Conservation Genetic Resources for Effective Species Survival (ConGRESS): Bridging the divide between conservation research and practice

Policy makers and managers are increasingly called upon to assess the state of biodiversity, and make decisions regarding potential interventions. Genetic tools are well-recognised in the research community as a powerful approach to evaluate species and population status, reveal ecological and demographic processes, and inform nature conservation decisions. The wealth of genetic data and power of genetic methods are rapidly growing, but the consideration of genetic information and concerns in policy and management is limited by the currently low capacity of decision-makers to access and apply genetic resources. Here we describe a freely available, user-friendly online resource for decision-makers at local and national levels (http://congressgenetics.eu), which increases access to current knowledge, facilitates implementation of studies and interpretation of available data, and fosters collaboration between researchers and practitioners. This resource was created in partnership with conservation practitioners across the European Union, and includes a spectrum of taxa, ecosystems and conservation issues. Our goals here are to (1) introduce the rationale and context, (2) describe the specific tools (knowledge summaries, publications database, decision making tool, project planning tool, forum, community directory), and the challenges they help solve, and (3) summarise lessons learned. This article provides an outlook and model for similar efforts to build policy and management capacity.     

Phase separation in a sheared gelatin/maltodextrin mixture studied by small-angle light scattering

The influence of shear on the structure of a gelatin/maltodextrin mixture was investigated using small-angle light scattering both during phase separation and after phase separation was allowed to occur quiescently. In all cases, phase separation occurred via spinodal decomposition to form a droplet morphology, and a characteristic length scale was formed in the structure that was prevalent during shear, as well as in quiescent conditions. Below the critical shear rate for droplet breakup, shear accelerated the coarsening rate of the droplets. A transient regime of rapid hydrodynamic coarsening was present when shear was initiated after phase separation and at late times in all cases once the droplets attained a certain size. At the critical shear rate for droplet breakup (1 s(-1)), the rapid repetition of breakup and coarsening was postulated to occur, which enabled a microstructure consisting of elongated droplets with a narrow size distribution to form. When the shear rate enabled droplets to extend to such an extent that a percolated structure could form (10 s(-1)), then the structure was relatively stable and changed very slowly over time. At very high shear rates (100 s(-1)), droplet breakup was suppressed and a highly fibrillar morphology formed that was stable only while the system was under shear. Cessation of shear at high rates led to fiber breakup and the formation of many small droplets. For a given shear rate, the final microstructure appeared to be independent of the time that shear was started when the structure consisted of discrete droplets or fibers. When a percolated structure could form, however, the shear history appeared to be important.     

Mechanism and kinetics of phase separation in a gelatin/maltodextrin mixture studied by small-angle light scattering

Phase separation mechanisms and kinetics were studied using small-angle light scattering in a gelatin/maltodextrin system where phase separation could be studied in both liquid and gelled states. Nucleation and growth or spinodal decomposition occurred, depending on the quench depth. The transition between the two mechanisms occurred relatively sharply. The different mechanisms were distinguishable by the different behavior of the scattering function even though a peak was observed in both cases. Particular differences were the different evolution of the peak intensity and position, the absence of dynamic scaling of the nucleation and growth scattering function, and the final coarsening exponent of 1/3 that was measured when spinodal decomposition occurred but not for nucleation and growth. Gelation severely reduced the coarsening rate and initially placed the phase compositions far from their equilibrium values. Despite the loss of molecular mobility caused by gelation, the gelled systems did continue to evolve, albeit much more slowly than in the liquid case. Multiple coarsening rates were observed for some of the gelled samples, which were ascribed to the gradual movement of these systems toward the equilibrium compositions.     

Rheological properties of mixtures of protein-polysaccharide-dynamic viscoelasticity of blend gels of acylated gelatin, kappa-carrageenan, and agarose

Complex Young's modulus of blend gels of gelatin and kappa-carrageenan or agarose has been measured in order to clarify the protein-polysaccharide interaction in biological systems. The mixture of gelatin and kappa-carrageenan showed phase separation in the intermediate volume fraction of gelatin, and it formed a homogeneous gel when the volume fraction of gelatin is very large or very small. Since the dynamic Young's modulus for blend gels of kappa-carrageenan and gelatin was larger than the calculated one from a theory for dispersed systems, some structural reinforcing must occur. The mixture of agarose and gelatin showed the inverse tendency. It was concluded that the role of electrolytic groups was dominant in dilute gels, while molecular entanglement became more important in concentrated gels.     

Bridging the gap between physics and biology.

The work is devoted to the historical development of physics and biology. Various aspects of their interactions are shown: antagonism, mutual penetration and a lot of bridges, built or being built between them. The gradual "evolution of the world picture" from going away of the "pre-scientific" animated Universe and the appearance of mechanicism and vitalism to the development of systems and field approaches is traced. The last part of the paper is concerned with some present-day works at the joint between physics and biology.     

Bridging the gap between molecular epidemiologists and evolutionists

Molecular epidemiology designates the various molecular methods that aim to identify the relevant units of analysis of pathogens involved in transmissible diseases: species, subspecies, strains, clones and genes of interest. It is frequently based on an empirical approach. I advocate that evolutionary concepts enrich this discipline considerably and should be considered as an integral part. In turn, the experience and questioning of field experts are crucial to evolutionists who use transmissible diseases as models. A molecular epidemiology aim gives evolutionary studies a practical goal, putting a stop to approaches that are overly speculative.     

Bridging the gap between research and applications in the Third World

In most developing countries a gap separates the research establishment from the applied sector. As a consequence, results from indigenous research are not transferred to those who may be able to apply them in industry, health and agriculture, i.e. to the technology end-user. Two factors create and sustain the gap: (1) mechanisms that promote and facilitate technology transfer from laboratories to industry or farmers either do not exist or are poorly developed in these countries; and (2) obsolete but tenacious economic, legal, and social barriers exist that prevent university-industry co-operation. It is reasonable to assume that developing countries will be unable to benefit fully from biotechnology, in terms of economic development and problem solving, unless they are able to utilize results from indigenous biotechnological research. Bridging the gap between research and applications is therefore of vital importance. Accordingly, the aim of this paper is to consider what governments and international agencies can do to bridge this gap and to demarcate specific measures that they can implement relatively quickly and easily. The focus throughout this paper is on capability building in biotechnology, especially as it affects researchers and technology end-users in the Third World. This depends to a great extent on setting up technology-transfer units in universities and industries, staffed by professionals whose raison d'être would be to make certain that research results are indeed applied.This paper was presented at the UNIDO Expert Group Meeting on Applications of Biotechnology to Food Processing in Africa, held in Ibadan, Nigeria, in December 1991.     

Bridging the gap between in vitro and in vivo toxicology testing

In vitro systems for neurotoxicological studies can be useful for the investigation of events associated with pertubations of cellular and molecular targets that are similar to those in the intact animal. The toxicities of organophosphorus compounds, which inhibit esterases, and 1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), which depletes dopamine, can be studied in human neuroblastoma cells.