Re: Hormesis [?]- Theory and Observation -Comment[2]

[RadiumProj@cs.com]

In a message dated 5/11/00 3:50:45 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
bcradsafers@hotmail.com [comments on the following] & writes:

> >Pants from achenes
>  >irradiated with 2 and 5 Gy growing in the greenhouse were taller and 
>  > >showed early flowering at least of 5 days. Finally, despite that the 
>  > >stimulatory effect was observed during germination, field and 
>greenhouse 
> 
>  >evaluations, was not possible repeat this experiment since >the same 
>  >sunflower achenes were not available. Remaining question is >if this 
>  >phenomenon induces DNA damage and mutations, and in subsequent 
>generations 
> 
>  >the same stimulatory effect is observed.
>  ---
bcradsafers@hotmail.com comment:
>  As a provocative speculation, I suggest that this phenomenon may be due to 
>  an induction of stress proteins that respond to many different types of 
>  stress - of which DNA damage could be one involved. The growth induction 
>  itself would then not reflect better "health" of the seed but rather "the 
>  environment is now so tough that you have better produce a plant and 
>  reproduce while you have the chance (regardless of any induced 
mutations)". 
>  The strategies for growth and producing seeds of flowering plants are very 
>  different depending on the general stress and "danger" in the environment.

As a loosely connected  & general thought on the thread of radiation stress 
and increased fecundity.  Back in the 1940s and 1950s many women who were 
having trouble conceiving were administered "large" [I can't recall the doses 
involved] of x-rays to their ovaries to stimulate fecundity [ie: tendency to 
ovulate and become pregnant].  There was a published  preliminary FDA 
research abstract, I recall reading in about 1972, that the offspring of this 
procedure had higher rates of various congenital defects. I never saw any 
final research results on this study or any more about this "infertility" 
treatment which was done rather commonly at that time by U.S. physicians 
according to the original research abstract.

Stewart Farber
email: radiumproj@cs.com
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