Synthesis and Magnetic Properties of Cobalt Ferrite (CoFe2O4) Nanoparticles Prepared by Wet Chemical Route

Magnetic nanoparticles of cobalt ferrite have been synthesized by wet chemical method using stable ferric and cobalt salts with oleic acid as the surfactant. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM) confirmed the formation of single phase cobalt ferrite nanoparticles in the range 15-48nm depending on the annealing temperature and time. The size of the particles increases with annealing temperature and time while the coercivity goes through a maximum, peaking at around 28nm. A very large coercivity (10.5kOe) is observed on cooling down to 77K while typical blocking effects are observed below about 260K. The high field moment is observed to be small for smaller particles and approaches the bulk value for large particles.Comment: 18 pages, accepted in JMMM, (May, 2006

Monofilament gill net and trammel net selectivity for the silver crucian carp (Carassius gibelio Bloch, 1782) in the Eğirdir Lake, Isparta-Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the selectivity of monofilament gillnets with different mesh size for silver crucian carp in Eğirdir Lake. In this study, it was investigated that the selectivity of monofilament gillnets with nominal mesh size (stretched) with 32, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 mm and trammel nets with 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150 mm for catching of silver crucian carp. Fieldwork was carried out in two different stations of Eğirdir Lake, between January-2010 and December-2010 with a three-month period and a total of 4 catching operations. Share Each Length class Catch Total (SELECT) method was used to determine the selectivity parameters. In the experiments 1562 silver crucian carp species in ranges of the length between 7.9 cm-37.0 cm were caught. As a result of calculations made according to the bi-modal model which gave the lowest deviation, for gill nets optimum length (cm) was found as 8.77, 10.96, 13.70, 16.44, 19.18, 21.92, 24.66 for 32, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 mm mesh size; for trammel nets optimum length (cm) was found to be 24.90, 27.39, 29.88, 32.37, 34.86 for 100, 110, 120, 130 and 140 mm mesh size monofilament trammel nets, respectively

Translocation of natural microflora from muscle surface to interior by blade tenderization

The effect of blade tenderization on translocation of natural microflora from the surface to the interior of longissimus dorsi steaks aged for 7, 14, and 21 days was evaluated. Samples from the exterior and interior of steaks from blade-tenderized (BT) and non-blade-tenderized (N-BT) strip loins were analyzed for aerobic plate, coliform, and Escherichia coli counts. Results showed that BT translocated microorganisms (aerobic plate counts) from the exterior to the interior of muscle. Microorganism numbers increased with extended storage (P<.05). Counts of coliforms and Escherichia coli recovered from BT steaks were comparable to those from N-BT steaks because of very low exterior counts, showing the importance of good hygiene

Influences of Orally Taken Carotenoid-Rich Curly Kale Extract on Collagen I/Elastin Index of the Skin

Two differently designed, spatially resolved reflectance spectroscopy-based scanners and two-photon tomography were used for noninvasive in vivo determination of cutaneous carotenoids, and collagen I/elastin aging index of dermis, respectively, in the skin of 29 healthy female volunteers between 40 and 56 years of age. The volunteers received a supplement in the form of a carotenoid-rich natural curly kale extract containing 1650 µg of carotenoids in total (three capsules of 550 µg), once a day. Measurements were taken before, after 5 months and after 10 months of daily supplementation. The results showed significantly increased values for the cutaneous carotenoids and the collagen I/elastin aging index of dermis 5 and 10 months after the beginning of the study. The obtained results show that a natural carotenoid- rich extract could prevent the aging-related collagen I degradation in the dermis and improve the extracellular matrix

Combined Neutrase-Alcalase Protein Hydrolysates from Hazelnut Meal, a Potential Functional Food Ingredient

Consumers\u27 interest in functional foods has significantly increased in the past few years. Hazelnut meal, the main valuable byproduct of the hazelnut oil industry, is a rich source of proteins and bioactive peptides and thus has great potential to become a valuable functional ingredient. In this study, hazelnut protein hydrolysates obtained by a single or combined hydrolysis by Alcalase and Neutrase were mainly characterized for their physicochemical properties (SDS-PAGE, particle size distribution, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, molecular weight distribution, etc.) and potential antiobesity effect (Free fatty acid (FFA) release inhibition), antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS methods), and emulsifying properties. The impact of a microfluidization pretreatment was also investigated. The combination of Alcalase with Neutrase permitted the highest degree of hydrolysis (DH; 15.57 \ub1 0.0%) of hazelnut protein isolate, which resulted in hydrolysates with the highest amount of low-molecular-weight peptides, as indicated by size exclusion chromatography (SEC) and SDS-PAGE. There was a positive correlation between the DH and the inhibition of FFA release by pancreatic lipase (PL), with a significant positive effect of microfluidization when followed by Alcalase hydrolysis. Microfluidization enhanced the emulsifying activity index (EAI) of protein isolates and hydrolysates. Low hydrolysis by Neutrase had the best effect on the EAI (84.32 \ub1 1.43 (NH) and 88.04 \ub1 2.22 m2/g (MFNH)), while a negative correlation between the emulsifying stability index (ESI) and the DH was observed. Again, the combined Alcalase-Neutrase hydrolysates displayed the highest radical scavenging activities (96.63 \ub1 1.06% DPPH and 98.31 \ub1 0.46% ABTS). FTIR results showed that the application of microfluidization caused the unfolding of the protein structure. The individual or combined application of the Alcalase and Neutrase enzymes caused a switch from the β-sheet organization of the proteins to α-helix structures. In conclusion, hazelnut meal may be a good source of bioactive and functional peptides. The control of its enzymatic hydrolysis, together with an appropriate pretreatment such as microfluidization, may be crucial to achieve the best suitable activity

Prevalence of Helicobacter pylori in Children and Their Family Members in a District in Turkey

The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori among children and their family members and to evaluate some epidemiologic characteristics. The study included 275 children, aged 1-15 year(s), suffering from different gastrointestinal complaints. Blood serology and stool antigen testing were used for the diagnosis of infection due to H. pylori. Sixty-five (23.6%) of the 275 children were positive for H. pylori, and thispositivity had a significantly increasing correlation with age (p&lt;0.001). H. pylori-associated infection was observed among 45 (69.2%) and 17 (8%) mothers in the H. pylori-infected and non-infected groups respectively (p&lt;0.0001). Most children and their families infected with H. pylori were living in an urban area. The findings suggest that infectiondue to H. pylori is a problem for this district area, and all children having any gastrointestinal complaints should be examined whether H. pylori was prevalent among their family members