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An Update on the Chemical Constituents and Biological Properties of Selected Species of an Underpinned Genus of Red Algae: Chondrus
No full textMacroalgae, particularly red seaweeds, have attracted significant attention due to their
economic and health benefits. Chondrus, a red algae genus, despite its economic importance, seems
to be undervalued. Among all its species, Chondrus crispus has been meticulously documented for
its biological properties, and little is known about other species. No comprehensive review of the
biological properties of this genus has been acknowledged. Thus, this review aimed to summarize
the available information on the chemical constituents and biological properties of a few selected
species, including Chondrus crispus, Chondrus ocellatus, Mazzaella canaliculata, and Chondrus armatus.
We compiled and discovered that the genus is offering most of the important health-promoting
benefits evidenced from in vitro and in vivo studies focused on antimicrobial, immunomodulation,
neuroprotection, anti-atopic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, cytoprotective, antioxidant,
anti-coagulation, nephroprotective, anti-tumor, and anti-venom activity, which speaks about the
potential of this genus. Data on clinical studies are limited. Further, around 105 chemical constituents
have been reported from Chondrus spp. Given its significance, further investigation is warranted,
in the form of meticulously planned cell, animal, and clinical studies that concentrate on novel
health-enhancing endeavors, in order to unveil the full potential of this genus. The review also
outlines challenges and future directions
Integrated Exploitation of Rainwater and Groundwater: A Strategy for Water Self-Sufficiency in Ca Mau Province of the Mekong Delta
No full textGroundwater sources have been exploited excessively for numerous purposes worldwide, leading to increasingly severe depletion. However, the replenishment of groundwater sources has not usually been a focus in economically and socially underdeveloped countries and regions. In coastal provinces of the Vietnamese Mekong Delta (VMD), rural areas are facing difficulties in accessing fresh water due to shortages from the water supply plant and excessive use of groundwater, highlighting an urgent need for sustainable development solutions. Our study first conducted interviews with 200 households in Ca Mau Province of the VMD to identify the current situation and the challenges and obstacles of rainwater harvesting and to find sustainable and proactive solutions. We then analyzed daily rainfall data from 10 meteorological stations to construct four scenarios of the water balance method: (i) potential rainwater harvesting based on existing roof area; (ii) optimal scale of storage tank and catchments for different levels of water usage; (iii) tank scale utilizing rainwater entirely during the rainy season and basic needs during the dry season; and (iv) integrated water supply between rain and groundwater. The results showed that using rainwater entirely for domestic water supply requires large storage tank capacities, making these scenarios difficult to achieve in the near future. Our research introduces a novel integrated water supply approach to storing rain and groundwater that has demonstrated high effectiveness and sustainability. With existing tank capacities (0.8 m3 per person), rainwater could only meet over 48% (14 m3 per year) of the water demand while requiring 14.8 m3 of additional groundwater extraction. With a tank capacity of 2.4 m3 per person, ensuring rainwater harvesting meets basic demand, harvested rainwater could satisfy 64% of the demand, with artificial groundwater supplementation exceeding 1.79 times the required extraction, while excess rainwater discharge into the environment would be minimal. Our research results not only provide potential solutions for rainwater and groundwater collection to supplement sustainable domestic water sources for Ca Mau but also serve as an example for similar regions globally
An Update on the Chemical Constituents and Biological Properties of Selected Species of an Underpinned Genus of Red Algae: Chondrus
No full textMacroalgae, particularly red seaweeds, have attracted significant attention due to their
economic and health benefits. Chondrus, a red algae genus, despite its economic importance, seems
to be undervalued. Among all its species, Chondrus crispus has been meticulously documented for
its biological properties, and little is known about other species. No comprehensive review of the
biological properties of this genus has been acknowledged. Thus, this review aimed to summarize
the available information on the chemical constituents and biological properties of a few selected
species, including Chondrus crispus, Chondrus ocellatus, Mazzaella canaliculata, and Chondrus armatus.
We compiled and discovered that the genus is offering most of the important health-promoting
benefits evidenced from in vitro and in vivo studies focused on antimicrobial, immunomodulation,
neuroprotection, anti-atopic, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-diabetic, cytoprotective, antioxidant,
anti-coagulation, nephroprotective, anti-tumor, and anti-venom activity, which speaks about the
potential of this genus. Data on clinical studies are limited. Further, around 105 chemical constituents
have been reported from Chondrus spp. Given its significance, further investigation is warranted,
in the form of meticulously planned cell, animal, and clinical studies that concentrate on novel
health-enhancing endeavors, in order to unveil the full potential of this genus. The review also
outlines challenges and future directions
Modeling of swordtip squid (Uroteuthis edulis) monthly habitat preference using remote sensing environmental data and climate indices
No full textUnderstanding the spatial arrangement of species in maritime settings necessitates
the study of oceanography. Hence, doing a study on the correlation between
oceanography and species dispersion is imperative, considering the impacts of
global climate change. The study used a generalized additive modeling approach to
analyze the influence of oceanographic conditions on the distribution of swordtip
squid in northeastern Taiwan, integrating fishing data, climatic oscillation and
oceanography. Among seven oceanographic characteristics, bottom sea
temperature (SSTB), sea surface height (SSH), sea surface chlorophyll (SSC), and
sea surface temperature (SST) showed significant influence in generalized additive
model (GAM) analysis (combined deviance explained: 40.30%). The monthly catch
rate of swordtip squid is influenced by six climatic oscillations, with the Pacific
Decadal Oscillation having the most significant impact, accounting for 31% of the
distribution, followed by the North Pacific Gyre Oscillation at 10.8% and theWestern
PacificOscillation at 6.05%. From 2015 to 2019, themain areas for squid fishingwere
situated in the northeastern waters of Taiwan, precisely within the geographical
coordinates of 25?N to 28?N and 121.5?E to 125?E. This study provides crucial insights
for managing swordtip squid fisheries in Taiwan's northwest waters, highlighting the
importance of incorporating oceanographic conditions relating to climate change
information into decision-making to protect global ocean fisheries and their
dependent communities
A Study on the Automation of Fish Species Recognition and Body Length Measurement System
No full textThe rapid depletion of fishery resources has led to the global implementation of Total
Allowable Catch (TAC) systems. However, the current manual survey methods employed by landbased
inspectors show limitations in accuracy and efficiency. This study proposes an automated
system for fish species recognition and body length measurement, utilizing the RT-DETR (Real-
Time Detection Transformer) model and ARCore technology to address these issues. The proposed
system employs smartphone Time of Flight (ToF) functionality to measure object distance and
automatically calculates the weight of 11 TAC-managed fish species by measuring their body length
and height. Experimental results reveal that the RT-DETR-x model outperformed the YOLOv8x
model by achieving an average mAP50 value 2.3% higher, with a mean recognition accuracy of 96.5%
across the 11 species. Furthermore, the ARCore-based length measurement technique exhibited over
95% accuracy for all species. This system is expected to minimize data omissions and streamline
labor-intensive processes, thereby contributing to the efficient operation of the TAC system and
sustainable management of fishery resources. The study presents an innovative approach that
significantly enhances the accuracy and efficiency of fishery resource management, providing a
crucial technological foundation for the advancement of future fisheries management policies
Experimental Study on Spacing Effect in Arrays of Draft-Varying Floating WEC-Dikes
No full textThis study examines the impact of the spacing parameter on the efficacy of an array of hybrid
modules functioning as both floating breakwaters and wave energy converters. The dual functionality
is ensured by the ability of the device to autoadjust its submergence. The behavior of multiple 1:40
scaled modules was tested in the wave tank of the University of Campania ?Luigi Vanvitelli?. The
objective was to assess the hydraulic performance of the array by analyzing transmission, reflection,
and dissipation coefficients under different wave conditions. Specifically, the transmission coefficient
ranges between 0.85 and 0.51, depending on the relative wavelength and wave steepness, while the
reflection and dissipation coefficients vary, respectively, between 0.70?0.20 and 0.55?0.3. In any case,
the results underscore the critical importance of the spacing parameter
Effects of Ocean Acidification and Summer Thermal Stress on the Physiology and Growth of the Atlantic Surfclam (Spisula solidissima)
No full textThis study examines the physiological response of the Atlantic surfclam (Spisula solidissima)
to ocean acidification in warm summer temperatures. Working with ambient seawater, this
experiment manipulated pH conditions while maintaining natural diel fluctuations and seasonal
shifts in temperature. One-year-old surfclams were exposed to one of three pH conditions (ambient
(control): 7.8 ? 0.07, medium: 7.51 ? 0.10, or low: 7.20 ? 0.10) in flow-through conditions for six
weeks, and feeding and digestive physiology was measured after one day, two weeks, and six weeks.
After six weeks of exposure to medium and low pH treatments, growth was not clearly affected,
and, contrastingly, feeding and digestive physiology displayed variable responses to pH over time.
Seemingly, low pH reduced feeding and absorption rates compared to both the medium treatment
and ambient (control) condition; however, this response was clearer after two weeks compared to
one day. At six weeks, suppressed physiological rates across both pH treatments and the ambient
condition suggest thermal stress from high ambient water temperatures experienced the week prior
(24?26 ?C) dominated over any changes from low pH. Results from this study provide important
information about reduced energy acquisition in surfclams in acidified environments and highlight
the need for conducting multistressor experiments that consider the combined effects of temperature
and pH stress
Antioxidant, Antibacterial Properties of Novel Peptide CP by Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Chromis notata By-Products and Its Efficacy on Atopic Dermatitis
No full textThis study investigated the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and anti-atopic dermatitis (AD)
effects of a novel peptide (CP) derived from a Chromis notata by-product hydrolysate. Alcalase,
Flavourzyme, Neutrase, and Protamex enzymes were used to hydrolyze the C. notata by-product
protein, and the 2,20-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical-scavenging
activity was measured. Alcalase hydrolysate exhibited the highest ABTS radical-scavenging activity,
leading to the selection of Alcalase for further purification. The CHAO-1-I fraction, with the highest
ABTS activity, was isolated and further purified, resulting in the identification of the peptide
CP with the amino acid sequence Ala-Gln-Val-Met-Lys-Leu-Pro-His-Arg-Met-Gln-His-Ser-Gln-Ser.
CP demonstrated antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, inhibiting its growth. In a
2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced AD-like skin model in mice, CP significantly alleviated
skin lesions, reduced epidermal and dermal thickness, and inhibited mast cell infiltration. Moreover,
CP suppressed the elevated levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in the plasma of DNCB-induced mice. These
findings highlight the potential of CP as a therapeutic agent for AD and suggest a novel application
of this C. notata by-product in the fish processing industry