The problems associated with the monitoring of complex workplace radiation fields at European high-energy accelerators and thermonuclear fusion facilities.

The European Commission is funding within its Sixth Framework Programme a three-year project (2005-2007) called CONRAD, COordinated Network for RAdiation Dosimetry. The organisational framework for this project is provided by the European Radiation Dosimetry Group EURADOS. One task within the CONRAD project, Work Package 6 (WP6), was to provide a report outlining research needs and research activities within Europe to develop new and improved methods and techniques for the characterisation of complex radiation fields at workplaces around high-energy accelerators, but also at the next generation of thermonuclear fusion facilities. The paper provides an overview of the report, which will be available as CERN Yellow Report.

The 12B counter: an active dosemeter for high-energy neutrons.

High-energy accelerators can produce strong time-structured radiation fields. Such dose shots are generated at linear machines with low duty cycles as well as at circular machines when complete fills are instantaneously lost. The main dose component behind thick shielding is due to high-energy neutrons occurring at that time structure. Dosemeters based on Geiger-Mueller tubes or proportional counters fail here completely. The 12B counter, a novel dosemeter made of a plastic scintillator using carbon activation for event-like exposure, has been introduced. High-energy neutrons activate the carbon nuclei by three inelastic reactions. The decay patterns with half-lives between 20 ms and 20 min can be exploited depending on the time structure of the radiation field. The response of the 12B counter was measured along with some other dosemeters, both active and passive, in the radiation field behind the lateral concrete shielding of a 7.5 GeV proton transfer line.

[Use of antipsychotic drugs. A multicentric study of inpatients with acute psychotic disorders]. / Utilização de fármacos antipsicóticos. Estudo Multicêntrico de Indivíduos Hospitalizados por Perturbação Psicótica Aguda.

With the objective of determining the pattern and decision making process in using antipsychotic drugs in patients admitted to hospital for acute psychotic disorder we have made a retrospective analysis in 244 in-patients in 7 hospitals for mental disorders. We have selected two groups, IM and PO, that in the first three days of internment have received either intravenous antipsychotic medication or oral medication; the demographical, clinical and therapeutical differences have been considered (with a review of the cases at 6 and 12 months after discharge from hospital). Homogeneity was considered regarding age, race, gender, age at the onset of the disease and diagnosis; in the IM group there were a larger number of compulsive admissions. The most prevalent psychotic disorders in both groups were schizophrenia and bipolar disorder; with no association being made between the initial diagnosis and drug administration. The hospitalization period was the same for both groups, although in the patients in the IM group the need for special precautions was more frequent. Medication with anxiolytics was higher in the PO group on day 1 and 2 of the hospitalization and the same for the two groups on day 3 and on discharge. The number of new admissions, as well as the percentage of patients taking antipsychotic, anxiolytic and anticholinergic medication was similar in both groups after a period of 6 and 12 months follow-up. In this study, agitation and aggressive/destructive behaviours in the initial phase of hospitalization in the IM group (including the first contact, most of the times on admission at the ER) were statistically significant factors for the use of intramuscular administration of antipsychotic drugs.

Assessment of dementia in elderly outpatients: a comparative study of European centers and consensus statement.

Large numbers of elderly patients, suspected of having dementia, need medical evaluation, often in early phases of their illness. A complete outpatient assessment clearly could be advantageous. Thirty-five centers from 15 European countries, known to their scientific gerontological and geriatric societies to have experience in outpatient care for elderly patients with dementia, participated in an effort to develop a consensus statement for the assessment needs of these patients. The comparison of the centers showed that a wide variety of approaches was currently in practice. Differences appeared to be mainly based on local facilities and organization. A consensus for diagnostic outpatient assessment was easily reached. Diagnosis should be based on DSM-IV criteria, which requires a standardized assessment (including neuropsychological, functional and technical evaluation) and should be multidisciplinary. An assessment of dementia of elderly outpatients appears to be very feasible - a consensus approach with minimum diagnostic requirements is presented.