Alternative Sources Research Articles

Probiotics screening from selected Nigerian prebiotics: Alternative starter culture sources for yoghurt production

The rise of functional foods has expanded food production, offering not just essential nutrition but also potential health and longevity benefits. This study aimed to identify probiotics from common Nigerian fermented foods as potential starter cultures for yogurt production. Ten local fermented food were screened for suitable starter culture(probiotics) for yogurt production, including fresh milk from cow (CM), sheep (SM), and goat (GM), as well as pap made from maize, millet, sorghum, cassava products (garri, fufu, and lafun), and Kunuzaki. Probiotic isolates with desired characteristics underwent tests for tolerance to acidic pH and bile conditions; antioxidative properties. Test yogurt was produced using Lactobacillus (LAB) isolates and physicochemical and organoleptic scores were determined for the yogurt samples. LAB species from CM, SM, and Lafun samples showed tolerance to both acidic pH (pH 3.0) and 0.5 percent bile. CM isolates exhibited strong antioxidant effects comparable to vitamin C. Yogurt samples had pH ranging from 4.77 to 5.45 and titratable acidity from 5.56 to 8.06. Sensory characteristics of the test yogurt did not significantly differ from commercial yogurt (p ≤ 0.05). Thus, probiotics (LAB) from common Nigerian fermented foods like CM, SM, and lafun could serve as cost-effective, nutrient-rich alternatives for yogurt starter cultures.

Predicting Ghana’s Daily Natural Gas Consumption Using Time Series Models

In recent years, natural gas utilisation has seen a considerable increase because, it presents an alternative energy source that is reliable, economical and environmentally friendly for consumers. In Ghana, natural gas consumption has over the years increased due to mainly the rise in industrial and residential demands. Accurate prediction of natural gas consumption will provide stakeholders with vital information needed for planning and making informed policy decisions. This paper explores the Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) and Seasonal Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (SARIMA) to predict Ghana's daily natural gas consumption. The data employed for the study is daily natural gas consumption in Ghana from 2020 to 2022. The results show that both ARIMA and SARIMA models can predict the consumption of natural gas in Ghana with a good degree of accuracy. The SARIMA model slightly outperforms the ARIMA model, with a Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of 22.25 and a Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) of 6.96%, compared to an RMSE of 23.27 and a MAPE of 7.29% for the ARIMA model. The model forecast suggests a steady natural gas consumption in Ghana but with some intermittent fluctuations.

Power System Integration of Electric Vehicles: A Review on Impacts and Contributions to the Smart Grid

In recent years, electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular, bringing about fundamental shifts in transportation to reduce greenhouse effects and accelerate progress toward decarbonization. The role of EVs has also experienced a paradigm shift for future energy networks as an active player in the form of vehicle-to-grid, grid-to-vehicle, and vehicle-to-vehicle technologies. EVs spend a significant part of the day parked and have a remarkable potential to contribute to energy sustainability as backup power units. In this way, EVs can be connected to the grid as stationary power units, providing a range of services to the power grid to increase its reliability and resilience. The available systems show that EVs can be used as alternative energy sources for various network systems like smart grids, microgrids, and virtual power plants besides transportation. While the grid–EV connection offers various contributions, it also has some limitations and effects. In this context, the current study highlights the power system impacts and key contributions of EVs connected to smart grids. Regarding the power system impacts in case of EV integration into smart grids, the challenges and difficulties are categorized under the power system stability, voltage/current distortions, load profile, and power losses. Voltage/current distortions like sags, unbalances, harmonics, and supraharmonics are also detailed in the study. Subsequently, the key contributions to the smart grid in terms of energy management, grid-quality support, grid balancing, and socio-economic impacts are explained. In the energy management part, issues such as power flow, load balancing, and renewable energy integration are elaborated. Then, the fault ride-through capability, reactive power compensation, harmonic mitigation, and grid loss reduction are presented to provide information on power quality enhancement. Lastly, the socio-economic impacts in terms of employment, net billing fees, integration with renewable energy sources, and environmental effects are elucidated in the present study.

Comparison of the Effect of Drying Treatments on the Physicochemical Parameters, Oxidative Stability, and Microbiological Status of Yellow Mealworm (Tenebrio molitor L.) Flours as an Alternative Protein Source

The increasing production of edible insects on an industrial scale makes it crucial to implement appropriate technologies after harvesting to process safe and high quality insect products. The aim of this work was to compare the impact of different drying treatments used in the production of flour from Tenebrio molitor larvae. The larvae were subjected to freeze-drying (FD), conventional drying (CD), microwave drying (MWD), microwave drying without freezing prior blanching (MWDL), and microwave drying with addition of 0.1% butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) during the blanching of the larvae (MWDA). The studied parameters included water activity (aw), instrumental colour, chemical composition, lipid oxidative processes, antioxidant activity, as well as microbiological status. The freeze-drying and conventional drying of the larvae reduced the aw of the derived flours (p < 0.0001); however, their nutritional profile revealed lower protein (p < 0.0001) and considerably higher fat content (p < 0.0001) compared to the flours after microwave treatments. The conventional drying and microwave treatment with BHT induced significantly darker colour (p < 0.0001) in comparison to the other methods. Despite the advantages of the microwave drying as a fast and energy efficient method, it displayed some negative effects associated with low lipid stability such as higher acid value (AV) and secondary products of lipid oxidation (TBARS) (p < 0.0001). This was also observed in the MWDA flour, indicating a certain pro-oxidative effect of the BHT. Regardless of the drying method, all the flours had a low microbial load.

Analysing Groundwater Governance in Uzbekistan through the Lenses of Social-Ecological Systems and Informational Governance

Worldwide, groundwater is often poorly understood and misgoverned due to difficulties in monitoring and collective action organisation. Problems occur due to groundwater’s invisible nature, consequent poor groundwater understanding, and systemic institutional failures. In Central Asia, groundwater coordination is important at local as well as national levels, considering regional water competition since state transitions. Historic water overuse further emphasises a need for groundwater coordination between states. Information on aquifer status is often publicly unavailable and rarely shared, even between national governmental agencies. Considering the region’s arid climate and dependence on glacial melt for seasonal flows, protection of groundwater is vital to ensure water access amid pressures such as climate change. Groundwater has historically provided drinking water, with recent increased use as an alternative water source for the agriculture sector. Institutional failures in groundwater governance can be understood as “soft limits” to adaptation in the region, which governance capacity improvements could ameliorate. To understand the current status of Central Asian groundwater governance through an illustrative case of Uzbekistan, we consider its social-ecological system, associated problems (e.g., pollution, and overexploitation), and institutional context. This paper summarises findings specific to Uzbekistan from a systematic literature review on the subject in Central Asia, outlining governance challenges and opportunities. Informational governance is analysed and reveals a clear impact on groundwater use and outcomes. They include: i) uncertainty over status (i.e., quantity and quality); ii) governance complexities at various levels due to multiple knowledges; iii) power constellations and a lack of cooperation suggest increased uncertainty; iv) interest in information reform. Public data access and coordination across the region should better support collective action at local levels, reduce governance complexities, and reduce status quo hierarchies.

Cell-free DNA from nail clippings as source of normal control for genomic studies in hematologic malignancies.

Comprehensive genomic sequencing is becoming a critical component in the assessment of hematologic malignancies, with broad implications for patient management. In this context, unequivocally discriminating somatic from germline events is challenging but greatly facilitated by matched analysis of tumor:normal pairs. In contrast to solid tumors, conventional sources of normal control (peripheral blood, buccal swabs, saliva) could be highly involved by the neoplastic process, rendering them unsuitable. In this work we describe our real-world experience using cell free DNA (cfDNA) isolated from nail clippings as an alternate source of normal control, through the dedicated review of 2,610 tumor:nail pairs comprehensively sequenced by MSK-IMPACT-heme. Overall, we find nail cfDNA is a robust source of germline control for paired genomic studies. In a subset of patients, nail DNA may have tumor DNA contamination, reflecting unique attributes of the hematologic disease and transplant history. Contamination is generally low level, but significantly more common among patients with myeloid neoplasms (20.5%; 304/1482) compared to lymphoid diseases (5.4%; 61/1128) and particularly enriched in myeloproliferative neoplasms with marked myelofibrosis. When identified in patients with lymphoid and plasma-cell neoplasms, mutations commonly reflected a myeloid profile and correlated with a concurrent/evolving clonal myeloid neoplasm. For nails collected after allogeneic stem-cell transplantation, donor DNA was identified in 22% (11/50). In this cohort, an association with recent history of graft-vs-host disease was identified. These findings should be considered as a potential limitation for the use of nail as normal control but could also provide important diagnostic information regarding the disease process.

Improved Cordycepin Production by Cordyceps Militaris Using Corn Steep Liquor Hydrolysate as an Alternative Protein Nitrogen Source.

Cordycepin production in the submerged culture of Cordyceps militaris was demonstrated using hydrolyzed corn processing protein by-products, known as corn steep liquor hydrolysate (CSLH), as an alternative nitrogen source. The growth, metabolism, and cordycepin production of Cordyceps militaris were evaluated under various concentrations of CSLH induction. The results demonstrated that CSLH addition had positive effects on the growth and cordycepin production with various C. militaris strains. The optimum strain, C. militaris GDMCC5.270, was found to effectively utilize CSLH to promote mycelium growth and cordycepin production. Low concentrations of CSLH (1.5 g/L) in the fermentation broth resulted in 343.03 ± 15.94 mg/L cordycepin production, which was 4.83 times higher than that of the group without CSLH. This also enhanced the metabolism of sugar, amino acids, and nucleotides, leading to improved cordycepin biosynthesis. The increase in key amino acids, such as glutamic acid, alanine, and aspartic acid, in the corn steep liquor hydrolysate significantly enhanced cordycepin yield. The corn steep liquor hydrolysate was confirmed to be a cost-effective accelerator for mycelium growth and cordycepin accumulation in C. militaris, replacing partial peptone as a cheap nitrogen source. It serves as a suitable alternative for efficient cordycepin production at a low cost.

Hybrid Renewable Production Scheduling for a PV–Wind-EV-Battery Architecture Using Sequential Quadratic Programming and Long Short-Term Memory–K-Nearest Neighbors Learning for Smart Buildings

Electricity demand in residential areas is generally met by the local low-voltage grid or, alternatively, the national grid, which produces electricity using thermal power stations based on conventional sources. These generators are holding back the revolution and the transition to a green planet, being unable to cope with climatic constraints. In the residential context, to ensure a smooth transition to an ecological green city, the idea of using alternative sources will offer the solution. These alternatives must be renewable and naturally available on the planet. This requires a generation that is very responsive to the constraints of the 21st century. However, these sources are intermittent and require a hybrid solution known as Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems (HRESs). To this end, we have designed a hybrid system based on PV-, wind-turbine- and grid-supported battery storage and an electric vehicle connected to a residential building. We proposed an energy management system based on nonlinear programming. This optimization was solved using sequential quadrature programming. The data were then processed using a long short-term memory (LSTM) model to predict, with the contribution and cooperation of each source, how to meet the energy needs of each home. The prediction was ensured with an accuracy of around 95%. These prediction results have been injected into K-nearest neighbors (KNN), random forest (RF) and gradient boost (GRU) repressors to predict the storage collaboration rates handled by the local battery and the electric vehicle. Results have shown an R2_score of 0.6953, 0.8381, and 0.739, respectively. This combination permitted an efficient prediction of the potential consumption from the grid with a value of an R²-score of around 0.9834 using LSTM. This methodology is effective in allowing us to know in advance the amount of energy of each source, storage, and excess grid injection and to propose the switching control of the hybrid architecture.

Lactic Acid Production by Enterococcus durans Is Improved by Cell Recycling and pH Control

Lactic acid bacteria are widely used because they produce lactic acid naturally, are resistant to acidic pH and a wide temperature range, and frequently produce lactic acid as a primary metabolite. In this study, Enterococcus durans isolated from buffalo milk was employed in lactic acid fermentation with the primary goal of obtaining fermentation parameters for an effective process enabling the use of lactose as an alternative carbon source. Fermentative parameters such as initial concentration of carbon source, dissolved oxygen concentration, cell recycling, and batch with pulse operation mode were studied to find the best conditions for L-(+)-lactic acid production. The association of 20 g·L−1 of lactose with 10 g·L−1 of glucose enabled the best bioconversion to lactic acid. Anaerobiosis did not contribute to increasing lactic acid production. Batch fermentation with cell recycling was the strategy that enhanced lactic acid production and lactose consumption, reaching 26.07 g·L−1, 0.36 g·L−1·h−1 of productivity and yielding about 0.86 g·g−1. It is fundamental to evaluate the parameters of lactic acid fermentation and provide efficient and sustainable production methods.

Analysing the competitiveness of industries using the Analytical Hierarchy Process and Porter’s model: A case of Durgapur city

Declining contribution to employment of the steel industry, which used to be the number-one sector in the city of Durgapur (India), leads to a search for alternative employment sources. The article aims to identify the criteria and sub-criteria to reveal the business competence through Porter’s model and ranking of business competence of each industry through the analytical hierarchy process (AHP) for Durgapur. Porter’s Five Forces Framework is used as the methodological basis to find the best alternate industry option based on their competitive position and provides the framework and subsequent criteria to analyse competitiveness. The key research method is the analytical hierarchy process that helps to measure the criteria qualitatively. The empirical evidence comes from the survey of 126 respondents: 36 experts who are well-versed in the industrial development of the city and fixed the weightage of the criteria through the AHP, and 90 industry-specific experts provide the range value for each criterion for each industry, which is used to generate the final value. The paper demonstrates the quantitative framework to establish the competition level of major industries in Durgapur, the strategic framework to support the industrial transition, and a brief about their dual nature of competition. We have figured out nine employment-generating industrial sectors within the city of Durgapur, among which are steel production, information technology (IT), education, healthcare, etc. The IT industry was found to be the most competitive sector that provided additional employment opportunities; it was followed by non-metal production, healthcare, and education.

Together against “the Truth Gap”: A Proposal to Fight Invisibility and Misinformation Affecting Women

In 2020, the Global Media Monitoring Project (GMMP) marked its silver anniversary by releasing its sixth report on the representation of women in the global media landscape, and in 2021, the NGO Plan International unveiled the tenth edition of its report “State of the World’s Girls: The Truth Gap”. The study focused on how misinformation impacts equal opportunities for girls, adolescents, and young women worldwide, and proposed strategies to combat the “truth gap”. These examples showcase the collective efforts made in recent decades by professionals, academia, institutions, NGOs, and activists to enhance the state of information globally. The aspiration is ambitious, aiming to make information more transparent, accessible, and inclusive, fostering equality, truth-seeking, and the visibility of women, young people, and rural populations. However, the findings from the GMMP reports, as well as the analysis conducted by Plan International and numerous other works, underscore that despite evident social changes worldwide—particularly in the educational, labor, and social realms for women—access to truthful and high-quality information remains elusive. Simultaneously, studies reveal a declining public trust, especially among young people, in traditional media, a shift to alternative information sources, and a deterioration in the quality benchmarks of the journalism profession. Journalism, a pursuit of truth from sources to the public, has historically been and should remain a pillar upholding democracy and freedom. This article employs a qualitative case study methodology to analyze the best practices proposed across various domains to safeguard information quality. Special attention is given to initiatives that aim to involve women and young people in the collective effort against misinformation.

Investigation of the suitability of 3 insect meals as protein sources for rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss).

An in vivo trial was conducted to determine the apparent digestibility coefficients (ADCs) of insect meals for rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss. Rainbow trout (approximately 370 g ± 23g, mean ± SD initial weight) were stocked 25 per tank into 400-liter tanks. Fish were fed a reference diet, or 1 of 5 test diets created by blending the reference diet in a 70:30 ratio (dry-weight basis) with menhaden fish meal (MFM), 2 house cricket (Acheta domesticus) meals (cricket A and cricket B), Galleria mellonella meal, and yellow mealworm (Tenebrio molitor) meal. Diets were assigned to 3 replicate tanks of fish and fed twice daily for 14 days prior to fecal collection. Ingredients, diets, and fecal matter were analyzed in duplicate for proximate, mineral, and amino acid composition. House cricket meals were 67.3% and 69.0% protein (CP) and 16.6% and 17.1% lipid (CL), for house cricket A and B, respectively. Yellow mealworm meal contained 56.5% CP and 27.7% CL, and G. mellonella larvae meal contained 32.5% CP and 54.2% CL. Protein ADCs were 78.9 for G. mellonella larvae meal, 78.0 for yellow mealworm meal, and 76.5 for house cricket A and not different from the MFM protein ADC of 76.6, while house cricket B protein ADC was 65.8 and was significantly lower than the MFM protein ADC (F = 7.39; df = 4,14; P = 0.0049). Together, these nutritional values suggest house crickets, and yellow mealworms show promise as alternative protein sources in salmonid feeds, with the potential of G. mellonella as an alternative lipid source.

Water quality and geochemical facie of high-altitude lakes in Tawang, Eastern Himalaya, India.

High-altitude lakes (HALs) can be used as a supplement or alternative source of water in areas where there is a water shortage. When these lakes are efficiently managed, they can supply more water resources to fulfil the increasing demand. Water quality assessment aids in the identification of adequate and safe drinking water sources. It minimizes threats to the public's health by making sure that lake water extraction fulfills safety and health regulations. Water quality and hydrogeochemical study was conducted on six HALs of the Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh during the year 2022. The water quality index (WQI) values varied from excellent to poor (33.87 to 101.95). Lake 6 stands out with its exceptional water quality as it had the minimum average WQI value of 52.98. In contrast, Lake 5 had the lowest water quality among the studied lakes with the maximum average WQI value of 95.31. However, the water might not be safe to drink due to the elevated levels of fluoride in these lakes. It is crucial to address and minimize the high fluoride levels to ensure the safety and acceptability of the water for consumption. The Piper diagram showed that Ca2+ > Mg2+ > Na+ > K+ and HCO3- > Cl- > SO42-, respectively, were the primary cations and anions present in these lakes. The Gibbs diagram also demonstrated the effect of rock weathering and precipitation dominance on the water chemistry in the research area. These results provide insightful information about the water quality of HALs, which is essential information for concerned government departments and agencies to manage water issues more efficiently. Based on current research, the HALs in this region have a lot of potential to meet the growing demand for drinking water.

Phylogenetic origin of an insect fauna at the boundary of the Palaearctic and Oriental realms: Evidence from ‘site‐based’ mitogenomics

AbstractAimKnowledge of taxonomy and species distributions in highly diverse lineages of invertebrates remains too incomplete for the study of biogeographical patterns at the global scale. This limits the understanding of processes leading to the formation and maintenance of boundaries between major biogeographical realms. Site‐based metagenomic approaches may provide an alternative source of data for inference of historical processes of in situ speciation and interchange among biogeographical regions. We applied the methodology to explore the historical biogeography of the Qinling Mountains at the boundary of the Oriental and Palaearctic regions.LocationThe focal area in the Qinling Mountains; sites in Borneo, Panama, and Spain, representing the Oriental, Neotropical and Palaearctic faunas.Time PeriodContemporary.Major Taxa StudiedChrysomelidae, a group of ~40,000 species with worldwide distribution.MethodsMass‐trapped insects were subjected to deep Illumina DNA sequencing and mitochondrial genome assembly, followed by phylogenetic analysis and historical biogeographical inference on a dated tree. The methodology produced 622 mitogenomes (304 newly sequenced) each representing a morphologically distinct species.ResultsAncestral area reconstruction revealed that the Qinling fauna is a composite of distinct clades that, respectively, have Oriental or Palaearctic ancient origins, while in situ speciation and local clade formation were limited. The global diversity of Chrysomelidae consists of regionalised deep clades at the level of the major zoogeographic realms, which remain recognisable where these realms abut in the Qinling mountains. Yet, the Qinling fauna is clearly distinct from the source areas although local lineage ages are generally <20 Ma.Main ConclusionsThe Qinling fauna is a composite of clades that have either Oriental or Palaearctic origin, indicating the important role of immigration at the realm boundary. Global site‐based phylogenetic analyses based on metagenomic sequencing can address previously intractable questions about the historical biogeography of poorly studied groups even without a fully developed taxonomy.

How the use of alternative information in risk management fintech platforms influences SME lending: a qualitative case study

Purpose The purpose of the study is to examine the use of alternative information in bank lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Understanding alternative information and its use in bank lending to SMEs is important because it has become a growing part of the future of SME finance. The results and findings of my study not only enrich the finance literature but, more importantly, also address the use of Fintech in the risk management of SME lending, a new and complex problem that is specific to both the information technology and finance field. Design/methodology/approach To answer the research question, the author used a case study approach that relies upon qualitative data and analysis. By iterating between the existing literature, theoretical pieces and empirical findings, the author explain and interpret in detail how the use of alternative information impacts loan outcomes and develop insights to guide future research. Findings The case is outlined in two time periods including the prepartnership period and the postpartnership period. It highlights the establishment of a partnership between LoanBank and FintechInc (pseudonym), aimed at SME-focused Fintech lending. The findings underscore how the partnership has enabled a mutually beneficial situation where LoanBank and FintechInc leverage each other’s strengths to provide efficient and effective lending services. The adoption of alternative information in the risk management Fintech (RMF) platform of FintechInc has transformed LoanBank’s lending processes, showcasing how technological innovations can enhance SME lending practices. Originality/value The study’s originality mainly lies in the three detailed insights regarding alternative information’s impact on SME lending: information, platform properties and financial inclusion. The information part demonstrates that RMF platforms expand the information used for lending decisions, shifting from traditional hard and soft data to incorporating various alternative information sources. The platform properties part suggests that location, openness and technology also play a pivotal role in shaping lending outcomes. Finally, the financial inclusion part proposes that the use of alternative information has the potential to improve financial inclusion and offer better credit terms to previously underserved borrowers.

Advances in Organic Photovoltaic Cells: Fine‐Tuning of the Photovoltaic Processes

This work highlights recent advancements in how the structures and chemical makeups of the active layer materials affect photovoltaic processes and performance in terms of power conversion efficiency and stability. It further sheds light on the performance optimization of organic photovoltaic cell (OPV) and the relationship between these optimization conditions and OPVs performance. The use of different substituents on the same donor or acceptor material has different optimal conditions. Furthermore, it is shown that the addition of different third components in the active layer has different optimal concentration points. This review also highlights and suggests a possible way to improve the stability of OPV through modification of the active layer. To date, some studies showed that incorporation of the third component in the active layer leads to over 97% stability after more than 1000 h.

Synthesis of Hydrochars via Hydrothermal Carbonization of Zinc Chloride Activated Cotton Textile Waste

Anthropogenic pollution from fossil fuel combustion due to increasing global populations and emerging industries poses a serious threat to the environment. Therefore, it is vital to explore alternative green energy sources. Hence, this study synthesized renewable solid fuel hydrochars by utilizing biomass of cotton textile waste (CTW) as feedstock. ZnCl2 was selected as a catalyst due to its Lewis acid properties promoting hydrolysis and dehydration of raw materials towards hydrochar formation. The ZnCl2-activated cotton textile waste (ZnCl2-CTW) was prepared via the wet impregnation method at different ZnCl2 loading. The hydrochars were synthesized via hydrothermal carbonization of ZnCl2-CTW in a Parr batch reactor at the reaction temperature of 200 °C for 3 h. The hydrochars and CTW were characterized using a thermogravimetric analyser (TGA) to evaluate the proximate analysis, whereas an elemental analysis and determination of higher heating value (HHV) were conducted employing a CHNS analyser. The proximate analysis indicates the hydrochars volatile matter increases at higher catalyst loading, possibly due to the high content of bio-oil adsorbed on the hydrochars surface. The elemental analysis shows higher carbon and lower oxygen content for hydrochars compared to CTW, mainly due to the dehydration, decarboxylation, and aromatization reactions during HTC. Meanwhile, the HHV of hydrochars increases as catalyst loading increases to 1.5 g, which obtained the highest value of 18.41 MJ/kg, indicating good quality of solid fuel. This demonstrated that the ZnCl2 catalyst was useful in improving the energy density of hydrochars. Overall, ZnCl2 catalyst loading of 1.5 g has exhibited good performance in producing hydrochars via HTC of CTW. Thus, ZnCl2-CTW has the potential to produce hydrochar suitable as solid fuel, contributing to the conversion of waste into energy and the preservation of the environmental.

Differential gene expression of Wharton's jelly-derived mesenchymal cells mediated by graphene oxide in basal and osteo-induced media.

Graphene oxide (GO) is widespread in scaffold engineering owing to its extraordinary properties such as multiple oxygen functional groups, high hydrophilicity ability and biocompatibility. It is known to promote differentiation in mesenchymal stem cells, but concomitant comparison of its modulation on the expression profiles of Wharton's jelly (WJ)-MSC surface markers, lineage differentiation, and epigenetic regulatory genes in basal and induced condition are still lacking. Unraveling the fundamental mechanisms is essential for the effective utilization of WJ-MSCs incorporated with GO in therapy. This study aims to explore the unique gene expression profiles and epigenetic characteristics of WJ-MSCs influenced by GO. The characterized GO-coated coverslip served as a substrate for culturing WJ-MSCs. In addition to investigating the impact of GO on cell proliferation and differentiation, we conducted a gene expression study using PCR array, while epigenetic control was assessed through bisulfite sequencing and Western blot analysis. Our findings indicate that the presence of GO maintained the proliferation and survival of WJ-MSCs. In the absence of induction, GO led to minor lipid and glycosaminoglycan deposition in WJ-MSCs. This was evidenced by the sustained expression of pluripotency and lineage-specific genes, demethylation at the OCT4 promoter, and a decrease in H3K9 methylation. In osteo-induced condition, the occurrence of osteogenesis appeared to be guided by BMP/TGF and ERK pathway activation, accompanied by the upregulation of osteogenic-related genes and downregulation of DNMT3b. GO in osteo-induced condition create a favorable microenvironment that promotes the osteogenesis of WJ-MSCs by influencing genetic and epigenetic controls. This helps in advancing our knowledge on the use of GO as priming platform and WJ-MSCs an alternate source for bone repair and regeneration.

Investigation of the differentiation potential of pericyte cells as an alternative source of mesenchymal stem cells

BackgroundThe mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with characterized by their multipotency and capacity to differentiate into various tissue cell types, have led to their incorporation in regenerative medicine research. However, the limited numbers of MSCs in the human body and their diverse differentiation capabilities in tissues highlight the need for exploring alternative regenerative cell sources. In this study, therefore, we conducted molecular level examinations to determine whether pericytes, specialized cell communities situated near blood vessels, could serve as a substitute for human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (hBM-MSCs). In this context, the potential application of pericytes surrounds the vessels when MSCs are insufficient for functional purposes. MethodsThe pericytes utilized in this investigation were derived from the placenta and characterized at the third passage. Similarly, the hBM-MSCs were also characterized at the third passage. The pluripotent properties of the two cell types were assessed at the gene expression level. Thereafter, both pericytes and hBM-MSCs were directed towards adipogenic, osteogenic and chondrogenic differentiation. The cells in both groups were examined on days 7, 14, and, 21 and their differentiation status was compared both immunohistochemically and through gene expression analysis. ResultsUpon comparing the pluripotency characteristics of placental pericytes and hBM-MSCs, it was discovered that there was a substantial upregulation of the pluripotency genes FoxD3, Sox2, ZPF42, UTF1, and, Lin28 in both cell types. However, no significant expression of the genes Msx1, Nr6a1, Pdx1, and, GATA6 was observed in either cell type. It was also noted that pericytes differentiate into adipogenic, osteogenic and, chondrogenic lineages similar to hBM-MSCs. DiscussionAs a result, it has been determined that pericytes exhibit high differentiation and proliferation properties similar to those of MSCs, and therefore can be considered a suitable alternative cell source for regenerative medicine and tissue engineering research, in cases where MSCs are not available or insufficient. It is notable that pericytes have been suggested as a potential substitute in studies where MSCs are lacking.

47 Inclusion of black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens) larvae frass as an alternative protein source in the diet of Florida native yearling ewes.

Abstract The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of partially replacing soybean meal (SBM) with black soldier fly larvae frass (BSFL) on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and blood profile of ewes consuming diets with approximately 10% SBM on a DM basis. Six yearling Florida native ewes, averaging (mean ± SD) 44 ± 3 kg BW were enrolled in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design with 3 experimental periods of 21 d each (14 d adaptation + 4 d samples collection + 3 d washout). First 14 d of each period, ewes were housed in 7.4 × 1.8 m individual pens with rubber mats, one automatic waterer and two plastic feeders. During collection, ewes were moved to 1.4 × 0.7 m metabolic crates equipped with an individual waterer and feeder and two trays for the collection of feces and urine. Animals were fed TMR ad libitum twice daily at 0730 and 1530 h consisting of different levels of SBM replacement with BSFL, as follows: no replacement (CON), partial replacement of SBM with 25% BSFL (BSFL25) and 50% BSFL (BSFL50) on a DM basis. Data on DM and nutrient intake, excretion, and apparent digestibility, and also plasma concentrations of glucose and blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and urine concentrations of allantoin, urine blood nitrogen, and uric acid, were collected. Data were analyzed with SAS 9.4 evaluating orthogonal polynomial contrasts to determine linear and quadratic effects of SBM replacement with BSFL for each response variable. The intakes of DM, NDF, ADF, EE, and starch were greater for BSFL25 compared with control (Quadratic effect; P < 0.01) while no differences were observed between BSFL25 and BSFL50. Similarly apparent digestibilities of DM, NDF, ADF and starch was less for BSFL25 than CON (Quadratic effect; P ≤ 0.01). Intake of CP linearly increased (P < 0.01) with BSFL, while apparent digestibility of CP linearly decreased and that of EE increased, with inclusion of BSFL. There was a quadratic effect of BSFL on total feces excretion (P < 0.01) and water consumption (P < 0.01) being greater in BSFL25 compared with CON. Urine BUN (P < 0.01) and urine nitrogen (P < 0.01) linearly increased with BSFL inclusion. Results indicate that partial replacement of SBM with BSFL in the diet of yearling Florida native ewes may quadratically increase feed intake and decrease nutrient apparent digestibility. Further research is needed to explore the long-term implications of incorporating BSFL into animal diets, considering their impact on overall growth and performance.