Growth, Proximate Composition and Pigment Production of Tetraselmis chuii Cultured with Aquaculture Wastewater

Microalgae are cultured commercially as healthy food, cosmetic products, food preservatives, and a source of valuable compounds. However, the high cost of commercial culture medium is one of the challenges to microalgal production. Therefore, it is essential to find an alternative cost-effective culture medium. Aquaculture wastewater is considered as a highly potential candidate due to its high nutrient content and large quantity generated from the rapid growth of aquaculture sector. In this study, Tetraselmis chuii cultured in different media with or without wastewater was evaluated for its growth, proximate composition and carotenoid production. The results showed that significantly(P < 0.05) higher growth(4.3 × 105 cells mL^(-1)) and protein(56.4% dry weight), lipid(44% dry weight) and carbohydrate(20% of dry weight) contents were found in T. chuii when they were cultured in the combination of both wastewater and Conway(wastewater + Conway) medium. However, carotenoid production of T. chuii was significantly increased(P < 0.05) when it was cultured in wastewater only, followed by Conway + wastewater and Conway medium only. Therefore, the incorporation of wastewater with commercial medium Convey is recommended for a cost-effective microalgae culture, as well as for the enhancement of growth and nutritional content of microalgae.

Variability in the Content of 25α- and 25β-Steroidal Sapogenins among Thirty Morphologically Different Sudanese Seed Accessions of Fenugreek

Seeds of Fenugreek （Trigonellafoenum-graecum L.）, an international spice commodity, are much consumed in Sudan as a food, for flavoring and as a folk-remedy for several ailments, together with local beliefs in nutraceutical benefits. The authors have noted an immense variability in colour and other morphological characters of Fenugreek seeds offered in local Sudanese markets and wondered whether this variability is extended to their chemical composition. Steroidal sapogenins are important chemical constituents of Fenugreek seeds in view of their potential as precursors for the commercial synthesis of steroid drugs and their continually revealed beneficial biological activities. In this study, thirty Sudanese Fenugreek seed accessions collected from different geographical regions in Sudan were analyzed for their 25α-, 25β- and total sapogenin content using a simple and specific infra-red spectroscopic method. The seed accessions exhibited much morphological variability particularly in outer seed coat color and size. Preparative TLC followed by gravimetric analysis showed that steroidal sapogenins, mostly diosgenin and yamogenin, represented more than 70% of the steroids of Fenugreek seeds. Infra-red spectroscopic analysis showed that total 25α-sapogenins （calculated as diosgenin） varied from 0.65% to 1.68%. Total 25β-sapogenin （calculated as yamogenin） varied from 0.38% to 2.03%. The content of total sapogenins （α ＋ β epimeric forms） varied between 1.24% and 3.0% of the oven-dry weight of seeds. β-sapogenins （mostly yamogenin） were dominant over α-sapogenins （diosgenin） in most Sudanese Fenugreek seed accessions.

嘉量赋(以“金锡无耗然后量之”为韵)

作之嘉量,其义惟深。嘉者以善为节,量者用平其心。穷微于子谷之数,酌宪于黄锺之音。3盖取诸象,爰范于金。4亦既成止,其仪可觌。5坚外可程,虚中受益。6功格于衡镜,实同乎圭锡。7以分多少,宁患乎不均;以立信仁,抑行之无斁。8然美其方能立矩,卑莫可逾;出入罔吝,包含式孚。

弹胡噼噼跳

我们岛脚边的一处处滩涂上,都能见到弹胡。有的昂首瞭望,张着阔大的嘴,仿佛在诉说什么;有的噼噼地跳跃,没心没肺似的,尽情地戏玩;有的默默地爬动,细细地寻觅食物,将矿工帽子上两盏灯般的眼睛如探照灯似的扫射。对于这样的弹胡,岛上的人不大喜欢吃食。滩涂如此之大,海鲜多得是,海瓜子、蛤蜊、蛏子、香螺、泥螺、沙蟹等,比弹胡好吃,且易捡拾或捕捉。弹胡灰不溜秋,瘦小,更难以捉到,谁会挖空心思去捉、去吃？我也不太喜吃。然而,我还是喜爱弹胡。