Radiation and Environmental Biophysics最新文献

Among the released radionuclides from nuclear power plants and radioactive waste repositories, ¹⁴C is of great importance. Continuous discharges of ¹⁴C from nuclear industries, the risk of uncontrolled releases, and possible leaking from facilities may cause a threat to the biosphere. Because of high mobility and a long half-life of ¹⁴C, it has great potential to be released into aquatic ecosystems and to be assimilated by aquatic plants. However, the amount of ¹⁴C incorporated into organic matter and hydrophytes is largely unknown. In this study, the uptake of carbon from sediment into aquatic plants was investigated in a microcosm experiment. The study was carried out based on the natural difference in the isotopic signature of ¹⁴C between the 8000-year-old peat and more enriched sources (water and atmosphere). The two-pool isotope mixing model was applied to determine the relative contribution of each source (sediment vs. air/water) to the hydrophytes. The results indicated the highest contribution of sediment-derived carbon to the free-floating Lemna minor (up to 60%), followed by submerged Littorella uniflora (15-17%) and the emergent species, Stachys palustris and Lysimachia nummularia (up to 10%). Despite the contribution of sediment-derived C to their C source, the hydrophytes incorporated less than 2% of their total C from sediment. The results also indicated the importance of floating plants in more efficient uptake of sediment-derived C available in water column or the air. Furthermore, no significant difference was found in the transfer of sediment-derived C between the roots and the leaves within the species.

Founded in 1999 under the bilateral U.S.-Russian Agreement on International Cooperation for Minimization of the Effects of Prolonged Radiation Exposure, the Human Radiobiological Tissue Repository (HRTR) at the Southern Urals Biophysics Institute aims to collect, store, annotate, and disburse biological materials from individuals occupationally exposed to ionizing radiation, to support scientific investigations of the effects of radiation exposure on human health. In compliance with international best practices guidelines, the RHTR has assembled a collection of over 100,000 biospecimens donated by workers of the Mayak Production Association, and by non-occupationally exposed persons living in the same city. Included in its biobanks are fully annotated autopsy tissues stored in formalin, formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue blocks, microscope slides, frozen surgical tissues, whole blood and blood components, and genomic DNA from parental-offspring triads. The biorepository's database contains information on radiation dose characteristics, occupational history, non-radiation risk factors, detailed medical history, and social and demographic characteristics of each donor. This comprehensive approach has resulted in a unique resource that has supported both molecular and non-molecular studies of radiation health effects.

Radon exposure poses a significant public health risk, yet authorities often struggle to engage residents in high-risk areas to test and mitigate radon levels. Traditional top-down approaches have shown limited success in motivating citizen engagement in radon mitigation. This study aims to assess the effectiveness of citizen science (CS) approaches in enhancing radon measurement and mitigation efforts across Europe, with a focus on citizen engagement and impact of the RadoNorm CS incubator. To evaluate the impact of CS projects, a mixed-methods approach was used, including computer-assisted web interviews with 231 citizen scientists, interviews with seven researchers, and group discussions with ten CS coordinators. The CS evaluation method developed by Hoedoafia et al. (2024) has been used. The RadoNorm CS Incubator engaged over 800 citizens and 57 research organizations across the EU. Pilot CS projects related to radon in France, Hungary, Ireland, and Norway informed the design of an open call, resulting in the selection and funding of six CS projects related to radon in Italy, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain. The results show that these projects employed diverse methodologies to address specific community needs and improve radon awareness, measurement and mitigation strategies. The study highlights the successful outcomes of these projects, including the development of new radon dosimeters, innovative mitigation techniques, increased public awareness, improved local policies, and expanded school curricula. The findings demonstrate the potential of CS to enhance public engagement, improve risk communication, address research and scientific gaps and contribute to more effective radon protection strategies.

Effectively addressing radon and NORM exposure requires not just scientific progress but a strategic, transdisciplinary approach to transferring knowledge into practice through stakeholder engagement and policy integration. Therefore, to maximise the impact and sustainability of the radiation protection outputs created in the RadoNorm project, an integrated and participatory communication framework was designed. The framework enabled the flow of knowledge across scientific, policy, and public domains through the tailored outreach tools, while wide visibility was ensured through digital platforms, and meaningful public involvement through initiatives such as the Citizen Science Incubator and the European Radon Behavioural Atlas. The RadoNorm project also elevated engagement of stakeholders in the research process from end-users to contributors by shifting the paradigm from one-way dissemination to co-creation, leading to enhanced trust, relevance, and long-term usability of results. RadoNorm's replicable model for "how complex research can be translated into societal value", i.e., fostering inclusion, transparency, and ethically responsible science communication, should be an integral part of future projects. Namely, by full-scale incorporation of communication and engagement activities developed in the RadoNorm project, by ensuring that all data are openly available in repositories, like the STORE database, and by utilisation of the interdisciplinary teams that incorporate social and behavioural expertise, the usability and sustainability of the created results in any future projects are ensured.

The objective of the study was to develop and validate a method (biodosimetry system) for estimating red bone marrow (RBM) doses from internal exposure to ⁸⁹Sr and ⁹⁰Sr using FISH-based biodosimetry in T-lymphocytes. The method includes assessment of doses to T-lymphocytes and RBM using: data on chromosome translocation frequencies; a calibration curve data; a model of age-related dynamics and kinetics of T-cells; a biokinetic model for strontium; and a dosimetric model for ^89,90Sr. Conversion factors from chromosome translocation frequencies to T-cell-doses and then to RBM-doses were estimated. The biodosimetry system was validated by comparing FISH-based doses and doses obtained from physical dosimetry for residents of Techa riverside settlements (205 persons; 221 blood samples; dose range according to physical dosimetry data from 0.04 to 4.8 Gy). The Techa River (Southern Urals, Russia) was contaminated with radioactive waste in the 1950s. In general, the validation confirms the biodosimetry system applicability. However, the method does better for group dose estimation and has large uncertainties for individual cases. The statistical distributions of "biodosimetric doses" are significantly wider than doses based on physical measurements. In all dose groups identified on the basis of physical dosimetry, there are donors with undetected radiation-induced translocations. The detection limit of individual dose assessments using FISH-based biodosimetry (about 0.5 Gy) is discussed.

Total body irradiation (TBI) is an essential component of conditioning regimens prior to hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), particularly in paediatric patients. However, achieving dose homogeneity throughout the treatment course remains a major challenge due to large treatment fields, tissue heterogeneity, and inter-fraction variations. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and impact on dose homogeneity of fraction-based adaptive dose modulation supported by dynamically adjusted rice bag compensators, based on real time metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) feedback, using in vivo dosimetry (IVD) in bilateral TBI. In this context, IVD measurements were performed using MOSFET detectors at the brain, neck, lung, umbilical, and pelvic regions during each treatment fraction in patients undergoing bilateral TBI. Based on these measurements, the thickness of the rice-bag compensators was dynamically adjusted between fractions. Calculated dose values were compared with MOSFET measured doses for each anatomical region. Statistical analysis revealed no significant differences between calculated and MOSFET-measured doses across all anatomical regions (p > 0.05), indicating a high level of agreement between planned and delivered doses. The highest dose differences were observed in the lung region (up to 106.9%), whereas the lowest differences were observed in the neck region (up to 100.8%). In conclusion, fraction-based IVD monitoring using MOSFET dosimetry enables adaptive dose modulation in bilateral TBI, reduces inter-fraction dosimetric uncertainties, and provides an effective quality assurance strategy to improve dose homogeneity and treatment safety, particularly in paediatric patients.