[ RadSafe ] Cohen's radon results and LNT

[Brennan, Mike (DOH)]

Hi, Chris.  

I would be interested on your take on the Iowa Radon Lung Cancer Study,
which to me seems to have better power because it controlled for more
confounding factors.  http://radsci1.home.mchsi.com/irlcs.pdf


-----Original Message-----
From: radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu
[mailto:radsafe-bounces at health.phys.iit.edu] On Behalf Of Chris Hofmeyr
Sent: Thursday, September 29, 2011 9:03 AM
To: Otto G. Raabe; Bernard L. Cohen
Cc: radsafe at agni.phys.iit.edu; WesVanPelt at verizon.net
Subject: Re: [ RadSafe ] Cohen's radon results and LNT

Prof Raabe,
Your most recent Radsafe posting is appreciated as implying that my
understanding of Cohen's radon data does not conflict with your
proposals
concerning cancer induction by protracted exposures, as explained in
your
well-considered 2011 paper.

I am thinking aloud about the alpha equal 2 beta effect. It is fairly
trivial
to calculate that a whole-body short-term lethal dose of a couple of
Gray
actually only affects one atom in a million. Of course, a DNA strand
contains
millions of atoms, but a double strand break cannot happen very far
separated,
or it would be classed as two single strand breaks.  The alpha would
tend to
break both strands close together, but how is that envisaged for two
(uncorrelated?) betas, as the beta-active nuclei are presumably
spatially well
separated. Consecutive beta-decays are usually well separated in time,
but a
beta is often almost instantaneously followed by a gamma.
Some clarification would be appreciated.  

Sincerely
chris.hofmeyr at webmail.co.za


On Wed, 28 Sep 2011 12:00:14 -0700 "Otto G. Raabe" <ograabe at ucdavis.edu>
wrote

> At 09:40 AM 9/28/2011, Chris Hofmeyr wrote:
> >Prof Cohen, Radsafers,
> >In the condensed notes on Cohen's radon studies (attached to posting
> >on Radsafe
> >21 Sept), I attempt to show unequivocally, although slightly
> unconventionally,
> >that Cohen's lung cancer (LC) mortality rates are basically
independent of
> the
> >average domestic radon concentrations as determined by Cohen on a per
county
> >basis. This independence clearly means that LNT is REJECTED, since
lung
> cancer
> >is not perceptibly correlated with domestic radon...
> *****************
> My Forum paper,  "Toward Improved Ionizing Radiation Safety
> Standards", Health Phys. 101:84-93;2011, explains why LNT does not
> apply to any protracted or repeated radiation exposures.
> 
> Otto
> 
> 
> **********************************************
> Prof. Otto G. Raabe, Ph.D., CHP
> Center for Health & the Environment
> University of California
> One Shields Avenue
> Davis, CA 95616
> E-Mail: ograabe at ucdavis.edu
> Phone: (530) 752-7754   FAX: (530) 758-6140
> ***********************************************
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