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Radiation hazard in too many CT scans for chest pain

CT Scans For Chest Pain? Study Questions Benefit For Patients HUFFINGTON POST, By MARILYNN MARCHIONE 07/25/12 If you’re having chest pains, an advanced type of CT scan can quickly rule out a heart attack. New research suggests this might be good for hospitals, but not necessarily for you. Continue reading →

July 26, 2012 Posted by | health, USA | Leave a comment

Fukushima’s children: more than a third at risk of developing cancer

 doctors are outraged that the results are not being sufficiently publicized. 

The World Health Organization warns that young people are particularly prone to radiation poisoning in the thyroid gland. Infants face the direst consequences, as their cells divide at a higher rate.
Children who were under 18 when the nuclear disaster struck last year will be subject to continuous thyroid examinations every two years until they reach 20 years of age, and after that, every five years for the rest of their lives.

Over a third of Fukushima children at risk of developing cancer  http://www.rt.com/news/fukushima-children-radiation-exposure-abnormalities-632/  20 July, 2012,Over a third of children in Japan’s Fukushima region could be prone to cancer if medics don’t apply more effort in treating their unusually overgrown thyroid glands and commit to international health aid and consultations, according to a new report.
The shocking new report shows that nearly 36 per cent of children in the nuclear disaster-affected Fukushima Prefecture have abnormal thyroid growths. This is an extremely large number of abnormalities – some of which, experts say, pose a risk of becoming cancerous.
After examining more than 38,000 children from the area, medics found that more than 13,000 have cysts or nodules as large as 5 millimeters on their thyroids, the Sixth Report of Fukushima Prefecture Health Management Survey states.
In comparison, a 2001 analysis by the Japan Thyroid Association found that fully zero per cent of children in the city of Nagasaki, which suffered a nuclear attack in August of 1945, had nodules, and only 0.8 per cent had cysts on their thyroids, reports the Telegraph.
Radiation enters the body and is distributed through soft tissue, especially in muscle, and then accumulates in the thyroid. It is this accumulation that can potentially lead to cancer. Continue reading →

July 21, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, health, Japan, Reference | Leave a comment

20,000 cleanup workers not counted, in estimating Fukushima cancer risks

Thousands More Radiation-Related Deaths Expected From Fukushima, Asian Scientist, Study By Rebecca Lim July 20, 2012 Thousands of deaths could still be expected from the Fukushima nuclear fallout in the years to come, according to the first estimate of the disaster’s worldwide impact AsianScientist (Jul. 20, 2012) –

The research, published in the latest edition of the journal Energy & Environmental Science, found that inhalation exposure, external exposure, and ingestion exposure of the public to radioactivity may result in up to 1,300 cancer mortalities and up to 2,500 cancer morbidities worldwide, mostly in Japan.
Stanford University researchers John Ten Hoeve and Mark Jacobson feel that the risk of a meltdown is not small, given that “modest to major radionuclide releases (occurred) in almost 1.5 percent of all reactors ever built.”….

Estimates in the paper do not account for the increased radiation risk to the roughly 20,000 workers at the plant in the months following the accident.
Psychological effects such as depression, anxiety, fear, and unexplained physical symptoms which were seen post-Chernobyl, are likely to be repeated in evacuees after Fukushima, they say….

July 21, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, health, Japan, psychology - mental health, Reference | Leave a comment

Media’s strange silence on thyroid abnormalities in Fukushima children

We also spoke with Dr. Bryan Haugen, president-elect of the American Thyroid Association and head of endocrinology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, who hadn’t heard of the report before we contacted him.

Haugen agreed with the Caldicott’s assessment that it is surprising for kids to “have this many nodules and cysts seen, especially this soon after the accident,” and the fact that “this something that is not more widely known.”

The New York Academy of Sciences estimates that nearly one million people around the world have died from exposure to radiation released by the 1986 nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl reactor.

CONFIRMED: 36 Percent Of Fukushima Kids Have Abnormal Thyroid Growths And Doctors Have Been Left In The Dark  : http://www.businessinsider.com/fukushima-children-have-abnormal-thyroid-growths-2012-7#ixzz21CwegRH8   Michael Kelley | Jul. 19, 2012 A few days ago we reported that 36 percent of Fukushima children have abnormal thyroid growths likely from radiation exposure, based on the “Fukushima Prefecture Health Management Survey.”

We got in touch with Australian pediatrician Dr. Helen Caldicott, who has spoken about the growths, to ask her about the implications of the study.
After confirming the validity of the report, Caldicott reinforced the alarming nature of the findings:
1. “It is extremely rare to find cysts and thyroid nodules in children.”
2. “This is an extremely large number of abnormalities to find in children.”
3. “You would not expect abnormalities to appear so early — within the first year or so — therefore one can assume that they must have received a high dose of [radiation].”
4. “It is impossible to know, from what [officials in Japan] are saying, what these lesions are.”
Doctors worry about these abnormal growths because even though thyroid nodules are relatively common, they are not common in children and some of them could become cancerous. When asked why these results haven’t been widely reported, Calidcott noted that Japanese officials are not sharing ultrasound results with foremost experts of thyroid nodules in children and accused the media of “practicing psychic numbing,” saying that she doesn’t understand why media outlets are choosing to ignore the nuclear fallout. Continue reading →

July 20, 2012 Posted by | 2 WORLD, health, Japan, media | 1 Comment

Abnormal thyroid growths in 36% of Fukushima children

36 Percent Of Fukushima Children Have Abnormal Growths From Radiation Exposure  http://www.businessinsider.com/a-stunning-36-percent-of-fukushima-children-have-abnormal-growths-from-radiation-exposure-2012-7#ixzz21Cetabn4  Michael Kelley | Jul. 16, 2012,  Of more than 38,000 children tested from the Fukushima Prefecture in Japan, 36 percent have abnormal growths – cysts or nodules – on their thyroids a year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster, as reported by ENENews.

The shocking numbers come from the thyroid examination section of the “Sixth Report of Fukushima Prefecture Health Management Survey,” published by Fukushima Radioactive Contamination Symptoms Research (FRCSR) and translated by the blog Fukushima Voice.   Shunichi Yamashita, M.D., president of the Japan Thyroid Association, sent a letter to members in January with guidelines for treating thyroid abnormalities. In 2001 Yamashita co-authored a study that found normal children in Nagasaki to have 0 percent nodules and 0.8 percent cysts. Continue reading →

July 20, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, health, Japan, Reference | 1 Comment

Research shows cancer develops from small doses of radiation, especially to children

“Thanks to recent studies, we are now certain that small doses of radiation can seriously affect the thyroids of young children, causing cancers or other illnesses,” 

Victims of French nuclear tests see hope in cancer link finding http://www.france24.com/en/20120717-france-nuclear-tests-polynesia-algeria-radiation-cancer-victims-compensation-health    Victims of French nuclear tests say a report establishing a link between exposure to radiation and cases of cancer may prove decisive in their lengthy battle for compensation. By Andrea Davoust  

Thanks to a landmark medical expert’s report, a new link has been established between France’s nuclear testing in the Pacific and North Africa and cases of cancer among civilians and former military personnel.

The findings, revealed by daily Le Parisien on Tuesday, could help speed up the lengthy legal process to compensate potential victims of these tests. Continue reading →

July 18, 2012 Posted by | France, health | Leave a comment

Japanese medical authorities quiet about high thyroid nodules in Fukushima’s children

the rate of thyroid nodules in children 5 to 10 years after the Chernobyl accident was 1.74%.  The results in Fukushima are merely one year after the accident.  This is a much faster progression

Just 0.8% of children in 2001 Japanese control group had thyroid cysts or nodules — 36% in Fukushima study

Fukushima Children’s Thyroid Examination: How Shunichi Yamashita would like doctors to deal with the results. Introduction  Fukushima Voice May 2012,

This is a letter sent from Shunichi Yamashita, M.D., from Fukushima Medical University to the members of Japan Thyroid Association, of which he is the president.  The letter “asks” or rather “instructs” the members, who are likely to be the thyroid specialists, on how to
deal with the thyroid ultrasound results of Fukushima children.  Continue reading →

July 16, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, health, Japan, Reference | Leave a comment

Cancer and birth deformities toll, due to uranium radiation in Punjab groundwater

The effect of all this can be seen in the growing number of patients in the Malwa belt with cancer and other diseases and children being born with abnormalities. In fact, a train that connects Bathinda with Bikaner in neighbouring Rajasthan is known as the ‘Cancer Express’ as it ferries a large number of cancer patients from Punjab to Bikaner for treatment at a cancer hospital.

Groundwater contaminated, Punjab battles uranium curse Times of IndiaI  Jul 13, 2012,   CHANDIGARH, The high incidence of cancer and other diseases in Punjab’s Malwa belt has been highlighted over the last decade. Now, union Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh  has confirmed the presence of uranium and other heavy metals in groundwater in the state, particularly the Malwa region, and serious efforts are afoot to control the damage. Continue reading →

July 16, 2012 Posted by | health, India, Reference, water | Leave a comment

Unusual number of birth deformities at Fukushima hospital

Evacuee: Fukushima hospital worker says 5 out of 7 babies were born with birth defect, Down’s syndrome, or lost by miscarriage — After this, husband agreed to evacuate July 13th, 2012 By ENENews Original published June 13, 2012 by a Fukushima evacuee, translated by Dissensus Japan:

Someone I know finally moved out of Fukushima to Mie (middle west of Japan). I wasn’t close to her, but she told me a major incident occurred that inspired her to be scared of radiation.At a hospital in Fuksuhima where she was working in, 5 babies out of 7 were born with birth defect, Down’s syndrome or lost by miscarriage.

  • 2 Down’s syndrome
  • 1 born with 6 fingers
  • 1 anencephalia
  • 1 miscarriage
  • 2 other infants were 4 months old old at the time. They have been followed over time.

Speaking in terms of probability, it’s hardly possible this happens in a same hospital. This terrified her. With experts’ knowledge and experiences, it reached the conclusion that this was associated with radiation.

After this, her husband finally agreed and her family evacuated home.

July 14, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, health, Japan, women | 2 Comments

Some Fukushima children have “lifetime” radiation dose to thyroid glands

Several children were judged to have received an equivalent lifetime dose to the thyroid.
But the government says it does not plan to notify the parents out of fear of creating anxiety.

Fukushima kids cop ‘lifetime’ radiation dose http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/2012-07-12/fukushima-kids-cop-lifetime-radiation-dose/978786   12 July 2012,  A Japanese study has found some children who live near the Fukushima nuclear plant have received “lifetime” doses of radiation to their thyroid glands. Continue reading →

July 13, 2012 Posted by | Fukushima 2012, health, Japan | Leave a comment

Fukushima Report castigated governments for poor attention to radiation and health issues

Comments from  Report of  The Diet’s Fukushima Nuclear Accident Independent Investigation Commission    “…... The report prodded the central and local governments to address health issues on grounds that exposure of even 100 millisieverts or less could lead to problems.

It said the 20-millisievert standard for reviewing evacuation zones was too high, especially when considering the health of children and pregnant women.

The commission also castigated the central and Fukushima prefectural governments for not taking steps to assess health problems caused by internal radiation .”exposure”….”   http://ajw.asahi.com/article/0311disaster/fukushima/AJ201207060088

July 10, 2012 Posted by | health, Japan | Leave a comment

Researchers tracking patients’ medical radiation as it adds up

Experts plan to track radiation doses from medical checks Asahi Shimbun,  http://ajw.asahi.com/article behind_news/social_affairs/AJ201207090009 July 09, 2012 By YURI OIWA/ Staff Writer  Concerned about an increase in radiation exposure at hospitals, a group of researchers plans to set up a system to track patients’ cumulative radiation doses and protect children from potential harm. Continue reading →

July 9, 2012 Posted by | health, Japan, Reference | Leave a comment

The “white male effect” – psychologists show that affluent white men are the most accepting of nuclear waste dumps

Where to put nuclear waste?  e! science news, , June 19, 2012 Researchers in Finland have found that acceptance of the site of a spent nuclear fuel repository can depend on gender and economic background. Writing in the International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, the team reports that affluent men more often have a positive opinion on the location of such facilities than women or disadvantaged people.

While the actual quantities of nuclear waste around the globe are relatively small, the disposal or storage of such materials remains a controversial and sensitive issue and one
that is likely to grow if more nuclear power plants are built. Matti Kojo of the University of Tampere and Mika Kari and Tapio Litmanen of the University of Jyväskylä have recently canvassed and analyzed local opinion on the siting of a nuclear waste repository in the
municipality of Eurajoki, Finland. They have demonstrated what they refer to as a “white male effect” associated with acceptance of such facilities close to a residential area…..
http://esciencenews.com/articles/2012/06/19/where.put.nuclear.waste

June 20, 2012 Posted by | Finland, psychology - mental health | Leave a comment

The way to win over climate sceptics

How to convince climate sceptics to be pro-environment, New Scientist,   17 June 2012 by Michael Slezak, Climate change might eventually cause millions of deaths and all kinds of natural disasters. But don’t tell that to a climate-change sceptic if you want them to do anything about it.

Instead, focus on how mitigation efforts can help people become more warm and caring towards others or how it can promote economic and technological development. That’s the advice psychologists give after confirming the strategy in an experiment. Continue reading →

June 20, 2012 Posted by | climate change, psychology - mental health | Leave a comment

“Mentally ill”, “seditious” – govt labels for India’s anti nuclear protestors!

NIMHANS psychiatrists, to their shame, are striving to help people ”understand the importance of the nuclear power plant.” They treat opposition to nuclear power as a disorder like schizophrenia, paranoia, or craving for victimhood.

Demonising anti-nuclear protests, The Daily Star, Praful Bidwai, 15 June 12, So monumen-tally arrogant is India’s nuclear establishment that it brazenly brands its critics insane and in need of psychiatric treatment. It has asked the state-run National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) to “counsel” the tens of thousands protesting against the Koodankulam nuclear power station in Tamil Nadu that it’s perfectly safe.

This marks a new offensive to impose nuclear power upon people who have resisted Koodankulam’s Russian-made reactors since 1988. After Fukushima, the presumption that fears about nuclear hazards are irrational betrays delusional insensitivity.

The police have filed 107 First Information Reports against an incredible 55,795 people in Koodankulam, charging 6,800 of them with ”sedition” and “waging war.” This sets a new record in harassment of popular protests anywhere. Leave alone sedition, there hasn’t been one violent incident during the seven-months-long Koodankulam protests. Continue reading →

June 16, 2012 Posted by | India, psychology - mental health, Reference | Leave a comment

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