The objective of this project is to investigate styrene butadiene rubber(SBR), which is the most important synthetic rubber. The project contains production methods, properties, safety methods and applications for emulsion SBR. The goal is to determine which production technique of SBR is the most beneficial. This is based on the chemical and physical properties of the final product and its quality. The process that is used in the project is emulsion SBR with combined coagulation stripping. The rubber production plant is a profitable venture. The total capital cost is estimated around $31,361,572, with an annual production cost of about $67,281,378 yearly, generating revenues of $73,801,760 per fiscal year, with an interest rate of 5%. The life of the plant is 15 years and would produce 50,000 ton/year.

Smoothened (SMO) is a critical component of Hedgehog (HH) pathway that is essential for stem cell renewal and is dysregulated in many cancer types. SMO is a seven transmembrane domain protein with three intracellular loops. Primary structures of SMO intracellular loops are unique and very much conserved among the species, which is indicative of significant and unique roles in intermolecular or intramolecular interactions. The hypothesis was that synthetic analogs of SMO intracellular loops may function as HH pathway inhibitors. Derivatives of second intracellular loop were synthesized utilizing automated solid phase peptide synthesis based on Fmoc chemistry. Peptides were purified by HPLC and there anti-proliferative activity tested on melanoma cells by MTT assay. Targeted libraries of second loop derivatives of varying length helped to identify compounds that inhibited the growth of melanoma cells in vitro with IC50 in nanomolar range. The most potent of antagonists obtained is the palmitoyl derivative of the Nterminal half of the loop, and is 12 residues long. Lipidation proved to be critical for the activity. Remarkably, retro-inverso versions of the peptide, in which all amino acids are in D-configuration, are even more potent and have IC50 in subnanomolar range. Circular dichroism studies proved that the peptides are folded both in aqueous solutions and in the presence of lipids mimicking the membrane environment. They also suggested that retroinverso analogs have a different fold, which may contribute to higher activity. The new compounds are promising drug candidates and present convenient tools for solving the\r mechanisms of hedgehog signaling.

Purpose: Many girls in South Africa miss school due to insufficient resources during menstruation. Although menstrual cups are cheaper and more environmentally friendly than pads or tampons, they are not widely known or used. This project investigates the awareness of the menstrual cup and barriers to using it among schoolgirls. Method: Girls in grades 8 and 11 at a local school were asked to complete a questionnaire before and after watching a video about the menstrual cup. Results: The results showed that 54% of younger girls and 92% of older girls had heard of the cup but in each group only 1 girl had used it. About 11% of younger girls and 40% of older girls would consider using the cup. Watching the video had both positive and negative effects on the girls’ opinions about using the cup. Conclusion: There are several barriers to using the menstrual cup among school girls. Overcoming these barriers requires more than just dissemination of factual information about the cup. Workshops with small group discussions would more than likely lead to more girls choosing the cup.

中秋節晚上，媽媽切柚子，剝下來的皮像頂皮帽子。我就拿來當帽子戴，過了一會兒，拿下來時，哥哥剛好從我身邊走過，問我：「你今天的頭髮好香哦！居然沒有汗臭味，看來戴個柚子帽，還能除臭哦！」我問哥哥：「是真的嗎？怎麼那麼奇妙呢？為什麼柚子皮能除臭呀？」哥哥便提醒我說：「上自然課時，可以提出討論啊！」於是上自然課時，我便提出這個問題，經過全班熱烈討論後，老師建議我們在＜做中學＞中做更進一步的探索觀察。

In the last two decades, there has been increased interest in the utility of quantum scale semiconductors. These fluorescent single crystals can be as small as 1 nm in diameter, and their size and shape has been shown to be controlled by the duration, temperature, and ligand molecules used in their synthesis. Quantum dots, provide clear benefits over the organic dyes currently used for tracking biological processes. Yet, as the production of quantum dots is often very costly, the search continues for finding an industry-ready synthesis for a quantum scale semiconductor which would have high yield, optimal durability, high luminescence, and a broad absorbance range. Silicon, in particular, has been of great interest as it is the second most abundant element on the Earth’s crust and is generally a bioinert and electrochemically stable element. We report the synthesis of water-soluble, luminescent silicon nanoparticles with potential applications to bioimaging. Through a solution state top-down approach, the synthesis of hydrogen capped silicon nanoparticles was achieved in various organic solvents. The surface of the nanoparticles was capped with the functional organic molecules rendering the Si-QDs both air and water stable. Cell studies performed with our silicon nanoparticles and human monocytes show the direct applications these particles could have for tracking biological processes and the progression of cancer in the human body. In attempt to shift the luminescence of these particles, alterations of experimental methodology was also explored in the areas of reaction solvent and heating time. Through these changes, shape control of silicon nanoparticles was achieved in the form of silicon nanorods. The synthesis of this new shape of silicon at the quantum scale was confirmed by ultraviolet spectroscopy, photoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy. The results of this study indicate that the use of silicon nanocrystals for biomedical applications is feasible.

在學校的科學玩具研習社團中，我們曾學過以線圈纏繞製成的簡易馬達，如下圖，但我們自己製作的過程中，發現不僅費時，連學校老師都失敗好幾次。於是我們嘗試尋找其他更簡便的自製馬達，能夠方便攜帶與即時組裝。最後，我們在網路上【參考資料（1）】找到一種名為「法拉第馬達—Faraday\r Motor」的資料，它的外觀不僅簡單、新奇，拆裝更是方便；在克服了其中強力磁鐵的收集後，我們花不到一分鐘組裝完成然後讓它動起來，看過的人都大呼驚奇。我們在整個研究的過程中，製作了「極簡馬達模型」，方便測定轉速、更換零件與觀察轉動。此外，利用實驗所產生的結果，我們發展出自製的『磁力軌道車』玩具，並進一步延伸應用在「磁電再生能源車」。\r

在綠色能源中太陽能的利用充滿了無限的機會，其中利用太陽熱能發電的太陽能煙囪觀念有很大的潛力。在本研究中，我們以實驗的方法討論煙囪高度、入風口大小、管型等因素對solar chimney 效益的影響，發現就原先的觀念設計中，有相當大的改進空間。整體實驗而言，所改變的各項變數中，以管型之改變有最大的改進效益。就同長度直管與漸擴管而言，漸擴管在風速上有明顯改進效果，且以流速與截面積換算成效率，較原直管設計之效率高出約20 倍，因此推測漸擴管應用在現行之solar chimney 以改進效能是極有可行性的。研究中也發現煙囪管壁的熱傳導也會影響氣體的總體流動，使效率降低。相信此實驗之數據對日後嘗試對solar chimney 進行改進的研究者有相當之參考價值。Solar energy has a great market potential among many clean energies. The new solar chimney concept using solar thermal power in power generation may have a bright future. Experimental work was performed to study the energy conversion characteristics of a solar chimney. The air moving capability and the influences of chimney height, the shape of chimney and air entrance dimension were studied. It was found that there is a great room to improve the current solar chimney design and thus the efficiency. Overall speaking, the chimney pipe geometry may have the most significant impact on the improvement of performance. A diverged pipe configuration can induce nearly 20 times more flow than a traditional straight pipe. Another finding is the heat transfer effect on the chimney pipe may have the effect in reducing the flow. It is believed that the present study0 is valuable for those people in designing a future solar chimney.

本研究是對紅姬緣椿象做生態觀察，並藉由實際飼養紅姬緣椿象來觀察其生活習性、生長過程、身體構造。觀察飼養紅姬緣椿象的過程中，我們得到以下的結論:一、生長過程:卵期、幼蟲期、成蟲期。二、雄蟲與雌蟲的交尾時間長短會影響雌蟲的產卵數目多寡。三、雌蟲的體形大小與其產卵數目多寡無關。四、季節(溫度變化)會影響紅姬緣椿象的成長天數。五、溫度高低會影響卵的孵化快慢；溫度愈高，卵的孵化天數會減少。六、在校園實際觀察紅姬緣椿象的出現數量多寡，與溫度高低、天氣好壞有關係。晴天時，中午的溫度愈高，椿象出現數量多；陰天、雨天時，早晨的溫度較低，椿象出現數量較少。

六下自然與生活科技最後一單元提到：最近許多先進國家已經開始推動綠色能源的政策，最主要是因為全球暖化的問題愈來愈嚴重。由於工業生產、交通運輸及能源需求量大，在大量燃燒煤礦、石油的情形下，產生過量的二氧化碳，造成溫室效應，因此全球暖化現象加劇。我們想經由這項實驗，改變大家對『太陽能』高不可攀的印象。推廣『自己動手做太陽能廚具』的想法，盡一份開發綠色能源、愛惜地球的心意。

樹居舉尾蟻（Crematogasterrogenhoferi）是台灣常見的樹棲性螞蟻，擁有完整社會結構的牠們必須有系統地分工、特別是有效率地尋覓食物以維持整個族群生存。過去文獻已提出螞蟻會用費洛蒙留下覓食記號，卻少有針對他們的覓食策略提出探討，故本實驗設計諸多模型欲探討舉尾蟻的覓食行為。我們嘗試以糖水或含糖水果餵養整個舉尾蟻巢，發現牠們不僅喜愛且會選擇最短路徑以到達食物源，並對食物源的位置有一定時間內的記憶性，實驗顯示可能是藉由空間物像、食物源顏色、地磁方向、重力方向與食物氣味等輔助記憶；一旦覓食過程遇到障礙時，舉尾蟻會彼此通知並嘗試突破障礙繼續前進。在面對不同覓食狀況的刺激時，舉尾蟻的反應竟充滿我們意想不到的智慧，值得未來繼續鑽研與探究。

有海洋珠寶之稱的矽藻( Diatom)，長久以來即以它那華麗的外殼吸引許多人的注意，但我們卻被它的另一種能力所迷惑，它們沒有偽足、纖毛、鞭毛等單細胞生物的運動器官，卻能在水中運動，到底是什麼緣故呢？

大安水蓑衣（Hygrophila pogonocalyx）為局限分佈於臺中縣沿海溼地之稀有植物。大量境外復育栽殖後，造成近年來黑擬蛺蝶(Junonia iphita iphita)利用此種新寄主植物的比例增加。本實驗比較黑擬蛺蝶在原寄主植物臺灣馬藍(Strobilanthes formosanus)及新寄主植物大安水蓑衣上之生長環境遮蔽度、幼蟲生長發育、雌蝶產卵偏好的差異，探討大安水蓑衣復育對黑擬蛺蝶族群可能造成的影響。實驗結果發現利用大安水蓑衣之幼蟲生長發育較佳、羽化後成蟲體型較大、有效積溫常數較低。雌蝶產卵行為可能存在兩種偏好性，且子代雌蝶對寄主植物的偏好性與親代一致，不受幼蟲期取食植物影響。偏好新寄主植物之雌蝶其子代的生長發育，利用新寄主植物者顯著較利用原寄主植物者佳，顯示其對原寄主植物的適應顯著下降。本研究認為大安水蓑衣的復育結果，造成黑擬蛺蝶族群在可能共域的情況下，因為利用新的寄主植物可能已產生初步分化的現象。Hypgrophila pogonocalyx is a rare plant species which is distributed in wetlands along seashore of Taichung County. Recently, I found that the common butterfly Junonia iphita iphita recognized H. pogonocalyx as a new hostplant because of the restoration practices of H. pogonocalyx. We compared the differences of forest overstory coverage, larval growth performance and female oviposition preference between J. iphita iphita individuals exploiting the H. pogonocalyx and those utilizing the original hostplant Strobilanthes formosanus. Possible effects on J. iphita iphita by restoration of H. pogonocalyx are analyzed and discussed. It turns out that better growing performance and longer adult forewing length were found on the larvae feeding on H. pogonocalyx than those on the S. formosanus. Besides, the larvae feeding on H. pogonocalyx demonstrated lower constant value of effective accumulated temperature, suggesting that the new host may provide more energy to the larvae than the original host does. Two types of female oviposition preference seem to exist. No matter which hostplant the larvae fed on, the female adults still maintained the oviposition preference of the parental generation. Offspring of H. pogonocalyx-preferring female had better performance on this new hostplant. Our studies showed that the restoration of H. pogonocalyx might have caused primary differentiation of J. iphita iphita by using new hostplant in sympatry with the original hostplant.