Memorial Institute Research Articles

Integrating Citizen Experiences in Cultural Heritage Archives with a Linked Non-Open Data Hub

This article explores and presents innovative methods and technologies for supporting citizen curation of cultural heritage. Relevant outcomes of the Social Participation, Cohesion and Inclusion through Cultural Engagement (SPICE) project are presented, focusing on enhancing the state of content management and delivery strategies in museums and memory institutions. We argue that citizen curation requires a principled way of managing and integrating citizen responses, contributions and dataflows in the domain of cultural heritage, raising challenges and opportunities such as integration of distributed and diverse data sources, authoritativeness, interdependence, privacy, data reuse and rights management. The solution is a Linked Data Hub (LDH), which integrates museum collections and user-generated content and repurposes them to end-user systems tailored to specific use cases for citizens and museum practitioners. Such LDH must be non-open , by offering an approach that gives citizens and organisations, such as museums or engagement agencies, meaningful control over their data by implementing user-tailored policies and negotiated access and terms of use. Additionally, our solution addresses privacy violations in user-contributed content by offering a near-real-time content monitoring framework. We present the LDH discussing pilot applications within the EU-funded project SPICE, including ‘Deep Viewpoints’, which currently supports the Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA) in citizen curation activities. Overall, this article serves as a critical milestone in closing functional gaps and advancing the state of technology in managing citizen responses and contributions in the cultural heritage domain.

The Depth Estimation and Visualization of Dermatological Lesions: Development and Usability Study.

Thus far, considerable research has been focused on classifying a lesion as benign or malignant. However, there is a requirement for quick depth estimation of a lesion for the accurate clinical staging of the lesion. The lesion could be malignant and quickly grow beneath the skin. While biopsy slides provide clear information on lesion depth, it is an emerging domain to find quick and noninvasive methods to estimate depth, particularly based on 2D images. This study proposes a novel methodology for the depth estimation and visualization of skin lesions. Current diagnostic methods are approximate in determining how much a lesion may have proliferated within the skin. Using color gradients and depth maps, this method will give us a definite estimate and visualization procedure for lesions and other skin issues. We aim to generate 3D holograms of the lesion depth such that dermatologists can better diagnose melanoma. We started by performing classification using a convolutional neural network (CNN), followed by using explainable artificial intelligence to localize the image features responsible for the CNN output. We used the gradient class activation map approach to perform localization of the lesion from the rest of the image. We applied computer graphics for depth estimation and developing the 3D structure of the lesion. We used the depth from defocus method for depth estimation from single images and Gabor filters for volumetric representation of the depth map. Our novel method, called red spot analysis, measures the degree of infection based on how a conical hologram is constructed. We collaborated with a dermatologist to analyze the 3D hologram output and received feedback on how this method can be introduced to clinical implementation. The neural model plus the explainable artificial intelligence algorithm achieved an accuracy of 86% in classifying the lesions correctly as benign or malignant. For the entire pipeline, we mapped the benign and malignant cases to their conical representations. We received exceedingly positive feedback while pitching this idea at the King Edward Memorial Institute in India. Dermatologists considered this a potentially useful tool in the depth estimation of lesions. We received a number of ideas for evaluating the technique before it can be introduced to the clinical scene. When we map the CNN outputs (benign or malignant) to the corresponding hologram, we observe that a malignant lesion has a higher concentration of red spots (infection) in the upper and deeper portions of the skin, and that the malignant cases have deeper conical sections when compared with the benign cases. This proves that the qualitative results map with the initial classification performed by the neural model. The positive feedback provided by the dermatologist suggests that the qualitative conclusion of the method is sufficient.

Documenting disaster in Yogyakarta

Background of the study: The documenting of disasters through oral history programs carried out by educational institutions, archival institutions, memory institutions, and archival activists in the last few decades has begun to develop. The factors that have strongly led to the emergence of this phenomenon refer to the awareness of the importance of preserving information and historical awareness related to the shaping of memory. Purpose: This study analyzes the contribution of oral history archives in forming social memory related to the Yogyakarta earthquake on May 27th, 2006, in a more communicative and creative dimension. Method: This research is qualitative research conducted through interviews, observations, and literature studies Findings: The Yogyakarta earthquake on May 27, 2006, has been placed in social memory through oral history archives and media reports that are remembered in social reality. Oral history archives are also presented creatively and collaboratively as a form of public history through Archival Dioramas at the Dinas Perpustakaan dan Arsip Daerah Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta. The results of victims' experiences in oral history re-interviews can be analyzed in the context of the resilience of social memory. Conclusion: The emergence of digital equipment impacts people's interest, awareness, and motivation to engage in disaster documentation, shaping social memory in Yogyakarta.

Molecular detection of dengue virus from febrile patients in Ghana

BackgroundViral hemorrhagic fevers (VHFs) belong to a group of viral infectious diseases that interfere with the blood’s clotting mechanism. VHF has a wide host range, including bats, rodents, or arthropods such as mosquitoes and ticks. Most VHFs emerge suddenly as outbreaks, making it difficult to predict occurrence. To be responsive to such outbreaks, the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR) provides high-end molecular and genomic diagnostics capability for surveillance of suspected VHFs in samples collected from health facilities across the country.MethodsBetween January 2022 and December 2023, cross-sectional surveillance for viruses was conducted in patients with suspected VHF. During the period, 2586 serum or plasma samples were collected and transported under a cold chain to the NMIMR for testing. The samples were analyzed for potential VHF viruses including yellow fever, Ebola/Marburg, Lassa fever, and Dengue viruses using Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction Assay. Dengue positives were serotyped using the protocol of Johnson W.B et al.,2005. Whole genome sequencing was conducted using Illumina Next Generation Sequencing Technology. Using IQ-TREE, a maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis was carried out.ResultsDengue virus (DENV) was detected in eight patient samples that subtyped to serotypes 1, 2, and 3. All dengue fever cases were resident in the Greater Accra region. The detection of serotype one increases the possibility of multiple infections in individuals and may have a worse or increased risk of severe dengue fever. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the DENV-1 strain shared similarities to circulating strains in West Africa.ConclusionUntil the emergence of recent cases, the circulating subtype has been serotyped as Dengue one. There is therefore the need to intensify surveillance and also to control the mosquito vectors which can transmit these DENV in Ghana.

State “Pandemic Pods”: US regional coalitions and their responses to the COVID‐19 pandemic

AbstractAs the COVID‐19 pandemic began to unfold in the late winter and early spring of 2020, US states began to work collaboratively in regional coalitions to manage a rapidly developing public health crisis. These coalitions were made up of states that were geographically contiguous and, more importantly, built upon previous working relationships. We explore two regional coalitions—the Multistate Council and the Western States Pact in the northeast and western United States, respectively. We find that these regional coalitions each drew from institutional memory‐previous collaborative policies—to craft their collective COVID‐19 responses and that this approach produced two different outcomes. While these regional coalitions urgently provided critical resources (including institutional knowledge) to respond to the spreading pandemic, it may have also reflected a limit of institutional memory—path dependency which limited the regional coalitions' abilities to learn from each other and experience the benefits of other coalition approaches.

Enhancing Administrative Efficiency Through Archive Management at the Malalayang District Office, Manado City, Indonesia

Archives serve as the institutional memory, supporting administrative processes and ensuring efficient operations. However, initial observations at the Malalayang District Office revealed significant deficiencies in archive management. These included a lack of standardized procedures, inadequate retrieval methods, and insufficient facilities. To address these issues, this research aims to investigate the strategies implemented, challenges faced, and solutions adopted to improve archive management and streamline administrative processes at the Malalayang District Office. Employing a qualitative case study methodology, data were collected and analyzed through a systematic process of reduction, presentation, and conclusion drawing, followed by verification. The findings of this research offer valuable insights into effective archive management practices and their contribution to enhancing administrative efficiency.

Political Leadership, Institutional Memory and the Implementation of Health in All Policies: An Explanatory Case Study of the Health 2015 Public Health Programme in Finland

Our study sought to examine how and why political leadership and institutional memory affected the implementation of Health 2015, a public health programme prepared following the principles of the Health in All Policies (HiAP) strategy, between 2001 and 2015 in Finland. We analysed the data using a realist explanatory case study method. We found that the HiAP strategy did not have a strong leader who was able to generate interest in HiAP among other policymakers. This contrasted with the Finnish success story in previous decades when several interested elected politicians and high-ranking civil servants promoted the implementation of healthy public policies. Our results also pointed to institutional amnesia. During the implementation of Health 2015, a transition to project-based implementation, the retirement of many long-term policymakers and a change from the financial steering of local authorities to steering by information took place. The subsequent institutional amnesia was followed by discontinuity of previous institutionalised HiAP implementation structures and practices, such as intersectoral working groups.

Evaluate the Role of Phosphodiesterase, Myeloperoxidase and Iron in Oral Cancer.

The present study aimed to estimate the levels of phosphodiesterase (PDE), myeloperoxidase (MPO) and iron levels in patients with oral cancer. 50 patients reporting to the Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Deralakatte, Mangalore were recruited for the study after taking informed consent. The study group consists of 50 control groups with no complications and 50 oral cancer patients. A 5 ml venous Blood sample was taken, centrifuged and serum was collected for subsequent analysis. 50 normal control samples were also collected for comparison purposes. PDE, MPO and iron levels were estimated. PDE levels were significantly elevated in the case group compared to the control. MPO and iron levels were significantly reduced in the case group compared to the control. Immunological and biochemical assessment of oral precancer and cancer patients may help in earlier diagnosis and/or prognosis of these lesions. This may also serve in predicting the malignant potential of the pre-malignant lesions.

What can we learn from pandemic educational methods?: military general practice trainees’ attitudes to feedback from recorded consultations

ABSTRACT Background Recorded consultations are a useful tool for developing consultation skills for general practice speciality trainees (GPSTs). Historical barriers to utility include a lack of recording equipment and trainee discomfort. Widespread use of online communication platforms during the pandemic led to the introduction of the Recorded Consultation Assessment (RCA), prompting an exploration of its impact on GPSTs’ attitudes and acceptability of using recorded consultations for feedback. Aim This sequential explanatory mixed methods study explored attitudes of military GPSTs towards using recorded consultations for feedback to develop consultation skills, and identify factors influencing GPST attitudes. Methods Participants of this study completed a questionnaire, followed by a representative sample focus group. Descriptive statistics were used to analyse quantitative data, reflexive thematic analysis was employed for qualitative data. Triangulation was conducted using a meta-matrix. Results Results indicated agreement among respondents on the usefulness of recorded consultations for developing consultation skills, particularly communication skills. Perceived trainer attitudes significantly influence the GPST utility of this tool. The RCA positively impacted attitudes, providing familiarity, free access to easy-to-use online recording platforms, simplified consenting procedures, secure data storage, and improved feedback quality from trainers. Conclusion Pre-pandemic studies cited equipment access and consent procedures as barriers to utilising recording as a method of feedback. The pandemic and RCA introduced online resources and imperative to utilise this method, resulting in largely positive GPST learning experiences. As we move away from the RCA it is important to retain institutional memory of the benefits gained from feedback using recorded methods.

Outcomes of Pediatric Renal Tumors over 5 Years in Regional Cancer Center, Kidwai Memorial Institute of Oncology, Bengaluru, South India

Wilms' tumor (WT) is the most common malignant renal tumor in the pediatric population and it is managed with a multimodal treatment. Improvements in chemotherapy and risk stratification have led to dramatic improvement in the prognosis of renal tumors, which was once a lethal malignancy. Seventy-three patients with histopathologically proven diagnosis of renal tumor who received treatment from January 2011 to December 2015 were included for analysis. Eight children underwent upfront nephrectomy. The patients were analyzed for event-free survival and overall survival. The outcomes were correlated with age, sex, stage at presentation, and histology. A favorable histology was found in 74% patients, while an unfavorable histology was observed in 26% of the cases. The 5-year event-free survival was 82.7% and overall survival was 87.6%. The stage at presentation had a prognostic value (p < 0.001). Tumor histology was the single most important factor in predicting the survival.

Health impact assessment in two planning projects in England: reflections on normative effectiveness

BackgroundThis article reports on research commissioned by (what was at the time) Public Health England (PHE). The objective is to reflect on the normative effectiveness of Health Impact Assessment (HIA) applied to two planning projects; (a) the new town at Cranbrook, Devon (HIA prepared in 2007), and (b) the regeneration of the Marsh farm area in Luton (HIA prepared in 2009). In this context, the focus is on the contribution of HIA to actions that are intended to lead to good or improved health and wellbeing.MethodsNormative HIA effectiveness criteria derived from a literature review were used to guide the analysis. The two included HIA cases were previously identified as good practice examples with regards to procedure and report quality. Semi-structured interviews with public health, planning and other actors originally involved in the HIAs were conducted in 2021. This was followed up by web-searches for evidence on actual developments in 2023.ResultsInterviews indicated that normative effectiveness initially appeared to be high, but that the longer-term effects of the financial crash of 2008 reduced this. Delays in initially anticipated timelines and HIA actors moving elsewhere or retiring meant that HIAs were not followed-up and connections between developments and the HIAs were no longer made. However, web-based searches conducted in 2023 found that key HIA suggestions were eventually implemented, albeit with delay. There is also evidence for improved IMD (index of multiple deprivation) rankings in the Marsh farm regeneration case.ConclusionA mismatch is observed with regards to HIA exercises appearing to be largely ‘forgotten’ after over a decade of their publication, but recommendations still being implemented, possibly as a result of ‘institutional memory’. Making monitoring and follow-up of HIA binding rather than advisory would allow for direct linkages to be made.

Ethicizing Agency in Body Documentification

ABSTRACTWhile considerations of documents and data are longstanding in the tenants and practices of library and information science (LIS), the recent turn toward bodies and embodiment in the social sciences invites a critical interrogation of our assumptions about the interplay of documents, data, and bodies embedded within sociotechnical systems of power and bodily agency. In response, we begin to theorize the intersection of datafication and documentation as documentification, encapsulating how acts of datafication revoking agency results in a one‐directional superficial documentary status, producing assumptions about bodies by power systems which aim to simplify, nullify, and suppress. We initially examine documentification as it relates to practices of surveillance, BMI, and memory institutions. In doing so, we interrogate the ethical dilemmas emerging from assumptions about agency ascribed to documentified bodies. Finally, we challenge the library and information professions to imagine a world designed with putting people first that centers, rather than reduces, their agency.

Modeling Memory Institutions: The Ainu Case Study

ABSTRACTThis study aimed to construct a model of memory institutions (libraries, archives, and museums) as a lens for analyzing contemporary collective memory practices related to the Ainu people. First, we developed a pilot model to organize the current phenomena and practices of collective memories and suggest a respective circulation mechanism consisting of three core elements: media, collective representations, and collective memory. Additionally, employing this pilot model, we conducted close readings of 449 pieces of literature and illustrated the characteristics of collective memory practices and phenomena in a case study of the Ainu. Our findings indicate that 1) the traditional collective memory of the Ainu has gradually shifted toward recognizing them as a unique ethnic group, and 2) by translating their oral literature into diverse media, the Ainu have reshaped their cultural identity.

Blue Sunglasses and New Habits: Female Correspondence Networks and the Irish Religious Diaspora

Abstract During the nineteenth century female Irish religious orders established missions across the Irish diaspora which were designed with flexibility and adaptation in mind. The Sisters of Mercy's personal letter networks allowed these women, who were often very young, to continue their religious and technical “apprenticeship” while abroad. These letters enabled women in the diaspora to maintain a sense of consistency and belonging across the oceans: with their sisters in Ireland and elsewhere in the world on an ethnic and institutional level. Engaging with these letters as both intimate conversations and professional reflections presents opportunities for investigating how long-distance institutional memory was developed and a continuing connection to Ireland and Irishness maintained. This article moves the focus of ethnic culture brokers from the priest and bishop to the formal and informal networks of women religious who worked within a system designed for men. In doing so, it demonstrates that these letters provided an important extra layer to public global Irish networks, a layer which acted as both a whisper network and an opportunity for reflection on efficient methods for varied work in large, fluctuating, and cross-class ethnic communities.

Effects of Pressure, Hypoxia, and Hyperoxia on Neutrophil Granulocytes

Background: The application of normo- and hyperbaric O2 is a common therapy option in various disease patterns. Thereby, the applied O2 affects the whole body, including the blood and its components. This study investigates influences of pressure and oxygen fraction on human blood plasma, nutrient media, and the functions of neutrophil granulocytes (PMNs). Methods: Neutrophil migration, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and NETosis were examined by live cell imaging. The treatment of various matrices (Roswell Park Memorial Institute 1640 medium, Dulbecco’s Modified Eagle’s Medium, H2O, human plasma, and isolated PMNs) with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) was performed. In addition, the expression of different neutrophil surface epitopes (CD11b, CD62L, CD66b) and the oxidative burst were investigated by flow cytometry (FACS). The application of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) to normoxic and normobaric culture media served as a positive control. Soluble reaction products such as H2O2, reactive nitrogen species (RNS: NO2− and NO3−), and ROS-dependent dihydrorhodamine oxidation were quantified by fluoro- and colorimetric assay kits. Results: Under normobaric normoxia, PMNs migrate slower and shorter in comparison with normobaric hyper- or hypoxic conditions and hyperbaric hyperoxia. The pressure component has less effect on the migration behavior of PMNs than the O2 concentration. Individual PMN cells produce prolonged ROS at normoxic conditions. PMNs showed increased expression of CD11b in normobaric normoxia, lower expression of CD62L in normobaric normoxia, and lower expression of CD66b after HBO and CAP treatment. Treatment with CAP increased the amount of ROS and RNS in common culture media. Conclusions: Hyperbaric and normobaric O2 influences neutrophil functionality and surface epitopes in a measurable way, which may have an impact on disorders with neutrophil involvement. In the context of hyperbaric experiments, especially high amounts of H2O2 in RPMI after hyperbaric oxygen should be taken into account. Therefore, our data support a critical indication for the use of normobaric and hyperbaric oxygen and conscientious and careful handling of oxygen in everyday clinical practice.

A Punahou moʻolelo: the creation of institutional memory and myth

ABSTRACT This paper investigates how Punahou School, a K-12 Hawaiʻi private school with tremendous local influence, has represented its history and particularly its ties to the U.S. colonization of Hawaiʻi. This account of how various actors tell, grapple with, or memorialize violent histories has implications locally for the Hawaiian sovereignty movement and broadly for questions surrounding memory and representation. I argue that Punahou has employed a two-pronged approach to representing its historical founding and articulating a school identity: first, Punahou has strategically sanitized the history of its founding to present a narrative that glorifies the missionary project and implies, or at least fails to question, the notion that the Christianization and colonization of Hawaiʻi were beneficial. Second, Punahou has incorporated – or, alternatively, appropriated – Hawaiian cultural symbolism, moʻolelo, and heritage to indigenize itself, thus deemphasizing the role the school itself has played in the erasure of those very same hallmarks of indigeneity. The impact of Punahou’s representational strategies is to erase the brutality of the missionary project and settler colonialism; normalize colonial ideas, behaviors, and histories; and grant implicit pardon to Punahou as an institution from reckoning with its violent history.

What Is Culture Made of? An Exploratory Study of Ethical Cultures and Provider Perspectives on the Care of Periviable Neonates

Objective Studies examining intercenter variation in neonatal intensive care unit practices at the limits of fetal viability have hypothesized that institutional “culture” can be one of many factors that impact patient care. This study aimed to describe institutional culture at a single, large academic center with regard to the antenatal consultation, resuscitation, and postnatal management of periviable neonates. Study Design Members of six clinical groups—attending and fellow maternal–fetal medicine physicians, attending and fellow neonatal–perinatal medicine physicians, neonatal nurses, advanced practiced neonatal nurses, pediatric hospitalist physicians, and neonatal respiratory therapists—were invited to complete qualitative, semi-structured interviews. All audio recordings were transcribed. Dedoose software was used to complete team-based coding and thematic analysis. Results Twenty-two interviews were completed. Thematic analysis revealed three central themes described by participants as contributory to institutional culture: Perception, referring to factors based on individual attitudes and insights, Statements of Information, referring to factors anchored in more objective concepts such as outcomes data and institutional policy, and Dynamic Factors, referring to the relatively fluid factors of institutional culture that interact with both Perception and Statements of Information. Participants were more likely to mention factors in the Perception category (n = 430) compared with factors in the Information category (n = 225), and although the latter were described as critical components of antenatal counseling and perinatal management, the philosophy of our unit appeared to be more heavily rooted in institutional memory and individual belief systems. Conclusion Our data demonstrate a personal undertone to institutional culture at the limits of viability, with an emphasis on individual attitudes and subjective interpretations of fact rather than empirical data. As the landscape of neonatology continues to change, understanding those factors that contribute to culture remains a necessary step toward deconstructing institutional belief systems and optimizing clinical care. Key Points

Initial Experience with Lecanemab and Lessons Learned in 71 Patients in a Regional Medical Center

Background and ObjectivesOn July 6, 2023 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the anti-amyloid monoclonal antibody lecanemab (Leqembi®) for treatment of patients with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Our early experience and lessons learned with lecanemab in a regional community medical center are described.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis retrospective observational study highlights the first 71 patients treated with lecanemab at our multidisciplinary Norton Neuroscience Institute Memory Center. All patients had positive cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers for AD and underwent at least 1 lecanemab infusion. Two patients had additional amyloid PET scans which were positive.ResultsThe mean age was 72 years (49–90 years), and 44 (62%) patients were female. Most were Caucasian (68 [96%]), and 54 [76%] were referred to our Memory Center by their primary care provider. Comorbidities were common, including hypertension (34 [48%]), hypercholesterolemia (51 [72%]), diabetes mellitus (17 [24%]), and cardiovascular disease excluding hypertension (22 [31%]). The mean body mass index was 27.0 (range: 17.8–45.0). A total of 36 (51%) patients were heterozygous for the ApoE4 genotype, and 9 (13%) were homozygous. A total of 61 [86%] patients had been treated with donepezil; 40 (56%) patients had received memantine. Of the 50 patients who completed 1 or more safety monitoring brain MRIs following infusion, 12 (24%) had amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) detected: solitary ARIA-H (hemorrhage) in 5, solitary ARIA-E (edema) in 3, and both ARIA-H and ARIA-E in 4. Of the 12 patients with ARIA, 9 were asymptomatic, 4 were homozygous for the ApoE4 genotype, and 6 were heterozygous for the ApoE4 genotype. Of the 9 who were homozygous for the ApoE4 genotype in this study, 4 (44%) had evidence of ARIA. Of the 36 who were heterozygous for the ApoE4 genotype, 6 (17%) were diagnosed with ARIA. Twenty-six (37%) patients experienced infusion reactions after their first lecanemab infusion: headaches (12 patients) and shaking/chills/rigors (11 patients) were most common. Twenty-three (88%) of these 26 patients reported the side effects either at the infusion center or within the first 24 hours post-infusion. One patient died shortly after the first lecanemab infusion of a myocardial infarction. It is uncertain whether or not this death was related to lecanemab treatment.ConclusionThrough our early experience with lecanemab, we have recognized several areas of improvement which have clarified and enhanced the lecanemab infusion experience.

User-centred collection metadata: from images as information to facilitating socio-affective connections

PurposeAs museums and other memory institutions continue to invest considerably in mass-digitising collections and participating in large search portals, it is essential to understand existing and potential users, their motivations and search needs to inform collections’ documentation. In this article, we discuss insights from a collaborative project with National Museums Scotland, set up to enhance the findability of collection images and inform documentation practices by understanding the collections users and their search terms.Design/methodology/approachThe research involved interviews with National Museums Scotland staff, users and non-users of the Museums’ Search our Collections portal encompassing a concept mapping and card sort activity; online surveys and content analysis of user search queries.FindingsThe project revealed that participants are interested in searching the online collections by terms often not represented in collections metadata, including terms related to identity (their own but also others’) and social context (e.g. through seasonal and social events); emotional and sensory interests (e.g. visual characteristics) and narrative themes (e.g. on under-represented histories).Originality/valueBased on the findings, we further theorise the semantic gap in online museum collection metadata. To bridge this gap and cater to how users search, we argue for a paradigm shift in documentation practices: suggesting practitioners should not only view collection images as information but also tap into their rich potential for enabling social and affective connections.

Identification of antigenic proteins from the venom of Malaysian snakes using immunoprecipitation assay and tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)

Snake envenomation poses a significant risk to Malaysians and country visitors. Malaysia witnesses an estimated 650 snake bites per 100,000 population annually. The primary treatment for snake envenomation involves administering antivenom derived from horses, despite its drawbacks, such as anaphylactic reactions and serum sickness. Identifying the venom proteome is crucial for understanding and predicting the clinical implications of envenomation and developing effective treatments targeting specific venom proteins. In this study, we employ an immunoprecipitation assay followed by LC-MS/MS to identify antigenic proteins in five common venomous snakes in Malaysia compassing of two families which are pit vipers, (Calloselasma rhodostoma and Cryptelytrops purpureomaculatus) and cobras (Ophiophagus hannah, Naja kaouthia, and Naja sumatrana). The immunoprecipitation assay utilises a 2 % agarose gel, allowing antigenic proteins to diffuse and bind with antibodies in the antivenom. The antivenom utilised in this research was procured from the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute (QSMI), Thailand, including king cobra antivenom (KCAV), cobra antivenom (CAV), Malayan pit viper antivenom (MPAV), Russell's viper antivenom (RPAV), hematopolyvalent antivenom (HPAV), neuropolyvalent antivenom (NPAV), banded krait antivenom (BKAV), and Malayan krait antivenom (MKAV). The protein identified through these interactions which are exclusive to the cobras are three-finger toxins (3FTXs) while snake C-type lectins (Snaclecs) are unique to the pit vipers. Common protein that are present in both families are L-amino acid oxidase (LAAO), Phospholipase A2 (PLA2), and snake venom metalloproteinase (SVMP). Identifying these proteins is vital for formulating a broad-spectrum antivenom applicable across multiple species.