Fish oil-containing edible films with active film incorporated with extract of leaves: preparation and characterization of double-layered edible film.

The utilization of zein and gum arabic has grown in an attempt to formulate wall materials based on protein-polysaccharide complexes. This mixture provides a versatile delivery system for hydrophilic (guava leaf extract, GLE) or lipophilic (fish oil, FO) bioactive compounds, and it can be used as an edible film-forming polymer. This study was undertaken to characterize FO-containing edible films that were double-layered with a film containing GLE.

A Carbonized Zeolite/Chitosan Composite as an Adsorbent for Copper (II) and Chromium (VI) Removal from Water.

To address Cu(II) and Cr(VI) water pollution, a carbonized zeolite/chitosan (C-ZLCH) composite adsorbent was produced via pyrolysis at 500 °C for two hours. C-ZLCH was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), dynamic light scattering (DLS), and zeta potential measurements. The batch experiments were performed by varying the initial pH, concentration, and contact time.

Synthesis, Adsorption Isotherm and Kinetic Study of Alkaline- Treated Zeolite/Chitosan/Fe Composites for Nitrate Removal from Aqueous Solution-Anion and Dye Effects.

In the present study, alkaline-treated zeolite/chitosan/Fe (ZLCH-Fe) composites were prepared and analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and pH of zero point of charge (pH) to remove nitrates from water. The process was carried out using an adsorption method with a varied initial pH, adsorbent dosage, initial nitrate concentration and contact time. The pH demonstrated that the ZLCH-Fe surface had a positive charge between 2 and 10, making it easier to capture the negative charge of nitrate.

Antiadipogenic Effects of Different Molecular Forms of Conjugated Linoleic Acid on 3T3-L1 Cells: Comparison between Free Fatty Acid and Phosphatidylcholine Forms.

The antiadipogenic activity of conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) in the form of phosphatidylcholine-bound (CLA-PC) or free fatty acids (FFA; CLA-FFA) was evaluated using 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Phosphatidylcholine from soya (soy-PC) was used as the comparison of PC form. Both the lipid accumulation and activity of glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase were measured to determine lipogenesis, whereas the glycerol content was measured to evaluate lipolysis.

Effect of Molecular Form of Conjugated Linoleic Acid on Oxidative Stability : Comparison of Triacylglycerol and Phosphatidylcholine Form.

The health benefits of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a functional lipid with anti-cancer, anti-obesity, and hypotensive activity, have garnered increasing attention. The current study was conducted to determine the oxidative stability of CLA in the form of triacylglycerol (CLA-TAG) and phosphatidylcholine (CLA-PC) at the sn-2 position. Oxidation was performed at 30°C or 40°C in the dark.

Karyotyping of barley chromosomes by a new fluorescence banding technique combined with scanning probe microscopy.

Fluorescence banding has been used to classify chromosomes, except those of barley. Four of the seven barley chromosomes are indistinguishable by length or arm ratio. C-banding has been used for classification; however, it requires a long aging period.

A silanized mica substrate suitable for high-resolution fiber FISH analysis by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy.

We applied a novel silanized mica substrate with an extremely flat surface constructed according to Sasou et al. (Langmuir 19, 9845-9849 (2003)) to high-resolution detection of a specific gene on a DNA fiber by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy (SNOM/AFM). The interaction between the substrate and fluorescence-dye conjugated peptide nucleic acid (PNA) probes, which causes fluorescence noise signal, was minimal.

Isolation and characterization of simple repeat sequences from the yellow fin sea bream Acanthopagrus latus (Sparidae).

We isolated DNA fragments containing various repetitive elements from the genome of a sea bream Acanthopagrus latus. Sequence analysis indicated that two fragments have particularly interesting features. Fragment AL87 contained a tetranucleotide repeat and a quasipalindromic sequence.

Hierarchical chromatin structure of Schizosaccharomyces pombe revealed by atomic force microscopy.

Many structural studies on higher eukaryotic chromatin have been carried out, but chromatin structure in fungi remains unclear. Schizosaccharomyces pombe has been used for investigations of chromosome function; however, the structural details of S. pombe chromatin have not been clarified owing to its small nucleus.

Effects of acetic acid treatment on plant chromosome structures analyzed by atomic force microscopy.

Acetic acid treatment has been frequently used to remove cellular contaminants from plant chromosome samples for structural analyses by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). We evaluated the effects of various concentrations of acetic acid treatments on barley chromosome structures by using AFM. The long-term 45% acetic acid treatment significantly damaged the chromosome structures, although the treatment effectively removed the cellular contaminants.

Scanning Near-field Optical/Atomic Force Microscopy detection of fluorescence in situ hybridization signals beyond the optical limit.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) is widely used in molecular biological study. However, high-resolution analysis of fluorescent signals is theoretically limited by the 300-nm resolution optical limit of light microscopy. As an alternative to detection by light microscopy, we used Scanning Near-field Optical/Atomic Force Microscopy (SNOM/AFM), which can simultaneously obtain topographic and fluorescent images with nanometer-scale resolution.

Useful technique for DNA-stretching and fixation.

We report on a useful technique for reproducibly straightening and fixing DNA molecules. When a droplet of DNA solution on surfaces is sucked up by pipet, surface tension at the moving air-water interface is sufficient to stretch the molecules. The point of this technique is the interaction control between surfaces and DNA molecules by polymer coating.

Nano-scale imaging of chromosomes and DNA by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy.

Nano-scale structures of the YOYO-1-stained barley chromosomes and lambda-phage DNA were investigated by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy (SNOM/AFM). This technique enabled precise analysis of fluorescence structural images in relation to the morphology of the biomaterials. The results suggested that the fluorescence intensity does not always correspond to topographic height of the chromosomes, but roughly reflects the local amount and/or density of DNA.

Mechanical elongation of the centromere in the barley metaphase chromosome.

The present study investigated the mechanical elongation of the centromere in the barley chromosomes by a microneedle manipulation method for the structural analysis of the chromosomes. Chromosomes were extracted from barley root cells, affixed on a cover slip by a standard preparation method, and elongated in either distilled water, phosphate buffered saline (PBS), or 2 x sodium saline citrate (SSC). The mechanical property of the chromosome elongation was assessed by the measurement of the force required for the elongation of chromosomes.

Imaging of chromosomes at nano-meter scale resolution using scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy.

Topographic and fluorescent images of whole barley chromosomes stained with YOYO-1 were observed simultaneously by scanning near-field optical/ atomic force microscopy (SNOM/AFM). The chromosome was relatively smooth and flat in the topographic images and no significant difference in height was present between regions of high fluorescent and low fluorescent intensity in the chromosomes. The telomeric region, labeled by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) method, was also observed by SNOM/AFM at high resolution, and fluorescent signals of the telomeric region were clearly defined on the topographic image of chromatin fibers on the chromosome at the nano-meter scale level.

Analysis by atomic force microscopy of morphological changes in barley chromosomes during FISH treatment.

We employed atomic force microscopy (AFM) to examine structural changes in barley chromosomes during the four steps of standard FISH processes. Rehydration and dehydration with alcohol accompanying RNase treatment increased chromosome arm width and decreased chromosome height about 50%. Subsequent heat denaturation reduced chromosome height further.

Simultaneous collection of topographic and fluorescent images of barley chromosomes by scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy.

The present study investigated the applicability of scanning near-field optical/atomic force microscopy (SNOM/AFM) to observations of YOYO-1 stained barley chromosomes. Using this technique, topographic and fluorescent images in the same portion were obtained simultaneously, thus enabling the precise analysis of fluorescent structures in relation to the morphology of chromosomes. In YOYO-1 stained chromosomes, the fluorescent intensity roughly reflected the local amount and/or density of DNA in chromosomes.