Judul: Mikroselulosa Nata de Coco sebagai Bahan Baku Hydroxypropyl Methylcellulose (HPMC).
Abstrak: Selulosa merupakan polimer alam yang berpotensi sebagai agen enkapsulasi karena bersifat lembam dan tidak toksik. Nata de coco merupakan salah satu sumber selulosa dari fermentasi bakteri Acetobacter xylinum. Selulosa diperkecil ukurannya dengan menggunakan metode hidrolisis asam dan ultrasonikasi untuk menghasilkan mikroselulosa yang mudah terdispersi dalam air. Hidroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) merupakan turunan selulosa yang digunakan sebagai kapsul pada industri farmasi. Penelitian bertujuan menyintesis dan mencirikan HPMC dari selulosa mikrobial. Ukuran mikroselulosa yang didapatkan dengan metode asam dan ultrasonikasi menggunakan scanning electron microscope (SEM) sebesar 0.161 μm. Pencirian HPMC menggunakan fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) menunjukkan puncak serapan yang sama antara HPMC standar, HPMC selulosa komersial, HPMC selulosa nata de coco dan HPMC mikroselulosa nata de coco. Hasil pencirian dengan differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) menunjukkan HPMC mikroselulosa nata de coco memiliki kurva peleburan eksoterm dengan titik lebur pada 351.28 οC dan entalpi 92.42 g/J, yang berarti memiliki titik lebur yang tinggi sehingga tahan terhadap panas.
Keyword: hidroxypropyl methylcellulose, mikroselulosa, nata de coco, selulosa

Judul: Nanoselulosa Bagas Tebu Sebagai Bahan Baku Hidroksipropil Metil Selulosa (Hpmc).
Abstrak: Bagas tebu merupakan polisakarida alami yang melimpah, dapat diperbarui dan berpotensi sebagai sumber alternatif selulosa. Serat bagas tebu terdiri atas 43.8% selulosa, 28.5% hemiselulosa, dan 23.5% lignin. Selulosa bagas tebu dimodifikasi menjadi nanoselulosa melalui hidrolisis asam. Selulosa dan nanoselulosa digunakan sebagai bahan baku hidroksipropil metil selulosa (HPMC). HPMC diaplikasikan sebagai bahan penyalut obat di dunia farmasi. Karakterisasi HPMC berupa viskositas, gugus fungsi, dan sifat termal. HPMC dari selulosa bagas tebu hanya menunjukkan viskositas sebesar 300 cP dan HPMC dari nanoselulosa sebesar 1000 cP. Analisis termal dengan differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) menunjukkan suhu kristalisasi HPMC dari selulosa pada 313.87 °C dan pada 328.15 °C untuk HPMC dari nanoselulosa. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian, nanoselulosa dapat meningkatkan kualitas HPMC yang dihasilkan.
Keyword: biopolimer, selulosa, nanoselulosa, HPMC

Judul: Dog Ticks Infestation and Its Correlation to Tick-Borne Diseases.
Abstrak: Ticks infestation on dog could lead to itchiness, anemia, skin disorders, and tick-borne diseases, such as Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis, Anaplasmosis and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. Besides dogs, Ehrlichiosis were known to be zoonotic. Pre-mature stage tick life cycle that occur outside its host, will enhance contacts between ticks and human. The study of ticks infestation and tick-borne diseases on the dog is necessary, because it has not a lot of information about the diversity, prevalence and degree of ticks infestation in Indonesia. Ticks survey, included ticks sampling and dogs blood test were performed at Animal Police Directorate Security Agency (Baharkam) and Atang Sendjaja Air Force (ATS). Meanwhile ticks sampling also data of cases of ticks infestation and diseases transmitted obtained from 21 veterinary clinics in Bogor, Jakarta and Bandung. All ticks samples stored in bottles containing 70% alcohol for identification. Blood tests performed for Ehrlichiosis, Babesiosis and Anaplasmosis diagnosis. The identification results of the 950 ticks samples that obtained from 97 dogs of Baharkam, ATS and veterinary clinics in Bogor, Jakarta and Bandung, showed only one ticks species, Rhipicephalus sanguineus. This ticks belong to three-host tick, which require three hosts to complete its life cycle. Each ticks stage need a host, either same dog (if it is in place there is only one or a few dogs), as well as different dogs. Research in Baharkam conducted on 81 dogs (53 males and 28 females). The prevalence of dogs infested by ticks was 67.90%. The percentage of male dogs that infested by ticks are larger (69.81%) than female (64.29%). Based on Chi-Square test, there was no relationship between sex and breed of dog with degree of ticks infestation. Generally dogs infested with mild infestation category (41.98%), meanwhile moderate category was 18.52%, 2.47% high and 4.94% very high. The dog’s body region that the most infested by R. sanguineus was dog's back. Probably these body regions were be preferred because they are less accessible for the dog to remove them with its paws. Collection of ticks with tick-drag on Baharkam grass field showed positive results on the field that was more often used to practice by dogs. The samples that obtained was larvae stage ticks with density 152 larvae on 215m2 area of the field. Adult stage ticks and several adult females which laying eggs on the cage wall were obtained in the dog kennels. Whole of male and female ATS dogs infested with ticks (14 dogs). In general, dogs infested with very high infestation category was 64.29%, compared by high degree category (21.43%) and moderate (14.29%). Ticks predilection were found mostly on the dog’s head – neck. On ATS grass field did not reveal any ticks, but positively inside the kennels. It happens probably because dogs are rarely released from the kennel, so that the ticks was did drop-off inside the kennel. The total cases of ticks infestation of dogs at Bogor, Jakarta and Bandung veterinary clinics in 2008 until June 2013 as many as 731 cases. In general, there was an increases of the ticks infestation prevalence at three cities in that range
Keyword: Anaplasma, Babesia, Ehrlichia canis, Rhipicephalus sanguineus