Resin Akrilik Reinforce Nanosisal Menurunkan Perlekatan Bakteri Steptococcus mutans dan Jamur Candida albicans

Resin akrilik telah banyak digunakan sebagai bahan basis gigi tiruan lepasan sejak pertengahan tahun 1940. Nanosisal merupakan serat dari tanaman Agave sisalana yang dibuat berukuran nano karena dapat memberikan hasil pemolesan gigi tiruan yang lebih halus, memudahkan proses polishing, tahan terhadap keausan, lebih mengkilap sehingga perlekatan bakteri dan jamur lebih sedikit. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh nanosisal dengan konsentrasi 0%, 10% dan 20% yang dicampur dengan material resin akrilik terhadap perlekatan S. mutans dan C. albicans. Jenis penelitian ini adalah penelitian eksperimental in vitro. Pembuatan nanosisal 0%, 10%, dan 20% dicampur dengan resin akrilik polimerisasi panas dan dicetak dengan ukuran 15x15x2 mm, direndam dalam suspensi S. mutans dan C. albicans kemudian dihitung jumlah koloninya untuk menentukan perlekatannya. Perhitungan koloni dilakukan pada hasil biakan S. mutans dalam media TSA dan C. albicans dalam media SDA. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan tidak terdapat perbedaan yang bermakna pada perlekatan S. mutans terhadap penambahan jumlah nanosisal (p 0,05) sedangkan hasil uji perlekatan C. albicans menunjukkan perbedaan yang bermakna (p 0,05) sehingga dapat disimpulkan terdapat penurunan perlekatan C. albicans pada resin akrilik yang diberi reinforced nanosisal. Semakin tinggi konsentrasi nanosisal yang ditambahkan maka semakin menurunkan jumlah perlekatan koloni S. mutans dan C. albicans pada sampel resin akrilik.

The Sisal Virome: Uncovering the Viral Diversity of Agave Varieties Reveals New and Organ-Specific Viruses

Sisal is a common name for different plant varieties in the genus Agave (especially Agave sisalana) used for high-quality natural leaf fiber extraction. Despite the economic value of these plants, we still lack information about the diversity of viruses (virome) in non-tequilana species from the genus Agave. In this work, by associating RNA and DNA deep sequencing we were able to identify 25 putative viral species infecting A. sisalana, A. fourcroydes, and Agave hybrid 11648, including one strain of Cowpea Mild Mottle Virus (CPMMV) and 24 elements likely representing new viruses. Phylogenetic analysis indicated they belong to at least six viral families: Alphaflexiviridae, Betaflexiviridae, Botourmiaviridae, Closteroviridae, Partitiviridae, Virgaviridae, and three distinct unclassified groups. We observed higher viral taxa richness in roots when compared to leaves and stems. Furthermore, leaves and stems are very similar diversity-wise, with a lower number of taxa and dominance of a single viral species. Finally, approximately 50% of the identified viruses were found in all Agave organs investigated, which suggests that they likely produce a systemic infection. This is the first metatranscriptomics study focused on viral identification in species from the genus Agave. Despite having analyzed symptomless individuals, we identified several viruses supposedly infecting Agave species, including organ-specific and systemic species. Surprisingly, some of these putative viruses are probably infecting microorganisms composing the plant microbiota. Altogether, our results reinforce the importance of unbiased strategies for the identification and monitoring of viruses in plant species, including those with asymptomatic phenotypes.

Ethnoveterinary Remedies Used in Avian Complementary Medicine in Selected Communal Areas in Zimbabwe

Plant remedies used in avian ethnomedicine are potential candidates for the development of phytogenic feed additives. An ethnoveterinary survey was carried out in 3 districts in Zimbabwe to document plants used in poultry ethnomedicine and identify plants that have the potential to be used for the development of poultry phytogenic feed additives. The survey employed questionnaire-guided oral interviews with 146 smallholder farmers. Key areas of investigation and discussion were poultry production and traditional knowledge in bird health care (ethnotreatments and poultry disease control). The survey documented a total of 36 plant species cited as being useful interventions for the treatment and management of various poultry ailments/health constraints. These medicinal plants belonged to 22 families, with the Fabaceae family the dominant family. The plant species were used to treat 11 disease/health constraint categories, with the highest number of species being used for coccidiosis. Trees (44.44%) were the main reservoir of medicinal plants followed by herbs (36.11%), shrubs (8.33%), climbers (8.33%), and flowers (2.78%). Based on the results of the survey, Bobgunnia madagascariensis, Aloe chabaudii, Adenia gummifera, Erythrina abyssinica, Agave sisalana, Capsicum frutescens, Strychnos cocculoides, Aloe greatheadii, Tridactyle bicaudata, Senna singueana, Sarcostemma viminale, Morus alba, and Moringa oleifera are potential candidates for the development of phytogenic feed additives.

The Temporal and Spatial Variation of Arthropod Associations Inhabiting Non-Crop Vegetation in a Sisal Crop, Agave sisalana in the Caatinga Biome

Sisal, Agave sisalana Perrine, is cultivated for fiber production, with Brazil being its leading producer. Nowadays, given the increasing interest in organic products, the market for sisal could become an economical alternative for rural areas with low economic inputs. However, sisal is threatened by different pests and diseases. Conservation biological control could contribute to the limitation of these plant enemies, but this agroecosystem is poorly known. In this context, we aimed: (i) to identify the diversity of plants and arthropods and their potential relations, (ii) to study the spatial patterns of arthropods and plants in function of the proximity to the margin of the field, and (iii) to determine the minimum sampling effort needed to record the occurring biodiversity in a sisal crop. Arthropods were sampled using pit-fall traps located close to the border and in the inner plant of the sisal crop from June to September. Simultaneously, plant species and their abundance in quadrats next to each pitfall were recorded. Diversity indexes were calculated to describe the biodiversity, a redundancy analysis was performed to analyze relations among arthropods and plants and the spatial distribution was evaluated using the non-parametric Wilcoxon rank-sum test. The redundancy analysis and the Wilcoxon test revealed a temporal and spatial distribution of arthropods and plants during the period of study. Results indicated (i) similar temporal diversity patterns from June to July for both plants and arthropods, with a maximum in July, whereas in September the biodiversity increased for arthropods and decreased for plants; (ii) the importance of particular plant species for Collembola; and (iii) that arthropods seem to colonize the sisal crop from the fields beyond the crop during the rainy season. These results provide new information about arthropods and plant biodiversity from an agroecosystem in a semi-arid region and raise further queries about the management of sisal crops.

IMPACT STRENGTH TEST ON ADDITION OF AGAVE SISALANA FIBER AND E-GLASS FIBER IN ACRYLIC RESIN DENTAL PLATE REPAIR

Introduction: Acrylic resin is the most common material for the denture base because the acrylic resin has good esthetics, ease of processing, reparability, and inexpensive. A disadvantage of acrylic resin is that it is easy to be cracked. One of the ways to resolve this problem is by adding agave sisalana fiber and E-glass fiber. The purpose of this study was to find out the effect of the addition of agave sisalana fiber and E-glass fiber on the impact strength of an acrylic resin denture plate reparation. Material and Method: The experiment involved twenty-seven plates of heat-cured acrylic with the dimensions of 55x 10 x 10 mm with the 26 x 5 x 4 mm for the cavity to measure, each measurement divided into three groups, with nine samples for each group. The first group was a control group (without fiber), the second group was a group with agave sisalana fiber addition, the third group was a group with e-glass fiber addition. All plates were soaked in distillation water for one day at 37o C. Plates were tested for impact strength using the Charpy method. All data obtained were analyzed with one-way ANOVA followed by LSD (Least Significant Difference) with p<0,05. Result and Discussion: The result showed that the influences of impact strength between without fiber with agave sisalana fiber and E-glass fiber addition on acrylic denture reparation. Acrylic denture reparation in both fibers with concentration 3,3%, agave sisalana fiber has the highest impact strength rather than e-glass fiber. Conclusion: The conclusion of this study is that there is an increase in impact strength with agave sisalana fiber and E-glass fiber addition on acrylic denture reparation and agave sisalana fiber has the highest impact strength.