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Year: 2023

Scratch where it itches

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Chula Veterinary Science Lecturers have successfully developed a Serum Test Kit to Identify Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) caused by dust mites. With a Gold Medal from the Swiss Innovation Contest, the test kit is guaranteed to help identify the allergens with greater precision to ensure correct treatment.

Atopic dermatitis is one of the most common allergies in dogs, with prominent symptoms such as itching, erythema, and severe swelling. In severe cases, there can be symptoms of bronchospasm, coughing, and sneezing like people with allergies.

Itching and erythema in dogs are not to be overlooked. Dog owners should pay attention and take their pets to be examined and receive appropriate and spot-on care, which can only be done if the cause or culprit of the skin allergy can be identified.

Screening for skin allergy in dogs is quite limited, complex, time-consuming, and very costly. Associate Professor Dr. Nuvee Prapasarakul, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, and a team of researchers, consisting of Dr. Nathrada Khanthawee, Associate Professor Dr. Nitat Sookrung, Miss Nawannaporn Lim, and Assistant Professor Dr. Wandee Sirichokchatchawan, therefore, invented and developed “a Serum Test Kit to Identify Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) caused by dust mite using Immunoglobulin G1 (G subclass one) to help veterinarians identify the cause of allergy in dogs more quickly and easily.

“This test kit can be used continuously from the start of allergy testing, during symptom monitoring until the end of treatment without the dog getting hurt, and it can also be cost-effective,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee about the hallmark of this innovation, which won the gold medal at the 48th International Exhibition of Inventions 2023 held recently in Geneva, the Swiss Confederation.

Getting to Know Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) and Its Causes
Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) is one of the most common forms of skin allergy in dogs, caused by abnormal immune responses to environmental agents such as airborne chemicals, dust, mold, mites, and food.

“Healthy and unhealthy dogs all have the potential to develop this disease. The incidence of skin diseases varies depending on the nature of each dog. Some dog breeds may have frequent skin diseases and severe symptoms, while others may have only minor symptoms and some may not have skin diseases at all,” said Associate Professor Dr. Nuvee.

CAD can be the result of a variety of factors, including:

1. Genetics: Some breeds of dogs are at higher risk than others for AD, including Vizla, Bassett Hound, Yorkshire Terrier, Shih Tzu, Beagle, Bulldog, and Cocker Spaniel. Dogs with weakened immunity or stress are also more prone to skin diseases.

2. Age: Skin allergies in dogs usually start showing symptoms between the ages of 6 months and 3 years old, but symptoms can also occur at any age.

3. Environmental conditions such as dust, dust mites, and high humidity increase the likelihood of developing fungus on the dog’s skin, causing skin irritation and allergies. Cold and dry weather can also dry the dog’s skin, aggravating skin allergies. In hot weather, dogs have more skin problems, which can be a risk factor to develop further skin allergies.

4. Chemicals: Exposure to certain chemicals can be a trigger for skin allergies, especially those used in dog health care products such as soap, shampoo, cream, or some coating substance can all trigger an onset of skin allergy in dogs that are sensitive to these chemicals.

5. Food: Protein from food contributes to around 10-15 percent of skin allergy cases.

However, according to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee, most skin allergies in dogs are caused by allergens in the environment such as dust mites, pollen, mold, and other substances that dogs come into contact with, especially dust mites which are important factors in triggering allergies.

 

Atopic Dermatitis Caused by Dust Mites
Dogs with skin allergies from dust mites itch and scratch on the affected skin such as around the ears, abdomen, legs, and under the body. They are plagued with skin eczema, erythema, scarring, or scabby skin on sensitive areas that smell like fermented yeast.

In some cases, the dogs suffering from CAD may experience swelling, redness, and pus in the affected areas. They may have increased hair loss and ulcers caused by scratching or incorrect skin treatment.

Although the majority of canine skin allergies are mainly caused by dust mites, there may be other causes, such as dietary, that may trigger similar symptoms.

How important is allergen identification?
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee said that identifying allergens is very important to help reduce or avoid them, as well as to help plan for the right treatment, such as the correct administration of anti-allergic medications to reduce the risk of dogs receiving unnecessary or inappropriate treatment.

“Allergies and how to treat them are specific and dependent on each dog and their living environment. A veterinarian specializing in allergies can provide additional counsel on proper handling and allergy prevention for dogs, as well as how to boost their immunity to fight the allergies which helps to somewhat relieve the symptoms. A healthy immunity may strengthen a dog’s tissues and immune system to reduce an abnormal response to something it is allergic to.”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee also added that dogs may be allergic to the things being watched for the rest of their lives, or they may develop allergic reactions to something new as well.

Allergen Screening Test Before Planning a Treatment
Allergies in dogs can occur when the dog is 6 months of age or older. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee recommends that dog owners regularly observe skin symptoms similar to those of skin allergies, such as itching, redness, dampness, thick skin, or dandruff scabs. Should these symptoms occur, you should consult veterinarians specializing in skin diseases or allergies.

“Owners should take note of the dog’s symptoms and response to the environment as information for veterinarians to diagnose and provide appropriate guidance in the management of diseases that may require long-term follow-up treatment to control skin symptoms and disorders.”

Identifying the specific allergens is important in treatment planning. According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee, there are currently two test methods:

1. Intradermal skin test is a test under the skin to diagnose airborne allergies. The veterinarian will inject the test substance into the skin layer of the dog and observe the symptoms for some time before evaluating the results according to the dog’s response. The process takes about 1-2 hours.

“There are limitations to this method. Before the dog is tested, all the medications, i.e., anti-inflammatory, anti-itching, immunosuppressant have to be stopped. So, there are risks of the symptoms becoming acute. In addition, this method requires anesthesia, and it is expensive.”

2. Allergen-specific IgE serology testing is a method of detecting airborne allergy symptoms in dogs by measuring the level of Immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibodies produced by the body causing allergic reactions to possible allergens. This test is done on samples of the dog’s blood.

“This method is quite convenient, but not many veterinary laboratories in Thailand provide this service which means they have to send blood samples to foreign laboratories, making it costly, and time consuming. Most importantly, this method requires a substantial amount of blood for the test.”

Scratch where it itches! Innovative Allergen Screening Test Kit with High Precision
Based on the limitations of the two allergen screening tests, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee, therefore, developed the Serum Test Kit to Identify Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) caused by dust mites using Immunoglobulin G1 (IgG Subclass 1) using a laboratory method called ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay).

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee explained that “Immunoglobulin G subclass One” is one of the four subclasses of Immunoglobulin G in the immune systems of humans and animals, whose main function is to protect the body from allergies and pathogens. Assessing the level and proportion of each class of Immunoglobulin G can help to diagnose and monitor the immune response to various substances or infections in various forms in the body.

“The research team found that the “immunoglobulin G subclass1” is the primary class of “immunoglobulin G” with a high response rate to allergens in dogs with CAD.”

During the course of the research, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee tested this test kit on 200 dogs at participating veterinary hospitals throughout Bangkok with satisfactory results, comparable to the effectiveness of the original two methods.

“While we don’t have the best test kit yet, this is an easily accessible method for veterinarians, and it can be used continuously from diagnosis, monitoring, and end-of-treatment without hurting the dogs while being cost-effective,” said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee. Articles about this innovative serum test kit to identify dust mite allergy in dogs have been published in three Q1 international journals.

Guidelines for the Care and Treatment of CAD
Care and treatment of skin allergies in dogs is a complex process and should be supervised by a veterinarian to ensure proper care for the dogs in each household. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee summarizes the guidelines for care as follows:

1. Remove allergens – For example, if the dog is allergic to dust, pollen, or dietary protein, the food must be reduced or removed from the dog’s environment as much as possible to reduce exposure and immune response.

2. Feed the dog proper food that does not contain ingredients that can induce dog allergies to reduce the immune response.

3. Use immune-boosting substances such as vitamins and other supplements

“Boosting immunity can help reduce some of the allergies in dogs. A strong immunity can potentially strengthen the dog’s tissues and immune system to reduce abnormal responses to allergens.”

Use medications and medical treatment. In case of severe allergies, the veterinarian may recommend the use of related medications such as steroids, anti-allergy drugs, antifungal drugs, antibiotics, and hair tonics to effectively control allergies. The owner is recommended to administer medication regularly.
Minimize anything that may trigger an allergic reaction, such as washing bed linen, clothing, and household appliances thoroughly. Use mild shampoos to wash the dogs, and focus on general hygiene with proper exercise, proper feeding, and appropriate climate control.
Currently, the Serum Test Kit to Identify Canine Atopic Dermatitis (CAD) caused by dust mites using Immunoglobulin G1 (G subclass one) has already been patented. In the future, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee intends to develop this innovation into a paper-based, ATK-like test kit for convenience and easy detection of the allergy in one go, while being able to identify other canine allergies in addition to dust mites, such as pollen, food protein allergies, etc.

Moreover, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nuvee also plans to develop a vaccine, also known as Allergy Immunotherapy or Allergen-Specific Immunotherapy (ASI), as injections to treat allergies accurately!

For more information, contact the Research Department, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Chulalongkorn University, Tel. +66-2218-9440.

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/125823/

Geliat Airlangga, international partners evaluate Triple Elimination Program

Posted on by Universitas Airlangga News

Geliat Airlangga, in partnership with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS), and the World Health Organization (WHO) conducted monitoring and evaluation of the Triple Elimination Program in three health centers (Puskesmas) in Surabaya. The event was conducted in Puskesmas Sememi, Puskesmas Kedungdoro, and Mahameru Foundation on July 21, 2023.

Collaboration

The visit is a collaborative attempt to eliminate three infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS, syphilis, and hepatitis B. The representatives from Geliat Airlangga, UNICEF, UNAIDS, and WHO visited the health centers to monitor and evaluate the program.

The representatives are Prof Dr Nyoman Anita Damayanti Drg MS from Geliat Airlangga, Joel Renstrom from UNAIDS, Dr Armunanto from UNICEF, and Dr Kemmy Ampera Purnamawati from WHO. They visited Puskesmas Sememi for the first stop, where they saw medical staff and health workers who have worked hard to prevent, detect, and treat HIV/AIDS. The HIV/AIDS prevention program has played a crucial role in reducing the rate of new infections and improving access to treatment services for HIV patients.

“We are committed to continuing our collaboration with the government and organizations. The Triple Elimination Program is an attempt to achieve our shared goals in improving public health,” Dr Kemmy said.

Their next stop was Puskesmas Kedungdoro which also conducted the triple elimination program. The statistics were presented to see the general conditions of the community regarding the program.

Lastly, they visited the Mahameru Foundation Surabaya, a non-governmental organization that focuses in supporting people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). They discussed the challenges and progress in HIV treatment with the PLWHA and the health workers. The foundation’s role in providing social support and timely treatment has helped many patients in their healing process and in preventing the spread of the disease.

“Prevention is the key to addressing HIV. We support the attempts to raise public awareness about the transmission and prevention of HIV. Our goal is to achieve zero new infections, zero discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths,” Joel Renstrom said.

Appreciation

Geliat Airlangga, UNICEF, UNAIDS, and WHO highly appreciate the hard work and dedication of all parties for the Triple Elimination program. This cross-agency collaboration serves as a real example of joint efforts to achieve significant outcomes in eliminating infectious diseases and improving public health.

The representatives are pledged to provide support and necessary resources to strengthen the Triple Elimination program in Surabaya and East Java. Their goal is to further enhance the effectiveness of the program and make a significant impact in combatting infectious diseases in the region.

Thammasat wins first prize in national accounting competition

Posted on by Thammasat University

Team of students from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University, consisting of Kirakorn Klomrit, 4th year student majoring in Accounting, Nutruja Wainipitpongse, 4th year student majoring in Accounting, and Boonya-orn Chanthamanee, 4th year student majoring in Accounting, won the first prize among 125 teams from 66 institutions across the country in the 9th national accounting quiz competition of the year 2023, or “Thailand Accounting Challenge 2023”, and received a trophy from the President of the Federation of Accounting Professions, a plaque, and a scholarship of 50,000 Thai baht organized by the Federation of Accounting Professions in the Royal Patronage at Emeritus Professor Kesree Narongdej Seminar Training Center, 6th Floor, Federation of Accounting Professions Building, Sukhumvit 21 Road (Asoke), Bangkok.

Kirakorn Klomrit revealed that the team knew about this competition from the public relations channel in MS Teams of the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University, and announcement from the lecturers as well. Thailand Accounting Challenge or TAC is a competition organized by the Federation of Accounting Professions. It is about answering questions or quiz related to the accounting profession. The nature of the competition is exam-like with multiple choice questions and time limits for completing each question in which the contents of the competition consisted of 6 topics: financial accounting, cost accounting and managerial accounting, auditing, taxation, accounting information systems, ethics and laws related to the accounting profession which compete as a team of 3 people and help each other think about each question. The competition is divided into 3 rounds, with rounds 1 and 2 being qualifying rounds to select the number of teams to about 30 teams out of more than one hundred teams go to the finals in Round 3.

Natruja Wainipitpongse said that for the preparation, the lecturers would arrange sessions to review knowledge, or that is, provide tutoring for all students who participate in the competition. There were many lecturers who come to tutor during the out-of-class time including creating a group for students to ask questions at any time. In addition to the tutoring prepared by the lecturers, each student had to read the textbooks of the subjects they had studied since they were in the first year to review their own knowledge and download documents such as professional standards or manuals explaining various standards from the Federation of Accounting Professions website to read and understand thoroughly as well because the content learned in the classroom alone may not be enough. By taking time off from studying and working in each subject to study and read books. In addition to reading books, there will be practice exercises, both questions that have been done in the classroom and old exams that have been used in previous years’ competitions and when the day of the competition was approaching, the lecturer would arrange a simulated test like the actual competition day to see whether we are ready or not to join the competition, or is there anything that needs to be improved or further reviewed.

Boonya-orn Chanthamanee added that the main obstacle encountered by the team prior to the competition was boredom as when we read books for a long time, we could be bored and did not wish to continue reading. Another hurdle was the time constraint as we only had a few months to prepare while having to study and work for various subjects as well, which also makes it even more difficult to organize the time for reading for the competition.

As for the obstacles the team encountered during the competition, there were time constraints and some problems that were quite long or even took up a whole page, but only given a few minutes to think, causing confusion. Also, there were times we skipped important information.

“The reason behind winning the first prize is thought to be due to the well-taught knowledge from the lecturer which has been accumulated since the first year, making us understand the idea and content of accounting since started studying the subjects. This includes trying to constantly review the content and find more knowledge outside the textbook, such as the website of the Federation of Accounting Professions to the good support from many lecturers and cooperation between the good team members, allowing each other to think, share, and help filling in certain content that some may not know about or neglect as team competition, every member will have to work together to think and that an individual member cannot remember all the contents to oneself for the competition.

After receiving the award, I am very glad that our effort in reading books has made this achievement possible and I am as well proud to be able to build a reputation for team advisors including other professors as well as the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy and Thammasat University as well.”Kirakorn concluded.

In addition, students from the Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, Thammasat University consists of Puntila Lertchakorn, Panpanat Sereesuwankit and Adirut Trakanmaneerat received an Honorable Mention award and a scholarship of 10,000 Thai baht.

In pursuit for diversity

Posted on by Seb Murray

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, US universities must carefully and meaningfully look at alternative approaches to fostering student diversity within their campuses. Seb Murray writes.

The Supreme Court’s recent ruling against the use of race as a factor in college admissions has ignited a heated debate about the future of affirmative action in US universities. The landmark judgement has significant implications for underrepresented minority students and approaches to promoting diversity on US campuses.

In the aftermath of the ruling, schools are wrestling with its consequences, particularly the potential legal ramifications. Consequently, there is a growing urgency to explore race-neutral alternatives that can achieve diversity while preserving fairness in the admissions process.

Nevertheless, the Supreme Court’s decision has unquestionably dealt a blow to affirmative action. “The ruling is going to severely constrain what schools can do to promote diversity in higher education,” says Reginald Oh, a Professor of Law at Cleveland State University.

Proponents of affirmative action argue that considering race is crucial for addressing historical disparities and promoting the societal benefits of higher education. However, the court ruling advocates a colour-blind approach, putting the spotlight on race-neutral alternatives to fostering diversity.

Oh says critics may attempt to challenge these alternative methods, however the burden of proof lies in demonstrating that these policies were implemented with racial discrimination in mind. “That is a very hard thing to do,” he says. “So, while there will be legal challenges, schools are in a strong position to defend against them.”

In the Supreme Court case, Students for Fair Admissions, a non-profit organisation founded conservative legal strategist Edward Blum, challenged the use of race in admissions at the University of North Carolina and Harvard University, claiming it favoured black and Hispanic students over Asian Americans and others. The group aimed to overturn the 2003 Supreme Court decision in Grutter vs Bollinger, which permitted the use of race in admissions to promote diversity.

“Many international students looking at US admissions do find it puzzling that race is a factor that is directly considered in admissions,” explains Jamie Beaton, CEO of Crimson Education, an admissions consulting firm. Affirmative action can indeed make it harder for students from certain backgrounds to gain admission to US colleges, he claims.

Little wonder that affirmative action has long been the topic of heated discussion in US higher education. It aims to create equal opportunities by levelling the playing field for underrepresented communities. However, the practice has now been severely curtailed. Angela Onwuachi-Willig, Dean of Boston University School of Law and expert in Critical Race Theory, says: “The Supreme Court’s decision is a blow to affirmative action.”

Despite the court’s ruling, Onwuachi-Willig contends that racial bias against black and Latinx students will persist. She points out that implicit racial bias influences grade point averages (GPAs) in high schools, undermining the supposed objectivity of university admission criteria. “There are a plethora of ways in which race is invisibly operating in our society and in admissions for those who want to put their blinders on,” Onwuachi-Willig says, cautioning that the court’s decision may contribute to ongoing racial inequality.

The impact of state-level bans on affirmative action, though, is a subject of contention. Peter Hinrichs, an economist at the Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland who studied this issue, notes that such bans have resulted in decreased enrolment of underrepresented minority students at highly-selective public universities. However, he also observes that these students still attend college elsewhere. “State-level affirmative action bans don’t have a measurable effect on overall college attendance rates,” states Hinrichs.

Susan Brown, a sociology professor at the University of California, Irvine, delved into the consequences of the 1998 ban on affirmative action in Washington State. Her research revealed that while underrepresented minority enrolments experienced a temporary decline, they rebounded within a couple of years. She attributes more of the initial decline to reduced applications rather than actual admissions. “Many students view affirmative action as a welcome mat,” says Brown. “It’s easy to overlook how daunting college is.”

In response to the state-level bans, colleges have adopted various strategies. Some have implemented targeted scholarship programmes or increased outreach efforts to high schools, particularly those with significant minority populations. States like California, Florida and Texas have also introduced “percentage plans”, automatically admitting high school students near the top of their class to public universities. The idea is to improve access in racially segregated areas.

Following the Supreme Court’s ruling, US universities will be actively exploring alternative approaches to fostering student diversity, say experts. The options include using proxies for race, such as socioeconomic background, as well as eliminating standardised testing, which has taken flak for allegedly benefiting wealthier students who have tutors, and expanding outreach programs to engage students from underrepresented communities.

The ruling leaves room for universities to consider how an applicant’s race may have affected their life through discrimination, inspiration or some other means. “To achieve diversity in a post-affirmative action world, colleges will have to seek out race-neutral means, particularly socioeconomic status and a range of subjective traits like grit or determination,” says Adam Nguyen, founder and CEO of admissions agency Ivy Link.

As universities strive to attain diversity using race-neutral approaches, applicants are urged to delve into the nuances of their identity, inspirations, challenges and life experiences. “There’s no doubt that the recent decision striking down affirmative action will place more emphasis on an applicant’s personal story,” says admissions consultant Stacy Blackman, who has witnessed a surge in inquiries from business-school applicants about the Supreme Court’s ruling.

She advocates for a holistic evaluation of candidates, stressing: “There has never been just one single application bucket, such as race alone, that is a dealmaker.”

Universities will ultimately need to strike a balance between fostering diversity and ensuring fairness in the admissions process. As Beaton at Crimson Education says: “Advocates of affirmative action argue that the net benefit of considering race to society in the spirit of helping disadvantaged groups is worth it, but many disagree. The reality is that these US institutions are some of the ultimate global springboards of opportunity, and figuring out how to apportion this special resource is a challenging debate.”

Nevertheless, Raj Patil, CEO of Admissionado, is confident that universities will persevere in their pursuit of diversity. “Students by and large see diversity as a feature of an enriching educational experience,” he says. “So in order to deliver this opportunity to their consumers, colleges are heavily incentivised to develop any and all alternative means to help achieve diversity to remain desirable.”

This article was from the QS Insights Magazine, Issue 6. Read the full edition.

University Canada West welcomes Dr Bashir Makhoul as new president

Posted on by Global University Systems

University Canada West (UCW), Vancouver’s pre-eminent independent university offering technology-enabled, business-focused programs, is pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Bashir Makhoul as its new President and Vice-Chancellor, effective October 2023.

Dr. Makhoul comes to UCW following a 6½ year term as President and Vice-Chancellor at the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) in the United Kingdom, where he spearheaded the creation of the UK’s first Business School for the Creative Industries. Under his leadership, UCA was named Modern University of the Year by The Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide in 2019.

A native of Galilee and longtime resident of the United Kingdom, Dr. Makhoul brings a unique breadth of experience to his role at UCW. An artist by vocation and training, Dr. Makhoul’s works explore themes of conflict, displacement and identity, and have been featured in top galleries worldwide. As an academic and professor, he is among the world’s foremost published experts on contemporary Palestinian and Asian art. And as a university administrator and leader, Dr. Makhoul has earned a reputation as a catalyst for academic innovation and quality improvement.

“Dr. Makhoul embodies the qualities we value most in leadership: experience, vision, and a deep commitment to our students’ success,” said Cyndi McLeod, Chair of UCW’s Board of Governors. “His international background and dedication to academic quality make him the ideal person to lead UCW into the future.”

“It is my honor to be appointed UCW’s next President,” Dr. Makhoul said. “I share the university’s commitment to providing high-quality education and fostering a vibrant campus community. UCW is an institution with solid foundations: a dedicated staff, an entrepreneurial faculty, a deeply diverse student body, and an exceptional campus in the heart of a great city— all the essential ingredients for an extraordinary learning experience. I am eager to be part of it.”

UCW as a beacon of quality and student success

As incoming President, Dr. Makhoul will deepen UCW’s commitment to providing quality academic programs that develop students into career-ready graduates and future organizational leaders. Drawing upon his global experience in academia, Dr. Makhoul will lead UCW’s efforts to provide innovative courses and programs that appeal to students’ passions and meet the talent needs of the British Columbia economy.

Dr. Makhoul also plans to enhance UCW’s student services and supports to ensure that every student can excel in their studies and reach their full potential — a theme that runs through his own life and career. “Post-secondary education is the great equalizer,” Dr. Makhoul said. “I know firsthand what it means and what it takes to travel great distances in pursuit of knowledge and a better life.

“Growing up in rural Palestine, the chance to study abroad opened doors that I am still walking through today. I want to ensure UCW provides that same access to opportunity as I enjoyed because with education, anything is possible.”

Dr. Makhoul is also committed to joining Canadians on their shared journey of Reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, and to continuing UCW’s important work in this area.

“Dr. Makhoul is an exceptional academic and administrator who will be an asset not only to UCW but to Vancouver, British Columbia and Canada as well,” said outgoing UCW President and Vice-Chancellor Sheldon Levy. “It’s my pleasure to welcome Bashir to UCW, and I look forward to the fresh new perspective he will bring to the university.”

Extracting blood-induced color changes on the face for non-contact heart rate estimation

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Researchers from Japan propose a novel non-contact method that utilizes subtle color changes on the face to estimate heart rates

Heart rate, an essential indicator of overall health and well-being, is traditionally measured by counting the number of cardiac pulses within a specific timeframe. Existing methods, however, require physical contact with the patient, which can lead to discomfort and skin-related issues. Now, researchers from Japan introduce an innovative non-contact approach that analyzes subtle color changes on the face to enable highly accurate heart rate estimation, even in scenes with ambient light fluctuations.

Heart rate (HR) estimation is an essential component of health monitoring, and provides useful insights regarding the physiological and emotional state of humans. In the past decade or so, researchers have explored newer approaches for contactless HR estimation, primarily to overcome the discomfort or dermatitis associated with conventional methods that require physical contact. Non-contact HR estimation using cameras is an example of one such method. The method focuses on the blood volume pulse (BVP), that causes slight temporal changes in facial skin color captured in videos. By examining these color variations, it becomes possible to estimate HR. However, due to the small magnitude of these color changes, the accuracy of HR estimation is adversely affected by facial movements, ambient lighting variations, and noise.

To address these challenges, a team of researchers from Japan have now developed a novel method that leverages the temporal characteristics of the blood pulse. Importantly, it builds on the ability of the pulse to exhibit quasi-periodic behavior, which distinguishes it from noise artifacts. The study was led by Dr. Yoshihiro Maeda, Junior Associate Professor, from the Department of Electrical Engineering at the Tokyo University of Science and is published in Volume 11 of IEEE Access journal on 9 June 2023. Professor Takayuki Hamamoto and Kosuke Kurihara from the Tokyo University of Science and Associate Professor Daisuke Sugimura from the Department of Computer Science, Tsuda University, were also a part of this study.

The proposed method utilizes dynamic mode decomposition (DMD), a technique that analyzes spatio-temporal structures in multi-dimensional time-series signals. It also employs adaptive selection of the optimal spatio-temporal structure based on medical knowledge of HR frequencies. “Our method, unlike previous applications of DMD, effectively models and extracts the BVP signal by incorporating physics-informed DMD in a time-delay coordinate system, taking into account the nonlinearity and quasi-periodicity of the BVP dynamics,” explains Kosuke Kurihara, a Ph.D. student.

The proposed method relies solely on tracking time-series data from videos of a person’s face, eliminating the need for any attached detectors on the person’s body. In this method, the video time-series of the face, monitoring continuous changes, are converted into RGB time-series signals, which helps in extracting information of blood volume changes occurring beneath the skin. After effectively dealing with noise or misinformation that might creep into the data, the observed RGB signals are then converted to pulse wave information data.

Using the DMD method in a time-delayed coordinate system with conservative dynamics modeling, pulse waves containing major and accurate information can be extracted to estimate HR.

To demonstrate the efficacy of this method, the researchers used 67 facial videos from three publicly available datasets – namely TokyoTech Remote PPG dataset, MR-NIRP dataset, and UBFC-RPPG dataset. The results of this method were then compared with other non-contact HR estimation methods, including DistancePPG, SparsePPG, SAMC, Hierarchical, and MTTS-CAN.

Interestingly, the proposed method adaptively selects the dynamic mode that contains the most pulse wave components, based on the knowledge of the typical range of pulse wave components. As a result, the method showed a 36.5% improvement in estimation accuracy compared to conventional methods, especially in scenes with ambient light fluctuations.

“This achievement is expected to play a significant role as a fundamental technology for vital monitoring systems in the medical and fitness fields. The breakthrough contactless method holds great potential for non-contact heart rate estimation in various applications, such as remote health monitoring and physiological assessments,” concludes Dr. Maeda. The research findings provide new possibilities for enhancing healthcare technologies and improving overall patient comfort and well-being. Going ahead, further research will be needed to explore techniques that incorporate multispectral information, which can contribute to reducing noise and improving the accuracy of the method.

We wish Dr. Maeda and his team luck for their ongoing efforts towards addressing the remaining issues with this novel method.

Kazakh government transfers 13 research institutes to KATRU

Posted on by Muhammad Sheraz

Food security and food self-sufficiency, modernization of agriculture, adoption of environment-friendly policies, and the development of renewable energy sources are top priorities of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev’s government.

Kazakhstan is the world’s ninth-largest country with an area of 2,700,000 square kilometers making it equal to the entire western Europe in terms of area. The country is home to nearly 20 million people 45 percent of whom live in rural areas and two million work in the agriculture sector.

Nearly 75 percent of Kazakhstan’s land is suitable for agriculture, however, only 30 percent of its land is used for agriculture, still, Kazakhstan is among the top 10 producers of wheat in the world.

Now the Government wants to further develop the agriculture sector turning it into the major driver of the national economy. The goal is to transform Kazakhstan into a leading food-exporting country. Therefore, the focus is on technological innovations and applied research with the aim to bridge gaps between academia and business & industry. Universities are key players in the Kazakh government’s modernization strategy.

Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KATRU) is among Kazakhstan’s top three universities. It is located in Astana, one of the newest and most modern cities in the world, which is also the capital of Kazakhstan. KATRU is City’s oldest university. The University is also known as Seifullin University. Saken Seifullin was a national hero of Kazakhstan.

Established in 1957, KATRU now has 12000 students and 860 teaching staff in the University’s nine faculties and 16 research institutions. The University has been a distinguished and proven leader in solid fundamental and applied research since the 1960s in the fields of agricultural economics; crop production, agriculture, agro-chemistry and soil science, plant protection; microbiology, veterinary medicine, and animal husbandry; plant and animal biotechnology; land management, architecture and design, mechanization, and electrification of agriculture, as well as humanitarian areas.

KATRU scientists’ research and scientific and technological innovations played a key role in transforming the Soviet Union into a superpower and excelling in food production, agriculture engineering, energy and ecology, biotechnology, and other fields.

Since the independence of Kazakhstan in 1991, through its cutting-edge research solutions and technological innovations KATRU has been an engine behind the unprecedented economic growth, scientific innovations, and infrastructural developments in modern Kazakhstan, which is now the most advanced and developed state in Central Asia.

Astana is known the world over for its modern and unique architecture and city structures. KATRU Department of Architecture has a significant role and contributions to the engineering and designing of Astana’s major building structures and architecture.

Due to KATRU’s solid academic achievement and reputation, the government of Kazakhstan has transferred 13 national research institutes to KATRU. These institutes located in various parts of Kazakhstan were part of the Ministry of Agriculture and worked under the Kazakhstan National Agriculture Research and Education Center. That Center has been closed now and its constituent institutions have been transferred to different universities. The purpose of the move is to create a link between education, research, and production.

KATRU already had three research institutes, with the addition of 13 more by the government, KATRU now has 16 research institutes. This is a sign of huge trust in KATRU’s credibility and academic standing. Such an expansion in its research work and activities has transformed KATRU into a globally engaged modern Research University contributing to the creation of a “knowledge society” in Kazakhstan and building knowledge bridges in the Eurasian region and beyond through the creation, exchange, and transfer of knowledge & expertise in the fields of food, agriculture, and sustainable development using the work, achievements, and contributions of KATRU scientists, teachers, and students.

The University’s new Rector, Professor Kanat Maratovich Tireuov, plans to strengthen KATRU as a global hub of research, innovation, and technology connected with the rest of the world through collaborative and inter-disciplinary research, academic exchanges, and partnerships beneficial to local, and national, and global economies and societies.

“By 2030 KATRU will be among the world’s top entrepreneurial research universities offering global education, cutting-edge research, and scientific and technical solutions to global and national challenges,” vowed Rector Professor Tireuov.

Muhammad Sheraz is an adviser to the Rector KATRU on strategy, global engagement, and communication. He can be reached at: [email protected]

HKBU unveils treatment potential of herbal extract compound isoliquiritigenin for pancreatic cancer

Posted on by HKBUCPRO

A research led by scientists of Hong Kong Baptist University (HKBU) found that isoliquiritigenin (ISL), a flavonoid isolated from the Chinese herbal medicinelicorice, can inhibit pancreatic cancer progression. It may also enhance the efficacy of conventional chemotherapeutic drugs in treating pancreatic cancer. It is the first time that a research group reported the anticancer potential of ISL in treating pancreatic cancer.

The research findings have been published in the international academic journal Phytomedicine and recently presented in the Annual Congress of the European Association for Cancer Research 2023 in Torino, Italy.

Pancreatic cancer as the “silent killer”

Pancreatic cancer is often called the “silent killer” as most patients experience little or no symptoms until it has advanced and spread. According to the Global Cancer Statistics 2020 released by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, the mortality-to-incidence ratio of pancreatic cancer is greater than 93%. It is the fourth leading cause of cancer deaths in Hong Kong.

Whipple (pancreaticoduodenectomy) operation is the only available curative treatment of pancreatic cancer. However, only 20% of patients are suitable for resection and the recurrence rate is high. In non-resectable cases and metastatic pancreatic cancer patients, the chemotherapeutic drug gemcitabine (GEM) remains the mainstream treatment. Nevertheless, GEM-based combination therapy exhibits profound chemoresistance with serious systemic toxicity.

Gancao extract identified as anticancer agent

In the search for alternative treatments for pancreatic cancer, a research team led by Dr Joshua Ko Ka-Shun, Associate Professor, Teaching and Research Division of the School of Chinese Medicine at HKBU, screened all the potential pancreatic cancer disease markers and the biological therapeutic activities of phytochemicals from the medicinal plant Glycyrrhiza glabra (licorice, or Gancao in Chinese) using network pharmacology.

Network pharmacology is an emerging discipline which systematically catalogue the molecular interactions of a drug molecule in a living cell using complex computations, and has become an important tool in botanical drug discovery. Using this approach, the team identified ISL as a potential anticancer agent for the treatment of pancreatic cancer.

With a series of cell experiments, the team demonstrated that ISL suppressed the growth and induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) of pancreatic cancer cells. In two human pancreatic cancer cell lines applied with 12.5 μM and 25 μM concentrations of ISL respectively, their cell survival rates were about 50% and 80% lower than the control cells with no ISL applied. The percentage of late stage apoptosis in the two cell lines was 11% and 13% respectively, compared to less than 5% in the control cells.

Inhibits cancer progression with fewer side effects

“ISL possesses a unique property of inhibiting pancreatic cancer progression through the blockade of autophagy, which is a natural process where the body’s cells clean out damaged or unnecessary components. The blockade of late-stage autophagy in our experiments results in cancer cell death,” said Dr Ko.

The research team further employed a mice tumor model to investigate the efficacy of ISL in inhibiting pancreatic cancer cell growth in vivo. The mice were divided into three groups with GEM (GEM group), ISL (ISL group) and no treatment agent (control group) applied. The ISL group was further divided into two sub-groups treated with 30mg/kg and 60mg/kg of ISL.

On the 21st day of the experiment, the tumor volumes of the control group and the GEM group were1000 mm3 and 400 mm3 respectively. The tumor volumes of the two ISL sub-groups treated with 30mg/kg and 60mg/kg of ISL were about 500 mm3 and 300 mm3 respectively. The results showed that ISL demonstrated treatment effects comparable to that of GEM. Meanwhile, compared with GEM, ISL showed fewer side effects in mice including neutropenia (drop in white blood cell count), anemia and body weight loss.

Enhances effects of chemotherapies

Current first-line chemotherapeutic drugs for pancreatic cancer, such as GEM and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), are frequently associated with chemoresistance. It is because these drugs induce autophagy which favours the growth of cancer cells, and thus jeopardises their treatment effects.

To explore ISL’s potential in counteracting the chemoresistance of GEM and 5-FU, the research team set up experiments with pancreatic cancer cells treated with GEM or 5-FU alone, and GEM or 5-FU together with ISL. The growth inhibition rate of pancreatic cancer cells applied with GEM and ISL together is 18% higher than using GEM only, while the growth inhibition rate using 5-FU and ISL together is 30% higher than 5-FU only. The results showed that ISL can enhance the treatment effects of chemotherapeutic drugs by blocking autophagy, which is conducive to the death of cancer cells.

“The findings in this study open a new avenue for developing ISL as a novel autophagy inhibitor in the treatment of pancreatic cancer. We hope to collaborate with other research partners to further evaluate the effectiveness and potential clinical application of ISL in treating pancreatic cancer,” said Dr Ko.

KATRU will create model ‘research cluster’ using forest resources, research facilities in Shchuchinsk

Posted on by Muhammad Sheraz

Kazakh Agrotechnical Research University (KATRU) is the only institute in Kazakhstan with vast and spectacular forest resources and research facilities in north Kazakhstan. The University has the Faculty of Forestry, Forest Research, Wildlife, and Environment in the Kazakh capital Astana and a research institute, ‘Alikhan Bukeikhanov Research Institute of Forestry’ located in Shchuchinsk, a small city in northern Kazakhstan 214 kilometers northwest of Astana.

Under its new Rector and Board Chairman, Professor Kanat Maratovich Tireuov, KATRU is transforming its teaching &learning and research practices and processes through strategies such as conducting research in real conditions, providing students and researchers with practice opportunities in the field, and learning by observing, experiencing, and doing.

KATRU’s forestry faculty students and researchers will now spend more time in the University’s newly developed research and study facilities in Shchuchinsk where they will test and process their observations and findings in newly established fully equipped modern research labs in and around KATRU’s forestlands.

KATRU is building new research laboratories, academic buildings, and student and staff residences in Shchuchinsk. There will be new themes & techno-parks on the forestland in cooperation with national and global partners. KATRU is looking for suitable partners in establishing a techno-park and more joint research centers in Shchuchinsk on forest, environment, and wildlife. The University is keen on developing ecotourism, also.

French Ambassador visits UNAIR to discuss collaborations

Posted on by Universitas Airlangga News

Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) continues to establish international collaborations with various partners. This collaboration is part of UNAIR’s commitment to implementing the Tri Dharma of Higher Education. With respect to the commitment, UNAIR received a visit from the French Ambassador to Indonesia on Tuesday, July 18, 2023.

The visit of H. E. Fabien Penone and his entourage were welcomed directly by UNAIR Rector, Prof. Dr. Mohammad Nasih SE MT Ak and his staff. The meeting occurred in the Balairua Plenary Meeting Room, 4th Floor, MERR-C UNAIR Campus Management Office.

In his remarks, Prof. Nasih said that currently, UNAIR works with partners from various countries, including France. The collaborations include activities in the fields of academics, research, and community service.

“UNAIR has collaborated with more than ten institutions in France, especially in academics, research, and community service,” he said.

The urgency of collaboration

French Ambassador to Indonesia, H. E. Fabien Panone, expressed his interest in working with educational institutions in Indonesia, including UNAIR. The collaborations specifically aim to resolve global issues and strengthen the global economy.

“We need solid partners to solve global issues and strengthen the global economy. Indonesia is one of the countries that is already in France’s priorities, especially as a global cooperation partner,” he explained.

Fabien said that UNAIR is one of the universities that has made many important contributions to Indonesia. For this reason, collaboration is one of the important steps that must be taken by both parties immediately.

Form of collaborations

Furthermore, Fabien said that one form of collaborations that could be established between UNAIR and France was the exchange of students and academics. From 2017 to 2022, UNAIR and several partner institutions in France collaborated on student and staff mobility.

“The student exchange program is certainly one of the potential collaborations we will carry out. Later France will provide a program to invite UNAIR students to study and understand French culture,” the French Ambassador explained.

Furthermore, Fabien also said that collaboration in science, social humanities, and health research was one of the most promising collaborations between UNAIR and France.

The form of collaboration that will take place soon is a program called Photography and New Media Education for Youth Empowerment from 2-15 September 2023. The program is a collaboration between Wisma Jerman and IFI Surabaya. In this program, UNAIR, through the World University Association for Community Development (WUACD) and the Faculty of Social and Political Sciences (FISIP), had the opportunity to become the main organizer. (*)