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Year: 2021

New screening method could lead to microbe-based replacements for chemical pesticide replacement

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Some nonpathogenic microorganisms can stimulate plant immune responses without
damaging the plants, which allows them to act like plant vaccines, but screening microorganisms for such properties has traditionally been time-consuming and expensive.

Associate Professor Toshiki Furuya and Professor Kazuyuki Kuchitsu of Tokyo University of Science and their colleagues decided to develop a screening strategy involving cultured
plant cells. A description of their method appears in a paper recently published in Scientific Reports.

The first step in this screening strategy involves incubating the candidate microorganism together with BY-2 cells, which are tobacco plant cells known for their rapid and stable growth rates. The next step is to treat the BY-2 cells with cryptogein, which is a protein secreted by fungus-like pathogenic microorganisms that can elicit immune responses from tobacco plants.

A key part of the cryptogein-induced immune responses is the production of a class of chemicals called reactive oxygen species (ROS), and scientists can easily measure cryptogein-induced ROS production and use it as a metric for evaluating the effects of the nonpathogenic microorganisms.

To put it simply, an effective pretreatment agent will increase the BY-2 cells’ ROS production levels (i.e., cause the cells to exhibit stronger immune system activation) in response to cryptogein exposure.

To test the practicability of their screening strategy, Dr. Furuya and his colleagues used the strategy on 29 bacterial strains isolated from the interior of the Japanese mustard spinach plant (Brassica rapa var. perviridis), and they found that 8 strains boosted cryptogein-induced ROS production.

They then further tested those 8 strains by applying them to the root tips of seedlings from the Arabidopsis genus, which contains species commonly used as model organisms for studies of plant biology. Interestingly, 2 of the 8 tested strains induced whole-plant resistance to bacterial pathogens.

Based on the proof-of-concept findings concerning those 2 bacterial strains, Dr Furuya proudly notes that his team’s screening method “can streamline the acquisition of microorganisms that activate the immune system of plants.”

When asked how he envisions the screening method affecting agricultural practices, he explains that he expects his team’s screening system “to be a technology that contributes to the practical application and spread of microbial alternatives to chemical pesticides.”

In time, the novel screening method developed by Dr Furuya and team may make it significantly easier for crop scientists to create greener agricultural methods that rely on the defence mechanisms that plants themselves have evolved over millions of years.

TPU scientists propose an effective application of power transformers to reduce cost of electrical energy

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

Scientists from Tomsk Polytechnic University and Université Grenoble Alpes (France) have proposed a more accurate method for loading capability assessment of power transformers. As an example, the scientists defined the loading capability of the power transformer in Tomsk and Grenoble. The research findings are published in the International Journal of Electrical Power and Energy Systems (IF: 3,588, Q1).

The cost of a power transformer can reach a few hundred million rubles that makes it the most expensive element of an electrical grid. Therefore, power engineers tend to use the loading capability of transformers in full. The method proposed by the TPU scientists can help to operate power transformers closer to their thermal limit. It will allow operators to control power systems of higher transfer capability, grid electricity suppliers to postpone investment to change power transformers, end-users to use cheaper electrical energy.

“Nominal rating of most kinds of power transformers is designed for an ambient air temperature of 20°C. Nevertheless, the ambient air temperature is inconstant and changes during a day, month, year. Due to the temperature changes, the actual admissible loading of a transformer can be either higher or lower than its nominal rating.

In both cases, the admissible loading has to meet four limitations: current of a transformer, the hot-spot temperature of a winding, a top-oil temperature and thermal wear of insulation. The existing methods of the admissible loading assessment do not take into consideration all of these limitations simultaneously, as well as admissible short-term overloading of transformers in normal operating conditions,” Ildar Daminov, a postgraduate of TPU and Université Grenoble Alpes, a co-author of the article, explains.

The TPU researchers proposed a feasible region method. Due to this method, using the full-scale current, the winding and oil temperatures, it is possible to calculate the entire region of admissible loadings. Moreover, besides the characteristics, it is enough to know only the air temperature to calculate the region of admissible loadings. It allows defining admissible long-term loadings and admissible short-term overloadings of transformers taking into account practically all possible load profiles.

As a calculation example, the scientists defined the loading capability of an ONAF transformer based on the analysis results of the ambient air temperature in Tomsk and Grenoble during the last 35 years. The results showed that depending on the air temperature, the loading limit of the researched transformer can surpass its nominal rating on average from 15% to 45% in Tomsk and from 5% to 41% in Grenoble. Furthermore, the loading capability of the transformer in Tomsk can surpass the nominal rating for 88,5% of the time (even without taking into account admissible short-term overloading), as cold Siberian climate allows effectively withdraw heat from power transformers. This indicator is lower and equal to 79% in Grenoble.

“The power transformer researched by us is designed based on International Standard IEC 60076-7. It operates using rather universal thermal characteristics, which in general meet a variety of transformers. Hence, the research findings can be applied to transformers of alternative design,”

Anton Prokhorov, Associate Professor of the TPU Division for Power and Electrical Engineering, a co-author of the article, says.

As a result, the scientists listed recommendations on transformer overloading. Thus, it is admissible to increase loading to 120°C during 26 days per year or to 140°C during two weeks for a transformer with a winding temperature of 98°C in normal operating conditions. Transformers with a standard temperature of 110°C can be overloaded to 120°C during 98 days per year or to 140°C during 20 days per year.

NSTDA collaborates with TU to drive Industry and Research towards international standards

Posted on by Thammasat University

Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) represented by the NCTC: NSTDA Characterization and Testing Service Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), held a press conference on MOU signing ceremony for scientific instrument analysis and testing between NSTDA and the Advanced Science and Technology, Thammasat University to enhance the bilateral approaches and services.

Dr. Ladawan Krasaechon, Deputy Director of NSTDA and Associate Professor Gasinee Witoonchart, Acting Rector of Thammasat University signed the MOU for scientific instrument testing to enhance the bilateral approaches and services .

Dr. Ladawan Krasaechon, Deputy Director of NSTDA, said, “NSTDA under MHESI is an organization that aims to enhance the practical research, development, design and engineering and promote the human resource development as well as the vital scientific and technological infrastructure with the National Quality Infrastructure (NQI) to allow Thai standard to be consistent with international standards through the NCTC, which is a provider of international standard characterization and testing.”

Dr Ladawan continued, “NCTC is the central laboratory of NSTDA that supports research and provide analysis, testing and development services with various techniques (share use-related) which mitigates the redundant burden of NSTDA and Thailand’s investment on equipment. It aims to provide the characterization and testing services according to the standards, support research and high-value product development as the operational center for the development and promotion of scientific and technological characterization and testing services with modern equipment, control of the laboratory quality system to meet the international standard ISO / IEC17025 for the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness.”

NSTDA and the private sectors in Thailand Science Park as well as related networks and partners currently focus on the analysis and testing of products for reliability. Thus, the characterization and testing service has been developed with modern scientific instruments providing the international standard accreditation for private and public agencies, including ISO standards, Thailand Industrial Standards (TIS) and other specific standards. NSTDA covers testing instruments for various industries providing support on the studies by researchers and modern scientific equipment and developing high-value products for the public and private sectors in many industries.

“It would be impossible to successfully promote NSTDA’s research, analysis, testing and services to meet international standards without cooperation and collaboration with educational institutions of advanced research centers. This will also increase opportunities to develop the laboratory standards, making Thailand’s research and analysis and testing development meet the international standards and encourage the integration of expertise from various fields which results in products that improve the quality of life and drive the national knowledge-based economy,” said Dr Ladawan Krasaechon, Deputy Director of NSTDA.

Associate Professor Gasinee Witoonchart, Acting Rector of Thammasat University, said,  “This MOU signing ceremony with the Advanced Science and Technology, Thammasat University which included for the Center of Scientific Equipment for Advanced Research, Drug Discovery and Development Center, Laboratory Animal Center, Centre of Intellectual Property and Business Incubator which was the central units of Thammasat University that provide services.”

“This cooperation would give opportunities for both organizations on analysis and testing and bilateral cooperation in the development of method and services with scientific instruments, interpersonal knowledge integration. The application of tools and resources could be efficient and flexible in management leading to innovation that will benefit the national development,” Associate Professor Gasinee Witoonchart concluded.

UiTMLaw expert proposes better regulation for insects as food item in Malaysia

Posted on by ilyanailias

On 17th March 2021, Associate Professor Dr Sheela Jayabalan from the Faculty of Law, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia (UiTMLaw) was invited to share her expert insight on food security in a webinar organised by the committee members of the International Journal of Regional, Rural and Remote Law and Policy, a journal issued by the University New England, Australia.

The theme of the webinar was ‘Legal Development Paths for Food, New Food and Food Innovations: Challenges and Proposals for Food Security from a Regional, Rural and Remote Law and Policy Perspective’.

In conjunction with the webinar’s theme, Associate Professor Dr Sheela Jayabalan presented on the area of entomophagy entitled ‘Old or New Food, Its time for a Better Food Regulation for Insects as Food in Malaysia’.

She highlighted that insects are thought of as pests most of the time rather than as a source of food. Nonetheless, insects have been known to be eaten by natives from all over the world, including Malaysia.

“Even during prehistoric times, entomophagy was regarded as a common practice among royalties. Insects have also been consumed, unwittingly, as impurities. It is an exciting fact that eating insects is currently being considered an alternate source of food to avert food insecurity, especially in developing countries. On the other hand, in some developed countries, for example, in the European Union countries, insects are thought of as a novel food,” she said.

 

Regardless of whether entomophagy is considered an alternate source of food or novel food, Associate Professor Dr Sheela Jayabalan stressed the significance of legal intervention to regulate insects as food in Malaysia. The regulation should encompass the aspects of breeding, harvesting, packaging and safety standards. She concluded that it is high time to strengthen the country’s legal framework on food security, particularly on alternative food, to ensure resilient and sustainable food security in the long run.

 

SMU computing dons receive global recognition for outstanding contributions in software engineering and artificial intelligence

Posted on by Teo Chang Ching

Professor David Lo and Associate Professor Akshat Kumar from the School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS) have been recognised for their outstanding contributions and accomplishments in the fields of software engineering and artificial intelligence respectively.

Professor David Lo has been awarded the 2021 IEEE CS TCSE Distinguished Service Award for his extensive and outstanding service to the software engineering community in his many roles in major software engineering conferences and journals. He is the first in Singapore and second in Asia to have received this prestigious award.

The IEEE Computer Society is the world’s largest professional organisation devoted to computer science, and the Technical Council on Software Engineering (TCSE) is the voice of software engineering within the IEEE and the Computer Society. TCSE aims to advance awareness of software engineering and to support education and training through conferences, workshops, and other professional activities that contribute to the growth and enrichment of software engineering academics and professionals.

Associate Professor Akshat Kumar has been named a Senior Member of the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence (AAAI). He is among the nine worldwide to achieve this recognition, and the only academic in Singapore and Asia to be named among the 2021 Honourees.

Senior Member status is designed to recognise AAAI members who have achieved significant accomplishments within the field of artificial intelligence. To be eligible for nomination for Senior Member, candidates must be consecutive members of AAAI for at least five years and have been active in the professional arena for at least ten years.

AAAI is a scientific society devoted to advancing the scientific understanding of the mechanisms underlying thought and intelligent behaviour and their embodiment in machines. It aims to promote research in, and responsible use of, artificial intelligence.

Professor Lo said, “I am honoured and humbled to receive the 2021 IEEE CS TCSE Distinguished Service Award. I would like to thank the hundreds of colleagues whom I have worked with in conference and journal organizations and to SCIS and SMU for their support. It has been a fun and rewarding journey to work together with many wonderful colleagues in SCIS, SMU, Singapore, and from across the globe to co-organize more than 30 international conferences. I especially fondly remember the conferences that were held at the SMU campus. Thank you very much SCIS and SMU for supporting these events!”

Prof Lo’s research is at the intersection of software engineering and data science, also known as software analytics, encompassing socio-technical aspects, and analysis of different kinds of software artefacts such as code, execution traces, bug reports, Q&A posts, user feedback, and developer networks, and the interplay between them. He designs data science solutions that transform passive data into tools that improve developer productivity and system quality, and generate new insights.

Prof Lo has published more than 400 papers in refereed conferences and journals. His research work has created impact in several ways. Collectively, they have attracted much interest from the research community and inspired many subsequent studies that push the frontiers of knowledge in the areas of software engineering and data science. This is evidenced by the more than 16,000 citations listed on Google Scholar, corresponding to an H-index of 71.

In addition to his current line of research work on software analytics, Prof Lo is keen to solve an emerging problem — how best to adapt software engineering processes and tools that are currently used to design conventional software for AI system development. AI is advancing rapidly and has been, or will be, incorporated into many systems that humans interact with daily, such as self-driving cars. His immediate future goal is to investigate and characterise the limits of current best practices and tools to AI system development, and design novel solutions that address those limitations.

Associate Professor Akshat Kumar said, “I am greatly honoured to be selected as a Senior Member of AAAI. I am fortunate enough to have great mentors, students, and collaborators over the course of my career, and an intellectually stimulating work environment at SMU’s School of Computing and Information Systems. I am very thankful for their continued support and collaboration which are invaluable for my research and academic career.”

Prof Kumar’s research is in the area of planning and decision making under uncertainty with a focus on multiagent systems and urban system optimisation. His work addresses our rapidly interconnected society and urban environments, from personal digital assistants to self-driving taxi fleets and autonomous ships, and develops computational techniques that will allow such complex ecosystem of autonomous agents to operate in a coordinated fashion. Over the past few years, Prof Kumar’s work has addressed various challenges in such diverse urban settings as scalability to thousands of agents, uncertainty and partial observability, and resource-constrained optimisation.

In addition to academic contributions, Prof Kumar also participated in the Fujitsu-SMU Urban Computing and Engineering Corporate Lab from 2014-2019. He along with his collaborators have designed maritime simulators and novel intelligent scheduling algorithms that can coordinate vessel traffic in Singapore Straits for better safety of navigation. Such simulators and approaches are based on studying the real  location data for ships that enter Singapore waters over a large period of time. Results of such studies have appeared in leading AI conferences.

Prior to joining the School of Information Systems (former name of SCIS) in 2014, Prof Kumar was a research scientist at the IBM research lab in New Delhi. He obtained his Bachelor degree from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati, India, and his Masters and PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst, all in computer science.

Over his decade long career in AI, Prof Kumar has published more than 40 papers in
refereed conferences and journals.

Prof Kumar’s work has received numerous awards including the Best Dissertation Award at the International Conference on Automated Planning and Scheduling (ICAPS 2014), and a runner-up award at International Conference on Autonomous Agents and Multiagent Systems (AAMAS 2013). His work has also received the Outstanding Application Paper Award at ICAPS 2014, and the Best Paper Award in the 2017 AAAI Conference on Artificial Intelligence in the computational sustainability track. All these conferences are among the top-tier conferences in the field of AI.

At SMU, he has been awarded the Lee Kong Chian Fellowship in 2017 for his sustained research contributions at SMU. On his future research, Prof Kumar sees multiagent systems becoming more and more relevant with the adoption of internet-of-things. He is particularly excited by several research challenges which arise with such unprecedented connectivity, such as dealing with the problem of scale, ensuring safe co-habitation of humans and autonomous agents, and ensuring coordination in the presence of both cooperating and competing agents.

IBAT secures government funding for Cyber Security for Managers programme

Posted on by Global University Systems

IBAT College Dublin, Ireland’s leading enterprise-focused third level institution, has successfully secured government funding to provide its Cyber Security for Managers course for free to people who are not working and looking for a different career path in Ireland. Potential students who are employed will have access to a 90% subsidy on the course.

Following a competitive tender coordinated by the Higher Education Authority in Ireland on behalf of the Government of Ireland, the funding is in recognition of the
qualification being determined, by an expert panel, as a programme in an area where there are employment opportunities in the economy. Under the 2021 call for the Springboard+ upskilling initiative in higher education, 294 courses were approved for funding across 34 providers.

“We are delighted to have been chosen to run the Cyber Security for Managers course,” says Joe Gorey, Principal at IBAT College Dublin. “Cyber security is very much a hot topic as can be seen in the amount of media coverage around the world and is vital in ensuring the smooth running of everything from a range of industries, through the defence, to banking and online shopping.”

To qualify for a free Springboard+ course, potential students must be unemployed, actively seeking work and available to take up work. For those already employed, course fees are subsidised up to 90% for courses at levels 7, 8 and 9 on the National Framework of Qualifications.

“We have been approved for 35 fully-funded places on the Cyber Security for Managers course,” says Joe Gorey. “This certificate will furnish managers across multiple disciplines with the awareness and level of expertise required to help identify potential weaknesses, act quickly in the event of an attack or system being compromised and how to deal with the aftermath of such an event.”

IBAT College currently has three complementary cyber courses, the 12-week online Diploma in Cyber and Digital Security, the 10-month Online Cyber Professional course and the online Diploma in CompTIA Security+.

The first intake of students receiving the funding will be in September 2021 and will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

Established in 2004, IBAT College Dublin offers undergraduate, postgraduate, English language courses and professional education within a state-of-the-art learning
environment across a range of subject areas including business, accounting, ICT and management.

Lingnan’s successes highlight its commitment to the UN SDGs

Posted on by Editorial Team

Lingnan University ranked 33rd globally in “International Faculty”, and advanced 48 places in “International Students” in the latest QS World University Rankings 2022. The rankings affirmed that internationalisation in research and student learning is a core dimension of the University’s whole-person approach to a quality Liberal Arts education. Lingnan was also judged “very high” in research intensity, the highest of the benchmarks in the internationally recognised ranking exercise.

Lingnan University also saw success in the latest Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), organised by the University Grants Committee (UGC), which oversees Hong Kong’s publicly funded universities. For the RAE, the UGC utilises international benchmarks to assess the strengths of universities in Hong Kong, with a view to encouraging world-class research. More than 50 per cent of the research projects submitted by Lingnan were rated “world leading” or “internationally excellent”.

The latest RAE assessed two new categories: research impact and environment. Lingnan is dedicated to serving the community and responding to social needs with impactful research and knowledge transfer activities, and the University’s efforts in these areas have been validated by the results. Lingnan’s commitment to “Impact with Care” means that LU’s research is geared towards providing real-world benefits to communities, and to the betterment of society.

With this in mind, Lingnan’s research is also committed to advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The 17 SDGs provide a blueprint for peace and prosperity across the globe. The success of Lingnan’s researchers in the RAE highlights how the University is reflecting the SDGs.

The “Reduced Inequalities” SDG was addressed in “Applying Innovative education practices to combat inequality in education”. Education inequality is still a pressing problem in Chinese society. The research team at Lingnan University’s Department of Economics designed and executed a series of projects in collaboration with local education bureaus in China to solve this problem. The team co-organised a series of studies in Hunan Province, China, and the outcomes of these studies attracted the attention of the local government regarding their future plans for education.

Research by Professor Siu Oi-ling, Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, reflected the “Good health and Wellbeing” SDG. In “Application of occupational health psychology theories, and evidence-based interventions, to reduce work stress and improve the workplace”, Prof Siu used occupational health psychology theories and practices to conduct empirical research to reduce stress caused by work and improve safety in Hong Kong. Researchers conducted three training programmes with teachers. As a result of the programmes, teachers reported fewer physical and psychological complaints

The “Peace, Justice and Institutions” SDG was reflected in the research project “Restoration of trust in the administration and the judiciary in Ukraine”. Research by Professor Roman David from Lingnan’s Department of Sociology and Social Policy provided crucial assistance to Ukraine’s national legislators, Supreme Court judges, Ministry of Justice, Bar Association, journalists, and civil society groups in crafting legal options to restore trust in the state of Ukraine from 2014 to 2016.

Scientists develop the coatings for titanium implants to fasten osseointegration

Posted on by 5100spbstu

Researchers from Peter the Great St.Petersburg Polytechnic University (SPbPU) in collaboration with colleagues from St. Petersburg State University developed the coatings for titanium implants, which accelerate the implantation of the implant material into the bone
tissue.

“We have developed a method for applying a thin (nanometer size) and uniform titanium oxide coating on titanium carcass structures, which can be used as an implant. The experiments demonstrated that the coatings fasten the implants osseintegration” notes Dr. Maximov of High School of Materials Physics and Technologies, Institute of Mechanical Engineering, Materials and Transport SPbPU.

He explained that the researchers tested the properties of a range of titanium implant coatings, differing in composition, thickness, and structure. The coatings were applied by atomic layer deposition (ALD) in special vacuum equipment. After the modification of the implants, the successful studies were carried out on cells in vitro, and then in vivo
(on experimental animals).

“Currently we started applying silver nanoparticles on the surface of titanium since this chemical element obtains useful antibacterial properties and should reduce the risk of implant rejection. However, to use the silver coatings freely, it is necessary to adjust the conditions and the general method of obtaining the material,” said Dr. Nazarov of the Research Park, St. Petersburg State University.

According to scientists, an important part of the study is to select the size and morphology of nanoparticles thus not causing toxic effects of silver on living cells and at the same time preserving the beneficial properties of the previously developed coating. The research and
development of new materials are carried out within the framework of the SPbPU State Assignment No. 0784-2020-0022 and Russian Science Foundation (RSF) Grant No. 20- 73-00067.

LETI developes a new function to verify encrypted messages

Posted on by Saint Petersburg Electrotechnical University

Researchers of ETU “LETI” and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki have created a new algorithm for constructing hash functions. Taking advantage of chaos theory and adaptive symmetry, the scientists made it harder to break than existing solutions. The results of the study are published in the Chaos, Solitons & Fractals journal.

A hash function is a mathematical function designed to convert some message or data, such as a password, into a bit array called a hash. This way, the system processes code that is unique to each message. It is essentially a way to verify encoded messages, impossible to decrypt unambiguously. For example, when we enter a password in a system that uses hash functions, the server receives not the text of our password itself but its bit array. If it matches the sequence on the server, then we log in to our account. The point is that if intruders intercept our message, they won’t get the plain text of our password but the bit array, which they won’t be able to decrypt correctly.

Hash functions are used in many areas: data encryption, electronic signatures, cryptocurrencies, data sorting and compression. In modern cryptography, one of the most promising areas is chaotic hash functions based on chaos theory. This theory describes the dynamics of nonlinear systems in which changes in initial conditions lead to unpredictable consequences. Such systems include mechanical devices like a double pendulum, atmospheric phenomena models, population dynamics, and even some social processes. But since we need as random a sequence of bits as possible for hashing data, the use of chaotic systems with confusion and diffusion property facilitates this process, enhancing data security. The researchers from ETU “LETI” studied existing chaotic hash functions and developed their improved version.

“Unlike other solutions based on classical chaotic maps, we used modifications with adaptive symmetry. The use of discrete maps with controlled symmetry expands the key space and, consequently, the cryptographic strength of the obtained hash functions. The symmetry of the maps becomes an additional key in their construction while having little effect on the chaotic behavior of the system,” says Alexandra Tutueva, a Ph.D. student at the Department of Computer Aided Design Systems of ETU “LETI.”

After constructing the hash function, scientists have tested it thoroughly. Like any other counterparts, it must have certain properties of cryptographic hash functions. First of all, the authors analyzed the performance – how quickly the input data (keys) is converted into a bit array and back. For comparison, they used the known standard SHA-3 (Keccak) hash function and several currently existing chaotic functions. The development of ETU “LETI” researchers showed a speed of 0.9 Gbit/s, comparable with analogues.

The function also successfully passed the birthday attack test. This method is used in cryptanalysis to break ciphers. It is based on the birthday paradox. For example, in a group of 23 people, the probability that two of them will have the same birthday is greater than the probability that each of these people will have unique birthdays. That seems counterintuitive, but the math shows otherwise. Using this paradox, attackers try to discover the same bit arrays for two different source messages. So scammers using hash functions can send one contract to sign with e-signature, but the victim will end up signing two contracts with different contents at once. However, the scientists have established that for the new function it is enough to generate messages of at least 128 bits in length to prevent the attack. This way, the probability of a bit array match is minimized.

The authors also confirmed the avalanche effect of the function. It means that changes in the original data lead to changes in hashes. The researchers created a text message and then ran it through a hash function, obtaining a specific bit array. They then changed the length and meaning of the original texts and hashed those messages. The result was completely different bit sequences, indicating that the function worked correctly.

The new chaotic hash function passed all the tests and showed its reliability and efficiency. According to scientists, it can be used in cryptography as a more secure version of data transmission. Also, the new function can be the basis for a mechanism that creates realistic models of objects of fractal structure in computer graphics and solid-state modeling – for example, for the generation of clouds and mountains, the surface of the sea, the tensions within solids, and much more.

Head Trauma: Towards a new treatment

Posted on by Taipei Medical University

An international collaboration (NeuroTMULille international laboratory) between Taipei Medical University (Ouada Nebie, Thierry Burnouf) and Lille Neuroscience & Cognition (David Blum, David Devos, Luc Buée) just published in the journal “Brain” that the complex pathological consequences of TBI can be alleviated by the delivery of a Human Platelet Lysate (HPL) specifically formulated for brain administration.

The published work demonstrated that HPL improved motor function, mitigated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress in the injured cortical area and reduced synaptic alterations in two mouse models of TBI. “This platelet biotherapy would represent a treatment addressing the multiple physio-pathological causes of TBI and avoid progression towards neurodegenerative processes” David Blum commented on the findings.

HPL are composed of a balanced composition of protective neurotrophic factors with the capacity to activate multiple biological protective pathways and represent a novel therapeutic approach in regenerative medicine. They are prepared from platelet concentrates collected by whole blood donations or apheresis procedures from healthy donors. Platelet concentrates, the source of the human platelet lysates, are essential medicine according to the WHO, and are available worldwide, meeting stringent quality and safety criteria in many countries.

“Our results suggest the importance of a careful formulation of human platelet lysates to ensure optimal safety and efficacy for brain administration. The potential, yet to be confirmed in humans, to deliver this product by the intranasal route opens extremely exciting prospects in the treatment of neurological diseases,” commented Thierry Burnouf.

“The potential, yet to be confirmed in humans, to deliver this product by the intranasal route opens extremely exciting prospects in the treatment of a range of brain neurological diseases. It is now vital to move into further pre-clinical assessment and carefully controlled and monitored clinical studies, ” added Thierry Burnouf.