Dual-Use Quickscan: A Web-Based Tool to Assess the Dual-Use Potential of Life Science Research

Research on pathogenic organisms is crucial for medical, biological and agricultural developments. However, biological agents as well as associated knowledge and techniques, can also be misused, for example for the development of biological weapons. Potential malicious use of well-intended research, referred to as “dual-use research”, poses a threat to public health and the environment. There are various international resources providing frameworks to assess dual-use potential of the research concerned. However, concrete instructions for researchers on how to perform a dual-use risk assessment is largely lacking. The international need for practical dual-use monitoring and risk assessment instructions, in addition to the need to raise awareness among scientists about potential dual-use aspects of their research has been identified over the last years by the Netherlands Biosecurity Office, through consulting national and international biorisk stakeholders. We identified that Biorisk Management Advisors and researchers need a practical tool to facilitate a dual-use assessment on their specific research. Therefore, the Netherlands Biosecurity Office developed a web-based Dual-Use Quickscan (www.dualusequickscan.com), that can be used periodically by researchers working with microorganisms to assess potential dual-use risks of their research by answering a set of fifteen yes/no questions. The questions for the tool were extracted from existing international open resources, and categorized into three themes: characteristics of the biological agent, knowledge and technology about the biological agent, and consequences of misuse. The results of the Quickscan provide the researcher with an indication of the dual-use potential of the research and can be used as a basis for further discussions with a Biorisk Management Advisor. The Dual-Use Quickscan can be embedded in a broader system of biosafety and biosecurity that includes dual-use monitoring and awareness within organizations. Increased international attention to examine pathogens with pandemic potential has been enhanced by the current COVID-19 pandemic, hence monitoring of dual-use potential urgently needs to be encouraged.

Prevalence of Excessive Weight and Underweight and Its Associated Knowledge and Lifestyle Behaviors among Urban Private School-Going Adolescents in New Delhi

With rapid urbanization and the Indian nutrition transition, Indian adolescents face a high risk of developing an energy imbalance. This study aims to assess the prevalence of excessive weight, underweight, and associated knowledge and lifestyle behaviors among private school-going adolescents in Delhi. A cross-sectional study was conducted in students (6th–7th grades) of eight randomly selected private schools in Delhi, India in 2019. A self-administered survey was used to assess students’ dietary-and-physical-activity-related knowledge and behavior. Anthropometric measurements (height, weight, and waist circumference) were also conducted. Out of 1567 participants, 7.2% were underweight, 61.3% normal, and 31.5% excess in weight. Underweight was associated with significantly more eating whilst studying for exams (relative risk ratio (RRR) 1.7 (1.0–2.9)). Excessive weight was associated with less incorrect knowledge on behaviors causing overweight (RRR 0.7 (0.5–0.9)), more often reading nutritional labels of packed food items (RRR 0.6 (0.4–0.9)), and less frequent vegetable-intake (RRR 0.7 (0.4–0.9)). Underweight students showed more suboptimal knowledge and unhealthy behaviors, whilst students with excessive weight showed more correct knowledge and healthy behaviors. This study highlights the immediate need for effective health-promoting interventions focused on the importance of healthy lifestyle at least in underweight adolescents.

Na Vuku Makawa ni Qoli: Indigenous Fishing Knowledge (IFK) in Fiji and the Pacific

The time-tested Indigenous fishing knowledge (IFK) of Fiji and the Pacific Islands is seriously threatened due to the commercialization of fishing, breakdown of traditional communal leadership and oral knowledge transmission systems, modern education, and the movement of the younger generations to urban areas for work and/or study. Consequently, IFK, which has been orally transmitted for generations, has either been lost, not learned by the current generation, or remains undocumented. This study focuses on the critical need to conserve and include IFK as a basis for assessing the conservation status of ecologically and culturally keystone fisheries species as a basis for planning site-specific management of marine and freshwater fisheries in Fiji and the Pacific Islands. The study reviews studies of the last two and a half centuries on IFK from Fiji and elsewhere in the small oceanic islands of the Pacific, as a basis for the conservation, documentation and intergenerational transfer of this knowledge as the foundation for sustainable fisheries management. The study also reviews: the nature and conservation status of IFK, itself; and the conservation status of species considered to be of particular ecological and cultural importance; reasons for the loss of species/taxa and associated knowledge and practices; and actions that can be taken to address this loss.

Assessment of on-Farm Management And Associated Knowledge of Agro-Biodiversity In Climate Smart Viilages of Nawalpur District in Nepal

The study was conducted in Nawalpur district of Nepal to assess status of on-farm management and associated knowledge of agrobiodiversity. Further, this study identified the farmers perception and their local interventions in on-farm agrobiodiversity conservation and management. The snowball and simple random sampling technique were used to identify the farmers practicing on-farm management and those who do not respectively. The pretested questionnaire was administered to 100 farmers of two villages, 50 from each village, from 2nd to 5th March 2018. Descriptive and analytical statistical tools were used to determine and compare the factors associated with on-farm management of agrobiodiversity. The study revealed that out of 98.0% of the respondents practicing on-farm management, almost all had home garden followed by 74.50% involved in value addition, 59.20% agrodiversity fair, 55.10% Community Biodiversity Management (CBM) and 36.10% travelling seminar. There was a significant relation between the type of the farming system and CBM (at p 0.00), travelling seminar (at p 0.043) and value addition (at p 0.036). The majority of respondents were commercial farmers, they sell what they produce for livelihood, and were practicing on-farm management of agrobiodiversity. Different means of information were used, where major being the information given by the respondents. Lack of government’s technical support and information on Community based Biodiversity Management (CBD), were the major reasons for farmers for not being able to acquaint with it, and practice it on local conditions. Proper training and awareness, agricultural promotion programs are the absolute imperative to improve on-farm agrobiodiversity conservation and management status. SAARC J. Agric., 19(1): 259-268 (2021)

Knowledge and Circulation of Plants: Unveiling the Participation of Amazonian Indigenous Peoples in the Construction of Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Botany

This article gives visibility to Amazonian indigenous peoples in the global process of plant circulation and associated knowledge. The first part highlights the indigenous role in cultivating and collecting native plants, and in the processing of natural products over the second half of the eighteenth century. The second part shows that these activities were influenced by internal colonial dynamics, as well as by international relations. The case of the ayapana herb is analysed in detail. This plant became known worldwide at the beginning of the nineteenth century thanks to the interactions among indigenous knowledge, Portuguese colonial politics and the performance of military and naturalists of different nationalities. Examples like this show that, in the process of building botany, which occurred concurrently with the globalization of plants, indigenous peoples provided not only specimens that circulated around the world, but also knowledge related to cultivation, transportation and uses.

Intuitive Use of Tangible Toys

Interfaces for children have continued to evolve in terms of complexity, with toys ranging from traditional tangible interfaces to apps with digital interfaces and hybrid toys with mixed physical and digital interfaces. However, there is limited research done to investigate their potential for intuitive use. This research study compares a tangible toy and an equivalent toy in the digital world (app) for intuitive use. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test results showed that the tangible toy was more intuitive than the intangible counterpart. Tangible systems are less complex to use and they require less time to encode and retrieve associated knowledge to use them intuitively. They are associated with low domain transfer distance and easily discoverable features. Intangible interfaces, on the other hand, require greater complexity and time to encode and retrieve associated experiential knowledge. Intangibles are associated with larger domain transfer distance and undiscoverable features which affects their intuitive use. Design implications and future work are discussed, emphasising the need for investigating aspects that make tangible systems intuitive to use. Keywords: Intuitive Interaction; Tangibles; Intangibles; Sensorimotor

Intuitive Use of Tangible Toys

Interfaces for children have continued to evolve in terms of complexity, with toys ranging from traditional tangible interfaces to apps with digital interfaces and hybrid toys with mixed physical and digital interfaces. However, there is limited research done to investigate their potential for intuitive use. This research study compares a tangible toy and an equivalent toy in the digital world (app) for intuitive use. Non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test results showed that the tangible toy was more intuitive than the intangible counterpart. Tangible systems are less complex to use and they require less time to encode and retrieve associated knowledge to use them intuitively. They are associated with low domain transfer distance and easily discoverable features. Intangible interfaces, on the other hand, require greater complexity and time to encode and retrieve associated experiential knowledge. Intangibles are associated with larger domain transfer distance and undiscoverable features which affects their intuitive use. Design implications and future work are discussed, emphasising the need for investigating aspects that make tangible systems intuitive to use. Keywords: Intuitive Interaction; Tangibles; Intangibles; Sensorimotor

A medication adherence–enhancing simulation intervention in pediatric cystic fibrosis

Adherence to chronic pulmonary drugs in cystic fibrosis (CF) is suboptimal. We studied the feasibility and effectiveness of a multistep medication adherence–enhancing simulation intervention for pediatric CF, which was embedded in motivational interviewing and education. Product simulation experiments were performed by the children themselves, and they addressed adherence to mucolytics/hydrators and antibiotics. Dornase alfa–treated patients aged 7–13 years were included. We invited each patient and their parents to attend an interview. PowerPoint slides were presented and discussed. The final slide invited the patient to perform the simulation experiments, and, in so doing, they experienced what happens when they either do or do not take their medication. An educational film was applied as a summary tool. A patient-centered empathic counseling style was used. Two months later, the child and their parents each completed a different anonymous questionnaire. Overall, 21 patients were included. Parents rated the means of communication and improvement in their child’s motivation as very satisfactory. Children highly appreciated the experiments they performed. They often answered two questions on dornase alfa correctly and associated knowledge with adherence. Our results suggest that experiential simulation-based learning is extremely appropriate, and that this multistep intervention is feasible and effective in pediatric CF.

A design for manufacturing methodology using defects knowledge for aerospace product manufacturing

Defects generated by the UK supply chain is much higher than its global competitors. Defects impact costs and production throughput due to unpredictable disruptions resulting in many non-value adding activities. However, defects data associated knowledge have rarely been considered and implemented as the manufacturing capability in existing design for manufacturing and assembly (DFMA) data/knowledge bases. On the other hand, current ICT systems used in the aerospace industry are not flexible enough to keep up with the new requirements of collaborating to manage knowledge properly, and the use of real-time manufacturing data generated in manufacturing activities. This research was carried out in collaboration with one of the UK’s largest aerospace companies in order to analyse the complexity of design and manufacturing activities of high-value safety-critical aerospace products. The results of the work are presented, and a novel approach and system was developed, that can be used to support DFMA using defects knowledge. The approach was implemented as a knowledge management system using collaborative design principles. Key findings from the main contribution in the context of extended enterprises of high value low volume safety critical product manufacturing are discussed.