Retrospective biological dosimetry at low and high doses of radiation and radioiodine impact on individual susceptibility to ionizing radiation

Photograph used for a newspaper owned by the Oklahoma Publishing Company. Caption: "(photo of a 60s Ford Mustang with guy holding up the hand's peace sign, other cars behind, and more)

Time-extended exposure of gastric epithelial cells to secretome of Helicobacter pylori-activated fibroblasts induces reprogramming of gastric epithelium towards pre-cancerogenic and pro-invasive phenotype

Despite of the improvement in gastric cancer (GC) therapies patients still suffer from cancer recurrence and metastasis. Recently, the high ratio of these events combined with increased chemoresistance has been related to the asymptomatic Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infections. The limited efficiency of GC treatment strategies is also increasingly attributed to the activity of tumor stroma with the key role of cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs). In order to investigate the influence of Hp infection within stromal gastric tissue on cancer initiation and progression, we have exposed normal gastric epithelial cells to long-term influence of Hp-activated gastric fibroblast secretome. We have referred obtained results to this secretome influence on cancer cell lines. The invasive properties of cells were checked by time-lapse video microscopy and basement membrane assays. The expression of invasion-related factors was checked by RT-PCR, Western Blot, immunofluorescence and Elisa. Hp-activated gastric fibroblast secretome induced EMT type 3-related shifts of RGM1 cell phenotype; in particular it augmented their motility, cytoskeletal plasticity and invasiveness. These effects were accompanied by Snail1/Twist activation, the up-regulation of cytokeratin19/FAP/TNC/Integrin-β1 and MMPs, and by the induction of cMet(high)/pEGFR(high) phenotype. Mechanistic studies suggest that this microevolution next to TGFβ relies also on c-Met/EGFR signaling interplay and engages HGF-Integrin-Ras-dependent Twist activation leading to MMP and TNC upregulation with subsequent positive auto- and paracrine feedback loops intensifying this process. Similar shifts were detected in cancer cells exposed to this secretome. Collectively, we show that the secretome of Hp-infected fibroblasts induces reprogramming/microevolution of epithelial and cancer cells towards type 3 EMT-related invasive phenotype in a manner reciprocally reliant next to TGFβ on cMet/Integrin-β1/p-EGFR-dependent axis. Apparently, the phenotypical plasticity of Hp-activated fibroblast reprogrammed gastric epithelial cells determines their susceptibility to the pro-invasive signaling, which results in re-organization of gastric niches and provides the cues for GC promotion/progression

GDR cross sections updated in the IAEA-CRP

The Coordinated Research Project (CRP) with the code F41032 has been launched by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2016 as a 5-year project with the scientific goal being two-fold: 1) updating the 2000 photonuclear data library and 2) constructing a reference database of photon strength functions. We report the experimental technique and methodology used for the former goal and selected giant-dipole resonance (GDR) data updated in the IAEA-CRP

Photoneutron Reaction Data for Nuclear Physics and Astrophysics

We discuss the role of photoneutron reaction data in nuclear physics and astrophysics in conjunction with the Coordinated Research Project of the International Atomic Energy Agency with the code F41032 (IAEA-CRP F41032)

Cross section measurements of low-energy charged particle induced reactions using moderated neutron counter arrays

A high-and-flat efficiency moderated neutron detection array of 3He counters has been recently developed for photoneutron cross section measurements at the future ELI-NP gamma-ray beam source. We have designed a three rings geometry of 31 counters with a ˜37% efficiency flat within 5% in the 10 keV to 5 MeV neutron energy interval. A commissioning experiment was performed using proton beams delivered by the 9 MV Tandem accelerator of IFIN-HH. We measured the neutron production cross sections for proton induced reactions on nat Cu and 27Al. The (p, xn) reactions on nat Cu were investigated in the 4.5 MeV to 14 MeV proton energy range with 250 keV steps, using pulsed and continuous proton beams. The low energy measurements below 10 MeV served to validate the detection efficiency calibration against well-known natCu(p, n) cross sections. The 27Al(p, n) reaction was investigated in the 5.8 MeV to 6.75 MeV energy range with 5 keV steps. Preliminary cross section results are here compared with preceding data