Journal of Radiation Research
Online ISSN : 1349-9157
Print ISSN : 0449-3060
Volume 16, Issue SUPPLEMENT
Displaying 1-17 of 17 articles from this issue
  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors I. DOSIMETRY
    J. A AUXIER
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 1-11
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The radiation exposures for the survivors of the nuclear bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been determined in the course of studies conducted since the mid-1950's at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. An extensive series of experiments in Japan, at weapons tests, and in the laboratory were supported by a comprehensive calculational effort to produce the “air dose” distributions and the shielding factors. The absorbed doses to tissues of the body have been calculated for the ease of homogeneous tissue cylinders, and studies of dose distribution in heterogeneous, anthropomorphic configurations are under way. Because the device detonated over Hiroshima was never test fired before or after the bombing, the greatest difficulties were associated with the normalization of the radiation yield of this device. However, after several years of study, the “air dose” curves were obtained to an accuracy of ± 15% for Hiroshima and ± 10% for Nagasaki. Subsequently, the shielding factors for typical dwellings in both cities were determined to a comparable accuracy. Continuing work is focused on obtaining shielding factors for the heavily shielded survivors, the doses to survivors who are now located in the United States, and more comprehensive depth dose distributions.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors I. DOSIMETRY
    T. HASHIZUME, T. MARUYAMA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 12-23
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In-air tissue absorbed doses** from the primary and scattered radiations of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs, without shielding, were estimated as function of distance from the hypocenters. Gamma-ray dose was determined from the thermoluminescence in bricks and tiles; neutron dose, from 60Co activity induced in concrete-imbedded iron of buildings. The ratio of the absorbed dose in critical organs to the in-air tissue absorbed dose was determined by phantom measurements using simulated radiation sources for the atomic bombs. The absorbed doses in the thyroid gland, the gonads, and the fetus in utero were thus estimated as a function of distance from the hypocenters.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors I. DOSIMETRY
    K TAKESHITA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 24-31
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    External dose rates and cumulative doses for early entrants from areal surveys and simulated experiments are reviewed. The average cumulative doses to infinity at the hypocenters were 101 rad in Hiroshima and 32 rad in Nagasaki, with a variation of about 60 percent.
    Radioactive fallout areas nearly matched the “black rain” areas in Nagasaki and in Hiroshima. Radioactivity in the fallout areas was affected by radioactive decay and by the leaching and dissipation by rains. Considering these factors, the cumulative dose to infinity in the fallout area of Hiroshima was estimated to be 13 rad, excluding internal radiation doses from inhaled and ingested radionuclides. Attempts to estimate radiation dose from internally deposited radionuclides are also described.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors I. DOSIMETRY
    T. HASHIZUME, T. MARUYAMA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 32-34
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Soil and various building materials from Hiroshima and Nagasaki were irradiated with neutrons and their induced radioactivities were determined. Based on these measurments, the dose rates and cumulative doses from the induced gamma-emitters in Hiroshima and Nagasaki were estimated. The cumulative dose to infinity at the hypocenter was 80 rads in Hiroshima and 30 rads in Nagasaki.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors I. DOSIMETRY
    S. OKAJIMA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 35-41
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Fallout from the Nagasaki atomic bomb was mainly concentrated in the Nishiyama district of Nagasaki. Studies conducted in 1945 and 1946 indicated the average dose due to the external irradiation from fallout in Nishiyama to be as high as 30 to 130 R. A significant leucocytosis occurred among Nishiyama residents two months following the explosion. In the present 1969-1972 investigation, Nishiyama residents and appropriate comparison residents elsewhere in Nagasaki underwent comprehensive clinical evaluations including thyroid function and chromosome studies, radiochemical urinalysis and whole body counting. No clinical abnormalities were found among the Nishiyama residents, but whole body counting demonstrated significantly elevated 137Cs concentrations with parallel results by radiochemical urinalysis. Increased 137Cs contents of soil and agricultural products of the Nishiyama area were apparently responsible for the relatively high body burdens. The annual internal doses from 137Cs in the Nishiyama district were estimated to be 0.292 mrad per year for males and 0.187 mrad for females.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors I. DOSIMETRY
    W. J. RUSSELL
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 42-48
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Diagnostic and therapeutic radiology were studied as possible contaminants in the evaluations of A-bomb survivors in the ABCC-JNIH Adult Health Study for radiation effects. Hiroshima and Nagasaki subjects received X-ray examinations elsewhere within three months of their ABCC visits at rates of 23 and 12%, respectively. Medical X-ray examinations were more frequent among survivors than comparison subjects. Hiroshima and Nagasaki radiologic practice steadily increased since 1948, and differed markedly by city. From 1946-70 the Hiroshima and Nagasaki X-ray bone marrow doses were 2, 300 and 1, 000 g-rads, respectively. By 1970, cumulated medical X-ray doses approximated A-bomb doses at distances from the hypocenters of 2, 000 m in Hiroshima and 2, 800 m in Nagasaki. ABCC X-ray examination doses per subject are routinely updated for comparison with A-bomb doses. Each subject's reported fluoroscopy, photofluorography and radiation therapy exposure elsewhere are for future reference. Dental radiography, though increasing, was not currently an important contributor to survivors' overall exposure. Radiation therapy exposures of 137 subjects were confirmed, and doses estimated for most. Two-thirds the treatments were for malignancies; therapy differed markedly by city; and five cancers possibly arose from earlier radiation therapy.
    This underscores the importance of considering diagnostic and therapeutic radiology when attributing diseases to the atomic bombs.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    T. OHKITA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 49-66
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    An outline of the acute effects of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bombs are summarized, based on documentary records. Acute injuries caused by the atomic bombs have been classified as thermal, mechanical, and radiation injuries. Combinations of these were most common. Many died from the immediate effects of blast and burns, but individuals often succumbed to trauma or burns before the radiation syndrome developed. Many more would have died from irradiation, had they been saved from the effects of trauma or burns. Nearly all who died within 10 weeks had signs suggestive of radiation injuries. Remarkable variation in sensitivity of body tissues to ionizing radiation was apparent. Radiation-induced bone marrow depletion was the most critical damage leading to death. In these instances, leukopenia and thrombocytopenia, and subsequent infections and hemorrhagic tendencies were the main causes of death. The clinical symptoms and signs of radiation injuries; the RBE of the atomic bomb neutrons for acute effects; and the effects of irradiation on spermatogenesis are also discussed.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    H. KATO
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 67-74
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    In 1948-1953 a large scale field survey was conducted to investigate the possible genetic effects of A-bomb radiation on over 70, 000 pregnancy terminations in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The indices of possible genetic effect including sex ratio, birth weight, frequency of malformation, stillbirth, neonatal death, deaths within 9 months and anthropometric measurements at 9 months of age for these children were investigated in relation to their parent's exposure status to the A-bomb. There were no detectable genetic effects in this sample, except for a slight change in sex ratio which was in the direction to be expected if exposure had induced sex-linked lethal mutations. However, continued study of the sex ratio, based upon birth certificates in Hiroshima and Nagasaki for 1954-1962, did not confirm the earlier trend.
    Mortality in these children of A-bomb survivors is being followed using a cohort of 54, 000 subjects. No clearly significant effect of parental exposure on survival of the children has been demonstrated up to 1972 (age 17 on the average). On the basis of the regression data, the minimal genetic doubling dose of this type of radiation for mutations resulting in death is estimated at 46 rem for the father and 125 rem for the mother.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    A. A. AWA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 75-81
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Chromosomes of the children of A-bomb survivors and appropriate control groups in Hiroshima and Nagasaki have been investigated to see if there are any genetic effects of A-bomb irradiation on the germ cell chromosomes of their parents. Data thus obtained have been compared with those derived from surveys on consecutive live-born infants undertaken by investigators in western countries, as well as those from induced abortuses in Japan, in terms of the frequency of individuals with both sex chromosome aneuploidy and autosomal balanced structural rearrangements.
    A preliminary statistical analysis shows no significant difference in frequency of chromosome anomalies in children born to the exposed compared with children of non-exposed parents, or with neonates or abortuses. The need for continuing this survey is clearly indicated.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nacasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    William J. Blot
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 82-88
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Studies of growth and development of Hiroshima and Nagasaki children have shown significant long-range effects associated with exposure to the atomic bombs. Radiation to the fetus during early pregnancy, even at relatively low doses, may result in reduced growth, smaller head size, and mental retardation. Harmful effects of radiation later in pregnancy and in early childhood have not been as clearly demonstrated, however reduction in growth is also found among Hiroshima children.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    M. ICHIMARU, T. ISHIMARU
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 89-96
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The studies of radiation leukemogenesis in atomic bomb survivors is reviewed. Leukemia appeared early and was one of the most striking evident somatic effects of radiation in atomic bomb survivors. Leukemogenic effects of radiation vary by quality and quantity of radiation dose, age at the time of exposure, elapsed time after exposure and type of leukemia. Although the risk of leukemia in atomic bomb survivors is now greatly reduced with elapsed time after exposure, there is no evidence that the risk of leukemia has returned to control levels in those survivors who received a significant radiation dose even almost 30 years after the bombings. No significant clinical and pathologic manifestation of leukemia related to radiation dose was reported except the absence of chronic lymphocytic leukemia in those survivors who received a significant dose. A briefer review is also made of various studies concerning atomic bomb exposure and the incidence of related disorders such as malignant lymphoma, aplastic anemia and other hematologic disorders.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    W. Beebe Gilbert, Hiroo Kato
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 97-107
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Because latent periods are sometimes long, and many cancers appear only late in life, the catalogue of cancers induced by the whole body exposure of the A-bomb survivors to ionizing radiation is still growing. Tumors for which present evidence is compelling include, in addition to leukemia, cancers of thyroid, female breast, and lung. Others for which an associatation may soon be established are cancers of the salivary gland and stomach cancer. Cancers which are unlikely to appear among atomic bomb survivors in excess of natural incidence include skin cancer and bone cancer, as these appear to require for their initiation doses that are incompatible with life if administered on a whole body basis. Although chronic lymphocytic leukemia continues to provide an important exception, and for many sites of cancer there is not yet evidence that radiation has increased incidence above normal levels, the data on A-bomb survivors are otherwise consistent with the hypothesis that the carcinogenic effect of ionizing radiation is general, involving all tissues.
    Studies of cancer among A-bomb survivors are notably limited with respect to the influence of variables other than dose, age, sex, and time. It seems highly desirable that other risk factors be studied in conjunction with radiation dose and demographic variables in an effort to detect interactions that might provide clues as to the etiology of cancer and as to the mechanisms by which ionizing radiation produces cancer.
    Provisional estimates suggest that the absolute risk of cancer, in terms of excess cases per 106 person-year rads (T65 dose) are about 1.6 for leukemia, 1.2 for thyroid, 2.1 for breast and 2.0 for lung, when estimation is based on age-ATB groups that have demonstrated these effects. A great deal of additional work will be required to provide definitive information on the quantitative aspects of dose-response over time, including the biological effect of gamma radiation relative to that for neutrons.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    S. C. FINCH, G. W. BEEBE
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 108-121
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The hypothesis that ionizing radiation accelerates natural aging has been under investigation at the Atomic Bomb Casualty Commission since 1959. Postmortem observations of morphologic and chemical changes, tests of functional capacity, physical tests and measurements, clinical laboratory tests, tissue changes, morbidity, and mortality have all been examined by ABCC investigators interested in this hypothesis. These studies have been beset with conceptual difficulties centered on the definition and measurement of aging. An empirical approach early led to the calculation of an index of physiologic age as a linear combination of age-related tests of various organ systems. Most studies have been negative but have not involved the large numbers that might be required to provide strong evidence for or against the hypothesis. Mortality, however, has been examined on the basis of a large sample and over the period 1950-1972 had provided no support for the hypothesis of radiation-accelerated aging. Ionizing radiation does, of course shorten human life, but its life-shortening effect appears to be the result of specific radiation-induced diseases, especially neoplasms. The hypothesis is now much less attractive than it was 10-20 years ago but still has some value in stimulating research on aging. The experience of the A-bomb survivors provides an unusual opportunity for a definitive test of the hypothesis.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    A. A. AWA
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 122-131
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Evidence concerning cytogenetic effects of A-bomb irradiations on the somatic cells of survivors of Hiroshima and Nagasaki is reviewed. It has been demonstrated that (1) radiation-induced chromosome aberrations have persisted in the circulating lymphocytes as well as in the bone marrow cells of survivors more than two decades after radiation exposure, and (2) that the chromosome-aberration frequency is in general proportional to the dose received.
    The relation, if any, between the occurrence of induced structural rearrangements of chromosomes and the health status of the survivors is as yet unknown, and the need for further and continued evaluation for possible associations between them is stressed.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors II. BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
    T. DODO
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 132-137
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Several months to years after exposure to ionizing radiation of the atomic bombs (A-bombs), some survivors developed cataracts. The characteristic clinical finding was a localized lenticular opacity on the inner surface of the posterior polar capsule presenting a polychromatic sheen, and punctate opacities or aggregations thereof in the subcapsular cortical layer of the posterior polar region. In the majority of the affected survivors, the degree of opacification of these radiation cataracts was minimal to moderate and remained unchanged. These cases had no other subjective disturbances associated with this condition.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors III. FUTURE RESEARCH AND HEALTH SURVEILLANCE
    Howard B. Hamilton, Jacob A. Brody
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 138-148
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    The majority of studies of the A-bomb survivors in Hiroshima and Nagasaki are concerned with monitoring the populations for long-term after-effects of exposure to ionizing radiation. Nonetheless, the health surveillance programs in the two cities must also be concerned with investigation of diseases which, though not directly related to radiation exposure, are of importance to the individual's overall health. This paper describes some examples of these investigations. Surveys focussing on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, thyroid disorders, gastric cancer and liver disease yield important clinical and pathological data which contribute to an understanding of the natural history of disease, benefit the health of the survivors, and make possible comparisons within Japan and with populations elsewhere in the world. Laboratory determination of levels of various serum components provide normal base line values in a healthy ambulatory population. Cytogenetic investigations yield data about normal chromosome variation, basic for future environmental pollution monitoring. Blood group gene antigen distributions, prevalences of inherited serum and red cell protein variants, and the cytogenetic information provide comparative data for a projected study of the children of the exposed generation. In the course of these population surveys, a number of extremely rare (genetic) traits unrelated to radiation exposure, such as the hereditary lack of a tissue enzyme, an unusual blood type, mutant hemoglobins, have been discovered. These traits appear to have little or no impact on the individual's health, but are of potential intrinsic interest to clinicians, geneticists, and molecular biologists. It is obvious that the voluntary participation of the A-bomb survivors in the health surveillance surveys in the two cities constitutes an outstanding contribution to the understanding of disease in man.
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  • Review of Thirty Years Study of Hiroshima and Nagasaki Atomic Bomb Survivors III. FUTURE RESEARCH AND HEALTH SURVEILLANCE
    Gilbert W. Beebe, Howard B. Hamilton
    1975 Volume 16 Issue SUPPLEMENT Pages 149-165
    Published: September 16, 1975
    Released on J-STAGE: July 14, 2006
    JOURNAL FREE ACCESS
    Much remains to be learned from continued monitoring of the medical experience of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki A-bomb survivors. Many effects are so small, or have such long latent periods, that there is not even now a complete catalogue of effects visible in this large population. There is as yet no evidence of a mutagenic effect, but biochemical and cytogenetic approaches now offer powerful tools for a final effort to derive information that may set limits on the size of the doubling dose for mutations in man. The list of specific neoplasms induced by the whole-body exposure to the A-bomb radiation remains incomplete, and the quantitative dose-response aspects of established carcinogenic effects remains to be worked out in relation to time, host factors, linear energy transfer (LET) characteristics of radiation, and risk factors other than radiation. The dose-response estimates must be made, where possible, in terms of tissue dose. If there is to be any definitive test of the hypothesis of radiation accelerated aging in man, it will doubtless come from observations on the A-bomb survivors.
    The experience of the A-bomb survivors can make no direct contribution to knowledge of dose rate, and is much too small to provide direct information in the region of low dose. Nevertheless, as better knowledge of mechanisms of radiation damage and repair accumulates from laboratory experimental programs, this unique human experience will be of increasing value to radiation biology.
    Continued monitoring of the health and medical experience of the A-bomb survivors will depend on the voluntary cooperation of the subjects and their families, and on the interest of the physicians in the community. Present indications are that the research would gain from a closer association with medical care and health maintenance programs.
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