Environmental conditions and variation in levels of sun exposure among children in child care

Sun exposure in childhood is 1 of the risk factors for developing skin cancer, yet little is known about levels of exposure at this age. This is particularly important in countries with high levels of ultraviolet radiation (UVR) such as Australia. Among 49 children 3 to 5 years of age attending child care centers, UVR exposure was studied under 4 conditions in a repeated measures design; sunny days, cloudy days, teacher’s instruction to stay in the shade, and a health professionals instruction to apply sunscreen. Three different data collection methods were employed: (a) completion of questionnaire or diary by parents and researcher, (b) polysulphone dosimeter readings, and (c) observational audits (video recording). Results of this study indicated that more than half the children had been sunburnt (pink or red) and more than a third had experienced painful sunburn (sore or tender) in the last summer. Most wore short sleeve shirts, short skirts or shorts and cap, that do not provide optimal levels of skin protection. However, sunscreen was applied to all exposed parts before the children went out to the playground. Over the period of 1 hr (9–10 a.m.) the average amount of time children spent in full sun was 22 min. On sunny days there was more variation across children in the amount of sun exposure received. While the potential amount of UVR exposure for young children during the hour they were outside on a sunny day was 1.45 MED (Minimum Erythemal Dose), they received on average 0.35 MED, which is an insufficient amount to result in an erythemal response on fair skin even without the use of sunscreen.     

Acute hypervolemia does not improve arterial oxygenation in maximally exercising thoroughbred horses

Recently, it was reported that acute hypervolemia improves arterial oxygen tension in human athletes known to experience exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia. Since exercise-induced arterial hypoxemia is routinely observed in racehorses and is known to limit performance, we examined whether pre-exercise induction of acute hypervolemia would similarly benefit arterial oxygenation in maximally exercising thoroughbred horses. Two sets of experiments, namely, placebo [intravenous (IV) physiological saline] and acute hypervolemia (IV 7.2% NaCl, causing an 18.2% expansion of plasma volume) studies were carried out in random order on 13 healthy, exercise-trained thoroughbred horses, 7 days apart. An incremental exercise protocol leading to 120 s of galloping at 14 m s^–1 on a 3.5% uphill incline was used. Galloping at this workload elicited maximal heart rate and induced pulmonary hemorrhage in all horses in both treatments. In the placebo study, arterial oxygen tension decreased to 76.1 (2) mmHg (P<0.0001) at 30 s of maximal exertion, but further significant changes did not occur as exercise duration increased to 120 s [arterial oxygen tension 72.4 (2) mmHg]. A significant arterial hypoxemia also developed in galloping horses in the acute hypervolemia study [arterial oxygen tension at 30 and 120 s was 76.7 (1.7) and 71.9 (1.6) mmHg, respectively], but significant differences between treatments could not be demonstrated. In both treatments, a similar desaturation of arterial hemoglobin was also observed at 30 s of maximal exercise, which intensified with increasing exercise duration as hyperthermia, acidosis and hypercapnia intensified. Thus, acute expansion of plasma volume did not benefit arterial oxygenation in maximally exercising thoroughbred horses.     

Therapeutic drug levels and toxicology screen

Toxicologic analysis cannot supplant physician skills in the diagnosis and management of poisoning; however, it is a useful adjunct when properly used. Laboratory use should reflect critical consideration of clinical contribution as well as insight into institutional capability. A detailed historic review and interview of multiple sources may provide more useful and expeditious information than the blind "drug screen." Test ordering should be limited to that which directly contributes to clinical patient management.16 Similarly, test results must be interpreted in the clinical context of patient presentation. The reported units of measurement must be carefully scrutinized; and the potential for laboratory error must be appreciated. Most importantly, communication and cooperation must be maintained between the physician and laboratory personnel if the resource is to be optimally used.     

Structure-intestinal transport and structure-metabolism correlations of some potential cancerostatic pyrimidine nucleosides in isolated rat jejunum

Summary Both transport and biotransformation processes for a series of pyrimidine nucleobases, ribonucleosides, 2-deoxyribonucleosides, and acetyl and 5-substituted derivatives of the cancerostatic agent araC were studied in the isolated everted rat jejunum with a continuous perfusion technique. Metabolic alterations during penetration were assessed by HPLC. 5-Halogeno and 5-deoxy derivatives of cytosine nucleosides exhibited higher transport rates and higher stability towards the deamination reaction than did unsubstituted derivatives. Octanol-buffer partition coefficients were estimated for the study compounds, and fragmental constants for the sugar moieties of nucleosides were assessed. With the present study compounds there was no correlation between lipophilicity and transport rate, as previously reported, but there was a correlation between lipophilicity and metabolic alteration of araC derivatives (r=0.99, n=5).     

The simultaneous assay of emetine and cephaeline in ipecacuanha and its preparations by spectrofluorimetry

A rapid assay is described for the simultaneous determination of emetine and cephaeline in ipecacuanha and its preparations, based upon the different fluorescence intensities of the alkaloids at pH 1 and pH 12. The assay involves the measurement of fluorescence at 317 nm of dilutions of the sample in 0.1 M hydrochloric acid (pH 1) and 0.01 M sodium hydroxide (pH 12) with an excitation wavelength of 283 nm. Concentrations of the individual alkaloids are calculated using two simultaneous equations derived from the experimentally determined coefficients of fluorescence of solutions (1 μg/ml) of emetine and cephaeline at pH 1 and pH 12. The procedure, which has been shown to be accurate, precise and sensitive, requires only 1 ml of a liquid sample and less than 0.5 g of powdered root. There was reasonable agreement between the total concentrations of alkaloids in tinctures and liquid extracts of ipecacuanha determined by the spectrofluorimetric method and by the titrimetric procedure of the British Pharmacopoeia. The fluorimetric procedure gave higher levels of alkaloids in the powdered root than did the B.P. method; this difference is explained by incomplete extraction of the alkaloids in the B.P. procedure for powdered ipecacuanha root.     

评“McCall观察方法”——对一种色谱系统分配效果观察方法的商榷

本文通过理论分析和文献数据的分析,对McCall提出的色谱系统分配效果的观察方法提出了不同的看法,认为McCall方法中的所谓logK并不是常数。McCall的方法无论在理论上和实践上都是不妥的。     

2015—2020年南通市中小学生食源性疾病特征分析

目的 分析南通市中小学生食源性疾病流行病学特征,为有效防控中小学生食源性疾病提供科学依据。方法 收集2015—2020年南通市哨点医院就诊的中小学生食源性疾病病例信息,并采集病例粪便标本进行病原体检测,运用χ²检验比较不同学段中小学生食源性疾病病例的分布。结果 共监测中小学生食源性疾病病例1 432例。不同可疑暴露食品的分类和进食场所的病例数有统计学差异（χ²= 73.421;χ² = 66.857,P均＜0.001）,可疑暴露食品主要为肉与肉制品（28.21%）和水产动物及其制品（17.86%）,可疑进食场所主要为家庭（57.60%）和学校食堂（12.69%）。疑似食源性疾病暴发事件主要发生在学校食堂。共采集标本214份,检出病原体22份,总体检出率为10.28%,阳性病原体以诺如病毒（3.74%）和副溶血性弧菌（3.27%）为主。结论 需面向家庭、学校和学生开展有针对性的食品安全知识宣传,加强中小学生食源性疾病的重点食品和场所的食品安全监测和监管,最大限度地减少中小学生食源性疾病的发生。     

Depression,sleeping pattern,and suicidal ideation among medical students in Bangladesh: a cross-sectional pilot study

Journal of Public Health - Depression is a major morbidity and the most common mental disorder among the medical students in medical schools globally. Undergraduate students suffer stress more due...     

Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review of Micro- and Macro-Nutrient Intakes and Trajectories of Macro-Nutrient Supply in the Eastern Mediterranean Region

The Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR) is experiencing a nutrition transition, characterized by the emergence of overnutrition and micro-nutrient deficiencies. No previous study has comparatively examined nutrient intake in adults across countries in the EMR. This review examined the adequacy of nutrients in adults living in the EMR. Moreover, it analyzed the food balance sheets (FBS) for 1961–2018 to identify the trajectory of energy supply from macro-nutrients in the EMR. A systematic search was conducted from January 2012 to September 2020. Only observational studies were retained with a random sampling design. An assessment of the methodological quality was conducted. Levels of nutrient daily intake and their adequacy compared to the daily reference intake of the Institute of Medicine were reported across the region. No studies were identified for half of the region’s countries. Although nutrient energy intake was satisfactory overall, fat and carbohydrate intake were high. Intake of vitamin D, calcium, potassium, zinc, and magnesium were below that recommended. The analysis of the FBS data allowed for the identification of four linear patterns of trajectories, with countries in the EMR best fitting the ‘high-energy-supply from carbohydrate’ group. This systematic review warrants multi-sectorial commitment to optimize nutrient intake.     

COVID-19对学术交流的影响及学术出版机构的应对举措

【目的】 研究COVID-19疫情暴发给学术交流及学术出版带来的深远影响。【方法】 利用文献调研法和案例分析法挖掘COVID-19疫情带来的学术环境变化,并探讨学术出版的整体变化趋势和国内外出版机构的应对方式。【结果】 COVID-19疫情改变了当前的学术交流环境:加速推进开放科学进程,快速传播的预出版模式受到青睐,开放评审促进快速学术交流,多项基金项目助力COVID-19科学研究,中国科研人员应对COVID-19反应积极而迅速。出版机构顺应学术出版的整体趋势,为科学共同体提供大量免费服务,扩大知识服务的目标群体,提供海量知识及COVID-19快速发表通道,我国出版机构应对COVID-19也采取了大量积极举措。【结论】 国内外出版机构应对突发事件时应建立学术出版应急机制,增强知识服务能力,促进知识创新及传播,以适应一个全新的快速发展的学术环境。