Chiang Mai Journal of Science

     Ganoderma has attracted significant scientific interest due to its extensive range of therapeutic properties. The bioactive compounds in Ganoderma, including polysaccharides, triterpenoids, steroids, phenols, and proteins, play crucial roles in its pharmacological effects. These compounds interact synergistically to exert various biological activities. In the management of diabetes, Ganoderma has been shown to enhance insulin sensitivity, modulate glucose metabolism, and reduce oxidative stress. These actions collectively contribute to the improvement of hyperglycemia and its associated complications. The polysaccharides in Ganoderma, particularly β-glucans, have been shown to improve pancreatic function and enhance insulin secretion. Triterpenoids and phenolic compounds also possess potent antioxidant properties that mitigate oxidative damage in diabetic conditions. This review synthesizes current research findings from both in vitro and in vivo studies, providing a detailed analysis of the therapeutic potential of Ganoderma in diabetes management. The anti-diabetic activities of Ganoderma are discussed in the context of molecular pathways and biochemical interactions. Furthermore, the review highlights the importance of dosage, administration routes, and the synergistic effects of bioactive compounds in Ganoderma. However, despite the promising therapeutic potential of Ganoderma, further research is necessary to fully understand its mechanisms of action and establish standardized protocols for its clinical use. The need for future studies, focusing on large-scale clinical trials, identifying specific bioactive compounds, and exploring the effects of Ganoderma on various disease models, is crucial to bridging the gap between traditional use and modern scientific validation, highlighting its potential as a natural therapeutic agent for diabetes.

     Cementitious materials are the most widely used building material in the decorative schemes of various construction projects. However, exterior façades constructed with cementitious materials are highly prone to efflorescence under environmental humidity, significantly degrading their aesthetic quality and increasing maintenance and management burdens for associated structures. To address this challenge, the causes of efflorescence across diverse engineering cases were investigated in this study. Building on this analysis, an eco-friendly cleaning technology utilizing modified polysaccharides was developed to reduce contamination from acidic cleaning solutions and alleviate labor demands. This approach offers a practical solution to prevalent efflorescence issues in engineering applications, demonstrating both environmental and operational advantages.

     Concrete in hydraulic and marine structures is highly susceptible to deterioration from water ingress, which accelerates degradation and reduces service life. While self-compacting concrete (SCC) improves placement efficiency, achieving both strength and impermeability remains challenging in durability-critical environments. This study investigates the combined use of Class F fly ash (FA) and SIKA WT-220 PMY waterproofing admixture in SCC. FA was used at 0–30% cement replacement, and SIKA at 2% of binder. Compressive strength was tested at 28 and 90 days, alongside water absorption and ISAT for permeability assessment. The 20% FA + SIKA mix achieved early high strength and reached 63.91 MPa at 90 days, while 30% FA + SIKA recorded the lowest water absorption (1.96%), a 37.9% improvement over control. SEM analysis confirmed matrix densification and reduced porosity due to the synergistic action of FA and SIKA. This study presents a novel and sustainable approach to producing high-strength, low-permeability SCC, addressing a gap in literature on combined FA–crystalline admixture systems. The results highlight its suitability for long-term use in aggressive, water-sensitive infrastructure.

     A novel species, Gulbenkiania indica, was reported from a sulfur spring. During the proposal of this species, it was reported that it shared 99.0% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with the type strain of Gulbenkiania mobilis. Despite its high 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity, a 30% DNA-DNA hybridization value was reported, which was below the threshold for species delineation (70%). Although DNA-DNA hybridization was considered the gold standard for species delineation, but often prone to errors. In the present study, the taxonomic position of Gulbenkiania indica was re-evaluated by genome relatedness, phylogenetic and phylogenomic analysis. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between Gulbenkiania mobilis DSM 18507^T and Gulbenkiania indica DSM 17901^T was 99.2 and 93.7%, respectively, which was above the cutoff value (95–96%, ANI; 70%, dDDH) for species delineation. In phylogenetic (based on 16S rRNA gene sequence) and phylogenomic (based on 71 bacterial single copy genes) trees, Gulbenkiania mobilis and Gulbenkiania indica clustered together. Based on the above results, we propose to reclassify Gulbenkiania indica Jyoti et al. 2010 as a later heterotypic synonym of Gulbenkiania mobilis Vaz-Moreira et al. 2007.

     Puffed snacks have gained attention due to their light texture and appealing taste. However, refined grain flour-based products generally provide little nutritional content, especially protein and dietary fiber. In an effort to improve their nutritional quality, extruded snacks were developed by blending corn flour with cowpea, chickpea, and mung bean flours at substitution levels of 25–50%. Extrusion was carried out using a twin-screw extruder at a barrel temperature of 150 °C, screw speed of 85 rpm, and die diameter ratios ranging from 2 to 2.50. The products were then dried at 60 ± 0.5 °C. Five formulations were developed: E0 (100% corn flour); E1 (50% corn and 50% cowpea); E2 (50% corn and 50% chickpea); E3 (50% corn and 50% mung bean); and E4 (25% each of corn, cowpea, chickpea, and mung bean flours). The snacks developed from E4 showed the highest protein (23.34 ± 1.27%), dietary fiber (2.32 ± 0.22%), FRAP activity on a dry weight basis (48.70 ± 0.30 µmol Fe²⁺/g), and DPPH radical scavenging activity (12.50 ± 0.23%). SEM analysis revealed an enhanced protein matrix continuity along with improved cellular structure. Overall, incorporating pulses into extruded snacks significantly enhanced their nutritional and functional properties, offering a healthier alternative to conventional refined-grain snacks.

     The negative binomial regression model (NBRM) is a widely used approach for analyzing non-negative count data, particularly when overdispersion is present. Parameter estimation in this model typically relies on the maximum likelihood estimator (MLE), which can produce unstable and unreliable results under multicollinearity. To address this issue, we present a hybrid version of the Kibria-Lukman estimator adapted for NBRM. We evaluate the efficacy of our proposed estimator compared to established methods via simulation studies and a practical application for estimating CO₂ emissions from vehicles in Canada. Our results show that the hybrid Kibria-Lukman estimator is more accurate and stable than traditional methods. This makes it a promising way to deal with multicollinearity in count data analysis.