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A study was conducted to assess the genetic diversity among Simmental Cross cattle in West Sumatra using microsatellite DNA markers. A total of 176 individual cattle blood samples was used for obtaining DNA samples. Twelve primers of microsatellite loci as recommended by FAO were used to identify the genetic diversity of the Simmental Cross cattle population. Multiplex DNA fragment analysis method was used for allele identification. All the microsatellite loci in this study were highly polymorphic and all of the identified alleles were able to classify the cattle population into several groups based on their genetic distance. The heterozygosity values of microsatellite loci in this study ranged from 0.556 to 0.782. The polymorphism information content (PIC) value of the 12 observed loci is high (PIC>0.5). The highest PIC value in the Simmental cattle population was 0.893 (locus TGLA53), while the lowest value was 0.529 (locus BM1818). Based on the genetic distance value, the subpopulation of the Simmental Cross-Agam and the Simmental Cross-Limapuluh Kota was exceptionally close to the Simmental Purebred thus indicating that a grading-up process has taken place with the Simmental Purebred. In view of the advantages possessed by the Simmental Cross cattle and the evaluation of the genetic diversity results, a number of subpopulations in this study can be considered as the initial (base) population for the Simmental Cross cattle breeding programs in West Sumatra, Indonesia.

Upon topical administration, a high penetration rate of antifungal drug into the infected site is desirable to reduce treatment length and systemic side effects which occur especially after a prolonged peroral administration. Thermogelling formulations composed of poloxamer 407, medium chain triglycerides, isopropyl alcohol, dimethyl isosorbide, and water for topical application were developed, and a lipophilic drug terbinafine HCl (TBF) was incorporated. Previously, a remarkable high permeation rate of a hydrophilic drug 5-aminolevulinic acid from this vehicle was evident compared to different creams from German Pharmacopoeia. By varying the composition of vehicle constituents, a broad range of consistencies and appearances was obtained. Up to 4% TBF could be solubilized in the vehicle. TBF fluxes at steady state across human stratum corneum from these formulations were higher than those from the German Pharmacopoeia Basiscreme Deutscher Arzneimittel Codex and a marketed product at similar concentration of 1%. TBF fluxes increased along with a higher content of TBF in the formulation. The amount of TBF retained in stratum corneum was higher compared to those from both standards of comparison (p < 0.01). The thermodynamic activity of TBF in the thermogelling formulation was lower compared to those in other formulations. Therefore, the nature of the vehicle and its interaction with TBF are suggested to play a significant role in explaining higher fluxes along with higher TBF content. Differential scanning calorimetry measurements revealed comparable T2 and T3 endothermic shifts from all examined formulations suggesting equal influences to the skin lipids.

MgB2 superconductor is a superconductor with a critical temperature of around 39K and has the potential to replace Nb3Sn and NbTi as superconducting coils to produce high magnetic fields. In this study, monofilament wires have been made to analyze the doping effect of SiC and Carbon Nanotubes (CNT) in its manufacture using Powder-In-Tube (PIT) method. Stainless Steel (SS-316) tube was used as a tube filled with powders of starting materials of Mg, B, SiC and CNT. A total of 8 samples were prepared with variations in the addition of SiC, and CNT as much as 5, 10, and 15 wt %, and also the variations in the addition of Mg composition by 0 and 10 mol % from normal stoichiometric values. The samples were rolled and sintered at 800°C for 3 hours. The samples then were analyzed using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) to analyze the surface morphology, XRD (X-Ray Diffractometer) to analyze the formed phases and crystal structures, and then resistivity versus temperature using cryogenic systems to analyze their superconductivity properties. Based on the results of the XRD analysis, the MgB2 phase is the major phase in the samples and the SiC doping causes the formation of minor phases of Mg2Si and Fe3C. The addition of SiC causes a decrease in crystalline properties of the MgB2 phase due to reaction with SiC, while the addition of CNT does not cause the formation of a new phase. Based on the results of the analysis of resistance versus temperature, it is seen that the addition of SiC causes a decrease in TC value. While the addition of CNT causes the improvement in the nature of superconductivity, but it also causes the decrease of its TC values.