Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of the global biotechnology industry largely coincided with the development of the US biotechnology industry. This resulted in this industry's oligopolistic and centralised nature where only a few multinational chemical and pharmaceutical companies control most biotechnology processes and production of commodities emanating from these processes. The governance of biotechnology has, until recently, been dominated by state actors who have endeavoured to secure national interests, including those of large multinational corporations (MNCs) based within their boundaries. The technological ability of developed states to exploit and use unevenly distributed resources to their advantage means that an uneven relationship exists between these and poor developing countries. This has been highlighted by differences in public opinion about the role and application of biotechnology in society. While some opinions favour the use and application of biotechnology to enhance food supplies and boost production levels and trade, other opinions caution against the possible hazards that genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs) hold for the environment and human existence. The commercialisation of biotechnology has resulted in the exponential growth of genetically manipulated crops in especially the United States and countries like Argentina and Canada. These countries produce large surpluses of staple grains such as corn and soya and try to sell these to countries with food supply problems. The clash in commercial interests stemming from developed countries' insistence on the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) on genetically manipulated (GM) seeds has caused considerable conflict with poor farmers who will not be able to sustain their livelihoods if they cannot save seeds for future harvests. This is one aspect of the problems surrounding the protection of knowledge products that is exacerbated by the scientific uncertainty pertaining to the risk involved with biotechnology. While some observers agitate for precaution with the use of GMOs, others feel that a lack of scientific proof of harm is sufficient grounds for proceeding with developments in biotechnology. Conversely, there are some that feel that biotechnology is market driven instead of human needs driven, ultimately resulting in developing countries receiving very little benefit from it. The Cartagena Protocol on biosafety was drafted to address some of the difficulties involved with the transboundary movement of GMOs. Although it holds very specific advantages for developing countries, as a regulatory framework it is limited in its scope and application. Developing countries are limited in their policy options to address their need to protect biodiversity and secure their food supply. This means that considerable challenges and constraints await these countries in utilising global governance of public goods and building their human and technological capacities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling van die globale biotegnologie-industrie het grootliks saamgeval met die ontwikkeling van die Verenigde State se biotegnologie-industrie. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot hierdie industrie se oligopolistiese en gesentraliseerde aard waar slegs enkele multinasionale chemiese en farmaseutiese maatskappye die meeste biotegnologie prosesse en die vervaardiging van kommoditeite uit daardie prosesse beheer. Die regering van biotegnologie was tot onlangs oorheers deur staatsakteurs wie gepoog het om nasionale belange te beskerm, insluitend die belange van multinasionale korporasies (MNK) wat vanuit hulle grondgebied funksioneer. Die tegnologiese vermoë van ontwikkelde state om oneweredig verspreide hulpbronne tot eie gewin te benut beteken dat 'n ongelyke verhouding bestaan tussen hierdie en arm ontwikkelende state. Dit word beklemtoon deur verskille in openbare mening oor die rol en aanwending van biotegnologie in die samelewing. Terwyl sekere opinies ten gunste van die aanwending van biotegnologie vir die verbetering van voedselbronne en produksievlakke en handel is, dui ander opinies op die moontlike gevare wat geneties gemanipuleerde organismes (GMOs) vir die omgewing en menslike voortbestaan inhou. Die kommersialisering van biotegnologie het gelei tot die eksponensiële groei van geneties gemanipuleerde gewasse in veral die Verenigde State en state soos Argentinië en Kanada. Hierdie state produseer groot hoeveelhede stapelgrane soos mielies en soja en poog om dit te verkoop aan state met voedselvoorsieningsprobleme. Die botsing in kommersiële belange wat spruit uit ontwikkelde state se aandrang op die beskerming van intellektuele eiendomsreg op geneties gemanipuleerde saad veroorsaak beduidende konflik met arm landbouers wie nie hulle lewensonderhoud kan verseker as hulle nie saad kan berg vir toekomstige saaiseisoene nie. Dit is een aspek van die problematiek rondom die beskerming van kennisprodukte wat vererger word deur die wetenskaplike onsekerheid wat gepaard gaan met die risiko's van biotegnologie. Terwyl sekere waarnemers vir waaksaamheid pleit in die gebruik van GMOs, is daar ander wat voel dat 'n gebrek aan wetenskaplike bewyse van skade genoegsame gronde is vir die voortsetting van ontwikkelings in biotegnologie. Insgelyks is daar diegene wat meen dat biotegnologie markgedrewe in plaas van menslike behoefte gedrewe is, wat uiteindelik daartoe lei dat ontwikkelende state baie min voordeel daaruit trek. Die Kartagena Protokoloor bioveiligheid is opgestel om van die probleme betrokke by die oorgrens verskuiwing van GMOs aan te spreek. Hoewel dit spesifieke voordele vir ontikkelende state inhou is dit as reguleringsraamwerk beperk in omvang en aanwending. Ontwikkelende state het beperkte beleidsopsies om hulle behoefte om biodiversiteit te beskerm en voedselvoorsiening te verseker, aan te spreek. Dit beteken dat beduidende uitdagings en beperkings hierdie state in die benutting van globale regering van openbare goedere vir die bou van menslike en tegnologiese kapasiteite in die gesig staar.

The 18 September 2000 disclosure that StarLink corn, a genetically engineered variety not approved for human consumption, had been detected in food was a seminal event in agricultural biotechnology. This thesis presents a comprehensive case study of the StarLink incident (part one), reviews the StarLink situation in terms of crisis management theory (part two) and develops crisis management theory using the StarLink incident as an example of a crisis (part three). Part one provides background information, then a meticulous day-by-day account of StarLink-related events. Part two presents a detailed overview of crisis management theory, then examines the StarLink situation in terms of pre-crisis (warning signals, preconditions for a crisis, crisis trigger), crisis (how Aventis, the biotechnology provider, managed the crisis and opinions concerning crisis handling) and post-crisis (lessons learned). Part three develops crisis management theory using the StarLink situation as an example of a crisis. It evaluates whether the StarLink incident possessed characteristics predicted for modern crises and suggests other factors which may become more prevalent and significant in future crises. The StarLink incident delivers certain practical lessons for managers, regulators and others and demonstrates a number of characteristics of modern crises.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2001. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The development of the global biotechnology industry largely coincided with the development of the US biotechnology industry. This resulted in this industry's oligopolistic and centralised nature where only a few multinational chemical and pharmaceutical companies control most biotechnology processes and production of commodities emanating from these processes. The governance of biotechnology has, until recently, been dominated by state actors who have endeavoured to secure national interests, including those of large multinational corporations (MNCs) based within their boundaries. The technological ability of developed states to exploit and use unevenly distributed resources to their advantage means that an uneven relationship exists between these and poor developing countries. This has been highlighted by differences in public opinion about the role and application of biotechnology in society. While some opinions favour the use and application of biotechnology to enhance food supplies and boost production levels and trade, other opinions caution against the possible hazards that genetically manipulated organisms (GMOs) hold for the environment and human existence. The commercialisation of biotechnology has resulted in the exponential growth of genetically manipulated crops in especially the United States and countries like Argentina and Canada. These countries produce large surpluses of staple grains such as corn and soya and try to sell these to countries with food supply problems. The clash in commercial interests stemming from developed countries' insistence on the protection of intellectual property rights (IPR) on genetically manipulated (GM) seeds has caused considerable conflict with poor farmers who will not be able to sustain their livelihoods if they cannot save seeds for future harvests. This is one aspect of the problems surrounding the protection of knowledge products that is exacerbated by the scientific uncertainty pertaining to the risk involved with biotechnology. While some observers agitate for precaution with the use of GMOs, others feel that a lack of scientific proof of harm is sufficient grounds for proceeding with developments in biotechnology. Conversely, there are some that feel that biotechnology is market driven instead of human needs driven, ultimately resulting in developing countries receiving very little benefit from it. The Cartagena Protocol on biosafety was drafted to address some of the difficulties involved with the transboundary movement of GMOs. Although it holds very specific advantages for developing countries, as a regulatory framework it is limited in its scope and application. Developing countries are limited in their policy options to address their need to protect biodiversity and secure their food supply. This means that considerable challenges and constraints await these countries in utilising global governance of public goods and building their human and technological capacities. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die ontwikkeling van die globale biotegnologie-industrie het grootliks saamgeval met die ontwikkeling van die Verenigde State se biotegnologie-industrie. Dit het aanleiding gegee tot hierdie industrie se oligopolistiese en gesentraliseerde aard waar slegs enkele multinasionale chemiese en farmaseutiese maatskappye die meeste biotegnologie prosesse en die vervaardiging van kommoditeite uit daardie prosesse beheer. Die regering van biotegnologie was tot onlangs oorheers deur staatsakteurs wie gepoog het om nasionale belange te beskerm, insluitend die belange van multinasionale korporasies (MNK) wat vanuit hulle grondgebied funksioneer. Die tegnologiese vermoë van ontwikkelde state om oneweredig verspreide hulpbronne tot eie gewin te benut beteken dat 'n ongelyke verhouding bestaan tussen hierdie en arm ontwikkelende state. Dit word beklemtoon deur verskille in openbare mening oor die rol en aanwending van biotegnologie in die samelewing. Terwyl sekere opinies ten gunste van die aanwending van biotegnologie vir die verbetering van voedselbronne en produksievlakke en handel is, dui ander opinies op die moontlike gevare wat geneties gemanipuleerde organismes (GMOs) vir die omgewing en menslike voortbestaan inhou. Die kommersialisering van biotegnologie het gelei tot die eksponensiële groei van geneties gemanipuleerde gewasse in veral die Verenigde State en state soos Argentinië en Kanada. Hierdie state produseer groot hoeveelhede stapelgrane soos mielies en soja en poog om dit te verkoop aan state met voedselvoorsieningsprobleme. Die botsing in kommersiële belange wat spruit uit ontwikkelde state se aandrang op die beskerming van intellektuele eiendomsreg op geneties gemanipuleerde saad veroorsaak beduidende konflik met arm landbouers wie nie hulle lewensonderhoud kan verseker as hulle nie saad kan berg vir toekomstige saaiseisoene nie. Dit is een aspek van die problematiek rondom die beskerming van kennisprodukte wat vererger word deur die wetenskaplike onsekerheid wat gepaard gaan met die risiko's van biotegnologie. Terwyl sekere waarnemers vir waaksaamheid pleit in die gebruik van GMOs, is daar ander wat voel dat 'n gebrek aan wetenskaplike bewyse van skade genoegsame gronde is vir die voortsetting van ontwikkelings in biotegnologie. Insgelyks is daar diegene wat meen dat biotegnologie markgedrewe in plaas van menslike behoefte gedrewe is, wat uiteindelik daartoe lei dat ontwikkelende state baie min voordeel daaruit trek. Die Kartagena Protokoloor bioveiligheid is opgestel om van die probleme betrokke by die oorgrens verskuiwing van GMOs aan te spreek. Hoewel dit spesifieke voordele vir ontikkelende state inhou is dit as reguleringsraamwerk beperk in omvang en aanwending. Ontwikkelende state het beperkte beleidsopsies om hulle behoefte om biodiversiteit te beskerm en voedselvoorsiening te verseker, aan te spreek. Dit beteken dat beduidende uitdagings en beperkings hierdie state in die benutting van globale regering van openbare goedere vir die bou van menslike en tegnologiese kapasiteite in die gesig staar.

A demanda mundial por alimentos cresce a cada ano, tornando necessário o desenvolvimento de novas tecnologias que aumentem a produção de grãos sem aumentar as áreas destinadas ao para plantio. A cultura de milho é uma das principais commodities do mundo, sendo utilizada na alimentação humana e como ração de outros animais, além de possuir outros fins industriais. O milho é sensível ao arranjo espacial de plantas e qualquer variação no padrão de distribuição pode levar à redução na produção do milho. Atualmente, o processo de verificação da uniformidade dos espaçamentos entre plantas é realizado de forma manual por agrônomos e produtores, a fim de prever possíveis perdas de produção. Nesse contexto, este trabalho propõe uma abordagem automática para a análise do arranjo espacial de plantas por meio da mensuração dos espaçamentos entre plantas de milho em fases inicias de crescimento. A partir dessa mensuração são extraídas informações relevantes como densidade populacional, uniformidade do plantio e estimativas de perdas. A abordagem proposta utiliza técnicas de visão computacional de baixo custo computacional para identificar as plantas de milho e mensurar os espaçamentos entre plantas, permitindo seu uso em dispositivos com baixo poder computacional como smartphones e tablets. Um conjunto de imagens foi construído como uma contribuição adicional do trabalho contento 222 imagens panorâmicas da linha de plantio de milho em três condições de plantio: direto, convencional e direto após aplicação de herbicidas. Os resultados dos experimentos alcançaram uma taxa de 90% de precisão e 87% de sensibilidade na identificação das plantas de milhos presentes na base. Uma comparação entre as medidas dos espaçamentos entre plantas realizadas de forma manual e por visão computacional, não apresentou diferenças significativas entre as medições, indicando a eficácia da abordagem proposta no trabalho. / Global demand for food is growing every year, requiring the development of new technologies that increase grain production without increasing the areas destined for planting. The corn crop is a major commodity in the world and is used as food, feed for other animals, in addition to having other industrial purposes. Corn is sensitive to the spatial arrangement of plants and any variation in distribution pattern can lead to reduction in the production of corn. Currently, the process of checking the uniformity of spacing between plants is done manually by agronomists and producers in order to predict possible production losses. In this context, this paper proposes an automatic approach to the analysis of the spatial arrangement of plants by measuring the spacing between corn plants in early stages of growth. From this measurement are extracted relevant information such as population density, uniformity of planting and loss estimates. The proposed approach uses computer vision techniques of low computational cost to identify corn plants and measure the spacing between plants, allowing its use in devices with low computational power such as smartphones and tablets. A set of images was built as an additional contribution of work, containing 222 panoramic images of corn planting in three conditions of planting: direct, conventional and direct after applying herbicides. The experimental results achieve 90% of rate accuracy and 87% sensitivity in identification of corn plants present on the base. A comparison of the measurements of the distances between plants made of manual and computer vision way, no presented significant differences between the measurements, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed approach at work.

This paper discusses the role of genetic technology and application in agriculture between 1930 and 1960. Topics covered include the role of genetics and the relationship that theory, education, administration, professionalism, economic and social considerations bore to genetics.

<p>Bacteriophages (phages) have broad applications in diverse areas including phage therapy, agriculture, food safety, and environmental protection. In order to fully realize the potential for phage applications, it is critical to understand phage-bacteria interactions and characterize bacterial responses/targets to phage infection. Previous studies have largely focused on other classes of phages other than mycobacteriophages. This research provides the first global proteome investigation of the dynamic relationship between a mycobacteriophage and a mycobacterial host. Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacteria. They have been reported to have vital potential uses in various fields, especially as an alternative in the prevention and treatment of mycobacterial diseases such as tuberculosis. Despite their potential, not much is known about the molecular interaction with mycobacteria during a mycobacteriophage infection, especially at the translational level. To better understand this, a novel mycobacteriophage, Ochi17 was first isolated and characterized based on the genome and structure. I then applied label-free quantitative proteomics using the model host, <i>Mycobacteria smegmatis</i>,which<i> </i>was infected with Ochi17<i> </i>at different infection time points. Phage Ochi17 was found to be a temperate phage and classified as a Siphoviridae. The proteome changes occurring at the mid-lytic stage of Phage Ochi17 infection was first examined followed by a temporal study of the global changes. More than 2,000 <i>M. smegmatis</i> proteins and at least 50 Ochi17 proteins were identified across all time points. Homologous recombination and host macromolecular synthetic processes were significantly upregulated, while lipid metabolism was significantly downregulated. The results suggested that Ochi17 suppressed the growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis not just by utilizing the macromolecular synthesis of the host, but also by suppressing host transcription, and fatty acid biosynthesis, in addition to the degradation of fatty acids irrespective of infection time. The two-component system was a target at only 24 h post infection. I also showed that phage Ochi17 proteome expression is time-dependent and the proteins typically cluster based on functional relatedness. The results presented here may contribute in the development of mycobacteriophages as antimicrobial therapies that can overcome various defense strategies employed by host mycobacteria.</p>

This thesis explores the environmental politics surrounding agricultural biotechnology innovations and diffusion. Recent developments in agricultural biotechnology are accompanied by growing social concerns that such innovations pose risks to the environment and to human health. Biosafety is a term used to discuss the possibility of such risks. Currently, the regulation of agricultural gene-technology and biosafety are contentious environmental issues for national and international policy communities. However, detailed studies of the conflicts and complexities generated by biotechnology for environmental governance are scarce. In particular, little is understood of the ways in which biotechnology issues emerge on regulatory agendas, and research gaps remain on how differing perspectives of biotechnological risks impact on policy outcomes. This thesis makes a significant contribution to these outstanding research issues. My contribution is a new analytical framework that unearths the discursive role biotechnology plays in constructing international environmental policy regimes. I develop this framework on the understanding that the use of language resources like storylines, metaphors and other rhetorical devices are critical in shaping environmental policy in general and biotechnology governance in particular. This analytical framework couples a language analysis to an investigation of the practices of institutional power. The result is a discourse analysis that provides important and useful insights into the theory and practice of biosafety policy. In other words, my thesis explores both the ‘talking’ and the ‘doing’ of policymaking and thereby provides new insights into the contested and uncertain environmental policy area of international gene-technology regulation. Specifically, I undertake a discourse analysis of international biosafety politics within the Convention on Biological Diversity. I apply my discourse analysis to a case study: the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, 2000. My research provides a different reading of international gene-technology politics, one that questions the constructed nature of biotechnology as a policy problem and reveals the power relations involved in producing particular policy options and outcomes on biosafety. There are a number of key research findings that emerged from the application of my discursive analytical framework to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety. I find that biosafety is a highly fluid concept. It can enlarge or contract depending on the way in which language resources are mobilised by policy actors and interest groups to secure definitions and generate consensus around their preferred understandings of biosafety. Moreover, my research indicates that the more radical texts for biosafety can be recast by dominant interest groups into scripts for shallow reform agendas. Institutionalised policy practices also effect policy outcomes. My research finds that the use of Expert Panels, for example, is important in shaping international policy communities’ understanding of the policy problems posed by biotechnology risks. In the light of these findings, my thesis argues that the ability of interest groups and policy actors to win language games within institutional settings also enables them to secure their preferred policy outcomes. I import the concept of authorship as a new policy concept to discuss the ways in which such groups exercise social power to secure their understanding of biosafety, which thereby effect the ‘writing’ of the dominant accounts of what constitutes an acceptable international biosafety standard within the Cartagena Protocol. In short, my thesis is a new account of biosafety politics that fills some of the current knowledge gaps about how biotechnology is emerging onto regulatory agendas. It also demonstrates the mechanisms of power and the language struggles that determine biosafety policy outcomes within multi-lateral environmental agreements such as the Convention on Biological Diversity.

Intellectual property, particularly patents, plays a major role in innovation and discovery in biotechnology. Likewise, since the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act in 1981, patents have become an increasingly important factor in U.S. university-driven basic research, especially in the life sciences where patented technologies have transformed agriculture. Specifically, this paper looks at the potential impacts of these trends on university driven research, the university researcher, the pharmaceutical industry, and the farm sector with an emphasis on recent and pending court cases and legislation. This paper examines policy and adoptions issues in biotechnology and biomedicine in depth and touches on important developments in the tech sectors as a back drop for pending legislation and recent court rulings. How policy is adopted, implemented and interpreted have profound impacts on food production, medical ethics, ecology, U.S. and international farm and innovation sectors and the competiveness of the U.S. in the global economy

Univ., Diss.--Freiburg (Breisgau), 2005. / Literaturverz. S. 453 - 466.

Thesis (doctoral)--Universität, Freiburg (Breisgau), 2005. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 453-474).