Phototherapy for the treatment of cutaneous graft-versus-host disease: A systematic review.

Background: Cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a common complication of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Phototherapy has been used to treat cutaneous GVHD, but data on its safety and efficacy are sparse.

Aim: Review the current medical literature regarding the efficacy, dosing, and safety of various types of phototherapies for the treatment of cutaneous GVHD.

[Janus kinase inhibitors for the treatment of alopecia areata].

Alopecia areata is a common condition that leads to nonscarring hair loss. It can be severe and lead to complete hair loss of the scalp or the whole body. In more severe cases, the disease can be very recalcitrant to treatment and result in a significant impairment of the quality of life of the patients.

Thoron, radon and air ions spatial distribution in indoor air.

Spatial distribution of radioactive gasses thoron (Tn) and radon (Rn) in indoor air of 9 houses mostly during winter period of 2013 has been studied. According to properties of alpha decay of both elements, air ionization was also measured. Simultaneous continual measurements using three Rn/Tn and three air-ion active instruments deployed on to three different distances from the wall surface have shown various outcomes.

The potential health hazard due to elevated radioactivity in old uranium mines in Dolina Białego, Tatra Mountains, Poland.

Natural radioactivity is one of the essential components of the environment. Unlike the Sudety mountains area in Poland, the Tatra Mountains were not the subject of wide survey as regards the levels of natural radioactivity. Especially, the concentrations of radon (natural radioactive gas) have not been investigated there in terms of their possible negative health impact.

Tracing the sources of gaseous components (222Rn, CO2 and its carbon isotopes) in soil air under a cool-deciduous stand in Sapporo, Japan.

Radon ((222)Rn) and carbon dioxide were monitored simultaneously in soil air under a cool-temperate deciduous stand on the campus of Hokkaido University, Sapporo, Japan. Both (222)Rn and CO(2) concentrations in soil air varied with atmospheric (soil) temperature in three seasons, except for winter when the temperature in soil air remained constant at 2-3 degrees C at depth of 80 cm. In winter, the gaseous components were influenced by low-pressure region passing through the observation site when the ground surface was covered with snow of ~1 m thickness.

Exposure to radon in dwellings in the Sharri community, Kosovo.

Indoor air radon concentration was measured by exposing etched track detectors in the sleeping and living rooms of 18 houses in 6 villages of the Sharri community in Kosovo. Values ranged from 24 to 209 Bq m(-3), with only one exceeding 200 Bq m(-3), with a geometric mean and geometric standard deviation of 95.4 Bq m(-3) and 1.

Exposure to radon in the Gadime Cave, Kosovo.

Air radon concentration was measured in summer and winter at 11 points along the tourist guided route in the Gadime Cave in Kosovo using alpha scintillation cells and etched track detectors. At two points in summer, values higher than 1700Bqm(-3) were observed; they otherwise were in the range 400-1000Bqm(-3). Values were lower in winter.

Meteorological parameters contributing to variability in 222Rn activity concentrations in soil gas at a site in Sapporo, Japan.

Continuous (222)Rn monitoring in soil gas since November 22, 2004 has revealed variability in activity concentration with time in the semi-natural woods on the campus of Hokkaido University in Sapporo, Japan. Among various factors affecting soil radon levels and variability, temperature was found to be dominant during three seasons when activity concentrations of (222)Rn showed a diurnal high and nocturnal low with a boundary around 10 o'clock in the morning. This pattern was disturbed by low pressure fronts with occasional rain.

Inclined N2 desorption in a steady-state N2O + CO reaction on Pd(110).

The angular and velocity distributions of desorbing products were analyzed in the course of a catalyzed N2O + CO reaction on Pd(110). The reaction proceeded steadily above 450 K, and the N2 desorption merely collimated sharply along 45 degrees off the surface normal toward the [001] direction. It is proposed that this peculiar N2 desorption is induced by the decomposition of adsorbed N2O oriented along the [001] direction.

High natural radiation exposure in radon spa areas: a detailed field investigation in Niska Banja (Balkan region).

The measurement campaigns have been done in the rural community of Niska Banja, a spa town located in southern Serbia, to evaluate population exposure to natural radioactivity. After a screening survey in 200 houses, annual radon and thoron concentrations were measured in 34 houses, and in 2004 a detailed investigation was carried out at six houses with elevated indoor radon concentrations. The paper presents the results of these detailed measurements.

Indoor air radon concentration in schools in Prizren, Kosovo.

Indoor air radon ((222)Rn) concentrations were measured in spring and winter in 30 rooms of 9 elementary schools and 19 rooms of 6 high schools in Prizren, Kosovo, using alpha scintillation cells. Only in three rooms of elementary schools and four rooms of high schools did winter concentrations exceed 400 Bq m(-3).

Radon in a thermal spring: identification of anomalies related to seismic activity.

Anomalies have been observed in the radon content of thermal spring water at the Italian-Slovenian border. To distinguish the anomalies caused by environmental parameters (air and water temperature, barometric and hydrostatic pressure, rainfall) from those ascribed solely to earthquakes with M(L) from 1.2 to 2.

Radon survey and exposure assessment in hospitals.

In this study radon (222Rn) in indoor air was surveyed in 201 rooms of 26 major hospitals in Slovenia and annual effective doses for 1025 persons working in the rooms surveyed were estimated. Instantaneous radon concentrations were measured with alpha scintillation cells, long-term average concentrations with etched track detectors and electret detectors, and radon, its progeny and equilibrium factor were continuously recorded with portable devices. Effective doses were estimated by using ICRP Publication 65 methodology.

Application of decision trees to the analysis of soil radon data for earthquake prediction.

Different regression methods have been used to predict radon concentration in soil gas on the basis of environmental data, i.e. barometric pressure, soil temperature, air temperature and rainfall.

Geochemical monitoring of thermal waters in Slovenia: relationships to seismic activity.

Thermally anomalous fluids released in seismic areas in Slovenia were the subjects of geochemical monitoring. Thermal waters were surveyed from the seismically active area of Posocje (Bled and Zatolmin; NW Slovenia) and from Rogaska Slatina in eastern Slovenia. Continuous monitoring of geochemical parameters (radon concentration, electrical conductivity, and water temperature) was performed with discrete gas sampling for their (3)He/(4)He ratio.

Correlation between short-term and long-term radon measurements.

In selected kindergartens and schools, long-term average indoor air radon concentrations were measured by two-month exposure of etched track detectors. Short-term average concentrations were obtained from 7-10 day continuous radon recordings during the exposure of etched track detectors. Only in about 1/3 of cases both averages did agree within +/- 20%; otherwise they differ considerably.

Soil radon monitoring in the Krsko Basin, Slovenia.

In order to support the safe operation of the Krsko Nuclear Power Plant (Westinghouse, 676 MWe PWR), the seismotectonic structure of the Krsko basin has been thoroughly investigated. As part of a wider study, a study on radon in soil gas was started in April 1999. Combined barasol detectors buried in six boreholes, two along the Orlica fault and four on either side of it, measure and record radon activity, temperature and pressure every 60 min.

Carbon isotope fractionation in the decarboxylation of phenylpropiolic acid in hydrogen donating media.

13C kinetic isotope effect (KIE) in the decarboxylation of phenylpropiolic acid (PPA) in tetralin medium (Tn) has been determined at 409-432 K and found to be of magnitude similar to the 13C KIE observed in the decarboxylation of malonic acid where the rupture of the C-C bond is the rate determining step. 13C KIE equals 1.0318/at 136 degrees C in the decarboxylation of PPA in Tn medium.

Radon exposure in Slovenian spas.

Radon and gamma dose rates were surveyed in five Slovenian spas, at Rogaska Slatina, Radenci, Moravci, Podcetrtek, and Catez. Due to effective ventilation systems, the indoor air radon concentration rarely exceeds 200 Bq x m(-3) and is usually lower. Uncer the present operationsal conditions and working regimes of the spas, there is no basis for concern about elevated exposure of personnel to radon.

Radon exposure in slovene kindergartens based on continuous radon measurements.

Contiunuous measurements of concentration of radon and radon decay products, and equilibrium factor were carried out in the indoor air of 13 kindergartens at the beginning of 2000. Average values of the parameters measured during working time only and during the whole period, were compared and applied to estimate effective doses to the personnel. Results of short-term continuous measurements were used to correct the exposure, based generally on the radon concentration.

Methodology of radon monitoring and dose estimates in Postojna Cave, Slovenia.

Due to the specific work regime in the Postojna Cave, which depends primarily on the daily number of visitors, and on seasonal variations in air radon concentrations, an optimal methodology for radon and progeny measurement and dose calculation was sought. The program of measurement throughout the years was optimized, and now comprises 3-mo exposures of etched-track detectors, and twice a year, 8-10-d measurements using continuous monitors. Radon concentrations range from about 500 Bq m(-3) in winter to about 6,000 Bq m(-3) in summer, and equilibrium factors range from 0.

Systematic indoor radon and gamma-ray measurements in Slovenian schools.

During the winter months of 1992/93 and 1993/94, instantaneous indoor radon concentrations and gamma dose rates were measured in 890 schools in Slovenia attended in total by about 280,000 pupils. Under "closed conditions," the room to be surveyed was closed for more than 12 h prior to sampling, the air was sampled into alpha scintillation cells with a volume of 700 cm3, and alpha activity was measured. An arithmetic mean of 168 Bq m(-3) and a geometric mean of 82 Bq m(-3) were obtained.

Investigation of the Electrical Double Layer in a Metal Oxide/Monovalent Electrolyte Solution System.

Adsorption of the monovalent cations Cs+ and Na+ from mixed solutions of NaCl and CsCl at the TiO2(anatase)/water interface was studied. Higher adsorption of Cs+ than Na+ was observed from solutions of similar electrolyte concentration. The surface ionization and complexation constants of surface hydroxyl groups were determined using potentiometric titration data.

Radon level reduction in two kindergartens in Slovenia.

Remedial actions were carried out in two kindergartens with average heating season radon concentrations of about 2,000 Bq m-3. The first kindergarten is built on sedimentary gravel and the second one on fly ash and cinder fill. In both cases, radon accumulated in a sub-floor channel (service tunnel).