| fluorescence energy transfer | <technique> Transfer of energy from one fluorochrome to another. The emission wavelength of the fluorochrome excited by the incident light must approximately match the excitation wavelength of the second fluorochrome. If light at the second emission wavelength is detected, it implies that the two fluorochromes were physically within a few nanometres. Used as a technique to probe protein or cell interactions. (25 Jun 1999) |
|---|---|
| latent energy | <chemistry> Energy due to position, it is stored energy which can be used to do work. (09 Jan 1998) |
| free energy | A thermodynamic term used to describe the energy that may be extracted from a system at constant temperature and pressure. In biological systems the most important relationship is: _G = RTln(Keq), where Keq is an equilibrium constant. (18 Nov 1997) |
| fusion energy | <chemistry, radiobiology> The binding energy of a nucleus is the minimum energy required to dissociate it into its component neutrons and protons. Neutron or proton binding energies are those required to remove a neutron or proton, respectively, from a nucleus. Electron binding energy is that required to remove an electron from an atom or a molecule. (16 Dec 1997) |
| linear energy transfer | <radiobiology> Average amount of energy lost per unit of particle track length and expressed in keV um-1. Acronym: LET (16 Dec 1997) |
| abnormalities, radiation-induced | Congenital changes in the morphology of organs produced by exposure to ionizing or non-ionizing radiation. (12 Dec 1998) |
| accidents, radiation | Accidental dispersal of radioactive materials from a radiation source. Accidents at nuclear reactors can involve large groups of the population from dispersion of radioactivity into the environment and through fallout or a few individuals with high injurious doses. (12 Dec 1998) |
| acoustic radiation | The fibres that pass from the medial geniculate body to the transverse temporal gyri of the cerebral cortex by way of the sublentiform part of the internal capsule. Synonym: radiatio acustica. (05 Mar 2000) |
| acute radiation syndrome | <syndrome> A syndrome caused by exposure of the body to large amounts of radiation, (e.g., from certain forms of therapy, accidents, and nuclear explosions; it is divided into three major forms which are, in ascending order of severity, the haematogic, gastrointestinal, and central nervous system-cardiovascular forms; its clinical manifestations are divided into prodromal, latent, overt, and recovery stages. (05 Mar 2000) |
| adaptive radiation | <chemistry> The evolution of new speciesor sub-species to fill unoccupied ecological niches. (06 May 1997) |
| alpha radiation | <physics, radiobiology> The most easily absorbable type of radiation, it consists of a stream of alpha particles, doubly ionised helium nuclei which are electrically charged and produce intense ionisation in matter. Alpha radiation can be deflected in electromagnetic fields. (09 Oct 1997) |
| annihilation radiation | The radiation resulting when a positron from beta positive decay comes to rest. It encounters an electron, and they annihilate each other and convert their rest mass into two 0.51-MeV gamma rays emitted in exactly opposite directions. (05 Mar 2000) |
| background radiation | <radiobiology> Level of environmental radation due to background sources. Background sources can be natural, such as cosmic rays and natural radioactive elements (principally radon, but including other elements such as isotopes of potassium (which people get substantial amounts of in foods like bananas)). They can also be man-made, such as from fossil-fuel combustion, everyday leakage from nuclear activities, and leftover from atmospheric nuclear weapons tests. Background radiation is usually distinguished from acute radiation, such as from medical X-rays, nuclear accidents, radioisotope therapy, or other short-term doses. The man-made contribution to background radiation is quite small compared to the natural contribution, medical uses dominate human exposure to acute radiation. (09 Oct 1997) |
| beta radiation | <radiobiology> Radiant energy from a source of beta rays. (05 Mar 2000) |
| radiation | <radiobiology> Propagation of energy through space. In the context of this report, it is electromagnetic radiation (X-rays or gamma rays) or corpuscular radiation (alpha particles, electrons, protons, neutrons) capable of producing ionisation. (16 Dec 1997) |