Chitin extraction and chitosan production from cell wall of two mushroom species (Lactarius vellereus and Phyllophora ribis)

6th Congress and Exhibition on International Advances in Applied Physics and Materials Science (APMAS) -- JUN 01-03, 2016 -- Istanbul, TURKEYWOS: 000405202000012Chitin is an important polysaccharide found as supporting material in the cell wall of mushrooms. In this study, chitin and chitosan were obtained from the cell wall of two different mushroom species using chemical method and physicochemically characterized. The dry weight chitin contents of the mushroom species were determined as 11.4% for Lactarius vellereus and 7.9% for Phyllophora ribis. Chitosan yields of the chitins isolated from L. vellereus and P. ribis were 73.1% and 75.3%, respectively. While, the maximum degradation temperatures of vellereus and P. ribis chitins were found to be 354 degrees C and 275 degrees C by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), the maximum degadation temperature of the chitosans obtained from these chitins were recorded as 262 degrees C and 229 degrees C, respectively. The crystalline index values of L. vellereus and P. ribis chitins were calculated as 64% and 49%, respectively according to the X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) results. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated that there were no nanofiber or nanopores on the surface of the chitins and chitosans obtained from these two mushroom species. The results of this study revealed that L. vellereus and P. ribis had higher chitin contents than some other insects and mushroom species recorded in the literature and these species may be used as a potential chitin sources

Evaluation of the effects of serum iron levels on lacrimal gland secretion

WOS: 000358741400006PubMed ID: 26228282In our study we aimed to demonstrate the relationship between the serum iron levels, and tears quality and quantity in term newborns. This study was conducted at a single institution between March 2013 and May 2013. A total of 46 newborns were prospectively enrolled. Serum iron levels were measured via the umbilical cord blood. Infants were divided into two groups according to their serum iron levels. Group A, serum iron level 70 mg/dL (n = 19). The evaluation of the osmolarity was tested by using the TearLab Osmolarity System (TearLab Co, San Diego, CA, USA). The assessment of quantity was performed by using Schirmer I test. Osmolarity testing and Schirmer I test (with/without anesthesia) were performed bilaterally on the 1st day of life by an ophthalmologist. The outcomes of Schirmer I and tear osmolarity showed no statistically significant difference between right and left eyes of any infant in the groups. Moreover, there was no statistical difference between sexes in these two groups. Osmolarity was found to have a moderate negative correlation coefficient with serum iron level (r = -0.4, p < 0.01). Furthermore, there was a high positive correlation between Schirmer I with anesthesia and serum iron levels (r = 0.7, p < 0.01). We observed that the quality and quantity of the tears was lower in term newborns with lower serum iron levels than healthy newborns. These results indicate that low serum iron level could affect lacrimal gland functions

Porous and nanofiber α-chitosan obtained from blue crab (Callinectes sapidus) tested for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities

Chitin was isolated using the classical chemical method from the shell of Callinectes sapidus. The chitin content in the dry weight of the crab shells was determined as 12.1%. Total chitosan yield was recorded as 76%. The deacetylation degree of the chitosan was found to be 82.5%. The obtained chitin was in the ?-form which was confirmed from the results of FTIR, TGA and XRD analyses. Resulting chitin showed DTG max value as 390 °C while in same regard chitosan show this value as 306 °C. Detailed information about the composition of pores and nanofibers was obtained using SEM. Disc diffusion method used for testing the antimicrobial activity, inhibition zone diameters of the chitosan from C. sapidus varied between 15.28 and 20.21 mm for human bacterial pathogens, between 15.51 and 16.25 mm for fungal pathogens and between 14.22 and 15.75 mm for fish bacterial pathogens, respectively. MBC and MFC values of the chitosan from C. sapidus were between 0.16 and 2.50 mg/mL. The results of DPPH and ferric ion reducing power activity used for determining the antioxidant activity of the chitosan, were found as IC50: 5.99 and EC50: 6.16, respectively. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd

Gender influences differentiation of chitin among body parts

eISSN: 1520-6327Earlier reports have established that chitin isolates from each body part of an insect cuticle can exhibit diverse physicochemical properties. But it is still unknown if the gender of the insect can influence characteristics of chitin isolates from different body parts. The present study addresses this question. As a result, important physicochemical differences in the chitin samples from different body parts of Melolontha sp. were recorded on the basis of sex. The chitin samples were extracted from eight different body parts (antennae, head, eyes, thorax, abdomen, elytra, hindwings, and legs) of female and male. The most remarkable variations in the chitin isolates from female and male body parts were recorded in chitin content, crystallinity, thermal stability, and surface morphology. And also it was wondered these chitin isolates from different body parts of female and male could find different applications. To check this hypothesis, the chitin samples from female and male were interacted with bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein and important variations were observed. (C) 2016 Wiley Periodicals, IncBiologijos katedraVytauto Didžiojo universiteta