bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Molecular detection of rice tungro bacilliform virus (RTBV) on weed host in South Sulawesi
Authors: Rosida N , Senoaji W , Ibrahim E , Kuswinanti T
Published: May 2023

Rice tungro bacilliform Virus (RTBV) is one of the viruses that cause tungro disease in rice plants causing leaf yellow and plant stunting. Some weed species have also been described as potential hosts for RTBV in addition to rice. However, RTBV cannot be diagnosed in weeds only by looking at their morphological symptoms because weeds infected with RTBV do not show typical symptoms. Hence this research was conducted to detect the presence of RTBV molecularly on several weed hosts in rice fields in South Sulawesi. The polymerase Chain Reaction technique with coat protein gene-specific primers was used to detect RTBV. A total of 29 leaf samples consisting of 12 weed species collected from Sidrap, Pinrang, Maros, and Gowa were then extracted genomic DNA from the leaf samples for PCR analysis. The results of PCR analysis showed that weed samples that tested positive for RTBV were Panicum repens (Lawawoi/Sidrap), Echinochloa crusgalli (Lawawoi/Sidrap), Cyperus difformis (Lanrang/Sidrap), Echinochloa crusgalli (Palangga/Gowa), Fimbristilys miliacea (Lanrang/Sidrap), and Eleusine indica (Lawawoi/Sidrap) which were indicated by the presence of RTBV virus DNA fragments with 430 bp in length in all these weeds. Weeds infected by RTBV formed 2 clusters. The first cluster consisted of RTBV in P.repens and E.crusgalli from Lawawoi/Sidrap, RTBV in C.difformis and F.miliacea from Lanrang/Sidrap, and RTBV in E.indica from Palangga/Gowa. At the same time, the second cluster consisted of RTBV in E.indica from Lawawoi/Sidrap.
Morphological, characterization and FTIR analysis of delignified pineapple leaves as raw material for cellulose production
Authors: Sumiati T , Suryadi H , Harmita  , Sutriyo
Published: May 2023

Lignocellulose is an abundant natural polysaccharide component containing cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Pineapple leaves contain high levels of cellulose and their utilization as abundant plantation waste is still not optimal. The delignification process was carried out to isolate cellulose and remove lignin contained in pineapple leaf fibers. This study aims to obtain high purity cellulose and analyze the effect of delignification on morphology and FT-IR results. In this study, the pineapple leaf fiber used underwent a delignification process by adding a Deep Euteutic Solvent (DES) solvent consisting of a mixture of Choline chloride (ChCl): formic acid (1:2). The cellulose obtained was characterized by morphology and analyzed using FT-IR. FTIR pineapple leaf fiber with delignification treatment still contained lignin in the absorption area around 1600cm−1 with C=C aromatic group as shown from the peak on the FTIR graph, fiber and it was clarified in the morphology of pineapple leaves which showed that the fiber surface was smoother and looked less lignin. In this study it can be concluded that the delignification process that has been carried out can remove lignin from the material.
Development of microalgae and agrobost mutualism symbiotic technology in the aerobic treatment of sago refinery wastewater
Authors: Zalfiatri Y , Restuhadi F , Pramana A , Rossi Evy , Rahmayuni  , Johanes D
Published: May 2023

Sago wastewater is 94% of the water produced from the sago processing that could pollute the environment. One of the biological treatments to solve this problem is the use of mutualism symbiotic between the microalgae Chlorella sp. and agrobost with the addition of 5.000 lux constant light. The purpose of this research was to develop symbiotic technology for microalgae and aerobic bacteria in the decomposition of liquid sago waste, in particular for optimizing the photosynthesis process. Furthermore, the reduction of BOD, COD, and organic content could be fast and effective. The research applied a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with five treatments and three replications. The treatments were addition of 800 ml/l (7.595 log cell/ml) as much to sago waste at variation of concentrations (0% v/v,1% v/v, 2%v/v, 3% v/v, 4%v/v). Data were statistically analyzed using the Analysis of Variance, followed by Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at the level of 5%. The result showed that the addition of agrobost microorganisms significantly affected BOD, COD, DO, and pH of sago wastewater. The treatment selected from the results of this study was the P4 treatment with the highest reduction on day 7 with a BOD value of 116.06 mg/l, COD 200.90 mg/l, DO 6.62 mg/l, and pH 8.90.
The effect of functional bacterial consortium on nutrient content of liquid organic
Authors: Sondang Y , Muflihayati  , Anty K , Siregar R
Published: May 2023

Bacterial compatibility testing is very important to determine which bacteria will be consorted as bio activators when making liquid organic fertilizer. Bacteria that are inoculated into the manufacture of liquid organic fertilizers must have a cooperative and synergistic relationship with fellow bacteria to be efficient in their role as bio activators. To obtain this potential, a compatibility test against bacterial isolates needs to be carried out so that liquid organic fertilizers will be made efficient and effective. The research purposes are to obtain the compatible properties of functional bacterial isolates and their impact on liquid organic fertilizer’s nutritional content. The study was carried out at the Plant Protection Laboratory and Greenhouse of the Payakumbuh State Agricultural Polytechnic, West Sumatra from July to September 2022. The research method began with the rejuvenation of the dry bacterial isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus cereus, and Bacillus thuringiensis. Followed by the compatibility test using the double culturing method, a total of 20 treatments with three replications. The bacterial consortium is inoculated into the manufacture of fertilizer. The results of the compatibility test against P. aeruginosa and genera of Bacillus showed all treatments were compatible which was indicated by the absence of a halo inhibition zone with a compatibility index value between 0.67-1 and could be combined in a consortium as a bio activator. The best P2O5, K2O, and Ca nutrient content is found in the formula of fertilizer with bone meal additives.
Evaluation of potential total carbon stock under various agroforestry types in Senaru Forest Area-North Lombok, Indonesia
Authors: Sukartono  , Arifin A B , Lolita E S , Karina P S , Sutriono  , Fahrudin
Published: May 2023

The different agroforestry management can perform different potentials for carbon sequestration. The study aimed to estimate the potential of carbon stocks in various types of agroforestry in the last 20 years in Senaru area, the sub district of Bayan, Northern Lombok. The study was conducted from June to August 2022. Different types of agroforestry managed on entisols include mahogany based agroforestry(Swietenia mahagoni), Cacao-based agroforestry (Theobroma cacao), Coffee-based agroforestry(Robusta Coffee), Sengon based- agroforestry(Albizia chinensis), and Porang-based agroforestry(Amorphophallus muelleri). Samples for measuring above ground biomass at each agroforestry were carried out on plot area of 20 m x 20 m. Samples for soil organic carbon (SOC) was carried out by collecting 4 composite soil samples at each type of agroforestry at soil depth of 0-5 cm and 5-10 cm. In addition to the soil organic-C, measurements were also made on soil bulk density, total porosity, and soil texture. The results of the study showed that the total carbon stocks varied under different types of agroforestry. Mahogany based agroforestry produced the highest total carbon stocks, 440.64 ton.ha−1, and subsequently, it was followed by sengon-based agroforestry, coffee, cocoa and porang with values of 371.54 ton ha−1, 305.33 ton ha−1, 166.15 ton ha−1and 153.93 ton ha−1respectively. Thus, to support sustainable agroforestry management in this area, it is important to consider the timber tree stands that potentially produce high biomass as well as the need to improve the diversity of high biomass vegetation in areas with low vegetation density.
Establishing criteria for smart retrofitting decision-making for buildings
Authors: Peiris Sanduni , Lai Joseph , M Kumaraswamy Mohan
Published: May 2023

Buildings are among the largest sources of carbon emissions, so their owners have been compelled to set stringent sustainability goals in response to the global call for carbon neutrality. Consequently, facility managers are pressed to make their buildings smarter through adopting greater value-for-money sustainability solutions. Besides the implementation of traditional energy-saving measures, retrofitting buildings with smart building (SB) features, known as ‘smart retrofitting’ (SR), has become a growing trend. However, there is still no known set of appropriate criteria for making decisions on SR. To fill this void, a study was undertaken, where a four-tier hierarchical framework of SR decision-making criteria has been established after a thorough literature search on the Web of Science database followed by an in-depth qualitative review and a focus group discussion. A total of 32 criteria were identified, which fall into five categories: (1) Financial; (2) Technical; (3) Human; (4) Environmental; and (5) Legal, safety, and security. A key finding is that it is not merely the post-retrofit performance but also the retrofitting process itself that plays an important part in SR decision-making. The identified criteria demonstrate that ‘smartness’ encompasses not only ‘energy efficiency’ but also a vast array of other technical and social factors. The broad scope portrayed by the criteria, which needs to be considered holistically, provides guidance to facility managers in making SR decisions. Future works for refining the SR decision-making framework are also outlined.
Towards BIM-based Maintenance of Elevator Systems: A Process-based Approach for Information Requirement Definition
Authors: Benn M , Stoy C
Published: May 2023

Building information modelling (BIM) plays a pivotal role in the construction industry’s digital transformation. Effective implementations of BIM-based processes during building operations, however, remain limited. One reason for this is a lack of guidelines or templates for the early definition of information requirements for BIM-based processes. The present study proposes a process-based approach for the definition of information requirements for the BIM-based maintenance of elevator systems to address this research gap. The methodology applied for this study involves literature research, literature analysis and an expert interview. As a result, a total of 14 process steps were developed to derive 37 information requirements, leading to the following observations: (1) most of the derived information requirements are static asset data; (2) the derived information requirements are neither specific to an industry nor building context; (3) a considerable proportion of the derived information requirement coincides with asset information. The results contribute to the body of knowledge by proposing and elaborating an approach to independently define information requirements for BIM-based processes in building operations in general and by providing the first iteration for the BIM-based maintenance of elevator systems in detail. Three further research directions are proposed based on the study results: (1) further analyses to define which information should be handed over in a BIM; (2) the development of generalized, industry-independent information requirements for basic information requirements; (3) the development and application of exchange information requirements (EIR) based on the study results.
Digital Transitions for Future Building Scenarios
Authors: Ghalandar T , Lindkvist C
Published: May 2023

The goal of this review is to study the future of the built environment and facility management. This is important work due to the changing dynamics of projects in the AEC/FM industry in relation to current digitalization concepts and technological interventions associated with Industry 4.0, the fourth industrial revolution. This technocentric change of dynamics is not radical by nature but evolutionary, defining new processes and data flows in projects for which the potential for FM and its future is not defined. This is a gap throughout the project lifecycle from early planning and design to construction, use, and FM. The research question is how the evolution of digital technologies in the built environment and facility management is understood within a future perspective. A literature review is conducted using relevant keywords such as Future of FM, Digital Transitions, BIM, Digital Twins, and IoT for FM. The theoretical lens falls within organizational learning to develop a holistic view of the FM subject in identifying the relationship between current and future innovation. It is expected that technological innovation evolves in a manner that benefits the interoperability of people, processes, and machines along with predictive measures and scenarios for the digital future of the industry. The practical implications of such a study could inform gradual change in the integration and evolution of digital technologies in project organizations.
Analyzing Water Use Embodied in the Initial Construction and Life Cycle Management of Healthcare Facilities
Authors: Dixit M K , Pradeep Kumar P
Published: May 2023

Most research on the environmental sustainability of buildings often centers on reducing energy use and may overlook an equally crucial aspect of freshwater use. Buildings consume 1/5th of global fresh water in their construction as embodied water (EW) that must be reduced for long-term sustainability. Like embodied energy (EE), the EW of a facility is composed of a direct component used in construction processes and an indirect component that includes water used in manufacturing construction materials. An equally important component rarely covered in EW calculations is the energy-related embodied water (EREW), which comes from different energy sources that are consumed as EE, each of which depletes a significant amount of water in its generation, refinement, and transmission/transportation. This paper presents a macroeconomic model to compute and analyze not only the direct and indirect EW but also EREW of healthcare facilities. A wide variation is observed in calculated EW values associated with facilities’ initial construction (1,010-38,750 gallons/m²) and life cycle management (1,335-51,250 gallons/m²). The findings further show that EREW may represent 7.7% and 6% (average 6.7%) of the total EW of healthcare facilities relating to their initial construction and facilities management, respectively, including interior and exterior maintenance, repairs, and replacement activities. The significance of these findings is twofold. First, it shows that reducing EE may not help decrease most EW of a facility, and additional measures must be applied to decrease water use holistically. Second, it highlights the urgency of decreasing the water footprint of both renewable and non-renewable energy sources.
ISO 19650.3 and the digitisation of operations in strata-titled residential apartment developments
Authors: Tanfield K. , Heywood C , Warren-Myers G , Kalantari M , Shojaei D.
Published: May 2023

The purpose of this paper is to identify shortcomings of the application of ISO 19650.3: Organisation and digitisation of information about buildings and civil engineering works including building information modelling (BIM) Information management using building information modelling Part 3: Operational phase of the assets during the design, documentation, and construction of strata-titled residential developments. The problem is that the original owner/clients of these speculative developments have little interest in the long-term management or operations of these buildings. As a result, these owners are not motivated to ensure that the information required for the development of an asset information model (AIM) is defined, identified, and provided to the future owners of these buildings. This paper compares traditionally accepted development models of most commercial, industrial, and institutional projects to that of apartments sold ‘off-plan’ during construction, using a content analysis of ISO 19650.3 as the theoretical lens. The theoretical application of ISO 19650 to strata-titled residential development identified challenges to the processes identified in this standard. This research made it clear that ISO 19650.3 cannot be applied to speculative development in its current form and that modifications are required if the digitisation of operations of speculative residential development is to be realized.
A co-creative method for mapping and improving energy use and management in non-residential buildings
Authors: Verhulst E , Pettersen I N , Junghans A , Berker T
Published: May 2023

The built environment has a significant role to play to support a transition towards sustainability. A critical point is the energy use and management of non-residential buildings, where the operational phase has been identified as the largest contributor to energy use over a building’s lifecycle. To achieve performance in line with ambitions, there is a strong need to address interactions between architecture, technology and the people who use and maintain non-residential buildings, and to foster collaboration between different stakeholders. This article introduces a co-creative method that offers the opportunity to gather insights on how energy management and use happen on a day-to-day basis in the building, as experienced by the different stakeholder groups. The main goals of the presented method are to gather insights into the perspectives of different stakeholder groups on a systemic level and to offer innovative ways to search for opportunities to improve the energy performance of the building. Stakeholders include users or tenants, building operators, facility managers, and building owners. The article presents the method, examples from user-testing in Norwegian school and office buildings and reflects on how co-creation principles can add value to improving energy use and management in non-residential buildings.
Choosing by Advantages Application Areas in Facilities Management: A Literature Review
Authors: Besiktepe Deniz , Ozbek Mehmet E , Atadero Rebecca A
Published: May 2023

Choosing by Advantages (CBA) is a new generation decision-making method utilized mainly in lean construction, sustainable design, methods and materials selections for the last two decades. The value-based approach of CBA considers cost as a constraint and uses the advantages of the decision alternatives for preference, choice, and ranking. This approach can benefit facilities management (FM) processes that are challenged with cost and budget dominance in decision-making. This study conducted a comprehensive literature review about CBA revealing the benefits of and areas for improvement in the method while also investigating the possible application areas of CBA in FM practices. The review covered 67 relevant studies in the CBA topic area over the last two decades and identified the research clusters of these articles, focusing on studies that utilized CBA beyond the scope of Lean Construction. Moreover, the review revealed areas for improvement of CBA, such as the lack of structure in the Importance of Advance (IoA) scale, minimizing bias in stakeholder consensus, and considering weights and/or prioritization in decision factors. In addition to increasing awareness of the CBA method, this study identified areas where CBA has the potential to benefit; building maintenance decision-making, capital project planning, prioritization, procurement, buy vs. lease analysis, lease type and site selection, and resource and personnel allocation in FM practices.
How corporate real estate and facility managers perceive the benefits of different sustainability interventions
Authors: Robberegt T , Appel-Meulenbroek R , Arentze T , Caiati V
Published: May 2023

Climate change is pushing governments to implement sustainability regulations for the real estate sector. Together with the increased client demand to accommodate more sustainable buildings, corporate real estate (CRE) and facility managers are challenged to upgrade the offices that they use with more sustainable interventions. There are many different sustainability measures they could consider as potential interventions, which most likely would each deliver different types of benefits; both from the viewpoint of sustainability as regarding other important organizational outcomes that are influenced by them. This study first identified a list of potential sustainability-oriented interventions and potential benefits from a systematic literature review. Next, CRE/Facility managers were questioned on which interventions they are (considering) implementing and what short- or long-term benefits they are expecting to come out of them. This questioning was done through semi-structured interviews based on the laddering approach. Findings identified 33 potential measures, especially regarding services, skin, and the site. These were related to 18 different expected benefits. The economic, environmental, and social benefits were very diverse and there is no real consensus yet on their exact relationship with sustainable measures. The insights add to the gap in research on sustainability measures taken by CRE/Facility managers. In addition, they give other CRE/Facility managers in practice insight in current experiences and perceived benefits of interventions by their colleagues, to inspire and support their own decision making.
Considering Covid-19 Treatments as Applied to Facility Seating: Developing a Methodology to Examine Adverse Surface Color Effects
Authors: Hebert P R , Petrova A
Published: May 2023

During Covid-19, a facility management researcher/instructor team examined potential effects of various disinfectant treatments on the surface appearance of furniture currently located in their academic facility. Treatments (i.e., bleach wipes, alcohol wipes, disinfectant sprays and UltraViolet wands) are used by students, staff, faculty, visitors, facility managers and custodians in an effort to reduce spread of Corona. Further, EMist© with Vital Oxide treatments were regularly applied by University-contracted facility maintenance staff during study period. While procedures exist for measuring color change regarding light exposure and changes due to abrasion, no current published methods were found regarding surface color before and after Covid-19 intervention treatments. Researchers/instructors anticipate findings from study would inform facility management and other courses. They anticipate results would allow generalizability to hospitality and healthcare. Changes in surface color of upholstered furniture in facilities may be extremely negative regarding interior aesthetics, corporate image, and replacement costs. Therefore, it was determined there was a great need to study the effects of treatments and inform facility stakeholders. Researchers posited that Covid-19 intervention treatments may alter surface color of upholstered furniture over time. The purpose of the study was to develop methodology to examine color degradation that may be caused by agents used in common disinfecting practices. Three seating pieces (drafting chair, drafting stool, classroom chair) made of different materials were studied. Five treatments were applied to each furniture piece at regular intervals over an 8-week period. Researchers measured color before and after treatments. The procedures were photo-documented and videotaped to capture treatments in-process and to support future educational presentations. Preliminary findings revealed limited variability in color changes. Future research should consider other seating and room-finish materials, disinfectants and treatments, facility types, and timeframes.
Green spaces in housing development – buyers’ preferences
Authors: Zalejska-Jonsson A , Wilkinson S , Wahlund R , Cunningham R
Published: May 2023

Globally, extreme weather events are occurring more often, with increased intensity due to anthropogenic climate change. For example, in July 2022, monthly average temperature in Spain was 2.7 C above average, and UK has recorded temperatures above 40 degrees for the first time. It has been proven that implementation of green spaces in cities helps to address environmental, social, and even economic problems by providing ecological services, reducing temperature, and attenuating the heat island effect, providing aesthetic enjoyment, recreational opportunities and decreased stress levels. However, green infrastructure is rarely prioritised by developers. It has been argued that, due to space constraints, green infrastructures are an inefficient land use, costly to maintain, and that there is uncertainty if green infrastructures are valued by the market. This paper reports on results from a study examining the attractiveness and the effect of green spaces on housing market customer’ perceptions. To analyse the impact of green spaces, we worked with landscape architects and residential housing developers designing a multi apartment building with a courtyard. The courtyard area was designed accordance to The Green Area Factor resulting in five courtyard designs, each with a different level of greenery. All five designs were presented in dynamic virtual views and embedded in a survey questionnaire. Maintenance costs of all five green spaces were calculated. The findings shows that greenery does effect the perceived attractiveness of residential development. Maintenance costs for the courtyards, with lowest and highest level of greenery, differ by approximately 10 percent of the total maintenance costs. These findings are applicable in the context of new housing construction and renovation projects.
Mapping of construction materials reuse practices within large Norwegian municipalities
Authors: Kummen T M , Bohne R A , Lohne J
Published: May 2023

An increase in the reuse of building materials is identified as crucial to fulfil the UN Sustainable Development Goals within the built environment. The ambition of this paper is to examine systems for reuse in five of Norway’s largest municipalities, to understand the barriers and drivers for their well-functioning. Through a literature review, Norwegian praxis is then compared to best practices internationally. The methodological approach was based on a two-stage process. First, a preliminary round of informal interviews (N=28), and site visits to the sites were scrutinized. This first round gave the basis for the research design of the consecutive stage. Here, a scoping literature review was carried out to map the existing literature within the field. In the second stage, in-depth interviews of key actors (N=8) were carried out, along with renewed site visits. Document studies were carried out in the second round (contracts, site descriptions, and project descriptions). Norwegian praxis within the field of reuse lags behind best practices internationally. This is particularly true when compared to other northern-European countries. The main barriers to effective reuse within Norwegian municipalities are time, costs, lack of logistics, and requirements relating to materials, construction products and building design. Of particular importance is the lack of a system for reusing when existing buildings are terminated. If reuse is to gain adherence, there is a need for an improved understanding of how to systemise the logistics of reuse. It is therefore needed to increase theoretical knowledge and initiate change among practitioners.
Addressing sustainability: setting and governing sustainability goals and targets
Authors: Ademi B , Klungseth N J
Published: May 2023

Businesses in all kinds of industries, including facility management (FM), are increasingly integrating sustainability into their practices. The integration of sustainability practices involves expanding beyond economic targets to include environmental and social ones. However, this process is challenging for businesses and has not been fully explained by existing research. Consequently, this paper investigates how organizations set and govern their sustainability ambitions and targets. Specifically, this research focuses on identifying relevant goals and targets, selecting and integrating the goals and targets into business operations, and tracking the progress toward them. A case study approach was employed to achieve the paper’s intended purpose, and a multinational company from the service industry was analyzed. Ten interviews were conducted, and more than 50 pages of archival data were collected. The results of this study elaborate on the setting of sustainability ambitions and targets and provide a roadmap for this process. The proposed roadmap includes defining sustainability, materiality analysis, goals and targets, and sustainability governance as crucial stages. This study’s practical contributions include the process roadmap, which can facilitate organizations’ journeys toward reasonable sustainability goals and targets. This outcome benefits all kinds of organizations, including those operating in the built environment and the FM domain.
Improving organisational resilience: the TURNkey project
Authors: Jones K G , Mulder F , Morga M , Wanigarathna N
Published: May 2023

Facilities managers have a key role to play in improving organisational resilience to disaster events. However, there is currently limited support available to help them understand and systematically manage related issues. At the strategic level, they need to understand the physical, operational, and organisational risks associated with individual and cascading events. At the operational level, they need to develop mitigation interventions to reduce and manage these risks. This paper discusses results from the TURNkey project, which developed a forecasting, early warning and consequence response platform to assist decision-makers prepare for, respond to and recover from a potential earthquake event. It looks at this disaster management platform through the lens of business, outlining the opportunities and challenges facilities managers face when using it to manage organisational resilience. First, the paper presents an overview of the TURNkey platform and describes a series of end-user use cases that were developed to identify the key business issues the platform needed to address. The paper then reports the results of a hypothetical case study undertaken as part of a regional earthquake simulation to show how the outputs from the TURNkey FWCR platform can be integrated into existing resilience plans. The paper concludes by highlighting outstanding integration issues and the role that facilities managers can play in helping resolve them. Although the paper draws on evidence from earthquake disasters, its findings and conclusions are generic, and applicable to any disaster event.
Effect of gas flow on the nanoparticles transport in dusty acetylene plasmas
Authors: LIU Xiangmei , LIU Wenjing , ZHANG Xi , DONG Xiaotian , ZHAO Shuxia
Published: May 2023

This article presents simulation results on the effects of neutral gas flow for nanoparticle transport in atmospheric-pressure, radio-frequency, capacitively-coupled, and acetylene discharge. The acetylene gas is set to flow into the chamber from the upper showerhead electrode. The internal energy of the gas medium therein is transferred into kinetic energy so the gas advection can be triggered. This is represented by the pressure volume work term of the gas energy converse equation. The gas advection leads to the gas temperature sink at the gas inlet, hence a large gas temperature gradient is formed. The thermophoresis relies on the gas temperature gradient, and causes the profile of nanoparticle density to vary from a double-peak structure to a single-peak one. The gas advection influences the properties of electron density and temperature as well and causes the drift-ambipolar mode profile of electron density asymmetric. In the bulk region, i.e. away from the inlet, the gas advection is more like one isovolumetric compression, which slightly increases the temperature of the gas medium at consuming its kinetic energy.
Production of d-aldotetrose from l-erythrulose using various isomerases
Authors: Tomino Shunsuke , Yoshihara Akihide , Fleet George W J , Izumori Ken
Published: May 2023

d-Aldotetroses are rare sugars that are obtained via chemical synthesis in low yield. In this study, we demonstrated that d-aldotetroses could be produced using 3 isomerases. First, l-erythrulose was epimerized using d-tagatose 3-epimerase from Pseudomonas cichorii ST-24. The specific optical rotation of the reaction solution gradually decreased to zero, indicating that approximately 50% of the l-erythrulose was converted to d-erythrulose. d, l-Erythrulose mixture was isomerized with d-arabinose isomerase from Klebsiella pneumoniae 40bXX to produce d-threose, resulting in a conversion rate of 9.35%. d-Erythrose production using l-rhamnose isomerase from Pseudomonas stutzeri LL172 resulted in a conversion rate of 12.9%. Because of the low purity of the purchased d-erythrose, the product was reduced by the Raney nickel catalyst compared with authentic erythritol. We confirmed the products using HPLC and 13C-NMR spectra. This is the first report of d-aldotetrose production using an enzymatic reaction.
Rethinking ‘Caucasian’: a push toward more equitable language in dermatology
Authors: Comstock Jeanette R , Akinshemoyin Vaughn Olushola L , Olugbade Idowu , Drolet Beth A
Published: May 2023

The word ‘Caucasian’ is a commonly used adjective intended to describe a person with lightly pigmented skin. The term is not only an inaccurate descriptor for the majority of white people, but also has racist origins based on Johann Blumenbach’s racial hierarchy, which placed Caucasians at the top. We aim to educate our specialty about the history of the word ‘Caucasian’ and to empower dermatologists to choose accurate descriptors that are not steeped in racist historical origins.
BJS-04 THE USE OF A VISCERAL PROTECTIVE LAYER PREVENTS FISTULA DEVELOPMENT IN OPEN ABDOMEN THERAPY – RESULTS FROM THE EHS OPEN ABDOMEN REGISTRY
Authors: Schaaf S , Schwab R , Wöhler A , Muysoms F , Lock J , Sörelius K , Rene F , Tobias K , Berrevoet F , Stavrou G , Von Websky M , Tartaglia D , Bulian D , Willms A G
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Enteroatmospheric fistula (EAF) development is a severe complication of open abdomen therapy (OAT), thus this study yields to evaluate the protective effect of a visceral protective layer (VPL) based on registry data.

Material and Methods

All cases from the EHS Open Abdomen Registry since its establishment on May 1st, 2015, and Dec 4th, 2022, were enrolled in this study. Descriptive and comparative statistics were conducted before and after propensity score matching to reduce confounding effects. In addition, a logistic regression analysis has been used to reveal determining factors of EAF development.

Results

Overall 1,009 cases have been entered into the EHS Open Abdomen Registry. The main indications for OA were peritonitis (36.6%), burst abdomen/ACS (29.5%), and trauma (8.8%). The overall mortality rate was 27.9% (n=282). VPL was used in 561 cases (55.6%), negative-pressure wound therapy in 332 patients (31.9%), and fascial traction in 316 cases (31.3%). The OAT duration was 20.8±37.0 days. 71 fistulas (7.0%) were reported. The fistula rates differed significantly depending on the use of a VPL (noVPL 16.2% vs. VPL 6.1%, p=.00, matched). The effect of VPL on EAF yielded an OR of 0.36 (CI:0.21–0.60, p=.000) in the overall population. That effect remained in the matched collective with an OR of 0.34 (CI: 0.17–0.68, p=.002), which yielded a 66% relative risk reduction.

Conclusion

The use of VPL in OAT showed a significantly reduced incidence of EAF. In order to reduce morbidity and mortality associated with the open abdomen procedure, its application is therefore considered mandatory.
OC-028 USING THE VACUUM ASSISTED “FRENCH FRY” TECHNIQUE (FFT) FOR WOUND CLOSURE IN CONTAMINATED OPEN ABDOMINAL WALL RECONSTRUCTION (AWR)
Authors: Wilson H , Tawkaliyar R , Rose M , Polcz M , Ku D , Scarola G , Colavita P , Heniford B T
Published: May 2023

Introduction

In some settings, it is not appropriate to close wounds primarily, such as when patients are felt to be at high risk for wound infection. FFT is a useful method of wound closure in these patients following open AWR.

Methods

A consecutive series of patients were closed with FFT following AWR from 2019–2022. The FFT includes cutting a vacuum-assisted closure (VAC) sponge into 1×1×8cm segments that are partially placed through an otherwise closed wound. A skin VAC is placed over the wound and external portion of the FFs. Patient characteristics, operative details, and postoperative outcomes were collected. Standard descriptive statistics were reported.

Results

Wound closure was performed with FFT in 15 patients. Patients were 63.8±13.1 years old, mean BMI was 31.1±6.5 kg/m2, and there was history of tobacco use in 40.0% of patients, diabetes in 46.7%, and prior failed hernia repair in 11(73.3%). Almost all had CDC wound class of 3 or 4(13, 86.7%) wounds, and hernia defect size was 144[8, 310]cm2. Biologic mesh was placed in 9(60.0%), and no mesh was used in 6(40.0%). Wound complication risk based on the CeDAR risk score was 59.5±15.1%. There were 2(13.3%) 30-day readmissions, including 1(6.7%) for a wound infection that was reopened at the bedside. There were no other wound complications.

Conclusions

FFT is an alternative method of wound closure for significantly at-risk wounds in patients undergoing AWR. The present study describes FFT use in high-risk, complex patients with only 1 of 15 patients having a postoperative wound complication.
OC-080 A NOVEL SURGICAL APPROACH, THE DOUBLE TRACT RECONSTRUCTION IN TREATING FAILED RE-DO FUNDOPLICATION
Authors: Haso A , Hashim D , Meyer F , García-Ureña M A , Albayrak N
Published: May 2023

Aim

Recurrence of hiatal hernia may occur in up to 70% of patients. Failure is defined subjectively as recurrence of symptoms and objectively by imaging or pH studies, which can diagnose recurrent hiatal hernia, wrap disruption, and/or reflux disease. Approximately 25% of patients need partial or subtotal esophagectomy - mainly secondarily to scar formation and ﬁbrosis at the hiatus site. Our aim is to report the early results of a novel double tract reconstruction in treating failed re-do fundoplication

Materials and methods

Retrospective review of prospectively collected data on patients who had undergone salvage operation of failed re-do fundoplication related to demographics, operative details, surgical and clinical outcomes as well as patient satisfaction.

Results

Conclusion

Double tract reconstruction appears a suitable option in treating symptomatic recurrently failed hiatal hernia repair especially after the second or third recurrence with disruption of the anatomy and scarring of gastroesophageal junction.
P-053 LAPAROSCOPIC APPROACH WITH EXTRAPERITONEAL PREFERENCE AS A STANDARD INDICATION FOR PATIENTS WITH INGUINAL HERNIA. OUR FIRST RESULTS
Authors: Silva Cano D W , López-Negrete Cueto E , Rodicio Miravalles J L , Carrasco Aguilera B , Moreno Gijón M , Rodríguez Uria R , Sanz Navarro S , Sanz Álvarez L , Granero Trancón J E
Published: May 2023

Aim

Laparoscopic inguinal repair originated in the early 80's, but despite the time elapsed its use is not generalized, although more groups are adopting it as the technique of choice. With this wordk we seek to analyze our results after generalizing the laparoscopic approach.

Material & Methods

Descriptive and retrospective study of patients electively operated by Totally Extraperitoneal (TEP) or Transabdominal Preperitoneal (TAPP) repair, between January 2020 and December 2022, for primary or recurrent inguinal hernia.

Results

A total of 138 patients underwent surgery, 92.8% male, mean age 60.7 (SD 11.9) years. Of these, 113 had unilateral hernia and 25 bilateral. In 115 (83.3%) the hernia was primary. The mean operative duration was 61.3 (SD 24.3) minutes, and 2 complications (1 right inferior epigastric artery injury on postoperative day 10 and 1 intraoperative ligament bleeding). There were 3 TEP to TAPP conversions and 3 recurrrences (1 no surgery due to patient refusal, 1 repair by anterior approach and another reoperated by TAPP). At one month possoperatively, 87.7% reported no or mild pain, 113 patients being discharged. The average follow-up wa 83.1 (SD 129.2) days. When analyzing the specific approach, TEP was predominant: 110 (79.7%) with similar postoperative results of pain vs TAPP although with significantly shorter operative duration: 53.1 vs 68.9 minutes (p <0.001).

Conclusions

Inguinal laparoscopy in our setting is safe and effective in the short term for primary repair. Our results support laparoscopic repair with TEP as the first choice and TAPP as an alternative.
The most valuable player or the tombstone: is tau the correct target to treat Alzheimer’s disease?
Authors: Younes Kyan , Sha Sharon J
Published: May 2023

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Tilavonemab in early Alzheimer’s disease: results from a phase 2, randomized, double-blind study’ by Florian et al. (https://doi.org/10.1093/brain/awad024).
Pitted keratolysis
Authors: Palaniappan Vijayasankar , Murthy Aravind Baskar , Karthikeyan Kaliaperumal
Published: May 2023

Pitted keratolysis (PK) is a common superficial bacterial skin infection confined to the stratum corneum. It is clinically characterized by multifocal, discrete, pits or crater-like punched-out lesions, commonly over the pressure-bearing aspects of the foot. It is asymptomatic and associated with malodour. The surface is often moist and macerated. The diagnosis of PK is often clinical and diagnostic procedures are usually unnecessary. Lifestyle modifications form the cornerstone of the management of PK. It responds well to topical antimicrobials.
Hypermutator emergence in experimental Escherichia coli populations is stress-type dependent
Authors: Callens Martijn , Rose Caroline J , Finnegan Michael , Gatchitch François , Simon Léna , Hamet Jeanne , Pradier Léa , Dubois Marie-Pierre , Bedhomme Stéphanie
Published: May 2023

Genotypes exhibiting an increased mutation rate, called hypermutators, can propagate in microbial populations because they can have an advantage due to the higher supply of beneficial mutations needed for adaptation. Although this is a frequently observed phenomenon in natural and laboratory populations, little is known about the influence of parameters such as the degree of maladaptation, stress intensity, and the genetic architecture for adaptation on the emergence of hypermutators. To address this knowledge gap, we measured the emergence of hypermutators over ~1,000 generations in experimental Escherichia coli populations exposed to different levels of osmotic or antibiotic stress. Our stress types were chosen based on the assumption that the genetic architecture for adaptation differs between them. Indeed, we show that the size of the genetic basis for adaptation is larger for osmotic stress compared to antibiotic stress. During our experiment, we observed an increased emergence of hypermutators in populations exposed to osmotic stress but not in those exposed to antibiotic stress, indicating that hypermutator emergence rates are stress type dependent. These results support our hypothesis that hypermutator emergence is linked to the size of the genetic basis for adaptation. In addition, we identified other parameters that covaried with stress type (stress level and IS transposition rates) that might have contributed to an increased hypermutator provision and selection. Our results provide a first comparison of hypermutator emergence rates under varying stress conditions and point towards complex interactions of multiple stress-related factors on the evolution of mutation rates.
Mitomycin C-induced effects on aerobic methanotrophs in a landfill cover soil; implications of a viral shunt?
Authors: Heffner Tanja , Kaupper Thomas , Heinrichs Mara , Lee Hyo Jung , Rüppel Nadine , Horn Marcus A , Ho Adrian
Published: May 2023

A viral shunt can occur when phages going through a lytic cycle, including lysogenic phages triggered by inducing agents (e.g. mitomycin C), results in host lysis and the release of cell constituents and virions. The impact of a viral shunt on the carbon, including methane cycle in soil systems is poorly understood. Here, we determined the effects of mitomycin C on the aerobic methanotrophs in a landfill cover soil. To an extent, our results support a mitomycin C-induced viral shunt, as indicated by the significantly higher viral-like particle (VLP) counts relative to bacteria, elevated nutrient concentrations (ammonium, succinate), and initially impaired microbial activities (methane uptake and microbial respiration) after mitomycin C addition. The trend in microbial activities at <2 days largely corresponded to the expression of the pmoA and 16S rRNA genes. Thereafter (>11 days), the active bacterial community composition significantly diverged in the mitomycin C-supplemented incubations, suggesting the differential impact of mitomycin C on the bacterial community. Collectively, we provide insight on the effects of mitomycin C, and potentially a viral shunt, on the bacteria in the soil environment.
Prevalence of pleuromutilin antibiotic resistance genes in different laying hen breeding stages in China
Authors: Feng Jing-Yi , Su Wen , Feng Yu-Xuan , Lin Cong , Xie Xian-Jun , Wu Jie , Lai Shan-Ming , Zhang An-Yun
Published: May 2023

Antimicrobial resistance is a rapidly evolving and extremely complex issue, particularly due to the use of various types of antimicrobials within human, animal, and environmental sectors. Pleuromutilin antibiotics are used to prevent and control respiratory diseases in the rearing stage of hen chicks, but the current status of pleuromutilin resistance in the laying hen breeding process is unclear. ATP-binding cassette transporters encoded by lsa(A), lsa(E), lsa(C), and vga(D) can be transferred by plasmids and transposons, thereby posing a potential dissemination risk. To investigate pleuromutilin resistance genes in the laying hen production chain in China, 95 samples from five environmental types were collected in four breeding stages to determine the abundances of the main resistance genes by qPCR, i.e. lsa(A), lsa(E), lsa(C), and vga(D). The abundance (5.16 log10GC/g) and detection rate (100%) of lsa(E) was highest in all of the samples, thereby suggesting high contamination with the lsa(E) gene across the large-scale laying hen breeding environment and feces. The lsa(A) (6.02 log10GC/g) and lsa(E) (6.18 log10GC/g) genes were most abundant in flies, and the abundance of vga(D) (4.50 log10GC/g) was highest in dust (P < .05). In addition to feces, flies and dust were important sources of contamination with pleuromutilin resistance along the laying hen production chain. In summary, we determined the abundances of four pleuromutilin resistance genes in the laying hen production chain and provided direct evidence of pleuromutilin resistance transmission and environmental contamination. In particular, the chicken breeding stage needs further attention.