Optical Property Analyses of Plant Cells for Adaptive Optics Microscopy

In astronomy, adaptive optics (AO) can be used to cancel aberrations caused by atmospheric turbulence and to perform diffraction-limited observation of astronomical objects from the ground. AO can also be applied to microscopy, to cancel aberrations caused by cellular structures and to perform high-resolution live imaging. As a step toward the application of AO to microscopy, here we analyzed the optical properties of plant cells. We used leaves of the moss Physcomitrella patens, which have a single layer of cells and are thus suitable for optical analysis. Observation of the cells with bright field and phase contrast microscopy, and image degradation analysis using fluorescent beads demonstrated that chloroplasts provide the main source of optical degradations. Unexpectedly, the cell wall, which was thought to be a major obstacle, has only a minor effect. Such information provides the basis for the application of AO to microscopy for the observation of plant cells.     

Identification of Turkish extra virgin olive oils produced in different regions by using NMR (1H and 13C) and IRMS (13C/12C)

Isotope ratio mass spectroscopy (IRMS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy techniques are two of the analytical methods that are used to characterize food products. The aim of this study is to classify extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) samples collected from different regions of Turkey based on ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectra along with IRMS δ¹³C carbon isotope ratio data by using chemometrics multivariate data analysis methods. A total of 175 EVOO samples were analyzed in 2014/15 and 2015/16 harvest seasons. Multivariate classification and clustering models were used to identify geographical and botanical origins of the EVOOs. IRMS results showed that there was no significant difference in terms of δ¹³C values between the years in terms of harvest year (p > 0.05), only extraction phase and variety were statistically significant factors (p < 0.05). The interactions of the factors showed that the harvest year × variety interaction is important. The outcomes of this research clearly indicated that considering the partial least squares discriminant analysis result with NMR spectra, the percent success of the model in the South Marmara, North Aegean, and South Aegean region samples were 95%, 95.7%, and 96.4% in the model set, respectively. The results showed that by using classification and clustering models, geographic marking and labeling of these oils can be carried out regardless of differences in year and production systems (2 and 3 phase extraction system) according the NMR analysis.     

Effects of dietary fat saturation on eicosanoid production, platelet aggregation and blood pressure

The effects of dietary fat saturation on eicosanoid urinary excretion, platelet aggregation (PA) and blood pressure (BP) were studied in 42 healthy subjects. They consumed four consecutive diets differing in their fat saturation [saturated (SFA); monounsaturated (MUFA); polyunsaturated n-6 (PUFA n-6); and polyunsaturated n-6/n-3, (PUFA n-3)]. Each diet period lasted 5 weeks. There were no differences in 24-h 2,3-dinor-6- keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha excretion among dietary periods. A significant effect was noted regarding the excretion of 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 (P < 0.0001). During the PUFA n-6 phase the excretion was significantly higher than during SFA and MUFA periods. Dietary fatty acid composition had a significant effect on ADP (1 mumolL-1) and collagen (2 mgL-1) induced PA. Dietary fat also had a significant effect on systolic and diastolic blood pressure (P < 0.0001). Both were significantly higher during the SFA period than during the other three periods. Our findings suggest that changes in dietary fatty acids may have mild, but significant, effects on eicosanoid production, platelet aggregation and blood pressure.     

The effect of nonstoichiometry on the positive temperature dependence of strength of Ni3AI and Ni3Ga

Compression tests have been carried out on the polycrystalline Ni₃Al and Ni₃Ga alloys over the temperature range 77 ~ 1000 K. The flow stress and the temperature dependence of strength are found to be sensitive to small composition change within the phase field. The anomalous strengthening of these compounds with temperature is more significant for Al-and Ga-rich deviations than for Ni-rich deviations from stoichiometry. The change in activation constant of these compounds derived from the flow stress increment appears to be discontinuous at the stoichiometric composition. The influence of deviations from stoichiometry on the temperature dependence of strength could be accounted for by the phase stability concept proposed by the present authors. It is concluded that the phase stability of the Ni₃Al and Ni₃Ga alloys with respect to the D0₂₂ phase as well as the D0₁₉ phase are reduced as the composition of the minority component is increased. This change leads to the relatively reduced {100} antiphase boundary energy which increases the propensity for the cross slip onto cube plane. formerly graduate student, Department of Material Science and Engineering, Tokyo Institute of Technology.     

Synthesis and properties of hydrophilic copolypeptide membranes containing L-aspartic acid as one component

Three-component random copolypeptide consisting of N-hydroxypropyl-L -glutamine, L -aspartic acid, and L -lysine, related two component random copolypeptides and homopolypeptides, were prepared by carrying out aminolysis reaction with 3-amino-1-propanol, followed by crosslinking reaction with 1,8-octamethylenediamine on starting polymer membranes consisting of γ-methyl-L -glutamate, L -aspartic acid, and L -lysine. The effective crosslink density was shown to be proportional to the content of the crosslinker in the reaction mixture. The tensile properties of these hydrophilic membranes were highly dependent on the degree of swelling in the pseudoextracellular fluid, hydrophobicity of the side chains, and the effective charge density of membranes, and their behavior was typical of an elastomer. A higher rate of water permeability was obtained with charged membranes than noncharged and/or compensated charged membranes with the same order of the degree of swelling in the pseudo-extracellular fluid. Biodegradation of the samples in vitro by papain indicated that the degradation could be regarded as a bulk rather than a surface phenomenon. The rate of degradation was also highly dependent on the degree of swelling of membranes, as well as on the hydrophobicity and the effective charge density of side chains of sample membranes.     

Application of biological activated carbon anaerobic reactor for treatment of hazardous chemicals.

An expanded-bed anaerobic reactor with granular activated carbon (GAC) medium has been developed to treat wastewaters that contain a high concentration of inhibitory and/or refractory organic compounds as well as readily degradable organic compounds. The process is characterised by a combination of two removal mechanisms; adsorption on GAC and biological degradation by microorganisms grown on GAC. Applicability of the reactor to treatment of phenol, chloroacetaldehyde (CAA), pentachlorophenol (PCP) and tetrachloroethylene (PCE) was discussed based on experimental data. All chemicals focused on here were removed well and stably at a removal efficiency of more than 98% even during starting operation and shock load operation. Chemicals in influent that exceeded biological degradation capacity was initially adsorbed on GAC and then gradually degraded, and hence the adsorptive capacity of GAC was regenerated biologically. These results proved that a biological activated carbon anaerobic reactor was effective for treatment of wastewater containing hazardous chemicals, especially for strongly absorbable chemicals, as well as readily degradable organic compounds at high concentration.     

In vitro release study of diltiazem hydrochloride from poly(vinyl pyrrolidone)/sodium alginate blend microspheres

Polymeric blend microspheres of poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) with sodium alginate (NaAlg) were prepared by cross‐linking with calcium ions and used to deliver a calcium channel blocker drug, diltiazem hydrochloride (DT). The prepared microspheres were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Scanning electron microscopy confirmed the spherical nature of the particles. Preparation conditions for the microspheres were optimized by considering the percentage entrapment efficiency, particle size, and swelling capacity. Effects of variables such as PVP/NaAlg ratio, molecular weight of PVP, cross‐linker concentration, and drug/polymer ratio on the release of DT were discussed at two different pH values (1.2, 6.8) at 37°C. It was observed that DT release from the microspheres decreased with increasing molecular weight of PVP and extent of cross‐linking. However, DT release increased with increasing PVP content and drug/polymer ratio (d/p) of the blend microspheres. The highest DT release percentage was obtained as 99% for PVP/NaAlg ratio of 1/2 with d/p ratio of 1/2 at the end of 4 h. It was also observed from release results that DT delivery from the microspheres through the external medium are much higher at low pH (1.2) value than that of high pH (6.8) value. The drug release from the microspheres mostly followed Fickian transport. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Scheduling in robotic cells: process flexibility and cell layout

The focus of this study is the identical parts robotic cell scheduling problem with m machines under the assumption of process and operational flexibility. A direct consequence of this assumption is a new robot move cycle that has been overlooked in the existing literature. We prove that this new cycle dominates all classical robot move cycles considered in the literature for m?=?2. We also prove that changing the layout from an in-line robotic cell to a robot-centered cell reduces the cycle time of the proposed cycle even further, whereas the cycle times of all other cycles remain the same. For the m-machine case, we find the regions where the proposed cycle dominates the classical robot move cycles, and for the remaining regions present its worst case performance with respect to classical robot move cycles. Considering the number of machines as a decision variable, we also find the optimal number of machines that minimizes the cycle time of the proposed cycle.