Effect of carbonation on brain processing of sweet stimuli in humans.

Little is known about how CO2 affects neural processing of taste. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the effects of carbonation on brain processing of sweet stimuli, which has relevance to studies of food selection and satiety. The presence of carbonation produced an overall decrease in the neural processing of sweetness-related signals, especially from sucrose. CO2 reduced the neural processing of sucrose more than that of artificial sweeteners. These findings might be relevant to dietary interventions that include noncaloric beverages, whereas the combination of CO2 and sucrose might increase consumption of sucrose.

Retrospective assessment of radiation toxicity from a definitive-intent, moderately hypofractionated image-guided intensity-modulated protocol for anal sac adenocarcinoma in dogs.

A recent calculation study predicted acceptable toxicity in pelvic organs at risk for a new definitive-intent, moderately hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) protocol (12 x 3.8 Gy), when used with image-guided intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IG-IMRT). We hypothesized this protocol to result in clinically acceptable radiation toxicities. Dogs diagnosed with and irradiated for anal sac adenocarcinoma (ASAC) were retrospectively assessed. Eleven dogs were included, six had prior surgery. Before any therapy, staging according to Polton et al. resulted in the following distribution: stage 1 (n = 1), stage 2 (n = 1), stage 3a (n = 6), stage 3b (n = 3). We scored radiation toxicities at the end of therapy, at weeks 1, 3 and every 3 months after RT according to Veterinary Radiation Therapy Oncology Group radiation toxicity criteria. Clinical follow-up was maintained on regular intervals combined with computed tomography (n = 3). Median follow-up time for dogs still alive was 594 days (range: 224-972 days). Within 1 week post treatment, eight dogs (73%) developed grade 2 and four dogs (36%) grade 1 acute toxicity in the perianal region. All acute toxicities resolved or improved to grade 1 within 3 weeks after treatment. Late toxicity, for example, chronic colitis/diarrhoea, ulcerations, strictures or myelopathies was not observed in any patient. Five dogs were euthanized 105, 196, 401, 508 and 908 days after RT and six dogs were still alive, one in spite of progressive disease. The median progression-free survival was 908 days (95%CI: 215; 1602). The previous theoretically described definitive-intent, moderately hypofractionated protocol using IG-IMRT for the treatment of advanced ASAC showed clinically acceptable acute and late toxicities.

Comparison of the Inhibition Effects of Arsenacetylic Acid on Experimental H_(22) Hepatoma-Bearing Mice in Two Different Forms of Administration / 中国药房

OBJECTIVE: To compare inhibition effects of arsenacetylic acid(ASAC) on experimental H22 hepatoma-bearing mice in different forms of administration. METHODS: The mice were divided into 5 groups at random after inoculated with H22 hepatoma into their right axillas hypodermic by intraperitoneal injection(ip) and intravenous injection(iv), and then injected with normal saline,cyclophosphamide and different dosage of ASAC, observe the rate of tumor strain becoming tumor, the inhibition effects of the subjects and the effects of the subjects on mice's viscera. RESULTS: Compared with ip,either high, moderate or low dosage of ASAC by iv did have an obvious inhibitory effect on tumor and the tumor inhibition rates were 46.59%, 46.31% and 32.48% respectively; however, the spleen index in groups that of lower dosage of ASAC by two forms of drug administration were increased; there were death by poisoning in the group that iv with high dosage of ASAC.CONCLUSION: Compared with ip, the administration of ASAC by iv has a better effect on tumor.