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There are seven species of Gyrinops and two species of Aquilaria (Thymelaeaceae), which are distributed in Eastern Indonesia at the east of the Wallace line. The anatomical character of the paradermal tissue, midrib and petiole were the important characteristics possessed by plants that can be used as data for identification. The purpose of this article was to study leaf morphoanatomical character variation of Gyrinops and Aquilaria in Indonesia Region at East Wallace Line. The Gyrinops specimen used in the research was the collection of the Agarwood Study Center, Universitas Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia. The paradermal slide was made with the whole-mount slide method and the slide cross-section of midrib and petiole was made by using a hand-free section. Their preparation process used a permanent slide method and mounted with glycerine jelly. Based on the results of the research conducted, it can be seen that the anatomical characters of paradermal tissues, midrib and petiole of Gyrinops and Aquilaria have general characteristics such as hypostomatic leaves, stomata type anomocytic, non-glandular and unicellular trichome. While other characters of structure paradermal, midrib and petiole could be used as a taxonomy diagnostic marker to identify at the level genus and species on Gyrinops and Aqilaria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is part of a research collaboration between Kyoto University and The University of Mataram, aiming to identify and to utilize the agarwood plants, i.e., Gyrinops versteegii from Indonesia. The study, specifically, aims to discover anticancer agents from the bark of G. versteegii from Lombok Island of Indonesia. There were three provenances of G. versteegii observed, namely Soyun, Pantai, and Buaya. Based on the Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT), G. versteegii Buaya showed the highest cytotoxicity with LC50 45,94 µg/ml. Meanwhile, G. versteegii Soyun and Pantai have LC50 75.86 µg/mL and 56.36 µg/mL respectively. A phytochemical study showed that the methanol extract of G. versteegii Buaya containing compounds from the group of alkaloid, flavonoid, steroid, triterpenoid, and saponin. The methanol extracts fractionated using Vacuum Liquid Chromatography into 10 fractions (F1-F10) and then retested BSLT. Among the fractions, F2 showed the best potency as an anticancer with LC50 64,12 µg/mL. Based on the GC-MS analysis, the cytotoxicity from both methanol extract and F2 is predicted to be influenced by the same compounds, namely, 1,4-Benzenediol, 2-methyl, Pyridoxylamine, 2,3-Dimethylhydroquionone, Tetramethyl-p-benzoquinone and Benzofuran. Overall the bark of G. versteegii from Lombok Island has great potency as an anticancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) remains a serious health threat in Indonesia. In particular, the CRF01_AE viruses were the predominant HIV-1 strains in various cities in Indonesia. However, information on the dynamic transmission characteristics and spatial-temporal transmission of HIV-1 CRF01_AE in Indonesia is limited. Therefore, the present study examined the spatial-temporal transmission networks and evolutionary characteristics of HIV-1 CRF01_AE in Indonesia. To clarify the epidemiological connection between CRF01_AE outbreaks in Indonesia and the rest of the world, we performed phylogenetic studies on nearly full genomes of CRF01_AE viruses isolated in Indonesia. Our results showed that five epidemic clades, namely, IDN clades 1-5, of CRF01_AE were found in Indonesia. To determine the potential source and mode of transmission of CRF01_AE, we performed Bayesian analysis and built maximum clade credibility trees for each clade. Our study revealed that CRF01_AE viruses were commonly introduced into Indonesia from Southeast Asia, particularly Thailand. The CRF01_AE viruses might have spread through major pandemics in Asian countries, such as China, Vietnam, and Laos, rather than being introduced directly from Africa in the early 1980s. This study has major implications for public health practice and policy development in Indonesia. The contributions of this study include understanding the dynamics of HIV-1 transmission that is important for the implementation of HIV disease control and prevention strategies in Indonesia., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

We determined concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), linear alkylbenzenes (LABs), and hopanes in coastal sediments collected from Jakarta Bay and Tokyo Bay. PAH concentrations in sediments from Jakarta Bay (257-1511 ng/g-dry) were lower than or comparable to those from Tokyo Bay (1372-1615 ng/g-dry). Ratios of alkyl-PAHs to parent PAHs showed a greater contribution of petrogenic inputs in Jakarta Bay than in Tokyo Bay. This difference is consistent with the higher ratio of hopanes to PAHs in Jakarta Bay. LAB concentrations in Jakarta Bay (geometric mean, 1400 ng/g-dry) were higher than those in Tokyo Bay (661 ng/g-dry). The internal to external (I/E) ratios of LABs in Jakarta Bay (0.92-2.88) were lower than those in Tokyo Bay (2.8-4.8), indicating that Jakarta Bay receives untreated or poorly treated sewage. Significant amounts of tetrapropylene-based alkylbenzenes were detected in several locations in Jakarta Bay, suggesting current usage of the non-degradable surfactants alkylbenzene sulfonates that are banned in many countries. The PCB concentration in Jakarta Bay was 1 order of magnitude lower than in Tokyo Bay, suggesting minimal usage of PCBs in industrial or commercial products in Jakarta. Analyses of a sediment core indicate increasing inputs of PAHs, hopanes, and LABs into Jakarta Bay during recent decades., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)