Radiation Exposure Determination in a Secure, Cloud-based Online Environment

Background: In a major radiation incident, the speed of sample processing and interpretation of estimated exposures will be critical for triaging individuals. The Automated Dicentric Chromosome (DC) Identifier and Dose Estimator System (ADCI) selects and processes images to identify DCs and determines radiation dose without manual review. The goal of this study was to broaden accessibility and speed of this system with data parallelization while protecting data and software integrity. Methods: ADCI_Online is a secure web-streaming platform that can be accessed worldwide from distributed local nodes. Data and software are separated until they are linked for estimation of radiation exposures. Performance is assessed with data from multiple biodosimetry laboratories. Results: Dose estimates from ADCI_Online are identical to ADCI running on dedicated GPU-accelerated hardware. Metaphase image processing, automated image selection, calibration curve generation, and radiation dose estimation of a typical set of samples of unknown exposures were completed in <2 days. Parallelized processing and analyses using cloned software instances on different hardware configurations of samples at the scale of an intermediate-sized radiation accident (54,595 metaphase images) accelerated estimation of radiation doses to within clinically-relevant time frames. Conclusions: The ADCI_Online streaming platform is intended for on-demand, standardized radiation research assessment, biodosimetry proficiency testing, inter-laboratory comparisons, and training. The platform has the capacity to handle analytic bottlenecks in intermediate to large radiation accidents or events.

Opinion article: the METREPOL criteria – are they still relevant?

The Medical management of radiation accidents manual on the acute radiation syndrome (METREPOL) proposed a successful strategic approach to diagnosing and treating acute radiation syndrome: the response category concept. Based on clinical and laboratory parameters, this approach aimed to assess damage to critical organ systems as a function of time, categorising different therapeutical approaches. After 20 years of its publication, the following paper attempts to provide a broad overview of this important document and tries to respond if proposed criteria are still relevant for the medical management of radiation-induced injuries. In addition, a critical analysis of its limitations and perspectives is proposed.

EXPERIENCE IN CREATING AN INTERDEPARTMENTAL INFORMATION SYSTEM ON OVERCOMING THE CONSEQUENCES OF RADIATION ACCIDENTS

Статья представляет сообщение об опыте информирования населения, в первую очередь, проживающего на радиоактивно загрязнённых территориях, о радиационной обстановке на основе межведомственного (МЧС России - Росгидромет - Роспотребнадзор) интернет-портала. Работа межведомственного интернет-портала включала в себя не только компонент информирования, но и формирование населением (студентами и школьниками при поддержке преподавательского состава) альтернативного контента о радиационном фоне в местах проживания. The article presents a report on the experience of informing the population, primarily those living in radioactively contaminated areas, about the radiation situation on the basis of an interdepartmental (EMERCOM of Russia - Roshydromet - Rospotrebnadzor) Internet portal. The work of the interdepartmental Internet portal included not only an information component, but also the formation by the population (students and schoolchildren with the support of the teaching staff) of alternative content about the radiation background in places of residence.

Issues of Scientific Support of Radiation Safety Based on the Experience of Overcoming the Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident

The measures on liquidation of the Chernobyl accident consequences are analyzed from the point of view of topical issues of ensuring radiation safety of the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities and the population. The following problems have been considered: organization of liquidation of medical and sanitary consequences and rendering medical aid to victims of the Chernobyl accident; radiation hygienic standardization, control and monitoring; improvement of emergency response system; development of new medical technologies for treatment of acute radiation disease and local radiation injuries; application of radiation protective drugs. It is stated that the experience of liquidation of the Chernobyl accident consequences created a scientifically grounded base for the work on further improvement of the radiation safety assurance system with fixation of the main provisions in the existing regulatory documents. Conclusions are drawn about the expediency of: - development of new medical and sanitary technologies aimed at ensuring radiation safety; - completion of a unified system of response and protection in the event of radiation accidents; - further search and development of methods and means of prevention and treatment of human radiation pathology, including innovative biomedical technologies; - improving the methodology for studying the consequences of radiation exposure of the personnel of radiation hazardous facilities and the population; - development of a new scientific field — medical nuclear forensics.

Medical Examinations and Psychophysiological Tests of Nuclear Industry Personnel as a Tool for Prevention of Radiation Accidents

It is noted that at present the connection between the level of health of the worker and his professional reliability is obvious and does not require additional proof. To prevent radiation accidents caused by the human factor, medical examinations and psychophysiological tests of the personnel of enterprises operating nuclear facilities are carried out. Legislative and normative legal acts regulating the procedure and rules for these medical examinations and inspections are reviewed. The authors present an algorithm for making decisions on the necessity of organizing various types of mandatory medical examinations and psychophysiological examinations of employees of organizations operating nuclear facilities. The experience of specialists of the Federal Medical Biophysical Center named after A.I. Burnazyan of Federal Medical and Biological Agency of Russia shows that up to 25% of the total number of employees who underwent psychophysiological examination have inadmissible deviations (psychophysiological contraindications). This is an indication for rehabilitation measures. After completion of the rehabilitation course repeated examinations are carried out, according to the results of which 92.3% of workers have positive dynamics and return to professional activity.

Decontamination of Victims in the Event of a Radiation Accident at the Stages of Provision Medical Care

Purpose: To summarize and analyze the results of research and practical recommendations on the decontamination of victims in the event of radiation accidents, including taking into account the authors’ experience gained in the initial period of the Chernobyl accident (April – August 1986) and in other local radiation accidents (incidents), as well as during emergency exercises. Results: The indications for carrying out decontamination and the technique of its implementation were considered, a comparative assessment of the effectiveness of skin decontamination agents was presented. Recommendations were formulated for determining the priority (urgency) of carrying out decontamination, depending on the level of external radioactive contamination of the victims. Criteria, rules and methods for carrying out decontamination were proposed for use in relation to the practice of medical and hygienic measures at the stages of medical evacuation (accident site, enterprise health center, enterprise sanitary inspection department, triage site, hospital admission department). The features of decontamination of victims with combined radiation injuries and contaminated wounds (burns) were considered, issues of ensuring the radiation safety of medical personnel who provide assistance to victims are touched upon. Conclusion: Timely and correctly performed decontamination reduces the exposure of the skin, prevents the entry of radioactive substances into the body and the transfer (spread) of radioactive substances to the subsequent stages of medical evacuation. The main criteria for the urgency (priority) of carrying out decontamination are the levels of radioactive contamination of the skin, contamination nature (radionuclide composition, physicochemical form, etc.) and the presence of victim’s skin lesions (wounds, burns). Decontamination of victims with high levels of radioactive contamination should be considered as a part of the first and subsequent emergency health care and should be carried out as prescribed or with the direct participation of a healthcare professional. At the stages of medical evacuation, decontamination can be carried out if the victim’s condition is stabilized. In the case of a serious condition of the victim, the priority is evacuation to a hospital, while in the prehospital period, as a rule, only partial decontamination of skin areas with high levels of contamination can be carried out. The procedure and rules for decontamination, including the use of skin decontaminating agents, should be reflected in the action plans of the personnel of radiation hazardous enterprises and the plans for medical support of medical units of the FMBA of Russia.

Analysis of the impact of features of radiation accidents on crisis risk communication

In the event of radiation accidents and incidents related to a possible threat to public health, one of the tools for forming health-saving behavior of the population, ensuring the social acceptability of protective measures and reducing social tension is crisis communication. Nuclear and radiation emergencies associated with the potential for radioactive contamination of large areas or the impact on the population can become the basis for the emergence of resonant information events. Properly organized crisis communication with the population in such situations is one of the necessary conditions for the effectiveness of emergency response. The article analyzes the impact on crisis risk communication of some features of nuclear and radiation events that have occurred in recent years. These events have had a significant impact on the possibility or impossibility of following the general principles of crisis communication, and provides examples of recommendations for adjusting information work if it is impossible to strictly follow the general principles of crisis communication in real circumstances. The study made it possible to identify the following features of the development of specific crisis situations that influenced the course of crisis communication and created a number of difficulties: 1) the latent nature of the early phase of the accident; 2) absence or deliberate concealment of information about a radiation accident; 3) the transboundary nature of the accident; 4) hidden (secret) nature of information about the accident; 5) an increase in the level of radiation anxiety among the population of the territories not affected by the accident; 6) the rapid formation and spread of myths; 7) projecting artistic images on a real accident. The analysis of the influence of the features of radiation accidents and incidents on the crisis communication allowed us to come to the following conclusions: 1) crisis communication is an important component of emergency response, affecting both the psychoemotional state of the population and the effectiveness of emergency measures related to the actions or inaction of the population; 2) the development of means of information interaction and methods of dissemination and consumption of information requires a revision of traditional methods of information work with the population; 3) the information should be timely, objective, consistent and understandable both for the public and for non-specialists in the field of radiation hygiene responsible for making management decisions; 4) information should not be presented in the form of short messages without explanations; 5) contradictory aggressive information received by the population from different sources may cause distrust of official sources of information; 6) if you do not provide up-to-date and objective information about the accident, the public’s trust is very easy to lose and very difficult to restore.

The History of the Development and Application of Robotics in the Elimination of Consequences at Radiation-Hazardous Facilities

The lecture is intended for training specialists in higher educational establishments according to the Federal state standard «Robotics for military and special purposes» and also for training operators of robotic complexes (facilities) for military purposes in training centers and military units. The lecture addresses two study questions: 1) Retrospective analysis of radiation accidents and their consequences. 2) Analysis of the use of robotic technology and robotics systems for elimination the consequences of radiation accidents. Conclusion: The material presented in the lecture is aimed at expanding the knowledge of those who are trained in the history of radiation accidents (disasters), as well as in the use of robotic technology and robotic systems for eliminating the consequences of such accidents. The analysis of the use of robotics in conditions of an increased radiation background, given in the lecture, will make it possible to form the necessary competencies of specialists of the NBC protection troops in order to effectively perform their tasks as intended.

Results of the study of cataracts in the exposed population in the Southern Urals

Epidemiological data have revealed a significant association between exposure to ionizing radiation, loss of optical lens function, and cataract formation. Residents of villages in the Southern Urals were chronically exposed to external and internal radiation in the range of «small» and «medium» doses as a result of two radiation accidents at the «Mayak» plant in the middle of the last century. Purpose. Тo investigate changes in the lens in individuals who have been chronically exposed to radiation over a long time. Material and methods. Аn analysis of the results of the examination by an ophthalmologist in the clinical Department of the URCRM of 583 people from among those who were subjected to chronic radiation exposure and their offspring was carried out. The examination was carried out according to a special in-depth program with photo fixation of changes in the lens (18 characteristics). Results. According to the results of the examination, grade 1 and 2 opacities were most often detected in all layers of the lens. More expressed changes in the lens significantly reduce vision and require earlier cataract surgery. Lens Opacities in the cortical layers are the most common type of lens pathology in the development of cataracts in all age categories. The frequency of nuclear cataracts in the study group of patients of the URCRM Clinic gradually increases with attained age from 0% under the age of 40 to 19-23% in the age groups with members aged over 70. The same tendency is observed in the increase in the intensity of yellow color in the staining of the lens nucleus. The largest changes in the posterior lens capsule were observed in the oldest age group (over the age of 80 - 22% of all the opacities at this age). Conclusion. The ophthalmological examination of patients affected by radiation accidents in the Ural region revealed an increase in cataract cases with an increase in age, which corresponds to the trends in the non-irradiated population. Key words: eye diseases; chronic radiation exposure; cortical cataract; nuclear cataract; posterior subcapsular cataract.

Transportation container for pre-processing cytogenetic assays in radiation accidents

We report a shipping container that enables a disruptive logistics for cytogenetic biodosimetry for radiation countermeasures through pre-processing cell culture during transportation. The container showed precise temperature control (< 0.01 °C) with uniform sample temperature (< 0.1 °C) to meet the biodosimetry assay requirements. Using an existing insulated shipping box and long shelf life alkaline batteries makes it ideal for national stockpile. Dose curve of cytogenetic biodosimetry assay using the shipping container showed clear dose response and high linear correlation with the control dose curve using a laboratory incubator (Pearson’s correlation coefficient: 0.992). The container’s ability of pre-processing biological samples during transportation could have a significant impact on radiation countermeasure, as well as potential impacts in other applications such as biobanking, novel molecular or cell-based assays or therapies.