Pengaruh Percampuran Air Terhadap Oksigen Terlarut Di Sekitar Karamba Jaring Apung, Waduk Cirata, Purwakarta, Jawa Barat

Penelitian dilakukan di sekitar keramba apung Waduk Cirata (KJA), Purwakarta, Jawa Barat. Penelitian bertujuan untuk mengetahui fluktuasi ketersediaan oksigen terlarut dalam perairan, melalui percampuran massa air yang diambil dari beberapa kedalaman. Konsentrasi DO di lokasi KJA di Waduk Cirata menurun seiring bertambahnya kedalaman dengan kisaran rata-rata adalah 0,3 - 0,5 mg/l (lapisan dasar) hingga 8,0 - 8,4 mg/l (permukaan). Distribusi vertikal oksigen terlarut menggambarkan tipe perairan clinograde. Kedalaman zona eufotik mencapai 3,81 m. Terdapat variasi ketersediaan oksigen terlarut dari pencampuran massa air meromictic dan holomictic. Pada perlakuan 1 (meromictic hingga 12 m) nilai rata-rata DO yaitu 7,00 - 7,41 mg/l. Perlakuan 2 (meromictic hingga 24 m) nilai rata-rata DO 5,28 - 5,48 mg/l. Perlakuan 3 (holomictic hingga 42 m) memiliki nilai rata-rata DO sebesar 2,44 - 2,84 mg/l. Jika terjadi percampuran meromictic hingga kedalaman 12 m dan 24 m maka kegiatan budidaya ikan masih dianggap layak, karena nilai DO >5 mg/l. Akan tetapi, pencampuran holomictic mengakibatkan DO melewati ambang batas, sehingga tidak dapat menopang budidaya perikana

Produktivitas Primer Fitoplankton dan Keterkaitannya dengan Unsur Hara dan Cahaya di Perairan Teluk Banten

Pada ekosistem perairan, keberadaan cahaya dan unsur hara di kolom air merupakan faktor utama yang mengontrol laju produktivitas primer fitoplankton. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui hubungan antara produktivitas primer fitoplankton dengan keberadaan intensitas cahaya dan unsur hara di kolom perairan Teluk Banten. Pengukuran produktivitas primer dilakukan dengan menggunakan metode oksigen botol terang dan gelap. Pengambilan contoh air laut untuk pengukuran produktivitas primer dan unsur hara dilakukan pada dua stasiun dengan empat titik kedalaman. Hasil yang diperoleh menunjukkan bahwa produktivitas primer fitoplankton pada setiap kedalaman inkubasi berkisar dari 13.56-29.59 mg C/m3/jam di kedua stasiun pengamatan. Terdapat kecenderungan kolom perairan di lokasi penelitian termasuk massa airnya tercampur. Hal ini terlihat dari distribusi vertikal unsur hara yang homogen. Disamping itu, cahaya cenderung berkurang dengan bertambahnya kedalaman. Terdapat hubungan yang sangat erat antara cahaya yang ada di kolom air dengan produktivitas primer (82% dan 64%) dan sebaliknya, unsur hara dengan produktivitas primer berkorelasi lemah (berkisar antara 0.9%-16.5%). Cahaya lebih bersifat sebagai pembatas dibanding unsur hara bagi produktivitas primer

Promotion of breast cancer by β-Hexachlorocyclohexane in MCF10AT1 cells and MMTV-neu mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Exposure to β-Hexachlorocyclohexane (β-HCH), a contaminant of the hexachlorohexane pesticide lindane, has been implicated as a risk factor in the development of breast cancers in epidemiological studies. Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated the ability of β-HCH to elicit its actions via a ligand-independent activation of the estrogen receptor through increased c-Neu (= erbB₂or HER-2) expression and kinase activation in both the BG-1 and MCF-7 cell lines. In addition, long term exposure (33 passages) to β-HCH was shown to promote the selection of MCF-7 cells which exhibit a more metastatic phenotype.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>In this current study, we decided to investigate the long-term effects of β-HCH in both the MCF10AT1 cell line which was derived from a normal epithelial cell line by stably transfecting a mutated c-Ha-ras and a MMTV-Neu mouse model for mammary cancer <it>in vivo</it>. MCF10AT1 cells were exposed for 20 passages with β-HCH, 4-OH-Tamoxifen (Tam), or 17-β-estradiol (E₂) after which cells were analyzed for proliferation rates and mRNA expression by RT-PCR. In our <it>in vivo </it>studies, MMTV-Neu mice were injected with β-HCH and observed for tumor formation over a 70 week period.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>β-HCH and Tam selected MCF10AT1 cells demonstrated increased mRNA expression of MMP-13 (collagenase-3) a marker of increased invasiveness. β-HCH treatment was also seen to increase the expression in a number of proto-oncogenes (c-Neu, Cyclin D1, p27), cell status markers (Met-1, CK19), and the inflammatory marker NFκB. Previous studies, have demonstrated the role of these markers as evidence of malignant transformations, and further illustrate the ability of β-HCH to be carcinogenic. To demonstrate β-HCH's tumorigenic properties in an <it>in vivo </it>system, we used an MMTV-Neu mouse model.</p> <p>MMTV-Neu is a c-Neu overexpressing strain which has been shown to spontaneously develop mammary tumors at later stages of aging. In this experiment, β-HCH exposure was shown to both accelerate the appearance (~8 weeks for median tumor-free period) and incidence (~25% increase at the end of the test period) of tumors when compared to control mice receiving only the corn-oil vehicle.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Based upon these results, it was concluded that β-HCH does act as a breast cancer promoter which exerts its tumorigenic activity via increased c-Neu expression.</p

Comparison of Real-time PCR to ELISA for the detection of human cytomegalovirus infection in renal transplant patients in the Sudan

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>This study was carried out to detect human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) IgG and IgM antibodies using an Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in renal transplant patients in Khartoum state, Sudan and to improve the diagnosis of HCMV through the introduction of Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) testing. A total of 98 plasma samples were collected randomly from renal transplant patients at Ibin Sina Hospital and Salma Centre for Transplantation and Haemodialysis during the period from August to September 2006.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among the 98 renal transplant patients, 65 were males and 33 females. The results revealed that HCMV IgG was present in all patients' plasma 98/98 (100%), while only 6/98 (6.1%) had IgM antibodies in their plasma. HCMV DNA viral loads were detected in 32 patients 32/98 (32.7%) using Real-time PCR.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The HCMV IgG results indicate a high prevalence of past HCMV infection in all tested groups, while the finding of IgM may reflect a recent infection or reactivation. HCMV detection by real-time PCR in the present study indicated a high prevalence among renal transplant patients in Khartoum. In conclusion, the prevalence of HCMV in Khartoum State was documented through detection of HCMV-specific antibodies. Further study using various diagnostic methods should be considered to determine the prevalence of HCMV disease at the national level.</p

Exposure to p,p′-DDE: A Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes

BACKGROUND: Persistent organic pollutants (POPs), such as PCBs, DDT and dioxins have in several cross-sectional studies shown strong associations with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Reversed causality can however not be excluded. The aim of this case-control study was to evaluate whether POPs concentration is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A case-control study was performed within a well-defined cohort of women, age 50-59 years, from the Southern part of Sweden. Biomarkers for POP exposure, 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (CB-153) and 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE) were analyzed in stored serum samples, which were collected at the baseline examination when the cohort was established. For 107 out of the 371 cases, serum samples were stored at least three years before their type 2 diabetes was diagnosed. In this data set, CB-153 and p,p'-DDE were not associated with an increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes. However, when only the cases (n = 39) that were diagnosed more than six years after the baseline examination and their controls were studied, the women in the highest exposed quartile showed an increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes (OR of 1.6 [95% 0.61, 4.0] for CB-153 and 5.5 [95% CI 1.2, 25] for p,p'-DDE). CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The results from the present case-control study, including a follow-up design, confirms that p,p'-DDE exposure can be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes

A Nested Case-Control Study of Intrauterine Exposure to Persistent Organochlorine Pollutants in Relation to Risk of Type 1 Diabetes

BACKGROUND: The incidence of type 1 diabetes in Europe is increasing at a rate of about 3% per year and there is also an increasing incidence throughout the world. Type 1 diabetes is a complex disease caused by multiple genetic and environmental factors. Persistent organochlorine pollutants (POPs) have been suggested as a triggering factor for developing childhood type 1 diabetes. The aim of this case-control study was to assess possible impacts of in utero exposure to POPs on type 1 diabetes. METHODOLOGY/ PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: The study was performed as a case-control study within a biobank in Malmö, a city located in the Southern part of Sweden. The study included 150 cases (children who had their diagnosis mostly before 18 years of age) and 150 controls, matched for gender and day of birth. 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (PCB-153) and the major DDT metabolite 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis (p-chlorophenyl)-ethylene (p,p'-DDE) were used as a biomarkers for POP exposure. When comparing the quartile with the highest maternal serum concentrations of PCB-153 with the other quartiles, an odds ratio (OR) of 0.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.42, 1.27) was obtained. Similar results was obtained for p,p'-DDE (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.29, 1.08). CONCLUSIONS: The hypothesis that in utero exposure to POPs will trigger the risk for developing type 1 diabetes was not supported by the results. The risk estimates did, although not statistically significant, go in the opposite direction. However, it is not reasonable to believe that exposure to POPs should protect against type 1 diabetes