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AbstractBackgroundThis study characterized the prevalence, drinking patterns, and sociodemographic characteristics of U.S. adult subpopulations with distinct drinking trajectories during the COVID‐19 pandemic's first 42 weeks.MethodsAdult respondents (n = 8130) in a nationally representative prospective longitudinal study completed 21 biweekly web surveys (March 2020 to January 2021). Past‐week alcohol drinking frequency (drinking days [range: 0 to 7]) and intensity (binge drinking on usual past‐week drinking day [yes/no]) were assessed at each timepoint. Growth mixture models identified multiple subpopulations with homogenous drinking trajectories based on mean drinking days or binge drinking proportional probabilities across time.ResultsFour drinking frequency trajectories were identified: Minimal/stable (72.8% [95% CI = 71.8 to 73.8]) with <1 mean past‐week drinking days throughout; Moderate/late decreasing (6.7% [95% CI = 6.2 to 7.3) with 3.13 mean March drinking days and reductions during summer, reaching 2.12 days by January 2021; Moderate/early increasing (12.9% [95% CI = 12.2 to 13.6) with 2.13 mean March drinking days that increased in April and then plateaued, ending with 3.20 mean days in January 2021; and Near daily/early increasing (7.6% [95% CI = 7.0 to 8.2]) with 5.58 mean March drinking days that continued increasing without returning to baseline. Four drinking intensity trajectories were identified: Minimal/stable (85.8% [95% CI = 85.0% to 86.5%]) with <0.01 binge drinking probabilities throughout; Low‐to‐moderate/fluctuating (7.4% [95% CI = 6.8% to 8%]) with varying binge probabilities across timepoints (range:0.12 to 0.26); Moderate/mid increasing (4.2% [95% CI = 3.7% to 4.6%]) with 0.39 April binge drinking probability rising to 0.65 during August–September without returning to baseline; High/early increasing trajectory (2.7% [95% CI = 2.3% to 3%]) with 0.84 binge drinking probability rising to 0.96 by June without returning to baseline. Males, Whites, middle‐aged/older adults, college degree recipients, those consistently working, and those above the poverty limit were overrepresented in various increasing (vs. minimal/stable) frequency trajectories. Males, Whites, nonmarried, those without college degree, 18 to 39‐year‐olds, and middle aged were overrepresented in increasing (vs. minimal/stable) intensity trajectories.ConclusionsSeveral distinct U.S. adult sociodemographic subpopulations appear to have acquired new drinking patterns during the pandemic's first 42 weeks. Frequent alcohol use assessment in the COVID‐19 era could improve personalized medicine and population health efforts to reduce drinking.

Proper hand hygiene disrupts the spread of a numerous infections and is therefore a guarantee of good human health. Wide use of antiseptics by the public raises questions about their effectiveness, safety and availability. At the same time, the culture of hand hygiene is a priority for all spheres of society. The aim of the work is to study the range of antiseptics on the pharmaceutical market of Ukraine and assess the peculiarities of their use, to compound the antiseptic for hands of optimal composition and provide its quality control. The study used information retrieval, pharmacological, organoleptic, physical and chemical, graphic and statistical methods. Based on the analysis of information sources, the active ingredients and their optimal concentrations in the composition of antiseptics of industrial and extemporaneous production have been established. According to the results of this stage of work, four prescriptions of antisepticswith different compositions were selected for further compounding.It was found that positive results of quality control according to the organoleptic and physical and chemical parameters were received for the solution compounded using 96%ethanol and paying attention to key technological features that are decisive in the compounding of non-aqueous solutions and affect the quality of the product. The problematic issues of registration and circulation of antiseptics in Ukraine were identified as a result of the development of normative documents. Its consequence is the spread of unscrupulous practices of selling products that do not have a proven disinfection effect. The active components of industrial and extemporaneous antiseptic agents were determined based on the analysis of literary sources. It was established that most of the products recommended for home production did not meet the requirements of regulatory documents in terms of composition and concentration of active substances. This is a sign of the spread of unreliable information among the population, which can harm health. The need to comply with the rules for dosing ingredients and the technological features of manufacturing of non-aqueous solutions is substantiated. It was established that the required concentration of ethanol in the finished product is achieved when preparing solutions according to prescription N 3, which included 96% ethanol according to the results of the physical and chemical control. The presence of disinfection corners at National Pirogov Memorial Medical University, Vinnytsya certainly popularizes hand hygiene among students of higher education. This is indicated by the high frequency of students' use of the products that were placed in the appropriate places. At the same time, it was established the need to conduct educational work among students, which will contribute to increasing the level of awareness of the regulatory framework of registered disinfectants, their proper composition, labeling and method of use.

Knowledge of health risks from chronic or repeated exposures to low-LET radiation with organ doses on the order of 100 mGy or less is of central importance for radiation protection and the safe use of ionizing radiation in medical diagnosis. While it is not yet clear whether the incidence of circulatory diseases is increased after such exposures, there is evidence of an overall elevated risk of cancer. QuantiWcation of site-speciWc cancer risks and their dependences on exposure patterns, age and other factors still needs clariWcation. It can be anticipated that approaches to resolve these questions will involve integration of mechanistic and epidemiological methods. The International Conference on Late Health EVects of Ionizing Radiation which was held in Washington, DC, 4–6 May 2009, was organized to stimulate such interdisciplinary research approaches. This volume includes nine papers based on conference presentations. Recently, radiation-induced genomic instability has been related to cancer incidence in an epidemiological study (Eidemuller et al. 2009). In this volume, StreVer reviews the evidence for the involvement of genomic instability in carcinogenesis and concludes that genetic predisposition for increased radiosensitivity is related to increased genomic instability and cancer predisposition (StreVer 2010). Genomic instability is often assumed to be an early stage in the carcinogenic process. A late step is the progression during which malignant cells develop into clinical symptomatic cancer. In a number of organs, especially thyroid and prostate, dormant or slow-growing tumours often do not develop into clinically relevant tumours. It is an open question how these tumours should be evaluated in assessing cancer risk and latency period. An approach is proposed by Fakir et al. (2010), who address this problem using lung cancer as an example. They developed a mathematical model that takes into account experimental, epidemiological and clinical data to predict latency period and conclude that radiation may be involved in progression from a dormant tumour to a clinically relevant one. Besides mechanistic understanding, precise dosimetry is important in estimating the health impact of radiation exposures. The large amount of autopsy data from Mayak workers is an important source of information on the biokinetics of inhaled plutonium in airways, the deeper lung, and other organs. In one of the conference presentations, Birchall et al. (2010) described how the Mayak autopsy data on lung tissue clearance and retention rates can impact on current International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) biokinetic models of the respiratory tract. Another area where progress in dosimetry can improve epidemiological studies is computational phantoms. Bolch et al. (2010) review emerging techniques for constructing patientspeciWc phantoms, which are expected to become the basis of a new generation of dose reconstruction methods. Recent studies provide some evidence that leukaemia rates are increased after chronic exposures to low-LET radiation with bone marrow doses of approximately 100 mGy. Whether chronic lymphatic leukaemia (CLL) is associated with exposure to ionizing radiation, however, is not clear. Krestinina et al. (2010) present new data on this question. Leukaemia rates among about 30,000 Techa P. Jacob (&) Helmholtz Zentrum Munchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health, Institute of Radiation Protection, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany e-mail: jacob@helmholtz-muenchen.de; jacob@gsf.de

Currently, wound treatment is an urgent task of medicine around the world. In the process of wound healing, various types of cells are involved under the control and regulation of cytokines and growth factors. Disruption of the synchronization process between the various types of cells and intercellular mediators involved in the restoration of tissue damage can lead to impaired healing and the development of chronic wounds. Photobiomodulation (PBM) therapy promotes platelet activation and aggregation, reduces inflammation and oxidative stress, and accelerates cell migration and proliferation. PBM also induces the production of the extracellular matrix and the release of key growth factors, thereby improving tissue regeneration and accelerating wound healing. The aim of our work was to study the effect of photobiomodulation therapy on the regulation of reparative processes in chronic wounds monitored by biomarkers and platelet aggregation activity. 54 Wistar rats were divided into three groups. Intact animals were not manipulated. In animals of the control and experimental groups, a chronic wound was simulated by reproducing the conditions of local hypoxia and microcirculation disorders. The wounds of the experimental group received PBM therapy. The device Lika-therapist M (Ukraine) was used in a continuous mode at a wavelength of 660 nm, an output power of 10 mW, and an energy density of 1 J/cm2. The wounds of the animals in the control group were treated with sham. The animals were euthanized on days 3, 7, 14, and 28 after the surgery (6 animals, each from the control and experimental groups). Measurements of the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-10 (IL-10), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), the basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were carried out by ELISA. Results revealed the multidirectional effect of PBM therapy on the expression of the studied biomarkers. The results of the histological examination indicated a positive effect of PBM therapy with the applied parameters on the repair processes of chronic wounds. We concluded that the use of PBM therapy made it possible to regulate disturbances in reparative processes by modulating ROS, cytokines, and platelet aggregation activity.

To summarize the experience, performance and scientific output of long-running telemedicine networks delivering humanitarian services.Nine long-running networks--those operating for five years or more--were identified and seven provided detailed information about their activities, including performance and scientific output. Information was extracted from peer-reviewed papers describing the networks' study design, effectiveness, quality, economics, provision of access to care and sustainability. The strength of the evidence was scored as none, poor, average or good.The seven networks had been operating for a median of 11 years (range: 5-15). All networks provided clinical tele-consultations for humanitarian purposes using store-and-forward methods and five were also involved in some form of education. The smallest network had 15 experts and the largest had more than 500. The clinical caseload was 50 to 500 cases a year. A total of 59 papers had been published by the networks, and 44 were listed in Medline. Based on study design, the strength of the evidence was generally poor by conventional standards (e.g. 29 papers described non-controlled clinical series). Over half of the papers provided evidence of sustainability and improved access to care. Uncertain funding was a common risk factor.Improved collaboration between networks could help attenuate the lack of resources reported by some networks and improve sustainability. Although the evidence base is weak, the networks appear to offer sustainable and clinically useful services. These findings may interest decision-makers in developing countries considering starting, supporting or joining similar telemedicine networks.

This paper uses a quantitative analysis to examine the interdependence and impact of resource rents on socio-economic development from 2002 to 2017. Nigeria and Norway have been chosen as reference countries due to their abundance of natural resources by similar economic performance, while the ranking in the Human Development Index differs dramatically. As the Human Development Index provides insight into a country’s cultural and socio-economic characteristics and development in addition to economic indicators, it allows a comparison of the two countries. The hypothesis presented and discussed in this paper was researched before. A qualitative research approach was used in the author’s master’s thesis “The Human Development Index (HDI) as a Reflection of Resource Abundance (using Nigeria and Norway as a case study)” in 2018. The management of scarce resources is an important aspect in the development of modern countries and those on the threshold of becoming industrialised nations. The effects of a mistaken resource management are not only of a purely economic nature but also of a social and socio-economic nature. In order to present a partial aspect of these dependencies and influences this paper uses a quantitative analysis to examine the interdependence and impact of resource rents on socio-economic development from 2002 to 2017. Nigeria and Norway have been chosen as reference countries due to their abundance of natural resources by similar economic performance, while the ranking in the Human Development Index differs significantly. As the Human Development Index provides insight into a country’s cultural and socio-economic characteristics and development in addition to economic indicators, it allows a comparison of the two countries. This paper found out in a holistic perspective that (not or poorly managed) resource wealth in itself has a negative impact on socio-economic development and significantly reduces the productivity of the citizens of a state. This is expressed in particular for the years 2002 till 2017 in a negative correlation of GDP per capita and HDI value with the share respectively the size of resources in the GDP of a country. Keywords: Human Development Index, sustainability, resource abundance, socio-economic welfare.

The effect of banning bituminous coal sales on the black-smoke concentration and the mortality rates in Dublin, Ireland, has been analyzed recently. Based on the application of standard epidemiological procedures, the authors concluded that, as a result of the ban, the total nontrauma death rate was reduced strongly (-8.0% unadjusted, -5.7% adjusted). The purpose of this study was to reanalyze the original data with the aim of clarifying the three most important aspects of the study, (a) the effect of epidemics, (b) the trends in mortality rates due to advances in public health care, and (c) the correlation between mortality rates and black-smoke concentrations. Particular attention has been devoted to a detailed evaluation of the time dependence of mortality rates, stratified by season. Death rates were found to be strongly enhanced during three severe pre-ban winter-spring epidemics. The cardiovascular mortality rates exhibited a continuous decrease over the whole study period, in general accordance with trends in the rest of Ireland. These two effects can fully account for the previously identified apparent correlation between reduced mortality and the very pronounced ban-related lowering of the black-smoke concentration. The third important finding was that in nonepidemic pre-ban seasons even large changes in the concentration of black smoke had no detectable effect on mortality rates. The reanalysis suggests that epidemiological studies exploring the effect of ambient particulate matter on mortality require improved tools allowing proper adjustment for epidemics and trends. Aspects of harvesting and more recent results derived from a distributed lag model covering the effects of black smoke and temperature are also discussed.

Increased radioresistance for exposures to low-LET radiation with doses exceeding a few hundred milligray is a well established fact for cell inactivation in vitro and in vivo. Cell inactivation and the subsequent replacement by intermediate cells is a possible mechanism for a radiation-induced increase of the number of intermediate cells in carcinogenesis in an irradiated organ. In the present work this mechanism has been implemented in the two-step clonal expansion model for carcinogenesis in the lung in addition to the conventionally assumed radiation-induced initiation. Compared with the original TSCE model, the new model has the same number of parameters and fits the lung cancer incidence data for the atomic bomb survivors slightly better. The resulting estimate of the lung cancer risk after low-dose exposures of persons with an age of 20 or 40 years is similar in the two models; however, it is higher by about an order of magnitude in the new model for an age-at-exposure of 60 years. Age-at-exposure dependence and risk estimates at low dose turn out to be closer to best estimates obtained with a constant-excess-relative-risk model for different age-at-exposure subgroups.