Waters Of Taiwan Research Articles

Antimicrobial-resistance profiles of gram-negative bacteria isolated from green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in Taiwan

The green turtle (Chelonia mydas) is listed as a globally endangered species and is vulnerable to anthropogenic threats, including environmental pollution. This study investigated the antimicrobial resistance of Gram-negative bacteria isolated from wild green turtles admitted to a sea turtle rehabilitation center in Taiwan. For this investigation, cloacal and nasal swab samples were collected from 28 green turtles between 2018 and 2020, from which a total of 47 Gram-negative bacterial isolates were identified. Among these, Vibrio spp. were the most dominant isolate (31.91%), and 89.36% of the 47 isolates showed resistance to at least one of 18 antimicrobial agents tested. Isolates resistant to one (6.38%), two (8.51%), and multiple (74.47%) antimicrobials were observed. The antimicrobial agents to which isolates showed the greatest resistance were penicillin (74.47%), followed by spiramycin, amoxicillin, and cephalexin. The antimicrobial-resistance profiles identified in this study provide useful information for the clinical treatment of sea turtles in rehabilitation facilities. The results of our study also imply that wild green turtles may be exposed to polluting effluents containing antimicrobials when the turtles traverse migratory corridors or forage in feeding habitats. To benefit sea turtle conservation, future research should focus on (1) how to prevent pollution from antimicrobials in major green turtle activity areas and (2) identifying sources of antimicrobial-resistant bacterial strains in coastal waters of Taiwan.

Range extension and first record of <i>Meretrix lusoria</i> (Röding, 1798) (Mollusca: Bivalvia: Veneridae) from Indian coastal waters

Meretrix lusoria (Röding, 1798), one of the commercially important marine bivalves found in waters of west Taiwan, southeast China, Thailand and Japan, is reported for the first time from the coastal waters of India (Andhra Pradesh coast, Bay of Bengal), thus extending its range from Central Indo-Pacific to Bay of Bengal. This report raises the tally of Meretrix spp. so far known from India to four.

Assessment of Offshore Wave Energy Resources in Taiwan Using Long-Term Dynamically Downscaled Winds from a Third-Generation Reanalysis Product

In this study, long-term wind fields during 1991–2010 from the Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR) were dynamically downscaled over Taiwan and its offshore islands at a 5 km horizontal resolution using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. Simulations of the 10 m (above sea level) dynamically downscaled winds served as the atmospheric forcing for driving a fully coupled wave-circulation model. The sea states of the waters surrounding Taiwan during 1991–2010 were hindcasted to evaluate the offshore wave energy resources and optimal wave energy hotspots. This study reveals that the southeastern offshore waters of Taiwan and the Central Taiwan Strait exhibited the highest mean wave power density (WPD), exceeding 20 kW/m. The annual mean WPD, incidence of the hourly WPD greater than or equal to 4 kW/m, monthly variability index and coefficient of variation of the WPD indicated that the sea areas located between Green Island and Orchid Island (OH_1), southeast of Orchid Island (OH_2), south of the Hengchun Peninsula (OH_3), and north of the Penghu Islands (OH_4) were the optimal hotspots for deploying wave energy converters. The most energetic months were October for OH_1 and OH_2 and November for OH_3 and OH_4, while the wave power was weak from March to June for OH_1, OH_2 and OH_3 and in May for OH_4. The wave direction is prevailingly east-northeast for OH_1, OH_2 and OH_3 and nearly northeast for OH_4. These phenomena reveal that wave power in the waters offshore Taiwan is induced primarily by the northeast (winter) monsoon. The exploitable annual WPD was estimated to be 158.06, 182.89, 196.39 and 101.33 MWh/m for OH_1, OH_2, OH_3 and OH_4, respectively.

The Spatial-Temporal Distribution of GOCI-Derived Suspended Sediment in Taiwan Coastal Water Induced by Typhoon Soudelor

This paper discusses the use of a Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) to monitor the spatial–temporal distribution of suspended sediment (SS) along the coastal waters of northern Taiwan which was affected by Typhoon Soudelor from 8 to 10 August 2015. High temporal resolution satellite images derived from GOCI were processed to generate four-day average images of SS for pre- and post-typhoon periods. By using these four-day average images, characteristics of SS along the north of Taiwan coastal water can be tracked. The results show that SS concentration increased in the four-day average image immediately after the typhoon (11–14 August), and then decreased in the four-day average image 9 to 12 days after the typhoon (19–22 August). The mouths of the Dajia River and Tamsui River were hotspots of SS, ranging from 9 to 15 g/m3 during the two post-typhoon periods. Moreover, the maximum suspended sediment (SSmax) and its corresponding time (tmax) can be computed using GOCI hourly images for the post-typhoon period from 08:30 on 11 August to 08:30 on 22 August. The results show that SSmax occurred in the west coastal water within 4 days post-typhoon, and SSmax occurred in the east coastal water 9 to 12 days post-typhoon. Furthermore, an exponential decay model was used to compute the time when 90% of typhoon-induced SS was dissipated after Typhoon Soudelor (t90). It was found that t90 in the mouths of the Tamsui River and Heping River was the longest among all coastal waters of our study area, with a range of 360–480 h. River discharge and ocean currents with suspended sediment concentration are discussed.

Identifying critical risk factors and responses of river dredging projects for knowledge management within organisation

AbstractA river exhibits strong upstream erosion and rapid downstream accumulation. Dredging is one of the methods that is most commonly adopted by the Taiwan Water Resources Agency (WRA) to ensure the smooth flow of rivers and their ability to discharge water, protecting lives and property from flood disasters. However, dredging projects are large, involving very many stakeholders, leading to high uncertainty in the implementation of the project. The WRA also lacks relevant risk management methods and countermeasures owing to the periodical brain drain and retirement within the organisation. In order to enhance risk management for dredging engineers, river management offices across the country were visited, and knowledge and experience of dredging engineering were obtained using expert meetings and scientific methods. Work was carried out with the WRA to identify six major risk categories for dredging projects, covering 30 risks. An Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) questionnaire was developed using the Risk Breakdown Structure (RBS), and a Risk Impact/Frequency Analysis (RIFA) questionnaire was developed using the Important/Performance Analysis (IPA) method; these were answered by 69 engineers with experience in river dredging. Finally, critical risk factors are identified and ranked by combining the responses to the questionnaires and in the interviews, helping engineers with risk management in the future. Research results demonstrate that most of the engineering management experience in practice is communicated by word of mouth, with no effective and systematic method of knowledge management. Therefore, a knowledge‐based system is created, covering 170 risk events and solutions for various dredging projects, and a graphical user information system is built in a programming language, to enable the WRA to save engineering experience systematically for future exploitation.

On the Finding of Two Rare Species of Trachinoid Fish—Chrionema furunoi (Percophidae) and Parapercis compressa (Pinguipedidae)—in the South China Sea

Percophid fish Chrionema furunoi, previously known from the waters of southern Japan and northeastern Taiwan, was first discovered in the South China Sea off the coast of Vietnam. A rare grubfish species, Parapercis compressa, previously known only from the holotype from Sumbawa Island (Lesser Sunda Isles), found in the South China Sea between Kalimantan Island and the Malacca Peninsula. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations of new specimens are given. A key was compiled to determine the species of the genus Chrionema.

Application of Factor Analysis for Characterizing the Relationships between Groundwater Quality and Land Use in Taiwan’s Pingtung Plain

Although the average municipal water coverage in Taiwan is quite high, at 93.91%, only around half of the residents in the Pingtung Plain use tap water originating from the Taiwan Water Corporation to meet their needs. This means the exploitation of a substantial amount of groundwater as a source of water to meet drinking, agriculture, aquaculture, and industry requirements. Long-term groundwater quality surveys in Taiwan have revealed obvious contamination of the groundwater in several locations in the Pingtung Plain, with measured concentration levels of some groundwater quality parameters in excess of the permissible levels specified by the Taiwan Environmental Protection Administration. Clearly, establishing a sound plan for groundwater quality protection in this area is imperative for maximizing the protection of human health. The inappropriate use of hazardous chemicals and poor management of land use have allowed pollutants to permeate through unsaturated soil and ultimately reach the underlying shallow unconfined groundwater system. Thus, the quality of the water stored in shallow aquifers has been significantly affected by land use. This study is designed to characterize the relationship between groundwater quality and land use in the Pingtung Plain. This goal is achieved by the application of factor analysis to characterize the measured concentrations of 14 groundwater quality parameters sampled from 46 observation wells, the area percentages for nine land use categories in the neighborhood of these 46 observation wells, and the thicknesses of four unsaturated types of soil based on core samples obtained during the establishment of 46 observation wells. The results show that a four-factor model can explain 56% of the total variance. Factor 1 (seawater salinization), which includes the groundwater quality parameters of EC, SO42−, Cl−, Ca2+, Mg2+, Na+, and K+, shows a moderate correlation to land used for water conservation. Factor 2 (nitrate pollution), which includes the groundwater quality parameters of NO3−-N and HCO3−, shows a strong correlation to land used for fruit farming and a moderate correlation to the thickness of the gravel comprising unsaturated soil. Factor 3 (arsenic pollution), which is composed of groundwater quality parameters of total organic carbon (TOC) and As, is very weakly affected by land use. Factor 4 (reductive dissolution of Fe3+ and Mn2+), which involves Mn2+ and Fe3+, is weakly impacted by land use. Based on a geographic visualization of the scores for the four different factors and the patterns for land use, we can demarcate the areas where the groundwater in shallow unconfined aquifers is more vulnerable to being polluted by specific contaminants. We can then prioritize the areas where more intensive monitoring might be required, evaluate current land use practices, and adopt new measures to better prevent or control groundwater pollution.

Terpenoids from Marine Soft Coral of the Genus Xenia in 1977 to 2019.

Members of the marine soft coral genus Xenia are rich in a diversity of diterpenes. A total of 199 terpenes consisting of 14 sesquiterpenes, 180 diterpenes, and 5 steroids have been reported to date. Xenicane diterpenes were reported to be the most common chemical skeleton biosynthesized by members of this genus. Most of the literature reported the chemical diversity of Xenia collected from the coral reefs in the South China Sea and the coastal waters of Taiwan. Although there was a brief review on the terpenoids of Xenia in 2015, the present review is a comprehensive overview of the structural diversity of secondary metabolites isolated from soft coral genus Xenia and their potent biological activity as reported between 1977 to 2019.

Diverse Enzymes With Industrial Applications in Four Thraustochytrid Genera.

Thraustochytrids are heterotrophic fungus-like protists that can dissolve organic matters with enzymes. Four strains, AP45, ASP1, ASP2, and ASP4, were isolated from the coastal water of Taiwan, and respectively identified as Aurantiochytrium sp., Schizochytrium sp., Parietichytrium sp., and Botryochytrium sp. based on 18S rRNA sequences. Transcriptome datasets of these four strains at days 3-5 were generated using Next Generation Sequencing technology, and screened for enzymes with potential industrial applications. Functional annotations based on KEGG database suggest that many unigenes of all four strains were related to the pathways of industrial enzymes. Most of all four strains contained homologous genes for 15 out of the 17 targeted enzymes, and had extra- and/or intra-cellular enzymatic activities, including urease, asparaginase, lipase, glucosidase, alkaline phosphatase and protease. Complete amino sequences of the first-time identified L-asparaginase and phytase in thraustochytrids were retrieved, and respectively categorized to the Type I and BPPhy families based on phylogenetic relationships, protein structural modeling and active sites. Milligram quantities of highly purified, soluble protein of urease and L-asparaginase were successfully harvested and analyzed for recombinant enzymatic activities. These analytical results highlight the diverse enzymes for wide-range applications in thraustochytrids.

Lesson to Learn from an Endangered Green Turtle (Chelonia mydas): Marine Debris Ingestion, Rehabilitation and Satellite Tracking

Background: Marine debris is an environmental pollution problem affecting the oceans worldwide. Recent studies reveal that marine debris ingestion by sea turtles is rising. Sea turtles brought in for rehabilitation allows an opportunity to provide insights into the possible effects of anthropogenic debris on animal’s survivorship during rehabilitation. Methods: A green turtle (Chelonia mydas) was bycaught in fishing gear in south-western Taiwan in 2016. Debris were collected in the holding tank during rehabilitation. After a 3-month rehabilitation, the turtle was fit for release. Prior to the release, the turtle was tagged with a satellite transmitter. Result: Marine debris were found in turtle feces or floating on the surface of basins during rehabilitation. The debris were dominated by fishing line, hard plastic, soft plastic, rope, wood and styrofoam. The turtle survived and was successfully released back into the wild attached with a satellite transmitter. The turtle remained residing in waters of southern Taiwan, possibly its foraging ground, for almost two months. This study presents an apparent successful rehabilitation of an endangered green sea turtle, that hopefully helps further enhance environmental education and public awareness, as well as concerted actions against marine pollution in general and anthropogenic debris related problems in particular.

Evaluating Stock Status of 16 Commercial Fish Species in the Coastal and Offshore Waters of Taiwan Using the CMSY and BSM Methods

The waters around Taiwan are impacted by the Kuroshio and coastal currents, resulting in a high productivity and a high diversity of marine life. As a consequence, there are a multitude of fisheries around Taiwan, conducted by a fleet that has grown enormously in the last four decades. Here, we investigate the effect of the resulting fishing pressure on sixteen commercial fish stocks including demersal and pelagic species in the coastal and offshore waters of Taiwan using the CMSY and BSM methods. Both of these methods required principally catch time series, with the BSM methods also requiring CPUE data. The results show that of the 16 assessed stocks, 10 stocks have collapsed, 2 are severely overfished, 2 are overfished, 1 is slightly overfished and only 1 stock remains in a healthy status; these troubling results are attributed to excessive fishing pressure. However, climate-driven environmental variability may be another factor affecting the fishery resources around Taiwan, as evidenced by chub mackerel Scomber japonicus, the one stock deemed healthy, which is here attributed to favorable environmental condition. Using the fisheries reference points provided here, rebuilding plans could be provided for the other 15 species; however, such plans are not likely to be successful without reducing the size of the Taiwanese fishing fleet.

Briarenol L, a new chlorine-containing briarane from Briareum excavatum (Briareidae)

Chemical examination of Briareum excavatum, collected in the waters of Taiwan, led to the isolation of four briarane diterpenoids, including three known compounds, briarenol G (1), briaviolides Y (2), and Z (3), as well as a new metabolite, briarenol L (4). The absolute configuration of 1 was determined by a single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for the first time in this study and the structure of 4 was established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis. Briaranes 2 and 3 exerted inhibition effects on COX-2 and iNOS, respectively, release from RAW 264.7 macrophages.

Heavy metal concentrations in the common benthic fishes caught from the coastal waters of eastern Taiwan

People in Taiwan consume a large amount of marine fish, most of which are captured from the costal waters around Taiwan. Heavy metals are recognized as one of the most important pollutants, and their accumulations in the organisms have been studied and monitored for the safety of seafood consumption in the coastal waters of Taiwan; however, its regulation has been overlooked in the eastern region. This study evaluates the seafood consumption safety of the coastal fisheries in eastern Taiwan and establishes a baseline reference of the heavy metal levels in the fish of this region for the future monitoring of heavy metal pollution. Zinc, copper, cadmium and lead concentrations were determined in muscles, gills, intestines and livers of twenty benthic species of the most common commercial fish caught from the coastal waters of eastern Taiwan using a flame atomic absorption spectrometer. The results showed that zinc concentrations were the highest in the tissues, followed by copper and cadmium, and lead being the lowest except in the gills. Among the tissues, liver showed the highest metal concentrations, followed by intestine and gill, and was found to be the lowest in the muscle. The concentrations of zinc, copper, cadmium and lead in muscle ranged 2.0-6.2, 0.15-0.81, 0.02-0.12 and < 0.02-0.15 μg/g wet weight, respectively. The concentrations of the four elements in liver were in the range of 16.9-59.1, 1.4-12.4, 0.11-1.16 and < 0.02-1.09 μg/g wet weight, respectively. The concentrations of the heavy metals in the tissues varied significantly among species. Spottyback searobin Pterygotrigla hemistica and soldierfish Myripristis berndti contained in general higher concentrations of the metals in muscle and liver than other species of fish, respectively. The metal concentrations of fish found in this study are similar to the metal levels of the fish caught from slightly polluted waters in other parts of Taiwan, while the metal concentrations in our fish muscle are far below the consumption safety tolerance set by most countries in the world. Therefore, no public health problem would be raised from the consumption of fish from the coastal waters of eastern Taiwan.

Accumulation of butyltin compounds in the pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuate, from the coasts of Taiwan

Butyltin compounds (BTs), including mono- (MBT), di- (DBT) and tributyltin (TBT), were identified in the pantropical spotted dolphin, Stenella attenuate, from the coasts of Taiwan. In all 13 cases, the muscle tissues were analyzed. But the liver content was only measured in one of the samples. Dolphin muscle contained BTs ranging from 14 to 202 ng/g wet wt, with MBT dominant in the samples. Sex-differential and age-dependent accumulations of BTs in muscle were not found. The concentration of BTs in the liver was 701 ng/g wet wt, and MBT was dominant (77%). In general, butyltin concentrations in dolphins from the coastal waters of Taiwan are within the range of cetaceans reported worldwide. And to our knowledge, this is the first study reporting on the butyltin pollution of marine mammals in Taiwan.

Cyber Security of Critical Infrastructure Protection Overview in Taiwan's Water Resource Domain

Cyber Security of Critical Infrastructure Protection Overview in Taiwan's Water Resource Domain

Validation of a Primary Production Algorithm of Vertically Generalized Production Model Derived from Multi-Satellite Data around the Waters of Taiwan

Basin-scale sampling for high frequency oceanic primary production (PP) is available from satellites and must achieve a strong match-up with in situ observations. This study evaluated a regionally high-resolution satellite-derived PP using a vertically generalized production model (VGPM) with in situ PP. The aim was to compare the root mean square difference (RMSD) and relative percent bias (Bias) in different water masses around Taiwan. Determined using light–dark bottle methods, the spatial distribution of VGPM derived from different Chl-a data of MODIS Aqua (PPA), MODIS Terra (PPT), and averaged MODIS Aqua and Terra (PPA&amp;T) exhibited similar seasonal patterns with in situ PP. The three types of satellite-derived PPs were linearly correlated with in situ PPs, the coefficients of which were higher throughout the year in PPA&amp;T (r2 = 0.61) than in PPA (r2 = 0.42) and PPT (r2 = 0.38), respectively. The seasonal RMSR and bias for the satellite-derived PPs were in the range of 0.03 to 0.09 and −0.14 to −0.39, respectively, which suggests the PPA&amp;T produces slightly more accurate PP measurements than PPA and PPT. On the basis of environmental conditions, the subareas were further divided into China Coast water, Taiwan Strait water, Northeastern upwelling water, and Kuroshio water. The VPGM PP in the four subareas displayed similar features to Chl-a variations, with the highest PP in the China Coast water and lowest PP in the Kuroshio water. The RMSD was higher in the Kuroshio water with an almost negative bias. The PPA exhibited significant correlations with in situ PP in the subareas; however, the sampling locations were insufficient to yield significant results in the China Coast water.

Occurrences of pharmaceuticals and personal care products in the drinking water of Taiwan and their removal in conventional water treatment processes

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCPs) has been of concerns for their potential threats to ecosystems and human’s health for decades. PPCPs have been detected in water environments worldwide and have been identified in water sources and finished water. To elucidate the potential exposure of PPCPs in drinking water, this study assessed the occurrences and treatment efficiencies of PPCPs in the drinking water of Taiwan. Raw and finished water samples collected from five main drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs) in February, June, and November 2018 were analyzed. Furthermore, laboratory-scale water treatment processes were conducted to evaluate the treatment efficiencies of these chemicals. Most of the water samples from the DWTPs had a low concentration (<30 ng/L) of PPCPs. Only samples from a DWTP was observed to have higher concentration of ibuprofen (55.6 ng/L), benzophenone (92.5 ng/L), caffeine (390.5 ng/L), and diethyltoluamide (DEET) (434.9 ng/L) in raw water than others. The results of laboratory simulations indicated that the pre-chlorination process was the key step responsible for the removal of PPCPs in conventional water treatment processes, which can remove most of the hormone treatment products, parabens, oxybenzone, and acetaminophen in water sources. However, the filtration process with anthracite as a medium could remove some of the parabens (approximately 11.9%–41.2%), hormones (approximately 18.2%–44.8%), suntan lotions (37.5%–68.8%), and naproxen (30.1%) from Milli-Q water. The removal efficiencies of the aforementioned chemicals were marginally lower in raw water. However, analgesics, caffeine, and DEET cannot be removed effectively through conventional drinking water treatment.

Baseline diversity and host relationships of symbiotic caridean shrimps on the coast of northern Taiwan, southern East China Sea, prior to the establishment of a conservation area

Symbiotic caridean shrimps were collected from diverse host invertebrates in a coral reef habitat of the southern East China Sea during the summer from April to August in 2014. Regular weekly sampling was conducted by scuba diving in the zone above 25 m depth at the Wang-Hai-Xiang Bay (also called as Fan-Zai-Aou Bay) in northeastern Taiwan. This region is influenced by the China Coast Current and the Kuroshio Current. In total, 27 species of shrimp in 20 genera and 3 families were identified, being taxonomically dominated by Palaemonidae (70.4% of species) and followed by Alpheidae (22.2%) and Hippolytidae (7.4%). The shrimp species were apportioned among hosts of various groups, as follows: scleractinians (45.2%), gorgonians (16.1%), echinoids (12.9%), crinoids (9.7%), actiniarians (6.5%), alcyonarians (3.2%), hydroids (3.2%), and sponges (3.2%). Six species are reported for the first time from the waters of Taiwan: Synalpheus neomeris (de Man, 1897); Cristimenes zanzibaricus (Bruce, 1967); Manipontonia paeneglabra Bruce, 2012; Miopontonia yongei Bruce, 1985; Palaemonella spinulata Yokoya, 1936; and Thaumastocaris streptopus Kemp, 1922. Of these, C. zanzibaricus also represents a northern range extension for the species. Five species, Arete indicus Coutiere, 1903; Cuapetes amymone (de Man, 1902); Jocaste lucina (Nobili, 1901); Palaemonella pottsi (Borradaile, 1915); and Pontoniopsis comanthi Borradaile, 1915, showed higher than 60% prevalence on their hosts. These results provide useful baseline information on symbiotic shrimps prior to the establishment of a conservation area at this site in 2016, and also fill in faunal distribution gaps in the coral reef region between the southern Ryukyu arc and the Coral Triangle.

Oleiharenicola lentus sp. nov., isolated from irrigation water.

Bacterial strain TWA-58T, isolated from irrigation water in Taiwan, was characterized using a polyphasic taxonomy approach. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences and coding sequences of 92 protein clusters indicated that strain TWA-58T formed a phylogenetic lineage in the genus Oleiharenicola of the family Opitutaceae. Strain TWA-58T was most closely related to Oleiharenicola alkalitolerans NVTT with a 96.7 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Strain TWA-58T showed 75.2 % average nucleotide identity, 70.9 % average amino acid identity and 21.0 % digital DNA-DNA hybridization identity with O. alkalitolerans NVTT. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, motile, coccoid-shaped and formed transparent colonies. Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 6, and 0 % NaCl. The major fatty acids of strain TWA-58T were iso-C15 : 0 and anteiso-C15 : 0. The predominant hydroxy fatty acid was iso-C13 : 0 3-OH. The polar lipid profile consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, diphosphatidylglycerol and two unidentified aminophospholipids. The major isoprenoid quinone was MK-7. Genomic DNA G+C content of strain TWA-58T was 65.3 mol%. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic properties and phylogenetic inference, strain TWA-58T should be classified in a novel species of the genus Oleiharenicola, for which the name Oleiharenicola lentus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is TWA-58T (=BCRC 81161T=LMG 31019T=KCTC 62872T).

11β,20β-Epoxybriaranes from the Gorgonian Coral Junceella fragilis (Ellisellidae).

Two 11,20-epoxybriaranes, including a known compound, juncenolide K (1), as well as a new metabolite, fragilide X (2), have been isolated from gorgonian Junceella fragilis collected off the waters of Taiwan. The absolute configuration of juncenolide K (1) was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis for the first time in this study and the structure, including the absolute configuration of briarane 2 was established on the basis of spectroscopic analysis and compared with that of model compound 1. One aspect of the stereochemistry of the known compound 1 was revised. Briarane 2 was found to enhance the generation of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) release from RAW 264.7 cells.