Saturday, June 01, 2024

“Anyone can make products easily in virtual reality” KIMM and LG Electronics join hands to assist the digital transformation of Korean small and medium-sized enterprises

KIMM plans to distribute six (6) variants of “KIMM Cyber Lab,” a convenient virtual engineering platform, to small and medium-sized corporations free of charge

NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY

IMAGE:
DONG-CHEON BAEK, HEAD OF THE DEPARTMENT OF RELIABILITY OF THE KIMM’S VIRTUAL ENGINEERING PLATFORM RESEARCH DIVISION, AND SENIOR RESEARCHER YOUNG-KI KIM OF THE KIMM ARE GIVING AN EXPLANATION ON THE “KIMM-CAD” WHICH ALLOWS FOR 3D DESIGNING.
view more
CREDIT: KOREA INSTITUTE OF MACHINERY AND MATERIALS (KIMM)

Virtual engineering technology, a critical component of digital transformation, involves using technology to conduct simulation experiments and manufacture products in a virtual setting, which helps save time and costs. In this context, the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (President Seog-Hyeon Ryu, hereinafter referred to as KIMM) is leading the way in expanding its newly developed “virtual engineering platform*” to promote digital transformation among small and medium-sized enterprises that are less advanced in virtual engineering technologies.
*Virtual engineering platform: A virtual engineering platform is a comprehensive software system designed for a range of tasks including design, simulation, analysis, and optimization tasks performed in a virtual environment in the engineering and manufacturing sectors.

The initiative is spearheaded by the research team led by Jong-Won Park, head of DX Strategy Reaserch Center, and Dong-Cheon Baek, head of the Department of Reliability at KIMM’s Virtual Engineering Platform Research Division. The team has effectively developed six (6) variants of the “KIMM Cyber Lab,” a versatile engineering software* program. This program features “KIMM-CAD” for 3D design, “KIMM-Structure” for structural analysis, “KIMM-Flow” for flow analysis, “KIMM-CAM” for CNC path creation, “KIMM-Motion” for multi-body dynamics simulation**, and “KIMM-SYS” for system interpretation.
*Engineering software: An engineering software is a computer program used for performing design, analysis, and simulation tasks in various engineering disciplines.
**Multi-body dynamics simulation: Multi-body dynamics simulation is an engineering method used for predicting the movement of interconnected parts and modules.

Despite the critical role of engineering software in the manufacturing processes of Korean machinery parts manufacturers, about 90 percent of this software is imported. Consequently, small and medium-sized enterprises are hesitant to invest in costly foreign engineering software, the cost of which exceeds KRW 50 million annually*. This reluctance significantly impedes the digital transformation of these companies.
* The cost to introduce one (1) software is approximately KRW 100 million, with an annual repair and maintenance cost ranging from KRW 30 million to 40 million. The software typically has a usage period of five (5) years, bringing the total cost to KRW 250 million over this period.

The open-source solver* which includes six (6) variants of the “KIMM Cyber Lab” developed by the KIMM is freely usable and distributable under its licensing terms. This is poised to significantly advance the digital transformation of Korean small and medium-sized enterprises. To date, the KIMM has assisted companies on 214 occasions, saving an average of KRW 16 million in development costs and reducing the development timeline by approximately three (3) months.
* Solver: A solver is an algorithm or software designed to solve problems by optimizing a goal within the given constraints.

The “KIMM Cyber Lab” software performs with 95 percent accuracy, matching the capabilities of costly foreign software. It will be distributed free of charge to small and medium-sized enterprises. Going forward, the KIMM intends to introduce an annual subscription fee for companies requiring ongoing technical support.

This research was facilitated by the virtual engineering platform construction project of the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy (MOTIE) and the Korea Institute for Advancement of Technology (KIAT). The project focuses on the “establishment of a theme for reliability prediction and verification of electric and hydrogen vehicle mechatronics modules using digital twin three-stage technologies.”

Meanwhile, on May 30, 2024 (Thursday), at LG Smart Park located in Changwon-si, Gyeongsangnam-do, the KIMM will sign a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LG Electronics Inc. (Representative Director Joo-Wan Cho) and LG Electronics’ H&A Research Center (Center Head Sai-Kee Oh) for the utilization and expansion of virtual engineering platforms, with Industry Policy Deputy Minister Seung-Ryeol Lee of the MOTIE and Vice President Chan-Young Lee of the KIAT attending the signing ceremony. The KIMM and LG Electronics have agreed to introduce the “KIMM Cyber Lab” and continue mutual cooperation to bolster the competitiveness of the domestic machinery industry and accelerate technological innovation for digital transformation.

The key points of the MOU are as follows: ▲ Joint verification and technology advancement of the “KIMM Cyber Lab” for the improvement of virtual engineering technologies; ▲ Development of best practices for the provision of customized solutions for industrial sites; and ▲Mutual sharing and maintenance of confidentiality of the information necessary for the application of the “KIMM Cyber Lab.”

President Seog-Hyeon Ryu of the KIMM remarked, “This initiative presents an excellent opportunity to promote the adoption of locally developed software by first integrating it within major corporations. Subsequently, this will facilitate the distribution of the software to small and medium-sized enterprises in the materials, parts, and equipment sectors via a trickle-down effect.” President Ryu further noted, “Through our collaboration with LG Electronics, we are committed to fostering a symbiotic relationship that also benefits small and medium-sized businesses.”

(From left to right) Virtual design screens of “KIMM-Flow,” “KIMM-CAM,” “KIMM-CAD,” and “KIMM-Structure” of “KIMM Cyber Lab”
CREDIT
Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM)

The Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM) is a non-profit government-funded research institute under the Ministry of Science and ICT. Since its foundation in 1976, KIMM is contributing to economic growth of the nation by performing R&D on key technologies in machinery and materials, conducting reliability test evaluation, and commercializing the developed products and technologies.

NOCTURNA

Study links sleep apnea treatment and happier, healthier relationships

Couples demonstrated more satisfaction and less conflict with sleep apnea treatment

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE

DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting demonstrates that when individuals with obstructive sleep apnea use their positive airway pressure machine more regularly, it benefits their relationship with their partner.

Results show that greater adherence to PAP therapy was associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction and lower levels of relationship conflict. Higher sleep efficiency among patients also was associated with higher levels of relationship satisfaction as reported by both the patient and their partner.

“Recognizing that sleep and sleep disorders have an impact on the quality of a relationship could be a powerful motivator for those affected with sleep apnea to adhere to treatment,” said lead author Wendy Troxel, who is a senior behavioral scientist with RAND and licensed clinical psychologist and adjunct professor at the University of Utah, where the study was conducted. “We developed a couples-based treatment called ‘We-PAP’ in recognition of the fact that couples’ sleep is a shared experience and to help patients and partners overcome challenges to adhering PAP together.”

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, nearly 30 million adults in the U.S. have obstructive sleep apnea, a chronic disease that involves the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep. Snoring is one of the most recognizable symptoms of sleep apnea and is often a nuisance to bed partners. A common treatment for sleep apnea is PAP therapy, which uses mild levels of air pressure, provided through a mask, to keep the throat open during sleep.

The study involved 36 couples comprising patients initiating PAP treatment for sleep apnea and their partners. Objective PAP therapy adherence data were recorded over three months. Sleep duration and efficiency were estimated using actigraphy. Relationship satisfaction and conflict were self-reported.

Troxel noted that it is essential to consider the importance of sleep when evaluating relationship status.

“No one is at their best when they aren’t sleeping,” Troxel said. “In an age where we see couples going through ‘sleep divorces,’ and roughly 50% of marriages end in actual divorce, recognizing how healthy sleep can contribute to healthy relationships is imperative.”

This study was supported by a grant from the National Institutes of Health. The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and will be presented Wednesday, June 5, during SLEEP 2024 in Houston. SLEEP is the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a joint venture of the AASM and the Sleep Research Society.

###

Abstract Title: Breathing Easy Together: How Positive Airway Pressure Adherence Benefits Both Patients and Partners

Abstract ID: 0569

Poster Presentation Date: Wednesday, June 5, from 10-10:45 a.m., CDT, Board 217

Presenter: Wendy Troxel, Ph.D.

About the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC

The APSS is a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The APSS organizes the SLEEP annual meeting each June (sleepmeeting.org).

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

Established in 1975, the AASM advances sleep care and enhances sleep health to improve lives. The AASM has a combined membership of 12,000 accredited sleep centers and individuals, including physicians, scientists and other health care professionals who care for patients with sleep disorders. As the leader in the sleep field, the AASM sets standards and promotes excellence in sleep medicine health care, education and research (aasm.org).

About the Sleep Research Society

The SRS is a professional membership society that advances sleep and circadian science. The SRS provides forums for the exchange of information, establishes and maintains standards of reporting and classifies data in the field of sleep research, and collaborates with other organizations to foster scientific investigation on sleep and its disorders. The SRS also publishes the peer-reviewed, scientific journals Sleep and Sleep Advances (sleepresearchsociety.org).

JOURNAL

SLEEP

DOI

10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0569

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Breathing Easy Together: How Positive Airway Pressure Adherence Benefits Both Patients and Partners

Study finds that better sleep is associated with lower loneliness

The relationship between sleep and loneliness is stronger in younger adults

Reports and Proceedings

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE

DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found that better sleep health was associated with lower levels of loneliness, and this association was stronger among younger adults.

Results indicate that better sleep health was associated with significantly lower total loneliness, emotional loneliness and social loneliness. While better sleep health was associated with lower total and emotional loneliness across ages, this association was stronger for younger adults. However, age did not moderate the association between sleep health and social loneliness.

“Loneliness is an urgent public health crisis, and there is a pressing need for providers to better understand and treat it,” said lead author and principal investigator Joseph Dzierzewski, who has a doctorate in clinical psychology and is vice president of research at the National Sleep Foundation in Washington, D.C. “Our results highlight the important role that sleep plays in understanding loneliness across the adult lifespan. Perhaps efforts to improve sleep health could have a beneficial effect on loneliness, especially for young people.”

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, sleep is essential to health. The AASM and the Sleep Research Society recommend that adults should sleep seven hours per night on a regular basis to promote optimal health, productivity and daytime alertness.

The study involved 2,297 adults with a mean age of 44 years; 51% were male. Participants completed an online sleep health questionnaire and loneliness scale. The researchers analyzed the results using correlation and linear regression analyses along with moderation analyses.

In 2023 an advisory from the U.S. surgeon general warned about a public health crisis of loneliness, isolation, and lack of connection. It noted that even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately half of U.S. adults reported experiencing measurable levels of loneliness.

According to the authors, efforts and programs that aim to reduce loneliness should include an emphasis on promoting sleep health, especially in younger adults.

“Why younger adults might experience more sleep-related benefits to loneliness than older adults is unknown and intriguing — certainly worth further investigation,” Dzierzewski said.

The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and will be presented Monday, June 3, during SLEEP 2024 in Houston. SLEEP is the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

###

Abstract Title: Rested and Connected: An Exploration of Sleep Health and Loneliness Across the Adult Lifespan

Abstract ID: 0746

Poster Presentation Date: Monday, June 3, 10-10:45 a.m. CDT, Board 247

Presenter: Spencer Nielson, M.S., graduate student, Virginia Commonwealth University

About the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC

The APSS is a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The APSS organizes the SLEEP annual meeting each June (sleepmeeting.org).

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

About the Sleep Research Society

JOURNAL

SLEEP

DOI

10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0746

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Rested and Connected: An Exploration of Sleep Health and Loneliness Across the Adult Lifespan

Social media use and sleep duration connected to brain activity in teens

Study finds bidirectional relationship between social media engagement, sleep duration and neural reward responses in adolescents

AMERICAN ACADEMY OF SLEEP MEDICINE

DARIEN, IL – A new study to be presented at the SLEEP 2024 annual meeting found a distinct relationship between sleep duration, social media usage, and brain activation across brain regions that are key for executive control and reward processing.

Results show a correlation between shorter sleep duration and greater social media usage in teens. The analysis points to involvement of areas within the frontolimbic brain regions, such as the inferior and middle frontal gyri, in these relationships. The inferior frontal gyrus, key in inhibitory control, may play a crucial role in how adolescents regulate their engagement with rewarding stimuli such as social media. The middle frontal gyrus, involved in executive functions and critical in assessing and responding to rewards, is essential in managing decisions related to the balancing of immediate rewards from social media with other priorities like sleep. These results suggest a nuanced interaction between specific brain regions during adolescence and their influence on behavior and sleep in the context of digital media usage.

“As these young brains undergo significant changes, our findings suggest that poor sleep and high social media engagement could potentially alter neural reward sensitivity,” said Orsolya Kiss, who has a doctorate in cognitive psychology and is a research scientist at SRI International in Menlo Park, California. “This intricate interplay shows that both digital engagement and sleep quality significantly influence brain activity, with clear implications for adolescent brain development.”

This study involved data from 6,516 adolescents, ages 10-14 years, from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. Sleep duration was assessed from the Munich Chronotype questionnaire, and recreational social media use through the Youth Screen Time Survey. Brain activities were analyzed from functional MRI scans during the monetary incentive delay task, targeting regions associated with reward processing. The study used three different sets of models and switched predictors and outcomes each time. Results were adjusted for age, COVID-19 pandemic timing, and socio-demographic characteristics.

Kiss noted that these results provide new insights into how two significant aspects of modern adolescent life – social media usage and sleep duration – interact and impact brain development.

“Understanding the specific brain regions involved in these interactions helps us identify potential risks and benefits associated with digital engagement and sleep habits,” Kiss said. “This knowledge is especially important as it could guide the development of more precise, evidence-based interventions aimed at promoting healthier habits.”

The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends that teenagers 13 to 18 years of age should sleep 8 to 10 hours on a regular basis. The AASM also encourages adolescents to disconnect from all electronic devices at least 30 minutes to an hour before bedtime.

This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health. The research abstract was published recently in an online supplement of the journal Sleep and will be presented Sunday, June 2, and Wednesday, June 5, during SLEEP 2024 in Houston. SLEEP is the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society.

###

Abstract Title: Interconnected Dynamics of Sleep Duration, Social Media Engagement, and Neural Reward Responses in Adolescents

Abstract ID: 0148

Oral Presentation Date: Sunday, June 2, from 2:45-3 p.m. CDT, Room #340

Poster Presentation Date: Wednesday, June 5, from 11-11:45 a.m. CDT, Board 18

Presenter: Orsolya Kiss, Ph.D.

About the Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC

The APSS is a joint venture of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the Sleep Research Society. The APSS organizes the SLEEP annual meeting each June (sleepmeeting.org).

About the American Academy of Sleep Medicine

About the Sleep Research Society

About SRI

SRI is an independent nonprofit research institute headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., with a rich history of supporting government and industry. SRI creates and delivers world-changing solutions for a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future. For more than 75 years, SRI has collaborated across technical and scientific disciplines to discover and develop groundbreaking products and technologies and bring innovations and ideas to the marketplace. Learn more at www.sri.com.

JOURNAL

SLEEP

DOI

10.1093/sleep/zsae067.0148

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

People

ARTICLE TITLE

Interconnected Dynamics of Sleep Duration, Social Media Engagement, and Neural Reward Responses in Adolescents

The mind after midnight: Study shows disrupted sleep increases risk for suicide and homicide

An analysis of 15 years of national data on suicides and homicides conducted by shows that nocturnal wakefulness is associated with death by both suicide and homicide, possibly driven by deficits in behavioral and emotional regulation.

UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA HEALTH SCIENCES

Andrew Tubbs, MD, PhD — IMAGE:
ANDREW TUBBS, MD, PHD, IS A RESEARCHER IN THE SLEEP AND HEALTH RESEARCH PROGRAM AT THE UARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE – TUCSON’S DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHIATRY
view more
CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF ARIZONA COLLEGE OF MEDICINE – TUCSON

An analysis by researchers in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson showed that risks for death by suicide and homicide peak at night, with nocturnal wakefulness, age, alcohol use and relationship conflicts being especially prevalent as contributing factors.

Nearly 19% of suicides and 36% of homicides occur at night. Suicide and homicide share little in common, but their highly concordant overnight risk patterns suggest a common feature: nocturnal wakefulness.

“Disrupted sleep may acutely impair rational thought, which can drive impulsive behaviors in vulnerable individuals,” said first author Andrew Tubbs, MD, PhD, a researcher in the Sleep and Health Research Program at the UArizona College of Medicine – Tucson’s Department of Psychiatry. “Our analysis of 15 years of data across the U.S. showed that there is a five-fold greater risk for suicide and an eight-fold greater risk for homicide between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m. when adjusting for the number of people who are awake and capable of suicide or homicide.”

The paper, “Risk for Suicide and Homicide Peaks at Night: Findings From the National Violent Death Reporting System, 35 States, 2003–2017,” was published May 29 in Journal of Clinical Psychiatry.

“The fact that these overnight risk patterns apply to both suicide and homicide are striking,” said the study’s senior author Michael Grandner, PhD, an associate professor of psychiatry, director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Clinic and a BIO5 Institute member. “In our review of more than 78,000 suicides and 50,000 homicides, we can find some insight into why nocturnal wakefulness – what we are calling 'the mind after midnight' – carries a distinct risk for dysregulated behaviors.”

The authors’ mind after midnight hypothesis proposes that nocturnal wakefulness deteriorates the brain’s complex decision-making functions and reduces rational thinking during a time when negative mood is at its peak, positive mood is at its lowest, and risk/reward processing is distorted.

The findings supported that hypothesis. Nighttime risk was greater among adolescents and young adults, people who were intoxicated with alcohol, and those experiencing current partner conflict, conflict, but not among those who used cannabis or were currently
depressed.

Individuals aged 15-24 years experienced a three-fold greater nighttime risk for suicide, while there was an unexpected suicide risk among older adults at 6 a.m. Risk for homicide did not vary by age, though young adults accounted for more than half of all homicide victims.

“Few studies have examined time-of-day trends in violent crime,” Tubbs said. “Future studies could clarify what exactly is happening in the brain to predispose people to these sorts of risks and whether evidence-based strategies to improve sleep and reduce nighttime wakefulness can help reduce the risks and prevent these tragic outcomes.”

JOURNAL

Journal of Clinical Psychiatry

DOI

10.4088/JCP.23m15207

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Data/statistical analysis

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Risk for Suicide and Homicide Peaks at Night: Findings From the National Violent Death Reporting System, 35 States, 2003–2017

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

29-May-2024

COI STATEMENT

In the past 2 years, Dr Tubbs reports fees from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and the American Council of Life Insurers. Dr Klerman reports consulting for the American Academy of Sleep Medicine Foundation, Circadian Therapeutics, National Sleep Foundation, Sleep Research Society Foundation, and Yale University Press; receives travel support from the European Biological Rhythms Society, EPFL Pavilions, and World Sleep Society; and serves on Scientific Advisory Board (unpaid) for Chronsulting. Her partner is the founder, director, and chief scientific officer of Chronsulting. Dr Karp receives grant support from Janssen. He has the potential for equity in Aifred Health for scientific advising. He has served as a scientific advisor to Biogen. He receives remuneration from the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry and the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry for service on the editorial boards. Dr Chakravorty reports research support from the NSF and NeuroFlow Inc. Dr Perlis reports research support from Axsome, grant support from NIH, and consulting income from Nexalin, Anavex, and Avecho and that he has participated in CE/CME and is a founding partner in Hypknowledge LLC. Dr Grandner reports consulting fees from Idorsia, Eisai, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, Merck, Fitbit, Natrol, SmartyPants Vitamins, Athleta, National Sleep Foundation, American Sleep Medicine Foundation, and Canyon Ranch; received grants from NIH, Kemin Foods, Jazz Pharmaceuticals, and CeraZ; received publishing royalties from Elsevier; and received speaking honoraria and/or travel support from New York University, University of Maryland, Stavis & Cohen, University of Miami, Clinical Education Alliance, and Jazz Pharmaceuticals. Drs Fernandez and Basner and Ms Watkins have no disclosures.

Table set for October’s UN summit on achieving vital targets, goals of global biodiversity plan

Finance, high tech biology, Indigenous Peoples’ engagement, greater world cooperation, aligning national and global ambitions, topped agenda during global negotiations in Nairobi

UN CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

Nairobi, 30 May 2024 – Addressing finance, high tech biology, Indigenous Peoples’ engagement and more, negotiators have set the table for talks at the upcoming UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 16, Cali, Colombia, Oct. 21-Nov. 1).

The UN Convention on Biological Diversity’s Subsidiary Body on Implementation (SBI 4) concluded its 9-day meeting on 29 May 2024, announcing progress on several fronts in worldwide efforts to achieve the ambitious targets for 2030 and goals agreed to in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (The Biodiversity Plan) in December, 2022.

Actions to “Invest and Collaborate for Nature” – achieve Goal D of the Plan – were central to the SBI’s discussions, with recommendations forwarded to COP 16 on resource mobilization and technical and scientific cooperation.

The financial ambitions set out in the Plan include investing US$ 200 billion a year from all sources, and reforming US$ 500 billion in harmful subsidies.

At SBI, governments considered parameters for their own national biodiversity finance plans, the role of multilateral development banks, existing UN initiatives, and private finance.

Discussions were also held on the workings of a possible Global Biodiversity Fund, including the role of the Global Environment Facility.

Technical and scientific cooperation to support implementation of the Convention and its Protocols, and the Biodiversity Plan were also considered, and a draft decision for adoption at COP16 was agreed.

The Bureau of the Conference of the Parties selected 18 regional organizations worldwide to foster and facilitate technical and scientific cooperation as countries harness science, technology and innovation to help halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030.

These subregional support centres will also promote technology transfer among countries, including through joint research programmes and joint technology development ventures, acting as “one-stop service centres” offering wide-ranging resources to help meet Biodiversity Plan targets. The centres are expected to help expand, scale-up and accelerate efforts such as the existing Bio-Bridge initiative.

Implementation of the Biodiversity Plan at national levels is to be shaped by National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans that translate The Plan’s 23 action targets into national priorities. In Nairobi, governments agreed this exercise is to be completed by COP 16 or submit aligned national targets.

The meeting also looked at the ways that the contributions of stakeholders such as indigenous peoples and local communities, women, youth, business and civil society, can also be tracked and included.

Said Chirra Achalendar Reddy, chair of SBI 4: “I thank the Parties for their commitment to implementation of the Convention as demonstrated by their engagement during the negotiations this week. While we have many issues to resolve at COP 16, the foundation is laid for our discussions in Cali, Colombia, later this year.”

“Part of the ambition of the Biodiversity Plan lies in the calls for resource mobilization and technical and scientific cooperation” said David Cooper, Acting Executive Secretary of the Convention. “While many issues need to be resolved at COP 16, the engagement of Parties and stakeholders on all these issues is encouraging.”

“The approval of the subregional technical support centres is a great step towards ensuring that developing countries get the support they need to achieve this ambitious Biodiversity Plan.”

SBI 4 also dealt with the effectiveness of the procedures of the Convention and its Protocols, Communication, Education and Public Awareness, cooperation with other conventions and international organizations, and the assessment, review of the effectiveness of the Nagoya Protocol on access to genetic resources and the fair and equitable sharing of benefits derived from them.

SBI 4 (21–29 May) built on the constructive momentum generated by the 26th Meeting of the Subsidiary Body on Scientific, Technical and Technological Advice (SBSTTA 26, 13–18 May).

About the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD)

Opened for signature in 1992 at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, and entering into force in December 1993, the CBD is an international treaty for the conservation of biodiversity, the sustainable use of the components of biodiversity and the equitable sharing of the benefits derived from the use of genetic resources.

With 196 Parties, the CBD has near universal participation among countries. The CBD seeks to address all threats to biodiversity and ecosystem services, including threats from climate change, through scientific assessments, the development of tools, incentives and processes, the transfer of technologies and good practices and the full and active involvement of relevant stakeholders including indigenous peoples and local communities, youth, women, NGOs, sub-national actors, and the business community.

The Nagoya Protocol entered into force 12 October 2014. It provides a transparent legal framework for the effective implementation of one of the three objectives of the CBD: the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising out of the utilization of genetic resources. The Nagoya Protocol also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources. More information on the Nagoya Protocol and traditional knowledge can be found on the Traditional Knowledge programme of work webpage.

The Cartagena Protocol, entered into force 11 September 2003. is an international agreement which aims to ensure the safe handling, transport and use of living modified organisms (LMOs) resulting from modern biotechnology that may have adverse effects on biological diversity, taking also into account risks to human health.

SBI 4 Meeting documents can be found at https://www.cbd.int/conferences/nairobi-2024/sbi-04/documents

https://www.cbd.int/conferences/nairobi-2024/media

More information:

David Ainsworth, Information Officer, david.ainsworth@un.org

Website: www.cbd.int

Twitter: @UNBiodiversity

Facebook: www.facebook.com/UNBiodiversityConvention

LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/unbiodiversity

APPC scholars find knowledge a factor in closing black-white COVID-19 vaccination gap

ANNENBERG PUBLIC POLICY CENTER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA

Early in the Covid-19 pandemic, Black Americans were more hesitant to take the Covid-19 vaccine than were White Americans. As the pandemic went on, however, the disparity in vaccination rates between Black and White adults declined. In a paper titled “What Caused the Narrowing of Black-White COVID-19 Vaccination Disparity in the US? A Test of 5 Hypotheses,” published in the current issue of the Journal of Health Communication, researchers at the Annenberg Public Policy Center (APPC) of the University of Pennsylvania assessed explanations for the positive change.

Using April 2021 to July 2022 data from the Annenberg Science and Public Health (ASAPH) survey, a national panel of over 1,800 U.S. adults, the team, led by APPC research director Dan Romer, assessed potential explanations including: increased trust in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), exposure to pro-vaccination messages in the media, awareness of Covid-inflicted deaths among personal contacts, and improved access to vaccines. None of these factors explained the decline in disparity, however. Only increased knowledge about Covid-19 vaccination made a difference. Knowledge about the Covid vaccine among Black Americans increased over time, and this increase was associated with their receipt of the vaccine.

“Black Americans became less skeptical of the safety and efficacy of the vaccine as time proceeded, which appeared in our data to be an important contributor to increased vaccination rates among them,” said Romer.

In the initial wave of the survey, in April 2021, Black respondents were more likely to believe various forms of misinformation about Covid vaccines, such as that the vaccines are responsible for thousands of deaths and that the vaccines can change someone’s DNA. By the end of the survey period, knowledge about the vaccine among Black Americans had increased significantly.

It is noteworthy that national efforts by Black members of such organizations as the National Academy of Medicine sought to encourage Covid vaccination in the Black community by endorsing the safety and need for the vaccines. Better information about the vaccines also may have been transmitted within the Black community through religious organizations and local Black newspapers that supported the effort to increase vaccination coverage.

These findings could have important implications for future efforts to encourage vaccination, as they suggest that “exposure to knowledge about vaccine safety and efficacy from trusted sources” can matter.

“Reducing misinformation about vaccination for Covid and vaccines in general is a promising strategy going forward, as the risk of infection from Covid and other diseases will not go away,” said Romer.

Along with Romer, the authors of the study include APPC data analyst Shawn Patterson Jr., Adolescent Risk and Health Communication Institute director Patrick E. Jamieson, and APPC director Kathleen Hall Jamieson.

“What Caused the Narrowing of Black-White COVID-19 Vaccination Disparity in the US? A Test of 5 Hypotheses” was published in the Journal of Health Communication on May 17, 2024 (DOI: 10.1080/10810730.2024.2354360).

JOURNAL

Journal of Health Communication

DOI

10.1080/10810730.2024.2354360

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Survey

ARTICLE TITLE

What Caused the Narrowing of Black-White COVID-19 Vaccination Disparity in the US? A Test of 5 Hypotheses

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment

Saturday, June 01, 2024

“Anyone can make products easily in virtual reality” KIMM and LG Electronics join hands to assist the digital transformation of Korean small and medium-sized enterprises

CREDIT

Study links sleep apnea treatment and happier, healthier relationships

JOURNAL

DOI

METHOD OF RESEARCH

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

ARTICLE TITLE

Study finds that better sleep is associated with lower loneliness

JOURNAL

DOI

METHOD OF RESEARCH

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

ARTICLE TITLE

Social media use and sleep duration connected to brain activity in teens

JOURNAL

DOI

METHOD OF RESEARCH

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

ARTICLE TITLE

The mind after midnight: Study shows disrupted sleep increases risk for suicide and homicide

JOURNAL

DOI

METHOD OF RESEARCH

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

ARTICLE TITLE

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

COI STATEMENT

Table set for October’s UN summit on achieving vital targets, goals of global biodiversity plan

APPC scholars find knowledge a factor in closing black-white COVID-19 vaccination gap

JOURNAL

DOI

METHOD OF RESEARCH

ARTICLE TITLE

About Me