Seed Treatment Effects on Emergence of Luffa aegyptiaca
Luffa aegyptiaca (Luffa sponge gourd) is increasingly seen as both a source of vegetative nutrition and as a source of the “luffa” used as to exfoliate during bathing. As such, the commercial growing of Luffa aegyptiaca is increasingly being investigated using more intensive farming methods. Two factors traditionally used to promote / speed germination and emergence of vegetable seeds is investigated. It is concluded that temperature pre-treatment of the seeds (-12°C,24 hours) yields a p=0.004 significance in promoting emergence, whilst pre soaking (water, 18°C, 24hrs) yields p=0.821
Optimization of agrotechniques in the cultivation of Luffa acutangula
Germination requirements, flowering pattern, planting density and growing regimes were examined for Luffa acutangula (L.) Roxb. Maximum germination (50%) was obtained at 35°C, and at 8, 12, and 45°C germination was completely inhibited. Partial removal of the seed coat increased the percentage of germination while vernalization and exposure to salinity 5=50 mM NaCl reduced it. Planting season influenced flowering pattern, with significantly more female flowers being produced in spring-summer (long days and high temperatures) than in autumn-winter (short days and low temperatures). A high yield of 44.5-47.3 Mg ha 1 was obtained for plants trained on trellises at planting densities of 10,000 and 20,000 plants ha-1. Fruits kept at low temperatures showed the least deterioration during storage, a shelf life of about two weeks being demonstrated at 4°C.
Synergistic and antagonistic combinations of drugs in human prostate cancer cell lines in vitro
Microtubulin binding agents such as docetaxel have significant preclinical and clinical activity in the treatment of hormone-refractory prostate cancer. We have previously used median-effect analysis in vitro to define both synergistic and antagonistic drug combinations which may be of value in management of human disease. These studies extend our findings in defined prostate cancer cell lines. A semi-automated microtiter culture system was used. Docetaxel was combined with 18 other agents, incubated with DU 145, LnCaP or PC 3 prostate cancer cell lines for 72 h and the cells then incubated with MTT to determine cytotoxic effect. Both doublet and triplet combinations were examined. Synergy and antagonism as measured by the combination index were determined for each combination. The non-mutually exclusive criterion was applied. Docetaxel demonstrated cytotoxic additive effects or synergy with cis-retinoic acid, cyclosporin A and vinorelbine in all three cell lines. Docetaxel combined with either epirubicin or doxorubicin displayed cytotoxic synergistic effects in hormone-refractory DU 145 and PC 3 cell lines. In contrast, drugs which have been combined clinically to treat hormone-refractory prostate cancer, i.e. cisplatin, carboplatin or etoposide, were antagonistic when combined with docetaxel. We conclude that combinations of docetaxel with either cis-retinoic acid or vinorelbine may offer an enhanced cytotoxic effect in the management of hormone-refractory prostate cancer and need to be evaluated for therapeutic effect. The combination of docetaxel with an anthracycline was also synergistic in the two hormone-refractory cell lines, DU 145 and PC3, thus suggesting a potential role in advanced disease after endocrine failure. Combinations of docetaxel with platinum or etoposide may lead to subadditive effects in treatment.