This research aimed to enhance the antibacterial activity of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) synthesized from silver nitrate (AgNO₃) using aloe vera extract. It was performed by means of incorporating AgNPs on an activated carbon nanoparticle (ACNPs) under ultrasonic agitation (40 kHz, 2 × 50 watt) for 30 min in an aqueous colloidal medium. The successful AgNPs synthesis was clarified with both Ultraviolet-Visible (UV-Vis) and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrophotometers. The successful AgNPs–ACNPs incorporation and its particle size analysis was performed using Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). The brown color suspension generation and UV-Vis’s spectra maximum wavelength at around 480 nm confirmed the existence of AgNPs. The particle sizes of the produced AgNPs were about 5 to 10 nm in the majority number, which collectively surrounded the aloe vera extract secondary metabolites formed core-shell like nanostructure of 8.20 ± 2.05 nm in average size, while ACNPs themselves were about 20.10 ± 1.52 nm in average size formed particles cluster, and 48.00 ± 8.37 nm in average size as stacking of other particles. The antibacterial activity of the synthesized AgNPs and AgNPs-immobilized ACNPs was 57.58% and 63.64%, respectively (for E. coli); 61.25%, and 93.49%, respectively (for S. aureus). In addition, when the AgNPs-immobilized ACNPs material was coated on the cotton and polyester fabrics, the antibacterial activity of the materials changed, becoming 19.23% (cotton; E. coli), 31.73% (polyester; E. coli), 13.36% (cotton; S. aureus), 21.15% (polyester; S. aureus).

Masih banyak minyak VCO yang dijual di pasaran memiliki kualitas rendah. Hal ini dikarenakan belum adanya standarisasi untuk menentukan standar kualitas minyak VCO. Pada penelitian ini dilakukan tahap pra-standarisasi terhadap proses produksi dan analisis minyak VCO. Pra-standarisasi terutama dilakukan pada metode isolasi minyak VCO, analisis kualitas fisik meliputi uji organoleptik dan berat jenis, analisis standar khasiat yang berkaitan dengan komposisi asam-asam lemak esensial dan analisis standar keawetan yang meliputi kadar air, kadar nitrogen, uji peroksida dan kadar asam-asam lemak bebas. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa metode isolasi pemancingan mampu menghasilkan minyak VCO sebanyak 0,150 liter/kg kelapa, warna jernih, rasa gurih kelapa-enak dan bau wangi-kelapa, berat jenis 0,924 g/mL, kadar air 0%, nitrogen 0%, uji peroksida positip (+), asam lemak bebas 0,002%. Komposisi asam-asam lemak yaitu asam laurat 39,69%; miristat 24,12%; palmitat 11,17%; kaprat 7,27%; oktanoat/kaprilat 6,94%; oleat 6,48%; stearat 3,03%; linoleat 0,79% dan kaproat 0,52%. Hasil analisis menunjukkan bahwa minyak VCO yang diperoleh sudah memenuhi standar kualitas Asian and Pacific Coconut Community (APCC) kecuali kadar asam laurat masih di bawah standar.Kata kunci: minyak VCO, pra-standarisasi, metode pemancingan VCO, komposisi asam lemak, asam laurat.

Biosciences, Biotechnology Research Asia is an international, open access, peer reviewed research journal covering all aspects of Biosciences and Biotechnology field.

Studies on the anti-aggregation of dithiothreitol (DTT) induced - protein is generally determined by the fraction soluble (non-aggregated) protein. While the turbidity method is commonly used in studies of anti-aggregation, in which protein is induced by heat, in this study, both methods are compared in observing the anti-aggregation activity of ascorbic acid and quercetin toward bovine serum albumin induced by DTT. The DTT is a reducing agent for protein disulfide bonds and capable of inducing protein aggregation at physiological pH and temperature. The work was performed by the formation of Bovine Serum Albumin (BSA) aggregates induced by DTT under physiological conditions, which are pH 7.4 and 37°C. The aggregated protein profile was observed using the turbidity method at the end of incubation and measuring the difference of concentration between the fraction of soluble protein before and after incubation. The measurement was carried out using a spectrophotometer UV-Vis. The results indicate that both methods show similar inhibition profiles. The potential inhibition of ascorbic acid (AA) toward BSA protein aggregation induced by DTT increased along with incubation time. While quercetin shows the highest inhibition at 12 hours but decreased at 18 hours, this study reveals that both methods can observe the anti-aggregation activity of ascorbic acid and quercetin.

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) merupakan metode amplifikasi Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) secara invitro. Hingga saat ini para peneliti baru berhasil mengamplifikasi secara in vitro DNA mitokondria (mtDNA)manusia Indonesia sampai ukuran fragmen maksimal 1,6 kilobasa (kb) dan belum dilakukan untuk “banyakfragmen” (multifragments). Pada penelitian ini telah berhasil diamplifikasi multifragments DNA mitokondriamanusia Indonesia berukuran 5,4 kb; 4,2 kb; 3,5 kb; 2,1 kb; 1,6 kb dengan metode PCR standar melalui optimasikonsentrasi MgCl2 dan suhu annealing. Proses berlangsung dalam satu reaksi PCR menggunakan enzim taqpolimerase, lima primer yaitu dmt-2L, dmt-1H, FL, FH dan MH pada kondisi bufer standar dengan konsentrasiMgCl2 2,5 mM, selama 30 siklus pada suhu denaturasi 94oC (15 detik), annealing 65oC (30 detik) danextension 72oC (180 detik). Keberhasilan metode amplifikasi in vitro multifragments yang mengandung fragmenpanjang tersebut diharapkan bisa membuat proses amplifikasi beberapa gen dalam satu genom menjadi lebihcepat dan efisien.