Health Phys
December 2018
The detonation of a nuclear weapon and the occurrence of a nuclear accident represent possible mass-casualty events with significant exposure to mixed neutron and gamma radiation fields in the first few minutes after the event with the ensuing fallout, extending for miles from the epicenter, that would result primarily in photon (gamma- and/or x-ray) exposure. Circulating biomarkers represent a crucial source of information in a mass-casualty radiation exposure triage scenario. We evaluated multiple blood biodosimetry and organ-specific biomarkers for early-response assessment of radiation exposure using a mouse (B6D2F1, males and females) total-body irradiation model exposed to Co gamma rays over a broad dose range (3-12 Gy) and dose rates of either 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe risk of potential radiation exposure scenarios that include detonation of nuclear weapons, terrorist attacks on nuclear reactors, and the use of conventional explosives to disperse radioactive substances has increased in recent years. The majority of radiation biodosimetry and countermeasure studies have been performed using photon radiation even though many exposure scenarios predict mixed-field (neutron and photon) radiation. Hence, there is a need to evaluate biomarkers and accurately determine exposure levels of mixed-field combinations of neutrons and photons for an individual.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe have reported that circulating IL-18 can be used as a radiation biomarker in mice, minipigs and nonhuman primates (NHPs, Macaca mulatta). Here, we report the levels of IL-18 in individual NHP's urine before and at 6 h-7 days after 5.0, 6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAn assessment of multiple biomarkers from radiation casualties undergoing limited- or full-supportive care including treatment with filgrastim is critical to develop rapid and effective diagnostic triage strategies. The efficacy of filgrastim with full-supportive care was compared with results with limited-supportive care by analyzing survival, necropsy, histopathology and serial blood samples for hematological, serum chemistry and protein profiles in a non-human primate (Macaca mulatta, male and female) model during 60-d post-monitoring period following sham- and total-body irradiation with 6.5 Gy Co gamma-rays at 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRadiation accidents or terrorist attacks can result in serious consequences for the civilian population and for military personnel responding to such emergencies. The early medical management situation requires quantitative indications for early initiation of cytokine therapy in individuals exposed to life-threatening radiation doses and effective triage tools for first responders in mass-casualty radiological incidents. Previously established animal (Mus musculus, Macaca mulatta) total-body irradiation (γ-exposure) models have evaluated a panel of radiation-responsive proteins that, together with peripheral blood cell counts, create a multiparametic dose-predictive algorithm with a threshold for detection of ~1 Gy from 1 to 7 d after exposure as well as demonstrate the acute radiation syndrome severity score systems created similar to the Medical Treatment Protocols for Radiation Accident Victims developed by Fliedner and colleagues.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNuclear accidents or terrorist attacks could expose large numbers of people to ionizing radiation. Early biomarkers of radiation injury will be critical for triage, treatment, and follow-up of such individuals. The authors evaluated the utility of multiple blood biomarkers for early-response assessment of radiation exposure using a murine (CD2F1, males) total-body irradiation (TBI) model exposed to ⁶⁰Co γ rays (0.
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