Latest news with #SERS
New Paper
5 hours ago
- New Paper
'I was blinded by love': Man sells flat, gives $163k to 'Hangzhou lady' he never met
He thought he had found his soulmate. But after two years of sweet talk and phone calls, Mr Chen, 59, realised he had fallen for a love scam that cost him his savings and his home. The Singaporean man met a woman calling herself "Huang Ping" on Facebook in mid-2023. She claimed to be a 30-something divorcee from Hangzhou, China, with a young daughter. "She was good-looking and caring. We clicked right away," said Mr Chen (not his real name) told Shin Min Daily News. "We called each other 'husband' and 'wife', and chatted every day after work. She really seemed to care for me." But after a few months, Huang began asking for small sums - several thousand dollars at a time - for daily expenses. "I thought it was normal for couples to support each other. Sometimes, she'd call me crying and said she was having a hard time. I was really moved and my heart softened." Moved by her tears and constant affection, Mr Chen agreed to help. Eventually, he used up his savings of around $40,000. Sell your home, come to China Then came a bigger ask: Sell his HDB flat in Ang Mo Kio, move to China, and start a new life with her. "She said we could retire there together. I thought, why not? I'm getting older, and I wanted to live out my retirement in China." Convinced, Mr Chen returned his three-room flat under the Selective En bloc Redevelopment Scheme (SERS) and received about $123,000 in compensation. Over the span of a year, he transferred all of it to Huang's designated account. 'I was so obsessed' After burning through his savings and selling his home, Mr Chen was left with only a few thousand dollars in his bank account and no roof over his head. He sought help from a friend, who took him in. "When I told my friend the full story, he immediately said I'd been scammed and urged me to report it to the police," said Mr Chen. He admitted he was initially in denial until his friend showed him similar cases online. The use of multiple bank accounts for transfers was a red flag. Only then did he snap out of it. Mr Chen finally lodged a police report on July 21. With encouragement from friends, he also decided to go public with his experience in hopes of warning others. Police confirmed they had received a report and that investigations are ongoing. He also revealed that more than a year ago, staff at his bank began expressing concern about his frequent transfers. They suspected fraud and advised him to stop. "I told them I was sure it wasn't a scam," he said. "But every time I made a transfer, they would call and ask questions. I lied and said it was to a friend." Eventually, the bank capped his transfers at $200 per transaction. Determined to continue helping his "girlfriend", he began withdrawing cash and depositing it via ATM. Looking back, Mr Chen expressed regret for ignoring the bank's warnings. "I was so obsessed then. It seems childish now." 'She disappeared after saying her grandmother died' Two months ago, the woman calling herself Huang Ping abruptly stopped contacting him. She claimed her grandmother had died and that she would be in mourning for six months. After that, she vanished completely. "I noticed she had deleted some of our chats. That's when I became certain she was a scammer. I believe the photos she used might have been stolen too." Despite losing his home and life savings, Mr Chen is trying to move forward. He is looking for a new job and plans to rent a flat, hoping not to burden his friends for too long. "I'm thankful for their help. I was in a car accident in March, and after surviving that, I realised I needed to let go. The money is gone, and there's no point regretting it. This was my own fault, I was blinded by love. "Now that I can still work, I will earn the money back slowly and move on."
Time of India
4 days ago
- Science
- Time of India
Bengaluru researchers develop durable sensor to detect explosives
Bengaluru: A team of researchers from the city has developed a sensitive and durable sensor that can detect explosives such as TNT and RDX at trace levels, offering new possibilities for real-world use in security and pollution monitoring. As per the department of science and technology (DST), the innovation — based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) — overcomes long-standing limitations in the field by improving both sensitivity and long-term stability. The breakthrough was achieved by Jil Rose Perutil, S Prashanth, Channabasaveshwar V Yelamaggad, Pavan Nukala, and Neena S John from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS), Bengaluru, an autonomous institute of DST. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru "The team engineered a multilayer nanomaterial combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO), silver nanoparticles, and cerium oxide on a glass substrate — each layer serving a distinct role in improving performance," DST said. Silver, though excellent at amplifying molecular "fingerprint" signals essential for SERS, tends to degrade in humid or warm environments. A protective coating of cerium oxide solves this by shielding the silver layer from environmental wear while enhancing charge transfer, further boosting signal clarity. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like You Won't Believe the Price of These Dubai Apartments Binghatti Developers FZE Get Offer Undo The rGO layer, meanwhile, suppresses unwanted background fluorescence from silver, allowing the actual detection signal to stand out. "The researchers demonstrated the system's high sensitivity using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid as a model analyte and achieved detection limits as low as 10 nanomolar. More significantly, the same platform could detect explosives like TNT and RDX at similar nanomolar levels," DST said. Tests in environmental chambers confirmed that the sensor maintained high performance even in extreme conditions — 90% humidity and 7 °C — showcasing its potential for rugged, field-ready deployment. "Developed using a physical vapour deposition technique, the sensor's fabrication process is uniform and scalable, suggesting commercial promise. With its combination of durability, simplicity, and precision, the team says the platform could be used in airport screening systems, defence applications, or even environmental monitoring where detecting trace contaminants rapidly is critical," DST added.
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Science
- The Hindu
CeNS researchers develop multi-layer nanomaterial to help detect harmful chemicals and explosives
Researchers from the Centre for Nano and Soft Matter Sciences (CeNS) have developed an innovative multi-layer nanomaterial that can help detect harmful chemicals, including explosives like TNT and RDX, at trace levels. This innovation is expected to boost airport security and environmental pollution monitoring. According to the Department of Science and Technology, noble metals like gold and silver have traditionally been vital for signal enhancement. However, the high cost of gold and the poor long-term stability of silver remain significant obstacles to their commercial viability. The department said that in recent years, numerous methods have emerged to detect harmful chemicals that impact our daily lives. Among them, surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has stood out for its exceptional sensitivity and reliability. 'SERS works by amplifying the molecular fingerprint signals of chemicals, allowing for precise identification even at extremely low concentrations,' it said. Now the CeNS researchers have developed an innovative multi-layer nanomaterial combining reduced graphene oxide (rGO), silver nanoparticles (Ag), and cerium oxide (CeO₂) on a glass substrate. The department said that each layer contributes a specific function, and the CeNS team fabricated the composite material using physical vapour deposition techniques, resulting in a uniform and scalable sensing platform. 'While silver nanoparticles are excellent at amplifying Raman signals, they are highly prone to oxidation, especially in humid or warm conditions—reducing their effectiveness over time. The coating of a thin layer of cerium oxide brings two key advantages. It enhances charge transfer between the material and the analyte, further boosting the fingerprint Raman signal of the analyte molecule and also acts as a protective barrier, shielding silver from humidity and temperature-induced degradation and ensuring long-term stability,' the department said. Environmental chamber tests revealed that the substrate maintained its high performance even under extreme conditions—90% humidity and 70 °Celsius—proving its exceptional stability and reliability. 'Meanwhile, the rGO layer plays a crucial role, effectively quenching the overwhelming fluorescence emitted by silver nanoparticles, which would otherwise drown out the distinct Raman fingerprints of the analyte. This clever suppression ensures that the true detection signals shine through with clarity and precision,' it added. The researchers demonstrated the material's high performance using 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (MBA) as a model analyte, achieving a detection limit as low as 10 nM. 'More impressively, the substrate demonstrated the ability to detect a wide range of explosives, including TNT and RDX, at nanomolar concentrations, highlighting its broad potential for trace-level contaminant detection,' the department said.
Time of India
18-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
Indian scientists develop nano-cups to zap cancer with heat
Illustration of semi-shell formation using rhombic dodecahedron (RD) shaped ZIF-8 as a sacrificial template and its PEGylation-assisted blood compatibility, cryopreservation, systemic safety and on-demand reconstitution towards pronounced photothermal therapy of advanced cancer (Image credit: DST) BENGALURU: Indian scientists have developed a simplified, one-step method to synthesise nano-cups , minute, bowl-like particles, capable of destroying cancer tumours using heat. This innovation holds the potential to make photothermal therapy (PTT), a non-invasive cancer treatment technique, significantly more accessible and effective. 'The team, comprising researchers from the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali; Advanced Centre for Treatment Research & Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre; and the IIT-Bombay, has fabricated what are known as PEGylated semi-shells (SS) with a unique nano-cup morphology. These structures are partly coated with polyethylene glycol (PEG), which boosts their compatibility with biological systems,' the department of science and technology (DST) said. Traditionally, manufacturing such nano-cups involved cumbersome, multi-step procedures and harsh chemicals like hydrofluoric acid. The new method, published in Communications Chemistry, a journal from the Nature group, sidesteps those issues by using biocompatible materials and mild conditions. 'The process replaces complex etching with a clever use of ZIF-8, a metal-organic framework, as a sacrificial template. As the ZIF-8 dissolves, gold nanoparticles grow in its place, forming the semi-shells, all at room temperature, and using ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) as a gentle reducing agent,' DST said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Giao dịch CFD với công nghệ và tốc độ tốt hơn IC Markets Tìm hiểu thêm Undo Importantly, it added, the resulting nanoparticles strongly absorb and scatter light in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum. This makes them highly effective for PTT, which involves using laser light to heat and destroy cancer cells. 'Further, PEG coating enhances the particles' shelf life, water stability, and compatibility with the bloodstream, making them suitable for safe intravenous delivery. In laboratory tests, these PEGylated SS showed high photothermal conversion efficiency and no toxicity,' DST said. The research team demonstrated that these nano-cups could successfully ablate metastatic breast tumours in preclinical mice models. The treatment not only shrank the tumours but also improved survival rates and reduced the chances of relapse. 'Beyond treating cancer, researchers suggest that the particles' unique optical properties could be harnessed for biosensing applications, such as surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy (SERS), and future studies will explore combining chemotherapy with photothermal therapy,' DST added.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Yahoo
Public warned after significant rise in sexual extortion scam emails
Action Fraud is urging people in Dorset to stay vigilant as data shows a significant rise in extortion phishing emails. The UK's national reporting centre for fraud and cyber crime is asking the public to look out for phishing emails relating to extortion. This comes after the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) received more than 2,920 reports in March as opposed to 133 reports made in February. The reported phishing emails received by the National Cyber Security Centre's SERS relate to a type of extortion known as 'Financially Motivated Sexual Extortion'. The subject of the email can vary, but the theme remains consistent. Cyber crime (Image: Pixabay) It will often include real pieces of personal information relating to the victim such as a password or a home address which is usually obtained from a past instance of a personal data breach. Once opened, the email claims to have installed malware on the recipient's computer and recorded them when accessing adult websites. The sender will then coerce the email recipients to pay a ransom demand by threatening to release the videos. In 2024, a male victim in his 30s received numerous extortion emails that contained a password he had used for one of his online accounts. The email demanded a ransom of $500. Despite correctly identifying the email as a scam and deleting them, he was unable to login to one of his social media accounts and, shortly after, his bank account. Analysis shows that many people who received these emails also later reported being victims of online hacking. According to the Dorset Police website, over the last 13 months 4,400 incidents of fraud and cyber crime were reported to Action Fraud from Dorset. What to do if you receive an extortion phishing email: Don't engage with the sender, forward the email to report@ and then delete it. If you're considering paying the ransom you will likely be the target of further scams. If the phishing email includes a password still in use, change it immediately. Check if your online accounts were affected at
