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Source: University of Auckland (UoA) |
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An HRC grant of $1.4m will support research into a promising new oral medicine for childhood wheeze. |
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A Health Research Council grant of $1.4m will support research into a promising new oral medicine for childhood wheeze, a condition that sees more than 3,000 preschoolers admitted to hospitals in New Zealand each year.
Of children hospitalised with preschool wheeze, one-in-five will return to hospital within the next year for the same condition, typified by a shrill, coarse whistling or rattling sound when the child tries to breathe.
“Childhood wheeze is a disease for which our current treatments are not very effective,” says paediatrician and researcher at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland Professor Cameron Grant, also head of the Department of Paediatrics, Child, and Youth Health.
The research project is called ‘Assessing the Reduction of Recurrent admissions using OM-85 for the treatment of preschool Wheeze’, or ‘ARROW’.
Grant is co-leading the New Zealand arm of the Australasian project with nurse researcher Marisa van Arragon, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Paediatrics at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland.
The trial of OM-85 will involve more than 1,000 children under five who have repeatedly visited a hospital in New Zealand or Australia with childhood wheeze, a condition where airways are partially blocked, usually triggered by a cold, flu, RSV, or other viruses.
“We treat childhood wheeze in preschool aged children with asthma medicines, even though the pathophysiology is different from asthma,” Grant says.
“Plus, asthma medicines have limitations, including environmental harms and side effects, which are particularly concerning in younger children.”
The medicine being used in this study, OM-85, can be taken as a drink. OM-85 contains several killed respiratory bacteria, which prime the immune system to fight respiratory viruses.
The pressing issue Grant sees in his clinical work is a tendency for these children to make repeated visits to hospital with wheeze, creating enormous stress for families.
“Some of the children who are involved in the project have already had over 20 admissions to hospital,” Grant says.
Two pilot research projects show Māori and Pacific families are over-represented in children being re-admitted to hospital with wheeze.
An audit of visits to Waitakere Hospital in Auckland showed Māori children were twice as likely to be admitted with wheeze, and 30 percent of Māori children came back to hospital with wheeze compared with 16 percent of non-Māori.
An audit in Waikato Hospital of patients aged one to five years admitted to the emergency department with wheeze, showed the rate of re-admission was twice as high for Māori and Pacific compared with ‘European and other’.
Funding from Te Niwha in 2024 enabled Grant and van Arragon to take the project into the community and to develop relationships with primary care practices, kōhanga reo, pharmacies, and other healthcare providers in Auckland and Waikato.
Grant says developing relationships within the community and with Māori whānau has been a project highlight.
The study also creates opportunities for nurses and emerging researchers. As an example of this, Claudia Reid, a Māori medical student at Waipapa Taumata Rau, University of Auckland, is doing a project interviewing wāhine Māori, whose children attend kōhanga reo in the Waikato, around access to care when their tamaiti has a respiratory illness.
The ARROW study started in 2022 in Australia and a little later in Aotearoa, New Zealand.
So far, more than half of the more than 160 children enrolled in the study in New Zealand are Māori or Pacific. In Australia and New Zealand, about 600 children have already been enrolled in the trial. The trial uses a randomised, placebo-controlled and double-blinded design.
In addition to preventing hospital admissions and other healthcare visits, the research team hopes that OM-85 will reduce antibiotic prescribing and the use of propellant inhalers, which are highly polluting.
“The molecules in the propellants used in inhalers are 3,000 times more globally warming than carbon dioxide,” Grant says.
“The World Health Organization says we must reduce the use of propellant inhalers, but young children can’t use the alternative dry-powder inhalers, because the technique required to use them is too complicated for young children.
“So, the only way to reduce the use of propellant inhalers in young children is to reduce the number of wheezing episodes they get, through interventions such as OM-85.”
Data from the study will be used to create a cost-benefit analysis which will be submitted to Pharmac as an evidence base for potentially funding the OM-85 treatment.
The ARROW research team includes research nurses from Starship, KidzFirst, Waitakere, Waikato and Tauranga involved in the project.
Grant and van Arragon say the nurses’ professionalism, passionate approach and whānau-centred care are driving this promising research towards making a difference for whānau suffering from the frightening condition of childhood wheeze.
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Universities – $1.4m for research on childhood wheeze – UoA
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IOI Group Embraces Innovation with CyCraft Technology’s AI-Powered Attack Surface Management
Source: Media Outreach
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 February 2025 – CyCraft Technology, a leading AI-powered cybersecurity company, proudly announces its collaboration with Malaysia’s IOI Group to deploy its autonomous threat management platform, XCockpit, for the Cyber Health Check Service (Compromise Assessment, CA). As a visionary conglomerate, IOI Group recognizes the need for innovative approaches to cybersecurity in the rapidly evolving AI era. This partnership marks a significant shift toward AI-driven cybersecurity strategies, ensuring proactive threat detection and risk mitigation at scale.
(Left) Alvin Lee, Head of Group Business Systems and IT at IOI Group, is eager to explore more CyCraft cybersecurity solutions. (Right) Benson Wu, CEO and co-founder of CyCraft Technology.
IOI Group: A Malaysia-Listed Multinational Committed to Cyber Resilience
IOI Group, a Malaysia-listed company with extensive operations across multiple countries and industries, recognizes the need for a robust cybersecurity strategy to protect its information assets and ensure business continuity. Beyond its global leader in sustainable palm oil business, IOI has expanded into property development. Despite benefiting from globally recognized cybersecurity vendors and maintaining a strong partnership with a local MSSP provider, IOI has chosen CyCraft’s CA Service for its distinct advantages:
- Unique Geopolitical Insight: As a Taiwan-based company, CyCraft provides intelligence rooted in Taiwan’s strategic geopolitical context. This perspective offers IOI Group novel insights into hacker behaviors and threats relevant to its operations, delivering unparalleled clarity and foresight.
- Gen AI-Driven Accessibility: CyCraft’s cutting-edge generative AI applications simplify complex cybersecurity data, allowing IOI Group to independently interpret risk reports without relying on third-party support. This autonomy reduces costs and enhances accessibility for internal teams and executives alike.
- Streamlined Decision-Making: By enabling an intuitive understanding of enterprise-wide risks, CyCraft’s solutions minimize communication barriers and save time, ensuring faster and more informed decision-making.
Benson Wu, CEO and co-founder of CyCraft Technology, emphasized the transformative impact of AI in cybersecurity:
“The AI era empowers defenders to detect, comprehend, and mitigate exposure at an unprecedented scale. CyCraft’s AI-powered attack surface management provides clients with unparalleled visibility—from external threats to internal identities, from dark web credentials to compromised endpoints. Our AI-driven approach not only maps risks but also delivers actionable recommendations, ensuring clients stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.”
Alvin Lee, Head of Group Business Systems and IT of IOI Group, praised the collaboration, stating:
“In the age of AI, we look forward to a future where cybersecurity solutions evolve beyond standard safeguards to deliver unparalleled precision and reliability. Partnering with CyCraft reflects IOI Group’s commitment to innovation—adopting cutting-edge technology that enhances risk management efficiency and builds resilience across our operations.”
A Benchmark for Corporate Cybersecurity Excellence
This collaboration highlights IOI Group’s forward-thinking approach to embracing innovation, creating opportunities for advanced solutions to thrive in the corporate landscape. CyCraft’s XCockpit sets a new standard for AI-driven threat management combining speed, accuracy, and actionable intelligence in addressing today’s most complex cyber threats.
https://www.cycraft.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/cycraft/
https://x.com/cycraft_corp
Hashtag: #CyCraft #IOI #Cybersecurity #AI
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Global fashion icon Tia Lee Graces the Cover of ELLE Singapore, Reflects on Music, Empowerment, and Fashion
Source: Media Outreach
TAIPEI, TAIWAN – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 February 2025 – Global fashion and music icon Tia Lee (Lee Yu Fen) recently appeared on the cover of ELLE Singapore, celebrating her journey as an artist, changemaker, and advocate for female empowerment. In the accompanying interview, Tia shared her gratitude for the remarkable 174 million views amassed on YouTube since the release of “Goodbye Princess”.
Global fashion icon Tia Lee Graces the Cover of ELLE Singapore, Reflects on Music, Empowerment, and Fashion
Reflecting on her artistic evolution, Tia revealed that her path in the music industry was not predetermined. Initially aspiring to be a model, her passion for music grew when she participated in a singing competition, despite the challenges she faced. Over time, she embraced the creative process and committed herself to honing her skills—taking dance classes daily, practicing vocals, writing lyrics, and even learning English to enhance her artistic expression.
The Story Behind “Goodbye Princess”
Tia describes “Goodbye Princess” as a deeply personal piece that encapsulates her journey of transformation and resilience. “This song represents my past and present while marking a bold step toward the future. Returning to music after a period of silence felt like a fresh start—one where I have a clearer understanding of my goals and the courage to move forward.”
She further elaborated on the song’s message, emphasizing its reflection on societal judgments and female empowerment. “Women often face immense pressure and criticism. But through inner strength and mutual support, we can rise above these limitations. That realization was key to shaping “Goodbye Princess”.”
Tia’s passion for female empowerment extends beyond her music. Her #EmpowerHer initiative aims to create opportunities for women, helping them build their confidence and careers. “I have always hoped to use my platform to encourage women and girls to uplift one another. Whether through #EmpowerHer Movement, I want to continue making a meaningful impact.”
Fashion as a Statement of Identity
Beyond music, Tia remains a devoted fashion enthusiast. “Fashion, like music, breaks barriers and connects people across different cultures. It is a powerful tool for self-expression, allowing individuals to showcase their values and personality. I believe that fashion is essential for all genders—it instills confidence and sets trends that shape the world.”
As she continues to evolve as an artist, Tia hopes to inspire young women to embrace their authenticity, overcome societal limitations, and fearlessly pursue their dreams. “Empowerment starts with believing in yourself. If I can use my journey to inspire even one person to chase their aspirations, then that is truly meaningful.”
Other than ELLE Magazine, Tia has been featured on covers of many of the world’s top fashion magazines in the past year, including Vogue, Marie Claire, Bazaar, Rollercoaster, Flaunt Magazine, ICON, tmrw, and Grazia.
The following top brands are featured with Tia in the latest ELLE Singapore fashion cover: Sacai, Bottega Veneta, FENDI, Versace, Gucci, Louise Vuitton, LOEWE.
Useful Links:
Elle Singapore Digital Cover: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DF7M9nLyLQW/?igsh=dWc3cjFldHl3OHlp
Elle Singapore Cover Story: https://elle.com.sg/life-culture/tia-lee-digital-cover-february-2025/
Tia Lee Official Channels:
Instagram @leeyufen: https://www.instagram.com/leeyufen/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@tialeeofficial/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leeyufentialee/
Weibo: https://weibo.com/u/1396928042/
Hashtag: #TiaLee #ELLESingapore
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
European Union Import Control System 2 (ICS2) extends to rail and road on 1 April 2025, covering all modes of transport
Source: Media Outreach
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 February 2025 – The European Union’s Import Control System 2 (ICS2) aims to enhance the safety and security of goods entering the EU by introducing a standardised, pre-arrival customs process for all transportation modes, including road and rail, in addition to the existing air, maritime and inland waterway requirements. By mandating the submission of accurate and complete Entry Summary Declaration (ENS) data prior to arrival, the ICS2 enables customs authorities to better assess the risks associated with incoming goods, thereby improving the EU’s ability to prevent and combat customs offenses, and ultimately ensuring a safer and more secure trade environment.
From 1 April 2025, road and rail carriers will need to provide data on goods sent to or through the EU prior to their arrival, through a complete ENS. This obligation also concerns postal and express carriers who transport goods using these modes of transport as well as other parties, such as logistics providers. In certain circumstances, final consignees established in the EU will also have to submit ENS data in the ICS2.
Economic operators who are not ready by this date need to contact the National Service Desk of the EU Member State (National Customs Authority) where they have registered and obtained their EORI number to request a deployment window by 1 March 2025, at the latest. Deployment windows are granted only upon request.
To comply with the ICS2 requirements, affected businesses will be required to make sure they collect accurate and complete data from their clients, update their IT systems and operational processes, and provide adequate training to their staff. Economic operators will also need to successfully complete a self-conformance test before connecting to the ICS2, to verify their ability to access and exchange messages with customs authorities. Goods might be stopped at EU borders and might not be cleared by customs authorities if traders do not meet the ICS2 requirements on time.
ICS2 in detail
The ICS2 has been developed through close collaboration between the European Commission, Member States’ customs authorities and businesses.
Starting from 1 September 2025, the ICS1 will phase out. The ICS2 will fully replace the ICS1 with an entirely new business process in accordance with the Union Customs Code.
The European Commission organises monthly webinars (in English) where economic operators can ask questions about the operational and technical aspects of the ICS2. Further details can be found here.
For more information
More information about the ICS2 is available on the European Commission’s web page (https://ec.europa.eu/ICS2) including factsheets detailing the requirements for all transportation modes and the steps to take to prepare for the ICS2. All necessary technical documentation can be found on CIRCABC.
Hashtag: #trade #regulation #shipping #ecommerce
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
SH6 Havelock night-time resurfacing works postponed until Thursday 13 February
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA) advises that night-time resurfacing works planned on State Highway 6, Havelock have had to be pushed out a day until Thursday night, 13 February.
Why?
The serious crash on SH7/the Lewis Pass route Tuesday night and subsequent road closure meant SH1 had to be fully available, pausing work planned for the Weld Pass.
This means the asphalting crew need to remain onsite at Weld Pass Wednesday night before they begin asphalting works on State Highway 6 in Havelock tomorrow night, Thursday 13 February.
No work Saturday night Havelock
There will be no work on Saturday night (15 February).
Days and hours of work will be 7pm – 7am on Thursday 13, Friday 14, Sunday 16, Monday 17 and Tuesday 18 February with work finishing at 7am on Wednesday 19 February.
Work will be underway from just north of Neil Street to Allied Petrol. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during work hours with delays of up to 10 minutes.
Drivers are urged to check road conditions before they travel and plan their journeys accordingly. This is especially important for people with Picton ferry connections.
Road Closed SH8 Cromwell-Clyde Road
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
State Highway 8, the Cromwell – Clyde Road, is closed south of Cromwell following a serious crash involving two vehicles, reported at 5pm.
Emergency services are in attendance.
The road will be closed for some time, motorists are asked to avoid the area and expect significant delays.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Surveys
Source: Privacy Commissioner
APPA Privacy Awareness Week 2011 social media survey
View the English language survey results and the English language redacted comments of the survey from the Asia Pacific Privacy Authorities social media survey.
View the Spanish language survey results.
View the Chinese language survey results.
View the Korean language survey results.
International Disclosures and Overseas Information and Communication Technologies Survey
Results in this survey showed that a large number of respondents that send information overseas do not check the overseas organisations’ use and management of the information.
The issue of cloud computing’ clearly has major benefits for businesses and government agencies but it also carries some risks.
This survey has found that both the private and public sectors need guidance in this area. While most of the organisations have controls to protect the security of personal information in transit, some have no control over what happens once the information is sent overseas or don’t know if they have controls.
Media release.
View the full report.
May 2011.
Privacy survey 2010
Results in this report are based upon questions asked in the UMR Research nation-wide omnibus survey. This is a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of 750 New Zealanders 18 years of age and over.
Fieldwork was conducted from 18th to 23rd March 2010 at UMR Research’s national interview facility in Auckland.
Media release
View the 26 page report.
NetApp Revolutionizes Block Storage to Meet Demands of Modern Workloads
Source: Media Outreach
New simple, powerful, affordable block storage systems power critical applications
SINGAPORE – Media OutReach Newswire – 12 February 2025 – NetApp® (NASDAQ: NTAP), the intelligent data infrastructure company, today announced updates to its enterprise storage portfolio, expanding the NetApp ASA A-Series with new systems designed to accelerate and consolidate block workloads for organizations of any size. Alongside the announcement of new cyber resiliency capabilities, these systems enable customers to create a silo-free data infrastructure that both runs on and is built for intelligence.
Organizations have to reimagine their data strategy to access the data flexibility and confidence they need to successfully modernize their IT operations to drive efficient innovation. Today, NetApp launched three new enterprise storage systems that give customers even more options for simple, powerful, and affordable storage that is part of an intelligent data infrastructure framework capable of meeting workload-specific requirements now and for years to come.
The new high-performance NetApp ASA A20, A30, and A50 systems make block storage available to companies of every size for mission-critical apps like databases and virtual machines. They are ideal for smaller deployments including remote or branch offices with a starting price as low as $25K. The NetApp ASA systems deliver:
- Simplicity: Customers can use the NetApp ASA systems to modernize their operations with effortless storage which they can deploy in minutes, provision in seconds, and protect with one click. Common management workflows across the entire storage environment, including NAS and SAN, enable customers to enjoy simplicity at a scale that can grow into the future.
- Power: Customers can operate faster and more agilely with a storage architecture that delivers consistent performance and the flexibility to start small and scale to PBs of capacity. Built-in business continuity, a 99.9999% data availability guarantee, and a ransomware recovery guarantee help reduce operational risks for customers so they can operate worry-free.
- Affordability: Customers benefit not only from upfront costs 30-50 percent lower than competitive systems but also from a better return on investment driven by up to 97 percent lower power consumption and low operational overhead when modernizing to all-flash ASA.
“In less than a year, NetApp has refreshed our entire unified, block-optimized, and object portfolio and highlighted our commitment to relentless innovation,” said Sandeep Singh, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Storage at NetApp. “With the industry’s most comprehensive storage lineup with built-in cyber resiliency, we offer systems that are faster, simpler, more scalable, and more affordable than the competition—tailored to any workload or budget. NetApp enables customers to rise to the challenges and opportunities of modern data management with an intelligent data infrastructure that optimizes operations, reduces risks, and accelerates AI transformation.”
These new ASA systems will also be available in a FlexPod converged infrastructure, delivering additional benefits of simplified data center operations and accelerated deployment of enterprise applications through pre-tested and validated architectures.
“NetApp’s portfolio of block-optimized, all-flash platforms ensures that our customers can address a wide range of needs,” said Dhruv Dhumatkar, CTO, Asia Pacific & Japan, NetApp. “From business-critical systems to AI workloads, NetApp sets the industry standard for performance, scale and reliability.”
NetApp is continuing to enhance the built-in cyber resiliency capabilities of its enterprise storage portfolio. Later this year, NetApp will release NetApp ONTAP® Autonomous Ransomware Protection with artificial intelligence (ARP/AI) for Block. This update will build on the existing capabilities of ARP/AI, the first real-time threat detection and response for NAS systems, expanding its cyber resiliency protections to SAN customers.
To further reduce the operational risks for businesses, NetApp is launching the Ransomware Detection Program. In the event that certain ransomware attacks are not detected, this program assists with recovery using NetApp Professional Services free of initial charge.
“As the preferred data infrastructure provider for Aruba, NetApp is enhancing our IT offerings with an intelligent data infrastructure that helps us optimize data center solutions and deliver joint innovation across Europe,” said Fabrizio Garrone, Enterprise Solution Director, Aruba S.p.A. “As we scale operations to meet the growing demand for cloud services, maintaining scalability and flexibility is critical. NetApp ONTAP stands out for its exceptional usability, simplicity, and uniformity, allowing us to devote technical resources to customer service instead of training or tedious operations.”
“SAN modernization is a huge opportunity as the data needs of growing businesses expand with their operations,” said Scott Sinclair, Practice Director, Cloud, Infrastructure and DevOps, Enterprise Strategy Group. “Companies need a comprehensive data strategy that will carry them into the future. At the same time, a shortage of IT skills and tight budget constraints means that many small businesses don’t have storage specialists available to develop an intelligent data strategy. The new ASA A-Series provides a simple, powerful, and affordable foundation to carry them into the future.”
To learn more about these enhancements and other updates across the NetApp portfolio, visit: https://www.netapp.com/product-updates
Statements by NetApp about unreleased offerings and future plans are for informational purposes only, are subject to change without notice, and should not be relied upon for purchasing or other decisions. Such statements do not constitute a commitment, obligation, guarantee, or warranty of any kind by NetApp, including about availability, functionality, pricing, or timing.
Terms and conditions apply to the Ransomware Detection Program. No ransomware detection or prevention system can completely guarantee safety from a ransomware attack. Although it’s possible that an attack might go undetected, NetApp technology acts as an important additional layer of defense, and our research indicates NetApp technology has resulted in a high degree of detection for certain file encryption-based ransomware attacks.
Additional Resources
Hashtag: #NetApp #IntelligentDataInfrastructure
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
– Published and distributed with permission of Media-Outreach.com.
Public advised to avoid Brentwood Ave, Highbury
Source: New Zealand Police (District News)
Members of the public are advised to avoid the Brentwood Ave area in Highbury due to an ongoing Police operation.
Motorists around the area are also advised to expect delays.
Further information will be released when we are in a position to do so.
ENDS
Issued by Police Media Centre
Detour in place Atawhai entrance to Nelson after crash, HPMV vehicle drivers to park up
Source: New Zealand Transport Agency
There has been a crash on SH6 QEII Drive, near the intersection with Nelson’s Atawhai Drive (near Founders Park). If possible, people should delay their journeys through this area.
- SH6 Queen Elizabeth II Drive between Trafalgar Street and Malvern Avenue is closed, says NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi (NZTA).
A detour route around SH6 is in place but it is currently not HPMV approved.
HPMV vehicle drivers will need to park up and wait until SH6 QEII Drive/SH6 Atawhai Drive is open again. Next update 3 pm.
Detour
Northbound traffic is being detoured right off SH6 QEII Drive onto Trafalgar Street, left onto Wainui Street, continue on to Weka Street, left onto Atawhai Drive, curve right and continue on Atawhai Drive, left onto a short unnamed road opposite 330 Atawhai Drive, and right onto SH6 QEII Drive/SH6 Atawhai Drive.
Southbound traffic is being detoured left off SH6 QEII Drive/SH6 Atawhai Drive onto Malvern Ave, right onto Atawhai Drive, curve left and continue on Atawhai Drive, right onto Weka Street, continue on Wainui Street, right onto Trafalgar Street, left back onto SH6 QEII Drive.
Please note the difference between the northbound and southbound detour routes.
Detour map
The attached detour is not suitable for HPMV vehicles.
Please note: There’s SH6 Atawhai Drive (State Highway) and also Atawhai Drive (Nelson City Council local road). SH6 QEII Drive becomes SH6 Atawhai Drive at approximately 330 Atawhai Drive (NCC local road).
Follow the directions of emergency services on site. If possible, please delay your journey through this area.