Digital media arts as terrain for inter-cultural political activism

University of Technology, Sydney. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.The increasing use of social media in politics is creating new opportunities for greater public engagement in participatory political activism, raising important questions about the most effective ways for activists and independent artists to use social media. This creative doctorate explores the role that social media can have in shaping Australia’s multicultural policies by engaging a wider section of the community in a cultural conversation. The creative component, Talking Cultures, is a campaign-based multimedia project that experimentally applies a hybrid model of online and offline campaigns, utilising social media and street art to elicit civic engagement. The major creative outcome of these campaigns is an interactive documentary that connects the street videos with social media exploring the creation of a ‘contact zone’ of engagement. From a theoretical perspective the research explores the implications of applying the contact theory of social studies to social media campaigns as a way to establish contact and create online political participatory actions within the frame of a ‘contact zone’. The research approach looks at participatory activism in the context of the communicative ecology of multicultural Australia as debated in the mainstream media, on social media and on the street. Using auto-ethnographic action research methods I examine the creative process of implementing Talking Cultures, through the artist’s iterative attempts at engagement. The research concludes with two key findings. The first is that beneficial to the success of any social media campaign is a hybrid model of engagement that operates on social media and also offline. The second is that in order for a ‘contact zone’ to be established there is a need for an authority that is not easily attainable solely through social media. This authority can be established by engaging an online personality, enlisting an existing established social media community, or by conducting part of the campaign offline. The Talking Cultures campaigns’ results conclude that it is possible to engage the public in participatory political activism using social media but that for this engagement to be strong enough to spill over to the offline sphere, all pillars of the contact theory must be met, especially the need for an authority that can add value to the message. Furthermore it is suggested that social media campaigns should frame their message in a way that would encourage participant to perform offline actions outside the social media platforms into a wider communicative ecology

The Imperative And Financially Feasible Implementations Necessary In The Battle Against Traumatic Brain Injuries In Professional Football

Every minute that society waits to bring traumatic brain injuries in professional football to the forefront is another minute of disservice to the innocent athletes that dedicate their lives for society’s entertainment. It is imperative to deduce if there exists a cost effective budgetary way for the NFL to put new resources, technologies or protocols into place to more effectively prevent and address the traumatic brain injuries that have plagued professional football players for decades, notably concussions and Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE)

محاكمة السياح: إنشاء هيئة قضائية خاصة بالسياحة في قطر

A key element of attracting tourists to any country is the promise of safety and security. One of the great fears weighing on the minds of tourists is being embroiled in the legal system of a foreign land. As with attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), one approach to allaying fears is to establish a legal space and regulatory infrastructure purpose-designed to deal with tourists and tourist related grievances. The simplicity of this proposal masks the intricate logistical, regulatory and jurisprudential issues raised when the idea is translated into policy. Other jurisdictions, notably Thailand, have attempted to implement similar policies with little clear documented success. With the impending influx of tourists for the FIFA World Cup 2022, Qatari policy makers might be well served considering the establishment of a tourist-specific judicial body in Qatar. This article explores the practicalities of such a proposal in the context of similar experiments and the ‘rule of law’ ideal.من العناصر الأساسية لجذب السياح إلى أي دولة في العالم ضمان الأمن والسلامة، فإن من أعظم المخاوف التي تثقل كاهل السياح هو التورط في النظام القانوني للبلاد الأجنبية. أحد الأساليب المتبعة في تهدئة هذه المخاوف هو أن يتم إنشاء حيز قانوني، وبنية تحتية تنظيمية مصممة خصيصًا للتعامل مع السياح، والشكاوى التي تخصهم. إن بساطة هذا الاقتراح تحجب القضايا اللوجستية والتنظيمية والفقهية المعقدة التي يمكن أن تثار عند ترجمة الفكرة إلى سياسة. حاولت ولايات قضائية أخرى كتايلاند تنفيذ سياسات مماثلة، وقد حققت نجاحًا بسيطًا دون توثيق واضح. ومع اقتراب بطولة كأس العالم لكرة القدم ٢٠٢٢، وتدفق السياح مع هذا الحدث، فإن صناع السياسة القطرية مدعوون للتفكير في إنشاء هيئة قضائية مختصة بالسياحة في قطر. يستكشف هذا البحث الجوانب العملية لهذا الاقتراح في سياق تجارب مماثلة وفي ظل مبدأ سيادة القانون

A comparative examination of the Qatar Financial Center (QFC) consumer dispute resolution scheme

في عام 2016 ، أطلق مركز قطر للمال برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء ضمن الفصل الثامن من قواعد مزاولة الأعمال 2007 . ويعتبر هذا البرنامج آلية بديلة للتقاضي يمكن لجميع العملاء في مركز قطر للمال (سواء كانوا أفراداً أو شركات) اللجوء إليها عندما ينشأ نزاع بينها وبين شركة مسجلة في المركز. وقد روعي عند وضع برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء أن يكون وسيلة مستقلة واقتصادية في تكلفتها وملزمة للمحتكمين إليها وأن يصبح فاصلاً بين المرحلة التي يعجز فيها مقدمو الخدمات والعملاء عن تسوية النزاع مباشرة وبين مرحلة التقاضي. والهدف الرئيسي من هذا البرنامج هو حماية المستهلك. وسوف تتناول هذه الورقة نطاق وطبيعة برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء ومقارن سماته البارزة بأنظمة مماثلة في هونج كونج وأستراليا وغيرها من الاختصاصات القضائية المشابهة. إن برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء هو أحد أشكال الوسائل البديلة لتسوية المنازعات التي لا تتضمن الكثير من الإجراءات الرسمية التي توجد في التحكيم والتقاضي. ومن منظور الوسائل البديلة لتسوية المنازعات، فإن برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء يقع في مكان ما فوق الوساطة وتحت التحكيم. وعلى النقيض من الوساطة، فإن القرار النهائي في مسألة تخضع لبرنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء يتم اتخاذه في الواقع من قبل مُحكم مستقل، وعلى النقيض من التحكيم، فإن القرار النهائي، على الأقل في قطر، لا يصبح واجب النفاذ إلا من قِبل طرف واحد في النزاع (العميل أو الطرف الأضعف) ضد الشركات المسجلة لدى مركز قطر للمال. إن العميل هو النقطة المحورية في كل ترتيبات برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء. وفي العادة لا يمكن البدء في شيء إلا من خلال العملاء حيث يتم احتساب التكاليف وتحديد الإجراءات بما يناسب العملاء الأفراد ومستهلكي التجزئة. والتمثيل القانوني في قطر مجاني ولا تكلفة عليه. إن طبيعة الحكم المراعية للمستهلك، إلى حد ما، تخفي الاختصاص المالي المهم لبرنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء في قطر. ويبلغ الحد الأقصى لما يمكن أن يحكم به المُحكم في مسألة يشملها برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء 400 ألف ريال قطري. وهو ليس بالمبلغ الضئيل. وفي ظل وجود أموال كثيرة عرضة للخطر، فإن الفهم التام لوضعية برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء في مركز قطر للمال يمثل أمراً بالغ الأهيمة. وتتطلب اعتبارات السياسات التي تواجهها هيئة تنظيم مركز قطر للمال والتي تضفي الحيوية على برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء في قطر، تتطلب تحقيق التوازن بين مصالح متنافسة. أولاً، هناك الاعتبار الأساسي وهو تعزيز ثقة المستهلك وحماية المستهلكين من التصرفات المجحفة أو المفتقرة إلى روح التجارة. ثانياً، يجب على صانعي السياسات أيضاً تحقيق التوازن في التطلعات المشروعة بأن تنأى الشركات العاملة تحت مظلة مركز قطر للمال بنفسها عن الإجراءات الكيدية وتخضع للمحاكم العادلة وغير المنحازة. وسوف تستكشف هذه الورقة كيف تقارن قطر أنماطاً أخرى من برنامج تسوية منازعات العملاء في مراكز مالية رائدة أخرى حول العالم. وعلى الرغم من أن نتائج التحكيم في المنازعات تتسم بالسرية، فقد أصدرت هيئة تنظيم مركز قطر للمال توجيهات موضوعية بشأن أنواع المنازعات التي يتم تقديمها للفصل فيها. وفوق ذلك، فقد نُشرت أيضا مجموعة من دراسات الحالة غير الوصفية من أجل تعريف السوق بأنواع النزاعات التي يتم النظر فيها وطريقة تسويتها. ولذلك، فإن هذه الدراسة تستند إلى تحليل وثيق للموارد المتاحة وتقوم على دراسة للوثائق القانونية ذات الصلة في ضوء الاتجاهات والممارسات الناشئة في الاختصاصات القضائية المشابهة.In 2016, the Qatar Financial Centre (QFC) introduced a Customer Dispute Resolution Scheme (CDRS) in Chapter 8 of the Conduct of Business Rules 2007. The CDRS is an alternative to litigation for QFC participants (retail or individual) who have a dispute with an authorized firm. The CDRS is designed to be an independent, cost effective and binding avenue that acts as a buffer between the stage where service providers and clients fail to resolve a dispute directly and litigation. The main objective of the CDRS is consumer protection. This paper will examine the scope and nature of the CDRS and compare its salient features to similar schemes in Hong Kong, Australia and other comparable jurisdictions. A CDRS is a form of ADR that does not have many of the formalities of arbitration and litigation. On the spectrum of ADR, a CDRS is somewhere beyond mediation and less than arbitration. Unlike mediation, a final decision in a CDRS matter is actually tendered by an independent adjudicator, and unlike arbitration, the final decision, at least in Qatar, is only enforceable by one side to the dispute (the customer or weaker party) against QFC authorized firms. The focal point of CDRS arrangements is the customer. Matters can usually only be initiated by customers and the costs and procedures are tailored to accommodate individual and retail customers. In Qatar, legal representation is optional and the cost is free. The consumer-friendly nature of the adjudication, to a certain extent, conceals the significant monetary jurisdiction of the CDRS in Qatar. The maximum amount that the adjudicator can award in a CDRS matter is 400,000 QAR. This is not an insignificant amount. With so much money potentially at stake, understanding exactly how the CDRS in the QFC is cast is crucial. The policy considerations faced by the Qatar Financial Centre Regulatory Authority (QFCRA) and that animate the CDRS space in Qatar require the balancing of two competing interests. First, there is the central consideration of enhancing consumer confidence and the protection of consumers from unfair or uncommercial conduct. Second, against this primary objective, policy makers must also balance the legitimate expectation that QFC authorized firms have to be free from vexatious actions and subject to fair and unbiased tribunals. This paper will explore how Qatar stacks up against other CDRS-type processes in other leading financial hubs around the world. Although the outcomes of adjudications are confidential, the QFCRA has released thematic guidance on the types of disputes being submitted for adjudication. Moreover, a number of non-descript case studies have also been published for the purpose of informing the market about the types of disputes being heard and the manner in which they are resolved. Therefore, this study is based on a close analysis of these available resources and an examination of the applicable legal instruments in light of emerging trends and practices in comparable jurisdictions

Banking on AI: mandating a proactive approach to AI regulation in the financial sector

Despite an emerging international consensus on principles of AI governance, lawmakers have so far failed to translate those principles into regulations in the financial sector. Perhaps, in order to remain competitive in the global race for AI supremacy without being typecast as stifling innovation, typically cautious financial regulators are unusually allowing the introduction of experimental AI technology into the financial sector, with few controls on the unprecedented risks to consumers and financial stability. Once an unregulated AI software causes serious economic harm, a public and regulatory backlash would lead to over-regulation that could harm innovation of this potentially beneficial technology. Artificial intelligence is rapidly influencing the financial sector with innumerable potential benefits, such as enhancing financial services and improving regulatory compliance. This article argues that the best way to encourage a sustainable future in AI innovation in the financial sector is to support a proactive regulatory approach prior to any financial harm occurring. This proactive approach should implement rational regulations that embody jurisdiction-specific rules in line with carefully construed international principles.NPRP11S-1119-17001

Ten caveats of learning analytics in health professions education: A consumer’s perspective

A group of 22 medical educators from different European countries, gathered in a meeting in Utrecht in July 2019, discussed the topic of learning analytics (LA) in an open conversation and addressed its definition, its purposes and potential risks for learners and teachers. LA was seen as a significant advance with important potential to improve education, but the group felt that potential drawbacks of using LA may yet be under-exposed in the literature. After transcription and interpretation of the discussion's conclusions, a document was drafted and fed back to the group in two rounds to arrive at a series of 10 caveats educators should be aware of when developing and using LA, including too much standardized learning, with undue consequences of over-efficiency and pressure on learners and teachers, and a decrease of the variety of 'valid' learning resources. Learning analytics may misalign with eventual clinical performance and can run the risk of privacy breaches and inescapability of documented failures. These consequences may not happen, but the authors, on behalf of the full group of educators, felt it worth to signal these caveats from a consumers' perspective

ITGAM rs1143679 Variant in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Is Associated with Increased Serum Calcification Propensity.

OBJECTIVES CD11B/ITGAM (Integrin Subunit α M) mediates the adhesion of monocytes, macrophages, and granulocytes and promotes the phagocytosis of complement-coated particles. Variants of the ITGAM gene are candidates for genetic susceptibility to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). SNP rs1143679 (R77H) of CD11B particularly increases the risk of developing SLE. Deficiency of CD11B is linked to premature extra-osseous calcification, as seen in the cartilage of animals with osteoarthritis. Serum calcification propensity measured by the T50 test is a surrogate marker for systemic calcification and reflects increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. We aimed to assess whether the CD11B R77H gene variant is associated with a higher serum calcification propensity (i.e., a lower T50 value) in SLE patients compared to the wild-type allele (WT). METHODS Cross-sectional study incorporating adults with SLE genotyped for the CD11B variant R77H and assessed for serum calcification propensity with the T50 method. Participants were included in a multicenter trans-disciplinary cohort and fulfilled the 1997 revised American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for SLE. We used descriptive statistics for comparing baseline characteristics and sequential T50 measurements in subjects with the R77H variant vs. WT CD11B. RESULTS Of the 167 patients, 108 (65%) were G/G (WT), 53 (32%) were G/A heterozygous, and 6 (3%) were A/A homozygous for the R77H variant. A/A patients cumulated more ACR criteria upon inclusion (7 ± 2 vs. 5 ± 1 in G/G and G/A; p = 0.02). There were no differences between the groups in terms of global disease activity, kidney involvement, and chronic renal failure. Complement C3 levels were lower in A/A individuals compared to others (0.6 ± 0.08 vs. 0.9 ± 0.25 g/L; p = 0.02). Baseline T50 did not differ between the groups (A/A 278 ± 42' vs. 297 ± 50' in G/G and G/A; p = 0.28). Considering all sequential T50 test results, serum calcification propensity was significantly increased in A/A individuals compared to others (253 ± 50 vs. 290 ± 54; p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS SLE patients with homozygosity for the R77H variant and repeated T50 assessment displayed an increased serum calcification propensity (i.e., a lower T50) and lower C3 levels compared to heterozygous and WT CD11B, without differing with respect to global disease activity and kidney involvement. This suggests an increased CV risk in SLE patients homozygous for the R77H variant of CD11B

Disseminated cryptococcal infection in a patient who had kidney transplant: discrepancy between clinical symptoms and microbiological findings.

A 29-year-old man complained of a 2-day history of frontal headache and new-onset fever but no other symptoms. Two months prior to admission, he underwent his third kidney transplantation. Clinical and laboratory examinations were unremarkable. Brain MRI showed a meningeal irritation consistent with viral meningitis. A diagnosis of cryptococcal meningitis and fungaemia was made after detection of a remarkably high and visible load of Cryptococcus neoformans in the cerebrospinal fluid

Expression of the plasma membrane citrate carrier (pmCiC) in human cancerous tissues—correlation with tumour aggressiveness

We have recently shown that cancer cells of various origins take up extracellular citrate through the plasma membrane citrate carrier (pmCiC), a specific plasma membrane citrate transporter. Extracellular citrate is required to support cancer cell metabolism, in particular fatty acid synthesis, mitochondrial activity, protein synthesis and histone acetylation. In addition, cancer cells tend to acquire a metastatic phenotype in the presence of extracellular citrate. Our recent study also showed that cancer-associated stromal cells synthesise and release citrate and that this process is controlled by cancer cells. In the present study, we evaluated the expression of pmCiC, fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) and the angiogenesis marker cluster of differentiation 31 (CD31) in human cancer tissues of different origins. In the cohort studied, we found no correlation between disease stage and the expression of FAP or CD31. However, we have identified a clear correlation between pmCiC expression in cancer cells and cancer-associated stroma with tumour stage. It can be concluded that pmCiC is increased in cancer cells and in cancer-supporting cells in the tumour microenvironment at the later stages of cancer development, particularly at the metastatic sites. Therefore, pmCiC expression has the potential to serve as a prognostic marker, although further studies are needed

Age at Time of Kidney Transplantation as a Predictor for Mortality, Graft Loss and Self-Rated Health Status: Results From the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study

Introduction:; The effect of age on health outcomes in kidney transplantation remains inconclusive. This study aimed to analyze the relationship between age at time of kidney transplantation with mortality, graft loss and self-rated health status in adult kidney transplant recipients.; Methods:; This study used data from the Swiss Transplant Cohort Study and included prospective data of kidney transplant recipients between 2008 and 2017. Time-to-event analysis was performed using Cox' regression analysis, and -in the case of graft loss- competing risk analysis. A random-intercept regression model was applied to analyse self-rated health status.; Results:; We included 2,366 kidney transplant recipients. Age at transplantation linearly predicted mortality. It was also predictive for graft loss, though nonlinearly, showing that recipients aged between 35 and 55 years presented with the lowest risk of experiencing graft loss. No relationship of age with self-rated health status was detected.; Conclusion:; Higher mortality in older recipients complies with data from the general population. The non-linear relationship between age and graft loss and the higher scored self-rated health status at all follow-up time-points compared to the pre-transplant status -regardless of age- highlight that age alone might not be an accurate measure for risk prediction and clinical decision making in kidney transplantation