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Full-body scanners used for security screening at the nation'sairports do not expose passengers to dangerous levels of radiation,according to a new independent analysis of the devices. The study by the Marquette University College of Engineering concluded that radiation from so-calledbackscatter scanners passes beyond a passenger's skin to reach 29organs — including the heart and brain. But the radiationlevels are considerably lower than those of otherX-ray proceduressuch as mammograms, the study said. The findings will be published in the next issue of MedicalPhysics, an international journal of medical physics researchproduced by the American Assn. of Physicists in Medicine. The study, believed to be the first independent review of thescanners, is not likely to put to rest years of heated debate overthe health risk of the machines operated by the Transportation Security Administration . The TSA has submitted the scanners for testing by the NationalInstitute of Occupational Safety and Health, the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory and theU.S. Army Public Health Command.The tests concluded that the scanners posed no significant risk topassengers, but TSA critics have called for more independentstudies. The author of the Marquette study, assistant professor ofbiomedical engineering Taly Gilat Schmidt, did not test the actualmachines. Instead, she based her conclusions on scanner radiationdata released publicly by the TSA. She ran the numbers throughsimulation software that modeled how X-ray photons travel through abody. The study estimated that the scanners expose a passenger to lessthan a third of the maximum recommended dose of 0.25 micro-sieverts, a standard established by the American National StandardsInstitute. Gilat Schmidt said the results of her test suggest that the risk topassengers is negligible even for children, frequent fliers andpilots. "Even the risk analysis experts will tell you it's negligible," shesaid. But Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), ranking member of the Senate Homeland Security andGovernmental Affairs Committee, questioned the Marquette studybecause it was based on data provided by the TSA. "We do not truly know the risk of this radiation exposure overmultiple screenings, for frequent fliers, those in vulnerablegroups, or TSA's own employees operating the machines," she said ina statement. Demand for hotel rooms is surging, study says A few years ago, most hotel operators were wringing their handsover plummeting room demand in the face of the worst recessionsince the Great Depression. Now the nation's hotel operators are enjoying record demand forhotel rooms, according to a new study by STR Global, a hotelresearch firm in Nashville. "Forget location, the name of the game is demand, demand, demand— and the U.S. hotel industry experienced plenty of it during2011," the study said. The nation's hotels sold more than 1 billion room nights in 2011,surpassing the previous record set in 2007 by nearly 20 millionroom nights, according to the study. The average hotel rate last year was $101.71, still below thepre-recession peak of $107.38 reached in 2008, according to thestudy. But the revenue collected per available room jumped to $61 in 2011,up 8.2% compared with the previous year. It was the biggestincrease since 2005, when per-room revenue rose 8.6%. After drop this year, car rental rates could rise again Daily car rental rates for the first three months of the year weredown nearly 5% compared with the same period last year. The average daily car rental rate dropped to $40.92 this year from$42.89 a year earlier, according to a study by Travel LeadersCorporate, a travel management company in Florida. But the price break might be temporary. Auto rental companies started the year with a larger number of carsin their fleets than usual, said Robert M. Barton, president of theAmerican Car Rental Assn. He said that as cars are sold off by thecompanies, the fleets will return to more normal levels thissummer. As the supply gets more limited, prices could climb. "We encourage customers to book early to make sure the car theyneed is available for their summer vacation," Barton said. hugo.martin@latimes.com. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Glass Cup With Handle , China Clear Glass Coffee Mugs, and more. For more , please visit Nail Polish Containers today!
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