Glossary
ac—
Alternating current, normally considered to vary sinusoidal with constant frequency
ampere—(A)
Unit of electric current; 1 A = 1 coulomb per second
anisotropic—
Having different properties in different directions; dependent on angle
equation here—
Magnetic flux density
bifilar—
Being composed of two wires
bipartite thoracic centra—
Primordial ossification points within the thoracic vertebra
carcinogen—
Chemical or physical agent capable of causing cancer
chromodacryorrhea—
A stress response consisting of the release from the eye of a porphyrin-based material secreted by a gland behind the eye, also called Ared tears.@
CI—
Confidence interval, 95% CI, if not otherwise specified
CIRRPC—
Committee on Interagency Radiation Research and Policy Coordination
coulomb (C)—
Unit of electric charge, the charge carried by a single electron is 1.6 H 10-19 C
cpm—
Counts per minute
equation here—
Electric flux density, or displacement vector; its units are coulomb per square meter
dc—
Direct current, or current with Asteady @ flow
displacement current—
Quantity related to the time rate of change of the electric field
DMBA
7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, a known carcinogenic agent
DNA—
Deoxyribonucleic acid, found primarily in the cell nucleus and forms the molecular basis for heredity and cell function
g—
Medium permittivity
g0—
Permittivity of free space
equation here—
Electric-field strength (V/m)
electromagnetic fields—
Coupled electric and magnetic fields
ELF—
Extremely low frequency, usually associated with frequencies of the order of 3 Hz to 3 kHz
EMF—
Electromagnetic fields
foot (ft)—
1 foot = 0.304 meter
fos—
An early-response gene
gauss (G)—
The centimeter-gram-second (cgs) unit of magnetic flux density; 1 G = 10-4 tesla (T) (tesla is the SI unit of magnetic flux density); 1 mG = 0.1 FT; the earth = s static magnetic field is about 0.5 G
Gy (gray)—
Unit of absorbed dose of ionizing radiation equal to 1 joule of energy deposited per kilogram of tissue
equation here—
Magnetic-field strength (ampere per square meter)
harmonics—
Signals of nf0, where n is an integer and f0 is the fundamental frequency (e.g., the harmonics of a 60-Hz signal will be 120 Hz, 180 Hz, 240 Hz, and so forth)
Hertz (Hz)—
The SI unit of frequency, 1 Hz = sec-1
heterogeneous—
Composed of components of different kinds
HIOMT—
Hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase
homogeneous—
Composed of components of like kind
impedance—
The equivalent of electric resistance in an ac circuit element that determines the flow of current
in vitro—
Meaning A outside the living body, @ as measured in tissue or cell culture
in vivo—
Meaning A in the living organism, @ as measured in animals
isotropic—
Having one or more properties that are independent of direction; independent of angle
jun—
Cellular early-response gene
kilo (k)—
Designating the factor 1,000; as in kHz = 103 sec-1
mega (M)—
Prefix meaning mega, designating the factor 106; as in 1 MV = 1,000,000 volts; or as in MHZ = 1,000,000 sec-1
milli (m)—
Designating the factor 10-3, as in 1 msec = 10-3 sec; also used as the symbol for meters (m = meter) in application to length; 1 mm = 10-3 m; 1 m = 3.281 ft
myc—
Cellular early-response gene
F—
Prefix meaning micro, designating the factor 10-6; as in 1 :m = 0.000001 meter; also, medium permeability, when used as equation here = equation here
F0—
Permeability of free space
n—
Prefix meaning nano, designating the factor 10-9; as in 1 nsec = 1 H 10-9 sec
NAT—
N-acetyltransferase
NMU—
N-nitroso-N-methylurea
OR—
Odds ratio
ossification—
Formation of bone
permittivity—
The permittivity is a complex number consisting of a dielectric constant and a loss factor (related to the conductivity); it is an electric property of the material
piezoelectric—
The production of an electric potential by an applied pressure or force
PKC—
Protein kinase C
prokaryote—
Cellular organism with no distinct nucleus, such as a bacterium or blue-green algae
relative risk (RR)—
Quotient of the risk in exposed to risk in unexposed individuals
rms—
Root mean square; the rms value of x is %x2
SCE—
Sister chromatid exchanges
semipartite thoracic centra—
Primordial ossification points within the thoracic vertebra
SI—
SystPme International; internationally adopted system of units, such as the meter, kilogram, coulomb, and second
F—
Volume conductivity
soma—
The body of an organism, or the body of a nerve cell
sternebra—
Primordial sternum of the embryo
terata—
Abnormalities in the developing or newborn fetus
tesla (T)—
Tesla, an SI unit of magnetic flux density; 1 T = 104 G
TPA—
12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate, a phorbol ester known as a cancer promoter
transients—
Short duration signals containing a range of frequencies and appearing at irregular time intervals
trenimon—
An alkylating agent used for the treatment of ovarian cancer.
streaming potential—
Potentials that vary with the movement of the ions in the surrounding fluids
vector quantities—
Quantities that are specified by magnitude and direction at all points in space
VLF—
Very low frequency, common designation for the frequency range from 3 Hz to 3 kHz
volt (V)—
A measure of electric potential
T—
2Bf, where f = frequency
wire code—
A surrogate means of assessing electric-and magnetic-field exposure on the basis of well-defined wiring configurations