Melatonin modulates acute testicular damage induced by carbon ions in mice

The present study was performed to obtain evidence of the radioprotective function of melatonin at different administration levels on carbon ion-induced mouse testicular damage. Outbred Kun-Ming strain mice were divided into six groups, each composed of eight animals: control group, melatonin alone group, irradiation group and three melatonin plus irradiation-treated groups. An acute study was carried out to determine alterations in DNA-single strand break, cell apoptosis, and oxidative stress parameters as well as histopathology in mouse testis 24 h after whole-body irradiation with a single dose of 4 Gy Tie results showed that pre-treatment and post-treatment with high-dose melatonin (10 mg/kg) both significantly alleviated carbon ion-induced acute testicular damage, a greater radioprotective effect being observed in the pre-treatment group. On the other hand, low-dose melatonin (1 mg/kg) had a limited radioprotective effect on irradiation-induced degeneration and DNA lesions in mouse testis. Taken together, the data suggest that prophylactic treatment with a higher dose of melatonin is probably advisable to protect against the effects of heavy-ion irradiation.

Effect of p53 on lung carcinoma cells irradiated by carbon ions or X-rays

The study is to investigate the feasibility and advantages of heavy ion beams on radiotherapy. The cellular cycle and apoptosis, cell reproductive death and p53 expression evaluated with flow cytometry, clonogenic survival assays and Western blot analysis were examined in lung carcinoma cells after exposure to 89.63 MeV/u carbon ion and 6 MV X-ray irradiations, respectively. The results showed that the number colonyforming assay of A549 was higher than that of H1299 cells in two radiation groups; A549 cellular cycle was arrested in G(2)/M in 12 It and the percentage of apoptosis ascended at each time point of carbon ion radiation with doses, the expression of p53 upregulated with doses exposed to X-ray or carbon ion. The cell number in G(2)/M of H1299 and apoptosis were increasing at all time points with doses in C-12(6+) ion irradiation group. The results suggested that the effects of carbon ions or X rays irradiation on lung carcinoma cells were different, C-12(6+) ion irradiation could have more effect on upregulating the expression of p53 than X-ray, and the upregulated expression of p53 might produce the cellular cycle G(2)/M arrested, apoptosis increasing; and p53 gene might affect the lung cancer cells radiosensitivity.

Spectra for electric-dipole Delta n=0 transitions in highly ionized sulfur ions

Spectra for Delta n = 0 transitions of the type 2s(2)2p(k)-2s2p(k+1) or 2s2p(k)-2p(k+1) from highly ionized sulfur produced in beam-foil excitation are investigated and compared to similar spectra measured with other types of light sources. In the experiment, fifty lines have been identified, of which eleven lines are new and accurately measured. Analysis of spectra was based on comparisons with other experimental results and calculated values.

Evaluation of sex specificity on oxidative stress induced in lungs of mice irradiated by C-12(6+) ions

The aim of this work is to identify if there is sex specificity on C-12(6+) ion-induced oxidative damage in mouse lung at different time points. Kun-Ming mice were divided into two groups, each composed of six males and six females: control group and irradiation group with a single acute dose of 4 Gy. Animals were sacrificed at 2, 4 and 12 h respectively, there lungs were removed immediately, and the oxidative stress-related biomarkers were measured by Diagnostic Reagent Kits. The results showed that the relative activities of superoxide dismutase (4 h), catalase (2 h) and Se-dependent glutathione peroxidase (12 h) have significant changes (P < 0.05) between male groups and female groups, suggesting that the lungs of male mice are more sensitive to counteracting the oxidative challenge. Moreover, higher levels of malondiadehyde and lower contents of glutathione were also found in males, indicating that oxidative stress induced by C-12(6+) ion is pronounced in the lungs of males. We thought that these sex-responded differences may be attributed to the influence of sex hormones.

Solvent extraction of americium and europium ions by amide-derivatized polyethers from picric acid aqueous solution

The extraction of Am3+ and Eu3+ from picric acid aqueous solution by N,N-1,2-ethanediyl-bis[2-(N,N-diphenyl-carbamoyl-methoxy)-benzamide] was investigated by a radioactive tracer technique. The composition of the extracted species has been determined as ML(Pic)(3) (M = Eu, Am). The effect of various parameters such as pH, organic diluents, different extractants, picric acid concentration and extractants concentration on the extraction of Am3+ and Eu3+ has been studied. The extraction equilibrium mechanism has been also evaluated and discussed.

Intense beam production of highly charged heavy ions by the superconducting electron cyclotron resonance ion source SECRAL (invited)

There has been increasing demand to provide higher beam intensity and high enough beam energy for heavy ion accelerator and some other applications, which has driven electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source to produce higher charge state ions with higher beam intensity. One of development trends for highly charged ECR ion source is to build new generation ECR sources by utilization of superconducting magnet technology. SECRAL (superconducting ECR ion source with advanced design in Lanzhou) was successfully built to produce intense beams of highly charged ion for Heavy Ion Research Facility in Lanzhou (HIRFL). The ion source has been optimized to be operated at 28 GHz for its maximum performance. The superconducting magnet confinement configuration of the ion source consists of three axial solenoid coils and six sextupole coils with a cold iron structure as field booster and clamping. An innovative design of SECRAL is that the three axial solenoid coils are located inside of the sextupole bore in order to reduce the interaction forces between the sextupole coils and the solenoid coils. For 28 GHz operation, the magnet assembly can produce peak mirror fields on axis of 3.6 T at injection, 2.2 T at extraction, and a radial sextupole field of 2.0 T at plasma chamber wall. During the commissioning phase at 18 GHz with a stainless steel chamber, tests with various gases and some metals have been conducted with microwave power less than 3.5 kW by two 18 GHz rf generators. It demonstrates the performance is very promising. Some record ion beam intensities have been produced, for instance, 810 e mu A of O7+, 505 e mu A of Xe20+ 306 e mu A of Xe27+, and so on. The effect of the magnetic field configuration on the ion source performance has been studied experimentally. SECRAL has been put into operation to provide highly charged ion beams for HIRFL facility since May 2007.

用于高能轻粒子探测的延迟线PPAC(英文)；Delay-line PPAC for Intermediate Energy Light Ions

气体探测器有成本低廉、制备简单、性能可靠和方便使用等特点。研制了一种5层板结构的延迟线平行板雪崩电离室(PPAC),用于兰州放射性束流线(RIBLL)上开展的实验。在57.6MeV/u的6He束流条件下测试了这种探测器对高能轻粒子的适用性,得到了位置分辨为1.8mm(FWHM),时间分辨为2.6ns,以及可靠的探测效率。

两种保护剂对C离子诱导小鼠急性肝损伤的应答；Response of Two Protective Agents to Acute Injury Induced by ~(12)C~(6+) Ions in Mouse Liver

比较了N-乙酰半胱氨酸(NAC)及乙酰左旋肉毒碱(ALCAR)对12C6+离子照射小鼠的损伤效应,并探讨了其可能的作用机制。利用4Gy剂量的12C6+离子束对预先给予NAC(100mg/kg)和ALCAR(100mg/kg)保护的昆明小鼠进行单次全身照射。随后检测肝组织中总抗氧化能力(TAC)、DNA单链断裂和细胞凋亡率。结果显示,与照射对照组相比,提前给予NAC和ALCAR均极显著地增强了肝组织的抗氧化能力(P<0.001),减轻了12C6+离子导致的肝组织中DNA断裂(P<0.001)和细胞凋亡(P<0.001)。此外,还发现ALCAR组抗重离子辐照损伤的能力显著地高于NAC组(P<0.05)。实验结果提示了NAC和ALCAR可通过抵御组织内的氧化胁迫,阻止DNA链的断裂和细胞的凋亡,实现对C离子辐照损伤的保护效应。而且ALCAR比NAC可能更适合成为有潜力、有希望的抗C重离子辐射药物。

利用HIRFL-CSR开展分子离子复合离解研究的可行性分析；Feasibility Analysis of Studying Dissociative Recombination Processes of Molecular Ions at HIRFL-CSR

介绍了储存环高精度分子谱学研究的科学意义、国内外研究现状和利用HIRFL-CSR开展该项研究的优势,着重论证了HIRFL-CSR分子离子注入实验环的总体设计方案和技术方案。通过在HIRFL-CSR实验环上增建一条分子离子注入线,将实验环改造成能兼顾现有物理实验和大分子物理研究的综合性研究平台,为分子离子复合离解研究提供良好的技术支撑。特别是质量数大于70的分子离子,能显著提高其能量分辨。

Theoretical study on electron impact excitation of highly charged Ne-like ions

The electron impact excitation (EIE) cross sections from the ground state to all of the 2s(2)2p(5)3l and 2s2p(6)3l(l=s, p, d) states along the Ne-like isoelectronic sequence of ions (Z = 50-57) have been calculated by using the multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock package GRASP92 and the fully relativistic distorted-wave program REIE06. In the calculations, the relativistic effects and electron correlation effects are considered systematically. Based on those calculations, the EIE cross sections along the Ne-like isoelectronic sequence of ions for different incident electron energies are discussed, and some important conclusions are drawn. We also study the influence of the correlation effects on the values of the 3C/3D line-intensity ratio [3C: (2p(1/2)3d(3/2))(1) -> 2s(2)2p(6) S-1(0), 3D: (2p(3/2)3d(5/2))(1) -> 2s(2)2p(6) S-1(0)] along the Ne-like sequence. A comparison is made between the present results and previous theoretical calculations and experimental results for the EIE cross sections in Ba-46 (+) ions, and a good agreement is obtained.

Slow highly charged ions induced electron emission from clean Si surfaces

The electron emission yields from the interaction of slow highly charged ions (SHCI) He2+, O2+ and Ne2+ with clean Si surface are measured separately. It is found that electron emission yield gamma increases proportionally to projectile kinetic energy E-p/M-p, ranging from 0.75 keV/u to 10.5 keV/u (i.e. 3.8 x 10(5) m/s <= v(p) <= 1.42 x 10(6) m/s), and it is higher for heavy ions (O2+ and Ne2+) than for light ion (He2+). For O2+ and Ne2+, gamma increases with Z(p) decreasing in our energy range, and it shows quite different from the result for higher projectile kinetic energy. After calculating the stopping power by using TRIM 2006, it is found that the fraction of secondary electrons induced by recoil atoms increases significantly at lower projectile energy, thereby leads to the differences in gamma for heavy ions O2+ and Ne2+ between lower and higher projectile kinetic energy.

反冲原子对低速离子轰击Si表面时电子发射产额的影响；Slow highly charged ions induced electron emission from clean Si surfaces

在兰州重离子加速器国家实验室电子回旋共振离子源高电荷态原子物理实验平台上,用低能(0.75keV/u≤EP/MP≤10.5keV/u,即3.8×105m/s≤vP≤1.42×106m/s)He2+,O2+和Ne2+离子束正入射到自清洁Si表面时二次电子发射产额的实验结果.结果表明电子发射产额γ近似正比于入射离子动能EP/MP.在相同动能下,γ(O)>γ(Ne)>γ(He),对于原子序数ZP比较大的O2+和Ne2+离子,ZP大者反而γ小,这与较高入射能量时的结果截然不同.通过计算不同入射能量下入射离子的阻止能损S,发现反冲原子对激发二次电子的作用随入射离子能量的降低显著增大,这正是导致在较低能量范围内二次电子发射产额与较高入射能量时存在差异的主要原因.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study on GaN crystal irradiated by slow highly charged ions

We utilize slow highly charged ions of Xeq+ and Pbq+ to irradiate GaN crystal films grown on sapphire substrate, and use X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to analyze its surface chemical composition and chemical state of the elements. The results show that highly charged ions can etch the sample surface obviously, and the GaN sample irradiated by highly charged ions has N depletion or is Ga rich on its surface. Besides, the relative content of Ga-Ga bond increases as the dose and charge state of the incident ions increase. In addition, the binding energy of Ga 3d(5/2) electrons corresponding to Ga-Ga bond of the irradiated GaN sample is smaller compared with that of the Ga bulk material. This can be attributed to the lattice damage, which shifts the binding energy of inner orbital electrons to the lower end.

低速高电荷态重离子辐照的GaN晶体表面X射线光电子能谱研究；X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy study on GaN crystal irradiated by slow highly charged ions

利用低速高电荷态Xeq+和Pbq+离子对在蓝宝石衬底上生长的GaN晶体膜样品进行辐照,并利用X射线光电子能谱(XPS)对样品表面化学组成和元素化合态进行了分析.结果表明,高电荷态离子对样品表面有显著的刻蚀作用;经高电荷态离子辐照的GaN样品表面氮元素贫乏而镓元素富集;随着入射离子剂量和所携带电荷数的增大,Ga—Ga键相对含量增大;辐照后,GaN样品中Ga—Ga键对应的Ga3d5/2电子的束缚能偏小,晶格损伤使内层轨道电子束缚能向低端方向偏移.

Radiosensitivity to high energy iron ions is influenced by heterozygosity for Atm, Rad9 and Brca1

Loss of function of DNA repair genes has been implicated in the development of many types of cancer. In the last several years, heterozygosity leading to haploinsufficiency for proteins involved in DNA repair was shown to play a role in genomic instability and carcinogenesis after DNA damage is induced, for example by ionizing radiation. Since the effect of heterozygosity for one gene is relatively small, we hypothesize that predisposition to cancer could be a result of the additive effect of heterozygosity for two or more genes critical to pathways that control DNA damage signaling, repair or apoptosis. We investigated the role of heterozygosity for Aim, Rad9 and Brad on cell oncogenic transformation and cell survival induced by 1 GeV/n Fe-56 ions. Our results show that cells heterozygous for both Aim and Rad9 or A tin and Brca1 have high survival rates and are more sensitive to transformation by high energy iron ions when compared with wild-type controls or cells haploinsufficient for only one of these proteins. Since mutations or polymorphisms for similar genes exist in a small percentage of the human population, we have identified a radiosensitive sub-population. This finding has several implications. First, the existence of a radiosensitive sub-population may distort the shape of the dose response relationship. Second, it would not be ethical to put exceptionally radiosensitive individuals into a setting where they may potentially be exposed to substantial doses of radiation. (C) 2010 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.