Fundamentals for the assessment of risks from environmental radiation : [proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Fundamentals for the Assessment of Risks from Environmental Radiation, Brno, Czech Republic, 6-10 October 1997

Human health as well as aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems are threatened from increa­ sing levels of environmental radiation of various sources, many of them of anthropoge­ nic causality: large areas of the former Soviet Union suffer from radioactive pollution, in particular after the Chemobyl accident; the increase in the incidence of UVB radiati­ on at the Earth's surface as a result of a progressive depletion of stratospheric ozone is a global problem that requires international concerted actions; in areas of former uranium mining the natural radiation level is substantially increased due to elevated radon levels; a growing portion of the population involved in air traffic is exposed to increased levels of natural radiation; and with the International Space Station an increasing number of astronauts will be exposed to the complex field of cosmic radiation. To estimate the corresponding risks, a better knowledge of the underlying radiobiological mechanisms at the molecular, cellular and system level is required. This book is the result of a multidisciplinary effort to discuss the current state of knowledge of the fundamental processes that result from interactions of environmental radiation -ionizing as well as UV radiation -with living matter and the existing radiati­ on protection concepts, and then to define future research work needed as fundamental information for the assessment of risks from increased levels of environmental radiation to human health and ecosystem balance. It comprises the key lectures and statements presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop. Front Matter....Pages i-xiv Assessment of Risks from Environmental Radiation....Pages 1-6 Assessing Risk at Low Doses....Pages 7-14 Radiation Risks at Low Radiation Doses....Pages 15-24 A Model of Two Reactions as Dose-Stochastic Radiological Effect Relationship and Estimation of Radiation Risks....Pages 25-34 Epidemiological Studies for the Assessment of Risks from Environmental Radiation on Tundra Nentsi Population....Pages 35-42 Epidemiology....Pages 43-51 German Uranium Miners....Pages 53-58 Cytogenetic Risks in Gold-Ore Miners in Slovakia....Pages 59-64 Radon Levels in New and Old Buildings....Pages 65-68 Measuring Equipment for Photobiologically Effective Radiation....Pages 69-74 Individual Extent of Solar UV Exposure in Every Day Life....Pages 75-80 Risk Assesssment....Pages 81-90 Radiation Chemistry of DNA....Pages 91-102 DNA Repair....Pages 103-114 DNA Damage and Mutations Induced by Solar UV Radiation....Pages 115-126 The Application of Comet and Micronucleus Assay for the Assessment of Individual Radiation Risk....Pages 127-134 Environmental Radiation Does Not Enhance the Tolerance of Yeast Cells to Acute Radiation Exposure....Pages 135-140 Biological UV Dosimetry of Environmental Radiation Based on DNA Damage....Pages 141-148 Repair of UV-B-Induced Damage in Human Keratinocytes....Pages 149-154 Repair-Induced DNA Strand Breaks in UV-Irradiated Mammalian Cells....Pages 155-160 A Biosensor for Environmental Genotoxins, Chemical Mutagens and Radiation Factors, Based on the SOS Response Function of Escherichia Coli Cells....Pages 161-166 The Nature of the SOS-Inducing Lesions Caused by UV Light in E. Coli Cells Deficient in Umu C Gene Product....Pages 167-172 DNA Injuries, Damage Induction and Removal....Pages 173-178 Biological Dosimetry of Absorbed Radiation Dose Based on the Frequencies of Chromosomal Aberrations in Human Lymphocytes....Pages 179-186 Chromosome Damages in Cosmonauts’ Blood Lymphocytes as a Measure of Radiation Effect....Pages 187-194 Aberrations Induced in Chromosome 1, 2 and Y of Human Lymphocytes by Three Types of Radiation of Different Let Value as Detected by Fish....Pages 195-202 Chromosomal Aberrations as a Biomarker for Cosmic Radiation....Pages 203-208 Biophysical Models for the Formation of Radiation-Induced Chromosome Aberrations Based Upon the Experimental Observations Made Under PCC and Mitotic Conditions....Pages 209-218 Advanced Precision Light Microscopy for the Analysis of 3D-Nanostructures of Chromatin Breakpoint Regions....Pages 219-230 Chromatin Structure and its Cell Cycle Kinetics in Intact and Irradiated Cell Nuclei....Pages 231-242 Advances in Computer Analysis of Radiation-Induced Changes in the Human Genome....Pages 243-248 Chromosomal Damages and Mutagenesis in Mammalian and Human Cells Induced by Ionizing Radiation with Different LET....Pages 249-258 Radiation-Induced Mutation at Mammalian Minisatellite Loci....Pages 259-264 Chromosome Damage....Pages 265-268 Radiation Induced Mutations....Pages 269-280 Genomic Alterations in Radiogenic Cell Transformation....Pages 281-288 Inducible Responses and Protective Functions of Mammalian Cells Upon Exposure to UV Light and Ionizing Radiation....Pages 289-300 Differences in the Induction of Apoptosis After Treatment with γ-Irradiation and C2-Ceramide....Pages 301-304 Pentoxifylline Inhibits the Irradiation Induced G 2 /M Block and Alters DNA Synthesis in P53 Mutant and Repair Deficient Cells....Pages 305-310 Green Fluorescent Protein (GFP) Expression in Mammalian Cells After UV-Irradiation....Pages 311-316 The Importance of Spontaneous and Radiation Induced Apoptosis for Stem Cells in the Gastrointestinal Tract....Pages 317-326 Distinct Pattern of Induction of Genes Related to Cell Survival and Apoptosis After Low Dose Radiation....Pages 327-337 Cellular Responses....Pages 339-344 UV Carcinogenesis: from Experiment to Risk Assessment....Pages 345-357 Free Radicals and Dermal Damage in Photoaging and Photocarcinogenesis....Pages 359-365 The DLR-Biofilm as Personal UV Dosimeter....Pages 367-370 Human Health Consequences in Southeastern of Belorussia Upto 11 Years After the Chernobyl Accident....Pages 371-378 Radiation Induced Cancer in Animals....Pages 379-388 Metabolic and Hormonal Changes in Irradiated Animals....Pages 389-394 Abscopal Effects on the Selected Immunological Parameters in Rat After Irradiation of the Head....Pages 395-400 The Effect of Single Whole-Body Irradiation on Pineal Functions....Pages 401-405 The Changes of Pineal Function in Fractionally Irradiated Rats....Pages 407-410 Pharmacological Radiation Protection....Pages 411-420 Clinically Available Drugs as Potential Curative Means for Treatment of Radiation-Induced Myelosuppression....Pages 421-426 Effect of Noradrenaline on Radioprotective Effect of Calcium Channel Blockers....Pages 427-432 The Radioprotective Effects of WR-2721 in Mice Exposed to Sublethal or Lethal Fractionated Dosis of Gamma-Radiation....Pages 433-436 Tissue and Organism Responses....Pages 437-438 Skin Cancer Protection Concepts....Pages 439-450 Biological UV Dosimetry as Tool for Assessing the Risks from an Increased Environmental UV-B Radiation....Pages 451-456 Effects of Solar UV Radiation on Aquatic Ecosystems....Pages 457-461 Effects of Ozone Depletion and Increased Ultraviolet-B Radiation on Terrestrial Plants....Pages 463-470 Biological Effects of Low Doses of Radiation....Pages 471-478 Risks from Radon Inhalation....Pages 479-488 Radiation Exposure in Civil Airflight....Pages 489-496 Microdosimetry of Environmental Radiation Fields....Pages 497-502 Space Radiation....Pages 503-512 Space Radiation Assessment of Radiosensitive Body Organs in the International Space Station....Pages 513-518 Radiation Protection Concepts....Pages 519-526 Back Matter....Pages 527-537 Human health, aquatic, and terrestrial ecosystems are all under threat from increasing levels of environmental radiation from a variety of sources, many of them anthropogenic. This book surveys the current state of our knowledge of the fundamental processes that result from the interaction of environmental (both ionizing and UV) with living matter. Current concepts of risk estimation and radiation protection are also considered. The book covers the consequences of radioactive pollution from accidents to nuclear power plant, especially in large areas of the former Soviet Union; the global problem of an increase in the incidence of UVB radiation at the earth's surface due to the depletion of the stratospheric ozone layer; the increase of natural radiation levels in areas of former uranium mining; and the increased levels of natural radiation experienced in air travel and space flight Proceedings of the NATO Advanced Research Workshop, Brno, Czech Republic, 6-10 October 1997