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Abstract: Internal dosimetrists are concerned with the development, selection, and calibration of biokinetic models to calculate radiation doses from incorporated radionuclides. This is accomplished using measurements of radionuclides in organs, tissues, and excreta, i.e., bioassay measurements. Each bioassay measurement has a corresponding likelihood function, which represents the relative likelihood of different biokinetic model parameters resulting in the measurement value. In order for a bioassay measurement to be interpreted properly, the correct likelihood function must be determined. Failing to use the correct likelihood function for each bioassay measurement results in improperly weighting certain measurements over other measurements, which in turn leads to incorrect dose estimates. This paper describes the correct likelihood functions to use for a wide variety of bioassay measurements, as well as a description of how to use them. These likelihood functions represent the vast majority of those likely to be needed for interpreting bioassay measurements. Therefore, this paper may serve as a tool kit that can be used by academic and occupational internal dosimetrists., (Copyright © 2025 Health Physics Society.)

Flagellotropic bacteriophages are interesting candidates as therapeutics against pathogenic bacteria dependent on flagellar motility for colonization and causing disease. Yet, phage resistance other than loss of motility has been scarcely studied. Here we developed a soft agar assay to study flagellotropic phage F341 resistance in motile Campylobacter jejuni . We found that phage adsorption was prevented by diverse genetic mutations in the lipooligosaccharides forming the secondary receptor of phage F341. Genome sequencing showed phage F341 belongs to the Fletchervirus genus otherwise comprising capsular-dependent C. jejuni phages. Interestingly, phage F341 encodes a hybrid receptor binding protein (RBP) predicted as a short tail fiber showing partial similarity to RBP1 encoded by capsular-dependent Fletchervirus , but with a receptor binding domain similar to tail fiber protein H of C. jejuni CJIE1 prophages. Thus, C. jejuni prophages may represent a genetic pool from where lytic Fletchervirus phages can acquire new traits like recognition of new receptors., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Ostenfeld, Sørensen, Neve, Vitt, Klumpp and Sørensen.)

Abstract: This paper presents DEPDOSE, an open-source computer application that combines the KDEP respiratory tract deposition fractions for inhaled aerosols with DC_PAK committed equivalent dose coefficients for a unit deposition in each region of the respiratory tract. DEPDOSE allows the user to rapidly produce tables of dose coefficients for workers and members of the public inhaling precisely defined, user-specified aerosols using the ICRP Publication 60 methodology. Combined with a plume dispersion modeling system, such as the Quick Urban & Industrial Complex (QUIC) Dispersion Modeling System, this makes it possible to predict radiation doses downstream from an accidental or intentional release of radioactive materials. For this work, a radioactive plume was calculated to members of the public downstream from a dirty bomb in Chicago. DEPDOSE is published under an open source license, and can be downloaded at https://github.com/lanl/DEPDOSE ., (Copyright © 2023 Health Physics Society.)

The rapid detection and species-level differentiation of bacterial pathogens facilitates antibiotic stewardship and improves disease management. Here, we develop a rapid bacteriophage-based diagnostic assay to detect the most prevalent pathogens causing urinary tract infections: Escherichia coli, Enterococcus spp., and Klebsiella spp. For each uropathogen, two virulent phages were genetically engineered to express a nanoluciferase reporter gene upon host infection. Using 206 patient urine samples, reporter phage-induced bioluminescence was quantified to identify bacteriuria and the assay was benchmarked against conventional urinalysis. Overall, E. coli, Enterococcus spp., and Klebsiella spp. were each detected with high sensitivity (68%, 78%, 87%), specificity (99%, 99%, 99%), and accuracy (90%, 94%, 98%) at a resolution of ≥10 3  CFU/ml within 5 h. We further demonstrate how bioluminescence in urine can be used to predict phage antibacterial activity, demonstrating the future potential of reporter phages as companion diagnostics that guide patient-phage matching prior to therapeutic phage application., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Bacteriophages are the most abundant biological entity on earth, acting as the predators and evolutionary drivers of bacteria. Owing to their inherent ability to specifically infect and kill bacteria, phages and their encoded endolysins and receptor-binding proteins (RBPs) have enormous potential for development into precision antimicrobials for treatment of bacterial infections and microbial disbalances; or as biocontrol agents to tackle bacterial contaminations during various biotechnological processes. The extraordinary binding specificity of phages and RBPs can be exploited in various areas of bacterial diagnostics and monitoring, from food production to health care. We review and describe the distinctive features of phage RBPs, explain why they are attractive candidates for use as therapeutics and in diagnostics, discuss recent applications using RBPs, and finally provide our perspective on how synthetic technology and artificial intelligence-driven approaches will revolutionize how we use these tools in the future., (Copyright © 2022 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Abstract: In this work, the authors present instantaneous local dose rates from particles of plutonium-239 oxide ( 239 PuO) embedded in various regions of the respiratory tract. For comparison, a small number of simulations were performed in a representative region of the respiratory tract with other chemical compounds including pure metallic 239 Pu, 239 PuO 2 , 239 PuO 3 , 239 Pu 2 O 3 , and 239 Pu(NO 3 ) 4 . A small number of simulations were also performed with 238 PuO, weapons grade Pu, and Pu from a typical radioisotope thermoelectric generator (RTG) source for the same reason. The self-shielding effect is minor for very small particles but gradually becomes more significant as the particle size increases. For particles that are 0.1 μm and larger (excluding Pu nitrate), the calculated dose rate within several microns of the particle may be sufficient to damage lung cells, but the implications of damage to such a small volume of tissue are unclear. However, it is reasonable to assume that clinical effects will be observed if a large enough volume of tissue is damaged, as might happen when large numbers of particles are inhaled. The instantaneous dose rate around a particle may be predictive of deterministic effects, scar tissue formation, and biokinetics., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Health Physics Society.)

Abstract: Accidental inhalation of plutonium at the workplace is a non-negligible risk, even when rigorous safety standards are in place. The intake and retention of plutonium in the human body may be a source of concern. Thus, if there is a suspicion of a significant intake of plutonium, medical countermeasures such as chelation treatment may be administered to the worker. The present work aimed to interpret the bioassay data of a worker involved in an inhalation incident due to a glovebox breach at Los Alamos National Laboratory's plutonium facility. The worker was treated with intravenous injections of calcium salts of diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) in an attempt to reduce the amount of plutonium from the body and therefore reduce the internal radiation dose. It is well known in the internal dosimetry field that the administration of chelation treatment poses additional challenges to the dose assessment. Hence, a recently developed chelation model was used for the modeling of the bioassay data. The objectives of this work are to describe the incident, model the chelation-affected and non-affected bioassay data, estimate the plutonium intake, and assess the internal radiation dose., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of the Health Physics Society.)

Abstract: In addition to a review of theoretical analyses, this work presents an empirical study of nasal swab data from the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) database correlated with intake obtained from plutonium internal dosimetry calculations. As a result of this work, several "intake-versus-nasal-swab" models were derived. We advocate quantitative use of nasal swab measurements in dose assessment calculations and discuss ways that this can be done. The best description of the LANL plutonium internal dose database is arguably intake = A + Bx, where A = 2.7 Bq, B = 3.8, and x = summed nasal swab activity. The geometric standard deviation was found to be 8.2. This relationship, obtained using plutonium data, should apply also for other radionuclides., (Copyright © 2023 Health Physics Society.)

Abstract: A glovebox breach at the plutonium facility at Los Alamos National Laboratory potentially exposed 15 individuals to 238 Pu aerosols. One of the individuals (P0) received two 1-g intravenous DTPA treatments, one on the day of the intake and another the following day. Several urine samples were collected from the individuals involved in the incident. Particle size analysis on the PPE and solubility analysis of the particles on a filter sample were conducted in vitro. The applicability of the results from the in vitro studies for dose assessment was questionable because of the effect of the cloth mask the workers were wearing for COVID-related protection. Based on several considerations, including the effect of cloth masks on the "effective" particle size inhaled and the analysis of fecal-to-urine ratio, the default Type M 1 μm AMAD model was used to estimate intakes and doses. Using the urinary excretion data collected after 100 d post last chelation treatment, the committed effective dose, E(50), for P0 was calculated to be 5.2 mSv. For all others, the bioassay data were consistent with no intakes or very small intakes [corresponding to E(50) less than 0.1 mSv]., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Health Physics Society.)

Abstract: This work presents an alternate analysis of an in vitro solubility study on the lung dissolution rate of 238PuO2 material involved in a recent inhalation incident at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The original dataset used in this work was retrieved from a recently published report. The present work shows an analysis of the same dataset by modeling the dissolution in separate time intervals rather than modeling the cumulative dissolution., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Health Physics Society.)

Abstract: Anecdotal evidence indicates there may be unpublished physical and psychological events associated with the medical treatment of plutonium intakes. A thorough review was conducted of the medical and bioassay records of current and previous Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) employees who had experienced plutonium intakes via wound or inhalation. After finding relatively incomplete information in the medical records, the research team interviewed current LANL employees who had undergone chelation therapy and/or surgical excision. Although the dataset is not large enough to reach statistically significant conclusions, it was observed that adverse events associated with treatment appear to be more frequent and more severe than previously reported., Competing Interests: # The authors declare no conflicts of interest. ( Manuscript accepted 25 May 2022), (Copyright © 2022 Health Physics Society.)