Navigating Society 5.0: Unraveling the Dynamics of a People-Centric Super-Smart Society

Society 5.0: A People-centric Super-smart Society" is a book that explains the concept of society developed by the Japanese government, which puts forward advanced technology and human-machine collaboration to improve people's quality of life. The book is written by experts and practitioners from various fields, including technology, economics, social, and politics with the editors of Hitachi-UTokyo Laboratory (H-UTokyo Lab.), The University of Tokyo and Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Many authors have contributed to the writing of this book, including Toshihiko Koseki (former Executive Vice President, The University of Tokyo), Shinobu Yoshimura (Vice President, The University of Tokyo), Norihiro Suzuki (Vice President and Executive Officer, CTO, Hitachi, Ltd.), and Shinji Yamada (General Manager, Center for Exploratory Research,  Hitachi, Ltd.), Takashi Haga and Miho Sugimoto (the University of Tokyo's University Corporate Relations Department), Mayumi Fukuyama and Tomiko Kinoshita (the Hitachi RD Group's Technology Strategy Office) The book is an expicution of the results of an in-depth study of a long process of joint research laboratory between Hitachi and The University of Tokyo in 2018. This book is written in 8 separate chapters but becomes a complete unity to explain the phenomenon raised in the title of this book. This book was published for the first time through Springer Singapore in 2018 which can be accessed for free through the Springer Open websit

Lentinus squarrosulus (Mont.) mycelium enhanced antioxidant status in rat model

Aim: Lentinus squarrosulus is an edible wild mushroom commonly found in Asia. This species has several interesting features such as rapid mycelial growth, and hence has the potential to be used as food, functional food, and nutraceuticals. Our previous study shows that L. squarrosulus contains potent antioxidant compounds in vitro. This study aims to investigate the in vivo bioavailability of L. squarrosulus mycelium extract and its antioxidant effect on biomarkers of antioxidant defense and oxidative stress. Methods: Water extract of mycelial biomass of L. squarrosulus was analyzed for in vivo antioxidant effects, including cupric-reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), xanthine oxidase (XO), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPPs), and lipid hydroperoxides (LHPs) at 0 and 28 days. GPx and XO were also analyzed in liver homogenates. Normal Sprague Dawley rats were treated with 250 and 500 mg/kg of extract for 28 days. Results: The serum CUPRAC level increased after treatment with both concentrations, indicating that there was sufficient bioavailability of the extract which contributed to the total antioxidant capacity. GPx activity in both serum and liver was increased and this correlated with LHP level after treatment with 250 mg/kg of extract, but XO activity was significantly decreased after treatment with 500 mg/kg of the extract. Lack of difference between AOPP levels implied that there were no significant changes in oxidative damage of protein after treatment. Conclusion: This study clearly showed that L. squarrosulus mycelium antioxidant extract contains absorbable antioxidants that enter the circulating plasma and cause a significant acute increase in plasma antioxidant capacity. Thus, the water extract of L. squarrosulus mycelium, which can be obtained abundantly by liquid fermentation, may serve as an antioxidant ingredient in functional foods and nutraceuticals

First Report of Colletotrichum siamense causing Anthracnose on White Frangipani (Plumeria alba L.) in Malaysia

Plumeria alba L. is a flowering plant in the family Apocynaceae and widely cultivated in Malaysia as a cosmopolitan ornamental plant. In January 2020, anthracnose lesions were observed on leaves of Plumeria alba planted in Agricultural Farm, Universiti Putra Malaysia, in Selangor state, Malaysia. The disease mainly affected the leaves with symptoms occurring with approximately a 60% disease incidence. Ten symptomatic leaves were sampled from 3 different trees in the farm. Symptoms initiated as small circular necrotic spots that rapidly enlarged into black lesions with pale brown borders. Diseased tissues (5×5 mm) were surface-sterilized with 70% ethanol for 1 min, rinsed three times with sterile distilled water, dried on sterile filter papers, plated on PDA and, incubated at 25 °C with a 12-h photoperiod. A total of seven single-spore isolates with similar colony morphologies were obtained from tissue samples. After 7 days, the colonies raised the entire margin and showed white-to-gray aerial mycelium, orange conidial masses in the center and appeared dark brown at the center of the reverse view. The conidia were 1-celled, hyaline, smooth-walled, cylindrical with narrowing at the center, averaged (13-15 μm × 3 - 4 μm) (n=40) in size. Morphological characteristics of the isolates were similar to those detailed in taxonomic description of Colletotrichum sp. (Prihastuti et al. 2009). For molecular identification, genomic DNA of two representative isolates, PL3 and PL4 was extracted from fresh mycelium using DNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, USA). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, actin (ACT) and calmodulin (CAL) genes were amplified using ITS5/ITS4 (White et al. 1990), ACT-512F/783R (Carbone and Kohn 1999) and CL1C/CL2C primer sets (Weir et al. 2012). A BLAST nucleotide search of GenBank using ITS sequences showed 100% identity to Colletotrichum siamense ex-type culture ICMP 18578 (GenBank accession no. JX010171). ACT and CAL sequences showed 100% identity with C. siamense ex-type isolate BPD-I2 (GenBank accession no. FJ907423 and FJ917505). The sequences were deposited in GenBank (ITS: accession nos. MW335128, MT912574), ACT: accession nos. MW341257, MW341256, CAL: accession nos. MW341255 and MT919260). Based on these morphological and molecular characteristics, the fungus was identified as C. siamense. Pathogenicity of PL3 and PL4 isolates was verified using four healthy detached leaves of Plumeria alba. The leaves were surface-sterilized using 70% ethanol and rinsed twice with sterile water before inoculation. The leaves (three inoculation sites/leaf) were wounded by puncturing with a sterile needle through the leaf cuticle and inoculated in the wound site with 10-μl of conidial suspension (1×106 conidia/ml) from 7-days-old culture on PDA. Four leaves were used as a control and were inoculated only with 10-μl of sterile distilled water. Inoculated leaves were kept in humid chambers for 2 weeks at 25 °C with 98% relative humidity on a 12-h fluorescent light/dark period. The experiment was repeated three times. Anthracnose symptoms were observed on all inoculated leaves after 3 days, whereas controls showed no symptoms. Fungal isolates from the diseased leaves showed the same morphological characteristics as isolates PL3 and PL4, confirming Koch's postulates. C. siamense has been reported causing anthracnose on rose (Rosa chinensis) in China (Feng et al. 2019), Coffea arabica in Thailand (Prihastuti et al. 2009) and mango leaf anthracnose in Vietnam (Li et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of Colletrotrichum siamense causing leaf anthracnose on Plumeria alba in Malaysia. Accurate identification of this pathogen provides a foundation in controlling anthracnose disease on Plumeria alba

Insect pests of vegetables in Malaysia and their management using entomopathogenic fungi

The domestic economy in Malaysia is dominated by agriculture, which accounts for about 10% of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), and contributed more than 23% of the total export earnings. Vegetable comprises about 15% of the daily food intake of the Malaysian population. Vegetables in Malaysia are mostly produced by smallholder farmers and this industry provides millions of employments for the peoples, especially the rural dwellers. Insect pest is one of the major constraints of vegetable production in Malaysia. During growth, different species of insect pests such as armyworms, caterpillars, beetles, aphids, whiteflies, mites, and thrips cause serious damage to different vegetable crops, which reduce yield and make it unsuitable for human consumption. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) has been internationally recognized approach to pest control. IPM programme for insect pest of vegetable include, cultural control, physical control, mechanical control, biological control (parasitoids, predators, and entomopathogens), Plant Resistance to insects (PRI), and chemical control. Comparably, entomopathogenic fungi has demonstrated advantageous performance in infecting hosts directly through the integument. This paper aims to review some of the available literature on the IPM of insect pests of vegetables in Malaysia with more emphasis on insect pathogenic fungi as a contribution to components of IPM

Diversity and Distribution of Polyporales in Peninsular Malaysia (Kepelbagaian dan Taburan Polyporales di Semenanjung Malaysia)

Macrojungi ofthe order Polyporales are among the most important wood decomposers and caused economic losses by decaying the wood in standing trees, logs and in sawn timber. Diversity and distribution ofPolyporales in Peninsular Malaysia was investigated by collecting basitliocarps from trunks, branches, exposed roots and soilfrom six states (lohar, Kedah, Kelantan, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang and Selangor) in Peninsular Malaysia and Federal Territory Kuala Lumpur. This study showed that the diversity ofPolyporales were less diverse than previously reported. The study identified 60 species from five families; Fomitopsidaceae, Ganodermataceae, Meruliaceae. Meripiiaceae. and Polyporaceae. The common species of Polyporales collected were Fomitopsis feei. Amauroderma subrugosum. Ganoderma australe, Earliel1a scabrosa, Lentinus squarrosulus, Microporus xanthopus. Pycnoporus sanguineus and Trametes menziesii

Physical quality, amino acid contents, and health risk assessment of straw mushroom (Volvariella volvacea) at different maturity stages

Volvariella volvacea, also known as straw mushroom, is an edible mushroom, and a highly nutritious food source. In Malaysia, tremendous increase in the consumption of this mushroom is due to its characteristics; short cropping duration, distinct flavour, and pleasant taste. During harvesting, the maturity of V. volvacea is vital to obtain high quality produce. As the mature stage quickly succeeds the immature stage, farmers usually collect both the immature and mature stages at harvest. Thus, the objective of the present work was to evaluate the physical quality, nutrients, and health risk assessment of V. volvacea at both maturity stages. The mushrooms were cultivated on composted empty fruit bunch (EFB), and harvested after a week at immature (button) and mature (veil opening) stages. The absence of spores at the button stage could lower the metabolic activity after harvest, thus decelerating the deterioration rate. Button stage mushrooms showed significantly higher firmness and higher content of glutamic acid. In term of safety, both stages were within the dietary intake limit for heavy metals. In conclusion, the button stage could be suitable and practical for consumption and commercialisation

Energy potential of oil palm Empty Fruit Bunch (EFB) fiber from subsequent cultivation of Volvariella volvacea (Bull.) singer

EFB and EFB-based mushroom compost (SMC) from Volvariella volvacea cultivation is a promising energy feedstock because it has adequate nutrient quality. The biochemical methane potential (BMP) and calorific value (CV) of this biomass are investigated. Other analyses such as proximate, compositional, and final analysis; thermogravimetric analysis (TGA); and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) are also performed. The biomass samples consist of two types of EFB, namely fibers (F) and pellets (P) and SMC from the subsequent cultivation of Volvariella volvacea, with samples FS and PS from the first cultivation and FS2 and PS2 from the second cultivation. P produces the highest biological efficiency (BE) of 28% compared to 9.83% for F. Subsequent cultivation with FS and PS then produces only 2.9 and 6.83% of BE. A higher amount of methane is measured in samples P and PS2, while better biodegradability is observed in PS2 and FS2, suggesting that subsequent cultivation is a good pretreatment of the substrate for anaerobic digestion (AD). CV is highest in F (20.57 MJ/kg), followed by P (19.06 MJ/kg), which is comparable to commercial wood pellet. Samples F, FS, and FS2 have higher ash content, which is due to higher mineral content. The cellulose composition is reduced to almost 50% during cultivation due to fungal metabolism, which is also evidenced by FTIR analysis. TGA analysis revealed that EFB-based SMC exhibits higher weight loss during combustion compared to EFB, which reduces its thermal properties. SMC of EFB is a high potential biomethane feedstock, but not recommended as a fuel pellet

Effect of temperature on germination, radial growth, and sporulation of the new isolates of Metarhizium anisopliae and their virulence to Whitefly, Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae)

Metarhizium anisopliae is a potential entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) to control insect pests in Malaysia, yet little is known about the temperature influence on its growth and efficacy. The average daily temperature in Malaysia is between 21 °C and 32 °C, with some parts of Cameron Highland in Peninsular Malaysia experiencing temperatures as low as 14 °C. Therefore, for effective field application, the most effective EPF isolates should be tolerant to the temperature of the country. Here we conducted a laboratory experiment to determine the effects of average daily temperatures in Malaysia (15, 20, 25, and 30 °C) on conidial germination, radial growth, and conidial density of seven new isolates of M. anisopliae. However, at 25 and 30°C, the three isolates (Ma-2, Ma-9, and Ma-15) produced the highest number of conidia and were therefore selected for virulence test against the second instar of whitefly, Bemisia tabaci. The percentage mortality of the three isolates ranged between 36.1% and 97.7% across different temperatures for 7 days post-treatment. The isolates Ma-15 caused the highest percentage mortality of 97.7% and the shortest LT50 and LT90 values (1.68 and 3.98 days, respectively), at 30 °C incubation temperature. This study confirms that the growth and virulence of Malaysian isolates of M. anisopliae are strongly influenced by temperature and could be used as promising candidates for biocontrol of B. tabaci on vegetables planted in a tropical climate such as that of low land and highland in Malaysia, although extensive field and semi-field bioassays, as well as the development of ideal formulation, are still required

Cytotoxicity and anticancer activity of Donkioporiella mellea on MRC5 (normal human lung) and A549 (human lung carcinoma) cells lines

Polypores are mushrooms which are rich in bioactivities and for generations, they have been widely used as herbal remedies. Despite their significant importance in treatments of various health issues, only a few local species have been reported for their pharmacological potentials. The present study was carried out to establish cytotoxicity potentials of Donkioporiella mellea, a local polypore species collected from forested areas in Malaysia at cellular levels on normal human lung (MRC5) and human lung carcinoma (A549) cell lines. Survival and inhibition rates were analyzed by 3-(4, 5)-dimethylthiahiazo (-z-y-l)-2,5-diphenyltetrazoliumbromide (MTT) while monitoring changes on cellular shapes by inverted phase contrast microscopy. Survival rates of MRC5 cells were observed to be significantly higher than A549 after treatments with various concentrations of polypore extracts. MRC5 cells showed excellence in survival performance when treated with hot and cold aqueous extracts. Cold aqueous extract showed higher cytotoxicity activities compared to hot aqueous extract () with inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 414.29 μg/ml and >1000 μg/ml, respectively. Treatments with tamoxifen as a control exhibited necrotic features in both cell lines. The results suggest that D. mellea possesses pharmacological potentials that can be utilized for human consumption as a new bioresource alternative, thus encouraging research advancement in mycological and nutraceutical studies

Diversity of Malaysian Lentinus fr. and chemical analysis of antioxidative extract from mycelia of Lentinus squarrosulus mont. / Sumaiyah Abdullah

Lentinus species of Peninsular Malaysia were studied from April 2003 to June 2008 at 35 localities in Kedah, Perak, Selangor, Pahang, Johor, Negeri Sembilan, and Kelantan states and in the Federal Territory of Kuala Lumpur. Macro and micro-morphological features were used to identify the collections to species level. Seventy-eight Lentinus specimens comprised in ten species. Lentinus squarrosulus was commonly found being collected from almost all study sites except in Negeri Sembilan. Lentinus fasciatus was documented as a new record for Peninsular Malaysia. Five out of ten Lentinus species namely L. fasciatus, L. polychrous, L. sajor-caju, L. squarrosulus and L. strigosus were successfully cultured. Studies were performed to evaluate antioxidant capacities using Folin-Ciocalteu assay, scavenging effects on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals, ß-carotene-linoleate bleaching assay, cupric ion reducing antioxidant capacity (CUPRAC), reducing power assay and lipid peroxidation assay. Preliminary study of five mixed methanol and dicloromethane extracts of mycelia of Lentinus species showed that L. fasciatus and L. squarrosulus exhibited the most potent antioxidant capacities. The L. squarrosulus extract performed best in the Folin-Ciocalteu assay (58.23 mg GAE/g). The Lentinus fasciatus extract exhibited the highest radical-scavenging activity of IC50 (14.17 mg/mL) followed by the L. squarrosulus extract (29.13 mg/mL). Lentinus fasciatus extract at a concentration of 1 mg/mL also exhibited the highest reducing capability on cupric (CUPRAC assay) and ferric ion (Reducing power assay) with absorbance values of (A450, 1.22) and (A700, 0.65) respectively, while the L. squarrosulus extract had the highest antioxidant activity against lipid peroxidation assay with 70.06% inhibition at 10 mg/mL concentration. This extract also showed the highest value of antioxidant activity based on β-carotene bleaching assay with EC50 value of 0.02 mg/mL. Consequently, L. fasciatus and L. squarrosulus were further investigated to determine the antioxidant capacity of polar and non-polar components using methanol and dichloromethane. In the Folin-Ciocalteu assay, Lentinus fasciatus dichloromethane extract (LfDCM) showed the highest result (98.43 mg GAE/g) followed by Lentinus squarrosulus methanolic extract (LsqMeOH) (46.43 mg GAE/g), while LsqMeOH exhibited the highest antioxidant activity as determined by lipid peroxidation assay (50.27%), β-carotene (75.50%), 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazil (DPPH) radicals scavenging ability (94.73%) and ferric reducing power (A700, 0.30). In the cupric reducing assay, L. squarrosulus dichloromethane extract (LsqDCM) exhibited the highest reducing power at 1 mg/mL (A450, 0.87), but was not significantly different from the LsqMeOH extract (A450, The present study indicated that LsqMeOH extract showed stronger antioxidant capacities as compared to other extracts. CUPRAC-guided purification was performed on LsqMeOH by using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and reversed phase-high performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Using TLC, four fractions were separated exhibiting absorbance values (A 0.84). 450) of 0.75 (FR3-TLC), 0.73 (FR1-TLC), 0.68 (FR4-TLC) and 0.67 (FR2-TLC) at 1 mg/mL. On the other hand, using RP-HPLC, three fractions were separated namely as FR1-RP-HPLC, FR2-RP-HPLC and FR3-RP-HPLC exhibiting absorbance values (A450) of 0.21, 0.86 and 0.36 respectively at 1 mg/mL. These findings revealed that separation of the components (by TLC or RP-HPLC) reduced the antioxidant potential of the fraction suggesting the effects of the components can be additive - if not synergistic. The chemical constituents of LsqMeOH, FR3-TLC and FR2-RP-HPLC were effectively identified by LC-MS/MS. A type of ganoderic acid was detected from the LsqMeOH, FR3-TLC and FR2-RP-HPLC extracts. Three peaks in FR3-TLC that have the same [M-H]- ion at m/z 696 were observed to share some distinct fragment ions that were characteristic of ganoderic acid type. Uridine compound with mass fragments at m/z 225, 200 and 140 was present in both FR3-TLC and FR2-RP-HPLC, while in FR2-RP-HPLC, three peaks identified have masses corresponding to flavanoid compounds. Phenolic acids are the main class of compounds from LsqMeOH that contributed to antioxidant activities. Ganoderic acid, uridine and flavanoid were identified for the first time in L. squarrosulus antioxidative fractions. Therefore, this research suggested the potentials of L. squarrosulus as a source of antioxidant extract to be used either in food industries (nutraceuticals and functional food) or cosmetic products