Month: November 2024

In a significant development for sustainable technology, scientists have discovered a method to transform waste oil into a powerful material for energy storage, creating nitrogen-doped hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) specifically designed for supercapacitors. This innovative template-free approach, developed by researchers at the University of Shanghai for Science and Technology and Tongji University, produces HPCs with enhanced conductivity and electrochemical performance, marking a meaningful step forward in the pursuit of efficient, eco-friendly energy storage solutions.

AI-enhanced satellite carbon monoxide fast retrieval

A recent study presents a radiative transfer model-driven machine learning technique for retrieving carbon monoxide from the world’s first hyperspectral Geostationary Interferometric Infrared Sounder (GIIRS) onboard Fengyun-4B (FY-4B) satellite, providing complementary insights into air quality and pollutant transport over East Asia.

Harnessing nature’s arsenal: phospholipids in plant defense mechanisms

A new study reveals how plants can harness their genetic makeup to fend off Podosphaera xanthii, the fungal culprit behind powdery mildew. By activating a lipid-based defense system using a natural plant-derived inducer, the research paves the way for eco-friendly pest control, reducing reliance on harmful pesticides and promoting agricultural sustainability.

The fintech effect: boosting India’s digital economy into the fast lane

A new review uncovers the hidden forces that have been reshaping India’s economic landscape over the past decade. Financial technology, or FinTech, has emerged as a silent yet powerful game-changer for the country’s burgeoning digital economy. Analyzing comprehensive data from 2010 to 2022 across 28 states, researchers have revealed FinTech’s transformative impact, not just in fostering technological innovation but also in redefining financial governance. This eye-opening research sheds light on how FinTech is catapulting India’s economic ambitions into a digital future while emphasizing the importance of regulatory mechanisms that fuel this acceleration.

KIER Unveils Catalyst Innovations for Sustainable Turquoise Hydrogen Solutions

Dr. Woohyun Kim’s research team from the Hydrogen Research Department at the Korea Institute of Energy Research (KIER) has successfully developed an innovative nickel-cobalt composite catalyst that can accelerate the production and commercialization of turquoise hydrogen.

How HIV Research Reshaped Modern Medicine

November 29, 2024 sarah JonasFeature

Decades of scientific work turned the tide on a fatal disease and yielded insights into immunity, vaccines, and more

Chula Presents “Mud Sang,” a Documentary Film to Revive the Spirit of Muay Thai in the World Arena

November 29, 2024 sarah JonasFeature

Muay Thai is fast on the rise and has become yet another form of soft power that generates income for the country. Boxing stadiums are popular attractions that attract tourists to witness this special form of Thai martial art.

Coastal revelations from space: new satellite tech maps sandy beaches

Scientists have developed a groundbreaking method to map sandy beach intertidal zones with unprecedented accuracy using satellite data. This innovative approach allows for precise measurements of coastlines that are constantly shaped by tides and waves, providing crucial information for managing and protecting these dynamic ecosystems. By relying solely on space-based observations, this method promises to revolutionize coastal monitoring and offers new insights into how beaches respond to climate change, sea-level rise, and severe weather events.

Sharing is Caring: Central Europe’s First Farmers Lived in Equality

An international team of researchers led by Pere Gelabert and Ron Pinhasi of the University of Vienna and David Reich of Harvard University has produced the most complete set of Early Neolithic genetic data from Central Europe to date. The results of this study, just published in Nature Human Behaviour, reveal that the culture responsible for the expansion of agriculture in Central Europe 8,000 years ago showed no signs of population stratification.

A New Approach to Predicting Malaria Drug Resistance

Researchers at UC San Diego analyzed the genomes of hundreds of malaria parasites to determine which genetic variants are most likely to confer drug resistance.

A Fossil First: Scientists Find 1.5-Million-Year-Old Footprints of Two Different Species of Human Ancestors at Same Spot

More than a million years ago, on a hot savannah teeming with wildlife near the shore of what would someday become Lake Turkana in Kenya, two completely different species of hominins may have passed each other as they scavenged for food.
Scientists know this because they have examined 1.5-million-year-old fossils they unearthed and have concluded they represent the first example of two sets of hominin footprints made about the same time on an ancient lake shore. The discovery will provide more insight into human evolution and how species cooperated and competed with one another, the scientists said.

Preschool education: A key to supporting allophone children

A Canadian study reveals that allophone children who attend daycare are better prepared for kindergarten.

In the spotlight: Women’s plural health and safety

November 28, 2024 sarah JonasAnnouncement

From December 3 to 6, UdeM is scheduled to host the fifth Congress of the Mukwege International Chair, which will be held for the first time in North America at Montreal’s Palais des congrès.

Music training boosts children’s cognitive development

A meta-analysis by UdeM doctoral student Kevin Jamey shows promising evidence that learning to play an instrument can help kids focus.

KSTAR Embarks on 2024 Plasma Experiments to Advance Fusion Reactor Operations

November 28, 2024 sarah JonasFeature

The Korea Institute of Fusion Energy (KFE) has begun its 2024 plasma experiments, aiming to secure advanced plasma operation technologies.

Thai Language Courses for Foreign Nationals at Chula

November 28, 2024 sarah JonasFeature

“Historically, the Thai language is primarily rooted in the Tai-Kadai language family, with some adaptations over time, especially in basic vocabulary used for common or general concepts. Some Thai words were influenced by the Khmer language, and others were borrowed from languages such as Pali and Sanskrit,” according to Assistant Professor Dr. Kiat Thepchuaysuk, Director of the Center for Thai as a Foreign Language (CTFL), Chulalongkorn University.

Refining hardwood by bioluminescence

Since more and more deciduous trees are being planted in Swiss forests, whose wood is often burned directly, innovative ideas for a cascade use are in high demand in order to utilize Swiss hardwood more sustainably. Empa researchers are therefore equipping wood with new functionalities. Their latest coup: wood that can glow in the dark.

Commercialization of Korea’s First 600mm Large-Area Semiconductor Packaging Technology with 6.5x Productivity Increase

November 28, 2024 sarah JonasFeature

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), an institute under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Science and ICT, has announced the development of a groundbreaking technology that significantly enhances semiconductor packaging productivity while reducing manufacturing costs.

Medicated nasal spray will slash opioid-related hospital admissions

Australian researchers say access to a free medicated nasal spray which temporarily reverses the effects of opioid toxicity while waiting for an ambulance to arrive, will save lives and reduce opioid-related hospital admissions.

Research highlights greater financial hardship and importance of the legal system for divorced survivors of domestic abuse

A new report reveals that women in England and Wales who have experienced domestic abuse are more financially vulnerable than other women in the wake of divorce and beyond.

For Those with CTE, Family History of Mental Illness Tied to Aggression in Middle Age

People who have chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) who have a family history of mental illness may have a higher risk of aggression in middle age, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

Are Health Care Disparities Tied to Worse Outcomes for Kids with MS?

People who develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as children and grow up in less advantaged neighborhoods may have a larger volume of inflammation and brain tissue loss on imaging than those who grow up in more advantaged neighborhoods, according to a study published in the November 27, 2024, online issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

What a Second Trump Presidency Will Mean for Energy and Climate

The impact of Donald Trump’s second presidency, dubbed by some as “Trump 2.0,” on climate and energy was the center of discussion at a recent roundtable event with Victor, who was joined by Thad Kousser, professor in the UC San Diego Department of Political Science and Varun Sivaram, who served in the Biden-Harris administration as senior advisor to U.S.

Patient returns to Houston Methodist 20 years after lifesaving surgery

More than two decades ago, Mitra Kamali, 4 1/2 months pregnant with twins at age 45, was having lunch with her husband in Houston when out of nowhere she suffered a major seizure.

Neurosurgery Joins Medical Societies to Urge Congress to Protect Medicare Patients and Physician Practices Before Year-End

The AANS and the CNS join 76 national medical societies and 51 state medical associations in urging Congress to pass the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2024 (H.R. 10073) before the conclusion of the 118th Congress.

Market Study Sheds Light on How Inclusive Shopping Experiences Make All Consumers Feel Valued

Jorge Fresneda, associate professor at the Martin Tuchman School of Management at NJIT, has developed the Consumer Normalcy Scale (CNS), an innovative tool designed to assess how inclusive and dignified shopping experiences are for people from diverse backgrounds and with various characteristics.

U.S. Department of Labor approves IU to lead K-12 teacher apprenticeship program

The U.S. Department of Labor recently approved Indiana University as a group sponsor for a new Registered Apprenticeship Program, an innovative career pathway for aspiring K-12 educators.

NJIT STEM Forum Explores AI, Digital Transformation in Schools

With artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT rapidly gaining traction among students and teachers alike, it’s no surprise the topic took center focus at NJIT’s 8th Annual STEM Forum for School …

New guidance for ensuring AI safety in clinical care published in JAMA by UTHealth Houston, Baylor College of Medicine researchers

As artificial intelligence (AI) becomes more prevalent in health care, organizations and clinicians must take steps to ensure its safe implementation and use in real-world clinical settings, according to an article co-written by Dean Sittig, PhD, professor with McWilliams School of Biomedical Informatics at UTHealth Houston.

Intervention improves the healthcare response to domestic violence in low- and middle-income countries

Culturally appropriate women-centred interventions can help healthcare systems respond to domestic violence, research has found.

Government of Canada invests in research on avian influenza A(H5N1)

Government of Canada invests in research on avian influenza A(H5N1)

Government of Canada appoints new President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Government of Canada appoints new President of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research

Breakthrough could revolutionize future of tick control

Research collaboration by the Texas A&M Department of Entomology and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, USDA, creates potential for genetic tools to control disease-spreading ticks.

Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health to Unveil Pioneering Blood Cancer Research at the 66th American Society of Hematology Annual Meeting and Exposition

Physician-scientists from Rutgers Cancer Institute and RWJBarnabas Health will showcase a diverse range of hematology/oncology data from their clinical research program at the 66th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting and Exposition, being held in San Diego, California (and online) from December 7-10, 2024.

Rutgers Startup Seeks to Design Safer Prescription Opiates

Rutgers startup Zena Therapeutics strives to create narcotic medications that will minimize or even eliminate overdoses from prescription drugs. Co-founded by Eileen Carry, PhD, and Ariane Vasilatis, PhD, the company is based on an innovation developed at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: a novel compound that does not increase the risk of overdose if taken with other central nervous system depressing substances such as opioids and alcohol.

AgriLife Research-led Cotton Belt sustainability effort underway

AgriLife Research weed science and cropping systems agronomist Muthukumar “Muthu” Bagavathiannan, Ph.D., is leading a $10 million grant project to transform cotton production into a more sustainable system in the southern U.S. Bagavathiannan is the Billie Turner Professor of Agronomy in the Texas A&M Department of Soil and Crop Sciences.

Free Holiday Fitness Festival

Hackensack Meridian Fitness & Wellness will celebrate its eleventh anniversary with Hackensack Meridian Health. This much-anticipated event includes full access to the state-of-the-art facility and programming, health screenings and wellness information, Group Fitness classes and demos, photos with Santa from 10:00am to 12:00pm, kids’ classes and activities, and other fun events focused on fitness and health.

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY WELCOMES NEW CMMI MODEL AIMED AT BOOSTING TRANSPLANT RATES

The American Society of Nephrology (ASN) welcomes the final Increasing Organ Transplant Access (IOTA) model rule from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation (CMMI).

For People Living with HIV/AIDS, TB is Still the Leading Cause of Death

The latest World Health Organization’s Global Tuberculosis Report released in November 2024 painted a sobering picture; approximately 8.2 million people were newly diagnosed with TB in 2023, the highest number since the organization began global TB monitoring in 1995. TB is the leading cause of death among those with HIV /AIDS worldwide. According to the WHO, in 2023, 161,000 people died of HIV-associated TB.

A Career of Chasing Particle Beams

New 2024 APS Fellow Alex Bogacz has spent his career in accelerator physics solving problems. From studying complex particle beam dynamics in particle accelerators to designing next-generation machines, his almost four decades of work have recently been recognized by his peers by being named a Fellow of the American Physical Society in October 2024.

Fowl play: Why the hunt for Thanksgiving’s favorite bird could get tougher

If hunters continue to follow their current strategies and prey continue their same routine, turkeys may become tougher to harvest in the future, according to new research from the University of Georgia.

AI Safety Institute Launched as Korea’s AI Research Hub

“AI Safety Consortium” established to foster collaborative research among industry, aemia, and research institutes, with the AISI serving as the central hub. And active paticipation in the “International Network of AI Safety Institutes” (starting Nov 21), taking a leading role in advancing global collaboration.

No ‘one size fits all’ treatment for Type 1 Diabetes, study finds

Factors beyond carbohydrates have a substantial influence on blood glucose levels meaning current automated insulin delivery systems miss vital information required for glucose regulation, a new study has found.

Chula Lecturer Wins Creative Excellence Award 2024 for “Decorative Toys for the Elderly”

Chulalongkorn University congratulates Associate Professor Pornthep Lerttevasiri, a special lecturer in the Art Education Program, Department of Art, Music, and Performing Arts, Faculty of Education, Chulalongkorn University, for receiving the Creative Excellence Awards 2024 in the category of Creative Social Impact, specifically the Creative Well-Being Award.

Improved Spin and Density Correlation Simulations Give Researchers Clearer Insights on Neutron Stars