A holistic approach to enhance the use of neglected and underutilized species: the case of Andean grains in Bolivia and Peru

The IFAD-NUS project, implemented over the course of a decade in two phases, represents the first UN-supported global effort on neglected and underutilized species (NUS). This initiative, deployed and tested a holistic and innovative value chain framework using multi-stakeholder, participatory, inter-disciplinary, pro-poor gender- and nutrition-sensitive approaches. The project has been linking aspects often dealt with separately by R&D, such as genetic diversity, selection, cultivation, harvest, value addition, marketing, and final use, with the goal to contribute to conservation, better incomes, and improved nutrition and strengthened livelihood resilience. The project contributed to the greater conservation of Andean grains and their associated indigenous knowledge, through promoting wider use of their diversity by value chain actors, adoption of best cultivation practices, development of improved varieties, dissemination of high quality seed, and capacity development. Reduced drudgery in harvest and postharvest operations, and increased food safety were achieved through technological innovations. Development of innovative food products and inclusion of Andean grains in school meal programs is projected to have had a positive nutrition outcome for targeted communities. Increased income was recorded for all value chain actors, along with strengthened networking skills and self-reliance in marketing. The holistic approach taken in this study is advocated as an effective strategy to enhance the use of other neglected and underutilized species for conservation and livelihood benefits

LA MEMORIA DE UN TERRITORIO. TUNJA Y SUS 475 AÑOS HISPÁNICOS

El concepto de territorio se ha sabido construir y de construir desde las ciencias sociales, la intangibilidad del espacio es una característica novedosa y que ubica este concepto en un eje de análisis que va más allá de lo material, por ello los territorios son construcciones sociales, resultado de un nivel de apropiación por parte de unas comunidades, compuestas por redes y por actores, estas interacciones se dan en función del tiempo. Un territorio se debe a la memoria, y este es un concepto que se abordará desde diferentes posturas, Maurice Hallbwachs (Marcos sociales), Aby Warburg (Memoria visual), Pierre Nora (Lugares de la memoria) y Aleida y Jan Assmann (Memoria Cultural). De tal manera que se logre comprender claramente las maneras como se reproduce la memoria y a partir de ellos determinar estrategias que permitan conmemorar los 475 años de la ciudad de Tunja

Highly efficient bi-allelic mutation rates using TALENs in Xenopus tropicalis

In the past decade, Xenopus tropicalis has emerged as a powerful new amphibian genetic model system, which offers all of the experimental advantages of its larger cousin, Xenopus laevis. Here we investigated the efficiency of transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALENs) for generating targeted mutations in endogenous genes in X. tropicalis. For our analysis we targeted the tyrosinase (oculocutaneous albinism IA) (tyr) gene, which is required for the production of skin pigments, such as melanin. We injected mRNA encoding TALENs targeting the first exon of the tyr gene into two-cell-stage embryos. Surprisingly, we found that over 90% of the founder animals developed either partial or full albinism, suggesting that the TALENs induced bi-allelic mutations in the tyr gene at very high frequency in the F0 animals. Furthermore, mutations tyr gene were efficiently transmitted into the F1 progeny, as evidenced by the generation of albino offspring. These findings have far reaching implications in our quest to develop efficient reverse genetic approaches in this emerging amphibian model

Participatory varietal selection of potato using the mother & baby trial design: A gender-responsive trainer’s guide.

This guide aims to provide step-by-step guidance on facilitating and documenting the PVS dynamics using the MBT design to select, and eventually release, potato varieties preferred by end-users that suit male and female farmers ’different needs, diverse agro-systems, and management practices, as well as traders ’and consumers’ preferences

Characterizations of the sphere by means of visual cones: an alternative proof of Matsuura's theorem

In this work we prove that if there exists a smooth convex body $M$ in the Euclidean space $\mathbb{R}^n$, $n\geq 3$, contained in the interior of the unit ball $\mathbb{S}^{n-1}$ of $\mathbb{R}^n$, and point $p\in \mathbb{R}^n$ such that, for each point of $\mathbb{S}^{n-1}$, $M$ looks centrally symmetric and $p$ appears as the centre, then $M$ is an sphere

The Political Cost of Public-Private Partnerships: Theory and Evidence from Colombian Infrastructure Development

Infrastructure public–private partnerships (PPPs) eschew traditional public management to provide distributive goods worldwide. Yet, in Colombia, the context of our study, both the promise of and voters' experience with PPPs hinder incumbent parties in elections when theories of distributive politics expect otherwise. We argue that negative experiences with PPPs introduce a sociotropic turn in individual voting: bad experience crowds out the possibility that promising a new project will improve a voter's own welfare. Studying what are, to our knowledge, all 109 Colombian PPP projects between 1998 and 2014, and over 8,700 individual survey responses, our evidence shows that vote intention for the incumbent executive or his party decreases as experience with more PPPs in respondents' districts increases. Our analysis and results introduce an important agenda for research into the political significance of these legacies of new public management

Enhancing the student experience through the creation and use of authentic and accessible conflict scenarios

Authentic conflict scenarios are an essential basis for learning activities and assessment tasks in the conflict management and resolution field. Authentic scenarios allow students to apply theories and skills to realistic situations, enhancing their learning experiences and workforce readiness. However, finding suitable conflict scenarios for use in teaching and learning is challenging due to a) Confidentiality: limiting the types of conflicts that can be used; b) Evolving resources: conflicts already in the public eye are often complex and continue to evolve which requires a great deal of effort by educators to update content, restricts the diversity of resources available, and makes it difficult to impartially present all aspects of a conflict in an engaging way; and c) Lack of engaging resources: fictitious scenarios are often presented in written text only, failing to provide interactive and engaging resources. In 2016, the James Cook University (JCU) Conflict Management and Resolution (CMR) Program, with the support of a Student Services and Amenities Fee (SSAF) grant, created an authentic and digitally accessible conflict scenario designed to address these challenges and deliver improved learning experiences for postgraduate conflict management and resolution students and educators. This article discusses the value of authentic scenarios to improve postgraduate student experiences and career outcomes in the dispute resolution field, the approach taken by the JCU CMR Program to develop the scenario and presents findings from preliminary feedback from students' and educators' experience using the conflict scenario in postgraduate course work

Occupational exposure to Organophosphate Pesticides and its Effects on Human Sperm Parameters: A systematic Review

Background Previous research has indicated there is a decrease in sperm quality in the last 40 years. There have been a few reports that have associated occupational exposure to Organophosphate pesticides with a decrease in sperm count, abnormalities in the head or tail, and motility leading to infertility over time. Organophosphates are the most common pesticides used in the United States and have been classified as toxic to bees, wildlife, and humans by the EPA even at low exposures. Furthermore, Organophosphates are considered endocrine disrupting chemicals altering the normal function of the endocrine system. This occurs by interfering with the natural hormones the body produces due to their strong bind to estrogen and androgen receptors. Objective This systematic review sought to identify relevant studies evaluating the relationship of occupational exposure to Organophosphate pesticides and the decrease of sperm parameters in agriculture workers, pesticide sprayers, and farm workers worldwide. Methods PubMed, Scopus, Himmelfarb, and Agriculture Environmental Science databases were searched for all studies in English. Peer-reviewed articles were selected between the years of 2008 and 2016. Risk of bias was assessed according to the Navigation Guide a Systematic Review Methodology. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) was utilized to rate the quality of evidence of each study. Results Five studies were identified, reviewed, and analyzed according to inclusion criteria. Selected studies were rated “low, probably low, not applicable, probably high risk, and high risk” for risk of bias. Studies were assigned a “low quality” rating for strength of evidence. Grey literature was excluded. Conclusion There is sufficient evidence that supports a positive association between occupational Organophosphate exposure and a decrease of sperm parameters in agriculture workers, pesticide sprayers, and farm workers worldwide. Sperm analysis demonstrated a decrease in sperm volume, motility, quality of sperm, and DNA damage, however, future studies are needed to explore this association further