Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) leads to inflammation, fibrosis and destruction of the renal architecture. Centella asiatica (CeA) is an herbaceous plant with antiinflammatory effects. We aimed to elucidate the effect of CeA on inflammation, fibrosis, vascular remodelling and antifibrotic substances in a 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (SN) model in mice. Methods: Mice were divided into three groups: sham operation (SO, n = 6), 5/6 SN for seven days (SN7, n = 7) and SN7 with oral CeA treatment (SN7-CeA, n = 7). At day 7, mice were euthanised, kidneys were harvested and stained with periodic-acid Schiff (for tubular injury and glomerulosclerosis) and sirius red (for fibrosis and vascular remodeling) staining. mRNA expression of prepro-endothelin-1, nephrin, E-cadherin, bone morphogenic protein-7 (BMP-7), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), tumour necrosis factor-α (TNFα) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) were quantified using reverse transcriptase-PCR. Results: SN group demonstrated significant higher interstitial fibrosis, vascular remodeling, tubular injury and glomerulosclerosis (P < 0.01) compared to SO group. Meanwhile, in SN7-CeA demonstrated attenuation of vascular remodeling as shown by significant higher lumen area with lower Wall/Lumen area ratio compared to SN7. RT-PCR analysis showed up-regulation of nephrin, BMP-7 and E-cadherin mRNA expression (P < 0.05) and down-regulation of ppET-1 in SN7-CeA group compared to SN7 group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: CeA may ameliorate renal injury in the SN model in mice.

Introduction: Obesity has been demonstrated to induce oxidative stress and inflammation processes that lead to senescence. Obesity-induced cellular senescence in the brain is still widely investigated. This study aimed to investigate the expression of senescence markers in the frontal lobes of obese rats. Methods: Three groups of rats: control, Obese-2 (Ob-2), and Obese-4 (Ob-4) were observed. Control rats were fed with a standard diet for one month. In contrast, Ob-2 and Ob-4 rats were fed with a high-fat diet daily for two and four months, respectively. After being sacrificed, the rats’ brains were dissected out then the frontal lobes were used for RNA extraction. Reverse transcriptase PCR of p-16, p-21, and beta-actin was performed to investigate the relative expression of the senescence markers. Results: Ob-2 and Ob-4 groups had significantly increased body weight after being fed with a high-fat diet for two and four months, respectively. The mRNA expressions of p-16 and p-21 in the frontal lobes of three groups showed similar patterns. The ob-4 group had the highest mRNA expressions of both p-16 and p-21. In comparison to control and Ob-2 groups, the mRNA expressions of p-16 and p-21 were markedly increased. Furthermore, the mRNA expressions of p-16 and p-21 between control and Ob-2 groups were comparable. Conclusion: Increased senescence markers in the rats’ frontal lobes were observed as the chronic effect of obesity.

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) leads to microvascular injury development and produces diabetes nephropathy (DN) with proteinuria, tubular injury, apoptosis and autophagy with upregulation of Bax, BASP and mTORC-1. Megalin, Cubilin and Neutrophil Gelatinase Associated Lipocalin (NGAL) play role in acute pathological condition of kidney injury, however its expression in chronic and slowly progressive kidney injury such as DN has not been elucidated yet. This study focuses upregulation of Megalin, Cubilin and NGAL in association with tubular injury and apoptosis in DN condition. Materials and methods: Diabetic condition was performed with intraperitoneal injection of Streptozotocin 60 mg/kg body weight (BW) in Sprague Dawley rats (2 months old, n=24), and were kept for 1, 2, and 4 months (DM1, DM2, and DM4, respectively). Control group was injected with NaCl 0.9%. Serum glucose level and proteinuria score were assessed, furthermore tubular injury score was quantified based on Periodic-Acid Schiff (PAS) staining. Reverse Transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) was carried out for NGAL, Megalin, Cubilin, m-TOR, Bax, and BASP-1 mRNA expression. Data were analyzed using SPSS 22 software. Results: DM led to kidney injury in this model with significant higher glucose level, proteinuria and tubular injury, especially in DM4 group which represented chronic phase of DN and CKD. These findings associated with upregulation of Megalin,Cubilin and NGAL mRNA expression in DM groups, especially in DM4 group. DM4 group also revealed higher expression of Bax, BASP and mTOR mRNA expression which demonstrated apoptosis. Conclusion: Megalin, Cubilin and NGAL upregulation may represent tubular injury and apoptosis as progression of DN.

Introduction: During the Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, online learning has become an important strategy in the implementation of nursing education, in order to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 transmission in the education sector. This study aimed to assess: (i) the correlation between self-efficacy and psychological distress; (ii) the correlation between self-efficacy and online learning readiness; and (iii) the correlation between psychological distress and online learning readiness among nursing students in Indonesia. Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from October until December 2020, and involved 500 nursing students from 3 universities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia who were recruited using consecutive sampling methods. The instruments used in this study were: 1) the 10-item Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K-10) to assess the psychological distress, 2) Online Learning Self-Efficacy Scale (OLSES) to assess online learning self-efficacy, and 3) Student Online Learning Readiness (SOLR) to assess online learning readiness. Spearman’s rank test was used to analyze the correlation between online learning self-efficacy, psychological distress, and online learning readiness. Results: Most of the nursing students (70.6%) had psychological distress ranging from mild to severe distress. The self-efficacy had an inverse correlation with psychological distress (Rho=-0.488, p=0.001). Contrarily, self-efficacy was positively correlated with online learning readiness (Rho=0.708, P=0.001). Psychological distress was inversely correlated with online learning readiness (Rho=-0.423, p=0.001). Conclusion: Online learning self-efficacy and psychological distress are significantly correlated with online learning readiness. Strategies to increase self-efficacy and ameliorates psychological distress, such as appropriate online learning training, adequate technical assistance, and psychological support were required to improve students’ online learning readiness.

Introduction: Kidney ischemic-reperfusion injury (IRI) is the main cause of acute kidney injury (AKI) which leads to the inflammation epithelial apoptosis and interstitial fibrosis as the chronic consequenses. Centella asiatica (CeA) has been known to have various pharmacological effects such as, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-fibrosis, and, anti-apoptosis. We aimed to elucidate the role of CeA in inhibiting kidney injury and infammatory mediators due to kidney IRI. Methods: Kidney IRI were performed with bilateral renal pedicles clamping in Swiss background mice (3 months-old, 30-40 grams) for 30 minutes (IR group, n=6), then terminated at day 7 after operation. At the next day, the mice that have been underwent bilateral kidney IRI were administered per-orally with ethanolic extract of CeA (210 mg/kg of BW, CeA1 group, n=6, and 420 mg/kg of BW, CeA2 group, n=6). The Sham Operation (SO group, n=6) was used as control. At the day 7 after the surgery, the mice were sacrificed and the kidneys were harvested. The kidney was used to assess tubular injury, interstitial fibrosis, and macrophage number, and another kidney was used to assess the mRNA expression of TLR4. Data were quantified using SPSS 22. Results: Kidney IRI produced significantly higher tubular injury, interstitial fibrosis and macrophage number (p<0.05) compared to SO with upregulating TLR4 mRNA expression (p<0.05). CeA treatment attenuated the tubular injury, interstitial fibrosis, macrophage number, and TLR4 mRNA expression which obviously shown in higher-dose of CeA (p<0.05). Conclusion: CeA ameliorates tubular injury, kidney fibrosis, and inflammatory mediators due to kidney IRI.

Introduction: Myofibroblast formation in the interstitial area is the hallmark of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Endothelin signalling has been known to play role in physiology and pathophysiology in the kidney. Vitamin D has a reno-protective effect through inhibiting inflammation and fibrosis. However, the interaction between vitamin D and endothelin signalling in the CKD model has not been elucidated yet. Therefore, we aimed to check the difference impact of endothelin (ET) receptor in CKD. Methods: Sprague Dawley rats (3-months-old, 150-250grams) underwent 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (SN) to induce CKD. Then, it was divided into 4 groups (each contains 6 rats): sham operation (SO), 5/6 subtotal nephrectomy (SN), calcitriol groups (0.01µg/100grBW/day (SN-D1), and 0.05µg/100grBW/day (SN-D2). Calcitriol was administered for 14 days after the surgery. The Sham Operation (SO) group was injected with NaCl. At the specified date, the rats were sacrificed and the kidneys were harvested. Fibrosis was quantified based on Sirius Red staining. Immunostaining was done for localizing fibroblast (PDGFRβ). The mRNA expressions of prepro-ET-1, endothelin receptor A (ETAR), endothelin receptor B (ETBR), and endothelial nitrite oxide synthase (eNOS) were quantified using reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR). Results: The CKD promotes an elevation of prepro-ET-1, ETBR, and eNOS, and reduction of ETAR (p<0.05) mRNA expression compared to the SO group. Administration of calcitriol (SN-D1 and SN-D2) showed the vice versa effects. However, only SN-D2 group consistently showed statistically significant differences whenever compared to either SO or SN groups. Conclusion: Calcitriol might attenuate interstitial fibrosis in CKD model via ET-1/eNOS signalling.

Introduction: Personal preventive behaviors was cited as effective strategy to prevent the SARS-CoV-2 transmissions. When vaccine become available, preventive behavior must still be implemented to significantly decreased the COVID-19 infection risk in the emergence of novel SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern with immune escape phenotype. The Health Belief Model (HBM) is the most widely recognized behaviour theory, but its capacity to predict the preventive behaviours have been inconsistent. This study aimed to assess predictors adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviour among nursing students based on HBM during the second wave of COVID-19 in Indonesia. Methods: An online cross-sectional study was conducted from May to September 2021. Undergraduate nursing students (n=1,413) from 10 universities in Indonesia was recruited using consecutive sampling. Online self-administered questionnaire was used to collect the data. Binary logistic regression was employed to analyse the association between sociodemographic and HBM construct with adherence to preventive behaviors. Results: Most of the students (n=804; 56.9 %) had poor adherence to COVID-19 preventive behaviors, and poor physical distancing identified as the most dominant non-adherence type (n=774; 54.8 %). First year students (AOR=1.313; 95%CI: 1.020-1.690), low perceived susceptibility (AOR=1.530; 95%CI: 1.193-1.962), low perceived severity (AOR= 1.756; 95%CI: 1.337- 2.307), low perceived effectiveness (AOR=1.910; 95%CI: 1.315-2.777), and low self-efficacy (AOR=4.795; 95%CI: 3.566-6.447) significantly associated with poor adherence (p<0.05). Nagelkerke R square value was 0.313 suggesting that the whole model explained 31.3% of variance in adherence. Conclusion: Intervention that targeting health belief model could be useful to increased adherence level to COVID-19 preventive measures among nursing students.