Knowledge, attitudes, and practices concerning infection control among travelers between Taiwan and mainland China.

With an increase in the number of travelers around the world in recent years, widespread efforts to control the human-transmissible influenza and increased surveillance among poultry and humans should be given the highest priority. The purpose of this article is to describe an examination of the passengers traveling via "mini links" from Xiamen (China) to Kinmen (Taiwan) with reference to their knowledge and practice on infection control measures and satisfaction with public health policies. A survey of perceptions, attitudes, and practices was accordingly carried out.

Biodegradation of anthraquinone dyes by Shewanella sp. NTOU1 under anaerobic conditions.

Shewanella sp. NTOU1 was able to decolorize a range of anthraquinone dyes [Reactive Blue 4 (RB4), Reactive Blue 19 (RB19), Mordant Red 11 (MR11), Disperse Red 15 (DR15), and Disperse Blue 3 (DB3)] under anaerobic conditions. By supplementing the medium with formate and ferric citrate as the electron donor and acceptor, respectively and cultivating it under the optimum pH (8-9) and temperature (45 degrees C), this strain could decolorize these dyes (1,000 mg/L) at the initial color removal rates of 15-126 mg/L/h and the rates among them were RB19 > RB4 > DB3 > DR15 > MR11.

LDL oxidation, antioxidant capacity and growth of cultured grey mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) fed dietary sorghum distillery residue pretreated with polyethylene glycol.

Dietary sorghum distillery residue (SDR) showed antioxidant and blood thinning effects on grey mullet during winter, but inhibited their growth. The objective of this study was to establish a preliminary treatment of the dietary SDR with polyethylene glycol (PEG), a tannin-binding agent, to enhance growth and blood antioxidant capacity of grey mullet ( Mugil cephalus ) feed. The feeding trial was carried out from June to November.

Characterization of serum immunoglobulin M of grouper and cDNA cloning of its heavy chain.

Immunoglobulin M (IgM) from the whole serum of grouper fish, Epinephelus coioides was purified by affinity chromatography using protein A-Sepharose column. Sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) under reducing conditions revealed that the relative molecular masses (Mr) of the equimolar heavy and light chains of IgM were 78,000 and 27,000, respectively. The cDNAs encoding IgM heavy chain comprising its variable (VH) and constant (CH) regions have been cloned and sequenced from a grouper kidney cDNA library by antibody screening method.