International network AgroBioNet in the implementation of the scientific program «Agrobiodiversity to Improve Nutrition, Health and Quality of Life»

Within the framework of the Convention on the Conservation of Biodiversity and the implementation of the program “Agrobiodiversity for the improvement of nutrition, health and quality of life” by joint research of the Department of Acclimatization of Fruit Plants of the M. M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine and the Institute for Biodiversity Conservation and Biosafety of the Slovak Agricultural University in Nitra created the International Network AgroBioNet. The scientific and organizational activities of the network are focused on the development of international cooperation in the field of non-traditional, neglected, and underutilized plant species that contribute to food security. AgroBioNet has more than 50 registered researchers and 250 experts, and unites research institutions, educational institutions, research stations, and farms from 21 countries. Five scientific conferences and 435 published articles for the period 2005–2020 (20 to 50 publications per year) on agrobiodiversity conservation, information on new, non-traditional, neglected, and underutilized plant species have contributed to the expansion of research on their bioecological, biochemical and medicinal properties (including antioxidants) properties, technologies of cultivation and reproduction, practical use and introduction in farms and private gardens.

OP314 What Happened Next? Assessing Health Technology Assessment Impact In Scotland

IntroductionThe Scottish Health Technologies Group (SHTG) set out to assess the impact of HTA products. Two questions were posed: Does advice from SHTG have influence? How is SHTG advice used?MethodsSHTG adapted a tool developed by the International Network of Agencies for Health Technology Assessment (INAHTA). The INAHTA framework investigates indications of impact and categorizes outputs into levels of impact. Over three years, potential users of SHTG advice were contacted six to twelve months after advice was published and asked how the advice had been used. HTA outputs were categorized into the four levels of influence they achieved: ‘major influence’, ‘some influence’, ‘some consideration’ and ‘no known influence’.ResultsHTA products were found to have been used in four main ways: ‘informed discussion’, ‘referenced’, ‘informed policy’ or ‘directly informed practice’. Levels of influence had steadily increased over the three years assessed. The findings were well received by internal audiences, with particular interest in the various ways HTA recommendations had been used. There was also feedback about ‘marking our own homework’. These results have informed a new SHTG strategy and supported clear messaging around the value of HTA.ConclusionsSHTG has found a pragmatic, resource-light way to explore the impact of HTA outputs, which has proved valuable for driving strategy and messaging.

International network proposed to tackle satellite constellation issues

Astronomers and satellite companies have joined forces to propose an international network to monitor the quality of astronomical observations, which are increasingly threatened by new communications satellites.

International Network, Social Capital and the Role of Muhammadiyah During the 2006 Yogyakarta Earthquake

This article aims to investigate the impact of the international network and social capital on the effectiveness of Muhammadiyah’s emergency response in the 2006 Bantul earthquake. Despite paying more attention to religious and spiritual issues, Muhammadiyah, an Islamic-based social movement, plays a significant role in humanitarian issues. The 2006 earthquake in Bantul devastated public amenities, claimed thousands of people, and caused economic loss. The local government and private sectors of Bantul could not cope with the disaster. The most disaster-affected districts in Bantul Regency were Pundong, Bambanglipuro, and Jetis. Then, Muhammadiyah made an immediate emergency response to help those affected districts. In collaboration with overseas counterparts, Muhammadiyah collected humanitarian assistance. Muhammadiyah might not complete its humanitarian mission without the support of existing local Muhammadiyah in those districts. In other words, Muhammadiyah’s social capital is influential for humanitarian missions. This paper utilized two concepts to elaborate on the effectiveness of Muhammadiyah’s emergency response, namely transnational advocacy networks (TANs) and social capital. Then, this article argues that the higher level of TANs and social capital Muhammadiyah has, the more emergency response it can complete effectively. This paper discovered that three districts had different levels of TANs and social capital. In Pundong, the level of leverage politics (TANs) was higher than social capital. However, both Bambanglipuro and Jetis had a high level of social capital, whereas their leverage politics were low.

The transfer of Montessori’s pedagogy through the theosophical international network in the Early Twentieth Century: the French case

The study takes advantage from the reconstruction of the cultural atmosphere widely characterizing the Early Twentieth Century for the powerful raising of spirituality. Among the modernist tendencies, the success of Theosophy took a relevant place in renewing contemporary feelings of religion and piety. Particularly, the essay highlights the relevance of the spiritual cenacle working at the Montesca House, where the first edition of the Montessori’s Method was accomplished. Theosophical characters also moved around this spiritual circle and some of them played a distinctive role in the first transfer of the Montessori’s system to France.