In order to participate, respondents had to use at least one social media channel at least once a week. On average, the participants stated that they spent just over two hours a day on social media…reports Asian Lite News
The use of social media is associated with risks, especially for people with a highly materialistic mindset, as scrolling down content posted by others can increase stress and unhappiness in such users, say researchers.
At the same time, the social media platforms attract materialists anyway, as they are a perfect way to satisfy many materialistic needs, according to the study published in the journal Telematics and Informatics Reports.
The researchers headed by Dr Phillip Ozimek from the Faculty of Psychology at Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, recruited 1,230 people for the study.
In order to participate, respondents had to use at least one social media channel at least once a week. On average, the participants stated that they spent just over two hours a day on social media.
The research team used six different questionnaires to determine the extent to which the participants had a materialistic attitude and tended to compare themselves with others, whether they used social media more actively or passively, whether they were addicted to social media, how stressed and how satisfied they were with their lives.
“The data showed that a stronger materialistic approach goes hand in hand with a tendency to compare oneself with others,” said Ozimek.
This comparison is very easy to make on social media, primarily through passive use — by looking at the content posted by other users.
Materialism and passive use were also linked to addictive use of social media.
“By this we mean, for example, that users are constantly thinking about the respective channels and fear that they are missing out on something if they are not online,” Ozimek added.
This, in turn, leads to symptoms of poorer mental health — stress.
The final link in the chain is reduced life satisfaction. “Social media is one of six stepping stones to unhappiness,” Ozimek noted.
It’s definitely a good idea to be aware of the amount of time you spend on social media and to reduce it, the authors noted.
Most leading banks and financial institutions offer educational loans against certain interest rates, guarantees, and payment terms…reports Asian Lite News
Studying abroad is a transformative decision, catapulting a student’s education and career graph many notches higher. It’s no surprise that many youngsters today consider overseas education for higher studies. According to the Union Ministry of Education, 7.5 Lakh Indian students traveled overseas for higher education in 2022. Associated data sets show that Indian students formed the biggest group of immigrant students in Canada, and the second biggest group in Germany and the United Kingdom last year.
The benefits of global education range from exposure to new-age courses, participating in the latest research and innovation; and enhanced job prospects. While all this makes sense, many crucial steps need to be taken in advance to make this experience worthwhile. Study abroad counselors from MSM Unify – a leading global higher education platform offering 50,000+ courses from 1,400 institutes over 20 countries – shared the top five aspects that every student must consider when planning international education. Here they are:
Step 1 – Research about the course, country, and culture
These three C’s define the success of your study abroad experience. The checklist should begin with: – Understanding your academic inclination – Finding an appropriate course in your chosen field – Selecting an appropriate top-rate institute – Choosing the Country for Higher Study – Understanding the host country’s geo-political situation and culture at large
Each of these steps has multiple checklists. While a student’s career may not be limited to his area of study, choosing a course in alignment with academic interest offers the necessary kickstart for jobs. When choosing the courses, consider the present job prospects and a future outlook too. For example, jobs related to automation, data, and analytics will continue to be in demand even after five years, as per industry estimates.
When selecting an institute, it’s important to directly speak to institute representatives and clear all doubts in advance. For example, at MSM Unify students can directly interact with institute representatives. It’s important to have all the details about effective fee structures, scholarship options (if applicable), yearly academic roster, department lecturers, placement support, and academy-industry connections. All such queries determine how worthwhile the study abroad experience can be.
When choosing a host country, it’s important to consider its geopolitical standing. Additionally, take the time to learn about the popular customs, traditions, and cultural norms of the country to ensure a smooth transition.
Step 2 – Understand visa and immigration requirements
Make sure you understand the visa and immigration requirements for studying in your chosen country. Familiarize yourself with the application process, required documents, and any restrictions or limitations that may apply. Seek guidance from our experts. Applying for a visa can be challenging, but well-established consultants such as MSM Unify use their wide network within partner countries to simplify the process for you! Following are the generic documents required for a student visa, more documents can be required as per host country specifications: – Passport with at least two blank pages and an expiry date beyond 180 days – A formal admission letter from the university – A printout of your online application – Evidence of language certification (if needed) – Evidence of financial means – Passport size photographs – Previous education record – Vaccination results (if required, it varies by the country)
Step 3 – Plan Your finances in advance – Education loans, scholarships, and more to explore
Studying abroad is an expensive affair, hence resistance from many students. When considering to study abroad, start with making a budget. Consider all expenses such as tuition fees, accommodation charges, living expenses, travel costs, medical insurance, insurance for your devices (laptop/mobile phone, photography equipment), and any additional expenses that may arise.
Most leading banks and financial institutions offer educational loans against certain interest rates, guarantees, and payment terms. Again, well-established study abroad consultants such as MSM Unify provide multiple options to explore financial options. The firm offers multiple financing options from leading providers such as ICICI iSMART education loans, MPower Financing, and other international partners to make it easy for students to choose from the most competitive offerings. If you plan on applying for an educational loan, you should begin the student visa application process 6 months before the start of your first semester. So, you would have enough time to manage your finances and education loans.
Step 4 – Find accommodation options
Research the various accommodation options available in your host country. Consider factors such as cost of accommodation, proximity to your educational institution, safety, and amenities provided. The usual options include university dormitories, shared apartments, homestays, or private flats, depending on your preferences and budget. If you decide to live in an apartment, you will also need to pay for tenant’s insurance as well as additional utility costs like power, internet, and water use. Confused about finding accommodation? MSM Unify’s partners such as University Living, Housemates Unilodgers, Casita, Gobritanya, and others offer a variety of options to choose from.
Step 5 – Transit services
Make sure to reserve your airline tickets in advance. To track price changes and buy at the cheapest prices, consider looking at the alternatives with plenty of time to spare. Also, familiarize yourself with the transit services available in the host country. Research public transportation options such as buses, trains, and subways, their popular routes, schedules, and fares. Additionally, look into student discounts or passes that may be available to help you save money on transportation costs.
Remember, studying abroad offers multi-dimensional experiences. The only way to make this worthwhile is by being prepared in advance. Speak to other students who also plan to study abroad or others who have had this experience helps in adding more perspectives.
This is a breakthrough because it is an energy-efficient fuel, which can help carry additional payloads/satellites into orbit as it is significantly lightweight…writes Ganesh Bhatt
The Indian Institutes of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT-GN) has discovered a molecule which can completely reduce prostate cancer in just 50 days.
IIT-GN Director Sudhir Kumar Jain, who has now been appointed Vice Chancellor of the Banaras Hindu University (BHU), spoke at length on topics related to the varsity and the institute. Excerpts of interview:
How research and innovations at IIT Gandhinagar make common people’s life easier and more convenient?
A team of our IIT has discovered a new molecule called ‘J54’, which has shown great potency to completely reduce tumour (prostate cancer) in just 50 days. One of our PhD alumna and her supervising faculty developed a non-electric and affordable water purification system, which can remove more than 99 per cent of bacteria. It can be very useful in underdeveloped and remote areas where potable water is scarce. Another team of researchers has invented a Virtual Reality (VR) based treadmill exercise platform to prevent the risk of fatal accidents because of over-exercising.
You are the new VC of BHU, How do you see this role?
I am exceedingly proud to be associated with BHU, which is an institution of remarkable legacy, reputation and scale. I am looking forward to working with students and colleagues to drive BHU to ever greater heights and propel it into the leagues of the world’s most prestigious universities. I also hope to engage and partner with its large network of illustrious alumni and well-wishers for BHU’s advancement and rejuvenation.
What are the most ambitious plans of IIT-GN?
We are working with C-DAC for installation of a 650 TF Super Computing System at the Institute under the National Supercomputing Mission.
Has IIT-GN done any research or innovation to fight against corona?
We have developed an unique anti-viral surface coating material that is highly effective on non-pathogenic viruses. The team is in the process of testing the coating against coronavirus. After one-time coating, it keeps away viruses for many days.
Another team developed a “COVID-19 Dashboard” that can help in containing community infections. Another team developed an Artificial Intelligence-based deep learning tool for detection of Covid-19 from Chest X-ray images, which can be used for quick preliminary diagnosis before a medical test.
What are the big achievements of IIT-GN?
We are one of the most globalised campuses in the country. Eighty-five per cent of our faculty received their degree or have postdoctoral experience from overseas institutions; more than 40 per cent of our undergraduate students have studied abroad, Ten per cent of faculty has multi-discipline appointments, nearly 14 per cent of PhD advisors at IIT-GN are from outside the discipline, 13 per cent of our research publications have interdisciplinary authors, and nearly 21 per cent of projects have multidisciplinary PIs and Co-PIs.
How corona and lockdown affected functioning of the institute?
Much like the rest of the world, the pandemic was extremely disruptive to our operations. However, we implemented stringent safety protocols and presently almost all community members are fully vaccinated. Most of our students are back on campus. We are shifting to fully in-person education in January.
What is IIT-GN doing to make India ‘aatmanirbhar’?
On the research front, apart from the examples I have already mentioned, a research team recently developed a new class of boron-based nano-additives for fuels used in space and defence applications. This is a breakthrough because it is an energy-efficient fuel, which can help carry additional payloads/satellites into orbit as it is significantly lightweight.
Breast Cancer.
Many of our students have opted for entrepreneurship and founded startups early in their careers in the areas such as Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) technology, 3D concrete printing technology, FinTech, fibre-optic sensor technology, and so on. We have established an incubation centre, IIT Gandhinagar Innovation and Entrepreneurship Centre (IIEC), which promotes innovation, entrepreneurship, and technology commercialisation activities.
Has IIT-GN done any big international collaboration, if yes then for what?
Our international collaborations are spread across more than 40 universities, industries and R&D organisations around the world, including the US, Canada, the UK, Germany, France, Israel, Japan, Italy, South Korea, and others, for student and faculty exchanges, as well as research collaborations. Internationalisation is woven throughout the academic experience at IITGN. Between 10 to 15 per cent of our faculty at any point is visiting faculty, principally from abroad.
Yet in addition to the financial cost, these extreme weather events have caused severe human suffering from food insecurity, drought and extreme weather events, causing mass displacements and loss of life…reports Asian Lite News.
A new report by Christian Aid — Counting the cost 2021: A year of climate breakdown — on Monday identified 15 of the most destructive climate disasters of the year.
They include some of the disasters hit rapidly, like Cyclone Yaas, which struck India and Bangladesh in May and caused losses valued at $3 billion in just a few days.
Ten of those events cost $1.5 billion or more. Most of these estimates are based only on insured losses, meaning the true financial costs are likely to be even higher.
Among them is Hurricane Ida, which struck the US in August, costing $65 billion and killing 95 people. July floods in Europe cost $43 billion and killed 240, while floods in China’s Henan province caused $17.5 billion of destruction, killed 320 and displaced over a million.
While the report focuses on financial costs, which are usually higher in richer countries because they have higher property values and can afford insurance, some of the most devastating extreme weather events in 2021 hit poorer nations, which have contributed little to causing climate change.
Yet in addition to the financial cost, these extreme weather events have caused severe human suffering from food insecurity, drought and extreme weather events, causing mass displacements and loss of life.
South Sudan has experienced terrible floods which has seen more than 850,000 people forced to flee their homes, many of whom were already internally displaced, while the East Africa continues to be ravaged with drought, highlighting the injustice of the climate crisis.
Other events took months to unfold, like the Parana river drought in Latin America, which has seen the river, a vital part of the region’s economy, at its lowest level in 77 years and impacted lives and livelihoods in Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay.
Four of the 10 most costly events took place in Asia, with floods and typhoons costing a combined $24 billion. But the impact of extreme weather was felt all over the world.
Australia suffered floods in March which displaced 18,000 people and saw damage worth $2.1 billion while floods in Canada’s British Colombia led to $7.5 billion in damage and 15,000 people having to flee their homes.
Insurance and financial loss data on the recent tornadoes in the US is incomplete, so is not included in this report but may be included in next year’s study.
Worryingly such climate devastation is set to continue without action to cut emissions. Insurer Aon warns that 2021 is expected to be the sixth time global natural catastrophes have crossed the $100 billion insured loss threshold. All six have happened since 2011 and 2021 will be the fourth in five years.
The report also highlights slow-developing crises such as the drought in the Chad Basin that has seen Lake Chad shrink by 90 per cent since the 1970s and threatens the lives and livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest who live in the region.
These extreme events highlight the need for concrete climate action. The Paris Agreement, set the goal of keeping temperature rise to below 1.5 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, yet the outcomes from COP26 in Glasgow do not currently leave the world on track to meet this goal which is why much more urgent action is required.
YLL measures both the number of deaths and the age at which it occurs, making it a more detailed assessment of Covid-19’s impact on populations…reports Asian Lite News.
More than 28 million years of life were lost than expected in 2020 in 31 upper-middle and high-income countries, finds a new study.
According to a study, except for Taiwan, New Zealand, Denmark, Iceland, Norway and South Korea, all other countries examined had more premature deaths than expected in 2020, with a higher rate in men than women.
The highest rates of excess premature deaths were in Russia, Bulgaria, Lithuania and the US.
“As many of the effects of the pandemic might take a longer time frame to have a measurable effect on human lives, continuous and timely monitoring of excess years of life lost (YLL) would help identify the sources of excess mortality and excess YLL in population subgroups,” the researchers, including Nazrul Islam from the University of Oxford, said.
YLL measures both the number of deaths and the age at which it occurs, making it a more detailed assessment of Covid-19’s impact on populations.
For the study, published by The BMJ journal, using this measure, the team set out to estimate the changes in life expectancy and excess years of life lost from all causes in 2020.
They compared the observed life expectancy and years of life lost in 2020 with those that would be expected based on historical trends in 2005-19 in 37 upper-middle and high-income countries.
Between 2005 and 2019, life expectancy at birth increased in both men and women in all the countries studied.
In 2020, there was a decline in life expectancy in both men and women in all countries except New Zealand, Taiwan, and Norway, where there was a gain in life expectancy.
The highest decline in life expectancy (in years) was in Russia (-2.33 in men and -2.14 in women), the US (-2.27 in men and -1.61 in women), Bulgaria (-1.96 in men and -1.37 in women), Lithuania (-1.83 in men and -1.21 in women), Chile (-1.64 in men), and Spain (-1.11 in women).
Overall, excess years of life lost to the covid-19 pandemic in 2020 were more than five times higher (2,510 per 100,000) than those associated with the seasonal influenza epidemic in 2015 (458 per 1,00,000).
The growth in the outflow rates had outpaced domestic student growth by 6 times in 2016-19 which shows the massive demand that this segment is witnessing…reports Asian Lite News.
As international borders reopen with the Covid situation easing, studying abroad is set to grow in the coming years and according to new forecast, over 18 lakh Indian students are set to opt for foreign colleges and universities by 2024.
While the demand for studying abroad is increasing and the outflow is also increasing, student expenditure is soaring and is likely to touch $75-85 billion by 2024, which will be an increase of more than 2 times from 2019.
While the sector faced a stunted growth in 2020-21 as international borders were closed to combat Covid, it is now expected to regain momentum as things become normal, according to the report by Bengaluru-based market research firm RedSeer.
“We are bullish about this segment’s growth in the coming years. Our research shows that the total number of Indian students studying abroad will stand at around 18 lakh by 2024,” said Abhishek Gupta, engagement manager at RedSeer.
Nearly 7,00,000 students applied to study abroad in 2019.
“In 2019 alone, around 420k students headed out but the total number of applicants was around 1.7 times. This colossal increase is due to factors like rise in GDP in the past two decades leading to more consumption and awareness about education abroad,” Gupta mentioned.
The growth in the outflow rates had outpaced domestic student growth by 6 times in 2016-19 which shows the massive demand that this segment is witnessing.
“Our research shows that currently, 770k Indian students are studying abroad from 440K in 2016 which is a 20 per cent growth. On the other hand, the growth in the domestic region has been merely 3 per cent when compared to the demand for education abroad,” the analyst informed.
The condition can cover a range of conditions, across all ages, such as fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, brain fog and breathlessness, which are not seen to the same extent with other viruses…reports Asian Lite News.
UK researchers have received a 20 million pound fund to investigate ‘long Covid”, its causes, and potential treatments, the media reported.
The funding from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) will help researchers launch 15 new studies of the condition that will investigate everything from brain fog to ongoing breathlessness, using a new technique to detect hidden lung damage, the BBC reported on Sunday.
Patients with post-Covid conditions are variously referred to as having long-haul Covid, long Covid or post-acute sequelae of Covid-19 (PASC). At present, there are no tests to diagnose long Covid and the condition is still not yet fully understood.
The condition can cover a range of conditions, across all ages, such as fatigue, muscle pain, headaches, brain fog and breathlessness, which are not seen to the same extent with other viruses.
One study led by the University College London will test whether everyday medicines such as aspirin and anti-histamines can help people recover. It will recruit more than 4,500 people with long Covid who will be tracked over three months of treatment, the report said.
Another study will investigate the common long-lasting problem of brain fog, which many people say affects their daily activities and their ability to work. Using detailed brain scans of those affected, researchers hope to learn more about this cognitive impairment and how it can be treated.
Further, researchers at the University of Oxford will focus on the causes of ongoing breathlessness, while an University of Glasgow team will assess whether a weight management programme can reduce symptoms of long Covid in people who are overweight or obese, the report added.
At Cardiff University, researchers will look at whether an overactive or impaired immune response could be driving long Covid.
The new research was “absolutely essential to improve diagnosis and treatments” and would be life-changing for those battling long-term symptoms of the virus”, Health Secretary Sajid Javid was quoted as saying. He said it would build on the 80 long Covid assessment centres open in the UK, the report said.
