Course Instructor:  Stacie.McPherson
Library Instructor:  Vicky Leather,  697-2576
Library Instructor Evaluation: http://library.chattanoogastate.edu/classes/insteval.htm
    (Please complete this at 10:45 a.m. today.)

Assignment:  Each student will choose a topic related to radiation effects on humans, plants, or animals. Each student will research the topic in the technical literature and write a paper presenting the findings.  The paper will consist of

• Minimum of 3 pages of text
• Double-spaced
• Times New Roman 12 font
• Utilizing  a minimum of 3 sources
  • At least one article dated within the last 12 months
  • At least one publication from the CSTCC library
  • No more than one World Wide Web article
• Follow the format explained in the American Medical Association Manual of Style, 9^th ed., 1998

• CSTCC Library articles may be found using the following passworded databases:
  • AGent (search books and articles together)
  • Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature - CINAHL
  • Health Reference Center
• Public databases of medical articles and authoritative medical information may be found at these sites:
  • MedlinePlus, a consumer-oriented database from the National Library of Medicine
  • PubMed, a professional-oriented database from the National Library of Medicine
• CSTCC Library staff have developed a Diagnostic Imaging Research Guide, with links to databases, journal lists, and websites.
• Some CSTCC Library journals are available on the Radiology, MRI, Ultrasonography & Medical Physics journal list.

Examples of topics with links to some articles found in Health Reference Center:

Food irradiation    --   pros and cons in Third World countries and the USA
Human Genome Project    --   accomplishments to date + implications for radiology
Mammographic screening   --   advice on selecting the most appropriate provider
Radiation Hormesis   --   does the technical evidence support it?
Radon monitoring   --   is it cost effective?
Human radiation experiments   --   benefits vs. risks obtained from recently declassified information
Pregnant radiation workers   --   benefits vs. risks of opting to declare the pregnancy to employer
Irradiation of mail  --  means of protection from anthrax terrorism
        (Ebsco databases:  irradiation and mail)
Natural body system (Nrf2) blocks carcinogenic effects of toxic chemical in food/environment
Mammographic screening  --  Estrogen level influence on effectiveness of screening 

Examples of topics with tips for searching Health Reference Center, MedlinePlus, and PubMed:

Chemotherapy

        Health Reference Center-Academic
            [Subject Search:    Chemotherapy.  Click "Search" to limit it to full-text and refereed journals.]

        MedlinePlus
            [Cancer Chemotherapy]

        PubMed
            [chemotherapy and _____________]

Gamma knife 

        Health Reference Center-Academic
            [Subject Search:  radiosurgery.]

        MedlinePlus
            [keywords: gamma knife]

        PubMed
            [gamma knife]    Limits: 5 Years, English, Human

Harmful effects of MRI

        Health Reference Center-Academic
            [Subject Search: magnetic resonance imaging.  Click "Search" to limit it to full-text and refereed journals.]

        MedlinePlus
            [Diagnostic Imaging or keyword: "harmful effects of mri"]

        PubMed
            [ "Magnetic Resonance Imaging/adverse effects"[MeSH] ]

Mammographic risks associated with breast implants

        Health Reference Center-Academic
            [Keyword Search:  breast implants and mammography]

        MedlinePlus 
            [Breast Reconstruction or keywords: mammography and breast implants]

        PubMed
            ["Breast Implants"[MeSH] AND "Mammography"[MeSH]  ]

Radiation-induced birth defects

        Health Reference Center-Academic
            [Keyword Search:  radiation and birth defects]

        MedlinePlus
            [Possible Health Effects of Radiation Exposure on Unborn Babies
                            or keywords: radiation and birth defects]

        PubMed
            ["Abnormalities, Radiation-Induced"[MeSH] AND birth defects]