9. Future challenges

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aysha Divan ◽  
Janice A. Royds
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Genetic Diseases ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Obesity Epidemic ◽  
Global Issues ◽  
Social Concerns ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Enhanced Properties ◽  
The Impact

Advances in molecular biology provide us with opportunities for tackling chronic global issues. ‘Future challenges’ discusses two areas of molecular biology that will have significant impact on society in the coming years: non-communicable diseases and synthetic biology. Molecular biology is being applied to some of the most serious challenges facing our future health and longevity. These are the obesity epidemic, personalized medicine, and the impact of genetic diseases. Synthetic biology combines genetic engineering techniques with the practical principles of engineering to design and build new biological systems or organisms with novel or enhanced properties. What are the ethical and social concerns raised by this advancing technology?

Perception of Professionals towards Effectiveness of Human Resource Information System

2015 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Bharti Motwani
Keyword(s):  
Information System ◽  
Human Resource ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Resource Information System ◽  
Resource Information ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Operational Decision Making ◽  
The Impact

Organizations are facing stiff market and other external pulls and pushes, thus HR will become vital source for managing future challenges. HRIS is an information system that makes use of computers to monitor, control, and influence the movement of human beings from the time they indicate their intention to join an organization till the time they separate from it. The purpose of the HRIS is to provide service, in the form of accurate and timely information, to the clients of the system. As there are a variety of potential users of HR information, it may be used for strategic, tactical, and operational decision making (e.g., to plan for needed professionals in a merger), to avoid litigation (e.g., to identify discrimination problems in hiring), to evaluate programmes, policies, or practices (e.g., to evaluate the effectiveness of a training programme), and/or to support daily operations (e.g., to help managers monitor time and attendance of their professionals). However, in order to maximize HRIS success, researchers and practitioners have to know more about its underlying drivers. The study is undertaken looking to the importance of HRIS in the organizations. The paper identifies the factors of HRIS as perceived by professional users. This study is also an attempt to study the impact of designation on identified factors of Human Resource Information System (HRIS). The results of this research will increase researchers comprehension on difference in factors that influence effectiveness of senior and middle-level professionals.

scholarly journals Queensland Family Cohort: a study protocol

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e044463
Author(s):  
Danielle Borg ◽  
Kym Rae ◽  
Corrine Fiveash ◽  
Johanna Schagen ◽  
Janelle James-McAlpine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Family Environment ◽  
Biological Samples ◽  
Local Governments ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Federal State ◽  
Physical And Mental Health ◽  
Future Health ◽  
The Impact

IntroductionThe perinatal–postnatal family environment is associated with childhood outcomes including impacts on physical and mental health and educational attainment. Family longitudinal cohort studies collect in-depth data that can capture the influence of an era on family lifestyle, mental health, chronic disease, education and financial stability to enable identification of gaps in society and provide the evidence for changes in government in policy and practice.Methods and analysisThe Queensland Family Cohort (QFC) is a prospective, observational, longitudinal study that will recruit 12 500 pregnant families across the state of Queensland (QLD), Australia and intends to follow-up families and children for three decades. To identify the immediate and future health requirements of the QLD population; pregnant participants and their partners will be enrolled by 24 weeks of gestation and followed up at 24, 28 and 36 weeks of gestation, during delivery, on-ward, 6 weeks postpartum and then every 12 months where questionnaires, biological samples and physical measures will be collected from parents and children. To examine the impact of environmental exposures on families, data related to environmental pollution, household pollution and employment exposures will be linked to pregnancy and health outcomes. Where feasible, data linkage of state and federal government databases will be used to follow the participants long term. Biological samples will be stored long term for future discoveries of biomarkers of health and disease.Ethics and disseminationEthical approval has been obtained from the Mater Research Ethics (HREC/16/MHS/113). Findings will be reported to (1) QFC participating families; (2) funding bodies, institutes and hospitals supporting the QFC; (3) federal, state and local governments to inform policy; (4) presented at local, national and international conferences and (5) disseminated by peer-review publications.

scholarly journals The impact of COVID-19 quarantine on dietary habits and physical activity in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional study

2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Manar Abduljalil Bakhsh ◽  
Jomana Khawandanah ◽  
Rouba Khalil Naaman ◽  
Shoug Alashmali
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Weight Gain ◽  
Dietary Habits ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The COVID-19 pandemic has forced governments around the world to impose strict hygiene and national lockdown measures, which in turn has changed the dietary and lifestyle habits of the world’s population. Thus, the aim of this study is to evaluate whether dietary and physical activity behaviors of Saudi Arabia’s adult population changed during the COVID-19 quarantine. Methods An electronic questionnaire which assessed changes in body weight, dietary habits, and physical activity of Saudi Arabia’s adult population (n = 2255) during the COVID-19 quarantine was distributed on social media between June and July 2020. To test the differences between changes in dietary and physical activity behaviors in relation to changes in body weight a Chi-square test was used. Results Over 40 and 45% of participants reported eating and snacking more, respectively, which led to weight gain in around 28%. Most participants reported that they consumed home-cooked (73%) and healthy meals (47%), while only 7% reported that they consumed foods from restaurants. Feelings of boredom and emptiness (44%) and the availability of time for preparing meals (40%) were the main reasons for changing dietary habits. Honey (43%) and vitamin C (50%) were the most consumed immune-boosting food and dietary supplement, respectively. COVID-19 also had a negative impact on physical activity, lowering the practice in 52% subjects, which was associated with significant weight gain (p < 0.001). Conclusion Assessing the changes to the population’s dietary habits and physical activity during the lockdown will help predict the outcome of the population’s future health and wellbeing after the pandemic.

scholarly journals Plan for the worst, hope for the best? Exploring major events related terrorism and future challenges for UK event professionals

2018 ◽  
Vol 4 (4) ◽  
pp. 513-526 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Baxter ◽  
Jenny Flinn ◽  
Lucrezia Flurina Picco
Keyword(s):  
Marketing Strategy ◽  
Significant Rise ◽  
Destination Marketing ◽  
Major Event ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Research Findings ◽  
The Uk ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate major event related terrorism and the resulting challenges that event professionals may face when hosting major events in cities as part of a destination marketing strategy. Design/methodology/approach The research was based in the UK due to the significant rise in terrorist activities that have taken place in its urban cities in recent years. The exploratory nature of this study utilised semi-structured interviews with UK event professionals, enabling a preliminary, in-depth investigation of the challenges that events professionals face as a result of major event related terrorism. Findings The research findings identify three challenges faced by event professionals when organising major events: knowledge and understanding in relation to major event related terrorism; the impact of major event related terrorism in terms of responsibility and accountability; and managing for major event related terrorism in budgetary terms. Research limitations/implications The research is limited to the UK, other destinations will pose their own unique challenges when hosting and managing events. It is suggested that this research be evaluated against similar studies in other destinations. This is a preliminary study and each of the topics identified within the findings warrant further exploration in their own right. Originality/value The paper offers an insight into the challenges faced by event professionals in the UK when delivering major events as part of a destination marketing strategy. With the increase in major event related terrorism in cities the findings of this research are of relevance not only to event professionals but anyone with a role in destination and tourism development.

Policy analysis in think tanks

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio I. Dussauge-Laguna ◽  
Marcela I. Vazquez
Keyword(s):  
Policy Analysis ◽  
Communication Channels ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
The Third ◽  
The Future ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
The Impact

The chapter provides an overview of how policy analysis takes place in Mexican Think Tanks. It focuses on two of the few organisations of this kind that currently exist in the country: the Centro de Investigación para el Desarrollo (CIDAC, or Centre for Research for Development) and the Centro de Estudios Espinosa Yglesias (CEEY, or Centre of Studies Espinosa Yglesias). The chapter is divided into four sections. The first discusses the main features of think tanks, with a particular focus on the Mexican ones. The second presents the origins and general objectives of CIDAC and CEEY, and describes how these two organizations conduct policy analysis. The third compares both cases, paying particular attention to how they define their topics of interest, how they gather relevant information, what kind of policy products they generate, what kind of communication channels they use, and how they assess the impact that their analyses may have had. The chapter closes with some conclusions and general remarks about the future challenges of policy analysis in Mexican think tanks.

scholarly journals Nanotechnology Innovations in Construction Industry and Environmental Sustainability

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (11S) ◽  
pp. 286-291
Keyword(s):  
Construction Industry ◽  
Environmental Sustainability ◽  
Research Review ◽  
Environmental Damage ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Future Potential ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Near Future

Nanotechnology is a speedily increasing and innovating range of research, where advanced characteristics of resources manufactures on the nanoscale can be exploited as advantages for people at large through various methods or mechanisms of construction. Being a varied technical and scientific arena that brings and covers numerous application kinds, the contribution of nanotechnological innovations is immense for various sectors of construction industries. It also possesses a large future potential for ecological efficiency, which is dire need of the hour. In construction industry there are many factors involved to achieve the major goal of sustainability like smart design, planning through which energy can be saved, resource usage can be reduced and environmental damage can be avoided. No doubt, the application of nanotechnology materials and its various causes on the atmosphere and living organisms are not clearly defined yet which can become a problem. For instance, leakage of materials into the water resources, and seas, as well, discharge of nanoparticles into the air generating dust and exposure to harmful materials during various construction, maintenance and use etc. Considering tremendous revolution in Nanotechnological field there is an important aspect in relation to the impact of nanoparticles and nanomaterials on human health and environment which should be discussed at length. This paper intends to give a research review of current and near future, safety and eco-efficiency applications of nanotechnology to not only improve and maintain but also deal with certain future challenges and directions related to the sustainable development.

scholarly journals A REVIEW ON THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE HEALTH CARE SECTOR

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-6
Author(s):  
PRAJITHA BIJU ◽  
PALLAVI K. ◽  
VAGEESH REVADIGAR ◽  
SONAL DSOUZA ◽  
MOHAMMED ASIF IQBAL ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Initial Period ◽  
Health Care Sector ◽  
Healthcare Sector ◽  
Future Challenges ◽  
Artificial Intelligence Technology ◽  
Pharmaceutical Industries ◽  
Impact Problems ◽  
The One ◽  
The Impact

The global crisis of the present era, the COVID-19 pandemic, has changed given new normal ways in many of the sectors. The present review highlights the impact, problems, and challenges faced by major areas of the health care sector due to pandemics and also addresses some of the aspects of upcoming approaches. The healthcare sector is the one sector that is on-demand since this COVID-19 pandemic raised. During the initial period, there was disruption of various services provided by the health care sector due to supply chain management issues and reduction in demand by consumers, quarantine, and lockdown period. The healthcare workers also confronted a huge challenge due to the increased number of cases and shortage of amenities and safety measures. This significantly affected even COVID-19 patients and the general public suffering from other diseases. To fight this issue, research and development (RandD) in pharmaceutical industries with great efforts to explore molecules and save many lives. Gradually innovative ways to strengthen and combat pandemics started emerging. Numeral ways and rules were adopted to prevent, diagnose and cure the disease. Artificial intelligence technology has emerged as one of the boons to address many of the unresolved or time-consuming mysteries. All the divisions of health care sectors have started working more efficiently with adopted new strategies to face future challenges.

scholarly journals Engineering a Minimal Cloning Vector from a pUC18 Plasmid Backbone with an Extended Multiple Cloning Site

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jens Staal ◽  
Wouter De Schamphelaire ◽  
Rudi Beyaert
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Molecular Biology ◽  
Restriction Enzyme ◽  
Essential Role ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Cloning Vector ◽  
Multiple Cloning Site ◽  
Unique Restriction ◽  
Plasmid Backbone

Minimal plasmids play an essential role in many intermediate steps in molecular biology. They can for example be used to assemble building blocks in synthetic biology or be used as intermediate cloning plasmids that are ideal for PCR-based mutagenesis methods. A small backbone also opens up for additional unique restriction enzyme cloning sites. Here we describe the generation of pICOz, a 1185 bp fully functional high-copy cloning plasmid with an extended multiple cloning site (MCS). To our knowledge, this is the smallest high-copy cloning vector ever described.

scholarly journals Genetics in the 21st Century: Implications for patients, consumers and citizens

F1000Research ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
pp. 2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan Roberts ◽  
Anna Middleton
Keyword(s):  
Human Genome Project ◽  
Personalised Medicine ◽  
Building Blocks ◽  
Healthcare Services ◽  
Genome Project ◽  
Human Response ◽  
Future Health ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Human Genes ◽  
The Impact

The first human genome project, completed in 2003, uncovered the genetic building blocks of humankind. Painstakingly cataloguing the basic constituents of our DNA (‘genome sequencing’) took ten years, over three billion dollars and was a multinational collaboration. Since then, our ability to sequence genomes has been finessed so much that by 2017 it is possible to explore the 20,000 or so human genes for under £1000, in a matter of days. Such testing offers clues to our past, present and future health, as well as information about how we respond to medications so that truly ‘personalised medicine’ is now a reality.   The impact of such a ‘genomic era’ is likely to have some level of impact on all of us, even if we are not directly using healthcare services ourselves. We explore how advancements in genetics are likely to be experienced by people, as patients, consumers and citizens; and urge policy makers to take stock of the pervasive nature of the technology as well as the human response to it.

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