RESUMO
The European Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of December 2013 established inter alia the uniform basic safety standards for the health protection of individuals being subject to occupational exposure. In Article 54, a new obligation is introduced-to regulate radon exposure in workplaces. The EU Member States are obliged to set national reference value for radon in workplaces, delineate the areas where the regulation will be applied and determine the concerned types of workplaces. The presented article shows the Czech approach to implementation of this obligation in national legislation and the first design of regulator's control activities to set the obligation in practice.
Assuntos
Exposição Ocupacional/normas , Monitoramento de Radiação/normas , Proteção Radiológica/normas , Radônio/análise , Local de Trabalho , República Tcheca , União Europeia , Humanos , Exposição Ocupacional/análiseRESUMO
In more than 1500 schools and preschool facilities, long-term radon measurement was carried out in the last 3 y. The negative effect of thermal retrofitting on the resulting long-term radon averages is evident. In some of the facilities, low ventilation rates and correspondingly high radon levels were found, so it was recommended to change ventilation habits. However, some of the facilities had high radon levels due to its ingress from soil gas. Technical measures should be undertaken to reduce radon exposure in this case. The paper presents the long-term experiences with the two-stage measurement methodology for investigation of radon levels in school and preschool facilities and its possible improvements.
Assuntos
Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/análise , Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/análise , Radiação de Fundo , Monitoramento de Radiação/métodos , Radiometria/métodos , Radônio/análise , Instituições Acadêmicas , Movimentos do Ar , Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/normas , República Tcheca , Difusão , Arquitetura de Instituições de Saúde , Calefação , Exposição à Radiação , Instituições Acadêmicas/normas , Estações do Ano , Poluentes Radioativos do Solo , VentilaçãoRESUMO
Due to the large number of subsidies for energy-saving reconstructions granted, and expecting a strong influence of reconstruction on the radon level in building, the long-term measurements of radon concentration are offered free of charge to kindergartens in the Czech Republic. Classrooms and playrooms where the radon levels exceeded the reference value for kindergartens, which is 400 Bq m(-3), are monitored continuously for at least a week to obtain the average activity concentration of radon when children are present. Some of the kindergartens were previously measured in the 1990s. These earlier measurements have provided an opportunity to compare the results. This paper presents some lessons learned from radon diagnosis carried out in particular cases and an analysis of the influence of reconstruction work on the radon level in the buildings.
Assuntos
Poluentes Radioativos do Ar/análise , Materiais de Construção/análise , Monitoramento de Radiação/métodos , Radônio/análise , Instituições Acadêmicas , Pré-Escolar , República Tcheca , Humanos , Valores de ReferênciaRESUMO
Results from epidemiological studies on lung cancer and radon exposure in dwellings and mines led to a significant revision of recommendations and regulations of international organisations, such as WHO, IAEA, Nordic Countries, European Commission. Within the European project RADPAR, scientists from 18 institutions of 14 European countries worked together for 3 y (2009-12). Among other reports, a comprehensive booklet of recommendations was produced with the aim that they should be useful both for countries with a well-developed radon programme and for countries with little experience on radon issues. In this paper, the main RADPAR recommendations on radon programmes and policies are described and discussed. These recommendations should be very useful in preparing a national action plan, required by the recent Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom.
Assuntos
Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/prevenção & controle , Exposição Ambiental/legislação & jurisprudência , Exposição Ambiental/prevenção & controle , Guias como Assunto , Monitoramento de Radiação/normas , Proteção Radiológica/normas , Poluentes Radioativos/efeitos adversos , Radônio/efeitos adversos , Humanos , Poluentes Radioativos/análise , Radônio/análiseRESUMO
Since the early 1990s, the Czech Republic has been one of the countries that carry out a radon programme on its territory, with the aim of protecting people from unnecessary long-term exposure in their homes. Since that time, many achievements have been registered, and many unexpected difficulties have cropped up. This may be the right moment to take some time out to analyse the state of the programme and to determine the direction for its future development. An extended SWOT analysis can serve as a useful tool for this purpose. Originally, SWOT analyses were used exclusively by for-profit organisations aiming to evaluate their perspectives, develop strategies and make plans in order to achieve their objectives. More recently, it has been used in a wide range of decision-making situations when a desired end-state is to be defined. Here, an extended SWOT analysis is used to formulate possible beneficial strategies for advancing anti-radon policy in the Czech Republic.
Assuntos
Exposição Ambiental/prevenção & controle , Programas Nacionais de Saúde , Monitoramento de Radiação/normas , Proteção Radiológica/normas , Poluentes Radioativos/análise , Radônio/análise , República Tcheca , Humanos , Poluentes Radioativos/efeitos adversos , Radônio/efeitos adversosRESUMO
The cost-effectiveness of remedial and preventive countermeasures against indoor radon in the frame of the Czech Radon Programme is preliminarily estimated, resulting in 72 700 CZK and 194 000 CZK per y of life gained by remediation and prevention, respectively, (exchange rate approximately 28 CZK/EUR).
Assuntos
Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/economia , Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/prevenção & controle , Exposição Ambiental/economia , Exposição Ambiental/prevenção & controle , Política Pública , Proteção Radiológica/economia , Radônio/análise , Radônio/economia , Poluição do Ar em Ambientes Fechados/análise , Análise Custo-Benefício , República Tcheca , Exposição Ambiental/análise , Programas Governamentais/economia , Programas Governamentais/organização & administração , Projetos Piloto , Monitoramento de Radiação/economia , Monitoramento de Radiação/métodos , Proteção Radiológica/métodos , Proteção Radiológica/estatística & dados numéricos , Estados UnidosAssuntos
Envelhecimento/efeitos dos fármacos , Antioxidantes/uso terapêutico , Ácido Ascórbico/uso terapêutico , Memória/efeitos dos fármacos , Vitamina E/uso terapêutico , Fatores Etários , Idoso , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Dano ao DNA , Reparo do DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Humanos , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos/metabolismo , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Mortalidade , Testes Psicológicos , Fatores SexuaisRESUMO
The possible impact of long-term overexposure to ethanol was studied in a group of chronic alcoholics in the psychiatric hospital. The level of DNA methylation and unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) induced by N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) in lymphocytes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in plasma were used as markers of injury caused by alcohol abuse. The data were correlated with plasma levels of some natural antioxidants (vitamins A, C and E) and vitamin B12. The following results were obtained. The degree of DNA methylation by MNU in lymphocytes was the same in the exposed and control groups under our experimental conditions. The DNA excision-repair capacity of lymphocytes measured as UDS was decreased in alcoholics (p less than 0.01) and LPO in plasma was significantly higher (p less than 0.01) as a consequence of alcohol overconsumption. By the simple regression method, a correlation was found between LPO and vitamin C levels (LPO = -0.078 x vit. C + 1.9; p less than 0.05) and between UDS and LPO values (UDS = -0.384 x LPO + 4.1; p less than 0.05). These results support the hypothesis of a connection of cell membrane status and DNA damage and repair and the possible role of active oxygen species in cell damage caused by ethanol.
Assuntos
Alcoolismo/metabolismo , Reparo do DNA , Peroxidação de Lipídeos , Adulto , Alcoolismo/sangue , Ácido Ascórbico/sangue , Células Cultivadas , DNA/biossíntese , DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Masculino , Metilação , Metilnitrosoureia/farmacologia , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Análise de Regressão , Vitamina A/sangue , Vitamina B 12/sangue , Vitamina E/sangueRESUMO
The authors describe a simple method for the assessment of plasma vitamin A and E levels. It makes use of a modern analytical method--high performance liquid chromatography--(HPLC). The authors elaborated an optimal method of processing of samples and conditions for analysis suitable for routine estimations which were verified in different population groups (elderly population in old pensioners' homes, patients hospitalized with the diagnosis of delirium tremens, psychiatric patients with the diagnosis of tardive dyskinesia). The authors determined the reproducibility of the method--3.7% for alpha-tocopherol and 3.2% for retinol.--Assessment of plasma vitamin A and E levels by means of HPLC is a method suitable for routine analyses.
Assuntos
Vitamina A/sangue , Vitamina E/sangue , Adulto , Idoso , Cromatografia Líquida de Alta Pressão , Humanos , Metabolismo dos Lipídeos , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Reprodutibilidade dos TestesRESUMO
Changes in unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in lymphocytes and lipid peroxidation (LPO) in the rat brain regions cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus were studied after 12 months of treatment with the neuroleptic fluphenazine (5 mg/kg b.w.), lithium (0.05% in drinking water), alpha-tocopherol (alpha-TP, 0.01% in drinking water) and the anticholinergic drug 7-methoxytacrine (0.1 and 1.0 g/kg in the diet). Fluphenazine and lithium suppressed UDS and increased LPO in cortex and hypothalamus. 7-Methoxy-tacrine at the lower dose stimulated UDS, at the higher dose it suppressed UDS after 6 months of exposure. Simultaneous administration of alpha-TP with fluphenazine suppressed the increase in LPO and the decrease in UDS produced by the neuroleptic alone. alpha-TP plasma levels were increased in groups administered alpha-TP as well as the levels in the hippocampus. Results indicate that the damage of biomembranes and the DNA repair enzymatic system as a consequence of fluphenazine action may be eliminated by the simultaneous administration of alpha-TP.
Assuntos
Aminoacridinas/farmacologia , Encéfalo/efeitos dos fármacos , Reparo do DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Tacrina/farmacologia , Tranquilizantes/farmacologia , Vitamina E/farmacologia , Animais , Encéfalo/metabolismo , Córtex Cerebral/efeitos dos fármacos , Córtex Cerebral/metabolismo , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Flufenazina/farmacologia , Hipocampo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Hipotálamo/efeitos dos fármacos , Hipotálamo/metabolismo , Lítio/farmacologia , Linfócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Linfócitos/metabolismo , Masculino , Ratos , Ratos Endogâmicos , Tacrina/análogos & derivadosAssuntos
Antioxidantes/farmacologia , Genes/efeitos dos fármacos , Oxigênio/metabolismo , Adulto , Idoso , Envelhecimento/efeitos dos fármacos , Envelhecimento/genética , Envelhecimento/metabolismo , Alcoolismo/tratamento farmacológico , Alcoolismo/genética , Alcoolismo/metabolismo , Ácido Ascórbico/farmacologia , Reparo do DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Feminino , Radicais Livres , Humanos , Peroxidação de Lipídeos/efeitos dos fármacos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Esquizofrenia/tratamento farmacológico , Esquizofrenia/genética , Esquizofrenia/metabolismo , Vitamina E/farmacologiaRESUMO
The possible genotoxic effect of paracetamol (PC) was studied in a group of 11 healthy volunteers. PC was administered in the form of tablets 3 x 1000 mg in the course of 8 h. Blood samples and buccal mucosa cells were taken 0, 24, 72 and 168 h after the first administration of the drug. Each blood sample was used for the termination of the unscheduled DNA synthesis (UDS) in peripheral lymphocytes and ascorbemia in plasma. Buccal mucosa cells were analysed for micronuclei. After PC administration the level of UDS induced by MNNG was decreased to T/C = 4.11 +/- 0.56 after 24 h vs. T/C = 5.02 +/- 0.47 (p less than 0.01) at 0 h. The frequency of micronucleated cells in the buccal mucosa was increased after 72 h to 0.38 +/- 0.07% vs. 0.19 +/- 0.06% (p less than 0.01) before PC administration. If PC was administered simultaneously with ascorbic acid (AA), also in a dose of 3 X 1000 mg, a decreased level of UDS was observed after 24, 72 and 168 h and the increased number of micronuclei was qualitatively the same as the PC alone: 0.38 +/- 0.09% after 72 h vs. 0.20 +/- 0.05% at 0 h AA did not decrease the genotoxic effect of PC, but prolonged the influence of PC on UDS.