Irradiation Treatment Research Articles

Preserving Raw Oysters with High Hydrostatic Pressure and Irradiation Technology

Refrigerated raw oysters, including Pacific oysters (Magallana gigas), eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica), and European flat oysters (Ostrea edulis), are popular seafood products. Pathogenic contamination and spoilage during storage and transport limit their shelf life. High hydrostatic pressure (HHP) and irradiation effectively reduce pathogens and spoilage microorganisms in raw oysters while preserving their taste and texture. This review article presents a comprehensive analysis of the use of HHP and irradiation as sanitation methods for raw oysters, incorporating findings from geographical distribution, mathematical modeling, and radiation quality’s impact on sterilization efficacy. The results demonstrate that untreated eastern oysters can maintain a total bacterial count below the recommended limit of 107 CFU/g for only 2–3 weeks at 5 °C, and are at risk of harboring pathogens such as Vibrio spp. and norovirus. HHP treatment at 600 MPa and irradiation treatment at 2 kGy can effectively reduce the pathogen load in raw oysters. However, supplementary measures such as additional cleaning or lower temperatures are required to prolong the shelf life of treated raw oysters to 2–3 weeks. Taken together, the application of HHP and irradiation to raw oyster sanitation represents a promising approach for enhancing the safety and quality of this beloved seafood delicacy.

Effects of gamma irradiation on the nutritional quality and physicochemical properties of Morchella angusticeps

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of gamma irradiation on the storage quality of Morchella angusticeps. The results indicated that different irradiation doses had varying effects on the nutritional quality and physicochemical properties of Morchella angusticeps during storage. The polyphenol content of mushrooms irradiated by 1 kGy and 2 kGy were 0.86 and 0.83 OD325/g mf, which had significant difference compared with CK (P < 0.05). The flavonoid content of the CK was 0.059 OD325/g mf, which was significantly lower than that of the 1 kGy and 2 kGy irradiation treatment groups (P < 0.05), the soluble protein content of 1 kGy and 2 kGy irradiated increased by 43.25% and 43.72% compared with CK, the Malondialdehyde (MDA) content of 1 kGy and 2 kGy irradiated decreased by 10.025% and 77.98% compared with CK, respectively. After irradiation, cis-9-myristylic acid, stearic acid and petrovic acid increased by 5%, 20% and 15%, respectively, and the volatile compounds were most abundant in the group irradiated by 2 kGy. With the storage time increasing, soluble protein content of all groups exhibited a downward trend, the soluble protein content of 1 kGy and 2 kGy irradiated samples increased by 43.25% and 43.72% compared with CK, so 1 and 2 kGy irradiation doses effectively reduced the decomposition of soluble protein. To identify the volatile components of Morchella angusticeps, headspace solid-phase microextraction was employed. The analysis revealed the presence of 49 volatile components. During the storage period, irradiation could promote the release of unsaturated fatty acids, and the dose of 1 kGy was found to effectively maintain cell morphology. The experimental results demonstrated that treatment with 1 and 2 kGy irradiation doses effectively delayed the quality loss of the fruiting body and inhibited browning-related enzyme activities. This study highlights the potential of irradiation as a helpful method to preserve the storage quality of Morchella angusticeps.

Two-step surface treatment of femtosecond laser irradiation and ionic liquid to enhance thermoelectric properties of PEDOT:PSS films

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) has garnered significant considerable interest in the field of flexible thermoelectric films owing to its very low thermal conductivity, highly adjustable electrical conductivity (σ) and Seebeck coefficient (S). However, improving the σ and S of PEDOT:PSS simultaneously remains challenging for achieving efficient thermoelectrics. In this paper, we proposed a two-step process involving femtosecond laser irradiation and ionic liquid (IL) 1-Ethyl-3-MethylImidazolium DiCyAmide treatment to enhance the thermoelectric properties of PEDOT: PSS thin films. This finding revealed that the increase in PEDOT: PSS conductivity was attributed to both laser irradiation and the post-treatment with IL, in which the former enabled the efficient elimination of insulating PSS from the surface of the conductive polymer, the latter further contributed to the decoupling of PEDOT and PSS. The enhanced Seebeck coefficient was due to the ion exchange resulting from IL post-processing, which regulated the PEDOT doping level. By employing laser irradiation and surface treatment with IL, the modified PEDOT:PSS films showed a S of 20.63 μV·K−1, a σ of 960.7 S·cm−1, and a power factor (PF) of 40.89 μW·m−1·K−2. Furthermore, a thermoelectric device was developed which can generate a voltage of 0.8 mV at a temperature difference of 11.7 K.

Mutagenic sensitivity, effectiveness and efficiency of gamma rays and ethyl methane sulfonate on soft and semi-hard bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) varieties in the north-western Himalayan climate

Purpose The North-western Himalayan region requires unique varietal traits for the cultivation and quality of grain produced. Wheat varieties released for this zone in the past remained very popular among the farmers. However, with the passage of time certain traits such as the appearance of pathogenic rust races and grain softness have become threat to the fecundity of these genotypes and needs immediate improvement in this region. Mutation breeding facilitates improving one or two traits of a popular cultivar and to generate variability for most of plant traits upon which selection can be imposed. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the mutagenic sensitivity, effectiveness and efficiency of physical and chemical mutagens in four bread wheat varieties with differential grain texture. Materials and methods Four bread wheat varieties; HS 490, HPW 89, HPW 360 and HPW 251 were irradiated using six doses of gamma rays (γ-rays) ranging from 175 to 300 Gy; Co60 source (BARC, Mumbai, India) and six doses of ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS) ranging from 0.3 to 1.3%; EMS (Sigma-Aldrich, Bangalore, India) to assess their mutation sensitivity, effectiveness, efficiency and spectrum of induced macro-mutations in M1 and M2 generation. Results Based on mutagen sensitivity tests, both gamma rays and ethyl methane sulfonate had similar effects as the doses/concentrations increased in all four varieties. Ethyl methane sulfonate had a discernible effect on seed germination and growth parameters as compared to gamma irradiated treatments. Pollens viability studies confirmed the differential effects of both mutagens on germination and plant survivability. The LD50 and LC50 values varied between 290–315 Gy for gamma rays and 0.90–1.35% for EMS under controlled laboratory conditions, however, the range substantially differs for gamma rays (240–290 Gy) and for EMS (0.50–1.1%) under field conditions, irrespective of the variety treated. The frequency of chlorophyll mutations was low and showed a linear correlation with the doses/concentrations of the mutagen. A total of 117 putative mutants with desirable agro-morphological characteristics were also isolated. Mutagenic effectiveness and efficiency results showed that gamma irradiation doses of 250–300 Gy and ethyl methane sulfonate of 0.7–1.3% were most potent for an effective mutation breeding programme in wheat crop. Conclusions It was found that semi-hard textured varieties showed higher sensitivity to chemical mutagens as compared to soft-textured varieties. Gamma irradiation dose of 250–300 Gy and ethyl methane sulfonate concentration of 0.7–1.3% were found to be most effective and efficient across four bread wheat varieties and can be used in large scale mutagenesis programmes.

Novel gamma-ray enhanced TiO2 nanoparticles photoanode for efficient photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting

The photocatalytic activity of TiO2 nanoparticles (TiO2NPs) for Hydrogen Evolution Reduction (HER) was significantly enhanced through a multi-step process involving oxygen-doping with γ-ray irradiation treatment (ranging from 10 kGy to 100 kGy), methanolic dispersion, and post-annealing temperatures. Remarkably, γ rays induced oxygen-doping, leading to improved electronic properties and chemical bonding, as demonstrated in the XPS section, which ultimately contributed to the exceptional stability of the photoanode. The resulting higher crystallinity and larger crystallite sizes, evident in Raman and XRD spectra, further enhanced the structure of the TiO2NPs. Upon γ irradiation, the deposited TiO2NPs exhibited enlargement and agglomeration, which promoted enhanced surface area, catalytic sites, and light absorption when used as a photoanode in PEC cells. The post-irradiation conditions caused a reduction in the energy band gap, resulting in a quenching effect from 3.25 eV to 3.18 eV. Intriguingly, PL analysis showed that the radiated photoanode displayed a remarkable reduction in the energetic separation of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, accompanied by a simultaneous decrease in carrier recombination. Overall, the 70 kGy TiO2NP photoanode demonstrated exceptional photostability and significantly outperformed the pure TiO2NP counterpart by increasing the photocurrent density by over 300%, reaching approximately 100.12 μA cm−2 at 1.23 vs. RHE, compared to 36.42 μA cm−2 for the pure TiO2NP. These findings underscore the significance of gamma irradiation in the field of nanomaterials and its promising potential for photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar water splitting applications.

Changes in Isoflavonoid and Flavonoid Content in Soybean Leaves Affected by UV-B or Copper

Abstract The production of antioxidant flavonoids is an important aspect of plant defence mechanisms under stress conditions. The hypothesis of increased antioxidant flavonol quercetin and isoflavone content in soybean leaves subjected to UV-B irradiation and copper toxicity was proposed, and their accumulation was investigated using HPLC analysis. However, the accumulation of antioxidant quercetin was not induced by either UV-B irradiation or copper treatment. UV-B irradiation strongly induced isoflavone aglycones, mainly genistein, daidzein, formononetin, and to a lesser extent, biochanin A. Isoflavone glycosides, genistin and daidzin were also induced. Copper treatment, whether applied to leaves or root media, resulted in the accumulation of genistin and its malonylated form, whereas aglycones were only slightly affected. The higher accumulation of genistein over daidzein after copper treatment could be related to the higher chelating ability of genistein and its glycosides. Soybean isoflavones, which possess antioxidant and chelating properties, rather than flavonols, play a crucial role in the plant‘s defence mechanisms against both UV-B irradiation and copper toxicity.

Physical modification of high amylose starch using electron beam irradiation and heat moisture treatment: The effect on multi-scale structure and in vitro digestibility.

This study explores a new strategy for manipulating the digestibility of high-amylose maize starch (HAMS) through combinative modifications, namely depolymerization via electron beam irradiation (EBI) followed by reorganizing glucan chains via heat moisture treatment (HMT). The results show that semi-crystalline structure, morphological features and thermal properties of HAMS remained similar. However, EBI increased branching degree of the starch at high irradiation dosage (20kGy), resulting in more readily leached amylose during heating. HMT increased the relative crystallinity (3.9-5.4% increase) and V-type fraction (0.6-1.9% increase), without significant changes (p>0.05) in gelatinization onset temperature, peak temperature and enthalpy. Under simulated gastrointestinal conditions, the combination of EBI and HMT either had no effect or negative effect on starch enzymatic resistance, depending on the irradiation dosage. These results suggest that the depolymerization by EBI predominantly affects the changes in enzyme resistance, rather than the growth and perfection of crystallites induced by HMT.

Profiles of Semi-Polar Metabolites from Leaves of In Vitro- Derived Plants of Indonesian Pepper Varieties (Capsicum annuum) after Gamma Irradiation Treatments

Gamma irradiation has been widely utilized for mutation breeding as it induces random mutations in plant cells. Due to limitations on other breeding approaches, including cross-breeding and transgenic plants, gamma irradiation-induced mutation breeding has regained its popularity among breeders and scientists. Untargeted metabolomics analysis can be used to profile any perturbation between untreated samples and treated sample groups without having prior knowledge of particular metabolites, including semi-polar metabolites, which cover phenolic acids, flavonoids, glycosylated steroids, alkaloids, and other glycosylated species. This study aimed to profile semi-polar metabolite modification in leaves of plants derived from in vitro cultures after gamma irradiation treatments in Indonesian chili pepper varieties. Seeds of Laris and Kopay were exposed to gamma-ray doses (0, 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 Gy), after which they were germinated and cultivated in vitro. Plantlets were acclimated in the greenhouse and leaves were collected for metabolite analysis at 80 days after the germination of irradiated seeds. Semi-polar metabolites from leaves were extracted using methanol and the extracts were subjected to LC-MS analysis. Results showed that the composition and levels of semi-polar metabolites of Laris 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 Gy were similar to Laris 0 Gy (control; unirradiated seeds), although several abundancies of that of 200 Gy gamma irradiation dose were different than control. Except at dose 400 Gy, Kopay at 0 Gy, 200 Gy, and 300 Gy also showed similar metabolite profiles, indicating that gamma-ray doses did not induce mutation at genes regulating metabolite biosynthetic pathways. In contrast, Kopay 400 Gy showed low levels of terpenoids and flavonoids, indicating that a 400 Gy dose of gamma ray may affect the upstream part of the shikimate biosynthetic pathway, resulting in low levels of precursors at the upstream biosynthetic pathway of terpenoids and flavonoids. Hence, the accumulation of terpenoids and flavonoids was very low. These findings provide insights into the effect of gamma irradiation for mutation breeding that may be important for future pepper breeding programs.

Quantitative and Qualitative Impact of CT-Based Radiotherapy Dose Maps on Radiologists' Interpretation of Post-treatment Thoracic Surveillance Imaging

For diagnostic radiologists, interpretation of surveillance imaging for oncology patients treated with radiation therapy (RT) can be challenging because (1) the imaging order may not adequately describe the radiation fields and (2) RT treatment effect and progression can appear similar. Volumetric dose visualization used for plan review is often inaccessible to radiologists. We hypothesize that displaying RT dose would improve radiologists' confidence and ability to correctly identify and distinguish irradiated targets and treatment effects. CT images were read by a board-certified cardiothoracic radiologist and a diagnostic radiology resident. The readers interpreted pre-RT, treatment planning, and 3-4 month post-RT CT images in anonymized software sessions first without, then-after a 1 month "washout" period-with access to RT dose overlay. Six color-coded isodose lines ranging from 25% to 110% represented in absolute cGy were displayed along with a brief clinical history. RT fractionation schedules ranged in BED10 from 39 to 112.5 Gy. Readers were asked to label the treated lesion(s) and treatment effect(s), and record their confidence using a Likert scale of 1-5 and agreement with statements using yes/no responses. Two readersindependently interpreted imaging for 32 patients who received thoracic RT to 1-5 lesion(s) for primary (24) or metastatic (8) cancer. Nineteen patients had 1 lesion and 13 patients had >1 lesion. Correct identification of all treated lesions significantly increased with the addition of dose visualization (61% to 81%; McNemar test, p = 0.00079), with the largest increase noted for cases with >1 lesion (15% to 54%; McNemar test, p = 0.0039). With the addition of dose information, the number of false negatives attributable to missed extranodal targets fell from 52% to 18%. Without dose information, 13% of labeled lesions and treatment effects fell outside of the 25% isodose lines, representing false positives. With the addition of dose information, false positives fell below 2% for both lesions and treatment effects. The readers' confidence that they had identified treated lesion(s) increased from a rating of 4.1 to 4.8 on a scale of 1-5 (Paired two-tail t test; p = 0.000005). Whendiagnostic radiologists have access to dose visualization, correct identification rate of irradiated lesions and treatment effects, as well as confidence in these identifications significantly increased. The decrease in false negatives could reduce potential missed identification of tumor progression while the decrease in false positives could reduce inaccurate identification of treatment failure in a new or stable lesion. Our results demonstrate that adding volumetric visualization of dose to imaging could improve quality of surveillance care for patients with irradiated thoracic malignancies.

Evaluation of Brain Atrophy after One Year of Whole Brain Irradiation Using Voxel Based Morphometry

Whole-brain irradiation has often been used for metastatic brain tumors and in prophylactic irradiation, but there are few reports on the frequency of cognitive decline and brain atrophy. We attempted to adapt an objective method of measuring brain atrophy to patients after whole-brain irradiation, Using Voxel based morphometry (VBM) measured from MRI to determine if brain atrophy has occurred one year after whole brain irradiation. VBM is a method to measure the change in signal intensity when an atrophic brain is transformed into a normal brain by Deformable Image Registration. We use VBM to measure brain atrophy before and one year after irradiation in patients who received whole brain irradiation at our institution. The MRI used for the analysis was a contrast-enhanced T1-weighted image, Sagittal cross-sectional images of 1 mm thickness were obtained from the whole brain using the 3D variable flip angle turbo spin echo sequence, which is clinically used at our hospital for the cancer patient's management. The subjects were 28 patients who had undergone whole-brain irradiation at our hospital and for whom MRIs were available before treatment and after one year. The cases analyzed included patients who received prophylactic Cranial irradiation (PCI) in cases of small cell lung cancer obtained complete remission. Z-scores obtained from the medial temporal lobe were compared before and after whole brain irradiation treatment to quantitatively assess brain atrophy. The Z-score is the normalized difference between the voxel values obtained from the normal group average and the individual case. There were 15 cases of lung cancer, 5 cases of malignant lymphoma, 5 cases of breast cancer, and 3 cases of various types of cancer, with an average age of 65 years. Cases with tumors or brain edema in the vicinity of the hippocampus were excluded. Various irradiation doses were used, but the commonly used radiation doses were 23.4 Gy/13Fr (lymphoma), 25 Gy/10 Fr (PCI), 35 Gy/14 Fr (multiple metastasis). A Paired-samples one sided t-test was performed to Mean z-score of positive values within the medial temporal lobe before and one year after whole brain irradiation. This number reflects the degree of atrophy within the region of interest and is determined as mild atrophy if it is greater than 1.0. The mean Z-score was found to increase at a risk of 0.01 after whole brain irradiation. This means that brain atrophy is progressing after whole brain irradiation. Hippocampal atrophy becomes apparent about a year after whole brain irradiation. It suggests that brain atrophy occurs after radiotherapy. The problem with this study is that the effects of chemotherapy-induced brain atrophy and aging cannot be ruled out.

Shedding Light on Photobiomodulation Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A Narrative Review.

Photobiomodulation (PBM) relies on the pathophysiological mechanism whereby red to near-infrared light can target mitochondrial activity and promote ATP synthesis. Preclinical and clinical studies have shown promising results in treating intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD), since PBM can produce photochemical reactions in endogenous retinal chromophores. Currently, PBM is approved by the Food and Drug Administration and by the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of intermediate AMD. This narrative review aimed to evaluate the available evidence on the effectiveness and safety of PBM in treating intermediate AMD. A comprehensive search was conducted using the PubMed database, employing the keywords "photobiomodulation" and "age-related macular degeneration." All English-language studies published up to June 2023 were reviewed, and the search was expanded to include relevant references from selected articles. The included publications were analyzed for this review. The available studies on PBM in AMD demonstrated promising but inconsistent results. PBM showed potential in improving best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and contrast sensitivity (CS) in patientswith AMD. Some studies also suggested a reduction in AMD lesions, such as drusen volume. However, the long-term efficacy and optimal treatment parameters of PBM in AMD remained to be fully determined due to the limitations of the available studies. These included variations in irradiation techniques, wavelengths, exposure times, and treatment sessions, making it challenging to generalize the effectiveness of PBM. Furthermore, the lack of accurate classification of AMD phenotypes in the available studies hindered the understanding of which phenotypes could truly benefit from this treatment. Finally, the strength of evidence varied among studies, with limited sample sizes, unpublished results, and only three randomized sham-controlled trials. Currently, the effectiveness of PBM in promoting drusen resorption or preventing progression to advanced forms of AMD, as observed in the cited studies, remains uncertain.

Effects of irradiation on the aging and sensory quality of navel orange distilled spirits.

60 Co-γ irradiation can simulate the effects of aging and enhance the flavor of distilled spirits. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 kGy 60 Co-γ irradiation doses on the key aroma components in newly produced navel orange distilled spirits and thus determine the mechanism of their aging distilled spirits. The identification of aroma compounds demonstrated that ethyl hexanoate, d-limonene, ethyl octanoate, 3-methyl-1-butanol and linalool are the key aroma compounds in navel orange distilled spirits, which were increased except for linalool with irradiation doses of 2-6 kGy. Irradiation treatment simulated the effects of the aging of navel orange distilled spirits by promoting the content of total acids, total esters and aldehydes. Irradiation doses of 2-6 kGy increased the aroma intensity of navel orange distilled spirits, reaching an optimum at 6 kGy. However, irradiation doses as high as 8 and 10 kGy decreased the content of esters in navel orange distilled spirits, which led to a deterioration of the spirit flavor. Low doses of 60 Co-γ irradiation can simulate the effects of the aging by increasing the content of key aromatic compounds in navel orange distilled spirits. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Effect of ultraviolet irradiation treatment on shear bond strength between polymethyl methacrylate and cobalt-chromium-molybdenum alloy.

We aimed to elucidate the effects of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation on the shear bond strength (SBS) between heat-cured polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and a Co-Cr-Mo alloy. Disk-shaped Co-Cr-Mo alloy prepared by casting were subjected to different UV treatment times (0, 15, and 30 min). To determine the effect of UV treatment on surface properties of the alloy, surface roughness, wettability, and chemical compositions were analyzed. To evaluate the SBS, cylindrical PMMA was bonded to the UV-treated alloy, and subsequently subjected to the SBS test after 24 h of storage at room temperature or following 10,000 thermal cycles (n=10/group). After the UV treatment, the surface roughness remained unchanged, but oxidation resulted in the surface exhibiting greater hydrophilic characteristics. The UV-treated group showed significantly higher SBS values than those of the non-treated group (p<0.001). These results suggested that UV treatment-mediated oxidation improved the bond strength between PMMA and Co-Cr-Mo alloy.

The Effects of UV-C Irradiation and Low Temperature Treatment on Microbial Growth and Oxidative Damage in Fresh-Cut Bitter Gourd (Momordica charantia L.)

Fresh-cut fruits and vegetables are convenient and retain maximum nutrients. However, even minimal processing accelerates product deterioration and reduces food safety due to microbial infection. In this study, the effects of UV-C irradiation, low temperature treatment, and their combination on the microbial risk of fresh-cut bitter gourd were evaluated. Firstly, next-generation sequencing technology was utilized to identify microorganisms on the surface of fresh-cut bitter gourd after 12 h of exposure to room temperature, and a total of 34 bacterial species were identified. Subsequently, fresh-cut bitter gourd treated with UV-C or/and 4 °C and then kept at room temperature for 6 h was assessed for its viable bacterial count. The results showed that both 0.5 and 1.5 kJ·m−2 UV-C irradiation significantly inhibited microbial growth compared to 4 °C and the no treatment control. Meanwhile, no significant differences were observed between UV-C and the combined treatments. Lower doses of UV-C irradiation reduced hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde content, increased the proline level, and improved the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, ascorbate peroxidase, catalase, and critical enzymes involved in the phenylpropanoid pathway, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase and polyphenol oxidase. This suggests that UV-C irradiation alone can effectively reduce bacterial contamination in fresh-cut bitter gourd to an acceptable level.

Surface modification by pre-adsorption of proteins and polypeptides on Ti substrate with controlled hydrophilicity to improve biocompatibility

The water contact angle (WCA) value of the Ti substrate surfaces was successfully controlled to high hydrophilicity (≤ 20 deg.) by the treatment of UV light irradiation, atmospheric plasma or hydrothermal treatment, and stored in different environments to control the variation in WCA over time. Proteins with various molecular mass were used to investigate the protein adsorption on the Ti substrate controlled WCA. ATR-FTIR was employed to quantify the protein adsorption amount. It was found that all proteins had relatively higher adsorption amount on superhydrophilic surface. The adsorption amount of proteins was similar under the same WCA value. PEGs, as organic molecules without peptide bonds, was unable to be adsorbed on Ti with WCA < 60 deg., while can be adsorbed only on the hydrophobic surfaces with WCA > 90 deg. In particular, we have carried out in vivo tests upon the protein pre-adsorbed Ti specimens. The in vivo tests indicated that the Ti substrate which pre-adsorbed proteins with high molecular mass had much higher osteoconductivity than that without protein adsorption. On the other hand, the PEGs adsorbed substrates showed no effect on osteoconductivity enhancement. This was due to its lack of peptide bonds. It was considered that implants adsorbed polypeptides can greatly enhance the osseointegration, regardless the mass and type of molecules. In general, the adsorption of protein and polypeptide containing amino acid is an effective way to improve osseointegration, before implantation into body environment. It provides crucial guidance to the biocompatibility improvement of the metallic bone implant materials.

Inhibition of MNK pathway sensitizes nasopharyngeal carcinoma to radiotherapy.

Improving the clinical management of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is an unmet need owing to the high incidence of treatment failure caused by radioresistance. In our study, we observed increased phosphorylation of translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), regulated by MAP kinase-interacting kinase (MNK), in NPC cells following irradiation treatment. Using siRNA to deplete MNK, we found that radiation-induced eIF4E phosphorylation was eliminated, NPC cell sensitivity to radiation was enhanced, and radioresistant NPC cell viability was reduced. Furthermore, we tested three pharmacological MNK inhibitors (eFT508, CGP57380, and cercosporamide) and found that they were effective against radioresistant NPC cells and synergized with irradiation. In-vivo experiments confirmed that eFT508, at a tolerable dose, inhibited the growth of radioresistant NPC and synergized with radiation in a radiosensitive NPC xenograft model. Our research highlights the activation of MNK-mediated survival mechanisms in NPC in response to radiotherapy and the potential of combining radiation with MNK inhibitors as a sensitizing strategy. Notably, eFT508 is currently being investigated in clinical trials for cancer treatment, and our findings may prompt the initiation of clinical trials using eFT508 in radioresistant NPC patients.

Effect of Gamma Irradiation on Growth Parameters of Vegetable Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp)

Aim: The present investigation was carried out to study the effect of gamma irradiation on the growth parameters of cowpea variety Paiyur-1.Seeds were irradiated with physical mutagen viz., gamma irridation. The doses of radiation used were control, 50 Gy, 100 Gy, 150 Gy, 200 Gy, 250 Gy, 300 Gy, 350 Gy, and 400 Gy.Finding the LD50 and GR50 value for the physical mutagen dosages is the study's major goal. Cs137 is exposed to gamma radiation, and the observation were recorded in the M1 generation.&#x0D; Study Design: The regression method by applying Probit analysis based on rates of fatalities was utilised to estimate the Lethal Dose (LD50). Simple Linear Regression on the dose-response curve was adopted to evaluate the GR50 incorporating all of the vegetative parameters using R software.&#x0D; Place and Duration of Research: The study was carried out at Horticulture orchard, Department of Vegetable Science, Horticulture College and research Institute, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore during 2022-2023.&#x0D; Methodology: In this study, the paiyur-1 variety of cowpea was sown with two replications, those mutagenized seeds were planted individually in germination paper using the roll towel method and dry seeds that weren't irradiated served as the control. To find the lethal dose 50 and to observe the shoot length, root length, germination percentage, mortality rate and seed vigour.&#x0D; Results: Among the 9 gamma irradiated treatments, 50Gy and 100 Gy exhibited superior germination percentages, despite the fact 50 Gy treated seeds were having appealing shoot length, root length, and plant height. The linear relationship have given that shoot length and root length are the two parameter that are highly susceptible to gamma irradiation than plant height and seed vigour.

The potential of the radiation technologies to improve the quality of dietary supplements

The use of dietary supplements has much increased over recent decades, principally due to the need to correct dietary deficiencies but also for their supportive role in certain medical treatments. While they are regulated as food, with certain specific regulations and requirements that distinguish them from conventional foods, the manufacturers can choose to adhere to higher standards, that allows them a future upgrade as pharmaceuticals or medical devices. This paper presents the results of exploratory studies for the introduction of gamma irradiation as a method of control of the microbial contamination for egg lyophilizates currently marketed as dietary supplements. Characterization studies were performed with the goal of upgrading the products for the pharmaceutical market. The irradiation treatment improved their microbiological quality by the exerted microbicidal e􀵵ect and it can be used as long as the other properties (physico-chemical and/or therapeutic) are not affected.

Effect of gamma irradiation treatment on microstructure, water mobility, flavor, sensory and quality properties of smoked chicken breast.

Effect of gamma irradiation on quality, flavor and sensory properties of smoked chicken breasts were investigated. Results indicated irradiation doses >3kGy were effective for sterilization, while also produced a significant effect on overall quality of smoked chicken breast. Irradiation treatment could inhibit protein oxidation and accelerate lipid oxidation of smoked chicken breasts. High irradiation doses could increase the instability of free and bound water, as well as increase muscle fiber gap and juice loss significantly. Irradiation treatment also promoted free fatty acids and taste-presenting nucleotides degradation, effectively increased fresh-tasting amino acids contents and decreased bitter and sweet-tasting amino acids contents. The types and relative contents of volatiles, especially aldehydes, alcohols, aromatic hydrocarbons, and phenolic compounds, also changed after irradiation, while tartaric, pyruvic, and malic acids decreased. Results obtained can provide valuable reference data for improving the quality and flavor of smoked chicken breasts using gamma irradiation technology.

Effects of electron beam irradiation and ultrahigh-pressure treatments on the physicochemical properties, active components, and flavor volatiles of jujube jam

Jujube jam is a high-value product with versatile attributes, capable of undergoing pretreatment to prolong its shelf life while preserving its sensory and nutritional qualities. In this study, electron beam irradiation (EB; 3, 5, and 7 kGy), ultrahigh-pressure (HP; 400, 500, and 600 MPa for 6 min), and conventional thermal pasteurization treatments (PS; 80 °C for 30 min) were evaluated by examining their effects on the physicochemical properties, active components, and flavor volatiles of jujube jam. The results showed that the samples treated with nonthermal technologies significantly outperformed the thermally pasteurized treatments in terms of color (L*, a*, b*, and browning index), bioactive compounds (organic acids, cyclic adenosine monophosphate, and phenolic components), and aroma components. In addition, compared with the untreated samples, EB treatment significantly increased total content of polyphenols by 15.4–26.3% and ABTS+ scavenging activity by 9.5–36.89%. HP treatment (8385.92, 10082.43, and 10032.88 μg/g) significantly increased the acetic acid content in jujube jam compared to the control sample (1940.45 μg/g), and the total content of volatile substance in the HP treated samples was significantly increased by 80.86–134.75%. Therefore, EB and HP are promising treatments for enhancing the nutritional and sensory qualities of jujube jam.