DALLAS researchers have found signs of brain damage in Gulf War veterans who
claim to have severe neurological problems (快猫短视频, 4 December
1999, p 10). Robert Haley, an epidemiologist at Texas South Western University
Medical Centre, and his radiologist colleague James Fleckenstein scanned the
basal ganglia of 18 patients using magnetic resonance spectroscopy. They
compared their findings with 18 healthy people from the same navy unit. The
density of neurons was significantly lower in the veterans with memory and
balance problems. I asked defence ministers to comment on these signs of
physical injury among these Gulf War veterans.
Armed forces minister John Spellar said Haley and Fleckenstein鈥檚 research is
still in its preliminary stages. It would be inappropriate for his department to
comment at this stage. 鈥淲e are always keen to see scientifically robust,
properly validated peer-reviewed hypotheses, methodologies and full results from
the work done by researchers.鈥� He went on to say his department鈥檚 Gulf Veterans鈥�
Illnesses Unit will carefully consider the Dallas work once it is published.
Surely if the government is really serious about rooting out the causes of
Gulf War syndrome, its departments ought not to appear so laid back?
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NORTH Sea marine oil rigs are a haven for coral, especially Lophelia
pertusa (快猫短视频, 6 November 1999, p 16). The coral colonies
grow on the legs of the rigs. Deep-sea corals, including Lophelia, are
protected under the European Union鈥檚 habitat directive, so there could be a
problem when decommissioning the rigs.
Helen Liddell, minister for energy and competitiveness in Europe, is
responsible for the offshore oil and gas industry, tells me that
Lophelia grows sporadically over large areas of the North Atlantic as well
as on rigs. These colonies and those to the west of Shetland provide
microhabitats for a range of organisms, possibly including fish, she said.
The Department of Trade and Industry has a rigorous regime to ensure that oil
companies鈥� activities do not impinge on the local marine environment, says
Liddell. The Offshore Petroleum Production and Pipe-lines (Assessment of
Environmental Effects) Regulations require environmental assessments for
virtually all development projects. While the guidelines don鈥檛 give North Sea
drilling companies specific guidance on coral, the companies do have to show
that their operations will not harm the environment, corals included.
Liddell adds that the Joint Nature Conservation Committee inspects all wells
west of Shetland, to ensure any deep-lying coral is protected.
If Britain doesn鈥檛 set an example with its North Atlantic coral, how can it
rebuke other countries for not looking after their coral heritage?
THE CHERNOBYL nuclear accident in 1986 released dangerous radioisotopes
leading to more thyroid tumours among children than the experts expected. As a
consequence, the World Health Organization is revising its guidelines on
preventing cancers after a nuclear leak (快猫短视频, 8 January, p
5). The WHO says that you can stop the thyroid absorbing radioactive isotopes of
iodine by taking tablets containing stable iodine-127.
Helen Liddell is also responsible for matters on the nuclear industry. She
says local health authorities will indeed hand out potassium iodate tablets as
part of the government鈥檚 contingency plans to protect people on and off nuclear
sites. And she adds that the Department of Health has asked the National
Radiological Protection Board to review the guidelines for using stable iodine
tablets.
I wonder how precisely the plans have been agreed locally?
