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uranium accumulation in testicles
Although I appreciate the need for humor on this bleak topic, I
am concerned about the proportion of international readers who
might not know that "nuts" is a euphemism for "testicles." And
so here are some quotes with their full citations from "A review
of the effects of uranium and depleted uranium exposure on
reproduction and fetal development," in _Toxicology and Industrial
Health_, vol. 17, pp. 180-191 (2001), which is temporarily at:
http://www.bovik.org/du/reproduction-review-2001.pdf
"In rats, there is strong evidence of DU accumulation in tissues
including testes, bone, kidneys, and brain." Pellmar, T.C.,
Fuciarelli, A.F., Ejnik, J.W., Hamilton, M., Hogan, J., Strocko, S.,
Edmond, C., Mottaz, H.M. and Landauer, M.R. "Distribution of uranium
in rats implanted with depleted uranium pellets," _Toxicol Sci_,
vol. 49, pp. 29-39 (1999.)
"Degenerative changes in the testes resulting in aspermia in the
testes and epididymis ... apparently a result of uranyl nitrate"
Maynard, E.A., Downs, W.L. and Hodge, H.C., "Oral toxicity of
uranium compounds," in Voegtlin, C. and Hodge, H.C., editors,
_Pharmacology and Toxicology of Uranium_, Volume 3 (New York:
McGraw-Hill, 1953), pp. 1221-1369.
"uranium exposure causes morphologic changes in the rat testes
possibly as the result of a uranium-induced autoimmune response.
... Average testes weight was significantly (P<0.05) decreased
in rats exposed to uranyl nitrate.... Titers of testicular
autoantibodies were described as fairly high for rats with chronic
exposure to uranium and the authors relate this finding to the
possibility that the observed testicular changes are an autoimmune
response to protein confirmation changes as a result of
uranium–protein interactions. Four other references are cited ...
as evidence of an interaction between uranium and the testes or
thyroid but are not reviewed here." Malenchenko, A.F., Barkun, N.A.
and Guseva, G.F., "Effect of uranium on the induction and course of
experimental autoimmune orchitis and thyroiditis," _J Hyg Epidemiol
Microbiol Immunol_, vol. 22, pp. 268-277 (1978.)
"The number of female mice impregnated successfully was
significantly reduced at all levels of uranium exposure as
compared with negative controls." Hu, Q. and Zhu, S., "Induction
of chromosomal aberrations in male mouse germ cells by uranyl
fluoride containing enriched uranium," _Mutat Res_, vol. 244,
pp. 209-214 (1990.)
Testicular injection with ... uranyl fluoride ... resulted in a
dose-dependent increase in chromosomal aberrations (i.e., DNA
breakage, SCEs) in spermatogonia, primary spermatocytes, and
mature sperm of adult mice." Zhu, S.P., Hu, Q.Y. and Lun, M.Y.,
"Studies on reproductive toxicity induced by enriched uranium,"
_Zhonghua Yu Fang Yi Xue Za Zhi_, vol. 28, pp. 219-222 (1994.)
"existing data indicate that implanted DU translocates to the
rodent testes and ovary, the placenta, and fetus.... DU has
been shown to be genotoxic...." Benson, K.A., _Evaluation of
the health risks of embedded depleted uranium (DU) shrapnel on
pregnancy and offspring development_, Annual Report No. 19981118
065 (October 1998.) -- DOES ANYONE HAVE A BETTER CITATION FOR THIS???
That quote also cites Pellmar, et al., as above, and A. Miller et
al., from the U.S. Armed Forces Radiobiology Research Institute,
whose work can be found on MEDLINE.
Anyone interested in the topic should read these Bob Evans articles:
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du-day1super,0,588771.htmlstory
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du1,0,4619431.story
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du2,0,4684968.story
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du3,0,4750505.story
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du4,0,4816042.story
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du5,0,4881579.story
and this Helen Thomas column:
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/helenthomas/3989401/detail.html
As Bill Prestwich pointed out in off-list email, my suggestion
that uranium might be detectable with NMRI is very questionable,
because U235 is the only uranium isotope with a nonzero nuclear
magnetic moment. As Bill wrote, "detecting 232 U in vivo is
virtually impossible," without invasive tissue sampling, I would
add (and, on this subject, I would also add: OUCH!)
However, Part Five of the Bob Evans series above --
http://www.dailypress.com/news/specials/dp-du5,0,4881579.story
-- explains in detail how the U.K. spectrographic test of urine
is about three orders of magnitude more sensitive than the urine
test presently being used with U.S. troops. But since our
(U.S.) cation tests have good correlation at the levels being
detected, I'm not entirely sure we need to upgrade. Of course
the levels are "higher than expected" if you only consider the
uranium oxide ash combustion products to the exclusion of the
much more slowly precipitating uranyl nitrate.
Sincerely,
James Salsman
Gordon Axt wrote:
> Uranium concentrating in testicles? That's just nuts!!
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
> [mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu] On Behalf Of John R Johnson
> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 4:00 PM
> To: James Salsman; frantaj@AECL.CA; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
> Cc: Anthony C. James
> Subject: RE: Gardner Sellafield cluster [was : reply to Cedervall ]
>
> James, Jaro et al
>
> I have never seen a study about uranium concentration in testicles but
> then I doubt if it has ever been measured. A source of information could
> be the USTUR. By copy I'm asking Tony James if he knows.
>
> John
> _________________
> John R Johnson, Ph.D.
> *****
> President, IDIAS, Inc
> 4535 West 9-Th Ave
> Vancouver B. C.
> V6R 2E2
> (604) 222-9840
> idias@interchange.ubc.ca
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
> [mailto:owner-radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu]On Behalf Of James Salsman
> Sent: December 15, 2004 11:54 AM
> To: frantaj@AECL.CA; radsafe@list.vanderbilt.edu
> Subject: RE: Gardner Sellafield cluster [was : reply to Cedervall ]
>
>
> Jaro,
>
> Thank you for the information regarding leukemia and lymphoma among
> young people born and living near the Sellafield nuclear power plant in
> West Cumbria, U.K.:
>
>
>>The cancer cluster in children at Seascale in Cumbria is not related
>>to their fathers' exposure to radiation while working in the nearby
>>Sellafield nuclear plant, the government's committee on the medical
>>aspects of radiation, Comare, concluded yesterday. Comare's finding
>>came 12 years after a department of health report caused a sensation
>>by saying there was a link. The finding is a relief to the nuclear
>>industry - but does not answer the question of why there is a cluster.
>
> -- http://www.guardian.co.uk/nuclear/article/0,2763,774825,00.html
>
> If you recall my message context, I was suggesting that uranium
> accumulation in testicles explains the cancer incidence increase in
> children of exposed fathers.
>
> Does anyone know if Comare/UKDoH/etc. have looked at uranium
> contamination of the workers involved?
>
> Sincerely,
> James Salsman
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