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Formalised knowledge systems, including universities and research institutes, are important for contemporary societies. They are, however, also arguably failing humanity when their impact is measured against the level of progress being made in stimulating the societal changes needed to address challenges like climate change. In this research we used a novel futures-oriented and participatory approach that asked what future envisioned knowledge systems might need to look like and how we might get there. Findings suggest that envisioned future systems will need to be much more collaborative, open, diverse, egalitarian, and able to work with values and systemic issues. They will also need to go beyond producing knowledge about our world to generating wisdom about how to act within it. To get to envisioned systems we will need to rapidly scale methodological innovations, connect innovators, and creatively accelerate learning about working with intractable challenges. We will also need to create new funding schemes, a global knowledge commons, and challenge deeply held assumptions. To genuinely be a creative force in supporting longevity of human and non-human life on our planet, the shift in knowledge systems will probably need to be at the scale of the enlightenment and speed of the scientific and technological revolution accompanying the second World War. This will require bold and strategic action from governments, scientists, civic society and sustained transformational intent.

Introduction: Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery has opened up a new horizon in the management of chronic sinonasal (allergic & non allergic) diseases & nasal polyposis. Functional Endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is now a days a common and excellent method for the treatment of most of the diseases in the area of nose and paranasal sinuses, like chronic rhinosinusitis with and without nasal polyposis. Materials and Method: In this study we have selected 80 patients of chronic sinonasal (allergic & non allergic) diseases & nasal polyposis attending the department of otorhinolaryngology. All the patients were pre-operatively evaluated clinically, radiologically as well as endoscopically. Diagnostic nasal endoscopy revealed various pathological abnormalities in the middle meatus and anterior ethmoid region. Even after complete pre-operative evaluation, initially patients were managed medically according to their symptoms and were observed for 6 weeks. All 80 patients underwent for functional endoscopic sinus surgery, using the Messerklinger’s approach. Result: The overall result reveal that 85.49% patients considered themselves asymptomatic or improved following surgery. No major complication directly related to FESS occurred in this series. The important finding were, osteomeatal complex obstruction seen in 88.75%, polyp in nose in 46.25% of cases. Radiological evaluation done by coronal section (axial & sagital if needed) CT scanning revealed the maxillary sinus most common site of mucosal involvement 76.25%% followed by anterior ethmoid sinus in 53.75% cases. Frontal and sphenoid sinuses were involved in 26.25% and 15% cases respectively. Conclusion: FESS is highly effective in controlling symptoms of chronic sinonasal diseases with or without polyposis.

Over the last three decades participatory research processes have informed much international development and conservation work in developing countries. Public participation is also a growing legislative requirement in natural resource and environmental management in developed countries. So far, multiple participatory approaches have been formulated and applied in different contexts, including so-called participatory modelling methods. The latter have developed alongside a growing unease and fundamental critique of the participatory approaches and their theoretical underpinnings. One of the central themes running through the critique is the naivete with which complexities of power relations are assumed to be understood and addressed in participatory approaches. The critique also highlights the danger that participatory approaches become legitimising instruments that simply maintain and reinforce existing power relations. In this paper we engage with the critical literature in the hope of drawing lessons and requirements for participatory modelling. We also empirically evaluate participatory modelling case studies with regard to the fundamental critique. While we do not agree with some demands from the critique that imply abandoning the whole participatory enterprise, we suggest that claims to participatory modelling be taken seriously and that each claim be accompanied by critical reflection. Based on a review of the literature we suggest initial set of questions towards developing a framework for critical reflection.

Arid systems are markedly different from non-arid systems. This distinctiveness extends to arid-social networks, by which we mean social networks which are influenced by the suite of factors driving arid and semi-arid regions. Neither the process of how aridity interacts with social structure, nor what happens as a result of this interaction, is adequately understood. This paper postulates three relative characteristics which make arid-social networks distinct: that they are tightly bound, are hierarchical in structure and, hence, prone to power abuses, and contain a relatively higher proportion of weak links, making them reactive to crisis. These ideas were modified from workshop discussions during 2006. Although they are neither tested nor presented as strong beliefs, they are based on the anecdotal observations of arid-system scientists with many years of experience. This paper does not test the ideas, but rather examines them in the context of five arid-social network case studies with the aim of hypotheses building. Our cases are networks related to pastoralism, Aboriginal outstations, the ‘Far West Coast Aboriginal Enterprise Network’ and natural resources in both the Lake-Eyre basin and the Murray–Darling catchment. Our cases highlight that (1) social networks do not have clear boundaries, and that how participants perceive their network boundaries may differ from what network data imply, (2) although network structures are important determinants of system behaviour, the role of participants as individuals is still pivotal, (3) and while in certain arid cases weak links are engaged in crisis, the exact structure of all weak links in terms of how they place participants in relation to other communities is what matters.