The women who left Nepal to pursue supposedly well-paying jobs in Laos, fell victim to a human trafficking scheme, where they were expected to work in call centers and scam unsuspecting affluent people in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK.
831 returns to the stage with Sennheiser Digital 6000
Taiwanese rock band makes a strong comeback with back-to-back tours across Asia
TAIPEI – Media OutReach – 5 January 2023 – After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, Taiwanese rock band 831 (八三夭) returned to the stage with a series of sold-out concerts across Asia. The “Miss you 300” tour saw them performing 21 sold-out shows in major cities in China and a debut show in Singapore before they returned to Taiwan to kickstart their “Upside Down World” tour on home ground in the Taipei Arena. As well as giving their fans an electrifyingly good time at the shows with their beat-heavy hits, the band also shared their personal thoughts and feelings, giving fans a glimpse of their warmth behind the rocker image. Sennheiser’s Digital 6000 has always been a mainstay of 831’s touring inventory, which has gradually expanded to include many other Sennheiser and Neumann products such as the SKM 500, MD 435 and MD 445 as well as the Neumann KM 184.

When 831’s front-of-house audio engineer Huang first heard the MD 435 and MD 445 on the snare, he was so impressed that he immediately requested for it to be deployed at the Taipei concert. He also enjoys working with the Digital 6000 series for its low latency, wide dynamic range and superb sound quality.
“Sennheiser’s Digital 6000 is impressive and has been serving the band really well. In fact, it is lead vocalist Up Lee’s only choice of microphone whenever the band goes on tour,” Huang commented.
For vocals, 831 used a two-channel Sennheiser Digital 6000 system. Up Lee used an SKM 6000 handheld transmitter while the rest of the band relied on the SKM 500 handhelds and SK 500 G4 wireless bodypack transmitters. Backing vocals were picked up by cabled e 935 and e 945 mics. “We are very impressed with Digital 6000’s low latency, wide dynamic range and sound quality. From an engineering perspective, D 6000 requires much less calibration and is capable of unreservedly showcasing the band’s stellar performance. It gives them the freedom and peace of mind to fully focus on their stage performance. There is no doubt why this is the vocalist’s system of choice to work with on tour,” Huang explained.
The guitar and bass were miked with wireless instrument systems from the evolution wireless series, with the drumkit benefitting from a variety of Sennheiser and Neumann microphones. The super-cardioid MD 445 was used on the snare, with its polar pattern helping to eliminate hi-hat bleed. Additionally, the e 901 and e 902 were used on the kick drum, while the toms and snare bottom were picked up by e 904 and MD 421. For the hi-hat and ride, they had chosen the Neumann KM 184.
Band Manager Woods Song spoke highly of the support from the local team: “I would like to thank the Sennheiser team for the great support. Our repertoire of Sennheiser and Neumann gear has grown a lot over the years. To be able to have our concert at the iconic Taipei Arena fully decked with Sennheiser and Neumann gear is a testament to how much the band love and trust the brand’s products. We look forward to continuing our journey with Sennheiser and taking our gear with us to wherever the tour takes us next!”
Hashtag: #Sennheiser
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About the Sennheiser brand
We live and breathe audio. We are driven by the passion to create audio solutions that make a difference. Building the future of audio and bringing remarkable sound experiences to our customers – this is what the Sennheiser brand has represented for more than 75 years. While professional audio solutions such as microphones, meeting solutions, streaming technologies and monitoring systems are part of the business of Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG, the business with consumer devices such as headphones, soundbars and speech-enhanced hearables is operated by Sonova Holding AG under the license of Sennheiser.
www.sennheiser.com
www.sennheiser-hearing.com
Laos to Open its Border with China This Week
Authorities in Laos and China have agreed to reopen the international border crossing between Boten and Bohan on Sunday.
Laos to Experience Cold Weather in First Week of January
According to the Meteorology and Hydrology Department, Northern and Southern provinces of Laos will be subjected to cold conditions from Wednesday until 10 January, some areas may also experience rainfall.
Hong Kong Baptist University-led research discovers new therapeutic target for irritable bowel syndrome

The research findings have been published in the internationally renowned scientific journal Cell Host & Microbe.
Curative treatment for IBS-D needed
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder characterised by stool irregularities, abdominal discomfort and bloating. It has been estimated that about 7% of adults in Hong Kong are affected by IBS. IBS-D is the most common type of IBS and there is no known cure for the disease. Most clinical treatments for IBS-D focus on relieving symptoms.
Previous research has demonstrated that the increased production of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of gut motility, contributes to the gastrointestinal symptoms displayed in IBS-D. It has also been shown that gut microbiota play a role in regulating the levels of serotonin. However, the bacterial species concerned and the molecular mechanism by which the gut microbiota modulate serotonin production remain unclear.
Phenethylamine and tryptamine produced by Ruminococcus gnavus trigger IBS-D
To explore curative treatment options for IBS-D, a research team co-led by Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Director of the Clinical Division and Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Professor in Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies; Dr Xavier Wong Hoi-leong, Assistant Professor of the Teaching and Research Division; and Dr Zhai Lixiang, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of SCM at HKBU, screened thousands of food components and their breakdown products in the fecal samples of 290 patients with IBS-D. They found that phenethylamine and tryptamine, two aromatic trace amines produced by the microbial digestion of dietary proteins, are highly enriched in IBS-D faeces, and they are associated with the severity of diarrheal symptoms in patients with IBS-D.
Probing further, the researchers found that mice which had been fed with either phenethylamine or tryptamine experienced increased stool frequencies and colonic secretions, which are major symptoms of IBS-D.
On the other hand, the team found that the gut bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus, which is enriched in IBS-D faecal samples, is a primary producer of phenethylamine and tryptamine. Furthermore, mice with this bacterium transplanted into their guts go on to develop IBS-D diarrheal symptoms. These results suggest that phenethylamine and tryptamine produced by Ruminococcus gnavus trigger IBS-D in mammals without the involvement of other risk factors of IBS-D.
Phenethylamine and tryptamine stimulate serotonin production
The research team further conducted a series of experiments to understand the mechanism by which phenethylamine and tryptamine lead to IBS-D. The results showed that phenethylamine and tryptamine directly stimulate the production of serotonin from the enterochromaffin cells in the gut through the activation of a trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR1), thereby stimulating gut motility and secretion disorders in IBS-D.
The team then explored the therapeutic potential of targeting the phenethylamine/tryptamine/TAAR1 pathway for the treatment of IBS-D. It was discovered that inhibition of TAAR1 activation through the use of a specific inhibitor effectively alleviated the diarrheal symptoms in mice which had been transplanted with IBS-D faecal samples.
Prospects for new therapeutic options
“With a full outline of the mechanism of how gut microbiota associate with gut motility disorders, our research results suggest that the phenethylamine/tryptamine-mediated TAAR1 pathway is a new therapeutic target for IBS-D,” said Dr Zhai Lixiang.
“IBS-D patients experience frequent episodes of diarrhea with accompanying abdominal pain, which reduce the quality of life. The research discoveries offer promising potential for the development of therapies for IBS-D based on the inhibition of the pathway,” said Professor Bian Zhaoxiang.
The research team also found that a diet low in phenylalanine, an amino acid and a dietary precursor of phenethylamine, suppresses gut motility in mice by reducing the microbial production of phenethylamine and tryptamine. Low-protein food items such as fresh fruits, vegetables and bread have relatively low levels of phenylalanine.
“Developing strategies to reduce the microbial transformation of dietary amino acids into phenethylamine and tryptamine, such as dietary intervention with reduced consumption of high-protein food items which usually have high phenylalanine levels, may represent a feasible approach for the management of IBS-D,” said Dr Xavier Wong.
Hashtag: #HongKongBaptistUniversity #HKBU
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
16,384 LEDs to revolutionize automotive lighting: Nichia and Infineon launch industry’s first high-definition micro-LED matrix solution

Three years ago Nichia Corporation and Infineon Technologies AG (FSE: IFX / OTCQX: IFNNY) announced the joint development of a high-definition (HD) light engine with more than 16,000 micro-LEDs for headlight applications. Now, both companies are launching industry’s first fully integrated micro-LED light engine for HD adaptive driving beam applications. The micro-LED matrix solution will be seen in a German premium vehicle in 2023.
“The new 16,384 pixel µPLS™ micro-Pixelated Light Solution is our latest addition to Nichia’s portfolio of high-class automotive lighting solutions,” said Yusuke Yamazaki, Head of Sales and Marketing Automotive, Nichia Europe GmbH. “It combines high-definition resolution with industry’s highest light output. This solution enables a new automotive lighting experience by providing four-times wider field-of-view with significantly higher light output than any other current micro-mirror based HD matrix-light solution. For this reason, the advanced HD light can warn drivers of hazards by highlighting people or objects on or by the side of the road. It can also project markings on the road to guide the driver through a construction site or intersection. In addition, functions such as the glare-free high beam or bending light work more precisely and smoothly compared to current adaptive driving beam solutions. This takes the driver’s road safety and driving comfort to a new level.”
“The µPLS is industry’s first fully integrated matrix LED driver capable of driving 16,384 LEDs, combining all required micro-LED driver circuitry with extensive diagnostics and high-speed video and control interfaces,” said Andreas Doll, Infineon’s Senior Vice-President and General Manager of the Business Unit Body Power of Infineon’s Automotive Division. “Our innovative µPLS is much more energy efficient than current HD matrix lighting solutions, contributing to saving global CO2 emissions and extending the range of electric driven vehicles. Furthermore, we enable the vision of our customers to deploy fully digital light on the road, saving them overall system cost at a very small form factor at the size of a single semiconductor chip. The µPLS is another great example of how Infineon products support digitalization as well as decarbonization towards a net-zero society.”
The new HD light engine uses Nichia’s micro-LED technology and an integrated LED driver IC from Infineon that can drive all 16,384 micro-LEDs individually using pulse-width modulation (PWM) control. Additionally, the driver IC monitors each micro-LED separately and provides on-chip temperature monitoring allowing for optimal thermal control. Integrated video interfaces enable high-speed transmission of the video signal from the light pattern generator unit. Unlike current HD matrix solutions, Infineon’s driver IC only activates the LEDs that are actually needed for a light pattern. This dramatically increases the energy efficiency of the µPLS light engine at much smaller form factor compared to micro-mirror-based HD matrix solutions in the market.
This allows for smaller and slimmer headlamp designs in the future. In addition, the new HD light engine enables adjustments that can be digitally programmed at the factory or activated by the vehicle manufacturer or driver on demand. For example, the different requirements of left- and right-handed drivers can be considered, significantly increasing user-friendliness. With all these features, the new HD light significantly reduces design and production complexity for vehicle manufacturers.
Hashtag: #Infineon #Nichia #LED
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.
About Nichia Corporation
Having “Ever Researching for a Brighter World” as a motto, Nichia takes great pride in being the technology leader and world’s largest LED and laser diode manufacturer. Founded in 1956 as a specialty chemical producer, Nichia quickly became the leader in luminescent materials (phosphors). Nichia later developed and commercialized the first high-brightness blue LED in 1993 and the first white LED in 1996. Additional nitride-based LEDs in various colors were developed, including ultraviolet and visible Laser Diodes. Nichia believes that its products will remain at the forefront of energy-efficient solutions throughout the world for years to come.
Nichia will continue to be a company that makes contributions to the world by evolving its original and unique technologies and “Ever Researching for a Brighter World.” More information is available at www.nichia.com.
More information on Infineon’s commitment to New Mobility: www.infineon.com/cms/en/discoveries/new-mobility/
The Telegraph Recommends Laos as One of 20 Places You Must Visit in 2023
The British newspaper’s travel experts curated a collection of the 20 top destinations to visit this new year and Laos featured in the list among some other usual suspects like Spain, Switzerland and France.
Hong Hong Baptist University-led research discovers new therapeutic target for irritable bowel syndrome

The research findings have been published in the internationally renowned scientific journal Cell Host & Microbe.
Curative treatment for IBS-D needed
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common functional bowel disorder characterised by stool irregularities, abdominal discomfort and bloating. It has been estimated that about 7% of adults in Hong Kong are affected by IBS. IBS-D is the most common type of IBS and there is no known cure for the disease. Most clinical treatments for IBS-D focus on relieving symptoms.
Previous research has demonstrated that the increased production of serotonin, a key neurotransmitter involved in the regulation of gut motility, contributes to the gastrointestinal symptoms displayed in IBS-D. It has also been shown that gut microbiota play a role in regulating the levels of serotonin. However, the bacterial species concerned and the molecular mechanism by which the gut microbiota modulate serotonin production remain unclear.
Phenethylamine and tryptamine produced by Ruminococcus gnavus trigger IBS-D
To explore curative treatment options for IBS-D, a research team co-led by Professor Bian Zhaoxiang, Director of the Clinical Division and Tsang Shiu Tim Endowed Professor in Chinese Medicine Clinical Studies; Dr Xavier Wong Hoi-leong, Assistant Professor of the Teaching and Research Division; and Dr Zhai Lixiang, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow of SCM at HKBU, screened thousands of food components and their breakdown products in the fecal samples of 290 patients with IBS-D. They found that phenethylamine and tryptamine, two aromatic trace amines produced by the microbial digestion of dietary proteins, are highly enriched in IBS-D faeces, and they are associated with the severity of diarrheal symptoms in patients with IBS-D.
Probing further, the researchers found that mice which had been fed with either phenethylamine or tryptamine experienced increased stool frequencies and colonic secretions, which are major symptoms of IBS-D.
On the other hand, the team found that the gut bacterium Ruminococcus gnavus, which is enriched in IBS-D faecal samples, is a primary producer of phenethylamine and tryptamine. Furthermore, mice with this bacterium transplanted into their guts go on to develop IBS-D diarrheal symptoms. These results suggest that phenethylamine and tryptamine produced by Ruminococcus gnavus trigger IBS-D in mammals without the involvement of other risk factors of IBS-D.
Phenethylamine and tryptamine stimulate serotonin production
The research team further conducted a series of experiments to understand the mechanism by which phenethylamine and tryptamine lead to IBS-D. The results showed that phenethylamine and tryptamine directly stimulate the production of serotonin from the enterochromaffin cells in the gut through the activation of a trace amine-associated receptor (TAAR1), thereby stimulating gut motility and secretion disorders in IBS-D.
The team then explored the therapeutic potential of targeting the phenethylamine/tryptamine/TAAR1 pathway for the treatment of IBS-D. It was discovered that inhibition of TAAR1 activation through the use of a specific inhibitor effectively alleviated the diarrheal symptoms in mice which had been transplanted with IBS-D faecal samples.
Prospects for new therapeutic options
“With a full outline of the mechanism of how gut microbiota associate with gut motility disorders, our research results suggest that the phenethylamine/tryptamine-mediated TAAR1 pathway is a new therapeutic target for IBS-D,” said Dr Zhai Lixiang.
“IBS-D patients experience frequent episodes of diarrhea with accompanying abdominal pain, which reduce the quality of life. The research discoveries offer promising potential for the development of therapies for IBS-D based on the inhibition of the pathway,” said Professor Bian Zhaoxiang.
The research team also found that a diet low in phenylalanine, an amino acid and a dietary precursor of phenethylamine, suppresses gut motility in mice by reducing the microbial production of phenethylamine and tryptamine. Low-protein food items such as fresh fruits, vegetables and bread have relatively low levels of phenylalanine.
“Developing strategies to reduce the microbial transformation of dietary amino acids into phenethylamine and tryptamine, such as dietary intervention with reduced consumption of high-protein food items which usually have high phenylalanine levels, may represent a feasible approach for the management of IBS-D,” said Dr Xavier Wong.
Hashtag: #HongKongBaptistUniversity #HKBU
The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement.