Civilian Research Research Articles

Unlocking What Makes Military Behavioral Health Interventions Work, Stumble, or Fade Away.

The Office of the Secretary of Defense and each of the services have made an unprecedented commitment to the prevention of sexual assault and related behavioral health phenomena. Indeed, the Department of Air Force has selected, in some cases tailored, and disseminated a wide array of evidence-based preventative programs, policies, and practices (EBPs) over the last few decades. However, many of these efforts seem to follow a predictable life course. EBPs are initially implemented with great enthusiasm, supported for a few years, then fall out of favor, and are replaced by a different effort. This research effort aims to build on the existing civilian implementation science research to (1) offer a military-specific model of sustained, high-quality implementation and (2) test this model in a series of interconnected studies. New York University's Institutional Review Board approved the study protocols, and the Army's Human Research Protection Office provided permission to collect data. We conducted interviews first with prevention leaders in the services and at the Office of the Secretary of Defense level regarding factors that they thought helped or hurt the sustainment of EBPs. We used these interviews to identify EBPs currently implemented in Department of Air Force and selected four EBPs out of the 25 identified for intensive study. We then interviewed implementers of those four EBPs regarding what they thought helped or hurt the sustainment of that EBP. We also gathered information about the 25 currently implemented EBPs themselves and gathered policy and guidance, as well as leadership communication about those EBPs and the target problems they focus on. We coded this information to allow us to test EBP parameters and policy and leader communication that predict sustained high-quality implementation. We conducted over 100 observations of the 4 EBPs we are studying intensively and have collected quantitative data from implementers and participants to help us test factors related to sustained high-quality implementation within each of those 4 EBPs and across the EBPs. Several military-specific factors were nominated for inclusion in the military-specific model of implementation sustainment. The implementation of even highly standardized EBPs varies greatly. Implementers and participants are generally highly engaged, but implementers vary in the extent to which they understand the mechanisms of action for the EBP they are implementing. We recommend training implementers in the mechanisms of action in the EBPs they are expected to implement and including quality assurance as a component of prevention efforts in a manner more similar to how the military addresses aspects of the operational mission. By moving beyond counting classes and attendance, and specifying how to engage participants in the EBPs in the manner that produces the key outcomes, it is likely that EBPs will have more robust implementations that can be better sustained over time.

Constructing the large-scale collimating solar simulator with a light half-divergence angle

Large-scale collimating solar simulators (CSSs) with a light half divergence angle (HDA) of less than 1° have been developed. The small HDA ensures that the CSS can effectively simulate the optical behavior between natural sunlight and optical devices. However, the construction of large-scale CSSs still has a strict threshold because additional optical modules (AOMs), such as large-area collimating mirrors, are usually required to correct the light into collimated light. The manufacturing, installation, and adjustment of these precision optical devices pose significant challenges. An excellent scheme to avoid AOMs is to use the collimating radiation module (CRM), which can directly produce collimated light. Unfortunately, CRM can only produce light with an HDA of more than 3° at present, far larger than that of CSS with AOMs. Here, we report a CRM that can directly produce light with excellent collimation (an HDA<0.955°) and uniformity (>90 %). We accomplished this by analyzing the deviations between an idealized geometric optical model and actual CRMs and eliminating them with high-precision parts and a high-resolution adjustment method. We further used 24 CRMs to prove that the single-module collimating solar simulator (SMCSS, a radiation area of 2.55 m × 1.57 m) could be modularly constructed by them. Experimental investigations involving light-concentrating experiments on a parabolic trough collector demonstrated the superior collimation and simulation capabilities of the SMCSS. By eliminating the need for AOMs, the CRM and SMCSS significantly reduce system complexity and cost and lower the construction threshold for large-scale CSSs. It will benefit all experimental scenarios that need large-area collimated light and greatly promote the application of large-scale CSS in civilian solar research.

Damage control resuscitation in adult trauma patients: What you need to know.

Death after injury is a worldwide epidemic. Hemorrhage as a cause of death represents the leading potentially preventable condition. Based on hard-won experience from the recent wars, and two decades of military and civilian research, damage-control resuscitation (DCR) is now widely used. This article will briefly describe the history of blood transfusion, outline "why we do DCR," and then discuss "how we do DCR." Modern DCR occurs both prehospital and in the hospital and has several main tenants. Currently, DCR focuses on the liberal use of temporary hemorrhage-control adjuncts, early use of whole blood or balanced blood product-based transfusions, mitigation of crystalloid use, hypotensive resuscitation to promote hemostasis and decrease coagulopathy, and correction of ongoing metabolic derangements, followed by rapid definitive hemorrhage control. These concepts have evolved from a series of lessons learned over time from both civilian and military trauma casualties, and DCR is now the standard of care in trauma resuscitation.

1839-PUB: Baseline FFA and IR after One Year of TB Treatment in People with Prediabetes—Pilot Study from South India

Background: Association of TB and prediabetes (PreDM)/insulin resistance (IR) and FFA remains unclear. Aim was to assess FFA and IR in TB with and without PreDM and to see the changes in IR in PreDM after 1 year of TB treatment. Methods: A prospective study done from Jan 2017 to Sep 2019 in people with newly diagnosed PTB and PreDM (OGTT) in TB clinics and grouped as TB without PreDM (n=30) (group1) and TB with PreDM (n=37) (group2). Control without TB/PreDM (n=30) was included. Anthropometric, and biochemical details were noted. Insulin was measured by electro chemiluminescence and FFA by enzymatic end point method. IR was calculated by HOMA. Results: Age was similar in groups (1vs.2; 40vs44). 2 hr glucose was significantly higher in group 2 than group1 (162vs. 108;p&amp;lt;0.001). BMI, WC, fasting glucose and HbA1c were similar between groups. Mean IR was higher in group 2 than group1 (1.3vs.1; p=0.7). Median FFA was higher in TB PreDM (20.9) than without Pre DM (17.8) and control (14.9) (Figure1). High FFA (23vs.20) (p=0.4) and high IR (1 vs. 0.6) (p=0.2) were observed in BMI ≥vs.&amp;lt;18.5 among TBPreDM. In group 2, baseline IR was high (0.82) and reduced to 0.71 and also those who remained PreDM (0.52) and who reverted to normal (0.44 from 0.71) after 1 year completion of TB treatment. Conclusion: High FFA and IR was noted in TBPreDM and those with high BMI. Improvement in IR was noted 1 year after completion of TB treatment. Disclosure S.Kumpatla: None. A.Devarajan: None. H.Kornfeld: None. V.Viswanathan: None. Funding Indian Department of Biotechnology and Civilian Research; Development Foundation Global (USB1-31149-XX-13)

Mental health service use among Canadian veterans within the first 5 years following service: methodological considerations for comparisons with the general population

IntroductionPrevious research comparing veteran and civilian mental health (MH) outcomes often assumes stable rates of MH service use over time and relies on standardisation or restriction to adjust for differences...

The WACDT, a modern vigilance task for network defense.

Vigilance decrement refers to a psychophysiological decline in the capacity to sustain attention to monotonous tasks after prolonged periods. A plethora of experimental tasks exist for researchers to study vigilance decrement in classic domains such as driving and air traffic control and baggage security; however, the only cyber vigilance tasks reported in the research literature exist in the possession of the United States Air Force (USAF). Moreover, existent cyber vigilance tasks have not kept up with advances in real-world cyber security and consequently no longer accurately reflect the cognitive load associated with modern network defense. The Western Australian Cyber Defense Task (WACDT) was designed, engineered, and validated. Elements of network defense command-and-control consoles that influence the trajectory of vigilance can be adjusted within the WACDT. These elements included cognitive load, event rate, signal salience and workload transitions. Two forms of the WACDT were tested. In static trials, each element was adjusted to its maximum level of processing difficulty. In dynamic trials, these elements were set to increase from their minimum to their maximum values. Vigilance performance in static trials was shown to improve over time. In contrast, dynamic WACDT trials were characterized by vigilance performance declines. The WACDT provides the civilian human factors research community with an up-to-date and validated vigilance task for network defense accessible to civilian researchers.

The unsolicited rocket: a story of science, technology, and future wars

ABSTRACT This article investigates the puzzling case of the unsolicited rocket: a Norwegian research establishment successfully developed a weapon system that no one wanted or had asked for that was later widely adopted. We argue that the ‘Terne’ weapon existed not because it was needed based on rational calculations about efficiency, but because of the narratives, coalitions, and competitive dynamics that surrounded it and made it useful. Conventionally, war and technology are often considered distinct ‘things’ with immutable essences, used as variables to explain other phenomena, rather than being examined on their own terms. In this case, we focus empirically on the configuration of sociotechnical imaginaries, and the capacities for action that arise out of it. In foregrounding sociotechnical systems, this is not a case of the ‘militarization’ of civilian society and research in peacetime. Rather, agency lay in competitive networks of narratives and coalitions between technologies, individuals, professions, technological communities, military organizations, and funding bodies, together shaping how ideas and technologies become authoritative and dominant.

Document-Based Nuclear Archaeology

Deeper reductions in the nuclear arsenals will require better understanding of historic fissile material management and production. The concept of “nuclear archaeology” has been considered since the 1990s to provide the tools and methods to develop independent production estimates, primarily based on nuclear forensic techniques. Here, we propose to add a framework for reconstructing the history of a nuclear program that complements traditional nuclear archaeology techniques by examining the role of operating records to support such an effort. As a test case, we use the JEEP II reactor, a 2 MW civilian research reactor at Norway’s Institute for Energy Technology (IFE), in operation for more than fifty years, however, recently shut down permanently. We have collected, analyzed, and started to preserve the reactor’s operating records, which exist on both analog and digital media, and to simulate parts of its history using OpenMC/ONIX neutronics calculations. A particular focus of this project has been on digital data curation and preservation to confirm and maintain the integrity, authenticity, and provenance of these records. In developing guidelines for best practices that conform to existing standards for long-term digital preservation and curation, we hope this project can help lay the basis for future nuclear archaeology efforts to support nuclear arms control and disarmament.

Body image and psychosocial well-being among UK military personnel and veterans who sustained appearance-altering conflict injuries

ABSTRACT A modest but significant number of military personnel sustained injuries during deployments resulting in an altered-appearance (e.g., limb loss and/or scarring). Civilian research indicates that appearance-altering injuries can affect psychosocial wellbeing, yet little is known about the impact of such injuries among injured personnel. This study aimed to understand the psychosocial impact of appearance-altering injuries and possible support needs among UK military personnel and veterans. Semi-structured interviews with 23 military participants who sustained appearance-altering injuries during deployments or training since 1969 were conducted. The interviews were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, identifying six master themes. These themes indicate that in the context of broader recovery experiences, military personnel and veterans experience a variety of psychosocial difficulties related to their changed appearance. While some of these are consistent with evidence from civilians, military-related nuances in the challenges, protective experiences, coping approaches, and preferences for support are evident. Personnel and veterans with appearance-altering injuries may require specific support for adjusting to their changed appearance and related difficulties. However, barriers to acknowledging appearance concerns were identified. Implications for support provision and future research are discussed.

Derivation of a parsimonious Tuberculosis gene signature using the digital NanoString nCounter platform.

Abstract Rationale Currently, there are several host immune response-based biomarkers to triage individuals suspected to have Tuberculosis (TB), to predict TB treatment failure and to predict risk of progression from latent TB infection (LTBI) to TB disease. However, validation of these biomarkers in diverse populations, with well-defined clinical endpoints, has been scarce. Moreover, a robust platform to validate TB biomarkers is essential to the development of a universal diagnostic or prognostic clinical test. Objectives NanoString nCounter technology is an amplification-free, highly sensitive digital detection platform that directly measures gene expression of up to 800 targets. Here, we investigated whether NanoString technology could serve as a platform to extensively validate existing TB biomarkers, in a new cohort from South India. Methods A NanoString Codeset that probes 107 genes (NS-TB107), comprising 12 published TB gene signatures and 6 house-keeping genes was developed to quantify RNA from whole blood samples of 80 pulmonary TB patients and 102 individuals with LTBI. The TBSignatureProfiler software was used to score samples for each signature. An ensemble of machine-learning algorithms were used to derive a parsimonious gene signature. Results Gene signatures present in NS-TB107 had statistically significant power to distinguish TB from LTBI in our cohort. A six-gene set (NANO6) derived from this cumulative data, when tested on 10 publicly-available transcriptomic datasets, was highly diagnostic for active TB. Conclusions The NanoString nCounter system provides an efficient platform to validate a panel of existing TB biomarkers and to derive a highly-diagnostic parsimonious candidate TB biomarker. This project has been funded by Award No. USB-31150-XX-13 of the US Civilian Research &amp; Development Foundation (CRDF Global) and by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement No. OISE-9531011 with Federal funds from the Government of India’s (GOI) Department of Biotechnology (DBT), the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the United States National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Office of AIDS Research (OAR), and distributed in part by CRDF Global.

Analysis of Performance Indicators of Research Organizations

The article discusses modern approaches to assessing the effectiveness of scientific organizations. The reasons for their insufficient innovative activity are analyzed. Consideration of the issues of the effectiveness of organizations carrying out scientific research is proposed to be carried out in three sections: academic institutions, universities, organizations of the military-industrial complex. Differences in the organization of management systems in the field of the defense industry and in the field of institutions of civilian research areas are formulated. The need to improve the system of indicators of the effectiveness of universities is argued. An attempt was made to consider the problematic issues of the development of the system of science and education in the economic context. On a broader level, the mechanism for introducing scientific developments in conjunction with the financial and economic consequences of innovations for society is described discursively. The existing form and content of the main economic relations operating in the country are identified as the main reasons for the insufficient demand for science in society.

Development and Human Testing of Chemical Warfare Agents and Means of Treatment of Lesions in Germany in 1933–1945

Despite serious attention to the issues of war crimes and crimes against humanity, committed on an unprecedented scale in concentration camps in Nazi Germany, the problem of medical experiments on prisoners appears to be one of the least-studied in modern Russian historiography. Moreover, no special attention was paid to testing chemical weapons on humans. The aim of this work is to review the history of the development and testing of chemical warfare agents (CWA) in Germany in 1933–1945. During the First World War, Germany was one of the leading countries in the sphere of military chemistry in the world. After the Versailles treaty this potential was largely lost as a result of the restrictions. After the National Socialist German Workers' Party (NSDAP) came to power, Germany not only restored, but also increased its military power and achieved a qualitative superiority over its opponents in the field of chemical weapons. The tests of CWA, as well as the study of the effectiveness of the means and protocols for the treatment of the lesions caused by CWA, were carried out both by the military structures of the Wehrmacht and the SS, and by civilian research and academic institutions. Experiments on prisoners were carried out in the concentration camps of Dachau, Ravensbrück, Auschwitz-Birkenau, Buchenwald, Sachsenhausen, Natzweiler-Struthof, Neuengamme, etc. Basically, the damaging effects of sulfur mustard and phosgene was investigated. In Auschwitz-Birkenau «a study of the action of various chemical preparations was carried out on the orders of German firms». After the war several SS doctors, who performed involuntary experiments on humans, were convicted by military tribunals for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Seven doctors were sentenced to death and executed on June 2, 1948, at the prison for war criminals in Landsberg, Bavaria. As a result of the Nuremberg trials, the Nuremberg Code was drawn up. It was the first international document that introduced ethical standards for scientists engaged in experiments on humans. It consisted of 10 principles, including the necessity of voluntary informed consent of the patient for the participation in medical experiments after providing him with full information about the nature, duration and purpose of the experiment; on the methods of its implementation; about all the perceived inconveniences and dangers associated with the experiment, and, finally, the possible consequences for the physical or mental health of the subject, which may arise as a result of his participation in the experiment.

Irwin Pollack (1925-2021).

Memorializes Irwin Pollack (1925-2021). Pollack, one of the early pioneers in human performance and the information processing approach to cognition that emerged after WWII, died in Ann Arbor, MI on January 23, 2021. He was a Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Michigan. During a career spanning more than 50 years, first as a civilian research scientist in the U.S. Air Force from 1949 to 1963, then as a Professor and Research Scientist at the Mental Health Research Institute at Michigan from 1963 until his retirement in 1995, Irwin was a creative and highly productive experimental/cognitive psychologist who worked on a wide range of challenging problems in sensory psychology, hearing, speech perception, cognition, decision-making, and human information processing. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

The Revolution in Science in America, 1900-1950

The US lagged behind the European powers, Germany, Britain and France, in scientific research and development at the beginning of the 20th century. Why this occurred and how Germany and Britain supported their flourishing scientific research cultures are discussed. The first serious expansion in basic scientific research in the US occurred with the influx of European Jewish scientists fleeing Nazism in the 1930’s. They specifically brought with them knowledge of atomic physics. The influence of Vannevar Bush, who was Director of the Office of Scientific Research and Development during World War Two proved crucial for the expansion of civilian research and development after the War, supported by the Federal Government. Also after the War, Operation Paperclip brought German scientists to the US and they had significant influence on developments in aeronautics, rocketry and space exploration.

Impact of Technological Innovation, Research and Development on the Defense Economy - Iran Country

The Purpose. This research is to investigate the relationship between the variables of technological innovation, research and development costs, economic growth, sales and export of weapons and military costs in Iran for the years 2000 to 2017. Design/Methodology/Approach. In this study, we examine using Autoregressive Distributed Lag (ARDL) method to explore the estimating the impacts of technological innovation, research and development costs, economic growth, sales and export on military costs. Findings/Implications. The results of this study showed that the impact of technological innovation and research and development costs on military costs is negative in short-term and long-term. Although the effect that these two variables have on military spending in the short-term is very close, in long-term the effect that research and development costs have on military spending is far greater and more significant. Also, the impact of economic growth on Iran’s defense economy is much less than the variables of technological innovation and research and development costs. So that this effect will be less in long-term. But, the amount of arms sales and exports in the short-term has a positive effect on defense spending, but in long-term it becomes negative and increase in arms sales and exports can help Iran’s defense economy. Originality. The countries defense economy can always have positive effects on military and civilian research and development, scientific innovation and technological progress, in this condition that the country’s macroeconomics can spend military spending on research and development and support innovation and inventions. Eventually adopt arrangements that use the innovations of the defense industry in the civilian sector, which will lead to economic growth. This is the experience of many developed countries that have been able to use the technological advances and innovations of the military sector in the civilian sectors as well, and to cause the economic progress and development of their country.

Special Issue Introduction

This special issue, “Revealing the Michigan Memorial–Phoenix Project,” highlights the Michigan Memorial–Phoenix Project at the University of Michigan, a program of civilian nuclear research established after World War II that also memorialized Michigan’s victims of the two World Wars. It blossomed into a broad-based, multidisciplinary program supporting work pursuing peaceful uses of the atom, understood broadly. It became the basis for sustained interdisciplinary and international collaboration, a conduit for scientific diplomacy, a privileged site for the alliance between the US government and industry, and a pioneer in the education of nuclear engineers. The Phoenix Project was an unusual and highly local phenomenon, but contributors to this issue nevertheless find ways in which it embodied larger trends in the early Cold War. In this introduction, we highlight the multiple dimensions of the Phoenix Project and reflect on the challenges and opportunities posed by writing the history of peculiar entities.

Screening Positive for Military Sexual Harassment or Assault Is Associated With Higher Compulsive Sexual Behavior in Men Military Service Members/Veterans.

Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is understudied in military service members/veterans despite elevated risk for psychological disorders that are associated with CSB, including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, and alcohol misuse. Civilian research shows that sexual trauma is associated with higher CSB. Among military service members/veterans, sexual trauma that occurred before military service is identified as a risk factor for CSB, but the impact of screening positive for sexual trauma that occurred during military service (military sexual harassment[MSH]/military sexual assault[MSA]) on CSB is unknown. Moreover, screening positive for MSH/A confers a higher risk for distress relative to sexual trauma that occurred before or after military service, suggesting that MSH/A may be a robust predictor of CSB. The current study examined whether screening positive for MSH/A was associated with higher CSB after accounting for mental health and demographic characteristics. The current study specifically focused on men service members/veterans given that men show higher engagement and distress associated with CSB relative to women. Male service member/veterans (n = 508) completed self-report measures of CSB, MSH/A, PTSD and depression severity, hazardous drinking, and age. CSB was regressed on MSH/A, PTSD and depression severity, hazardous drinking, and age to determine if MSH/A was uniquely associated with CSB after accounting for other risk factors. A total of 9.25% to 12.01% of the sample reported scores suggestive of high levels of CSB. The regression of CSB on MSH/A screen status, PTSD, depression, alcohol use, and age explained 22.3% of the variance. Screening positive for MSH/A, higher PTSD symptoms, and higher depression symptoms were associated with higher CSB, but age or alcohol use were not. Screening positive for MSH/A appears to be a unique risk factor for higher CSB above and beyond the effects of depression and PTSD. Since screening for CSB is not part of routine mental health care, clinicians may consider a positive screen for MSH/A as a possible indicator that CSB may be of clinical concern. Previous research on MSH/A and individual and sexual health outcomes suggest that distinguishing between MSH/A severities (harassment only vs. assault) is critical as the most dysfunction is observed with sexual trauma that involves assault. Owing to low endorsement of MSA, this study did not examine differences between MSA and MSH. Future research in this area would be strengthened by exploring MSH/A severities as a correlate of CSB.

The Impact of Parental Injury on Children's Mental Health Diagnoses and Classes of Psychotropic Medication by Child Age.

Civilian and military research has linked parental illness and injury with increased overall mental health care and psychiatric medication use in children. Care for specific mental health conditions and medications by child age have not been reported. We sought to quantify the effect of parental illness and injury on child mental health care and psychiatric medication use in children overall and stratified by age. A self-controlled case series analyzed the impact of parental illness/injury on mental health and psychiatric medication use of military dependent children. Children were aged 2-16 years (51% male) when their parents were injured and received care in the Military Health System for 2 years before and 2 years after their parent's illness/injury. We used International Classification of Diseases 9th edition codes to identify outpatient mental healthcare visits. Outpatient care for 14 specific mental health diagnoses was classified using the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality clinical classification system. Outpatient pharmacy records identified psychiatric medication prescriptions by therapeutic class. Parental illness/injury was identified by inclusion in the Military Health System Ill, Injured, and Wounded Warrior database. Adjusted negative binomial regression analysis compared rates of outpatient visits and medication days in the 2 years following parental illness/injury to the 2 years before the parent's illness/injury overall. Secondary analyses were stratified by age groups of 2-5 years (n = 158,620), 6-12 years (n = 239,614), and 13-16 years n = 86,768) and adjusted for parental pre-injury/illness deployment and child sex. Additional secondary analysis compared post-parental injury/illness care of children whose parents had post-traumatic stress disorder or traumatic brain injury to children of parents with physical/mental health injury/illness. There were 485,002 children of 272,211 parents injured during the study period. After adjustment for child sex, years of pre-injury/illness parental deployment, and child age, parental illness/injury was associated with increased mental visits across all categories of care except developmental diagnoses. Post-parental injury visits for suicidal ideation, alcohol abuse, mood, and anxiety disorders were all doubled. For children aged 2-5 years at parental illness/injury, the largest increases in care were in psychotic, anxiety, attention deficit, and mood disorders. In children aged 6-12 years, the largest increases were in psychotic conditions, suicidal ideation, and personality disorders. In adolescents aged 13-16 years, the largest increases were for alcohol and substance abuse disorders, with visits increasing by 4-5 times. For children of all ages, parental injury was associated with increased use of all therapeutic classes of psychiatric medications; use of stimulant medications was increased in younger children and decreased in older children following parental injury (P < .001). Parental illness/injury is associated with increased mental health care and days of psychiatric medication use in dependent children. Practitioners who care for families impacted by parental illness/injury should be cognizant of children's mental health risk. Early identification and treatment of child-related mental health issues can improve family functioning and increase military family readiness.

Weaponized Pathogens and the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic

This review zeros in on the aspect of vaccine theory, practice, and research that is the most dangerous, the most controversial, and that is at the epicenter of the alleged SARS-CoV-2 “pandemic”. Regardless whether the “pandemic” itself is real or an illusion manufactured out of fear by vested interests, it is central to ethics and policy discussions seeking to understand bioweapons research in general. The official involvement of the USA in civilian bioweapons research dates at least from World War II under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. The historical records, cloaked in secrecy until after the Anthrax mailing of 2001, reveal an intimate connection to vaccine research and development, its governmental protection from public scrutiny, and from citizen initiated lawsuits. It is an industry that has released dangerous weaponized pathogens by accident and by sinister designs supposedly compensated in the peace-loving nations by unrealistic hopes in non-existent counter-measures for outbreaks, including epidemiological tracking after the fact, vaccines being researched to counter the weaponization of pathogens being studied, immunity enhancing drugs, and downstream hoped for blood sera containing antibodies. Critical questions concern the ratio of real-risks to hoped-for-benefits, the “mitigating” measures “governments” (especially in the USA) have supposedly established to prevent pandemic outbreaks from bioweapons research, and how all that has played out in the instance of SARS-CoV-2.

Evaluation of dual use materials science technologies issue in Ukraine – «trick or treat»

The object of this research is materials science dual-use technologies and their transfer. It is important to study the problems of transfer of dual-use technologies and related prerequisites, as well as their vital role in Ukraine, trying to understand how to fix all those in the right legal and political way, otherwise, literally, it looks like a chasing a ghost. To successfully solve this problem, one need to understand that in this case there no turnkey solutions ever exist. The complex nature of dual-use technologies and their potential for development of the economies of any countries make fundamental for both R&D and political debates. It should be noted that there has never been a clearly defined line between defense and civilian research, and that line is still rather dimmed and blurred. Dual technologies become being applied in more and more industrial sectors, from nuclear science and materials science to electronics, etc., and those are attracting increased interest from developers, policymakers and legislators. The erosion of civil and defense industrial bases and principles, as well as an avalanche growing number of problems associated with undefined dual-use functions and misuse make it difficult to distinguish between civilian and military products and platforms and complicate issues of export control and technology transfer. The concept of creating a so-called «scientific and technological depository of advanced material science technologies» by high-tech states and its’ profound significance for state’s security is also being debated. The establishment of a scientific and technical deposit is considered as a common task of national economy and security of states. A required and vitally important condition for a successful development of scientific and technological progress is the timely creation of a scientific and technical reserve of modern technologies, which provides a solid basis for new developments, state economy and military-industrial complex. The work also assesses the symbiosis of a public-private model to manage dual-use technologies in the interests of state’s security. In the course of the study, an integrated approach was employed: an analysis of world experience, as well as a retrospective and historical-evolutionary and logical approach were used to arrive the above said tasks.