Psychometric properties of the COVID-19 safety measures questionnaire in the employees of the radiation therapy center.

BACKGROUND: Due to the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak on the continuation, schedule, and efficiency of radiation therapy, this study aimed to investigate the reliability and validity of the COVID-19 Safety Measures (CSM) questionnaire at the radiation therapy center. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this analytical cross-sectional study, which all personnel of the radiation therapy center (20 people) participated, the validity and reliability of the 16-item CSM questionnaire were investigated. Cultural adaptation, face validity, content validity, test-retest reliability, and internal consistency were evaluated. For face and content validity, impact score, content validity ratio, and content validity index (CVR and CVI) were calculated, respectively. Also, internal consistency and stability reliability were calculated with Kuder-Richardson (KR20) alpha and Pearson correlation coefficient and intraclass correlation (ICC), respectively. Data analysis was performed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) 24 with a significant level of 5%. RESULTS: Out of 20 employees, 70% (14 people) were female, 75% (15 people) were married and the mean age (SD) was 32.4 (6.35) years. Scale-based Kuder-Richardson alpha, S-CVI, ICC, and confidence interval were 0.79, 0.97, 0.68, and 0.38-0.89, respectively. CONCLUSION: The validity and reliability of the 16-item CSM questionnaire were confirmed. Therefore, the application of this scale is recommended.

Radioprotective Effect of Rosmarinus officinalis L (Rosemary) Essential Oil on Apoptosis, Necrosis and Mitotic Death of Human Peripheral Lymphocytes (PBMCs).

Background: Rosemary plant, with phenolic compounds, is known as an antioxidant herb and able to scavenge free radical agents in the biological environment; therefore, it is expected that the rosemary essential oil (R-EO) shows the radioprotective effect to protect individuals who are physically in contact with ionizing radiation. Objective: This study aimed to assess the radioprotective effect of R-EO on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). Material and Methods: In this experimental study, the toxicity of the rosemary essential oil on PBMCs was assessed by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazolyl-2)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The cells were irradiated at 0. 25 and 200 cGy using a 6 MV X-ray linear accelerator. The survival, apoptosis, necrosis, and survival enhancement factors of cells were analyzed by MTT and flow cytometry analyses with a non-toxic concentration of the rosemary essential oil (IC10). Results: Irradiation of cells in the presence of R-EO caused a significant increase in cell survival compared with the control in both 25 and 200 cGy radiation doses. Also, the percentages of apoptosis and necrosis of cells showed a significant decrease compared with the control. Conclusion: Rosemary essential oil as a natural and non-toxic compound could show favorable radioprotective effects in such a way that significantly increases the survival rate and decreases the percentage of apoptosis and necrosis of PBMCs.

Monte Carlo evaluation of effective dose and risk of exposure induced cancer death (REID) for common examinations in stereo radiography (EOS) imaging: Considering age and gender.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to evaluate the effective dose and cancer risk of examinations in EOS imaging system in different age and gender groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 555 patients who had undergone common EOS imaging examinations were entered into the study. Exposure parameters and patients' characteristics for lower limb, full spine and full body imaging techniques, at different gender and age groups, were evaluated. Finally, effective dose and risk of exposure induced cancer death (REID) was calculated with the Monte Carlo based PCXMC software. RESULTS: The difference between average effective doses of male and female was not significant (p ≥ 0.05), however, the corresponding REID showed statistically significant difference (p ≤ 0.001). The average effective dose of patients (without considering technique, age and gender) was obtained as 0.13 mSv. The corresponding average REID was 8.84 per million. The maximum average effective dose value was obtained for patients over 10 years of age with the full body technique (0.17 ± 0.05 mSv). The maximum average REID value was obtained for full body technique and for patient with 0-10 years old (15.20 ± 10.00 per million). CONCLUSION: In common EOS imaging examinations, the effective dose and REID values of patients in both genders in all age groups are less than the corresponding values in other imaging modalities (according to previous studies). However, according to stochastic effects of ionizing radiation and based on the As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principle, more considerations are necessary, especially in the full body technique and for female examinations.

Equivalent Dose and Risk of Exposure Induced Cancer Death of Different Organs due to Various Image Techniques of EOS Imaging System.

BACKGROUND: Euronext Paris Advanced Orthopedic Solutions (EOS) system is a new radiography system, capable of obtaining two-dimensional and three-dimensional images from bony structures in the body. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to estimate equivalent dose and the risk of exposure induced cancer death (REID) in different organs of body due to EOS imaging system. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this experimental study, totally 120 patients were evaluated for various imaging techniques of lower limb, full spine and whole body. Equivalent dose and REID for colon, liver, lung, stomach, breast, bladder, ovary, blood cells (leukemia) and other organs were calculated using PCXMC software (version 2.0.1.2) based on Monte Carlo simulation of X-ray and human phantoms. The data on imaging technique, including age, sex, kVp, dose area product (DAP), mA, focal to detector distance were introduced as the input of PCXMC. RESULTS: The maximum equivalent dose (mSv) due to EOS imaging system, was estimated for the bladder 0.240±0.066 for the full body technique and 0.240±0.093 for the lower limb technique, respectively, in both males and females. The maximum organ REID (incidence per million) due to EOS imaging system was estimated for lungs as 2.59±1.0 and 2.53±0.9, for the full body technique in both males and females, respectively. CONCLUSION: Generally, the equivalent dose and REID by EOS imaging system in different organs of body is low due to the low radiation dose received by the body in different techniques and views.

In vivo study of interferon-γ, transforming growth factor-ß, and interleukin-4 gene expression induced by radioadaptive response.

INTRODUCTION: In the present study, the radioadaptive role of the immune system induced by low dose (LD) was investigated for its in vivo protective activity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Quantitative analysis of cytokine gene expression was assessed for their in vivo activity in BALB/c mice. To evaluate the adaptive response induced by LD on the mice spleen lymphocyte, the cytokine interleukin (IL)-4, interferon (IFN)-γ, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-ß expression was measured by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. To verify the radioadaptive effect of LD, animals were preirradiated at 10 cGy from a 60 Co source and then challenge dose at 200 cGy was delivered. Independent sample student's t-test was employed to compare cytokine gene expression in radioadaptive (10 + 200 cGy), LD (10 cGy), high-dose (HD, 200 cGy), and control groups of animals. RESULTS: Following the HD, the cytokine gene expression of IFN-γ, IL-4, and TGF-ß was significantly decreased compared to the control group (P = 0.0001). However, TGF-ß expression was also decreased significantly in the LD and adaptive groups compared to the control group (P = 0.0001). IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio in the adaptive group was significantly decreased compared to the HD group (P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: These results indicate that the immune system plays an important role for radioadaptive response induction by LD radiation to adjust the harmful effects of HD irradiation.