Stakeholders' perspective on sustainable cement made with naturally occurring radioactive by-products: A cross-country comparison.

The use of industrial by-products as substitutes for raw materials in cement production not only reduces raw material use, thereby contributing to the circular economy, but also offers an avenue for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. This study investigates the perceptions of industry representatives and end-users across Belgium, Czechia and Slovenia regarding alternative cement made with industrial by-products categorised as naturally occurring radioactive materials. Based on 66 interviews, three main concerns were discerned: health, performance, and economic.

Modelling the combined effects of ionising radiation and chemical pollutants on wildlife populations.

A population model is presented to study the combined effects of ionising radiation and chemical pollutants on wildlife. The model is based on first order, non-linear and logistic differential equations combining mortality, morbidity and reproduction phenomena with life history data and ecological interactions. Acclimation is considered as a possible mechanism to study theoretically this effect at low levels of radiation or chemical concentration.

Protocol for fecal microbiota transplantation: A microaerophilic approach for mice housed in a specific pathogen-free facility.

Recently, studies have emerged exploring the potential application of fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in pre-clinical settings. Here, we present a protocol for FMT for mice housed in a specific pathogen-free (SPF) facility. We describe steps for sample collection, microaerophilic processing of freshly collected fecal pellets, and administration through oral gavage.

A Preliminary Study of Spherical Surface-Modified Carbon Materials for Potential Application in La (Ac) and Bi Separation.

Separation of high-activity Bi from Ac for targeted alpha therapy is challenging due to the instability of existing sorbents. Surface-modified carbon materials have shown promise for use in inverse Ac/Bi generators. However, previously reported materials with irregular shapes may limit their applications in column separations.

Modelling soil - Vegetation - Atmospheric interactions of radon products in a Belgian Scots pine forest site.

A soil-vegetation-atmospheric transfer (SVAT) model for radon and its progeny is presented to improve process-level understanding of the role of forests in taking-up radionuclides from soil radon outgassing. A dynamic system of differential equations couples soil, tree (Scots pine) and atmospheric processes, treating the trees as sources, sinks and conduits between the atmosphere and the soil. The model's compartments include a dual-layer soil column undergoing hydrological and solute transport, the tree system (comprising roots, wood, litter, and foliage) and the atmosphere, with physical processes governing the transfers of water and radon products between these compartments.

Regulation of abscisic acid receptor mRNA stability: Involvement of microRNA5628 in PYL6 transcript decay.

Phytohormone signaling is fine-tuned by regulatory feedback loops. The phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) plays key roles in plant development and abiotic stress tolerance. PYRABACTIN RESISTENCE 1/PYR1-LIKE/REGULATORY COMPONENT OF ABA RECEPTOR (PYR/PYL/RCAR) receptors sense ABA, and in turn, ABA represses their expression.

Novel radionuclides: demand, production and distribution for translational research in Europe.

Background: In the field of medical and scientific research, radionuclides are used to investigate various physiological and pathological processes. PRISMAP - the European medical radionuclide programme was created to bring together production facilities including intense neutron sources, an isotope mass separation facility, high-power accelerators, biomedical research institutes, and hospitals to support medical research. The aim of this article is to introduce readers with the current status of innovative radionuclides in Europe.

Improving Americium/Curium Separation Factors in the AmSel Process through Symmetry Lowering of the Diglycolamide Extractant.

Partitioning and transmutation are important strategies for closing the nuclear fuel cycle. The diglycolamide extractant TODGA has played a major role in the development of solvent extraction processes for nuclear fuel reprocessing due to its good extraction performance, its hydrolytic and radiolytic stability, and its compliance with the CHON principle. However, due to drawbacks such as the tendency to form a third phase during extraction if no phase modifiers are used, continued research on diglycolamide-type extractants has led to the development of diglycolamides with decreased symmetry.

Comparison of calibration results for α, β surface contamination monitors.

Surface contamination monitors are used intensively in many facilities, like in the nuclear medicine departments for clearance measurements and decontamination and in decommissioning of nuclear installations. For a reliable use, all surface contamination monitors should have a valid calibration with traceability to the international standards. A comparison exercise for calibrations in terms of efficiency in 2π steradian for surface contamination monitors was organized between five dosimetry calibration laboratories, members of EURAMET (The European Association of National Metrology Institutes).

Comparative study of a microdosimetric biological weighting function for RBEmodeling in particle therapy with a solid state SOI microdosimeter.

the recently developed V79-RBEbiological weighting function (BWF) model is a simple and robust tool for a fast relative biological effectiveness (RBE) assessment for comparing different exposure conditions in particle therapy. In this study, the RBEderived by this model (through the particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS) simulatedspectra) is compared with values of RBEusing experimentally derivedspectra from a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) microdosimeter.experimentally measuredspectra are used to calculate an RBEvalue utilizing the V79-RBEBWF model as well as the modified microdosimetric kinetic model (MKM) to produce an RBE-vs-trend for a wide range of ions.

Iodine transfer to dairy cow's milk: A revised biokinetic model.

A new biokinetic model for iodine in dairy cows was developed utilizing data from a 4 × 4 factorial feeding experiment with rumen-cannulated cows that were fed rapeseed cake containing substances known to influence iodine metabolism, and soybean meal without such effects. I was administered both intravenously and intra-ruminally to document metabolism pathways. The new model included compartments such as saliva and thyroid gland, often ignored in other models, and in contrast to previously available biokinetic models, it fitted well to our experimental data.

Isolation and characterization of a novel methanogen Methanosarcina hadiensis sp. nov. from subsurface Boom Clay pore water.

Safe geological disposal of radioactive waste requires a thorough understanding of geochemical conditions in the host formation. Boom Clay is a potential candidate in Belgium, where active methanogenesis has been detected in its deep subsurface, influencing the local geochemistry. However, the pathways driving this process and the characteristics of the methanogenic archaea involved remain unclear.

Comparing the effectiveness of different DNA extraction methods in MX-80 bentonite.

Approaches to DNA extraction play a crucial role in determining the variability of results obtained through 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Particularly, clay-rich samples can impede the efficiency of various standard cultivation-independent techniques. We conducted an inter-laboratory comparison study to thoroughly assess the efficacy of two published DNA extraction methods (kit-based and phenol-chloroform-based) specifically designed for bentonite samples.

How much do Ga-, Lu- and I-based radiopharmaceuticals contribute to the global radiation exposure of nuclear medicine staff?

Background: The radiation exposure of nuclear medicine personnel, especially concerning extremity doses, has been a significant focus over the past two decades. This study addresses the evolving practice of NM, particularly with the rise of radionuclide therapy and theranostic procedures, which involve a variety of radionuclides such as Ga, Lu, and I. Traditional studies have concentrated on common radioisotopes like Tc, F, and Y, but there is limited data on these radionuclides, which are more and more frequently used.

Numerical modelling for the distribution of Cs and I in the scheldt basin after a potential nuclear accident.

Using the discontinuous Galerkin method in the SLIM modelling framework, we study the transport in the Scheldt basin and adjacent coastal area of radionuclides possibly emitted by Doel nuclear power plant in the aftermath of an accident. The contamination pathways taken into consideration are direct liquid releases into the water and deposition via the atmosphere. In past nuclear accidents, several radionuclides were released, among which, I and Cs were considered herein.

The Formation of Stable Lung Tumor Spheroids during Random Positioning Involves Increased Estrogen Sensitivity.

The formation of tumor spheroids on the random positioning machine (RPM) is a complex and important process, as it enables the study of metastasis ex vivo. However, this process is not yet understood in detail. In this study, we compared the RPM-induced spheroid formation of two cell types of lung carcinoma (NCI-H1703 squamous cell carcinoma cells and Calu-3 adenocarcinoma cells).

Development and implementation of a simulated microgravity setup for edible cyanobacteria.

Regenerative life support systems for space crews recycle waste into water, food, and oxygen using different organisms. The European Space Agency's MELiSSA program uses the cyanobacterium Limnospira indica PCC8005 for air revitalization and food production. Before space use, components' compatibility with reduced gravity was tested.

Targeted radiopharmaceuticals: an underexplored strategy for ovarian cancer.

Ovarian cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy worldwide with the highest mortality. This low survival rate can be attributed to the fact that symptoms arise only at an advanced disease stage, characterized by a (micro)metastatic spread across the peritoneal cavity. Radiopharmaceuticals, composed of a targeting moiety coupled with either a diagnostic or therapeutic radionuclide, constitute a relatively underexplored theranostic approach that may improve the current standard of care.

Recent advances in immobilization of radioactive cesium and strontium-bearing wastes in alkali activated materials - A review.

This review discusses recent advances in the use of alkali-activated materials (AAMs) to host high heat and radiation-emitting cesium (Cs) and strontium (Sr) wastes. It examines the evolution of geopolymerization, mechanical properties, mineralogy, microstructure, and leaching behavior of Cs-and/or Sr-bearing AAMs, considering their chemical interaction with Cs and Sr nuclides and exposure to temperature and gamma radiation induced by Cs and Sr. The literature indicates that Cs and Sr slightly degrade the mechanical properties of AAMs, with Sr having a more pronounced effect.

Bayesian inference of coupled groundwater flow and radiogenic helium-4 production and transport at the catchment scale.

Hydrogeological numerical models are essential for assessing radioactive waste disposal by understanding groundwater flow systems. These models typically rely on hydraulic head data, with other state variables often underutilized in model inversions. In Flanders' Neogene aquifer, where safety studies for Boom Clay are ongoing, existing models face uncertainties due to dependence on hydraulic heads alone.

Evaluation of deep space exploration risks and mitigations against radiation and microgravity.

Ionizing radiation and microgravity are two considerable health risks encountered during deep space exploration. Both have deleterious effects on the human body. On one hand, weightlessness is known to induce a weakening of the immune system, delayed wound healing and musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, and sensorimotor deconditioning.