Author: jezzabellemente

Parents of MCKL Alumni Applauds MCKL for Excellent Track Record and Children’s Success

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama) — Recently Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) celebrated 245 Cambridge A Level (CAL) student who achieved various awards for the Cambridge International June 2021 Examination Series, continuing its excellent track record of 100% average passing rate for 8 consecutive years from 2014 to 2021 along with 125 and counting Outstanding Cambridge Learners Award recipients since 2013.

MCKL’s curriculum sets a global standard for education, with programmes that stretch, challenge, and inspire students. MCKL’s CAL students are equipped with knowledge, key competencies, and skills, ready to embark on a successful university journey locally and abroad.
 
Take CAL student Lye Jian Wen and Lye Jian Yi for instance. Jian Wen is currently studying Bachelor of Computing, National University of Singapore while Jian Yi who is an ASEAN undergraduate scholar is studying Bachelor of Science Computer Science at Singapore Management University.
 
Their father Mr Lye Kah Hou said, “MCKL provided a highly conducive environment that can bring out the best in students – it was competitive but in a friendly manner, and always encouraging.  True to its ethos of being an Institution of Excellence for Life. The lecturers did more than teach, they mentored my sons to make sure they coped well with studies and college life. I was impressed at how well the lecturers knew my sons’ strengths and weaknesses while giving suggestions for improvement”

Another CAL Alumni, Sri Ram Vengada and his brothers also shared similar success. Sri Ram is pursuing Masters in Aeronautics & Astronautics Engineering, at the University of Southampton while his brother Lakshman is pursuing Bachelor of Actuarial Science, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK while the youngest, Bharath Vengada is pursuing Masters in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Southampton.

Their parents Vengada Ramanujam (Father) and Meera Badmanaban (Mother) said, “Our sons chose the Cambridge International A Level as this is a highly reputable course which is internationally recognised. It would give them a solid foundation to build upon for their university applications. Our eldest son, Sri Ram, did very well in his A-levels and formed lasting friendships during his time in MCKL. Our second son, Lakshman, also performed very well and as parents we felt that there was a caring environment in MCKL where the teachers personally knew the students and were able to guide them to their chosen university and career paths. This led us to also enrol my youngest son there.”

For over 38 years, Methodist College Kuala Lumpur (MCKL) has been providing quality higher education in the best of Methodist tradition. MCKL will be launching its first branch campus – MCKL College (Penang, Pykett Campus) this year. Follow MCKL official Facebook and Instagram page for more updates. For details, visit mckl.edu.my or call 03-2274 1851.
 
About Methodist College Kuala Lumpur
Visit: https://mckl.edu.my/about-mckl/our-story/

Source: Methodist College Kuala Lumpur

FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Name:Daniel Gregory
PR & Communications
Tel: +60122950336
Email: daniel.ig@mckl.edu.my

–BERNAMA

NINGBO, China, Nov 2 (Bernama-BUSINESS WIRE) — The opening ceremony of the 2021 Ningbo (Yuyao) Yangming Culture Week, sponsored by the CPC Ningbo Municipal Committee and Ningbo Municipal People’s Government and hosted by the Publicity Department of the CPC Ningbo Municipal Committee, Ningbo Academy of Social Sciences (Social Science Federation), CPC Yuyao Municipal Committee and Yuyao Municipal People’s Government, was held in Yuyao, Ningbo, with the official release of a global creative call on the 550th anniversary of Wang Yangming’s birth on October 31, 2021.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211030005010/en/

Wang Yangming, alias Shouren and courtesy name Bo’an, was a native of Yuyao County, Zhejiang Province (now Yuyao City, Ningbo) in Ming Dynasty. He was a distinguished philosopher, politician, military strategist, and educator in ancient China. Later generations referred to him as “the first-rate figure of the Ming Dynasty who represents the essence of morality, meritorious service, and advocacy.” Therefore, he was hailed as an “immortal person”. The Yangming School of Mind that he founded, with “intuition to conscience” and “oneness of knowledge and action” at its core, has exerted a profound influence on the history of China and even East Asian philosophy.

As Wang Yangming’s birthplace, growing place, and lecture place, “Yuyao, hometown of Yangming and the sacred place of heart learning,” Ningbo Yuyao has always adapted to the duty of revitalizing and preserving traditional culture. Our mission will be to promote Yangming culture in the new era by restoring relics, promoting activities, and conducting ideological research and cultural inheritance so as to ensure that Yangming culture augments social development and that Yangming thought shines brighter.

During the 550th anniversary of Wang Yangming’s birth in 2022, Ningbo Yuyao will hold a grand commemorative event in order to further inherit and promote Yangming culture, and it is now seeking “ideas for activities to commemorate the 550th anniversary of Wang Yangming’s birth” from all over the world.

We welcome your ideas via email (yangmingguli@126.com) or letter (received by Yuyao Social Science Federation, No. 19, Chengxia Road, Lizhou Street, Yuyao City, Zhejiang Province), and we look forward to working with you on making traditional culture shine in a fresh way.

View source version on businesswire.com: 
https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211030005010/en/

Contact

Lou Xin
Email: yangmingguli@126.com

Source: Ningbo Municipal People’s Government

http://mrem.bernama.com/viewsm.php?idm=41455

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 29 (Bernama) — INNIO has announced signing on to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) to set science-based emissions reduction targets in line with 1.5°C emissions scenarios, criteria and recommendations.

This commitment builds on INNIO’s leading position as a shaper of the energy transition, according to a statement.

In addition, INNIO is proud to join the Race to Zero, a global campaign established by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to bring together global leadership for a healthy, resilient, and zero-carbon future.

Headquartered in Jenbach, Austria, INNIO is a leading provider of renewable gas, natural gas, and hydrogen-based solutions and services for power generation and gas compression at or near the point of use. With its Jenbacher and Waukesha engines, INNIO contributes to the energy supply of communities, industry and the public.

“At INNIO, we are relentlessly addressing the threat of climate change by developing carbon reduction actions across our businesses and aligning with external impactful policies that support delivering net-zero emissions,” said INNIO president and CEO, Dr Olaf Berlien.

“The Science Based Target initiative is an essential part of our commitment to reduce carbon emissions.”

INNIO’s bold sustainability ambitions include that its engines be ready to be powered by 100 per cent climate-neutral gases by 2025 and that 100 per cent of its material inputs be recycled, renewable or reclaimed.

INNIO is also committed to the reduction of greenhouse gases within its value chain and therefore has pledged to lower these emissions at its production and office sites by 50 per cent by 2030.

For more information, visit http://www.innio.com.

— BERNAMA

Vietnam, Oct 29 (Bernama-GLOBE NEWSWIRE) —Vietnam is the first country in the world to routinely use an innovative method to diagnose tuberculosis (TB) using stool. The Simple One-Step Stool Method, developed by KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, is implemented in 10 healthcare facilities across the country. “This simple and painless test is an important development for diagnosing TB in children under the age of five and people living with HIV. This can save many lives and reduce suffering”, says Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung, Director of the National Lung Hospital and Head of the Vietnam National Tuberculosis Control Program (NTP). 

In Vietnam 170,000 people get ill and 11,400 people die of TB every year, according to WHO estimates. Although all new born babies are vaccinated against TB, some of them still acquire TB. And even though TB is a curable disease, still many adults and children lose their lives.  

“The early diagnosis of child tuberculosis for treatment only accounts for 10% of the total cases of child tuberculosis”, says Prof. Dr. Nguyen Viet Nhung.  “Child tuberculosis is a difficult disease. Its symptoms are hard to find especially with the under 5-year-old children and acquiring a diagnosis faces many difficulties.”

To raise the number of children being diagnosed and treated in time, the NTP decided to start an implementation pilot – financed by the Global Fund – with the KNCV Simple One-Step (SOS) Stool Method. This turned out to be very successful and made the NTP decide to continue working with the SOS Stool Method routinely. 

The WHO has very recently recommended the use of stool as a primary sample for TB diagnoses in children. The Pediatric TB Operational Sustainability Expertise Exchange (POSEE) Taskforce also describes the benefits of using stool to diagnose TB.  As the SOS Stool Method is published in the peer reviewed Journal of Clinical Microbiology, many other countries are expected to follow Vietnams example and use this method.

SOS Stool Method: Painless and simple diagnosis

Worldwide, sputum from the lungs is currently mainly used as a sample to diagnose TB. However, it can be very difficult for many people living with HIV and children to cough up sputum. For very young children it is completely impossible on command. For that reason, an invasive and painful procedure is necessary – for example a tube passed through the child’s nose to the stomach – to collect a sputum sample. 

 “These invasive methods are often traumatizing for the children, parents and healthcare workers. Materials for these procedures are not available everywhere and sometimes it is only done when the child is already very ill. This results in many children worldwide not being diagnosed or being diagnosed too late”, explains Mustapha Gidado, executive director of KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation (KNCV). “This is one of the main reasons why 170.000 children die of TB every year. Unnecessary, because with a timely diagnosis and good treatment, TB can be cured.”  

A stool sample is painless and easy to obtain from children. KNCV laboratory experts dove into the matter and developed the SOS Stool Method, that was first presented during the Union World Conference in 2018. Extended research – such as head-to-head comparisons with other stool processing methods (FIND and TB Speed study) and the cost effectiveness of the SOS Stool Method (SOS-TBIM study) – have since be done. The results and scientific publications will follow this fall 2021, as well as presentations at the Union World Conference 2021. 

Training and implementation

KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation provides online training courses for laboratory staff, so that all countries can start using this method for diagnosing TB in children and people living with HIV. Vietnam sets an example of how this can be done successfully on all levels. 

Dr. Nguyen Thien Huong, KNCV Country Representative in Vietnam: “The same machine that is used to examine sputum – the GeneXpert – is used in the SOS Stool Method and no other materials are needed. In Vietnam, the GeneXpert systems are equipped nationwide from central to provincial and district levels. To train staff on how to use it for stool samples is a small step. While the difference for the lives of the affected children and people living with HIV, their families and the communities is immense.”

SOS Stool Method: no more suffering for baby Dang 

Vietnamese Thao, mother of the baby boy Dang (pictured above), knows from her own experience how big the difference between the painful sputum method and the painless KNCV SOS Stool Method is. Her son was only three months old, when he underwent both procedures. “In the first hospital where he was tested, they only used the sputum test. Witnessing how the doctors collected sputum from him was really painful. They had to push a tube through his mouth to his stomach.” They tested the boy three times, but all results were negative. Eventually he was referred to the National Lung Hospital, where a sputum and stool test were done. Both tests turned out positive for TB. It made Thao and her husband cry to hear the diagnosis, but their boy is now under treatment and recovering well. Thao: The SOS Stool Method made my son’s diagnosis and treatment much more accurate and easier. Read the full story of baby boy Dang here.

More information on the SOS Stool Method can be found here.

Attachments

· The early diagnosis of child tuberculosis for treatment only accounts for 10% of the total cases of child tuberculosis.
· KNCV SOS Stool Method

Maya van Tol
KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation
maya.vantol@kncvtbc.org

Lilian Polderman
KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation
Lilian.polderman@kncvtbc.org

Dr. Nguyen Thien Huong
KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation Vietnam
huong.nguyen@kncvtbc.org

Source: KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation

–BERNAMA

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) — National Tsing Hua University (NTHU) and the well-known Japanese chemical company DAICEL, have announced a five-year joint project to integrate an innovative microfluidic system developed by scholar Kitamori Takehiko into the chemical manufacturing industry.

Total investment in the project is 450 million Japanese yen (approximately NT$110 million), and its potential to reduce energy consumption while lowering the production of carbon and waste is expected to set a new standard for sustainability in the chemical industry. (NT$100 = RM14.92)

Prof Kitamori, a world-renowned pioneer in microfluidic and nanofluidic technology and the former vice president of the University of Tokyo, has been serving as the Yushan Honorary Chair Professor of the Institute of Nanoengineering and Microsystems, Department of Power Mechanical Engineering at NTHU since 2020.

Kitamori explained it could be quite difficult to instantaneously mix several large barrels of chemicals with different temperatures and reaction speeds, and there might even be an explosion if the materials were not handled carefully.

Thus, the preferred way of blending chemicals is by passing it through a microchannel, which makes it possible to precisely control the amount of raw materials used, as well as the mixing sequence and conditions, thereby optimising the quality of the final product.

Kitamori said the aim of the project was to reduce the size of chemical production equipment, so that what was currently produced by a factory measuring 20 x 20 metres can be miniaturised into a system only two square metres in size.

What’s more, such a system would use less energy and materials, making it less expensive, and would also produce less carbon, according to a statement.

Years ago, when DAICEL president Ogawa Yoshimi heard about the microfluidic technology developed by Kitamori, he was deeply impressed, and is now highly pleased that DAICEL is going to integrate this innovative technology into its operations.

He is also looking forward to cooperating with NTHU in introducing this epoch-making manufacturing process to the world, which he also sees as a way of promoting sustainability and the circular economy.

— BERNAMA