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Radiation Hazards to Crews of Interplanetary Missions Biological Issues and Research Strategies (1996) / Chapter Skim
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Appendix B Glossary
Pages 63-68

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From page 63...
... Ataxia telangiectasia: A disorder inherited as a recessive trait that is characterized by neurological changes, such as cerebellar ataxia, immunological deficiency, an increased susceptibility to cancer, especially lymphomas, and an increased cellular radiosensitivity. Background radiation: Radiation received by the entire human population due to naturally occurring radiation and radioactive materials in the environment.
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From page 64...
... DREF: A factor by which the effect caused by a specific dose of radiation changes at low dose rates as compared with high dose rates. Electron volt: A unit of energy (1.6 x 10-~9 J)
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From page 65...
... Linear energy transfer: Average amount of energy lost per unit of particle track length. Low linear energy transfer (LETJ radiation is characterized by light charged particles such as electrons produced by x rays and gamma rays where the distance between ionizing events is large on the scale of a cellular nucleus.
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From page 66...
... Neoplasm: Any new and abnormal growth, such as a tumor; neoplastic disease refers to any disease that forms tumors, whether malignant or benign. Neoplastically Tissue culture cells changed in vitro from growing in an orderly pattern and exhibiting transformed cells: contact inhibition to growing in a pattern more like that of cancer cells, due to the loss of contact inhibition.
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From page 67...
... These units are generally derived from the meter, kilogram, second, and SI-based units with special quantities for radiation including the Becquerel, Gray, and Sievert. SI unit of radiation equivalent dose, equal to dose in Grays times a quality factor times other modifying factors, for example, a distribution factor; 1 Sievert equals 100 rem.
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From page 68...
... Somatic effects of Effects that occur in an irradiated individual due to damage produced in various tissues radiation: of the body, as opposed to genetic effects, which occur in the offspring of an irradiated individual owing to damage in germ cells. Potentially important somatic effects of radiation include induction of cancer and damage to the central nervous system.
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Key Terms

  • ionizing radiation
  • equivalent dose
  • solar particle
  • excess risk
  • x rays

  • electromagnetic radiation
  • dose response
  • charged particles
  • particle events
  • irradiated individual

  • gamma rays
  • linear energy
  • ionizing events
  • dose averaged
  • solar flares

  • energy range
  • unit mass
  • cell killing
  • alpha particles
  • numerically equal

  • dose rates
  • radiation equivalent
  • partly proportional
  • somatic effects
  • solar event

  • distribution factor
  • quadratic term
  • coronal mass
  • radiation quality
  • mass ejections


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