Thread: WHY IS'NT MSM REPORTING ON THE escalating DANGERS of Radiation, UPDATED

Fukushima Health Effects in North America?

May 1, 2014

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via Goddard’s Journal / April 24, 2014 /
Critique of two studies claiming 14,000 deaths and disease in North American caused by the Fukushima nuclear disaster in Japan.
Letter by Yuri Hiranuma to the journal that published the congenital-hypothyroidism study : http://fukushimavoice-eng2.blogspot....regarding.html The journal rejected the letter w/o explanation.
The journal publisher is on Beall’s “List of Predatory Publishers 2014″ : http://scholarlyoa.com/2014/01/02/li...blishers-2014/
The two studies critiqued
Mangano J, Sherman J, Busby C. (2013). Changes in confirmed plus borderline cases of congenital hypothyroidism in California as a function of environmental fallout from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. Open Journal of Pediatrics. 3(4). http://file.scirp.org/Html/16-1330260_40157.htm
Mangano J, Sherman J. (2011). An unexpected mortality increase in the United States follows arrival of the radioactive plume from Fukushima: is there a correlation? Int J Health Serv, 42(1): 47-64.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22403909
Data sources
California Dept of Public Health Newborn Screening Program
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/NBS/Pages/default.aspx
Phone: 510-412-1500
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, MMWR Table III (Mortality) http://wonder.cdc.gov/mmwr/mmwrmort.asp
Thanks to Alfred Körblein (http://alfred-koerblein.de ), who guided our analyses with his expertise in statistics. Alfred also authored a letter to the editor published in respone to Mangano & Sherman’s 14,000 deaths study: http://baywood.metapress.com/app/home/main.asp?referrer=default
Thanks also to Mattias Lantz (http://katalog.uu.se/simpleinfo/?id=N1-152 ) for his valuable input and analyses of these studies. Lantz has also posted many cogent analyses of Magano & Sherman studies : http://nuclearpoweryesplease.org/blog/?s=lantz+mangano

http://fukushimaupdate.com/fukushima...north-america/

READ THE LAST LINE AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS INFO FROM YOUR LAST POST.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

A Letter to the Editor Regarding the Mangano/Sherman/Busby Study on Post-Fukushima Congenital Hypothyroidism in California

The following letter was sent to the editor of Open Journal of Pediatrics (OJPed) regarding the congenital hypothyroidism study by Joseph Mangano, Janette Sherman and Christopher Busby.


The letter indicated that the actual count of confirmed cases of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) from the California Public Health Department does not match the authors' count because they disregarded the actual count given to them.

Instead, the authors (1) invented their own definition of confirmed cases of CH, (2) misrepresented the real definition of CH, and (3) invented a fictitious diagnostic category of CH which they call "borderline cases.”

OJPed's response was, "Thank you for your mails. However, the letter cannot be published. And the paper published in OJPED will not be withdrawn."

Critique of the related study by Mangano and Sherman, by Steve Wing, was published here. A letter to the editor regarding the same related study by Alfred Körblein, published here, was also rejected by OJPed.

The letter was the subject of this post by Jeffrey Beall who keeps track of predatory journals.

Also, the video by Ian Goddard clearly explains issues regarding this study as well as　another study by two of the authors.

*****
April 14, 2014

A letter to the editor of Open Journal of Pediatrics

In the article, “Changes in confirmed plus borderline cases of congenital hypothyroidism in California as a function of environmental fallout from the Fukushima nuclear meltdown,” Mangano, et al. base their conclusion on erroneous and selective data interpretation regarding the number of confirmed congenital hypothyroidism (CH) cases in the study population.

The authors obtained the newborn screening data for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) from the Genetic Disease Screening Program at the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), including the number of confirmed cases and children screened, grouped by their thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels from 2009 to 2012. The CDPH office was contacted to obtain a copy of the original data used by the authors in an attempt to replicate their findings.

In California, the cutoff for a preliminary indication of CH is a TSH value >=29 mIU/L, as seen in the Newborn Screening cutoff/reference ranges dated 09/11/2013.

However, the authors erroneously state,

“The program confirms CH cases by using only TSH scores greater than 29.0 micro international units per milliliter (μIU/ml). Any child meeting this criterion is prescribed replacement thyroid hormone, to promote normal physical and mental development. On January 1, 2011, the state changed the assay method used to calculate TSH. Scores increased in most newborns, and thus the number of CH cases also increased.” (Note: μIU/mL is equivalent to mIU/L)

Authors make several errors in the study, beginning with the passage above. First, the only thing being measured by the Newborn Screening program is an elevated whole-blood TSH level which is not a diagnosis of CH as further clinical confirmation is required for a diagnosis of CH. TSH values over the cutoff of 29 μIU/ml only means “positive” screening, and it is not true that any child meeting this criterion is prescribed replacement hormone.

In e-mail correspondence with Robert J. Currier, Ph.D., Acting Chief, Program and Policy, from the CDPH Genetic Disease Screening Program, Currier stated,

“A presumptive positive baby (for CH) takes a serum TSH testing and other optional tests (clinicians’ choices) such as free T4. The baby is also referred to a state-approved endocrinology center and seen by an endocrinology specialist. Repeating follow-up if needed. If the baby is a confirmed CH case, then an annual follow-up check with the endocrine center will be established.”

Thus, the definition used by the authors of “confirmed CH cases” is inaccurate, yet the authors use "positive" screening to erroneously count confirmed cases.

Second, as for the new assay method reportedly instituted on January 1, 2011, what increased was not “the number of CH cases” alluded by the authors, but the TSH cutoff value. As Currier also states,

“Before 2011, the cutoff value for CH presumptive positives was 25 μIU/ml. In early 2011 our labs adopted a brand new technology for TSH testing. As a result, there had been a change in TSH values at populations basis and we adjusted the cutoff to 29 μIU/ml in April 2011. In other words, before April 2011, TSH screening >=25 μIU/ml were considered as CH positives. This information (of changed testing method) was supplied to Joe Mangano as well.”

Third, the authors further define “borderline cases” as “a cautious range of 19.0 - 28.9 μIU/ml,” and add the "borderline cases" to their estimate of total CH cases. But this definition is meaningless, as CH cases are only confirmed after follow-up clinical observation and further testing.

In fact, Currier states further,

“We do not have any definition for 'borderline cases.' TSH testing is a screening tool and only clinically diagnosed CH cases are considered 'CH cases.'” Currier added, “It is possible, although very rare, that a confirmed case would have a TSH value below cutoff and was diagnosed later clinically.”

While the authors declare that California has "a consistent definition of the disorder," conjuring the ill-defined "borderline" category to be combined with mere "positive" screening cases represents an egregious introduction of bias.

This step appears to increase the 2011-2012 CH total from 658 to 4670, inflating the p value (p < 0.00000001 for “combined confirmed and borderline cases”) in the statistical analysis. In their Discussion the authors then write "...despite having to define borderline cases arbitrarily. In California, adding borderline cases (TSH between 19.0 and 28.9 μIU/ml) to those confirmed cases (TSH over 29.0) increases the number of cases by more than seven fold." This statement confirms how data selection was biased and that the authors consider "borderline" and "positive" screening to be equal to "confirmed cases" of CH.

Currier also provided the same two sets of data that were given to the authors (see Tables 1 and 2) and additional details about the CH screening program.

Currier indicated that the data on the confirmed case count table had been updated since it was given to authors, because “in rare cases, a baby who was misdiagnosed or diagnosed with a degree of uncertainty could be removed from our registry at a later date.” However, Currier assured that it should be very close to data initially provided to the authors. Currier also mentioned that “Mangano did not use the data from this table (Table 2) in his article.”

Table 1 TSH Value Breakdown from Initial Newborn Screening in California, 2009-2012

Table 2: Confirmed case count of Primary Congenital Hypothyroidism in California, 2009-2012

Alfred Körblein, a retired physicist and independent consultant in epidemiology in Germany, plotted the number of “confirmed” cases of congenital hypothyroidism per 100,000 (Figure 1). As can be seen, an increase in the confirmed cases in the period from March 17th to December 31st shows variation similar to other time periods.

Figure 1: Incidence of Confirmed Cases of CH 2009-2013

Fourth, the authors state, at the end of the Results section, “With much larger samples than just confirmed cases, a better understanding of the true change can be approached.” The desire for larger sample size by the authors of this paper suggests a limited understanding of the CH screening program in California.

In conclusion, the study by Mangano, Sherman and Busby has critical flaws: 1) incorrectly taking raw positive screenings (TSH >=29 μIU/ml) to be confirmed CH cases, thus disregarding the correct number of actually confirmed CH cases they received from the CDPH; 2) defining a meaningless diagnostic category of “borderline” cases that has no basis in the screening program or in medical practice; and 3) claiming that the faux rate they conjured (positive screening results plus "borderline" screening results) is a valid construct; and 4) claiming that the CH increase in 2011 was statistically significant, whereas the plotting of the number of actual clinically confirmed cases from 2009 to 2012 clearly shows no significant increase.

Sincerely,

Yuri Hiranuma, D.O.
Member, Radiation and Health Committee, Physicians for Social Responsibility

Posted by @YuriHiranuma at 1:27 AM

http://fukushimavoice-eng2.blogspot....regarding.html

THIS IS THE LAST LINE FROM THE EVIDENCE THAT YOU JUST PROVIDED IN YOUR LAST POST:

In conclusion, . . . the plotting of the number of actual clinically confirmed cases from 2009 to 2012 clearly shows no significant increase.


@ A Letter to the Editor Regarding the Mangano/Sherman/Busby Study on Post-Fukushima Congenital Hypothyroidism in California

The following letter was sent to the editor of Open Journal of Pediatrics (OJPed) regarding the congenital hypothyroidism study by Joseph Mangano, Janette Sherman and Christopher Busby.


The letter indicated that the actual count of confirmed cases of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) from the California Public Health Department does not match the authors' count because they disregarded the actual count given to them . . .

The Koch brother pay people to manufacture fake studies about the nuke industry, solar and wind power. And now:

• Koch brothers face an unexpected new foe: tea party conservatives

​

• Koch Brothers And ALEC Expand Fight On Clean Energy Users

Japan TV: ‘Endless fight’ against radiation — Levels in home at 7,500% gov’t limit — ‘Shocking’ 62,700 Bq/kg of cesium in mushrooms… “They just stared at the numbers” — Retired Official: “This will taste great fried…When decontamination finished it will be safe for people to return” (VIDEO)

Published: May 5th, 2014 at 7:02 pm ET By ENENews Email Article 60 comments

NHK Documentary, Apr. 19, 2014: Senior Brigade: Protecting an Uninhabited Town [...] the ‘Senior Brigade’, which consists of workers recently retired from top posts in local government, prepare for the day when the people [of Okuma, Fukushima] can return

• At 23:30 in: The man’s 2 year old grandchild was born after the family left town. He didn’t want the child to grow up surrounded by radiation. His family had lived in Okuma for generations, but he told Suzuki he would not return. He wanted his daughter and grandchild to live free of fear. Radiation levels inside his house were 75 times higher than the government’s safety standard. — Homeowner: “Even if it is declared safe, I don’t think you can expect people to come back. What good would come from putting our lives in danger? I believe many others feel the same way.” — Senior Brigade: “But radiation levels will go down after decontamination.” The member of senior brigade believe the town’s residents would return one day, but they couldn’t bring themselves to try and change this man’s mind.
• At 34:30 in: The team went to gather mushrooms […] — Senior Brigade: “This will taste great deep fried.” If the radiation counts were low they hoped to report the good news to the town’s people. — Senior Brigade: “It’s 62,700 Bq/kg. That’s 627 times the safety standard — 62,000, that’s a shocking number.” They’re waging an endless fight against an invisible enemy. [They] just stared at the numbers for a while. It was the third winter since the nuclear accident. […] Decontamination was moving ahead as scheduled […] workers were wiping off radioactive material by hand. — Senior Brigade: “They’re doing a good job.” Cleaning up the houses was a key part of the plan to lure residents back. […] — Senior Brigade: “I’m looking forward to radiation levels going down after the cleanup, when the decontamination is finished it will be safe for people to return. We can start rebuilding our lives.”

Watch the broadcast here

1. Mayor in Fukushima during 3/11: Officials lied to everyone and hid the truth — It’s a violation of human rights to expose people to radiation like this, it’s terrible — Evacuees are forced to return, I’m really ashamed for my country (VIDEO) April 21, 2014
2. CBS San Francisco: “Widespread distrust” of scientists over Fukushima — Official: “People are worried, people want to know what’s going on” — UC Berkeley professor admits much of his funding is from gov’t: If you don’t trust us, who is it you want to trust? Says man-made cesium-137 is “natural background radiation” (VIDEO) February 1, 2014
3. Gundersen on RT: All 5 samples I took in Tokyo qualified as radioactive waste — People should never return to some areas 60km from Fukushima (VIDEO) March 12, 2012
4. Official: Tepco has failed at Fukushima, no progress made — Tepco to change name, start new business — Tepco demands nuclear workers return payments, anger passed tipping point January 11, 2014
5. Advice Columnist: Mother terrified to return to Tokyo with 3 kids due to Fukushima contamination — Tells her “What you are experiencing is treatable” and to contact PTSD center January 23, 2013

Author had bouts of nosebleeds, plagued by unusual fatigue after Fukushima plant visits — Group of newspaper journalists “confess to suffering similar symptoms” — Official unbearably sick since 3/11, many residents are too they just don’t say it openly — Worker: “This is like going to war”

Published: May 5th, 2014 at 4:04 pm ET By ENENews Email Article 32 comments

AP, Mar. 26, 2014: First off, no one who works at Tepco’s wrecked nuclear plant calls it Fukushima “Dai-ichi,” comic book artist Kazuto Tatsuta says in his book about his time on the job. [...] Workers say they will lose their jobs if they talk to reporters and their bosses find out. That makes Tatsuta’s manga, “1F: The Labor Diary Of Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant,” a rare look at the nuclear complex [...] there are no flushing toilets. In one telling scene, an elderly worker says: “This is like going to war.” [...]
Asahi Shimbun, Apr. 26, 2014: “Though we cannot currently see an end, the situation at the plant is making progress little by little. As a worker, I want to continue to be part of the process until workers like me are no longer necessary,” [Tatsuta] added.
Japan Times, Apr. 30, 2014 (emphasis added): [...] Visiting the stricken plant two years after the 2011 nuclear catastrophe, a group of characters [in the popular manga series “Oishinbo” published Monday], all newspaper journalists, are momentarily exposed to hourly radiation levels of 1,680 microsieverts. After their tour, which takes them near the plant’s six reactors, lead character Shiro Yamaoka begins to complain of “extreme exhaustion” as well as sudden nosebleeds that span days. His colleagues confess to suffering similar symptoms. Later, when they meet a character named Katsutaka Idogawa — based on a real-life former mayor of the town of Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture — they learn that he too has suffered repeated nosebleed attacks and felt “unbearably sick” since the accident. “Many Fukushima residents have been afflicted by the same symptoms. It’s just they don’t say it openly,” Idogawa tells them. [...] When contacted by The Japan Times, [Shogakukan] weekly’s managing editor said [...] the episode drew on “meticulous reportage” conducted by manga author Tetsu Kariya and his team in Fukushima. Nothing the Idogawa character said deviated from the opinion of the real-life mayor, the editor insisted. Kariya himself once told the media that he had suffered several bouts of nosebleeds and been plagued by unusual fatigue following his visits to the plant. [...]
View an English translation of ’1F: The Labor Diary Of Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant’

Author had bouts of nosebleeds, plagued by unusual fatigue after Fukushima plant visits — Group of newspaper journalists “confess to suffering similar symptoms” — Official unbearably sick since 3/11, many residents are too they just don’t say it openly — Worker: “This is like going to war”

Published: May 5th, 2014 at 4:04 pm ET By ENENews Email Article 32 comments

AP, Mar. 26, 2014: First off, no one who works at Tepco’s wrecked nuclear plant calls it Fukushima “Dai-ichi,” comic book artist Kazuto Tatsuta says in his book about his time on the job. [...] Workers say they will lose their jobs if they talk to reporters and their bosses find out. That makes Tatsuta’s manga, “1F: The Labor Diary Of Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant,” a rare look at the nuclear complex [...] there are no flushing toilets. In one telling scene, an elderly worker says: “This is like going to war.” [...]
Asahi Shimbun, Apr. 26, 2014: “Though we cannot currently see an end, the situation at the plant is making progress little by little. As a worker, I want to continue to be part of the process until workers like me are no longer necessary,” [Tatsuta] added.
Japan Times, Apr. 30, 2014 (emphasis added): [...] Visiting the stricken plant two years after the 2011 nuclear catastrophe, a group of characters [in the popular manga series “Oishinbo” published Monday], all newspaper journalists, are momentarily exposed to hourly radiation levels of 1,680 microsieverts. After their tour, which takes them near the plant’s six reactors, lead character Shiro Yamaoka begins to complain of “extreme exhaustion” as well as sudden nosebleeds that span days. His colleagues confess to suffering similar symptoms. Later, when they meet a character named Katsutaka Idogawa — based on a real-life former mayor of the town of Futaba in Fukushima Prefecture — they learn that he too has suffered repeated nosebleed attacks and felt “unbearably sick” since the accident. “Many Fukushima residents have been afflicted by the same symptoms. It’s just they don’t say it openly,” Idogawa tells them. [...] When contacted by The Japan Times, [Shogakukan] weekly’s managing editor said [...] the episode drew on “meticulous reportage” conducted by manga author Tetsu Kariya and his team in Fukushima. Nothing the Idogawa character said deviated from the opinion of the real-life mayor, the editor insisted. Kariya himself once told the media that he had suffered several bouts of nosebleeds and been plagued by unusual fatigue following his visits to the plant. [...]
View an English translation of ’1F: The Labor Diary Of Fukushima No. 1 Nuclear Power Plant’

Alarm as record numbers of seals & sea lions ‘starving to death’ along California coast — “It’s just spiked… calls started coming nonstop” — “So many unhealthy… washing ashore” — “Extremely complex issue… multitude of factors in play” — “Definitely a mystery, we’re hoping it’s not the new norm”

Published: May 4th, 2014 at 6:28 pm ET By ENENews

Orange County Register, May 2, 2014: Sea lions are [...] washing ashore, many of them pups dehydrated, malnourished and on the brink of death. The year started off quieter than last year, and the Pacific Marine Mammal Center’s director of development, Melissa Sciacca, thought they were in the clear – until about a month ago, when the calls started coming in nonstop. [...] “We thought it was going to be a nice calm year; in the last month it’s just spiked,” she said. “The rescues just keep coming in at a steady pace.” It’s the second year stranded sea lions have been reported in alarming numbers. [...] Last year, scientists tested for radioactivity, and it was determined that wasn’t the cause, and infectious disease was also ruled out.
San Francisco Chronicle, May 3, 2014: Young seals, sea lions starving in record numbers — Rescuers are scrambling to save a record number of young sea lions and seals along California’s northern and central coast while scientists work to understand why the animals are beaching themselves [...] The emaciated and dehydrated pups are turning up along the 600 miles of coastline from Mendocino to San Luis Obispo monitored by the Marine Mammal Center. Many are too weak to move after washing ashore [...] As of Wednesday, the center had brought in 429 California sea lions, elephant seals, harbor seals and fur seals this year. That’s well above the 291 animals admitted by the same date last year [...] Southern California witnessed an almost 70 percent die-off of young sea lions – those born in summer 2012 – near the Channel Islands, where most American sea lions breed.
Sharon Melin, NOAA biologist: “In 2013, it was only the young animals that tried to do it on their own [...] this year there’s lots of stranding going on, but those are a different age-class of pups.”
Dr. Shawn Johnson, Marine Mammal Center: “The ones we are seeing are basically starving to death [...] It’s definitely a mystery. We’re hoping it’s not the new norm.”
Coastline Pilot, May 1, 2014: “In the last month we’ve seen the rescues spike,” [Pacific Marine Mammal Center's Keith Matassa] said. [...] Researchers are still trying to determine why so many unhealthy sea lions are washing ashore. “The reasons behind the animal strandings are an extremely complex issue,” Matassa said. “Although there is a leading theory that their food source is playing a significant role, there are a multitude of factors that come in to play.”
“Starving to death”? From last week: SF Chronicle: "Unbelievable hordes" of fish near California coast; Most birds, sea lions, dolphins, whales anywhere -- Expert: 'Off the charts' pelican population "highly unusual... could reflect breeding failures elsewhere"; "Abnormal ocean conditions" to blame?

http://enenews.com/newspapers-alarm-...nth-its-just-s

NBC Right Now: Explosion at U.S. nuclear site — Kept secret from public — Happened in plant where plutonium was manufactured — “One of the most hazardous buildings” in America — Workers: “Flames shot out… big, loud bang like a shot gun” (VIDEO)

Published: May 4th, 2014 at 11:24 am ET By ENENews Email Article

NBC Right Now (Yakima, WA), May 1, 2014 (h/t Stock): Hanford union workers tell NBC Right Now there was an explosion at the plutonium finishing plant cleanup site weeks ago, but the event wasn’t shared with the public. The Hanford union representative says it happened when workers were cutting some pipe as part of the demolition of the Plutonium Finishing Plant [PFP]. The union representative wants to remain anonymous and says workers are concerned management isn’t putting worker safety first. [...] Workers describe the explosion as a spark then flames that shot out of a pipe and a loud bang [...] We’re told it happened two weeks ago [...] Workers say they think the contractor is playing down the explosion and possible safety concerns to protect themselves from fines and work delays. [...] The union representative says management wants to keep experienced workers quiet.
Hanford Union Representative: “Having a pipe explode at probably the most contaminated facility in the United States. This is one of the most hazardous buildings in the U.S. [...] Management continues to call it a small pop even though the workers say no this thing was a big, loud bang like a shot gun blast [...] People bring up concerns and they fall on deaf ears, especially at this facility. It’s like they’re dumbing it down because if this becomes a big concern, then they’re not going to be able to remove the pipe in a timely manor. Well, that’s not the concern. I could care less about your time frame and how much money you’re going to make when you get that pipe out. My concern is the people cutting the pipe in the first place and that doesn’t seem to be their concern. [...] PFP is not wanting to use experienced individuals anymore because we’re bringing up too many concerns in this plant. They want to bring in the guy that’s not going to ask any questions and they’ve started to do so.”
Department of Energy: “The Department of Energy is overseeing the contractor’s response and will continue to evaluate their investigation into the cause of the event and corrective actions.”
KVEW (ABC), May 2, 2014: Investigation Underway Following Pipe Explosion at Hanford’s Plutonium Finishing Plant — An investigation is underway following a pipe explosion last month at the Hanford site’s Plutonium Finishing Plant. A spokesman for the CH2M Hill Plateau Remediation Company says the employees were cutting a pipe on April 17th when they heard a loud bang and witnessed a small flame emit from the end of the pipe.
Watch the NBC broadcast here