PREPARATION OF ACTIVATED CARBON FROM PEAT

Peat with an approximate 60% carbon content collected in the suburbs of Palangka Raya, Indonesia, was carbonized, followed by activation with steam in an electric furnace. The resultant activated carbon (AC) had ca. 900 m2/g of BET surface area and 1000 mg/g of iodine adsorption. This performance implies that this AC can be used as an adsorbent for environmental purification. We had a carbonizing furnace manufactured in Palangka Raya, which did not require electric power. Some AC having 350 mg/g of iodine adsorption was obtained by using this furnace. Although the adsorption ability was much lower than that of commercially available AC, the AC achieved significant decoloration and decrease in chemical oxygen demand of polluted river water. Thus, this article demonstrated the potential of tropical peat soil as a source of AC

Antifungal Activities of The Extracts From Some Tropical and Temperate Woods

Empat flavonoids (Sciadopitysin) (1), Ginkgetin (2), Ishorhamnetin (3), dan Quercetin (4), dua Texanes (Taxinine) (5) dan Taxol (6), dan Phenylisoserine methyl ester (7) dapat diisolasi dari Taxus cuspadata var. nana. Senyawa (7) juga dapat diisolasi dari Taxus chinensis. Senyawa (7) dapat diisolasi untuk pertama kalinya masing-masing dari T. cuspidata var. nana dan T. chinensis.Aktivitas antifungus senyawa-senyawa yang terisolasi tersebut dan tujuh turunan taxinine terhadap tujuh fungi patogenik tanaman (Cochliobolus miyabeanus, Alternaria kikuchiana, Giberella fujikuroi, Cladosporium cucumenium, Fusarium oxysporum, Colletotrichum fragariae dan Corynespora cassiicola) telah diukur. Taxinine dan tujuh turunan taxinine menunjukkan adanya aktivitas antifungus terhadap lima jenis fungi. Diantara tiga jenis kayu tropis (Amboyna,Kempas,Angsana),kayu Amboyna menunjukkan aktivitas antifungus terhadap empat fungi dari basidiomycetes (Le,Pp,G3,dan PLI). Selanjutnya, ekstrak methanolic dan fraksi larutnya nhexane dan ethyl ether dari kayu Amboyna menunjukkan aktivitas antifungus terhadap fungus Pp.Kata kunci: Antifungi, flavonoid, Texanes, phenylisoserine methyl ester, kayu tropis dan temperate, fungi patogenik tanaman, basidiomycetes

Antifungal Activities of The Extracts From Some Tropical and Temperate Woods

Empat flavonoids (Sciadopitysin) (1), Ginkgetin (2), Ishorhamnetin (3), dan Quercetin (4), dua Texanes (Taxinine) (5) dan Taxol (6), dan Phenylisoserine methyl ester (7) dapat diisolasi dari Taxus cuspadata var. nana. Senyawa (7) juga dapat diisolasi dari Taxus chinensis. Senyawa (7) dapat diisolasi untuk pertama kalinya masing-masing dari T. cuspidata var. nana dan T. chinensis.Aktivitas antifungus senyawa-senyawa yang terisolasi tersebut dan tujuh turunan taxinine terhadap tujuh fungi patogenik tanaman (Cochliobolus miyabeanus, Alternaria kikuchiana, Giberella fujikuroi, Cladosporium cucumenium, Fusarium oxysporum, Colletotrichum fragariae dan Corynespora cassiicola) telah diukur. Taxinine dan tujuh turunan taxinine menunjukkan adanya aktivitas antifungus terhadap lima jenis fungi. Diantara tiga jenis kayu tropis (Amboyna,Kempas,Angsana),kayu Amboyna menunjukkan aktivitas antifungus terhadap empat fungi dari basidiomycetes (Le,Pp,G3,dan PLI). Selanjutnya, ekstrak methanolic dan fraksi larutnya nhexane dan ethyl ether dari kayu Amboyna menunjukkan aktivitas antifungus terhadap fungus Pp.Kata kunci: Antifungi, flavonoid, Texanes, phenylisoserine methyl ester, kayu tropis dan temperate, fungi patogenik tanaman, basidiomycetes

Scrutiny on Physical Properties of Sawdust From Tropical Commercial Wood Species: Effects of Different Mills and Sawdust's Particle Size

Physical properties of sawdust (i.e. particle size distribution, particle density, porosity, and water retention) from five tropical commercial wood species (Shorealeprosula, Dryobalanops lanceolata, Dipterocarpus cornutus, Shorea laevis, and Eusideroxylon zwageri) as prepared in various mill types (i.e. handsaw, sawmill, and milling ) were analyzed. This study aims to look into the relationship and interconnected between the use of different mill types, density of wood species origin and physical properties of the resulting sawdust. Generally, different mill types produced sawdust with different particle size distributions. The use of a handsaw produced a higher proportion of oversized particles (OS) and coarser particle size (CPS) than that of sawmill and milling , while also commonly producing the lowest proportion of fine particle size (FPS). For each wood species, the proportion of OS was lower than that of CPS and FPS. In addition, particle density and water retention produced by handsaw in CPS as well as FPS was the smallest, followed in an increasing order sawmill and milling. Porosity of CPS and FPS was the highest in handsaw-cut sawdust, followed in a decreasing order sawmill and milling cut sawdust. This study showed that the different mill types and particle size influenced the physical properties of sawdust. Further, analysis of influential factors on porosity and water retention using General Linear Model revealed that particle density inflicted a strong influence on porosity, as did particle size on water retention

Visualization of Laterally Spreading Colorectal Tumors by Using Image-Enhanced Endoscopy

Laterally spreading tumors may sometimes evade detection by colonoscopy. This study aimed to evaluate the use of image-enhanced endoscopy for visualizing laterally spreading tumors of the nongranular type. We reviewed consecutive patients with 47 non-granular-type laterally spreading tumors that had been examined using white-light imaging, autofluorescence imaging, narrow-band imaging, and chromoendoscopy with indigo carmine. The quality of visualization was evaluated using a 5-point scale by less- and more-experienced endoscopists. Autofluorescence imaging provided significantly better visualization than white-light imaging for both less-experienced and experienced endoscopists. On the other hand, no significant differences were observed between the quality of visualization provided by white-light imaging and narrow-band imaging for less-experienced endoscopists. Autofluorescence imaging provides high-quality visualization of non-granular-type laterally spreading tumors on still images. Multicenter trials should be conducted to confirm the usefulness of autofluorescence imaging in detecting laterally spreading colorectal tumors

Effect of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Colonization on Early Growth and Nutrient Content of Two Peat­ Swamp Forest Tree Species Seedlings, Calophyllum Hosei and Ploiarium Alternifolium

Tropical peat-swamp forests are one of the largest near-surface reserves of terrestrial organic carbon, but rnany peat-swamp forest tree species decreased due over-exploitation, forest fire and conversion of natural forests into agricultural lands. Among those species are slow-growing Calophyllum hoseiand Ploiarium alternifolium, two species are good for construction of boats, furniture, house building and considerable attention from pharmacological viewpoint for human healthly. This study was aimed at understanding the effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi on early growth of C. hosei and P.alternifoliumunder greenhouse condition. Seedlings of C. hosei and P.alternifoliumwere inoculated with AM fungi: Glomus clarum and Glomus aggregatum ,or uninoculated under greenhouse condition during 6 months. AM colonization, plant growth, survival rate and nutrient content (P, Zn and B) were measured. The percentage of C. hoseiand P.alternifolium ranged from 27-32% and 18-19%, respectively. Both inoculated seedling species had greater plant height, diameter, leaf number, shoot and root dry weight than control seedlings. Nutrient content of inoculated plants were increased with AM colonization- Survival rates of inoculated plants were higher (100%) than those of control plants (67%). The results suggested that inoculation of AM fungi could improve the early growth of C. hoseiand P.alternifolium grown in tropical peat-swamp forest therefore this finding has greater potential impact if this innovative technology applied in field scales which are socially acceptable, commercially profitable and environmentally friendly

Essential Role of Symbiotic Microorganisms Supporting Forests in East Asia under Changing Environment

Regeneration success of forests is strongly dependent on symbiotic microorganisms, that is, arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) and ectomycorrhiza (ECM). In the northeastern part of Asia, larch and birch are used as timber resources, and in the south, fir, cedar, cypress, and oak are used as timber resources. Planted forests have reached the time of harvesting and/or thinning, and after the forestry practices, it is expected that they will become mixed forests equipped with resistance to weather damage; that is, drought, heat, typhoons, etc. On the other hand, the physical production environment has changed greatly, therefore, we investigated the growth of the major trees and the role of mycorrhizal fungi in the northeastern Asia. Elevated O3 decreased growth, colonization rates of ECM, and the biodiversity; however, elevated CO2 moderated or increased them in larch. Except for disease of rot and damping off, we discuss wise use of symbiotic microbe in far East Asia

Cost-Effectiveness of Total Colonoscopy in Screening of Colorectal Cancer in Japan

Introduction. In Japan, the cost-effectiveness of total colonoscopy (TCS) for primary screening of colorectal cancer (CRC) is unclear. We compared the cost of identifying a patient with CRC using two primary screening strategies: TCS (strategy 1) and the immunochemical fecal test (FIT) (strategy 2). Materials and Methods. We retrospectively analyzed the TCS screening database at our institution from February 2004 to August 2010 (strategy 1, n = 15,348) and the Japanese nationwide survey of CRC screening in 2008 (strategy 2, n = 5,267,443). Results. 112 and 6,838 CRC cases were detected in strategies 1 and 2, costing 2,124,000 JPY and 1,629,000 JPY, respectively. The rate of earlier-stage CRC was higher in strategy 1. Conclusions. The cost was higher using TCS as a primary screening procedure. However, the difference was not excessive, and considering the increased rate of detecting earlier CRC, the use of TCS as a primary screening tool may be cost-effective

Radial Shortening Osteotomy Using Volar Locking Plate for Kienböck\u27s Disease

Purpose:The purpose of this study was to report the preliminary results for radial shortening osteotomyfollowed by volar locking plate fixation without post-operative immobilization for the treatment of Kienböck\u27sdisease.Methods:Ten consecutive patients with Kienböck\u27s disease of stages III were treated by radial shorteningosteotomy at the metaphysis using a volar locking plate system. Radial shortening osteotomy was performed for patients with negative or neutral ulnar variance, and combined shortening of radius and ulna for those with positive ulnar variance. The active motion of the digits, wrist, and forearm was encouraged immediately after surgery, and no splints were used.Results:The average follow-up was 26 months. In all the patients, the osteotomized bone united after an average of 11 weeks. Follow-up radiographs showed no further progression of the disease in carpal height,Ståhl\u27s index, or Lichtman\u27s stage classification. Moderate pain reported by all the patients preoperativelysignificantly improved by the final follow-up. Wrist extension, flexion, grip strength, and the Mayo wrist score were significantly improved compared with preoperative values.Conclusions:Volar locking plate fixation without immobilization is a safe and effective procedure for radial shortening osteotomy of Kienböck\u27s disease

Mushroom Cultivation Using Compost Produced in the Garbage AutomaticDecompose-extinguisher(GADE)

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