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Sample records for significant dose-dependent increase

  1. Intravenous infusion of docosahexaenoic acid increases serum concentrations in a dose-dependent manner and increases seizure latency in the maximal PTZ model.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Trépanier, Marc-Olivier; Kwong, Kei-Man; Domenichiello, Anthony F; Chen, Chuck T; Bazinet, Richard P; Burnham, W M

    2015-09-01

    Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) that has been shown to raise seizure thresholds in the maximal pentylenetetrazole model following acute subcutaneous (s.c.) administration in rats. Following s.c. administration, however, the dose-response relationship for DHA has shown an inverted U-pattern. The purposes of the present experiment were as follows: (1) to determine the pattern of serum unesterified concentrations resulting from the intravenous (i.v.) infusions of various doses of DHA, (2) to determine the time course of these concentrations following the discontinuation of the infusions, and (3) to determine whether seizure protection in the maximal PTZ model would correlate with serum unesterified DHA levels. Animals received 5-minute i.v. infusions of saline or 25, 50, 100, or 200mg/kg of DHA via a cannula inserted into one of the tail veins. Blood was collected during and after the infusions by means of a second cannula inserted into the other tail vein (Experiment 1). A separate group of animals received saline or 12.5-, 25-, 50-, 100-, or 200 mg/kg DHA i.v. via a cannula inserted into one of the tail veins and were then seizure-tested in the maximal PTZ model either during infusion or after the discontinuation of the infusions. Slow infusions of DHA increased serum unesterified DHA concentrations in a dose-dependent manner, with the 200-mg/kg dose increasing the concentration approximately 260-fold compared with saline-infused animals. Following discontinuation of the infusions, serum concentrations rapidly dropped toward baseline, with half-lives of approximately 40 and 11s for the 25-mg/kg dose and 100-mg/kg dose, respectively. In the seizure-tested animals, DHA significantly increased latency to seizure onset in a dose-dependent manner. Following the discontinuation of infusion, seizure latency rapidly decreased toward baseline. Overall, our study suggests that i.v. infusion of unesterified DHA results in

  2. Sodium bicarbonate causes dose-dependent increases in cerebral blood flow in infants and children with single ventricle physiology

    Science.gov (United States)

    Buckley, Erin M.; Naim, Maryam Y.; Lynch, Jennifer M.; Goff, Donna A.; Schwab, Peter J.; Diaz, Laura K.; Nicolson, Susan C.; Montenegro, Lisa M.; Lavin, Natasha A.; Durduran, Turgut; Spray, Thomas L.; Gaynor, J. William; Putt, Mary E.; Yodh, A.G.; Fogel, Mark A.; Licht, Daniel J.

    2013-01-01

    Background Sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3) is a common treatment for metabolic acidemia, however little definitive information exists regarding its treatment efficacy and cerebral hemodynamic effects. This pilot observational study quantifies relative changes in cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and oxy and deoxy-hemoglobin concentrations (ΔHbO2 and ΔHb) due to bolus administration of NaHCO3 in patients with mild base deficits. Methods Infants and children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) were recruited prior to cardiac surgery. NaHCO3 was given as needed for treatment of base deficit. Diffuse optical spectroscopies were employed for 15 minutes post-injection to non-invasively monitor ΔHb, ΔHbO2 and rCBF relative to baseline prior to NaHCO3 administration. Results Twenty-two anesthetized and mechanically ventilated HLHS patients (1 day to 4 years old) received a median (interquartile range) dose of 1.1 (0.8, 1.8) mEq/kg NaHCO3 administered intravenously over 10–20 seconds to treat a base deficit of −4 (−6, −3) mEq/l. NaHCO3 caused significant dose-dependent increases in rCBF, however population averaged ΔHb or Δ4HbO2 compared to controls were not significant. Conclusions Dose-dependent increases in cerebral blood flow (CBF) caused by bolus NaHCO3 are an important consideration in vulnerable populations wherein risk of rapid CBF fluctuations does not outweigh the benefit of treating a base deficit. PMID:23403802

  3. Omega-3 fatty acid therapy dose-dependently and significantly decreased triglycerides and improved flow-mediated dilation, however, did not significantly improve insulin sensitivity in patients with hypertriglyceridemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Oh, Pyung Chun; Koh, Kwang Kon; Sakuma, Ichiro; Lim, Soo; Lee, Yonghee; Lee, Seungik; Lee, Kyounghoon; Han, Seung Hwan; Shin, Eak Kyun

    2014-10-20

    Experimental studies demonstrate that higher intake of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FA) improves insulin sensitivity, however, we reported that n-3 FA 2g therapy, most commonly used dosage did not significantly improve insulin sensitivity despite reducing triglycerides by 21% in patients. Therefore, we investigated the effects of different dosages of n-3 FA in patients with hypertriglyceridemia. This was a randomized, single-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study. Age, sex, and body mass index were matched among groups. All patients were recommended to maintain a low fat diet. Forty-four patients (about 18 had metabolic syndrome/type 2 diabetes mellitus) in each group were given placebo, n-3 FA 1 (O1), 2 (O2), or 4 g (O4), respectively daily for 2 months. n-3 FA therapy dose-dependently and significantly decreased triglycerides and triglycerides/HDL cholesterol and improved flow-mediated dilation, compared with placebo (by ANOVA). However, each n-3 FA therapy did not significantly decrease high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and fibrinogen, compared with placebo. O1 significantly increased insulin levels and decreased insulin sensitivity (determined by QUICKI) and O2 significantly decreased plasma adiponectin levels relative to baseline measurements. Of note, when compared with placebo, each n-3 FA therapy did not significantly change insulin, glucose, adiponectin, glycated hemoglobin levels and insulin sensitivity (by ANOVA). We observed similar results in a subgroup of patients with the metabolic syndrome. n-3 FA therapy dose-dependently and significantly decreased triglycerides and improved flow-mediated dilation. Nonetheless, n-3 FA therapy did not significantly improve acute-phase reactants and insulin sensitivity in patients with hypertriglyceridemia, regardless of dosages. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

  4. Medical and Psychiatric Effects of Long-Term Dependence on High Dose of tramadol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    El-Hadidy, Mohmed Adel; Helaly, Ahmed Mohamed Nabil

    2015-04-01

    Tramadol dependence has been studied recently after large-scale exposure. Although tramadol dependence has increased rapidly in Egypt since 2004, no studies have evaluated the effect of high dose long-term tramadol dependence. To address the chronic sequel of tramadol dependence over at least 5 years duration with a large dose (more than 675 mg/day, three tablets or more, each tablet of 225 mg). The study was aimed to check the physical and psychiatric status during tramadol dependence and 3 months after complete treatment. The present study was applied on 79 patients with single tramadol-dependence dose of 675 mg or more for 5 years or more. We examined the physical and psychological impact of tramadol abuse before and after 3 months of stoppage of the drug. The blood chemistry was nearly within normal parameters, although slight nonsignificant rise in liver enzymes was reported in some cases. Patients during tramadol dependence period were angry, hostile, and aggressive. On the other hand, after treatment the main problem observed was the significant increase in comorbid anxiety, depressive, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, but no increase was found in psychotic symptoms. Tramadol-dependence dose was more important than duration of use in psychiatric illness. Tramadol dependence on high dose could be physically safe to some limit, but psychiatrically it has many side effects.

  5. Dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity: case studies

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slikker, William; Andersen, Melvin E.; Bogdanffy, Matthew S.; Bus, James S.; Cohen, Steven D.; Conolly, Rory B.; David, Raymond M.; Doerrer, Nancy G.; Dorman, David C.; Gaylor, David W.; Hattis, Dale; Rogers, John M.; Setzer, R. Woodrow; Swenberg, James A.; Wallace, Kendall

    2004-01-01

    Experience with dose response and mechanisms of toxicity has shown that multiple mechanisms may exist for a single agent along the continuum of the full dose-response curve. It is highly likely that critical, limiting steps in any given mechanistic pathway may become overwhelmed with increasing exposures, signaling the emergence of new modalities of toxic tissue injury at these higher doses. Therefore, dose-dependent transitions in principal mechanisms of toxicity may occur, and could have significant impact on the interpretation of reference data sets for risk assessment. To illustrate the existence of dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity, a group of academic, government, and industry scientists, formed under the leadership of the ILSI Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI), developed a series of case studies. These case studies included acetaminophen, butadiene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, manganese, methylene chloride, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR), progesterone/hydroxyflutamide, propylene oxide, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and zinc. The case studies formed the basis for technical discourse at two scientific workshops in 2003

  6. Vitamin D production depends on ultraviolet-B dose but not on dose rate: a randomized controlled trial

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Bogh, Morten K B; Schmedes, Anne V; Philipsen, Peter A

    2011-01-01

    Ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation increases serum vitamin D level expressed as 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) (25(OH)D), but the dose-response relationship and the importance of dose rate is unclear. Of 172 fair-skinned persons screened for 25(OH)D, 55 with insufficient baseline 25(OH)D=50 nm (mean 31.2 nm...... exposed. Skin pigmentation and 25(OH)D were measured before and after the irradiations. The increase in 25(OH)D after UV-B exposure (adjusted for baseline 25(OH)D) was positively correlated with the UV-B dose (P=0.001; R(2) =0.176) but not to dose rate (1-20 min). 25(OH)D increased in response to four UV......-B treatments of 3 SED with 24.8 nm on average and 14.2 nm after four UV-B treatments of just 0.375 SED. In conclusion, the increase in 25(OH)D after UV-B exposure depends on the dose but not on the dose rate (1-20 min). Further, a significant increase in 25(OH)D was achieved with a very low UV-B dose....

  7. Platelet-activating factor increases platelet-dependent glycoconjugate secretion from tracheal submucosal gland

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sasaki, T.; Shimura, S.; Ikeda, K.; Sasaki, H.; Takishima, T.

    1989-01-01

    Using isolated glands from feline trachea, we examined the effect of platelet-activating factor (PAF) on radiolabeled glycoconjugate release and glandular contraction by measuring induced tension in the absence or presence of platelets. PAF alone did not produce any significant glandular contraction nor any significant change in glycoconjugate release from isolated glands. In the presence of purified platelets containing no plasma, PAF (10(-8) to 10(-5) M) produced significant glycoconjugate secretion in a dose-dependent fashion, but it produced no significant glandular contraction. PAF-evoked glycoconjugate secretion was time dependent, reaching a peak response of 277% of control 15-30 min after the exposure of isolated glands to 10(-5) M PAF in the presence of platelets and returning to 135% of controls at 2 h. Platelets alone did not produce any significant stimulation in glycoconjugate release. CV-3988, a known PAF antagonist, inhibited the secretory response to PAF. Methysergide, a known antagonist to receptors for 5-hydroxytryptamine, did not alter PAF-evoked glycoconjugate secretion. Both indomethacin and SQ 29,548, a thromboxane receptor antagonist, abolished the PAF-evoked glycoconjugate secretion from isolated submucosal glands. Epithiomethanothromboxane A2, a stable thromboxane A2 analogue, produced a significant increase in glycoconjugate secretion in a dose-dependent fashion. These findings indicate that PAF increases glycoconjugate release in the presence of platelets and that the increase is dependent on some aspect of platelet function, namely thromboxane generation

  8. Technique-dependent decrease in thyroid absorbed dose for dental radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wood, R.E.; Bristow, R.G.; Clark, G.M.; Nussbaum, C.; Taylor, K.W.

    1989-01-01

    A LiF thermoluminescent dosimetry (TLD) system, calibrated in the tissue of interest with the beam used for experimentation, was employed to investigate dosages (muGy) to the thyroid region of an anthropomorphic phantom resultant from two dental complete-mouth radiographic procedures. Both techniques were compared in terms of dosages associated with combinations of lead apron and thyroid collar shielding while using a 70-kVp or 90-kVp x-ray beam for a 20-film complete-mouth series. Lead shielding significantly decreased the dose to the thyroid using both techniques (p less than 0.05). The use of the 90-kVp beam resulted in a significant reduction in the thyroid absorbed dose when using the bisecting angle technique (p less than 0.05) but caused a significant increase in the thyroid absorbed dose when the paralleling technique was used (p less than 0.05). The implementation of higher kilovoltage techniques in dental offices must therefore be dependent on the radiographic technique employed

  9. Sex- and dose-dependency in the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of (+)-methamphetamine and its metabolite (+)-amphetamine in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Milesi-Halle, Alessandra; Hendrickson, Howard P.; Laurenzana, Elizabeth M.; Gentry, W. Brooks; Owens, S. Michael

    2005-01-01

    These studies investigated how (+)-methamphetamine (METH) dose and rat sex affect the pharmacological response to METH in Sprague-Dawley rats. The first set of experiments determined the pharmacokinetics of METH and its pharmacologically active metabolite (+)-amphetamine (AMP) in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats after 1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg METH doses. The results showed significant sex-dependent changes in METH pharmacokinetics, and females formed significantly lower amounts of AMP. While the area under the serum concentration-time curve in males increased proportionately with the METH dose, the females showed a disproportional increase. The sex differences in systemic clearance, renal clearance, volume of distribution, and percentage of unchanged METH eliminated in the urine suggested dose-dependent pharmacokinetics in female rats. The second set of studies sought to determine the behavioral implications of these pharmacokinetic differences by quantifying locomotor activity in male and female rats after saline, 1.0, and 3.0 mg/kg METH. The results showed sex- and dose-dependent differences in METH-induced locomotion, including profound differences in the temporal profile of effects at higher dose. These findings show that the pharmacokinetic and metabolic profile of METH (slower METH clearance and lower AMP metabolite formation) plays a significant role in the differential pharmacological response to METH in male and female rats

  10. Tumor significant dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Supe, S.J.; Nagalaxmi, K.V.; Meenakshi, L.

    1983-01-01

    In the practice of radiotherapy, various concepts like NSD, CRE, TDF, and BIR are being used to evaluate the biological effectiveness of the treatment schedules on the normal tissues. This has been accepted as the tolerance of the normal tissue is the limiting factor in the treatment of cancers. At present when various schedules are tried, attention is therefore paid to the biological damage of the normal tissues only and it is expected that the damage to the cancerous tissues would be extensive enough to control the cancer. Attempt is made in the present work to evaluate the concent of tumor significant dose (TSD) which will represent the damage to the cancerous tissue. Strandquist in the analysis of a large number of cases of squamous cell carcinoma found that for the 5 fraction/week treatment, the total dose required to bring about the same damage for the cancerous tissue is proportional to T/sup -0.22/, where T is the overall time over which the dose is delivered. Using this finding the TSD was defined as DxN/sup -p/xT/sup -q/, where D is the total dose, N the number of fractions, T the overall time p and q are the exponents to be suitably chosen. The values of p and q are adjusted such that p+q< or =0.24, and p varies from 0.0 to 0.24 and q varies from 0.0 to 0.22. Cases of cancer of cervix uteri treated between 1978 and 1980 in the V. N. Cancer Centre, Kuppuswamy Naidu Memorial Hospital, Coimbatore, India were analyzed on the basis of these formulations. These data, coupled with the clinical experience, were used for choice of a formula for the TSD. Further, the dose schedules used in the British Institute of Radiology fraction- ation studies were also used to propose that the tumor significant dose is represented by DxN/sup -0.18/xT/sup -0.06/

  11. Angular dependence of shallow dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alvarez, J.L.

    1986-01-01

    The theoretical response of a detector is discussed and compared to measurements of shallow dose with tissue and phantom response detectors. A definite energy dependent angular response of dose and measurement was observed which could not be explained by simple trigonometric arguments. The response is back scatter dependent and must be considered in detector design and dose measurements. It is not possible for standard detectors to follow this response

  12. The impact of the oxygen scavenger on the dose-rate dependence and dose sensitivity of MAGIC type polymer gels

    Science.gov (United States)

    Khan, Muzafar; Heilemann, Gerd; Kuess, Peter; Georg, Dietmar; Berg, Andreas

    2018-03-01

    Recent developments in radiation therapy aimed at more precise dose delivery along with higher dose gradients (dose painting) and more efficient dose delivery with higher dose rates e.g. flattening filter free (FFF) irradiation. Magnetic-resonance-imaging based polymer gel dosimetry offers 3D information for precise dose delivery techniques. Many of the proposed polymer gels have been reported to exhibit a dose response, measured as relaxation rate ΔR2(D), which is dose rate dependent. A lack of or a reduced dose-rate sensitivity is very important for dosimetric accuracy, especially with regard to the increasing clinical use of FFF irradiation protocols with LINACs at high dose rates. Some commonly used polymer gels are based on Methacrylic-Acid-Gel-Initiated-by-Copper (MAGIC). Here, we report on the dose sensitivity (ΔR2/ΔD) of MAGIC-type gels with different oxygen scavenger concentration for their specific dependence on the applied dose rate in order to improve the dosimetric performance, especially for high dose rates. A preclinical x-ray machine (‘Yxlon’, E  =  200 kV) was used for irradiation to cover a range of dose rates from low \\dot{D} min  =  0.6 Gy min-1 to high \\dot{D} max  =  18 Gy min-1. The dose response was evaluated using R2-imaging of the gel on a human high-field (7T) MR-scanner. The results indicate that all of the investigated dose rates had an impact on the dose response in polymer gel dosimeters, being strongest in the high dose region and less effective for low dose levels. The absolute dose rate dependence \\frac{(Δ R2/Δ D)}{Δ \\dot{D}} of the dose response in MAGIC-type gel is significantly reduced using higher concentrations of oxygen scavenger at the expense of reduced dose sensitivity. For quantitative dose evaluations the relative dose rate dependence of a polymer gel, normalized to its sensitivity is important. Based on this normalized sensitivity the dose rate sensitivity was reduced distinctly

  13. Dose-dependent metabolic disposition of hydroxytyrosol and formation of mercapturates in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kotronoulas, Aristotelis; Pizarro, Nieves; Serra, Aida; Robledo, Patricia; Joglar, Jesús; Rubió, Laura; Hernaéz, Alvaro; Tormos, Carmen; Motilva, Ma José; Fitó, Montserrat; Covas, Maria-Isabel; Solà, Rosa; Farré, Magí; Saez, Guillermo; de la Torre, Rafael

    2013-11-01

    Hydroxytyrosol (HT), one of the major polyphenols present in olive oil, is known to possess a high antioxidant capacity. The aim of the present study was to investigate dose dependent (0, 1, 10 and 100 mg/kg) alterations in the metabolism of HT in rats since it has been reported that metabolites may contribute to biological effects. Special attention was paid to the activation of the semiquinone-quinone oxidative cycle and the formation of adducts with potential deleterious effects. Thus, we developed a novel analytical methodology to monitor the in vivo formation of the HT mercapturate, N-acetyl-5-S-cysteinyl-hydroxytyrosol in urine samples. Biomarkers of hepatic and renal toxicity were evaluated within the dose range tested. Following HT administration, dose-dependent effects were observed for the recovery of all the metabolites studied. At the lowest dose of 1 mg/kg, the glucuronidation pathway was the most relevant (25-30%), with lower recoveries for sulfation (14%), while at the highest dose of 100 mg/kg, sulfation was the most prevalent (75%). In addition, we report for the first time the formation of the mercapturate conjugate of HT in a dose-dependent manner. The biochemical data did not reveal significant toxic effects of HT at any of the doses studied. An increase in the GSH/GSSG ratio at the highest dose was observed indicating that the products of HT autoxidation are counteracted by glutathione, resulting in their detoxification. These results indicate that the metabolic disposition of HT is highly dependent on the dose ingested. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

  14. Contrast media and glomerular filtration: dose dependence of clearance for three agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baeck, S.E.K.; Krutzen, E.; Nilsson-Ehle, P.

    1988-01-01

    Determination of plasma clearance of contrast agents has been advocated as a means to assess glomerular filtration rate. To evaluate the feasibility of different agents for this purpose, we have compared, in healthy volunteers, the dose dependence of plasma clearance for three contrast media (iohexol, a nonionic agent, and iothalamate and metrizoate, which are ionic substances), with special emphasis on the lower dose range (2-20 mL corresponding to 0.9-12.9 g, depending on dose and agent). Iohexol and iothalamate were cleared at constant rates, irrespective of given dose, whereas metrizoate clearance increased significantly at lower doses. In general, the clearances or iothalamate and metrizoate were, respectively, moderately and markedly higher than that of iohexol. The clearance of different doses of metrizoate (2 mL versus a radiographic dose of 40 mL or more) was also compared with the clearance of [ 51 Cr]EDTA in two groups of patients with reduced renal function. When compared with [ 51 Cr]EDTA in patients with renal dysfunction, metrizoate was cleared significantly faster after a 2-mL dose, whereas clearances were identical when the metrizoate dose was 40 mL or more. These findings indicate that tubular secretion plays an active role in the elimination of metrizoate. The pharmacokinetic properties of iohexol, in combination with its low toxicity, make it a suitable agent for determination of glomerular filtration rate in clinical practice

  15. The somatically significant dose, SSD, and analog of the GSD, the genetically significant dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Beentjes, L.B.; Duijsings, J.H.

    1992-01-01

    The medical applications of radiation comprise three main fields namely: Diagnostic Radiology, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine. With the new weighting factors of ICRP (IC91a) the effective dose due to medical applications can be established. I is common to separate the effective dose into the genetic part and the somatic part, SED. In dealing with gonad doses it is important to account for the age of the person at the time of exposure as this will influence the number of children still to be expected from that person. The resulting dose will then be called the genetically significant dose, GSD. In a similar fashion this age factor will be important in considering the chance of tumor induction. The age of patients differs considerably from the average age of the general population. This age difference has to be accounted for if a comparison is to be made with other sources of radiation. This justifies establishing a somatically significant dose, SSD. The reduction of the SED value to a SSD for the medical field due to this phenomenon is .6 for diagnostic radiology, .5 for nuclear medicine and .3 for radiotherapy. Also the extension to more organs at risk, which result in a larger number of weighting factors published by ICRP (IC91a) tends to lower the calculated effective doses. (author)

  16. Dose dependence on stochastic radiobiological effect in radiation risk estimation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komochkov, M.M.

    1999-01-01

    The analysis of the results in dose -- effect relationship observation has been carried out on the cell and organism levels, with the aim to obtain more precise data on the risk coefficients at low doses. The results are represented by two contrasting groups of dose dependence on effect: a downwards concave and a J-shaped curve. Both types of dependence are described by the equation solutions of an assumed unified protective mechanism, which comprises two components: constitutive and adaptive or inducible ones. The latest data analysis of the downwards concave dependence curves shows a considerable underestimation of radiation risk in all types of cancer, except leukemia, for a number of critical groups in a population, at low doses comparing to the ICRP recommendations. With the dose increase, the decrease of the effect value per dose unit is observed. It may be possibly related to the switching of the activity of the adaptive protective mechanism, with some threshold dose values being exceeded

  17. Cerebral Cortex Regions Selectively Vulnerable to Radiation Dose-Dependent Atrophy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seibert, Tyler M.; Karunamuni, Roshan; Kaifi, Samar; Burkeen, Jeffrey; Connor, Michael [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Krishnan, Anitha Priya; White, Nathan S.; Farid, Nikdokht; Bartsch, Hauke [Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Murzin, Vyacheslav [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Nguyen, Tanya T. [Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Moiseenko, Vitali [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Brewer, James B. [Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); McDonald, Carrie R. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Dale, Anders M. [Department of Radiology, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Department of Neurosciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Hattangadi-Gluth, Jona A., E-mail: jhattangadi@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

    2017-04-01

    Purpose and Objectives: Neurologic deficits after brain radiation therapy (RT) typically involve decline in higher-order cognitive functions such as attention and memory rather than sensory defects or paralysis. We sought to determine whether areas of the cortex critical to cognition are selectively vulnerable to radiation dose-dependent atrophy. Methods and Materials: We measured change in cortical thickness in 54 primary brain tumor patients who underwent fractionated, partial brain RT. The study patients underwent high-resolution, volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted; T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, FLAIR) before RT and 1 year afterward. Semiautomated software was used to segment anatomic regions of the cerebral cortex for each patient. Cortical thickness was measured for each region before RT and 1 year afterward. Two higher-order cortical regions of interest (ROIs) were tested for association between radiation dose and cortical thinning: entorhinal (memory) and inferior parietal (attention/memory). For comparison, 2 primary cortex ROIs were also tested: pericalcarine (vision) and paracentral lobule (somatosensory/motor). Linear mixed-effects analyses were used to test all other cortical regions for significant radiation dose-dependent thickness change. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05 using 2-tailed tests. Results: Cortical atrophy was significantly associated with radiation dose in the entorhinal (P=.01) and inferior parietal ROIs (P=.02). By contrast, no significant radiation dose-dependent effect was found in the primary cortex ROIs (pericalcarine and paracentral lobule). In the whole-cortex analysis, 9 regions showed significant radiation dose-dependent atrophy, including areas responsible for memory, attention, and executive function (P≤.002). Conclusions: Areas of cerebral cortex important for higher-order cognition may be most vulnerable to radiation-related atrophy. This is consistent with clinical observations

  18. Cerebral Cortex Regions Selectively Vulnerable to Radiation Dose-Dependent Atrophy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Seibert, Tyler M.; Karunamuni, Roshan; Kaifi, Samar; Burkeen, Jeffrey; Connor, Michael; Krishnan, Anitha Priya; White, Nathan S.; Farid, Nikdokht; Bartsch, Hauke; Murzin, Vyacheslav; Nguyen, Tanya T.; Moiseenko, Vitali; Brewer, James B.; McDonald, Carrie R.; Dale, Anders M.; Hattangadi-Gluth, Jona A.

    2017-01-01

    Purpose and Objectives: Neurologic deficits after brain radiation therapy (RT) typically involve decline in higher-order cognitive functions such as attention and memory rather than sensory defects or paralysis. We sought to determine whether areas of the cortex critical to cognition are selectively vulnerable to radiation dose-dependent atrophy. Methods and Materials: We measured change in cortical thickness in 54 primary brain tumor patients who underwent fractionated, partial brain RT. The study patients underwent high-resolution, volumetric magnetic resonance imaging (T1-weighted; T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery, FLAIR) before RT and 1 year afterward. Semiautomated software was used to segment anatomic regions of the cerebral cortex for each patient. Cortical thickness was measured for each region before RT and 1 year afterward. Two higher-order cortical regions of interest (ROIs) were tested for association between radiation dose and cortical thinning: entorhinal (memory) and inferior parietal (attention/memory). For comparison, 2 primary cortex ROIs were also tested: pericalcarine (vision) and paracentral lobule (somatosensory/motor). Linear mixed-effects analyses were used to test all other cortical regions for significant radiation dose-dependent thickness change. Statistical significance was set at α = 0.05 using 2-tailed tests. Results: Cortical atrophy was significantly associated with radiation dose in the entorhinal (P=.01) and inferior parietal ROIs (P=.02). By contrast, no significant radiation dose-dependent effect was found in the primary cortex ROIs (pericalcarine and paracentral lobule). In the whole-cortex analysis, 9 regions showed significant radiation dose-dependent atrophy, including areas responsible for memory, attention, and executive function (P≤.002). Conclusions: Areas of cerebral cortex important for higher-order cognition may be most vulnerable to radiation-related atrophy. This is consistent with clinical observations

  19. Two separate dose-dependent effects of paroxetine

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Anette Green; Pedersen, Rasmus Steen; Nøhr-Jensen, Lene

    2010-01-01

    PURPOSE: To investigate paroxetine's putative dose-dependent impact on pupil reaction and inhibition of the O-demethylation of tramadol. METHODS: Twelve healthy CYP2D6 extensive metabolizers participated in this double-blinded randomized five-way placebo controlled cross-over study; they received...... concentrations of (+/-)-tramadol and (+/-)-O-desmethyltramadol (M1) were determined. RESULTS: With placebo, the median maximum pupil diameter was 6.43 mm (range 5.45-7.75 mm) before tramadol and 6.22 mm (4.35-7.65 mm) after 50 mg of tramadol (P = 0.4935). Paroxetine resulted in a statistically significant, dose......-dependent dilatation of the pupil with a geometric mean difference of 1.17 (95% CI 1.10-1.24) after ingestion of 50 mg paroxetine (P inhibition...

  20. Dose-dependent increases in flow-mediated dilation following acute cocoa ingestion in healthy older adults

    Science.gov (United States)

    Feehan, Robert P.; Kunselman, Allen R.; Preston, Amy G.; Miller, Debra L.; Lott, Mary E. J.

    2011-01-01

    An inverse relation exists between intake of flavonoid-rich foods, such as cocoa, and cardiovascular-related mortality. Favorable effects of flavonoids on the endothelium may underlie these associations. We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study to test the hypothesis that acute cocoa ingestion dose dependently increases endothelium-dependent vasodilation, as measured by an increase in brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD), in healthy older adults. Measurements were obtained before (preingestion) and after (1- and 2-h postingestion) ingestion of 0 (placebo), 2, 5, 13, and 26 g of cocoa in 23 adults (63 ± 2 yr old, mean ± SE). Changes in brachial artery FMD 1- and 2-h postingestion compared with preingestion were used to determine the effects of cocoa. FMD was unchanged 1 (Δ−0.3 ± 0.2%)- and 2-h (Δ0.1 ± 0.1%) after placebo (0 g cocoa). In contrast, FMD increased both 1-h postingestion (2 g cocoa Δ0.0 ± 0.2%, 5 g cocoa Δ0.8 ± 0.3%, 13 g cocoa Δ1.0 ± 0.3%, and 26 g cocoa Δ1.6 ± 0.3%: P FMD 1- and 2-h postingestion (r = 0.44–0.48; both P FMD in healthy older humans. These responses may help to explain associations between flavonoid intake and cardiovascular-related mortality in humans. PMID:21903881

  1. Mycorrhizal dependency of mangaba tree under increasing phosphorus levels Dependência micorrízica de mangabeira em doses crescentes de fósforo

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Júlio Alves Cardoso Filho

    2008-07-01

    Full Text Available The objective of this study was to evaluate the mycorrhizal dependency of mangaba tree (Hancornia speciosa plantlets, under increasing levels of phosphorus fertilization. The experimental design was completely randomized in a 4×5 factorial arrangement with three mycorrhizal fungi inocula - Gigaspora margarita, Glomus etunicatum, or a pool of native mycorrhizal fungi (Acaulospora longula, Glomus clarum, Gigaspora albida, Paraglomus sp. -, and a nonmycorrhizal control, in combination with five levels of phosphorus applied to the substrate: 0, 25, 50, 75, and 100 mg kg-1. After 180 days of growth, plantlets with inoculation of native mycorrhizal pool produced more shoot and root dry biomass and had higher shoot phosphorus content and accumulation. The noninoculated control showed the lowest values, independently of the phosphorus level. The highest relative mycorrhizal dependency occurred with the inoculation of native mycorrhizal fungi. Plants with mycorrhizal fungi did not respond to phosphorus addition above 50 mg kg-1. Mangaba tree is highly dependent on mycorrhiza, but the degree of dependency varies according to phosphorus levels and fungal inocula. In general, mangaba tree is more responsive to mycorrhizal fungi inoculation than to phosphorus addition.O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar a dependência micorrízica de mudas de mangaba (Hancornia speciosa, em doses crescentes de fósforo. O delineamento experimental foi inteiramente casualizado, em arranjo fatorial 4´5 com três inóculos de fungos micorrízicos - Gigaspora margarita, Glomus etunicatum, ou uma mistura de espécies de fungos micorrízicos nativos (Acaulospora longula, Glomus clarum, Gigaspora albida e Paraglomus sp. -, e um controle não micorrízico, combinados a cinco doses de fósforo no substrato: 0, 25, 50, 75 e 100 mg kg-1. Após 180 dias, as mudas com inoculação dos fungos micorrízicos nativos produziram mais biomassa seca de parte aérea e raízes e apresentaram

  2. Dose rate and SDD dependence of commercially available diode detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Saini, Amarjit S.; Zhu, Timothy C.

    2004-01-01

    The dose-rate dependence of commercially available diode detectors was measured under both high instantaneous dose-rate (pulsed) and low dose rate (continuous, Co-60) radiation. The dose-rate dependence was measured in an acrylic miniphantom at a 5-cm depth in a 10x10 cm 2 collimator setting, by varying source-to-detector distance (SDD) between at least 80 and 200 cm. The ratio of a normalized diode reading to a normalized ion chamber reading (both at SDD=100 cm) was used to determine diode sensitivity ratio for pulsed and continuous radiation at different SDD. The inverse of the diode sensitivity ratio is defined as the SDD correction factor (SDD CF). The diode sensitivity ratio increased with increasing instantaneous dose rate (or decreasing SDD). The ratio of diode sensitivity, normalized to 4000 cGy/s, varied between 0.988 (1490 cGy/s)-1.023 (38 900 cGy/s) for unirradiated n-type Isorad Gold, 0.981 (1460 cGy/s)-1.026 (39 060 cGy/s) for unirradiated QED Red (n type), 0.972 (1490 cGy/s)-1.068 (38 900 cGy/s) for preirradiated Isorad Red (n type), 0.985 (1490 cGy/s)-1.012 (38 990 cGy/s) for n-type Pt-doped Isorad-3 Gold, 0.995 (1450 cGy/s)-1.020 (21 870 cGy/s) for n-type Veridose Green, 0.978 (1450 cGy/s)-1.066 (21 870 cGy/s) for preirradiated Isorad-p Red, 0.994 (1540 cGy/s)-1.028 (17 870 cGy/s) for p-type preirradiated QED, 0.998 (1450 cGy/s)-1.003 (21 870 cGy/s) for the p-type preirradiated Scanditronix EDP20 3G , and 0.998 (1490 cGy/s)-1.015 (38 880 cGy/s) for Scanditronix EDP10 3G diodes. The p-type diodes do not always show less dose-rate dependence than the n-type diodes. Preirradiation does not always reduce diode dose-rate dependence. A comparison between the SDD dependence measured at the surface of a full scatter phantom and that in a miniphantom was made. Using a direct adjustment of radiation pulse height, we concluded that the SDD dependence of diode sensitivity can be explained by the instantaneous dose-rate dependence if sufficient buildup is

  3. Brassinolide Increases Potato Root Growth In Vitro in a Dose-Dependent Way and Alleviates Salinity Stress

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yueqing Hu

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Brassinosteroids (BRs are steroidal phytohormones that regulate various physiological processes, such as root development and stress tolerance. In the present study, we showed that brassinolide (BL affects potato root in vitro growth in a dose-dependent manner. Low BL concentrations (0.1 and 0.01 μg/L promoted root elongation and lateral root development, whereas high BL concentrations (1–100 μg/L inhibited root elongation. There was a significant (P<0.05 positive correlation between root activity and BL concentrations within a range from 0.01 to 100 μg/L, with the peak activity of 8.238 mg TTC·g−1 FW·h−1 at a BL concentration of 100 μg/L. Furthermore, plants treated with 50 μg/L BL showed enhanced salt stress tolerance through in vitro growth. Under this scenario, BL treatment enhanced the proline content and antioxidant enzymes’ (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activity and reduced malondialdehyde content in potato shoots. Application of BL maintain K+ and Na+ homeostasis by improving tissue K+/Na+ ratio. Therefore, we suggested that the effects of BL on root development from stem fragments explants as well as on primary root development are dose-dependent and that BL application alleviates salt stress on potato by improving root activity, root/shoot ratio, and antioxidative capacity in shoots and maintaining K+/Na+ homeostasis in potato shoots and roots.

  4. Dose dependence of complication rates in cervix cancer radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orton, C.G.; Wolf-Rosenblum, S.

    1986-01-01

    The population selected for this study was a group of 410 Stage IIB and III squamous cell Ca cervix patients treated at the Radiumhemmet between the years 1958-1966. A total of 48 of these patients developed moderate-to-severe rectal and/or bladder complications. Of these, 33 were evaluable with respect to dose-dependence of complications, that is, complete intracavitary dose measurements and external beam dose calculations, no chemotherapy or electrocautery, and complete clinical radiotherapy records. A group of 57 randomly selected uninjured patients were used as controls. Results show good correlation between dose, expressed in TDF units, and complication rates for both rectal and bladder injuries. Severity of rectal injury was observed to increase with increase in dose, although no such correlation was observed for bladder injuries. Mean delays in the expression of symptoms of injury were 10 months for the rectum and 22 months for the bladder

  5. Dose dependence of complication rates in cervix cancer radiotherapy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Orton, C.G.; Wolf-Rosenblum, S.

    1986-01-01

    The population selected for this study was a group of 410 Stage IIB and III squamous cell Ca cervix patients treated at the Radiumhemmet between the years 1958-1966. A total of 48 of these patients developed moderate-to-severe rectal and/or bladder complications. Of these, 33 were evaluable with respect to dose-dependence of complications, that is, complete intracavitary dose measurements and external beam dose calculations, no chemotherapy or electrocautery, and complete clinical radiotherapy records. A group of 57 randomly selected uninjured patients were used as controls. Results show good correlation between dose, expressed in TDF units, and complication rates for both rectal and bladder injuries. Severity of rectal injury was observed to increase with increase in dose, although no such correlation was observed for bladder injuries. Mean delays in the expression of symptoms of injury were 10 months for the rectum and 22 months for the bladder.

  6. Dose-dependent hepatic transcriptional responses in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) exposed to sublethal doses of gamma radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Song, You, E-mail: you.song@niva.no [Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Sciences (IMV), Centre for Environmental Radioactivity - CERAD, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås (Norway); Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, N-0349 Oslo (Norway); Salbu, Brit; Teien, Hans-Christian; Heier, Lene Sørlie [Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Sciences (IMV), Centre for Environmental Radioactivity - CERAD, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås (Norway); Rosseland, Bjørn Olav [Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Sciences (IMV), Centre for Environmental Radioactivity - CERAD, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås (Norway); Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Department of Ecology and Natural Resource Management, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås (Norway); Tollefsen, Knut Erik [Norwegian University of Life Sciences (NMBU), Faculty of Environmental Science and Technology, Department of Environmental Sciences (IMV), Centre for Environmental Radioactivity - CERAD, P.O. Box 5003, N-1432 Ås (Norway); Norwegian Institute for Water Research (NIVA), Gaustadalléen 21, N-0349 Oslo (Norway)

    2014-11-15

    affected DEGs associated with cellular signaling and immune response; 70 mGy radiation affected cell cycle regulation and DNA damage repair, cellular energy production; and 280 mGy radiation affected pathways related to cell cycle regulation and DNA repair, mitochondrial dysfunction and immune functions. Twelve genes representative of key pathways found in this study were verified by qPCR. Potential common MoAs of low-dose gamma radiation may include induction of oxidative stress, DNA damage and disturbance of oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Although common MoAs were proposed, a number of DEGs and pathways were still found to be dose-specific, potentially indicating multiple mechanisms of action (MOAs) of low-dose gamma radiation in fish. In addition, plasma glucose displayed an apparent increase with increasing radiation doses, although the results were not significantly different from the control. These findings suggested that sublethal doses of gamma radiation may cause dose-dependent transcriptional changes in the liver of Atlantic salmon after short-term exposure. The current study predicted multiple MoA for gamma radiation and may aid future impact assessment of environmental radioactivity in fish.

  7. Radioiodine therapy induces dose-dependent in-vivo oxidation injury

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sinzinger, H.; Resch, U.; Tatzber, F.; Weiss, K.

    2002-01-01

    Until now, radiation hazards as a consequence of radioiodine therapy are not examined in detail. Oxidation of lipoproteins may favour vasculopathy. We studied the influence of a single radioiodine therapy with 5 (n=8; 46-71a), 10 (n=6; 54-75a), 20 (n=11; 45-73a), 80 (n=6; 37-75a) or 200 (n=6; 43-67a) mCi on in-vivo oxidation injury in blood (plasma [P], serum [Se]), urine (U) and saliva (Sa) in patients suffering from hyperthyroidism opr thyroid cancer, respectively. The isoprostane 8-epi-prostaglandin (PG) F 2α as a marker of in-vivo oxidation injury (Sa, Se, P, U), oxidation of lipoproteins (LDL, HDL), thromboxane B2 (Sa, Se, P, U), PGE 2 , PGF 2α and circulating endothelial cells (CEC) were examined before therapy, daily for 7 days and weekly thereafter for 6 weeks. Blood was also analyzed for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), relative electrophoretic mobility (REM), baseline dienes (BD), endogenous peroxides (POX) and formation of conjugated dienes in copper-mediated oxidation (CD) expressed in lag-time and rate of propagation. There is a dose-dependent increase in 8-epi-PGF 2α being most pronounced in saliva (p 2 and HDL 3 subfractions 24 h after application, but 48 h and 72 h after application there was a significant increase in TBARS, REM, BD, POX and rate of propagation and a decrease in lag-time in HDL-subfractions independently from applied dose. Also HDL 2 showed more TBARS, REM, BD, POX and shorter lag-time than HDL 3 48 h after application, but this effect was reversed 72 h after application. HDL is the lipoprotein most prone to oxidation by radioiodine treatment. Apparently, when LDL becomes oxidized, it shifts metabolically its oxidation products to HDL. These findings show a significant temporary and dose-dependent endothelial desquamation, oxidation of lipoproteins and long-lasting in-vivo oxidation injury (saliva > urine > blood) as side effect of radioiodine therapy, altogether being potentially proatherogenic

  8. TREATMENT OF STEROID DEPENDENT ASTHMATICS WITH LOW DOSES OF CYCLOSPORINE

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Stanislav Šuškovič

    2004-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Asthmatics with glucocorticoid dependent asthma should be treated with systemic steroids. Cyclosporine is in many ways a potent anti-inflammatory drug. Cyclosporine is sometimes very effective in treating asthmatics and could allow us to lower the dose of oral steroid. In some randomized, double blind studies steroid dependent asthmatics were treated 12–36 weeks with cyclosporine in dose 5 mg/kg/day. We tried cyclosporine in steroid dependent asthmatics in shorter course and in lower dose.Methods. 13 steroid dependent asthmatics were in the first four weeks of the study treated by their own drugs (phase 1. Then they were for the next four weeks (phase 2 randomly and in double blind fashion treated with either cyclosporine (mean 1.7 mg/kg/day, SD 0.5, 6 patients – group 1 or by identical placebo (7 patients – group 2. To the patients in the group 2 serum concentration of cyclosporine was measured on the eight day of the study.Results. Morning peak expiratory flow (PEF raised significantly in group 1 (200 L/sec to 247 L/sec or for 23%. Patients in group1 had significantly less episodes of nocturnal asthma (2.2 episodes/night to 1.5 episodes/night or for 32%. In group 2 were not found any changes between first phase and second phase of the study. Steroid consumption did not change in any group. Mean serum concentration of cyclosporine in patients of group1 was 35.7 µg/L. We did not find any adverse effects of cyclosporine or placebo.Conclusions. Cyclosporine could have dangerous side effects, which are dependent on its serum concentration. So it should be administered in the lowest possible dose and for the most possible short period. In our study it was found that it is possible to successfully treat steroid dependent asthmatics with lower daily dose and for shorter time, than was found in other similar studies.

  9. In Vivo Imaging Reveals Significant Tumor Vascular Dysfunction and Increased Tumor Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1α Expression Induced by High Single-Dose Irradiation in a Pancreatic Tumor Model

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maeda, Azusa [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Chen, Yonghong; Bu, Jiachuan; Mujcic, Hilda [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Wouters, Bradly G. [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); DaCosta, Ralph S., E-mail: rdacosta@uhnres.utoronto.ca [Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario (Canada); Techna Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, Ontario (Canada)

    2017-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the effect of high-dose irradiation on pancreatic tumor vasculature and microenvironment using in vivo imaging techniques. Methods and Materials: A BxPC3 pancreatic tumor xenograft was established in a dorsal skinfold window chamber model and a subcutaneous hind leg model. Tumors were irradiated with a single dose of 4, 12, or 24 Gy. The dorsal skinfold window chamber model was used to assess tumor response, vascular function and permeability, platelet and leukocyte adhesion to the vascular endothelium, and tumor hypoxia for up to 14 days after 24-Gy irradiation. The hind leg model was used to monitor tumor size, hypoxia, and vascularity for up to 65 days after 24-Gy irradiation. Tumors were assessed histologically to validate in vivo observations. Results: In vivo fluorescence imaging revealed temporary vascular dysfunction in tumors irradiated with a single dose of 4 to 24 Gy, but most significantly with a single dose of 24 Gy. Vascular functional recovery was observed by 14 days after irradiation in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, irradiation with 24 Gy caused platelet and leukocyte adhesion to the vascular endothelium within hours to days after irradiation. Vascular permeability was significantly higher in irradiated tumors compared with nonirradiated controls 14 days after irradiation. This observation corresponded with increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α in irradiated tumors. In the hind leg model, irradiation with a single dose of 24 Gy led to tumor growth delay, followed by tumor regrowth. Conclusions: Irradiation of the BxPC3 tumors with a single dose of 24 Gy caused transient vascular dysfunction and increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α. Such biological changes may impact tumor response to high single-dose and hypofractionated irradiation, and further investigations are needed to better understand the clinical outcomes of stereotactic body radiation therapy.

  10. Time-Dependent Neutron and Photon Dose-Field Analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Wooten, Hasani Omar [Georgia Inst. of Technology, Atlanta, GA (United States)

    2005-08-01

    A unique tool is developed that allows the user to model physical representations of complicated glovebox facilities in two dimensions and determine neutral-particle flux and ambient dose-equivalent fields throughout that geometry. The Pandemonium code, originally designed to determine flux and dose-rates only, is improved to include realistic glovebox geometries, time-dependent source and detector positions, time-dependent shielding thickness calculations, time-integrated doses, a representative criticality accident scenario based on time-dependent reactor kinetics, and more rigorous photon treatment. A primary benefit of this work has been an extensive analysis and improvement of the photon model that is not limited to the application described in this thesis. The photon model has been extended in energy range to 10 MeV to include photons from fission and new photon buildup factors have been included that account for the effects of photon buildup at slant-path thicknesses as a function of angle, where the mean free path thickness has been preserved. The overall system of codes is user-friendly and it is directly applicable to facilities such as the plutonium facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where high-intensity neutron and photon emitters are regularly used. The codes may be used to determine a priori doses for given work scenarios in an effort to supply dose information to process models which will in turn assist decision makers on ensuring as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) compliance. In addition, coupling the computational results of these tools with the process model visualization tools will help to increase worker safety and radiological safety awareness.

  11. Estimation of population doses from diagnostic medical examinations in Japan, 1974. II. Estimation of genetically significant dose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hashizume, T; Maruyama, T; Kumamoto, Y [National Inst. of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan)

    1976-03-01

    The genetically significant dose from radiographic and fluoroscopic examination in Japan has been estimated based on a 1974 nation wide survey of randomly sampled hospitals and clinics. The gonad dose during x-ray diagnosis was determined with an ionization chamber placed at the positions of ovary and testis in a Rando phantom. The instrumented phantom was irradiated with medical diagnostic x-rays on the basis of the exposure data on the patients selected in the nation wide survey. In the calculation of the genetically significant dose, the child expectancy of the patients that undergo each particular type of examination was assumed to be same as that of the general population. The resultant genetically significant dose was 11.1 and 5.43 mrad per person per year for radiography and fluoroscopy, respectively. These values were compared with those of 1960 and 1969. Though the number of examinations per year shows a yearly increase, the genetically significant dose is gradually on the decrease. This may be due to technical improvements in medical radiological practices.

  12. Consideration of the volume dependence of tolerance doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gremmel, H.; Wendhausen, H.

    1977-01-01

    A general formula for consideration of the dependence of tolerance doses upon volume is obtained by mathematical evaluation of known skin tolerance doses. The validity for different organs is verified using available data of literature. It is recommended to introduce the volume dependence into the Ellis-formula for tolerance doses. (orig.) [de

  13. Space-Time Dependent Transport, Activation, and Dose Rates for Radioactivated Fluids.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gavazza, Sergio

    Two methods are developed to calculate the space - and time-dependent mass transport of radionuclides, their production and decay, and the associated dose rates generated from the radioactivated fluids flowing through pipes. The work couples space- and time-dependent phenomena, treated as only space- or time-dependent in the open literature. The transport and activation methodology (TAM) is used to numerically calculate space- and time-dependent transport and activation of radionuclides in fluids flowing through pipes exposed to radiation fields, and volumetric radioactive sources created by radionuclide motions. The computer program Radionuclide Activation and Transport in Pipe (RNATPA1) performs the numerical calculations required in TAM. The gamma ray dose methodology (GAM) is used to numerically calculate space- and time-dependent gamma ray dose equivalent rates from the volumetric radioactive sources determined by TAM. The computer program Gamma Ray Dose Equivalent Rate (GRDOSER) performs the numerical calculations required in GAM. The scope of conditions considered by TAM and GAM herein include (a) laminar flow in straight pipe, (b)recirculating flow schemes, (c) time-independent fluid velocity distributions, (d) space-dependent monoenergetic neutron flux distribution, (e) space- and time-dependent activation process of a single parent nuclide and transport and decay of a single daughter radionuclide, and (f) assessment of space- and time-dependent gamma ray dose rates, outside the pipe, generated by the space- and time-dependent source term distributions inside of it. The methodologies, however, can be easily extended to include all the situations of interest for solving the phenomena addressed in this dissertation. A comparison is made from results obtained by the described calculational procedures with analytical expressions. The physics of the problems addressed by the new technique and the increased accuracy versus non -space and time-dependent methods

  14. [Dose rate-dependent cellular and molecular effects of ionizing radiation].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Przybyszewski, Waldemar M; Wideł, Maria; Szurko, Agnieszka; Maniakowski, Zbigniew

    2008-09-11

    The aim of radiation therapy is to kill tumor cells while minimizing damage to normal cells. The ultimate effect of radiation can be apoptotic or necrotic cell death as well as cytogenetic damage resulting in genetic instability and/or cell death. The destructive effects of radiation arise from direct and indirect ionization events leading to peroxidation of macromolecules, especially those present in lipid-rich membrane structures as well as chromatin lipids. Lipid peroxidative end-products may damage DNA and proteins. A characteristic feature of radiation-induced peroxidation is an inverse dose-rate effect (IDRE), defined as an increase in the degree of oxidation(at constant absorbed dose) accompanying a lower dose rate. On the other hand, a low dose rate can lead to the accumulation of cells in G2, the radiosensitive phase of the cell cycle since cell cycle control points are not sensitive to low dose rates. Radiation dose rate may potentially be the main factor improving radiotherapy efficacy as well as affecting the intensity of normal tissue and whole-body side effects. A better understanding of dose rate-dependent biological effects may lead to improved therapeutic intervention and limit normal tissue reaction. The study reviews basic biological effects that depend on the dose rate of ionizing radiation.

  15. The impact of increasing dose on overall survival in prostate cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hall, Matthew D.; Schultheiss, Timothy E.; Smith, David D.; Tseng, Bertrand P.; Wong, Jeffrey Y. C.

    2015-01-01

    To assess the impact of increasing dose on overall survival (OS) for prostate cancer patients. Treatment data were obtained on more than 20,000 patients in the National Oncology Data Alliance®, a proprietary database of merged tumor registries, who were treated for prostate cancer with definitive radiotherapy between 1995 and 2006. Eligible patients had complete data on total dose, T stage, use and timing of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), and treatment start date (n = 20,028). Patients with prior malignancies were excluded. On multivariate analysis, dose, T stage, grade, marital status, age, and neoadjuvant ADT were significant predictors of OS. Hazard ratios for OS declined monotonically with increasing dose, reaching 0.63 (95 % Confidence Interval 0.53–0.76) at ≥80 Gy. On subset analysis, neoadjuvant ADT significantly improved OS in high risk patients but was not significant in lower risk patients. The dose response was maintained across all risk groups. Medical comorbidities were balanced across all dose strata and sensitivity analysis demonstrated that other prognostic factors were unlikely to explain the observed dose response. This study suggests that increasing dose significantly improves OS in prostate cancer patients treated with radiotherapy. The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13014-015-0419-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users

  16. The dose dependency of the over-dispersion of quartz OSL single grain dose distributions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Thomsen, Kristina J.; Murray, Andrew; Jain, Mayank

    2012-01-01

    The use of single grain quartz OSL dating has become widespread over the past decade, particularly with application to samples likely to have been incompletely bleached before burial. By reducing the aliquot size to a single grain the probability of identifying the grain population most likely to have been well-bleached at deposition is maximised and thus the accuracy with which the equivalent dose can be determined is – at least in principle – improved. However, analysis of single grain dose distributions requires knowledge of the dispersion of the well-bleached part of the dose distribution. This can be estimated by measurement of a suitable analogue, e.g. a well-bleached aeolian sample, but this requires such an analogue to be available, and in addition the assumptions that the sample is in fact a) well-bleached, and b) has a similar dose rate heterogeneity to the fossil deposit. Finally, it is an implicit assumption in such analysis that any over-dispersion is not significantly dose dependent. In this study we have undertaken laboratory investigations of the dose dependency of over-dispersion using a well-bleached modern sample with an average measured dose of 36 ± 3 mGy. This sample was prepared as heated (750 °C for 1 h), bleached and untreated portions which were then given uniform gamma doses ranging from 100 mGy to 208 Gy. We show that for these samples the relative laboratory over-dispersion is not constant as a function of dose and that the over-dispersion is smaller in heated samples. We also show that the dim grains in the distributions have a greater over-dispersion than the bright grains, implying that insensitive samples will have greater values of over-dispersion than sensitive samples.

  17. Methadone dose increase and abstinence reinforcement for treatment of continued heroin use during methadone maintenance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Preston, K L; Umbricht, A; Epstein, D H

    2000-04-01

    Although methadone maintenance is an effective therapy for heroin dependence, some patients continue to use heroin and may benefit from therapeutic modifications. This study evaluated a behavioral intervention, a pharmacological intervention, and a combination of both interventions. Throughout the study all patients received daily methadone hydrochloride maintenance (initially 50 mg/d orally) and weekly counseling. Following baseline treatment patients who continued to use heroin were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 interventions: (1) contingent vouchers for opiate-negative urine specimens (n = 29 patients); (2) methadone hydrochloride dose increase to 70 mg/d (n = 31 patients); (3) combined contingent vouchers and methadone dose increase (n = 32 patients); and (4) neither intervention (comparison standard; n = 28 patients). Methadone dose increases were double blind. Vouchers had monetary value and were exchangeable for goods and services. Groups not receiving contingent vouchers received matching vouchers independent of urine test results. Primary outcome measure was opiate-negative urine specimens (thrice weekly urinalysis). Contingent vouchers and a methadone dose increase each significantly increased the percentage of opiate-negative urine specimens during intervention. Contingent vouchers, with or without a methadone dose increase, increased the duration of sustained abstinence as assessed by urine screenings. Methadone dose increase, with or without contingent vouchers, reduced self-reported frequency of use and self-reported craving. In patients enrolled in a methadone-maintainence program who continued to use heroin, abstinence reinforcement and a methadone dose increase were each effective in reducing use. When combined, they did not dramatically enhance each other's effects on any 1 outcome measure, but they did seem to have complementary benefits.

  18. Simulation of the Nonlinear Dose Dependence of Stabilized Point Defects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, R; Pagonis, V; Lawless, J L

    2010-01-01

    The dose dependence of the concentration of point defects in alkali-halides as well as other crystals, as exhibited by the dependence of the thermoluminescence (TL), optical absorption and ESR on the dose of non-ionizing UV excitation is studied using numerical simulation. The relevant set of coupled rate equations are first written and plausible sets of trapping parameters are chosen. Instead of using simplifying assumptions previously used for reaching conclusions concerning this dose behavior, exact numerical solutions have now been reached. Depending on the parameters chosen, different dose dependencies are seen. In some cases, linear dose dependence is reached in a broad range. Sublinear dose dependence, close to a D 1/2 dependence when D is the dose of excitation can be reached when retrapping is stronger than trapping in other traps stabilizing the defects. When strong competition between stabilizing traps takes place, an initial linear range is observed followed by strong superlinearity and an approach to saturation. All these behaviors have been observed experimentally in TL measurements as well as ESR and optical absorption in different materials. Similarities and dissimilarities to linear and non-linear dose dependencies obtained experimentally and by simulations when ionizing irradiation is used for excitation are discussed.

  19. Dose-dependent effects of theta burst rTMS on cortical excitability and resting-state connectivity of the human motor system.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nettekoven, Charlotte; Volz, Lukas J; Kutscha, Martha; Pool, Eva-Maria; Rehme, Anne K; Eickhoff, Simon B; Fink, Gereon R; Grefkes, Christian

    2014-05-14

    Theta burst stimulation (TBS), a specific protocol of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), induces changes in cortical excitability that last beyond stimulation. TBS-induced aftereffects, however, vary between subjects, and the mechanisms underlying these aftereffects to date remain poorly understood. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether increasing the number of pulses of intermittent TBS (iTBS) (1) increases cortical excitability as measured by motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) and (2) alters functional connectivity measured using resting-state fMRI, in a dose-dependent manner. Sixteen healthy, human subjects received three serially applied iTBS blocks of 600 pulses over the primary motor cortex (M1 stimulation) and the parieto-occipital vertex (sham stimulation) to test for dose-dependent iTBS effects on cortical excitability and functional connectivity (four sessions in total). iTBS over M1 increased MEP amplitudes compared with sham stimulation after each stimulation block. Although the increase in MEP amplitudes did not differ between the first and second block of M1 stimulation, we observed a significant increase after three blocks (1800 pulses). Furthermore, iTBS enhanced resting-state functional connectivity between the stimulated M1 and premotor regions in both hemispheres. Functional connectivity between M1 and ipsilateral dorsal premotor cortex further increased dose-dependently after 1800 pulses of iTBS over M1. However, no correlation between changes in MEP amplitudes and functional connectivity was detected. In summary, our data show that increasing the number of iTBS stimulation blocks results in dose-dependent effects at the local level (cortical excitability) as well as at a systems level (functional connectivity) with a dose-dependent enhancement of dorsal premotor cortex-M1 connectivity. Copyright © 2014 the authors 0270-6474/14/346849-11$15.00/0.

  20. The dependence of radiation response on the dose per fraction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Joiner, M.C.

    1989-01-01

    The linear-quadratic (LQ) model explains the dependence of total dose in a fractionated course on the dose per fraction, in a very wide range of tumour and normal tissue studies, providing the dose per fraction remains above 2 Gy. In the range 2-1 Gy per fraction, some experimental studies show less increase in total dose than predicted by LQ; a probable explanation is incomplete repair between fractions given 2 seen between 1 and 0.1 Gy per fraction. This cannot be explained by incomplete repair; a modified LQ model where α decreases sharply with increasing dose per fraction in the range 0-1 Gy fits these data. The basic LQ model describes data from neutron fractionation studies, so the relationship between relative biological effectiveness (RBE) and X-ray dose per fraction can be expressed in terms of LQ parameters and fitted directly to RBE data. Results from different experiments, different assays and both top-up and full-course fractionation techniques, can all be included in one analysis. (author)

  1. Low-dose vaporized cannabis significantly improves neuropathic pain.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilsey, Barth; Marcotte, Thomas; Deutsch, Reena; Gouaux, Ben; Sakai, Staci; Donaghe, Haylee

    2013-02-01

    We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluating the analgesic efficacy of vaporized cannabis in subjects, the majority of whom were experiencing neuropathic pain despite traditional treatment. Thirty-nine patients with central and peripheral neuropathic pain underwent a standardized procedure for inhaling medium-dose (3.53%), low-dose (1.29%), or placebo cannabis with the primary outcome being visual analog scale pain intensity. Psychoactive side effects and neuropsychological performance were also evaluated. Mixed-effects regression models demonstrated an analgesic response to vaporized cannabis. There was no significant difference between the 2 active dose groups' results (P > .7). The number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve 30% pain reduction was 3.2 for placebo versus low-dose, 2.9 for placebo versus medium-dose, and 25 for medium- versus low-dose. As these NNTs are comparable to those of traditional neuropathic pain medications, cannabis has analgesic efficacy with the low dose being as effective a pain reliever as the medium dose. Psychoactive effects were minimal and well tolerated, and neuropsychological effects were of limited duration and readily reversible within 1 to 2 hours. Vaporized cannabis, even at low doses, may present an effective option for patients with treatment-resistant neuropathic pain. The analgesia obtained from a low dose of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (1.29%) in patients, most of whom were experiencing neuropathic pain despite conventional treatments, is a clinically significant outcome. In general, the effect sizes on cognitive testing were consistent with this minimal dose. As a result, one might not anticipate a significant impact on daily functioning. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  2. The dependence of dose recovery experiments on the bleaching of natural quartz OSL using different light sources

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, J.H.; Murray, A.S.; Cheong, C.-S.; Hong, S.C.

    2009-01-01

    In this paper, the dependence of dose recovery tests on the different bleaching light sources (blue-LEDs, solar simulator, natural sunlight) is investigated with a variety of sedimentary quartz samples, selected so that their OSL signals are dominated by the fast OSL component. We observed that when long solar simulator bleaching was applied, various known doses were underestimated in an SAR-based dose recovery test. However, when blue-LEDs and short solar simulator bleaching were used (10 s and 60 s) the known doses were accurately recovered. In repeated measurement of the OSL signals induced by the same regeneration and test dose, we observed a considerable increase in quartz OSL sensitivity during or after the first OSL measurement when long solar simulator bleaching was used; this seems to provide a possible explanation for the observed underestimation of the laboratory known doses. A series of experimental results using a sample from a modern aeolian dune surface shows that there are no subsequent sensitivity changes when the naturally zeroed samples are bleached with sunlight for long time. It seems that there is a dependence of the sensitivity change on the amount of dose administered before solar simulator bleaching and on the light intensity of solar simulator. When small doses were given to the naturally zeroed sample, the sensitivity change during or after the first OSL measurement was not significant. However, when a considerable amount of beta dose (∼4000 Gy) is administered to the sample, a clear sensitivity change during or after the first OSL measurement (∼20%) was observed. Such a sensitivity change was not observed when the bleaching light intensity of solar simulator was reduced by increasing the distance between samples and the UV lamp. Our results show that, at least for the samples described here, the outcomes of dose recovery experiments are dependent on the bleaching conditions.

  3. Repeated dose studies with pure Epigallocatechin-3-gallate demonstrated dose and route dependant hepatotoxicity with associated dyslipidemia

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Balaji Ramachandran

    Full Text Available EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate is the major active principle catechin found in green tea. Skepticism regarding the safety of consuming EGCG is gaining attention, despite the fact that it is widely being touted for its potential health benefits, including anti-cancer properties. The lack of scientific data on safe dose levels of pure EGCG is of concern, while EGCG has been commonly studied as a component of GTE (Green tea extract and not as a single active constituent. This study has been carried out to estimate the maximum tolerated non-toxic dose of pure EGCG and to identify the treatment related risk factors. In a fourteen day consecutive treatment, two different administration modalities were compared, offering an improved [i.p (intraperitoneal] and limited [p.o (oral] bioavailability. A trend of dose and route dependant hepatotoxicity was observed particularly with i.p treatment and EGCG increased serum lipid profile in parallel to hepatotoxicity. Fourteen day tolerable dose of EGCG was established as 21.1 mg/kg for i.p and 67.8 mg/kg for p.o. We also observed that, EGCG induced effects by both treatment routes are reversible, subsequent to an observation period for further fourteen days after cessation of treatment. It was demonstrated that the severity of EGCG induced toxicity appears to be a function of dose, route of administration and period of treatment. Keywords: EGCG, Green tea, Serum lipids, Dose dependant toxicity, Route dependant toxicity, Liver toxicity, Dyslipidemia

  4. Dose-Dependent Effects of Radiation Therapy on Cerebral Blood Flow, Metabolism, and Neurocognitive Dysfunction

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hahn, Carol A.; Zhou Sumin; Raynor, Renee; Tisch, Andrea; Light, Kim; Shafman, Timothy; Wong, Terence; Kirkpatrick, John; Turkington, Timothy; Hollis, Donna; Marks, Lawrence B.

    2009-01-01

    Purpose: A prospective study was performed to formally relate dose-dependent radiologically defined changes in normal brain induced by radiotherapy (RT) to neurocognitive dysfunction in subjects with primary brain tumors. Methods and Materials: Adult patients receiving three-dimensional RT for central nervous system (CNS) tumors were enrolled. Positron emission tomography (PET) scanning and neuropsychological testing were performed before RT and 3 weeks and 6 months after treatment. Analyses were performed for correlations between changes in 2-deoxy-2-[ 18 F]-fluoro-D-glucose (FDG)-PET (metabolism), 15 O-PET (relative blood flow), regional radiation dose, follow-up time, and neuropsychological test scores. Results: Eleven subjects were enrolled and 6 completed follow-up studies. The PET data showed reduced FDG uptake, with average decreases of 2-6% in regions of the brain receiving greater than 40 Gy at 3 weeks' and 6 months' follow-up. The 15 O-H 2 O PET showed increases (<10%) at 3 weeks in relative regional blood flow in brain receiving greater than 30 Gy, but less at the 6-month follow-up studies. There were significant correlations between decreases in FDG uptake and increased scores from the Symptom Checklist-90-R, with an average increase in T score of 2 (p < 0.0001). The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test showed a significant correlation of decreased FDG uptake with increased errors and perseveration in test performance, with an average decrease in T score of 11 (p = 0.037). Conclusions: A dose-dependent response of CNS tissue was detected using FDG PET in this small number of patients. Decreases in CNS metabolism correlated with decreased performance on neuropsychological tests for problem solving, cognitive flexibility, and global measures of psychopathology. Additional research is needed to verify and define these findings

  5. Age-dependent dose coefficients for tritium in Asian populations

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Trivedi, A

    1999-10-01

    The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publications 56 (1989) and 67 (1993) have prescribed the biokinetic models and age-dependent dose coefficients for tritiated water and organically bound tritium. The dose coefficients are computed from values selected to specify the anatomical, morphological and physiological characteristics of a three-month-old, one-year-old, five-year-old, 10-year-old, 15-year-old and adult (Reference Man) Caucasian living in North America and Western Europe. However, values for Reference Man and other age groups are not directly applicable to Asians, because of differences in race, custom, dietary habits and climatic conditions. An Asian Man model, including five age groups, has been proposed by Tanaka and Kawamura (1996, 1998) for use in internal dosimetry. The basic concept of the ICRP Reference Man and the system describing body composition in ICRP Publication 23 (1975) were used. Reference values for Asians were given for the body weight and height, the mass of soft tissue, the mass of body water and the daily fluid balance, and are used to compute the dose coefficients for tritium. The age-dependent dose coefficients for Asians for tritiated water intakes are smaller by 20 to 30% of the currently prescribed values (Trivedi, 1998). The reduction in the dose coefficient values is caused by the increased daily fluid balance among Asians. The dose coefficient for tritiated water is 1.4 x 10{sup -11} Sv Bq{sup -1} for Asian Man compared to 2.0 x 10{sup -11} Sv Bq{sup -1} for Reference Man. The dose coefficients for organically bound tritium are only marginally different from those of the ICRP values. The dose coefficient for organically bound tritium for Asian Man is 4.0 x 10{sup -11} Sv Bq{sup -11} compared to 4.6 x 10{sup -11} Sv Bq{sup -1} for Reference Man. (author)

  6. Age-dependent dose coefficients for tritium in Asian populations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Trivedi, A.

    1999-10-01

    The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publications 56 (1989) and 67 (1993) have prescribed the biokinetic models and age-dependent dose coefficients for tritiated water and organically bound tritium. The dose coefficients are computed from values selected to specify the anatomical, morphological and physiological characteristics of a three-month-old, one-year-old, five-year-old, 10-year-old, 15-year-old and adult (Reference Man) Caucasian living in North America and Western Europe. However, values for Reference Man and other age groups are not directly applicable to Asians, because of differences in race, custom, dietary habits and climatic conditions. An Asian Man model, including five age groups, has been proposed by Tanaka and Kawamura (1996, 1998) for use in internal dosimetry. The basic concept of the ICRP Reference Man and the system describing body composition in ICRP Publication 23 (1975) were used. Reference values for Asians were given for the body weight and height, the mass of soft tissue, the mass of body water and the daily fluid balance, and are used to compute the dose coefficients for tritium. The age-dependent dose coefficients for Asians for tritiated water intakes are smaller by 20 to 30% of the currently prescribed values (Trivedi, 1998). The reduction in the dose coefficient values is caused by the increased daily fluid balance among Asians. The dose coefficient for tritiated water is 1.4 x 10 -11 Sv Bq -1 for Asian Man compared to 2.0 x 10 -11 Sv Bq -1 for Reference Man. The dose coefficients for organically bound tritium are only marginally different from those of the ICRP values. The dose coefficient for organically bound tritium for Asian Man is 4.0 x 10 -11 Sv Bq -11 compared to 4.6 x 10 -11 Sv Bq -1 for Reference Man. (author)

  7. Moderate- vs high-dose methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence: a randomized trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strain, E C; Bigelow, G E; Liebson, I A; Stitzer, M L

    1999-03-17

    Methadone hydrochloride treatment is the most common pharmacological intervention for opioid dependence, and recent interest has focused on expanding methadone treatment availability beyond traditional specially licensed clinics. However, despite recommendations regarding effective dosing of methadone, controlled clinical trials of higher-dose methadone have not been conducted. To compare the relative clinical efficacy of moderate- vs high-dose methadone in the treatment of opioid dependence. A 40-week randomized, double-blind clinical trial starting in June 1992 and ending in October 1995. Outpatient substance abuse treatment research clinic at the Johns Hopkins University Bayview Campus, Baltimore, Md. One hundred ninety-two eligible clinic patients. Daily oral methadone hydrochloride in the dose range of 40 to 50 mg (n = 97) or 80 to 100 mg (n = 95), with concurrent substance abuse counseling. Opioid-positive urinalysis results and retention in treatment. By intent-to-treat analysis through week 30 patients in the high-dose group had significantly lower rates of opioid-positive urine samples compared with patients in the moderate-dose group (53.0% [95% confidence interval [CI], 46.9%-59.2%] vs 61.9% [95% CI, 55.9%-68.0%]; P = .047. These differences persisted during withdrawal from methadone. Through day 210 no significant difference was evident between dose groups in treatment retention (high-dose group mean retention, 159 days; moderate-dose group mean retention, 157 days). Nineteen (33%) of 57 patients in the high-dose group and 11 (20%) of 54 patients in the moderate-dose group completed detoxification. Both moderate- and high-dose methadone treatment resulted in decreased illicit opioid use during methadone maintenance and detoxification. The high-dose group had significantly greater decreases in illicit opioid use.

  8. Dose rate-dependent marrow toxicity of TBI in dogs and marrow sparing effect at high dose rate by dose fractionation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Storb, R; Raff, R F; Graham, T; Appelbaum, F R; Deeg, H J; Schuening, F G; Sale, G; Seidel, K

    1999-01-01

    We evaluated the marrow toxicity of 200 and 300 cGy total-body irradiation (TBI) delivered at 10 and 60 cGy/min, respectively, in dogs not rescued by marrow transplant. Additionally, we compared toxicities after 300 cGy fractionated TBI (100 cGy fractions) to that after single-dose TBI at 10 and 60 cGy/min. Marrow toxicities were assessed on the basis of peripheral blood cell count changes and mortality from radiation-induced pancytopenia. TBI doses studied were just below the dose at which all dogs die despite optimal support. Specifically, 18 dogs were given single doses of 200 cGy TBI, delivered at either 10 (n=13) or 60 (n=5) cGy/min. Thirty-one dogs received 300 cGy TBI at 10 cGy/min, delivered as either single doses (n=21) or three fractions of 100 cGy each (n=10). Seventeen dogs were given 300 cGy TBI at 60 cGy/min, administered either as single doses (n=5) or three fractions of 100 cGy each (n=10). Within the limitations of the experimental design, three conclusions were drawn: 1) with 200 and 300 cGy single-dose TBI, an increase of dose rate from 10 to 60 cGy/min, respectively, caused significant increases in marrow toxicity; 2) at 60 cGy/min, dose fractionation resulted in a significant decrease in marrow toxicities, whereas such a protective effect was not seen at 10 cGy/min; and 3) with fractionated TBI, no significant differences in marrow toxicity were seen between dogs irradiated at 60 and 10 cGy/min. The reduced effectiveness of TBI when a dose of 300 cGy was divided into three fractions of 100 cGy or when dose rate was reduced from 60 cGy/min to 10 cGy/min was consistent with models of radiation toxicity that allow for repair of sublethal injury in DNA.

  9. Kinetic and dose dependencies of the SOS-induction in E.coli K-12 (uvrA) cells exposed to different UV doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komova, O.V.; Kandiano, E.S.; Malavina, G.; )

    2000-01-01

    Kinetic and dose dependencies of the SOS-induction in E. coli (uvrA) cells exposed to UV light were investigated. below 2 J/m 2 the rate of the SOS-induction increased with dose. Maximal level of the SOS-response was proportional to the UV dose. Pyrimidine dimers were necessary for the induction. In the dose range 2-10 J/m 2 the rate of SOS-induction decreased with dose. Dose-maximum response curve was non-linear. Pyrimidine dimers were not required for the induction. nature of the molecular events leading to the SOS-induction at low and high doses was discussed [ru

  10. Dependence on age at intake of committed dose equivalents from radionuclides

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Adams, N.

    1981-01-01

    The dependence of committed dose equivalents on age at intake is needed to assess the significance of exposures of young persons among the general public resulting from inhaled or ingested radionuclides. The committed dose equivalents, evaluated using ICRP principles, depend on the body dimensions of the young person at the time of intake of a radionuclide and on subsequent body growth. Representation of growth by a series of exponential segments facilitates the derivation of general expressions for the age dependence of committed dose equivalents if metabolic models do not change with age. The additional assumption that intakes of radionuclides in air or food are proportional to a person's energy expenditure (implying age-independent dietary composition) enables the demonstration that the age of the most highly exposed 'critical groups' of the general public from these radionuclides is either about 1 year or 17 years. With the above assumptions the exposure of the critical group is less than three times the exposure of adult members of the general public. Approximate values of committed dose equivalents which avoid both underestimation and excessive overestimation are shown to be obtainable by simplified procedures. Modified procedures are suggested for use if metabolic models change with age. (author)

  11. Dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Slikker, William; Andersen, Melvin E.; Bogdanffy, Matthew S.; Bus, James S.; Cohen, Steven D.; Conolly, Rory B.; David, Raymond M.; Doerrer, Nancy G.; Dorman, David C.; Gaylor, David W.; Hattis, Dale; Rogers, John M.; Woodrow Setzer, R.; Swenberg, James A.; Wallace, Kendall

    2004-01-01

    Scientists and decision makers from all sectors agree that risk assessments should be based on the best available science. Several years ago, the Health and Environmental Sciences Institute (HESI), a global branch of the International Life Sciences Institute (ILSI), identified the need for better scientific understanding of dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity as one avenue by which the best and latest science can be integrated into the decision making process. In July 2001, the HESI Project Committee on Dose-Dependent Transitions in Mechanisms of Toxicity established a group of academic, government, and industry scientists to engage in active technical discourse on the issue of dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity. Over the next 18 months, case studies were examined. These case studies included acetaminophen, butadiene, ethylene glycol, formaldehyde, manganese, methylene chloride, the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, progesterone/hydroxyflutamide, propylene oxide, vinyl acetate, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and zinc (Slikker, W., Jr., Andersen, M.E., Bogdanffy, M.S., Bus, J.S., Cohen, S.D., Conolly, R.B., David, R.M., Doerrer, N.G., Dorman, D.C., Gaylor, D.W., Hattis, D., Rogers, J.M., Setzer, R.W., Swenberg, J.A., Wallace, K., 2004. Dose-dependent transitions in mechanisms of toxicity: case studies. Toxicol. Appl. Pharmacol. 201(3), 226-294 (this issue)). The HESI Project Committee sponsored two technical workshops in 2003. The first of these workshops took place on February 12-13, 2003, and was co-sponsored by the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, the American Chemistry Council, the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, the Society of Toxicology, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Additional support was provided by Health Canada. Invited experts from government, academia, and industry provided scientific perspectives and recommendations at the workshop. The purpose of

  12. Measured dose to ovaries and testes from Hodgkin's fields and determination of genetically significant dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Niroomand-Rad, A.; Cumberlin, R.

    1993-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to determine the genetically significant dose from therapeutic radiation exposure with Hodgkin's fields by estimating the doses to ovaries and testes. Phantom measurements were performed to verify estimated doses to ovaries and testes from Hodgkin's fields. Thermoluminescent LiF dosimeters (TLD-100) of 1 x 3 x 3 mm 3 dimensions were embedded in phantoms and exposed to standard mantle and paraaortic fields using Co-60, 4 MV, 6 MV, and 10 MV photon beams. The results show that measured doses to ovaries and testes are about two to five times higher than the corresponding graphically estimated doses for Co-60 and 4 MVX photon beams as depicted in ICRP publication 44. In addition, the measured doses to ovaries and testes are about 30% to 65% lower for 10 MV photon beams than for their corresponding Co-60 photon beams. The genetically significant dose from Hodgkin's treatment (less than 0.01 mSv) adds about 4% to the genetically significant dose contribution to medical procedures and adds less than 1% to the genetically significant dose from all sources. Therefore, the consequence to society is considered to be very small. The consequences for the individual patient are, likewise, small. 28 refs., 3 figs., 5 tabs

  13. Dose dependence of true stress parameters in irradiated bcc, fcc, and hcp metals

    Science.gov (United States)

    Byun, T. S.

    2007-04-01

    The dose dependence of true stress parameters has been investigated for nuclear structural materials: A533B pressure vessel steels, modified 9Cr-1Mo and 9Cr-2WVTa ferritic martensitic steels, 316 and 316LN stainless steels, and Zircaloy-4. After irradiation to significant doses, these alloys show radiation-induced strengthening and often experience prompt necking at yield followed by large necking deformation. In the present work, the critical true stresses for deformation and fracture events, such as yield stress (YS), plastic instability stress (PIS), and true fracture stress (FS), were obtained from uniaxial tensile tests or calculated using a linear strain-hardening model for necking deformation. At low dose levels where no significant embrittlement was detected, the true fracture stress was nearly independent of dose. The plastic instability stress was also independent of dose before the critical dose-to-prompt-necking at yield was reached. A few bcc alloys such as ferritic martensitic steels experienced significant embrittlement at doses above ∼1 dpa; and the true fracture stress decreased with dose. The materials fractured before yield at or above 10 dpa.

  14. Marijuana’s Dose-Dependent Effects in Daily Marijuana Smokers

    OpenAIRE

    Ramesh, Divya; Haney, Margaret; Cooper, Ziva D.

    2013-01-01

    Active marijuana produces significant subjective, psychomotor, and physiological effects relative to inactive marijuana, yet demonstrating that these effects are dose-dependent has proven difficult. This within-subject, double-blind study was designed to develop a smoking procedure to obtain a marijuana dose–response function. In four outpatient laboratory sessions, daily marijuana smokers (N = 17 males, 1 female) smoked six 5-s puffs from 3 marijuana cigarettes (2 puffs/cigarette). The numbe...

  15. Dose and energy dependence of response of Gafchromic XR-QA film for kilovoltage x-ray beams.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Rampado, O; Garelli, E; Deagostini, S; Ropolo, R

    2006-06-07

    There is a growing interest in Gafchromic films for patient dosimetry in radiotherapy and in radiology. A new model (XR-QA) with high sensitivity to low dose was tested in this study. The response of the film to different x-ray beam energies (range 28-145 kVp with various filtrations, dose range 0-100 mGy) and to visible light was investigated, together with the after exposure darkening properties. Exposed films were digitized with a commercially available, optical flatbed scanner. A single functional form for dose versus net pixel value variation has been determined for all the obtained calibration curves, with a unique fit parameter different for each of the used x-ray beams. The film response was dependent on beam energy, with higher colour variations for the beams in the range 80-140 kVp. Different sources of uncertainties in dose measurements, governed by the digitalization process, the film response uniformity and the calibration curve fit procedure, have been considered. The overall one-sigma dose measurement uncertainty depended on the beam energy and decreased with increasing absorbed dose. For doses above 10 mGy and beam energies in the range 80-140 kVp the total uncertainty was less than 5%, whereas for the 28 kVp beam the total uncertainty at 10 mGy was about 10%. The post-exposure colour variation was not negligible in the first 24 h after the exposure, with a consequent increase in the calculated dose of about 10%. Results of the analysis of the sensitivity to visible light indicated that a short exposure of this film to ambient and scanner light during the measurements will not have a significant impact on the radiation dosimetry.

  16. High Dose Atorvastatin Associated with Increased Risk of Significant Hepatotoxicity in Comparison to Simvastatin in UK GPRD Cohort.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Alan T Clarke

    Full Text Available Occasional risk of serious liver dysfunction and autoimmune hepatitis during atorvastatin therapy has been reported. We compared the risk of hepatotoxicity in atorvastatin relative to simvastatin treatment.The UK GPRD identified patients with a first prescription for simvastatin [164,407] or atorvastatin [76,411] between 1997 and 2006, but with no prior record of liver disease, alcohol-related diagnosis, or liver dysfunction. Incident liver dysfunction in the following six months was identified by biochemical value and compared between statin groups by Cox regression model adjusting for age, sex, year treatment started, dose, alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index and comorbid conditions.Moderate to severe hepatotoxicity [bilirubin >60μmol/L, AST or ALT >200U/L or alkaline phosphatase >1200U/L] developed in 71 patients on atorvastatin versus 101 on simvastatin. Adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] for all atorvastatin relative to simvastatin was 1.9 [95% confidence interval 1.4-2.6]. High dose was classified as 40-80mg daily and low dose 10-20mg daily. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 0.44% of 4075 patients on high dose atorvastatin [HDA], 0.07% of 72,336 on low dose atorvastatin [LDA], 0.09% of 44,675 on high dose simvastatin [HDS] and 0.05% of 119,732 on low dose simvastatin [LDS]. AHRs compared to LDS were 7.3 [4.2-12.7] for HDA, 1.4 [0.9-2.0] for LDA and 1.5 [1.0-2.2] for HDS.The risk of hepatotoxicity was increased in the first six months of atorvastatin compared to simvastatin treatment, with the greatest difference between high dose atorvastatin and low dose simvastatin. The numbers of events in the analyses were small.

  17. High Dose Atorvastatin Associated with Increased Risk of Significant Hepatotoxicity in Comparison to Simvastatin in UK GPRD Cohort

    Science.gov (United States)

    Clarke, Alan T.; Johnson, Paul C. D.; Hall, Gillian C.; Ford, Ian; Mills, Peter R.

    2016-01-01

    Background & Aims Occasional risk of serious liver dysfunction and autoimmune hepatitis during atorvastatin therapy has been reported. We compared the risk of hepatotoxicity in atorvastatin relative to simvastatin treatment. Methods The UK GPRD identified patients with a first prescription for simvastatin [164,407] or atorvastatin [76,411] between 1997 and 2006, but with no prior record of liver disease, alcohol-related diagnosis, or liver dysfunction. Incident liver dysfunction in the following six months was identified by biochemical value and compared between statin groups by Cox regression model adjusting for age, sex, year treatment started, dose, alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index and comorbid conditions. Results Moderate to severe hepatotoxicity [bilirubin >60μmol/L, AST or ALT >200U/L or alkaline phosphatase >1200U/L] developed in 71 patients on atorvastatin versus 101 on simvastatin. Adjusted hazard ratio [AHR] for all atorvastatin relative to simvastatin was 1.9 [95% confidence interval 1.4–2.6]. High dose was classified as 40–80mg daily and low dose 10–20mg daily. Hepatotoxicity occurred in 0.44% of 4075 patients on high dose atorvastatin [HDA], 0.07% of 72,336 on low dose atorvastatin [LDA], 0.09% of 44,675 on high dose simvastatin [HDS] and 0.05% of 119,732 on low dose simvastatin [LDS]. AHRs compared to LDS were 7.3 [4.2–12.7] for HDA, 1.4 [0.9–2.0] for LDA and 1.5 [1.0–2.2] for HDS. Conclusions The risk of hepatotoxicity was increased in the first six months of atorvastatin compared to simvastatin treatment, with the greatest difference between high dose atorvastatin and low dose simvastatin. The numbers of events in the analyses were small. PMID:26983033

  18. Radiation-induced hypopituitarism is dose-dependent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Littley, M.D.; Shalet, S.M.; Beardwell, C.G.; Robinson, E.L.; Sutton, M.L.

    1989-01-01

    Radiation-induced hypopituitarism has been studies prospectively for up to 12 years in 251 adult patients treated for pituitary disease with external radiotherapy, ranging in dose from 20 Gy in eight fractions over 11 days to 45 Gy in 15 fractions over 21 days. Ten further patients were studied 2-4 years after whole-body irradiation for haematological malignancies using 12 Gy in six fractions over 3 days and seven patients were studied 3-11 years after whole-brain radiotherapy for a primary brain tumour (30 Gy, eight fractions, 11 days). Five years after treatment, patients who received 20 Gy had an incidence of TSH deficiency of 9% and in patients treated with 35-37 Gy, 40 Gy and 42-45 Gy, the incidence of TSH deficiency increased significantly with increasing dose. A similar relationship was observed for both ACTH and gonadotrophin deficiencies when the 20 Gy group was compared to patients treated with 35-45 Gy. Growth hormone deficiency was universal by 5 years over the dose range 35-45 Gy. In seven patients who were treated with 30 Gy in eight fractions over 11 days, deficiencies were observed at a similar frequency to the 40 Gy group (15 fractions, 21 days). No evidence of pituitary dysfunction was detected in the ten patients who received 12 Gy (six fractions, 3 days). (author)

  19. Field strength and dose dependence of contrast enhancement by gadolinium-based MR contrast agents

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rinck, P.A.; Muller, R.N.

    1999-01-01

    The relaxivities r 1 and r 2 of magnetic resonance contrast agents and the T 1 relaxation time values of tissues are strongly field dependent. We present quantitative data and simulations of different gadolinium-based extracellular fluid contrast agents and the modulation of their contrast enhancement by the magnetic field to be able to answer the following questions: How are the dose and field dependences of their contrast enhancement? Is there an interrelationship between dose and field dependence? Should one increase or decrease doses at specific fields? Nuclear magnetic relaxation dispersion data were acquired for the following contrast agents: gadopentetate dimeglumine, gadoterate meglumine, gadodiamide injection, and gadoteridol injection, as well as for several normal and pathological human tissue samples. The magnetic field range stretched from 0.0002 to 4.7 T, including the entire clinical imaging range. The data acquired were then fitted with the appropriate theoretical models. The combination of the diamagnetic relaxation rates (R 1 = 1/T 1 and R 2 = 1/T 2 ) of tissues with the respective paramagnetic contributions of the contrast agents allowed the prediction of image contrast at any magnetic field. The results revealed a nearly identical field and dose-dependent increase of contrast enhancement induced by these contrast agents within a certain dose range. The target tissue concentration (TTC) was an important though nonlinear factor for enhancement. The currently recommended dose of 0.1 mmol/kg body weight seems to be a compromise close to the lower limits of diagnostically sufficient contrast enhancement for clinical imaging at all field strengths. At low field contrast enhancement might be insufficient. Adjustment of dose or concentration, or a new class of contrast agents with optimized relaxivity, would be a valuable contribution to a better diagnostic yield of contrast enhancement at all fields. (orig.)

  20. Radioprotection by murine and human tumor-necrosis factor; Dose-dependent effects on hematopoiesis in the mouse

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sloerdal, L; Muench, M O; Warren, D J; Moore, M A.S. [James Ewing Laboratory of Developmental Hematopoiesis, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York (USA)

    1989-01-01

    Tumor-necrosis factor (TNF) has been shown to confer significant radioprotection in murine models. Herein, we demonstrate a dose-dependent enhancement of hematological recovery when single doses of either murine or human recombinant TNF are administered prior to irradiation. In addition to its action upon leukocytes and erythocytes, TNF also alleviates radiation-induced thrombocytopenia in the mouse. These effects on circulating blood constituents are further reflected in increased numbers of both primitive (CFU-S) and more differentiated (CFU-GM, CFU-Mega) hematopoietic progenitors in TNF-treated animals. This suggests that TNF exerts it radioprotective effects on a pool of primitive multi-potential hematopoietic cells. (author).

  1. An Insecticide Further Enhances Experience-Dependent Increased Behavioural Responses to Sex Pheromone in a Pest Insect.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Antoine Abrieux

    Full Text Available Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used to protect plants against pest insects, and insecticide residues remaining in the environment affect both target and non-target organisms. Whereas low doses of neonicotinoids have been shown to disturb the behaviour of pollinating insects, recent studies have revealed that a low dose of the neonicotinoid clothianidin can improve behavioural and neuronal sex pheromone responses in a pest insect, the male moth Agrotis ipsilon, and thus potentially improve reproduction. As male moth behaviour depends also on its physiological state and previous experience with sensory signals, we wondered if insecticide effects would be dependent on plasticity of olfactory-guided behaviour. We investigated, using wind tunnel experiments, whether a brief pre-exposure to the sex pheromone could enhance the behavioural response to this important signal in the moth A. ipsilon at different ages (sexually immature and mature males and after different delays (2 h and 24 h, and if the insecticide clothianidin would interfere with age effects or the potential pre-exposure-effects. Brief pre-exposure to the pheromone induced an age-independent significant increase of sex pheromone responses 24 h later, whereas sex pheromone responses did not increase significantly 2 h after exposure. However, response delays were significantly shorter compared to naïve males already two hours after exposure. Oral treatment with clothianidin increased sex pheromone responses in sexually mature males, confirming previous results, but did not influence responses in young immature males. Males treated with clothianidin after pre-exposure at day 4 responded significantly more to the sex pheromone at day 5 than males treated with clothianidin only and than males pre-exposed only, revealing an additive effect of experience and the insecticide. Plasticity of sensory systems has thus to be taken into account when investigating the effects of sublethal doses

  2. An Insecticide Further Enhances Experience-Dependent Increased Behavioural Responses to Sex Pheromone in a Pest Insect.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abrieux, Antoine; Mhamdi, Amel; Rabhi, Kaouther K; Egon, Julie; Debernard, Stéphane; Duportets, Line; Tricoire-Leignel, Hélène; Anton, Sylvia; Gadenne, Christophe

    2016-01-01

    Neonicotinoid insecticides are widely used to protect plants against pest insects, and insecticide residues remaining in the environment affect both target and non-target organisms. Whereas low doses of neonicotinoids have been shown to disturb the behaviour of pollinating insects, recent studies have revealed that a low dose of the neonicotinoid clothianidin can improve behavioural and neuronal sex pheromone responses in a pest insect, the male moth Agrotis ipsilon, and thus potentially improve reproduction. As male moth behaviour depends also on its physiological state and previous experience with sensory signals, we wondered if insecticide effects would be dependent on plasticity of olfactory-guided behaviour. We investigated, using wind tunnel experiments, whether a brief pre-exposure to the sex pheromone could enhance the behavioural response to this important signal in the moth A. ipsilon at different ages (sexually immature and mature males) and after different delays (2 h and 24 h), and if the insecticide clothianidin would interfere with age effects or the potential pre-exposure-effects. Brief pre-exposure to the pheromone induced an age-independent significant increase of sex pheromone responses 24 h later, whereas sex pheromone responses did not increase significantly 2 h after exposure. However, response delays were significantly shorter compared to naïve males already two hours after exposure. Oral treatment with clothianidin increased sex pheromone responses in sexually mature males, confirming previous results, but did not influence responses in young immature males. Males treated with clothianidin after pre-exposure at day 4 responded significantly more to the sex pheromone at day 5 than males treated with clothianidin only and than males pre-exposed only, revealing an additive effect of experience and the insecticide. Plasticity of sensory systems has thus to be taken into account when investigating the effects of sublethal doses of insecticides

  3. PA positioning significantly reduces testicular dose during sacroiliac joint radiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mekis, Nejc [Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Ljubljana (Slovenia); Mc Entee, Mark F., E-mail: mark.mcentee@ucd.i [School of Medicine and Medical Science, University College Dublin 4 (Ireland); Stegnar, Peter [Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Ljubljana (Slovenia)

    2010-11-15

    Radiation dose to the testes in the antero-posterior (AP) and postero-anterior (PA) projection of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) was measured with and without a scrotal shield. Entrance surface dose, the dose received by the testicles and the dose area product (DAP) was used. DAP measurements revealed the dose received by the phantom in the PA position is 12.6% lower than the AP (p {<=} 0.009) with no statistically significant reduction in image quality (p {<=} 0.483). The dose received by the testes in the PA projection in SIJ imaging is 93.1% lower than the AP projection when not using protection (p {<=} 0.020) and 94.9% lower with protection (p {<=} 0.019). The dose received by the testicles was not changed by the use of a scrotal shield in the AP position (p {<=} 0.559); but was lowered by its use in the PA (p {<=} 0.058). Use of the PA projection in SIJ imaging significantly lowers, the dose received by the testes compared to the AP projection without significant loss of image quality.

  4. The genetically significant dose from diagnostic radiology in Great Britain in 1977

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Darby, S.C.; Kendall, G.M.; Rae, S.; Wall, B.F.

    1980-09-01

    This report is the third in a series concerned with the annual genetically significant dose to the population of Great Britain from diagnostic radiology. It combines information from a frequency survey of diagnostic radiological examinations carried out in Great Britain in 1977 and estimates of gonadal doses for different examination types, together with population and child expectancy data. The annual genetically significant dose from diagnostic radiology carried out in Great Britain in 1977, is estimated to 118 μGy (11.8 millirad) of which 113 μGy (11.3 millirad) is contributed by diagnostic radiology carried out in National Health Service hospitals. There has been a sharp fall in the contribution from obstetric examinations since 1957 when the last national survey was carried out. The contribution from most other examination types is broadly similar and there is little evidence of a change in the overall level of genetically significant dose. This is in spite of an increase in the frequency of radiological examinations per thousand of the population of about 50 per cent. No significant differences were found as between England, Scotland and Wales. The British figure compares favourably with the levels of GSD reported from other countries with developed radiological services. (author)

  5. Dose-Dependent Cortical Thinning After Partial Brain Irradiation in High-Grade Glioma

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karunamuni, Roshan [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Bartsch, Hauke; White, Nathan S. [Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Moiseenko, Vitali; Carmona, Ruben; Marshall, Deborah C.; Seibert, Tyler M. [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); McDonald, Carrie R. [Department of Psychiatry, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Farid, Nikdokht; Krishnan, Anithapriya; Kuperman, Joshua [Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Mell, Loren [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Brewer, James B.; Dale, Anders M. [Department of Radiology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States); Hattangadi-Gluth, Jona A., E-mail: jhattangadi@ucsd.edu [Department of Radiation Medicine and Applied Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California (United States)

    2016-02-01

    Purpose: Radiation-induced cognitive deficits may be mediated by tissue damage to cortical regions. Volumetric changes in cortex can be reliably measured using high-resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). We used these methods to study the association between radiation therapy (RT) dose and change in cortical thickness in high-grade glioma (HGG) patients. Methods and Materials: We performed a voxel-wise analysis of MRI from 15 HGG patients who underwent fractionated partial brain RT. Three-dimensional MRI was acquired pre- and 1 year post RT. Cortex was parceled with well-validated segmentation software. Surgical cavities were censored. Each cortical voxel was assigned a change in cortical thickness between time points, RT dose value, and neuroanatomic label by lobe. Effects of dose, neuroanatomic location, age, and chemotherapy on cortical thickness were tested using linear mixed effects (LME) modeling. Results: Cortical atrophy was seen after 1 year post RT with greater effects at higher doses. Estimates from LME modeling showed that cortical thickness decreased by −0.0033 mm (P<.001) for every 1-Gy increase in RT dose. Temporal and limbic cortex exhibited the largest changes in cortical thickness per Gy compared to that in other regions (P<.001). Age and chemotherapy were not significantly associated with change in cortical thickness. Conclusions: We found dose-dependent thinning of the cerebral cortex, with varying neuroanatomical regional sensitivity, 1 year after fractionated partial brain RT. The magnitude of thinning parallels 1-year atrophy rates seen in neurodegenerative diseases and may contribute to cognitive decline following high-dose RT.

  6. Kinetic and dose dependences of the SOS-induction in E.coli K-12 (uvrA) cells exposed to the different UV doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Komova, O.V.; Kandiano, E.S.; Malavya, G.

    1999-01-01

    The kinetic and dose dependences of the SOS-induction in E.coli (uvrA) cells exposed to UV light were investigated. Below 2 J/m 2 the rate of the SOS-induction increased with dose. The maximal level of the SOS-response was proportional to the UV dose. Pyrimidine dimers were necessary for the induction. In the dose range 2-10 J/m 2 the rate of the SOS-induction decreased with dose. The dose-response curve was non-linear. Pyrimidine dimers were not required for the induction. The nature of the molecular events leading to the SOS-induction at low and high UV doses was discussed. (author)

  7. Dose dependent disposition of gallium-67 in rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gautam, S.R.

    1982-01-01

    Radioactive gallium-67 has been employed as a diagnostic and follow-up agent for cancer therapy. Currently gallium nitrate is undergoing Phase I clinical studies. A million fold increase in the concentration of the carrier gallium citrate over the range of carrier-free gallium-67 (pgm) to 1.0 μg caused no significant alteration in the disposition of gallium-67 in rats.Gallium-67 was eliminated from blood with a biological t1/2 of 4.1 days. A linear tissue binding profile was observed for gallium-67 over this concentration range. A multi-compartment pharmacokinetic model was developed in which all the tissues studied were treated as separate compartments. At 1.0 mg dose level, significant alteration in the disposition of gallium-67 was observed in rats, > 95% of the initial radioactivity was characteristic reappearance of the radioactivity in the blood approximately 4 hours after dosing leading to a ''hump'' in the blood concentration-time profiles. Following the 1.0 mg dose low tissue levels were observed, except for the kidneys, which contained about 8% of the administered dose per gram of the tissue one-half hour after dosing. A non-linear tissue binding profile was observed to be associated with gallium at high doses. It was hypothesized that the rapid loss of gallium-67 from the vascular system following the high doses of gallium citrate was due to the accumulation of the drug in the kidneys where it was eventually eliminated via urine. The kidneys thus would act as a temporary storage site for gallium. It was concluded that the dose-related renal toxicity associated with gallium therapy may be attributed to the kidney's role as a temporary storage site following high doses

  8. Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body gamma-irradiation: I. Lymphocytes and lymphoid organs

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pecaut, M. J.; Nelson, G. A.; Gridley, D. S.

    2001-01-01

    The major goal of part I of this study was to compare varying doses and dose rates of whole-body gamma-radiation on lymphoid cells and organs. C57BL/6 mice (n = 75) were exposed to 0, 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Gy gamma-rays (60Co) at 1 cGy/min (low-dose rate, LDR) and 80 cGy/min (high-dose rate, HDR) and euthanized 4 days later. A significant dose-dependent loss of spleen mass was observed with both LDR and HDR irradiation; for the thymus this was true only with HDR. Decreasing leukocyte and lymphocyte numbers occurred with increasing dose in blood and spleen at both dose rates. The numbers (not percentages) of CD3+ T lymphocytes decreased in the blood in a dose-dependent manner at both HDR and LDR. Splenic T cell counts decreased with dose only in HDR groups; percentages increased with dose at both dose rates. Dose-dependent decreases occurred in CD4+ T helper and CD8+ T cytotoxic cell counts at HDR and LDR. In the blood the percentages of CD4+ cells increased with increasing dose at both dose rates, whereas in the spleen the counts decreased only in the HDR groups. The percentages of the CD8+ population remained stable in both blood and spleen. CD19+ B cell counts and percentages in both compartments declined markedly with increasing HDR and LDR radiation. NK1.1+ natural killer cell numbers and proportions remained relatively stable. Overall, these data indicate that the observed changes were highly dependent on the dose, but not dose rate, and that cells in the spleen are more affected by dose rate than those in blood. The results also suggest that the response of lymphocytes in different body compartments may be variable.

  9. PA positioning significantly reduces testicular dose during sacroiliac joint radiography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mekis, Nejc; Mc Entee, Mark F.; Stegnar, Peter

    2010-01-01

    Radiation dose to the testes in the antero-posterior (AP) and postero-anterior (PA) projection of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) was measured with and without a scrotal shield. Entrance surface dose, the dose received by the testicles and the dose area product (DAP) was used. DAP measurements revealed the dose received by the phantom in the PA position is 12.6% lower than the AP (p ≤ 0.009) with no statistically significant reduction in image quality (p ≤ 0.483). The dose received by the testes in the PA projection in SIJ imaging is 93.1% lower than the AP projection when not using protection (p ≤ 0.020) and 94.9% lower with protection (p ≤ 0.019). The dose received by the testicles was not changed by the use of a scrotal shield in the AP position (p ≤ 0.559); but was lowered by its use in the PA (p ≤ 0.058). Use of the PA projection in SIJ imaging significantly lowers, the dose received by the testes compared to the AP projection without significant loss of image quality.

  10. Dose and energy dependence of response of Gafchromic (registered) XR-QA film for kilovoltage x-ray beams

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Rampado, O; Garelli, E; Deagostini, S; Ropolo, R [Struttura Complessa fisica Sanitaria, Azienda Ospedaliera San Giovanni Battista, Corso Bramante 88, 10126 Turin (Italy)

    2006-06-07

    There is a growing interest in Gafchromic (registered) films for patient dosimetry in radiotherapy and in radiology. A new model (XR-QA) with high sensitivity to low dose was tested in this study. The response of the film to different x-ray beam energies (range 28-145 kVp with various filtrations, dose range 0-100 mGy) and to visible light was investigated, together with the after exposure darkening properties. Exposed films were digitized with a commercially available, optical flatbed scanner. A single functional form for dose versus net pixel value variation has been determined for all the obtained calibration curves, with a unique fit parameter different for each of the used x-ray beams. The film response was dependent on beam energy, with higher colour variations for the beams in the range 80-140 kVp. Different sources of uncertainties in dose measurements, governed by the digitalization process, the film response uniformity and the calibration curve fit procedure, have been considered. The overall one-sigma dose measurement uncertainty depended on the beam energy and decreased with increasing absorbed dose. For doses above 10 mGy and beam energies in the range 80-140 kVp the total uncertainty was less than 5%, whereas for the 28 kVp beam the total uncertainty at 10 mGy was about 10%. The post-exposure colour variation was not negligible in the first 24 h after the exposure, with a consequent increase in the calculated dose of about 10%. Results of the analysis of the sensitivity to visible light indicated that a short exposure of this film to ambient and scanner light during the measurements will not have a significant impact on the radiation dosimetry.

  11. Peripubertal Caffeine Exposure Impairs Longitudinal Bone Growth in Immature Male Rats in a Dose- and Time-Dependent Manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Choi, Yun-Young; Choi, Yuri; Kim, Jisook; Choi, Hyeonhae; Shin, Jiwon; Roh, Jaesook

    2016-01-01

    This study investigated the dose- and time-dependent effects of caffeine consumption throughout puberty in peripubertal rats. A total of 85 male SD rats were randomly divided into four groups: control and caffeine-fed groups with 20, 60, or 120 mg/kg/day through oral gavage for 10, 20, 30, or 40 days. Caffeine decreased body weight gain and food consumption in a dose- and time-dependent manner, accompanied by a reduction in muscle and body fat. In addition, it caused a shortening and lightening of leg bones and spinal column. The total height of the growth plate decreased sharply at 40 days in the controls, but not in the caffeine-fed groups, and the height of hypertrophic zone in the caffeine-fed groups was lower than in the control. Caffeine increased the height of the secondary spongiosa, whereas parameters related to bone formation, such as bone area ratio, thickness and number of trabeculae, and bone perimeter, were significantly reduced. Furthermore, serum levels of IGF-1, estradiol, and testosterone were also reduced by the dose of caffeine exposure. Our results demonstrate that caffeine consumption can dose- and time-dependently inhibit longitudinal bone growth in immature male rats, possibly by blocking the physiologic changes in body composition and hormones relevant to bone growth.

  12. Energy dependence of contrast-detail-dose and object-detectability-dose curves for CT scanners

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wagner, L.K.; Cohen, G.

    1982-01-01

    The energy dependence of contrast-detail-dose (CdD) and object-detectability-dose (OdD) curves for computed tomographic scanners is investigated. The effects of changes in beam energy on perceptibility are shown to be due to changes in signal-to-noise ratio resulting from changes in contrast and photon statistics. Energy-dependence analysis of OdD curves is shown to depend on the atomic composition of the phantom used to generate the curves, while such an analysis of CdD curves is independent of the atomic composition of the phantom. It is also shown that any OdD curve can be generated from CdD curves and that use of this fact rectifies any potential energy-dependent interpretation of CdD curves

  13. Pulse and integral optically stimulated luminescence (OSL). Similarities and dissimilarities to thermoluminescence (TL) dose dependence and dose-rate effects

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen, R.; Leung, P.L.

    2000-01-01

    Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermoluminescence (Tl) are two possible methods to monitor the absorbed radiation in solid samples, and therefore are utilized for dosimetry. For this application, two properties are desirable, namely, linear dose dependence of the measured quantity and dose-rate independence. For Tl, different kinds of super linear dose dependence have been reported in the literature in different materials, and in some cases, dose-rate dependence has also been found. These have been explained as being the result of competition. In OSL, some recent works reported on super linear dose dependence in annealed samples. In the present work, we explain the possible occurrence of these phenomena in OSL by solving numerically the relevant rate equations governing the process during irradiation, relaxation and read-out (heating or light stimulation). The results show that for short pulse OSL, quadratic dose dependence can be expected when only one trapping state and one kind of recombination center are involved and when the excitation starts with empty traps and centers. With the short pulse OSL, the calculation also reveals a possible dose-rate effect. Under the same circumstances, the area under the OSL curve depends linearly on the dose. The dependence of the whole area under the OSL curve on the dose is shown to be super linear when a disconnected trapping state or radiationless center take part in the process. Also, dose-rate effect can be expected in these cases, although no experimental effect of this sort has been reported so far. In pulse OSL, the analogy is made between the measured intensity and the initial rise range of non-first order Tl, whereas for the total area OSL, there is a nearly full analogy with the dose behavior of the Tl maximum. (Author)

  14. Dependence of the bystander effect for micronucleus formation on dose of heavy-ion radiation in normal human fibroblasts

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Matsumoto, Yoshitaka; Hamada, Nobuyuki; Aoki-Nakano, Mizuho; Furusawa, Yoshiya; Funayama, Tomoo; Sakashita, Tetsuya; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Wada, Seiichi; Kakizaki, Takehiko

    2015-01-01

    Ionising radiation-induced bystander effects are well recognised, but its dependence on dose or linear energy transfer (LET) is still a matter of debate. To test this, 49 sites in confluent cultures of AG01522D normal human fibroblasts were targeted with microbeams of carbon (103 keV μm -1 ), neon (375 keV μm -1 ) and argon ions (1260 keV μm -1 ) and evaluated for the bystander-induced formation of micronucleus that is a kind of a chromosome aberration. Targeted exposure to neon and argon ions significantly increased the micronucleus frequency in bystander cells to the similar extent irrespective of the particle numbers per site of 1- 6. In contrast, the bystander micronucleus frequency increased with increasing the number of carbon-ion particles in a range between 1 and 3 particles per site and was similar in a range between 3 and 8 particles per site. These results suggest that the bystander effect of heavy ions for micronucleus formation depends on dose. (authors)

  15. Electron Beam Irradiation Dose Dependently Damages the Bacillus Spore Coat and Spore Membrane

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    S. E. Fiester

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available Effective control of spore-forming bacilli begs suitable physical or chemical methods. While many spore inactivation techniques have been proven effective, electron beam (EB irradiation has been frequently chosen to eradicate Bacillus spores. Despite its widespread use, there are limited data evaluating the effects of EB irradiation on Bacillus spores. To study this, B. atrophaeus spores were purified, suspended in sterile, distilled water, and irradiated with EB (up to 20 kGy. Irradiated spores were found (1 to contain structural damage as observed by electron microscopy, (2 to have spilled cytoplasmic contents as measured by spectroscopy, (3 to have reduced membrane integrity as determined by fluorescence cytometry, and (4 to have fragmented genomic DNA as measured by gel electrophoresis, all in a dose-dependent manner. Additionally, cytometry data reveal decreased spore size, increased surface alterations, and increased uptake of propidium iodide, with increasing EB dose, suggesting spore coat alterations with membrane damage, prior to loss of spore viability. The present study suggests that EB irradiation of spores in water results in substantial structural damage of the spore coat and inner membrane, and that, along with DNA fragmentation, results in dose-dependent spore inactivation.

  16. Physical dependence increases the relative reinforcing effects of caffeine versus placebo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Garrett, B E; Griffiths, R R

    1998-10-01

    Using a within-subject cross-over design, this study examined the role of physical dependence in caffeine reinforcement by experimentally manipulating physical dependence. Each subject was exposed to two chronic drug phases (300 mg/70 kg/day caffeine and placebo) for 9-12 days, with order of phases counterbalanced across subjects. On 2 separate days immediately following each of the chronic drug exposures, subjects received acute doses of either caffeine (300 mg/70 kg) or placebo in counterbalanced order. The reinforcing effects of these drugs were then determined by using a multiple-choice procedure in which subjects made a series of discrete choices between receiving varying amounts of money or receiving the drug again, and a choice between the two drugs. To ensure that subjects completed the form carefully, following exposure to both of the acute drug administrations, one of the subject's previous choices from the multiple-choice form was randomly selected and the consequence of that choice was implemented. When subjects were maintained on chronic caffeine, they were willing to forfeit significantly more money and showed significant increases in typical withdrawal symptoms (e.g. fatigue, mood disturbance) after receiving placebo as compared to the other three conditions. When subjects were maintained on chronic caffeine, they also chose to receive caffeine over placebo twice as often than when they were maintained on chronic placebo. These findings provide the strongest evidence to date indicating that caffeine physical dependence increases the relative reinforcing effects of caffeine versus placebo.

  17. Dose and time dependent ototoxicity of aspartame in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozturan, Orhan; Dogan, Remzi; Tugrul, Selahattin; Gedik, Ozge; Sjostrand, Alev Pektas; Yildirim, Yavuz Selim

    2017-04-01

    Low-dose administration of Aspartame (Ap) did not produce a significant ototoxic effect at the end of the 6th month. However, duration of the ototoxic effect is shortened and severity of the effect is increased as dose and duration of Ap administration is increased. While Ap toxicity has been studied in short- and long-term studies, its effects on hearing have not been investigated. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of long-term consumption of Ap administered in various doses on hearing status of rats. The study included 54 female Wistar Albino rats. Ap was given for 6 months to the rats. The groups were assigned according to levels of Ap dosage. DPOAE and ABR tests were utilized for serial hearing evaluations. Serial hearing measurement times were designed as baseline, 1st week, 2nd week, 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 6th months. While audiological parameters deteriorated with 100 mg/kg/day dose after the 3rd month, ABR thresholds were elevated and DPOAE values were significantly decreased in 500 mg/kg/day and 1000 mg/kg/day applications after the 2nd month. In 2000 mg/kg/day and 4000 mg/kg/day applications, deteriorations in audiological parameters were detected as early as the first and second months; respectively.

  18. Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body gamma-irradiation: II. Hematological variables and cytokines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gridley, D. S.; Pecaut, M. J.; Miller, G. M.; Moyers, M. F.; Nelson, G. A.

    2001-01-01

    The goal of part II of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma-radiation on circulating blood cells, functional characteristics of splenocytes, and cytokine expression after whole-body irradiation at varying total doses and at low- and high-dose-rates (LDR, HDR). Young adult C57BL/6 mice (n = 75) were irradiated with either 1 cGy/min or 80 cGy/min photons from a 60Co source to cumulative doses of 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Gy. The animals were euthanized at 4 days post-exposure for in vitro assays. Significant dose- (but not dose-rate-) dependent decreases were observed in erythrocyte and blood leukocyte counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion by activated spleen cells when compared to sham-irradiated controls (p < 0.05). Basal proliferation of leukocytes in the blood and spleen increased significantly with increasing dose (p < 0.05). Significant dose rate effects were observed only in thrombocyte counts. Plasma levels of transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and splenocyte secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were not affected by either the dose or dose rate of radiation. The data demonstrate that the responses of blood and spleen were largely dependent upon the total dose of radiation employed and that an 80-fold difference in the dose rate was not a significant factor in the great majority of measurements.

  19. Low Dose Vaporized Cannabis Significantly Improves Neuropathic Pain

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wilsey, Barth; Marcotte, Thomas D.; Deutsch, Reena; Gouaux, Ben; Sakai, Staci; Donaghe, Haylee

    2013-01-01

    We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study evaluating the analgesic efficacy of vaporized cannabis in subjects, the majority of whom were experiencing neuropathic pain despite traditional treatment. Thirty-nine patients with central and peripheral neuropathic pain underwent a standardized procedure for inhaling either medium dose (3.53%), low dose (1.29%), or placebo cannabis with the primary outcome being VAS pain intensity. Psychoactive side-effects, and neuropsychological performance were also evaluated. Mixed effects regression models demonstrated an analgesic response to vaporized cannabis. There was no significant difference between the two active dose groups’ results (p>0.7). The number needed to treat (NNT) to achieve 30% pain reduction was 3.2 for placebo vs. low dose, 2.9 for placebo vs. medium dose, and 25 for medium vs. low dose. As these NNT are comparable to those of traditional neuropathic pain medications, cannabis has analgesic efficacy with the low dose being, for all intents and purposes, as effective a pain reliever as the medium dose. Psychoactive effects were minimal and well-tolerated, and neuropsychological effects were of limited duration and readily reversible within 1–2 hours. Vaporized cannabis, even at low doses, may present an effective option for patients with treatment-resistant neuropathic pain. PMID:23237736

  20. Temperature and ion-mass dependence of amorphization dose for ion beam irradiated zircon (ZrSiO4)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wang, L.M.; Ewing, R.C.; Eby, R.K.

    1992-12-01

    The temperature dependence of amorphization dose for zircon under 1.5 MeV Kr ion irradiation has been investigated using the ANL HVEM-Tandem Facility. Three regimes were observed in the amorphization dose-temperature curve. In the first regime (15 to 300 K), the critical amorphization dose increased from 3.06 to 4.5 ions/nm 2 . In the second regime (300 to 473 K), there is little change in the amorphizationdose. In the third regime (> 473 K), the amorphization dose increased exponentially to 8.3 ions/nm 2 at 913 K. This temperature dependence of amorphization dose can be described by two processes with different activation energies (0.018 and 0.31 eV respectively) which are attributed to close pair recombination in the cascades at low temperatures and radiation-enhanced epitaxial recrystallization at higher temperatures. The upper temperature limit for amorphization of zircon is estimated to be 1100 K. The ion-mass dependence of the amorphization dose (in dpa) has also been discussed in terms of the energy to recoils based on data obtained from He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe irradiations and a 238 Pu-doped sample

  1. Contribution of radiodiagnosis to genetically significant dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Pele, J.M.; Ouvrard, R.

    Surveys were carried out in France on 33,000 X-ray medical examinations. The genetically significant dose to the whole population from roentgenography and fluoroscopy, for typical examinations, should be about 65mrads [fr

  2. Determination of organ doses during radiological examinations and calculation of somatically significant dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Steiner, H.

    1980-01-01

    Examples are used to demonstrate that a shift in the point of emphasis is necessary with regard to radiation hazard in medicinal X-ray diagnosis. The parameters employed in this study to calculate somatic dose (SD) and somatically significant dose (SSD) may well be in need of modification; nevertheless the numerical estimation of SSD arrived at here appears to reflect the right order of magnitude for the estimation of somatic risk. The consideration of the threshold dose for somatic injury remains a problem. (orig./MG) [de

  3. Nanosilica induced dose-dependent cytotoxicity and cell type-dependent multinucleation in HepG2 and L-02 cells

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, Yongbo [Capital Medical University, Beijing Key Laboratory for Pediatric Diseases of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Pediatric Research Institute, Beijing Children’s Hospital (China); Duan, Junchao; Li, Yang; Yu, Yang; Hu, Hejing; Wu, Jing; Zhang, Yannan; Li, Yanbo; CaixiaGuo; Zhou, Xianqing; Sun, Zhiwei, E-mail: zwsun@ccmu.edu.cn [Capital Medical University, School of Public Health (China)

    2016-11-15

    The prevalent exposure to nanosilica gained concerns about health effects of these particles on human beings. Although nanosilica-induced multinucleation has been confirmed previously, the underlying mechanism was still not clear; this study was to investigate the origination of multinucleated cells caused by nanosilica (62 nm) in both HepG2 and L-02 cells. Cell viability and cellular uptake was determined by MTT assay and transmission electron microscope (TEM), respectively. Giemsa staining was applied to detect multinucleation. To clarify the origination of multinucleated cells, fluorescent probes, PKH26 and PKH67, time-lapse observation were further conducted by confocal microscopy. Results indicated that nanosilica particles were internalized into cells and induced cytotoxicity in a dose-dependent manner. Quantification analysis showed that nanosilica significantly increased the rates of binucleated and multinucleated cells, which suggested mitotic catastrophe induction. Moreover, dynamic visualization verified that multinucleation resulted from cell fusion in HepG2 cells not in L-02 cells after nanosilica exposure, suggesting cell type-dependent multinucleation formation. Both multinucleation and cell fusion were involved in genetic instability, which emphasized the significance to explore the multinucleation induced by nanosilica via environmental, occupational and consumer product exposure.

  4. Dose-dependent response of Trichoderma harzianum in improving drought tolerance in rice genotypes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Pandey, Veena; Ansari, Mohammad W; Tula, Suresh; Yadav, Sandep; Sahoo, Ranjan K; Shukla, Nandini; Bains, Gurdeep; Badal, Shail; Chandra, Subhash; Gaur, A K; Kumar, Atul; Shukla, Alok; Kumar, J; Tuteja, Narendra

    2016-05-01

    This study demonstrates a dose-dependent response of Trichoderma harzianum Th-56 in improving drought tolerance in rice by modulating proline, SOD, lipid peroxidation product and DHN / AQU transcript level, and the growth attributes. In the present study, the effect of colonization of different doses of T. harzianum Th-56 strain in rice genotypes were evaluated under drought stress. The rice genotypes treated with increasing dose of T. harzianum strain Th-56 showed better drought tolerance as compared with untreated control plant. There was significant change in malondialdehyde, proline, higher superoxide dismutase level, plant height, total dry matter, relative chlorophyll content, leaf rolling, leaf tip burn, and the number of scorched/senesced leaves in T. harzianum Th-56 treated rice genotypes under drought stress. This was corroborated with altered expression of aquaporin and dehydrin genes in T. harzianum Th-56 treated rice genotypes. The present findings suggest that a dose of 30 g/L was the most effective in improving drought tolerance in rice, and its potential exploitation will contribute to the advancement of rice genotypes to sustain crop productivity under drought stress. Interaction studies of T. harzianum with three aromatic rice genotypes suggested that PSD-17 was highly benefitted from T. harzianum colonization under drought stress.

  5. Modulation of DNA polymerase beta-dependent base excision repair in cultured human cells after low dose exposure to arsenite

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sykora, Peter; Snow, Elizabeth T.

    2008-01-01

    Base excision repair (BER) is crucial for development and for the repair of endogenous DNA damage. However, unlike nucleotide excision repair, the regulation of BER is not well understood. Arsenic, a well-established human carcinogen, is known to produce oxidative DNA damage, which is repaired primarily by BER, whilst high doses of arsenic can also inhibit DNA repair. However, the mechanism of repair inhibition by arsenic and the steps inhibited are not well defined. To address this question we have investigated the regulation of DNA polymerase β (Pol β) and AP endonuclease (APE1), in response to low, physiologically relevant doses of arsenic. GM847 lung fibroblasts and HaCaT keratinocytes were exposed to sodium arsenite, As(III), and mRNA, protein levels and BER activity were assessed. Both Pol β and APE1 mRNA exhibited significant dose-dependant down regulation at doses of As(III) above 1 μM. However, at lower doses Pol β mRNA and protein levels, and consequently, BER activity were significantly increased. In contrast, APE1 protein levels were only marginally increased by low doses of As(III) and there was no correlation between APE1 and overall BER activity. Enzyme supplementation of nuclear extracts confirmed that Pol β was rate limiting. These changes in BER correlated with overall protection against sunlight UV-induced toxicity at low doses of As(III) and produced synergistic toxicity at high doses. The results provide evidence that changes in BER due to low doses of arsenic could contribute to a non-linear, threshold dose response for arsenic carcinogenesis

  6. Prednisolone dose-dependently influences inflammation and coagulation during human endotoxemia

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    de Kruif, Martijn D.; Lemaire, Lucienne C.; Giebelen, Ida A.; van Zoelen, Marieke A. D.; Pater, Jennie M.; van den Pangaart, Petra S.; Groot, Angelique P.; de Vos, Alex F.; Elliott, Peter J.; Meijers, Joost C. M.; Levi, Marcel; van der Poll, Tom

    2007-01-01

    The effects of steroids on the outcome of sepsis are dose dependent. Low doses appear to be beneficial, but high doses do not improve outcome for reasons that are insufficiently understood. The effects of steroids on systemic inflammation as a function of dose have not previously been studied in

  7. Lack of evidence for increased tolerance of rat spinal cord with decreasing fraction doses below 2 Gy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ang, K.K.; van der Kogel, A.J.; van der Schueren, E.

    1985-01-01

    The radiation tolerance of the spinal cord, both in man and in rats, has been shown to depend strongly on the size of the dose per fraction. With fraction doses down to about 2 Gy, the spinal cord tolerance can be predicted by a modified Ellis formula. More recently alternative isoeffect formulas were based on the linear-quadratic (LQ) model of cell survival where the effect of dose fractionation is characterized by the ratio α/β which varies from tissue to tissue. For the spinal cord, as well as for other late responding tissues, the ratio α/β is small, in contrast to most acutely responding tissues. Both the Ellis-type formula, and to a lesser extent the LQ-model, predict a continuously increasing tolerance dose with decreasing fraction size. From previous experiments on the rat cervical spinal cord with doses per fraction down to about 2 Gy, the ratio α/β was determined to be 1.7 Gy, and the LQ-model would predict a rise in tolerance with a reduction in fraction size to far below 2 Gy. Based on these predictions clinical studies have been initiated assuming a significantly increased tolerance by reduction of fraction size to about 1 Gy. However, in the present experiments no evidence was found for such an increase in tolerance with fraction sizes below 2 Gy

  8. Polimixina B: efeito dose e tempo dependente na nefrotoxicidade in vitro Polymyxin B: dose and time dependent nephrotoxicity effect in vitro

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Luciana Barros de Moura Neiva

    2013-01-01

    Full Text Available OBJETIVO: Caracterizar a toxicidade da polimixina B (PmxB em células renais em dosagem e tempos diferentes. MÉTODOS: Células LLC-PK1, cultivadas em placas multiwell de 12 poços, foram divididas nos seguintes grupos: Controle (CTL - células mantidas em meio DMEM suplementado a 5%; G1 - células expostas à concentração de 75mM de PmxB; G2 - células expostas à concentração de 375mM de PmxB. Cada grupo foi avaliado nos tempos de 24, 48 e 72 horas quanto à viabilidade celular (Acridine Orange/Brometo de Etídio e apoptose (Hoechst 33342. RESULTADOS: Os dados demonstraram a viabilidade celular e a apoptose à exposição de três doses de PmxB em três intervalos de tempo, com um aumento significativo da toxicidade à elevação das doses e ao maior tempo de permanência no antibiótico para apoptose. CONCLUSÃO: A citotoxicidade pela PmxB, no modelo de cultivo celular, se mostrou tempo e dose dependente, aumentando com a maior exposição e maior dose de antibiótico.OBJECTIVE: To characterize the toxicity of polymyxin B (PmxB in renal cell in different dosage and times. METHODS: LLC-PK1 cells grown in 12 well multiwell plates were divided into the following groups: Control (CTL - cells maintained in DMEM supplemented with 5%; G1 - cells exposed to concentration of 75µM PmxB G2 - cells exposed to concentration of 375µM PmxB. Each group was assessed at 24,48 and 72 hours as for cell viability (Acridine orange/ethidium bromide and apoptosis (Hoechst 33342. RESULTS: The data demonstrate the cell viability and apoptosis exposure of three doses of PmxB in three time intervals, with a significant increase in toxicity to high doses and longer duration of stay in the antibiotic to apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Cytotoxicity by PmxB in cell culture model, showed to be time and dose dependent, increasing with increased exposure and higher dose of antibiotic.

  9. DNA adducts and liver DNA replication in rats during chronic exposure to N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) and their relationships to the dose-dependence of NDMA hepatocarcinogenesis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Souliotis, Vassilis L; Henneman, John R; Reed, Carl D; Chhabra, Saranjit K; Diwan, Bhalchandra A; Anderson, Lucy M; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios A

    2002-03-20

    Exposure of rats to the hepatocarcinogen N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) (0.2-2.64 ppm in the drinking water) for up to 180 days resulted in rapid accumulation of N7- and O6-methylguanine in liver and white blood cell DNA, maximum adduct levels being reached within 1-7 days, depending on the dose. The levels of both adducts remained constant up to treatment day 28, subsequently declining slowly to about 40% of maximal levels for the liver and 60% for white blood cells by day 180. In order to elucidate the role of DNA replication in NDMA hepatocarcinogenesis, changes in liver cell labeling index (LI) were also measured on treatment days 21, 120 and 180. Although the time- and dose-dependence of the observed effects were complex, a clear trend towards increased rates of hepatocyte LI, as indicated by BrdU incorporation, with increasing NDMA doses was evident, particularly above 1 ppm, a concentration above which NDMA hepatocarcinogenicity is known to increase sharply. In contrast, no increase in Kupffer cell DNA replication was found at any of the doses employed, in accordance with the low susceptibility of these cells to NDMA-induced carcinogenesis. No significant increase in the occurrence of necrotic or apoptotic cells was noted under the treatment conditions employed. These results suggest that, in addition to the accumulation of DNA damage, alterations in hepatocyte DNA replication during the chronic NDMA exposure may influence the dose-dependence of its carcinogenic efficacy.

  10. Dosing-time-dependent variation in biliary excretion of flomoxef in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hishikawa, Shuji; Sugimoto, Koh-ichi; Kobayashi, Eiji; Kumagai, Yuji; Fujimura, Akio

    2003-05-01

    We previously reported that the biliary excretion of flomoxef, an oxacephem antibiotic, was greater after dosing at 21:00 than at 09:00 h in diurnally active human subjects. The present study was undertaken to examine whether the biliary excretion of flomoxef is also dependent on its dosing time in rats. Adult male Wistar rats were housed under light on at 07:00 h and off at 19:00 h. Bile fluid was completely drained through a polyethylene catheter from conscious animals. Flomoxef (20 mg/kg) was injected into the tail vein at 09:00 or 21:00 h by a cross-over design, and drained bile fluid was collected for 8 h after each dosing. The maximum concentration of biliary flomoxef was significantly greater and its total excretion tended to be greater after dosing at 09:00 than 21:00 h. These results suggest the biliary excretion of flomoxef is enhanced after dosing at the beginning of the rest period in rats, as it is in humans.

  11. Assessing patient dose in interventional fluoroscopy using patient-dependent hybrid phantoms

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Perry Barnett

    Interventional fluoroscopy uses ionizing radiation to guide small instruments through blood vessels or other body pathways to sites of clinical interest. The technique represents a tremendous advantage over invasive surgical procedures, as it requires only a small incision, thus reducing the risk of infection and providing for shorter recovery times. The growing use and increasing complexity of interventional procedures, however, has resulted in public health concerns regarding radiation exposures, particularly with respect to localized skin dose. Tracking and documenting patient-specific skin and internal organ dose has been specifically identified for interventional fluoroscopy where extended irradiation times, multiple projections, and repeat procedures can lead to some of the largest doses encountered in radiology. Furthermore, inprocedure knowledge of localized skin doses can be of significant clinical importance to managing patient risk and in training radiology residents. In this dissertation, a framework is presented for monitoring the radiation dose delivered to patients undergoing interventional procedures. The framework is built around two key points, developing better anthropomorphic models, and designing clinically relevant software systems for dose estimation. To begin, a library of 50 hybrid patient-dependent computational phantoms was developed based on the UF hybrid male and female reference phantoms. These phantoms represent a different type of anthropomorphic model whereby anthropometric parameters from an individual patient are used during phantom selection. The patient-dependent library was first validated and then used in two patient-phantom matching studies focused on cumulative organ and local skin dose. In terms of organ dose, patient-phantom matching was shown most beneficial for estimating the dose to large patients where error associated with soft tissue attenuation differences could be minimized. For small patients, inherent difference

  12. Estimation of population doses from diagnostic medical examinations in Japan, 1974. III. Per caput mean marrow dose and leukemia significant dose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hashizume, T; Maruyama, T; Kumamoto, Y [National Inst. of Radiological Sciences, Chiba (Japan)

    1976-03-01

    The mean per capita marrow dose and leukemia-significant dose from radiographic and fluoroscopic examinations in Japan have been estimated based on a 1974 nation wide survey of randomly sampled hospitals and clinics. To determine the mean marrow dose to an individual from a certain exposure of a given type of examination, the active marrow in the whole body was divided into 119 parts for an adult and 103 for a child. Dosimetric points on which the individual marrow doses were determined were set up in the center of each marrow part. The individual marrow doses at the dosimetric points in the beams of practical diagnostic x-rays were calculated on the basis of the exposure data on the patients selected in the nation wide survey, using depth dose curves experimentally determined for diagnostic x-rays. The mean individual marrow dose was averaged over the active marrow by summing, for each dosimetric point, the product of the fraction of active marrow exposed and the individual marrow dose at the dosimetric point. The leukemia significant dose was calculated by adopting a weighting factor that is, a leukemia significant factor. The factor was determined from the shape of the time-incidence curve for radiation-induced leukemia from the Hiroshima A-bomb and from the survival statistics for the average population. The resultant mean per capita marrow dose from radiographic and fluoroscopic examination was 37.0 and 70.0 mrad/person/year, respectively, with a total of 107.05 mrad/person/year. The leukemia significant dose was 32.1 mrad/person/year for radiographic examination and 61.2 mrad/person/year, with a total of 93.3. These values were compared with those of 1960 and 1969.

  13. Effect of increased plant density and fertilizer dose on the yield of rice variety IR-6

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amin, M.; Khan, M.A.; Khan, E.A.; Ramazan, M.

    2004-01-01

    An experiment to evaluate the effect of increased plant density and fertilizer dose on yield of rice variety IR-6 was conducted at the farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Gomal University Dera Ismail Khan. Increase plant density significantly increase number of panicles per square meter, sterility and straw yield while increased fertilizer dose of NPK increase plant height, sterility, normal kernels, and 1000 grain weight. Interaction of increased plant density and fertilizer dose was found to be non significant except sterility percentage and straw yield. However efforts are required for increasing yield per unit area of rice. (author)

  14. MO-E-17A-06: Organ Dose in Abdomen-Pelvis CT: Does TG 111 Equilibrium Dose Concept Better Accounts for KVp Dependence Than Conventional CTDI?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Li, X; Morgan, A; Davros, W; Dong, F; Primak, A; Segars, W

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: In CT imaging, a desirable quality assurance (QA) dose quantity should account for the dose variability across scan parameters and scanner models. Recently, AAPM TG 111 proposed to use equilibrium dose-pitch product, in place of CT dose index (CTDI100), for scan modes involving table translation. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether this new concept better accounts for the kVp dependence of organ dose than the conventional CTDI concept. Methods: The adult reference female extended cardiac-torso (XCAT) phantom was used for this study. A Monte Carlo program developed and validated for a 128-slice CT system (Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare) was used to simulate organ dose for abdomenpelvis scans at five tube voltages (70, 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp) with a pitch of 0.8 and a detector configuration of 2x64x0.6 mm. The same Monte Carlo program was used to simulate CTDI100 and equilibrium dose-pitch product. For both metrics, the central and peripheral values were used together with helical pitch to calculate a volume-weighted average, i.e., CTDIvol and (Deq)vol, respectively. Results: While other scan parameters were kept constant, organ dose depended strongly on kVp; the coefficient of variation (COV) across the five kVp values ranged between 70–75% for liver, spleen, stomach, pancreas, kidneys, colon, small intestine, bladder, and ovaries, all of which were inside the primary radiation beam. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the effect of kVp was highly significant (p=3e−30). When organ dose was normalized by CTDIvol, the COV across the five kVp values reduced to 7–16%. The effect of kVp was still highly significant (p=4e−4). When organ dose was normalized by (Deq)vol, the COV further reduced to 4−12%. The effect of kVp was borderline significant (p=0.04). Conclusion: In abdomen-pelvis CT, TG 111 equilibrium dose concept better accounts for kVp dependence than the conventional CTDI. This work is supported by a faculty startup

  15. MO-E-17A-06: Organ Dose in Abdomen-Pelvis CT: Does TG 111 Equilibrium Dose Concept Better Accounts for KVp Dependence Than Conventional CTDI?

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Li, X [Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH (United States); Morgan, A; Davros, W [Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH (United States); Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio (United States); Dong, F [Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio (United States); Primak, A [Siemens Medical Solutions USA, Inc. (United States); Segars, W [Duke University, Durham, NC (United States)

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: In CT imaging, a desirable quality assurance (QA) dose quantity should account for the dose variability across scan parameters and scanner models. Recently, AAPM TG 111 proposed to use equilibrium dose-pitch product, in place of CT dose index (CTDI100), for scan modes involving table translation. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether this new concept better accounts for the kVp dependence of organ dose than the conventional CTDI concept. Methods: The adult reference female extended cardiac-torso (XCAT) phantom was used for this study. A Monte Carlo program developed and validated for a 128-slice CT system (Definition Flash, Siemens Healthcare) was used to simulate organ dose for abdomenpelvis scans at five tube voltages (70, 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp) with a pitch of 0.8 and a detector configuration of 2x64x0.6 mm. The same Monte Carlo program was used to simulate CTDI100 and equilibrium dose-pitch product. For both metrics, the central and peripheral values were used together with helical pitch to calculate a volume-weighted average, i.e., CTDIvol and (Deq)vol, respectively. Results: While other scan parameters were kept constant, organ dose depended strongly on kVp; the coefficient of variation (COV) across the five kVp values ranged between 70–75% for liver, spleen, stomach, pancreas, kidneys, colon, small intestine, bladder, and ovaries, all of which were inside the primary radiation beam. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) for the effect of kVp was highly significant (p=3e−30). When organ dose was normalized by CTDIvol, the COV across the five kVp values reduced to 7–16%. The effect of kVp was still highly significant (p=4e−4). When organ dose was normalized by (Deq)vol, the COV further reduced to 4−12%. The effect of kVp was borderline significant (p=0.04). Conclusion: In abdomen-pelvis CT, TG 111 equilibrium dose concept better accounts for kVp dependence than the conventional CTDI. This work is supported by a faculty startup

  16. Dose- and time-dependent pharmacokinetics of apigenin trimethyl ether.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Elhennawy, Mai Gamal; Lin, Hai-Shu

    2018-06-15

    Apigenin trimethyl ether (5,7,4'-trimethoxyflavone, ATE), one of the key polymethoxyflavones present in black ginger (rhizome of Kaempferia parviflora) possesses various health-promoting activities. To optimize its medicinal application, the pharmacokinetics of ATE was assessed in Sprague-Dawley rats with emphases to identify the impacts from dose and repeated dosing on its major pharmacokinetic parameters. Plasma ATE levels were monitored by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method. Upon single intravenous administration (2 mg/kg), plasma levels of ATE declined through an apparent first-order process while dose-escalation to 4 and 8 mg/kg led to its non-linear disposition, which could be described by the Michaelis-Menten model. Similarly, dose-dependent oral pharmacokinetics was confirmed and when the dose was escalated from 5 to 15 and 45 mg/kg, much longer mean residence time (MRT 0→last ), higher dose-normalized maximal plasma concentration (C max /Dose) and exposure (AUC/Dose) were observed at 15 and/or 45 mg/kg. One-week daily oral administration of ATE at 15 mg/kg caused its accelerated elimination and the plasma exposure (AUC) after intravenous (2 mg/kg) and oral administration (15 mg/kg) dropped ~40 and 60%, respectively. As ATE displayed both dose- and time-dependent pharmacokinetics, caution is needed in the medicinal applications of ATE and/or black ginger. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  17. beta-Carotene in breast milk and serum is increased after a single beta-carotene dose.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Canfield, L M; Giuliano, A R; Neilson, E M; Yap, H H; Graver, E J; Cui, H A; Blashill, B M

    1997-07-01

    Normal lactating mothers were administered a single dose of 60 or 210 mg beta-carotene and changes in serum and milk retinol, alpha-tocopherol, and carotenoids were monitored for 8 d. Average serum beta-carotene concentrations increased 4.1- and 4.0-fold after the 60- and 210-mg doses, respectively. Milk beta-carotene concentrations increased 4.1- and 3.0-fold after the 60- and 210-mg doses, respectively. Maximum serum concentrations were reached 24 h after both supplements, although concentrations of milk beta-carotene continued to rise for 2-3 d. After 8 d, both serum and milk beta-carotene continued to rise for 2-3 d. After 8 d, both serum and milk beta-carotene concentrations remained about twofold higher than baseline concentrations. Increases in serum or milk beta-carotene concentrations were not dose-dependent. Initial serum and milk concentrations of beta-carotene predicted increases after supplementation, and increases in serum beta-carotene concentrations predicted those in milk. Concentrations of milk carotenoids were less than one-tenth their respective concentrations in serum. Lutein, beta-cryptoxanthin, lycopene, alpha-carotene, retinol, and alpha-tocopherol concentrations in serum or milk did not change significantly after beta-carotene supplementation. Retinol esters account for most of the retinol equivalents in the milk of well-nourished mothers. Initial and maximum concentrations of beta-carotene in serum and milk were strongly correlated for individual mothers. Collectively, the data showed that a single 60-mg supplement of beta-carotene sustained elevated beta-carotene concentrations in serum and milk for > 1 wk in normal mothers but did not affect concentrations of other major carotenoids, retinol, or alpha-tocopherol.

  18. Pharyngeal and cervical cancer incidences significantly correlate with personal UV doses among whites in the United States.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Godar, Dianne E; Tang, Rong; Merrill, Stephen J

    2014-09-01

    Because we found UV-exposed oral tissue cells have reduced DNA repair and apoptotic cell death compared with skin tissue cells, we asked if a correlation existed between personal UV dose and the incidences of oral and pharyngeal cancer in the United States. We analyzed the International Agency for Research on Cancer's incidence data for oral and pharyngeal cancers by race (white and black) and sex using each state's average annual personal UV dose. We refer to our data as 'white' rather than 'Caucasian,' which is a specific subgroup of whites, and 'black' rather than African-American because blacks from other countries around the world reside in the U.S. Most oropharyngeal carcinomas harboured human papilloma virus (HPV), so we included cervical cancer as a control for direct UV activation. We found significant correlations between increasing UV dose and pharyngeal cancer in white males (p=0.000808) and females (p=0.0031) but not in blacks. Shockingly, we also found cervical cancer in whites to significantly correlate with increasing UV dose (p=0.0154). Thus, because pharyngeal and cervical cancer correlate significantly with increasing personal UV dose in only the white population, both direct (DNA damage) and indirect (soluble factors) effects may increase the risk of HPV-associated cancer. Copyright© 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

  19. The effect of increased body mass index on patient dose in paediatric radiography

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ladia, Arsenoi P., E-mail: arsenoh@gmail.com; Skiadopoulos, Spyros G., E-mail: skiado@upatras.gr; Karahaliou, Anna N., E-mail: akarahaliou@upatras.gr; Messaris, Gerasimos A.T., E-mail: messaris@upatras.gr; Delis, Harry B., E-mail: hdelis@gmail.com; Panayiotakis, George S., E-mail: panayiot@upatras.gr

    2016-10-15

    Radiation protection is of particular importance in paediatric radiology. In this study, the influence of increased body mass index (BMI) in radiation dose and associated risk was investigated for paediatric patients aged 5–6.5 years, undergoing chest (64 patients) or abdomen (64 patients) radiography. Patients were categorized into normal and overweight, according to the BMI classification scheme. Entrance surface dose (ESD), organ dose, effective dose (ED) and risk of exposure induced cancer death (REID) were calculated using the Monte Carlo based code PCXMC 2.0. Statistically significant increase in patient radiation dose and REID was obtained for overweight patients as compared to normal ones, in both chest and abdomen examinations (Wilcoxon singed-rank test for paired data, p < 0.001). The percentage increase in overweight as compared to normal patients of ESD, organ dose (maximum value), ED and REID was 13.6%, 24.4%, 18.9% and 20.6%, respectively, in case of chest radiographs. Corresponding values in case of abdomen radiographs were 15.0%, 24.7%, 21.8% and 19.8%, respectively. An increased BMI results in increased patient radiation dose in chest and abdomen paediatric radiography.

  20. Age-dependent doses to members of the public from intake of radionuclides: Pt. 5. Compilation of ingestion and inhalation dose coefficients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    1996-01-01

    The present report is a compilation of age-dependent committed effective dose coefficients for ingestion and inhalation of radionuclides of the 31 elements covered in previous CRP Publications. The biokinetic models for adults given in ICRP Publication 30 are applied to calculate these dose coefficients, except that age-specific excretion rates are used and increased gastrointestinal absorption in infants is assurred. Changes in body mass, and tissue geometry in children are also taken into account. (UK)

  1. Dependence of alanine gel dosimeter response as a function of photon clinical beams dose rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silva, Cleber Feijo; Campos, Leticia Lucente

    2013-01-01

    Gel dosimetry is a new area developed by Gore, it is ery useful for application in radiotherapy because using NMR imaging as evaluation technique is possible to evaluate three dimensional absorbed dose distribution. The measure technique is based on difference of ferrous (Fe 2+ ) and ferric (Fe 3+ ) ) ions concentration that can be measured also by spectrophotometry technique. The Alanine gel dosimeter was developed at IPEN. The alanine is an amino acid and tissue equivalent material that presents significant improvement on previous alanine dosimetry systems. The addition of Alanine increases the production of ferric ions in the solution. This work aims to study the dose rate dependence of photon clinical beams radiation on the alanine gel dosimeter optical response, as well as the response repeatability and gel production reproducibility, since this property is very important for characterization and standardization of any dosimeter. (author)

  2. A comparison of the angular dependence of effective dose and effective dose equivalent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sitek, M.A.; Gierga, D.P.; Xu, X.G.

    1996-01-01

    In ICRP (International Commission on Radiological Protection) Publication 60, the set of critical organs and their weighing factors were changed, defining the quantity effective dose, E. This quantity replaced the effective dose equivalent, H E , as defined by ICRP 26. Most notably, the esophagus was added to the list of critical organs. The Monte Carlo neutron/photon transport code MCNP was used to determine the effective dose to sex-specific anthropomorphic phantoms. The phantoms, developed in previous research, were modified to include the esophagus. Monte Carlo simulations were performed for monoenergetic photon beams of energies 0.08 MeV, 0.3 MeV, and 1.0 MeV for various azimuthal and polar angles. Separate organ equivalent doses were determined for male and female phantoms. The resulting organ equivalent doses were calculated from arithmetic mean averages. The angular dependence of effective dose was compared with that of effective dose equivalent reported in previous research. The differences between the two definitions and possible implications to regulatory agencies were summarized

  3. Linear dose dependence of ion beam mixing of metals on Si

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Poker, D.B.; Appleton, B.R.

    1985-01-01

    These experiments were conducted to determine the dose dependences of ion beam mixing of various metal-silicon couples. V/Si and Cr/Si were included because these couples were previously suspected of exhibiting a linear dose dependence. Pd/Si was chosen because it had been reported as exhibiting only the square root dependence. Samples were cut from wafers of (100) n-type Si. The samples were cleaned in organic solvents, etched in hydrofluoric acid, and rinsed with methanol before mounting in an oil-free vacuum system for thin-film deposition. Films of Au, V, Cr, or Pd were evaporated onto the Si samples with a nominal deposition rate of 10 A/s. The thicknesses were large compared with those usually used to measure ion beam mixing and were used to ensure that conditions of unlimited supply were met. Samples were mixed with Si ions ranging in energy from 300 to 375 keV, chosen to produce ion ranges that significantly exceeded the metal film depth. Si was used as the mixing ion to prevent impurity doping of the Si substrate and to exclude a background signal from the Rutherford backscattering (RBS) spectra. Samples were mixed at room temperature, with the exception of the Au/Si samples, which were mixed at liquid nitrogen temperature. The samples were alternately mixed and analyzed in situ without exposure to atmosphere between mixing doses. The compositional distributions after mixing were measured using RBS of 2.5-MeV 4 He atoms

  4. Induction of IgG memory responses with polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) is antigen dose dependent

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lite, H.S.; Braley-Mullen, H.

    1981-01-01

    Irradiated recipients of spleen cells from mice primed with a very low dose (0.0025 μ/g) of the thymus-independent (TI) antigen polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) produced PVP-specific IgG memory responses after secondary challenge with a T-dependent (TD) form of PVP, PVP-HRBC. The IgG memory responses induced by low doses of PVP were similar in magnitude to those induced by the TD antigen PVP-HRBC. The induction of IgG memory by the TI form of antigen was markedly dependent on the dose of PVP used to prime donor mice. Spleen cells from mice primed with an amount of PVP (0.25 μg) that induces an optimal primary IgM response did not produce significant IgG antibody after challenge with PVP-HRBC. The inability of higher doses of PVP to induce IgG memory may be due, at least in part, to the fact that such doses of PVP were found to induce tolerance in PVP-specific B cells and could suppress the induction of memory induced by PVP-HRBC. Low doses of PVP did not interfere with the induction of memory by PVP-HRBC. Expression of IgG memory responses in recipients of PVP-HRBC or low-dose PVP-primed cells was found to be T cell dependent. Moreover, only primed T cells could reconstitute the respnse of recipients of primed B cells, suggesting that the ability of PVP to induce IgG memory may be related to its ability to prime T helper cells. Expression of the IgG memory response in recipient mice also required the use of a TD antigen for secondary challenge, i.e., mice challenged with PVP did not develop IgG

  5. Investigation of the dose rate dependency of the PAGAT gel dosimeter at low dose rates

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zehtabian, M.; Faghihi, R.; Zahmatkesh, M.H.; Meigooni, A.S.; Mosleh-Shirazi, M.A.; Mehdizadeh, S.; Sina, S.; Bagheri, S.

    2012-01-01

    Medical physicists need dosimeters such as gel dosimeters capable of determining three-dimensional dose distributions with high spatial resolution. To date, in combination with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), polyacrylamide gel (PAG) polymers are the most promising gel dosimetry systems. The purpose of this work was to investigate the dose rate dependency of the PAGAT gel dosimeter at low dose rates. The gel dosimeter was used for measurement of the dose distribution around a Cs-137 source from a brachytherapy LDR source to have a range of dose rates from 0.97 Gy h −1 to 0.06 Gy h −1 . After irradiation of the PAGAT gel, it was observed that the dose measured by gel dosimetry was almost the same at different distances (different dose rates) from the source, although the points nearer the source had been expected to receive greater doses. Therefore, it was suspected that the PAGAT gel is dose rate dependent at low dose rates. To test this further, three other sets of measurements were performed by placing vials containing gel at different distances from a Cs-137 source. In the first two measurements, several plastic vials were exposed to equal doses at different dose rates. An ionization chamber was used to measure the dose rate at each distance. In addition, three TLD chips were simultaneously irradiated in order to verify the dose to each vial. In the third measurement, to test the oxygen diffusion through plastic vials, the experiment was repeated again using plastic vials in a nitrogen box and glass vials. The study indicates that oxygen diffusion through plastic vials for dose rates lower than 2 Gy h −1 would affect the gel dosimeter response and it is suggested that the plastic vials or (phantoms) in an oxygen free environment or glass vials should be used for the dosimetry of low dose rate sources using PAGAT gel to avoid oxygen diffusion through the vials.

  6. Gadodiamide injection for enhancement of MRI in the CNS. Applications, dose, field and time dependence

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Aakeson, P

    1996-10-01

    Gadodiamide injection was comparable to Gd-DTPA with regard to both safety and diagnostic efficiency in the central nervous system. The contrast effect of Gd contrast agents is higher at 1.5 T than at 0.3 T both in phantoms and patients with a maximum ratio (signal lesion/signal grey matter) more than 50% higher at 1.5 T. To achieve high contrast effect, heavily T1-weighted images are important. Prolonging the TR from 400 ms to 600 ms reduced the ratio by 15-45% depending on concentration. The effective time window for imaging of BBB (Blood-Brain Barrier) damage is between 2-5 and 25-30 minutes after injection and several scans can be performed without loss of enhancement. To provide maximum detectability of BBB damage in patients, higher doses of Gd contrast media should be useful, especially at low field strengths, as the doses used clinically today do not utilize the maximum contrast effect. High-dose (0.3 mmol/kg b.w.) contrast enhanced MRI (0.3 T) with Gadodiamide injection allowed detection of significantly more and smaller metastases (i.e. BBB damage) than standard dose (0.1 mmol/kg b.w.) High dose contrast-enhanced MRI (0.3 T) did not increase the diagnostic information for the evaluation of patients with failed back surgery syndrome compared to standard dose MRI. 55 refs, 9 figs, 10 tabs.

  7. Gadodiamide injection for enhancement of MRI in the CNS. Applications, dose, field and time dependence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Aakeson, P.

    1996-01-01

    Gadodiamide injection was comparable to Gd-DTPA with regard to both safety and diagnostic efficiency in the central nervous system. The contrast effect of Gd contrast agents is higher at 1.5 T than at 0.3 T both in phantoms and patients with a maximum ratio (signal lesion/signal grey matter) more than 50% higher at 1.5 T. To achieve high contrast effect, heavily T1-weighted images are important. Prolonging the TR from 400 ms to 600 ms reduced the ratio by 15-45% depending on concentration. The effective time window for imaging of BBB (Blood-Brain Barrier) damage is between 2-5 and 25-30 minutes after injection and several scans can be performed without loss of enhancement. To provide maximum detectability of BBB damage in patients, higher doses of Gd contrast media should be useful, especially at low field strengths, as the doses used clinically today do not utilize the maximum contrast effect. High-dose (0.3 mmol/kg b.w.) contrast enhanced MRI (0.3 T) with Gadodiamide injection allowed detection of significantly more and smaller metastases (i.e. BBB damage) than standard dose (0.1 mmol/kg b.w.) High dose contrast-enhanced MRI (0.3 T) did not increase the diagnostic information for the evaluation of patients with failed back surgery syndrome compared to standard dose MRI. 55 refs, 9 figs, 10 tabs

  8. Cocoa consumption dose-dependently improves flow-mediated dilation and arterial stiffness decreasing blood pressure in healthy individuals.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Grassi, Davide; Desideri, Giovambattista; Necozione, Stefano; di Giosia, Paolo; Barnabei, Remo; Allegaert, Leen; Bernaert, Herwig; Ferri, Claudio

    2015-02-01

    Cocoa flavonoids exert beneficial vascular effects and reduce the risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Nevertheless, the involved mechanisms have not been clarified and no study has yet focused on the dose-response effects. We aimed to investigate the effects of different doses of cocoa flavonoids on flow-mediated dilation (FMD), endothelin-1 (ET-1), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and SBP and DBP. According to a randomized, double-blind, controlled, cross-over design, 20 healthy volunteers (1.5% improvement in FMD in 20 individuals: 0.99 at alpha = 0.05) were assigned to receive either five treatments with daily intake of 10 g cocoa (0, 80, 200, 500 and 800 mg cocoa flavonoids/day) in five periods lasting 1 week each. Cocoa dose-dependently increased FMD from 6.2% (control) to 7.3, 7.6, 8.1 and 8.2% after the different flavonoid doses, respectively (P cocoa flavonoids per day increased FMD (P Cocoa dose-dependently decreased PWV (P Cocoa intake decreased office blood pressure (BP) (SBP: -4.8 ± 1.03  mmHg, P cocoa ingestion decreased 24-h (P = 0.05) and daytime (P = 0.038) SBP, and 24-h (P = 0.0064), daytime (P = 0.0088) and night-time (P = 0.0352) pulse pressure. Compared with the control, cocoa dose-dependently decreased ET-1 levels [from 17.1 (control) to 15.2, 14.5, 14.2 and 14.1 pg/ml, after the different flavonoid doses, respectively (P for treatment cocoa dose-dependently improved FMD and decreased PWV and ET-1 also by ameliorating office and monitored BP. Our findings are clinically relevant, suggesting cocoa, with very low calorie intake, might be reasonably incorporated into a dietary approach, representing a consistent tool in cardiovascular prevention.

  9. Dose-dependent interaction between gemfibrozil and repaglinide in humans: strong inhibition of CYP2C8 with subtherapeutic gemfibrozil doses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Honkalammi, Johanna; Niemi, Mikko; Neuvonen, Pertti J; Backman, Janne T

    2011-10-01

    Gemfibrozil 1-O-β-glucuronide inactivates CYP2C8 irreversibly. We investigated the effect of gemfibrozil dose on CYP2C8 activity in humans using repaglinide as a probe drug. In a randomized, five-phase crossover study, 10 healthy volunteers ingested 0.25 mg of repaglinide 1 h after different doses of gemfibrozil or placebo. Concentrations of plasma repaglinide, gemfibrozil, their metabolites, and blood glucose were measured. A single gemfibrozil dose of 30, 100, 300, and 900 mg increased the area under the concentration-time curve of repaglinide 1.8-, 4.5-, 6.7-, and 8.3-fold (P Gemfibrozil pharmacokinetics was characterized by a slightly more than dose-proportional increase in the area under the curve of gemfibrozil and its glucuronide. The gemfibrozil-repaglinide interaction could be mainly explained by gemfibrozil 1-O-β-glucuronide concentration-dependent, mechanism-based inhibition of CYP2C8, with a minor contribution by competitive inhibition of organic anion-transporting polypeptide 1B1 at the highest gemfibrozil dose. The findings are consistent with ∼50% inhibition of CYP2C8 already with a single 30-mg dose of gemfibrozil and >95% inhibition with 900 mg. In clinical drug-drug interaction studies, a single 900-mg dose of gemfibrozil can be used to achieve nearly complete inactivation of CYP2C8.

  10. Paraquat poisoning: an experimental model of dose-dependent acute lung injury due to surfactant dysfunction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    M.F.R. Silva

    1998-03-01

    Full Text Available Since the most characteristic feature of paraquat poisoning is lung damage, a prospective controlled study was performed on excised rat lungs in order to estimate the intensity of lesion after different doses. Twenty-five male, 2-3-month-old non-SPF Wistar rats, divided into 5 groups, received paraquat dichloride in a single intraperitoneal injection (0, 1, 5, 25, or 50 mg/kg body weight 24 h before the experiment. Static pressure-volume (PV curves were performed in air- and saline-filled lungs; an estimator of surface tension and tissue works was computed by integrating the area of both curves and reported as work/ml of volume displacement. Paraquat induced a dose-dependent increase of inspiratory surface tension work that reached a significant two-fold order of magnitude for 25 and 50 mg/kg body weight (P<0.05, ANOVA, sparing lung tissue. This kind of lesion was probably due to functional abnormalities of the surfactant system, as was shown by the increase in the hysteresis of the paraquat groups at the highest doses. Hence, paraquat poisoning provides a suitable model of acute lung injury with alveolar instability that can be easily used in experimental protocols of mechanical ventilation

  11. Analysis of the response dependence of Ebt3 radiochromic film with energy, dose rate, wavelength, scanning mode and humidity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Leon M, E. Y.; Camacho L, M. A.; Herrera G, J. A.; Garcia G, O. A.; Villarreal B, J. E.

    2016-10-01

    With the development of new modalities in radiotherapy treatments, the use of radiochromic films has increased considerably. Because the characteristics that presented, they are suitable for quality control and dose measurement. In this work and analysis of the dependence of the response of Ebt3 radiochromic films with energy, dose rate, wavelength, scan mode and humidity, for a dose range of 0-70 Gy is presented. According to the results, the response of Ebt3 radiochromic films has low dependence on energy, dose rate, scan mode and humidity. However, the sensitivity of the response Ebt3 radiochromic films has a high dependence on the wavelength of the optical system used for reading. (Author)

  12. Hepatic lipid profiling of deer mice fed ethanol using 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy: A dose-dependent subchronic study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fernando, Harshica; Bhopale, Kamlesh K.; Boor, Paul J.; Ansari, G.A. Shakeel; Kaphalia, Bhupendra S.

    2012-01-01

    Chronic alcohol abuse is a 2nd major cause of liver disease resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by a wide spectrum of pathologies starting from fat accumulation (steatosis) in early reversible stage to inflammation with or without fibrosis and cirrhosis in later irreversible stages. Previously, we reported significant steatosis in the livers of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-deficient (ADH − ) vs. hepatic ADH-normal (ADH + ) deer mice fed 4% ethanol daily for 2 months [Bhopale et al., 2006, Alcohol 39, 179–188]. However, ADH − deer mice fed 4% ethanol also showed a significant mortality. Therefore, a dose-dependent study was conducted to understand the mechanism and identify lipid(s) involved in the development of ethanol-induced fatty liver. ADH − and ADH + deer mice fed 1, 2 or 3.5% ethanol daily for 2 months and fatty infiltration in the livers were evaluated by histology and by measuring dry weights of extracted lipids. Lipid metabolomic changes in extracted lipids were determined by proton ( 1 H) and 31 phosphorus ( 31 P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR data was analyzed by hierarchical clustering (HC) and principle component analysis (PCA) for pattern recognition. Extensive vacuolization by histology and significantly increased dry weights of total lipids found only in the livers of ADH − deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls suggest a dose-dependent formation of fatty liver in ADH − deer mouse model. Analysis of NMR data of ADH − deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls shows increases for total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), triacylglycerides and unsaturation, and decreases for free cholesterol, phospholipids and allylic and diallylic protons. Certain classes of neutral lipids (cholesterol esters, fatty acyl chain (-COCH 2 -) and FAMEs) were also mildly increased in ADH − deer mice fed 1 or 2

  13. Pharmacogenetic analysis of opioid dependence treatment dose and dropout rate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Crist, Richard C; Li, James; Doyle, Glenn A; Gilbert, Alex; Dechairo, Bryan M; Berrettini, Wade H

    2018-01-01

    Currently, no pharmacogenetic tests for selecting an opioid-dependence pharmacotherapy have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. Determine the effects of variants in 11 genes on dropout rate and dose in patients receiving methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00315341). Variants in six pharmacokinetic genes (CYP1A2, CYP2B6, CYP2C19, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, CYP3A4) and five pharmacodynamic genes (HTR2A, OPRM1, ADRA2A, COMT, SLC6A4) were genotyped in samples from a 24-week, randomized, open-label trial of methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone for the treatment of opioid dependence (n = 764; 68.7% male). Genotypes were then used to determine the metabolism phenotype for each pharmacokinetic gene. Phenotypes or genotypes for each gene were analyzed for association with dropout rate and mean dose. Genotype for 5-HTTLPR in the SLC6A4 gene was nominally associated with dropout rate when the methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone groups were combined. When the most significant variants associated with dropout rate were analyzed using pairwise analyses, SLC6A4 (5-HTTLPR) and COMT (Val158Met; rs4860) had nominally significant associations with dropout rate in methadone patients. None of the genes analyzed in the study was associated with mean dose of methadone or buprenorphine/naloxone. This study suggests that functional polymorphisms related to synaptic dopamine or serotonin levels may predict dropout rates during methadone treatment. Patients with the S/S genotype at 5-HTTLPR in SLC6A4 or the Val/Val genotype at Val158Met in COMT may require additional treatment to improve their chances of completing addiction treatment. Replication in other methadone patient populations will be necessary to ensure the validity of these findings.

  14. 2,3-Butanedione monoxime facilitates successful resuscitation in a dose-dependent fashion in a pig model of cardiac arrest.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Byung Kook; Kim, Mu Jin; Jeung, Kyung Woon; Choi, Sung Soo; Park, Sang Wook; Yun, Seong Woo; Lee, Sung Min; Lee, Dong Hun; Min, Yong Il

    2016-06-01

    Ischemic contracture compromises the hemodynamic effectiveness of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and resuscitability from cardiac arrest. In a pig model of cardiac arrest, 2,3-butanedione monoxime (BDM) attenuated ischemic contracture. We investigated the effects of different doses of BDM to determine whether increasing the dose of BDM could improve the hemodynamic effectiveness of CPR further, thus ultimately improving resuscitability. After 16minutes of untreated ventricular fibrillation and 8minutes of basic life support, 36 pigs were divided randomly into 3 groups that received 50mg/kg (low-dose group) of BDM, 100mg/kg (high-dose group) of BDM, or an equivalent volume of saline (control group) during advanced cardiovascular life support. During advanced cardiovascular life support, the control group showed an increase in left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and a decrease in LV chamber area. In contrast, the BDM-treated groups showed a decrease in the LV wall thickness and an increase in the LV chamber area in a dose-dependent fashion. Mixed-model analyses of the LV wall thickness and LV chamber area revealed significant group effects and group-time interactions. Central venous oxygen saturation at 3minutes after the drug administration was 21.6% (18.4-31.9), 39.2% (28.8-53.7), and 54.0% (47.5-69.4) in the control, low-dose, and high-dose groups, respectively (Pfashion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  15. Delay differential equations and the dose-time dependence of early radiotherapy reactions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fenwick, John D.

    2006-01-01

    The dose-time dependence of early radiotherapy reactions impacts on the design of accelerated fractionation schedules--oral mucositis, for example, can be dose limiting for short treatments designed to avoid tumor repopulation. In this paper a framework for modeling early reaction dose-time dependence is developed. Variation of stem cell number with time after the start of a radiation schedule is modeled using a first-order delay differential equation (DDE), motivated by experimental observations linking the speed of compensatory proliferation in early reacting tissues to the degree of tissue damage. The modeling suggests that two types of early reaction radiation response are possible, stem cell numbers either monotonically approaching equilibrium plateau levels or overshooting before returning to equilibrium. Several formulas have been derived from the delay differential equation, predicting changes in isoeffective total radiation dose with schedule duration for different types of fractionation scheme. The formulas have been fitted to a wide range of published animal early reaction data, the fits all implying a degree of overshoot. Results are presented illustrating the scope of the delay differential model: most of the data are fitted well, although the model struggles with a few datasets measured for schedules with distinctive dose-time patterns. Ways of extending the current model to cope with these particular dose-time patterns are briefly discussed. The DDE approach is conceptually more complex than earlier descriptive dose-time models but potentially more powerful. It can be used to study issues not addressed by simpler models, such as the likely effects of increasing or decreasing the dose-per-day over time, or of splitting radiation courses into intense segments separated by gaps. It may also prove useful for modeling the effects of chemoirradiation

  16. Delay differential equations and the dose-time dependence of early radiotherapy reactions.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fenwick, John D

    2006-09-01

    The dose-time dependence of early radiotherapy reactions impacts on the design of accelerated fractionation schedules--oral mucositis, for example, can be dose limiting for short treatments designed to avoid tumor repopulation. In this paper a framework for modeling early reaction dose-time dependence is developed. Variation of stem cell number with time after the start of a radiation schedule is modeled using a first-order delay differential equation (DDE), motivated by experimental observations linking the speed of compensatory proliferation in early reacting tissues to the degree of tissue damage. The modeling suggests that two types of early reaction radiation response are possible, stem cell numbers either monotonically approaching equilibrium plateau levels or overshooting before returning to equilibrium. Several formulas have been derived from the delay differential equation, predicting changes in isoeffective total radiation dose with schedule duration for different types of fractionation scheme. The formulas have been fitted to a wide range of published animal early reaction data, the fits all implying a degree of overshoot. Results are presented illustrating the scope of the delay differential model: most of the data are fitted well, although the model struggles with a few datasets measured for schedules with distinctive dose-time patterns. Ways of extending the current model to cope with these particular dose-time patterns are briefly discussed. The DDE approach is conceptually more complex than earlier descriptive dose-time models but potentially more powerful. It can be used to study issues not addressed by simpler models, such as the likely effects of increasing or decreasing the dose-per-day over time, or of splitting radiation courses into intense segments separated by gaps. It may also prove useful for modeling the effects of chemoirradiation.

  17. Magnetic-field-induced dose effects in MR-guided radiotherapy systems: dependence on the magnetic field strength.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Raaijmakers, A J E; Raaymakers, B W; Lagendijk, J J W

    2008-02-21

    Several institutes are currently working on the development of a radiotherapy treatment system with online MR imaging (MRI) modality. The main difference between their designs is the magnetic field strength of the MRI system. While we have chosen a 1.5 Tesla (T) magnetic field strength, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton will be using a 0.2 T MRI scanner and the company Viewray aims to use 0.3 T. The magnetic field strength will affect the severity of magnetic field dose effects, such as the electron return effect (ERE): considerable dose increase at tissue air boundaries due to returning electrons. This paper has investigated how the ERE dose increase depends on the magnetic field strength. Therefore, four situations where the ERE occurs have been simulated: ERE at the distal side of the beam, the lateral ERE, ERE in cylindrical air cavities and ERE in the lungs. The magnetic field comparison values were 0.2, 0.75, 1.5 and 3 T. Results show that, in general, magnetic field dose effects are reduced at lower magnetic field strengths. At the distal side, the ERE dose increase is largest for B = 0.75 T and depends on the irradiation field size for B = 0.2 T. The lateral ERE is strongest for B = 3 T but shows no effect for B = 0.2 T. Around cylindrical air cavities, dose inhomogeneities disappear if the radius of the cavity becomes small relative to the in-air radius of the secondary electron trajectories. At larger cavities (r > 1 cm), dose inhomogeneities exist for all magnetic field strengths. In water-lung-water phantoms, the ERE dose increase takes place at the water-lung transition and the dose decreases at the lung-water transition, but these effects are minimal for B = 0.2 T. These results will contribute to evaluating the trade-off between magnetic field dose effects and image quality of MR-guided radiotherapy systems.

  18. Magnetic-field-induced dose effects in MR-guided radiotherapy systems: dependence on the magnetic field strength

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Raaijmakers, A J E; Raaymakers, B W; Lagendijk, J J W

    2008-01-01

    Several institutes are currently working on the development of a radiotherapy treatment system with online MR imaging (MRI) modality. The main difference between their designs is the magnetic field strength of the MRI system. While we have chosen a 1.5 Tesla (T) magnetic field strength, the Cross Cancer Institute in Edmonton will be using a 0.2 T MRI scanner and the company Viewray aims to use 0.3 T. The magnetic field strength will affect the severity of magnetic field dose effects, such as the electron return effect (ERE): considerable dose increase at tissue air boundaries due to returning electrons. This paper has investigated how the ERE dose increase depends on the magnetic field strength. Therefore, four situations where the ERE occurs have been simulated: ERE at the distal side of the beam, the lateral ERE, ERE in cylindrical air cavities and ERE in the lungs. The magnetic field comparison values were 0.2, 0.75, 1.5 and 3 T. Results show that, in general, magnetic field dose effects are reduced at lower magnetic field strengths. At the distal side, the ERE dose increase is largest for B = 0.75 T and depends on the irradiation field size for B = 0.2 T. The lateral ERE is strongest for B = 3 T but shows no effect for B = 0.2 T. Around cylindrical air cavities, dose inhomogeneities disappear if the radius of the cavity becomes small relative to the in-air radius of the secondary electron trajectories. At larger cavities (r > 1 cm), dose inhomogeneities exist for all magnetic field strengths. In water-lung-water phantoms, the ERE dose increase takes place at the water-lung transition and the dose decreases at the lung-water transition, but these effects are minimal for B = 0.2 T. These results will contribute to evaluating the trade-off between magnetic field dose effects and image quality of MR-guided radiotherapy systems

  19. Genetically significant dose assessments of occupationally exposed individuals involved in industrial and medical radiographic procedures in certain establishments in Nigeria

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jibiri, N.N.; Oguntade, G. T.

    2007-01-01

    The main source of radiation doses received by humans from man-made sources of ionizing radiation in medicine and industry comes from X-rays. The genetic risks of ionizing radiation effects on an individual who is occupationally exposed largely depend on the magnitude of the radiation dose received, period of practice, work load and radio logical procedures involved. In this work, using the linear non-thresh old model, we have attempted to assess the level of genetic risk of occupationally exposed individuals in two medical and industrial establishments in Nigeria by estimating their genetically significant dose values. The estimation was based on continuous personnel radiation dose monitoring data for the individuals in each of the establishments over a three year period (1998-2001). The estimated genetically significant dose values in the years considered were 12 mSv for the medical, and 29 mSv for the industrial personnel. Appropriate radiation protection precautions should be taken by the personnel to adhere to standard operational practices in order to minimize the genetically significant dose resulting from radio logical practices

  20. Basic investigations on the performance of a normoxic polymer gel with tetrakis-hydroxy-methyl-phosphonium chloride as an oxygen scavenger: Reproducibility, accuracy, stability, and dose rate dependence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Bayreder, Christian; Georg, Dietmar; Moser, Ewald; Berg, Andreas

    2006-01-01

    Magnetic resonance (MR)-based polymer gel dosimetry using normoxic polymer gels, represents a new dosimetric method specially suited for high-resolution three-dimensional dosimetric problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the dose response with regard to stability, accuracy, reproducibility, and the dose rate dependence. Tetrakis-hydroxy-methyl-phosphonium chloride (THPC) is used as an oxygen scavenger, and methacrylic acid as a monomer. Accuracy, reproducibility, and dose resolution were determined for MR protocols at low spatial resolution (typical for clinical scanners), medium, and microimaging-resolution protocols at three different dose levels. The dose-response stability and preirradiation-induced variations in R2, related to the time interval between preparation and irradiation of the polymer gel, were investigated. Also postirradiation stability of the polymer gel was considered. These experiments were performed using a 60 Co beam (E=1.2 MV) in a water phantom. Moreover, we investigated the dose rate dependence in the low, medium, and saturation dose region of the normoxic polymer gel using a linear accelerator at photon energy of 25 MV. MR scanning was performed on a 3 T whole body scanner (MEDSPEC 30/80, BRUKER BIOSPIN, Ettlingen, Germany) using several coils and different gradient systems adapted to the acquired spatial resolution investigated. For T2-parameter selective imaging and determination of the relaxation rate R2=1/T2, a multiple spin echo sequence with 20 equidistant echoes was used. With regard to preirradiation induced variations R2 increases significantly with the increasing time interval between the polymer gel preparation and irradiation. Only a slight increase in R2 can be observed for varying the postirradiation-time solely. The dose reproducibility at voxel volumes of about 1.4x1.4x2 mm 3 is better than 2%. The accuracy strongly depends on the calibration curve. THPC represents a very effective oxygen scavenger in

  1. Theoretical analysis of the dose dependence of the oxygen enhancement ratio and its relevance for clinical applications

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wenzl, Tatiana; Wilkens, Jan J

    2011-01-01

    The increased resistance of hypoxic cells to ionizing radiation is usually believed to be the primary reason for treatment failure in tumors with oxygen-deficient areas. This oxygen effect can be expressed quantitatively by the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER). Here we investigate theoretically the dependence of the OER on the applied local dose for different types of ionizing irradiation and discuss its importance for clinical applications in radiotherapy for two scenarios: small dose variations during hypoxia-based dose painting and larger dose changes introduced by altered fractionation schemes. Using the widespread Alper-Howard-Flanders and standard linear-quadratic (LQ) models, OER calculations are performed for T1 human kidney and V79 Chinese hamster cells for various dose levels and various hypoxic oxygen partial pressures (pO2) between 0.01 and 20 mmHg as present in clinical situations in vivo. Our work comprises the analysis for both low linear energy transfer (LET) treatment with photons or protons and high-LET treatment with heavy ions. A detailed analysis of experimental data from the literature with respect to the dose dependence of the oxygen effect is performed, revealing controversial opinions whether the OER increases, decreases or stays constant with dose. The behavior of the OER with dose per fraction depends primarily on the ratios of the LQ parameters alpha and beta under hypoxic and aerobic conditions, which themselves depend on LET, pO2 and the cell or tissue type. According to our calculations, the OER variations with dose in vivo for low-LET treatments are moderate, with changes in the OER up to 11% for dose painting (1 or 3 Gy per fraction compared to 2 Gy) and up to 22% in hyper-/hypofractionation (0.5 or 20 Gy per fraction compared to 2 Gy) for oxygen tensions between 0.2 and 20 mmHg typically measured clinically in hypoxic tumors. For extremely hypoxic cells (0.01 mmHg), the dose dependence of the OER becomes more pronounced (up to 36

  2. Effects of different doses of glucose and insulin on morphine state-dependent memory of passive avoidance in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Jafari, M R; Zarrindast, M R; Djahanguiri, B

    2004-10-01

    Behavioral effects of morphine, including its effect on memory, have been demonstrated to be influenced by glucose pretreatment. The measurement of step-down latency in passive avoidance has been used to study memory in laboratory animals. The pre-training injection of 5 mg/kg morphine impaired memory, which was restored when 24 h later the same dose of the drug was administered. To investigate the effects of glucose and insulin alone or in combination with morphine, on pre-test day, on memory recall in mice. The effects of different doses of glucose (50, 100, and 200 mg/kg, IP) and insulin (5, 10, and 20 IU/kg, IP) alone or in combination with morphine, have been studied in mice. The blood glucose level and locomotor activity of the animals were also measured. Although the administration of glucose alone showed no effect on morphine-induced memory impairment, its co-administration with morphine resulted in a significant and dose-dependent memory enhancement compared with the effects of morphine administration alone. Like glucose, the administration of different doses of insulin alone produced no change in the memory, but when the drug was co-administered with morphine, it significantly reduced morphine-induced memory retrieval. The effect of insulin was the opposite of glucose. None of the animals subjected to insulin treatment showed convulsions. Glucose is suggested to increase, on the test day, the morphine-induced memory enhancement by three different mechanisms: cholinergic or opioidergic modulations, or regulation of the ATP-dependent potassium channels.

  3. Dose-dependent effects of lesogaberan on reflux measures in patients with refractory gastroesophageal reflux disease: a randomized, placebo-controlled study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Miner, Philip B; Silberg, Debra G; Ruth, Magnus; Miller, Frank; Pandolfino, John

    2014-11-18

    The γ-aminobutyric acid type B-receptor agonist lesogaberan (AZD3355) has been developed for use in patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms despite proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy (partial responders). This study aimed to explore the dose-response effect of lesogaberan on reflux episodes in partial responders. In this randomized, single-centre, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled study, partial responders taking optimised PPI therapy were given 30, 90, 120 and 240 mg doses of lesogaberan. Each dose was given twice (12 h apart) during a 24-h period, during which impedance-pH measurements were taken. Twenty-five patients were included in the efficacy analysis and 27 in the safety analysis. The effect of lesogaberan on the mean number of reflux episodes was dose-dependent, and all doses significantly reduced the mean number of reflux episodes relative to placebo. Lesogaberan also dose-dependently reduced the mean number of acid reflux episodes (except the 30 mg dose) and weakly acid reflux episodes (all doses) significantly, relative to placebo. Regardless of dose, lesogaberan had a similar effect on the percentage of time with esophageal pH < 4 [mean reduction: 68.5% (30 mg), 54.2% (90 mg), 65.9% (120 mg), 72.1% (240 mg); p < 0.05 except 90 mg dose]. No adverse events led to discontinuation and no serious adverse events occurred during active treatment. Lesogaberan inhibited reflux in a dose-dependent manner in partial responders taking optimised PPI therapy, and these effects were significant versus placebo. All lesogaberan doses were well tolerated and were not associated with clinically relevant adverse events. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT01043185.

  4. Fibrinolytic Activity and Dose-Dependent Effect of Incubating Human Blood Clots in Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester: In Vitro Assays

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abuzar Elnager

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE has been reported to possess time-dependent fibrinolytic activity by in vitro assay. This study is aimed at investigating fibrinolytic dose-dependent activity of CAPE using in vitro assays. Methods. Standardized human whole blood (WB clots were incubated in either blank controls or different concentrations of CAPE (3.75, 7.50, 15.00, 22.50, and 30.00 mM. After 3 hours, D-dimer (DD levels and WB clot weights were measured for each concentration. Thromboelastography (TEG parameters were recorded following CAPE incubation, and fibrin morphology was examined under a confocal microscope. Results. Overall, mean DD (μg/mL levels were significantly different across samples incubated with different CAPE concentrations, and the median pre- and postincubation WB clot weights (grams were significantly decreased for each CAPE concentration. Fibrin removal was observed microscopically and indicated dose-dependent effects. Based on the TEG test, the Ly30 fibrinolytic parameter was significantly different between samples incubated with two different CAPE concentrations (15.0 and 22.50 mM. The 50% effective dose (ED50 of CAPE (based on DD was 1.99 mg/mL. Conclusions. This study suggests that CAPE possesses fibrinolytic activity following in vitro incubation and that it has dose-dependent activities. Therefore, further investigation into CAPE as a potential alternative thrombolytic agent should be conducted.

  5. Inhibition of the iNOS pathway in inflammatory macrophages by low-dose X-irradiation in vitro. Is there a time dependence?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hildebrandt, G.; Loppnow, G.; Jahns, J.; Hindemith, M.; Kamprad, F.; Anderegg, U.; Saalbach, A.

    2003-01-01

    Background: Low radiation doses (≤ 1.25 Gy), if applied 6 h before or after stimulation, are known to inhibit the inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) pathway in inflammatory macrophages in vitro. We therefore investigated the time dependence and the underlying molecular mechanism of this effect, since it may be involved in the clinically observed anti-inflammatory and analgesic efficacy of low-dose radiotherapy. Material and Methods: Metabolic activity, nitric oxide (NO) production, iNOS- and hemoxygenase 1-(HO-1-)protein and -mRNA expression by macrophages in vitro after stimulation with LPS/IFN-γ (0.1 μg ml -1 /100 U ml -1 ) were investigated. Irradiation was performed at 6, 4, 2 h before and 0, 2, 4, 6 h after stimulation with doses ranging from 0.3 to 10 Gy. For each group, three independent experiments were performed over a period of 30 h with sampling intervals of 3 h. Results: In stimulated macrophages, metabolic activity was not affected by radiation doses up to 10 Gy. A dose-dependent modulation of the cumulative NO production was observed with significant inhibition by low radiation doses (≤ 1.25 Gy) and return to control level and even higher concentrations by higher doses (≥ 5 Gy). The degree of inhibition did not show any significant time dependence within the experimental time window used. The iNOS-mRNA expression 3-18 h following stimulation and subsequent irradiation was not affected by doses ≤ 1.25 Gy. The iNOS-protein expression 6-24 h following stimulation and subsequent irradiation was reduced by doses ≤ 1.25 Gy. By contrast, neither HO-1-protein nor HO-1-mRNA expression at the same time points was influenced by these low doses. Conclusion: The inhibitory interference of low radiation doses with the iNOS pathway in inflammatory macrophages appears to be based on radiation effects on the translational and posttranslational control mechanisms of iNOS activity. However, contrary to our working hypothesis this is not related to

  6. Radiation dose dependent risk of liver cancer mortality in the German uranium miners cohort 1946–2003

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dufey, F; Walsh, L; Sogl, M; Tschense, A; Schnelzer, M; Kreuzer, M

    2013-01-01

    An increased risk of mortality from primary liver cancers among uranium miners has been observed in various studies. An analysis of the data from a German uranium miner cohort (the ‘Wismut cohort’) was used to assess the relationship with ionising radiation. To that end the absorbed organ dose due to high and low linear energy transfer radiation was calculated for 58 987 miners with complete information on radiation exposure from a detailed job–exposure matrix. 159 deaths from liver cancer were observed in the follow-up period from 1946 to 2003. Relative risk models with either linear or categorical dependence on high and low linear energy transfer radiation liver doses were fitted by Poisson regression, stratified on age and calendar year. The linear trend of excess relative risk in a model with both low and high linear transfer radiation is −0.8 (95% confidence interval (CI): −3.7, 2.1) Gy −1 and 48.3 (95% CI: −32.0, 128.6) Gy −1 for low and high linear energy transfer radiation, respectively, and thus not statistically significant for either dose. The increase of excess relative risk with equivalent liver dose is 0.57 (95% CI: −0.69, 1.82) Sv −1 . Adjustment for arsenic only had a negligible effect on the radiation risk. In conclusion, there is only weak evidence for an increase of liver cancer mortality with increasing radiation dose in the German uranium miners cohort considered. However, both a lack of statistical power and potential misclassification of primary liver cancer are issues. (paper)

  7. Non-monotonic dose dependence of the Ge- and Ti-centres in quartz

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Woda, C.; Wagner, G.A.

    2007-01-01

    The dose response of the Ge- and Ti-centres in quartz is studied over a large dose range. After an initial signal increase in the low dose range, both defects show a pronounced decrease in signal intensities for high doses. The model by Euler and Kahan [1987. Radiation effects and anelastic loss in germanium-doped quartz. Phys. Rev. B 35 (9), 4351-4359], in which the signal drop is explained by an enhanced trapping of holes at the electron trapping site, is critically discussed. A generalization of the model is then developed, following similar considerations by Lawless et al. [2005. A model for non-monotonic dose dependence of thermoluminescence (TL). J. Phys. Condens. Matter 17, 737-753], who explained a signal drop in TL by an enhanced recombination rate with electrons at the recombination centre. Finally, an alternative model for the signal decay is given, based on the competition between single and double electron capture at the electron trapping site. From the critical discussion of the different models it is concluded that the double electron capture mechanism is the most probable effect for the dose response

  8. Recommendations on dose buildup factors used in models for calculating gamma doses for a plume

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hedemann Jensen, P.; Thykier-Nielsen, S.

    1980-09-01

    Calculations of external γ-doses from radioactivity released to the atmosphere have been made using different dose buildup factor formulas. Some of the dose buildup factor formulas are used by the Nordic countries in their respective γ-dose models. A comparison of calculated γ-doses using these dose buildup factors shows that the γ-doses can be significantly dependent on the buildup factor formula used in the calculation. Increasing differences occur for increasing plume height, crosswind distance, and atmospheric stability and also for decreasing downwind distance. It is concluded that the most accurate γ-dose can be calculated by use of Capo's polynomial buildup factor formula. Capo-coefficients have been calculated and shown in this report for γ-energies below the original lower limit given by Capo. (author)

  9. Ultraviolet B radiation increases hairless mouse mast cells in a dose-dependent manner and alters distribution of UV-induced mast cell growth factor

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kligman, L.H.; Murphy, G.F. [Pennsylvania Univ., Philadelphia, PA (United States). School of Medicine

    1996-01-01

    In studies of the effects of chronic UVB irradiation on dermal connective tissue in the hairless mouse, we observed that the number and size of mast cells was increased. Because mast cells are known to be associated with connective tissue remodeling, we examined and quantified the effect of increasing UVB (290-320 nm)doses on this cell. Groups of mice were exposed to filtered FS-40 Westinghouse lamps (290-400 nm: peak irradiance 313 nm) for 1-5 minimal erythema doses (MED) thrice weekly for 10 weeks. Appropriate controls were included. Biopsies, processed for light microscopy, were stained with toluidine blue. Mast cells were counted in 15 high-magnification fields per specimen with upper and lower dermis scored separately. Significant increases in large densely granular mast cells occurred at 2 MED in the lower dermic in association with the UVB-exacerbated granulomatous reaction. In the upper dermis, mast cells were significantly increased with 3 MED. These findings suggest that mast cells may play a dual role in UV-irradiated skin with those in the lower dermis related to inflammation processes and those in the upper dermis involved in connective tissue modeling. To gain understanding of the mechanism of mast cell recruitment and maturation, we examined the effect of UVB on mast cell growth factor expression. This was enhanced in the epidermis by UVB, with a shift from cytoplasmic staining to membrane-associated or intercellular staining at 2 MED and higher. Dermal dendritic and mononuclear cells also showed increased reactivity. (Author).

  10. Dose rate dependence for different dosimeters and detectors: TLD, OSL, EBT films, and diamond detectors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karsch, L.; Beyreuther, E.; Burris-Mog, T.; Kraft, S.; Richter, C.; Zeil, K.; Pawelke, J.

    2012-01-01

    Purpose: The use of laser accelerators in radiation therapy can perhaps increase the low number of proton and ion therapy facilities in some years due to the low investment costs and small size. The laser-based acceleration technology leads to a very high peak dose rate of about 10 11 Gy/s. A first dosimetric task is the evaluation of dose rate dependence of clinical dosimeters and other detectors. Methods: The measurements were done at ELBE, a superconductive linear electron accelerator which generates electron pulses with 5 ps length at 20 MeV. The different dose rates are reached by adjusting the number of electrons in one beam pulse. Three clinical dosimeters (TLD, OSL, and EBT radiochromic films) were irradiated with four different dose rates and nearly the same dose. A faraday cup, an integrating current transformer, and an ionization chamber were used to control the particle flux on the dosimeters. Furthermore two diamond detectors were tested. Results: The dosimeters are dose rate independent up to 410 9 Gy/s within 2% (OSL and TLD) and up to 1510 9 Gy/s within 5% (EBT films). The diamond detectors show strong dose rate dependence. Conclusions: TLD, OSL dosimeters, and EBT films are suitable for pulsed beams with a very high pulse dose rate like laser accelerated particle beams.

  11. Relaxation behavior and dose dependence of radiation induced radicals in irradiated mango

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kameya, Hiromi; Kakita, Daisuke; Kaimori, Yoshihiko; Ukai, Mitsuko; Kikuchi, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Yasuhiko; Shimoyama, Yuhei

    2010-01-01

    Mangoes are imported to Japan after treated with hot water. Recently, irradiated mangoes imported to U. S. are widely used. This paper reports on the ESR method for analyzing the radiation induced radicals of irradiated mangoes. Upon the γ ray irradiation, a strong single peak in the flesh and skin of mangoes was observed at g=2.004. This singlet peak may be attributed to organic free radicals. The ESR spectra of the flesh and skin of mangoes showed the radiation induced radicals due to cellulose by irradiation over 12 kGy. The relaxation times (T 1 and T 2 ) of the singlet signal were calculated. T 2 showed dose response according to increasing the irradiation dose levels, while T 1 was almost constant. The value of (T 1 T 2 ) 1/2 showed the dependence of irradiation dose level. (author)

  12. Repeated dose studies with pure Epigallocatechin-3-gallate demonstrated dose and route dependant hepatotoxicity with associated dyslipidemia.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ramachandran, Balaji; Jayavelu, Subramani; Murhekar, Kanchan; Rajkumar, Thangarajan

    2016-01-01

    EGCG (Epigallocatechin-3-gallate) is the major active principle catechin found in green tea. Skepticism regarding the safety of consuming EGCG is gaining attention, despite the fact that it is widely being touted for its potential health benefits, including anti-cancer properties. The lack of scientific data on safe dose levels of pure EGCG is of concern, while EGCG has been commonly studied as a component of GTE (Green tea extract) and not as a single active constituent. This study has been carried out to estimate the maximum tolerated non-toxic dose of pure EGCG and to identify the treatment related risk factors. In a fourteen day consecutive treatment, two different administration modalities were compared, offering an improved [i.p (intraperitoneal)] and limited [p.o (oral)] bioavailability. A trend of dose and route dependant hepatotoxicity was observed particularly with i.p treatment and EGCG increased serum lipid profile in parallel to hepatotoxicity. Fourteen day tolerable dose of EGCG was established as 21.1 mg/kg for i.p and 67.8 mg/kg for p.o. We also observed that, EGCG induced effects by both treatment routes are reversible, subsequent to an observation period for further fourteen days after cessation of treatment. It was demonstrated that the severity of EGCG induced toxicity appears to be a function of dose, route of administration and period of treatment.

  13. [Occlusion treatment for amblyopia. Age dependence and dose-response relationship].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Fronius, M

    2016-04-01

    Based on clinical experience and studies on animal models the age of 6-7 years was regarded as the limit for treatment of amblyopia, although functional improvement was also occasionally reported in older patients. New technical developments as well as insights from clinical studies and the neurosciences have attracted considerable attention to this topic. Various aspects of the age dependence of amblyopia treatment are discussed in this article, e. g. prescription, electronic monitoring of occlusion dosage, calculation of indicators for age-dependent plasticity of the visual system, and novel, alternative treatment approaches. Besides a discussion of the recent literature, results of studies by our "Child Vision Research Unit" in Frankfurt are presented: results of a questionnaire about prescription habits concerning age limits of patching, electronic recording of occlusion in patients beyond the conventional treatment age, calculation of dose-response function and efficiency of patching and their age dependence. The results of the questionnaire illustrate the uncertainty about age limits of prescription with significant deviations from the guideline of the German Ophthalmological Society (DOG). Electronic recording of occlusion allowed the quantification of declining dose-response function and treatment efficiency between 5 and 16 years of age. Reports about successful treatment with conventional and novel methods in adults are at variance with the notion of a rigid adult visual system lacking plasticity. Electronic recording of patching allowed new insights into the age-dependent susceptibility of the visual system and contributes to a more evidence-based treatment of amblyopia. Alternative approaches for adults challenge established notions about age limits of amblyopia therapy. Further studies comparing different treatment options are urgently needed.

  14. Inhomogeneous dose escalation increases expected local control for NSCLC patients with lymph node involvement without increased mean lung dose

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Tine B; Hansen, Olfred; Schytte, Tine

    2014-01-01

    in mediastinum, and the thorax wall. The dose was escalated using a TCP model implemented into the planning system. The difference in TCP values between the homogeneous and inhomogeneous plans were evaluated using two different TCP models. RESULTS: Dose escalation was possible for all patients. TCP values based...... to the mediastinum were observed: 2.5 Gy for aorta, 4.4 Gy for the connective tissue, 1.6 Gy for the heart, and 2.6 Gy for trachea + bronchi. CONCLUSION: Increased target doses and TCP values using inhomogeneous dose distributions could be achieved for all patients, regardless of lymph node involvement, tumour stage...

  15. High Dose Oral Calcium Treatment in Patients with Vitamin D-dependent Rickets Type II

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    R Vakili

    2017-02-01

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Vitamin D-dependent rickets type II (VDDR2 is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in vitamin D receptor (VDR and leads to resistance to biological effects of calcitriol. Based on the type of mutation, this disease is resistant to calcitriol even at high doses of calcitriol and successful treatment of these patients requires hypocalcemic modification through administration of high doses of calcium and bypassing the intestinal defect in VDR signaling. In addition to the need for frequent hospitalization and high costs, intravenous administration of calcium is associated with complications and problems such as arrhythmia and sepsis, venous catheter infection and hypercalciuria. This study aims to report the positive treatment effects of high doses of oral calcium in 4 patients with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II. CASE REPORT: In this study, 4 patients with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II, diagnosed based on clinical and biochemical symptoms of rickets with alopecia, underwent therapy using high doses of oral calcium (300 mg/kg/day in pediatric endocrinology and metabolism center of Imam Reza hospital. After a short period, increased growth rate in height, strength and elasticity of muscles was observed in addition to biochemical improvements without serious side effects and even one patient started walking independently within the first week of therapy for the first time. Patients were regularly followed up in terms of height and weight, growth rate and biochemical factors including calcium, phosphorus and alkaline phosphatase every 3 months for one year. CONCLUSION: Regardless of the type of mutation in vitamin D receptor, it is suggested that a 3-6 months trial of high dose oral calcium be started in each patient with vitamin D-dependent rickets type II, particularly for patients whose disease was diagnosed at lower ages.

  16. Feeding blueberry diets to young rats dose-dependently inhibits bone resorption through suppression of RANKL in stromal cells.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jian Zhang

    Full Text Available Previous studies have demonstrated that weanling rats fed AIN-93G semi-purified diets supplemented with 10% whole blueberry (BB powder for two weeks beginning on postnatal day 21 (PND21 significantly increased bone formation at PND35. However, the minimal level of dietary BB needed to produce these effects is, as yet, unknown. The current study examined the effects of three different levels of BB diet supplementation (1, 3, and 5% for 35 days beginning on PND25 on bone quality, and osteoclastic bone resorption in female rats. Peripheral quantitative CT scan (pQCT of tibia, demonstrated that bone mineral density (BMD and content (BMC were dose-dependently increased in BB-fed rats compared to controls (P<0.05. Significantly increased bone mass after feeding 5% BB extracts was also observed in a TEN (total enteral nutrition rat model in which daily caloric and food intake was precisely controlled. Expression of RANKL (receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand a protein essential for osteoclast formation was dose-dependently decreased in the femur of BB animals. In addition, expression of PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ which regulates bone marrow adipogenesis was suppressed in BB diet rats compared to non-BB diet controls. Finally, a set of in vitro cell cultures revealed that the inhibitory effect of BB diet rat serum on RANKL expression was more profound in mesenchymal stromal cells compared to its effect on mature osteoblasts, pre-adipocytes and osteocytes. These results suggest that inhibition of bone resorption may contribute to increased bone mass during early development after BB consumption.

  17. Red Light-Dose or Wavelength-Dependent Photoresponse of Antioxidants in Herb Microgreens.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Giedė Samuolienė

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the role of 638-nm and 665-nm LEDs on changes of antioxidants of basil (Ocimum basilicum and parsley (Petroselinum crispum, and to assess the effect of light quality on antioxidative status. Plants were grown in peat substrate for 19 days (21/17 ±2°C, 16 h. Experiments were performed in (I a controlled-environment: B455,R638,R665,FR731(control; B455,R*638,R665,FR731; B455,R638,R*665,FR731; R638; R665 (B-blue, R- red, FR-far-red light. PPFD was set from 231 during growth, upto 300 μmol m-2 s-1 during 3-day treatment changing R638 or R665 PPFD level; in (II greenhouse (November: high-pressure sodium lamps (HPS (control-300 μmol m-2s-1; and HPS + 638 (HPS generated 90 and red LEDs-210 μmol m-2s-1. In general, under supplemental or increased red 638 nm light, amounts of tested antioxidants were greater in basil, whereas sole 665 nm or sole 638 nm is more favourable for parsley. Increased or supplemental red light significantly increased contents of phenolics, α-tocopherol, ascorbic acid and DPPH• but suppressed accumulation of lutein and β-carotene in basil, whereas an increase of β-carotene and DPPH• was observed in parsley. Hereby, the photoresponse of antioxidant compounds suggests that photoprotective mechanism is stimulated by both light-dose-dependent and wavelength-dependent reactions.

  18. Quality of life in a cohort of high-dose benzodiazepine dependent patients.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lugoboni, Fabio; Mirijello, Antonio; Faccini, Marco; Casari, Rebecca; Cossari, Anthony; Musi, Gessica; Bissoli, Giorgia; Quaglio, Gianluca; Addolorato, Giovanni

    2014-09-01

    Benzodiazepines (BZD) are among the most widely prescribed drugs in developed countries. Since BZD can produce tolerance and dependence even in a short time, their use is recommended for a very limited time. However, these recommendations have been largely disregarded. The chronic use of BZD causes a number of serious side effects, i.e., cognitive impairment, falls, traffic accidents, dependence and tolerance. The aim of the present study was to evaluate quality of life (QoL) in a cohort of 62 consecutive high-dose BZD-dependent patients seeking a BZD detoxification. Patients seeking BZD detoxification were evaluated using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) and the short form-36 questionnaire (SF-36). Patients showed a significant reduction of QoL as measured by either SF-36 or GHQ-12. In particular, the greater impairment was observed in the items exploring physical and emotional status. Physical functioning was the item more influenced by the length of BZD abuse. Female patients showed a greater reduction of QoL compared to male, at least in some of the explored items. Social functioning scores were greatly reduced. The present study shows for the first time that high-doses BZD dependent patients have a reduced QoL and a reduced social functioning, along with high levels of psychological distress. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  19. SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING WARFARIN DOSE TITRATION IN PATIENTS WITH ATRIAL FIBRILLATION DEPENDING ON CLINICAL FACTORS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    E. L. Artanova

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available Aim. To study the relations of clinical characteristics and individual warfarin dose titration in patients with atrial fibrillation. Material and methods. Period of warfarin dose titration was analyzed in 68 patients with atrial fibrillation due to ischemic heart disease. Adjusted warfarin dose in milligram, duration of dose titration in days and maximal international normalized ratio (INR were taken into account. Sex, age, history of myocardial infarction and stroke, concomitant diseases, amiodarone therapy were considered among clinical characteristics. Results. Adjusted warfarin dose was significantly higher in obesity , and it was lower in case of experienced myocardial infarction. The INR highest levels and maximal amplitudes of its fluctuations were observed in patients with thyroid gland nodes and smokers. Period of warfarin dose titration was longer in patients treated with amiodarone. Conclusion. Warfarin dose titration in patients with atrial fibrillation depends on the presence of myocardial infarction, obesity , thyroid nodular changes, smoking and amiodarone treatment.

  20. Does IMRT increase the peripheral radiation dose? A comparison of treatment plans 2000 and 2010

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Salz, Henning; Eichner, Regina; Wiezorek, Tilo

    2012-01-01

    It has been reported in several papers and textbooks that IMRT treatments increase the peripheral dose in comparison with non-IMRT fields. But in clinical practice not only open fields have been used in the pre-IMRT era, but also fields with physical wedges or composed fields. The aim of this work is to test the hypothesis of increased peripheral dose when IMRT is used compared to standard conformal radiotherapy. Furthermore, the importance of the measured dose differences in clinical practice is discussed and compared with other new technologies for the cases where an increase of the peripheral dose was observed. For cancers of the head and neck, the cervix, the rectum and for the brain irradiation due to acute leukaemia, one to four plans have been calculated with IMRT or conformal standard technique (non-IMRT). In an anthropomorphic phantom the dose at a distance of 30 cm in cranio-caudal direction from the target edge was measured with TLDs using a linear accelerator Oncor registered (Siemens) for both techniques. IMRT was performed using step-and-shoot technique (7 to 11 beams), non-IMRT plans with different techniques. The results depended on the site of irradiation. For head and neck cancers IMRT resulted in an increase of 0.05 - 0.09% of the prescribed total dose (Dptv) or 40 - 70 mGy (Dptv = 65 Gy), compared to non-IMRT technique without wedges or a decrease of 0.16% (approx. 100 mGy) of the prescribed total dose compared to non-IMRT techniques with wedges. For the cervical cancer IMRT resulted in an increased dose in the periphery (+ 0.07% - 0.15% of Dptv or 30 - 70 mGy at Dptv = 45 Gy), for the rectal cancer in a dose reduction (0.21 - 0.26% of Dptv or 100 - 130 mGy at Dptv = 50 Gy) and for the brain irradiation in an increase dose (+ 0.05% of Dptv = 18 Gy or 9 mSv). In summary IMRT does not uniformly cause increased radiation dose in the periphery in the model used. It can be stated that these dose values are smaller than reported in earlier papers

  1. Dose Relations between Goal Setting, Theory-Based Correlates of Goal Setting and Increases in Physical Activity during a Workplace Trial

    Science.gov (United States)

    Dishman, Rod K.; Vandenberg, Robert J.; Motl, Robert W.; Wilson, Mark G.; DeJoy, David M.

    2010-01-01

    The effectiveness of an intervention depends on its dose and on moderators of dose, which usually are not studied. The purpose of the study is to determine whether goal setting and theory-based moderators of goal setting had dose relations with increases in goal-related physical activity during a successful workplace intervention. A…

  2. Temperature dependence of dose rate laser simulation adequacy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Skorobogatov, P.K.; Nikiforov, A.Y.; Demidov, A.A.

    1999-01-01

    2-D numerical modeling was carried out to analyze the temperature dependence of dose rate laser simulation adequacy in application to p-n junction ionising current. Experimental validation was performed using test structure in the temperature range of 0 to 100 deg.C. (authors)

  3. Corticosteroid effects on ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction in anesthetized rats depend on the dose administered

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Decramer Marc

    2010-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background High dose of corticosteroids has been previously shown to protect against controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV-induced diaphragmatic dysfunction while inhibiting calpain activation. Because literature suggests that the calpain inhibiting effect of corticosteroid depends on the dose administered, we determined whether lower doses of corticosteroids would also provide protection of the diaphragm during CMV. This may be important for patients undergoing mechanical ventilation and receiving corticosteroids. Methods Rats were assigned to controls or to 24 hours of CMV while being treated at the start of mechanical ventilation with a single intramuscular administration of either saline, or 5 mg/kg (low MP or 30 mg/kg (high MP of methylprednisolone. Results Diaphragmatic force was decreased after CMV and this was exacerbated in the low MP group while high MP rescued this diaphragmatic dysfunction. Atrophy was more severe in the low MP group than after CMV while no atrophy was observed in the high MP group. A significant and similar increase in calpain activity was observed in both the low MP and CMV groups whereas the high dose prevented calpain activation. Expression of calpastatin, the endogenous inhibitor of calpain, was decreased in the CMV and low MP groups but its level was preserved to controls in the high MP group. Caspase-3 activity increased in all CMV groups but to a lesser extent in the low and high MP groups. The 20S proteasome activity was increased in CMV only. Conclusions Administration of 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone during CMV protected against CMV-induced diaphragm dysfunction while 5 mg/kg was more deleterious. The protective effect is due mainly to an inhibition of the calpain system through preservation of calpastatin levels and to a lesser extent to a caspase-3 inhibition.

  4. Human, recombinant interleukin-2 induces in vitro histamine release in a dose-dependent manner

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nielsen, Hans Jørgen; Petersen, L J; Skov, P S

    1995-01-01

    significantly in the supernatant from cells stimulated by rIL-2 in a dose-dependent manner both in patients and volunteers. Total cell-bound histamine was 49.3 +/- 4.1 ng/ml in patients compared to 78.5 +/- 7.7 ng/ml in volunteers (p ... was significantly enhanced in cancer patients compared to volunteers (*p manner in both cancer patients and volunteers. This may in part explain the severe toxicity observed during high...

  5. Low dose diagnostic radiation does not increase cancer risk in cancer prone mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boreham, D., E-mail: dboreham@nosm.ca [Northern Ontario School of Medicine, ON (Canada); Phan, N., E-mail: nghiphan13@yahoo.com [Univ. of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Lemon, J., E-mail: lemonja@mcmaster.ca [McMaster Univ., Hamilton, ON (Canada)

    2014-07-01

    The increased exposure of patients to low dose diagnostic ionizing radiation has created concern that these procedures will result in greater risk of carcinogenesis. However, there is substantial evidence that shows in many cases that low dose exposure has the opposite effect. We have investigated whether CT scans can modify mechanisms associated with carcinogenesis in cancer-prone mice. Cancer was induced in Trp53+/- mice with an acute high dose whole-body 4 Gy γ-radiation exposure. Four weeks following the cancer-inducing dose, weekly whole-body CT scans (10 mGy/scan, 75 kVp X-rays) were given for ten consecutive weeks adding an additional radiation burden of 0.1 Gy. Short-term biological responses and subsequent lifetime cancer risk were investigated. Five days following the last CT scan, there were no detectable differences in the spontaneous levels of DNA damage in blood cells (reticulocytes). In fact, CT scanned mice had significantly lower constitutive levels of oxidative DNA damage and cell death (apoptosis), compared to non-CT scanned mice. This shows that multiple low dose radiation exposures modified the radio response and indicates protective processes were induced in mice. In mice treated with the multiple CT scans following the high cancer-inducing 4 Gy dose, tumour latency was increased, significantly prolonging lifespan. We conclude that repeated CT scans can reduce the cancer risk of a prior high-dose radiation exposure, and delay the progression of specific types of radiation-induced cancers in Trp53+/-mice. This research shows for the first time that low dose exposure long after cancer initiation events alter risk and reduce cancer morbidity. Cancer induction following low doses does not follow a linear non-threshold model of risk and this model should not be used to extrapolate risk to humans following low dose exposure to ionizing radiation. (author)

  6. Dose dependency of outcomes of intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy in new rabbit empyema models

    Science.gov (United States)

    Florova, Galina; Azghani, Ali O.; Buchanan, Ann; Boren, Jake; Allen, Timothy; Rahman, Najib M.; Koenig, Kathleen; Chamiso, Mignote; Karandashova, Sophia; Henry, James; Idell, Steven

    2016-01-01

    The incidence of empyema (EMP) is increasing worldwide; EMP generally occurs with pleural loculation and impaired drainage is often treated with intrapleural fibrinolytic therapy (IPFT) or surgery. A number of IPFT options are used clinically with empiric dosing and variable outcomes in adults. To evaluate mechanisms governing intrapleural fibrinolysis and disease outcomes, models of Pasteurella multocida and Streptococcus pneumoniae were generated in rabbits and the animals were treated with either human tissue (tPA) plasminogen activator or prourokinase (scuPA). Rabbit EMP was characterized by the development of pleural adhesions detectable by chest ultrasonography and fibrinous coating of the pleura. Similar to human EMP, rabbits with EMP accumulated sizable, 20- to 40-ml fibrinopurulent pleural effusions associated with extensive intrapleural organization, significantly increased pleural thickness, suppression of fibrinolytic and plasminogen-activating activities, and accumulation of high levels of plasminogen activator inhibitor 1, plasminogen, and extracellular DNA. IPFT with tPA (0.145 mg/kg) or scuPA (0.5 mg/kg) was ineffective in rabbit EMP (n = 9 and 3 for P. multocida and S. pneumoniae, respectively); 2 mg/kg tPA or scuPA IPFT (n = 5) effectively cleared S. pneumoniae-induced EMP collections in 24 h with no bleeding observed. Although intrapleural fibrinolytic activity for up to 40 min after IPFT was similar for effective and ineffective doses of fibrinolysin, it was lower for tPA than for scuPA treatments. These results demonstrate similarities between rabbit and human EMP, the importance of pleural fluid PAI-1 activity, and levels of plasminogen in the regulation of intrapleural fibrinolysis and illustrate the dose dependency of IPFT outcomes in EMP. PMID:27343192

  7. Dose-dependent stimulation of hepatic retinoic acid hydroxylation/oxidation and glucuronidation in brook trout, Salvelinus fontinalis, after exposure to 3,3{prime}, 4,4{prime}-tetrachlorobiphenyl

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Boyer, P.M.; Ndayibagira, A.; Spear, P.A.

    2000-03-01

    Extremely low stores of vitamin A have been reported in fish and birds inhabiting regions contaminated by coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and other organochlorines, suggesting many possible effects on retinoid biochemical pathways. Metabolic imbalances associated with biologically active retinoids (e.g., retinoic acid) could be associated with tetratogenesis, edema, growth inhibition, reproductive impairment, immunosuppression, and susceptibility to cancer. Sexually mature brook trout were injected imtraperitoneally with the coplanar PCB 3,3{prime}, 4,4{prime}-tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCBP) and again 4 weeks later. At 8 weeks, retinoic acid metabolism was measured in liver microsomes. To the authors' knowledge, retinoic acid conjugation by UDP-glucuronyltransferase is described here for the first time in fish. A substantial rate of glucuronidation was detected in the microsomes from control brook trout, which tended to increase over the dose range of TCBP. Glucuronidation was significantly greater in fish receiving the 10 {micro}g/g body weight dose level. Metabolism through the cytochrome P450 system was also dose-dependent, resulting in significantly greater production of 4-hydroxyretinoic acid at the 10 {micro}g/g dose level. In contrast, subsequent oxidation to 4-oxo-retinoic acid was greatest at the 1 {micro}g/g dose level and did not increase further at higher doses. Liver stores of dehydroretinyl palmitate/oleate were significantly decreased at the 5 and 10 {micro}g/g dose levels.

  8. Estimation of personal dose based on the dependent calibration of personal dosimeters in interventional radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mori, Hiroshige; Koshida, Kichiro; Ichikawa, Katsuhiro

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of present study is, in interventional radiology (IVR), to elucidate the differences between each personal dosimeter, and the dependences and calibrations of area or personal dose by measurement with electronic dosimeters in particular. We compare space dose rate distributions measured by an ionization survey meter with the value measured by personal dosimeter: an optically stimulated luminescence, two fluoroglass, and two electronic dosimeters. Furthermore, with electronic dosimeters, we first measured dose rate, energy, and directional dependences. Secondly, we calibrated the dose rate measured by electronic dosimeters with the results, and estimated these methods with coefficient of determination and Akaike's Information Criterion (AIC). The results, especially in electronic dosimeters, revealed that the dose rate measured fell by energy and directional dependences. In terms of methods of calibration, the method is sufficient for energy dependence, but not for directional dependence, because of the lack of stable calibration. This improvement poses a question for the future. The study suggested that these dependences of the personal dosimeter must be considered when area or personal dose is estimated in IVR. (author)

  9. TH-C-19A-03: Characterization of the Dose Per Pulse Dependence of Various Detectors Used in Quality Assurance of FFF Treatment Plans

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Karan, T [Stronach Regional Cancer Center, Newmarket, ON (Canada); Viel, F; Atwal, P; Gete, E; Camborde, M; Horwood, R; Strgar, V; Duzenli, C [British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC (Canada)

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: To present the dose per pulse dependence of various QA devices under Flattening Filter Free (FFF) conditions. Methods: Air and liquid filled ion chamber arrays, diode arrays, radiochromic film and optically stimulated luminescence detectors were investigated. All detectors were irradiated under similar conditions of varying dose per pulse on a TrueBeam linac. Dose per pulse was controlled by varying SSD from 70 to 160 cm providing a range from ~0.5 to ~3 mGy per pulse. MU rates of up to 2400 MU/min for 10X FFF and 1400 MU/min for the 6X FFF beam were used. Beam pulses were counted using the Profiler™ diode array and pulse timing was confirmed by examining linac node files. Delivered doses were calculated with the Eclipse™ treatment planning system. Results: The detectors show a range of behaviors depending on the detector type, as expected. Diode arrays show up to 4% change in sensitivity (sensitivity increases with increasing dose per pulse) over the range tested. Air and liquid ion chambers arrays show a change in sensitivity of up to 3% (air) and 6% (liquid) (sensitivity decreases with increasing dose per pulse) while film and OSLD do not demonstrate a dependence on dose per pulse. Conclusion: Dependence of detector response on dose per pulse varies considerably depending on detector design. Interplay between dose per pulse and MU rate also exists for some detectors. Due diligence is required to characterize detector response prior to implementation of a QA protocol for FFF treatment delivery. During VMAT delivery, the MU rate may also vary dramatically within a treatment fraction. We intend to further investigate the implications of this for VMAT FFF patient specific quality assurance. T Karan and F Viel have received partial funding through the Varian Research program.

  10. TH-C-19A-03: Characterization of the Dose Per Pulse Dependence of Various Detectors Used in Quality Assurance of FFF Treatment Plans

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Karan, T; Viel, F; Atwal, P; Gete, E; Camborde, M; Horwood, R; Strgar, V; Duzenli, C

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To present the dose per pulse dependence of various QA devices under Flattening Filter Free (FFF) conditions. Methods: Air and liquid filled ion chamber arrays, diode arrays, radiochromic film and optically stimulated luminescence detectors were investigated. All detectors were irradiated under similar conditions of varying dose per pulse on a TrueBeam linac. Dose per pulse was controlled by varying SSD from 70 to 160 cm providing a range from ~0.5 to ~3 mGy per pulse. MU rates of up to 2400 MU/min for 10X FFF and 1400 MU/min for the 6X FFF beam were used. Beam pulses were counted using the Profiler™ diode array and pulse timing was confirmed by examining linac node files. Delivered doses were calculated with the Eclipse™ treatment planning system. Results: The detectors show a range of behaviors depending on the detector type, as expected. Diode arrays show up to 4% change in sensitivity (sensitivity increases with increasing dose per pulse) over the range tested. Air and liquid ion chambers arrays show a change in sensitivity of up to 3% (air) and 6% (liquid) (sensitivity decreases with increasing dose per pulse) while film and OSLD do not demonstrate a dependence on dose per pulse. Conclusion: Dependence of detector response on dose per pulse varies considerably depending on detector design. Interplay between dose per pulse and MU rate also exists for some detectors. Due diligence is required to characterize detector response prior to implementation of a QA protocol for FFF treatment delivery. During VMAT delivery, the MU rate may also vary dramatically within a treatment fraction. We intend to further investigate the implications of this for VMAT FFF patient specific quality assurance. T Karan and F Viel have received partial funding through the Varian Research program

  11. First-principles X-ray absorption dose calculation for time-dependent mass and optical density.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Berejnov, Viatcheslav; Rubinstein, Boris; Melo, Lis G A; Hitchcock, Adam P

    2018-05-01

    A dose integral of time-dependent X-ray absorption under conditions of variable photon energy and changing sample mass is derived from first principles starting with the Beer-Lambert (BL) absorption model. For a given photon energy the BL dose integral D(e, t) reduces to the product of an effective time integral T(t) and a dose rate R(e). Two approximations of the time-dependent optical density, i.e. exponential A(t) = c + aexp(-bt) for first-order kinetics and hyperbolic A(t) = c + a/(b + t) for second-order kinetics, were considered for BL dose evaluation. For both models three methods of evaluating the effective time integral are considered: analytical integration, approximation by a function, and calculation of the asymptotic behaviour at large times. Data for poly(methyl methacrylate) and perfluorosulfonic acid polymers measured by scanning transmission soft X-ray microscopy were used to test the BL dose calculation. It was found that a previous method to calculate time-dependent dose underestimates the dose in mass loss situations, depending on the applied exposure time. All these methods here show that the BL dose is proportional to the exposure time D(e, t) ≃ K(e)t.

  12. Transient impairment of hippocampus-dependent learning and memory in relatively low-dose of acute radiation syndrome is associated with inhibition of hippocampal neurogenesis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Joong-Sun; Lee, Hae-June; Kim, Jong-Choon

    2008-01-01

    Neurogenesis in the adult hippocampus, which occurs constitutively, is vulnerable to ionizing radiation. In the relatively low-dose exposure of acute radiation syndrome (ARS), the change in the adult hippocampal function is poorly understood. This study analyzed the changes in apoptotic cell death and neurogenesis in the DGs of hippocampi from adult ICR mice with single whole-body gamma-irradiation using the TdT-mediated dUTP-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) method and immunohistochemical markers of neurogenesis, Ki-67 and doublecortin (DCX). In addition, the hippocampus-dependent learning and memory tasks after single whole-body gamma-irradiation were examined in order to evaluate the hippocampus-related behavioral dysfunction in the relatively low-dose exposure of ARS. The number of TUNEL-positive apoptotic nuclei in the dentate gyrus (DG) was increased 6-12 h after acute gamma-irradiation (a single dose of 0.5 to 4 Gy). In contrast, the number of Ki-67- and DCX-positive cells began to decrease significantly 6 h postirradiation, reaching its lowest level 24 h after irradiation. The level of Ki-67 and DCX immunoreactivity decreased in a dose-dependent manner within the range of irradiation applied (0-4 Gy). In passive avoidance and object recognition memory test, the mice trained 1 day after acute irradiation (2 Gy) showed significant memory deficits, compared with the sham controls. In conclusion, the pattern of the hippocampus-dependent memory dysfunction is consistent with the change in neurogenesis after acute irradiation. It is suggested that a relatively low dose of ARS in adult ICR mice is sufficiently detrimental to interrupt the functioning of the hippocampus, including learning and memory, possibly through the inhibition of neurogenesis. (author)

  13. Estimation of the genetically significant dose resulting from diagnostic radiology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Angerstein, W.

    1978-01-01

    Based on the average gonad dose received per examination or per film and on the frequency of x-ray examinations (36 million per annum), the mean annual gonad dose to individuals in the GDR has been determined to be 33 mR. Considering different age groups of patients and the fact that the gonad dose to children is often significantly reduced in comparison to adults, estimates of the genetically significant dose (GSD) range from 7 to 19 mR per annum. Examinations of women have accounted for about 66 per cent of the GSD. The highest contribution to the GSD result from examinations of the following organs: kidneys, colon, bile duct (only in women), lumbar spine, pelois, hips, and proximal femur. Despite their high frequency, examinations of the stomach account for only about 3 per cent of the GSD. All thorax examinations (nearly 10,000,000 per annum) contribute less than 0.5 per cent, and the most frequent x-ray examinations of the skeletal system, skull, cervical spine, and teeth account for less than 3 per cent. The GSD values obtained are comparable with those from countries such as India, Japan, Netherlands, USSR, and USA. (author)

  14. Assessment of genetically significant doses to the Sofia population from natural gamma background

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vasilev, G.; Khristova, M.

    1977-01-01

    Genetically significant dose to the population of Sofia city was assessed within a program covering larger urban communities in the country. Measurements were made of gamma background exposure rates in the gonadal region. Gonad doses were estimated using a screening factor of 0.73. Based on statistical data for total number of inhabitants and number of people of reproductive age, and on the mean annual gonad doses derived, calculations were made of genetically significant dose to the Sofia population. Base-line data were thus provided for an assessment of extra radiation dose resulting from occupational radiation exposure. (author)

  15. Dose dependency of time of onset of radiation-induced growth hormone deficiency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Clayton, P.E.; Shalet, S.M.

    1991-01-01

    Growth hormone (GH) secretion during insulin-induced hypoglycemia was assessed on 133 occasions in 82 survivors of childhood malignant disease. All had received cranial irradiation with a dose range to the hypothalamic-pituitary axis of 27 to 47.5 Gy (estimated by a schedule of 16 fractions over 3 weeks) and had been tested on one or more occasions between 0.2 and 18.9 years after treatment. Results of one third of the GH tests were defined as normal (GH peak response, greater than 15 mU/L) within the first 5 years, in comparison with 16% after 5 years. Stepwise multiple linear regression analysis showed that dose (p = 0.007) and time from irradiation (p = 0.03), but not age at therapy, had a significant influence on peak GH responses. The late incidence of GH deficiency was similar over the whole dose range (4 of 26 GH test results normal for less than 30 Gy and 4 of 25 normal for greater than or equal to 30 Gy after 5 years), but the speed of onset over the first years was dependent on dose. We conclude that the requirement for GH replacement therapy and the timing of its introduction will be influenced by the dose of irradiation received by the hypothalamic-pituitary axis

  16. Electron dose dependence of signal-to-noise ratio, atom contrast and resolution in transmission electron microscope images

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lee, Z.; Rose, H.; Lehtinen, O.; Biskupek, J.; Kaiser, U.

    2014-01-01

    In order to achieve the highest resolution in aberration-corrected (AC) high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) images, high electron doses are required which only a few samples can withstand. In this paper we perform dose-dependent AC-HRTEM image calculations, and study the dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio, atom contrast and resolution on electron dose and sampling. We introduce dose-dependent contrast, which can be used to evaluate the visibility of objects under different dose conditions. Based on our calculations, we determine optimum samplings for high and low electron dose imaging conditions. - Highlights: • The definition of dose-dependent atom contrast is introduced. • The dependence of the signal-to-noise ratio, atom contrast and specimen resolution on electron dose and sampling is explored. • The optimum sampling can be determined according to different dose conditions

  17. Age-dependent effective doses for radionuclides uniformly distributed in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hung, Tran Van

    2014-01-01

    Age-dependent effective doses for external exposure to photons emitted by radionuclides uniformly distributed in air are reported. The calculations were performed for 160 radionuclides, which are important for safety assessment of nuclear facilities. The energies and intensities of photons emitted from radionuclides were taken from the decay data DECDC used for dose calculations. The results are tabulated in the form of effective dose per unit concentration and time (Sv per Bq s m -3 ) for 6 age groups: newborn, 1, 5, 10 and 15 years-old and adult. The effective doses for the adult are also compared to values given in the literature.

  18. Intracavitary brachytherapy significantly enhances local control of early T-stage nasopharyngeal carcinoma: the existence of a dose-tumor-control relationship above conventional tumoricidal dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Teo, Peter Man Lung; Leung, Sing Fai; Lee, Wai Yee; Zee, Benny

    2000-01-01

    the chronic radiation complications, with the exception of chronic radiation nasopharyngeal ulceration/necrosis which occurred in 10 patients in Group A and 1 patient in Group B. Headache (n = 4) and foul smell (n = 8) consequential to ulceration/necrosis were mild and manageable by conservative means. A significant dose-tumor-control relationship existed when local failure was studied as a function of the total physical dose or the total biological equivalent dose (linear quadratic equation, α/β = 10) uncorrected for tumor repopulation during the time course of the radiotherapy. Conclusions: Supplementing ERT which delivered tumoricidal dose (uncorrected BED-10 ≥75 Gy), ICT significantly enhanced ultimate local control and avoided the necessity for morbid salvage treatments in early T-stage (T1/T2 nasal infiltration) NPC. The slight increase in chronic radiation ulceration/necrosis after ICT was acceptable with mild and manageable symptoms. Other late complications were not increased. A significant dose-tumor-control relationship exists above the conventional tumoricidal dose level

  19. Different dose-dependent effects of ebselen in sciatic nerve ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ozyigit, Filiz; Kucuk, Aysegul; Akcer, Sezer; Tosun, Murat; Kocak, Fatma Emel; Kocak, Cengiz; Kocak, Ahmet; Metineren, Hasan; Genc, Osman

    2015-08-26

    Ebselen is an organoselenium compound which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the neuroprotective role of ebselen pretreatment in rats with experimental sciatic nerve ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (N = 7 in each group). Before sciatic nerve I/R was induced, ebselen was injected intraperitoneally at doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg. After a 2 h ischemia and a 3 h reperfusion period, sciatic nerve tissues were excised. Tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and nitric oxide (NO), and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), and catalase (CAT) were measured. Sciatic nerve tissues were also examined histopathologically. The 15 mg/kg dose of ebselen reduced sciatic nerve damage and apoptosis (pebselen. Conversely, the 30 mg/kg dose of ebselen increased sciatic nerve damage, apoptosis, iNOS positive cells (pebselen may cause different effects depending on the dose employed. Ebselen may be protective against sciatic nerve I/R injury via antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities at a 15 mg/kg dose, conversely higher doses may cause detrimental effects.

  20. Vitamin D Dependent Rickets Type II: Late Onset of Disease and Response to High Doses of Vitamin D

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Soni Sachin

    2008-01-01

    Full Text Available Vitamin D dependent rickets Type II is a rare autosomal recessive disorder. The disorder is characterized by end organ hyporesponsiveness to vitamin D. Common presentation of the disorder is total body alopecia and onset of rickets during the second half of the first year of life. Patients may display progressive rachitic bone changes, hypocalcemia and secondary hyper-parathyroidism. It is differentiated from vitamin D dependent rickets type I by virtue of response to physiological doses of exogenous vitamin D in the later. Target organ hyporesponsiveness can be overcome by higher doses of vitamin D or its analogues. We report a case of vitamin D dependent rickets type II with onset of rickets at the age of thirteen years without alopecia progressing to marked disability by twenty three years of age. She responded to massive doses of vitamin D with significant clinical improvement after six months of therapy.

  1. Dose-dependent EEG effects of zolpidem provide evidence for GABA(A) receptor subtype selectivity in vivo.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Visser, S A G; Wolters, F L C; van der Graaf, P H; Peletier, L A; Danhof, M

    2003-03-01

    Zolpidem is a nonbenzodiazepine GABA(A) receptor modulator that binds in vitro with high affinity to GABA(A) receptors expressing alpha(1) subunits but with relatively low affinity to receptors expressing alpha(2), alpha(3), and alpha(5) subunits. In the present study, it was investigated whether this subtype selectivity could be detected and quantified in vivo. Three doses (1.25, 5, and 25 mg) of zolpidem were administered to rats in an intravenous infusion over 5 min. The time course of the plasma concentrations was determined in conjunction with the change in the beta-frequency range of the EEG as pharmacodynamic endpoint. The concentration-effect relationship of the three doses showed a dose-dependent maximum effect and a dose-dependent potency. The data were analyzed for one- or two-site binding using two pharmacodynamic models based on 1) the descriptive model and 2) a novel mechanism-based pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) model for GABA(A) receptor modulators that aims to separates drug- and system-specific properties, thereby allowing the estimation of in vivo affinity and efficacy. The application of two-site models significantly improved the fits compared with one-site models. Furthermore, in contrast to the descriptive model, the mechanism-based PK/PD model yielded dose-independent estimates for affinity (97 +/- 40 and 33,100 +/- 14,800 ng x ml(-1)). In conclusion, the mechanism-based PK/PD model is able to describe and explain the observed dose-dependent EEG effects of zolpidem and suggests the subtype selectivity of zolpidem in vivo.

  2. Calculation of age-dependent effective doses for external exposure using the MCNP code

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hung, Tran Van

    2013-01-01

    Age-dependent effective dose for external exposure to photons uniformly distributed in air were calculated. Firstly, organ doses were calculated with a series of age-specific MIRD-5 type phantoms using the Monte Carlo code MCNP. The calculations were performed for mono-energetic photon sources with source energies from 10 keV to 5 MeV and for phantoms of newborn, 1, 5, 10, and 15 years-old and adult. Then, the effective doses to the different age-phantoms from the mono-energetic photon sources were estimated based on the obtained organ doses. From the calculated results, it is shown that the effective doses depend on the body size; the effective doses in younger phantoms are higher than those in the older phantoms, especially below 100 keV. (orig.)

  3. Calculation of age-dependent effective doses for external exposure using the MCNP code

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Hung, Tran Van [Research and Development Center for Radiation Technology, ThuDuc, HoChiMinh City (VT)

    2013-07-15

    Age-dependent effective dose for external exposure to photons uniformly distributed in air were calculated. Firstly, organ doses were calculated with a series of age-specific MIRD-5 type phantoms using the Monte Carlo code MCNP. The calculations were performed for mono-energetic photon sources with source energies from 10 keV to 5 MeV and for phantoms of newborn, 1, 5, 10, and 15 years-old and adult. Then, the effective doses to the different age-phantoms from the mono-energetic photon sources were estimated based on the obtained organ doses. From the calculated results, it is shown that the effective doses depend on the body size; the effective doses in younger phantoms are higher than those in the older phantoms, especially below 100 keV. (orig.)

  4. Adiponectin influences progesterone production from MA-10 Leydig cells in a dose-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Landry, David; Paré, Aurélie; Jean, Stéphanie; Martin, Luc J

    2015-04-01

    Obesity in men is associated with lower testosterone levels, related to reduced sperm concentration and the development of various diseases with aging. Hormones produced by the adipose tissue may have influences on both metabolism and reproductive function. Among them, the production and secretion of adiponectin is inversely correlated to total body fat. Adiponectin receptors (AdipoR1 and AdipoR2) have been found to be expressed in testicular Leydig cells (producing testosterone). Since StAR and Cyp11a1 are essential for testosterone synthesis and adiponectin has been shown to regulate StAR mRNA in swine granulosa cells, we hypothesized that adiponectin might also regulate these genes in Leydig cells. Our objective was to determine whether adiponectin regulates StAR and Cyp11a1 genes in Leydig cells and to better define its mechanisms of action. Methods used in the current study are qPCR for the mRNA levels, transfections for promoter activities, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the progesterone concentration. We have found that adiponectin cooperates with cAMP-dependent stimulation to activate StAR and Cyp11a1 mRNA expressions in a dose-dependent manner in MA-10 Leydig cells as demonstrated by transfection of a luciferase reporter plasmid. These results led to a significant increase in progesterone production from MA-10 cells. Thus, our data suggest that high doses of adiponectin typical of normal body weight may promote testosterone production from Leydig cells.

  5. Investigation of percentage depth dose and dose rate dependence of PAGAT polymer gel dosimeter for photon beams using MRI technique

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Azadbakht, B.; Hadad, K.; Zahmatkesh, M. H.

    2010-01-01

    In this work, the investigation of the normoxic Pagan polymer-gel dosimeter percentage depth dose and it's dose rate dependence has been made. Using MRI, the formulation to give the maximum change in the transverse relaxation rate R2 was determined to be 4.5% N,N'-methylene-bis-acrylamide(bis), 4.5% acrylamide, 5% gelatine, 5 m M tetrakis (hydroxymethyl) phosphonium chloride, 0.01 m M hydroquinone and 86% HPLC(Water). Irradiation of vials was performed using photon beams of Co-60 therapy unit and an Elec ta linear accelerator. Gel dosimeters were imaged in a Siemens Symphony 1.5 Tesla clinical MRI scanner using a head coil. Post-manufacture irradiation and post imaging times were both selected to be 1 day. For determining the percentage depth dose of the Pagan gel it was found that at the depth of 21 cm, the percentage depth dose for 1.25 MeV γ-ray photons of 60 Co and for 4,6 and 18 MV x-ray photons of Elec ta linear accelerator, are 48%, 52%, 57.3% and 59.73%, respectively. Thus, in the case of the higher energy photon beams, a higher dose can he delivered. to deep-seated tumors. The dose rate dependence of percentage depth dose was studied for 6 MV x-ray photons with the use of dose rates of 80, 160, 240, 320, 400 and 480 c Gy/min. No trend in polymer-gel dosimeter 1/T 2 dependence was found on the mean dose rate and energy for the photon beams.

  6. Hepatic lipid profiling of deer mice fed ethanol using {sup 1}H and {sup 31}P NMR spectroscopy: A dose-dependent subchronic study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fernando, Harshica; Bhopale, Kamlesh K.; Boor, Paul J.; Ansari, G.A. Shakeel; Kaphalia, Bhupendra S., E-mail: bkaphali@utmb.edu

    2012-11-01

    Chronic alcohol abuse is a 2nd major cause of liver disease resulting in significant morbidity and mortality. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by a wide spectrum of pathologies starting from fat accumulation (steatosis) in early reversible stage to inflammation with or without fibrosis and cirrhosis in later irreversible stages. Previously, we reported significant steatosis in the livers of hepatic alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH)-deficient (ADH{sup −}) vs. hepatic ADH-normal (ADH{sup +}) deer mice fed 4% ethanol daily for 2 months [Bhopale et al., 2006, Alcohol 39, 179–188]. However, ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 4% ethanol also showed a significant mortality. Therefore, a dose-dependent study was conducted to understand the mechanism and identify lipid(s) involved in the development of ethanol-induced fatty liver. ADH{sup −} and ADH{sup +} deer mice fed 1, 2 or 3.5% ethanol daily for 2 months and fatty infiltration in the livers were evaluated by histology and by measuring dry weights of extracted lipids. Lipid metabolomic changes in extracted lipids were determined by proton ({sup 1}H) and {sup 31}phosphorus ({sup 31}P) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. The NMR data was analyzed by hierarchical clustering (HC) and principle component analysis (PCA) for pattern recognition. Extensive vacuolization by histology and significantly increased dry weights of total lipids found only in the livers of ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls suggest a dose-dependent formation of fatty liver in ADH{sup −} deer mouse model. Analysis of NMR data of ADH{sup −} deer mice fed 3.5% ethanol vs. pair-fed controls shows increases for total cholesterol, esterified cholesterol, fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), triacylglycerides and unsaturation, and decreases for free cholesterol, phospholipids and allylic and diallylic protons. Certain classes of neutral lipids (cholesterol esters, fatty acyl chain (-COCH{sub 2}-) and FAMEs) were

  7. Bi-directional effect of increasing doses of baclofen on reinforcement learning

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jean eTerrier

    2011-07-01

    Full Text Available In rodents as well as in humans, efficient reinforcement learning depends on dopamine (DA released from ventral tegmental area (VTA neurons. It has been shown that in brain slices of mice, GABAB-receptor agonists at low concentrations increase the firing frequency of VTA-DA neurons, while high concentrations reduce the firing frequency. It remains however elusive whether baclofen can modulate reinforcement learning. Here, in a double blind study in 34 healthy human volunteers, we tested the effects of a low and a high concentration of oral baclofen in a gambling task associated with monetary reward. A low (20 mg dose of baclofen increased the efficiency of reward-associated learning but had no effect on the avoidance of monetary loss. A high (50 mg dose of baclofen on the other hand did not affect the learning curve. At the end of the task, subjects who received 20 mg baclofen p.o. were more accurate in choosing the symbol linked to the highest probability of earning money compared to the control group (89.55±1.39% vs 81.07±1.55%, p=0.002. Our results support a model where baclofen, at low concentrations, causes a disinhibition of DA neurons, increases DA levels and thus facilitates reinforcement learning.

  8. Dose-dependent adverse effects of salinomycin on male reproductive organs and fertility in mice.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Olajumoke Omolara Ojo

    Full Text Available Salinomycin is used as an antibiotic in animal husbandry. Its implication in cancer therapy has recently been proposed. Present study evaluated the toxic effects of Salinomycin on male reproductive system of mice. Doses of 1, 3 or 5 mg/kg of Salinomycin were administered daily for 28 days. Half of the mice were sacrificed after 24 h of the last treatment and other half were sacrificed 28 days after withdrawal of treatment. Effects of SAL on body and reproductive organ weights were studied. Histoarchitecture of testis and epididymis was evaluated along with ultrastructural changes in Leydig cells. Serum and testicular testosterone and luteinizing hormones were estimated. Superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione, lipid peroxidation, catalase and lactate dehydrogenase activities were measured. Spermatozoa count, morphology, motility and fertility were evaluated. Expression patterns of steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR and cytochrome P450 side chain cleavage proteins (CYP11A1 were assessed by Western blotting. Salinomycin treatment was lethal to few mice and retarded body growth in others with decreased weight of testes and seminal vesicles in a dose dependent manner. Seminiferous tubules in testes were disrupted and the epithelium of epididymis showed frequent occurrence of vacuolization and necrosis. Leydig cells showed hypertrophied cytoplasm with shrunken nuclei, condensed mitochondria, proliferated endoplasmic reticulum and increased number of lipid droplets. Salinomycin decreased motility and spermatozoa count with increased number of abnormal spermatozoa leading to infertility. The testosterone and luteinizing hormone levels were decreased in testis but increased in serum at higher doses. Depletion of superoxide dismutase and reduced glutathione with increased lipid peroxidation in both testis and epididymis indicated generation of oxidative stress. Suppressed expression of StAR and CYP11A1 proteins indicates inhibition of

  9. Increased orbitofrontal brain activation after administration of a selective adenosine A2A antagonist in cocaine dependent subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    F. Gerard eMoeller

    2012-05-01

    Full Text Available Background: Positron Emission Tomography imaging studies provide evidence of reduced dopamine function in cocaine dependent subjects in the striatum, which is correlated with prefrontal cortical glucose metabolism, particularly in the orbitofrontal cortex. However, whether enhancement of dopamine in the striatum in cocaine dependent subjects would be associated with changes in prefrontal cortical brain activation is unknown. One novel class of medications that enhance dopamine function via heteromer formation with dopamine receptors in the striatum is the selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonists. This study sought to determine the effects administration of the selective adenosine A2A receptor antagonist SYN115 on brain function in cocaine dependent subjects. Methodology/Principle Findings: Twelve cocaine dependent subjects underwent two fMRI scans (one after a dose of placebo and one after a dose of 100 mg of SYN115 while performing a working memory task with 3 levels of difficulty (3, 5, and 7 digits. fMRI results showed that for 7-digit working memory activation there was significantly greater activation from SYN115 compared to placebo in portions of left (L lateral orbitofrontal cortex, L insula, and L superior and middle temporal pole. Conclusion/Significance: These findings are consistent with enhanced dopamine function in the striatum in cocaine dependent subjects via blockade of adenosine A2A receptors producing increased brain activation in the orbitofrontal cortex and other cortical regions. This suggests that at least some of the changes in brain activation in prefrontal cortical regions in cocaine dependent subjects may be related to altered striatal dopamine function, and that enhancement of dopamine function via adenosine A2A receptor blockade could be explored further for amelioration of neurobehavioral deficits associated with chronic cocaine use.

  10. Time and dose dependent expression in the proteome of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with γ-irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishad, S.; Ghosh, Anu

    2014-01-01

    The aim of present study is to investigate time and dose dependent differential protein expression pattern of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after acute gamma irradiation. For this purpose, PBMCs extracted from eight healthy individuals were irradiated using 60 Co gamma rays (0.3 Gy and 1 Gy) and compared with sham irradiated controls. Total proteins were extracted 1 and 4 hour post irradiation and analyzed using 2-D gel electrophoresis. A fold change of 1.5 in spot intensity was considered as 'biological significant'. Protein identification was performed by MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. The MS/MS spectra were interrogated using Mascot 2.1 for searching against SWISS-PROT database. One-hour post irradiation, 18 proteins showed a significant difference between the sham (0 Gy) and 0.3 Gy irradiated group (6 proteins up-regulated and 12 proteins down-regulated) and 17 proteins between the sham (0 Gy) and 1 Gy irradiated group (9 proteins up-regulated and 8 down-regulated). Four hours after irradiation, 16 proteins were differentially expressed between the sham irradiated and 0.3 Gy treated group (5 proteins up-regulated and 11 proteins downregulated). Relatively high dose of 1 Gy showed modulation of 13 proteins (5 proteins upregulated and 8 proteins down regulated) after 4 hours. There were 15 proteins that were observed both at the early time point of 1-hour and the late time point of 4-hour. Important among these were, proteins involved in cytoskeletal organization like Actin, Plastin-2, Vinculin, PDZ and LIM domain protein, WD repeat containing protein and the chaperone proteins like HSP 90-alpha and Protein disulfide-isomerase A3. Proteins like thiol specific antioxidant peroxiredoxin-6 (indicating increased levels of ROS and oxidative stress) showed dose specific expression while proteins like Ras-related Rap-1b-like protein (involved in cell survival) were observed with both 0.3 Gy and 1 Gy. During the study, human peripheral blood

  11. Age and sex dependence in tumorigenesis in mice by continuous low-dose-rate gamma-ray whole-body irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Otsu, Hiroshi; Kobayashi, Shigeru; Furuse, Takeshi; Noda, Yuko; Shiragai, Akihiro; Sato, Fumiaki.

    1992-01-01

    We investigated the dependency of sex and age in mice in the induction of neoplasms by gamma-rays from cesium-137 at a low dose rate of 0.375Gy/22h/day. Thymic lymphomas occurred significantly at the same incidence in both sexes, and more frequently when younger mice were exposed to radiation. Strain C57BL/6J mice were divided into 8 groups, which were whole-body irradiated with a total dose of 39Gy for 105 days each. The exposure was begun at 28 days of age (male:AM1, female:AF1), and then stepwise increasing the starting age by 105 days, i.e., from 133 days (AM2 and AF2), from 238 days (AM3 and AF3), and from 343 days (AM4 and AF4), respectively. Unirradiated mice served as control (UM and UF). The incidence of thymic lymphomas was about 60 % in AM1, AM2, AF1 and AF2, 40 % in AM3 and AF3 and 20 % in AF4 and AF4, demonstrating no sex dependency, but a distinct age dependency, for lymphomogenesis. It was proven that mice showed a tendency to become less susceptible to radiation induced thymic lymphoma with increasing age. Concomitantly, life-shortening also was caused, and the greater the degree of life-shortening was, the younger the mice were the start of exposure. Life-shortening was attributed to thymic lymphoma, and hemorrhage and infectious diseases due to the depletion of bone marrow cells. (author)

  12. Ocular allergy modulation to hi-dose antigen sensitization is a Treg-dependent process.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lee, Hyun Soo; Schlereth, Simona; Khandelwal, Payal; Saban, Daniel R

    2013-01-01

    A reproducible method to inhibit allergic immune responses is accomplished with hi-dose Ag sensitization, via intraperitoneal (IP) injection. However, the role of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ T regulatory cells (Treg) in this process is unknown, as is whether such modulation extends to ocular allergy. We therefore determined herein whether hi-dose sensitization modulates ocular allergy, and whether CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg are involved. C57BL/6 mice were IP sensitized via low-dose (100 µg) versus hi-dose (1000 µg) ovalbumin (OVA), in aluminum hydroxide (1 mg) and pertussis-toxin (300 ng). Other mice received anti-CD25 Ab (PC61) to ablate Treg during sensitization. In another experiment, Treg from hi-dose sensitized mice were adoptively transferred into low-dose sensitized mice. Once daily OVA challenges were administered. Clinical signs, IgE, T cell cytokines, and eosinophils were assessed. Data revealed that hi-dose, but not low-dose, sensitization led to allergy modulation, indicated by decreased clinical signs, serum IgE levels, Th2 recall responses, and eosinophil recruitment. T cells from hi-dose sensitized mice showed a robust increase in TGF-b production, and Treg from these mice were able to efficiently suppress effector T cell proliferation in vitro. In addition, in vivo Treg ablation in hi-dose sensitized mice revoked allergy modulation. Lastly, Treg from hi-dose sensitized mice were able to adoptively transfer allergy modulation to their low-dose sensitized counterparts. Collectively, these findings indicate that modulation to hi-dose sensitization, which is extended to ocular allergy, occurs in a Treg-dependent manner. In addition, our data suggest that hi-dose sensitization may henceforth facilitate the further examination of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3+ Treg in allergic disease.

  13. Normal tissue complication probabilities: dependence on choice of biological model and dose-volume histogram reduction scheme

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Moiseenko, Vitali; Battista, Jerry; Van Dyk, Jake

    2000-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the impact of dose-volume histogram (DVH) reduction schemes and models of normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) on ranking of radiation treatment plans. Methods and Materials: Data for liver complications in humans and for spinal cord in rats were used to derive input parameters of four different NTCP models. DVH reduction was performed using two schemes: 'effective volume' and 'preferred Lyman'. DVHs for competing treatment plans were derived from a sample DVH by varying dose uniformity in a high dose region so that the obtained cumulative DVHs intersected. Treatment plans were ranked according to the calculated NTCP values. Results: Whenever the preferred Lyman scheme was used to reduce the DVH, competing plans were indistinguishable as long as the mean dose was constant. The effective volume DVH reduction scheme did allow us to distinguish between these competing treatment plans. However, plan ranking depended on the radiobiological model used and its input parameters. Conclusions: Dose escalation will be a significant part of radiation treatment planning using new technologies, such as 3-D conformal radiotherapy and tomotherapy. Such dose escalation will depend on how the dose distributions in organs at risk are interpreted in terms of expected complication probabilities. The present study indicates considerable variability in predicted NTCP values because of the methods used for DVH reduction and radiobiological models and their input parameters. Animal studies and collection of standardized clinical data are needed to ascertain the effects of non-uniform dose distributions and to test the validity of the models currently in use

  14. Anti-Allergic Drugs Tranilast and Ketotifen Dose-Dependently Exert Mast Cell-Stabilizing Properties

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Asuka Baba

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Background: Anti-allergic drugs, such as tranilast and ketotifen, inhibit the release of chemokines from mast cells. However, we know little about their direct effects on the exocytotic process of mast cells. Since exocytosis in mast cells can be monitored electrophysiologically by changes in the whole-cell membrane capacitance (Cm, the absence of such changes by these drugs indicates their mast cell-stabilizing properties. Methods: Employing the standard patch-clamp whole-cell recording technique in rat peritoneal mast cells, we examined the effects of tranilast and ketotifen on the Cm during exocytosis. Using confocal imaging of a water-soluble fluorescent dye, lucifer yellow, we also examined their effects on the deformation of the plasma membrane. Results: Relatively lower concentrations of tranilast (100, 250 µM and ketotifen (1, 10 µM did not significantly affect the GTP-γ-S-induced increase in the Cm. However, higher concentrations of tranilast (500 µM, 1 mM and ketotifen (50, 100 µM almost totally suppressed the increase in the Cm, and washed out the trapping of the dye on the surface of the mast cells. Compared to tranilast, ketotifen required much lower doses to similarly inhibit the degranulation of mast cells or the increase in the Cm. Conclusions: This study provides electrophysiological evidence for the first time that tranilast and ketotifen dose-dependently inhibit the process of exocytosis, and that ketotifen is more potent than tranilast in stabilizing mast cells. The mast cell-stabilizing properties of these drugs may be attributed to their ability to counteract the plasma membrane deformation in degranulating mast cells.

  15. Calculation of absorbed dose of anchorage-dependent cells from internal beta-rays irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chen Jianwei; Huang Gang; Li Shijun

    2001-01-01

    Objective: To elicit the formula of internal dosimetry in anchorage-dependent cells by beta-emitting radionuclides from uniformly distributed volume sources. Methods: By means of the definition of absorbed dose and the MIRD (Medical International Radiation Dose) scheme the formula of internal dosimetry was reasonably deduced. Firstly, studying the systems of suspension culture cells. Then, taking account of the speciality of the systems of the anchorage-dependent cells and the directions of irradiation, the absorbed dose of anchorage -dependent cells was calculated by the accumulated radioactivity, beta-ray energy, and the volume of the cultured systems. Results: The formula of internal dosimetry of suspension culture cells and anchorage-dependent cells were achieved. At the same time, the formula of internal dosimetry of suspension culture cells was compared with that of MIRD and was confirmed accurate. Conclusion: The formula of internal dosimetry is concise, reliable and accurate

  16. Dose-dependent social-cognitive effects of intranasal oxytocin delivered with novel Breath Powered device in adults with autism spectrum disorder: a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind crossover trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Quintana, D S; Westlye, L T; Hope, S; Nærland, T; Elvsåshagen, T; Dørum, E; Rustan, Ø; Valstad, M; Rezvaya, L; Lishaugen, H; Stensønes, E; Yaqub, S; Smerud, K T; Mahmoud, R A; Djupesland, P G; Andreassen, O A

    2017-05-23

    The neuropeptide oxytocin has shown promise as a treatment for symptoms of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, clinical research progress has been hampered by a poor understanding of oxytocin's dose-response and sub-optimal intranasal delivery methods. We examined two doses of oxytocin delivered using a novel Breath Powered intranasal delivery device designed to improve direct nose-to-brain activity in a double-blind, crossover, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. In a randomized sequence of single-dose sessions, 17 male adults with ASD received 8 international units (IU) oxytocin, 24IU oxytocin or placebo followed by four social-cognitive tasks. We observed an omnibus main effect of treatment on the primary outcome measure of overt emotion salience as measured by emotional ratings of faces (η 2 =0.18). Compared to placebo, 8IU treatment increased overt emotion salience (P=0.02, d=0.63). There was no statistically significant increase after 24IU treatment (P=0.12, d=0.4). The effects after 8IU oxytocin were observed despite no significant increase in peripheral blood plasma oxytocin concentrations. We found no significant effects for reading the mind in the eyes task performance or secondary outcome social-cognitive tasks (emotional dot probe and face-morphing). To our knowledge, this is the first trial to assess the dose-dependent effects of a single oxytocin administration in autism, with results indicating that a low dose of oxytocin can significantly modulate overt emotion salience despite minimal systemic exposure.

  17. Angular dependence of dose equivalent response of an albedo neutron dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Torres, B.A.; Boswell, E.; Schwartz, R.B.

    1994-01-01

    The ANSI provides procedures for testing the performance of dosimetry services. Although neutron dose equivalent angular response studies are not now mandated, future standards may well require that such studies be performed. Current studies with an albedo dosimeter will yield information regarding the angular dependence of dose equivalent response for this type of personnel dosimeter. Preliminary data for bare 252 Cf fluences show a marked decrease in dosimeter reading with increasing angle. The response decreased by an approximate factor of four. For the horizontal orientation, the same response was noted from both positive and negative angles. However, for the vertical orientation, the response was unexplainably assymetric. We are also examining the response of the personnel badge in moderated 252 Cf fluences. Responses from the moderated and unmoderated 252 Cf fields and theoretical calculations of the neutron angular response will be compared. This information will assist in building a data base for future comparisons of neutron angular responses with other neutron albedo dosimeters and phantoms

  18. Insulin Increases Expression of TRPC6 Channels in Podocytes by a Calcineurin-Dependent Pathway

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Xia, Shengqiang; Liu, Ying; Li, Xinming

    2016-01-01

    and protein in podocytes. Insulin increased TRPC6 transcripts in a time and dose-dependent manner. The insulin-induced elevation of TRPC6 transcripts was blocked in the presence of tacrolimus, cyclosporine A, and NFAT-inhibitor (each p ANOVA and Bonferroni's multiple comparison test). Transcripts......, cyclosporine A, and NFAT-inhibitor blocked that insulin effect (p ANOVA). Immunofluorescence showed that insulin increased TRPC6-expression on the cell surface. Fluorescence-spectrophotometry and manganese quench experiments indicated that the increased TRPC6-expression after insulin...

  19. Comparative pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of albendazole sulfoxide in sheep and goats, and dose-dependent plasma disposition in goats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Aksit, Dilek; Yalinkilinc, Hande Sultan; Sekkin, Selim; Boyacioğlu, Murat; Cirak, Veli Yilgor; Ayaz, Erol; Gokbulut, Cengiz

    2015-05-27

    The aims of this study were to compare the pharmacokinetics of albendazole sulfoxide (ABZ-SO, ricobendazole) in goats and sheep at a dose of 5 g/kg bodyweight (BW), after intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) administrations, and to investigate the effects of increased doses (10 and 15 mg/kg BW) on the plasma disposition of ABZ-SO in goats following SC administration. A total of 16 goats (Capra aegagrus hircus, eight males and eight females) and 8 sheep (Ovis aries, four males and four females) 12-16 months old and weighing 20-32 kg, were used. The study was designed according to two-phase crossover study protocol. In Phase-1, eight sheep were assigned as Group I and 16 goats were allocated into two groups (Group II and Group III). ABZ-SO was applied to Group I (sheep) and Group II (goats) animals subcutaneously, and to Group III (goats) animals intravenously, all at a dose rate of 5 mg/kg BW. In Phase-2, the sheep in the Group I received ABZ-SO intravenously in a dose of 5 mg/kg BW; the goats in Group II and Group III received ABZ-SO subcutaneously at a dose of 10 mg/kg and 15 mg/kg BW, respectively. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at different times between 1 and 120 h after drug administrations. The plasma concentrations of ABZ-SO and its metabolites were analysed by high performance liquid chromatography. In goats, the area under the curve, terminal half-life and plasma persistence of ABZ-SO were significantly smaller and shorter, respectively, compared with those observed in sheep following both IV and SC administrations at a dose of 5 mg/kg BW. On the other side, dose-dependent plasma dispositions of ABZ-SO were observed following SC administration at increased doses (10 and 15 mg/kg) in goats. Consequently, ABZ-SO might be used at higher doses to provide higher plasma concentration and thus to achieve greater efficacy against the target parasites.

  20. Dose-dependency and reversibility of radiation-induced injury in cardiac explant-derived cells of mice

    Science.gov (United States)

    Luo, Lan; Yan, Chen; Urata, Yoshishige; Hasan, Al Shaimaa; Goto, Shinji; Guo, Chang-Ying; Zhang, Shouhua; Li, Tao-Sheng

    2017-01-01

    We evaluated the dose-dependency and reversibility of radiation-induced injury in cardiac explant-derived cells (CDCs), a mixed cell population grown from heart tissues. Adult C57BL/6 mice were exposed to 0, 10, 50 and 250 mGy γ-rays for 7 days and atrial tissues were collected for experiments 24 hours after last exposure. The number of CDCs was significantly decreased by daily exposure to over 250 mGy. Interestingly, daily exposure to over 50 mGy significantly decreased the c-kit expression and telomerase activity, increased 53BP1 foci in the nuclei of CDCs. However, CD90 expression and growth factors production in CDCs were not significantly changed even after daily exposure to 250 mGy. We further evaluated the reversibility of radiation-induced injury in CDCs at 1 week and 3 weeks after a single exposure to 3 Gy γ-rays. The number and growth factors production of CDCs were soon recovered at 1 week. However, the increased expression of CD90 were retained at 1 week, but recovered at 3 weeks. Moreover, the decreased expression of c-kit, impaired telomerase activity, and increased 53BP1 foci were poorly recovered even at 3 weeks. These data may help us to find the most sensitive and reliable bio-parameter(s) for evaluating radiation-induced injury in CDCs. PMID:28098222

  1. Genetically significant dose from diagnostic radiology in Great Britain

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Darby, S C; Wall, B F [National Radiological Protection Board, Harwell (UK)

    1981-01-01

    A brief discussion is presented of the use of population and child expectancy data to estimate the annual genetically significant dose for diagnostic radiology (GSD). The current estimate of GSD is compared with that reported in a survey 20 years previously. Comparisons are made with estimates of GSD from other countries.

  2. Dose-dependent elimination of 8-methoxypsoralen in the mouse

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cheney, P.; Pacula, C.M.; Gerber, N.; Mays, D.C.

    1986-01-01

    8-Methoxypsoralen (8-MOP), a photoactive linear furocoumarin, is effective in the treatment of several diseases, including psoriasis, mycosis fungoides and T-cell leukemia. Recently, a specific extraction procedure for 14 C-8-MOP showed that the elimination of 8-MOP in the rat was dose-dependent. Similar pharmacokinetic studies were undertaken in mice. Purity of 14 C-8-MOP, verified by a four-tube countercurrent distribution using hexane (8 ml) and pH 7.4 phosphate buffer (0.1 M 15 ml) as described by Bush, was >98% and distributed with a partition coefficient of 3.86. Male CD-1 mice were each given an i.p. dose of 10 or 50 mg/kg of 14 C-8-MOP (3.4 μCi/mg) sacrificed at timed intervals, homogenized in 150 ml of 0.1 M phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) and a portion (0.8 ml) of the homogenate used to quantify 8-MOP as described above. The elimination half-life measured in the first 45 min was 7.4 min at 10 mg/kg and 95 min at 50 mg/kg. A similar half-life of 9.2 min was measured in mice given an i.v. dose 10 mg/kg of 8-MOP. Explanations of dose-dependent elimination include enzyme saturation, product inhibition or both. Between 58-80% of the administered radioactivity was recovered in the urine within 24 hr. Nine peaks of radioactivity were observed in the urine by HPLC, two of which coeluted with 5,8-dihydroxypsoralen and 6-(7-hydroxy-8-methoxycoumaryl)-acetic acid

  3. Biophysical analysis of the dose-dependent overdispersion and the restricted linear energy transfer dependence expressed in dicentric chromosome data from alpha-irradiated human lymphocytes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Greinert, R; Harder, D

    1997-06-01

    Experimental data for the induction of dicentric chromosomes in phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated human T lymphocytes by 241Am alpha-particles obtained by Schmid et al. have been analyzed in the light of biophysical theory. As usual in experiments with alpha-particles, the relative variance of the intercellular distribution of the number of aberrations per cell exceeds unity, and the multiplicity of the aberrations per particle traversal through the cell is understood as the basic effect causing this overdispersion. However, the clearly expressed dose dependence of the relative variance differs from the dose-independent relative variance predicted by the multiplicity effect alone. Since such dose dependence is often observed in experiments with alpha-particles, protons, and high-energy neutrons, the interpretation of the overdispersion needs to be supplemented. In a new, more general statistical model, the distribution function of the number of aberrations is interpreted as resulting from the convolution of a Poisson distribution for the spontaneous aberrations with the overdispersed distributions for the aberrations caused by intratrack or intertrack lesion interaction, and the fluctuation of the cross-sectional area of the cellular chromatin must also be considered. Using a suitable mathematical formulation of the resulting dose-dependent over-dispersion, the mean number lambda 1 of the aberrations produced by a single particle traversal through the cell nucleus and the mean number lambda 2 of the aberrations per pairwise approach between two alpha-particle tracks could be estimated. Coefficient alpha of the dose-proportional yield component, when compared between 241Am alpha-particle irradiation and 137Cs gamma-ray exposure, is found to increase approximately in proportion to dose-mean restricted linear energy transfer, which indicates an underlying pairwise molecular lesion interaction on the nanometer scale.

  4. Dependence of the rate of DNA synthesis in x-irradiated HeLa S3 cells on dose and time after exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tolmach, L.J.; Jones, R.W.

    1977-01-01

    After irradiation of randomly dividing cultures of HeLa S3 cells with 220-kV x rays, the rate of DNA synthesis, measured by pulsed incorporation of labeled thymidine, falls nearly exponentially with time (t/sub 1/2/ approximately 1.3 hr), in a dose-independent fashion. The fall is less rapid than that observed after addition of inhibitors of protein synthesis. With doses up to 8 krad, the rate reaches a minimum and begins to increase after 1-3 hr, the minima occurring at lower values and at slightly later times with increasing dose. The increase appears to be roughly linear for about 6 hr, with the slope an inverse function of dose in the range 1-8 krad. About 7-9 hr after the completion of irradiation, the rate again falls, although no more than 10 percent of the cells die sooner than 14 hr after irradiation with 8 krad (and later with smaller doses). Fluorodeoxyuridine-mediated delay in expression of the depression, described previously for doses up to 1 krad, occurs also at higher doses. During the period when the rate per culture rises, the rate in the individual cells, measured autoradiographically, appears to increase also, i.e., the rise presumably does not merely reflect populational shifts. The initial descending portion of the rate curve can be at least partially separated from the ascending portion by administering the total dose in suitably spaced fractions. If interpreted in terms of the model that attributes the initial depression in rate of synthesis to a temporary absence of replicon initiation, the results indicate that initiation is halted by an x-ray dose smaller than 1 krad; that it begins again after a dose-dependent delay amounting to about 0.7 hr after 1 krad and 1.5 hr after 7 krad; and that once begun, the rate of synthesis increases in a dose-dependent fashion. The second depression might derive from synchronization and/or from the imminence of cell death

  5. SU-F-18C-12: On the Relationship of the Weighted Dose to the Surface Dose In Abdominal CT - Patient Size Dependency

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Zhou, Y; Scott, A; Allahverdian, J [Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: It is possible to measure the patient surface dose non-invasively using radiolucent dosimeters. However, the patient size specific weighted dose remains unknown. We attempted to study the weighted dose to surface dose relationship as the patient size varies in abdominal CT. Methods: Seven abdomen phantoms (CIRS TE series) simulating patients from an infant to a large adult were used. Size specific doses were measured with a 100 mm CT chamber under axial scans using a Siemens Sensation 64 (mCT) and a GE 750 HD. The scanner settings were 120 kVp, 200 mAs with fully opened collimations. Additional kVps (80, 100, 140) were added depending on the phantom sizes. The ratios (r) of the weighted CT dose (Dw) to the surface dose (Ds) were related to the phantom size (L) defined as the diameter resulting the equivalent cross-sectional area. Results: The Dw versus Ds ratio (r) was fitted to a linear relationship: r = 1.083 − 0.007L (R square = 0.995), and r = 1.064 − 0.007L (R square = 0.953), for Siemens Sensation 64 and GE 750 HD, respectively. The relationship appears to be independent of the scanner specifics. Conclusion: The surface dose to the weighted dose ratio decreases linearly as the patient size increases. The result is independent of the scanner specifics. The result can be used to obtain in vivo CT dosimetry in abdominal CT.

  6. SU-F-18C-12: On the Relationship of the Weighted Dose to the Surface Dose In Abdominal CT - Patient Size Dependency

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Zhou, Y; Scott, A; Allahverdian, J

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: It is possible to measure the patient surface dose non-invasively using radiolucent dosimeters. However, the patient size specific weighted dose remains unknown. We attempted to study the weighted dose to surface dose relationship as the patient size varies in abdominal CT. Methods: Seven abdomen phantoms (CIRS TE series) simulating patients from an infant to a large adult were used. Size specific doses were measured with a 100 mm CT chamber under axial scans using a Siemens Sensation 64 (mCT) and a GE 750 HD. The scanner settings were 120 kVp, 200 mAs with fully opened collimations. Additional kVps (80, 100, 140) were added depending on the phantom sizes. The ratios (r) of the weighted CT dose (Dw) to the surface dose (Ds) were related to the phantom size (L) defined as the diameter resulting the equivalent cross-sectional area. Results: The Dw versus Ds ratio (r) was fitted to a linear relationship: r = 1.083 − 0.007L (R square = 0.995), and r = 1.064 − 0.007L (R square = 0.953), for Siemens Sensation 64 and GE 750 HD, respectively. The relationship appears to be independent of the scanner specifics. Conclusion: The surface dose to the weighted dose ratio decreases linearly as the patient size increases. The result is independent of the scanner specifics. The result can be used to obtain in vivo CT dosimetry in abdominal CT

  7. Dexmedetomidine Dose Dependently Enhances the Local Anesthetic Action of Lidocaine in Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block: A Randomized Double-Blind Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ouchi, Kentaro; Sugiyama, Kazuna

    2016-01-01

    Dexmedetomidine (DEX) dose dependently enhances the local anesthetic action of lidocaine in rats. We hypothesized that the effect might also be dose dependent in humans. We evaluated the effect of various concentrations of DEX with a local anesthetic in humans. Eighteen healthy volunteers were randomly assigned by a computer to receive 1.8 mL of 1 of 4 drug combinations: (1) 1% lidocaine with 2.5 ppm (parts per million) (4.5 μg) DEX, (2) lidocaine with 5.0 ppm (9.0 μg) DEX, (3) lidocaine with 7.5 ppm (13.5μg) DEX, or (4) lidocaine with 1:80,000 (22.5 μg) adrenaline (AD), to produce inferior alveolar nerve block. Pulp latency and lower lip numbness (for assessing onset and duration of anesthesia) were tested, and sedation level, blood pressure, and heart rate were recorded every 5 minutes for 20 minutes, and every 10 minutes from 20 to 60 minutes. Pulp latency of each tooth increased compared with baseline, from 5 to 15 minutes until 60 minutes. There were no significant intergroup differences at any time point. Anesthesia onset was not different between groups. Anesthesia duration was different between groups (that with DEX 7.5 ppm was significantly longer than that with DEX 2.5 ppm and AD; there was no difference between DEX 2.5 ppm and AD). Blood pressure decreased from baseline in the 5.0 and 7.5 ppm DEX groups at 30 to 60 minutes, although there was no hypotension; moreover, heart rate did not change in any group. Sedation score did not indicate deep sedation in any of the groups. Dexmedetomidine dose dependently enhances the local anesthetic action of lidocaine in humans. Dexmedetomidine at 2.5 ppm produces similar enhancement of local anesthesia effect as addition of 1:80,000 AD.

  8. Dose-Dependent Effects of Statins for Patients with Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Meta-Regression Analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    To, Minh-Son; Prakash, Shivesh; Poonnoose, Santosh I; Bihari, Shailesh

    2018-05-01

    The study uses meta-regression analysis to quantify the dose-dependent effects of statin pharmacotherapy on vasospasm, delayed ischemic neurologic deficits (DIND), and mortality in aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. Prospective, retrospective observational studies, and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were retrieved by a systematic database search. Summary estimates were expressed as absolute risk (AR) for a given statin dose or control (placebo). Meta-regression using inverse variance weighting and robust variance estimation was performed to assess the effect of statin dose on transformed AR in a random effects model. Dose-dependence of predicted AR with 95% confidence interval (CI) was recovered by using Miller's Freeman-Tukey inverse. The database search and study selection criteria yielded 18 studies (2594 patients) for analysis. These included 12 RCTs, 4 retrospective observational studies, and 2 prospective observational studies. Twelve studies investigated simvastatin, whereas the remaining studies investigated atorvastatin, pravastatin, or pitavastatin, with simvastatin-equivalent doses ranging from 20 to 80 mg. Meta-regression revealed dose-dependent reductions in Freeman-Tukey-transformed AR of vasospasm (slope coefficient -0.00404, 95% CI -0.00720 to -0.00087; P = 0.0321), DIND (slope coefficient -0.00316, 95% CI -0.00586 to -0.00047; P = 0.0392), and mortality (slope coefficient -0.00345, 95% CI -0.00623 to -0.00067; P = 0.0352). The present meta-regression provides weak evidence for dose-dependent reductions in vasospasm, DIND and mortality associated with acute statin use after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. However, the analysis was limited by substantial heterogeneity among individual studies. Greater dosing strategies are a potential consideration for future RCTs. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  9. Dose-dependent ATP depletion and cancer cell death following calcium electroporation, relative effect of calcium concentration and electric field strength

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Hansen, Emilie Louise; Sozer, Esin Bengisu; Romeo, Stefania

    2015-01-01

    death and could be a novel cancer treatment. This study aims at understanding the relationship between applied electric field, calcium concentration, ATP depletion and efficacy. METHODS: In three human cell lines--H69 (small-cell lung cancer), SW780 (bladder cancer), and U937 (leukaemia), viability...... was observed with fluorescence confocal microscopy of quinacrine-labelled U937 cells. RESULTS: Both H69 and SW780 cells showed dose-dependent (calcium concentration and electric field) decrease in intracellular ATP (p...-dependently reduced cell survival and intracellular ATP. Increasing extracellular calcium allows the use of a lower electric field. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE: This study supports the use of calcium electroporation for treatment of cancer and possibly lowering the applied electric field in future trials....

  10. Non-linear character of dose dependences of chromosome aberration frequency in radiation-damaged root

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kravets, E.A.; Berezhnaya, V.V.; Sakada, V.I.; Rashidov, N.M.; Grodzinskij, D.M.; Kravets, E.A.; Berezhnaya, V.V.; Sakada, V.I.; Rashidov, N.M.; Grodzinskij, D.M.

    2012-01-01

    The dose dependences of the aberrant anaphases in the root meristem in 48 hours after the irradiation have non-linear character and a plateau in the region about 6-8 Gy. The plateau indicates the activation of recovery processes. In the plateau range, the level of damages for this genotype is 33% for aberrant anaphases (FAA), 2.3 aberrations per aberrant anaphase (A/AC), and 0.74 aberrations for the total number of anaphases. At 10 Gy, the dose curve forms the exponential region caused by the involvement of the large number of new cells with unrepaired damages in the mutation process. The increase of A/AC to 1.1 indicate the ''criticality'' of the meristem radiation damage.

  11. Extracting the normal lung dose–response curve from clinical DVH data: a possible role for low dose hyper-radiosensitivity, increased radioresistance

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gordon, J J; Snyder, K; Zhong, H; Barton, K; Sun, Z; Chetty, I J; Matuszak, M; Ten Haken, R K

    2015-01-01

    In conventionally fractionated radiation therapy for lung cancer, radiation pneumonitis’ (RP) dependence on the normal lung dose-volume histogram (DVH) is not well understood. Complication models alternatively make RP a function of a summary statistic, such as mean lung dose (MLD). This work searches over damage profiles, which quantify sub-volume damage as a function of dose. Profiles that achieve best RP predictive accuracy on a clinical dataset are hypothesized to approximate DVH dependence.Step function damage rate profiles R(D) are generated, having discrete steps at several dose points. A range of profiles is sampled by varying the step heights and dose point locations. Normal lung damage is the integral of R(D) with the cumulative DVH. Each profile is used in conjunction with a damage cutoff to predict grade 2 plus (G2+) RP for DVHs from a University of Michigan clinical trial dataset consisting of 89 CFRT patients, of which 17 were diagnosed with G2+ RP.Optimal profiles achieve a modest increase in predictive accuracy—erroneous RP predictions are reduced from 11 (using MLD) to 8. A novel result is that optimal profiles have a similar distinctive shape: enhanced damage contribution from low doses (<20 Gy), a flat contribution from doses in the range ∼20–40 Gy, then a further enhanced contribution from doses above 40 Gy. These features resemble the hyper-radiosensitivity / increased radioresistance (HRS/IRR) observed in some cell survival curves, which can be modeled using Joiner’s induced repair model.A novel search strategy is employed, which has the potential to estimate RP dependence on the normal lung DVH. When applied to a clinical dataset, identified profiles share a characteristic shape, which resembles HRS/IRR. This suggests that normal lung may have enhanced sensitivity to low doses, and that this sensitivity can affect RP risk. (paper)

  12. Temperature and dose dependencies of microstructure and hardness of neutron irradiated OFHC copper

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Singh, B.N.; Horsewell, A.; Toft, P.; Edwards, D.J.

    1995-01-01

    Tensile specimens of pure oxygen free high conductivity (OFHC) copper were irradiated with fission neutrons between 320 and 723 K to fluences in the range 5x10 21 to 1.5x10 24 n/m 2 (E>1 MeV) with a flux of 2.5x10 17 n/m 2 s. Irradiated specimens were investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and quantitative determinations were made of defect clusters and cavities. The dose dependence of tensile properties of specimens irradiated at 320 K was determined at 295 K. Hardness measurements were made at 295 K on specimens irradiated at different temperatures and doses. Microstructures of tensile tested specimens were also investigated by TEM. Results show that the increase in cluster density and hardening nearly saturate at a dose of similar 0.3 dpa. Irradiations at 320 K cause a drastic decrease in the uniform elongation already at ∼ =0.1 dpa. It is suggested that the irradiation-induced increase in the initial yield stress and a drastic decrease in the ability of copper to deform plastically in a homogeneous fashion are caused by a substantial reduction in the ability of grown-in dislocations to act as efficient dislocation sources. ((orig.))

  13. Hydrogen sulfide increases nitric oxide production from endothelial cells by an Akt-dependent mechanism

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Arturo J Cardounel

    2011-12-01

    Full Text Available Hydrogen sulfide (H2S and nitric oxide (NO are both gasotransmitters that can elicit synergistic vasodilatory responses in the in the cardiovascular system, but the mechanisms behind this synergy are unclear. In the current study we investigated the molecular mechanisms through which H2S regulates endothelial NO production. Initial studies were performed to establish the temporal and dose-dependent effects of H2S on NO generation using EPR spin trapping techniques. H2S stimulated a two-fold increase in NO production from endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, which was maximal 30 min after exposure to 25-150 µM H2S. Following 30 min H2S exposure, eNOS phosphorylation at Ser 1177 was significantly increased compared to control, consistent with eNOS activation. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt, the kinase responsible for Ser 1177 phosphorylation, attenuated the stimulatory effect of H2S on NO production. Taken together, these data demonstrate that H2S up-regulates NO production from eNOS through an Akt-dependent mechanism. These results implicate H2S in the regulation of NO in endothelial cells, and suggest that deficiencies in H2S signaling can directly impact processes regulated by NO.

  14. Psilocybin dose-dependently causes delayed, transient headaches in healthy volunteers.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Johnson, Matthew W; Sewell, R Andrew; Griffiths, Roland R

    2012-06-01

    Psilocybin is a well-characterized classic hallucinogen (psychedelic) with a long history of religious use by indigenous cultures, and nonmedical use in modern societies. Although psilocybin is structurally related to migraine medications, and case studies suggest that psilocybin may be efficacious in treatment of cluster headache, little is known about the relationship between psilocybin and headache. This double-blind study examined a broad range of psilocybin doses (0, 5, 10, 20, and 30 mg/70 kg) on headache in 18 healthy participants. Psilocybin frequently caused headache, the incidence, duration, and severity of which increased in a dose-dependent manner. All headaches had delayed onset, were transient, and lasted no more than a day after psilocybin administration. Possible mechanisms for these observations are discussed, and include induction of delayed headache through nitric oxide release. These data suggest that headache is an adverse event to be expected with the nonmedical use of psilocybin-containing mushrooms as well as the administration of psilocybin in human research. Headaches were neither severe nor disabling, and should not present a barrier to future psilocybin research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  15. Increasing Stem Cell Dose Promotes Posttransplant Immune Reconstitution.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Xu, Ning; Shen, Sylvie; Dolnikov, Alla

    2017-04-01

    Umbilical cord blood (UCB) transplantation can provide a successful therapeutic option for patients that have no suitable related donor. UCB transplantation is often limited by the relatively small hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) numbers in UCB especially for adult recipients. Early neutrophil and platelet engraftment correlates with the stem cell numbers in UCB transplant. Compared to other HSC sources, immune reconstitution following UCB transplant is slower and complicated by increased frequency of opportunistic infections. The effect of HSC numbers in UCB transplant on immune reconstitution was not thoroughly examined. Using immunocompromised mice transplanted with purified UCB CD34+ stem cells, we have demonstrated that increasing the numbers of CD34+ cells in the transplant promotes hematopoietic and immune reconstitution. At early stages posttransplant, high stem cell dose generated relatively more B cells, while lower dose generated more myeloid and T cells. Thus, the size of the stem cell graft appears to modulate the differentiation potential of infused stem cells. In addition, increasing stem cell dose in the transplant improved CD8+ T cell development and delayed late memory T cell skewing in expense of naive T cells highlighting the importance of HSC dose to maintain the pool of naive T cells able to develop strong immune responses. Transplantation of ex vivo expanded CD34+ cells did not promote, but rather delayed immune reconstitution suggesting the loss of primitive lymphoid precursor cells during ex vivo expansion.

  16. Testing Dose-Dependent Effects of the Nectar Alkaloid Anabasine on Trypanosome Parasite Loads in Adult Bumble Bees.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Anthony, Winston E; Palmer-Young, Evan C; Leonard, Anne S; Irwin, Rebecca E; Adler, Lynn S

    2015-01-01

    The impact of consuming biologically active compounds is often dose-dependent, where small quantities can be medicinal while larger doses are toxic. The consumption of plant secondary compounds can be toxic to herbivores in large doses, but can also improve survival in parasitized herbivores. In addition, recent studies have found that consuming nectar secondary compounds may decrease parasite loads in pollinators. However, the effect of compound dose on bee survival and parasite loads has not been assessed. To determine how secondary compound consumption affects survival and pathogen load in Bombus impatiens, we manipulated the presence of a common gut parasite, Crithidia bombi, and dietary concentration of anabasine, a nectar alkaloid produced by Nicotiana spp. using four concentrations naturally observed in floral nectar. We hypothesized that increased consumption of secondary compounds at concentrations found in nature would decrease survival of uninfected bees, but improve survival and ameliorate parasite loads in infected bees. We found medicinal effects of anabasine in infected bees; the high-anabasine diet decreased parasite loads and increased the probability of clearing the infection entirely. However, survival time was not affected by any level of anabasine concentration, or by interactive effects of anabasine concentration and infection. Crithidia infection reduced survival time by more than two days, but this effect was not significant. Our results support a medicinal role for anabasine at the highest concentration; moreover, we found no evidence for a survival-related cost of anabasine consumption across the concentration range found in nectar. Our results suggest that consuming anabasine at the higher levels of the natural range could reduce or clear pathogen loads without incurring costs for healthy bees.

  17. Testing Dose-Dependent Effects of the Nectar Alkaloid Anabasine on Trypanosome Parasite Loads in Adult Bumble Bees.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Winston E Anthony

    Full Text Available The impact of consuming biologically active compounds is often dose-dependent, where small quantities can be medicinal while larger doses are toxic. The consumption of plant secondary compounds can be toxic to herbivores in large doses, but can also improve survival in parasitized herbivores. In addition, recent studies have found that consuming nectar secondary compounds may decrease parasite loads in pollinators. However, the effect of compound dose on bee survival and parasite loads has not been assessed. To determine how secondary compound consumption affects survival and pathogen load in Bombus impatiens, we manipulated the presence of a common gut parasite, Crithidia bombi, and dietary concentration of anabasine, a nectar alkaloid produced by Nicotiana spp. using four concentrations naturally observed in floral nectar. We hypothesized that increased consumption of secondary compounds at concentrations found in nature would decrease survival of uninfected bees, but improve survival and ameliorate parasite loads in infected bees. We found medicinal effects of anabasine in infected bees; the high-anabasine diet decreased parasite loads and increased the probability of clearing the infection entirely. However, survival time was not affected by any level of anabasine concentration, or by interactive effects of anabasine concentration and infection. Crithidia infection reduced survival time by more than two days, but this effect was not significant. Our results support a medicinal role for anabasine at the highest concentration; moreover, we found no evidence for a survival-related cost of anabasine consumption across the concentration range found in nectar. Our results suggest that consuming anabasine at the higher levels of the natural range could reduce or clear pathogen loads without incurring costs for healthy bees.

  18. Dose-dependent effects of fish oil on cardio-metabolic biomarkers in healthy middle-aged and elderly Chinese people: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Song, Jia; Hu, Manjiang; Li, Cheng; Yang, Bo; Ding, Qing; Wang, Chunhong; Mao, Limei

    2018-06-20

    n-3PUFA consumption has been widely accepted as a nutritional strategy for the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events in patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), but little is known about the dose-response relationship between dietary n-3PUFA and serum biomarkers associated with cardiovascular health in the general population. The present study involved a 12-week double-blind, randomized controlled trial to explore the effects of fish oil with different doses (0.31, 0.62 and 1.24 g d-1 of EPA and DHA) on serum fatty acids and cardio-metabolic biomarkers including adiponectin, inflammatory markers, lipid profiles and fasting glucose in healthy middle-aged and elderly Chinese people. 240 volunteers met our inclusion criteria. A total of 39 subjects dropped out and 201 finally completed the intervention. No significant differences in baseline characteristics and daily intakes of dietary nutrients were detected among all groups. After a 12-week intervention, fish oil dose-dependently enhanced serum EPA, DHA, n-3PUFA and adiponectin (except for 0.31 g d-1), but decreased serum n-6/n-3PUFA, TG and fasting glucose. Changes in the above indicators from the baseline to week 12 in fish oil groups significantly differed from those in the control. Meanwhile, all the doses of EPA and DHA led to decreases in serum CRP; only 1.24 g d-1 led to an increase in HDL-C with a concurrent decrease in TC/HDL-C even though these changes were not significantly different among all groups. All the findings suggested that fish oil dose-dependently regulated serum PUFA and cardio-metabolic biomarkers including adiponectin, CRP, lipid profiles and fasting glucose in healthy middle-aged and elderly Chinese people who consumed insufficient dietary n-3PUFA, and the most desirable changes were observed for 1.24 g d-1.

  19. Verbenone: Dose-Dependent Interruption of Pheromone-Based Attraction of Three Sympatric Species of Pine Bark Beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel R. Miller; John H. Borden; B. Staffan Lindgren

    1995-01-01

    Verbenone significantly reduced catches of Ips latidens (LeConte), I. pini (Say), and Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins in multiple-funnel traps, baited with aggregation pheromones, in stands of lodgepole pine in southern British Columbia. Interruption of attraction was dose dependent for all three species. There...

  20. Assessment of 226Ra age-dependent dose from water intake

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Porntepkasemsan, Boonsom; Srisuksawad, Kanitha

    2008-01-01

    The radioactivity in canal and ground waters collected in a 2-year long observation from the vicinity of the Rare Earth Research and Development Center (RRDC), Phathumthani Province, Thailand, was measured in order to determine the concentration of 226 Ra and to estimate the age-dependent effective dose to humans due to consumption. 226 Ra activities in both canal and ground waters were well below the WHO guidance level for drinking water quality of 1 Bq L -1 . The highest 226 Ra effective doses per year were found for infants and teens. However, the observed levels of calculated 226 Ra effective doses for all age groups in both canal and ground waters show satisfactory low values (less than 15 μSv yr -1 ). These values are acceptable in accordance with the WHO recommended reference dose level of 100 μSv yr -1 from water intake of 2 L day -1

  1. Efficacy and Safety of Daikenchuto for Constipation and Dose-Dependent Differences in Clinical Effects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tatsuya Hirose

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. Daikenchuto (DKT is a Kampo medicine used for the treatment of constipation. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of DKT against constipation. Patients and Methods. Thirty-three patients administered DKT for constipation were selected and divided into low-dose (7.5 g DKT; n=22 and high-dose (15 g DKT; n=11 groups. We retrospectively evaluated weekly defaecation frequency, side effects, and clinical laboratory data. Results. Median defaecation frequencies after DKT administration (5, 5.5, 5, and 8 for the first, second, third, and fourth weeks, resp. were significantly higher than that before DKT administration (2 in all 33 cases (P<0.01. One case (3% of watery stool, one case of loose stools (3%, and no cases of abdominal pain (0% were observed. Median defaecation frequencies in the high-dose group (7 and 9 were significantly higher than those in the low-dose group (4 and 3 in the first (P=0.0133 and second (P=0.0101 weeks, respectively. There was no significant change in clinical laboratory values. Conclusion. We suggest that DKT increases defaecation frequency and is safe for treating constipation.

  2. Dose-dependent effect of ghrelin on gastric emptying in rats and the related mechanism of action

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Shu-Guang Cao

    2016-03-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this study was to investigate the dose-dependent effect of ghrelin on gastric emptying in rats and the related mechanism of action. Sixty Wistar rats were randomized into control and test groups, which respectively received intraperitoneal injection of normal saline and ghrelin at different doses (0.5 nmol/kg, 1.0 nmol/kg, 1.5 nmol/kg, 2.0 nmol/kg, and 2.5 nmol/kg. After 45 minutes, all rats were gavaged with semisolid paste. The gastric emptying rate was determined 30 minutes later, and the plasma cholecystokinin level was tested by radioimmunoassay. The mean gastric emptying rate in the test groups was significantly higher than in the control group (38.24 ± 7.15% and 27.18 ± 2.37%, respectively, p < 0.05. Medium and high doses of ghrelin (1.0 nmol/kg, 1.5 nmol/kg, 2.0 nmol/kg, and 2.5 nmol/kg, but not low dose (0.5 nmol/kg, accelerated the gastric emptying. In addition, the plasma cholecystokinin level in the test groups was significantly higher than in the control group (p < 0.01. The gastric emptying rate was positively correlated with the plasma cholecystokinin level (p < 0.01. Intraperitoneal injection of ghrelin at medium and high doses significantly accelerated gastric emptying in rats.

  3. Dose- and age-dependent cardiovascular mortality among inhabitants of the Chornobyl contaminated areas. 1988-2010 observation period

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buzunov, V.O.; Prikashchikova, K.Je.; Domashevs'ka, T.Je.; Kostyuk, G.V.; Gubyina, Yi.G.; Tereshchenko, S.O.

    2014-01-01

    Cardiovascular mortality among inhabitants of contaminated areas of Ukraine is dependent on the total cumulative effective doses and age at the time of the Chornobyl accident. It is proved by a significantly higher (p < 0.05) mortality in people exposed to 21.00-50.0 mSv radiation doses compared to those having 5.6-20.99 mSv exposures. Mortality was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in age groups with higher doses as opposed to those with low ones. Maximum mortality was observed among inhabitants aged 40-60, while the lowest death rate - in patients younger than 18 years old. The data obtained also suggest that the radiation factor can be considered here as one accelerating the aging and pathophysiological abnormalities in survivors. Coronary heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, arterial hypertension, diseases of arteries, arterioles and capillaries are the main causes of death from cardiovascular disease in people under investigation

  4. Some remarks on the significance of low doses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Cigna, A.A.

    1989-12-01

    The criteria of the present system of individual dose limitation are considered as well as the evolution of the limiting values. The assumption of the linearity of the dose-effect relationship without any threshold is probably the best approach to adopt for recommendations in radiation protection and for accounting the doses acquired by exposure to ionizing radiation. On the other hand the present evaluation of the natural background could imply a different dose-effect relationship in the low doses region and perhaps the existence of a threshold. Therefore the extrapolations which are usually made after exposures of different groups of people to low doses cannot be considered as scientifically sound. (author)

  5. Estimation of average glandular dose depending on the thickness of the breast

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Real, Jessica V.; Luz, Renata M. da; Fröhlich, Bruna D.; Pertile, Alessandra S.; Silva, Ana Maria Marques da

    2014-01-01

    Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide. Mammography is, to date, the most efficient method for detecting an abnormality in the patient's breast. It is a technique of imaging diagnostic that requires special care because radiographs without adequate quality may lead to a false diagnosis and lead to the need for a repeat examination, increasing the dose of radiation in the patient. This study aimed to evaluate the average glandular dose (AGD), depending on the breast thickness in patients undergoing routine tests, with a digital computer radiography processing system. Analyzed 30 exhibitions in patients aged (65 ± 12) years, in the right and left caudal skull projections, for breasts with thicknesses between 45 mm and 50 mm. The calculated value of the AGD for this track thickness was (1.600 ± 0.009) mGy. The performance of mammography quality control tests was satisfactory and the AGD values obtained for the chosen thickness range is acceptable, since the threshold achievable is 1.6 mGy and the acceptable is 2 mGy. In Brazil, it is only required the input dose calculation in skin for 45 mm breasts. However, the calculation of AGD is required for different thicknesses of the breast, to identify the best mammographic pattern aiming at better image quality at the lowest dose provided the patient

  6. SU-G-BRC-15: The Potential Clinical Significance of Dose Mapping Error for Intra- Fraction Dose Mapping for Lung Cancer Patients

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sayah, N [Thomas Cancer Center, Richmond, VA (United States); Weiss, E [Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia (United States); Watkins, W [University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (United States); Siebers, J [University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, VA (United States)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: To evaluate the dose-mapping error (DME) inherent to conventional dose-mapping algorithms as a function of dose-matrix resolution. Methods: As DME has been reported to be greatest where dose-gradients overlap tissue-density gradients, non-clinical 66 Gy IMRT plans were generated for 11 lung patients with the target edge defined as the maximum 3D density gradient on the 0% (end of inhale) breathing phase. Post-optimization, Beams were copied to 9 breathing phases. Monte Carlo dose computed (with 2*2*2 mm{sup 3} resolution) on all 10 breathing phases was deformably mapped to phase 0% using the Monte Carlo energy-transfer method with congruent mass-mapping (EMCM); an externally implemented tri-linear interpolation method with voxel sub-division; Pinnacle’s internal (tri-linear) method; and a post-processing energy-mass voxel-warping method (dTransform). All methods used the same base displacement-vector-field (or it’s pseudo-inverse as appropriate) for the dose mapping. Mapping was also performed at 4*4*4 mm{sup 3} by merging adjacent dose voxels. Results: Using EMCM as the reference standard, no clinically significant (>1 Gy) DMEs were found for the mean lung dose (MLD), lung V20Gy, or esophagus dose-volume indices, although MLD and V20Gy were statistically different (2*2*2 mm{sup 3}). Pinnacle-to-EMCM target D98% DMEs of 4.4 and 1.2 Gy were observed ( 2*2*2 mm{sup 3}). However dTransform, which like EMCM conserves integral dose, had DME >1 Gy for one case. The root mean square RMS of the DME for the tri-linear-to- EMCM methods was lower for the smaller voxel volume for the tumor 4D-D98%, lung V20Gy, and cord D1%. Conclusion: When tissue gradients overlap with dose gradients, organs-at-risk DME was statistically significant but not clinically significant. Target-D98%-DME was deemed clinically significant for 2/11 patients (2*2*2 mm{sup 3}). Since tri-linear RMS-DME between EMCM and tri-linear was reduced at 2*2*2 mm{sup 3}, use of this resolution is

  7. Radiation-induced changes in breathing frequency and lung histology of C57BL/6J mice are time- and dose-dependent

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Eldh, T.; Heinzelmann, F.; Velalakan, A. [Univ. Hospital of Tuebingen (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Budach, W. [Duesseldorf Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Belka, C. [Univ. Hospital of Tuebingen (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Muenchen Univ. (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Jendrossek, V. [Univ. Hospital of Tuebingen (Germany). Dept. of Radiation Oncology; Duisburg-Essen Univ., Essen (DE). Inst. of Cell Biology (Cancer Research)

    2012-03-15

    Pneumonitis and fibrosis constitute serious adverse effects of radiotherapy in the thoracic region. In this study, time-course and dose-dependence of clinically relevant parameters of radiation-induced lung injury in C57BL/6J mice were analyzed. A well-characterized disease model is necessary for the analysis of the cellular and molecular mechanisms using genetically modified mice. C57BL/6J mice received single dose right hemithorax irradiation with 12.5 or 22.5 Gy. Body weight and breathing frequency were recorded as parameters for health impairment. Lung tissue was collected over 24 weeks for histological analysis. Hemithorax irradiation with 12.5 or 22.5 Gy induced biphasic breathing impairment with the first increase between days 7 and 70. Although breathing impairment was more pronounced in the 22.5 Gy group, it was accompanied in both dose groups by pneumonitis-associated histological changes. A second rise in breathing frequency ratios became visible starting on day 70 with a steady increase until day 210. Again, breathing was more strongly affected in the 22.5 Gy group. However, breathing impairment coincided only in the 22.5 Gy group with a significant increase in collagen deposition in the lung tissue by day 210. Tissue inflammation and fibrosis were observed in the irradiated and the shielded lungs, pointing toward involvement of systemic effects. Hemithorax irradiation induces time-dependent pneumonitis and fibrosis in C57BL/6J mice. While hemithorax irradiation with 12.5 Gy is sufficient to induce lung inflammation, it is below the threshold for collagen deposition and fibrosis development by day 210.

  8. Dose-dependent deterioration of swallowing function after induction chemotherapy and definitive chemoradiotherapy for laryngopharyngeal cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Haderlein, M.; Semrau, S.; Ott, O.; Speer, S.; Fietkau, R. [University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Radiation Oncology, Erlangen (Germany); Bohr, C. [University Hospital Erlangen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Erlangen (Germany)

    2014-02-15

    To evaluate the influence of clinical, treatment- and dose-dependent factors on posttreatment swallowing function after induction chemotherapy and definitive chemoradiotherapy in a group of homogeneously treated laryngopharyngeal cancer patients. From 28 May 2008 to 15 February 2013, 45 patients with borderline inoperable laryngopharyngeal cancer that had responded well to induction chemotherapy were treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. Median follow-up was 22 months. Swallowing function and clinical data were prospectively analyzed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Swallowing structures were retrospectively delineated on the original treatment planning CT. Dose-volume histograms were calculated for swallowing structures and D{sub mean}, D{sub max} and V50-V64 values (in 2 Gy increments) were determined for each patient. Tumor volume and infiltration of the swallowing apparatus was defined by CT before induction chemotherapy. Of the 45 patients, 26 (57.8 %) fully regained swallowing function after chemoradiotherapy. A further 12 patients (26.7 %) were able to manage soft, pureed and/or liquid foods; the remaining 7 (15.6 %) were completely dependent on percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Posttreatment swallowing function was significantly influenced by D{sub mean} to the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle (PCM, p = 0.041). Correlations between late dysphagia and dose-volume relationships in the superior PCM and soft palate were also observed, which were significant from V60 (p = 0.043) and V58 for the soft palate and superior PCM, respectively. Of the evaluated clinical and tumor-related factors, only alcohol abuse (p = 0.024) had an influence on posttreatment swallowing function. Almost 50 % of patients had deterioration of swallowing function after definitive chemoradiotherapy for laryngopharyngeal cancer. The dose to anatomical structures responsible for swallowing function appears to play a role. Therefore, in selected patients, target

  9. Dose-dependent deterioration of swallowing function after induction chemotherapy and definitive chemoradiotherapy for laryngopharyngeal cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Haderlein, M.; Semrau, S.; Ott, O.; Speer, S.; Fietkau, R.; Bohr, C.

    2014-01-01

    To evaluate the influence of clinical, treatment- and dose-dependent factors on posttreatment swallowing function after induction chemotherapy and definitive chemoradiotherapy in a group of homogeneously treated laryngopharyngeal cancer patients. From 28 May 2008 to 15 February 2013, 45 patients with borderline inoperable laryngopharyngeal cancer that had responded well to induction chemotherapy were treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy. Median follow-up was 22 months. Swallowing function and clinical data were prospectively analyzed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Swallowing structures were retrospectively delineated on the original treatment planning CT. Dose-volume histograms were calculated for swallowing structures and D mean , D max and V50-V64 values (in 2 Gy increments) were determined for each patient. Tumor volume and infiltration of the swallowing apparatus was defined by CT before induction chemotherapy. Of the 45 patients, 26 (57.8 %) fully regained swallowing function after chemoradiotherapy. A further 12 patients (26.7 %) were able to manage soft, pureed and/or liquid foods; the remaining 7 (15.6 %) were completely dependent on percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG). Posttreatment swallowing function was significantly influenced by D mean to the superior pharyngeal constrictor muscle (PCM, p = 0.041). Correlations between late dysphagia and dose-volume relationships in the superior PCM and soft palate were also observed, which were significant from V60 (p = 0.043) and V58 for the soft palate and superior PCM, respectively. Of the evaluated clinical and tumor-related factors, only alcohol abuse (p = 0.024) had an influence on posttreatment swallowing function. Almost 50 % of patients had deterioration of swallowing function after definitive chemoradiotherapy for laryngopharyngeal cancer. The dose to anatomical structures responsible for swallowing function appears to play a role. Therefore, in selected patients, target volume

  10. Sub-therapeutic doses of fluvastatin and valsartan are more effective than therapeutic doses in providing beneficial cardiovascular pleiotropic effects in rats: A proof of concept study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janić, Miodrag; Lunder, Mojca; France Štiglic, Alenka; Jerin, Aleš; Skitek, Milan; Černe, Darko; Marc, Janja; Drevenšek, Gorazd; Šabovič, Mišo

    2017-12-01

    Statins and sartans can, in therapeutic doses, induce pleiotropic cardiovascular effects. Similar has recently been shown also for sub-therapeutic doses. We thus explored and compared the cardiovascular pleiotropic efficacy of sub-therapeutic vs. therapeutic doses. Wistar rats were randomly divided into 7 groups receiving fluvastatin, valsartan and their combination in sub-therapeutic and therapeutic doses, or saline. After 6weeks, the animals were euthanised, their hearts and thoracic aortas isolated, and blood samples taken. Endothelium-dependent relaxation of the thoracic aortae and ischaemic-reperfusion injury of the isolated hearts were assessed along with the related serum parameters and genes expression. Fluvastatin and valsartan alone or in combination were significantly more effective in sub-therapeutic than therapeutic doses. The sub-therapeutic combination greatly increased thoracic aorta endothelium-dependent relaxation and maximally protected the isolated hearts against ischaemia-reperfusion injury and was thus most effective. Beneficial effects were accompanied by increased levels of nitric oxide (NO) and decreased levels of asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) in the serum (again prominently induced by the sub-therapeutic combination). Furthermore, nitric oxide synthase 3 (NOS3) and endothelin receptor type A (EDNRA) genes expression increased, but only in both combination groups and without significant differences between them. In the therapeutic dose groups, fluvastatin and valsartan decreased cholesterol values and systolic blood pressure. Sub-therapeutic doses of fluvastatin and valsartan are more effective in expressing cardiovascular pleiotropic effects than therapeutic doses of fluvastatin and/or valsartan. These results could be of significant clinical relevance. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Arsenic-induced dose-dependent modulation of the NF-κB/IL-6 axis in thymocytes triggers differential immune responses

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choudhury, Sreetama; Gupta, Payal; Ghosh, Sayan; Mukherjee, Sudeshna; Chakraborty, Priyanka; Chatterji, Urmi; Chattopadhyay, Sreya

    2016-01-01

    Highlights: • We for the first time explicitly show that arsenic exposure causes morphological damage to the thymus and results in heightened death of thymocytes. • Our data suggests that arsenic-induced apoptosis occurs due to increase in cellular oxidative and nitrosative stress. • We have for the first time established a non-classical role of NF-κB, correlating it with increase in FoxP3 expression. • The % of CD4+ CD25+ T cells were high and expression of FoxP3 has also increased at higher doses of arsenic indicating an nTreg bias. - Abstract: Arsenic contamination of drinking water is a matter of global concern. Arsenic intake impairs immune responses and leads to a variety of pathological conditions including cancer. In order to understand the intricate tuning of immune responses elicited by chronic exposure to arsenic, a mouse model was established by subjecting mice to different environmentally relevant concentrations of arsenic in drinking water for 30 days. Detailed study of the thymus, a primary immune organ, revealed arsenic-mediated tissue damage in both histological specimens and scanning electron micrographs. Analysis of molecular markers of apoptosis by Western blot revealed a dose-dependent activation of the apoptotic cascade. Enzymatic assays supported oxidative stress as an instigator of cell death. Interestingly, assessment of inflammatory responses revealed disparity in the NF-κB/IL-6/STAT3 axis, where it was found that in animals consuming higher amounts of arsenic NF-κB activation did not lead to the classical IL-6 upregulation response. This deviation from the canonical pathway was accompanied with a significant rise in numbers of CD4+ CD25+ FoxP3 expressing cells in the thymus. The cytokine profile of the animals exposed to higher doses of arsenic also indicated an immune-suppressed milieu, thus validating that arsenic shapes the immune environment in context to its dose of exposure and that at higher doses it leads to immune

  12. Dose-dependent effects of Asparagus adscendens root (AARR) extract on the anabolic, reproductive, and sexual behavioral activity in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Bansode, Falgun Wanganuji; Arya, Kamal Ram; Singh, Rama Kant; Narender, T

    2015-02-01

    Asparagus adscendens Roxb (Liliaceae) has a promising role in modulation of various disorders such as leucorrhea, diarrhea, dysentery, diabetes, senile pruritus, asthma, fatigue antifilarial, antifungal, spermatorrhea, and sexual debility/seminal weakness. To investigate dose-dependent effects of Asparagus adscendens root (AARR) extract on anabolic, reproductive, and sexual behavioral activities with a view to emphasize the pharmacological basis. Rats were divided into five groups: Group I (control), Groups II-IV (AARR treated, 100, 200, and 300 mg/kg body weight, respectively, orally for 30 d) and Group V (standard control treated with sildenafil citrate, 5 mg/kg body weight). On day 31, copulatory and potency tests were carried out and an autopsy was done to study the reproductive function, namely, organ weights, spermatogenesis, daily sperm production rate (DSP), and epididymal sperm counts (ESC). AARR extract (200 and 300 mg/kg doses) caused a significant increase in body (p < 0.02 and p < 0.001) and testes (p < 0.01 and p < 0.001, control versus treated) weights. Reproductive activity showed significant a increase in testicular tubular diameter (p < 0.005-0.001), the number of round/elongated spermatids (p < 0.02-0.001), DSP, and ESC (p < 0.05-0.001). The sexual behavioral parameters including mounting/intromission frequency (13.0 ± 0.32/11.8 ± 0.37 and 18.2 ± 2.12/14.8 ± 1.15 versus 11.2 ± 0.66/8.2 ± 1.16), ejaculation latency (187.4 ± 1.91 and 191.4 ± 1.72 versus 180.0 ± 3.47), and penile erections (13.5 ± 0.3 and 14.5 ± 0.5 versus 8.5 ± 0.2) showed a significant increase at 200 and 300 mg/kg doses (ED50 300 mg/kg), but less than a standard control. In contrast, 100 mg/kg dose caused an increase (p < 0.005) in mounting latency only. These results indicate increased anabolic, reproductive, and sexual activities by AARR treatment. Thus, the data provide

  13. γ-H2AX foci are increased in lymphocytes in vivo in young children 1 h after very low-dose X-irradiation: a pilot study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Halm, Brunhild M.; Franke, Adrian A.; Lai, Jennifer F.; Turner, Helen C.; Brenner, David J.; Zohrabian, Vatche M.; DiMauro, Robert

    2014-01-01

    Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging modality involving ionizing radiation. The presence of γ-H2AX foci after low to moderate ionizing radiation exposure has been demonstrated; however it is unknown whether very low ionizing radiation exposure doses from CT exams can induce γ-H2AX formation in vivo in young children. To test whether very low ionizing radiation doses from CT exams can induce lymphocytic γ-H2AX foci (phosphorylated histones used as a marker of DNA damage) formation in vivo in young children. Parents of participating children signed a consent form. Blood samples from three children (ages 3-21 months) undergoing CT exams involving very low blood ionizing radiation exposure doses (blood doses of 0.22-1.22 mGy) were collected immediately before and 1 h post CT exams. Isolated lymphocytes were quantified for γ-H2AX foci by a technician blinded to the radiation status and dose of the patients. Paired t-tests and regression analyses were performed with significance levels set at P < 0.05. We observed a dose-dependent increase in γ-H2AX foci post-CT exams (P = 0.046) among the three children. Ionizing radiation exposure doses led to a linear increase of foci per cell in post-CT samples (102% between lowest and highest dose). We found a significant induction of γ-H2AX foci in lymphocytes from post-CT samples of three very young children. When possible, CT exams should be limited or avoided by possibly applying non-ionizing radiation exposure techniques such as US or MRI. (orig.)

  14. γ-H2AX foci are increased in lymphocytes in vivo in young children 1 h after very low-dose X-irradiation: a pilot study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Halm, Brunhild M.; Franke, Adrian A.; Lai, Jennifer F. [University of Hawaii Cancer Center, Honolulu, HI (United States); Turner, Helen C.; Brenner, David J.; Zohrabian, Vatche M. [Columbia University Medical Center, Center for Radiological Research, New York, NY (United States); DiMauro, Robert [Kapi' olani Medical Center for Women and Children, Honolulu, HI (United States)

    2014-10-15

    Computed tomography (CT) is an imaging modality involving ionizing radiation. The presence of γ-H2AX foci after low to moderate ionizing radiation exposure has been demonstrated; however it is unknown whether very low ionizing radiation exposure doses from CT exams can induce γ-H2AX formation in vivo in young children. To test whether very low ionizing radiation doses from CT exams can induce lymphocytic γ-H2AX foci (phosphorylated histones used as a marker of DNA damage) formation in vivo in young children. Parents of participating children signed a consent form. Blood samples from three children (ages 3-21 months) undergoing CT exams involving very low blood ionizing radiation exposure doses (blood doses of 0.22-1.22 mGy) were collected immediately before and 1 h post CT exams. Isolated lymphocytes were quantified for γ-H2AX foci by a technician blinded to the radiation status and dose of the patients. Paired t-tests and regression analyses were performed with significance levels set at P < 0.05. We observed a dose-dependent increase in γ-H2AX foci post-CT exams (P = 0.046) among the three children. Ionizing radiation exposure doses led to a linear increase of foci per cell in post-CT samples (102% between lowest and highest dose). We found a significant induction of γ-H2AX foci in lymphocytes from post-CT samples of three very young children. When possible, CT exams should be limited or avoided by possibly applying non-ionizing radiation exposure techniques such as US or MRI. (orig.)

  15. Different dose-dependent effects of ebselen in sciatic nerve ischemia-reperfusion injury in rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Filiz Ozyigit

    2015-08-01

    Full Text Available Ebselen is an organoselenium compound which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated the neuroprotective role of ebselen pretreatment in rats with experimental sciatic nerve ischemia-reperfusion (I/R injury. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were divided into four groups (N = 7 in each group. Before sciatic nerve I/R was induced, ebselen was injected intraperitoneally at doses of 15 and 30 mg/kg. After a 2 h ischemia and a 3 h reperfusion period, sciatic nerve tissues were excised. Tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA and nitric oxide (NO, and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD, glutathione peroxidase (GPx, and catalase (CAT were measured. Sciatic nerve tissues were also examined histopathologically. The 15 mg/kg dose of ebselen reduced sciatic nerve damage and apoptosis (P < 0.01, levels of MDA, NO, and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS positive cells (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively, and increased SOD, GPx, and CAT activities (P < 0.001, P < 0.01, P < 0.05, respectively compared with the I/R group that did not receive ebselen. Conversely, the 30 mg/kg dose of ebselen increased sciatic nerve damage, apoptosis, iNOS positive cells (P < 0.01, P < 0.05, P < 0.001 and MDA and NO levels (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and decreased SOD, GPx, and CAT activities (P < 0.05 compared with the sham group. The results of this study suggest that ebselen may cause different effects depending on the dose employed. Ebselen may be protective against sciatic nerve I/R injury via antioxidant and antiapoptotic activities at a 15 mg/kg dose, conversely higher doses may cause detrimental effects.

  16. Increasing the Stimulation Dose of rFSH in Unexpected Poor Responders Is Not Associated with Better IVF Outcome

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Levent Tutuncu

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available The aim of this retrospective study is to determine whether increasing the stimulation dose of rFSH in unexpected poor responders is associated with better in vitro fertilization (IVF outcome or not. A total of forty eligible women who fulfilled our definition of poor responders and who did not achieve an ongoing pregnancy in the first cycle and returned for a second higher rFSH dose IVF cycle with a long-agonist protocol were included to the study. The first low-dose cycles and the second high-dose cycles were compared to each other. Main outcome measures of the study were duration of stimulation, number of follicles, number of oocytes retrieved, number of embryos, and E2 level on day of hCG injection. There were no significant differences in duration of stimulation, number of follicles, number of oocytes retrieved, number of embryos, and E2 level on day of hCG injection between the first low- and second high-dose cycles. Daily dose and total dose of rFSH were significantly higher in the second high-dose cycles. Increasing the dose of rFSH in a second stimulation cycle after first unsuccessful treatment cycle will add only to the cost and discomfort of the treatment and might adversely affect pregnancy rates.

  17. Dose-dependent pharmacokinetics and teratogenic activity of topical retinoids

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, R.P.; Willhite, C.C.; Berry, D.L.; Allen, P.V.

    1990-01-01

    Oral retinoid treatment can be teratogenic and topical applications are used to treat acne and smooth wrinkles. A single topical trace (2.5 μg; 191 μCi/kg) or high (1.3 mg; 195 μCi/kg) dose of all-trans-[10, 11- 3 H 2 ] retinoic acid (RA) dissolved in acetone was applied to 4 cm 2 shaved dorsal hamster skin. Peak plasma radioactivity (C max ) occurred at 12 and 36 hr and mean t1/2 values for parent PA absorption were 48 min and 2.8 hr, for trace and high dose, respectively. The dermal RA C max values were only 2% of that after an equivalent oral dose, but plasma AUC after dermal treatment was 63% of the oral value. The mean t1/2 for rapid elimination was shorter for the high (57 min) than for the trace (6.9 hr) dose, but t1/2 values for slow elimination were comparable (t1/2 high = 51.2 hr; t1/2 trace = 36.8 hr). Single topical application of 10-30 mg/kg RA or 5 mg/kg etretinate (Ro 10-9359) to pregnant hamsters (day 8) caused local hyperkeratosis, but failed to induce terata. Similar application of 10-1000 μg/kg arotinoid Ro 13-6298 caused dose-dependent terata, being twice as embryolethal by parenteral as enteric dosing. Skin toxicity and attenuated maternal blood levels limit the amount of retinoids that can reach the embryo

  18. The significance of water hammer events to public dose from reactor accidents: A probabilistic assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amico, P.J.; Ferrell, W.L.; Rubin, M.P.

    1984-01-01

    A probabilistic assessment was made of the effects on public dose of water hammer events in LWRs. The analysis utilized actual historical water hammer data to determine if the water hammer events contributed either to system failure rates or initiating event frequencies. Representative PRAs were used to see if changes in initiating events and/or system failures caused by water hammer resulted in new values for the dominant sequences in the PRAs. New core melt frequencies were determined and carried out to the subsequent increase in public dose. It is concluded that water hammer is not a significant problem with respect to risk to the public for either BWRs or PWRs. (orig./HP)

  19. Radiation sources providing increased UVA/UVB ratios induce photoprotection dependent on the UVA dose in hairless mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reeve, Vivienne E; Domanski, Diane; Slater, Michael

    2006-01-01

    In studies involving mice in which doses of UVA (320-400 nm) and UVB (290-320 nm) radiation were administered alone or combined sequentially, we observed a protective effect of UVA against UVB-induced erythema/edema and systemic suppression of contact hypersensitivity. The UVA immunoprotection was mediated by the induction of the stress enzyme heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) in the skin, protection of the cutaneous Th1 cytokines interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) and IL-12 and inhibition of the UVB-induced expression of the Th2 cytokine IL-10. In this study, we seek evidence for an immunological waveband interaction when UVA and UVB are administered concurrently to hairless mice as occurs during sunlight exposure in humans. A series of spectra providing varying ratios of UVA/UVB were developed, with the UVA ratio increased to approximately 3.5 times the UVA component in solar simulated UV (SSUV). We report that progressively increasing the UVA component of the radiation while maintaining a constant UVB dose resulted in a reduction of both the erythema/edema reaction and the degree of systemic immunosuppression, as measured as contact hypersensitivity. The UVA-enhanced immunoprotection was abrogated in mice treated with a specific HO enzyme inhibitor. UVA-enhanced radiation also upregulated the expression of cutaneous IFN-gamma and IL-12 and inhibited expression of both IL-6 and IL-10, compared with the activity of SSUV. The results were consistent with the previously characterized mechanisms of photoprotection by the UVA waveband alone and suggest that the UVA component of solar UV may have beneficial properties for humans.

  20. Efficiency of the application of an increasing hydrogel dose in bispore mushrooms cultivation. Agaricus bisporus (Lange Sing. Imbach

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Grzegorz Koc

    2011-01-01

    Full Text Available The economical efficiency of the application of an increasing hydrogel dose in bispore mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus (Lange Sing. Imbach SYLVAN 737 has been experimented in controlled weather conditions. It was found that the application of a 50 and 150 g•m-2 hydrogel dose is not economically proved due to the lack of harvest significant increase. In the cultivation of this particular variety of mushrooms, the optimal hydrogel dose should not be 100 g•m-2 of subsoil.

  1. Medium doses of daily vitamin D decrease falls and higher doses of daily vitamin D3 increase falls: A randomized clinical trial.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Smith, Lynette M; Gallagher, J Christopher; Suiter, Corinna

    2017-10-01

    Falls are a serious health problem in the aging population. Because low levels of vitamin D have been associated with increased fall rates, many trials have been performed with vitamin D; two meta-analyses showed either a small effect or no effect of vitamin D on falls. We conducted a study of the effect of vitamin D on serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) and data on falls was collected as a secondary outcome. In a 12-month double blind randomized placebo trial, elderly women, mean age 66 years, were randomized to one of seven daily oral doses of vitamin D or placebo. The main inclusion criterion for study was a baseline serum 25OHDvitamin D on falls followed a U-shaped curve whether analyzed by dose or serum 25OHD levels. There was no decrease in falls on low vitamin D doses 400, 800 IU, a significant decrease on medium doses 1600, 2400,3200 IU (p=0.020) and no decrease on high doses 4000, 4800 IU compared to placebo (p=0.55). When compared to 12-month serum 25OHD quintiles, the faller rate was 60% in the lowest quintile <25ng/ml (<50nmol/L), 21% in the low middle quintile 32-38ng/ml (80-95nmo/L), 72% in the high middle quintile 38-46ng/ml (95-115nmo/L) and 45% in the highest quintile 46-66ng/ml (115-165nmol/L). In the subgroup with a fall history, fall rates were 68% on low dose, 27% on medium doses and 100% on higher doses. Fall rates on high doses were increased compared to medium doses (Odds Ratio 5.6.95% CI: 2.1-14.8). In summary, the maximum decrease in falls corresponds to a 12- month serum 25OHD of 32-38ng/ml (80-95nmol/L) and faller rates increase as serum 25OHD exceed 40-45ng/ml (100-112.5nmol/L). The Tolerable upper limit (TUL) recently increased in 2010 from 2000 to 4000 IU/day may need to be reduced in elderly women especially in those with a fall history. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  2. Dose rate and total dose dependence of the 1/f noise performance of a GaAs operational amplifier during irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hiemstra, D.M.

    1995-01-01

    A pictorial of a sectioned view of the torus of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) is shown. Maintenance and inspection of the reactor are required to be performed remotely. This is due to the high gamma radiation environment in vessel during inspection and maintenance activities. The custom GaAs operational amplifier is to be used to readout sensors on the in-vessel manipulator and inspection equipment. The gamma dose rate during maintenance and inspection is anticipated to be 3 Mrad(GaAs)/hour. Here, dose rate and total dose dependence of the 1/f noise performance of a custom GaAs MESFET operational amplifier during irradiation are presented. Dose rate dependent 1/f noise degradation during irradiation is believed to be due to electron trapping in deep levels, enhanced by backgating and shallow traps excited during irradiation. The reduction of this affect with accumulated total dose is believed to be due a reduction of deep level site concentration associated with substitutional oxygen. Post irradiation 1/f noise degradation is also presented.The generation-recombination noise observed post irradiation can be attributed to the production of shallow traps due to ionizing radiation

  3. Angular dependence on the records of dose in radiochromic films strips

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Costa, K. C.; Prata M, A. [Centro Federal de Educacao Tecnologica de Minas Gerais, Centro de Engenharia Biomedica, Av. Amazonas 5253, 30421-169 Nova Suica, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Alonso, T. C. [Centro de Desenvolvimento da Tecnologia Nuclear - CNEN, Av. Pte. Antonio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Pampulha, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil); Campo de O, P. M., E-mail: kamilacosta1995@gmail.com [Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Departamento de Anatomia e Imagen, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena 190, 30130-100 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais (Brazil)

    2016-10-15

    Radiological images have relevant information both the diagnostic results as to treatment decisions. Then, the diagnostic quality of image that allows a proper analysis should be achieved with the lowest possible deposition of dose in a patient. CT scans produce sectional images that allow the observation of internal structures of the human body without overlap. As in conventional radiology, the contrast which allows obtaining CT images results from the difference in X-ray beam absorption, according to the characteristics of each tissue. The increased of the beam absorption by a tissue means that it appears brighter in the image. In CT scanners, X-ray tube rotates around the patient, and this rotation results in a cross-sectional image of the body. From a sectional image series is possible to obtain a 3-dimensional image that can be viewed from different angles. Among the methods of dose measurement is the use of radiochromic films, which record the energy deposition by darkening its emulsion. The radiochromic films show little sensitivity to visible light and respond better to exposure to ionizing radiation. In this work, strips of the radiochromic film GAFCHROMIC XR-QA2 were irradiated at different angular positions for radiation quality RQT8, defining a beam of X-rays generated from a voltage of 100 kV. The response of radiochromic films depending on the doses was assessed through digital images obtained by H P Scan jet G-4050 scanner. Digital images were analyzed using Image-J software, which allowed obtaining numerical values corresponding to the intensity of darkening for each film. The aim of this study is to evaluate the dose deposition in radiochromic film according to the angular variation in order how is affected the record. So, to examine the use of film strips to record doses in Computed Tomography tests. (Author)

  4. Human circulating plasma DNA significantly decreases while lymphocyte DNA damage increases under chronic occupational exposure to low-dose gamma-neutron and tritium β-radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Korzeneva, Inna B., E-mail: inna.korzeneva@molgen.vniief.ru [Russian Federal Nuclear Center – All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics (RFNC-VNIIEF) 607190, Sarov, 37 Mira ave., Nizhniy Novgorod Region (Russian Federation); Kostuyk, Svetlana V.; Ershova, Liza S. [Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 115478 Moscow, 1 Moskvorechye str. (Russian Federation); Osipov, Andrian N. [Federal Medial and Biological Center named after Burnazyan of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency (FMBTz named after Burnazyan of FMBA), Moscow (Russian Federation); State Research Center - Burnasyan Federal Medical Biophysical Center of Federal Medical Biological Agency, Zhivopisnaya, 46, Moscow, 123098 (Russian Federation); Zhuravleva, Veronika F.; Pankratova, Galina V. [Russian Federal Nuclear Center – All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics (RFNC-VNIIEF) 607190, Sarov, 37 Mira ave., Nizhniy Novgorod Region (Russian Federation); Porokhovnik, Lev N.; Veiko, Natalia N. [Research Centre for Medical Genetics, Russian Academy of Medical Sciences, 115478 Moscow, 1 Moskvorechye str. (Russian Federation)

    2015-09-15

    Highlights: • The chronic exposure to low-dose IR induces DSBs in human lymphocytes (TM index). • Exposure to IR decreases the level of human circulating DNA (cfDNA index). • IR induces an increase of DNase1 activity (DNase1 index) in plasma. • IR induces an increase of the level of antibodies to DNA (Ab DNA index) in plasma. • The ratio cfDNA/(DNase 1 × Ab DNA × TM) is a potential marker of human exposure to IR. - Abstract: The blood plasma of healthy people contains cell-fee (circulating) DNA (cfDNA). Apoptotic cells are the main source of the cfDNA. The cfDNA concentration increases in case of the organism’s cell death rate increase, for example in case of exposure to high-dose ionizing radiation (IR). The objects of the present research are the blood plasma and blood lymphocytes of people, who contacted occupationally with the sources of external gamma/neutron radiation or internal β-radiation of tritium N = 176). As the controls (references), blood samples of people, who had never been occupationally subjected to the IR sources, were used (N = 109). With respect to the plasma samples of each donor there were defined: the cfDNA concentration (the cfDNA index), DNase1 activity (the DNase1 index) and titre of antibodies to DNA (the Ab DNA index). The general DNA damage in the cells was defined (using the Comet assay, the tail moment (TM) index). A chronic effect of the low-dose ionizing radiation on a human being is accompanied by the enhancement of the DNA damage in lymphocytes along with a considerable cfDNA content reduction, while the DNase1 content and concentration of antibodies to DNA (Ab DNA) increase. All the aforementioned changes were also observed in people, who had not worked with the IR sources for more than a year. The ratio cfDNA/(DNase1 × Ab DNA × TM) is proposed to be used as a marker of the chronic exposure of a person to the external low-dose IR. It was formulated the assumption that the joint analysis of the cfDNA, DNase1, Ab

  5. A randomized controlled trial of increased dose and frequency of albendazole with standard dose DEC for treatment of Wuchereria bancrofti microfilaremics in Odisha, India.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kar, Shantanu Kumar; Dwibedi, Bhagirathi; Kerketa, Anna Salomi; Maharana, Antaryami; Panda, Sudanshu S; Mohanty, Prafulla Chandra; Horton, John; Ramachandran, Cherubala P

    2015-03-01

    Although current programmes to eliminate lymphatic filariasis have made significant progress it may be necessary to use different approaches to achieve the global goal, especially where compliance has been poor and 'hot spots' of continued infection exist. In the absence of alternative drugs, the use of higher or more frequent dosing with the existing drugs needs to be explored. We examined the effect of higher and/or more frequent dosing with albendazole with a fixed 300 mg dose of diethylcarbamazine in a Wuchereria bancrofti endemic area in Odisha, India. Following screening, 104 consenting adults were randomly assigned to treatment with the standard regimen annually for 24 months (S1), or annually with increased dose (800 mg albendazole)(H1) or with increased frequency (6 monthly) with either standard (S2) or increased (H2) dose. Pre-treatment microfilaria counts (GM) ranged from 348 to 459 mf/ml. Subjects were followed using microfilaria counts, OG4C3 antigen levels and ultrasound scanning for adult worm nests. Microfilarial counts tended to decrease more rapidly with higher or more frequent dosing at all time points. At 12 months, Mf clearance was marginally greater with the high dose regimens, while by 24 months, there was a trend to higher Mf clearance in the arm with increased frequency and 800 mg of albendazole (76.9%) compared to other arms, (S1:64%, S2:69.2% & H1:73.1%). Although higher and/or more frequent dosing showed a trend towards a greater decline in antigenemia and clearance of "nests", all regimens demonstrated the potential macrofilaricidal effect of the combination. The higher doses of albendazole did not result in a greater number or more severe side effects. The alternative regimens could be useful in the later stages of existing elimination programmes or achieving elimination more rapidly in areas where programmes have yet to start.

  6. Dose-Dependent Change in Elimination Kinetics of Ethanol due to Shift of Dominant Metabolizing Enzyme from ADH 1 (Class I to ADH 3 (Class III in Mouse

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Takeshi Haseba

    2012-01-01

    Full Text Available ADH 1 and ADH 3 are major two ADH isozymes in the liver, which participate in systemic alcohol metabolism, mainly distributing in parenchymal and in sinusoidal endothelial cells of the liver, respectively. We investigated how these two ADHs contribute to the elimination kinetics of blood ethanol by administering ethanol to mice at various doses, and by measuring liver ADH activity and liver contents of both ADHs. The normalized AUC (AUC/dose showed a concave increase with an increase in ethanol dose, inversely correlating with β. CLT (dose/AUC linearly correlated with liver ADH activity and also with both the ADH-1 and -3 contents (mg/kg B.W.. When ADH-1 activity was calculated by multiplying ADH-1 content by its Vmax⁡/mg (4.0 and normalized by the ratio of liver ADH activity of each ethanol dose to that of the control, the theoretical ADH-1 activity decreased dose-dependently, correlating with β. On the other hand, the theoretical ADH-3 activity, which was calculated by subtracting ADH-1 activity from liver ADH activity and normalized, increased dose-dependently, correlating with the normalized AUC. These results suggested that the elimination kinetics of blood ethanol in mice was dose-dependently changed, accompanied by a shift of the dominant metabolizing enzyme from ADH 1 to ADH 3.

  7. High-dose zolpidem dependence - Psychostimulant effects? A case report and literature review

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abhijna Chandan Chattopadhyay

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available Zolpidem, an imidazoline nonbenzodiazepine sedative drug, is used widely. Initial reports showed minimal abuse potential. However, multiple reports have appeared of dose escalation and abuse. Subjective effects of high-dose zolpidem are not known. In light of accumulating evidence of abuse potential, we hereby report a case of high-dose dependence and a review of relevant literature. A 33-year-old male presented with 5 years of daily use of 600–1700 mg of zolpidem tartrate. He reported subjective effects of euphoria, intense craving, and inability to stop use. Loss of receptor specificity, pharmacokinetic factors, and different receptor distributions can explain paradoxical stimulatory effects of high-dose zolpidem. Further studies are required to characterize subjective effects of high-dose zolpidem.

  8. Dose and time-dependent effects of cyanide on thiosulfate sulfurtransferase, 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase, and cystathionine λ-lyase activities.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Singh, Poonam; Rao, Pooja; Bhattacharya, Rahul

    2013-12-01

    We assessed the dose-dependent effect of potassium cyanide (KCN) on thiosulfate sulfurtransferase (TST), 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase (3-MPST), and cystathionine λ-lyase (CST) activities in mice. The time-dependent effect of 0.5 LD50 KCN on cyanide level and cytochrome c oxidase (CCO), TST, 3-MPST, and CST activities was also examined. Furthermore, TST, 3-MPST, and CST activities were measured in stored mice cadavers. Hepatic and renal TST activity increased by 0.5 LD50 KCN but diminished by ≥2.0 LD50. After 0.5 LD50 KCN, the elevated hepatic cyanide level was accompanied by increased TST, 3-MPST, and CST activities, and CCO inhibition. Elevated renal cyanide level was only accompanied by increased 3-MPST activity. No appreciable change in enzyme activities was observed in mice cadavers. The study concludes that high doses of cyanide exert saturating effects on its detoxification enzymes, indicating their exogenous use during cyanide poisoning. Also, these enzymes are not reliable markers of cyanide poisoning in autopsied samples. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

  9. A single dose of dark chocolate increases parasympathetic modulation and heart rate variability in healthy subjects

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ana Amélia Machado DUARTE

    Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the acute effect of a single dose of dark chocolate (70% cocoa on blood pressure and heart rate variability. Methods: Thirty-one healthy subjects (aged 18-25 years; both sexes were divided into two groups: 10 subjects in the white chocolate (7.4 g group and 21 in the dark chocolate (10 g group; measurements were performed at the university's physiology lab. An electrocardiogram measured the sympathovagal balance by spectral and symbolic analysis. Results: A single dose of dark chocolate significantly reduced systolic blood pressure and heart rate. After consuming 10 g of dark chocolate, significant increases were observed for heart rate variability, standard deviation of RR intervals standard deviation of all NN intervals, square root of the mean squared differences between adjacent normal RR intervals root mean square of successive differences, and an increase in the high frequency component in absolute values, representing the parasympathetic modulation. Conclusion: In conclusion the importance of our results lies in the magnitude of the response provoked by a single dose of cocoa. Just 10 g of cocoa triggered a significant increase in parasympathetic modulation and heart rate variability. These combined effects can potentially increase life expectancy because a reduction in heart rate variability is associated with several cardiovascular diseases and higher mortality.

  10. Implication of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 in the development of psychological dependence on and behavioral sensitization to morphine.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Narita, Minoru; Shibasaki, Masahiro; Nagumo, Yasuyuki; Narita, Michiko; Yajima, Yoshinori; Suzuki, Tsutomu

    2005-06-01

    In the present study, we investigated the role of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) in the brain dynamics changed by repeated in vivo treatment with morphine. The level of phosphorylated-cdk5 was significantly increased in the cingulate cortex of mice showing the morphine-induced rewarding effect. Under these conditions, roscovitine, a cdk5 inhibitor, given intracerebroventricularly (i.c.v.) caused a dose-dependent and significant inhibition of the morphine-induced rewarding effect. In addition, the dose-response effect of the morphine-induced rewarding effect was dramatically attenuated in cdk5 heterozygous (+/-) knockout mice. Furthermore, the development of behavioral sensitization by intermittent administration of morphine was virtually abolished in cdk5 (+/-) mice. These findings suggest that the induction and/or activation of cdk5 are implicated in the development of psychological dependence on morphine.

  11. Quantification of acute vocal fold epithelial surface damage with increasing time and magnitude doses of vibration exposure.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Tsuyoshi Kojima

    Full Text Available Because the vocal folds undergo repeated trauma during continuous cycles of vibration, the epithelium is routinely susceptible to damage during phonation. Excessive and prolonged vibration exposure is considered a significant predisposing factor in the development of vocal fold pathology. The purpose of the present study was to quantify the extent of epithelial surface damage following increased time and magnitude doses of vibration exposure using an in vivo rabbit phonation model. Forty-five New Zealand white breeder rabbits were randomized to nine groups and received varying phonation time-doses (30, 60, or 120 minutes and magnitude-doses (control, modal intensity phonation, or raised intensity phonation of vibration exposure. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy was used to quantify the degree of epithelial surface damage. Results revealed a significant reduction in microprojection density, microprojection height, and depth of the epithelial surface with increasing time and phonation magnitudes doses, signifying increased epithelial surface damage risk with excessive and prolonged vibration exposure. Destruction to the epithelial cell surface may provide significant insight into the disruption of cell function following prolonged vibration exposure. One important goal achieved in the present study was the quantification of epithelial surface damage using objective imaging criteria. These data provide an important foundation for future studies of long-term tissue recovery from excessive and prolonged vibration exposure.

  12. Continuous background light significantly increases flashing-light enhancement of photosynthesis and growth of microalgae.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abu-Ghosh, Said; Fixler, Dror; Dubinsky, Zvy; Iluz, David

    2015-01-01

    Under specific conditions, flashing light enhances the photosynthesis rate in comparison to continuous illumination. Here we show that a combination of flashing light and continuous background light with the same integrated photon dose as continuous or flashing light alone can be used to significantly enhance photosynthesis and increase microalgae growth. To test this hypothesis, the green microalga Dunaliella salina was exposed to three different light regimes: continuous light, flashing light, and concomitant application of both. Algal growth was compared under three different integrated light quantities; low, intermediate, and moderately high. Under the combined light regime, there was a substantial increase in all algal growth parameters, with an enhanced photosynthesis rate, within 3days. Our strategy demonstrates a hitherto undescribed significant increase in photosynthesis and algal growth rates, which is beyond the increase by flashing light alone. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  13. Schistosoma mansoni: is acquired immunity induced by highly x-irradiated cercariae dependent on the size of the challenging dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hsue, S.Y.; Hsue, H.F.; Osborne, J.W.; Johnson, S.C.

    1982-01-01

    A high degree of immunity, as shown by a 91% reduction of the number of worms recovered was found in five groups of mice that were immunized five times with highly X-irradiated cercariae and then challenged with 10, 20, 50, 100, or 500 normal Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. The results indicated that there were no significant differences in worm reduction in immunized mice challenged with different numbers of cercariae; consequently the immunity induced by this immunization method did not appear to be challenge-dose-dependent. However, the results also showed that when immunized mice were challenged with 500, 100, 50, 20, and 10 cercariae, 0, 13, 26, 56, and 68%, respectively, of the experimental animals were free of worms. Thus, the percentage of worm-negative cases increased as the number of challenge cercariae decreased. When viewed in this manner, the acquired immunity may be considered challenge-dose-dependent as well. If this method of vaccination is used for schistosomiasis control, we may anticipate that in both hypo- and hyperendemic areas, the intensity of infection and the severity of the disease will be reduced owing to a reduction in worms burdens, and in hypoendemic areas, there will be a number of worm-free cases

  14. Thymocyte apoptosis in response to low-dose radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Shu-Zheng, Liu; Ying-Chun, Zhang; Ying, Mu; Xu, Su; Jian-Xiang, Liu

    1996-01-01

    Thymocyte apoptosis was assessed by counting apoptotic bodies with flow cytometry (FCM) and measuring DNA fragmentation with fluorescence spectrophotometry (FSP). J-shaped dose-response curves were obtained after both whole-body irradiation (WBI) of mice and in vitro irradiation of EL4 cells with doses ranging from 0.025 to 4 Gy X-rays. There was a significant reduction of apoptosis rate to below control level with doses within 0.2 Gy, and a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis with doses above 0.5 Gy. When thymocytes were cultured 24 h after WBI with 75 mGy X-rays in complete RPMI 1640 medium, a reduction in apoptosis was observed in the course of incubation for 72 h, and the presence of Con A in the medium accentuated this reduction in a dose- and time-dependent manner. The implications of these observations and the possible molecular mechanisms for future studies are proposed

  15. Dose-dependent optically stimulated luminescence of synthetic quartz at room temperature

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kale, Y.D.; Gandhi, Y.H.; Gartia, R.K.

    2008-01-01

    Physical conditions such as annealing temperature, duration of annealing, ionizing radiation, etc., play a significant role in the applications of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating as well as OSL dosimetry. Many efforts are made to understand the effect of these physical parameters on quartz specimens owing to its use in such applications. Such factors induce changes in OSL decay pattern. The definite correlation between color centers and luminescence sensitivity can be established on account of such pre-treatments to the specimen. The purpose of present investigations is to study the effect of ionizing radiation under identical physical conditions on OSL properties measured at room temperature. The shapes of decay curve and dose-response data are considered for this purpose. This study can reveal the changes in color centers in response to the pre-conditions to the specimen. It was found that the OSL decay remains slow and OSL properties change systematically with the rise in beta dose up to a critical dose; however, it changes the pattern when the beta exposure to the specimen was increased higher than the critical dose. This critical dose was found to be different for different temperature of annealing. The shape of decay curve up to the critical dose was also studied by considering the difference of OSL intensities between two successive durations from the observed OSL decay data. The results are explained based on the changes in available shallow traps during OSL measurement at room temperature with changes in pre-conditions to the specimens. The results also have been confirmed with the corresponding changes in ESR signals

  16. [Dose-Response Dependences for Frequency of RET/PTC Gene Rearrangements in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma after Irradiation. Simple Pooling Analysis of Molecular Epidemiological Data].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Koterov, A N; Ushenkova, L N; Biryukov, A P

    2016-01-01

    On the basis of all possible publications on the theme included in the previously formed base of sources on molecular epidemiology of RET/PTC rearrangements in thyroid papillary carcinoma a pooled analysis ("simple pooling data") on determination of the dose-effect dependences for RET/PTC frequency in radiogenic carcinomas of various irradiated groups was performed. (They are groups subjected to radiotherapeutic exposure, residents near the Chernobyl nuclear power plant (CNPP) and victims of nuclear bombing). The tendency to Pearson linear correlation (r = 0.746; p = 0.148) between the frequency of RET/PTC and the estimated dose on thyroid in the regions affected by the CNPP accident was revealed. But this tendency was recognized to be random owing to abnormally low values of the indicator for the most contaminated Gomel region. The method tentatively called "case-control" showed reliable differences in thyroid dose values for carcinomas with RET/PTC and without those. The versatility of changes was found: the lack of RET/PTC for radiotherapeutic impacts was associated with higher doses, whereas in case of the CNPP accident and for nuclear bombing victims it was the opposite. Probably, in the first case the "cellular cleaning" phenomenon after exposure to very high doses took place. Search of direct Pearson correlations between average/median thyroid doses on groups and RET/PTC frequency in carcinomas of these groups showed a high reliability for the dose-effect dependences- at the continuous dose scale (for RET/PTC in total and RET/PTC1 respectively: r = 0.830; p = 0.002 and r = 0.906; p = 0.0003); while there was no significant correlation received for RET/PTC3. When using the weighting least square regression analysis (proceeding from the number of carcinomas in samples), the specified regularities remained. Attempts to influence the strength of correlation by exception ofthe data of all the samples connected with the accident on the CNPP did not significantly

  17. Drug- not carrier-dependent haematological and biochemical changes in a repeated dose study of cyclosporine encapsulated polyester nano- and micro-particles: Size does not matter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Venkatpurwar, V.P.; Rhodes, S.; Oien, K.A.; Elliott, M.A.; Tekwe, C.D.; Jørgensen, H.G.; Kumar, M.N.V. Ravi

    2015-01-01

    Highlights: • The particulate delivery allows an increase in dose range without accrual of toxicities. • The altered haematological and biochemical changes are drug, but not particle dependent. • PLGA nano/microparticles are safe on subacute peroral dosing over 28 days. • Nano-toxicology, drug needs to be considered. - Abstract: Biodegradable nanoparticles are being considered more often as drug carriers to address pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic issues, yet nano-product safety has not been systematically proven. In this study, haematological, biochemical and histological parameters were examined on 28 day daily dosing of rats with nano- or micro-particle encapsulated cyclosporine (CsA) to confirm if any changes observed were drug or carrier dependent. CsA encapsulated poly(lactide-co-glycolide) [PLGA] nano- (nCsA) and micro-particles (mCsA) were prepared by emulsion techniques. CsA (15, 30, 45 mg/kg) were administered by oral gavage to Sprague Dawley (SD) rats over 28 days. Haematological and biochemical metrics were followed with tissue histology performed on sacrifice. Whether presented as nCsA or mCsA, 45 mg/kg dose caused significant loss of body weight and lowered food consumption compared to untreated control. Across the doses, both nCsA and mCsA produce significant decreases in lymphocyte numbers compared to controls, commensurate with the proprietary product, Neoral ® 15. Dosing with nCsA showed higher serum drug levels than mCsA presumably owing to the smaller particle size facilitating absorption. The treatment had no noticeable effects on inflammatory/oxidative stress markers or antioxidant enzyme levels, except an increase in ceruloplasmin (CP) levels for high dose nCsA/mCsA group. Further, only subtle, sub-lethal changes were observed in histology of nCsA/mCsA treated rat organs. Blank (drug-free) particles did not induce changes in the parameters studied. Therefore, it is extremely important that the encapsulated drug in the nano-products is

  18. Increasing Use of Dose-Escalated External Beam Radiation Therapy for Men With Nonmetastatic Prostate Cancer

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Swisher-McClure, Samuel; Mitra, Nandita; Woo, Kaitlin; Smaldone, Marc; Uzzo, Robert; Bekelman, Justin E.

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: To examine recent practice patterns, using a large national cancer registry, to understand the extent to which dose-escalated external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) has been incorporated into routine clinical practice for men with prostate cancer. Methods and Materials: We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study using the National Cancer Data Base, a nationwide oncology outcomes database in the United States. We identified 98,755 men diagnosed with nonmetastatic prostate cancer between 2006 and 2011 who received definitive EBRT and classified patients into National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) risk groups. We defined dose-escalated EBRT as total prescribed dose of ≥75.6 Gy. Using multivariable logistic regression, we examined the association of patient, clinical, and demographic characteristics with the use of dose-escalated EBRT. Results: Overall, 81.6% of men received dose-escalated EBRT during the study period. The use of dose-escalated EBRT did not vary substantially by NCCN risk group. Use of dose-escalated EBRT increased from 70.7% of patients receiving treatment in 2006 to 89.8% of patients receiving treatment in 2011. On multivariable analysis, year of diagnosis and use of intensity modulated radiation therapy were significantly associated with receipt of dose-escalated EBRT. Conclusions: Our study results indicate that dose-escalated EBRT has been widely adopted by radiation oncologists treating prostate cancer in the United States. The proportion of patients receiving dose-escalated EBRT increased nearly 20% between 2006 and 2011. We observed high utilization rates of dose-escalated EBRT within all disease risk groups. Adoption of intensity modulated radiation therapy was strongly associated with use of dose-escalated treatment

  19. Whole body exposure of mice to secondhand smoke induces dose-dependent and persistent promutagenic DNA adducts in the lung

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sang-In; Arlt, Volker M.; Yoon, Jae-In; Cole, Kathleen J.; Pfeifer, Gerd P.; Phillips, David H.; Besaratinia, Ahmad

    2011-01-01

    Secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure is a known risk factor for lung cancer in lifelong nonsmokers. However, the underlying mechanism of action of SHS in lung carcinogenesis remains elusive. We have investigated, using the 32 P-postlabeling assay, the genotoxic potential of SHS in vivo by determining the formation and kinetics of repair of DNA adducts in the lungs of mice exposed whole body to SHS for 2 or 4 months (5 h/day, 5 days/week), and an ensuing one-month recovery period. We demonstrate that exposure of mice to SHS elicits a significant genotoxic response as reflected by the elevation of DNA adduct levels in the lungs of SHS-exposed animals. The increases in DNA adduct levels in the lungs of SHS-exposed mice are dose-dependent as they are related to the intensity and duration of SHS exposure. After one month of recovery in clean air, the levels of lung DNA adducts in the mice exposed for 4 months remain significantly higher than those in the mice exposed for 2 months (P < 0.0005), levels in both groups being significantly elevated relative to controls (P < 0.00001). Our experimental findings accord with the epidemiological data showing that exposure to smoke-derived carcinogens is a risk factor for lung cancer; not only does the magnitude of risk depend upon carcinogen dose, but it also becomes more irreversible with prolonged exposure. The confirmation of epidemiologic data by our experimental findings is of significance because it strengthens the case for the etiologic involvement of SHS in nonsmokers' lung cancer. Identifying the etiologic factors involved in the pathogenesis of lung cancer can help define future strategies for prevention, early detection, and treatment of this highly lethal malignancy.

  20. Red Blood Cell Docosapentaenoic Acid (DPA n-3) is Inversely Associated with Triglycerides and C-reactive Protein (CRP) in Healthy Adults and Dose-Dependently Increases Following n-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation

    Science.gov (United States)

    Skulas-Ray, Ann C.; Flock, Michael R.; Richter, Chesney K.; Harris, William S.; West, Sheila G.; Kris-Etherton, Penny M.

    2015-01-01

    The role of the long-chain omega-3 (n-3) fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in lipid metabolism and inflammation has been extensively studied; however, little is known about the relationship between docosapentaenoic acid (DPA, 22:5 n-3) and inflammation and triglycerides (TG). We evaluated whether n-3 DPA content of red blood cells (RBC) was associated with markers of inflammation (interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), and C-reactive protein (CRP) and fasting TG prior to n-3 supplementation in two studies (Study 1: n = 115, aged 20–44 years, body mass index (BMI) 20–30 kg/m2, TG = 34–176 mg/dL; Study 2: n = 28, aged 22–65 years, BMI 24–37 kg/m2, TG = 141–339 mg/dL). We also characterized the dose-response effects of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on RBC n-3 DPA after five months of supplementation with fish oil (Study 1: 0, 300, 600, 900, and 1800 mg/day EPA + DHA) and eight weeks of prescription n-3 ethyl esters (Study 2: 0, 850, and 3400 mg/day EPA + DHA). In Study 1, RBC n-3 DPA was inversely correlated with CRP (R2 = 36%, p < 0.001) and with fasting TG (r = −0.30, p = 0.001). The latter finding was replicated in Study 2 (r = −0.33, p = 0.04). In both studies, n-3 supplementation significantly increased RBC n-3 DPA dose-dependently. Relative increases were greater for Study 1, with increases of 29%–61% vs. 14%–26% for Study 2. The associations between RBC n-3 DPA, CRP, and fasting TG may have important implications for the prevention of atherosclerosis and chronic inflammatory diseases and warrant further study. PMID:26247967

  1. Atrazine Does Not Induce Pica Behavior at Doses that Increase Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis Activation and Cause Conditioned Taste Avoidance.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Previous work has shown that a single oral administration of atrazine (ATR), a chlorotriazine herbicide, induces dose-dependent increases in plasma adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), serum corticosterone (CORT) and progesterone. The mechanism for these effects is unknown. To tes...

  2. The effect of chronic corticosterone on fear learning and memory depends on dose and the testing protocol.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Marks, W N; Fenton, E Y; Guskjolen, A J; Kalynchuk, L E

    2015-03-19

    Chronic exposure to the stress hormone corticosterone (CORT) is known to alter plasticity within hippocampal and amygdalar circuits that mediate fear learning and memory. The purpose of this experiment was to clarify the effects of chronic CORT on Pavlovian fear conditioning, which is dependent on intact hippocampal and amygdalar activity. In particular, we assessed whether the effect of chronic CORT on fear learning and memory is influenced by two factors-the dose of CORT and the order in which rats are tested for freezing to context versus tone cues. Male Long-Evans rats received low-dose CORT (5mg/kg), high-dose CORT (40mg/kg), or vehicle injections once daily for 21days. On day 22, the rats were trained in a fear-conditioning paradigm. On days 23 and 24, the rats were tested for the retrieval of fear memories to context and tone cues in a counterbalanced way-half the rats received context testing on day 23 and then tone testing on day 24 and half the rats received tone testing on day 23 followed by context testing on day 24. Our results revealed dose-dependent effects of CORT on memory retrieval: Rats injected with high-dose CORT froze significantly more than control rats to both context and tone cues regardless of what testing day these cues were presented. However, rats injected with low-dose CORT froze significantly more than control rats to tone cues only. We also found an order effect in that the effects of CORT on freezing were greater on the second day of testing, regardless of whether that testing was to context or tones cues. This order effect may be due to a lack of extinction in the CORT rats. Overall, these results suggest a relationship between stress intensity and testing conditions that should be taken into account when assessing the effect of stress on fear memories. Copyright © 2015 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  3. Energy-dependency correction factors for the digital dosimeters using in NMD environment dose assessment

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lai, Y.C.; Huang, Y. F.; Chen, Y.W.

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Short-term environment dose-rate assessments using real-time digital dosimeters within a Nuclear Medicine Department (NMD) are gaining more world-wide uses recently. In the past, conventional ion chamber-type survey-meters are used dominantly in environmental dose rates evaluation. Although it has suffered less gamma energy-dependency, but it is less sensitive in comparison with other digital dosimeters and more bulky in design that can hardly make it into a pocket size application. With modern electronic advancement and its shrinking in physical size, real-time personal dosimeter nowadays has gaining more popular to use a miniature G-M counter or a solid-state diode sensor, or even a NaI(Tl) scintillation device for ambient radiation monitoring. Radiation sensor operated in pulse-mode can never been used in doses or dose rates determination since each digital pulse has carried no energy information of the impinging gamma ray being interactive with, especially in the G-M counter or the diode sensor case. The raw count rates measured from a pulse-mode device are heavily dependent on the packaging of the sensor to make it less energy-sensitive. The doses or dose rates are then calculated by using a built-in conversion factor, based on a Cs-137 beam source calibration data conducted by various manufacturing vendors, to convert its raw counts into a so-called dose or dose-rate unit. In this study, we have focused our interests in the low energy response of the digital dosimeters from several brands currently for our in-house uses. Mainly, Tc-99m and I-131 in point sources and water phantoms detection configurations have been deployed to simulate our NMD outpatients for environment radiation monitoring purpose. The energy-dependent correction factors of the digital dosimeters will be evaluated by using calibrated Tc-99m or I-131 standard sources directly that has much lower gamma energy than the Cs-137 beam source of 661 keV. In the near future, we would

  4. Study of the SEY dependence on the electron beams dose and energy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Commisso, M.

    2011-01-01

    During operation, the internal walls of modern particle accelerators are subjected to synchrotron radiation irradiation and/or electron bombardment. Such phenomena do affect surface properties such as the secondary electron yield, (SEY). A low SEY is a key parameter to control and overcome any detrimental effect on the accelerator performance eventually induced by the build-up of an Electron Cloud (E C). In laboratory experiments SEY reduction (called scrubbing) has been studied as a function of dose but the actual kinetic energy dependence has never been considered as an important parameter. For this reason and given the peculiar behavior observed for low-energy electrons, we decided to study this dependence accurately. Here we report results of SEY measurements performed bombarding Cu samples obtained from the Large Hadron Collider (Lhc) with different doses of electron beam with energy in the range 10-500 eV. Our results demonstrate that the potentiality of an electron beam to reduce the SEY does not only depend on its dose, but also on its energy. Furthermore, since E C build-up was predicted and observed also the DAΦNE ring, we report some preliminary measurements on the conditioning of Al samples. An overview of future experiments which we will perform in LNF is then given.

  5. HDL and CER-001 Inverse-Dose Dependent Inhibition of Atherosclerotic Plaque Formation in apoE-/- Mice: Evidence of ABCA1 Down-Regulation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tardy, Claudine; Goffinet, Marine; Boubekeur, Nadia; Cholez, Guy; Ackermann, Rose; Sy, Gavin; Keyserling, Constance; Lalwani, Narendra; Paolini, John F; Dasseux, Jean-Louis; Barbaras, Ronald; Baron, Rudi

    2015-01-01

    CER-001 is a novel engineered HDL-mimetic comprised of recombinant human apoA-I and charged phospholipids that was designed to mimic the beneficial properties of nascent pre-ß HDL. In this study, we have evaluated the dose-dependent regulation of ABCA1 expression in vitro and in vivo in the presence of CER-001 and native HDL (HDL3). CER-001 induced cholesterol efflux from J774 macrophages in a dose-dependent manner similar to natural HDL. A strong down-regulation of the ATP-binding cassette A1 (ABCA1) transporter mRNA (- 50%) as well as the ABCA1 membrane protein expression (- 50%) was observed at higher doses of CER-001 and HDL3 compared to non-lipidated apoA-I. In vivo, in an apoE-/- mouse "flow cessation model," in which the left carotid artery was ligatured to induce local inflammation, the inhibition of atherosclerotic plaque burden progression in response to a dose-range of every-other-day CER-001 or HDL in the presence of a high-fat diet for two weeks was assessed. We observed a U-shaped dose-response curve: inhibition of the plaque total cholesterol content increased with increasing doses of CER-001 or HDL3 up to a maximum inhibition (- 51%) at 5 mg/kg; however, as the dose was increased above this threshold, a progressively less pronounced inhibition of progression was observed, reaching a complete absence of inhibition of progression at doses of 20 mg/kg and over. ABCA1 protein expression in the same atherosclerotic plaque was decreased by-45% and-68% at 50 mg/kg for CER-001 and HDL respectively. Conversely, a-12% and 0% decrease in ABCA1 protein expression was observed at the 5 mg/kg dose for CER-001 and HDL respectively. These data demonstrate that high doses of HDL and CER-001 are less effective at slowing progression of atherosclerotic plaque in apoE-/- mice compared to lower doses, following a U-shaped dose-response curve. A potential mechanism for this phenomenon is supported by the observation that high doses of HDL and CER-001 induce a rapid and

  6. Effect of dose increase or cimetidine co-administration on albendazole bioavailability

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Schipper, H. G.; Koopmans, R. P.; Nagy, J.; Butter, J. J.; Kager, P. A.; van Boxtel, C. J.

    2000-01-01

    The low bioavailability of albendazole affects the therapeutic response in patients with echinococcosis. Cimetidine co-administration is reported to improve bioavailability. To analyze the assumed dose-dependent bioavailability of albendazole, we administered 5 to 30 mg/kg albendazole to 6 male

  7. Energy and integrated dose dependence of MOSFET dosimeter for clinical electron beams

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Manigandan, D.; Bharanidharan, G.; Aruna, P.; Ganesan, S.; Tamil Kumar, T.; Rai

    2008-01-01

    In this study, the sensitivity (mV/cGy) and integral dose dependence of a MOSFET detector for different clinical electron beams was studied. Calibrated clinical electron beams (Varian 2100) were used for the exposure. A Markus type parallel plate chamber was used for the absolute dose measurements. In order to study the sensitivity of a MOSFET, the response of the ion chamber and MOSFET for the absorbed dose of 100 cGy was measured. The sensitivity of the MOSFET was then expressed as mV/cGy. Sensitivity was measured for 4-18 MeV electron beams. (author)

  8. Time-, Sex-, and Dose-Dependent Alterations of the Gut Microbiota by Consumption of Dietary Daikenchuto (TU-100

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jun Miyoshi

    2018-01-01

    Full Text Available Medications or dietary components can affect both the host and the host’s gut microbiota. Changes in the microbiota may influence medication efficacy and interactions. Daikenchuto (TU-100, a herbal medication, comprised of ginger, ginseng, and Japanese pepper, is widely used in Japanese traditional Kampo medicine for intestinal motility and postoperative paralytic ileus. We previously showed in mice that consumption of TU-100 for 4 weeks changed the gut microbiota and increased bioavailability of bacterial ginsenoside metabolites. Since TU-100 is prescribed in humans for months to years, we examined the time- and sex-dependent effects of TU-100 on mouse gut microbiota. Oral administration of 1.5% TU-100 for 24 weeks caused more pronounced changes in gut microbiota in female than in male mice. Changes in both sexes largely reverted to baseline upon TU-100 withdrawal. Effects were time and dose dependent. The microbial profiles reverted to baseline within 4 weeks after withdrawal of 0.75% TU-100 but were sustained after withdrawal of 3% TU-100. In summary, dietary TU-100 changed mouse microbiota in a time-, sex-, and dose-dependent manner. These findings may be taken into consideration when determining optimizing dose for conditions of human health and disease with the consideration of differences in composition and response of the human intestinal microbiota.

  9. Revised age-dependent doses to members of the public from intake of radionuclides using the new tissue weighting factors

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jain, S.C.; Gupta, M.M.; Nagaratnam, A.; Reddy, A.R.; Mehta, S.C.

    1992-01-01

    ICRP 56 gave age-dependent dose coefficients to members of the public from intake of most radiologically significant radionuclides that might be released to the environment due to various human activities. It has computed effective dose equivalent (now called effective dose) from these dose coefficients utilising the tissue weighting factors as given by ICRP 26. The recent ICRP 1990 recommendations have revised the tissue weighting factors based on new information on risk estimates of fatal cancer and hereditary disorders. This change in the tissue weighting factors will subsequently affect the computation of effective dose due to intake of various radio-nuclides considered by ICRP 56. The revised effective doses for ingested as well as inhaled radionuclides have been worked out and compared from corresponding earlier values. No change was found in the case of tritiated water, organically bound tritium and 14 C. For the majority of the radionuclides, the revised effective dose was within ± 20% of the earlier values. Larger variations in effective dose were noted for radionuclides which deposit preferentially in one or two organs. (author)

  10. Salmonella fecal shedding and immune responses are dose- and serotype- dependent in pigs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Renata Ivanek

    Full Text Available Despite the public health importance of Salmonella infection in pigs, little is known about the associated dynamics of fecal shedding and immunity. In this study, we investigated the transitions of pigs through the states of Salmonella fecal shedding and immune response post-Salmonella inoculation as affected by the challenge dose and serotype. Continuous-time multistate Markov models were developed using published experimental data. The model for shedding had four transient states, of which two were shedding (continuous and intermittent shedding and two non-shedding (latency and intermittent non-shedding, and one absorbing state representing permanent cessation of shedding. The immune response model had two transient states representing responses below and above the seroconversion level. The effects of two doses [low (0.65×10(6 CFU/pig and high (0.65×10(9 CFU/pig] and four serotypes (Salmonella Yoruba, Salmonella Cubana, Salmonella Typhimurium, and Salmonella Derby on the models' transition intensities were evaluated using a proportional intensities model. Results indicated statistically significant effects of the challenge dose and serotype on the dynamics of shedding and immune response. The time spent in the specific states was also estimated. Continuous shedding was on average 10-26 days longer, while intermittent non-shedding was 2-4 days shorter, in pigs challenged with the high compared to low dose. Interestingly, among pigs challenged with the high dose, the continuous and intermittent shedding states were on average up to 10-17 and 3-4 days longer, respectively, in pigs infected with S. Cubana compared to the other three serotypes. Pigs challenged with the high dose of S. Typhimurium or S. Derby seroconverted on average up to 8-11 days faster compared to the low dose. These findings highlight that Salmonella fecal shedding and immune response following Salmonella challenge are dose- and serotype-dependent and that the detection of

  11. Low-Dose Sevoflurane Promotes Hippocampal Neurogenesis and Facilitates the Development of Dentate Gyrus-Dependent Learning in Neonatal Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Chong Chen

    2015-04-01

    Full Text Available Huge body of evidences demonstrated that volatile anesthetics affect the hippocampal neurogenesis and neurocognitive functions, and most of them showed impairment at anesthetic dose. Here, we investigated the effect of low dose (1.8% sevoflurane on hippocampal neurogenesis and dentate gyrus-dependent learning. Neonatal rats at postnatal day 4 to 6 (P4–6 were treated with 1.8% sevoflurane for 6 hours. Neurogenesis was quantified by bromodeoxyuridine labeling and electrophysiology recording. Four and seven weeks after treatment, the Morris water maze and contextual-fear discrimination learning tests were performed to determine the influence on spatial learning and pattern separation. A 6-hour treatment with 1.8% sevoflurane promoted hippocampal neurogenesis and increased the survival of newborn cells and the proportion of immature granular cells in the dentate gyrus of neonatal rats. Sevoflurane-treated rats performed better during the training days of the Morris water maze test and in contextual-fear discrimination learning test. These results suggest that a subanesthetic dose of sevoflurane promotes hippocampal neurogenesis in neonatal rats and facilitates their performance in dentate gyrus-dependent learning tasks.

  12. Effect of low doses of ionizing radiation on the thymus-dependent humoral immune response and the polyclonal activation of B-lymphocytes

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharetskij, A.N.; Surinov, B.P.; Abramova, M.R.

    2000-01-01

    The results of studies on the effect of the low-dose (10 cGy with the dose rate of 1cGy/min) γ-radiation on the indices of the mice system and local immune response are presented. The sheep erythrocytes were used as a thymus-dependent antigen. It is shown that the total irradiation with the above dose rate induced the increase in the primary thymus-dependent humoral immune response on the sheep erythrocytes and polyclonal activation of the B-lymphocytes. The sharp oppression of the antibody formation was observed in the immune response dynamics after the phase of the radiation-induced elevation. The injection of hydroquinone right after the irradiation resulted in elimination of the radiation stimulation of the polyclonal response of the B-cells. The essential decrease in the immunoantilogarithmic radiation effect took place in the animals treated with thymogen. The possible negative consequences of the low-dose ionizing radiation impact on the body immune system are discussed [ru

  13. Dose-dependent neuroprotective effect of enoxaparin on cold-induced traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Keskin, Ilknur; Gunal, M Yalcin; Ayturk, Nilufer; Kilic, Ulkan; Ozansoy, Mehmet; Kilic, Ertugrul

    2017-05-01

    Recent evidence exists that enoxaparin can reduce brain injury because of its anticoagulant activity. To investigate the potential therapeutic effect of enoxaparin on cold-induced traumatic brain injury, at 20 minutes after modeling, male BALB/c mouse models of cold-induced traumatic brain injury were intraperitoneally administered 3 and 10 mg/kg enoxaparin or isotonic saline solution. Twenty-four hours later, enoxaparin at 10 mg/kg greatly reduced infarct volume, decreased cell apoptosis in the cortex and obviously increased serum level of total antioxidant status. By contrast, administration of enoxaparin at 3 mg/kg did not lead to these changes. These findings suggest that enoxaparin exhibits neuroprotective effect on cold-induced traumatic brain injury in a dose-dependent manner.

  14. Dose-dependent progressive sunscreens. A new strategy for photoprotection?

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gallardo, Adaya; Teixidó, Jordi; Miralles, Ricardo; Raga, Manuel; Guglietta, Antonio; Marquillas, Francisco; Sallarès, Joan; Nonell, Santi

    2010-04-01

    A new generation of UV filters has been developed that act by limiting the dose of radiation rather than by blocking a fraction of the solar irradiance on the skin surface. Such progressive sunscreens are based on the photochemical transformation of suitable precursors upon exposure to sunlight. Broadband sunscreens are thus generated "on demand", affording protection when, where, and to the extent that it is needed, providing higher protection to more exposed areas, and increasing the UV blocking capacity as the radiation dose increases. Encapsulation in silica particles isolates the precursors and transformation products, further improving the efficacy, safety, and environmental impact of the use of sunscreens.

  15. Sex-related differences in NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation induced by cadmium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sato, Masao; Nagai, Yasushi

    1986-10-01

    Male and female rats were dosed once a day for 2 days with injections of 1.5 mg Cd/kg. Formation of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBA-RS) was significantly increased in male rat liver but not in the females. NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation in vitro in microsomes derived from untreated rat liver was greater in males than in females. Furthermore, addition of cadmium (Cd) to microsomes isolated from male rat liver produced a dose-dependent potentiation of NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation from low concentrations of CD. In microsomes derived from females a significant increase in lipid peroxidation was observed only at high Cd concentrations. NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation enhanced by Cd was greater in the males than in the females. These data suggest that a sex-related difference in the ability of Cd to induce lipid peroxidation in vivo in rat liver appears to be mediated partly through differences in hepatic microsomal NADPH-dependent lipid peroxidation.

  16. Aspartame and the hippocampus: Revealing a bi-directional, dose/time-dependent behavioural and morphological shift in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Onaolapo, Adejoke Y; Onaolapo, Olakunle J; Nwoha, Polycarp U

    2017-03-01

    Changes, in behaviour, oxidative markers of stress and hippocampal morphology were evaluated following aspartame administration. Mice, (20-22g each) were given vehicle (10ml/kg) or aspartame (20, 40, 80 and 160mg/kg) daily for 28days. They were tested in the Y-maze, radial-arm maze and elevated plus-maze (EPM) after the first and last dose of vehicle or aspartame; and then sacrificed. Hippocampal slices were analysed for aspartic acid, nitric oxide (NO) and superoxide dismutase (SOD); and processed for general histology and neuritic plaques. Glial fibrillary-acid protein (GFAP) expression and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) activities were determined. Radial-arm maze scores increased significantly after acute administration at 80 and 160mg/kg. Repeated administration at 20 and 40mg/kg (Y-maze) and at 40mg/kg (radial-arm maze) was also associated with increased scores, however, performance decreased at higher doses. EPM tests revealed anxiogenic responses following both acute and repeated administration. Significant increase in SOD and NO activities were observed at 40, 80 and 160mg/kg. Neuron counts reduced at higher doses of aspartame. At 40, 80 and 160mg/kg, fewer GFAP-reactive astrocytes were observed in the cornus ammonis, but increased GFAP-reactivity was observed in the dentate gyrus subgranular zone. NSE-positive neurons were readily identifiable within the dentate gyrus at the lower doses of aspartame; but at 160mg/kg, there was marked neuron loss and reduction in NSE-positive neurons. Oral aspartame significantly altered behaviour, anti-oxidant status and morphology of the hippocampus in mice; also, it may probably trigger hippocampal adult neurogenesis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  17. Dose-Dependent Effect of Statin Pretreatment on Preventing the Periprocedural Complications of Carotid Artery Stenting.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hong, Jeong-Ho; Sohn, Sung-Il; Kwak, Jaehyuk; Yoo, Joonsang; Chang, Hyuk Won; Kwon, O-Ki; Jung, Cheolkyu; Chung, Inyoung; Bae, Hee-Joon; Lee, Ji Sung; Han, Moon-Ku

    2017-07-01

    We investigated whether statin pretreatment can dose dependently reduce periprocedural complications in patients undergoing carotid artery stenting because of symptomatic carotid artery stenosis. We enrolled a consecutive series of 397 symptomatic carotid artery stenosis (≥50% stenosis on conventional angiography) treated with carotid artery stenting at 2 tertiary university hospitals over a decade. Definition of periprocedural complications included any stroke, myocardial infarction, and death within 1 month after or during the procedure. Statin pretreatment was divided into 3 categories according to the atorvastatin equivalent dose: none (n=158; 39.8%), standard dose (statin use were 12.0%, 4.5%, and 1.2%. After adjustment, a change in the atorvastatin dose category was associated with reduction in the odds of periprocedural complications for each change in dose category (standard-dose statin: odds ratio, 0.24; 95% confidence interval, 0.07-0.81; high-dose statin: odds ratio, 0.11; 95% confidence interval, 0.01-0.96; P for trend=0.01). Administration of antiplatelet drugs was also an independent factor in periprocedural complications (OR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.05-0.69). This study shows that statin pretreatment may reduce the incidence of periprocedural complications dose dependently in patients with symptomatic carotid artery stenting. © 2017 American Heart Association, Inc.

  18. Human circulating plasma DNA significantly decreases while lymphocyte DNA damage increases under chronic occupational exposure to low-dose gamma-neutron and tritium β-radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Korzeneva, Inna B; Kostuyk, Svetlana V; Ershova, Liza S; Osipov, Andrian N; Zhuravleva, Veronika F; Pankratova, Galina V; Porokhovnik, Lev N; Veiko, Natalia N

    2015-09-01

    The blood plasma of healthy people contains cell-fee (circulating) DNA (cfDNA). Apoptotic cells are the main source of the cfDNA. The cfDNA concentration increases in case of the organism's cell death rate increase, for example in case of exposure to high-dose ionizing radiation (IR). The objects of the present research are the blood plasma and blood lymphocytes of people, who contacted occupationally with the sources of external gamma/neutron radiation or internal β-radiation of tritium N = 176). As the controls (references), blood samples of people, who had never been occupationally subjected to the IR sources, were used (N = 109). With respect to the plasma samples of each donor there were defined: the cfDNA concentration (the cfDNA index), DNase1 activity (the DNase1 index) and titre of antibodies to DNA (the Ab DNA index). The general DNA damage in the cells was defined (using the Comet assay, the tail moment (TM) index). A chronic effect of the low-dose ionizing radiation on a human being is accompanied by the enhancement of the DNA damage in lymphocytes along with a considerable cfDNA content reduction, while the DNase1 content and concentration of antibodies to DNA (Ab DNA) increase. All the aforementioned changes were also observed in people, who had not worked with the IR sources for more than a year. The ratio cfDNA/(DNase1×Ab DNA × TM) is proposed to be used as a marker of the chronic exposure of a person to the external low-dose IR. It was formulated the assumption that the joint analysis of the cfDNA, DNase1, Ab DNA and TM values may provide the information about the human organism's cell resistivity to chronic exposure to the low-dose IR and about the development of the adaptive response in the organism that is aimed, firstly, at the effective cfDNA elimination from the blood circulation, and, secondly - at survival of the cells, including the cells with the damaged DNA. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

  19. Mathematical model for evaluation of dose-rate effect on biological responses to low dose γ-radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogata, H.; Kawakami, Y.; Magae, J.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: To evaluate quantitative dose-response relationship on the biological response to radiation, it is necessary to consider a model including cumulative dose, dose-rate and irradiation time. In this study, we measured micronucleus formation and [ 3 H] thymidine uptake in human cells as indices of biological response to gamma radiation, and analyzed mathematically and statistically the data for quantitative evaluation of radiation risk at low dose/low dose-rate. Effective dose (ED x ) was mathematically estimated by fitting a general function of logistic model to the dose-response relationship. Assuming that biological response depends on not only cumulative dose but also dose-rate and irradiation time, a multiple logistic function was applied to express the relationship of the three variables. Moreover, to estimate the effect of radiation at very low dose, we proposed a modified exponential model. From the results of fitting curves to the inhibition of [ 3 H] thymidine uptake and micronucleus formation, it was obvious that ED 50 in proportion of inhibition of [ 3 H] thymidine uptake increased with longer irradiation time. As for the micronuclei, ED 30 also increased with longer irradiation times. These results suggest that the biological response depends on not only total dose but also irradiation time. The estimated response surface using the three variables showed that the biological response declined sharply when the dose-rate was less than 0.01 Gy/h. These results suggest that the response does not depend on total cumulative dose at very low dose-rates. Further, to investigate the effect of dose-rate within a wider range, we analyzed the relationship between ED x and dose-rate. Fitted curves indicated that ED x increased sharply when dose-rate was less than 10 -2 Gy/h. The increase of ED x signifies the decline of the response or the risk and suggests that the risk approaches to 0 at infinitely low dose-rate

  20. The Dose Rate Dependence of the Yield of Trapped Electrons in Crystalline Ice

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Nilsson, Johan Daniel Göran; Pagsberg, Palle Bjørn

    1980-01-01

    in competition with other reactions and we propose a simple model where we assume that the mobile electrons can undergo bimolecular bulk reactions with protons and OH radicals. Rate constants of 3.0 × 1015 M−1 S−1 and 1.4 × 1014 M−1 S−1 for the two reactions were required in the model in order to account......The yield of localized excess electrons in crystalline H2O ice has been studied as a function of the dose rate at various temperatures in the range −10 to −40°C. The G value was found to decrease significantly with increasing dose rate. Thus it appears that the localization of electrons takes place...

  1. Hydrocortisone infusion exerts dose- and sex-dependent effects on attention to emotional stimuli.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Breitberg, Alaina; Drevets, Wayne C; Wood, Suzanne E; Mah, Linda; Schulkin, Jay; Sahakian, Barbara J; Erickson, Kristine

    2013-03-01

    Glucocorticoid administration has been shown to exert complex effects on cognitive and emotional processing. In the current study we investigated the effects of glucocorticoid administration on attention towards emotional words, using an Affective Go/No-go task on which healthy humans have shown an attentional bias towards positive as compared to negative words. Healthy volunteers received placebo and either low-dose (0.15mg/kg) or high-dose (0.45mg/kg) hydrocortisone intravenously during two separate visits in a double-blind, randomized design. Seventy-five minutes post-infusion, the subjects performed tests of attention (Rapid Visual Information Processing [RVIP]), spatial working memory (Spatial Span) and emotional processing (Affective Go/No-go task [AGNG]). On the attention task, performance was impaired under both hydrocortisone doses relative to placebo, though the effect on error rate was not significant after controlling for age; Spatial Span performance was unaffected by hydrocortisone administration. On the AGNG task, relative to the placebo condition the low-dose hydrocortisone infusion decreased response time to emotional words while high-dose hydrocortisone increased response time. In the females specifically, both high and low dose hydrocortisone administration attenuated the normal attentional bias toward positively valenced words. These data suggest that, in healthy women, the modulation of attention by the emotional salience of stimuli is influenced by glucocorticoid hormone concentrations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  2. Time-dependent, low-dose reporting limit for dosimeters that are taken home at the end of the workday

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sonder, E.

    1994-01-01

    In routine personnel dosimetry, it is usual to report doses only where th occupational dose (measured dose with background subtracted) is greater than previously determined reporting limit. The reporting limit, although se administratively, should be justified by an assessment of the errors inherent in th personnel and background dose measurements, and estimates of the probability that a zero exposure will yield a dosimeter response equal to the reporting limit. For background subtraction and reporting limits, it was realized that the source of low-dose uncertainty is very much dependent on whether dosimeters are held in racks at the work site or remain with the employee. The External dosimetry Program for the DOE facilities at Oak Ridge, Tennessee, is operated such that dosimeters are taken home by the employee at the end of each workday. This report is a summary measurements of background radiation in a variety of home locations, and calculations of the effect of the variation of this background on the uncertainty low-level occupational dose and on the reporting level. When dosimeters are stored at a given location (e.g., the facility gate), it theoretically possible to determine the background there to any desired accuracy; the errors in occupational dose are then those due to measurement noise and dosimeter calibration. However, when different dosimeters are stored in different homes, th difference in background between a particular location and the average for a locations appears as an added uncertainty in the occupational dose. Since this difference is not random, but fixed for a given location, the error due to this difference increases linearly with assignment time. From the background measurements, time-dependent values of the standard deviation of occupational do and critical levels are derived and used to define an expression for the reporting limit

  3. Dose-dependent effects of endotoxin on neurobehavioral functions in humans.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jan-Sebastian Grigoleit

    Full Text Available Clinical and experimental evidence document that inflammation and increased peripheral cytokine levels are associated with depression-like symptoms and neuropsychological disturbances in humans. However, it remains unclear whether and to what extent cognitive functions like memory and attention are affected by and related to the dose of the inflammatory stimulus. Thus, in a cross-over, double-blind, experimental approach, healthy male volunteers were administered with either placebo or bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS at doses of 0.4 (n = 18 or 0.8 ng/kg of body weight (n = 16. Pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, norephinephrine and cortisol concentrations were analyzed before and 1, 1.75, 3, 4, 6, and 24 h after injection. In addition, changes in mood and anxiety levels were determined together with working memory (n-back task and long term memory performance (recall of emotional and neutral pictures of the International Affective Picture System. Endotoxin administration caused a profound transient physiological response with dose-related elevations in body temperature and heart rate, increases in plasma interleukin (IL-6, IL-10, tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α and IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra, salivary and plasma cortisol, and plasma norepinephrine. These changes were accompanied by dose-related decreased mood and increased anxiety levels. LPS administration did not affect accuracy in working memory performance but improved reaction time in the high-dose LPS condition compared to the control conditon. In contrast, long-term memory performance was impaired selectively for emotional stimuli after administration of the lower but not of the higher dose of LPS. These data suggest the existence of at least two counter-acting mechanisms, one promoting and one inhibiting cognitive performance during acute systemic inflammation.

  4. Bioassay in BALB/c mice exposed to low dose rate radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Km, Sung Dae; Gong, Eun Ji; Bae, Min Ji; Yang, Kwang Mo; Kim, Joong Sun [Dongnam Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Suwon (Korea, Republic of)

    2012-09-15

    The present study was performed to investigate the toxicity of low-dose-rate irradiation in BALB/c mice. Twenty mice of each sex were randomly assigned to four groups of five mice each and were exposed to 0 (sham), 0.02, 0.2, or 2 Gy, equivalents to low-dose-rate irradiation to 3.49 mGy{center_dot}h{sup -1}. Urine, blood, and blood biochemistry were analyzed, and organ weight was measured. The low-dose-rate irradiation did not induce any toxicologically significant changes in mortality, clinical signs, body weight, food and water consumption, urinalysis, and serum biochemistry. However, the weights of reproductive organs including the testis, ovary, and uterus decreased in a dose-dependent manner. Irradiation at 2 Gy significantly decreased the testis, ovary, and uterus weights, but did not change the weights of other organs. There were no adverse effects on hematology in any irradiated group and only the number of neutrophils increased dose dependently. The low-dose-rate irradiation exposure did not cause adverse effects in mice at dose levels of 2 Gy or less, but the reproductive systems of male and female mice showed toxic effects.

  5. Time-dependent recovery of in vivo binding sites after drug dosing: A method for radiotracer evaluation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kilbourn, Michael R.

    1997-01-01

    The recovery of in vivo binding sites for (±)-α-[ 11 C]methoxytetrabenazine, a radioligand for the monoamine vesicular transporter (VMAT2), was determined in mouse brain at various times following a pharmacological dose of tetrabenazine. Concentrations of in vivo radioligand binding sites progressively increased and had reached control values by 8.5 h, and this recovery was consistent with the pharmacokinetics of the competing drug tetrabenazine and its active metabolite, dihydrotetrabenazine. This study demonstrates a simple experimental protocol of using a single dose of a reversible competing drug and time-dependent measurements of in vivo binding of a radioligand. This protocol is suitable for testing the sensitivity of an in vivo radiotracer for measurement of varying concentrations of in vivo binding sites

  6. Dose dependent effect of progesterone on hypoxic ventilatory response in newborn rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hichri, Oubeidallah; Laurin, Jean-C; Julien, Cécile A; Joseph, Vincent; Bairam, Aida

    2012-01-01

    The effect of progesterone as a respiratory stimulant in newborn subjects is less known than that in adults. This study investigated the dose-response curve (0, 2, 4, and 8 mg/kg, ip) of progesterone on ventilation in non-anesthetized newborn rats at 4- and 12-days old using plethysmography. Progesterone had no effects in the regulation of normoxic ventilation. However, it enhanced the response to moderate hypoxia (FiO(2) 12%, 20 min) in 4- but not in 12-days old pups. This response was similar between the dose of 4 and 8 mg/kg. These observations suggested that progesterone enhances in age- and dose-dependent manner the hypoxic ventilatory response in newborn rats.

  7. Isoflavones extracted from chickpea Cicer arietinum L. sprouts induce mitochondria-dependent apoptosis in human breast cancer cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Hua; Ma, Hai-Rong; Gao, Yan-Hua; Zhang, Xue; Habasi, Madina; Hu, Rui; Aisa, Haji Akber

    2015-02-01

    Isoflavones are important chemical components of the seeds and sprouts of chickpeas. We systematically investigated the effects of isoflavones extracted from chickpea sprouts (ICS) on the human breast cancer cell lines SKBr3 and Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 (MCF-7). 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assays showed that ICS (10-60 µg/mL) significantly inhibited the proliferation of both cell lines in a time-dependent and dose-dependent fashion. Wright-Giemsa staining as well as annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate and propidium iodide (Annexin V/PI) staining showed that ICS significantly increased cytoclasis and apoptotic body formation. Quantitative Annexin V/PI assays further showed that the number of apoptotic cells increased in a dose-dependent manner following ICS treatment. Semiquantitative reverse transcription PCR showed that ICS increased the expression of the apoptosis-promoting gene Bcl-2-associated X protein and decreased the expression of the antiapoptotic gene Bcl-2. Western blot analysis showed that treatment of SKBr3 and MCF-7 cells with ICS increased the expression of caspase 7, caspase 9, P53, and P21 in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry assays using the fluorescent probe 3,3'-dihexyloxacarbocyanine iodide showed a dose-dependent decrease in mitochondrial membrane potential following ICS treatment. Treatment using ICS also induced a dose-dependent increase in reactive oxygen species production. This is the first study to demonstrate that ICS may be a chemopreventive or therapeutic agent against breast cancer. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  8. Effects of irradiation source and dose level on quality characteristics of processed meat products

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ham, Youn-Kyung; Kim, Hyun-Wook; Hwang, Ko-Eun; Song, Dong-Heon; Kim, Yong-Jae; Choi, Yun-Sang; Song, Beom-Seok; Park, Jong-Heum; Kim, Cheon-Jei

    2017-01-01

    The effect of irradiation source (gamma-ray, electron-beam, and X-ray) and dose levels on the physicochemical, organoleptic and microbial properties of cooked beef patties and pork sausages was studied, during 10 days of storage at 30±1 °C. The processed meat products were irradiated at 0, 2.5, 5, 7.5, and 10 kGy by three different irradiation sources. The pH of cooked beef patties and pork sausages was unaffected by irradiation sources or their doses. The redness of beef patties linearly decreased with increasing dose level (Pchanges in overall acceptability were observed for pork sausages regardless of irradiation source (P>0.05), while gamma-ray irradiated beef patties showed significantly decreased overall acceptability in a dose-dependent manner (Poxidation of samples was accelerated by irradiation depending on irradiation sources and dose levels during storage at 30 °C. E-beam reduced total aerobic bacteria of beef patties more effectively, while gamma-ray considerably decreased microbes in pork sausages as irradiation dose increased. The results of this study indicate that quality attributes of meat products, in particular color, lipid oxidation, and microbial properties are significantly influenced by the irradiation sources.

  9. Delay discounting of oral morphine and sweetened juice rewards in dependent and non-dependent rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Harvey-Lewis, Colin; Perdrizet, Johnna; Franklin, Keith B J

    2014-07-01

    Opioid-dependent humans are reported to show accelerated delay discounting of opioid rewards when compared to monetary rewards. It has been suggested that this may reflect a difference in discounting of consumable and non-consumable goods not specific to dependent individuals. Here, we evaluate the discounting of similar morphine and non-morphine oral rewards in dependent and non-dependent rats We first tested the analgesic and rewarding effects of our morphine solution. In a second experiment, we assigned rats randomly to either dependent or non-dependent groups that, 30 min after daily testing, received 30 mg/kg subcutaneous dose of morphine, or saline, respectively. Delay discounting of drug-free reward was examined prior to initiation of the dosing regimen. We tested discounting of the morphine reward in half the rats and retested the discounting of the drug-free reward in the other half. All tests were run 22.5 h after the daily maintenance dose. Rats preferred the morphine cocktail to the drug-free solution and consumed enough to induce significant analgesia. The control quinine solution did not produce these effects. Dependent rats discounted morphine rewards more rapidly than before dependence and when compared to discounting drug-free rewards. In non-dependent rats both reward types were discounted similarly. These results show that morphine dependence increases impulsiveness specifically towards a drug reward while morphine experience without dependence does not.

  10. A method to evaluate the dose increase in CT with iodinated contrast medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Amato, Ernesto; Lizio, Domenico; Settineri, Nicola; Di Pasquale, Andrea; Salamone, Ignazio; Pandolfo, Ignazio

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop a method to calculate the relative dose increase when a computerized tomography scan (CT) is carried out after administration of iodinated contrast medium, with respect to the same CT scan in absence of contrast medium. Methods: A Monte Carlo simulation in GEANT4 of anthropomorphic neck and abdomen phantoms exposed to a simplified model of CT scanner was set up in order to calculate the increase of dose to thyroid, liver, spleen, kidneys, and pancreas as a function of the quantity of iodine accumulated; a series of experimental measurements of Hounsfield unit (HU) increment for known concentrations of iodinated contrast medium was carried out on a Siemens Sensation 16 CT scanner in order to obtain a relationship between the increment in HU and the relative dose increase in the organs studied. The authors applied such a method to calculate the average dose increase in three patients who underwent standard CT protocols consisting of one native scan in absence of contrast, followed by a contrast-enhanced scan in venous phase. Results: The authors validated their GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation by comparing the resulting dose increases for iodine solutions in water with the ones presented in literature and with their experimental data obtained through a Roentgen therapy unit. The relative dose increases as a function of the iodine mass fraction accumulated and as a function of the Hounsfield unit increment between the contrast-enhanced scan and the native scan are presented. The data shown for the three patients exhibit an average relative dose increase between 22% for liver and 74% for kidneys; also, spleen (34%), pancreas (28%), and thyroid (48%) show a remarkable average increase. Conclusions: The method developed allows a simple evaluation of the dose increase when iodinated contrast medium is used in CT scans, basing on the increment in Hounsfield units observed on the patients' organs. Since many clinical protocols

  11. A method to evaluate the dose increase in CT with iodinated contrast medium

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Amato, Ernesto; Lizio, Domenico; Settineri, Nicola; Di Pasquale, Andrea; Salamone, Ignazio; Pandolfo, Ignazio [Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Messina, Messina 98125 (Italy); Department of Physics, University of Messina, Messina 98166 (Italy); University Hospital ' ' G. Martino' ' , Messina 98125 (Italy); Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Messina, Messina 98125 (Italy) and University Hospital ' ' G. Martino' ' , Messina 98125 (Italy)

    2010-08-15

    Purpose: The objective of this study is to develop a method to calculate the relative dose increase when a computerized tomography scan (CT) is carried out after administration of iodinated contrast medium, with respect to the same CT scan in absence of contrast medium. Methods: A Monte Carlo simulation in GEANT4 of anthropomorphic neck and abdomen phantoms exposed to a simplified model of CT scanner was set up in order to calculate the increase of dose to thyroid, liver, spleen, kidneys, and pancreas as a function of the quantity of iodine accumulated; a series of experimental measurements of Hounsfield unit (HU) increment for known concentrations of iodinated contrast medium was carried out on a Siemens Sensation 16 CT scanner in order to obtain a relationship between the increment in HU and the relative dose increase in the organs studied. The authors applied such a method to calculate the average dose increase in three patients who underwent standard CT protocols consisting of one native scan in absence of contrast, followed by a contrast-enhanced scan in venous phase. Results: The authors validated their GEANT4 Monte Carlo simulation by comparing the resulting dose increases for iodine solutions in water with the ones presented in literature and with their experimental data obtained through a Roentgen therapy unit. The relative dose increases as a function of the iodine mass fraction accumulated and as a function of the Hounsfield unit increment between the contrast-enhanced scan and the native scan are presented. The data shown for the three patients exhibit an average relative dose increase between 22% for liver and 74% for kidneys; also, spleen (34%), pancreas (28%), and thyroid (48%) show a remarkable average increase. Conclusions: The method developed allows a simple evaluation of the dose increase when iodinated contrast medium is used in CT scans, basing on the increment in Hounsfield units observed on the patients' organs. Since many clinical

  12. Estimation of the effect of increased doses of UV-radiation on functional state and productivity of sheep

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, V.L.; Ipatova, A.G.; Zejnalov, A.A.; Kozlov, V.A.; Sarukhanov, V. Ya.

    2000-01-01

    The results of evaluation of sensitivity and adaptive possibilities of the sheep organism by long impact of increased doses of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) of the UV-range in the experiment by clinical-physiological indices modeling the 25 and 50 % depletion of the Earth ozone layer are presented. It is established that the character of changes in the animals organism depends on the irradiation dose sensitivity of the individual living system organism to the EMR and physiological peculiarities of its protection. However, the functional changes in the cardiovascular, immune and reproduction systems, homeostasis system and substance exchange in the period of chronic irradiation do not effect the development of irreversible pathological changes [ru

  13. Dose and duration dependent of aluminium in the serum liver and ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    An atomic absorption spectrophotometric analysis on dose and duration dependent aluminum concentration in serum, liver and brain digests of three groups of male Wistar albino rats were investigated after seven and fourteen days of daily 0.38mg/kg, 3.8mg/kg and 38mg/kg aluminum administration respectively.

  14. Age-dependent dose factors and dose limits of annual radioactivity uptake with unsealed radioactive substances by occupationally exposed persons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kaul, A.; Nosske, D; Elsasser, U; Roedler, H.D.; Henrichs, K.

    1986-01-01

    The dose factors have been calculated on the basis of the ICRP models for dosimetric and metabolistic assessment, and are laid open in accordance with Annex XI ( to sec. 45 sub-section (2)) of the amended version of the Radiation Protection Ordinance. The contribution in hand explains the scientific fundamentals and results of the calculations of dose factors relating to inhalation and ingestion of unsealed radioactive substances by adult reference man, and age-dependent factors calculated for children and adolescents. Further, annual limits of uptake by occupationally exposed persons, as calculated on the basis of primary dose limits pursunant to the draft amendment presented by the Federal Interior Minister, are compared with relevant data given by the ICRP and EC institutions. (orig./DG) [de

  15. The optimal fraction size in high-dose-rate brachytherapy: dependency on tissue repair kinetics and low-dose rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sminia, Peter; Schneider, Christoph J.; Fowler, Jack F.

    2002-01-01

    Background and Purpose: Indications of the existence of long repair half-times on the order of 2-4 h for late-responding human normal tissues have been obtained from continuous hyperfractionated accelerated radiotherapy (CHART). Recently, these data were used to explain, on the basis of the biologically effective dose (BED), the potential superiority of fractionated high-dose rate (HDR) with large fraction sizes of 5-7 Gy over continuous low-dose rate (LDR) irradiation at 0.5 Gy/h in cervical carcinoma. We investigated the optimal fraction size in HDR brachytherapy and its dependency on treatment choices (overall treatment time, number of HDR fractions, and time interval between fractions) and treatment conditions (reference low-dose rate, tissue repair characteristics). Methods and Materials: Radiobiologic model calculations were performed using the linear-quadratic model for incomplete mono-exponential repair. An irradiation dose of 20 Gy was assumed to be applied either with HDR in 2-12 fractions or continuously with LDR for a range of dose rates. HDR and LDR treatment regimens were compared on the basis of the BED and BED ratio of normal tissue and tumor, assuming repair half-times between 1 h and 4 h. Results: With the assumption that the repair half-time of normal tissue was three times longer than that of the tumor, hypofractionation in HDR relative to LDR could result in relative normal tissue sparing if the optimum fraction size is selected. By dose reduction while keeping the tumor BED constant, absolute normal tissue sparing might therefore be achieved. This optimum HDR fraction size was found to be largely dependent on the LDR dose rate. On the basis of the BED NT/TUM ratio of HDR over LDR, 3 x 6.7 Gy would be the optimal HDR fractionation scheme for replacement of an LDR scheme of 20 Gy in 10-30 h (dose rate 2-0.67 Gy/h), while at a lower dose rate of 0.5 Gy/h, four fractions of 5 Gy would be preferential, still assuming large differences between tumor

  16. Efficacy and Safety of Daikenchuto for Constipation and Dose-Dependent Differences in Clinical Effects.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hirose, Tatsuya; Shinoda, Yasutaka; Kuroda, Ayaka; Yoshida, Aya; Mitsuoka, Machiko; Mori, Kouki; Kawachi, Yuki; Moriya, Akihiro; Tanaka, Kouji; Takeda, Atsuko; Yoshimura, Tomoaki; Sugiyama, Tadashi

    2018-01-01

    Daikenchuto (DKT) is a Kampo medicine used for the treatment of constipation. In this study, we evaluated the effectiveness of DKT against constipation. Thirty-three patients administered DKT for constipation were selected and divided into low-dose (7.5 g DKT; n = 22) and high-dose (15 g DKT; n = 11) groups. We retrospectively evaluated weekly defaecation frequency, side effects, and clinical laboratory data. Median defaecation frequencies after DKT administration (5, 5.5, 5, and 8 for the first, second, third, and fourth weeks, resp.) were significantly higher than that before DKT administration (2) in all 33 cases ( P DKT increases defaecation frequency and is safe for treating constipation.

  17. Low-dose sevoflurane promotes hippocampal neurogenesis and facilitates the development of dentate gyrus-dependent learning in neonatal rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Chong; Shen, Feng-Yan; Zhao, Xuan; Zhou, Tao; Xu, Dao-Jie; Wang, Zhi-Ru; Wang, Ying-Wei

    2015-01-01

    Huge body of evidences demonstrated that volatile anesthetics affect the hippocampal neurogenesis and neurocognitive functions, and most of them showed impairment at anesthetic dose. Here, we investigated the effect of low dose (1.8%) sevoflurane on hippocampal neurogenesis and dentate gyrus-dependent learning. Neonatal rats at postnatal day 4 to 6 (P4-6) were treated with 1.8% sevoflurane for 6 hours. Neurogenesis was quantified by bromodeoxyuridine labeling and electrophysiology recording. Four and seven weeks after treatment, the Morris water maze and contextual-fear discrimination learning tests were performed to determine the influence on spatial learning and pattern separation. A 6-hour treatment with 1.8% sevoflurane promoted hippocampal neurogenesis and increased the survival of newborn cells and the proportion of immature granular cells in the dentate gyrus of neonatal rats. Sevoflurane-treated rats performed better during the training days of the Morris water maze test and in contextual-fear discrimination learning test. These results suggest that a subanesthetic dose of sevoflurane promotes hippocampal neurogenesis in neonatal rats and facilitates their performance in dentate gyrus-dependent learning tasks. © The Author(s) 2015.

  18. Extracellular vesicles have variable dose-dependent effects on cultured draining cells in the eye.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tabak, Saray; Schreiber-Avissar, Sofia; Beit-Yannai, Elie

    2018-03-01

    The role of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as signal mediators has been described in many biological fields. How many EVs are needed to deliver the desired physiological signal is yet unclear. Using a normal trabecular meshwork (NTM) cell culture exposed to non-pigmented ciliary epithelium (NPCE)-derived EVs, a relevant model for studying the human ocular drainage system, we addressed the EVs dose-response effects on the Wnt signaling. The objective of the study was to investigate the dosing effects of NPCE-derived EVs on TM Wnt signaling. EVs were isolated by PEG 8000 method from NPCE and RPE cells (used as controls) conditioned media. Concentrations were determined by Tunable Resistive Pulse Sensing method. Various exosomes concentration were incubated with TM cells, for the determination of mRNA (β-Catenin, Axin2 and LEF1) and protein (β-Catenin, GSK-3β) expression using real-time quantitative PCR and Western blot, respectively. Exposure of NTM cells for 8 hrs to low EVs concentrations was associated with a significant decreased expression of β-Catenin, GSK-3β, as opposed to exposure to high exosomal concentrations. Pro-MMP9 and MMP9 activities were significantly enhanced in NTM cells treated with high EV concentrations of (X10) as compared to low EV concentrations of either NPCE- or RPE-derived EVs and to untreated control. Our data support the concept that EVs biological effects are concentration-dependent at their target site. Specifically in the present study, we described a general dose-response at the gene and MMPs activity and a different dose-response regarding key canonical Wnt proteins expression. © 2018 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

  19. Intranasal administration of a therapeutic HIV vaccine (Vacc-4x induces dose-dependent systemic and mucosal immune responses in a randomized controlled trial.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Kristin Brekke

    Full Text Available Vacc-4x, a Gag p24-based therapeutic HIV vaccine, has been shown to reduce viral load set-points after intradermal administration. In this randomized controlled pilot study we investigate intranasal administration of Vacc-4x with Endocine as adjuvant.Safety and immunogenicity were tested in patients on effective ART. They were randomized to low, medium or high dose Vacc-4x or adjuvant alone, administered four times at weekly intervals with no booster. Vacc-4x-specific T cell responses were measured in vitro by proliferation and in vivo by a single DTH skin test at the end of study. Nasal and rectal mucosal secretions were analyzed for Vacc-4x-specific antibodies by ELISA. Immune regulation induced by Vacc-4x was assessed by functional blockade of the regulatory cytokines IL-10 and TGF-β.Vacc-4x proliferative T cell responses increased only among the vaccinated (p ≤ 0.031. The low dose group showed the greatest increase in Vacc-4x CD8+T cell responses (p = 0.037 and developed larger DTH (p = 0.005 than the adjuvant group. Rectal (distal Vacc-4x IgA and IgG antibodies also increased (p = 0.043 in this group. In contrast, the high dose generated higher nasal (local Vacc-4x IgA (p = 0.028 and serum IgG (p = 0.030 antibodies than the adjuvant. Irrespective of dose, increased Vacc-4x CD4+T cell responses were associated with low proliferation (r = -0.82, p < 0.001 and high regulation (r = 0.61, p = 0.010 at baseline.Intranasal administration of Vacc-4x with Endocine was safe and induced dose-dependent vaccine-specific T cell responses and both mucosal and systemic humoral responses. The clinical significance of dose, immune regulation and mucosal immunity warrants further investigation.ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01473810.

  20. Editor's choice--Use of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes results in significant dose reduction during EVAR procedures.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kloeze, C; Klompenhouwer, E G; Brands, P J M; van Sambeek, M R H M; Cuypers, P W M; Teijink, J A W

    2014-03-01

    Because of the increasing number of interventional endovascular procedures with fluoroscopy and the corresponding high annual dose for interventionalists, additional dose-protecting measures are desirable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes in reducing scatter radiation exposure for interventionalists and supporting staff during an endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) procedure. This was a randomized control trial in which 36 EVAR procedures were randomized between execution with and without disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes (Radpad: Worldwide Innovations & Technologies, Inc., Kansas City, US, type 5511A). Dosimetric measurements were performed on the interventionalist (hand and chest) and theatre nurse (chest) with and without the use of the drapes to obtain the dose reduction and effect on the annual dose caused by the drapes. Use of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes resulted in dose reductions of 49%, 55%, and 48%, respectively, measured on the hand and chest of the interventionalist and the chest of the theatre nurse. The use of disposable radiation-absorbing surgical drapes significantly reduces scatter radiation exposure for both the interventionalist and the supporting staff during EVAR procedures. Copyright © 2013 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  1. Dose- dependent ameliorative effects of quercetin and l-Carnitine against atrazine- induced reproductive toxicity in adult male Albino rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Abdel Aziz, Rabie L; Abdel-Wahab, Ahmed; Abo El-Ela, Fatma I; Hassan, Nour El-Houda Y; El-Nahass, El-Shaymaa; Ibrahim, Marwa A; Khalil, Abdel-Tawab A Y

    2018-06-01

    This study aimed to determine the protective effects of co-administration of Quercetin (QT) or l-Carnitine (LC) against the oxidative stress induced by Atrazine (ATZ) in the reproductive system of intact male Albino rats. 36 rats were divided equally into 6 groups. Rats in the control negative "CNT" group received 1.5 ml distilled water for 21 days. All rats in the other groups received ATZ (120 mg/kg bw) through gavage. Groups 3 and 4 were co-administered with either low or high dose of QT (10 "ATZLQT" and 50 "ATZHQT" mg/kg bw, respectively). Groups 5 and 6 were co-administered with either low or high dose of LC (200 "ATZLLC" and 400 "ATZHLC" mg/kg bw, respectively). At the end of the experiment, animals were sacrificed and all samples were collected. ATZ significantly increased serum level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreased total antioxidant capacity (TAC). Also, ATZ increased significantly the sperm cell abnormalities and reduced both testicular IgA and serum testosterone levels. Testicular DNA laddering % and CYP17A1 mRNA expression were significantly reduced in ATZ group. Interestingly, co-administration with low dose QT or different doses of LC succeeded to counteract the negative toxic effects of ATZ on serum oxidative stress indicators, serum testosterone levels, testicular IgA level and improved testicular CYP17A1 mRNA expression. In conclusion, QT in low dose and LC in both low and high doses exerted a significant protective action against the reproductive toxicity of ATZ, while higher dose of QT failed induce immune-stimulant effect against ATZ in adult male Albino rats. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

  2. Association between increased EEG signal complexity and cannabis dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Laprevote, Vincent; Bon, Laura; Krieg, Julien; Schwitzer, Thomas; Bourion-Bedes, Stéphanie; Maillard, Louis; Schwan, Raymund

    2017-12-01

    Both acute and regular cannabis use affects the functioning of the brain. While several studies have demonstrated that regular cannabis use can impair the capacity to synchronize neural assemblies during specific tasks, less is known about spontaneous brain activity. This can be explored by measuring EEG complexity, which reflects the spontaneous variability of human brain activity. A recent study has shown that acute cannabis use can affect that complexity. Since the characteristics of cannabis use can affect the impact on brain functioning, this study sets out to measure EEG complexity in regular cannabis users with or without dependence, in comparison with healthy controls. We recruited 26 healthy controls, 25 cannabis users without cannabis dependence and 14 cannabis users with cannabis dependence, based on DSM IV TR criteria. The EEG signal was extracted from at least 250 epochs of the 500ms pre-stimulation phase during a visual evoked potential paradigm. Brain complexity was estimated using Lempel-Ziv Complexity (LZC), which was compared across groups by non-parametric Kruskall-Wallis ANOVA. The analysis revealed a significant difference between the groups, with higher LZC in participants with cannabis dependence than in non-dependent cannabis users. There was no specific localization of this effect across electrodes. We showed that cannabis dependence is associated to an increased spontaneous brain complexity in regular users. This result is in line with previous results in acute cannabis users. It may reflect increased randomness of neural activity in cannabis dependence. Future studies should explore whether this effect is permanent or diminishes with cannabis cessation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

  3. Angular dependence of depth doses in a tissue slab irradiated with monoenergetic photons

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Till, E.; Zankl, M.; Drexler, G.

    1995-12-01

    This report presents dose equivalents from external photon irradiation, normalised to air kerma free in air, on the central axis of a cuboid slab of ICRU tissue for various depths, photon energies and angles of beam incidence. The data were calculated by a Monte Carlo method using an idealised planar parallel source of monoenergetic photons. The data presented here aim at facilitating the calibration of individual dosimeters; they provide also an estimate of the quantity 'personal dose equivalent' defined by the ICRU. A detailed evaluation of the dependence of the calculated conversion coefficients on depth in the slab, photon energy and angle of incidence is given. A comparison with published measured an calculated values of angular dependence factors is made. (orig.)

  4. Dysphagia disorders in patients with cancer of the oropharynx are significantly affected by the radiation therapy dose to the superior and middle constrictor muscle: A dose-effect relationship

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Levendag, Peter C.; Teguh, David N.; Voet, Peter; Est, Henri van der; Noever, Inge; Kruijf, Wilhelmus J.M. de; Kolkman-Deurloo, Inger-Karine; Prevost, Jean-Briac; Poll, Johan; Schmitz, Paul I.M.; Heijmen, Ben J.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose/Objective: To assess the relationship between the radiation therapy (RT) dose received by the muscular components of the swallowing (sw) apparatus and - dysphagia related - quality of life (QoL) in oropharyngeal cancer. Materials/Methods: Between 2000 and 2005, 81 patients with SCC of the oropharynx were treated by 3DCRT or IMRT, with or without concomitant chemotherapy (CHT); 43 out of these 81 patients were boosted by brachytherapy (BT). Charts of 81 patients were reviewed with regard to late dysphagia complaints; 23% experienced severe dysphagia. Seventeen patients expired. Fifty-six out of 64 (88%) responded to quality of life (QoL) questionnaires; that is, the Performance Status Scales of List, EORTC H and N35, and the M.D. Anderson Dysphagia Inventory. The superior (scm), middle (mcm), and inferior constrictor muscle (icm), the cricopharyngeus muscle and the inlet of the esophagus, are considered of paramount importance for swallowing. The mean dose was calculated in the muscular structures. Univariate analysis and multivariate analysis were performed using the proportional odds model. Results: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range 2-34) for IMRT, and 46 months for 3DCRT (range 2-72). At 3-years, a LRC of 84%, DFS of 78% and OS of 77% were observed. A significant correlation was observed between the mean dose in the scm and mcm, and severe dysphagia complaints (univariate analysis). A steep dose-effect relationship, with an increase of the probability of dysphagia of 19% with every additional 10 Gy, was established. In the multivariate analysis, BT (dose) was the only significant factor. Conclusion: A dose-effect relationship between dose and swallowing complaints was observed. One way to improve the QoL is to constrain the dose to be received by the swallowing muscles

  5. Calculation of age-dependent dose conversion coefficients for radionuclides uniformly distributed in air

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hung, Tran Van; Satoh, Daiki; Takahashi, Fumiaki; Tsuda, Shuichi; Endo, Akira; Saito, Kimiaki; Yamaguchi, Yasuhiro

    2005-02-01

    Age-dependent dose conversion coefficients for external exposure to photons emitted by radionuclides uniformly distributed in air were calculated. The size of the source region in the calculation was assumed to be effectively semi-infinite in extent. Firstly, organ doses were calculated with a series of age-specific MIRD-5 type phantoms using MCNP code, a Monte Carlo transport code. The calculations were performed for mono-energetic photon sources of twelve energies from 10 keV to 5 MeV and for phantoms of newborn, 1, 5, 10 and 15 years, and adult. Then, the effective doses to the different age-phantoms from the mono-energetic photon sources were estimated based on the obtained organ doses. The calculated effective doses were used to interpolate the conversion coefficients of the effective doses for 160 radionuclides, which are important for dose assessment of nuclear facilities. In the calculation, energies and intensities of emitted photons from radionuclides were taken from DECDC, a recent compilation of decay data for radiation dosimetry developed at JAERI. The results are tabulated in the form of effective dose per unit concentration and time (Sv per Bq s m -3 ). (author)

  6. Induction of oral tolerance with micro-doses of ovomucoid depends on the length of the feeding period

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Kjær, Tanja; Frøkiær, Hanne

    2002-01-01

    Oral administration of antigen induces antigen-specific immunologic tolerance, which is known to be dose-dependent. We studied the influence of continuous oral administration of nanogram and microgram doses of antigen on oral tolerance induction. Mice were continuously exposed to varying doses (1...

  7. Estimation of average glandular dose depending on the thickness of the breast; Estimativa da dose glandular media em funcao da espessura da mama

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Real, Jessica V.; Luz, Renata M. da, E-mail: jessica.real@pucrs.br, E-mail: renata.luz@pucrs.br [Hospital Sao Lucas (HSL/PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil); Fröhlich, Bruna D.; Pertile, Alessandra S.; Silva, Ana Maria Marques da, E-mail: bruna.frohlich@acad.pucrs.br, E-mail: lessandra.pertile@acad.pucrs.br, E-mail: ana.marques@pucrs.br [Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS), Porto Alegre, RS (Brazil)

    2014-07-01

    Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in women worldwide. Mammography is, to date, the most efficient method for detecting an abnormality in the patient's breast. It is a technique of imaging diagnostic that requires special care because radiographs without adequate quality may lead to a false diagnosis and lead to the need for a repeat examination, increasing the dose of radiation in the patient. This study aimed to evaluate the average glandular dose (AGD), depending on the breast thickness in patients undergoing routine tests, with a digital computer radiography processing system. Analyzed 30 exhibitions in patients aged (65 ± 12) years, in the right and left caudal skull projections, for breasts with thicknesses between 45 mm and 50 mm. The calculated value of the AGD for this track thickness was (1.600 ± 0.009) mGy. The performance of mammography quality control tests was satisfactory and the AGD values obtained for the chosen thickness range is acceptable, since the threshold achievable is 1.6 mGy and the acceptable is 2 mGy. In Brazil, it is only required the input dose calculation in skin for 45 mm breasts. However, the calculation of AGD is required for different thicknesses of the breast, to identify the best mammographic pattern aiming at better image quality at the lowest dose provided the patient.

  8. Key enzymes of gluconeogenesis are dose-dependently reduced in 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD)-treated rats

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Weber, L.W.D.; Rozman, K. (Kansas Univ., Kansas City, KS (USA). Dept. of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics Gesellschaft fuer Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH Muenchen (GSF), Neuherberg (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Toxikologie); Lebofsky, M. (Kansas Univ., Kansas City, KS (USA). Dept. of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics); Greim, H. (Gesellschaft fuer Strahlen- und Umweltforschung mbH Muenchen (GSF), Neuherberg (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Toxikologie)

    1991-02-01

    Male Sprague-Dawley rats (240-245 g) were dosed ip with 5, 15, 25, or 125 {mu}g/kg -,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) in corn oil. Ad libitum-fed and pair-fed controls received vehicle (4 ml/kg) alone. Two or 8 days after dosing five rats of each group were sacrificed, their livers removed and assayed for the activities of three gluconeogenic enzymes, (phosphoenol-pyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK; EC 4.1.1.32), pyruvate carboxylase (PC; EC 6.4.1.1.), and glucose-6-phosphatase (G-6-Pase, EC 3.1.3.9)), and one glycolytic enzyme (pyruvate kinase (PK; EC 2.7.1.40)) by established procedures. The activity of PK was not affected by TCDD at either time point. The activity of G-6-Phase tended to be decreased in TCDD-treated animals, as compared to pair-fed controls, but the decrease was variable without an apparent dose-response. The activity of PEPCK was significantly decreased 2 days after dosing, but a clear dose-response was apparent only at the 8-day time point. Maximum loss of activity at the highest dose was 56% below pair-fed control levels. PC activity was slightly decreased 2 days after TCDD treatment and displayed statistically significant, dose-dependent reduction by 8 days after dosing with a 49% loss of enzyme activity after the highest dose. It is concluded that inhibition of gluconeogenesis by TCDD previously demonstrated in vivo is probably due to decreased activities of PEPCK and PC. The data also support the prevailing view that PEPCK and PC are rate-determining enzymes in gluconeogenesis. (orig.).

  9. Radiobiological aspects of continuous low dose-rate irradiation and fractionated high dose-rate irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Turesson, I.

    1990-01-01

    The biological effects of continuous low dose-rate irradiation and fractionated high dose-rate irradiation in interstitial and intracavitary radiotherapy and total body irradiation are discussed in terms of dose-rate fractionation sensitivity for various tissues. A scaling between dose-rate and fraction size was established for acute and late normal-tissue effects which can serve as a guideline for local treatment in the range of dose rates between 0.02 and 0.005 Gy/min and fraction sizes between 8.5 and 2.5 Gy. This is valid provided cell-cycle progression and proliferation can be ignored. Assuming that the acute and late tissue responses are characterized by α/β values of about 10 and 3 Gy and a mono-exponential repair half-time of about 3 h, the same total doses given with either of the two methods are approximately equivalent. The equivalence for acute and late non-hemopoietic normal tissue damage is 0.02 Gy/min and 8.5 Gy per fraction; 0.01 Gy/min and 5.5 Gy per fraction; and 0.005 Gy/min and 2.5Gy per fraction. A very low dose rate, below 0.005 Gy/min, is thus necessary to simulate high dose-rate radiotherapy with fraction sizes of about 2Gy. The scaling factor is, however, dependent on the repair half-time of the tissue. A review of published data on dose-rate effects for normal tissue response showed a significantly stronger dose-rate dependence for late than for acute effects below 0.02 Gy/min. There was no significant difference in dose-rate dependence between various acute non-hemopoietic effects or between various late effects. The consistent dose-rate dependence, which justifies the use of a general scaling factor between fraction size and dose rate, contrasts with the wide range of values for repair half-time calculated for various normal-tissue effects. This indicates that the model currently used for repair kinetics is not satisfactory. There are also few experimental data in the clinical dose-rate range, below 0.02 Gy/min. It is therefore

  10. Radiation-induced strand-breaks and DNA-protein crosslinks depend predominantly on the dose, oxygen concentration and repair time

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wheeler, K.T.; Miyagi, Y.; Zhang, H.

    1995-01-01

    It has been known for many years that the DNA damage produced by ionizing radiation depends upon the oxygen concentration around the DNA. For example, the number of DNA strand-breaks (SBs) formed per unit dose decreases at low oxygen concentrations, and the number of DNA-protein crosslinks formed per unit dose increases at low oxygen concentrations. If radiation-induced SBs and DPCs are to be useful for detecting and/or quantifying hypoxic cells in solid tumors, the formation of these lesions must depend predominantly on the oxygen concentration around the DNA. All other physical, biological, and physiological factors must either be controllable or have little influence on the assay used to measure these lesions. This paper is a summary of the authors' recent experiments to determine if the radiation-induced SBs and DPCs measured by alkaline elution may be used to estimate the hypoxic fraction or fractional hypoxic volume of solid tumors

  11. Energy dependence of polymer gels in the orthovoltage energy range

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Yvonne Roed

    2014-03-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: Ortho-voltage energies are often used for treatment of patients’ superficial lesions, and also for small- animal irradiations. Polymer-Gel dosimeters such as MAGAT (Methacrylic acid Gel and THPC are finding increasing use for 3-dimensional verification of radiation doses in a given treatment geometry. For mega-voltage beams, energy dependence of MAGAT has been quoted as nearly energy-independent. In the kilo-voltage range, there is hardly any literature to shade light on its energy dependence.Methods: MAGAT was used to measure depth-dose for 250 kVp beam. Comparison with ion-chamber data showed a discrepancy increasing significantly with depth. An over-response as much as 25% was observed at a depth of 6 cm.Results and Conclusion: Investigation concluded that 6 cm water in the beam resulted in a half-value-layer (HVL change from 1.05 to 1.32 mm Cu. This amounts to an effective-energy change from 81.3 to 89.5 keV. Response measurements of MAGAT at these two energies explained the observed discrepancy in depth-dose measurements. Dose-calibration curves of MAGAT for (i 250 kVp beam, and (ii 250 kVp beam through 6 cm of water column are presented showing significant energy dependence.-------------------Cite this article as: Roed Y, Tailor R, Pinksy L, Ibbott G. Energy dependence of polymer gels in the orthovoltage energy range. Int J Cancer Ther Oncol 2014; 2(2:020232. DOI: 10.14319/ijcto.0202.32 

  12. Dose-Dependent Effect of Curcumin on Learning and Memory Deficit in Kainate-Epileptic Rats

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Zahra Kiasalari

    2014-09-01

    Full Text Available Background & objectives : Epileptic seizures accompany disturbances in learning, memory, and cognitive skills. With regard to antiepileptic potential of curcumin and its beneficial effect on memory, the effect of its administration on learning and memory in kainate-epileptic rats was investigated.   Methods: Forty male rats were divided into sham, positive control ( valproate-treated epileptic, epileptic, and two curcumin-treated epileptic groups. Rat model of epilepsy was induced by unilateral intrahippocampal administration of 4 μg of kainate per rat. Rats received intraperitoneal injection of curcumin (50 and 100 mg/kg daily for 1 week before surgery. For evaluation of learning and memory, initial (IL and step-through latencies (STL were determined using passive avoidance test and alternation behavior percentage was obtained according to Y maze test.   Results: Regarding IL, there was no significant difference between the groups. In contrast, STL significantly decreased in curcumin-50-treated epileptic group (p<0.05 (a change from 263.1 to 184.5 s. However, this parameter significantly increased in curcumin-100-treated epileptic group as compared to epileptic group (p<0.01 (a change from 263.1 to 220.3 s. In addition, STL was also significantly higher in valproic acid-treated epileptic group versus epileptic group (p<0.05 (a change from 145.7 to 210.3 s. Alternation percentage was also significantly higher in curcumin-50- and curcumin-100-treated epileptic groups relative to epileptic group (p<0.05 (a change from 60.5 to 77.6 and 80.3%.   Conclusion: Curcumin could dose-dependently enhance the consolidation and recall in epileptic animals and could improve spatial memory in such animals.

  13. Low dose combinations of 2-methoxyestradiol and docetaxel block prostate cancer cells in mitosis and increase apoptosis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Reiner, Teresita; de las Pozas, Alicia; Gomez, Lourdes A; Perez-Stable, Carlos

    2009-04-08

    Clinical trials have shown that chemotherapy with docetaxel (Doc) combined with prednisone can improve survival of patients with androgen-independent prostate cancer (AI-PC). It is likely that the combination of Doc with other novel agents would also improve the survival of AI-PC patients. We investigated whether the combination of Doc and 2-methoxyestradiol (2ME2), an endogenous metabolite of estradiol promising for cancer therapy, can increase apoptotic cell death in prostate cancer cells. Low concentration 2ME2 (0.5-1 microM)+Doc (0.05-0.1 nM) combinations inhibit cell growth, increase G2/M cell cycle arrest, and increase apoptosis more effectively than the single concentrations in a variety of human AI-PC cells. Effects on apoptosis were associated with an increase in p53 protein and a decrease in cyclin A-dependent kinase activity. We then investigated whether the combination of 2ME2+Doc can increase apoptotic cell death and inhibit the growth of prostate tumors in the FG/Tag transgenic mouse model of AI-PC. Doses of 2ME2 and Doc that increase mitotic cell cycle arrest result in an increase in apoptosis and lower primary prostate tumor weights in FG/Tag mice. High dose 2ME2+Doc combinations did not increase G2/M cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in AI-PC cell lines and in the FG/Tag mice more than the single drugs. Overall, our data indicate that low dose 2ME2+Doc combinations may provide a treatment strategy that can improve therapeutic efficacy against AI-PC while reducing toxicity often seen in patients treated with Doc.

  14. An open label, dose response study to determine the effect of a dietary supplement on dihydrotestosterone, testosterone and estradiol levels in healthy males

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Anderson Mark L

    2008-08-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Maintaining endogenous testosterone (T levels as men age may slow the symptoms of sarcopenia, andropause and decline in physical performance. Drugs inhibiting the enzyme 5α-reductase (5AR produce increased blood levels of T and decreased levels of dihydrotestosterone (DHT. However, symptoms of gynecomastia have been reported due to the aromatase (AER enzyme converting excess T to estradiol (ES. The carotenoid astaxanthin (AX from Haematococcus pluvialis, Saw Palmetto berry lipid extract (SPLE from Serenoa repens and the precise combination of these dietary supplements, Alphastat® (Mytosterone(™, have been reported to have inhibitory effects on both 5AR and AER in-vitro. Concomitant regulation of both enzymes in-vivo would cause DHT and ES blood levels to decrease and T levels to increase. The purpose of this clinical study was to determine if patented Alphastat® (Mytosterone(™ could produce these effects in a dose dependent manner. Methods To investigate this clinically, 42 healthy males ages 37 to 70 years were divided into two groups of twenty-one and dosed with either 800 mg/day or 2000 mg/day of Alphastat® (Mytosterone(™ for fourteen days. Blood samples were collected on days 0, 3, 7 and 14 and assayed for T, DHT and ES. Body weight and blood pressure data were collected prior to blood collection. One-way, repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA-RM was performed at a significance level of alpha = 0.05 to determine differences from baseline within each group. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA-2 was performed after baseline subtraction, at a significance level of alpha = 0.05 to determine differences between dose groups. Results are expressed as means ± SEM. Results ANOVA-RM showed significant within group increases in serum total T and significant decreases in serum DHT from baseline in both dose groups at a significance level of alpha = 0.05. Significant decreases in serum ES are reported for the 2000

  15. Cancer risk of low dose/low dose rate radiation: a meta-analysis of cancer data of mammals exposed to low doses of radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ogata, Hiromitsu; Magae, Junji

    2008-01-01

    Full text: Linear No Threshold (LNT) model is a basic theory for radioprotection, but the adaptability of this hypothesis to biological responses at low doses or at low dose rates is not sufficiently investigated. Simultaneous consideration of the cumulative dose and the dose rate is necessary for evaluating the risk of long-term exposure to ionizing radiation at low dose. This study intends to examine several numerical relationships between doses and dose rates in biological responses to gamma radiation. Collected datasets on the relationship between dose and the incidence of cancer in mammals exposed to low doses of radiation were analysed using meta-regression models and modified exponential (MOE) model, which we previously published, that predicts irradiation time-dependent biological response at low dose rate ionizing radiation. Minimum doses of observable risk and effective doses with a variety of dose rates were calculated using parameters estimated by fitting meta-regression models to the data and compared them with other statistical models that find values corresponding to 'threshold limits'. By fitting a weighted regression model (fixed-effects meta-regression model) to the data on risk of all cancers, it was found that the log relative risk [log(RR)] increased as the total exposure dose increased. The intersection of this regression line with the x-axis denotes the minimum dose of observable risk. These estimated minimum doses and effective doses increased with decrease of dose rate. The goodness of fits of MOE-model depended on cancer types, but the total cancer risk is reduced when dose rates are very low. The results suggest that dose response curve for cancer risk is remarkably affected by dose rate and that dose rate effect changes as a function of dose rate. For scientific discussion on the low dose exposure risk and its uncertainty, the term 'threshold' should be statistically defined, and dose rate effects should be included in the risk

  16. Operator dependency of the radiation exposure in cardiac interventions: feasibility of ultra low dose levels

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Emre Ozpelit, Mehmet; Ercan, Ertugrul; Pekel, Nihat; Tengiz, Istemihan; Yilmaz, Akar; Ozpelit, Ebru; Ozyurtlu, Ferhat

    2017-01-01

    Introduction: Mean radiation exposure in invasive cardiology varies greatly between different centres and interventionists. The International Commission on Radiological Protection and the EURATOM Council stipulate that, despite reference values, 'All medical exposure for radiodiagnostic purposes shall be kept as low as reasonably achievable' (ALARA). The purpose of this study is to establish the effects of the routine application of ALARA principles and to determine operator and procedure impact on radiation exposure in interventional cardiology. Materials and methods: A total of 240 consecutive cardiac interventional procedures were analysed. Five operators performed the procedures, two of whom were working in accordance with ALARA principles (Group 1 operators) with the remaining three working in a standard manner (Group 2 operators). Radiation exposure levels of these two groups were compared. Results: Total fluoroscopy time and the number of radiographic runs were similar between groups. However, dose area product and cumulative dose were significantly lower in Group 1 when compared with Group 2. Radiation levels of Group 1 were far below even the reference levels in the literature, thus representing an ultra-low-dose radiation exposure in interventional cardiology. Conclusion: By use of simple radiation reducing techniques, ultra-low-dose radiation exposure is feasible in interventional cardiology. Achievability of such levels depends greatly on operator awareness, desire, knowledge and experience of radiation protection. (authors)

  17. Occupational radiation doses during interventional procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nuraeni, N; Hiswara, E; Kartikasari, D; Waris, A; Haryanto, F

    2016-01-01

    Digital subtraction angiography (DSA) is a type of fluoroscopy technique used in interventional radiology to clearly visualize blood vessels in a bony or dense soft tissue environment. The use of DSA procedures has been increased quite significantly in the Radiology departments in various cities in Indonesia. Various reports showed that both patients and medical staff received a noticeable radiation dose during the course of this procedure. A study had been carried out to measure these doses among interventionalist, nurse and radiographer. The results show that the interventionalist and the nurse, who stood quite close to the X-ray beams compared with the radiographer, received radiation higher than the others. The results also showed that the radiation dose received by medical staff were var depending upon the duration and their position against the X-ray beams. Compared tothe dose limits, however, the radiation dose received by all these three medical staff were still lower than the limits. (paper)

  18. Surface dose measurements and comparison of unflattened and flattened photon beams

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ashokkumar Sigamani

    2016-01-01

    Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to evaluate the central axis dose in the build-up region and the surface dose of a 6 MV and 10 MV flattened photon beam (FB and flattening filter free (FFF therapeutic photon beam for different square field sizes (FSs for a Varian Truebeam linear accelerator using parallel-plate ionization chamber and Gafchromic film. Knowledge of dosimetric characteristics in the build-up region and surface dose of the FFF is essential for clinical care. The dose measurements were also obtained empirically using two different commonly used dosimeters: a p-type photon semiconductor dosimeter and a cylindrical ionization chamber. Surface dose increased linearly with FS for both FB and FFF photon beams. The surface dose values of FFF were higher than the FB FSs. The measured surface dose clearly increases with increasing FS. The FFF beams have a modestly higher surface dose in the build-up region than the FB. The dependence of source to skin distance (SSD is less significant in FFF beams when compared to the flattened beams at extended SSDs.

  19. Estimation of the transit dose component in high dose rate brachytherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Garcia Romero, A.; Millan Cebrian, E.; Lozano Flores, F.J.; Lope Lope, R.; Canellas Anoz, M.

    2001-01-01

    Current high dose rate brachytherapy (HDR) treatment planning systems usually calculate dose only from source stopping positions (stationary component), but fails to account for the administered dose when the source is moving (dynamic component or transit dose). Numerical values of this transit dose depends upon the source velocity, implant geometry, source activity and prescribed dose. In some HDR treatments using particular geometry the transit dose cannot be ignored because it increases the dose at the prescriptions points and also could increase potential late tissue complications as predicted by the linear quadratic model. International protocols recommend to verify this parameter. The aim of this paper has been to establish a procedure for the transit dose calculation for the Gammamed 12i equipment at the RT Department in the Clinical University Hospital (Zaragoza-Spain). A numeric algorithm was implemented based on a dynamic point approximation for the moving HDR source and the calculated results for the entrance-exit transit dose was compared with TLD measurements made in some discrete points. (author) [es

  20. Bright-light intervention induces a dose-dependent increase in striatal response to risk in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Macoveanu, Julian; Fisher, Patrick M; Madsen, Martin K

    2016-01-01

    Bright-light interventions have successfully been used to reduce depression symptoms in patients with seasonal affective disorder, a depressive disorder most frequently occurring during seasons with reduced daylight availability. Yet, little is known about how light exposure impacts human brain...... function, for instance on risk taking, a process affected in depressive disorders. Here we examined the modulatory effects of bright-light exposure on brain activity during a risk-taking task. Thirty-two healthy male volunteers living in the greater Copenhagen area received 3weeks of bright......-light intervention during the winter season. Adopting a double-blinded dose-response design, bright-light was applied for 30minutes continuously every morning. The individual dose varied between 100 and 11.000lx. Whole-brain functional MRI was performed before and after bright-light intervention to probe how...

  1. Camphor-Crataegus berry extract combination dose-dependently reduces tilt induced fall in blood pressure in orthostatic hypotension.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Belz, G G; Butzer, R; Gaus, W; Loew, D

    2002-10-01

    In order to test the efficacy of a combination of natural D-camphor and an extract of fresh crataegus berries (Korodin Herz-Kreislauf-Tropfen) on orthostatic hypotension, two similar, controlled, randomized studies were carried out in a balanced crossover design in 24 patients each with orthostatic dysregulation. The camphor-crataegus berry combination (CCC) was orally administered as a single regimen in 3 different dosages of 5 drops, 20 drops and 80 drops; a placebo with 20 drops of a 60% alcoholic solution served as control. Orthostatic hypotension was assessed with the tilt table test before and after medication. Source data of both studies were pooled and meta-analytically evaluated for all 48 patients. CCC drops decreased the orthostatic fall in blood pressure versus placebo, as almost uniformly established at all times by mean arterial pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Mean arterial pressure demonstrated the very fast onset of action by a clearly dose-dependent statistically significant effect even after 1-minute orthostasis. Increase of mean arterial pressure as compared to the orthostasis test before medication was on average 4.5 mmHg. CCC affected diastolic blood pressure after 1 minute of orthostasis in all dosages as compared to placebo. A statistically significant effect of the highest dose of 80 drops on diastolic blood pressure could be demonstrated after 1-, 3-, and 5-minute orthostasis. The hemodynamic findings of a stabilizing effect on arterial pressure in orthostasis corroborate the long-term medical experience with CCC and justify the indication orthostatic hypotension.

  2. Dose and dose rate effects of whole-body gamma-irradiation: II. Hematological variables and cytokines

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gridley, D. S.; Pecaut, M. J.; Miller, G. M.; Moyers, M. F.; Nelson, G. A.

    2001-01-01

    The goal of part II of this study was to evaluate the effects of gamma-radiation on circulating blood cells, functional characteristics of splenocytes, and cytokine expression after whole-body irradiation at varying total doses and at low- and high-dose-rates (LDR, HDR). Young adult C57BL/6 mice (n = 75) were irradiated with either 1 cGy/min or 80 cGy/min photons from a 60Co source to cumulative doses of 0.5, 1.5, and 3.0 Gy. The animals were euthanized at 4 days post-exposure for in vitro assays. Significant dose- (but not dose-rate-) dependent decreases were observed in erythrocyte and blood leukocyte counts, hemoglobin, hematocrit, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced 3H-thymidine incorporation, and interleukin-2 (IL-2) secretion by activated spleen cells when compared to sham-irradiated controls (p factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) and splenocyte secretion of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) were not affected by either the dose or dose rate of radiation. The data demonstrate that the responses of blood and spleen were largely dependent upon the total dose of radiation employed and that an 80-fold difference in the dose rate was not a significant factor in the great majority of measurements.

  3. Local time and cutoff rigidity dependences of storm time increase associated with geomagnetic storms

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kudo, S.; Wada, M.; Tanskanen, P.; Kodama, M.

    1987-01-01

    The cosmic ray increases due to considerable depressions of cosmic ray cutoff rigidity during large geomagnetic storms are investigated. Data from a worldwide network of cosmic ray neutron monitors are analyzed for 17 geomagnetic storms which occurred in the quiet phase of the solar activity cycle during 1966-1978. As expected from the longitudinal asymmetry of the low-altitude geomagnetic field during large geomagnetic storms, a significant local time dependence of the increment in the cosmic ray during large geomagnetic storms, a significant local time dependence of the increment in the cosmic ray intensity is obtained. It is shown that the maximum phases of the local time dependence occur at around 1800 LT and that the amplitudes of the local time dependence are consistent with presently available theoretical estimates. The dependence of the increment on the cutoff rigidity is obtained for both the local time dependent part and the local time independent part of the storm time increase. The local time independent part, excluding the randomizing local time dependent part, shows a clear-cut dependence on cutoff rigidity which is consistent with theoretical estimates

  4. High-dose total-body irradiation and autologous marrow reconstitution in dogs: dose-rate-related acute toxicity and fractionation-dependent long-term survival

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Deeg, H.J.; Storb, R.; Weiden, P.L.; Schumacher, D.; Shulman, H.; Graham, T.; Thomas, E.D.

    1981-01-01

    Beagle dogs treated by total-body irradiation (TBI) were given autologous marrow grafts in order to avoid death from marrow toxicity. Acute and delayed non-marrow toxicities of high single-dose (27 dogs) and fractionated TBI (20 dogs) delivered at 0.05 or 0.1 Gy/min were compared. Fractionated TBI was given in increments of 2 Gy every 6 hr for three increments per day. Acute toxicity and early mortality (<1 month) at identical total irradiation doses were comparable for dogs given fractionated or single-dose TBI. With single-dose TBI, 14, 16, and 18 Gy, respectively, given at 0.05 Gy/min, 0/5, 5/5, and 2/2 dogs died from acute toxicity; with 10, 12, and 14 Gy, respectively, given at 0.1 Gy/min, 1/5, 4/5, and 5/5 dogs died acutely. With fractionated TBI, 14 and 16 Gy, respectively, given at 0.1 Gy/min, 1/5, 4/5, and 2/2 dogs died auctely. Early deaths were due to radiation enteritis with or without associated septicemia (29 dogs; less than or equal to Day 10). Three dogs given 10 Gy of TBI at 0.1 Gy/min died from bacterial pneumonia; one (Day 18) had been given fractionated and two (Days 14, 22) single-dose TBI. Fifteen dogs survived beyond 1 month; eight of these had single-dose TBI (10-14 Gy) and all died within 7 months of irradiation from a syndrome consisting of hepatic damage, pancreatic fibrosis, malnutrition, wasting, and anemia. Seven of the 15 had fractionated TBI, and only one (14 Gy) died on Day 33 from hepatic failure, whereas 6 (10-14 Gy) are alive and well 250 to 500 days after irradiation. In conclusion, fractionated TBI did not offer advantages over single-dose TBI with regard to acute toxicity and early mortality; rather, these were dependent upon the total dose of TBI. The total acutely tolerated dose was dependent upon the exposure rate; however, only dogs given fractionated TBI became healthy long-term survivors

  5. Warm hands, cold heart: progressive whole-body cooling increases warm thermosensitivity of human hands and feet in a dose-dependent fashion.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Filingeri, Davide; Morris, Nathan B; Jay, Ollie

    2017-01-01

    What is the central question of this study? Investigations on inhibitory/facilitatory modulation of vision, touch and pain show that conditioning stimuli outside the receptive field of testing stimuli modulate the central processing of visual, touch and painful stimuli. We asked whether contextual modulation also exists in human temperature integration. What is the main finding and its importance? Progressive decreases in whole-body mean skin temperature (the conditioning stimulus) significantly increased local thermosensitivity to skin warming but not cooling (the testing stimuli) in a dose-dependent fashion. In resembling the central mechanisms underlying endogenous analgesia, our findings point to the existence of an endogenous thermosensory system in humans that could modulate local skin thermal sensitivity to facilitate thermal behaviour. Although inhibitory/facilitatory central modulation of vision and pain has been investigated, contextual modulation of skin temperature integration has not been explored. Hence, we tested whether progressive decreases in whole-body mean skin temperature (T sk ; a large conditioning stimulus) alter the magnitude estimation of local warming and cooling stimuli applied to hairy and glabrous skin. On four separate occasions, eight men (27 ± 5 years old) underwent a 30 min whole-body cooling protocol (water-perfused suit; temperature, 5°C), during which a quantitative thermosensory test, consisting of reporting the perceived magnitude of warming and cooling stimuli (±8°C from 30°C baseline) applied to the hand (palm/dorsum) and foot (sole/dorsum), was performed before cooling and every 10 min thereafter. The cooling protocol resulted in large progressive reductions in T sk [10 min, -3.36°C (95% confidence interval -2.62 to -4.10); 20 min, -5.21°C (-4.47 to -5.95); and 30 min, -6.32°C (-5.58 to -7.05); P fashion. In highlighting a novel feature of human temperature integration, these findings point to the existence

  6. From dust to dose: Effects of forest disturbance on increased inhalation exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Whicker, Jeffrey J.; Pinder, John E.; Breshears, David D.; Eberhart, Craig F.

    2006-01-01

    Ecosystem disturbances that remove vegetation and disturb surface soils are major causes of excessive soil erosion and can result in accelerated transport of soils contaminated with hazardous materials. Accelerated wind erosion in disturbed lands that are contaminated is of particular concern because of potential increased inhalation exposure, yet measurements regarding these relationships are lacking. The importance of this was highlighted when, in May of 2000, the Cerro Grande fire burned over roughly 30% of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), mostly in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest, and through areas with soils containing contaminants, particularly excess depleted and natural uranium. Additionally, post-fire thinning was performed in burned and unburned forests on about 25% of LANL land. The first goal of this study was to assess the potential for increased inhalation dose from uranium contaminated soils via wind-driven resuspension of soil following the Cerro Grande Fire and subsequent forest thinning. This was done through analysis of post-disturbance measurements of uranium air concentrations and their relationships with wind velocity and seasonal vegetation cover. We found a 14% average increase in uranium air concentrations at LANL perimeter locations after the fire, and the greatest air concentrations occurred during the months of April-June when wind velocities are highest, no snow cover, and low vegetation cover. The second goal was to develop a methodology to assess the relative contribution of each disturbance type towards increasing public and worker exposure to these resuspended soils. Measurements of wind-driven dust flux in severely burned, moderately burned, thinned, and unburned/unthinned forest areas were used to assess horizontal dust flux (HDF) in these areas. Using empirically derived relationships between measurements of HDF and respirible dust, coupled with onsite uranium soil concentrations, we estimate relative increases in

  7. Quantitative analysis of biological responses to low dose-rate γ-radiation, including dose, irradiation time, and dose-rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Magae, J.; Furukawa, C.; Kawakami, Y.; Hoshi, Y.; Ogata, H.

    2003-01-01

    Full text: Because biological responses to radiation are complex processes dependent on irradiation time as well as total dose, it is necessary to include dose, dose-rate and irradiation time simultaneously to predict the risk of low dose-rate irradiation. In this study, we analyzed quantitative relationship among dose, irradiation time and dose-rate, using chromosomal breakage and proliferation inhibition of human cells. For evaluation of chromosome breakage we assessed micronuclei induced by radiation. U2OS cells, a human osteosarcoma cell line, were exposed to gamma-ray in irradiation room bearing 50,000 Ci 60 Co. After the irradiation, they were cultured for 24 h in the presence of cytochalasin B to block cytokinesis, cytoplasm and nucleus were stained with DAPI and propidium iodide, and the number of binuclear cells bearing micronuclei was determined by fluorescent microscopy. For proliferation inhibition, cells were cultured for 48 h after the irradiation and [3H] thymidine was pulsed for 4 h before harvesting. Dose-rate in the irradiation room was measured with photoluminescence dosimeter. While irradiation time less than 24 h did not affect dose-response curves for both biological responses, they were remarkably attenuated as exposure time increased to more than 7 days. These biological responses were dependent on dose-rate rather than dose when cells were irradiated for 30 days. Moreover, percentage of micronucleus-forming cells cultured continuously for more than 60 days at the constant dose-rate, was gradually decreased in spite of the total dose accumulation. These results suggest that biological responses at low dose-rate, are remarkably affected by exposure time, that they are dependent on dose-rate rather than total dose in the case of long-term irradiation, and that cells are getting resistant to radiation after the continuous irradiation for 2 months. It is necessary to include effect of irradiation time and dose-rate sufficiently to evaluate risk

  8. SU-E-T-44: Angular Dependence of Surface Dose Enhancement Measured On Several Inhomogeneities Using Radiochromic EBT3 Films

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jansen, A; Schoenfeld, A; Poppinga, D; Chofor, N; Poppe, B

    2014-01-01

    Purpose: The quantification of the relative surface dose enhancement in dependence on the angle of incidence and the atomic number Z of the surface material. Methods: Experiments were performed with slabs made of aluminum, titanium, copper, silver, dental gold and lead. The metal slabs with equal sizes of 1.0×8.0×8.8mm 3 were embedded in an Octavius 4D phantom (PTW Freiburg, Germany). Radiochromic EBT3 films were used to measure the surface dose for angles of incidence ranging from 0° to 90°. The setup with the metals slabs at the isocenter was irradiated with acceleration voltages of 6MV and 10MV. Water reference measurements were taken under equal conditions. Results: The surface dose enhancement is highest for angles of incidence below 30° and drops significantly for higher. The surface dose enhancement produced by lead and dental gold at 6MV showed a peak of 65%. At 90°, the surface dose enhancement dropped to 15% for both materials. The surface dose enhancements for silver, copper, titanium and aluminum were 45%, 32%, 22% and 12% at 0°, respectively. At an angle of incidence of 80°, the values dropped to 22%, 18%, 12% und 6%. The values for 10MV were very similar. Lead and dental gold showed peaks of 65% und 60%. Their values dropped to 18% at an angle of 90°. The surface dose enhancements for silver, copper, titanium and aluminum were 45%, 30%, 20% and 8% at 0°. At 80° the values dropped to 30%, 20%, 12% and 5%. A dependence of the magnitude of the surface dose enhancement on the atomic number of the surface material can be seen, which is in consistence with literature. Conclusion: The results show that the surface dose enhancements near implant materials with high Z-values should be taken into consideration in radio therapy, even when the angle of incidence is flat

  9. Dose-rate dependence of thermoluminescence response

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McKeever, S.W.S.; Chen, R.; Groom, P.J.; Durrani, S.A.

    1980-01-01

    The previously observed dose-rate effect of thermoluminescence in quartz at high dose-rates is given at theoretical formulation. Computer calculations simulating the experimental conditions yield similar results to the experimental ones. (orig.)

  10. DNA methyltransferase mediates dose-dependent stimulation of neural stem cell proliferation by folate.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Wen; Yu, Min; Luo, Suhui; Liu, Huan; Gao, Yuxia; Wilson, John X; Huang, Guowei

    2013-07-01

    The proliferative response of neural stem cells (NSCs) to folate may play a critical role in the development, function and repair of the central nervous system. It is important to determine the dose-dependent effects of folate in NSC cultures that are potential sources of transplantable cells for therapies for neurodegenerative diseases. To determine the optimal concentration and mechanism of action of folate for stimulation of NSC proliferation in vitro, NSCs were exposed to folic acid or 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF) (0-200 μmol/L) for 24, 48 or 72 h. Immunocytochemistry and methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay showed that the optimal concentration of folic acid for NSC proliferation was 20-40 μmol/L. Stimulation of NSC proliferation by folic acid was associated with DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) activation and was attenuated by the DNMT inhibitor zebularine, which implies that folate dose-dependently stimulates NSC proliferation through a DNMT-dependent mechanism. Based on these new findings and previously published evidence, we have identified a mechanism by which folate stimulates NSC growth. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

  11. Dose-Dependent and Lasting Influences of Intranasal Vasopressin on Face Processing in Men

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Daniel Price

    2017-09-01

    Full Text Available Arginine vasopressin (AVP and related peptides have diverse effects on social behaviors in vertebrates, sometimes promoting affiliative interactions and sometimes aggressive or antisocial responses. The type of influence, in at least some species, depends on social contexts, including the sex of the individuals in the interaction and/or on the levels of peptide within brain circuits that control the behaviors. To determine if AVP promotes different responses to same- and other-sex faces in men, and if those effects are dose dependent, we measured the effects of two doses of AVP on subjective ratings of male and female faces. We also tested if any influences persist beyond the time of drug delivery. When AVP was administered intranasally on an initial test day, 20 IU was associated with decreased social assessments relative to placebo and 40 IU, and some of the effects persisted beyond the initial drug delivery and appeared to generalize to novel faces on subsequent test days. In single men, those influences were most pronounced, but not exclusive, for male faces, whereas in coupled men they were primarily associated with responses to female faces. Similar influences were not observed if AVP was delivered after placebo on a second test day. In a preliminary analysis, the differences in social assessments observed between men who received 20 and 40 IU, which we suggest primarily reflect lowered social assessments induced by the lower dose, appeared most pronounced in subjects who carry what has been identified as a risk allele for the V1a receptor gene. Together, these results suggest that AVP’s effects on face processing, and possibly other social responses, differ according to dose, depend on relationship status, and may be more prolonged than previously recognized.

  12. Cell nanomechanics and focal adhesions are regulated by retinol and conjugated linoleic acid in a dose-dependent manner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Silberberg, Yaron R; Horton, Michael A; Pelling, Andrew E; Yakubov, Gleb E

    2009-01-01

    Retinol and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) have previously been shown to have an important role in gene expression and various cellular processes, including differentiation, proliferation and cell death. In this study we have investigated the effect of retinol and CLA, both individually and in combination, on the intracellular cytoskeleton, focal adhesions (FAs) and the nanomechanical properties of 3T3 fibroblasts. We observed a dose-dependent decrease in the formation of FAs following treatment with either compound, which was directly correlated to an increase in cell height (>30%) and a decrease in the measured Young's modulus (∼28%). Furthermore, treatments with both compounds demonstrated an increased effect and led to a reduction of>70% in the average number of FAs per cell and a decrease of >50% in average cell stiffness. These data reveal that retinol and CLA disrupt FA formation, leading to an increase in cell height and a significant decrease in stiffness. These results may broaden our understanding of the interplay between cell nanomechanics and cellular contact with the external microenvironment, and help to shed light on the important role of retinoids and CLA in health and disease.

  13. Relationship between increased radiation dose rate in air and rainfall, 3

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Suzuki, Osamu

    1985-01-01

    The influence of snow on dose rate in air (DRA) was analyzed. Attenuatin ratio of DRA due to snow depends on the amount of water per surface area. When snow reaches one m, DRA does not seem to be influenced by radioactivity from the ground, but seems to be only influenced by natural radioactivity of buildings. A method was examined to estimate background radiation doses during the snow season with counting rates of peak areas of 1.765 MeV for Bi-214 and 2.614 MeV for Tl-208. In serial measurements of environmental gamma rays, the method of measuring spectra is far superior to other methods in view of the collection of much more information. (Namekawa, K.)

  14. Dose-dependent effects of (anti)folate preinjection on 99mTc-radiofolate uptake in tumors and kidneys

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mueller, Cristina; Schibli, Roger; Forrer, Flavio; Krenning, Eric P.; Jong, Marion de

    2007-01-01

    Introduction: The folate receptor (FR) is frequently overexpressed in tumors and can be targeted with folate-based (radio)pharmaceuticals. However, significant accumulation of radiofolates in FR-positive kidneys represents a drawback. We have shown that preadministration of the antifolate pemetrexed (PMX) significantly improved the tumor-to-kidney ratio of radiofolates in mice. The aim of this study was to investigate the dose dependence of these effects and whether the same results could be achieved with folic acid (FA) or 5-methyl-tetrahydrofolate (5-Me-THF). Methods: Biodistribution was assessed 4 h postinjection of the organometallic 99m Tc-picolylamine monoacetic acid folate in nude mice bearing FR-positive KB tumor xenografts. PMX (50-400 μg/mouse) was injected 1 h previous to radioactivity. The effects of FA and 5-Me-THF (0.5-50 μg/mouse) were investigated likewise. Tissues and organs were collected and counted for radioactivity and the values tabulated as percentage of injected dose per gram tissue (% ID/g). Results: PMX administration reduced renal retention ( 10% ID/g), while the tumor uptake (average 1.35%±0.40% ID/g vs. control: 1.79%±0.49% ID/g) was only slightly affected independent of the PMX dose. Replacement of PMX by FA or 5-Me-THF (50 μg/mouse) resulted in a significant renal blockade (<0.1% ID/g) but at the same time in an undesired reduction of tumor uptake (<0.2% ID/g). Conclusions: Selective reduction of radiofolate uptake in kidneys under retention of high tumor accumulation could be achieved in combination with PMX over a broad dose range but not with FA or 5-Me-THF

  15. Dose-rate dependent stochastic effects in radiation cell-survival models

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sachs, R.K.; Hlatky, L.R.

    1990-01-01

    When cells are subjected to ionizing radiation the specific energy rate (microscopic analog of dose-rate) varies from cell to cell. Within one cell, this rate fluctuates during the course of time; a crossing of a sensitive cellular site by a high energy charged particle produces many ionizations almost simultaneously, but during the interval between events no ionizations occur. In any cell-survival model one can incorporate the effect of such fluctuations without changing the basic biological assumptions. Using stochastic differential equations and Monte Carlo methods to take into account stochastic effects we calculated the dose-survival rfelationships in a number of current cell survival models. Some of the models assume quadratic misrepair; others assume saturable repair enzyme systems. It was found that a significant effect of random fluctuations is to decrease the theoretically predicted amount of dose-rate sparing. In the limit of low dose-rates neglecting the stochastic nature of specific energy rates often leads to qualitatively misleading results by overestimating the surviving fraction drastically. In the opposite limit of acute irradiation, analyzing the fluctuations in rates merely amounts to analyzing fluctuations in total specific energy via the usual microdosimetric specific energy distribution function, and neglecting fluctuations usually underestimates the surviving fraction. The Monte Carlo methods interpolate systematically between the low dose-rate and high dose-rate limits. As in other approaches, the slope of the survival curve at low dose-rates is virtually independent of dose and equals the initial slope of the survival curve for acute radiation. (orig.)

  16. Dependence of total dose response of bipolar linear microcircuits on applied dose rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    McClure, S.; Will, W.; Perry, G.; Pease, R.L.

    1994-01-01

    The effect of dose rate on the total dose radiation hardness of three commercial bipolar linear microcircuits is investigated. Total dose tests of linear bipolar microcircuits show larger degradation at 0.167 rad/s than at 90 rad/s even after the high dose rate test is followed by a room temperature plus a 100 C anneal. No systematic correlation could be found for degradation at low dose rate versus high dose rate and anneal. Comparison of the low dose rate with the high dose rate anneal data indicates that MIL-STD-883, method 1019.4 is not a worst-case test method when applied to bipolar microcircuits for low dose rate space applications

  17. Radiation dose in cardiac SPECT/CT: An estimation of SSDE and effective dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Abdollahi, Hamid; Shiri, Isaac; Salimi, Yazdan; Sarebani, Maghsoud; Mehdinia, Reza; Deevband, Mohammad Reza; Mahdavi, Seied Rabi; Sohrabi, Ahmad; Bitarafan-Rajabi, Ahmad

    2016-01-01

    Aims: The dose levels for Computed Tomography (CT) localization and attenuation correction of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) are limited and reported as Volume Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIvol) and Dose-Length Product (DLP). This work presents CT dose estimation from Cardiac SPECT/CT based on new American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Size Specific Dose Estimation (SSDE) parameter, effective dose, organ doses and also emission dose from nuclear issue. Material and methods: Myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT for 509 patients was included in the study. SSDE, effective dose and organ dose were calculated using AAPM guideline and Impact-Dose software. Data were analyzed using R and SPSS statistical software. Spearman-Pearson correlation test and linear regression models were used for finding correlations and relationships among parameters. Results: The mean CTDIvol was 1.34 mGy ± 0.19 and the mean SSDE was 1.7 mGy ± 0.16. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The spearman test showed that correlation between body size and organ doses is significant except thyroid and red bone marrow. CTDIvol was strongly dependent on patient size, but SSDE was not. Emission dose was strongly dependent on patient weight, but its dependency was lower to effective diameter. Conclusion: The dose parameters including CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, effective dose values reported here are very low and below the reference level. This data suggest that appropriate CT acquisition parameters in SPECT/CT localization and attenuation correction are very beneficial for patients and lowering cancer risks.

  18. Radiation dose in cardiac SPECT/CT: An estimation of SSDE and effective dose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Abdollahi, Hamid, E-mail: Hamid_rbp@yahoo.com [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Shiri, Isaac [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Salimi, Yazdan [Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sarebani, Maghsoud; Mehdinia, Reza [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Deevband, Mohammad Reza [Biomedical Engineering and Medical Physics Department, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Mahdavi, Seied Rabi [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Radiation Biology Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Sohrabi, Ahmad [Department of Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Bitarafan-Rajabi, Ahmad, E-mail: bitarafan@hotmail.com [Department of Medical Physics, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of); Department of Nuclear Medicine, Rajaei Cardiovascular, Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran (Iran, Islamic Republic of)

    2016-12-15

    Aims: The dose levels for Computed Tomography (CT) localization and attenuation correction of Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) are limited and reported as Volume Computed Tomography Dose Index (CTDIvol) and Dose-Length Product (DLP). This work presents CT dose estimation from Cardiac SPECT/CT based on new American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) Size Specific Dose Estimation (SSDE) parameter, effective dose, organ doses and also emission dose from nuclear issue. Material and methods: Myocardial perfusion SPECT/CT for 509 patients was included in the study. SSDE, effective dose and organ dose were calculated using AAPM guideline and Impact-Dose software. Data were analyzed using R and SPSS statistical software. Spearman-Pearson correlation test and linear regression models were used for finding correlations and relationships among parameters. Results: The mean CTDIvol was 1.34 mGy ± 0.19 and the mean SSDE was 1.7 mGy ± 0.16. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The mean ± SD of effective dose from emission, CT and total dose were 11.5 ± 1.4, 0.49 ± 0.11 and 12.67 ± 1.73 (mSv) respectively. The spearman test showed that correlation between body size and organ doses is significant except thyroid and red bone marrow. CTDIvol was strongly dependent on patient size, but SSDE was not. Emission dose was strongly dependent on patient weight, but its dependency was lower to effective diameter. Conclusion: The dose parameters including CTDIvol, DLP, SSDE, effective dose values reported here are very low and below the reference level. This data suggest that appropriate CT acquisition parameters in SPECT/CT localization and attenuation correction are very beneficial for patients and lowering cancer risks.

  19. Dose specification for 192Ir high dose rate brachytherapy in terms of dose-to-water-in-medium and dose-to-medium-in-medium

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Fonseca, Gabriel Paiva; Yoriyaz, Hélio; Tedgren, Åsa Carlsson; Nilsson, Josef; Persson, Maria; Reniers, Brigitte; Verhaegen, Frank

    2015-01-01

    Dose calculation in high dose rate brachytherapy with 192 Ir is usually based on the TG-43U1 protocol where all media are considered to be water. Several dose calculation algorithms have been developed that are capable of handling heterogeneities with two possibilities to report dose: dose-to-medium-in-medium (D m,m ) and dose-to-water-in-medium (D w,m ). The relation between D m,m and D w,m for 192 Ir is the main goal of this study, in particular the dependence of D w,m on the dose calculation approach using either large cavity theory (LCT) or small cavity theory (SCT). A head and neck case was selected due to the presence of media with a large range of atomic numbers relevant to tissues and mass densities such as air, soft tissues and bone interfaces. This case was simulated using a Monte Carlo (MC) code to score: D m,m, D w,m (LCT), mean photon energy and photon fluence. D w,m (SCT) was derived from MC simulations using the ratio between the unrestricted collisional stopping power of the actual medium and water. Differences between D m,m and D w,m (SCT or LCT) can be negligible (<1%) for some tissues e.g. muscle and significant for other tissues with differences of up to 14% for bone. Using SCT or LCT approaches leads to differences between D w,m (SCT) and D w,m (LCT) up to 29% for bone and 36% for teeth. The mean photon energy distribution ranges from 222 keV up to 356 keV. However, results obtained using mean photon energies are not equivalent to the ones obtained using the full, local photon spectrum. This work concludes that it is essential that brachytherapy studies clearly report the dose quantity. It further shows that while differences between D m,m and D w,m (SCT) mainly depend on tissue type, differences between D m,m and D w,m (LCT) are, in addition, significantly dependent on the local photon energy fluence spectrum which varies with distance to implanted sources. (paper)

  20. Entrance doses during lateral lumbar spine and antero-posterior abdomen examinations: generator waveform dependence

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Morrison, G.D.; Underwood, A.C.

    1995-01-01

    In North Trent, UK, an entrance dose survey of lateral lumbar spine and antero-posterior (AP) abdomen examinations has been carried out in 17 radiology departments. The survey comprised 294 lateral lumbar spine and 322 AP abdomen entrance dose measurements. The mean entrance doses were found to be approximately half of the relevant national reference entrance dose levels of 30 mGy and 10 mGy, respectively. The effect of generator waveform on entrance dose was studied by separating the generators into two types: ''pulsating potential'' (PP) generators and ''constant potential'' (CP) generators for each examination. PP generators comprised 23% of the total number of examinations. The mean entrance dose and radiographic exposure factors from CP generators were found to be significantly lower than those from PP generators. The use of CP type generators, together with low attenuation components can significantly reduce patient entrance doses for these examinations. (author)

  1. Dose-dependent and gender-related radiation-induced transcription alterations of Gadd45a and Ier5 in human lymphocytes exposed to gamma ray emitted by 60Co

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tavakoli, H.; Manoochehri, M.; Mosalla, S. M. M.; Ghafori, M.; Karimi, A. A.

    2013-01-01

    Growth arrest DNA damage-inducible 45a gene (Gadd45a) and immediate early response gene 5 (Ier5) have been emphasised as ideal radiation bio-markers in several reports. However, some aspects of radiation-induced transcriptional alterations of these genes are unknown. In this study, gender-dependency and dose-dependency as two factors that may affect radiation induced transcription of Gadd45a and Ier5 genes were investigated. Human lymphocyte cells from six healthy voluntary blood donors (three women and three men) were irradiated in vitro with doses of 0.5-4.0 Gy from a 60 Co source and RNA isolated 4 h later using the High Pure RNA Isolation Kit. Dose and gender dependency of radiation-induced transcriptional alterations of Gadd45a and Ier5 genes were studied by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results showed that as a whole, Gadd45a and Ier5 gave responses to gamma rays, while the responses were independent of radiation doses. Therefore, regardless of radiation dose, Gadd45a and Ier5 can be considered potential radiation bio-markers. Besides, although radiation-induced transcriptional alterations of Gadd45a in female and male lymphocyte samples were insignificant at 0.5 Gy, at other doses, their quantities in female samples were at a significantly higher level than in male samples. Radiation induced transcription of Ier5 of females samples had a reduction in comparison with male samples at 1 and 2 Gy, but at doses of 0.5 and 4 Gy, females were significantly more susceptible to radiation-induced transcriptional alteration of Ier5. (authors)

  2. SU-E-T-96: Energy Dependence of the New GafChromic- EBT3 Film's Dose Response-Curve.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chiu-Tsao, S; Massillon-Jl, G; Domingo-Muñoz, I; Chan, M

    2012-06-01

    To study and compare the dose response curves of the new GafChromic EBT3 film for megavoltage and kilovoltage x-ray beams, with different spatial resolution. Two sets of EBT3 films (lot#A101711-02) were exposed to each x-ray beam (6MV, 15MV and 50kV) at 8 dose values (50-3200cGy). The megavoltage beams were calibrated per AAPM TG-51 protocol while the kilovoltage beam was calibrated following the TG-61 using an ionization chamber calibrated at NIST. Each film piece was scanned three consecutive times in the center of Epson 10000XL flatbed scanner in transmission mode, landscape orientation, 48-bit color at two separate spatial resolutions of 75 and 300 dpi. The data were analyzed using ImageJ and, for each scanned image, a region of interest (ROI) of 2×2cm 2 at the field center was selected to obtain the mean pixel value with its standard deviation in the ROI. For each energy, dose value and spatial resolution, the average netOD and its associated uncertainty were determined. The Student's t-test was performed to evaluate the statistical differences between the netOD/dose values of the three energy modalities, with different color channels and spatial resolutions. The dose response curves for the three energy modalities were compared in three color channels with 75 and 300dpi. Weak energy dependence was found. For doses above 100cGy, no statistical differences were observed between 6 and 15MV beams, regardless of spatial resolution. However, statistical differences were observed between 50kV and the megavoltage beams. The degree of energy dependence (from MV to 50kV) was found to be function of color channel, dose level and spatial resolution. The dose response curves for GafChromic EBT3 films were found to be weakly dependent on the energy of the photon beams from 6MV to 50kV. The degree of energy dependence varies with color channel, dose and spatial resolution. GafChromic EBT3 films were supplied by Ashland Corp. This work was partially supported by DGAPA

  3. Ethanol-induced increase in portal blood glow: Role of adenosine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Orrego, H.; Carmichael, F.J.; Saldivia, V.; Giles, H.G.; Sandrin, S.; Israel, Y.

    1988-01-01

    The mechanism by which ethanol induces an increase in portal vein blood flow was studied in rats using radiolabeled microspheres. Ethanol by gavage resulted in an increase of 50-70% in portal vein blood flow. The ethanol-induced increase in portal blood flow was suppressed by the adenosine receptor blocker 8-phenyltheophylline. By itself, 8-phenyltheophylline was without effect on cardiac output or portal blood flow. Adenosine infusion resulted in a dose-dependent increase in portal blood flow. This adenosine-induced increase in portal blood flow was inhibited by 8-phenyltheophylline in a dose-dependent manner. Both alcohol and adenosine significantly reduced preportal vascular resistance by 40% and 60%, respectively. These effects were fully suppressed by 8-phenyltheophylline. It is concluded that adenosine is a likely candidate to mediate the ethanol-induced increase in portal vein blood flow. It is suggested that an increase in circulating acetate and liver hypoxia may mediate the effects of alcohol by increasing tissue and interstitial adenosine levels

  4. The significance of neuroendocrine system state in estimation of nonstochastic effects of small doses of internal irradiation. (An experimental study)

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Dedov, V.I.; Norets, T.A.; Stepanenko, V.F.; Dedenkov, A.N.

    1987-01-01

    Data on long-term complex investigations of nonstochastic effects of low doses of internal irradiation on the level of a whole organism are presented. Experiments have been carried out with mongrel rats of both sexes and different ages up to the moment of introduction of radioactive compounds. Action of relatively and uniformly distributing in the organism radiactive compounds of selenium - 75 and sulfur - 35, which were introduced once intravenously in quantities forming absorbed doses in average on the whole body and ovaries (0.5 Gy), on endocrine glands and critical organs (up to 1.0 Gy) has been used as models of internal radiation. Data, testifying to the fact that the neuroendocrinal system, despite the existing opinion, is sensitive to action of low doses of internal irradiation compared with the recommended one as an ultimate permissible one for nonstochastic effects ( 0.5 Sv), that permits to suggest for using factors of the functional state of the neuroendocrine system as an informative and sensitive criterium of estimation of biological action of low doses of internal radiation, have been obtained. These factors along with doses on critical organs permit to estimate the degree of dangerous action of different radionuclides on the organism level. Dynamic studying of activity factors of the neuroendocrine system with simultaneous analysis of the state of harmonically dependent processes permits to estimate functional possibilities of irradiated organism, its viability, especially under conditions requiring increased stress, as well as to take into account such factors modifying a biological effect as age, animal sex, the character of absorbed dose distribution

  5. High-dose preoperative chemoradiotherapy in esophageal cancer patients does not increase postoperative pulmonary complications: Correlation with dose-volume histogram parameters

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hurmuzlu, Meysan; Ovrebo, Kjell; Wentzel-Larsen, Tore; Muren, Ludvig Paul; Viste, Asgaut; Smaaland, Rune

    2010-01-01

    Purpose: To investigate the association of high-dose preoperative chemoradiotherapy (CRT) and dose-volume histogram (DVH) parameters of lungs with incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications and to identify predictive clinical factors of pulmonary complications. Methods: Data of 65 patients were collected retrospectively. Thirty-five patients underwent transthoracic esophagectomy (TTE) alone and 30 received cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil, concomitant with radiotherapy, median dose 66 Gy, and followed by TTE. From the DVH for each lung alone and for both lungs together as one organ we generated total lung volume, mean radiotherapy dose, relative and absolute volumes receiving more than a threshold dose, and relative and absolute volumes receiving less than a threshold dose. Postoperative pulmonary complications were defined as pneumonia or respiratory failure. Results: Sixty percent of the patients in the TTE alone group had postoperative pulmonary complications versus 63% in the CRT + TTE group. Postoperative mortality was 8.6% and 16.7% in the respective patient groups (p = NS). None of the DVH parameters was associated with postoperative pulmonary complications. Squamous cell carcinoma was an adverse factor related to increased postoperative pulmonary complications. Conclusion: High-dose preoperative CRT was not associated with increased postoperative pulmonary complications in this cohort of esophageal cancer patients.

  6. Dose-dependency of radiation on enzyme production in Trichoderma reesei

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kumakura, Minoru

    1993-01-01

    Effect of irradiation dose on the production of cellulase and amylase related enzymes in Trichoderma reesei was studied in which post-irradiation time response pattern was measured. The damage of the cells irradiated with certain irradiation doses (1.40±0.20x10 5 , 2.20±0.10x10 5 , 3.00±0.50x10 5 and 3.50±0.20x10 5 rad) was rapidly recovered. The increased enzyme production in the culture of the irradiated cells resulted from the recovery of radiation damage after irradiation. The function of cell growth was not affected by irradiation below dose of 5x10 5 rad, though the function of enzyme synthesis was drastically affected. (orig.)

  7. Dietary supplementation with dimethylglycine affects broiler performance and plasma metabolites depending on dose and dietary fatty acid profile.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Kalmar, I D; Cools, A; Verstegen, M W A; Huyghebaert, G; Buyse, J; Roose, P; Janssens, G P J

    2011-04-01

    The effect of dietary supplementation with N,N-dimethylglycine sodium salt (Na-DMG) was evaluated in a feeding trial with 1500 1-day-old broiler chicks (Cobb 500). DMG was supplemented at 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.5 or 1 g Na-DMG/kg feed to a ration with either animal fat (chicken fat) or vegetal fat (soy oil) as main fat source. In the vegetal fat diets, production value was significantly linearly improved by supplementation with DMG up to 11%. Irrespective of dietary fat source, abdominal fat percentage was significantly linearly reduced up to 24% and meat yield tended to increase linearly with DMG level up to 4%. In the vegetal fat groups, DMG significantly lowered abdominal fat pad by up to 38% and tended to increase meat yield up to 6% at the highest dose. Fasted non-esterified fatty acid level significantly decreased with increasing DMG level up to 36% and thiobarbituric acid reactive species (TBARS) decreased with a statistical trend up to 46% at the highest dose. In vegetal fat diets, addition of DMG resulted in significant lower TBARS level by 56% at the highest dose. Finally, a significant quadratic effect on ascites heart index was present in the vegetal fat diets, with a minimal value at 0.5 g Na-DMG/kg. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with DMG may improve technical and slaughter performance, and may reduce oxidative stress and pulmonary hypertension, but the degree of effects is modulated by fatty acid profile of the diet. Herewith, effects are more pronounced in a diet rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids compared with a diet rich in saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

  8. Increased glucose dependence in resting, iron-deficient rats

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Brooks, G.A.; Henderson, S.A.; Dallman, P.R.

    1987-01-01

    Rates of blood glucose and lactate turnover were assessed in resting iron-deficient and iron-sufficient (control) rats to test the hypothesis that dependence on glucose metabolism is increased in iron deficiency. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 21 days old, were fed a diet containing either 6 mg iron/kg feed (iron-deficient group) or 50 mg iron/kg feed (iron-sufficient group) for 3-4 wk. The iron-deficient group became anemic, with hemoglobin levels of 6.4 ± 0.2 compared with 13.8 ± 0.3 g/dl for controls. Rats received a 90-min primed continuous infusion of D-[6- 3 H]glucose and sodium L-[U- 14 C]lactate via a jugular catheter. Serial samples were taken from a carotid catheter for concentration and specific activity determinations. Iron-deficient rats had significantly higher blood glucose and lactate concentrations than controls. The iron-deficient group had a significantly higher glucose turnover rate than the control group. Significantly more metabolite recycling in iron-deficient rats was indicated by greater incorporation of 14 C into blood glucose. Assuming a carbon crossover correction factor of 2, half of blood glucose arose from lactate in deficient animals. By comparison, only 25% of glucose arose from lactate in controls. Lack of a difference in lactate turnover rates between deficient rats and controls was attributed to 14 C recycling. The results indicate a greater dependence on glucose metabolism in iron-deficient rats

  9. 3D Dose Reconstruction to Insure Correct External Beam Treatment of Patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Renner, Wendel Dean

    2007-01-01

    Radiation therapy treatments have become increasingly more complicated. There are multiple opportunities for humans, machines, software, and combinations thereof to result in a treatment error that could be of significance. Current methods for quality assurance are often abstract in nature and may have unclear underlying assumptions as to what is assumed to be working correctly, or may depend upon the diligence of persons to discover errors from a review of the treatment plan. Here, an example will be shown of a direct method to reconstruct and demonstrate the dose and the dose distribution delivered to a particular patient. By measuring the radiation fields that come out of the accelerator, and using the measurement as input to a 3-dimensional (3D) dose algorithm, the delivered patient dose is determined and presented in a manner similar to the treatment plan. The intended treatment plan dose may be directly compared. Using this feedback mechanism, there is less abstraction and dependence upon the diligence of individuals checking multiple steps in a treatment process, and assumptions can be clearly stated. With this system, the dose is determined and presented minimizing assumptions and dependence upon other systems

  10. Increased biliary excretion of glutathione is generated by the glutathione-dependent hepatobiliary transport of antimony and bismuth.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Gyurasics, A; Koszorús, L; Varga, F; Gregus, Z

    1992-10-06

    We have recently demonstrated that the hepatobiliary transport of arsenic is glutathione-dependent and is associated with a profound increase in biliary excretion of glutathione (GSH), hepatic GSH depletion and diminished GSH conjugation (Gyurasics A, Varga F and Gregus Z, Biochem Pharmacol 41: 937-944 and Gyurasics A, Varga F and Gregus Z, Biochem Pharmacol 42: 465-468, 1991). The present studies in rats aimed to determine whether antimony and bismuth, other metalloids in group Va of the periodic table, also possess similar properties. Antimony potassium tartrate (25-100 mumol/kg, i.v.) and bismuth ammonium citrate (50-200 mumol/kg, i.v.) increased up to 50- and 4-fold, respectively, the biliary excretion of non-protein thiols (NPSH). This resulted mainly from increased hepatobiliary transport of GSH as suggested by a close parallelism in the biliary excretion of NPSH and GSH after antimony or bismuth administration. Within 2 hr, rats excreted into bile 55 and 3% of the dose of antimony (50 mumol/kg, i.v.) and bismuth (150 mumol/kg, i.v.), respectively. The time courses of the biliary excretion of these metalloids and NPSH or GSH were strikingly similar suggesting co-ordinate hepatobiliary transport of the metalloids and GSH. However, at the peak of their excretion, each molecule of antimony or bismuth resulted in a co-transport of approximately three molecules of GSH. Diethyl maleate, indocyanine green and sulfobromophthalein (BSP), which decreased biliary excretion of GSH, significantly diminished excretion of antimony and bismuth into bile indicating that hepatobiliary transport of these metalloids is GSH-dependent. Administration of antimony, but not bismuth, decreased hepatic GSH level by 30% and reduced the GSH conjugation and biliary excretion of BSP. These studies demonstrate that the hepatobiliary transport of trivalent antimony and bismuth is GSH-dependent similarly to the hepatobiliary transport of trivalent arsenic. Proportionally to their biliary

  11. Dose-dependent effects of an immune challenge at both ultimate and proximate levels in Drosophila melanogaster.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nystrand, M; Dowling, D K

    2014-05-01

    Immune responses are highly dynamic. The magnitude and efficiency of an immune response to a pathogen can change markedly across individuals, and such changes may be influenced by variance in a range of intrinsic (e.g. age, genotype, sex) and external (e.g. abiotic stress, pathogen identity, strain) factors. Life history theory predicts that up-regulation of the immune system will come at a physiological cost, and studies have confirmed that increased investment in immunity can reduce reproductive output and survival. Furthermore, males and females often have divergent reproductive strategies, and this might drive the evolution of sex-specific life history trade-offs involving immunity, and sexual dimorphism in immune responses per se. Here, we employ an experiment design to elucidate dose-dependent and sex-specific responses to exposure to a nonpathogenic immune elicitor at two scales--the 'ultimate' life history and the underlying 'proximate' immune level in Drosophila melanogaster. We found dose-dependent effects of immune challenges on both male and female components of reproductive success, but not on survival, as well as a response in antimicrobial activity. These results indicate that even in the absence of the direct pathogenic effects that are associated with actual disease, individual life histories respond to a perceived immune challenge--but with the magnitude of this response being contingent on the initial dose of exposure. Furthermore, the results indicate that immune responses at the ultimate life history level may indeed reflect underlying processes that occur at the proximate level. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2014 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

  12. Gas revenue increasingly significant

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Megill, R.E.

    1991-01-01

    This paper briefly describes the wellhead prices of natural gas compared to crude oil over the past 70 years. Although natural gas prices have never reached price parity with crude oil, the relative value of a gas BTU has been increasing. It is one of the reasons that the total amount of money coming from natural gas wells is becoming more significant. From 1920 to 1955 the revenue at the wellhead for natural gas was only about 10% of the money received by producers. Most of the money needed for exploration, development, and production came from crude oil. At present, however, over 40% of the money from the upstream portion of the petroleum industry is from natural gas. As a result, in a few short years natural gas may become 50% of the money revenues generated from wellhead production facilities

  13. Extent of radiosensitization by the PARP inhibitor olaparib depends on its dose, the radiation dose and the integrity of the homologous recombination pathway of tumor cells

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Verhagen, Caroline V. M.; de Haan, Rosemarie; Hageman, Floor; Oostendorp, Tim P. D.; Carli, Annalisa L. E.; O'Connor, Mark J.; Jonkers, Jos; Verheij, Marcel; van den Brekel, Michiel W.; Vens, Conchita

    2015-01-01

    The PARP inhibitor olaparib is currently tested in clinical phase 1 trials to define safe dose levels in combination with RT. However, certain clinically relevant insights are still lacking. Here we test, while comparing to single agent activity, the olaparib dose and genetic background dependence

  14. Neither high-dose nor low-dose brachytherapy increases flap morbidity in salvage treatment of recurrent head and neck cancer

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Peter W. Henderson

    2016-08-01

    Full Text Available Purpose: While brachytherapy is often used concurrently with flap reconstruction following surgical ablation for head and neck cancer, it remains unclear whether it increases morbidity in the particularly high risk subset of patients undergoing salvage treatment for recurrent head and neck cancer (RH&NC. Material and methods : A retrospective chart review was undertaken that evaluated patients with RH&NC who underwent flap coverage after surgical re-resection and concomitant brachytherapy. The primary endpoint was flap viability, and the secondary endpoints were flap and recipient site complications. Results : In the 23 subjects included in series, flap viability and skin graft take was 100%. Overall recipient site complication rate was 34.8%, high-dose radiation (HDR group 50%, and low-dose radiation (LDR group 29.4%. There was no statistically significant difference between these groups. Conclusions : In patients who undergo flap reconstruction and immediate postoperative radiotherapy following salvage procedures for RH&NC, flap coverage of defects in combination with brachytherapy remains a safe and effective means of providing stable soft tissue coverage.

  15. Increased apoptotic potential and dose-enhancing effect of gold nanoparticles in combination with single-dose clinical electron beams on tumor-bearing mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chang Mengya; Chen Yuhung; Chang Chihjui; Chen Helen H-W; Wu Chaoliang; Shiau Aili

    2008-01-01

    High atomic number material, such as gold, may be used in conjunction with radiation to provide dose enhancement in tumors. In the current study, we investigated the dose-enhancing effect and apoptotic potential of gold nanoparticles in combination with single-dose clinical electron beams on B16F10 melanoma tumor-bearing mice. We revealed that the accumulation of gold nanoparticles was detected inside B16F10 culture cells after 18 h of incubation, and moreover, the gold nanoparticles were shown to be colocalized with endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in cells. Furthermore, gold nanoparticles radiosensitized melanoma cells in the colony formation assay (P=0.02). Using a B16F10 tumor-bearing mouse model, we further demonstrated that gold nanoparticles in conjunction with ionizing radiation significantly retarded tumor growth and prolonged survival compared to the radiation alone controls (P<0.05). Importantly, an increase of apoptotic signals was detected inside tumors in the combined treatment group (P<0.05). Knowing that radiation-induced apoptosis has been considered a determinant of tumor responses to radiation therapy, and the length of tumor regrowth delay correlated with the extent of apoptosis after single-dose radiotherapy, these results may suggest the clinical potential of gold nanoparticles in improving the outcome of melanoma radiotherapy. (author)

  16. Angular dependence of the MOSFET dosimeter and its impact on in vivo surface dose measurement in breast cancer treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Qin, S; Chen, T; Wang, L; Tu, Y; Yue, N; Zhou, J

    2014-08-01

    The focus of this study is the angular dependence of two types of Metal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor (MOSFET) dosimeters (MOSFET20 and OneDose/OneDosePlus) when used for surface dose measurements. External beam radiationat different gantry angles were delivered to a cubic solid water phantom with a MOSFET placed on the top surface at CAX. The long axis of the MOSFET was oriented along the gantry axis of rotation, with the dosimeter (bubble side) facing the radiation source. MOSFET-measured surface doses were compared against calibrated radiochromic film readings. It was found that both types of MOSFET dosimeters exhibited larger than previously reported angular dependence when measuring surface dose in beams at large oblique angles. For the MOSFET20 dosimeter the measured surface dose deviation against film readings was as high as 17% when the incident angle was 72 degrees to the norm of the phantom surface. It is concluded that some MOSFET dosimeters may have a strong angular dependence when placed on the surface of water-equivalent material, even though they may have an isotropic angular response when surrounded by uniform medium. Extra on-surface calibration maybe necessary before using MOSFET dosimeters for skin dose measurement in tangential fields.

  17. Monte Carlo dose calculations and radiobiological modelling: analysis of the effect of the statistical noise of the dose distribution on the probability of tumour control

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Buffa, Francesca M.

    2000-01-01

    The aim of this work is to investigate the influence of the statistical fluctuations of Monte Carlo (MC) dose distributions on the dose volume histograms (DVHs) and radiobiological models, in particular the Poisson model for tumour control probability (tcp). The MC matrix is characterized by a mean dose in each scoring voxel, d, and a statistical error on the mean dose, σ d ; whilst the quantities d and σ d depend on many statistical and physical parameters, here we consider only their dependence on the phantom voxel size and the number of histories from the radiation source. Dose distributions from high-energy photon beams have been analysed. It has been found that the DVH broadens when increasing the statistical noise of the dose distribution, and the tcp calculation systematically underestimates the real tumour control value, defined here as the value of tumour control when the statistical error of the dose distribution tends to zero. When increasing the number of energy deposition events, either by increasing the voxel dimensions or increasing the number of histories from the source, the DVH broadening decreases and tcp converges to the 'correct' value. It is shown that the underestimation of the tcp due to the noise in the dose distribution depends on the degree of heterogeneity of the radiobiological parameters over the population; in particular this error decreases with increasing the biological heterogeneity, whereas it becomes significant in the hypothesis of a radiosensitivity assay for single patients, or for subgroups of patients. It has been found, for example, that when the voxel dimension is changed from a cube with sides of 0.5 cm to a cube with sides of 0.25 cm (with a fixed number of histories of 10 8 from the source), the systematic error in the tcp calculation is about 75% in the homogeneous hypothesis, and it decreases to a minimum value of about 15% in a case of high radiobiological heterogeneity. The possibility of using the error on the

  18. SU-F-18C-11: Diameter Dependency of the Radial Dose Distribution in a Long Polyethylene Cylinder

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bakalyar, D; McKenney, S [Henry Ford Health System, Detroit, MI (United States); Feng, W [New York Presbyterian Hospital, Tenafly, NJ (United States)

    2014-06-15

    Purpose: The radial dose distribution in the central plane of a long cylinder following a long CT scan depends upon the diameter and composition of the cylinder. An understanding of this behavior is required for determining the spatial average of the dose in the central plane. Polyethylene, the material for construction of the TG200/ICRU phantom (30 cm in diameter) was used for this study. Size effects are germane to the principles incorporated in size specific dose estimates (SSDE); thus diameter dependency was explored as well. Method: ssuming a uniform cylinder and cylindrically symmetric conditions of irradiation, the dose distribution can be described using a radial function. This function must be an even function of the radial distance due to the conditions of symmetry. Two effects are accounted for: The direct beam makes its weakest contribution at the center while the contribution due to scatter is strongest at the center and drops off abruptly at the outer radius. An analytic function incorporating these features was fit to Monte Carlo results determined for infinite polyethylene cylinders of various diameters. A further feature of this function is that it is integrable. Results: Symmetry and continuity dictate a local extremum at the center which is a minimum for the larger sizes. The competing effects described above can Resultin an absolute maximum occurring between the center and outer edge of the cylinders. For the smallest cylinders, the maximum dose may occur at the center. Conclusion: An integrable, analytic function can be used to characterize the radial dependency of dose for cylindrical CT phantoms of various sizes. One use for this is to help determine average dose distribution over the central cylinder plane when equilibrium dose has been reached.

  19. Sex-dependent behavioral changes in rat offspring after in utero administration of a single low dose PBDE 47

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kuriyama, S.N.; Talsness, C.E.; Chahoud, I. [Charite Univ. Medical School Berlin (Germany). Inst. of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Dept. Toxicology, Campus Benjamin Franklin

    2004-09-15

    Increasing levels of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in environmental and human samples has resulted in intensive discussion regarding possible hazard identification and risk assessment in the last years. In rodents, exposure to PBDE mixtures or single congeners has resulted in a mixed induction of CYP450- dependent enzymes, showing increased activity of hepatic EROD and PROD. In addition, genotoxicity has been observed in recombination assays, and neurotoxicity has been reported in mice exposed during development. Acute and sub-chronic exposures of mice and rats to a PBDE mixture (DE-71) cause dose-dependent reductions in serum concentrations of thyroxin (T4), and stressinduced elevations in plasma corticosterone. Further, some hydroxylated metabolites of PBDE congeners exhibit a higher potency in vivo than T4 in competitive binding to human transthyretin (TTR), the transport protein mediating transfer of thyroid hormones across the placenta and into the brain. The available information in the literature clearly indicates that PBDEs are potent neurotoxicants, causing effects at doses lower than that able to disrupt thyroid hormone profiles and change CYP 450 activities. Neurobehavior effects, which includes defects in learning and memory, and changes in nicotinic receptors were found at doses starting at 0.45 ppm in mouse (9). The congeners, PBDE 47 and PBDE 99, have also been shown to cause permanent aberrations in spontaneous behavior in mice which was more pronounced with increasing age. PBDE 47 is the most predominant congener found in environmental and human samples, including human breast milk. Its presence in breast milk highlights the importance of evaluating possible effects following early developmental exposure and because this period represents a critical time which an organism is extremely susceptible to minor changes in hormonal milieu. Variances in terms of time point and concentration of exposure to steroids can lead to an organizational

  20. Dose-dependent testosterone sensitivity of the steroidal passport and GC-C-IRMS analysis in relation to the UGT2B17 deletion polymorphism.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Strahm, Emmanuel; Mullen, Jenny E; Gårevik, Nina; Ericsson, Magnus; Schulze, Jenny J; Rane, Anders; Ekström, Lena

    2015-01-01

    The newly implemented Steroid Module of the Athlete Biological Passport has improved doping tests for steroids. A biomarker included in this passport is the urinary testosterone glucuronide to epitestosterone glucuronide (T/E) ratio, a ratio greatly affected by a deletion polymorphism in UGT2B17. Suspect urine doping tests are further analyzed with gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC-C-IRMS) to determine the origin of the androgen. In this study, we investigated the sensitivity of the steroidal module and the IRMS analysis, in subjects administered with three doses of testosterone enanthate (500, 250, and 125 mg), in relation to the UGT2B17 polymorphism. All subjects carrying the UGT2B17 enzyme reached the traditionally used threshold, a T/E ratio of 4, after all three administered doses, whereas none of the subjects devoid of this enzyme reached a T/E of 4. On the other hand, using the athlete biological passport and IRMS analysis, all three doses could be detected to a high degree of sensitivity. The concentrations of all steroids included in the steroidal module were dose dependently increased, except for epitestosterone which decreased independent of dose. The decrease in epitestosterone was significantly associated with circulatory levels of testosterone post dose (rs =0.60 and p=0.007). In conclusion, these results demonstrate that administration of a single dose of 125-500 mg testosterone enanthate could be detected using the athlete biological passport, together with IRMS. Since IRMS is sensitive to testosterone doping independent of UGT2B17 genotype, also very small changes in the steroidal passport should be investigated with IRMS. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

  1. Ethylene regulates Apple (Malus x domestica) fruit softening through a dose x time-dependent mechanism and through differential sensitivities and dependencies of cell wall-modifying genes.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ireland, Hilary S; Gunaseelan, Kularajathevan; Muddumage, Ratnasiri; Tacken, Emma J; Putterill, Jo; Johnston, Jason W; Schaffer, Robert J

    2014-05-01

    In fleshy fruit species that have a strong requirement for ethylene to ripen, ethylene is synthesized autocatalytically, producing increasing concentrations as the fruits ripen. Apple fruit with the ACC OXIDASE 1 (ACO1) gene suppressed cannot produce ethylene autocatalytically at ripening. Using these apple lines, an ethylene sensitivity dependency model was previously proposed, with traits such as softening showing a high dependency for ethylene as well as low sensitivity. In this study, it is shown that the molecular control of fruit softening is a complex process, with different cell wall-related genes being independently regulated and exhibiting differential sensitivities to and dependencies on ethylene at the transcriptional level. This regulation is controlled through a dose × time mechanism, which results in a temporal transcriptional response that would allow for progressive cell wall disassembly and thus softening. This research builds on the sensitivity dependency model and shows that ethylene-dependent traits can progress over time to the same degree with lower levels of ethylene. This suggests that a developmental clock measuring cumulative ethylene controls the fruit ripening process.

  2. Dose-dependent effects of atorvastatin on myocardial infarction

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Barbarash O

    2015-06-01

    Full Text Available Olga Barbarash, Olga Gruzdeva, Evgenya Uchasova, Ekaterina Belik, Yulia Dyleva, Victoria KaretnikovaFederal State Budgetary Institution, Research Institute for Complex Issues of Cardiovascular Diseases, Kemerovo, the Russian Federation Background: Dyslipidemia is a key factor determining the development of both myocardial infarction (MI and its subsequent complications. Dyslipidemia is associated with endothelial dysfunction, activation of inflammation, thrombogenesis, and formation of insulin resistance. Statin therapy is thought to be effective for primary and secondary prevention of complications associated with atherosclerosis.Methods: This study examined 210 patients with Segment elevated MI (ST elevated MI who were treated with atorvastatin from the first 24 hours after MI. Group 1 (n=110 were given atorvastatin 20 mg/day. Group 2 (n=100 were given atorvastatin 40 mg/day. At days 1 and 12 after MI onset, insulin resistance levels determined by the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index, lipid profiles, and serum glucose, insulin, adipokine, and ghrelin levels were measured.Results: Free fatty acid levels showed a sharp increase during the acute phase of MI. Treatment with atorvastatin 20 mg/day, and especially with 40 mg/day, resulted in a decrease in free fatty acid levels. The positive effect of low-dose atorvastatin (20 mg/day is normalization of the adipokine status. Administration of atorvastatin 20 mg/day was accompanied with a statistically significant reduction in glucose levels (by 14% and C-peptide levels (by 38%, and a decrease in the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance index on day 12.Conclusion: Determination of atorvastatin dose and its use during the in-hospital period and subsequent periods should take into account changes in biochemical markers of insulin resistance and adipokine status in patients with MI.Keywords: myocardial infarction, statin, insulin resistance, adipokines

  3. Dose-dependent high-resolution electron ptychography

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    D'Alfonso, A. J.; Allen, L. J.; Sawada, H.; Kirkland, A. I.

    2016-01-01

    Recent reports of electron ptychography at atomic resolution have ushered in a new era of coherent diffractive imaging in the context of electron microscopy. We report and discuss electron ptychography under variable electron dose conditions, exploring the prospects of an approach which has considerable potential for imaging where low dose is needed

  4. Increased dose near the skin due to electromagnetic surface beacon transponder.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ahn, Kang-Hyun; Manger, Ryan; Halpern, Howard J; Aydogan, Bulent

    2015-05-08

    The purpose of this study was to evaluate the increased dose near the skin from an electromagnetic surface beacon transponder, which is used for localization and tracking organ motion. The bolus effect due to the copper coil surface beacon was evaluated with radiographic film measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. Various beam incidence angles were evaluated for both 6 MV and 18 MV experimentally. We performed simulations using a general-purpose Monte Carlo code MCNPX (Monte Carlo N-Particle) to supplement the experimental data. We modeled the surface beacon geometry using the actual mass of the glass vial and copper coil placed in its L-shaped polyethylene terephthalate tubing casing. Film dosimetry measured factors of 2.2 and 3.0 enhancement in the surface dose for normally incident 6 MV and 18 MV beams, respectively. Although surface dose further increased with incidence angle, the relative contribution from the bolus effect was reduced at the oblique incidence. The enhancement factors were 1.5 and 1.8 for 6 MV and 18 MV, respectively, at an incidence angle of 60°. Monte Carlo simulation confirmed the experimental results and indicated that the epidermal skin dose can reach approximately 50% of the dose at dmax at normal incidence. The overall effect could be acceptable considering the skin dose enhancement is confined to a small area (~ 1 cm2), and can be further reduced by using an opposite beam technique. Further clinical studies are justified in order to study the dosimetric benefit versus possible cosmetic effects of the surface beacon. One such clinical situation would be intact breast radiation therapy, especially large-breasted women.

  5. Angular dependence of dose sensitivity of nanoDot optically stimulated luminescent dosimeters in different radiation geometries

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jursinic, Paul A., E-mail: pjursinic@wmcc.org [West Michigan Cancer Center, 200 North Park Street, Kalamazoo, Michigan 49007 (United States)

    2015-10-15

    Purpose: A type of in vivo dosimeter, an optically stimulated luminescent dosimeter, OSLD, may have dose sensitivity that depends on the angle of incidence of radiation. This work measures how angular dependence of a nanoDot changes with the geometry of the phantom in which irradiation occurs and with the intrinsic structure of the nanoDot. Methods: The OSLDs used in this work were nanoDot dosimeters (Landauer, Inc., Glenwood, IL), which were read with a MicroStar reader (Landauer, Inc., Glenwood, IL). Dose to the OSLDs was delivered by 6 MV x-rays. NanoDots with various intrinsic sensitivities were irradiated in numerous phantoms that had geometric shapes of cylinders, rectangles, and a cube. Results: No angular dependence was seen in cylindrical phantoms, cubic phantoms, or rectangular phantoms with a thickness to width ratio of 0.3 or 1.5. An angular dependence of 1% was observed in rectangular phantoms with a thickness to width of 0.433–0.633. A group of nanoDots had sensitive layers with mass density of 2.42–2.58 g/cm{sup 3} and relative sensitivity of 0.92–1.09 and no difference in their angular dependence. Within experimental uncertainty, nanoDot measurements agree with a parallel-plate ion chamber at a depth of maximum dose. Conclusions: When irradiated in cylindrical, rectangular, and cubic phantoms, nanoDots show a maximum angular dependence of 1% or less at an incidence angle of 90°. For a sample of 78 new nanoDots, the range of their relative intrinsic sensitivity is 0.92–1.09. For a sample of ten nanoDots, on average, the mass in the sensitive layer is 73.1% Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}:C and 26.9% polyester. The mass density of the sensitive layer of a nanoDot disc is between 2.42 and 2.58 g/cm{sup 3}. The angular dependence is not related to Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}:C loading of the nanoDot disc. The nanoDot at the depth of maximum dose has no more angular dependence than a parallel-plate ion chamber.

  6. Pharmacoepidemiology of opiate use in the neonatal ICU: Increasing cumulative doses and iatrogenic opiate withdrawal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Lewis, Tamorah; Erfe, Betty Luan; Ezell, Tarrah; Gauda, Estelle

    2015-01-01

    Neonatal intensive care unit (ICU) care involves use of opiates to treat postoperative, ventilated, or chronically ill infants. Opiates provide necessary analgesia and sedation, but the morbidities include prolonged neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and extended length of stay for dose tapering. Our objective was to quantify trends in opiate exposure in a tertiary care NICU. The authors hypothesize that medical opiate exposure and resultant ICU-acquired NAS would increase over time. Retrospective cross-sectional cohort study. Tertiary care NICU. High-risk inborn infants admitted in fiscal years 2003-2004, 2007-2008, and 2010-2011. Average cumulative morphine exposure (all opiate doses converted to morphine equivalents) per time epoch was compared in cohorts of clinically similar infants. Linear regression was used to assess the primary outcome, assessing changes in opiate exposure over time. Sixty-three infants were included in the final analysis. The primary analysis assessing cumulative opiate exposure per infant showed an increase of 134 mg per time epoch (95% CI-12, 279 mg, p-value 0.071). There was a statistically significant increase in the percent of infants with a diagnosis of iatrogenic NAS, increasing from 9 to 35 to 50 percent (p-value 0.012).

  7. Growth hormone administration stimulates energy expenditure and extrathyroidal conversion of thyroxine to triiodothyronine in a dose-dependent manner and suppresses circadian thyrotrophin levels: studies in GH-deficient adults

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Laursen, Torben; Jørgensen, Jens Otto Lunde; Møller, Jens

    1994-01-01

    . CONCLUSIONS: GH administration stimulated peripheral T4 to T3 conversion in a dose-dependent manner. Serum T3 levels were subnormal despite T4 substitution when the patients were off GH but normalized with GH therapy. Energy expenditure increased with GH and correlated with free T3 levels. GH caused......Abstract OBJECTIVE: The impact of exogenous GH on thyroid function remains controversial although most data add support to a stimulation of peripheral T4 to T3 conversion. For further elucidation we evaluated iodothyronine and circadian TSH levels in GH-deficient patients as part of a GH dose...... without GH, whereas GH therapy significantly suppressed the TSH levels and blunted the circadian rhythm (mean TSH levels (mU/l) 0.546 +/- 0.246 (no GH) vs 0.066 +/- 0.031 (2 IU GH) (P

  8. The mode of lymphoblastoid cell death in response to gas phase cigarette smoke is dose-dependent

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Baltatzis George E

    2009-09-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background Cigarette smoke (CS is the main cause in the development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, the pathogenesis of which is related to an extended inflammatory response. In this study, we investigated the effect of low and high doses of gas phase cigarette smoke (GPS on cultured lymphocyte progenitor cells, using techniques to assess cell viability and to elucidate whether cells die of apoptosis or necrosis upon exposure to different doses of GPS. Methods In our approach we utilised a newly-established system of exposure of cells to GPS that is highly controlled, accurately reproducible and simulates CS dosage and kinetics that take place in the smokers' lung. This system was used to study the mode of cell death upon exposure to GPS in conjunction with a range of techniques widely used for cell death studies such as Annexin V staining, activation of caspase -3, cytoplasmic release of cytochrome C, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential and DNA fragmentation. Results Low doses of GPS induced specific apoptotic indexes in CCRF-CEM cells. Specifically, cytochrome C release and cleaved caspase-3 were detected by immunofluorescence, upon treatment with 1-3 puffs GPS. At 4 h post-exposure, caspase-3 activation was observed in western blot analysis, showing a decreasing pattern as GPS doses increased. Concomitant with this behaviour, a dose-dependent change in Δψm depolarization was monitored by flow cytometry 2 h post-exposure, while at 4 h Δψm collapse was observed at the higher doses, indicative of a shift to a necrotic demise. A reduction in DNA fragmentation events produced by 5 puffs GPS as compared to those provoked by 3 puffs GPS, also pointed towards a necrotic response at the higher dose of GPS. Conclusion Collectively, our results support that at low doses gas phase cigarette smoke induces apoptosis in cultured T-lymphocytes, whereas at high doses GPS leads to necrotic death, by-passing the characteristic

  9. Biological impact of high-dose and dose-rate radiation exposure

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Maliev, V.; Popov, D.; Jones, J.; Gonda, S.; Prasad, K.; Viliam, C.; Haase, G.; Kirchin, V.; Rachael, C.

    2006-01-01

    Experimental anti-radiation vaccine is a power tool of immune - prophylaxis of the acute radiation disease. Existing principles of treatment of the acute radiation dis ease are based on a correction of developing patho-physiological and biochemical processes within the first days after irradiation. Protection from radiation is built on the general principles of immunology and has two main forms - active and passive immunization. Active immunization by the essential radiation toxins of specific radiation determinant (S.D.R.) group allows significantly reduce the lethality and increase duration of life among animals that are irradiated by lethal and sub-lethal doses of gamma radiation.The radiation toxins of S.D.R. group have antigenic properties that are specific for different forms of acute radiation disease. Development of the specific and active immune reaction after intramuscular injection of radiation toxins allows optimize a manifestation of a clinical picture and stabilize laboratory parameters of the acute radiation syndromes. Passive immunization by the anti-radiation serum or preparations of immune-globulins gives a manifestation of the radioprotection effects immediately after this kind of preparation are injected into organisms of mammals. Providing passive immunization by preparations of anti-radiations immune-globulins is possible in different periods of time after radiation. Providing active immunization by preparations of S.D.R. group is possible only to achieve a prophylaxis goal and form the protection effects that start to work in 18 - 35 days after an injection of biological active S.D.R. substance has been administrated. However active and passive immunizations by essential anti-radiation toxins and preparations of gamma-globulins extracted from a hyper-immune serum of a horse have significantly different medical prescriptions for application and depend on many factors like a type of radiation, a power of radiation, absorption doses, a time of

  10. Biological impact of high-dose and dose-rate radiation exposure

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Maliev, V.; Popov, D. [Russian Academy of Science, Vladicaucas (Russian Federation); Jones, J.; Gonda, S. [NASA -Johnson Space Center, Houston (United States); Prasad, K.; Viliam, C.; Haase, G. [Antioxida nt Research Institute, Premier Micronutrient Corporation, Novato (United States); Kirchin, V. [Moscow State Veterinary and Biotechnology Acade my, Moscow (Russian Federation); Rachael, C. [University Space Research Association, Colorado (United States)

    2006-07-01

    Experimental anti-radiation vaccine is a power tool of immune - prophylaxis of the acute radiation disease. Existing principles of treatment of the acute radiation dis ease are based on a correction of developing patho-physiological and biochemical processes within the first days after irradiation. Protection from radiation is built on the general principles of immunology and has two main forms - active and passive immunization. Active immunization by the essential radiation toxins of specific radiation determinant (S.D.R.) group allows significantly reduce the lethality and increase duration of life among animals that are irradiated by lethal and sub-lethal doses of gamma radiation.The radiation toxins of S.D.R. group have antigenic properties that are specific for different forms of acute radiation disease. Development of the specific and active immune reaction after intramuscular injection of radiation toxins allows optimize a manifestation of a clinical picture and stabilize laboratory parameters of the acute radiation syndromes. Passive immunization by the anti-radiation serum or preparations of immune-globulins gives a manifestation of the radioprotection effects immediately after this kind of preparation are injected into organisms of mammals. Providing passive immunization by preparations of anti-radiations immune-globulins is possible in different periods of time after radiation. Providing active immunization by preparations of S.D.R. group is possible only to achieve a prophylaxis goal and form the protection effects that start to work in 18 - 35 days after an injection of biological active S.D.R. substance has been administrated. However active and passive immunizations by essential anti-radiation toxins and preparations of gamma-globulins extracted from a hyper-immune serum of a horse have significantly different medical prescriptions for application and depend on many factors like a type of radiation, a power of radiation, absorption doses, a time of

  11. Low-dose naloxone provides an abuse-deterrent effect to buprenorphine

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Webster LR

    2015-11-01

    Full Text Available Lynn R Webster,1 Michael D Smith,1 Cemal Unal,2 Andrew Finn3 1PRA Health Sciences, Salt Lake City, UT, USA; 2Biometrical Solutions LLC, Raleigh, NC, USA; 3BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc., Raleigh, NC, USA Abstract: In developmental research, plasma buprenorphine concentrations comparable to a 2 mg buprenorphine–naloxone (BN sublingual tablet have been achieved with a 0.75 mg dose of BN buccal film, a small, bioerodible polymer film for application to mucosal membranes. This was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single-dose, four-period crossover study in opioid-dependent subjects with chronic pain receiving >100 mg oral morphine equivalents daily who experienced withdrawal following a naloxone challenge dose. The objective of the study was to determine if intravenous (IV naloxone doses of 0.1 and 0.2 mg would produce a withdrawal response when coadministered with a 0.75 mg IV dose of buprenorphine. Fifteen subjects receiving 90–1,260 mg oral morphine equivalents per day enrolled and completed the study. Precipitated withdrawal occurred in 13% (2/15 of placebo-treated subjects and 47% (7/15 of buprenorphine-treated subjects. When combined with the 0.75 mg dose of buprenorphine, a 0.1 mg dose of naloxone increased the incidence of precipitated withdrawal to 60%, and a 0.2 mg dose of naloxone increased the incidence to 73%. By 15 minutes postdose, the mean change in Clinical Opioid Withdrawal Scale (COWS score from predose was 3.0 for placebo, 6.9 for buprenorphine, 9.8 for BN 0.1 mg, and 12.4 for BN 0.2 mg. The mean COWS score with each active treatment was significantly greater than placebo (P<0.001, and the mean COWS score for each of the naloxone-containing treatments was significantly greater than for buprenorphine alone (P<0.001. Naloxone doses as low as 0.1 mg added an abuse-deterrent effect to a 0.75 mg IV dose of buprenorphine. Keywords: opioid dependence, withdrawal symptoms, abuse-deterrent, buprenorphine

  12. Increase of onion yield through low dose of gamma irradiation of its seeds

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wiendl, F.M.; Wiendl, F.W.; Wiendl, J.A.; Vedovatto, A.; Arthur, V.

    1995-01-01

    The increase of onions' yield could be achieved by the common farmer through the use of nuclear techniques. This report describes the results obtained with the irradiation of onion seeds, with low doses of gamma radiations (Cobalt-60), at doses of 0 (control), 150, 400 and 700 Gy. Beyond the proper onion's variety als use of low dose rates of 13.1, 39.2 and 52.3 Gy per hour were of the great importance during irradiation. The results showed to be promising both in laboratory studies and in the field, resulting in an increase of onions production: A greater number of seedlings, bulbs and a higher yield in weight per hectar were planted. In the field the most promising dose and dose rate to the variety ''Super-X'' were respectively 150 Gy and 13.1 Gy per hour, yielding an 24.9 percent heavier weight of onions than the control. The other tested variety was ''Granex-33'', which did not respond so favorable to irradiation. However, also with this variety we harvested a 2.1 percent heavier weight than its control, if the onion seeds were irradiated with the dose of 700 Gy at a dose rate of 13.1 Gy per hour. (Author)

  13. Measuring pacemaker dose: A clinical perspective

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Studenski, Matthew T., E-mail: matthew.studenski@jeffersonhospital.org [Department of Radiation Oncology at the Jefferson Medical College and Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States); Xiao Ying; Harrison, Amy S. [Department of Radiation Oncology at the Jefferson Medical College and Kimmel Cancer Center, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA (United States)

    2012-07-01

    Recently in our clinic, we have seen an increased number of patients presenting with pacemakers and defibrillators. Precautions are taken to develop a treatment plan that minimizes the dose to the pacemaker because of the adverse effects of radiation on the electronics. Here we analyze different dosimeters to determine which is the most accurate in measuring pacemaker or defibrillator dose while at the same time not requiring a significant investment in time to maintain an efficient workflow in the clinic. The dosimeters analyzed here were ion chambers, diodes, metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFETs), and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dosimeters. A simple phantom was used to quantify the angular and energy dependence of each dosimeter. Next, 8 patients plans were delivered to a Rando phantom with all the dosimeters located where the pacemaker would be, and the measurements were compared with the predicted dose. A cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) image was obtained to determine the dosimeter response in the kilovoltage energy range. In terms of the angular and energy dependence of the dosimeters, the ion chamber and diode were the most stable. For the clinical cases, all the dosimeters match relatively well with the predicted dose, although the ideal dosimeter to use is case dependent. The dosimeters, especially the MOSFETS, tend to be less accurate for the plans, with many lateral beams. Because of their efficiency, we recommend using a MOSFET or a diode to measure the dose. If a discrepancy is observed between the measured and expected dose (especially when the pacemaker to field edge is <10 cm), we recommend analyzing the treatment plan to see whether there are many lateral beams. Follow-up with another dosimeter rather than repeating multiple times with the same type of dosimeter. All dosimeters should be placed after the CBCT has been acquired.

  14. Carbon dioxide inhalation induces dose-dependent and age-related negative affectivity.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Eric J Griez

    Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Carbon dioxide inhalation is known to induce an emotion similar to spontaneous panic in Panic Disorder patients. The affective response to carbon dioxide in healthy subjects was not clearly characterized yet. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Sixty-four healthy subjects underwent a double inhalation of four mixtures containing respectively 0, 9, 17.5 and 35% CO(2 in compressed air, following a double blind, cross-over, randomized design. Affective responses were assessed according to DSM IV criteria for panic, using an Electronic Visual Analogue Scale and the Panic Symptom List. It was demonstrated that carbon dioxide challenges induced a dose dependent negative affect (p<0.0001. This affect was semantically identical to the DSM IV definition of panic. Older individuals were subjectively less sensitive to Carbon Dioxide (p<0.05. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: CO(2 induced affectivity may lay on a continuum with pathological panic attacks. Consistent with earlier suggestions that panic is a false biological alarm, the affective response to CO(2 may be part of a protective system triggered by suffocation and acute metabolic distress.

  15. Increased serum bile acid concentration following low-dose chronic administration of thioacetamide in rats, as evidenced by metabolomic analysis

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Jeong, Eun Sook; Kim, Gabin; Shin, Ho Jung [Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics Research Center, Inje University, College of Medicine, Bokjiro 75, Busanjin-Gu, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Park, Se-Myo; Oh, Jung-Hwa; Kim, Yong-Bum; Moon, Kyoung-Sik [Korea Institute of Toxicology, 141 Gajeong-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 305-343 (Korea, Republic of); Choi, Hyung-Kyoon [College of Pharmacy, Chung-Ang University, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Jeong, Jayoung [Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, Osong-eup, Heungdeok-gu, Cheongju-si, Chungcheongbuk-do 361-951 (Korea, Republic of); Shin, Jae-Gook [Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics Research Center, Inje University, College of Medicine, Bokjiro 75, Busanjin-Gu, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Dong Hyun, E-mail: dhkim@inje.ac.kr [Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacogenomics Research Center, Inje University, College of Medicine, Bokjiro 75, Busanjin-Gu, Busan 614-735 (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-10-15

    A liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOF-MS)-based metabolomics approach was employed to identify endogenous metabolites as potential biomarkers for thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury. TAA (10 and 30 mg/kg), a well-known hepatotoxic agent, was administered daily to male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats for 28 days. We then conducted untargeted analyses of endogenous serum and liver metabolites. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed on serum and liver samples to evaluate metabolites associated with TAA-induced perturbation. TAA administration resulted in altered levels of bile acids, acyl carnitines, and phospholipids in serum and in the liver. We subsequently demonstrated and confirmed the occurrence of compromised bile acid homeostasis. TAA treatment significantly increased serum levels of conjugated bile acids in a dose-dependent manner, which correlated well with toxicity. However, hepatic levels of these metabolites were not substantially changed. Gene expression profiling showed that the hepatic mRNA levels of Ntcp, Bsep, and Oatp1b2 were significantly suppressed, whereas those of basolateral Mrp3 and Mrp4 were increased. Decreased levels of Ntcp, Oatp1b2, and Ostα proteins in the liver were confirmed by western blot analysis. These results suggest that serum bile acids might be increased due to the inhibition of bile acid enterohepatic circulation rather than increased endogenous bile acid synthesis. Moreover, serum bile acids are a good indicator of TAA-induced hepatotoxicity. - Highlights: • Endogenous metabolic profiles were assessed in rat after treatment of thioacetamide. • It significantly increased the levels of bile acids in serum but not in the liver. • Expression of the genes related to bile acid secretion and reuptake was decreased. • Increased serum bile acids result from block of enterohepatic circulation of bile acids.

  16. Increased serum bile acid concentration following low-dose chronic administration of thioacetamide in rats, as evidenced by metabolomic analysis

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Jeong, Eun Sook; Kim, Gabin; Shin, Ho Jung; Park, Se-Myo; Oh, Jung-Hwa; Kim, Yong-Bum; Moon, Kyoung-Sik; Choi, Hyung-Kyoon; Jeong, Jayoung; Shin, Jae-Gook; Kim, Dong Hyun

    2015-01-01

    A liquid chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC/TOF-MS)-based metabolomics approach was employed to identify endogenous metabolites as potential biomarkers for thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury. TAA (10 and 30 mg/kg), a well-known hepatotoxic agent, was administered daily to male Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats for 28 days. We then conducted untargeted analyses of endogenous serum and liver metabolites. Partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) was performed on serum and liver samples to evaluate metabolites associated with TAA-induced perturbation. TAA administration resulted in altered levels of bile acids, acyl carnitines, and phospholipids in serum and in the liver. We subsequently demonstrated and confirmed the occurrence of compromised bile acid homeostasis. TAA treatment significantly increased serum levels of conjugated bile acids in a dose-dependent manner, which correlated well with toxicity. However, hepatic levels of these metabolites were not substantially changed. Gene expression profiling showed that the hepatic mRNA levels of Ntcp, Bsep, and Oatp1b2 were significantly suppressed, whereas those of basolateral Mrp3 and Mrp4 were increased. Decreased levels of Ntcp, Oatp1b2, and Ostα proteins in the liver were confirmed by western blot analysis. These results suggest that serum bile acids might be increased due to the inhibition of bile acid enterohepatic circulation rather than increased endogenous bile acid synthesis. Moreover, serum bile acids are a good indicator of TAA-induced hepatotoxicity. - Highlights: • Endogenous metabolic profiles were assessed in rat after treatment of thioacetamide. • It significantly increased the levels of bile acids in serum but not in the liver. • Expression of the genes related to bile acid secretion and reuptake was decreased. • Increased serum bile acids result from block of enterohepatic circulation of bile acids.

  17. Dose-dependent effect of 8-day cisplatin administration upon the morphology of the albino guinea pig cochlea

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Cardinaal, RM; de Groot, JCMJ; Huizing, EH; Veldman, JE; Smoorenburg, GF

    Numerous studies investigating cisplatin ototoxicity in animals have been performed, but it is difficult to derive a clear dose-effect relation from these studies. The degree of cisplatin-induced ototoxicity depends on a multitude of,factors. Many parameters, such as dose, mode of administration,

  18. [Changes and significance of peripheral blood platelet count in tumor shrinkage induced by a low dose of CTX in T739 mice].

    Science.gov (United States)

    Li, Mo-lin; Jia, Yu-jie; Jiang, Miao-na; Shu, Xiao-hong; Li, Chuan-gang

    2008-06-01

    To establish a mouse model for BTT739 tumor-bearing mice cured by a low dose of cyclophosphamide (CTX). And then to observe the dynamic changes and significance of peripheral blood counts especially blood platelet count during tumor shrinkage induced by a low dose of CTX in T739 mice. Mouse bladder carcinoma tissues were inoculated subcutaneously into T739 mice. Seven days later, different doses of CTX or the same volume of NS were administered intraperitoneally to treat these tumor-bearing T739 mice. Tumor sizes were observed and recorded subsequently to find out the minimal dose of CTX that could cure most of these tumor-bearing mice. Then another 12 tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into 15 mg/kg CTX treatment group and control group. Blood samples were obtained from orbital venous sinus on different times after CTX treatment. Complete blood counts were performed and the relationship between peripheral blood platelet counts and tumor shrinkage was analyzed. Within 2 weeks after CTX treatment, the speed of tumor shrinkage had a positive relationship with the dose of CTX used; but the survival rate of the tumor-bearing mice had a negative relationship with the dose of CTX used in 2 months after CTX treatment. 15 mg/kg CTX could cure most of the tumor bearing mice, while it had no remarkably inhibitive effects on peripheral blood cells. The perpherial platelet count increased to (1483.4+/-184.4)x10(9)/L in mice 6 h after CTX treatment. There was significant difference compared with that in mice of control group (1086.6+/-81.0)x10(9)/L (P0.05). CTX 15 mg/kg could cure most of bladder tumor-bearing T739 mice. The transient increase of the peripheral platelet count in 6 h after CTX treatment may relate to the antitumor effects of CTX.

  19. Effects of proton radiation dose, dose rate and dose fractionation on hematopoietic cells in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ware, J.H.; Rusek, A.; Sanzari, J.; Avery, S.; Sayers, C.; Krigsfeld, G.; Nuth, M.; Wan, X.S.; Kennedy, A.R.

    2010-01-01

    The present study evaluated the acute effects of radiation dose, dose rate and fractionation as well as the energy of protons in hematopoietic cells of irradiated mice. The mice were irradiated with a single dose of 51.24 MeV protons at a dose of 2 Gy and a dose rate of 0.05-0.07 Gy/min or 1 GeV protons at doses of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 Gy delivered in a single dose at dose rates of 0.05 or 0.5 Gy/min or in five daily dose fractions at a dose rate of 0.05 Gy/min. Sham-irradiated animals were used as controls. The results demonstrate a dose-dependent loss of white blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocytes by up to 61% and 72%, respectively, in mice irradiated with protons at doses up to 2 Gy. The results also demonstrate that the dose rate, fractionation pattern and energy of the proton radiation did not have significant effects on WBC and lymphocyte counts in the irradiated animals. These results suggest that the acute effects of proton radiation on WBC and lymphocyte counts are determined mainly by the radiation dose, with very little contribution from the dose rate (over the range of dose rates evaluated), fractionation and energy of the protons.

  20. Effects of proton radiation dose, dose rate and dose fractionation on hematopoietic cells in mice.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ware, J H; Sanzari, J; Avery, S; Sayers, C; Krigsfeld, G; Nuth, M; Wan, X S; Rusek, A; Kennedy, A R

    2010-09-01

    The present study evaluated the acute effects of radiation dose, dose rate and fractionation as well as the energy of protons in hematopoietic cells of irradiated mice. The mice were irradiated with a single dose of 51.24 MeV protons at a dose of 2 Gy and a dose rate of 0.05-0.07 Gy/min or 1 GeV protons at doses of 0.1, 0.2, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 Gy delivered in a single dose at dose rates of 0.05 or 0.5 Gy/min or in five daily dose fractions at a dose rate of 0.05 Gy/min. Sham-irradiated animals were used as controls. The results demonstrate a dose-dependent loss of white blood cells (WBCs) and lymphocytes by up to 61% and 72%, respectively, in mice irradiated with protons at doses up to 2 Gy. The results also demonstrate that the dose rate, fractionation pattern and energy of the proton radiation did not have significant effects on WBC and lymphocyte counts in the irradiated animals. These results suggest that the acute effects of proton radiation on WBC and lymphocyte counts are determined mainly by the radiation dose, with very little contribution from the dose rate (over the range of dose rates evaluated), fractionation and energy of the protons.

  1. Dose-dependent pheromone responses of mountain pine beetle in stands of lodgepole pine

    Science.gov (United States)

    Daniel R. Miller; B. Staffan Lindgren; John H. Borden

    2005-01-01

    We conducted seven behavioral choice tests with Lindgren multiple-funnel traps in stands of mature lodgepole pine in British Columbia, from 1988 to 1994, to determine the dosedependent responses of the mountain pine beetle, Dendroctonus ponderosae Hopkins, to its pheromones. Amultifunctional dose-dependent response was exhibited by D. ...

  2. Increasing Human Neural Stem Cell Transplantation Dose Alters Oligodendroglial and Neuronal Differentiation after Spinal Cord Injury

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Katja M. Piltti

    2017-06-01

    Full Text Available Multipotent human central nervous system-derived neural stem cells transplanted at doses ranging from 10,000 (low to 500,000 (very high cells differentiated predominantly into the oligodendroglial lineage. However, while the number of engrafted cells increased linearly in relationship to increasing dose, the proportion of oligodendrocytic cells declined. Increasing dose resulted in a plateau of engraftment, enhanced neuronal differentiation, and increased distal migration caudal to the transplantation sites. Dose had no effect on terminal sensory recovery or open-field locomotor scores. However, total human cell number and decreased oligodendroglial proportion were correlated with hindlimb girdle coupling errors. Conversely, greater oligodendroglial proportion was correlated with increased Ab step pattern, decreased swing speed, and increased paw intensity, consistent with improved recovery. These data suggest that transplant dose, and/or target niche parameters can regulate donor cell engraftment, differentiation/maturation, and lineage-specific migration profiles.

  3. Increased Skin Dose With the Use of a Custom Mattress for Prone Breast Radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Becker, Stewart J.; Patel, Rakesh R.; Mackie, Thomas R.

    2007-01-01

    The purpose of this study was to measure and compare the loss of buildup to the skin of the breast in the prone position due to 2 different positioning systems during tangential external beam irradiation. Two experiments were performed; one with a standard nylon-covered foam support and another with a novel helium-filled Mylar bag support. The choice of helium-filled Mylar was to reduce the contamination to as low as possible. The experiments were designed to allow a surface dose measurement and a depth dose profile with the pads placed in the path of the beam in front of the detector. All measurements were taken using a Capintec PS-033 thin-window parallel plate ionization chamber. The standard nylon-covered foam pad caused the surface dose to rise as it got closer to the skin. When the pad was directly touching the surface, the surface dose increased by 300% compared to the result when no pad was present. This loss of buildup to the surface was similar to that of a custom bolus material. The opposite effect occurred with the use of the helium-filled Mylar bag, namely the surface dose gradually decreased as the pad got closer to the phantom. When the Mylar pad was directly touching the phantom, the surface dose was decreased by 7% compared to when no pad was present. The use of a foam pad could potentially result in a significant higher dose to the skin, resulting in an enhanced acute skin reaction. Therefore, special care should be taken in this clinical scenario and further investigation of an air- or helium-based mylar support pad should be investigated in the context of definitive breast radiation treatment

  4. Physical requirements for measurement of radiation dose and their relationship to personnel dose meter design and use

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Chabot, G.E. Jr.; Jimenez, M.A.; Skrable, K.W.

    1978-01-01

    This paper stems from the concerns of the authors with both the design of current personnel dose meters and the interpretation of dose information from them in light of the actual physical requirements to measure dose. These concerns have been reinforced and extended following a comparative study of the responses of particular TLD and film systems and as the result of a recent national survey on personnel dosimetry conducted by the authors. Among the major points discussed are the systems available for penetrating and shallow dose assessment, dose meter calibration, the measurement and interpretation of skin dose, and the deficiencies of neutron albedo dose meters for routine personnel use. Calibration considerations address the questions of whether or not a phantom should be used and the difference in interpretation of responses with and without a phantom; the relationship between calculated and measured doses; and electronic equilibrium considerations in the measurement of photon doses. Matters of importance in relation to skin dose measurement include techniques in use to interpret skin dose from dose meter response; the appropriateness of evaluation of the surface dose to the live skin layer versus the average dose to the live skin layer and the limitations and requirements on dose meter design with respect to the dose being evaluated; and the significance of dose meter response in relationship to currently used beta calibration standards. Regarding the use of TLD albedo type neutron dose meters currently available, considerations are extended to the strong energy spectral dependence of the dose meter response and the possibility of making significant over or underestimations of neutron dose equivalent, depending on the calibration techniques used and the spectral quality encountered. (author)

  5. Age and sex dependent inhalation doses to members of the public from indoor thoron progeny

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Bi, L; Tschiersch, J [Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, D-85764, Neuherberg (Germany); Li, W B [Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen-German Research Center for Environmental Health, Department of Medical Radiation Physics and Diagnostics, D-85764, Neuherberg (Germany); Li, J L, E-mail: bilei1983@gmail.com [Department of Engineering Physics, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084 (China)

    2010-12-01

    The increased indoor thoron level in Europe, North America and Asia has shown that the exposure to thoron and its decay products cannot be ignored in some environments. The contribution of thoron and its progeny can be a significant component of the total exposure from radon and thoron. In the present paper, radiation dose assessment of members of the public of different age and sex exposed to {sup 220}Rn progeny under different daily life activities is performed through a dosimetric approach. Dose conversion coefficients under typical indoor conditions were estimated to be in the range of 107 nSv (Bq h m{sup -3}){sup -1} for infant to 81.7 nSv (Bq h m{sup -3}){sup -1} for adult. The results of this work emphasized that small children receive a radiation dose of 25% more than adults under the same conditions, and people performing exercise receive a radiation dose 100% more than when sleeping. The results of this work are appropriate to the risk assessment of thoron exposure to members of the public who live in areas with high radon and thoron concentrations.

  6. Growth hormone therapy for children born small for gestational age: height gain is less dose dependent over the long term than over the short term.

    Science.gov (United States)

    de Zegher, Francis; Hokken-Koelega, Anita

    2005-04-01

    Approximately 3% of children are born small for gestational age (SGA), and approximately 10% of SGA children maintain a small body size throughout childhood and often into adult life. Among short SGA children, growth hormone (GH) therapy increases short-term growth in a dose-dependent manner; experience with long-term therapy is limited. To delineate the dose dependency of long-term height gain among short SGA children receiving GH therapy. We performed an epianalysis of the first adult height data for SGA children (n = 28) enrolled in 3 randomized trials comparing the growth-promoting efficacy of 2 continuous GH regimens (33 or 67 microg/kg per day for approximately 10 years, starting at approximately 5 years of age); in addition, we performed a meta-analysis of the adult height results published previously and those presented here. Epianalysis outcomes (n = 28) suggested that adult height increased more with a higher-dose regimen than with a lower-dose regimen. In the meta-analysis (n = 82), the higher-dose regimen was found to elicit a long-term height gain superior to that achieved with the lower-dose regimen by a mean of 0.4 SD (approximately 1 inch). Children who were shorter at the start of therapy experienced more long-term height gain. These findings confirm GH therapy as an effective and safe approach to reduce the adult height deficit that short SGA children otherwise face. In addition, the first meta-analysis indicated that height gain is less dose dependent over the long term than over the short term, at least within the dose range explored to date. For SGA children whose stature is not extremely short, current data support the use of a GH dose of approximately 33 microg/kg per day from start to adult height, particularly if treatment starts at a young age; shorter children (for example, height below -3 SD) might benefit from an approach in which short-term catch-up growth is achieved with a higher dose (> or =50 microg/kg per day) and long-term growth

  7. Influência da dependência energética de dosímetros termoluminescentes na medida da dose na entrada da pele em procedimentos radiográficos Influence of thermoluminescent dosimeters energy dependence on the measurement of entrance skin dose in radiographic procedures

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Mércia Liane de Oliveira

    2010-04-01

    greatest variation on thermoluminescent responses as a function of the effective radiation beam. CONCLUSION: The tested materials showed an appropriate performance for detecting X radiation on standard and clinical X-ray beams. Although CaSO4:Dy and LiF:Mg,Ti samples present a significant energy dependence in the considered energy range, these materials can be utilized for measuring entrance skin doses, provided appropriate correction factors are applied.

  8. Analyzing the dose-dependence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae global transcriptional response to methyl methanesulfonate and ionizing radiation.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benton, Michael G; Somasundaram, Swetha; Glasner, Jeremy D; Palecek, Sean P

    2006-12-01

    One of the most crucial tasks for a cell to ensure its long term survival is preserving the integrity of its genetic heritage via maintenance of DNA structure and sequence. While the DNA damage response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a model eukaryotic organism, has been extensively studied, much remains to be elucidated about how the organism senses and responds to different types and doses of DNA damage. We have measured the global transcriptional response of S. cerevisiae to multiple doses of two representative DNA damaging agents, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) and gamma radiation. Hierarchical clustering of genes with a statistically significant change in transcription illustrated the differences in the cellular responses to MMS and gamma radiation. Overall, MMS produced a larger transcriptional response than gamma radiation, and many of the genes modulated in response to MMS are involved in protein and translational regulation. Several clusters of coregulated genes whose responses varied with DNA damaging agent dose were identified. Perhaps the most interesting cluster contained four genes exhibiting biphasic induction in response to MMS dose. All of the genes (DUN1, RNR2, RNR4, and HUG1) are involved in the Mec1p kinase pathway known to respond to MMS, presumably due to stalled DNA replication forks. The biphasic responses of these genes suggest that the pathway is induced at lower levels as MMS dose increases. The genes in this cluster with a threefold or greater transcriptional response to gamma radiation all showed an increased induction with increasing gamma radiation dosage. Analyzing genome-wide transcriptional changes to multiple doses of external stresses enabled the identification of cellular responses that are modulated by magnitude of the stress, providing insights into how a cell deals with genotoxicity.

  9. Analyzing the dose-dependence of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae global transcriptional response to methyl methanesulfonate and ionizing radiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Glasner Jeremy D

    2006-12-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background One of the most crucial tasks for a cell to ensure its long term survival is preserving the integrity of its genetic heritage via maintenance of DNA structure and sequence. While the DNA damage response in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, a model eukaryotic organism, has been extensively studied, much remains to be elucidated about how the organism senses and responds to different types and doses of DNA damage. We have measured the global transcriptional response of S. cerevisiae to multiple doses of two representative DNA damaging agents, methyl methanesulfonate (MMS and gamma radiation. Results Hierarchical clustering of genes with a statistically significant change in transcription illustrated the differences in the cellular responses to MMS and gamma radiation. Overall, MMS produced a larger transcriptional response than gamma radiation, and many of the genes modulated in response to MMS are involved in protein and translational regulation. Several clusters of coregulated genes whose responses varied with DNA damaging agent dose were identified. Perhaps the most interesting cluster contained four genes exhibiting biphasic induction in response to MMS dose. All of the genes (DUN1, RNR2, RNR4, and HUG1 are involved in the Mec1p kinase pathway known to respond to MMS, presumably due to stalled DNA replication forks. The biphasic responses of these genes suggest that the pathway is induced at lower levels as MMS dose increases. The genes in this cluster with a threefold or greater transcriptional response to gamma radiation all showed an increased induction with increasing gamma radiation dosage. Conclusion Analyzing genome-wide transcriptional changes to multiple doses of external stresses enabled the identification of cellular responses that are modulated by magnitude of the stress, providing insights into how a cell deals with genotoxicity.

  10. Reduction of entrance surface dose depending on shielding methods for panoramagraphy

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Choi, Jung Hyun; Han, DongKyoon [Dept. of Radiological Science, The Graduate School, Eulji University, Sungnam (Korea, Republic of); Kim, Sung Chul [Dept. of Radiological, Science Gachon, University, Incheon (Korea, Republic of)

    2015-09-15

    Panoramagraphy was the second most used intraoral radiography utilized in Korea, resulting in 17.8% in university dental hospitals, 24.8% in dental hospitals, and 31.4% in dental clinics. Depending on increased demand like orthodontics and implant, panoromagraphy tends to consistently increase. This study were used lead glasses and lead shielding to reduce unnecessary radiation to the eyeballs and thyroid. ESD was 41.4% when radiation was shielded with the lead glasses while reducing 47.3% of ESD by shielding the X-ray tube area with shielding lead. There was no statistically significant difference. The lead glasses is appropriated to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure to the eyeballs.

  11. Reduction of entrance surface dose depending on shielding methods for panoramagraphy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Choi, Jung Hyun; Han, DongKyoon; Kim, Sung Chul

    2015-01-01

    Panoramagraphy was the second most used intraoral radiography utilized in Korea, resulting in 17.8% in university dental hospitals, 24.8% in dental hospitals, and 31.4% in dental clinics. Depending on increased demand like orthodontics and implant, panoromagraphy tends to consistently increase. This study were used lead glasses and lead shielding to reduce unnecessary radiation to the eyeballs and thyroid. ESD was 41.4% when radiation was shielded with the lead glasses while reducing 47.3% of ESD by shielding the X-ray tube area with shielding lead. There was no statistically significant difference. The lead glasses is appropriated to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure to the eyeballs

  12. Anesthesia with Dexmedetomidine and Low-dose Isoflurane Increases Solute Transport via the Glymphatic Pathway in Rat Brain When Compared with High-dose Isoflurane.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benveniste, Helene; Lee, Hedok; Ding, Fengfei; Sun, Qian; Al-Bizri, Ehab; Makaryus, Rany; Probst, Stephen; Nedergaard, Maiken; Stein, Elliot A; Lu, Hanbing

    2017-12-01

    The glymphatic pathway transports cerebrospinal fluid through the brain, thereby facilitating waste removal. A unique aspect of this pathway is that its function depends on the state of consciousness of the brain and is associated with norepinephrine activity. A current view is that all anesthetics will increase glymphatic transport by inducing unconsciousness. This view implies that the effect of anesthetics on glymphatic transport should be independent of their mechanism of action, as long as they induce unconsciousness. We tested this hypothesis by comparing the supplementary effect of dexmedetomidine, which lowers norepinephrine, with isoflurane only, which does not. Female rats were anesthetized with either isoflurane (N = 8) or dexmedetomidine plus low-dose isoflurane (N = 8). Physiologic parameters were recorded continuously. Glymphatic transport was quantified by contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. Cerebrospinal fluid and gray and white matter volumes were quantified from T1 maps, and blood vessel diameters were extracted from time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiograms. Electroencephalograms were recorded in separate groups of rats. Glymphatic transport was enhanced by 32% in rats anesthetized with dexmedetomidine plus low-dose isoflurane when compared with isoflurane. In the hippocampus, glymphatic clearance was sixfold more efficient during dexmedetomidine plus low-dose isoflurane anesthesia when compared with isoflurane. The respiratory and blood gas status was comparable in rats anesthetized with the two different anesthesia regimens. In the dexmedetomidine plus low-dose isoflurane rats, spindle oscillations (9 to 15 Hz) could be observed but not in isoflurane anesthetized rats. We propose that anesthetics affect the glymphatic pathway transport not simply by inducing unconsciousness but also by additional mechanisms, one of which is the repression of norepinephrine release.

  13. Gonadal dose in routine diagnostic examinations

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Weber, J.; Koen, J.A.; Akkermans, J.A.

    1974-01-01

    Gonadal doses caused by stray radiation produced during radiodiagnostic investigations were measured with thermoluminescent dosemeters in various hospitals in the Netherlands. Significantly different gonadal doses were measured depending upon the hospital where the investigations were carried out. The mean dose of an examination type in one country can only be determined with any accuracy if measurements in a large number of hospitals are performed

  14. A single high dose of escitalopram increases mismatch negativity without affecting processing negativity or P300 amplitude in healthy volunteers

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Wienberg, M; Glenthøj, Birte Yding; Jensen, K S

    2009-01-01

    processing. The present study was designed to replicate and further extent the results of our initial study on the effects of a low dose of escitalopram (10 mg) on MMN, PN and P300 amplitude. In a randomised, double-blind, cross-over experiment, 20 healthy male volunteers received either a single, orally...... administered dose of 15 mg escitalopram (a highly selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI)) or placebo, after which their PN, MMN and P300 amplitude were assessed. Similar to our initial study with 10 mg escitalopram, 15 mg escitalopram significantly increased MMN, while it did not affect P300 amplitude....... In contrast to our initial study, however, the currently higher dose of escitalopram did not increase PN. Results support the view that a broad range of increased serotonergic activity enhances MMN, while the relationship between serotonin and PN seems more complex. The current study does not support...

  15. Dose/dose-rate responses of shrimp larvae to UV-B radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Damkaer, D.M.

    1981-01-01

    Previous work indicated dose-rate thresholds in the effects of UV-B on the near-surface larvae of three shrimp species. Additional observations suggest that the total dose response varies with dose-rate. Below 0.002 Wm -2 sub([DNA]) irradiance no significant effect is noted in activity, development, or survival. Beyond that dose-rate threshold, shrimp larvae are significantly affected if the total dose exceeds about 85 Jm -2 sub([DNA]). Predictions cannot be made without both the dose-rate and the dose. These dose/dose-rate thresholds are compared to four-year mean dose/dose-rate solar UV-B irradiances at the experimental site, measured at the surface and calculated for 1 m depth. The probability that the shrimp larvae would receive lethal irradiance is low for the first half of the season of surface occurrence, even with a 44% increase in damaging UV radiation. (orig.)

  16. Dose/dose-rate responses of shrimp larvae to UV-B radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Damkaer, D.M.; Dey, D.B.; Heron, G.A.

    1981-01-01

    Previous work indicated dose-rate thresholds in the effects of UV-B on the near-surface larvae of three shrimp species. Additional observations suggest that the total dose response varies with dose-rate. Below 0.002 Wm/sup -2/sub((DNA)) irradiance no significant effect is noted in activity, development, or survival. Beyond that dose-rate threshold, shrimp larvae are significantly affected if the total dose exceeds about 85 Jm/sup -2/sub((DNA)). Predictions cannot be made without both the dose-rate and the dose. These dose/dose-rate thresholds are compared to four-year mean dose/dose-rate solar UV-B irradiances at the experimental site, measured at the surface and calculated for 1 m depth. The probability that the shrimp larvae would receive lethal irradiance is low for the first half of the season of surface occurrence, even with a 44% increase in damaging UV radiation.

  17. He-Ne laser irradiation affects proliferation of cultured rat Schwann cells in a dose-dependent manner

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Breugel, H.H.F.I. van; Bar, P.R.

    1993-01-01

    Schwann cell proliferation is considered an essential part of Wallerian degeneration after nerve damage. Laminin, an important component of the extracellular matrix and produced by Schwann cells, provides a preferred substrate for outgrowing axons. To study whether low energy (He-Ne) laser irradiation may exert a positive effect on nerve regeneration through an effect on Schwann cells, its effect was evaluated in vitro. Schwann cells were isolated from sciatic nerves of 4-5-day old Wistar rats and cultures on 96-multiwell plates. The cells were irradiated by a He-Ne laser beam. At three consecutive days, starting either at day 5 or day 8, cells were irradiated each day for 0.5, 1, 2, 5 or 10 min. Both cell number and laminin production were determined for each irradiation condition within one experiment. Schwann cells that were irradiated from day 8 on were hardly affected by laser irradiation. However, the proliferation of cells that were irradiated starting on day 5 was significantly increased after 1, 2 and 5 min of daily irradiation, compared to non-irradiated control cultures. The lamin production per cell of these Schwann cells was not significantly altered. From these results we conclude that He-Ne laser irradiation can modulate proliferation of rat Schwann cells in vitro in a dose-dependent manner. (Author)

  18. Chronic UVA (365-nm) irradiation induced scratching in hairless mice: dose-time dependency and the effect of ketanserin

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Laat, J.M.T. de; Groenendijk, M.; Vloten, W.A. van; Gruijl, F.R. de; Seite, S.

    1997-01-01

    In a study on the dose-response relationship for longwave UVA (UVA1; 340-400 nm) carcinogenesis in hairless mice scratch marks appeared after months of daily exposure as an unwanted side effect. Tumor induction in the highest of the 4 tested dose groups (receiving a daily dose of 430 kJ/m 2 of 365-nm radiation) could not be determined because extensive scarification occurred prior to the development of any tumors. The induction of scratch marks could be scored and quantified in all 4 dose groups tested. The UVA1 dose-dependencies for the induction of tumors and scratch marks were compared. We found that the induction of scratch marks depended mainly on the cumulative UVA1 exposure, whereas tumor induction showed a lesser dose-dependency. An attempt was made to prevent the apparent pruritogenic effect of UVA1 irradiation and to understand its mechanism. The influence of ketanserin, a serotonin/histamine antagonist, on the UVA1 induction of scratch marks was tested in groups of 8 mice daily irradiated with 430 kJ/m 2 . No difference was found between treated and untreated animals. Histological examination of skin biopsies from irradiated mice from the 430-kJ/m 2 dose group from the UVA1 carcinogenic experiment, showed no changes in numbers of mast cells or other inflammatory features when compared to skin biopsies from unirradiated control mice. This indicated that UVA1-induced scratching is not mediated through mast cell release of serotonin and/or histamine. An adequate therapeutic treatment which can prevent UVA1-induced scratching would enable us to test tumor induction with UVA1 over a larger dose range, and may provide additional insight in how this radiation damages the skin. It remains conjectural whether there exists and analogous UVA-induced pruritus in human skin. (au)

  19. Dose- and time-dependence of the host-mediated response to paclitaxel therapy: a mathematical modeling approach.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Benguigui, Madeleine; Alishekevitz, Dror; Timaner, Michael; Shechter, Dvir; Raviv, Ziv; Benzekry, Sebastien; Shaked, Yuval

    2018-01-05

    It has recently been suggested that pro-tumorigenic host-mediated processes induced in response to chemotherapy counteract the anti-tumor activity of therapy, and thereby decrease net therapeutic outcome. Here we use experimental data to formulate a mathematical model describing the host response to different doses of paclitaxel (PTX) chemotherapy as well as the duration of the response. Three previously described host-mediated effects are used as readouts for the host response to therapy. These include the levels of circulating endothelial progenitor cells in peripheral blood and the effect of plasma derived from PTX-treated mice on migratory and invasive properties of tumor cells in vitro . A first set of mathematical models, based on basic principles of pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics, did not appropriately describe the dose-dependence and duration of the host response regarding the effects on invasion. We therefore provide an alternative mathematical model with a dose-dependent threshold, instead of a concentration-dependent one, that describes better the data. This model is integrated into a global model defining all three host-mediated effects. It not only precisely describes the data, but also correctly predicts host-mediated effects at different doses as well as the duration of the host response. This mathematical model may serve as a tool to predict the host response to chemotherapy in cancer patients, and therefore may be used to design chemotherapy regimens with improved therapeutic outcome by minimizing host mediated effects.

  20. A review of radiology staff doses and dose monitoring requirements

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Martin, C. J.

    2009-01-01

    Studies of radiation doses received during X-ray procedures by radiology, cardiology and other clinical staff have been reviewed. Data for effective dose (E), and doses to the eyes, thyroid, hands and legs have been analysed. These data have been supplemented with local measurements to determine the most exposed part of the hand for monitoring purposes. There are ranges of 60-100 in doses to individual tissues reported in the literature for similar procedures at different centres. While ranges in the doses per unit dose-area product (DAP) are between 10 and 25, large variations in dose result from differences in the sensitivity of the X-ray equipment, the type of procedure and the operator technique, but protection factors are important in maintaining dose levels as low as possible. The influence of shielding devices is significant for determining the dose to the eyes and thyroid, and the position of the operator, which depends on the procedure, is the most significant factor determining doses to the hands. A second body dosemeter worn at the level of the collar is recommended for operators with high workloads for use in assessment of effective dose and the dose to the eye. It is proposed that the third quartile values from the distributions of dose per unit DAP identified in the review might be employed in predicting the orders of magnitude of doses to the eye, thyroid and hands, based on interventional operator workloads. Such dose estimates could be employed in risk assessments when reviewing protection and monitoring requirements. A dosemeter worn on the little finger of the hand nearest to the X-ray tube is recommended for monitoring the hand. (authors)

  1. Tumor cell survival dependence on helical tomotherapy, continuous arc and segmented dose delivery

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Yang Wensha; Wang Li; Larner, James; Read, Paul; Benedict, Stan; Sheng Ke

    2009-01-01

    The temporal pattern of radiation delivery has been shown to influence the tumor cell survival fractions for the same radiation dose. To study the effect more specifically for state of the art rotational radiation delivery modalities, 2 Gy of radiation dose was delivered to H460 lung carcinoma, PC3 prostate cancer cells and MCF-7 breast tumor cells by helical tomotherapy (HT), seven-field LINAC (7F), and continuous dose delivery (CDD) over 2 min that simulates volumetric rotational arc therapy. Cell survival was measured by the clonogenic assay. The number of viable H460 cell colonies was 23.2 ± 14.4% and 27.7 ± 15.6% lower when irradiated by CDD compared with HT and 7F, respectively, and the corresponding values were 36.8 ± 18.9% and 35.3 ± 18.9% lower for MCF7 cells (p < 0.01). The survival of PC3 was also lower when irradiated by CDD than by HT or 7F but the difference was not as significant (p = 0.06 and 0.04, respectively). The higher survival fraction from HT delivery was unexpected because 90% of the 2 Gy was delivered in less than 1 min at a significantly higher dose rate than the other two delivery techniques. The results suggest that continuous dose delivery at a constant dose rate results in superior in vitro tumor cell killing compared with prolonged, segmented or variable dose rate delivery.

  2. Dose-dependent effect of a single GnRHa injection on the spawning of meagre (Argyrosomus regius broodstock reared in captivity

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hipolito Fernandez-Palacios

    2014-10-01

    Full Text Available The present study aimed to determine the spawning efficacy, egg quality and quantity of captive breed meagre induced with a single gonadotrophin‐releasing hormone agonist (GnRHa injection of 0, 1, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 or 50 µg kg-1 to determine a recommended optimum dose to induce spawning. The doses 10, 15 and 20 μg kg-1 gave eggs with the highest quality (measured as: percentage of viability, floating, fertilisation and hatch and quantity (measured as: total number of eggs, number of viable eggs, number of floating eggs, number of hatched larvae and number of larvae that reabsorbed the yolk sac. All egg quantity parameters were described by Gaussian regression analysis with R2=0.89 or R2=0.88. The Gaussian regression analysis identified that the optimal dose used was 15 μg kg-1. The regression analysis highlighted that this comprehensive study examined doses that ranged from low doses insufficient to stimulate a high spawning response (significantly lower egg quantities, p<0.05 compared to 15 μg kg-1 through to high doses that stimulated the spawning of significantly lower egg quantities and eggs with significantly lower quality (egg viability. In addition, the latency period (time from hormone application to spawning decreased with increasing doses to give a regression (R2=0.93 which suggests that higher doses accelerated oocyte development that in turn reduced egg quality and quantity. The identification of an optimal dose for the spawning of meagre, which has high aquaculture potential, represents an important advance for the Mediterranean aquaculture industry.

  3. Prolonged continuous intravenous infusion of the dipeptide L-alanine- L-glutamine significantly increases plasma glutamine and alanine without elevating brain glutamate in patients with severe traumatic brain injury.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Nägeli, Mirjam; Fasshauer, Mario; Sommerfeld, Jutta; Fendel, Angela; Brandi, Giovanna; Stover, John F

    2014-07-02

    Low plasma glutamine levels are associated with worse clinical outcome. Intravenous glutamine infusion dose- dependently increases plasma glutamine levels, thereby correcting hypoglutaminemia. Glutamine may be transformed to glutamate which might limit its application at a higher dose in patients with severe traumatic brain injury (TBI). To date, the optimal glutamine dose required to normalize plasma glutamine levels without increasing plasma and cerebral glutamate has not yet been defined. Changes in plasma and cerebral glutamine, alanine, and glutamate as well as indirect signs of metabolic impairment reflected by increased intracranial pressure (ICP), lactate, lactate-to-pyruvate ratio, electroencephalogram (EEG) activity were determined before, during, and after continuous intravenous infusion of 0.75 g L-alanine-L-glutamine which was given either for 24 hours (group 1, n = 6) or 5 days (group 2, n = 6) in addition to regular enteral nutrition. Lab values including nitrogen balance, urea and ammonia were determined daily. Continuous L-alanine-L-glutamine infusion significantly increased plasma and cerebral glutamine as well as alanine levels, being mostly sustained during the 5 day infusion phase (plasma glutamine: from 295 ± 62 to 500 ± 145 μmol/ l; brain glutamine: from 183 ± 188 to 549 ± 120 μmol/ l; plasma alanine: from 327 ± 91 to 622 ± 182 μmol/ l; brain alanine: from 48 ± 55 to 89 ± 129 μmol/ l; p alanine-L-glutamine infusion (0.75 g/ kg/ d up to 5 days) increased plasma and brain glutamine and alanine levels. This was not associated with elevated glutamate or signs of potential glutamate-mediated cerebral injury. The increased nitrogen load should be considered in patients with renal and hepatic dysfunction. Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02130674. Registered 5 April 2014.

  4. Imaging Dose-dependent Pharmacokinetics of an RGD-Fluorescent Dye Conjugate Targeted to αvβ3 Receptor Expressed in Kaposi's Sarcoma

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Sunkuk Kwon

    2005-04-01

    Full Text Available Dynamic fluorescence images were obtained from xenografts bearing a subcutaneous human Kaposi's sarcoma (KS1767 immediately following the intravenous injection of an integrin-receptor targeting Cy5.5-c(KRGDf at a dose ranging from 0.75 to 6 nmol/mouse. The fluorescence images were acquired using an intensified charge-coupled device system and were analyzed with a three-compartment pharmacokinetic (PK model to determine uptake parameters in the tumor and normal tissue regions of interest as a function of administered dose. Our results show that the uptake of Cy5.5-c(KRGDf in tumor regions were: (i significantly greater than the contralateral normal tissue regions; (ii linearly increased with dose of Cy5.5-c(KRGDf up to 1.5 nmol/mouse; and (iii blocked by preinjection of c(KRGDf. Above doses of 1.5 nmol/mouse, the uptake no longer increased with dose, suggesting integrin receptor saturation. In normal tissues, the PK uptake parameters were not influenced by Cy5.5-c(KRGDf dose nor by the preadministration of c(KRGDf.

  5. Effective dose equivalents from external radiation due to Chernobyl accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Erkin, V.G.; Debedev, O.V.; Balonov, M.I.; Parkhomenko, V.I.

    1992-01-01

    Summarized data on measurements of individual dose of external γ-sources in 1987-1990 of population of western areas of Bryansk region were presented. Type of distribution of effective dose equivalent, its significance for various professional and social groups of population depending on the type of the house was discussed. Dependences connecting surface soil activity in the populated locality with average dose of external radiation sources were presented. Tendency of dose variation in 1987-1990 was shown

  6. Time- and dose-dependent differential regulation of copper-zinc superoxide dismutase and manganese superoxide dismutase enzymatic activity and mRNA level by vitamin E in rat blood cells.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Hajiani, Maliheh; Razi, Farideh; Golestani, Aboualfazl; Frouzandeh, Mehdi; Owji, Ali Akbar; Khaghani, Shahnaz; Ghannadian, Naghmeh; Shariftabrizi, Ahmad; Pasalar, Parvin

    2012-01-01

    Vitamin E is the most important lipid-soluble antioxidant. Recently, it has been proposed as a gene regulator, and its gene modulation effects have been observed at different levels of gene expression and cell signaling. This study was performed to investigate the effects of vitamin E on the activity and expression of the most important endogenous antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase (SOD), in rat plasma. Twenty-eight male Sprauge-Dawley rats were divided into four groups: control group and three dosing groups. The control group received the vehicle (liquid paraffin), and the dosing groups received twice-weekly intraperitoneal injections of 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg of vitamin E ((±)-α-Tocopherol) for 6 weeks. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme assays were used to assess the levels of Cu/Zn-SOD and Mn-SOD mRNA and enzyme activity levels in blood cells at 0, 2, 4, and 6 weeks following vitamin E administration. Catalase enzyme activity and total antioxidant capacity were also assessed in plasma at the same time intervals. Mn-SOD activity was significantly increased in the 100 and 30 mg/kg dosing groups after 4 and 6 weeks, with corresponding significant increase in their mRNA levels. Cu/Zn-SOD activity was not significantly changed in response to vitamin E administration at any time points, whereas Cu/Zn-SOD mRNA levels were significantly increased after longer time points with high doses (30 and 100 mg/kg) of vitamin E. Catalase enzyme activity was transiently but significantly increased after 4 weeks of vitamin E treatment in 30 and 100 mg/kg dosing groups. Total antioxidant status was significantly increased after 4 and 6 weeks in the 100 mg/kg dosing group. Only the chronic administration of higher doses of alpha-tocopherol is associated with the increased activity and expression of Mn-SOD in rats. Cu/Zn-SOD activity and expression does not dramatically change in response to vitamin E.

  7. The effects of steroids during sepsis depend on dose and severity of illness: an updated meta-analysis

    Science.gov (United States)

    Minneci, P. C.; Deans, K. J.; Eichacker, P. Q.; Natanson, C.

    2012-01-01

    A previous meta-analysis determined that the effects of steroids during sepsis were dose-dependent; since then, additional trials have been published. The current analysis updates our previous analysis examining the effects of steroids during sepsis. A literature search from 2004 to 2008 identified seven randomized controlled trials in adult patients; these were added to 14 previously identified trials. The effects of steroids on mortality were highly variable among the 21 trials (p steroids, steroids increased mortality (n = 8, I2 = 14%, OR of death 1.39 (95% CI 1.04–1.86), p 0.03). In trials published after 1997, which involved longer courses of lower-dose steroids, steroids consistently improved shock reversal (n = 7, I2 = 0%, OR of shock reversal 1.66 [95% CI 1.25–2.20), p effect on mortality (n = 12, I2 = 25%, OR of death 0.64 (95% CI 0.45–0.93), p 0.02). An inverse linear relationship between severity of illness and the effects of steroids on mortality was identified across all trials (p 0.03) and within the subgroup of trials published after 1997 (p 0.03); steroids were harmful in less severely ill patient populations and beneficial in more severely ill patient populations. There was no effect of response to adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) stimulation testing concerning the effects of steroids and no increase in steroid-associated adverse events. Low-dose steroids appear to improve mortality rates in patients with septic shock who are at high risk of death; however, additional trials in this subpopulation are necessary to definitively determine the role of low-dose steroids during sepsis. PMID:19416302

  8. Bayesian estimation of dose rate effectiveness

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Arnish, J.J.; Groer, P.G.

    2000-01-01

    A Bayesian statistical method was used to quantify the effectiveness of high dose rate 137 Cs gamma radiation at inducing fatal mammary tumours and increasing the overall mortality rate in BALB/c female mice. The Bayesian approach considers both the temporal and dose dependence of radiation carcinogenesis and total mortality. This paper provides the first direct estimation of dose rate effectiveness using Bayesian statistics. This statistical approach provides a quantitative description of the uncertainty of the factor characterising the dose rate in terms of a probability density function. The results show that a fixed dose from 137 Cs gamma radiation delivered at a high dose rate is more effective at inducing fatal mammary tumours and increasing the overall mortality rate in BALB/c female mice than the same dose delivered at a low dose rate. (author)

  9. Pharmacokinetics of repeated sodium salicylate administration to laying hens: evidence for time dependent increase in drug elimination from plasma and eggs.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Błażej Poźniak

    Full Text Available Salicylates were the first non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs to be used in any species and are still widely used in humans and livestock. However, the data on their pharmacokinetics in animals is limited, especially after repeated administration. Evidence exist that in chickens (Gallus gallus salicylate (SA may induce its own elimination. The aim of this study was to investigate salicylate pharmacokinetics and egg residues during repeated administration of sodium salicylate (SS to laying hens. Pharmacokinetics of SA was assessed during 14 d oral administration of SS at daily doses of 50 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg body weight to laying hens. On the 1st, 7th and 14th d a 24 h-long pharmacokinetic study was carried out, whereas eggs were collected daily. Salicylate concentrations in plasma and eggs were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and pharmacokinetic variables were calculated using a non-compartmental model. Mean residence time (MRT, minimal plasma concentration (Cmin, C16h and elimination half-life (T1/2el of SA showed gradual decrease in layers administered with a lower dose. Total body clearance (ClB increased. Layers administered with the higher dose showed a decrease only in the T1/2el. In the low dose group, SA was found only in the egg white and was low throughout the experiment. Egg whites from the higher dose group showed initially high SA levels which significantly decreased during the experiment. Yolk SA levels were lower and showed longer periods of accumulation and elimination. Repeated administration of SS induces SA elimination, although this effect may differ depending on the dose and production type of a chicken. Decreased plasma drug concentration may have clinical implications during prolonged SS treatment.

  10. Dose-response characteristics of an amorphous silicon EPID

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Winkler, Peter; Hefner, Alfred; Georg, Dietmar

    2005-01-01

    Electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) were originally developed for the purpose of patient setup verification. Nowadays, they are increasingly used as dosimeters (e.g., for IMRT verification and linac-specific QA). A prerequisite for any clinical dosimetric application is a detailed understanding of the detector's dose-response behavior. The aim of this study is to investigate the dosimetric properties of an amorphous silicon EPID (Elekta IVIEWGT) with respect to three photon beam qualities: 6, 10, and 25 MV. The EPID showed an excellent temporal stability on short term as well as on long term scales. The stability throughout the day was strongly influenced by warming up, which took several hours and affected EPID response by 2.5%. Ghosting effects increased the sensitivity of the EPID. They became more pronounced with decreasing time intervals between two exposures as well as with increasing dose. Due to ghosting, changes in pixel sensitivity amounted up to 16% (locally) for the 25 MV photon beam. It was observed that the response characteristics of our EPID depended on dose as well as on dose rate. Doubling the dose rate increased the EPID sensitivity by 1.5%. This behavior was successfully attributed to a dose per frame effect, i.e., a nonlinear relationship between the EPID signal and the dose which was delivered to the panel between two successive readouts. The sensitivity was found to vary up to 10% in the range of 1 to 1000 monitor units. This variation was governed by two independent effects. For low doses, the EPID signal was reduced due to the linac's changing dose rate during startup. Furthermore, the detector reading was influenced by intrabeam variations of EPID sensitivity, namely, an increase of detector response during uniform exposure. For the beam qualities which were used, the response characteristics of the EPID did not depend on energy. Differences in relative dose-response curves resulted from energy dependent temporal output

  11. Pathological consequences of chronic low daily dose gamma irradiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Seed, T.M.; Miller, A.C.; Ramakrishnan, N. [Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Inst., Bethesda, MD (United States); Fritz, T.E.

    2000-07-01

    The quantitative relationships between the chronic radiation exposure parameters of dose-rate and total dose in relation to associated health risks was examined in dogs. At a dose-rate of 75, 128, and 263 mGy/d the incidence of acute lymphohematopoietic suppression (aplastic anemia) and associated septic complications was 73%, 87%, and 100%, respectively, and it increased in dose-dependent manner. By contrast, at dose-rates below 75 mGy/d, late cancers contributed significantly to the death of relatively long-lived animals, whose mean survival time was 1800 days. Myeloproliferative disease (MPD), mainly myeloid leukemia, was the dominant pathology seen at the higher daily dose-rates (18.8-75 mGy/d). When daily exposure was carried out continuously, the incidence of MPD was quite high. It should be noted that the induction radiation-induced MPD in this study was highly significant, because spontaneous MPD is exceedingly rare in the dog. However, when the daily dose-rate was reduced further or exposure was discontinued, the incidence of MPD declined significantly. At these lower dose-rates, solid tumors contributed heavily to the life-shortening effects of chronic irradiation. The induction and progression of these survival-compromising, late forms of pathology appeared to be driven by the degree of hematopoietic suppression that occurred early during the exposure phase, and in turn by the capacity of hematopoietic system to repair itself, recover, and to accommodate under chronic radiation stress. (K.H.)

  12. Age-dependent conversion coefficients for organ doses and effective doses for external neutron irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Nishizaki, Chihiro; Endo, Akira; Takahashi, Fumiaki

    2006-06-01

    To utilize dose assessment of the public for external neutron irradiation, conversion coefficients of absorbed doses of organs and effective doses were calculated using the numerical simulation technique for six different ages (adult, 15, 10, 5 and 1 years and newborn), which represent the member of the public. Calculations were performed using six age-specific anthropomorphic phantoms and a Monte Carlo radiation transport code for two irradiation geometries, anterior-posterior and rotational geometries, for 20 incident energies from thermal to 20 MeV. Effective doses defined by the 1990 Recommendation of ICRP were calculated from the absorbed doses in 21 organs. The calculated results were tabulated in the form of absorbed doses and effective doses per unit neutron fluence. The calculated conversion coefficients are used for dose assessment of the public around nuclear facilities and accelerator facilities. (author)

  13. Gastrointestinal Dose-Histogram Effects in the Context of Dose-Volume–Constrained Prostate Radiation Therapy: Analysis of Data From the RADAR Prostate Radiation Therapy Trial

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Ebert, Martin A., E-mail: Martin.Ebert@health.wa.gov.au [Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia); School of Physics, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia (Australia); Foo, Kerwyn [Sydney Medical School, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales (Australia); Haworth, Annette [Department of Physical Sciences, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, East Melbourne, Victoria (Australia); Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria (Australia); Gulliford, Sarah L. [Joint Department of Physics, Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden National Health Service Foundation Trust, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom); Kennedy, Angel [Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia); Joseph, David J. [Department of Radiation Oncology, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia (Australia); School of Surgery, University of Western Australia, Perth, Western Australia (Australia); Denham, James W. [School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, New South Wales (Australia)

    2015-03-01

    Purpose: To use a high-quality multicenter trial dataset to determine dose-volume effects for gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity following radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma. Influential dose-volume histogram regions were to be determined as functions of dose, anatomical location, toxicity, and clinical endpoint. Methods and Materials: Planning datasets for 754 participants in the TROG 03.04 RADAR trial were available, with Late Effects of Normal Tissues (LENT) Subjective, Objective, Management, and Analytic (SOMA) toxicity assessment to a median of 72 months. A rank sum method was used to define dose-volume cut-points as near-continuous functions of dose to 3 GI anatomical regions, together with a comprehensive assessment of significance. Univariate and multivariate ordinal regression was used to assess the importance of cut-points at each dose. Results: Dose ranges providing significant cut-points tended to be consistent with those showing significant univariate regression odds-ratios (representing the probability of a unitary increase in toxicity grade per percent relative volume). Ranges of significant cut-points for rectal bleeding validated previously published results. Separation of the lower GI anatomy into complete anorectum, rectum, and anal canal showed the impact of mid-low doses to the anal canal on urgency and tenesmus, completeness of evacuation and stool frequency, and mid-high doses to the anorectum on bleeding and stool frequency. Derived multivariate models emphasized the importance of the high-dose region of the anorectum and rectum for rectal bleeding and mid- to low-dose regions for diarrhea and urgency and tenesmus, and low-to-mid doses to the anal canal for stool frequency, diarrhea, evacuation, and bleeding. Conclusions: Results confirm anatomical dependence of specific GI toxicities. They provide an atlas summarizing dose-histogram effects and derived constraints as functions of anatomical region, dose, toxicity, and endpoint for

  14. Gastrointestinal Dose-Histogram Effects in the Context of Dose-Volume–Constrained Prostate Radiation Therapy: Analysis of Data From the RADAR Prostate Radiation Therapy Trial

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ebert, Martin A.; Foo, Kerwyn; Haworth, Annette; Gulliford, Sarah L.; Kennedy, Angel; Joseph, David J.; Denham, James W.

    2015-01-01

    Purpose: To use a high-quality multicenter trial dataset to determine dose-volume effects for gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity following radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma. Influential dose-volume histogram regions were to be determined as functions of dose, anatomical location, toxicity, and clinical endpoint. Methods and Materials: Planning datasets for 754 participants in the TROG 03.04 RADAR trial were available, with Late Effects of Normal Tissues (LENT) Subjective, Objective, Management, and Analytic (SOMA) toxicity assessment to a median of 72 months. A rank sum method was used to define dose-volume cut-points as near-continuous functions of dose to 3 GI anatomical regions, together with a comprehensive assessment of significance. Univariate and multivariate ordinal regression was used to assess the importance of cut-points at each dose. Results: Dose ranges providing significant cut-points tended to be consistent with those showing significant univariate regression odds-ratios (representing the probability of a unitary increase in toxicity grade per percent relative volume). Ranges of significant cut-points for rectal bleeding validated previously published results. Separation of the lower GI anatomy into complete anorectum, rectum, and anal canal showed the impact of mid-low doses to the anal canal on urgency and tenesmus, completeness of evacuation and stool frequency, and mid-high doses to the anorectum on bleeding and stool frequency. Derived multivariate models emphasized the importance of the high-dose region of the anorectum and rectum for rectal bleeding and mid- to low-dose regions for diarrhea and urgency and tenesmus, and low-to-mid doses to the anal canal for stool frequency, diarrhea, evacuation, and bleeding. Conclusions: Results confirm anatomical dependence of specific GI toxicities. They provide an atlas summarizing dose-histogram effects and derived constraints as functions of anatomical region, dose, toxicity, and endpoint for

  15. Gamma-ray dose rate increase at rainfall events and their air-mass origins

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Iyogi, Takashi; Hisamatsu, Shun'ichi; Inaba, Jiro

    2007-01-01

    The environmental γ-ray dose rate and precipitation rates were measured at our institute, in Rokkasho, Aomori, Japan. We analyzed 425 rainfall events in which the precipitation rate was over 0.5 mm from April through November during the years 2003 to 2005. Backward trajectories for 5 d starting from 1000 m above Rokkasho at the time of the maximum dose rate in a rainfall event, were calculated by using the HYSPLIT model of the NOAA Air Resources Laboratory. The trajectories for 5 d were classified by visual inspection according to the passage areas; Pacific Ocean, Asian Continent and Japan Islands. The increase of cumulative environmental γ-ray dose during a rainfall event was plotted against the precipitation in the event, and their relationship was separately examined according to the air-mass passage area, i.e. origin of the air-mass. Our results showed that the origin of air-mass was an important factor affecting the increase of environmental γ-ray dose rate by rainfall. (author)

  16. Radiological Evaluation of the effects of varied doses of Celecoxib on fracture healing in dogs

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Edwin Aihanuwa Uwagie-Ero and Rapheal Chukwujekwu Kene

    2011-04-01

    Full Text Available To determine if Cyclooxygenase -2 (COX-2 functions in fracture healing, 10 dogs were treated with COX-2-selective nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Celecoxib to reduce and stop COX-2-dependent prostaglandin production. Radiographic testing evaluation determined that fracture healing was not affected in dogs treated with a low dose of COX-2-selective NSAIDs (celecoxib and delayed union was observed in dogs treated with a high dose of COX-2-selective NSAIDs (celecoxib. Celecoxib dose of 5 mg/kg/day did not affect fracture callus formed in the study group and did not cause a significant increase in the proportion of delayed unions, however, at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day it reduced the rate of fracture callus formation and significantly increased the proportion of delayed unions for dogs in the group. [Veterinary World 2011; 4(2.000: 75-76

  17. In vivo tumor targeting of gold nanoparticles: effect of particle type and dosing strategy.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Puvanakrishnan, Priyaveena; Park, Jaesook; Chatterjee, Deyali; Krishnan, Sunil; Tunnell, James W

    2012-01-01

    Gold nanoparticles (GNPs) have gained significant interest as nanovectors for combined imaging and photothermal therapy of tumors. Delivered systemically, GNPs preferentially accumulate at the tumor site via the enhanced permeability and retention effect, and when irradiated with near infrared light, produce sufficient heat to treat tumor tissue. The efficacy of this process strongly depends on the targeting ability of the GNPs, which is a function of the particle's geometric properties (eg, size) and dosing strategy (eg, number and amount of injections). The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of GNP type and dosing strategy on in vivo tumor targeting. Specifically, we investigated the in vivo tumor-targeting efficiency of pegylated gold nanoshells (GNSs) and gold nanorods (GNRs) for single and multiple dosing. We used Swiss nu/nu mice with a subcutaneous tumor xenograft model that received intravenous administration for a single and multiple doses of GNS and GNR. We performed neutron activation analysis to quantify the gold present in the tumor and liver. We performed histology to determine if there was acute toxicity as a result of multiple dosing. Neutron activation analysis results showed that the smaller GNRs accumulated in higher concentrations in the tumor compared to the larger GNSs. We observed a significant increase in GNS and GNR accumulation in the liver for higher doses. However, multiple doses increased targeting efficiency with minimal effect beyond three doses of GNPs. These results suggest a significant effect of particle type and multiple doses on increasing particle accumulation and on tumor targeting ability.

  18. The significance of 1-131 scan dose in patients with thyroid cancer: determination of ablation: concise communication

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Waxman, A.; Ramanna, L.; Chapman, N.; Chapman, D.; Brachman, M.; Tanasescu, D.; Berman, D.; Catz, B.; Braunstein, G.

    1981-01-01

    Twenty-four patients with differentiated thyroid cancer were studied with diagnostic I-131 neck chest scans after having undergone bilateral subtotal thyroidectomy and initial I-131 therapy with either 30- or 100-mCi doses. With an endogenous stimulation protocol, follow-up studies were performed with neck and chest scans using 2 and 10 mCi I-131. A 400% increase in sensitivity was found with a 10-mCi dose relative to a 2-mCi dose. Comparison with therapeutic doses of 30 and 100 mCi resulted in further increases in the detection of residual iodine-avid tissue. We conclude that a 2-mCi or lower dose of I-131 is inadequate in evaluating residual iodine-avid tissue visually in patients with thyroid cancer. The study does not answer the critical question of whether it is necessary to treat a patient presenting a negative 2-mCi but a positive 10-mCi scan. It may be appropriate to define ablation visually as well as clinically, with further studies directed toward determining a treatment rationale in this patient population

  19. Dose energy dependence in proton imaging with thin detector

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Denyak, V.V., E-mail: denyak@gmail.com [National Science Centre Kharkov Institute of Physics and Technology, St. Akademicheskaya 1, Kharkov 61108 (Ukraine); Federal University of Technology - Parana, Av. Sete de Setembro 3165, Curitiba 80230-901 (Brazil); Schelin, H.R. [Pele Pequeno Principe Research Institute, Av. Silva Jardim 1632, Curitiba 80250-200 (Brazil); Federal University of Technology - Parana, Av. Sete de Setembro 3165, Curitiba 80230-901 (Brazil); Silva, R.C.L.; Kozuki, C.; Paschuk, S.A.; Milhoretto, E. [Federal University of Technology - Parana, Av. Sete de Setembro 3165, Curitiba 80230-901 (Brazil)

    2012-07-15

    Since the earliest works proposing the use of protons for imaging, the main advantage of protons over X-rays was expected to be a result of the specific property of the proton flux dropping off very steeply at the end of the particle range. This idea was declared but was not checked. In the present work, this assumption was investigated using the Monte Carlo simulation for the case of registration of protons with a thin detector. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Principal idea of proton imaging 'to work at the end of the range' was tested. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The case of thin detector was investigated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The dose energy dependence was calculated using computer simulation.

  20. Low dose radiation exposure and atherosclerosis in ApoE-/- mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Mitchel, R.E.J.; Hasu, M.; Bugden, M.; Wyatt, H.; Little, M.; Hildebrandt, G.; Priest, N.D.; Whitman, S.C.

    2010-01-01

    The hypothesis that single low dose exposures (0.025-0.5 Gy) to low LET radiation, given at either high (240 mGy/min) or low (1 mGy/min) dose rate, would promote aortic atherosclerosis was tested in female C57BI/6 mice genetically predisposed to this disease (ApoE-/-). Mice were exposed either at early stage disease (2 months of age) and examined 3 or 6 months later, or at late stage disease (8 months of age) and examined 2 or 4 months later. Compared to unexposed controls, all doses given at low or high dose rate at early stage disease had significant inhibitory effects on lesion growth and, at 25 or 50 mGy, on lesion frequency. No dose given at low dose rate had any effect on total serum cholesterol, but this was elevated by every dose given at high dose rate. Exposures at low dose rate had no effect on the percentage of lesion lipids contained within macrophages, and, at either high or low dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion severity. Exposure at late stage disease, to any dose at high dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion frequency, but at low dose rate some doses produced a small transient increase in this frequency. Exposure to low doses at low, but not high dose rate, significantly, but transiently reduced average lesion size, and at either dose rate transiently reduced lesion severity. Exposure to any dose at low dose rate (but not high dose rate) resulted in large and persistent decreases in serum cholesterol. These data indicate that a single low dose exposure, depending on dose and dose rate, generally protects against various measures of atherosclerosis in genetically susceptible mice. This result contrasts with the known, generally detrimental effects of high doses on this disease in the same mice, suggesting that a linear extrapolation of risk from high doses is not appropriate. (author)

  1. Significance of lenticular opacity from the view point of the exposure dose of A-bomb radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sugimoto, S [Sugimoto Hospital, Hiroshima (Japan)

    1975-04-01

    Two cases of lenticular opacity were discussed from the view point of exposure dose of A-bomb radiation. Case 1: female, 22 year and 5 months old when she was exposured to A-bomb radiation. The presumed exposure dose was 482.0 rad. Cataract due to A-bomb radiation. Case 2: female, 21 years and 6 months old when she was exposured to A-bomb radiation. The presumed exposure dose was more than 1,000 rad. Cataract due to A-bomb radiation and incipient cataract senilis. It was reported here that there was a marked difference in opacity findings of cataract due to A-bomb radiation in accordance with difference in exposure dose of radiation. It was also presumed from the findings of incipient cataract senilis that with increasing exposure dose, the aging phenomenon was promoted.

  2. Co-administration of morphine and gabapentin leads to dose dependent synergistic effects in a rat model of postoperative pain

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Papathanasiou, Theodoros; Juul, Rasmus Vestergaard; Heegaard, Anne-Marie

    2016-01-01

    dose combinations and investigate whether co-administration leads to synergistic effects in a preclinical model of postoperative pain. The pharmacodynamic effects of morphine (1, 3 and 7 mg/kg), gabapentin (10, 30 and 100 mg/kg) or their combination (9 combinations in total) were evaluated in the rat...... plantar incision model using an electronic von Frey device. The percentage of maximum possible effect (%MPE) and the area under the response curve (AUC) were used for evaluation of the antihyperalgesic effects of the drugs. Identification of synergistic interactions was based on Loewe additivity response...... surface analyses. The combination of morphine and gabapentin resulted in synergistic antihyperalgesic effects in a preclinical model of postoperative pain. The synergistic interactions were found to be dose dependent and the increase in observed response compared to the theoretical additive response...

  3. Three-Week Bright-Light Intervention Has Dose-Related Effects on Threat-Related Corticolimbic Reactivity and Functional Coupling

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Fisher, Patrick M; Madsen, Martin K; Mc Mahon, Brenda

    2014-01-01

    environmental stimuli (e.g., threat) and may underlie these effects. Serotonin signaling modulates this circuit and is implicated in the pathophysiology of seasonal and other affective disorders. METHODS: We evaluated the effects of a bright-light intervention protocol on threat-related corticolimbic reactivity......-related amygdala and prefrontal reactivity in a dose-dependent manner. Conversely, amygdala-prefrontal and intraprefrontal functional coupling increased significantly in a dose-dependent manner. Genotype status significantly moderated bright-light intervention effects on intraprefrontal functional coupling....... CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to evaluate the effects of clinically relevant bright-light intervention on threat-related brain function. We show that amygdala-prefrontal reactivity and communication are significantly affected by bright-light intervention, an effect partly moderated by genotype...

  4. Cocaine and Pavlovian fear conditioning: dose-effect analysis.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wood, Suzanne C; Fay, Jonathan; Sage, Jennifer R; Anagnostaras, Stephan G

    2007-01-25

    Emerging evidence suggests that cocaine and other drugs of abuse can interfere with many aspects of cognitive functioning. The authors examined the effects of 0.1-15mg/kg of cocaine on Pavlovian contextual and cued fear conditioning in mice. As expected, pre-training cocaine dose-dependently produced hyperactivity and disrupted freezing. Surprisingly, when the mice were tested off-drug later, the group pre-treated with a moderate dose of cocaine (15mg/kg) displayed significantly less contextual and cued memory, compared to saline control animals. Conversely, mice pre-treated with a very low dose of cocaine (0.1mg/kg) showed significantly enhanced fear memory for both context and tone, compared to controls. These results were not due to cocaine's anesthetic effects, as shock reactivity was unaffected by cocaine. The data suggest that despite cocaine's reputation as a performance-enhancing and anxiogenic drug, this effect is seen only at very low doses, whereas a moderate dose disrupts hippocampus and amygdala-dependent fear conditioning.

  5. New approach to the approximation of «dose – effect» dependence during the human somatic cells irradiation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    V. F. Chekhun

    2013-09-01

    Full Text Available New data on cytogenetic approximation of the experimental cytogenetic dependence "dose - effect" based on the spline regression model that improves biological dosimetry of human radiological exposure were received. This is achieved by reducing the error of the determination of absorbed dose as compared to the traditional use of linear and linear-quadratic models and makes it possible to predict the effect of dose curves on plateau.

  6. From dust to dose: Effects of forest disturbance on increased inhalation exposure.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Whicker, Jeffrey J; Pinder, John E; Breshears, David D; Eberhart, Craig F

    2006-09-15

    Ecosystem disturbances that remove vegetation and disturb surface soils are major causes of excessive soil erosion and can result in accelerated transport of soils contaminated with hazardous materials. Accelerated wind erosion in disturbed lands that are contaminated is of particular concern because of potential increased inhalation exposure, yet measurements regarding these relationships are lacking. The importance of this was highlighted when, in May of 2000, the Cerro Grande fire burned over roughly 30% of Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), mostly in ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) forest, and through areas with soils containing contaminants, particularly excess depleted and natural uranium. Additionally, post-fire thinning was performed in burned and unburned forests on about 25% of LANL land. The first goal of this study was to assess the potential for increased inhalation dose from uranium contaminated soils via wind-driven resuspension of soil following the Cerro Grande Fire and subsequent forest thinning. This was done through analysis of post-disturbance measurements of uranium air concentrations and their relationships with wind velocity and seasonal vegetation cover. We found a 14% average increase in uranium air concentrations at LANL perimeter locations after the fire, and the greatest air concentrations occurred during the months of April-June when wind velocities are highest, no snow cover, and low vegetation cover. The second goal was to develop a methodology to assess the relative contribution of each disturbance type towards increasing public and worker exposure to these resuspended soils. Measurements of wind-driven dust flux in severely burned, moderately burned, thinned, and unburned/unthinned forest areas were used to assess horizontal dust flux (HDF) in these areas. Using empirically derived relationships between measurements of HDF and respirible dust, coupled with onsite uranium soil concentrations, we estimate relative increases in

  7. Delivery of adjuvant sequential dose-dense FEC-Doc to patients with breast cancer is feasible, but dose reductions and toxicity are dependent on treatment sequence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wildiers, H; Dirix, L; Neven, P; Prové, A; Clement, P; Squifflet, P; Amant, F; Skacel, T; Paridaens, R

    2009-03-01

    This study prospectively investigates the impact of dose densification and altering sequence of fluorouracil, epirubicin and cyclophosphamide [FEC(100)] and docetaxel [Doc] on dose delivery and tolerability of adjuvant chemotherapy in breast cancer patients. 117 patients with high-risk primary operable breast cancer were randomized (1:1:2:2) to conventional (three cycles of 3-weekly FEC(100) then three cycles of 3-weekly Doc 100 mg/m(2) or reverse sequence) or dose-dense (dd) treatment (four 10- to 11-day cycles of FEC(75) then four 2-weekly cycles of Doc 75 mg/m(2), or the reverse). In the dd arms, pegfilgrastim was given on day 2 of each cycle, but only as secondary prophylaxis in conventional arms. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients completing intended cycles at relative dose intensity >or=85% and this was achieved by 95% of patients in each group except for the ddDoc-->FEC group (90%). Dose intensity in the dd arms increased by 48% for FEC and 11% for docetaxel, compared with the conventional arms (both P Doc dose reductions were more frequent with dd treatment and when Doc was given after FEC. Grade 3-4 neutropenia was significantly more frequent with conventional treatment, while fatigue and hand-foot syndrome were numerically more common with dd treatment, particularly when Doc was given after FEC. Discussion Delivery of adjuvant sequential ddFEC and Doc is feasible with growth factor support, and chemotherapy sequence appeared to affect delivery of target doses and toxicity.

  8. Dose reduction at nuclear power plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Baum, J.W.; Dionne, B.J.

    1983-01-01

    The collective dose equivalent at nuclear power plants increased from 1250 rem in 1969 to nearly 54,000 rem in 1980. This rise is attributable primarily to an increase in nuclear generated power from 1289 MW-y to 29,155 MW-y; and secondly, to increased average plant age. However, considerable variation in exposure occurs from plant to plant depending on plant type, refueling, maintenance, etc. In order to understand the factors influencing these differences, an investigation was initiated to study dose-reduction techniques and effectiveness of as low as reasonably achievable (ALARA) planning at light water plants. Objectives are to: identify high-dose maintenance tasks and related dose-reduction techniques; investigate utilization of high-reliability, low-maintenance equipment; recommend improved radioactive waste handling equipment and procedures; examine incentives for dose reduction; and compile an ALARA handbook

  9. "Interaction of different doses of Aspartame with Morphine-induced antinociception in the presence of MK-801, a NMDA antagonist "

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Abdollahi M

    2002-07-01

    Full Text Available This study was designed to investigate the relative role of sweetness and comparative effects of different taste sensation of the non - caloric sweetener , aspartame on pain and its interaction with MK - 80] as a non - selective MMDA antagonist by formalin - test in mice. The formalin - test was chosen because it measures the response to a long - lasting nociceptive stimulus and closely resembles to the clinical pain. Morphine induced a dose dependent antinociception in the early and late phases of formalin test. Twelve days pretreatment of animals by aspartame ( 0.08% , 0.16% , 0.32% significantly potentiated morphine - induced (1.5-9 mg/kg analgesia in the early phase but significantly antagonized its analgesic effect in the late phase, dose dependently. Aspartame (0.16% alone showed a reduction in pain response . Naloxone (0.4 mg/kg significantly antagonized the antinociceptive effect of morphine in the presence of aspartame (0-0.32% in the early phase. Increasing the dose of aspartame decreased effects of naloxone. MK-801 (0.1 mg/kg as an N- Methyl - D - Aspartate (NMDA antagonist significantly potentiated the effect of aspartame on morphine - induced antinociception in the early phase. In the late phase, naloxone (0.4 mg/kg increased pain response but MK- 801 (0.1 mg/kg induced anti-inflammatory effect significantly. Treatment of animals with MK- 801 alone, significantly induced analgesia in both phases of formalin - test. This effect was potentiated with aspartame dose - dependently. Possible interaction of aspartame with NMDA receptors and its role to facilitate endogenous opioid system are proposed mechanisms of aspartame in modulating morphine - induced antinociception. Furthermore, the resulting association between morphine and aspartame chronic consumption may be explained as an interactive action rather than simple dose combination of both drugs.

  10. New scanning technique using Adaptive Statistical lterative Reconstruction (ASIR) significantly reduced the radiation dose of cardiac CT

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Tumur, Odgerel; Soon, Kean; Brown, Fraser; Mykytowycz, Marcus

    2013-01-01

    The aims of our study were to evaluate the effect of application of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) algorithm on the radiation dose of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and its effects on image quality of CCTA and to evaluate the effects of various patient and CT scanning factors on the radiation dose of CCTA. This was a retrospective study that included 347 consecutive patients who underwent CCTA at a tertiary university teaching hospital between 1 July 2009 and 20 September 2011. Analysis was performed comparing patient demographics, scan characteristics, radiation dose and image quality in two groups of patients in whom conventional Filtered Back Projection (FBP) or ASIR was used for image reconstruction. There were 238 patients in the FBP group and 109 patients in the ASIR group. There was no difference between the groups in the use of prospective gating, scan length or tube voltage. In ASIR group, significantly lower tube current was used compared with FBP group, 550mA (450–600) vs. 650mA (500–711.25) (median (interquartile range)), respectively, P<0.001. There was 27% effective radiation dose reduction in the ASIR group compared with FBP group, 4.29mSv (2.84–6.02) vs. 5.84mSv (3.88–8.39) (median (interquartile range)), respectively, P<0.001. Although ASIR was associated with increased image noise compared with FBP (39.93±10.22 vs. 37.63±18.79 (mean ±standard deviation), respectively, P<001), it did not affect the signal intensity, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast-to-noise ratio or the diagnostic quality of CCTA. Application of ASIR reduces the radiation dose of CCTA without affecting the image quality.

  11. Increasing doses of fiber do not influence short-term satiety or food intake and are inconsistently linked to gut hormone levels

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Holly J. Willis

    2010-06-01

    Full Text Available Background: People who eat more fiber often have a lower body weight than people who eat less fiber. The mechanism for this relationship has been explained, in part, by increased satiety, which may occur as a result of changes in appetite-suppressing gut hormone levels, and decreases in food intake at subsequent meals. Objective: We hypothesized that increasing doses of mixed fiber, consumed in muffins for breakfast, would proportionally influence satiety, gut hormone levels, and subsequent food intake. Design: This was a randomized, double-blind, crossover study. Healthy men (n=10 and women (n=10 with a BMI of 24±2 (mean±SEM participated in this study. Fasting subjects consumed a muffin with 0, 4, 8, or 12 g of mixed fibers and approximately 500 kcal. Visual analog scales rated hunger and satiety for 3 h; blood was drawn to measure ghrelin, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1, and peptide YY3–36 (PYY3–36 at various intervals; and food intake was measured at an ad libitum lunch. Results: Responses to satiety-related questions did not differ among treatments. However, despite lack of differences in satiety, gut hormone levels differed among treatments. Ghrelin was higher after the 12 g fiber dose than after the 4 and 8 g fiber doses. GLP-1 was higher after the 0 g fiber dose than after the 12 and 4 g fiber doses, and PYY3–36 did not differ among fiber doses. Food intake was also indistinguishable among doses. Conclusion: Satiety, gut hormone response, and food intake did not change in a dose-dependent manner after subjects consumed 0, 4, 8, and 12 g of mixed fiber in muffins for breakfast.

  12. Dose dependence of radiation-induced segregation in Ni-1 at% Si

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rehn, L.E.; Okamoto, P.R.; Wiedersich, H.

    1979-01-01

    Measurements have been made of alloy composition as a function of depth from the external surface in Ni-1 at% Si specimens after irradiation with 3-MeV 58 Ni + ions to several different doses at nominal temperatures of 525 and 600 0 C. Very rapid segregation of Si toward the external surface ocurred during irradiation. Surface concentrations of Si in excess of the 10 at% solubility limit were found at both irradiation temperatures after a dose of only approximately 0.05 dpa. The rate of segregation decreased markedly in the dose range from approximately 1-10 dpa. Qualitative agreement was found between the experimental observations and calculations made using a modified Johnson-Lam segregation mode (1976). The present investigation suggests that radiation-induced segregation may significantly alter the mechanical behavior of irradiated alloys long before the onset of void swelling. (Auth.)

  13. Study of dose distribution in high energy photon beam used in radiotherapy

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Rafaravavy, R.; Raoelina Andriambololona; Bridier, A.

    2007-01-01

    The dose distribution in a medium traversed by a photon beam depends on beam energy, field size and medium nature. Percent depth dose (PDD), Dose Profile (DP) and Opening Collimator Factor (OCF) curves will be established to study this distribution. So, the PDD curves are composed by tree parts: the build-up region, the maximal dose and the quasi-equilibrium region. The maximum dose depth and the dose in depth increase with increasing photon beam energy but the dose surface decreases. The PDD increases with increasing field size.

  14. Exponentially increasing incidences of cutaneous malignant melanoma in Europe correlate with low personal annual UV doses and suggests 2 major risk factors.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Merrill, Stephen J; Ashrafi, Samira; Subramanian, Madhan; Godar, Dianne E

    2015-01-01

    For several decades the incidence of cutaneous malignant melanoma (CMM) steadily increased in fair-skinned, indoor-working people around the world. Scientists think poor tanning ability resulting in sunburns initiate CMM, but they do not understand why the incidence continues to increase despite the increased use of sunscreens and formulations offering more protection. This paradox, along with lower incidences of CMM in outdoor workers, although they have significantly higher annual UV doses than indoor workers have, perplexes scientists. We found a temporal exponential increase in the CMM incidence indicating second-order reaction kinetics revealing the existence of 2 major risk factors. From epidemiology studies, we know one major risk factor for getting CMM is poor tanning ability and we now propose the other major risk factor may be the Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) because clinicians find β HPVs in over half the biopsies. Moreover, we uncovered yet another paradox; the increasing CMM incidences significantly correlate with decreasing personal annual UV dose, a proxy for low vitamin D3 levels. We also discovered the incidence of CMM significantly increased with decreasing personal annual UV dose from 1960, when it was almost insignificant, to 2000. UV and other DNA-damaging agents can activate viruses, and UV-induced cytokines can hide HPV from immune surveillance, which may explain why CMM also occurs in anatomical locations where the sun does not shine. Thus, we propose the 2 major risk factors for getting CMM are intermittent UV exposures that result in low cutaneous levels of vitamin D3 and possibly viral infection.

  15. Determination of organ doses and effective doses in radiooncology

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Roth, J.; Martinez, A.E.

    2007-01-01

    Background and Purpose: With an increasing chance of success in radiooncology, it is necessary to estimate the risk from radiation scatter to areas outside the target volume. The cancer risk from a radiation treatment can be estimated from the organ doses, allowing a somewhat limited effective dose to be estimated and compared. Material and Methods: The doses of the radiation-sensitive organs outside the target volume can be estimated with the aid of the PC program PERIDOSE developed by van der Giessen. The effective doses are determined according to the concept of ICRP, whereby the target volume and the associated organs related to it are not taken into consideration. Results: Organ doses outside the target volume are generally < 1% of the dose in the target volume. In some cases, however, they can be as high as 3%. The effective doses during radiotherapy are between 60 and 900 mSv, depending upon the specific target volume, the applied treatment technique, and the given dose in the ICRU point. Conclusion: For the estimation of the radiation risk, organ doses in radiooncology can be calculated with the aid of the PC program PERIDOSE. While evaluating the radiation risk after ICRP, for the calculation of the effective dose, the advanced age of many patients has to be considered to prevent that, e.g., the high gonad doses do not overestimate the effective dose. (orig.)

  16. Ionizing radiation: down regulation of 'atm' by 2 Deoxy-D-Glucose: a dose and time dependent study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lahiri, S.S.; Saxena, N.; Hambarde, S.

    2014-01-01

    Exposure to Ionizing Radiation (IR) cause cell death, but it also help in radio-sensitization of cancer cells, by causing oxidative stress and DNA damage, primarily by double strand breaks. Ataxia telangiectasia mutated (atm) gene is involved in DNA double strand breaks, sensory and repair pathways. Therefore, inhibition of its expression, can lead to useful radio-sensitization of cancerous cells. Metabolic inhibitor 2-Deoxy-D-Glucose (2-DG) block glycolysis and modulates protein glycosylation (2-DG). This cause sensitization of cancer cells to radiation, which help in effective reduction in the essential dose of therapeutic ionizing radiation required for the treatment of cancer. The transcription factor Sp-1 involved, is also down-regulated by 2-DG. We have studied the effect of 2-DG at varied concentrations, applied at different pre, simultaneous as well as post irradiation time intervals with 2 Gy, 5 Gy or 10 Gy (lethal dose) of ionizing radiations. Expressions of 'atm' gene in response to the drug and/or IR of different doses were studied. Response was studied at different post irradiation time intervals, in the levels of mRNA, protein and cell survival. It was observed that exposure of human glioma cells (BMG1) to 2 Gy, 5 Gy or 10 Gy of IR alone, had differential and dose dependent effect on 'atm' expression. The 'atm' level was significantly down regulated by 2-DG, in non-irradiated as well as gamma ray irradiated cells. It was observed that BMG1 cells when treated with 2-DG and exposed to irradiation, there was no net significant alteration (normalcy was restored) in the expression level of 'atm'. It was also observed that the extent of down-regulation by pre-treatment with 2-DG, was greater than post-treatment. This work has great significance in the application of clinically relevant low dose radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer. (author)

  17. Age- and sex-dependent model for estimating radioiodine dose to a normal thyroid

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Killough, G.G.; Eckerman, K.F.

    1985-01-01

    This paper describes the derivation of an age- and sex-dependent model of radioiodine dosimetry in the thyroid and the application of the model to estimating the thyroid dose for each of 4215 patients who were exposed to 131 I in diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The model was made to conform to these data requirements by the use of age-specific estimates of the biological half-time of iodine in the thyroid and an age- and sex-dependent representation of the mass of the thyroid. Also, it was assumed that the thyroid burden was maximum 24 hours after administration (the 131 I dose is not critically sensitive to this assumption). The metabolic model is of the form A(t) = K[exp(-μ 1 t) - exp(-μ 2 t)] (μCi), where μ 1 = lambda/sub r/ + lambda/sub i//sup b/ (i = 1, 2), lambda/sub r/ is the radiological decay-rate coefficient, and lambda/sub i//sup b/ are biological removal rate coefficients. The values of lambda/sub i//sup b/ are determined by solving a nonlinear equation that depends on assumptions about the time of maximum uptake and the eventual biological loss rate (through which age dependence enters). The value of K may then be calculated from knowledge of the uptake at a particular time. The dosimetric S-factor (rad/μCi-day) is based on specific absorbed fractions for photons of energy ranging from 0.01 to 4.0 MeV for thyroid masses from 1.29 to 19.6 g; the functional form of the S-factor also involves the thyroid mass explicitly, through which the dependence on age and sex enters. An analysis of sensitivity of the model to uncertainties in the thyroid mass and the biological removal rate for several age groups is reported. The model could prove useful in the dosimetry of very short-lived radioiodines. Tables of age- and sex-dependent coefficients are provided to enable readers to make their own calculations. 12 refs., 5 figs., 4 tabs

  18. In vitro and in vivo effects of low dose HTO contamination modulated by dose rate

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Petcu, I.; Savu, D.; Moisoi, N.; Koeteles, G.J.

    1997-01-01

    The experiment performed in vitro intended to examine whether an adaptive response could be elicited on lymphocytes by low-level contamination of whole blood with tritiated water and if the modification of the dose rate has any influence on it. Lymphocytes pre-exposed to 3 HOH (0.2 - 6.6 MBq/ml) and subsequently irradiated with I Gy γ-rays showed micronuclei frequency significantly lower (40% - 45%) than the expected member (sum of the yields induced by 3 HOH and γ-rays separately). The degree of the radioresistance induced by HTO pre-treatments became higher with decreasing dose-rate for a rather similar total adapting dose. In vivo, the aim of the study was to investigate if different dose rates are inducing modulation of the lipid peroxidation level and of the thymidine uptake in different tissues of animals contaminated by HTO ingestion. The total doses varied between 5 and 20 cGy and were delivered as chronic (100 days) or acute contamination (5 days). It was observed that only doses about 20 cGy caused a dose-rate dependent increase of the lipid peroxidation level in the tissues of small intestine, kidney and spleen. Both chronic and acute contamination did produce reduced incorporation of thymidine in the cells of bone marrow. The most effective decrease of thymidine uptake was induced by the acute contamination in the lower dose domain (approx. 5 cGy). Our hypothesis is that in this dose domain the modification of thymidine uptake could be due to changes at the level of membrane transport. (author)

  19. Energy drink consumption and increased risk for alcohol dependence.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Arria, Amelia M; Caldeira, Kimberly M; Kasperski, Sarah J; Vincent, Kathryn B; Griffiths, Roland R; O'Grady, Kevin E

    2011-02-01

    Energy drinks are highly caffeinated beverages that are increasingly consumed by young adults. Prior research has established associations between energy drink use and heavier drinking and alcohol-related problems among college students. This study investigated the extent to which energy drink use might pose additional risk for alcohol dependence over and above that from known risk factors. Data were collected via personal interview from 1,097 fourth-year college students sampled from 1 large public university as part of an ongoing longitudinal study. Alcohol dependence was assessed according to DSM-IV criteria. After adjustment for the sampling design, 51.3%(wt) of students were classified as "low-frequency" energy drink users (1 to 51 days in the past year) and 10.1%(wt) as "high-frequency" users (≥52 days). Typical caffeine consumption varied widely depending on the brand consumed. Compared to the low-frequency group, high-frequency users drank alcohol more frequently (141.6 vs. 103.1 days) and in higher quantities (6.15 vs. 4.64 drinks/typical drinking day). High-frequency users were at significantly greater risk for alcohol dependence relative to both nonusers (AOR = 2.40, 95% CI = 1.27 to 4.56, p = 0.007) and low-frequency users (AOR = 1.86, 95% CI = 1.10, 3.14, p = 0.020), even after holding constant demographics, typical alcohol consumption, fraternity/sorority involvement, depressive symptoms, parental history of alcohol/drug problems, and childhood conduct problems. Low-frequency energy drink users did not differ from nonusers on their risk for alcohol dependence. Weekly or daily energy drink consumption is strongly associated with alcohol dependence. Further research is warranted to understand the possible mechanisms underlying this association. College students who frequently consume energy drinks represent an important target population for alcohol prevention. Copyright © 2010 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

  20. Decreasing Irradiated Rat Lung Volume Changes Dose-Limiting Toxicity From Early to Late Effects

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Veen, Sonja J. van der; Faber, Hette; Ghobadi, Ghazaleh [Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Brandenburg, Sytze [KVI Center for Advanced Radiation Research, University of Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Langendijk, Johannes A. [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Coppes, Robert P. [Department of Cell Biology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands); Luijk, Peter van, E-mail: p.van.luijk@umcg.nl [Department of Radiation Oncology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen (Netherlands)

    2016-01-01

    Purpose: Technological developments in radiation therapy result in smaller irradiated volumes of normal tissue. Because the risk of radiation therapy-induced toxicity generally depends on irradiated volume, changing volume could change the dose-limiting toxicity of a treatment. Recently, in our rat model, we found that early radiation-induced lung dysfunction (RILD) was closely related to irradiated volume dependent vascular remodeling besides inflammation. The exact relationship between early and late RILD is still unknown. Therefore, in this preclinical study we investigated the dose-volume relationship of late RILD, assessed its dependence on early and late pathologies and studied if decreasing irradiated volume changed the dose-limiting toxicity. Methods and Materials: A volume of 25%, 32%, 50%, 63%, 88%, or 100% of the rat lung was irradiated using protons. Until 26 weeks after irradiation, respiratory rates were measured. Macrovascular remodeling, pulmonary inflammation, and fibrosis were assessed at 26 weeks after irradiation. For all endpoints dose-volume response curves were made. These results were compared to our previously published early lung effects. Results: Early vascular remodeling and inflammation correlated significantly with early RILD. Late RILD correlated with inflammation and fibrosis, but not with vascular remodeling. In contrast to the early effects, late vascular remodeling, inflammation and fibrosis showed a primarily dose but not volume dependence. Comparison of respiratory rate increases early and late after irradiation for the different dose-distributions indicated that with decreasing irradiated volumes, the dose-limiting toxicity changed from early to late RILD. Conclusions: In our rat model, different pathologies underlie early and late RILD with different dose-volume dependencies. Consequently, the dose-limiting toxicity changed from early to late dysfunction when the irradiated volume was reduced. In patients, early and late

  1. Low-dose caffeine physical dependence in humans.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Griffiths, R R; Evans, S M; Heishman, S J; Preston, K L; Sannerud, C A; Wolf, B; Woodson, P P

    1990-12-01

    This study investigated the effects of terminating low dose levels of caffeine (100 mg/day) in 7 normal humans. Substitution of placebo capsules for caffeine capsules occurred under double-blind conditions while subjects rated various dimensions of their mood and behavior. In the first phase of the study, substitution of placebo for 12 consecutive days resulted in an orderly withdrawal syndrome in 4 subjects which peaked on days 1 or 2 and progressively decreased toward prewithdrawal levels over about 1 week. Data from the remaining three subjects provided no evidence of withdrawal. In the second phase of the study, the generality of the withdrawal effect was examined by repeatedly substituting placebo for 100 mg/day of caffeine for 1-day periods separated by an average of 9 days. Despite differences within and across subjects with respect to the presence, nature and magnitude of symptoms, each of the seven subjects demonstrated a statistically significant withdrawal effect. Although the phenomenon of caffeine withdrawal has been described previously, the present report documents that the incidence of caffeine withdrawal is higher (100% of subjects), the daily dose level at which withdrawal occurs is lower (roughly equivalent to the amount of caffeine in a single cup of strong brewed coffee or 3 cans of caffeinated soft drink) and the range of symptoms experienced is broader (including headache, fatigue and other dysphoric mood changes, muscle pain/stiffness, flu-like feelings, nausea/vomiting and craving for caffeine) than heretofore recognized.

  2. Higher hydrocortisone dose increases bilirubin in hypopituitary patients- results from an RCT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Werumeus Buning, Jorien; Kootstra-Ros, Jenny E; Brummelman, Pauline; van den Berg, Gerrit; van der Klauw, Melanie; Wolffenbuttel, Bruce H R; van Beek, André P; Dullaart, Robin P F

    2016-05-01

    Bilirubin has anti-oxidative and anti-inflammatory properties, which may explain its proposed protective effects on the development of cardiometabolic disorders. Glucocorticoids affect heme oxygenase regulation in vitro, which plays a key role in bilirubin production. Effects of variations in glucocorticoid exposure on circulating bilirubin levels in humans are unknown. Here we tested whether a higher hydrocortisone replacement dose affects circulating bilirubin in hypopituitary patients. A randomized double-blind cross-over study (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01546992) was performed in 47 patients with secondary adrenal failure [10-week exposure to a higher hydrocortisone dose (0·4-0·6 mg/kg body weight) vs. 10 weeks of a lower hydrocortisone dose (0·2-0·3 mg/kg body weight)]. Plasma total bilirubin was increased by 10% from 7 to 8 μM in response to the higher hydrocortisone dose (P = 0·033). This effect was inversely related to age (P = 0·042), but was unaffected by sex, obesity and (replacement for) other hormonal insufficiencies. The higher hydrocortisone dose also resulted in lower alkaline phosphatase (P = 0·006) and aspartate aminotransferase activities (P = 0·001). Bilirubin is modestly increased in response to higher glucocorticoid exposure in humans, in conjunction with lower alkaline phosphatase and aspartate aminotransferase activities, which are supposed to represent biomarkers of a pro-inflammatory state and enhanced liver fat accumulation. © 2016 The Authors. European Journal of Clinical Investigation published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Stichting European Society for Clinical Investigation Journal Foundation.

  3. Different Dose-Dependent Modes of Action of C-Type Natriuretic Peptide on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilm Formation

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Florie Desriac

    2018-04-01

    Full Text Available We have previously shown that the C-type Natriuretic Peptide (CNP, a peptide produced by lungs, is able to impact Pseudomonas aeruginosa physiology. In the present work, the effect of CNP at different concentrations on P. aeruginosa biofilm formation was studied and the mechanisms of action of this human hormone on P. aeruginosa were deciphered. CNP was shown to inhibit dynamic biofilm formation in a dose-dependent manner without affecting the bacterial growth at any tested concentrations. The most effective concentrations were 1 and 0.1 µM. At 0.1 µM, the biofilm formation inhibition was fully dependent on the CNP sensor protein AmiC, whereas it was only partially AmiC-dependent at 1 µM, revealing the existence of a second AmiC-independent mode of action of CNP on P. aeruginosa. At 1 µM, CNP reduced both P. aeruginosa adhesion on glass and di-rhamnolipid production and also increased the bacterial membrane fluidity. The various effects of CNP at 1 µM and 0.1 µM on P. aeruginosa shown here should have major consequences to design drugs for biofilm treatment or prevention.

  4. Genetically significant dose and sex ratio of the offsprings of patient treated with 131I for hyperthyroidism

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Takeshita, Akihisa

    1975-01-01

    The gonadal doses following the 131 I treatment of 6 male and 14 female patients with hyperthyroidism were calculated by the method of MIRD, measuring daily radioactivity in the thyroid gland and circulating blood. The testicular dose was 0.52 +- 0.256 rads and the ovarian dose was 0.632 +- 0.488 rads per mCi. In 1965, the genetically significant dose from 131 I treatment of 925 patients with hyperthyroidism was estimated to be 0.0136 mrads/person/year. The genetically significant dose would amount to 0.0613 mrads/person/year, assuming that the total amount of 131 I supplied for treatment in 1965 was administered to treat the hyperthyroid patients with an age-and sex distribution similar to that of the above mentioned group of patients. Sex ratios of the offspring of male and female patients treated with 131 I from 1953 to 1966 were compared with those of offspring born to male and female patients before the treatment. The proportion of males was higher among the offspring of male patients after 131 I treatment than among the offspring of the controls, but the difference was not statistically significant. The sex ratio of the offspring of female patients was not different from that of controls. The mean age of the parents at the times of their children's birth after 131 I treatment was 2.6 - 6.0 year older in male patients and 2.8 - 2.9 year older in female patients than that of controls. (J.P.N.)

  5. Experimental determination of the angular dependence factor for the dose equivalent for photons in calibration phantoms of PMMA

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lund, E.; Carlsson, C.A.; Pernicka, F.

    1994-01-01

    The conversion coefficients from air kerma to dose equivalent at a depth of 10 mm in both a spherical and a slab phantom of PMMA have been determined for the X ray qualities: 40, 80 and 295 kV, ISO 'narrow' spectra; and for 137 Cs γ rays. The angular dependence factors have been experimentally determined for the same qualities and for different angles between 0 o and 180 o . The absorbed doses have been measured with thermoluminescence LiF dosemeters. The conversion coefficients and the angular dependence factors are generally found to agree well with calculated ones. Some minor discrepancies are found for the angular dependence factors and the 30 x 30 x 15 cm 3 PMMA slab phantom. (Author)

  6. Prospective ECG triggering versus low-dose retrospective ECG-gated 128-channel CT coronary angiography: comparison of image quality and radiation dose

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Feng, Q.; Yin, Y.; Hua, X.; Zhu, R.; Hua, J.; Xu, J.

    2010-01-01

    Aim: To evaluate image quality and radiation dose for 128-detector prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) compared with a low-dose retrospective ECG-gated imaging protocol. Materials and methods: Thirty-one and 47 patients suspected of having coronary artery disease were enrolled into groups examined using prospective and low-dose retrospective ECG-gated CT protocols respectively. All examinations were performed on a 128-detector CT system (Definition AS, Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany). Prospective CTCA was performed using following parameters: tube voltage 100 kV; tube current 205 mAs; centre of acquisition window 70% of the RR interval. The tube current for low-dose retrospective ECG-gated CTCA was full dose during 40-70% of the RR interval and partial dose for the rest of RR interval. The pitch varied between 0.2 and 0.5 depending on heart rate and patient size. Image quality of coronary arteries was evaluated using a four-point grading scale. The signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of enhanced arteries and myocardium were also measured, corresponding contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were calculated, and the radiation doses received were recorded. Results: There was a significant difference in the image quality scores between the retrospective and prospective gating protocols (Chi-square = 15.331, p = 0.009). There was no significant difference between the SNRs of the contrasted artery and myocardium in these two groups, but the CNRs were increased in the prospective group. The mean radiation dose of prospective gating group was 2.71 ± 0.67 mSv (range, 1.67-3.59 mSv), which was significantly lower than that of the retrospective group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Prospective CT angiography can achieve lower radiation dose than that of low-dose retrospective CT angiography, with preserved image quality.

  7. Prospective ECG triggering versus low-dose retrospective ECG-gated 128-channel CT coronary angiography: comparison of image quality and radiation dose

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Feng, Q.; Yin, Y.; Hua, X.; Zhu, R.; Hua, J. [Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China); Xu, J., E-mail: xujianr@hotmail.co [Department of Radiology, Renji Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai (China)

    2010-10-15

    Aim: To evaluate image quality and radiation dose for 128-detector prospective electrocardiogram (ECG)-gated computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) compared with a low-dose retrospective ECG-gated imaging protocol. Materials and methods: Thirty-one and 47 patients suspected of having coronary artery disease were enrolled into groups examined using prospective and low-dose retrospective ECG-gated CT protocols respectively. All examinations were performed on a 128-detector CT system (Definition AS, Siemens Healthcare, Forchheim, Germany). Prospective CTCA was performed using following parameters: tube voltage 100 kV; tube current 205 mAs; centre of acquisition window 70% of the RR interval. The tube current for low-dose retrospective ECG-gated CTCA was full dose during 40-70% of the RR interval and partial dose for the rest of RR interval. The pitch varied between 0.2 and 0.5 depending on heart rate and patient size. Image quality of coronary arteries was evaluated using a four-point grading scale. The signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) of enhanced arteries and myocardium were also measured, corresponding contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) were calculated, and the radiation doses received were recorded. Results: There was a significant difference in the image quality scores between the retrospective and prospective gating protocols (Chi-square = 15.331, p = 0.009). There was no significant difference between the SNRs of the contrasted artery and myocardium in these two groups, but the CNRs were increased in the prospective group. The mean radiation dose of prospective gating group was 2.71 {+-} 0.67 mSv (range, 1.67-3.59 mSv), which was significantly lower than that of the retrospective group (p < 0.001). Conclusion: Prospective CT angiography can achieve lower radiation dose than that of low-dose retrospective CT angiography, with preserved image quality.

  8. Low-dose memantine attenuated morphine addictive behavior through its anti-inflammation and neurotrophic effects in rats.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Chen, Shiou-Lan; Tao, Pao-Luh; Chu, Chun-Hsien; Chen, Shih-Heng; Wu, Hsiang-En; Tseng, Leon F; Hong, Jau-Shyong; Lu, Ru-Band

    2012-06-01

    Opioid abuse and dependency are international problems. Studies have shown that neuronal inflammation and degeneration might be related to the development of opioid addiction. Thus, using neuroprotective agents might be beneficial for treating opioid addiction. Memantine, an Alzheimer's disease medication, has neuroprotective effects in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we evaluated whether a low dose of memantine prevents opioid-induced drug-seeking behavior in rats and analyzed its mechanism. A conditioned-place-preference test was used to investigate the morphine-induced drug-seeking behaviors in rats. We found that a low-dose (0.2-1 mg/kg) of subcutaneous memantine significantly attenuated the chronic morphine-induced place-preference in rats. To clarify the effects of chronic morphine and low-dose memantine, serum and brain levels of cytokines and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) were measured. After 6 days of morphine treatment, cytokine (IL-1β, IL-6) levels had significantly increased in serum; IL-1β and IL-6 mRNA levels had significantly increased in the nucleus accumbens and medial prefrontal cortex, both addiction-related brain areas; and BDNF levels had significantly decreased, both in serum and in addiction-related brain areas. Pretreatment with low-dose memantine significantly attenuated chronic morphine-induced increases in serum and brain cytokines. Low-dose memantine also significantly potentiated serum and brain BDNF levels. We hypothesize that neuronal inflammation and BDNF downregulation are related to the progression of opioid addiction. We hypothesize that the mechanism low-dose memantine uses to attenuate morphine-induced addiction behavior is its anti-inflammatory and neurotrophic effects.

  9. Dose-dependent effects of intravenous lorazepam on cardiovascular activity, plasma catecholamines and psychological function during rest and mental stress

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    J.H.M. Tulen (Joke); P. Moleman (Peter); F. Boomsma (Frans); H.G. van Steenis (H.); V.J.H.M. van den Heuij (Venantius)

    1991-01-01

    textabstractDose-dependent effects of intravenously administered lorazepam on psychophysiological activity during rest and mental stress were studied in order to examine differential responses to doses which may induce anxiolysis or sedation. In a double-blind randomized cross-over study, nine male

  10. Intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) and conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy for high-grade gliomas: Does IMRT increase the integral dose to normal brain?

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Hermanto, Ulrich; Frija, Erik K.; Lii, MingFwu J.; Chang, Eric L.; Mahajan, Anita; Woo, Shiao Y.

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: To determine whether intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) treatment increases the total integral dose of nontarget tissue relative to the conventional three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy (3D-CRT) technique for high-grade gliomas. Methods and Materials: Twenty patients treated with 3D-CRT for glioblastoma multiforme were selected for a comparative dosimetric evaluation with IMRT. Original target volumes, organs at risk (OAR), and dose-volume constraints were used for replanning with IMRT. Predicted isodose distributions, cumulative dose-volume histograms of target volumes and OAR, normal tissue integral dose, target coverage, dose conformity, and normal tissue sparing with 3D-CRT and IMRT planning were compared. Statistical analyses were performed to determine differences. Results: In all 20 patients, IMRT maintained equivalent target coverage, improved target conformity (conformity index [CI] 95% 1.52 vs. 1.38, p mean by 19.8% and D max by 10.7%), optic chiasm (D mean by 25.3% and D max by 22.6%), right optic nerve (D mean by 37.3% and D max by 28.5%), and left optic nerve (D mean by 40.6% and D max by 36.7%), p ≤ 0.01. This was achieved without increasing the total nontarget integral dose by greater than 0.5%. Overall, total integral dose was reduced by 7-10% with IMRT, p < 0.001, without significantly increasing the 0.5-5 Gy low-dose volume. Conclusions: These results indicate that IMRT treatment for high-grade gliomas allows for improved target conformity, better critical tissue sparing, and importantly does so without increasing integral dose and the volume of normal tissue exposed to low doses of radiation

  11. Remediation of incomplete nitrification and capacity increase of biofilters at different drinking water treatment plants through copper dosing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wagner, Florian B; Nielsen, Peter Borch; Boe-Hansen, Rasmus; Albrechtsen, Hans-Jørgen

    2018-04-01

    Drinking water treatment plants based on groundwater may suffer from incomplete ammonium removal, which deteriorates drinking water quality and constrains water utilities in the operation of their plants. Ammonium is normally removed through nitrification in biological granular media filters, and recent studies have demonstrated that dosing of copper can stimulate the removal of ammonium. Here, we investigated if copper dosing could generically improve ammonium removal of biofilters, at treatment plants with different characteristics. Copper was dosed at ≤1.5 μg Cu/L to biofilters at 10 groundwater treatment plants, all of which had displayed several years of incomplete nitrification. Plants exceeded the Danish national water quality standard of 0.05 mg NH 4 + /L by a factor of 2-12. Within only 2-3 weeks of dosing, ammonium removal rates increased significantly (up to 150%). Nitrification was fully established, with ammonium effluent concentrations of plants, regardless of the differences in raw water chemistry, ammonium loading rates, filter design and operation, or treatment plant configuration. However, for filters without primary filtration, it took longer time to reach complete ammonium removal than for filters receiving prefiltered water, likely due to sorption of copper to iron oxides, at plants without prefiltration. With complete ammonium removal, we subjected two plants to short-term loading rate upshifts, to examine the filters' ability to cope with loading rate variations. After 2 months of dosing and an average loading rate of 1.0 g NH 4 + -N/m 3 filter material/h, the loading rate was upshifted by 50%. Yet, a filter managed to completely remove all the influent ammonium, showing that with copper dosing the filter had extra capacity to remove ammonium even beyond its normal loading rates. Depth sampling revealed that the ammonium removal rate of the filter's upper 10 cm increased more than 7-fold from 0.67 to 4.90 g NH 4 + -N/m 3 /h, and

  12. Low dose radiation exposure and atherosclerosis in ApoE{sup -/-} mice

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Mitchel, R.E.J. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Hasu, M. [Univ. of Ottawa, Department of Pathology and Lab. Medicine, and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Univ. of Ottawa Heart Inst., Vascular Biology Group, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Bugden, M.; Wyatt, H. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Little, M. [Imperial Coll., Faculty of Medicine, St. Marys Campus, London (United Kingdom); Hildebrandt, G. [Univ. Hospital, Dept. of Radiotherapy, Rostock (Germany); Priest, N.D. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Chalk River, ON (Canada); Whitman, S.C. [Univ. of Ottawa, Department of Pathology and Lab. Medicine, and Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Ottawa, ON (Canada); Univ. of Ottawa Heart Inst., Vascular Biology Group, Ottawa, ON (Canada)

    2010-07-01

    The hypothesis that single low dose exposures (0.025-0.5 Gy) to low LET radiation, given at either high (240 mGy/min) or low (1 mGy/min) dose rate, would promote aortic atherosclerosis was tested in female C57BI/6 mice genetically predisposed to this disease (ApoE-/-). Mice were exposed either at early stage disease (2 months of age) and examined 3 or 6 months later, or at late stage disease (8 months of age) and examined 2 or 4 months later. Compared to unexposed controls, all doses given at low or high dose rate at early stage disease had significant inhibitory effects on lesion growth and, at 25 or 50 mGy, on lesion frequency. No dose given at low dose rate had any effect on total serum cholesterol, but this was elevated by every dose given at high dose rate. Exposures at low dose rate had no effect on the percentage of lesion lipids contained within macrophages, and, at either high or low dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion severity. Exposure at late stage disease, to any dose at high dose rate, had no significant effect on lesion frequency, but at low dose rate some doses produced a small transient increase in this frequency. Exposure to low doses at low, but not high dose rate, significantly, but transiently reduced average lesion size, and at either dose rate transiently reduced lesion severity. Exposure to any dose at low dose rate (but not high dose rate) resulted in large and persistent decreases in serum cholesterol. These data indicate that a single low dose exposure, depending on dose and dose rate, generally protects against various measures of atherosclerosis in genetically susceptible mice. This result contrasts with the known, generally detrimental effects of high doses on this disease in the same mice, suggesting that a linear extrapolation of risk from high doses is not appropriate. (author)

  13. Circadian transitions in radiation dose-dependent augmentation of mRNA levels for DNA damage-induced genes elicited by accurate real-time RT-PCR quantification

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ishihara, Hiroshi; Tanaka, Izumi; Yakumaru, Haruko

    2010-01-01

    Molecular mechanisms of intracellular response after DNA-damage by exposure to ionizing radiation have been studied. In the case of cells isolated from living body of human and experimental animals, alteration of the responsiveness by physiological oscillation such as circadian rhythm must be considered. To examine the circadian variation in the response of p53-responsible genes p21, mdm2, bax, and puma, we established a method to quantitate their mRNA levels with high reproducibility and accuracy based on real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and compared the levels of responsiveness in mouse hemocytes after diurnal irradiation to that after nocturnal irradiation. Augmentations of p21 and mdm2 mRNA levels with growth-arrest and of puma mRNA before apoptosis were confirmed by time-course experiment in RAW264.7, and dose-dependent increases in the peak levels of all the RNA were shown. Similarly, the relative RNA levels of p21, mdm2, bax, and puma per glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) also increased dose-dependently in peripheral blood and bone marrow cells isolated from whole-body-irradiated mice. Induction levels of all messages reduced by half after nighttime irradiation as compared with daytime irradiation in blood cells. In marrow cells, nighttime irradiation enhanced the p21 and mdm2 mRNA levels than daytime irradiation. No significant difference in bax or puma mRNA levels was observed between nighttime and daytime irradiation in marrow cells. This suggests that early-stage cellular responsiveness in DNA damage-induced genes is modulated between diurnal and nocturnal irradiation. (author)

  14. Age-dependent radiation dose due to intake of uranium through drinking water in India

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sahoo, S.K.; Mohapatra, S.; Chakrabarty, A.; Sumesh, C.G.; Tripathi, R.M.; Puranik, V.D.

    2009-01-01

    In the present study, an attempt has been made to estimate the content of uranium in drinking water in various states of India by laser fluorimetry. Depending upon the rate of water intake for the different age groups, the associated radiation dose was calculated. The concentration of uranium varied between 0.1 ± 0.01 and 19.6 ± 1.8 ppb which is much lower than the drinking water guideline value of 60 ppb. The total radiation dose due to ingestion of uranium through drinking water for various age groups is found to vary from 0.14 μSv/y to 48 μSv/y. (author)

  15. SU-G-JeP2-09: Minimal Skin Dose Increase in Longitudinal Rotating Biplanar Linac-MR Systems: Examination of Radiation Energy and Flattening Filter Design

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Fallone, B; Keyvanloo, A; Burke, B; St Aubin, J; Baillie, D; Wachowicz, K; Warkentin, B; Steciw, S [Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB (Canada)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: To quantify increase in entrance skin-dose due to magnetic fields of the Alberta longitudinal linac-MR by examining the effect of radiation energy and flattening filter, using Monte Carlo calculations and accurate 3-D models of the magnetic field. Methods: The 3-D magnetic fields generated by the bi-planar Linac-MR are calculated with FEM using Opera-3D. BEAMnrc simulates the particle phase-space in the presence of the rapidly decaying fringe field of 0.5T MRI assembled with a Varian 600C linac with an isocentre distance of 130 cm for 6 MV and 10 MV beams. Skin doses are calculated at an average depth of 70 µm using DOSXYZnrc with varying SSDs and field sizes. Furthermore, flattening filters are reshaped to compensate for the significant drop in dose rate due to increased SAD of 130 cm and skin-doses are evaluated. Results: The confinement effect of the MRI fringe field on the contaminant electrons is minimal. For SSDs of 100 – 120 cm the increase in skin dose is ∼6% – 19% and ∼1% – 9% for the 6 and 10 MV beams, respectively. For 6MV, skin dose increases from ∼10.5% to 1.5%. for field-size increases of 5×5 cm2 to 20×20 cm2. For 10 MV, skin dose increases by ∼6% for a 5×5 cm2 field, and decreases by ∼1.5% for a 20×20 cm2 field. The reshaped flattening filter increases the dose rate from 355 MU/min to 529 MU/min (6 MV) or 604 MU/min (10 MV), while the skin-dose increases by only an additional ∼2.6% (all percent increases in skin dose are relative to Dmax). Conclusion: There is minimal increase in the entrance skin dose and minimal/no decrease in the dose rate of the Alberta longitudinal linac-MR system. There is even lower skin-dose increase at 10 MV. Funding: Alberta Innovates - Health Solutions (AIHS) Conflict of Interest: Fallone is a co-founder and CEO of MagnetTx Oncology Solutions (under discussions to license Alberta bi-planar linac MR for commercialization)

  16. Increased mortality by septicemia, interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis among bone marrow transplant recipients receiving an increased mean dose rate of total irradiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ringden, O.; Baaryd, I.; Johansson, B.

    1983-01-01

    Seven bone marrow transplant recipients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia receiving a mean dose rate of 0.07 Gy/min of total body irradiation towards the pelvic midpoint and the lungs had an increased (p<0.01) overall death rate of 86 per cent compared with 33 per cent among 27 patients with acute non-lymphoblastic leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia treated with a mean dose rate of 0.04 Gy/min. Among the patients receiving the higher dose rate there was an increased mortality in causes related to radiation toxicity like early septicemia, interstitial pneumonitis and pulmonary fibrosis, compared with all patients receiving the lower dose rate (p<0.01) and also with 10 patients from this group with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (p<0.02). (Auth.)

  17. Gamma Low-Dose-Rate Ionizing Radiation Stimulates Adaptive Functional and Molecular Response in Human Aortic Endothelial Cells in a Threshold-, Dose-, and Dose Rate-Dependent Manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira Dias, Juliana; Gloaguen, Celine; Kereselidze, Dimitri; Manens, Line; Tack, Karine; Ebrahimian, Teni G

    2018-01-01

    A central question in radiation protection research is whether low-dose and low-dose-rate (LDR) exposures to ionizing radiation play a role in progression of cardiovascular disease. The response of endothelial cells to different LDR exposures may help estimate risk of cardiovascular disease by providing the biological mechanism involved. We investigated the effect of chronic LDR radiation on functional and molecular responses of human aorta endothelial cells (HAoECs). Human aorta endothelial cells were continuously irradiated at LDR (6 mGy/h) for 15 days and analyzed at time points when the cumulative dose reached 0.05, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 Gy. The same doses were administered acutely at high-dose rate (HDR; 1 Gy/min). The threshold for the loss of angiogenic capacity for both LDR and HDR radiations was between 0.5 and 1.0 Gy. At 2.0 Gy, angiogenic capacity returned to normal only for HAoEC exposed to LDR radiation, associated with increased expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes. Pre-LDR, but not pre-HDR, radiation, followed by a single acute 2.0 Gy challenge dose sustained the expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes and stimulated angiogenesis. Our results suggest that dose rate is important in cellular response and that a radioadaptive response is involved for a 2.0 Gy dose at LDR.

  18. Gamma Low-Dose-Rate Ionizing Radiation Stimulates Adaptive Functional and Molecular Response in Human Aortic Endothelial Cells in a Threshold-, Dose-, and Dose Rate–Dependent Manner

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vieira Dias, Juliana; Gloaguen, Celine; Kereselidze, Dimitri; Manens, Line; Tack, Karine; Ebrahimian, Teni G

    2018-01-01

    A central question in radiation protection research is whether low-dose and low-dose-rate (LDR) exposures to ionizing radiation play a role in progression of cardiovascular disease. The response of endothelial cells to different LDR exposures may help estimate risk of cardiovascular disease by providing the biological mechanism involved. We investigated the effect of chronic LDR radiation on functional and molecular responses of human aorta endothelial cells (HAoECs). Human aorta endothelial cells were continuously irradiated at LDR (6 mGy/h) for 15 days and analyzed at time points when the cumulative dose reached 0.05, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 Gy. The same doses were administered acutely at high-dose rate (HDR; 1 Gy/min). The threshold for the loss of angiogenic capacity for both LDR and HDR radiations was between 0.5 and 1.0 Gy. At 2.0 Gy, angiogenic capacity returned to normal only for HAoEC exposed to LDR radiation, associated with increased expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes. Pre-LDR, but not pre-HDR, radiation, followed by a single acute 2.0 Gy challenge dose sustained the expression of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory genes and stimulated angiogenesis. Our results suggest that dose rate is important in cellular response and that a radioadaptive response is involved for a 2.0 Gy dose at LDR. PMID:29531508

  19. Intensity-Modulated Radiotherapy for Locally Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Dose-Escalation Planning Study

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lievens, Yolande; Nulens, An; Gaber, Mousa Amr; Defraene, Gilles; De Wever, Walter; Stroobants, Sigrid; Van den Heuvel, Frank

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: To evaluate the potential for dose escalation with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) in positron emission tomography-based radiotherapy planning for locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC). Methods and Materials: For 35 LA-NSCLC patients, three-dimensional conformal radiotherapy and IMRT plans were made to a prescription dose (PD) of 66 Gy in 2-Gy fractions. Dose escalation was performed toward the maximal PD using secondary endpoint constraints for the lung, spinal cord, and heart, with de-escalation according to defined esophageal tolerance. Dose calculation was performed using the Eclipse pencil beam algorithm, and all plans were recalculated using a collapsed cone algorithm. The normal tissue complication probabilities were calculated for the lung (Grade 2 pneumonitis) and esophagus (acute toxicity, grade 2 or greater, and late toxicity). Results: IMRT resulted in statistically significant decreases in the mean lung (p <.0001) and maximal spinal cord (p = .002 and 0005) doses, allowing an average increase in the PD of 8.6-14.2 Gy (p ≤.0001). This advantage was lost after de-escalation within the defined esophageal dose limits. The lung normal tissue complication probabilities were significantly lower for IMRT (p <.0001), even after dose escalation. For esophageal toxicity, IMRT significantly decreased the acute NTCP values at the low dose levels (p = .0009 and p <.0001). After maximal dose escalation, late esophageal tolerance became critical (p <.0001), especially when using IMRT, owing to the parallel increases in the esophageal dose and PD. Conclusion: In LA-NSCLC, IMRT offers the potential to significantly escalate the PD, dependent on the lung and spinal cord tolerance. However, parallel increases in the esophageal dose abolished the advantage, even when using collapsed cone algorithms. This is important to consider in the context of concomitant chemoradiotherapy schedules using IMRT.

  20. A novel time dependent gamma evaluation function for dynamic 2D and 3D dose distributions

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Podesta, Mark; Persoon, Lucas CGG; Verhaegen, Frank

    2014-01-01

    Modern external beam radiotherapy requires detailed verification and quality assurance so that confidence can be placed on both the delivery of a single treatment fraction and on the consistency of delivery throughout the treatment course. To verify dose distributions, a comparison between prediction and measurement must be made. Comparisons between two dose distributions are commonly performed using a Gamma evaluation which is a calculation of two quantities on a pixel by pixel basis; the dose difference, and the distance to agreement. By providing acceptance criteria (e.g. 3%, 3 mm), the function will find the most appropriate match within its two degrees of freedom. For complex dynamic treatments such as IMRT or VMAT it is important to verify the dose delivery in a time dependent manner and so a gamma evaluation that includes a degree of freedom in the time domain via a third parameter, time to agreement, is presented here. A C++ (mex) based gamma function was created that could be run on either CPU and GPU computing platforms that would allow a degree of freedom in the time domain. Simple test cases were created in both 2D and 3D comprising of simple geometrical shapes with well-defined boundaries varying over time. Changes of varying magnitude in either space or time were introduced and repeated gamma analyses were performed varying the criteria. A clinical VMAT case was also included, artificial air bubbles of varying size were introduced to a patient geometry, along with shifts of varying magnitude in treatment time. For all test cases where errors in distance, dose or time were introduced, the time dependent gamma evaluation could accurately highlight the errors. The time dependent gamma function presented here allows time to be included as a degree of freedom in gamma evaluations. The function allows for 2D and 3D data sets which are varying over time to be compared using appropriate criteria without penalising minor offsets of subsequent radiation

  1. Dose- and time-dependent radiation inhibition of RNA and glycosaminoglycan synthesis in embryonic cartilage: an in vitro study

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Cornelissen, M.; Thierens, H.; De Ridder, L. (Ghent Rijksuniversiteit (Belgium))

    1990-05-01

    Radiation effects on the RNA and glycosaminoglycan (GAG) synthesis of embryonic cartilaginous tibiae were studied in vitro during a 4- or 7-day culture period. Before culture, tibiae received single radiation doses of 20, 50 or 100 Gy. A limited, dose-dependent immediate effect on RNA and GAG synthesis was found. This effect was unchanged for 2 days. After this period a time-dependent delayed effect was observed. For each radiation dose, and for each precursor, the same time-related pattern was found. At the end of the culture period acid phosphatase activity, an early indicator of apoptosis, was higher in irradiated tibiae than in controls. No other morphological ultrastructural differences were observed at this time. The authors conclude that metabolic alterations are probably due to stimulation of initial stages of the apoptotic process in the irradiated cartilage cells. (author).

  2. New scanning technique using Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) significantly reduced the radiation dose of cardiac CT.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tumur, Odgerel; Soon, Kean; Brown, Fraser; Mykytowycz, Marcus

    2013-06-01

    The aims of our study were to evaluate the effect of application of Adaptive Statistical Iterative Reconstruction (ASIR) algorithm on the radiation dose of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and its effects on image quality of CCTA and to evaluate the effects of various patient and CT scanning factors on the radiation dose of CCTA. This was a retrospective study that included 347 consecutive patients who underwent CCTA at a tertiary university teaching hospital between 1 July 2009 and 20 September 2011. Analysis was performed comparing patient demographics, scan characteristics, radiation dose and image quality in two groups of patients in whom conventional Filtered Back Projection (FBP) or ASIR was used for image reconstruction. There were 238 patients in the FBP group and 109 patients in the ASIR group. There was no difference between the groups in the use of prospective gating, scan length or tube voltage. In ASIR group, significantly lower tube current was used compared with FBP group, 550 mA (450-600) vs. 650 mA (500-711.25) (median (interquartile range)), respectively, P ASIR group compared with FBP group, 4.29 mSv (2.84-6.02) vs. 5.84 mSv (3.88-8.39) (median (interquartile range)), respectively, P ASIR was associated with increased image noise compared with FBP (39.93 ± 10.22 vs. 37.63 ± 18.79 (mean ± standard deviation), respectively, P ASIR reduces the radiation dose of CCTA without affecting the image quality. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Medical Imaging and Radiation Oncology © 2013 The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Radiologists.

  3. Measurement of multi-slice computed tomography dose profile with the Dose Magnifying Glass and the MOSkin radiation dosimeter

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lian, C.P.L.; Wong, J.H.D.; Young, A.; Cutajar, D.; Petasecca, M.; Lerch, M.L.F.; Rosenfeld, A.B.

    2013-01-01

    This study describes the application of two in-house developed dosimeters, the Dose Magnifying Glass (DMG) and the MOSkin dosimeter at the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics, University of Wollongong, Australia, for the measurement of CT dose profiles for a clinical diagnostic 16-slice MSCT scanner. Two scanner modes were used; axial mode and helical mode, and the effect of varying beam collimation and pitch was studied. With an increase in beam collimation in axial mode and an increase of CT pitch in helical mode, cumulative point dose at scanner isocentre decreased while FWHM increased. There was generally good agreement to within 3% between the acquired dose profiles obtained by the DMG and the film except at dose profile tails, where film over-responded by up to 30% due to its intrinsic depth dose dependence at low doses. -- Highlights: ► This study shows the CT beam profiles acquired with our institution's detectors. ► The DMG is a relative dosimeter calibrated to absolute MOSkin readings. ► There was good agreement between dose profiles acquired by the DMG and the film

  4. Dose-dependent effects of oral tyrosine administration on plasma tyrosine levels and cognition in aging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rest, van de Ondine; Bloemendaal, Mirjam; Heus, De Rianne; Aarts, Esther

    2017-01-01

    The effects of tyrosine on plasma response and cognition in aging are unknown. We assessed the dose-dependent response to tyrosine administration in older adults in both plasma tyrosine concentrations and working memory performance. In this double blind randomized cross-over trial 17 older adults

  5. Dose-Dependent Effects of Oral Tyrosine Administration on Plasma Tyrosine Levels and Cognition in Aging

    NARCIS (Netherlands)

    Rest, O. van de; Bloemendaal, M.; Heus, R.A.A. de; Aarts, E.

    2017-01-01

    The effects of tyrosine on plasma response and cognition in aging are unknown. We assessed the dose-dependent response to tyrosine administration in older adults in both plasma tyrosine concentrations and working memory performance. In this double blind randomized cross-over trial 17 older adults

  6. Lack of Radiation Dose or Quality Dependence of Epithelial-to-Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) Mediated by Transforming Growth Factor β

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Andarawewa, Kumari L.; Costes, Sylvain V.; Fernandez-Garcia, Ignacio; Chou, William S.; Ravani, Shraddha A.; Park, Howard; Barcellos-Hoff, Mary Helen

    2011-01-01

    Purpose: Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a phenotype that alters cell morphology, disrupts morphogenesis, and increases motility. Our prior studies have shown that the progeny of human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) irradiated with 2 Gy undergoes transforming growth factor β (TGF-β)-mediated EMT. In this study we determined whether radiation dose or quality affected TGF-β-mediated EMT. Methods and Materials: HMECs were cultured on tissue culture plastic or in Matrigel (BD Biosciences, San Jose, CA) and exposed to low or high linear energy transfer (LET) and TGF-β (400 pg/mL). Image analysis was used to measure membrane-associated E-cadherin, a marker of functional epithelia, or fibronectin, a product of mesenchymal cells, as a function of radiation dose and quality. Results: E-cadherin was reduced in TGF-β-treated cells irradiated with low-LET radiation doses between 0.03 and 2 Gy compared with untreated, unirradiated cells or TGF-β treatment alone. The radiation quality dependence of TGF-β-mediated EMT was determined by use of 1 GeV/amu (gigaelectron volt / atomic mass unit) 56 Fe ion particles at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Space Radiation Laboratory. On the basis of the relative biological effectiveness of 2 for 56 Fe ion particles' clonogenic survival, TGF-β-treated HMECs were irradiated with equitoxic 1-Gy 56 Fe ion or 2-Gy 137 Cs radiation in monolayer. Furthermore, TGF-β-treated HMECs irradiated with either high- or low-LET radiation exhibited similar loss of E-cadherin and gain of fibronectin and resulted in similar large, poorly organized colonies when embedded in Matrigel. Moreover, the progeny of HMECs exposed to different fluences of 56 Fe ion underwent TGF-β-mediated EMT even when only one-third of the cells were directly traversed by the particle. Conclusions: Thus TGF-β-mediated EMT, like other non-targeted radiation effects, is neither radiation dose nor quality dependent at the doses examined.

  7. Page 1 ~'----------------------------- Dose-dependent effects ...

    African Journals Online (AJOL)

    Abstract We cOInpared the serwn levels of oestrogen and progesterone and the endoInetrial Inorphology of. nOrInal pregnant rats at 5,5 days' gestation ~th those of pregnant rats given either low (10 IU) or high (20 IU) doses of two gonadotrophins: follicle-. stiInulating hOrInone (FSH) and hwnan chorionic gonadotrophin ...

  8. High-dose benzodiazepine dependence: a qualitative study of patients' perception on cessation and withdrawal.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Liebrenz, Michael; Gehring, Marie-Therese; Buadze, Anna; Caflisch, Carlo

    2015-05-13

    Benzodiazepine withdrawal syndrome has been reported following attempts to withdraw even from low or therapeutic doses and has been compared to barbiturate and alcohol withdrawal. This experience is known to deter patients from future cessation attempts. Research on other psychotropic substances shows that the reasons and motivations for withdrawal attempts - as well as the experiences surrounding those attempts - at least partially predict future efforts at discontinuation as well as relapse. We therefore aimed to qualitatively explore what motivates patients to discontinue this medication as well as to examine their experiences surrounding previous and current withdrawal attempts and treatment interventions in order to positively influence future help-seeking behavior and compliance. To understand these patients better, we conducted a series of 41 unstructured, narrative, in-depth interviews among adult Swiss patients with a long-term dependent use of benzodiazepines in doses equivalent to more than 40 mg diazepam per day and/or otherwise problematic use (mixing benzodiazepines, escalating dosage, recreational use or illegal purchase). Mayring's qualitative content analysis was used to evaluate findings. These high-dose benzodiazepine-dependent patients decision to change consumption patterns were affected by health concerns, the feeling of being addicted and social factors. Discontinuation attempts were frequent and not very successful with fast relapse. Withdrawal was perceived to be a difficult, complicated, and highly unpredictable process. The first attempt at withdrawal occurred at home and typically felt better than at the clinic. Inpatient treatment was believed to be more effective with long term treatment (approaches) than short term. Patients preferred gradual reduction of usage to abrupt cessation (and had experienced both). While no clear preferences for withdrawal were found for benzodiazepines with specific pharmacokinetic properties, participants

  9. Dose and dose rate monitor

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Novakova, O.; Ryba, J.; Slezak, V.; Svobodova, B.; Viererbl, L.

    1984-10-01

    The methods are discussea of measuring dose rate or dose using a scintillation counte. A plastic scintillator based on polystyrene with PBD and POPOP activators and coated with ZnS(Ag) was chosen for the projected monitor. The scintillators were cylindrical and spherical in shape and of different sizes; black polypropylene tubes were chosen as the best case for the probs. For the counter with different plastic scintillators, the statistical error 2σ for natural background was determined. For determining the suitable thickness of the ZnS(Ag) layer the energy dependence of the counter was measured. Radioisotopes 137 Cs, 241 Am and 109 Cd were chosen as radiation sources. The best suited ZnS(Ag) thickness was found to be 0.5 μm. Experiments were carried out to determine the directional dependence of the detector response and the signal to noise ratio. The temperature dependence of the detector response and its compensation were studied, as were the time stability and fatigue manifestations of the photomultiplier. The design of a laboratory prototype of a dose rate and dose monitor is described. Block diagrams are given of the various functional parts of the instrument. The designed instrument is easiiy portable, battery powered, measures dose rates from natural background in the range of five orders, i.e., 10 -2 to 10 3 nGy/s, and allows to determine a dose of up to 10 mGy. Accouracy of measurement in the energy range of 50 keV to 1 MeV is better than +-20%. (E.S.)

  10. Normal tissue dose-effect models in biological dose optimisation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Alber, M.

    2008-01-01

    Sophisticated radiotherapy techniques like intensity modulated radiotherapy with photons and protons rely on numerical dose optimisation. The evaluation of normal tissue dose distributions that deviate significantly from the common clinical routine and also the mathematical expression of desirable properties of a dose distribution is difficult. In essence, a dose evaluation model for normal tissues has to express the tissue specific volume effect. A formalism of local dose effect measures is presented, which can be applied to serial and parallel responding tissues as well as target volumes and physical dose penalties. These models allow a transparent description of the volume effect and an efficient control over the optimum dose distribution. They can be linked to normal tissue complication probability models and the equivalent uniform dose concept. In clinical applications, they provide a means to standardize normal tissue doses in the face of inevitable anatomical differences between patients and a vastly increased freedom to shape the dose, without being overly limiting like sets of dose-volume constraints. (orig.)

  11. A dose-effect correlation for radioiodine ablation in differentiated thyroid cancer

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Flux, Glenn D; Chittenden, Sarah J; Buckley, Susan; Hindorf, Cecilia [Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Department of Physics, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom); Haq, Masud; Newbold, Kate; Harmer, Clive L [Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, Thyroid Unit, Sutton, Surrey (United Kingdom)

    2010-02-15

    The aim of this study was to determine the range of absorbed doses delivered to thyroid remnants, blood, and red marrow from fixed administrations of radioiodine and to ascertain whether the success of ablation is more dependent on these absorbed doses than on the administered activity. Twenty-three patients received 3,000 MBq radioiodine following near-total thyroidectomy. The maximum absorbed dose to remnants was calculated from subsequent single photon emission tomography scans. Absorbed doses delivered to blood and red marrow were calculated from blood samples and from whole-body retention measurements. The protein bound iodine (PBI) was also calculated. Maximum absorbed doses to thyroid remnants ranged from 7 to 570 Gy. Eighteen of the 23 patients had a successful ablation. A significant difference was seen between the absorbed doses delivered to thyroid remnants, blood, and red marrow for those patients that had a successful ablation compared to those with a failed ablation (p = 0.030, p = 0.043 and p = 0.048, respectively). The difference between the PBI values acquired at day 1 and day 6 were also indicative of response (p = 0.074). A successful ablation is strongly dependent on the absorbed dose to the thyroid remnant. Dosimetry-based personalized treatment can prevent both sub-optimal administrations, which entails further radioiodine therapy, and excessive administration of radioactivity, which increases the potential for radiation toxicity. (orig.)

  12. Novel application of stem cell-derived neurons to evaluate the time- and dose-dependent progression of excitotoxic injury.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Ian M Gut

    Full Text Available Glutamate receptor (GluR-mediated neurotoxicity is implicated in a variety of disorders ranging from ischemia to neural degeneration. Under conditions of elevated glutamate, the excessive activation of GluRs causes internalization of pathologic levels of Ca(2+, culminating in bioenergetic failure, organelle degradation, and cell death. Efforts to characterize cellular and molecular aspects of excitotoxicity and conduct therapeutic screening for pharmacologic inhibitors of excitogenic progression have been hindered by limitations associated with primary neuron culture. To address this, we evaluated glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in highly enriched glutamatergic neurons (ESNs derived from murine embryonic stem cells. As of 18 days in vitro (DIV 18, ESNs were synaptically coupled, exhibited spontaneous network activity with neurotypic mEPSCs and expressed NMDARs and AMPARs with physiological current:voltage behaviors. Addition of 0.78-200 μM glutamate evoked reproducible time- and dose-dependent metabolic failure in 6 h, with a calculated EC50 value of 0.44 μM at 24 h. Using a combination of cell viability assays and electrophysiology, we determined that glutamate-induced toxicity was specifically mediated by NMDARs and could be inhibited by addition of NMDAR antagonists, increased extracellular Mg(2+ or substitution of Ba(2+ for Ca(2+. Glutamate treatment evoked neurite fragmentation and focal swelling by both immunocytochemistry and scanning electron microscopy. Presentation of morphological markers of cell death was dose-dependent, with 0.78-200 μM glutamate resulting in apoptosis and 3000 μM glutamate generating a mixture of necrosis and apoptosis. Addition of neuroprotective small molecules reduced glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in a dose-dependent fashion. These data indicate that ESNs replicate many of the excitogenic mechanisms observed in primary neuron culture, offering a moderate-throughput model of excitotoxicity that combines the

  13. Dependence of malformation upon gestational age and exposed dose of gamma radiation

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Kim, Sung-Ho; Lee, Jong-Hwan; Oh, Heon; Kim, Se-Ra [Chonnam National Univ., Kwangju (Korea, Republic of). Coll. of Veterinary Medicine; Lee, Cha-Soo; Jo, Sung-Kee; Kim, Tae-Hwan; Lee, Yun-Sil

    2001-09-01

    In order to evaluate the importance of gestational age and the dose-incidence relationship by gamma radiation, pregnant ICR mice at gestational days from 2.5 to 15.5 days post-coitus (p.c.) were exposed to a single dose of 2.0 Gy and also at day 11.5 after conception, which was the most sensitive stage for the induction of major congenital malformations. The animals were sacrificed on day 18 of gestation and the fetuses were examined for mortality, growth retardation, changes in head size and other morphological abnormalities. The only demonstrable effect of irradiation during the pre-implantation period was an increase in prenatal mortality. Resorptions were maximal on exposure at day 2.5 after conception. The pre-implantation irradiated embryos which survived did not show any major fetal abnormalities. A small head, growth retardation, a cleft palate, dilatation of the cerebral ventricle, a renal pelvis, and abnormalities of the extremities and tail after exposure were prominent during the organogenesis period, especially on day 11.5 of gestation. As for the dose-incidence relationship, the incidence of a small head, growth-retarded fetuses, a cleft palate, dilatation of cerebral ventricle and abnormalities of the extremities in live fetuses rose as the radiation dose increased. The result indicated that the late period of organogenesis in the development of the brain, skull and extremities of a mouse was a particularly sensitive phase. The threshold doses of radiation that induced a cleft palate and dilatation of the cerebral ventricle, and abnormal extremities were between 1.0 and 2.0 Gy, and between 0.5 and 1.0 Gy, respectively. (author)

  14. Dependence of malformation upon gestational age and exposed dose of gamma radiation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kim, Sung-Ho; Lee, Jong-Hwan; Oh, Heon; Kim, Se-Ra; Lee, Cha-Soo; Jo, Sung-Kee; Kim, Tae-Hwan; Lee, Yun-Sil

    2001-01-01

    In order to evaluate the importance of gestational age and the dose-incidence relationship by gamma radiation, pregnant ICR mice at gestational days from 2.5 to 15.5 days post-coitus (p.c.) were exposed to a single dose of 2.0 Gy and also at day 11.5 after conception, which was the most sensitive stage for the induction of major congenital malformations. The animals were sacrificed on day 18 of gestation and the fetuses were examined for mortality, growth retardation, changes in head size and other morphological abnormalities. The only demonstrable effect of irradiation during the pre-implantation period was an increase in prenatal mortality. Resorptions were maximal on exposure at day 2.5 after conception. The pre-implantation irradiated embryos which survived did not show any major fetal abnormalities. A small head, growth retardation, a cleft palate, dilatation of the cerebral ventricle, a renal pelvis, and abnormalities of the extremities and tail after exposure were prominent during the organogenesis period, especially on day 11.5 of gestation. As for the dose-incidence relationship, the incidence of a small head, growth-retarded fetuses, a cleft palate, dilatation of cerebral ventricle and abnormalities of the extremities in live fetuses rose as the radiation dose increased. The result indicated that the late period of organogenesis in the development of the brain, skull and extremities of a mouse was a particularly sensitive phase. The threshold doses of radiation that induced a cleft palate and dilatation of the cerebral ventricle, and abnormal extremities were between 1.0 and 2.0 Gy, and between 0.5 and 1.0 Gy, respectively. (author)

  15. Dose- and time-dependent effects of phenobarbital on gene expression profiling in human hepatoma HepaRG cells

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Lambert, Carine B.; Spire, Catherine; Claude, Nancy; Guillouzo, Andre

    2009-01-01

    Phenobarbital (PB) induces or represses a wide spectrum of genes in rodent liver. Much less is known about its effects in human liver. We used pangenomic cDNA microarrays to analyze concentration- and time-dependent gene expression profile changes induced by PB in the well-differentiated human HepaRG cell line. Changes in gene expression profiles clustered at specific concentration ranges and treatment times. The number of correctly annotated genes significantly modulated by at least three different PB concentration ranges (spanning 0.5 to 3.2 mM) at 20 h exposure amounted to 77 and 128 genes (p ≤ 0.01) at 2- and 1.8-fold filter changes, respectively. At low concentrations (0.5 and 1 mM), PB-responsive genes included the well-recognized CAR- and PXR-dependent responsive cytochromes P450 (CYP2B6, CYP3A4), sulfotransferase 2A1 and plasma transporters (ABCB1, ABCC2), as well as a number of genes critically involved in various metabolic pathways, including lipid (CYP4A11, CYP4F3), vitamin D (CYP24A1) and bile (CYP7A1 and CYP8B1) metabolism. At concentrations of 3.2 mM or higher after 20 h, and especially 48 h, increased cytotoxic effects were associated with disregulation of numerous genes related to oxidative stress, DNA repair and apoptosis. Primary human hepatocyte cultures were also exposed to 1 and 3.2 mM PB for 20 h and the changes were comparable to those found in HepaRG cells treated under the same conditions. Taken altogether, our data provide further evidence that HepaRG cells closely resemble primary human hepatocytes and provide new information on the effects of PB in human liver. These data also emphasize the importance of investigating dose- and time-dependent effects of chemicals when using toxicogenomic approaches

  16. Dose rate effectiveness in radiation-induced teratogenesis in mice

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Kato, F.; Ootsuyama, A.; Norimura, T.

    2000-01-01

    To investigate the role of p53 gene in tissue repair of teratogenic injury, we compared incidence of radiation-induced malformations in homozygous p53(-/-) mice, heterozygous p53(+/-) mice and wild-type p53(+/+) mice. After X-irradiation with 2 Gy at high dose rate on 9.5 days of gestation, p53(-/-) mice showed higher incidences of anomalies and higher resistance to prenatal deaths than p53(+/+) mice. This reciprocal relationship of radiosensitivity to anomalies and deaths supports the notion that embryos or fetuses have a p53-dependent 'guardian' that aborts cells bearing radiation-induced teratogenic DNA damage. In fact, after X-irradiation, the number of apoptotic cells was greatly increased in p53(+/+) fetuses but not in p53(-/-) fetuses. The same dose of γ-ray exposure at low dose rate on 9.5-10.5 day of gestation produced significant reduction of radiation-induced malformation in p53(+/+) and p53(+/-) mice, remained teratogenic for p53(-/-) mice. These results suggest that complete elimination of teratogenic damage from irradiated tissues requires the concerted cooperation of two mechanisms; proficient DNA repair and the p53-dependent apoptotic tissue repair. When concerted DNA repair and apoptosis functions efficiently, there is a threshold dose-rate for radiation-induced malformations. (author)

  17. Radiation dose exposure in patients affected by lymphoma undergoing repeat CT examinations: how to manage the radiation dose variability.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Paolicchi, Fabio; Bastiani, Luca; Guido, Davide; Dore, Antonio; Aringhieri, Giacomo; Caramella, Davide

    2018-03-01

    To assess the variability of radiation dose exposure in patients affected by lymphoma undergoing repeat CT (computed tomography) examinations and to evaluate the influence of different scan parameters on the overall radiation dose. A series of 34 patients (12 men and 22 women with a median age of 34.4 years) with lymphoma, after the initial staging CT underwent repeat follow-up CT examinations. For each patient and each repeat examination, age, sex, use of AEC system (Automated Exposure Control, i.e. current modulation), scan length, kV value, number of acquired scans (i.e. number of phases), abdominal size diameter and dose length product (DLP) were recorded. The radiation dose of just one venous phase was singled out from the DLP of the entire examination. All scan data were retrieved by our PACS (Picture Archiving and Communication System) by means of a dose monitoring software. Among the variables we considered, no significant difference of radiation dose was observed among patients of different ages nor concerning tube voltage. On the contrary the dose delivered to the patients varied depending on sex, scan length and usage of AEC. No significant difference was observed depending on the behaviour of technologists, while radiologists' choices had indirectly an impact on the radiation dose due to the different number of scans requested by each of them. Our results demonstrate that patients affected by lymphoma who undergo repeat whole body CT scanning may receive unnecessary overexposure. We quantified and analyzed the most relevant variables in order to provide a useful tool to manage properly CT dose variability, estimating the amount of additional radiation dose for every single significant variable. Additional scans, incorrect scan length and incorrect usage of AEC system are the most relevant cause of patient radiation exposure.

  18. Transition in Survival From Low-Dose Hyper-Radiosensitivity to Increased Radioresistance Is Independent of Activation of ATM SER1981 Activity

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Krueger, Sarah A.; Collis, Spencer J.; Joiner, Michael C.; Wilson, George D.; Marples, Brian

    2007-01-01

    Purpose: The molecular basis of low-dose hyper-radiosensitivity (HRS) is only partially understood. The aim of this study was to define the roles of ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) activity and the downstream ATM-dependent G 2 -phase cell cycle checkpoint in overcoming HRS and triggering radiation resistance. Methods and Materials: Survival was measured using a high-resolution clonogenic assay. ATM Ser1981 activation was measured by Western blotting. The role of ATM was determined in survival experiments after molecular (siRNA) and chemical (0.4 mM caffeine) inhibition and chemical (20 μg/mL chloroquine, 15 μM genistein) activation 4-6 h before irradiation. Checkpoint responsiveness was assessed in eight cell lines of differing HRS status using flow cytometry to quantify the progression of irradiated (0-2 Gy) G 2 -phase cells entering mitosis, using histone H3 phosphorylation analysis. Results: The dose-response pattern of ATM activation was concordant with the transition from HRS to radioresistance. However, ATM activation did not play a primary role in initiating increased radioresistance. Rather, a relationship was discovered between the function of the downstream ATM-dependent early G 2 -phase checkpoint and the prevalence and overcoming of HRS. Four cell lines that exhibited HRS failed to show low-dose ( 2 -phase checkpoint. These data suggest that clinical exploitation of HRS could be achieved by combining radiotherapy with chemotherapeutic agents that modulate this cell cycle checkpoint

  19. Radiation dose and second cancer risk in patients treated for cancer of the cervix

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Boice, J.D. Jr.; Engholm, G.; Kleinerman, R.A.

    1988-01-01

    The risk of cancer associated with a broad range of organ doses was estimated in an international study of women with cervical cancer. Among 150,000 patients reported to one of 19 population-based cancer registries or treated in any of 20 oncology clinics, 4188 women with second cancers and 6880 matched controls were selected for detailed study. Radiation doses for selected organs were reconstructed for each patient on the basis of her original radiotherapy records. Very high doses, on the order of several hundred gray, were found to increase the risk of cancers of the bladder [relative risk (RR) = 4.0], rectum (RR = 1.8), vagina (RR = 2.7), and possibly bone (RR = 1.3), uterine corpus (RR = 1.3), cecum (RR = 1.5), and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (RR = 2.5). For all female genital cancers taken together, a sharp dose-response gradient was observed, reaching fivefold for doses more than 150 Gy. Several gray increased the risk of stomach cancer (RR = 2.1) and leukemia (RR = 2.0). Although cancer of the pancreas was elevated, there was no evidence of a dose-dependent risk. Cancer of the kidney was significantly increased among 15-year survivors. A nonsignificant twofold risk of radiogenic thyroid cancer was observed following an average dose of only 0.11 Gy. Breast cancer was not increased overall, despite an average dose of 0.31 Gy and 953 cases available for evaluation (RR = 0.9); there was, however, a weak suggestion of a dose response among women whose ovaries had been surgically removed. Doses greater than 6 Gy to the ovaries reduced breast cancer risk by 44%. A significant deficit of ovarian cancer was observed within 5 years of radiotherapy; in contrast, a dose response was suggested among 10-year survivors

  20. Impact of radiation technique, radiation fraction dose, and total cisplatin dose on hearing. Retrospective analysis of 29 medulloblastoma patients

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Scobioala, Sergiu; Kittel, Christopher; Ebrahimi, Fatemeh; Wolters, Heidi; Eich, Hans Theodor; Parfitt, Ross; Matulat, Peter; Am Zehnhoff-Dinnesen, Antoinette

    2017-01-01

    To analyze the incidence and degree of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) resulting from different radiation techniques, fractionation dose, mean cochlear radiation dose (D mean ), and total cisplatin dose. In all, 29 children with medulloblastoma (58 ears) with subclinical pretreatment hearing thresholds participated. Radiotherapy (RT) and cisplatin had been applied sequentially according to the HIT MED Guidance. Audiological outcomes up to the latest follow-up (median 2.6 years) were compared. Bilateral high-frequency SNHL was observed in 26 patients (90%). No significant differences were found in mean hearing threshold between left and right ears at any frequency. A significantly better audiological outcome (p < 0.05) was found after tomotherapy at the 6 kHz bone-conduction threshold (BCT) and left-sided 8 kHz air-conduction threshold (ACT) than after a combined radiotherapy technique (CT). Fraction dose was not found to have any impact on the incidence, degree, and time-to-onset of SNHL. Patients treated with CT had a greater risk of SNHL at high frequencies than tomotherapy patients even though D mean was similar. Increase in severity of SNHL was seen when the total cisplatin dose reached above 210 mg/m 2 , with the highest abnormal level found 8-12 months after RT regardless of radiation technique or fraction dose. The cochlear radiation dose should be kept as low as possible in patients who receive simultaneous cisplatin-based chemotherapy. The risk of clinically relevant HL was shown when D mean exceeds 45 Gy independent of radiation technique or radiation regime. Cisplatin ototoxicity was shown to have a dose-dependent effect on bilateral SNHL, which was more pronounced in higher frequencies. (orig.) [de

  1. Influence of radiation dose and dose-rate on modification of barley seed radiosensitivity by post-treatment with caffeine

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sharma, G.J.

    1987-01-01

    Influence of radiation doses (100, 150 and 200 Gy) and dose-rates (1.27-0.023 Gy/Sec) on the modification of oxic and anoxic radiation damage by caffeine at different concentrations has been investigated using metabolizing barley seeds as test system. As the radiation dose increases from 100 to 200 Gy, the magnitude of oxic and anoxic damages increase at all the dose-rates. Caffeine is able to afford partial radioprotection against the oxic damage, at the same time potentiating the anoxic damage. However, caffeine effect against the oxic and anoxic components of damage depend largely upon the dose of radiation applied and also on the dose-rate used. The possible mechanism of action of caffeine in bringing about the differential modification of oxic and anoxic damages has been discussed. 19 refs., 2 tables. (author)

  2. Laboratory measures of methylphenidate effects in cocaine-dependent patients receiving treatment.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Roache, J D; Grabowski, J; Schmitz, J M; Creson, D L; Rhoades, H M

    2000-02-01

    Two experiments examined the effects of methylphenidate in male and female patients enrolled in an outpatient treatment program for primary cocaine dependence. The first study was a component of a double-blind efficacy trial wherein 57 patients were first tested in a human laboratory for their initial responsiveness to medication. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either placebo or methylphenidate treatment and received their first dose in the human laboratory environment before continuing in outpatient treatment. Methylphenidate was given as a 20-mg sustained-release dose (twice daily) plus an additional 5-mg immediate-release dose combined with the morning dose. Methylphenidate increased heart rate and subjective ratings; however, the subjective effects were primarily of a "dysphoric" nature, and significant effects were limited to increases in anxiety, depression, and anger on the Profile of Mood States; shaky/jittery ratings on a visual analog scale; and dysphoria on the lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) scale of the Addiction Research Center Inventory. Methylphenidate did not increase cocaine craving nor ratings suggesting abuse potential (i.e., Morphine-Benzedrine Group or drug-liking scores, etc.). None of the drug effects observed in the human laboratory was of clinical concern, and no subject was precluded from continuing in the outpatient study. After outpatient treatment completion, 12 patients were brought back into a second double-blind human laboratory study in which three doses (15, 30, and 60 mg) of immediate-release methylphenidate were administered in an ascending series preceded and followed by placebo. Methylphenidate produced dose-related increases in heart rate, subjective ratings of shaky/jittery, and LSD/dysphoria without significantly altering cocaine craving or stimulant euphoria ratings. These results suggest that stimulant substitution-type approaches to the treatment of cocaine dependence are not necessarily contraindicated

  3. Milnacipran affects mouse impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors in a distinct dose-dependent manner

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Iku Tsutsui-Kimura

    2017-07-01

    Full Text Available Serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs are widely used for the treatment for major depressive disorder, but these drugs induce several side effects including increased aggression and impulsivity, which are risk factors for substance abuse, criminal involvement, and suicide. To address this issue, milnacipran (0, 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg, an SNRI and antidepressant, was intraperitoneally administered to mice prior to the 3-choice serial reaction time task, resident–intruder test, and forced swimming test to measure impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors, respectively. A milnacipran dose of 10 mg/kg suppressed all behaviors, which was accompanied by increased dopamine and serotonin levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC but not in the nucleus accumbens (NAc. Although the most effective dose for depressive-like behavior was 30 mg/kg, the highest dose increased aggressive behavior and unaffected impulsive behavior. Increased dopamine levels in the NAc could be responsible for the effects. In addition, the mice basal impulsivity was negatively correlated with the latency to the first agonistic behavior. Thus, the optimal dose range of milnacipran is narrower than previously thought. Finding drugs that increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the mPFC without affecting dopamine levels in the NAc is a potential strategy for developing novel antidepressants.

  4. Acute dose and low dose-rate irradiation of carcinoma cells expressing human papillomavirus E6 and E7 oncoproteins - the significance of p53, Rb and G1 arrest status

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    DeWeese, Theodore L.; Walsh, Jonathan C.; Dillehay, Larry E.; Shao, Y.; Kessis, Theodore D.; Cho, Kathleen R.; Nelson, William G.

    1995-01-01

    Purpose: The development of carcinomas in a number of sites including the cervix, vulva and anus have been associated with cellular infection by human papillomaviruses (HPV), including HPV 16 and HPV 18. The mechanism by which these viruses contribute to tumor development or progression seems in part to be related to the integration of the viral genome into the host cells DNA, and the binding of p53 protein by the HPV E6 oncoprotein as well as the binding of the retinoblastoma (Rb) protein and Rb-like proteins by the HPV E7 oncoprotein. These interactions lead to loss of p53 and Rb function including loss of the G 1 cell cycle checkpoint. Although it is believed that both p53 and Rb play a role in the radiosensitivity of the cell, whether alteration in either protein enhances or diminishes cellular radiation response is not clear from the literature. Because HPV-associated tumors such as cervical cancer are often treated with acute dose and/or low dose-rate radiation, we set out to evaluate the radiation response of several carcinoma cell sublines expressing either oncogenic E6 or E7 to both types of radiation, and to determine if p53/Rb dependent G 1 arrest is an important determinant of cell fate after irradiation. Materials and Methods: We have previously developed a series of RKO colorectal carcinoma cell sublines expressing both low-risk (HPV 11) and high-risk (HPV 16) E6 and E7 genes. p53-dependent G 1 arrest is intact in RKO parental cells and cells expressing low-risk E6 proteins, while the G 1 arrest is abrogated in cells expressing high-risk E6 or E7. Clonogenic survival was assessed after exposure to acute dose (1 Gy/min) and low dose-rate (0.25 Gy/hour) radiation. The radiobiologic parameters α, β and the surviving fraction at 2 Gy (SF2) were determined. SDS-PAGE/immunoblotting was carried out to assess both p53 and p21 WAF1/CIP1 levels after exposure to radiation. Flow cytometry was performed before and after exposure to low dose-rate radiation to

  5. Dose dependent sun protective effect of topical melatonin

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Scheuer, Cecilie; Pommergaard, Hans-Christian; Rosenberg, Jacob

    2016-01-01

    BACKGROUND: Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) by sunlight results in an increasing number of skin conditions. Earlier studies have suggested a protective effect of topical treatment with the pineal hormone melatonin. However, this protective effect has never been evaluated in natural sunlight......-blind study in healthy volunteers. Twenty-three healthy volunteers, 8 male and 15 female, were enrolled. The protective effect of three different doses of melatonin cream (0.5%, 2.5%, 12.5%) against erythema induced by natural sunlight was tested. All participants had their backs exposed to sun from 1:22 PM.......5% concentrations. CONCLUSION: Application of melatonin cream 12.5% protects against natural sunlight induced erythema....

  6. Dose-dependent zoning of estranged territory after the Chernobyl power plant accident

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Savkin, M.N.

    1994-01-01

    The alienation zone was forming in May-September 1986 when the population was evacuated from the areas nearest to the Chernobyl power pilant. The presnet-day contour of the zone is a result of combination of a geographic criterion, a circular with a 30 km radius, and of radiation criteria developed at the earliest stages after the accident. The authors discuss dose-dependent regioning of the alienation zone at the latest stages of the accident and analyze radiation and hygienic aspects of possible reevacuation of the population

  7. Low doses of ultraviolet-B or ultraviolet-C radiation affect phytohormones in young pea plants

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Ivanov, S.; Azmi, A.; Prinsen, E.; Van Onckelen, H.; Alexieva, V.; Katerova, Z.

    2009-01-01

    Pea (cv. Scinado) seedlings were exposed to low doses of ultraviolet-B (UV-B; 4.4 and 13.3 kJ/square m/d) or UV-C (0.1 and 0.3 kJ/square m/d) radiation for 14 d. Aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (ACC), indoleacetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) concentrations were quantified by gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The accumulation of ACC upon irradiation was dose-dependent. ABA conc. was reduced and IAA conc. increased upon UV-C treatment, whereas the UV-B doses used did not cause significant changes in ABA and IAA levels

  8. Metformin decreases lung cancer risk in diabetic patients in a dose-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsai, Ming-Ju; Yang, Chih-Jen; Kung, Ya-Ting; Sheu, Chau-Chyun; Shen, Yu-Ting; Chang, Pi-Yu; Huang, Ming-Shyan; Chiu, Herng-Chia

    2014-11-01

    Higher risk of lung cancer has been noted in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). Some observational studies have shown a reduced risk of lung cancer in DM patients taking metformin, but a dose-response relationship has never been reported. The aim of this study is to exam the association between the dose of metformin and the incidence of lung cancer in a Chinese population. The dataset used for this nationwide population-based study is a cohort of 1 million subjects randomly sampled from individuals enrolled in the Taiwan National Health Insurance system. We enrolled all subjects with newly diagnosed type 2 DM between 1997 and 2007. Subjects with a diagnosis of neoplasm before DM diagnosis, those using metformin before DM diagnosis, those with polycystic ovary syndrome, and those with a DM diagnosis before their 15 years of age were excluded. The demographic data and duration, cumulative dose and intensity of metformin use were compared between patients developing lung cancer and those without lung cancer. Totally, 47,356 subjects were identified. After adjusting for age, gender, and modified Charlson Comorbidity Index score, the utilization of metformin was an independent protecting factor, and the risk of developing lung cancer decreased progressively with either the higher cumulative dose or the higher intensity of metformin use. This study revealed that the use of metformin decreased the risk of lung cancer in a dose-dependent manner in patients with type 2 DM. The chemo-preventive effect of metformin deserves further study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

  9. Genetic basis of haloperidol resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae is complex and dose dependent.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xin Wang

    2014-12-01

    Full Text Available The genetic basis of most heritable traits is complex. Inhibitory compounds and their effects in model organisms have been used in many studies to gain insights into the genetic architecture underlying quantitative traits. However, the differential effect of compound concentration has not been studied in detail. In this study, we used a large segregant panel from a cross between two genetically divergent yeast strains, BY4724 (a laboratory strain and RM11_1a (a vineyard strain, to study the genetic basis of variation in response to different doses of a drug. Linkage analysis revealed that the genetic architecture of resistance to the small-molecule therapeutic drug haloperidol is highly dose-dependent. Some of the loci identified had effects only at low doses of haloperidol, while other loci had effects primarily at higher concentrations of the drug. We show that a major QTL affecting resistance across all concentrations of haloperidol is caused by polymorphisms in SWH1, a homologue of human oxysterol binding protein. We identify a complex set of interactions among the alleles of the genes SWH1, MKT1, and IRA2 that are most pronounced at a haloperidol dose of 200 µM and are only observed when the remainder of the genome is of the RM background. Our results provide further insight into the genetic basis of drug resistance.

  10. Genetic Basis of Haloperidol Resistance in Saccharomyces cerevisiae Is Complex and Dose Dependent

    Science.gov (United States)

    Wang, Xin; Kruglyak, Leonid

    2014-01-01

    The genetic basis of most heritable traits is complex. Inhibitory compounds and their effects in model organisms have been used in many studies to gain insights into the genetic architecture underlying quantitative traits. However, the differential effect of compound concentration has not been studied in detail. In this study, we used a large segregant panel from a cross between two genetically divergent yeast strains, BY4724 (a laboratory strain) and RM11_1a (a vineyard strain), to study the genetic basis of variation in response to different doses of a drug. Linkage analysis revealed that the genetic architecture of resistance to the small-molecule therapeutic drug haloperidol is highly dose-dependent. Some of the loci identified had effects only at low doses of haloperidol, while other loci had effects primarily at higher concentrations of the drug. We show that a major QTL affecting resistance across all concentrations of haloperidol is caused by polymorphisms in SWH1, a homologue of human oxysterol binding protein. We identify a complex set of interactions among the alleles of the genes SWH1, MKT1, and IRA2 that are most pronounced at a haloperidol dose of 200 µM and are only observed when the remainder of the genome is of the RM background. Our results provide further insight into the genetic basis of drug resistance. PMID:25521586

  11. TH-EF-BRB-03: Significant Cord and Esophagus Dose Reduction by 4π Non-Coplanar Spine Stereotactic Body Radiation Therapy and Stereotactic Radiosurgery

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Yu, V; Tran, A; Nguyen, D; Woods, K; Cao, M; Kaprealian, T; Chin, R; Low, D; Sheng, K [UCLA, Los Angeles, CA (United States)

    2016-06-15

    Purpose: To demonstrate significant organ-at-risk (OAR) sparing achievable with 4π non-coplanar radiotherapy on spine SBRT and SRS patients. Methods: Twenty-five stereotactic spine cases previously treated with VMAT (n = 23) or IMRT (n = 2) were included in this study. A computer-aided-design model of a Linac with a 3D-scanned human surface was utilized to determine the feasible beam space throughout the 4π steradian and beam specific source-to-target-distances (STD) required for collision avoidance. 4π radiotherapy plans integrating beam orientation and fluence map optimization were then created using a column-generation algorithm. Twenty optimal beams were selected for each case. To evaluate the tradeoff between dosimetric benefit and treatment complexity, 4π plans including only isocentrically deliverable beams were also created. Beam angles of all standard and isocentric 4π plans were imported into Eclipse to recalculate the dose using the same calculation engine as the clinical plans for unbiased comparison. OAR and PTV dose statistics for the clinical, standard-4π, and isocentric-4π plans were compared. Results: Comparing standard-4π to clinical plans, particularly significant average percent reduction in the [mean, maximum] dose of the cord and esophagus of [41%, 21.7%], and [38.7%, 36.4%] was observed, along with global decrease in all other OAR dose statistics. The average cord volume receiving more than 50% prescription dose was substantially decreased by 76%. In addition, improved PTV coverage was demonstrated with a maximum dose reduction of 0.93% and 1.66% increase in homogeneity index (D95/D5). All isocentric-4π plans achieved dosimetric performance equivalent to that of the standard-4π plans with higher delivery complexity. Conclusion: 4π radiotherapy significantly improves stereotactic spine treatment dosimetry. With the substantial OAR dose sparing, PTV dose escalation is considerably safer. Isocentric-4π is sufficient to achieve the

  12. Dose-dependent effect of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs on fertility and survival of Drosophila: An in-vivo study.

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Akanksha Raj

    Full Text Available Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs containing consumer products have been proliferating in the market due to its unique antimicrobial property, however, lack of in-depth knowledge about their potential effect on human health in a longer run is of great concern. Therefore, we investigated dose-dependent in vivo effect of AgNPs using Drosophila as a model system. Drosophila, a genetically tractable organism with distinct developmental stages, short life cycle and significant homology with human serves as an ideal organism to study nanomaterial-mediated toxicity. Our studies suggest that ingestion of AgNPs in Drosophila during adult stage for short and long duration significantly affects egg laying capability along with impaired growth of ovary. Additionally, dietary intake of AgNPs from larval stage has more deleterious effects that result in reduced survival, longevity, ovary size and egg laying capability at a further lower dosage. Interestingly, the trans-generational effect of AgNPs was also observed without feeding progeny with AgNPs, thereby suggesting its impact from previous generation. Our results strongly imply that higher doses of AgNPs and its administration early during development is detrimental to the reproductive health and survival of Drosophila that follows in generations to come without feeding them to AgNPs.

  13. Effects of increasing doses of samarium-153-ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonate on axial and appendicular skeletal growth in juvenile rabbits

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Essman, Stephanie C. [Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States)], E-mail: essmans@missouri.edu; Lewis, Michael R. [Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States); Department of Radiology, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States); Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States); Research Service, Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital, Columbia, MO 65201 (United States); Fox, Derek B. [Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Missouri-Columbia, Columbia, MO 65211 (United States)

    2008-02-15

    Introduction: Targeted radiotherapy using samarium-153-ethylenediaminetetramethylene phosphonate ({sup 153}Sm-EDTMP) is currently under investigation for treatment of osteosarcoma. Osteosarcoma often occurs in children, and previous studies on a juvenile rabbit model demonstrated that clinically significant damage to developing physeal cartilage may occur as a result of systemic {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate the late effects of {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP on skeletal structures during growth to maturity and to determine if there is a dose response of {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP on growth of long bones. Methods: Female 8-week-old New Zealand white rabbits were divided into three treatment groups plus controls. Each rabbit was intravenously administered a predetermined dose of {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP. Multiple bones of each rabbit were radiographed every 2 months until physeal closure, with subsequent measurements made to assess for abbreviated bone growth. Statistical analyses were performed to determine the differences in bone length between groups, with significance set at P<.05. Results: Significant differences in lengths of multiple bones were detected between the high-dose group and other treatment groups and controls at each time interval. A significant difference in lengths of the tibias was also noted in the medium-treatment group, compared to controls. Mean reduction of bone length was first detected at 4 months and did not increase significantly over time. Conclusions: These data suggest that clinically significant bone shortening may occur as a result of high-dosage administration of {sup 153}Sm-EDTMP. Further investigation regarding the effects of bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals on bone growth and physeal cartilage is warranted.

  14. Measurement of spatial dose distribution for evaluation operator dose during nero-interventional procedures

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Han, Su Chul; Hong, Dong Hee

    2016-01-01

    The spatial dose distribution was measured with ionization chamber as preliminary study to evaluate operator dose and to study dose reduction during neuro-interventional procedures. The zone of operators was divided into four area (45, 135, 225, and 315 degree).We supposed that operator exist on the four area and indicated location of critical organs(eyes, breast, gonad). The spatial doses were measured depending on distance( 80, 100, 120, and 140 cm) and location of critical organs. The spatial doses of area of 225 degree were 114.5 mR/h (eyes location), 143.1 mR/h (breast location) and 147 mR/h (gonad location) in 80 cm. When changed location of x-ray generator, spatial dose increased in 18.1±10.5%, averagely. We certified spatial dose in the operator locations, Using the results of this study, It is feasible to protect operator from radiation in neuro-interventional procedures

  15. Measurement of spatial dose distribution for evaluation operator dose during nero-interventional procedures

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Han, Su Chul [Division of Medical Radiation Equipment, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seoul (Korea, Republic of); Hong, Dong Hee [Dept. of Radiology Science, Far East University, Eumseong (Korea, Republic of)

    2016-09-15

    The spatial dose distribution was measured with ionization chamber as preliminary study to evaluate operator dose and to study dose reduction during neuro-interventional procedures. The zone of operators was divided into four area (45, 135, 225, and 315 degree).We supposed that operator exist on the four area and indicated location of critical organs(eyes, breast, gonad). The spatial doses were measured depending on distance( 80, 100, 120, and 140 cm) and location of critical organs. The spatial doses of area of 225 degree were 114.5 mR/h (eyes location), 143.1 mR/h (breast location) and 147 mR/h (gonad location) in 80 cm. When changed location of x-ray generator, spatial dose increased in 18.1±10.5%, averagely. We certified spatial dose in the operator locations, Using the results of this study, It is feasible to protect operator from radiation in neuro-interventional procedures.

  16. Increased opioid dependence in a mouse model of panic disorder

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Xavier Gallego

    2010-02-01

    Full Text Available Panic disorder is a highly prevalent neuropsychiatric disorder that shows co-occurrence with substance abuse. Here, we demonstrate that TrkC, the high affinity receptor for neurotrophin-3, is a key molecule involved in panic disorder and opiate dependence, using a transgenic mouse model (TgNTRK3. Constitutive TrkC overexpression in TgNTRK3 mice dramatically alters spontaneous firing rates of locus coeruleus neurons and the response of the noradrenergic system to chronic opiate exposure, possibly related to the altered regulation of neurotrophic peptides observed. Notably, TgNTRK3 locus coeruleus neurons showed an increased firing rate in saline-treated conditions and profound abnormalities in their response to met5-enkephalin. Behaviorally, chronic morphine administration induced a significantly increased withdrawal syndrome in TgNTRK3 mice. In conclusion, we show here that the NT-3/TrkC system is an important regulator of neuronal firing in locus coeruleus and could contribute to the adaptations of the noradrenergic system in response to chronic opiate exposure. Moreover, our results indicate that TrkC is involved in the molecular and cellular changes in noradrenergic neurons underlying both panic attacks and opiate dependence and support a functional endogenous opioid deficit in panic disorder patients.

  17. Effect of dose and dose rate of gamma radiation on catalytic activity of catalase

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Vaclav Cuba; Tereza Pavelkova; Viliam Mucka

    2010-01-01

    Catalytic activity of gamma irradiated catalase from bovine liver was studied for hydrogen peroxide decomposition at constant temperature and pressure. The measurement was performed at temperatures 27, 32, 37, 42 and 47 deg C. Solutions containing 1 and 0.01 g dm -3 of catalase in phosphate buffer were used for the study. Repeatability of both sample preparation and kinetics measurement was experimentally verified. Rate constants of the reaction were determined for all temperatures and the activation energy was evaluated from Arrhenius plot. Gamma irradiation was performed using 60 Co radionuclide source Gammacell 220 at two different dose rates 5.5 and 70 Gy h -1 , with doses ranging from 10 to 1000 Gy. The observed reaction of irradiated and non-irradiated catalase with hydrogen peroxide is of the first order. Irradiation significantly decreases catalytic activity of catalase, but the activation energy does not depend markedly on the dose. The effect of irradiation is more significant at higher dose rate. (author)

  18. Parkinson’s Disease: Low-Dose Haloperidol Increases Dopamine Receptor Sensitivity and Clinical Response

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Craig J. Hudson

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available Background. It is known that ultra-low doses of haloperidol can cause dopamine supersensitivity of dopamine D2 receptors and related behaviour in animals. Objective. The objective was to determine whether a daily ultra-low dose of 40 micrograms of haloperidol could enhance the clinical action of levodopa in Parkinson’s disease patients. Method. While continuing their daily treatment with levodopa, 16 patients with Parkinson’s disease were followed weekly for six weeks. They received an add-on daily dose of 40 micrograms of haloperidol for the first two weeks only. The SPES/SCOPA scale (short scale for assessment of motor impairments and disabilities in Parkinson’s disease was administered before treatment and weekly throughout the trial. Results. The results showed a mean decrease in SPES/SCOPA scores after one week of the add-on treatment. Conclusion. SCOPA scores decreased after the addition of low-dose haloperidol to the standard daily levodopa dose. This finding is consistent with an increase in sensitivity of dopamine D2 receptors induced by haloperidol. Such treatment for Parkinson’s disease may possibly permit the levodopa dose to be reduced and, thus, delay the onset of levodopa side effects.

  19. Temperature dependence of radiation effects in polyethylene

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Wu, G; Katsumura, Y.; Kudoh, H.; Morita, Y.; Seguchi, T.

    2000-01-01

    Temperature dependence of crosslinking and gas evolution under γ-irradiation was studied for high-density and low-density polyethylene samples in the 30-360degC range. It was found that crosslinking was the predominant process up to 300degC and the gel point decreased with increasing temperature. At above 300degC, however, the gel fraction at a given dose decreased rapidly with temperature and the action of radiation turned to enhance polyethylene degradation. Yields of H 2 and hydrocarbon gases increased with temperature and the compositions of hydrocarbons were dose dependent. (author)

  20. Dose indices: everybody wants a number

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Strauss, Keith J.

    2014-01-01

    This paper discusses the merits and weaknesses of the standard terms that have been developed to quantify CT dose: CT dose indices (CTDI), dose length product (DLP) and effective dose. The difference between the measured CTDI vol and the CTDI vol displayed on the CT scanner illustrates a clinical dilemma. Displayed CTDI vol represents the radiation dose delivered to a plastic phantom, which is significantly different from the dose delivered to the patient, depending on the size of the patient. Although effective dose is simple to calculate for an individual patient, it was never intended for this purpose. The need for a simple, appropriate method to estimate pediatric patient doses led to the development of the size-specific dose estimate (SSDE), the newest CT dose index. Here I compare SSDE and its merits to the use of effective dose to estimate patient dose. The discussion concludes with a few sample calculations and basic clinical applications of SSDE to better quantify pediatric patient dose from CT scans. (orig.)

  1. Dose and batch-dependent hepatobiliary toxicity of 10 nm silver nanoparticles

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Marcella De Maglie

    2015-07-01

    Full Text Available Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs are widely used because of their antimicrobial properties in medical devices and in a variety of consumer products. The extensive use of AgNPs raises concerns about their potential toxicity, although it is still difficult to draw definite conclusions about their toxicity based on published data. Our preliminary studies performed to compare the effect of the AgNPs size (10-40-100 nm on toxicity, demonstrated that the smallest AgNPs determine the most severe toxicological effects. In order to best investigate the impact of physicochemical characteristics of 10 nm AgNPs on toxicity, we compare three different batches of 10 nm AgNPs slightly different in size distribution (Batch A: 8.8±1.7 nm; Batch B: 9.4±1.7 nm; Batch C: 10.0±1.8 nm. Mice were intravenously treated with two doses (5 and 10 mg/kg of the 3 AgNPs. 24 hours after the treatment, mice were euthanized and underwent complete necropsy. Tissues were collected for histopathological examination and total silver content was determined in tissues by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS. All batches induced severe hepatobiliary lesions, i.e. marked hepatocellular necrosis and massive hemorrhage of the gall bladder. The toxicity was dose-dependent and interestingly, the toxic effects were more severe in mice treated with batches A and B that contained smaller AgNPs. Since the total silver mass concentration was similar, the observed batch-dependent toxicity suggest that even subtle differences in size may contribute to relevant changes in the toxicological outcomes, confirming the fundamental involvement of physicochemical features with respect to toxicity.

  2. The dose dependence of fracture toughness Of F82H steel

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Sokolov, M. [Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Materials Science and Technology Div., TN (United States); Tanigawa, H.; Ando, M.; Shiba, K. [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Tokai-mura, Naga-gun, Ibaraki-ken (Japan); Odette, G. [UCSB, Santa-Barbara, Dept. of Mechanical Engineering UCSB, AK (United States); Hirose, T. [Blanket Engineering Group, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Naka, Ibaraki (Japan); Klueh, R.L. [Oak Ridge Noational Laboratory, TN (United States)

    2007-07-01

    Full text of publication follows: The ferritic-martensitic steel F82H is a primary candidate low-activation material for fusion applications, and it is being investigated in the joint U.S. Department of Energy-Japan Atomic Energy Agency. As a part of this program, several capsules containing fracture toughness specimens were irradiated in High-Flux Isotope Reactor. These specimens were irradiated to a wide range of doses from 3.5 to 25 dpa. The range of irradiation temperature was from 250 deg. C to 500 deg. C. This paper summarizes the changes in fracture toughness transition temperature and decrease in the ductile fracture toughness as result of various irradiation conditions. It is shown that in the 3.5 to 25 dpa dose range, irradiation temperature plays the key rote in determination of the shift of the transition temperature. Highest embrittlement observed at 250 deg.C and the lowest at 500 deg. C. At a given irradiation temperature, shift of the fracture toughness transition temperature increases slightly with dose within the studied dose range. It appears that main gain in transition temperature shift occurred during initial {approx}5 dpa of irradiation. The present data are compared to the available published trends. (authors)

  3. A model for homeopathic remedy effects: low dose nanoparticles, allostatic cross-adaptation, and time-dependent sensitization in a complex adaptive system

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Bell Iris R

    2012-10-01

    Full Text Available Abstract Background This paper proposes a novel model for homeopathic remedy action on living systems. Research indicates that homeopathic remedies (a contain measurable source and silica nanoparticles heterogeneously dispersed in colloidal solution; (b act by modulating biological function of the allostatic stress response network (c evoke biphasic actions on living systems via organism-dependent adaptive and endogenously amplified effects; (d improve systemic resilience. Discussion The proposed active components of homeopathic remedies are nanoparticles of source substance in water-based colloidal solution, not bulk-form drugs. Nanoparticles have unique biological and physico-chemical properties, including increased catalytic reactivity, protein and DNA adsorption, bioavailability, dose-sparing, electromagnetic, and quantum effects different from bulk-form materials. Trituration and/or liquid succussions during classical remedy preparation create “top-down” nanostructures. Plants can biosynthesize remedy-templated silica nanostructures. Nanoparticles stimulate hormesis, a beneficial low-dose adaptive response. Homeopathic remedies prescribed in low doses spaced intermittently over time act as biological signals that stimulate the organism’s allostatic biological stress response network, evoking nonlinear modulatory, self-organizing change. Potential mechanisms include time-dependent sensitization (TDS, a type of adaptive plasticity/metaplasticity involving progressive amplification of host responses, which reverse direction and oscillate at physiological limits. To mobilize hormesis and TDS, the remedy must be appraised as a salient, but low level, novel threat, stressor, or homeostatic disruption for the whole organism. Silica nanoparticles adsorb remedy source and amplify effects. Properly-timed remedy dosing elicits disease-primed compensatory reversal in direction of maladaptive dynamics of the allostatic network, thus promoting

  4. Increase in cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART) in specific areas of the mouse brain by acute caffeine administration.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Cho, Jin Hee; Cho, Yun Ha; Kim, Hyo Young; Cha, Seung Ha; Ryu, Hyun; Jang, Wooyoung; Shin, Kyung Ho

    2015-04-01

    Caffeine produces a variety of behavioral effects including increased alertness, reduced food intake, anxiogenic effects, and dependence upon repeated exposure. Although many of the effects of caffeine are mediated by its ability to block adenosine receptors, it is possible that other neural substrates, such as cocaine- and amphetamine-regulated transcript (CART), may be involved in the effects of caffeine. Indeed, a recent study demonstrated that repeated caffeine administration increases CART in the mouse striatum. However, it is not clear whether acute caffeine administration alters CART in other areas of the brain. To explore this possibility, we investigated the dose- and time-dependent changes in CART immunoreactivity (CART-IR) after a single dose of caffeine in mice. We found that a high dose of caffeine (100 mg/kg) significantly increased CART-IR 2 h after administration in the nucleus accumbens shell (AcbSh), dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST), central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA), paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus (PVN), arcuate hypothalamic nucleus (Arc), and locus coeruleus (LC), and returned to control levels after 8 h. But this increase was not observed in other brain areas. In addition, caffeine administration at doses of 25 and 50 mg/kg appears to produce dose-dependent increases in CART-IR in these brain areas; however, the magnitude of increase in CART-IR observed at a dose of 50 mg/kg was similar or greater than that observed at a dose of 100 mg/kg. This result suggests that CART-IR in AcbSh, dBNST, CeA, PVN, Arc, and LC is selectively affected by caffeine administration. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  5. Short communication: Experimental toxocarosis in Chinese Kun Ming mice: Dose-dependent larval distribution and modulation of immune responses.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Ma, Guangxu; Tan, Yancai; Hu, Ling; Luo, Yongfang; Zhu, Honghong; Zhou, Rongqiong

    2015-12-01

    Toxocarosis is an important parasitic zoonosis which is mainly caused by the infective larvae of Toxocara canis. To identify whether there are correlations among the infectious dose, the larval migrans and immune modulation in inbred Chinese Kun Ming (KM) mice, experimental infections were carried out with a range of dosages of 100, 500, 1000, 2000, and 3000 embryonated eggs (EE). Pathogenic reactions were observed in terms of physical and central nervous symptoms. Distributions of T. canis larvae in liver, lung, kidney, heart and brain organs were respectively detected by scanning tissue sections. Moreover, quantitative real-time PCR was employed to identify the variations of Th2 immune response. The results showed that high inocula resulted in advanced larval emergences and arrested migrations in liver, lung, kidney and brain. However, no larvae were found in any of the histological sections of heart tissues. Higher levels of interleukin (IL)-4, IL-5, and IL-10 were detected along with the increasing inoculation doses, but the heaviest inoculum (3000 EE in this study) resulted in the sharp reduction of these ILs. Although no neurological symptoms or mortalities were noticed, these results indicated dose-dependent distribution patterns and immune regulations of T. canis larvae infection in KM mice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

  6. Low-Dose Fluvastatin and Valsartan Rejuvenate the Arterial Wall Through Telomerase Activity Increase in Middle-Aged Men.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Janić, Miodrag; Lunder, Mojca; Cerkovnik, Petra; Prosenc Zmrzljak, Uršula; Novaković, Srdjan; Šabovič, Mišo

    2016-04-01

    Previously, we have shown that slightly to moderately aged arteries in middle-aged males can be rejuvenated functionally by sub-therapeutic, low-dose fluvastatin and valsartan treatment. Here, we explore whether this treatment could also increase telomerase activity. We hypothesized that telomerase activity might be associated with (1) an improvement of arterial wall properties and (2) a reduction of inflammatory/oxidative stress parameters (both observed in our previous studies). The stored blood samples from 130 apparently healthy middle-aged males treated with fluvastatin (10 mg daily), valsartan (20 mg daily), fluvastatin and valsartan combination (10 and 20 mg), respectively, and placebo (control), were analyzed. The samples were taken before and after treatment lasting 30 days, and 5 months after treatment discontinuation. Telomerase activity was measured in blood leukocytes by a TaqMan Gene Expression Assay. Low-dose fluvastatin or valsartan increased telomerase activity (106.9% and 59.5% respectively; both p valsartan substantially increased telomerase activity, which significantly correlated with an improvement of endothelial function and a decrease of inflammation/oxidative stress. These findings could lead to a new innovative approach to arterial rejuvenation.

  7. High-dose thalidomide increases the risk of peripheral neuropathy in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Hong-xia Xue

    2015-01-01

    Full Text Available Thalidomide is an effective drug for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis but might induce peripheral neuropathy. This major adverse reaction has attracted much concern. The current study aimed to observe the incidence of thalidomide-induced peripheral neuropathy among ankylosing spondylitis patients for 1 year after treatment. In this study, 207 ankylosing spondylitis cases received thalidomide treatment, while 116 ankylosing spondylitis cases received other treatments. Results showed that the incidence of thalidomide-induced peripheral neuropathy in the thalidomide group was higher than that in the non-thalidomide group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of neuropathy between the < 6 months medication and ≥ 6 months medication groups. There were no differences in the mean age, gender, or daily dose between the two groups. The incidence of peripheral neuropathy among patients receiving 25, 50, 75, or 100 mg thalidomide per day was 4.6%, 8.5%, 17.1%, 21.7%, respectively. The incidence was significantly different between the groups receiving 25 mg and 100 mg thalidomide. In conclusion, thalidomide can induce peripheral neuropathy within 1 year after treatment of ankylosing spondylitis; however, age and gender have no obvious impact on the incidence of peripheral neuropathy. The incidence of peripheral neuropathy is associated with increasing daily doses of thalidomide.

  8. Cellular retention of radioactivity and increased radiation dose. Model experiments with EGF-dextran

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Sundberg, Aasa Liljegren; Blomquist, Erik; Carlsson, Joergen; Steffen, Ann-Charlott; Gedda, Lars

    2003-01-01

    Targeting of tumor cells with radiolabeled biomolecules is a possible approach to inactivate disseminated tumor cells. However, rapid degradation of the biomolecules after cellular internalization and subsequent excretion of the radioactivity is a problem. We studied the possibility of using dextran as a carrier of radionuclides to improve the intracellular retention. An EGF-dextran conjugate, aimed for targeting of tumor cells overexpressing the EGF-receptor, was used as model. Retention tests were performed with 125 I on different parts: [ 125 I]-EGF-dextran-[ 125 I], [ 125 I]-EGF-dextran and EGF-dextran-[ 125 I]. Comparisons were made with [ 125 I]-EGF. The radiolabeled compounds were incubated with cultured glioma cells for different times. The cellular retention of radioactivity was then measured for up to 24 h. Expected radiation doses at the cellular level were calculated assuming that 131 I, instead of 125 I, was coupled to EGF and EGF-dextran. The results indicated that the EGF-part of the conjugate was degraded and the EGF-attached radioactivity was rapidly excreted, whereas radioactivity on dextran was retained intracellularly to a high degree, i.e. 70-80% of the radioactivity bound to dextran was still cell-associated after 24 h. The retention after 24 h was significantly higher (p < 0.001) when the radioactivity was on the dextran instead of the EGF-part. The radiolabeled EGF-dextran had a notably high specific radioactivity; up to 11 MBq/μg. There was potential for at least hundred times increased radiation dose per receptor interaction when the radioactivity was on the dextran part. The advantage with radioactivity on the dextran part was the high cellular retention and the high specific radioactivity (higher than previously reported for other residualizing labels) without severe loss of receptor specific binding. Thus, dextran seems suitable as a carrier of radionuclides aimed for therapy and gives potential for a highly increased radiation dose

  9. Dose-dependent pulmonary response of well-dispersed titanium dioxide nanoparticles following intratracheal instillation

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Oyabu, Takako; Morimoto, Yasuo; Hirohashi, Masami; Horie, Masanori; Kambara, Tatsunori; Lee, Byeong Woo; Hashiba, Masayoshi; Mizuguchi, Yohei; Myojo, Toshihiko; Kuroda, Etsushi

    2013-01-01

    In order to investigate the relationship between pulmonary inflammation and particle clearance of nanoparticles, and also their dose dependency, we performed an instillation study of well-dispersed TiO 2 nanoparticles and examined the pulmonary inflammations, the particle clearance rate and histopathological changes. Wistar rats were intratracheally administered 0.1 mg (0.33 mg/kg), 0.2 mg (0.66 mg/kg), 1 mg (3.3 mg/kg), and 3 mg (10 mg/kg) of well-dispersed TiO 2 nanoparticles (diameter of agglomerates: 25 nm), and the pulmonary inflammation response and the amount of TiO 2 in the lung were determined from 3 days up to 12 months sequentially after the instillation. There were no increases of total cell or neutrophil counts in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in the 0.1 and the 0.2 mg-administered groups. On the other hand, mild infiltration of neutrophils was observed in the 1 and 3 mg-administered groups. Histopathological findings showed infiltration of neutrophils in the 1 and 3 mg-administered groups. Of special note, a granulomatous lesion including a local accumulation of TiO 2 was observed in the bronchioli-alveolar space in the 3 mg-administered group. The biological half times of the TiO 2 in the lung were 4.2, 4.4, 6.7, and 10.8 months in the 0.1, 0.2, 1, and 3 mg-administered groups, respectively. Neutrophil infiltration was observed as the particle clearance was delayed, suggesting that an excessive dose of TiO 2 nanoparticles may induce pulmonary inflammation and clearance delay.

  10. RADIOIODINE TREATMENT OF GRAVES’ DISEASE – DOSE/RESPONSE ANALYSIS

    Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

    Jitka Čepková

    2014-01-01

    Full Text Available The clinical outcome of 153 Graves’ disease patients treated with a wide dose range of radioactive iodine-131 (RAI was analyzed retrospectively. Six to nine months after the first dose of RAI 60 patients (39% were hypothyroid (or rather thyroxine-substituted and 26 (17% were euthyroid, while 67 patients (44% did not respond properly: in 32 (21% their antithyroid drug (ATD dose could be reduced but not withdrawn (partial response and 35 (23% remained hyperthyroid or the same dose of ATD was necessary (no response. The outcome did not correspond significantly to the administered activity of RAI (medians 259, 259, 222, and 259 MBq for hypothyroid, euthyroid, partial, and no response subgroups, respectively, or the activity retained in the gland at 24 h (medians 127, 105, 143, and 152 MBq. The effect was, however, clearly, and in a stepwise pattern, dependent on initial thyroid volume (17, 26, 33 and 35 ml, P  6 MBq/g, cure rate 80% and lower (≤ 6 MBq/g, cure rate 46% doses gave highly significant difference (P < 0.001. With our dosing range we found a dose-dependent clinical outcome that suggests an optimum delivered dose near 6.5 MBq/g, resulting in successful treatment of ca 80% patients.

  11. Cytotoxicity and Genotoxicity of Cypermethrin in Hepatocarcinoma Cells: A Dose- and Time-Dependent Study.

    Science.gov (United States)

    AlKahtane, Abdullah A; Alarifi, Saud; Al-Qahtani, Ahmed A; Ali, Daoud; Alomar, Suliman Y; Aleissia, Mohammed S; Alkahtani, Saad

    2018-01-01

    Most of the agricultural workers are potentially exposed to pesticides through different routes. Inhalation exposures may result in numerous diseases that can adversely affect an individual's health and capacity to perform at work. The aim of this study was to determine the cytotoxic potential of cypermethrin pesticide on cultured human hepatocarcinoma (HepG2) cells. The HepG2 cells were exposed to cypermethrin (0, 5, 15, 40 ng/mL) for 24 and 48 hours. We observed that cypermethrin caused cell death of HepG2 cells using 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiozolyl-2)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase tests. Furthermore, cypermethrin reduced HepG2 cells viability in a time and dose dependent basis, that was probably mediated through the induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptosis. An increase in ROS generation with a concomitant increase in expression of the proapoptotic protein Bcl-2 and cytochrome c and decrease in the antiapoptosis protein Bax suggested that a mitochondria-mediated pathway was involved in cypermethrin-induced apoptosis. These findings provide insights into the underlying mechanisms involved in cytotoxicity of cypermethrin in HepG2 cells.

  12. Pediatric Obesity: Pharmacokinetic Alterations and Effects on Antimicrobial Dosing.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Natale, Stephanie; Bradley, John; Nguyen, William Huy; Tran, Tri; Ny, Pamela; La, Kirsten; Vivian, Eva; Le, Jennifer

    2017-03-01

    Limited data exist for appropriate drug dosing in obese children. This comprehensive review summarizes pharmacokinetic (PK) alterations that occur with age and obesity, and these effects on antimicrobial dosing. A thorough comparison of different measures of body weight and specific antimicrobial agents including cefazolin, cefepime, ceftazidime, daptomycin, doripenem, gentamicin, linezolid, meropenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, tobramycin, vancomycin, and voriconazole is presented. PubMed (1966-July 2015) and Cochrane Library searches were performed using these key terms: children, pharmacokinetic, obesity, overweight, body mass index, ideal body weight, lean body weight, body composition, and specific antimicrobial drugs. PK studies in obese children and, if necessary, data from adult studies were summarized. Knowledge of PK alterations stemming from physiologic changes that occur with age from the neonate to adolescent, as well as those that result from increased body fat, become an essential first step toward optimizing drug dosing in obese children. Excessive amounts of adipose tissue contribute significantly to body size, total body water content, and organ size and function that may modify drug distribution and clearance. PK studies that evaluated antimicrobial dosing primarily used total (or actual) body weight (TBW) for loading doses and TBW or adjusted body weight for maintenance doses, depending on the drugs' properties and dosing units. PK studies in obese children are imperative to elucidate drug distribution, clearance, and, consequently, the dose required for effective therapy in these children. Future studies should evaluate the effects of both age and obesity on drug dosing because the incidence of obesity is increasing in pediatric patients. © 2017 Pharmacotherapy Publications, Inc.

  13. Both oophorectomy and obesity impaired solely hippocampal-dependent memory via increased hippocampal dysfunction.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Mantor, Duangkamol; Pratchayasakul, Wasana; Minta, Wanitchaya; Sutham, Wissuta; Palee, Siripong; Sripetchwandee, Jirapas; Kerdphoo, Sasiwan; Jaiwongkum, Thidarat; Sriwichaiin, Sirawit; Krintratun, Warunsorn; Chattipakorn, Nipon; Chattipakorn, Siriporn C

    2018-04-17

    Our previous study demonstrated that obesity aggravated peripheral insulin resistance and brain dysfunction in the ovariectomized condition. Conversely, the effect of obesity followed by oophorectomy on brain oxidative stress, brain apoptosis, synaptic function and cognitive function, particularly in hippocampal-dependent and hippocampal-independent memory, has not been investigated. Our hypothesis was that oophorectomy aggravated metabolic impairment, brain dysfunction and cognitive impairment in obese rats. Thirty-two female rats were fed with either a normal diet (ND, n = 16) or a high-fat diet (HFD, n = 16) for a total of 20 weeks. At week 13, rats in each group were subdivided into sham and ovariectomized subgroups (n = 8/subgroup). At week 20, all rats were tested for hippocampal-dependent and hippocampal-independent memory by using Morris water maze test (MWM) and Novel objective recognition (NOR) tests, respectively. We found that the obese-insulin resistant condition occurred in sham-HFD-fed rats (HFS), ovariectomized-ND-fed rats (NDO), and ovariectomized-HFD-fed rats (HFO). Increased hippocampal oxidative stress level, increased hippocampal apoptosis, increased hippocampal synaptic dysfunction, decreased hippocampal estrogen level and impaired hippocampal-dependent memory were observed in HFS, NDO, and HFO rats. However, the hippocampal-independent memory, cortical estrogen levels, cortical ROS production, and cortical apoptosis showed no significant difference between groups. These findings suggested that oophorectomy and obesity exclusively impaired hippocampal-dependent memory, possibly via increased hippocampal dysfunction. Nonetheless, oophorectomy did not aggravate these deleterious effects under conditions of obesity. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.

  14. Milnacipran affects mouse impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors in a distinct dose-dependent manner.

    Science.gov (United States)

    Tsutsui-Kimura, Iku; Ohmura, Yu; Yoshida, Takayuki; Yoshioka, Mitsuhiro

    2017-07-01

    Serotonin/noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs) are widely used for the treatment for major depressive disorder, but these drugs induce several side effects including increased aggression and impulsivity, which are risk factors for substance abuse, criminal involvement, and suicide. To address this issue, milnacipran (0, 3, 10, or 30 mg/kg), an SNRI and antidepressant, was intraperitoneally administered to mice prior to the 3-choice serial reaction time task, resident-intruder test, and forced swimming test to measure impulsive, aggressive, and depressive-like behaviors, respectively. A milnacipran dose of 10 mg/kg suppressed all behaviors, which was accompanied by increased dopamine and serotonin levels in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) but not in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). Although the most effective dose for depressive-like behavior was 30 mg/kg, the highest dose increased aggressive behavior and unaffected impulsive behavior. Increased dopamine levels in the NAc could be responsible for the effects. In addition, the mice basal impulsivity was negatively correlated with the latency to the first agonistic behavior. Thus, the optimal dose range of milnacipran is narrower than previously thought. Finding drugs that increase serotonin and dopamine levels in the mPFC without affecting dopamine levels in the NAc is a potential strategy for developing novel antidepressants. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

  15. Hall effect mobility for SiC MOSFETs with increasing dose of nitrogen implantation into channel region

    Science.gov (United States)

    Noguchi, Munetaka; Iwamatsu, Toshiaki; Amishiro, Hiroyuki; Watanabe, Hiroshi; Kita, Koji; Yamakawa, Satoshi

    2018-04-01

    The Hall effect mobility (μHall) of the Si-face 4H-SiC metal–oxide–semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) with a nitrogen (N)-implanted channel region was investigated by increasing the N dose. The μHall in the channel region was systematically examined regarding channel structures, that is, the surface and buried channels. It was experimentally demonstrated that increasing the N dose results in an improvement in μHall in the channel region due to the formation of the buried channel. However, further increase in N dose was found to decrease the μHall in the channel region, owing to the decrease in the electron mobility in the N-implanted bulk region.

  16. Time- and dose-dependent effects of total-body ionizing radiation on muscle stem cells

    Science.gov (United States)

    Masuda, Shinya; Hisamatsu, Tsubasa; Seko, Daiki; Urata, Yoshishige; Goto, Shinji; Li, Tao-Sheng; Ono, Yusuke

    2015-01-01

    Exposure to high levels of genotoxic stress, such as high-dose ionizing radiation, increases both cancer and noncancer risks. However, it remains debatable whether low-dose ionizing radiation reduces cellular function, or rather induces hormetic health benefits. Here, we investigated the effects of total-body γ-ray radiation on muscle stem cells, called satellite cells. Adult C57BL/6 mice were exposed to γ-radiation at low- to high-dose rates (low, 2 or 10 mGy/day; moderate, 50 mGy/day; high, 250 mGy/day) for 30 days. No hormetic responses in proliferation, differentiation, or self-renewal of satellite cells were observed in low-dose radiation-exposed mice at the acute phase. However, at the chronic phase, population expansion of satellite cell-derived progeny was slightly decreased in mice exposed to low-dose radiation. Taken together, low-dose ionizing irradiation may suppress satellite cell function, rather than induce hormetic health benefits, in skeletal muscle in adult mice. PMID:25869487

  17. Exposure to Sublethal Doses of Fipronil and Thiacloprid Highly Increases Mortality of Honeybees Previously Infected by Nosema ceranae

    Science.gov (United States)

    Vidau, Cyril; Diogon, Marie; Aufauvre, Julie; Fontbonne, Régis; Viguès, Bernard; Brunet, Jean-Luc; Texier, Catherine; Biron, David G.; Blot, Nicolas; El Alaoui, Hicham; Belzunces, Luc P.; Delbac, Frédéric

    2011-01-01

    Background The honeybee, Apis mellifera, is undergoing a worldwide decline whose origin is still in debate. Studies performed for twenty years suggest that this decline may involve both infectious diseases and exposure to pesticides. Joint action of pathogens and chemicals are known to threaten several organisms but the combined effects of these stressors were poorly investigated in honeybees. Our study was designed to explore the effect of Nosema ceranae infection on honeybee sensitivity to sublethal doses of the insecticides fipronil and thiacloprid. Methodology/Finding Five days after their emergence, honeybees were divided in 6 experimental groups: (i) uninfected controls, (ii) infected with N. ceranae, (iii) uninfected and exposed to fipronil, (iv) uninfected and exposed to thiacloprid, (v) infected with N. ceranae and exposed 10 days post-infection (p.i.) to fipronil, and (vi) infected with N. ceranae and exposed 10 days p.i. to thiacloprid. Honeybee mortality and insecticide consumption were analyzed daily and the intestinal spore content was evaluated 20 days after infection. A significant increase in honeybee mortality was observed when N. ceranae-infected honeybees were exposed to sublethal doses of insecticides. Surprisingly, exposures to fipronil and thiacloprid had opposite effects on microsporidian spore production. Analysis of the honeybee detoxification system 10 days p.i. showed that N. ceranae infection induced an increase in glutathione-S-transferase activity in midgut and fat body but not in 7-ethoxycoumarin-O-deethylase activity. Conclusions/Significance After exposure to sublethal doses of fipronil or thiacloprid a higher mortality was observed in N. ceranae-infected honeybees than in uninfected ones. The synergistic effect of N. ceranae and insecticide on honeybee mortality, however, did not appear strongly linked to a decrease of the insect detoxification system. These data support the hypothesis that the combination of the increasing

  18. Increasing vaginal progesterone gel supplementation after frozen-thawed embryo transfer significantly increases the delivery rate

    DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

    Alsbjerg, Birgit; Polyzos, Nikolaos P; Elbaek, Helle Olesen

    2013-01-01

    The aim of this study was to evaluate the reproductive outcome in patients receiving frozen-thawed embryo transfer before and after doubling of the vaginal progesterone gel supplementation. The study was a retrospective study performed in The Fertility Clinic, Skive Regional Hospital, Denmark....... A total of 346 infertility patients with oligoamenorrhoea undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer after priming with oestradiol and vaginal progesterone gel were included. The vaginal progesterone dose was changed from 90mg (Crinone) once a day to twice a day and the reproductive outcome during the two...... rate (8.7% versus 20.5%, respectively; P=0.002). Doubling of the vaginal progesterone gel supplementation during frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles decreased the early pregnancy loss rate, resulting in a significantly higher delivery rate. This study evaluated the reproductive outcome of 346 women...

  19. Computed tomography to diagnose coronary artery disease: A reduction in radiation dose increases applicability

    International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

    Gosling, O.; Morgan-Hughes, G.; Iyengar, S.; Strain, W.; Loader, R.; Shore, A.; Roobottom, C.

    2013-01-01

    Aim: To assess the effects of dose-saving algorithms on the radiation dose in an established computed tomography coronary angiography (CTCA) clinical service. Materials and methods: A 3 year retrospective analysis of all patients attending for a clinically indicated CTCA was performed. The effective dose was calculated using a cardiac-specific conversion factor [0.028 mSv(mGy·cm) −1 ]. Patients were stratified by the advent of new scanning technology and dose-saving protocols. Results: Between September 2007 and August 2010, 1736 examinations were performed. In the first 6 months, 150 examinations were performed with a mean effective dose of 29.6 mSv (99% CI 26.6–33 mSv). In March 2008 prospective electrocardiogram (ECG) gating was installed; reducing the effective dose to 13.6 mSv (99% CI 12.5–14.9 mSv). In March 2009, the scanner parameters were set to a minimal exposure time and 100 kV in patients with a body mass index (BMI) of <30. This reduced the mean dose to 7.4 mSv (99% CI 6.8–8 mSv). For the final six months the mean radiation dose for a cardiac scan was 5.9 mSv (99% CI 5.4–6.5 mSv) this figure incorporates all examinations performed irrespective of the protocol used. Conclusion: With the implementation of evidence-based protocols, the effective dose from cardiac CT has significantly reduced. As CTCA services develop dose-saving algorithms should be adopted to keep the radiation dose as low as reasonably practical

  20. Dose dependence of microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of neutron irradiated copper and copper alloys

    Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

    Singh, B N; Edwards, D J; Horsewell, A; Toft, P

    1995-09-01

    The present investigation of the effects of neutron irradiation on microstructures and mechanical properties of copper alloys is a part of the ITER (International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) programme. Tensile specimens of the candidate alloys Cu-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, CuCrZr and CuNiBe were irradiated with fission neutrons in the DR-3 reactor at Risoe with a flux of 2.5 x 10{sup 17} n/m{sup 2}s (E > 1 MeV, i.e. a dose rate of {approx}5 x 10{sup -8} dpa/s) to fluences of 5 x 10{sup 22}, 5 x 10{sup 23} and 1 x 10{sup 24} n/m{sup 2} (E > 1 MeV, i.e. displacement doses of 0.01, 0.1 and 0.2 dpa) at 47 deg. C. The Cu-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (CuA125) specimens, were irradiated in the as-cold worked state. Tensile properties and Vickers hardness of both irradiated and unirradiated specimens were determined at 22 deg. C. Pre- and post-deformation microstructures of irradiated as well as unirradiated specimens were examined using a transmission electron microscope. The fractured surfaces of tensile tested specimens were investigated in a scanning electron microscope. The results show the following general trend: (a) that the CuNiBe alloy is stronger than CuCrZr as well as Cu Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, (b) that even relatively low dose irradiations cause significant increase in the yield strength, but rather drastic decreases in the uniform elongation of CuCrZr and CuNiBe alloys and that the low dose irradiation of the cold-worked Cu-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} alloy causes a decrease in the yield strength and an increase in the uniform elongation, at higher doses irradiation hardening occurs. The SEM examinations of the fractured surfaces demonstrate that both unirradiated and irradiated specimens fracture in a ductile manner. The lack of uniform elongation in the irradiated copper alloys may be understood in terms of difficulty in dislocation generation due to pinning of grown-in dislocation by defect clusters (loops) at or around them. (EG) 5 tabs., 18 ills., 13 refs.