Latest news with #PQM
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Science
- Indian Express
IUCAA's lab developing optical atomic clock to explore fundamentals of science
The Precision and Quantum Measurement Laboratory (PQM lab) at Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics is developing a state-of-the-art facility dedicated to explore the fundamentals of science using very accurate optical atomic clocks. 'Once the clock is ready, it will be able to detect incredibly tiny changes in energy, which can reveal things like changes in fundamental physical constants (if any), change of gravity over a tiny height, possible gravitational waves and others,' Prof Subhadeep De, Principal Investigator, PQM lab, said. For the purpose, the lab is creating high-precision instruments using quantum science for extremely accurate measurements. The lab's research interests involve developing quantum phenomena-based technologies for metrology-grade measurements and accurate sensing. 'The heart of the experimental setup is a trapped ytterbium-ion-based quantum clock,' Prof De said. The clock works by using a rare atomic process that happens at a light wavelength of 467 nanometers. To power the clock the lab is building an ultra-stable laser with an extremely narrow frequency line width, the scientist explained. Prof De also noted that the optical fiber-based distributed acoustic sensing (OF-DAS) technology in the last decade has emerged as a powerful tool for a wide range of applications. It could be early warnings of natural calamity by continuous monitoring of the seismic noise and differentiating any abnormality originating from earthquake, tsunami, volcanic eruption, structural health monitoring of cracks build-up in flyovers, bridges, railway tracks, and disaster control by timely detection of cracks. At the PQM lab, a new method for sensing vibrations using optical fibre has also been developed. It uses a very stable laser at 1,550 nm to detect and locate acoustic or seismic signals more accurately. The system tracks tiny changes in the laser's frequency to find where and when vibrations happen, and how strong they are. The team is now working to make the system transportable with its potential application in Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave (LIGO-India) Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave (LIGO) detectors are among the most precise instruments in the world and quantum technologies are key to improving their sensitivity. LIGO-India, an ongoing mega science project dedicated to detect gravitational waves, is actively exploring pathways to enable quantum science and technology in improving the performance of its detector. Innovative solutions such as quantum squeezing and quantum sensors have been developed to detect the elusive gravitational waves. On Tuesday, an event was organised by LIGO-India Education and Public Outreach (LI-EPO) to showcase the current developments in quantum physics particularly to highlight its applications in gravitational wave science. Experts from various domains in quantum sciences and technologies in India came together to discuss the future of measurements, communications, and gravitational waves at IUCAA in Pune. Prof R Srianand, Director of IUCAA, inaugurated the event. 'As we push the frontiers of gravitational -wave astronomy, the LIGO detectors have now entered the quantum regime, marking a major forward in precision measurement,' Dr Manasadevi P T, scientist at IUCAA, said. 'This progress not only enhances our sensitivity to probe the universe using gravitational waves but also contributes meaningfully to the field of quantum sensing and metrology,' she said. Prof Debarati Chatterjee, chair of LIGO-INDIA Education and Public Outreach at IUCAA, said the day-long event was specifically held as 2025 worldwide is being celebrated as the International Year of Quantum Science and Technology. 'It marks 100 years since the foundational developments in quantum mechanics and honours the groundbreaking work of scientists like Heisenberg, Schrödinger, Bohr, Einstein, and Bose, whose contributions shaped our understanding of the quantum world,' Prof Chatterjee said.
Business Times
01-08-2025
- Health
- Business Times
MOH, HDB award S$18,000 bid to rent Bidadari clinic under pilot tender evaluation approach
[SINGAPORE] A government tender for a clinic in Bartley has been awarded to a bid of S$18,000 in monthly rent under a pilot tender evaluation framework that considers quality and price, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Housing and Development Board (HDB). Under the new price-quality method (PQM) for evaluating tenders, a proposal's quality and price account for 70 per cent and 30 per cent of its evaluation, respectively, said MOH and HDB on Friday (Aug 1). The HDB earlier noted that general practitioner (GP) clinic tenders were previously awarded based on tendered price – such as the Tampines clinic tender awarded to a record bid of S$52,188 in monthly rent, that made news in June. The tender for the clinic space at Bartley Beacon, a Build-to-Order (BTO) project in the Bidadari housing estate, opened on May 8 and closed on May 29. It received 18 bids and was awarded to BridgePoint Health. The 100 square metre (sq m) clinic space is about double the size of a typical clinic, MOH and HDB said. The rent works out to S$180 per sq m, which is lower than the average bid rent of S$382 per sq m for GP clinic tenders in new housing projects awarded from 2022 to 2024, they noted. A NEWSLETTER FOR YOU Tuesday, 12 pm Property Insights Get an exclusive analysis of real estate and property news in Singapore and beyond. Sign Up Sign Up In comparison, the 'unusually high' rent for the Tampines clinic tender, which closed in January, worked out to around S$1,000 per sq m, MOH and HDB said. That prompted Minister for Health Ong Ye Kung to express dismay about the Tampines clinic's tender price in a June Facebook post, where he said that the record-high rent would translate into higher healthcare costs and negate the MOH's efforts to keep costs of primary healthcare affordable. MOH and HDB said that they are working together to provide residents with quality and affordable healthcare services. 'Through adopting the PQM method for essential services such as supermarkets and coffee shops, HDB is committed to ensuring residents have access to affordable and quality goods and services in the heartlands,' the authorities said. Three more GP clinic tenders will be launched under the pilot PQM tender evaluation framework this year, with the next one to be launched at Costa Grove, a BTO project in Pasir Ris. Two more tenders at Parc Point and Toh Guan Grove will be launched by end-2025. Commitment to providing quality services MOH will monitor and review BridgePoint Health's compliance with the tender commitments, the authorities said. 'MOH will also continue to review how 'quality' is assessed under such PQM tenders to ensure that GP clinics in HDB estates can offer better quality healthcare for residents near their homes and support chronic disease management under Healthier SG,' said MOH and HDB. To ensure the quality of GP services provided, the tender requires BridgePoint Health to be onboarded to Healthier SG as part of the primary care network. It will also have to be accredited with the Community Health Assist Scheme. Additionally, BridgePoint Health has committed to focusing on providing primary care services and steering away from providing aesthetic services, MOH and HDB said. The healthcare company has committed to work with community partners, such as Community Health Posts in Active Ageing Centres, to strengthen preventive and chronic care for residents. This includes providing basic ancillary services on site, such as diabetic retinal photography, diabetic foot screening and nurse counselling for diabetic patients. As BridgePoint Health is part of the Mental Health General Practitioner Partnership programme, which supports doctors in dealing with individuals who face mental health conditions, it will manage patients with more complex mental health conditions in the community, MOH and HDB said. It will also collaborate with the healthcare clusters to provide more integrated and seamless care for residents. Most of BridgePoint Health's services will be offered on site to minimise the need for referrals, as the unit is larger than typical clinics, the MOH and HDB said.
Straits Times
01-08-2025
- Business
- Straits Times
BridgePoint Health awarded tender for Bidadari clinic with $18,000 rental
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox A staggered rent structure will be implemented to help tenants of newly-constructed shops in new estates. SINGAPORE - Bridgepoint Health has been awarded the tender for a General Practitioner (GP) clinic at the newly completed Bartley Beacon, a Build-To-Order (BTO) project in Bidadari. In a joint statement on Aug 1, the Ministry of Health (MOH) and Housing & Development Board (HDB) said the tender was awarded under the new Price-Quality Method (PQM), where tenders are evaluated based on both price and quality factors. Bridgepoint Health's care teams consist of family physicians, administrators, other health professionals, and specialists. It works with Northeast Medical Group, with a total of 20 clinics planned and in operation island-wide. A total of 18 bids were received for the tender which opened on May 8 2025 and closed on May 29. Under the pilot, the tender price – or the rental bid – accounted for 30 per cent of the scoring criteria, and was evaluated by HDB. The quality of the tender proposal accounted for the remaining 70 per cent, and was assessed by MOH. The awarded monthly rent is $18,000 for the clinic space of about 100sqm, which is twice the size of a typical clinic. The cost per square metre is $180, lower than the average awarded bid of $382 per sqm for GP clinic tenders awarded in new housing projects in the last three years, said MOH and HDB. This comes after the monthly rental bid for a GP clinic in Tampines was reported at $52,188 for a 52sqm ground-floor unit, bringing the cost per square metre to about $1,003.60, in early June. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Tech Reporting suspected advanced cyber attacks will provide a defence framework: Shanmugam Singapore Tanjong Katong sinkhole: Road will progressively open to motorists from Aug 2 noon World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore likely to remain at 10% Business Singapore's US tariff rate stays at 10%, but the Republic is not out of the woods yet Singapore NUS launches S'pore's first nursing practice doctorate to meet evolving healthcare needs Singapore Data breach involving 147,000 Cycle & Carriage Singapore customer records under probe Business CAD probing Tokenize Xchange operator; firm's director charged with fraudulent trading Singapore PM Wong to deliver National Day message on Aug 8 Then, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung expressed his dismay at the bid , and said that the monthly rental for the clinic would translate into higher healthcare costs one way or other, and negate MOH's efforts to keep the cost of primary healthcare affordable. He also noted that higher rental bids do not necessarily translate to the best healthcare that the community needs. Bridgepoint Health will have to be onboarded by Healthier SG as part of the Primary Care Network, and will have to be Community Health Assist Scheme (CHAS) accredited. Additionally, the clinic will have to refrain from providing aesthetic services and instead focus solely on providing primary care services, said MOH and HDB. The clinic will also be able to provide basic ancillary services such as Diabetic Retinal Photography (DRP), Diabetic Foot Screening (DFS), and nurse counselling for diabetic patients. It will remain part of the Mental Health General Practitioner Partnership (MHGPP) and manage patients with more complex mental health conditions, while offering most of their services onsite to reduce the need for referrals. Three more GP clinic tenders are to be launched under the pilot PQM framework in 2025. The next PQM tender will be launched at Costa Grove, a BTO project in Pasir Ris. Another two PQM tenders, at Parc Point and Toh Guan Grove, will be launched by the end of 2025. To help tenants of newly-constructed shops in new estates, HDB has a staggered rent structure in place over the first three-year tenancy term, said the statement. Tenants will be required to pay 80 per cent of tendered rent in the first year, 90 per cent in the second year, and the full tendered rent in the third year.
Eater
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
Don't Binge ‘The Bear' Season 4 Without Great Takeout
It's here. Season 4 of The Bear — possibly its last (but not officially) — arrives today, June 25. The whole 10-episode season drops on Hulu at 7 p.m.. Anyone brave enough to binge the entire season in a single sitting might need to think this one through: Have you secured the ideal snacks for this lengthy journey? We wouldn't suggest Pizza Hut's tavern-style pizza, unless you plan on locking yourself away in a walk-in to numb the emotional pain. Instead, allow Eater Chicago to guide you through the best takeout and delivery options to pair with the highs, lows, and in-betweens of Season 4, but don't worry; no spoilers here. For more takeout and delivery options, check out this map. Curtis Duffy, behind Michelin-starred Ever — a fictionalized version closed on the TV show, but the real restaurant remains open — is offering a special, Bear -inspired delivery-only menu in partnership with Uber Eats. It's available 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesdays through Sundays, from now until Monday, July 28. The menu includes Italian beefs, chicken parm sandwiches, a Boursin omelette sandwich with potato chips, Mikey's Spaghetti, and Marcus's Honey Bun. Order via Uber Eats . The Bear's cast and crew made frequent stops at this iconic Mexican restaurant while filming, but sadly, Birrieria Zaragoza's original location in Archer Heights is closed after a weekend fire. They've set up a GoFundMe to help with repairs. However, a second location in Uptown is open until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Don't forget to order the flan. Order via DoorDash . Loaf Lounge remains one of Chicago's mightiest operations, truly a complete restaurant with strong sandwiches, breads, desserts, and drinks. Co-owner and pastry chef Sarah Mispagel-Lustbader was a consultant for Season 1 and created the chocolate cake for the show. The cake is available for pickup or delivery. However, you'll have to plan to order this one in advance because the kitchen takes its final orders at 3 p.m. before the cafe closes entirely at 4 p.m. What are you waiting for? Order via Toast . Sometimes you just need a good burger, and a Happy Meal won't cut it. The Loyalist is the bar underneath the three-Michelin-starred restaurant Smyth. The menu is approachable and features one of the best burgers in town. Get a salad or fries to complement the Dirty Burg. Order via Tock . PQM's head butcher Rob Levitt appears in Season 3 as a culinary figure leading the Chicago's hard-to-navigate dining scene. And for good reason: his crew makes some of the best sandwiches in the city. You can't go wrong there, but if you're in the mood to make your own meal, Publican Quality Meats delivers some of the best sausages and chops in town for the home cook. They also have a modest produce selection and a great selection of gourmet oils and spices. Order via PQM's website . See More:
Fibre2Fashion
24-06-2025
- Business
- Fibre2Fashion
Solvay & Peróxidos JV enhances Chile production capabilities
Peróxidos do Brasil, a joint venture between Solvay and Produtos Químicos Makay (PQM), announces a new strategic investment in its production unit in Chile, reaffirming its commitment to excellence in supply for customers across various markets in South America. Located in the Coronel Industrial Park, in the BioBío region, Peróxidos' plant in Chile is the only industrial unit for hydrogen peroxide production on the Pacific Coast. USD 12 million will be invested for the installation of a section that will allow for increased competitiveness through the expansion of the product portfolio manufactured at this unit and serving all segments of the Andean market. This strategic initiative reinforces Peróxidos' commitment to sustainability, contributing to the progressive reduction of CO2 emissions in the production process. With the permitting fully completed and approved, construction will begin in the second half of this year and is expected to be finalized in 2026. Peróxidos do Brasil, a Solvayâ€'PQM joint venture, will invest $12 million in its Chilean hydrogen peroxide plant to expand its product portfolio and boost competitiveness in the Andean market. The project, starting in late 2025 and completing in 2026, supports sustainability by reducing CO2 emissions and reinforces the company's commitment to innovative, eco-friendly solutions. This investment in the Coronel plant reflects Peróxidos' continuous and long-term commitment to bringing more innovative, sustainable and competitive solutions to the South American market and our mission to remain the preferred partner for our customers," comments Guilherme Silva, CEO of Peróxidos do Brasil. Given its versatility and oxidizing properties, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is an essential input for a wide range of markets, such as the pulp and paper, aquaculture, electronics, packaging and mining sectors. It stands out as an inherently sustainable product due to its molecular structure and environmentally compatible decomposition. When it breaks down, it forms water (H2O) and oxygen (O2) elements that naturally reintegrate the environment without generating residues or byproducts. Note: The headline, insights, and image of this press release may have been refined by the Fibre2Fashion staff; the rest of the content remains unchanged. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (RM)
