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U.S. Department of Energy
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SPECIES DIFFERENCES IN ALTITUDE TOLERANCE FOLLOWING X-IRRADIATION

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:4206191
The relationship between altitude tolerance and focd consumption was investigated in irradiated and non-irradiated animals of several species. Food consumption was measured for three days following a mid-lethal dose of x irradiation to assess the degree of post-irradiation ancrexia Seventy-two hours after irradiation those animals, as well as ad lib. fed and food deprived non- irradiated animals, were exposed to a simulated altitude tolerance test. The mortality produced in four hours was used as the criterion of hypoxic tolerance for each species. Irradiated rabbits and rats exhibited a severe decrease in food consumption and an increased hypoxic tolerance. Food consumption of mice was depressed during the three days follow;ng irradiation although the effect was much less than that observed for rats and rabbits. Gunea pigs and hamsters exhibited a alight decrease in food consumpiion with recovery occurring after 24 hours. Mice, guinea pigs, and hamsters did not exhibit a sigmficant increase in hypoxic tolerance three days after radiation exposure, When nonirradiated rabbits, rats, mice, and guinea pigs were food deprived, the hypoxic tolerance was significantly increased in all species. These observations provide further evidence that the post-irradiation increase in tolerance to simulated altitude is dependent upon the degree of post-irradiation anorexia. (auth)
Research Organization:
Naval Radiological Defense Lab., San Francisco
NSA Number:
NSA-14-006086
OSTI ID:
4206191
Report Number(s):
USNRDL-TR-377
Country of Publication:
Country unknown/Code not available
Language:
English