Chennai, July 31 (IANS) The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has partnered with private lender IDBI Bank to launch the IDBI-IITM Secure Systems Lab (I22SSL), a cybersecurity laboratory, here on Wednesday.

The cybersecurity laboratory will develop and deploy security solutions in crucial sectors such as healthcare, fintech and aerospace among others, IIT Madras said.

The lab will focus on creating market-ready intellectual properties (IP) in cybersecurity, productisation and commercialisation of research work, especially for mobile technologies, IIT Madras added.

The lab was inaugurated at the IIT Madras campus on Tuesday by Rakesh Sharma, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IDBI Bank in the presence of Prof V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras and other officials.

With the rapid growth of Internet connectivity and automation, many critical sectors such as Banking, Finance and Insurance, Transportation, Government, Power and Energy, Telecom, and Strategic and Public Enterprises, depend considerably on Information and Communication Technologies. This has led to an explosion of cyber-attacks on these infrastructures by hackers.

The lab would focus on cybersecurity in systems deployed in industries such as banking, automotive, power and telecommunications, among others, and undertake experimental evaluation and assessment exercises. The researchers would also develop test cases for testing, carry out vulnerability research, and help devise hardening guidelines. It would help Enterprise Systems in managing cybersecurity risks in real-time, IIT Madras said.

“This initiative is a testament to IDBI Bank’s commitment to proactively combating cyber threats and ensuring the security of data and information. We are optimistic that through such initiatives, we can together enhance our ability to anticipate, identify, and neutralize potential threats building a more secure environment for all,” Sharma said.

“The finance sector, being a critical information infrastructure that forms the foundation of the economy of our country is facing increasing number of cybersecurity challenges on a day-to-day basis. It is very important to continuously keep studying the threat landscape and come out with effective proactive protection mechanisms. This joint effort between IIT Madras and IDBI is very timely and we aspire to comprehensively address the security challenge,” Kamakoti said.

The I2SSL, IIT Madras, plans to ingeniously design systems for critical applications such as hardware firewalls, point-of-sale devices, and mobile banking. Security would be achieved using memory safe languages, tagged architectures that provide fine grained access control, memory encryption, and an indigenously developed Trusted Platform Module (TPM).

According to IIT Madras, in the area of cryptography, researchers will work towards developing hardware accelerators for crypto-primitives including symmetric and asymmetric-key cryptography as well as post-quantum cryptography.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) Potent immune cells have been found near glioblastomas, typically defined as highly aggressive and typically incurable brain tumours

Researchers at the German Cancer Consortium (DKTK) at the West German Tumor Center Essen have made a new discovery that could revolutionise the treatment of glioblastomas.

In the bone marrow near these tumours, they found clusters of potent immune cells that play a crucial role in the body’s defence against cancer.

Glioblastomas have a grim prognosis, with an average life expectancy of less than two years once all therapeutic options are exhausted. However, the new findings reveal that the body’s immune system mounts a localised defence against these tumours. This discovery challenges the conventional understanding of the immune system as a holistic entity that sends immune cells throughout the body as needed.

Bjorn Scheffler, a DKTK researcher at the Essen site, described the discovery as “surprising and fundamentally new.” The researchers identified highly effective immune cells, including mature cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CD8 cells), in the bone marrow niches close to the tumour. These cells are vital in recognising and destroying malignant cells, suggesting a localised immune response to the glioblastoma.

This research utilised human tissue samples from untreated glioblastoma patients, establishing new methods for examining bone marrow near tumours. The presence of CD8 cells in the bone marrow and their correlation with disease progression suggest that these immune cells are actively combating the tumour.

The discovery has significant implications for current treatment strategies. Ulrich Sure, Director of the Department of Neurosurgery and a member of the Essen research team, expressed concerns that surgical procedures might inadvertently destroy these valuable immune cells. The team is exploring ways to minimise damage to local bone marrow during surgery.

The findings also reignite interest in immunotherapies like checkpoint inhibitors, which aim to enhance the body’s natural cancer defences. Previous trials showed limited effectiveness against glioblastomas, but the new data suggests that targeting the localised immune cells in the bone marrow could improve outcomes.

This discovery opens the door to innovative therapies that could provide new hope for those battling glioblastomas.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) In a major advancement for tackling antibiotic resistance, researchers at The University of Texas at Austin have developed a promising new antibiotic using artificial intelligence.

The research, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, marks a significant step forward in creating safer and more effective treatments.

The research team employed a large language model (LLM), similar to the technology behind ChatGPT, to re-engineer Protegrin-1. This potent antibiotic, naturally produced by pigs, was effective in killing bacteria but was previously too toxic for human use.

By modifying Protegrin-1, the researchers aimed to preserve its antibacterial properties while eliminating its harmful effects on human cells.

To achieve this, the team generated over 7,000 variations of Protegrin-1 through a high-throughput method, allowing them to quickly identify which modifications could enhance safety. They then used the LLM to evaluate these variations for their ability to selectively target bacterial membranes, effectively kill bacteria, and avoid harming human red blood cells. This AI-guided approach led to the creation of a refined version known as bacterially selective Protegrin-1.2 (bsPG-1.2).

In preliminary animal trials, mice treated with bsPG-1.2 and infected with multidrug-resistant bacteria showed a significant reduction in bacterial levels in their organs within six hours. These promising results suggest that bsPG-1.2 could potentially advance to human trials.

Claus Wilke, a professor of integrative biology and co-senior author of the study, highlighted the transformative impact of AI on drug development.

“Large language models are revolutionising protein and peptide engineering, making it possible to develop new drugs and improve existing ones more efficiently. This technology not only identifies potential new treatments but also speeds up their path to clinical application,” Wilke said.

The breakthrough underscores how AI is being harnessed to address critical health challenges.

–IANS

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New Delhi, July 31 (IANS) A team of doctors at a city hospital saved the life of a 11-year-old girl using the cutting edge e-CPR (extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation) method.

The girl arrived at the hospital with severe chest pain that was misdiagnosed with a stomach issue at two different emergency rooms.

Each visit resulted in medication for a presumed digestive problem, but her condition continued to worsen.

After admission to the hospital her condition seemed stable initially, but further examination with an echocardiogram — a heart ultrasound — revealed that her heart was functioning at just 25 per cent of its normal capacity.

Her condition deteriorated with severe heart rhythm problems. Her blood pressure began to drop and the heart was at risk of failure.

A critical decision was made to use Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO).

ECMO is a life-support technique that temporarily oxygenates and circulates blood outside the body, aiding the heart and lungs in resting and healing and e-CPR is an advanced application of ECMO.

The ECMO was set up in time, as the child was dangerously close to a heart arrest.

After seven days on ECMO, the heart began to recover.

Tests revealed that a viral infection had caused the heart issue, known as viral myocarditis.

By the end of the treatment, the girl was able to leave the hospital with the heart functioning normally.

Dr. Mridul Agarwal, Senior Consultant Pediatric Cardiology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital explained the importance of this cutting edge technique- “e-CPR, or extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation, is a technology that provides life-saving support in severe cardiac arrest cases. It temporarily takes over heart and lung functions, helping with oxygenation and pumping blood to maintain blood pressure and organ supply.”

“This gives the body critical time to recover. This advanced intervention is essential for saving lives in extreme emergencies. This young girl probably would not have survived without the timely support of ECMO”, Dr Aggarwal said in a statement.

The girl later on thanked the hospital by means of a painting to express her gratitude after being discharged.

— IANS

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Ahmedabad, July 31 (IANS) Cement and building materials major Ambuja Cements on Wednesday reported sustainable quarterly results for the April-June quarter, with operating EBITDA at Rs 1,280 crore and PAT at Rs 790 crore.

The operating cost was improved by 3 per cent (year-on-year) at Rs 4,437 PMT, said the flagship of the diversified Adani Group.

“We have delivered another sustainable performance and our focus on innovation, digitisation, customer satisfaction and ESG (environmental, social and governance) is at the heart of our success. Our persistent performance sets the tone for the rest of the financial year, as we expand our footprint and capacities across new geographies,” said Ajay Kapur, Whole Time Director and CEO, Ambuja Cements.

“Our continued improvement on cost brings visibility of achieving the targeted cost reduction of Rs 530 PMT by FY28. With the Penna transaction expected to be closed by Q2 FY25, our capacity will go to 89 MTPA and well on track to achieve our 140 MTPA plan by FY28,” Kapur informed.

Last month, Ambuja Cements announced the acquisition of Hyderabad-based Penna Cement Industries Ltd (PCIL) for an enterprise value of Rs 10,422 crore.

In the first quarter of FY25, the operating EBITDA was at Rs 807 PMT, with EBITDA margin of 15.4 per cent. The company also added 275 million MT limestone reserves in Q1 FY25.

The company said that the integration of recently acquired Tuticorin GU and Penna Cement (under closing) will help to further improve market share, overall profitability and RoCE (return on capital employed).

Cement demand during FY24 stood higher by 7-8 per cent YoY at 422 MTPA and is likely to grow by 7-9 per cent in FY25 to around 451 MTPA driven by strong correlation with GDP growth and rising demand from housing and infrastructure sectors.

The government aims to invest $3 trillion in infrastructure and housing development through the ongoing ‘Housing for All’ scheme, National Infrastructure Plan, PM Gati Shakti National Master Plan and others.

An outlay of Rs 11.11 lakh crore for Capital Expenditure has been allotted in Budget FY’25 which represents 3.4 per cent of the GDP.

“All these measures are expected to bring buoyancy to cement demand,” said the company.

–IANS

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