Thammasat University collaborates with public and private agencies for community empowerment and sustainability

The School of Global Studies of Thammasat University and 4 other agencies collaborated in the “Community Empowerment and Innovations for Sustainability” project in line with sustainable development goals (SDGs). Public agencies, state enterprises, private development organizations, and private businesses, are all well aware of the need to adhere to the principles of sustainable development. The global community has a mission to meet the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) declared by the United Nations in 2015 by 2030.

Thammasat University’s School of Global Studies and the Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) have been collaborating in Phoom Chumchon project from 2018 to 2020 in four regions of the country to develop self-reliant model communities and establish community networks for mutual assistance.

Satisfactory results were shown with regards to the allocation and sustainability of natural resources which helped resolved the problem of food security by introducing community-based crops such as rice and organic vegetables. Furthermore, there has been an effort to integrate the strengths of folk healers, traditional Thai medicine and modern medicine to assist both patients fighting diabetes and the elderly.

Due to the promising results, both Thammasat and EGAT agree that the project can be expanded outside of model areas into other communities. In addition, they would like to report the knowledge gained from this project to all other agencies and personnel involved in community development, along with students interested in this area of work. In the hope to empower and strengthen the team, the organizations have invited the Association for Developing Human Potentials and Giftedness (ADHPG) and the Institute for Small and Medium Enterprises Development (ISMED) to join the “Community Empowerment and Innovations for Sustainability ” project.

The ADHPG will then provide support with regards to the development of youths and community leaders to increase their creative potential and successfully develop or employ new innovations. They will also provide support in the development of community enterprises through integration of community products with businesses.

In addition to current measures taken, new aims such as promotion of local tourism, raising quality standards for community products, and the development of current and aspiring leaders have been added to the agenda.

All four parties will join hands to promote and support communities in order for them to have the ability to solve their own problems without solely relying on external assistance. this includes preparing them for global changes by supporting innovations and technologies that are based off local knowledge in order to meet the SDGs. From SDGs 1-8, 10, 12-15, 17, they aim to meet at least 10 out of the 14 issues for this project.

By 2023, the project aims that the model communities whose lifestyle will now follow the SDGs goals will act as an example for the nation.

Scientists get photons to interact, taking step towards long-living quantum memory

An international research team obtained experimental evidence for effective interaction between microwave photons via superconductive qubits for the first time. The study, published in npj Quantum Materials, maybe a step towards the implementation of a long-living quantum memory and the development of commercial quantum devices.

Scientists believe that individual light particles, or photons, are ideally suited for sending quantum information. Encoded with quantum data, they could literally transfer information at the speed of light. However, while photons would make for great carriers because of their speed, they don’t like to interact with each other, making it difficult to achieve quantum entanglement.

A team of scientists from NUST MISIS, Russian Quantum Center, the Ioffe Institute St. Petersburg and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, for the first time, made photons interact with each other effectively using an array of superconducting qubits and a waveguide. In their experiments, the researchers used photons with the frequency of a few GHz and the wavelength of a few centimeters.

“We used superconducting cubits, which are basically artificial atoms, because they have been proven to strongly interact with light. Interaction between natural atoms and natural light is weak due to the small size of natural atoms. Superconducting cubits are man-built, their size can reach up to 0.1mm, which makes it possible to significantly increase their dipole moment and polarity, engineering strong interaction between light and matter,” noted Prof. Alexey Ustinov, Head of the Laboratory for Superconducting Metamaterials at NUST MISIS and Group Head at Russian Quantum Center, who co-authored the study.

Superconducting qubits are a leading qubit modality today that is currently being pursued by industry and academia for quantum computing applications. However, they require milli-Kelvin (mK) temperatures to operate. The most powerful of the existing superconducting quantum devices contains under 100 qubits.

As you add qubits, the number of operations a quantum computer can perform grows exponentially, but the maximum number of qubits that can be integrated in a quantum computer is limited by the size of refrigerators used to cool them down to operational temperatures. Taking this into account, the efforts of the scientific community have been recently focused on increasing the processing power of a quantum computer by transmitting quantum signals from one refrigerator to another.

To engineer this transmission, the scientists coupled an array of eight superconducting transmon qubits to a common waveguide — a structure that guides waves, e.g. light waves.

“By employing dedicated flux-bias lines for each qubit, we establish control over their transition frequencies. It was derived and experimentally verified that multiple qubits obtain an infinite range photon mediated effective interaction, which can be tuned with the inter-qubit distance,” says Alexey Ustinov.

The circuit of this work extends experiments with one and two qubits toward a full-blown quantum metamaterial, thus paving the way for large-scale applications in superconducting waveguide quantum electrodynamics.

University of Petra wins the first prize at 2021 El Hassan Award for Scientific Excellence

The General Secretariat of the Higher Council for Science and Technology in Jordan announced the winners of the 2021 El Hassan Award for Scientific Excellence. University of Petra (UOP) won the first prize of this prestigious award among 36 applications from 14 higher education institutions for establishing a “Laboratory Animal Research Unit” that complies with international guidelines.

The Laboratory Animal Research Unit, as a part of the University of Petra Pharmaceutical Center, is considered a scientific research unit that aims to be competent in enlightening the students and research community in all aspects of drug discovery and development. Such contributions are proceeded through granting the research community sufficient means in performing non-clinical research under national and international regulations and ethics.

The unit has innovative and entrepreneurial ambitions that serve the educational and pharmaceutical industry, as well as the regulatory firms.

The award-winning Animal Unit provides scientific and technical training to students, academics and researchers from educational and industrial backgrounds interested in non-clinical research and innovation.

In addition, the project has generated several scientific outputs from study reports, published research papers in well-established scientific journals, and has also contributed to the publication of several patents.

This award is a significant outcome due to commitment to excellence in research and innovation, scholarship, as well as the quality of education. Promoting research and innovation has been one of UOP’s main goals; to this effect, the University has worked out a robust strategic plan for scientific research.

As far as innovation is concerned, the University has established centres that aim at encouraging and motivating innovation and technology transfer projects that are in alignment with the national priorities and the needs of the industrial sector.

Chulalongkorn University launches new mental wellness platforms for students

Chulalongkorn University has opened Mind Café and Mind Space, the latest mental wellness platforms for Chula students during the time of social distancing to help them cope with the stress of life, studies, and relationships.

During the past five years, stress about school, the future, relationships with others, and depression have topped the list of concerns when students came to receive counselling at Chula Student Wellness.  These problems seem to have increased proportionately as more enhanced social distancing is required during the COVID-19 pandemic

.

Prof. Dr. Thanyawat Phothisiri, Head of Student Wellness

“There has been a steady rise in students’ mental health problems.  Topping the chart are issues relating to their studies — either they don’t understand their subjects or don’t like their subjects.  And now during COVID-19, with online classes, students find themselves even more stressed.” Professor Dr. Thanyawat Phothisiri, Head of Student Wellness, discussed the rationale behind increasing outreach channels for students while they are stuck at home through the online platforms: Mind Café and Mind Space.

“If students are feeling unhappy and cannot find a way out, they can answer a questionnaire at the Mind Space web application, then make an appointment with a psychologist; or come in for a quick chat with a psychologist on Mind Café for preliminary assessment,” said Professor Dr. Thanyawat.

Mind Café is now fully operational, while Mind Space is 50-percent complete and is expected to be fully functional sometime in August.  Students will be able to book appointments in advance. Moreover, Student Wellness plans to provide an after-hour consultation in a semi-hotline format that will allow students to be able to chat at night.

These online channels seem to have helped solve students’ problems successfully,” Professor Dr. Thanyawat said. “Since Chula launched Mind Space in November last year, over 1,700 students out of 40,000 have already used the apps and more are expected.

Noppasit Siricharoonchai, Acting Head of Student Wellness and Psychologist

Mind Café is designed to have a relaxing atmosphere in which students feel free to discuss various issues in their daily lives in either Mind Talk or Mind Exercise.

Mind Talk allows students to have a quick conversation with a psychologist for primary screening.  This channel is suitable for students who are unsure about how serious their problems are.  Sometimes the initial conversation may already make them feel better, if not, they can make an appointment for a full consultation session,” said Noppasit Siricharoonchai, Acting Head of Student Wellness and psychologist.

Mind Exercise is a space for students to exercise their mind, to build immunity against life problems.  Various speakers give talks about different issues of interest to students that are often encountered in their daily life.  For instance, recent topics include “How to Take a Mind Break”, “Study: Is it Wrong Not to Be Productive?”, or “Collaboration: When Team (Does Not) Work?”.

A web application that allows students to recognize their basic mental state, Mind Test is a psychological questionnaire to examine 4 areas: 1) depression, anxiety, and stress, 2) problem-solving, 3) general mental health, and 4) career readiness.

“After students have received the results, the system will recommend articles in Mind Support and activities in the section called Mind Workshop that are suitable for each student, or it may recommend an appointment that enables them to speak with a psychologist,” Noppasit explained.

Another outstanding feature of Mind Space is Mind Journey, which is like a mental health profile of each student.

“Students can record their daily mood to assess their emotional state through the Mind Tracking system.  The system keeps track of the data and shows the results in an overview. Additionally, records of students’ app usage history can also be accessed,” said Noppasit.

Whether students just want to get to know themselves or look for a way to heal, Mind Café and Mind Space are ready to be their confidants. Yet, it’s best if everyone has a strong Mind Immunity.

“Both platforms’ contents focus on self-development which will yield preventive effects for future problems.  For example, after students learned about self-management, personality, and positive thinking, their lives will brighten up, and this could reduce the need for therapy in the long run,” said Noppasit.

“Mental healthcare is important. Whenever we feel unbearable distress, it’s not only us who suffer from the mental conditions, but those near and dear to us may suffer because of our   mental state as well.” Noppasit concluded.

Mutation linked to autism impairs oxytocin-mediated social behavior

A rare mutation in the Caps2 gene, which encodes a protein that regulates the release of brain chemicals called neurotransmitters, has also been linked with autism spectrum disorders. Now, researchers at the Tokyo University of Science report that Caps2 mutations in mice limit the release of oxytocin (a hormone that regulates social behaviour), causing diminished sociality in these animals. These findings may help researchers understand the neurobiology of autism and develop effective treatments for it.

Autism spectrum disorder is a neurodevelopmental condition involving impaired social abilities, and this makes it a fascinating subject for neuroscientists like Prof. Teiichi Furuichi of the Tokyo University of Science who study the neuroscience of social behaviour. Professor Furuichi and his colleagues have previously worked on developing mouse models of autism to unravel the condition’s neurochemical mechanisms.

In a paper recently published in the prestigious Journal of Neuroscience, they provide evidence that a genetic mutation associated with autism can impair the release of a peptide called oxytocin that plays an important role in regulating social behaviour. This finding promises to broaden our understanding of the neurobiology of social behaviour.

The gene that Prof. Furuichi’s team chose to study is Caps2, which encodes a protein called Ca2+-dependent activator protein for secretion 2 (CAPS2) that regulates the release of brain chemicals (or “neurotransmitters”). Previous studies have shown that CAPS2 deficiencies in mice cause behavioral impairments such as reduced sociality, increased anxiety, and disrupted circadian rhythms.

Furthermore, a study of Japanese patients with autism spectrum disorder revealed that some of them had Caps2 mutations that adversely affect the CAPS2 protein’s functions. Prof. Furuichi and his colleagues had previously discovered that the CAPS2 protein is expressed in neurons in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland that release the neuropeptide oxytocin. This information formed the basis of their recent study.

As Prof. Furuichi explains, “We hypothesized that CAPS2 deficiencies in mice should alter oxytocin release, which should in turn result in impaired social behavior.”

To test this hypothesis, researchers Shuhei Fujima, Graduate Student at Tokyo University of Science; Yoshitake Sano, Junior Associate Professor at Tokyo University of Science; Yo Shinoda, Associate Professor at Tokyo University of Pharmacy and Life Sciences; Tetsushi Sadakata, Associate Professor in Gunma University; Manabu Abe, Associate Professor at Niigata University; and Kenji Sakimura, a Fellow of Niigata University, among others, led by Prof. Furuichi conducted a series of experiments involving mice that carried genetic alterations that prevented them from expressing the CAPS2 protein.

These mice had lower-than-normal oxytocin levels in their blood but higher-than-normal oxytocin levels in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland. The researchers interpreted this finding as evidence that CAPS2 deficiencies impede the normal release of oxytocin from these brain regions into the bloodstream.

Unsurprisingly, the reduced bloodstream levels of oxytocin had clear behavioral effects. When placed inside a rectangular box, the oxytocin neuron-specific CAPS2-deficient mice were unwilling to spend much time in the centre of the box, and the researchers interpreted this as evidence of increased anxiety about the risk of a predator attacking them.

The CAPS2-deficient mice also exhibited diminished willingness to engage in social
interactions when introduced to unfamiliar mice. Interestingly, spraying an oxytocin solution into the noses of the CAPS2-deficient mice acted to restore their willingness to socially interact with unfamiliar mice.

Based on these findings, Prof. Furuichi and his colleagues conclude that the CAPS2 protein plays a critical role in facilitating the release of peripheral oxytocin into the bloodstream. They similarly suggest that CAPS2 is also involved in the release of central oxytocin into the brain regions relating to the control of sociality. Given the key role that oxytocin plays in regulating social behaviours, this could help to explain how mutations in the Caps2 gene
could lead to atypical patterns of social behaviour in persons with an autism spectrum disorder.

When asked about the social significance of his team’s work, Professor Furuichi remarks, “We believe that this research, although basic, is an important achievement that will contribute to the development of tools for the early molecular diagnosis and effective treatment of autism spectrum disorder.”

Given the relatively high prevalence of autism and how extremely disabling severe cases can be, the development of effective treatments would have major benefits for people with autism and society as a whole.

CityU scientists produce efficient LEDs based on 2D perovskite material

The use of a simple organic molecule during the fabrication of a two-dimensional (2D) perovskite results in one of the highest recorded efficiencies for perovskite-based devices. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) employing this 2D perovskite material achieved an external quantum efficiency as high as 20.5%, which rivals the best organic LEDs, according to research co-led by the City University of Hong Kong (CityU).

Led by Professor Andrey Rogach, Chair Professor at the Department of Materials Science and Engineering, CityU, and his collaborator Professor Yang Xuyong from Shanghai University, the research team has worked on 2D perovskite materials and succeeded to realise such efficient and bright green LEDs.

Their technology yielded the best-reported performance on both current efficiency and external quantum efficiency. This work has now put the perovskite LEDs close on the heels of current commercial display technologies, such as organic LEDs.

The findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications, titled “Smoothing the energy transfer pathway in quasi-2D perovskite films using methane sulfonate leads to highly efficient light-emitting devices”.

The key to the powerful change lies in the addition of around 10% of a simple organic molecule, called methanesulfonate (MeS). This molecule reconstructs the structure of the 2D perovskite nanosheets, while simultaneously enhancing exciton energy transfer between sheets of different thicknesses. It is also useful in reducing defects in the 2D perovskite structure, contributing to higher efficiency.

The consequences for producing better LEDs are encouraging. Brightness of 13,400 candela/m2 at a low applied voltage of 5.5 V, and an external quantum efficiency 20.5% is recorded. This is close to the maximum that can be achieved by many existing LED technologies and has almost doubled the external quantum efficiency level of 10.5% reported in the previous collaborative study of the same groups two years ago.

“The CityU team has built up its expertise on perovskite materials to a very high level in a relatively short period of time, thanks to funding support from Senior Research Fellowship by the Croucher Foundation,” said Professor Rogach.

“The high brightness, excellent colour purity, and commercial-grade operating efficiency achieved marks 2D perovskites as an extremely attractive material for future commercial LEDs, and potentially also display technology. It’s a tangible outcome from both fundamental and applied research into novel nano-scale materials” he adds.

Mining University’s new strategy on postgraduate education shortens innovation cycle

The Saint-Petersburg Mining University motivates postgraduate students to take on scientific projects of applied value. In addition, it facilitates their solutions’ development over the entire period – from coming up with an idea to presenting a thesis paper.

As mining companies have a great interest in introducing the newest scientific developments as soon as possible, Mining University elaborated a viable mechanism for the education of postgraduate students.

It encompasses all stages and ends in the thesis project. The research work carried out throughout studies is subject to a rigorous plan with a well-established system of control and motivation, which finally leads to gaining the required competencies.

Postgraduate students are encouraged to start early on research activities. The new guideline on conducting laboratory works serves the purpose. Yet before proceeding to further education, undergraduates have an amount of laboratory work to accomplish. Since there is no pre-defined time for this, they can choose how and when to do it individually.

As a result of Mining University’s comprehensive approach to improving postgraduate training, 80% of its PhD students decide to continue working at the university upon completing their studies.

Some most recent successfully presented theses include works of Angelika Yeremeyeva and Shamil Islamov. Both St. Petersburg Mining University’s PhD students completed their education half a year ahead of schedule. One of them researched the cost reduction of repairing oil wells. The other focused on improving the working conditions of underground staff at coal mines.

Angelika Yeremeyeva offered an alternative technology to reduce the concentration of harmful gases emitted in coal mines whilst operating diesel-hydraulic locomotives. The technology has been already licensed and protected by four patents.

Shamil Islamov’s thesis is devoted to optimising the preparatory process before commencing the underground repair of oil wells.

Carbon-containing materials at the junction of interdisciplinary scientific programs of chemistry and biomedicine

In 2018, at the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University (Al-Farabi KAZNU), an educational program for pharmaceutical production technology (TPP) was opened, the symbiosis of which is chemistry and pharmaceutics; under the program of nanotechnology and nanomaterials, the disciplines of the module of fundamentals of biotechnology, nanoengineering in biotechnology, computer modelling of nanostructures and the bionanosystems industry are taught.

Students learn to build physicochemical models of the studied phenomena in medicine,
select experimental methods and electronic equipment, assess the consistency of the use of nanotechnological developments in medicine. Interdisciplinarity allows students to apply modelling methods using modern software to solve basic problems in relation to the modelling of nanosystems.

One of the successful developments of students and staff of the Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology is the synthesis of new sorbents for multifunctional biomedical use. Carbon-containing sorbents for biomedical purposes are obtained by thermal-oxidative modification of rice peels. This process ensures the formation of the necessary structural and physicochemical properties of the final products.

On the initiative of the staff of al-Farabi KazNU, together with medical organizations of Kazakhstan and foreign partners, special laboratories for the production of drugs that are urgently needed for the health care of the republic are prepared and tested, among them are a cartridge for blood purification with carbon hemosorbent, in the form of a multichannel monoblock of laminar flow UG-1, sorption-bactericidal bandage “Aibolit”
and capsules with enterosorbent Bio Life.

The novelty of the technology lies in the unique composition and structure of carbon-containing nanostructured sorbents. The synthesized sorbent has an optimal pore structure in the macro-, meso- and nanoscale regions. This determines the versatility and speed of action of the drugs and its high sorption capacity.

The fundamental difference between the products and existing analogues is that carbon-containing nanostructured sorbents are characterized by natural origin, high efficiency, the content of natural silicon dioxide, the presence of mesopores, the absence of genetically
modified objects and any artificial ingredients.

The products have a low cost and a high degree of commercialization within the republic and abroad.

Thus, in order to develop a technology for the synthesis of a modern innovative medical device, specialists in the related fields of chemistry and medicine, who participate in the treatment and diagnostic process and who are the developers of new drugs for medicine, are urgently needed.

Lessons from the COVID pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed our lives in a multitude of ways, and it has created new, diverse challenges among societies around the world. To help examine the implications of the pandemic, HKBU held an international symposium with the theme “Transnational and Transdisciplinary Lessons from the COVID-19 Pandemic” on 20 and 21 May. Researchers, academics and participants from Hong Kong and overseas gathered in person or virtually to exchange ideas and discuss the global and local issues related to the pandemic.

Organised by the Department of Government and International Studies, in association with the Department of Sport, Physical Education and Health and the David C. Lam Institute for East-West Studies, the two-day conference was a key event in the calendar of celebratory activities organised for the 50th anniversary of the Faculty of Social Sciences.

The symposium brought together over 30 speakers from Australia, France, Hong Kong, Singapore and the UK, as well as a range of stakeholders from outside of academia. Three discussion panels and four matched parallel sessions were delivered with speakers exchanging ideas on a wide range of topics, from the economic and financial consequences of the pandemic to governance and environmental health issues.

Dr Huw Wiltshire, former National Performance Director of the Welsh and Russian Rugby Unions, gave a keynote speech on the pandemic’s impact on top athletic performance. He not only discussed the importance for elite athletes to maintain specific types of training in the current times, but he also raised questions around the survival of sport in a world where human contact is restricted.

The event closed with a roundtable discussion on the future of the post-pandemic environment. The panellists highlighted that the pandemic has accelerated scientific progress, but they also stressed the need for societies to strike a balance between exercising precaution and facilitating innovation. Recognising that new opportunities can emerge out of crises, the speakers shared insights into potential areas of interdisciplinary research and expressed optimistic perspectives on humans’ capacity for adaptation, innovation and ingenuity.

KNU holds 2021 International Day

Kyungpook National University held the “2021 KNU International Day” on May 14 at Cheomseongin Square in front of Kyungpook National University’s Central Library, where students and foreign students can take time to interact with each other.

Students from 11 countries, including the United States, Germany, France, and Russia, set up booths for each country to introduce their own overseas universities and cultures to students and promote international exchange programs organized by universities.

In addition, international exchange student ambassadors consisting of students also played simple mini-games related to internationalization programs. The event was held under the Covid-19 quarantine guidelines, and about 80 students participated.

Currently, about 1,740 foreign students, including 1,134 from 59 countries, live in Kyungpook National University as a regular degree program.

Se Bin Kim, a physics student who participated in the program, expressed satisfaction, saying, “I thought there was no opportunity to do international exchange activities at school because of Covid-19, but through this event, I learned that I could have enough international exchange experience without leaving the country.”

Tae Hwan Kwon, director of the International Exchange Department at Kyungpook National University, said, “Because of Covid-19, students have limited opportunities to visit overseas universities. I hope this event will naturally foster an international sensation with foreign friends living together on campus and be interested in various internationalization programs run by Kyungpook National University and overseas universities.”