The construct validity of brief continence self-assessment awareness questionnaires

The aim of this study was to develop brief versions of the continence self-assessment awareness questionnaire (CSAAQ), sensitive to gender-specific experiences of incontinence, and to evaluate their construct validity. Recruitment took place at four Victorian healthcare settings during 2001 and 2002. A total of 431 participants completed the CSAAQ following an appointment or hospital discharge. Factor analyses performed on CSAAQ items demonstrated there were three factors (urinary incontinence symptoms, faecal incontinence symptoms, lifestyle adjustment behaviours) for both women and men. The urinary and faecal items that loaded on their respective factors were different for women and men. Consequently two versions of the CSAAQ were developed; one for males and one for females. Analyses supported the construct validity and internal consistency reliability of the gender specific questionnaires. The brief gender specific CSAAQs could be produced as a single questionnaire with separate sections for female and male specific items. The brief CSAAQs are suitable for use as an incontinence self-assessment questionnaire to increase awareness of individual incontinence issues and to encourage health-seeking behaviours.<br /

Diffusion releases through one and two finite planar zones from a nuclear waste package

For a radioactive waste package emplacement in a potential repository, a partially saturated rock rubble zone may act more as a diffusive barrier than as a pathway to release. We approximate the diffusive transport from the waste packaging using one-dimensional one- and two-barrier geometries. When the effective diffusion coefficient in the first zone is several orders of magnitude lower than that in the host rock, then the two-zone geometry can be approximately by a one-zone problem, keeping only the narrow rubble zone. When the effective diffusion coefficients in the two zones are comparable, or there is an additional barrier, then a two-zone (both of finite extent) approach is adopted. We present solutions for the diffusion response in the two planar geometries for three input cases: a pulse transient input, a steady input rate, and a constant concentration at the source. The solutions have algebraic key elements allowing identification of sensitive factors. For the one-zone case, dimensionless parameters allow plotting of the family of transient response solutions on a single graph. Comparisons with several problems analyzed by others, and on problems where the one-zone and two-zone analyses should give comparable results, support verification of the method

Creep strains predicted from constitutive equations for Zircaloy-clad spent fuel rods

Integrity of a high percentage of the Zircaloy (zirconium-alloy) clad spent fuel rods during extended dry storage is a design consideration of the storage system. Maintaining cladding integrity after permanent disposal placement may also be desired, although other barriers will be engineered to contain the radioactive waste. The limits to the temperatures the Zircaloy tubes can sustain over extended times are principally determined by creep at stresses (from internal gas pressure) and temperatures relevant to dry storage conditions. Excessive creep may lead to an eventual ductile fracture crack. The thermal design criteria assure compatibility of the heat load, the heat transfer properties, and the materials response. Therefore, the ability to predict the long-term integrity of Zircaloy is important to the design requirements. To do this reliably requires both a theoretical and empirical description of creep deformation and fracture

Scientific investigation plan for NNWSI WBS element 1.2.2.5.L: NNWSI waste package performance assessment: Revision 1

Waste package performance assessment contains three broad categories of activities. These activities are: (1) development of a hydrothermal flow and transport model to test concepts to be used in establishing boundary conditions for performance calculations, and to interface EBS release calculations with total system performance calculations; (2) development of a waste package systems model to provide integrated deterministic assessments of performance and analyses of waste package designs; and (3) development of an uncertainty methodology for combination with the system model to perform probabilistic reliability and performance analysis waste package designs. The first category contains activities that aid in determining the scope of a separate, simplified set of hydrologic calculations needed to characterize the waste package environment for performance assessment calculations. The last two activity categories are directly concerned with waste package performance calculations. A rationale for each activity under these groups is presented. All of the activities of performance assessment are either code development or analyses of waste package problems

Post-closure performance assessment of waste packages for the Yucca Mountain Project

This report details a system model of some core features of the performance of waste packages for the permanent disposal of spent nuclear fuel at the Yucca Mountain Site. The model is realized in the prototype computer program PANDORA-1.1. The PANDORA system model links processes leading to possible release of radionuclides from the waste package. The PANDORA submodels are being developed for processes and conditions specific to this potential repository site, notably the comparatively dry location in an arid area and well above the groundwater table, and the rock medium of porous partially welded tuff

Performance assessment model of a single waste package

PANDORA-1.1 is a system model for the mobilization and release of radionuclides from a spent nuclear fuel disposal package. Earlier processes affecting release are represented by input tables. Several groundwater contact alternatives and spent fuel constituents lead to different release-rate behaviors and controlling parameters. Rate control is provided by a product of parameters from hydrology, design, and/or geochemistry/waste form interaction parameters. The program is designed to accommodate evolving requirements such as a wider range of hydrological input values. A computerized configuration management system automates much of the change control process

Development and Validation of the False Disorder Score: The Focal Scale of the Inventory of Problems

This article introduces the Inventory of Problems (IOP)-a new, computerized, 181-item tool designed to discriminate bona fide from feigned mental illness and cognitive impairment-and presents the development and validation of its focal, feigning scale, the False Disorder Score (IOP-FDS). The initial sample included (a) 211 patients and 64 offenders who took the IOP under standard conditions, and (b) 210 community volunteers and 64 offenders who feigned mental illness. We split this sample into three subsamples. The first

Coherent Pair Production by Photons in the 20-170 GeV Energy Range Incident on Crystals and Birefringence

The cross section for coherent pair production by linearly polarised photons in the 20-170 GeV energy range was measured for photon aligned incidence on ultra-high quality diamond and germanium crystals. The theoretical description of coherent bremsstrahlung and coherent pair production phenomena is an area of active theoretical debate and development. However, under our experimental conditions, the theory predicted the combined cross section and polarisation experimental observables very well indeed. In macroscopic terms, our experiment measured a birefringence effect in pair production in a crystal. This study of this effect also constituted a measurement of the energy dependent linear polarisation of photons produced by coherent bremsstrahlung in aligned crystals. New technologies for manipulating high energy photon beams can be realised based on an improved understanding of QED phenomena at these energies. In particular, this experiment demonstrates an efficient new polarimetry technique. The pair production measurements were done using two independent methods simultaneously. The more complex method using a magnet spectrometer showed that the simpler method using a multiplicity detector was also viable.Comment: 10 pages, 13 figures, 1 table, REVTeX4 two column, Version for publicatio