Comparisons organized by Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory of FTMC, Lithuania.

The newly established Ionizing Radiation Metrology Laboratory of the National Metrology Institute (FTMC) in Lithuania organized four comparisons in the field of low-level radioactivity measurements in water. For gamma-ray emitters, the activity concentration in the samples was in the range 1-25Bq/kg, while for tritium it was around 2Bq/g. The assigned values of all comparisons were traceable to the primary standards of the Czech Metrology Institute (CMI).

A long-term performance evaluation of the gamma-ray activity measurement laboratory in CPST, Lithuania.

The quality control procedures used for two HPGe detectors (a well-type and a GAMMA-X coaxial) are described. Since 2001, check sources containing (137)Cs have been measured weekly for 7200s each, and the gamma-ray spectrometry system background was determined once per month for an acquisition time of 100,000 s. The laboratory participated in the international comparisons at environmental radioactivity level organized by the IAEA, Risø National Laboratory and NPL.

[Local level of neoangiogenesis factors in dynamics of experimental metastatic process in liver].

UNLABELLED: The aim--to study the dynamics content of VEGF-A, VEGF-R1, EGF and EGF-R1 in liver and spleen tissues from rats at different stages of liver metastases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We have designed a model of liver metastases in male rats. The content of growth factors was examined by ELISA at 1, 2 and 5 weeks of carcinogenesis in tissue of liver and tumors of spleen. RESULTS: The content of growth factors increased in liver tissue at different stages of metastasis. The concentration of VEGF-A increased gradually from the 1st to 5th week carcinogenesis. The concentration of VEGF-R1 increased after 2 weeks and decreased slightly after 5 weeks of carcinogenesis. The level of all components of EGF/EGF-R1 increased after 2 weeks of carcinogenesis. CONCLUSION: The following pathogenetic aspects of liver metastasis were defined: change in levels of VEGF-A/VEGF-R1 indicating the progressive development of the process of neoangiogenesis, and increased levels of EGF/EGF-R1 responsible for metastasis processes.

Activity measurement of gamma-ray emitters in aerosol filters exposed in Lithuania, in March-April 2011.

Two aerosol sampling stations in Lithuania were simultaneously used for assessing consequences of the accident at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. The maximum activity concentrations of (129 m)Te, (131)I, (134)Cs and (137)Cs were 0.59 ± 0.06, 3.5 ± 0.3, 0.90 ± 0.08, 0.90 ± 0.07 mBq m(-3) at station #1 in Vilnius, and 0.29 ± 0.03, 1.0 ± 0.1, 0.41 ± 0.04, 0.41 ± 0.0 4 mBq m(-3) at station #2 in northeastern part of Lithuania, respectively.

[Rapid method for determining protein concentrations in the cells of microorganisms]. / Bystryi metod opredeleniia soderzhaniia belka v kletkakh mikroorganizmov.

The method of Lowry as modified by Peterson (who had changed concentrations of reagents and added a new reagent, sodium dodecyl sulfate) has been tested. It has been shown that the modified method can be applied for rapid measurement of protein in the suspension of bacterial cells. The effect of the following compounds on the protein estimation by the modified method in bovine serum albumin has been studied: potassium chloride, potassium phosphate, sucrose, EDTA, tris, ammonium acetate, Triton X-100, tyrosine, phenol, glycerol, 2-mercaptoethanol.