Today's radiation safety norms are based on the linear no-threshold theory (LNT): extrapolation of the dose-response relationships down to the minimal doses, where such relationships are unproven and can be inverse due to hormesis. The most promising way to obtaining reliable data on the dose-effect relationships for low radiation doses would be large-scale animal experiments. Outstanding publi...

In spite of long traditions, treatments utilizing radon-rich air or water have not been unequivocally embraced by modern medicine. The objective of this work is to examine factors that contribute to this continuing controversy. While the exact mechanism of radon's effect on human body is not completely understood, recent advances in radiobiology offer new insights into biochemical processes occ...

The majority of the public in industrial countries believes that pollution and low doses of radiation are threats to good health. As a matter of fact, when these putative risks are compared to those originating from lifestyle, they appear very small. In particular, the risks associated with low doses of irradiation, even when they are assessed with the most pessimistic models, appear extremely ...

Executive Summary The assessment of carcinogenic risks associated with doses of ionizing radiation from 0.2 Sv to 5 Sv is based on numerous epidemiological data. However, the doses which are delivered during medical X-ray examinations are much lower (from 0.1 mSv to 20 mSv). Doses close to or slightly higher than, these can be received by workers or by populations in regions of high natural bac...

A multistage cancer model that describes the putative rate-limiting steps in carcinogenesis is developed and used to investigate the potential impact on cumulative lung cancer incidence of the hormesis mechanisms suggested by Feinendegen and Pollycove. In the model, radiation and endogenous processes damage the DNA of target cells in the lung. Some fraction of the misrepaired or unrepaired DNA ...

The linear nonthreshold (LNT) model plays a central role in low-dose radiation risk assessment for humans. With the LNT model, any radiation exposure is assumed to increase one's risk of cancer. Based on the LNT model, others have predicted tens of thousands of deaths related to environmental exposure to radioactive material from nuclear accidents (e.g., Chernobyl) and fallout from nuclear weap...

Purpose: To assess the radiation risk of cataracts among Chernobyl clean-up workers (liquidators), considering impact concomitant diseases on this and to determine dose threshold for development cataracts. Material methods: Radiation risks cataract incidence were studied in cohort liquidators consequences accident at nuclear power plant, observed system National Epidemiological Register (NRER) ...

The current system of radiation protection for humans is based on the linear-no-threshold (LNT) risk-assessment paradigm. Perceived harm to irradiated nuclear workers and the public is mainly reflected through calculated hypothetical increased cancers. The LNT-based system of protection employs easy-to-implement measures of radiation exposure. Such measures include the equivalent dose (a biolog...