Using high-resolution γ−ray spectroscopy, the terrestrial gamma radiation in all the predominant types of geological rock formations appearing in Cyprus was measured. Soil samples were collected from each rock type, sealed in 1-litre plastic Marinelli beakers, and measured in the laboratory for 24 hours each. From the measured γ−ray spectra, activity concentrations were determined for 232 Th (range from 1.3 to 52.8 Bq kg −1 ), 238 U (from 0.9 to 90.3 Bq kg −1 ) and 40 K (from 13 to 894 Bq kg −1 ). Elemental concentrations mean values of (2.8 ± 0.7) ppm, (1.3 ± 0.3) ppm and (0.6 ± 0.1) % were extracted, for thorium, uranium and potassium, respectively. Absorbed dose rates in air outdoors were calculated to be in the range of 0.1−50 nGy h −1 , depending on the geological features, with an overall mean value of (14.7 ± 7.3) nGy h −1 . The corresponding effective dose rates per person outdoors were estimated to be between 0.1 and 61.4 µSv y −1 , assuming a 20% occupancy factor.

The gamma radiation in samples of a variety of natural tiling rocks (granites) imported in Cyprus for use in the building industry was measured, employing high-resolution γ−ray spectroscopy. The rock samples were pulverized, sealed in 1-litre plastic Marinelli beakers, and measured in the laboratory with an accumulating time between 10 and 14 hours each. From the measured γ−ray spectra, activity concentrations were determined for 232 Th (range from 1 to 906 Bq kg −1 ), 238 U (from 1 to 588 Bq kg −1 ) and 40 K (from 50 to 1606 Bq kg −1 ). The total absorbed dose rates in air calculated from the concentrations of the three radionuclides ranged from 7 to 1209 nGy h −1 for full utilization of the materials, from 4 to 605 nGy h −1 for half utilization and from 2 to 302 nGy h −1 for one quarter utilization. The total effective dose rates per person indoors were determined to be between 0.02 and 2.97 mSv y −1 for half utilization of the * Corresponding author. E-mail address: tsertos@ucy.ac.cy, Fax: +357-22339060. Department of Physics, University of Cyprus, P. O. Box 20537, 1678 Nicosia, Cyprus. 2 materials. Applying dose criteria recently recommended by the EU for superficial materials, 25 of the samples meet the exemption dose limit of 0.3 mSv y −1 , two of them meet the upper dose limit of 1 mSv y −1 and only one exceeds clearly this limit.

Using high-sensitivity radon ( 222 Rn) portable detectors (passive electronic devices of the type RADIM3), the airborne 222 Rn concentration in the interior of various Cypriot buildings and dwellings was measured. For each preselected building and dwelling, a calibrated detector was put into a closed room, and the 222 Rn concentration was registered in sampling intervals of 2 to 4 hours for a total counting time of typically 48 hours. 222 Rn activity concentrations were found to be in the range of 6.2 to 102.8 Bq m −3 , with an overall arithmetic mean value of (19.3 ± 14.7) Bq m −3 . This value is by a factor of two 2effective dose equivalent to the Cypriot population was calculated to be between 0.16 and 2.6 mSv with an overall arithmetic mean value of (0.49 ± 0.37) mSv.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to support health technology assessment (HTA) capacity building in Member States of the European Union with limited experience or without institutionalized HTA. The main output is a Handbook on HTA Capacity Building. Methods: The methods used were worldwide surveys of (i) HTA organizations, (ii) information management units, and (iii) HTA educational programs. The results of two surveys (i & ii) were combined with expert opinion to produce the Handbook on HTA Capacity Building. Results: Survey of HTA organizations (n = 41, response rate 35 percent). Most of the organizations were established by the government (61 percent), and all were not-for-profit. Working on HTA (80.5 percent) and doing research (63.4 percent) were the main lines of activity. Survey on information management units (n = 23, response rate 23 percent). Most (74.2 percent) of the responding HTA agencies reported having personnelThe authors thank the Partners in the EUnetHTA Work Package 8 (WP8) and colleagues of partner institutions that contributed to the work. Acknowledgements can be found elsewhere (7). This study was undertaken within the framework of the European network for Health Technology Assessment (EUnetHTA) Project, which was supported by a grant from the European Commission (Grant agreement 2005110 project 790621). The sole responsibility for the content of this publication lies with the authors, and the European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein. 75https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms. https://doi

Attenuation and respiratory motion correction should be applied to reduce artifacts before reporting on small defects in deep breathing conditions. Artifacts due to misalignment between CT and SPECT scans do not affect defect detection in normal breathing when the LV is co-registered in SPECT and CT images prior to AC.