ICRP Publication 125: Radiological Protection in Security Screening.

The use of technologies to provide security screening for individuals and objects has been increasing rapidly, in keeping with the significant increase in security concerns worldwide. Within the spectrum of technologies, the use of ionizing radiation to provide backscatter and transmission screening capabilities has also increased. The Commission has previously made a number of statements related to the general topic of deliberate exposures of individuals in non-medical settings. This report provides advice on how the radiological protection principles recommended by the Commission should be applied within the context of security screening. More specifically, the principles of justification, optimisation of protection, and dose limitation for planned exposure situations are directly applicable to the use of ionising radiation in security screening. In addition, several specific topics are considered in this report, including the situation in which individuals may be exposed because they are concealed ('stowaways') in a cargo container or conveyance that may be subject to screening. The Commission continues to recommend that careful justification of screening should be considered before decisions are made to employ the technology. If a decision is made that its use is justified, the framework for protection as a planned exposure situation should be employed, including optimization of protection with the use of dose constraints and the appropriate provisions for authorisation and inspection.

[The direct health effects of air pollution in Vratsa in 1991]. / Neposredstveni zdravni efekti ot zamursiavaneto na vuzdukha vuv Vratsa prez 1991 g.

The effect of air pollution in the town of Vratsa on the daily morbidity of the population has been studied during the first half of 1991. Studies are performed on the correlation between the daily dynamics in the pollution according to specific for the town indices ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, sulphur dioxide, nitric oxides, dust, meteorological parameters temperature of the air, relative humidity, air velocity, barometric pressure and some respiratory and allergic diseases among the population. It is already established that the level of the air pollution in the town of Vratsa, among which dominate ammonia and hydrogen sulfide, have a direct effect on the acute respiratory morbidity, more expressed among the children. This influence is traced both in episodes of increased pollution, and in the course of several days afterwards and is conductive by the combination of unfavourable meteorological conditions, hindering the dispersion of the atmospheric pollutants.

[Current methods in automated statistical analysis]. / Suvremenni metodi pri avtomatiziraniia statisticheski' analiz.

The advantages and disadvantages of the so called minicomputers (e.g. type NOVA) and microcomputers (e.g. type NR 95) are compared in their use for statistical analysis. In spite of some advantages - autonomy, possibilities for immediate use, etc. of microcomputers, the minicomputers, type NOVA, were established to enable the elimination of their non-specific work for the non-mathematical specialists, their direction to the most proper and complexly applied statistical method in the organized statistical processing, existing at the Institute of Hygiene and Occupational Diseases, hence the expenditures would be lower and reability - higher.

[Age-related changes in work capacity]. / Prouchvane na niakoi promeni v rabotosposobnostta na vuzrastov aspekt.

Bank female employees, aged from 18 to 55, were examined in order to characterize some changes in the nervous-psychic capacity for work in age aspect. The following methods were used: inquiry for the subjective assessment of the strain and fatigue during work, DAM--a test characterizing the activity, disposition and mood, level of neurotism according to Ajsenk, time of single visual-motor reaction and reaction of choice. Some age changes in the subjective assessment of fatigue, disposition, and activity were established. The age changes in psychomotor sphere were enhanced under the effect of work loading. Among the age group 51-55, the subjective assessment of fatigue, disposition and activity were more favourable, not corresponding to the clearly manifested age changes in psychomotor sphere. Prophylactic measures, aiming at the optimization of the work of bank female workers, are elaborated on the base of the examinations carried out.

[Analysis of a subjective assessment of work and morbidity in modern jobs]. / Analiz na subektivnata otsenka na truda i zabolevaemostta pri suvremennite profesii.

An analysis is made of the subjective assessment of work and morbidity in individuals engaged in two groups of up-to-date occupations: a) with considerable, and b) with insignificant nervous strain. The questionnaire study covers 1420 workers. Morbidity analysis is carried out on the basis of data from 1980 temporary disability cards--90 per cent of the workers exposed to a substantial neurosensory stress feel tired at the end of the working day. It is accepted that the cause of fatigue is firstly, the sustained and continuous observation and secondly, the rhythm required. The greater concentration and monotomy are pointed out as the primary cause in group two. The incidence of central nervous system diseases among workshop supervisors and operators of punching machines definitely augments with the length of service. The morbidity rate of gastrointestinal and peripheral nervous system diseases is also rather high.