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Month: May 2023

IITU on the way to meta university concept

Posted on by International Information Technology University

Currently, the development of digital technologies has changed the approach to learning and quality of the education. With the accelerated development of distance education in the world, universities are moving into a virtual or meta-space – i.e. a web platform that offers students and organizations a platform with virtual immersion capabilities for gaining and sharing knowledge to
achieve interdisciplinary academic goals. In this way, educational institutions come together to offer students the opportunity to access learning resources from any university/library they need, and students studying at one educational institution can take courses at other universities and colleges. All this makes education more accessible, perfect and independent.

The relevance and advantages of creating a specialized virtual university are as follows:

• high-quality presentation of lectures due to the support of multimedia and interactive;

• low cost of education;

• Providing an opportunity to enrol in higher education institutions for all who experience difficulties in a traditional university;

• the opportunity to enter prestigious universities, regardless of the location of the university;

• easy access to libraries and educational resources;

• time savings due to the absence of the need to attend a traditional university;

• Ensuring social justice through equal access to technology;

• the students control the path of academic learning, as learning in virtual classrooms is carried out in accordance with their request;

• creative teaching method;

• Creating an environment of real human presence in laboratories through meta-space

Also with the benefits, the most important reasons hindering the spread of virtual
universities in developing countries should also be noted:

• the virtual university is not yet popular all over the world;

• popular distrust in the level of the educational system of the virtual university;

• conservatism of the state policy of higher education;

• the traditional generation rejects the idea of modern teaching methods,
including virtual universities;

• continuous learning and technical support should be available to teachers and students of the virtual university.

The International Information Technologies University is the leading university in Central Asia in the training of IT specialists.The development of educational programs that consider immersive technologies, the creation of virtual laboratories and work on scientific projects funded by the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan and international organizations such as UNICEF, led to the creation of a university meta-space. And the next stage of the university’s strategic development was the creation of a Meta-University. IITU defines a Meta-University as a new culture of learning in a virtual community

Of course, in order to create a meta-university, higher education institutions must have a reserve: a bank of technologies used, the presence of a digital university, a base of its own scientific knowledge, qualified personnel and scientists, a laboratory of immersive technologies that will
create digital twins, virtual objects, requires large financial investments and the availability of high-tech equipment.

Meta-education can provide a hybrid, formal and informal active approach to learning. In virtual 3D buildings, students are users of virtual spaces with their own individual curricula. Full immersion lets the learner know about unknown circumstances and events in remote locations.

Thus, IITU is developing its own concept and implementation of the META-university, which consists in the training of qualified personnel who can use immersive technologies, and the university itself teaches on the principle of “immersive learning”. We must be ready for future professions now and start working in the virtual space of various sectors of the economy.

Chulalongkorn University ranks 1st in Thailand for 30 subjects by QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

The latest results of the QS World University Rankings by Subject 2023 have been announced and
Chulalongkorn University is ranked the first Thai university, as it did last year.  In the broad subject area category this year Chula ranks first among Thai universities and is also first in Thailand for 30 sub-subjects, an increase by 4 sub-subjects from last year as follows:

Art & Humanities

in six subjects

1. Architecture / Built Environment
2. English Language & Literature
3. History
4. Linguistics
5. Modern Languages
6. Performing Arts

Engineering & Technology 

in seven subjects

1. Computer Science
2. Engineering – Chemical
3. Engineering – Civil & Structural
4. Engineering – Electrical & Electronic
5. Engineering – Mechanical
6. Engineering – Mineral & Mining
7. Engineering – Petroleum

Natural Sciences 

in five subjects

1. Chemistry
2. Environmental Sciences
3. Geography
4. Materials Science
5. Physics & Astronomy

Social Sciences & Management 

in eleven subjects

1. Accounting & Finance
2. Anthropology
3. Business & Management Studies
4. Development Studies
5. Economics & Econometrics
6. Education
7. Law
8. Politics & International Studies
9. Social Policy & Administration
10. Sociology
11. Sports-related Subjects

Life Sciences & Medicine 

in one subject

1. Dentistry

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/109824/

Anticancer drugs with fewer side-effects

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Scientists from Japan reveal the crystal structure of a cell cycle motor protein, which could be a potential anticancer drug candidate

Many anticancer drugs have serious side-effects in clinical practice. Kinesin inhibitors block kinesin motor proteins required for cancer cell division, and are thus, promising anticancer drug candidates with minimal side-effects. However, their association with kinesin proteins remains unclear. Researchers from Japan have now addressed this gap by solving the crystal structure of the complex formed by the kinesin protein CENP-E and the non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue AMPPNP, paving the way for the development of cancer therapies with lesser toxicities.

Anticancer drugs are pivotal to cancer treatment, but their toxicity may not always be limited to cancer cells, resulting in harmful side-effects. To develop anticancer therapies that have fewer adverse effects on patients, scientists are now focusing on molecules that are less toxic to cells. One such group of drugs is the “kinesin inhibitors.” These inhibitors prevent cancer progression by explicitly targeting kinesin motor proteins, which are required for the division of cancer cells. Centromere-associated protein E (CENP-E), a member of the kinesin motor protein, is a promising target for inhibitor therapy, as it is essential for tumor cell replication. However, determining the structure of CENP-E is crucial to identify inhibitor molecules that can bind to CENP-E and arrest the function.

Interestingly, the binding of the energy molecule—adenosine triphosphate (ATP)—to the motor domain of CENP-E changes its structure or configuration. This also occurs when CENP-E binds to an inhibitor. So far, very few CENP-E inhibitors have been reported and none have been approved for clinical use. It is, therefore, important to acquire structural information on the CENP-E motor
domain.

To this end, a research team from Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan used X-ray crystallography to elucidate the crystal structure of the complex formed by the CENP-E motor domain and a kinesin inhibitor.

The study, which was led by Professor Hideshi Yokoyama from TUS, along with co-authors Ms. Asuka Shibuya from TUS, and Assistant Professor Naohisa Ogo, Associate Professor Jun-ichi Sawada, and Professor Akira Asai from the University of Shizuoka, was published in FEBS Letters on February 23, 2023. “CENP-E selectively acts on dividing cells, making it a potential new target for anticancer drugs with fewer side-effects”, says Dr. Yokoyama while discussing the motivation underlying this study.

First, the team expressed the CENP-E motor domain in bacterial cells, following which they purified and mixed it with adenylyl-imidodiphosphate (AMPPNP)—a non-hydrolyzable ATP analogue. The mix was crystallized to obtain exhaustive X-ray data. Using this data, the team obtained the structure of CENP-E motor domain-AMPPNP complex. Next, they compared the structure with that of CENP-E-bound adenosine diphosphate (CENP-E-MgADP) as well as with other previously known kinesin motor protein-AMPPNP complexes. From these comparisons, the team speculated that the helix alpha 4 in the motor domain was likely to be responsible for the loose binding of CENP-E to microtubules, i.e., cell structures that are crucial to cell division.

“Compared to the α4 helices of other kinesins, the α4 of CENP-E binds slowly and with lesser strength to microtubules as compared to other kinesins, throughout the ATP hydrolysis cycle”, adds Dr. Yokoyama.

The discovery of the crystal structure of the complex is expected to facilitate additional structure-activity relationship studies, which will bring scientists a step closer to developing anticancer drugs targeting CENP-E. The research team is optimistic about the future applications of their research and are confident that it will be possible to design drugs based on the methods employed in this study. “The ultimate goal is to use the preparation and crystallization methods described in our study for future drug design studies that aim at developing anticancer drugs with fewer side-effects,” concludes a hopeful Dr. Yokoyama.

We, too, believe that this study will bring cancer patients new hope and alleviate the side-effects they experience during treatment.

Reference                     

Title of original paper: Crystal structure of the motor domain of centromere-associated protein E in complex with a non-hydrolysable ATP analogue

Journal: FEBS Letters

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/1873-3468.14602

SMU collaborates with Accenture and AWS to launch a new Work-Study Elective Programme

Posted on by audreychan

The Singapore Management University’s (SMU) School of Computing and Information Systems (SCIS)  announced a collaboration with global professional services company, Accenture,
and cloud provider, Amazon Web Services (AWS) to launch a new Work-Study Elective (WSE) Programme. The Programme is a six-month commitment from students to learn the latest AWS Cloud technologies and apply classroom knowledge to innovate cloud-based solutions that address real-world challenges.

The WSE Programme is open to all SCIS students annually, and comprises two key components – an Accenture internship qualification and a Cloud Solutions Development course supported by Accenture and AWS. Over six months, students will learn and apply AWS Cloud technologies via associate-level courses and certifications from AWS Academy, a free, ready-to-teach cloud computing curriculum for higher education institutions that prepares students to pursue industry-recognised credentials and in-demand technology jobs. Selected courses in SCIS are conducted using AWS Academy teaching and learning resources that prepare students to build industry-aligned capstone projects on AWS Cloud and achieve AWS certifications.

Students will also work on problem statements designed by Accenture and innovate on solutions built on AWS Cloud, addressing these challenges. Those who successfully complete the WSE Programme, along with SMU’s courses in IT solution architecture and enterprise solution development, will be eligible to apply for an internship opportunity with Accenture.

According to recently published Accenture research, there has been an increase in cloud investment over the last two years, with more than 86% of global companies reporting an increase in cloud initiatives. An AWS-commissioned industry report highlights Asia Pacific businesses that employ cloud engineers and software developers report annual revenues 150% higher than those that rely on workers with basic digital skills. As cloud becomes more prevalent in organisations, there is a growing need for skilled professionals who can manage and optimise cloud environments, and also a need for upskilling and reskilling programmes.

Professor Pang Hwee Hwa, Dean, School of Computing and Information Systems and Lee Kong Chian Chair Professor of Computer Science, Singapore Management University says, “The momentum of digitalisation remains unabated and employers are seeking more highly skilled digital talent. As a key business and technology hub in Asia, Singapore needs to ensure a high quality, digitally-skilled talent pipeline. This is borne out by the strong performance of our graduates in the recent Graduate Employment Survey. Preparing our students does not stop at the curriculum, we want to equip our students with the right skills and be workforce-ready. SMU’s Education and Career Guidance brings together students and industry collaborators like Accenture and AWS to help students better understand the cloud job roles. The WSE Programme supported by Accenture and AWS is a great example of industry leaders coming together to deliver a learning and working environment that strengthens the industry relevance of our students, specifically in high-demand cloud skills.”

Ng Wee Wei, Southeast Asia Market Unit Lead and Singapore’s Country Managing Director, Accenture says, “Technology is transforming societies and economies, but to realise its potential, we need the right talent. Cloud, data, and AI skills are crucial for thriving in the digital economy. The WSE Programme with SMU and AWS expands on Accenture’s commitment to talent creation through retraining, skills prioritisation, and combining technology with human potential. Our ‘hire to train’ approach quickly upskills talents on emerging technologies. We are proud and excited about the potential of this collaboration which offers hands-on cloud technology experience and real-world project work for students to build a future-ready, resilient workforce for Singapore’s growing digital economy.”

Elsie Tan, Singapore Country Manager, Public Sector, Amazon Web Services says, “The WSE
Programme highlights the importance of academic and industry collaborations to co-design and co-deliver cloud skills training and development, directly addressing the Singapore Government’s call for action to skill, reskill, and upskill workers. AWS is honoured to support world-leading universities like SMU and trusted AWS Partners like Accenture to enable students to earn industry-recognised certifications, secure potential employment, and ramp up their career readiness to successfully transition from academia to the workforce. AWS has trained over 200,000 individuals in Singapore on cloud skills since 2017 and we look forward to deepening our commitment to support even more industry collaborations to digitally skill more learners.”

Study unravels pathophysiological role of dectin-1 in promoting colorectal cancer

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

The team led by Tokyo University of Science researchers identified the mechanism using mouse models and validated it with clinical samples

Colorectal cancer is associated with significant mortality. However, the precise mechanism of action that governs the development of colorectal cancer remains largely unknown. A research team led by scientists from the Tokyo University of Science has
recently been able to show that the receptor protein “Dectin-1” promotes colorectal tumorigenesis by enhancing the production of prostaglandin E2, which in turn suppresses the expression of the tumor-inhibitory IL-22-binding protein.  

Colorectal cancer (CRC) causes nearly 500,000 deaths every year across the globe. Although
CRC is predominantly associated with old age and poor dietary habits, the precise pathophysiological mechanisms that contribute to the development of CRC continue to remain elusive. Now, a research team—led by Professor Yoichir Iwakura from Tokyo University of Science, Japan, and Professor Ce Tang from Sun Yat-sen University China—has recently been able to identify the underlying mechanism using a mouse model and clinical samples. Their results have been published in Nature Communications. This paper was published online in Volume 14 Issue 1 of the journal on March 17, 2023. 

“We investigated the role of Dectin-1 in colorectal tumorigenesis by analyzing mouse intestinal tumor models and clinical samples from patients with CRC. We showed that Dectin-1 signaling promotes the development of colorectal tumors by enhancing the production of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), which facilitates CRC development by suppressing the expression of the tumor-inhibitory IL-22-binding protein (IL-22BP),” says Prof. Iwakura.

Dectin-1 primarily serves as a receptor protein and preferentially binds to β-glucans—glucose
polymers that naturally occur in the cell walls of various types of fungi. Although prior studies have shown that Dectin-1 offers protection against fungal invasion, the current study highlights its role as a receptor protein involved in the development of CRC.

To fully understand the underlying mechanism of Dectin-1’s pathophysiological action in
CRC, the research team generated genetically modified “Clec7a–/– mice” that were deficient in Dectin-1. For this purpose, the team used the ApcMin mouse model of human familial adenomatous polyposis a form of cancer characterized by multiple tumors—as well as the azoxymethane (AOM)-dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced colorectal cancer model of chemical carcinogenesis. Quite interestingly, Clec7a–/– mice showed reduced tumorigenesis in both of the above models, thus underscoring the role of Dectin-1 in CRC development. 

Next, the researchers decided to investigate the role of gut bacteria in intestinal tumorigenesis. To this end, they created germ-free (GF) mice that harbored no commensal bacteria in their guts. They found that, in the complete absence of any gut bacteria, colorectal polyp number in Clec7a−/− GF mice was greatly reduced compaired with wild type GF mice, showing that gut microbiota are not involved in the reduction of polyps in Clec7a–/– mice.                

The team then decided to delve into the associated mechanism of action. Subsequent murine-model-based experiments revealed that PGE2 levels in tumors were reduced in Clec7a−/−
mice. Moreover, they also observed a reduction in the expression of PGE2 synthases such as COX2 which is known to promote intestinal tumorigenesis.  

Furthermore, while investigating the types of cells that produced PGE2 synthases, the researchers
found that it is mainly produced by myeloid cell-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) that have infiltrated into the colorectal tumor. In addition, the researchers also demonstrated that PGE2 promoted the differentiation and proliferation of MDSCs, further contributing to the development of CRC in the murine models.

While attempting to elucidate the underlying mechanism of action, the researchers also noticed that Clec7a−/− mice showed an increased production of IL-22BP—a protein that can suppress the development of colorectal tumors by binding and inhibiting the pro-inflammatory protein Interleukin-22 (IL-22). Deletion of the gene responsible for the expression of IL-22BP caused
increased polyps and early death in ApcMin mice, thus underscoring the role of IL-22BP in tumor suppression. Moreover, the production of IL-22BP was found to be strongly suppressed by PGE2.

Interestingly, laminarin, a low-molecular-weight β-glucan from seaweeds, significantly inhibited AOM-DSS-induced colonic tumorigenesis in mice that were fed with this compound. The team also found that whereas high-molecular-weight β-glucans promoted tumor growth, low-molecular-weight β-glucans suppressed it, by suppressing Dectin-1 signaling.

These results also have immediate clinical implications. For instance, the team noticed that patients with CRC showing low CLEC7A expression survived longer than those with high expression of CLEC7A (in the MDSCs). Moreover, in patients with CRC, IL22RA2 expression was decreased and that of PTGS2—a PGE2-synthesizing enzyme—was increased in tumors compared to in normal tissues.       

Prof. Iwakura concludes, “Dectin-1 plays a key role in the development of colorectal tumorigenesis in both mice and humans, through the modification of PGE2 and IL-22BP levels. Dectin-1, therefore, serves as an attractive target for the development of novel anti-CRC therapeutics.” 

These findings are groundbreaking and make a significant contribution toward our present understanding of the genesis of colorectal cancer. Further research along this direction will be sure to aid in the prevention and treatment of this high-mortality disease. 

Reference                      

Title of original paper: Blocking Dectin-1 prevents colorectal tumorigenesis by suppressing prostaglandin E2 production in myeloid-derived suppressor cells and enhancing IL-22 binding protein expression

Journal:  Nature Communications

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-37229-x

 

Amsterdam based inter college becomes IC University of Applied Sciences

Posted on by Global University Systems

Amsterdam-based Inter College, originally founded by entrepreneur Anton Dreesmann in 1979, has re-branded, becoming IC University of Applied Sciences.

Changed just last month, IC University of Applied Sciences’ branding still reflects parts of
the old branding, ensuring that the history of the college stays intact, after being acquired by Global University Systems (GUS), while still attracting a diverse group of students.

Consisting of more than 24 universities and colleges around the world, GUS delivers a wide variety of programmes, including bachelor’s degree programmes, master’s degree programmes, professional training, English Language training and corporate & executive education.

“Our history and reputation as a great business school in the Netherlands is what we are known for, with our Bachelors of Business Administration in both English and Dutch,” says Arnold Persoon, Managing Director, IC University of Applied Sciences. “As a student of IC University of Applied Sciences, however, we will also ensure your ideas and talents are transformed into action, as this is the only way to apply value.”

IC University of Applied Sciences is all about a future-oriented vision, with its global alumni network of more than 10,000 people benefiting from access to a network of business owners and entrepreneurs with internships and job opportunities worldwide.

“With a 98% employment rate since 2012, our business-ready students have launched start-ups, joined family businesses or even turned their internships into full time jobs,” says Arnold Persoon. “IC University of Applied Sciences is for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs, with its industry-leading courses taught by active entrepreneurs with unique expertise in their fields.

IC University of Applied Sciences currently has 160 Dutch and international students.

Thammasat presents research on the mental health of diverse sexual orientation and gender identity groups

Posted on by Thammasat University

A lecturer from the Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education, Thammasat University, has presented the results of research on mental health among LGBTIQNA+ youth in Thailand, conducted in collaboration with the Faculty of Nursing and the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Thammasat as well as Save the Children (Thailand) Foundation and the Behavioral Science Research Institute at Srinakharinwirot University, at an event titled ‘HEARTS MATTER: Mental Health of Children and Youth with Diverse SOGIESC’ event held at Sam Yan Co-op, organized by Save the Children (Thailand) Foundation together with the Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health.

Dr. Timo Tapani Ojanen, Lecturer from the Faculty of Learning Sciences and Education, Thammasat University, representing the research team, said: “ Our findings clearly show that being a victim of violence, discrimination, or being forced to try to fit in society’s gender and sexuality norms are all bad for the mental health of LGBTIQNA+ children and youth. Other than that, more than half of our participants felt that in the past year, they had problems serious enough to go see a mental health professional, but out of those who felt that way, only one in five actually did receive mental health services, reflecting various problems in accessing these services. Overall, I think we need to address those root causes of mental health problems, and provide more options for LGBTIQNA+ children and youth to receive mental health services that they actually can access and feel comfortable using.”

Dr. Amporn Benjaponpitak, MD., Director General, Department of Mental Health, Ministry of Public Health, who gave opening remarks at the event said that the results of the Mental Health Check conducted by the Department of Mental Health in the past 6 months, indicated that 34,579 people under the age of 20 had a major mental health problem, namely high stress, depression, or the risk of suicide, which is higher than in all other age groups, in part due to the crisis caused by the COVID-19 outbreak.

Children and youth are increasingly affected by mental health problems. In particular, the mental health of LGBTIQNA+ children and youth is even more threatened, both by lack of support (for example from friends), the inability to express themselves openly at home, or even experiencing violence. Some children and youth are under pressure or are being harmed by those around them, whether family, people at their school, or people in their community, only because they do not conform to society’s gender and sexuality norms.

The research investigated mental health issues among LGBTIQNA+ youth aged between 15 to 24 years in Thailand through an online questionnaire that was completed by 3,094 participants, and 38 online interviews. The results showed that 70-80% of the participants had symptoms of anxiety and depression. This group of youths were subjected to various forms of violence, for example, 75.8% had been ridiculed, 42.4% had been forced to try to change their gender identity or sexual orientation, and more than half had experienced sexual harassment either online or offline.

Chulalongkorn University’s School of Agricultural Resources pilots fresh cacao processing methods

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

At present, Thailand’s cocoa market is on the rise and there is a substantial need for cacao beans in the country. However, there are problems in the sale of dried cacao beans produced by local farmers as the beans are below the standards of the market. This forces most entrepreneurs and factories to import dried cacao beans from overseas.

Faculty and researchers from Chulalongkorn University’s School of Agricultural Resources have recently conducted a Development Project of Midstream Business in Cocoa Business Ecosystem in Nan Province, with the aim to increase the potential of local entrepreneurs by equipping them with knowledge about cacao processing to meet the standards required by the market and to improve the overall standards of dried cacao bean production. This research project provides an important opportunity to boost the dried cacao bean business in Nan, which will increase the competitiveness of local entrepreneurs. The goal is for at least two local entrepreneurs in Nan to produce cacao beans that meet the requirements of the buyers. The project also aims to make Nan a pilot area for developing a model for cacao processing, where knowledge is imparted to and exchanged among other local entrepreneurs in the province, as well as increase the potential of local entrepreneurs in finance, marketing, and product development.

Currently, the project is in the phase of creating knowledge on preliminary cacao bean processing for the context of the intended local entrepreneurs and sharing such knowledge to improve the dried cacao bean quality of scent, taste, and safety, as well as connecting the producers to the buyers. The buyers are private organizations that give suggestions on the techniques of processing and the assessment of the quality of cacao beans.

Assist. Prof. Dr. Pimpinan Somsong from the School of Agricultural Resources, Chulalongkorn University, talked about the origin of the project explaining that although Thailand has been growing cacao for a long time, it is still being done in limited areas. Moreover, most farmers do not know how to properly manage cacao, including the market. Therefore, a research plan has been devised to elevate the cocoa supply chain in Nan, which includes sub-projects on market and business development, management of coca plantations, and midstream business development, involving the inclusion of farmers in the development of preliminary processing, e.g., fermentation and drying of cacao beans.

“More entrepreneurs are now involved in the downstream business of turning dried cacao beans into chocolate, but not many in the midstream business or the preliminary processing of fresh cacao into dried cacao beans. As for the upstream business or cocoa farmers, there are quite a large number,” explained Assist. Prof. Dr. Pimpinan.

By informing local farmers in Nan about cocoa processing, Thailand’s cocoa market will increase its supply of dried cocoa. The School of Agricultural Resources, Chulalongkorn University, has both faculty members and students in Nan, allowing them to make on-site visits to share the techniques of processing cacao with local farmers. Processing not only makes it easier to store cocoa, but also allows it to be made into other products, such as chocolate.

According to Assist. Prof. Dr. Pimpinan, “This research project is an integration between researchers, the community, and entrepreneurs to apply knowledge gained from research and innovation to the problems of local entrepreneurs. This will result in the development of the agricultural sector and better distribution of income.”

The School of Agricultural Resources, Chulalongkorn University, has organized a workshop on creating craft chocolate or making chocolate from cacao beans to both Thai and foreign interested individuals. The goal is to increase knowledge as well as to promote the production and export of cocoa. The private sector, which is the buyer of dried cocoa and a knowledgeable party of the needs of the market, serves as a significant mechanism to improve cocoa, both in terms of quantity and quality. Regarding future research plans, Assist. Prof. Dr. Pimpinan added that it is necessary to regulate the quality of cocoa fermentation and drying in each batch to build confidence in the buyers, as well as the evaluation of quality of fresh cacao beans and dried cacao beans. In the future, the research will then be expanded to other provinces besides Nan.

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/109701/

Literaku: an Indonesian-language literacy application that opens a door to quality education for blind people 

Posted on by Editorial Team

The fourth point of the United Nations SDG ensures that everyone has access to and receives a quality education inclusively and equitably, covering all races and groups, including blind people with limitations in getting an equal quality of education. According to The Lancet Global Health Commission, in 2020, of the 596 million people with vision impairment worldwide, 43.4 million of them suffered complete blindness.

Hoping to aid those with vision impairment to gain quality education, a few students from the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology Universitas Sumatera Utara created a learning application for modern mobile devices. The team, chaired by Khairul Imam along with Fitri Aulia Fadillah Nasution, Eric Martin, Muhammad Ghozali, and Farhan Doli Fadhiil Siagian, and supervised by Dr. Amalia, ST., MT., concluded that one of the major problems faced by visually-impaired people is the limited and expensive resources available to them, such as braille books while themselves having the low ability to read braille. They also need access to alternative sources, such as audiobooks in the Indonesian language. The team’s answer to these problems is Literaku, a mobile learning application for vision-impairment sufferers.

The team initiated the Literaku application as an innovative, solution-based application based on Google Cloud APIs technology to improve literacy for blind people. The application contributes to maximizing the use of Indonesian voice commands by understanding the meaning of the closest word through Natural Language Processing support to assist the user in finding materials and carrying out all activities in the application. Literaku application can be used to complement and even substitute braille-format books.

Literaku works by converting various visual forms into vocals. A wide range of materials, such as Portable Document Format (PDF) textbooks, scientific articles, modules, novels, and comics, can be converted using the Screen Reader feature. The app is designed with user-friendliness in mind; thanks to integrated Google Cloud APIs and a speech interface, this allows blind users to start, browse, and operate the application by themselves.

The application has undergone several tests to obtain accurate user experience feedback and ensure efficiency. The team has gained highly pleasing results from users, who rated the application’s usability testing level at 100% and satisfaction level at 89.60%.

Literaku gained national recognition and success in 2022 when the team made it into the National Student Scientific Week (PIMNAS) finals after receiving funding from the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology. The team has successfully obtained copyrights for Literaku, published it at an international conference, and made it available on the Play Store for free. The team continues to develop and optimize the application to expand its impact by implementing it for visually-impaired students at a special-needs school SLBA YAPENTRA in Tanjung Morawa, Medan, North Sumatra, through a Community Service program. The team hopes that Literaku will excite the visually impaired in Indonesia, especially students, to explore their potential and open a new page in their life by giving access to a literacy application packed with educational and entertaining resources that are free and fun to use.

Nuclear medicine and realtime PCR system for better health services in the future

Posted on by Editorial Team

Nuclear medicine is a unique field of science and plays an important role in the medical field. This science uses open radiation energy from the nuclear nucleus to assess organ function, diagnose, treat and treat diseases. Professor of Nuclear Medicine, Prof. Dr. dr. Aisyah Elliyanti, SpKN (K).,MKes, Faculty of Medicine, Andalas University said “Nuclear medicine plays a major role in the treatment of cancer that is more integrated and comprehensive, so that cancer patients no longer need to move abroad for therapy,”

Nuclear medicine thernostic concept that provides systematically integrated information for diagnosing disease, so that disease management can be more efficient, and trial and error can be avoided. As an example, adjuvant therapy for thyroid cancer is differentiated by using radioactive iodine which can increase the cure rate. This is an example of thearonostics application using radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and therapy.

Multiplex Realtime PCR for the detection of high-risk human papilloma virus as a cause of cervical cancer

Uterine cervical cancer or cervical cancer is the second leading cause of death in women worldwide, including Indonesia. World data for 2020 shows that out of 600 thousand cases, there were 342 thousand deaths, while in Indonesia alone, out of 36 thousand cases, 21 thousand deaths were found.

Various screening methods have been developed for the detection of this malignancy, such as the pap smear or Acetic Acid Visual Inspection (IVA) to see changes in mucosal cells, but this method is more functional for detecting existing cancer cells. On the other hand, more than 90% of cervical cancers are associated with certain types of Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) infection which are categorized as ‘high risk types’, namely HPV 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59, 68, 73, and 82, although the predominant types are 16 and 18. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 10% of women with HPV infection will develop cervical cancer. This is the basis that HPV screening is the best method to prevent the development of cervical cancer in women.

The Diagnostic and Research Center for Infectious Diseases (PDRPI) Faculty of Medicine, Andalas University, in collaboration with the Indonesian Obstetrics and Gynecology Association (POGI), especially the Oncology division, has formed a team to detect a diagnostic method based on nucleic acid amplification using the Multiplex Real Time PCR approach. The team consists of Dr.dr. Andani Eka Putra, MSc, dr. Linosefa, SpMK, Dr. Syandres Prima Putra, MSc from PDRPI and Dr.dr. Syamel Muhammad, SpOG, Onk, Dr.dr. Bobby Indra Utama SpOG from POGI.

The results showed that the sensitivity and specificity of the results reached 100% when compared with standard detection methods using GP and MY primers. However, this method is more effective and efficient because it does not require electrophoresis after nucleic acid amplification. The method we have developed is capable of simultaneously detecting 5 (five) types of HPV, namely 11, 16, 18, 45 and 52 within a maximum of 3 hours after the sample is received.

The research results have obtained a commercial collaboration with PT. Crown Technology Indonesia. Currently in the process of obtaining a Distribution Permit Number (NIE). The composition of the Domestic Component Level (TKDN) is around 60%, and is targeted to reach more than 90% within the next 1 year.