Comprehensive analysis of naturally occurring radionuclides in well water: Isotopic ratios, mitigation, and dose assessment.

In Sweden, around 20 % of the potable water comes from groundwater sources and about one million people drink water from their private wells. In areas with moderate or high abundance of naturally occurring radionuclides in the bedrock, the groundwater could be enhanced with radio and chemically toxic elements such as uranium, radium, lead and polonium. Therefore, this study aims to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the behaviour and radiological impact of naturally occurring radionuclides in well water.

Usefulness and limitations of various detector systems for estimation ofI thyroid activity following an RN event.

Following a radiological or nuclear (RN) event, rapid measurement ofI in members of the public is of utmost importance, and much equipment is needed for a high throughput. In this study, three gamma cameras (GCs), two thyroid uptake meters (TUMs) and one whole-body counter (WBC) were calibrated for activity measurements ofI in the thyroid. Minimum detectable activity was derived for the GCs, the TUMs and the WBC giving that a committed effective dose (CED) in the interval 2.

Dose-response analysis of protracted absorbed organ dose and site-specific cancer incidence in Sweden after the Chernobyl nuclear power plant accident.

Background: Adult males in Sweden exhibit an increased risk of cancer associated with an increased absorbed dose to the colon from the Chernobyl accident.

Methods: A closed cohort, with information on hunter status, included all individuals living in northern Sweden in 1986. Complete annual information on exposure to Cs at the dwelling coordinate was available for a total of 2,104,101 individuals.

An Estimation of the Monetary Value of the Person-Sievert Useful for Occupational Radiological Protection within the Healthcare System of Sweden.

The As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA) principle includes taking into account economic and societal factors. To consider these factors, decision-aiding techniques such as cost-benefit analysis were introduced by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) 50 y ago. Over the years, developments in health economics have led to new ways of deriving the concept of a value of a statistical life (VSL), which now is influencing the monetary value assigned to a unit of collective dose for radiological protection purposes (the α value) used in cost-benefit analyses.

Calibration of medical gamma cameras for estimation of internal contamination fromCs.

Calibration of 22 gamma camera units was performed at 15 hospitals in southern and western Sweden to estimateCs contamination in humans in a supine static geometry, with a new developed calibration protocol and phantom. The minimum detectable activities (MDAs) and the estimated committed effective doses (CEDs) were calculated for each calibration. Generic calibration factors were calculated for five predetermined groups based on the detector type and manufacturer.

LARCalc, a tool to estimate sex- and age-specific lifetime attributable risk in populations after nuclear power plant fallout.

A tool called LARCalc, for calculating the radiological consequences of accidental large scale nuclear power plant releases based on estimates of Cs ground deposition, is presented. LARCalc is based on a previously developed models that has been further developed and packaged into an easy-to-use decision support tool for training of decision makers. The software visualises the radiological impact of accidental nuclear power plant releases and the effects of various protective measures.

Heterogeneity of pathological prion protein accumulation in the brain of moose (Alces alces) from Norway, Sweden and Finland with chronic wasting disease.

Prion diseases are a group of neurodegenerative, transmissible, and fatal disorders that affect several animal species. They are characterized by the conformational conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrP) into the pathological prion protein (PrP). In 2016, chronic wasting disease (CWD) gained great importance at European level due to the first disease detection in a wild reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) in Norway.

Lead aprons and thyroid collars: to be, or not to be?

Wearing lead aprons and thyroid collars for long periods of time has a subjective component: to balance the effective dose reduction with the effort of carrying a heavy load. Occupational radiation exposure has decreased dramatically in the last century within the health care system. During the same period the use of lead aprons and thyroid collars has also gone up.

Restoring areas after a radioactive fallout: A multidisciplinary study on decontamination.

Land remediation is an important part of restoration measures after a radioactive fallout containing long-lived fission products such as Cs. In this multidisciplinary study, we focused on three main issues related to remediation of contaminated urban areas. First, we assessed how much decontamination contributes to reducing resident radiation exposure and how much this reduction depends on the timing of implemented measures.

Does surgeon sex and anthropometry matter for tool usability in traditional laparoscopic surgery? A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Hand size, strength, and stature all impact a surgeon's ability to perform Traditional Laparoscopic Surgery (TLS) comfortably and effectively. This is due to limitations in instrument and operating room design. This article aims to review performance, pain, and tool usability data based on biological sex and anthropometry.

Analysis of radioactivity in commercially available products aiming to improve health and wellness.

There are products available on the online market that are claim to contain unique 'energies' that can improve health and wellness by eliminating toxins and pains and energising food and drinking water. We investigated these products by alpha and gamma spectrometry, and the analysis showed that they contained a few to hundreds of kilobecquerels per kilogram of naturally occurring radionuclides from the 232Th and 238U series. The committed effective dose for an adult drinking water that had been in contact with these products just once was estimated to 12 nSv.

Medical gamma cameras in radiological emergency preparedness: determination of calibration factors and MDA for the GE Discovery NM/CT 670 Pro.

A survey was performed of the available gamma camera models and whole-body counters (WBCs) in Sweden, revealing that there are about 75 gamma cameras and 15 WBCs currently in operation in Sweden. One of the most common gamma camera models (GE Discovery NM/CT 670 Pro), with the collimators removed, was calibrated forEu,Cs,Co andK in three different measurement geometries (supine, close-up sitting and distant sitting) for six different phantom sizes (12-110 kg). Minimum detectable activities (MDAs) were calculated for the gamma camera and a typical WBC, both at the Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, Sweden.

Current Applications of Robot-Assisted Ultrasound Examination.

Despite advances in miniaturization and automation, the need for expert acquisition of a full echocardiogram, including Doppler, has restricted access in remote areas. Recent developments in robotics, teleoperation, and upgraded telecommunications infrastructure may provide a solution to this deficiency. Robot-assisted teleoperated ultrasound examination can aid medical diagnosis in remote locations and may improve health inequalities between rural and urban settings.

Time-dependence of decontamination efficiency after a fallout of gamma-emitting radionuclides in suburban areas: a theoretical outlook on topsoil removal.

Decontamination of urban areas may be necessary in the case of extensive fallout of radioactive material after a nuclear accident, as removal of contaminated soil and vegetation will significantly reduce doses for the residents in an area affected by fallout. Experience from Japan shows that cleanup operations of urban areas may take years despite investment in ample resources. The time delay between the initial fallout and completion of the decontamination measures allows natural and physical processes to affect the results.

Average uranium bedrock concentration in Swedish municipalities predicts male lung cancer incidence rate when adjusted for smoking prevalence: Indication of a cumulative radon induced detriment.

Bedrock U has been used as a proxy for local indoor radon exposure. A preliminary assessment of cancer incidence rate in a cohort of 809,939 adult males living in 9 different Swedish counties in 1986 has been used to correlate the cumulative lung cancer and total cancer (excluding lung) incidence rates between 1986 and 2020, respectively with the municipality average value of bedrock U concentration obtained from Swedish geological Survey (SGU). To control for regional difference in tobacco smoking, data on county average smoking prevalence, obtained from a survey conducted by the Public Health Agency of Sweden from 2001 to 2004, was used.

Cancer incidence in a male adult population in relation to estimated protracted colon dose - A nested case control study in Northern Sweden after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident.

Introduction: Uncertainty in the dose-response of low dose radiation raised concern of an increased cancer incidence in Sweden after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident.

Material And Methods: A closed cohort was created of all males ≥18 years of age living in the Northern Sweden in 1986. In total 826,400 individuals were enrolled including 40,874 hunters.

Validation of 3-Space Wireless Inertial Measurement Units Using an Industrial Robot.

Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) are beneficial for motion tracking as, in contrast to most optical motion capture systems, IMU systems do not require a dedicated lab. However, IMUs are affected by electromagnetic noise and may exhibit drift over time; it is therefore common practice to compare their performance to another system of high accuracy before use. The 3-Space IMUs have only been validated in two previous studies with limited testing protocols.

Absorbed dose rate coefficients forCs andCs with steady-state distribution in the human body:-coefficients revisited.

In the event of an accidental release of radioactive elements from a nuclear power plant, it has been shown that the radionuclides contributing the most to long-term exposure areCs andCs. In the case of nuclear power plant fallout, with subsequent intake of radionuclides through the food chain, the internal absorbed dose to target tissues from protracted intake of radionuclides needs to be estimated. Internal contamination from food consumption is not caused by a single intake event; hence, the committed equivalent dose, calculated by a dose coefficient or dose per content function, cannot be easily used to calculate the cumulative absorbed dose to relevant target tissues in the body.

A case study of cost-benefit analysis in occupational radiological protection within the healthcare system of Sweden.

The aim of the present study was to demonstrate cases of cost-benefit analysis within healthcare, of how economic factors can be considered in occupational radiological protection, in agreement with the as low as reasonably achievable principle and present Swedish legislations. In the first part of the present study, a comparison of examples within health economics used by authorities and institutes in Sweden was made. The comparison focused on value of a statistical life, quality-adjusted life year, and monetary cost assigned to a unit of collective dose for radiation protection purposes (α-value).

Increased cancer risk in male hunters compared to the general male population in Northern Sweden after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant accident?

Unlabelled: Male hunters in Swedish counties with high fallout of Cs after the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) accident have higher radiation exposure due to higher consumption of game compared with the general population.

Methods: Cancer incidence in Sweden was studied in 9 counties with different Cs fallout after the Chernobyl NPP accident in 1986. In total, 9,267 cancer cases occurred in hunters and 138,909 cancer cases in non-hunters to 31 December 2015.

Evaluation of the prevalence of Echinococcus multilocularis in dogs that visit off-leash dog parks in southern Ontario, Canada.

Prior to 2012, Echinococcus multilocularis was not known to occur in any host in Ontario, Canada. However, since that year, five cases of alveolar echinococcosis have been diagnosed in dogs that resided at the western end of Lake Ontario. In addition, E.

Self-reported prevalence of injury and discomfort experienced by surgeons performing traditional and robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery: a meta-analysis demonstrating the value of RALS for surgeons.

Background: The negative impact of traditional laparoscopic surgery (TLS) on surgeons has been well-established. Prevalence rates of discomfort and injury between 73% and 90% are regularly cited to support this, with robot-assisted laparoscopic surgery (RALS) often being presented as the solution. The purpose of this study was to systematically review pain studies of TLS and RALS surgeons, to consider the difference in the reported strain in general and concerning specific sites of the body.

Factors associated with Echinococcus multilocularis infection in coyotes in southern Ontario.

Echinococcus multilocularis was recently reported in wild canids across southern Ontario, a newly recognized endemic area in Canada. In such areas, a comprehensive understanding of factors associated with infection in definitive hosts (wild canids) is critical for mitigating risk of transmission to humans. However, little is known about the transmission dynamics of the parasite in definitive hosts for this region.