This report consists of a collection of 225 abstracts of radiation research sponsored by NASA during the period 1986-1990. Each abstract has been categorized within one of four discipline areas: Physics, Biology, Risk Assessment and Microgravity. Topic areas within each discipline have been assigned as follows: Physics--Atomic Physics, Nuclear Science, Space Radiation, Radiation Transport and Shielding and Instrumentation: Biology--Molecular Biology, Cellular Radiation Biology, Tissue, Organs and Organisms, Radioprotectants and Plants: Risk Assessment--Radiation Health and Epidemiology, Space Flight Radiation Health Physics, Inter- and Intraspecies Extrapolation and Radiation Limits and Standards; and Microgravity. When applicable subareas have been assigned for selected topic areas. Keywords and author indices are provided.
This book reevaluates the health risks of ionizing radiation in light of data that have become available since the 1980 report on this subject was published. The data include new, much more reliable dose estimates for the A-bomb survivors, the results of an additional 14 years of follow-up of the survivors for cancer mortality, recent results of follow-up studies of persons irradiated for medical purposes, and results of relevant experiments with laboratory animals and cultured cells. It analyzes the data in terms of risk estimates for specific organs in relation to dose and time after exposure, and compares radiation effects between Japanese and Western populations.
This book is the seventh in a series of titles from the National Research Council that addresses the effects of exposure to low dose LET (Linear Energy Transfer) ionizing radiation and human health. Updating information previously presented in the 1990 publication, Health Effects of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation: BEIR V, this book draws upon new data in both epidemiologic and experimental research. Ionizing radiation arises from both natural and man-made sources and at very high doses can produce damaging effects in human tissue that can be evident within days after exposure. However, it is the low-dose exposures that are the focus of this book. So-called “late” effects, such as cancer, are produced many years after the initial exposure. This book is among the first of its kind to include detailed risk estimates for cancer incidence in addition to cancer mortality. BEIR VII offers a full review of the available biological, biophysical, and epidemiological literature since the last BEIR report on the subject and develops the most up-to-date and comprehensive risk estimates for cancer and other health effects from exposure to low-level ionizing radiation.
In the late 1980s, the National Cancer Institute initiated an investigation of cancer risks in populations near 52 commercial nuclear power plants and 10 Department of Energy nuclear facilities (including research and nuclear weapons production facilities and one reprocessing plant) in the United States. The results of the NCI investigation were used a primary resource for communicating with the public about the cancer risks near the nuclear facilities. However, this study is now over 20 years old. The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission requested that the National Academy of Sciences provide an updated assessment of cancer risks in populations near USNRC-licensed nuclear facilities that utilize or process uranium for the production of electricity. Analysis of Cancer Risks in Populations near Nuclear Facilities: Phase 1 focuses on identifying scientifically sound approaches for carrying out an assessment of cancer risks associated with living near a nuclear facility, judgments about the strengths and weaknesses of various statistical power, ability to assess potential confounding factors, possible biases, and required effort. The results from this Phase 1 study will be used to inform the design of cancer risk assessment, which will be carried out in Phase 2. This report is beneficial for the general public, communities near nuclear facilities, stakeholders, healthcare providers, policy makers, state and local officials, community leaders, and the media.
This Surgeon General's report returns to the topic of the health effects of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. The last comprehensive review of this evidence by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) was in the 1986 Surgeon General's report, The Health Consequences of Involuntary Smoking, published 20 years ago this year. This new report updates the evidence of the harmful effects of involuntary exposure to tobacco smoke. This large body of research findings is captured in an accompanying dynamic database that profiles key epidemiologic findings, and allows the evidence on health effects of exposure to tobacco smoke to be synthesized and updated (following the format of the 2004 report, The Health Consequences of Smoking). The database enables users to explore the data and studies supporting the conclusions in the report. The database is available on the Web site of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) at http://www.cdc.gov/tobacco.
Medical X-rays, including fluoroscopy and CT scans, are a major cause of both cancer and coronary heart disease, according to this new study. This reader-friendly work uses no complex statistical operations. It shows each step between raw data and conclusions, and defines basic terms and concepts. Startling conclusions are supported by detailed reviews of medical studies from the 1940s through the 1990s. The author recommends X-ray procedures at much lower dosage levels. Includes a booklet summarizing conclusions of the study. The author is a professor of molecular and cell biology at the University of California-Berkeley, and has investigated the effects of medical X- rays since the 1960s. Paper edition (unseen), $27. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Does radiation medicine need more regulation or simply better-coordinated regulation? This book addresses this and other questions of critical importance to public health and safety. The issues involved are high on the nation's agenda: the impact of radiation on public safety, the balance between federal and state authority, and the cost-benefit ratio of regulation. Although incidents of misadministration are rare, a case in Pennsylvania resulting in the death of a patient and the inadvertent exposure of others to a high dose of radiation drew attention to issues concerning the regulation of ionizing radiation in medicine and the need to examine current regulatory practices. Written at the request from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Radiation in Medicine reviews the regulation of ionizing radiation in medicine, focusing on the NRC's Medical Use Program, which governs the use of reactor-generated byproduct materials. The committee recommends immediate action on enforcement and provides longer term proposals for reform of the regulatory system. The volume covers: Sources of radiation and their use in medicine. Levels of risk to patients, workers, and the public. Current roles of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, other federal agencies, and states. Criticisms from the regulated community. The committee explores alternative regulatory structures for radiation medicine and explains the rationale for the option it recommends in this volume. Based on extensive research, input from the regulated community, and the collaborative efforts of experts from a range of disciplines, Radiation in Medicine will be an important resource for federal and state policymakers and regulators, health professionals involved in radiation treatment, developers and producers of radiation equipment, insurance providers, and concerned laypersons.
In response to the growing global health challenge in the fight against cancer, there is now a greater need for radiation oncology health professionals across institutions to collaborate and be more globally engaged. Emerging Models for Global Health in Radiation Oncology is a response to the need for a book that comprehensively covers the important and emerging field of radiation oncology. The recent World Health Organization (WHO) Cancer Report describes the growing global burden of cancer as alarming, a major obstacle to human development and well-being, with a growing annual economic cost of ca. US$1.16 trillion. The report also highlights major global cancer disparities, and these major disparities in cancer deaths are in part a reflection of poignant underlying differences in radiation oncology services. In parallel with this, there has been a major recent upsurge in radiation oncology global health interest and a common issue expressed at global health summits, seminars, and symposia is that people want to participate in global health but do not know how. This insightful book highlights the emerging models for global radiation oncology, and serves as a useful resource to facilitate participation and greater effective collaborative global cancer care, research, education, and outreach. It is suitable for researchers, students, health professionals, and anyone interested in the global oncology community.
