If You Torture Your Data Long Enough, It Will Confess to Anything: On the Epidemiological Basis of the LNT Model.

This note deals with epidemiological data interpretation supporting the linear no-threshold model, as opposed to emerging evidence of adaptive response and hormesis from molecular biology in vitro and animal models. Particularly, the US-Japan Radiation Effects Research Foundation's lifespan study of atomic bomb survivors is scrutinized. We stress the years-long lag of the data processing after data gathering and evolving statistical models and methodologies across publications.

Artificial intelligence in biology and medicine, and radioprotection research: perspectives from Jerusalem.

While AI is widely used in biomedical research and medical practice, its use is constrained to few specific practical areas, e.g., radiomics.

Are Lockdowns Effective in Managing Pandemics?

The present coronavirus crisis caused a major worldwide disruption which has not been experienced for decades. The lockdown-based crisis management was implemented by nearly all the countries, and studies confirming lockdown effectiveness can be found alongside the studies questioning it. In this work, we performed a narrative review of the works studying the above effectiveness, as well as the historic experience of previous pandemics and risk-benefit analysis based on the connection of health and wealth.

Cost-Effectiveness Threshold for Healthcare: Justification and Quantification.

Every public health expenditure, including the one that saves lives or extends life expectancy of particular persons (target population), bears a cost. Although cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) is routinely performed in health policy, ethical justification of CEA is rarely discussed. Also, there is neither consensus value nor even consensus method for determining cost-effectiveness threshold (CET) for life-extending measures.

The Theoretical Value of Whole-Lung Irradiation for COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Reasonable and Safe Solution until Targeted Treatments are Developed.

In this work, we considered the theoretical role of low-dose radiation therapy (approximately 0.5-1.0 Gy) in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome associated with COVID-19 infection.

Low-dose ionizing radiation as a hormetin: experimental observations and therapeutic perspective for age-related disorders.

Hormesis is any kind of biphasic dose-response when low doses of some agents are beneficial while higher doses are detrimental. Radiation hormesis is the most thoroughly investigated among all hormesis-like phenomena, in particular in biogerontology. In this review, we aimed to summarize research evidence supporting hormesis through exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR).

Assessment of probable scenarios of radiological emergency and their consequences.

Purpose: Despite the vast amount of literature on radiological emergencies, to the best of our knowledge there is no systematic review of probable scenarios and their consequences. This work aimed for compiling such review.

Materials And Methods: The authors comprised a Red Team - that is, simulated best efforts to inflict maximal damage to the society by various means of radiological attacks.

Consequences of a large-scale nuclear accident and guidelines for evacuation: a cost-effectiveness analysis.

Purpose: We aimed for a quantitative evaluation that justifies guidelines for evacuation which take into consideration both the human and economic costs. To the best of our knowledge, such an evaluation has not been performed yet. The present guidelines published by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) are probably based on averting radiation risk only; IAEA did not cite any quantitative estimation of the human cost of evacuation.

Vaccinations: Mandatory or Voluntary? Risk-Benefit Analysis.

The discussion regarding mandatory vaccination of children centers mainly around the question of whether producing public good has precedence over the freedom of individuals. In the core of this discussion lies the assumption that mass immunization has been proven as a public good, based on the experts' opinion that there is no proof of significant damage caused by vaccinations. We suggest, however, that this argument is insufficient.

Interests, Bias, and Consensus in Science and Regulation.

Scientists are human. As such, they are prone to bias based on political and economic interests. While conflicts of interest are usually associated with private funding, research funded by public sources is also subject to special interests and therefore prone to bias.

Ethics of Adoption and Use of the Linear No-Threshold Model.

The linear no-threshold (LNT) model of ionizing radiation-induced cancer assumes that every increment of radiation dose, no matter how small, constitutes an increased cancer risk for humans. Linear no-threshold is presently the most widely applied model for radiation risk assessment. As such, it imposes very heavy burden on the society in both economic and human terms.

Evidence of a Dose-Rate Threshold for Life Span Reduction of Dogs Exposed Lifelong to γ-Radiation.

Our return to a study on dogs exposed lifelong to cobalt-60 γ-radiation was prompted by a comment that data in dog studies have large statistical errors due to the small number of dogs. We located an earlier article on the same study that had a better mortality curve for the dogs in each dose-rate group. The median life span of the dogs in each group was tabulated, and the standard error of each was calculated.

Health Impacts of Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation: Current Scientific Debates and Regulatory Issues.

Health impacts of low-dose ionizing radiation are significant in important fields such as X-ray imaging, radiation therapy, nuclear power, and others. However, all existing and potential applications are currently challenged by public concerns and regulatory restrictions. We aimed to assess the validity of the linear no-threshold (LNT) model of radiation damage, which is the basis of current regulation, and to assess the justification for this regulation.

Evidence That Lifelong Low Dose Rates of Ionizing Radiation Increase Lifespan in Long- and Short-Lived Dogs.

After the 1956 radiation scare to stop weapons testing, studies focused on cancer induction by low-level radiation. Concern has shifted to protecting "radiation-sensitive individuals." Since longevity is a measure of health impact, this analysis reexamined data to compare the effect of dose rate on the lifespans of short-lived (5% and 10% mortality) dogs and on the lifespans of dogs at 50% mortality.

Modeling of Irradiated Cell Transformation: Dose- and Time-Dependent Effects.

We report here on various biophysical aspects of irradiated cells, beginning with a phenomenological description of radiation-induced cancer cells. This description includes detrimental factors such as chromosomal aberrations, as well as beneficial factors, such as adaptive response. Also discussed here is the dose- and time-dependent evolution of cancer cells using a purely mathematical approach.

Reconsidering Health Consequences of the Chernobyl Accident.

The Chernobyl accident led to major human suffering caused by the evacuation and other counter-measures. However, the direct health consequences of the accident-related radiation exposures, besides the acute effects and small number of thyroid cancers, have not been observed. This absence is challenged by some influential groups affecting public policies who claim that the true extent of radiogenic health consequences is covered up.

Atomic Bomb Survivors Life-Span Study: Insufficient Statistical Power to Select Radiation Carcinogenesis Model.

The atomic bomb survivors life-span study (LSS) is often claimed to support the linear no-threshold hypothesis (LNTH) of radiation carcinogenesis. This paper shows that this claim is baseless. The LSS data are equally or better described by an s-shaped dependence on radiation exposure with a threshold of about 0.

Changing Attitude Toward Radiation Carcinogenesis and Prospects for Novel Low-Dose Radiation Treatments.

All procedures involving ionizing radiation, whether diagnostic or therapeutic, are subject to strict regulation, and public concerns have been raised about even the low levels of radiation exposures involved in diagnostic imaging. During the last 2 decades, there are signs of more balanced attitude to ionizing radiation hazards, as opposed to the historical "radiophobia." The linear no-threshold hypothesis, based on the assumption that every radiation dose increment constitutes increased cancer risk for humans, is increasingly debated.

Regarding the Credibility of Data Showing an Alleged Association of Cancer with Radiation from CT Scans.

Computed tomography (CT) scans are of high clinical value as a diagnostic technique, and new applications continue to be identified. However, their application is challenged by emerging concerns regarding carcinogenesis from their radiation. Recent articles made a significant contribution to the above-mentioned concerns by reporting evidence for direct association of the radiation from CT scans with cancer.