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Year: 2021

Chula’s Art4C rebrands, launches environmental exhibitions

Posted on by John.Ch

Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts (FAA) recently rebranded Art4C, its gallery and creative learning space, under the slogan: “Art for Life, Sustainability”. The three-story facility, located on the university’s Bangkok campus, was the venue for a live-streamed discussion, a seminar on marine pollution and fashion show on July 3, 2021, held under the title “RE-SCAPE: Bite Scape, Art Scape, Act Scape”.

The rebranding and launch of several related exhibitions were also held as part of the faculty’s active involvement in the Bangkok Design Week 2021.

The introductory discussion featured FAA Dean Professor Bussakorn Binson and Chupong Wangwattananan and was moderated by ART4C Director Haisang Javanalikhikara, the latter of whom introduced ART4C’s new collaborative partner Mr Wangwattananan, who is the owner of the Dragon Ink company. He has set up a new coffee shop on the ground floor of ART4C, Bite Scape, which is proving very popular with the university’s students.

This talk was followed by a seminar on plastic marine pollution (in 2019 Thailand was the 7th largest marine polluter in the world), which specifically discussed issues related to the exhibition, Plastic Sea, an interactive installation created by activist artist Witaya Junma and curated by Haisang Javanalikhikara. Junma utilised a ‘vortex machine’ to visually present plastic waste data in Thailand’s coastal waters from the Department of Marine Resources. The presenters were the artist Witaya Junma, Pornsri Suthanaruk (Deputy General Director of Department of Marine and Coastal Resources) and environmental activist Chanat Wutwikaikan; the seminar was moderated by Chanat Wutwikaikan of Kong Green Green.

ART4C Director Haisang noted a theme underlying all of these ambitious creative projects: “Artists and activists participated in these events to empower us to see that the environmental issues we face are so severe. They want to engage people in dealing with these issues so that we can all help heal the ecosystem. There isn’t any particular way to do this, so we must be creative and supportive.”

The third session brought together three well-known Thai environmental artists – Teeprang, Wishulada and Nee Fabritt – to discuss how to be creative through sustainable art practices. Teeprang recently held an exhibition, Liberated, at ART4C. Wishulada, a FAA alumni, is known for her use of recycled materials in her artworks. She created clothes and accessories using her distinctive style.

The sessions ended with a fashion presentation that featured a fashion show using recycled Thai fabrics, Recycle Rising by Lalalove and new fashion photography, Anusorn Mah Hua Nau (Memorial Outcast) by Akin Kanjanapokin (Teeprang). From 4 July to 11 July ART4C held related shows on each of its three floors: on the first floor Anusorn Mah Hua Nau by Teeprang, Ecological Expansion by Fabritt and MeClass, and Recycle Rising by Lalalove; on the second floor, Plastic Sea by Witaya Junma and Every Year is the Golden Year by Nin Narin (a collaboration between Narin and Lalalove); and on the third floor, Incarnate, by Wishulada.

Incarnate was inspired by Wishulada’s visit to Khao Yai National Park and her realisation that animals and nature are being destroyed by human behaviour. As with the Plastic Sea exhibition, Wishulada’s aim was to engage with her audience to make them aware of these critical environmental and ecological issues so that they can understand the need for change.

All the exhibitions at ART4C employed sustainable practices in the preparation and display of the artworks in order to reduce their carbon footprints. Due to the current pandemic situation, viewing was by appointment only.

ITS students design an eco-friendly electric car

Posted on by ITS Global Engagement

Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) students have designed an eco-friendly electric car called i-Deora. This innovation recently won 2nd place in the Car Design category at 2021 PLN Innovation & Competition in Electricity (ICE) event.

The students behind this innovation are the member of SACH-MOLINA ITS team. Muhammad Haekal Shafi, Ian Reyhan Junior, Fahreza Aji Taruna, Fikriyubi Fertomo, Rhema Agi Magiza, Muhammad Rumi Latif, Fahri Humaidi, Tengku Rafly Rizqulloh, Riqy Rizqyandra, and Athaariq Ardhiansyah are part of this team.

The leader of the team, Muhammad Haekal Shafi, explained that the development of i-Deora has prioritized not only the engine system but also the exterior and interior design itself, so that the car can become an everyday urban vehicle. Moreover, i-Deora has been designed using V-shape diagram rules.

The first stage was reviewing the existing literature, market needs, and potential ideas. After the first stage, the team continued with planning research on design, models, and engine specifications. Furthermore, i-Deora is expected to be produced for commercial purposes.

COVID-19 low-risk quarantine and treatment center at UiTM Kuala Terengganu campus

Posted on by Ts Dr Rajeswari Raju

Looking at the recent COVID-19 situation in Malaysia, the Malaysia National Crisis Preparedness and Response Center (CPRC) has reactivated the COVID-19 Low-Risk Quarantine and Treatment Center (PKRC) at the UiTM Terengganu, Kuala Terengganu campus( also known as Chendering), one of the East Coast Education Hub. This is a precautionary measure to face the issue of increasing cases following the expansion of screening and increase in cases in Terengganu.

PKRC UiTM Terengganu (Chendering) was opened in phases with a maximum capacity of 1,128 beds after review and site visit by National Disaster Management Agency (NADMA). The first phase began when PKRC UiTM Chendering started operating on 21st January 2021 and the second phase took place on 12th May 2021. This PKRC is used to place COVID-19 patients in categories 1 & 2 who are not suitable to undergo home isolation after being screened by the COVID-19 Assessment Center (CAC) team.

This was made possible with the full support from the UiTM Terengganu Staff and students, The Rector, Prof Ts Dr Mazidah Puteh and The Deputy Rector, Assoc Prof Wan Dorishah Wan Abdul Manan. UiTM Terengganu is very proud to be together with the nation to support and fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

LCCM remains top UK contemporary music school for Student Satisfaction in NSS 2021

Posted on by Global University Systems

London College of Creative Media (LCCM) has again ranked top by overall student satisfaction amongst contemporary music institutions teaching music performance and music business in the National Student Survey (NSS) 2021.

In a year where COVID-19 has had a significant impact on student experience and satisfaction, LCCM scored above the sector benchmark, and its direct competitors, on overall satisfaction. Despite the challenges of the pandemic, LCCM students felt they had received useful information about challenges to my course from my university or college during the Covid-19 pandemic (85.7% vs 73% sector benchmark).

Elsewhere, the college recorded year-on-year improvement and above benchmark results in listening to the Student Voice (73.43%) and Assessment & Feedback (80.50%)
categories.

 Anthony Hamer-Hodges, Principal at LCCM, says: “Undoubtedly it has been a testing and
difficult time for third years, particularly on practical subjects like music. We did everything in our power to support our students in the last 18 months. This is reflected in the NSS results, with excellent feedback on teaching & assessment keeping us as sector leaders for a third year running with our overall Student Satisfaction score holding up well at 76.47.”

LCCM went above and beyond to support its students’ learning in a variety of ways during the pandemic including shipping drum kits, microphones and other equipment across London to students’ flats for assessments, innovating online teaching methods and re-opening for practical teaching as soon as permitted under government guidelines.

Elsewhere, students felt that their feedback on the course had been acted on, moving from just over 70% in 2000 to more than 82% in 2021, while they have said that they have received helpful comments on their work (85.29%).

The college is known for its expert tutors, which is reflected in the students’ comments, saying that staff are good at explaining things (91.18%) and made the subject interesting (85.29%). The practical nature of the courses is also reflected by students stating that my
course has provided me with opportunities to apply what I have learnt (88.24%).

Every year, the National Student Survey provides colleges, universities and other institutions with the opportunity to receive feedback from their students on key aspects of the learning experience.

The NSS is commissioned by the Office for Students (OfS) and is carried out by the OfS on
behalf of the UK funding and regulatory bodies. NSS 2021 collected responses from
more than 332,500 students from 397 higher education institutions in England,
Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Scientists from St Petersburg University discover at the Dead Sea a mineral previously only known in meteorites

Posted on by Alina Perevizintsova

Scientists from St Petersburg University, in cooperation with researchers from Germany, USA and Italy, have discovered terrestrial allabogdanite, (Fe,Ni)2P. It is a mineral that, until now, has been found only in the extraterrestrial substance of meteorites. The discovery was made in the vicinity of the Dead Sea, in the historical region of the South Levant in the Middle East. The research was supported by the Russian Science Foundation and published in American Mineralogist.

The general view of the rock with allabogdanite-barringerite association. © Mineralogical Society of America.

Allabogdanite was first reported in the early 2000s from the Onello – a small iron meteorite recovered from the gold placer at the Bolshoi Dolguchan River in Eastern Yakutia. Chemically, the mineral belongs to phosphides – the compounds containing phosphorus in a negative oxidation state. It was named in honour of the crystallographer Alla Bogdanova. Since that, allabogdanite was identified in several iron meteorites.

The recent discovery at the Dead Sea is the first confirmation of the mineral on Earth. Allabogdanite was detected in the course of a systematic study of terrestrial phosphides from the Dead Sea region.

“Our research included the experiments on phase transitions of terrestrial allabogdanite at high pressure and high temperature at the DESY synchrotron light source in Germany,” said Sergey Britvin, the main author of the article, Professor in the Department of Crystallography at St Petersburg University.

“It has been found that terrestrial allabogdanite could be formed at pressures exceeding 25 gigapascals that corresponds to ca. 250 kbar. Such high pressures on Earth can be attained during catastrophic collisions with large meteorite impactors, or at the Earth’s mantle conditions, at a depth of more than 500 kilometres. However, the discovery of terrestrial allabogdanite is associated with the surface rocks of the Hatrurim Formation (also known as the Mottled Zone) in the Negev Desert in Israel. This is the area where natural cyclophosphates have been recently discovered, ” added Professor Sergey.

The Mottled Zone, or the Hatrurim Formation. (a) Areas of outcrops of the Mottled Zone (brown spots) in the South Levant. The largest territories are the Hatrurim basin (Israel) and the Daba-Siwaqa complex (Jordan). (b) The Hatrurim Basin in the Negev Desert, Israel, and the Halamish bed – the location of associations containing allabogdanite. © Mineralogical Society of America

Professor Sergey Britvin added that the discovery of allabogdanite in the historical region of the South Levant in the Middle East raises many questions related to the formation conditions of surficial rocks in this region.

Despite the fact that allabogdanite was discovered in meteorite almost 20 years ago, it was only in 2008 that it was shown that the mineral belongs to the indicators of high pressure. The results of current research evidence that terrestrial allabogdanite is a metastable high pressure phase. It was formed as a result of transformation from another mineral – barringerite, and was preserved under normal conditions as a result of quenching – an abrupt release of temperature and pressure.

East view of the Hatrurim Basin, Israel. © Mineralogical Society of America

‘This way excludes the possibility of allabogdanite formation as an intermediate phase from the elements under atmospheric pressure. This, in turn, raises a number of key questions regarding the origin of rocks in the Mottled Zone. Until now, no evidence for the large meteorite collisions or the rocks having Earth’s mantle origin has been found in the South Levant. However, such evidence might have been ‘erased’ from the Earth’s surface as a result of later processes of geological erosion. The discovery of allabogdanite justifies the necessity of further research in this direction,’ said Professor Sergey Britvin.

The research is supported by the grant from the Russian Science Foundation (project No 18-17-00079).

TUS scientists identify mefloquine as a promising drug against COVID-19

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

In the fight against COVID-19, scientists have been scanning their arsenals of previously used drugs in hopes of finding any that can be used to treat the disease. One of the contenders under scrutiny, an anti-malarial drug called mefloquine shows great promise, according to a new breakthrough study by a team of Japanese scientists, perhaps giving us a better fighting chance.

In a breakthrough study, a team of scientists—comprising Dr. Koichi Watashi, Kaho Shionoya, Masako Yamasaki, Dr. Hirofumi Ohashi, Dr. Shin Aoki, Dr. Kouji Kuramochi, and Dr. Tomohiro Tanaka from Tokyo University of Science (along with scientists from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, Kyushu University, The University of Tokyo, Kyoto University, Japanese Foundation for Cancer Research, and Science Groove Inc.)—have identified an anti-malarial drug, mefloquine (which is incidentally a derivative of hydrochloroquine), that is effective against SARS-CoV-2. Their findings are published
in Frontiers in Microbiology.

Detailing their modus operandi, lead scientist in the team Dr. Watashi says, “To identify drugs with higher antiviral potency than existing antivirals, we first screened approved
anti-parasitic/anti-protozoal drugs. We found that mefloquine had the highest anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity among the tested compounds. Upon testing it against other quinoline derivatives, such as hydrochloroquine, in a cell line mimicking the cell-based environments of human lung cells, we found it to be better.”

The team further explored mefloquine’s mechanism of action. Dr. Watashi explains the process, “In our cell assays, mefloquine readily reduced the viral RNA levels when applied at the viral entry phase but showed no activity during virus-cell attachment. This shows that mefloquine is effective on SARS-COV-2 entry into cells after attachment on cell
surface.”

Thus, to bolster mefloquine’s anti-viral activity, the scientists looked into the possibility of combining it with a drug that inhibits the replication step of SARS-CoV-2: Nelfinavir. Interestingly, they observed that the two drugs acted in “synergy” and the drug combination showed greater anti-viral activity than either showed alone, without being toxic to the cells in the cell lines themselves.

The scientists also mathematically modelled the effectiveness of mefloquine to predict its potential real-world impact if applied to treat COVID-19. What they predicted was that mefloquine could reduce the overall viral load in affected patients to under 7% and shorten the ‘time-till-virus-elimination’ by 6.1 days.

This study must of course be succeeded by clinical trials, but the world can hope that mefloquine becomes a drug used to effectively treat patients with COVID-19.

UiTM comes to the assistance of the underprivileged through 2021 Qaseh Ramadhan Program

Posted on by Ts Dr Rajeswari Raju

In the month of Ramadan, UiTM Terengganu Branch lecturers of Kuala Terengganu Campus have taken the initiative to organize the Qaseh Ramadhan Program on the last day of school, 6th May of 2021 at two primary schools around Chendering, namely SK Kubang Ikan and SK Chendering. This initiative was taken to alleviate the burden of the needy from these two schools as well as to cheer up their Aidilfitri celebrations. This Qaseh Ramadhan 2021 program is the fifth program held to celebrate the less fortunate around the UiTM Kuala Terengganu campus.

A total of 45 families from SK Kubang Ikan and SK Chendering have received donations in the form of cash and various kitchen items such as rice, sugar, cooking oil, cookies, healthy drinks, juices, wheat flour and others in preparation for the upcoming Aidilfitri through the fund. Contribution of the Qaseh Ramadhan Program was launched at the three campuses
of UiTM Terengganu Branch, namely Kuala Terengganu Campus, Dungun Campus and
Bukit Besi Campus.

An internal contribution fund was launched for two weeks from 18-29 April 2021 to fund this program. A total of RM11,590.00 of donations from academic and non-academic staff was successfully collected. A total of RM6190.00 has been allocated for the purchase of kitchen items while RM5400.00 was distributed in cash to 45 families to enable them to buy raw materials to be cooked on Eid.

It is hoped that this assistance will lessen the burden of recipients who are orphans, single mothers, the disabled and families severely affected by the Covid-19 pandemic which has not yet fully recovered as well as bring UiTM closer to the hearts of the local community.

This good deed was a collaboration effort from UiTM Terengganu campus with guidance from Puan Nor Jawanees Ahmad Hanafiahas the Chairman of the Qaseh Ramadhan 2021 Program with her 20 committee members, and support from the UiTM Terengganu Rector, Prof Ts Dr Mazidah Puteh and UiTM Kuala Terengganu Deputy Rector, Assoc Prof Wan Dorishah Wan Abdul Manan.

KNU Medical School professor develops a technology that can diagnose colon cancer with 96% accuracy

Posted on by Kyungpook National University ‏‏‎ ‎

A research team involving Jun Seok Park, a professor of Medicine at Kyungpook National University, has developed an “exosome analysis method in the blood that can diagnose colon cancer using electrochemical-based sensors.”

Professor Jun Seok Park conducted joint research with Jong Min Park, a Chemistry major at Kangwon National University, and Hak Ho Lee, a Medical professor at Harvard University in the U.S., and analyzed and combined colon cancer-specific protein markers (EpCAM, EGFR, CD24, GPA33) and diagnosed colon cancer with 96% accuracy.

Furthermore, the team used immunomagnetic electrochemical analysis to analyze the exosomal protein markers in a small amount of blood in just one hour. This method is a next-generation diagnostic technology that can overcome the long analysis time that was presented as a weakness of existing exosomal analysis technology.

Until now, a colon cancer diagnosis has been mainly done through colonoscopy, but due to the hassle of the test method, the appropriate timing of diagnosis has often been missed. However, blood analysis alone is expected to lead to early detection of colon cancer.

In addition, the research team conducted an exosome analysis using plasma samples from a total of 142 patients at Kyungpook National University’s Colon Cancer Center and found that they could predict the possibility of cancer recurrence five years later as well.

Professor Park said, “We expect that using this technology, we will be able to detect colorectal cancer early through blood tests conducted every year at health checkups.”

BSBI expands to Hamburg with Faculty of Creative Industries

Posted on by Global University Systems

Berlin School of Business and Innovation (BSBI) has today announced the opening of a new campus, expanding its presence to Hamburg.

The new premises, located in the second-largest city in Germany, will host BSBI’s Faculty of Creative Industries, in collaboration with its accredited awarding university partner, the
University for the Creative Arts (UCA).

The new faculty will expand BSBI’s portfolio with a selection of programmes in animation, graphic design and illustration. The programmes, awarded by UCA and taught by BSBI tutors, will allow students to receive UK recognised qualifications while studying in Germany.

Professor Dr Kyriakos Kouveliotis, Provost and Chief Academic Officer at BSBI, said: “This is a momentous occasion for BSBI, as we continue to expand our offering and grow our portfolio. With the addition of quality and career-oriented programmes in the creative arts, we aim to broaden our horizons and continue to become a leading institution in Germany.”

UCA is a top creative specialist university in the UK, holding ‘Gold’ status in the Teaching Excellence and Student Outcomes Framework (TEF). BSBI first partnered with the UK-based institution in October 2020, introducing undergraduate programmes in business and management, digital marketing and social media.

Dr Simon Macklin, Pro-Vice-Chancellor, University for the Creative Arts, said, “Our partnership with BSBI continues to flourish and we look forward to making more courses available to students soon. The faculty’s new home, in Hamburg – a city known for its cultural and creative scene – is perfectly located for students to experience and embed themselves in the creative industries.“

This new development in the collaboration offers students the opportunity to access prestigious flagship courses designed for aspiring professionals in the creative industries.

Liz Fernando, Head of Academic Operations Arts at BSBI, commented, “Hamburg is a well-renowned hub of creative arts in Germany and a major European science, research and education hub with several universities and institutions.

“Our new campus is therefore well positioned to deliver these innovative programmes to budding creative minds and to support the growing industry with talented graduates. Thanks to UCA’s expertise, we are able to deliver a quality educational experience to domestic and international students in Germany.”

BSBI Hamburg campus is located in the famous Otto von Bahrenpark area, a landmark in
the city. The area is now a modern business park, preserving historical buildings while serving as a perfect backdrop for a modern, exciting and inspiring creative campus.

To mark the opening of its Hamburg campus, BSBI is launching the ‘BSBI Portfolio Scholarship Competition’. Students applying for the October 2021 intake will have the opportunity to secure full scholarship and partial scholarships for up to 50% of the tuition fees by submitting their artistic portfolio, to be reviewed by a panel of experts, by Friday 13 August.

Thammasat University researcher wins National Outstanding Researcher in Philosophy of 2021

Posted on by Thammasat University

National Research Council of Thailand announced the 2021 National Outstanding Researcher Award winners. Professor Watchara Ngamchitcharoen from the Faculty of Liberal Arts, Thammasat University has been named as the national outstanding researcher in Philosophy.

Professor Watchara Ngamchitcharoen said that he took an interest in Buddhism since childhood. He began researching Buddhism in 2003.

He has created nine research papers mainly related to Buddhism in 3 dimensions: concept, teaching or principle, application of principles in today’s world, reforming, developing and solving problems related to monks. He expressed he is very proud to have received this award.