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  1. Fulltext Identifying and validating game design elements in serious game guideline for climate change
    Razali NEM, Ramli RZ, Mohamed H, Mat Zin NA, Rosdi F, Mat Diah N
    Heliyon, 2022 Jan;8(1):e08773.
    PMID: 35146153 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08773
    Climate change can simply be defined as an increase in temperature, normally referred to as global warming. Recent studies have confirmed the failure of many climate communication efforts due to the one-directional transmission of information that has transformed the audience into passive consumers of information. The young generation tends to be avid gamers, thus serious games could be a suitable medium to increase climate change awareness in order to cultivate a better attitude towards nature among this group. However, very few games focus on carbon cycle fundamentals that are directly related to climate change. Existing climate change games have been unable to improve the quality of knowledge on environmental issues due to the lack of contextualization of the carbon cycle. Thus, the purpose of this study was to develop and verify a guideline of game design elements to assist game developers in developing a climate change game that can facilitate experiential learning on climate change based on the carbon cycle. The guideline consists of 13 game elements derived from previous studies. Seven experts from both game and environmental areas were selected to review the designed guideline. The experts were given two to six weeks to evaluate the guideline and were asked to rate and comment on each game element. At the end of the review, the experts' feedback and comments were analysed and scrutinised. The results showed positive feedback from all experts. The guideline was updated based on the experts' comments, and finally a total of 12 game elements for a climate change game remained. This guideline can be applied to develop a new climate change game. This paper discusses the validation of the guideline proposed for a climate change game design.
  2. Fulltext Removal of copper by Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor: phytoremediation potential, adsorption kinetics and isotherms
    Al-Baldawi IA, Yasin SR, Jasim SS, Abdullah SRS, Almansoory AF, Ismail N'
    Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11456.
    PMID: 36406685 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11456
    Phytoremediation is an eco-friendly biotechnology with low costs. The removal of copper (Cu) from polluted water by the two floating plant species Azolla filiculoides and Lemna minor was observed and recorded. Plants were exposed to different Cu (II) concentration (0.25-1.00 mg/L) and sampling time (Days 0, 1, 2, 5 and 7). Both plants can remove Cu at 1.00 mg Cu/L water, with the highest removal rates of 100% for A. filiculoides and 74% for L. minor on the fifth day of exposure. At the end of the exposure period (Day 7), the growth of A. filiculoides exposed to 1.00 mg Cu/L was inhibited by Cu, but the structure of the inner cells of A. filiculoides was well organized as compared to the initial treatment period. Regarding L. minor, Cu at 1.00 mg/L negatively impacted both the growth and morphology (shrinking of its inner structure) of this plant. This is due to the higher accumulation of Cu in L. minor (2.86 mg/g) than in A. filiculoides (1.49 mg/g). Additionally, the rate of Cu removal per dry mass of plant fitted a pseudo-second order model for both plants, whereas the adsorption equilibrium data fitted the Freundlich isotherm, indicating that Cu adsorption occurs in multiple layers. Based on the results, both species can be applied in the phytoremediation of Cu-polluted water.
  3. Fulltext Synthesis, characterization, molecular docking and biological evaluation of Schiff Base derivatives of cefpodoxime
    Mahmood W, Ahmad I, Khan MA, Ali Shah SA, Ashraf M, Shahzad MI, et al.
    Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11332.
    PMID: 36387450 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11332
    Synthesis of new Cefpodoxime derivatives via Schiff Bases mechanism and the efficiency of their antimicrobial and antiviral activities were addressed. They were analyzed for structural validation by using spectroscopic techniques using FTIR, 1HNMR, and 13CNMR. Molecular docking against IBV Virus papain-like protease (PLPro) was done with Auto dock tools against compounds having excellent IC50 values against IBV (Corona Class) virus. All derivatives showed strong zone of inhibition ranges from (55 ± 2.0 to 70 ± 0.8 mm) against E. coli. Compounds 1,2,4 and 6 derivatives showed remarkable activity against Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Serratia marcescens. But For most the newly synthesized derivatives C 1 (64 ± 1.60), C 3 (32 ± 0.80), and C 8 (64 ± 1.60) showed potential IC50 values against two variants of Corona class viruses i.e. Avian Influenza (H9) and Avian corona (IBV) viruses. The current study revealed that newly synthesized Schiff Bases possessed strong anti-viral potential. Further studies may make a breakthrough in medical sciences to tackle latest challenges such as Corona Virus Diseases.
  4. Fulltext The effects of economic growth on carbon dioxide emissions in selected Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries
    R Alaganthiran J, Anaba MI
    Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11193.
    PMID: 36387456 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11193
    This research article concerns a study of economic growth influences on carbon dioxide emissions in 20 selected Sub Saharan African (SSA) countries. The study also intends to reexamine energy consumption, tourism sector and population effect on carbon dioxide emissions. The empirical research applies panel linear regression model for the data obtained in these 20 SSA countries throughout 2000 to 2020. The empirical estimation techniques employed in the analysis consist of pooled ordinary least square (OLS), fixed effects model (FEM), random effects model (REM) and robust fixed model, including diagnostic tests such as endogeneity, heteroscedasticity and other measurements. The empirical analysis using the robust fixed effects model has established significant associations between economic growth, energy consumption, tourism sector and population on carbon dioxide emissions in SSA countries between 2000 and 2020. This study has established that a 1% increase in economy growth increases the carbon dioxide emission level by approximately 0.02%. A study has identified that SSA countries' energy consumption, especially from oil, will only contaminate air quality. A study confirmed that international tourist arrivals are one of the factors that significantly caused air quality reduction among SSA countries. However, increasing population and future international agreements and protocols could also mean that carbon emissions can potentially cause less environmental degradation in the region.
  5. Fulltext Government financial support and financial performance of SMEs: A dual sequential mediator approach
    Jayeola O, Sidek S, Sanyal S, Hasan SI, An NB, Mofoluwa Ajibade SS, et al.
    Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11351.
    PMID: 36387578 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11351
    Government financial support (GFS) is an important factor for firms in developing countries, particularly small and medium enterprises (SMEs), to be competitive and perform better. Nonetheless, studies on the relationship between GFS and firm performance have yielded inconclusive results. Researchers' efforts to resolve the inconclusiveness led to an examination of competitive advantage (CA) as a simple mediator. This study contends that CA should not be the first mediator but rather a resource acquired with GFS, such as cloud ERP, which has CA-enabled qualities, as opposed to GFS, which lacks the ability to offer CA to firms. Hence, using 204 Malaysian manufacturing SMEs as a sample, this study investigates the dual sequential mediation of cloud ERP implementation (CERPI) and CA in the GFS-financial performance (FPER) relationship. PLS-SEM was employed as a data analysis method and for hypotheses assessment. Findings reveal that the GFS is not directly associated with FPER. However, GFS is positively related to CERPI, which subsequently enhances CA positively. CA is also positively associated with FPER, and CERPI and CA sequentially mediate the GFS and FPER relationship positively. This study makes a contribution to the literature by providing a more holistic understanding of the complex relationship between GFS and FPER. This study could assist SMEs and policymakers in gaining a better understanding of the process and requirements for realising valuable benefits from GFS.
  6. Mechanotransduction of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) during cardiomyocytes differentiation
    Raman N, Imran SAM, Ahmad Amin Noordin KB, Wan Kamarul Zaman WS, Nordin F
    Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11624.
    PMID: 36425431 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11624
    Cardiac muscle cells have an innate capacity to perceive and react to mechanical strain via a mechanism known as mechanotransduction, whereby the cardiac muscle cells are intrinsically capable of sensing and responding to mechanical strain. This process occurs in the heart when mechanical inputs are converted to biochemical processes that result in myocardial structure and function changes. Mechanotransduction and its downstream effects work as compensatory mechanisms during early load adaptation. However, prolonged, and aberrant loading may cause maladaptive remodeling, resulting in altered physiological function, pathological cardiac hypertrophy, and heart failure. The rapid advancement of stem cell research has raised the hopes of both patients and clinicians. Mesenchymal progenitors have become one of the most intriguing possibilities for treating illnesses ranging from cartilage abnormalities to heart issues. Their immunomodulatory properties have also allowed for allogenic usage, besides expanding their potential for cardiomyocyte applications. In the present review, we highlighted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in cardiovascular mechanotransduction, differentiation of cardiomyocytes and the use of MSCs in cardiovascular disease and tissue engineering.
  7. Optimization of a high-performance lead-free cesium-based inorganic perovskite solar cell through numerical approach
    Tulka TK, Alam N, Akhtaruzzaman M, Sobayel K, Hossain MM
    Heliyon, 2022 Nov;8(11):e11719.
    PMID: 36425430 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e11719
    In this work, an ultra-thin (0.815 μm) lead-free all-inorganic novel PV cell structure consisting of solid-state layers with the configuration SnO2/ZnOS/CsGeI3/CZTSe/Au has been optimized using SCAPS-1D simulator. ZnOS electron transport layer (ETL) has been deployed and various hole transport layer (HTL) material candidates have been considered to find the most suitable one in order to get the maximum possible power conversion efficiency (PCE). The simulation begins with the optimization of the thickness of the ZnOS buffer layer, followed by an analysis of HTL and ETL doping concentrations, thickness and bandgap optimization of absorber layer. The maximum permissible defect density at the ZnOS/CsGeI3 interface and the bulk defect density of the absorber layer (CsGeI3) are also investigated. It is also found that when the temperature rises, short circuit current density (J sc ) rises by 1.43 mA/K and open-circuit voltage (V oc ) degrades by 2 mV/K. The optimized structure results in a PCE of 26.893% with J sc , V oc , and fill factor (FF) of 28.172 mA cm-2, 1.0834 V, and 88.107% respectively. The cell performance parameters outperform those found in the recent literature. The simulated results of the proposed configuration are expected to be a helpful reference for the future implementation of a cost-effective and efficient all-inorganic perovskite PV cell.
  8. Fulltext Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia Volubilis L.): recent insight on phytochemistry, pharmacology, organoleptic, safety and toxicity perspectives
    Mhd Rodzi NAR, Lee LK
    Heliyon, 2022 Sep;8(9):e10572.
    PMID: 36132179 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10572
    Sacha Inchi (Plukenetia Volubilis L.), SI, is the oleaginous plant of the Euphorbiaceous family originally cultivated in the Amazonian forest. It is traditionally appreciated and consumed as the healthful food. In vivo, in vitro and clinical studies have suggested the beneficial effects of SI for a variety of neuroprotection, dermatology, antidyslipidaemic, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory, antiproliferative and antitumor modulation activities. Many of these potential impacts are related to its bioactive compounds, particularly essential fatty acids, proteins and phytochemicals. However, there are some scientific evidences underlying the risk of toxicity associated with the high doses of SI seed oils. With the aforementioned, this review outlines a narrative review of SI, including its ethnobotanical components, phytochemistry profile, organoleptic and sensory evaluations. The essential development of its latest applications in the field of medicine, pharmacology, safety and toxicological issues, are laconically demonstrated. Moreover, the underlying challenges and upcoming prospective for the integration of SI use are detailed.
  9. Fulltext Biomarker characteristics of Montney source rock, British Columbia, Canada
    Barham A, Ismail MS, Hermana M, Zainal Abidin NS
    Heliyon, 2021 Nov;7(11):e08395.
    PMID: 34825096 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08395
    Montney Formation (MF) source rock located in northeastern British Columbia (BC), Canada, was analyzed to determine its depositional conditions and organic matter source input other than to determine their level of thermal maturity. The high total sulfur (TS) (2.23-20.86 wt.%) and good to very good total organic carbon (TOC) content (0.3-5.87 wt.%) in the analyzed samples give good evidence that the deposition of MF source rock was in a marine environment under reducing conditions. A mixed marine-terrestrial derived organic matter (OM) for the Montney source rock that was deposited in a marine dysoxic environment is deduced from the composition and distribution of different biomarker traces. Thus, the previous result is supported by the high short-chain n-alkanes ratio, accompanied by carbon preference index (CPI) around unity, high concentration of tricyclic terpanes, high C24 tricyclic/C24 tetracyclic, hopane/sterane ratios ranging from low to moderate, as well as the relationship between regular sterane compositions. During deposition of the MF source rock, it can be noticed that more land organic materials this was deduced according to the high waxiness index. From maturity ratios of Ts/(Ts + Tm), C32 22S/(22S + 22R) homohopane, moretane/hopane and 20S/(20S + 20R) and ββ/(ββ + αα) C29 it can give a conclusion that the source rock is mature to postmature of hydrocarbon generation.
  10. Fulltext A New Image Enhancement and Super Resolution technique for license plate recognition
    Hamdi A, Chan YK, Koo VC
    Heliyon, 2021 Nov;7(11):e08341.
    PMID: 34825077 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08341
    License Plate Recognition (LPR) is an important implemented application of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and deep learning in the past decades. However, due to the low image quality caused by the fast movement of vehicles and low-quality analogue cameras, many plate numbers cannot be recognised accurately by LPR models. To solve this issue, we propose a new deep learning architecture called D_GAN_ESR (Double Generative Adversarial Networks for Image Enhancement and Super Resolution) used for effective image denoising and super-resolution for license plate images. In this paper, we show the limitation of the existing networks for image enhancement and image super-resolution. Furthermore, a feature-based evaluation metric called Peak Signal to Noise Ratio Features (PSNR-F) is used to evaluate and compare performance between different methods. It is shown that the use of PSNR-F has a better performance indicator than the classical PSNR-pixel-to-pixel (PSNR-pixel) evaluation metric. The results show that using D_GAN_ESR to enhance the license plate images increases the LPR accuracy from 30% to 78% when blur images are used and increases the accuracy from 59% to 74.5% when low-quality images are used.
  11. Fulltext The development of internet financial reporting publications: A concise of bibliometric analysis
    Murdayanti Y, Khan MNAA
    Heliyon, 2021 Dec;7(12):e08551.
    PMID: 34934847 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08551
    This paper identifies the main areas and the development of the field of internet financial reporting publications and to suggest future research directions. Internet use for corporate financial reporting represents a voluntary approach to consolidate printed sustainability reports which have increasingly been published by large companies in recent years. Using a bibliometric analysis, this paper examined a sample of 246 studies from Web of Science, Scopus, Emerald, Springer, Proquest, Ebsco, and Science Direct databases and only accepted articles and review paper were published in open access to identify research activity on internet financial reporting between 1998 until 2020. This review provides the most influential articles and authors based on their citations and publications as well as their importance within the network through network visualization, overlay visualization, and density visualization. The co-authorship analysis shows 208 authors who have connected each other, the co-organization analysis resulted 76 organizations which write article about internet financial reporting and co-occurrence analysis of keywords, the results found that 669 keywords divided into 11 clusters. The analysis which uses bibliometric analysis develops the status of internet financial reporting, this is a research field in a precise way through the visualization of emerging trend and currently focused on topics. The results of analysis also have recommended some variables which can be used in further research, and it is very helpful to find knowledge basis and detect the future research directions in this area.
  12. Fulltext Mitigating the shadow economy through financial sector development in Indonesia: some empirical results
    Safuan S, Habibullah MS, Sugandi EA
    Heliyon, 2021 Dec;7(12):e08633.
    PMID: 34988322 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08633
    We examine the relationship between financial sector development and the shadow economy in Indonesia from 1980 to 2020. We estimate the size of Indonesia's shadow economy using the "Modified Cash to Deposits Ratio" approach. We then construct a long-term model using the size of Indonesia's shadow economy as the dependent variable. We set financial sector development as the main independent variable in our model. We use per capita real gross domestic product, the misery index, and foreign direct investment as control variables in our model. We find that financial sector development and the size of Indonesia's shadow economy have a nonlinear relationship that shows an inverted U-shape curve. The size of the shadow economy expands at the early stages of financial sector development to a turning point and decreases when financial sector development increases further. We also find that foreign direct investment curtails Indonesia's shadow economy. Additionally, increases in income expand Indonesia's shadow economy while misery index shows ambiguous results. We suggest the Indonesian authorities widen access for micro, small, and medium firms to the credit markets and enhance existing programs to reduce poverty and narrow the income gap in the country. These efforts help to narrow the size of Indonesia's shadow economy.
  13. Fulltext Level of knowledge, skills and attitude of trainee teachers on Web 2.0 applications in teaching geography in Malaysia schools
    Leh FC, Anduroh A, Huda M
    Heliyon, 2021 Dec;7(12):e08568.
    PMID: 34977402 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08568
    This study aims to discuss the level of knowledge, skills and attitude of trainee teachers from the Geography and Environment Education Program in Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris on the use and effectiveness of Web 2.0 applications in the teaching and learning process of the Geography subject in Malaysia schools. This research applied purposive sampling by using a questionnaire as a primary data collection and distributed to the respondent by Google Form. 100 trainee teachers undergoing teaching training sessions in various schools in Malaysia were selected as the study sample and the data collection was carried out from April to June 2020. By using SPSS, descriptive analyses such as frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation were used to analyse and present the data. The findings of the study showed that the mean values for the level of knowledge (mean = 4.09), skills (mean = 3.69) and attitude (mean = 3.98) are high. We have proposed some recommendations to the Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris (UPSI) and Trainee Teachers of the Education Program to further reinforce the implementation of integrating Web 2.0 applications into the teaching and learning of geography. In implications, this study can guide trainee teachers and other stakeholders to consider the teaching strategies that are appropriate for the use of Web 2.0 applications in the classroom. The selection of a Web 2.0 application design that fits to the learning objectives can encourage the teaching and learning (T&L) process and subsequently helps in the improvement of students' academic achievement in the future.
  14. Fulltext Recent advances in Shrimp aquaculture wastewater management
    Iber BT, Kasan NA
    Heliyon, 2021 Nov;7(11):e08283.
    PMID: 34778576 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08283
    Aquaculture has been celebrated globally and believed to usher in a viable alternative to capture fisheries. It is most welcomed especially now that the world population explosion has pushed the demand on fisheries products to worrisome limits. Shrimp farming is an area of aquaculture that has witnessed significant growth in recent years, contributing substantially to the global aquaculture production. However, intensification of shrimp aquaculture has come with unintended consequences such as wastewater management and other problems emanating from environmental impact of the wastewater. This study identified excess feed and fertilizer application, metabolite wastes, shrimp mortalities, oil spillage from farm machines, drug and chemical abuse as some of the activities contributing to wastewater generation in shrimp aquaculture farming. The impact of shrimp effluent water discharged has been observed to be socio-economic with both positive and negative dimensions. In attempt to overcome the overwhelming problems associated with shrimp effluent water and bring reassurances to its sustainability, a good number of new technological approaches have been identified including caviation, high-rate algal pond system, use of nanomaterials, biofloc technology, nanoadsorbent and polymeric nanoadsorbents. Although all have been proven to be useful, none could boast of a complete and integrated approach that considers all the technological, legal, social, environmental, public health and institutional concerns.
  15. Fulltext Are job satisfaction and role breadth self-efficacy the links to proactive work behavior?
    Syamsudin N, Eliyana A, Nurdin N, Sudrajat A, Giyanto B, Emur AP, et al.
    Heliyon, 2022 Jan;8(1):e08710.
    PMID: 35036603 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08710
    This research is based on a phenomenon that occurs in State Detention Centers in Indonesia. It attempts to test the relation among proactive personality (PP), proactive work behavior (PWB), job satisfaction (JS) and role breadth self-efficacy (RBSE) variables. With a quantitative approach using AMOS, this study took data from 455 respondents from Detention Centers in Indonesia. The results show that PP, JS and RBSE have direct effect on PWB. Further findings will be discussed. The results are expected to increase the understanding of PWB and can be the basis for the human resource management team to decide better approach to build PWB in the organization and eventually implement appropriate policy.
  16. Fulltext Long-term power forecasting using FRNN and PCA models for calculating output parameters in solar photovoltaic generation
    Kazem HA, Yousif JH, Chaichan MT, Al-Waeli AHA, Sopian K
    Heliyon, 2022 Jan;8(1):e08803.
    PMID: 35128098 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08803
    This paper evaluated a 1.4 kW grid-connected photovoltaic system (GCPV) using two neural network models based on experimental data for one year. The novelty of this study is to propose and compare full recurrent neural network (FRNN), and principal component analysis (PCA) models based on entire year experimental data, considering limited research conducted to predict GCPV behaviour using the two methods. The system data was collected for 12 months secondly and hourly data with 50400 samples daily. The GCPV evaluates using specific yield, energy cost, capacity factor, payback period, current, voltage, power, and efficiency. The predicted GCPV current and power using FRNN and PCA were evaluated and compared with measured values to validate results. However, the results indicated that FRNN is better in simulating the experimental results curve compared with PCA. The measured and predicted data are compared and evaluated. It is found that the GCPV is suitable and promising for the study area in terms of technical and economic evaluation with a 3.24-4.82 kWh/kWp-day yield, 21.7% capacity factor, 0.045 USD/kWh cost of energy, and 11.17 years payback period.
  17. Fulltext Elderly's intention to use technologies: A systematic literature review
    Yap YY, Tan SH, Choon SW
    Heliyon, 2022 Jan;8(1):e08765.
    PMID: 35128090 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e08765
    The population aging and an increased life expectancy are widely recognized social changes. Technologies are believed to improve the elderly's daily lives and maintain their health efficiently. Despite the advantage of adopting technologies, the elderly are slower to adopt new technologies compared to younger adults. This paper presents a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) to identify the different antecedents prevailing in the literature on elderly technology adoption. The SLR classifies and analyzes 26 relevant articles on elderly's technology adoption. Our findings revealed that quantitative approach and cross-sectional studies predominate in this field, building fundamentally upon the technology-driven theories. We identify seven categories of antecedents influencing elderly's use of technology, namely, technology, psychological, social, personal, cost, behavior, and environment antecedents. A conceptual framework for elderly's technology adoption and recommendations were presented. Particular attention is given to the need for in depth study for the antecedents, development of new measurement scales and investigation on the effectiveness of the proposed benefits after technology adoption.
  18. Titanium addition influences antibacterial activity of bioactive glass coatings on metallic implants
    Rodriguez O, Stone W, Schemitsch EH, Zalzal P, Waldman S, Papini M, et al.
    Heliyon, 2017 Oct;3(10):e00420.
    PMID: 29034340 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00420
    In an attempt to combat the possibility of bacterial infection and insufficient bone growth around metallic, surgical implants, bioactive glasses may be employed as coatings. In this work, silica-based and borate-based glass series were synthesized for this purpose and subsequently characterized in terms of antibacterial behavior, solubility and cytotoxicity. Borate-based glasses were found to exhibit significantly superior antibacterial properties and increased solubility compared to their silica-based counterparts, with BRT0 and BRT3 (borate-based glasses with 0 and 15 mol% of titanium dioxide incorporated, respectively) outperforming the remainder of the glasses, both borate and silicate based, in these respects. Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy confirmed the release of zinc ions (Zn(2+)), which has been linked to the antibacterial abilities of glasses SRT0, BRT0 and BRT3, with inhibition effectively achieved at concentrations lower than 0.7 ppm. In vitro cytotoxicity studies using MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts confirmed that cell proliferation was affected by all glasses in this study, with decreased proliferation attributed to a faster release of sodium ions over calcium ions in both glass series, factor known to slow cell proliferation in vitro.
  19. Fulltext Dystrophin gene expression and intracellular calcium changes in the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii, in response to white spot symptom disease infection
    Noor AF, Soo TCC, Ghani FM, Goh ZH, Khoo LT, Bhassu S
    Heliyon, 2017 Dec;3(12):e00446.
    PMID: 29322096 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2017.e00446
    Background: Dystrophin, an essential protein functional in the maintenance of muscle structural integrity is known to be responsible for muscle deterioration during white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection among prawn species. Previous studies have shown the upregulation of dystrophin protein in Macrobrachium rosenbergii (the giant freshwater prawn) upon white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection. The literature has also suggested the important role of calcium ion alterations in causing such muscle diseases. Thus, the interest of this study lies within the linkage between dystrophin functioning, intracellular calcium and white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) infection condition.

    Methods: In this study, the dystrophin gene from M. rosenbergii (MrDys) was first characterised followed by the characterization of dystrophin gene from a closely related shrimp species, Penaeus monodon (PmDys). Dystrophin sequences from different phyla were then used for evolutionary comparison through BLAST analysis, conserved domain analysis and phylogenetic analysis. The changes in mRNA expression levels of dystrophin and the alteration of intracellular calcium concentrations in WSSV infected muscle cells were then studied.

    Results: A 1246 base pair long dystrophin sequence was identified in the giant freshwater prawn, Macrobrachium rosenbergii (MrDys) followed by 1082 base pair long dystrophin sequence in P. monodon (PmDys). Four conserved domains were identified from the thirteen dystrophin sequences compared which were classified into 5 different phyla. From the phylogenetic analysis, aside from PmDys, the characterised MrDys was shown to be most similar to the invertebrate phylum of Nematoda. In addition, an initial down-regulation of dystrophin gene expression followed by eventual up-regulation, together with an increase in intracellular calcium concentration [Ca2+]
    i
    were shown upon WSSV experimental infection.

    Discussion: Both the functionality of the dystrophin protein and the intracellular calcium concentration were affected by WSSV infection which resulted in progressive muscle degeneration. An increased understanding of the role of dystrophin-calcium in MrDys and the interactions between these two components is necessary to prevent or reduce occurrences of muscle degeneration caused by WSSV infection, thereby reducing economic losses in the prawn farming industry from such disease.

  20. Fulltext Evaluation of Gigantochloa scortechinii and soil interaction in three study sites in Malaysia
    Mohamed J, Abdul-Hamid H, Mohamed E, Mohamad-Ismail FN, Abiri R, Jalil AM, et al.
    Heliyon, 2022 Dec;8(12):e12206.
    PMID: 36536908 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12206
    Understanding the productivity and physiological status of an organ (rhizome) function can lead into a sustainable production of sympodial bamboo. Nutrient elements and ash content (AC) are among the indicators to indicate the productivity and physiological status of an individual bamboo organ. The present study aimed to (a) determine the concentration of macronutrient elements of Gigantochloa scortechinii's rhizomes at four different ages collected at three study sites, and (b) investigate their relationship with AC. The destructive sampling was conducted on a set of four consecutive rhizomes using the selective random sampling method. Middle rhizome wall portion was used to determine the macronutrient elements and AC. All primary and secondary macronutrients were found to be different (p ≤ 0.01) at different study sites, except for the magnesium (Mg). The changes in nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), and Mg from new sprout to mature rhizome showed a strongly positive relationship with AC. Thus, the N, P, K, Ca, and Mg concentrations decreased with rhizome age, resulting in a decrease in AC. The present study suggests that the suitable harvesting of individual bamboo culm and rhizome is at mature and older age while the remaining younger age bamboo is kept being grown so that the bamboo production is sustainable in terms of the physiological functions.
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