National Academy Of Sciences Research Articles

Profile of Sangeeta Bhatia

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.

In This Issue

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.

Predicting microbial crude protein synthesis in cattle from intakes of dietary energy and crude protein.

Accurate predictions of microbial crude protein (MCP) synthesis are needed to predict metabolizable protein supply in ruminants. Since 1996, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine series on beef cattle nutrient requirements has used the intake of total digestible nutrients (TDN) to predict ruminal MCP synthesis. Because various tabular energy values for feeds are highly correlated, our objective was to determine whether intakes of digestible energy (DE), metabolizable energy (ME), and net energy for maintenance (NEm) could be used as predictors of MCP synthesis in beef cattle. A published database of 285 treatment means from experiments that evaluated MCP synthesis was updated with 50 additional treatment mean observations. When intakes of TDN, fat-free TDN, DE, ME, NEm, dry matter, organic matter, crude protein (CP), ether extract, neutral detergent fiber, and starch were used in a stepwise regression analysis to predict MCP, only intakes of DE and CP met the P < 0.10 criterion for entry into the model. Mixed-model regression analyses were used to adjust for random intercept and slope effects of citations to evaluate intake of DE alone or in combination with CP intake as predictors of MCP synthesis, and the intakes of TDN, ME, and NEm as alternatives to DE intake. Similar precisions in predicting MCP synthesis were obtained with all measures of energy intake (CV = root mean square error [RMSE] as a percentage of the overall mean MCP varied from 9% to 9.67%), and adding CP intake to statistical models increased precision (CV ranged from 8.43% to 9.39%). Resampling analyses were used to evaluate observed vs. predicted values for the various energy intake models with or without CP intake, as well as the TDN-based equation used in the current beef cattle nutrient requirements calculations. The coefficient of determination, concordance correlation coefficient, and RMSE of prediction as a percentage of the mean averaged 0.595%, 0.730%, and 28.6% for the four measures of energy intake, with average values of 0.630%, 0.757%, and 27.4%, respectively, for equations that included CP intake. The TDN equation adopted by the 2016 beef cattle nutrient requirements system yielded similar results to newly developed equations but had a slightly greater mean bias. We concluded that any of the measures of energy intake we evaluated can be used to predict MCP synthesis by beef cattle and that adding CP intake improves model precision.

PRODUCTIVITY OF ALFALFA IN THE SYSTEM OF ORGANIC PRODUCTION UNDER THE CONDITIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE

The article presents the results of studies of the influence of the modes of use of the grass stand on the forage productivity of different ecotypes of alfalfa. Under the conditions of climate change, alfalfa sowing formed stable productivity indicators on the organic background of fertilizer in combination with soil liming. In the experiment, the fodder productivity of different alfalfa ecotypes was studied by Rosana (originator: Institute of Fodder and Agriculture Podillia, National Academy of Sciences) and Unitro (originator: Institute of Irrigated Agriculture, National Academy of Sciences). An increase in the yield of leaf-stem mass in the first slope of sowing alfalfa according to the main phases of growth and development was noted, which, regardless of the varietal characteristics of the crop, was in the range of 22.4-23.5 t/ha in the budding phase, 27.6-28.4 t/ha - at the beginning of flowering and 28.3-29.2 t/ha - in flowering. According to the modes of using alfalfa crops, the height of the plants in the first slope gradually increased and already at the beginning of flowering in both varieties it was 88.3-91.1 cm against the background of liming and 92.7-93.0 cm of organic matter. The linear indicators increased accordingly to 92.1-92.6 and 95.2-95.7 cm when the plants reach the full flowering phase. The best height parameters were obtained for a combination of two factors, where plant growth in both varieties was within 4.0-4.9 cm, or increased by 6.7-8.9%. It can be concluded that adjusting the terms of mowing grass contributed to its better development. It was established that the first slope of the leaf-stem mass of alfalfa was formed due to the productive moisture of the autumn-winter period and a sufficient temperature regime for passing the stages of organogenesis. The plants produced a high yield of leaf-stem mass when the grass was mowed in the phase of beginning and full flowering (3-4 regimes) regardless of the level of fertilization. At the same time, it was the largest on the organic background of fertilizer, which was 27.6-28.3 t/ha in the Unitro variety and 28.4-29.2 t/ha in Rosana. The dependence of the harvest parameters on the terms of mowing the previous slope according to the modes of use of the grass stand is established. With the alienation of alfalfa grass in the budding phase, in the second slope, the indicators were the lowest and amounted to 8.6 t/ha. An increase in productivity was observed under the second regime, up to 13.0 t/ha for mowing the grass at the beginning of flowering. The change in the mowing scheme of the grass stand within the regime affected the yield indicators of the leaf mass, which were determined by the height of the plants against the background of fertilization and the development phase of the alienation of the grass stand in the first slope. Based on the analysis of the obtained data, it can be concluded that regardless of the change in the alternation of slopes according to the main phases of growth and development of the culture, its endurance and stability to produce regardless of the hydrothermal conditions of the growing season have been noted.

Invited Perspective. Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, Hepatotoxicity, and Liver Disease: Evidence and Clinical Responses

Background: This perspective concerning hepatoxicity of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) aims to provide a current understanding of the damage and reasonable clinician responses to the needs of concerned patients and affected communities. Methods: Search strategy included PFAS and the following: human liver toxicity/disease; relevant biomarkers including transaminases, lipids, uric acid; predictive equations (for liver disease), liver imaging modalities, and histologic findings. Experimental data concerning liver outcomes and disrupted hepatic metabolic pathways was also reviewed. Recommended clinical approaches to patients and communities was sought in both the National Library of Medicine and relevant organizational websites. Results: Several PFAS reliably cause adverse changes in human liver biomarkers, with strong consistency between human and experimental data. Adverse population changes include human transaminases, cholesterol and LDL cholesterol, and uric acid. This biomarker triad suggests that mechanisms and outcomes are or resemble metabolic associated steatotic liver disease, which is found across species following experimental PFAS exposure. Human imaging studies and sparse human histologic studies mostly support the inference that the toxicant damage is or resembles a pathway that can lead from steatosis to more serious stages of liver disease due to disrupted liver metabolism of fatty acids. Advice to patients and clinicians was reviewed from various agencies and nonprofits organizations including a committee of the US National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, and the nonprofit/university collaboration PFAS REACH. Discussion: Converging lines of evidence indict PFAS as human (and trans-species) hepatotoxins and mostly support a metabolic associated steatotic liver disease continuum as the nature of the injury. Increases in abnormal transaminases and sparser imaging and biopsy findings support that the damage is clinically important and a contributing cause of a public health problem. It is still challenging to decide which of many definitively disrupted metabolic pathways is/are most important to the injury. Many PFAS in use remain virtually unstudied, a research and public health emergency. Simple clinical responses to the concerns of the most heavily contaminated patients and communities, which are within the capabilities of most clinical offices, are reviewed.

Can gene expression delay aging and increase longevity?

The reality of interacting genes and proteins is vastly complex and intricate with many unknowns which currently prevent us from solving the anti-ageing equation in terms of gene expression. Molecular studies involving genome modification should take into consideration the importance of apparently opposing genes and proteins which when seen as a whole, can orchestrate an optimal systemic balance. Gene expression is often a double-edged sword with positive effects turning negative when a particular gene is overexpressed. For this reason, the US National Academy of Sciences and the National Academy of Medicine have placed stringent restrictions on the promising genome editing methods to be used only for the specific DNA sequence associated with a transmissible genetic disease. Rejuvenation as a result of gene expression is still an open area of research with studies that have either been limited to in vitro research or clinical studies claiming success based on a limited perspective that selectively emphasises the benefits of certain genes while leaving the negative outcomes in the shadows of their silence. For example, some investigators relate the presence of ZMPSTE24, IGF1R, NGF4, EEF2, EIF4FBP1 CCL18, and other genes with “rejuvenation,” selectively focusing on potential benefits while ignoring the involvement of some of these genes in malignancies and inflammation. Well-controlled gene expression molecular experimental studies with mechanotherapy and effortless exercise have limited themselves to the observation of increased slow skeletal genes associated with muscle growth that do not present any adverse side effects. Overall, exercise and nutrition are still the safest and most ethical methods of gene expression at least until genome editing can be extended to delaying ageing, in the near or distant future. As observed in the research analysing gene expression as the result of different types of exercise, inflammatory events are counterbalanced by antagonizing anti-inflammatory ones. This signifies optimal biological homeostasis because health depends on the harmonious interaction of opposite processes levelling and stabilizing each other. Exercise modalities and lifestyle are still representing the cornerstone of delaying ageing and the most riskless method of increasing longevity by triggering processes that balance each other.

Information design to support growth, quality, and equity of the US transplant system

The Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network, an arm of the Health Resources and Services Administration, has a contract with the United Network for Organ Sharing since 1986 to provide central oversight of organ donation and transplants in the United States. The United Network for Organ Sharing has recently come under scrutiny, prompting a review by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine as summarized in its recent report and also by the US Senate Finance Committee. The national news services have opined about organ donation ethics, access to transplantation particularly for medically underserved populations, and management of organ transplantation data. These critiques raise important concerns that deserve our best response as a transplant community. Broadly, we suggest that the data management approach of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network be replaced with a patient-centric omnichannel network in which all donor and recipient data exist in a single longitudinal record that can be used by all applications. A more comprehensive and standardized approach to donor data collection would drive quality improvement across organ procurement organizations and help address inequities in transplantation. Finally, a substantial increase in organ donation would be prompted by considering organ donors as a public health resource, meriting transparent publicly available data collection with respect to organ donor referral, screening, and management.

Bohdan Hawrylishyn's contacts with the Soviet Union

The purpose of the study is to investigate that part of Bohdan Gavrylyshyn’s life, which is connected with his contacts with the USSR. His trips to the Soviet Union are discussed in detail with interesting facts and events. The main milestones of his biography are briefly presented. His contacts in Geneva, a well-known center of international life, with Ukrainians who worked as representatives of the Soviet Union, in particular with Oleg Belarus, who worked at the UN Commission on Economic Affairs of Europe, are considered. His cooperation with the USSR as the director of the Management Training Center in Geneva is analyzed. The factors influencing his vision of the need for contacts with the Soviet Union are described. Bohdan Gavrylyshyn’s contacts with Jermen Gvishiani, who worked in the State Committee of the Council of Ministers of the USSR on Science and Technology, are described. The arrival of interns from the USSR to study at the National Academy of Sciences is shown. His forecast of various options for the future of the USSR and the possibility of its reform were considered. His first three visits to the Soviet Union are analyzed, in particular his stay in Moscow, Kyiv, Lviv and his native village. The meetings of Bohdan Gavrylyshyn with famous figures of science and technology of the USSR have been revealed. His friendly contacts in Ukraine, the institutions founded by him (the International Institute of Management in Kyiv, the International Renaissance Foundation, the International Center for Prospective Studies), their influence and significance for Ukrainian society are shown. The creation of the Advisory Council under the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine is described. His vision of the ineffectiveness of the Soviet Union, which he proved based on his experience in the USSR, is highlighted. The lack of motivation of some trainees who arrived in Geneva from the Soviet Union was noted. Bohdan Havrylyshyn is one of the extraordinary figures of the Ukrainian diaspora. It was found that by the will of fate and personal interest, he mostly established working contacts with the State Committee for Science and Technology of the USSR. Thanks to this, he visited the Soviet Union several times, even meeting his relatives in his native village. The experience gained helped him to form clearer ideas about the Land of the Soviets, becoming even more convinced of its inefficiency and future disintegration. During the visit in 1988, he began to establish deeper contacts in Ukraine, firmly intending to devote his further life to its development. As a result, Bohdan Havrylyshyn gradually gained authority in his homeland, became an adviser to Leonid Kravchuk, created a number of institutions that contributed to the development of democracy and civil society in Ukraine. He managed to integrate incredibly well into Ukrainian society, becoming a bridge between Ukraine and the Western world. Interestingly, during his lifetime he saw with his own eyes the disintegration of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, predicted by him back in 1979.

The Business Case for Addressing Burnout in Frontline Leaders: A Toolkit of Interventions From Nurse Executives Around the United States.

In 2019, the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine identified clinician burnout as a major problem that required immediate action because of its threat to both health care worker safety and patient safety. Unfortunately, the rise of COVID-19 in 2020 with no signs of a clear ending (as of the summer of 2022) has compounded this problem. Consequently, much focus has been placed by many to address clinician burnout and help alleviate this major threat to safety. Unfortunately, compared with clinician burnout, articles and resources to address frontline leader (FL) burnout are fewer. FLs are key to supporting teams and are integral to their success. They also execute and operationalize organizational strategic plans to ensure patient safety at the point of care. The burnout issue with bedside clinicians is a big issue, a fractured fault line in our health care system. However, without addressing the well-being of FLs, this fault line becomes a chasm. The column shares background from the American Organization for Nursling Leadership longitudinal studies and other pertinent research. It also provides examples of practices across the nation of how nurse executives are supporting their teams and promoting leader support and well-being.

Архивы Азербайджана в системе международных научно-информационных и культурных связей начала XXI века

The paper is devoted to one of the trends of development of archiving in Azerbaijan in the second half of the 1990s-2010s, international cooperation in the archival field. It is to study the activities of Azerbaijani archivists aimed at interacting with international archival community, including determining the role and place of inter-archival dialogue within the framework of participation of the Republic of Azerbaijan in the cultural cooperation with Russia and other CIS countries. The National Archival Fund (NAF) of Azerbaijan is an extensive collection of documents of high scientific, historical, and cultural significance. The authors emphasize that presence in the NAF of Azerbaijan of a large number of documents in Russian and languages of the peoples of Central Asia and the Caucasus expands prospects of participation of the Azerbaijani archives in international research and in educational projects in the post-Soviet space. The study notes importance of Internet publication of documents from the non-state part of the NAF of Azerbaijan (private collections, family archives, etc.), as they become a part of the cultural dialogue of online communities in post-Soviet countries. In 2002, the Decree of the first President of Azerbaijan Heydar Aliyev “On the improvement of archiving in the Republic of Azerbaijan” included search, digitization, and publication of archival materials as sources on the national history formation in the priorities of the work of archives of Azerbaijan. The authors focus on the most significant publications of documents from the State Archive of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the State Historical Archive of the Republic of Azerbaijan, propagating archival heritage of Azerbaijan in the scientific information space of Eurasia. Programs for identifying and copying written sources on the history of Azerbaijan, stored in the archives of Russia and other post-Soviet states, countries of the Middle East, the European Union, and the United States, take a significant place in the scientific and cultural policy of modern Azerbaijan. The article characterizes achievements of the Institute of Manuscripts of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Azerbaijan in the field of archival heuristics abroad. It concludes that there is significant potential for development of international relations of Azerbaijani archival institutions, including expansion of cooperation between Azerbaijani archivists and their colleagues in Russia and the CIS countries.

ФОРМИ ОРГАНІЗАЦІЇ ТА УПРАВЛІННЯ НАУКОЮ І НАЦІОНАЛЬНА СИСТЕМА КЛАСИФІКАЦІЇ НАУК

The article examines the forms of organization of science in Ukraine, namely the role in this process of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine, the National Academy of Sciences, and other branch academies of sciences. Trends in the development of state administration and regulation of scientific activity in Ukraine and the development of scientific research in Ukraine are studied. An important aspect in the field of modern development of scientific activity and science in general is the process of its approximation and integration to the best world standards. Studying the world experience of regulation of scientific activity, it is possible and expedient to implement it to improve the mechanism of state management of scientific activity of scientific institutions in Ukraine. The approaches to the selection of research criteria, which differ by object, subject, method, degree of fundamentality, field of application, are defined and substantiated. The development of scientific research in Ukraine is especially necessary as a basis for sound state management of society, all aspects of its material, social and spiritual life. Science should arm research technology for the development of general culture, professional knowledge, as well as the formation of personal experience. Based on the analysis of statistical data, the main trends, problems and trends in the development of the intellectual activity of scientific and educational institutions of Ukraine have been determined. The need and timeliness of modernization of domestic science and prospects for further development are considered. Today's historical challenges, which Ukraine has faced, provide an opportunity to build a new system of relations between science and society, to increase its significance both in scientific and technical progress and innovations, and in strengthening the country's defense capabilities, making socially significant decisions, formulating national development strategies, military doctrines, etc.

Казахстанская орнитология в ХХ и первой четверти XXI века

The review is devoted to the development of ornithological science in the territory of present-day Kazakhstan over the last century, namely, from the expeditionary survey of the territory in the first third of the 20th century to systematic scientific research that began after 1932 with the formation of the primary academic center in Kazakhstan (later turned into the National Academy of Sciences). The history of the creation and development of the ornithological school in Kazakhstan («the School of Dolgushin»), the compilation and publication of the 5-volume ornithological summary “Birds of Kazakhstan” (1960–1974) and the subsequent formation of the main directions of ornithological research, faunistic, migratory, autecological, and environmental (foundation of protected areas, conservation of rare and endangered species, publication of Red Data books), are considered. The appearance and development of amateur ornithology and another social aspect of ornithology – the popularization of science and the objects of its study with the promotion of the protection of these objects at the boundary of the 20th and 21st centuries – are described. As weaknesses of ornithological science in Kazakhstan, there is a lack of knowledge on the study of bird communities, including their cartography; poor knowledge of the nutrition and winter ecology of birds; the lack of a general analysis of changes in landscapes of an anthropogenic nature in the second half of the 20th century and the impact of these changes on the composition of the avifauna, the number and distribution of individual bird species. Attention is drawn to the problems with the training of ornithological personnel in connection with the liquidation of the departments of zoology in the universities of the country.

Innovative technologies as a factor in the development of the activities of the national scientific agricultural library of the national academy of agrarian sciences

The article is devoted to the currently relevant topic of the influence of innovative technologies on the activities of library institutions. It was determined that the combination of the traditional culture of communication with books and new modern information technologies in the libraries makes it possible to present information quickly, topically, and vividly. Since the user service was, is and remains the main criterion for evaluating the performance of libraries. Among the main technological innovations, it is worth noting remote access to library resources by a wide range of Internet users. Library pages on social networks provide information about the mode of operation, address, link to the website, and information about library activities. The main directions of the digital library, the advantages of using an automated library information system, the principles of creating digital resources are highlighted. The importance of the further creation of the National Electronic Library of Ukraine was determined, considering the Russian-Ukrainian war. The protection of the cultural heritage of the state in terms of documentary heritage, which is located in memory institutions throughout Ukraine (libraries, archives, museums, etc.) is carried out through its digitization and the creation of a reliable system of preservation and access to digital copies of objects. One of the problems related to the creation of the National Electronic Library of Ukraine – the automated library information system (ALIS) – has been identified, since libraries have different systems. It is worth emphasizing that the National Scientific Agricultural Library of the NAAS is also actively creating a digital library, digitizing, first, especially valuable and unique documents that are classified as national property. Among the main strategic directions of the library’s work is the introduction of modern information technologies. They provide effective provision of information and library services that influence the training of professionals and the quality of educational and research processes in all spheres of society. Considering the generalization of the important role of the concept of open access in the creation of the information industry space, it is worth noting that open access is not something new, but now this form is opening itself at a new level – it is a new round in serving modern users. It is through the digital information resource that libraries become more accessible because the freedom and simplicity of independent search and selection of information is provided.

“Negotiations with the USSR May Acquire a Broader Scope than We Can Foresee at Present”. Inclusion of Scientific and Technological Cooperation in the Agenda of the American-Soviet Detente, 1968—1972

The interaction of the USA and the USSR in the field of scientific research and technological exchanges was an important meaningful aspect in the history of their relations in the 1970s. The article discusses the main milestones of the superpowers’ rapprochement at the stage of forming the agenda of the American-Soviet detente. Based on the study of American and Russian documents, including the funds of the Russian State Archive of Modern History and the Russian State Archive of Economics, the goals and motives of the Nixon administration in the process of constructing the American-Soviet dialogue and the place of scientific and technological issues in this process are clarified. The differences in the approaches of Washington and Moscow to establishing a constructive dialogue are studied. There are presented materials indicating the expansion of contacts between representatives of American big business involved in the fields of high-tech and innovative production with the State Committee for Science and Technology under the Council of Ministers of the USSR, interested ministries, institutes of the Academy of Sciences, individual scientific laboratories and enterprises. Notice is given to the role of the national academies of sciences in bringing bilateral relations to a normal track. The Moscow Summit of 1972 is regarded as one of the most important events of the American-Soviet detente, which created a real basis for the formation of long-term intellectual and infrastructural ties in the world entering the era of globalization. It is concluded that in the course of negotiations American diplomacy failed to implement its plan to reach bilateral agreements based on the use of “linking” tactics, which assumed that the extension of the most-favored-nation regime in trade and access to high technologies to the USSR were conditioned by political concessions. It is noted that at all stages of the negotiations Moscow consistently defended its technological sovereignty guided by the principles of equality and equal benefits. The data of American analytical services are presented indicating the high concern of US scientists in developing cooperation with representatives of Soviet science.

Z.M. Muldakhmetov — a Creator of the Scientific School of Quantum Chemistry in Kazakhstan

This year, the famous scientist and organizer of science and education in Kazakhstan, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan Z.M. Muldakhmetov turns 90 years old. His scientific activity is closely connected with such branches of the theory of the structure of matter as molecular spectroscopy and quantum chemistry. His path in science reflects the history of the development of these scientific disciplines. The article gives a brief description of the creation of a scientific school of quantum chemistry in Kazakhstan with the direct participation of Z.M. Muldakhmetov.

Організація оцінювання наукової діяльності в Китаї: методологія та досвід

Building an effective system of organization of scientific activity, which is harmonized with the needs of society, is becoming an urgent task for Ukraine. A decisive role in this process is played by the procedure for evaluating the efficiency of activities of scientific institutions. The aim of the publication is generalizing the practical experience gained in the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and searching for opportunities to implement the organizational principles of the methodology for evaluating the results of scientific activity into the practice of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. In recent decades, the PRC has made significant progress in the development of scientific and innovative activities. Scientific research in China is carried out by research institutes and research universities. The system of financing scientific activities in this country is built on the basis of the results of evaluation, obtained by creating a unique methodology in which scientometric instrumentarium is combined with expert evaluation. The peculiarity of the organization of scientific activity in the PRC is that that if there are more than 2.5 thousand higher education institutions in the country, most scientific research is carried out by a small number of scientific organizations, that include only about 100 universities. The reform of the organizational mechanism of the State management of scientific activities in China took place in several stages, each of which deserves to be studied on the subject of positive experience and possibilities of avoiding the undesirable mistakes. The practical experience of continuous reform of the organizational system of management of scientific activities in China deserves a detailed study and search for ways of possible implementation of the instrumentarium for evaluating the results of scientific activity in the practice of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, taking into account the similarity of the structure of the scientific sphere. Both countries have similar research management structures, including relevant ministries and a network of national academies of sciences. This fact speaks in favor of using the existing practical experience of reforming the field of scientific research and preventing mistakes made by government officials during the implementation of a number of reforms in China (for example, the proven inexpediency of evaluating the results of the activities of scientific institutions, relying solely on quantitative indicators of scientific activity). Also noteworthy is the experience of mixed funding of scientific research, which combines the public sources with the competitive ones.

Protein folds vs. protein folding: Differing questions, different challenges

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.

Profile of Svante Pääbo: 2022 Nobel laureate in Physiology or Medicine

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.

In This Issue

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), a peer reviewed journal of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) - an authoritative source of high-impact, original research that broadly spans the biological, physical, and social sciences.

Manhattan Project genetic studies: Flawed research discredits LNT recommendations

This paper reexamines the technical report (∼ one page) of Uphoff and Stern (1949) in Science that was highly relied upon by the US National Academy of Sciences (NAS) Biological Effects of Atomic Radiation (BEAR) I Genetics Panel to support a linearity dose response for radiation risk assessment. The present paper demonstrates that research of Uphoff and Stern (1949) to evaluate whether total dose or dose rate best estimated radiation risks included two variables, thereby precluding the ability to accurately derive a reliable conclusion about this topic. Furthermore, the acute dose selected by Uphoff and Stern was given at a strikingly low dose rate that may have precluded the capacity to adequately test the total dose/dose rate hypothesis, even with a proper study design which also this research did not possess. The issue of total dose and dose rate was much later successfully addressed by Russell et al. (1958) using a murine model, yielding a dose-rate rather than a total dose conclusion. The failure to subject the experimental details of the Uphoff and Stern (1949) study to peer-review and publication in the open literature precluded a rigorous and necessary evaluation, profoundly and improperly impacting the adoption of the linear dose response model.