Recent Process and Equipment Improvements to Increase High Level Waste Throughput at the Defense Waste Processing Facility

The Savannah River Site's (SRS) Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) began stabilizing high level waste (HLW) in a glass matrix in 1996. Over the past few years, there have been several process and equipment improvements at the DWPF to increase the rate at which the high level waste can be stabilized. These improvements have either directly increased waste processing rates or have desensitized the process to upsets, thereby minimizing downtime and increasing production. Improvements due to optimization of waste throughput with increased HLW loading of the glass resulted in a 6% waste throughput increase based upon operational efficiencies. Improvements in canister production include the pour spout heated bellows liner (5%), glass surge (siphon) protection software (2%), melter feed pump software logic change to prevent spurious interlocks of the feed pump with subsequent dilution of feed stock (2%) and optimization of the steam atomized scrubber (SAS) operation to minimize downtime (3%) for a total increase in canister production of 12%. A number of process recovery efforts have allowed continued operation. These include the off gas system pluggage and restoration, slurry mix evaporator (SME) tank repair and replacement, remote cleaning of melter top head center nozzle, remote melter internal inspection, SAS pump J-Tube recovery, inadvertent pour scenario resolutions, dome heater transformer bus bar cooling water leak repair and new Infra-red camera for determination of glass height in the canister are discussed

Arthroscopically Assisted Coronoid Fracture Fixation: A Preliminary Report

We investigated the feasibility of arthroscopically assisted reduction and fixation of small coronoid fractures and the anterior capsule for treatment of patients with Regan and Morrey Types I and II (O’Driscoll Types I and II) coronoid fractures with instability of the ulnohumeral joint. Four consecutive patients with this fracture type underwent arthroscopically assisted treatment and were evaluated at a minimum of 1 year (mean, 76 weeks; range, 58–92 weeks). All patients achieved a functional range of motion with an average flexion/extension arc of 2.5° to 140° and full pronation and supination. No patient had recurrent elbow instability. One patient had removal of a prominent suture over the subcutaneous border of the ulna. Arthroscopically assisted management of coronoid fractures can provide excellent observation, enabling anatomic repair without extensive soft tissue dissection. Preservation of the soft tissue attachments of small coronoid fragments and repair of the capsule are possible with this technique

Actual Knee Motion during Continuous Passive Motion Protocols is Less Than Expected

Investigations of the usefulness of continuous passive motion (CPM) after TKA have yielded mixed results, with evidence suggesting its efficacy is contingent on the presence of larger motion arcs. Surprisingly, the range of motion (ROM) the knee actually experiences while in a CPM machine has not been elucidated. In this study, the ability of a CPM apparatus to bring about a desired knee ROM was assessed with an electrogoniometer. The knee experienced only 68% to 76% of the programmed CPM arc, with the higher percentages generated by elevating the head of the patient’s bed. This disparity between true knee motion and CPM should be accounted for when designing CPM protocols for patients or investigations evaluating efficacy of CPM

Estudo da morbidade e da mortalidade perinatal em maternidades. I-Descrição do projeto e resultados gerais A study of perinatal morbidity and mortality in maternity-hospitals

É descrito estudo sobre morbidade e mortalidade ocorridas no período perinatal por meio da coleta de dados referentes ao evento, ao produto e à mãe. O estudo foi feito, de maneira coordenada e padronizada, em nove maternidades, sendo sete no Estado de São Paulo, uma no Rio de Janeiro e outra em Florianópolis, SC, o que possibilitou a coleta de dados referentes à 13.130 eventos, dos quais 12.782 eram nascidos vivos; 217 nascidos mortos e 131 abortos. Esta apresentação é a primeira de uma série e que visou descrever detalhadamente o projeto, bem como apresentar alguns resultados globais, sendo que resultados mais específicos serão apresentados futuramente. Dentre os resultados globais chama a atenção a alta mortalidade perinatal, a alta percentagem de cesária e o baixo peso nos casos de nascidos mortos ser, aproximadamente, cinco vezes mais forte que o baixo peso ao nascer nos casos de nascidos vivos.<br>Collecting data on deliveries, newborn and mothers, in maternity-hospitals, is the best way to conduct research into perinatal morbidity and mortality. The kind of study which was carried out in nine Brazilian maternity-hospitals, seven of then situated in cities in the State of S. Paulo, one in Rio de Janeiro and another in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina, is described. The study called for the collection of data on 13,130 deliveries, of which 12,782 were live births, 217 still-births and 131 abortions. This is the first of a series of papers; the aims of this one are to describe the project and to present some general results; however, more specific results will be presented in the future. The high perinatal mortality rate, the high proportion of cesarian sections and the several times greater incidence of low birth-weight in still-births as compared with live births, deserved particular attention