Radiation effects

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 4-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
R.J. Preston

International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Committee 1 (C1) considers the risk of induction of cancer and heritable disease; the underlying mechanisms of radiation action; and the risks, severity, and mechanisms of induction of tissue reactions (formerly ‘deterministic effects’). C1 relies upon the interpretation of current knowledge of radio-epidemiological studies; current information on the underlying mechanisms of diseases and radiation-induced disease; and current radiobiological studies at the whole animal, tissue, cell, and molecular levels. This overview will describe the activities of C1 in the context of the 2007 Recommendations of ICRP. In particular, the conclusions from the most recent C1 Task Group deliberations on radon and lung cancer, and tissue reactions will be discussed. Other activities are described in summary fashion to illustrate those areas that C1 judge to be likely to influence the development of the risk estimates and nominal risk coefficients used for radiation protection purposes.

2012 ◽  
Vol 41 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 368-377 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Tirmarche ◽  
J. Harrison ◽  
D. Laurier ◽  
E. Blanchardon ◽  
F. Paquet ◽  
...  

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) recently estimated the risk of lung cancer associated with radon exposure, and a statement was issued in ICRP Publication 115. This was based on recent epidemiological studies and the results from a joint analysis of cohorts of Czech, French, and German uranium miners, and indicated that the excess relative risk of lung cancer per unit of exposure should be expressed with consideration of chronic exposure over more than 10 years, by modelling time since median exposure, age attained or age at exposure, and taking in account, if possible, interaction between radon and tobacco. The lifetime excess absolute risk (LEAR) calculated from occupational exposure studies is close to 5 × 10−4 per working level month (WLM) (14 × 10−5 per hm J/m3). LEAR values estimated using risk models derived from both miners and domestic exposure studies are in good agreement after accounting for factors such as sex, attained age, and exposure scenario. A sensitivity analysis highlighted the high dependence of background mortality rates on LEAR estimates. Using lung cancer rates among Euro-American males instead of the ICRP reference rates (males and females, and Euro-American and Asian populations), the estimated LEAR is close to 7 × 10−4 per WLM (20 × 10−5 per hm J/m3).


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuanshan Yao ◽  
Wen Gao

Abstract Background: Poland syndrome is a rare congenital disease consisting a spectrum of defects occupied by unilateral chest wall hypoplasia and ipsilateral hand abnormalities. It is also closely associated with some malignant diseases and some benign diseases, such as breast cancer, lymphoma, recurrent spontaneous pneumothorax, perforating dermatosis, hemangioma, gastric cancer and lung cancer. The low incidence of Poland syndrome has hindered investigators’ attempts to develop randomized prospective trials, so the disease is poorly understood. Now We find out a case of Poland’s syndrome associated with adenocarcinoma of right lung, in which before this article there was only article depicting a case of lung squamous cancer with poland syndrome, this is an interesting topic. To the best of our knowledge, this is the second case of poland syndrome closely related to lung cancer.Case presentation: A 61-year-old man came to the hospital accompanied by intermittent dry cough and hemoptysis that lasted for 2 months. Chest CT revealed showed a large lobulated mass about 5.5cm × 4.0 cm × 3.0 cm in the right lower lung field and the normal right pectoralis major muscle and pectoralis minor were both absent. we diagnosed the patient with stage IIIa lung adenocarcinoma. After two cycles of preoperative platinum-doublet chemotherapy, we have performed a regular right lower lobectomy and lymph node dissection. Until now, after 2.5 years of follow up, he did not relapse.Conclusions: In addition to some other reported types of malignancies, there is increasing evidence that an association between these two clinical entities. Although we do not understand the underlying mechanisms, we assume there exists some common gene pathways that regulate these two clinical entities. Because these patients who got Poland syndrome are susceptibility to different kinds of malignancies, longitudinal epidemiological studies may be needed.


Author(s):  
Shinji Tokonami

The present paper outlines characteristics of thoron and its progeny in the indoor environment. Since the half-life of thoron (220Rn) is very short (55.6 s), its behavior is quite different from the isotope radon (222Rn, half-life 3.8 days) in the environment. Analyses of radon and lung cancer risk have revealed a clearly positive relationship in epidemiological studies among miners and residents. However, there is no epidemiological evidence for thoron exposure causing lung cancer risk. In contrast to this, a dosimetric approach has been approved in the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) Publication 137, from which new dose conversion factors for radon and thoron progenies can be obtained. They are given as 16.8 and 107 nSv (Bq m−3 h)−1, respectively. It implies that even a small quantity of thoron progeny will induce higher radiation exposure compared to radon. Thus, an interest in thoron exposure is increasing among the relevant scientific communities. As measurement technologies for thoron and its progeny have been developed, they are now readily available. This paper reviews measurement technologies, activity levels, dosimetry and resulting doses. Although thoron has been underestimated in the past, recent findings have revealed that reassessment of risks due to radon exposure may need to take the presence of thoron and its progeny into account.


2018 ◽  
Vol 47 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 115-125
Author(s):  
M. Tirmarche

The International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) mandated a task group (Task Group 64) to review recently published epidemiological studies related to cancer risk and incorporated alpha emitters, and to evaluate whether the results might consolidate or challenge assumptions underlying the current radiation protection system. Three major alpha emitters were considered: radon and its decay products, plutonium, and uranium. Results came mainly from cohorts of workers, while for radon, major studies of the general population contributed to a better understanding of the risk of lung cancer at low and chronic exposure. Selection criteria for the review were: assessment of individual exposure of the target organ, long duration of the health survey, availability of attained age at end of follow-up, and adjustment for major co-factors. Task Group 64 is composed of members from ICRP Committees 1 and 2 (because epidemiological and dosimetric expertise were needed) and external experts. A first report (ICRP Publication 115) considered the risk of lung cancer related to inhalation of radon and its decay products. As the estimated excess risk per unit of exposure was higher by a factor of 2 compared with a previous ICRP estimate in 1993, Task Group 64 suggested a reconsideration of the reference levels for the workplace and for the general population. A second report, using the same standardised methodology (lung cancer baselines, population, life expectancy), will include estimation of the cancer risk of nuclear workers exposed to plutonium, focusing on the risk of lung cancer. A comparison of these risks with those of populations exposed to external gamma radiation alone will be made in the near future. For uranium, the results related to the organ-specific dose were too sparse to draw reliable conclusions, despite a recent publication. More research is needed on this topic.


2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jayne Moquet ◽  
Kai Rothkamm ◽  
Stephen Barnard ◽  
Elizabeth Ainsbury

Following recent developments, the RENEB network (Running the European Network of biological dosimetry and physical retrospective dosimetry) is in an excellent position to carry out large scale molecular epidemiological studies of ionizing radiation effects, with validated expertise in the dicentric, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH)-translocation, micronucleus, premature chromosome condensation, gamma-H2AX foci and gene expression assays. Large scale human health effects studies present complex challenges such as the practical aspects of sample logistics, assay costs, effort, effect modifiers and quality control/assurance measures. At Public Health England, the dicentric, automated micronucleus and gamma-H2AX radiation-induced foci assays have been tested for use in a large health effects study. The results of the study and the experience gained in carrying out such a large scale investigation provide valuable information that could help minimise random and systematic errors in biomarker data sets for health surveillance analyses going forward.


Metabolites ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 813
Author(s):  
Takeshi Hashimoto ◽  
Hayato Tsukamoto ◽  
Soichi Ando ◽  
Shigehiko Ogoh

It has been well established in epidemiological studies and randomized controlled trials that habitual exercise is beneficial for brain health, such as cognition and mental health. Generally, it may be reasonable to say that the physiological benefits of acute exercise can prevent brain disorders in late life if such exercise is habitually/chronically conducted. However, the mechanisms of improvement in brain function via chronic exercise remain incompletely understood because such mechanisms are assumed to be multifactorial, such as the adaptation of repeated acute exercise. This review postulates that cerebral metabolism may be an important physiological factor that determines brain function. Among metabolites, the provision of lactate to meet elevated neural activity and regulate the cerebrovascular system and redox states in response to exercise may be responsible for exercise-enhanced brain health. Here, we summarize the current knowledge regarding the influence of exercise on brain health, particularly cognitive performance, with the underlying mechanisms by means of lactate. Regarding the influence of chronic exercise on brain function, the relevance of exercise intensity and modality, particularly high-intensity interval exercise, is acknowledged to induce “metabolic myokine” (i.e., lactate) for brain health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 84-95
Author(s):  
S. F. Sosnina ◽  
M. E. Sokolnikov

A review of literature data regarding the heritable effects in offspring due to parents’ contact with mutagenic risk factors is presented. Studies on various factors of adverse effects on the hereditary apparatus, including chemical, infectious, physical and biological, are considered. The influence of smoking and parents’ age on the occurrence of de novo mutations is shown. Particular attention is paid to the review of publications on the role of the radiation factor in the genesis of hereditary disorders in offspring. Development stages of radiation genetics, the evolution of conception about radiation harm are described. The results of experimental, cytogenetic, molecular genetic, epidemiological studies analyzing the contribution of parental exposure to inherited pathology in progeny are presented. Special attention is paid to the “untargeted” effects of radiation and studies which prove the possibility of transgenerative transmission of genome instability are presented. The special contribution of studies on the cohort of atomic bomb victims offspring in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, which is considered as the main scientific platform for radiation risk assessment, is noted. There are articles about the offspring of persons who underwent therapeutic exposure, who had professional contact with ionizing radiation, who were exposed to radiation as a result of the Chernobyl accident, nuclear weapons tests at the Semipalatinsk test site, chronic radiation in the radioactively contaminated territory of the Techa river, areas with naturally increased radioactivity. As a result, it was noted that, despite numerous confirmations of radiation-induced effects in offspring obtained within experimental and molecular genetic studies, the results of epidemiological studies remain controversial. Possible reasons for these discrepancies are considered. An idea of views evolution regarding heritable effects in the international system of radiation safety is given. A new approach of the International Commission on Radiological Protection to heritable effects is described; the dynamics of tissue weighting factors for gonads in the assessment of effective radiation dose is shown. Methods for evaluating heritable effects are presented: the direct method and the doubling dose method. Attention is focused on the uncertainties that remain in the modern assessment of radiation genetic damage. The necessity of further study of radiation-induced heritable effects is shown. The perspective directions of studying the heritable effects are considered. The possibility of the analysis of heritable effects is described using the example of a cohort of the Mayak Production Association workers’ offspring – the country’s first nuclear industry enterprise.


2011 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 97 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niels Voigt ◽  
Dobromir Dobrev ◽  
◽  

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia and is associated with substantial cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, with stroke being the most critical complication. Present drugs used for the therapy of AF (antiarrhythmics and anticoagulants) have major limitations, including incomplete efficacy, risks of life-threatening proarrhythmic events and bleeding complications. Non-pharmacological ablation procedures are efficient and apparently safe, but the very large size of the patient population allows ablation treatment of only a small number of patients. These limitations largely result from limited knowledge about the underlying mechanisms of AF and there is a hope that a better understanding of the molecular basis of AF may lead to the discovery of safer and more effective therapeutic targets. This article reviews the current knowledge about AF-related ion-channel remodelling and discusses how these alterations might affect the efficacy of antiarrhythmic drugs.


Author(s):  
Xiaohua Jie ◽  
William Pat Fong ◽  
Rui Zhou ◽  
Ye Zhao ◽  
Yingchao Zhao ◽  
...  

AbstractRadioresistance is regarded as the main barrier to effective radiotherapy in lung cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of radioresistance remain elusive. Here, we show that lysine-specific demethylase 4C (KDM4C) is overexpressed and correlated with poor prognosis in lung cancer patients. We provide evidence that genetical or pharmacological inhibition of KDM4C impairs tumorigenesis and radioresistance in lung cancer in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we uncover that KDM4C upregulates TGF-β2 expression by directly reducing H3K9me3 level at the TGF-β2 promoter and then activates Smad/ATM/Chk2 signaling to confer radioresistance in lung cancer. Using tandem affinity purification technology, we further identify deubiquitinase USP9X as a critical binding partner that deubiquitinates and stabilizes KDM4C. More importantly, depletion of USP9X impairs TGF-β2/Smad signaling and radioresistance by destabilizing KDM4C in lung cancer cells. Thus, our findings demonstrate that USP9X-mediated KDM4C deubiquitination activates TGF-β2/Smad signaling to promote radioresistance, suggesting that targeting KDM4C may be a promising radiosensitization strategy in the treatment of lung cancer.


2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 1656
Author(s):  
Simona Gabrielli ◽  
Marialetizia Palomba ◽  
Federica Furzi ◽  
Emanuele Brianti ◽  
Gabriella Gaglio ◽  
...  

Blastocystis is a common intestinal protist distributed worldwide, infecting humans and a wide range of domestic and wild animals. It exhibits an extensive genetic diversity and, so far, 25 distinct small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) lineages termed subtypes (STs)) have been characterized; among them, 12 have thus far been reported in humans. The aims of the present study were to detect and genetically characterize Blastocystis sp. in synantropic animals to improve our current knowledge on the distribution and zoonotic transmission of Blastocystis STs in Italy. Samples were collected from N = 193 farmed animals and submitted to DNA extraction and PCR amplification of the SSU rRNA. Blastocystis was detected in 60 samples (31.08%) and successfully subtyped. Phylogenetic analysis evidenced that the isolates from fallow deer, goats, and pigs (N = 9) clustered within the ST5; those from pheasants (N = 2) in the ST6; those from chickens (N = 8) in the ST7; those from sheep (N = 6) in the ST10; and those from water buffaloes (N = 9) in the ST14 clade. The comparison between the present isolates from animals and those previously detected in humans in Italy suggested the animal-to-human spillover for ST6 and ST7. The present study represents the widest Blastocystis survey performed thus far in farmed animals in Italy. Further epidemiological studies using molecular approaches are required to determine the occurrence and distribution of Blastocystis STs in other potential animal reservoirs in Italy and to define the pathways of zoonotic transmission.


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