Judul: Karakterisasi Nanopropolis Lebah Trigona spp. sebagai Penghambat Enzim Alfa-Glukosidase
Abstrak: Propolis merupakan resin produk sarang lebah yang digunakan untuk meningkatkan kesehatan dan membantu mencegah berbagai macam penyakit seperti inflamasi, sakit jantung, diabetes, dan kanker. Penelitian ini bertujuan menentukan aktivitas penghambatan enzim α-glukosidase yang optimum dengan membandingkan ekstrak etanol propolis dan nanopropolis. Metode yang dilakukan yaitu ekstraksi propolis, pengujian kualitatif komponen kimia, pembuatan nanopropolis, karakterisasi nanopropolis, dan uji penghambatan enzim α-glukosidase. Proses ekstraksi propolis menghasilkan rendemen sebesar 16.74%. Ekstrak etanol propolis mengandung senyawa flavonoid, tanin, dan saponin. Setelah dilakukan ultrasonikasi selama 10, 20, dan 60 menit menghasilkan nanopartikel dengan ukuran sebesar 427.2 nm, 258.7 nm, dan 145.3 nm. Dilihat dari hasil XRD dan FTIR, β-siklodekstrin dapat menyalut keberadaan ekstrak etanol propolis. Nanopropolis dengan waktu sonikasi 20 menit memiliki kemampuan menghambat kerja enzim α-glukosidase. Kemampuan menghambat enzim α-glukosidase pada nanopropolis memiliki potensi yang bermanfaat dalam pencegahan dan perlindungan terhadap penyakit diabetes melitus 2.
Keyword: α-glukosidase, nanopropolis, propolis

Judul: Ekstraksi propolis dan sintesis nanopropolis lebah madu Trigono spp
Abstrak: Propolis merupakan bahan perekat dari resin yang dikumpulkan lebah pekerja dari kuncup, kulit kayu, dan bagian tumbuhan lainnya. Propolis kaya akan manfaat, diantaranya sebagai antibakteri, antivirus, dan antikanker. Penelitian ini bertujuan mencari metode ekstraksi dan sintesis nanopropolis yang akan menghasilkan efektivitas tinggi serta mengetahui aktivitas antibakteri dan mengetahui nilai optimasi nanopropolis sebagai antibakteri terhadap bakteri E. coli. Propolis diekstrak menggunakan metode maserasi dengan modifikasi MAE (microwave-assisted extraction). Selanjutnya pembuatan nanopropolis menggunakan metode Aimi yang dimodifikasi dengan teknik homogenisasi kecepatan tinggi, harapannya nanopropolis dapat lebih efektif dibandingkan propolis sebagai antibakteri. Rendemen ekstrak propolis yang diperoleh sebesar 10.93%. Nilai PSA (particle size analyzer) dari nanopropolis memiliki sebaran 176.30 nm, 205.10 nm, dan 295.80 nm. Hasil pengujian antibakteri nanopropolis dengan metode difusi cakram terhadap E. coli, menunjukkan nanopropolis tidak bersifat antibakteri terhadap E. coli, karena tidak menghasilkan zona bening diarea kertas cakram. Hasil dari ampisilin menunjukkan hal yang sama, yaitu tidak bersifat antibakteri terhadap E. coli.
Keyword: Bogor Agricultural University, Institut Pertanian Bogor, IPB, Antibacterial, Nanopropolis, Propolis

Judul: Thermal Characteristics and Dynamics of Tropical Cyclone over Western North Pacific Ocean: A Case Study of Typhoon Songda (Chedeng) 2011
Abstrak: The frequent occasion of Tropical Cyclone (TC) over Western North Pacific (WNP) Ocean lies from 10˚N to 26˚N and 121˚E to 170˚E. Sources of TC development come from warm ocean temperature where latent heat is released during condensation processes and subsequently concentrated in the boundary layer. Relative humidity at 850-700 hPa is responsible to produce the most intense storm. Meanwhile, weak vertical wind shear between 850-200 hPa is one of the dynamical factors that lead to the development of TC. Pressure level of 850-200 hPa is chosen to minimize the thermodynamic effect in the lower troposphere. Typhoon Songda (Chedeng in the Philippines) or TSC lasted from May 18th to 30th, 2011 and strengthened into powerful Super Typhoon stage between May 24th and 27th. Long curving track and the exhibition of all sequences of TC life cycle, TSC is then considered as an ideal case of TC. The objective of the study with case of TSC is to investigate the role of thermal characteristics and dynamics on TC intensity. The research is carried out by using Advanced Research of Weather Research and Forecasting model (WRF ARW model) version 3.3. Two domains are employed in the model. The first domain situate from 02˚N to 40˚N and 118˚E to 149˚E and cover spatial resolution () of 33.1 km. The second domain situate from 09˚N to 27˚N and 119˚E to 132˚E with of 11 km. Timestep of the model () is 120 seconds. The model is supported by the following physical parameterization, i.e., Yonsei University Scheme (YSU) in the boundary layer, Kain-Fritsch scheme (KF) in the cumulus, and WRF Single-Moment 3-class scheme in the microphysics. Initial meteorological condition prior to the formation of the cyclone is generated using WRF ARW standard-release model. Sensitivity of the model output is obtained from a selected single-parameter change scenarios, namely, 10 % to 20 % decrease and increase of wind shear initial data at 850-200 hPa, and by 10 % to 20 % decrease of relative humidity initial data at 850-700 hPa. The result showed that the negative correlations between wind shear and intensity are found in wind shear scenarios. Wind shears of 10 ms-1 which lead to strengthening of the wind intensity in the early period of Typhoon development are found in wind shear scenarios. The effect of wind shear changes on wind intensity is statistically significant in the 20 % wind shear scenarios. During mature stage, weak wind intensity occurred when wind shear increase as given in the WRF standard-release and the 20 % decreasing scenario. Different situation is found in the 20 % increasing scenario where wind shear tend to weak and lead to strong wind intensity at this stage. Meanwhile, the reduction of moisture supply at 850-700 hPa resulting from 20 % decreasing relative humidity play a major role in the weakening of wind intensity and reduces mechanical energy of the cycle process as much as 300 J kg-1.
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