環境因子影響美洲蜚蠊觸角擺動模式之研究
本研究以攝影紀錄的方式，透過電腦進行影像分析，記錄不同刺激下美洲蜚蠊(Periplaneta americana)的觸角擺動模式，計算出各項觸角運動的參數，以瞭解光線(光刺激或光適應)、震動刺激、喝水與進食對其觸角行為的影響。我們發現在不同因子的刺激下，觸角擺動的模式具有差異，若兩種不同的刺激同時發生，蜚蠊觸角的行為亦具整合性的反應。蜚蠊於不同狀態下(如喝水或進食)，對相同的刺激有不同的反應，證明蜚蠊觸角的行為模式，受環境因子與個體狀態調節。透過掃瞄式電子顯微鏡的觀察，也發現觸角具多種感覺毛，且雌雄的感覺毛的分佈與數量具有差異。綜合以上發現，證明觸角除了為敏感的受器，亦為能反映出生理與環境狀態的動器，同時也適合進行發展檢測器的仿生學應用，用來檢測環境中物理及化學因子。The aim of this study is to investigate the different swing motion modes of antennae of American cockroach (Periplaneta americana) by computer-aided Imaging Analysis. The parameters of each swing movement were calculated in order to analyze how light (including light stimulation or light adaptation), vibration, food and drinking water may affect the antennae behavior of American cockroach. It was found that the antennae swing motion modes were significantly different under different types of stimulus. If two different types of stimulus occurred at the same time, the reactions of antennae motion may become conformable. Under different environmental conditions (such as food or water), same stimulus may result in different reactions. The antennae behavior has shown to be significantly affected by environmental conditions and individual physiological status. Through the observation with scanning electron microscope (SEM), it was found that the antennae has many types of sensilla; and the distribution and quantity of these sensilla are significant different between sexes. In conclusion, not only the antennae are considered as the sensitive receptors, but also they are the important effectors to reflect physiological status and environmental conditions. The current model is suitable for the development of specific detectors in the applications of Bionics to detect the physical and chemical factors in certain environments.
「世紀難題-考拉茲猜想」 考拉茲猜想中循環的探討
自1930年代以來，考拉茲猜想(Collatz conjecture)一直是個未解之謎，其敘述如下：選定一個自然數，如果是偶數，則用2來除；如果是奇數，則乘以3再加1，經過有限次迭代，最後一定得到1。也就是說會得到1,4,2,1,4,2,…的數列，稱之為1-2-4循環。即使此猜想敘述簡單，卻是個橫跨世紀的難題，至近幾年才有一些證明方法出現。 其中一種證明考拉茲猜想的想法為證明所有不符合考拉茲猜想的狀況為假，而其中一種狀況為除了1-2-4循環還有其他組循環，即有些正整數在經過數次考拉茲猜想的計算後，會進入一組非1-2-4循環的循環。 因此，在此篇報告中我們透過討論每一個奇數在經由乘3再加1的計算後，所得到的偶數的2的冪次，再經由反證法證明除了1-2-4循環不會有其他組循環。
BMI: BODY MASS INDEX or BELGIUM MATHEMATICIAN'S INVENTION？
Purpose Although Body Mass Index (BMI) is accepted by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as the standard method of measuring a person’s obesity or lack thereof, it is restriction to the two measurements of height and weight. This makes its accuracy questionable. By using other easily obtainable body measurements, a better way of evaluating Body Mass Index is possible. The purpose of this project was to show that the BMI formula is only accurate to a certain degree and that its validity varies depending on certain factors used in my project. Procedure 50 Adolescent female aged 16-20 and 50 women aged 40-56 none of whom were noticeably obese or underweight volunteered. Using a simple questionnaire, several measurements were taken – age in months, caliper measurement of tricep and hip bone, shoe size, height in metres, hip waist and wrist measurements (cm), exercise per week, heart rate and body type. Results were tabulated and graphs drawn using EXCEL. BAI (Body Adiposity Index) measurements were calculated for all volunteers. Results The girls and women with pear and hourglass figures were classified by BMI as overweight or obese. The girls and women who exercised a lot were also unfairly classified by their BMI readings. Many of the graphs show that BMI is not accurate, however, others show that there is merit to the formula. Conclusions The results while interesting require a larger sample group to be conclusive. It would appear that the BMI formula needs to be extended in order to improve its accuracy. Further research includes: 1. Larger sample group, 2. Representative age groups, 3. Investigate males, 4. Look at data for different ethnic groups, 5. Research into BAI formula as a possible substitute, 6. Develop an improvement on BMI. Although, there is some merit to BMI formula, it could be greatly improved with the use of other measurements including those used in this project.
由６面Sicherman骰子來分析ｎ面的Sicherman骰子
Sicherman 已經找出與兩顆六面的正常骰子有相同機率分布的Sicherman 骰子，並進一步獲得與三顆六面的正常骰子有相同機率分布的骰子必為一對Sicherman 骰子與一顆六面的正常骰子之結果，我們試圖由已知的Sicherman 六面骰子的處理方法出發，透過對割圓多項式的分析來累積足夠的相關資料，以處理由兩顆四面骰子至兩顆三十面骰子，處理由三顆四面骰子至三顆三十面骰子的各種Sicherman 骰子的答案，來探索兩顆與三顆的n 面Sicherman骰子存在的充要條件與求法，並進一步將所得之結果分類，得到 ”有相同標準分解式的類型的數n，會具有相同組數的Sicherman 骰子”之猜測結果與特殊情形下的證明。 Sicherman has found out the Sicherman dice which have the same probability distribution as the normal two six-sides dice. Furthermore , he also found out a pair of Sicherman dice and a normal six-sides dice has the same result as 3 normal six-sides dice . We try to begin with the given algorithm of six-sides Sicherman dice , through the analysis of Cyclotomic Polynomials to accumulate sufficient related information then to come up with the solution from discussion of 2 four-sides dice to 2 thirty-sides dice , from 3 four-sides dice to 3 thirty-sides dice to explore the existence of necessary and sufficient condition and solution of 2 n-sides Sicherman dice and 3- sides Sicherman dice , and even to classify the results to come to a conclusion of the guessing results and proofs under special cases about “the numbers n which have the same Canonical Prime Factorization will have the same numbers of n-sides Sicherman dice.”
臭氧濃度與天氣因子
本實驗的觀測乃著重於觀測各定點之臭氧濃度與該地天氣因子；如溫度、相對溼度、氣壓、雲量、風速、日照強度等與之比較並控制所有可能的變因，來推測一地空氣污染的程度，並從中思考影響一地臭氧濃度變化的要素。 利用自製的熊本試紙來測量在對流層中臭氧的濃度，進而來推論出我們所設的測站附近的空氣污染程度。 由實驗了解臭氧濃度和其他天氣因子如溫度、相對溼度、風向、風速、日照強度、紫外線強度、工廠作息或交通流量等因素有著很微妙的關係。 最後，我們歸納出在做此實驗時所遇到的相關問題與解決方法。 This experimentation is about the ozone of troposphere. We try to find out how the weather elements affect the ozone consistency (for example: air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, cloudage, wind speed, solar insolation), and to discover the relation between the ozone consistency and the air pollution. We use the test paper which is made by ourselves to measure the ozone consistency of troposphere, so that we con use the date to infer the air pollution level at the area where we conduct our tests. According to our experiment, we find out the ozone consistency and other weather elements (ex: air temperature, relative humidity, air pressure, cloudage, wind speed, solar insolation or traffic), have some delicate relations with each other. Finally, we conclude all the relative problems we face in this experiment and their solutions.
Dioscorin 對塵?造成氣管上皮細胞傷害的保護性之研究
古籍上記載山藥益肺氣，養肺陰，且最近研究報告發現山藥含有珍貴的dioscorin，其為山藥貯存養分的重要蛋白質，有抑制胰蛋白水解?之活性。而塵?糞便、屍體中的消化蛋白?會破壞呼吸道上皮細胞緊密連接處引起過敏氣喘反應。我對此甚感興趣，進而利用山藥的萃取蛋白dioscorin、塵?粗萃取蛋白及呼吸道上皮癌細胞A549，藉細胞培養、免疫螢光染色、螢光顯微攝影來實驗山藥是否真能保護上皮細胞緊密連接處。再利用膠體電泳、西方墨點法中抗體的高專一性、二抗的高靈敏度來確知我之前的實驗。另外也用ELISA 來實驗dioscorin或塵?引起A549 發炎的情況是如何。由實驗得知，dioscorin 可抑制及預防塵?引起的過敏氣喘反應；而經由ELISA 實驗發現，dioscorin 對於塵?刺激A549分泌發炎物質Eotaxin 並沒有助長或是降低的效果。It was believed that Chinese yam have benefits in treating asthma. Recently, it was found that the valuable dioscorin can be isolated from Chinese yam. The major function of dioscorin is nutrition-storage, however, it also have activities in inhibiting trypsin-like protease. This inhibitory activities trigger my interests. Because the major allergens, mites, and their stool may destroy the tight junctions of airway epithelium cells through their trypsin-protease activities. I therefore carry out an in vitro study to identify whether dioscorin can be used in protecting epithelium from the attack of mites. My results showed that dioscorin can protect the tight junctions of A549 cells from the attack of mite crude extract protein. I believed that dioscorin can be a good candidate in pharmacology application. The genetic and proteomic information are my further focus. On the other hand, we also investigated the possible activity of dioscorin in inhibiting mites-induced inflammation through using A549 as a model and employing ELISA. We found dioscorin neither inhibited nor enhanced the eotaxin being secreted from A549 under the stimulation of mites.
竹筍老化之謎
本研究是在探討收割後的綠竹筍(Bambusa oldhamii, green bamboo)的老化(aging)現象。一般人說的竹筍老了，通常是指竹筍的質地變硬，口感變差，此即是竹筍硬化的現象，而硬化的主因可能是竹筍受到逆境 (stress) 的刺激後，影響了基因表現的形態，導致纖維素和木質素的增加。竹筍採收後以不同方式處理，觀察切面的變化後發現，以0.2 M蔗糖水浸泡48小時後的竹筍，其切面比浸泡於水中或置於空氣中的竹筍切面較白，筍尖較綠且沒有枯萎的情況。不管是浸泡糖水、水或置於空氣中，都無法防止竹筍的硬化，但浸水和糖水可延緩竹筍硬化的情形，可見要防止竹筍老化，基本上要從抑制合成纖維素與木質素的酵素來著手。抽取竹筍切面處組織中的DNA並以DNA電泳分析之後發現，竹筍的DNA有被降解成小片段的現象，其大小差不多是180 bp的倍數，可見竹筍遇到逆境時也可能會有類似PCD (programmed cell death, 細胞程序性死亡) 的現象。抽取不同處理竹筍的蛋白質進行2D電泳，比較電泳結果發現，三種處理的竹筍的共同點在於減少的蛋白質幾乎都分布在等電點較低的部分。增加的蛋白質大多數分布在等電點較高的區域，這些增加的蛋白質可能和竹筍老現象與PCD有關。本研究還有兩個方向可以繼續延伸研究，第一個是將2D電泳上有明顯差異的蛋白質色點挖出，進行蛋白質定序，再從資料庫中比對，推測可能是何種蛋白質。第二個是研究抑制竹筍合成纖維素和木質素的?的方法，保持竹筍的口感，使竹筍能成為一種能外銷的食品。 The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the aging of the harvested green bamboo shoots. The research focused on how to prevent the aging of bamboo shoots and why green bamboo shoots become aging. The term “aging” means that the taste of bamboo shoots becomes hardness post harvest. At first, we tried to find out an anti-aging method, which is not only to keep the green bamboo shoots fresh, but also delicious. The method was to soak bamboo shoots in 0.2 M sucrose, in the water or without any treatment. After 48 hours, the cutting surfaces of bamboo shoots treated with sucrose were whiter, and their outer sheaths were greener than those of shoots soaked in the water or without treatment. The results showed that none of them can stop hardness. But the aging of sucrose- or water-treated shoots was retarded. The results suggest that inhibition of the enzyme activities involving cellulose and lignin synthesis may be required to prevent the aging of bamboo shoot post harvest. To get insight into the reason why bamboo shoots become hardness, the differences of protein patterns and DNA patterns between aging and fresh green bamboo shoots were analyzed and compared. The DNA from the bamboo tissues near cutting surface was isolated and analyzed by agarose gel electrophoresis. The results showed that DNA from shoots was partially degraded. The fragments appear as a ladder of DNA with sizes in multiples of approximately 180 bp. The presence of the olignucleosome-size DNA fragments suggest that the cells may undergo programmed cell death (PCD). The degradation of DNA was not observed in shoots treated with sucrose. By comparing the results of 2-D gel electrophoresis, it was found that some proteins with low pI values decreased or disappeared post harvest, while proteins with increased levels were detected in the high pI area. These changes in these proteins may result in the aging of the bamboo shoots. Prevention of the aging of green bamboo shoots is not easy. However, I found out from this study that soaking the bamboo shoots in the 0.2 M sucrose was a possible way to preserve them. The cutting surface of sucrose-treated shoots remained white, and the sheaths of the shoots was greener than those treated with other methods. Moreover, the degradation of DNA was not observed. However, it still cannot completely stop the aging of bamboo shoots. Reducing the enzyme activities involving cellulose and lignin synthesis may be a direct way to prevent the aging of bamboo shoots. It seems like there are many things to discover in the future.