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Category: Science

  • MIL-OSI China: China builds trans-scale biomedical imaging center to boost life sciences research

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The National Multimode Trans-Scale Biomedical Imaging Center, one of China’s key scientific infrastructure projects, passed national acceptance on Friday, bringing it one step closer to further supporting life sciences research and the diagnosis and treatment of major diseases, said the Institute of Biophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
    Beginning construction in 2019, the center was jointly initiated by Peking University and the Institute of Biophysics, and built with several research institutions including Harbin Institute of Technology and University of Science and Technology of China, with a total investment of 1.717 billion yuan (about 237 million U.S. dollars).
    The center’s core facilities include a multimodal medical imaging device, a multimodal in vivo cell imaging device, a multimodal high-resolution molecular imaging device, and a multi-scale image data integration system. It is capable of conducting trans-scale visualization and precise measurement of the structure and function of living organisms from the molecular to the organ level.
    According to the Institute of Biophysics, the facility has attracted 29 major project proposals in digital life sciences, which will focus on systematic research and development in fields including brain science and tumor diagnosis and treatment,
    In the future, it will provide imaging omics research tools for the study of complex life sciences and major diseases, enabling a panoramic investigation and interpretation of significant biomedical questions and promoting a paradigm shift in biomedical research.
    The facility will also form an industrial innovation alliance with universities, research institutions and enterprises in biomedical imaging sector to create an innovative ecosystem for the integration of industry, academia, research and application.
    According to the Institute of Biophysics, it will be open to researchers nationwide and establish international alliances with biomedical imaging platforms in the United States, the European Union, and other countries and regions. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: Chang’e-6 samples confirm moon’s oldest impact crater formed 4.25B years ago

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    Based on research on lunar samples retrieved by Chang’e-6 mission, a team of Chinese scientists confirmed that the oldest and largest impact crater on the moon, the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) basin, was formed 4.25 billion years ago, providing critical insights into the understanding of the early evolution of the moon and the solar system.
    According to the study paper published Friday on National Science Review, the team, led by Chen Yi from the Institute of Geology and Geophysics under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has analyzed the samples returned by the Chang’e-6 mission, and precisely dated SPA basin’s formation to 4.25 billion years ago.
    The SPA basin, a colossal scar stretching across the moon’s far side, was likely formed during a barrage of asteroids pummeling much of the solar system within the first few hundred million years of its history. However, it has been difficult to date the basin.
    As indirect estimates of the time of the SPA impact range widely from 4.26 to 4.35 billion years ago, planetary scientists have long waited to get their hands on direct evidence–rock samples from the SPA basin itself–to unravel the mysteries of the moon and the solar system.
    China’s Chang’e-6 mission returned the first samples from the SPA basin, finally providing the long-anticipated opportunity for direct dating of the SAP basin.
    However, the Chang’e-6 lander landed on the mare basalt area of the Apollo Basin within the SPA Basin. This area has experienced multiple impacts and a basaltic eruption after the SPA impact. This has led to the fact that Chang’e-6 lunar samples contain fragments of materials from different periods, posing a challenge to the accurate dating of the SPA basin.
    “The SPA impact event produced a massive impact melt sheet,” explained Chen. “To precisely determine its formation age, we first need to identify the products of this impact melt sheet in the Chang’e-6 lunar samples.”
    The researchers examined approximately 1,600 fragments from 5 grams of samples, identifying 20 representative norite clasts with textures, mineralogy and geochemistry indicative of an impact origin.
    Through precise lead-lead dating of zirconium-bearing minerals within these clasts, the team uncovered evidence of two distinct impact events at 4.25 and 3.87 billion years ago. The older norites, dating back to 4.25 billion years, exhibited structural and compositional characteristics that suggest they crystallized at different levels within a common impact melt sheet generated by the SPA impact.
    The extensive geological surveys and comparative lithological analyses of the SPA basin strongly suggest that the older impact age of 4.25 billion years most likely represents the timing of the SPA impact, Chen added.
    According to the study, this finding provides the first direct, sample-based evidence that the moon’s largest impact basin formed approximately 320 million years after the beginning of solar system. The definitive age of 4.25 billion years for the SPA basin can serve as a crucial anchor point for refining the lunar cratering chronology and establishing a more complete temporal sequence of the moon’s early evolution.
    The Chang’e-6 probe was launched from China on May 3, 2024. On June 25, 2024, its returner landed in north China, bringing back 1,935.3 grams of samples from the far side of the moon. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Why the words in your job posting may attract rule-bending narcissists

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Jonathan Gay, Assistant Professor of Accountancy, University of Mississippi

    Posting a job opening? Take a close look at the language. Ronnie Kaufman/The Image Bank via Getty Images

    When companies advertise job openings, they often use buzzwords like “ambitious” and “self-reliant” to describe their ideal candidate. These traits sound appealing — what hiring manager wouldn’t want a driven employee?

    But there’s a catch. In my latest study, published in the journal Management Science with co-authors Scott Jackson and Nick Seybert, I found that these terms may attract job applicants with more narcissistic tendencies.

    As behavioral researchers in accounting, we are interested in executives who bend the rules. We decided to study job postings after noticing that the language used to describe an “ideal candidate” often included traits linked to narcissism. For example, narcissists tend to see themselves as highly creative and persuasive. Prior research also shows that narcissistic employees are more innovative and willing to take risks to get the success and admiration they crave, even if it means bending the rules.

    Based on these observations, we compiled two sets of terms commonly used in job postings. We call the two sets “rule-follower” and “rule-bender” language.

    Some examples of rule-bender language include “develops creative and innovative solutions to problems,” “communicates in a tactical and persuasive manner” and “thinks outside the box.” In contrast, the rule-follower language includes terms like “relies on time-tested solutions to problems,” “communicates in a straightforward and accurate manner” and “thinks methodically.”

    Through a series of experiments, we found that rule-bender language attracts individuals with higher levels of narcissism for accounting-specific jobs, as well as other industries. To measure narcissism, we used a personality assessment that asks people to choose whether they identify more with more narcissistic statements like, “I always know what I am doing,” or less narcissistic statements like “Sometimes I am not sure of what I am doing.”

    We also found that recruiters are more likely to use rule-bender terms when hiring for highly innovative, high-growth companies. For accounting positions, recruiters are more likely to use such terms when aggressive financial reporting could benefit the firm.

    Why it matters

    Companies write job postings carefully in hopes of attracting the ideal candidate. However, they may unknowingly attract and select narcissistic candidates whose goals and ethics might not align with a company’s values or long-term success. Research shows that narcissistic employees are more likely to behave unethically, potentially leading to legal consequences.

    While narcissistic traits can lead to negative outcomes, we aren’t saying that companies should avoid attracting narcissistic applicants altogether. Consider a company hiring a salesperson. A firm can benefit from a salesperson who is persuasive, who “thinks outside the box” and who is “results-oriented.” In contrast, a company hiring an accountant or compliance officer would likely benefit from someone who “thinks methodically” and “communicates in a straightforward and accurate manner.”

    Bending the rules is of particular concern in accounting. A significant amount of research examines how accounting managers sometimes bend rules or massage the numbers to achieve earnings targets. This “earnings management” can misrepresent the company’s true financial position.

    In fact, my co-author Nick Seybert is currently working on a paper whose data suggests rule-bender language in accounting job postings predicts rule-bending in financial reporting.

    Our current findings shed light on the importance of carefully crafting job posting language. Recruiting professionals may instinctively use rule-bender language to try to attract someone who seems like a good fit. If companies are concerned about hiring narcissists, they may want to clearly communicate their ethical values and needs while crafting a job posting, or avoid rule-bender language entirely.

    What still isn’t known

    While we find that professional recruiters are using language that attracts narcissists, it is unclear whether this is intentional.

    Additionally, we are unsure what really drives rule-bending in a company. Rule-bending could happen due to attracting and hiring more narcissistic candidates, or it could be because of a company’s culture – or a combination of both.

    The Research Brief is a short take on interesting academic work.

    Jonathan Gay does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Why the words in your job posting may attract rule-bending narcissists – https://theconversation.com/why-the-words-in-your-job-posting-may-attract-rule-bending-narcissists-249933

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Avoiding your neighbor because of how they voted? Democracy needs to you talk to them instead

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Betsy Sinclair, Professor and Chair of Political Science, Washington University in St. Louis

    As Americans’ social worlds grow further apart, stereotypes intensify – driving an even deeper wedge between red and blue America. wildpixel/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Are you angry about politics right now? Seething? You’re not alone. According to the Mood of the Nation Poll by researchers at Penn State, 9 in 10 Americans can name a recent news event or something about American politics that made them angry.

    Political scientists Steven Webster, Elizabeth Connors and I have investigated what happens to people’s social networks – their friends, family and neighbors – when partisan anger takes over. For example, suppose your neighbor is a member of the opposite political party. You’ve always watered their plants when they go on vacation. Given the news these days and how angry you’re feeling, what will you say when they ask for help during their next trip?

    We found that when someone is angry with the opposite party, they avoid people with those views. That can include not assisting neighbors with various tasks, avoiding social gatherings attended by people from the other side, and refusing to date people who vote differently. It means being disappointed if your son or daughter marries a supporter of the opposing party, and even severing close friendships or distancing yourself from close relatives.

    We see that political anger disrupts ordinary life – coffee with a friend – as well as more major life decisions. Political anger breaks our social networks.

    People rely on their relationships to understand our world – and to vote. The more we isolate ourselves from people who see things differently, the easier it is to misunderstand them, pushing us to separate even more.

    Stereotype vs. reality

    During the Obama administration, my collaborators and I asked a nationally representative sample of voters to describe their stereotypes about the opposite party. Our questions were intended to tap into perceptions of the other side’s lifestyles and cultural values, in addition to policy attitudes.

    First, we wanted to establish each side’s actual views. Our 2012-2016 study asked around 1,300 Americans whether they agreed with statements that are often associated with one party or the other – including creationism, guns, taxes and eco-friendliness.

    For example, 42.5% of all Republicans we surveyed agreed with the statement that “this country would be safer if every law-abiding citizen possessed a firearm,” versus 25.1% of independents and 14.2% of Democrats. Meanwhile, 38.7% of Democrats agreed that “this country would be better if every citizen drove an electric car,” compared with 22% of independents and 11.4% of Republicans.

    Which party do you associate with these cars?
    3alexd/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Two months later, we went back to the same voters and asked them a different question: What percentage of Democrats and Republicans did they think would agree with these statements?

    We saw dramatic evidence of stereotypes. For example, only 19% of Democrats agreed that all Americans should pay more taxes, but more than 80% of Republicans believed the percentage to be higher. The same pattern occurred with electric cars and firearms. Just over 42% of Republicans agreed that all “law-abiding” citizens should have a gun, but the typical Democrat believed the percentage to be 60%-80%.

    Americans do not understand each other across the red-blue divide. Importantly, respondents with more ideologically extreme views themselves had less accurate perceptions of the other party.

    Avoiding the Joneses

    The more extreme our beliefs become, the harder it will be to understand our neighbors.

    Suppose you are a Republican. You learn that your Democratic neighbors believe that everyone should drive an electric car, marijuana should be legal in all states, and universal health care should be available to all citizens. Or suppose you are a Democrat, and you learn that your Republican neighbors believe that humans and dinosaurs walked the Earth at the same time, that elementary school students should be required to recite the Pledge of Allegiance every morning, and that a fence should be built between the U.S. and Mexico.

    Would you want to be friends?

    These hypothetical neighbors have stereotypical beliefs – and most Americans say they do not want those neighbors in their social networks. Specifically, according to our 2023 study, they reported not wanting to become friends, not having this neighbor over for a family meal, and not feeling comfortable allowing their children to play with the neighbor’s kids, among other activities.

    Stereotypes don’t just drive individual people and families apart; they make neighborhoods less cohesive. We ascribe stereotypical beliefs to people who are members of the opposite party – and then we react to these stereotypes, not to our neighbors themselves.

    You’re still neighbors, no matter how you vote.
    monkeybusinessimages/iStock via Getty Images Plus

    Social citizens

    Cutting off those in-person relationships isn’t just a problem for safety and friendliness around the block. It’s a problem for democracy because Americans need relationships with people whose politics are different than their own.

    A majority of Americans have social circles that are politically homogeneous. Even in 2020, 53% of Republicans said that their network was exclusively composed of Donald Trump supporters, and 55% of Democrats said that their network was exclusively composed of Joe Biden supporters.

    In her book “Through the Grapevine,” political scientist Taylor Carlson documents that approximately 1 in 3 American voters mostly learn about politics from socially transmitted information: news they get from talking with friends or scrolling on social media. Relying on these sources is particularly problematic in social networks that are homogeneous, as exposure to information from someone in your own party can lead people to have more extreme positions. Carlson’s work highlights that voters who rely on friends to shape their views rely upon a resource that is heavily biased.

    In my own book “The Social Citizen,” I investigated the influence peers have on political decisions, from voting and donating to identifying with a political party. For example, if a neighbor knocks on your door and asks you to turn out to vote, you are 4%-11% more likely to go cast a ballot than if a stranger knocked on your door.

    Democracy in action

    What can we do to remedy the fractures? We need to understand each other.

    The U.S. has a long tradition of political dialogue. Indeed, after a brutal election tested their friendship, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson did not exchange letters for 11 years. But the pair resumed their correspondence in 1812 with Adams’ statement – later echoed by Jefferson – “You and I, ought not to die, before We have explained ourselves to each other.”

    What Adams and Jefferson understood in the 19th century still applies to the divisions in American society today: Reconciliation requires understanding. These conversations are frequently painful and hard; data scientists have noted that Thanksgiving dinners with guests who cross party lines are frequently shorter. But as my own research shows, we are most able to persuade people with whom we have the closest ties.

    Democracy challenges us to participate in more ways than simply by voting. It challenges everyone to understand those around us and seek what is in the collective best interest.

    And we have the most influence over people in our social networks. So that friend you’re really angry with about their politics? It’s time to give them a call and have a conversation.

    Betsy Sinclair does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Avoiding your neighbor because of how they voted? Democracy needs to you talk to them instead – https://theconversation.com/avoiding-your-neighbor-because-of-how-they-voted-democracy-needs-to-you-talk-to-them-instead-250376

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Trump’s firings of military leaders pose a crucial question to service members of all ranks

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Samuel C. Mahaney, Director, Missouri S&T Policy and Armed Forces Research and Development Institute; Lecturer of History, National Security, and Leadership, Missouri University of Science and Technology

    President Donald Trump gave no specific reason for firing Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr. as the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff less than halfway through Brown’s four-year term in office.

    Nor did he give an explanation for similarly ousting other senior military leaders, including the only women ever to lead the Navy and the Coast Guard, as well as the military’s top three lawyers – the judge advocates general of the Army, Navy and Air Force.

    The president is the commander-in-chief of the U.S. armed forces. But since the days of George Washington, the military has been dedicated to serving the nation, not a specific person or political agenda. I know this because I served 36 years in the U.S. Air Force before retiring as a major general. Even now, as a lecturer in history, national security and constitutional law, I know that nonpartisanship is central to the military’s primary mission of defending the country.

    Trump’s actions could raise concerns about whether he is trying to change those centuries of precedent.

    If so, military personnel at all levels would face a crucial question: Would they stand up for the military’s independent role in maintaining the integrity and stability of American democracy or follow the president’s orders – even if those orders crossed a line that made them illegal or unconstitutional?

    After the American Revolution, George Washington resigned his military commission and returned to civilian life.
    Herman Bencke via Library of Congress

    Political neutrality from the start

    Washington and other U.S. founders were very aware that a powerful military could overthrow the government or be subjected to political whims as different parties or factions controlled the presidency or Congress, so they thought long and hard about the role of the militia and the use of military power.

    Julius Caesar, who used his army to seize power in ancient Rome, was a cautionary tale. So was Oliver Cromwell’s use of his military power in the English Civil War to execute King Charles I and rule England.

    One of Washington’s most significant contributions to the apolitical tradition of the military was his resignation as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army after the American Revolution officially ended, in 1783. By voluntarily giving up his military power and returning to civilian life, the man who would become the nation’s first president demonstrated his commitment to civilian control of a military grounded in allegiance to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness, not allegiance to any one party, faction or person.

    Washington’s act set a powerful example for future generations. A few years later, the founders embedded civilian control over the military in the U.S. Constitution. Article I, Section 8 gives Congress the power to declare war and fund armies, while Article II, Section 2 designates the president as the commander-in-chief of the military.

    This check and balance ensures the military remains neutral and subordinate to elected leaders. It also solidifies the allegiance of military leaders to a principled document, not to the ebbs and flows of politics.

    As part of their training, U.S. military members learn about their duty to obey lawful, constitutional orders.
    Michael S. Williamson/The Washington Post via Getty Images

    Training and response to orders

    Polling consistently shows that the American people trust the military more than any other element of the U.S. government. In part that trust comes from the military’s professional dedication to political neutrality, which includes training its personnel to uphold values like duty, honor and integrity.

    Military members up and down the ranks take their allegiance to the Constitution seriously. At the beginning of their service, at every reenlistment and usually during promotion ceremonies, all military members – officers and enlisted – swear to support and defend the Constitution. The enlisted oath also includes a promise to follow the lawful orders of the president and of the officers appointed above them.

    This foundational oath ensures that if members of the military receive orders that they believe are questionable, they will not follow those orders blindly. They are taught throughout their career – during basic training, officer candidate training and in recurring sessions through the years – to seek clarification. If necessary, they are told to challenge those orders through their chain of command, or through attorneys associated with their units, or by contacting their branch’s inspector general.

    Depending on their ranks, military members’ responses to questionable orders can vary. Senior officers, who have extensive experience and higher levels of responsibility, have the authority and the duty to ensure that any orders they follow or pass down are lawful and in line with the Constitution. When evaluating uncertain orders or navigating unclear situations, they often consult with legal advisers, discuss the implications with peers and thoroughly analyze the situation before taking action.

    Junior officers and senior enlisted personnel often find themselves in positions where they must make quick decisions based on the information available to them. While they are trained to follow orders, they are also encouraged to use their judgment and seek guidance when they believe an order to be unlawful – including getting advice from people with direct access to attorneys.

    Junior enlisted personnel, who make up more than 40% of the military force, are also taught the importance of the legality and constitutionality of orders. They have the right to seek clarification if they believe an order is unlawful.

    Even so, their training focuses heavily on discipline and obedience. This can make it challenging for them to question orders, especially in high-pressure situations.

    Members of the U.S. military swear an oath to the Constitution.
    Ethan Miller/Getty Images

    Ultimate responsibility

    The responsibility of scrutinizing orders falls on senior military leaders – admirals and generals, colonels and Navy captains. Junior officers and senior enlisted and junior enlisted personnel rely on their leaders to navigate the complexities of politics and ensure orders they receive are lawful and focused on national defense, not politics.

    If senior military leaders fail in their responsibility, chaos could ensue: Units may end up following conflicting orders or ignoring directives altogether. This can lead to a breakdown in command and control, with some units acting independently or based on politically motivated directives. This would be a dangerous shift, making the military extremely vulnerable to operational failures and enemy attack.

    President Lyndon Johnson, center, and Gen. William Westmoreland visit troops in South Vietnam in 1967.
    AP Photo

    Such a situation has never happened in the history of the U.S. military. But some events have come close to crossing the line. For instance, during the Vietnam War, President Lyndon Johnson was determined to demonstrate American strength and resolve, famously stating, “I will not lose in Vietnam.” His pressure landed on the shoulders of Gen. William Westmoreland.

    Westmoreland responded by publicizing the numbers of enemy personnel killed in battle, attempting to show that U.S. efforts were reducing the size of opposing forces. But historians have found that this emphasis lacked clear military objectives, meaning troops faced confusion and contradictory orders. The price was a longer war, and more deaths for Americans and for Vietnamese civilians.

    Ultimately, Westmoreland was accused of manipulating enemy troop strength estimates to create an impression of progress – in service of Johnson’s political desire to avoid defeat. His decisions did not directly violate the Constitution or U.S. law, but they exemplify how political pressures can adversely influence military strategies, with devastating consequences.

    Unbiased sources of information

    In addition to senior military leaders’ responsibility to remain apolitical, leaders also have clear responsibilities to the civilians elected and appointed above them.

    For example, the president needs factual and unbiased information about the military’s capabilities from the Joint Chiefs of Staff, based on their experience and professional opinions. If advisers are hesitant to speak freely about what is and is not possible in any given situation, and about potential consequences both good and bad, the president will miss out on the kinds of critical insights that shape effective strategies.

    The bottom line is that when top military experts give advice and take action influenced by politics, they undermine the centuries-old system of military training and ethics. Some traditions are worth keeping.

    Samuel C. Mahaney does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. Trump’s firings of military leaders pose a crucial question to service members of all ranks – https://theconversation.com/trumps-firings-of-military-leaders-pose-a-crucial-question-to-service-members-of-all-ranks-247665

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: Cuts to research into inequality, disparities and other DEIA topics harm science

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By H. Colleen Sinclair, Associate Research Professor of Social Psychology, Louisiana State University

    Scientists across the U.S. and in other countries have rallied in reaction to the Trump administration’s cuts to major science agencies. Mohamad Salaheldin Abdelg Alsayed/Anadolu via Getty Images

    When I taught research methods to undergraduates, I would start by asking whether anyone in the class had $20. Though harder to come by thanks to digital payment options, inevitably someone would produce a $20 bill. I would then ask whether they knew how the bill came to look the way it does. Students would take guesses – often rooted in history and counterfeiting concerns.

    While valid, the larger font and picture designs that came about in the 1990s and early 2000s were also the result of research intended to make the bills more accessible for the 3.5 million Americans with low vision. One of those Americans with low vision was a researcher on the team designing the new bill, experimental psychologist Gordon Legge.

    These changes made it easier for those low-vision Americans, their families and others around the world to read and use American dollars. In other countries, bills and coins come in different sizes that pertain to their value, making them much easier for people with low vision and the blind to use. Legge’s research saved Americans the cost of having to completely redesign the currency to come in different sizes.

    My goal in talking about the currency redesign with my students was to show them how research has shaped their lives, often in ways they didn’t even realize.

    Now, following President Donald Trump’s executive order on federal projects related to DEIA – diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility – many research initiatives similar to the bill redesign project will lose funding.

    As a social psychologist, some of the studies I’ve worked on would be considered DEIA work. Social psychology as a field grew, in part, during World War II as researchers tried to understand bias-motivated atrocities such as the Holocaust.

    DEIA initiatives are projects that seek to reduce discrimination and promote equal opportunities and equal access in multiple spaces such as school and workplaces, as well as in legal, housing and medical systems.

    While frequently focused on those who have faced long-standing barriers to these resources – for example, racial and ethnic minorities and people with disabilities – the results of research related to DEIA are often applied to help all people achieve their potential.

    The Trump administration’s list of DEIA-related terms is so broad that it’s flagging non-DEIA related work for potential termination. I’ve heard many scientists discuss how their programs of research have been wrongfully included in the anti-DEIA sweeps because they use terms such as “biodiversity.”

    However, research that would be considered DEIA work has made influential contributions to society over the past few decades – it raises the question of whether any flagging is actually right. The backlash to anti-DEIA research seems to have started with criticism of DEI-related human resources training in workplaces. But the word list goes well beyond what would appear in HR training.

    DEIA research identifies the problems and proposes the solutions. Solutions such as translation services for the hearing impaired, parental leave for mothers and fathers, pay equity, time off for religious holidays and lactation rooms for nursing mothers all stem from what could be labeled DEIA research and advocacy.

    For instance, lactation rooms came about based on research into what working mothers needed to ease their return to work after pregnancy. This included research into breast pumps and even architectural research on how to best design these rooms.

    DEIA contributions

    DEIA work is nothing new – just the label is. After all, it was DEIA research in the 1950s that psychologists Kenneth and Mamie Clark presented to the Supreme Court to argue that school segregation harmed children, leading to the banning of the policy.

    Kenneth and Mamie Clark, left, with their two children. Research by the Clarks led to desegregation policies in school.
    Charlotte Brooks for Look Magazine and Brooks Archive

    This work continues today as new DEIA research reveals that schools are often still racially homogenous. That means many American students still go to schools where the student bodies are primarily white or primarily racial minorities. However, the reasons for these divides are no longer due to segregation being the law.

    In the 1970s, it was DEIA research that inspired the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975 and led to the creation of special education practices for neurodiverse students. These practices have improved educational outcomes for students with dyslexia, ADHD, autism and a variety of other neurodiversities.

    And DEIA research is continuing to review and improve these practices today.

    Starting in the 1980s, it was also DEIA research that led to HIV/AIDS, a virus disproportionately affecting the LGBTQ+ community, no longer being a death sentence. Doctors now have a drug that prevents HIV, including preventing the transmission of HIV from mother to infant.

    Just today, I received a news alert about scientific breakthroughs in the neurological study of postpartum depression. Because “women” and “pregnant people” are on the list of terms flagged as DEIA-related, studies on postpartum depression could be considered DEIA.

    DEIA science on DEIA science

    It is DEIA science that has demonstrated how diverse research teams promote innovative performance. This research would suggest that America’s diversity may very well be one of the key elements shaping its prosperity.

    Some might say “of course DEIA research will show DEIA works,” but it is also DEIA research that critiques the limitations of training to reduce bias – such as human resources workshops intended to teach workers about inclusive language, cultural sensitivity or implicit bias. Other non-DEIA HR training also faces criticism.

    Scientists discuss these limitations, and the scientific process is constantly self-correcting as researchers search for better solutions. Recommendations about better training are proposed based on new research.

    For instance, racial colorblindness is an ideology that grew out of the civil rights era and a desire to treat individuals equally regardless of race. However, it has led to some problems where people say they ignore race when really they don’t. For instance, in one study looking at race and dating preferences, white people endorsing a colorblind ideology were actually more likely to say they wouldn’t date a Black person than those who didn’t endorse colorblindness.

    Many experts say that colorblindness is a flawed approach to talking about and understanding race and discrimination.

    Colorblindness can also make people feel uncomfortable bringing up race in any context. One study shows how young people, who are not yet wary of identifying people by race, can outperform adults, who avoid race, during a game of Guess Who.

    These studies are just some examples of DEIA science that showed the colorblindness approach is a mixed bag at best. Other times, it is harmful for minority groups and majority groups alike, or even backfires, making people more, not less, discriminatory and uncomfortable.

    Alleged alternatives to DEIA

    Despite its shortcomings, many prominent figures in the anti-DEIA movement have seemingly endorsed colorblindness.

    For example, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott created executive order GA-55 to end DEIA policies and institute a “color-blind” approach instead. Texas public universities had to eliminate DEIA offices and practices but not legacy admissions and scholarships that studies show disproportionately benefit white students.

    In his second inaugural address, Trump promised that his administration would “forge a society that is colorblind and merit-based.” While a meritocracy may sound good on paper, DEIA research has suggested that meritocracies don’t work in the current society.

    Meritocracies assume a level playing field and can ignore disparities, such as wealth, that may afford some more opportunities than others – social mobility between income levels is rare and can take generations.

    Hard work or talent does not compensate for imbalances in society as much as many people would like to believe.

    Where we stand

    Despite the anti-DEIA rhetoric present in American discourse, most Americans do not have negative attitudes toward DEIA; 52% even still think DEIA in the workplace is good. Most Americans, including white people, men and Republicans, also do not report having been harmed by DEIA policies. Overall, studies report that Americans value inclusivity.

    Ultimately, blanket bans on anything remotely DEIA harm advancement across scientific disciplines. The disparities DEIA research examines still exist – in courts, in schools, in jobs, in health, in housing and in violent victimization rates.

    Stopping cancer research because cancer prevention training doesn’t always work and sometimes backfires won’t stop cancer. Ignoring disparities will not make them go away. DEIA-related science is an ingrained part of the scientific enterprise, and cutting its funding could mean missing out on important breakthroughs.

    H. Colleen Sinclair does not personally have any DEIA-related federal grants but she has received foundation research funding for math education research that includes looking at how to close disparities in achievement. The statements and opinions included in this The Conversation article are solely the author’s. Any statements and opinions included in these pages are not those of the Social Research and Evaluation Center, the College of Human Sciences & Education, the Louisiana State University, or the LSU Board of Supervisors.

    – ref. Cuts to research into inequality, disparities and other DEIA topics harm science – https://theconversation.com/cuts-to-research-into-inequality-disparities-and-other-deia-topics-harm-science-252241

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: What are AI hallucinations? Why AIs sometimes make things up

    Source: The Conversation – USA – By Anna Choi, Ph.D. Candidate in Information Science, Cornell University

    What springs from the ‘mind’ of an AI can sometimes be out of left field. gremlin/iStock via Getty Images

    When someone sees something that isn’t there, people often refer to the experience as a hallucination. Hallucinations occur when your sensory perception does not correspond to external stimuli.

    Technologies that rely on artificial intelligence can have hallucinations, too.

    When an algorithmic system generates information that seems plausible but is actually inaccurate or misleading, computer scientists call it an AI hallucination. Researchers have found these behaviors in different types of AI systems, from chatbots such as ChatGPT to image generators such as Dall-E to autonomous vehicles. We are information science researchers who have studied hallucinations in AI speech recognition systems.

    Wherever AI systems are used in daily life, their hallucinations can pose risks. Some may be minor – when a chatbot gives the wrong answer to a simple question, the user may end up ill-informed. But in other cases, the stakes are much higher. From courtrooms where AI software is used to make sentencing decisions to health insurance companies that use algorithms to determine a patient’s eligibility for coverage, AI hallucinations can have life-altering consequences. They can even be life-threatening: Autonomous vehicles use AI to detect obstacles, other vehicles and pedestrians.

    Making it up

    Hallucinations and their effects depend on the type of AI system. With large language models – the underlying technology of AI chatbots – hallucinations are pieces of information that sound convincing but are incorrect, made up or irrelevant. An AI chatbot might create a reference to a scientific article that doesn’t exist or provide a historical fact that is simply wrong, yet make it sound believable.

    In a 2023 court case, for example, a New York attorney submitted a legal brief that he had written with the help of ChatGPT. A discerning judge later noticed that the brief cited a case that ChatGPT had made up. This could lead to different outcomes in courtrooms if humans were not able to detect the hallucinated piece of information.

    With AI tools that can recognize objects in images, hallucinations occur when the AI generates captions that are not faithful to the provided image. Imagine asking a system to list objects in an image that only includes a woman from the chest up talking on a phone and receiving a response that says a woman talking on a phone while sitting on a bench. This inaccurate information could lead to different consequences in contexts where accuracy is critical.

    What causes hallucinations

    Engineers build AI systems by gathering massive amounts of data and feeding it into a computational system that detects patterns in the data. The system develops methods for responding to questions or performing tasks based on those patterns.

    Supply an AI system with 1,000 photos of different breeds of dogs, labeled accordingly, and the system will soon learn to detect the difference between a poodle and a golden retriever. But feed it a photo of a blueberry muffin and, as machine learning researchers have shown, it may tell you that the muffin is a chihuahua.

    Object recognition AIs can have trouble distinguishing between chihuahuas and blueberry muffins and between sheepdogs and mops.
    Shenkman et al, CC BY

    When a system doesn’t understand the question or the information that it is presented with, it may hallucinate. Hallucinations often occur when the model fills in gaps based on similar contexts from its training data, or when it is built using biased or incomplete training data. This leads to incorrect guesses, as in the case of the mislabeled blueberry muffin.

    It’s important to distinguish between AI hallucinations and intentionally creative AI outputs. When an AI system is asked to be creative – like when writing a story or generating artistic images – its novel outputs are expected and desired. Hallucinations, on the other hand, occur when an AI system is asked to provide factual information or perform specific tasks but instead generates incorrect or misleading content while presenting it as accurate.

    The key difference lies in the context and purpose: Creativity is appropriate for artistic tasks, while hallucinations are problematic when accuracy and reliability are required.

    To address these issues, companies have suggested using high-quality training data and limiting AI responses to follow certain guidelines. Nevertheless, these issues may persist in popular AI tools.

    Large language models hallucinate in several ways.

    What’s at risk

    The impact of an output such as calling a blueberry muffin a chihuahua may seem trivial, but consider the different kinds of technologies that use image recognition systems: An autonomous vehicle that fails to identify objects could lead to a fatal traffic accident. An autonomous military drone that misidentifies a target could put civilians’ lives in danger.

    For AI tools that provide automatic speech recognition, hallucinations are AI transcriptions that include words or phrases that were never actually spoken. This is more likely to occur in noisy environments, where an AI system may end up adding new or irrelevant words in an attempt to decipher background noise such as a passing truck or a crying infant.

    As these systems become more regularly integrated into health care, social service and legal settings, hallucinations in automatic speech recognition could lead to inaccurate clinical or legal outcomes that harm patients, criminal defendants or families in need of social support.

    Check AI’s work

    Regardless of AI companies’ efforts to mitigate hallucinations, users should stay vigilant and question AI outputs, especially when they are used in contexts that require precision and accuracy. Double-checking AI-generated information with trusted sources, consulting experts when necessary, and recognizing the limitations of these tools are essential steps for minimizing their risks.

    The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What are AI hallucinations? Why AIs sometimes make things up – https://theconversation.com/what-are-ai-hallucinations-why-ais-sometimes-make-things-up-242896

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Global: How dramatic daily swings in oxygen shaped early animal life – new study

    Source: The Conversation – UK – By Emma Hammarlund, Associate Professor, Geobiology, Lund University

    DesignMarjolein/Shutterstock

    Imagine a world where the oxygen you need changes dramatically between day and night. Your world shifts from being rich in oxygen (oxic) in the day, so you have energy to hunt for food, to suffocatingly oxygen-free (anoxic) at night, which slows you down.

    Now, picture early animals trying to survive in such an extreme environment. This was the reality for early animal life in oceans and seas about half a billion years ago. This was also the time when animal diversity boomed, in what is known as the “Cambrian explosion”.

    My team’s new research suggests that these drastic oxygen fluctuations played a crucial role in this dramatic period.

    For decades, scientists have debated what triggered this evolutionary burst. Many scientists have pointed to long-term atmospheric changes, where increasing oxygen levels supposedly drove a variation in the number of animal life forms. Over the last couple of years, however, the view on increasing atmospheric oxygen as a simple trigger for the rise of animals has been questioned.

    Our new study reveals a different, often overlooked factor. Daily swings in oxygen levels on the shallow seafloor may have stressed early animals (the ancestors of all animal life today), pushing them to adapt in ways that fuelled diversification. Rather than good conditions driving the change, we argue that harsh conditions triggered this.

    We used a computer model that can mimic conditions on the sunlit seafloor today. This model takes into account what life can produce or consume, but also how temperature, sunlight, and different types of sediment or water affect the overall conditions. Using this so-called “biogeochemical model”, we have shown that in warm, shallow waters, oxygen levels could fluctuate dramatically between day and night in the Cambrian (when oxygen was generally lower than today).

    During the day, photosynthesis by marine algae produced lots of oxygen, creating a fully oxygenated environment. But at night, when photosynthesis stopped because there was no light, oxygen was instead rapidly consumed by the algae as they respired (using energy and oxygen to perform cell functions), leading to anoxic conditions.

    This daily feast-and-famine cycle in oxygen availability created an intense physiological challenge for early animals, forcing them to develop adaptations to handle fluctuations in nutrients. For those that could deal with these fluctuations, adaptation gave them a competitive edge.

    The shallow, sandy beach-like shelf environments in oceans around the world also expanded dramatically at this time because the super-continent – known as Rodinia – broke up into smaller pieces. This increased the total circumference of continental crust, creating more continental edges where sun, nutrients and life could interact. These new continents were also flooded, so shallow, sunlit seafloor zones expanded even further.

    Sunlit marine environments tend to be the richest in nutrients. Species that had adapted to cope with daily oxygen fluctuations could more easily access the nutrients in this vast, shallow habitat. The stress-tolerant species would win the race to food.

    How stress drives evolution

    Physiological stress is often seen as an obstacle to survival. But it can be a catalyst for evolutionary innovation. Even today, species that endure extreme environments often develop specialist traits that make them more adaptable.

    Our study suggests a similar pattern played out in the Cambrian. Animals evolved ways to cope with the stress of fluctuating oxygen levels on the smörgåsbord of the shallow seafloor shelves.

    One key adaptation could have been the ability to efficiently sense and respond to oxygen fluctuations. This trait is regulated by a cellular control system – a molecular pathway that adapts how the cell responds to external conditions. The control system that may have emerged at the Cambrian explosion is known as HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor 1).

    In modern animals, this system helps cells detect and adapt to changes in oxygen conditions, controlling processes like energy metabolism and the coordination of a cell’s functions.

    However, HIF-1α offers resistance to toxins such as hydrogen sulphide, a common byproduct of anoxic conditions. Our modelling suggests that animals with advanced oxygen-sensing mechanisms would have had a survival advantage in the fluctuating conditions of the Cambrian seafloor, allowing them to outcompete species without this capability.

    From harsh environments to animal diversity

    Today, biodiversity hotspots like tropical rainforests and coral reefs thrive under conditions of high biological competition and ecological complexity. However, in extreme environments where survival depends on withstanding harsh physical conditions rather than competing with other species, different evolutionary pressures come into play. Any adaptations against stress that led to increased survival would also be inherited efficiently, too.

    The shallow seafloor environment is rich in nutrients but also a place of daily shifts in oxygen levels.
    Barbarajo/Shutterstock



    Read more:
    Cancer tumours could help unravel the mystery of the Cambrian explosion

    The ability to cope with these rapid changes may have allowed certain animal lineages to thrive over others, leading to the emergence of more complex and adaptable life forms.

    Today, all animals with tissues as we know them (several layers of cells) use HIF to maintain regular maintenance or steady state (known as homeostasis). This molecular pathway is critical for building tissues and healing tissues. These “control knobs” in cells are even suggested to be essential for how animal life could get as large and old as giraffes, elephants and humans.

    This new model challenges traditional views that focus solely on large-scale geological changes as the primary drivers of early animal evolution. Local-scale challenges faced by individual organisms – such as surviving daily swings between oxygen-rich and oxygen-starved conditions – could have been just as important in shaping the course of evolution.

    Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?

    Get a weekly roundup in your inbox instead. Every Wednesday, The Conversation’s environment editor writes Imagine, a short email that goes a little deeper into just one climate issue. Join the 40,000+ readers who’ve subscribed so far.

    Emma Hammarlund receives funding from the European Research Council Horizon 2020.

    – ref. How dramatic daily swings in oxygen shaped early animal life – new study – https://theconversation.com/how-dramatic-daily-swings-in-oxygen-shaped-early-animal-life-new-study-251657

    MIL OSI – Global Reports –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: The management of the State University of Management took part in a strategic session on strengthening Russia’s position in the international educational space

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    On March 21, 2025, the Higher School of Economics hosted a strategic session entitled “Strengthening Russia’s Position in the International Educational Space,” which was attended by Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov.

    The strategy session was attended by rectors of major universities, vice-rectors responsible for international cooperation, representatives of a number of ministries that founded universities, the Russian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Ministry of Agriculture, Rossotrudnichestvo, Rosobrnadzor, other government bodies, and companies with interests abroad.

    The main speaker of the plenary session was the Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Valery Falkov, who reported that at present, 232 associations of graduates of domestic universities operate in Russia and abroad to maintain ties between Russian universities and foreign citizens. Their total number exceeds 530 thousand people, and the geography of graduates covers 80 countries.

    According to the Minister, one of the global trends in the higher education system in the world remains the growth of foreign students and the increase in migration flows. Russia is among the top ten countries in the world that provide high-quality higher education. Today, more than 395 thousand foreign students study in Russia.

    “This is a great resource, and our task today is to take a broader look at the work that we are doing together. Let me remind you that Russian President Vladimir Putin has set the task of increasing the number of foreign students to 500 thousand by 2030. At the same time, we have a lot of work to do to improve the quality of the contingent of foreign students, to select the most motivated guys. We will pay primary attention to this,” noted Valery Falkov.

    The Ministry of Education and Science is developing a “white list” of recruiting companies to attract foreign students to Russian universities. Also, together with the Ministry of Digital Development, work is underway to create a digital profile of a foreign student, which will contain various information about a foreign citizen. In addition, within the framework of the national project “Youth and Children”, a system of grant support for talented students on a competitive basis is being launched.

    At the same time, the head of the Ministry of Education and Science noted the high importance of pre-university training for foreign applicants, for which universities need to independently create pre-university training centers abroad – the so-called remote preparatory faculties.

    After the plenary session, the experts split into thematic working groups. Rector of the State University of Management Vladimir Stroyev and Vice-Rector Dmitry Bryukhanov became members of the working group on the topic of “Educational Work and Adaptation of Foreign Students in Russia”, which was led by Deputy Minister of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation Olga Petrova. Let us recall that the State University of Management is one of the leading universities in Russia in the field of educational work. The goal of the work in the groups was to prepare proposals for the Ministry of Education and Science to solve the problems outlined by the topics of the working groups, which, in addition to the above, included the promotion of the Russian language abroad, the development of academic mobility, attracting talent from abroad, employment of foreign students, and others.

    The strategic session will continue on Saturday, March 22.

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/21/2025

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI China: China builds mega network for space weather forecasting

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    One of China’s key scientific infrastructures, the Chinese Meridian Project (CMP), successfully passed national acceptance for its second phase on Friday. It will boost cutting-edge scientific research and provide key support for the country’s space weather forecasting services, according to the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
    The project, also known as the Ground-based Space Environment Monitoring Network, is the world’s first comprehensive ground-based monitoring facility to cover Sun-Earth space from the solar atmosphere to near-Earth space.
    The Solar-Terrestrial space is the main area where humans conduct space activities and utilize space. Catastrophic space weather can lead to significant risks such as satellite failures, communication disruptions, navigation deviations, and power grid failures. As a result, space weather forecasting and early warning services are of great importance.
    The project is led by the National Space Science Center. The CMP-Phase I started in 2008 and was completed in 2012, the CMP-Phase II began construction in November 2019. The project has over 30 observation stations, covering the country as well as the polar regions.
    The project realizes the end-to-end tracking and monitoring capabilities for solar storms from the solar atmosphere to near Earth space. It provides key and independent data for China’s space weather forecasting and early warning services and contributes to cutting-edge scientific research, including the overall change mechanism of the Sun-Earth space environment and the basic physical processes of space physics.
    The CMP-Phase II consists of a batch of advanced devices, including the Daocheng Radio Telescope that captures 3D coronal tomography with a 10-solar-radius field of view; a lidar array for continuous height-resolved detection of atmospheric metastable helium within a height range of 200 to 1,000 km; and the world’s first tristatic incoherent scatter radar system that conducts ionospheric computed tomography (CT) scanning and 3D imaging over distances of thousands of kilometers.
    The CMP-Phase II also features the Chinese Dual Auroral Radar Network (CN-DARN), a mid-latitude high-frequency radar array which achieves the large-scale continuous detection of ionospheric dynamics in the middle and high latitudes of the Asian region, filling the monitoring gap of previous SuperDARN; and the country’s first facility dedicated to reconstructing three-dimensional solar wind structures for interplanetary environment predictions.
    During the trial operation, the CMP-Phase II has already obtained observation data and shared them with the world. For instance, it captured the super geomagnetic storm event in May 2024 and recorded the entire process of the Sun-Earth space environment’s response to solar activity.
    Based on the project, China is launching the International Meridian Circle Program, with the goal of realizing an all-latitude, all-weather, and round-the-clock observation of the Sun-Earth space environment. 

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI China: 2025 International Congress of Basic Science unveils awards in Beijing

    Source: China State Council Information Office 2

    The 2025 International Congress of Basic Science (ICBS 2025) announced its laureates for the Basic Science Lifetime Awards and Frontiers of Science Awards at a press conference held Friday at Tsinghua University in Beijing.
    Six globally renowned scientists, including Nobel laureates Samuel Chao Chung Ting, Steven Chu, and David Jonathan Gross, Turing Award recipient Robert Endre Tarjan, Fields Medalist Shigefumi Mori, and Wolf Prize winner George Lusztig, were honored with the Lifetime Awards for their transformative contributions spanning mathematics, physics, and information science over three decades.
    The Frontiers of Science Award highlighted 148 pioneering papers from over 600 authors across more than 20 countries and regions, spanning mathematics, physics, and theoretical computer science. Thirteen Chinese institutions secured 17 awards, including Tsinghua University and the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
    The 2025 ICBS, jointly funded and hosted by the Beijing Municipal People’s Government, the Ministry of Science and Technology, the China Association for Science and Technology, and the International Congress of Chinese Mathematicians, will convene global scientists in July for the awards ceremony.

    MIL OSI China News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Hetao park ceremony held

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    A topping-out ceremony ceremony was held today for three buildings in Phase 1 of the Hong Kong Park area of the Hetao Shenzhen-Hong Kong Science & Technology Innovation Co-operation Zone.

    Buildings 8 and 9 are wet laboratory-enabled, while Building 11 is intended for talent accommodation.

    Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Executive John Lee said the Hong Kong Park is a “super platform” that will help Hong Kong serve as a “super connector” and a “super value-adder”.

    “We will make good use of Hong Kong’s advantages as an international city and an international hub for high-calibre talent to build the Hetao Co-operation Zone into a bridgehead for I&T (innovation and technology), and a showcase and incubator for high-end achievements for the country.”

    Comprising about 87 hectares, the park will be developed in two phases from west to east. Following the completion of the above-mentioned three buildings, it will enter into its operational phase when the first batch of tenants from pillar industries such as life and health technology, artificial intelligence, and data science, move in from the second half of this year.

    The construction of another five buildings is in full swing. The Government has earmarked $3.7 billion to expedite the provision of infrastructure and public facilities for the park’s Phase 1 development and detailed planning of the second phase will be completed within the current year.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Delegation of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus visited the Polytechnic University

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University – Peter the Great St Petersburg Polytechnic University –

    A delegation of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus (NAS RB) visited Peter the Great St. Petersburg Polytechnic University. The meeting took place as part of the delegation’s visit to the St. Petersburg Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SPbB RAS). The Polytechnic University hosted key events aimed at developing scientific and technical cooperation. The delegation was headed by Academician-Secretary of the Department of Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science of the NAS of Belarus Alexander Shumilin, and also included Director of the Institute of Applied Physics of the NAS RB Mikhail Kheifets and Director of the Institute of Physics of the NAS RB, Academician Sergei Gaponenko.

    Rector of SPbPU, Chairman of the SPbB RAS Andrey Rudskoy after a working meeting with colleagues from the NAS RB emphasized: Our partnership with the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus is a driver for the creation of breakthrough technologies. The joint efforts of our scientists are forming the scientific potential of Russia and Belarus, strengthening the technological sovereignty of the Union State.

    The program of the visit began with a tour of the Main Academic Building and a visit to the SPbPU History Museum, where the delegation became acquainted with the university’s heritage and the achievements of the great polytechnic engineers.

    The guests visited the laboratories of the Institute of Electronics and Telecommunications (IEIT), identified points of mutual interest and topics for future joint research, which will be included in the roadmap for cooperation currently being formed. The meeting participants discussed cooperation in the field of photonics, including the development of entirely domestic components.

    In the laboratories of the Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport (IMMT), the delegation saw the latest developments in the field of additive technologies and powder metallurgy, and also got acquainted with the practical results of the joint project of SPbPU and the O. V. Roman Institute of Powder Metallurgy of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus.

    Representatives of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus learned about the areas of activity of the Advanced Engineering School of SPbPU “Digital Engineering” and, in general, the “Ecosystem of Technological Development of SPbPU “Advanced Digital and Manufacturing Technologies”, which provides training of engineers with world-class competencies for high-tech industries. They were shown joint projects of the Advanced Engineering School “Digital Engineering” with the State Scientific Institution “United Institute of Mechanical Engineering” and the Physical-Mechanical Institute of SPbPU with the State Scientific Institution “Institute of Heat and Mass Transfer named after A.V. Lykov”.

    The participants discussed possible areas of joint work, particularly noting the sphere of standardization and metrology, the use of virtual modeling to solve problems of the mechanical engineering industry of Belarus. The guests were interested in the developments of the laboratory “Industrial systems of streaming data processing” of the SPbPU PISh “Digital Engineering” in the field of algorithms and systems for collecting and analyzing data.

    The delegation of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus expressed special interest in developing cooperation in the field of applied physics and the space sector, given that the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Belarus oversees interaction with Roscosmos. Belarusian colleagues noted that SPbPU’s experience in additive technologies and digital modeling can become the basis for new initiatives within the framework of the Union State programs, such as modernization of satellite systems and training of personnel for the space industry.

    An important event was the working meeting, at which the parties discussed priority areas of cooperation: biomedical systems, quality management in technical projects and applied physics. Particular attention was paid to the organization of a joint dissertation council and the further implementation of the cooperation roadmap. The discussion was attended by the Vice-Rector for International Affairs of SPbPU Dmitry Arsenyev, Director of the Institute of Biomedical Systems and Biotechnology Andrey Vasin, Director of the Higher School of Biomedical Systems and Technology Olga Vlasova, Head of the Laboratory of Molecular Neurodegeneration (LMN) Ilya Bezprozvanny, Chief Scientific Secretary of the Scientific Certification Commission Tatyana Kudryavtseva, Professor of the Higher School of Fundamental Physics Research Vadim Korablyov, Head of the International Cooperation Department Vladimir Khizhnyak.

    The delegates also visited the Polytechnic Supercomputer Center, where they discussed with professors of the Higher School of Artificial Intelligence Vladimir Zaborovsky and Lev Utkin the problems of using artificial intelligence for supercomputer calculations and the capabilities of SPbPU in modeling complex engineering problems.

    The day continued with a concert “The Magic of the Organ” in the White Hall of SPbPU.

    The negotiations confirmed that our joint projects are not only fundamental research, but also applied practical developments that can form the basis for a technological breakthrough of the Union State, noted Academician-Secretary of the Department of Physics, Mathematics and Computer Science of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Alexander Shumilin.

    At the end of the meeting, the parties agreed to intensify student exchanges and prepare new applications for grants within the framework of the programs of the St. Petersburg Science Foundation, the Russian Science Foundation and the Union State.

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Africa: Secretary-General’s remarks at the Ceremony marking the 600th Anniversary of the University of Leuven [as delivered]

    Source: United Nations – English

    ear Rector Magnificus, Chère Madame la Rectrice,
     
    Allow me to address you with the expression that in my country is reserved for the rectors of the university of the Coimbra, your sister university: Magnificus rectorus, magnificent rectors.
     
    Thank you for your warm welcome, your very kind words and this significant honour.
     
    I am proud to accept it on behalf of the United Nations and remembering the women and men of the UN all over the world.
     
    You will find them working everywhere and around the clock. 
     
    Building and keeping peace.
     
    Delivering lifesaving relief in the most desperate places on earth.
     
    Fighting poverty and standing up for the marginalized.
     
    Advancing human rights and the rule of law.
     
    And striving to realize the universal values that express the very best of the human spirit.
     
    By bestowing this honour at this consequential time, you are sending a clear message.
     
    A message of support for the noble mission of the United Nations —a message of solidarity to all those working to make it real – and a message of inspiration for us to keep up the fight.
     
    On behalf of the United Nations — thank you.
     
    Distinguished Guests, Dear Students, Ladies and Gentlemen,
     
    You honour the United Nations as we celebrate a remarkable milestone:
     
    The 600th anniversary of the University of Leuven, one of the world’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher learning, today represented by the two universities that are together in this beautiful ceremony.
     
    Six centuries ago, scholars lit a flame of knowledge.
     
    Generation after generation have kept this flame alive.
     
    Through times of turmoil and triumph.
     
    In war and in peace.
     
    From the Renaissance to the information age.
     
    It is here at Leuven that Erasmus refined his humanist thought, teaching the world to see learning as a path to compassion and understanding.
     
    It was here that Mercator mastered cartography, revolutionizing navigation and the way we see our world — opening new horizons across continents.
     
    It was here that future Prime Minister and statesman August Beernaert began his intellectual journey that led to his bold vision of peace through arbitration, which was recognized with the Nobel Peace Prize in 1909.
     
    It was here that a young Georges Lemaître gazed at the stars and proposed what became the Big Bang theory — forever reshaping humanity’s understanding of the universe itself.
     
    And it was here that Dominique Pire, a humble Dominican friar, developed humanitarian principles that would earn him the Nobel Peace Prize for working with refugees and bringing hope to the forgotten.
     
    All of you are keeping this flame alive in the 21st century.
     
    Your scholars have helped lead the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — and the need for urgent climate action.
     
    Your universities played a pivotal role in launching the Global University Academy — supporting higher education for refugees worldwide.
     
    The Leuven Institute for Artificial Intelligence fosters knowledge-sharing and international partnerships on AI.
     
    Your startup incubators and technology transfer efforts transform innovative research into tangible benefits for humanity.
     
    And you are opening new doors to equality and justice through your Gender Equality Plan, and by actively participating in initiatives like the Belgian Women in Science Network to increase the number of female students and staff in science, technology, engineering and math.  
     
    This joint celebration — bringing together KU Leuven and UC Louvain — is yet another example of your spirit of common purpose and renewed partnership…
     
    One that shines a light towards a better, more equal future for all.
     
    Excellencies, dear friends,
     
    We need that light more than ever. 
     
    I am here today to deliver a simple and stark message:
     
    Multilateralism matters.
     
    But it is under attack like never before.
     
    We can and must overcome this threat together. 
     
    Now is the time.
     
    Your 600th anniversary coincides with a moment of reflection for the United Nations.
     
    2025 marks our 80th anniversary as an organization and as the epicenter of multilateralism.
     
    Our founding Charter embodies the world’s conviction that by working together and adhering to shared principles and values, we can solve global problems.   
     
    Standing here in Europe, we know this same commitment to multilateralism is the beating heart of your own European union.
     
    At home and around the world, Belgium and the European Union champion international cooperation, democracy, human rights and global solidarity.
     
    Over the decades, Belgium has brought to life its motto of “unity makes strength” — contributing troops to UN peacekeeping missions, advancing peacebuilding and supporting lifesaving relief around the world.
     
    Today, the European ideal stands as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to the world’s most vulnerable people, and proof that isolationism is an illusion, never a solution.
     
    A strong and united Europe is not just essential for the continent.
     
    It is a fundamental pillar of a strong and effective United Nations.
     
    Around the globe, the European Union and the United Nations work hand-in-hand:
     
    Providing humanitarian aid to those in desperate need.
     
    Building peace in fragile states and strengthening democratic institutions.
     
    Defending human rights and dignity.
     
    Supporting sustainable development and climate action.
     
    And putting the spotlight on ending the scourge of domestic violence.
     
    But these and other investments in international cooperation are under threat.    
     
    Deadly conflicts are multiplying and deepening, exacting a devastating human toll.
     
    And a contagion of impunity is taking hold.
     
    Poverty, hunger and inequalities are growing — while the wealth of a handful of men eclipses that of half of humanity.
     
    The climate crisis is raging.
     
    Vulnerable countries are often locked out of decision-making rooms.
     
    Technology is outpacing our ability to protect people’s safety, rights and dignity.
     
    We see a dangerous rollback of fundamental freedoms.
     
    Women’s rights are under attack.
     
    Minorities, refugees and migrants are demonized.
     
    The voices of nationalism and isolationism are growing louder with a dangerous resurgence of strongarm politics.
     
    And donors are dramatically scaling-back humanitarian and development support — while defense budgets soar. 
     
    It would be the cruelest of ironies for the poor to be made to pay for the weapons of the rich. 
     
    Last week, I was in Cox’s Bazar in Bangladesh during the holy month of Ramadan on a mission of solidarity with Rohingya refugees, and with the Bangladeshi communities that so generously host them.
     
    The entire refugee population depends on humanitarian aid.
     
    But with looming cuts, Cox’s Bazar is fast-becoming ground zero of the funding crisis, with money for basic essentials like food, running out.
     
    And I am hopeful that what we are doing now with several donor countries will help us overcome this tragic situation, because without a reversal of these cuts in Cox’s Bazar and beyond — people will suffer and people will die.
     
    Dear friends,
     
    As the darkness spreads, we risk losing sight of Europe’s greatest gift to civilization — the Enlightenment.
     
    Everywhere we look, the fruits of the Enlightenment are being challenged by the voices of irrationality, ignorance and isolationism.
     
    Truth, science and knowledge are being questioned.
     
    Expertise and experience have somehow become liabilities. 
     
    And the multilateral values that the United Nations embodies — collaboration, solidarity, united action and human rights — are being undone by mistrust and geopolitical divisions.
     
    Excellencies, dear friends,
     
    Anniversaries are about more than looking to the past.
     
     At their best, they are about renewing for the future.
     
    And renewal sometimes means asking hard questions.
     
    Let’s be clear: The UN was never meant to be stuck in time. 
     
    The world has changed in fundamental ways — most notably the rise in economic influence and political power across the Global South.
     
    How, can we justify, today, a Security Council without permanent representation for Africa — home to one-quarter of humanity?
     
    How can we accept an unfair and dysfunctional global financial architecture that inadequately supports developing countries in their hour of need?
     
    How can we passively accept that the great promise of Artificial Intelligence might be won at the expense of handing over our humanity to algorithms?
     
    Renewal is the driving force of the Pact for the Future, agreed at the United Nations in September.
     
    And multilateralism must be the engine of this renewal.
     
    We need all countries working together — in solidarity — as we tackle the challenges facing our world. 
     
    In this spirit of renewal through multilateralism, I want to outline four areas where we can overcome today’s threats by standing as one and forging common solutions. 
     
    First — we must find common solutions for peace in our fragmented world.
     
    Around the world, peace is in short supply.
     
    Look no further than Russia’s invasion of Ukraine — an open wound in Europe.  
     
    This brutal war is now in its fourth year and has claimed thousands of lives, displaced millions — including many who have found shelter here in Belgium — and challenged the very foundations of European security and international order.
     
    It is time for a just and lasting peace. But a just peace means that it must be based on the UN Charter, international law and UN resolutions, including the respect for territorial integrity. 
     
    In Gaza, since the horrific terror attacks by Hamas on October 7, the ensuing Israeli military operations have unleashed an unprecedented level of death and destruction.
     
    I am outraged at this week’s Israeli attacks in Gaza, which killed hundreds of people.
     
    I was deeply saddened and shocked to learn of the death of one of our UN staff members — and the wounding of five other UN personnel — when two UN guesthouses in Deir al Balah were hit in strikes. 
     
    And appallingly another 5 UNRWA humanitarians were also killed this week, bringing the death toll to 284.
     
    The ceasefire had finally allowed some measure of relief to ease the horrendous suffering of Palestinians in Gaza — and relief to Israeli families finally welcoming home hostages after over a year of anguish and desperation.
     
    All of that has now been shattered.  
     
    Escalation is not the answer. 
     
    There is no military solution to this conflict.
     
    I strongly appeal for the ceasefire to be restored, for unimpeded humanitarian assistance to be reestablished and for the remaining hostages to be released immediately and unconditionally.
     
    Beyond ending this terrible war, we must lay the foundations for lasting peace — through immediate and irreversible steps towards a two-State solution — with Israel and Palestine living side-by-side in peace and security, in line with international law and relevant UN resolutions, with Jerusalem as the capital of both states.
     
    In the Democratic Republic of the Congo — a country whose tragic history resonates so strongly here in Belgium — renewed fighting, fueled by external interference and armed militias, has devastated communities and plunged the region into a deeper crisis, naturally aggravated by the presence of Rwandan troops, violating the territorial integrity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
     
    In Sudan, bloodshed, displacement and famine are engulfing the country. 
     
    The warring parties must take immediate action to protect civilians, uphold human rights, cease hostilities and forge peace.
     
    And domestic and international human rights monitoring and investigation mechanisms must be permitted to document what is happening on the ground.
     
    Beyond these and other conflicts, we need to reform the global security architecture.
     
    Drawing from proposals included in the New Agenda for Peace that we developed, the Pact for the Future calls for strengthening the machinery of peace by prioritizing the tools of prevention, mediation and peacebuilding.
     
    The changing nature of conflict calls for a review of our global peace operations; 
     
    Enhancing coordination with regional organizations;
     
    And the Pact includes also the first multilateral agreement on nuclear disarmament in more than a decade, even if we are still very far from a world free of nuclear weapons.
     
    Dear friends,
     
    Second — we can overcome threats to multilateralism by finding common solutions to reduce inequalities and ensure financial justice for all.
     
    The Pact includes a call for a massive Stimulus to help countries invest in the Sustainable Development Goals.
     
    It also urges bold reforms of the international financial architecture, including expanding the voice and representation of developing countries in institutions.  
     
    We must also substantially increase the lending capacity of Multilateral Development Banks to make them bigger, bolder and better.
     
    And we must review the debt architecture to stop debt from bleeding countries dry.
     
    No country should have to choose between servicing their debt and serving their people.
     
    Our global economy also needs open, predictable and inclusive trade to spur broad-based prosperity and help developing countries to better link to global markets and supply chains.
     
    The Pact also reminds us of a basic truth: societies can only thrive when all women and girls enjoy their full rights.
     
    Investing in their education, economic empowerment, and social protection is not only fair — it is essential for a better future for all.
     
    Third — we can strengthen multilateralism for the future by finding common solutions for climate action before it is too late.
     
    The climate crisis is costing lives, livelihoods, and billions in damages.
     
    Record heatwaves scorch continents.
     
    2024 was the hottest year — in the hottest decade in history.
     
    Relentless storms ravage communities.
     
    Rising seas threaten coastlines — including here.
     
    And those least responsible are bearing the heaviest burden.
     
    If we are to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees — essential to avoid the worst of climate catastrophe — the science is clear:
     
    Global emissions must peak this year and rapidly decline afterwards.
     
    And we must recognize this challenge for what it is: a moment of enormous opportunity.
     
    The benefits of the clean energy transition are clear.
     
    Renewables renew economies. 
     
    They boost growth, lower energy bills, and help us all breathe easier with cleaner air.
     
    This year — in advance of the UN Climate Conference, or COP30, in Brazil — every country must submit new economy-wide national climate plans that align with the 1.5 degree limit and seize the benefits of clean energy.
     
    I am working closely with President Lula of Brazil to drive action by the biggest emitters.
     
    The United Nations is also helping nearly 100 developing countries to prepare their national climate action plans.
     
    And we will convene a special event to take stock of the plans of all countries, push for action to keep 1.5 within reach, and deliver climate justice.
     
    I urge Europe to keep leading the way.
     
    To set strong and ambitious emission reduction targets.
     
    And to put an end to the myth that fossil fuels are the future. 
     
    We must accelerate the renewables revolution which can lower emissions, boost energy security, create good jobs, and provide cheap and accessible power.
     
    Throughout, we must continue supporting developing and vulnerable nations, by making good on long-standing promises and delivering on climate finance across the board.
     
    Climate solidarity is a moral obligation — and a matter of survival for us all.
     
    Fourth and finally — we can overcome threats to multilateralism by making sure technology upholds human rights and dignity for all.
     
    The information age is unfolding at a dizzying scale and speed.
     
    Artificial Intelligence holds great promise.
     
    But today, those benefits remain concentrated in the hands of a privileged few. 
     
    And while some are racing ahead with record investments, most developing countries are left in the dark.
     
    Without guardrails, AI risks deepening geopolitical divides and inequalities;
     
    Enabling surveillance, amplifying disinformation, facilitating cyberattacks;
     
    And even making life-and-death decisions.
     
    Humans must always retain control — guided by international law, human rights and ethical principles.  
     
    Technology must serve humanity, not the other way around.
     
    That is the spirit of the Global Digital Compact also adopted at the United Nations last year.
     
    It calls for closing the digital divide, so all countries can benefit.
     
    It includes the first universal agreement on AI governance to bring every country to the table.
     
    It calls for an Independent International Scientific Panel on AI that promotes a common understanding of AI risks, benefits and capabilities.
     
    It proposes initiating a Global Dialogue on AI Governance — within the United Nations — to ensure that all countries have a voice in shaping common governance standards that help uphold human rights and prevent misuse.
     
    And it urges support for helping grow AI tools and skills in developing countries.
     
    I will soon present a report on innovative voluntary financing models and capacity-building initiatives to help all countries harness AI as a force for good.
     
    Excellencies, dear students,
     
    These are all ways that we can overcome the clear and present dangers to multilateralism in our time. 
     
    I am convinced that we can do it.
     
    Every generation faces moments of decisive choice.
     
    Yet none has possessed our tools, knowledge, and global awareness.
     
    Today, we are celebrating history.
     
    But history is also unfolding before our eyes — and I urge you to be on the frontlines for human dignity.
     
    Refuse indifference. Choose hope. Confront injustice. Defend truth.
     
    And for that you can draw, being inspired by the values these universities represent.
     
    Dear students, I ask you today to draw strength and inspiration from your universities’ history.
     
    Dear Rector Sels and Rector Smets,
     
    I wish to conclude by reinforcing your opening words.
     
    You recounted the powerful story of the University’s library — destroyed in 1914, and again in 1940.
     
    In the midst of two world wars — and the rubble of this very city — the global shock and outrage that followed the destruction of a library sent a clear and powerful message.
     
    These were not only attacks on books and manuscripts.
     
    These were attacks on history, science, reason, knowledge and art.
     
    These were attacks on the very hallmarks of humanity.
     
    These were attacks on our common soul.
     
    Twice the forces of ignorance tried to extinguish Leuven’s light of knowledge.
     
    And twice the world answered Leuven’s call — and helped you restore that light brighter than ever.
     
    Because in the aftermath of these attacks, we saw other aspects of humanity’s soul revealed and shining brightly. 
     
    We saw generosity, in countries providing funding to rebuild, and books to re-stock the library.
     
    We saw the power of collaboration, in countries standing with Belgium and with Leuven to resurrect this library not once, but twice.
     
    And yes, we saw humanity’s hunger for the eternal values that have guided your universities for 600 years — and the United Nations for 80 years.
     
    Generosity, solidarity, renewal.
     
    This is more than just your story — it is humanity’s story.
     
    It shows that no matter the challenge, we can face down threats.
     
    We can overcome obstacles.
     
    We can build stronger than before.
     
    And so, let us carry this legacy forward.
     
    And let’s keep building  — together.
     
    Happy 600th anniversary.
     
    And I thank you. Dank u. Merci.

    MIL OSI Africa –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Update on bio-safety laboratories in the country

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Update on bio-safety laboratories in the country

    165 bio-safety laboratories, including 11 BSL-3 level labs and 154 BSL-2 level labs approved under the scheme “Setting up of a Nationwide Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and National Calamities”

    Since 2021, a total of 42 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories approved under the Scheme; 38 labs out of these already functional, 4 labs approved in FY2024-25

    Bio-safety laboratories established in various institutes of government bodies and departments: Department of Biotechnology-26 labs; ICMR- 21 labs; CSIR-11 labs; and ICAR-9 labs

    5 BSL/ABSL-3 labs funded by Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF)

    Posted On: 21 MAR 2025 4:05PM by PIB Delhi

    The Department of Health Research (DHR), Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has established a network of Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratory (VRDL) under the central sector scheme “Setting up of a Nationwide Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and National Calamities”. Under this scheme, 165 bio-safety laboratories, including 11 BSL-3 level labs and 154 Biosafety Level 2 (BSL-2) labs have been approved. Besides that, there are 21 other bio-safety laboratories established at various institute of Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), having equipped with different level of biosafety such as BSL-4 (1), BSL-3 (8) and BSL-2 (12).

    As informed by Department of Science & Technology (DST), Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has also funded 5 BSL/ABSL-3 labs under the Intensification of Research in High Priority Areas (IRHPA) programme. Based on inputs from the Department of Biotechnology (DBT), 26 bio-safety laboratories have been established in various institutes of DBT.

    According to Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR), 9 bio-safety laboratories have been established in various institutes of ICAR. As per information provided by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), 11 bio-safety laboratories have been established in various institutes of CSIR.

    Since the year 2021, a total of 42 Virus Research and Diagnostic Laboratories have been approved under the scheme “Setting up of a Nationwide Network of Laboratories for Managing Epidemics and National Calamities”, out of which 41 labs are BSL-2 and 1 lab is BSL-3. These labs are mainly located in the Microbiology Departments of various medical colleges and research institutions.

    The funds from the scheme are utilized for upgradation of infrastructure, procurement of equipment, consumables and manpower support. These labs are mandated to conduct diagnosis & research on mainly viral pathogens of public health importance. The testing data are fed on the dedicated data portal setup at ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE), Chennai, which also has data sharing interface with Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal. The laboratory is considered functional once the lab starts reporting on the data portal.

    As on date, out of 42 VRDLs, 38 labs are functional since these are reporting the testing data on the ICMR-NIE portal.  4 labs namely, Nagaon Medical College & Hospital, Nagaon, Assam; Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST), Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala; Dr Laxminarayan Pandey Government Medical College, Ratlam and Dr B.R. Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences, Mohali were sanctioned in the financial year 2024-25.

    The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Steps taken by the Government to ensure quality standards of food products

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Steps taken by the Government to ensure quality standards of food products  

    Regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products are conducted by FSSAI through State/UTs

    Penal provisions in place against the defaulting Food Business Operators for non-conforming food samples

    243 Primary Laboratories and 22 Referral Laboratories notified by FSSAI across the country for testing various food commodities

    285 FSWs (Food Safety on wheels) deployed across 35 States/UTs for on spot testing of adulteration in various food commodities

    79 Rapid Analytical Food Testing (RAFT) Kits approved by FSSAI

    Posted On: 21 MAR 2025 4:03PM by PIB Delhi

    To ensure availability of safe and wholesome food for human consumption, the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) was established in 2008 under Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, primarily for laying down science-based standards for articles of food and to regulate their manufacture, storage, distribution, sale and import. The Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006 was operationalized with the notification of Food Safety and Standards Rules, 2011 and six Principal Regulations with effect from the 5th August, 2011. 

    FSSAI through State/UTs and its Regional Offices conducts regular surveillance, monitoring, inspection and random sampling of various food products to check compliance with the quality and safety parameters and other requirements as laid down under Food Safety and Standards (FSS) Act, 2006, and regulations made thereunder. In cases where food samples are found to be non-conforming, penal action is taken against the defaulting Food Business Operators as per the provisions of the Food Safety and Standards Act, Rules and Regulations.

    FSSAI also conducts periodic Pan-India Surveillance of Food products especially staple foods and commodities that are prone to adulteration to ascertain the quality and safety of the food products produced and consumed in India.

    For testing of various food commodities, FSSAI has notified 243 Primary Laboratories and 22 Referral Laboratories across the country. FSSAI has provided Mobile Food Testing Laboratory (MFTL) referred to as “Food Safety on wheels” (FSW). FSWs are equipped with basic infrastructure for on spot testing of adulteration in various food commodities. Currently, 285 FSWs are deployed across 35 States/UTs.

    FSSAI has published a comprehensive set of resources for food safety and analysis, including 17 Manuals on Methods of Analysis of various Foods commodities, 02 General Guidelines on Sampling, and 15 Methods for the Analysis of fortificants in Fortified Foods. FSSAI has facilitated rapid food testing methods to reduce the screening time of the food products at the field level and accelerate surveillance as well as monitoring activities. 79 Rapid Analytical Food Testing (RAFT) Kits are approved by FSSAI.

    The Food Safety Magic Boxes, meticulously curated by FSSAI, facilitates the detection of adulteration in food. It consists of reliable “quick screening tests” that a common person can perform at the household level, enabling a broad assessment of potential adulteration in their food in cases of doubt.

    As per the Food Safety and Standards (Licensing and Registration of Food Businesses) Regulation, 2011, Sanitary and Hygienic requirements (based on Good Manufacturing Practices & Good Hygienic Practices) to be followed by the Food Business Operators (FBOs), has been mandated as one of the conditions of license for the Food Manufactures. This is a statutory requirement and any violation to the same by the FBOs attracts punitive action as per the provisions of FSS Act, 2006.

    The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Steps taken by the Government to expand healthcare infrastructure

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Steps taken by the Government to expand healthcare infrastructure

    PM-ABHIM enhancing public health infrastructure through investments in health centres, critical care beds, block public health units, and integrated district laboratories, focusing on improved rural healthcare access

    Grants to local governments recommended by Fifteenth Finance Commission to strengthen grassroots health systems from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26

    PMSSY aims to correct regional imbalances in affordable tertiary healthcare and enhance facilities for quality medical education

    Provisions for incentives and honorariums under NHM encourage doctors and paramedics to practice in rural and remote areas, ensuring equitable access to medical facilities across all States/UTs

    Posted On: 21 MAR 2025 4:01PM by PIB Delhi

    The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to the States/UTs to strengthen the public healthcare system including setting up of health facilities and recruitment of medical personnel based on the proposals received in the form of Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) under National Health Mission. Government of India provides approval for the proposal in the form of Record of Proceedings (RoPs) as per norms & available resources.

    Further, Government of India has launched several schemes to address healthcare infrastructure in all the States/UTs in the country in addition to National Health Mission:

     

    • Pradhan Mantri Ayushman Bharat Health Infrastructure Mission (PM-ABHIM) envisages increased investments in public health and other health reforms to provide better access to health in rural areas by i) Strengthening of Health and Wellness Centres in villages and cities for early detection of diseases; ii) Addition of new critical care-related beds at district level hospitals; iii) Support for Block Public Health Units (BPHU) in 11 high focus States; and iv) Integrated district public health laboratories in all districts.
    • The Fifteenth Finance Commission (FC-XV) has recommended grants through local governments for specific components of the health sector and spread over the five-year period from FY 2021-22 to FY 2025-26 to facilitate strengthening of health system at the grass-root level.
    • The Pradhan Mantri Swasthya Suraksha Yojana (PMSSY) aims at correcting regional imbalances in the availability of affordable tertiary healthcare services and to augment facilities for quality medical education in the country. The Scheme has two components, namely: i) setting up of all India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS); and (ii) upgradation of existing Government Medical Collages/ Institution (GMCIs). 
    • Under Centrally Sponsored Scheme (CSS), ‘Establishment of new medical colleges attached with existing district/referral hospitals’, with preference to underserved areas and aspirational districts, where there is no existing Government or private medical college. The fund sharing mechanism between the Centre and State Governments is in the ratio of 90:10 for North Eastern and Special Category States, and 60:40 for others.

     

    Under NHM, following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging doctors and paramedics to practice in rural and remote areas to ensure equitable access to medical facilities across all the States/UTs in the country:

     

    • Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters so that they find it attractive to serve in public health facilities in such areas.
    • Honorarium to Gynecologists/ Emergency Obstetric Care (EmOC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/ Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections in rural & remote area.
    • Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) for ensuring timely Antenatal Checkup (ANC) checkup and recording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities.
    • States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibility in strategies such as “You Quote We Pay”.
    • Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introduced under NHM.
    • Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NRHM for achieving improvement in health outcomes.

     

    The Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Prataprao Jadhav stated this in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

     

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  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: 754 Fast Track Courts, Including 404 POCSO Courts functional in 30 states, dispose over 3.06 Lakh cases by January 2025

    Source: Government of India

    754 Fast Track Courts, Including 404 POCSO Courts functional in 30 states, dispose over 3.06 Lakh cases by January 2025

    Government takes steps to create awareness on POCSO Act provisions through Media, Workshops & Training

    Posted On: 21 MAR 2025 3:32PM by PIB Delhi

    Government accords the highest priority for ensuring safety and security of children and has undertaken various initiatives in this regard. To safeguard children against sexual abuse and sexual harassment, Government has enacted The Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012. It defines a child as any person below the age of 18 years.

    The Act was amended in 2019 to introduce more stringent punishment including death penalty for committing sexual crimes on children, with a view to deter the perpetrators & prevent such crimes.

    Section 4 of the Act prescribes rigorous imprisonment for a minimum of 20 years, which can extend to life imprisonment, for “Penetrative Sexual Assault”. If the assault results in the death or causes the victim to be in a persistent vegetative state, Section 6 provides for the death penalty or life imprisonment.

    Section 8 outlines imprisonment for a minimum of three to five years for those found guilty of sexual assault, while Section 10 increases this to a minimum of five years for Aggravated Sexual Assault (A person can be charged with this offense in certain aggravating circumstances, such as if the rape occurs within a relationship of trust or authority, or if it leads to pregnancy, among others). Section 14 of the Act imposes imprisonment of up to seven years for using children for pornographic purposes.

    Additionally, the Act mandates special courts for speedy trials under Section 28; ensuring that the cases are handled with the utmost urgency and sensitivity, reflecting the law’s zero-tolerance approach to crimes against children.

    Further the POCSO Rules, 2020 were also notified to protect the children from exploitation and violence and sexual exploitation. Rule 3 provides that any institution housing children or coming in regular contact with children including schools, creches, sports academies or any other facility for Children must ensure police verification and background check on periodic basis, of every staff, teaching or non-teaching, regular or contractual, or any other person being an employee of such Institution coming in contact with the child. Such Institution shall also ensure that periodic training is organized for sensitizing them on child safety and protection.

    Rule-9 of the POCSO Rules provides that the Special Court may, in appropriate cases, on its own or on an application filed by or on behalf of the child, pass an order for interim compensation to meet the needs of the child for relief or rehabilitation at any stage after registration of the First Information Report (FIR). Such interim compensation paid to the child shall be adjusted against the final compensation, if any.

    Further, the POCSO Rules also provide that for special relief, if any, to be provided for contingencies such as food, clothes, transport and other essential needs, Child Welfare Committee may recommend immediate payment of such amount. Such immediate payment shall be made within a week of receipt of recommendation from the CWC.

    Department of Justice is implementing a scheme for setting up Fast Track Special Courts (FTSCs) including Exclusive POCSO Courts for expeditious trial and disposal of cases related to rape and POCSO cases. As per the information received from High Courts, as of 31.01.2025, 754 FTSCs including 404 exclusive POCSO Courts are functional in 30 States/UTs, which have disposed more than 3,06,000 cases.

    Further, the Government has taken various steps from time to time to create awareness of the provisions of the POCSO Act through electronic and print media, consultations, workshops and training programmes with stakeholders concerned. In order to generate awareness about the POCSO Act, a short film was disseminated in Cinema Halls and Doordarshan across the nation. Thereafter, Ministry has undertaken awareness campaign to encompass various aspects of the POCSO Act in an effective manner by way of a short video clips, an audio clip and a poster which have been disseminated through various means all over India. For effective dissemination of these creatives, they have also been translated into regional languages for effective outreach. National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) has published Childline 1098 which is a 24x7x365 toll free Helpline for children and POCSO E-box on the back side of the front cover of all the course books from class 6th to class 12th to equip the children with the information regarding the possible modes of protection/ complaints and emergency outreach.

    Ministry of Women and Child Development has organized following zonal conferences and sensitization/dissemination workshops under Mission Vatsalya Scheme:

    i. Zonal Conferences: Outreach with State Governments/UT Administrations and Stakeholders through Zonal Conferences on Strategic Interventions for addressing Malnutrition Concerns and for the Development, Empowerment and Protection of Women and Children including Mission Vatsalya scheme were organised.

    ii. Dissemination Workshops: National Dissemination Workshop on Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children ) Act, 2015, Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 and the rules there under and the Adoption Regulations, 2017 including Mission Vatsalya Scheme were organised with all States/UTs, line Ministries/ Departments, representatives from Police, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (NIMHANS), National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR), Child Protection functionaries including members of Child Welfare Committees(CWCs)/Juvenile Justice Boards(JJBs) and other stakeholders.

    iii. Workshops on Sensitization/ Training Programme for representatives of Panchayati Raj Representatives (PRIs), Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) and Police on Child Rights & Protection including Mission Vatsalya Scheme at Srinagar, Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) in collaboration with UT Administration. This workshop was attended by officers from Ministry, NCPCR, UT of J&K, Administrative and Police Training. Institutes, District Child Protection Officers (DCPOs), CWCs, JJBs, Special Juvenile Police Units (SJPUs), representative from UNICEF and other Stakeholders.

    iv. Vatsal Bharat: Regional Symposiums on ‘Child Protection, Child Safety and Child Welfare’ including Mission Vatsalya were organized at Delhi, Bhopal, Mumbai, Ranchi, Guwahati and Varanasi. In the Regional Symposiums, representatives from States/UTs including members of Child Welfare Committees (CWCs), Juvenile Justice Boards (JJBs), Members of Village Child Protection Committee (VCPC) and Anganwadi Workers had participated.

    v. A virtual technical training Session on the Modules of Institutional and Non- Institutional Care in the Mission Vatsalya Portal for North Eastern States (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura) was organized by the Ministry.

    Furthermore, NCPCR, as per its mandate under Section 13(1)(h) of the CPCR Act, 2005, has also been continuously conducting sensitization and awareness-generation activities, along with monitoring efforts, focusing on various critical child protection themes, particularly POCSO mechanisms, to ensure that stakeholders are well-informed, actively involved, and effectively equipped to enhance child protection efforts and address child welfare concerns, especially within the POCSO framework. Engaging a wide range of stakeholders, including government functionaries at the State, District, Village, and Block levels, SPs, DMs, NGOs, CWCs, DCPOs, volunteers, and others, these initiatives are as follows:

    1.Development of Digital Portals: Following the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court under SMWP(C) of 4/2020 and SMWP(C) of 6/2021, the Commission developed several digital portals to ensure timely, efficient, and seamless monitoring of data related to violations and deprivation of child rights. One such portal is the Baal Swaraj-POCSO tracking portal. This portal facilitates real-time tracking of child sexual abuse cases, providing services like victim compensation and rehabilitation to ensure the care and safety of POCSO victims.

    2. Addressing Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM): In August 2024, the Commission convened a meeting on child sexual abuse material (CSAM), inviting social media platforms to discuss issues surrounding the online availability of sexually provocative material involving children. Additionally, in a joint meeting on 05.08.2024, the Commission explored potential solutions to address the alarming increase in crimes committed by minors after viewing pornographic content. This meeting included representatives from Ministry of Women and Child Development, the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Law and Justice, and others.

    3. Regional Meetings on POCSO Implementation: The Commission organized regional meetings on POCSO: Factors Hindering Implementation and Aspects of Assistance to Victims to address victim support mechanisms and identify specific areas where NCPCR/SCPCRs could provide assistance. These meetings, held in collaboration with NALSA, NFSU, SVPNPA, and BPR&D, brought together key stakeholders, including forensic experts, police officials, and legal representatives. Additionally, through its North East Cell, NCPCR conducted consultations and State-Level Workshops on Handling POCSO Cases to enhance victim assistance and improve the implementation of POCSO provisions in the region.

    This information was given by the Minister of State for Women and Child Development Smt. Savitri Thakur in Lok Sabha in reply to a question today.

    *****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: DRDO SCIENTISTS

    Source: Government of India (2)

    Posted On: 21 MAR 2025 3:14PM by PIB Delhi

    Approval of new Deep Tech & Cutting-Edge policies under the TDF Scheme has been initiated to encourage DRDO establishments to identify and involve private sector entities in the collaborative development of emerging technologies. Additionally, private entities are funded through grants to develop specific technologies.

    DRDO laboratories have structured research roadmaps designed to keep pace with global advancements in defence technologies and products. Furthermore, DRDO prepares a bi-monthly document that provides a global review of new technologies and systems developed worldwide.

    A global scan is conducted using authoritative frameworks, and technological developments are actively monitored in the public domain, including social media platforms. DRDO also provides its scientists with online access to various international databases in the field of defence science and technology.

    DRDO aims to foster synergy among academia, industry, and its own research bodies to ensure the effective transition of academic research into industrial applications for the indigenization of technologies. Startups, MSMEs, and industries play a crucial role in this process.

    To realize this vision, DRDO has established a network of DRDO Industry Academia Centres of Excellence (DIA-CoEs) to promote collaborative directed research, facilitating the development of critical and futuristic technologies for defence and security applications. A total of 15 DIA-CoEs have been set up across the country at premier institutions such as IITs, IISc, and central universities.

    Each DIA-CoE focuses on technology development in designated futuristic research areas across 84 identified research verticals. Additionally, a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for industry engagement with academia has been activated to streamline projects through DIA-CoEs.

    This information was given by Raksha Rajya Mantri Shri Sanjay Seth in a written reply to Smt Sanjna Jatav in Lok Sabha today.

     ***

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Government announces appointments to Communications Authority

    Source: Hong Kong Government special administrative region

    Government announces appointments to Communications Authority 
         The Chief Executive has also reappointed the Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development as the Vice-chairperson of the CA. In addition, four incumbent members, i.e. Mr Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung, Mr Patrick Law Fu-yuen, Mr Michael Hui Wah-kit and Professor Leung Siu-fai have been reappointed, while Professor Anthony Fung Ying-him and Dr Patrick Tsie Kai-yiu have been appointed as new members. The tenure of the appointments is two years with effect from April 1, 2025.
     
         Commenting on the appointments, the Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development, Mr Algernon Yau, said, “I am pleased that Mr Jenkin Suen has been appointed as the Chairperson of the CA. I believe with Mr Suen’s legal background and wealth of experience in public services, he will be able to lead the CA to discharge its statutory functions as the communications and broadcasting regulator in Hong Kong, with the objectives of safeguarding the interests of the public and promoting the sustainable development of the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors. I would also like to welcome Professor Anthony Fung and Dr Patrick Tsie as new members of the CA. With their extensive experience and professional knowledge in the broadcasting and telecommunications fields respectively, they will surely provide valuable insights for the work of the CA. I am also grateful that Mr Nicholas Chan, Mr Patrick Law, Mr Michael Hui and Professor Leung Siu-fai have accepted reappointment to continue to contribute to the work of the CA.
     
         “I extend my heartfelt gratitude to Ms Winnie Tam for her outstanding contributions during her tenure. Since taking up the chairmanship in 2018, Ms Tam has guided the CA in effectively fulfilling its regulatory functions and roles with remarkable achievements. On the broadcasting front, during her tenure, the CA has relaxed a number of requirements under the broadcasting codes of practice to keep pace with the times, thereby creating a more conducive environment for the sustainable development of the broadcasting industry. In addition, the CA has continued to handle complaints in a fair, impartial and unbiased manner to safeguard public interest. On the communications front, with the rapid advancements in communications technologies over the past few years, the CA has continued to stay ahead in formulating policies to promote communications infrastructure and technology development while maintaining fair competition in the industry, contributing to a solid foundation for Hong Kong as a regional communications hub. I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to the outgoing members Professor Vincent Lau Kin-nang and Mr Simon Wong Kwong-yeung for their contributions to the CA over the past six years,” Mr Yau added.

         Brief profiles of the newly appointed Chairperson and non-official members are as follows:
     
    Mr Jenkin Suen
    ——————-
         Mr Suen was appointed as Senior Counsel in 2019 and is a barrister and an arbitrator in Des Voeux Chambers. He also sits as a Recorder of the Court of First Instance of the High Court. He is currently the Chairman of the Copyright Tribunal and the Pharmacy and Poisons Appeal Tribunal, the Deputy Chairman of the Administrative Appeals Board, and a member of the Criminal and Law Enforcement Injuries Compensation Boards and the Air Transport Licensing Authority. He was previously the Chairman of the Appeal Tribunal Panel (Buildings).——————————————
         Professor Fung is the Dean of Social Science and the Director of the Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. He is currently a co-opted member of the Broadcast Complaints Committee under the CA, as well as a member of the Standing Committee on Language Education and Research and the Steering Committee on Strategic Development of Information Technology in Education. He has formerly served as a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee on Community Relations of the Independent Commission Against Corruption as well as the Radio Television Hong Kong Board of Advisors.
     
    Dr Patrick Tsie Kai-yiu
    —————————-
         Dr Tsie was formerly the Senior Director of Technical Marketing at Qualcomm International, and has previously served as a member appointed on an ad personam basis of the Telecommunications Regulatory Affairs Advisory Committee of the Office of the Communications Authority.
     
         The membership of the CA from April 1, 2025, will be as follows:————
    Mr Jenkin Suen——————
    Permanent Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development—————————
    Dr Hubert Chan Chung-yee
    Mr Nicholas Chan Hiu-fung
    Ms Amy Fung Dun-mi
    Professor Anthony Fung Ying-him
    Mr Michael Hui Wah-kit
    Mr Patrick Law Fu-yuen
    Professor Leung Siu-fai
    Dr Patrick Tsie Kai-yiu
    Ms Wendy Yuen Miu-ling——————–
    Director-General of Communications
    Issued at HKT 11:00

    NNNN

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: NSO India and IIT Gandhinagar Launch Hackathon to Tackle Real-World Data Challenges by use of Emerging Technology

    Source: Government of India

    Posted On: 21 MAR 2025 4:33PM by PIB Delhi

    A three-day Hackathon, jointly organised by NSO, India and IIT Gandhinagar has commenced today in the campus of IIT Gandhinagar.

    Hackathon has received an overwhelming response and brings together bright young minds from across the country for solving the problems faced by practitioners. A total of 700 teams consisting of five members from different educational institutions applied for three uses cases related to application of AI/ML in the field of Official Statistics. Out of 700 teams, 19 teams from prestigious institutions such as Indian Institute of Information Technology , Indian Institute of Technology ,Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, VIT Vellore, University of Delhi, Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology, National Institute of Technology, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Plaksha University, NMIMS Mumbai, and PSG Institute of Technology and Applied Research etc. have been shortlisted for participation in 36 hour Hackathon started today.

    During the inaugural session, ADG MoSPI highlighted modernisation initiatives of NSO, India including data innovation lab, eSankhyiki portal etc., emphasizing the role of data-driven solutions in shaping policy and governance. He encouraged participants to approach the problems with creativity and analytical rigor, in the spirit of contribution towards nation-building for Vikshit Bharat. He also profusely thanked Dr. Rajat Moona and IIT Gandhinagar for collaborating with MoSPI for the Hackathon.

    Dr. Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar complimented MoSPI for its endevour to use AI and data innovation for improving official statistics. He appreciated the problem statements shared by the Ministry for this Hackathon as being very relevant to real-world Statistical problems. He extended his best wishes to all teams, expressing confidence that the outcome would be useful to solve the problems in real world scenario. He also expressed his confidence that all the students will be winner, either by winning prize or by enriching their knowledge. He also urged students to seize this opportunity to refine their problem-solving skills and contribute innovative ideas to the field of data science and analytics. Several senior Officers from NSO India and faculty members from IIT Gandhinagar and other institutions were also in present to encourage and support the initiative.

    The event promises to be an exciting platform for innovation, collaboration, and learning, setting the stage for future advancements in statistical and data-driven decision-making. Hackathon would conclude with the announcement of winners on 23rd March 2025.

    ****

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    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI Russia: Student design bureaus of Russia unite on a single portal

    Translartion. Region: Russians Fedetion –

    Source: State University of Management – Official website of the State –

    The Department for Coordination of Activities of Educational Organizations of the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation announces the launch of a single portal for student design bureaus (SDB).

    The Interuniversity Student Design Bureau in collaboration with OOO TMH Engineering also functions at the State University of Management. Moreover, the bureau’s project, developed under the supervision of Vladimir Filatov, Director of the Center for Management of Engineering Projects at the State University of Management, became the winner of the All-Russian competition “My Country – My Russia” in the nomination “My Pedagogical Initiative”.

    Today, about 700 SKBs have been created in Russian universities. Patented inventions have been created in 213 of them. More than 107 thousand people are involved in their work: students of secondary vocational and higher education, schoolchildren, master’s students, postgraduates, young scientists, engineers and workers (up to 35 years old).

    Main areas of work: artificial and industrial intelligence, robotics, 3D printing and prototyping, aircraft modeling, radio electronics, machine tool manufacturing, instrument making, programming and piloting of unmanned aerial vehicles, information technology.

    The portal hosts specialized competitions and has a feedback form.

    Welcome to studkb.rf and to the Telegram channel https://t.me/studkb

    Subscribe to the TG channel “Our GUU” Date of publication: 03/21/2025

    портала студенческих конструкторских бюро (СКБ)….” data-yashareImage=”https://guu.ru/wp-content/uploads/СКБ.jpg” data-yashareLink=”https://guu.ru/%d1%81%d1%82%d1%83%d0%b4%d0%b5%d0%bd%d1%87%d0%b5%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8%d0%b5-%d0%ba%d0%be%d0%bd%d1%81%d1%82%d1%80%d1%83%d0%ba%d1%82%d0%be%d1%80%d1%81%d0%ba%d0%b8%d0%b5-%d0%b1%d1%8e%d1%80%d0%be-%d1%80/”>

    Please note: This information is raw content directly from the source of the information. It is exactly what the source states and does not reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.

    MIL OSI Russia News –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: Medtronic’s Evolut trial outcome could shake up US TAVR market, says GlobalData

    Source: GlobalData

    Medtronic’s Evolut trial outcome could shake up US TAVR market, says GlobalData

    Posted in Medical Devices

    Medtronic has released results from the two-year point of a clinical trial comparing its Evolut to Edwards Lifesciences’ SAPIEN. The results revealed that the Evolut showed superior performance to the SAPIEN. Specifically, the Evolut showed significantly less BVD, five times less prosthetic valve thrombosis, and nine times less hemodynamic structural valve dysfunction. The clinical trial’s final results could shake up the US transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) market, says GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.

    According to GlobalData’s US Healthcare Facility Invoicing Database, Edwards Lifesciences is currently the market leader and holds over 60% of the US TAVR market.

    The Evolut clinical trial will continue to run until it reaches five years in length. Following the results, healthcare facilities might make the switch from buying from the market leader to buying a potentially superior product, bringing a change in the TAVR market share.

    Amy Paterson, Medical Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “The trial results could bring a market shift, with Medtronic taking market share from Edwards. However, healthcare facilities might not be ready to make the shift at this point in the clinical trial. There are also many factors involved in purchasing choices such as price and ease of use.”

    The preliminary results look promising for the Evolut for specific patients. The trial consists of mostly women, who have symptomatic severe aortic stenosis and small aortic annulus.

    Paterson concludes: “For patients who fit into the trial category, the Evolut may become the preferred choice of healthcare professionals.”

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Economics: ASEAN-UK workshop paves path for engineering biology innovation

    Source: ASEAN – Association of SouthEast Asian Nations

    LONDON, 21 March 2025 – The United Kingdom hosted more than 25 delegates from all ten ASEAN Member States and the ASEAN Secretariat for an ASEAN-UK Regional Training and Workshop on Engineering Biology Chapter II from 18 to 20 March 2025. With ASEAN set to become the world’s fourth largest economy by 2030, the workshop presented a strategic opportunity to align regulatory frameworks, technical standards, and innovation pathways between the UK and one of the world’s most dynamic economic regions.

    The programme built on the learnings and engagement from the first chapter of the workshop held in Singapore in 2024, focusing on critical growth enablers through cross-pollination between ASEAN and UK expertise. Key areas of focus included technical standards and biometrology, responsible innovation frameworks, and commercialising engineering biology for success.

    Alignment across these areas will create levers for accelerating engineering biology innovations into scalable innovations, unlocking economic potential while deploying market-ready solutions to benefit our communities.

    UK Ambassador to ASEAN, Sarah Tiffin, said:

    “Engineering biology is a game-changer for economic growth and sustainable development.  This workshop reaffirms the UK’s commitment as an ASEAN Dialogue Partner to building the technical and ethical foundations needed to foster a thriving bioeconomy across ASEAN regions. The UK and ASEAN can excel together in this fast-growing field, driving responsible innovation that benefits businesses and communities alike. Our partnership is thriving, and this workshop is a testament to how we are shaping the future of science and technology together.”

    British High Commissioner to Singapore, Nik Mehta, said:

    “The USD4 trillion global bioeconomy isn’t just a market opportunity—it’s our pathway to solving some of humanity’s most pressing challenges, from food security and climate resilience to healthcare innovation.

    By aligning our approaches to technical standards, responsible innovation, and commercialisation pathways, we can create a powerful platform for businesses and researchers across both the UK and ASEAN to bring transformative products to market.”

    Senior Officer of Science and Technology Division, ASEAN Secretariat, Dr. Vanny Narita, said:

    ” ASEAN and the UK reaffirm our commitment to engineering biology as a catalyst for sustainable economic growth. As a key pillar of the bioeconomy, it drives innovation in healthcare, agriculture and manufacturing. The ASEAN bioeconomy employs over 8% of the global workforce and generates over US$2.3 trillion annually, contributing to a global bioeconomy expected to reach US$4 trillion by 2040. Integrating engineering biology into the ASEAN Economic Community Strategic Plan 2026-2030 and the ASEAN Plan of Action on Science, Technology and Innovation 2026-2035 will accelerate biotechnology innovation and regional sustainability.”

    This workshop reaffirms the UK’s dedication to deepening its scientific and technological ties with ASEAN, building on the strong foundation established since becoming an ASEAN dialogue partner.

    ###
    The post ASEAN-UK workshop paves path for engineering biology innovation appeared first on ASEAN Main Portal.

    MIL OSI Economics –

  • MIL-OSI Asia-Pac: Tse Chin-wan kicks off Beijing visit

    Source: Hong Kong Information Services

    Secretary for Environment & Ecology Tse Chin-wan today kicked off a visit to Beijing by visiting agricultural facilities and meeting officials.

    In the morning, Mr Tse visited the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and toured various facilities to learn about national developments in agro-technology.

    In the afternoon, he paid a courtesy call on the General Administration of Customs (GACC) and met GACC Vice Minister Zhao Zenglian. 

    Mr Tse expressed gratitude to the GACC for its support in safeguarding food supplies to Hong Kong and its assistance in the implementation of a customs clearance facilitation arrangement in relation to Hong Kong food exports.

    He said that the facilitation arrangement, which launched in May last year, is operating smoothly and has significantly shortened the time required for customs clearance. He added that its introduction is appreciated by Hong Kong food manufacturers.

    Both sides expressed the hope that the arrangement can be applied to more food categories in the future.

    Afterwards, Mr Tse met representatives from the Ministry of Ecology & Environment (MEE), the National Center for Climate Change Strategy & International Cooperation, and the BRI International Green Development Coalition to exchange views on topics such as co-operation on ecological and environmental matters and combating climate change.

    He said that with the MEE’s strong support, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government was involved in a successful Side Event at the China Pavilion during the 29th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP29) last year.

    The environment chief added that he hopes to continue telling good stories about Hong Kong’s and China’s efforts to combat climate change at COP30 this year.

    MIL OSI Asia Pacific News –

  • MIL-OSI: Karolinska Development Annual Report 2024 published

    Source: GlobeNewswire (MIL-OSI)

    STOCKHOLM, SWEDEN – March 21, 2025. Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) today announces publication of its Annual Report 2024.

    The report is now available to download at www.karolinskadevelopment.com

    For further information, please contact:

    Viktor Drvota, CEO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46 73 982 52 02, e-mail: viktor.drvota@karolinskadevelopment.com

    Hans-Christoffer “HC” Toll, CFO, Karolinska Development AB
    Phone: +46 70 717 00 41, e-mail: hc.toll@karolinskadevelopment.com

    TO THE EDITORS

    About Karolinska Development AB

    Karolinska Development AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: KDEV) is a Nordic life sciences investment company. The company focuses on identifying breakthrough medical innovations in the Nordic region that are developed by entrepreneurs and leadership teams. The Company invests in the creation and growth of companies that advance these assets into commercial products that are designed to make a difference to patients’ lives while providing an attractive return on investment to shareholders.

    Karolinska Development has access to world-class medical innovations at the Karolinska Institutet and other leading universities and research institutes in the Nordic region. The Company aims to build companies around scientists who are leaders in their fields, supported by experienced management teams and advisers, and co-funded by specialist international investors, to provide the greatest chance of success.

    Karolinska Development has a portfolio of eleven companies targeting opportunities in innovative treatment for life-threatening or serious debilitating diseases.

    The Company is led by an entrepreneurial team of investment professionals with a proven track record as company builders and with access to a strong global network.

    For more information, please visit www.karolinskadevelopment.com

    Attachments

    The MIL Network –

  • MIL-Evening Report: What are non-tariff barriers – and why is agriculture so exposed?

    Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Alan Renwick, Professor of Agricultural Economics, Lincoln University, New Zealand

    Since the return to power of US President Donald Trump, tariffs have barely left the front pages.

    While the on-off-on tariff sagas have dominated the headlines, a paper released this week by the government’s Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) has highlighted other barriers. These non-tariff measures could actually be having a greater impact in terms of preventing trade.

    The report says these non-tariff measures are equivalent to Australian agricultural exporters facing a tariff of 19%.

    What are non-tariff measures?

    The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) defines a non-tariff barrier as

    any kind of “red tape” or policy measure, other than tariffs or tariff-rate quotas, that unjustifiably restricts trade.

    ABARES use a broader definition of “non-tariff measures”. This circumvents the tricky problem of trying to ascertain whether a non-tariff measure is justified or unjustified.

    Non-tariff measures can be separated into categories, such as sanitary and phytosanitary (food safety and plant/animal health-related), technical barriers to trade (food standards, labelling, and so on) and quantitative restrictions (such as quotas).

    It should be emphasised that these measures have a legitimate role to play in our trading systems.

    As noted by DFAT, enshrined in the rules of the World Trade Organization is the fact that all nations have the right to set trade rules to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of their citizens and to protect animal and plant health. Australia makes full use of these measures.

    How do they become a barrier to trade?

    So when does a measure become a barrier? According to DFAT, this is when they are:

    • unclear or unevenly applied
    • more trade-restrictive than necessary to meet their stated objective, or
    • introduced to provide an unfair advantage to domestic industries.

    Both justified and unjustified measures can work to prevent free trade. But the report also shows how non-trade measures can facilitate trade – for example, by providing assurances to customers in one country about the quality and safety of products from another country.

    Why agriculture is so exposed

    Non-tariff measures are particularly prevalent in agriculture because of the biological nature of food production and the potential risks to human, animal and plant health.

    Importing a faulty phone may lead to some losses to consumers. But infected agricultural products could severely disrupt a whole sector or even destroy ecosystems. For example, a large foot-and-mouth disease outbreak in Australia could cost the Australian economy more than A$26 billion over ten years.

    However, the existence of so many of these measures in the agricultural and food sectors may also be a political issue. Agricultural lobby groups are powerful in many countries and continually push for protection from imports. In this case, the measures can be viewed as barriers.

    The next wave of tariff announcements is coming on April 2.
    Bienvenido Velasco/Shutterstock

    What did the research say?

    The ABARES research highlights that non-tariff measures have proliferated in recent years as overall tariff rates have been declining. It also estimates that these measures have an increasingly negative impact on Australia’s agricultural export volumes.

    However, we do have to be careful in interpreting these results.

    An increase in justified measures is very different from an increase in unjustified measures.

    The ABARES report is not able to distinguish between the two. It may be questioned whether it is fair to include justified measures in a calculation of the headline tariff-equivalent measure.

    The report also highlights the costs of the measures, but does not consider the benefits. The example of foot and mouth shows that the benefits of non-tariff measures can be very large.

    It cuts both ways

    The ABARES report focuses on the impact of these measures on Australian export trade – but questions can also be raised about the use of them by Australia itself.

    Australia is in the crosshairs of Trump’s trade war. On April 2 the United States is set to implement a new wave of tariffs under its Fair and Reciprocal Trade Plan. These will target both tariffs and non-tariff measures.



    Read more:
    The next round in the US trade war has the potential to be more damaging for Australia

    Australia’s food security measures relating to beef are being explicitly called out by the US farm lobby. A US beef trade organisation called the Australia-US free trade agreement “by far the most lopsided and unfair trading deal” for its farmers.

    According to a press report on Friday, California winemakers have also complained to Trump about an Australian tax on wine sales, calling it “unfair”.

    There is no doubt there are significant gains to be had from disentangling genuine measures that protect human, plant and animal health from those that hinder trade purely to protect inefficient domestic producers or favour certain countries over others. Once this is done, work can be undertaken to reduce the unjustified barriers.

    However, the difficulty is how to achieve this – especially as what is often seen as justified by an importer may be the seen as the opposite or unjustified by an exporter.

    Alan Renwick does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

    – ref. What are non-tariff barriers – and why is agriculture so exposed? – https://theconversation.com/what-are-non-tariff-barriers-and-why-is-agriculture-so-exposed-252739

    MIL OSI Analysis – EveningReport.nz –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Rangers rescue critically endangered pregnant turtle

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 21 Mar 2025

    Open larger image

    A female hawksbill turtle has been rescued and returned to the ocean by rangers after she became wedged beneath driftwood on Womer Cay in the far northern Great Barrier Reef.

    Recently, rangers from the Department of the Environment, Science, Tourism and Innovation were visiting some of Queensland’s most northern parks during a trip from Lockhart River to Horn Island.

    While conducting surveys for crested terns and lesser crested terns on Womer Cay, the female Hawksbill turtle was found wedged under a large piece of driftwood.

    Ranger Katie Bampton said the turtle was most likely making her way up the beach to lay a clutch of eggs when she became stuck.

    “Thankfully she was spotted and ranger Joman Tomasello carefully removed her from the log and carried her to the ocean,” Ms Bampton said.

    “We assumed she had been stuck since the previous evening when she came ashore to lay, and we found her around 11am.

    “She would’ve been stuck for hours and due to the very hot conditions, we believe she wouldn’t have survived much longer.

    “When she was placed in front of the ocean, she took a little bit of time to get moving but eventually swam away.

    “The water would’ve felt so good, and we’re hoping she returned to Womer Cay that evening to come ashore and lay a clutch of eggs.

    “While we were on Womer Cay, we saw track marks on the beach where turtles had come ashore to lay, and we saw pits in the sand where clutches had hatched.

    “Hawksbill turtles are critically endangered due to the impacts of climate change, accidental capture in fishing equipment and reef habitat destruction.

    “The rangers who were on that trip are thrilled that we were able to rescue her and send her on her way.

    “These small cays in the Torres Strait and the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park are remote but they are extremely important for bird life and turtles.”

    Hawksbill turtle facts:

    • They are easily distinguishable by their beaks.
    • They are small but fast swimmers.
    • Females nest around four times each season, laying around 140 eggs.
    • Hawksbills feed mainly on reef sponges, consuming around 450kg annually.
    • They are highly migratory, travelling thousands of kilometres between nesting and feeding grounds.

    Womer Cay is a small, sparsely vegetated cay about 65 kilometres east of Bamaga off the coast of far north Queensland.

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI Australia: Second crocodile captured near turf farm in Bohle River in weeks

    Source: Tasmania Police

    Issued: 20 Mar 2025

    Open larger image

    The large crocodile was sighted near residential areas in Townsville.

    A large estuarine crocodile has been captured in the upper reaches of the Bohle River in Townsville following reports from the community – the second large croc removed from the area in weeks.

    Wildlife Rangers from the Department of the Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) recently conducted a site assessment following reports of a large crocodile in a flooded section of the Bohle River near residential areas and an unfenced turf farm.

    Given the size of the animal and its location, it was declared for removal.

    Senior Wildlife Ranger Tony Frisby is urging locals to be extra vigilant.

    “We have now successfully captured two large crocodiles in the same location within three weeks of each other.” Mr Frisby said.

    “It is essential that people in the surrounding area are aware of the potential presence of crocodiles and to prioritise their safety.”

    Crocodile sightings can be reported by using the QWildlife app, completing a crocodile sighting report on the DETSI website, or by calling 1300 130 372. The department investigates every crocodile sighting report received.

    Media contact:                  DETSI Media Unit on (07) 3339 5831 or media@des.qld.gov.au

    MIL OSI News –

  • MIL-OSI New Zealand: Awards – NZVA announces 2025 veterinary award winners

    Source: NZ Veterinary Association

    Everyone from experienced veterinarians and young professionals, to the Wormwise programme and outstanding clinics, have been recognised in this year’s New Zealand Veterinary Association Te Pae Kīrehe (NZVA) awards.
    NZVA Chief Executive Kevin Bryant congratulated all the recipients who represented teams and clinics across the country.
    “We are delighted to announce the NZVA Award winners for 2025,” he said. “Every year we are presented with an incredibly high calibre of nominees, which shows the high quality, standards, and professionalism of veterinarians here in Aotearoa.”
    “The winners all demonstrate excellence in the field of veterinary medicine. The awards recognise the significant accomplishments, exemplary leadership, and tireless commitment in our veterinary community.”
    The award winners are:
    Community Engagement Award
    The winner for 2025 is Story Vets (Anexa Veterinary Services). Launched in 2024, Story Vets is an educational kit for year 4-8 school pupils designed to help attract young people into the veterinary profession. The newly-established Community Engagement Award recognises individuals or organisations that have made outstanding contributions to community outreach and education related to animal health and welfare.
    Veterinary Impact Award
    This year, the NZVA Awards Committee presented two Veterinary Impact Awards. One went to Ginny Dodunski for significantly raising the profile of the Wormwise programme in her role as Production Manager. Neil Chesterton received the other award for his long career in the dairy industry, which has included a focus on cow lameness and behaviour. The Veterinary Impact Award is presented to individuals who have made a considerable positive impact for the veterinary profession.
    Veterinary Business Excellence Award
    The 2025 winner is Vet Services Hawke’s Bay (VSHB), which has earned a reputation as a supportive and visionary employer, consistently prioritising the professional wellbeing and development of their staff. The Veterinary Business Excellence Award recognises business excellence that supports employee wellbeing, workplace innovation, entrepreneurial flair, professional leadership and collaboration, and/or customer service in a way that reflects positively on the veterinary profession.
    Environmental Sustainability Award
    Lewis Griffiths (VetSalus) wins the Environmental Sustainability Award for VetSalus’ role in promoting One Health and increasing the recognition of the critical connection between animal and human life and the environment. The Environmental Sustainability Award acknowledges leadership and/or collaboration to improve environmental sustainability.
    Outstanding Service Award
    The Committee presented Stephen Hopkinson with the Outstanding Service Award for his many hours of voluntary service to the profession. He has held numerous roles, including DCV Committee Member, DCV President, NZVA Board Member, and the inaugural Member Advisory Group Chair. The Outstanding Service Award recognises long and valued service to the NZVA, including individuals who go above and beyond for the betterment of the veterinary profession.
    President’s Award
    The winner of the President’s Award for 2025 is Mark Bryan, who has had an extensive career dedicated to advancing veterinary science and animal welfare. He has volunteered 20 years’ service to the NZVA as a DCV Committee Member, Board Member and Antimicrobial Resistance Committee Chair. The President’s Award recognises meritorious service to the veterinary profession in the broadest sense.
    Young Veterinarian Award
    The winner of the Young Veterinarian Award 2025 is Jordi Hoult, who provides mentorship across sectors and inspires young veterinarians and professionals to explore diverse career pathways. The Young Veterinarian Award honours individuals who have shown outstanding veterinary, communication, and leadership skills since graduating as a veterinarian.
    The NZVA Awards will be presented at the award’s celebration dinner at Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre on 5 June.

    MIL OSI New Zealand News –