KEPUASAN PENGUNJUNG TERHADAP AGROWISATA DI AGRIBISNIS ALOE VERA CENTER

Aloe Vera is one of prime farming products in Pontianak so that the city government established Aloe Vera Center as the center for research and development of Aloe Vera product. In 2002, Aloe Vera Center also added an agritourism service there. Agritourism in Aloe Vera Center is expected to keep developing and face the challenge to attract visitors. For a unit of government under service sector, visitor is the most important parameter to make development planning. Therefore, as a basis of development planning, a research is needed to measure satisfaction variable in order to analyze visitors’ satisfaction. This study aims to determine the satisfaction variable of visitors who have the highest and lowest values and which variables are the main problems of visitors so that policy makers can use this research as a basis for planning development facilities, infrastructure and further service improvement. There are 100 respondents with the determination of samples from visitors who came. Conducted with non-probability sampling through convenience sampling method. There was a screening at the beginning of the questionnaire where the visitors who were used as respondents were visitors who had finished visiting. This research used Important Performance Analysis method and Customer Satisfaction Index. Research findings showed that from 5 dimensions and 27 variables analyzed, it was obtained that CSI score was 78,54%, which means that the satisfaction level of the visitors of Agribisnis Aloe Vera Center at whole is at the minimum limit, research finding is on the range 77%<X<80%. It means that, if there were no improvement on the attributes, the satisfaction of the visitors would also deteriorate. Besides, from Cartesian coordinate system, it was found that there were five prioritized variables that need to be improved. The researcher concluded that the Aloevera Manager must be giving attention to the parking area. More improving the cleanliness, comfort, neat location. Providing repairs to the Gazebo Facility and adding wudhu place, prayer mats and mukena as a prayer room facility. This needs to be done to increase customer satisfaction and increase visits. Managers must also make satisfaction analysis as a reference for preparing the following year’s budget. Aloe Vera Center didirikan sebagai pusat penelitian dan pengembangan olahan Aloe Vera sampai akhirnya UPTD Aloe Vera Center menambah layanan agrowisata di tahun 2002. Sebagai unit pelayanan pemerintah dibidang jasa, pengunjung merupakan tolak ukur yang paling penting untuk menyusun rencana pengembangan kedepan. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahu variabel kepuasan pengunjung yang memiliki nilai tertinggi dan terendah serta variabel mana yang menjadi permasalahan utama pengunjung sehingga pengambil kebijakan dapat menggunakan penelitian ini sebagai dasar perencanaan pembangunan sarana, prasarana dan peningkatan pelayanan lebih lanjut. Ada 100 responden dengan penetuan sampel dari pengunjung yang datang. Dilakukan dengan non-probability sampling melalui metode convenience sampling, Ada screening diawal kuisioner dimana pengunjung yang dijadikan responden adalah pengunjung yang sudah tuntas berkunjung. Dalam penelitian ini digunakan metode Importance Performance Analysis dan Customer satisfaction Index. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan, dari 5 dimensi dan 27 variabel yang diteliti terlihat bahwa kinerja pelayanan Aloe Vera Center berada pada nilai CSI 78,54 % yang berarti kepuasan pengunjung Aloe Vera Center secara keseluruhan berada pada batas minimal. Dari hasil penelitian berada pada nilai 77%<Xd”80%, Sementara dari diagram kartesius didapatkan hasil 5 variabel yang menjadi prioritas utama untuk segera dibenahi Kesimpulan penelitian ini adalah pengelola aloevera harus memperhatikan keadaan area parkir terutama tingkat keamanan. Meningkatkan kembali Kebersihan, Kenyamanan, Kerapihan Lokasi. Memberi perbaikan Fasilitas Gazebo dan menambahkan tempat wudhu, sajadah dan mukena sebagai fasilitas musholla. Hal ini perlu dilakukan untuk meningkatkan kepuasan konsumen dan kunjungan meningkat Pengelola juga harus menjadikan analisis kepuasan sebagai acuan penyusunan anggaran tahun berikutnya

Characterization of a murine model of monocrotaline pyrrole-induced acute lung injury

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>New animal models of chronic pulmonary hypertension in mice are needed. The injection of monocrotaline is an established model of pulmonary hypertension in rats. The aim of this study was to establish a murine model of pulmonary hypertension by injection of the active metabolite, monocrotaline pyrrole.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Survival studies, computed tomographic scanning, histology, bronchoalveolar lavage were performed, and arterial blood gases and hemodynamics were measured in animals which received an intravenous injection of different doses of monocrotaline pyrrole.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Monocrotaline pyrrole induced pulmonary hypertension in Sprague Dawley rats. When injected into mice, monocrotaline pyrrole induced dose-dependant mortality in C57Bl6/N and BALB/c mice (dose range 6–15 mg/kg bodyweight). At a dose of 10 mg/kg bodyweight, mice developed a typical early-phase acute lung injury, characterized by lung edema, neutrophil influx, hypoxemia and reduced lung compliance. In the late phase, monocrotaline pyrrole injection resulted in limited lung fibrosis and no obvious pulmonary hypertension.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Monocrotaline and monocrotaline pyrrole pneumotoxicity substantially differs between the animal species.</p

Dual-selective phosphodiesterase 3 and 4 inhibition in experimental pulmonary hypertension

Verschiedene Phosphodiesterasehemmer sind zur Zeit in der Erprobung zur Behandlung der pulmonalen Hypertonie. Einige PDE 5-Inhibitoren sind bereits zur Therapie der pulmonalarteriellen Hypertonie zugelassen, jedoch ist bisher weniger über den therapeutischen Nutzen von PDE 3-, PDE 4- und insbesondere dualselektiven PDE 3/4-Inhibitoren bekannt. Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die chronisch-therapeutischen Effekte von Pumafentrine, einem oral verfügbaren, gemischtselektiven PDE 3/4-Hemmstoff, in einem Modell der Monocrotalin-induzierten pulmonalen Hypertonie der Ratte. Nach einmaliger subkutaner Injektion von Monocrotalin (60 mg/kg) wurde Pumafentrine vom Tag 28 bis 42 nach Monocrotalin-induzierter Lungenschädigung verabreicht (10 mg/kg/d). Die Behandlung mit Pumafentrine konnte teilweise die pulmonale Hypertonie und die Rechtsherzhypertrophie der Ratten rückgängig machen. Zusätzlich wurden die progressive Muskularisierung kleiner pulmonalarterien, die Mediahypertrophie und die Abnahme der Lumenfläche größtenteils rückgängig gemacht. Die chronische Therapie der Ratten mit Pumafentrine potenzierte die endothelabhängige Acetylcholin-induzierte Vasodilation und verbesserte die endothelunabhängige vasodilatorische Reaktion auf Natrium-Nitroprussid im Modell der isolierten Rattenlunge. In vivo wurde die Hemmung der Proliferation von glatten Muskelzellen in der Lunge gezeigt. Pumafentrine übte weiterhin einen pro-apoptotischen Effekt auf Gefäßzellen aus. Darüber hinaus erhöhte Pumafentrine dosisabhängig die Spiegel von zyklischem Adenosinmonophosphat und hemmte die Proliferation kultivierter pulmonalarterieller glatter Muskelzellen. Zusammenfassend ist zu sagen, dass Pumafentrine teilweise die Monocrotalin-induzierte pulmonale Hypertonie, den proliferativen Gefäßwandumbau und die Rechtsherzhypertrophie rückgängig machen kann. Dies ist die erste Studie, die einen therapeutischen Effekt eines oral verfügbaren PDE 3/4 Hemmers in einem experimentellen Modell der pulmonalen Hypertonie zeigt. Die Hemmung der Phosphodiesterasen 3/4 könnte eine neue Therapieoption zur Behandlung der humanen pulmonalarteriellen Hypertonie darstellen.Phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitors are currently under investigation for the therapy of pulmonary hypertension. Several PDE 5-inhibitors are approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension, but less is known about the therapeutical impact of PDE 3-, PDE 4- or dual-selective PDE 3/4-inhibitors. The present study was designed to investigate chronic effects of oral pumafentrine, a mixed selective PDE 3/4-inhibitor, in monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. After a single subcutaneous injection of monocrotaline (60 mg/kg), when chronically administered from day 28 to 42 after monocrotaline-induced lung injury, pumafentrine (10 mg/kg/d) partially reversed pulmonary hypertension and right heart hypertrophy in rats. In addition, small pulmonary arterial muscularisation, medial hypertrophy and decrease in lumen area were largely reversed. Chronic pumafentrine treatment potentiated endothelial-dependent acetylcholine-induced vasodilation and improved the endothelial-independent vasodilatory response to sodium nitroprusside in an isolated rat lung preparation. Inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation under pumafentrine was demonstrated in vivo and in vitro as was a pro-apoptotic effect of pumafentrine on vascular cells. Moreover, pumafentrine dose-dependently increased cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels and inhibited proliferation of cultured pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells. In conclusion, oral pumafentrine partially reverses monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension, lung vascular remodelling and right heart hypertrophy in rats. This study is the first one which shows a therapeutical effect of an orally bioavailable PDE 3/4 inhibitor in experimental pulmonary hypertension. Phosphodiesterase 3/4 inhibition might be a useful therapeutic option to treat human pulmonary arterial hypertension

Reversal of experimental pulmonary hypertension by PDGF inhibition

Progression of pulmonary hypertension is associated with increased proliferation and migration of pulmonary vascular smooth muscle cells. PDGF is a potent mitogen and involved in this process. We now report that the PDGF receptor antagonist STI571 (imatinib) reversed advanced pulmonary vascular disease in 2 animal models of pulmonary hypertension. In rats with monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension, therapy with daily administration of STI571 was started 28 days after induction of the disease. A 2-week treatment resulted in 100% survival, compared with only 50% in sham-treated rats. The changes in RV pressure, measured continuously by telemetry, and right heart hypertrophy were reversed to near-normal levels. STI571 prevented phosphorylation of the PDGF receptor and suppressed activation of downstream signaling pathways. Similar results were obtained in chronically hypoxic mice, which were treated with STI571 after full establishment of pulmonary hypertension. Moreover, expression of the PDGF receptor was found to be significantly increased in lung tissue from pulmonary arterial hypertension patients compared with healthy donor lung tissue. We conclude that STI571 reverses vascular remodeling and cor pulmonale in severe experimental pulmonary hypertension regardless of the initiating stimulus. This regimen offers a unique novel approach for antiremodeling therapy in progressed pulmonary hypertension

Role of the prostanoid EP4 receptor in iloprost-mediated vasodilatation in pulmonary hypertension

Rationale Iloprost is effective for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension. It acts through elevation of CAMP by binding to the prostacyclin receptor (IP receptor). However, there is evidence that patients with severe pulmonary hypertension have decreased expression of the IP receptor in the remodeled pulmonary arterial smooth muscle. Objectives: We hypothesized that prostanoid receptors other than the IP receptor are involved in signal transduction by iloprost. Methods: Immunoblotting was used to detect the IP and prostanoid EP4 receptor in lung tissue from patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, and immunohistochemistry was used to detect these receptors in lung sections from rats treated with monocrotaline (MCT28d). Protein and mRNA were isolated from pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs) from control and MCT28d rats treated with AH6809 (an EP2 receptor antagonist) and AH23848 (an EP4 receptor antagonist) in combination with iloprost. Intracellular cAMP was also assessed in these tissues. Measurements and Main Results: IP receptor expression was reduced in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension patient lung samples and MCT28d rat lungs compared with the controls. Reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting of MCT28d rat PASMC extracts revealed scant expression of the IP receptor but stable expression of EP4 receptor, compared with controls. Iloprost-induced elevation in intracellular CAMP in PASMCs was dose-dependently reduced by AH23848, but not by AH6809. Conclusions: Iloprost mediates vasodilatory functions via the EP4 receptor in the case of low IP receptor expression associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension. This is a previously unrecognized mechanism for iloprost, and illustrates that the EP4 receptor may be a novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension