Abstract. Lischer K, Putra ABRD, Guslianto BW, Avilla F, Sitorus SG, Nugraha Y, Sarmoko. 2020. Short Communication: The emergence and rise of indigenous thermophilic bacteria exploration from hot springs in Indonesia. Biodiversitas 21: 5474-5481. Indonesia is an archipelagic country located in the pacific ring of fire, and is estimated to cause numerous hot springs spread across the country. In addition, small living microbes have been explored in these locations since 1985. These microbes possess the ability to survive in areas with high temperature (more than 40oC-90oC), and are therefore termed thermophiles. Hence, massive explorations have been conducted on Java island and other unexplored areas at Sumatra to Papua in New Guinea islands. Moreover, a total of 71 hot springs characterized by the presence of thermophilic bacteria have been explored in Indonesia. These investigations ensue with various approaches, including through conventional and microbiological, 16S rRNA, as well as whole-genome sequencing methods. In addition to species exploration, the application of thermophiles has become a topic of interest from 1999, especially based on thermostable enzymes with the capacity to maintain activity at high-temperature conditions. These include amylase, protease, lipase, xylanase, esterase, and cellulase as the most common isolated form, which indicates the existence of significant extractable potentials. Hence, there is a need for further research in terms of both exploration and application purposes.

Fetal bovine serum (FBS) is widely used for cell culture media, especially its function as a growth supplement with high growth-promoting factors. An optimal culture medium is needed to increase protein transduction. Unfortunately, FBS reported as media contained protease and contaminated with pathogen microorganisms from an animal host. Fibroblast preputium cell is easy to culture and can be a good model for assessing the medium culture system. In this study, FBS was substituted with honey and royal jelly to find an alternative FBS. This study aimed to determine the effectivity of serum-free DMEM medium with honey from Tetragonula sp. and royal jelly from Apis mellifera (Ceiba pentandra) on the proliferation of fibroblasts preputium cells. The research design used true experimental methods. Samples were taken from healthy people. Fibroblast cells were cultured with various concentrations of honey and royal jelly (0.1%, 1%, 5%). The best result of those various concentrations continued until 9 days with continuous checking in every three days measured with Microtetrazolium (MTT) assay test. Fibroblast cells cultured in Tetragonula sp. honey and royal jelly Apis mellifera (Ceiba pentandra) 0.1% medium had a significant difference, with proliferation higher than 1% (p = 0,000) and 5% (p = 0,000), but did not exceed proliferation with FBS addition medium. Next, cells in DMEM medium with Tetragonula sp. honey and Apis mellifera royal jelly (Ceiba pentandra) 0.1% on the 3rd, 6th, and 9th (p = 0,000; p = 0,000; p = 0,000) had not similar growth to the standard medium with FBS. However, the growth on the 9th day had a significant difference with the DMEM medium without FBS. High sugar in honey can inhibit fibroblast cell proliferation. The addition of other components as needed to optimize proliferation in honey and royal jelly medium. Isolation of active ingredients in honey and royal jelly can function as an alternative development of an effective and safe substitute for FBS.

Obesity caused by a high-fat diet leads to an altered reproductive hormonal profile, including impaired semen quality. Antioxidants can overcome these conditions. One of the well-known sources of antioxidants is in the rambutan fruit peel extract. This research aimed to figure the effect of rambutan fruit peel extract towards total sperm count in Wistar rats induced with high-fat feed. The study design used post-test only control group,  subjects were 30 male Wistar rats divided into five groups: Group I (Positive Control) was given high-fat feed, Group II (Treatment Control Group) was given 15mg/kg BW rambutan fruit peel extract, whereas group III, IV, V (Treatment Group) were given an extract of rambutan skin with a dosage of 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg BW, respectively. Treatment was administered for 81 days. This study showed that rambutan fruit peel extract with doses of 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg BW has significantly increased total sperm count in Wistar rats induced with high-fat feed. The outcome using Kruskal Wallis shows a result of p-value 0,010 (CI 95%). Antioxidant compounds found in rambutan fruit peel extract significantly increase total sperm count in Wistar rats induced with high-fat feed, with the highest efficacy on the dose of 15mg/kg BW.   Keywords: Fruit Peel Rambutan Extract; ; ;

No abstract

Coronavirus disease originating from Wuhan, China, has spread throughout the world, including in Indonesia. Covid-19 patients were first detected in Depok, Cinere, West Java, and increased on June 20, 2020. There have been 45,029 positive cases of Covid-19 on June 2021. Gandul Cinere village is located bordered by South Jakarta. Jakarta has a relatively high number of Covid-19 positive patients. Many people lost their jobs during the pandemic, including in the Jakarta and surrounding areas. Anis Baswedan, the governor, expects the unemployment rate due to the Covid-19 Pandemic in the DKI Jakarta area will reach 10 percent in 2021. This shows that economic problems cannot be ruled out easily. Therefore, efforts are needed to improve the economy of UMKM (Usaha Mikro Kecil dan Menengah) to further strengthen Indonesia's economy, especially in the DKI Jakarta and surrounding areas. Red Ginger (Zingiber officinale var Rubrum) and lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) are easy to find in Indonesia. Palm Sugar Ginger Lemongrass (MI JAREN) instant drink is an excellent herbal product to be studied and marketed in the Gandul village community. This instant herbal drink-making training was provided online, along with how to package it. The activity results showed that society in Kampung KB Gandul has good knowledge, only still requires guidance for the marketing, especially online. It is hoped that this community service activity can improve the economy in Kampung KB Gandul while also keeping the people of Kampung KB Gandul to avoid COVID-19 infection.

Diabetes has become a significant problem that has reached an alarming level. Nowadays, almost one billion people around the world live with diabetes. In 2019, Indonesia occupied the seventh position in the world with 10,7 million people live with diabetes. Although various antihyperglycemic agents are available, diabetes is still a significant problem in the world. Siam weed (Chromolaena odorata L.) is widely used in Indonesia and traditional medicine to treat diabetes. This study aimed to determine the phytochemical content of C. odorata extract and analyze the effectiveness of the anti-diabetic of C. odorata extract in lowering blood sugar levels. The method used in this study is a systematic review with journals derived from the online databases of PubMed and Google Scholar. The journals used are journals that discuss C. odorata, extract, anti-diabetic, and blood sugar. Journal search results show, eight studies explain the potential anti-diabetic activity of C. odorata extract in lowering blood sugar levels. Data synthesis from several studies shows that C. odorata extract has potential anti-diabetic activity because it contains phytochemicals in the form of alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, saponins, and tannins which are potent antioxidants and cytoprotectants that can lower blood sugar levels.

Background: The enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene is a reporter gene that can be used to optimize protein isolation procedures and the functional working of a transduction protein. EGFP, with the addition of eleven arginine residues, has been engineered to functionally improve the protein transduction process, which can later be used for cell reprogramming like induced pluripotent stem cells. The addition of six histidine amino acid residues at its C-terminal is intended for the protein isolation process using the His-tag antibody. Methods: The study aimed to investigate the optimization of the EGFP polyarginine protein expression in Saccharomyces cerevisiae in sufficient quantities for the protein isolation stage. This study also analyzed EGFP expression without polyarginine to analyze the polyarginine addition effect on expression processes. Protein expression was qualitatively measured by looking at expression fluorescence and protein levels of EGFP and EGFP - PolyR proteins. Results: Bands on Western Blots with 6×His-tag monoclonal antibody (primary antibody) and Goat anti-mouse IgG HRP (secondary antibody) showed the EGFP polyarginine and EGFP proteins were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae INVSc1 at relatively low levels. The lyticase incubation time modification and administration of 3-5 kDa microfilter to concentrate increased the yield of isolated protein. Conclusions: The sufficient amount of protein isolation in S. cerevisiae can be achieved by using lyticase and sonicators combination for the lysis process.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic disease with a prevalence of 8.3% of the total population worldwide. One of the active compounds currently being developed to treat DM is curcumin. Curcumin is a compound obtained from the perennial plant of the zingiberaceae family containing the active compound of polyphenols and have potential as antitumor, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antidiabetic compounds. Curcumin proved to have functional efficacy in hyperglycaemia, type 1 and 2 diabetes mellitus, diabetic neuropathy, diabetic nephropathy and pancreatic beta cell dysfunction. At the molecular level, the function of curcumin involves several pathways including to the nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kB), PPARγ, and free fatty acids.