The Biological Mechanism Of Sunburn

A sunburn is a condition when sunlight or ultraviolet light the skin is exposed to, exceeds the normal amount it can take and damages the exposed area. The skin has melanin which serves as the protective pigment from ultraviolet light. When there is too much ultraviolet light, the layer of skin starts to burn forming reddish skin.

Minor exposure results in a suntan although excessive amounts can be dangerous and even lethal. A serious sunburn is as serious as a thermal burn, and may have the same systemic effects such as blistering, edema and fever.

The symptoms of a sunburn are usually temporary but the damage done can be permanent and even have long term health effects such as skin cancer. Sunburn symptoms can include:

• Red, tender skin that is warm to touch.
• Blisters
• Sun Poisoning that induces fever, chills, nausea, or rash
• Skin peeling on sunburned areas

Blisters and skin peeling usually manifest itself hours or even days later.

Researchers describe inflammatory mechanism for first time

The biological mechanism of sunburn – the reddish, painful, protective immune response from ultraviolet (UV) radiation – is a consequence of RNA damage to skin cells, report researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine and elsewhere in the July 8, 2012 Advance Online Publication of Nature Medicine.

The findings open the way to perhaps eventually blocking the inflammatory process, the scientists said, and have implications for a range of medical conditions and treatments.

High Sun Exposure Lowers Risk For Pancreatic Cancer

The pancreas is an elongated, tapered gland that is located behind the stomach and secretes digestive enzymes and the hormones insulin and glucagon.

Pancreatic cancer is known as the silent killer. Early stages of this disease does not cause any symptoms and the middle stage symptoms are usually varied and not specific. Only until the disease has far advanced that it is diagnosed.

The disease garnered public attention when Dirty Dancing actor Patrick Swayze and Apple Founder and CEO Steve Jobs both suffered pancreatic cancer.

The pancreas is a large organ found behind the stomach. It is somewhat shaped like a fish and has an orange-yellow color. The pancreas makes and releases enzymes that help the body absorb food.

The pancreas also produces insulin and glucagon which help control the body's blood sugar levels. As such, people who are diagnosed with diabetes have a higher risk of getting pancreatic cancer than others.

It is unknown what causes pancreatic cancer but some people are more susceptible and at risk to this than others. These are:

• Diabetics
• Smokers
• Elderly people (women are slightly more at risk than men)
• People with chronic pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas)

Sun exposure and sun-sensitive skin type decreased risk for pancreatic cancer

High levels of ultraviolet radiation at an individual's birth location, sun-sensitive skin type and a history of skin cancer each decreased risk for pancreatic cancer, according to study results presented at the American Association for Cancer Research's Pancreatic Cancer: Progress and Challenges conference, held here June 18-21.

Rachel Neale, Ph.D., principal investigator at Queensland Institute of Medical Research in Queensland, Australia, presented the results of a population-based, case-control study that adds to the already conflicting data about sun exposure, vitamin D gained from sun exposure and cancer risk.

"Several ecological studies, including one conducted in Australia, have suggested that people living in areas with high sun exposure have lower risk for pancreatic cancer," Neale said. "However, some studies of circulating vitamin D indicate that people with high vitamin D are at increased risk, and one study of vitamin D intake supports this increased risk."