Pacific Department 2009 Compendium Of Knowledge Products

This contains the publications produced in 2009, announces the forthcoming titles, and lists some of the major publications of earlier years.

This contains the publications produced in 2011 and lists some of the major publications of earlier years.

The 2010 Annual Report of the Board of Directors to the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) reviews ADB's operations, projects, internal administration, financial management and includes a separate report on the activities of the Special Funds of ADB. The report also contains chapters on regional, sectoral and thematic highlights. It also includes the complete financial statements and opinions of the independent auditors, a statistical annex, and appendixes.

This Compendium gives an outline of the historical, philosophical and ethical aspects of the return of cultural objects (e.g. cultural objects displaced during war or in colonial contexts), cites past and present cases (Maya Temple Facade, Nigerian Bronzes, United States of America v. Schultz, Parthenon Marbles and many more) and analyses legal issues (bona fide, relevant UNESCO and UNIDROIT Conventions, Supreme Court Decisions, procedure for requests etc.). It is a landmark publication that bears testament to the ways in which peoples have lost their entire cultural heritage and analyses the issue of its return and restitution by providing a wide range of perspectives on this subject. Essential reading for students, specialists, scholars and decision-makers as well as those interested in these topics.

The crop plants cater not only to our basic F5 (food, feed, fiber, fuel, and furniture) needs but also provide a number of nutraceuticals with potential nutritional, safety and therapeutic properties. Many crop plants provide an array of minerals, vitamins, and antioxidant-rich bioactive phytochemicals. Increasing incidences of chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes and HIV, and malnutrition necessitate global attention to health and nutrition security with equal emphasis to food security. This compendium compiles results of researches on biochemical, physiological and genetic mechanisms underlying biosynthesis of the health and nutrition related nutraceuticals. It also explores the precise breeding strategies for augmentation of their content and amelioration of their quality in crop plants under all commodity categories including cereals and millets, oilseeds, pulses, fruits and nuts, and vegetables. The compendium comprise 5 sections dedicated to these 5 commodity groups and presents enumeration on the concepts, strategies, tools and techniques of nutraceutomics. These sections include 50 chapters devoted to even number of major crop plants. These chapters present deliberations on the biochemistry and medicinal properties of the nutracuticals contained; genetic variation in their contents; classical genetics and breeding for their quantitative and qualitative improvement; tissue culture and genetic engineering for augmentation of productivity and quality; and sources of genes underlying their biosynthesis. They also include comprehensive enumeration on genetic mapping of the genes and QTLs controlling the contents and profile of the nutraceuticals and molecular breeding for their further improvement through marker assisted selection and backcross breeding tools. Prospects of post-genomic precise breeding strategies including genome-wide association mapping, genomic selection, allele mining, and genome editing are also discussed. This compendium fills the gap in academia, and research and development wings of the private sector industries interested in an array of subjects including genetics, genomics, tissue culture, genetic engineering, molecular breeding, genomics-assisted breeding, bioinformatics, biochemistry, physiology, pathology, entomology, pharmacognosy, IPR, etc., and will also facilitate understanding of the policy making agencies and people in the socio-economic domain and research sponsoring agencies.

Home to over 80 percent of all life on Earth, the ocean is the world’s largest carbon sink and a key source of food and economic security for billions of people. The relevance of the ocean for humanity's future is undisputed. However, the ocean’s great potential to drive economic growth and equitable job creation, sustain healthy ecosystems, and mitigate climate change is not yet fully recognised. Lack of awareness of this potential as well as management and governance challenges pose impediments. Until these impediments are removed, ocean ecosystems will continue to be degraded and opportunities for people lost. A transition and a clear path to a thriving and vibrant relationship between humans and the ocean are urgently needed. This open access collection of papers and reports identifies a path that is inspired by science, energised by engaged people, and emboldened by visionary leaders. These assessments of knowledge are commissioned by the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (Ocean Panel), which was established in September 2018 as a unique initiative led by heads of state and government from around the world, to showcase the latest leading-edge science, knowledge and state-of-the-art thinking on key ocean issues. Altogether, The Blue Compendium offers innovative ocean solutions in technology, policy, governance, and finance realms, that could help accelerate a transition to a more sustainable and prosperous relationship with the ocean. The comprehensive assessments have already informed policy making at the highest levels of government and motivated an impressive array of responsive and ambitious action across a growing network of leaders in business, finance and civil society.