Hens ranked as highly feed efficient have an improved albumen quality profile and increased polyunsaturated fatty acids in the yolk

The shelf-life of eggs which contain elevated levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) is compromised due to the relative instability and therefore greater potential for lipid peroxidation of unsaturated fatty acids (FA). Poultry that are highly feed efficient (HFE) exhibit higher systemic levels of antioxidant enzymes, and therefore may produce eggs with improved albumen quality and favorable FA profiles that are stable over time. We tested the hypothesis that HFE laying hens produce eggs with improved internal egg quality and a favorable yolk FA profile prior to and following storage. Following an initial screening phase (7 weeks) using 140 Isa Brown layers (28 week old), the 10 most efficient (FCR 2.30 ± 0.05) hens were identified and designated as high feed efficiency (HFE) and low feed efficiency (LFE) groups respectively. Internal quality and composition were determined on eggs (n = 10 per group) stored at 150C for 0, 14 and 28 d. At 0, 14 & 28 d, the albumen weight, albumen height, Haugh unit (HU) and albumen:yolk ratio of eggs from the HFE group were significantly higher (P < 0.01), whereas the eggs from the LFE group had heavier (P < 0.01) yolk than the HFE group. After 28 d storage, the yolk color score of the LFE group was lower (paler; P < 0.05) compared to that of the HFE group. The relative proportions of total PUFA and the ratio of total PUFA and total saturated fatty acids (SFA) were higher (P < 0.05) in HFE group of eggs. The LFE group of eggs contained higher (P < 0.05) levels of lipid peroxidation markers (thiobarbituric acid reactive substances; TBARS) values both in fresh and stored eggs. The results suggest that HFE hens produce eggs with greater albumen quality and higher levels of yolk PUFA both at lay and after storage

Biological Performance of Hexadeca-Substituted Metal Phthalocyanine/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanobioagents

This study presents a tetra-substituted phthalonitrile derivative, namely, diethyl 2-(3,4-dicyano-2,5-bis(hexyloxy)-6-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenoxy)phenyl)malonate (a), cyclotetramerizing in the presence of some metal salts. The resultant hexadeca-substituted metal phthalocyanines [M= Co, Zn, InCl)] (b–d) were used for the modification of reduced graphene oxide for the first time. The effect of the phthalonitrile/metal phthalocyanines on biological features of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) was extensively examined by the investigation of antioxidant, antimicrobial, DNA cleavage, cell viability, and antibiofilm activities of nanobioagents (1–4). The results were compared with those of unmodified rGO (nanobioagent 5), as well. Modification of reduced graphene oxide with the synthesized compounds improved its antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activities of all the tested nanobioagents also enhanced as the concentration increased. The antibacterial activities of all the nanobioagents improved by applying the photodynamic therapeutic (PDT) method. All the phthalonitrile/phthalocyanine-based nanobioagents (especially phthalocyanine-based nanocomposites) exhibited DNA cleavage activities, and complete DNA fragmentation was observed for nanobioagents (1–4) at 200 mg/L. They can be used as potent antimicrobial and antimicrobial photodynamic therapy agents as well as Escherichia coli microbial cell inhibitors. As a result, the prepared nanocomposites can be considered promising candidates for biomedicine

Low-Molecular-Weight Dipeptide Nanogel Containing Plasmonic Gold Nanoparticles for Drug Release Applications

The control of the release behavior of a drug by an external stimulus, controllability from outside the body, reduced toxicity, and other side effects can provide benefits in delivery systems used in cancer treatment. However, the preparation and development of systems that control the dosage of the periodically released drug by an external stimulus are still a clinically needed approach. Here, we developed near-infrared (NIR) laser-enabled peptide nanogel systems by preparing Fmoc-diphenylalanine (Fmoc-FF) nanogels with a simple dispersion approach and preparing gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) decorated or gold nanostars (AuNSs) embedded in this system. The morphological properties and sizes of the prepared AuNS-embedded and AuNP-decorated Fmoc-FF nanogels were investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) methods. Structural and thermal characterizations were performed with attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), respectively. Epirubicin (EPI) release behaviors of the prepared AuNS-embedded and AuNP-decorated Fmoc-FF nanogels were investigated under 808 nm NIR laser irradiation. In vitro cytotoxicity and genotoxicity behaviors of the prepared particles were examined, and their effects on laser control release behaviors were also evaluated. It has been observed that EPI release can be controlled by laser irradiation in nanogels containing embedded or decorated plasmonic gold nanoparticles. In addition, it is understood from the in vitro results that the prepared nanogel systems are more effective synergistically under 808 NIR laser irradiation. Our results showed that Fmoc-FF peptide nanogel systems prepared as plasmonic AuNP embedded or decorated have great potential for controlled drug delivery systems

Physicochemical Analysis of Ruthenium(II) Sensitizers of 1,2,3-Triazole-Derived Mesoionic Carbene and Cyclometalating Ligands

A series of heteroleptic bis­(tridentate) ruthenium­(II) complexes bearing ligands featuring 1,2,3-triazolide and 1,2,3-triazolylidene units are presented. The synthesis of the C^N^N-coordinated ruthenium­(II) triazolide complex is achieved by direct C–H activation, which is enabled by the use of a 1,5-disubstituted triazole. By postcomplexation alkylation, the ruthenium­(II) 1,2,3-triazolide complex can be converted to the corresponding 1,2,3-triazolylidene complex. Additionally, a ruthenium­(II) complex featuring a C^N^C-coordinating bis­(1,2,3-triazolylidene)­pyridine ligand is prepared via transmetalation from a silver­(I) triazolylidene precursor. The electronic consequences of the carbanion and mesoionic carbene donors are studied both experimentally and computationally. The presented complexes exhibit a broad absorption in the visible region as well as long lifetimes of the charge-separated excited state suggesting their application in photoredox catalysis and photovoltaics. Testing of the dyes in a conventional dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) generates, however, only modest power conversion efficiencies (PCEs)