Judul: Sintesis Serat Nano dari Alginat-Polivinil Alkohol Menggunakan Metode Pemintalan Elektrik.
Abstrak: Alginat sudah dikenal sebagai polimer yang banyak digunakan untuk keperluan medis misalnya sebagai bahan pembalut luka. PVA merupakan polimer yang larut dalam air, memiliki kemampuan membentuk serat yang baik, dan biokompatibel. Serat alginat-PVA dibuat menggunakan metode pemintalan elektrik dengan campuran larutan Alginat (2%)/PVA (10%) dalam rasio volume 3/3, 2/3, dan 1/3 serta pengaruh jarak spinneret-kolektor 8 cm, 10 cm, dan 12 cm. Analisis gugus fungsi menunjukkan keidentikan senyawa yang dihasilkan dan tidak adanya pembentukan gugus fungsi baru. Analisis XRD menunjukkan perubahan puncak kristal yang semakin melebar dan menurunkan intensitas puncak kristalin. Data SEM menunjukkan pengaruh variasi komposisi alginat dan jarak spinneret-kolektor terhadap morfologi serat yang dihasilkan. Jarak spinneret-kolektor 10 cm menghasilkan serat yang kontinyu dan tidak mengalami pembengkokkan. Serat alginat-PVA 3/3 (v/v) dan 2/3 (v/v) memenuhi syarat perdagangan serat nano karena memiliki diameter serat sekitar 172.242 nm – 326.244 nm. Berdasarkan hasil nilai kuat tarik dan persen elongasi serat alginat-PVA 3/3 (v/v) dapat digunakan sebagai pembalut luka karena memenuhi standar material medis.
Keyword: alginat, pemintalan elektrik, polivinil alkohol

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: Biology and ecology of the buffalo fly, haematobia exigua de meijere (diptera:muscidae)
Abstrak: The life history of the buffalo fly was observed at room temperature of 27°-29.5°C and at a relative humidity of 48-68 percent. The eggs hatched after 17-22 hours, with an average of 18 hours. First instar larvae measured 1.25 + 0.16 mm long and 0.27 + 0.037 mm wide. reach the second larval stage. It took 6-12 hours to the second instar larvae measured 2.676 +0.187 mm long and 0.353 +0.028 mm wide. The second instar took about 12-24 hours to reach the third larval stage. The third instar measured 6.833 + 0.189 mm long and 0.919 + 0.051 mm wide. It took about 2-3 days for the third instar to become pupae. Duration of the pupal stage was about 5-7 days before the adults emerged. Under laboratory condition, the buffalo fly completed its life cycle in 9.5 to 10.5 days, whereas under field condition it took 9-14 days with an average of 10.5 days. The growth ratio which was based on the measurements of the cephalo-pharyngeal skeleton of each instar was 1.797. The preoviposition period was 8-12 days and mating usually occurred on the 6th or 7th day. The longevity of the male was 29 days, whereas it was 32 days in the female. The range of egg production under laboratory condition was between 20-139 per female fly. The belly and hind legs of the carabao were the most preferred habitat either during cloudy and cool dry or shiny and warm day. When the weather was clear and the carabao was in the shade, the flies tended to be more distributed particularly on the shoulder, dewlap, back and horns. The carabaos had relatively fewer Musca sp. and Stomoxys calcitrans than cattle; never the less carabaos had a higher infestation of buffalo fly than cattle. Oviposition occured either during the day or night but the buffalo flies were more active during the night than in the day time. The effect of various lengths of exposure time of manure in relation to the oviposition was profound. observed, the maximum number of the buffalo flies was occurred when the dung was exposed for 30 minutes. With increasing time of exposure the number and variety of insects also increase. It was evident that Sepsidae and psychodidae were the most dominant insects emerging from the dung. The number of buffalo flies also increased with increasing
Keyword: