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The Timor region yields to an area for geologists that sits in a transitionalzone which is the boundary between subduction and collision zones. In this study, the goal is to better understand the tectonic conditions by imaging the subsurfacestructures in the region, especially in the upper mantle area. The study uses teleseismic tomography, a method that is particularly good at capturing deep structural features, making it ideal for tectonic research. The tomographic imaging was carried out using the FMTOMO code, which uses the fast-marching method for ray tracing and subspace inversion for the actual imaging process. To check the accuracy of the model, a checkerboard resolution test was performed, showing that reliable interpretation begins at a depth of 100 km. Horizontal cross-sections in the depth of 100 km, 200 km, and 300 km and Vertical cross-sections at longitude of 122°E and 124°E reveal a high-velocity area that represents the subducting Indo-Australian Plate, providing insight into the subduction structure in the region.

Objective: This study was conducted to establish a rat model of acute exacerbation of idiopathic pul¬monary fibrosis (AE-IPF) using the combination of bleomycin (BLM) and lipopolysaccharides (LPS). Materials and Method: Twenty-four male Sprague Dawley rats were allocated into two equal groups: the sham or the bleomycin and lipopolysaccharides-induced AE-IPF group (BLM-LPS). On Day 7, BLM intratracheally and LPS intraperitoneally were both used to administer AE-IPF. The BLM-LPS group and its respective sham group were terminated on Days 8, 14, or 21. Samples of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) and lungs were taken and investigated for cell count and histopathology. Results: On Day 8, histological analysis revealed inflammatory cell infiltration with edema and hyaline membrane, and the BALF differential cell count revealed high neutrophil counts. By having a higher collagen density area and Ashcroft modified score than the sham group on Day 14, the BLM-LPS group displayed significantly lower oxygen saturation, alveolar air area, and a fibrotic appearance. However, there was a spontaneous resolution in inflammation and fibrotic appearance on Day 21 after the BLM administration. Conclusions: By combining BLM and LPS, it was possible to create a successful rat model of AE-IPF. The present model showed the peak exacerbation on Day 8 and the fibrotic peak on Day 14, which gradually improved. The optimal time for the new AE-IPF therapeutic intervention was determined to be between Days 8 and 14.

The Horizontal to Vertical Spectral Ratio (HVSR) is a seismic analysis method used to obtain information about subsurface geological characteristics. This method is based on the spectral ratio analysis between the horizontal and vertical components of earthquakes or other vibration sources. HVSR has proven to be an effective tool in evaluating rock layers, layer thickness, rock hardness, and geological hazard potential. In the HVSR method, seismic data are measured using three-component seismometers, the N-S (North-South), E-W (East-West), and vertical components. In this study, the HVSR method is used for Vs30 inversion to estimate shear wave velocity at a depth of 30m. The southern and western regions of Sulawesi have various geological conditions and high seismicity levels. The results of this inversion can be used for mapping soil vulnerability indices. The obtained soil vulnerability index values indicate high vulnerability near the Palu-Koro fault, with A0 9.27 at F0 3.2 Hz. This method can also estimate shear wave velocity values at a depth of 30 m. Vs30 values range from 200 m/s to 500 m/s at various measurement points, indicating variability. According to the SNI 1726:2012 and NEHRP classifications, the research area has soil conditions ranging from medium to soft.

Sumatra Island and its surroundings, Indonesia, are one of the most active tectonics in the world. The Aceh-Andaman earthquake, one of the most destructive earthquakes in the world, occurred there. It has attracted many earth scientists to apply various methods, including seismic tomography, to understand the island’s subsurface structure and tectonic system. This study is the first to delineate subsurface imaging beneath the island and its surroundings using a local-regional earthquake catalogue from the Indonesian Agency for Meteorology, Climatology, and Geophysics (BMKG) seismicnetwork. The tomographic imaging of P-wave (Vp) conducted in this study has successfully delineated subduction slabs (high Vp), partial melting zones (low Vp), volcanic arcs (low Vp), and Sumatran Fault zones (low Vp). The relationship between the subduction zone and the volcanic arc on the island can be seen on several vertical sections where a partial melting zone occurs at a depth of about 100 km, which functions as magma feeding for some volcanoes on the island. The oceanic slab model also exhibits a more pronounced and steeper slope towards the southern regions of Sumatra Island, possibly attributed to the slab’s aging process in that direction. The results highlight the importance of the BMKG seismic network in imaging local-regional subsurface structures beneath Indonesia’s archipelago, especially for the main islands such as Sumatra.

Invasive candidiasis (IC) has a high mortality rate of 70%, thus diagnosis should be established without delay. Given its fast result, serological test such as β-d-glucan (BDG) test is one alternative diagnosis modalities. However, it lacks specificity. Candida albicans germ tube antibody (CAGTA) test is an alternative serological test which has a high sensitivity of 76.2% and specificity of 80.3%.  Manufacturing CAGTA serological test requires provision of specific germ tube antigen. In this study, various culture media were tested to find the best media for germ tube induction. This study was an experimental in vitro study. The number and length of the germ tube were recorded in two- and three-hour incubation periods. A total of six samples containing one C. albicans ATCC 90028, four C. albicans wild type strains, and one C. krusei wild type strain were used. Nine media were tested to induce germ   tube formation: human and sheep serum, fetal bovine serum, mueller hinton agar and broth, tryptic soy agar and broth, brain heart infusion agar and broth. At both incubation periods, the medium with the highest number of germ tube was human serum (p=0.001 and p=0). The longest germ tube was found in sheep serum at two-hour incubation period (p=0.005). Mueller hinton broth (MHB) showed comparable results with human and sheep serum (p>0.05). Human serum is a superior inducer of morphogenesis. However, the use of MHB is recommended in this study, since provision of fresh human and sheep serum on a regular basis is impractical.

Worldwide, the diabetes epidemic is rapidly increasing and has become a growing health threat over the past few decades. The continuous investigation into the development of antidiabetic agents and treatments is crucial because current synthetic antidiabetic drugs cause adverse side effect and are often ineffective. Indonesia is blessed with a mega-biodiversity of medicinal plants. Having an abundance of medicinal plant species has caused several problems, like the adulteration of medicinal plants when used as herbal products, and serious overharvesting resulting in the disappearance of the plants from nature. The DNA barcoding technique is a promising tool to authenticate the identity and phylogenetic position of a medicinal plant. Using DNA barcoding, a close genetic relationship of Bungur from Riau, Sumatra to related taxa from other areas is confirmed; it represents Lagerstroemia speciosa (Lythraceae). Moreover, the active secondary metabolites of Bungur are summarized and most importantly, the mechanism of action as an antidiabetic agent is described. Some of them are well-known principles, and some are known as new mechanisms with the potential to be revisited. This report indicates that L. speciosa may have anti-diabetic properties that might be useful in therapy of diabetes. More research is needed to determine possible side effects, and to identify its relevant chemical components.

Curcumin is a compound that has been extensively studied for a wide range of illnesses, including respiratory diseases. However, when administered orally, curcumin has low bioavailability and limited tissue concentrations. Thus, it limits the use of oral curcumin in pulmonary diseases. One of the alternative solutions is to develop a formulation of curcumin for inhalation. This study aimed to develop a curcumin nanosuspension formulation for pulmonary drug delivery. Curcumin nanosuspension for inhalation was developed by mixing the dissolved drug into poloxamer 188, followed by stirring and high-speed homogenization. The resulting nanosuspension was evaluated for its particle size, polydispersity index (PDI), zeta potential, entrapment efficiency, and stability test. Curcumin nanosuspension was delivered to the rats via nebulizer for 30minutes. An hour after inhalation, rats were sacrificed. Then, blood and lung tissues were obtained to analyze curcumin concentrations. The particle size of curcumin in the selected suspension formulation was 281.3nm, with a PDI of 0.464 and a zeta potential of -29.5. Entrapment efficiency was 90.11±6.72%. Curcumin was detected in the lung with a concentration of 0.1610.022ng/100mg of lung tissues but undetected in the rat plasma. Thus, a curcumin nanosuspension formulation for inhalation was successfully made using poloxamer 188, followed by high-speed homogenization. The preparation was fast and straightforward. In addition, the formulation was effective for local delivery to the lung.

Amlodipine besylate, which is degraded at acidic pH, makes amlodipine besylate less suitable for targeting the stomach. [...]it is more suitable for targeted delivery systems to the intestine. Because it includes a large number of hydroxyl groups that can form hydrogen bonds, PVA is employed as a stabilizer. Amlodipine besylate - ethyl cellulose solution was mixed by dripping slowly into various concentrations of PVA solution, then stirred at 500 rpm for 120 minutes at room temperature. Microparticulate drug delivery systems have recently attracted a lot of attention in comparison to single unit systems because of their prospective benefits such as increased bioavailability, reduced risk of systemic toxicity, reduced risk of local irritation, and predictable gastric emptying [8].

Biochar is an interesting adsorbent material due to its use is correlated with biomass waste utilization and also minimize environmental pollution from high amount of biomass by-product. Regarding to improve the biochar ability in water treatment, several surface modifications have been developed, one of them is modification using surfactant. In this study, sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (SDBS) was used to modify the surface of biochar prepared from pyrolysis of cassava peels (Manihot utilissima). Its performance in biochar modification to remove methylene blue (MB) dyes was compared with sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) surfactant for observing the important of – interactions mechanisms. The analysis of biochar and biochar-SDBS were conducted by using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), CHNS elemental analysis, and scanning electron microscope (SEM). Furthermore, the adsorption experiments were conducted using UV-Vis spectrophotometer. It is known that modification using SDBS could increase the adsorption capacity of biochar not only from electrostatic interaction but also through – interactions mechanisms. In this respect, as the amount of SDBS mass increased, the adsorption capacity was also improved due to the modification produced more active cites on biochar. The maximum MB adsorption onto biochar-SDBS occurred at adsorbent mass of 15 mg with optimum pH value of 10. Copyright © 2021 by Authors, Published by BCREC Group. This is an open access article under the CC BY-SA License (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). 

This study investigates the effectiveness of the interference-handling radio frequency direction finding (RFDF) monitoring system in detecting and localizing interference sources near the BMKG C-Band weather radar in West Kalimantan, Indonesia. We conducted field tests varying interference transmitter power levels (0-30 dBm) and distances (100, 500, and 1,000 m) from the radar. Results indicate the RFDF system's robust performance, consistently detecting interference within 5-20 minutes and accurately localizing sources with minimal deviation from actual positions. The findings confirm the system's superiority over traditional manual methods, offering a reliable solution for interference management in weather radar operations. However, limitations include controlled test conditions and a need for further exploration of the system's efficacy in diverse environmental settings. This research contributes to improving radar reliability and lays the groundwork for future studies to refine RFDF technology for broader meteorological applications.