Pembuatan Matriks Dari Kompleks Polielektrolit Kitosan Pektin Untuk Sediaan Tablet Mengapung

Chitosan is a natural cationic polymer. That cationic property makes chitosan canform polyelectrolite complex (PEC) with anionic polymer. In this research, pectinwas used as anionic polymer that interact ionically with chitosan. The aim of thisresearch is to produce and characterize chitosan-pectin PEC that would be used asmatrix in floating tablet. The solutions of chitosan and pectin 0,3% w/v were mixedin ratio 1:9, 3:7, 1:1, 7:3 and 9:1 with pH of the solution 4,5 and 5,0. The bestcondition to produce PEC was in pH 5,0 with ratio of chitosan and pectin = 3:7. Thedifferences between chitosan-pectin PEC characteristic and its origin polymer wereshown by functional group analysis, thermal analysis, swelling capacity and gelstrength. The PEC was then used as matrix in floating tablet

Pelatihan Produksi Kompos dan Biogas di Kelurahan Limau Manis Selatan Kota Padang

Permasalahan utama yang dihadapi kelompok tani saat ini adalah terbatasnya pengetahuan, teknologi dan peralatan produksi untuk menghasilkan kompos yang berkualitas,  dengan demikian mutu kompos yang dihasilkan juga relatif masih  rendah, sementara potensi yang bisa dihasilkan cukup besar. Kotoran sapi yang ada selama ini juga belum dimanfaatkan sebagai sumber biogas, karena belum adanya teknologi tepat guna pembuatan biogas yang dikuasai kelompok tani. Penyelesaian masalah ditawarkan untuk dengan cara:                        (1) Memberikan pelatihan cara pembuatan kompos dengan memanfaatkan kotoran sapi dan kotoran ayam broiler, sisa hijauan makanan ternak dan limbah pertanian yang dihasilkan,     (2) Memberikan pelatihan pembuatan starter mikroba lokal untuk mempercepat terjadinya pengomposan, (3) Memberikan pelatihan serta peragaan pembuatan biogas dari kotoran sapi,  (4) Pembuatan model digester untuk produksi biogas pada skala rumah tangga dan               (5) Memberikan pelatihan penguatan kelembagaan kelompok tani untuk menuju kelompok tani yang profesional. Sesuai dengan rencana kegiatan maka dapat dijelaskan target luaran adalah (a) Bahan baku kompos dan Starter yang bisa digunakan, (b) Teknik pembuatan kompos untuk menghasilkan kualitas kompos yang baik, (c) Isu pertanian berkelanjutan dan pentingnya pupuk organik,  (d) Teknik mempersiapkan kompos untuk dipasarkan dan teknik memasarkan produk kompos dan (e) Peragaan pembuatan digseter untuk pembuatan biogas berbahan baku kotoran sapi untuk skala rumah tangga. Kata kunci: Pelatihan, Produksi kompos, Bioga

Resistance of thermally modified ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) wood under steam pressure against rot fungi, soil-inhabiting micro-organisms and termites

Thermal modification processes have been developed to increase the biological durability and dimensional stability of wood. The aim of this paper was to study the influence of ThermoWood® treatment intensity on improvement of wood decay resistance against soil-inhabiting micro-organisms, brown/white rots and termite exposures. All of the tests were carried out in the laboratory with two different complementary research materials. The main research material consisted of ash (Fraxinus excelsior L.) wood thermally modified at temperatures of 170, 200, 215 and 228 °C. The reference materials were untreated ash and beech wood for decay resistance tests, untreated ash wood for soil bed tests and untreated ash, beech and pine wood for termite resistance tests. An agar block test was used to determine the resistance to two brown-rot and two white-rot fungi according to CEN/TS 15083-1 directives. Durability against soil-inhabiting micro-organisms was determined following the CEN/TS 15083-2 directives, by measuring the weight loss, modulus of elasticity (MOE) and modulus of rupture (MOR) after incubation periods of 24, 32 and 90 weeks. Finally, Reticulitermes santonensis species was used for determining the termite attack resistance by non-choice screening tests, with a size sample adjustment according to EN 117 standard directives on control samples and on samples which have previously been exposed to soil bed test. Thermal modification increased the biological durability of all samples. However, high thermal modification temperature above 215 °C, represented by a wood mass loss (ML%) due to thermal degradation of 20%, was needed to reach resistance against decay comparable with the durability classes of ‘‘durable’’ or ‘‘very durable’’ in the soil bed test. The brown-rot and white-rot tests gave slightly better durability classes than the soil bed test. Whatever the heat treatment conditions are, thermally modified ash wood was not efficient against termite attack neither before nor after soft rot degradation

FORMULATION OF ANDROGRAPHOLIDE TRANSFERSOMES GEL FOR TRANSDERMAL DELIVERY: A PRELIMINARY STUDY

Objective: A transfersome is a drug delivery system that offers increased penetration for the transdermal delivery of drugs. The aim of this study wasto assess the application of transfersomes for transdermal delivery of andrographolide.Methods: The development of andrographolide transfersomes for transdermal delivery was conducted in two steps. The first step involved varyingratios of Span 80 and phospholipids to investigate the effect on transfersome deformability using four formulations (P1–P4). Afterward, a second stepinvolved varying ratios of andrographolide in transfersomes to investigate the influence on entrapment efficiency using four formulations (F1–F4).The selected transfersomes were then formulated into a gel dosage form. An in vitro penetration study was conducted by comparing the penetrationfluxes of the transfersome and non-transfersome andrographolide gels using Franz diffusion cells.Results: The results showed that formulation F4 had an entrapment efficiency of 97.02±0.01% and particle size (DV-average) of 524.02 nm. An in vitropenetration study of the andrographolide transfersome gels showed two phases of penetration, with a marked increase in both fluxes. In the firstphase, penetration flux was 23.26±2.34 and 1.28±0.82 μg/cm2·h for the transfersome and non-transfersome andrographolide gels, respectively.Conclusion: The results showed that the transfersome gel is a promising dosage system for transdermal delivery of andrographolide

A functional interaction between liprin-α1 and B56γ regulatory subunit of protein phosphatase 2A supports tumor cell motility.

Scaffold liprin-α1 is required to assemble dynamic plasma membrane-associated platforms (PMAPs) at the front of migrating breast cancer cells, to promote protrusion and invasion. We show that the N-terminal region of liprin-α1 contains an LxxIxE motif interacting with B56 regulatory subunits of serine/threonine protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). The specific interaction of B56γ with liprin-α1 requires an intact motif, since two point mutations strongly reduce the interaction. B56γ mediates the interaction of liprin-α1 with the heterotrimeric PP2A holoenzyme. Most B56γ protein is recovered in the cytosolic fraction of invasive MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells, where B56γ is complexed with liprin-α1. While mutation of the short linear motif (SLiM) does not affect localization of liprin-α1 to PMAPs, localization of B56γ at these sites specifically requires liprin-α1. Silencing of B56γ or liprin-α1 inhibits to similar extent cell spreading on extracellular matrix, invasion, motility and lamellipodia dynamics in migrating MDA-MB-231 cells, suggesting that B56γ/PP2A is a novel component of the PMAPs machinery regulating tumor cell motility. In this direction, inhibition of cell spreading by silencing liprin-α1 is not rescued by expression of B56γ binding-defective liprin-α1 mutant. We propose that liprin-α1-mediated recruitment of PP2A via B56γ regulates cell motility by controlling protrusion in migrating MDA-MB-231 cells

Using an integrated approach to assess the sediment quality of an estuary from the semi-arid coast of Brazil

The Jundiai-Potengi Estuary (JPE) on the semi-arid coast of Brazil is influenced by multiple sources of pollution. Sediment quality at 10 JPE sites was evaluated through an integrated approach. Rainy and dry seasons were considered. Collected sediments were analyzed for texture, metal, nitrogen, phosphorus concentrations, and toxicity to invertebrates. Geochemical and ecotoxicological data were integrated using qualitative approaches and multivariate techniques. We observed decreased sediment quality in both seasons, particularly in the mid estuary. In the dry season, the contamination-toxicity relationship was clearer, as hydrological conditions favor contaminant retention within the estuary. Rainy season conditions were found to be worse, since stormwater drainage from agricultural and urban areas carries the contamination into the estuary. Because of the contamination sources and dissolved and particle-bound metal transport, contamination and toxicity did not correlate as clearly in the rainy season. The results suggest that unmeasured contaminants are contributing to JPE sediment degradation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Adolescent to Adolescent Transformation Program- Nurturing, Enhancing and Promoting Adolescents' Healthy Habit (ATAP-NEPAH): Curbing Social Problems Among Adolescents in Kelantan Through Peer-To-Peer Health Education

The objectives of ATAP-NEPAH are to enhance and nurture healthy habits among adolescents as well as to empower adolescents in inculcating these healthy habits among them. Health education through peer-to-peer approach is used to instill the knowledge on important areas such as sexual and reproductive health, smoking, substance abuse, illegal street racing (rempit) and mental health. Specific modules were developed by experts (lecturers) in multidisciplinary fields in collaboration with Malaysian Association for Adolescent Health (MAAH), National Population and Family Development Board (NPFDB), Reproductive Health Association of Kelantan (REHAK) and Rhaudatus Sakinah Kelantan. The trained Medical Students Facilitator Team (MSFT) of USM became trainers to secondary one school students. The selected school students were trained by the medical students to become peer educators to their juniors and peers. There was improvement in the readiness level of peer educators, knowledge and attitude towards healthy habits and risky behaviors of other school students after the intervention