Electrokinetic and antibacterial properties of needle like‐TiO2/polyrhodanine core/shell hybrid nanostructures

The aim of this study was to fabricate needle like‐TiO₂/polyrhodanine nanostructures by polymerizing rhodanine monomer on the TiO₂ nanoparticles' surfaces and investigate their antibacterial activities. The structural, thermal, morphological, surface and electrical properties of non‐covalently functionalized nanoparticles were characterized by using FTIR, XPS, elemental analysis, TGA, XRD, SEM‐EDX, TEM, contact angle, and conductivity measurements. Characterization results confirmed the formation of needle like‐TiO₂/polyrhodanine (PRh) core/shell hybrid nanostructures. Alterations on the surface and electrokinetic properties of the materials were characterized by zeta (ζ)‐potential measurements with the presence of various salts and surfactants. The ζ‐potential of needle like‐TiO₂ was observed to increase from ?7.6 mV to +28.4 mV after forming a core/shell needle like‐TiO₂/PRh nanocomposite structure and with the presence of cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant. Thereby colloidally more stable dispersions were formed. Antibacterial properties of needle like‐TiO₂/PRh were also tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Escherichia coli by various methods and they showed good antibacterial activity. The highest killing efficiency was determined for needle like‐TiO₂/PRh against E. coli by colony‐counting method as 0.95. TEM experiments also showed the immobilizations of the nanoparticles on E. coli and revealed the interactions between E. coli and the nanoparticles. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41554.     

Ultrastructure of male reproductive system of Eurydema ventrale Kolenati 1846 (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae)

The male reproductive system of Eurydema ventrale Kolenati 1846 is studied morphologically and histologically by using light, scanning and transmission electron microscopes. The reproductive system of the male E.ventrale consists of a pair of testis, a pair of vas deferens, a pair of seminal vesicles, accessory glands, a bulbus ejaculatorius, a pair of ectodermal sacs, and a ductus ejaculatorius. The testicular follicles have three different development zones (growth zone, maturation zone, and differentiation zone). The testes are connected to the seminal vesicles by the vas deferens that is a specialized in sperm storage. Sperm have an elongated head and a tail (flagellum) with an axonema and two mitochondrial derivatives. Vas deferens and seminal vesicles are fine, long, and cylindrical. The seminal vesicle is connected with bulbus ejaculatorius, which is balloon shaped and surrounded with accessory glands. The bulbus ejaculatorius is continuous with ductus ejaculatorius which is connected to the aedeagus. Microsc. Res. Tech. 78:643–653, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Biotreatability enhancement of aqueous Reactive Black 5 by hydrogen peroxide/ultraviolet advanced oxidation process

The efficiency of ultraviolet/hydrogen peroxide photo‐oxidation processing for enhancing the biodegradability of Reactive Black 5 prior to biological treatment processing of acclimated and non‐acclimated sequencing batch reactors was evaluated. Photo‐oxidation experiments were conducted according to an experimental design method in which aqueous Reactive Black 5 samples with an initial concentration of 200 mg/l were exposed to ultraviolet irradiation for 15, 30 and 60 min in the presence of various concentrations of hydrogen peroxide (250, 500 and 1000 mg/l) at pH 7. Pretreated samples were then subjected to respirometric biodegradability tests using the sludge cultures obtained from acclimated and non‐acclimated sequencing batch reactors for the determination of the kinetic constants of q_max and K_s according to the modified Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development 209 method. Calculated values of q_max and K_s showed that the acclimated sludge of the sequencing batch reactor showed a better performance than the non‐acclimated sludge in the degradation of photochemically pretreated aqueous Reactive Black 5. The advantage of acclimated sludge compared with non‐acclimated sludge for the biodegradation of Reactive Black 5 diminished when photochemical pretreatment conditions reached higher levels in terms of oxidation time and hydrogen peroxide concentration.     

Characterization of antimicrobial polylactic acid based films

Olive leaf extract (OLE) (Olea europaea L.), which has antimicrobial effect on many food pathogens, was incorporated as antimicrobial agent into polylactic acid (PLA) films. Antimicrobial activities of films were tested against Staphylococcus aureus. Increasing amount of the OLE in the film discs from 0.9 mg to 5.4 mg caused a significant increase in inhibitory zones from 9.10 mm to 16.20 mm, respectively. Moreover, incorporation of OLE and/or increasing the amount in the film formulation significantly enhanced the water vapor permeability (WVP). The water solubility and the degradation rates of films increased up to 19.3% and 22.4%, respectively. Thus, OLE incorporated PLA films have a prospectively potential in antimicrobial food packaging to reduce post-process growth of S. aureus with improved properties.     

Nanoparticle embedded chitosan film for agglomeration free TEM images

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is a very useful and commonly used microscopy technique, used especially for the characterization of nanoparticles. However, the identification of the magnetic nanoparticle could be thought problematic in TEM analysis, due to the fact that the magnetic nanoparticles are usually form aggregates on the TEM grid to form bigger particles generating higher stability. This prevents to see exact shape and size of each nanoparticle. In order to overcome this problem, a simple process for the formation of well‐dispersed nanoparticles was conducted, by covering chitosan film on the unmodified copper grid, it was said to result in aggregation‐free TEM images. It is also important to fix the magnetic nanoparticles on the TEM grids, due to possible contamination of TEM filament which is operated under high vacuum conditions. The chitosan film matrix also helps to protect the TEM filament from contact with magnetic nanoparticles during the imaging process. The proposed procedure offers a quick method to fix the nanoparticles in a conventional copper TEM grid and chitosan matrix prevents agglomeration of nanoparticles, and thus getting TEM images showing well‐dispersed individual nanoparticles.     

The effects of moderately oxidised dietary oil with or without vitamin E supplementation on performance, nutrient digestibility, some blood traits, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defence of male broilers

BACKGROUND: The experiment was conducted to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of oxidised oil with or without vitamin E on performance, nutrient digestibility, some blood traits, lipid peroxidation and antioxidant defence system of male broilers. RESULTS: The supplementation of oxidised oil with or without vitamin E to the grower diets did not significantly affect performance, the pH and viscosity values of excreta and nutrient digestibilities in male broilers. Oxidised oil supplementation slightly increased plasma triglyceride and cholesterol concentrations but did not alter plasma glucose concentration. Although malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide concentrations tended to be higher in the oxidised oil group, these increases were not significant. Birds fed the diet containing oxidised oil had significantly lower superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. However, no differences were observed in glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px) activity and uric acid concentrations of broilers fed oxidised oil as compared to the control group. Dietary vitamin E supplementation decreased MDA concentration whereas increasing SOD activity, suggesting that vitamin E supplementation reduced susceptibility to lipid peroxidation. CONCLUSION: The results showed that a milder oxidative stress occurred by supplementation of moderately oxidised oil to the diet of broilers and vitamin E supplementation had been helpful in alleviating lipid peroxidation. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry     

Histology and ultrastructure of the testis and vas deferens in Pseudochorthippus parallelus parallelus (Orthoptera,Acrididae)

Pseudochorthippus parallelus parallelus (Zetterstedt, 1821) (Orthoptera, Acrididae) is a widespread species in Europe, and also it is localized in some regions in Turkey such as Bursa, Eski?ehir, Ankara, Bolu, Düzce, and Çank?r?. The features of the reproductive organs such as the numbers and shapes of testes and follicles can be used as taxonomical characters. For this purpose, the ultrastructural and histological features of testis and vas deferens in P. parallelus parallelus were examined with using light microscope, scanning electron microscope, and transmission electron microscope. The mature P. parallelus parallelus has two conjugated testes produce spermatozoa. Each testis is composed of numerous testis follicles in which different stages of spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis develop. First, spermatocytes are formed by the mitosis division of the germ cells at the distal end of the follicles. Then, spermatocytes form spermatids by meiosis division in the middle region of the follicles. Finally, spermatids are differentiated to spermatozoa at the proximal region of the follicles. After maturation of the spermatozoa, sperm tails come together as the sperm bundles called as spermatodesm. Each follicle is connected to vas deferens via vas efferens to discharging spermatozoa. In spite of some differences, the testes and the vas deferens in P. parallelus parallelus are highly similar to the those of other species, especially Orthopteran species.     

Morphological and histological structure of the male reproductive system of the water strider Gerris lacustris (Linnaeus 1758) (Gerridae,Heteroptera)

This work presents the male reproductive system morphology and histology of the water strider Gerris lacustris (Linnaeus 1758) (Gerridae, Heteroptera) using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The male reproductive system of G. lacustris comprise of a pair of testes, two vasa deferentia, two seminal vesicles, an ejaculatory duct. There is no bulbus ejaculatorius and the long vas deferantia uniting to form a simple ductus ejaculatorius which is connected to the aedeagus. The testes are white colored and this cylindiric‐shaped structure lies along genital abdominal segment. The testicular follicles have three different development zones (growth zone, maturation zone, differentiation zone). Each testis has two follicles, which are not lined by a common peritoneal sheath and involving many cysts arranged in a progressive order of maturation from the distal to the proximal region; spermiogenesis occurs in mature males, finishing with the organization of sperm bundles. The testes are connected to the seminal vesicles, specialized sperm storage places, by the vas deferentia.