In vitro synergistic cytoreductive effects of zoledronic acid and radiation on breast cancer cells

INTRODUCTION: Bisphosphonates are mostly used in the treatment of bone metastases. They have been shown to act synergistically with other chemotherapeutic agents. It is not known, however, whether similar synergistic effects exist with radiation on breast cancer cells. METHODS: Human MCF-7 breast cancer cells were treated with up to 100 μM zoledronic acid, were irradiated with up to 800 cGy or were exposed to combinations of both treatments to determine the antiproliferative effects of zoledronic acid and radiation. RESULTS: Zoledronic acid and radiation caused a dose-dependent and time-dependent decrease in cell viability (approximate 50% growth inhibition values were 48 μM and 20 μM for 24 hours and 72 hours, respectively, for zoledronic acid and 500 cGy for radiation). A synergistic cytotoxic effect of the combination of zoledronic acid and radiation was confirmed by isobologram analysis. CONCLUSION: These data constitute the first in vitro evidence for synergistic effects between zoledronic acid and radiation. This combination therapy might thus be expected to be more effective than either treatment alone in patients with metastatic breast carcinoma

Effect of Hot Water Treatment on Astringency Removal in Persimmon Cultivars

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of hot water treatments on the removal of astringency in 'MKU Harbiye,' 'Kaki Tipo,' and 'Vainiglia' persimmon cultivars. Fruits were dipped in tap water at hot water at 40 degrees C for 5 h (HW 40 degrees C-5 h) or hot water at 50 degrees C for 1 h (HW 50 degrees C-1 h). Untreated (Control 1), 20 degrees C for 1 (Control 2, 20 degrees C-1 h), or 5 h (Control 3, 20 degrees C-5 h) and treated fruits were then kept at 20oC for 10 days of shelf life period. Changes in weight loss, appearance, firmness, total soluble solids, taste, fungal decay, fruit skin color, soluble and insoluble tannin content were determined during shelf life. In all cultivars, HW 40 degrees C-5 h was found to be successful in reducing the astringency and maintained firmness above the marketability limit for 10 days of shelf life period. The fruit treated with HW 40 degrees C-5 h became edible after 7 days at 20 degrees C while control fruits remained astringent based on soluble tannin content the entire shelf-life period. Although the HW 50 degrees C-1 h and Control 2 and 3 (20 degrees C-1 h or 20 degrees C-5 h) treatments received acceptable taste scores after 10 days, fruits from these treatments were slightly astringent

Volatile organic compounds in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) grafted onto 21 local and two commercial bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) rootstocks

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are responsible for flavour development in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus). The objective of this study was to investigate the rootstock effects of 21 local bottle gourd [Lagenaria siceraria (Molina) Standl.] accessions collected from the Mediterranean region (Turkey) on the concentrations of VOCs in watermelon over 2 years. The watermelon cultivar 'Crimson Tide' was used as the scion and two commercial bottle gourd rootstocks were also used for comparison. The VOCs in each rootstock-scion combination were analysed using static headspace (SHS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). A total of 24 VOCs were identified in watermelon fruit, including 11 aldehydes, seven alcohols, four ketones, one heterocyclic compound, and one acid. Acetaldehyde (25.9 - 39.5% of the total peak areas), propanal (5.0 - 8.3%), 2-propanone (2.5 - 4.9%), pentanal (2.1 - 3.6%), hexenal (14.5 - 22.6%), (E)-2-hexenal (0.4 - 2.3%), 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one (10.0 - 19.05%), nonanal (1.6 - 4.4%), (Z)-6-nonenal (4.0 - 9.8%), (E)-2-nonenal (0.6 - 2.0%), (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal (2.1 - 3.7%), (Z)-6-nonenol (1.0 - 3.2%), and (E,Z)-3,6-nonadienol (1.0 - 3.7%) were the most abundant VOCs found in all watermelon scions.There was no significant effect (P ? 0.05) of rootstock on the concentrations of acetaldehyde, propanal, pentanal, heptanal, ethanol, 1-pentanol, 2-propanone, 2-pentyl furan, or acetic acid. Propanal, 2-propanone, and acetic acid were identified as VOCs in watermelon for the first time. Hexanal, (Z)-6-nonanal, and 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one concentrations were strongly affected by rootstock.The results showed that the local bottle gourd accessions 07-06 and 31-09, in particular, were the most promising genotypes in terms of producing favourable VOCs. Except for the local bottle gourd accessions 33-35, 01-17, and 07-04, the other 18 gourds accessions had high potential as rootstocks for breeding programmes in watermelon with regard to desirable VOC concentrations. Rootstock 31-09 should be considered for commercial production in terms of improved disease resistance, fruit yield, and fruit quality

Alternative postharvest treatments to control decay of table grapes during storage

The aim of this study is to determine efficacy of some alternative postharvest treatments to sulfur dioxide (SO(2)) in maintaining quality and reducing fungal decay during cold storage of table grapes. The table grapes cv. Pafi was subjected to the following treatments after harvest: (1) Hot water dips at 24 °C, 45 °C, 50 °C or 55 °C for 3 min followed by packaging in perforated polyethylene (PPE) bags; (2) Packaging with ethanol vapor generating sachets of Antimold (R) 30 or Antimold (R) 60 in PPE bags; (3) Packaging with SO2 generating pad in PPE bags; (4) Packaging in PPE bags. Berries were stored at 0 °C for 3 months. Antimold (R) 60 sachet was more effective in reducing fungal decay than control and the SO(2) generating pad treatment without adverse effect on quality parameters during 3 months of cold storage. Stem browning occurred at slightly higher level in grapes dipped in hot water or packaged with Antimold®30 sachet and might limit their use, despite providing effective control of fungal decay

Plant Growth Characteristics in Watermelon Grafted onto Different Bottle Gourds (Lagenaria siceraria) Collected from Southern and Western Part of Turkey

We studied the plant characteristics of Crimson Tide (CT) watermelon cultivar was grafted onto 21 bottle gourds (Lagenaria siceraria (Malign) Stanley) landraces collected from southern and western part of Turkey and two commercial hybrid rootstocks [Argentario (Arg) and Macis]. Grafted plants were grown in eight-l pot filled with mixture of peat:perlite (2:1) in unheated greenhouse for six weeks in spring season of 2008. Plants were harvested six weeks after transplanting. We determined rootstock and scion hypocotyl diameter, main stem diameter, main stem length, leaf number, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of root, aerial parts of plants and fruit. All the grafted plants had thicker rootstocks, scion and main stem diameter than ungrafted control plants. Grafted plants had higher values than control plants as regarded to main stem length, leaf number, leaf area, fresh and dry weight of roots, aerial parts of plants and fruit. In general, all the grafted plants produced two to three folds more biomass than the ungrafted control plants