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Insomnia is a difficulty to start sleeping or maintaining the quality of sleep. The latest concept of insomnia explains the disintegration of molecules that change the brain’s rhythm of waking and sleeping. Neurotransmitters that stimulate awakening are orexin, histamine, dopamine, serotonin, while those responsible for sleeping are ɣ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), adenosine, serotonin, melatonin, and prostaglandin D2 (PGD2). Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK)/Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase (ERK) pathways have a role in various neuroplasticity that also a candidate mechanism that plays a role in sleep plasticity regulation. Centella Asiatica (CA) is a herb which neuroprotectant effect on neurological diseases. CA can provide anti-inflammatory and rejuvenating effects, antioxidant, anxiolytic, stress relief, and improve intelligence. CA has a role in signaling MAPK/ERK pathway. MAPK3 (ERK1) and MAPK1 (ERK2) proteins are targets that are binded by beta-carotene from CA. In this study, based on QSAR analysis, it proved that CA has benefits for insomnia treatment, as ICAM1 expression inhibitor (0.55), nitric oxide antagonist (0.67), anti-inflammatory (0.80), and gastrin inhibitor (0.45). Therefore, it can be predicted that CA can potentially inhibit ICAM-1 and target AKT1 protein. Then, based on molecular docking, Protein Compound Interaction (PCI) results prove that beta carotene is the most potent MAPK1 inhibitor.

Bornean banteng is classified as endangered and found only in Borneo island. The existence of a wild population of Bornean Banteng in Belantikan Hulu, in the north-western part of Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan Province, has been confirmed from the results of camera-trap programme since 2013, but its population size has yet to be determined. The study aimed to identify the threats to the banteng population in Belantikan Hulu and describe the conservation efforts that have already been taken there. Although Belantikan Hulu is now one of the priority habitats for conserving banteng in Kalimantan, the area lies outside the nationally-designated conservation area network. Hunting is one of the greatest threats that can lead directly to failure in their population. Local informants were able to describe the location and number of 24 banteng that were killed over a 65-year period, from the 1950’s to 2015. The true number is likely to be much higher, since these data were derived from a sample representing only 30% of the local hunting community, and they did not include information from any outsiders. Logging, mining and shifting cultivation in around banteng habitats are important factors that are currently contributing to the destruction and degradation of their habitats in Belantikan Hulu. Conservation efforts have got a lot of supports from local stakeholders. These efforts have led to a customary regulation being adopted that prohibits hunting of banteng or degradation of their habitats around their key saltlicks and feeding sites, and the creation of local conservation area of 1,700 ha (on land voluntarily released by the logging company) that includes these key sites. Keywords: bornean banteng, conservation, habitat, hunting, threat

Kedelai edamame merupakan sayuran bernilai komersial tinggi di Indonesia, terlebih setelah kepopuleran Edamame sebagai camilan. Kedelai yang berasal dari Jepang ini berbeda dengan kedelai lain, yaitu bijinya lebih besar, teksturnya lebih halus, rasanya lebih manis, dan lebih mudah dicerna. Penelitian bertujuan mengetahui interaksi antara pupuk kandang burung puyuh dan NPK terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil kedelai edamame pada tanah aluvial, dan mendapatkan dosis interaksi antara pupuk kandang burung puyuh dan NPK yang terbaik terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil kedelai edamame pada tanah aluvial. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di lokasi yang terletak di Jalan Reformasi Gg. Racana Untan, yang mulai dari tanggal 12 juli sampai 12 september 2022. Rancangan yang digunakan dalam penelitian ini adalah Faktorial Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) yang terdiri dari 2 faktor perlakuan. Faktor pertama yaitu pupuk kandang burung puyuh (b) yang terdiri 3 taraf perlakuan, sedangkan faktor kedua yaitu pupuk NPK (p) juga terdiri dari 3 taraf perlakuan. Masing-masing perlakuan diulang sebanyak 3 kali dengan setiap ulangan terdiri dari 4 tanaman sampel, sehingga jumlah tanaman seluruhnya adalah 108 tanaman. Perlakuan yang dimaksud adalah :Faktor pertama adalah pupuk kandang burung puyuh (b) yang terdiri dari 3 taraf yaitu: b1 = 10 ton/ha setara dengan 50 g/polybag, b2 = 20 ton/ha setara dengan 100 g/polybag, b3 = 30 ton/ha setara dengan 150 g/polybag. Faktor kedua yaitu pupuk NPK (p) yang juga terdiri dari 3 taraf yaitu: p1 = 200 kg/ha setara dengan 1 g/polybag,p2 = 300 kg/ha setara dengan 1,5 g/polybag, p3 = 400 kg/ha setara dengan 2 g/polybag. Variabel yang di amati dalam penelitian ini yaitu tinggi tanaman, volume akar, berat kering tanaman, jumlah cabang produktif, jumlah polong segar, berat polong segar, jumlah polong isi, jumlah polong hampa. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terjadi interaksi antara pemberian pupuk kandang burung puyuh dan NPK dalam meningkatkan jumlah cabang produktif kedelai edamame pada tanah aluvial, namun tidak ditemukan dosis pupuk kandang burung puyuh dan NPK yang dapat meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman kedelai edamame yang terbaik tanah aluvial tetapi pemberian pupuk kandang burung puyuh dosis 10 ton/ha dan NPK dosis 200 kg/ha efektif untuk meningkatkan pertumbuhan dan hasil kedelai edamame pada tanah aluvial.Kata kunci : Hasil dan Pertumbuhan, Kedelai Edamame, NPK, Pupuk Kandang Burung Puyuh, Tanah Aluvial

Lobak (Raphanus sativus L.) merupakan tanaman hortikultura yang berasal dari China sekitar 500 SM yang memiliki bentuk umbi yang mirip dengan tanaman wortel. Penggunaan gambut sebagai media tanam bagi tanaman lobak dihadapi berbagai faktor kendala yaitu sifat kimia tanah berupa rendahnya tingkat ketersediaan unsur hara, kapasitas tukar kation (KTK) tinggi, kejenuhan basa (KB) rendah dan bereaksi masam (pH rendah) sehingga diperlukan penambahan pupuk hayati dan pupuk NPK. Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini adalah untuk mengetahui interaksi dari konsentrasi pupuk hayati dan dosis pupuk NPK terbaik pada pertumbuhan dan hasil lobak pada tanah gambut. Penelitian ini menggunakan metode faktorial dengan pola Rancangan Acak Lengkap dengan 2 faktor. Faktor pertama pupuk hayati terdiri dari 4 taraf perlakuan yaitu h0, h1, h2 dan h3 dan faktor kedua pupuk NPK terdiri dari 3 taraf perlakuan yaitu m1, m2 dan m3 sehingga terdapat 12 kombinasi perlakuan yaitu h0 m1 (pupuk hayati 0 ml/polibag + NPK 3,6 g/polibag), h0 m2(pupuk hayati 0 ml/l + NPK 4,8 g/polibag), h0 m3(pupuk hayati 0 ml/l + NPK 6 g/polibag), h1 m1(pupuk hayati 10 ml/l + NPK 3,6 g/polibag), h1 m2(pupuk hayati 10 ml/l + NPK 4,8 g/polibag), h1 m3(pupuk hayati 10 ml/l + NPK 6 g/polibag), h2 m1(pupuk hayati 20 ml/l + NPK 3,6 g/polibag), h2 m2(pupuk hayati 20 ml/l + NPK 4,8 g/polibag), h2 m3(pupuk hayati 20 ml/l + NPK 6 g/polibag), h3 m1(pupuk hayati 30 ml/l + NPK 3,6 g/polibag), h3 m2 (pupuk hayati 30 ml/l + NPK 4,8 g/polibag) dan h3 m3 (pupuk hayati 30 ml/l + NPK 6 g/polibag). Variabel yang diamati pada penelitian ini meliputi jumlah daun, berat segar tanaman, berat umbi, panjang umbi, diameter umbi dan berat kering tanaman. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan interaksi antara pupuk hayati 10 ml/L dan pupuk NPK 4,8 g/polibag terhadap variabel diameter umbi. Pemberian pupuk hayati berpengaruh nyata terhadap semua variabel kecuali pada variabel jumlah daun. Pemberian pupuk NPK memberikan pengaruh yang sama terhadap semua variabel kecuali pada variabel diameter umbi.Kata Kunci :Lobak, Pupuk Hayati, Pupuk NPK, Tanah Gambut

Tanaman tomat (Lycopersicum esculentum Mill.) merupakan salah satu tanaman komoditas hortikultura penting yang multiguna sebagai sayuran, minuman jus, bahan baku industri, kosmetika bahkan sebagai bahan obat-obatan. Pemanfaatan tanah gambut sebagai media tumbuh tanaman tomat dihadapkan pada beberapa kendala yaitu kandungan unsur hara dan pH (keasaman tanah) yang rendah yang dapat menghambat pertumbuhan tanaman tomat. Usaha yang dilakukan untuk mengatasi kendala tersebut antara lain dengan cara menambahkan abu serbuk kayu (yang diperoleh dari hasil pembakaran bahan serbuk gergaji) dan pemberian pupuk NPK. Penelitian ini bertujuan mendapatkan dosis interaksi abu serbuk kayu dan pupuk NPK untuk pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman tomat yang terbaik pada tanah gambut. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Jalan Sungai Raya Dalam Ujung, Dusun Parit Buluh, Kecamatan Sungai Kakap, Kabupaten Kubu Raya. Penelitian berlangsung dari tanggal 2 Maret 2022 sampai 27 Mei 2022. Penelitian ini menggunakan faktorial dengan pola Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) dua faktor perlakuan dan diperoleh 9 kombinasi perlakuan, setiap perlakuan terdiri dari 3 ulangan dan setiap unit perlakuan terdiri dari 4 tanaman sampel sehingga total tanaman adalah 108 tanaman. Faktor pertama terdiri dari abu serbuk kayu yang terdiri dari 3 taraf yaitu : b1 = 55,1 ton/ha, b2 = 76,7 ton/ha dan b3 = 98,2 ton/ha. Faktor kedua adalah pupuk NPK Mutiara (16-16-16) yang terdiri dari 3 taraf yaitu: k1 = 300 kg/ha, k2 = 450 kg/ha dan k3 = 600 kg/ha. Variabel yang diamati meliputi: tinggi tanaman, volume akar, berat kering tanaman, jumlah buah per tanaman, berat buah per tanaman dan berat buah per buah. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa tidak ada interaksi antara pemberian abu serbuk kayu dan pupuk NPK terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman tomat pada tanah gambut. Pemberian abu serbuk kayu 76,7 ton/ha dan pupuk NPK 450 kg/ha menunjukkan dosis yang efisien untuk pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman tomat pada tanah gambut.Kata Kunci : Abu Serbuk Kayu, Pupuk NPK, Tanah Gambut, Tomat

Bawang merah (Allium ascalonicum L.) merupakan salah satu komoditas tanaman hortikultura yang banyak dikonsumsi manusia sebagai campuran bumbu masak setelah cabe. Selain sebagai campuran bumbu masak, bawang merah juga dijual dalam bentuk olahan seperti ekstrak bawang merah, bubuk, minyak atsiri, bawang goreng bahkan sebagai bahan obat untuk menurunkan kadar kolesterol, gula darah, mencegah penggumpalan darah, menurunkan tekanan darah serta memperlancar aliran darah. Sebagai komoditas hortikultura yang banyak dikonsumsi masyarakat maka diperlukan upaya untuk meningkatkan produksi bawang merah, salah satunya adalah pemanfaatan lahan gambut sebagai areal tanam bawang merah. Tanah gambut memiliki beberapa masalah berupa rendahnya ketersediaan unsur hara, terutama kalium. Salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan untuk meningkatkan produktivitas lahan gambut adalah dengan pemberian pupuk kotoran sapi dan kalium. Tujuan penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui dosis interaksi pemberian pupuk kotoran sapi dan kalium terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman bawang merah pada tanah gambut. Metode penelitian menggunakan rancangan acak lengkap faktorial dengan faktor pertama adalah pupuk kotoran sapi dan faktor kedua adalah kalium. Hasil penelitian menunjukan bahwa tidak terdapat interaksi terhadap pemberian pupuk kotoran sapi dan kalium pada semua variabel pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman bawang merah pada tanah gambut.Kata Kunci : Bawang Merah, Gambut, Kalium, Pupuk Kotoran Sapi

Jagung manis dapat berproduksi dengan baik dilahan gambut apabila dilakukan perbaikan terhadap sifat-sifat kimia, fisika, dan biologi seperti peningkatan pH, pemupukan untuk meningkatkan ketersediaan hara, meningkatkan bobot isi, serta memperbaiki tingkat dekomposisi. Salah satu upaya yang dapat dilakukan dengan menggunakan pemupukan pupuk hayati. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui konsentrasi pupuk hayati yang terbaik untuk pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung manispada tanah gambut. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Kecamatan Pontianak Tenggara dari tanggal 08 Mei-17 Juli 2020. Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Kelompok (RAK) yang terdiri dari 5 taraf perlakuan konsentrasi pupuk hayati dan diulang sebanyak 5 kali, setiap ulangan terdiri dari 4 sampel tanaman maka jumlah tanaman adalah 100 tanaman. Perlakuan yang dimaksud adalah p0 = tanpa pemberian pupuk hayati, p1 = konsentrasi 2,5 ml/l, p2 = konsentrasi 5 ml/l, p3 = konsentrasi 7,5 ml/l, p4 = konsentrasi 10 ml/l. Variabel yang diamati pada penelitian ini adalah tinggi tanaman, jumlah daun, klorofil daun, volume akar, hasil per petak, berat tongkol dengan kelobot, berat tongkol tanpa kelobot, panjang tongkol, dan diameter tongkol. Hasil analisis keragaman pengaruh pupuk hayati terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung manis pada tanah gambut berpengaruh tidak nyata terhadap tinggi tanaman 4, 6, 8, mst, jumlah daun 4, 6, 8, mst klorofil daun, volume akar, hasil per petak, berat tongkol dengan kelobot, berat tongkol tanpa kelobot, panjang tongkol, dan diameter tongkol. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian yang sudah dilakukan maka dapat disimpulkan tidak ditemukan konsentrasi pupuk hayati yang terbaik untuk pertumbuhan dan hasil tanaman jagung manis pada tanah gambut.

Background. Epidural hematoma is intracranial hemorrhage, due to skull fracture caused by head injury which there is a blood accumulation between the layers of duramater and the skull. Objective. To determine the corellation of epidural hematoma trepanation respond time with outcome. Methods. This study is a retrospective observational analytic studies (cross sectional) with 30 samples taken in Saiful Anwar Hospital Malang from June to August 2012. The independent variable in this study is trepanation respond time that divided into trepanation respond time less than 6 hours, between 6-12 hours, between 12-18 hours, between 18-24 hours, and more than 24 hours while the dependent variable in this study is the outcome of the patient. Secondary data were taken using medical records. The data were analyzed using independent T-test, spearman correlation test, kruskall walis test, and ROC test with confidence level 95% (α=0.005). Results. The analysis shows a significant corelation between severe head injury epidural hematoma trepanation respond time with the outcome. Faster trepanation respond time will have better outcome. Conclusion. There is significant corelation between severe head injury epidural hematoma trepanation respond time with the outcome.

Gresik Regency is an industrial area which is also one of the famous tourist destinations in East Java with a variety of tourism potentials, namely natural tourism, cultural tourism and religious tourism. Religious tourism is spread across several regions in Gresik and is developed to increase regional income. These religious tourism objects include guardian tourism and some Islamic religious tourism. Tourism Sunan Giri and Maulana Malik Ibrahim are two religious tourism objects that are visited by many tourists and become an icon of Gresik City as the Tourism City of Wali. Surowiti Hill Tourism is one of the attractions in Gresik which consists of religious tourism objects consisting of Islamic tombs and religious leaders, and cave-shaped nature tourism. However, in its development, Bukit Surowiti Tourism, which is in contact with Bukit Jamur Tourism and Dalegan Beach Tourism, has not been optimally managed and promoted. This study aims to determine the potential of Surowiti Hill Tourism and then formulate a strategy for developing religious tourism.This research uses exploratory research methods with SWOT analysis techniques. Explorative research is carried out by searching and gathering information to formulate a hypothesis. Research factors and factors that are related to other factors are natural potential and ancestral heritage are Islamic leaders and tombs, as well as the emergence of well-known religious tourism such as Wali Sunan Giri and Maulana Malik Ibrahim Tourism, nature tourism such as Bukit Jamur Tourism and Dalegan Beach Tourism in Gresik , factors of weakness from weather demands, water supply and inadequate accessibility, and safety factors, the lack of community and government support, as well as the increasing industrial development in Gresik. Furthermore, the factors that are expected to be a reference and contribution to local governments in formulating strategies for developing religious tourism in Surowiti Hill.

Saat ini, perjudian sudah dalam tahap menghawatirkan. Perkembangan perjudian semakin cepat dan bervariasi, meskipun tindak pidana perjudian merupakan kegiatan terlarang dan dikenakan sanksi, namun tindak pidana ini sulit untuk diberantas. Berkaitan dengan mental masyarakat untuk mengejar materi dengan cara cepat dan mudah, sehingga masyarakat memilih perjudian sebagai alternatif mendapatkan materi dengan cepat. Penanggulangan tindak pidana perjudian harus dilakukan dengan usaha represif dan preventif. Keduanya harus berjalan seimbang. Perjudian dianggap suatu yang lumprah dalam masyarakat sehinga perlu dilakukan penyuluhan dan diperlukan efek jera bagi pelaku perjudian serta diperlukan efek takut untuk melakukan perjudian bagi mereka yang belum melakukan. Dalam sistem peradilan pidana Kepolisian adalah sebagai gatekeepers, sehingga memiliki peran sentral dalam penanggulangan perjudian. Sistem peradilan pidana dimulai dari Kepolisian, sehingga diperlukan usaha preventif dan represif untuk menanggulangi tindak pidana perjudian, karenakepolisian merupakan pihak yang dipercaya oleh masyrakat, sesuai dengan tugas dan fungsinya, maka pihak kepolisian harus mampu memberikan rasa aman dan perlindungan yang tepat bagi masyarakat. Kata Kunci : Perjudian, Polisi, Sistem Peradilan Pidana Abstract Currently, gambling is already in an alarming stage. Gambling developments accelerate and vary, although gambling is illegal and sanctioned, but this crime is difficult to eradicate. Relating to the mental community to pursue the material in a quick and easy way, so that people choose gambling as an alternative to get the material quickly. Penanggulangan gambling crime must be done with repressive and preventive efforts. Both must walk balanced. Gambling is considered a lumprah in the community so it needs to be done counseling and deterrent effect required for the perpetrators of gambling and fear effects required to do gambling for those who have not done. In the criminal justice system the Police is as gatekeepers, so it has a central role in the handling of gambling. The criminal justice system begins with the Police, so it is necessary to prevent and repressive efforts to overcome gambling crime, because police is a party trusted by society, in accordance with its duties and functions, the police should be able to provide a sense of security and appropriate protection for the community. Keywords: Gambling, Police, Criminal Justice System

For many threatened species the rate and drivers of population decline are difficult to assess accurately: species’ surveys are typically restricted to small geographic areas, are conducted over short time periods, and employ a wide range of survey protocols. We addressed methodological challenges for assessing change in the abundance of an endangered species. We applied novel methods for integrating field and interview survey data for the critically endangered Bornean orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus), allowing a deeper understanding of the species’ persistence through time. Our analysis revealed that Bornean orangutan populations have declined at a rate of 25% over the last 10 years. Survival rates of the species are lowest in areas with intermediate rainfall, where complex interrelations between soil fertility, agricultural productivity, and human settlement patterns influence persistence. These areas also have highest threats from human-wildlife conflict. Survival rates are further positively associated with forest extent, but are lower in areas where surrounding forest has been recently converted to industrial agriculture. Our study highlights the urgency of determining specific management interventions needed in different locations to counter the trend of decline and its associated drivers.

The peat waters area such as swamps, lakes and rivers, are essential habitat for many fish which consumed by Arut-Kumai residents who live in the city of Pangkalan Bun. Fish species diversity and its potential are not yet widely known, therefore it needs to be revealed. The research aims to reveal fish biodiversity and its potential in the peat waters of the Arut Lamandau-Kumai River Basin, west Kotawaringin Regency. The study was conducted in October-December 2017. Fish samples were captured by using cast net, gill nets, hooks and rods, fish traps. During the study period, a number of 95 fish species belonging to 50 genera, 23 families dan 6 orders were collected. The most common family was Cyprinidae, followed by Siluridae, Osphronemidae, Chanidae dan Bagridae. Dominant genera were Osteochilus and Rasbora, Kyrptopterus, Betta Channa. As many as 70 species as consumption fish, 53 species as ornamental fish, while 56 species have the potential as aquaculture fish. The fish habitat in the Arut-Lamandau river is a peat area that stretches in the buffer zone of the eastern part of the Lamandau River Wildlife Reserve, that has been transformed into an oil palm plantation. In addition, logging activity is occurred mainly in peat ecosystem areas in production forest areas. These activities are thought to cause a reduction fish population in Arut-Kumai peat waters.

The 36 meter SANS BATAN spectrometer (SMARTer) in Serpong Indonesia has been developed for simultaneous and automatic measurements. The existing motor controller of ISA (Industry Standard Architecture) interface was replaced by the programmable motor controller of PCI (Peripheral Component Interconnect) interface, since it has speed and interrupt-sharing advantages, to drive all stepper motors for collimator, pinhole, and detector movements of the spectrometer. The recent development makes all motors moved and controlled simultaneously in setting up the instrument configuration before performing the experiment. Along with that improvement, the data acquisition software has been also developed to drive the beam stopper movement in two directions as well as to read the absolute collimator and detector positions, to acquire neutron counts on the monitor and the main detector, and also to control automatically up to 12 sample positions of the sample changer. The collected neutron counts is displayed in real time on the main monitor window, and the counts is saved in a special format for further data reduction and analysis. The developed data acquisition software has been implemented and performed for experiment that use preset time or preset count mode, and the automatic sample changer. Received: 08 November 2013; Revised: 23 December 2013; Accepted: 27 December 2013

Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengetahui pengaruh kompos tandan kosong kelapa sawit terhadap pertumbuhan dan hasil lobak pada tanah aluvial. Penelitian dilaksanakan dikebun percobaan Fakultas Pertanian Universitas Tanjungpura, dilaksanakan pada tanggal 15 April 2014 sampai dengan tanggal 29 Mei 2014. Penelitian ini menggunakan Rancangan Acak Lengkap (RAL) yang terdiri dari 5 perlakuan dan 4 ulangan, setiap ulangan terdiri dari 4 sampel tanaman jadi terdapat 80 polibag tanaman. Perlakuan yang dimaksud adalah t1 = 5% bahan organik, t2 = 10 % bahan organik, t3 = 15% bahan organik, t4 = 20% bahan organik, t5 = 25% bahan organik. Variabel yang diamati dalam penelitian ini adalah jumlah daun (helai), berat basah bagian atas tanaman (g), berat basah umbi tanaman (g), panjang umbi tanaman (cm), diameter umbi tanaman (cm). Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pemberian kompos tandan kosong kelapa sawit, berpengaruh nyata terhadap variabel pengamatan jumlah daun pada minggu ke-4, ke-6, berat basah bagian atas tanaman, berat basah umbi pertanaman, panjang umbi pertanaman, dan diameter umbi pertanaman. Tetapi pemberian kompos tandan kosong kelapa sawit berpengaruh tidak nyata terhadap variabel pengamatan jumlah daun pada minggu ke-2. Pemberian 20% bahan organik memberikan pertumbuhan dan hasil lobak yang terbaik.Kata kunci : Aluvial, Kompos Tandan Kosong Kelapa Sawit, Lobak.

SMARTer, a 36 m small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) spectrometer owned by the National Nuclear Energy Agency of Indonesia (BATAN) was installed at the Neutron Scattering Laboratory (NSL) in Serpong, Indonesia. Lots of works on replacing, upgrading and improving the control system, experimental methods, data collection and reduction in the last two years have been carried out to optimize the performance of SMARTer. Some standard samples such as silver behenate, monodisperse polystyrene nanoparticle, porous silica and block copolymer PS-PEP film were measured for the inter-laboratory comparison.

A 36 m small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) spectrometer (SMARTer) has been installed at the end of a 49 m long neutron guide tube and located in the neutron guide hall at the Neutron Scattering Laboratory (NSL), Serpong, Indonesia. At present, this is the largest SANS spectrometer in the Asia–Pacific region and consists of an 18 m long tube collimation system and another 18 m long tube to accommodate a 128 × 128 3He two-dimensional position-sensitive detector. The detector can be moved continuously from 1.5 to 18 m and can be shifted laterally by 0.1 m to cover a large range of Q, where Q is the magnitude of the scattering vector given by Q = (4\pi /\lambda) \sin (\theta /2), θ is the scattering angle and λ is the wavelength. By selecting the rotational speed of the velocity selector, the incident thermal neutron beam will have a wavelength λ in the range 3–6 A and a Q range of 0.002–0.6 A−1. The maximum neutron flux at the sample position is 4 × 106 neutrons cm−2 s−1. Measurements of some standard samples using SMARTer are reported for inter-laboratory comparisons that show, for the first time, how SMARTer's capabilities compare with those of other prominent SANS instruments.

The Neutron Scattering Laboratory at Serpong is equipped with three diffractometers: a powder diffractometer (PD), a four circle diffractometer/texture diffractometer (FCD/TD) and a high resolution powder diffractometer (HRPD). The powder diffractometer (PD) was the first instrument installed (1987) by JICA/Japan and is situated in the reactor experimental hall (XHR) of the multi-purpose reactor (RSG) GA Siwabessy. The two others were installed in 1992 under phase III of the Sumitomo project, together with other neutron scattering instruments. In 1995 the PD instrument was modified to allow for residual stress measurements (RSM) in collaboration with the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute (JAERI). The detailed activities of this instrument are explained in elsewhere in this issue.

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) is an important technique in order to study both the structural and dynamical properties of a wide range of substances in soft condensed matter [1]. Soft condensed matter includes a large class of molecular masterials, i.e., polymers, liquid crystals, micellar solutions, microemulsions, and colloidal suspensions, as well as biological materials, e.g., membranes, vesicles, proteins, enzymes, etc. These substances are interesting both for basic research and commercially as functional materials. Since the complexity of the structures of soft condensed matter systems for some applications will increase in the future, it is posing challenging problems to basic science. Herewith, the SANS technique, which is one of the advanced tools to investigate the static and dynamic structures of soft condensed matter systems, will be described intensively for a wide variety of experiments, including in-situ measurements.

The interest in the utilization of a neutron beam as a probe for investigation of the dynamical behavior of condensed systems is justified by the fact that thermal neutrons coming out from a research reactor and thermal motions of the atoms in the matter have associated momentum and energies lying in the same ranges of values. Easily observable changes of the dynamical state of the neutron may then result from a scattering process. The measurement of the momentum and energy transferred by the neutron to the crystal, or vice versa, directly leads to the knowledge of the corresponding quantities associated with the elementary excitations of matter. Such knowledge, when analyzed in conjunction with the techniques of the Fourier transforms, may conduct to a detailed space-time description of the scatterer on a microscopic scale [1–5].

Folic acid deficiency during conception up to the end of the third month of gestation is believed to play the most important factor in neural tube defects (NTDs). However, the exact molecular mechanism remains to be elucidated. It has been suggested that transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta1) and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) play a critical role in supporting bone formation. Therefore, folic acid deficiency may contribute to NTD occurrence via decreased TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 expression. This study aimed to determine the correlation between folic acid deficiency and the expression of TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 in rat skull bone. Thirty female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into three groups. Purified diet containing 5 (restricted), 15 (low) and 30 microg (normal) of folic acid was given to the first, second and third groups, respectively. At 16 weeks of a given diet, blood samples were taken to examine folic acid (folate immunoassay method), TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method) levels. After forced mating, on the 18th-19th day of gestation (E18-19), the pregnant rats were subjected to hysterectomy. The skull bone samples of E18-19 rats were taken to examine the TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 protein expression by immunohistochemistry. The folic acid-restricted diet (5 microg) resulted in decreased serum TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 levels. Furthermore, protein expression of TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 in E18-19 rat skull bones was also significantly lower in the folic acid-restricted diet than in the normal diet. Folic acid deficiency could result in reduction of TGF-beta1 and IGF-1 protein levels and might contribute to formation of defects in the skull bone as observed in mengingocele patients.

The geographic distribution of Bornean orang-utans and its overlap with existing land-use categories (protected areas, logging and plantation concessions) is a necessary foundation to prioritize conservation planning. Based on an extensive orang-utan survey dataset and a number of environmental variables, we modelled an orang-utan distribution map. The modelled orang-utan distribution map covers 155,106 km(2) (21% of Borneo's landmass) and reveals four distinct distribution areas. The most important environmental predictors are annual rainfall and land cover. The overlap of the orang-utan distribution with land-use categories reveals that only 22% of the distribution lies in protected areas, but that 29% lies in natural forest concessions. A further 19% and 6% occurs in largely undeveloped oil palm and tree plantation concessions, respectively. The remaining 24% of the orang-utan distribution range occurs outside of protected areas and outside of concessions. An estimated 49% of the orang-utan distribution will be lost if all forest outside of protected areas and logging concessions is lost. To avoid this potential decline plantation development in orang-utan habitats must be halted because it infringes on national laws of species protection. Further growth of the plantation sector should be achieved through increasing yields in existing plantations and expansion of new plantations into areas that have already been deforested. To reach this goal a large scale island-wide land-use masterplan is needed that clarifies which possible land uses and managements are allowed in the landscape and provides new standardized strategic conservation policies. Such a process should make much better use of non-market values of ecosystem services of forests such as water provision, flood control, carbon sequestration, and sources of livelihood for rural communities. Presently land use planning is more driven by vested interests and direct and immediate economic gains, rather than by approaches that take into consideration social equity and environmental sustainability.

A 36 m Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) Spectrometer (SMARTer) has been installed in Serpong, Indonesia in 1992. As time goes by, the original main computer was out of order and the instrument had not been operated since 2003. In order to activate the SMARTer, in the year 2005, a work on designing and constructing a new control system for SMARTer was carried out. The main component of this control system is a programmable peripheral I/O (IC PPI 8255) and was assembled as a plug-in board at an ISA slot of a personal computer. An IC PPI 8255 was programmed to control the mechanical movements of the instrument’s components: four neutron guide tubes, six pinholes collimator, a detector and a beam stopper. The test either with or without neutron beam has shown that this control system can be implemented for the mechanical movements of SMARTer. Error of moving the detector in the distance range of 1.5 m – 18 m is only 1 mm and the other movements have no error at all (precise).