Measurement of the gamma-ray energy spectrum of the educational Kinki University Reactor (UTR-KINKI).

The gamma-ray energy spectrum of the Kinki University Reactor (UTR-KINKI) was estimated from Ge detector measurements combined with Monte Carlo N-particle transport criticality calculations. The gamma rays mainly originated from prompt fission components, although small amounts of gamma rays from (n,γ) reactions, fission product gamma rays, and activation gamma rays were detected. The averaged gamma-ray tissue kerma rate in the irradiation port during UTR-KINKI operation at 1W was calculated as 10.5cGy/h based on the estimated gamma-ray energy spectrum. This value is consistent with a previous measurement with paired ionization chambers and a tissue equivalent gas proportional counter. This result demonstrates the reliability of the estimated gamma-ray energy spectrum.

Microdosimetry on a mini-reactor UTR-KINKI for educational uses and biological researches.

Microdosimetry study has been carried out at the education and research mini-reactor of Kinki University (UTR-KINKI) using a tissue equivalent gas proportional counter (TEPC). The microdosimetric single event spectra for 0.5, 1, 2, 3 and 5 microm site sizes were obtained in the lineal energy range from 1 to 1000 keV/microm. Neutron and gamma-ray fractional doses were estimated from the single event spectra. The neutron dose fraction was varied from 35 to 55% for 0.5 to 5 microm site size. The averaged lineal energy, y(D), for each site size was likewise estimated and found to be dependent on the site size. The averaged lineal energy for neutron was slightly larger than that of the fission neutrons from (252)Cf, and the averaged lineal energy for gamma-ray had similar site-size-dependence of 25 keV gamma-rays and 250 kV X-rays. Relative biological effectiveness was found to be 4.1 +/- 0.13 for UTR-KINKI using Tilikidis's 2 Gy-response function. The estimated RBE for UTR-KINKI neutrons is quite close to the previous biological experimental value of 4.3 +/- 0.6 for micronucleated cells in gill cell of Medaka and 4.6 +/- 0.5 for induction of lymphocyte apoptosis in the thymus of ICR mice.

Distortion of neutron field during mice irradiation at Kinki University reactor UTR-KINKI.

A dosimetry study of mice irradiation at the Kinki University nuclear reactor (UTR-KINKI) has been carried out. Neutron and gamma-ray doses at the irradiation port in the presence of 0, 1, 2, 4 and 6 mice were measured using the paired chamber method. The results show that neutron dose is reduced with increasing numbers of mice. In the six-mice irradiation condition, neutron dose is about 15% smaller compared to a case where no mice were placed in the irradiation port. To investigate the distortion of the neutron spectrum during mice irradiation at UTR-KINKI, a Monte Carlo calculation using the MCNP4C code has been carried out. The measured variation in dose with respect to the total mouse mass was closely reproduced by the calculation results for neutron and gamma-ray dose. Distortion of the neutron spectrum was observed to occur between 1 keV and 1 MeV.

[Anesthetic management of MIDCAB with high dose diltiazem].

Precise management of blood pressure and heart rate is required during minimally invasive direct coronary artery bypass (MIDCAB). Previously, low dose diltiazem and beta-blokers have been employed for control of circulation during this procedure, but we report 2 patients whose blood pressure and heart rate were managed during MIDCAB by high-dose diltiazem. In both patients, anesthesia was induced with propofol, vecuronium and fentanyl, and maintained by continuous infusion of propofol and inhalation of oxygen and nitrous oxide. Fentanyl, midazolam, and sevoflurane were administered occasionally. Immediately after the induction, a continuous infusion of nicorandil (2 to 4 mg.hr-1) was started and diltiazem (4 to 15 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) was administered continuously from the beginning of the surgery. Following discontinuation of diltiazem administration, blood pressure and heart rate returned to their preoperative values. These results suggest that safe anesthetic management during MIDCAB can be performed with highdose diltiazem.

Dosimetry of fission neutrons in a 1-W reactor, UTR-KINKI.

The energy spectrum of fission neutrons in the biological irradiation field of the Kinki University reactor, UTR-KINKI, has been determined by a multi-foil activation analysis coupled with artificial neural network techniques and a Au-foil activation method. The mean neutron energy was estimated to be 1.26 +/- 0.05 MeV from the experimentally determined spectrum. Based on this energy value and other information, the neutron dose rate was estimated to be 19.7 +/- 1.4 cGy/hr. Since this dose rate agrees with that measured by a pair of ionizing chambers (21.4 cGy/hr), we conclude that the mean neutron energy could be estimated with reasonable accuracy in the irradiation field of UTR-KINKI.