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Yablokov: Nonmalignant Diseases after Chernobyl 77TABLE 5.20. Average Value of Antioxidant Characteristics among Groups of Russian Liquidators withVarious Levels of Chromosomal Aberrations (Baleva et al., 2001) aControlGroups of liquidators with various numbers of aberrationsAberrations, n 0.11 0.18 0.68 1.15 1.66 2.64GT 16.70 823.82 17.57 824.50 21.98 ∗ 25.66 ∗SOD 113.12 115.23 120.09 101.08 ∗ 136.5 107.76Hem 1 6.78 7.86 11.14 ∗ 5.59 7.74 6.70Hem 2 7.27 9.22 10.99 ∗ 5.88 6.86 8.17MDA 1 2.08 2.41 2.74 ∗ 1.88 2.67 ∗ 1.83MDA 2 2.07 2.58 ∗ 2.28 ∗ 2.10 2.88 ∗ 1.85t 1 1.01 1.37 ∗ 1.24 1.39 ∗ 1.15 1.50 ∗CP 1.16 1.01 ∗ 0.92 ∗ 1.15 1.18 1.20FR 0.69 1.20 ∗ 1.05 1.02 0.92 1.04a GT: restored glucation; SOD: superoxide-dismutase; Hem 1, Hem 2: hematopoietic proteins; MDA 1:malondialdehyde in erythrocytes; MDA 2: malondialdehyde in erythrocytes after POL-initiation; t 1 :timeofrotarycorrelation of spin probe N 1 in erythrocyte membranes; CP: ceruloplasmin; FR: free radicals with the g-factor 2.0.∗ p < 0.05.release of radiation and increased the occurrenceof various diseases.Even if the Chernobyl radiation persistedonly a short time (as in Hiroshima and Nagasaki),its consequences, according to thelaws of genetics, would affect some generationsof humans (Shevchenko, 2002). Only10% of all expected Chernobyl genetic damageoccurred in the first generation (Pflugbeilet al., 2006). The Chernobyl radiation isgenetically much more dangerous than thatreleased in Hiroshima and Nagasaki as thequantity of radionuclides emitted from theChernobyl meltdown was several-hundred-foldhigher and there were more different kinds ofradionuclides.The genetic consequences of the Chernobylcatastrophe will impact hundreds of millions ofpeople, including: (a) those who were exposedto the first release of short-lived radionuclidesin 1986, which spread worldwide (see Chapter1 for details); (b) those who live and will continueto live in the territories contaminated bySr-90 and Cs-137, as it will take no fewer than300 years for the radioactive level to decreaseto background; (c) those who will live in theterritories contaminated by Pu and Am, as millenniawill pass before that deadly radioactivitydecays; and (d) children of irradiated parentsforasmanyassevengenerations(eveniftheylive in areas free from Chernobyl radionuclidefallout).5.3. Diseases of the EndocrineSystemRadioactive fallout from Chernobyl has hadserious adverse effects on every part of theendocrine system of irradiated individuals.Among adults, the thyroid gland concentratesup to 40% of a radioactive iodine dose, and inchildren up to 70% (Il’in et al., 1989; Dedovet al., 1993). The hypophysis (pituitary gland)actively incorporates radioactive iodine at levels5 to 12 times higher than normal (Zubovskyand Tararukhina, 1991). These two major portionsof the endocrine system were overirradiatedduring the “iodine” period, the first weeksafter the catastrophe.All physiological functions such as the onsetof puberty and the closing of bone epiphysesthat are dependent on the organsof internal secretion—the pancreas, parathyroids,thyroid, and adrenal glands and theovaries and the testes—which control multiplefunctions must coordinate to sustain normal development.Thus Chernobyl’s radioactive contaminationhas adversely impacted the functionof the entire endocrine system.