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Aging Effect: The theory that radiation produces an acceleration in the aging process.

Alpha Particle: A charged particle which has a mass and charge equal in magnitude to a helium-4 nucleus and is emitted from the nucleus of an atom.

Alpha Rays: Alpha particles emitted by radioactive elements. Background Radiation: Ionizing radiation present in the area of interest and coming from sources other than that of primary

concern.

BEIR Report: A report prepared by the Advisory Committee on the Biological Effects of Ionizing Radiation, Division of Medical Sciences, National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences. The report is entitled "The Effects on Populations of Exposure to Low Levels of Ionizing Radiation."

Bioassay:

The determination of the effect and/or strength of a substance by administering it to one test organism and a standard preparation to another test organism and then comparing the relative effects.

Body Burden: The total quantity of a radionuclide present in the body. Bone Seeker: Any substance which migrates, in vivo, preferentially into bone.

BRH:

Bureau of Radiological Health of the Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

Cell Sterility: The inability of a cell to reproduce.

Chronic Exposure: Radiation exposure of long duration by fractionation or protraction.

Congenital: Existing at or dating from the time of birth.

Cosmic Rays: Strongly penetrating rays which come from beyond the Earth's atmosphere and contain particles which move at extremely high speed.

Curie: The special unit of activity. One curie equals 3.7 x 1010 disintegrations per second.

Cytology: A branch of biology which deals with the structure, function, multiplication, pathology, and life history of cells.

* These definitions are adapted from a variety of sources.

DNA: The abbreviation for deoxyribonucleac acid which is a nucleic acid found especially in the cell nucleus and is thought to be the genetic material.

Dose Rate:

EPA:

Absorbed dose delivered per unit time.

Environmental Protection Agency.

Epidemiology:

A science that deals with the study of epidemics by observing the incidence, distribution, and control of disease in a population.

Extrapolate:

To project, extend, or expand known data or experience into an area not known or experienced in order to arrive at a new, conjectural knowledge of the unknown area by inferences based on an assumed continuity, correspondence, or other parallelism between it and what is known.

Gamma: A unit of magnetic field intensity equal to ten oersteds. Gamma Radiation: Electromagnetic radiation emitted in the process of nuclear transition or particle annihilation.

Gamma Ray: Short wavelength electromagnetic radiation of nuclear origin (range of energy from 10 KeV to 9 MeV) emitted from the nucleus.

Genetic Relating to the germ cells which contain the genes that determine the characteristics of the offspring.

Geomagnetic: Of or relating to terrestial magnetism.

Health Physics: The application of the science of physics (and here radiation physics) to health problems.

Homeostasis: A relatively stable state of equilibrium or a tendency toward such a state between the different but interdependent elements of a group.

Hot Particle Controversy: The disagreement about the relative carcinogenicity of various sizes of particles of plutonium when inhaled into the lung.

ICRP: International Commission on Radiological Protection.

Internal Emitters: Radioactive substances which emit radioactivity when taken inside the body.

Interpolate: To estimate the values of a function between two known

values.

Ionizing Radiation: Any electromagnetic or particulate radiation capable of producing ions, directly or indirectly, in its passage through matter.

Kilorad 1,000 rads.

Linear Energy Transfer (LET): The average energy locally imparted to a medium by a charged particle of specified energy per unit distance traversed.

Linear Hypothesis: The assumption that a dose-effect curve derived from data in the high dose and high dose-rate ranges may be extrapolated through the low dose and low dose range to zero, implying that, theoretically, any amounts of radiation will cause some damage.

Lymphatic System: A tubular system supplementing the blood vascular system of vertebrates; it collects lymph from the tissue spaces and returns it to the venous circulation; it is located in the spleen, lymph nodes, thymus, and tonsils.

Mammography:

A radiologic technique now widely used to aid in the diagnosis of breast cancer.

MESA: Mine Enforcement Safety Administration.

Microcurie: One millionth of a curie (3.7 x 104 disintegrations per

NIOSH: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health.

Nonionizing Radiation: Any electromagnetic or particulate radiation which does not contain enough energy per unit to produce ions in its passage through matter.

Organ Burden: The total quantity of a radionuclide present in an organ.

Overkill: To obliterate a target with more force than required.

Particulate: Minute separate particles.

Picocurie: One millionth of a microcurie (3.7 x 10-2 disintegrations

per second).

Rad: The special unit of adsorbed dose. One rad equals 100 ergs/gram. Radionuclides having the same atomic number but different mass numbers.

Radioisotopes:

Radionuclide:

A radioactive species of atom characterized by its mass number, atomic number, and energy state of the nucleus, provided that the mean life in that state is long enough to be observable.

Radium: An intensely radioactive shining white metallic element that resembles barium chemically, occurs in combination in minute quantities in minerals, emits alpha particles and gamma rays to form radon, and is used chiefly in luminous materials and in the treatment of cancer.

Rem: The special unit of dose equivalent. The dose equivalent in rems is numerically equal to the absorbed dose in rads multiplied by the quality factor, and any other necessary modifying factors.

Sarcoma:

A malignant neoplasma (tumor) arising in tissue of mesodermal origin (connective tissue, bone, cartilage, or striated muscle). Somatic: Not destined to become a germ cell; not genetic.

SOX: Any one of a group of oxides of sulfur.

Synergistic: Having the capacity to act in a cooperative action of discrete agencies such that the total effect is greater than the sum of the effects taken seperately.

Transuranium Elements: Elements which have a higher atomic number than uranium; they are all radioactive; example, plutonium.

Ultrasound: Vibrations with the same physical nature as sound but with frequencies above the range of human hearing.

WASH 740 Report: A 1957 Atomic Energy Commission report which concluded that a major release of radioactivity from a small reactor could kill or injure thousands of persons.

Zero Release: The prohibition of the release of any radioactive materials from a particular nuclear plant.