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Wednesday, 21 June 2017

Transgenics in Indian Agriculture: Experiences so far and implications of KIA proposals on Indian Farmers

Author
Ramanjaneyulu G V

Abstract: KIA proposes to bring a paradigm shift in Indian Agriculture in terms of human resource development, research, technology generation, technology dissemination and commercialization. In the short run, the KIA would concentrate on the four themes namely, (i) education, learning resources, curriculum development and training, (ii) food processing, use of byproducts, and biofuels, (iii) biotechnology and (iv) water management. [Proceedings of KIA Workshop].
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Property claims in genetically and non-genetically modified crops: intellectual property rights vs. brand property rights in postindustrial knowledge societies

Author
Bernhard Gill

Abstract: Conceptualising the ongoing conflict over genetically modified vs. non-genetically modified crops in the frame of property rights, one can see that economic valorisation dynamics and aspirations are working on both sides, within two differently evolving agri-food paradigms, with biotechnology companies propagating intellectual property rights on seeds and crops within a productivist strategy, and with retailer chains, non-governmental organisations and farmer associations claiming generic names and labels as public property rights on identity-preserved crops within a consumerist strategy. The analysis shows that the direction and strength of the dynamics is highly dependent on the physical intricacies and social relations implicated in these two types of intangible property. As the development of intangible property rights lies at the heart of postindustrial knowledge economies, the study of the genetically modified conflict is also instructive for understanding social change in the agri-food sector and in society more generally.
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The role of global R%D networks in generating social capital for born-global bio-tech firms: a multi-case approach

Author
Amon Simba
International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Small Business, 2013, vol. 20, issue 3, pages 342-362

Abstract: The traditionally auspicious 'Big Pharma' business model in the pharmaceutical industry is rapidly evolving. Large pharmaceutical companies are re-configuring their business models to achieve operational efficiency. The preferred option appears to be out-sourcing science-related R%D as opposed to conducting the research in-house. This has marked the 'birth' of born-global bio-tech firms which operate as contract research organisations. The firms are owner-managed by entrepreneurial scientists who generate social capital in the form of scientific knowledge and technical know-how by participating in multifarious global R%D networks. In that sense, this empirical study utilises multiple cases of born-global bio-tech firms sampled from the East Midlands in the UK to investigate how various mechanisms in their knowledge supply-chain (global networks), including complex business and social relationships, shape their social capital generating strategies. By doing so, the study contributes to the concept of dynamic capabilities and networking. The study is also invaluable to a number of stakeholders including: large and small firms, other researchers, and policy makers.
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Early stage technology investments of pre-seed venture capitalists

Author
Gunter Festel, Pablo Breitenmoser, Martin Würmseher and Jan Kratzer
International Journal of Entrepreneurial Venturing, 2015, vol. 7, issue 4, pages 370-395

Abstract: Although technology transfer offices at universities are widely installed, in many cases, inventions made in academia still struggle to be commercialised. This so-called technology transfer gap can be overcome by professionalised pre-founding activities. Whereas prevailing investment models, like business angels or traditional venture capitalists, usually tie up their business activity on already founded companies, pre-seed venture capitalists (PSVC) attempt to align inventions made at academia with entrepreneurship by founding start-ups. Against this background, this study aims at examining the perceptions of deficiencies of the prevailing investment models and the role of the PSVCs in the pre-founding phase. PSVC companies operating in the biotechnology and nanotechnology area and with a broader technology approach have been analysed within a multi case study research. The results show that based on the technological scope and the financial source of the investment activity, four different types of PSVC business models can be identified and described. Technology transfer offices at universities and research institutions supporting the founding process of start-ups can use the findings to develop and execute specific partnership strategies with these PSVC types.
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GM agricultural technologies for Africa: A state of affairs

Author
Judith A. Chambers, Patricia Zambrano (p.zambrano@cgiar.org), Falck-Zepeda, José Benjamin, Gruère, Guillaume P., Debdatta Sengupta and Karen Hokanson
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: José Benjamin Falck Zepeda (j.falck-zepeda@cgiar.org)

Abstract: The African Development Bank (AfDB), in commissioning this report to be prepared by the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), highlighted the need for a comprehensive, evidenced-based review of agricultural biotechnology in order to better understand its current status, issues, constraints, and opportunities for Africa. Agricultural biotechnology comprises several scientific techniques (genetic engineering, molecular marker-assisted breeding, the use of molecular diagnostics and vaccines, and tissue cul­ture) that are used to improve plants, animals, and microorganisms. However, in prepar­ing this desktop analysis, IFPRI has focused on genetic modification (GM) technologies in particular and on the agricultural context in which they are being applied, because GM technologies are at the center of the controversy about biotechnology’s role in Africa. In addition, because we have attempted to focus our review on peer-reviewed evidence and documented examples, the preponderance of data presented in the report is focused on genetically modified (also abbreviated GM) crops in use and under development, although we recognize the potential of the technology for livestock, fisheries, and forestry.
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Cognitive Biases in the Assimilation of Scientific Information on Global Warming and Genetically Modified Food

Author
Brandon R. McFadden and Jayson Lusk (jlusk@purdue.edu)

Abstract: The ability of scientific knowledge to contribute to public debate about societal risks depends on how the public assimilates information resulting from the scientific community. Bayesian decision theory assumes that people update a belief by allocating weights to a prior belief and new information to form a posterior belief. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of prior beliefs on assimilation of scientific information and test several hypotheses about the manner in which people process scientific information on genetically modified food and global warming. Results indicated that assimilation of information is dependent on prior beliefs and that the failure to update beliefs in a Bayesian fashion is a result of several factors including: misinterpreting information, illusionary correlations, selectively scrutinizing information, information-processing problems, knowledge, political affiliation, and cognitive function.
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Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 2012 Edition

Author
Craig D. Osteen and Utpal Vasavada

Abstract: Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 2012, describes trends in economic, structural, resource, and environmental indicators in the agriculture sector, focusing on changes since the release of Agricultural Resources and Environmental Indicators, 2006. These indicators are useful to assess important changes in U.S. agriculture—the industry’s development; its environmental effects; and the implications for economic, social, and environmental sustainability. This report tracks key resources, including natural, produced, and management resources, that are used in and affected by agricultural production, as well as structural changes in farm production and the economic conditions and policies that influence agricultural resource use and its environmental impacts. Each chapter provides a concise overview of a specific topic with links to sources of additional information.
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Tuesday, 20 June 2017

Antibacterial activity and cytocompatibility of chitooligosaccharide-modified polyurethane membrane via polydopamine adhesive layer

Published Date
Received 25 June 2016, Revised 4 September 2016, Accepted 13 September 2016, Available online 13 September 2016

 Author
  • a Department of Material Science and Engineering, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, PR China
  • b Engineering Research Center of Artificial Organs and Materials, Ministry of Education, Guangzhou 510632, PR China

 Highlights
•
A unique surface design was developed for PU membrane in this study.
•
The hydrophilicity of PU membrane improved when modified with PDOPA and COS.
•
COS-modified PU membrane favors NIH-3T3 cells adhesion and proliferation.
•
Antibacterial activity of PU membrane increased by modification with COS.
•
This study reveals the potential of the COS-coated PU membrane as wound dressings.

 Abstract
The aim of this study was to provide a convenient surface modification method for polyurethane (PU) membrane and evaluate its influence on hydrophilicity, antibacterial activity and cell functions, which are the most important factors for wound dressings. For this purpose, chitooligosaccharide (COS) was modified onto the surface of PU membrane based on the self-polymerization of dopamine (DOPA). Surface composition, morphology, hydrophilicity and surface energy of the original and modified PU membranes were characterized. Surface roughness and hydrophilicity of the PU membrane were obviously increased by modified with polydopamine (PDOPA) and COS. Antibacterial experiment against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus indicated that antibacterial activity of PU membrane increased only slightly by modified with PDOPA, but increased significantly by further modified with COS. Cells culture results revealed that COS-functionalized PU membrane is more beneficial to the adhesion and proliferation of NIH-3T3 cells compared to the original and PDOPA-modified PU membranes.

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http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0144861716310906
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Bupleurum chinense polysaccharide inhibit adhesion of human melanoma cells via blocking β1 integrin function

Published Date
Received 4 February 2016, Revised 12 September 2016, Accepted 12 September 2016, Available online 13 September 2016

 Author
  • a Jilin Provincial Key Laboratory of Molecular Geriatric Medicine, Life Science Research Center, Beihua University, Jilin 132013, China
  • b Wood Material Science and Engineering Key Laboratory of Jilin Province, Beihua University, Jilin 132013, China
  • c Division of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada
  • d Research Center for Clinical & Translational Medicine, 302 Hospital, Beijing 100039, China
  • e School of Chemical Engineering, Northeast Dianli University, Jilin 132012, China

 Highlights
•
BCP, water-soluble polysaccharide extracted from Bupleurum chinense, inhibited integrin-mediated adhesion of human melanoma A375 cells to fibronectin but had no effects on nonspecific adhesion to poly-l-lysine.
•
BCP-treatment reduced β1 integrin ligand affinity and inhibited the adhesion-dependent formation of F-actin stress fibers and focal adhesions.
•
The inhibition of BCP on integrin-mediated signaling is probably through its dephosphorylatory effects on focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin.
•
Our current findings indicated that BCP may be a potential therapy for melanoma metastasis due to its inhibitory effects on integrin signaling.

 Abstract
Adhesive interaction contributes toward tumor metastasis and the transmembrane glycoprotein receptor, integrin has been recognized to mediate the adhesion to extracellular matrix thus upregulating tumor metastasis. In the current study, we evaluated the anti-adhesive mechanisms of a water-soluble polysaccharide (BCP) extracted from Bupleurum chinense. BCP inhibited integrin-mediated adhesion of human melanoma A375 cells to fibronectin but had no effects on nonspecific adhesion to poly-l-lysine. BCP also reduced β1 integrin ligand affinity for GST-FNIII9-10 proteins. The adhesion-dependent formation of F-actin stress fiber and focal adhesion (FA) was also inhibited by BCP treatment. The inhibition of BCP on integrin-mediated signaling is probably through inhibiting phosphorylation of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) and paxillin. Collectively, our current findings indicated that BCP may be a potential therapy for melanoma metastasis due to its inhibitory effects on integrin function.

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Cellulose nanocrystal/hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide/silver nanoparticle composite as a catalyst for reduction of 4-nitrophenol

Published date
Received 1 August 2016, Revised 27 August 2016, Accepted 30 August 2016, Available online 13 September 2016

 Author
  • a Tianjin Key Laboratory of Pulp and Paper, Tianjin University of Science and Technology, Tianjin 300457, China
  • b Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, New Brunswick, E3B 5A3, Canada

 Highlights
•
CNC/CTAB/Ag nanohybrid catalyst with small size and narrow particle distribution, was synthesized by a facile method.
•
The steric barriers and increased charges from CTAB surfactant contributed to the improved Ag NPs stability and dispersity.
•
CNC/CTAB/Ag nanohybrid catalyst exhibited an excellent catalytic activity (545 h−1) and pseudo-first order rate constant (1.6 × 10−3 s−1) in the reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP) by NaBH4 to 4-aminophenol (4-AP).

 Abstract

 The application of metal nanoparticles (NPs) in catalysis has drawn significant research interest, including in their applications to the wastewater treatment. Nanocellulose can be a versatile support/carrier in stabilizing metal NPs catalysts, due to its unique properties. In this paper, hexadecyl-trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant-adsorbed cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) was employed as a support for silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs). The obtained CNC/CTAB/Ag nanohybrid composite was characterized by ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). The results of the catalytic reaction experiments showed that Ag NPs immobilized on CTAB-adsorbed CNC displayed higher catalytic efficiency towards the reduction of 4-nitrophenol to 4-aminophenol, compared to the control Ag NPs and CNC/Ag samples. The enhanced catalytic performance of Ag NPs was attributed to the improved dispersity and narrow distribution of silver nanoparticles in the catalytic system. This work provides a novel catalyst based on CNC-CTAB stabilized Ag NPs which would have promising applications towards catalytic treatment of wastewater.

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Advantages and Disadvantages of Fasting for Runners

Author BY   ANDREA CESPEDES  Food is fuel, especially for serious runners who need a lot of energy. It may seem counterintuiti...