Investigation of the distribution of transuranic radionuclides in marine sediment at the Montebello Islands, Western Australia.

Three nuclear weapons tests were conducted in the 1950s at the Montebello Islands, Western Australia. The detonations were of different yields and configurations (two tower tests, one ship test), and led to substantial radionuclide contamination within the surrounding terrestrial and marine ecosystems. The region possesses great ecological and recreational significance, particularly within the marine environment.

Transport and migration of plutonium in different soil types and rainfall regimes.

Leaching and transport of contaminants is a complex interacting system affected by a suite of environmental factors. This study demonstrates the potential significance of weather events and moisture movement when interpreting plutonium (Pu) migration and advective transport in the soil matrix. Using a column transport experiment, two soil types, a sandy soil and clay-rich soil, were spiked with Pu as a tracer to observe the effect of simulated tropical and arid rainfall events on Pu mobility.

Genetic screen for suppressors of increased silencing in rpd3 mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae identifies a potential role for H3K4 methylation.

Several studies have identified the paradoxical phenotype of increased heterochromatic gene silencing at specific loci that results from deletion or mutation of the histone deacetylase (HDAC) gene RPD3. To further understand this phenomenon, we conducted a genetic screen for suppressors of this extended silencing phenotype at the HMR locus in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Most of the mutations that suppressed extended HMR silencing in rpd3 mutants without completely abolishing silencing were identified in the histone H3 lysine 4 methylation (H3K4me) pathway, specifically in SET1, BRE1, and BRE2.

Future migration: Key environmental indicators of Pu accumulation in terrestrial sediments of Queensland, Australia.

Plutonium (Pu) interactions in the environment are highly complex. Site-specific variables play an integral role in determining the chemical and physical form of Pu, and its migration, bioavailability, and immobility. This paper aims to identify the key variables that can be used to highlight regions of radioecological sensitivity and guide remediation strategies in Australia.

Correction to: Psychosocial distress in acute cancer patients assessed with an expert rating scale.

The article "Psychosocial distress in acute cancer patients assessed with an expert rating scale".

Reference natural radionuclide concentrations in Australian soils and derived terrestrial air kerma rate.

Sediment from drainage catchment outlets has been shown to be a useful means of sampling large land masses for soil composition. Naturally occurring radioactive material concentrations (uranium, thorium and potassium-40) in soil have been collated and converted to activity concentrations using data collected from the National Geochemistry Survey of Australia. Average terrestrial air kerma rate data are derived using the elemental concentration data, and is tabulated for Australia and states for use as baseline reference information.

Terrestrial gamma radiation baseline mapping using ultra low density sampling methods.

Baseline terrestrial gamma radiation maps are indispensable for providing basic reference information that may be used in assessing the impact of a radiation related incident, performing epidemiological studies, remediating land contaminated with radioactive materials, assessment of land use applications and resource prospectivity. For a large land mass, such as Queensland, Australia (over 1.7 million km(2)), it is prohibitively expensive and practically difficult to undertake detailed in-situ radiometric surveys of this scale.

A phase II study of sulforaphane-rich broccoli sprout extracts in men with recurrent prostate cancer.

Introduction: Diets high in cruciferous vegetables are associated with lower risk of incidence of prostate cancer, including aggressive forms of this disease. Human intervention studies with cruciferous vegetable-rich diets also demonstrate modulation of gene expression in important pathways in prostate cells.

Purpose: Sulforaphane is a constituent of these foods postulated to harbor the anti-neoplastic activity based on multiple tumor models.

Androgen receptor promotes ligand-independent prostate cancer progression through c-Myc upregulation.

The androgen receptor (AR) is the principal therapeutic target in prostate cancer. For the past 70 years, androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been the major therapeutic focus. However, some patients do not benefit, and those tumors that do initially respond to ADT eventually progress.

Autoregulation of an RNA polymerase II promoter by the RNA polymerase III transcription factor III C (TF(III)C) complex.

Extra TF(III)C (ETC) sites are chromosomal locations bound in vivo by the RNA polymerase III (Pol III) transcription factor III C (TF(III)C) complex, but are not necessarily associated with Pol III transcription. Although the location of ETC sequences are conserved in budding yeast, and similar sites are found in other organisms, their functions are largely unstudied. One such site, ETC6 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, lies upstream of TFC6, a gene encoding a subunit of the TF(III)C complex itself.

Mapping radioactivity in groundwater to identify elevated exposure in remote and rural communities.

A survey of radioactivity in groundwater (110 sites) was conducted as a precursor to providing a baseline of radiation exposure in rural and remote communities in Queensland, Australia, that may be impacted upon by exposure pathways associated with the supply, treatment, use and wastewater treatment of the resource. Radionuclides in groundwater, including ²³⁸U, ²²⁶Ra, ²²²Rn, ²²⁸Ra, ²²⁴Ra and ⁴⁰K were measured and found to contain activity concentration levels of up to 0.71 BqL⁻¹, 0.

Psychosocial distress in acute cancer patients assessed with an expert rating scale.

Purpose: The identification of psychosocial stress in cancer patients has remained a challenging task especially in an acute care environment. The aims of the present study were to apply a short expert rating scale for the assessment of distress during the acute treatment phase and to identify potential sociodemographic and disease-related predictors.

Methods: Four hundred seventy-eight ward cancer patients were assessed with the short form of the psycho-oncological basis documentation and its breast-cancer-specific version.

Uptake and depuration of 131I by the macroalgae Catenella nipae--potential use as an environmental monitor for radiopharmaceutical waste.

A study was initiated to establish the suitability of the macroalgae, Catenella nipae as an environmental surveillance monitor for radiopharmaceutical waste discharges to aquatic environments. A series of experiments were conducted to establish the radioactive iodine ((131)I) concentration factor, and uptake and depuration characteristics of C. nipae.

A new Certified Reference Material for radionuclides in Irish sea sediment (IAEA-385).

A new Certified Reference Material (CRM) for radionuclides in sediment (IAEA-385) is described and the results of the certification process are presented. Eleven radionuclides ((40)K, (137)Cs, (226)Ra, (228)Ra, (230)Th, (232)Th, (234)U, (238)U, (238)Pu, (239+240)Pu and (241)Am) have been certified and information mass activities with 95% confidence intervals are given for seven other radionuclides ((90)Sr, (210)Pb((210)Po), (235)U, (239)Pu, (240)Pu and (241)Pu). Results for less frequently reported radionuclides ((60)Co, (99)Tc, (134)Cs, (155)Eu, (224)Ra and (239)Np) and information on some activity and mass ratios are also reported.

Phase II clinical trial for prevention of delayed diarrhea with cholestyramine/levofloxacin in the second-line treatment with irinotecan biweekly in patients with metastatic colorectal carcinoma.

Background: Irinotecan is an established therapeutic option in colorectal cancer. An essential side effect of irinotecan treatment is the induction of severe WHO grade 3-4 delayed diarrhea in up to 25% of treated patients. The aim of the study is the prevention of delayed diarrhea with cholestyramine/levofloxacin.

Naturally occurring radionuclides in materials derived from urban water treatment plants in southeast Queensland, Australia.

An assessment of radiologically enhanced residual materials generated during treatment of domestic water supplies in southeast Queensland, Australia, was conducted. Radioactivity concentrations of U-238, Th-232, Ra-226, Rn-222, and Po-210 in water, sourced from both surface water catchments and groundwater resources were examined both pre- and post-treatment under typical water treatment operations. Surface water treatment processes included sedimentation, coagulation, flocculation and filtration, while the groundwater was treated using cation exchange, reverse osmosis, activated charcoal or methods similar to surface water treatment.

Influence of immunomodulatory drugs on the cytotoxicity induced by monoclonal antibody 17-1A and interleukin-2.

Patients treated with monoclonal antibodies and cytokines for cancer receive often co-medication, which may influence treatment efficacy. Therefore, we investigated with a flowcytometric cytotoxicity assay the effect of several immunomodulatory drugs on antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC), interleukin-2 (IL-2) induced cytotoxicity and IL-2-induced-ADCC. We found that dexamethasone markedly inhibited the IL-2 induced cytotoxicity and the IL-2-induced-ADCC.

A phase I/II trial of topotecan and radiation therapy for brain metastases in patients with solid tumors.

Purpose: Outcomes in patients with brain metastases undergoing whole-brain radiotherapy (WBRT) are hardly encouraging, and an improvement in results is therefore needed. One possible approach is the addition of chemotherapeutics. However the data presented thus far are also disappointing.

Efficacy of a toxicity-adjusted topotecan therapy in recurrent small cell lung cancer.

The present prospective multicentre trial investigated whether topotecan, given at a starting dose of 1.25 mg.m(-2) with individual dose adjustment, can improve safety in patients with relapsed/refractory small cell lung cancer without loss of efficacy.

Vindesine and etoposide: A practical and well-tolerated therapy for elderly patients or patients in reduced clinical condition with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Background: Small-cell lung cancer is a disease affecting mostly elderly persons. Therefore, many patients show marked comorbidity and intensive chemotherapy is not possible in such patients. As the disease is most often in the 'extensive' stage at diagnosis, the therapy option is only palliative.

Gross alpha and beta activity analysis in water--a routine laboratory method using liquid scintillation analysis.

The generally accepted method for gross alpha and beta activity analysis of drinking water in Australia is based on ISO methods; ISO9696, water quality--measurement of gross alpha activity in non-saline water--thick source method, and ISO9697, water quality--measurement of gross beta activity in non-saline water. A liquid scintillation (LSA) based method that requires smaller sample quantities, less sample preparation time and operator intervention, and produces adequate minimum detection levels for local drinking water guidelines has been developed. A synthetic groundwater sample was analysed using the LSA method and compared with results from ISO method techniques used by two independent Australian laboratories.

Effect of season and soil treatments on carbohydrate concentrations in Norway spruce (Picea abies) mycorrhizae.

We studied effects of season and soil treatments (watering, acidification, liming and combinations of these treatments) on soluble carbohydrates of mycorrhizal roots of Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst.).

Weekly docetaxel in patients with pretreated metastatic breast cancer: a phase II trial.

Docetaxel has consistently demonstrated its high activity as an antineoplastic agent in the treatment of metastatic breast cancer. However, 90% of patients receiving the recommended dose of 100 mg/m2 every 3 weeks will develop grade 3 or 4 neutropenia. Recent data suggest that the safety profile of a weekly docetaxel regimen compared favorably with the standard 3-week schedule.

High-dose chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell support for recurrent primary AFP-producing intracranial germinoma.

We report of a 34-year old man with second intracranial relapse of a suprasellar germinoma. Despite of extensive pretreatment with radiation and conventional chemotherapy relapse occurred and was treated with sequential high-dose chemotherapy followed by transfusion of autologous peripheral stem cells. The high-dose chemotherapy course was complicated by refractory derailment of pineal gland insufficiency.

Acute transient encephalopathy after paclitaxel infusion: report of three cases.

Paclitaxel (Taxol) is a diterpene plant product and antineoplastic agent that promotes the assembly of microtubules as well as stabilizing their formation by preventing depolymerization. Myelosuppression was found to be dose-limiting, but peripheral neurotoxicity is also a well known side-effect. Central nervous system toxicity is rare, probably because paclitaxel does not cross the blood-brain barrier.