Garcinia dulcis and Garcinia forbesii King fruit peel extract: Secondary metabolite composition, antioxidant, and elastase inhibitory activity evaluation

Garcinia dulcis and Garcinia forbesii King are native plants from Indonesia and have tremendous potential as a source of raw medicines based on local wisdom. However, scientific data for strengthening pharmaceuticals are still limited. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct a study to strengthen and develop the potential of both plants using the approach of traditional medicine. This study aimed to explore the secondary metabolite composition and biological activity (antioxidant and antielastase) of both plants. Both samples were extracted using 70% ethanol and microwave-assisted extraction with a microwave power of 120 watts for 15 min. The extract obtained was then screened for phytochemicals using specific reagents. The total phenolic content (TPC) was determined using spectrophotometry with a 96-well microplate reader method. The total flavonoid content (TFC) was determined using the colorimetric method, whereas metabolite profiling analysis was conducted using the UPLC-QToF-MS/MS system. Meanwhile, biological activity was tested for antioxidant activity and antielastase as measured by a microplate reader 96-well spectrophotometry method at specific wavelengths. According to the results, G. dulcis and G. forbesii fruit peel extracts showed positive detection of particular secondary metabolites. TPC and TFC values were 13.98 ± 1.90 mg GAE/g and 10.33 ± 1.90 mg QE/g for G. dulcis and 11.98 ± 2.04 mgGAE/g and 1.96 ± 0.36 mgQE/g for G. forbesii. Metabolite profiling detected some compounds from G. dulcis, including ephedrannin B, hinokiflavone, mahuannin J, and candidate mass C9H12O8, and G. forbesii, including 5-Hydroxy-7,8,2'- trimethoxyflavone, lucialdehyde B, candidate mass C21H39NO4, candidate mass C14H10O6, and candidate mass C14H12O6. Meanwhile, the biological activities (antioxidant and antielastase) were 137.721 μg/mL and 108.893 μg/mL for G. dulcis and 481.948 μg/mL and 250.611 μg/mL for G. forbesii, respectively. Both plants showed different profiles of secondary metabolites and biological activities (antioxidant and antielastase) according to their respective characteristics.

Phases evolution and photocatalytic activity of Cu2O films electrodeposited from a non-pH-adjusted solution

A pure-phase Cu₂O film photocatalyst was successfully prepared by the electrodeposition technique from a non-pH-adjusted solution. To investigate the phase evolution and photocatalytic activity of the film, the electrodeposition was conducted at different deposition temperatures. Photocatalytic activity of the films was evaluated from methylene blue (MB) dye degradation. The Cu₂O phase initially appeared at room temperature and its fraction was found to increase with increasing the deposition temperature, while the impurity phase was successfully diminished. A pure Cu₂O film with a narrow optical bandgap energy of 1.96 eV was obtained at 75°C. The multi-faceted crystals were found to form at 45°C and became a truncated octahedral structure that possessed {111} and {100} facets as deposition temperature further increased. A preferred orientation growth of {110} facet, which is known to possess a relatively high surface energy, was produced at 75°C. The performance of MB photodegradation enhanced gradually by increasing the deposition temperature. The increase of photocatalytic activity could be attributed to the rise of photoelectrochemical response and the decrease of resistance charge transfer because of narrowing bandgap energy, increasing Cu₂O fraction, and growing a relatively high catalytic activity facet which had escalated redox reaction that decomposed MB at the photocatalyst-solution interface.

Low-Cost Electronic Tagging System for Bee Monitoring

This paper introduces both a hardware and a software system designed to allow low-cost electronic monitoring of social insects using RFID tags. Data formats for individual insect identification and their associated experiment are proposed to facilitate data sharing from experiments conducted with this system. The antennas’ configuration and their duty cycle ensure a high degree of detection rates. Other advantages and limitations of this system are discussed in detail in the paper.

In search for a robust design of environmental sensor networks

This paper presents an approach to the design of environmental sensor networks (ESN) which aims at providing a robust, fit-for-purpose network with minimum redundancy. A set of near optimum ESN designs is sought using an evolutionary algorithm, which incorporates redundancy and robustness as fitness functions. This work can assist the decision-making process when determining the number of sensor nodes and how the nodes are going to be deployed in the region of interest.

Mobile platform sampling for designing environmental sensor networks

This paper proposes a method to design the deployment of sensor nodes in a new region where historical data is not available. A number of mobile platforms are simulated to build initial knowledge of the region. Further, an evolutionary algorithm is employed to find the optimum placement of a given number of sensor nodes that best represents the region of interest.

Nonspecific symptoms of intussusception

This paper reports 2 cases of intussusception withnonspecific symptoms.

Toxicity identification evaluation of landfill leachate using fish, prawn and seed plant

The first phase of toxicity identification evaluation (TIE) method comprised of physic-chemical fractionation steps of pH adjustment, pH adjustment followed by filtration, aeration, extraction with solid phase C18 column (SPE), oxidant reduction with sodium thiosulphate and EDTA chelation was conducted to characterize the toxicants of a Malaysian landfill leachate. The battery of organisms test chosen were freshwater fish (Rasbora sumatrana), freshwater prawn (Macrobrachium lanchesteri) and tomato seed (Lycoperson esculentum). Toxicity reductions at each step were comparable for all test organisms. The major toxicants present in the leachate were found to be mostly basic in nature and precipitable under acidic conditions as well as containing non-polar organic compounds. A small reduction in toxicity was observed when leachate was treated with sodium thiosulphate in oxidant reduction test indicating the presence of oxidizers. The EDTA chelating step did not significantly reduce toxicity in the test organisms suggesting insignificant level of (toxic) metals.

[PRESSURE ULCER TREATMENT EXPERIENCE AT CLINICAL DEPARTMENT OF PLASTIC, RECONSTRUCTIVE AND AESTHETIC SURGERY, DUBRAVA UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL: COMPARISON OF RESULTS RECORDED IN THE 2011-2016 AND 2003-2008 PERIOD]

Results of this clinical study on surgical treatment of pressure ulcers at Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, Dubrava University Hospital showed that there was no difference between the 2011-2016 and 2003-2008 periods, indicating continuation of good surgical treatment planning and appropriate postoperative care. Despite the smaller number of hospitalized patients in the 2011-2016 period (31 patients and 42 reconstructive procedures), the number of reconstructive procedure was similar to the recent 2003-2008 period (47 patients and 57 reconstructive procedures). The best results of reconstruction of sacral region pressure ulcer were achieved with fasciocutaneous and musculocutaneous flaps. Whenever possible, depending on the extent of the defect, musculocutaneous flaps should be preferred for reconstruction. It is especially suitable for pressure ulcer recurrence. For ischial region reconstruction, good results can be obtained by mobilizing the semimembranosus and/or semitendinosus in defect gap. For trochanteric region, the tensor fascia lata flap is a good choice. For maximal functional and reconstructive results, a multidisciplinary approach in pressure ulcer treatment has the leading role in the modern concept of wound healing. Surgical treatment should always include radical debridement, ostectomy and well planned defect reconstruction. Conservative treatment should be support to surgical treatment with a focus on patient health care and high hygiene measures. In recent years (2011-2016), the usage of better conservative treatment led to reduction of patient hospital stay and surgical treatment of pressure ulcer. Further ‘wound care’ nurses training in Croatia can lead the trend towards advanced practice nursing in pressure ulcer prevention and conservative treatment.

Pemantauan pH Esofagus pada Bayi Tidak Mempengaruhi Aktivitas dan Pola Makan, Namun Mengkhawatirkan Persepsi Orangtua

Latar belakang. Pemantauan pH esofagus (pH-metri) merupakan pemeriksaan bakuuntuk mendiagnosis refluks gastroesofagus (RGE) pada bayi. Hasil pH-metri dipengaruhioleh pola makan dan aktivitas bayi, sedangkan pengaruh prosedur pH-metri itu sendiriterhadap pola makan dan aktivitas bayi belum banyak dilaporkan.Tujuan. Tujuan penelitian ini untuk mengetahui apakah prosedur pH-metrimempengaruhi pola makan dan aktivitas sehari-hari serta bagaimana persepsi orangtuaterhadap prosedur pH-metri.Metoda. Tiga puluh bayi berumur 6-12 bulan dilakukan pH-metri. Orangtua diberikuesioner berisi pertanyaan yang berhubungan dengan pola makan dan aktivitas anakselama pemantauan berlangsung serta persepsi orangtua terhadap prosedur pH-metri.Untuk analisis statistik, setiap variabel dikelompokkan menjadi ’tidak berubah’ dan’berubah’ untuk pola makan dan aktivitas anak, serta ’positif’ dan ’negatif’ untuk persepsiorangtua. Setiap variabel dianalisis berdasarkan hasil pH-metri (’normal’ atau abnormal’).Hasil. Perubahan pola makan terdapat pada 17% bayi sedangkan perubahan aktivitaspada 20% bayi. Kedua hasil tersebut tidak berbeda baik pada hasil pH-metri normalmaupun hasil pH-metri abnormal. Dua puluh tujuh persen orangtua mempunyai persepsipositif terhadap prosedur pH-metri.Kesimpulan. Prosedur pH-metri tidak menyebabkan perubahan pola makan danaktivitas bayi, walaupun demikian hanya sekitar 27% orangtua yang menganggapprosedur pH-metri sebagai prosedur yang tidak mengkhawatirkan.

Configuration and localization of the nipple-areola complex in men

The causes of bilateral absence of the nipple-areola complex in men are seldom congenital, but attributable rather to destruction as a result of trauma, or after mastectomy in female-to-male transsexuals and in male breast cancer, or after the correction of extreme bilateral gynecomastia. Such a bilateral loss becomes a major reconstructive challenge with respect to the configuration and localization of a new nipple-areola complex. Because there is very little information available in the literature, we carried out a cross-sectional study on the configuration and localization of the nipple-areola complex in men.A total of 100 healthy men aged 20 to 36 years were examined under standardized conditions. The first part of the study dealt with the configuration of the nipple-areola complex (dimensions, round or oval shape). The second part concentrated on the localization of the complex on the thoracic wall with respect to anatomic landmarks and in correlation to various parameters such as weight and height of the body, circumference of the thorax, length of sternum, and position in the intercostal space. Of the 100 subjects examined, 91 had oval and seven had a round nipple-areola complex. An asymmetry between the right and the left side was found in two cases. The mean ratio of the horizontal/vertical diameter of an oval nipple-areola complex was 27:20 mm and the mean diameter for a round nipple-areola complex was 23 mm. The center of the nipple-areola complex was in the fourth intercostal space in 75 percent and in the fifth intercostal space in 23 percent of the subjects. To localize the nipple-areola complex on the thoracic wall de novo, at least two reproducible measurements proved to be necessary, composed of a horizontal line (distance from the midsternal line to the nipple = A) and a vertical line (distance from the sternal notch to the intersection of line A, = B). The closest correlation for the horizontal distance A was given by the circumference of the thorax: A = 2.4 cm + [0.09 x circumference of thorax (cm)], (r = 0.68). The best correlation to calculate the vertical distance B was found using the distance A and the length of the sternum: B = 1.2 cm + [0.28 x length of sternum (cm)] + [0.1 x circumference of thorax (cm)], (R = 0.50). In cases of bilateral absence, we recommend creating an oval nipple-areola complex in men. The appropriate localization can be calculated by means of two simple equations derived from the circumference of the thorax and the length of the sternum.

[Silicone breast implants and risk of carcinoma]

Breast reconstruction, i.e. enlargement of the breast by use of silicone implants, has been performed for almost 40 years. Due to its qualities silicone is being widely used in different branches of surgery. New scientific and technological knowledge have resulted in a variety of types of silicone implants (sheet, filling). There is a great interest, but also controversies concerning the development of breast cancer and connective tissue disease in implant bearing patients. There is no evidence on the influence of silicone implants on the breast cancer development. Regardless of the presence of the implant, standard mammography, additional tangential projections, Eklund's maneuver, ultrasonography in addition to a careful clinical examination are sufficient for an adequate follow-up and detection of even minimal changes within the breast tissue.

[Aneurysms of the extracranial part of the carotid artery]

The purpose of this article is to take firm position on the surgical treatment of the carotid artery aneurysm on the basis of ten years of experience, considering their rare occurrence and significant pathology. From January 1984 to December 1994, ten patients with aneurysms or pseudoaneurysms of extracranial carotid arteries were diagnosed and operated in the Department of Vascular Surgery, Clinical Hospital "Sestre milosrdnice" in Zagreb. In the same period, eight hundred operations of extracranial carotid arteries were performed. Special emphasis is put on the etiology of the disease where atherosclerosis is prevalent, but cases of traumatic, mycotic and postoperative aneurysms are also shown. In symptomatology, signs of palpable local tumor dominated in six patients, while in three patients central nervous system symptoms were found. All patients with neurologic symptoms were in the group with atherosclerotic aneurysms. In nine patients resection of the aneurysm and reconstruction with the interposition of a part of vena saphena magna or with allograft was performed. In one patient, neoanastomosis of the internal carotid artery in the common carotid artery was performed following the resection of a small aneurysm. In the early postoperative period there was no morbidity nor mortality. In view of frequent preoperative neurologic complications and good postoperative results, surgical treatment is indicated in all cases. Reconstruction is always indicated, and the procedure of choice is reconstruction with the interposition of a part of great saphenous vein.