Yes

Yes / Richard Guthrie describes the central pillars of the verification regime for the Chemical Weapons Convention and assesses the relevance of a similar verification architecture for the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention.

Yes / Stark illustrations of the dangers from chemical weapons can be seen in attacks using toxic industrial chemicals and sarin against civilians and combatants in Syria and toxic industrial chemicals in Iraq, as well as more targeted assassination operations in Malaysia and the United Kingdom, employing VX and novichok nerve agents, respectively. Concerns about such malign applications of chemical technology are exacerbated by the unstable international security environment and the changing nature of armed conflict, “where borderlines between war, civil war, large-scale violations of human rights, revolutions and uprisings, insurgencies and terrorism as well as organized crime are blurred” (1). It is thus essential that the global community regularly review the nature and implications of developments in chemistry, and its convergence with the life and associated sciences, and establish appropriate measures to prevent their misuse. With the parties to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) convening a Review Conference to address such issues beginning 21 November 2018, we highlight important scientific aspects (2)

Background: Due to various factors, such as the restructuring of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1996, Police Social Work Services decided to broaden the scope of its services by developing and introducing proactive personnel capacity building programmes (PCBP's). Fifteen PCB programmes had been developed by 1999, which gave rise to the need for a comprehensive impact assessment of these programmes. This resulted in the Evaluation of Personnel Capacity Building Programmes (EPCBP) research project that was launched in 2001. The evaluation of the Healthy Lifestyle and Coping with Change programmes formed part of this comprehensive study. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Healthy Lifestyle (HLS) and Coping with Change (CWC) programmes on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of SAPS personnel. Method: The comparison group pre-test and post-test design and triangulation were used during this research. Six measuring scales and a presenter's evaluation questionnaire were developed and completed by 196 (HLS) and 184 (CWC) experimental group respondents, 38 (HLS) and 41 (CWC) comparison group members and 10 (HLS) and 7 (CWC) presenters. Results: With the help of various measuring instruments and the triangulation of measurements, it was determined that the Healthy Lifestyle and Coping with Change programmes had a practical significant effect on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of the respondents. It was concluded that these programmes were effective tools in the hands of Police Social Work Service (PSWS) because they not only empowered SAPS personnel to lead more productive professional lives, but also enhanced their personal well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Background: Due to various factors, such as the restructuring of the South African Police Service (SAPS) in 1996, Police Social Work Services decided to broaden the scope of its services by developing and introducing proactive personnel capacity building programmes (PCBP's). Fifteen PCB programmes had been developed by 1999, which gave rise to the need for a comprehensive impact assessment of these programmes. This resulted in the Evaluation of Personnel Capacity Building Programmes (EPCBP) research project that was launched in 2001. The evaluation of the Healthy Lifestyle and Coping with Change programmes formed part of this comprehensive study. Objectives: The primary aim of the study was to determine the effect of the Healthy Lifestyle (HLS) and Coping with Change (CWC) programmes on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of SAPS personnel. Method: The comparison group pre-test and post-test design and triangulation were used during this research. Six measuring scales and a presenter's evaluation questionnaire were developed and completed by 196 (HLS) and 184 (CWC) experimental group respondents, 38 (HLS) and 41 (CWC) comparison group members and 10 (HLS) and 7 (CWC) presenters. Results: With the help of various measuring instruments and the triangulation of measurements, it was determined that the Healthy Lifestyle and Coping with Change programmes had a practical significant effect on the knowledge, attitude and behaviour of the respondents. It was concluded that these programmes were effective tools in the hands of Police Social Work Service (PSWS) because they not only empowered SAPS personnel to lead more productive professional lives, but also enhanced their personal well-being. / Thesis (M.A. (MW))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2006.

Cette thèse s’intéresse à la variabilité de la relation mass-diamètre (m(D)) des hydrométéores en phase glace présents dans les systèmes convectif de moyenne échelle (MCS). Elle s’appuie sur une base de données acquise pour 4 types de MCS différents durant 4 campagnes de mesure aéroportée : (i) MCS de la mousson Africaine (Continent ; MT2010), (ii) MCS de l’océan Indien (MT2011), (iii) MCS de la Méditerranée (côtes ; HyMeX), (iv) MCS de la mousson Nord-Australienne (côtes ; HAIC-HIWC). La relation m(D) est calculée à partir de l’analyse combinée des images des hydrométéores enregistrées par les sondes optiques et les facteurs de réflectivité mesurés à l’aide d’un radar Doppler embarqués sur le même avion de recherche. Il est d’usage que la relation m(D) des hydrométéores soit représentée par une loi puissance (avec un pré-facteur et un exposant), qui doit être contrainte par des informations supplémentaires sur les hydrométéores. Une étude théorique sur les formes des hydrométéores à l’aide de simulations en 3 dimensions dans lesquelles les hydrométéores sont orientés aléatoirement et projeté sur un plan, permet de contraindre l’exposant β de la relation m(D) en fonction de l’exposant σ de la relation surface-diamètre (S(D)). La relation S(D) est aussi représentée par une loi puissance, et elle peut-être calculée pour une population d’images d’hydrométéores enregistrés par les sondes optiques. La variabilité de l’exposant est finalement calculée à partir de la variabilité de l’exposant σ déduis des images des hydrométéores. Ensuite le pré-facteur α est calculé à partir de simulations des facteurs de réflectivité, de sorte que les facteurs de réflectivité simulés soient égaux aux facteurs de réflectivité mesurés par le radar nuage le long de la trajectoire de l’avion dans les MCS. Des profils moyens en fonction de la température sont calculés pour les coefficients de la relation m(D), les distributions en tailles des hydrométéores et les contenus massiques de glace dans les MCS (CWC). Les profils moyens pour les quatre types de MCS sont différents les uns des autres. Pour les quatre types de MCS, il est montré que les variations des coefficients de la relation m(D) sont corrélées avec les variations de la température. Four types de paramétrisations de la relation m(D) sont calculées depuis l’analyses des variations des coefficients de la relation m(D). Le bénéfice apporté par l’utilisation de relation m(D) non constante contrairement à l’utilisation de relation m(D) avec α et β constant, est démontré en étudiant l’impact de toutes les paramétrisations de la relation m(D) sur le calcul des relations Z-CWC et Z-CWC-T. / This study focuses on the variability of mass-diameter relationships (m(D)) and shape of ice hydrometeors in Mesoscale Convective Systems (MCS). It bases on data base which were recorded during four airborne measurement campaigns: (i) African monsoon’s MCS (continent; MT2010), (ii) Indian Ocean’s MCS (MT2011), (iii) Mediterranean’s MCS (costs; HyMeX), (iv) North-Australian monsoon’s MCS (costs; HAIC-HIWC). m(D) of ice hydrometeors are derived from a combined analysis of particle images from 2D-array probes and associated reflectivity factors measured with a Doppler cloud radar on the same research aircraft. Usually, m(D) is formulated as a power law (with one pre-factor and one exponent) that need to be constrained from complementary information on hydrometeors. A theoretical study of numerous hydrometeor shapes simulated in 3D and arbitrarily projected on a 2D plan allowed to constrain the exponent β of the m(D) relationship from the exponent σ of the surface-diameter S(D) relationship, which is likewise written as a power law. Since S(D) always can be determined for real data from 2D optical array probes or other particle imagers, the evolution of the m(D) exponent can be calculated. After that, the pre-factor α of m(D) is constrained from theoretical simulations of the radar reflectivity factor matching the measured reflectivity factor along the aircraft trajectory. Mean profiles of m(D) coefficients, particles size distributions and Condensed Water Content (CWC) are calculated in functions of the temperature, and are different for each type of MCS. For the four types of MCS, it is shown that the variability of m(D) coefficients is correlated with the variability of the temperature. Four types of m(D) parametrisations are calculated since the analysis of the variability of the m(D) coefficients. The significant benefit of using variable m(D) relations instead of a single m(D) relationship is demonstrated from the impact of all these m(D) relations on Z-CWC and Z-CWC-T fitted parametrisations.