Effects of low-intensity swimming on radiation-induced leg contracture in mice.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of low-intensity swimming on radiation-induced leg contracture. METHODS: Forty mice were randomly and equally divided into four groups: 1) irradiation; 2) swimming before irradiation; 3) swimming after irradiation; 4) swimming after contracture, and their left hind legs were exposed to gamma irradiation of 60 Gy. The mice were allowed to swim freely for 10 minutes, three times per day. For group 2, the mice were allowed to swim for only 1 week before irradiation. For group 3, the mice were allowed to swim immediately after irradiation until day 130, post-irradiation. For group 4, the mice were allowed to swim after leg contracture happened (on day 30 post-irradiation) until day 130, post-irradiation. The leg lengths and knee joint angles were measured. Leg contracture was defined as the decrease in the hind leg lengths and the knee joint angles of each animal. The ultrastructural changes of gastrocnemius muscles were observed using transmission electron microscopy. RESULTS: The radiation could result in leg contracture and mitochondrial injury of the muscles. However, the group of swimming immediately after irradiation had less leg contracture and no vacuolar degeneration in the mitochondria, compared with the other groups. CONCLUSION: Low-intensity swimming that began immediately after the mice were irradiated could effectively prevent the irradiated legs from contracture. Patients with irradiated mastication muscles were recommended to begin mouth-opening exercises immediately after radiotherapy.

The detection accuracies for proximal caries by cone-beam computerized tomography, film, and phosphor plates.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the accuracy of cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) for the detection of noncavitated proximal caries and to compare the detection accuracies of 2 CBCT imaging systems with those based on plain-film radiographs and phosphor-plate images. STUDY DESIGN: Test radiographs of 39 noncavitated unrestored human permanent teeth were obtained with film, phosphor-plate, ProMax 3D, and Kodak 9000 3D imaging systems. Seven observers used a 5-level scale to evaluate test images for the presence of proximal caries. With histologic examination serving as the reference standard, observer performances were assessed with receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and the areas under the ROC curves (A(z) values) for the observers, and modalities were analyzed with a repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS: The mean A(z) values for film, phosphor plates, ProMax 3D, and Kodak 9000 3D imaging systems were 0.541, 0.523, 0.528, and 0.525, respectively (P = .763). CONCLUSION: For detecting subtle noncavitated proximal caries, the detection accuracy with the CBCT images was little better than chance performance and was similar to that with phosphor plate- and film-based intraoral images.

Effective radiation dose of ProMax 3D cone-beam computerized tomography scanner with different dental protocols.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to compare effective doses resulting from different scan protocols for cone-beam computerized tomography (CBCT) using International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 1990 and 2007 calculations of dose. STUDY DESIGN: Average tissue-absorbed dose, equivalent dose, and effective dose for a ProMax 3D CBCT with different dental protocols were calculated using thermoluminescent dosimeter chips in a human equivalent phantom. Effective doses were derived using ICRP 1990 and the superseding 2007 recommendations. RESULTS: Effective doses (ICRP 2007) for default patient sizes from small to large ranged from 102 to 298 µSv. The coefficient of determination (R(2)) between tube current and effective dose (ICRP 2007) was 0.90. When scanning with lower resolution settings, the effective doses were reduced significantly (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: ProMax 3D can provide a wide range of radiation dose levels. Reduction in radiation dose can be achieved when using lower settings of exposure parameters.

[Effect of radiation on the activity and expression of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase in rat masseter muscle].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the activity and expression of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase in irradiated rat masseter muscle. METHODS: The rats were irradiated locally with a single dose of 20 Gy X-ray. The activities of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase were measured with colorimetric method. The protein expression of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase was determined by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: The activities of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase in masseter muscle decreased by approximately 20% and 40% in irradiated rats on days 3 and 30 postirradiation. There was significant difference in the expression of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase protein between irradiated and nonirradiated rats on day 30 postirradiation. Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase protein was found in the cytoplasm of masseter muscle. CONCLUSIONS: The decrease of ATPase activity played an important role in the cause of radiation-induced skeletal muscle injury, while there was no significant reduction in the expression of Ca(2+)-Mg(2+)-ATPase protein in irradiated rat masseter muscle.