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Variations in the level of quality and extractive nitrogenous components were investigated in the fresh muscle and commercial dried products of rabbitfish Siganus fuscescens collected from Penghu, ...

In Taiwan, over 80% of home caregivers have experienced musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) in the past year. Although MSDs in health care workers have been discussed in existing literature (e.g., in nursing staff), there is limited understanding of the association between MSD and the work content of home caregivers. This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the work content and MSD of home caregivers. This cross-sectional study was conducted in long-term care units in central Taiwan. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data, including basic information, work content survey, and information from the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Logistic regression analysis was used to examine the association between work content and MSD. A total of 149 home caregivers with a mean age of approximately 50.97 ± 9.80 years were recruited for the study. The frequency of transfer of toilet and wheelchair was significantly associated with shoulder discomfort, upper back discomfort, and wrists/hands discomfort. In addition, the frequency of passive range of motion exercise was significantly associated with elbows discomfort. The results of this study indicated that the highest risk factor for MSD was transfer of toilet and wheelchair followed by passive range of motion exercise.

Pyridoxal phosphate (PLP)–dependent α-oxoamine synthases are generally believed to be responsible for offloading and elongating polyketides or catalysing the condensation of amino acids and acyl-CoA thioester substrates, such as serine into sphingolipids and cysteate into sulfonolipids. Previously, we discovered vitroprocines, which are tyrosine- and phenylalanine-polyketide derivatives, as potential new antibiotics from the genus Vibrio. Using bioinformatics analysis, we identified putative genes of PLP-dependent enzyme from marine Vibrio sp. QWI-06, implying a capability to produce amino-polyketide derivatives. One of these genes was cloned, and the recombinant protein, termed Vibrio sp. QWI-06 α-oxoamine synthases-1 (VsAOS1), was overexpressed for structural and biochemical characterisation. The crystal structure of the dimeric VsAOS1 was determined at 1.8-A resolution in the presence of L-glycine. The electron density map indicated a glycine molecule occupying the pyridoxal binding site in one monomer, suggesting a snapshot of the initiation process upon the loading of amino acid substrate. In mass spectrometry analysis, VsAOS1 strictly acted to condense L-glycine with C12 or C16 acyl-CoA, including unsaturated acyl analogue. Furthermore, a single residue replacement of VsAOS1 (G243S) allowed the enzyme to generate sphingoid derivative when L-serine and lauroyl-CoA were used as substrates. Our data elucidate the mechanism of substrate binding and selectivity by the VsAOS1 and provide a thorough understanding of the molecular basis for the amino acid preference of AOS members.

Microwave-assisted induction heating (MAIH) is an emerging alternative technology for shrimp cooking over traditional heating technologies. This study evaluated the effect of the MAIH and boiling in salt solution on the quality and shelf life of prepackaged Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei stored at 4 °C in Taiwan. Samples were treated for 80 s at 130 °C or for 100 s at 90 °C with the MAIH technology, and 130 s at 90 °C with boiling in salt solution, respectively. Cooked shrimps were stored 28 days at 4 °C to determine changes in aerobic plate count (APC), psychrotrophic bacteria count (PBC), color, texture, pH, and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN). Results showed that the levels of APC and PBC were not detectable (

Elevation is one of key factors to affect changes in the environment, particularly changes in conditions of light, water and heat. Studying the soil physicochemical properties and vegetation structure along an elevation gradient is important for understanding the responses of alpine plants and their growing environment to climate change. In this study, we studied plant coverage, plant height, species richness, soil water-holding capacity, soil organic carbon (SOC) and total nitrogen (N) on the northern slopes of the Qilian Mountains at elevations from 2124 to 3665 m. The following conclusions were drawn: (1) With the increase of elevation, plant coverage and species richness first increased and then decreased, with the maximum values being at 3177 m. Plant height was significantly and negatively correlated with elevation (r=–0.97, P

The chemical composition, nutrition, and flavor components of various giant grouper tissues were determined. The muscle protein content was about 20%, and the muscle fat content was in the range of 3.9–6.4%, which is higher than that of most other groupers. The bone had the highest fat value (12.5–14.2%). The major nucleotide-related compound in the tissues was inosine monophosphate (IMP); whereas in the skin, adenosine monophosphate (AMP) was predominant. The predominant free amino acid (FAA) in the tissues was taurine (Tau), followed by arginine (Arg), lysine (Lys), and glycine (Gly). Tau content was higher in chin meat, and lower in bone. The total peptide content was in the range of 660–1,390 mg/100 g, which was much higher than that observed in other fish species. Muscle was rich in C16:0, C18:0, C18:1, and omega-3 highly unsaturated fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA).

Proximate compositions of dorsal, ventral, leg, and tail cuts of farmed spectacled caiman (Caiman crocodilus) were determined. The water, protein, fat, and ash contents of muscle were 77–78%, 19–23...

Tons of grape pomace which still contained a rich amount of plant polyphenols, is discarded after winemaking. Plant polyphenols have multi‐functional activities for human body. In this study, polyphenols of pomaces from Muscadinia rotundifolia“Noble” and Vitis vinifera“Cabernet Sauvignon” were extracted and fractionated, and then they were analyzed with LC‐MS and the inhibitory effects on breast cancer cells were compared. The inhibition on MDA‐MB‐231 cells of fractions from “Noble” was further evaluated. The results showed that polyphenols from 2 grape pomaces could be separated into 3 fractions, and ellagic acid and/or ellagitannins were only detected in fractions from “Noble” pomace. All 3 fractions from “Noble” pomace inhibited MDA‐MB‐231 better than MCF‐7. But fraction 2 from “Cabernet Sauvignon” inhibited MCF‐7 better while fraction 1 and fraction 3 inhibited both 2 cells similarly. Moreover, the fractions from “Noble” pomace rather than “Cabernet Sauvignon” can inhibit MDA‐MB‐231 better. Finally, fractions from “Noble” pomace can induce S‐phase arrest and apoptosis on MDA‐MB‐231. These findings suggested the extracts from grape pomace especially those from “Noble,” are potential to be utilized as health beneficial products or even anti‐breast cancer agents.

Recombinant vitronectin-grafted hydrogels were developed by adjusting surface charge of the hydrogels with grafting of poly-l-lysine for optimal culture of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) under xeno- and feeder-free culture conditions, with elasticity regulated by crosslinking time (10-30 kPa), in contrast to conventional recombinant vitronectin coating dishes, which have a fixed stiff surface (3 GPa). hESCs proliferated on the hydrogels for over 10 passages and differentiated into the cells derived from three germ layers indicating the maintenance of pluripotency. hESCs on the hydrogels differentiated into cardiomyocytes under xeno-free culture conditions with much higher efficiency (80% of cTnT+ cells) than those on conventional recombinant vitronectin or Matrigel-coating dishes just only after 12 days of induction. It is important to have an optimal design of cell culture biomaterials where biological cues (recombinant vitronectin) and physical cues (optimal elasticity) are combined for high differentiation of hESCs into specific cell lineages, such as cardiomyocytes, under xeno-free and feeder-free culture conditions.

A novel technique is proposed for circular birefringence (CB) sensing using a surface plasmon resonance (SPR) prism coupler and differential Mueller matrix polarimetry. In the proposed system, the SPR prism coupler is placed in front of the sample in order to generate a weak-scattering medium model and enhance the sensitivity of the measurement process. The CB properties of the sample are then extracted using a dynamic Stokes-Mueller matrix polarimetry measurement system in the reflectance mode. The practical feasibility of the system is demonstrated by measuring the CB properties of aqueous glucose solutions and glucose phantom solutions containing 2% lipofundin. The oral glucose tolerance tests pilot study was performed on four healthy human volunteers aged between 20 and 25 years old. The experimental results show that the proposed method has a resolution of just 10 mg/dL. In general, the results confirm that the proposed polarimetry-SPR system provides a fastand reliable approach for CB detection and has significant potential for noninvasive glucose monitoring device (NIGMD) applications.

This paper provides a comprehensive study of the fiber dispersion effect for the generation of quasi-sinusoidal terahertz modulations on optical pulses, which are especially beneficial for the applications of terahertz photonic generation and low-frequency coherent Raman spectroscopy. Instead of compensating the fiber group-velocity dispersion in a fiber-delivery system, we propose to make a good use of this fiber dispersion effect, so as to simultaneously chirp and beat the optical pulses. We have not only derived the formulas, but also experimentally elucidated the dispersion effect on the generation of quasi-sinusoidal terahertz modulations via different fiber lengths. The maximum modulation frequency on top of an optical pulse was experimentally demonstrated up to 3.75 THz. To show its application, a low-temperature-grown gallium arsenide-based bow-tie photoconductive antenna was excited by the fiber-delivered light source, and the corresponding frequency quasi-continuous-wave terahertz photons were successfully excited. The generated terahertz frequency was linearly tunable from 0.1 to > 2.1 THz. The linewidth and the spectral intensity of the modulated optical pulses, as well as the impulse response and the bandwidth saturation effect of the antenna, were also experimentally and analytically investigated. Because the laser source can be readily decoupled from the terahertz emitting end due to fiber delivery, this optical fiber-delivered configuration possesses the advantages of simplicity and higher flexibility, which are, therefore, suitable for tabletop biomedical applications or even for clinical uses. The dispersion analysis in the present study is also beneficial for the future manipulation of terahertz radiation, such as the direct generation of chirped terahertz waves.

Thanks to ultrafast acoustics, a better understanding of acoustic dynamics on a short time scale has been obtained and new characterization methods at the nanoscale have been developed. Among the materials that were studied during the development of ultrafast acoustics, nitride based heterostructures play a particular role due to their piezoelectric properties and the possibility to generate phonons with over-THz frequency and bandwidth. Here, we review some of the work performed using this type of structure, with a focus on THz phonon spectroscopy and nanoscopy. First, we present a brief description of the theory of coherent acoustic phonon generation by piezoelectric heterostructure. Then the first experimental observation of coherent acoustic phonon generated by the absorption of ultrashort light pulses in piezoelectric heterostructures is presented. From this starting point, we then present some methods developed to realize customizable phonon generation. Finally we review some more recent applications of these structures, including imaging with a nanometer resolution, broadband attenuation measurements with a frequency up to 1 THz and phononic bandgap characterization.

Histamine is a toxic chemical and is the causative agent of food poisoning. This foodborne toxin may be degraded by the oxidative deamination activity of certain microorganisms. In this study, we isolated four histamine-degrading Lactobacillus plantarum bacteria from miso products. Among them, L. plantarum D-103 exhibited 100% degradation of histamine in de Man Rogosa Sharpe (MRS) broth containing 50 ppm of histamine after 24 h of incubation at 30°C. The optimal growth, histamine oxidase, and histamine-degrading activity of L. plantarum D-103 were observed in histamine MRS broth at pH 7.0, 3% NaCl, and 30°C. It also exhibited tolerance to broad ranges of pH (4 to 10) and salt concentrations (0 to 12%) in histamine MRS broth. Therefore, the histamine-degrading L. plantarum D-103 might be used as an additive culture to prevent histamine accumulation in miso products during fermentation.

Amorphous materials, such as glasses, polymers, gels, or even bio-tissues, are an indispensable part of our lives. Unlike crystalline solids, amorphous materials exhibit some anomalous thermal properties that are still under debate. The reduced density of vibrational states versus sound frequency near 1THz disobeys the Debye model and shows a peak, usually termed the boson peak. This excess density of states is often related to a plateau in thermal conductivity and a maximum in the reduced heat capacity around 1-10 Kelvin. This boson peak is expected to provide extra acoustic attenuation for propagating acoustic waves with a frequency around 1THz. In this presentation, we discuss the optimal thickness of a vitreous silica layer in which the THz acoustic waves will propagate through to render the acoustic attenuation constant measurement. In this potential experiment, the thickness of the vitreous silica layer becomes a critical issue. It can’t be too thick because the attenuation will be so high that the THz acoustic wave may be completely depleted; while it can’t be too thin because the wavelength (several nanometers) of the THz acoustic wave can be much longer than the layer thickness and the resulted measurement accuracy will be compromised. In this study, by using femtosecond acoustics with a bandwidth over 1THz, we explore the sample thickness issue of this much-needed experiment. Results with different layer thickness will be presented and will be compared with the current direct or indirect measurement results.

The effects of polyethylene packaging (PEP) (in air) and vacuum packaging (VP) on the histamine related quality of milkfish sticks stored at different temperatures (-20°C, 4°C, 15°C, and 25°C) were studied. The results showed that the aerobic plate count (APC), pH, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), and histamine contents increased as storage time increased when the PEP and VP samples were stored at 25°C. At below 15°C, the APC, TVBN, pH, and histamine levels in PEP and VP samples were retarded, but the VP samples had considerably lower levels of APC, TVBN, and histamine than PEP samples. Once the frozen fish samples stored at -20°C for 2 months were thawed and stored at 25°C, VP retarded the increase of histamine in milkfish sticks as compared to PEP. In summary, this result suggested the milkfish sticks packed with VP and stored below 4°C could prevent deterioration of product quality and extend shelf-life.

Acid-solubilized collagen (ASC) and pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) were extracted from the skin of giant groupers (Epinephelus lanceolatus) with yields of 39.51 and 19.12%, respectively. ASC and PSC consisted of two different α chains (α1 and α2) and were characterized to be type I collagen with no disulfide bond. The imino acid contents of the ASC and PSC from giant grouper skin were 189 and 181 per 1,000 residues, respectively. The maximum endothermic temperatures (Tmax) of ASC and PSC measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were 31.71 and 31.33°C, respectively. The denaturation temperatures of ASC and PSC measured by viscometry were 29.84 and 29.05°C, respectively. The maximum solubility in 0.5 M acetic acid was observed at pH 5 and pH 6 for ASC and PSC, respectively. A sharp decrease in solubility was observed for both ASC and PSC in the presence of NaCl above 3% (w/v).

To understand biochemical characteristics, storage stability, and freshness indicators of white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei), changes in extractable nitrogenous compounds, microbial count, and sensory rating of white shrimp during storage at 25 and 4°C were investigated. Free amino acids showed a slow increase during storage at 25°C, but no obvious change was found at 4°C. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and adenosine diphosphate (ADP) were found at initial stage and decreased rapidly after storage. Both inosine 5′-monophosphate (IMP) and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) increased and then decreased during storage. Inosine, hypoxanthine, and the K-value gradually increased with time. The levels of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), NH3, and trimethylamine (TMA) of white shrimp increased with storage time at 25 and 4°C. The TVB-N, NH3, TMA, inosine, hypoxanthine, and K-value could be considered as freshness indicators of white shrimp during storage. However, the total plate count did not corroborate...

Practically, graphene is often deposited on substrates. Given the major substrate-induced modification of properties and considerable energy transfer at the interface, the graphene-substrate interaction has been widely discussed. However, the proposed mechanisms were restricted to the two-dimensional (2D) plane and interface, while the energy conduction in the third dimension is hardly considered. Herein, we disclose the transfer of energy perpendicular to the interface of the combined system of the 2D graphene and the 3D base. More precisely, our observation of the energy dissipation of optically excited graphene via emitting out-of-plane longitudinal acoustic phonon into the substrate is presented. By applying nanoultrasonic spectroscopy with a piezoelectric nanolayer embedded in the substrate, we found that under photoexcitation by a femtosecond laser pulse graphene can emit longitudinal coherent acoustic phonons (CAPs) with frequencies over 1 THz into the substrate. In addition, the waveform of the CAP pulse infers that the photocarriers and sudden lattice heating in graphene caused modification of graphene-substrate bond and consequently generated longitudinal acoustic phonons in the substrate. The direct observation of this unexplored graphene-to-substrate vertical energy transfer channel can bring new insights into the understanding of the energy dissipation and limited transport properties of supported graphene.

An inexpensive, efficient, and reliable molecular method of authenticating commercial puffer fish-based products was developed to determine the origin of adulterated fish products and for food regulatory control. This system is based on molecular trace evidence obtained using a specific primer set with a short gene marker located on the mitochondrial cytochrome b sequence region. The method was successfully tested and validated in 12 specimens of puffer fish, simulated products, and 50 commercial samples. Fourteen percent of the collected commercial products were found to be puffer fish-based. However, of these 14%, 28% were identified as toxic varieties by further analysis with forensically informative nucleotide sequencing (FINS) and BLAST methods. These results reveal that the developed method is a rapid and efficient tool to unequivocally identify puffer fish, which may aid in the prevention of consumer fraud or mislabeling of fish products.

For clear MR imaging of blood vessels, a long blood circulation time of effective T1 contrast agents is necessary. Nanoparticulate MR contrast agents are much more effective owing to their enhanced relaxivity, a result of reduced tumbling rates, and large payloads of active magnetic species. PEGylated yolk–shell silica nanospheres containing high payloads of Gd(III) with cross-linking ligands are synthesized and evaluated as a blood-pool magnetic resonance contrast agent. The hydrophilic PEG coating and the microporous silica shell allow water exchange while keeping the multi-nuclear Gd species from leaching out. These Gd(III)-containing yolk–shell silica nanoparticles with PEGylated surfaces give excellent resolution and contrast in magnetic resonance angiography images of vasculature in rat brains.

The present study evaluated and compared the utility of the cytochrome b and cytochrome c oxidase I genes as mitochondrial markers for determining the original species and for food regulatory control. Evaluation of a selected DNA barcode region, using a newly designed species-specific primer set, generated a species-specific ‘fingerprint’, and tested the efficacy of this barcode during analysis of simulated canned fish meats, dried fish fillets, fried fish powders, and commercial doubtful products. Results suggest that the cytochrome b gene is an effective gene marker for the purpose of species authentication. When used in conjunction with the newly designed primer set, the selected DNA barcode region was demonstrated to be highly discriminatory, accurate, efficient, and species-specific. Because of current circumstances within trade of fish tissues, mitogenomics-based technology may provide an efficient and reliable means of resolving problems relating to fish meat adulteration and mislabeling.

This paper investigates terahertz (THz) wave propagation, resonance, and radiation on a THz optoelectronic integrated circuit (THz-OEIC). An efficient THz resonant radiation from 0.6 to 0.7 THz can be achieved with a newly designed 2-D open-ended rampart slot array antenna. A monolithically integrated circuit is fabricated on a localized THz resonant cavity, which not only provides a robust base for postdevice processes but also helps collect and reradiate the fleeing surface waves to enhance radiation efficiency. When using a THz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) technique and a time-frequency analysis, the radiated THz waveform shows a good time-frequency correlation to the circuit design of our THz-OEIC. In addition, an optical-to-THz per-pulse conversion efficiency of 6.41 × 10-3 can be achieved by a localized THz resonant cavity design. The enhanced optical-to-THz per-pulse conversion efficiency and THz propagation, resonance, and radiation behavior revealed not only help to understand the on-chip THz transmission phenomena but provide a good potentiality for a THz-OEIC design to be applied in low power-consuming microfluidic-channel-based THz biosensing chips as well.

Acid-solubilized collagen (ASC) and pepsin-solubilized collagen (PSC) were successfully extracted from the skin of balloon fish (Diodon holocanthus) with yields of 4% and 19.5% respectively (based on dry weight). According to the electrophoretic patterns, both the ASC and PSC consisted of two different α chains (α1 and α2), were characterized to be type I, and contained imino acid of 179 and 175 residues/1000 residues, respectively. The PSC had a lower content of high-molecular weight cross-links than the ASC. The ultraviolet (UV) absorption spectrum of collagens showed that the distinct absorption was between 210 and 230 nm. A maximum solubility in 0.5 M acetic acid was observed at pH 1–5, and a sharp decrease in solubility above 4% (w/v) in both the ASC and PSC was observed in the presence of NaCl. The denaturation temperatures (Td) of the ASC and PSC measured by viscometry were 29.01 °C and 30.01 °C, respectively. The maximum temperatures (Tmax) of the ASC and PSC were 29.64 °C and 30.30 °C, respectively.

Nine tuna dumpling products were purchased at nine retail markets in southern Taiwan. Occurrence of biogenic amines, histamine-forming bacteria, and adulteration of pork and poultry were determined. This study showed the high contents of aerobic plate count, total coliform and Escherichia coli in tested tuna dumpling products. Average content of various biogenic amines in all tested samples was less than 2.0 mg/100 g. Fifteen histamine-producing bacterial strains isolated from tested samples produced 8.7–466 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% l -histidine (TSBH). Assay of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed adulteration rates were 88.9% (8/9) and 33.3% (3/9) for pork and poultry, respectively, in tuna dumpling. In addition, six samples of tuna dumpling meat were identified as Thunnus obesus , while other three samples were identified as Thunnus thynnus .

Thirty-four tuna candy products sold in retail markets and supermarkets in Taiwan were purchased and tested to determine the biogenic amine, histamine-forming bacteria, and adulteration of bonito meat. The levels of pH value, water activity (Aw), water content, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), aerobic plate count (APC) and total coliform (TC) in all samples ranged from 5.3 to 6.1, 0.47 to 0.65, 7.37% to 17.32%, 12.1 to 54.6 mg/100 g, l -histidine (TSBH) after incubation at 35 °C for 24 h. Assay of multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) revealed that adulteration rate of bonito meat was 26.5% (9/34) in tuna candy samples. Tuna species in tuna candy samples was identified as Thunnus albacares for 29 samples (85.3%), Thunnus alalunga for four samples (11.8%) and Thunnus obesus for one sample (2.9%) by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP).

Direct esterification of α-terpineol and acetic anhydride catalyzed by Candida rugosa lipase was performed in supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO 2 ) with organic solvent serving as co-solvents. The highest yield of terpinyl acetate after 1.5 h of reaction performance (95.1%) was obtained in SC-CO 2 with n -heptane serving as a co-solvent and immobilized Candida rugosa lipase as an enzyme at 50 °C. The optimal pressure for terpinyl acetate synthesis in SC-CO 2 medium was 10 MPa. Acetic anhydride was the best substrate among all acyl donors. Anhydrous enzyme was found to be the best for the esterification reaction. Lipase immobilization increased the catalytic efficiency up to 1.8-fold. The analysis of the initial rate data showed that reaction followed a Ping-Pong Bi–Bi mechanism with inhibition by acetic anhydride. The kinetic constants were obtained by multiple regression analysis of experimental findings. The reaction went smoothly without the use of hazardous reactants, and the developed method is useful for industrial application.

An incident of food-borne poisoning causing illness in 347 victims due to ingestion of fried fish cubes occurred in June, 2007, in Kaohsiung city, southern Taiwan. A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed for determining nine biogenic amines in two suspected fish samples by dansylation with dansyl chloride. One sample has histamine content (52.3 mg/100 g) greater than the hazard action level of 50 mg/100 g. Given the allergy-like symptoms of the victims and the high histamine content in the suspected fried fish samples, this food-borne poisoning was strongly suspected to be due to histamine intoxication. In addition, two weak histamine-producing isolates were identified as Acinetobacter baumannii, by 16S rDNA sequencing with PCR amplification.

Forty-three tuna sandwiches sold in diners and convenience store in southern Taiwan were purchased and tested to determine the occurrence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. The levels of pH, water content, ash content, salt content, total volatile basic nitrogen (TVBN), aerobic plate count (APC), total coliform (TC), and Escherichia coli in all samples ranged from 4.5 to 6.9, 36.8% to 62.8%, 1.11% to 6.55%, 0.10% to 3.90%, 11.2 to 78.0 mg/100 g

Thirty-two dried milkfish products sold in five retail markets in southern Taiwan were purchased and tested to determine the occurrence of histamine and histamine-forming bacteria. Except for histamine and cadaverine, the average content of various biogenic amines in tested samples was less than 8.5 mg/100 g. Most of the tested dried milkfish products (78.1%) had histamine levels greater than the FDA guideline of 5 mg/100 g for scombroid fish and/or product, while fourteen of them (43.7%) contained > 50 mg/100 g hazard action level. Thirty histamine-producing bacterial strains, capable of producing 5.4 ppm to 562 ppm of histamine in trypticase soy broth supplemented with 1.0% L-histidine (TSBH), were identified as Enterobacter aerogenes (seven strains), Citrobacter sp. (one strain), Staphylococcus xylosus (ten strains), S. sciuri (one strain), Bacillus thuringiensis (two strains), Citrobacter freundii (five strains), Klebsiella pneumoniae (one strain) and E. cloacae (three strains), by 16S rDNA sequencing with PCR amplification.

Electrolyzed oxidizing (EO) water has been regarded as a new sanitizer in recent years. Production of EO water needs only water and salt (sodium chloride). EO water have the following advantages over other traditional cleaning agents: effective disinfection, easy operation, relatively inexpensive, and environmentally friendly. The main advantage of EO water is its safety. EO water which is also a strong acid, is different to hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid in that it is not corrosive to skin, mucous membrane, or organic material. Electrolyzed water has been tested and used as a disinfectant in the food industry and other applications. Combination of EO water and other measures are also possible. This review includes a brief overview of issues related to the electrolyzed water and its effective cleaning of food surfaces in food processing plants and the cleaning of animal products and fresh produce.

Virus is known to resonate in the confined-acoustic dipolar mode with microwave of the same frequency. However this effect was not considered in previous virus-microwave interaction studies and microwave-based virus epidemic prevention. Here we show that this structure-resonant energy transfer effect from microwaves to virus can be efficient enough so that airborne virus was inactivated with reasonable microwave power density safe for the open public. We demonstrate this effect by measuring the residual viral infectivity of influenza A virus after illuminating microwaves with different frequencies and powers. We also established a theoretical model to estimate the microwaves power threshold for virus inactivation and good agreement with experiments was obtained. Such structure-resonant energy transfer induced inactivation is mainly through physically fracturing the virus structure, which was confirmed by real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. These results provide a pathway toward establishing a new epidemic prevention strategy in open public for airborne virus.

For reducing bacterial contamination, electrolyzed oxidizing water (EO water) has been used to reduce microbial population on seafood and platform of fish retailer. The specimens of tilapia were inoculated with Escherichia coli and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and then soaked into EO water for up to 10 min. EO water achieved additional 0.7 log CFU/cm 2 reduction than tap water on E. coli after 1 min treatment and additional treatment time did not achieved additional reduction. EO water treatment also reduced V. parahaemolyticus, by 1.5 log CFU/cm 2 after 5 min treatment and achieved 2.6 log CFU/cm 2 reduction after 10 min. The pathogenic bacteria were not detected in EO water after soaking treatment. In addition, EO water could effectively disinfect the platform of fish retailer in traditional markets and fish markets. � 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Among different fish slices used for sashimi preparation, tuna is the most popular and preferable fish type for Taiwanese people. To improve the hygienic quality of fish slices, electrolyzed (EO) water containing 10, 50, and 100 mg/L chlorine, was used in combination with CO gas treatment. Effect of different treatment on aerobic plate count (APC), volatile basic nitrogen (VBN), K value, and Hunter L*, a*, b* values of yellow-fin tuna steak during storage (4 °C and −20 °C) were evaluated. It was found that APC, VBN, and K values increased with storage time for all treatment. Except for K value, APC and VBN of tuna steak treated with the combination of more than 50 mg/L chlorine EO water and CO gas had the lowest value after 8 d of refrigerated storage. Hunter a* value of tuna steak treated with only CO gas was the highest, followed by those treated with EO water and CO gas. These results demonstrated that EO water containing 50 mg/L chlorine combined with CO gas treatment in tuna fish steak would be an effective method for enhancing the hygienic quality and freshness for tuna meat and extending refrigerated storage time. Tuna treated with EO water containing 100 mg/L chlorine and CO gas combination had the lowest APC immediately after treatment and reduced further to below detection limit after 1 mo frozen storage at −20 °C.

Despite the numerous devoted studies, water at solid interfaces remains puzzling. An ongoing debate concerns the nature of interfacial water at a hydrophilic surface, whether it is more solid-like, ice-like, or liquid-like. To answer this question, a complete picture of the distribution of the water molecule structure and molecular interactions has to be obtained in a non-invasive way and on an ultrafast time scale. We developed a new experimental technique that extends the classical acoustic technique to the molecular level. Using nanoacoustic waves with a femtosecond pulsewidth and an angstrom resolution to noninvasively diagnose the hydration structure distribution at ambient solid/water interface, we performed a complete mapping of the viscoelastic properties and of the density in the whole interfacial water region at hydrophilic surfaces. Our results suggest that water in the interfacial region possesses mixed properties and that the different pictures obtained up to now can be unified. Moreover, we discuss the effect of the interfacial water structure on the abnormal thermal transport properties of solid/liquid interfaces.

As a necessary precursor to a heliogyro solar sail flight demonstration, meaningful ground test experiments are necessary for predicting the linear and nonlinear structural dynamics of the heliogyro membrane blades in flight. This paper describes analytical comparisons of linear and nonlinear behavior of a multi-link discrete model of a heliogyro blade under 1-g gravitational and centrifugal loads, and one setup for experimental validation of 1-g out-of-plane motion. Linear system-identification is performed on the multi-link experimental data to validate the 1-g multi-link model of a heliogyro membrane blade.

In this study, we investigate the directivity of the terahertz (THz) radiation pattern from a newly designed two-dimensional rampart slot array antenna integrated in an edge-coupled membrane photonic transmitter. The antenna design is based on the array theory which is well-developed in the microwave regime. By means of the array arrangement of rampart slot antennas, we demonstrate that the 3-dB beam width of the THz radiation pattern at 907 GHz is successfully confined within 30 in both and planes.

We report that the angular and periodic dependence of the surface-plasmon-polaritons in gold nanodisks can be suppressed by nanorod substrates, which decreases the dipolar coupling and enhance their localization.

Interfacial structural and condensed water in nanoporous MCM-41 were investigated by THz-TDS for the first time. A slow reorientation relaxation time of 30 and 100 ps were observed for condensed and structural water.

The effects of salicylic acid (SA) on ethylene biosynthesis in detached rice leaves were investigated. SA at pH 3.5 effectively inhibited ethylene production within 2 h of its application. It inhibited the conversion of ACC to ethylene, but did not affect the levels of ACC and conjugated ACC. Thus, the inhibitory effect of SA resulted from the inhibition of both synthesis of ACC and the conversion of ACC to ethylene.

We propose to integrate a high-gain open-ended rampart slot array antenna in our edge-coupled terahertz (THz) photonic transmitters. By locating the open circuits at the end of each quarter-wavelength slot antenna, the reflected terahertz wave can constructively interference with the input wave and hence produce higher gain. In addition, the folded feeding networks turn more propagating waves into the effective radiating segments rather than the dispersive surface waves. A THz resonant cavity is also designed under our monolithic THz-wave circuits. A 300-nm gold layer is coated below the substrate to serve as a reflecting mirror to reflect back the THz waves to the antenna. The resonant cavity design not only provides a robust base for post device process but also greatly enhances the gain of antenna. With the design of openended rampart slot array antenna and THz resonant cavity, we demonstrate that the gain of antenna can reach 8~9 dBi.

We demonstrate the magnificent flexibility of the terahertz air-core pipe waveguides. By measuring waveguide attenuation spectra, we found that the pipe waveguides can be easily butt coupled with high coupling efficiency and low bending loss.