Increasing Cold Tolerance of Cactus Pear Fruit by High-Temperature Conditioning and Film Wrapping

Pre-storage high-temperature conditioning (HTC, 38 °C, and 95% RH for 24 h) and individual film wrapping (IFW) with a perforated polyolefinic heat-shrinkable film were used as individual treatments or in combination to mitigate chilling injury of first crop cactus pear cv ‘Gialla’. The fruit was stored for 21 days at either 2 or 8 °C (CS) plus 1 week of simulated marketing conditions (SMC) at 20 °C. The reduction in peel disorders and decay in HTC-treated fruit stored at 2 °C was comparable to that detected in control fruit stored at 8 °C. IFW was more efficient than HTC in reducing peel disorders, almost completely inhibited weight loss, and preserved freshness in fruit stored at 8 °C as well as in those stored at 8 °C. The internal quality of the fruit (pH, total soluble solids, titratable acidity, vitamin C, polyphenols, betaxanthins, antioxidant capacity, acetaldehyde, and ethanol) was slightly affected by treatments. Combining HTC with IFW did not improve fruit tolerance to low temperature but reduced decay with respect to individual treatments. IFW with a perforated film in combination with HTC is a good means of overcoming the stringent conditions of cold quarantine treatments, maintaining fruit freshness and reducing decay in cold-stored cactus pears.     

Gap junctional communication between murine macrophages and intestinal epithelial cell lines

In intestinal inflammation, inflammatory cells infiltrate the submucosa and are found juxtaposed to intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) basolateral membranes and may directly regulate IEC function. In this study we determined whether macrophage (M phi), P388D1 and J774A.1, are coupled by gap junctions to IEC lines, Mode-K and IEC6. Using flow cytometric analysis, we show bi-directional transfer of the fluorescent dye, calcein (700 Da) between IEC and M phi resulting in a 3.5-20-fold increase in recipient cell fluorescence. Homocellular and heterocellular dye transfer between M phi and/or IEC was detected in cocultures of P388D1, J774A.1, Mode-K, IEC6 and CMT93. However, transfer between P388D1 and Mode-K was asymmetrical in that transfer from P388D1 to Mode-K was always more efficient than transfer from Mode-K to P388D1. Dye transfer was strictly dependent on IEC-M phi adhesion which in turn was dependent on the polarity of IEC adhesion molecule expression. Both calcein dye transfer and adhesion were inhibited by the addition of heptanol to cocultures. Furthermore we demonstrate both IEC homocellular, and M phi-IEC heterocellular propagation of calcium waves in response to mechanical stimulation, typical of gap junctional communication. Finally, areas of close membrane apposition were seen in electron micrographs of IEC-M phi cocultures, suggestive of gap junction formation. These data indicate that IEC and M phi are coupled by gap junctions suggesting that gap junctional communication may provide a means by which inflammatory cells might regulate IEC function.     

Heat Treatment at 38 °C and 75–80 % Relative Humidity Ameliorates Storability of Cactus Pear Fruit (Opuntia ficus-indica cv “Gialla”)

Cactus pear fruit cv. Gialla were exposed to 38 °C and 75–80 (low relative humidity (LRH)) or 100 % relative humidity (saturated relative humidity (SRH)) for 36 h to evaluate their effect on decay incidence, peel disorders, and overall quality during 4 weeks’ storage at 5 °C plus 1 week at 20 °C or 5 weeks at 20 °C. Both treatments were equally effective in reducing peel disorders in cold-stored fruit, whereas decay incidence was significantly lower in fruit exposed to LRH than to SRH. The better LRH decay control was attributed to faster desiccation and fall-off the cladode piece left at harvest on the stem, which is a major onset site of infection. Both treatments reduced weight loss, had only a transient effect on respiration activity, ethylene production rate, and did not affect chemical composition, eating quality, or visual appearance of fruit.     

Role of Circulating Biomarkers in Platinum-Resistant Ovarian Cancer

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the second most common cause of death in women with gynecological cancer. Considering the poor prognosis, particularly in the case of platinum-resistant (PtR) disease, a huge effort was made to define new biomarkers able to help physicians in approaching and treating these challenging patients. Currently, most data can be obtained from tumor biopsy samples, but this is not always available and implies a surgical procedure. On the other hand, circulating biomarkers are detected with non-invasive methods, although this might require expensive techniques. Given the fervent hope in their value, here we focused on the most studied circulating biomarkers that could play a role in PtR OC.     

夸特罗科蒂商务中心 俄罗斯圣彼德堡

正夸特罗科蒂(QuattroCorti)商务中心落成于俄罗斯古城圣彼德堡,紧邻圣以撒大教堂。该项目是在保留原有两座大楼立面的基础上,构造新的现代化建筑。设计以新型金属结构屋顶重新连接了原有建筑斜坡式的楼顶。屋顶在选材和形状上与城市天际线完美相融。屋顶之下是四个庭院,既保证了内部空间享有充足光源,又可以用于举行艺术造型、展览等公共活动。庭院立面覆盖以角度不同的反光玻璃板。由于角