biological effects induced by high-charged and energy particles and its application in cancer therapy

The radiobiological effects of high atomic number and energy [HZE particles] ion beams are of interest for radioprotection in space and tumor radiotherapy. Space radiation mainly consists of heavy charged particles from protons to iron ions, which is distinct from common terrestrial forms of radiation. HZE particles pose a significant cancer risk to astronauts on prolonged space missions. With high delivered energies and intense ionization, HZE particles can damage not only the biological systems but also the shielding materials. HZE particles are more effective than low-LET radiation like gamma- or X-rays to induce genetic mutation and cancer. On Earth, similar ions are being used for targeted cancer therapy due to the advantage of the inverse dose profile, with delivering higher doses to the tumor while keeping lower doses to the surrounding tissues. In this review, we focus on the recent insights into the biological effects caused by HZE particles and the corresponding mechanism. We also discuss the current application of HZE particle in cancer therapy. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the repair of DNA damage induced by HZE particles contribute to accurately estimate the risks to human health associated with HZE particle exposure and to improve the effectiveness of tumor radiotherapy

Polymorphisms of four STRs and their associations with IDDM in Chinese Han population / 中华医学遗传学杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To obtain the polymorphic data of short tandem repeat(STR) loci of D15S657, D11S1369, D6S2420 and D6S503 in Chinese Han population and to study the association of these four STR loci with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus(IDDM).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>The polymorphisms of the four STRs were studied by polymerase chain reaction-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis(PCR-PAGE) followed by direct sequencing of PCR products in 105 normal Chinese Hans and 48 patients with IDDM.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Seven alleles at D15S657 locus, 5 alleles at D11S1369 locus, 7 alleles at D6S2420 locus and 4 alleles at D6S503 locus were found. No deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was observed. The heterozygosities of these loci were 0. 7524, 0.6000, 0.6286, 0.6571 and the polymorphic information contents(PIC) 0.7616, 0.4430, 0.5345 and 0.5932, respectively. The allele frequencies of allele A(5) at D15S657 locus, allele A(5) at D11S1369 locus and allele A(4) at D6S2420 locus were increased significantly in patients with IDDM, compared to those in the control group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The four STRs, used as genetic markers, were suitable for case-control study, forensic medicine identification and population genetic study. There is an association between the polymorphisms of D15S657, D11S1369, D6S2420 and IDDM.</p>