Measurement of thorium isotopes and 228Ra in soft tissues and bones of a deceased Thorotrast patient.

The whole body of an individual injected with Thorotrast 36 y prior to her death was analyzed for 232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, and 230Th. Measurement of these isotopes in all tissues of the body will provide data necessary to caculate the radiation dose to individual tissues and to evaluate the risk potential associated with deposition of thorium and progeny in humans. The tissues were ashed, dissolved in acid, and the thorium isolated by ion exchange and electrodeposition. The 228Ra was determined by measuring the 0.991-MeV gamma rays associated with decay of the 228Ac daughter. It was estimated that almost all of the 232Th from the original injection was retained in the body, mostly in the tissues of the reticuloendothelial system. A total of 28 kBq (0.76 microCi) of 232Th was measured in the soft tissues and bones. The body also contained 13 kBq 228Ra, 12 kBq 228Th, and 3.9 kBq 230Th. A Thorotrastoma contained about 3.5% of the total activity. Excluding the Thorotrastoma, approximately 45% of all the activity (232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, and 230Th) was retained in the liver, 13% in the spleen, 2% in muscle, 1% in skin, slightly less than 1% in the respiratory tract, 4% in all other soft tissues, and 33% in the skeleton (bone and bone marrow). Sixty to 80% of the thorium activity in bones containing red marrow was located in the marrow. Bones containing yellow marrow had less than 40% of the thorium activity in the marrow. Highest concentrations were found in the hepatic and other abdominal lymph nodes, spleen, hilar lymph nodes, liver, trachea, and bone. Approximately 60% of the 228Ra formed from the decay of the 232Th had been excreted from the body. The 228Ra and 228Th were in approximate equilibrium throughout the body.     

The Self-Identification,LGBTQ+ Identity Development,and Attraction and Behavior of Asexual Youth: Potential Implications for Sexual Health and Internet-Based Service Provision

While often included in the spectrum of sexual minority identities, asexuality receives comparatively little attention. Awareness and understanding remains limited, and knowledge has been generated primarily from adult populations. This paper employs a sample of 711 self-identified asexual youth (aged 14–24, M?=?17.43 years) who identified as members of the LGBTQ+?community to consider the implications of a number of different areas for service provision. Two-thirds (66.8%) of participants identified as gender minorities within the spectrum of transgender and non-binary identities. Findings include aspects of participants’ LGBTQ+?developmental processes, including that only 14.3% had disclosed their LGBTQ+?status to everyone in their lives. However, just 2.4% had disclosed to no one. Their attraction and sexual activity were also explored, with 27.1% having never experienced any kind of romantic or sexual attraction and 20.6% having ever been sexually active. Findings regarding participants’ accessing of LGBTQ+?health information and engagement in a range of offline and online LGBTQ+?community activities are also provided. Participants acquired more health information online than offline—including sexual health information. Recommendations for service provision, particularly implications for sexual health and Internet-based services, are discussed.

     

Comparison of systemic plutonium deposition estimates from urinalysis and autopsy data in five whole-body donors

The systemic deposition of (239 + 240)Pu was determined by postmortem radiochemical analysis of the tissues from five whole-body donors to the United States Transuranium Registry (USTR). All were males with intakes typically occurring many years prior to death. The postmortem radiochemical results were compared with estimates of systemic deposition made with 13 different biokinetic models using urinary excretion data obtained during life. In general, estimates made with older biokinetic models were severalfold greater than those obtained from radiochemical analysis of the tissues. For all five cases, agreement within a factor of two with the tissue analysis results was obtained with two of the biokinetic models evaluated: the Langham power function model as modified by Leggett and Eckerman and the two compartment exponential model proposed in ICRP Publication Nos. 19 and 30.     

The U.S. Transuranium Registry report of the 241Am content of a whole body. Part IV: Preparation and analysis of the tissues and bones

Los Alamos National Laboratory has analyzed autopsy tissue for the USTR, as a part of its study of the uptake, distribution and retention of Pu and other transuranic elements in occupationally exposed workers since 1978. In April 1979, Los Alamos received the internal organs and bone samples from the first whole-body donation to the USTR. The donor was known to have an internal deposition of 241Am. All soft tissue, the bones from the right half of the skeleton, and the odd-numbered vertebrae were received at Los Alamos in February 1980. The bones were subdivided along anatomical areas of interest. All soft tissues and bone specimens were analyzed for their 241Am content. A total deposition of 147.4 nCi 241Am was measured. Approximately 18% of the 241Am remaining in the body (disregarding that in the left hand), was found in the soft tissues, and 82% was in the bones and teeth. The soft tissues and organs containing the largest amounts of 241Am were the combined soft tissue (striated muscle, connective tissue and skin) 8.8%; liver, 6.4% and respiratory tract, 1.5%. The remaining organs accounted for 0.9% of the systemic burden.     

Partitioning of 238Pu, 239Pu and 241Am in skeleton and liver of U.S. Transuranium Registry autopsy cases

The content of 238Pu, 239Pu and 241Am in the liver and skeleton was estimated from radiochemical analysis of human liver and bone samples obtained at autopsy from former actinide workers whose occupational histories were suggestive of chronic inhalation exposures, with minor skin contamination and wounds documented in a few individuals. For times estimated to be several years to a few decades post intake, 75.8 +/- 15.3% of the total 241Am in the skeleton and liver was found in the skeleton (25 cases) as compared with 63.4 +/- 24.1% for 238Pu (36 cases) and 53.2 +/- 18.2% for 239Pu (43 cases). These differences are significant at the 95% confidence level. Of these cases, 34 included data on both 238Pu and 239Pu and were divided into high and low activity subgroups. The difference in the fractionation of the two Pu isotopes was apparent only in the low activity subgroup, suggesting that the difference observed between the Pu isotopes may be an artifact of the data. The different partitioning of these three nuclides suggests that the ALIs for 238Pu and 241Am may be high by about 25-50% if only the dose to bone is considered and may be high by 12-13%, based on the weighted committed dose equivalent in target organs or tissues.     

Blood transfusion and Jehovah's Witnesses: the legal and ethical issues

A critical incident is any event that had an effect, or could have had an effect, on the welfare of a patient. Patients must be treated with respect by staff who demonstrate that they are sensitive to individual needs, values, beliefs and cultural background. This article will examine the legal and ethical issues relevant to the right of an unconscious Jehovah's Witness in an intensive care unit (ICU) to refuse a blood transfusion. The concepts of consent, capacity to consent, necessity to act, advance directives, decision making, consequences of failing to obtain consent, ethical principles, human rights and the best interests of the patient will be explored, in the light of relevant statute and case law, in order to demonstrate some of the legal and ethical complexities within acute healthcare delivery.