Several tissue-equivalent human-torso phantoms have been constructed for the calibration of counting systems used for in-vivo measurement of transuranic radionuclides. The phantoms contain a simulated human rib cage (in some cases, real bone) and removable model organs, and they include tissue-equivalent chest plates that can be placed over the torso to simulate people with a wide range of statures. The organs included are the lungs, liver, and tracheobronchial lymph nodes. Polyurethane with varying concentrations of added calcium was used to simulate the linear photon-attenuation properties of various human tissues, including lean muscle, adipose-muscle mixtures, cartilage, and bone. Foamed polyurethane was used to simulate lung tissue. Organs have been loaded with highly pure /sup 238/Pu, /sup 239/Pu, /sup 241/Am, and other radionuclides of interest. The validity of the phantom as a calibration standard has been checked in separate intercomparison studies using human subjects whose lungs contained a plutonium simulant. The resulting phantom calibration factors generally compared to within +-20% of the average calibration factors obtained for the human subjects.

The changes in the sensitivity (S) and the equivalent X-ray limit (P/sub x/) of several Bayard-Alpert gauges (BAGs) were studied when the size of the collectors was reduced from 125 ..mu.. to 50 ..mu.. and when different mounting envelopes were used. Based on this study, 400 custom BAGs with 50 ..mu.. collector were purchased from a vendor. The S and the P/sub x/ of these thin-collector BAGs were also measured.

Some examples of nuclear data in which the uncertainty has been underestimated, or at least appears to be underestimated, are reviewed. The subjective aspect of the problem of systematic uncertainties is discussed. Historical aspects of the data uncertainty problem are noted. 64 refs., 6 tabs.

We review the theory of the Mikheyev-Smirnov-Wolfenstein effect, in which matter oscillations can greatly enhance ''in vacuo'' neutrino oscillations, and we examine its consequences for the solar neutrino problem. Using a two-flavor model, we discuss the solutions in the ..delta..m/sup 2/-sin/sup 2/2THETA parameter space for the /sup 37/Cl experiment, and describe their predictions for the /sup 71/Ga experiment and for the spectrum of electron-neutrinos arriving at earth. We also comment on the three-flavor case.