Gadjah Mada University

About: Gadjah Mada University is a education organization based out in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Adsorption. The organization has 17307 authors who have published 21389 publications receiving 116561 citations. The organization is also known as: University of Gajah Mada & Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Polyacrylonitrile Nanofiber-Based Quartz Crystal Microbalance for Sensitive Detection of Safrole.

Abstract: Safrole is the main precursor for producing the amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) drug, N-methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine (MDMA), also known as ecstasy. We devise a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofiber-based quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) for detecting safrole. The PAN nanofibers were fabricated by direct electrospinning to modify the QCM chips. The PAN nanofiber on the QCM chips has a diameter of 240 ± 10 nm. The sensing of safrole by QCM modified with PAN nanofiber shows good reversibility and an apparent sensitivity of 4.6 Hz·L/mg. The proposed method is simple, inexpensive, and convenient for detecting safrole, and can be an alternative to conventional instrumental analytical methods for general volatile compounds.

The sixth skull cap of Pithecanthropus erectus.

Abstract: The sixth skull cap of Pithecanthropus erectus (or skull V, since the Modjokerto skull has not been given a number) was found in the upper layers of the Trinil beds of Sangiran (Central Java) in 1963, associated with fossils of the Sino-Malayan fauna. No stone tools were discovered in direct association with the find. The specimen consists of the occipital, both parietals, both temporals, sphenoid fragments, the frontal and the left zygomatic bone. We consider the skull to be a male in his early twenties. The occipital, parietal, frontal and temporal bones demonstrate definite pithecanthropine characteristics, and the cranial capacity is estimated to be 975 cm3. Of the superstructures, the supraorbital torus is extraodinarily thick, approaching the condition in Australopithecus boisei and Rhodesian man. And the sagittal torus is certainly higher than in skulls I and II, but lower than in skull IV. In addition, the angle between the occipital and nuchal planes is larger than in the previous finds. As revealed by various features, the gap between the robustness of skull IV on one hand, and skulls I, II and III on the other, is bridged by the present find. There is no reasonable taxonomic need to ascribe this specimen to a new species, because it seems to be merely an intrapopulational variant of the same species. Other skulls of P. erectus suggest that the bregmatic eminence, and hence the vertex, is invariably situated at bregma, but this new skull cap deviates from the pattern. Its pteric regions disclose the anthropoid X and I types. The middle meningeal groove pattern is similar to other Pithecanthropus skulls; however, it betrays a known anomaly in that the main stem is covered for a short distance by a bony plate. The mastoid process is fairly well developed, and is also well pneumatized as in P. pekinensis, with its air cells invading the pronounced supramastoid crest. The zygomatic bone, the first one recovered of P. erectus, does not show characters of particular importance. In fact, its thickness is in the range of modern man. We would like to stress that the absence of the cranial base does not necessarily indicate that the specimen must be a poor victim of cannibalism, since the morphology of the base renders it more susceptible to post-mortem natural traumata.

Association of Dietary Intake Ratio of n-3/n-6 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids with Breast Cancer Risk in Western and Asian Countries: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract: Objective: This systematic review and meta-analysis were performed to determine association of dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids with breast cancer risk in Western and Asian countries. Methods: The authors conducted a meta-analysis of published research articles on association of dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) with breast cancer risk in Western and Asian countries published between January 2000 and February 2019 in online article databases of PubMed, ProQuest and EBSCO. Pooled risk ratios (RR) were calculated using fixed and random-effect models. Publication bias was visually evaluated by performing funnel plots and statistically assessed by Egger’s and Begg’s tests. Data were processed by using Stata version 14.2 (Stata Corporation). Results: This study reviewed 913 articles. There were 13 studies included in systematic review continued by meta-analysis of relevant data with total number of samples: 275,264 patients. The results showed dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs with breast cancer risk in Western and Asian countries (RR = 0.99; 95% CI: 0.92-1.07). Dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs with breast cancer risk in Western countries reached (RR = 0.98; 95% CI: 0.91-1.06) and there was any significant publication bias for studies included. Dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs with breast cancer risk in Asian countries reached (RR = 1.18; 95% CI: 0.94-1.47) and there was not any significant publication bias for studies included. Conclusion: This analysis confirmed association of dietary intake ratio of n-3/n-6 PUFAs with breast cancer risk in Western and Asian countries. Higher dietary intake ratio is associated with lower risk of breast cancer in Asian countries rather than Western countries. This study suggests increasing dietary intake ratio n-3/n-6 PUFAs will provide benefit for breast cancer prevention.

Non-conventional therapies in childhood cancer: guidelines for distinguishing non-harmful from harmful therapies: a report of the SIOP Working Committee on Psychosocial Issues in Pediatric Oncology.

Abstract: This is the 11th official document of the SIOP Working Committee on Psychosocial Issues in Pediatric Oncology, instituted in 1991. There is a tendency for some physicians to make blanket statements against the use of non-proven, non-conventional therapies, even when these therapies are not harmful. There is an equal and opposite tendency on the part of many parents to do all that they possibly can for their children, including using any non-conventional therapy they feel might do some good. The health care team must open a healthy dialogue with parents that will lead to a clear distinction between those complementary therapies that are harmful and those that are not, indeed, might even be helpful psychologically if not therapeutically.

Perkembangan teknologi nanopartikel sebagai sistem penghantaran obat

Abstract: Teknologi nanopartikel saat ini telah menjadi tren baru dalam pengembangan sistem penghantaran obat. Partikel atau globul pada skala nanometer memiliki sifat fisik yang khas dibandingkan dengan partikel pada ukuran yang lebih besar terutama dalam meningkatkan kualitas penghantaran senyawa obat. Kelebihan lain dari teknologi nanopartikel adalah keterbukaannya untuk dikombinasikan dengan teknologi lain, sehingga membuka peluang untuk dihasilkan sistem penghantaran yang lebih sempurna. Keterbukaan lain dari teknologi nanopartikel adalah kemampuannya untuk dikonjugasikan dengan berbagai molekul pendukung tambahan, sehingga menghasilkan sebuah sistem baru dengan spesifikasi yang lebih lengkap. Namun, sifat umum nanopartikel yang berlaku pada berbagai jaringan maupun organ di dalam tubuh adalah sifat fisik nanopartikel yang relatif lebih mudah menembus berbagai pembatas biologis, sehingga menjadi kurang spesifik jika digunakan dengan tujuan aplikasi khusus. Oleh karena itu, molekul yang dikonjugasikan pada nanopartikel secara umum dimanfaatkan sebagai molekul pentarget untuk meningkatkan selektivitas dari sistem nanopartikel secara keseluruhan. Review ini membahas perkembangan beberapa hasil penelitian yang telah dipublikasikan selama kurun waktu beberapa tahun terakhir dalam usaha pengembangan nanopartikel sebagai sistem penghantaran obat. Beberapa topik khusus akan dipaparkan dalam review ini yaitu penggunaan biopolimer dalam sistem nanopartikel, modifikasi sistem nanopartikel pada penerapan penghantaran obat tertarget, serta nanoliposom dan nanoemulsi.