Research Laboratory Research Articles

Disperse reinforcement of artificial base with glass waste

The article presents the results of laboratory stamp tests of sandy soils, the dispersed reinforcement of which was made with cullet waste in the form of crumbs. The tested soil samples had different densities and, accordingly, for each density, several options were made for the percentage of glass in the mass of the total volume. The purpose of the laboratory research was to obtain such a mechanical characteristic of the soil as the deformation modulus, which was subsequently compared with the same deformation modulus, but not of reinforced soil. The research results obtained showed the effectiveness of using glass chips as dispersed reinforcement of loose soils, which makes it possible to improve its strength properties and significantly save on the installation of artificial foundations for buildings or structures, as well as solve the issue of recycling glass waste and, accordingly, improve the environmental performance of the environment.

A case study of research identity among counseling students in a research lab

A case study of research identity among counseling students in a research lab

Environmental Conservation by Using Recycled Aggregates: Enhancing Sustainability in Road Construction

Every day, construction and demolition waste is generated worldwide. As the road business and traffic grow, construction materials have evolved to include more unorthodox features. Road construction and maintenance rely significantly on quarried aggregates, resulting in high resource extraction demands. There is a trend toward employing secondary (recycled) materials rather than primary (virgin) ones to address this. This transformation requires the use of a variety of secondary and tertiary components, including waste byproducts. Numerous studies have been conducted to study and analyze the suitability and practical application of recycled materials in the field. Some recycled materials have better qualities than others, proving satisfactory performance in real-world circumstances. However, concerns about their incorporation persist, based on laboratory research and field observations. These concerns emphasize the necessity for more in-depth research to address potential difficulties. It is claimed that using recycled and tertiary materials in road construction can greatly help to save natural resources. This study predicts the attributes of selected materials, such as gradation, water absorption, maximum dry density, impact value, flakiness, and elongation, to establish their appropriateness for the production of Granular Sub-base (GSB) and Wet Mix Macadam (WMM).

Orchestrating Resources in Green Startups: Learning from Case Studies

This study examines the characteristics of green startups and the progression of their resource utilization patterns during the pandemic emergency, focusing on case studies from the Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC) of the Kanpur Indian Institute of Technology (IITK). This study explores how these startups overcame lockdown challenges and identified the resources they utilized throughout various development stages. The findings reveal that the green startups in the sample share characteristics of visionary and inventive startups, often lacking formal business education but possessing strong technical skills and social engagement. They rely heavily on human and social resources in the early stages, leveraging their networks and stakeholder support to define and develop their green innovations. The research also highlights the importance of open innovation strategies, particularly in the product development stage, where startups leverage research labs and expertise within the IITK ecosystem. This study increases the literature on green startups and offers practical recommendations for young green entrepreneurs, emphasizing the importance of operating in familiar industries, building stakeholder networks, and utilizing open innovation strategies for successful green innovation development.

Harnessing AI for advancing pathogenic microbiology: a bibliometric and topic modeling approach

IntroductionThe integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in pathogenic microbiology has accelerated research and innovation. This study aims to explore the evolution and trends of AI applications in this domain, providing insights into how AI is transforming research and practice in pathogenic microbiology.MethodsWe employed bibliometric analysis and topic modeling to examine 27,420 publications from the Web of Science Core Collection, covering the period from 2010 to 2024. These methods enabled us to identify key trends, research areas, and the geographical distribution of research efforts.ResultsSince 2016, there has been an exponential increase in AI-related publications, with significant contributions from China and the USA. Our analysis identified eight major AI application areas: pathogen detection, antibiotic resistance prediction, transmission modeling, genomic analysis, therapeutic optimization, ecological profiling, vaccine development, and data management systems. Notably, we found significant lexical overlaps between these areas, especially between drug resistance and vaccine development, suggesting an interconnected research landscape.DiscussionAI is increasingly moving from laboratory research to clinical applications, enhancing hospital operations and public health strategies. It plays a vital role in optimizing pathogen detection, improving diagnostic speed, treatment efficacy, and disease control, particularly through advancements in rapid antibiotic susceptibility testing and COVID-19 vaccine development. This study highlights the current status, progress, and challenges of AI in pathogenic microbiology, guiding future research directions, resource allocation, and policy-making.

An Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Flexible and Wearable Mechanoluminescent Strain Sensor System.

The complex wiring, bulky data collection devices, and difficulty in fast and on-site data interpretation significantly limit the practical application of flexible strain sensors as wearable devices. To tackle these challenges, this work develops an artificial intelligence-assisted, wireless, flexible, and wearable mechanoluminescent strain sensor system (AIFWMLS) by integration of deep learning neural network-based color data processing system (CDPS) with a sandwich-structured flexible mechanoluminescent sensor (SFLC) film. The SFLC film shows remarkable and robust mechanoluminescent performance with a simple structure for easy fabrication. The CDPS system can rapidly and accurately extract and interpret the color of the SFLC film to strain values with auto-correction of errors caused by the varying color temperature, which significantly improves the accuracy of the predicted strain. A smart glove mechanoluminescent sensor system demonstrates the great potential of the AIFWMLS system in human gesture recognition. Moreover, the versatile SFLC film can also serve as a encryption device. The integration of deep learning neural network-based artificial intelligence and SFLC film provides a promising strategy to break the "color to strain value" bottleneck that hinders the practical application of flexible colorimetricstrain sensors, which could promote the development of wearable and flexible strain sensors from laboratory research to consumer markets.

Progression to complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA): post hoc analysis of the GATHER1 trial.

Determine rates of progression of incomplete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (iRORA) to complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA) and rates of progression of drusen to iRORA/cRORA in eyes with geographic atrophy (GA) treated with avacincaptad pegol (ACP). Post hoc analysis of the GATHER1 prospective, randomized, double-masked Phase II/III study that evaluated ACP 2mg vs. sham. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) data from GATHER1 were transferred to the Doheny Image Reading and Research Lab for masked analysis by readers experienced with Classification of Atrophy Meeting (CAM) grading features. Regions of OCT volume scans more than 500µm from the border of GA lesions were evaluated at baseline and at months 6, 12, and 18. Participants with iRORA and/or drusen (≥ 40µm height on OCT) at baseline were included in the analysis. The proportion of eyes progressing from iRORA to cRORA in the ACP 2mg group was 5.0%, 15.0%, and 20.0% at months 6, 12, and 18 respectively, as compared with 11.8%, 30.2%, and 41.8% of eyes in the sham group. The proportion of ACP 2mg-treated eyes progressing from drusen to iRORA or cRORA was 3.8%, 7.6%, and 7.6% at months 6, 12, and 18 compared with 15.9%, 18.1%, and 27.2% of sham-treated eyes. Rates of progression from iRORA to cRORA and drusen to iRORA/cRORA were reduced in eyes treated with ACP 2mg vs. sham, with increasing separation between groups over time, suggesting early intervention may slow disease progression. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02686658. Date of registration: February 16, 2016. What is known Geographic atrophy is an advanced form of age-related maculardegeneration (AMD) that leads to irreversible vision loss, presenting a significant public health unmet need. The Classification of Atrophy Meeting (CAM) group recommended a new nomenclature for advanced AMD lesions, based on the affected anatomical layers on optical coherence tomography. Accordingly, the terms incomplete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (iRORA) and complete retinal pigment epithelium and outer retinal atrophy (cRORA) were introduced (Guymer et al., Ophthalmology 127:394-409, 2020; Sadda et al., Ophthalmology 125:537-548, 2018). What is new GATHER1 post hoc analysis shows that treatment with avacincaptad pegol (ACP) 2mg decreases the proportion of eyes that progress from iRORA to cRORA, and from drusen to iRORA or cRORA, compared with sham, over 6, 12, and 18months. These findings suggest a potential role for ACP in delaying the progression of existing pre-atrophic AMD lesions.

Evaluation of the impact of hollow fiber pore size and membrane material on virus concentration using a handheld hollow fiber method.

Virus concentration using hollow fibers is widely used for vaccine production to maintain viral infectivity with low shear stress and to allow for easier scale-up of production. However, research laboratories often have limited available viral materials at the early stage of vaccine development, making it difficult to find an optimal hollow-fiber. In addition, few research articles have reported on optimizing hollow fiber pore size and membrane structure for virus concentration. In this study, the previously established handheld hollow fiber virus concentration method was modified to reduce the sample volume required and to enable simple and easy hollow fiber screening. The handheld hollow fiber screening method for virus concentration was confirmed to be effective using Zika as a model virus.

Evaluation of Agricultural Non-point Source Pollution Infiltration on Clogging and Nitrogen Leaching Effects in BRCs with Different Plants in Dryland Areas.

As high-standard farmland rapidly expands, agricultural non-point source pollution has emerged as a main environmental issue in China. To tackle nitrogen pollution, green infrastructure (GI), especially bioretention cells (BRCs), has been extensively adopted. However, the long-term effectiveness of these systems may be hindered by clogging and nitrogen leaching. In this study, we designed three BRCs simulation devices to investigate the effects of different plants on the removal of TSS TN and NO3-N from runoff through simulated pollutant infiltration experiments. To address this issue, laboratory research has explored the contributions of woody plants like Buxus and herbaceous plants such as Ophiopogon in BRCs, concentrating on their impact on system clogging and nitrogen leaching. The results indicated that, although the total suspended solids (TSS) removal rates in the Buxus and Ophiopogon treatment groups were slightly lower than in the control group, permeability experienced a notable enhancement, with the Buxus group showing a 24.47% increase in permeability. The removal rates of TN and NO3-N in the Buxus group were significantly reduced, decreasing by 31.82% and 41.25%, respectively, in comparison to the control group. After five months, Ophiopogon demonstrated considerably better root growth, with its root length, volume, and surface area all significantly exceeding those of the Buxus group. The choice of plants significantly influenced nitrogen cycling and system clogging, with the reduced removal rates in the Buxus group potentially linked to its weaker root system, lower abundance of actinomycetes, and reduced soil enzyme activity.

No Experience Required: Inclusive Undergraduate Research in Computational Biophysical Chemistry

ABSTRACT Undergraduate research is a key tool for recruitment and, more importantly, retention of science, technology, engineering, and math students. Unfortunately, many students are not aware of or do not take advantage of these opportunities and, at best, often wait until late in their college careers. For my undergraduate computational biophysical chemistry research lab I have established a no-experience-required policy that allows me to recruit and mentor more research students. It also allows me to be more inclusive and expand the pool of students who have access to research. This also results in a more diverse research group, which is particularly important at a primarily undergraduate institution that has a diverse population with a high percentage of first-generation students. Here, I lay out the procedures I use to recruit and train students of all levels for my research lab, as well as the research products produced by students and myself.

Abstract 4136984: Low Occurence of Fetal Extranodal Findings and AV Interval Prolongation in Prospectively Followed High Titer Anti-Ro Pregnancies

. Background: Third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) is the most common manifestation of Anti-Ro antibody associated fetal cardiac disease. Extranodal findings of isolated cardiac echogenicity, valvulitis with insufficiency and AV interval prolongation have been reported but not described in large prospective series. Aims: To report the occurrence and outcomes of extranodal findings in subjects followed prospectively since 2020 in STOP BLOQ (Surveillance and Treatment to Prevent Fetal AV block Likely to Occur Quickly) and the Registry for Neonatal Lupus (RNL). Methods: We reviewed fetal echo reports from pregnant STOP BLOQ and RNL Anti-Ro antibody subjects. Pregnancies with high (>1000 EU for anti-Ro52 or 60) antibody titers measured in a core research lab underwent surveillance with home fetal heart rate monitoring (FHRM) 3x/day and weekly or bi-weekly fetal echos from 17- 26 gestational weeks. Low titer subjects underwent echo or no surveillance based on local site protocol. We evaluated cardiac function, effusions, cardiac echogenicity and its location, any tricuspid (TV) or mitral (MV) insufficiency trivial or >trivial) and AV conduction times (<150, 150-170 or >170 ms) Results: Echo reports were available in 622 prospectively followed pregnancies (376 high (40/376 with a previously affected child) and 246 low-titer pregnancies. All had subjectively normal ventricular function and none had effusions. Seven fetuses, 2 low and 5 high titer at 19 (range 16.7-21.7) weeks demonstrated cardiac echogenicity (n=6), AV or semilunar valve insufficiency (n=2) or AV interval 150-170 ms (n=2) (Table). Subjects 1 and 2, both high titer and treated with prophylactic Plaquenil (400 mg/d before 10 gestational weeks), had prior fetal AVB. Subject #1 had normal AV conduction but MV and TV echogenicity and moderate insufficiency of both valves which resolved in days after IVIG and dexamethasone (dex) treatment, but 3° AVB developed at 19 weeks after dex wean. Subjects 2-7 received no treatment and extranodal findings did not progress to cardiac dysfunction or AVB. During the same time period, 10 high titer subjects developed 2° or 3° AVB. Conclusion: Anti-Ro associated extranodal findings are rare, occurring in 1% of pregnancies overall and in 5% of pregnancies with a previously affected child. Unlike AVB, extranodal findings can occur in low titer pregnancies. The role of treatment for isolated extranodal findings in the absence of cardiac dysfunction is unclear.

Abstract 4137678: Maximal Oxygen Uptake Prediction From Resting and Submaximal Variables of Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing by Using Machine Learning Methods

Background: Cardiorespiratory fitness, as measured by maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) during a cardiopulmonary exercise test (CPET), is a prognostic indicator for longevity and adverse cardiovascular event prevention. This study aims to formulate a regression model utilizing resting and submaximal variables during CPET evaluation in the general population to predict VO2max. Methods: We used 13,535 CPET results on cycle ergometer collected by the UCLA Exercise Physiology Research Laboratory over eight years. Patients were divided into a normal group (NG; n=1,400) and an other group (OG; n=12,135). The inclusion criteria for the NG were: the absence of any known clinical diagnosis, BMI <30, no current use of beta blocker, and VO2max >85% of the predicted value for age and sex (Wasserman equation). OG refers to all other patients not in NG. Models were trained and evaluated for each group using stratified 5-fold cross-validation. We also trained different models using only resting variables (R-VARS) and resting and submaximal exercise variables (R+S-VARS). Feature importance was assessed using Shapely additive explanations (SHAP) values to identify how the feature related to the VO2max prediction. Results: The regression models were trained on the NG, OG, and total (N+OG) groups. The optimal models were Bayesian Ridge for the NG and Light Gradient Boosting Machine for the other two groups. The mean (standard deviation) R2 when using only R-VARS was 0.67(0.037) for the NG, 0.54 (0.014) for the OG, and 0.55 (0.009) for the N+OG. When using R+S-VARS, performance increased to 0.82 (0.014) for the NG, 0.80 (0.010) for the OG, and 0.8 (0.008) for the N+OG. Chronotropic index (ci), body mass index (BMI), VO2 at the first ventilatory threshold (VO2h1kg), minute ventilation at the second ventilatory threshold (VEH2), and forced expiratory volume (FEV1) were important features across the models trained with R+S-VARS. CI, BMI, and VEH2 had a negative effect, while VO2h1kg, FEV1 had positive effect on VO2max prediction. Conclusion: Our VO2max prediction model demonstrated remarkable accuracy in this dataset representing a generally healthy, non-athlete population using R+S-VARS. Particularly noteworthy was the enhanced performance within subgroups exhibiting a lower VO2max. This methodology offers a means to assess VO2max for individuals who might not achieve maximal exhaustion during CPET due to non-cardiopulmonary reasons.

Constraining light dependency in modeled emissions through comparison to observed biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) concentrations in a southeastern US forest

Abstract. Climate change will bring about changes in meteorological and ecological factors that are currently used in global-scale models to calculate biogenic emissions. By comparing long-term datasets of biogenic compounds to modeled emissions, this work seeks to improve understanding of these models and their driving factors. We compare speciated biogenic volatile organic compound (BVOC) measurements at the Virginia Forest Research Laboratory located in Fluvanna County, VA, USA, for the year 2020 with emissions estimated by the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature version 3.2 (MEGANv3.2). The emissions were subjected to oxidation in a 0-D box model (F0AM v4.3) to generate time series of modeled concentrations. We find that default light-dependent fractions (LDFs) in the emissions model do not accurately represent observed temporal variability in regional observations. Some monoterpenes with a default light dependence are better represented using light-independent emissions throughout the year (LDFα-pinene=0, as opposed to 0.6), while others are best represented using a seasonally or temporally dependent light dependence. For example, limonene has the highest correlation between modeled and measured concentrations using an LDF =0 for January through April and roughly 0.74–0.97 in the summer months, in contrast to the default value of 0.4. The monoterpenes β-thujene, sabinene, and γ-terpinene similarly have an LDF that varies throughout the year, with light-dependent behavior in summer, while camphene and α-fenchene follow light-independent behavior throughout the year. Simulations of most compounds are consistently underpredicted in the winter months compared to observed concentrations. In contrast, day-to-day variability in the concentrations during summer months are relatively well captured using the coupled emissions–chemistry model constrained by regional concentrations of NOX and O3.

Violation of the handling rules of pathogens: discourse on the definition of the subject of the criminal offense

The relevance of the study is determined by the growing importance of ensuring the biological security of the state, in particular, by criminal legal means in the context of strengthening control over the activities of research, diagnostic and production microbiological laboratories that work with pathogenic material, as well as by the uncertainty of the criminal legal doctrine regarding the mandatory signs of the composition of the criminal offense under Art. 326 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. The purpose of the article is to develop a scientifically grounded approach to the understanding of the subject of violation of the handling rules of microbiological objects that are pathogens of dangerous diseases, and the responsibility for which is provided for by Article 326 of the current Criminal Code of Ukraine, as well as by Articles 5.1.12, 5.1.13 and 5.1.19 of the draft of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine. To achieve this goal, the following scientific methods were used: hermeneutical, normative-dogmatic, formal-logical, system-structural. The provisions of international and national legislation of Ukraine, which determine the content of the subject of the relevant criminal offense, were analyzed. It was found out that, despite the dual interpretation, the term “biological agents is used both in the current and in the prospective legislative acts of Ukraine, and the lists of dangerous biological agents are approved by the Government and the Ministry of Health of Ukraine. In the absence of the legal definition of the term “infectious agents” and the absence of any normative defined lists of such agents, the use of this term in the construction of the relevant criminal law norms is considered to be questionable. The meaning of the concept of “biotechnology products,” which was used by the authors of the draft of the new Criminal Code of Ukraine to criminalize the violation of the handling rules of pathogens, has been determined. It was found out that there is no legally defined list of biotechnology products, which significantly expands the meaning of this concept. It was argued that the application of the definition of “biotechnology products” in a prospective codified criminal legal act will create unjustified competition of norms and will negatively affect the qualification of relevant criminal offenses. The optimal version of the disposition of the criminal legal norm on the violation of the mentioned rules of biological safety in terms of determining the subject of this criminal offense has been given.

The Effect of Giving Soursop Fruit Juice (Annona muricata, L.) on Hemoglobin Levels in Wistar Bunting Strain Rats Exposed to Cigarette Smoke

Background: Anemia in pregnancy can be caused by exposure to cigarette. A large number of free radicals can cause the number of erythrocytes to decrease. It takes a component to neutralize free radicals, namely antioxidants obtained from various fruits. Soursop contains sources of antioxidants such as flavonoid compounds, polyphenols, and vitamin C. Researchers want to know whether soursop juice can be used as an alternative antioxidant to prevent the decrease in hemoglobin levels of pregnant women. Objective: To determine the effect of giving soursop juice on hemoglobin levels of pregnant white rats with exposure to cigarette smoke. Methods: The experimental laboratory research was designed using the Randomized Post Test Only Control Group Design method. The experimental animal samples were 20 pregnant female Wistar (Rattus norvegicus) rats composed of two control and three treatment groups. Rats were given soursop fruit juice from the first day of rearing until the 18th day of gestation and exposed to cigarette smoke from the 6th day until the 18th. Then blood samples were taken from the mother's heart to measure the hemoglobin level. Results: The results of the hemoglobin level test showed that there was difference between the treatment group and control group. There is an increasing trend from the postitive control group to treatment group. Conclusion: Giving soursop fruit juice can prevent the decrease in hemoglobin levels of pregnant rats exposed to cigarette smoke. Keywords: anemia, free radicals, antioxidants, vitamin C.

Lunar Farside Samples Returned by Chang’E-6 Mission: Significance for Understanding the South Pole-Aitken Basin Stratigraphic History

The Chang’E-6 (CE-6) mission, launched by China on 2024 May 3, marks the first successful retrieval of samples from the farside of the Moon, specifically from the southern mare plain of the Apollo basin within the South Pole-Aitken (SPA) Basin. This study aims to provide a comprehensive geological analysis of the Apollo basin, focusing on the Apollo basin materials that CE-6 may have collected. By examining the regional geology, surface mineralogy, thorium (Th) abundance, and crustal thickness, we seek to understand the implications of these materials for the SPA basin’s structure and stratigraphic history. We find that the Apollo basin exhibits significant lateral compositional variations, with Mg-rich noritic materials predominantly in the southwestern portion and more feldspathic materials in the northeast, probably due to the fact that the Apollo basin is situated on different structures of the underlying SPA basin. Those Mg-rich materials, likely representing deep lithologies from local lower crust, are associated with low Th abundance, suggesting a KREEP-poor origin. The inclusion of foreign materials in the CE-6 samples increases the complexity while also enhancing their research potential. In addition to the local mare basalts, Mg-rich noritic materials associated with the Apollo basin and Th-rich materials originating from the SPA basin may also have been collected by CE-6. Laboratory research of these diverse lithologies will contribute to unraveling the characteristics of the farside mantle, the geological history of the giant SPA basin, as well as the cause of the substantial asymmetry between the lunar nearside and farside.

RBIO-03. A SMALL ANIMAL RADIATION RESEARCH PLATFORM (FLASH-SARRP) TO MEASURE IMMUNOLOGICAL EFFECT OF ULTRA HIGH DOSE RATE (FLASH) RADIOTHERAPY

Abstract Patients who undergo radiation therapy (RT), particularly fractionated courses, often develop lymphopenia. Clinical outcome for various cancer types, including brain tumors, identifies lymphopenia as a negative prognostic factor. The mechanism for RT induced lymphopenia is unclear. Simulated models suggest the volume of blood flowing through a radiation field could play a crucial role in death of radiosensitive lymphocytes. FLASH RT is ultrahigh dose rate administration of RT, >100 times faster dose rate than standard RT that has been observed to improve the therapeutic ratio in preclinical models by preferential normal tissue sparing. Hypothesized mechanisms include chemical reactions depleting oxygen in well oxygenated normal cells creating radioresistance, differing pro-inflammatory signaling impacting tumor and normal tissue, and less impact on circulating immune cells consequent to decreased proportion exposed during a treatment session which may enhance antineoplastic response. We designed the novel FLASH kV x-ray cabinet system for preclinical laboratory research (FLASH-SARRP) to deliver ultra-high dose rates up to 100 Gy/s as well as conventional dose rates of 1.0 Gy/s to facilitate comparative studies. A custom designed docking system was developed to reproducibly position and immobilize mouse for stereotactic radiation of the brain. Dose and dose rate measurements were performed with calibrated Gafchromic EBT3 film in solid water with 0.025 mm additional copper filter. FLASH-SARRP system delivered kV x-rays at an average dose-rate of 79.2±2.1Gy/s corresponding to 10 mm depth in the immobilized mouse brain. For the delivery of 15 Gy, treatment duration was 0.2 seconds for FLASH RT administration whereas it was 244 seconds for conventional dose rate. We successfully designed a high-precision platform to study partial brain x-ray FLASH effects in mice and studies are ongoing to assess differential impact on normal brain tissue, circulating cytokines, and immune cell populations for single dose and fractionated administration of FLASH and standard radiotherapy.

Pathogens of Plant Diseases in Osh City and Their Connection with Climatic Conditions of Kyrgyzstan

The article discusses the issues of improving the environmental situation, creating a favorable environment for health and, therefore, the need to combat plant pathology in large cities of Kyrgyzstan. Methods of increasing sustainability are analyzed and recommendations for improving the efficiency of the urban green space system are proposed. Based on this, the purpose of the work is to study the possibilities of improving the ecological condition of cities in modern conditions by controlling pests of urban plants. During the research, methods of qualitative identification and analysis of pests of urban plants were used. The information and empirical base of the study was our own laboratory research data. The scientific novelty lies in the identification and identification of pests of planted woody, shrubby and ornamental plants in Osh city. Based on the analysis of pests of planted woody, shrubby and ornamental plants in the city of Osh, it is proposed to strengthen control and research in the field of phytopathology to improve the urban environment by greening urban areas with resistant species to the identified pathologies of woody, shrubby and ornamental plant species. The necessity of forming a pest control system for plants and protecting the ecology of cities is substantiated. As a result of the study, the main types of pests of planted woody, shrubby and ornamental plants in urban areas of Osh were identified.

Effectiveness of Mango Gedong Gincu Peel Extract Gel (<i>Mangifera indica</i> L.) on Cut Wounds in Male Wistar White Rats (<i>Rattus norvegicus</i>)

Background: A wound is an injury to a part of the body where the skin and the underlying tissue lose continuity. The wound healing is a complex process consisting inflammatory phase, proliferation phase, and maturation phase. Open wounds often occur in everyday life and if left behind and untreated can potentially lead to bacterial infection. Mango gedong gincu peel extract (Mangifera indica L.) contains flavonoids, tannins, phenols, triterpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, and saponins which have roles in wound healing. Aims: To analyses the effectiveness of mango gedong gincu peel extract gel (Mangifera indica L.) against the healing of cut wounds in male wistar white rats (Rattus norvegicus). Methods: The study was an experimental study with a post-test only control group design using 25 male wistar white rat as the subject and was carried out in the FK UGJ Research Laboratory. The study used five groups : negative control group, positive control group, and treatment group using mango gedong gincu peel extract gel (Mangifera indica L.) with concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 15%. Results: The results of the study revealed that mango (Mangifera indica L.) gedong gincu peel is a source of various phytochemical such as flavonoids, tannins, phenols, triterpenoids, steroids, alkaloids, and saponins. This study showed that the 5% and 10% concentration treatment groups had the same average length measurement wound of 0.86 cm. The fastest observation of erythema was the 5% concentration group with a healing rate of 8 days, in the observation of edema the 10% concentration group was the fastest of 6 days, and the observation long of healing time was 5% and 10% concentration had the same rate of 11 days. Conclusion: Mango gedong gincu peel extract gel (Mangifera indica L.) was effective against wound healing with optimum concentrations of 5% and 10% which gives the best healing effect against wounds in male wistar white rats (Rattus norvegicus). Received: 25 September 2024 | Reviewed: 22 October 2024 | Revised: 05 November 2024 | Accepted: 09 November 2024.

MycoTWIN Working Group Discussion: A Multi-Actor Perspective on Future Research Directions for Mycotoxins and Toxigenic Fungi Along the Food and Feed Chain

Mycotoxin research is facing unprecedented challenges, starting from the urgent need to cope with the consequences of climate change, the global shortage of grain due to unstable political scenarios, and the major transformation of the supply chains after the COVID-19 pandemic. In this scenario, the mycotoxin contamination of human and animal foods is still unavoidable, thus representing a major challenge to global food security. Next to this, the shift to sustainable and circular food production might be accompanied by an increase in food safety issues involving mycotoxins, e.g., when new technologies are applied to reuse side streams from the food industry, it is not known if and how mycotoxins accumulate in these by-products. MycoTWIN is an EU-funded Horizon 2020 project which fosters knowledge transfer and scientific cooperation within the Mediterranean area, involving worldwide experts, decision makers, and stakeholders in the field of mycotoxigenic fungi and mycotoxins. The MycoTWIN project hosted working group meetings, whose aim was to propose operational plans and/or scientific strategic plans to shape the future research directions to better cope with these challenges. In the working group cycle “Future proof approaches for the management of toxigenic fungi and associated mycotoxins along the food chain”, a multi-actor group was guided in co-creation exercises to elaborate on future research directions and propose relevant actions to be implemented for the present to long-term time periods. The discussion focused on three main topics relevant to the assessment and management of risks associated with mycotoxins and toxigenic fungi: (i) needs for the harmonization of molecular and chemical methods and data analysis, (ii) from lab research to marketable solutions: how to fill the gap, and (iii) gaps in data quality for risk assessment.