scholarly journals 656 Commercialized Biotechnology, Food for Thought

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 511
Author(s):  
E.A. Baldwin
Keyword(s):  
Fruits And Vegetables ◽  
Herbicide Tolerance ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Postharvest Quality ◽  
World Population ◽  
Future Goals ◽  
The World ◽  
Future Potential ◽  
The Masses ◽  
The U.S

The promise of biotechnology has been slow to be realized, but some commercialized products are finding their way to supermarket shelves. Nevertheless, the future potential remains in the realm of speculation and may be on the verge of delivering some incredible benefits. Since the world population growth is predicted to double in the next 50 years, primarily in developing nations, food resources will become critical. In view of this prediction, we may need every trick in the book to feed the masses, which means either more land (wetlands, forests, and rain forests) will fall to the plow or there will need to be an increase in yields. Concurrently, a decrease in postharvest losses would also be crucial. Various authorities have estimated that 25% to 80% of harvested fruits and vegetables are lost due to damage and spoilage. Early biotech successes were developing plants with enhanced insect resistance (cotton, corn, and potato) and virus resistance (squash and papaya) and improved herbicide tolerance (cotton, soybean, and corn). The only commercialized transgenic fruit engineered for improved postharvest quality so far is the tomato. Future goals for biotechnology include increasing yield, extending shelf life, improving nutritional and flavor quality, and producing specialty proteins or other compounds. Genetically engineered food, however, has met rancorous resistance in Europe, New Zealand, and elsewhere; although, it is somewhat tolerated in the U.S. The U.S., Canada, and Japan lead the world in biotech acreage, with biotechnology accounting for 40% of cotton, 39% of soybeans, and 20% of corn acreage in the U.S. and 73 million acres worldwide.

scholarly journals Research and development of genetically engineered soybean using insect-resistance genes derived from Bacillus thuringiensis

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-21
Author(s):  
Le Thi Thu Hien ◽  
Pham Le Bich Hang ◽  
Nguyen Tuong Van ◽  
Le Thi Minh Thanh ◽  
Dao Thi Hang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bacillus Thuringiensis ◽  
Insect Resistance ◽  
Resistance Genes ◽  
Insect Pests ◽  
Economic Value ◽  
Herbicide Tolerance ◽  
Genetically Engineered ◽  
Pests And Diseases ◽  
Good Ability ◽  
The World

Soybean (Glycine max) is one of the crops which have high economic value and serve for food, feed and process of many countries around the world. However, there are many factors affecting the productivity of soybean, of which insect pests and diseases are the most harmful agents. Therefore, an application of biotechnology to transfer insect resistance genes derived from a species of bacteria Bacillus thuringiensis can contribute to increase soybean yield and significantly reducing pesticide use. Currently, there are many insecticidal proteins detected from B. thuringiensis such as Cry, Cyt and Vip with a broad and specific spectrum belonged to several orders Lepidoptera, Diptera, Coleoptera, Homopera, and Nematoda. Numerous studies have been implemented over the world to transfer genes encoding these proteins in combination or modified forms to increase their toxicity. Several events of genetically engineered soybean with stacked traits of insect resistance and herbicide tolerance are commercialized and approved to be cultured in many countries such as MON 87701 × MON 89788 or DAS-81419-2. In Vietnam, studies on genetically engineered soybean with insect resistance trait has been carried out. Moreover, the exploitation, screening and selection of high biodiversity and indigenous B. thuringiensis strains which habors specific genes capable of killing targeted insects and serve as materials for plant transformation are great scientific meaning and potential practical application. This will be an important source of materials to create many soybean cultivars with good ability of insect resistance in order to meet specific needs.

scholarly journals Land of the Free: Prison Reform Following the War on Drugs

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 28-32
Author(s):  
Megan Tingley
Keyword(s):  
Prison Population ◽  
War On Drugs ◽  
Unintended Consequences ◽  
Prison Reform ◽  
World Population ◽  
Federal Prison ◽  
The Past ◽  
The World ◽  
Mandatory Minimum Sentencing ◽  
The U.S

ince its beginnings in 1971, the war on drugs has been largely unsuccessful in reducing drug use. Instead, it has had many unintended consequences, one of which is a huge increase in the federal prison population over the past 40 years. Despite making up only five percent of the world population, the U.S. is home to 25 percent of its prisoners. Since the 1970s, the prison population in the U.S. has skyrocketed due to the implementation of War on Drugs policies. The main reason for the failure of the War on Drugs can be attributed in part to mandatory minimum sentencing laws. Implemented as a part of the Anti- Drug Abuse Act of 1986, these one-size-fits-all policies require a certain punishment based on the amount and type of drug in possession without allowing for flexibility based on context. 

scholarly journals AAA Research Methodology II: Innovative Observational and Intervention Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 815-815
Author(s):  
Wenjun Li ◽  
Vivian Lou
Keyword(s):  
Screening Program ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Social Contact ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Cognitive Intervention ◽  
Assessment Method ◽  
World Population ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The World ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Asians are the largest and the fastest growing segment of the world population, and the second largest immigrant population in the U.S. A high proportion of Asians live in developing countries or are immigrants to developed countries. Studies on age-related social and health issues of Asians have lagged. To advance research into aging among Asians living in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, sound methodologies can be adopted from those well-developed in other settings while novel methodologies are to be developed to meet the unique needs of Asian studies. This symposium brings together five abstracts that address a variety of innovative methodological issues in social and health studies among Asian older adults. The topics range from use of wearable devices to measure travel patterns, life space and physical activity in late-life Asian immigrants in the U.S.; use of Ecological Momentary Assessment method to examine influences of social contact satisfaction on neighborhood affect in Chinese in mainland China; use of multilingual age-friendly touch-screen device for cognitive intervention in Singapore; use of GIS to evaluate potential influences of accessibility to neighborhood living resources on attitudes towards aging among the oldest old in Shanghai; and use of a multi-phase complex mixed methods to evaluate a Chinese cancer screening program in Taiwan. Together, these studies showed that innovative methods can be adapted for context relevance and linguistic and cultural appropriateness, and successfully executed in studies on aging among Asians. This symposium is a collaborative effort of the Aging Among Asians Interest Group.

scholarly journals The Effects of Edible Coatings on the Postharvest Quality of Citrus Fruits as Affected by Granulation

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
İbrahim Kahramanoğlu ◽  
Chuying Chen ◽  
Zengyu Gan ◽  
Jinyin Chen ◽  
Chunpeng Wan
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Citrus Fruit ◽  
Alternative Methods ◽  
Postharvest Quality ◽  
Internal Quality ◽  
World Population ◽  
Edible Coatings ◽  
Citrus Fruits ◽  
The World

The world population is growing day-by-day, while the available natural resources for agricultural production, i.e., soil and water, are rapidly decreasing. Moreover, consumer preferences are highly affected by some quality characteristics of food products, which can be classified as external, internal, and hidden attributes. Among the internal quality attributes, granulation is a significant factor damaging the inner quality of citrus fruits and reducing the consumer attraction. The main symptoms of granulation (also known as section drying, crystallization, or scarification) in citrus are shrivelling in juice sacs due to gel formation, hardening, white colour, and low extractable juice content. A well-known result of the granulation is the reduction in soluble solid concentration (SSC), total sugar, and titratable acidity (TA). Granulation is known to affect the citrus fruit quality all over the world. Since citrus is one of the world’s most popular fruit species, it is highly important to identify and manage this physiological problem to help sustainable production throughout the world. Consumer’s preferences have also been moving towards the use of eco- and environmental-friendly alternative methods in postharvest fruit storage, including edible coatings. Edible coatings act as a barrier for the air and water transitions through the surface of fruits which results in retarding the deterioration of fruits, preventing and/or controlling the microbial decay, improving the fruit quality, and hence extending the storage duration. The mechanism of citrus fruit granulation is highly associated with the oxidative stress, and edible coatings have been reported to significantly reduce granulation and improve the quality of the fruits. In line with this information, this review article aimed to summarize the reasons, results, and managements of granulation of citrus fruits.

scholarly journals INTEREST GROUP SESSION—AGING AMONG ASIANS: RESEARCH METHODS IN AGING AMONG ASIANS

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. S364-S364
Author(s):  
Wenjun Li ◽  
Shantha Balaswamy ◽  
Allen Glicksman
Keyword(s):  
Interest Group ◽  
Successful Aging ◽  
Oldest Old ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
World Population ◽  
Participant Recruitment ◽  
Promotion Policy ◽  
Age Related ◽  
The World ◽  
The U.S

Abstract Asians are the largest and the fastest growing segment of the world population. Asian immigrants are the second largest immigrant population in the U.S. However, age-related social and health issues are understudied among late-life immigrant and the oldest old Asians. Little data exist to support public health promotion, policy studies and clinical practice in this population. To advance research into aging among Asians living in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world, sound methodologies can be adopted from those well-developed in other settings while novel methodologies are to be developed to meet the unique needs of Asian studies. This symposium brings together four abstracts that address a variety of common methodological issues in social and health studies among Asian older adults. The topics range from culturally and linguistically appropriate strategies for recruiting non-English speaking research participants, assessment of social isolation and transportation barriers using an ethnographical approach, development of a new culturally appropriate measure for successful aging among the oldest old Chinese in China, and evaluation of preventive healthcare use among faith-based first-generation Chinese immigrants using self-administered surveys in the U.S. These studies involve qualitative ethnographical analysis, mixed methods for instrument development, quantitative data analysis, use of geographic information systems and demography to plan participant recruitment, and use of staged community engagement to increase efficiency and representativeness of participant recruitment. Lessons learned from these studies are valuable to future studies on aging among Asians. This symposium is a collaborative effort of the GSA Aging Among Asians Interest Group.

scholarly journals Governments Should Compel Leading Medical Journals to Correct Flaws and Mistakes Concerning COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianqing Wu
Keyword(s):  
World Population ◽  
Review System ◽  
Medical Journals ◽  
Editorial Policies ◽  
The World ◽  
Western Nations ◽  
The U.S

The COVID-19 pandemic has gotten out of control, from a few cases to nearly 170,000 cases in the U.S. It is predicted that about 80% people will get the disease with estimated 2.2 million deaths. The world population is 7.8 billion and about 6.2 billion will get the disease. About 180 million may die from the disease. A far worse consequence is that a large number of people will suffer lung disability permanently. I will show that leading medical journals’ editorial policies and review practices are primarily responsible for this disaster. It is time to completely fix medical journals’ review system. I urge all lawmakers in Western nations to wear masks.

Seizures and Status Epilepticus

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pravin Taneja
Keyword(s):  
Status Epilepticus ◽  
Neurological Disorders ◽  
Emergency Situation ◽  
World Population ◽  
The World ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
History Of ◽  
History Of Epilepsy ◽  
Severity Of The Disease ◽  
The U.S

Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent chronic neurological disorders both in the U.S. and worldwide, effecting ~1% of the world population. As a result, patients with a history of epilepsy frequently present for surgery. It is important to be aware of how to best characterize the severity of the disease, and treat seizures should they be encountered. In this chapter, we review the epidemiology and pathophysiology of epilepsy. We also discuss the most severe and life threatening form of the condition, status epilepticus. In this emergency situation it is critical that seizures be terminated, and supportive care given. We delineate initial treatment steps and medications, in addition to providing recommendations for refractory cases.

scholarly journals THE SPECIFICS OF FORMING A FOREIGN POLICY IMAGE OF UKRAINE IN THE U.S. MEDIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (3(72)) ◽  
pp. 36-39
Author(s):  
I.A. Cyrkina
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Political Process ◽  
World Politics ◽  
The State ◽  
Modern World ◽  
The World ◽  
The Media ◽  
The Masses ◽  
The U.S

This article is devoted to the research of the specifics of forming a foreign policy image in modern world politics, notably, the image of Ukraine in the U.S. media. The work is also attributable to the intensified use of methods and technologies for forming the foreign policy image of the state at the level of modern world politics. Currently, there is a widespread perception that the media occupy one of the main places in the modern political process, so they can have a significant effect on the image and foreign policy of the state in the consciousness of the masses of their country and the world stage as a whole.

A4. UNRWA, IMPACT OF THE FIRST PHASE OF THE SECURITY BARRIER ON THE QALQILYA, TULKARM, AND JENIN DISTRICTS, GAZA CITY, JULY 2003 (EXCERPTS).

2003 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 153-160
Keyword(s):  
Civil Engineering ◽  
West Bank ◽  
The West ◽  
Full Report ◽  
The World ◽  
Aid Coordination ◽  
President Bush ◽  
Engineering Projects ◽  
The U.S

The separation wall, one of the largest civil engineering projects in Israel's history, has been criticized even by the U.S. administration, with Condoleezza Rice stating at the end of June 2003 that it ““arouses our [U.S.] deep concern”” and President Bush on 25 July calling it ““a problem”” and noting that ““it is very difficult to develop confidence between the Palestinians and Israel with a wall snaking through the West Bank.”” A number of reports have already been issued concerning the wall, including reports by B'Tselem (available at www.btselem.org), the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (available at www.palestinianaid.info), and the World Bank's Local Aid Coordination Committee (LACC; also available at www.palestinianaid.info). UNRWA's report focuses on the segment of the wall already completed and is based on field visits to the areas affected by the barriers, with a special emphasis on localities with registered refugees. Notes have been omitted due to space constraints. The full report is available online at www.un.org/unrwa.

Making Human Rights a Reality

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emilie M. Hafner-Burton
Keyword(s):  
Human Rights ◽  
International Law ◽  
World Population ◽  
International Human Rights Law ◽  
Legal Norms ◽  
Human Rights Protection ◽  
National Human ◽  
The World ◽  
Protection Of Human Rights ◽  
National Human Rights Institutions

In the last six decades, one of the most striking developments in international law is the emergence of a massive body of legal norms and procedures aimed at protecting human rights. In many countries, though, there is little relationship between international law and the actual protection of human rights on the ground. This book takes a fresh look at why it's been so hard for international law to have much impact in parts of the world where human rights are most at risk. The book argues that more progress is possible if human rights promoters work strategically with the group of states that have dedicated resources to human rights protection. These human rights “stewards” can focus their resources on places where the tangible benefits to human rights are greatest. Success will require setting priorities as well as engaging local stakeholders such as nongovernmental organizations and national human rights institutions. To date, promoters of international human rights law have relied too heavily on setting universal goals and procedures and not enough on assessing what actually works and setting priorities. This book illustrates how, with a different strategy, human rights stewards can make international law more effective and also safeguard human rights for more of the world population.

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