ari Undercurrents: Episode 25 - The End of Liberal Foreign Policy, and the Legacy of the Paris Peace Conference By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Thu, 31 Jan 2019 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
ari The Militarization of the Black Sea After the Annexation of Crimea By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 13 Mar 2019 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
ari Disrupting the Humanitarian Enterprise By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
ari Preparing for Digital Transformation By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Wed, 10 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
ari Investigating Violations of International Humanitarian Law By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Tue, 21 Jan 2020 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
ari Secularism, Nationalism and India's Constitution By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Thu, 20 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
ari Humanitarian Responders in Syria: The White Helmets By f1.media.brightcove.com Published On :: Mon, 24 Feb 2020 00:00:00 +0000 Full Article
ari Undercurrents: Episode 51 - Preparing for Pandemics, and Gandhi's Chatham House Speech By brightcove.hs.llnwd.net Published On :: Thu, 30 Apr 2020 00:00:00 +0100 Full Article
ari Counter-terrorism measures and sanctions: How to avoid negative consequences for humanitarian action? By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Wed, 21 Jul 2021 13:15:52 +0000 Counter-terrorism measures and sanctions: How to avoid negative consequences for humanitarian action? 9 September 2021 — 2:00PM TO 3:30PM Anonymous (not verified) 21 July 2021 Online Exploring current endeavours to address the tensions between counter-terrorism measures, sanctions and humanitarian action. Counter-terrorism measures address broad forms of support to terrorist acts. Their expansion, internationally and domestically, has given rise to new points of friction with international humanitarian law. Unless the measures include adequate safeguards, they can impede humanitarian action. Country-specific sanctions imposed for other objectives, such as ending conflicts or protecting civilians, raise similar challenges for humanitarian action. These problems are not new, but solutions at international and national level remain elusive. At this panel event, which marks the launch of a new Chatham House research paper, panellists explore current endeavours to address the tensions between counter-terrorism measures, sanctions and humanitarian action. What are the current dynamics and developments at Security Council level? What are the opportunities now that the UK is developing its independent sanctions strategy? What challenges do counter-terrorism requirements in funding agreements for humanitarian action pose? What is necessary to make progress? Full Article
ari Sanctions must not prevent humanitarian work in Ukraine By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Mon, 30 May 2022 09:18:16 +0000 Sanctions must not prevent humanitarian work in Ukraine Expert comment NCapeling 30 May 2022 Restrictions on supply of certain items and financial sanctions can impede vital relief unless adequate safeguards are put in place such as exceptions or general licences. Sanctions play a major role in the response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The United Nations (UN) has not imposed sanctions, but an important number of states have done so. They have imposed a wide array of restrictions and the number of targeted – or ‘designated’ – persons is unprecedented. The public has been captivated by the freezing of oligarchs’ assets. There is ongoing discussion about seizing them to provide compensation for war damage. Debate continues about how far to ban oil and gas imports. One aspect of the sanctions has received far less attention, even though it can exacerbate the effect of the conflict on civilians. Some of the trade restrictions and financial sanctions pose immediate and concrete challenges to the capacity of humanitarian organizations to work in Ukraine and in neighbouring states. Trade sanctions imposed by the European Union (EU) and UK prohibit the export or supply of certain goods and technology in the transport, telecommunications, energy, and oil or mineral exploration sectors to non-government-controlled areas of the Donetsk or Luhansk oblasts, or for use there. Experience shows that the due diligence measures adopted by humanitarian organizations do not always allay concerns of risk-averse sectors such as banks Restricted items include technical equipment which is necessary for humanitarian operations, such as water pumps and refrigerating equipment, but also far more mundane items such as vehicles for transport of persons and goods, and office equipment that are necessary for humanitarian organizations trying to work in the region. Designations can reduce options for support Financial sanctions also raise problems. Some are immediately apparent. Significantly for humanitarian operations, the two de facto republics of Donetsk and Luhansk are designated by the EU, the UK, and the US. Consequently, it is prohibited to make funds or assets available to them directly or indirectly. This prohibition covers the payment of any taxes, licences, and other fees to these authorities, as well as the provision of assets to ministries under their control in the course of humanitarian operations, such as ministries of health and education. Designations of other entities may also be relevant, such as Russian ‘state enterprises’ which operate in these areas and are the sole providers of commodities necessary for humanitarian response, such as heating fuel. These are the designations which most obviously impact humanitarian response. However, more than 1,000 persons and entities have been designated and humanitarian organizations must avoid purchasing goods and services from them. Risk-averse commercial partners Commercial actors – such as banks, insurers, freight companies and commodity providers – whose services are required by humanitarian organizations must also comply with the sanctions. Experience shows that the due diligence measures adopted by humanitarian organizations do not always allay concerns of risk-averse sectors such as banks. Fears of violating the sanctions, coupled with the fact humanitarian organizations are rarely profitable clients, have led them to severely restrict the services they provide. This is not the first occasion the problem has arisen. What is different in relation to Ukraine is the number of designated persons and the ‘sanctions packages’ adopted in quick succession. As compliance officers struggle to keep abreast, their institutions become even more risk-averse. For UK banks, the situation is exacerbated by the adoption of the Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Act 2022. This amends existing rules by removing the requirement for the UK Treasury to prove knowledge or reasonable cause to suspect that a transaction violated sanctions, imposing strict liability for sanctions violations. Time for the UK to follow others The EU, the US, Switzerland, and other states which have imposed sanctions have sought to mitigate their adverse effects by including safeguards for humanitarian action. Although the UK has largely replicated the measures adopted by the EU in terms of restrictions and designations, it lags behind in including such safeguards. The UK trade restrictions and financial sanctions do not include exceptions for humanitarian action. While several general licences have been issued, none relate to humanitarian operations. If the UK is to show it is serious about responding to the immense needs caused by the invasion it must introduce appropriate safeguards in its sanctions Instead, the UK measures foresee only the possibility of applying for specific licences – from the Treasury in the case of financial sanctions and the Department of International Trade for trade restrictions. But obtaining specific licences is a time-consuming process which is simply not appropriate for emergency response. If the UK is to show it is serious about responding to the immense needs caused by the invasion it must introduce appropriate safeguards in its sanctions – either in the form of exceptions or general licences. What matters is they cover all key humanitarian organizations responding to the Ukraine crisis that are subject to UK sanctions – either because they are UK persons or because their funding agreements with the UK government require them to comply with UK measures. These include UN agencies, funds and programmes, components of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) responding to the crisis in Ukraine and neighbouring states. The provision must also clearly extend to commercial entities which provide necessary services for humanitarian operations. Given the UK recently adopted an exception along similar lines in relation to the Afghanistan sanctions, there is a valuable precedent for Ukraine. Full Article
ari Humanitarian exceptions: A turning point in UN sanctions By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 20 Dec 2022 14:44:17 +0000 Humanitarian exceptions: A turning point in UN sanctions Expert comment LJefferson 20 December 2022 The UN Security Council has adopted a cross-cutting exception for humanitarian action in UN sanctions. What does it cover? What must happen next? The UN Security Council has removed an obstacle to humanitarian work. On 9 December 2022, it adopted a resolution establishing a cross-cutting exception to existing – and future – UN financial sanctions for funds or assets necessary for humanitarian assistance and activities to meet basic human needs. In a coup for multilateralism, the council has been able to act, even when the Russian invasion of Ukraine has caused paralysis in other areas. Whilst sanctions are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for civilian populations, aid agencies have argued for years that they do just this. Resolution 2664 – introduced by Ireland and the US, co-sponsored by 53 states, and adopted by 14 votes in favour, with India abstaining – is the culmination of a decade of engagement between humanitarian organizations and states to find ways of avoiding the adverse impact of sanctions on the most vulnerable: people relying on humanitarian action for survival. A reminder of the problem Whilst sanctions are not intended to have adverse humanitarian consequences for civilian populations, aid agencies have argued for years that they do just this. UN financial sanctions prohibit making funds or other assets available directly or indirectly to designated persons or entities. Without adequate safeguards, incidental payments made during humanitarian operations, or relief consignments that are diverted and end up in the hands of such persons or entities can violate this prohibition. Exceptions in Afghanistan and Haiti sanctions pave the way Humanitarian actors have been decrying and documenting the impact of sanctions on their operations for years. Ensuring that sanctions did not hinder the COVID-19 response was a turning point in states’ willingness to address the issue. The return to power of the Taliban in Afghanistan called for a more radical approach. Movement at Security Council level was gradual, starting off with demands in the renewals of certain country-specific sanctions that measures taken by member states to give effect to them comply with international law. The return to power of the Taliban called for a more radical approach. In December 2021, the Council adopted a broad exception to the Afghanistan financial sanctions, covering the provision, payment and processing of funds and assets necessary for humanitarian action and for activities to meet basic human needs. A similar exception was adopted – almost unnoticed – in October 2022 in the newly-established Haiti sanctions. These developments, coupled with the determination of elected Council member Ireland to find solutions, paved the way for the adoption of SCR 2664. The scope of the humanitarian exception SCR 2664 introduces a clear and broad exception that addresses the key challenges financial sanctions pose to humanitarian action. The exception expressly refers to the different ways in which funds or assets are allowed to reach designated persons or entities: by the provision of goods or payment of funds by humanitarian actors themselves; by the processing of funds by financial institutions; and by the provision of goods and services by other commercial actors whose services are necessary for humanitarian action such as insurers and freight companies. SCR 2664 introduces a clear and broad exception that addresses the key challenges financial sanctions pose to humanitarian action. The exception is broad in terms of the excluded activities: the provision of funds and assets necessary for humanitarian assistance and activities to meet basic human needs. The UN Somalia sanctions – the first, and for a decade the only, regime to include an express exception – exclude funds necessary for ‘humanitarian assistance’. SCR 2615 on Afghanistan added the expression ‘activities to meet basic human needs’. These go beyond humanitarian assistance, and have been interpreted as including activities necessary to sustain essential social services such as health and education, preserve essential community systems, and promote livelihoods and social cohesion. These are essentially development programmes. ‘Activities that support basic needs’ should be understood in a similar manner in SCR 2664. SCR 2664 is not, however, a ‘blanket’ exception. It only applies to financial sanctions. These are not the only type of restriction in UN sanctions that can hinder humanitarian action. For example, organizations that send commodities into the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea must still go through the notoriously slow procedure of authorization by the sanctions committee. Similarly, authorizations are still required for import of demining materials that fall within the scope of arms embargoes. Opportunities for further engagement and additional safeguards Recognizing that additional challenges remain, SCR 2664 requests the UN Secretary-General to draft a report on unintended adverse humanitarian consequences of all types of restrictions in UN sanctions. He is asked to include recommendations for minimizing and such unintended consequences, including by the adoption of additional cross-cutting exceptions. Humanitarian organizations have played a pivotal role in advancing the agenda. SCR 2664 is the result of their relentless engagement with the Security Council. It is not the end of the road. Other restrictions raise problems, and the Council has left the door open to finding ways of addressing them. Humanitarian organizations have played a pivotal role in advancing the agenda. SCR 2664 is the result of their relentless engagement with the Security Council. Humanitarian actors should seize this opportunity to provide information, identifying the problematic types of restrictions and their consequences on their operations as specifically as possible. What happens next? It is UN member states that implement UN sanctions. For SCR 2664 to be truly effective, it is imperative that states give effect to it in domestic law and practice. In doing so, they must not narrow the scope of the exception. Recent experience in Afghanistan has shown that even in situations when significant safeguards exist, key actors may be unaware of them or unclear as to their precise scope. Financial institutions in particular are fast to de-risk when sanctions are imposed, and remain wary of conducting transactions that they perceive as high-risk even though exceptions permit this. For SCR 2664 to be truly effective, it is imperative that states give effect to it in domestic law and practice. In doing so, they must not narrow the scope of the exception. OFAC – the Office of Foreign Assets Control in the US Treasury – has issued extensive guidance on the Afghanistan sanctions in the form of frequently asked questions. These have played an extremely important role in ensuring full advantage is taken of the exceptions. States should follow this example, and adopt guidance to raise awareness of the exception in SCR 2664 and to clarify its scope. A valuable precedent for autonomous sanctions SCR 2664 only applies to sanctions adopted by the UN Security Council. It does not extend to autonomous sanctions adopted by states or relevant international organizations such as the EU. Full Article
ari Tariffs on Germany a card Trump seems willing to play, analyst says By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Tue, 21 Jan 2020 14:34:30 +0000 Source CNBC URL https://www.cnbc.com/video/2019/12/03/tariffs-on-germany-a-card-trump-seems-will... Release date 03 December 2019 Expert Dr Lindsay Newman In the news type Op-ed Hide date on homepage Full Article
ari From discrete to continuous: Monochromatic 3-term arithmetic progressions By www.ams.org Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:01 EDT Torin Greenwood, Jonathan Kariv and Noah Williams Math. Comp. 93 (), 2959-2983. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Identifying the source term in the potential equation with weighted sparsity regularization By www.ams.org Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:01 EDT Ole Løseth Elvetun and Bjørn Fredrik Nielsen Math. Comp. 93 (), 2811-2836. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari From geodesic extrapolation to a variational BDF2 scheme for Wasserstein gradient flows By www.ams.org Published On :: Mon, 21 Oct 2024 15:01 EDT Thomas O. Gallouët, Andrea Natale and Gabriele Todeschi Math. Comp. 93 (), 2769-2810. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Equivariant 3-manifolds with positive scalar curvature By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Tsz-Kiu Aaron Chow and Yangyang Li Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5993-6020. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Lie groups with all left-invariant semi-Riemannian metrics complete By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Ahmed Elshafei, Ana Cristina Ferreira, Miguel Sánchez and Abdelghani Zeghib Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5837-5862. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Regularity of capillarity droplets with obstacle By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Guido De Philippis, Nicola Fusco and Massimiliano Morini Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5787-5835. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Twisted Kuperberg invariants of knots and Reidemeister torsion via twisted Drinfeld doubles By www.ams.org Published On :: Thu, 31 Oct 2024 16:22 EDT Daniel López Neumann Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 377 (), 5361-5387. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Strong laws of large numbers for weighted sums of ????-dimensional arrays of random variables and applications to marked point processes By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:10 EST Ta Cong Son, Tran Manh Cuong, Le Quang Dung and Le Van Dung Theor. Probability and Math. Statist. 111 (), 153-165. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Large deviations for perturbed Gaussian processes and logarithmic asymptotic estimates for some exit probabilities By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:10 EST Claudio Macci and Barbara Pacchiarotti Theor. Probability and Math. Statist. 111 (), 21-43. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Unconditional Cesàro convergence of sequences of super-reflexive valued random variables By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:10 EST Abdessamad Dehaj and Mohamed Guessous Theor. Probability and Math. Statist. 111 (), 1-8. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Multivariate asymptotic normality determined by high moments By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Paweł Hitczenko and Nick Wormald Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5411-5427. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Invariant subspaces of contractions with constant characteristic function By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Sudip Ranjan Bhuia Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5249-5263. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Blow-up solutions of fractional diffusion equations with an exponential nonlinearity By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST Anh Tuan Nguyen, Tómas Caraballo and Nguyen Huy Tuan Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5175-5189. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari On multivariate ????^{????} Bernstein-Markov type inequalities By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 05 Nov 2024 15:05 EST András Kroó Proc. Amer. Math. Soc. 152 (), 5149-5162. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari On the vanishing of Green’s function, desingularization and Carleman’s method By www.ams.org Published On :: Fri, 08 Nov 2024 14:08 EST R. Gibara and D. Kinzebulatov St. Petersburg Math. J. 35 (), 445-460. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Associated varieties of minimal highest weight modules By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:43 EST Zhanqiang Bai, Jia-Jun Ma, Wei Xiao and Xun Xie Represent. Theory 28 (), 498-513. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Algebraic solutions of linear differential equations: An arithmetic approach By www.ams.org Published On :: Tue, 12 Nov 2024 14:35 EST Alin Bostan, Xavier Caruso and Julien Roques Bull. Amer. Math. Soc. 61 (), 609-658. Abstract, references and article information Full Article
ari Biochemical transformation of bacterial lipopolysaccharides by acyloxyacyl hydrolase reduces host injury and promotes recovery [Enzymology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 Animals can sense the presence of microbes in their tissues and mobilize their own defenses by recognizing and responding to conserved microbial structures (often called microbe-associated molecular patterns (MAMPs)). Successful host defenses may kill the invaders, yet the host animal may fail to restore homeostasis if the stimulatory microbial structures are not silenced. Although mice have many mechanisms for limiting their responses to lipopolysaccharide (LPS), a major Gram-negative bacterial MAMP, a highly conserved host lipase is required to extinguish LPS sensing in tissues and restore homeostasis. We review recent progress in understanding how this enzyme, acyloxyacyl hydrolase (AOAH), transforms LPS from stimulus to inhibitor, reduces tissue injury and death from infection, prevents prolonged post-infection immunosuppression, and keeps stimulatory LPS from entering the bloodstream. We also discuss how AOAH may increase sensitivity to pulmonary allergens. Better appreciation of how host enzymes modify LPS and other MAMPs may help prevent tissue injury and hasten recovery from infection. Full Article
ari ARID4B is critical for mouse embryonic stem cell differentiation towards mesoderm and endoderm, linking epigenetics to pluripotency exit [Developmental Biology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-18T00:06:18-08:00 Distinct cell types emerge from embryonic stem cells through a precise and coordinated execution of gene expression programs during lineage commitment. This is established by the action of lineage specific transcription factors along with chromatin complexes. Numerous studies have focused on epigenetic factors that affect embryonic stem cells (ESC) self-renewal and pluripotency. However, the contribution of chromatin to lineage decisions at the exit from pluripotency has not been as extensively studied. Using a pooled epigenetic shRNA screen strategy, we identified chromatin-related factors critical for differentiation toward mesodermal and endodermal lineages. Here we reveal a critical role for the chromatin protein, ARID4B. Arid4b-deficient mESCs are similar to WT mESCs in the expression of pluripotency factors and their self-renewal. However, ARID4B loss results in defects in up-regulation of the meso/endodermal gene expression program. It was previously shown that Arid4b resides in a complex with SIN3A and HDACS 1 and 2. We identified a physical and functional interaction of ARID4B with HDAC1 rather than HDAC2, suggesting functionally distinct Sin3a subcomplexes might regulate cell fate decisions Finally, we observed that ARID4B deficiency leads to increased H3K27me3 and a reduced H3K27Ac level in key developmental gene loci, whereas a subset of genomic regions gain H3K27Ac marks. Our results demonstrate that epigenetic control through ARID4B plays a key role in the execution of lineage-specific gene expression programs at pluripotency exit. Full Article
ari Molecular architecture and domain arrangement of the placental malaria protein VAR2CSA suggests a model for carbohydrate binding [Glycobiology and Extracellular Matrices] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:31-08:00 VAR2CSA is the placental-malaria–specific member of the antigenically variant Plasmodium falciparum erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1) family. It is expressed on the surface of Plasmodium falciparum-infected host red blood cells and binds to specific chondroitin-4-sulfate chains of the placental proteoglycan receptor. The functional ∼310 kDa ectodomain of VAR2CSA is a multidomain protein that requires a minimum 12-mer chondroitin-4-sulfate molecule for specific, high affinity receptor binding. However, it is not known how the individual domains are organized and interact to create the receptor-binding surface, limiting efforts to exploit its potential as an effective vaccine or drug target. Using small angle X-ray scattering and single particle reconstruction from negative-stained electron micrographs of the ectodomain and multidomain constructs, we have determined the structural architecture of VAR2CSA. The relative locations of the domains creates two distinct pores that can each accommodate the 12-mer of chondroitin-4-sulfate, suggesting a model for receptor binding. This model has important implications for understanding cytoadherence of infected red blood cells and potentially provides a starting point for developing novel strategies to prevent and/or treat placental malaria. Full Article
ari Characterizing human {alpha}-1,6-fucosyltransferase (FUT8) substrate specificity and structural similarities with related fucosyltransferases [Protein Structure and Folding] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-11T00:06:20-08:00 Mammalian Asn-linked glycans are extensively processed as they transit the secretory pathway to generate diverse glycans on cell surface and secreted glycoproteins. Additional modification of the glycan core by α-1,6-fucose addition to the innermost GlcNAc residue (core fucosylation) is catalyzed by an α-1,6-fucosyltransferase (FUT8). The importance of core fucosylation can be seen in the complex pathological phenotypes of FUT8 null mice, which display defects in cellular signaling, development, and subsequent neonatal lethality. Elevated core fucosylation has also been identified in several human cancers. However, the structural basis for FUT8 substrate specificity remains unknown.Here, using various crystal structures of FUT8 in complex with a donor substrate analog, and with four distinct glycan acceptors, we identify the molecular basis for FUT8 specificity and activity. The ordering of three active site loops corresponds to an increased occupancy for bound GDP, suggesting an induced-fit folding of the donor-binding subsite. Structures of the various acceptor complexes were compared with kinetic data on FUT8 active site mutants and with specificity data from a library of glycan acceptors to reveal how binding site complementarity and steric hindrance can tune substrate affinity. The FUT8 structure was also compared with other known fucosyltransferases to identify conserved and divergent structural features for donor and acceptor recognition and catalysis. These data provide insights into the evolution of modular templates for donor and acceptor recognition among GT-B fold glycosyltransferases in the synthesis of diverse glycan structures in biological systems. Full Article
ari Seeded fibrils of the germline variant of human {lambda}-III immunoglobulin light chain FOR005 have a similar core as patient fibrils with reduced stability [Molecular Biophysics] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2020-12-25T00:06:31-08:00 Systemic antibody light chains (AL) amyloidosis is characterized by deposition of amyloid fibrils derived from a particular antibody light chain. Cardiac involvement is a major risk factor for mortality. Using MAS solid-state NMR, we studied the fibril structure of a recombinant light chain fragment corresponding to the fibril protein from patient FOR005, together with fibrils formed by protein sequence variants that are derived from the closest germline (GL) sequence. Both analyzed fibril structures were seeded with ex-vivo amyloid fibrils purified from the explanted heart of this patient. We find that residues 11-42 and 69-102 adopt β-sheet conformation in patient protein fibrils. We identify arginine-49 as a key residue that forms a salt bridge to aspartate-25 in the patient protein fibril structure. In the germline sequence, this residue is replaced by a glycine. Fibrils from the GL protein and from the patient protein harboring the single point mutation R49G can be both heterologously seeded using patient ex-vivo fibrils. Seeded R49G fibrils show an increased heterogeneity in the C-terminal residues 80-102, which is reflected by the disappearance of all resonances of these residues. By contrast, residues 11-42 and 69-77, which are visible in the MAS solid-state NMR spectra, show 13Cα chemical shifts that are highly like patient fibrils. The mutation R49G thus induces a conformational heterogeneity at the C terminus in the fibril state, whereas the overall fibril topology is retained. These findings imply that patient mutations in FOR005 can stabilize the fibril structure. Full Article
ari Role of phospholipid synthesis in the development and differentiation of malaria parasites in the blood [Microbiology] By www.jbc.org Published On :: 2018-11-09T03:40:54-08:00 The life cycle of malaria parasites in both their mammalian host and mosquito vector consists of multiple developmental stages that ensure proper replication and progeny survival. The transition between these stages is fueled by nutrients scavenged from the host and fed into specialized metabolic pathways of the parasite. One such pathway is used by Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the most severe form of human malaria, to synthesize its major phospholipids, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylserine. Much is known about the enzymes involved in the synthesis of these phospholipids, and recent advances in genetic engineering, single-cell RNA-Seq analyses, and drug screening have provided new perspectives on the importance of some of these enzymes in parasite development and sexual differentiation and have identified targets for the development of new antimalarial drugs. This Minireview focuses on two phospholipid biosynthesis enzymes of P. falciparum that catalyze phosphoethanolamine transmethylation (PfPMT) and phosphatidylserine decarboxylation (PfPSD) during the blood stages of the parasite. We also discuss our current understanding of the biochemical, structural, and biological functions of these enzymes and highlight efforts to use them as antimalarial drug targets. Full Article
ari Flaring in MENA: The Multibillion Dollar Decarbonization Lever By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Wed, 15 Jul 2020 12:05:58 +0000 15 July 2020 Adel Hamaizia Associate Fellow, Middle East and North Africa Programme Dr Mark Davis CEO, Capterio The climate crisis and ‘energy transition’ is driving a response from the oil and gas industry to decarbonize, with flaring – the deliberate combustion of gas associated with oil production – as a critical lever, especially in the Middle East and North Africa, write Adel Hamaizia and Mark Davis. 2020-07-15-Flare-Oil-Iraq Iraqi Southern Oil Company engineers look towards the flares in the Zubair oil field in southern Iraq. Photo by ESSAM -AL-SUDANI/AFP via Getty Images. Flaring is a significant source of economic and environmental waste. Except when safety-related, flared gas can often be captured and monetised using low-cost proven solutions.In doing so, governments can improve health and safety, reduce emissions (of carbon dioxide, methane, and particulates) and add value by driving up revenue, increasing reserves and production, creating jobs and improving the industry’s ‘social license to operate’.Flare capture also helps countries to deliver on the Paris Agreement and the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal #13 while, for example, providing affordable alternatives for heating and cooking.The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region accounts for 40% of the world’s flaring. In the region, flaring has increased year-on-year - apart from 2018 - to almost six billion cubic feet of gas per day, generating up to 300-500 million tonnes of CO2-equivalent emissions per year.These emissions result not only from the combustion of gas, but also from the venting, from inefficient flares, of un-combusted methane, a more potent greenhouse gas. Yet much of this is avoidable.There are many commercially attractive options to reduce flaring in MENA. The key is to use the right proven technology and to be agile in commercial structuring. And the prize could be a boost to MENA’s annual revenues by up to $200 per second (up to $6.4 billion per year) by delivering wasted gas to market by pipeline, as power or in liquid form.The chart highlights the abundance of flaring across the MENA region, and in many cases, their proximity to population centres. While Iran, Iraq, and Algeria generate 75% of MENA’s flaring, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE and Qatar are notable for their relatively low ‘flaring intensity’ i.e. flaring normalized to oil production.In today’s world of lower energy prices, it makes sense to monetise every molecule. Even more so for national oil companies, which are responsible for most of the flaring, since they are not only the custodians of their countries’ natural resources, but they also generate a dominant source of government revenue.Most oil producers in MENA have already made commitments to the World Bank’s flaring-reduction initiatives (e.g. ‘Zero Routine Flaring by 2030’), but to date, delivery is mostly lacking. Three main issues have hindered progress.Firstly, operators, regulators, and governments highlight that flaring is often not ‘sufficiently on the radar’. Flaring is often underreported if not ignored or denied - although satellite detection gives unavoidable transparency. In MENA alone, more than 1,700 flare clusters are visible every day from space.Secondly, flare capture is sometimes not perceived to be economically viable due to costs, taxes, or inappropriate technology. Thirdly, there are often issues around resources, especially concerning management bandwidth, delivery capabilities or financing.Yet these issues can be solved if the right proven technologies are combined with the right commercial structures. To accelerate flare capture projects, stakeholders in the MENA hydrocarbons sector must consider several complementary, action-oriented initiatives.In particular, they should:Promote transparency and disclosure to drive greater awareness of flaring. Governments, regulators and operators must understand the real scale of their gas flaring opportunity and be capable of acting, as a recent report for the EBRD on Egypt highlighted. Compliance with clear standards for measuring, monitoring and verification is critical.Advance policies and incentives which encourage action. Better commercial terms will incentivise and accelerate flare investments. Stronger penalties will help, but independent and capable regulators must actually enforce these penalties. Through the use of such clear anti-flaring policies, Norway’s flaring intensity is almost 20 times lower than the MENA region.Improve the investment climate, beyond economics and open access to a broader range of players. Local market failures can be avoided by reducing the complexity and cost of in-country operations and by removing excessive, rigid, or redundant regulations. By enabling greater ‘third-party’ access to gas and power projects and infrastructure, new players can accelerate change by deploying new technologies and new operating models. Better third-party access will also unlock ideas, capital, skills and project-specific financing options. Algeria is making steps towards such liberalisation through its new 2019 Hydrocarbon Law.Reduce subsidies and improve energy efficiency and reduce demand, increase gas exports and boost national revenues. Countries with large subsidies on transport fuels and power, such as Algeria and Iraq, stand to gain the most.Encourage collaboration between stakeholders in industry and government by creating working groups to radiate best practices, build capacity, deploy technology and local content, such as the flare minimization programme in Saudi Arabia or Iraq’s major flare-to-power project operated by the Basrah Gas Company.The industry needs to prepare for a greener world after COVID-19 and investors and consumers are demanding cleaner fuels. Since gas is widely viewed as a transition fuel, MENA governments and stakeholders must work to eliminate its wastage and seize the revenue, production and environmental opportunities that flare capture projects offer.There is much new leadership in the region in government and critical institutions with new mandates for change. The time to act is now. Full Article
ari Africa’s maritime agency cannot be overlooked By www.chathamhouse.org Published On :: Thu, 03 Nov 2022 16:37:51 +0000 Africa’s maritime agency cannot be overlooked Expert comment LJefferson 3 November 2022 Increasing maritime awareness has already delivered impact, but consistency and continental leadership are needed to realize the sector’s full potential. Africa’s 48,000 kilometres of coastline, shared among 38 coastal states, are resource rich and hold some of the world’s most strategic sea lanes, including the approaches to the Suez Canal, which carries 12 per cent of worldwide trade, and the Gulf of Guinea, a critical route for global energy. But despite the vast potential this represents, piracy and maritime insecurity have dominated the narrative of Africa’s coasts, and further propagated the image of African states as beholden to external intervention. Yet African agency is established and evolving in the sector, with African littoral states enhancing their capacity to face collective security threats and exercising increasing autonomy in responding to the recent rush of external actors looking for port facilities and military bases. Enhanced continental coordination, consistency and leadership can help Africa’s maritime endowment become a resource that can bring sustainable benefit across the continent. Agency beyond piracy: the Gulf of Aden and Western Indian Ocean Piracy became the dominant frame of reference for the East African maritime space as a result of the crisis off the coast of Somalia, which peaked between 2008 and 2012. In 2008, the UN Security Council (UNSC) took the unprecedented step of authorizing international naval operations in Somali territorial waters, contributing to a gradual reduction in attacks. There have been no successful hijackings reported since 2017. As the immediate threat of piracy has quietened, broader geopolitical dynamics have come to the fore, notably in a surge by external actors to establish strategic ports and military bases. But progress has not just been down to international assistance. Somalia is prioritizing increased domestic enforcement capacity – as demonstrated in the establishment of a new specialized maritime unit and the wider region enhanced collaboration and information sharing through the Djibouti Code of Conduct of 2009, amended in 2017. South Africa’s recent admission as a new signatory demonstrates its continued relevance. In March 2022, the UNSC authorization lapsed, following pressure from the Somali government. Although it is not yet clear whether Somali efforts will be sufficient to repress piracy in the long term, this reverse was a clear statement of Somalia’s agency at a level unthinkable during the outset of the crisis. As the immediate threat of piracy has quietened, broader geopolitical dynamics have come to the fore, notably in a surge by external actors to establish strategic ports and military bases. Here too, African states have demonstrated enhanced agency, for better or worse. Consider Djibouti’s unilateral seizure of a container terminal from an Emirati firm, Sudan’s review of Russian and Turkish deals for maritime facilities, Tanzania’s rejection of a Chinese-led port investment, or the Seychelles withdrawing agreement for an Indian naval base. Such examples point to a growing awareness of the value of maritime resources within African states, alongside a willingness and ability to push back against external imposition – and indeed to innovate in finding solutions beyond infrastructure and ‘hard’ security. In 2018, the Seychelles launched the world’s first sovereign blue bond to fund sustainable marine projects. That other countries are seeking to replicate this model points to the potentially global impact of African leadership on maritime issues. Regional cooperation or competition in the Gulf of Guinea? The Gulf of Guinea is likewise resource rich and geographically strategic, and has faced diverse maritime security threats including piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, oil theft and pollution. Gulf of Guinea states put in place several initiatives to promote security, including the Yaoundé Code of Conduct (YCoC), signed by 25 states in 2013, that led to information-sharing and cooperation on interdiction, investigation and prosecution. But crime in the Gulf of Guinea nonetheless reached an all-time high in 2020, suffering 130 of the 135 maritime kidnappings recorded worldwide, due to the non-binding nature of the YCoC and gaps in capacity and finance. Despite the clear impact of growing African agency in the maritime space, a long road remains towards the realization of its full potential. Though external actors have become increasingly engaged, including the EU, US, France, Denmark, and the G7++ Group of Friends of the Gulf of Guinea (FOGG), states within the region, especially those most affected by piracy and armed robbery, have nonetheless demonstrated leadership. Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote D’Ivoire have all developed maritime security strategies; Nigeria launched its Deep Blue Project to secure Nigerian waters; Ghana has strengthened its navy; and Togo has changed its laws and judicial system to allow the arrest and prosecution of ships and persons. Maritime security incidents have consequently reduced in 2022. Full Article
ari Head-to-Head Comparison of [68Ga]Ga-NOTA-RM26 and [18F]FDG PET/CT in Patients with Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Prospective Study By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2024-10-24T11:58:49-07:00 Visual Abstract Full Article
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ari Comparison Between Brain and Cerebellar Autoradiography Using [18F]Flortaucipir, [18F]MK6240, and [18F]PI2620 in Postmortem Human Brain Tissue By jnm.snmjournals.org Published On :: 2024-10-30T08:04:16-07:00 Visual Abstract Full Article
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ari Identification of Microorganisms by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS1) and in Silico Peptide Mass Libraries By www.mcponline.org Published On :: 2020-12-01 Peter LaschDec 1, 2020; 19:2125-2138Technological Innovation and Resources Full Article
ari PTM-Shepherd: analysis and summarization of post-translational and chemical modifications from open search results By www.mcponline.org Published On :: 2020-12-01 Daniel J. GeiszlerDec 1, 2020; 0:TIR120.002216v1-mcp.TIR120.002216Technological Innovation and Resources Full Article
ari Protein modification characteristics of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and the infected erythrocytes By www.mcponline.org Published On :: 2020-11-04 Jianhua WangNov 4, 2020; 0:RA120.002375v1-mcp.RA120.002375Research Full Article
ari Human CETP lacks lipopolysaccharide transfer activity, but worsens inflammation and sepsis outcomes in mice By www.jlr.org Published On :: 2020-12-09 Aloïs DusuelDec 9, 2020; 0:jlr.RA120000704v1-jlr.RA120000704Research Articles Full Article
ari Structure dynamics of ApoA-I amyloidogenic variants in small HDL increase their ability to mediate cholesterol efflux By www.jlr.org Published On :: 2020-11-17 Oktawia NilssonNov 17, 2020; 0:jlr.RA120000920v1-jlr.RA120000920Research Articles Full Article
ari Problem Notes for SAS®9 - 66537: SAS Customer Intelligence Studio becomes non-responsive when you delete a calculated variable from the Edit Value dialog box By Published On :: Tue, 1 Sep 2020 14:25:38 EST In SAS Customer Intelligence Studio, you might notice that the user interface becomes unresponsive, as shown below: imgalt="SAS Customer Intelligence Studio UI becomes unresponsive" src="{fusion_66537 Full Article CAMPAIGNSDO+SAS+Customer+Intelligence+St
ari Problem Notes for SAS®9 - 66539: A new calculated variable that you create in the Edit Value dialog box is not available for selection in SAS Customer Intelligence Studio By Published On :: Tue, 1 Sep 2020 13:44:23 EST In SAS Customer Intelligence Studio, you can choose to create a new calculated variable in the Edit Value dialog box when you populate a treatment custom detail. Following creation of the new calculated Full Article CAMPAIGNSDO+SAS+Customer+Intelligence+St
ari Problem Notes for SAS®9 - 66511: A Russian translation shows the same value for two different variables in the Define Value dialog box for the Reply node in SAS Customer Intelligence Studio By Published On :: Mon, 24 Aug 2020 14:23:55 EST In SAS Customer Intelligence Studio, when you add Reply- node variable values in the Define Value dialog box, you might notice that two identically labeled data-grid variables are Full Article POLICYOFR+SAS+Real-Time+Decision+Manager