CHRONIC EFFECTS OF LOW-LEVEL RADIATION UPON PROTEIN AND AMINO ACID REQUIREMENTS. Period covered August 1, 1958 to May 31, 1959

Technical Report · Tue Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4187680

Ershoff, B H; Wells, A F; Bernick, S; Sobel, H; Graham, T M

BS> Immature male rats were fed highly purified diets containing 10, 15, 25, or 45% protein in the form of a cystinesupplemented casein and were continuously exposed for periods as long as 20 weeks to gamma radiation from a cesium-137 source at levels of 0.3. 3. 30. or 300 r per week. Control groups were fed the same diets but were not irnadiated. The effects of radiation were neither diminished nor accentuated by alterations in the protein content of the diet. Substituting other proteins or mixtures of amino acids isonitrogenously for cystine-supplemented casein was also without significant effect on radiation response. Oral administration of AET in the diet or by forced feeding just prior to exposure did not afford protection against a single acute dose of x- irradiation in the rat. Incorponating AET in the diet was also ineffective in protecting rats continuously administered gamma radiation for 8 weeks at a level of 300 r per week. Rats continuously exposed to gamma radiation exhibited an impaired discrimination learning performance and depressed general activity at levels well below the minimum dose required for detectable chemical or morphologic effects. (auth)

• Research Organization: Western Biological Labs., Culver City, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-014665
• OSTI ID: 4187680
• Report Number(s): WADC-TR-59-609; AD-233465
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

AET
AMINO ACIDS
BEHAVIOR
BIOLOGY AND MEDICINE
CASEIN
CESIUM 137
CYSTINE
DIET
GAMMA RADIATION
ORGANIC NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC SULFUR COMPOUNDS
PROTEINS
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION PROTECTION
RATS
X RADIATION