DCE-MRI and parametric imaging in monitoring response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in breast carcinoma : a preliminary report

Purpose: Neoadjuvant chemotherapy is recommended in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) enables evaluation of the tumour neovasculature that occurs prior to any volume change, which helps identify early treatment failures and allows prompt implementation of second-line therapy. Material and methods: We conducted a prospective study in 14 patients with histopathologically proven breast cancer. DCE-MRI data were acquired using multisection, T1-weighted, 3D vibe sequences with fat suppression before, during, and after IV bolus injection (0.1 mmol/kg body weight, Gadoversetamide, Optimark). Post-processing of dynamic contrast perfusion data was done with the vendor's Tissue 4D software to generate various dynamic contrast parameters, i.e. Ktrans, Kep, Ve, initial area under the time signal curve (IAUC), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and enhancement curve. Patients underwent MRI examinations at baseline, and then after two cycles, and finally at completion of chemotherapy. Results: Based on Sataloff criteria for pathological responses, four patients out of 14 were responders, and 10 were non-responders. At the 2nd MRI examination, IAUC was significantly smaller in responders than in non-responders (p = 0.023). When the results of the first and second MRI examinations were compared, Kep decreased from baseline to the second MRI (p = 0.03) in non-responders and in responders (p = 0.04). This change was statistically significant in both groups. The ADC values increased significantly in responders from baseline to the third MRI (p = 0.012). Conclusions: In our study, IAUC and ADC were the only parameters that reliably differentiated responders from non-responders after two and three cycles of chemotherapy

Assessment of Genetic Diversity in Wild Raspberry (Rubus ellipticus Smith) Native to North-Western Himalayan Region

Nature and magnitude of genetic diversity was assessed in 170 wild raspberry genotypes based on eight quantitative characteristics, viz., fruit weight, fruit length, fruit breadth, TSS, acidity, reducing sugars, non-reducing sugars and Vitamin C. A survey was conducted in three north-western Himalayan states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu&Kashmir and Uttarakhand. The species was found to be distributed between 760 and 1950m AMSL, 30°10'159" to 33°04'693"N and 74°44'076" to 78°25'681"E. The non-hierarchical cluster analysis resulted in 12 clusters of genotypes. The cluster pattern did not exhibit any interrelation between geographical isolation and genetic diversity. Of the 170 genotypes, 31 fell in Cluster XII, 27 in Cluster V, 19 in Cluster I, 17 in Cluster IX, 16 in Cluster VIII, 15 in Cluster XI, 13 in Cluster II, 12 in Cluster VII, 10 in Cluster III, six in Cluster X, three in Cluster VI and one genotype in Cluster IV. Genotypes falling under Clusters III, VI , VI can be used as parents in hybridization programmes for improving important traits like TSS, fruit weight and acidity respectively

Karonda and Jamun seeds’ in vitro anticancer efficacy

573-578In the search for potential anticancer agents from fruits, the present research work was carried out to examine the in vitro cytotoxic potential of seed part of Carissa carandas (karonda) and Syzygium cumini (jamun) against nine human cancer cell lines from eight different origins namely MCF-7, T-47D (breast), SF-295 (CNS), HCT-116 (colon), A-549 (lung), MDA-MB-435 (melanoma), OVCAR-5 (ovary), PC-3 (prostate) and A-498 (renal). Methanolic extracts were used as test material and anticancer activity was determined via SRB assayat 100 μg/mL. Results revealed that seeds suppressed the proliferation of human cancer cells with growth inhibition range of 78-100% (karonda) and 71-93% (jamun). Karonda seeds exhibited 100% growth inhibition of A-549 and OVCAR-5 cancer cells where as jamun seeds displayed 93% growth inhibition of SF-295 cancer cells. The seeds were then evaluated at lower concentrations of 50, 30, 10 and 1 μg/mL in which seeds exhibit significant in vitro cytotoxic effect against lung cancer cells (A-549). Further, IC50 values were calculated and it was observed that seed extracts from both the fruits showed IC50karonda seed extract also showed IC50karonda and jamun seeds possess certain constituents with cytotoxic properties that can be used to develop anticancer agents especially for lung cancer therapy and to provide a great service to cancer patients, further studies are required for the isolation of active ingredients from these seeds

Karonda and Jamun seeds’ in vitro anticancer efficacy

In the search for potential anticancer agents from fruits, the present research work was carried out to examine the in vitro cytotoxic potential of seed part of Carissa carandas (karonda) and Syzygium cumini (jamun) against nine human cancer cell lines from eight different origins namely MCF-7, T-47D (breast), SF-295 (CNS), HCT-116 (colon), A-549 (lung), MDA-MB-435 (melanoma), OVCAR-5 (ovary), PC-3 (prostate) and A-498 (renal). Methanolic extracts were used as test material and anticancer activity was determined via SRB assayat 100 μg/mL. Results revealed that seeds suppressed the proliferation of human cancer cells with growth inhibition range of 78-100% (karonda) and 71-93% (jamun). Karonda seeds exhibited 100% growth inhibition of A-549 and OVCAR-5 cancer cells where as jamun seeds displayed 93% growth inhibition of SF-295 cancer cells. The seeds were then evaluated at lower concentrations of 50, 30, 10 and 1 μg/mL in which seeds exhibit significant in vitro cytotoxic effect against lung cancer cells (A-549). Further, IC50 values were calculated and it was observed that seed extracts from both the fruits showed IC50<10 in case of lung cancer cells whereas karonda seed extract also showed IC50<10 in case of colon cancer cells. To conclude, karonda and jamun seeds possess certain constituents with cytotoxic properties that can be used to develop anticancer agents especially for lung cancer therapy and to provide a great service to cancer patients, further studies are required for the isolation of active ingredients from these seeds

Determination of Second Virial Coefficient of Proteins Using a Dual-Detector Cell for Simultaneous Measurement of Scattered Light Intensity and Concentration in SEC-HPLC

AbstractA method is proposed for the measurement of the B22 value of proteins in aqueous solutions in flow-mode that utilizes a novel fabricated dual-detector cell, which simultaneously measures protein concentration and the corresponding scattered light intensity at 90°, after the protein elutes from a size-exclusion column. Each data point on the chromatograms obtained from the light scattering detector and the concentration (ultraviolet) detector is converted to Rayleigh’s ratio, Rθ, and concentration, c, respectively. The B22 value is calculated from the slope of the Debye plot (Kc/Rθ versus c) generated from a range of concentrations obtained from these chromatograms for a single protein injection. It is shown that this method provides reliable determination of the B22 values for such proteins as lysozyme, chymotrypsinogen, and chymotrypsin in various solution conditions that agree well with those reported in literature

Expression of Genetic Variability and Character Association in Raspberry (Rubus ellipticus Smith) Growing Wild in North-Western Himalayas

The present investigation was carried out in various districts of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu&Kashmir and Uttarakhand States falling under north-western Himalayan region of India. As a result of sustained exploration, 170 wild raspberry genotypes were marked and studied for berry quality attributes. Variation ranged from 0.25 g-0.93 g for berry weight. Berry length varied between 6.31 mm and 14.46 mm, while, berry breadth was 7.02 mm to 15.91 mm. Variation in Total Soluble Solids (TSS) in berry ranged between 9.6oB and 18.6oB whereas, acidity in berries ranged between 1.02 and 1.72%. The range of variation was 2-4.90% for reducing sugars, 4.2° - 11.6° for non-reducing sugars and 2.4- 5.2 mg/100 g for ascorbic acid. Berry weight had significant and positive correlation with its length and its breadth. Berry length exhibited positively significant correlation with berry breadth

Effect of packaging materials on the shelf-life of strawberry cv. Sweet Charlie under room temperature storage

Strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch.) fruits cv. Sweet Charlie were harvested at the 3/4th maturity stage. Freshly harvested fruits were packed in plastic punnets and wrapped with different packaging materials viz., low-density polyethylene (LDPE) 25, 50 and 75 micron, polypropylene (PP) 25 micron, cellophane paper and cling film. Effect of all the packaging materials was studied in ambient storage condition (18-25 ºC and 80-90% RH). The result showed that LDPE 50 micron packaging material proved as the most effective one to control the weight loss (5.49%) and all of the LDPE films along with the PP and cling films appeared best to minimize decay loss. MAP conditions help prevent the decaying of strawberry fruits up to a day. The total soluble solids (6.35% - 5.78%) and titratable acidity (0.91% - 0.70%) were found to be decreased with the prolongation of storage periods, but no significant variation was recorded for different packaging materials. A better level of ascorbic acid in strawberry fruits packed with LDPE 50 (31.56 mg/ 100g) and 75 micron (29.86 mg/ 100g) packaging films was retained. The organoleptic rating of strawberry fruits was found best in fruits packed with LDPE 50 micron (7.90) packaging films. In future, these experimental results may prove very useful for storage of strawberry fruits for a certain period in better quality

Impact of poultry manure on fruit quality attributes and nutrient status of guava (Psidium guajava.) cv. L 49 plant

Management of nutrients in guava refers (Psisdium guajava L.) to maintenance of the soil fertility and plant nutrient supply to an optimum level for sustaining the desired crop productivity and fruit quality through optimization of benefits from all the possible sources in an integrated manner. Qualitative and quantitative attributes of guava fruit cv. Lucknow 49 were analyzed with the aim of corresponding the nutrients to the quality of the fruit where fertilizer dose of N were manipulated in different treatments. Soil and leaf study were conducted to analyze the status of nutrients in guava. The pooled analysis of two year data indicated that after fruit harvest the highest soil organic carbon (0.72%) was obtained with the treatment comprising (Azotobacter + 100% N poultry manure. Soil N and P (271.36 and 19.86 kg/ha), Ca and Mg (7.12 and 2.82 meq 100/g soil), respectively, were recorded maximum with the treatment comprising Azotobacter + 50% N poultry manure + 50% N urea. The same treatment also showed highest leaf N and P (1.78 and 0.16%), Ca and Mg (2.09 and 0.91%) contents, respectively, on dry weight basis. The highest soil K (148.53 kg/ha) and leaf K (1.27% on dry weight basis) contents were obtained with the application of Azotobacter + 75% N poultry manure + 25% N urea. The pooled analysis of two year data also indicated that 50% N poultry manure + 50% N urea showed highest fruit yield (42.89 kg/plant), maximum fruit length (8.47 cm), breadth (8.02 cm), weight (248.80 g) and pulp weight (218.68 g) while, Azotobacter + 50% N/tree through FYM + 50% N/tree through inorganic fertilizer showed highest TSS (13.01°B), total sugars (8.68%) and minimum physiological loss in weight (13.20%) after 10 days during storage under ambient conditions. The results suggested that fertilization of guava with chemical fertilizers can be minimized when nitrogen is applied half with poultry manure and half with urea augmented with Azotobacter