Changes in the cellularity of the cortex of human hairs as an indicator of radiation exposure

  Growing hair follicles with their rapid cell proliferation would be expected to be sensitive organs to cytotoxic agents such as radiation. Various abnormalities in the hair and hair follicles have been reported in the past. Changes in the number of cells in the newly forming hair cortex have been shown in the mouse to be one of the more sensitive assays for radiation effects, and this approach could provide a basis for a biological dosimeter. Here we show for the first time using hair cortex cell counts some preliminary data indicating that the number of cell nuclei in a unit of length (140 μm) of the cortex of human hairs from the chest and scalp of patients undergoing fractionated radiotherapy falls significantly (P = 0.005) by 5%–10% 3 days after the first dose in a fractionated sequence of irradiations. The first dose was delivered on a Friday, and no further exposures were delivered until after the hair sample was taken on the 3rd day (Monday). No significant effect of radiation dose could be detected over the available, limited range of doses studied (5 – 6.5 Gy with one exit dose sample at 2.6 Gy). Also, the width varies from hair to hair. If the width of the hair is taken into account and the cortical nuclei counts are normalised to the width of each hair, the effects seen at day 3 become slightly more significant (P = 0.002), and those at day 5 also become significant (P = 0.012). Samples taken on the 5th day after the first (Friday) exposure were also 2 days after the second exposure and 1 day after the third exposure. However, little expression of damage attributable to the 2nd and 3rd exposures was anticipated since their effects would take some time to be expressed in the cortical region examined, which is some distance from the proliferative region of the follicle. Received: 28 September 1995 / Accepted in revised form: 23 February 1996     

Changes in macrophages in vivo induced by desensitization.

Peritoneal exudate macrophages were removed from animals sensitized to horse cytochrome c and from similar animals which had been desensitized with this antigen. The ability of lymphokine to induce migration inhibition and also alterations of the level of glucose oxidation in these cells has been examined. It was found that for a transient period after the desensitization, macrophages removed from the peritoneum were unresponsive to lymphokine in the migration inhibition assay. At the same time, culturing these cells with lymphokine for 1 hr caused a significant rise in their glucose oxidation activity. It is suggested from these results that desensitization may result in macrophage activation in vivo. This is discussed in relation to current concepts of the mechanisms of desensitization.     

Changes in biological activity of sodium humate as induced by the mercury discharge tube radiation

The study was concerned with the effects of irradiation of the sodium humate on its biological activity, which was assessed by the elongation of the hypocotyl and root in young plants of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv. Rapid and cv. Smaragd) growing in the solution of the tested preparation. It was found that its stimulative action on hypocotyl and root elongation in lettuce was changed due to irradiation. However, the degree was dependent on concentration; stimulation mostly decreased, only at some higher concentrations did it increase. Further, experiments showed that there was some interaction between the irradiation of the humate and the cultivar used for testing, but none between the irradiation and the light exposure of plants during the test. The response of the experimental plants to the concentration of the humate depends on the light exposure.     

Changes in leaf mineral composition and chloroplast proteins induced by K-deficiency and increased UV-B radiation

Solar UV-B radiation increased to 20 % over ambient level at Madurai was given to cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. cv. Pusa-152) seedlings sufficiently supplied by potassium (0.88 mM K₂SO₄) and K-deficient (0.05 mM K₂SO₄). Leaf mineral composition was significantly changed due to both increased UV-B radiation and K-deficiency imposed independently or jointly for 12 d. A severe reduction in 23 kDa chloroplast protein was seen only in seedlings encountered combined stress. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Changes in calcium uptake by liver induced by ferric lactate.

In vitro and in vivo Ca(2+)-uptake by the liver is increased by ferric lactate. In vitro albumin and deferoxamine inhibit ferric lactate effects. Electrophoresis demonstrates the binding of ferric lactate to albumin. In vivo, ferric lactate induces a significant increase of Ca(2+)-uptake by liver, with a maximum of 2.9 nmol/g against 0.66 nmol/g for control livers (P less than 0.005) between 5 and 24 h after administration. This uptake modification is reversible, while the amount of iron (measured as 59Fe taken up) remains constant throughout the experiment. The affinity of ferric lactate for protein and the iron mass-dependence of Ca(2+)-uptake increase support for the hypothesis of a ferric lactate-cell membrane interaction rather than an iron-catalyzed cell injury by lipid peroxidation as the major event leading to an increased Ca(2+)-uptake.     

Changes in respiratory activity induced by mastication in humans.

We studied the influence of mastication on respiratory activity in nine healthy volunteers who were requested to masticate a 5-g chewing gum bolus at a spontaneous rate (SR) for 5 min and "at the maximum possible rate" (MPR) for 1 min. Significant increases in respiratory frequency were induced by SR mastication due to a decrease in both the inspiratory and expiratory time. Tidal volume displayed slight nonsignificant decreases, but minute ventilation and mean inspiratory flow significantly increased. The duty cycle (TI/TT) did not change significantly. Total airway resistance significantly increased. Both peak and rate of rise of the integrated electromyographic activity of inspiratory muscles presented marked increases, accompanied by the appearance of a low level of tonic muscular activity. Similar but more intense effects on respiratory activity were induced by MPR mastication; in addition, a significant decrease in tidal volume and a significant increase in TI/TT were observed. Rhythmic handgrip exercise performed at metabolic rates comparable to those attained during SR or MPR mastication induced similar changes in the drive and time components of the breathing pattern, although accompanied respectively by nonsignificant or significant increases in tidal volume. Furthermore, the frequency of SR mastication significantly entrained the respiratory rhythm. The results suggest that mastication-induced hyperpnea does not merely represent a ventilatory response to exercise but also reflects complex interactions between respiratory and nonrespiratory functions of the upper airway and chest wall muscles.     

Lethal cellular changes induced by near ultraviolet radiation.

There is clear evidence that significant quantities of lesions are induced in DNA by near-UV radiation and that these lesions, although susceptible to repair, may lead to cell death because of the simultaneous disruption of DNA repair systems by the same wavelengths. No particular DNA lesion can be linked to cell death in wild type strains. However, there are good grounds for speculating that a type of near-UV lesion exists which is rapidly "fixed" as a lethal event in cells as a result of the oxygen-dependent disruption of repair. There is a strong indication that the relative ability of various near-UV wavelengths to sensitize cells to heat, chemicals or other radiations is directly related to their efficiency in disrupting DNA repair systems in general. Some important specific questions remain. For example, it is important to ask why breaks formed at 365 nm and 405 nm, although apparently requiring a pol dependent pathway for their repair, do not produce the predicted lethal biological action in the strains tested. In general terms it is hoped to provide more comprehensive physico-chemical data in support of, or contradicting, the proposed model.     

Fluid and solid mechanics in a poroelastic network induced by ultrasound

We made a theoretical analysis on the fluid and solid mechanics in a poroelastic medium induced by low-power ultrasound. Using a perturbative approach, we were able to linearize the governing equations and obtain analytical solutions. We found that ultrasound could propagate in the medium as a mechanical wave, but would dissipate due to frictional forces between the fluid and the solid phase. The amplitude of the wave depends on the ultrasonic power input. We applied this model to the problem of drug delivery to soft biological tissues by low-power ultrasound and proposed a mechanism for enhanced drug penetration. We have also found the coexistence of two acoustic waves under certain circumstances and pointed out the importance of very accurate experimental determination of the high-frequency properties of brain tissue.     

Changes in lung mechanics during asthma induced by exercise.

Pulmonary and airway mechanics were assessed in seven asthmatic patients in remission, when asthma was induced by exercise and again after spontaneous recovery or bronchodilator treatment. After exercise there was a sustained fall in forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV 1.0) in all patients, varying from 30 to 80 percent of the initial value. Total lung capacity (TLC) increased significantly in four of the seven patients. In one of the four patients the increase in TLC was associated with an increase in static transpulmonary pressure at full inflation but in the remaining three patients it was associated with a parallel shift of the pressure-volume curve of the lung without change in its slope. In all patients residual volume increased, regardless of change in TLC; both pressure-volume and maximum expiratory flow-volume curves suggested that widespread airway closure (or virtual closure) occurred at positive transpulmonary pressures when asthma was induced. Loss of lung recoli pressure sometimes contributed to the reduction in maximum expiratory flow but diffuse airway narrowing was probably the dominant abnormality. When air-flow obstruction became more severe the ratio of expiratory to inspiratory time was increased and although expiratory flow limitation was present excessive expiratory pressures were not generated.     

Changes of epicuticular wax induced by enhanced UV-B radiation impact on gas exchange in Brassica napus

The epicuticular wax covering on plant surface plays important roles in protecting plants against UV radiation. However, the role of epicuticular wax in affecting leaf gas exchange under enhanced ultraviolet-B (UV-B) radiation remains obscure. In the present study, different aged leaves of Brassica napus were used to analyze the responses of crystal structure and chemical constituents of epicuticular wax to UV-B radiation and the effects of such responses on gas exchange indices. Enhanced UV-B radiation significantly decreased the amount of esters in all leaves except the first leaf, amount of secondary alcohols in the second, third and fourth leaves, and amount of primary alcohols in the second and third leaves, while increased the amounts of ketones and aldehydes in the first leaf. Enhanced UV-B level had no significant effect on the amounts of alkanes and total wax in all leaves. Exposure to UV-B radiation resulted in wax fusion on adaxial leaf and stomata opening on abaxial leaf. Fusions of plates and rods on adaxial leaf surface covered most of the stomata, thereby influencing the photosynthesis in the upper mesophyll of leaves. Enhanced UV-B level significantly reduced the net photosynthesis rate (P _N) but increased the stomata conductance (g _s), concentrations of intercellular CO₂ (C _i ), and transpiration rate (E) in all leaves. Both UV-B radiation and the wax fusion induced by enhanced UV-B radiation resulted in different stomata status on abaxial and adaxial leaf surface, causing decrease of P _N, and increase of g _s, C _i and E in leaves.     

Changes in respiratory timing induced by hypercapnia in maturing rats.

Premature infants respond to hypercapnia by an attenuated ventilatory response that is characterized by a decrease in respiratory frequency. We hypothesized that this impaired hypercapnic ventilatory response is of central origin and is mediated via gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) pathways. We therefore studied two groups of maturing Sprague-Dawley rats: unrestrained rats in a whole body plethysmograph at four postnatal ages (5, 16-17, 22-23, and 41-42 days); and ventilated, decerebrate, vagotomized, paralyzed rats in which phrenic nerve responses to hypercapnia were measured at 4-6 and 37-39 days of age. In the unrestrained group, the increase in minute ventilation induced by hypercapnia was significantly lower at 5 days vs. beyond 16 days. Although there was an increase in tidal volume at all ages, frequency decreased significantly from baseline at 5 days, whereas it increased significantly at 16-17, 22-23, and 41-42 days. The decrease in frequency at 5 days of age was mainly due to a significant prolongation in expiratory duration (TE). In the ventilated group, hypercapnia also caused prolongation in TE at 4-6 days but not at 37-39 days of age. Intravenous administration of bicuculline (GABA(A)-receptor blocker) abolished the prolongation of TE in response to hypercapnia in the newborn rats. We conclude that newborn rat pups exhibit a characteristic ventilatory response to CO(2) expressed as a centrally mediated prolongation of TE that appears to be mediated by GABAergic mechanisms.     

Changes in sensitivity of human tumour cells to growth inhibition by proteinase inhibitors.

Inhibition of a cell-surface proteinase can inhibit the growth of many normal human cell types in culture. Some tumour cells are also sensitive to proteinase inhibitors, but others are resistant, and continue to grow in the presence of these inhibitors. Here we describe two human tumour cell lines which convert from the sensitive to the resistant state. In one case, the conversion occurs during routine passaging, but, in the other, it is determined by growth conditions, and is reversible.