Response of current dosemeters to new operational quantities in rotational geometry.

Recently, the ICRU released Report 95, where new operational quantities for external radiation exposure are defined. The new quantities are defined in close relation to the protection quantities. This change affects the practice use of dosemeters. That is why the instruments must be adapted to the measurement of new quantities before their implementing as legally binding. The discrepancies depend on radiation spectra-particle type, energy of particles and direction of incidence. To analyse the performance of currently used instruments, irradiations in photon and neutron fields of various energies were performed for personal and area dosemeters. In this work, the response of photon and neutron personal dosemeters in conditions of rotational geometry is presented. The difference between the responses with respect to the new or old operational quantity was not large, which corresponded to the similar reference values for this irradiation geometry. The mutual ratio depended on the specific radiation quality and geometry. The behaviour of different types of dosemeters varied too.

Comparison of luminescence detectors of Al2O3:C, CaF2:Mn, LiF:Mg,Cu,P and quartz with respect to retrospective dose reconstructions using bricks.

In the aftermath of an orphan radiation source find, a complex retrospective dose reconstruction can be required to estimate doses of persons who were staying in the vicinity. In retrospective dose reconstructions based on luminescence measurements of quartz extracted from bricks, high sensitivity thermoluminescence detectors (TLD) can be used as an ancillary tool for dose distribution measurements or natural radiation background measurement. We investigated the potential and limits of Al2O3:C, CaF2:Mn and LiF:Mg,Cu,P detectors for such applications. We measured depth-dose profiles in bricks using quartz and the TLDs. We factored in important dosimetry characteristics such as dose response, energy response and detection threshold. The work included Monte Carlo simulations. Depth-dose profiles and radiation spectra inside of the bricks were calculated for purposes of comparison and interpretation. The measurements and calculations were performed for two different photon spectra with mean energies of 662 and 118 keV. As regards comparison of the measured and Monte Carlo calculated depth-dose profiles, the best agreement was found for LiF:Mg,Cu,P. Quartz, Al2O3:C and CaF2:Mn tend to overestimate dose for lower photon energies and greater depths in bricks. The overestimation was the most marked for CaF2:Mn. For measurements related to quartz, especially for natural radiation background dose measurement, the most suitable TLDs are Al2O3:C and LiF:Mg,Cu,P. CaF2:Mn is the least useful material.

RESPONSE OF CURRENT PHOTON PERSONAL DOSEMETERS TO NEW OPERATIONAL QUANTITIES.

The ICRU proposed new operational quantities, which are defined in close relation to effective dose and absorbed dose. Most of the current personal dosemeters were designed to measure personal dose equivalents. Because of differences between the new and old quantities, the existing dosemeters may not be ideal for measurements of the new quantities, personal dose, Hp, and absorbed dose in local skin, Dp local skin. For photon radiation sources, we investigated relative responses of the current personal dosemeters with respect to the measurement of the new quantities. Introduction of the new quantities into practice will require some changes in practical radiation protection. A recalibration of the current dosemeters will be essential for Hp measurements in higher photon energy region (>50 keV). For lower photon energies, a redesign of specific evaluation algorithms will be necessary. For purposes of Dp local skin measurements the dosemeters do not require any fundamental changes.

Cardiac expression patterns of endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE): implications for conduction system development.

The spatiotemporal distribution of the endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE) protein in the embryonic chick heart and the association of this polypeptide with the developing cardiac conduction system is described here for the first time. Further, we show how cardiac hemodynamic load directly affects ECE level and distribution. Endothelin (ET) is a cytokine involved in the inductive recruitment of Purkinje fibers. ET is produced by proteolytic cleavage of Big-ET by ECE. We generated an antibody against chick ECE recognizing a single band at approximately 70 kD to correlate the cardiac expression of this protein with that reported previously for its mRNA. ECE protein expression was more widespread compared to its mRNA, being present in endothelial cells, mesenchymal cells, and myocytes, and particularly enriched in the trabeculae and nascent ventricular conduction system. The myocardial expression was significantly modified under experimentally altered hemodynamic loading. In vivo, ET receptor blockade with bosentan delayed activation sequence maturation. These data support a role for ECE in avian cardiac conduction system differentiation and maturation.

Structure and dynamics of two elastin-like polypentapeptides studied by NMR spectroscopy.

The structure and dynamics of two synthetic elastin-like polypentapeptides, poly(G(1)V(1)G(2)V(2)P) and poly(AV(1)GV(2)P), were studied in D(2)O and H(2)O at various temperatures by using (1)H, (2)H,(13)C, and (15)N NMR spectra, relaxations, and PGSE self-diffusivity measurement. Signal assignments were made using COSY, NOESY, HXCORR, HSQC, HMBC, and SSLR INEPT techniques. Temperature-induced conformation changes were studied using (3)J(NHCH) couplings, NOESY connectivity, chemical shifts, and signal intensities. Hydrodynamic radii were derived from self-diffusion coefficients measured by the pulsed-gradient spin-echo (PGSE) method. Selective hydration (hydrophilic or hydrophobic) was explored using NOESY and ROESY spectral methods and longitudinal and transverse (1)H relaxation of HOD and quadrupolar (2)H relaxation of D(2)O. Four different physical states were discerned in different temperature regions for both polymers: state I of a rather extended, statistically shaped and fully hydrated polymer below the critical temperature (approximately 299-300 K); state II, a relatively coiled and globular but disordered preaggregation state, developing in a rather narrow region, 300-303 K, in the case of poly(AV(1)GV(2)P) and in a broader region, overlapping with the next one, in poly(G(1)V(1)G(2)V(2)P); state III, a tightly coiled, more compact state in the region 303-313 K; and, finally, state IV, an aggregated (and eventually flocculating and sedimenting) state beyond 313 K. States II-IV coexist in varying proportions in the whole temperature range above 299 K. A structure characterized by a beta-turn stabilized by H-bonding between the Ala carbonyl and Val(2) NH groups of poly(AV(1)GV(2)P) was detected by NOESY just above the transition temperature. States II and III are progressively more stripped of their hydration sheath but retain some molecules of water confined and relatively immobilized in their coils.