Anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol and oligostilbenes from Vitis thunbergii var. taiwaniana against lipopolysaccharide-induced arthritis

Vitis thunbergii Sieb. and Zucc. var. taiwaniana Lu is an endemic plant in Taiwan used as a dietary supplement for bone health. In this study, human chondrocytes were induced to produce COX-2, MMP-3, -13, and PGE(2) by LPS. An (18)F-FDG microPET imaging system was used to evaluate the anti-inflammatory arthritic effects in vivo. Six stilbenes, resveratrol (1), (+)-ε-viniferin (2), ampelopsin C (3), ampelopsin A (4), (-)-vitisin B (5), and (+)-vitisin A (6), were isolated from the stem part of V. thunbergii, which displayed the strongest PGE(2) inhibition. Among these compounds, 1 significantly decreased COX-2 activity, PGE(2), MMP-3, and -13 production in vitro, and (18)F-FDG uptake and serum PGE(2) in rabbits in vivo. Anti-inflammatory effects were enhanced through the combined usage of 1 and other oligostilbenes. Taken together, the synergistic effects of 1 and oligostilbenes resulted in stem part extracts with lower 1 content displaying the better anti-inflammatory arthritis effects.     

Effects of whey protein concentrate (WPC) on the distributions of lymphocyte subpopulations in rats with excessive alcohol intake

To investigate the effects of whey protein concentrate (WPC) on antioxidant statuses and the lymphocyte subpopulations in the rats with alcohol intake, the antioxidant statuses in the peripheral blood (PB) and the lymphocyte subpopulations in the PB, spleen, and bone marrow (BM) of the rats fed with WPC (0.334 g/kg) and alcohol (6 g/kg) for 3 months were analyzed. Results showed that the effects of WPC on the glutathione peroxidase and glutathione in the PB, the T and B cells in the spleen, and the B cells in the BM were more apparent in the rats with alcohol intake; however, they are not apparent in the controls. Taken together, our results indicated that the immunity of rats might be enhanced by the increased antioxidant ability after WPC supplementation and the effects of WPC on the lymphocyte subpopulations were mainly in the spleen and BM and not in the PB.     

Taste quality of monascal adlay

Monascus purpureus was inoculated into cooked adlay, and a new product was produced after fungal fermentation. Contents of crude ash, fat, fiber, and protein in the inoculated products [monascal polished adlay (MPA) and monascal dehulled adlay (MDA)] were much higher than those in the uninoculated controls [polished adlay (PA) and dehulled adlay (DA)]. Only carbohydrate content was notably higher in DA and PA. The three soluble sugars and polyol found were arabitol, galactose, and glucose. The contents of total soluble sugars and polyol were in the descending order of DA approximately PA (79.6 and 79.1 mg/g, respectively) > MDA (59.8 mg/g) > MPA (53.5 mg/g). The total free amino acid contents ranged from 8.60 to 14.11 mg/g and occurred in the descending order of MDA approximately MPA > DA > PA. Contents of bitter components (4.07-7.61 mg/g) were high as compared to monosodium glutamate-like and sweet components, in the descending order of MDA approximately MPA > DA > PA. No flavor 5'-nucleotides were found. On the basis of the results obtained, monascal adlay products might give a bitter perception.     

台湾农村生活废水之水质特性及其影响研究

本研究之目的乃以桃园灌区农村生活废水为对象,调查其水质特性受季节变化之影响等,并与桃园大圳第二支线上游之灌溉水质进行比较。结果显示,农村生活废水的各项水质浓度与社区户数间并没有一致性存在,而是与社区规划、社区生活形态有关。其中,若因洗车、花园浇灌水等的稀释作用较小时,社区生活废水的化学需氧量约为 159～563mg/L、总氮 15～68mg/L,总磷 0.6～5.7mg/L。在季节变化的影响方面,发现生活废水中的 pH值乃随雨季初期→中期→末期而逐渐降低;电导度、生化需氧量、有机氮、凯氏氮及总氮的平均污染浓度则随雨季初期→中期→末期的顺序而升高;至于化学需氧量、氨氮、硝酸盐氮、亚硝酸盐氮及总磷,是以雨季中期之污染值最高。最后,研究指出,农村生活废水的污染浓度非常高,其中,电导度是桃园大圳第二支线上游灌溉水质的 2.2倍,化学需氧量为 22.5倍,生化需氧量 45.6倍,氨氮 2.2倍,有机氮 122.4倍,凯氏氮 44.0倍,亚硝酸盐氮 2.4倍,总氮 14.3倍及总磷 128.3倍。因此,若不慎将生活废水排入灌溉水道,将严重影响灌溉水的品质。     

Cloning and characterization of monacolin K biosynthetic gene cluster from Monascus pilosus

Monacolin K is a secondary metabolite synthesized by polyketide synthases (PKS) from Monascus, and it has the same structure as lovastatin, which is mainly produced by Aspergillus terreus. In the present study, a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clone, mps01, was screened from the BAC library constructed from Monascus pilosus BCRC38072 genomic DNA. The putative monacolin K biosynthetic gene cluster was found within a 42 kb region in the mps01 clone. The deduced amino acid sequences encoded by the nine genes designated as mokA- mokI, which share over 54% similarity with the lovastatin biosynthetic gene cluster in A. terreus, were assumed to be involved in monacolin K biosynthesis. A gene disruption construct designed to replace the central part of mokA, a polyketide synthase gene, in wild-type M. pilosus BCRC38072 with a hygromycin B resistance gene through homologous recombination, resulted in a mokA-disrupted strain. The disruptant did not produce monacolin K, indicating that mokA encoded the PKS responsible for monacolin K biosynthesis in M. pilosus BCRC38072.     

Using Seven Types of GM (1, 1) Model to Forecast Hourly Particulate Matter Concentration in Banciao City of Taiwan

In this study, seven types of first-order and one-variable grey differential equation model (abbreviated as GM (1, 1) model) were used to predict hourly particulate matter (PM) including PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 concentrations in Banciao City of Taiwan. Their prediction performance was also compared. The results indicated that the minimum mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), mean squared error (MSE), root mean squared error (RMSE), and maximum correlation coefficient (R) was 14.10%, 25.62, 5.06, and 0.96, respectively, when predicting PM₁₀. When predicting PM_2.5, the minimum MAPE, MSE, RMSE, and maximum R value of 15.24%, 11.57, 3.40, and 0.93, respectively, could be achieved. All statistical values revealed that the predicting performance of GM (1, 1, x ⁽⁰⁾), GM (1, 1, a), and GM (1, 1, b) outperformed other GM (1, 1) models. According to the results, it revealed that GM (1, 1) GM (1, 1) was an efficiently early warning tool for providing PM information to the inhabitants.     

Decomposition of Gaseous Acetone in an Annular Photoreactor Coated with TiO2 Thin Film

Photocatalytic decomposition of gaseous acetone was studied with a fixed-bed annular reactor using TiO₂ as the photocatalyst. The relation of UV light intensity to the reaction rate was found to be roughly first-ordered. The decomposition of acetone was obviously enhanced with increasing retention time. Removal of acetone was slightly increased with the relative humidity for experiments conducted with relative humidity below 20%. However, the removal of acetone was decreased drastically with relative humidity for experiments conducted with relative humidity greater than 20%. Decomposition of acetone was promoted considerably with increasing oxygen concentration for experiments conducted with oxygen less than 200,000 ppmv, yet the decomposition of acetone was kept relatively constant for experiments conducted with oxygen above 200,000 ppmv. Based on the mass balance for carbon species, the amount of organic intermediates formed for experiments conducted under various conditions were found to be minimal. Experimental results for the decomposition of gaseous acetone by UV/TiO₂ process can be adequately described by the developed two-site Langmuir–Hinshelwood (L–H) kinetic model.     

THE ARTIFICIAL PROPAGATION AND CULTURE OF BEAR SHRIMP,Penaeus semisulcatus de HAAN,IN HONG KONG

Penaeus semisulcatus (bear shrimp) was used for biological and culture studies. A peak of reproductive periodicity was shown in the months of May, June and July. Increase in body weight and in gonad weight coincided with the increase in sea water temperature. This suggested that sexual maturation might be a direct response to increased sea water temperature. Fecundity of mature female shrimp was estimated as 415,000 to 479,000 ova. In most cases, half-spent spawnings led to the production of poor eggs, characterized by irregular cytoplasmic formation and final autolysis. The embryonic and larval development of P. semisulcatus proceeded satisfactorily in a slightly alkaline medium (pH range from 7.5–8.5), and in water of salinity ranging from 28 to 35 ppt for egg and nauplius stages, and thereafter 25–35 ppt for zoea and mysis stages. The shrimps exhibited faster increase in body length than body weight in early growth. Later, after the shrimps had reached a body length of about 7.0 cm, the growth rate of body weight increased more markedly than body length. The rate of daily increase in weight was 1.01% in 7.0 cm shrimp. The feed efficiency of the formulated shrimp pellets was found to be 31.4%. During the nutritional study of P. semisulcatus, it was found that the combination of high dietary protein (about 40%) and low dietary lipid produced best growth and survival of bear shrimp. High increase of biomass of the shrimp fed with clam meat and high quality fish meal demonstrated the favorable response of shrimp to these diets. The use of cages for culturing bear shrimp was found to be practicable, but not efficient.