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<p><em>Pleurotus ostreatus</em> is an edible mushroom that also has potential as medicinal values. In this study, fruiting body of <em>P. ostreatus</em> was tested for its ability to inhibit the growth of fungi and bacteria. The fruiting body powder of <em>P. ostreatus </em>was extracted using methanol by maceration method. Analysis of this compound was done by using anisaldehid sulfuric acid, Dragendorff reagent, and FeCl₃. Using the agar well diffusion technique, the extracts were tested for their antimicrobial activity against <em>Staphylococcus aureus </em>(Gram positive), <em>Enterobacter aerogenes</em> (Gram negative) and <em>Candida albican</em> (yeast). The spot results on TLC using crude extract of <em>P. ostreatus</em> is terpenoids. Zone of inhibition for the various extracts varied between 10.9 - 23.2 mm. Ten miligrams extract exhibit maximum antimicrobial activity against most of the tested pathogens </p>

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Clearing results in histological processing can be affected due to tissue density and viscosity of the clearing agent. xylene is the most commonly used aromatic solvent for clearing agents and deparaffinizing agents in histopathology laboratories, but xylene is one of the most dangerous chemicals found in histology laboratories. Based on the dangers posed by xylene, a replacement material is needed. Several xylene substitutes such as reagents derived from limonene, aliphatic hydrocarbons, vegetable oils and mineral oils have been commercially developed, but the available xylene substitutes are still less effective, more expensive, and still as dangerous as xylene itself. Substitutes that are considered safer are from natural oils, one of which is olive oil which has similarities with xylene, namely in hydrocarbon and phenol compounds. This study used two types of tissue, namely skin and liver from mice (Mus musculus) which were cut into two parts; the first part uses xylene as and the other part uses olive oil as a clearing agent. The assessment of hematoxylin eosin staining results were determined based on the category of assessment of cell structure, such as the cell nucleus, cytoplasm, and color uniformity carried out by three readers and five fields of view for each microscopic slide at 40X magnification of the objective lens. Comparison of observations of the xylene group in skin and liver tissue 100% got a good score on the cell nucleus, cytoplasm, and color uniformity. (p=1,000). The olive oil group had a slight difference in color uniformity in liver tissue when compared to skin, but not statistically different (p=0.773). The comparison of the overall readings of the xylene and olive oil groups on skin and liver tissue also showed no statistically different (p=0.262). So it can be concluded that olive oil can be recommended as a substitute for xylene in the clearing process in histological tissue processing.

A non-thermal atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) may stimulate cells and tissues or result in cell death depending on the intensity of plasma at the target; therefore, we herein investigated the effects of non-thermal plasma under non-contact conditions on the healing of full-thickness wounds in diabetic mice (DM+ group) and normal mice (DM- group). A hydrogen peroxide colorimetric method and high performance liquid chromatography showed that APPJ produced low amounts of reactive oxygen and nitrogen species. Ten-week-old male C57BL/6j mice with normal blood glucose levels (DM- group) and 10-week-old male C57BLKS/J Iar-+Leprdb/+Leprdb mice (DM+ group) received two full-thickness cutaneous wounds (4 mm in diameter) on both sides of the dorsum. Wounds were treated with or without the plasma jet or argon gas for 1 minute and were then covered with a hydrocolloid dressing (Hydrocolloid), according to which mice were divided into the following groups: DM+Plasma, DM+Argon, DM+Hydrocolloid, DM-Plasma, DM-Argon, and DM-Hydrocolloid. Exudate weights, wound areas, and wound area ratios were recorded every day. Hematoxylin and eosin staining was performed to assess re-epithelialization and α-SMA immunohistological staining to evaluate the formation of new blood vessels. Non-thermal plasma under non-contact conditions reduced the production of exudate. Exudate weights were smaller in the DM+Plasma group than in the DM+Hydrocolloid and DM+Argon groups. The wound area ratio was smaller for plasma-treated wounds, and was also smaller in the DM+Plasma group than in the DM+Hydrocolloid and DM+Argon groups on days 1–21 (p<0.01). Wound areas were smaller in the DM-Plasma group than in the DM-Argon group until day 14 and differences were significant on days 1–5 (p<0.01). The percentage of re-epithelialization was significantly higher in the DM+Plasma group than in the DM+Argon and DM+Hydrocolloid groups (p<0.01). The number of new blood vessels that had formed by day 7 was significantly higher in the DM+Plasma group than in the DM+Hydrocolloid and DM+Argon groups (p<0.05). These results indicate that treatment with the current non-thermal plasma APPJ device under non-contact conditions accelerated wound healing in diabetic mice.