ABSTRACT
Internal dosimetry intercomparisons are essential for the verification of applied models and the consistency of results'. To that aim, the First Regional Intercomparison was organised in 2005, and that results led to the Second Regional Intercomparison Exercise in 2013, which was organised in the frame of the RLA 9/066 and coordinated by Autoridad Regulatoria Nuclear of Argentina. Four simulated cases covering intakes of (131)I, (137)Cs and Tritium were proposed. Ninteen centres from thirteen different countries participated in this exercise. This paper analyses the participants' results in this second exercise in order to test their skills and acquired knowledge, particularly in the application of the IDEAS Guidelines. It is important to highlight the increased number of countries that participated in this exercise compared with the first one and, furthermore, the improvement in the overall performance. The impact of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Projects since 2003 has led to a significant enhancement of internal dosimetry capabilities that strengthen the radiation protection of workers.
Subject(s)
Radiation Dosage , Radiation Monitoring/methods , Radiation Protection/methods , Air Pollutants, Radioactive , Body Burden , Cesium Radioisotopes/analysis , Guidelines as Topic , Humans , International Agencies , International Cooperation , Iodine Radioisotopes/analysis , Latin America , Occupational Exposure/analysis , Occupational Exposure/prevention & control , Radiation Monitoring/standards , Radiation Protection/standards , Radioisotopes , Reproducibility of Results , Risk Assessment/standards , Sensitivity and Specificity , Software , TritiumABSTRACT
Cholangitis/cholangiopathy associated with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection is characterized by chronic abdominal pain, low-grade fever, cholestasis, and sometimes areas of focal or diffuse dilatation of the bile ducts that may be apparent on noninvasive imaging studies. Although the etiology of this biliary disease may be multifactorial, it appears to be the result of immunosuppression and/or secondary opportunistic infections rather than a direct cytopathic effect of HIV itself. Various opportunistic pathogens, including cytomegalovirus, Cryptosporidium, Campylobacter fetus, and Candida albicans, have been implicated as causes of HIV-associated cholangitis. We report an unusual case of polymicrobial cholangitis and liver abscess in a patient with HIV infection.
Subject(s)
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/physiopathology , Cholangitis/complications , Cholangitis/physiopathology , Liver Abscess/complications , AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/microbiology , Adult , Anti-Bacterial Agents/therapeutic use , Campylobacter fetus/isolation & purification , Candida albicans/isolation & purification , Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde , Cholangitis/drug therapy , Cholangitis/microbiology , Female , Humans , Liver Abscess/diagnostic imaging , Liver Abscess/drug therapy , Methicillin Resistance , Staphylococcus aureus/isolation & purification , UltrasonographyABSTRACT
Massive upper gastrointestinal (GI) hemorrhage is a rare manifestation of GI cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. A review of the English language literature yielded 21 well-documented cases of gastric ulcers due to CMV, and 7 of these 21 cases were complicated by significant GI bleeding. This report describes two cases of massive upper GI hemorrhage due to CMV infection in patients with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Subject(s)
AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections/virology , Cytomegalovirus Infections/complications , Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage/etiology , Stomach Ulcer/virology , Adult , Fatal Outcome , Humans , Male , Stomach Ulcer/complications , Stomach Ulcer/pathologyABSTRACT
Mesenteric lipodystrophy (ML) is a rare condition characterized by a nonspecific inflammatory process that involves the root of the mesentery in a lipoma-like lesion. Presenting features of ML include abdominal pain, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. This case illustrates that ML should be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with fever of unknown origin and mesenteric calcifications.
