/oss/taxonomy/term/342/all en /oss/article/medical-critical-thinking/what-about-screening-lung-cancer <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the</em> <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-what-about-screening-for-lung-cancer"><em>Montreal Gazette.</em></a></p> Fri, 10 Nov 2023 14:39:49 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9716 at /oss /oss/article/medical/calcium-deposits-arteries-not-always-worry <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the</em> <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-calcium-deposits-in-the-arteries-not-always-a-worry"><em>Montreal Gazette.</em></a></p> <hr /> <p>Read enough radiology reports and eventually you will find one that mentions calcifications in the heart or the aorta. When it appears in black and white, it sounds worrisome and can generate an emergency referral. But both patients and referring physicians are usually surprised to learn that the finding is not quite as dangerous as it sounds.</p> Fri, 02 Jun 2023 10:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9526 at /oss /oss/article/medical-history/edisons-inadvertant-folly <p>It all started in Bavaria, southern Germany, 1895. Dr. Roentgen, a physicist, noticed a spooky greenish ray seeping through the completely sealed test tube and projected onto the screen wall. What on earth! When he placed an object between the energy source and the wall, the ray powerfully shined through the object, casting a vivid silhouette on the wall. Magical! Excited but holding a certain degree of uncertainty as to the nature of the energy, Dr. Roentgen coined the electromagnetic wave “X” ray.</p> Fri, 09 Dec 2022 15:35:00 +0000 Nancy Liu-Sullivan, PhD 9318 at /oss /oss/article/technology/flying-film <p>Film photography has risen in popularity in recent years due to its authenticity and unique aesthetic. Whether it’s the thrill of waiting for your film to be developed, or the nostalgic vibe these photos provide, many people these days are discovering (or rediscovering) the beauty of analog photography. In fact, film sales doubled between 2009 and 2019, after reaching an all-time low.</p> Fri, 25 Nov 2022 11:00:00 +0000 Cat Wang, B.Sc. 9307 at /oss /oss/article/did-you-know-health/mri <p>During Magnetic Resonance Imaging the patient is placed inside a giant magnet and is exposed to radio waves.  Hydrogen nuclei in the body behave as tiny magnets and orient themselves with the external magnetic field.  They are forced out of alignment by radio waves and the time it takes for them to realign gives clues to disease processes.  The term “nuclear” referred to the nucleus of hydrogen atoms and had nothing to do with radioactivity.  Public fear of radiation forced the name change from “Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging” to “Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).”</p> Sat, 20 May 2017 22:44:18 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2456 at /oss /oss/article/controversial-science-environment-news/triacetone-triperoxide <p>We have become familiar with the routine at airports. Your carry-on bags are passed through an x-ray machine after which an officer will often wipe your bag with a piece of fabric which is then placed inside a box-like instrument. Within a few seconds you get the all-clear signal and you are on your way to the gate. How many travelers get handcuffs instead of an all-clear isn’t known because those stats are not released. What do these instruments actually do? When luggage is bombarded with x-rays, some of the rays pass through and some do not, depending on what they encounter.</p> Fri, 06 May 2016 08:33:08 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 2336 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere-you-asked/1920s-hair-removal-method-widely-advertised-absolutely-painless-and-needle-free-became-medical <p style="text-align:justify">In 1895 Wilhelm Roentgen made one of the most famous medical discoveries of all time when he noticed that a beam of electrons passing through a partially evacuated tube gave off invisible rays that caused fluorescent materials to glow. Intrigued by this observation he put his hand in front of a fluorescent screen and noted that an image of his bones formed. Apparently bones blocked the novel mysterious rays which were christened x-rays. It wasn’t long before physicians were using x-rays to peer into the human body. But they did note a side effect.</p> Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:40:39 +0000 Joe Schwarcz PhD 1892 at /oss /oss/article/science-science-everywhere/toys-and-toxins <p>Buying toys used to be easy. You went into a toy store, looked around and found something you liked. What mattered was whether the rubber ducky had an appealing look and feel or whether the doll had flexible joints. You didn’t think about the kind of plastic that was used to make the toy or whether it contained plasticizers. Nor did you wonder about the heavy metals such as lead, mercury or chromium that might lurk in the paint. Today, however, buying a toy has become a scientific puzzle. Is it made of polyvinyl chloride or polyethylene. Is it plasticized or not?</p> Fri, 05 Aug 2011 16:58:24 +0000 Joe Schwarcz 1571 at /oss