SINGAPORE, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — The global imperative to improve access to and the quality of education continues to be paramount. In this regard, independent charity Vantage Foundation notes that India has made significant strides in its education system, with strong indicators pointing to the country’s notable efforts to enhance learning outcomes.

Notably, Vantage Foundation recognises the pivotal role played by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in facilitating India’s transition toward a digitally empowered society. UNESCO’s profound insights, showcased through the State of Education Report (SOER) published by the UNESCO New Delhi Office, serve as a testament to its commitment to driving positive educational reforms.

“UNESCO New Delhi produces our flagship report on the issues relating to the domain of education in India such as artificial intelligence in education, technical and vocational education, climate education etc.,” explains Joyce Poan, Programme Specialist and Chief of Sector for Education, UNESCO New Delhi. “We collaborated with Vantage on the topic of artificial intelligence and education. These reports are useful to policymakers because they provide updated information and ten concrete recommendations, specific to India.”

“The SOER was the result of meticulous research by experts and designed for practical application. As such, we can bear witness to its tangible effects in India today,” says Steven Xie, Executive Director of Vantage Foundation. “More importantly, its universal insights have the potential to transcend borders, offering far-reaching benefits that extend beyond India.”

Joyce also highlights the reports’ wide-ranging use cases. “Our reports serve as an essential compilation of best practices, going beyond merely informing policymakers. They also represent an important repository of knowledge on the chosen topic, aimed at educating teachers, students, and the public alike,” she explains.

When asked about the future updates to its knowledge base, Joyce explains, “This year, UNESCO New Delhi will prioritise cultural and arts education in India. Our upcoming report will spotlight best practices from different Indian states and strategies for enhancing cultural and arts education across the country.”

Through their collaborative efforts, Vantage Foundation and UNESCO New Delhi exemplify a shared dedication to nurturing educational excellence and societal progress. These initiatives are crafted to inspire the next generation to strive for greater accomplishments, both within India and on a global scale.

About Vantage Foundation

Vantage Foundation is an independent charitable organisation launched at the McLaren Technology Centre in the UK with the support of the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), and the NEOM McLaren Extreme E team in 2023. For more information, please visit www.vantage.foundation

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The app adds emergency dispatch, data breach alerts, breakdown assistance, and more

SYDNEY, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Leading family safety and location app Life360, has today announced the rollout of new safety features and enhancements through a triple-tier membership structure, offering a spectrum of benefits. With 2 million Aussies already benefiting from the app, the latest updates are designed to provide complete peace of mind and value to families at home and on the move.

Keep loved ones safe on the road
Last year marked the deadliest year on Australian roads for half a decade, with fatalities jumping as much as 61% in some states. Ensuring the safety of your loved ones is easier with Life360’s free Crash Detection, which can detect collisions over 40km/h, promptly contact the driver or passenger involved, and alert their Circle members if there’s no response. Now, users with Gold and Platinum membership have the option to include emergency services dispatch with Crash Detection. In the unfortunate event of an accident, Life360 will contact emergency responders, sharing precise location coordinates and staying on the line until help arrives. Last year, over 38,500 ambulances were dispatched globally via Life360, helping to save lives that might otherwise be lost or put in grave danger.

In addition, Gold and Platinum members can now benefit from Life360’s new Breakdown Assistance which allows any member of the family Circle to request 24/7 roadside assistance for towing, flat tyres, lost keys, extra petrol or other needs. Life360’s membership will cover 25km free metro and 50km free rural towing for Gold members or 40km metro and 80km rural for Platinum members.

Help is only a tap away
With a simple tap of Life360’s “SOS” button, users can send a silent alert to their Circle members, along with their location. Now, in addition to alerting users’ Circle members and emergency contacts, Gold and Platinum members can utilise Life360’s dedicated third-party emergency dispatchers who will also call the member, assess the situation, and liaise with the appropriate authorities, whether it’s the police or ambulance service, to ensure timely assistance if needed. Over 1.8 million SOS and help alerts were sent globally in 2023, helping to keep friends and family members safe.

Digital security for the whole family
According to the Australian Government, three in four (74%) Australians believe data breaches are one of the biggest privacy risks they face today, with nearly half of Australians impacted by a breach in 2023 alone. Life360’s new Data Breach Alerts and Identity Theft Protection are designed to provide peace of mind in this ever-evolving digital landscape. With Data Breach Alerts, Life360’s partner actively scans the dark web to detect potential breaches and immediately alerts members. In case of identity theft, Life360’s partner specialists provide guidance for recovery and offer options for stolen funds reimbursement.*

Looking after everyone and everything in one place
Life360 has also extended its offering to protect not only loved ones, but also their most important everyday items. A Tile Bluetooth tracker is now included as part of Life360 Gold and Platinum memberships. Simply attach Tiles to everyday essentials like bikes, keys, and school bags, and users can link their accounts for free to see everyone and everything that matters most in one place on their Life360 map.

Life360’s new features and enhancements are offered across a range of membership plans*, all designed to deliver peace of mind to families and protect their most important everyday items. Additional features launched today include:

• Unlimited Place Alerts (Gold and Platinum Membership): Get a heads-up as family members come and go from unlimited locations without lifting a finger
• Medical Assistance (Gold and Platinum Membership): On-call 24/7 Nurse Helpline, medical advice, pharmacy, specialist referrals, and more
• Disaster Response (Gold and Platinum Membership): Evacuation support in case of natural disasters and more
• Travel Support (Gold and Platinum Membership): Pre-trip planning, local information, rebooking support and lost luggage help
• Stolen Phone Protection (Gold and Platinum Membership): Fund a replacement phone if stolen, up to $1,000 per Circle, per year

Chris Hulls, Life360’s Founder and CEO, said: “We’ve witnessed the incredible impact of features like emergency response and data breach alerts on the safety of millions of our members in the US, Canada and the UK. Now, we are proud to bring our enhanced suite of solutions to our Australian members, at a time when security is top of mind. Our goal is to arm families with the tools they need to stay safe and connected, be it online, in the comfort of their home, or on the open road.”

Life360 membership bundles ensure that families get the best value for comprehensive safety. In Australia, Life360’s Gold and Platinum membership bundles provide over $150 of value each month to members for as little as $16.99 a month.

Life360 is available for both iOS and Android users, ensuring all family members can be included in a Circle.

*AUSTRALIAN MEMBERSHIP PLANS

About Life360

Life360, a family connection and safety company, keeps people close to the ones they love. The category-leading mobile app and Tile tracking devices empower members to stay connected to the people, pets, and things they care about most, with a range of services, including location sharing, safe driver reports, and crash detection with emergency dispatch. As a remote-first company based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Life360 serves approximately 66 million monthly active users (MAU), as of March 31, 2024, across more than 150 countries. Life360 delivers peace of mind and enhances everyday family life in all the moments that matter, big and small. For more information, please visit life360.com. Life360 is publicly traded on the Australian Securities Exchange under ASX:360.

Logo – https://mma.prnasia.com/media2/1694432/Life360_Logo.jpg?p=medium600 

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Researchers from Chulalongkorn University have made use of forage grass to feed microorganisms and convert the resulting fat into jet fuel. They aim to expand petroleum-based oil replacement production to reduce impacts on human health and the environment.

BANGKOK, April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Yeast is a microorganism that is an important ingredient in many foods and beverages. However, in the future, yeast will play a major role in the production of fossil-based renewable fuels. 

Currently, researchers from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Science are accelerating their technological development to scale up the production of aviation biofuel from yeast. This is an extension of the successful results of research that found a strain of yeast with a high potential for producing fat for use in aviation fuel. In addition to producing yeast oil, they use agricultural waste as food to grow microorganisms. This is another way to reduce burning problems and increase the value of agricultural waste. 

How did the research originate?

Petroleum is an important source of fuel in today’s world, both in various industrial sectors and in transportation, especially the aircraft industry. 

 A report from the Department of Energy Business of the Ministry of Energy (2019) stated that Thailand’s jet fuel import volume has increased significantly. In 2016, Thailand imported 84.9 million liters of jet fuel, but only four years later, in 2019, the amount of jet fuel imports soared to 376.3 million liters per year. 

This increase in fuel imports reflects growing industrial demand and the need to find innovations to produce alternative energy that is more friendly to human health and the environment than petroleum. 

The team led by Prof. Dr. Warawut Chulalaksananukul and Asst. Prof. Dr. Chompunuch Glinwong from the Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University has carried out the “Development of scaling-up technology for production of microbial lipid for biojet fuel synthesis” research project. 

According to Prof. Dr. Warawut, “The team has been successful in the separation of Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (CU-TPD4 strain) that has a high potential for fat accumulation. We have used yeast to produce biojet fuel to meet future energy demand. If we can develop Thailand’s potential in the production of bio-jet fuel, it would help our economy progress as well.”  

The project has received funding from the National Research Council of Thailand, focusing specifically on the Sino-Thai Plans for Renewable Energy to work on the extraction of fat, production of bio-jet fuel from microbial lipid synthesis, and bio-refinery of jet fuel from biomass resources. Aside from the two researchers mentioned, the team also includes three doctoral students from the Department of Botany, namely Dr. Nuttha Chuengcharoenpanich, Dr. Wannaporn Wattanasunthorn, and Mr. Thanapong Tangwanaphrai, with the collaboration of Dr. Surisa Suwannarangsee from the National Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology under the National Science and Technology Development Agency. They have collaborated with a group of Chinese researchers, including Prof. Zhongming Wang and Prof. Wei Qi from the Guangzhou Institute of Energy Conversion at the Chinese Academy of Science (GIEC). 

High-potency yeast produces fuel

The researchers selected the yeast from 53 soil samples found in Mae Hongson and other nearby provinces and discovered Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast (CU-TPD4 strain), which has a high potential for fat accumulation. This came at a time when there had not yet been any reports that this type of yeast could produce high levels of fuel at the same level as existing fuel-producing yeast. 

“S. cerevisiae is classified as a microorganism with high safety levels. It is known to have been used for a very long time, is Generally Recognized as Safe, GRAS, and is therefore used in the food production industry, such as for beer or bread production. Yet, it has not been reported that the particular strain of yeast has been used for the production of fat at the industrial level.”  

Prof. Dr. Warawut explained that the type of yeast that has been discovered can produce and collect fat in the cells at a level as high as 20–25% of the dry cell weight. These fat properties are extremely beneficial for the development of bioenergy, such as biodiesel.   

“Using oleaginous yeast as a feedstock for biofuel production has several advantages over using plants as an oil source, including the fact that the life cycle of yeast is short, a variety of foods can be used for its cultivation, it is relatively cheap, and it requires little labor. It can be cultivated at any time and doesn’t depend on the season; scaling up production is easy, while the fat produced has the same characteristics as that produced from plants. It is safe both for humans and the environment. 

Prof. Dr. Warawut also added an important advantage of oil production from yeast, saying that “when the process is developed and the yeast is used at the industrial level, its culture at 40 degrees Celsius can help reduce the cost of the cooling process to control the temperature of the fermentation tank.” 

This research has attracted interest both nationally and internationally from researchers from such institutions as Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) in Germany and Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI) in France. Researchers from Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH) in Germany and Toulouse Biotechnology Institute (TBI) in France saw the opportunity to expand the CU-TPD4 yeast leavening production for use in oil, bread, alcohol, and other food products. 

Raising yeast using agricultural waste

In addition to getting energy that is cleaner than fossil energy, the process of growing yeast to produce oil also makes use of agricultural waste, which is part of driving the circular economy and reducing air pollution problems from the burning of agricultural waste. 

In addition to animal fodder grass, agricultural waste and various types of lignocellulosic biomass can be used as carbon sources to feed fat-accumulating yeasts for example, rice straw, corn cobs, sugarcane bagasse, as well as various vegetable and fruit peels such as banana peels, durian peels, and bean shells, especially rice straw, which is a large amount of waste material in Thailand. Therefore, it is considered another way to use agricultural waste to be beneficial as well.

Moreover, there are also reports of waste disposal such as office paper scraps. and wastewater from industrial plants, including wastewater from paper factories. Wastewater from a sago flour factory and wastewater from homes can be used as a carbon source as well. The main aim is to reduce production costs, eliminate waste, and increase the value of such waste materials to make them more useful. 

Improvement of yeast strains, expansion of oil production, and adding value to the food and pharmaceutical industries

The growth of yeast and the amount of oil produced by yeast on a laboratory scale are still not sufficient to meet the demand for fuel in the market. Therefore, it is necessary to develop technology to expand production capacity. 

“This can be done by using different methods, such as improving strains of fat-accumulating yeast to increase their ability to produce and accumulate more fat or improving the yeast to be more resistant to conditions that are not suitable for growth. Improve yeast to be more resistant to conditions that are not suitable for growth, such as being able to withstand higher temperatures in the production process to reduce cooling costs. They can also be more resistant to toxins that occur from the process of pretreatment of agricultural waste to reduce the steps and costs of the detoxification process, for example.” 

Prof. Dr. Warawut explained that at present, the research is focused on increasing the oil production level of the yeast S. cerevisiae at higher levels by genetically modifying the increased expression of the enzyme Acetyl-CoA carboxylase in the TWP02 strain, resulting in increased fat production. 

After that, researchers scaled up their study of the oil production process from yeast cells using research tools from the Biological Engineering and Precision Fermentation Laboratory (Bioengineering and precision fermentation laboratory) of the Biotechnology and Materials Research Department Innovation Institute, PTT Public Company Limited, which is Thailand’s leading laboratory in biological processes and fermentation processes. Biotechnology research tools from the upstream process are available for the selection and improvement of microbial strains. The fermentation process ranges from a laboratory scale with a 2-liter fermentation tank to a prototype research unit with a 20,000-liter fermentation tank. This includes downstream processes used to separate microbial cells, such as breaking microbial cells with pressure, increasing the concentration and purity of biologics, and forming biopharmaceuticals into dry form by heating or cooling. The potential of the laboratory helps enable this research project to evaluate the potential for designing an appropriate biofuel production process for aircraft. 

Prof. Dr. Warawut ended by saying that in addition to producing biodiesel and jet fuel, improving fat-accumulating yeast strains can produce fatty acids such as unsaturated fatty acids. This is a type of fat that is in demand in the market and has a high value. It can also be used as a starting material for producing other products in the fields of food, cosmetics, and medicine that can meet the needs of sustainable life science businesses as well. 

For the full release and more images, please visit: https://www.chula.ac.th/en/highlight/154602/

About Chulalongkorn University

Chulalongkorn University has made the world’s top 50 university list for employment outcomes, which reflects both the high employment rate and work ability of Chula graduates. The university is also listed as the best in Thailand for the 15th Consecutive Year (since 2009), according to the newly released QS World University Rankings 2024, putting Chula at 211th in the world, up from 244th last year.

Social Media: 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChulalongkornUniversity
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/chulauniversity
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/school/15101896/

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BEIJING, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Wuliangye, a reputed Chinese baijiu brand, gained popularity among Chilean people who attended activities of its “Harmony & Beauty” global cultural exchange tour in Santiago of Chile.

Bringing Chilean liquor lovers its premier products, the company initiated the event, one of its thematic transnational cultural exchange activities, to enhance communication between people from different cultures.

With Sichuan Opera and Cueca dance performances staged by turns in Wuliangye’s exhibition zone in Santiago on April 19, some Chilean attendees were impressed by the refreshing flavor of Wuliangye-based special cocktail and the diverse Chinese cultural elements that decorated Wuliangye’s booths.

Zeng Congqin, board chairman of Wuliangye Group, said Chile and China’s Sichuan have much in common such as profound history, abundant resources, life-loving people, and in particular the globally renowned liquors and hoped a mix of Chilean wine and Chinese baijiu would produce more fascinating flavors.

“Harmony and Beauty” stands always for what the Chinese baijiu maker advocates. Wuliangye, made from five types of grains such as rice and sticky rice originated from China, sorghum originally from Africa, wheat from west Asia and corn originated from South America, served as a harmonious embodiment of different beauties.

Zeng noted that Wuliangye Group planned to further leverage liquor, a universal language that transcends history and national boundaries, to boost mutual learning and appreciation of the Chinese and Chilean cultures and create more stories of harmonious friendships and development.

During the event, Zeng and representatives from different circles of the two countries jointly stamped the scroll for Wuliangye’s “Harmony and Beauty” global tour in Chile. 

After a local market survey, Wuliangye Group communicated with Chilean beverage firm CCU for potential cooperation in liquor products and launched a one week-long cultural activity with famous restaurants and bars in Santiago to engage Chilean consumers with the unique appeal of liquors and cuisines from China’s Sichuan.

Known for its fragrant, sweet and mellow flavor, Wuliangye is a forerunner among Chinese baijiu producers in “going global” and will continue to explore the global market through expanding the “Chinese cuisines plus Chinese baijiu”-based consumption scenarios.

Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/339835.html

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• Awarded as the South Korean representative in the services sector, recognized for its leading MSP^[1] business capabilities in South Korea
• Providing tailored services to support clients’ successful cloud migration to deliver ‘distinctive client value’
• Achieved Google Cloud Specializations in Data Analytics – Services, Machine Learning – Services and Cloud Migration – Services
• Secured over 3,900 certifications from global CSP^[2]providers including Google Cloud, AWS and Microsoft

SEOUL, South Korea, April 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — LG CNS, a leading DX (Digital Transformation) company, has been named ‘Google Cloud Services Partner of the Year’ for South Korea at ‘Google Cloud Partner Awards 2024’ for the second consecutive year.

The Google Cloud Partner Awards recognize the leaders of digital innovation that are leveraging Google Cloud to give clients new business value while recording exceptional achievements. Awards are presented across 14 categories, including services, industry solutions, public sector and social impact.

The services category recognizes the partner companies providing distinctive services through optimized Google Cloud migration that are tailored to the client’s business characteristics and help them achieve business success. In 2023, LG CNS was acknowledged for leading client DX innovation and Application Modernization (AM) by applying Google Cloud’s core services, including its cloud and data platforms. LG CNS provided distinctive client value by delivering customized services to clients across various industries including the gaming, logistics, retail and manufacturing sectors.

For example, LG CNS supported a South Korean company last year in building its own LLM (Large Language Model) model on Google Cloud, significantly reducing its trial and error in AI model training and allowing it to operate global services stably. For another South Korean company, LG CNS combined Google Cloud’s generative AI platform with client service to enhance its operational efficiency. LG CNS also conducted a Proof of Concept (PoC) using BigQuery^[3] to analyze consumer marketing data for a third company, improving client value by enabling data analysts to perform their tasks effectively. Additionally, LG CNS participated as a service partner in migrating the existing database of a global company based in Singapore to Google Cloud.

LG CNS’s team of elite professionals, who excel in delivering premier cloud services, have laid the foundation for these achievements. With over 3,900 certifications from global top 3 CSP providers, including Google Cloud certifications such as cloud architect, cloud network engineer, data engineer, machine learning engineer and cloud security engineer, LG CNS ensures unparalleled proficiency in the field.

LG CNS continues to demonstrate its technical prowess by acquiring certifications and qualifications from Google Cloud including its Specialization for Data Analytics – Services in December 2023. The company has also achieved Specializations in Machine Learning – Services, Infrastructure – Services and Cloud Migration – Services as well as attaining its prestigious Premier Partner status in 2020 for Google Cloud in the Sell and Service Engagement Models, which Google Cloud reserves for its top-tier partners.

In August 2023, LG CNS began strengthening its technical and business collaboration with Google Cloud in the cloud and generative AI-related domains at the ‘Google Cloud Next 2023’ conference, where representatives from both companies convened to discuss avenues for enhanced cooperation.

“We have achieved outstanding results in the cloud-based generative AI business, encompassing the entire spectrum from MSP to AM and SaaS,” said Taehoon Kim, head of the Cloud Business division at LG CNS. “We will continue to foster a close partnership with Google Cloud to consistently deliver unique value to our clients.”

“Google Cloud’s Partner Awards celebrate the transformative impact and value that partners have delivered for clients,” said Kevin Ichhpurani, Corporate Vice President, Global Ecosystem and Channels at Google Cloud. “We’re proud to announce LG CNS as a 2024 Google Cloud Partner Award winner and recognize their achievements enabling client success from the past year.”

About LG CNS 

LG CNS is a leading Korean digital transformation (DX) company that continues to pioneer various emerging technologies such as the cloud, generative AI, big data, smart factory, smart city, smart logistics and digital marketing. The company is also leading the market through innovative system integration (SI) and system management (SM) projects in finance, manufacturing, the public sector and various other industries. For more information, please visit www.lgcns.com.

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