Geological control of terrestrial background radiation in Garhwal Himalaya, India.

Activity concentrations of 226Ra, 232Th, and 40K were measured in soil samples from several areas of Garhwal Himalaya, Northern India, by gamma-ray spectrometry. In this region, which extends around the Himalayan Main Central Thrust, a tectonic line that separates several geological provinces, background levels of natural terrestrial radiation were assessed. The maximum levels of radium, 285 Bq/kg and 136 Bq/kg, respectively, were found in the Budhakedar and Uttarkashi regions, exceeding the world average value of 35 Bq/kg. The mean radiation levels were found to be different between the areas, which reflects the geological diversity in the region. The overall absorbed dose rate owing to radionuclide presence in the Uttarkashi area ranged from 79 to 188 nGyh-1, with an average of 118 nGyh-1. That is more than UNSCEAR's world-populated weighted average value of 59 nGyh-1. The present investigation indicated that the absorbed dose rates are greater in Uttarkashi and Budhakedar than in other places. The multiple comparison analysis between geology and absorbed dose rate shows that the geology of Uttarkashi and Budhakedar are statistically similar. According to several hazard indices, terrestrial background radiation is not of radiological concern in the investigated region.

Survival pattern in cervical cancer patients in North West India: A tertiary care center study.

Background: Cervical cancer is most common malignancy of female reproductive system worldwide. As per GLOBOCAN 2020, there are 604,127 (6.5%) new cases of cervical cancer in the world, among women it is fourth most common and eighth most common in both sexes. In India,there are 123,907 total new cervical cancer cases (18.3% in female sex whereas 9.4% in both sexes). There are several etiological factors and the most significant is due to persistent infection of specific human papilloma virus (HPV) strains,particularly type 16 and 18 which are most common. Screening and early detection is likely to improve mortality and incidence also. Aims and Objectives: The objective of this retrospective study was to determine the survival rates of cervical cancer and its associated factors in North-West region. Materials and Methods: A total of 520 newly diagnosed cases of cervical cancer were enrolled at Acharya Tulsi Regional Cancer Treatment and Research Centre, Bikaner from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2014 were included in this study. The main source of information was patient's medical records from which the data were abstracted and cases were followed up for next five years periodically from the date of diagnosis to access their survival status. Results: Kaplan Meier analyses were conducted to identify overall survival and median survival time. Among 520 cases, 130 (25%) had lost to follow up so excluded from the study and the study sample was about 390 patients. The median survival time for cervical cancer in this study was 60 (32-60) months and the overall survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 93.07%, 72.3% and 54.9% respectively. Education, use of oral contraceptive pills (OCP), tobacco chewing ( good survival in tobacco non-chewers) and staging were significantly associated with survival. Conclusion: The 1, 3 and 5 year survival rates for cervical cancer were found to be 93.07%, 72.3% and 54.9% respectively. Various factors determining survival rates were potentially modifiable. Early diagnosis and prevention strategies are keys to obtain better outcomes.

MEASUREMENT OF RADON, THORON AND THEIR PROGENY CONCENTRATIONS IN THE DWELLINGS OF PAURI GARHWAL, UTTARAKHAND, INDIA.

It is well known that inhalation of radon, thoron and their progeny contributes more than 50 % of natural background radiation dose to human being. The time-integrated passive measurements of radon, thoron and their progeny concentrations were carried out in the dwellings of Pauri Garhwal, Uttarakhand, India. The measurements of radon and thoron concentrations were performed by LR-115 detector-based single-entry pin-hole dosemeter, while for the measurement of progeny concentrations, LR-115 deposition-based direct radon and thoron progeny sensors technique was used. The experimental techniques and results obtained are discussed in detail.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RADIUM CONTENT AND RADON EXHALATION RATE FROM SOIL SAMPLES USING ACTIVE AND PASSIVE TECHNIQUES.

Soil is the most important factor affecting the radon level in the human living environments. It depends not only on uranium and thorium contents but also on the physical and chemical properties of the soil. In this paper, the measurements of radium content and mass exhalation rate of radon from the soil samples collected from Uttarkashi area of Garhwal Himalaya are presented. The correlation between radium content and radon mass exhalation rate from soil has also been obtained. The radium was measured by gamma ray spectrometry, while the mass exhalation rate of radon has been determined by both active and passive methods. The radium activity in the soil of study area was found to vary from 45±7 to 285±29 Bq kg-1 with an average of 99 Bq kg-1 The radon mass exhalation rate was found to vary from 0.59 × 10-5 to 2.2 × 10-5 Bq kg-1 h-1 with an average of 1.4 × 10-5 Bq kg-1 h-1 by passive technique and from 0.8 × 10-5 to 3.2 × 10-5 Bq kg-1 h-1 with an average of 1.5 × 10-5 Bq kg-1 h-1 by active technique. The results suggest that the measured radium value is positively correlated with the radon mass exhalation rate measured with both the active and passive techniques.

Analysis of natural radionuclides in soil samples of Purola area of Garhwal Himalaya, India.

Naturally occurring radioactive materials are widely spread in the earth's environment, being distributed in soil, rocks, water, air, plants and even within the human body. All of these sources have contributed to an increase in the levels of environmental radioactivity and population radiation doses. This paper presents the activity level due to the presence of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in soil samples of Purola area in Garhwal Himalaya region. The measured activity of (226)Ra, (232)Th and (40)K in collected soil samples of Purola was found to vary from 13±10 to 55±10 Bq kg(-1) with an average of 31±2 Bq kg(-1), 13±10 to 101±13 Bq kg(-1) with an average 30±3 Bq kg(-1) and 150±81 to 1310±154 Bq kg(-1) with an average 583±30 Bq kg(-1), respectively. The radium equivalent activity in collected soil samples was found to vary from 47 to 221 Bq kg(-1) with an average of 115 Bq kg(-1). The total absorbed gamma dose rate in this area was found to vary from 22 to 93 nGy h(-1) with an average of 55 nGy h(-1). The distribution of these radionuclides in the soil of study area is discussed in details.

Measurements of radon and thoron progeny concentrations in dwellings of Tehri Garhwal, India, using LR-115 deposition-based DTPS/DRPS technique.

This paper presents the values of radon and thoron progeny concentrations for different seasons in the dwellings of Tehri Garhwal, India. The measurements have been carried out using LR-115 solid-state nuclear track detector-based passive time-integrated direct thoron progeny sensor/direct radon progeny sensor technique. In summer, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 5.7±0.8 to 153.2±4.3 Bq m(-3) with an average of 37.6 Bq m(-3) and 0.3±0.06 to 3.2±0.19 Bq m(-3) with an average of 1.3 Bq m(-3), respectively. In the rainy season, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 3.2±0.6 to 120±3.7 Bq m(-3) with an average of 58.2 Bq m(-3) and 0.2±0.05 to 11.3±0.37 Bq m(-3) with an average of 3.4 Bq m(-3), respectively. In autumn, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 4.1±0.7 to 374.4±6.7 Bq m(-3) with an average of 95.6 Bq m(-3) and from 0.3±0.06 to 30.5±0.60 Bq m(-3) with an average of 6.6 Bq m(-3), respectively. In winter, the radon and thoron progeny have been found to vary from 9.8±1.1 to 188.9±4.8 Bq m(-3) with an average of 70.7 Bq m(-3) and 0.1±0.03 to 7.5±0.30 Bq m(-3) with an average of 2.3 Bq m(-3), respectively. It has been observed that the average value of radon and thoron progeny concentrations is maximum for autumn and minimum for summer seasons. The seasonal variations in radon and thoron progeny concentrations in different houses are discussed in detail.