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Fish Predation in Bivalve Aquaculture: Impacts and Potential Mitigation Strategies
No full textFish predation poses a significant challenge to bivalve aquaculture throughout the global range of production. However, the issue remains poorly understood, preventing the advance of effective interventions. Fish predation, especially on mussels in longline culture, can be severe and, in some instances, lead to crop losses of up to 100%, which has resulted in the closure of farming operations in several major European production regions. Although the predation of oysters, clams, and scallops by fish is generally less severe in bottom culture, they are more vulnerable to predation when cultivated in off‐bottom culture systems. The fish species responsible for crop losses on shellfish farms typically vary both spatially and temporally, making it crucial to identify the species responsible and also the stages of bivalve aquaculture production most affected for developing practical and long‐term solutions to the problem. Many approaches used for controlling fish behaviour in other situations (e.g., for limiting fish access into water intake pipes of industrial powerplants) appear to show promise for use in aquaculture environments. Potential mitigation strategies for fish predation fall into four broad categories: physical exclusion, deterrence, removal, and changes to husbandry practices. However, further research is required to determine their effectiveness in aquaculture situations, among different fish species, and their potential effects on non‐target species. This review highlights the importance of a comprehensive approach to addressing fish predation in shellfish aquaculture by balancing economic interests with ecological considerations within aquaculture operations
Pluralities of Responsibility for Violations of the Law of Armed Conflict in Coalition Warfare
No full textThe responsibility of international persons in relation to the conduct of another is a topic which has garnered significant controversy in international law, particularly in relation to coalition warfare. The manner in which the laws of responsibility apply to acts of troop-contributing nations and international organisations making up the membership of coalition forces has been subject to vast academic debate, much of which is not considered with reference to the political and military realities which impact command and control structures in coalition operations. Coalition operations have been criticised as a means by which participating international persons can diffuse international responsibility. This paper, therefore, considers how the law on the responsibility of States and international organisations for internationally wrongful acts applies when international persons engage in partnered warfighting. It is argued that whilst States do not have an obligation to ensure that their partners of choice comply with the law of armed conflict, they may be responsible for their partners’ conduct where they collectively commit an unlawful act, control the conduct of foreign forces, or are otherwise complicit. Although these standards are accepted in customary international law, the realities of military operations, such as command and control arrangements across coalition forces, the political interests of States and differing international obligations of contributors to a coalition must be considered to fully understand the pluralities of responsibility which may arise in coalition operations. It is concluded that, notwithstanding the complexities that the political realities of warfare create in the determination of responsibility and academic criticisms of coalitions, the laws lex lata is sufficient to determine responsibility in partnered warfighting
Exploring Cheverl Phase Materials as Cathodes in Rechargable Magnesium Ion Batteries
No full textThe unique cluster structure of the binary Chevrel phase material Mo6S8 allows for reversible insertion of various cations in electrochemical cells; however, charge trapping is an intrinsic problem limiting the effectiveness of the material. This effect can be alleviated through substitution of the sulphur for selenium where a triclinic distortion created upon magnesium intercalation greatly improves ion mobility. This work investigates the Chrevel phase material series Mo6S8-xSex and Mo5Ru1S8-xSex where x = 0,1,2,...,8 as cathode in rechargeable magnesium ion batteries (MIBs) and investigating the structural changes occurring as a result of magnesium intercalation. Rietveld refinements performed on the Mo6S8-xSex series reveal a minimum in unit cell parameters occurring along the c-axis with low selenium content (x = 1,2). The Mo5Ru1S8-xSex series exhibited a contraction of the c-axis while expanding the a/b-axis. The calculated volume of both series increased linearly with selenium doping. Electrochemical behaviour analysis from cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurements demonstrated electrode activation after the first cycle, resulting in reduced charge transfer resistances and removal of the magnesium passivation layer. Battery performance across the Mo6S8-xSex series improved as the plateau voltages decreased with increasing selenium content. The recorded specific capacity increased with selenium doping, demonstrated a reduction charge trapping effects. Battery consistency was improved by incorporating an eight-hour rest period after cell assembly; as well as increasing the applied current and reducing the voltage window. The battery performance across the Mo5Ru1S8-xSex series was generally poor; however, the performance gradually increased with selenium doping. This reduced performance is believed to relate to the shorter c-axis and increased electron count. In-situ battery measurements demonstrated magnesium intercalation with magnesium containing phases appearing in discreet positions in the reflected pattern. As discreet phases are observed, no partial magnesium occupancies are forming. Charge trapping effects and low voltage ceilings prevented complete demagnesiation of the active materials. The Mo6Se8 material demonstrated a phase transition from the rhombohedral R-3 space group to the triclinic P-1 space group with magnesium intercalation. The Mo5Ru1S8-xSex series experienced limited intercalation, with no additional magnesium past MgMo5Ru1S8-xSex observed
“A manual of epic proportions!”: Feedback from local and international focus group participants on a toolkit for neurological choir facilitators
No full textFeeling out feelings: The rogue archives of WildStar
No full textn this paper, we explore the potential to reconstruct otherwise ‘lost’ and unplayable
videogames through their paratextual remnants. The rogue and unkempt archives
comprised of these remnants afford particular access, we will show, to the feelings
and sensations that emerge from playing videogames. The ruins of increasing
numbers of failed, forgotten and abandoned videogames collect all around us,
rendered inoperable as services, servers, and circuitry are retired, discontinued, and
fall into obsolescence. Conventional approaches to videogame preservation consider
this a technical problem, proposing software emulation as the solution (Guttenbrunner
et al. 2010; Pinchbeck et al. 2009). However, focusing solely on reproducing playable
artefacts overlooks important context of use (Winget 2011), further eroding a sense of
the player’s involvement in coconstituting videogame experiences (Giddings and
Kennedy 2008; Morris 2003; Newman 2012).
Our proposed methodological intervention allows situated encounters of play to be
reconstructed from the past by connecting in more vernacular ways to alternative
modes of remembrance driven by videogame players. We modify the approach of
‘platform anarchaeology’ (Apperley and Parikka 2015)—a method for constructing
speculative media histories of failed, experimental, and long-vanished platforms
derived from earlier media anarchaeological approaches (Zielinski 2006)—and adapt
it for videogames. The platform anarchaeological approach crystallises a means by
which to “speculate on alternative yet complementary trajectories for platforms” that
have failed, and uses digital ephemera to piece together “speculative, alternative, minor, and even imaginary perspectives” of platform and media experiences (Apperley and Parikka 2018, 360)
Language and Culture in Co-evolution: Phylogenetic Analyses of Linguistic and Cultural Change
No full textThe evolutionary relationship between language and culture has long attracted the attention of anthropology and linguistics, but the relevant aspects of their coevolutionary mechanisms remain controversial. This dissertation uses a phylogenetic approach to analyze data from multiple linguistic and cultural groups around the world to study the co-evolution of language and culture. By integrating various datasets from the large D-PLACE and Grambank databases, we explored the relationship between linguistic changes and cultural shifts to test the coupling hypothesis of language and cultural evolution. Our study involves fourteen datasets, thirteen language families, and three phylogenetic methods: maximum parsimony, maximum likelihood, and Bayesian phylogenetics to assess the relationship between language evolution and cultural development.
This study reveals the evolutionary universality of linguistic-cultural coupling by combining a large-scale cross-linguistic database with advanced phylogenetic analyses, improves the rigor of cross-linguistic phylogenetic approaches, and provides new perspectives for unraveling prehistoric missing processes. However, anomalies need to be combined with other information to jointly explain and target the feature coding framework to improve the analysis. The results provide new empirical support for understanding the complexity of prehistoric human societies and also highlight the importance of methodological choices (Bayesian phylogeny) for inferring evolutionary relationships, which is instructive for filling in the missing parts of human prehistory. The study suggests that further combinations of linguistics, culture, and computer science will be needed in the future to deepen the understanding of complex evolutionary mechanisms and provide a basis for preserving and enhancing linguistic and cultural information
Exploring heutagogy in a tertiary coach developer course
No full textThis study explores the challenges of applying heutagogy in a tertiary coach education course. It examines (first author) Blake’s assumptions about heutagogy as a complementary epistemological approach in coach education and how these assumptions shaped his teaching in a third-year coach developer course. Building on previous research on heutagogy in student-coach learning, this study uses self-study methodology to provide a nuanced perspective on the challenges of course design and implementation. Using the metaphor of flying a plane, the findings illustrate the complexities of applying heutagogical principles–meticulous planning, unexpected turbulence and in-flight adjustments–while navigating the tension between learner autonomy and the structured expectations of university settings. The findings suggest that while heutagogy encourages adaptability and self-directed learning, practical challenges such as maintaining motivation, managing workload and aligning expectations require adjustments that balance autonomy with structured support over time. This study offers insights into how a tertiary-based coach educator navigated institutional constraints, student readiness and pedagogical change while responding to calls for more learner-centred approaches in tertiary coach and coach developer education
Upgrading Processes of Emerging-Market Manufacturers in Global Value Chains
No full textUpgrading in global value chains (GVCs) is essential for emerging-market manufacturers (EMMs), yet clear managerial guidelines for the process remain elusive. Managers of EMMs face significant challenges in balancing economic viability with environmental and social responsibilities due to their distinctive position in GVCs. Much existing research frames upgrading in GVCs as a governance outcome, often neglecting how EMMs progressively advance their position to gain greater control in GVCs over time across multiple dimensions. To address this research gap, we conducted a conceptual analysis using the literature on economic, social, and environmental dimensions of upgrading, focusing specifically on the emerging-market context. Our analysis reveals that upgrading in GVCs is an evolving process for EMMs, encompassing three interrelated phases: refine to rise, flexibility in functions, and connect through capabilities. These phases may overlap and involve multiple dimensions and actors. Additionally, we identified key challenges, solutions, and outcomes associated with each phase. Our conceptual framework offers a temporal and multidimensional perspective on the upgrading processes in GVCs, unifying upgrading typologies while emphasizing their economic, social, and environmental dimensions. This framework serves as a foundation for informed business practices and policy in emerging markets, fostering sustainable development within GVCs
A scoping review on exploring the urgency of criminalising marital rape in India
No full textRape is considered a violation of human dignity across the globe. Every country has framed and implemented policies to safeguard individuals from rape globally. However, the existence of marital rape is still not recognised in many countries, including India. Marital rape is a sexual violence perpetrated against women within the marital institution by their husbands. The non-recognition of marital rape as a crime in India is deeply rooted in socio-cultural beliefs and age-old statutes followed since British colonisation. There had been official attempts to amend the rape statute and address marital rape as a crime in 2013 and 2015 but was declined by the Supreme Court due to concerns about the breach of marital institution and beliefs. More recently, the Indian Penal Code was replaced by the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita in 2024 to readjust the existing laws, making it relevant to contemporary times. However, it failed to address marital rape, as expected. It sparked discussions and arguments across the nation as married women had no avenues to report marital rape leading it to be adapted and accepted. The study focuses on the implications and the causes for marital rape in India, which is required to be assessed along with the existing legal framework for rape to depict the urgency to criminalise marital rape in India
Application of Helmholtz Resonators within Inter-Tenancy Partitions for Low Frequency Sound Insulation
No full textWith noise being a major issue facing modern cities both internationally and within New
Zealand, more effective attenuation systems need to be developed to protect the population.
Excess noise exposure has been linked to numerous health and well-being issues, from
elevated stress to increased risk of cardiovascular disease. This project aims to build on
existing research in the space of Helmholtz Resonators, with the intention of assessing the
potential for an effective and deployable product that can be utilised within the New Zealand
construction industry. Key aspects of a potential design will be assessed for large-scale
deployment within typical New Zealand wall constructions, and solutions to issues found
will be considered and tested. This includes the vibration transfer from excited resonators,
the size and intrusion of resonators and the potential for non-linearity. These issues are
identified and assessed, and solutions are presented with the goal of effectively capturing the
practical aspects of a resonator deployment for targeting low frequencies within double-leaf
walls. Perforated panel systems will be investigated for potential co-deployment alongside a
conventional resonator deployment within standard walls. The lower frequency range is of
interest as conventional double-leaf walls exhibit mass-air-mass resonance, which amplifies
troubling sounds such as home entertainment systems, occupant movement and appliance
rumbles