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Month: September 2022

UiTM co-organises state-level World Food Safety Day 2022 celebration in Negeri Sembilan

Posted on by Mawaddah Binti Munif Zarriruddin Fikri, Shamsiah Binti Aziz & Eddie Ti Tjih Tan

World Food Safety Day (WFSD) is a significant milestone achieved by the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) together with the World Health Organization (WHO) in the effort to promote and raise awareness about the importance of food safety at all levels. The United Nations (UN) had designated June 7 each year as WFSD. In response to the call of the UN, a synergistic effort between Food Safety and Quality Division, Negeri Sembilan State’s Health Department (FSQD), Universiti Teknologi MARA Cawangan Negeri Sembilan (UiTMCNS) and Mydin Mohamed Holdings Berhad (MYDIN) had jointly organised the WFSD celebration on 17 July 2022.

The UN aims for WFSD to be a celebration that encourages collective actions from all parties whether government, policymakers, food businesses, suppliers, stakeholders, educational institutions as well as consumers in order to ensure the food eaten is safe and in line with the concept of ‘from farm to table’.

This matter is similarly asserted by Dato’ Dr. Harlina Bt. Abdul Rashid, the Director of Negeri Sembilan State’s Health Department, “The public or also known as consumers are the end user in the food chain, in which they have the power to ensure the food taken is clean and safe” during the WFSD 2022 event at MYDIN Mall Seremban 2.

This year, the WFSD centralises the theme “Safer Food, Better Health”. “This theme was chosen to ensure the food taken by consumers is always safe, low in contamination risks and food poisoning, thereby ensuring better health,” said Madam Jamilah Binti Salikin, the Deputy Director of Negeri Sembilan State’s Health Department, in the similar event.

The state-level WFSD celebration in Negeri Sembilan executed a few activities that can be participated by the public of all layers of age. These included food safety-related colouring contest for kids, a treasure hunt for teenagers, a cake decoration contest for students from higher institutions, and an online quiz for the public. The event also highlighted the importance of food businesses to comply with the Malaysian Food Act 1983 and related regulations by awarding 17 local food producers that are able to attain accreditation and certification under the FSQD’s Program. Besides that, awards and cash prizes were also given to the food courts that deemed to have particular qualities.

The involvement of lecturer and students of the Food Science and Technology Department, UiTMCNS Kuala Pilah Campus in co-organising the event has prevailed with positive outcomes. The students are able to boost their interventional communication, problem-solving and interpersonal skills. Not only that but students also are given opportunities to lead and contribute to decision-making in making this event feasible.

Furthermore, the event also involved exhibitions from various government agencies, including the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Negeri Sembilan, Negeri Sembilan Islamic Religious Affairs Department, Nutrition Division, Pharmacy Services Department, Oral Health Division, Public Health Division and Food Safety, and Quality Division Negeri Sembilan.

Connecting Korean culture to the world

Posted on by Chinese Culture University

Founded in 1962, the Department of Korean Language and Literature of Chinese Culture University (hereinafter referred to as CCU) is a global leading Korean program and one of the earliest establishments of Korean education and research in Taiwan, R.O.C. In its 60-year history of excellence, the Department has been a center for talent cultivation, international exchange, and dynamic research. In 1985, the Department established the first postgraduate Korean program in Taiwan, R.O.C. Currently, the Department is home to 10 full-time teachers, 8 part-time teachers, among which 44 percent is Korean natives. Our department is the most popular program in Chinese Culture University for minor and double-major students.

Currently, 426 students are enrolled in the Department’s undergraduate program, and 59 students in the postgraduate program, among which approximately 20 percent are international students from Japan, South Korea, Hong Kong, Macau, Malaysia, Indonesia etc. Our students are passionate learners of Korean language, literature, culture, history, and industry. They thrive in a friendly, diverse, and professional environment fostered jointly by the Department’s faculty and student body.

Many of our graduates go on to become Korean specialists, government employees, teachers, translators, and entrepreneurs, in a variety of industries including but not limited to business, culture, fashion, tourism, politics, international relations, and education. Our students run the Student Union of the Korean Department. They host events such as K-Pop, dance, drama contest, speech contest, BBQ day, traditional Korean folk culture day, among other exciting cultural highlights. Senior students are required to combine their specialty with the needs of our nation by taking on internships in public and private sectors. They usually serve in international airports, local police offices, KOTRA, Korea Tourism Organization, as well as museums and galleries.

The Department takes pride in its vibrant exchange students program. In Taiwan, Chinese Culture University has the most sister universities. Department of Korean has 45 sister universities in Korea. In a 2-year and 3-year students choose to become exchange students in Korea for six months or one year. Various scholarships are available for students. The Department in turn hosts overseas exchange students. Our students thus study in a highly international and diverse setting that is the second to none in Taiwan.

The graduate program of the Department of Korean Language and Literature has the most alumni in the field of Korean studies in Taiwan and is considered top-choice by native Korean postgraduate students. Korean linguistics, teaching methodology, administrative policy, history, social sciences, and literature are our strongest areas of specialty. Annually, graduate students present their research papers in the conference, in which they interact with international scholarly and peers. Graduate students also participate in the student exchange program, with roughly 50 outbound students each year. Postgraduate students foster their academic and practical skills through job opportunities such as TA, RA, and office administration assistants.

The Department is home to Center for Korean Studies, Chinese Culture University established in 2014. As a regular beneficiary of research funds from The Academy of Korean Studies, the Center holds annual events such as The Western Pacific-Asia Conference on Korean Studies and The Next Generation Korean Studies Conference. The Center also publishes a yearly book series entitled The Collected Papers of Korean Studies, which contributes to the deepening of Korean studies, connecting global Korean studies networks in China, Japan, and India, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand. The Center has close regional partnership with The Academy of Korean Studies and Hankook University of Foreign Studies, and it now becomes a leading hub for Korean Center in East and Southeast Asia regions.

We always look forward to new partnerships, research collaborations, and new friendship. We will constantly devote ourselves to the promotion of Korean studies.

EdUHK research on role of feedback orientation in converting external feedback to learning opportunities

Posted on by eduhk

Dr Yang Lan, Assistant Professor at the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, The Education University of Hong Kong, has written a book chapter entitled ‘The Role of Feedback Orientation in Converting External Feedback to Learning Opportunities for Implementing Assessment-as-Learning in the Context of Feedback’.

The chapter, which features in the book Assessment as Learning: Maximising Opportunities for Student Learning and Achievement (Z. Yan & L. Yang [Eds], Routledge, 2021), looks at students’ feedback perceptions conceptualised in a construct called feedback orientation and the links with learning opportunities. The key argument is that not all feedback can be effective.

Students have their individual differences, leading their perceptions and interpretations of feedback differently. Dr Yang’s chapter reports key findings from a systematic review to understand students’ feedback perceptions and the links with learning opportunities. It does this through the lens of Feedback Orientation, which is a construct consisting of multi-dimensions of student feedback perceptions: perceived usefulness of feedback (feedback utility), perceived capability to use feedback (feedback self-efficacy), perceived social value to use feedback to maintain and enhance student-teacher relationship (feedback social awareness), and perceived responsibility for using feedback to improve academic performance/achievement (feedback accountability). These dimensions of feedback orientation collectively determine an individual’s overall receptivity to feedback.

This systematic review expands the current scope of understanding and harnessing the power of feedback from the perspective of students. Despite the powerful influence of feedback on learning, we know little about the complexity of the feedback process in authentic learning and teaching situations from a student’s perspective to make it work more effectively in the classroom. The relationship between external feedback and students’ learning opportunities might not be linear. Evidence through meta-analytical studies indicates that students may not take on the feedback because of their perceptions towards it. If students are not internalising feedback to help them engage in learning, achieve, and create new learning opportunities, Assessment as Learning in the context of feedback does not happen. Students’ feedback orientation, therefore, plays an essential role in converting external feedback to learning opportunities to process feedback mindfully. Only when students use teacher feedback to adjust their learning strategies, learning goals and actively monitor their learning progress and achievement can they authentically practice Assessment as Learning in the context of feedback.

In summary, Dr Yang reviews and provides an evidence-based feedback ecological model showing how students can convert external feedback into learning opportunities, including productive feedback processing and learning engagement.

Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia holds Global Business, Management and Entrepreneurship Conference 2022

Posted on by UNIVERSITAS PENDIDIKAN INDONESIA

Business Education Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia in collaboration with Co-hosts, University of North Sumatra (USU), Tourism Polytechnic NHI Bandung, Indonesian Institute of Education (IPI) and University of Garut (UNIGA) held The 7th UPI Global Conference on Business, Management and Entrepreneurship (UPI-GC-BME 2022) on Monday, August 8, 2022. The UPI Global Conference on Business, Management and Entrepreneurship was officially opened by Rector Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia Prof. Dr. M. Solehuddin., M.Pd., MA.

Prof. Dr. Hj. Ratih Hurriyati, MP as the Conference Chair explained that UPI-GC-BME 2022 is the seventh conference held in order to improve and develop a strong academic culture and sustainability for lecturers, students, and practitioners globally. Prof. Dr. Eeng Ahman, M.S as the Dean of the Faculty of Economics and Business Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia explained that this conference provides an opportunity for delegates to exchange ideas and new implementation experiences, build business or research connections, and find Global Partners for future collaboration.

According to Prof. Dr. Hj. Ratih Hurriyati, MP, UPI-GC-BME 2022 took the theme: “The Utilization of Sustainable Digital Business, Entrepreneurship, and Management as a Strategic Approach in the New Normal Era” with the aim of providing a media platform for educators, researchers , scholars, managers, graduate students and business people from diverse cultural backgrounds to present and discuss their research, knowledge and innovations in the fields of business, management and entrepreneurship.

Keynote Speakers of the UPI Global Conference on Business, Management and Entrepreneurship, namely Dr. (H.C.) Ir Airlangga Hartarto, MBA, MMT, IPU as the Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs of the Republic of Indonesia. Prof. Dr. Gangqiang Zheng (Tony), M.Ed, Professor of Zhejiang Technical Institute of Economics China who discussed the Utilising Workers’ Skills for Improving Green Competitiveness to Address the Challenges of Greening of Industries. Prof. Dr. Vanessa Gaffar, S.E., Ak., MBA., CSBA, Professor of the Faculty of Economics and Business Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia who discussed Tourism & Digitalization, Strategic Approach In New Normal Era. Assoc. Prof. Affero Ismail, Ph.D, from Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Malaysia who discussed The Emerging of Metaverse in Digital Era and Dr. Indra Cahya Uno, M.Sc Founder OKe OCe and the leadership of PT. Saratoga Investama Sedaya Indonesia which discusses Independent Successful Entrepreneurs.

The conference in 2022 was led by moderator Denny Andriana, SE., PGDip., MBA., Aj., CMA., CA who is a lecturer in the Accounting Study Program, Faculty of Economics and Business Education, Universitas Pendidikan Indonesia and was attended by 304 participants both as presenters and participants. Participants of the UPI Global Conference on Business, Management and Entrepreneurship come from within and outside the country such as Ghana, Malaysia, China, Korea, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and Egypt, as well as from various regions in Indonesia. Over 181 papers were selected for a rigorous peer-review process, and these papers will be published in conference proceedings.

The participants presented their best articles on various topics in parallel sessions which presented their best articles in the fields of Organizational Behavior, Leadership & Human Resource Management, Innovation, Operations & Supply Chain Management, Marketing Management, Financial Management & Accounting, Strategic Management, Entrepreneurship & Contemporary Issues , Economic Education, and Green Business. Articles presented at this conference were selected through a rigorous peer review process with the advantage of getting a Digital Object Identifier (DOI) unit code, and will be published in two internationally reputed publishers, namely Atlantis Press, Springer Nature which has a reputation for the SCOPUS index, Web of Science, and Google Scholar.

HKBU at forefront of human-AI symbiotic art creation with innovative performance

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A pioneering and bold attempt to apply artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in the performing arts was carried out by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) in a public concert held on 14 July in Hong Kong.

The innovative performance was the first human-AI collaboration of its kind in the world, and it showcased how AI can be a creative force that can perform music, create cross-media art, and dance.

The performance was powered by the AI technologies developed by HKBU scientists under the “Building Platform Technologies for Symbiotic Creativity in Hong Kong” research project. The concert, dubbed “A Lovers’ Reunion”, was the Annual Gala Concert of the HKBU Symphony Orchestra, and it was conducted by its music director, Professor Johnny M Poon.

The research project is led by Professor Guo Yike, Vice-President (Research and Development) of HKBU, and supported by HK$52.84 million (US$6.77 million) in funding from the Theme-based Research Scheme under the Research Grants Council. Its deputy project coordinator, Professor Johnny M Poon, is the Associate Vice-President (Interdisciplinary Research) and the Founding Dean of HKBU’s School of Creative Arts.

The project team also comprises computer scientists from HKBU’s Augmented Creativity Lab. The unique mix of scientists and artists in the project team enables them to merge their cross-disciplinary knowledge and come up with sparkling ideas on how to unleash the endless possibilities of art creation with the infusion of cutting-edge technologies.

At the Concert, the project team presented a performance that marked the first time in the world that an AI choir had combined with an AI-generated visual storyteller to perform interactively with a conductor and an orchestra. The HKBU Symphony Orchestra shared the stage with an AI virtual choir to perform a newly arranged version of the song Pearl of the Orient with the voices of 320 virtual performers.

The AI virtual choir was “trained” by HKBU researchers using the generative models of singing that they built by extracting and disentangling key contributing features of vocal singing from a collection of songs recorded by professional singers.

An AI media artist learnt from the lyrics of the Pearl of the Orient, and it created a stunning cross-media visual narrative of the song according to its interpretation of the underlying meaning of the lyrics. Unlike the conventional AI machines that import images as a reference for the algorithms to mimic, it used textual lyrics as the sole input so that it can associate the underlying meaning of the lyrics with an appreciation of the beauty of Hong Kong.

Another highlight of the Concert was a ballet performance featuring AI virtual dancers in Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé, accompanied live by the HKBU Symphony Orchestra. With the help of professional dancers from the Hong Kong Dance Company, the AI virtual dancers interpreted the underlying emotional and aesthetic connections between the music and the dance. The dance movements, inspired by a newly discovered species of box jellyfish in Hong Kong, were then choreographed.

Please click here to view highlights of the performance, and click here for more production details of the performance.

The AI-driven performance is one of the many milestone deliverables of the “Building Platform Technologies for Symbiotic Creativity in Hong Kong” research project, and others include an art data repository, a generative AI algorithms system, a research theatre, a digital art and policy network, and some unique and creative application projects, to name but a few.

Another important initiative HKBU is organising is the “Human, Machine, Art, Creativity: International Symposium” in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre on 9 August.

“AI is revolutionising numerous fields of knowledge, and it is playing a more and more significant role in many creative processes like music, visual arts and architecture. The Symposium will gather world-renowned researchers from academia and industry, crossing different expertise areas, to jointly discuss emerging topics in human-AI symbiotic art creativity,” said Professor Guo.

The Symposium will cover topics including the enabling technologies of symbiotic art creation and manifestation, the aesthetics and cognitive values of symbiotic art creativity, the new trend of the art economy with Web 3.0, new issues raised by the new forms of art in society, and the impact on art community stakeholders, among others.

Interested parties can visit the Symposium’s website for more details.

Thammasat University lecturer develops environmental-friendly fertilizer pellet production technology

Posted on by Thammasat University

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit Athinuwat, Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University received a grant from the National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI) for research and development on the production of microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition to reduce the burning of rice straw and rice stubble in the farmer community.

Later, continued to receive funding in conveying the production technology and the use of manure to farmers. The project was completed in early 2022 by operating in 10 provinces under cooperation with Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) in 6 northeastern provinces, namely; Udon Thani, Roi Et, Buriram (2 areas), Nakhon Ratchasima, Khon Kaen, Amnat Charoen and the central region, namely; Kanchanaburi and Nakhon Nayok, the eastern Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University region in Chonburi Province. In every area, there will be pilot plots of 5 rai for operation demonstration and training to educate farmers on microorganisms’ production, expansion and preservation and the production of manure pellets to ensure that the farmers are able to start the production by themselves.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dusit Athinuwat, Department of Agricultural Technology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Thammasat University revealed that it provided a household-sized fertilizer pelletizing machine to farmers, one per group, as a model for fertilizer production for the community until the results are extended in every area of ​​200 rai per area. As for the use of fertilizer pellets, after harvesting, the efficient microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition was sown at the rate of 100 kg/rai and then plowed over the rice stubble and straw and leave it for 14 days. During planting, when the rice produces grains, farmers then to inject the fermented water of the project with selected strains of microorganisms to increase the weight of the ear of rice. Most importantly, during the preparation of the planting area, no rice stubble is burned. Comparing to traditional cultivation methods, the use of microorganism-infused manure pellets provides beneficial results as follows:

1. Reduce environmental problems and PM 2.5 dust problems caused by burning stubble after the harvest season by about 50 percent.

2. The soil condition is more crumbly. This allows the rice roots to seek food better. Usually after harvesting, farmers would leave rice straw and rice stubble to dry in their fields for about 4-5 months, so the soil becomes dry and hard. Until the new planting season arrives, they began to plow and burn the rice straw and rice stubble to prepare the fields for planting. The project is grounded to providing advice on plowing shortly after harvesting and while the soil is still moist, the soil is looser than the farmer’s existing method applied.

3. The average rice yield increased by 26 percent/ rai according to the experiment in the Pathum Thani 1 rice plot in Ayutthaya province which can increase rice yield from 600 kg/rai to 760 kg/rai.

4. Reduce the use of fertilizer by about 800-1,200 baht/rai because throughout the planting season, there is fertilizer from rice straw and rice stubble. Farmers therefore does not require additional fertilizers.

5. As a result of reducing costs and increasing yields, farmers earn about 18% more income.

6. Farmers obtain additional income from the production and sale of microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition. As far as we know, there are groups of farmers trained in Udon Thani province who are interested in producing microorganism-infused manure pellets for sale as supplementary income.

For future guidelines, there should be extension and campaigning for the use of microorganism-infused manure pellets for rice stubble and straw in rice field decomposition to reduce production costs, increase income for farmers and encourage farmers to produce fertilizer for using in the community. As part of the project, about 400 farmers have been trained and all have the capacity to become role models for training and extending this knowledge to other farmers.

London Academy of Trading (LAT) wins Most Outstanding Trading Courses Provider 2022 from The Global 100

Posted on by Global University Systems

The London Academy of Trading (LAT), the UK’s first accredited trading academy, has won its third award this year with the “Most Outstanding Trading Courses Provider – 2022” from The Global 100.

With its global readership of more than 293,000, The Global 100 does not follow the usual process of many publishers. Instead, they use a very specific, comprehensive evaluation process. After the closure of the voting period, which involves a strict format of self-submission and third-party nomination, firms are shortlisted and then the winners are selected. For each category, a propriety method of analysis ranks winners based on their domestic and international work.

“This is a very challenging award to win, so we are delighted to have been chosen as the Most Outstanding Trading Courses Provider for 2022”, says Paddy Osborn, MD and Academic Dean of LAT. “Although it is flattering to be recognised for our achievements, our aim is simply to do everything in our power to help students to achieve their personal goals.”

Judges of the Global 100 looked at the scale, nature and strategic complexity of the work conducted by the participants. They also took into consideration whether participants were quick, within budget, used ground-breaking or innovative processes and focused strongly on the complexity and strategic significance of the work conducted.

LAT is very flexible, allowing students to study around other commitments, offering monthly intakes and options to study online, on campus or a blended combination of both. The faculty is composed of experienced traders and analysts from institutions including HSBC, Bank of America and Bloomberg who all trade live accounts and are available to students 10 hours a day to provide help and advice.

Earlier this year LAT continued its Women in Trading Scholarship programme, offering 30% scholarships to women for the fourth year running, and established a long-term partnership with ShareVision, the dynamic streaming platform for traders, economists and global financial news.

Mechanisms driving 1,2-Dichloropropane-induced cancer in printing industry

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Study finds that when exposed to 1,2-dichloropropane, cells show altered gene expression that induces cellular cascades promoting cancer

1,2-dichloropropane (1,2-DCP) is a solvent used in the printing industry. It was linked to cholangiocarcinoma in 2013, when printing company employees exposed to 1,2-DCP were diagnosed with the cancer. To understand the genes influencing cholangiocarcinoma development, scientists examined gene expression profiles in co-cultured cholangiocytes and macrophages exposed to 1,2-DCP. They found DNA repair genes in cholangiocytes and cell cycle genes in macrophages were upregulated, yielding novel insights on the pathogenesis of this elusive occupational hazard.

1,2-Dichloropropane (1,2-DCP) is a solvent widely used in the printing industry. It rose to prominence when it was linked to the development of cholangiocarcinoma, or bile duct cancer, in the employees of an offset printing firm in Osaka in 2013. Thereafter, the International Agency for the Research on Cancer reclassified 1,2-DCP as being carcinogenic to humans, and many studies have since focused on occupational cholangiocarcinoma on exposure to 1,2-DCP.

Common cholangiocarcinoma develops in the cholangiocytes (or epithelial cells) of the bile duct and liver. On the other hand, occupational cholangiocarcinoma has markedly different features, such as the presence of non-characteristic precancerous lesions and inflammatory changes in the surrounding non-cancerous tissue. Research suggests that while 1,2-DCP primarily targets cholangiocytes, it indirectly damages their DNA in the presence of inflammatory cells called macrophages. However, the exact mechanism of 1,2-DCP-induced cholangiocarcinoma remains a mystery.

To solve this problem, in a new study, a group of researchers led by Professor Gaku Ichihara from Tokyo University of Science (TUS), identified the gene expression profiles of cholangiocytes co-cultured with macrophages and exposed to 1,2-DCP. Prof. Ichihara says, “Our findings identified the upregulation of genes tied to DNA repair and the cell cycle in cholangiocytes and macrophages, respectively. This suggests that the DNA damage, cell proliferation, and ultimately neoplasia occurring in the bile ducts is likely driven by the altered cell function induced by the abnormal gene expression.”

In the study, published in the journal Scientific Reports (published online on 02 July 2022), Prof. Ichihara, together with his colleagues Shigeyuki Shichino and Kouji Matsushimia at TUS, Kazuo Kinoshita from Shizuoka Graduate University of Public Health, and Sahoko Ichihara from Jichi Medical University School of Medicine, co-cultured cholangiocytes and macrophages that were exposed to varying concentrations of 1,2-DCP for 24 hours. The concentrations selected mirrored the occupational exposure of workers in a poorly ventilated environment.

Prof. Ichihara’s previous work had shown that in the presence of macrophages, 1,2-DCP induced the expression of activation-induced cytidine deaminase, which is a DNA-mutating enzyme, along with excess DNA damage and reactive oxygen species production in cholangiocytes. To delve deeper, the team used transcriptomics to study the gene expression patterns in the cells and identify the intracellular mechanisms driving carcinoma formation.

The data revealed that in the presence of 1,2-DCP, co-cultured cholangiocytes showed higher expression of base excision repair genes, whereas macrophages revealed upregulation of cell cycle genes. “The upregulation of DNA repair genes suggests an increase in DNA damage as 1,2-DCP concentration increases. Furthermore, macrophages could proliferate at a given site following 1,2-DCP exposure. Since they play an important role in the regulation of inflammatory responses by releasing cytokines and signaling molecules, their overstimulation could result in the persistent production of these compounds which ultimately influence various pathological states and cancer,” explains Prof. Ichihara.

The implications of the study are far-reaching in the fields of environmental toxicology and occupational cancer prevention. The team’s findings show that it is possible to pinpoint how potential carcinogens promote cancer without directly damaging DNA. Prof. Ichihara and his team are confident they can build on their findings and design further studies to fully understand the cross talk between cholangiocytes and macrophages and elucidate the mechanisms behind the erroneous DNA damage repair in cholangiocytes.

***

Reference

Title of original paper: Transcriptome analysis of human cholangiocytes exposed to carcinogenic 1,2‑dichloropropane in the presence of macrophages in vitro

Journal: Scientific Reports

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-15295-3

 

Changes in protein structure, assembly with fluoride nanoparticles and coexisting ions

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Protein function and activity is determined by both their assembly and secondary structure. Abnormalities related to either protein aggregation or secondary structure can lead to neurodegenerative diseases. In a new study, an international research team reveal how fluoride nanoparticles, materials used in in vivo imaging, affect the assembly and structure of the amyloid β protein. Their results present a step towards better treatment and prevention of neurologic disorders like Alzheimer’s disease.

Self-assembly, or the association of individual units of a material into ordered structures or patterns, is a phenomenon of great research interest for materials scientists. One prominent example of self-assembly comes from the self-assembly of proteins in biological systems. The function and activity of proteins are governed by their assembly state. Additionally, the protein’s “secondary structure,” characterized by its folding into structures, such as a β-sheet, also plays a role. In fact, abnormalities in the protein secondary structures or their assembly can lead to various neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease.

Nanoparticles (NPs) offer a promising route for the treatment and prevention of such diseases by allowing a controlled and targeted drug delivery. Additionally, inorganic NPs, such as fluoride NPs, are used in brain imaging applications. Compared to organic NPs, inorganic NPs are considered a better candidate for developing high functional materials. But, there is much concern regarding their bio-toxicity. While their interactions with bioproteins have been studied, the mechanism underlying these interactions are not well understood.

An international team of scientists from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan and Nazarbayev University in Kazakhstan has now addressed this issue. In their study, which was made available online on June 2, 2022, and was published in Volume 5, Issue 6 the journal ACS Applied Bio Materials on June 20, 2022, the team investigated a section of the amyloid β peptide (a protein found in the plaques forming in the brains of patients with Alzheimer’s disease) in solution with fluoride ceramic (CeF3) NPs. The study was led by Junior Associate Professor Masakazu Umezawa and included contributions from Mr. Naoya Sakaguchi from TUS and Assistant Professors Mehdi Amouei Torkmahalleh and Dhawal Shah from Nazarbayev University.

The team used a technique called “Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy” (FTIR) to directly monitor the effect of the NP surface on the peptide bonds. “We found that, near the nanoparticle surface, peptides are more likely to form β-sheets. This comes as an effect of hydrophobicity. The parts of the peptide that repelled by the water solution stick to the nanoparticles, and form aggregates more easily,” explains Dr. Umezawa.

In addition, the team investigated the effect of other surrounding ions in the solution. “What we found was very surprising. Even without the nanoparticles, the environment affected the rate of secondary structure formation,” says Dr. Umezawa, “This effect, resulting from a combination of electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding, was exaggerated upon adding nanoparticles. With a careful choice of ions and nanoparticles, the β-sheet formation can be either suppressed or promoted. This implies that the process can be controlled and engineered to eradicate adverse effects.”

The experimental results were complemented with molecular dynamics simulations performed by the Nazarbayev University team. This, in turn, helped design and guide the experiments as well as provide insights into the results.

With this deeper understanding of the interaction between proteins and NPs, the study paves the way for controlled protein folding processes. With such control, any protein deformations could be eliminated, and positive interactions and structural changes could be promoted. This could lead to a better prevention and treatment protocol for Alzheimer’s disease and, eventually, to a better quality of life for aged adults.

***

Reference

Title of original paper: Changes in the Secondary Structure and Assembly of Proteins on Fluoride Ceramic (CeF3) Nanoparticle Surfaces

Journal: ACS Applied Bio Materials

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsabm.2c00239

Webinar on stress, anxiety, depression for Malaysian primary school students

Posted on by AZMI SALIM, HAZLIN HASAN, MAS'UDAH ASMUI, ANITA KASSIM, MAISARAH AHMAD KAMIL

On 17th June 2022 (Friday), the Centre for Applied Management (PPPG), Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Pahang Branch, Jengka Campus organised an online knowledge transfer webinar on Stress, Anxiety and Depression Among Students: Issues and Challenges through Cisco Webex and Facebook Live platforms targeted to primary school students from an identified rural area in Malaysia.

This program was participated by the Felda community of the Jengka region, which consisted of teachers, parents and pupils of two primary schools: SK Felda Jengka 11 and SK Felda Jengka 15. In Malaysia, the community of Felda, or Federal Land Development Authority, is a community of once-impoverished rural settlers who, under the Felda initiative, cultivate either rubber or oil palm and were paid wages until their crops matured. Due to the rural location of the community within Malaysia, the need to overcome issues of stress, anxiety and depression brought on by online and distance learning due to the pandemic among primary school students was identified, which led to the inception of this program.

The webinar featured two panelists who were experts in their respective fields: Hazlin Hasan, the Head Researcher and Senior Lecturer of the Faculty of Business and Management, UiTM Pahang Branch, and Anita Kassim, a senior psychology officer from the UiTM Pahang Branch. The program managed to attract a total of 132 participants who were teachers, parents, and pupils of year 5 and year 6 (aged between 11 to 12 years old) from the two schools.

One of the objectives of the program was to support the university’s aspiration to foster knowledge sharing practices among the community and NGOs through knowledge transfer by utilising the resources, expertise, and knowledge of the faculty. The program also aimed to share the findings of a grant-based research led by Hazlin Hasan to participants on current issues and challenges faced by students related to stress, anxiety, and depression. Knowledge was also shared from a psychological perspective on the appropriate actions that can be taken by stakeholders to address this issue at an early stage before it becomes severe.

The Centre for Applied Management (PPPG) is very grateful to all parties who have made this program a success, especially the headmasters, teachers, and PTA of SK Felda Jengka 11 and SK Felda Jengka 15. It is hoped that this cooperation can be nurtured and strengthened further in the future for mutual benefits and in turn give positive impacts to the local community.

This webinar program has successfully accomplished two Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) namely SDG3 (Good Health and Well Being) and SDG4 (Quality Education), particularly in response to the need for inclusive, fair and equal access to education amidst challenges brought by the pandemic which has necessitated online learning even among the rural communities.