幹細胞會進行不對稱分裂以維持組織恆定，一個子細胞分化為有特定功能的細胞，而另一個則維持其細胞潛能。粒線體能進行分裂和融合並維持動平衡。現今的研究已經了解，誘導型多能幹細胞(iPSC)的粒線體動平衡變化會促使其直接分化 (Seo BJ, et al., 2018)。然而，果蠅卵巢生殖幹細胞(GSC)內粒線體動平衡與幹細胞分化的關聯仍不清楚。本研究利用容易辨認的果蠅卵巢生殖幹細胞來探討這個問題，並使用Gal4-UAS系統與RNAi操縱粒線體動平衡，並發現粒線體融合蛋白被抑制會導致油滴堆積及幹細胞損失。另外，使用左旋肉鹼(L-carnatine)增進脂肪酸代謝，發現增進代謝會導致油滴減少及幹細胞回復。本研究著重於探討粒線體動平衡對GSC維持與脂肪酸代謝的影響，並對粒線體脂肪酸代謝與幹細胞分化的潛在關係提出觀點與佐證，盼未來能有更進一步的研究與醫療方面的應用。

睡蓮蚜是一種生活在水域環境的蚜蟲，而本研究證實：此種蚜蟲對水源和水中浮萍具有偏好性，並在水中具有勝過陸生黑豆蚜和玉米蚜的求生能力和登陸能力。睡蓮蚜的這些能力源自其異於其他蚜蟲的構造：較輕的質量和較長的腳使其能夠憑藉表面張力於水上站立和移動，並且在登岸時可以產生物理中的Cheerios Effect快速吸附陸地，水中生活的機動性因而極高。另外，睡蓮蚜的腳有彎曲的特徵，加強Cheerios Effect 的效應，加強登岸能力。睡蓮蚜的腹面氣孔亦有朝兩側生長的現象，以適應水上腹面經常碰觸水面的生活。

隨著慢性代謝疾病日益普及，藥物的研發及測藥用的生物模型也越來越被重視，因此我們欲建立一個模擬代謝疾病的生物模型，以供藥物測試對象。有研究發現，當果蠅身上發生I'm not dead yet (Indy)基因突變時，會使果蠅在高熱量飲食狀態下延長壽命、降低體重增長，且影響果蠅體內脂質的代謝功能，目前認為這些現象與養分運輸進入細胞的減少有相關。本實驗中我們將存在於人類身上且為Indy基因的哺乳類同源基因Solute carrier family 13, member 3 (SLC13A3)轉殖入果蠅體內，並分別在全身、頭部脂肪體、腹部脂肪體及神經細胞中過度表達後，觀察果蠅的生長與代謝變化。實驗結果發現SLC13A3基因於果蠅的頭部脂肪體及神經細胞表達確實會出現與代謝疾病患者類似的生理現象，如壽命縮短、體重及三酸甘油脂增加等，且此作用機制與AMPK 訊息傳遞路徑相關。因此我們認為SLC13A3基因於果蠅體內過量表達適合做為代謝疾病的生物模型，對於往後藥物開發極具潛力。

常見模式生物檢測化學環境壓力後無法重複使用。本研究探討對環境變化敏感的大生熊蟲抗化學環境壓力機制，評估其作為重複使用模式生物可行性。得知多數大生熊蟲於硝酸鹽、酸鹼值改變與殺蟲劑環境壓力下仍能活動或隱生。以亞甲藍簡易染色可確認化學環境壓力下大生熊蟲是否受傷害，如體表角質層被破壞會導致完全染色。分析大生熊蟲於常見硝酸鹽環境壓力下體內脂質含量、總蛋白質單體表現量與總抗氧化能力，推測出大生熊蟲對抗硝酸鹽環境壓力機制：1.藉由> 20 kDa持續性活化蛋白抗硝酸鹽環境壓力。2.活動大生熊蟲增加體內脂質含量隔絕環境硝酸鹽。3.隱生大生熊蟲以抗氧化系統降低硝酸鹽產生的氧化壓力傷害。以上結果得知大生熊蟲具潛能檢測常見化學環境壓力並作為重複檢測之模式生物。未來將持續評估大生熊蟲可檢測的化學環境壓力並為人類健康把關。

本研究利用RNA干擾與基因過度表現兩種方法，觀察基因表現對果蠅蕈狀體神經突導向的影響。我們以RNA干擾方式降低基因表現，標定dally、octβ2r、sifr與frazzled基因；而基因過度表現則選定frazzled基因。利用果蠅GAL4-UAS系統使神經細胞表現的綠色螢光蛋白，觀察神經突導向情形。由干擾果蠅腦部蕈狀體PPL1-α′2α2神經細胞上述基因，觀察到dally、octβ2r基因在降低表現後，此細胞分別呈現失去神經支配與異常神經支配。sifr基因在兩種不同RNA干擾序列下，表現出不同之結果，一是和wild type的神經突型態相似、另一則是失去神經支配。frazzled基因干擾後，細胞在蕈狀體α2區失去神經支配。frazzled基因在過度表現下，神經突和wild type相比，出現異常導向。綜言之，由我們研究發現透過操控基因表現，果蠅腦部神經突會產生異常的導向與神經支配，顯示果蠅腦部神經系統在分化或發育上，基因扮演極為重要的角色。

渦蟲黏液仿生應用評估，首先評估渦蟲黏液仿生材料黏著劑可行性，結果發現搖晃刺激能提高渦蟲黏液運動黏度 (5.17 mm2/s) 及承受正向應力程度 (3.25 ± 0.74 kPa)。不同收集渦蟲黏液方法，利用蛋白質電泳並以過碘酸硝酸銀染色法分析，皆可發現245 kDa醣蛋白，推測為黏液中黏性蛋白，未來將以LC-MS分析渦蟲黏液中245 kDa醣蛋白種類並推測其功能。第二部分為渦蟲黏液誘導抗菌分析，實驗發現爬行組、搖晃組及受傷組渦蟲黏液不會產生抑菌環，進一步將渦蟲置於大量環境細菌D (Staphylococcus haemolyticus) 中，一天後渦蟲自體分泌具有抗菌能力的黏液。最後進行渦蟲黏液細菌分析，發現黏液細菌編號M030 (Stenotrophomonas maltophilia) 能對環境細菌H (Staphylococcus haemolyticus) 產生抗菌能力，未來將使用API ZYM分析黏液細菌分泌酵素，與渦蟲黏液分泌酵素比較已推測其與渦蟲交互關係。

This is a first approach in the development of beekeeping and the preserving of bees, a crucial and important species in the balance of ecology on our planet. This project consists in designing and building a small affordable device that will help beekeepers keep an eye on their hives and prevent theft whenever and wherever they are by providing them with instant and continuous data and information about their beehive status through a mobile application. This IOT approach will rely on many physical variables especially the sound frequency of the bee buzz, which appears to be a way for the bees to communicate with each other in special circumstances. That is why; we aimed to analyze the sound frequencies of the bee buzz to detect beehive behavioral changes. Many other factors are also important for the keeping of a healthy beehive such us temperature, humidity, weight and fly activity. And as for security measures we are going to add a GPS tracker to the system to keep track of the hives and alert the beekeeper if there is any kind of danger. The development of this real time beehive monitoring system will not only help the beekeeper keep track of his hive and collect useful data but also increase the honey production and avoid many colony losses and thus preserve the bees and ensure their well-being.

The aim of this research was to investigate whether the ecology and biology of the Orange River mudfish Labeo capensis were suitable for the species to be used in fisheries. Three fleets of the gill nets were set, parallel to the shore. One fleet was lifted, and the fish were collected by hand. The two remaining fleets were lifted the next day. The seine net was pulled for 10 metres within the littoral zone. The net was then pulled towards the shore of the dam and the procedure was repeated four times. The four fyke nets were set parallel to the shore and were left for two nettings nights and then lifted. All fish caught were collected by hand and placed into buckets. The majority (82.93%) of the fish caught were within the 0-100 mm size class. The 101-200mm and 201-300mm size classes contain similar numbers of fish, while no fish were caught in the 301-400mm size class. The hypothesis was accepted. Allemanskraal Dam, as of the study period, has a very small juvenile fish population of L. capensis, as only 7 out of 41 fish individuals caught were within the 101- 300mm fork length size class. These results show that the population of L. capensis is not established as of yet, as the research did was right after their breeding season. Historical research has shown that sexually mature individuals of the L. capensis species tend to be a minimum of 300mm SL, 4-6 years after hatching. The population was largely young-of-the-year and may develop into an established population in 3-4 years (after sexual maturity). The L. capensis population in Allemanskraal Dam has the potential to be a fishery species if suitable conditions are maintained. Establishing this species’ potential will therefore allow economically viable fisheries to utilise them sustainably and to their full economic potential.

蚊蟲呼吸透過氣管系統，本研究假設底棲孑孓與搖蚊幼蟲具備血紅蛋白系統以擷取氧氣。戶外採集8種孑孓和1種搖蚊幼蟲，錄影觀察白腹叢蚊、竹生翠蚊和鹽埕搖蚊幼蟲長時間停留底層；家蚊、斑蚊則反覆上下至水面呼吸。顯微鏡下發現白腹叢蚊幼蟲體壁內側充滿紅點，色澤隨著富氧或缺氧而變化；然二種斑蚊則不明顯。PCR增殖6種蚊蟲和1種搖蚊血紅蛋白基因片段並建構親緣關係樹。定量RT-PCR顯示，白腹叢蚊與鹽埕搖蚊在缺氧條件下，血紅蛋白相對表現量分別增加5倍和150倍，上層埃及斑蚊和白線斑蚊則增加3.9倍和1.5倍。西方墨點法證實孑孓缺氧條件下，17-kDa血紅蛋白皆有大量表現。本研究首次確定6種蚊蟲具血紅蛋白基因，證明孑孓血紅蛋白基因在缺氧下的表現量增加，包括mRNA與蛋白質。此等反應氣候變遷，暖化導致水溫升高與低溶氧條件下，蚊蟲可能有因應環境改變的呼吸機制。未來將進一步標幟血紅蛋白在蚊幼蟲體內組織之表現與其他環境變因之影響。

To investigate the reproduction success and natural recruitment of several Cyprinidae fish and Claridae fish species in the Allemanskraal Dam. The purpose of the project included investigating whether each individual fish species studied has a successful 2020/2021 spawning season in comparison with each other. Sections of the seine net were measured along with a distance of 10 along the shoreline. The ends of the seine nets were attached to one foot and the top of the net was held by hand. Both volunteers moved in unison while covering the 10m. The volunteer in the “deep end” moved towards the shoreline creating a semi-circle while the other volunteer remained stationary. The two ends of the net were then pulled onto the shore and the fish were collected. The results found that the Labeo Umbratus and Cyprinus carpio had the most successful spawning seasons with the highest recorded numbers. These high numbers of the Labeo Umbratus can be due to the fact that the species lays a large number of eggs. The high numbers of the Cyprinus carpio is due to the lower numbers of the other fish species as previous studies have shown that the species negatively impacts the environment which could in turn negatively impact the other fish species. The Claridae gariepinus and Labeobarbus aeneusas were the lowest. The low numbers of the Labeobarbus aneusas may be due to their slow growth and late maturity rate. The Labeo capensis had an average number relative to the other species and this is due to the fact that during the sampling period the dam was at 100% capacity as this is essential for the survival of the juvenile fish. The hypothesis was accepted as the Labeo Umbratus, Cyprinus carpio and Labeo capensis all have a successful spawning season. However, due to the size of the Cyprinus carpio, they would be most suited for a small scale fishery.