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Aston University researchers based in the College of Health and Life Sciences have been awarded a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) project by Innovate UK, to bring its academic and scientific expertise to assist Catalent in the development of its Zydis® technology, the leading orally disintegrating tablet (ODT). The Zydis ODT fast-dissolve formulation is a unique, freeze-dried oral solid dosage form that disperses almost instantly in the mouth with no water required. It helps delivering treatments to patients and consumers who have difficulty swallowing conventional pills, or where rapid onset of action is desirable. The aim of the KTP partnership is to develop and prove an accurate predictive decision-making tool to pre-determine accurate levels of absorption enhancer for each Zydis product, potentially facilitating faster pharmaceutical development, improving efficiency, and reducing time to market. A Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) is a three-way collaboration between a business, an academic partner and a KTP Associate. The UK-wide programme helps businesses to improve their competitiveness and productivity through the better use of knowledge, technology and skills. Aston University is the leading KTP provider within the Midlands. Academic lead on the project is Professor Afzal Mohammed, who is also chair in Pharmacy in the College of Health & Life Sciences (HLS) and a member of the Aston Pharmaceutics Group (APG) at Aston University. Afzal said: “This is a great opportunity for us to share and translate our academic experience in cell based models, excipient and formulation characterisation to develop an evidence based predictive tool that has the potential to expedite product development at Catalent.” Ralph Gosden, head of Zydis product development at Catalan, added: "We are excited to be working with Aston University on this project. Their expertise in drug transportation, cell biology, data analysis and model cell line design, coupled with its world-class facilities means that together, we will be able to achieve significant improvements in efficiency, and accelerate new product development.” Professor Mohammed will be supported by other colleagues from the Aston Pharmaceutics Group, including, Dr Dan Kirby, who has experience in drug delivery and improving patient acceptability of dosage forms gained through original research; Dr Affiong Iyire who has research expertise in the formulation of drugs for pre-gastric absorption and innovative cell models; and Dr Raj Badhan, who is a pharmacokinetics expert with vast knowledge of in silico methods. The outcomes of the project will be integrated into Aston University’s curriculum through teaching case studies, thereby developing well equipped graduates.
As Pfizer gets full FDA approval – Georgia Southern’s experts are in the media and getting coverage
With a fourth wave of COVID sweeping America and beyond – the Pfizer vaccine receiving full FDA approval couldn’t come at a better time according to most health experts. And as news swept across the country, Georgia Southern University’s Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology, was front and center for media and reporters, helping to explain the importance and significance of this landmark announcement. The green light from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to move Pfizer’s vaccine from emergency use to full approval Monday is a milestone in the national pandemic response, and one that comes as Georgia and much of the country battles another surge in infections and hospitalizations due to the delta variant. More than 60% of Americans have received at least one dose of the vaccine, and experts have long pointed to data that shows the shots are safe and effective. Still, the official thumbs-up is a significant piece of evidence to bolster that fact, said Isaac Chun-Hai Fung, Ph.D., associate professor of epidemiology at the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health at Georgia Southern University. “With this new formal approval from the FDA, the public should have the same confidence as they do with existing vaccines that we have used for years against other diseases,” Fung said. August 24, Georgia Recorder As the COVID story progresses and advances, there will be a lot of questions that need answers and stories for journalists to tell. And if you are covering – then let us help. Fung is available to speak with media regarding this topic — simply reach out to Georgia Southern Director of Communications Jennifer Wise at jwise@georgiasouthern.edu to arrange an interview today.
Sugar: why some people experience side-effects when they quit
It might surprise you to learn that sugar consumption has actually been steadily decreasing since 2008. This could be happening for any number of reasons, including a shift in tastes and lifestyles, with the popularity of low-carbohydrate diets, like keto, increasing in the past decade. A greater understanding of the dangers of eating excess sugar on our health may also be driving this drop. Reducing sugar intake has clear health benefits, including reduced calorie intake, which can help with weight loss, and improved dental health. But people sometimes report side-effects when they try eating less sugar – including headaches, fatigue or mood changes, which are usually temporary. The reason for these side-effects is poorly understood. But it’s likely these symptoms relate to how the brain reacts when exposed to sugary foods – and the biology of “reward”. Carbohydrates come in several forms – including as sugars, which can naturally occur in many foods, such as fructose in fruits and lactose in milk. Table sugar – known as sucrose – is found in sugar cane and sugar beet, maple syrup and even honey. As mass production of food has become the norm, sucrose and other sugars are now added to foods to make them more palatable. Beyond the improved taste and “mouthfeel” of foods with high sugar content, sugar has profound biological effects in the brain. These effects are so significant it’s even led to a debate as to whether you can be “addicted” to sugar – though this is still being studied. Sucrose activates sweet taste receptors in the mouth which ultimately leads to the release of a chemical called dopamine in the brain. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter, meaning it’s a chemical that passes messages between nerves in the brain. When we’re exposed to a rewarding stimulus, the brain responds by releasing dopamine – which is why it’s often called the “reward” chemical. The rewarding effects of dopamine are largely seen in the part of the brain involved in pleasure and reward. Reward governs our behaviour – meaning we’re driven to repeat the behaviours which caused dopamine to be released in the first place. Dopamine can drive us to seek food (such as junk food). Experiments in both animals and people have shown how profoundly sugar activates these reward pathways. Intense sweetness surpasses even cocaine in terms of the internal reward it triggers. Interestingly, sugar is able to activate these reward pathways in the brain whether it’s tasted in the mouth or injected into the bloodstream, as shown in studies on mice. This means its effects are independent of the sweet taste. In rats, there’s strong evidence to suggest that sucrose consumption can actually change the structures in the brain that dopamine activates as well as altering emotional processing and modifying behaviour in both animals and humans. Quitting sugar It’s obvious that sugar can have a powerful effect on us. So that’s why it’s not surprising to see negative effects when we eat less sugar or remove it from our diet completely. It’s during this early “sugar withdrawal” stage that both mental and physical symptoms have been reported – including depression, anxiety, brain fog and cravings, alongside headaches, fatigue and dizziness. This means giving up sugar can feel unpleasant, both mentally and physically, which may make it difficult for some to stick with the diet change. The basis for these symptoms has not been extensively studied, but it’s likely they’re also linked to the reward pathways in the brain. Although the idea of “sugar addiction” is controversial, evidence in rats has shown that like other addictive substances, sugar is able to induce bingeing, craving and withdrawal anxiety. Other research in animals has demonstrated that the effects of sugar addiction, withdrawal and relapse are similar to those of drugs. But most of the research that exists in this area is on animals, so it’s currently difficult to say whether it’s the same for humans. The reward pathways in the human brain have remained unchanged by evolution – and it’s likely many other organisms have similar reward pathways in their brains. This means that the biological impacts of sugar withdrawal seen in animals are likely to occur to some degree in humans too because our brains have similar reward pathways. A change in the brain’s chemical balance is almost certainly behind the symptoms reported in humans who remove or reduce dietary sugar. As well as being involved in reward, dopamine also regulates hormonal control, nausea and vomiting and anxiety. As sugar is removed from the diet, the rapid reduction in dopamine’s effects in the brain would likely interfere in the normal function of many different brain pathways, explaining why people report these symptoms. Although research on sugar withdrawal in humans is limited, one study has provided evidence of withdrawal symptoms and increased sugar cravings after sugar was removed from the diets of overweight and obese adolescents. As with any dietary change, sticking to it is key. So if you want to reduce sugar from your diet long term, being able to get through the first few difficult weeks is crucial. It’s important to acknowledge, however, that sugar isn’t “bad” per se – but that it should be eaten in moderation alongside a healthy diet and exercise
UCI experts can discuss unfolding crisis in Afghanistan
UCI faculty members Dr. Heidi Hardt, associate professor of political science, and Dr. Mark LeVine, professor of modern middle eastern history, are available to speak about the crisis in Afghanistan. Dr. Heidi Hardt Dr. Hardt can talk about NATO's contribution to Afghanistan, implications for NATO's legitimacy, security concerns for Afghan women and provide broader context on military interventions and operations. She can address more specific questions related to the two decades long allied operation. About Dr. Hardt: Dr. Hardt has expertise in transatlantic security, national security and European security and defense, including NATO, the EU and OSCE. Issue areas include transatlantic security cooperation, collective defense, crisis management, military operations (e.g. Afghanistan), coalition warfare, strategy, learning, adaptation, organizational change, gender and diplomacy. She's the author of two books: NATO's Lessons in Crisis: Institutional Memory in International Organizations (Oxford UP, 2018) and Time to React: The Efficiency of International Organizations in Crisis Response (Oxford UP, 2014). She's the recipient of a 2021-2022 Council on Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellowship and will soon be working as a foreign policy fellow for the Office of Congresswoman Katie Porter. Contact: hhardt@uci.edu Dr. Mark LeVine Dr. Levine was in Kabul in 2019. His point of view on Afghanistan includes: • “Why did the US abandon the embassy when the agreement with the Taliban specifically allowed to diplomatic staff to remain in Afghanistan and there was no imminent threat by the Taliban to the embassy and in fact the US was coordinating with them. They could have certainly kept the lights on and not looked like cowards running, which set the tone for everything else.” • “It seems pretty clear that there was an internal military coup. The Taliban did not just waltz into Kabul without coordination with senior military people who are already handing over parts of the country to them in the days before. Some kind of deal had been worked out behind the scenes and without the knowledge of the president, which is why he felt he had no choice but to flee.” About Dr. LeVine: Dr. LeVine completed his Ph.D at NYU’s Dept. of Middle Eastern Studies in 1999, after which he held postdoctoral positions at Cornell University's Society for the Humanities and the European University Institute's Robert Schuman Centre for Advanced Studies, in Florence, Italy before coming to UCI. His research and teaching focus on the following issues: histories, theologies and political and cultural economies of the Middle East and Islam in the modern and contemporary periods; Palestine/Israel; cultural production, revolution and resistance in the Middle East and Africa; modern and contemporary Iraq, Egypt, Tunisia and Morocco; art and conflict in West Africa (especially Ghana and Nigeria, but also Senegal, Mali and Kenya); comparative studies of imperialism and colonialism, urban planning and architecture (history and theory); critical theory and globalization studies with a comparative focus on popular cultures and religion in Europe and the Muslim world; peace and conflict studies; and comparative nationalisms. Contact: mlevine@uci.edu
There’s billions of dollars flowing into Georgia – and with that economic development, comes good paying jobs. It’s getting a lot of attention and that means news coverage on local, state and national levels. Recently, media have been looking for expert perspective and opinion on the economic boom – and to help with their questions, Georgia Southern University’s Michael Toma is the go-to expert for reporters looking to break down the investments, the opportunities and the jobs that are coming with them. The SK Battery America plant is, appropriately, located in the city of Commerce, Georgia. The $1.6 billion project – expected to employ 2,000 – was finalized in early January 2019, but without investment from the state and local government, it might not have been built in Georgia. "They were looking at several other states, especially in the southeastern U.S.," said John Scott, director of economic development for Jackson County. "When we were working with them the final two sites were between here and somewhere in Tennessee." … According to Michael Toma, Ph.D., Fuller E. Callaway Professor of Economics at Georgia Southern University, a new project creating 1,000 jobs can have a huge impact, while 500 jobs is a significant project for medium-sized cities. How good the jobs are is a matter of debate, although state and local officials emphasize that they look for jobs that pay well. July 27 – USA Today/Savannah Morning News If you’re a reporter looking to know more about why business is booming in Georgia – then let us help. Michael Toma, Ph.D., is Georgia Southern University's Fuller E. Callaway professor of economics and is available to speak with media about this topic – simply click on his icon to arrange an interview today.
Next biochar webinars announced to reach global market
• Next series of biochar online events scheduled for August and September • Benefits of using sustainable form of charcoal to be highlighted • Original event attracted people from around the globe Two more virtual events have been planned to highlight the benefits of using biochar, which is a sustainable form of charcoal made from organic waste. The free events will be taking place on 24 August and 29 September and follow the popular presentation held last month by the Energy and Bioproducts Research Institute (EBRI) at Aston University. Organisers of the event, Biochar Webinar: Challenges, Benefits and Applications, were inundated with hundreds of businesses from across the globe, including in New Zealand and South Africa, signing up to find out more about how they could benefit from using the fuel source. Tim Miller, director of engagement at EBRI said they had received positive feedback from the first event, and so wanted to make sure a wider audience could find out more about it. “In the build-up to COP26 which will be happening in November, the world is going to be talking more and more about energy, sustainability and the path to net zero. This is why it’s so important for us to be able to showcase what we do within EBRI, along with the research, but also be the thought leaders in such an important subject which will be affecting us all. “This is why we have decided to release two more dates for the talk, and have also been mindful to host one later in the day so our counterparts in countries such as America will also be able to log in and find out more about biochar,” he said. Biochar has a wide variety of uses, including carbon capture, water treatment, soil improvement, odour control and industrial applications. The expert-led virtual session will help anyone with an interest in biochar to be able to find out more about how the multi-purpose material can help decarbonise rural and urban environments. The talks will be held on 24 August between 10am – 11am, and 29 September between 3 - 4pm. To sign up for the event, visit www.bioenergy-for-business.org/ebri-out-and-about/ For more details about the world-leading research taking place at EBRI, visit: https://www.aston.ac.uk/research/eps/ebri
The Taliban returns - what's next for Afghanistan?
As the era of occupation ends in Afghanistan, it was with record speed and precision that the once defeated Taliban have returned to cease near total control of Afghanistan. The Taliban has begun the process of forming a government in Afghanistan, after taking control of the capital Kabul and declaring that the war is over as Afghan forces surrendered and President Ashraf Ghani fled the country. Despite two decades of U.S. military presence in Afghanistan, and a war that cost more than $1 trillion, Taliban insurgents arrived at the gates of Kabul on Sunday and took the capital, including the presidential palace, with little resistance. “Today is a great day for the Afghan people and the mujahideen [Taliban],” said Taliban spokesman Mohammad Naeem. “They have witnessed the fruits of their efforts and their sacrifices for 20 years. Thanks to God, the war is over in the country.” August 16 - The Guardian For many, there is much speculation about what the country faces in its short and long term future. Is it possible for a peaceful transition? What will happen to all of the advances for women that occurred over the last two decades? Will the punitive measures taken against those who worked for or assisted of coalition forces? And how will these recent events alter how foreign policy and how America engages in the rebuilding of countries? This is news and events that are unrolling in real time and if you are a journalist covering this topic - then let us help. Robert Rabil, Ph.D., is an expert in political Islam, terrorism, U.S. foreign policy, and U.S.-Arab relations. He is available to speak with media about the current situation in Afghanistan, simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
As Afghanistan falls – what comes next?
After 20 years of war, trillions spent and thousands of casualties, the Taliban claimed control over most of Afghanistan this weekend with little resistance, just a few weeks after withdrawal of American and allied forces. And questions are already being raised: How could this have happened so quickly? Did no one see this coming? What revenge and havoc will the ruling Taliban seek on those who assisted coalition forces? What will happen to the Afghan refugees who are attempting to flee the country? And sadly, was this all for nothing? There will be a lot of coverage as the future unfolds for the people of Afghanistan and how the Taliban’s control will reshape the country and the region. And if you are a reporter covering this ongoing topic – then let us help. University of Mary Washington Political Science and International Affairs Professor Jason Davidson is an expert in American foreign and security policy, and international security. He is also the author of the Brown and Boston universities commissioned study, "The Costs of War to United States Allies Since 9/11," which focuses extensively on the contribution of America's allies in Afghanistan. If you’re looking to arrange an interview with Dr. Davidson, simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
What does the latest federal ruling mean for DACA? A UConn expert weighs in.
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, more commonly known as DACA, was introduced in 2012, and ithas enabled roughly 828,000 eligible young adults to work, attend school, and live out their lives in the United States, the only country they know as their home, according to the American Immigration Council. DACA is back in news, though, after a federal judge in Texas ruled that the program was unconstitutional, a decision that attorney, scholar, and expert Jon Bauer from the UConn School of Law says is shaky: The decision in federal court wasn’t a surprise to Jon Bauer, who directs the University of Connecticut Law School’s Asylum and Human Rights Clinic. Because Hanen is known for his conservative judicial philosophy, according to Bauer, the ruling was expected to interfere with DACA in some capacity. But Bauer said the ruling could be overturned. “The reasoning of the decision is very weak, in my opinion. The judge, I think, misconstrued the scope of the Department of Homeland Security's authority to engage in what's called deferred action, which is what the DACA program is,” Bauer said. Connecticut has 3,560 residents who have DACA, as of March 2020, according to the Department of Homeland Security which administers the policy. Current recipients aren’t in immediate danger of losing their status, since the ruling as of now only prevents first time applicants from getting DACA. Bauer said that non-citizens have long been allowed to work with deferred action. While the federal government can conceivably attempt a legislative path to citizenship for DACA recipients, the road ahead to any permanent solution is uncertain due to the divisive nature of the current Congress. July 31, 2021 – Hearst Connecticut Media The fate of DACA is important not just to the individual recipients, but to the immigration system and economy of the United States more broadly. If you are a journalist looking to know more, then let us help. Jon Bauer is a clinical professor of law and is the director of the UConn School of Law’s Asylum and Human Rights Clinic. He is a go-to expert in the areas of asylum and refugee law, immigration law, employment and housing discrimination, and legal ethics. Professor Bauer is available to speak with media regarding this most recent DACA ruling – simply click on his icon now to arrange an interview today.
Brexit: UK services are losing out to EU rivals – but Asia could be big winner
"Seven months after Britain’s exit from the EU, the chilly effects on UK trade are being felt. Total exports of UK goods and services were down by 13% (£36 billion) and imports down 22% (£66 billion) for January to May 2021 compared to the same period in 2019." Professor Jun Du, Aston Business School Singapore looks like one of the big winners from Brexit. joyfull In a separate new ONS report into UK services, exports and imports fell 12% and 24% in the first quarter of 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. To some extent this is due to the pandemic, but the decline with EU countries was more severe (exports down 15% and imports by 39%), which suggests Brexit was relevant too. The difference between services exports to EU and non-EU countries was particularly marked in sectors like construction (-43% vs +24%), maintenance and repair (-62% vs +11%), and manufacturing services (-40% vs -12%). It seems to confirm that the UK’s services offering has been made less competitive by the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement hardly covering such business. This has left EU members free to decide whether to allow different UK providers into their markets. But as we shall see, other services exporting countries outside the EU may also benefit as a result. In our recent paper, Ireland looked like the big winner. It has probably benefited from firms relocating and business being re-routed from the UK, not to mention low corporation tax and a young well-educated workforce. Between 2016 and 2019, Ireland’s services exports rose 24% (that’s €144 billion or £123 billion), driven by financial services, IT and transport. Speculation still abounds about which other EU cities will benefit in the medium term. Amsterdam surpassed London as Europe’s largest share-trading centre in January by absorbing much trade in euro-denominated assets, though London has been back on top recently. Other potential winners include Frankfurt (banking), Luxembourg (banking and asset management) and Paris (financial, professional and business services). Even a less serious contender like Berlin can attract tech talents thanks to its culture clusters and affordability. On the other hand, most financial traders have so far remained in London. The city is still strong in hosting stock market flotations and other forms of capital raising. And the flow of financial jobs out of London has been a fraction of what remainers predicted. A four-year regulatory transition period for areas like data protection and electronic trade will undoubtedly be helping. London vs EU rivals is only half the story. James Padolsey/Unsplash, CC BY-SA Yet all this misses a bigger picture, namely that Europe’s ability to provide services may have been weakened overall. Imagine a group of US investors wants to invest £1 billion in European shares and other financial assets. In the past it might have set up a fund in London, making use of the city’s network of lawyers, accountants, bankers and other finance professionals, while filtering some of the work to specialists in, say, Paris and Frankfurt for issues related to France and Germany. But now Brexit means the fund can’t invest in certain EU securities from London. The investors would have to set up a second fund in, say, Dublin to get exposure to all the EU assets they want. The additional expense and time involved makes them decide it will be more lucrative to set up an Asia-focused fund in Singapore instead. When you multiply this effect across every sector, it is potentially huge. Certainly some investors will decide to either switch attention from the UK to EU countries, or to live with the extra cost of doing business across both the UK and EU. But others are deciding that an opportunity somewhere else in the world now looks more attractive. The danger is that this adds up to a global shift in economic weight over time. In fact, we could be seeing signs of this already. Winners and losers In follow-on research that we have yet to publish, we have been analysing the services exports of the major service providers in Europe and globally, using trade data jointly collected by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). The data shows the UK was and is the biggest services exporter in Europe and second only to the US worldwide, but appears to have been losing ground since Brexit. Ireland and the Netherlands are the major growth stories in Europe, while China, India and Singapore are leading the way elsewhere. Services exports by country, 2019 vs 2015 Trends in services exports. Left: 2015 data in solid coloured bars; 2019 change in yellow markers. Right: Green bars represent accelerating service growth; red bars represent decelerating growth. BaTIS The UK’s services growth trend fell 11% in the 2016-2019 period compared to 2010-15. This backs up our recent published research finding that the UK’s global share of exported services fell from 8.9% in 2005 to 7% in 2019. Meanwhile, France, Spain, Italy and Belgium’s growth has also been declining, while Germany, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Austria and also the US were static. Ireland was the fastest growing services exporter among all, but Singapore and India gained momentum too. Strikingly, we see increasing growth in Asia between 2016 and 2019 in sectors like travel, financial, IT and creative services. This includes extraordinary growth in Singapore in finance, business, insurance and pension provision, and also in China in numerous segments. It looks like nothing short of a boom. Shanghai has been on the up and up. Krzystsztof Kotkowicz, CC BY-SA This may partly reflect the industrial transformation taking place in the Asian developing world from manufacturing to services. It may also capture a long-term shift of services centres from the west to the east – a reshuffle on a truly global scale. But at the same time, it’s evidence that Brexit has weakened the UK as the European centre for services. Yes, business shifted to Ireland (and Luxembourg) to some extent, but that could be hiding a wider collective setback. The question for the years ahead, for the UK and its European services peers, is whether they can come up with arrangements that help maintain their collective strengths – and to what extent they can exploit opportunities elsewhere, particularly on developing countries, where US services providers have traditionally been far ahead. This article was co-written by Professor Jun Du and Dr Oleksandr Shepotylo.
