The Chernobyl Reactor Incident

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The Chernobyl Reactor Incident

On April 25, 1986, Russian engineers and scientists begin preliminary tests on Chernobyl power plant's 4th reactor.
What they didn't realize was that they were about to cause a meltdown that would kill them instantly and would have severe consequences that would extend even to the present day.

The test was conducted in order to create a sufficient supply of energy to prevent overheating in the event of a shutdown.
In order to do this properly, several alterations in the generator's magnetic fields had to be made, requiring the engineers to lower the power output to unstable levels.
In order to control the experiment, the automatic control system was shut down. After some work, stability was reached at very low power outputs.
Unfortunately, manual control of the water pressure wasn't maintained. The reactor began to create excess heat. Without the automatic control, the control rods couldn't be reinserted in time; a deadly chain reaction had begun.

Within a matter of 3-4 seconds, the reactor went from 5% output to 100 times its normal level. The water in the reactor flash-boiled, creating an explosion that leveled thousands of tons of concrete and steel, including the housing for the reactor. The steam carried almost 70% of the nuclear material out of the reactor into the surrounding environment.

Several thousand volunteers died on the scene, and it is estimated that 7,000 to 10,000 volunteers died in total, considering short and long-term effects. Thousands of miles from the scene, the birth defect rate became double the world average.

It is also estimated that 150,000 were put at risk for thyroid cancer, and over 800,000 children were put at risk of contracting leukemia. 2 million acres of land (1/5 of the usable farmland in the Ukraine) was, and still is, completely unusable.

It remains difficult to determine the scope of the disaster; radiation resulting from the event was detected all over the globe. It is estimated that it may cost up to $400 billion and will take up to 200 years to correct the damage done to the area, and to compensate those affected by the meltdown.




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Chernobyl Decay and Deformed

Source : http://www.belarusguide.com

Belarusian Chernobyl Tragedy

Belarusian Chernobyl Tragedy

April 26, 2006 marks 20th anniversary of Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster - disaster that not only spilled 70% of its radioactive outburst on Belarus, but also contaminated entire Europe.

Recent International Atomic Energy Agency report stating that effects of Chernobyl are overblown is still shocking hundreds of millions of people affected by Chernobyl and hundreds of thousands of volunteers around the World involved in Chernobyl charities.

The report has projected only 4,000 deaths related to Chernobyl. This is absolutely unbelievable considering that 700,000 "liguidators" were directly on site involved in reactor containment and millions of people live in radioactively contaminated areas.

New Study Challanges IAEA Report on Chernobyl Consequencesl: Finds Death Toll Likely to be 30-60,000. Greenpeace condemned the findings, accusing the IAEA of "whitewashing" the impacts of the accident."

Denying the real implications is not only insulting the thousands of victims -- who are told to be sick because of stress and irrational fear -- but it also leads to dangerous recommendations, to relocate people in contaminated areas," said Jan Vande Putte of Greenpeace International.

Greenpeace new study reveals death toll of Chernobyl enormously underestimated In a recently issued report Greenpeace estimates that more than 90,000 people were likely to die of cancers caused by radiation from the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, countering a United Nations report that predicted the death toll would be around 4,000.

This page is an attempt to compile information on Chernobyl disaster, its influence on Belarus and to inform about international charity organizations helping my little country to fight this horrible inheritance.

Ironically Belarus doesn't have a single nuclear power plant on it's territory. But it is surrounded by a ring of power stations of our neighbors: Ignaline station in Lithuania, Smolensk station in Russia and Chernobyl station in Ukraine.

The rose of winds on April 26, 1986 was such that 70% of radioactive dust had fallen on Belarus. Of this 70% most of radioactive contamination had been done in Homel' and Mahilyou oblast's (administrative units).

The story of Chernobyl is not over yet. It is kept under secret by both Ukrainians, Russians, and international organizations. Nobody have been punished for initiating idiotic experiments that lead to disaster on Chernobyl nuclear power plant.

It is unknown even whether next explosion should be expected since the nuclear reaction on the facility is not stopped and radioactive water vapor still exhausts time to time into the air.

I hope that this site would yield to the world's community awareness of Chernobyl disaster and people fighting its sequences.

This file is a part of the Virtual Guide to Belarus - a collaborative project of Belarusian scientists and professionals  abroad. VG brings you the most extensive compilation of the information about Belarus on the Web.
Please send your comments to the authors of VG to Belarus

Source : http://www.belarusguide.com/chernobyl1/chernobyl.htm

Medical Voices – Ryoma Kayano, MD on the situation in Fukushima

 Soure : http://peaceandhealthblog.com/

Experts pore over contaminants in Japan's radioactive spill

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By Tan Ee LynPosted 2011/03/22 at 1:13 pm EDT

HONG KONG, Mar. 22, 2011 (Reuters) — Authorities across Asia stepped up checks this week on Japanese imports after radioactive contaminants showed up in food and water in quake-stricken Japan following blasts at a nuclear plant last week.

Apples with "Produced in Japan" stickers are seen at a Japanese supermarket in Hong Kong March 21, 2011. REUTERS/Bobby Yip

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Experts are most worried about three radioactive substances -- iodine-131, caesium-134 and caesium-137 -- all of which can cause various types of cancer years later.

Caesium-137 is of particular concern as it can stay in the environment and potentially cause havoc for hundreds of years. It takes 30 years for this contaminant to lose its power by half -- what experts refer to as a "half life."

At this rate, it would take at least 240 years for the contaminant to exhaust all its radioactivity.

"Caesium-137 can last for hundreds of years. If exposed, one can get spasms, involuntary muscular contractions and may lose the ability to walk.

It also causes infertility. High doses will also damage a person's DNA and cause cancer later," said Lee Tin-lap, an associate professor at the Chinese University's School of Biomedical Sciences in Hong Kong.

But a few experts stressed there was no need for panic yet.

Levels of caesium-137 detected in spinach in Japan over the weekend stood at an average of 350 becquerels per kilogram, well below the European Union's limit of 1,000 becquerels for dairy produce and 1,250 for all other food items.

"Becquerels are like atoms," said Pradip Deb, senior lecturer in Medical Radiations at the School of Medical Sciences, Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology University.

"A liter of milk has billions and billions of atoms ... and this is just 350."

Caesium-134 has a half-life of 2 years, which will take about 20 years for it to become harmless.

The radioactive spill has prompted food checks in the Philippines, Hong Kong, South Korea, China, Singapore and Malaysia, with Taiwan's government extending surveillance to include even electronics and tech items, chemicals and machinery. In addition to iodine and caesium, Thailand is also looking out for Strontium 90.


HIGHER LEVELS OF RADIOACTIVE IODINE
Milk samples in Japan, however, have been found to contain an average of 1,210 becquerels of iodine-131 per kilogram, well over the limit of 500 becquerels imposed in the EU.

Japanese spinach has also been found with an average of 10,450 becquerels of iodine-131 per kilogram, more than 5 times the EU limit.

One mitigating factor though is that iodine-131 has a half life of 8 days, which means it will take 80 days to lose all its radioactivity -- assuming there is no fresh radioactive spillage.

"You can't control radiation. It's already there, but you can take preventive action (by not consuming any radioactive food that is tainted with iodine-131 for 80 days)," Deb said.

Radioactive material is carried by tiny moisture droplets in the air. It can then be directly inhaled into the lungs, get washed down by rain into the sea and into soil and eventually contaminate crops, marine life and drinking water.

Radioactive substances are dangerous because they can cause changes or mutations in DNA, which may then go on to cause cancer. While the human body can repair DNA changes or damage, a person is only safe if the repair process happens faster than the time it takes for the damaged or mutated DNA material to replicate.

Experts agree that children and fetuses are most at risk because their cells divide at a faster rate than adults. They also consume more milk, which puts them at greater risk.

(Reporting by Ee-lyn Tan; Additional reporting by Ambika Ahuja in Bangkok, Jack Kim in Seoul, Jonathan Standing in Taipei, Liau Y-Sing in Kuala Lumpur, Rosemarie Francisco in Manila; Editing by Ian Geoghegan)

Source :  http://www.newsdaily.com/stories/tre72l501-us-japan-contaminants/

Soy and fish lower cancer risk

Thursday, 16 November 2006

Reuters

Eating fish several times a week could lower the risk of cancer.

Credit: iStockphoto

WASHINGTON: Diets high in soy and fish may lower the risk of cancer, two new studies have revealed.

In one study, presented at a meeting in Boston of the American Association for Cancer Research, women who ate soy regularly as children were found to have a lower risk of breast cancer later in life.

A second study presented at the same meeting found that men who ate fish several times a week had a lower risk of colon cancer.

This new research adds to a growing body of evidence about the role of diet in cancer. Experts now believe that up to two-thirds of all cancers come from lifestyle factors such as smoking, diet and lack of exercise.

Larissa Korde of the National Cancer Institute and colleagues at the University of Hawaii studied 597 Asian-American women with breast cancer and 966 women without the disease. The mothers of some of the women were also available to answer questions about what they fed their daughters as children.

The women who ate the most soy-based foods such as tofu and miso when aged five to 11 reduced their risk of developing breast cancer by 58 per cent, the researchers found.

"Childhood soy intake was significantly associated with reduced breast cancer risk in our study, suggesting that the timing of soy intake may be especially critical," Korde said.

It is not clear how soy might prevent cancer, although compounds in soy called isoflavones have oestrogen-like effects.

A second study presented at the same meeting showed that men who ate fish five times a week or more had a 40 per cent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer compared to men who ate fish less than once a week.
Megan Phillips of the Harvard School of Public Health and colleagues analysed data from 22,071 men volunteering for a large, ongoing study of physicians.

"We already know that eating fish can reduce the risk of sudden cardiac death, and this might provide another reason to add fish to your diet," said Phillips.

Many kinds of fish are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which in turn interfere with the cyclooxygenase-2 or COX-2 enzyme. COX-2 affects inflammation, which may play a role in tumour growth.

Men who ate the most fish had a 40 per cent lower risk of developing colorectal cancer over the next 19 years, the researchers found. Eating fish twice a week lowered the risk by 13 per cent. Aspirin did not add any extra benefit or risk.

A separate study published on Monday found that eating red meat raised the risk of breast cancer in women.

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• Obese older women at higher risk of breast cancer
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Source: http://www.cosmosmagazine.com

Radiation poisoning of food supply in Japan 'is a lot more serious'

Radiation poisoning of food supply in Japan 'is a lot more serious' than first feared, as eggs and milk go on 'danger list'

By Richard Shears In Tokyo
Last updated at 1:12 AM on 22nd March 2011

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• Thick black smoke continues to pour from Fukushima nuclear plant
• Taiwan reports radioactive contamination of Japanese imports
• Japanese restaurant in Taipei offers customers use of radiation gauge
• Death now thought to be as high as 18,000

More serious than thought: A medical staff checks radiation levels of a resident in Koriyama city in Fukushima prefecture

The impact of radiation on the food chain in Japan is far more serious than first thought, the World Health Organisation warned yesterday.

Tap water, leafy vegetables, eggs, meat and milk in a 50-mile radius of the damaged Fukushima nuclear plant were placed on its ‘danger list’.

The organisation warned that Japan needed to act ‘quickly’ and ban food sales from areas around the plant if products there are found to contain excessive levels of radiation.

A spokesman for the Geneva-based agency said radiation in food can accumulate in the body and that it poses a greater risk to health than radioactive particles in the air, which disperse within days. 

WHO spokesman Peter Cordingley said: ‘It’s a lot more serious than anybody thought in the early days when we thought that this kind of problem can be limited to 20 to 30 kilometres (12 to 18 miles).

‘It’s safe to suppose that some contaminated produce got out of the contamination zone.’

Taiwan has already reported that it has found a small amount of radiation on a shipment of broad beans from southern Japan during an inspection of its imports at the weekend – and some major hotel chains and restaurants in Asia have stopped importing raw foods from Japan.

Alarm: Black smoke rises from the Number 3 reactor at Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant after staff were evacuated this morning

Screening: Workers in radiation protection suits go through instructions before carrying out tests in Iwaki city

Test: A little boy is checked for signs of radiation in Yonezawa. Cooling pumps and fans have not been switched on at the power plant as they are tested for damage

Sushi is off the menu in neighbouring countries and even in Tokyo restaurants where many customers have been shunning it.

At Fukushima, clouds of thick black smoke poured out of the plant’s No.3 reactor yesterday, adding to fears that radiation levels would dramatically increase.

Firemen blasting water into the plant reactors and a courageous group of engineers working inside the complex – which houses six reactors –  were ordered to leave immediately during the afternoon when smoke billowed into a rainy sky.

It was yet another disruption to frantic efforts to stem  the leakage of radiation, with firemen and plant employees already being restricted to just a few minutes work at a  time before seeking shelter  to avoid over-exposure to radiation. 

Technicians working inside an evacuation zone around the stricken plant have finally managed to attach power cables to all six reactors and started a water pump at one of them  to cool overheating nuclear  fuel rods.    
 
‘We see a light for getting out of the crisis,’ an official quoted prime minister Naoto Kan as saying, allowing himself some rare optimism in Japan’s toughest moment since World War II.

WHO safety expert Peter Embarek said there could be more cases of contamination within Japan, but he did not think radiation-affected products would find their way into the international market.

More...

• 'We could hear people, but couldn't reach them': Japanese teenager rescued with grandmother talks of nine days trapped inside flattened home
• Geologists warn another powerful earthquake could now strike Tokyo after disaster weakened fault line near capital
• U.S. State Department offers anti-radiation drug to its workers in Japan as a precaution
• Analysts expect Japan's economic slump to be 'temporary'
• A dog's best friend: The loyal spaniel that stayed by its companion's side until they were rescued from tsunami zone
• No time for tears: The grim reality of Japan's earthquake as workers dig mass grave for country's first major burial
• No time for tears: Japanese begin grim task of burying hundreds of earthquake victims in mass graves

Grim: Workers dig mass graves in Higashimatsushima City as the death toll for the earthquake and tsunami reached 18,000

Temporary: Japanese construction workers build shelters for evacuees in Rikuzentakata, which was destroyed by the tsunami

Stricken: Four of the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant are overheating. Experts said even if the coolers were too badly damaged, having power would help with pumping water into the reactors

RADIOACTIVE DUST ON SPINACH

The highest concentrations of radioactive elements have been found in  milk and spinach.
Professor Steve Jones, an independent nuclear consultant, said its large leaf area means spinach collects more radioactive dust from the air than smaller vegetables.

Tests on milk, leeks and spinach have revealed higher than legal levels of two radioactive elements – iodine-131 and caesium-137 – at least 75 miles from the Fukushima plant. 


But experts stressed the levels were too low to pose a health risk. An adult eating the contaminated spinach and milk would be exposed to around 0.05millisieverts (mSv) a day – or ten times the normal daily dose of background radiation we get from the environment.

It is only above levels of 100mSV that the risk of cancer increases by a detectable amount.

However, babies would be exposed to much higher levels – of 0.24mSv a day –because their growing thyroid glands absorb more iodine.

He said eating food containing radioactive materials could increase the risks of certain  cancers, citing radioactive iodine which can accumulate in, and cause damage to, the thyroid. 


Fears about radiation traces being found in Tokyo tap water have resulted in many customers refusing the traditional glass of water served automatically in restaurants and hotels.


While there have been no major reports of contaminated food in Tokyo – which has a population of around 13million – the  discovery of higher than acceptable levels of iodine in an edible form of chrysanthemum have raised concerns.


The governments of China and South Korea have joined Taiwan in announcing they will now monitor all food imported from Japan. 


Such was the concern in the Taiwanese capital, Taipei, that a leading Japanese restaurant has started offering customers the use of a radiation gauge. 


More than 18,000 people are now thought to have died in the disaster.


The cost of rebuilding Japan, an operation that could take up to five years, was estimated to be around £145billion – but even if the smashed towns along the north east coast of Honshu island can ever be replaced, many survivors have said they do not want to return. 

Evacuation: Satomi Osumi, 18, and her family were moved away from Fukushima to a refuge centre north of Tokyo

 

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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1368357/Radiation-poisoning-food-supply-Japan-lot-feared-eggs-milk-danger-list.html#ixzz1HI5tbMrk

Flossing your teeth could save you from a stroke

By Roger Dobson
Last updated at 11:21 PM on 19th March 2011

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Tooth loss increases the risk of a stroke many years later

Flossing may be a bore but this kind of fastidious teeth-cleaning might be a lifesaver

Tooth loss increases the risk of a stroke many years later, according to a new Japanese study, and underlying gum disease may be to blame.

Researchers have calculated that those with fewer than 24 of their own teeth (adults should have 32) are 60 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke.

Stroke is caused by a disturbance of blood supply to the brain.

The most common type is an ischemic stroke, which occurs when a blood vessel that normally delivers oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked. 

An haemorrhagic stroke is when a blood vessel bursts, causing bleeding into the brain.


In any stroke the nerve cells in the affected area of the brain may die within minutes of being denied oxygen, leading to impairment of bodily functions. An estimated 150,000 people have a stroke in Britain each year, leading to about 53,000 deaths annually.

In the new study, researchers at Hiroshima University looked at the dental conditions of 358 patients and found that stroke patients in their 50s and 60s had significantly fewer remaining teeth than did patients in the same age groups who had been treated for other conditions.

The number of teeth remaining was also significantly lower among stroke patients in their 50s than in the general population of the same age.

 

Researchers have calculated that those with fewer than 24 of their own teeth (adults should have 32) are 60 per cent more likely to suffer a stroke

The researchers then analysed results from four separate studies. They found that having 24 or fewer teeth increased the risk of stroke by 57 per cent compared with those with 25 or more teeth. The researchers also took into account a range of other risk factors associated with stroke, including smoking habits, obesity and alcohol use. 

'This review suggests that tooth loss may be related to both ischemic and haemorrhagic strokes,' says Dr Mitsuyoshi Yoshida, who led the study. 

Some studies have suggested a link between periodontal disease and heart disease. Periodontal diseases range from gum inflammation to diseases that damage the tissue and bone that support the teeth. Gum disease is one of the main causes of tooth loss after the age of 40.

The mouth is brimming with bacteria, which contributes to the sticky, colourless plaque that binds to teeth. Brushing and flossing helps get rid of plaque.

Research into heart disease has shown that micro-organisms associated with gum disease have been found in atheromas  -  accumulation of calcified material  -  in the arteries of patients. It has been suggested that toxins in these micro-organisms damage cells in the lining of the arteries.

One theory is that periodontal disease may cause inflammation in the arteries and brain tissues, and cause greater amounts of compounds involved in clotting. 

Dr Sharlin Ahmed of The Stroke Association says: 'It is believed that oral bacteria can contribute to the furring up and narrowing of artery walls, which could result in a stroke. Oral bacteria could also attach to fatty deposits in the arteries, which can lead to a blood clot and could result in a stroke.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1368025/Flossing-teeth-save-stroke.html#ixzz1HHkJ03iw

Baby escapes brain damage after doctors put her in a 'fridge' for three days

Baby who didn't breathe for 17 minutes after birth escapes brain damage after doctors put her in a 'fridge' for three days

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:32 AM on 16th March 2011

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A baby girl who didn't breathe for 17 minutes after birth was miraculously saved when doctors put her in a 'fridge' for three days.
Sophie Fleet suffered complications at birth and swallowed fluids which caused a blockage in her airways and starved her brain of oxygen.
Doctors decided to lower Sophie's temperature from its normal 37C to 33.5C for three days in a bid to stop her brain swelling and causing brain damage.

Happy family: Cain Fleet and Natasha Hall with baby Sophie who is flourishing at four weeks old

Temperatures this low bring on hypothermia but in controlled conditions it reduces pressure on the brain, allowing it to recover from trauma.
Sophie had to wear a special 'fridge' suit, which was pumped with water to keep her body cool.


Her parents couldn't hold her for six days and had to wait for scans to show the extent of any brain damage.
They said the first few days of her life - at Queen Alexandra Hospital, Hants - were a nightmare.

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Father Cain Fleet, 35, from nearby Gosport, said: 'It was really distressing. Sophie wasn't breathing to begin with and so her brain started to swell.


'They whisked her away when she was born and then someone told us that they were cooling her body. We'd never heard of the treatment before.
'Hypothermia is quite dangerous. We were amazed they could use it in a controlled manner to heal. It's incredible.


'The doctors had to work on her for seven hours before we were allowed to see her and it was a further six days before we could hold her.


'Once they had her stable, the specialist explained to us what they had done so we didn't get too panicked by all the machines monitoring her and the tubes going into her.

'They explained that they had to bring her temperature down to 33.5 degrees and put her into induced hypothermia for 72 hrs to prevent further brain swelling and damage.

.'This period was the most traumatic period we have ever experienced. I have never felt a baby so cold.'

Sophie was placed in a special 'fridge' suit that cooled her body temperature to just 33.5C

Mother Natasha Hall, 26, said: 'When Sophie was born, I didn't know what was going on. It was obvious something was wrong but we didn't know what.
'We were numb for about three days and then we had to wait to find out how bad any brain damage was.


'The first time we touched her, she was so cold.
'It was so strange because babies are supposed to be warm. It made you want to put a blanket over her to warm her up.'

Sophie's body was later warmed to normal temperature again over 12 hours.
She then had tests done which showed she had suffered mild brain damage.


But her parents know it could have been a lot worse and are grateful the hospital had the life-saving equipment, which is not available everywhere.


Mr Fleet, a builder, said: 'Had she not had this treatment, the brain damage could have been severe or it could have been fatal.


'We're so grateful that our local hospital has this equipment.'

Miss Hall, a special needs teaching assistant, added: 'The hospital was fantastic. If it wasn't for them and the technology, she would not have pulled through.'
Huw Jones, a consultant neonatologist at the hospital, said: 'Until about two years ago all you could do was to support the baby.


'They would be in intensive care, but there was not much you could do to protect their brain.


'This cooling treatment helps slow everything down and helps stop brain damage.
'Research and trials have shown it works and this is the optimum temperature to reduce that brain damage risk.


'The suit the baby wears constantly monitors the temperature and the machine will pump cooler water round the suit if the baby warms up, or warmer water if the baby gets too cold.


'The process is something we've seen work well and we've had some good success stories with babies pulling through and being better than we would have expected.'
Sophie was born on February 11, weighing 7lbs 11oz. She was able to go home with her parents nine days later.


Doctors say only time will tell how the brain damage she suffered is going to affect her.
But Miss Hall said: 'So far she's doing everything a baby should be doing.'

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1366786/Baby-girl-didnt-breathe-17-minutes-escapes-brain-damage-doctors-fridge-days.html#ixzz1GmI204HW

THE DANGERS OF RADIATION

 
 The dangers of Radiation

The Japanese authorities say the radiation levels from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant could now post a potential health risk. Here we look at the health risks...

Why is the radiation dangerous?
Ionising radiation poses a threat to human health because it can damage human cells at the molecular level and disrupt the body's natural control processes. Moderate exposure can increase the risk of cancer, while high levels this can cause widespread organ failure.

What is a dangerous dose?
A radiation dose is expressed in units of Sievert (Sv). On average, a person is exposed to approximately 3.0 mSv/year, most of which is due to natural sources such as cosmic rays.

The readings at the Fukushima site rose beyond safe limits - 400 millisieverts per hour (mSv/hr), after a third explosion last night. So far nearly 200 people have been taken to hospital with suspected exposure

According to the World Nuclear Authority a radiation dose of 100mSV a year is the lowest level at which any increased risk of cancer is evident.
 
A cumulative dose of 1,000 millisieverts would increase the incidence of fatal cancer by about five per cent.

A single 1,000 mSv dose causes radiation sickness such as nausea but not death. A single dose of 5,000 mSv would kill about half of those exposed to it within a month.

However, Lam Ching-wan from the University of Hong Kong said: 'Very acute radiation, like that which happened in Chernobyl and to the Japanese workers at the nuclear power station, is unlikely for the population.'

Tokyo reported slightly elevated radiation levels, but officials said the increase was too small to threaten the 39 million people in and around the capital.

What are the symptoms?
Moderate exposure to the radiation will cause symptoms including vomiting, diarrhoea and headaches. It also raises the risk of cancer in the long-term.
High levels of radiation also causes radiation burns, hair loss and potentially fatal damage to internal organs.

How is it treated?
Further contamination is reduced by removing clothes and shoes, and washing the skin with soap and water.
Drugs can increase white blood-cell production to counter any damage that may have occurred to the bone marrow. Potassium iodine tablets before radiation exposure can stop the radioactive iodine from lodging in the thyroid.
A dye known as Prussian blue can also be used to remove certain radioactive materials from the body.

How has the Japanese Government responded?

People living within 18 miles of the plant have been evacuated or urged to stay indoors and make their homes airtight.
They have also distributed 230,000 units of stable iodine to evacuation centres from the area around Fukushima Daiichi and Fukushima Daini nuclear power plants as a precaution. The tablets block radioactive iodine from being taken into the thyroid gland, protecting it from damage and potential cancer.
The 70 workers working to safeguard the nuclear complex are all wearing protective gear. They are being rotated in and out of the danger zone quickly to reduce their radiation exposure. One death has been confirmed after a worker was caught in an explosion.



 The risks of radiation on the human body

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1366308/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-Meltdown-3rd-reactor-blast-hits-nuclear-plant.html#ixzz1GgGaqyAh

So how alarmed should we be over Japan's nuclear crisis?

By Michael Hanlon
Last updated at 8:51 AM on 14th March 2011

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Enthusiasts for atomic power are today, inevitably, on the back foot. 

Those who argue that in the normal course of things nuclear energy is the safest and most reliable form of energy have to contend with a single word: ‘meltdown’.

This is a scenario that brings dread to the hearts of nuclear engineers – an uncontained chain reaction in a reactor core, a blob of molten radioactive metal burning its way out of the containment chamber and a massive release of radioactive fission products such as iodine-131 and strontium-90 into the environment.

It was a partial meltdown which led to the Three Mile Island accident in Pennsylvania in 1979, and a similar explosive breakdown that caused the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
Both incidents brought strident calls to abandon nuclear power altogether – calls which are bound to intensify following the still-unfolding Japanese catastrophe.

More...

• Day the Earth moved: How the earthquake tilted the world's axis by 25cm (and could even cost us a microsecond a day)
• Hell on Earth: I've seen 20 wars... but nothing prepared me for the sight of a town reduced to a morass of splintered wood, jagged concrete and twisted metal where 10,000 have died
• Huge whirlpools form off the coast of Japan as devastating tsunami disrupts currents

On top of the worst earthquake in its history and a tsunami which may have killed tens of thousands, Japan – a nation which for obvious reasons after the events of 1945 has a love-hate relationship with nuclear power – is staring into the atomic abyss.
What actually caused the accident at Fukushima is still unclear but it seems that in simple terms, the power station was hit by a power cut.

First, seismic detectors at the plant, alerted by the earthquake, triggered an automatic shutdown – by inserting boron rods into the reactor cores, stopping the heat-producing fission reaction.

Normally, the reactor fuel would simply have cooled down safely over a matter of days. But then the tsunami swept through local power grids and back-up generators which provided the electricity for the reactor cooling pumps – possibly fracturing the water main into the plant as well.

Crisis: The nuclear power plant at Fukushima, Japan, where workers are battling to prevent an escalation of the radiation leak and meltdown threat

Like a car engine with a leaking radiator, the heat started to build up to dangerous levels.

Nuclear power stations are essentially huge kettles. You have a power source – the nuclear reactor itself – which gets hot; several hundred degrees in a controlled fission reaction.

The heat is produced by the fission – splitting – of atoms of radioactive materials, such as uranium.

This produces not only heat but radiation, and also the creation of radioactive by-products which themselves emit heat as they undergo radioactive decay.

This explains why, even if the primary nuclear reaction is stopped, heat will continue to be generated for days – enough to melt the reactor core if it is not cooled. In normal operation, all this heat is useful – it is used to boil water, which makes steam that is then used to drive electricity-generating turbines.

The problem is that you cannot simply turn off an atomic reactor instantly. It takes days for the red-hot fuel rods to cool down – and that is provided they are supplied with adequate coolant. 

Professor Richard Wakeford, a nuclear expert at Manchester University, said yesterday: ‘If the fuel is not covered by cooling water it could become so hot it begins to melt – if all the fuel is uncovered you could get a large-scale meltdown.’ 

Hopefully this will not happen, and thanks to both the design of the Japanese reactors and to the swift and organised response of the authorities, handing out iodine pills to prevent the ingestion of cancer-causing substances, there is little chance that Fukushima will enter the annals of notoriety alongside Chernobyl.

One possibility which can be discounted is the so-called ‘China Syndrome’, the wholly fictitious idea that a molten reactor core could melt its way through the Earth and emerge on the other side. It is now known that even a total meltdown, although deadly, would soon be contained and cool down naturally. 

But already questions are being asked – about Japan’s nuclear safety record, and what implications this has outside Japan.

Was it wrong to build a series of atomic reactors so close to the ocean? Experts suggest that given the whole country is an earthquake zone, there is nowhere the plant could be built which would not be at risk.

Unlike Chernobyl, there is no chance that this could become an international incident; 

Japan is simply too far away from anywhere else for the radiation to spread, and the most serious radioactive contaminant – Iodine-131 – has a half-life of just eight days. 

Furthermore, the Japanese government is rich, competent and open – which the Soviet authorities in 1986 conspicuously were not.

Taking no chances: Police wearing protective clothing and respirators head towards the nuclear plant in Minamisouma City, Fukushima Prefecture yesterday

Precaution: Officials in protective gear check for signs of radiation on children from the evacuation area near the nuclear plant

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Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1366007/Japan-earthquake-tsunami-So-alarmed-nuclear-crisis.html#ixzz1GdgFzAga

One in five men has 'not visited a doctor in the last year'

One in five men has 'not visited a doctor in the last year' (and 6% still wouldn't even if they had chest pains)

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 10:44 AM on 14th March 2011

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On the list of a man's priorities, it seems that visiting the local doctor does not sit highly.

More than one in five men have not visited a GP or other healthcare professional in the last 12 months, according to a survey published today.

Only 14 per cent admitted to being happy to see a doctor if needed, while a third revealed that they will only go to the doctor's if their partner encourages them, or they really have to.

 

Health concerns: More than one in five men have not visited a doctor in the last 12 months, according to a survey published today

And worryingly, two per cent of men said they had never been to see a doctor.

Mike Shallcross, Deputy Editor of Men's Health magazine, said it came down to a different relationship that men and women have to their bodies.

While female patients visit the GP regularly to maintain their health, men visit only when they need 'vital repairs'.

'I would characterise it as the way they treat their cars,' he said.

'Women drive very carefully and make sure they take it into the garage at the right time but men just put their foot down until it's knackered.'

 

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The reluctance to visit professionals was despite a finding that two thirds of of men had parents or grandparents who had suffered from cancer, stroke or heart disease.

The survey found that six per cent would not consult a doctor if they experienced chest pain while 26 per cent would still not make the trip if they had profuse sweating.

A further nine per cent of men said they would avoid doctors even if they had blood in urine or semen.

And 14 per cent of men with blurred vision and 9 per cent experiencing breathlessness are among those that would avoid seeing their local GP.

Only 65 per cent would definitely consult a doctor for chest pain while half of those with blurred vision and breathlessness would seek professional help.

Mr Krishna Sethia, of the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital: 'I welcome any positive move that will make men more aware of health issues relating to themselves.

'Men are often too embarrassed to discuss their symptoms but they need to, as early diagnosis can make a significant difference to their chances of successful treatment.'

Men who did go to the doctor found their visit to be very worthwhile.

More than a third of those who had their blood pressure checked last year discovered some issue, with a quarter needing additional monitoring and nine per cent further investigations.

The survey of more than 1,000 men, was undertaken by insureblue.co.uk to launch its fundraising support for the new Blue Ribbon Foundation. It was created to raise awareness about male cancers and male health issues.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1365977/One-men-visited-doctor-year-wouldnt-chest-pains.html#ixzz1GZttbnUh

A coffee a day ‘cuts stroke risk by 25%’

This brew's a lifesaver: A coffee a day ‘cuts stroke risk by 25%’

By David Derbyshire
Last updated at 9:30 AM on 11th March 2011

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A morning caffeine fix might do more than perk you up – it could save your life.

Women who drink more than a cup of coffee a day can lower their risk of having a stroke by 25 per cent, research shows.

Those with little or no coffee intake, however, are more likely to suffer from the condition.

The findings are the latest to challenge a common belief that coffee is bad for people’s health.

 

Coffee IS good for you: Evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases

Scientists stress they have yet to prove it reduces stroke risk, but their work could have major public health implications.

Researcher Dr Susanna Larsson, of the National Institute of Environmental Medicine at the Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden, said coffee was one of the most widely consumed drinks in the world.
‘Therefore, even small health effects of substances in coffee may have large public health consequences,’ she said.

 

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Although it is too soon to recommend coffee as a health drink, the findings should ease the minds of women concerned about drinking too much, added Dr Larsson.

‘Some women have avoided consuming coffee because they have thought it is unhealthy,’ she said.

‘In fact, increasing evidence indicates that moderate coffee consumption may decrease the risk of some diseases such as diabetes, liver cancer and possibly stroke.’ 

 

 

Her team’s study followed the diet and health of nearly 35,000 women aged 49 to 83 over a decade.
It showed that those who reported drinking at least one cup a day had a 22 per cent to 25 per cent lower risk of stroke than those who drank less.
This could be because coffee reduces inflammation and improves insulin sensitivity, the team suggested.
It also contains anti-oxidants which is known to prevent disease.

Factors such as whether the volunteers smoked, how much alcohol they consumed and weight were taken into account. Although they did not specify if they  drank caffeinated or decaffeinated coffee, the latter is not common  in Sweden.

A previous study showed that male smokers who drink coffee are less likely to suffer from strokes.

Other research on the links between coffee and health have produced contradictory results.

Some suggest high doses of caffeine can increase blood pressure.

However, others show that coffee reduces the risk of cancers of the pancreas, colon, brain, mouth and throat.

Last year, researchers found that high doses of caffeine boost an athlete’s ability to run marathons or cycle long distances.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1365191/A-coffee-day-cuts-stroke-risk-25.html#ixzz1GOSGFEmF

Fevers...what every parent should know

By Dr Ellie Cannon
Last updated at 10:01 PM on 5th March 2011

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As a mother of two children  -  mine are three and seven years old  -  I know how worrying it can be when they are unwell and I often reach for the Neurofen when they are running a temperature.
So I was interested to read a report published last week that criticised parents for giving children with fevers painkillers when all they need is sleep.

If there has been a temperature for three days with no improvement in symptoms, talk it through with your GP

The report went on to say that most fevers, caused by viruses, resolve without any intervention and don't cause lasting damage.
While this is true, fevers can be serious, especially if a child is not drinking water. With this in mind, here is my guide for parents.

Q: What constitutes a fever?

A: Using a digital ear thermometer, a fever is a temperature above 37.5C. It is associated with other symptoms, including a fast heart rate and shivering. In most cases, fevers are secondary to viruses or bacterial infections.

Q: Are all raised temperatures a worry?

A: A fever with other minor symptoms, such as a slight cough or sore throat, is not a cause for concern. Temperatures are more of a worry when associated with red-flag symptoms: fast breathing, not drinking, not urinating, a rash or drowsiness.
Having a temperature with no obvious reason is also a cause for concern. Being lethargic and having a reduced appetite are not red flags.

Q: When should you see the doctor with a temperature?

A: If there has been a temperature for three days with no improvement in symptoms, talk it through with your GP. See the GP urgently with any red-flag signs of more serious infection or if the fever is not coming down with medication.

Q: How long should you leave it before giving medicine?

A: If a child is active and drinking well despite a temperature, it is not necessary to give medicine. If, as a result of the temperature, the child is distressed and not drinking, give medicine to make them more comfortable so they will drink.
It is also important to give antipyretic (fever-reducing) medicines such as paracetamol if the child is uncomfortable or if there are signs of dehydration.

Q: What is the best antipyretic to give a child with a fever?

A: Both ibuprofen and paracetamol are very effective. Ibuprofen lasts longer and in the majority of children is slightly more effective. It shouldn't be used in anyone vomiting, in many children with asthma or with stomach or kidney problems. It is safe to give ibuprofen and paracetamol together but not always necessary.

Q: Are natural methods effective for reducing raised temperatures?

A: Natural methods are useful either on their own or as an adjunct to medication. Removing a layer of clothing and drinking plenty are both important. Open a window to allow flow of air or place a fan at the other end of the room from the child. Do not aim a fan directly at the child as being too cold makes a fever worse. Cold sponging is not recommended for the same reason. Resting is important.

Q: Should I give doses according to my child's weight or age?

A: Always follow the instructions on the side of the box. If a doctor has weighed the child, they can give you an exact dose. Never guess the dose from your child's weight or mimic a dose specified for another child.

Q: What is the best thermometer to use for my child?

A: Mouth thermometers are no longer recommended for children. The most accurate are digital ear thermometers, which are widely available on the High Street. For babies younger than a month these are not accurate and we use thermometers in the armpit. Forehead thermometers are not accurate but may be used as a general guide.

For sensible heath advice, follow Dr Ellie Cannon on Twitter. www.twitter.com/Dr_Ellie

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1363142/DR-ELLIE-CANNON-Fevers--parent-know.html#ixzz1FpsXmm00

Tea would give your brain a lift as well as reduce tiredness

Take time for tea and give your brain a lift as well as reduce tiredness

By Jenny Hope
Last updated at 1:35 AM on 26th February 2011

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More benefits: A cup of tea can improve brain power, a new study has claimed

Having a cuppa could help you solve the crossword faster, according to the latest study.

Natural ingredients found in a cup of tea can improve brain power and increase alertness, it is claimed.

Researchers looked at the effect of key chemicals found in tea on the mental performance of 44 young volunteers.

The effects of these ingredients, an amino acid called L-theanine – which is also found in green tea – and caffeine at levels typically found in a cup of tea, were compared with a dummy treatment.

The active ingredients significantly improved accuracy across a number of switching tasks for those who drank the tea after 20 and 70 minutes, compared with the placebo.

The tea drinkers’ alertness was also heightened, the study found.

Tea was also found to reduced tiredness among the volunteers, who were aged under 40, according to the Dutch researchers reporting on their findings in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.

‘The results suggest the combination helps to focus attention during a demanding cognitive task,’ they said. Previous trials have shown that adding milk to a cup of tea does not affect the drinker’s absorption of flavonoids – or antioxidants – or disrupt the health benefits from these.

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Tea drinking has already been linked with lowering the risk of heart disease, cancer and Parkinson’s. Other research shows drinking tea on a regular basis for ten or more years may help improve bone density.

Dr Tim Bond, of the industry-backed Tea Advisory Panel, said the latest findings backed a previous study which showed drinking two cups of black tea ‘improves the ability to react to stimuli and to focus attention on the task in hand’.

‘Taken together, these two studies provide evidence that consumption of black tea improves cognitive function, in particular helping to focus attention during the challenge of a demanding mental task,’ he said.

‘As a result, all this new data adds  to the growing science that drinking tea, preferably four cups of tea a  day, is good for our health and well being.’

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-1360802/Tea-claimed-brain-lift.html#ixzz1FAnkzzHk