[ RadSafe ] FW: [gulflink] Low Level Radiation Exposures duringDesert storm

Thu Aug 26 22:37:42 CDT 2010

Mike, perhaps the issue is the levels of dose? "Radiological catastrophe" levels are not what we consider low level and the studies I glanced at were looking into clinical levels of radiation.  Radiaiton therapy doses do cause a chronic fatigue.  The fatigue has been noted even when blood forming organs (bone marrow) are not highly irradiated.  There is ongoing research into the mechanisms, work in LA this past year has associated a specific protein with this phenomenon in prostate cancer ad breast cancer patient irradiation. 

If you google the www, you will see all sorts of articles on the cellular level effects of radiation on mitochondria, some hypothecizing that there are possible "amplified" cellular effects (possibly reversible) due to radiation not directly effecting the DNA in the nucleus but affecting mitochondrial DNA.  It looked like there are other chemical causes for the same molecular effects.  So maybe the reporter didn't undestand or state things correctly, but I didn't get the impression it was a hoax.  

Disclaimer:  I am not a radiobiologist, I only play one on TV.  This is not my field so I am a total lay-person.  Perhaps one of the RadSafe RadBio folk can speak up.

Barbara Reider, CHP

-----Original Message-----
From: Steven Dapra <sjd at swcp.com>
To: radsafe <radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu>
Sent: Thu, Aug 26, 2010 8:46 pm
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] FW: [gulflink] Low Level Radiation Exposures duringDesert storm

Aug. 26
         According to the press release about this on the NCF 
ebsite, "The Foundation has also noted that CFS [chronic fatigue 
yndrome] has been previously identified as a characteristic 
ftermath of radioecological catastrophe. A lengthier article 
ncluding references will be in the fall edition of the newsletter."
         The newsletter would be that of the National Chronic Fatigue 
yndrome Foundation.
         Elsewhere in this thread someone asked about the Australian 
nd Irish research.  The press release says this:  "The Foundation's 
eal revelation came when our staff linked specific research on 
itochondrial DNA deletions, first published by Australian scientists 
n 1995, to work published by scientists in Ireland in 2005."
         The link to the press release is 
http://www.ncf-net.org/PressReleases.htm#nal>.
         Other than the press release, there appears to be nothing on 
he website about the supposed connection between Chronic Fatigue 
yndrome and rad exposure.
         This link is to the research being funded by the NCF.
        <http://www.ncf-net.org/NCFresearch.htm>.

teven Dapra

t 05:39 PM 8/25/2010, Brennan, Mike  (DOH) wrote:
Is this a joke?

"They had identified exactly the same unique mitochondria
characteristics to be due to the direct effects of low level radiation
exposure."

A random event such as radiation interaction inside a cell is going to
produce "exactly" the same characteristic in mitochondria?  Do they have
an idea of how that might happen?

-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Roger Helbig
Sent: Wednesday, August 25, 2010 3:06 PM
To: Radsafe
Subject: [ RadSafe ] FW: [gulflink] Low Level Radiation Exposures
duringDesert storm

National CFIDS Foundation (NCF) Announces Link between Chronic Fatigue
Syndrome and Low Level Radiation Exposure

NEEDHAM, Mass., Aug. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The National CFIDS
Foundation Inc., of Needham Mass, has announced its formal disease model
for
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) also known as Chronic Fatigue Immune
Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS) as well as Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME).
According to the NCF, a subgroup of patients with CFS fit a unique
disease
profile based on a model for a radioactive toxin.

Since starting its formal research grant program, the NCF has provided
one
million dollars in grant funding to pursue its own directed research to
study ciguatera toxicology; a critical immune protein known as STAT-1;
and
myelodysplasia as well as myeloid leukemia -- all of which have been
identified in the patient subgroup.

According to Alan Cocchetto, Medical Director, "Our research suggested
that
a relationship existed between ciguatera poisoning, STAT-1 and
myelodysplasia as well as leukemia. Early evidence also suggested that
some
type of catalyst was potentially involved in this disease process.
Because
of some very unique characteristics identified during the course of our
research, what emerged was the potential for low level radiation to act
as
the catalyst to evoke a specific response that fit the profile for our
patients. We believe this to be very important since radiation not only
adversely impacts STAT-1 but it has also been found to cause
myelodysplasia
as well as myeloid leukemia, the very things we have been studying. In
addition, the bystander effects associated with low level radiation
exposure
cause real problems at the cellular level and this unfortunately
translates
into an increased risk for cancer."

Gail Kansky, President, stated, "The Foundation's real revelation came
when
our staff linked specific research on mitochondrial DNA deletions, first
published by Australian scientists in 1995, to work published by
scientists
in Ireland in 2005. They had identified exactly the same unique
mitochondria
characteristics to be due to the direct effects of low level radiation
exposure. This same defect had been mirrored in CFS but it hadn't been
classified for ten years. Because this fits our disease model, we are
pursuing additional research studies. There is no doubt in my mind that
we
have found several key pieces to this disease puzzle tied to our patient
group." Furthermore, Kansky added "What is especially discouraging is
that
the global implications here could prove to be staggering!"

The Foundation has also noted that CFS has been previously identified as
a
characteristic aftermath of radioecological catastrophe. A lengthier
article
including references will be in the fall edition of the newsletter.

Founded in 1997, the goals of the NCF are to help fund medical research
to
find a cause, expedite treatments and eventually a cure for CFIDS/ME.
The
NCF is funded solely by individual contributions. Additional information
can
be found on the Foundation's website at  <http://www.ncf-net.org>
www.ncf-net.org or in The National Forum quarterly newsletter. The NCF
can
be reached by phone at 781-449-3535.
[edit]

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