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[Ionizing radiation and health: data and objectives].

Three dimensions must be considered to analyze the consequences of exposure to ionozing radiation on public health: assessment of exposure, measure of the public health risk, and monitoring the perception of risk by the population. We reviewed these three dimension for several situations of exposure to ionizing radiation: exposure related to the Chernobyl accident, occupational exposure, military-related exposure and medical exposure. For each situation, we discuss the pertinence of available data an monitoring systems used in France, and propose when necessary new systems. An extension of the cancer registries to the entire country would be a significant progress in terms of research and surveillance. This must be discussed in terms of potential utility in other domains of public health.

Female↗

[Radiation effects of the Chernobyl accident on the Hungarian population].

Due to the nuclear accident at Chernobyl in April 1986, the atmospheric transport spread the released radioactivity throughout the whole Europe. The initial plume moved into the north-western direction and a portion of this plum turned to west and later on to south-west. The central European countries including Hungary became affected in 29-30 April. The release during the last period (5-7 May) was directed to Romania, Bulgaria and Greece. In addition to the main trajectories of the atmospheric transport, the local meteorological conditions with winds of different directions at various altitudes, rainfalls etc. produced a very complex deposition pattern in Central Europe. The contamination of the soil surface and vegetation were strongly influenced by the wash-out of the radioactive materials from the local air. Due to the high geographical variation of the rains the surface contamination provided a similar heterogeneity among the territories of the country. The northern-west part and the region of the capital Budapest became nearly 5 times higher contaminated than the middle part of the country. Radiation doses of the population have been provided by activity concentrations in air, soil, vegetation, foods etc. and the external dose rates, mainly due to the surface contamination by the isotopes of 131I, 134Cs and 137Cs. The average effective dose contribution received by the individuals (adults) in Hungary during the 15 years following the accident has been assessed to be 0.30 mSv while the annual dose from the natural background is 2.5-3 mSv. Contribution to total dose from the internal pathway (committed effective dose) resulted about 0.10 mSv and the external radiation provided 0.19 mSv. The contributions of the external exposure from the contaminated air and inhalation are less than 5% of the total one.

Air Pollutants, Radioactive↗

[The biological effects of a nuclear explosion. Introduction of a new system on a colorimetric scale (black, grey, red, orange, yellow and white zone) to estimate the effects of fall-out on civilian populations].

Following September 11 the eventuality of terrorist attacks using bags containing nuclear devices is considered possible in western cities like New York, London, Paris, Rome, Berlin, Moscow etc. However, with a modern Civil Defence programme the effects of a catastrophe of this nature can be partially limited, at least as far as Fall-out is concerned. The present paper explains the medical reasons for building anti-fall-out shelters for the larger part of western populations: from the USA to Russia. The paper also sets out a new method for classifying levels of radioactive Fall-out based on a scale of colours (black, grey, red, orange, yellow and white) whatever kind of radioactivity is involved (total gamma levels, Cesium 137 levels, Strontium 90 levels). The arrival times for fall-out in each area of the scale are fixed, whatever the energy of the explosion and the speed of the wind might be. The radioactive decay in each area of the scale, from the time of arrival of the fall-out is described with precision. Also described are the acute radiation syndrome, tumours, miscarriages and genetic diseases. A nomogram is attached for civil defence purposes showing the leeward extension of these areas, easily measurable in just a few minutes, if four parameters are known: ground zero (locality) of the explosion, the energy of the explosion, the direction of the wind and the speed of the wind.

Color↗

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of minor and trace elements in food in the Russian region that suffered from the Chernobyl disaster.

The control of food quality, using the analysis of essential and toxic element contents, assumes an urgent importance within the regions that suffered from the Chernobyl disaster. Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to study contents of 17 chemical elements (calcium, chlorine, cobalt, chromium, cesium, iron, mercury, potassium, magnesium, manganese, sodium, rubidium, antimony, scandium, selenium, strontium, and zinc) in foods within the south and southwest territories of the Kaluga Region that was exposed to radionuclide contamination. The radionuclide contamination ranges up to 15 Ci/km2 there. Flesh and meat products, dairy products, bread, vegetables, legumes, roots, fruits, and mushrooms were analyzed. The concentration of essential and toxic elements in the different foods were in the normal ranges.

Diet↗

[Reconstruction of I-131 in milk and exposure doses to the thyroid gland of cattle after the Chernobyl AES].

Suggestions are made concerning the restoration of 131I content in cow milk of six districts in the Gomel region based on radiometric measurements of the overall activity of milk samples in the iodine period of the Chernobyl NPP accident, reconstruction of doses to thyroid of cattle and calculation of dose distribution among the live-stock by separation the function of activity changes in milk samples in time into the basic components formed by the contribution of 131I, 134Cs and 137Cs. The best approximation to the description of the function of milk activity variations was found to be achieved by the representation of forage activity changes as a sum of exponents with the half-life periods of 5 and 30 day with a partial contribution of 0.8 and 0.2. The calculations showed, that the average absorbed doses to the thyroid varied between 10 and 40 Gy.

Animal Feed↗

[Identification of radiation, chemical and combined effects on natural populations of aquatic organisms].

Approaches to the identification of radiation, chemical and combined effects on natural populations of aquatic organisms are proposed. These approaches are based on generalization of our previous experimental data concerning separate and combined effects of ionizing radiation and chemical mutagens (heavy metals and chlororganic compounds) on crustaceans and fishes embryos, as well as on results of field studies carried out before and after the Chernobyl NPP accident. For the identification of damaged factors it is proposed to use the following criteria: a comparison of cytogenetic effects in mutagen equivalent doses, a distribution of chromosome aberrations in cells and a number of aberrations per an aberrant cell.

Animals↗

Assessment of spatial variation of cesium-137 in small catchments.

Surface contamination by bomb-derived and Chernobyl-derived 137Cs has been subject to changes due to physical decay and lateral transport of contaminated soil particles, which have resulted in an on-going transfer of radionuclides from terrestrial ecosystems to surface water, river bed sediments, and flood plains. Knowledge of the different sources of spatial variation of 137Cs is particularly essential for estimating 137Cs transfer to fluvial systems and for successfully applying 137Cs as an environmental tracer in soil erosion studies. This study combined a straightforward sediment redistribution model and geostatistical interpolation of point samples of 137Cs activities in soil to distinguish the effects of sediment erosion and deposition from other sources of variation in 137Cs in the small Mochovce catchment in Slovakia. These other sources of variation could then be interpreted. Besides erosion and deposition processes, the initial pattern of 137Cs deposition, floodplain sedimentation, and short-range spatial variation were identified as the major sources of spatial variation of the 137Cs inventory.

Cesium Radioisotopes↗

[Parameters of peroxide oxidation of lipids and the system of its regulation in the tissues of Ellobius talpinus Pall, living on the territory of the East Urals Radioactive Trace].

The peroxide oxidation of lipids and the systems of its regulation was tested in Ellobius talpinus Pall, living on the territory of the East Urals Radioactive Trace with the 90Sr contamination density of 1000 Ci/km2. The degree of sensitivity of the examined tissues and organs was revealed, the most considerable parameters were defined for marking radiosensitivity of the taken species, as well as the complex of parameters, allowing classifying an animal as an inhabitant of the clean or the contaminated territory. The found changes are considered as compensatory mechanisms for forming of nonspecific resistance.

Animals↗

[Analysis of the epidemiological data concerning radiation carcinogenic effects and approaches to the low doses' upper limits determination in the aspect of a threshold of the unhealthy influences of ionizing radiation].

The analysis of the epidemiological data regarding cancer mortality in cohorts of Japanese A-bomb survivors and Chermobyl liquidators exposed to different doses suggests that there are good reasons for recognizing the threshold of the radiocarcinogenic effect in the region of about 200 Gy (mSv). The analysis of solid cancer mortality in Japanese cohort, which exceeded the expected one in a dose diapason of 5-200 mSv, revealed a (quasi) plateau in a dose-effect curve and led to the conclusion that the nature of the overshoot is non-radiogenic. The analysis of supposedly dose dependent leucosis incidence in the limited low dose diapason in the Chernobyl cohort showed that the real coefficient of the excess absolute or relative radiation risk could not be received in the case because the larger part curve was placed under the control level. In supporting the principle of single hit in a cell nucleus as a base of microdosimetric determination of low radiation doses, the approach to objective delimitation between low, intermediate and high doses regions has been proposed. The low doses upper limit of sparse ionizing radiation for cell nucleus of 8 microns in diameter has been evaluated as 0.65 mGy. It can serve for evaluation of the dose rate threshold regarding the safe chronic radiation levels in the environment.

Cell Nucleus↗

Radiation disasters and children.

The special medical needs of children make it essential that pediatricians be prepared for radiation disasters, including 1) the detonation of a nuclear weapon; 2) a nuclear power plant event that unleashes a radioactive cloud; and 3) the dispersal of radionuclides by conventional explosive or the crash of a transport vehicle. Any of these events could occur unintentionally or as an act of terrorism. Nuclear facilities (eg, power plants, fuel processing centers, and food irradiation facilities) are often located in highly populated areas, and as they age, the risk of mechanical failure increases. The short- and long-term consequences of a radiation disaster are significantly greater in children for several reasons. First, children have a disproportionately higher minute ventilation, leading to greater internal exposure to radioactive gases. Children have a significantly greater risk of developing cancer even when they are exposed to radiation in utero. Finally, children and the parents of young children are more likely than are adults to develop enduring psychologic injury after a radiation disaster. The pediatrician has a critical role in planning for radiation disasters. For example, potassium iodide is of proven value for thyroid protection but must be given before or soon after exposure to radioiodines, requiring its placement in homes, schools, and child care centers. Pediatricians should work with public health authorities to ensure that children receive full consideration in local planning for a radiation disaster.

Child↗

[Iodine prophylaxis to prevent radiation damage following nuclear disasters].

After the Twin Tower attack on 11 September 2001, much attention is being given to possible terrorist attacks on nuclear targets. However, most of this interest is in countries outside of the Netherlands. Iodine is a simple and effective means of preventing part of the radiation damage following a nuclear disaster. Non-radioactive (stable) iodine plays an important part in blocking the absorption of radioactive iodine by the thyroid gland, if it is administered as soon as possible after the nuclear accident has occurred. Prophylaxis with 100 mg non-radioactive iodide has a minimal toxic effect. Effective iodine prophylaxis is dependent on the government ensuring a well-regulated distribution. The government and hospitals should have thorough protocols that staff are sufficiently familiar with.

Humans↗

Fall-out.

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Humans↗