0

Application arrangements for Scheme for Admission of Hong Kong Students to Mainland Higher Education Institutions for 2020




0

The first local case of dengue fever in 2020




0

Application for Exemption from the Language Proficiency Requirement is to close on 29 May 2020




0

SAS Notes for SAS®9 - 40995: The SAS Universal Viewer converts null values into zeros when you save an XPT file as an XML or CSV file

The SAS Universal Viewer displays null values appropriately as blanks for XPT files. However, when you select Table ? Save As and save an XPT file as either an XML or CSV file, the SAS Universal Viewer con




0

SAS Notes for SAS®9 - 32202: Dual-monitor setup might cause problems in SAS Enterprise Guide

Problems might occur when using SAS Enterprise Guide with dual monitors. For example, it might appear there is a performance problem with the query builder or other task, or it might appear that code or a task is hung, or




0

Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, Meteorological Development Plan for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (2020-2035), Meteorological Plan, China Meteorological Administration

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government welcomes the promulgation of the Meteorological Development Plan ...




0

2020 April Monthly Weather Summary

Monthly weather summary in Hong Kong




0

Plays exploring human drive and human touch win 2020 Neukom Honors

(Dartmouth College) Expanded Dartmouth awards program gives prizes for 'spec fic' playwriting on what it means to be human in a computerized world.




0

CT scan database of 1000 sets was created for teaching AI to diagnose COVID-19

(Moscow Research and Practical Clinical Center for Diagnostics and Telemedicine Technologies) Researchers of the Moscow Diagnostics and Telemedicine Center collected a dataset that includes more than a thousand sets of chest CT scans of patients with imaging finding of COVID-19. As of today, it is the largest completely anonymized database of CT studies, which has no analogues in Russia or in the world. It is available for download and can be used for developing services based on artificial intelligence technologies.




0

Meet the Most Disruptive MBA Startups of 2019 Poets and Quants – 10/28/2019

Monday, October 28, 2019 - 12:15





0

Lars Hernquist and Volker Springel receive $500,000 Gruber Cosmology Prize

(Yale University) The 2020 Gruber Cosmology Prize recognizes Lars Hernquist, Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian, and Volker Springel, Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics, for their defining contributions to cosmological simulations, a method that tests existing theories of, and inspires new investigations into, the formation of structures at every scale from stars to galaxies to the universe itself.




0

Recipients of 2020 Gruber Cosmology Prize announced

(International Astronomical Union) The Gruber Cosmology Prize, which is co-sponsored by the IAU, recognises scientists whose discoveries have driven fundamental advances in our understanding of the Universe. The 2020 prize has been awarded to Lars Hernquist and Volker Springel for their pioneering work on cosmological simulations, which have not only led to their own discoveries, but also become an invaluable resource used widely by other researchers.




0

There is no special announcement (19:45 HKT on 03.05.2020)

There is no special announcement (19:45 HKT on 03.05.2020)




0

Fossil reveals evidence of 200-million-year-old 'squid' attack

(University of Plymouth) Researchers say a fossil found on the Jurassic coast of southern England in the 19th century demonstrates the world's oldest known example of a squid-like creature attacking its prey.




0

University of Tennessee extension forester named 2020 Forester of the Year

(University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture) David Mercker, an Extension forestry specialist with the University of Tennessee Department of Forestry, Wildlife and Fisheries, has been named 2020 Extension Forester of the Year by the Forest Landowners Association (FLA). FLA is a national organization that promotes and protects the interests of private forest landowners and bestows this award annually as determined by its board of directors.




0

Gregory McMichael worked in local law enforcement for over 30 years and previously investigated Ahmaud Arbery

Gregory McMichael and his son, Travis, were charged with murder and aggravated assault in relation to the shooting death of Ahmaud Arbery in February.





0

Disease-carrying mosquitoes could be common in Europe by 2030

Climate change could mean mosquitoes that can carry diseases like dengue, zika and yellow fever become established in southern Europe within 10 years.




0

AGS honors expert and emerging geriatrics leaders of 2020

(American Geriatrics Society) The American Geriatrics Society (AGS) annually honors researchers, clinicians, educators, and emerging health professionals who have made outstanding contributions to high-quality, person-centered care for older people. This year's award recipients include more than 20 leaders representing the breadth of disciplines championing care for us all as we age.




0

nTIDE April 2020 jobs report: COVID recession hits workers with disabilities harder

(Kessler Foundation) Andrew Houtenville, Ph.D., research director of the University of New Hampshire's Institute on Disability: 'Unlike the Great Recession and the Great Depression, many workers in the COVID Recession may be 'on temporary layoff' (aka furloughed) and may be recalled, rather than losing their jobs completely. To further investigate this issue, we plan to release a Special nTIDE Report on May 15.'




0

D’Angel raises J$225,000 from online charity concert

The Lady of Dancehall, D'Angel, says although her COVID-19 Relief Concert did not meet its US$200,000 target, she is overwhelmed by the support. The event, held via Instagram Live last Friday, saw performances from the likes of Beenie Man, G...




0

Dancers' Paradise: Devon Unruly working hard to expand dance group

He's celebrating 10 years of dancing both competitively and in the street, and the co-founder of Unruly Skankaz, Devon Brown, says he is looking to expand the brand. The once three-member male dance group has grown to five, he told THE WEEKEND...




0

In It Together: A Conversation With Anna Houseman '21

The Sanford C. Bernstein & Co. Center for Leadership and Ethics spoke with Anna Houseman '21 about her daily routine, personal ethics, and staying productive during the pandemic. 




0

Quick Earthquake Messages M6.7 [7.0S, 130.0E] in Tanimbar Islands Region, Indonesia (21:54 HKT 06/05/2020)

Earthquake: 2020-05-06 21:54HKT M6.7 [7.0S, 130.0E] in Tanimbar Islands Region, Indonesia http://openstreetmap.org/?mlat=-7&mlon=130.




0

Setting Policy for What Comes After COVID-19: Dr. Faheem Ahmed ’20

Like many of his classmates, Dr. Faheem Ahmed started the spring semester, primed to put the finishing touches on his MBA. But after COVID-19 began to spread, he relocated to his home in London to complete his degree remotely and work on the frontline of the crisis.




0

Responsible Business 2019

Conference

Priorities, practices and principles in a digital age

28 February 2019 - 9:30am to 5:00pm

Chatham House, London

Overview

Agenda

Speakers

Pricing and booking information

Sponsors

Media partners and supporting organizations

Venue and accommodation

Press registration

Contact us

Ever-increasing consumer, investor and employee awareness continues to drive the business case for responsible behaviour, and recent events have highlighted the growing need for corporate accountability and transparency from C-suite behaviour to global supply chain management. But what exactly are these expectations across different sectors, as the acceleration of the digital age continues to present new risks, opportunities and concerns? How can the right behaviours be encouraged? 

Furthermore, ongoing political transitions and regulatory stances over the last two years have shone a light on companies’ potential and realized impact on society. With trust in political institutions low, many are calling upon businesses not only to reflect their values but to actively bridge the governance gap on issues such as equality, sustainability and human rights, in their own business operations and beyond.  But what role should business be adopting, and what are the consequences of this trend? What are the perceived trade-offs? 

The past year has seen examples of technology leaders being held to account for the mishandling of data, global corporations taking a proactive stance on contentious political issues and executive behaviour directly impacting share price. It is critical that policy-makers and business leaders re-evaluate their priorities, practices and principles as technology and politics continue to reshape the landscape. 

The third annual Chatham House Responsible Business conference will explore key questions, including:

  • Who will lead the corporate responsibility agenda? What is driving responsible behaviour? 
  • To what extent has there been a policy retreat in this space? What has been the response to this, and what does it mean for different roles and responsibilities? 
  • What are the new priorities for responsible business in a digital age? How have recent events demonstrated a shift in expectations? 
  • How can policy-makers and companies foster the integration of human rights across global supply chains, international trade and regional business operations?
  • What is the role of corporate governance and leadership in setting standards and promoting responsible business? Is this a new era of corporate activism? 

The Chatham House Rule
To enable as open a debate as possible, this conference will be held under the Chatham House Rule.

Twitter
@CH_Events
#CHBusiness

Thursday 28 February
0920

Welcome and chair's opening remarks
Dr Robin Niblett, Director, Chatham House

Keynote address
Simon Thompson, Chairman, Rio Tinto

Questions and discussion

Session One | Leaders and Drivers
1000-1115

This opening session will examine the status of corporate leadership in responsible business, evolving policy environments and stakeholder expectations, and how they continue to shape roles and responsibilities. 

  • How are expectations for responsible business evolving? Where has this been most apparent in the past 18 months, and what is driving these shifts? 
  • Do policy and regulation continue to be effective at encouraging responsible business behaviour? Where is regulation most effective in this space? 
  • Given current political sentiments and levels of trust, what role should business play in creating a sustainable economy and a more equal society? What are the implications of this?  
  • What can business leaders learn from existing examples of corporate activism? 
  • Does a trade-off exist between responsible practices and economic competitiveness, or do commercial drivers incentivize better behaviours? How does this differ across different markets and regions?

Chair
Tamzin Booth, European Business Editor, The Economist

Speakers
Helena Morrissey, Head of Personal Investing, Legal & General Investment Management, and Founder of the 30% Club
Ioannis Ioannou, Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School
Phil Bloomer, Executive Director, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre​
Sue Garrard, EVP Sustainable Business and Communications, Unilever (2014-18)

Questions and discussion

1115-1145 Refreshments

Session Two | Practices and Transparency
1145-1300

This session will address regulatory frameworks and economic incentives governing responsible business conduct, as well as human rights and business operations across global supply chains. 

  • How prominent are business and human rights issues on national policy agendas? To what extent has this influenced business behaviours across different sectors and regions? 
  • What progress has been made with regards to the UN Guiding Principles for Business and Human Rights? What has most effectively driven their integration? 
  • To what extent can public opinion and public awareness help narrow the governance gap? How can investors actively promote and enforce better governance practices? 
  • Does transparency necessarily lead to accountability, and in turn increase consumer and investor trust? What are the implications of this? 
  • How can due diligence and reporting be made more efficient to enhance accountability as well as transparency across supply chains and investments? Can digital solutions be employed to achieve social and environmental best practice?

Chair
Bennett Freeman, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, US Department of State (1999–2001)

Speakers
Gillian Caldwell, CEO, Global Witness
Madelaine Tuininga, Head of Unit, DG Trade, European Commission
Sharan Burrow, General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation 
Guus Houttuin, Trade Adviser, European External Action Service, and Chair, the OECD Multi-stakeholder Steering Group 

Questions and discussion

1300-1400 Lunch

Session Three | Responsibility in the Digital Age
1400-1515

This session will examine the risks and opportunities presented by digitization and other technological developments for responsible business practices. 

  • What have events over the past year indicated regarding stakeholder concerns accompanying specific technologies and business practices? How have different sectors and companies responded? 
  • What are the responsible business issues that accompany the transition to a digital-first society? What can be learned from the challenges of regulating tech titans?
  • How can businesses ensure data privacy and help customers with digital access to maintain trust and maximize benefits from digital transformation? 
  • To what extent is the proliferation of information through technology already enhancing corporate accountability and transparency? What are the risks here? 

Chair
John Thornhill, Innovation Editor, Financial Times

Speakers
Nuala O’Connor, President and CEO of the Center for Democracy and Technology
Simon McDougall, Executive Director, Technology Policy and Innovation, Information Commissioner’s Office​
Rebecca MacKinnon, Director, Ranking Digital Rights, New America
Sarah Drinkwater, Director, Tech and Society Solutions Lab, Omidyar Network

Questions and discussion

1515-1545 Afternoon refreshments

Session Four | Governance
1545-1700

This closing session will explore the role of corporate governance in setting standards and leading responsible business practices, including diversity and inclusion as well as C-suite accountability and transparency. 

  • How are businesses responding to expectations of good corporate governance and leadership in the digital age? Are businesses equipped to maintain high standards of accountability and transparency in the era of open data and social media?
  • Do business leaders have a responsibility to embody as well as promote high standards of responsible business and ethical leadership? What lessons can be learnt from corporate governance failings? 
  • What role should business leaders play in the broader political environment? Is corporate activism part of responsible governance, and what are the risks?
  • What are the best strategies to empower diversity and foster inclusion in a rapidly changing global economy? Should diversity and inclusion begin in the boardroom?

Chair
Aris Vrettos, Director of Open Programmes and International Markets, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Speakers
Catherine Howarth, CEO, ShareAction 
Jane Ellis, Director, GoodCorporation
Mo Ibrahim, Founder, Mo Ibrahim Foundation 
Alison Cottrell, CEO, Banking Standards Board

Questions and discussion

1700 Close of conference and drinks reception 

© The Royal Institute of International Affairs 2019

Keynote Speaker

Speakers

Phil Bloomer

Executive Director, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre

Tamzin Booth

Business Editor, The Economist

Sharan Burrow

General Secretary, International Trade Union Confederation

Gillian Caldwell

CEO, Global Witness

Alison Cottrell

CEO, Banking Standards Board

Sarah Drinkwater

Director, Tech and Society Solutions Lab, Omidyar Network

Jane Ellis

Director, GoodCorporation

Bennett Freeman

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, United States (1999-2001)

Sue Garrard

EVP Sustainable Business and Communications, Unilever (2014-18)

Guus Houttuin

Trade Adviser, European External Action Service, and Chair, the OECD Multi-stakeholder Steering Group

Catherine Howarth

CEO, ShareAction

Mo Ibrahim

Founder, Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Ioannis Ioannou

Associate Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship, London Business School

Rebecca MacKinnon

Director, Ranking Digital Rights, New America

Simon McDougall

Executive Director, Technology Policy and Innovation, Information Commissioner's Office

Dame Helena Morrissey

Head of Personal Investing, Legal & General Investment Management; Founder, 30% Club

Dr Robin Niblett CMG

Director, Chatham House

Nuala O'Connor

President and CEO, Center for Democracy & Technology

John Thornhill

Innovation Editor, Financial Times

Madelaine Tuininga

Head of Unit, DG Trade, European Commission

Aris Vrettos

Director of Open Programmes and International Markets, Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership

Ways to book:

  1. Online: Click here to complete the online registration form
  2. Phone: Call Boudicca Georgii Hellberg on +44 (0) 20 7314 2785
  3. Email/Post: Download a PDF registration form, complete and return to Boudicca Georgii Hellberg via email or post: Chatham House, 10 St. James Square, London, SW1Y 4LE

Check if your organization is a member of Chatham House here.

 RATE (+VAT):
Partners and major corporate members 
All organizations£595
Standard corporate members 
Commercial organizations£1,180
Government departments/agencies/intergovernmental organizations£700
NGOs/academic institutions/associations (including not for profits and registered charities)£460
Non-members 
Commercial organizations£1,295
Government departments/agencies/intergovernmental organizations£750
NGOs/academic insitutions/associations (including not for profits and registered charities)£510
 
 

Your delegate pass includes:

  • Documentation
  • Lunch and refreshments

Travel and accommodation are not included.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor for this event, please contact Olivia Lewis on +44 (0)20 7957 5732

If you are interested in partnering with Chatham House on this event, please contact Ayesha Arif on +44 (0)20 7957 5753

Chatham House
10 St James's Square
London
SW1Y 4LE
UK
conferences@chathamhouse.org

Telephone: +44 (0)20 7957 5643
Fax: +44 (0)20 7957 5710

If you wish to book the venue for your own event please phone +44 (0)20 7314 2764

Directions
The nearest tube station is Piccadilly Circus which is on the Piccadilly and the Bakerloo Underground lines. From Piccadilly follow Regent Street southwards towards Pall Mall and take the first road on the right called Jermyn Street. Duke of York Street is the second road on the left and leads to St James's Square. Chatham House is immediately on your right.

Map

Accommodation
Although we cannot book accommodation for delegates, we have arranged a reduced rate at some nearby hotels, where you can book your own accommodation. Please inform the hotel that you will be attending a conference at Chatham House (The Royal Institute of International Affairs) to qualify for the Institute's reduced rate.

Please note all rates are subject to availability.

Flemings Mayfair
13 Half Moon Street
Mayfair
London - W1J 7BH

Tel: + 44 (0)20 7499 2964
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7499 1817
reservations@flemings.co.uk

Classic Double without breakfast: £195 +VAT

The Cavendish London
81 Jermyn Street
London - SW1U 6JF

Tel: + 44 (0)20 7930 2111
Fax: + 44 (0)20 7839 2125
enquiry.cavendish@the-ascott.com 

Classic Room without breakfast: £195 +VAT

Book The Cavendish online

The Stafford London 
St James's Place
London - SW1A 1NJ

Tel: 020 7493 0111
Fax: 020 7493 7121
​reservations@thestaffordlondon.com

Classic Queen without breakfast: £247 +VAT
Quote Chatham House

This conference will be held under the Chatham House Rule. Information for journalists.

Press can request a press pass.

For enquiries relating to the conference agenda or sponsorship please call Olivia Lewis on +44 (0) 20 7957 5732

For registration enquiries please call Boudicca Georgii Hellberg on +44 (0) 20 7314 2785

For general enquiries please email conferences@chathamhouse.org 

Department/project




0

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights at 70

Research Event

29 November 2018 - 6:00pm to 7:30pm

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Phil Bloomer, Executive Director, Business & Human Rights Resource Centre
Julie Broome, Director, Ariadne Network
Allison Corkery, Director of Rights Claiming and Accountability Program, Centre for Economic and Social Rights; Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity, London School of Economics
Chair: Sonya Sceats, Associate Fellow, International Law Programme

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights celebrates its 70th anniversary against a backdrop of fractured global politics and the rise of nationalist forces that reject many of the values the Declaration espouses.

What strategies, tools and networks are civil society and other actors developing to adapt to this complex environment for human rights work?

And what role does the Declaration and the human rights treaties it has inspired play in shaping responses to current global challenges such as deepening inequality, new forms of technology and climate change?

Chanu Peiris

Programme Manager, International Law
+44 (0)20 7314 3686




0

Bulletin updated at 19:45 HKT - 03/05/2020

There is no warning in force.




0

COQ11 deletion mitigates respiratory deficiency caused by mutations in the gene encoding the coenzyme Q chaperone protein Coq10 [Lipids]

Coenzyme Q (Qn) is a vital lipid component of the electron transport chain that functions in cellular energy metabolism and as a membrane antioxidant. In the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, coq1–coq9 deletion mutants are respiratory-incompetent, sensitive to lipid peroxidation stress, and unable to synthesize Q6. The yeast coq10 deletion mutant is also respiratory-deficient and sensitive to lipid peroxidation, yet it continues to produce Q6 at an impaired rate. Thus, Coq10 is required for the function of Q6 in respiration and as an antioxidant and is believed to chaperone Q6 from its site of synthesis to the respiratory complexes. In several fungi, Coq10 is encoded as a fusion polypeptide with Coq11, a recently identified protein of unknown function required for efficient Q6 biosynthesis. Because “fused” proteins are often involved in similar biochemical pathways, here we examined the putative functional relationship between Coq10 and Coq11 in yeast. We used plate growth and Seahorse assays and LC-MS/MS analysis to show that COQ11 deletion rescues respiratory deficiency, sensitivity to lipid peroxidation, and decreased Q6 biosynthesis of the coq10Δ mutant. Additionally, immunoblotting indicated that yeast coq11Δ mutants accumulate increased amounts of certain Coq polypeptides and display a stabilized CoQ synthome. These effects suggest that Coq11 modulates Q6 biosynthesis and that its absence increases mitochondrial Q6 content in the coq10Δcoq11Δ double mutant. This augmented mitochondrial Q6 content counteracts the respiratory deficiency and lipid peroxidation sensitivity phenotypes of the coq10Δ mutant. This study further clarifies the intricate connection between Q6 biosynthesis, trafficking, and function in mitochondrial metabolism.




0

Bulletin updated at 00:00 HKT 10/May/2020

General Situation:
A trough of low pressure will edge towards the coast of Guangdong today and linger over the region in the following couple of days. There will be thundery showers over Guangdong. With the anticyclone aloft strengthening in the middle and latter parts of this week, the weather over southern China will improve and it will be hot.

Date/Month: 10/05 (Sunday)
Wind: South force 3.
Weather: Sunny intervals and a few showers. Isolated thunderstorms later.
Temp range: 28 - 32 C
R.H. range: 65 - 95 per Cent

Date/Month: 11/05 (Monday)
Wind: South force 2 to 3.
Weather: Mainly cloudy with occasional showers and a few squally thunderstorms.
Temp range: 26 - 30 C
R.H. range: 70 - 95 per Cent

Date/Month: 12/05 (Tuesday)
Wind: Light winds force 2.
Weather: Mainly cloudy with a few showers and thunderstorms.
Temp range: 25 - 29 C
R.H. range: 70 - 95 per Cent

Date/Month: 13/05 (Wednesday)
Wind: Southeast force 3.
Weather: Sunny intervals and one or two showers.
Temp range: 26 - 30 C
R.H. range: 65 - 90 per Cent

Date/Month: 14/05 (Thursday)
Wind: Southeast force 3.
Weather: Sunny periods.
Temp range: 26 - 31 C
R.H. range: 60 - 85 per Cent

Date/Month: 15/05 (Friday)
Wind: South to southeast force 3.
Weather: Sunny periods.
Temp range: 27 - 32 C
R.H. range: 60 - 85 per Cent

Date/Month: 16/05 (Saturday)
Wind: South force 3.
Weather: Sunny periods.
Temp range: 27 - 32 C
R.H. range: 60 - 85 per Cent

Date/Month: 17/05 (Sunday)
Wind: South force 3 to 4.
Weather: Sunny periods.
Temp range: 28 - 32 C
R.H. range: 70 - 90 per Cent

Date/Month: 18/05 (Monday)
Wind: South force 3 to 4.
Weather: Sunny periods and isolated showers.
Temp range: 28 - 32 C
R.H. range: 70 - 90 per Cent

Sea surface temperature at 2 P.M. 09/05/2020 at North Point was 25 degrees C.
Soil temperatures at 7 A.M. 09/05/2020 at Hong Kong Observatory :
0.5 M below surface was 27.6 degrees C
1.0 M below surface was 26.4 degrees C




0

Bulletin updated at 00:45 HKT 10/05/2020

An anticyclone aloft brought hot weather to southern China yesterday. Locally, it was hot with sunny periods and isolated showers. A trough of low pressure will edge towards the coast of Guangdong today and linger over the region in the following couple of days. There will be thundery showers over Guangdong.

Weather forecast for Hong Kong:
Mainly cloudy with a few showers. Sunny intervals during the day. There will be isolated thunderstorms later. Hot with temperatures ranging between 28 and 32 degrees. Moderate southerly winds.

Outlook: There will be showers and thunderstorms on Monday and Tuesday. The weather will improve gradually in the following couple of days.




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 7.0 released!

We are pleased to announce a major new release with more than 150 new features and improvements!




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 8.0 released!

We are pleased to announce a major new release with more than 150 new features and improvements!




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 9.0 released!

We are pleased to announce a major new release with more than 150 new features and improvements!




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.0 released!

We are pleased to announce a major new release with more than 100 new features and improvements!




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.1 update

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.1 fixes known problems, adds new features and includes other improvements.




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.2 update

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.2 fixes known problems, adds new features and includes other improvements.




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.3 update

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.3 fixes known problems, adds new features and includes other improvements.




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.4 update

WYSIWYG Web Builder 10.4 fixes known problems, adds new features and includes other improvements.




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 11.0 released!

We are pleased to announce a major new release with more than 150 new features and improvements!




0

WYSIWYG Web Builder 12.0 released!

We are pleased to announce a major new release with more than 125 new features and improvements!




0

Modulation of natural HLA-B*27:05 ligandome by ankylosing spondylitis-associated endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2)

Elena Lorente
Apr 7, 2020; 0:RA120.002014v1-mcp.RA120.002014
Research




0

Identification of an Unconventional Subpeptidome Bound to the Behcet's Disease-associated HLA-B*51:01 that is Regulated by Endoplasmic Reticulum Aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1)

Liye Chen
May 1, 2020; 19:871-883
Research




0

Microsoft delivers fixes for 110 bugs in April, 2020 Patch Tuesday

For the April edition of Patch Tuesday, Microsoft repaired a total of 110 security vulnerabilities across their product line. Included in this count are 37 remote code execution bugs, and 33 elevation of privilege bugs. The company rated eighteen of the vulnerabilities “Critical.” This release’s most notable item is the follow-up to last month’s announcement, […]




0

Building LGBTIQ+ Inclusivity in the Armed Forces, 20 Years After the Ban Was Lifted

16 January 2020

Will Davies

Army Chief of General Staff Research Fellow, International Security Programme
Change was slow to come but progress has since been swift. Not only can a continuing focus on inclusivity benefit service people and the organization, it is also an essential element of a values-based foreign policy.

2020-01-16-Westminster.jpg

Crew members from HMS Westminster march through Admiralty Arch as they exercise their freedom of the city in August 2019 in London. Photo: Getty Images.

The new UK government will conduct a review of foreign, security and defence policy in 2020. If the UK decides to use values as a framework for foreign policy this needs to be reflected in its armed forces. One area where this is essential is continuing to deepen inclusivity for LGBTIQ+ personnel, building on the progress made since the ban on their service was lifted in 2000.

I witnessed the ban first-hand as a young officer in the British Army in 1998. As the duty officer I visited soldiers being held in the regimental detention cells to check all was well. One day a corporal, who I knew, was there awaiting discharge from the army having been convicted of being gay. On the one hand, here was service law in action, which was officially protecting the army’s operational effectiveness and an authority not to be questioned at my level. On the other, here was an excellent soldier in a state of turmoil and public humiliation. How extreme this seems now.

On 12 January 2000 Tony Blair’s Labour government announced an immediate lifting of the ban for lesbian, gay and bisexual personnel (LGB) and introduced a new code of conduct for personal relationships. (LGB is the term used by the armed forces to describe those personnel who had been banned prior to 2000.) This followed a landmark ruling in a case taken to the European Court of Human Rights in 1999 by four LGB ex-service personnel – supported by Stonewall – who had been dismissed from service for their sexuality.

Up to that point the Ministry of Defence's long-held position had been that LGB personnel had a negative impact on the morale and cohesion of a unit and damaged operational effectiveness. Service personnel were automatically dismissed if it was discovered they were LGB, even though homosexuality had been decriminalized in the UK by 1967.

Proof that the armed forces had been lagging behind the rest of society was confirmed by the positive response to the change among service personnel, despite a handful of vocal political and military leaders who foresaw negative impacts. The noteworthy service of LGBTIQ+ people in Iraq and Afghanistan only served to debunk any residual myths.

Twenty years on, considerable progress has been made and my memories from 1998 now seem alien. This is a story to celebrate – however in the quest for greater inclusivity there is always room for improvement.

Defence Minister Johnny Mercer last week apologized following recent calls from campaign group Liberty for a fuller apology. In December 2019, the Ministry of Defence announced it was putting in place a scheme to return medals stripped from veterans upon their discharge.

The armed forces today have a range of inclusivity measures to improve workplace culture including assessments of workplace climate and diversity networks supported by champions drawn from senior leadership.

But assessing the actual lived experience for LGBTIQ+ people is challenging due to its subjectivity. This has not been helped by low participation in the 2015 initiative to encourage people to declare confidentially their sexual orientation, designed to facilitate more focused and relevant policies. As of 1 October 2019, only 20.3 per cent of regular service people had declared a sexual orientation.

A measure of positive progress is the annual Stonewall Workplace Equality Index, the definitive benchmarking tool for employers to measure their progress on LGBTIQ+ inclusion in the workplace; 2015 marked the first year in which all three services were placed in the top 100 employers in the UK and in 2019 the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force were placed 15th=, 51st= and 68th respectively.

Nevertheless, LGBTIQ+ service people and those in other protected groups still face challenges. The 2019 Ministry of Defence review of inappropriate behaviour in the armed forces, the Wigston Report, concluded there is an unacceptable level of sexual harassment, bullying and discrimination. It found that 26-36% of LGBTIQ+ service people have experienced negative comments or conduct at work because of their sexual orientation.

The Secretary of State for Defence accepted the report’s 36 recommendations on culture, incident reporting, training and a more effective complaints system. Pivotal to successful implementation will be a coherent strategy driven by fully engaged leaders.

Society is also expecting ever higher standards, particularly in public bodies. The armed forces emphasise their values and standards, including ‘respect for others’, as defining organisational characteristics; individuals are expected to live by them. Only in a genuinely inclusive environment can an individual thrive and operate confidently within a team.

The armed forces also recognize as a priority the need to connect to and reflect society more closely in order to attract and retain talent from across all of society. The armed forces’ active participation in UK Pride is helping to break down barriers in this area.

In a post-Brexit world, the UK’s values, support for human rights and reputation for fairness are distinctive strengths that can have an impact on the world stage and offer a framework for future policy. The armed forces must continue to push and promote greater inclusivity in support. When operating overseas with less liberal regimes, this will be sensitive and require careful handling; however it will be an overt manifestation of a broader policy and a way to communicate strong and consistent values over time.

The armed forces were damagingly behind the times 20 years ago. But good progress has been made since. Inclusion initiatives must continue to be pushed to bring benefits to the individual and the organization as well as demonstrate a values-based foreign policy.




0

Unpacking the role of religion in political transnationalism: the case of the Shi'a Iraqi diaspora since 2003

4 March 2020 , Volume 96, Number 2

Oula Kadhum

This article explores the role of religion in political transnationalism using the case of the Shi'a Iraqi diaspora since 2003. The article focuses on three areas that capture important trends in Shi'a transnationalism and their implications for transnational Shi'a identity politics. These include Shi'a diasporic politics, transnational Shi'a civic activism, and the cultural production of Iraqi Shi'a identity through pilgrimages, rituals and new practices. It is argued that understanding Shi'a Islam and identity formation requires adopting a transnational lens. The evolution of Shi'a Islam is not only a result of the dictates of the Shi'a clerical centres, and how they influence Shi'a populations abroad, but also the transnational interrelationships and links to holy shrine cities, Shi'i national and international politics, humanitarianism and commemorations and rituals. The article demonstrates that Shi'a political transnationalism is unexceptional in that it echoes much of the literature on diasporic politics and development where diaspora involve themselves from afar in the politics and societies of their countries of origin. At the same time, it shows the exceptionalism of Shi'a diasporic movements, in that their motivations and mobilizations are contributing to the reification of sectarian geographical and social borders, creating a transnationalism that is defined by largely Shi'a networks, spaces, actors and causes. The case of Shi'a political transnationalism towards Iraq shows that this is increasing the distance between Shi'is and Iraq's other communities, simultaneously fragmenting Iraq's national unity while deepening Shi'a identity and politics both nationally and supra-nationally.




0

POSTPONED: The Development of Libyan Armed Groups since 2014: Community Dynamics and Economic Interests

Invitation Only Research Event

18 March 2020 - 9:00am to 10:30am

Chatham House | 10 St James's Square | London | SW1Y 4LE

Event participants

Abdul Rahman Alageli, Associate Fellow, MENA Programme, Chatham House
Emaddedin Badi, Non-Resident Scholar, Middle East Institute
Tim Eaton, Senior Research Fellow, MENA Programme Chatham House
Valerie Stocker, Independent Researcher

Since the overthrow of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya’s multitude of armed groups have followed a range of paths. While many of these have gradually demobilized, others have remained active, and others have expanded their influence. In the west and south of the country,  armed groups have used their state affiliation to co-opt the state and professionals from the state security apparatus into their ranks.

In the east, the Libyan Arab Armed Forces projects a nationalist narrative yet is ultimately subservient to its leader, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Prevailing policy narratives presuppose that the interests of armed actors are distinct from those of the communities they claim to represent. Given the degree to which most armed groups are embedded in local society, however, successful engagement will need to address the fears, grievances and desires of the surrounding communities, even while the development of armed groups’ capacities dilutes their accountability to those communities.

This roundtable will discuss the findings of a forthcoming Chatham House research paper, ‘The Development of Libyan Armed Groups Since 2014: Community Dynamics and Economic Interests’, which presents insights from over 200 interviews of armed actors and members of local communities and posits how international policymakers might seek to curtail the continued expansion of the conflict economy.

PLEASE NOTE THIS EVENT IS POSTPONED UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE.

Event attributes

Chatham House Rule

Georgia Cooke

Project Manager, Middle East and North Africa Programme
+44 (0)20 7957 5740




0

The Development of Libyan Armed Groups Since 2014: Community Dynamics and Economic Interests

17 March 2020

This paper explores armed group–community relations in Libya and the sources of revenue that have allowed armed groups to grow in power and influence. It draws out the implications for policy and identifies options for mitigating conflict dynamics.

Tim Eaton

Senior Research Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme

Abdul Rahman Alageli

Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme

Emadeddin Badi

Policy Leader Fellow, School of Transnational Governance, European University Institute

Mohamed Eljarh

Co-founder and CEO, Libya Outlook

Valerie Stocker

Researcher

Amru_24-2_13.jpg

Fighters of the UN-backed Government of National Accord patrol in Ain Zara suburb in Tripoli, February 2020. Photo: Amru Salahuddien

Summary

  • Libya’s multitude of armed groups have followed a range of paths since the emergence of a national governance split in 2014. Many have gradually demobilized, others have remained active, and others have expanded their influence. However, the evolution of the Libyan security sector in this period remains relatively understudied. Prior to 2011, Libya’s internal sovereignty – including the monopoly on force and sole agency in international relations – had been personally vested in the figure of Muammar Gaddafi. After his death, these elements of sovereignty reverted to local communities, which created armed organizations to fill that central gap. National military and intelligence institutions that were intended to protect the Libyan state have remained weak, with their coherence undermined further by the post-2014 governance crisis and ongoing conflict. As a result, the most effective armed groups have remained localized in nature; the exception is the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), which has combined and amalgamated locally legitimate forces under a central command.
  • In the west and south of the country, the result of these trends resembles a kind of inversion of security sector reform (SSR) and disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR): the armed groups have used their state affiliation to co-opt the state and professionals from the state security apparatus into their ranks; and have continued to arm, mobilize and integrate themselves into the state’s security apparatus without becoming subservient to it. In the eastern region, the LAAF projects a nationalist narrative yet is ultimately subservient to its leader, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The LAAF has co-opted social organizations to dominate political and economic decision-making.
  • The LAAF has established a monopoly over the control of heavy weapons and the flow of arms in eastern Libya, and has built alliances with armed groups in the east. Armed groups in the south have been persuaded to join the LAAF’s newly established command structure. The LAAF’s offensive on the capital, which started in April 2019, represents a serious challenge to armed groups aligned with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA). The fallout from the war will be a challenge to the GNA or any future government, as groups taking part in the war will expect to be rewarded. SSR is thus crucial in the short term: if the GNA offers financial and technical expertise and resources, plus legal cover, to armed groups under its leadership, it will increase the incentive for armed groups to be receptive to its plans for reform.
  • Prevailing policy narratives presuppose that the interests of armed actors are distinct from those of the communities they claim to represent. Given the degree to which most armed groups are embedded in local society, however, successful engagement will necessarily rely on addressing the fears, grievances and desires of the surrounding communities. Yet the development of armed groups’ capacities, along with their increasing access to autonomous means of generating revenue, has steadily diluted their accountability to local communities. This process is likely to be accelerated by the ongoing violence around Tripoli.
  • Communities’ relationship to armed groups varies across different areas of the country, reflecting the social, political, economic and security environment:
  • Despite their clear preference for a more formal, state-controlled security sector, Tripoli’s residents broadly accept the need for    the presence of armed groups to provide security. The known engagement of the capital’s four main armed groups in criminal activity is a trade-off that many residents seem able to tolerate, providing that overt violence remains low. Nonetheless, there is a widespread view that the greed of Tripoli’s armed groups has played a role in stoking the current conflict.
  • In the east, many residents appear to accept (or even welcome) the LAAF’s expansion beyond the security realm, provided that it undertakes these roles effectively. That said, such is the extent of LAAF control that opposition to the alliance comes at a high price.
  • In the south, armed groups draw heavily on social legitimacy, acting as guardians of tribal zones of influence and defenders of their respective communities against outside threats, while also at times stoking local conflicts. Social protections continue to hold sway, meaning that accountability within communities is also limited.
  • To varying extents since 2014, Libya’s armed groups have developed networks that enmesh political and business stakeholders in revenue-generation models:
  • Armed groups in Tripoli have compensated for reduced financial receipts from state budgets by cultivating unofficial and illicit sources of income. They have also focused on infiltrating state institutions to ensure access to state budgets and contracts dispersed in the capital.
  • In the east of the country, the LAAF has developed a long-term strategy to dominate the security, political and economic spheres through the establishment of a quasi-legal basis for receiving funds from Libya’s rival state authorities. It has supplemented this with extensive intervention in the private sector. External patronage supports military operations, but also helps to keep this financial system, based on unsecured debt, afloat.
  • In the south, limited access to funds from the central state has spurred armed groups to become actively involved in the economy. This has translated into the taxation of movement and the imposition of protection fees, particularly on informal (and often illicit) activity.
  • Without real commitment from international policymakers to enforcing the arms embargo and protecting the economy from being weaponized, Libya will be consigned to sustained conflict, further fragmentation and potential economic collapse. Given the likely absence of a political settlement in the short term, international policymakers should seek to curtail the continued expansion of the conflict economy by reducing armed groups’ engagement in economic life.
  • In order to reduce illicit activities, international policymakers should develop their capacity to identify and target chokepoints along illicit supply chains, with a focus on restraining activities and actors in closest proximity to violence. Targeted sanctions against rent maximizers (both armed and unarmed) is likely to be the most effective strategy. More effective investigation and restraint of conflict economy actors will require systemic efforts to improve transparency and enhance the institutional capacity of anti-corruption authorities. International policymakers should also support the development of tailored alternative livelihoods that render conflict economy activities less attractive.




0

Tau PET imaging with 18F-PI-2620 in patients with Alzheimer's disease and healthy controls: a first-in-human study

18F-PI-2620 is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer with high binding affinity for aggregated tau, a key pathologic feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative disorders. Preclinically, 18F-PI-2620 binds to both, 3R and 4R tau isoforms. The purpose of this first-in-human study was to evaluate the ability of 18F-PI-2620 to detect tau pathology in AD patients using PET imaging, as well as to assess its safety and tolerability of this new tau PET tracer. Methods: Participants with clinical diagnosis of probable AD and healthy controls (HC) underwent dynamic 18F-PI-2620 PET imaging for 180 min. 18F-PI-2620 binding was assessed visually and quantitatively using Distribution Volume Ratios (DVR) estimated from non-invasive tracer kinetics and standardized uptake value ratios (SUVR) measured at different time points post-injection (p.i.) with the cerebellar cortex as the reference region. Time-activity curves and SUVR were assessed in AD and HC, as well as DVR and SUVR correlations and effect size (Cohen’s d) over time. Results: 18F-PI-2620 showed peak brain uptake around 5 min p.i. and fast wash-out in non-target regions. In AD subjects, focal asymmetric uptake was evident in temporal and parietal lobes, precuneus, and posterior cingulate cortex. DVR and SUVR in these regions were significantly higher in AD compared to HC. Very low background signal was observed in HC. 18F-PI-2620 administration was safe and well tolerated. SUVR time activity curves in most regions and subjects achieved a secular equilibrium after 40 min p.i.. A strong correlation (R2 > 0.93) was found between non-invasive DVR and SUVR for all imaging windows starting >30 min p.i.. Similar effect sizes between AD and HC groups were obtained across the different imaging windows. 18F-PI-2620 uptake in neocortical regions was significantly correlated with the degree of cognitive impairment. Conclusion: Initial clinical data obtained in AD and HC demonstrate the high image quality with excellent signal-to-noise of 18F-PI-2620 PET for imaging tau deposition in AD subjects. Non-invasive quantification using DVR and SUVR for 30 min imaging windows between 30-90 min p.i., e.g. 45-75 min, provides robust and significant discrimination between AD and HC subjects. 18F-PI-2620 uptake in expected regions is highly correlated to neurocognitive performance.




0

Evaluation of dosimetry, quantitative methods and test-retest variability of 18F-PI-2620 PET for the assessment of tau deposits in the human brain

18F-PI-2620 is a next generation tau positron emission tomography (PET)-tracer that has demonstrated ability to image the spatial distribution of suspected tau pathology. The objective of this study was to assess the tracer biodistribution, dosimetry and quantitative methods of 18F-PI-2620 in the human brain. Full kinetic modelling approaches to quantify tau load were investigated. Non-invasive kinetic modeling approaches and semi-quantitative methods were evaluated against the full tracer kinetics. Finally, the reproducibility of PET measurements from test and retest scans was assessed. Methods: Three healthy controls (HC) and 4 Alzheimer disease (AD) subjects underwent two dynamic PET scans including arterial sampling. Distribution volume ratio (DVR) was estimated using full tracer kinetics (2 Tissue Compartment (2TC) models, Logan Graphical Analysis (LGA)) and non-invasive kinetic models (Non-Invasive Logan Graphical Analysis (NI-LGA) and the multilinear reference tissue model (MRTM2)). Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) was determined at different imaging windows after injection. Correlation between DVR and SUVR, effect size (Cohen’s d) and test-retest variability (TRV) were evaluated. Additionally, 6 HC subjects received one tracer administration and underwent whole-body PET for dosimetry calculation. Organ doses and the whole-body effective dose were calculated using OLINDA 2.0. Results: Strong correlation was found across different kinetic models (R2 >0.97) and between DVR(2TC) and SUVRs between 30 to 90 min with R2>0.95. Secular equilibrium was reached around 40 min post injection (p.i.) in most regions and subjects. The TRV and effect size for the SUVR across different regions was similar at 30-60 min (TRV=3.8%, d=3.80), 45-75 min (TRV=4.3%, d=3.77) and 60-90 min (TRV=4.9%, d=3.73) and increased at later time points. Elimination was via the hepatobiliary and urinary system. The whole-body effective dose was determined to be 33.3±2.1 μSv/MBq for an adult female and 33.1±1.4 μSv/MBq for an adult male with a 1.5 hour urinary bladder voiding interval. Conclusion: 18F-PI-2620 exhibits fast kinetics, suitable dosimetry and low TRV. DVR measured using the 2TC model with arterial sampling correlated strongly with DVR measured by NI-LGA, MRTM2 and SUVR. SUVR can be used for 18F-PI-2620 PET quantification of tau deposits avoiding arterial blood sampling. Static 18F-PI-2620 PET scans between 45-75min p.i. provide excellent quantification accuracy, large effect size and low TRV.