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Year: 2022

Nearly 1 in 3 older adults in Singapore not prepared for living with endemic COVID-19

Posted on by Valerie Won

A new study by SMU’s Centre for Research on Successful Ageing (ROSA) revealed that nearly 1 in 3 of Singapore’s older adults surveyed in October 2021 did not feel mentally prepared for living with an endemic COVID-19.

Older adults who did not trust the government’s response to the COVID-19 situation in Singapore were four times more likely to feel unprepared.

Findings from the study suggest that the level of trust that older adults have in the government significantly shapes the level of perceived infection and mortality risk from COVID-19. With the emergence of the transmissible Omicron strain and predicted surge in the number of cases in Singapore in the coming weeks, researchers suggest for authorities to keep in mind that maintaining trust in the government is an important means to reducing the perceived risk of infection and mortality, a likely source of stress for older adults.

“As Singapore transits from pandemic to endemic COVID-19, we must ensure that all social groups are well-prepared and supported. ROSA has found that among older adults, maintaining trust in the government is an important factor in ensuring preparedness. This emphasises how important it is for all Singaporeans to work together in transitioning to the endemic phase – we must remain a cohesive society so that nobody is left behind in this transition,” said Professor Paulin Straughan, Director, ROSA.

ROSA’s report, titled, “Older Adult Preparedness for Living with Endemic Covid-19” uses data from the Singapore Life Panel®, a population representative monthly survey of Singaporeans aged 56-75 (inclusive) in 2021 that has been conducted since 2015. The SLP has an average response rate of about 7,200 respondents per month and is web-based, allowing respondents to participate even during periods of full or partial social lockdown.

Full details of the report can be accessed here.

Key findings and recommendations:

 

1. Mental Preparedness for living with an endemic COVID-19

· About 30% of older adults felt ‘Not at all prepared’ or ‘Not too well prepared’ mentally for living with an endemic COVID-19.

· Older adults who did not trust the government’s response to the COVID-19 situation in Singapore at all were four times more likely to feel ‘Not at all’ or ‘Not too well’ prepared mentally for living with an endemic COVID-19 as compared to respondents who trusted the government’s response completely.

· Due to the central role the government plays as a primary source of authoritative information on the pandemic, older adults with less trust in the government may be more inclined to mistrust pandemic information put forth by the government. With a lack of reliable sources to inform themselves with, these older adults may feel more uncertain and less prepared for the endemic. (Refer to Pages 5-7 of the report for details)

 

2. Willingness to get booster shot

· Only 2.92% of respondents stated that they did not intend to get a booster shot.

· The top 3 reasons for not wanting to get a booster shot have to do with concerns about the safety and efficacy of the booster shot.

· Respondents who had already gotten their booster shot in November 2021 were twice as likely to trust the government’s response to the COVID-19 situation as compared to respondents who did not intend to receive the booster shot. (Refer to Pages 7-10 of the report for details)

 

3. Opinions on Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs)

· 86.7% reported some level of concern about the possible spread of COVID-19 from incoming tourists via VTLs.

· Respondents who were less trusting of the government were more concerned about an increase in COVID-19 transmission via VTLs – respondents who did not trust the government’s response to the COVID-19 situation at all were almost twice as likely to be moderately or very concerned about COVID-19 transmission via VTLs, as compared to respondents who trusted the government’s response completely. (Refer to Pages 16-18 of the report for details)

Based on the findings listed above, ROSA makes two general policy recommendations for consideration (Refer to Pages 20-22 of the report for details):

1. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining older adults’ trust in the government’s response to COVID-19 in preparing and helping them to live with an endemic COVID-19. Authorities can adopt several strategies in order to do this, including providing clear and consistent messaging with regards to issues relating to COVID-19, as well as transparency in and accountability for COVID-19 policies that are enacted.

2. More can be done in, firstly, further educating older adults on what living with an endemic COVID-19 would mean for them, and secondly, providing older adults with the necessary resources to cope with living with an endemic COVID-19, such as organising and developing social activities for older adults that can still be run in spite of restrictions.

12 Thammasat professors listed in AD Scientific Index Rankings 2021

Posted on by Thammasat University

Professors from the Faculty of Commerce and Accounting, Thammasat University, have been listed in the AD Scientific Index Rankings 2021: World Scientist and University Rankings 2021 for researchers with competence at the university, national and global levels.

According to the database, AD Scientific Index 2021: World Scientist and University Rankings 2021 are as follows:

-Prof. Dr. Ruth Banomyong Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy

1st in in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

9th at Thammasat University

325th in Thailand

-Prof. Dr. Sakun Boon Itt, Department of Operations Management

4th in in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

14th at Thammasat University

404th in Thailand

-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Peter Ractham, Associate Dean, Research and International Affairs

5th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

28th at Thammasat University

767th in Thailand

-Prof. Dr. Pavida Pananond, Department of International Business, Logistics and Transport

8th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

39th at Thammasat University

1181st in Thailand

-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Mathupayas Thongmak, Head, Department of Administration

10th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

45th at Thammasat University

1352nd in Thailand

-Prof. Dr. Nopadol Rompho, Department of Operations Management

11th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

46th at Thammasat University

1367th in Thailand

-Prof. Dr. Anya Khanthavit, Department of Finance

13th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

49th at Thammasat University

1516th in Thailand

-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Laddawan Kaewkitipong, Director, Master of Science Program in Management Information Systems (MSMIS)

14th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

51st at Thammasat University

1531st in Thailand

-Prof. Dr. Siriluck Rotchankitumnuai, Department of Management Information Systems

19th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

63rd at Thammasat University

1772nd in Thailand

-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kritsadarat Wattanasuwan, Department of Marketing

20th in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

66th at Thammasat University

1860th in Thailand

-Prof. Dr. Pornchai Chunhachinda, Department of Finance

21st in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

67th at Thammasat University

1878th in Thailand

-Assoc. Prof. Dr. Aurathai Lertwannawit, Head, Department of Marketing

22nd in Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology, Thammasat University

71st at Thammasat University

1941st in Thailand

London Academy of Trading and ShareVision collaborate to help people get started in retail trading

Posted on by Global University Systems

The award-winning London Academy of Trading (LAT), the UK’s first accredited trading academy, has established a long-term collaboration with ShareVision, a dynamic streaming platform for traders, economists and global finance.

This new collaboration will kick off with the launch of an exclusive video series, starting this week.

This series, “Getting Started in Retail Trading” will consist of five short episodes, designed and delivered by Paddy Osborn, Academic Dean and Managing Director of LAT.

These sessions will be broadcast every Wednesday at 10:00 (GMT) starting on 26 January for five consecutive weeks. Posted on ShareVision’s platform, www.ShareVision.com, the first episode looks at understanding the macroeconomic calendar and how it affects financial markets.

The following weeks will discuss fundamental analysis and central bank actions, different markets to trade, how to analyse charts, and, finally, some thoughts on how human psychology affects trading performance.

“We believe this collaboration with ShareVision will provide individual traders with invaluable information and knowledge to enable them to become highly successful traders and we are looking forward to working closely with them over the coming months and years,” says Paddy Osborn, Academic Dean and Manager Director of LAT.

“Being a dual-accredited provider of financial education, we pride ourselves on being the most trusted of trading skills educators. ShareVision has the same fundamental approach to providing honest, high-quality financial information to retail traders and the financial community, so I truly believe our expertise and services will dovetail perfectly with that of ShareVision.”

LAT is dedicated to inspiring its students and enabling them to apply learned knowledge in a real-world environment, understanding the fundamental and practical aspects of trading. “We are delighted to be collaborating with London Academy of Trading,” says Amit Jay Shah, CEO of ShareVision.

“LAT is well known in the industry for the quality of its work, content and courses. Working with them maintains our ethos at ShareVision of supporting the most credible content creators. LAT is a long-term growth collaborator and I’m looking forward to seeing our collaboration flourish over the coming months and years ahead.”

To watch “Getting Started in Retail Trading”, sign up for free with ShareVision and follow LAT’s channel, visit the London Academy of Trading’s social media channels or simply go to https://sharevision.com/channel/londonacademyoftrading/videos.

SMU’s teaching case wins at the Financial Times’ Responsible Business Education Awards

Posted on by Valerie Won

The Singapore Management University’s (SMU) teaching case on sustainability scored a win at the Financial Times (FT) Responsible Business Education Awards 2022. SMU is the only Singaporean university to be acknowledged at this category of the Awards, which recognises the best teaching cases published in the past three years with sustainability and climate change as key learning objectives.

SMU’s winning case, titled “Growing a Global Forest: Ant Financial, Alipay, and the Ant Forest”, which explores sustainability and climate change through a pragmatic analysis of Alipay’s green initiatives, won in the award category of “Teaching Cases on Sustainability”.

Penned by faculty members and a student from SMU Lee Kong Chian School of Business (LKCSB), Ryan Merrill, Hannah H. Chang, Liang Hao, and Lan Yang, in collaboration with case writer Adina Wong from SMU Centre for Management Practice, the case promoted interdisciplinary learning and flexibility in discussions that students enjoyed.

Another team from SMU, comprising Professor Emeritus of Finance (Practice) Annie Koh, Flocy Joseph, Head of Commercial at SMU Executive Development and Cheah Sin Mei, Senior Case Writer of the SMU Centre for Management Practice, was awarded runner-up in the same award category for their entry, “Bold and Responsible Leadership in Uncharted Waters: The Future of BW Tankers”.

“We are delighted that we have two SMU case studies featured in this prestigious award. It speaks to the dedication and hard work that our faculty and CMP writers put into developing teaching cases for educators worldwide. It also recognises SMU’s commitment to sustainability in our teaching,” said Dr Havovi Joshi, Director, SMU Centre for Management Practice.

“We are also heartened that our efforts to focus on uncovering Asia-centric cases are paying off. It tells us that the educators are looking for compelling teaching materials that can speak about the need to understand the unique contexts in which businesses and organisations grapple with pressing issues, such as nurturing sustainability and resolving eco-dilemmas.”

SMU’s runner-up case on BW Tankers delved into the diverse complexities faced by the maritime sector, with issues such as stringent regulatory standards, an evolving business environment, and the rise of disruptive technologies. Like the winning case on Alipay, both underscore SMU’s strategic priority area of Sustainable Living. Through this area of focus, the University seeks to drive solutions in managing climate change and sustainable city living, enhancing quality of life.

Dr Flocy Joseph commented, “Our LKCSB undergraduates in the Maritime track, as well as maritime officials from across the world in our Executive Development Programmes, leveraged on this case to discuss the strategy of BW’s growth and the vision of the BW leader. On a few occasions, we had the protagonist of the case join us during the discussions, which brought the case alive and gave our learners a better idea of the kind of bold and responsible leadership that led to BW’s ongoing success.”

The FT’s Responsible Business Education Awards 2022 recognises the outstanding work by researchers, teachers and alumni of business schools in making an impact around sustainability and social purpose. The Awards comprise three categories with a common theme of identifying strong examples of work by business schools, seeking to focus on people and planet alongside profit.

Chula economics lecturer receives anti-corruption award

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Congratulations to Asst. Professor Dr. Torplus Yomnak on becoming one of the 12 anti-corruption activists from around the world to receive the U.S. State Department’s International Anti-Corruption Champion Award 2021 on International Anti-corruption Day.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus, the Director of the Political Economics Studies Center, Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University, was chosen as the academic award recipient from Southeast Asia.

“I am deeply honored to receive this award and grateful that the anti-corruption efforts put forth by me, and many in Thailand, have received international recognition. This will in a way help prevent and reduce the corruption in Thailand”, Dr. Torplus revealed.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus has been interested in conducting research on corruption since he was a fourth-year student at the Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University. He then continued his research on the issue, and his PhD thesis at the University of Cambridge focused on strategies to fight corruption in Thailand’s construction industry.

“People all over the world are working hard to combat corruption. Thailand has 30-40 private and public sectors working to fight corruption and promote good governance. I am just a small part of Thailand’s anti-corruption network”, commented Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus.

Faculty members at Chula Economics, including Prof. Dr. Pasuk Phongpaichit, Assoc. Prof. Dr.Nualnoi Treerat, Assoc. Prof. Noppanun Wannathepsakul, Asst. Prof. Dr. Thanee Chaiwat and many others, have embarked on corruption research studies.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus has continued his anti-corruption work not only for academics and practical impact, but also to work behind the scenes to support a broad range of impactful anti-corruption projects in Thailand. Through such efforts, Thailand’s anti-corruption network and instruments have become more effective.

The working principles of a Thai academic and winner of an international anti-corruption award
Throughout his work, Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus has always adhered to the principles of transparency and believes that public participation is the most important factor in addressing corruption issues.

It is difficult to battle corruption with a single instrument and a top-down policy, since anti-corruption activities can become successful through a group of people working together, not by a single individual.

To support corruption research studies, Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus and academic members from various areas, such as linguistics, marketing, political science, and law, formed the Corruption Research Center, “Siam Lab”, at the Faculty of Economics, Chulalongkorn University. Moreover, Dr. Torplus has collaborated with friends to form an enterprise for society, called “HAND Social Enterprise,” to research projects with government agencies, and public and private sectors. To this day, Thailand’s corruption has decreased to an extent, and the Corruption Perception Index has improved.

Asst. Prof. Dr. Torplus stated that the public sector is now aware of anti-corruption. According to a survey conducted by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, 98 percent of Thais say that corruption is a problem relevant to everyone.

Regardless, the low number of people participating in anti-corruption campaigns is worrisome. To this end, instruments must be developed to arm the public against corruption. Encouraging people to snub corruption is very important and requires an understanding of the social context. Dr. Torplus concluded that academics and marketing specialists can and must play an important role to help boost public awareness of corruption. In recent years, research projects on anti-cheat marketing have been carried out with great success.

Educating media management professionals for sustainable development

Posted on by Thammasat University

Lecturer Ray Wang from the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication of Thammasat University recently presented his research on educating media management professionals working in communication for sustainable development.

Through in-depth interviews with both university educators at Thammasat University and working professionals from UN organizations and NGOs around Thailand, the research explored the current competencies of young professionals working in communication for sustainable development, and how universities and NGOs can collaborate together to help better prepare young professionals for this vital communication work.

The research highlights the need to better understand what skills young professionals need to excel in this type of communication work, and for more research to investigate different learning activities for developing skills and competencies for communication for development.

“The complexity of sustainability and rise of social media has certainly led to many challenges for communication professionals, and further research should focus not only on the communication aspect, but also on the education aspect.”

Ray Wang is a Lecturer at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication at Thammasat University, and a PhD Candidate in Sustainable Leadership at the College of Management, Mahidol University.

Tomsk researchers prove drug safety for ultraprecise diagnostics of breast cancer

Posted on by Tomsk Polytechnic University

The Саnсеr Rеsеаrсh Institute of Tomsk National Research Medical Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences has completed phase I of clinical trials of radiopharmaceutical containing technetium-99 (99Tc).

This drug most accurately identifies specific breast cancer that is sensitive only to certain types of treatment. The drug was developed by researchers of the TPU Oncotheranostics Research Center jointly with doctors of the Саnсеr Rеsеаrсh Institute. Phase I of the conducted clinical trials proved drug safety.

The upcoming phases of the clinical trials and studies will also be supported by the Priority 2030 program won by the university.

The drug is unique due to its structure. It contains scaffold protein and an isotope of 99Tc. The protein detects cancer cells and the isotope illuminates the precise location of diseased cells. The main works on drug development were conducted within a TPU mega-grant.

“We have successfully completed phase I out of three phases of clinical trials, in the course of which drug safety to diagnose breast cancer was proved. Moreover, during the trials we detected metastases even there where conventional methods of diagnostics were not able to detect them,” says Olga Bragina, Senior Research Fellow of the Саnсеr Rеsеаrсh Institute.

This drug reduces the time of medical examination of patients from several days to several hours as it detects a neoplasm faster.

“Our goal is to create a line of domestic highly effective drugs both for detection and treatment of cancer and implement them in a real life. The support of Priority 2030 allows us to go further. In particular, we are intending to modify the drug into a treatment drug. To achieve this goal, we will substitute the isotope of 99Tc with rhenium,” notes Mekhman Yusubov, TPU Professor and Head of the Healthcare Engineering Strategic Office.

“If we speak globally, then in nuclear medicine and radiopharmaceuticals, the participation in Priority 2030 will provide us resources in order that we jointly with our partners united in the Healthcare Engineering consortium will be able to conduct an overall complex of biotechnological, pre-clinical and clinical trials of each developed drug. After obtaining a packet of these data and results, we will give technology to the industrial partners for large-scale production. In other words, the research which will be conducted within Priority 2030 will be that research that no one drug producer will be able to complete.”

Scientists demonstrate utility of bilateral tumor model for evaluating anti-cancer T-cell responses

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Scientists demonstrate that a bilateral tumor model could be useful to investigate the relationship between T-cell repertoire and the therapeutic effects of cancer immunotherapy.

A temporal analysis of T-cell receptors (TCRs) can be used to track changes in tumor-reactive T-cells of cancer patients receiving immunotherapy. Now, a team of scientists from Japan has confirmed that this investigation may be conducted using their “bilateral tumor model.” In this model, T-cells with specific TCRs are distributed proportionally between the two inoculated tumors, which makes it ideal for examining T-cell-induced anti-cancer responses in tumor biopsies before and after treatment.

T-cell receptors (TCRs), found on the surface of antigen specific T-lymphocytes, are incredibly diverse proteins that are programmed to recognize foreign bodies or “antigens,” and alert T-cells about their presence in our body. Immunological check points generally keep lymphocytes in an “off” state, so that they don’t attack our own cells.

However, if T-cells encounter a foreign body, they “switch on” to identify and destroy it. Sometimes, cancer cells may be able to camouflage themselves to breeze past our check points, thereby avoiding identification and destruction. Immunological check point inhibitors (ICIs) were developed as a solution to this problem. These drugs block our immune check points, allowing T-cells to effectively identify and phagocytose (“eat up” and destroy) cancer cells.

In theory, ICI immune therapy can be effective in enhancing our T-cells’ anti-cancer activity. However, in practice, it exhibits low response rates and severe immune-related side effects in some patients. Hence, identifying which tumors are responsive to ICI therapy is important, and this can be done with a global analysis of receptor sequences, known as the TCR repertoire analysis, which can help predict anti-tumor T-cell responses.
The only roadblock to this? Conventional TCR repertoire analysis requires repeated sampling of blood and tumor tissue from patients and experimental mice, which poses ethical problems for patients and invasive problems for mice.

Therefore, a team of scientists from Japan, led by Associate Professor Satoshi Ueha from Tokyo University of Science, tried to make the TCR repertoire analysis in mice feasible. In their new study, which was published online in Frontiers in Immunology on 25th October 2021, the team demonstrated that an bilateral tumor model can be used to examine the TCR repertoire, using one side of the tumor as a biopsy sample. The team also included Professor Kouji Matsushima and Mr. Mikiya Tsunoda from Tokyo University of Science, and Mr. Hiroyasu Aoki from The University of Tokyo.

Using samples from 8-week-old mice with induced bilateral tumors on the left and right sides of their bodies, the scientists isolated the tumors and draining lymph nodes (dLNs) and examined their T-cell population and repertoire, using techniques such as cell sorting and “next-generation sequencing.”

They were amazed to find that the T-cell profiles of both tumors (left and right) were almost identical, with strikingly similar T-cell clonal abundance (the proportions of different subtypes of T-cells) and repertoire, which indicate a similar anti-tumor response in a single mouse. “This proves that the T cell responses on one side reflects those on the other side in our bilateral tumor model”, Dr. Ueha mentions, motivated by the findings.

Also noteworthy is the fact that the T-cell repertoires of separate mice differed dramatically, and the variance between two tumors and within a single tumor was identical. Dr. Ueha and his colleagues speculated that the T-cells from the dLNs infiltrate both tumors after their distribution via blood circulation. “This was important to investigate since the anticancer immune responses in clinical studies are studied longitudinally using biopsies from the same tumor, but our model uses two different tumors”, Prof. Matsushima explains.

To test their hypothesis, the team examined the T-cell population in the two dLNs and their corresponding tumors, each on the left and right side, and found that the overlaps between dLNs and the tumor were seemingly high, but that between two dLNs was poor. “In clinical practice, cancers often invade or metastasize to multiple sites, and our results suggest that even independent tumors may have similar immune responses occurring at the tumor site,” Dr. Ueha suggests.

When asked about their future research plans, Dr. Ueha says, “We have plans to combine the single-cell TCR repertoire analysis and bilateral tumor model to understand the fate and immunological significance of T-cells with various tumor-reactivity in response to cancer immunotherapy. Our model would be applicable to other tumor models since the conserved TCR repertoire appears to be based on a mechanism that is conserved across individuals and species.

The group assumes that TCRs, like unique barcodes, can be read by high-throughput sequencing to develop “biomarkers” for tumor-specific immune responses, and optimize ICI-based immunotherapy. “The TCR repertoire analysis using our bilateral mouse model is expected to contribute to the development of new cancer immunotherapies for quantitative analysis of tumor-specific T cell responses,” Dr. Ueha concludes.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2021.744381

St Petersburg University’s Pirogov Clinic doctors save lives of patients with rare vascular pathologies

Posted on by Alina Perevizintsova

Surgeons at St Petersburg University’s Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies have carried out yet another complex operation on the aorta – the largest blood vessel in the human circulatory system.

Because of the size and length of what is the main artery in the body, such operations are classified as highly complex, high-risk surgery, but they are often the only way to save a patient. The primary indication for such an operation is an aneurysm of the ascending aorta and the aortic arch – a vascular distension of more than twofold – or its dissection.

These malformations are very rare – they are encountered in no more than 15 people out of 100,000, but they are very dangerous. In such cases, a sharp rise in blood pressure or overly strenuous exercise can be fatal.

In order to perform aortic surgery, doctors at the University Clinic bring cardiac function and circulation of the blood throughout the body to a full stop. This manipulation is called circulatory arrest. They then cool the patient’s body down to a deep hypothermia, ranging from 18-24 ⁰С, and they constantly provide blood supply to the brain and make sure that it is getting enough oxygen. Only after they have completed the main stage of this surgery do they reactivate the circulation of blood and the functioning of the heart.

A whole team of doctors works with a patient at all stages of diagnosis and treatment: cardiovascular surgeons, X-ray endovascular surgeons, cardiologists, anaesthesiologists and critical care physicians, perfusionists, specialists in functional and diagnostic radiology, and pathomorphologists.

‘Each of them has several hundred successful operations and diagnostic procedures behind them,’ commented cardiovascular surgeon Dmitrii Shmatov, who is the head of the Centre for Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology.

‘What’s more, our treatment methods are continually being improved through regular advanced training of clinicians and exchange of experience with world-class specialists.’

Aortic surgery has been performed at the Centre for Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Cardiology at St Petersburg University’s Pirogov Clinic of High Medical Technologies since 2015. In the past six years, more than 100 thoracic aorta operations have been carried out with zero mortality, and, with each passing year, they have grown in number and complexity.

Depending on the extent of changes to the aorta and its branches, clinicians develop several treatment strategies and draw up a basic pre-operation plan.

‘Our doctors need to take a host of factors into account: the age and clinical condition of the patient, the presence of serious concomitant pathologies, and the degree of changes to the aorta and heart, the blood vessels in the head, arms and legs, and also other internal organs. Whenever possible, surgeons try to preserve the natural anatomy of the heart, but not to the detriment of the operation they are performing,’ noted Dmitrii Shmatov.

Aortic surgery can be performed free of charge at the St Petersburg University Clinic on any citizen of the Russian Federation in keeping with the federal quotas for high-technology medical care.

HKBU research reveals bisphenol S exposure may increase cancer risk

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A study led by Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) has revealed that different degrees of exposure to bisphenol S (BPS), an industrial chemical widely used in paper products and plastic containers, are associated with the growth and deterioration of breast tumours in a mouse model. The research results suggest the need for more in-depth and comprehensive research on the potential negative impact of BPS on human health, and the ongoing search for a safer alternative for use in industrial production may be warranted.

Apart from the HKBU scientists, the research team also included researchers from the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology at the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Xi’an Jiaotong University. The research results have been published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, an international scientific journal.

Association between BPS and breast cancer under-researched
In the past, bisphenol A (BPA) was widely used in the production of a diverse range of products, such as baby bottles, food and beverage containers, and the thermal paper used for printing receipts. As previous research has shown an association between BPA exposure and human endocrine system disruption, metabolic disease and an increased risk of breast cancer in recent years, scientists have looked for alternatives to BPA, and BPS has been used as one of the substitutes. Despite reports on the adverse effects of BPS on human health, its impact on tumour progression and how it disrupts the relevant metabolic processes in breast cancer remain poorly understood.

A research team led by Professor Cai Zongwei, Chair Professor of the Department of Chemistry and Director of the State Key Laboratory of Environmental and Biological Analysis at HKBU, carried out several experiments to explore how BPS exposure at environmentally relevant levels affects the development of breast tumours, including the tumour’s morphological characteristics as well as lipid and protein distribution, with the aid of mass spectrometry imaging technology.

BPS exposure increases tumour volume and weight

The research team conducted experiments on three groups of mice model that had been transplanted with human breast cancer cells. In the first dosing group (BPS-10 group), the mice were fed daily with a lower dosage of 10 micrograms of BPS per kilogram of body weight for eight weeks. In the second group (BPS-100 group), the mice were fed with a higher dosage of 100 micrograms of BPS per kilogram of body weight. The mice in the control group were fed olive oil.

Tumour proliferation in the mice was then investigated, and the team used morphological analysis to study the breast tumour tissue. In general, increases in tumour volume and weight represent proliferation of tumour tissues. When a tumour further develops, the condition of its necrotic region and its peripheral tissues will change. However, the volume and weight of the tumour may reduce as a result of changes in the conditions of the tissues.

After the eight-week experiment, the average volume and weight of the tumours in the BPS-10 group were 13 times and 11 times higher than that of the control group respectively, and the average volume and weight of the tumours in the BPS-100 group were 4 times and 4.5 times higher than that of the control group respectively. Therefore, the results show that exposure to BPS was closely related to the proliferation and deterioration of breast tumours.

Different dosages associated with tumour proliferation and deterioration

The research team analysed the necrotic region and neoplastic region of the breast tumours in the three groups of mice. The two regions are common pathological features of solid tumours. An increase in the relative proportion of the necrotic region reflects the proliferation of the tumour, while an extended neoplastic region indicates the deterioration of the tumour.

 

In the control group, the status of tumour cells in the necrotic region and the neoplastic region was stable, and the mice from the group showed no significant tumour proliferation and deterioration after the experimental period. However, in the two BPS treated groups, an increase in tumour size was observed along with changes in the arrangement and distribution of tumour cells conducive to tumour proliferation and deterioration.

 

After the experiment, the necrotic regions in the BPS-10 and the BPS-100 groups accounted for 54.7% and 11.5% of the average section area of the tumours respectively. The results indicate that a low dosage of BPS induces faster tumour growth, and a high dosage of BPS may ultimately lead to deterioration of the tumour, as shown by the relatively small average size of the necrotic region and the extended neoplastic tissue in the BPS-100 group.

BPS affects the distribution of tumour-related lipids and proteins

The research team identified six lipid biomarkers that regulate tumour growth. With the analysis of tumour tissues’ morphological characteristics and the use of mass spectrometry imaging, it was found that in the two BPS-exposed groups, these lipids were highly abundant in the necrotic regions of breast tumours when compared with the control group. The team inferred that the metabolism of these tumour-regulating lipids was interrupted in the breast tumours following exposure to BPS.

The team also discovered the distribution of twelve protein biomarkers, including the proteins associated with breast tumour proliferation and deterioration. The results demonstrate the important function of BPS exposure-related lipids and proteins, and future research will further explore their role in breast cancer.

BPS may increase human breast cancer risk

The research team then compared the distribution of lipids and proteins in the BPS-exposed mice groups with those observed in human breast cancer tissue samples, and similar patterns were identified. While not all tumours will become cancerous, based on the benchmark results, the team deduced that exposure to BPS will increase the risk of breast cancer in humans.

“BPA was replaced by the less studied chemical BPS in industrial production. Our research findings show that BPS may potentially be associated with breast tumour proliferation, and further study is deemed necessary to unveil more about the chemical’s possible negative impact on human health. In the long run, industry may need to identify safer substitutes for both BPA and BPS. Policymakers should also establish relevant safety standards and regulations for the use of BPS,” said Professor Cai.