Spectroscopic Evidence of Localized Small Polarons in Low-Dimensional Ionic Liquid Lead-Free Hybrid Perovskites

Rational design is an important approach to consider in the development of low-dimensional hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIPs). In this study, 1-butyl-1-methyl pyrrolidinium (BMP), 1-(3-aminopropyl)imidazole (API), and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazolium (BMI) serve as prototypical ionic liquid components in bismuth-based HOIPs. Element-sensitive X-ray absorption spectroscopy measurements of BMPBiBr4 and APIBiBr5 reveal distinct resonant excitation profiles across the N K-edges, where contrasting peak shifts are observed. These 1D-HOIPs exhibit a large Stokes shift due to the small polaron contribution, as probed by photoluminescence spectroscopy at room temperature. Interestingly, the incorporation of a small fraction of tin (Sn) into the APIBiBr5 (Sn/Bi mole ratio of 1:3) structure demonstrates a strong spectral weight transfer accompanied by a fast decay lifetime (2.6 ns). These phenomena are the direct result of Sn-substitution in APIBiBr5, decreasing the small polaron effect. By changing the active ionic liquid, the electronic interactions and optical responses can be moderately tuned by alteration of their intermolecular interaction between the semiconducting inorganic layers and organic moieties.

Electrospun Nanofibers from Waste Polyvinyl Chloride Loaded Silver and Titanium Dioxide for Water Treatment Applications

The electrospun nanofiber membrane from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste for water treatment applications has been successfully produced. The PVC precursor solution was prepared by dissolving the PVC waste in DMAc solvent, and a centrifuge was used to separate undissolved materials from the precursor solution. Ag and TiO₂ were added to the precursor solution before the electrospinning process. We studied the fabricated PVC membranes using SEM, EDS, XRF, XRD, and FTIR to study the fiber and membrane properties. The SEM images depicted that Ag and TiO₂ addition has changed the morphology and size of fibers. The EDS images and XRF spectra confirmed the presence of Ag and TiO₂ on the nanofiber membrane. The XRD spectra showed the amorphous structure of all membranes. The FTIR result indicated that the solvent completely evaporated throughout the spinning process. The fabricated PVC@Ag/TiO₂ nanofiber membrane showed the photocatalytic degradation of dyes under visible light. The filtration test on the membrane PVC and PVC@Ag/TiO₂ depicted that the presence of Ag and TiO₂ affected the flux and separation factor of the membrane.

High-Efficiency Water Filtration by Electrospun Expanded Polystyrene Waste Nanofibers

Nanofiber membranes were successfully synthesized from expanded polystyrene (EPS) waste with the addition of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP) for water microfiltration using the electrospinning method. The EPS-based nanofiber membranes exhibited a smooth morphology and were uniform in size. The concentration of the EPS/PVP solution changed some of the physical parameters of the nanofiber membrane, such as viscosity, conductivity, and surface tension. Greater viscosity and surface tension increase the nanofiber membrane diameter, whereas the addition of PVP results in hydrophilicity. Additionally, increasing the pressure increased the flux value of each variation of the nanofiber membranes. Furthermore, the rejection value was 99.99% for all variations. Finally, the use of EPS waste for nanofiber membranes is also beneficial for decreasing the amount of EPS waste in the environment and is an alternative to the current membranes available in the market for water filtration applications.

Identification of an Oligostilbene, Vaticanol B, from Dryobalanops aromatica Leaves as an Antiviral Compound against the Hepatitis C Virus

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection can lead to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Although current medications using direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are highly effective and well-tolerated for treating patients with chronic HCV, high prices and the existence of DAA-resistant variants hamper treatment. There is thus a need for easily accessible antivirals with different mechanisms of action. During the screening of Indonesian medicinal plants for anti-HCV activity, we found that a crude extract of Dryobalanops aromatica leaves possessed strong antiviral activity against HCV. Bioassay-guided purification identified an oligostilbene, vaticanol B, as an active compound responsible for the anti-HCV activity. Vaticanol B inhibited HCV infection in a dose-dependent manner with 50% effective and cytotoxic concentrations of 3.6 and 559.5 µg/mL, respectively (Selectivity Index: 155.4). A time-of-addition study revealed that the infectivity of HCV virions was largely lost upon vaticanol B pretreatment. Also, the addition of vaticanol B following viral entry slightly but significantly suppressed HCV replication and HCV protein expression in HCV-infected and a subgenomic HCV replicon cells. Thus, the results clearly demonstrated that vaticanol B acted mainly on the viral entry step, while acting weakly on the post-entry step as well. Furthermore, co-treatment of the HCV NS5A inhibitor daclatasvir with vaticanol B increased the anti-HCV effect. Collectively, the present study has identified a plant-derived oligostilbene, vaticanol B, as a novel anti-HCV compound.

Production and Characterization of Nano-Chitosan from Blood Clamshell (Anadara granosa) by Ionic Gelation

Nano-chitosan can be produced from blood clams (Anadara granosa) because they contain 14-35% of chitin. The production of nano-chitosan can be conducted by a bottom-up process using sodium tripolyphosphate (Na-TPP). The aims of this study are to produce nano-chitosan from blood clamshell and to study the factor affecting the particle size of nano-chitosan such as the ratio of chitosan to Na-TPP solution (v/v) and rotation speed of the centrifuge. The research shows that The chitin content on blood clamshell is 25.42%. The yield of chitosan from chitin is about 80.92%. The degree of deacetylation of chitin from blood clamshell reaches 63.18%. The effect of the ratio of chitosan to Na-TPP solution (R) and the rotation speed of centrifuge (N) on the particle size of nano-chitosan can be expressed by equation dp = 0.12 (R)0.714 (N)0.99.

Synthesis of Electrospun PAN/TiO2/Ag Nanofibers Membrane As Potential Air Filtration Media with Photocatalytic Activity

The PAN/TiO₂/Ag nanofibers membrane for air filtration media was successfully synthesized with electrospinning method. The morphology, size, and element percentage of the nanofiber were characterized by a scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectroscopy, while X-ray fluorescence and FTIR were used to observe the chemical composition. The water contact angle and UV-vis absorption were measured for physical properties. Performance for air filtration media was measured by pressure drop, efficiency, and quality factor test. TiO₂ and Ag have been successfully deposited in nonuniform 570 nm PAN/TiO₂/Ag nanofibers. The nanofiber membrane had hydrophilic surface after TiO₂ and Ag addition with a water contact angle of 34.58°. UV-vis data showed the shifting of absorbance and band gap energy of nanofibers membrane to visible light from 3.8 to 1.8 eV. The 60 min spun PAN/TiO₂/Ag nanofibers membrane had a 96.9% efficiency of PM_2.5, comparable to results reported in previous studies. These properties were suitable to be applied on air filtration media with photocatalytic activity for self-cleaning performance.

Physicochemical and phytochemical standardization, and antibacterial evaluation of Cassia alata leaves from different locations in Indonesia

Physicochemical analysis for simplicia and extract, respectively: water content 2.12–4% for simplicia; drying losses 3.93–5.47% and 8.51–19.76%; total ash 5.14–9.41% and 6.22–17.07%; total ash acid-insoluble content 0.29–5.41% and 0.52–3.82%; total ash water-soluble content 1.26–7.14% and 1.43–8.54%; water-soluble content 19.60–39.43% and 58.45–77.51%; ethanol-soluble content 13.99–33.76% and 59.79–75.39%. The phytochemical analysis showed that the extracts contain alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids. Total flavonoids and total phenolics content were 9.86–15.74% QE/g and 6.67–7.65% GAE/g, respectively. Based on LC-MS results, the extract contained emodin, kaempferol, kaempferol-3,7-diglucoside, and kaempferol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside. The extracts possessed antibacterial activity against bacteria tested.

In ovo inhibition of avian pox virus replication by mangosteen rind and red ginger ethanolic extracts

BACKGROUND AND AIM

Avian pox is a contagious disease caused by the avian pox virus (APV). Mangostin and γ-mangostin in mangosteen rind (MR) and gingerol in red ginger (RG) exhibit antiviral activity. In this study, we evaluated the effect of MR and RG ethanolic extracts on APV based on pock lesions on the chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) of specific pathogen-free (SPF) embryonated chicken eggs (ECEs).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Three APVs from chicken isolates (C1, C2, and C3), one APV from a pigeon isolate (P), 1.5% and 3% MR ethanolic extract, 5% and 10% RG ethanolic extract, and a combination of 1.5% MR and 5% RG at 0.1 mL/egg were inoculated in ovo (7th day incubation, chorioallantoic route) in SPF ECEs. A control group inoculated in ovo with APV alone was also established. Each treatment consisted of three replicates. Parameters including embryo survival, CAM lesions, and average number of pock lesions were determined.

RESULTS

In ovo inoculation of MR and RG ethanolic extracts was not harmful to the ECEs and did not induce CAM lesions. The average number of pock lesions in the control group (C1, C2, C3, and P) was 35, 14, 10, and 17, respectively, whereas in all treatment groups, the number was 0, except in the 5% RG group of C1, which had a value of 10.

CONCLUSION

In ovo inoculation of 1.5% and 3% MR, 5% and 10% RG, and the combination of 1.5% MR plus 5% RG ethanolic extracts at 0.1 mL/egg inhibit APV by reducing the number of pock lesions on the CAM of the ECE.

Are neighbourhoods of tuberculosis cases a high-risk population for active intervention? A protocol for tuberculosis active case finding

BACKGROUND

Indonesia has the second largest tuberculosis (TB) burden globally. Attempts to scale-up TB control efforts have focused on TB households. However, in most high burden settings, considerable Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) transmission occurs outside TB households. A better understanding of transmission dynamics in an urban setting in Indonesia will be crucial for the TB Control Program in scaling up efforts towards elimination of TB in a more targeted way. Therefore, the study aims to measure TB prevalence and incidence in household contacts and neighbourhoods in the vicinity of known TB cases and to assess their genomic and epidemiological relatedness.

METHODS AND ANALYSIS

Individuals (~1000) living in the same household as a case diagnosed with pulmonary TB (n = 250) or in a neighbouring household (~4500 individuals) will be screened for TB symptoms and by chest x-ray. Two sputum samples will be collected for microbiological analysis from anyone with a productive cough. Any person found to have TB will be treated by the National TB Control Program. All those with no evidence of TB disease will have a repeat screen at 12 months. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and social network analysis (SNA) will be conducted on Index cases and contacts diagnosed with TB.

The Survival Rate and Starch Histochemical Assay of Various Stem Cutting Conditions of Mentega 2 Cassava Genotype at Initial Growth Stage

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the growth ability of cassava mini stem cuttings with different node number and a variety of stem cutting shapes and their correlation with starch content in the stems at initial growth stages. Methods. In this study, the viability of cassava stem cuttings was identified in two type experiments i.e. mini-stem cuttings consisting 1 and 2 nodes and shape variation of single node mini-stem cutting. Parameters observed were shoots emergence period, number of sprouting cuttings, shoots number  of individual stem cuttings, shoots height and number of leaves. In addition, starch histochemical test was  also carried out on stems of young shoots and initial stem cuttings using Lugol’s solution. Results. Both cassava stem cuttings consisting of 1 and 2 buds indicated the same survival rate of 100%. 1 bud stem cuttings with different shapes showed different survival rate, i.e. 60-80% for semicircular and fully circular cuttings and 30-40% for box shape cuttings. The difference in survival rate with different stem size is probably related to the availability of the amount of starch to support shoots growth. Observations at week 3 after planting generally showed that the stem cuttings with 2 buds were higher than those of stem with 1 bud. Conclusion: There were differences in the scores on the starch content test qualitatively with Lugol staining, in various parts of the plant originating from 1 bud and 2 bud cuttings which may indicate a breakdown of starch during shoot development.

The prevalence of horse trypanosomiasis in Sumba Island, Indonesia and its detection using card agglutination tests

Background and Aim:

Horses have a strategic and vital role to play in the lives of the people of Sumba Island, East Nusa Tenggara Province. They act as social animals that are involved in death ceremonies, horse races, and during pasola, thereby supporting tourism, and are given away as dowry in wedding ceremonies. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of trypanosomiasis among horses in four districts of Sumba Island by examining clinical symptoms and detecting parasites, antibodies, and other factors that are related to Trypanosoma evansi infection in horses.

Materials and Methods:

We studied a total of 211 horses that belonged to 88 clinical hobby breeders. Giemsa-colored smears and serum were examined in order to detect antibodies using card-agglutination tests (CATT). The study was conducted during the rainy season that lasted from January to March 2017. Potential risk factors such as the species, sex, origin of the livestock, how the livestock were maintained, and the farmers’ knowledge concerning trypanosomiasis were recorded using questionnaires. Data were collected annually for three years from 2010-2012 and repeatedly analyzed by a Chi-square test.

Results:

Clinical signs of trypanosomiasis were found in 34 horses; blood smears were examined using Giemsa staining and negative preparations were obtained at a frequency of 0.0% (0/211). The CATT results generally showed that 13.3% (28/211) of the samples were seropositive for antibodies to T. evansi; the highest percentage, 16.67% (8/48), of seropositivity was found in the West Sumba District, and the lowest, 12.0% (5/50), was found in Southwest Sumba. The incidence of trypanosomiasis was higher (75% [21/28]) among female hip horses; horses with 1-5 years of experience were more susceptible to a T. evansi infection (46.4% [13/28]). In general, farmers on Sumba Island knew of trypanosomiasis (89.8% [79/88]), and 69.3% (61/88) of the farmers reported that their livestock was sick. This study was the first serological study conducted on trypanosomiasis in horses of Sumba Island after the surra outbreak in 2010-2012. There were 3% of farmers who were willing to provide the government with information on implementing a prevention program and controlling the spread of surra on the island.

Conclusion:

The diagnoses of surra disease were made based on clinical symptoms and parasitological examinations. CATTs could be used to diagnose T. evansi infection in horses.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii copro-prevalence by polymerase chain reaction using repetitive 529 bp gene in feces of pet cats (Felis catus) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia

Aim:

The aim of this research was to determine the copro-prevalence of Toxoplasma gondii using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with repetitive 529 bp gene and to construct the phylogenetic tree of Toxoplasma oocyst from pet cats in Yogyakarta.

Materials and Methods:

9 of 132 pet cat samples which serologically positive for Toxoplasma were used in this research. To determine the copro-prevalence of T. gondii in pet cat, 10 g of feces samples taken from practitioners and household cats in Yogyakarta were used in the PCR method utilizing repetitive 529 bp gene sequences.

Results:

The result shows that copro-prevalence by PCR using repetitive 529 bp gene was 33.3% (3/9). The phylogenetic tree of Toxoplasma grouped into two clades, which clade 1 consists of Toxoplasma isolates collected from pet cats in Yogyakarta Indonesia and T. gondii isolates from China and in clade 2 consist of the T. gondii isolates from India.

Conclusion:

Copro-prevalence of T. gondii in pet cats in Yogyakarta by means of PCR using repetitive 529 bp gene is around 33.3%.

KAJIAN FILOGENETIK ULAR SANCA BATIK (Malayopython reticulatus) LOKALITAS JAWA BERDASAR SEKUEN GEN SITOKROM B

Ular sanca batik (Malayopython reticulatus) lokalitas Jawa memiliki fenotip yang berbeda antara lokalitas Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah dan Jawa Timur. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui filogenetik ular sanca batik (Malayopython reticulatus) lokalitas Jawa berdasar sekuen gen sitokrom B. Sebanyak 15 ekor ular sanca batik dewasa sehat, jenis kelamin jantan dan betina (5 dari Jawa Barat, 5 dari Jawa Tengah dan 5 dari Jawa Timur) digunakan dalam penelitian ini. Sampel darah sebanyak 1 mL dikoleksi dari masing-masing ular dan ditampung dalam tabung eppendorf ber-EDTA, kemudian dikirim ke Laboratorium Biokimia FKH UGM untuk dilakukan isolasi total Deoxyrybo Nucleic Acid (DNA), desain primer, amplifikasi DNA dengan Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) dan Elektroforesis Gel Agarose. Sequencing DNA dilakukan di PT Genetika Science Jakarta. Data hasil sekuensing gen sitokrom B dianalisis untuk penentuan filogenetik dengan metode Neighbor joining (MEGA v. 5.0). Hasil sekuensing gen sitokrom B, Malayopython reticulatus lokalitas Jawa Barat, Jawa Tengah dan Jawa Timur memiliki keseragaman panjang nukleotida 819 bp. Hasil filogram menggunakan metode Neighbor joining menunjukkan Malayopython reticulatus lokalitas Jawa Tengah dapat dibedakan dari lokalitas Jawa Barat, sedang lokalitas Jawa Timur ada yang mirip lokalitas Jawa Tengah dan ada yang mirip lokalitas Jawa Barat. Malayopython reticulatus lokalitas Jawa Barat dan beberapa lokalitas Jawa Timur filogenetiknya lebih dekat dengan Malayopython reticulatus Gene Bank dibanding lokalitas Jawa Tengah. Dapat disimpulkan bahwa Malayopython reticulatus lokalitas Jawa memiliki panjang nukleotida 819 bp.  Malayopython reticulatus lokalitas Jawa Barat dan sebagian lokalitas Jawa Timur filogenetiknya lebih dekat dengan Malayopython reticulatus Gene Bank. Ada perbedaan filogenetik Malayopython reticulatus lokalitas Jawa Tengah dengan lokalitas Jawa Barat dan Jawa Timur. Perlu penelitian lebih lanjut dengan jumlah sampel yang lebih banyak dan variasi asal-usul lokalitas.  

Isolasi dan identifikasi Staphylococcus Epidermidis pada susu sapi PFH penderita mastitis subklinis di Wukirsari, Cangkringan, Sleman, DIY

Mastitis is an inflammation of the mammary gland, can be occured clinically or subclinically. One of the causes of mastitis is <em>Staphylococcus epidermidis</em>. This study was aimed to isolate and identify <em>Staphylococcus epidermidis</em> in subclinical mastitis PFH dairy cows in Wukirsari, Cangkringan, Sleman, DIY. Sixteen milk samples were tested with a Californian Mastitis Test (CMT), followed by inoculation in Brain Heart Infusion (BHI), planted on a blood agar plate plate (PAD) and Mac Conkey Agar (MCA) for 24 hours at 37⁰C. The growing colonies were then grown on sugar sugar and nutrient agar (NA) media. Gram staining, catalase test, coagulase test and DNase test as bacteria confirmation.CMT test results showed 15 (93.75%) out of 16 positive milk samples suffered from subclinical mastitis. Results of isolation showed 1 (6.66%)of 16 positive samples infected with Staphylococcus epidermidis.The results of this study indicate that incidence of subclinical mastitis in the study area showed a high rate and is likely to be caused by inadequate management practices and milking procedures. The high incidence of subclinical mastitis is probably caused by other bacteria because only 6.66% is caused by <em>Staphylococcus epidermidis</em>.

Antiviral effect of <em>Archidendron pauciflorum</em> leaves extract to hepatitis C virus: An <em>in vitro</em> study in JFH-1 strain

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is a leading cause of chronic liver diseases. Drug resistance to the regimen is also increasing. Hence, there is a need for new anti-HCV agents that are less toxic and more efficacious. The aim of this study is to evaluate the  possibility of A. pauciflorum extracts can be a antiviral drug.Methods: Huh-7it cells were infected with the HCV genotype 2a strain JFH-I in the presence of methanol extracts of Archidenron pauciflorum. The methanol extract further partition used n-hexane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water showed in which butanol extracts exerted the strongest IC50 (6.3 g/ml). Further, the butanol fraction was fractionated and yielded into 13 fractions.Results: The methanol extract of the leaves of A. pauciflorum exhibited concentration dependent inhibition against the JFH1 strain of HCV genotype 2a with an IC50 is 72.5 μg/ml. The butanol fraction exhibited the highest anti-HCV activity with an IC50 is 6.3 μg/ml. The butanol fraction was fractionated which yielded 13 fractions. Fractions 5 and 13 exhibited high anti-HCV activities with IC50 is 5.0 μg/ml and 8.5 μg/ml and a time-of-addition study demonstrated that fraction 5 inhibited viral infection at the post-entry step, whereas fraction 13 primarily inhibited the viral entry step.Conclusion: The extract A. pauciflorum can be used as a herbal-based antiviral drug.

Optimasi Sistem Transformasi Gen Xiloglukanase Pada Eucalyptus pellita F. Muell Menggunakan Agrobacterium tumefaciens

Eucalyptus pellita is a type of woody plant that is widely used as raw materials of pulp and paper so that the need for wood from this type of plant is increasing. Improvements in wood quality such as cellulose deposition and increased growth rates are needed to support the supply of raw materials for the pulp and paper industry. One technology to change the composition of wood is the modification of plant cell walls through the transformation of xylolukanase gene which in other plants such as Populus alba and Acacia mangium have been shown to increase cellulose deposition and spur growth. The purpose of this study was to obtain an efficient xyloglucanase transformation method in E. pellita using Agrobacterium tumefaciens. Sprouts E. pellita 006 and 06A with different ages of 8 and 15 days are used as plant material for transformation. The sonication treatment of the sprouts prior to the transformation was also applied to determine the effect on transformation efficiency. Transformation is done by soaking the seeds that have been through the treatment of sonication and without sonication on the suspension of Agrobacterium carrying plasmid pAa XEG300 and subsequently grown on the selection medium. Sprouts E. pellita 006 aged 15 days without sonication treatment showed the highest percentage of regeneration in the selection media that is equal to 72%. Gene integration testing through DNA amplification with specific primers showed a ribbon of xyloglucanase with a size of 709 bp.

Three-Stage Fuzzy Rule-Based Model for Earthquake Non-Engineered Building House Damage Hazard Determination

Indonesia is a country with a high earthquake intensity which brings significant impact on a lot of infrastructure damage, including building houses in every incident of a natural earthquake. The assessment model on earthquake damage with a fuzzy system has previously developed. It was aimed to assess the building damage rate after earthquake events, and it has a particular weakness on both the criteria used and the rate of model accuracy. The study was conducted to develop fuzzy inference model to determine the building damage hazard, especially for non-engineered building houses on a particular earthquake event (mitigation). The model was is a three-stage fuzzy rule-based model using a thousand data of building houses damaged as result of the impact of earthquake in Bener Meriah district, Aceh Province, Indonesia in the 2013 event, the peak ground acceleration (PGA) data, slope data extracted from 30 meters digital elevation model (DEM) and distance from major fault that was extracted from geological structure map. The main contribution of the research that has been done is to develop the function and fuzzy membership for each determinant variable of building house damage hazard and three stage fuzzy inference process to determine the building house damage hazard as an impact of an earthquake event. Using four hundred data of building houses damage as an impact of the earthquake at the same location, a three-stage fuzzy rule-based model that has been implemented in the study was proven to be able to determine the level of damaged building houses especially for non-engineered building houses better than the previous models with model performance by 93%.

Kejadian Leptospirosis pada Anjing di Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (CASE OF CANINE LEPTOSPIROSIS IN THE CITY OF YOGYAKARTA)

Leptospirosis is a zoonotic disease, which is caused by Leptospira interrogans. The incidence of leptospirosis in dogs varies according to region and season, and is considered as emerging infectious diseases in humans. Clinical symptoms of leptospirosis in dogs vary greatly, some dogs are asymptomatic, with mild symptoms, and others progress to severe illness until death. The study aims to determine cases of canine leptospirosis in Yogyakarta, and identify the serovar that infect them. A total of 20 dogs without symptoms, with mild symptoms, to severe symptoms of leptospirosis were collected their serum and further tested using Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) conducted at the Center for Veterinary Research (BBLitvet) Bogor. History of vaccination is recorded as a consideration in interpreting the MAT results. The results showed that three out of the 20 samples were positive leptospirosis. Of the three positive samples, one was identified as serovar bataviae, another one as serovar bataviae and tarrasovi, and the last as serovar bataviae, tarrasovi, ichterohaemorrhagiae, canicola, celledoni, pyrogenes, cynopteri, and rachmati, respectively. The three dogs with leptospirosis showed similar clinical symptoms i.e. Anorexia, lethargy, and fever. It can be concluded that there are cases of canine leptospirosis in Yogyakarta which is predominantly caused by Leptospira interrogans serovar bataviae. ABSTRAK Leptospirosis adalah penyakit zoonosis, yang disebabkan oleh Leptospira interrogans. Kejadian leptospirosis pada anjing bervariasi menurut wilayah dan musim, dan dianggap sebagai penyakit menular yang muncul pada manusia. Gejala klinis leptospirosis pada anjing sangat bervariasi, beberapa anjing tanpa menunjukkan gejala, dengan gejala ringan, dan yang lain melanjut menjadi penyakit yang parah sampai kematian. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui kasus leptospirosis pada anjing di Propinsi Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta, dan mengidentifikasi serovar yang menginfeksinya. Sebanyak 20 ekor anjing tanpa gejala, dengan gejala ringan, sampai gejala parah leptospirosis diambil serumnya guna pemeriksaan Microscopic Agglutination Test (MAT) yang dilaksanakan di Balai Besar Penelitian Veteriner (BBLitvet), Bogor. Sejarah vaksinasi dicatat sebagai bahan pertimbangan dalam menginterpretasi hasil pemeriksaan MAT. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tiga dari 20 sampel positif leptospirosis. Satu sampel positif terhadap serovar Bataviae, satu sampel positif terhadap serovar Bataviae dan Tarrasovi, dan satu sampel lagi positif terhadap serovar Bataviae, Tarrasovi, Ichterohaemorrhagiae, Canicola, Celledoni, Pyrogenes, Cynopteri, dan Rachmati. Anjing yang positif leptospirosis menunjukkan gejala klinis yang sama berupa anoreksia, kelemahan, dan demam. Dari hasil penelitian ini dapat disimpulkan bahwa terdapat kasus leptospirosis pada anjing di Yogyakarta yang penyebabnya dominan oleh Leptospira interrogans serovar Bataviae.

Detection of Toxoplasma gondii in cat's internal organs by immunohistochemistry methods labeled with-[strept] avidin-biotin

AIM

The aims of the study are to detect the presence of Toxoplasma gondii antigen and to determine its distribution location in several organs of domestic cat using immunohistochemistry (IHC) method with Labeled-[Strept] Avidin-Biotin (LAB-SA).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Four domestic cats aged 1-2 years were used as sample in this research. The sample divided into two groups with two cats each. Cats in Group I were positive Toxoplasma based on serologically screening test, while cats in Group II were orally infected with 1×106Toxoplasmaoocyst. All samples then necropsied, and the organs including brain, liver, kidney, duodenum, jejunum, ileum, lungs, and spleen were collected for IHC method with LAB-SA.

RESULT

The result showed that Toxoplasma antigens were detected in ileum of both serologically positive domestic cat and the experimentally infected cats. Toxoplasma was also observed in kidney of serologically positive domestic cat. In the serologically positive domestic cat, necrotic lesions were found on ileum, kidney, and liver, whereas in experimentally infected cat, the lesion was only found on ileum.

CONCLUSION

The presence of Toxoplasma antigen is successfully detected in several organs of domestic cat using IHC method with the LAB-SA.

Study of Genetic Diversity on Six Species of Indonesian <I>Coelogyne</I> spp. Based on ISSR Markers

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Almost all of Coelogyne species from Indonesia are epiphytic. Some of these are facing the extincion and need to be conserved through plant breeding programs. Unfortunately, there are not many research reports on the genetic diversity of orchids which are substantial for genetic conservation and plant breeding program. The study aimed to identify the genetic diversity of some important species of genus Coelogyne spp., performed using inter simple sequence repeats (ISSR) molecular marker.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The DNA of six orchid species from the genus of Coleogyne spp. was separated and served as samples in the PCR amplification reaction using 10 ISSR primers.

RESULTS

This study found that using six orchid species from the genus of Coelogyne spp. (C. pandurata, C. massangeana, C. mayeriana, C. asperata, C. celebensis and C. rumphii ), the ISSR primers yielded as many as 106 amplified fragments which varied in size from 250-3000 bp.

CONCLUSION

Moreover, this study showed that the polymorphic amplification bands reached as high as 98.9% and the similarity coefficient of the six orchid species studied revolved between 0.32-0.70, meaning that the genetic diversity of the orchid species studied was spread out between 0.30-0.68.

Use of reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification combined with lateral flow dipstick for an easy and rapid detection of Jembrana disease virus

Jembrana disease virus (JDV) is a viral pathogen that causes Jembrana disease in Bali cattle (Bos javanicus) with high mortality rate. An easy and rapid diagnostic method is essential for further control this disease. We used a reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) combined with lateral flow dipstick (LFD), based on conserved tm subunit of Jembrana disease virus env gene. The RT-LAMP conditions were optimized by varying the concentration of MgSO4, betaine, dNTP, and temperature as well as the time and duration of reaction. The primers sensitivity for JDV was confirmed. The method was able to detect env-tm gene dilution which contained 2 × 10(-15) g of template. Comparatively, the sensitivity of RT-LAMP/LFD was 100-fold more sensitive than reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. The primers specificity for JDV was also confirmed using positive and negative controls. This work also showed that virus detection could be done not only on total RNA extracted from blood but various organs could also be analyzed for the presence of JDV using RT-LAMP/LFD method. The whole process, including the LAMP reaction and the LFD hybridization step only lasts approximately 75 min. Results of analysis can be easily observed with naked eyes without addition of any chemical or further analysis. The combination of RT-LAMP with LFD makes the method a more suitable diagnostic tool in conditions where sophisticated and expensive equipments are not available for field investigations on Jembrana disease in Bali cattle.

Anti-Hepatitis C Virus Activity of a Crude Extract from Longan (Dimocarpus longan Lour.) Leaves

Infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV) results in hepatitis C, a disease characterized by chronic infection, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. Currently, the standard therapy is a combination of pegylated interferon-α plus ribavirin with NS3 protease inhibitors. Addition of NS3 protease inhibitors to the standard therapy improves response rates; however, use of NS3 protease inhibitors is also associated with significant adverse effects and an increase in the overall cost of treatment. Therefore, there is a need to develop safe and inexpensive drugs for the treatment of HCV infections. In this study, we examined the antiviral activity of a crude extract from Dimocarpus longan leaves against HCV (genotype 2a strain JFH1). The D. longan crude extract (DL-CE) exhibited anti-HCV activity with a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 19.4 μg/ml without cytotoxicity. A time-of-addition study demonstrated that DL-CE has anti-HCV activity at both the entry and post-entry steps and markedly blocks the viral entry step through direct virucidal activity with marginal inhibition of virion assembly. Co-treatment of DL-CE with cyclosporine A, an immunosuppressant or telaprevir, an NS3 protease inhibitor, resulted in additive and synergistic antiviral effects, respectively. Our findings suggest that DL-CE may be useful as an add-on therapy candidate for treating HCV infections.

Fatty acid methyl ester from Neurospora intermedia N-1 isolated from Indonesian red peanut cake (oncom merah)

The objective of this study was to identify the Fatty Acid Methyl Ester (FAME) from Neurospora intermedia N-1 that isolated from Indonesian red peanut cake (oncom). FAME profiles have been used as biochemical characters to study many different groups of organisms, such as bacteria and yeasts. FAME from N. intermedia N-1 was obtained by some stages of extraction the orange spores and fractination using a chromatotron. The pure compound (1) was characterized by 500 mHz NMR (1H and 13C), FTIR and LC-MS. Summarized data's of 1H and 13C NMR spectra of compound 1 contained 19 Carbon, 34 Hydrogen and 2 Oxygen (C19H34O2). The position of the double bonds at carbon number 8 and 12 were indicated in the HMBC spectrum (2D-NMR). LC-MS spectrum indicates molecular weight of the compound 1 as 294 which is visible by the presence of protonated molecular ion [M+H] at m/z 295. Methyl esters of long chain fatty acids was presented by a 3 band pattern of IR spectrum with bands near 1249, 1199 and 1172 cm(-1). We suggested that the structure of the pure compound 1 is methyl octadeca-8,12-dienoate. The presence methyl octadeca-8,12-dienoate in N. intermedia is the first report.

Overexpression of poplar cellulase accelerates growth and disturbs the closing movements of leaves in sengon

In this study, poplar (Populus alba) cellulase (PaPopCel1) was overexpressed in a tropical Leguminosae tree, sengon (Paraserianthes falcataria), by the Agrobacterium tumefaciens method. PaPopCel1 overexpression increased the length and width of stems with larger leaves, which showed a moderately higher density of green color than leaves of the wild type. The pairs of leaves on the transgenic plants closed more slowly during sunset than those on the wild-type plants. When main veins from each genotype were excised and placed on a paper towel, however, the leaves of the transgenic plants closed more rapidly than those of the wild-type plant. Based on carbohydrate analyses of cell walls, the leaves of the transgenic plants contained less wall-bound xyloglucan than those of the wild-type plants. In situ xyloglucan endotransglucosylase activity showed that the incorporation of whole xyloglucan, potentially for wall tightening, occurred in the parenchyma cells (motor cells) of the petiolule pulvinus attached to the main vein, although the transgenic plant incorporated less whole xyloglucan than the wild-type plant. These observations support the hypothesis that the paracrystalline sites of cellulose microfibrils are attacked by poplar cellulase, which loosens xyloglucan intercalation, resulting in an irreversible wall modification. This process could be the reason why the overexpression of poplar cellulase both promotes plant growth and disturbs the biological clock of the plant by altering the closing movements of the leaves of the plant.

A novel polyisoprenyl benzophenone derivative from Garcinia eugeniaefolia

A novel polyisoprenyl benzophenone derivative named eugeniaphenone (1) was isolated from the stem bark of Garcinia eugeniaefolia Wall. Its structure was elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including 1D and 2D NMR techniques, and confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. It is the first example in which an isoprenyl unit formed a cyclobutane-containing side chain in the polyisoprenyl benzophenone derivatives.

Primary structure of mature SAG1 gene of an Indonesian Toxoplasma gondii and comparison with other strains

Toxoplasma gondii is a persistent protozoan parasite capable of infecting almost any warm-blooded vertebrates. SAG1 (p30) is the prototypic member of a superfamily of surface antigens called SRS (SAG1-related sequence). It constitutes the most abundant and predominant antigen. In this paper the primary structure of mature SAG1 gene of an Indonesian T. gondii isolate is described and sequence comparison is made with published sequence data of 7 other strains or isolates. Sequence comparison indicated that SAG1 is highly conserved through evolution and despite parasite spreading world-wide. Sequences may be divided into two major families, independent of the strain/isolate geographic origin. Variations were mainly localized at the C-terminal half or domain 2 and some clustered in restricted areas. Sequence comparison allowed us to define the Indonesian isolate as genuine virulent RH strain. A phylogenetic tree of Toxoplasma strains/isolates was constructed based on SAG1.

Tracking the re-emergence of epidemic chikungunya virus in Indonesia

Twenty-four distinct outbreaks of probable chikungunya (CHIK) etiology were identified throughout Indonesia from September 2001 to March 2003, after a near 20-year hiatus of epidemic CHIK activity in the country. Thirteen outbreak reports were based on clinical observations alone, and 11 confirmed by serological/virological methods. Detailed epidemiological profiles of two investigated outbreaks in Bogor and Bekasi are presented. Human sera were screened using an ELISA for IgM and IgG anti-CHIK antibodies. Additionally, reverse transcriptase PCR and virus isolation were attempted for virus identification. The mean age of cases was 37 +/- 18 years in Bogor and 33 +/- 20 years in Bekasi. There was no outstanding case-clustering, although outbreak-affected households were observed to be geographically grouped within villages. The attack rates in Bogor and Bekasi were 2.8/1000 and 6.7/1000 inhabitants respectively. Both outbreaks started in the rainy season following increased Aedes aegypti and A. albopictus densities.

Transmission of epidemic dengue hemorrhagic fever in easternmost Indonesia

In April 2001, a second suspected outbreak of dengue hemorrhagic fever in the easternmost region of Indonesia was investigated in Merauke, a town located in the southeastern corner of Papua, by the Indonesian Ministry of Health and the U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit No. 2. Principal case criteria of hemorrhagic disease provided for a study enrollment of 15 clinically acute and 37 convalescing subjects. Additionally, 32 comparable age/sex controls were selected from neighboring households. Laboratory diagnosis involved three testing methodologies: virus isolation by cell culture, a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, and serologic assays. Antibody (IgM) to dengue virus was detected in 27% of the acute clinical cases, 30% of the convalescing cases, and only 3% of the matched controls. Dengue 3 was the only viral serotype detected from acute serum samples by the RT-PCR. The mean +/- SD age of the acute and convalescing cases was 7.8 +/- 5.4 years. Overall hospital records accounted for 172 suspected outbreak cases, all urban residents of Merauke with no recent travel history outside the area. The estimated outbreak-associated case fatality rate among all suspected dengue cases was 1.2%. A seven-year retrospective review of hospital records in Merauke showed negligible disease reporting involving hemorrhagic disease prior to the outbreak.

Epidemic dengue transmission in southern Sumatra, Indonesia

An outbreak of dengue fever (DF), dengue haemorrhagic fever (DHF), and dengue shock syndrome (DSS) in the city of Palembang, south Sumatra, Indonesia was investigated to (i) validate epidemic occurrence, (ii) confirm dengue virus aetiology and associated serotype(s), (iii) provide a demonstrable measure of community impact, and (iv) identify causative relationship (if any) with climatic El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) influences. Trend analysis based on a 6-year retrospective review of hospital records demonstrates a 3-fold increase in clinical cases for the outbreak period (January-April 1998), relative to historical records. In the 2 hospitals surveyed, the monthly mean number of outbreak-related dengue cases over 4 months was 833 (range 650-995 cases/month); the mean monthly value for the previous 72 months was 107 (range 14-779 cases/month). An apparent trend in epidemic transmission was observed, evolving from a 5-year cyclic phenomenon to an annual occurrence, often indistinguishable from one year to the next. The proportional distribution of clinical outbreak cases into DF, DHF and DSS diagnostic categories was 24%, 66%, and 10%, respectively. The population aged 10-19 years accounted for the largest (35%) proportion of hospitalized DHF cases, followed by children aged 5-9 years (25%) and children aged 4 years (16%). Serum samples obtained during acute illness from 221 hospitalized patients were examined using serology, RT-PCR, and virus isolation in cell culture: 59% of samples had laboratory evidence of a dengue infection. All 4 dengue virus serotypes (DEN 1-4) were identified in epidemic circulation, with DEN 3 predominating (43%). DEN 1 was the principal serotype associated with less severe dengue illness, suggesting that virulence may be, in part, a function of infecting serotype. The climatic influence of ENSO on rainfall and temperature in the months leading up to and during the outbreak was dramatic, and is likely to contribute to favourable outbreak conditions.

Prevalence of hemagglutination-inhibition and neutralizing antibodies to arboviruses in horses of java

A study was conducted to measure the prevalence of hemagglutination-inhibition (HI) and neutralizing antibodies against two arboviruses (Chikungunya and Japanese encephalitis virus) in horses of Java, Indonesia. Blood specimens were collected from a sample of 112 horses at two stables: Pulo Mas, a racing track-horse complex, located in a residential area in North Jakarta, and Pamulang, a riding school, located in a rural environment of West Jaya. Sera were tested by the HI assay and plaque reduction neutralization test. JEV antibodies were detected by HI in 58 (52%) of the horses, while only 11 (10%) had Chikungunya antibodies by HI. The proportion of Pamulang horses infected with JEV (66%) was significantly higher than found among Pulo Mas horses (40%) screened (p < 0.01). Of the 58 horses with JEV antibodies by HI, 52 (90%) were found to have specific neutralization antibodies to JEV. HI and neutralization tests on horse sera indicated that the risk to alpha virus infections was minimal in horses surveyed from Java. However, there was a high risk of JEV infection among the same population.

Comparative sensitivity of laboratory methods to diagnose dengue virus infections at Husada Hospital, Jakarta

Several methods are available for diagnosis of dengue virus infections including a new commercially available dengue blot IgG assay. We conducted a study to compare the sensitivity of the dengue blot with the conventional diagnostic methods. Serum samples from suspected dengue patients were collected for virus isolation and the following serological assays: the hemagglutination-inhibition assay, an IgM/IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and the dengue blot. When suspected dengue samples were tested by all methods, viral isolation detected the fewest dengue infections (10.5%), while the IgM/IgG ELISA was the most successful (46.3%) in diagnosing dengue infections. In a specific comparison between the IgM/IgG ELISA and the dengue blot, the dengue blot had an overall sensitivity of 48.8%, with a specificity of 88.7%. When patients were classified by their serological response, the dengue blot had a sensitivity of only 1.7% in those patients with a primary or recent dengue infection, however in secondary infections, the sensitivity of the dengue blot improved to 93.5%. Testing convalescent samples from patients with primary infections, only slightly changed the sensitivity of the dengue blot. The diagnosis of dengue is needed rapidly by clinicians to insure prompt treatment of patients. The dengue blot provides a rapid and easily performed assay, especially sensitive in secondary dengue infections which are most common in hospitalized cases in Asia.