The Combined Effects of Ionizing Radiation and Low Temperature on the Metabolism, Longevity, and Soft Tissues of the White Rat: I. Metabolism and Longevity

Abstract
Male Sprague-Dawley rats living at 25[degree]C and 5[degree]C were exposed to total-body irradiation of 0.1 r/hour for 8 hours daily from 4 months to 16 months of age. At 25[degree]C, the O2 consumption of irradiated animals was higher than that of controls, the difference becoming statistically significant when the animals were over 13 months old. The metabolism of rats at 5[degree]C was elevated by the cold stress, but no significant difference between control and experimental animals developed. Irradiated animals at both temperatures lived over 20% longer than their respective controls.