COMBINATION OF RADIATION THERAPY AND FIROCOXIB FOR THE TREATMENT OF CANINE NASAL CARCINOMA

Carcinomas represent two‐thirds of canine nasosinal neoplasms. Although radiation therapy (RT) is the standard of care, the incidence of local recurrence following treatment is high. Cyclooxygenase‐isoform‐2 (COX‐2) is expressed in 71–95% of canine nasal carcinomas and has been implicated in tumor growth and angiogenesis. Accordingly, COX‐2 inhibition seems rational to improve outcome. Dogs with histologically confirmed, previously untreated nasal carcinomas were randomized to receive the combination of a selective COX‐2 inhibitor (firocoxib) and palliative RT (Group 1) or RT and placebo (Group 2). Patients were regularly monitored with blood tests, urinalysis, and computed tomography. Pet owners were asked to complete monthly a quality‐of‐life questionnaire. Twenty‐four dogs were prospectively enrolled. According to Adams modified system, there were five stage 1, five stage 2, three stage 3, and 11 stage 4 tumors. Two dogs had metastases to regional lymph nodes. Median progression‐free interval and overall survival were 228 and 335 days in Group 1 (n = 12) and 234 and 244 days in Group 2 (n = 12). These differences were not statistically significant. The involvement of regional lymph nodes was significantly associated with progression‐free interval and overall survival (P = 0.004). Quality of life was significantly improved in Group 1 (P = 0.008). In particular, a significant difference was observed for activity and appetite. Although not providing a significant enhancement of progression‐free interval and overall survival, firocoxib in combination with RT is safe and improved life quality in dogs with nasal carcinomas.     

Clostridium bifermentans and C. subterminale are associated with kiwifruit vine decline,known as moria,in Italy

Since 2012, a new pathogenic syndrome has frequently been observed in many areas of kiwifruit cultivation in Italy. The main symptoms include an initial withering of the leaves followed by a total and sudden collapse of plants, mainly occurring during summer. The withered leaves fall and the main and secondary feeder roots appear rotten, sometimes showing a reddish-brown discoloration. The disease, that affects both the green and yellow-fleshed cultivars, has been called kiwifruit vine decline and is locally known as moria. The syndrome has been found consistently associated with soil waterlogging, which frequently occurs either after the traditional agronomical practice of irrigating orchards through surface irrigation or after very heavy rainfall. So far, the role played by bacteria in this syndrome has not been investigated. In the present study, Clostridium spp. were isolated from both rotten roots and soils obtained from Italian kiwifruit orchards affected by the syndrome, indicating for the first time that anaerobic bacteria are able to cause damage to woody crops. C. bifermentans and C. subterminale incited symptoms in kiwifruit in both in vivo and in vitro pathogenicity tests. Soil waterlogging seems to potentially favour colonization of kiwifruit roots by anaerobic bacteria, probably because saturation of the soil can facilitate proliferation and persistence of these bacteria during long periods of the vegetative growth of the crop. The occurrence of anaerobic bacteria does not exclude the possibility that other microorganisms can play additional/synergic role(s) in causing the kiwifruit vine decline.     

Proline and light as quality enhancers of rocket (Eruca sativa Miller) grown under saline conditions

Stress conditions experienced during growth may affect plant responses during post-harvest storage and eventually determine the overall quality of commercial products. In this context, we hypothesized that foliar applications of proline during the growth cycle and light exposure during post-harvest storage could be two important modulators of yield and quality parameters of rocket plants exposed to NaCl stress. Dry matter percentage increased upon NaCl treatment. However, fresh weight loss during storage did not change over time as a consequence of salt stress. High salinity (100 mM NaCl) moderately reduced both leaf nitrate (14%) and nitrite (3%) contents. Lipophilic (LAC) and hydrophilic (HAC) antioxidant activities also decreased by 10% at the highest salinization (average of two growth cycles). In contrast, during storage, LAC decreased whereas HAC increased. Proline applications reduced the leaf nitrate content during storage by 16%, increased carotenoids and chlorophyll contents in salinized plants and also increased the ascorbate leaf concentration in both salinized and non-salinzed plants. Light storage enhanced fresh weight loss in contrast to dark storage. However the exposure to light reduced leaf nitrate levels by 7% (average of two growth cycles) and contributed to maintain high leaf ascorbate concentrations over time.     

Antioxidant effect of ferulic acid in isolated membranes and intact cells: synergistic interactions with alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and ascorbic acid

Although an antioxidant mechanism has been involved in the beneficial effects of ferulic acid in human diseases, there are few reports on the antioxidant properties of this compound in isolated membranes and intact cells. Here, we evaluated the ability of ferulic acid in inhibiting lipid peroxidation in rat liver microsomal membranes and reactive oxygen species production in NIH-3T3 fibroblasts, induced by both tert-BOOH and AAPH. We also compared its antioxidant efficiency with that of other antioxidants, such as alpha-tocopherol, beta-carotene, and ascorbic acid, added alone or in combination. Ferulic acid acted as a potent antioxidant in our models, being more effective in protecting from tert-BOOH than from AAPH. Moreover, the compound was the most effective among the antioxidants tested. Synergistic interactions were observed when the compound was used in combination with the other antioxidants, suggesting that they can cooperate in preserving physiological integrity of cells exposed to free radicals.     

Antioxidant properties of sour cherries (Prunus cerasus L.): role of colorless phytochemicals from the methanolic extract of ripe fruits

Many edible plant metabolites are known to be useful as cellular antioxidants. In the search for antioxidative chemicals from native fruits of the Campania region of Italy, Prunus cerasus L., an acidic cherry widely used for culinary purposes, has been studied. Fruit crude extracts (MeOH, EtOAc, and hexane) were submitted to an antioxidative screening using specific assay media characterized from the presence of highly reactive radical species (DPPH*, ABTS*+, O2*-, NO) or lipoperoxidation markers. The reducing power of the samples was also determined. It was observed that the most polar extracts in MeOH and EtOAc were able to exercise a massive and dose-increasing antioxidative capacity. The peculiar efficacy of the same extracts was revealed by investigating their protein and deoxyribose oxidation capacity. A preliminary analysis of total phenol, flavonoid, and anthocyanin contents together with biological screening data put the basis on P. cerasus fruit phytochemical investigation of methanolic extract. Twenty secondary metabolites were isolated and characterized by spectroscopic (especially 1D and 2D NMR) and spectrometric techniques. 1-(4-Hydroxyphenyl)-1,2-ethanediol-1,2-bis-1-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (3), (4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)methanol-1-O-beta-D-gentiobioside (4), epicatechin-3-malate (14), and epicatechin-3-(1'-methyl)malate (15) were isolated for the first time. All of the compounds were evaluated for their radical scavenging activity on DPPH*, O2*-, and NO. Flavonoids and quinic acid derivatives were found to be the more antioxidative substances.     

Determination of cocoa butter equivalents in milk chocolate by triacylglycerol profiling

An analytical approach for the detection and quantification of cocoa butter equivalents (CBEs) in milk chocolate is presented. It is based on (i) a comprehensive standardized database covering the triacylglycerol composition of a wide range of authentic milk fat (n=310), cocoa butter (n=75), and CBE (n=74) samples and 947 gravimetrically prepared mixtures thereof, (ii) the availability of a certified cocoa butter reference material (IRMM-801) for calibration, (iii) an evaluation algorithm, which allows a reliable quantification of the milk fat content in chocolate fats using a simple linear regression model, (iv) a subsequent correction of triacylglycerols deriving from milk fat, (v) mathematical expressions to detect the presence of CBEs in milk chocolate, and (vi) a multivariate statistical formula to quantify the amount of CBEs in milk chocolate. The detection limit was 1% CBE in chocolate fat (0.3% CBE in milk chocolate, having a fat content of 30%). For quantification, the average error for prediction was 1.2% CBE in chocolate fat, corresponding to 0.4% in milk chocolate (fat content, 30%).     

Changes in the chemical composition of reduced cooked musts during the heating process

Cooked must is the starting raw material in Aceto Balsamico Tradizionale di Modena (ABTM) production, and the cooking process is a crucial step to ensure quality and safety standards. In particular, the furfural content has to be strictly monitored. In this study, we followed, directly at the production plant, nine cooking processes, differing for grape type and process conditions in order to monitor the actual variability in cooked must reduction. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) and furfural contents were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technique and glucose, fructose, and tartaric and malic acids by gas chromatography (GC) technique. Furthermore, some bulk properties, such as the water content, refractive index, density, and total acidity, were also measured. The obtained results show that the product undergoes, in the worse operating conditions, remarkable degradation, leading to extremely high levels of furfurals (5-HMF and furfural), corresponding to a water content lower than 40%. On the basis of these results, a first draft of an optimal heating protocol may be suggested in order to guarantee the safety and quality of the final product.     

Suitability of soil microbial parameters as indicators of heavy metal pollution

Several microbial parameters (microbial biomass, respiration, dehydrogenase, phosphatase, sulphatase, glucosidase, protease and urease activities) were measured in soils from five sites located in urban green areas close to roads differing in traffic density. Our aims were to evaluate the suitability of such parameters as field biomarkers of stress induced by heavy metal pollution, and to compare results obtained by single microbial parameters with results given by an index expressing the average microbial (AME) response of the microbial community. Data showed that all parameters were significantly reduced in the sites characterized by the highest load of metals in soil. Dehydrogenase, sulphatase, glucosidase activities and respiration, declined exponentially with increasing metal concentration, whereas phosphatase activity and AME decreased following a sigmoidal type relationship. In contrast, protease, urease and microbial biomass were not significantly correlated with soil metal concentration. Microbial parameters differed both in sensitivity to critical metal concentrations and in the rate of decline at increasing metal loads in soil. Due to the complex interplay of chemical, physical and biological factors which influence microbial activities and biomass, the proposed index (AME) appeared more suitable than single microbial parameters for a biomonitoring study of this type.