Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Seed enhance'

Master of Science
Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics Interdepartmental Program
Timothy P. Durrett
Using vegetable oils directly as an alternative biofuel presents several problems as such oils typically possess poor fuel qualities including high viscosity, low volatility, and poor cold temperature properties. The ornamental shrub Euonymus alatus produces unusual acetyl-1,2-diacyl-sn-glycerols (acetyl-TAGs) that have an acetyl group in the sn-3 position instead of a long chain fatty acid. The presence of this sn-3 acetyl-group give acetyl-TAGs properties desirable for biofuels, such as reduced viscosity, comparted to the normal long chain triacyglycerols found in most vegetable oils. Acetyl-TAGs are synthesized by the Euonymus alatus diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EaDAcT) and Euonymus fortunei diacylglycerol acetyltransferase (EfDAcT) enzymes. Both enzymes catalyze the transfer of an acetyl group from acetyl-CoA to diaclglycerol (DAG) to produce acetyl-TAGs. Previous work demonstrated that expression of EaDAcT combined with the suppression of a diacylglycerol aceyltransferase (DGAT1) in Camelina sativa led to seeds with 85 mol % acetyl-TAGs. Increasing acetyl-TAG levels further was explored using two strategies. Over expression of citrate lyase to increase the pool of acetyl-CoA to be used as a substrate for the acetyltransferase enzymes failed to increased levels of acetyl-TAGs. A second approach involved expressing EfDAcT in Camelina sativa. EfDAcT has demonstrated higher activity in vitro and in vivo and its expression in yeast leads to approximately 50 % higher levels of acetyl-TAGs compared to EaDAcT. The expression of EfDAcT coupled with the suppression of DGAT1 in Camelina sativa resulted in 90 mol % acetyl-TAGs in the transgenic seeds. Levels of EfDAcT protein analyzed in developing transgenic Camelina sativa seeds across a 40 day time period were highest at 15 and 20 days after flowering. Following these time points acetyl-TAG accumulation increased rapidly, coinciding with the higher enzyme expression levels. The optimization of additional promoters to ensure expression of EfDAcT in the last half of seed development could represent another way to further increase acetyl-TAGs in the future.

Restoration and rehabilitation activities are presently considered to be a major priority in environmental management, whether the activity implies the restoration of neglected cultivated pastures or degraded rangelands due to overgrazing and climatic impacts, or the rehabilitation of the mining and industrial areas. However, the goals are not easily achieved, mainly due to the high input costs, including that of re-seeding activities. Reseeding success is influenced by the quality and effectiveness of the used seed regarding germination and establishment under natural field conditions. If techniques can be developed to enhance the effectiveness of germination and establishment percentage of the seed in restoration and rehabilitation sites, a better cover, density and biomass yield can be expected, which will improve the rehabilitation process. It is known that commercially available grass seed has a better germination percentage and establishment percentage in comparison with seed locally harvested, which may include many impurities such as sticks and stones. The availability of the locally harvested seed types, especially of certain ecotypes adapted to specific environments, can be poor. Advance Seed Company (Krugersdorp, South Africa) has taken commercially available grass seed to the next level by enhancing (coating) the seed with a multitude of different treatments to ensure better handling of the seed in reseeding applications. These treatments also have advantages such as a higher seed to soil contact, growth stimulants included in the treatment, higher seed purity and the protection of the seed against predation by ants and other insects and against harsh chemicals in the soil, which might have an influence on the germination percentage of the seed and the establishment of seedlings. The objective of this study was to investigate whether or not certain enhanced grass seed types of selected grass species will have a better germination and establishment percentage, fresh and dry above-(leaves) and below-ground (root) biomass yield (glasshouse trials) and dry above-ground biomass yields (natural fields trials) in comparison with non-enhanced types. The predation of enhanced and non-enhanced seeds by ants and other insects, as well as the development of the vascular tissue in the transitional region of the seedlings was also investigated. The grasses assessed included enhanced and non-enhanced seed types of Chloris gayana (Rhodes grass), Cynodon dactylon (Couch grass), Digitaria eriantha (Common finger grass) and Eragrostis curvula (Weeping love grass). In the case of E. curvula, four seed types, including the non-enhanced seed type were tested. These included non-enhanced seed, seed treated with "plain coat", enhancement with "organic insecticide on the base of the coaf' (Le. insecticide between the enhancement and the seed) and enhancement with "organic insecticide on the base of the coat and as an overspray" (Le. insecticide between the enhancement and the seed, as well as spraying the insecticide over the coated seed). The above mentioned species are commonly used in grass seed mixtures for rehabilitation and restoration purposes. Seeds were supplied by Advance Seed Company. The seed enhancement treatments as well as the non-enhanced seed types were tested under various conditions. The chemical composition of the enhancement treatment used in the coating process is only known by the seed technicians at Advance Seed Company. All the seed supplied by the seed merchant had a purity of >95%. With the application of dormancy breaking in the germination tests the non-enhanced seed types of Chloris gayana had the higher germination percentage of the seed type or the same species. Other differences included the germination percentage being significantly higher for the enhanced seed type of Cynodon dactylon than the non-enhanced seed type. Lower germination percentages were noted in the comparison of the E. curvula seed types, were the non-enhanced seed type had a higher germination percentage in comparison with the enhanced seed types. In the germination tests without dormancy breaking being applied, these results differ. With regard to the establishment percentages, similar statistical differences were noted in both the Coco Peat Moss medium and the Hygromix growth medium. In the above-and below-ground biomass production trials in the glass house the only significant difference were noted in the biomass production of D. eriantha plants. In the case of the dry above-and below-ground biomass yield the plants of the non-enhanced seed types of D. eriantha yielded a significantly higher biomass in comparison with the plants harvested from the enhanced seed type of the same species. With regard to the natural field trials a few significant differences were noted. The results indicated that the enhanced seed types of Chloris gayana and Cynodon dactylon, the non-enhanced seed type of D. eriantha as well as the non-enhanced and "organic insecticide on base and as overspray" enhancement of E cUNula can be used in re-seeding restoration and rehabilitation practices. Eragrostis cUNula enhanced with "plain coat" is not recommended to be used for re-seeding in disturbed areas.
Thesis (M.Sc. (Environmental Science and Management))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The study topic undertaken was "Enhanced access for re-entry into education, training is seen to enable women to achieve self-fulfilment and enhance employment opportunities". Thesis Proposition and Study Problem : The topic was undertaken to study groups of women during different stages of education, training to see whether they did achieve self-fulfilment and had better employment opportunities if they did have enhanced access for re-entry into education, training. The study briefly looks at the progress by women chronologically, from the late nineteenth century until today, noting the major changes that have given greater gender eguity within the workplace. Methodology : The study focused on four different case studies; each case study focusing on different women who were at different stages of education, training. The study ensured it also focused on women who had gone into nontraditional roles to gain a greater insight as a result of women being given greater access, whether it has played a role in women having the opportunity to gain greater career opportunities and self-fulfilment as a result. Results : Some of the key results were that if women were given the opportunities of education, training that they were able to achieve self-fulfilment and their employment opportunities were enhanced. It was also evident that women were increasing in numbers to study at university. There were a number of inequalities noted still, although there have been a number of changes in recent times. These changes were also noted, as well as the barriers that are still evident. The study identifies different areas within education/employment whereby there are barriers and inequalities. The changes in training/legislation are also noted. Conclusions : The study is concluded by compiling the results of the four case studies and presenting these as well as other evidence from a variety of sources clarifying the investigation that "Enhanced access for re-entry into education, training is seen to enable women to achieve self-fulfilment and enhance employment opportunities".

Numerical simulations are employed to elucidate the physics underlying the enhanced femtosecond supercontinuum generation previously observed during optical filamentation in noble gases and in the presence of a weak seed pulse. Simulations based on the metastable electronic state approach are shown not only to capture the qualitative features of the experiment, but also reveal the relation of the observed enhancement to recent developments in the area of sub-cycle engineering of filaments. (C) 2016 Optical Society of America

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Ohio State University, 2003.
Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xxiii, 184 p.; also includes graphics (some color). Includes bibliographical references (p. 166-184).

In this study, silver nanorods and nanospheroids were prepared both in aqueous solution and on the surface of glass slides through seed-mediated growth approach at room temperature and used as a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate. The synthesis of metallic nanorods was started with the production of silver nanospheres as seed utilizing sodium borohydride and trisodium citrate as reducing and capping agents, respectively. These seeds were then added to a growth solution containing additional silver salt, ascorbic acid and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB.) Nanorod preparation conditions were first optimized in solution phase. The plasmon absorption of the formed nanocrystals was monitored by UV-Visible spectrometry. The largest red shift in the longitudinal plasmon resonance absorption of silver nanostructures was tried to be achieved in order to realize the highest electromagnetic enhancement in Raman measurements. The images of the formed nanorods were recorded using field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM). The optimized colloidal growth conditions were adopted for the growth of nanorods on the surface of the glass substrate. Sol-gel coated glass slides were used in order to increase the porosity on the surface for an effective seeding process. We reported the development of a novel SERS substrate prepared by growing silver nanorods directly on the surface of glass surface without using any linker molecule. The SERS performances of the nanorod growth surfaces were evaluated with crystal violet (CV), brilliant cresyl blue (BCB) and benzoic acid (BA). Some modifications such as the increase in the AgNO3 concentration in the growth solution and the addition of hydrocarbons to the growth solution were investigated for the enhancement of the SERS signal. The intense spectra obtained for the model compounds demonstrated the efficiency of the prepared substrate for the SERS enhancement and its potential as a SERS detection probe for chemical and biological analysis.

Research question: How do the utilization of the human senses affect the customers' shopping experience within e-commerce? Purpose: The purpose is to describe how brands within e-commerce can create an enhanced shopping experience for its customers. Method: Cross-sectional design, semi-structured in-depth interviews Conclusion: The study revealed that in order to create an enhanced shopping experience for its customers, brands within e-commerce should treat the shopping experience as extended, which enables stimulation of multiple senses.

La microscopie SEEC (Surface Enhanced Ellipsometric Contrast) est une technique inventée au mans, il y a une dizaine d’années. Elle permet de visualiser des objets de taille nanoscopique entre polariseur et analyseur croisés en utilisant les propriétés non dépolarisantes de surfaces multicouches. Jusqu’au début de la thèse, seules des observations à l’air étaient possibles. Le but de cette thèse a consisté à adapter cette technique à l’observation in-situ d’objets en immersion dans l’eau.Pour cela, il a fallu inventer de nouvelles surfaces propres à ce nouveau milieu. Les calculs ont montrés que des surfaces fines d’or révélaient un bon contraste pour des objets de 1 nm en immersion dans l’eau. Expérimentalement, nous avons montré que pour exploiter au maximum le contraste SEEC, il est nécessaire de modifier l’éclairage. En parallèle de ces travaux expérimentaux, de nouveaux calculs ont montrés que l’utilisation d’épaisseurs encore plus fines permettait de visualiser ces objets avec un bon contraste et sans aucune modification de l’éclairage. Nous avons appelé cette nouvelle technique : la microscopie CONE. Nous avons découvert deux modes de mesure. Après avoir réalisé des fonctionnalisations homogènes et hétérogènes des surfaces d’or. Ces surfaces ont été utilisées en résonance plasmonique de surface (SPR) pour l’étude de fixation de protéine (adsorption et immobilisation) puis d’interaction protéine/protéine. Ces expériences ont ensuite servies de référence pour évaluer les microscopies SEEC et CONE. Par cela, nous avons prouvé que ces microscopies présentent de forts intérêts pour la détection in-situ de protéines avec un faible coût
This thesis was supported by National Agency for Research with the project: ANR PNANO-07 SEEC. The Surface Enhanced Ellipsometric Contrast (SEEC) microscopy has invented in 2000 at Le Mans (France). This technique allows the visualization of nanoscopic object between crossed analyzer and polarizer. It’s possible if some special multilayer surfaces are used. There surfaces must have the particularity to not change the polarization of light during the reflection. Until the beginning of the project the SEEC microscopy was useful only for air observations. The goal of the thesis was to adapt this technique to observe on gold surfaces immerged in water and to compare the performance of the SEEC microscopy with Surface Plasmonique Resonance (SPR) in that configuration. The SPR is a biomolecular interaction study reference technique. SEEC microscopy lateral resolution was evaluate by fluorescence microscopy. Next, we realize two model experiments monitor in parallel by SEEC microscopy and by SPR: BSA immobilization and biotinylated IgG fixation by immobilized streptavidine. To compare measurements efficiently we did a huge preparation work (surface functionalizations and microfluidic) to have exactly same conditions in both techniques.Our results show SEEC microscopy cannot replace SPR for biomolecular interaction studies but it can be used as cheap immunological diagnostic technique. This work gives the path to follow on that direction

Lėtinis venų nepakankamumas (LVN) apibūdinamas kaip būklė, apimanti galūnių venas, sukeldama veninę hipertenziją, kuri savo ruožtu sąlygoja kitų patologijų – skausmo, tinimo, edemos, odos pokyčių ir opų, atsiradimą. Paprastojo kaštono sėklų ekstrakto saponinai yra viena iš keturių venas veikiančių grupių, kuri buvo įvertinta LVN gydyme, nes lengvina simptomus ir apsaugo venas nuo antrinių komplikacijų vystymosi bei ligos progreso. Šis tyrimas apima: 1) polifenolinių junginių skvarbos in vitro pro pusiau laidžią membraną iš dvidešimties skirtingų gelių su kaštonų sėklų ekstraktu, 1 proc. polimerinio pagrindo (Carbopol Ultrez 10, Carbopol Ultrez 20, Carbopol 980 ir Carbopol 940), propilenglikoliu, izopropilo alkoholiu, trietanolaminu analizę; 2) visų gelių klampos ir jos įtakos polifenolinių junginių skvarbai in vitro vertinimą. Rezultatai: Geliai be eterinio aliejaus buvo naudojami kaip standartiniai pavyzdžiai, vertinant skirtingų karbomerinių pagrindų įtaką skvarbai in vitro. Carbopol Ultrez 20 polimero geliai pasižymėjo mažiausia, o Carbopol 980 – didžiausia dinamine klampa. Didinant eterinio aliejaus koncentraciją, gelių klampa mažėja, o skirtumai tarp 0 proc. ir 1,5 proc. eterinio aliejaus buvo statistiškai patikimi (p<0,05). Polifenolinių junginių kiekis, prasiskverbęs iš gelių, tam tikrais laiko tarpais buvo nustatomas spektrofotometriniu metodu. Nustatyta, kad gelio su Carbopol Ultrez 20 polimeru (0 proc. eterinio aliejaus) srautas per pirmąjį pusvalandį (1,655 mg/cm... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
Chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) describes a condition that affects the venous system of the lower extremities with venous hypertension causing various pathologies including pain, swelling, edema, skin changes, and ulcerations. Saponosides from horse chestnut extract are one of four groups of venoactive drugs, that have been evaluated in the treatment of CVI to reduce symptoms and help prevent the development of secondary complications and the progression of disease. This study assessed the following: (1) the permeability in vitro through cellulose membranes of polyphenolic compounds in twenty different horse chestnut seed extract (0,5% w/w) gel formulations (Ultrez 10, Ultrez 20, Carbopol 980 and Carbopol 940 gels (1%) with different peppermint oil concentrations (0; 0,1; 0,5; 1; 1,5%), propylenglycol, isopropyl alcohol, TEA, water); (2) the viscosity of all gels and its influence for in vitro permeation. Results: As the base-gels to investigate the effect of the in vitro penetration from different carbomers was formultions without peppermint oil. Gels with Ultrez 20 had the lowest and with Carbopol 980 the highest viscosity. By increasing concentration of peppermint oil, viscosity decreased and the difference between 0% and 1,5% in all carbomers was statistically significant (p<0,05). The quantity of the released polyphenols in time function was determined by spectrophotometric method. Ultrez 20 gel (0% peppermint oil) showed the highest flux during the first half hour (... [to full text]

O Vírus da Imunodeficiência Humana (HIV) é o agente etiológico da Síndrome da Imunodeficiência Adquirida (AIDS). A AIDS é uma doença de distribuição mundial, e estima-se que existam atualmente pelo menos 36,9 milhões de pessoas infectadas com o vírus. Durante o seu ciclo replicativo, o HIV promove diversas alterações na fisiologia da célula hospedeira a fim de promover sua sobrevivência e potencializar a replicação. A rápida progressão da infecção pelo HIV-1 em humanos e em modelos animais está intimamente ligada à função da proteína acessória Nef. Dentre as diversas ações de Nef está a regulação negativa de proteínas importantes na resposta imunológica, como o receptor CD4. Sabe-se que esta ação resulta da indução da degradação de CD4 em lisossomos, mas os mecanismos moleculares envolvidos ainda são totalmente elucidados. Nef forma um complexo tripartite com a cauda citosólica de CD4 e a proteína adaptadora 2 (AP-2), em vesículas revestidas por clatrina nascentes, induzindo a internalização e degradação lisossomal de CD4. Pesquisas anteriores demonstraram que o direcionamento de CD4 aos lisossomos por Nef envolve a entrada do receptor na via dos corpos multivesiculares (MVBs), por um mecanismo atípico, pois, embora não necessite da ubiquitinação de carga, depende da ação de proteínas que compõem os ESCRTs (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) e da ação de Alix, uma proteína acessória da maquinaria ESCRT. Já foi reportado que Nef interage com subunidades dos complexos AP-1, AP-2, AP-3 e Nef não parece interagir com subunidades de AP-4 e AP-5. Entretanto, o papel da interação de Nef com AP-1 e AP-3 na regulação negativa de CD4 ainda não está totalmente elucidado. Ademais, AP-1, AP-2 e AP-3 são potencialmente heterogêneos devido à existência de isoformas múltiplas das subunidades codificadas por diferentes genes. Todavia, existem poucos estudos para demonstrar se as diferentes combinações de isoformas dos APs são formadas e se possuem propriedades funcionais distintas. O presente trabalho procurou identificar e caracterizar fatores celulares envolvidos na regulação do tráfego intracelular de proteínas no processo de regulação negativa de CD4 induzido por Nef. Mais especificamente, este estudo buscou caracterizar a participação do complexo AP-1 na modulação negativa de CD4 por Nef de HIV-1, através do estudo funcional das duas isoformas de ?-adaptina, subunidades de AP-1. Utilizando a técnica de Pull-down demonstramos que Nef é capaz de interagir com ?2. Além disso, nossos dados de Imunoblot indicaram que a proteína ?2-adaptina, e não ?1-adaptina, é necessária no processo de degradação lisossomal de CD4 por Nef e que esta participação é conservada para degradação de CD4 por Nef de diferentes cepas virais. Ademais, por citometria de fluxo, o silenciamento de ?2, e não de ?1, compromete a diminuição dos níveis de CD4 por Nef da membrana plasmática. A análise por imunofluorêsncia indireta também revelou que a diminuição dos níveis de ?2 impede a redistribuição de CD4 por Nef para regiões perinucleares, acarretando no acúmulo de CD4, retirados por Nef da membrana plasmática, em endossomos primários. A depleção de ?1A, outra subunidade de AP-1, acarretou na diminuição dos níveis celulares de ?2 e ?1, bem como, no comprometimento da eficiente degradação de CD4 por Nef. Além disso, foi possível observar que, ao perturbar a maquinaria ESCRT via super-expressão de HRS (uma subunidade do complexo ESCRT-0), ocorreu um acumulo de ?2 em endossomos dilatados contendo HRS-GFP, nos quais também detectou-se CD4 que foi internalizado por Nef. Em conjunto, os resultados indicam que ?2-adaptina é uma importante molécula para o direcionamento de CD4 por Nef para a via ESCRT/MVB, mostrando ser uma proteína relevante no sistema endo-lisossomal. Ademais, os resultados indicaram que as isoformas ?-adaptinas não só possuem funções distintas, mas também parecem compor complexos AP-1 com diferentes funções celulares, já que apenas a variante AP-1 contendo ?2, mas não ?1, participa da regulação negativa de CD4 por Nef. Estes estudos contribuem para o melhor entendimento dos mecanismos moleculares envolvidos na atividade de Nef, que poderão também ajudar na melhor compreensão da patogênese do HIV e da síndrome relacionada. Em adição, este trabalho contribui para o entendimento de processos fundamentais da regulação do tráfego de proteínas transmembrana no sistema endo-lisossomal.
The Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is the etiologic agent of Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS). AIDS is a disease which has a global distribution, and it is estimated that there are currently at least 36.9 million people infected with the virus. During the replication cycle, HIV promotes several changes in the physiology of the host cell to promote their survival and enhance replication. The fast progression of HIV-1 in humans and animal models is closely linked to the function of an accessory protein Nef. Among several actions of Nef, one is the most important is the down-regulation of proteins from the immune response, such as the CD4 receptor. It is known that this action causes CD4 degradation in lysosome, but the molecular mechanisms are still incompletely understood. Nef forms a tripartite complex with the cytosolic tail of the CD4 and adapter protein 2 (AP-2) in clathrin-coated vesicles, inducing CD4 internalization and lysosome degradation. Previous research has demonstrated that CD4 target to lysosomes by Nef involves targeting of this receptor to multivesicular bodies (MVBs) pathway by an atypical mechanism because, although not need charging ubiquitination, depends on the proteins from ESCRTs (Endosomal Sorting Complexes Required for Transport) machinery and the action of Alix, an accessory protein ESCRT machinery. It has been reported that Nef interacts with subunits of AP- 1, AP-2, AP-3 complexes and Nef does not appear to interact with AP-4 and AP-5 subunits. However, the role of Nef interaction with AP-1 or AP-3 in CD4 down-regulation is poorly understood. Furthermore, AP-1, AP-2 and AP-3 are potentially heterogeneous due to the existence of multiple subunits isoforms encoded by different genes. However, there are few studies to demonstrate if the different combinations of APs isoforms are form and if they have distinct functional properties. This study aim to identify and characterize cellular factors involved on CD4 down-modulation induced by Nef from HIV-1. More specifically, this study aimed to characterize the involvement of AP-1 complex in the down-regulation of CD4 by Nef HIV-1 through the functional study of the two isoforms of ?-adaptins, AP-1 subunits. By pull-down technique, we showed that Nef is able to interact with ?2. In addition, our data from immunoblots indicated that ?2- adaptin, not ?1-adaptin, is required in Nef-mediated targeting of CD4 to lysosomes and the ?2 participation in this process is conserved by Nef from different viral strains. Furthermore, by flow cytometry assay, ?2 depletion, but not ?1 depletion, compromises the reduction of surface CD4 levels induced by Nef. Immunofluorescence microscopy analysis also revealed that ?2 depletion impairs the redistribution of CD4 by Nef to juxtanuclear region, resulting in CD4 accumulation in primary endosomes. Knockdown of ?1A, another subunit of AP-1, resulted in decreased cellular levels of ?1 and ?2 and, compromising the efficient CD4 degradation by Nef. Moreover, upon artificially stabilizing ESCRT-I in early endosomes, via overexpression of HRS, internalized CD4 accumulates in enlarged HRS-GFP positive endosomes, where co-localize with ?2. Together, the results indicate that ?2-adaptin is a molecule that is essential for CD4 targeting by Nef to ESCRT/MVB pathway, being an important protein in the endo-lysosomal system. Furthermore, the results indicate that ?-adaptins isoforms not only have different functions, but also seem to compose AP-1 complex with distinct cell functions, and only the AP-1 variant comprising ?2, but not ?1, acts in the CD4 down-regulation induced by Nef. These studies contribute to a better understanding on the molecular mechanisms involved in Nef activities, which may also help to improve the understanding of the HIV pathogenesis and the related syndrome. In addition, this work contributes with the understanding of primordial process regulation on intracellular trafficking of transmembrane proteins.

碩士
國立中興大學
化學工程學系所
103
In this study the method of supercritical particles from gas-saturated solution (PGSS) has been used for producing the micro-particles of bitter gourd seed oil (BGSO) coated by sucrose stearate (SS). During supercritical PGSS co-precipitation preliminary experiment, total yield, drug content of the coating have been investigated by changing the pressure, temperature, and feed ratio of BGSO and SS. And then the response surface methodology (RSM) experimental design based on the two variables of pressure (120 bar to 160 bar) and the feed ratio (0.5 to 1.5) of BGSO and SS has been implemented to investigate the impacts of the two variables on total yield, drug content, and α-eleostearic acid (α-ESA) recovery rate of the coating. The experimental results indicate the correlation of opposite trend between the total yield and drug content of the coating. The three responses predicted by RSM with optimal conditions of pressure at 120 bar, feed ratio at 1.5 are the total yield of coating at 45.96%, the drug content at 25.76%, and α-ESA recovery rate at 29.82%, all of which are similar to the experimental values. It has been revealed by the induction that the drug content of the coating has been significantly affected by the feed ratio. As for the stability test, keeping the PGSS coating in room temperature for 30 days can slow down the decline of α-ESA concentration. The bitter gourd seed oil coated by sucrose stearate produced by supercritical PGSS can indeed slow down the degradation of α-ESA, which can serve as a protection. Keywords: particles from gas-saturated solution, bitten melon, α-eleostearic acid, sucrose stearate, encapsulation

碩士
國立臺灣大學
植物科學研究所
102
Jatropha curcas L. is one of the best candidates for biodiesel production owing to high oil content of seeds. However, there are several disadvantages, such as low seed yields and phorbol esters toxicity of seed cake for feedstuff use. Previous studies indicated that cytokinin spraying was able to promote cell division, repressed apical dominance and led to increase seed yield of J. curcas. Our preliminary study revealed that exogenous application of 6-benzyladenine on inflorescence caused phenotypical changes of numerous flowers and higher seed yield. Previous studies have shown that ISOPENTENYLTRANSFERASE and CYTOKININ OXIDASE were two genes playing the major roles in controlling endogenous cytokinin level and seed yield in plants. In order to increase endogenous cytokinin level in J. curcas, we have constructed CKX5-RNAi and 35S::JcIPT1 vectors based on the spatial expression profile of JcIPTs and JcCKXs and transformed to J. curcas mediated by A. tumefaciens. Data revealed the JcIPT1 expression level in 35S::JcIPT1 transgenic line 15 is much higher than empty-vector transformed J. curcas. The 35S::JcIPT1 transgenic line 1 has higher cytokinin level than empty-vector transformed J. curcas. In parallel, the seed detoxification by engineering JcCAS1-RNAi is in progress. Casbene synthases (CASs) catalyze the first step of phorbol ester (PE) biosynthesis. PEs are the main toxic compounds in J. curcas. Our spatial expression profile of JcCAS1 indicated that JcCAS1 had higher expression level in roots and germination seeds but did not express in leaves. The expression level of JcCAS1 increased towards fruit maturity. Thus far two transgenic lines were obtained.

This is an exploratory study on “Evaluation of Pass-on the Gift Concept on the Socioeconomic Welfare of Rural Households: The Case of SACHZEP and ELITE Projects in Katete District, Zambia. The main research objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of the PoG concept on the socioeconomic welfare of rural households. A mixed methods approach was used involving 124 household in the survey interviews, 5 FGDs and 18 key informant interviews. Study findings showed relationships existing between type of livestock with compliance to pass on the gift (p-=0.001), food security (p=0.001), income security (p=0.007) and education at 9th grade level (p=0.002). No relationship exists between livestock type with shelter status of beneficiaries. Livestock type, water scarcity, IKS and practices, sharing of knowledge, skills and livestock affects PoG impact on socioeconomic welfare of rural households. PoG is compatible with indigenous knowledge systems and supports Human Centred Development approach.
Development Studies
M.A. (Development Studies)