In a recent article in "Physics Today," Meredith and Redish emphasized the need to make introductory physics courses beneficial for life sciences majors. In this study, a lab activity is proposed to measure the intensity of electromagnetic waves emitted by cell phones and connect these measurements to various standards, biological…

In this paper we present a system aimed at demonstrating the photoacoustic (PA) effect for educational purposes. PA imaging is a hybrid imaging modality that requires no contrast agent and has a great potential for spine and brain lesion characterisation, breast cancer and blood flow monitoring notably in the context of fetal surgery. It relies on…

Planar x-ray imaging is a ubiquitous diagnostic tool and is routinely performed to diagnose conditions as varied as bone fractures and pneumonia. The underlying principle is that the varying attenuation coefficients of air, water, tissue, bone, or metal implants within the body result in non-uniform transmission of x-ray radiation. Through the…

When students are first introduced to the idea of radioactive decay, a large conceptual hurdle must be overcome. The thought that an object's age has no bearing on the chance it will "die" (decay in this case) on a particular day is completely at odds with biological notions of life and death. Through the use of a simple…

This research compared three clinical preparedness domains, communication ability, social comfort, and clinical confidence, between US-born and non-US born radiation sciences students. The aim of the study was to determine if there were perceived differences in clinical preparedness between them. Student's place of birth was found to be an…

New science standards and reform recommendations spanning grades K--16 focus on a limited set of key scientific concepts from each discipline that all students should know. They also emphasize the integration of these concepts with science practices so that students learn not only the "what" of science but also the "how" and…

If we abide by the familiar saying "you are what you eat," it is understandable that people may be concerned with the incredible advances in food science technology and their possible impacts on human health. For example, in recent years high-tech scientific processes such as genetic modification, irradiation, and cloning have all been used to…

Introduction: Innovative technology has led to high-precision radiation therapy that has dramatically altered the practice of radiation oncology. This qualitative study explored the implementation of this innovation into practice from the perspective of the practitioners in a large academic radiation medicine program and aimed to improve…

"Nuclear Winter" was recently coined to describe the climatic and biological effects of a nuclear war. These effects are discussed based on models, simulations, scenarios, and projections. Effects on human populations are also considered. (JN)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to describe biomechanical correlates of the surface electromyographic signal obtained during swallowing by healthy adult volunteers. Method: Seventeen healthy adults were evaluated with simultaneous videofluoroscopy and surface electromyography (sEMG) while swallowing 5 mL of liquid barium sulfate. Three…

Discusses theorectical and methodological challenges presented to the social science community by large-scale radioactive waste management. Overviews analysis, management, and decision making. (MK)

Summarizes key research implications of Three Mile Island and other major hazard events as related to tourism. Examines how the proposed Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository system will impact tourism in southern Nevada and other visitor-oriented rural counties bisected by planned waste transportation corridors. (AIM)

Discusses the application of the laws of physics to natural phenomena, including Jackrabbit ears, transparent atmosphere, formation of ice, and long-wave radiation. (YP)

Describes some basic findings in the radiation chemistry of genetic material derived from studies of model systems. Uses these findings to extrapolate the consequences of radiation damage to DNA within cells. (CS)

Discusses the effects of radiation on dividing cells and factors influencing these effects; also briefly reviews the radical mechanism for radiation damage. Emphasizes the importance of oxygen in radiation effects. (CS)