Belarusian Scientists Research Articles

On protecting the inexperienced reader from Chernobyl myths

The health and environmental consequences of the Chernobyl accident continue to attractthe attention of experts, decision-makers and the general public, and now theseconsequences have been given added relevance by the similar accident in 2011 at theFukushima-1 nuclear power plant (NPP) in Japan. Expert analysis of radiation levels andeffects has been conducted by international bodies—UNSCEAR in 2008 and the ChernobylForum during 2003–5. At the same time, three Russian and Belarusian scientists, Yablokov,Nesterenko and Nesterenko (2009 Chernobyl. Consequences of the Catastrophe forPeople and the Environment (New York: Annals of the New York Academy ofSciences)) published both in Russian and English a substantial review of theconsequences of Chernobyl based mostly on Russian-language papers. In this book,they suggested a departure from analytical epidemiological studies in favour ofecological ones. This erroneous approach resulted in the overestimation of the numberof accident victims by more than 800 000 deaths during 1987–2004. This paperinvestigates the mistakes in methodology made by Yablokov et al and concludesthat these errors led to a clear exaggeration of radiation-induced health effects.Should similar mistakes be made following the 2011 accident at Fukushima-1NPP this could lead quite unnecessarily to a panic reaction by the public aboutpossible health effects and to erroneous decisions by the authorities in Japan.

Fifth international scientific conference “Sviridov’s Readings-2010” (Minsk, Republic of Belarus, April 6–9, 2010)

The author analyzes conference materials, emphasizing the studies and latest developments useful for industrial heterogeneous catalysis in view of the requirements of green chemistry. Industrial catalysts is developing along a nanometer scale, so especial attention is devoted to analyzing the reports in the Nanochemistry section on the creation of nanocatalysts, the production of active phase nanoparticles, and the formation of new synthesized material properties. The catalysts developed earlier by Russian research in cooperation with Belarusian scientists are considered, and it is shown that not only are expensive nanocontacts extremely promising for industry, but the efficient and economic low-percentage new generation of nanocatalysts synthesized by wet chemistry and containing nanoparticles immobilized on the surface of their support by a film of coating or metal complex modifiers are as well.

A web of science databases as a criterion for assessment of the research activities of Belarusian scientists

The publication activity of the scientists of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, the degree of reflection of their papers in Web of Science databases, and the data on the citation of Belarusian researchers in the studies of other scientists are discussed.

Studies on the current 137Cs body burden of children in Belarus--Can the dose be further reduced?

After the Chernobyl reactor accident wide areas of Belarus were contaminated with radioactive fallout. The verification and documentation of the long-term development of radiation doses is still going on. A population group of special concern are the children living in contaminated regions. The annual dose limit of 1 mSv is still exceeded in some cases, essentially due to high body burdens of 137Cs as indicated by screening measurements with portable incorporation monitors. In this situation the evaluation of possible dose reduction measures in addition to the control of food contamination is being investigated. Special attention is given to the therapeutic application of a pectin preparation (Vitapect), for which a dose-lowering effect is presumed by Belarusian scientists. In a placebo-controlled double-blind study, several groups of contaminated children received a pectin compound named Vitapect for a two-week period during their stay in a sanatorium. For comparison the same number of control groups were given a placebo preparation. The 137Cs body burden of the children was measured at the beginning and the end. The mean relative reduction of the specific activity within the Vitapect groups was found to be approximately 33%, whereas the specific activity of the children who received a placebo decreased only by approximately 14%, due to clean food supply. It is known that pectins chemically bind cations like caesium in the gastrointestinal tract and thereby increase faecal excretion. Theoretical calculations based on this assumption and considering metabolism processes are qualitatively consistent with the experimentally found retention of radiocaesium in the human body after pectin treatment.

Electronic reading of graphic documents. Belarusian work in document recognition

Graphics recognition which includes document and line drawing interpretation is one of the important and difficult fields of image analysis. The article describes work and results of Belarusian scientists in this field. The main scientific and practical achievements are given. Our integration into the world scientific community as well as benefits for both sides are also described.