Advances in Biological and Medical Physics

Advances in Biological and Medical Physics, Volume 1, provides an overview of the state of knowledge in biological and medical physics. The book contains 10 chapters and opens with a discussion of methods by which isotopes can be employed in medical and biological problems, and the factors that influence the choice of isotopes that have been and may be used in biological work. This is followed by separate chapters on the applications of nitrogen and carbon isotopes to in vivo studies of the animal organism; the nature and production of artificial radioactivity; the interaction of radioactivity with matter and instruments for detecting ionizing radiation; and the scope of health physics. Subsequent chapters deal with the use of radioactive isotopes to study iron and hemoglobin metabolism and the physiology of the erythrocyte; applications of radioactive phosphorus as a tracer in intermediary metabolism of fat; effects of the atomic bomb irradiation on the Japanese; and nucleic acid metabolism.

Contributors to Volume I

Foreword

Heavy and Radioactive Isotopes in Clinical and Experimental Medicine

I. Introduction

II. The Medical Significance of Isotopes

III. Clinical Applications of Isotopes

IV. Some Applications of Isotopes in Experimental Medicine

References

Nitrogen and Carbon Isotopes: Their Application in Vivo to the Study of the Animal Organism

I. Introduction

II. Methods

III. The Metabolism of Nitrogen Compounds

IV. Carbohydrate and Fat Metabolism

V. Conclusion

References

The Nature and Production of Artificial Radioactivity

I. The Nature of Radioactivity

II. Nuclear Relactions

III. Chemical Factors in Radioisotope Production

IV. Availability of Radioisotopes

General References

Specific References

Fundamentals of Radioactivity and Its Instrumentation

I. Interaction of Radiation with Matter

II. Radioactivity Units and Standards

III. Basic Instruments for the Detection of Ionizing Radiations

References

Health-Physics, Instrumentation, and Radiation Protection

I. Scope of Health-Physics

II. Past Experience in Protection

III. Exposure Standards

IV. Organization and Functions of a Typical Health-Physics Group

V. Instruments

VI. Some Elementary Formula and Calculation Methods

References

The Use of Radioactive Isotopes in the Study of Iron and Hemoglobin Metabolism and the Physiology of the Erythrocyte

I. Introduction

II. Absorption of Iron

III. Distribution and Transport of Iron

IV. Excretion of Iron

V. Miscellaneous Experimental Procedures Using Tagged Iron

VI. Effect of Various Conditions on Iron Uptake

VII, Iron Metabolism in Pathologic States

VIII. Red Cells Tagged with Radio Iron

References

Radioactive Phosphorus: Its Application to the Study of Phospholipid Metabolism

I. Introduction

IL Some General Considerations on the Use of Radioactive Phosphorus as a Labeling Agent in the Animal Body

III. The Amounts of Administered Incorporated into Phospholipids by Tissues of the Animal Body

IV. How P32 Qan Be Used to Measure the Rate of Turnover of Phospholipid in the Animal Body

V. Problems in Phospholipid Metabolism to Which P^^ Has Been Successfully Applied

VI. Summary

References

Iodine Metabolism

I. Introduction

II. The Entry and Distribution of Iodine in the Body

III. The Fate of Iodine in the Thyroid Gland

IV. The Mechanism of the Excretion of Iodized Compounds From the Thyroid

V. The Fate of the Iodized Compounds Excreted by the Thyroid

VI. Influence of Various Factors on Iodine Metabolism

VII. Conclusion

References

The Effects of the Atomic Bomb Irradiation on the Japanese

I. Introduction

II. Nature of the Physical Agents

III. Types of Injury (General)

IV. ClinicalandPathologicalEffectsof Whole Body Irradiation in Animals

V. Clinical Manifestations

VI. Pathological Findings

VII. Summary

Nucleic Acid Metabolism

I. Introduction

II. Structure of the Nucleic Acids

III. Nucleic Acid Ck)ntent of Tissues

IV. Nuclear and Cytoplasmic Nucleic Acids

V. Biological Synthesis of Purine Compounds

VI. Application of Isotopic Indicators in the Study of the Turnover of Nucleic Acids

VII. P32 Content of Residual Phosphorus

VIII. Incorporation of P32 into Desoxyribosenucleic Acid

IX. Incorporation of P32 into Ribosenucleic Acid

X. Desoxyribosenucleic Acid Turnover and Cell Division

XI. Application of Labeled Desoxyribosenucleic Acid in the Determination of the Life-Cycle of the Red Corpuscles of the Hen

XII. Intravenous Transfer of P32 from Chromatin to Hepatic Tissue

XIII. Studies of Virus Reproduction with P32 as a Tracer

XIV. Enzymatic Studies with Labeled Desoxyribosenucleic Acid as a Substrate

XV. Effect of Roentgen Rays on the Formation of Labeled Desoxyribosenucleic Acid

XVI. Effect of Beta Rays Endtted by l^dioactive Colloids Taken Up by the Liver on the Formation of Labeled Desoxyribosenucleic Acid

References

Author Index

Subject Index