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Our Radiation Environment
Published in T. D. Luckey, Radiation Hormesis, 2020
Terrestrial radiation is usually measured as gamma rays from earth, dust, air, and nearby structures and sources; cosmic rays are often included. Most radiometers exclude alpha and beta rays from terrestrial sources. Earth radiation is usually determined 1 m from the ground as absorbed air dose. Values from a broad source are qualitatively different from those involving a point source used experimentally. The doses and dose rates measured do not indicate the differences in the biologic response between a point and a surface source. The surface source should be less harmful because the tissues closest to the source are spread relatively evenly and the radiation enters the body from all angles.
Background, Medical, and Commercial Sources
Published in Kedar N. Prasad, Handbook of RADIOBIOLOGY, 2020
There are three major sources of background radiation: (1) terrestrial radiation due to the presence of naturally occurring radionuclides in the soil and earth, (2) cosmic radiation arising from outer space, and (3) naturally occurring radionuclides deposited in the body.
Somatic Attributions in Functional Illness
Published in Peter Manu, The Psychopathology of Functional Somatic Syndromes, 2020
Of the 192 patients entered in the study, 70 percent attributed their illness to a combination of physical and psychosocial causes, 25 percent believed that their condition had a physical cause, and 5 percent attributed it only to a psychosocial cause. Patients with fibromyalgia were more likely than chronic fatigue syndrome patients to indicate physical causes (changes of muscles or joints, high humidity, inflammation, and accidents), but less likely to attribute their condition to personal psychological problems. Air pollution and influence of weather were endorsed by a significant proportion of patients with fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome, but not by those with idiopathic symptoms. Patients with premorbid depression strongly endorsed psychosocial attributions such as personal psychological problems, lack of confidence, being upset, being unsatisfied or bored, stress, and traumatic experiences. Having been ill for longer than one year was clearly associated with unchangeable attributions, such as environmental pollution, terrestrial radiation, and problems in childhood. The findings suggested a prominent role of psychosocial attributions in patients with fatigue and pain. On the other hand, patients with a longer duration of these illnesses were considered to “show external, stable and global attributions that may compromise feelings of self-efficacy in dealing with illness” (Neerinchx et al., 2000, p. 1051).
Low-dose ionizing radiation and cancer mortality among enlisted men stationed on nuclear-powered submarines in the United States Navy
Published in International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2022
George Friedman-Jimenez, Ikuko Kato, Pam Factor-Litvak, Roy Shore
The submariners’ occupational IR dose was lower than what background IR would have been if the study members had spent their undersea mission time on land. Annual per capita background radiation has been estimated at 2.4 mSv per year globally (UNSCEAR 2008b) and about 3 mSv per year in the US (NCRP 2009) including radon, cosmic, external terrestrial, ingestion of consumer products and other sources, excluding medical. The mean 5.7 mSv occupational IR dose over the mean 3.3 years aboard nuclear-powered submarines is ∼1.7 mSv per year. Water effectively shields both cosmic and terrestrial radiation, and the Navy has estimated onboard background IR at 0.42 mSv per year of time aboard a submerged ballistic missile nuclear-powered submarine (Horn WG and Mendenhall KG, personal communication, Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory and Naval Dosimetry Center, U.S. Navy, 2002). This onboard background was included in the occupational IR dose measured by the dosimeters.
ATM and TP53 polymorphisms modified susceptibility to radiation-induced lens opacity in natural high background radiation area, China
Published in International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2022
Yu Gao, Yin-Ping Su, Xiao-Liang Li, Shu-Jie Lei, Hui-Feng Chen, Shi-Yue Cui, Su-Fen Zhang, Jian-Ming Zou, Qing-Jie Liu, Quan-Fu Sun
This study has several strengths. Few studies have been performed about the effect of genetic susceptibility combined with radiation exposure on cortical and PSC opacity. Another important advantage is that Yangjiang is a radiation-prone region, thereby obtaining the average annual dose of 2.10 mSv·y−1 from external terrestrial radiation exposure, which is compatible with that of occupational radiation workers, and about three times more than normal areas. Additionally, residents in the Yangjiang area have been exposed to radiation since birth, and they tend to live in the same village for a long time. These facts could help us to estimate the life-time cumulative radiation dose, and the risk of lens opacity can be attributed to environmental radiation exposure. The observed results might influence radiation protection from the individual base. Individuals could be interested in determining whether they had a higher opacity risk because of environmental radiation exposure and genetic susceptibility.
The psychological consequences of (perceived) ionizing radiation exposure: a review on its role in radiation-induced cognitive dysfunction
Published in International Journal of Radiation Biology, 2020
George Collett, Kai Craenen, William Young, Mary Gilhooly, Rhona M. Anderson
In summary, psychological stress has been associated with pro-inflammatory and endocrine effects which are thought to be associated with reduced cognitive function. This association may be further promoted by behaviors thought to be related to psychological stress such cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol consumption and poor sleep quality. Based on the evidence provided, it is therefore apparent that pro-inflammatory mechanisms in the CNS and the vascular system may co-exist as a result of both direct IR exposure and psychological stress relating to perceived IR exposure. In addition, the possible effect on neurogenesis may also be impacted both by direct IR exposure, and from elevated cortisol caused by chronic psychological stress, further complicating the issue. Continuing along the line of the mixed exposure phenomena, it is worth examining whether psychological stress compounds the possible effect of direct IR exposure on cognitive functioning. Experimental research on this scenario is required. Interestingly, based on the evidence above, psychological stress may pose a greater threat to cognitive functioning specifically in the context of low- and moderate-dose terrestrial radiation exposures.