Effect of metabolized polyethylene terephthalate, vacuum packaging and storage temperature on shelf life of papaya pulp Kalakand (Indian cookie)

The dairy plants are looking for newer products for diversification and value addition. There is scope for the dairy industry to introduce newer products as healthy, convenience and ready to eat foods for capacity utilization and value addition, but because of complex biochemical composition and high water content, milk and milk products act as an excellent culture medium for growth and multiplication of varieties of microorganisms. Vacuum packaging reduces product shrinkage, trim losses by eliminating oxidation and freezer burn resulting it can enhance product quality. Now a day metabolized polyethylene terephthalate (MET PET) with vacuum packaging have a promising role in storage of various value added milk product. The developed value added Kalakand product (Indian cookie) could be stored successfully for 5 days in MET PET packaging material at 4±1°C and when the product was packaged under vacuum the shelf life increased up to 10 days at 4±1°C

Intra-tumor L-methionine level highly correlates with tumor size in both pancreatic cancer and melanoma patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude-mouse models.

An excessive requirement for methionine (MET) for growth, termed MET dependence, appears to be a general metabolic defect in cancer. We have previously shown that cancer-cell growth can be selectively arrested by MET restriction such as with recombinant methioninase (rMETase). In the present study, we utilized patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) nude mouse models with pancreatic cancer or melanoma to determine the relationship between intra-tumor MET level and tumor size. After the tumors grew to 100 mm3, the PDOX nude mice were divided into two groups: untreated control and treated with rMETase (100 units, i.p., 14 consecutive days). On day 14 from initiation of treatment, intra-tumor MET levels were measured and found to highly correlate with tumor volume, both in the pancreatic cancer PDOX (p<0.0001, R2=0.89016) and melanoma PDOX (p<0.0001, R2=0.88114). Tumors with low concentration of MET were smaller. The present results demonstrates that patient tumors are highly dependent on MET for growth and that rMETase effectively lowers tumor MET

Imaging Active Infection in vivo Using D-Amino Acid Derived PET Radiotracers.

Occult bacterial infections represent a worldwide health problem. Differentiating active bacterial infection from sterile inflammation can be difficult using current imaging tools. Present clinically viable methodologies either detect morphologic changes (CT/ MR), recruitment of immune cells (111In-WBC SPECT), or enhanced glycolytic flux seen in inflammatory cells (18F-FDG PET). However, these strategies are often inadequate to detect bacterial infection and are not specific for living bacteria. Recent approaches have taken advantage of key metabolic differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, allowing easier distinction between bacteria and their host. In this report, we exploited one key difference, bacterial cell wall biosynthesis, to detect living bacteria using a positron-labeled D-amino acid. After screening several 14C D-amino acids for their incorporation into E. coli in culture, we identified D-methionine as a probe with outstanding radiopharmaceutical potential. Based on an analogous procedure to that used for L-[methyl-11C]methionine ([11C] L-Met), we developed an enhanced asymmetric synthesis of D-[methyl-11C]methionine ([11C] D-Met), and showed that it can rapidly and selectively differentiate both E. coli and S. aureus infections from sterile inflammation in vivo. We believe that the ease of [11C] D-Met radiosynthesis, coupled with its rapid and specific in vivo bacterial accumulation, make it an attractive radiotracer for infection imaging in clinical practice

Recombinant methioninase (rMETase) is an effective therapeutic for BRAF-V600E-negative as well as -positive melanoma in patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) mouse models.

Melanoma is a recalcitrant disease. Melanoma patients with the BRAF-V600E mutation have been treated with the drug vemurafenib (VEM) which targets this mutation. However, we previously showed that VEM is not very effective against a BRAF-V600E melanoma mutant in a patient-derived orthotopic xenograft (PDOX) model. In contrast, we demonstrated that recombinant methioninase (rMETase) which targets the general metabolic defect in cancer of methionine dependence, was effective against the BRAF-V600E mutant melanoma PDOX model. In the present study, we demonstrate that rMETase is effective against a BRAF-V600E-negative melanoma PDOX which we established. Forty BRAF-V600E-negative melanoma PDOX mouse models were randomized into four groups of 10 mice each: untreated control (n = 10); temozolomide (TEM) (25 mg/kg, p.o., 14 consecutive days, n = 10); rMETase (100 units, i.p., 14 consecutive days, n = 10); TEM + rMETase (TEM: 25 mg/kg, p.o., rMETase: 100 units, i.p., 14 consecutive days, n = 10). All treatments inhibited tumor growth compared to untreated control (TEM: p = 0.0003, rMETase: p = 0.0006, TEM/rMETase: p = 0.0002) on day 14 after initiation. Combination therapy of TEM and rMETase was significantly more effective than either mono-therapy (TEM: p = 0.0113, rMETase: p = 0.0173). The present study shows that TEM combined with rMETase is effective for BRAF-V600E-negative melanoma PDOX similar to the BRAF-V600E-positive mutation melanoma. These results suggest rMETase in combination with first-line chemotherapy can be highly effective in both BRAF-V600E-negative as well as BRAF-V600E-positive melanoma and has clinical potential for this recalcitrant disease

The Impact on Public Trust of Image Manipulation in Science

Aim/PurposeIn this paper, we address the theoretical challenges today’s scientific community faces to precisely draw linesbetween true and false pictures. In particular, we focus onproblems related to the hiddenwonders ofscience and the shiny im-ages produced for scientific papers or to appeal towider audiences. BackgroundAs rumors (hoaxes) and false news (fake news)explode acrosssociety and the current network, severalinitiatives using current technologyhave been launched to study this phenomena and limit the social impact. Over the last two decades, inappropriate scientific behavior has raisedmore questions about whether some scientific images are valid.MethodologyThis work is not about analyzing whethertoday’s imagesare objective.Instead,weadvocate for a general approach thatmakes it easier to truly believe in all kinds of knowledge, scientific or otherwise (Goldman, 1967; Goldman, & Ol-son, 2009). This need to believe is closely related to social order (Shapin, 1994). ContributionWe conclude that we must ultimately move away from older ideas about truth and objectivity in research to broadly approach howscience and knowledge are represented and move forward with this theoretical approach when communi-catingscience tothe public.FindingsContemporary visual culture suggests that our world is expressed through im-ages, which areall around us. Therefore,we need to promote thereliability of scientific pictures, which visually represent knowledge, to add meaning in a world of complex high-tech science (Allamel-Raffin, 2011; Greenberg, 2004; Rosenberger, 2009). Since the time of Galileo, and today more than ever, scien-tific activity should be understood as knowledgeproduced toreveal, and there-fore inform us of, (Wise, 2006) all that remains unexplained in our world , as well as everything beyond our senses

The Integration of Positron Emission Tomography With Magnetic Resonance Imaging

A number of laboratories and companies are currently exploring the development of integrated imaging systems for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). Scanners for both preclinical and human research applications are being pursued. In contrast to the widely distributed and now quite mature PET/computed tomography technology, most PET/MRI designs allow for simultaneous rather than sequential acquisition of PET and MRI data. While this offers the possibility of novel imaging strategies, it also creates considerable challenges for acquiring artifact-free images from both modalities. This paper discusses the motivation for developing combined PET/MRI technology, outlines the obstacles in realizing such an integrated instrument, and presents recent progress in the development of both the instrumentation and of novel imaging agents for combined PET/MRI studies. The performance of the first-generation PET/MRI systems is described. Finally, a range of possible biomedical applications for PET/MRI are outlined

SPECT and PET serve as molecular imaging techniques and in vivo biomarkers for brain metastases

Nuclear medicine techniques (single photon emission computerized tomography, SPECT, and positron emission tomography, PET) represent molecular imaging tools, able to provide in vivo biomarkers of different diseases. To investigate brain tumours and metastases many different radiopharmaceuticals imaged by SPECT and PET can be used. In this review the main and most promising radiopharmaceuticals available to detect brain metastases are reported. Furthermore the diagnostic contribution of the combination of SPECT and PET data with radiological findings (magnetic resonance imaging, MRI) is discussed

Assessment of various strategies for 18F-FET PET-guided delineation of target volumes in high-grade glioma patients

Purpose: The purpose of the study is to assess the contribution of 18F-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine (18F-FET) positron emission tomography (PET) in the delineation of gross tumor volume (GTV) in patients with high-grade gliomas compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone. Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 18 patients with high-grade gliomas. Seven image segmentation techniques were used to delineate 18F-FET PET GTVs, and the results were compared to the manual MRI-derived GTV (GTVMRI). PET image segmentation techniques included manual delineation of contours (GTVman), a 2.5 standardized uptake value (SUV) cutoff (GTV2.5), a fixed threshold of 40% and 50% of the maximum signal intensity (GTV40% and GTV50%), signal-to-background ratio (SBR)-based adaptive thresholding (GTVSBR), gradient find (GTVGF), and region growing (GTVRG). Overlap analysis was also conducted to assess geographic mismatch between the GTVs delineated using the different techniques. Results: Contours defined using GTV2.5 failed to provide successful delineation technically in three patients (18% of cases) as SUVmax < 2.5 and clinically in 14 patients (78% of cases). Overall, the majority of GTVs defined on PET-based techniques were usually smaller than GTVMRI (67% of cases). Yet, PET detected frequently tumors that are not visible on MRI and added substantially tumor extension outside the GTVMRI in six patients (33% of cases). Conclusions: The selection of the most appropriate 18F-FET PET-based segmentation algorithm is crucial, since it impacts both the volume and shape of the resulting GTV. The 2.5 SUV isocontour and GF segmentation techniques performed poorly and should not be used for GTV delineation. With adequate setting, the SBR-based PET technique may add considerably to conventional MRI-guided GTV delineatio

Molecular Characterization of Growth Hormone-producing Tumors in the GC Rat Model of Acromegaly

D.A.C. was supported by the Nicolás Monardes program of the Andalusian Ministry of Health (C-0015-2014) and by a grant from the Andalusian Ministry of Science and Innovation (CTS-7478). A.S-M and A.L.C were supported by grants from the ISCIII-Subdirección General de Evaluación y Fomento de la Investigación co-funded with Fondos FEDER (PI12/0143 and PI13/02043, respectively) and the Andalusian Regional Government (CTS-444) and a grant from Pfizer Spain. R.L.C. was supported by a grant from Andalusian Ministry of Health (PI0302-2012). R.M.L. was supported by grants from Proyecto de Investigación en Salud (FIS) PI13- 00651 (funded by Instituto de Salud Carlos III), CTS-1406, PI-0639-2012, BIO-0139 (funded by Junta de Andalucía) and by Ayuda Merck Serono 2013. J. P. C. was funded by a grant (BFU2013-43282-R) from Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad. CIBER is an initiative of Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Ministerio de Sanidad, Servicios Sociales e Igualdad, Spain. J.F.M.R. is supported by the “Sara Borrell” program from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III. R.M. Luque and J.P. Castaño have received grants and lecture fees from Ipsen and Novartis. E. Venegas-Moreno and A. Soto-Moreno received grants and lecture fees from Ipsen, Novartis and Pfizer. A. Leal-Cerro received grants from Novartis and Pfizer. David Cano received a grant from Novartis