Assessment of the environmental contamination with long-lived radionuclides around an operating RBMK reactor station.

The presence of man-made gamma emitting radionuclides in the region within 32km radius of the Ignalina NPP/Lithuania has been investigated during the period 2001-2004, prior to the closure of the first of the two operating RBMK 1500-type reactors. Gamma spectrometric measurements of various terrestrial and aquatic plants as well as of soil samples showed moderate environmental contamination with the fission product (137)Cs and with the neutron activation products (60)Co and (54)Mn. Traces of the activation products (65)Zn and (110m)Ag were found in the nearest vicinity of the NPP.

[Removal of osteosynthetic implants].

Background: Removals of fracture implants constitute a considerable share of orthopaedic operations and take up significant hospital resources. In the Norwegian basic fracture course, guidelines are given on indications for removal as well as minimum function time for implants. Indications for implant removal are, however, relative, and we wanted to study actual practice in this field in Norway.

Slippage between screwdriver and bone screw.

Cortical 3.5-mm stainless steel screws with hexagonal heads and corresponding screwdrivers from two manufacturers were investigated. Measurement of dimensions and torsional testing were done to study slippage between the screw and the driver bit.