Reduction of Radiation-Induced Hair Loss by Topical Application of Radioprotectors

ABSTRACT

Our transdermal permeation studies of radioprotectors in permeation-enhancing vehicles led us to hypothesize that radiation-induced hair loss could be reduced by topical application of radioprotectors. In the present study we used a hair regrowth assay in “plucked” mice to measure the radioprotective effectiveness of WR-1065, cysteine and TEMPOL when they were dissolved in a variety of vehicles, i.e., saline, dimethyl formamide (DMF), propylene glycol (PG), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), ethanol. Protector effectiveness varied with radiation dose and vehicles. At 600 R, WR-1065 or cysteine, in any vehicle, reduced radiation-induced baldness scores; at 800 R, only WR-1065 in DMF and cysteine in saline, produced some protection. TEMPOL in ethanol produced protection at both the 600 and 800 R. Results suggest that suitably chosen topical application of protector/vehicle combinations can reduce radiation-induced hair loss.     

The influence of the ion content of whey on the pH-activity profile of the β-galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae

The pH-dependence of the reaction kinetics of lactase (β-galactosidase) from Aspergillus oryzae in different reaction media is presented in terms of a two-parameter model. The lactase from A. oryzae seems to have replaced the A. niger lactase on the market owing to a better activity/price ratio and may be utilised for lactose hydrolysis in acid as well as in neutral milk products. Its pH optimum is around pH 4.5. However, in the neutral pH-range its activity depended strongly on the salt content of the substrate solution. For example, its activity in whey (pH 6.5) fell to only 30% of its expected activity in a pure lactose solution at the same pH. The whey effect was the same for both soluble and immobilised lactase. The two parameter kinetic model, which included a term for competitive product inhibition gave excellent agreement with experimental data, and may thus be useful for the prediction of reactor performance with this enzyme.     

The emulsifying properties of a polysaccharide isolated from the fruit of Cordia abyssinica

Polysaccharide was isolated from Cordia abyssinica and its effect, at differing concentrations, on its emulsifying ability was determined. Emulsions of vegetable oil containing up to 1% of the polysaccharide in phosphate pH 7.4 buffer, were prepared by using a hand piston homogenizer. Emulsification was assessed by diluting samples of the emulsions in sodium dodecyl sulphate and measuring absorbance at 500 nm. Addition of increasing concentrations of the polysaccharide up to 1% enhanced emulsification and emulsion stability. Above 1% concentration the polysaccharide solutions were too viscous for making emulsions conveniently. At a constant concentration of the polysaccharide, addition of up to a 1% concentration of salt enhanced emulsion formation. Further addition of salt above 1% resulted in no further changes in emulsifying ability, but the stability of the emulsions formed decreased on increasing the concentration of salt above 1%. The effect of pH on emulsifying ability was investigated by preparing emulsions using buffers of different pH, from pH 3 to pH 13. The polysaccharide had poor emulsifying ability below pH 7. Emulsifying ability increased with pH between pH 7 and 11. At pH above 11 there was a decrease in emulsifying ability.     

Partial-predicate logic in computer science

Summary In A Logic Covering Undefinedness in Program Proofs [1], Barringer, Cheng and Jones present a 3-valued logic designed for Program-Verification and Computer Science applications in general. In this paper we want to add some the oretical background to their arguments for the need for such a system.     

On the ambiguation of Polish notation

In this paper we study an alternative way of treating Polish notation. Instead of proving unique reading for a well-behaved set of terms, we interpret any string of the alphabet in a monoid that extends, in a specifiable sense, the given algebra of functions.     

Prosody Evaluation as a Diagnostic Process: Subjective vs. Objective Measurements

A set of perception experiments, using reiterant and lexicalised speech, was designed to perform a diagnostic of the relative implication of prosody in the segmentation and hierarchisation of speech. Both natural and synthetic intonation were evaluated. Then, two distance measures—correlation and root-mean-square distance on the acoustic parameters (F0, syllabic duration and intensity)—were applied to match the perception results. This objective vs. subjective comparison underlines which acoustic cues are used by listeners to judge the adequacy of prosody in performing a given function such as demarcation. Results can be summarized by a scale of the perceptual distance between two demarcation functions. This study also points out the ability of listeners to retrieve pertinent information on the basis of pure prosodic stimuli.     

Dissymmetric warfare versus asymmetric warfare

This paper presents two concepts: asymmetric warfare and dissymmetric warfare. NATO and US Military operations in recent wars in Kosovo and Afghanistan are analysed by means of comparison with old Chinese strategic thinking. No‐Loss‐Strategy and virtual warfare as well as the transformation from asymmetric to dissymmetric and from dissymmetric to asymmetric warfare are reflected upon.