Increased Radioresistance to Lethal Doses of Gamma Rays in Mice and Rats after Exposure to Microwave Radiation Emitted by a GSM Mobile Phone Simulator

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of pre-irradiation with microwaves on the induction of radioadaptive response. In the 1^st phase of the study, 110 male mice were divided into 8 groups. The animals in these groups were exposed/sham-exposed to microwave, low dose rate gamma or both for 5 days. On day six, the animals were exposed to a lethal dose (LD). In the 2^nd phase, 30 male rats were divided into 2 groups of 15 animals. The 1^st group received microwave exposure. The 2^nd group (controls) received the same LD but there was no treatment before the LD. On day 5, all animals were whole-body irradiated with the LD. Statistically significant differences between the survival rate of the mice only exposed to lethal dose of gamma radiation before irradiation with a lethal dose of gamma radiation with those of the animals pre-exposed to either microwave (p=0.02), low dose rate gamma (p=0.001) or both of these physical adapting doses (p=0.003) were observed. Likewise, a statistically significant difference between survival rates of the rats in control and test groups was observed. Altogether, these experiments showed that exposure to microwave radiation may induce a significant survival adaptive response.     

Quadriceps activation and perceived exertion during a high intensity, steady state contraction to failure

The ability to sustain a high-intensity, steady-state muscle contraction may have differential effects on neuromuscular activation and perceived exertion. The purpose of this study was to examine changes in neuromuscular activation and perceived exertion at a near-maximal steady-state contraction of the quadriceps in healthy men. Seventeen healthy, college-aged male volunteers were studied during isometric contractions equivalent to 80% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Perceived exertion was measured with a modified category-ratio scale (CR-10). The CR-10 scale was anchored with one high anchor at 100% MVC and one low anchor at 10% MVC. Subjects then performed an 80% MVC for as long as they could sustain it. Subjects were asked to rate the feelings in their quadriceps every 5 s during the contraction. The results demonstrated significant increases in neuromuscular activation of the vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscles (P < 0.05) during the 80% MVC, but there were no significant muscle by time interactions. The results also demonstrated a significant increase (P < 0.05) in perceived exertion during the 80% MVC. Neuromuscular activation of both muscles, and perceived exertion, were found to increase in linear (P < 0.05) and quadratic (P < 0.05) trends. Alterations in motor unit discharge properties or impairments in muscle fiber membrane excitability may account for nonlinear increases in vastii muscle activation and perceived exertion.     

Human platelet aggregation is not altered by Shiga toxins 1 or 2

The hemolytic uremic syndrome involves the presence of Shiga toxin producing strains of Escherichia coli and is associated with thrombocytopenia, platelet activation, and microthrombi formation. We have, therefore, investigated the ability of Shiga toxin isotypes 1 and 2 to cause or enhance platelet aggregation under resting or arterial-flow conditions using a sensitive quenched-flow system and single-particle counting. Incubation of platelets with Shiga toxins 1 or 2 at 10(-10) M or 10(-9) M for 0.5-2 hours failed to induce platelet aggregation under static or physiological flow conditions, either by themselves or in the presence of ADP or thrombin. Thus, these Shiga toxins do not appear to be able to influence platelet function directly, and their ability to cause platelet thrombi in vivo must result from indirect mechanisms.     

Benzo[a]pyrene at an environmentally relevant dose is slowly absorbed by, and extensively metabolized in, tracheal epithelium

While tobacco smoke has been conclusively identified as a lung carcinogen, there is much debate over which smoke constituent(s) are primarily responsible for its carcinogenicity. Previous studies in our laboratory suggested that highly lipophilic carcinogens are slowly absorbed in the thicker epithelium of the conducting airways, potentially allowing for substantial local metabolism. The bioactivation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in airway epithelium may, hence, be important in tobacco smoke-induced carcinogenesis. In the present study, the hypothesis of slow absorption and substantial local metabolic activation of highly lipophilic carcinogen in airway epithelium was tested in dogs. A single dose of tritiated benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) dissolved in a saline/phospholipid suspension was instilled in the trachea, just anterior to the carina. At intervals of a few minutes up to 30 min over a 3-h period, blood samples were drawn from the azygous vein, which drains the area around the point of instillation, and from the systemic circulation. Tissue samples were taken at the end of the experiment. The concentration of BaP with depth into the tracheal mucosa was determined with autoradiography. BaP was slowly absorbed into the trachea with a half-time of approximately 73 min, which is consistent with diffusion-limited passage through the epithelium and lead to local doses in the tracheal epithelium that were more than a 1000-fold those of other tissues. The long retention of BaP in the epithelium provided the local metabolizing enzymes with high substrate levels over a long period, resulting in extensive metabolism. At 3 h after the exposure, 23% of the BaP-equivalent activity remained in the tracheal mucosa. Of this fraction, 13% was parent compound, 28% was organic extractable, 31% was water-soluble, and 28-7% of the instilled dose was bound to tracheal tissues. These results explain the tendency of highly lipophilic carcinogens, such as BaP, to induce tumors at the site of entry and, furthermore, indicate that the highly lipophilic components of tobacco smoke and polluted air may be the most important contributors to lung tumors of the conducting airways.      

Need for follow up in coeliac disease

The use of follow up studies was evaluated in 128 patients with coeliac disease during their first visit to a department for adults. The original diagnosis had been made in childhood in all patients. Fifty eight (45%) of the subjects were following a gluten free diet, 23 (18%) were following a gluten free diet but with occasional gluten consumption, and 47 (37%) had adopted an unrestricted, gluten containing diet for a mean of 11.2 years. There was no correlation in individual subjects between the presence of symptoms, biochemical and immunological abnormalities, severity of histological findings, and the amount of dietary gluten, despite the greater frequency of symptoms in the group following an unrestricted diet than in the other two groups. Short stature and epilepsy with cerebral calcifications only occurred in patients following an unrestricted diet. As only diagnosis based on two or three biopsy samples and regular follow up correlated positively with dietary compliance, it is suggested that a histologically confirmed diagnosis of coeliac disease and regular lifelong follow up are essential in the management of these patients.     

Elderly Patients with Suppressed Serum TSH but Normal Free Thyroid Hormone Levels Usually Have Mild Thyroid Overactivity and are at Increased Risk of Developing Overt Hyperthyroidism

The clinical and biochemical characteristics of 15 elderly patientswith low levels of thyrotrophin (TSH) (<0.1 mU/L) but normalfree tri-iodothyronine, (T3) and free thyroxine (T4) (groupS) were compared with 10 euthyroid subjects (group E) and 10hyperthyroid patients (group T). Free T3 and free T4 were significantlyhigher (p<0.05) in group S(6.3±0.5 and 18.6±1.0pmol/l, respectively) than in group E(4.6±0.3, 12.6+0.6).In common with elderly hyperthyroid patients (group T)patientsin group S had few signs or symptoms of thyrotoxocosis, butthe Wayne score (clinical index of hyperthyroidism) was higherin group S than in euthyroid subjects (p<0.05). Thyroid microsomal,thyrogolobulin or thyrotrophin receptor antibodies were commonin group T (n=9)but not in groups S(n=2) or E(n=1). This suggestsa low prevalence of Graves' disease in group S compared to groupT. Combined thyrotrophin releasing hormone (TRH; 200 µgi.v.) and gonadotrophin releasing hormone GnRH; 100 µgi.v.) tests were performed; no cases of low TSH due to hypopituitarismwere identified in group S. During a mean of 7.9 (4–12)months of observation TSH reverted to the normal range (>0.2mU/L)in 7 of 15 patients in group S; thyroid hormone concentrationsrose above the normal range in four, however, only two patientsrequired treatment for hyperthyroidism. It is unlikely thatthe suppressed TSH of patients in group S was due to mild thyroidhormone excess; although this is often a transitory phenomenon,these patients are at increased risk of developing overt hyperthyroidism.     

Proximal gastric vagotomy versus long-term maintenance treatment with cimetidine for chronic duodenal ulcer: a prospective randomised trial

Forty-four patients with chronic duodenal ulceration were allocated randomly to either long-term maintenance treatment with cimetidine or proximal gastric vagotomy. All were followed up both clinically and endoscopically for periods of one to four years. The rate of recurrence of ulcer during and after medical treatment was 54% while after surgery it was 10%. One patient developed severe allergic hepatitis while receiving maintenance treatment with cimetidine, and two others had to stop treatment because of possible drug reactions. Patients whose ulceration recurs while they are receiving treatment with cimetidine should be offered the possibility of operation.