Microwave ovens : to control emissions and exposure to electromagnetic fields

Kuchenki mikrofalowe należą do obiektów technicznych mogących potencjalnie emitować pole-EM o wartościach mających wpływ na bezpieczeństwo i higienę pracy osób zatrudnionych w gastronomii czy serwisach firmowych. Formalnie, bezpieczeństwo użytkowania kuchenek mikrofalowych powinien gwarantować producent, który zobowiązany jest to przestrzegania standardów emisji promieniowania, po spełnieniu których urządzenia są do puszczone do sprzedaży. Dla użytkowników kuchenek mikrofalowych w gospodarstwach domowych to warunek konieczny. Przedstawione w artykule dane o poziomach tego pola w otoczeniu ponad 170 urządzeń wskazują, że należy przedsięwziąć stosowne działania ochronne. Przedstawiony w opracowaniu istniejący stan prawny dotyczący limitów emisji, który obowiązuje producentów tych kuchenek jest oparty o rekomendacje ICNIRP i spełnia wymagania limitów ekspozycji człowieka na pole - EM. Krajowe przepisy są bardziej rygorystyczne. W pracy dyskutowane są wszystkie te aspekty, szczególnie w odniesieniu do pracowników gastronomii i służb serwisowych, gdzie brak jest faktycznego nadzoru nad warunkami pracy. Zwrócono także uwagę na możliwość zapewnienia bezpieczeństwa użytkownikom kuchenek mikrofalowych w gospodarstwach domowych.Microwave owens can potentially emit electromagnetic fields (EMF) at levels affecting the safety and health of people employed in catering and authorized service centres. Theoretically, the manufacturer should guarantee that microwave ovens are safe, devices on the market should comply with emission standards. The levels of EMF in the vicinity of over 170 devices: presented in this article, indicate that appropriate protective measures are necessary. Current regulations on emission limits, which manufacturers of microwave ovens should comply with, are based on ICNIRP recommendations and meet human exposure limits for EMF. The regulations in Poland are more restrictive. This article discusses all those aspects, particularly in relation to staff in catering and in service centres, where there is no effective supervision of the working conditions. The ability to ensure safe household use of microwave ovens is considered, too

First evidence of a menstruating rodent: the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus)

Background Advances in research relating to menstruation and associated disorders (eg, endometriosis and premenstrual syndrome) have been hindered by the lack of an appropriate animal model. Menstruation, the cyclical shedding of the decidualized endometrium in the absence of pregnancy, is believed to be limited to 78 higher-order primates (human beings and Old World monkeys), 4 species of bat, and the elephant shrew. This represents only 1.5% of the known 5502 mammalian species and <0.09% of these are nonprimates. Thus, many aspects of menstruation remain poorly understood, limiting the development of effective treatments for women with menstrual disorders. Menstruation occurs as a consequence of progesterone priming of the endometrial stroma and a spontaneous decidual reaction. At the end of each infertile cycle as progesterone levels decline the uterus is unable to maintain this terminally differentiated stroma and the superficial endometrium is shed. True menstruation has never been reported in rodents. Objective Here we describe the first observation of menstruation in a rodent, the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus). Study Design Virgin female spiny mice (n = 14) aged 12–16 weeks were sampled through daily vaginal lavage for 2 complete reproductive cycles. Stage-specific collection of reproductive tissue and plasma was used for histology, prolactin immunohistochemistry, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay of progesterone (n = 4–5/stage of the menstrual cycle). Normally distributed data are reported as the mean ± SE and significant differences calculated using a 1-way analysis of variance. Nonnormal data are displayed as the median values of replicates (with interquartile range) and significant differences calculated using Kruskal-Wallis test. Results Mean menstrual cycle length was 8.7 ± 0.4 days with red blood cells observed in the lavages over 3.0 ± 0.2 days. Cyclic endometrial shedding and blood in the vaginal canal concluding with each infertile cycle was confirmed in all virgin females. The endometrium was thickest during the luteal phase at 322.6 μm (254.8, 512.2), when plasma progesterone peaked at 102.1 ng/mL (70.1, 198.6) and the optical density for prolactin immunoreactivity was strongest (0.071 ± 0.01 arbitrary units). Conclusion The spiny mouse undergoes spontaneous decidualization, demonstrating for the first time menstruation in a rodent. The spiny mouse provides a readily accessible nonprimate model to study the mechanisms of menstrual shedding and repair, and may therefore be useful in furthering studies of human menstrual and pregnancy-associated disorders

De novo transcriptome assembly for the spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus)

Spiny mice of the genus Acomys display several unique physiological traits, including menstruation and scar-free wound healing; characteristics that are exceedingly rare in mammals, and of considerable interest to the scientific community. These unique attributes, and the potential for spiny mice to accurately model human diseases, are driving increased use of this genus in biomedical research, however little genetic information is accessible for this species. This project aimed to generate a draft transcriptome for the Common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus). Illumina sequencing of RNA from 15 organ types (male and female) produced 451 million, 150 bp paired-end reads (92.4Gbp). An extensive survey of de novo transcriptome assembly approaches using Trinity, SOAPdenovo-Trans, and Oases at multiple kmer lengths was conducted, producing 50 single-kmer assemblies from this dataset. Non-redundant transcripts from all assemblies were merged into a meta-assembly using the EvidentialGene tr2aacds pipeline, producing the largest gene catalogue to date for Acomys cahirinus. This study provides the first detailed characterization of the spiny mouse transcriptome. It validates use of the EvidentialGene tr2aacds pipeline in mammals to augment conventional de novo assembly approaches, and provides a valuable scientific resource for further investigation into the unique physiological characteristics inherent in the genus Acomys

Meeting Report: The Role of Beliefs and Perception on Body Size. Proceedings of the 26th Aschauer Soiree, Held at Aschauhof, Altenhof, Germany, May 26th, 2018

Thirty-one scientists met at Aschauhof, Germany to discuss the role of beliefs and self-perception on body size. In view of apparent growth stimulatory effects of dominance within the social group that is observed in social mammals, they discussed various aspects of competitive growth strategies and growth adjustments. Presentations included new data from Indonesia, a cohort-based prospective study from Merida, Yucatan, and evidence from recent meta-analyses and patterns of growth in the socially deprived. The effects of stress experienced during pregnancy and adverse childhood events were discussed, as well as obesity in school children, with emphasis on problems when using z-scores in extremely obese children. Aspects were presented on body image in African-American women, and body perception and the disappointments of menopause in view of feelings of attractiveness in different populations. Secular trends in height were presented, including short views on so called 'racial types' vs bio-plasticity, and historic data on early-life nutritional status and later-life socioeconomic outcomes during the Dutch potato famine. New tools for describing body proportions in patients with variable degrees of phocomelia were presented along with electronic growth charts. Bio-statisticians discussed the influence of randomness, community and network structures, and presented novel tools and methods for analyzing social network data