Characterization of bark extractives of different industrial Indonesian wood species for potential valorization

Barks are available as waste material and by-product of wood industry. They have been reported to contain interesting molecules and show some bioactivity such as antioxidant and antifungal. This study aimed at evaluating the amounts of extractives in Acacia mangium (acacia), Paraserianthes falcataria (sengon) and Swietenia mahagoni (mahoni) barks, to evaluate their extractive contents and the presence of potential valuable molecules. The extraction method used soxhlet with four different solvents. Antioxidant activity assays were carried out using methyl linoleate and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrilhidrazyl (DPPH) and the antifungal activity was determinate by fungal growth inhibitions assays. 5.3%–18.5% extraction yields were obtained. All acetone and toluene ethanol extracts show high antioxidant activity by DPPH. The highest antioxidant value obtained by DPPH was obtained for mahoni bark acetone extract with 3.9 mg/L of EC50, followed by mahoni bark toluene ethanol 6.8 mg/L, acacia bark acetone 7 mg/L, and acacia bark toluene ethanol extract 7.4 mg/L. Sengon bark extracts had the greatest antifungal activity inhibition. The greatest antioxidant and antifungal activity were obtained with phenolic compounds which were contained in the extracts

Comparison of teak wood properties according to forest management: short versus long rotation

Key message: Teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) is one of the most important tropical hardwood tree species, which is widely planted in Indonesia. Wood properties are strongly influenced by forest management conditioning further utilization of wood. Context: In Indonesia, teak wood has been supplied from the state forests (Perhutani) for long rotation teak and from community teak plantations for short rotation teak. Short rotation teak has been harvested at 7–10 years and long rotation teak at 40–60 years. Aims: This paper discusses the characterization of technical properties of short and long rotation teak wood based on the chemical, anatomical, physical, and mechanical properties. Methods: The properties of short rotation and long rotation teak woods were characterized by measuring their density, extractive contents, chemical composition, swelling, wettability, water sorption isotherm, decay resistance, anatomical properties, bending strength (modulus of rupture (MOR), modulus of elasticity (MOE)), and hardness. Results: The results indicate that short rotation teak was not particularly different in swelling, MOE and MOR, and Brinell hardness compared to long rotation teak, although it was less dense and less durable due to lower heartwood and extractive contents. Therefore, careful attention should be given to the use of short rotation teak in some wood-processing technologies. Conclusion: Lower wood density and durability of the short rotation compared to the long rotation teak will restrict its utilization to some extent for both indoor and outdoor applications. Fast-growing teak from community cannot be used as usual heartwood teak from Perhutani because of the very low proportion of useful heartwood in the stem

The Chikungunya Epidemic on La Réunion Island in 2005–2006: A Cost-of-Illness Study

For a long time, studies of chikungunya virus infection have been neglected, but since its resurgence in the south-western Indian Ocean and on La Réunion Island, this disease has been paid greater amounts of attention. The economic and social impacts of chikungunya epidemics are poorly documented, including in developed countries. This study estimated the cost-of-illness associated with the 2005–2006 chikungunya epidemics on La Réunion Island, a French overseas department with an economy and health care system of a developed country. “Cost-of-illness” studies measure the amount that would have been saved in the absence of a disease. We found that the epidemic incurred substantial medical expenses estimated at €43.9 million, of which 60% were attributable to direct medical costs related, in particular, to expenditure on medical consultations (47%), hospitalization (32%) and drugs (19%). The costs related to care in ambulatory and hospitalized cases were €90 and €2000 per case, respectively. This study provides the basic inputs for conducting cost-effectiveness and cost-benefit evaluations of chikungunya prevention strategies

IL-1β, IL-6, and RANTES as Biomarkers of Chikungunya Severity

Little is known about the immunopathogenesis of Chikungunya virus. Circulating levels of immune mediators and growth factors were analyzed from patients infected during the first Singaporean Chikungunya fever outbreak in early 2008 to establish biomarkers associated with infection and/or disease severity.Adult patients with laboratory-confirmed Chikungunya fever infection, who were referred to the Communicable Disease Centre/Tan Tock Seng Hospital during the period from January to February 2008, were included in this retrospective study. Plasma fractions were analyzed using a multiplex-microbead immunoassay. Among the patients, the most common clinical features were fever (100%), arthralgia (90%), rash (50%) and conjunctivitis (40%). Profiles of 30 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were able to discriminate the clinical forms of Chikungunya from healthy controls, with patients classified as non-severe and severe disease. Levels of 8 plasma cytokines and 4 growth factors were significantly elevated. Statistical analysis showed that an increase in IL-1beta, IL-6 and a decrease in RANTES were associated with disease severity.This is the first comprehensive report on the production of cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors during acute Chikungunya virus infection. Using these biomarkers, we were able to distinguish between mild disease and more severe forms of Chikungunya fever, thus enabling the identification of patients with poor prognosis and monitoring of the disease