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Year: 2023

Beijing Jiaotong University holds Editors-in-Chief face-to-face conference on Economics

Posted on by Anya Lin GU

The 2023 Editors-in-Chief Face-to-Face Conference on Economics was successfully held at Beijing Jiaotong University from June 20 to 28, 2023. The conference was organized by the School of Economics and Management of Beijing Jiaotong University, and co-organized by Elsevier Group and Economics and Management Community. The conference invited the editors of the seven top journals in the field of economics and academics and scholars in China to gather online to discuss journal publication issues and the latest research in various sub-fields of economics.

It was divided into two modules, the plenary meeting and the thematic lecture series；and it was conducted via ZOOM, simultaneously livestreamed by two platforms, Elsevier Live, and Economics and Management Community Live. With its high-level positioning, cutting-edge themes, rich content, multi-dimensional interactions, the conference attracted more than 80,000 participants and received widespread attention and follow-up from many academic groups and media. Registered scholars came from 545 universities and research institutions such as University of California, Berkeley, University of Chicago, Peking University and Tsinghua University, etc.

The Plenary Meeting Gathering of the Editors of Seven Top Economics Journals
The conference kicked off with the first module of the plenary meeting held on June 20, 2023. It was moderated by Professor Yacan Wang from Beijing Jiaotong University, the opening speech by Associate Professor Xiaopu Shang, Vice Dean of School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University and the opening address by Ms. Bethan Keall, Publishing Director of Elsevier Journal of Economics and Marketing.

The seven invited editors were: Erzo F.P. Luttmer, editor of the American Economic Review, one of the “Top Five” journals in economics; John List, editor of the Journal of Political Economy, one of the “Top Five” journals in economics, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Political Economy Microeconomics; Faruk Gul, lead editor of the Journal of Economic Theory, the top journal in economic theory; Toni Whited, editor-in-chief of the Journal of Financial Economics, one of the top three journals in finance; Gilles Duranton, co-editor of the Journal of Urban Economics, the top journal in urban economics; Shing-Yi Wang, co-editor of the Journal of Development Economics, the top journal in development economics; Ginger Jin, managing editor of the International Journal of Industrial Organization, a top journal in industrial organization studies. The seven editors introduced the positioning, characteristics, and reviewing process of their respective journals, and talked about the considerations for submitting manuscripts. The meeting provided precise help for the audience to grasp the research orientation of top economics journals, the latest topics of interest, the submission and review process, and the considerations for research and writing.

Editors Share Experience and the Latest Research in the Thematic Lecture
The second module of the thematic lecture series was held from June 21 to 28, 2023, in each of which one editor was invited to deliver a speech, followed by the comments given by two invited renowned scholars in the same field. The 7 thematic lectures were moderated by Professor Hongchang Li, Associate Professor Di Xiao, Professor Yacan Wang, Associate Professor Huiyu Zhou, Professor Daisheng Tang, Assistant Professor Tingting Fu and Assistant Professor Kunbo Shi at the School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University in turn. Seven editors of top economics journals gave lectures on “How to Successfully Navigate the Peer Review Process”, “Will Central Bank Digital Currency Disintermediate Banks”, “Field Experiments in Firms”, “Lorenz Expected Utility Theory”, “The Benefits and Costs of Guest Worker Programs: Experimental Evidence from the India-UAE Migration Corridor”, “Safety Review on Airbnb: An Information Tale”, and “The Fast, the Slow, and the Congested: Urban Transportation in Rich and Poor Countries”.

The invited discussants were: Jiaqi Li, Senior Economist, Bank of Canada; Chao Zi, Assistant Professor, Shanghai Jiaotong University; Junjian Yi, Professor, Peking University; Juanjuan Meng, Professor, Peking University; Rui Tang, Assistant Professor, The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology; Chen Zhao, Assistant Professor, the University of Hong Kong; Yaohui Zhao, Professor, Peking University; Fangwen Lu, Professor, Peking University; Zhe Yuan, Assistant Professor, Zhejiang University; Jisu Cao, Assistant Professor, University of Connecticut; Yizhen Gu, Associate Professor, Peking University; Ben Zou, Assistant Professor, Purdue University. The presentations and view exchanges on experiences and advice of peer reviewing, and on the latest theoretical and empirical research in financial economics, behavioral economics, theoretical economics, development economics, industrial economics and urban economics, have brought profound economic insights to the participants.

The conference was highly praised and affirmed by the special guests and attendees. The editors praised the meticulous and efficient organization of the conference, and appreciated the in-depth comments of the discussants and the interactive communication of the participants. The discussants agreed with the cutting-edge research of the lectures and said that it was not only an academic feast, but also a high ground for the exchange of ideas and new sparks. The participants, economics researchers, teachers and students from domestic and foreign universities, gave feedback that they not only benefited a lot from how to successfully write and submit manuscripts, but also learned and experienced cutting-edge theoretical models and research methods. In addition, participants highly appreciated the cutting-edge, rich and inspiring nature of the conference, and expressed a deeper understanding of the active use of Chinese data to verify frontier theories and the dialectical application of frontier theories to study Chinese problems.

This year’s Editors-in-Chief Face-to-Face Conference on Economics builds on the successful experience of the previous two conferences to take a new step forward by further expanding the lineup of invited editors of top economics journals. The conference is more open, flexible and effective in promoting the construction of an international exchange mechanism for high-level academic research, communication and publication. In the future, we will continue make due efforts to promote the localization of academic research, diversification of communication channels, broadening of communication space, and internationalization of academic influence of disciplines.

Learning Thai: A guide for foreigners interested in studying the local language in Thailand

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

Thailand has a lot of charms to indulge in, but one of the appeals one cannot deny is the “Thai language” which, in any shape or form, is so melodious and pleasing to the ear.

“Lately, we are seeing more and more people from many countries around the world become interested in learning the Thai language. With this booming interest comes the advent of many things: the digital world, the end of language barriers, easier travel, the export of goods and drama series, and various soft power trends,” said Assistant Professor Dr. Kiat Thepchuaysuk, Director of the Center for Thai as a Foreign Language (CTFL), Chulalongkorn University.

Whether you are studying for a career, doing business, learning to communicate with favorite stars, or even learning the language just for fun, most foreigners say the same thing: “The Thai language is hard.”

But for Dr. Kiat, a specialist in linguistics and teaching Thai language to foreigners, “Thai is easier to understand than you think, and can actually be a lot of fun if we know the basics, tricks, and tips.”

In this article, Dr. Kiat will give advice and easy-to-understand language tips for those who are thinking seriously about learning Thai. Native speakers will also learn fun facts about the language that will show that Thai is not as complicated as you think. It is actually a charming language that reflects the fun and creativity of the Thai people.

Mastering Thai Language Grammar: Key Rules and Concepts
Thai language of today is influenced by a combination of many languages such as Bali, Sanskrit, Khmer, Chinese, Javanese, Burmese, Malay, Persian, and some European languages such as Portuguese and English, etc. The vocabulary and grammar of Thai language, therefore, have certain traces of those languages as well. According to Dr. Kiat, a few grammatical points of Thai language that foreigners should know before starting their study to learn faster and understand the Thai language more easily are:

Arrangement of words in declarative sentences
Normally, when we learn different languages, we have to look at the basic sentence form of how the subject, verb, and object are arranged. Thai language uses the same structure as English or Chinese, i.e. subject > verb > object, for example, I eat rice. This is different from some languages which have the structure of subject > object > verb, such as Japanese or Korean, making it “I rice eat.”

Although two languages may share similar basic sentence structures, the grammar of both languages is not necessarily identical. This is only one way to easily understand a simple basic sentence in speech. Although Thai and Chinese speak in the same pattern of subject, verb, and object, Chinese language has a different structure of noun phrases from Thai language. Therefore, instead of saying “I eat two plates of rice,” a native Chinese speaker may misspeak and say “I eat two rice plates, for example.”

Therefore, if you want to speak Thai like a native speaker using more complex sentences, you need to learn more grammar.

“Many Thai language grammatical features are quite easy to understand and straightforward compared to many other languages because we have no tense, no verb conjugation, no complicated grammar rules. In Thai language, you just memorize the vocabulary and string the words together, and you’ll be able to communicate in Thai without difficulty,” Dr. Kiat explained.

Forming simple negative sentences and questions.
Now that you know how to write a simple sentence, if you want to use different forms of sentence, such as negative sentences, all you have to do is add the word “no (mai)” to the front of the verb, or for a question, add the word “mai (different tone)” to the end of the sentence. It’s very simple.

Describing a noun – put the noun first, then the adjective
Describing nouns in Thai language is different from some other languages. In other words, in Thai, we usually say the main noun first and then the descriptive or complementary words. Let’s look at the words “hot tea” in English, Japanese, Chinese, or Korean. The word “hot” is said first, then the main noun “tea”. Therefore, if a foreigner who speaks these languages come to learn the Thai language and does not understand this grammar, they can easily make mistakes in the word order.

In addition, there are many fascinating aspects of the Thai language that foreigners can learn about, including the writing system, grammar, pronunciation, sentences, consonants, vowels, and tones, which Thai people might not have thought about. Those interested can read the full article at https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/123363/.

Sweat it out: Monitoring sweat electrolytes for healthcare and sports

Posted on by Tokyo University of Science

Wearable sensors are becoming a promising tool in personalized healthcare and exercise monitoring. In a recent study, researchers from Japan develop a novel wearable chemical sensor capable of measuring the concentration of chloride ions in sweat. By using a heat-transfer printing technique, the proposed sensor can be applied to the outer surface of common textiles to prevent skin irritation and allergies, and could also be useful in the early detection of heat stroke and dehydration.

The remarkable level of miniaturization possible in modern electronics has paved the way for realizing healthcare devices previously confined to the realm of science fiction. Wearable sensors are a prominent example of this. As the name suggests, these devices are worn on the body, usually directly on the skin. They can monitor important bodily parameters, including heart rate, blood pressure, and muscle activity.

Some wearable sensors can also detect chemicals in bodily fluids. For instance, sweat biosensors can measure the concentration of ions in sweat, providing information on their levels in blood. However, designing such chemical sensors is more complex than physical sensors. Direct contact between a wearable chemical sensor and skin can cause irritation and allergies. In contrast, if the sensor is fabricated directly on a wearable textile, its accuracy decreases due to surface irregularities.

In a recent study, a research team, led by Associate Professor Isao Shitanda of the Tokyo University of Science (TUS) in Japan, has developed an innovative sweat biosensor that addresses the aforementioned problems. Their work, published online in ACS Sensors on June 15, 2023, describes the use of a technique called “heat-transfer printing” to fix a thin, flexible chloride ion sensor onto a textile substrate. The study was co-authored by Dr. Masahiro Motosuke, Dr. Tatsunori Suzuki, Dr. Shinya Yanagita, and Dr. Takahiro Mukaimoto of TUS.

“The proposed sensor can be transferred to fiber substrates, and thus can be incorporated into textiles such as T-shirts, wristbands, and insoles,” explains Dr. Shitanda. “Further, health indicators such as chloride ion concentration in sweat can be measured by simply wearing them.”

The proposed wearable sensor for measuring chloride ion levels in sweat can be easily applied to textiles using the heat-transfer printing technique, preventing skin irritation and allergies.

 

The heat-transfer printing approach offers several advantages. For one thing, the sensor is transferred outside of the piece of clothing, which prevents skin irritation. In addition, the wicking effect of the textile helps spread the sweat evenly between the electrodes of the sensor, creating a stable electrical contact. Moreover, printing the sensor on a flat surface and then transferring it prevents the formation of blurred edges that commonly occur when printing directly onto a textile.

The researchers carefully selected the materials and electrochemical mechanisms of the sensor to avoid risking an allergic reaction for the wearer. After developing the sensor, they conducted various experiments using artificial sweat to verify its accuracy in measuring chloride ion concentration. The change in the electromotive force of the sensor was −59.5 mTV/log CCl−. Additionally, it displayed a Nernst response and a linear relationship with the concentration range of chloride ions in human sweat. Moreover, no other ions or substances typically present in sweat were found to interfere with the measurements.

Lastly, the team tested the sensor on a volunteer who exercised on a static bicycle for 30 minutes, by measuring their perspiration rate, chloride ion levels in blood, and saliva osmolality every five minutes to compare with the data previously gathered by the sensor. The proposed wearable sensor could reliably measure the concentration of chloride ions in sweat.

The sensor can also transmit data wirelessly, making it useful for real-time health monitoring. “Since chloride is the most abundant electrolyte in human sweat, measuring its concentration provides an excellent indicator of the body’s electrolyte balance and a useful tool for the diagnosis and prevention of heat stroke,” remarks Dr. Shitanda.

This research thus demonstrates the potential of using wearable ion sensors for the real-time monitoring of sweat biomarkers, facilitating personalized healthcare development and athlete training management.

Thammasat student wins first place in Thai silk pattern design

Posted on by Thammasat University

Atthaphon Meephan, a 3rd year student majoring in textiles design, Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thammasat University received the first prize in the silk pattern design contest with the work “Thong Rai, Thong Na (Paddy Fields)” from The 4th Next Big Silk Designer Contest organized by the Association of Thai Silk and Culture Promotion that presents creative aesthetic through practical design, extending into business and as well encourage people to wear more Thai fabrics. It also promotes Thai fabric entrepreneurs to remain and grow sustainably. The submitted works must have a blend of applied design harmoniously and beautifully, and with contemporary Thai identity. This contest is opened to students from both public and private institutions nationwide, and is honoured by a panel of experts and famous designers of Thailand as judges.

Atthaphon Meephan revealed that the process of designing the fabric pattern of the work “Paddy Fields” started from searching for photos that match his main inspiration. After that, he began sketching the shape that he was interested in from all the information gathered, then reduce the shapes into a graphic pattern and bring each part of the shapes to create a pattern template. After obtaining the pattern template, the pattern template was then stitched together by aligning, reversing, alternating, or constantly rotating, etc., then choose to use local varieties of Thai silk from Sisaket Province that is, a thin silk thread. This type of silk is selected because the thread is smooth and glossy, making the fabric weaved out light and shiny.

Atthaphon said that this work was inspired by the agricultural work of the farmers, namely terrace rice planting in the northern region. Therefore, the rectangular shape of the rice fields is stacked in layers, blended with the curving mountain paths which then refined to become a new pattern that is more contemporary. The yellow colour of the paddy grains is used as a reminiscence of abundance. Then bolden up using brown and black colour of minerals in the soil on the mountains which give a sense of strength and durability, therefore becoming a fabric that reflects the power of the strength of agriculture that continues to create fertility at all time.

In the future, this fabric pattern will be used in production by the local communities in order to generate and distribute income to the local people and use the fabrics to various design products such as bags which may matched together with other materials such as leather, canvas, or making costumes, etc.

“The reason behind the judges’ preference and decision for us to be the winning team is probably the use of contrasting shades which make the canvas more dimensional, and that the shape of the pattern has been refined to be more contemporary and not overly complicated. By winning the prize, I feel happy as it is one of the opportunities that allow us to create works and present to everyone. It makes us learn more things such as task planning, time allocation and errors that occur during the progress, and further use it to develop other works to be better in the future.”Atthaphon concluded.

In addition, other students from the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Thammasat University namely, Punyawee Chantorn, 3rd year student majoring in fashion design with the work title: “Mother’ Forest” won the second runner-up award for Thai Silk Dress Design Contest, named and Panuwat Chansiri, 3rd year student majoring in fashion design with the work title: ‘Thai Fighting Fish’ won the honorable mention award for Thai Silk Dress Design Contest from the same project as well.

Jewel in the crown

Posted on by Prisha Dandwani

This year, we celebrate the release of the 20th edition of QS’ World University Rankings (WUR). To mark this milestone, Prisha Dandwani looks back on the QS journey with a few of the key figures who helped build the WUR and witnessed its transformation over the past two decades.

We go back in time to the inception of QS.

Founder and President of Quacquarelli Symonds (QS), Nunzio Quacquarelli, first started thinking of providing comparative data about universities for prospective students while he was studying for his MBA at the Wharton School of University of Pennsylvania.

It was the ‘90s and the world was about to experience vibrant shifts in globalisation.

“QS originated at Wharton and the mission we have today is the mission we formulated in the 1990s,” Quacquarelli tells QS Insights Magazine. “We didn’t embark on rankings in the start, we did research and indicated which business schools employers would favour.”

At this point, QS was producing global employer surveys to provide information about MBAs for students. International student mobility looked dramatically different back then, with less students crossing borders for various stages of their education. The MBA was the most popular international student option.

By the 2000s however, it was clear the tide was turning and more students were looking at undergraduate and masters programs.

Getting down to business

“It became absolutely mission-led to develop a ranking that compared universities so students could understand their choices across a broad portfolio of programs,” says Quacquarelli.

This particular success story has a familiar ring to it: he saw a significant gap in the industry and eventually found a way to fill it, alongside like-minded people.

As fate would have it, Higher Education Writer and Editor, John O’Leary, was Editor at The Times when he met Quacquarelli in 2000. O’Leary had been working on UK university rankings since 1993.

“It became obvious that rankings needed an international dimension to it, there were so many people studying abroad, or doing research projects,” says O’Leary.

He had been speaking with Quacquarelli and Ben Sowter, now Senior Vice President at QS, about creating an international ranking for some time. They conducted field research, reviewed metrics and travelled around the world, speaking to heads of universities to understand the best methodologies for putting rankings together, with Times Higher Education as their initial publishing partner.

“We were quite nervous about it, it hadn’t been done before, and we expected there would be resistance and skepticism from universities,” O’Leary recollects.

Universities were used to domestic reports for universities and while this would be a game-changer, it was risky. According to O’Leary, QS became successful largely because they were the pioneers in the field.

“We developed the six indicators (academic reputation, faculty/student ration, citations per faculty and international student and faculty ratio) and it’s still not so different from 2004,” he tells QS Insights Magazine.

QS started with just 200 institutions for the WUR’s first release in 2004, and now, more than 1,000 universities are included in the rankings.

Growth and adaptability

Many individuals who saw the creation of WUR highlighted significant shifts in the rankings over time and how it has had a growing positive impact on higher education and students.

“The rankings really transformed more than once and the surveys for them have grown,” says Martin Ince, QS Advisor Board Member and former Deputy Editor at Times Higher Education.

As another key figure who was there at the very beginning, Ince saw QS adapt to growing interconnectivity in the higher education industry and new student demands.

“The growth of WUR is due to the simple fact that to become an international student is an increasingly serious and popular decision.

“The growth of regional rankings, such as Asia in 2009, was propelled by students and universities wanting more information. There was also a need for data that reflected the number of exchange students and programs, which would make way for greater cross border collaboration,” explains Ince.

For O’Leary, the introduction of QS WUR by Subject in 2011 was another major transformation. With 26 subjects, the rankings attracted greater student attention than before. The following year, three more disciplines were added.

Simona Bizzozero, Communications Director at QS, reflects on an encounter she had with a student in Beijing that speaks to its impact:

“He was an only child and wanted to study marine biology. He had a set of parents, two sets of grandparents, all projecting their hopes and dreams onto him. He did not want to go to Harvard or MIT. He wanted to be a marine biologist and through the WUR, he was able to choose a world class institution in a subject that interested him.”

Last year alone, more than 17,000 media clippings were recorded about QS, points out Bizzozero. With the majority of them referencing the rankings, it punctuates how the WUR has grown in its international reputation throughout the years.

Shifts in the balance of power

Growth has also occurred because the dynamic between universities and students changed considerably, explains Leigh Kamolins, Director of Analytics and Evaluation at QS.

“What has fuelled the need for adaptive rankings is the growing emphasis of how students are treated by universities, especially considering the large investments taken out by them and their families for an education.”

Students have certain expectations and want to see how they will receive a return on their investments, which in turn expands the scope for ranking methodologies.

“Universities need to be able to tell their story against these critical factors, such as what learning and employment opportunities are going to be like,” Kamolins adds.

Strong roots

Throughout the journey, QS’ north star has always been the needs of international students. The rankings align with QS’ mission to empower motivated students across the globe to fulfil their potential, explains Quacquarelli.

“Within each region of the world, there are differing priorities, like regional employment outcomes, regional collaboration and student mobility, knowledge transfer to local industry or quality teaching staff, which enable us to produce adaptive regional rankings in the world.”

Quacquarelli refers to the QS Best Student Cities ranking launched in 2012, as an example which does not directly compare universities. “Rather, it looks at the affordability and quality concentration of universities around the world, specifically to respond to the needs of students who are limited by budget, rather than ability,” he notes.

A student-centric focus has arguably contributed to an environment of greater inclusion and equality. Going to university is not solely about gaining a flawless academic transcript – it is also about the invaluable experience one can gain learning how to build a foundation for themselves. Now, students have more options to explore when considering higher education.

As QS continues to survey its student audience, new interests are identified. In 2022, QS’ Sustainability ranking was launched as a direct response to findings that revealed 72 percent of international students believed universities should be making a contribution to the environment.

This year, QS is introducing new metrics in response to shifting student demands and in 2024, there will be new rankings in the employability space.

While the world encounters numerous changes, QS’s surveys and rankings remain steadfast as it seeks to integrate the voice of students and the higher education sector.

This article was from the QS Insights Magazine, Issue 5. Read the full edition.

UNAIR researcher presents work at Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting 2023

Posted on by Universitas Airlangga News

Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) has shown its presence as a world-class university. Many UNAIR’s researchers have performed well nationally and internationally, including Prof. Dr. Fedik Abdul Rantam, DVM. The UNAIR accomplished researcher was entrusted to attend and be involved in the prestigious 72nd Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting in Lindau, Germany, on Monday, June 26, 2023. Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting ( LNLM ) is a prestigious event for researchers and scientists at the international level.

Become selected researcher
In this prestigious event, Prof. Fedik was selected as one of the Indonesian research delegates. He admitted that he was grateful and proud because each researcher only had the opportunity to attend and be involved in the event once. “Alhamdulillah, I can share with the best young researchers from various countries and can have direct discussions with the Nobel laureates. Moreover, we researchers only get one chance in a lifetime to be involved in this meeting,” said Prof. Fedik. Being a selected researcher in this event is not easy because various criteria must be met. As published by the Indonesian Ministry of Education and Culture’s website, researchers must first participate in a selection. Furthermore, the Ministry of Education and Research and Technology will submit the final decision to the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meetings Foundation.

Presenting domestic vaccine development
On that occasion, Prof. Fedik presented his work titled Indonesia in Overcoming Covid-19 Pandemic and Domestic Vaccine Development. He explained how Indonesia handled the Covid-19 pandemic, including developing the Merah Putih vaccine initiated by UNAIR researchers.  “In the meeting, I presented our Covid-19 vaccine, which is the work of the nation’s researchers, and it received a positive response from the participants. They were interested in our vaccine’s advantages and how to determine the isolate as a unit seed vaccine,” said the Head of UNAIR Vaccine Research and Development Center. Furthermore, the UNAIR Virology and Immunology Expert also revealed that his team is preparing the second-generation vaccine, the cocktail vaccine. He added that even though the administration has declared the pandemic as an endemic, it does not mean cases of Covid-19 transmission can be ignored. For this reason, continuing this vaccine research is still necessary as a preventive effort. “Furthermore, I also conveyed that my team and I are preparing a second-generation vaccine called the cocktail vaccine. Even though the status is currently considered endemic, vaccination is still needed to prevent the spread of Covid-19,” he added.

This year, Indonesia through the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, has the opportunity to partner with the Lindau Nobel Laureate Meeting, which is focused on Physiology and Medicine. Indonesia sent several outstanding researchers from Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) and Gadjah Mada University (UGM) for the meeting. The researchers joined more than 600 other selected young researchers from around the world to meet the Nobel Prize laureates face to face.

Residual antibiotics found in cooked food, according to EdUHK study

Posted on by eduhk

The use of veterinary antibiotics is not uncommon in the fields of animal husbandry and fisheries to speed up growth and prevent disease. However, residual antibiotics may damage human gut microbiota, promote antibiotic resistance, and even delay the growth and development of brain cells, posing hazards to human health.

Since 2015, Dr Deng Wenjing, Associate Professor in the Department of Science and Environmental Studies at The Education University of Hong Kong (EdUHK), and her research team have been examining the use of antibiotics and their impact in the context of local environmental ecology, food safety and children’s health. They have found that these practices not only cause water pollution, but also contaminate food, eventually affecting human health.

Environmental ecology

In 2021, the research team collected 13 river water samples and 15 sea water samples across Hong Kong. The results showed that the samples were extensively contaminated with antibiotics, including tetracyclines (three types), sulfonamides (10 types), quinolones (nine types), and macrolides and streptomycin. Some types were detected in all samples. In areas with a larger number of farms, such as Yuen Long, both the number of types and the concentration of antibiotics detected were higher. Compared to the initial study in 2015, the team found that the concentration rate of target antibiotics had decreased, but antibiotics were detected in more locations, indicating a broader coverage of antibiotics in local waters.

Children’s health

In other research in 2016, the team collected 31 urine samples from local children aged between four to six. None of them had taken any medical antibiotics within a month before the test, but 77.4% of their samples were found to be positive for antibiotics, with the highest concentration reaching 0.36 ng/mL. The detection rate was higher than that in Shanghai and Korea. Although the levels of concentration were lower than the World Health Organisation’s international standard, other studies have revealed a significant correlation between the use of antibiotics in animals and children being overweight or obese. The situation, therefore, should not be ignored.

Food safety

To examine the relationship between food safety and the consumption of antibiotics in animals by children, the team tested in the same year chicken, pork, freshwater and saltwater seafood, and organic eggs bought from markets near the residences of the surveyed children. The team discovered that using traditional cooking methods, such as boiling, slow cooking, stir-frying, roasting, and steaming, did not remove antibiotics from the food.

Tetracyclines and streptomycin were also found in ‘organic eggs’ with ‘free from antibiotics’ claims, which could have been contaminated during packaging. This is in addition to the low concentration rate of oxytetracycline detected in drinking water, which indicates that the use of antibiotics in animals has already impacted our daily life on various fronts.

Dr Deng said, “The aim of these studies is to understand the use of antibiotics in animals in Hong Kong. They have revealed that even after high-temperature cooking, antibiotics cannot be completely removed from food, and ultimately enter the human body, posing a threat to our health”

She called on parents to take heed of the excessive intake of antibiotics, which could alter the intestinal environment and even lead to antibiotic resistance. More research in this area and frequent food testing are needed to understand the health risks of antibiotics on children. In the long run, it is necessary to strengthen regulatory control in this area to prevent the situation from worsening.

NSTDA, Chula Dentistry unveil toothpaste prototype to improve children’s oral health

Posted on by Chulalongkorn University

The Assistive Technology and Medical Devices Research Center (A-MED), a division under the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, together with the Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, have unveiled an innovative toothpaste prototype with nano-hydroxyapatite that helps to replenish minerals and strengthen tooth enamel.

The project aims to promote and develop oral health and dental care products to improve the quality of life and oral healthcare for Thai people, as well as address disparities among consumers. By fostering the development of dental advancements by Thai dentists and academics, the collaboration aims to strengthen Thailand’s medical sector and reduce dependence on imported resources. The press conference to showcase the toothpaste prototype took placed on May 30, 2023 at the Faculty Executive Committee meeting room, Vajwittayawat Building, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University.

Dr. Kitti Wongthavarawat, Head of the Health Innovation and Information Research Team, Assistive Technology and Medical Devices Research Center (A-MED), explained that when dental caries show up in children, it is the beginning of a series of long-term oral health issues. Presently, over 50% of Thai children currently suffer from tooth decay, and more than 60% of adults suffer from gingivitis due to limited access to adequate dental treatment. The nano-hydroxyapatite toothpaste prototype is the result of collaborative research, development, testing, design, and production of toothpaste products for the treatment of life-impeding oral health issues, such as early tooth decay, which usually happens because of lack of regular good oral health care.

Development of the nano-hydroxyapatite materials was jointly carried out by the research teams from A-MED, NSTDA, and the Faculty of Dentistry at Chulalongkorn University. This novel material was created via a mechanical chemical method and has a structure similar to human bones and teeth. Nano-hydroxyapatite can be used as a component in toothpaste due to its compatibility with human tissues and capability to promote tooth enamel remineralization. By focusing on nano-sized hydroxyapatite, Thai researchers can help reduce reliance on imports, improve access to domestically manufactured high-quality medical materials, and maintain international medical standards that align with BCG medical device policy objectives.

“The official launch of this prototype toothpaste marks another significant milestone in the two organizations’ successful partnership, as both collaborate to develop advanced preparation techniques for nano-hydroxy powder. By enabling the rapid formation of calcium phosphate from calcium and phosphate ions, which can precipitate onto the tooth surface, the addition of apatite in the toothpaste enhances its ability to restore minerals in the enamel layer. This enhancement elevates the overall quality of the toothpaste,” Prof. Dr. Pornchai Jansisyanont, Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry, concluded.

For the full and unedited release of this article, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/news/122988/

ITS, GMF AeroAsia to launch environmentally-friendly equipment for aircraft industry

Posted on by ITS Global Engagement

Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember (ITS) and Garuda Maintenance Facility (GMF) AeroAsia have launched two environmentally friendly Ground Support Equipment products, namely Electric Vehicle RC Pushback Tug and Material Handling Car. The launch was held at GMF AeroAsia’s Innovation Day event in Jakarta on March 1, 2023. The launch was attended by Mr. Nadiem Anwar Makarim as the Indonesian Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology, Dr. Bambang Pramujati as the ITS’ Vice Rector IV for Research, Innovation, Cooperation, and Alumni, Mr. Andi Fahrurrozi as the CEO of GMP AeroAsia, and researchers involved from ITS. The products were created to facilitate the distribution and supply of aircraft parts or components, both in the warehouse area, workshop, hangar, and apron area.

The Electric Vehicle RC Pushback Tug and Material Handling Car are part of a research collaboration between ITS and GMF AeroAsia that aims to make the aircraft industry more efficient and effective while reducing its environmental impact. The project is led by Dr. Nani Kurniawati from the Department of Industrial and System Engineering for the Electric Vehicle RC Pushback Tug and Dr. Bambang Sudarmanta from the Department of Mechanical Engineering for the Material Handling Car. The project is funded by the Kedaireka Matching Fund program from the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology funds.

The Electric Vehicle RC Pushback Tug is made to address the high operational costs of conventional tugs used in the aircraft industry. The tug can pull large-tonnage objects such as aircraft up to 60 tons, making it efficient and effective. It also becomes the only one in the world that can replace the conventional pushback from fossil fuels. This innovation is not only more cost-effective but also has a positive impact on the environment, as it reduces greenhouse gas emissions and lowers operational costs.

The Material Handling Car was created to support the airport’s ecosystem by replacing conventional fuel-based carriers. The car uses electric-based technology with a real-time monitoring system, making it more environmentally friendly and cost-effective. Moreover, it features an easy energy storage system and low maintenance through the battery modular system as the leading sector in the application of electric-based vehicles in the airport area. The team believes that the car will have a positive impact on the airport area’s Green Environment Ecosystem, making it a more sustainable and efficient option for airport operations.

The products are designed to be environmentally friendly and easy to maintain, with a modular battery system that makes them efficient and reliable. The teams believe that these products will have a positive impact on the airport area’s Green Environment Ecosystem. The CEO of GMF AeroAsia, Mr. Andi Fahrurrozi, expressed his gratitude to ITS for the research collaboration. He said that GMF was pleased to provide a platform for academics to continue conducting research and that the company was open to other potential topics. This collaboration between ITS and GMF AeroAsia stakeholders is a great example of how academia and industry can work together to make a positive impact on society and the environment.

In conclusion, the launch of these groundbreaking products marks a significant milestone in the aviation industry’s push towards a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future. With innovative solutions like the Electric Vehicle RC Pushback Tug and Material Handling Car, we can reduce our carbon footprint and create a more efficient and effective airport ecosystem.

Thammasat wins Friendly Design Award for fifth year in a row

Posted on by Thammasat University

Thammasat University won the “Friendly Design Award 2022” from the 6th Thailand Friendly Design Expo on December 15, 2022 in the category of “Institution for All People”. As an educational institution that is outstanding in facilitating and creating friendly designs in order for everyone to equally access and utilize, and are friendly to all people. This is the fifth year in a row for Thammsat to receive the award, in which Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chumkhet Sawaengcharoen, Vice Rector for Administration of Rangsit Center for Physical Education, Thammasat University also received an award under the “Friendly Design Role Model” category for the sixth time in a row.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chumkhet Sawaengcharoen, Vice Rector for Administration of Rangsit Center for Physical Education, Thammasat University revealed that in the year 2022, the physical area within the university has been improved by constructing over 100 ramps to facilitate those who use wheelchairs, including upgrading all electric buses (EV Bus) to all be accessible to people with disabilities which is In parallel with the creation of the TU Around application for visually impaired students to check the parking spots according to the signs through the application.

In addition, Thammasat has developed innovations to promote equality for Thai society through designs, inventions, and social innovations created to enhance the quality of life for all groups of people and reduce social inequality, such as Ban Saen Yue Dee for the elderly with disabilities of the Thammasat University Universal Design Research Unit, mobile odor-restricted urinal from the Faculty of Nursing, and electric wheelchairs for people with leg impairments from the Faculty of Engineering.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chumkhet further said that especially about monetization and careers for people with disabilities, which is an important factor that will allow such group of people to overcome hardships. The Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Thammasat University and the Thammasat University Universal Design Research Unit which have foreseen the aspect, therefore, designed a career kiosk for the disabled to be able to sell products right on their wheelchair with the proportion and formats designed to support this particular group of users in order to conduct occupational tasks within a limited area.

“This is considered a correlation between the government policy that wishes to offer employment opportunities and the private sector that wishes to promote the careers for people with disabilities. Hence, our role is the designer who will provide academic services and develop further until we obtain designs that can literally be used in real life,”said Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chumkhet.

In this regard, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Chumkhet Sawaengcharoen, Vice Rector for Administration of Rangsit Center for Physical Education, Thammasat University also received the ‘Friendly Design Awards 2022’ under the category of “Friendly Design Role Model” from the 6th Thailand Friendly Design Expo