scholarly journals Advances in Synthetic Biology and Biosafety Governance

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jing Li ◽  
Huimiao Zhao ◽  
Lanxin Zheng ◽  
Wenlin An
Keyword(s):  
Synthetic Biology ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
The Past ◽  
Regulatory Constraints ◽  
Basic And Applied Research ◽  
Living Organisms ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Made In ◽  
Laws And Regulations

Tremendous advances in the field of synthetic biology have been witnessed in multiple areas including life sciences, industrial development, and environmental bio-remediation. However, due to the limitations of human understanding in the code of life, any possible intended or unintended uses of synthetic biology, and other unknown reasons, the development and application of this technology has raised concerns over biosafety, biosecurity, and even cyberbiosecurity that they may expose public health and the environment to unknown hazards. Over the past decades, some countries in Europe, America, and Asia have enacted laws and regulations to control the application of synthetic biology techniques in basic and applied research and this has resulted in some benefits. The outbreak of the COVID-19 caused by novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and various speculations about the origin of this virus have attracted more attention on bio-risk concerns of synthetic biology because of its potential power and uncertainty in the synthesis and engineering of living organisms. Therefore, it is crucial to scrutinize the control measures put in place to ensure appropriate use, promote the development of synthetic biology, and strengthen the governance of pathogen-related research, although the true origin of coronavirus remains hotly debated and unresolved. This article reviews the recent progress made in the field of synthetic biology and combs laws and regulations in governing bio-risk issues. We emphasize the urgent need for legislative and regulatory constraints and oversight to address the biological risks of synthetic biology.

COVID-19 Vaccination Efficacy and Safety Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Halim
Keyword(s):  
Active Immunization ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
World Health ◽  
The Novel ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Health Organization ◽  
Guidelines And Recommendations ◽  
Roll Out

Since the emergency of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) that is caused by SARS-Cov-2 in 2019, researchers have been on the move to find solutions to mitigate the spread of the virus. Various control measures have been put in place by governments under guidelines and recommendations of key global agencies with the world health organization (WHO) leading in providing information to help fight the pandemic. Multi-agency research efforts have been geared towards developing vaccines for active immunization to prevent COVID-19 infection. This paper is geared towards providing a detailed review and analysis of developments of the current vaccines in terms of safety and efficacy. Approaches that have been taken by different researchers and their findings are the subject of this work. Based on the mechanism by which a vaccine protects an individual against COVID-19 infection, it has been found that the already rolled out vaccines are mRNA (Pfizer and Moderna) and vector (Astrazeneca) vaccine structured. There is also China's Sinovac vaccine which has been in place for the past few years. The four vaccines reviewed here are administered in two doses some days apart. Currently, no vaccine has a safety threat and the efficacies are 95% for COVID-19 mRNA vaccine BNT162b2 (Pfizer), 94.1% for mRNA-1273 vaccine (Moderna), 70.4%forChAdOx1 nCoV-19 vaccine / AZD1222 (AstraZeneca) vaccine and 78% for sinovac respectively. Findings of this paper show that other vaccines are awaiting clinical roll out for trials. Even though these efficacies imply that the vaccines offer significant protection against the infection, further research and evaluation should go on to achieve higher efficacies while addressing any safety concerns that may go beyond local and systemic reactions that occur on patients after vaccination. This study concludes that even with the protection of the present vaccines, individuals must continue wearing personal protective equipment (PPEs) such as masks.

scholarly journals Novel Coronavirus (2019-NCOV) Outbreak: A Mini Review

BioMedica ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (2S) ◽  
pp. 121-124
Author(s):  
Saba Manzoor ◽  
Rahat Abdul Rehman ◽  
Sadaqat Ijaz ◽  
Shahid Paracha ◽  
Allah Rakha
Keyword(s):  
Quality Control ◽  
Diagnostic Techniques ◽  
Climatic Changes ◽  
Control Measures ◽  
Converting Enzyme ◽  
Human Species ◽  
Angiotensin Converting Enzyme 2 ◽  
Determining Factors ◽  
Novel Coronavirus ◽  
Made In

<p>The SARS pandemic produces new avenues to discover and anticipate the variations made in SARS-CoV-2 (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) and how human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 receptor ideally becomes congenial with &ldquo;S&rdquo; region of this virus and in consequence ofits spread in human species all over the globe. At the end of 2019, the earliest wave of SARS-CoV-2 transmission was notified from Wuhan-Hubei China and thereafter spread globally. COVID-19 infection got widespread and upto now, 2,776,224 active cases, 334,058 deceased and 2,078,505-recovered cases have been reported. Morbidity and mortality rate vary in every region which pondered the researcher to look into the linkage between a different variant of the SARS-CoV-2 with disease severity along with other determining factors like climatic changes, diagnostic techniques, hospitals and laboratory quality control measures.</p>

COMMONWEALTH Forum: The Politics of Science or the Science of Politics

Commonwealth ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
John Arway
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Natural Resource ◽  
Factual Information ◽  
The Past ◽  
Difference Of Opinion ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Right ◽  
Scientific Facts ◽  
Environmental Agency ◽  
Laws And Regulations

The challenges of including factual information in public policy and political discussions are many. The difficulties of including scientific facts in these debates can often be frustrating for scientists, politicians and policymakers alike. At times it seems that discussions involve different languages or dialects such that it becomes a challenge to even understand one another’s position. Oftentimes difference of opinion leads to laws and regulations that are tilted to the left or the right. The collaborative balancing to insure public and natural resource interests are protected ends up being accomplished through extensive litigation in the courts. In this article, the author discusses the history of environmental balancing during the past three decades from the perspective of a field biologist who has used the strength of our policies, laws and regulations to fight for the protection of our Commonwealth’s aquatic resources. For the past 7 years, the author has taken over the reins of “the most powerful environmental agency in Pennsylvania” and charted a course using science to properly represent natural resource interests in public policy and political deliberations.

Review on Efficacy of Herbal Antiviral Drugs against COVID-19

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 1116-1121
Author(s):  
Pooja P. Thakre ◽  
Vinod Ade ◽  
Shweta Parwe
Keyword(s):  
Physical Contact ◽  
Research Articles ◽  
Herbal Drugs ◽  
Plant Origin ◽  
Respiratory Pathway ◽  
Traditional Medicines ◽  
The Past ◽  
Primary Health ◽  
Coronavirus Infection ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Coronavirus disease (CoViD-19) is an infection of the respiratory system caused due to various viruses affects the respiratory pathway, and it can spread from one person to another by coughing, sneezing or physical contact. Commonly include cough, cold, fever are the symptoms. Viral diseases increase worldwide concern, including emerging and chronic viruses. The invention of new anti-viral drugs from plants has implicit in the past. The Coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19) caused due to severe acute respiratory syndrome, which is a transmittable and pathogenic viral infection. Several traditional medicines of plant origin having antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties some have been studied for their anti-viral properties and immune-modulating effects. Herbal drugs are now in massive requirement in the developing countries for primary health care not because of their economical but also for better civilising adequacy, improved compatibility with the human body and significantly fewer side effects. This review gives an overview of some critical traditionally used medicinal herbs with anti-viral properties—the literature regarding the drugs of this group, collected from Ayurveda classics. Research articles are collected from published material and discussed per therapeutic actions. Most of the Herbs are with Katu Rasa (pungent) and Ushna Virya (hot potency). They are indicated in diseases, viz. Kasa (cough), Shwas (asthma), Krumi (worm/ infection). Krumihara property drugs which are correlated with anti-viral action helps to prevent against Novel coronavirus infection.

Coronavirus: Towards controlling of the pandemic - Indian scenario

2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (SPL1) ◽  
pp. 462-468
Author(s):  
Latika kothari ◽  
Sanskruti Wadatkar ◽  
Roshni Taori ◽  
Pavan Bajaj ◽  
Diksha Agrawal
Keyword(s):  
Control Measures ◽  
The Novel ◽  
Medical Treatments ◽  
Health Crisis ◽  
The Public ◽  
Infection Control Measures ◽  
The Social ◽  
Asking Questions ◽  
The Government ◽  
Novel Coronavirus

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a communicable infection caused by the novel coronavirus resulting in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV). It was recognized to be a health crisis for the general population of international concern on 30th January 2020 and conceded as a pandemic on 11th March 2020. India is taking various measures to fight this invisible enemy by adopting different strategies and policies. To stop the COVID-19 from spreading, the Home Affairs Ministry and the health ministry, of India, has issued the nCoV 19 guidelines on travel. Screening for COVID-19 by asking questions about any symptoms, recent travel history, and exposure. India has been trying to get testing kits available. The government of India has enforced various laws like the social distancing, Janata curfew, strict lockdowns, screening door to door to control the spread of novel coronavirus. In this pandemic, innovative medical treatments are being explored, and a proper vaccine is being hunted to deal with the situation. Infection control measures are necessary to prevent the virus from further spreading and to help control the current situation. Thus, this review illustrates and explains the criteria provided by the government of India to the awareness of the public to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

South Asian Developmental Crisis (Review Article)

1973 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 181-188
Author(s):  
Rafiq Ahmad
Keyword(s):  
Second World War ◽  
World War ◽  
The Past ◽  
The Great Depression ◽  
Political Independence ◽  
Integrated Theory ◽  
Pass Through ◽  
Developed World ◽  
Second World ◽  
Made In

Like nations and civilizations, sciences also pass through period of crises when established theories are overthrown by the unpredictable behaviour of events. Economics is passing through such a crisis. The challenge thrown by the Great Depression of early 1930s took a decade before Keynes re-established the supremacy of economics. But this supremacy has again been upset by the crisis of poverty in the vast under-developed world which attained political independence after the Second World War. Poverty had always existed but never before had it been of such concern to economists as during the past twenty five years or so. Economic literature dealing with this problem has piled up but so have the agonies of poverty. No plausible and well-integrated theory of economic development or under-development has emerged so far, though brilliant advances have been made in isolated directions.

Mass Spectrometry Techniques: Principles and Practices for Quantitative Proteomics

2020 ◽  
Vol 21 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocco J. Rotello ◽  
Timothy D. Veenstra
Keyword(s):  
Mass Spectrometry ◽  
Quantitative Proteomics ◽  
Protein Identification ◽  
Dynamic Nature ◽  
Complete Coverage ◽  
The Past ◽  
Proteome Level ◽  
A Cell ◽  
Quantitative Changes ◽  
Made In

: In the current omics-age of research, major developments have been made in technologies that attempt to survey the entire repertoire of genes, transcripts, proteins, and metabolites present within a cell. While genomics has led to a dramatic increase in our understanding of such things as disease morphology and how organisms respond to medications, it is critical to obtain information at the proteome level since proteins carry out most of the functions within the cell. The primary tool for obtaining proteome-wide information on proteins within the cell is mass spectrometry (MS). While it has historically been associated with the protein identification, developments over the past couple of decades have made MS a robust technology for protein quantitation as well. Identifying quantitative changes in proteomes is complicated by its dynamic nature and the inability of any technique to guarantee complete coverage of every protein within a proteome sample. Fortunately, the combined development of sample preparation and MS methods have made it capable to quantitatively compare many thousands of proteins obtained from cells and organisms.

Disability and Work During the Industrial Revolution in Britain

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Blackie
Keyword(s):  
Disability Studies ◽  
Industrial Development ◽  
Industrial Revolution ◽  
Coal Industry ◽  
Historical Research ◽  
Disabled People ◽  
Industrial Sites ◽  
The Past ◽  
Paid Employment

A common claim in disability studies is that industrialization has marginalized disabled people by limiting their access to paid employment. This claim is empirically weak and rests on simplified accounts of industrialization. Use of the British coal industry during the period 1780–1880 as a case study shows that reassessment of the effect of the Industrial Revolution is in order. The Industrial Revolution was not as detrimental to the lives of disabled people as has often been assumed. While utopian workplaces for disabled people hardly existed, industrial sites of work did accommodate quite a large number of workers with impairments. More attention therefore needs to be paid to neglected or marginalized features of industrial development in the theorization of disability. Drawing on historical research on disability in the industrial workplace will help scholars better understand the significance of industrialization to the lives of disabled people, both in the past and the present.

Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Youth

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adam Bryant Miller ◽  
Maya Massing-Schaffer ◽  
Sarah Owens ◽  
Mitchell J. Prinstein
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Prevalence Rates ◽  
Evidence Based Treatment ◽  
The Past ◽  
Self Injury ◽  
Assessment Techniques ◽  
Basic And Applied Research ◽  
Nonsuicidal Self Injury

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is direct, intentional harm to one’s own body performed without the intent to die. NSSI has a marked developmental onset reaching peak prevalence in adolescence. NSSI is present in the context of multiple psychological disorders and stands alone as a separate phenomenon. Research has accumulated over the past several decades regarding the course of NSSI. While great advances have been made, there remains a distinct need for basic and applied research in the area of NSSI. This chapter reviews prevalence rates, correlates and risk factors, and leading theories of NSSI. Further, it reviews assessment techniques and provides recommendations. Then, it presents the latest evidence-based treatment recommendations and provides a case example. Finally, cutting edge research and the next frontier of research in this area are outlined.

Evidence-based Assessment

2010 ◽  
pp. 76-98
Author(s):  
John Hunsley ◽  
Eric J. Mash
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Clinical Assessment ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
The Past ◽  
Specific Assessment ◽  
The Many ◽  
Selection Of ◽  
Made In

Evidence-based assessment relies on research and theory to inform the selection of constructs to be assessed for a specific assessment purpose, the methods and measures to be used in the assessment, and the manner in which the assessment process unfolds. An evidence-based approach to clinical assessment necessitates the recognition that, even when evidence-based instruments are used, the assessment process is a decision-making task in which hypotheses must be iteratively formulated and tested. In this chapter, we review (a) the progress that has been made in developing an evidence-based approach to clinical assessment in the past decade and (b) the many challenges that lie ahead if clinical assessment is to be truly evidence-based.

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