The disaster at Japan's Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant after the March 11, 2011 earthquake and tsunami, and the resulting spread of radioisotope contamination

On March 11, 2011 eastern Japan was struck by a magnitude 9.0 earthquake and an enormous tsunami, over 13 m in height, which together killed over 20,500 people and resulted in the evacuation of over 320,000 people from the devastated areas. This paper describes the damage sustained by the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant during this unpredicted major natural disaster and the events that happened in the months after this accident. The events occurring at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant, the actions taken to minimize the effects of the damage to the plant and to protect the public, and the points at which the responses proved to be inadequate all offer lessons that will be of value to those planning for and responding to future natural disasters and accidents in Japan and around the world.     

After Fukushima: managing the consequences of a radiological release

Even amidst the devastation following the earthquake and tsunami in Japan that killed more than 20,000 people, it was the accident at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that led the country's prime minister, Naoto Kan, to fear for "the very existence of the Japanese nation." While accidents that result in mass radiological releases have been rare throughout the operating histories of existing nuclear power plants, the growing number of plants worldwide increases the likelihood that such releases will occur again in the future. Nuclear power is an important source of energy in the U.S. and will be for the foreseeable future. Accidents far smaller in scale than the one in Fukushima could have major societal consequences. Given the extensive, ongoing Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and industry assessment of nuclear power plant safety and preparedness issues, the Center for Biosecurity of UPMC focused on offsite policies and plans intended to reduce radiation exposure to the public in the aftermath of an accident. This report provides an assessment of Japan's efforts at nuclear consequence management; identifies concerns with current U.S. policies and practices for "outside the fence" management of such an event in the U.S.; and makes recommendations for steps that can be taken to strengthen U.S. government, industry, and community response to large-scale accidents at nuclear power plants.     

Current Measures on Radioactive Contamination in Japan: A Policy Situation Analysis

Background

The Great East Japan Earthquake on 11^th March 2011 and the subsequent Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant disaster caused radioactive contamination in the surrounding environment. In the immediate aftermath of the accident the Government of Japan placed strict measures on radio-contamination of food, and enhanced radio-contamination monitoring activities. Japan is a pilot country in the WHO Foodborne Disease Burden Epidemiology Reference Group (FERG), and through this initiative has an opportunity to report on policy affecting chemicals and toxins in the food distribution network. Nuclear accidents are extremely rare, and a policy situation analysis of the Japanese government’s response to the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear accident is a responsibility of Japanese scientists. This study aims to assess Japan government policies to reduce radio-contamination risk and to identify strategies to strengthen food policies to ensure the best possible response to possible future radiation accidents.

Methods and Findings

We conducted a hand search of all publicly available policy documents issued by the Cabinet Office, the Food Safety Commission, the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare (MHLW), the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fishery (MAFF) and prefectural governments concerning food safety standards and changes to radiation and contamination standards since March 11^th, 2011. We extracted information on food shipment and sales restrictions, allowable radio-contamination limits, monitoring activities and monitoring results. The standard for allowable radioactive cesium (Cs-134 and Cs-137) of 100 Bq/Kg in general food, 50 Bq/Kg in infant formula and all milk products, and 10 Bq/Kg in drinking water was enforced from April 2012 under the Food Sanitation Law, although a provisional standard on radio-contamination had been applied since the nuclear accident. Restrictions on the commercial sale and distribution of specific meat, vegetable and fish products were released for areas at risk of radioactive contamination. Monitoring of radioactive materials in food products in the prefectures has been mainly conducted before shipment to restrict the distribution of radio-contaminated foods. Between March 2011 and March 2012, 133,832 tests of non-commercial and commercial products were conducted, and 1,204 tests (0.9%) were found to violate the provisional standards. Since April 2012, 278,275 tests were conducted, and 2,372 tests (0.9%) were found to violate the revised standards. MHLW assessment of representative market baskets of foodstuffs at 15 locations throughout Japan between February and March 2014 found very low estimated dietary intake of radioactive cesium (0.0007–0.019 mSv/year), as did assessments of the contents of an average day’s food. Monitoring of fisheries products in coastal areas affected by the nuclear accident found very limited and declining radio-contamination of live fish outside of Fukushima prefecture. Fisheries monitoring is of limited geographical scope and covers only certain fishes.

Conclusions

Area-specific bans on production and distribution have been effective in preventing radioactive contamination in the Japanese food market. Currently there is no major concern about radioactive cesium concentrations in retail foodstuffs in Japan, and very low levels of contamination at the production and wholesale stage. However, because the residue limits and food safety policies were revised on an ad hoc, emergency basis after the nuclear accident, the monitoring procedure needs to be reviewed based on objective and scientifically rational criteria. A transparent and objective scientific framework is needed for prioritizing foodstuffs for inspection and revising Prefecture-specific restrictions. Monitoring of fishes and other seafood products in the wild should be regularized and the information made more publicly accessible, and monitoring activities expanded to identify foodstuffs that are no longer a food safety risk. Consultation with producers and consumers should be more formalized to ensure their concerns are incorporated into regular policy reviews in an appropriate and transparent manner. However, despite the limited available knowledge on best practice in food control and enforcement of provisional radio-contamination limits after the accident, current Japanese policy is sufficient to protect the Japanese public from major risk of radio-contamination from the commercial food market.     

Developing biodiversity indicators for cities: applying the DPSIR model to Nagoya and integrating social and ecological aspects

Capturing the trends and status of urban biodiversity is challenged by current rapid changes, including increasing population flow into urban areas and multiple pressures on neighboring ecosystems. For this reason, this article aims to highlight relevant findings from both ecological and social sciences in the development of urban and biodiversity indicators. It examines the applicability of a model to an urban city in Japan. The objectives of this study are threefold. First, it reviews and summarizes the historical development and relevant existing studies of urban and biodiversity indicators, the “Drivers-Pressure-State-Impact-Response” (DPSIR) model is presented, and its main critiques are summarized. Second, trends in scientific studies in specific journals are identified. Third, practical lessons for a Japanese local municipality, the city of Nagoya, are derived from two previous sets of reviews. The applicability of the “DPSIR” to current practices in the city of Nagoya is examined to assess the relevance of the model to real situations.     

Models of Emergency Departments for Reducing Patient Waiting Times

In this paper, we apply both agent-based models and queuing models to investigate patient access and patient flow through emergency departments. The objective of this work is to gain insights into the comparative contributions and limitations of these complementary techniques, in their ability to contribute empirical input into healthcare policy and practice guidelines. The models were developed independently, with a view to compare their suitability to emergency department simulation. The current models implement relatively simple general scenarios, and rely on a combination of simulated and real data to simulate patient flow in a single emergency department or in multiple interacting emergency departments. In addition, several concepts from telecommunications engineering are translated into this modeling context. The framework of multiple-priority queue systems and the genetic programming paradigm of evolutionary machine learning are applied as a means of forecasting patient wait times and as a means of evolving healthcare policy, respectively. The models'' utility lies in their ability to provide qualitative insights into the relative sensitivities and impacts of model input parameters, to illuminate scenarios worthy of more complex investigation, and to iteratively validate the models as they continue to be refined and extended. The paper discusses future efforts to refine, extend, and validate the models with more data and real data relative to physical (spatial–topographical) and social inputs (staffing, patient care models, etc.). Real data obtained through proximity location and tracking system technologies is one example discussed.     

Differentials of Yayoi immigration to Japanas derived from dental metrics

A major influx of new people, today termed Yayoi, migrated from the East Asian continent into the Japanese archipelago during the Aeneolithic and Protohistoric periods and interbred with the preexisting Jomon people. This study classifies ancient and more modern Japanese into natives or immigrants using discriminant analysis based on dental measurements in order to reconstruct the initial impact of the immigrants and the temporal and geographical differentials of mixture with the preexisting people. The results suggest that the earliest immigrants diffused into central Japan, including the Kanto region. The proportion of immigrant origin in the protohistoric Kofun was less in eastern Japan (72%) as compared to western Japan (81%-90%). The proportion of the immigrants in the Kanto District decreased during the medieval period (63%) and increased again in the early modern Edo and later modern times (75%), which might indicate that the gene flow still was occurring from west to east even in these times. Assuming the estimated proportions of either group reflect the intermixture ratio, the recent Japanese people may be regarded as hybrid of the native and immigrant groups with the following approximate ratios: 1:3 for the Kanto Japanese, 2:3 for the Ryukyu Islanders and 7:3 for the Hokkaido Ainu. These estimations support the "dual structure model" formed by Hanihara (1991) for explaining the population history of Japan.     

Interspecific hybridization and mitochondrial introgression in invasive carcinus shore crabs

Interspecific hybridization plays an important role in facilitating adaptive evolutionary change. More specifically, recent studies have demonstrated that hybridization may dramatically influence the establishment, spread, and impact of invasive populations. In Japan, previous genetic evidence for the presence of two non-native congeners, the European green crab Carcinus maenas and the Mediterranean green crab C. aestuarii, has raised questions regarding the possibility of hybridization between these sister species. Here I present analysis based on both nuclear microsatellites and the mitochondrial cytochrome C oxidase subunit I (COI) gene which unambiguously argues for a hybrid origin of Japanese Carcinus. Despite the presence of mitochondrial lineages derived from both C. maenas and C. aestuarii, the Japanese population is panmictic at nuclear loci and has achieved cytonuclear equilibrium throughout the sampled range in Japan. Furthermore, analysis of admixture at nuclear loci indicates dramatic introgression of the C. maenas mitochondrial genome into a predominantly C. aestuarii nuclear background. These patterns, along with inferences drawn from the observational record, argue for a hybridization event pre-dating the arrival of Carcinus in Japan. The clarification of both invasion history and evolutionary history afforded by genetic analysis provides information that may be critically important to future studies aimed at assessing risks posed by invasive Carcinus populations to Japan and the surrounding region.     

Summary of the DREAM8 Parameter Estimation Challenge: Toward Parameter Identification for Whole-Cell Models

Whole-cell models that explicitly represent all cellular components at the molecular level have the potential to predict phenotype from genotype. However, even for simple bacteria, whole-cell models will contain thousands of parameters, many of which are poorly characterized or unknown. New algorithms are needed to estimate these parameters and enable researchers to build increasingly comprehensive models. We organized the Dialogue for Reverse Engineering Assessments and Methods (DREAM) 8 Whole-Cell Parameter Estimation Challenge to develop new parameter estimation algorithms for whole-cell models. We asked participants to identify a subset of parameters of a whole-cell model given the model’s structure and in silico “experimental” data. Here we describe the challenge, the best performing methods, and new insights into the identifiability of whole-cell models. We also describe several valuable lessons we learned toward improving future challenges. Going forward, we believe that collaborative efforts supported by inexpensive cloud computing have the potential to solve whole-cell model parameter estimation.     

Radiological Findings of Sexual Intercourse Related Emergency Department Admissions: A First Overview

Objectives

Sexuality is an essential aspect of human function, well-being and quality of life. Many people have sex without complications. However, there are some people who need to seek emergency medical help for related health problems. The aim of this study was to present a first overview of patients who received a radiological examination related to sexual intercourse based emergency department admission.

Methods

Our centralized electronic patient record database was reviewed for patients who had been admitted to our emergency department with an emergency after sexual intercourse between 2000 and 2011. The database was scanned for the standardized key words ‘sexual intercourse’ or ‘coitus’ retrospectively. For all patients identified in the electronic patient record database the radiological examinations were searched for manually in our Radiology Information System, and reviewed by three independent radiologists.

Results

One hundred and twenty nine out of 445 (29,0%) patients received a radiological examination after immediate emergency department admission related to sexual intercourse. Fifty two out of 129 (40.3%) patients had positive radiological findings while 77 (59.7%) did not. Eighty point seven percent (n = 42) of the radiological findings were a sexual intercourse-associated pathology and 19.2% (n = 10) were considered to be incidental findings. Age and male sex positively correlated with radiological imaging workup (p<0.001, respectively p<0.037). The most common sexual intercourse-associated pathology was headache attributed to cerebrovascular insult (n = 21, 40.3%) followed by epididymitis (n = 7, 16.6%) and obstructive uropathy (n = 5, 11.6%). Of the patients with headache attributed to non-traumatic intracranial hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage (n = 14, 66.6%) was the most common, followed by intracerebral bleeding (n = 4, 19.0%) and one subdural hemorrhage.

Conclusions

Pathological findings are manifold. Cerebral imaging is the most common type of radiological imaging performed. Further prospective and standardized studies should be performed to better evaluate the significance of radiological imaging in this patient collective with the aim to gain better knowledge on what patients profit from what type of radiological imaging when presenting with a sexual intercourse related emergency.

Advances in Knowledge

The present study provides a first overview on radiological findings of sexual intercourse related emergency department admissions.     

Looking for alternative energy sources

With unrest in oil-exporting countries, backlashes against biofuels and photovoltaics, and a nuclear incident in Japan, the year 2011 rattled confidence in future energy supplies. The search for alternatives is all the more urgent, but some of the solutions investigated hark back to fossil fuels that we can't afford to burn.     

Regional sustainability assessment framework for integrated coastal zone management: Satoumi,ecosystem services approach,and inclusive wealth

This study proposes a novel regional sustainability assessment framework for integrated coastal zone management (ICZM). Various ICZM indicators have been developed, but their management insights are not always clear. Our framework integrates three separately developed approaches with an explicit reflection of stakeholders’ values: Satoumi (a Japanese concept of socio-ecological production landscapes, SEPLs), ecosystem services approach (ESA), and inclusive wealth (IW). We suggest that the integration of Satoumi, a uniquely Japanese concept, with the ESA and IW complements each other and increases the effectiveness of all three approaches when applied to ICZM and decision making. Satoumi describes the desired state of a coastal zone. The ESA translates Satoumi into IW and helps explain which changes to ecosystems contribute to the asset quality (i.e., shadow prices). As a sustainability indicator, IW differs from other ecological indicators because it comprises human, natural, and manufactured capital assets and incorporates shadow prices to weigh the contribution of each asset to the present value of social welfare. Shadow prices may capture the quality of capital assets in terms of how much people value them, and can therefore be a direct management target for realizing a desired coastal zone. We propose adding two sustainability criteria, desired state and strong sustainability, to the original IW to make it operational. The framework was tested in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea, and the results were analyzed in depth. Based on the outcomes, we discuss the insights for ICZM and future research. While Satoumi is a Japanese concept, the framework could be applied to other countries where similar SEPLs exist.     

Single nucleotide polymorphism arrays: a decade of biological, computational and technological advances

Array manufacturers originally designed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays to genotype human DNA at thousands of SNPs across the genome simultaneously. In the decade since their initial development, the platform's applications have expanded to include the detection and characterization of copy number variation—whether somatic, inherited, or de novo—as well as loss-of-heterozygosity in cancer cells. The technology's impressive contributions to insights in population and molecular genetics have been fueled by advances in computational methodology, and indeed these insights and methodologies have spurred developments in the arrays themselves. This review describes the most commonly used SNP array platforms, surveys the computational methodologies used to convert the raw data into inferences at the DNA level, and details the broad range of applications. Although the long-term future of SNP arrays is unclear, cost considerations ensure their relevance for at least the next several years. Even as emerging technologies seem poised to take over for at least some applications, researchers working with these new sources of data are adopting the computational approaches originally developed for SNP arrays.     

Radiation scientists and homeland security

Radiation scientists represent an important resource in homeland defense. Security analysts worry that a crude but deadly radiological bomb might be fashioned from stolen nuclear material and a few sticks of dynamite. Such a device could kill dozens, hundreds, and possibly thousands and could contaminate a square mile or more. Emergency workers may call upon radiation scientists to aid the injured. Educational materials are available on the ACR, ASTRO, and RRS websites, linked to the Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory, to provide radiation workers material that they can use to help emergency room and civil defense personnel after a terrorist attack. Radiation scientists are urged to obtain these materials and contact their local hospital and public health authorities to volunteer their services and expertise.     

Molecular identification of oesophagostomum and Trichuris eggs isolated from wild Japanese macaques

Natural habitat fragmentation and reducing habitat quality have resulted in an increased appearance of Japanese macaques, Macaca fuscata (Gray, 1870), in suburban areas in Japan. To investigate the risk of zoonotic infections, a coprological survey of helminth eggs passed by wild Japanese macaques was carried out in 2009 and 2010 in Shiga Prefecture, Japan. Microscopic examination found helminth eggs in high prevalence, and nucleotide sequencing of DNA extracted from the eggs identified Oesophagostomum cf. aculeatum and Trichuris trichiura. A fecal culture also detected infective larvae of Strongyloides fuelleborni. These zoonotic nematodes pose a potential health issue to local people in areas frequented by Japanese macaques.     

Variation in limb proportions between Jomon foragers and Yayoi agriculturalists from prehistoric Japan

Variation in limb proportions between prehistoric Jomon and Yayoi people of Japan are explored by this study. Jomon people were the descendents of Pleistocene nomads who migrated to the Japanese Islands around 30,000 yBP. Phenotypic and genotypic evidence indicates that Yayoi people were recent migrants to Japan from continental Northeast Asia who likely interbred with Jomon foragers. Limb proportions of Jomon and Yayoi people were compared using RMA regression and "Quick-Test" calculations to investigate relative variability between these two groups. Cluster and principal components analyses were performed on size-standardized limb lengths and used to compare Jomon and Yayoi people with other groups from various climatic zones. Elongated distal relative to proximal limb lengths were observed among Jomon compared to Yayoi people. Jomon limb proportions were similar to human groups from temperate/tropical climates at lower latitudes, while Yayoi limb proportions more closely resemble groups from colder climates at higher latitudes. Limb proportional similarities with groups from warmer environments among Jomon foragers likely reflect morphological changes following Pleistocene colonization of the Japanese Islands. Cold-derived limb proportions among the Yayoi people likely indicate retention of these traits following comparatively recent migrations to the Japanese Islands. Changes in limb proportions experienced by Jomon foragers and retention of cold-derived limb proportions among Yayoi people conform to previous findings that report changes in these proportions following long-standing evolution in a specific environment.     

Emergency communication and information issues in terrorist events involving radioactive materials

With the threat posed by terrorism involving radioactive materials now high on the nation's agenda, local, state, and federal agencies are moving to enhance preparedness and response capabilities. Crucial to these efforts is the development of effective risk communication strategies. This article reports findings from an ongoing study of risk communication issues in nuclear/radiological terrorism situations. It is part of a larger CDC-funded effort that aims to better understand communication challenges associated with weapons of mass destruction terrorism incidents. Presented here are formative research findings from 16 focus groups (n = 163) in which a multi-part, hypothetical radioactive materials terrorism situation was discussed. Twelve of the focus groups were carried out with members of the general public (drawn from a variety of ethnic backgrounds and geographic locations), and four groups were composed of first responders, hospital emergency department personnel, and public health professionals. One aim of the focus groups was to elicit detailed information on people's knowledge, views, perceptions, reactions, and concerns related to a nuclear/radiological terrorism event, and to better understand people's specific information needs and preferred information sources. A second aim was to pretest draft informational materials prepared by CDC and NIOSH. Key findings for the public and professional groups are presented, and the implications of the research for developing messages in radiological/nuclear terrorism situations are explored.     

Genetic variation and Wolbachia infection status of the lycaenid butterfly Zizina emelina (Lepidoptera,Lycaenidae) from Korean populations

The lycaenid butterfly Zizina emelina emelina (de l’Orza) (previously Zizina otis emelina; Lepidoptera, Lycaenidae) has populations distributed across Japan and Korea. Zizina emelina is listed on Japan’s Red List as an endangered species, owing to the loss of its principal plant food and habitat. Researchers previously investigated the genetic diversity and structure in Japanese populations by using mitochondrial and nuclear DNA analyses alongside their Wolbachia infection status to consider the conservation strategy. In this study, we investigated the genetic variation and Wolbachia infection status of Korean populations and compared our findings with these traits in the Japanese populations. Four novel mitochondrial haplotypes were found in the Korean populations, whereas nuclear DNA analysis revealed one new haplotype and another that matched the one reported previously in Japan. The two known strains of Wolbachia in the Japanese populations were also found in the Korean ones. Mitochondrial DNA analysis demonstrated that no gene flow had occurred between the Japanese and Korean populations. The fact that they share the same nuclear haplotype and Wolbachia strains, however, indicates a low level of population differentiation between the two.     

Sustainable management of planted landscapes: lessons from Japan

In Japan, 42?% of forests are planted forests, and most of them were established after World War II (1950–1980) to meet increased wood demands. Although Japanese planted forests are now reaching their planned harvest age, they have not been managed, and their restoration is now being discussed. Japanese foresters have not cut their own forests, and the country’s high wood demands have been met by imports during recent decades. The decline of young forests due to the stagnation of forestry activity is suggested to be partly responsible for the nation-wide decline in early-successional species, which is referred to as the “second crisis of biodiversity.” As a timber-importing nation, it is suggested that Japan has underused the nation’s own forests and has overused forests elsewhere. A revival of Japanese plantation forestry may contribute to the restoration of early-successional species because young planted forests are likely to provide suitable habitats. Furthermore, only 30?% of the current planted forests in Japan will be needed to meet the expected future domestic demand for lumber and plywood without imports. The remaining 70?% of the current planted forests may be restored to natural forests with or without harvesting. The history of Japanese planted forests suggests that some natural trees/forests should be retained, even in the landscapes that specialize in wood production, because part of the planted forests may be economically marginalized in the future, and their restoration to natural forests would then be needed.     

Paleodemography of a medieval population in Japan: analysis of human skeletal remains from the Yuigahama-minami site

The purpose of this study is to obtain demographic data regarding the medieval population buried at the Yuigahama-minami site in Kamakura, Japan, and to detect a secular trend in the life expectancy of Japanese population over the last several thousand years. The Yuigahama-minami skeletal sample consists of 260 individuals, including 98 subadults (under 20 years old) and 162 adults. A Yuigahama-minami abridged life-table analysis yielded a life expectancy at birth (e0) of 24.0 years for both sexes, a life expectancy at age 15 years (e15) of 15.8 years for males, and an e15 of 18.0 years for females. The reliability of the estimated e0 was confirmed by analysis of the juvenility index. Demographic profiles comparing the Yuigahama-minami series with other skeletal series indicated that both the survivorship curve and life expectancy of the Yuigahama-minami sample are similar to those of the Mesolithic-Neolithic Jomon population, but are far lower than those of the early modern Edo population. These comparisons strongly suggest that life expectancy changed little over the thousands of years between the Mesolithic-Neolithic Jomon and medieval periods, but then improved remarkably during the few hundred years between the medieval period and early modern Edo period. The short-lived tendency of the Yuigahama-minami sample does not contradict the archaeological hypothesis of unsanitary living conditions in medieval Kamakura. This is the first investigation to address the demographic features of a medieval population in Japan, and will help refine our understanding of long-term trends in the demographic profiles of inhabitants of Japan.     

Radioaktivität – Wirkung auf die Zelle

Radioactive radiaton As long as the earth exists all living organisms are exposed to a natural radioactive radiation. Man succeeded by knowledge of the structure of matter, to use the natural process of radioactive decay for peaceful (medicine, energy) and military means (nuclear bombs). Hence, the artificial radiation created by humans and the amount of radioactive “waste” has considerably increased in the last 100 years. After the incidents of Chernobyl (Russia), and Fukushima (Japan) the use of nuclear energy appears to be not as controllable as expected. An unsolved problem is still the “disposal” and storage of radioactive materials. With the production and use of radioactive substances in large quantities, we leave a currently unsolved problem to future generations for thousands of years.