Getting in early: primary skin cancer prevention at 55 German kindergartens.

BACKGROUND: Skin neoplasms are the most frequent types of neoplasms in white populations, and their incidence is increasing. Epidemiological studies have shown that the major environmental aetiological factor for their development is sunlight exposure. Sun protection programmes are urgently needed to raise awareness of the health hazards of ultraviolet radiation. In 2010 the 'SunPass' project was implemented at 55 kindergartens in Germany. This is the first nationwide environmental education programme for sun safety designed to teach children in kindergartens and their caregivers how to protect themselves from overexposure to the sun. OBJECTIVES: An interventional lecture, site inspections and a certification were part of the programme. Effects of these interventions were studied. METHODS: The gain in knowledge and changed sun-behavioural attributes were quantified by questionnaires administered before and after the 'SunPass' interventions. RESULTS: The total number of children was 5424. Sun-protection behaviour after the intervention improved significantly (P < 0·001). Among parents, 22·2% reported one to five sunburns of their child since birth. There was a significant increase in hat use by children in kindergartens (P = 0·029), as well as some significantly improved shade practices. There was a significantly increased demand for protective clothing for children (P < 0·001). The change in sunscreen use in kindergartens was not significant. CONCLUSIONS: Although some aims of the 'SunPass' project were not fulfilled, such as the precise knowledge of skin types and a change of sunscreen use, the study had some positive outcomes in increasing the awareness of skin cancer and its prevention possibilities. The findings of the present study suggest that relatively brief interventions in kindergartens lead to improved sun protection of children. The whole investigation reaching over 5400 children and their parents underlines the importance of learning appropriate sun-protective behaviour in early childhood in order to decrease the risk for skin cancer.

Synthesis and isolation of homeomorphous isomers of P-containing cryptands

The novel isomeric phosphite cryptands 2, 3, and 4 could be synthesized by a simple one-pot tripod capping method starting from bisphenol 1 and PCl3. The assembling of five components led to the formation of a macrobicyclic structure, which probably requires an appropriate preorganization of the reactants. In contrast to the NMR spectra of 2, 3, and 4 in solution, the X-ray structures of 2 and 3 reveal that these molecules have no C3 symmetry in the solid state. In the 31P NMR spectra, both in- and out-P atoms have remarkably different chemical shifts due to a distorted geometry around the in-phosphorus. Phosphorus atoms in the inposition have a decreased reactivity. They are, therefore, more slowly oxidized by cumene hydroperoxide than out-P atoms. A stepwise synthesis was developed for phosphite/phosphatecryptands (5, 7, 9, and 15) via the monoprotected bisphenol 11 and the phosphate 14. In addition, the cylindrical macrotricycle 16 was isolated as a mixture of diastereomers from the crude product of this reaction.