• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.95-102
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• 1983

The radical treatment of uterine cervical cancer by interacavitary radium or cesium, in combination with teletherapy are well known. Although the result of such treatment should not give rise to complacency, problem of radiation exposure to medical staff had not been resolved. Fortunately, many attempts have been made to reduce this hazard, most of which take the form of afterloading applicators with a suitably shielded radioisotope. In order to avoid hazardous radiation exposure to staffs concerned with brachytherapy, RALS using high intensity source of Co-60, have been employed at Yonsei Cancer Center since May, 1979. It allows rectal and bladder doses to be kept low, while maintaining a satifactory usual dose distribution of the other type of applicators, and the short treatment time allow four or five patients to be treated per hour. It also removes much patient's discomfort and the difficulties of nursing these patients. Since the first introduction in Korea, over seven hundred cases with various stage of uterine cervical cancer have been treated on a radical basis at this center last 4 years. These authors have strongly attracted attention to the results in terms of local control rate, survival s and morbidity compared with those of conventional low dose rate radiotherapy. Retrospective interim analysis of data was preliminarily accomplished through the labored follow-up study of 340 cases treated during initial 2 years and the radiobiologic standpoint of high dose rate intracavitary irradiation will be discussed.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.69-89
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• 2006

Biological mechanisms for ionizing radiation effects are different at low doses than at high doses. Radiation hormesis involves low-dose-induced protection and high-dose-induced harm. The protective component is associated with a reduction in the incidence of cancer below the spontaneous frequency, brought about by activation of defensive and repair processes. The Linear No-Threshold (LNT) hypothesis advocated by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and the Biological Effects of ionizing Radiation (BEIR) Report VII for cancer risk estimations Ignores hormesis and the presence of a threshold. Cancer incidences significantly less than expected have been found in a large number of epidemiological studies including, airline flight personnel, inhabitants of high radiation backgrounds, shipyard workers, nuclear site workers in scores of locations throughout the world, nuclear power utility workers, plutonium workers, military nuclear test site Participants, Japanese A-bomb survivors, residents contaminated by major nuclear accidents, residents of Taiwan living in $^{60}Co$ contaminated buildings, fluoroscopy and mammography patients, radium dial painters, and those exposed to indoor radon. Significantly increased cancer was not found at doses <200 $mSv^*$. Evidence for radiation hormesis was seen in both sexes for acute or chronic exposures, low or high LET radiations, external whole- or partial body exposures, and for internal radionuclides. The ubiquitous nature of the Healthy Worker Effect (HWE)-like responses in cellular, animal and epidemiological studies negates the HWE as an explanation for radiation hormesis. The LNT hypothesis is wrong and does not represent the true nature of the dose-response relationship, since low doses or dose-rates commonly result in thresholds and reduce cancer incidences below the spontaneous rate. Radiation protection organizations should seriously consider the cost and health implications of radiation hormesis.

• Journal of Soil and Groundwater Environment
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.22-27
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• 2012

$^{226}Ra$ in groundwater could be analyzed by various methods. LSC (liquid scintillation counter) is used to measure its activity of Ba co-precipitates with Hisafe III scintillation cocktail solution. Counting efficiency was obtained using NIST $^{226}Ra$ standard solution in triplicate and calculated $^{226}Ra$ concentration using the efficiency values. $^{226}Ra$ values of 19 groundwaters having Gross-${\alpha}$ concentrations of more than 5 pCi/L ranged from ND (${\leq}$ 0.1 pCi/L) to 1.18 pCi/L. Geologic settings of the 19 areas are composed of granitic rocks of Pre-Cambrian and Jurassic and Cretaceous, gneiss (schist) of Pre-Cambrian, and volcanic rocks of Cretaceous. No relationship was shown among $^{226}Ra$ a concentrations and in-situ water quality data, and Gross-${\alpha}$, uranium, radon concentrations.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.85-91
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• 1968

Artificial and natural radioactivity in airborne, rain-out and fallout dusts in Seoul district in the period of 1963-1967 were studied by measuring gross-activity and by analyzing nuclides by means of $\\gamma$-spectrometry. Short-lived radium and thorium decay products give rise to most of the airborne activity unless the fission product concentration is extremely high and it is likely to be said activity remaining after a few days is attributable to fission products. Of seven Chinese nuclear explosions performed at Lop Nor, Sinkiang Province, two exhibited the activity of extremely high concentration of fission product and reached Seoul district around 30 hours after the explosion. The activity was followed by a sudden decrease in less than a week, in contrast to the long-lasted activity of low concentration originating from the huge tests performed by the United States and the USSR in 1956-1962. The radioactive environmental contamination in Seoul district, due to the Chiness nuclear test explosions, largely depends on the height above the earth at which the nuclear explosion is performed and the type of nuclear device as well as the weather system at the time and immediately after the explosion, especially the jet stream in middle latitude in the upper troposphere.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.101-124
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• 1997

The root pile system is insitu soil reinforcement technique that uses a series of reticulately installed micropiles. In terms of mechanical improvement by means of grouted reinform ming elements, the root pile system is similar to the soil nailing system. The main difference between root piles and soil nailing are due to the fact that the reinforcing bars in root piles are normally grouted under high pressure and that the alignments of the reinforcing members differ. Recently, the root pile system has been broadly used to stabilize slopes and retain excavations. The accurate design of the root pile system is, however, a very difficult tass owing to geometric variety and statical indetermination, and to the difficulty in the soilfiles interaction analysis. As a result, moat of the current design methods have been heavily dependent on the experiences and approximate approach. This paper proposes a quasi-three dimensional method of analysis for the root pile system applied to the stabilization of slopes. The proposed methods of analysis include i) a technique to estimate the change in borehole radium as a function of the grout pressure as well as a function of the time when the grout pressure is applied, ii) a technique to evaluate quasi -three dimensional limit-equilibrium stability for sliding, iii) a technique to predict the stability with respect to plastic deformation of the soil between adjacent root piles, and iv) a quasi -three dimensional finite element technique to compute stresses and dis placements of the root pile structure barred on the generalized plane strain condition and composite unit cell concept talon형 with considerations of the group effect and knot effect. By using the proposed technique to estimate the change in borehole radius as a function of the grout pressure as well as a function of the time, the estimations are made and compar ed with the Kleyner 8l Krizek's experimental test results. Also by using the proposed quasi-three dimensional analytical method, analyses have been performed with the aim of pointing out the effects of various factors on the interaction behaviors of the root pile system.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.538-550
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• 2008

Radon is an invisible, odorless, and radioactive gas. It is formed by the disintegration of radium, which is a decay product of uranium. Some amounts of radon gas and its products are present ubiquitously in the soil, water, and air. Particularly high radon levels occur in regions of high uranium content. Although radon is permeable into indoor environment not only through geological features (bed rock and permeability) but also through the construction materials and underground water, the radiation from the geological features is generally main exposure factor. So there can be a problem in a certain space such as the underground and/or relatively poor ventilation condition. In this study, a GIS technique was used in order to investigate spatial distribution of radon measured from sub- way stations of 1 thru 8 in Seoul, Korea in 1991, 1998, 2001, and 2006. Spatial analysis was applied to reproduce the radon distribution. We utilized spatial analysis techniques such as inverse distance weighted averaging (IDW) and kriging techniques which are widely used to relate between different spatial points. To validate the results from the analyses, the jackknife technique for an uncertainty test was performed. When the number of measuring sites was less than 100 and also when the number of omitted sites increased, the kriging technique was better than IDW. On the other hand, when the number of sites was over 100, IDW technique was better than kriging technique. Thus the selection of analytical tool was affected sensitives by the analysis based on the number of measuring sites.

• Journal of Korean Society for Atmospheric Environment
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.692-702
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• 2011

For more effective indoor radon reduction policy and technique, we researched radon data analysis for some buildings in Seoul. Those buildings were categorized as dwelling, underground and office space and the variations of radon concentration and its sources were evaluated. The variations of radon concentrations of indoor space of buildings for a day were patterned specifically by dwelling habits and different environment. As for the new built apartments which were not yet moved in, their indoor radon concentrations were showed more than 3 times after applying interior assembly, and were 5 times higher than ones of rather old residences. As for the subway stations, the radon concentrations during off-run times were about 15% higher than run-times. 10% of radon seemed to be reduced by installation of platform screen doors. As for office space, radon concentrations during working hours were about 2.5 times higher than non-working hours. Plaster board are expected as a main source of radon for them. By radon measurement method for long-term, its data can be over estimated because it covers non-active time in office or public space. Therefore combination of short and long-term measurement method is required for effective and economic reduction. Furthermore importance of ventilation is requested as public information service for all dwelling space. And also standardization for radium content or radiation of radon is necessary.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.1752-1757
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• 2017

The aim of this study is to evaluate the radioactivity levels and radiological impacts of representative black sand samples collected from different locations in the Rashid area, Egypt. These samples were prepared and then analyzed using the high-resolution gamma ray spectroscopy technique with a high-purity germanium detector. The activity concentration ($A_c$), minimum detectable activity, absorbed gamma dose rate, external hazard index ($H_{ex}$), annual effective dose rate equivalent, radium equivalent, as well as external and internal hazard index ($H_{ex}$ and $H_{in}$, respectively) were estimated based on the measured radionuclide concentration of the $^{238}U$($^{226}Ra$) and $^{232}Th$ decay chains and $^{40}K$. The activity concentrations of the $^{238}U$, $^{232}Th$ decay series and $^{40}K$ of these samples varied from $45.11{\pm}3.1Bq/kg$ to $252.38{\pm}34.3Bq/kg$, from $64.65{\pm}6.1Bq/kg$ to $579.84{\pm}53.1Bq/kg$, and from $403.36{\pm}20.8Bq/kg$ to $527.47{\pm}23.1Bq/kg$, respectively. The activity concentration of $^{232}Th$ in Sample 1 has the highest value compared to the other samples; this value is also higher than the worldwide mean range as reported by UNSCEAR 2000. The total absorbed gamma dose rate and the annual effective dose for these samples were found to vary from 81.19 nGy/h to 497.81 nGy/h and from $99.86{\mu}Sv/y$ to $612.31{\mu}Sv/y$, which are higher than the world average values of 59 nGy/h and $70{\mu}Sv/y$, respectively. The $H_{ex}$ values were also calculated to be 3.02, 0.47, 0.63, 0.87, 0.87, 0.51 and 0.91. It was found that the calculated value of $H_{ex}$ for Sample 1 is significantly higher than the international acceptable limit of <1. The results are tabulated, depicted, and discussed within national and international frameworks, levels, and approaches.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.141-149
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• 2023

The Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences plans to produce ²²⁵Ac, a therapeutic radio-pharmaceutical for precision oncology, such as prostate cancer. Radon, a radioactive gas, is generated by radium, the target material for producing ²²⁵Ac. The radon concentration is expected to be about 2000 Bq·m^-3. High-concentration radon-generating facilities must meet radioactive isotope emission standards by lowering the radon concentration. However, most existing studies concerning radon removal using activated carbon filters measured radon levels at concentrations lower than 1000 Bq·m^-3. This study measured ²²²Rn removal of coconut-based activated carbon filter under a high radon concentration of about 2000 Bq·m^-3. The ²²²Rn removal efficiency of activated carbon impregnated with triethylenediamine was also measured. As a result, the ²²²Rn removal amount of the activated carbon filter showed sufficient removal efficiency in a ²²²Rn concentration environment of about 2000 Bq·m^-3. In addition, despite an expectation of low radon reduction efficiency of Triethylenediamine-impregnated activated carbon, it was difficult to confirm a significant difference in the results. Therefore, it is considered that activated carbon can be used as a radioisotope exhaust filter regardless of whether or not Triethylenediamine is impregnated. The results of this study are expected to be used as primary data when building an air purification system for radiation safety management in facilities with radon concentrations of about 2000 Bq·m^-3.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.207-215
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• 2024

This study focuses on measuring the levels of naturally occurring radioactivity in the soil of Swabi, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, as well as the associated health hazard. Thirty (30) soil samples were collected from various locations and analyzed for ²²⁶Ra, ²³²Th, and ⁴⁰K radioactivity levels using a High Purity Germanium detector (HPGe) gamma-ray spectrometer with a photo-peak efficiency of approximately 52.3%. The average values obtained for these radionuclides are 35.6 ± 5.7 Bqkg^-1, 47 ± 12.5 Bqkg^-1, and 877 ± 153 Bqkg^-1, respectively. The level of ²³²Th is slightly higher and ⁴⁰K is 2.2 times higher than the internationally recommended limit of 30 Bqkg^-1 and 400 Bqkg^-1, respectively. Various parameters were calculated based on the results obtained, including Radium Equivalent (Ra_eq), External Hazard (H_ex), Absorbed Dose Rate (D), Annual Gonadal Equivalent Dose (AGDE), Annual Effective Dose Rate, and Excess Lifetime Cancer Risk (ELCR), which are 170.3 ± 24 Bqkg^-1, 0.46 ± 0.06 Bqkg^-1, 81.4 ± 2.04 nGy h^-1, 582 ± 78.08 µSvy^-1, 99.8 ± 13.5 µSv Gy^-1, and 0.349 ± 0.04, respectively. These values are below the limits recommended by the United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of Atomic Radiation (UNSCEAR) in 2002. This study highlights the potential radiation threats associated with natural radioactivity levels in the soil of Swabi and provides valuable information for public health and safety.