Bioterrorism Studies

在REB开展的大多数剂量测定工作都直接或间接地应用于评估涉及辐射的生物恐怖主义事件的辐射剂量。对剂量的准确评估可以对长期癌症风险做出准确的预测。自2005年以来，REB的许多生物恐怖主义研究都是根据NIAID和NCI之间的机构间协议提供资金的。与生物恐怖主义有关的已完成和正在进行的REB活动的例子如下。关于核武器试验产生的放射性沉降物的研究，已完成的研究包括：1.编制了一个基于网络的计算器，用于估算I-131的个人辐射剂量和甲状腺癌风险；2.编写了一份国会授权的关于所有核武器试验所致照射的可行性研究报告。继续进行的研究是：1.制定评估塞米巴拉金斯克核试验所致辐射剂量的联合方法；2.获取将在联合方法中使用的住宅历史、食物消耗率和农业做法的数据；3.按照国会的授权，评估在马绍尔群岛进行的核试验的剂量和风险；以及4.将已发表的粉尘报告存档，并将与粉尘有关的历史辐射监测数据转换为电子形式。评估辐射事故的后果在评估实际或假想的辐射事故的后果方面，完成了一项研究，目的是为未受照射的人建立稳定的染色体畸变率数据库，以便在核事件发生后，将轻度受照射的人与基线水平的人分开。继续或新的研究包括：1.对受切尔诺贝利事故影响的人的辐射剂量的估计；2.核事件后来自外部辐射的个人剂量的快速评估；以及3.对切尔诺贝利事故后所用对策的组织、实施和效果的评估。开发新方法关于开发新方法，已完成的活动包括：1.利用光刺激发光和电子顺磁共振开发改进的生物剂量学程序或仪器；2.通过生物剂量学测量证实分析剂量学估计；以及3.评估健康人和甲状腺疾病患者的I-131单位摄入量。4.将已发表的粉尘报告存档，并将与粉尘有关的历史辐射监测数据电子化。培训和沟通一些研究或活动也致力于培训和沟通。已完成的活动包括：1.在2004年健康物理学会年会和2006年7月的BioDosEPR研讨会上组织了关于辐射剂量测定的特别会议；以及2.编写了一期《辐射研究》特刊，介绍了如何将剂量测定方法应用于医疗、职业和环境辐射剂量的评估。继续开展的活动包括：1.参与国际机构，如国际原子能机构、国际放射防护委员会和联合国原子辐射影响科学委员会关于剂量评估的方案；2.参与国家辐射防护和测量委员会关于追溯剂量重建的报告的编写；3.为参与缓解核事件的人员组织辐射科学培训。

Most of the dosimetry work that is carried out at REB has direct or indirect applications to the assessment of radiation doses from bioterrorism events involving radiation. Accurate assessment of doses permits accurate projections of long-term cancer risks to be made. Since 2005, many of the bioterrorism studies at REB are funded under an Inter-Agency Agreement between NIAID and NCI. Examples of completed and continuing REB activities relevant of bioterrorism follow. Radioactive Fallout from Nuclear Weapons Test With regard to the studies of radioactive fallout from nuclear weapons test, the completed studies include: 1. The preparation of a web-based calculator for estimating individual radiation dose and thyroid cancer risk from I-131; and 2. The preparation of a report of a Congressionally-mandated feasibility study on exposure from all nuclear weapons tests. The continuing studies are: 1. The development of a joint methodology for assessment of radiation doses from nuclear tests conducted at Semipalatinsk 2. The acquisition of data on residential history, foodstuff consumption rates, and agricultural practices to be used in the joint methodology 3. As mandated by Congress, the assessment of doses and risks from nuclear tests conducted in the Marshall Islands; and 4. Archiving fallout published reports and putting into electronic form historical radiation monitoring data related to fallout. Evaluation of Consequences of Radiation Accidents With respect to the evaluation of the consequences of actual or hypothetical radiation accidents, a study was completed on the development of a database of stable chromosome aberrations for unexposed people, in order to separate, after a nuclear event, the persons who were mildly exposed from those with a baseline level. Continuing or new studies include: 1. The estimation of radiation doses by people affected by the Chernobyl accident 2. The rapid assessment of individual doses from external irradiation following a nuclear event; and 3. The evaluation of the organization, implementation, and efficacy of the countermeasures used after the Chernobyl accident. Development of New Methods Regarding the development of new methods, completed activities include: 1. The development of improved bio dosimetry procedures or instrumentation making use of optically-stimulated luminescence and electron paramagnetic resonance 2. Corroboration of analytical dosimetry estimates via biodosimetry measurements; and 3. The assessment of doses per unit intake of I-131 for healthy people and for people suffering from thyroid diseases. 4. Archiving fallout published reports and putting into electronic form historical radiation monitoring data related to fallout. Training and Communication A number of studies or activities are also devoted to training and communication. Completed activities include: 1. The organization of special sessions on radiation dosimetry at the 2004 annual meeting of the Health Physics Society and at the BioDosEPR Symposium in July 2006; and 2. The preparation of a special issue of Radiation Research describing how dosimetry methods are applied in the assessment of medical, occupational, and environmental radiation doses. Continuing activities include: 1. Participation in programs of international agencies, e.g., the International Atomic Energy Agency, the International Commission on Radiological Protection, and the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation on the assessment of doses 2. Participation in the preparation of reports of the National Commission on Radiation Protection and Measurements on retrospective dose reconstruction; and 3. The organization of training in radiation sciences of personnel involved in the mitigation of nuclear events.