Background: Although high doses of ionizing radiation have long been linked to circulatory disease, evidence for an association at lower exposures remains controversial. However, recent analyses suggest excess relative risks at occupational exposure levels.Objectives: We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to summarize information on circulatory disease risks associated with moderate- and low-level whole-body ionizing radiation exposures.Methods: We conducted PubMed/ISI Thomson searches of peer-reviewed papers published since 1990 using the terms “radiation” AND “heart” AND “disease,” OR “radiation” AND “stroke,” OR “radiation” AND “circulatory” AND “disease.” Radiation exposures had to be whole-body, with a cumulative mean dose of < 0.5 Sv, or at a low dose rate (< 10 mSv/day). We estimated population risks of circulatory disease from low-level radiation exposure using excess relative risk estimates from this meta-analysis and current mortality rates for nine major developed countries.Results: Estimated excess population risks for all circulatory diseases combined ranged from 2.5%/Sv [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.8, 4.2] for France to 8.5%/Sv (95% CI: 4.0, 13.0) for Russia.Conclusions: Our review supports an association between circulatory disease mortality and low and moderate doses of ionizing radiation. Our analysis was limited by heterogeneity among studies (particularly for noncardiac end points), the possibility of uncontrolled confounding in some occupational groups by lifestyle factors, and higher dose groups (> 0.5 Sv) generally driving the observed trends. If confirmed, our findings suggest that overall radiation-related mortality is about twice that currently estimated based on estimates for cancer end points alone (which range from 4.2% to 5.6%/Sv for these populations).

Background: After the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident in April 1986, a large increase in the incidence of childhood thyroid cancer was reported in contaminated areas. Most of the radiation exposure to the thyroid was from iodine isotopes, especially 131 I. We carried out a populationbased case -control study of thyroid cancer in Belarus and the Russian Federation to evaluate the risk of thyroid cancer after exposure to radioactive iodine in childhood and to investigate environmental and host factors that may modify this risk. Methods: We studied 276 case patients with thyroid cancer through 1998 and 1300 matched control subjects, all aged younger than 15 years at the time of the accident. Individual doses were estimated for each subject based on their whereabouts and dietary habits at the time of the accident and in following days, weeks, and years; their likely stable iodine status at the time of the accident was also evaluated. Data were analyzed by conditional logistic regression using several different models. All statistical tests were two-sided. Results: A strong dose -response relationship was observed between radiation dose to the thyroid received in childhood and thyroid cancer risk ( P <.001). For a dose of 1 Gy, the estimated odds ratio of thyroid cancer varied from 5.5 (95% confi dence interval [CI] = 3.1 to 9.5) to 8.4 (95% CI = 4.1 to 17.3), depending on the risk model. A linear dose -response relationship was observed up to 1.5 -2 Gy. The risk of radiation-related thyroid cancer was three times higher in iodine-defi cient areas (relative risk [RR]= 3.2, 95% CI = 1.9 to 5.5) than elsewhere. Administration of potassium iodide as a dietary supplement reduced this risk of radiation-related thyroid cancer by a factor of 3 (RR = 0.34, 95% CI = 0.1 to 0.9, for consumption of potassium iodide versus no consumption). Conclusion: Exposure to 131 I in childhood is associated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer. Both iodine defi ciency and iodine supplementation appear to modify this risk. These results have important public health implications: stable iodine supplementation in iodine-defi cient populations may substantially reduce the risk of thyroid cancer related to radioactive iodines in case of exposure to radioactive iodines in childhood that may occur after radiation accidents or

Nanostructured doped ceria is a prospective material for catalytic applications such as the construction of membranes with mixed electronic and ionic conductivity for effective syngas production. In this article, the surface properties of nanostructured ceria doped with praseodymium have been studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy of adsorbed carbon monoxide. The effects of supporting 1.4 wt % Pt as well as structural changes upon the reduction of the samples with methane have been investigated. While in samples without supported platinum, mainly praseodymium cations are reduced in a methane atmosphere; stronger reduction of cerium cations was found in the case of surface modification with Pt. The structural differences correlate with results from temperature-programmed reaction experiments with methane. Explanations are discussed in terms of different reaction mechanisms.

26 April 2006 marks the 20th anniversary of the Chernobyl accident. On this occasion, the World Health Organization (WHO), within the UN Chernobyl Forum initiative, convened an Expert Group to evaluate the health impacts of Chernobyl. This paper summarises the findings relating to cancer. A dramatic increase in the incidence of thyroid cancer has been observed among those exposed to radioactive iodines in childhood and adolescence in the most contaminated territories. Iodine deficiency may have increased the risk of developing thyroid cancer following exposure to radioactive iodines, while prolonged stable iodine supplementation in the years after exposure may reduce this risk. Although increases in rates of other cancers have been reported, much of these increases appear to be due to other factors, including improvements in registration, reporting and diagnosis. Studies are few, however, and have methodological limitations. Further, because most radiation-related solid cancers continue to occur decades after exposure and because only 20 years have passed since the accident, it is too early to evaluate the full radiological impact of the accident. Apart from the large increase in thyroid cancer incidence in young people, there are at present no clearly demonstrated radiation-related increases in cancer risk. This should not, however, be interpreted to mean that no increase has in fact occurred: based on the experience of other populations exposed to ionising radiation, a small increase in the relative risk of cancer is expected, even at the low to moderate doses received. Although it is expected that epidemiological studies will have difficulty identifying such a risk, it may nevertheless translate into a substantial number of radiation-related cancer cases in the future, given the very large number of individuals exposed.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) etiologically occurs as a radiation-induced or sporadic malignancy. Genetic factors contributing to the susceptibility to either form remain unknown. In this retrospective case-control study, we evaluated possible associations between singlenucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the candidate DNA damage response genes (ATM, XRCC1, TP53, XRCC3, MTF1) and risk of radiation-induced and sporadic PTC. A total of 255 PTC cases (123 Chernobyl radiation-induced and 132 sporadic, all in Caucasians) and 596 healthy controls (198 residents of Chernobyl areas and 398 subjects without history of radiation exposure, all Caucasians) were genotyped. The risk of PTC and SNPs interactions with radiation exposure were assessed by logistic regressions. The ATM G5557A and XRCC1 Arg399Gln polymorphisms, regardless of radiation exposure, associated with a decreased risk of PTC according to the multiplicative and dominant models of inheritance (odds ratio (OR)Z0.69, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.45-0.86 and ORZ0.70, 95% CI 0.59-0.93 respectively). The ATM IVS22-77 TOC and TP53 Arg72Pro SNPs interacted with radiation (PZ0.04 and PZ0.01 respectively). ATM IVS22-77 associated with the increased risk of sporadic PTC (ORZ1.84, 95% CI 1.10-3.24) whereas TP53 Arg72Pro correlated with the higher risk of radiogenic PTC (ORZ1.80, 95% CI 1.06-2.36). In the analyses of ATM/TP53 (rs1801516/rs664677/rs609429/rs1042522) combinations, the GG/TC/CG/GC genotype strongly associated with radiation-induced PTC (ORZ2.10, 95% CI 1.17-3.78). The GG/CC/GG/GG genotype displayed a significantly increased risk for sporadic PTC (ORZ3.32, 95% CI 1.57-6.99). The results indicate that polymorphisms of DNA damage response genes may be potential risk modifiers of ionizing radiation-induced or sporadic PTCs.

The paper deals with estimating radiation risks of non-cancer diseases of the circulatory system among the Chernobyl emergency workers based on data from the Russian National Medical and Dosimetric Registry. The results for the cohort of 61,017 people observed between 1986 and 2000 are discussed. These are essentially updated results for the similar cohort that was studied by authors earlier in 1986-1996. Newly discovered is the statistically significant dose risk of ischemic heart disease [ERR Gy = 0.41, 95% CI = (0.05; 0.78)]. Confirmation is provided for the existence of significant dose risks for essential hypertension [ERR Gy = 0.36, 95% CI = (0.005; 0.71)] and cerebrovascular diseases [ERR Gy = 0.45, 95% CI = (0.11; 0.80)]. In 1996-2000, the assessed ERR Gy for cerebrovascular diseases was 0.22 with 95% CI = (-0.15; 0.58). Special consideration is given to cerebrovascular diseases in the cohort of 29,003 emergency workers who arrived in the Chernobyl zone during the first year after the accident. The statistically significant heterogeneity of the dose risk of cerebrovascular diseases is shown as a function of the duration of stay in the Chernobyl zone: ERR Gy = 0.89 for durations of less than 6 wk, and ERR Gy = 0.39 on average. The at-risk group with respect to cerebrovascular diseases are those who received external radiation doses greater than 150 mGy in less than 6 wk [RR = 1.18, 95% CI = (1.00; 1.40)]. For doses above 150 mGy, the statistically significant risk of cerebrovascular diseases as a function of averaged dose rate (mean daily dose) was observed: ERR per 100 mGy d = 2.17 with 95% CI = (0.64; 3.69). The duration of stay within the Chernobyl zone itself, regardless of the dose factor, had little influence on cerebrovascular disease morbidity: ERR wk = -0.002, with 95% CI = (-0.004; -0.001). The radiation risks in this large-scale cohort study were not adjusted for recognized risk factors such as excessive weight, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, alcohol consumption, and others.

A case-control study of hematological malignancies was conducted among Chernobyl liquidators (accident recovery workers) from Belarus, Russia and Baltic countries in order to assess the effect of low-to-medium dose protracted radiation exposures on the relative risk of these diseases. The study was nested within cohorts of liquidators who had worked in 1986–87 around the Chernobyl plant. 117 cases (69 leukemia, 34 non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and 14 other malignancies of lymphoid and hematopoietic tissue) and 481 matched controls were included in the study. Individual dose to the bone marrow and uncertainties were estimated for each subject. The main analyses were restricted to 70 cases (40 leukemia, 20 NHL and 10 other) and their 287 matched controls with reliable information on work in the Chernobyl area. Most subjects received very low doses (median 13 mGy). For all diagnoses combined, a significantly elevated OR was seen at doses of 200 mGy and above. The Excess Relative Risk (ERR) per 100 mGy was 0.60 (90% confidence interval (CI): −0.02, 2.35). The corresponding estimate for leukemia excluding chronic lymphoid leukemia (CLL) was 0.50 (90%CI −0.38, 5.7). It is slightly higher than, but statistically compatible with, those estimated from a-bomb survivors and recent low dose-rate studies. Although sensitivity analyses showed generally similar results, we cannot rule out the possibility that biases and uncertainties could have led to over or underestimation of the risk in this study.

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