100 Years Ago: Punch Cards and the Census Sep 3, 2009
SEPTEMBER 1959 RADIATION What should the citizen conclude about ionizing radiation. Ionizing radiation has always been with us and will be for all foreseeable time ... Our genetic system is probably well adjusted by natural selection to normal background radiation. (Scientific American)
Cancer fears must wait Sep 1, 2009
The study says that ionizing radiation appears to increase the risk of brain cancer in children. Radon and pesticides could also contribute to the development of brain tumors in children, Alonso said. (The Palm Beach Post)
How Safe Or Unsafe Are Medical Imaging Procedures? Aug 29, 2009
28, 2009) In a new study of nearly one million adults between the ages of 18 and 64, nearly 70 percent of participants underwent at least one medical imaging procedure between July 2005 and December 2007, resulting in an average effective dose of radiation nearly double the amount they would otherwise be exposed to from natural sources ... Nearly 20 percent of participants received at least moderate annual doses of radiation from diagnostic tests, and women and older individuals were at greater... (Science Daily)
Radiologists, medical physicists work to make imaging procedures safer Aug 28, 2009
The Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) reaffirmed its commitment to patient safety today in responding to a study and accompanying perspective on radiation dose from medical imaging procedures in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM). In "Exposure to Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation from Medical Imaging Procedures," Reza Fazel, M.D., M.Sc ... and colleagues reported that imaging procedures are a key source of ionizing radiation exposure in the U.S. and that repeat exams can result in... (EurekAlert!)
Exposure to Low-Dose Ionizing Radiation from Medical Imaging Procedures Aug 27, 2009
Background The growing use of imaging procedures in the United States has raised concerns about exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation in the general population ... Utilization data were used to estimate cumulative effective doses of radiation from imaging procedures and to calculate population-based rates of exposure, with annual effective doses defined as low ... 8%) underwent at least one imaging procedure associated with radiation exposure. (New England Journal of Medicine)
Nuclear Fusion Research Key To Advancing Computer Chips Aug 25, 2009
The simulation tool combines computations in plasma physics, radiation transport, atomic physics, plasma-material interactions and magnetohydrodynamics, or what happens when a target is heated, melts and turns into a plasma. The work is based at the Center for Materials Under Extreme Environments at Purdue. (Science Daily)
LETTER: Less 'coverage,' more real insurance needed Aug 21, 2009
TODAY'S HEADLINES SPECIAL SECTION ONLINE POLL. Is the mid-August start of school too early. (Mattoon Journal-Gazette, IL)
Aid sought for 'Atomic Vets' Aug 18, 2009
Bill would facilitate care for U.S. veterans exposed to radiation ... He is virtually certain it had something to do with his Navy service in the Pacific during World War II, when he was exposed to atomic bomb radiation ... Some died due to massive doses of radiation. (Honolulu Advertiser)
The EF mill: slow down Aug 13, 2009
It is unlikely worker health will face as many hazards in milling as mining, but the ionizing radiation in the Whirlwind and other mines feeding the mill will pose a serious health risk to workers and it could do the same at the mill. Without an environmental permit application how can these questions be addressed. (Montrose Daily Press, CO)
Protein complex key in avoiding DNA repair mistakes, cancer Aug 5, 2009
External causes such as exposure to toxic substances or ionizing radiation, or forces inside the body such as oxidative stress, can cause the breaks. Mistakes in the repair of breaks can lead to cancer. (EurekAlert!)
Cluster causes elusive Aug 2, 2009
Once a cancer cluster is identified, under protocols from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, environmental investigators begin considering possible causes: sources of radiation, pesticides, fungicides, solvents, other chemicals ... The nature of the cancers, leukemias and brain tumors, suggests ionizing radiation, Indian said, although everything is being considered. (The Palm Beach Post)
DNA Repair Mechanisms Jul 20, 2009
Alterations can come about due to exposure to ionizing radiation, carcinogens, and reactive oxygen species or due to problems in DNA replication ... If 2-4 bases are removed it is called long patch repair, which occurs in response to ionizing radiation at certain points in the cell cycle. (Suite101.com)
On the 40th anniversary of the first manned moon landing today's scientists point to new frontiers Jul 16, 2009
"A new scientific frontier will be to facilitate predictive medicine through the improvement of clinical tools that can predict disease at an early stage. We wish to predict the progress of a disease, and to prevent the disease or control it at an early stage, and then to prescribe the treatment based on each individual's needs. MRI will play an important role. MRI is now reaching a maturity where it can contribute to fairly general routine examinations and early diagnosis. With fine image... (EurekAlert!)
Variations in 5 genes raise risk for most common brain tumors Jul 6, 2009
"We will be able to look at all of the potential risk and protective factors we've identified in much smaller studies over the years, such as exposure to ionizing radiation, allergies, infections, and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, in a much larger study that will include the genes involved," Bondy said ... U.K.; Georgina Armstrong, Yanhong Liu, and Xiangjun Gu of M. D. Anderson's Department of Epidemiology; Marc Sanson, Yannick Marie, Blandine Boisselier, Jean-Yves Delattre, Khe... (EurekAlert!)
Tumor-suppressor Recruits Help To Overcome A Barrier And Fix Cancer-causing Defects Jul 2, 2009
DNA repair efficiency dropped by between 40 and 60 percent in cells with BRIT1 knocked down that were then exposed to ionizing radiation, allowing many damaged cells to divide and pass on their genetic defects ... (June 14, 2009) Many cancerous tumors possess a genetic mutation that disables a tumor suppressor called PTEN. Now researchers have shown why inactivation of PTEN allows tumors to resist radiation ... 2, 2008) A protein that helps lung cancer cells thrive appears to do so by blocking... (Science Daily)
BRIT1 allows DNA repair teams access to damaged sites Jun 20, 2009
DNA repair efficiency dropped by between 40 and 60 percent in cells with BRIT1 knocked down that were then exposed to ionizing radiation, allowing many damaged cells to divide and pass on their genetic defects. Potential for cancer treatment. (EurekAlert!)
Belinda Larsen: Atomic Veterans' struggle for recognition continues, despite some successes Jun 20, 2009
Gary told me about veterans who were exposed to ionizing radiation as a result of participating in a test of atomic weapons conducted by the United States between 1945 and 1963 ... These servicemen were left with hidden wounds -- not from bullets or shrapnel, but from radiation. (Medfield Press, MA)
Gray Hair Caused by Stress (Cell Stress, That Is) Jun 17, 2009
That's because DNA is "under constant attack" by damaging agents, such as chemicals, ultraviolet light, and ionizing radiation, according to study lead author Emi Nishimura of Tokyo Medical and Dental University ... Linzhao Cheng, a member of the Johns Hopkins Institute of Cell Engineering, agreed that it's tough to avoid stem cell damagespecially for people who spend a lot of time outdoors, which exposes them to ultraviolet radiation from the sun. (National Geographic)
Stress Makes Your Hair Go Gray Jun 16, 2009
"The DNA in cells is under constant attack by exogenously- and endogenously-arising DNA-damaging agents such as mutagenic chemicals, ultraviolet light and ionizing radiation," said Emi Nishimura of Tokyo Medical and Dental University ... Now, they show in mice that irreparable DNA damage, as caused by ionizing radiation, is responsible. (Science Daily)
AGU journal highlights -- May 29, 2009 May 30, 2009
Waves in Earth's radiation belt get mapped ... This is because dust particles become positively charged through photoelectric effects excited by solar ultraviolet radiation and X rays, so more intense direct sunlight increases the electrostatic forces that make the dust adhesive ... Waves in Earth's radiation belt get mapped. (EurekAlert!)
* Taiwan News Quick Take May 19, 2009
According to Management of Radioactive Material, Equipment Capable of Producing Ionizing Radiation and Practice regulations, shipments that transfer through Taiwan and contain radioactive material must be approved by the AEC beforehand. Failure to abide by the regulations can result in fines of between NT$600,000 and NT$3 million (US$90,000). (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- Taiwan)
Harold Kruger's 'Off Beat': Lots of smoke in radiation ruling May 4, 2009
Many contracted cancer from their exposure to radiation and have been trying to extract compensation from the federal government ever since ... He claims he received a cancer-causing dose of radiation after the blast ... Larsen filed his claim in 1998, alleging he contracted acute myelocytic leukemia a rare bone marrow cancer from radiation at the nuclear test site. (Appeal Democrat, CA)
MR Enterography Eliminates Unnecessary Radiation Exposure In Patients With Small Bowel Disease May 1, 2009
ScienceDaily (May 1, 2009) MR enterography is an effective tool to evaluate and guide treatment of patients with Crohn s Disease (a common form of inflammatory bowel disease that typically affects young people) without exposing them to radiation, according to a study performed at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine/Brown University in Providence, RI. ... These young patients are too often exposed to multiple doses of ionizing radiation, the long-term effects which may be quite dangerous ... MR... (Science Daily)
Study examines radiation dose estimates for pregnant women undergoing therapeutic ERCP Apr 29, 2009
Physicians should be able to estimate the dose of radiation exposure to the fetus in all stages of gestation to determine appropriate treatment ... The radiation exposure in endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), which is used to treat these conditions, is a concern because fetal tissues are more susceptible to radiation injury ... Researchers from Greece found that the radiation risks associated with ERCP procedures are not trivial and that accurate fetal dose estimation is now... (EurekAlert!)
CSHL-led team identifies key decision-point at which cells with broken DNA repair themselves or die Apr 11, 2009
When cells undergo potentially catastrophic damage, for example as a result of exposure to ionizing radiation, they must make a decision: either to fix the damage or program themselves for death, a process called apoptosis ... In intricate ways, cells orchestrate a response to signals from such resident sensors when they are triggered by exposure to radiation or other toxic processes, which if unchecked can cause genes to mutate and cancerous tumors to begin forming. (EurekAlert!)
Negative Ions Enhance Health Apr 5, 2009
They are especially present near flowing water, or anywhere that molecules may have lost a charge thanks to radiation, sunlight, or moving air or water. Michael Terman (Columbia University) credits negative ions with the feeling of optimism in the air after a thunderstorm. (Suite101.com)
Sharpest image of Orion's binary star captured Apr 3, 2009
The intense radiation of Theta 1 Ori C, they said, is ionizing the whole Orion nebula, and its strong wind shapes the famous Orion proplyds, young stars that are still surrounded by their protoplanetary dust disks. Since Theta 1 Ori C is such a bright star, astronomers did not detected the existence of a close companion under 1999. (Xinhuanet, China)
'Organic food' -_What does it mean? Apr 3, 2009
Organic food is produced without using most conventional pesticides, fertilizers made with synthetic ingredients or sewage sludge, bioengineering, or ionizing radiation. Organic meat, poultry, eggs and dairy products come from animals that are given no antibiotics or growth hormones. (Leavenworth Lamp, KS)
CT scans: Too much of a good thing can be risky Apr 1, 2009
"The techniques implemented in our study can be used to identify higher risk patients who might benefit from enhanced radiation protection efforts." ... However, CT uses a higher radiation dose than most other imaging exams ... For the study, the researchers developed new methodology to estimate cumulative CT radiation doses and associated radiation-induced cancer risks at the level of the individual patient, by extracting each patient's CT history from the electronic medical record and applying... (EurekAlert!)
CT Scans of Pregnant Women Increasing Mar 19, 2009
But danger to fetus from radiation is slight, experts say ... CT scans expose the fetus to higher levels of radiation than other methods, causing concern that CT scans could harm the developing baby ... Lazarus acknowledged that many people worry that the radiation used in these scans might harm the fetus. (MEDLINEplus)
Study tracks increasing use of CT on pregnant women Mar 17, 2009
"Imaging utilization has not been previously studied in the pregnant population," said Elizabeth Lazarus, M.D., assistant professor of diagnostic imaging at the Warren Alpert School of Medicine at Brown University and a radiologist at Rhode Island Hospital in Providence, R.I. "This population may be vulnerable to the adverse effects of radiation.". Dr. Lazarus and colleagues conducted a retrospective review of nuclear medicine, CT, fluoroscopy and plain-film x-ray imaging examinations performed... (EurekAlert!)
Inserting Catheters Without X-rays Mar 17, 2009
In future, it will be possible to monitor the position of the catheter without exposing the patient to X-ray radiation, and without the need for a contrast medium ... The problem with this computer tomography method is that it exposes the patient to quite a high dose of radiation ... Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Production Technology IPT in Aachen have now found a way of avoiding both the radiation and the contrast medium. (Science Daily)
Adverse Health Effects from the Operation of Digital Broadcast Television Stations (DVBT) Mar 10, 2009
On May 20, 2006, two digital broadcast television stations went on the air in the Hessian Rhoen area (Heidelstein, Kreuzberg), which until recently had enjoyed rather low mobile phone radiation exposure levels ... The WHO, the German Radiation Protection Commission, and the German Federal Ministry of the Environment rely on the Guidelines for Limiting Exposure to Time varying Electric, Magnetic, and Electromagnetic Fields (up to 300 GHz), (Health Physics 74 (4): 494 522; 1998) published by the... (Multichannel News)
Radiation Exposure Of U.S. Population: American Association of Physicists in Medicine Comments On Controversial Report Mar 6, 2009
5, 2009) Scientists at the American Association of Physicists in Medicine (AAPM) are offering additional background information to help the public avoid misinterpreting the findings contained in a report issued March 3 by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP), a non-profit body chartered by the U.S. Congress to make recommendations on radiation protection and measurements ... NCRP Report No. 160 updates the 1987 publication, NCRP report No. 93, on the sources of... (Science Daily)
Medical Radiation Exposure Of The U.S. Population Greatly Increased Since The Early 1980s Mar 6, 2009
5, 2009) In 2006, Americans were exposed to more than seven times as much ionizing radiation from medical procedures as was the case in the early 1980s, according to a new report on population exposure released March 3rd by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements (NCRP) at its annual meeting in Bethesda, Maryland. In 2006, medical exposure constituted nearly half of the total radiation exposure of the U.S. population from all sources ... These two imaging modalities alone... (Science Daily)
Health: Time for a radiation reality check? Mar 6, 2009
Time for a radiation reality check ... Time for a radiation reality check ... "Huge Increase," "," and "Higher Than Ever" are some of the terms in headlines yesterday reporting that the average Americans exposure to radiation from medical procedures has risen over the last 30 years. (MSNBC -- Environment)
New X-Ray Machines Could Kill Food Bacteria Feb 26, 2009
The technique, which uses a low-dose form of irradiation, destroys the bacteria on delicate foods without turning them to mush ... Irradiation, also known as cold pasteurization, kills harmful bacteria by briefly exposing food to ionizing radiation, or short energy wavelengths ... Irradiation has already been approved for use on many foods, including spices, poultry, wheat flour and ground beef. (Scientific American)
• Patient needs more information about myelodysplastic anemia Feb 17, 2009
Reasons include prior cancer therapies (namely those for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and acute lymphocytic leukemia) and environmental toxins, such as massive exposure to ionizing radiation, benezene and more. There also may be a link between myelodysplastic syndromes and long-term exposure to pesticides, heavy metals, herbicides and chemical fertilizers. (Burley South Idaho Press, ID)
All in a days work, Ringgold native recalls nuclear testing Feb 12, 2009
Neal's air force squadron tracked radiation clouds produced by nuclear blasts in the 1950s ... Not only was Ringgold native Calvin Neal, 78, there, he was in the nose of a B-29 bomber tracking the radiation cloud given off by each blast ... "We were trying to find out where the radiation was going so they could warn airlines and plot fallouts," Neal said. (Chatham Star Tribune, VA)
People Without Heart Disease Symptoms Urged To Use Caution In Obtaining Cardiac Imaging Exams Feb 11, 2009
11, 2009) At the radiation dose levels used in cardiac imaging exams, such as cardiac CT or nuclear medicine scans, the risk of potentially harmful effects from ionizing radiation are low ... In the Feb. 2 online issue of the journal Circulation, the panel says that cardiac scans that use ionizing radiation should, in all cases, be used judiciously, and are not recommended for people without chest pain or other symptoms who are at low risk for heart disease ... "There is a false sense of... (Science Daily)
Source Of Cancer Stem Cells' Resistance To Radiation Discovered Feb 10, 2009
9, 2009) Much to the dismay of patients and physicians, cancer stem cells tiny powerhouses that generate and maintain tumor growth in many types of cancers are relatively resistant to the ionizing radiation often used as therapy for these conditions ... When the researchers blocked this pathway, the cells became more susceptible to radiation ... Cho and radiation oncologist and post-doctoral fellow Maximilian Diehn, MD, PhD, are co-first authors of the research, which will be published on Feb. 4... (Science Daily)
CT scan may give patients high radiation dose Feb 8, 2009
While the potential risk of developing cancer after a cardiac CT scan is slight, at less than 1 percent, researchers in the large, international study found the radiation doses from such tests varied widely among hospitals, suggesting more can be done to minimize patients exposure. It does drive home the fact that, yes, those scanners do impart a radiation dose, and the doctors together with their patients really have to think about whether or not the scan is the best approach for the... (MSNBC -- Health)
The First Stars in the Universe Feb 7, 2009
The uniformity of this radiation indicates that matter was distributed very smoothly at that time ... As the cosmos expanded, the background radiation redshifted to longer wavelengths and the universe grew increasingly cold and dark ... Although the early universe was remarkably smooth, the background radiation shows evidence of small-scale density fluctuations clumps in the primordial soup. (Scientific American)
Types of Body Composition Testing A... Feb 7, 2009
There is a risk of radiation exposure with this test, and the equipment is very expensive ... There is no exposure to ionizing radiation, but the equipment and the resulting analysis is very expensive. (Suite101.com)
Why don't we irradiate all germ-carrying food? Feb 7, 2009
Irradiation is commonly used to preserve certain foods and destroy insects and germs in others, but it may not work well in all products--or on all pathogens ... The four-month-long, nationwide coming on the heels of other, raises the question: Why not just zap all of our food with radiation to destroy contaminants ... The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last summer okayed irradiation to destroy pathogens in fresh iceberg lettuce and spinach in the wake of an Escherichia coli (E. coli)... (Scientific American)
Experts Urge Limits on Use of Cardiac CT Scans Feb 7, 2009
Radiation-linked cancer risks are small, but need to be considered, AHA panel says ... MONDAY, Feb. 2 (HealthDay News) -- Certain kinds of heart imaging tests should be used cautiously to minimize patient exposure to ionizing radiation, which has been linked to cancer ... Sources of ionizing radiation include diagnostic tests that use X-rays -- such as computed tomography (CT), fluoroscopy (a video X-ray such as an angiogram) -- and nuclear medicine studies. (MEDLINEplus)
Radiation from CT Scans Not Always the Same Feb 7, 2009
TUESDAY, Feb. 3 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to radiation varies widely among people who undergo computed tomography (CT) scans, a new study has found. The study, published in the Feb. 4 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, comes a day after the American Heart Association urged that CT scans be used judiciously to minimize exposure to ionizing radiation ... A CT scan gives a radiation dose equivalent to 600 chest X-rays. (MEDLINEplus)
Pilots May Face Greater Cancer Risk Feb 7, 2009
Radiation might cause damage to DNA, study says ... THURSDAY, Dec. 11 (HealthDay News) -- Highly experienced pilots may be at risk of DNA damage from prolonged exposure to cosmic ionizing radiation, according to a study that compared 83 airline pilots to 50 university faculty members from the same U.S. city ... Since translocations aren't eliminated from the blood like other forms of chromosomal abnormalities, they serve as a reliable indicator of cumulative DNA damage associated with radiation... (MEDLINEplus)
