As reported by Deadline, the Game of Thrones actress joins Colin Firth, Toni Collette, Parker Posey, Juliette Binoche, and Rosemarie DeWitt in the HBO Max series.

The eight-episode series is based on a docuseries of the same name. It will focus on the case of Michael Peterson played by Firth, who was accused of murdering his wife Kathleen (Collette) in 2001. Turner will play one of Peterson’s adopted daughters in the show.

DeWitt plays Candace Zamperini, Kathleen’s sister. Posey plays assistant district attorney and prosecutor in the Peterson case Freda Black. Binoche’s character has yet to be disclosed.

The series is written and executive produced by showrunners Maggie Cohn (American Crime Story) and Antonio Campos, who directed Tom Holland-fronted drama The Devil All the Time. Campos will direct six of the eight episodes of the show.

The French docuseries was made shortly after Peterson’s indictment in 2003, and generated widespread interest in the case. Three new episodes with further updates were later made for Netflix.

In 2018, the streaming channel added all 13 episodes as one series. Peterson, a crime novelist, was accused of killing Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home. A 16-year judicial battle followed.

Turner recently completed filming Broken Soldier opposite Ray Liotta. Alongside her Emmy-nominated performance as Sansa Stark, who she played up until 2019, Turner also appeared as Jean Grey in X-Men: Apocalypse and X-Men: Dark Phoenix.

Animals don’t pose the only danger to selfie seekers. Heights have also resulted in fatalities. A Polish tourist in Seville, Spain fell off a bridge and died attempting to take a selfie. And a Cessna pilot lost control of his plane – killing himself and his passengers – while trying to take a selfie in 2014.

In 2015, Russian authorities even launched a campaign warning that “A cool selfie could cost you your life.”

The reason? Police estimated nearly 100 Russians had died or suffered injuries from attempting to take “daredevil” selfies, or photos of themselves in dangerous situations. Examples included a woman wounded by a gunshot (she survived), two men blown up holding grenades (they did not), and people taking pics on top of moving trains.

People who frequently post selfies are often targets for accusations of narcissism and tastelessness.

But what’s really going on here? What is it about the self-portrait that’s so resonant as a form of communication? And why, psychologically, might someone feel so compelled to snap the perfect selfie that they’d risk their life, or the lives of others?

While there are no definitive answers, as a psychologist I find these questions – and this unique 21st-century phenomenon – worth exploring further.

A brief history of the selfie

Robert Cornelius, an early American photographer, has been credited with taking the first selfie: in 1839, Cornelius, using one of the earliest cameras, set up his camera and ran into the shot.

The broader availability of point-and-shoot cameras in the 20th century led to more self-portraits, with many using the (still) popular method of snapping a photograph in front of a mirror.

Selfie technology took a giant leap forward with the invention of the camera phone. Then, of course, there was the introduction of the selfie stick. For a brief moment the stick was celebrated: Time named it one of the 25 best inventions of 2014. But critics quickly dubbed it the Naricisstick and the sticks are now banned in many museums and parks, including Walt Disney Resort.

Despite the criticism directed at selfies, their popularity is only growing.

Conclusive numbers seem lacking, with estimates of daily selfie posts ranging from one million to as high as 93 million on Android devices alone.

Whatever the true number, a Pew survey from 2014 suggests the selfie craze skews young. While 55 percent of millennials reported sharing a selfie on a social site, only 33 percent of the silent generation (those born between 1920 and 1945) even knew what a selfie was.

A British report from 2016 also suggests younger women are more active participants in selfie-taking, spending up to five hours a week on self-portraits. The biggest reason for doing so? Looking good. But other reasons included making others jealous and making cheating partners regret their infidelities.

Confidence booster or instrument of narcissism?

Some do see selfies as a positive development.

Psychology professor Pamela Rutledge believes they celebrate “regular people.” And UCLA psychologist Andrea Letamendi believes that selfies “allow young adults to express their mood states and share important experiences.”

Experts say “stem cell memory T-cells” appear critical in both destroying the cancer at the outset and for long term immune surveillance and exploiting this quality could improve the design and performance of a type of immunotherapy called CAR T-cell therapies.

T-cells are immune cells which play an important part in fighting infection and diseases, including cancer. In CAR T therapy, T-cells are genetically engineered to contain a molecule called a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) on their surface which can specifically recognise cancerous cells.

In their study, the team compared CAR T-cells from patients who still had CAR T-cells detectable in the blood more than two years after their treatment, with individuals who had lost their CAR T-cells in the one to two months post treatment. Using a technique called “insertion site barcoding” researchers were able to study the fate of different types of CAR T-cells in patients after they were given.

The authors of the study, published in Nature Cancer, said the new insight could help them improve their CAR T-cell therapy and work out which patients are at a higher risk of relapse and may benefit from a stem cell transplant after such therapy.

Co-author Dr Martin Pule, who develops CAR T therapies at his lab at UCL Cancer Institute, said: “This research opens up new avenues to improve CAR design and manufacture, improving the performance of CAR T-cell therapy, to achieve a combination of early tumour clearance and long-term protection from relapses in patients with B cell leukaemia.”

The Cov-Boost study, led by University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust and backed by £19.3 million of government funding through the Vaccines Taskforce, will trial seven vaccines and will be the first in the world to provide vital data on the impact of a third dose on patients’ immune responses.

It will give scientists from around the globe and the experts behind the UK’s COVID-19 vaccination programme a better idea of the impact of a booster dose of each vaccine in protecting individuals from the virus.

The study will take place at 16 NIHR-supported sites across England, and also within Health and Care Research Wales and NHS Research Scotland sites. It will include a total of 2,886 patients and participants are to begin being vaccinated from early June.

All participants will be monitored throughout the study for any side effects and will have bloods taken to measure their immune responses at days 28, 84, 308 and 365, with a small number having additional blood tests at other times. All sites will have an electronic diary for all participants that will send alerts to the team in real time if needed and a 24-hour emergency phone to a doctor on the study, who can provide further clinical advice.

The initial findings, expected in September, will help inform decisions by the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on plans for a booster programme from autumn this year, ensuring the country’s most vulnerable are given the strongest possible protection over the winter period.

The Health Secretary has also announced that the 2021 G7 Health Ministers’ Meeting will be held in-person at Oxford University on 3-4 June. As part of the UK’s G7 Presidency, we are bringing together health leaders from the world’s leading democracies to agree life-saving action in the critical areas of clinical trials, global health security, antimicrobial resistance, and digital health to help protect us all from future pandemics.

Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said:

The UK vaccination programme has been a phenomenal national effort, with seven in 10 UK adults now having had their first COVID-19 jab. It is vital that we continue to support the world-renowned British research sector that has contributed to its success.

We will do everything we can to future-proof this country from pandemics and other threats to our health security, and the data from this world-first clinical trial will help shape the plans for our booster programme later this year.

I urge everyone who has had both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, and is eligible, to sign up for this study and play a part in protecting the most vulnerable people in this country and around the world for months and years to come.

The trial will look at seven different COVID-19 vaccines as potential boosters, given at least 10 to 12 weeks after a second dose as part of the ongoing vaccination programme. One booster will be provided to each volunteer and could be a different brand to the one they were originally vaccinated with.

Vaccines being trialled include Oxford/AstraZeneca, Pfizer/BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax, Valneva, Janssen and Curevac, as well as a control group. The trial has received ethics approval by the NHS Research Ethics Committee, as well as approval from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency.

The study will open for applications from volunteers shortly via the study’s website and will be recruiting participants through the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry.

Participants will be adults aged 30 years or older as these will have been those immunised early on in the vaccination programme – for example, adults aged 75 and over or health and care workers.

The trial was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care through the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) and funded by the Vaccine Taskforce, with the study being undertaken by the Southampton team at sites across the UK as part of the National Immunisation Schedule Evaluation Consortium (NISEC).

The team leading the trial is committed to including participants from a wide variety of backgrounds, and individuals from ethnic minorities are encouraged to apply to take part.

Chief Investigator and Director of NIHR Southampton Clinical Research Facility Professor Saul Faust said:

This trial will give the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation the important data to inform their recommendations of how to protect the population against any future wave.

It is fantastic that so many people across the country have taken part in vaccine trials up to now so that we can be in a position to study the effects of boosters, and we hope that as many people as possible over the age of 30 who received their first dose early in the NHS programme will be able to take part.

The UK’s vaccination programme continues at record pace, with over 57.8 million vaccines administered in total – 36.9 million first doses, which amounts to seven in 10 UK adults being given one jab – and 20.8 million second doses, which gives people even stronger protection.

The government is preparing for a booster programme based on clinical need and will publish further details in due course. The final policy will be informed by advice from the JCVI and take into account the results of clinical trials.

Minister for COVID-19 Vaccine Deployment Nadhim Zahawi said:

With over 57 million vaccines administered since the beginning of the rollout, the programme continues its fantastic trajectory.

Having taken part in a COVID-19 vaccine clinical trial myself, I would encourage everyone eligible to volunteer – whatever your religion, ethnicity or background, it’s a fantastic opportunity to get involved with such an historic initiative.

Earlier this year, the government announced the launch of the ComCov clinical trial, which aims to determine the effects of using different vaccines for the first and second dose – for example, using Oxford/AstraZeneca’s vaccine for the first dose, followed by Pfizer/BioNTech’s vaccine for the second.

Initial results from this trial have shown that mixing the doses slightly increases the frequency of mild-to-moderate symptoms following vaccination, but there were no serious outcomes.

Further results from this clinical trial – including on the immune response in people who have two different vaccine doses – are expected over the coming months.

Professor Andrew Ustianowski, National Clinical Lead for the UK NIHR COVID-19 Vaccine Research Programme

Throughout the pandemic, the National Institute for Health Research, the NHS and all of our research partners have helped to rollout vital studies to help us learn how to treat COVID-19 and develop effective vaccines.

The Cov-Boost study marks the next step forward in our efforts of understanding how to best protect the population and inform future vaccine booster programmes.

Since the launch of the NHS COVID-19 Vaccine Research Registry, thousands of volunteers have been recruited to key vaccine studies, and we are confident we can call upon our nearly half a million strong community to help recruitment to this important trial.

Vibalogics, a global contract development and manufacturing organization for biopharmaceutical companies, plans to create over 100 jobs in the Greater Boston area in the coming months.

The company launches the recruitment drive, after announcing its $150m investment into a 110,000 sq. ft virotherapy manufacturing facility in Boxborough, MA in November 2020.

For the past 15 years, Vibalogics has specialized in the manufacturing of oncolytic viruses, viral vector vaccines and viral vector gene therapies offering process development, manufacturing, testing and fill-finish services for early-phase clinical trials.

The organization is now growing its presence globally to meet client demand and expanding its offering to include commercial scale manufacturing. The new facility is currently being completely renovated and, when finished, will be a state-of-the-art virotherapy manufacturing center.

An impressive and expanding number of biotechnology companies currently call Boston home, and Vibalogics is set to join this vibrant community of life science organizations in the second half of 2021. With a high concentration of world-renowned universities and colleges in this area, Vibalogics looks forward to attracting some of the top talent in the country.

Tom Hochuli, Vibalogic’s Chief Executive Officer, explained: “Boston is one of the largest global hubs for cell and gene therapy R&D, so there is a great pool of local talent and expertise to draw from to strengthen the Vibalogics team. The facility is expected to create 100 jobs initially, and we aim to reach 250 employees in the next several years. We are very excited about the team that we will build in Boston.”

The organization is recruiting in all functional areas, including but not limited to: Operations, Quality, Process Development, Finance, Manufacturing, Science and Technology (MSAT), Facilities and Engineering, Program Management, and Supply Chain positions. Vibalogics is offering opportunities ranging in experience, from entry level to 20+ years.

Vibalogics, a global contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) specializing in the production of virotherapy products, has strengthened its North American team with new strategic hires, including a Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Vice President of Quality and Head of Process Sciences.

The new recruits will accelerate the redevelopment and opening of Vibalogics’ new late-phase and commercial virotherapy manufacturing facility in Boxborough, MA.

Mike DiMeo has been welcomed to the executive board as CFO, while Judith Adair McCorry has joined as Vice President of Quality, and Hao (Max) Qian as Head of Process Sciences.

• Mike DiMeo

With 15 years’ experience in finance for companies in the life sciences sector, Mike is well placed to support and drive Vibalogics’ expansion strategy in North America. He has worked for major names in the industry including Thermo Fisher Scientific and Exosome Diagnostics.

• Judith Adair McCorry

Judith brings 20 years’ experience in quality assurance, working for many multinational biopharma brands, including Merck and Emergent BioSolutions. In her new role as Vice President of Quality Judith will be responsible for all facets of quality.

She will be responsible for preparing the Boxborough facility for approval by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Once the site is operational, Judith will focus on implementing strategies to accomplish the company’s quality and compliance goals, whilst also ensuring the CDMO continues to meet all regulatory requirements for phase appropriate manufacturing.

• Max Qian

As Head of Process Sciences, Max will lead the development and innovation of cutting-edge manufacturing processes for new projects. He will bring to bear more than 24 years of experience in the pharmaceutical sector, and 14 years in the biologics space. Having worked at Merck, Agilent Technologies, and Abbott Laboratories, Max has formidable expertise in all aspects of the development and manufacturing process for biopharma products. His insight will be invaluable as we support customers to develop efficient and effective protocols for their late-phase projects.

Speaking of the hires, Tom Hochuli, Chief Executive Officer CEO of Vibalogics, explained: “Mike, Judith and Max are fantastic additions to our team here in Boxborough. They all bring with them exceptional skills and experience that will complement our existing team as we bring the new site online, and they will help ensure that we continue to exceed our customers’ rigorous quality expectations into the future.”

For some 15 years, Vibalogics has been a specialist in the manufacturing of oncolytic viruses, viral vector vaccines and viral vectors. It provides an array of services, including process development, manufacturing, testing and fill-finish services for early phase clinical trials from its 50,000 sq. ft. GMP certified facility in Cuxhaven, Germany. When its new 110,000 sq. ft facility in Boxborough, MA is operational later in 2021, it will be able to offer late-stage development and commercial services, providing an end-to-end solution for its customers.

Commenting on his appointment as CFO, Mike added: “Vibalogics is an incredible company to work for and is at a really exciting point in its development. I am keen to get started in supporting the business’s ambitious growth strategy, and in supporting the success of the wider viral vector sector.”

“Motivated” is what LyricalGenes (Dana Burtin) repeats in his re-released single as a tribute to the Cleveland Browns football team competing in the playoffs. The Cleveland Browns have seemingly made a full 180 degree turn from how their previous seasons played out. With stand out performances and tight niche chemistry, the Cleveland Browns have been on a successful roll for this 2020-2021 season. With the Browns entering the playoffs, LyricalGenes and his video producer, Forniti Productions, released a hype video to motivate every watcher of any age. Producing a bone chilling, goosebump enticing, and adrenaline pumping thrill ride, LyricalGenes and Forniti Productions honored the Cleveland Browns through a memorable video that has all the signs for becoming a Cleveland Browns anthem. After listening to the “Motivated” track, I imagined LyricalGenes’s song playing during a Browns game and energizing, not only the players, but encouraging the fans to cheer on their fellow players even louder. This song, “Motivated”, is a great track to uplift your mood and hone in on your critical ability to focus and strive for greatness.

Margaret Lwanga O’Shea Joins BTI as Business Development Specialist

PoliticMag Press Release : January 07, 2021

What:

Infosec Train, a leading advanced IT security certification provider, is hosting a live webinar entitled ‘CISSP How and What? By Matt Ford’ to discuss the CISSP certification. The discussion will also shed light on the preparation strategy for the (CISSP) certification, a globally renowned and the most sought-after credential.

When:

15^th Jan 2021 (WED), 08:00 PM – 9:00 PM (IST)

Why attend:

The CISSP is one of the most sought-after certifications that validate candidates’ skills in designing, architecting, and managing an organization’s security posture. The webinar provides an excellent opportunity for participants to interact with the presenter and clear their doubts regarding the CISSP certification. It will be presented by an industry expert having vast knowledge of the domain. The discussion will also highlight the features offered by the CISSP certification training course at Infosec Train.

Agenda for the webinar:

• Welcome and Introduction
• CISSP Domains
• Exam structure
• Exam study plan
• Find out what our course offers to you
• Q&A

REGISTER FOR WEBINAR:

https://www.infosectrain.com/events/cissp-how-and-what/

Infosec Train

Infosec Train is among the pioneer IT security training providers, offering comprehensive training programs for the various globally recognized Information security certifications. Infosec Train’s team of certified and highly skilled instructors helps professionals gain in-demand skills to stay ahead in the ever-changing job market.

Don’t Be a Victim of Divorce Regret: Answer These 7 Questions Honestly Before You Go To Court

PoliticMag Press Release : January 07, 2021