Operational relevance of the Sydney Declaration: The example of the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Forensics Command.

In 2022, a group of eminent forensic scientists published The Sydney Declaration - Revisiting the essence of forensic science through its fundamental principles in Forensic Science International. The Sydney Declaration was delivered to revisit "the essence of forensic science, its purpose, and fundamental principles". At its heart, revisiting these foundational principles is hoped to "benefit forensic science as a whole to be more relevant, effective and reliable". But can these principles be translated operationally by a forensic services provider to achieve the benefits prescribed? How do we make the leap from a theoretical concept and begin to put it into practice to bring about the real and meaningful change that the declaration hopes to achieve? In this paper we will attempt to discuss how the Australian Federal Police (AFP) Forensics Command has reflected on the Sydney Declaration by relating reforms developed and implemented to our operating model with some selected principles. We hope to show that while the Sydney Declaration could be perceived as academic and disconnected from operations, it has the potential to impact and positively influence reforms and changes for forensic science providers. The AFP Forensics Command experience shows the operational relevance of The Sydney Declaration.

Developing a Personalized Integrative Obesity-Coaching Program: A Systems Health Perspective.

Current obesity management strategies are failing to achieve sustainable and favorable long-term results. We propose a more personalized, dynamic, and systemic perspective on the interactions of key determinants and coaching advice on obesity. The aim of this study was to use a systems view on overweight, complexity science, and a transdisciplinary process to develop a five-year personalized integrative obesity-coaching and research program. Managers, medical specialists, clinical psychologists, dieticians, physical- and psychomotor therapists, and lifestyle coaches aligned their perspectives and objectives with experts in systems thinking and systems biology. A systems health model of obesity was used to identify the causal relations of variables with the most influence on obesity. The model helped to align and design a personalized integrative obesity-coaching program and to identify the key variables to monitor the progress and to adjust the personalized program, depending on the goals and needs of the participant. It was decided to use subtyping of participants by a systems biologist, based on traditional Chinese medicine symptoms, as a novel method to personalize the intervention. The collaborative transdisciplinary approach based upon a systems view on obesity was successful in developing a personalized and adaptive five-year obesity-coaching and research program.

Immediate effects of postural repositioning on maximum phonation duration tasks in seated individuals with acquired dysarthria: a pilot study.

PURPOSE: To determine the effectiveness of a single 10-min postural repositioning session on the maximum phonation duration (MPD) of the vowel/a/in individuals with acquired dysarthria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A pre-post interventional design was implemented; five patients with dysarthria (PWDs) underwent a single 2-hour experimental session. MPD capacities were assessed before and immediately after a 10-min postural repositioning intervention by a physical and occupational therapist. Five age- and sex-matched individuals without dysarthria were recruited as controls. The main outcome measure was the MPD of the vowel/a/at conversational and louder voice levels, with a speech-and-language therapist standing 1 and 6 m away, respectively. Secondary outcome measures were thoracic expansion, manometry, electromyographic recordings of axial muscles and perceived effort. RESULTS: In PWDs, postural repositioning improved the MPD during the/a/-1-m (80.3% increase) and/a/-6-m tasks (18% increase), increased thoracic expansion and manometric measurements, and reduced the perceived effort necessary to perform the tasks. A triphasic electromyographic pattern was observed during both/a/-1-m and/a/-6-m tasks in controls, but was absent in participants with severe dysarthria, even after postural repositioning. Nonetheless, postural repositioning enabled an earlier onset of EMG activity prior to voice production. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest the efficacy of postural repositioning in improving phonatory capacities essential for voice production in PWDs.

Analyzing the contributions of transdisciplinary research to the global sustainability agenda in African cities.

It is almost 6 years since the UN's Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were adopted, and countries have less than 10 years to achieve the set targets. Unlike most of the world, sub-Saharan African countries have reported only minimal progress, one that the COVID-19 pandemic has unfortunately disrupted. Transdisciplinary research (TDR) has been conceptualized as important for achieving sustainability goals such as the SDGs. In this paper we (i) analyze the contributions of the five TDR projects toward the achievements of the SDGs at the city level in Africa, and (ii) explore the interactions between the assessed SDGs across the five projects. The projects' contributions towards the achievements of the SDGs were examined in three thematic areas: (i) contexts, (ii) processes and (iii) products. The five projects were funded under the Leading Integrated Research for Agenda 2030 in Africa (LIRA) programme. The projects were being implemented in nine cities across five African countries Accra (Ghana), Kumasi (Ghana), Korhogo (Ivory Coast), Abuja Metro (Nigeria), Mbour (Senegal), Cape Town (South Africa), Nelson Mandela Bay Metro (South Africa), Grahamstown (South Africa) and Kampala (Uganda) and data were collected on each of the five projects in these cities. The contextual contributions include co-analysis and reflection on policy and institutional silos and social innovations amenable to contextual complexity. A shift in how actors perceived and conceptualized sustainability challenges and the role of the projects as transformative social agents constituted the two main process contributions. Tool development, virtual models and maps, and handbook are the product contributions by the projects. Our analysis of the SDG interactions indicated the need for cross-sectoral collaborations to ensures resource use efficiency, knowledge and experience sharing, and seamless flow of information and data to accelerate the SDG implementation.

From a policy perspective: what is at stake?

This paper does not necessarily reflect the views of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.What is at stake? It was one of the most frequently asked questions in a series of fora with concerned parties on the rehabilitation of living conditions in the aftermath of the accident at Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant. It was obvious that radioactive contamination was the source of the problem, and people were at a loss over how to cope with the situation. Various measures were taken under such circumstances, including detailed radiation monitoring, a decontamination programme to reduce the level of radiation in the living environment, and activities related to communication about radiation risk. Nevertheless, this question was asked repeatedly. Measures against radiation exposure were certainly necessary, but it is a reality that they were not enough to solve the difficulties experienced by people in the affected areas. This article presents the author's personal view of the underlying reasons for this, and discusses the way to facilitate recovery after a nuclear accident.

Can transdisciplinary approaches contribute to the COVID-19 fight?

Novel Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) raised many questions needing answers in order to overcome the disease burden globally. Uncertainty about COVID-19 contributes to the complexity of the burden on the health, social, economic, and cultural influences of COVID-19. In this context, all related disciplines are working together to mitigate the negative influences of the disease. In particular, health promotion, a discipline of public health, matters to the pandemic as it may address the threats at different levels. Health promotion strategies mostly use solution-oriented efforts with inter- and multidisciplinary approaches. Nevertheless, as the COVID-19 burden has many time-critical determinants, these approaches cannot be sufficient to overcome the problem. A transdisciplinary approach in its broader sense using almost all inputs to synthesize and produce an integrative solution may be extremely helpful. In this paper, the importance of transdisciplinary approaches in health promotion to combat COVID-19 has been discussed.

[Transdisciplinary approach in free radical theory of ageing. Contribution of Nikolay M. Emanuel and his scientific school to gerontology.]

The work is aimed to review the results of scientific studies of the effect of antioxidants-geroprotectors on the aging of experimental animals and the replicative aging of human diploid cells, carried out in the Department of Kinetics of Chemical and Biological Processes «KHIMBIO¼ of the Institute of Chemical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences under the leadership of academician Nikolay Markovich Emanuel in the 1960-1980s after pioneer work by D.Harman. By N.M.Emanuel and colleagues, it was established a previously unknown phenomenon of radical interaction of inhibitors in the oxidation of organic substances, which consists in the regeneration of a more effective inhibitor due to the transfer of a hydrogen atom to its free radical from a molecule of a less effective inhibitor. Antioxidants are polyvalent and can simultaneously affect many stages of aging processes. Data from the N.M.Emanuel scientific school on the increase of the average lifespan of mice by 25,3% and their maximum lifespan by 55,8% using antioxidants, discovered at the Institute of Chemical Physics of the USSR Academy of Sciences as a result of well-founded experimental and theoretical studies, became a powerful argument in favor of the free radical theory of aging in 1970-ties. This was further promoted by approaches based on the theory of reliability, the damage theory, and as well as an approach based on oxidative activation of the Nrf2 signaling pathway, which maintains the «nucleophilic tone¼ of protective oxidoreductases.

Integration of ancient DNA with transdisciplinary dataset finds strong support for Inca resettlement in the south Peruvian coast.

Ancient DNA (aDNA) analysis provides a powerful means of investigating human migration, social organization, and a plethora of other crucial questions about humanity's past. Recently, specialists have suggested that the ideal research design involving aDNA would include multiple independent lines of evidence. In this paper, we adopt a transdisciplinary approach integrating aDNA with archaeological, biogeochemical, and historical data to investigate six individuals found in two cemeteries that date to the Late Horizon (1400 to 1532 CE) and Colonial (1532 to 1825 CE) periods in the Chincha Valley of southern Peru. Genomic analyses indicate that these individuals are genetically most similar to ancient and present-day populations from the north Peruvian coast located several hundred kilometers away. These genomic data are consistent with 16th century written records as well as ceramic, textile, and isotopic data. These results provide some of the strongest evidence yet of state-sponsored resettlement in the pre-Colonial Andes. This study highlights the power of transdisciplinary research designs when using aDNA data and sets a methodological standard for investigating ancient mobility in complex societies.

Participatory approach to quality development in infection prevention and control (IPC) in Nigerian health facilities.

The development of an educational concept of a training programme for infection prevention and control (IPC) was seen as a key issue to successfully address the complexity of change processes of professional IPC routines in clinical procedures. Therefore, the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Nigeria, and the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Germany established an interdisciplinary project framework, involving knowledge and competences from different disciplines and professions like health professionals, epidemiologists and educators (MAURICE project). A multi-module training programme for health care workers to improve IPC standards was developed and implemented based on the participatory approach and a systemic view for organizational change.

Climate change-induced heat risks for migrant populations working at brick kilns in India: a transdisciplinary approach.

During the summer of 2015, India was hit by a scorching heat wave that melted pavements in Delhi and caused thousands of deaths, mainly among the most marginalized populations. One such group facing growing heat risks from both occupational and meteorological causes are migrant brick kiln workers. This study evaluates both current heat risks and the potential future impacts of heat caused by climate change, for the people working at brick kilns in India. A case study of heat stress faced by people working at brick kilns near Chennai, India, is the anchor point around which a transdisciplinary approach was applied. Around Chennai, the situation is alarming since occupational heat exposure in the hot season from March to July is already at the upper limits of what humans can tolerate before risking serious impairment. The aim of the study was to identify new pathways for change and soft solutions by both reframing the problem and expanding the solution space being considered in order to improve the quality of life for the migrant populations at the brick kilns. Technical solutions evaluated include the use of sun-dried mud bricks and other locally "appropriate technologies" that could mitigate the worsening of climate change-induced heat. Socio-cultural solutions discussed for empowering the people who work at the brick kilns include participatory approaches such as open re-localization, and rights-based approaches including the environmental sustainability and the human rights-based approach framework. Our analysis suggests that an integrative, transdisciplinary approach could incorporate a more holistic range of technical and socio-culturally informed solutions in order to protect the health of people threatened by India's brick kiln industry.

Quantitative Data From Rating Scales: An Epistemological and Methodological Enquiry.

Rating scales are popular methods for generating quantitative data directly by persons rather than automated technologies. But scholars increasingly challenge their foundations. This article contributes epistemological and methodological analyses of the processes involved in person-generated quantification. They are crucial for measurement because data analyses can reveal information about study phenomena only if relevant properties were encoded systematically in the data. The Transdisciplinary Philosophy-of-Science Paradigm for Research on Individuals (TPS-Paradigm) is applied to explore psychological and social-science concepts of measurement and quantification, including representational measurement theory, psychometric theories and their precursors in psychophysics. These are compared to theories from metrology specifying object-dependence of measurement processes and subject-independence of outcomes as key criteria, which allow tracing data to the instances measured and the ways they were quantified. Separate histories notwithstanding, the article's basic premise is that general principles of scientific measurement and quantification should apply to all sciences. It elaborates principles by which these metrological criteria can be implemented also in psychology and social sciences, while considering their research objects' peculiarities. Application of these principles is illustrated by quantifications of individual-specific behaviors ('personality'). The demands rating methods impose on data-generating persons are deconstructed and compared with the demands involved in other quantitative methods (e.g., ethological observations). These analyses highlight problematic requirements for raters. Rating methods sufficiently specify neither the empirical study phenomena nor the symbolic systems used as data nor rules of assignment between them. Instead, pronounced individual differences in raters' interpretation and use of items and scales indicate considerable subjectivity in data generation. Together with recoding scale categories into numbers, this introduces a twofold break in the traceability of rating data, compromising interpretability of findings. These insights question common reliability and validity concepts for ratings and provide novel explanations for replicability problems. Specifically, rating methods standardize only data formats but not the actual data generation. Measurement requires data generation processes to be adapted to the study phenomena's properties and the measurement-executing persons' abilities and interpretations, rather than to numerical outcome formats facilitating statistical analyses. Researchers must finally investigate how people actually generate ratings to specify the representational systems underlying rating data.

Cáncer de mama: análisis desde perspectivas transdisciplinar, psicosocial y de género en Chile y Cataluña / Breast cancer: analysis from transdisciplinary, psychosocial and gender perspectives in Chile and Catalonia

FUNDAMENTOS: El cáncer de mama es la primera causa de muerte por cáncer en la mujer a nivel mundial. Nuestro objetivo fue comparar las políticas públicas sanitarias de cáncer de mama en Chile y Cataluña, bajo las perspectivas transdisciplinar, psicosocial y de género. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Estudio cualitativo descriptivo que utilizó como método y técnica el análisis comparativo entre políticas públicas sobre cáncer de mama en Chile y Cataluña desde el año 2005 al 2016. RESULTADOS: Ninguna región considera la perspectiva transdisciplinar, y ambos sitios sólo trabajan desde un abordaje multidisciplinar. Por su parte, la perspectiva psicosocial fue descrita como relevante en el ciclo de la enfermedad; no obstante, se reduce a lo disciplinar en ambos contextos. Con respecto a la perspectiva de género, Chile señala su incorporación en las estrategias, pero no es consistente, mientras Cataluña menciona pequeños elementos sin explicitar el enfoque. Entre las categorías emergentes, se incluyen la perspectiva política/ epidemiológica, con ambos espacios prioritizando la elaboración y ejecución de las políticas públicas para la patología, y la perspectiva del empoderamiento de las usuarias, la cual ambas regiones identifican como eje fundamental en la toma de decisiones médicas. CONCLUSIONES: Existe un estado incipiente al abordar las perspectivas analizadas, sin embargo, no condicen con las demandas sociales ni el avance epistemológico sanitario. En lo comparativo, existen mayores similitudes que diferencias, ambos manifiestan una precaria articulación de los planteamientos analizados. Por ahora, es importante comenzar transformando la comprensión sobre el cáncer de mama, tarea pendiente será su materialización en protocolos y guías sanitarias.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Our objective was to compare the public health policies of breast cancer in Chile and Catalonia, under transdisciplinary, psychosocial and gender perspectives. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Qualitative descriptive study, which used the method of comparative analysis to compare public policies on breast cancer in Chile and Catalonia between 2005 and 2016. RESULTS: The transdisciplinary perspective was not considered, with both regions only taking a multidisciplinary approach. For its part, the psychosocial perspective was described as relevant in the disease cycle, but in practice both sites showed limited application of this perspective. With respect to the gender perspective, Chile has incorporated it into strategies, though not consistently manner, while Catalonia mentions small elements, without being explicit about the approach. The identified emergent categories include a political/epidemiological perspective, with both locations prioritizing the development and execution of public policies to address the pathology, as well as a perspective of user empowerment, which both Chile and Catalonia identify as a fundamental aspect of medical decision making. CONCLUSIONS: The analyzed perspectives are in early stages of development; however, they are not yet in line with social demands nor current health epistemology. In terms of the comparison, there are greater similarities than differences between the two sites, and both are just starting to articulate the analyzed approaches. For now, it is important that both sites start transforming their understanding of breast cancer, and a pending task will be to materialize that new approach into health protocols and guides.

A TRANSDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO HEALTH POLICY RESEARCH AND EVALUATION.

An integrated perspective consists of macro- and micro-level approaches to health policy research and evaluation is presented. Analytical strategies are suggested for policy analysis, targeting on health disparities at individual and population levels. This systems approach enables investigators to view how scientific public policy analysis can be implemented to assess policy impacts. In this special issue, five papers are introduced.