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Background: Older adults are prone to vitamin D3 (VD3) deficiency, which may impair their health. A high dose of VD3 (HDVD3 = 100,000 IU) could improve their 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D] level and health outcomes. However, evidence for such a beneficial effect of HDVD3 in older adults coming from clinical trials is mixed. Objective: To review the literature on the efficacy of a single dose of 100,000 IU of VD3 in older people. Methods: We searched PubMed/Medline, Science Direct, and NIH's clinical trials registry for clinical studies on the effect of a single high dose of VD3 on various health outcomes in older people. We also performed a meta-analysis using the standardized mean difference to assess the effect of VD3 on its blood level. Due to expected high heterogeneity, its amount (i.e., tau2) was estimated using the DerSimonian-Laird estimator. To estimate tau2, the Q-test for heterogeneity and the I2 statistic were calculated. Results: Search results identify 13 studies that reported diverse health outcomes, such as lung and cardiovascular function, skin cancer progression, intensive care unit mortality, immune system response, and bone density. The meta-analysis showed a significant increase in 25(OH)D blood levels after treatment in 10 studies, with an average standardized mean difference of 2.60 ng/mL (95% CI: 2.07 to 3.13). Their results suggested that a single high dose of VD3 may benefit intensive care unit patients and skin cancer patients in remission. However, evidence for other beneficial health effects of HDVD3 was mixed due to high heterogeneity among studies. Conclusions: A single high dose of VD3 may positively affect some health outcomes in older people, possibly due to its pleiotropic and immunomodulatory effects. However, the evidence needs to be more extensive and consistent, and more rigorous studies are required to confirm the benefits and safety of VD3 high doses in older patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehensive exploration and thorough understanding of the physicochemical characteristics of "Crystal" grapes in the Karst area of Southwest China can not only produce edible table grapes, but also offer significant theoretical backing for the management of rocky desertification in the Karst area and consequently generate enhanced social and ecological benefits. This study explored the regulatory effect of 1-MCP fumigation on the postharvest storage quality of "Crystal" grapes, aiming to provide some technical support for the development of the grape industry in the Karst mountainous areas. The results indicate that compared with the control group, both the 10.0 and 50.0 μL/L 1-MCP treatment groups effectively inhibited the increase in decay rate, browning rate, shedding rate, and color change of the grapes, significantly inhibited the enhancement of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and lipoxygenases (LOX) browning-related enzyme activities, improved the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of the fruits, hindered the decrease of ascorbic acid (AsA) and polyphenols, delayed the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and significantly postponed the peak period of polygalacturonase (PG) activity in the fruits and the degradation of protopectin to soluble pectin, thereby maintaining desirable texture characteristics. The utilization of 1-MCP for fruit fumigation yielded a heightened overall fragrance, thereby facilitating the emission of terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketone aromatic compounds, and methyl aromatic substances within the fruit. Overall, both the M10 and M50 treatments are equally effective in preserving the storage quality of "Crystal" grapes. Under the condition of ensuring the excellent edible quality of crystal grapes, M2 can extend the shelf life of crystal grapes by about 5 days, and M10 and M50 can extend the storage period of crystal grapes by 10~15 days. Considering the cost, it is recommended that the industry employs a concentration of 10.0 μL/L of 1-MCP for "Crystal" grapes. Simultaneously, this study also provides theoretical support for the ecologically high-quality development of cultivated land in the Karst mountainous area of Guizhou and tree selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Victor Hugo Ahumada Topete,1,* Kevin Jesus de Dios Sanchez,1,* Gustavo Alejandro Casas Aparicio,2 Graciela Hernandez Silva,2 Cesar Emmanuel Lopez Vejar,1 Luz Maria Torres Espíndola,3 Arnoldo Aquino-Galvez,4 Odalis Rodriguez Ganen,5 Manuel de Jesus Castillejos Lopez1 1Hospital Epidemiology and Infectology Unit, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosío Villegas, Mexico City, Mexico; 2Department of Infectious Disease Research, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosío Villegas, Mexico City, Mexico; 3Laboratory of Pharmacology, National Institute of Pediatrics, Mexico City, Mexico; 4Molecular Biology Laboratory, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosío Villegas, Mexico City, Mexico; 5Department of Hospital Pharmacy, National Institute of Respiratory Diseases Ismael Cosío Villegas, Mexico City, Mexico*These authors contributed equally to this workCorrespondence: Manuel de Jesus Castillejos Lopez; Arnoldo Aquino Galvez, Email mcastillejos@gmail.com; araquiga@yahoo.comAbstract: The adverse events related to sodium colistimethate have had variability regarding the prevalence of nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and less frequent respiratory depression. In recent years, its use has been relevant due to the increase of multidrug-resistant bacteria since it is considered the last-line drug, being its main adverse event and reason for discrepancies between authors’ nephrotoxicity. The indiscriminate use of antibiotic therapy has generated multiple mechanisms of resistance, the most common being related to Colistin, the bactericidal escape effect. Based on the search criteria, no randomized clinical trials were identified showing safety and efficacy with the use of Colistin, inferring that the application of the appropriate dose is governed by expert opinion and retrospective and prospective observational studies, which confounding factors such as the severity of the patient and the predisposition to develop acute renal failure are constant. In this review, we focus on identifying the mechanism of nephrotoxicity and bacterial resistance, where much remains to be known.Keywords: colistin, colistimethate, nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, resistance mechanism, multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria, risk factors, high doses, toxicity

The adverse events related to sodium colistimethate have had variability regarding the prevalence of nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, and less frequent respiratory depression. In recent years, its use has been relevant due to the increase of multidrug-resistant bacteria since it is considered the last-line drug, being its main adverse event and reason for discrepancies between authors' nephrotoxicity. The indiscriminate use of antibiotic therapy has generated multiple mechanisms of resistance, the most common being related to Colistin, the bactericidal escape effect. Based on the search criteria, no randomized clinical trials were identified showing safety and efficacy with the use of Colistin, inferring that the application of the appropriate dose is governed by expert opinion and retrospective and prospective observational studies, which confounding factors such as the severity of the patient and the predisposition to develop acute renal failure are constant. In this review, we focus on identifying the mechanism of nephrotoxicity and bacterial resistance, where much remains to be known. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Octreotide is a first-generation somatostatin analog that has been used for 40 years for the medical treatment of acromegaly, both after neurosurgical intervention and as first-line treatment. The frequency of biochemical control against the background of extended-acting octreotide varies from 25 to 56% depending on growth hormone and IGF-1 levels at the disease debut, presence of previous surgery, patient gender and age, treatment compliance and the dose of octreotide used. Longterm clinical experience with prolonged-acting octreotide demonstrates that more than half of patients require an increase in dosage to 30 mg or higher. If during treatment with Octreotide in a dose of 30 mg for 3 months there is no normalization of IGF-1 level, but there was a decrease of 50% or more of the initial level, further dose increase to 40 mg is possible, because this increases the effectiveness of treatment without increasing the frequency of side effects. Foreign researchers have shown that high doses of Octreotide (60 mg every 28 days) can improve biochemical control in patients who have not fully responded to therapy with doses of 30–40 mg of extended-acting Octreotide. Further studies are needed to determine the optimal dose of prolonged octreotide in acromegaly therapy, both at the start of treatment and during treatment. Management of patients by a team of specialists involved in the treatment of pituitary tumors will allow faster achievement of biochemical control of acromegaly.

The induced impacts of high doses of gamma irradiations on the optical features of the Makrofol DE 1-1 detector were studied in the ultraviolet and visible range (from 270 to 500 nm). Makrofol DE 1-1 detector specimens were irradiated separately for different doses from 200 to 1000 kGy; step 200. The optical absorbance spectra of the pristine Makrofol DE 1-1, as well as the irradiated gamma-ray samples display two main features: (i) A redshift with further gamma-ray irradiation doses from 200 to 1000 kGy. This redshift can be ascribed to irradiation-induced defects in polymer material. (ii) A remarkable increment in the optical absorbance for irradiated Makrofol DE 1-1 specimens compared to the pristine one. This increment can be ascribed to the creation of some electronic levels within the forbidden gap resulting from the irradiation process. Moreover, this absorbance increment was employed to assess the degradation percent produced by gamma-ray irradiations. The degradation percent of the Makrofol DE 1-1 increased from 31.73% at 200 kGy to 78.08% at 1000 kGy. The optical band gap, Fermi level and metallization criterion showed decrement behaviors with further doses of gamma-ray irradiations. Also, the percent of changes in optical band gap values were employed to evaluate the degradation of Makrofol DE 1-1 under gamma-ray irradiations. This percent augmented from 15.19% at 200 kGy to 20.25% at 1000 kGy proving the obvious degradation of Makrofol DE 1-1 under gamma-ray irradiations. On the other hand, the number of carbon atoms per cluster, linear and nonlinear refractive indices showed increasing behaviors with further doses of gamma-ray irradiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the impact of the route of administration and doses of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) on treatment adherence, hospital admissions, and suicidal behaviour in patients with severe schizophrenia (Clinical Global Impression–Severity–CGI-S ≥ 5), we implemented an observational 5-year follow-up study. A total of 37.5% of the patients on oral antipsychotics (Aps) and 11.5% of those on long-acting injectables (LAIs) abandoned the treatment (p < 0.001). There were no differences in treatment discontinuation between the LAI-AP standard and high-dose groups. A total of 28.1% of the patients on oral Aps had at least one hospitalisation, as well as 13.1% of patients on LAIs (p < 0.001). There were fewer hospitalisations of patients on LAIs in the high-dose group (p < 0.05). Suicide attempts were recorded for 18% of patients on oral Aps but only for 4.6% of patients on LAIs (p < 0.001). No differences were found between the dosage groups on LAIs. Tolerability was good for all Aps and somewhat better for LAIs than oral Aps in terms of side effects (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the standard and high-dose groups. More patients discontinued treatment due to side effects in the oral AP group (p < 0.01). LAI SGA treatment was more effective than oral AP in terms of adherence and treatment outcomes for managing people with severe schizophrenia. Moreover, significant improvements were found that favour high-dose LAI SGA treatment for some of these patients. This study highlights the need to consider LAI antipsychotics and high-dose strategies for patients with severe schizophrenia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comprehensive exploration and thorough understanding of the physicochemical characteristics of “Crystal” grapes in the Karst area of Southwest China can not only produce edible table grapes, but also offer significant theoretical backing for the management of rocky desertification in the Karst area and consequently generate enhanced social and ecological benefits. This study explored the regulatory effect of 1-MCP fumigation on the postharvest storage quality of "Crystal” grapes, aiming to provide some technical support for the development of the grape industry in the Karst mountainous areas. The results indicate that compared with the control group, both the 10.0 and 50.0 μL/L 1-MCP treatment groups effectively inhibited the increase in decay rate, browning rate, shedding rate, and color change of the grapes, significantly inhibited the enhancement of polyphenol oxidase (PPO), peroxidase (POD), and lipoxygenases (LOX) browning-related enzyme activities, improved the superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of the fruits, hindered the decrease of ascorbic acid (AsA) and polyphenols, delayed the accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA) content, and significantly postponed the peak period of polygalacturonase (PG) activity in the fruits and the degradation of protopectin to soluble pectin, thereby maintaining desirable texture characteristics. The utilization of 1-MCP for fruit fumigation yielded a heightened overall fragrance, thereby facilitating the emission of terpenes, alcohols, aldehydes, ketone aromatic compounds, and methyl aromatic substances within the fruit. Overall, both the M10 and M50 treatments are equally effective in preserving the storage quality of “Crystal” grapes. Under the condition of ensuring the excellent edible quality of crystal grapes, M2 can extend the shelf life of crystal grapes by about 5 days, and M10 and M50 can extend the storage period of crystal grapes by 10~15 days. Considering the cost, it is recommended that the industry employs a concentration of 10.0 μL/L of 1-MCP for “Crystal” grapes. Simultaneously, this study also provides theoretical support for the ecologically high-quality development of cultivated land in the Karst mountainous area of Guizhou and tree selection.

Iron deficiency anemia is among the most frequent causes of disability. Intravenous iron is the quickest way to correct iron deficiency, bypassing the bottleneck of iron intestinal absorption, the only true mechanism of iron balance regulation in human body. Intravenous iron administration is suggested in patients who are refractory/intolerant to oral iron sulfate. However, the intravenous way of iron administration requires several precautions; as the in-hospital administration requires a resuscitation service, as imposed in Europe by the European Medicine Agency, it is very expensive and negatively affects patient's perceived quality of life. A new oral iron formulation, Sucrosomial iron, bypassing the normal way of absorption, seems to be cost-effective in correcting iron deficiency anemia at doses higher than those usually effective with other oral iron formulations. In this multicentric randomized study, we analyze the cost-effectiveness of intravenous sodium ferrigluconate vs oral Sucrosomial iron in patients with iron deficiency anemia refractory/intolerant to oral iron sulfate without other interfering factors on iron absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin C has been widely studied in medicine and although the importance of its deficiency with scurvy was recognized, the optimization of its use as a therapeutic resource has not been included in protocols or clinical practice guidelines. The pharmacokinetics and biology of vitamin C indicates the systemic effects it has, and based on it, research has been developed in recent years that supports its parenteral use in some diseases. The available evidence indicates that the benefit of its use does not extend to several diseases but to some such as cancer, whose preliminary report is promising, with adequate tolerability at high doses, but still needs to complete the prospective follow-up of the intervention.

This paper discusses the dual serotonergic-noradrenergic mechanism of action of venlafaxine, its indications for use, and dosage. Special attention was paid to the clinical application of higher doses of the drug, above 150 mg in the treatment of depression and anxiety disorders. Venlafaxine is one of the most effective antidepressants. The maximum recommended dose is 225 mg/day for anxiety disorders and 375 mg/day for major depression. The use of higher doses of the drug allows to take full advantage of its dual mechanism of action and improve its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This theoretical and practical article discusses the results of studies on aripiprazole in terms of its anti-maniac, antipsychotic effectiveness, its efficacy in relapse and re-hospitalisation prevention, and its effects on cognition. Study results indicate that aripiprazole may not only be a valuable component of combination therapy, but also, and perhaps above all, is an effective drug when used in monotherapy. The use of aripiprazole in too low doses does not allow for its full clinical effect. The use of high doses of the drug, exceeding 20 mg/day, translates into a high degree of dopaminergic receptor involvement. When excess dopamine is present, aripiprazole competes with dopamine for receptor binding, thereby acting as a D2 receptor antagonist. Therefore, the use of too low doses of the drug often has the opposite effect to the intended one, with aripiprazole acting as a dopaminergic receptor agonist, which results in additional activation instead of anti-manic and antipsychotic effects. Understanding the mechanism of action of this drug is therefore the key to successful treatment with aripiprazole. Data from scientific studies are presented and discussed below, explaining why and in which situations the 30 mg/day dose has an advantage over the 15 mg/day dose. The article answers the most common questions and explains doubts expressed by doctors, along with scientific background and a reference to the literature. Presenting data from the literature, the author also presents their clinical implications and refers to practical experience with the use of aripiprazole both in the hospital and in outpatient practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To observe and analyze the therapeutic efficacy of high-dose ambroxol in the treatment of severe pneumonia, as well as summarize the nursing methods. A total of 180 patients diagnosed with severe pneumonia and treated at our hospital who were enrolled. The patients were divided into a control group and are search group, with 90 patients in each group. Of those, patients in the research group were treated with high-doses ambroxol, while small-dose ambroxol was administered to patients in the control group. The therapeutic efficacy was compared between both groups. Meanwhile, predictive nursing regimens were applied on patients in the research group, while routine nursing care was given to patients in the control group. The nursing satisfaction was compared between both groups. By comparing the pulmonary function indicators, Comparison of procalcitonin (PCT) and C-reactive protein (CRP) results showed that all indicators of the research group were obviously better than those of the control group (p<0.05). The time of infection control, ICU stay and hospital stay of the research group were significantly less than those of the control group (p<0.05). Moreover, the overall nursing satisfaction of the research group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<0.05).Application of high-dose ambroxol and scientific nursing methods could significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of severe pneumonia and gain favorable nursing satisfaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract From Obsidian silicate, in its natural form, pellets were manufactured adding Teflon to the material in powder. These pellets were exposed to the gamma radiation beams of a 60Co source in a dose interval from 10 Gy to 10 kGy. The Obsidian in powder was investigated in relation to its physical and chemical characteristics, by means of the X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques. After the irradiation procedure, the signal of the samples was evaluated by means of three techniques: thermoluminescence (TL), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE). The objective of this work was to verify the TL, OSL and TSEE response of the Obsidian+Teflon pellets after exposure to high doses of gamma radiation. Different response characterization tests were performed, as TL and TSEE emission curves, OSL signal decay, reproducibility, dose-response curves, lower detection limits and fading. From these results, it can be observed that the Obsidian+Teflon pellets present good conditions to be used as high dose gamma radiation detectors; the results obtained with the OSL technique were the most adequate in terms of response in function of absorbed dose. The fading of the signals, varying from about 26% (TSEE) to 44% (OSL), in a time interval of 360 h post-irradiation, also showed favorable results for the use of this material as radiation detector, when the measurements are taken after a defined time interval. Highlights • The powdered Obsidian was analyzed by the XRD, SEM and EDX techniques. • Obsidian+Teflon pellets were manufactured in a proportion of 2:1. • The TL, TSEE and OSL techniques were used to study the Obsidian samples. • The TL presented the most appropriated technique for the pellets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the recently completed clinical studies on the efficacy of atorvastatin in high doses are presented. In these studies high dose atorvastatin therapy was used in patients with acute coronary syndrome, chronic coronary heart disease, and percutaneous coronary interventions. Studies completed in Russia and devoted to efficacy of the high dose atorvastatin therapy are discussed specially.

Spasticity is a common disabling disorder in adult subjects suffering from stroke, brain injury, multiple sclerosis (MS) and spinal cord injury (SCI). Spasticity may be a disabling symptom in people during rehabilitation and botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A) has become the first-line therapy for the local form. High BTX-A doses are often used in clinical practice. Advantages and limitations are debated and the evidence is unclear. Therefore, we analysed the efficacy, safety and evidence for BTX-A high doses. Studies published from January 1989 to February 2020 were retrieved from MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register. Only obabotulinumtoxinA (obaBTX-A), onabotulinumtoxinA (onaBTX-A), and incobotulinumtoxinA (incoBTX-A) were considered. The term “high dosage” indicated ≥ 600 U. Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies had variable method designs, sample sizes and aims, with only two randomised controlled trials. IncoBTX-A and onaBTX-A were injected in three and eight studies, respectively. BTX-A high doses were used predominantly in treating post-stroke spasticity. No studies were retrieved regarding treating spasticity in MS and SCI. Dosage of BTX-A up to 840 U resulted efficacious and safety without no serious adverse events (AEs). Evidence is insufficient to recommend high BTX-A use in clinical practice, but in selected patients, the benefits of high dose BTX-A may be clinically acceptable.

Graphical abstract Abstract For many years, administration of drugs by inhalation has been the mainstay treatment for obstructive respiratory disorders such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Antibiotics and other drugs have been administered for decades as aerosols to treat other pulmonary disease in a clinical setting, but it was until the early 1980’s that colistin was formally marketed as a solution for nebulization in Europe (Colomycin, Pharmax, Bexley). The solubility of other drugs and the size of the dose required to achieve therapeutic concentrations at the site of action, made treatment times long and difficult to be performed at home. High dose dry powder delivery is a potentially effective way to deliver low potency drugs such as antibiotics. There are three major barriers to achieving the desired pharmacodynamic effect with these compounds: aerosol delivery, lung deposition and clearance. The powder formulation and device technology influence aerosol generation and may influence the size of the dose that can be achieved by inhalation in one puff. The site of deposition in the lungs is dictated by mechanisms of deposition which are influenced by the aerosol properties, particularly aerodynamic particle size distribution and the anatomy and physiology of the lungs. Finally, mechanisms of clearance dictate the local and systemic disposition of the drug, which in turn affects its pharmacokinetics and ultimately the pharmacodynamic effect and efficacy of treatment. Each of these factors will be considered and the implications for antimicrobial agent delivery as a high dose delivery example will be given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this work was to study a new dry powder inhaler (DPI) of tobramycin capable to simplify the dose administration maneuvers to maximize the cystic fibrosis (CF) patient care in antibiotic inhalation therapy. For the purpose, tobramycin/sodium stearate powder (TobraPS) having a high drug content, was produced by spray drying, characterized and the aerodynamic behavior was investigated in vitro using different RS01 DPI inhalers. The aerosols produced with 28, 56 or 112 mg of tobramycin in TobraPS powder using capsules size #3, #2 or #0 showed that there was quasi linear relationship between the amount loaded in the device and the FPD. An in vivo study in healthy human volunteers showed that 3–6 inhalation acts were requested by the volunteers to inhale 120 mg of TobraPS powder loaded in a size #0 capsule aerosolized with a prototype RS01 device, according to their capability to inhale. The amount of powder emitted at 4 kPa pressure drop at constant air flow well correlated with the in vivo emission at dynamic flow, when the same volume of air passed through the device. The novel approach for the administration of 112 mg of tobramycin in one capsule could improve the convenience and adherence of the CF patient to the antibiotic therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aripiprazole is an atypical neuroleptic of proven effectiveness for the treatment of schizophrenia and bipolar I disorder. Despite its many years' availability on the market, it tends not to be as popular as it deserves among psychiatrists. Aripiprazole is often used as an adjunctive treatment, added in a small dose to another neuroleptic, not as the primary antipsychotic treatment or prevention of manic episodes. Hence, its full benefits and optimal clinical effect cannot be achieved. This is due to the lack of knowledge concerning the full medical potential associated with the pharmacological profile of this neuroleptic and lack of awareness regarding its efficiency. Aripiprazole is characterised by better tolerability than some other antipsychotics, e.g. in terms of inducing symptomatic hyperprolactinemia, QTc prolongation, impaired glucose tolerance or significant weight gain. It is also associated with a low risk of extrapyramidal symptoms. Its good safety profile facilitates its use in patients with somatic burden, older than 65 years old and obese patients. The article briefly presents the current state of knowledge concerning the effect of aripiprazole in bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia, focusing on the practical aspects. The following questions have been addressed: • Who is most likely to benefit from aripiprazole treatment, and how to adjust the dosage to the patient's symptom profile? • When to consider a change of therapy to aripiprazole? • When is it appropriate to use aripiprazole as monotherapy and when as an element of combination therapy? Several case reports have been included in the study to best illustrate the drug's therapeutic potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polymers inside the technological waste packages degrade under radio-oxidation. In the context of the geological nuclear waste storage, the long-term behavior of these polymers must be better understood, especially at high doses. The general objective is to ensure the safety of the geological underground repository. In this study, we focus on an industrial polyesterurethane, used as glovebox gloves, and its pure resin. These two materials were radio-oxidized at different high doses. The modifications induced by irradiation using low stopping power ionizing rays were assessed through the study of the gas release, the in-chain modifications, and the formation of oxidation products of low molecular mass. Gas mass spectrometry was used to quantify the gas release with exposure doses up to 4000 kGy for the pure material and 10 000 kGy for the industrial polymer: the evolution with dose is weak and is increasing only in the case of carbon dioxide. The in-chain modifications were identified by infrared spectroscopy or X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and correspond probably mainly to the formation of hydroperoxides, hydroxyls and ketones, along with alkenes. By GC-MS or thermodesorption analyses, oxidation products trapped in the polymer matrixes are identified and are esters, carboxylic acids, alcohols, an aromatic molecule and oligomers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New glass matrices were evaluated for high dose dosimetry by the thermoluminescence technique. Their nominal composition are 20Li2CO3.10Al2O3.15CdO.55B2O3 and 20Li2CO3.10Al2O3.20CdO.50B2O3 (mol%). The glass matrices were irradiated with different doses: 50, 100, 200, 500, 700 and 900 Gy, and the thermoluminescence emission curves were obtained for each of these values. The results show a great potential of using these matrices in high dose dosimetry.

Current guidelines suggested a dosage up to 600 units (U) of botulinum toxin type A (BoNT-A) (onabotulinumtoxinA or incobotulinumtoxinA) in reducing spastic hypertonia with low prevalence of complications, although a growing body of evidence showed efficacy with the use of high doses (> 800 U). The available evidence mainly referred to a single set of injections evaluating the efficacy and safety of the neurotoxin 30 days after the treatment. In a prospective, non-randomized, open-label study, we studied the safety of repeated higher doses of incobotulinumtoxinA in post-stroke upper and lower limb spasticity. Two years after the first set of injections, we evaluated in 20 stroke survivors with upper and lower limb spasticity the long-term safety of repeated high doses of incobotulinumtoxinA (up to 840 U) for a total of eight sets of injections. Patients reported an improvement of their clinical picture concerning a reduction of spasticity measured with the Asworth Scale (AS) for elbow, wrist, fingers and ankle flexor muscles and disability measured with the Disability Assessment Scale (DAS) 30 days after the last set of injections (eighth set) compared to the baseline ( p < 0.0001). No difference in AS and DAS scores has been found between t 1 (30 days after the first injection set) and t 2 (30 days after the eighth set of injections), with also similar safety. In a two-year follow-up, repeated high doses of incobotulinumtoxinA, administered for eight sets of injections, appeared to be safe in patients with upper and lower limb spasticity after stroke without general adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the future reactors, the pellets radioactivity will increase due to the modification of the plutonium concentration. The stability of the organic additive used as lubricating/deagglomerating agent has thus to be evaluated. Up to now, zinc stearate is employed, but new additives are tested in this study and compared to zinc stearate. In a first part of this paper, the order of magnitude of the dose deposited in the stearates has been estimated. Afterward, three different stearates have been irradiated, using gamma-rays at doses as high as 2000 kGy. Two atmospheres of irradiation were tested, i.e. inert atmosphere and air. Samples were characterized using the following analytical tools: mass spectrometry, thermogravimetry and infrared spectroscopy. The objective is the evaluation of the ageing of these materials. In the nuclear fuel pellets manufacturing context, the candidate which could replace zinc stearate, if this one is too degraded to fulfill its role of lubricant in the pellets of the future manufacturing, has been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper gives a broad review of studies on the use of pregabalin, mainly its potential in the therapy of anxiety disorders, with particular emphasis on generalized anxiety, while also briefly discussing its other possible applications. Pregabalin is a ligand for voltage-gated alpha-2-delta calcium channel subunits localised at presynaptic terminal regions in brain and spinal cord neurons. Multiple studies have demonstrated its higher efficiency over placebo in treating generalized anxiety disorder, including anxiety with aggravated depression symptoms. Different pregabalin doses, ranging from 150 to 600 mg/day, have been assessed, showing lower doses (starting from 150 mg/day) to be effective in treating the psychological symptoms of anxiety. Effective treatment of somatic symptoms, on the other hand, requires more aggressive dosing (doses of 300 mg/day and more). Pregabalin tends to be well tolerated, with the most commonly cited adverse effects including dizziness, drowsiness and confusion. There have also been reports of withdrawal symptoms following abrupt or rapid dose reduction. According to some authors, pregabalin can cause physical dependency, yet the risk for potential abuse seems to be present mainly in the group of patients with a history of psychoactive substance abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, steroid abuse has become very popular and widespread among professional and recreational athletes. The aim of this study was to examine the chronic effects of training combined with high doses of nandrolone decanoate on cardiac muscle tissue. The study included 32 Wistar albino rats divided into 4 groups: control (T-N-), steroid (T-N+), exercisetraining (T+N-) and exercise plus steroid (T+N+) groups. The T+N- and T+N+ group swam for 4 weeks, 1 hour per day, 5 days per week. The N+ (nandrolone positive groups) received nandrolone decanoate (20 mg/kg) once per week, subcutaneously. After 4 weeks of training, the rats were sacrificed. Heart biopsy specimens were routinely fixed and embedded in paraffin. Fivemicrometre thick sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin (H/E) and Masson-Trichrome dyes. Captured microscopic images were processed by special software for image analysis to quantify results. Our results showed that the combination of nandrolone and training causes left ventricular wall thickening of 30%. Average cardiac muscle cell longitudinal diameter was increased by 6% in the T-N+ group, by 16% in the T+N- group and by 25% in the T+N+ group. The cross sectional muscle cell area was increased in the T+N+ group by 33%. Heart collagen content was increased in the nandrolone group compared to the control group by 261%. Collagen content was decreased in the T+N+ group by 34%. High doses of AAS induced left ventricle hypertrophy and excessive heart collagen deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HMG-CoA inhibitors have been widely used in primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerosis for more than 30 years. The evidence base for statins includes dozens of randomized clinical trials (RCT), involving hundreds of thousands patients. According to the results of the latest meta-analyses, reducing low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-CH) level by 1 mmol/l in statin-treated patients could decrease cardiovascular risk by 0,8 %. Atorvastatin (Liprimar®) is a modern synthetic statin, which has been thoroughly studied in several RCTs over the last 15 years. These trials demonstrated its effectiveness and tolerability in patients with chronic coronary heart disease, acute coronary syndrome (ACS), Type 2 diabetes mellitus, and arterial hypertension. In the studies comparing atorvastatin (10-80 mg/d) to other statins, baseline LDL-CH levels were reduced by 53 % in atorvastatintreated patients. Atorvastatin therapy was also well tolerated. Compared to placebo, atorvastatin therapy in the dose of 10 and 80 mg/d was associated with the incidence of hepatic transaminase elevation of 0,1 % and 0,6 %, respectively. This evidence base (in particular, the results of the trials on 80 mg/d atorvastatin therapy in ACS patients) has been a cornerstone of modern clinical guidelines, recommending target LDL-CH levels of 2 mmol/l. Currently, atorvastatin is the most widely prescribed statin in the majority of both developed and developing countries. Increasing initial dose and prescribing high-dose atorvastatin therapy (40-80 mg/d) could facilitate an improvement in treatment quality and a reduction in high levels of cardiovascular mortality inRussia.

We highlight the absence of high-level evidence from dose-ranging studies regarding the use of oral ivermectin in susceptible parasitic diseases. We provide published data supporting the use of a higher dosage regimen of ivermectin in malaria and difficult-to-treat head lice, and announce an ongoing randomized clinical trial in severe scabies.

Blockade of renin-angiotensin systems is one problem in the treatment of arterial hypertension. Resistant hypertension and patients with high cardiovascular risk demand frequently use of combination therapy. The efficiency of combined therapy losartan plus hydrochlorothiazide at patients with arterial hypertension was studied in several large clinical multicentre randomized studies. It is proved high efficiency and safety of this combination therapy.

The effects of Cortisol upon the serum immunoglobulin concentration areexamined. The experiment involved male guinea pigs of the body weight from 300 to400 g that were nonnally fed and lived under the common laboratory conditions. Theguinea pigs were divided into an experimental and a control group. The experimentalgroup's guinea pigs were given every day (in a 6 days' period) a subcutaneous dose of80 g of corti sol/kg/per day, while the control group ones were given only one ml ofthe physiological solution. Two weeks after the last received dose of Cortisol orphysiological solution the cordial puncture was applied to take a blood sample inwhich the level of the serum IgA, IgG and IgM was determined. In the experimentalgroup animals the serum IgG value was 11,2 mg/ml at the beginning and 8,7 mg/ml at the end of the experiment (reduction for 22,1%), while the TgA concentration at theend of the experiment was reduced for 5,8%, while the IgM concentration for 12,9%.The serum immunoglobulin concentration in the control group guinea pigs does notreveal any significant differences at the beginning and the end of the experiment.

•Improvement of therapeutic ratio by novel unconventional radiotherapy approaches.•Immunomodulation using high-dose spatially fractionated radiotherapy.•Boosting radiation anti-tumor effects by adding an immune-mediated cell killing., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.Chandan Guha reported the following COI: Advisor/Consultant with Focused Ultrasound Foundation, Janssen and Siemens. Slavisa Tubin reported the following COI: pending patent(s)/international patent application PCT/EP2019/052164 published as WO 2019/162050. Xiaodong Wu is the primary inventor of US Patent No. 8,395,131: Method of 3D Lattice Radiotherapy. Yolanda Prezado holds a patent on the implementation of MBRT at a small animal irradiator USBR16CNRRAD/sl (USA) and PCT/EP2017/078096 (international). Robert Timmerman is PI of grants – Varian Medical Systems, Elekta Oncology, and Accuray, Inc., (© 2023 The Author(s).)

Biofilms typically exist as complex communities comprising multiple species with the ability to adapt to a variety of harsh conditions. In clinical settings, antibiotic treatments based on planktonic susceptibility tests are often ineffective against biofilm infections. Using a CO2 evolution measurement system we delineated the real-time metabolic response in continuous flow biofilms to streptomycin doses much greater than their planktonic susceptibilities. Stable biofilms from a multispecies culture (containing mainly Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia), Gram-negative environmental isolates, and biofilms formed by pure culture P. aeruginosa strains PAO1 and PAO1 ▵ MexXY (minimum planktonic inhibitory concentrations between 1.5 and 3.5 mg/l), were exposed in separate experiments to 4000 mg/l streptomycin for 4 h after which growth medium resumed. In complex medium, early steady state multispecies biofilms were susceptible to streptomycin exposure, inferred by a cessation of CO2 production. However, multispecies biofilms survived high dose exposures when there was extra carbon in the antibiotic medium, or when they were grown in defined citrate medium. The environmental isolates and PAO1 biofilms showed similar metabolic profiles in response to streptomycin; ceasing CO2 production after initial exposure, with CO2 levels dropping toward baseline levels prior to recovery back to steady state levels, while subsequent antibiotic exposure elicited increased CO2 output. Monitoring biofilm metabolic response in real-time allowed exploration of conditions resulting in vulnerability after antibiotic exposure compared to the resistance displayed following subsequent exposures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: An increase in the potency of the cannabis cigarettes has been observed over the past three decades. Objectives: In this study, we aimed to establish the impact of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) on the rating of subjective effects (intensity and duration of the effects), up to 23 % THC potency (69 mg THC) among recreational users. Methods: Recreational users ( N = 24) smoked cannabis cigarettes with four doses of THC (placebo 29, 49 and 69 mg of THC) on four separate test days in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover study. The participants filled in three different questionnaires measuring subjective effects during the exposure up to 8 h post-smoking. The 'high' feeling, heart rate, blood pressure and THC serum concentrations were also regularly recorded during these 8 h. Results: THC significantly increased the high feeling, dizziness, dry-mouthed feeling, palpitations, impaired memory and concentration, and 'down', 'sedated' and 'anxious' feelings. In addition, THC significantly decreased alertness, contentment and calmness. A cubic relationship was observed between 'feeling the drug' and 'wanting more'. The THC-induced decrease in 'feeling stimulated' and increase in anxiety lasted up to 8 h post-smoking. Sedation at 8 h post-smoking was increased by a factor of 5.7 with the highest THC dose, compared to the placebo. Conclusions: This study shows a strong effect of cannabis containing high percentages of THC on the rating of subjective effects. Regular users and forensic toxicologists should be aware that the THC-induced increase in 'feeling sedated' continues longer with a 69 mg THC dose than with a 29 mg THC dose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To assess the impact of the route of administration and doses of second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) on treatment adherence, hospital admissions, and suicidal behaviour in patients with severe schizophrenia (Clinical Global Impression−Severity−CGI-S ≥ 5), we implemented an observational 5-year follow-up study. A total of 37.5% of the patients on oral antipsychotics (Aps) and 11.5% of those on long-acting injectables (LAIs) abandoned the treatment (p < 0.001). There were no differences in treatment discontinuation between the LAI-AP standard and high-dose groups. A total of 28.1% of the patients on oral Aps had at least one hospitalisation, as well as 13.1% of patients on LAIs (p < 0.001). There were fewer hospitalisations of patients on LAIs in the high-dose group (p < 0.05). Suicide attempts were recorded for 18% of patients on oral Aps but only for 4.6% of patients on LAIs (p < 0.001). No differences were found between the dosage groups on LAIs. Tolerability was good for all Aps and somewhat better for LAIs than oral Aps in terms of side effects (p < 0.05). There were no differences between the standard and high-dose groups. More patients discontinued treatment due to side effects in the oral AP group (p < 0.01). LAI SGA treatment was more effective than oral AP in terms of adherence and treatment outcomes for managing people with severe schizophrenia. Moreover, significant improvements were found that favour high-dose LAI SGA treatment for some of these patients. This study highlights the need to consider LAI antipsychotics and high-dose strategies for patients with severe schizophrenia.

Since the first report in 1977, many studies have been carried out to determine the efficacy of beta- blockers such as propranolol for the treatment of violent and aggressive behaviour. Propranolol has also been used in the treatment of dementia, attending- deficit disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, Korsakoff,s psychosis, posttraumatic stress disorder, profound mental retardation, autism and brain injury. Doses of prescribed propranol have been varied from 60 to 1440 mgs per day. Though the mea range 260 to 400 mg per day is more common . In the present study, 4 patients diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenia, bipolar mood disorder, mental retardation, and disorganized schizophrenia who did not respond to the conversational drug treatment were chosen. Propranolol with doses higher than 250 mg/ day was administered. The main symptoms and signs targeted for the treatment were; severe aggression, impulsive homicidal outburst, grossly impaired functioning . Propranolol was administered in doses of 250_440 mg/ day ( high doses) and higher doses were not required. According to the clinical psychiatrist and the reports from the nursing staff and patients relatives, the efficacy of propranolol in high doses was satisfactory. This study suggests that further similar controlled investigations are needed to be carried out in different areas.

Abstract: Three different thermoluminescent measuring systems have been compared with respect to the differences in temperature profiles, spectral sensitivities, as well as characteristics for high intensities of TL light. The comparison was performed using the Harshaw 3500, Risø DA-20 and RA’94 TLD readers. The instruments were tested for the readouts of highly irradiated LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP) TL detectors, which require readout up to 550 °C, in case of doses exceeding 1 kGy. It was found that the Harshaw 3500 can be used, without any additional light attenuation, for the measurements of MCP detectors exposed to doses up to about 5 Gy. For the other two readers the upper dose limit is about 10 times lower. It was also found that the Harshaw 3500 shows the best thermal stability considering the peak maximum position. For the ultra-high doses the differences in the spectral characteristics of the applied optical filters and photomultipliers, in conjunction with an evolution of the MCP TL emission spectrum with increasing dose, significantly influence the shape of TL glow curves measured with the DA-20 reader. The detailed characteristic of the compared TLD readers at high-dose high-temperature range is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Highlights: [•] The chemical to induce PCC has influence on the dose–effect curve coefficients. [•] Depending on dose, different proportions of PCC in various cell cycle phases were observed. [•] PCC cells in various cell phases show variable yields of chromosome aberrations. [•] CalA induced PCC rings are in general Poisson distributed and useful to discriminate partial body exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-sensitive thermoluminescent detectors LiF:Mg,Cu,P have been investigated after exposures with γ-rays doses up to hundreds of kGy. Both emission spectra and TL glow curves have been measured up to temperature of 550 °C. TL emission spectra integrated over a temperature range of 47–470 °C were analyzed. Two emission regions, main (220–450 nm) and long wavelength (450–800 nm), were distinguished. No significant changes, with increasing dose, were observed in the main emission. The long wavelength emission was visible at the doses of 4 kGy and higher, indicating that such an amount of energy, deposited in the detector volume, makes additional recombination centers active. At the “B” peak temperature range (above 400 °C), the wavelength of emitted light was nearly identical, as for the main glow peak (∼220 °C) at lower doses. It tends to suggest that high-dose high-temperature emission of MCP-N occurs along the same recombination path as the emission below the saturation level. Gaussian deconvolution in the energy domain was also performed for the measured spectra. The results of deconvolution remain in a general agreement with previous measurements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-temperature emission spectra of LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP-N) TL detectors, irradiated above the nominal saturation level, up to the hundreds of kGy, have been measured. Emission spectra integrated over the whole temperature range, as well as the spectra recorded at the temperatures corresponding to the TL peaks maxima, were analyzed. With increasing dose of γ-radiation no significant changes were observed in the short wavelength emission range (220–450 nm) of the measured spectra. For doses of 4 kGy and higher the long wavelength emission (450–800 nm) started to be visible. All recorded spectra have been expressed in a form of the sum of several Gaussian-shape bands in the energy domain, which parameters remain in a general agreement with the measurements of Mandowska et al. (2010). Spectra of the low-temperature, main, high-temperature and “B” TL peaks were investigated. In the ranges of the low-temperature and the main dosimetric peaks, that is 100–125 and 210–230 °C, respectively, the short wavelength emission disappeared with increasing dose and for the highest doses the long wavelength emission became dominant. Both the high-temperature (290–320 °C) and the “B” (370–425 °C) peaks emission spectra exhibited somewhat different behavior with increasing dose. Initially, an even growth of the whole spectrum was observed and for doses higher than 16 kGy the intensity of the spectrum decreased, but the short wavelength emission band fell significantly faster, in case of the high-temperature TL peaks. In case of the “B” peak emission spectra the long wavelength emission did not play any role in the analyzed dose range. The spectra measured at the TL peaks maxima were also fitted with several Gaussian-shape bands. Dose-intensity dependences for all Gaussian-shape bands fitted to the measured spectra are also included in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is established that moderate-to-high doses of ionising radiation increase the risk of subsequent cancer in the exposed individual, but the question arises as to the risk of cancer from higher doses, such as those delivered during radiotherapy, accidents, or deliberate acts of malice. In general, the cumulative dose received during a course of radiation treatment is sufficiently high that it would kill a person if delivered as a single dose to the whole body, but therapeutic doses are carefully fractionated and high/very high doses are generally limited to a small tissue volume under controlled conditions. The very high cumulative doses delivered as fractions during radiation treatment are designed to inactivate diseased cells, but inevitably some healthy cells will also receive high/very high doses. How the doses (ranging from <1 Gy to tens of Gy) received by healthy tissues during radiotherapy affect the risk of second primary cancer is an increasingly important issue to address as more cancer patients survive the disease. Studies show that, except for a turndown for thyroid cancer, a linear dose-response for second primary solid cancers seems to exist over a cumulative gamma radiation dose range of tens of gray, but with a gradient of excess relative risk per Gy that varies with the type of second cancer, and which is notably shallower than that found in the Japanese atomic bomb survivors receiving a single moderate-to-high acute dose. The risk of second primary cancer consequent to high/very high doses of radiation is likely to be due to repopulation of heavily irradiated tissues by surviving stem cells, some of which will have been malignantly transformed by radiation exposure, although the exact mechanism is not known, and various models have been proposed. It is important to understand the mechanisms that lead to the raised risk of second primary cancers consequent to the receipt of high/very high doses, in particular so that the risks associated with novel radiation treatment regimens-for example, intensity modulated radiotherapy and volumetric modulated arc therapy that deliver high doses to the target volume while exposing relatively large volumes of healthy tissue to low/moderate doses, and treatments using protons or heavy ions rather than photons-may be properly assessed., (Creative Commons Attribution license.)

Abstract: MTS-N detectors are pellets of LiF:Mg,Ti produced at the Institute of Nuclear Physics (IFJ) in Krakow, Poland. The thermoluminescence (TL) response of these detectors to gamma radiation doses up to 10 kGy only has been studied earlier. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the TL and EPR response of MTS detectors irradiated with 60Co gamma radiation at high doses up to 1200 kGy. The results indicate that the MTS-N glow curve presents a new peak at temperature near 420 °C for doses over 700 kGy. This peak is probably associated with the second EPR signal that appears for doses over 100 kGy. The defect center related to this signal is undergoing further studies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dosimeter characteristics of jade samples were studied for application in high-dose dosimetry. Jade is the common denomination of two silicates: jadeite and actinolite. The EPR spectra of different jade samples were obtained after irradiation with absorbed doses of 100Gy up to 20kGy. The jade samples present signals that increase with the absorbed dose (g-factors around 2.00); they can be attributed to electron centers. The EPR spectra obtained for the USA jade samples and their main dosimetric properties as reproducibility, calibration curves and energy dependence were investigated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Well known, widely applied high sensitive thermoluminescence (TL) detector LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP-N) was investigated. This paper analyses changes of the TL emission spectrum of MCP-N after irradiation with ultra high doses (up to 500 kGy). Spectral dependence of TL on dose is very complex especially in the region of very high doses (>1 kGy). As a general trend we found that the number of peaks increases with dose in the long-wavelength region indicating new types of recombination centres (RCs). Wavelength peak positions for increasing doses are quite stable. Only some of them show slight red-shift. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Excimer lasers at short UV wavelengths create regular surface microstructure on polycarbonate (PC). The effect is strongly dependent on the laser properties such as pulse energy, laser wavelength and energy dose. Among those, the UV dose is dominant. Moreover, the PC microstructure consists of a network of micro cones, whose size and population change drastically at higher UV doses. The surface hardening at lower doses and the laser ablation at higher doses are investigated to explain the phenomenon. The conical microstructure was subsequently treated using an electro-chemical etching process which turns it into an array of micro holes due to the simultaneous chemical etching and electrical breakdown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Abstract: In the present work some dosimetric characteristics of pellets of Brazilian silicates with Teflon as: actinolite-Teflon, tremolite-Teflon, rhodonite-Teflon and diopside-Teflon were investigated in gamma radiation beams of using the thermally stimulated exoelectronic emission (TSEE) technique. The TSEE response reproducibility did not exceed 20%. The TSEE curves are simple, with a peak at . The dose response curves show a sublinear behavior between 100 Gy and 20 kGy, and the lower detection limit for the pellets was . These results may be considered satisfactory for applications at high-dose dosimetry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The dose response of three LiF TLDs: standard LiF:Mg,Ti (denoted MTS), high-sensitive LiF:Mg,Cu,P (MCP) and a recently developed in Kraków version of LiF:Mg,Ti with modified activator composition (MTT) and increased high-LET response was measured. The TLDs have been exposed to 60Co gamma-rays, up to dose of 10000Gy, i.e. beyond saturation dose of the main dosimetric peaks, which corresponds to ca. 1000Gy. The measured glow-curves were deconvolved into separate peaks with first order kinetic function (using self-developed GlowFit software). The dose response of the main peaks was found to be supralinear for MTS and sublinear for MCP detectors, as expected. The dose response of MTT was found to be even more supralinear than that of MTS. An interesting effect has been observed with regard to glow-curve shape of MCP detectors. Up to a dose of 1kGy it remains practically unchanged, while for higher doses a strong growth of high-temperature peaks is observed. In the same dose region a decrease of the main peak of MCP with increasing dose is observed, unlike LiF:Mg,Ti detectors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Commercial transparent and colored (bronze, brown, and green) glasses were studied as possible dosimeters for high gamma doses using electronic paramagnetic resonance (EPR). All EPR spectra showed the characteristic Fe3+ signals, and 2.01. The signal at presented a more useable behavior for the calibration curve. All samples showed their usefulness as high dose dosimeters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Green samples acquired as jade from New Zealand, Austria, USA and Brazil were powdered and mixed with teflon (composites jade–teflon). They were studied in this work using the thermoluminescent technique to investigate their potential for applications in gamma-radiation dosimetry in the range of 10 Gy to 10 kGy. The samples were analysed by X-ray diffractometry and neutron activation. The glow curves and calibration curves of these composites were obtained, showing usefulness for high-dose dosimetry. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The main dosimetric characteristics of amethyst, Brazilian natural semi-precious stone, were investigated in this work, in order to verify the possibility of its use for gamma-radiation detection using the thermoluminescent (TL) technique. The samples were tested in X- and gamma-radiation beams, and their TL glow curves, dependences of the response on the absorbed dose and radiation energy, and the response reproducibility were investigated. The preliminary results show the usefulness of this material in dosimetry for radiation processing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]