PET/CT FOLLOWING INTENSITY-MODULATED RADIATION THERAPY FOR PRIMARY LUNG TUMOR IN A DOG

A primary lung tumor in a dog treated with intensity-modulated radiation therapy was imaged approximately 6 weeks and 1-year posttreatment with combined positron emission tomography (PET) and computed tomography, utilizing the radiotracers 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose and 18F-fluorothymidine. These two tracers allowed discrimination of tumor from inflammation, and demonstrated spread of tumor along airways over time after treatment. Fusion of functional imaging with anatomic imaging is a useful tool, particularly in the field of oncology, with the potential for PET markers that delineate tumor from normal or reactive tissue, and potential or actual response to therapy.     

COMPARISON OF ISODOSE DISTRIBUTIONS IN CANINE BRAIN IN HETEROGENEITY-CORRECTED VERSUS UNCORRECTED TREATMENT PLANS USING 6 MV PHOTONS

Magnetic resonance (MR) images may be useful for radiation planning due to greater contrast resolution. One disadvantage of MR images for radiation planning is the inability to incorporate electron density information into the dose calculation algorithm. To assess the magnitude of this problem, we evaluated radiation dose distribution in canine brain by comparing computed tomography (CT)-based radiotherapy plans with and without electron density correction. Computerized radiotherapy plans were generated for 13 dogs with brain tumors using 6 MV photons. A tissue-contouring program was used to outline the gross tumor volume (GTV) and the planning target volume (PTV) for each patient. Two treatment plans were generated for each dog. First, the plan was optimized without heterogeneity correction. Then the heterogeneity correction was implemented without changing any other plan parameters. Isodose distributions and dose volume histograms (DVHs) were used to compare the two plans. The D95 (dose delivered to 95% of the volume) within the PTV was calculated for each treatment plan and differences in the D95s were compared. The mean D95s without and with heterogeneity correction were 49.1 +/- 0.7 and 48.9 +/- 1.0Gy, respectively. The absolute mean percent dose difference without and with heterogeneity correction was 1.0 - 0.9% (-1.3-3.2%) and was not considered to be clinically significant. We found no clinically significant difference between CT-based radiotherapy plans without and with heterogeneity correction for brain tumors in small animals, which supports the use of MR-based treatment planning for radiotherapy of small animal brain tumors.     

RADIOBIOLOGICAL AND TREATMENT PLANNING STUDY OF A SIMULTANEOUSLY INTEGRATED BOOST FOR CANINE NASAL TUMORS USING HELICAL TOMOTHERAPY

Feasibility of delivering a simultaneously integrated boost to canine nasal tumors using helical tomotherapy to improve tumor control probability (TCP) via an increase in total biological equivalent uniform dose (EUD) was evaluated. Eight dogs with varying size nasal tumors (5.8-110.9 cc) were replanned to 42 Gy to the nasal cavity and integrated dose boosts to gross disease of 45.2, 48.3, and 51.3 Gy in 10 fractions. EUD values were calculated for tumors and mean normalized total doses (NTD(mean)) for organs at risk (OAR). Normal Tissue Complication Probability (NTCP) values were obtained for OARs, and estimated TCP values were computed using a logistic dose-response model and based on deliverable EUD boost doses. Significant increases in estimated TCP to 54%, 74%, and 86% can be achieved with 10%, 23%, and 37% mean relative EUD boosts to the gross disease, respectively. NTCP values for blindness of either eye and for brain necrosis were < 0.01% for all boosts. Values for cataract development were 31%, 42%, and 46% for studied boost schemas, respectively. Average NTD(mean) to eyes and brain for mean EUD boosts were 10.2, 11.3, and 12.1 Gy3, and 7.5, 7.2, and 7.9 Gy2, respectively. Using helical tomotherapy, simultaneously integrated dose boosts can be delivered to increase the estimated TCP at 1-year without significantly increasing the NTD(mean) to eyes and brain. Delivery of these treatments in a prospective trial may allow quantification of a dose-response relationship in canine nasal tumors.     

狗牙根品种及辐射诱变M1代变异植株的过氧化物同工酶分析

采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳法对辐射诱变M1代变异植株及其对照、‘Tifway’和‘Tifgreen’共18个狗牙根材料的过氧化物同工酶进行了分析。结果表明：供试材料共出现了97条酶带，单个材料最多为8条，最少只有2条；材料HN009和HN010、HN012和HN013的POD酶带特征完全相同；HN015和HN016的P013酶带在P8位点上有强弱不同，HN004和HN018的POD酶带在P5和P6位点上有强弱不同，它们的酶带数和位点均相同；其它各材料之间酶带总数不同，在各个区域分布的位点及酶谱特征明显不同。除HN010和其对照HN009的酶谱特征相同外，其它形态变异植株和其对照之间的酶谱特征均存在明显差异。     

UV-B radiation increases paraquat tolerance of two broad-leaved and two grass weeds in relation to changes in herbicide absorption and photosynthesis

Depletion of the protective ozone layer in the atmosphere leads to increasing UV‐B radiation on the earth's surface with potential effects on the response of plants to different stresses. Abutilon theophrasti, Amaranthus retroflexus, Digitaria sanguinalis and Chloris virgata are common weeds encountered in most arable fields in China. The effectiveness of herbicides used in controlling these weeds needs to be evaluated with increased UV‐B radiation. Seedlings of these four weeds were therefore grown under ambient and elevated UV‐B radiation to compare the efficacy of paraquat, a commonly used contact herbicide. Irrespective of species sensitivity to radiation, the elevated UV‐B radiation decreased the effectiveness of paraquat. Net photosynthesis rate was adversely affected except for D. sanguinalis, while the chlorophyll content was significantly reduced in A. retroflexus and C. virgata. UV‐B treatment increased the leaf surface wax and decreased the absorption of ¹⁴C‐paraquat in A. theophrasti, D. sanguinalis and C. virgata. These results suggest that the response of weeds to paraquat or the use of the herbicide may be affected by increased UV‐B radiation, to the extent that larger doses may be required to achieve desired effects. This may have damaging consequences for the environment.     

RADIATION THERAPY FOR INCOMPLETELY RESECTED CANINE MAST CELL TUMORS

The records of 56 dogs treated with megavoltage radiation for mast cell neoplasia were reviewed to determine the efficacy of this treatment modality. Total radiation dose ranged from 45 to 57 Gray (Gy), dose per fraction ranged from 3.0 to 4.0 Gy, and radiation treatment time ranged from 14–28 days. Median disease free interval (95% CI) was 32.7 (19–70) months. Median disease free interval for dogs older than 7.5 years was 15 (lower limit 7) months as compared to 62 (lower limit 20) for dogs younger than 7.5 years of age (p = 0.006). Median disease free interval for dogs with measurable disease was 12 (lower limit 5) months as compared to 54 (32–70) months for dogs with microscopic disease (p = 0.006). Radiation treatment time was also significantly related to disease free interval. Median disease free interval for dogs treated longer than 22 days was 12 (7–19) months as compared to greater than 50 (lower limit 20) months for dogs treated in 22 or fewer days (p < 0.001). This appeared to be due to more recurrences in dogs treated with 3-per-week fractionation and suggests that tumor proliferation in the interfraction interval may be important. Sex, tumor location, histologic grade, WHO clinical stage, number of radiation fractions, total radiation dose, and dose-per-fraction, as well as the following "yes/no" variables: steroids given, surgery prior to radiation, lymph nodes irradiated, and development of another mast cell tumor did not appear to influence median disease free interval or survival. Data presented herein support megavoltage radiation as an effective treatment for canine mast cell neoplasia, and suggest that disease free interval in dogs treated with daily fractions may be longer than that achieved with alternating day fractions.     

如何减轻果蔬储藏中侵染性病害

采用了辐射与低温臭氧相结合的方法，可以减轻果蔬储藏中的侵染性病害，同时，还可以延长果蔬的保鲜期。     

硅营养对UV-B辐射条件下水稻酚类代谢的影响

本研究在不同硅营养条件下，探讨了UV-B辐射增强对两个供试水稻品种(Lemont和Dular)硅营养特性和酚代谢物质的影响。结果表明：(1)在缺硅营养和UV-B辐射胁迫下，Lemont的硅营养吸收能力和生理利用率都比Dular强。（2）不同硅营养条件下，UV-B辐射胁迫促使Lemont叶片的PAL、PPO、 POD、CAT活性增强，总酚、类黄酮和绿原酸含量升高，而可溶性蛋白质含量降低；上述指标在Dular叶片中也表现出相同的变化趋势。但在缺硅营养和UV-B辐射共同胁迫下，Lemont表现出较强的酚类合成能力。（3）硅营养有利于水稻酚类代谢物质的积累，以减少UV-B辐射的伤害。综上所述，Lemont与Dular之间硅营养特性的不同，可能是引起两个供试水稻的酚类代谢差异，从而表现出对UV-B辐射抗性不同的原因之一。     

辐射事故对公众心理影响及消除方法

此文章系为弄清辐射事故对公众心理的影响，充分研究怎样消除辐射事故信息带来的负面影响，使核事业稳步进展并得到公众支持而完成的。我们已经确定，公众甚至事故发生后的救援人员，往往都对“放射性泄漏”普遍存在着恐惧心理，这种负面影响若不采取相应措施予以减轻乃至消除，将极大的限制核事业的发展。经研究判断，辐射事故会对不同人群带来多种影响。针对此影响的成因与解决方案，本文给出了一些初步的研究结果。     

Methyl Jasmonate Counteract UV-B Stress in Barley Seedlings

The role of exogenously applied phytohormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA) in counteracting the ultraviolet B (UV‐B) stress in barley seedlings was investigated. Barley seedlings (Hordeum vulgare L., cv. Alfa) 4 days old were supplied with 5 × 10^?5 m MeJA through the roots for 3 days and then exposed for 2 days for 5 h per day to UV‐B (312 nm, biological effectiveness of UV‐B radiation 28.8 kJ m^?2day^?1). The rate of ¹⁴CO₂ fixation, PSI and PSII activities and chlorophyll content decreased, but flavonoids, H₂O₂, malondialdehyde, proline and UV‐B induced compounds increased after UV‐B treatment. The rate of photosynthetic oxygen evolution was more strongly inhibited by UV‐B‐irradiation than PSI and PSII efficiency. MeJA itself increased the content of free proline, which acts as a stress protector due to its radical scavenging ability. Increased superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase (POX) activities in the leaves and in the roots and the POX isoforms induction revealed the MeJA involvement in plant tolerance to oxidative stress caused by UV‐B irradiation. It was shown that pre‐treatment with MeJA counteracted UV‐B stress. Therefore, it was suggested that MeJA could acts as a mediator in plant defense responses to UV‐B irradiation by enhancing the activity of antioxidant system and free radical scavenging capability of plant cells.