Update of Ireland's national average indoor radon concentration – Application of a new survey protocol

Publication date: April 2017
Source:Journal of Environmental Radioactivity, Volumes 169–170
Author(s): A. Dowdall, P. Murphy, D. Pollard, D. Fenton
In 2002, a National Radon Survey (NRS) in Ireland established that the geographically weighted national average indoor radon concentration was 89 Bq m⁻³. Since then a number of developments have taken place which are likely to have impacted on the national average radon level. Key among these was the introduction of amending Building Regulations in 1998 requiring radon preventive measures in new buildings in High Radon Areas (HRAs). In 2014, the Irish Government adopted the National Radon Control Strategy (NRCS) for Ireland. A knowledge gap identified in the NRCS was to update the national average for Ireland given the developments since 2002. The updated national average would also be used as a baseline metric to assess the effectiveness of the NRCS over time.A new national survey protocol was required that would measure radon in a sample of homes representative of radon risk and geographical location. The design of the survey protocol took into account that it is not feasible to repeat the 11,319 measurements carried out for the 2002 NRS due to time and resource constraints. However, the existence of that comprehensive survey allowed for a new protocol to be developed, involving measurements carried out in unbiased randomly selected volunteer homes. This paper sets out the development and application of that survey protocol. The results of the 2015 survey showed that the current national average indoor radon concentration for homes in Ireland is 77 Bq m⁻³, a decrease from the 89 Bq m⁻³ reported in the 2002 NRS. Analysis of the results by build date demonstrate that the introduction of the amending Building Regulations in 1998 have led to a reduction in the average indoor radon level in Ireland.



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Imaging of the Pediatric Urinary System

Publication date: Available online 24 December 2016
Source:Radiologic Clinics of North America
Author(s): Ellen M. Chung, Karl A. Soderlund, Kimberly E. Fagen

Teaser

Recent advances in pediatric urinary tract imaging include development of alternative imaging methods without use of ionizing radiation; evolving understanding of the relationship of urinary tract infection, vesicoureteral reflux, and renal scarring, including the important role of dysfunctional voiding; development of a consensus nomenclature and risk-based classification for fetal and antenatal urinary tract dilation; advances in the understanding of sporadic and inherited renal cystic disease; and a proposed modification of the Bosniak criteria for distinguishing complex renal cysts from cystic renal tumors in children.


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Active Workstations Do Not Impair Executive Function in Young and Middle-Age Adults.

Purpose: To examine the effects of self-selected low-intensity walking on an active workstation on executive functions in young and middle-aged adults. Methods: Using a within-subjects design, 32 young (20.6 +/- 2.0 yr) and 26 middle-aged (45.6 +/- 11.8 yr) adults performed low-intensity treadmill walking and seated control conditions in randomized order on separate days, while completing an executive function test battery. Executive functions (EFs) were assessed using modified versions of the Stroop (inhibition), Sternberg (working memory), Wisconsin Card Sorting (cognitive flexibility), and Tower of London (global EF) cognitive tasks. Behavioral performance outcomes were assessed using composite task z-scores and traditional measures of reaction time and accuracy. Average heart rate (HR) and step count were also measured throughout. Results: The expected task difficulty effects were found for reaction time and accuracy. No significant main effects or interactions as a function of treadmill walking were found for tasks assessing global EF and the three individual executive function domains. Accuracy on the Tower of London task was slightly impaired during slow treadmill walking for both age groups. Middle-aged adults displayed longer planning times for more difficult conditions of the Tower of London during walking compared to sitting. A 50 min session of low-intensity treadmill walking on an active workstation resulted in accruing approximately 4,500 steps. Conclusions: These findings suggest that executive function performance remains relatively unaffected while walking on an active workstation, further supporting the use of treadmill workstations as an effective approach to increase physical activity and reduce sedentary time in the workplace. (C) 2016 American College of Sports Medicine

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Low-Force Muscle Activity Regulates Energy Expenditure after Spinal Cord Injury.

Reduced physical activity is a primary risk factor for increased morbidity and mortality, People with spinal cord injury (SCI) have reduced activity for a lifetime, as they cannot volitionally activate affected skeletal muscles. We explored whether low force and low frequency stimulation is a viable strategy to enhance systemic energy expenditure in people with SCI. Purpose: To determine the effects of low stimulation frequency (1 Hz, 3 Hz) and stimulation intensity (50 mA and 100 mA) on energy expenditure in people with SCI. We also examined the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) on energy expenditure during low frequency stimulation. Methods: Ten individuals with complete SCI underwent oxygen consumption monitoring during electrical activation of the quadriceps and hamstrings at 1 Hz and 3 Hz and at 50 and 100 mA. We calculated the difference in energy expenditure between stimulation and rest and estimated the number of days that would be necessary to burn 1 pound of body fat (3,500 kcal) for each stimulation protocol (1 Hz versus 3 Hz). Results: Both training frequencies induced a significant increase in oxygen consumption above a resting baseline level (p

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Prevalence of Exercise-Induced Arterial Hypoxemia in Distance Runners at Sea Level.

Purpose: It has been reported that ~50% of endurance-trained men demonstrate exercise induced arterial oxyhemoglobin hypoxemia (EIAH) during heavy exercise. However, this often-cited prevalence rate comes from a single study using a cohort of 25 highly trained men who completed maximal cycle ergometry. As arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SpO2) during maximal exercise is reported to be significantly lower during treadmill vs. cycle ergometry in the same subjects, we hypothesized that the prevalence of EIAH would be greater than previously reported (and commonly referenced) in a larger cohort of highly endurance-trained men during maximal treadmill running. Methods: Data from 124 highly trained male distance runners (VO2max range 60.3 - 84.7 mL[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]min-1) were retrospectively examined from previously published studies completed in the Indiana University Human Performance Laboratory. Subjects completed a constant speed, progressive grade treadmill exercise test to volitional exhaustion, and arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation (SaO2ear) in all subjects was estimated using the same oximeter (Hewlett Packard 47201A). Results: Utilizing similar inclusion criteria as previously published for highly trained (VO2max > 68 mL[middle dot]kg-1[middle dot]min-1) and for EIAH (SaO2ear

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Effect of Load Carriage on Upper Limb Performance.

Carrying heavy backpacks are often associated with shoulder discomfort or pain, loss of sensorimotor functions, and brachial plexus injuries that might hamper performance. Based on previous research, the cause of these symptoms could be tissue deformations of the brachial plexus and the subclavian artery caused by the shoulder straps. Purpose: To evaluate the changes in the upper extremity hemodynamic and neural function, and to assess how they are associated with brachial plexus tissue deformation during heavy load carriage. Methods: Ten young healthy adults carried for 45 min a backpack load (40% of their body weight) while standing freely, followed by 15 min of recovery (unloaded). Index-finger microvascular flow and sensorimotor function were measured before and after carrying the load, and following recovery. The following sensorimotor functions were measured: light touch thresholds by the index finger and little finger, forearm thermal sensation thresholds, and gross motor function. In addition, marksmanship accuracy, as an indication for fine motor function, was tested. Results: Load carriage resulted in an average decrease of ~40% in microvascular flow, and a significant decrement in light touch sensation (p

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Heat Strain Is Exacerbated on the Second of Consecutive Days of Fire Suppression.

Purpose: We tested the hypothesis that physiological and perceptual heat strain is exacerbated on the second of back-to-back days of fire suppression work despite evidence of full recovery. Methods: Twenty-six career and volunteer firefighters (age: 31+/- 8 y) completed 20 min of near maximal fire suppression work on consecutive days. Dependent variables were core temperature, heart rate, perceived exertion and thermal sensation, which were measured before and after fire suppression. Urine specific gravity and body mass were also measured upon arrival at the fire academy as an index of hydration and recovery between days. Results: Urine specific gravity (1.007+/-0.006 vs. 1.005+/-0.006), body mass (87.7+/-16.1 vs. 87.8+/-16.0 kg), heart rate (77+/-14 vs. 76 +/- 14 bpm) and core temperature (37.2+/-0.4 vs. 37.1+/-0.7[degrees]C) were not different upon arrival on Day 1 compared to Day 2 (P>=0.26). The increase in core temperature during fire suppression was higher on Day 2 (0.7+/-0.3 vs. 1.1+/-0.5[degrees]C, P

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