Digital Commons Network^™

Bioremediation Potential Of Indigenous Stutzerimonas Stutzeri 08tbb Isolated From Mercury-Contaminated Gold Mining Sites In Indonesia, Uun Rohmawati, Juanita Hibatullah, Achmad Rodiansyah, Yunita Messe, Dwi Nur Aini Fajriah

Applied Environmental Research

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) widely uses mercury (Hg) in the amalgamation process, and the resulting waste is often discharged directly into the environment, posing serious risks to ecosystems and human health because of the high toxicity of Hg. This study aimed to isolate and screen indigenous Hg-tolerant bacteria from contaminated gold mining sites in Indonesia; characterize the most effective isolate using morphological, biochemical, and molecular approaches; evaluate Hg(II) degradation performance using ICP‒OES, FTIR, and SEM analyses; and identify key metabolites involved in Hg detoxification through untargeted LC–HRMS metabolomics. A total of 51 bacterial isolates were obtained from Hg-contaminated …

Ammonium Adsorption From Aqueous Solutions Using Mnfe2o4-Functionalized Coffee Husk Biochar Nanocomposites : An Evaluation Of Hno3 And Naoh Activation, Thuy-Tien Do, Huu-Tap Van, Thi-Minh-Thu Nguyen

Applied Environmental Research

This research investigated the development of MnFe2O4-based composite adsorbents (MFO@CFA and MFO@CFB) by activating coffee husk-derived biochar with HNO3 and NaOH, followed by synthesis through coprecipitation and hydrothermal techniques. The structural and chemical properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Batch adsorption experiments were used to assess ammonium removal efficiency across a range of conditions: solution pH (3–8), contact time (5–120 min), adsorbent dosage (0.2–3 g L-1), and initial ammonium concentration (10–60 mg L-1). The findings indicated that compared with MFO@CFB, which was synthesized from NaOH-activated biochar, MFO@ CFA, derived …

Assessing Forest Fragmentation And Edge Expansion In Nan Province, Thailand, Using Landsat Data (2014–2022), Kasidit Rison, Marut Fuangarworn, Chatchawan Chaisuekul

Applied Environmental Research

The increasing pressure from land-use change and agricultural expansion in Nan Province, northern Thailand, has accelerated forest fragmentation and reduced the ecosystem service value (ESV) of the landscape. This study aims to: assess land use and forest fragmentation change in Nan Province between 2014 and 2022, and evaluate the impact of land use change on ESV. Landsat 8 OLI satellite imagery from 2014 and 2022 was used to classify land cover into five types: forest, agriculture, settlements, exposed soil, and others. Forest fragmentation was evaluated using landscape metrics such as patch number, mean patch size, edge length, and core area. …

Performance And Mechanisms Of Activated Natural Coagulants For Efficient Microcystis Removal Via Coagulation–Flocculation In Thailand, Apiradee Sukmilin, Peangtawan Phonmat, Ratcha Chaichana

Applied Environmental Research

Thailand produces fruit peels and seeds rich in natural polymers, which can serve as eco-friendly coagulants to control algal blooms. In this study, banana peel (Musa spp.), orange peel (Citrus sinensis), basil seed (Ocimum basilicum) mucilage, and chia seed (Salvia hispanica) mucilage were used. These activated natural coagulants with aluminum were compared with nonactivated and commercial coagulants (ferric sulfate, ferrous sulfate, and polyaluminum chloride) for Microcystis removal. Phytochemical composition analysis, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP) analysis were conducted. The results revealed that banana and orange peels contain phenolic compounds, …

Evaluating Sediment Control Strategies Using Swat Based Bmp Assessment In A Tropical Highland Watershed, Northern Thailand, ฺBanchongsak Faksomboon, Wilailak Suanmali

Applied Environmental Research

Soil erosion remains a critical environmental challenge in the tropical highland watersheds of Southeast Asia, where steep terrain, intense monsoonal rainfall, and intensive land use interact to accelerate sediment generation and downstream degradation. This study aims to quantify spatial patterns of sediment yield and to systematically evaluate the effectiveness of individual and combined best management practices (BMPs) at both the watershed and subwatershed (SWW) scales using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in a tropical highland watershed in northern Thailand. Baseline simulations reveal pronounced spatial heterogeneity in erosion severity, with substantial portions of the watershed exhibiting moderate to extreme …

Application Of Diatom Indices To Monitor Environmental Shifts In The Downstream Tuntang River, Central Java, Mirza Hanif Al Falah, Tri Retnaningsih Soeprobowati, Hadiyanto -, Muhammad Isnaini Ibnu Sabil, Marta Wojewódka-Przybył, Łukasz Kruszewski, Paweł Rydelek

Applied Environmental Research

Diatoms are widely recognized as sensitive bioindicators for reconstructing past water quality and ecological changes in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, multiple diatom-based indices were applied to sediment cores collected from three downstream stations of the Tuntang River, Central Java, to infer long-term environmental change in a tropical river system. A total of 38 sediment subsamples were analyzed, with dominant taxa including Fragilaria crotonensis (2.4–18.6%), Nitzschia palea (3.1–22.4%), and Aulacoseira granulata (2.0–15.8%), indicating sustained nutrient enrichment. Diatom indices consistently classified conditions as mesotrophic to eutrophic throughout the sediment profiles. The occurrence of the marine diatom Cylindrotheca closterium (up to 6.3%) …

Sustainable Approach For The Removal Of Cu(Ii) From Aqueous Solutions Using Lotus Seedpod-Alginate Composite Biosorbents, Lan Tran-Nguyen, Hue Tran Nguyen-Le, Hong T Hi Anh Nguyen, Tran Nguyen-Phuong-Dung, Ly Kim-Phung, Huynh Quoc-Khanh, Nguyen Minh-Nhut, Phuong Lan Tran-Nguyen

Applied Environmental Research

Turning waste or agricultural byproducts into valuable products has recently become a concern of scientists. In this study, the facile and cost-effective synthesis of a biocomposite derived from lotus seedpod (LS) and alginate (AG) was further applied for Cu2+ ion uptake from aqueous solutions. SEM images revealed the layered structures of the composites, which were thin and irregularly stacked sheets of a complex 3D network. The abundant functional groups on the surface of the LS-based material and its negative zeta potential value of -37.50 mV also facilitated efficient Cu2+ removal. Adsorption results revealed a Cu2+ adsorption efficiency (AE) and experimental …

Tree Composition And Carbon Sequestration Potential Of A University Campus In Bangkok, Thailand, Chaiwat Boonpeng, Pawanrat Butrid Butrid, Marisa Pischom, Satatip Noikrad

Applied Environmental Research

Trees play important roles in atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption and climate change mitigation. The objective of this study was to assess tree characteristics and carbon sequestration potential at Ramkhamhaeng University (Hua Mak Campus), Bangkok, Thailand. Tree attributes, including species composition, abundance, diameter at breast height (DBH), and tree height, were recorded. Tree biomass, carbon storage, and CO2 sequestration were estimated using appropriate allometric equations. A total of 2,149 trees were recorded in the study area, corresponding to a tree density of 45.8 trees ha-1. The tree community was dominated by the palm family (Arecaceae), while Terminalia ivorensis was the …

Initial Screening Of Halophilic Plastic-Degrading Bacteria From Mangrove Water And Sediment In Pekalongan, Indonesia, Novia Safinatunnajah, Muhammad Zainuri, Aris Ismanto, Tony Hadibarata, Kunarso -, Sugeng Widada, Hermin Pancasakti Kusumaningrum, Candra Wahyuningsih

Applied Environmental Research

Microplastic pollution in tropical mangrove ecosystems represents an increasing environmental concern, particularly in coastal regions such as Pekalongan, Indonesia, where industrial and residential activities contribute substantially to plastic waste. This study aimed to isolate and preliminarily screen halophilic bacteria from mangrove sediments and seawater collected from a plastic-impacted coastal area. Using mineral salt medium (MSM) supplemented with polyethylene glycol (PEG), six bacterial strains were obtained and evaluated for their potential to interact with polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) on the basis of gravimetric weight loss measurements. Among the isolates, Halomonas Cupida A1, Marinobacter nauticus A6.3, and Marinobacter nauticus SD5.2 exhibited …

Effects Of The Psb-To-Ow Ratio And Light Intensity On Biogas Composition During Phototrophic-Assisted Anaerobic Fermentation Of Organic Waste, Kridsana Jirasansawat, Sirilak Prasertkulsak, Nitiwist Teangthai

Applied Environmental Research

The integration of phototrophic processes into anaerobic fermentation offers a promising strategy for improving biogas quality; however, the combined effects of the photosynthetic bacteria-to-organic waste (PSB-to-OW) ratio and light intensity remain unclear. In this study, the photosynthetic bacteria (PSB)-assisted anaerobic fermentation of municipal organic waste under varying PSB-to-OW ratios and light intensities was evaluated. An optimal PSB-to-OW ratio of 1:2 resulted in significantly higher CH4 concentrations and lower CO2 and H2S concentrations than the other tested ratios did (p < 0.05). At this ratio, moderate illumination (2000 lx) resulted in the highest CH4 concentration (68.2 ± 0.3%), compared with 1000 lx (61.5 ± 0.4%) and 4000 lx (63.1 ± 0.5%). Under illumination, the CO2 and H2S concentrations were lower than those under dark conditions, indicating a more favorable biogas composition. Kinetic analysis indicated that CO2 and H2S exhibited apparent first-order behavior under illumination, with the highest rates occurring at 2000 lx (kH2S = 0.093 day-1; kCO2 = 0.059 day-1), suggesting light-dependent transformation processes. Metagenomic analysis revealed a microbial community dominated by sulfide-oxidizing (Chlorobium sp.), photoheterotrophic (Rhodopseudomonas sp.), and syntrophic bacteria, supporting coupled carbon conversion and sulfur transformation. Overall, optimization of the …

Full Issue: Volume 21, Issue 1 - Winter 2025

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

A publication for friends and colleagues of Jefferson’s Department of Surgery

In This Issue

Cover Story Intensive ‘Boot Camp’ Prepares Fourth-Year Medical Students for Surgical Residency - Page 1

Overview In Memoriam: Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys) and James Watson (the double helix) - Page 2

In the Spotlight Dr. Geno Merli Honored at Gala - Page 2

On the Job Lauren Burr, MS - Page 2

Changing Lives Through Research International Collaboration Explores Pancreatic Cancer, Metabolic Disease Connection - Page 3

Please Welcome New Faculty - Page 3

Those Who Give Small Family Gift Supports Lifesaving Transplant Team - …

Small Family Gift Supports Lifesaving Transplant Team

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

For Paul Small, the gift of life came from someone he’s loved since the day she was born: his daughter, Meredith Small Hibbard. In September 2017, Meredith donated a kidney to her father, restoring his health and ending his yearlong reliance on dialysis. Paul and his wife, Audrey, are now paying that gift forward with a contribution to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital.

For Paul, kidney failure had a genetic component, with his grandfather, father, uncle, and male cousins all experiencing kidney disease. Despite years of careful management with medication and lifestyle changes, Paul’s kidneys stopped functioning in October 2016. He …

New Faculty

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

Michael Cline, MD, has joined the Division of Acute Care Surgery. Dr. Cline is a graduate of the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University and the general surgery residency at Temple University Hospital. He then went on to complete a surgical critical care fellowship at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital. He is double board-certified in Surgery and Surgical Critical Care and cares for patients at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and Jefferson Torresdale Hospital.

James Guarrera, MD, FACS, has joined the Division of Transplant Surgery as the Nicoletti Family Professor of Transplantation Surgery and Executive Director of the Jefferson Transplant …

International Collaboration Explores Pancreatic Cancer, Metabolic Disease Connection

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

Just a year ago, Hien Dang, PhD, and Elda Grabocka, PhD, sketched out their ambitious vision on a notepad. Since then, that vision has rapidly evolved into a research initiative spanning four countries and three continents. The Consortium for MASLDassociated PDAC (COMPaC) now connects researchers from the United States, Thailand, Germany, and Albania in a unified mission to understand how metabolic liver disease influences pancreatic cancer development and progression.

The project is addressing a critical gap in cancer research: the connection between Metabolic Dysfunction-Associated Steatotic Liver Disease (MASLD, formerly known as fatty liver disease) and Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC). “The …

Dr. Geno Merli Honored At Gala

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

Geno J. Merli, MD, ’75, MACP, FHM, FSVM, received the Achievement Award in Medicine at the 23rd Annual Jefferson Gala on November 18, 2025. The award recognizes Dr. Merli’s extraordinary contributions to medical education and vascular medicine over a distinguished five-decade career.

Now Senior Vice President and Associate Chief Medical Officer at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, Dr. Merli has been a cornerstone of Jefferson’s medical community since completing residencies in rehabilitation medicine and internal medicine. He served as Chief Resident in Rehabilitation Medicine in 1978. In the decades since, he has trained generations of physicians and pioneered approaches to managing …

In Memoriam: Brian Wilson (The Beach Boys) And James Watson (The Double Helix), Charles J. Yeo, Md, Facs

Jefferson Surgical Solutions

We mourn our life heroes and their contributions. Those that provided comfort and joy, and those that provided scientific direction – for me, The Beach Boys and the double helix. Brian Wilson, raised in Hawthorne, CA, was the leader of America’s answer to the British musical invasion. He recently passed at the age of 82. He was the creative (yet tortured) musical genius of the band that gave us early simple songs like “California Girls,” “Fun, Fun, Fun,” “Surfer Girl,” and “I Get Around.” Songs of cars, rolling waves (turn the double helix on its side) and summer. Later, he …

For Neurodivergent Marxism: Between Materialist Analysis And Escape From The Empire Of Normality And Capitalism, Arianna Introna Dr

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

Robert Chapman’s Empire of Normality: Neurodiversity and Capitalism (2023) possesses extraordinary import for the emancipatory thinking and praxis of neurodivergent folk, but also of those of us who identify as disabled, chronically ill, crip, mad or even neurotypical. This is not only because Chapman’s work offers a fundamental contribution to debates initiated by recent Marxist engagements with the relationship between capitalism and health. It is also thanks to the intense theoretical innovation, historical analysis and inclusive politics that the book radiates. By dissecting the harms wrought by the Empire of Normality, Chapman’s Neurodivergent Marxism is an updated type of Marxism …

Response To Panos Tsoukalis, James K. Galbraith

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Review Of James K. Galbraith And Jing Chen, Entropy Economics: The Living Basis Of Value And Production (The University Of Chicago Press, 2025), Panos Tsoukalis

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

No abstract provided.

Discussion Of Living Through Capitalism, By James A. Chamberlain, James Chamberlain

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

A discussion of Chamberlain's recent book, Living Through Capitalism: Resisting Devastation Through Communities of Life .

(En)Gendering Capacity: Neoliberalism, Empowerment, And Responsibility For Women In The Un’S Capacity Building Agenda, Sabrina K. Harris

Emancipations: A Journal of Critical Social Analysis

This article analyzes how the UN constructs capacity building as an element of its development agenda. It theorizes that the UN operates as a governmental actor, adopting and pursuing a political rationality of good governance, while also navigating structural limitations to its organizational authority in implementing this agenda imposed by the liberal international order. As such, this article argues capacity building emerges as a valuable technology of development for several reasons: firstly, it operates as an individual-level intervention, circumventing UN limitations on authority in mandating state action, and secondly, it is framed as demand-driven and empowering while delivering on the …

Factors Associated With Tooth Loss In Periodontal Maintenance Patients: A Retrospective Study, Nicholas D. Stolze, Randin A. Rawlings, W. Edward Hardy, Kaeli K. Samson, Laura E. Ruiz, Bobbie J. Fowler, Kavya Shankar Muttanahally, Jeffrey B. Payne

Graduate Medical Education Research Journal

Background. Tooth retention is related to overall health and quality of life. Thus, it is important to understand factors associated with tooth loss. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate associations between systemic and oral factors with tooth loss in a retrospective study of periodontal maintenance patients.

Methods. Periodontal maintenance patients seen in both 2013 and 2019 at the University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Dentistry were included. Demographic data, smoking status, diabetes status, periodontitis stage and extent, medication use, alveolar bone height, probing depths, and tooth mobility were recorded from the electronic dental record. Adjusted odds …

Maximizing Online Intersession Enrollment Through Targeted Course Offerings, Heather S. Mcmillan, Charles D. Mcallister

Journal of the North American Management Society

Abstract

Online winter intersession courses have become an increasingly important strategy for universities seeking to support accelerated student progression while generating incremental tuition revenue. This study examines ten years of winter intersession enrollment data from a public, master’s-level comprehensive university in the Midwestern United States to identify course characteristics associated with higher student enrollment. Using 12,520 individual enrollment records, the analysis focuses on course type (general education versus major requirement), course classification (lower level, upper level, blended undergraduate/graduate, and graduate), and course discipline. A series of ANOVAs and Bonferroni post-hoc tests reveal significant differences in enrollment across these dimensions, with …

Pluralism And Critique In A Renewed Environmental Anthropology, Helen Kopnina

Journal of Ecological Anthropology

Environmental anthropology has evolved from early ethnographic traditions that emphasized the interplay between culture and ecology to a field increasingly influenced by ideological perspectives across the political spectrum. Traditionally, anthropologists examined how human societies adapted to their environments through cultural practices, laying the groundwork for ecological anthropology. However, in recent decades, the field has increasingly been shaped by political and theoretical shifts that prioritize critiques of capitalism, colonialism, and environmental injustice—sometimes at the cost of empirical diversity and democratic debate. There are critiques of the broader trend in academia where intellectual discourse becomes dominated by elite-driven ideological conformity. Critics warn …

The Top Twenty-Five Most Influential Articles In Surgery For Colorectal Cancer, Dana Poloni, Andrew Anklowitz, Fred Kobylarz, Christina Monaco Poloni, Ankit Dhiman, Pamela Burgess, Andrew Schlussel

HCA Healthcare Journal of Medicine

Background

This article provides surgical trainees with a ranked list of the foundational literature that guides the contemporary surgical management of colorectal cancer and shows the evolution of surgical techniques in the field.

Methods

We assessed the surgical literature using the Web of Science and other ranking systems to create a ranked list of published articles on colorectal cancer surgery.

Results

We compiled a ranked list of the top 25 articles in the surgical management of colorectal cancer, based on the citation density score (mean number of citations per year) and the individual author H-index. The mean density score of …

Harmonizing Hope: An Idea Of Music Therapy Interventions For Schizophrenia, Dominikus David Biondi Situmorang

Buletin Konseling Inovatif

Schizophrenia is typified by a wide range of symptoms, such as delusions, hallucinations, cognitive decline, and social disengagement. Even with improvements in pharmaceutical and psychosocial therapy, many people with schizophrenia still require supplementary treatment methods due to their chronic symptoms and functional limitations. Utilizing music's therapeutic capacity to address a variety of symptoms and enhance general well-being, music therapy has emerged as a possible supplementary intervention for schizophrenia. In this study, the author used a literature review with a Critically Appraised Topic (CAT); this research is a summary of the best available evidence regarding the focused aims. This CAT looks …

Prevalence And Risk Factors And Efforts To Reduce Dengue Fever And Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever Infections At Pku Muhammadiyah Gamping Hospital, Yogyakarta, Kusbaryanto Kusbaryanto, Abdurrasyid Bin Abdurrahman, Ekorini Listiowati, Yusuf Alam Romadhon, Aisyah Rosyida

Media Kesehatan Masyarakat Indonesia

The incidence of Dengue Fever (DF) and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever (DHF) has increased sharply in recent decades, making these infections endemic in several parts of the world. The purpose of this study was to analyze the prevalence, risk factors, and efforts to reduce DF and DHF infections at PKU Muhammadiyah Gamping Hospital, Yogyakarta. This study employed an observational cross-sectional design. The study sample consisted of patients diagnosed with DF or DHF at general hospitals in Yogyakarta between January 2019 and December 2023 who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients with a DF or DHF diagnosis but incomplete data were …

Evaluation Of The Efficacy Of Injection Of Platelet-Rich Plasma For The Management Of “Peyronie’S Disease” And Erectile Dysfunction, Marwan Abdulaziz Ibrahim

Al-Qadisiyah Medical Journal

Abstract: This study evaluates and determines the therapeutic effects of platelet-rich plasma injection for the management of Peyronie’s disease and erectile dysfunction. Patients & Methods: From March 2021 until March 2022, a prospective study was conducted on 50 patients with Peyronie’s disease, erectile dysfunction, and penile curvature less than 60 degrees (mild to moderate penile curvature). All participants were subjected to 8 repeated injections of PRP weekly in the dominant penile plaque, with follow-up over 6 months of collected data that included orientation of curvature, injection technique, and the results in both quantitative (i.e., curvature estimations) and qualitative (erectile state …

Biofilm-Associated Infections: Mechanisms Of Formation, Resistance, And Emerging Therapeutic Strategies With Special Focus On Biofilm Inhibitors, Karem Ibrahem

Journal of King Abdulaziz University: Medical Sciences

Biofilms are complex, structured microbial communities enclosed within a self-produced extracellular matrix. This matrix allows them to adhere to a variety of surfaces, including medical devices and human tissues. The formation of biofilms poses a significant challenge in clinical settings due to their inherent resistance to antibiotics and to host immune defenses, thereby contributing to the persistence and chronicity of infections. In recent years, considerable attention has been directed towards the development of biofilm inhibitors as a promising therapeutic strategy to prevent biofilm formation, disrupt established biofilms, and enhance the susceptibility of biofilm-embedded bacteria to conventional antibiotics. The aim of …

Korelasi Kadar Serum Vegf-A Dengan Rasio Albumin-Kreatinin Urin Pada Pasien Penyakit Ginjal Diabetik, Hannie Q. Syaiful, Drajad Priyono, Harnavi Harun, Arina W. Murni, Akmal M. Hanif, Eifel Faheri, Arnelis Arnelis, Vesri Yoga

Jurnal Penyakit Dalam Indonesia

Introduction. Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major microvascular complication of diabetes mellitus, characterized by persistent albuminuria and a progressive decline in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), making it a leading cause of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and end-stage renal disease. Vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) is implicated in the pathogenesis of DKD, being overexpressed in the kidneys and contributing to increased vascular permeability, inflammation, and fibrosis. Albuminuria, an early indicator of renal damage in DKD, is a strong predictor of CKD progression and cardiovascular events. The urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) is the recommended test for detecting and monitoring albuminuria. …