No abstract available

[en] Papaya variety Eksotika harvested at stage 2 of maturity (green skin with a tinge of yellow) were cleaned, air dried and exposed to irradiation at lower doses i.e. 250, 500, 750, 1000 Gray and then were kept at 20 deg. C for up to 9 days or until ripe. Sensory evaluation was carried out the storage period in order to determine effects of radiation on organoleptic quality and ripening process. About 15-24 experienced panelists were involved in the sensory evaluation. It was found that effect on the organoleptic quality of fruit irradiated with dose at 1000 Gray was unacceptable. Nevertheless, the quality was very much less affected by irradiation at 750 Gray or lower. In general the irradiated papaya ripened earlier than the control where the skin colour change by turning from green to 100% yellow but gives harder texture. Freckles on skin surface during ripening were reduced by irradiation

No abstract available

[en] Irradiation has proven to be effective as a phytosanitary treatment for various fruit. It could be particularly useful for varieties that are sensitive to conventional treatments such as fumigation and hot water dips, or when conventional treatments are inadequate for insect disinfestation, or in situations when market conditions require a quicker treatment than cold storage. However, irradiation is an abiotic stress. The production of reactive oxygen species can elicit a stress response leading to effects on fruit physiology such as changes in respiration rate and ethylene production, which in turn affect fruit ripening and cause associated changes in fruit quality. In this presentation, I will discuss the changes in physiology of climacteric and non-climacteric fruit treated with irradiation, and the role of environmental conditions pre- and post-treatment on the quality of irradiated fruit subjected to commercial trade. (author)

[en] This study aimed to investigate the effects of static magnetic fields on the ripening of Thai cavendish banana fruits. The cavendish bananas were received from an agriculturist in Kanchanadit District, Surat Thani province, Thailand. NeFeB magnets were used to generate the maximum static magnetic fields of 300 mT and 600 mT. The ripening of the banana fruits was recorded in terms of weight loss, color change and firmness after exposure to a magnetic field. The results showed that the weight loss of the banana fruit when exposed to magnetic field was higher than in the not exposed control group. Increasing the magnetic field strength to 600 mT increased the weight loss further from that with 300 mT. The effects of magnetic field on weight loss of bananas were statistically significant, but there were no statistically significant differences in color or firmness from the control group. (paper)

[en] Purpose: To investigate the efficacy of oral misoprostol administered to facilitate tandem application to the cervix as a part of brachytherapy in patients with cervical cancer. Methods and Materials: Eighty patients with cervical cancer who had been planned to undergo brachytherapy at Dr. Luetfi Kirdar Kartal Training and Research Hospital were evaluated in a double-blind, prospective, randomized trial. Patients were divided randomly into two groups of 40 patients. The first and second groups received 400 μg of misoprostol orally and placebo, respectively, 3 h before tandem application. The two groups were compared in terms of age, diameter of tumor, parity, age at first intercourse, amount of bleeding and pain at first tandem application, length of endometrial cavity measured by hysterometer, and size of Hegar dilators used for cervical dilatation. Results: Of all cases, 63.6%, 16.3%, 10%, 6.3%, 2.5%, and 1.3% were Stage IIB, IIIB, IIIA, IVA, IIA and IIC, respectively. Mean (±SD) age (range) was 49.3 ± 13.1 (25-83) years and 56.6 ± 13.2 (30-78) years in the study and control groups, respectively (p = 0.015). Age at first intercourse, diameter of tumor, parity, amount of bleeding at first tandem application, and length of endometrial cavity measured by hysterometer were not significantly different between the two groups. Pain score was significantly higher in the control group (p < 0.001). Application was significantly easier in the study group compared with controls (p < 0.001). Average size of initial Hegar dilators used for cervical dilatation was significantly higher in the study group compared with controls (p = 0.017). Conclusion: Administration of misoprostol 400 μg orally for cervical ripening before tandem application facilitates the procedure, increases patient tolerability and comfort, and may decrease complication rates.

[en] Variables characterizing ambient environmental conditions (such as barometric pressure, solar radiation, rainfall, temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed) were measured between June and October in 2006 at the rice terraces in Hoshino village, Fukuoka prefecture. Differences in the environmental conditions of the three paddy fields located at different elevations in the same water system were assessed. Also, environmental factors that affected rice quality were identified using data collected during the beginning of a ripening period (20 days after heading) by principal component analysis. The study results demonstrated that the paddy field midstream in the water system had the least solar radiation because it was surrounded by slightly elevated mountains and forest. Average temperatures at three paddy fields during the ripening stage were in the range of an optimal temperature while the temperature during the tillering stage was below the optimal range at the fields upstream and midstream. The field downstream was the only case that the diurnal range of temperature was larger than that in the plain area. As the results of principal component analysis, average temperature, average relative humidity, and solar radiation during the beginning of a ripening season were shown as major environmental factors that affected rice quality. Average temperature had a positive effect on rice quality, and this effect could be explained by the negative correlation between temperature and amylose content. Relative humidity had positive effect, and solar radiation had positive effect

No abstract available

[en] Tropical and subtropical fruits are difficult products to manage because of variation in crop maturity and quality at harvest, susceptibility to preharvest insect infestation, postharvest bruising and disease, and they have a short postharvest shelf life. The effect of ionising energy on the marketable quality of fresh produce includes not only longer physical survival of the produce but also the appearance, aroma, flavour and texture of the produce, right up to final consumption. Only a few fruits and vegetables appear to show potential for the practical application of irradiation as a protective technology

[en] Experimental results of distributions of quantum dots versus sizes in InAsSbP system at different growth times investigated is theoretically. It is shown that depending on growth time the process of nucleation and ripening of QD's is controlled by transition kinetics in the grain-matrix boundary (Wagner distribution) or by volume diffusion (Lifshiz-Slezov distribution). Comparing theoretically calculated results with experimental data, numerical value of the reaction rate on the grain surface and the volume diffusion coefficient at nucleation temperature T= 550 degree C were estimated