Characteristics of myeloproliferative neoplasms in patients exposed to ionizing radiation following the Chernobyl nuclear accident.

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) driver mutations are usually found in JAK2, MPL, and CALR genes; however, 10%-15% of cases are triple negative (TN). A previous study showed lower rate of JAK2 V617F in primary myelofibrosis patients exposed to low doses of ionizing radiation (IR) from Chernobyl accident. To examine distinct driver mutations, we enrolled 281 Ukrainian IR-exposed and unexposed MPN patients. Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral blood leukocytes. JAK2 V617F, MPL W515, types 1- and 2-like CALR mutations were identified by Sanger Sequencing and real time polymerase chain reaction. Chromosomal alterations were assessed by oligo-SNP microarray platform. Additional genetic variants were identified by whole exome and targeted sequencing. Statistical significance was evaluated by Fisher's exact test and Wilcoxon's rank sum test (R, version 3.4.2). IR-exposed MPN patients exhibited a different genetic profile vs unexposed: lower rate of JAK2 V617F (58.4% vs 75.4%, P = .0077), higher rate of type 1-like CALR mutation (12.2% vs 3.1%, P = .0056), higher rate of TN cases (27.8% vs 16.2%, P = .0366), higher rate of potentially pathogenic sequence variants (mean numbers: 4.8 vs 3.1, P = .0242). Furthermore, we identified several potential drivers specific to IR-exposed TN MPN patients: ATM p.S1691R with copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity at 11q; EZH2 p.D659G at 7q and SUZ12 p.V71 M at 17q with copy number loss. Thus, IR-exposed MPN patients represent a group with distinct genomic characteristics worthy of further study.

Environmental radon exposure and breast cancer risk in the Nurses' Health Study II.

BACKGROUND: Radon and its decay products, a source of ionizing radiation, are primarily inhaled and can deliver a radiation dose to breast tissue, where they may continue to decay and emit DNA damage-inducing particles. Few studies have examined the relationship between radon and breast cancer. METHODS: The Nurses' Health Study II (NHSII) includes U.S. female registered nurses who completed biennial questionnaires since 1989. Self-reported breast cancer was confirmed from medical records. County-level radon exposures were linked with geocoded residential addresses updated throughout follow-up. Time-varying Cox regression models adjusted for established breast cancer risk factors were used to calculate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). RESULTS: From 1989 to 2013, 3966 invasive breast cancer cases occurred among 112,639 participants. Increasing radon exposure was not associated with breast cancer risk overall (adjusted HR comparing highest to lowest quintile = 1.06, 95% CI: 0.94, 1.21, p for trend = 0.30). However, women in the highest quintile of exposure (≥74.9 Bq/m3) had a suggested elevated risk of ER-/PR- breast cancer compared to women in the lowest quintile (<27.0 Bq/m3) (adjusted HR = 1.38, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.96, p for trend = 0.05). No association was observed for ER+/PR+ breast cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Although we did not find an association between radon exposure and risk of overall or ER+/PR+ breast cancer, we observed a suggestive association with risk of ER-/PR- breast cancer.

Technologically Enhanced Naturally Occurring Radioactive Materials (TENORM) in the Oil and Gas Industry: A Review.

Radiation is part of the natural environment: it is estimated that approximately 80 % of all human exposure comes from naturally occurring or background radiation. Certain extractive industries such as mining and oil logging have the potential to increase the risk of radiation exposure to the environment and humans by concentrating the quantities of naturally occurring radiation beyond normal background levels (Azeri-Chirag-Gunashli 2004).

[Influence of radiating and chemical loads on changes of biochemical indices of the endocrine homeostasis in inhabitants from ecologically various areas of the Bryansk region].

There ecologic-hygienic ranging of all 27 areas of the Bryansk region was performed with the using of the innovative methodical approach with taking into account the integrated indices of total pollution of all objects of the environment. The analysis of results of the performed biochemical researches with studying of indices of the endocrine homeostasis in residents of ecologically various areas has allowed to evolve thyrotropic hormone TTH (Qcalc=2,4 at K=1,96) and thyroid hormone ST4 (Qcalc=3,684 at K=1,96) as biological markers of the negative impact of technogenic-chemical contamination of environment on human health.

[Cytogenetic indices of buccal epithelium in schoolchildren residing in territories with different levels of the air pollution].

In the article there are contained the results of the study of ambient air of the regional center, urban-type settlement, and buccal epithelium in 87 schoolchildren aged of 11-13 years. Schoolchildren residing in the regional center were shown to be more susceptible to the exposure to such toxicants as carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, fluorhydric acid, chlorine and its compounds, sulfur dioxide, formaldehyde contained in the ambient air. In this group of students if compared with students who live in the village, there were revealed more pronounced cytogenetic deteriorations in oral mucosal epitheliocytes: cells with micronuclei, different forms of protrusion of the core, dual-core cell mitosis, kariokynesis, apoptotic bodies significantly more common occur, that can speak about both not only of cytogenetic instability, but and the degree of environmental genotoxicity, in particular, ambient air. There was noted the tendency to increase the level of cytogenetic damage and destruction of the nucleus in the group of girls in comparison with boys.

[The Buccal Epithelium as Environmental Indicator].

The use of the buccal mucosa cell micronucleus test for comparison of chemical, radiation, and radiation-chemical environmental pollution has been considered. The combined impact of chemical and radiation factors has been found to cause additive effects, synergism, and inhibition. It has been noted that the cytogenetic characteristics of the buccal epithelium may be used as a "biological dosimeter" of the total level of environmental pollution.

Low-dose radiation, scientific scrutiny, and requirements for demonstrating effects.

Recent nuclear accidents have prompted renewed interest in the fitness consequences of low-dose radiation. Hiyama et al. provided information on such effects in the Japanese pale grass blue butterfly in a paper that has been viewed more than 300,000 times, prompting a barrage of criticism. These exchanges highlight the role of scrutiny in studies with potential effects on humans, but also raise questions about minimum requirements for demonstrating biological effects.

Release, deposition and elimination of radiocesium ((137)Cs) in the terrestrial environment.

Radionuclide contamination in terrestrial ecosystems has reached a dangerous level. The major artificial radionuclide present in the environment is (137)Cs, which is released as a result of weapon production related to atomic projects, accidental explosions of nuclear power plants and other sources, such as reactors, evaporation ponds, liquid storage tanks, and burial grounds. The release of potentially hazardous radionuclides (radiocesium) in recent years has provided the opportunity to conduct multidisciplinary studies on their fate and transport. Radiocesium's high fission yield and ease of detection made it a prime candidate for early radio-ecological investigations. The facility setting provides a diverse background for the improved understanding of various factors that contribute toward the fate and transfer of radionuclides in the terrestrial ecosystem. In this review, we summarize the significant environmental radiocesium transfer factors to determine the damaging effects of radiocesium on terrestrial ecosystem. It has been found that (137)Cs can trace the transport of other radionuclides that have a high affinity for binding to soil particles (silts and clays). Possible remedial methods are also discussed for contaminated terrestrial systems. This review will serve as a guideline for future studies of the fate and transport of (137)Cs in terrestrial environments in the wake of the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant disaster in 2011.

[Application of deactivating properties of some sorbents in aquaculture feed production].

The possibility and effectiveness of application of selective sorbents for fish feed production in aquaculture in the area exposed to the radioactive pollution were studied. The investigations of the fish feed deactivating properties with additives of ferrocyn and potassium alginate, and magnesium on whitefish fry-fingerlings and yearlings were carried out. The study has shown that the ferrocyn performance is greater than 99% regardless of the fish age. 1% ferrocyn addition to feed allows increasing the acceptable concentration of feed compo- nents polluted by the above norm cesium radionuclide up to 20 times. The alginate additives in feed provide almost double decrease in the activity of fish tissues. The optimally effective alginate dose should exceed the calcium concentration in feed up to 4 times. It was found that utilization of the feedstock (fish meal, crops and legumes, oil meal and oil cake) polluted by radionuclides is possible in combined aquaculture feed pro- duction. The application of sorbents in feed will allow increasing the amount permissible for use of the feed components polluted above the norm; ensure the radiation safety of feed and, finally, the protection of aquatic biological resources from radioactive contamination. It is shown that the sorbent additive in feed is also jus- tified in case of fish farming in closed waters affected by radioactive pollution. Feeding by mixed fodder with the sorbent additives prevents fish from radionuclide intake from natural food sources.

Cytological characteristics of lung washings from children in depleted uranium stroked region.

The study was based on theoretical interpretation of authentic findings of Lupus Erythematosus Cells (LEC) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) samples of children who underwent flexible bronchoscopy for clinical symptoms and radiological changes consistent with persistent pulmonary infiltrates during the first year after the bombing of Serbia in 1999. Differential cell counts were compared and statistical significance of differences for estimated cell population percentages calculated in groups of LEC positive (LEC+) and LEC negative (LEC-) BAL specimens. Significant increase of percentages of neutrophils and eosinophils and decreased percentages of macrophages were found in the group of LEC+ in comparison with LEC- BAL specimens (p less than 0.05, p less than 0.001, p less than 0.001, respectively). Presence of decreased percentages of cells of monocyte-macrophage lineage with consequent expansion of white blood cells in BAL, argue for understanding the nature of LEC+ alveolitis as a possible nonspecific finding of radiation-induced biological response of pulmonary tissue. LEC phenomenon may be understood as an early radio adaptive tissue response. Depleted uranium (DU) radiotoxic effect with concomitant alpha particles radiation, has been associated with unpredictable and everlasting biological effects. The emission of radiation in the course of several decades due to corrosion of scattered remnants of DU armaments, which has been potentiated by the repeated bombing of the regions within range of the transfer of radioactive particles by air, strikes a broad territory and numerous populations, and unavoidably leads to in vivoPetkau effect. Except the war, peacetime nuclear disasters in various parts of the world, such as Fukushima, Chernobyl and others, contribute to this effect too. In this way, the Petkau effect is a challenge for science to declare the future health strategy with the main goal focused on minimizing the early, as well as delayed in vivo effects of depleted uranium.

Risks and management of radiation exposure.

High-energy ionizing radiation is harmful. Low-level exposure sources include background, occupational, and medical diagnostics. Radiation disaster incidents include radioactive substance accidents and nuclear power plant accidents. Terrorism and international conflict could trigger intentional radiation disasters that include radiation dispersion devices (RDD) (a radioactive dirty bomb), deliberate exposure to industrial radioactive substances, nuclear power plant sabotage, and nuclear weapon detonation. Nuclear fissioning events such as nuclear power plant incidents and nuclear weapon detonation release radioactive fallout that include radioactive iodine 131, cesium 137, strontium 90, uranium, plutonium, and many other radioactive isotopes. An RDD dirty bomb is likely to spread only one radioactive substance, with the most likely substance being cesium 137. Cobalt 60 and strontium 90 are other RDD dirty bomb possibilities. In a radiation disaster, stable patients should be decontaminated to minimize further radiation exposure. Potassium iodide (KI) is useful for iodine 131 exposure. Prussian blue (ferric hexacyanoferrate) enhances the fecal excretion of cesium via ion exchange. Ca-DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid) and Zn-DTPA form stable ionic complexes with plutonium, americium, and curium, which are excreted in the urine. Amifostine enhances chemical and enzymatic repair of damaged DNA. Acute radiation sickness ranges in severity from mild to lethal, which can be assessed by the nausea/vomiting onset/duration, complete blood cell count findings, and neurologic symptoms.

[Ranking of radionuclides and pathways according to their contribution to the dose burden to the population resulting from NPP releases].

Approaches are described towards estimating the consequences of radioactive contamination of ecosystems by nuclear fuel cycle enterprises with the rationale for the optimal specification level for nuclear power plants (NPP) operating in the normal mode. Calculations are made based on the initial data of the IAEA project, INPRO ENV, dealing with the ranking of radionuclides escaping to the environment from the operating NPPs. Influence of various factors on rankings of radionuclides and pathways of public exposure is demon- strated. An important factor is the controlled radionuclide composition of atmospheric NPP releases. It has been found that variation in the dose coefficients for some radionuclides leads to significant changes not only in the ranking results but also in the estimates of total dose burdens. Invariability is shown of the estimation concerning the greatest contribution of the peroral route to the population dose of irradiation in the situation considered. A conclusion was drawn on the need of taking into consideration uncertainties of different factors when comparing effects on the environment from enterprises of conventional and innovative nuclear fuel cycles.

[The assessment of accumulated internal irradiation doses of the inhabitants of the populated areas in Republik Belarus after Chernobyl accident].

A new system of evaluation methods has been developed for the assessment of the accumulated internal irradiation doses in the inhabitants of the populated areas of the Republic of Belarus that were contaminated by the Chernobyl radionuclides. The system is based on the results of WBC measurements. The model is based on the WBC-results of the State Dosimetric Register for the period of 1987-2010. The dose assessment model is based on the classification of the populated areas, on the regional features of the soils through which 137Cs can enter into the locally grown and produced foods. The model is also based on building the regressive correlations of accumulated internal doses to the contamination density of the territory of a populated area. Such regressive correlations are made for each region. The influence of indirect factors of dose forming was taken into consideration in the dose assessment. Among these factors are the population of the area, and the amount of forested territory around it, which were taken as correction coefficients. The coefficients were determined from the regressive correlation of the correction coefficients to a specific area of forest for each region. So called "countermeasure factor" was used for specification of other model results.

[Assurance of safety and personal protection of the personnel working in conditions of external radiation exposure].

The article contains detailed analysis of current scientific approaches and practical achievements in organizing personal protection of the personnel working in conditions of external radiation exposure and air and surface contamination with radioactive substances. The ways of improvement of personal protection equipment are described. The incorrectness of attempts to create PPE from gamma radiation with the energy of over 0,1 MeV--which are currently quite common--is shown. Today the challenge of creating light PPE from beta radiation and soft photon radiation becomes more urgent due to decreasing the annual equivalent dose of occupational exposure of the crystalline lens from 150 to 20 mSv proposed by IAEA. This requires creation of light and usable protective visors (goggles) from beta radiation and photon radiation with the energy of up to 0,06 MeV.

[Clinical immunological disorders in children from various observation cohorts exposed to radiation factor during various stages of oncogenesis].

The immune status disorders and features depending on the radiation impact type in various cohorts of radiation observations long after the Chernobyl (CNPP) disaster and the possible role of these disorders in development of chronic somatic pathology in children are shown. Lymphocyte depletion, T-cell immunity component disorders in the form of cell contraction with CD3, CD4, CD8 markers and the B-cell immunity component disorders in the form of reducing the quantity of CD10, CD23 marker cells were observed in children subject to combined chronic irradiation by 131I, 137Cs, 90Sr radionuclides. The descendants of irradiated parents (the 1st generation; children of the Chernobyl accident consequences liquidators, children of the citizens of radiation contaminated territories with various 137Cs levels) had immunity disorders of different type. A change in the total amount of NK-cells (CD16(+)-lymphocytes) is the general sign for all radiation risk groups; however, people subject to direct radiation impact demonstrated reduction of the antitumor protection potency, whereas descendants of irradiated ones demonstrated its activation with typically increasing number of CD16(+)-lymphocytes. In all radiation risk groups, a tendency to reduction of a number of cells involved in the leukocytal activation with the "pluripotential activation" marker (CD38 marker cells), proliferating cells (CD71 marker cells) and the increase of relative amount of cells with apoptosis marker (CD95(+)-lymphocytes). Immune disorder markers under the radiation impact in various cohorts of children's observation are suggested: antigens: CD4, CD8, CD10, CD23, CD16, CD38, CB71, CD95.

[The influence of spa and resort-based therapy on the incorporated cesium elimination rate in children presenting with environmental disadaptation syndrome].

A total of 50 children presenting with environmental disadaptation syndrome have been treated based at N.K. Krupskaya health resort (Zheleznovodsk). The therapy included the consumption of mineral water with low salt content from the Slavyansky spring at a dose of 3-5 cub.ml per 1 kg b.w. 30 min before meal, thrice daily. Its influence on the radionuclide elimination rate from the organism of the patients previously exposed to enhanced levels of background radiation was estimated from the results of spectrometric and radiochemical analysis of their urine. It was shown that introduction of drinking mineral water into the program of combined spa and resort-based therapy causes a 2-3-fold increase in the cesium excretion rate and thereby reduces the internal radiation load.

[Effect of tririum on growth and bioluminescence of P. phosphoreum bacteria].

Effect of tritium labeled amino acid valine (0.3-1.0 MBq/ml) on luminous bacteria P. Phosphoreum was studied. The amino acid was used as a nutrient medium for the bacteria. Tritium was found to suppress bacterial growth, but stimulate luminescence: luminescence intensity, quantum yield and time of light-emitting were increased. Activation of the luminescent function is explained by redistribution of electronic density at beta-decay, and affecting biochemical processes in the bacterial media. Effects of alpha- and beta-radiation on luminous bacteria are compared.

[Remote consequences of a chronic radiation for the population of Hypochoeris maculata L growing on the territory of East-Ural radioactive trace].

The caryological study has been carried out on Hypochoeris maculata L. plants growing on the East-Urals radioactive trace. Two Hypochoeris maculata L. populations have been observed. The experimental population grows in contaminated area. 90Sr contamination density is 55 MBq/m2, 137Cs contamination density is 2.5 M Bq/m2. The control population grows in radionuclide-free area. Both in the experimental and in the control populations the plants have been detected bearing extra B-chromosomes in their karyotype. But their frequency was higher in the experimental population than in the control one. In the experimental population the plants with main A-chromosome set karyotype changes have been met in 9 families out of 30 families observed. In the control population one such family has been detected out of 27 families observed. Two plants with karyotype changes in both chromosome sets have been detected in one family of the experimental population, which indicates a possibility of sibling species appearance in the experimental population.

[Ecological and genetic monitoring of muridae from populations undergone to the chronic irradiation].

In work the data of long-term researches of consequences of chronic irradiation and radioactive pollution on a population of muridaea living in a zone of failure on the Chernobyl atomic power station and in territory of Northern radioecological station are resulted. It is shown, that chronic influence by investigated factors leads to authentically significant change of size of the genetic load determined on a level cytogenetic damages, intensity of reproduction, fertility.

The use of depleted uranium ammunition under contemporary international law: is there a need for a treaty-based ban on DU weapons?

This article examines whether the use of Depleted Uranium (DU) munitions can be considered illegal under current public international law. The analysis covers the law of arms control and focuses in particular on international humanitarian law. The article argues that DU ammunition cannot be addressed adequately under existing treaty based weapon bans, such as the Chemical Weapons Convention, due to the fact that DU does not meet the criteria required to trigger the applicability of those treaties. Furthermore, it is argued that continuing uncertainties regarding the effects of DU munitions impedes a reliable review of the legality of their use under various principles of international law, including the prohibition on employing indiscriminate weapons; the prohibition on weapons that are intended, or may be expected, to cause widespread, long-term and severe damage to the natural environment; and the prohibition on causing unnecessary suffering or superfluous injury. All of these principles require complete knowledge of the effects of the weapon in question. Nevertheless, the author argues that the same uncertainty places restrictions on the use of DU under the precautionary principle. The paper concludes with an examination of whether or not there is a need for--and if so whether there is a possibility of achieving--a Convention that comprehensively outlaws the use, transfer and stockpiling of DU weapons, as proposed by some non-governmental organisations (NGOs).