangeiro)

萱草属的进化与分类

根据现有记载，萱草属约有20种，主要分布在东亚，由于种间在外部形态和核型上的高度相似性，加之长期人工栽培，使本属植物的分类成为一个难题，我们做了大量的野外调查和温室栽培试验，获得了一些有意义的观察结果，对核型变异做了详细定量分析：系统观察了花粉扫描电镜特征，为了揭示属内可能的表征和分支关系，运用聚类分析，主成分分析及简约分析对属下类群做了定量研究．本文得到如下主要结论． 1．虽然迄今为止许多核型观察结果未能得到有分类学意义的结论，运用数量分析方法比较各分类群核型定量变异结果表明，其分类学意义是明显的，例如，北黄花菜、黄花菜和小黄花菜三者外部形态很一致，核型亦高度相似：大苞萱草和多花萱草的核型公式虽与前三者相同，但已出现明显的数量变异．同样，北萱草，折叶萱草和西南萱草虽有相同核型公式，亦出现明显数量变异．萱草则与所有其他类群的核型均有明显差别．核型对称性分析表明，臂比不对称性出现一个由低到高的演变序列：但长度不对称性与此无明显相关性．萱草和折叶萱草的臂比不对称性最低，西南萱草和北萱草升高，黄花菜，大苞萱草和多花萱草等最高． 2．观察到三种类型花粉;舟形具网纹，舟形具疣纹和亚球形具疣纹．萱草，北萱草，大苞萱草，北黄花菜，黄花菜，小黄花菜及多花萱草具第一种类型花粉;折叶萱草和西南萱草具第2种类型花粉;矮萱草具第三种花粉．以广义百合科其他类群作为复合外类群进行比较，推测花粉形态的演化序列为：舟形具网纹一舟形具疣纹一亚球形具疣纹． 3．在外部形态上，萱草因具二叉分枝花序，叶型苞片，根膨大适中，花蕾顶部绿色及花筒占花被比例较小等原始性状状态，结合不对称性较低的核型特征和舟形具网纹花粉特征，是现存种类中最原始类群;折叶萱草及北萱草等具较短的花筒，二叉分枝花序，单色花被及花蕾部绿色等特征显得进化程度不高．黄花菜因具夜间开花习性，长花筒，叶鞘红色等状态被认为是进化类群，大苞萱草高度压缩的花序形成头状花序，具总苞状宽大苞片及绳索状根被认为是特化类群，矮萱草个体矮小，单花，具亚球形疣纹花粉亦被认为是高度特化类群．外部形态，花粉特征，核型及地理分布之间存在着相关性;随地理水平分布由南向北，外部形态特征由原始到进化，核型不对称性由低到高：随地理垂直分布由低向高，形态特征由复杂到简化，核型不对称性由低到高，花粉形态由舟形具网纹到舟形具疣纹再到亚球形具疣纹，这两种趋势结合起来构画出了本属植物演化和地理分布的基本轮廊． 4．萱草是一个孤立的属，没有明确的外类群可供比较．在现存类群中．Dahlgren等(1985)认为本属与分布在非洲，地中海地区，西亚及中亚的Asphodeloideae（亚科）有较多的共有特征．本文比较了两个类群之后发现，萱草不但在许多一般特征上与Asphodeloideae -致，而且在小孢子同时型发生及含蒽醌等被认为是Asphodeloideae典型属性的特征上亦与后者相同．这些共有特征显示出二 者在系统发育上一定的联系．进一步比较发现两者在有差异的特征中，萱草属显得较为进化．二者的分布区是完全不同的;Asphodeloideae分布在中亚及其以西地区和非洲，而本属分布在东亚，延及西伯利亚，据本文分析，欧洲生长的一个种(H.lilioasphodelus，北黄花菜)是归化类群．北美和台湾没有自然分布，但栽培植物均生长良好，而且已有归化植物．由此似乎可以推测，本届的祖先与Asphodeloideae的祖先有亲缘关系，这种关系似可远溯到第三纪古地中海时期，或许当时与Asphodeloideae祖先有关系的一个分支分布于古地中海东南缘的康滇古陆，即与现今横断山地区相应的地区，由于喜玛拉雅造山运动引起的地质，地理和气候剧变，某些类群灭绝了，一个类群发展成现今的萱草属． 5．由于本属各分类群间形态及核型相似性程度较高，种间极易（人工）杂交，似无必要在属与种间增设组或系，根据本文研究结果及参考有关分类文献（国外种类），我们将萱草属处理为10种2亚种13变种：H.darrowiana Hu;小萱草(H.dumortieri Morr.)及北萱草(var. esculenta (Koidz.) Kitamura;西南萱草(H.forrestii Diels);萱草(H.fulva (L.) L.)及var. aurantiaca (Baker) Hotta, var. disticha (Donn.) Baker，重瓣萱草(var. kwanso Regel)，var. littorea (Makino)Hotta，长菅萱草(var. longituba (Miq.) Maxim，var. maculata Baroni，var. pauciflora Hotta et Matsuoka, var. rosea Stout, var. sempervirens (Araki) Hotta; H. hakuunensis Nakai;北黄花菜 (H. lilioasphodelus L. Var. lilioasphodelus)及黄花菜(ssp. citrina (Baroni) Xiong)，小黄花菜(ssp. minor(Mill.) Xiong)，var. corcana (Nakai) Xiong;大苞萱草 (H. middendorfii Trautv. et Mey var. middendorfii)及var. exaltata (Stout) Kitamura，长苞萱草(var. longibracteata Xiong);多花萱草(H. multiflora Stout);矮萱草(H. nana Smith ct Forrest);折叶萱草(H.plicata Stapf)。

小波鱼属（Microrasbora）鱼类的分类整理

小波鱼属(Microrasbora)隶属于鲤形目(Cypriniformes)鲤科(Cprinidae) Danioninae 亚科，小型鱼类，目前包括5 个种，其中库氏小波鱼(Microrasbora kubotai)分布于泰国，盖氏小波鱼(M. gatesi)、红身小波鱼(M. rubescence)、 娜拉小波鱼(M. nana)分布于缅甸，小眼小波鱼(M. microphthalma sp. nov. )分 布于中国。本文对该属鱼类5 种45 尾标本的9 个可数性状和12 个可量性状 进行分析比较，并描述该属鱼类一新种。主要结论如下： 1. 小波鱼属的主要鉴别特征：体小型、短而侧扁；眼大而突出，眼径是 眼间距的150 %；口小、亚上位；下颌无须，前端腹缘宽钝；背鳍鳍 条8–10、其中分支鳍条5–7；臀鳍分支鳍条8–13，臀鳍前长/体长约 60-71 %；尾鳍深叉形；鳞片大而薄，不易见，易脱落，横列鳞数目 7–71/2，侧线缺失；沿体侧中轴线一模糊条带，周围具分散黑色素（大 的个体在背部具模糊的网状纹）；第四胸肋基部一大孔，其侧面可见。 2. 基于外部形态特征，利用分支系统学原理和方法对小波鱼属鱼类进行 系统发育研究。分支系统学结果证明小波鱼属的单系性是成立的，小 波鱼属鱼类可能具有的分化顺序是：小眼小波鱼是最早分化出来的物 种；红身小波鱼是第二个分化出来的物种；库氏小波鱼是第三个分化 出来的物种；娜拉小波鱼与盖氏小波鱼是最晚分化出来的物种。 3. 小眼小波鱼的主要鉴别特征：背鳍前鳞 15–16，背鳍前长是标准长的 60–68%，臀鳍前长是标准长的65–71%，眼径是头长的27–38%，眼径 是眼间距的70–93%，背鳍起点在背鳍起点之后。根据以上特征，将其 描述为小波鱼属一新种。 4. 小眼小波鱼在中国瑞丽江（伊洛瓦底水系）支流南畹河被发现。该种 鱼为国内该属鱼类的首次记录。 5. 小眼小波鱼生活于平缓山间溪流，食性以浮游动物和浮游植物为主。

Direct determination of sialic acids in serum by capillary electrophoresis with UV detection

A novel method for the determination of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NGNA) has been developed using high-performance capillary electrophoresis with UV detection at 195 nm, without pre or post-column derivatisation. The acids were separated in a 50-cm, fused-silica capillary (50 mu m i.d, 45.5-cm effective length) with Na2B4O7-Na2HPO4 buffer. The detection limit for NANA is a concentration of 9.6 x 10(-6) M or, in terms of mass: 3.879 x 10(-14) mol (39 fmol). This method is applicable to determination of NANA in normal human serum. The results were also compared with those of the colorimetrie method.

Bromophenols coupled with derivatives of amino acids and nucleosides from the red alga Rhodomela confervoides

Three new bromophenols coupled with pyroglutamic acid derivatives and one bromophenol coupled with deoxyguanosine were obtained from the red alga Rhodomela confervoides. By spectroscopic methods including 2D NMR and single-crystal X-ray structure analysis their structures were elucidated as N-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl)methyl pyroglutamate (1), N-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl)pyroglutamic acid (2), N-[3-bromo-2-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzyl)-4,5-dihydroxybenzyllmethyl pyroglutamate (3), and 2-N-(2,3-dibromo-4,5-dihydroxybenzylamino)deoxyguanosine (4), respectively. Compounds 1-4 were evaluated against several microorganisms and human cancer cell lines, but found inactive. To our knowledge this is the first report of bromophenols coupled with amino acid or nucleoside derivatives through the C-N bond.

Determination of sialic acids in the serum of cancer patients by capillary electrophoresis

A novel method for the determination of N-acetylneuraminic acid (NANA) and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (NGNA) was developed by using high-performance capillary electrophoresis (HPCE) with UV detection at 195 nm. NANA and NGNA were separated directly and analyzed without pre- or postcolumn derivation. The detection limit of NANA is 9.6 x 10(-6) mol L-1 and for mass 3.879 x 10(-14) mol (39 fmol). This method was applied for the determination of NANA in 30 normal human and 72 cancer patients. The results demonstrated that NANA in the sera of cancer patients increased significantly as compared with the normal human (P < 0.001). The new method is simple and sensitive, and is suitable for basic research and clinical application to malignant tumors.

HIV/AIDS and national security

McInnes, C., 'HIV/AIDS and national security', in: AIDS and Governance, N. Poku, A. Whiteside and B. Sandkjaer (eds.),(Aldershot: Ashgate, 2007), pp.93-111 RAE2008