BACKGROUND Good clinical practice(GCP)is put in place to protect human participants in clinical trials as well as to ensure the quality of research.Non-adherence to these guidelines can produce research that may not m...BACKGROUND Good clinical practice(GCP)is put in place to protect human participants in clinical trials as well as to ensure the quality of research.Non-adherence to these guidelines can produce research that may not meet the standards set by the scientific community.Therefore,it must be ensured that researchers are wellversed in the GCP.But not much is known about the knowledge and practices of the GCP in the medical colleges of North India.AIM To assess the knowledge and practices of researchers about GCP and analyze these with respect to the demographics of participants.METHODS This is a cross-sectional study.A self-structured questionnaire about GCP,after expert validations,was circulated among researchers,at a tertiary healthcare institute,All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS),Rishikesh.A total of 59 individuals,who were selected by universal sampling,participated in the study.All healthcare workers who have been investigators of Institutional Ethics Committee-approved research projects,except residents and faculty,and are still a part of the institute have been included in the study.The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of AIIMS,Rishikesh.We used descriptive analysis and the Chi-squared test to analyze data.P value<0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS Out of 59 participants,only 11(18.6%)were certified for GCP.Most of the participants(64.4%)had“Average”knowledge,33.9%had“Good”knowledge and 1.7%had“Poor”knowledge.Only 49%of participants had satisfactory practices related to GCP.There was a significant difference in the knowledge based on the current academic position for the items assessing knowledge of institutional review board(P=0.010),confidentiality&privacy(P=0.011),and participant safety&adverse events(P<0.001).There was also a significant difference in knowledge of research misconduct(P=0.024)and participant safety&adverse events(P=0.011)based on certification of GCP.There was a notable difference in the practices related to recruitment&retention on the basis of current academic position(P<0.001)and certification of GCP(P=0.023).We also observed a considerable difference between the knowledge and practices of GCP among the participants(P=0.013).CONCLUSION Participants have basic knowledge of GCP but show a lack thereof in certain domains of GCP.This can be addressed by holding training sessions focusing on these particular domains.展开更多
Despite a wealth of literature on the different facets of the EIA,and copious theoretical knowledge and practical experience,the general agreement is eluding definitions of EIA effectiveness,quality,and good practices...Despite a wealth of literature on the different facets of the EIA,and copious theoretical knowledge and practical experience,the general agreement is eluding definitions of EIA effectiveness,quality,and good practices.There are apprehensions about EIA meeting its basic objectives while project proponents continue to treat EIA as an impediment to development.Governments tend to adopt a“practical”approach,sacrificing pillars of EIA and overlooking the prime objective of environmental protection.Based on an extensive literature study and the author’s long EIA-related experience,some key workable practices for the EIA process are elaborated.Meticulous scoping using different sets of lenses,spotlighting significant impacts to determine the breadth and depth of EIA reports for focussed EIAs,robust EIA review and decision-making,commitment from the regulators for environmental protection,and use of strategic planning,strategic environmental assessment,and tiering practices are expected to address scholars’apprehensions and project proponents’concerns.展开更多
At present time when climate change has negative effect on soil moisture and can decrease significantly the productivity, good agricultural practises have a high importance via their direct influence on soil propertie...At present time when climate change has negative effect on soil moisture and can decrease significantly the productivity, good agricultural practises have a high importance via their direct influence on soil properties, regimes and biodiversity. Objectives of this study have been focused on the assessment of good agricultural practises in different soil cultivation types: conventional, minimum till, mulch, no-till and organic farming. Method used was based on two case study areas where organic and/or minimal farming systems have been applied. As a control, we chose soil with traditional cultivation. In organic farm, we evaluated earthworms;their amount and status and in farm with different types of cultivation we evaluated the microbial activity to assess the biodiversity conditions. Basic soil properties and soil structure have been set to be able to assess the influence of good agricultural practises on soil environment. Our study shows positive effect of these practises on soil moisture content, biodiversity and soil structure stability. These findings can be used for further studies determining the ways of soil cultivation in harmony with nature—in sustainable way.展开更多
Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and presents a unique scenario for the food and agriculture industry, because there is no food safety legislation. The application of Good Agricultural Practices ...Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and presents a unique scenario for the food and agriculture industry, because there is no food safety legislation. The application of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) leads to improvements of quality, safety and sustainability of agricultural products. The purpose of the study was to assess the status of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in cocoa and coffee farms in Northern Haiti. A general survey captured information about the farmer and the farm, and an audit checklist was used to assess compliance to GAPs. A total of 11 farms (n = 11) were audited, of which 7 were cocoa farms (64%) and 4 were coffee farms (34%) in the regions of Dondon, Limonade and Milot. Average overall audit scores for coffee farms (73%) were higher than for cocoa farms (55%). Farms affiliated with a cooperative scored higher (78%) than those that were not part of a cooperative (55%). The sections of the survey on “Practices related to premises and production site”, and the “use of agricultural inputs and chemicals” received the lowest scores but were confined to the cocoa farms. “Record keeping” plus “distribution, transportation, and traceability” were cause for concern with both the cocoa and coffee farms. Critical non-conformances included the access of livestock animals and domestic pets to processing and storage areas, the lack of control in the application of agricultural chemicals, a lack of safeguards on equipment and elevated surfaces, and washing of fresh cocoa beans to remove the mucilage with water that had not been treated or tested for potability. The root cause of the non-conformances, regardless of the commodity, was either related to poor physical and organizational infrastructures, or to a lack of technical training.展开更多
An earlier baseline study （Jellason et al. in preparation） has identified some of the key challenges faced by farmers and from that, appropriate Good Agricultural Practices （GAPs） have been selected for the enviro...An earlier baseline study （Jellason et al. in preparation） has identified some of the key challenges faced by farmers and from that, appropriate Good Agricultural Practices （GAPs） have been selected for the environment the farmers find themselves in and based on a review of available literature. Farmer action plans for enhancing smallholder resilience, GHGs emission mitigation and food security for these dry lands were developed. Expert opinions on the applicability of the selected GAPs to inform farmer co-learning and to validate the suitability of these practices in a dry land context were sought through the Delphi study. Experts were also invited to offer suggestions for improvement of the training action plan. Two rounds of a modified Delphi survey were carried out with experts from diverse backgrounds and locations across the globe to solicit their opinion. Results show that experts＇ agreement was reached on most of the action plan items. The results and opinions obtained from the survey were reviewed and adapted into the action plan leading to the development of GAPs for the co-learning exercise.展开更多
Monitoring changes in Annual Net Primary Productivity(ANPP)is required for reporting on UN Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)Indicator 15.3.1:the proportion of land that is degraded over the total land area.Calibrating...Monitoring changes in Annual Net Primary Productivity(ANPP)is required for reporting on UN Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)Indicator 15.3.1:the proportion of land that is degraded over the total land area.Calibrating time-series observations of ANPP to derive Water Use Efficiency(WUE;a measure of ANPP per unit of evapotranspiration)can minimize the influence of climate factors on ANPP observations and highlight the influence of non-climatic drivers of degradation such as land use changes.Comparing the ANPP and WUE time series may be useful for identifying the primary drivers of land degradation,which could be used to support the Land Degradation Neutrality objectives of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD).This paper presents an algorithm for the Google Earth Engine(freely and openly available upon request-http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4429773)to calculate and compare ANPP and WUE time series for Santa Cruz,Bolivia,which has recently experienced an intensification in its land use.This code builds on the Good Practice Guidance document(ver-sion 1)for monitoring SDG Indicator 15.3.1.We use the MODIS 16-day average,250 m resolution to demonstrate that the Enhanced Vegetation Index(EVI)responds faster to changes in water avail-ability than the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI).We also consider the relationships between ANPP and WUE.Significant and concordant trends may highlight good agricultural practices or increased resilience in ecosystem structure and productivity when they are positive or reducing resilience and functional integrity if negative.The sign and significance of the correlation between ANPP and WUE may also diverge over time.With further analysis,it may be possible to interpret this relationship in terms of the drivers of change in plant productivity and ecosystem resilience.展开更多
文摘BACKGROUND Good clinical practice(GCP)is put in place to protect human participants in clinical trials as well as to ensure the quality of research.Non-adherence to these guidelines can produce research that may not meet the standards set by the scientific community.Therefore,it must be ensured that researchers are wellversed in the GCP.But not much is known about the knowledge and practices of the GCP in the medical colleges of North India.AIM To assess the knowledge and practices of researchers about GCP and analyze these with respect to the demographics of participants.METHODS This is a cross-sectional study.A self-structured questionnaire about GCP,after expert validations,was circulated among researchers,at a tertiary healthcare institute,All India Institute of Medical Sciences(AIIMS),Rishikesh.A total of 59 individuals,who were selected by universal sampling,participated in the study.All healthcare workers who have been investigators of Institutional Ethics Committee-approved research projects,except residents and faculty,and are still a part of the institute have been included in the study.The study was approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of AIIMS,Rishikesh.We used descriptive analysis and the Chi-squared test to analyze data.P value<0.05 was considered significant.RESULTS Out of 59 participants,only 11(18.6%)were certified for GCP.Most of the participants(64.4%)had“Average”knowledge,33.9%had“Good”knowledge and 1.7%had“Poor”knowledge.Only 49%of participants had satisfactory practices related to GCP.There was a significant difference in the knowledge based on the current academic position for the items assessing knowledge of institutional review board(P=0.010),confidentiality&privacy(P=0.011),and participant safety&adverse events(P<0.001).There was also a significant difference in knowledge of research misconduct(P=0.024)and participant safety&adverse events(P=0.011)based on certification of GCP.There was a notable difference in the practices related to recruitment&retention on the basis of current academic position(P<0.001)and certification of GCP(P=0.023).We also observed a considerable difference between the knowledge and practices of GCP among the participants(P=0.013).CONCLUSION Participants have basic knowledge of GCP but show a lack thereof in certain domains of GCP.This can be addressed by holding training sessions focusing on these particular domains.
文摘Despite a wealth of literature on the different facets of the EIA,and copious theoretical knowledge and practical experience,the general agreement is eluding definitions of EIA effectiveness,quality,and good practices.There are apprehensions about EIA meeting its basic objectives while project proponents continue to treat EIA as an impediment to development.Governments tend to adopt a“practical”approach,sacrificing pillars of EIA and overlooking the prime objective of environmental protection.Based on an extensive literature study and the author’s long EIA-related experience,some key workable practices for the EIA process are elaborated.Meticulous scoping using different sets of lenses,spotlighting significant impacts to determine the breadth and depth of EIA reports for focussed EIAs,robust EIA review and decision-making,commitment from the regulators for environmental protection,and use of strategic planning,strategic environmental assessment,and tiering practices are expected to address scholars’apprehensions and project proponents’concerns.
文摘At present time when climate change has negative effect on soil moisture and can decrease significantly the productivity, good agricultural practises have a high importance via their direct influence on soil properties, regimes and biodiversity. Objectives of this study have been focused on the assessment of good agricultural practises in different soil cultivation types: conventional, minimum till, mulch, no-till and organic farming. Method used was based on two case study areas where organic and/or minimal farming systems have been applied. As a control, we chose soil with traditional cultivation. In organic farm, we evaluated earthworms;their amount and status and in farm with different types of cultivation we evaluated the microbial activity to assess the biodiversity conditions. Basic soil properties and soil structure have been set to be able to assess the influence of good agricultural practises on soil environment. Our study shows positive effect of these practises on soil moisture content, biodiversity and soil structure stability. These findings can be used for further studies determining the ways of soil cultivation in harmony with nature—in sustainable way.
文摘Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere and presents a unique scenario for the food and agriculture industry, because there is no food safety legislation. The application of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) leads to improvements of quality, safety and sustainability of agricultural products. The purpose of the study was to assess the status of Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) in cocoa and coffee farms in Northern Haiti. A general survey captured information about the farmer and the farm, and an audit checklist was used to assess compliance to GAPs. A total of 11 farms (n = 11) were audited, of which 7 were cocoa farms (64%) and 4 were coffee farms (34%) in the regions of Dondon, Limonade and Milot. Average overall audit scores for coffee farms (73%) were higher than for cocoa farms (55%). Farms affiliated with a cooperative scored higher (78%) than those that were not part of a cooperative (55%). The sections of the survey on “Practices related to premises and production site”, and the “use of agricultural inputs and chemicals” received the lowest scores but were confined to the cocoa farms. “Record keeping” plus “distribution, transportation, and traceability” were cause for concern with both the cocoa and coffee farms. Critical non-conformances included the access of livestock animals and domestic pets to processing and storage areas, the lack of control in the application of agricultural chemicals, a lack of safeguards on equipment and elevated surfaces, and washing of fresh cocoa beans to remove the mucilage with water that had not been treated or tested for potability. The root cause of the non-conformances, regardless of the commodity, was either related to poor physical and organizational infrastructures, or to a lack of technical training.
文摘An earlier baseline study （Jellason et al. in preparation） has identified some of the key challenges faced by farmers and from that, appropriate Good Agricultural Practices （GAPs） have been selected for the environment the farmers find themselves in and based on a review of available literature. Farmer action plans for enhancing smallholder resilience, GHGs emission mitigation and food security for these dry lands were developed. Expert opinions on the applicability of the selected GAPs to inform farmer co-learning and to validate the suitability of these practices in a dry land context were sought through the Delphi study. Experts were also invited to offer suggestions for improvement of the training action plan. Two rounds of a modified Delphi survey were carried out with experts from diverse backgrounds and locations across the globe to solicit their opinion. Results show that experts＇ agreement was reached on most of the action plan items. The results and opinions obtained from the survey were reviewed and adapted into the action plan leading to the development of GAPs for the co-learning exercise.
基金This study was partially funded by UNDP Grant:BOL/118208(“Laboratorios de Recuperación Temprana”),a study led by Fundación para Conservación del Bosque Chiquitano(www.fcbc.org.bo)to determine forest patches requiring post-fire assisted recovery in the aftermath of 2019 wildfires in Santa Cruz,Bolivia:“Plan Estratégico para la Restauración de lasÁreas Afectadas por los Incendios en el 2019”.
文摘Monitoring changes in Annual Net Primary Productivity(ANPP)is required for reporting on UN Sustainable Development Goal(SDG)Indicator 15.3.1:the proportion of land that is degraded over the total land area.Calibrating time-series observations of ANPP to derive Water Use Efficiency(WUE;a measure of ANPP per unit of evapotranspiration)can minimize the influence of climate factors on ANPP observations and highlight the influence of non-climatic drivers of degradation such as land use changes.Comparing the ANPP and WUE time series may be useful for identifying the primary drivers of land degradation,which could be used to support the Land Degradation Neutrality objectives of the UN Convention to Combat Desertification(UNCCD).This paper presents an algorithm for the Google Earth Engine(freely and openly available upon request-http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4429773)to calculate and compare ANPP and WUE time series for Santa Cruz,Bolivia,which has recently experienced an intensification in its land use.This code builds on the Good Practice Guidance document(ver-sion 1)for monitoring SDG Indicator 15.3.1.We use the MODIS 16-day average,250 m resolution to demonstrate that the Enhanced Vegetation Index(EVI)responds faster to changes in water avail-ability than the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI).We also consider the relationships between ANPP and WUE.Significant and concordant trends may highlight good agricultural practices or increased resilience in ecosystem structure and productivity when they are positive or reducing resilience and functional integrity if negative.The sign and significance of the correlation between ANPP and WUE may also diverge over time.With further analysis,it may be possible to interpret this relationship in terms of the drivers of change in plant productivity and ecosystem resilience.
