Anticancer Activity of Astaxanthin-Incorporated Chitosan Nanoparticles.

Astaxanthin (AST)-encapsulated nanoparticles were fabricated using glycol chitosan (Chito) through electrostatic interaction (abbreviated as ChitoAST) to solve the aqueous solubility of astaxanthin and improve its biological activity. AST was dissolved in organic solvents and then mixed with chitosan solution, followed by a dialysis procedure. All formulations of ChitoAST nanoparticles showed small diameters (less than 400 nm) with monomodal distributions.

Screening and development of DNA aptamers specific to several oral pathogens.

Aptamers are composed of single-stranded oilgonucleotides that can selectively bind desired molecules. It has been reported that RNA or DNA could act as not only a genetic messenger but also a catalyst in metabolic pathways. RNA aptamers (average sizes 40-50 bp) are smaller than antibodies and have strong binding capacities to target molecules, similar to antigen-antibody interactions.

Multiplex fiber optic biosensor for detection of Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica from ready-to-eat meat samples.

Listeria monocytogenes, Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Salmonella enterica are the most common foodborne bacterial pathogens and are responsible for many outbreaks. Therefore, multiplex detection of these three using a single assay platform is highly desirable. The objective was to develop and optimize a fiber optic sensor for simultaneous detection of these three from food.

Hyperosmotic Stimulus Down-regulates 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3)-induced Osteoclastogenesis by Suppressing the RANKL Expression in a Co-culture System.

The hyperosmotic stimulus is regarded as a mechanical factor for bone remodeling. However, whether the hyperosmotic stimulus affects 1alpha, 25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) (1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3))-induced osteoclastogenesis is not clear. In the present study, the effect of the hyperosmotic stimulus on 1alpha,25(OH)(2)D(3)-induced osteoclastogenesis was investigated in an osteoblast-preosteoclast co-culture system.

Synthesis of carbon containing TiO2 nano powders by aerosol flame deposition for photocatalyst.

In-situ carbon-doped-TiO2 nano-powder was prepared by an AFD (aerosol flame deposition) technique using ethanol and isopropanol, and the photocatalytic activity of the prepared powder was examined. There were no significant effect of the solvents on the phase of the prepared TiO2, but the level of carbon in the deposits prepared with ethanol was lower than that prepared with isopropanol. Also, the average sizes of the particles prepared with ethanol were slightly smaller than that formed with isopropanol.

Surface modification of orthodontic wires with photocatalytic titanium oxide for its antiadherent and antibacterial properties.

Objective: To test the antiadherent and antibacterial properties of surface modification of orthodontic wires with photocatalytic titanium oxide (TiO(2)).

Materials And Methods: TiO(2) was coated on the surface of the orthodontic wires by a sol-gel thin film dip-coating method. Bacterial adhesion to the wires was evaluated by the weight change of the wires.

Formation of spacing pattern and morphogenesis of chick feather buds is regulated by cytoskeletal structures.

Chick feather buds develop sequentially in a hexagonal array. Each feather bud develops with anterior posterior polarity, which is thought to develop in response to signals derived from specialized regions of mesenchymal condensation and epithelial thickening. These developmental processes are performed by cellular mechanisms, such as cell proliferation and migration, which occur during chick feather bud development.

Bumetanide, the specific inhibitor of Na+-K+-2Cl- cotransport, inhibits 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3-induced osteoclastogenesis in a mouse co-culture system.

The Na(+)-K(+)-2Cl(-) cotransporter (NKCC1) is responsible for ion transport across the secretory and absorptive epithelia, the regulation of cell volume, and possibly the modulation of cell growth and development. It has been reported that a variety of cells, including osteoblasts, contain this cotransporter. In this study, the physiological role of NKCC1 in osteoclastogenesis was exploited in a co-culture system.