Preliminary Trials on juvenile Macrobrachium rosenbergii Production under modified Static 'Green water' Conditions

The methods of juvenile production of Udang Galah (Macrobrachium rosenbergii) have been documented by several workers (ling, 1969 .. Ling and Costello, 1976 .. Fujimura 7966, 1967, 1968, 1972 .. Fujimura and okomoto, 1970,. Sandifer etl.1976). The methods given by these workers involve intensive hatchery management such as frequent water change and cleaning of larval tanks to ensure good sanitation. Such a technique would involve wastage of sea water and at the same time is labour intensive. 'to overcome the above mentioned problems a study 'was conducted at the hatchery of the Faculty of Fisheries and marine Science, Serdang, to produce" Udang Galah" juveniles 'Without water change and by using «green water' at salinities 6~8°100 and 12-14% 0 respectively. Previous studies by Cohen et al. (1976) have conclusively shozon that (green water' is an efficient system to remove toxic metabolites such as ammonia from the culture medium. The 'green water' 'which mainly consists of unicellular algae such as Chlorella is produced by expos;'lg 'loater of salim'ty 6°(00 'Which contained Sarothcrodon mossambicus to sunlight (Fujimura

A Preliminary Study on Induced Spawning of the Catfish Clarias batrachus (Linnaeus) in Malaysia

Ten gravid Clarias batrachus females were administered with a single dose of common carp pituitary homogenate (CPR). Bifore injection, the eggs were light yellow and the diameter rangedfrom 0.94 mm to 1.08 mm. Ovulation occurred approximately 12 hours after the adminstration of CPR. The colour of the eggs turned brown and the diameter rangedfrom o. 99 mm to 1.27 mm. The fertilization rates rangedfrom 10-81%. The eggs hatched after about 30-36 hours of incubation at 26°C to 28°C. The hatching rates ranged from 13-67070

Grape seed extract dose-responsively decreases disease severity in a rat model of mucositis; concomitantly enhancing chemotherapeutic effectiveness in colon cancer cells

OBJECTIVE: Mucositis is a serious disorder of the gastrointestinal tract that results from cancer chemotherapy. We investigated the effects of increasing grape seed extract doses on the severity of chemotherapy in a rat model and its coincident impact on chemotherapeutic effectiveness in colon cancer cells. DESIGN: Female Dark Agouti rats were gavaged with grape seed extract (400-1000 mg/kg) or water (day 3-11) and were injected intraperitoneally with 5-Fluorouracil (150 mg/kg) or saline (control) on day 9 to induce mucositis. Daily metabolic data were collected and rats were sacrificed on day 12. Intestinal tissues were collected for histological and myeloperoxidase analyses. Caco-2 cell viability was examined in response to grape seed extract in combination with 5-Fluorouracil by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) assay. RESULTS: Compared with 5-Fluorouracil controls, grape seed extract (400-1000 mg/kg) significantly decreased the histological damage score (P<0.05) in the jejunum. Grape seed extract (1000 mg/kg) increased jejunal crypt depth by 25% (P<0.05) in 5-Fluorouracil treated rats compared to 5-Fluorouracil controls, and attenuated the 5-Fluorouracil -induced reduction of mucosal thickness (25%, P<0.05). Grape seed extract (600 mg/kg) decreased myeloperoxidase activity by 55% (P<0.01) compared to 5-Fluorouracil controls. Grape seed extract was more effective at ameliorating 5-Fluorouracil induced intestinal injury, with effects most pronounced in the proximal jejunum. Grape seed extract (10-25 ug/mL) significantly enhanced the growth-inhibitory effects of 5-Fluorouracil by 26% (P<0.05) in Caco-2 cells and was more potent than 5-Fluorouracil at 50-100 µg/mL. CONCLUSION: Grape seed extract may represent a new therapeutic option to decrease the symptoms of intestinal mucositis while concurrently impacting on the viability of colon cancer cells.Ker Yeaw Cheah, Gordon Stanley Howarth, Susan Elaine Putnam Bastia

Ultraviolet emission of silicon quantum tips

Silicon tips used as field emitters have dimensions that are within the quantum confinement regime. Therefore they can be considered as freestanding silicon tips. In this letter, a photoluminescence spectrum of a 100×100100×100 array of silicon tips was taken at 10 K. Narrow ultraviolet luminescence peaks were observed. Using the empirical pseudopotential homojunction model, it is demonstrated that these luminescence peaks come from energy levels arising from quantum confinement. By fitting the theoretical result to the experimental result, we conclude that the luminescence peaks come from Si quantum tips of about 20 Å in width and that they are covered by silicon dioxide. © 1999 American Institute of Physics.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71101/2/APPLAB-74-3-386-1.pd

Low molecular weight procyanidins from grape seeds enhance the impact of 5-Fluorouracil chemotherapy on Caco-2 human colon cancer cells

OBJECTIVE: Grape seed procyanidins (PC) are flavan-3-ol oligomers and polymers known for their biological activity in the gut. Grape seed extract (GSE) have been reported to reduce intestinal injury in a rat model of mucositis. We sought to investigate effects of purified PC fractions differing in mean degree of polymerization (mDP) combined with 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy on the viability of colon cancer cells (Caco-2). DESIGN: SixPC fractions (F1-F6) were isolated from Cabernet Sauvignon seeds at two ripeness stages: pre-veraison unripe (immature) and ripe (mature), utilizing step gradient, low-pressure chromatography on a Sephadex LH-20 resin. Fractions were tested on Caco-2 cells, alone and in combination with 5-FU. Eluted fractions were characterized by phloroglucinolysis and gel permeation chromatography. Cell viability was determined by the 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2yl)-2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide) (MTT) assay. RESULTS: All isolated fractions significantly reduced Caco-2 cell viability compared to the control (P<0.05), but F2 and F3 (mDP 2-6) were the most active fractions (immature F2 = 32% mDP 2.4, F3 = 35% mDP 5.8 and mature F2 = 13% mDP 3.6 and F3 = 17% mDP 5.9; percentage of viable cells remaining) on Caco-2 cells. When combined with 5-FU, immature fractions F1-F3 enhanced the cell toxicity effects of 5-FU by 27-73% (P<0.05). Mature seed PC fractions (F1-F4) significantly enhanced the toxicity of 5-FU by 60-83% against Caco-2 cells (P<0.05). Moreover, some fractions alone were more potent at decreasing viability in Caco-2 cells (P<0.05; immature fractions = 65-68% and mature fractions = 83-87%) compared to 5-FU alone (37%). CONCLUSIONS: PCs of mDP 2-6 (immature F1-F3 and mature F1 and F4)not only enhanced the impact of 5-FU in killing Caco-2 cells, but also surpassed standard 5-FU chemotherapy as an anti-cancer agent.The bioactivity of PC is therefore attributed primarily to lower molecular weight PCs.Ker Y. Cheah, Gordon S. Howarth, Keren A. Bindon, James A. Kennedy, Susan E. P. Bastia

Grape seed extract reduces the severity of selected disease markers in the proximal colon of dextran sulphate sodium-induced colitis in rats

BackgroundGrape seed extract (GSE) constitutes a rich source of procyanidins. GSE has been demonstrated to exert encouraging anti-inflammatory and anti-ulcer properties in experimental settings, although its effects on inflammation of the colon remain undefined.AimTo determine the effects of GSE in a rat model of dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) for ulcerative colitis.MethodsMale Sprague-Dawley rats were gavaged daily (days 0-10) with GSE (400 mg/kg). Ulcerative colitis was induced by substituting DSS (2 % w/v) for drinking water from days 5-10. A sucrose breath test was performed on day 11 to determine small bowel function and intestinal tissues were collected for histological analyses. Statistical analysis was by one-way or repeated-measures ANOVA and p ResultsCompared to DSS-treated controls, GSE significantly decreased ileal villus height (14 %; p ConclusionsGSE decreased the severity of selected markers of DSS-induced colitis in the distal ileum and proximal colon, suggesting the potential as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of ulcerative colitis. Future studies of GSE should investigate alternative delivery methods and treatment regimens, further seeking to identify the individual bioactive factors.Ker Y. Cheah, Susan E. P. Bastian, Thomas M. V. Acott, Suzanne M. Abimosleh, Kerry A. Lymn, Gordon S. Howart