Disposal of very low-level radioactive waste: Lithuanian case on the approach and long-term safety aspects.

Decommissioning of nuclear power plants typically requires management of hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of waste with very low levels of radioactivity. Such very low-level waste (VLLW) is suitable for disposal in simple landfill type facilities. The only nuclear power plant in the Republic of Lithuania, the Ignalina NPP, was finally shut down at the end of 2009. Final management of the existing operational radioactive waste and that arising during the decommissioning will require the disposal of 60,000 m3 of very low-level short-lived solid waste. An overview of the implementation of the landfill disposal facility for very low-level radioactive waste at the Ignalina NPP site and the main aspects of long-term safety assessments based on national regulations as well as the IAEA's recommendations including the siting process are presented in this paper as well as a short description of the disposal concept and the characteristics of the waste intended for disposal in the landfill. Water pathway scenarios as well as intrusion scenarios have been investigated following an IAEA methodology. It has been defined that 14C is the greatest contributor to the total dose in the case of water pathway scenarios. In the case of intrusion scenarios, the main contribution to the total dose is from radionuclides 94Nb and 137Cs. In all the considered cases, the total value of the annual effective exposure dose remains quite well (orders of magnitude) below the value of the dose constraint established by regulations of Lithuania. Uncertainty analysis is carried out to define the influence of various factors on the obtained results of the safety assessment.

[Behavioral disorders and psycho-social outcome after stroke in children]. / Psychische Auffälligkeiten und psychosoziale Folgen nach Schlaganfällen im Kindesalter.

OBJECTIVE: The present study examines if there is an increase of behavioral and emotional disorders after stroke in childhood. METHOD: 111 children who suffered a stroke aged 3 to 18 were examined. The CBCL/4 - 18, a parent questionnaire, was analysed to assess the child's competencies as well as behavioral and emotional problems. Differences in means were analysed according to the date of stroke, sex, affected hemisphere and child's intelligence. RESULTS: Children tend to develop more behavioral problems due to stroke. Especially, there is an increase of social and attention deficiencies. Furthermore the children show an increase of school-based problems. More problems in behavior and temperament can be found in patients with perinatal stroke and stroke in childhood than children with stroke in infancy. CONCLUSIONS: This study emphasises the importance of comprehensive psychological diagnostics and multiprofessional intervention at an early stage to prevent stable psychological or psychiatric disorders after stroke in childhood.

Overlap of sarcoidosis and rosacea.

Numerous descriptions have been applied to rosacea-like eruptions of the face, some of them remaining of questionable nosologic significance. A case of rosacea-like syndrome with lacrimal, ocular and salivary involvement is described. The differential diagnosis and therapeutic response of this unusual association are discussed.

Changes in chewing patterns after implantation in the edentulous mandible.

Almost all edentulous patients with implant-supported prostheses in mandibles describe an improvement in their chewing function and quality of life. This was reason to believe that an implant prosthetic treatment actually influences mandibular border movements, as well as the chewing patterns. The present study compares border movements and chewing patterns in 15 patients recorded with the Sirognathograph. The first measurements were made with existing complete dentures. After implantation and rehabilitation with a Dolder-bar and clip-to-bar overdenture, the movements were recorded again. The measurements revealed an improved guidance of the mandibular movements and larger borderline patterns following stabilization of the complete denture with the bar. This leads to more harmonic shapes in the movements and better chewing efficiency.

[Results of a conservative functional treatment concept for condylar fractures during childhood]. / Ergebnisse eines konservativ-funktionellen Therapiekonzepts bei kindlichen Kondylusfrakturen.

In 65 patients having sustained a condylar fracture of the mandible during the growth period between the ages of 2 and 12 years, the influence of age at trauma on later structural deformity and dysfunction was studied. A restitution undiscernible from normal was found in only 3 patients. In the other 62 patients varying degrees of subjective complaints, clinical dysfunction and radiographic irregularities of the ascending ramus or joint had to be noticed.

[Ultimate tensile strength of plasma- and laser-welded cast titanium (Titaniumer, Ohara)]. / Zugfestigkeit von plasma- und lasergeschweisstem gegossenen Titan. (Titaniumer, Ohara).

The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of titanium castings (Titaniumer, Ohara) as cast and after plasma-welding, laser-welding and soldering was investigated according to DIN 13912. The UTS of titanium as cast was 567 (+/- 36) MPa. After plasmawelding UTS decreased by 69% on the average, after laser-welding by 20%, after soldering with Ag65Cu20Pd15 (1060 degrees C) by 46% and after soldering with Ag72Cu20Ti8 (980 degrees C) by 63%. The highest tensile strength was observed in laser-welded titanium under the conditions described.

[Plaque accumulation on various veneering resins--a clinical study]. / Plaqueanlagerung an verschiedenen Verblendkunststoffen--eine klinische Studie.

Initial plaque accumulation on five veneering resins was investigated to determine differences in vitality and adhesion of microorganisms. After 24 hours of exposure of the specimens in the mouth, the vitality of the bacteria was reduced. The vitality and the adhesion increased only a little until the fourth day. The high plaque accumulation observed in vivo on resin veneers seems to depend primarily on the degeneration and mechanical lesions of the surface after a certain time in mouth.

[In-vivo corrosion tests of dental alloys in relationship to saliva pH]. / In-vivo-Korrosionsuntersuchungen an zahnärztlichen Legierungen unter Berücksichtigung des Speichel-pH-Wertes.

The corrosion of four dental alloys and titanium was studied in relationship to saliva pH and plaque accumulation in vivo. Test specimens were scanned for porosities with an image analysis system before and after exposure to the oral milieu. The saliva pH was monitored during the study period. After four days of exposure in the mouth the plaque accumulation and the vitality of the plaque on the alloy surfaces was evaluated. Plaque accumulation and mean saliva-pH were not correlated with the observed surface corrosion. The least surface effects were observed on titanium, which showed the highest plaque accumulation. Different alloys showed different bacteriostatic effects. The least amount of living bacteria was found on titanium. Plaque accumulation and bacteria vitality depended on material and test person.

[Functional status of patients prior to and after orthognathic surgery]. / Funktionelle Befunde bei Patienten vor und nach kieferorthopädisch-chirurgischer Operation.

The functional status of 12 patients was evaluated before and after orthognathic surgery for a malocclusion. The results of surgical intervention showed distinctive differences in the status of the temporomandibular joint and masticatory musculature. The number of tender muscles on palpation and the occurrence of temporomandibular joint sounds was reduced to approximately one third. However, the number of joints showing pain on palpation increased. Axiographical recordings of movement paths shawed normal values in 2 patients postoperatively. Chewing patterns were generally more harmonious, but the size of the chewing field was smaller.

[Plaque-accumulation on galvano-ceramic crowns]. / Plaqueanlagerung an glavano-keramischen Kronen.

48 patients treated with galvano-ceramic crowns and bridges were evaluated as to their plaque indices according to Silness and Löe (PI) and their papillary bleeding indices (PBI) according to Mühlemann. The mean values of PI and PBI were determined for all teeth as well as for defined groups of teeth: sound teeth, teeth with galvano-ceramic crowns and other restorative materials. Galvano-ceramic crowns showed the least plaque accumulation. Their PI was lower than the PI of sound teeth. Resin-veneered crowns and full cast crowns exhibited significantly higher PI-values in the posterior area. Crowned teeth had a higher PBI than sound teeth, but galvano-ceramic crowns showed lower PBI-values than crowns of other restorative materials.

Physiological and pharmacological aspects of adrenergic receptor classification.

The questions raised are: what is the physiological or pharmacological basis for the differentiation into beta 1- and beta 2-, and alpha 1- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors?; and do the neurotransmitter norepinephrine and the hormone epinephrine differ in their receptors? On the basis of a preference of beta 2- and alpha 2-adrenergic receptors for epinephrine, the hormone, and of beta 1-and alpha 1-receptors for norepinephrine, the neurotransmitter, it was postulated that the alpha 2- and beta 2-receptors are predominantly epinephrinergic in nature and located extrajunctionally and presynaptically whereas the alpha 1- and beta 1-receptors are predominantly norepinephrinergic in nature and located postsynaptically in the sympathetic terminal junction. The alpha 2- and beta 2-character of the presynaptic receptors matches that of the corresponding extrajunctional receptors. This indicates that a circulating catecholamine, namely epinephrine, is involved in the regulation of adrenergic transmitter release.

Beware of formaldehyde in disguise.

The toxic potential of formaldehyde has recently been widely discussed, including the consequences of its release from certain building materials. The action of methenamine, used in the treatment of urinary infections, is based on the release of formaldehyde in the body. Various aspects of formaldehyde toxicity are discussed as a basis for reevaluation of methenamine and reconsideration of its safety.