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.     

Radioprotective efficacy and acute toxicity of 5-androstenediol after subcutaneous or oral administration in mice

We previously showed that one subcutaneous (sc) injection of 5-androstene-3beta,17beta-diol (AED) stimulated the innate immune system in mice and prevented mortality due to hemopoietic suppression after whole-body ionizing irradiation with gamma rays. In the present study, we tested whether there was any significant toxicity in mice that might hinder development of this steroid for human use. There were no indications of toxicity in chemical analyses of serum after sc doses as high as 4000 mg/kg. At this dose, 2 of 54 mice died when given AED alone. When 4800 mg/kg was given orally, no deaths resulted. The only adverse findings attributed to AED administration were 1) a moderate elevation of granulocytes in abdominal organs and fat after sc injections of 320 mg/kg; and 2) occasional wasting of skin over the injection site in female B6D2F1 but not male C3H/HeN mice. Significant weight loss (6%) was observed after sc injections of 320 mg/kg but not 160 or 80 mg/kg. When male C3H/HeN mice were injected sc with AED at doses of 0-200 mg/kg 24 h before whole body gamma-irradiation (9 Gy), a significant improvement in survival was observed at doses as low as 5 mg/kg. Oral administration of AED produced significant survival enhancement at a dose of 1600 mg/kg. We conclude that the radioprotective efficacy of AED is accompanied by low toxicity.Androst-5-ene-3 beta, 17 beta-diol; Ionizing radiation; Experimental radiation injuries; Toxicity; Clinical chemistry; Histopathology     

Direct infant UV light exposure is associated with eczema and immune development

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Determination of cortisol and cortisone in urine using high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection

The application of reversed-phase gradient high-performance liquid chromatography with UV detection to the determination of cortisol and cortisone in 24-h urine samples is described. The method employs Sep-pak C18 cartridges for the part-purification and concentration of the corticosteroids, with sample enrichment at the head of an HPLC pre-column and separation using water/acetonitrile gradient. The internal standard is 6alpha-methylprednisolone. Measurement of both cortisone and cortisol provides further information on adrenocortical function. 24-hour excretion rate data from normal subjects are reported.     

Radiation therapy for pancreatic cancer: eleven year experience at the JCRT

Radiation therapy (XRT) for 41 patients with unresectable pancreatic cancer resulted in a median survival of 7.0 months. There was no difference in median survival for patients receiving external beam alone (3500 to 5600 cGy) (n = 28), intraoperative (IORT) boost plus external beam (5040 to 6750 cGy) (n = 9), or a gold-198 implant +/- external beam radiation (n = 4). A pilot study using orthovoltage IORT boost indicates no acute toxicity with doses of 1250 to 1750 cGy. Serious late damage has not been observed in any patients followed to 2 years. Local recurrence in patients treated post-operatively after "radical" surgery occurred in one of 10 (10%). This adjuvant treatment is safe and appears to improve local control rates compared to historical data, but survival is still poor. The median survival for the post-operative group is 10 months; three patients are alive without disease 8 months to 8.3 years after treatment.     

No disturbance of myelination in the central nervous system by selective3Hβ-irradiation

Summary The effect of a selective irradiation of myelin by³H -particles was studied by light and electron microscopic methods in guinea pig spinal cord. The animals were injected with [³H]leucine shortly after birth when the rate of myelin biosynthesis is high and sacrificed 130 days later. In spinal cord the radioactivity was mainly preserved in myelin because the half life of myelin proteins is much higher than that of most other CNS protein. As a consequence the irradiation dose in the white matter was much higher than in the gray matter. In myelin internally irradiated by³H -particles within 130 days at a dose of 10 Gy no alterations could be detected either by morphological or by morphometric methods.Supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft     

探究4种临床CT扫描方式对受检者辐射剂量的影响及胸部扫描辐射场的空间分布

目的 探究4种临床CT扫描方式对受检者常见组织吸收剂量的影响及胸部扫描的辐射场空间分布,以期为受检者与机房内空间辐射防护提供依据。方法 利用热释光探测器（TLD）测量仿真体模的眼晶体、甲状腺、性腺、胸部和腹部皮肤在4种CT扫描方式下的吸收剂量。利用TLD监测胸部螺旋扫描时距离CT诊断床不同位置处的空气比释动能。结果 仿真体模的眼晶体、甲状腺、性腺、胸部和腹部皮肤在4种CT扫描方式下的吸收剂量分别为0.040～64.818 mGy、0.154～10.155 mGy、0.028～0.154 mGy、0.443～17.141 mGy和0.093～14.346 mGy。胸部扫描时空间辐射场的空气比释动能最大值为0.049 mGy,且与CT球管距离越大数值越小。结论 4种CT扫描方式对受检者常见组织的吸收剂量一般不会超过阈剂量。单次CT胸部扫描时陪检者所受剂量较小。为减少辐射危害,在CT扫描中可采取屏蔽措施来减少受检者组织吸收剂量,同时陪检者应适当增加与球管和诊断床的距离。     

复方补血胶囊中葡萄糖酸亚铁的含量测定

目的：复方补血胶囊中葡萄糖酸亚铁的含量测定。方法：根据Fe^2 与邻二氮菲显色,在510nm处有最大吸收,利用分光光度法测定。结果：葡萄糖亚铁在7－34μg/ml的浓度范围内线性关系良好（r=0.9999),回收率、日内变异均符合要求,结论：建立了复方补血胶囊中葡萄糖酸亚铁的含量测定方法。     

131I的电离辐射对甲状腺功能早期影响的研究

目的探讨131I的电离辐射与甲状腺组织功能早期改变的关系,如血清TNF、IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8等细胞因子水平变化以及甲状腺组织本身的病理改变等.方法选用兔作动物实验(15只),分别在0、6、24、48、72h及1周时抽血做IL-1β、IL-8测定,并每次随机处死1～2只兔以做病理切片观察,1周时同时做甲功测定(TT3、TT4、FT3、FT4)并与0h比较.17例病情中及重度甲亢患者用治疗剂量的131I治疗(每人次用量146.2～469.9MBq,平均267.5MBq),治疗前和治疗后4～7天抽血做TNF、IL-1β、IL-6和IL-8测定.结果①使用131I6h后即可见兔血清IL-1β增高(P<0.05),IL-8于48h达高峰(P<0.01),两种细胞因子于1周时皆降低到0h水平(P>0.05).1周内兔血清甲状腺激素水平无明显变化(P>0.05).②甲亢患者131I治疗前后血清细胞因子的变化与兔有所不同,TNF无明显变化(P>0.05),IL-6和IL-8升高(P<0.05),而IL-1β反而降低,且差异显著(P<0.05).③摄取131I后兔甲状腺组织在不同时间内呈现不同的病理改变.结论①甲状腺组织摄取一定剂量的131I在不同时间内呈现不同的病理改变,但短期内甲状腺激素水平无明显变化.②某些细胞因子IL-1β、IL-6、IL-8等似可用作观察甲状腺组织对131I辐射效应反应的指标,但其临床价值有待于进一步探讨.