A research has been conducted to optimize the rate of aeration and initial weight of cell aggregates in the production of ajmalicine in Catharanthus roseus cell culture in airlift bioreactor. Catharanthus roseus culture were grown in Zenk medium with the addition of 2.50 × 10−6 M naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and 10−5 M benzyl amino purine (BAP). Cell aggregates were sub-cultured two times before transferring 20 and 30 g/fw of cell aggregates into bioreactor, respectively, and aerated with the rate of 0.25 l min−1 and 0.34 l min−1, respectively. The pattern of ajmalicine production in bioreactor were observed in every three days within 24 days. Qualitative and quantitative analysis were conducted using HPLC connected to Cromatopac CL-7A Plus. The results showed that the cell aggregates and medium contain ajmalicine. The highest concentration was obtained in combination of 30 g/fw and 0.34 l min−1 aeration compare to 20 g/fw – 0.25 l min−1, 20 g/fw – 0.34 l min−1, as well as 30 g/fw – 0.25 l min−1. The highest ajmalicine content in cell aggregates was obtained on the 12 days (79.23 µg g−1) whilst in medium was obtained in the 18th days (981.15 µg l−1).

This study was conducted to observe intracellular antioxidant cooper,zinc-superoxide dismutase (Cu,Zn-SOD) in liver tissue of rats under hypercholesterolemic condition by using immunohistochemical technique. A total of twenty male Wistar rats were used for this study. Those rats were divided into two groups; (i) control group and (ii) hypercholesterolemic group, which were fed died containing 1% cholesterol for eight weeks. Rat livers were taken at the end of treatment, and processed by using paraffin embedding standard method. The tissues were stained immunohistochemically to Cu,Zn-SOD. Observation of Cu,Zn-SOD content in the tissue was performed qualitatively in the cytoplasm and quantitatively in the nucleus of hepatocytes based on colour intensity of enzyme reaction product. The profile of antioxidant-Cu,Zn-SOD decreased (P < 0.05) in the hypercholesterolemic group compared to the control group.

Liriomyza sativae is a polyphagous agromyzid leafminer and it has invaded large part of world, i.e Hemiptarsenus varicornis, Gronotoma micromorpha, and Opius dissitus. This research were conducted to investigate progeny, immature development period, longevity of female parasitoids of L. sativae, and to study female parasitoid behaviour in host finding. Host finding behaviour was observed by examining their visit frequency to the leaves that mined by leafminer larvae and healthy leaves. Results showed that H. varicornis produced more progenies (10.70 ± 2.58 progenies/female), but not significantly different (P < 0.05) from progenies produced by G. micromorpha (9.90 ± 3.81 progenies/female) and O. dissitus (9.60 ± 3.31 progenies/female). The immature development period of G. micromorpha (25.65 ± 0.38 days) was found to be longer than H. varicornis (16.14 ± 1.20 days) and O. dissitus (14.03 ± 0.22 days). Significant different (P = 0.1014) of adult longevity was not found among H. varicornis (9.22 ± 2.48 days), G. micromorpha (7.25 ± 1.34 days), and O. dissitus (8.74 ± 2.18 days). Our analyses also indicated that G. micromorpha and O. dissitus found their hosts based on the larvae mining, however, H. varicornis performed it randomly. Based on the number of progeny and longevity of adult female, all parasitoids tested may have a potential as biological control agents of leafminer, L. sativae.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological response of the cabbage head caterpillar Crocidolomia pavonana treated with an active fraction of Calophyllum soulattri bark extract. Extraction of the test plant materials were performed with maceration method using methanol, continued by counter-current distribution separation in ethylacetate and water. Methanol fractionation of C. soulattri was performed by vaccuum liquid chromatography and the bioassays were conducted by a leaf-feeding method. The results showed that the dichloromethane fraction of C. soulattri had strong insecticidal activity against C. pavonana larvae, with LC50 of 0.05%. Sublethal treatments with the active fraction at LC15, LC50, and LC85 reduced the relative growth rate of the fourth instars by 48.9-94.1%. The treatments with the fraction at LC15 and LC50 to the fourth instars reduced the activity of invertase and protease enzyme by 20.7-24.1 and 14.4-25.14%, respectively, but increased the activity of trehalase by 26.7-120% as compared with controls.

The objectives of this experiment were to analyse physiological responses, such as oxidative burst reaction, peroxidase activity, and lignin content of healthy and S. rolfsii-infected peanut tissues. Differences in physiological responses among 24 peanut genotypes were determined, the disease severity was calculated and used to group resistance of tested genotypes. The regressions among observed peroxidase activity, lignin content and disease severity were used to determine the possible mechanisms of S. rolfsii resistance in peanut. Peanut seeds were grown in polybag and the growing plants were inoculated at the crown, stem, and leaf tissues. Results of the experiment indicated that infection of S. rolfsii in peanut did not induce oxidative burst. However, infection of the pathogen resulted in increased peroxidase activity and lignin content in the infected tissues. Regression analysis between peroxidase activity and disease severity showed negative slopes, indicating the more resistance the genotype, the more peroxidase activity in the tissue. Regression analysis between lignin content and disease severity was not significant.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological response of the cabbage head caterpillar Crocidolomia pavonana treated with an active fraction of Calophyllum soulattri bark extract. Extraction of the test plant materials were performed with maceration method using methanol, continued by counter-current distribution separation in ethylacetate and water. Methanol fractionation of C. soulattri was performed by vaccuum liquid chromatography and the bioassays were conducted by a leaf-feeding method. The results showed that the dichloromethane fraction of C. soulattri had strong insecticidal activity against C. pavonana larvae, with LC50 of 0.05%. Sublethal treatments with the active fraction at LC15, LC50, and LC85 reduced the relative growth rate of the fourth instars by 48.9-94.1%. The treatments with the fraction at LC15 and LC50 to the fourth instars reduced the activity of invertase and protease enzyme by 20.7-24.1 and 14.4-25.14%, respectively, but increased the activity of trehalase by 26.7-120% as compared with controls.

The aims of this research were to determine diurnal patterns of testosterone and cortisol metabolites to predict the testis functional status. In this study, fecal testosterone and cortisol were quantified in 77 samples from three male Hylobates moloch during a course of three months period. These data showed that the highest concentration of fecal testosterone occured at 18.00-06.00 (23.61 ng/g dried feces), then declined gradually. The lowest concentration was in the evening (5.54 ng/g dried feces). Our tests showed that there was a decrease in the mean testosterone concentration from 06.00-10.00 to 10.00-14.00 to 14.00-18.00. For cortisol, the highest concentration occured at 06.00-10.00 (597.84 ng/g dried feces), then decline gradually in the evening (225.73 ng/g dried feces).

Four half-sib families (n = 382) consisting predominantly of ITT × Merino × Merino backcross progeny, including some F2 progeny were used to analyze QTL for two production traits (Birth weight = BW1 and Body weight at 360 days = BW360). The study exploited differences in weight performance between the Merino and ITT sheep. A total of 141 informative microsatellite markers were used in a genome-wide scan covering the 26 autosomal sheep chromosomes. QTL analysis was conducted online using QTL Express. This study reports the effect of QTL for birth weight on Chromosomes 5 (p ≤ 0.05) at 112cM (0cM-128cM). Location of candidate genes for birth weight was predicted at the region of flanking markers MCM527-BMS1247. A QTL for BW360 days existed on Chromosome 18 (p ≤ 0.01) at 104cM (25.0-125cM). Location of candidate genes related to production traits for body weight 360 days was predicted at the segment of flanking markers of CSSM018-TMR1. Only the QTL on Chromosome 18 retained significance (p ≤ 0.01) under experiment-wide significance testing. This QTL region is being examined for candidate genes by investigating to the homologous human chromosomal segments.

Streptomyces spp. SKK1-8 producing xylanase was isolated from soil sample from Sukabumi West Java. The xylanase have an optimum condition at pH 6 and 50 oC. Addition of 5 mM Cu2+ decreased the xylanase activity up to about 77%, whereas not by other cations. The xylanase was stable at 3 oC for 48 hours, and the enzyme half lifetime was 1 hour 45 minute at 50 oC. This xylanase showed the highest activity on oatspelt xylan, and their molecular masses were estimated approximately 16.80, 15.21, and 13.86 kDa. HPLC analysis showed that xylosa and arabinosa were the main hydrolytic product of birchwood xylan.

The feeding activity of soil animals was measured by using bait lamina test in three main ecosystems, i.e. the teak forest, home garden and rainfed paddy field. Two additional ecosystems in rainfed paddy field, i.e. the old (permanently established bund around paddy fields) and new bunds were examined as well. Three blocks of bait-lamina sticks (each block consisting of 16 individual sticks) were exposed at each location. The bait lamina were retrieved from the soil after two days and visually assessed. Each hole is designated as “fed” (perforated) or “non-fed” hole. The feeding rate is measured as the absolute number of “fed” holes. Soil animals in the old bunds showed the highest feeding activity (55.20%), followed by home garden (39.10%), rainfed paddy field (16.50%), teak forest (15.60%), and new bund (7.80%). The frequency of animals attack to the bait strips also indicated the similar pattern as their feeding activity, i.e. high in the old bunds (0.90), followed by home garden (0.70), teak forest (0.40), new bunds (0.40) and rainfed paddy field (0.30), respectively.