Judul: Hidrogel Antibakteri Berbasis Polivinil Alkohol-Alginat- AgNO3.
Abstrak: Hidrogel merupakan salah satu makromolekul polimer yang saling berikatan silang membentuk jaringan 3-dimensi. Hidrogel dapat dibuat dari campuran polivinil alkohol, alginat, dan zat antibakteri AgNO3. Penelitian ini bertujuan menyintesis hidrogel antibakteri berbasis PVA-alginat-AgNO3 menggunakan alginat komersial dan hasil ekstraksi, menentukan nisbah komposisi, karakterisasi dan potensinya sebagai zat antibakteri. Campuran PVA, alginat dan AgNO3 dapat meningkatkan kemampuan mengembang seiring dengan meningkatnya komposisi dan konsentrasi yang dipakai. Komposisi terbaik PVA-alginat komersial dan konsentrasi AgNO3 diperoleh dari hidrogel dengan alginat komersial, yaitu PVA 10%, alginat komersial 3% dan AgNO3 5 mM. Karakterisasi alginat hasil ekstraksi meliputi kadar air, rendemen, viskositas, dan gugus fungsi. Efektivitas penghambatan antibakteri terbaik ditunjukkan dengan tambahan 5 mM AgNO3. Morfologi hidrogel PVA-alginat-AgNO3 dikarakterisasi menggunakan mikroskop elektron payaran (SEM) dan menunjukkan adanya pori-pori dan distribusi AgNO3. Hidrogel PVA-alginat-AgNO3 berpotensi sebagai penutup luka.
Keyword: alginat, antibakteri, hidrogel, PVA-alginat-AgNO3

Judul: Hidrogel Antibakteri Berbasis Polivinil Alkohol- Alginat-ZnO.
Abstrak: Alginat diperoleh dari ekstraksi rumput laut Sargassum sp. Hidrogel berbasis polivinil alkohol-alginat berpotensi sebagai matriks untuk memperbaiki dan meregenerasi jaringan akibat luka. Hidrogel PVA-alginat ditambahkan ZnO sebagai antibakteri, dan disintesis dengan teknik kombinasi beku-leleh dan iradiasi gamma. Penelitian bertujuan menyintesis hidrogel PVA-alginat-ZnO dari alginat komersial untuk mendapatkan komposisi optimum, dilanjutkan sintesis hidrogel PVA-alginat-ZnO dari alginat ekstraksi dan menguji aktivitas antibakteri. Alginat hasil ekstraksi ditentukan kadar air, rendemen, viskositas, dan gugus fungsi. Kadar air yang diperoleh sebesar 14%, rendemen sebesar 34%, dan viskositas sebesar 12 cP. Keberhasilan sintesis hidrogel ditandai adanya gugus fungsi ester pada FTIR. Komposisi optimum hidrogel diperoleh berdasarkan nilai kemampuan mengembang dan aktivitas antibakterinya. Hidrogel alginat hasil ekstraksi memberikan nilai yang tidak jauh berbeda dibandingkan alginat komersial. Aktivitas antibakteri alginat hasil ekstraksi lebih baik dibandingkan alginat komersial. Morfologi hidrogel dilihat menggunakan mikroskop elektron payaran menunjukkan adanya pori-pori dan distribusi ZnO.
Keyword: alginat, antibakteri, hidrogel, matriks, PVA-alginat-ZnO

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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