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April, 2017

Science International Forum (SIF) Kuwait conducted Annual Science Gala, 2017

Annual Science Gala for the academic year 2016-’17 organized by Science International Forum (SIF), Kuwait

in association with Kuwait National Exchange was conducted on 31st March, 2017, at American International

School, Hawally. The ceremony was inaugurated by Indian Ambassador to Kuwait, H.E. Sri. Sunil Jain.

Internationally renowned physicist, Prof. Sibaji Raha, former Director of prestigious BOSE Institute, Kolkata

graced the function as chief guest for the evening. He emphasized the importance of science and technology to

take India forward towards its past glory. Sri. Manish Jain, one of India's best science communicator, gave the

presentation on ‘Play with Science’. Manish said that he has dedicated his life to help learn science through

simple toys and bring back the smile on the face of students. He amazed the audience with his live demo of

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simplified teaching techniques of science and math

theories. Audience was given the opportunity to

interact with the guests.

Sri. Prasanth Nair (President, SIF Kuwait)

addressed the gathering detailing the objectives and

summarized the previous year activities of SIF

Kuwait. National Organizing Secretary of Vijnana

Bharathi, Sri. Jayanth Saharabudhe addressed the

audience on behalf of Vibha. SIF Middle East coordinator

Sri. Abga Raveendranath graced the function with his

presence. The grand evening was studded with the

presence of other eminent scientists from Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR). Sri.

Arunkumar (Gen. Secretary) extended a warm

welcome to the gathering and Sri. Prasanth

Chandran (Secretary, Public Relations) delivered the

word of gratitude at the function hosted by

Sri Santhosh Shenoy and coordinated by

Smt. Reshmy Krishnakumar (Secretary, Media and

Publication).

The 21 Sastra Prathibhas got their life time chance for a

personal interaction with the scientists in the morning

session organized at IBIS Hotel, Salmiya. The winners and outstanding performers of Sastra Prathibha

Contest 2016-17, Young Scientist's-program 2016-17 (KCSC), the project guides for the selected teams at

KCSC and the declared team with best presentation at KCSC were honored with trophies and certificate

jointly by the distinguished guests of the evening. Mr.

Premkumar, Principal, Indian Educational School

(Bhavans) along with the students and teachers received

the ‘Acharya J. C. Bose Sastra Puraskar’ for their overall

achievement in Sastra Prathibha Contest. Science Gala

proved to be a memorable opportunity for students,

parents and teachers in Kuwait to listen to the top

academic and scientific brains of India .

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Indian researcher at Johns Hopkins develops world’s first 5D ultrasound system to assist

cancer detection and treatment

An Indian researcher at the Johns Hopkins University has developed the world’s first five-dimensional

ultrasound system that will help surgeons detect and treat cancerous tumors. Nishikant Deshmukh, 33, who

just earned a doctoral degree from the prestigious university in Computer Science, developed the

breakthrough system as part of his PhD thesis. The ultrasound technology currently used by most surgeons

is predominantly 2-dimensional.

Some hospitals also use a more

advanced 3D computer graphics.

However, the 3D model is not

real-time, and it takes longer to

generate images, making it

difficult for surgeons to use

information from it while

conducting complex surgeries

that require real-time decision

making.

“My technology can give

vision to the surgeon for locating

tumors while operating upon

patients,” the Amravati, -born

researcher told The American

Bazaar.

In a nutshell, Dr. Deshmukh’s

technology combines 3D ultra-

sound B-mode and the 3D ultrasound elastography volumetric data and make them available in real-time.

Elastography is a medical imaging method that measures elastic properties of soft tissue and maps

them as an image for diagnosing stiff regions such as cancer tumor. B-mode images are the ones we usually

come across during a doctor’s sonography scan. Sonography, or diagnostic ultrasound, is a medical imaging

technology where sound waves are used to produce images. The technology Dr. Deshmukh developed is

termed as 5D ultrasound due to its ability to visualize and get the current combined data in real-time.

The advanced imaging model that he developed can generate elastography using Graphic Processing

Units at 60-70 frames per second, which enables combining elastography with real-time machine-generated

B-mode images. Dr. Deshmukh presented the findings of his research for the first time at the 2015

Information Processing in Computer Assisted Interventions (IPCAI), a premier forum in the field. He has

also published the research, along with his advisors and colleagues at the Laboratory of Computational

Science and Robotics at the Johns Hopkins University and the National Institutes of Health, in two journals,

the International Journal of Computer Assisted Radiology and Surgery and PLOS ONE. Dr. Deshmukh,

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who has an undergraduate degree in Computer engineering from the University of Pune, said his technology

could be used for early stage cancer detection in areas such as prostate and breast. “It will help a radiologist to

determine whether the abnormally grown tissue is a potentially fatal tumor, or a more benign cyst.” The

researcher said the technology would be especially useful in rural areas in the developing world where the more

expensive Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is not available.

Dr. Deshmukh has also integrated the elastography system with the minimally invasive da Vinci

robotic system, which has been used clinically since the year 2000. “What we did was to accelerate it on GPUs to

make it fast enough to be able to use it during surgery,” he said. “We also integrated it with the da Vinci system

where the robot generates steady palpation motion for us.”

Dr. Deshmukh came to the Johns Hopkins University in 2008 to pursue his higher studies. Earlier, he

worked at the National Stock Exchange of India in Mumbai for three years. His knowledge in parallel and

distributed computing at NSE helped him to do advanced research in cancer imaging at The Johns Hopkins

University, he said. The field is identified as Computer Integrated Surgery, which is a cross-disciplinary field of

Computer Science, Medical Imaging, Biomedical Engineering, Robotics and Mechanical Engineering.

The researcher said he was motivated to pursue cancer diagnostic using computation power after seeing a

family member die of cancer in rural India. “The disease could not be diagnosed at early stage,” he said. Dr.

Deshmukh was also selected as the top 200 young scientists from 80 countries as part of the Heidelberg Laureate

Forum and an INK Fellow, both in the year 2015.

Dr. Deshmukh is also a supporter of organic farming movement in India, which is working to lower

farmer suicide rate, afforestation, children education and reduce pesticide-affected food. As part of a nonprofit,

he and his colleagues at Johns Hopkins have raised nearly $300,000 for various causes in India.

courtesy: www.livescience.com

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BARC scientists develop cancer drugs from Rampatri

BARC scientists have developed two anti-cancer medicines from the fruit extract of the Rampatri

plant, which may help destroy tumours and

revive cells damaged by radiation. Rampatri

plant, which is used as a spice in foods, belongs

to the Myristicaceae family and is found in

western coastal region of the country. Scientists

at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC)

based in Anushaktinagar, Mumbai tested the

medicines made from this plant on mice and

found that they may help in treating lung

cancer and neuroblastoma, a rare cancer found

in children. In neuroblastoma, cancer cells

grow in nerve cells of adrenal glands, neck,

chest and spinal chord. The medicines were

developed by Dr. B Shankar Patro, scientist of

Radiation Biology and Health sciences at BARC. Patro told PTI that the molecules of Rampatri fruit may

destroy the cancer cells. Medicines developed from these molecules may also help in reviving cells

destroyed due to radiation.

S Chattopadhaya, Head of Bio Science Division of BARC said that the research centre was working

for many years to develop cancer medicines from herbal

plants. "We have developed BARC Radio Modifier and

BARC Radio Protector. We have also applied for

patent and hope we will get it soon," said Chattopadhaya.

"Pre clinical trials have been done for both the medicines

and we have sought permission of Drug Controller

General of India to test it on humans," he said. From June

this year, Tata Memorial Centre in Mumbai may begin

clinical trial of Radio Modifier medicine.

"Radio Modifier helps to protect healthy cells

during radiation therapy and if this medicine is given

within four hours in case of any nuclear accident, life

of the affected person may be saved," said

Dr. Santosh Kumar Sandur, scientist of Radiation

Biology and Health Sciences at BARC.

courtesy: www.timesofindia.com

Hello Kiddies, Here is your Answers!!!

1. Africa

2. Two

3. The Gorilla

4. A fish True

5. Their spines of spiky hair

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Indian-American teen wins top science award worth $250,000

An Indian-American teen has won the top award, worth $250,000, in the oldest and most prestigious

science and math competition in the US, for her research on preventing death of neurons due to brain

injuries or neurodegenerative diseases.

Indrani Das, a 17-year-old resident of New

Jersey, and four other Indian-origin students

were among the top ten finalists to be

honoured at the annual Regeneron Science

Talent Search Awards Gala for their research

projects demonstrating exceptional scientific

and mathematical ability. Forty finalists

took home more than $1.8 million in awards.

A contributor to neuron death is astrogliosis,

a condition that occurs when cells called

astrocytes react to injury by growing,

dividing and reducing their uptake of

glutamate, which in excess is toxic to

neurons. In a laboratory model, Das showed

that exosomes isolated from astrocytes

transfected with microRNA-124a both improved astrocyte uptake of glutamate & increased neuron survival.

Arjun Ramani, an 18-year-old student from Indiana won the third place honours worth $150,000 for

blending the mathematical field of graph theory with computer programming to answer questions about

networks. Typically, these questions require statistical comparisons to hundreds or thousands of random

graphs, a process that can take a relatively long time. He developed an algorithm that greatly accelerated the

process by reducing the time required to generate these graphs.

Archana Verma, 17, from New York, received a $90,000 award for her study of the molecular

orbital energy dynamics of dyes, which may someday result in windows that produce solar energy.

"Congratulations to the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2017 top winners," said George D Yancopoulos,

president and chief scientific officer of Regeneron.

"My experience as a Science Talent Search winner led me to embark on a career in science, and I hope it

will inspire these exceptional young scientists to become the next generation of innovators that will improve

the world and solve some of our most pressing challenges as a society," said Yancopoulos.

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courtesy: www.timesofindia.com

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World's oldest spacewoman sets spacewalking record

The world's oldest and most experienced spacewoman, Peggy Whitson, broke another record as she floated out

of the International Space Station to set up a new parking spot. It was the eighth spacewalk of her career, the

most ever performed by a woman. Whitson and her spacewalking partner, station commander Shane

Kimbrough, ventured out to complete prep work on a docking port. Kimbrough disconnected the port during a

spacewalk and then flight controllers in Houston moved it to a new location. It will serve as a parking spot for

commercial crew capsules under development by SpaceX and Boeing. The spacewalkers needed to hook up

vital heater cables to the docking port and install shields to protect against strikes by micrometeorites.

"You guys be safe and enjoy your time out," French astronaut Thomas Pesquet radioed from inside the space

station. This serve as the second of two docking ports for the future SpaceX and Boeing crew capsules.

SpaceX will launch the final piece of this particular port later this year or early next year. Midway through the

spacewalk, Whitson surpass the current record for women of 50 hours and 40 minutes of total accumulated

spacewalking time, held by former space station resident Sunita Williams. Williams is one of four NASA

astronauts who will make

the initial test flights of the

SpaceX Crew Dragon and

Boeing Starliner capsules.

The first flight could occur

as early as next year. The 57

-year-old Whitson has been

in orbit since November.

This is her third space

station stint.

Altogether, she's spent more

than 500 days off the planet,

also more than any other

woman. She's scheduled to

return to Earth in June, but

may stick around an extra

three months, until September. NASA is hoping to take advantage of an extra seat in the Russian Soyuz

spacecraft that's due to launch next month and return in September. A decision is expected soon.

NASA, meanwhile, has indefinitely delayed a spacewalk that had been scheduled for next week. A

shipment containing replacement parts needed for that spacewalk is on hold because of rocket concerns at

Cape Canaveral, Florida; the delivery should have been there by now. Shipper Orbital ATK is relying on the

United Launch Alliance's Atlas V to haul up the goods.

courtesy: www.timesofindia.com

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Plastics at sea create raft of problems

If you could somehow weigh all the plastic floating in the world's oceans, it would equal the mass of roughly

38,000 African elephants. That estimate comes from a new global study of plastics floating in the oceans.

After six years of research, scientists estimate the seas contain about 5.25 trillion pieces of this trash. Its

combined weight: an estimated 269,000 metric tons.

“We found plastics are widely distributed across all oceans,”

says Marcus Eriksen. This environmental scientist is part of a

research team that published a December 10 paper in PLOS ONE.

Eriksen works with the 5 Gyres Institute in Los Angeles, Calif. This

group looks for solutions to problems caused by plastic trash. Plastic

is harmful for another reason, too. Previous studies have shown that

plastics can work like sponges, soaking up and storing toxic

chemicals. These include PCBs, pesticides and flame retardants.

When ingested, such plastic can release the pollutants, triggering health problems. A 2013 study showed that

such ocean plastics also provide homes for germs, some of which can cause disease.

Eriksen and his team travelled more than 50,000 nautical miles while making their measurements.

They surveyed five subtropical gyres. These are large areas of rotating currents. Floating plastic accumulates

in these large circular loops. The team also measured concentrations of plastic off the coast of Australia, on the

Bay of Bengal and in the Mediterranean Sea. The experts used a fine mesh net to capture plastic particles

smaller than 4.75 millimeters (0.18 inch). Later, they weighed all the tiny bits.

The researchers found that more than half of the weight of all ocean plastics is made up of such tiny

pieces. This discovery concerned the team because smaller particles have a greater surface area. This allows

them to absorb more pollution per unit weight than larger pieces will. But bigger pieces also are a problem.

Plastic bags, six-pack rings for canned drinks and fishing nets - all can entangle sea birds, turtles and even

whales.

Bigger pieces of floating plastic tend to come mostly from lost fishing nets and buoys, the study found.

The researchers did not weigh these pieces. Instead they counted them (from the comfort of their boats), and

noted their sizes. Later, the researchers matched these large pieces with similar-sized ones that they already

had weighed. "These gyres shred large plastics into smaller ones," Eriksen now reports.

As plastic rides atop the gyres' swirling currents, sunlight embrittles it. Waves then can break the

pieces into smaller and smaller bits. Oxygen at the water's surface reacts with the plastic. This, too, helps to

fragment the bits of plastic trash. Later, currents eject these tiny bits of plastic from the gyre. Plastic also can

escape the gyres as filter-feeding fish and whales swallow snippets of the trash. These creatures feed by

opening their mouths to take in tiny floating plants and animals. Floating plastic will be ingested along with

the food. Eriksen would like companies that use plastic in their products to set up systems to recycle those

plastics when they become trash. Many recycling programs already exist. Usually they are for products made

entirely of plastic, such as bottles. Bicycles, board games and other products that contain some plastic usually

are not, however, recycled. Eriksen also would like to see governments pay fishermen to bring back lost nets

and buoys that they find floating in the ocean.

courtesy: www.sciencenewsforstudents.com

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"An experiment is a question which

science poses to Nature, and a

measurement is the recording of

Nature’s answer."

Max Planck

Theoretical Physicist

Discover

VOLUME 03

ISSUE 12 APR, 2017

Compiled & Edited By

Prasanth Nair

Reshmy Krishnakumar

Science International Forum, Kuwait

facebook.com/sifkuwait

For subscription mail to

discoveremagazine@gmail.com

Find and circle all of the herbivores that are hidden in the grid. The words may be hidden in any direction !!!

You have time till next edition