Oxidation and Release of Ruthenium from Short Fuel Rods above 1500oC

The fission product ruthenium is radiotoxic and in oxidized form as ruthenium-tetroxide (RuO4) also chemical toxic. During fuel element change or in case of a leakage in fuel storages, air flows in the containment or fuel storage. If the circulation pump fails, the fuel elements are heated-up, and at high temperatures gaseous ruthenium oxides are formed and rapidly released from the fuel. Due to the significant higher volatility of RuO4 in the Chernobyl Catastrophe the measured concentration of the Ru-isotopes in the fall-outs was comparable to those of iodine and caesium. In order to get more insight in the chemical and physical behaviour of this fission product under severe accident conditions, the Ruthenium release was studied in a series of Separate Effect Tests (RUSET). In the test short fuel rod segments were used and exposed to air and steam atmosphere at high temperatures. The experiments in air atmosphere showed, that the partial pressures of the released Ru-oxides was two orders of magnitudes lower compared to those measured in previous tests with Ru-powder diluted in a ZrO2 matrix. It was found that ruthenium was not released in steam atmosphere in the examined temperature range. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the deposition was detected by XRF analysis.JRC.F.4-Nuclear design safet

Widespread white matter microstructural abnormalities in bipolar disorder: evidence from mega- and meta-analyses across 3033 individuals

Fronto-limbic white matter (WM) abnormalities are assumed to lie at the heart of the pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD); however, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) studies have reported heterogeneous results and it is not clear how the clinical heterogeneity is related to the observed differences. This study aimed to identify WM abnormalities that differentiate patients with BD from healthy controls (HC) in the largest DTI dataset of patients with BD to date, collected via the ENIGMA network. We gathered individual tensor-derived regional metrics from 26 cohorts leading to a sample size of N = 3033 (1482 BD and 1551 HC). Mean fractional anisotropy (FA) from 43 regions of interest (ROI) and average whole-brain FA were entered into univariate mega- and meta-analyses to differentiate patients with BD from HC. Mega-analysis revealed significantly lower FA in patients with BD compared with HC in 29 regions, with the highest effect sizes observed within the corpus callosum (R2 = 0.041, Pcorr < 0.001) and cingulum (right: R2 = 0.041, left: R2 = 0.040, Pcorr < 0.001). Lithium medication, later onset and short disease duration were related to higher FA along multiple ROIs. Results of the meta-analysis showed similar effects. We demonstrated widespread WM abnormalities in BD and highlighted that altered WM connectivity within the corpus callosum and the cingulum are strongly associated with BD. These brain abnormalities could represent a biomarker for use in the diagnosis of BD. Interactive three-dimensional visualization of the results is available at www.enigma-viewer.org

Pioglitazone could induce remission in major depression: a meta-analysis

Romain Colle,1,* Delphine de Larminat,1,* Samuel Rotenberg,1 Franz Hozer,1 Patrick Hardy,1 C&eacute;line Verstuyft,2 Bruno F&egrave;ve,3,* Emmanuelle Corruble1,* 1Psychiatry Department, H&ocirc;pital Bic&ecirc;tre, INSERM, UMR S1178, University Paris-Sud, Assistance Publique-H&ocirc;pitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin Bic&ecirc;tre, France; 2Molecular Genetic, Pharmacogenetics and Hormonology Department, H&ocirc;pital Bic&ecirc;tre, INSERM UMR_S1184, Centre IMVA, University Paris-Sud, Assistance Publique-H&ocirc;pitaux de Paris, Le Kremlin Bic&ecirc;tre, France; 3Endocrinology Department, INSERM UMR_S938, H&ocirc;pital Saint-Antoine, Centre de Recherche Saint-Antoine, Institut Hospitalo-Universitaire ICAN, Sorbonne Universit&eacute;s, Universit&eacute; Pierre et Marie Curie, Assistance Publique des H&ocirc;pitaux de Paris, Paris, France *These authors contributed equally to this work Background: Pioglitazone, a selective agonist of the nuclear transcription factor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma (PPAR-&gamma;), prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes, could have antidepressant properties. However, its potential to induce remission of major depressive episodes, the optimal clinical target for an antidepressant drug, is a matter of concern. Indeed, only one out of four double-blind randomized controlled trials show higher remission rates with pioglitazone than with control treatments. Hence, the main aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of the efficacy of pioglitazone for the treatment of MDE, focusing on remission rates.Methods: Four double-blind randomized controlled trials, comprising 161 patients with an MDE, were included in this meta-analysis. Pioglitazone was studied either alone (one study) or as add-on therapy to conventional treatments (antidepressant drugs or lithium salts). It was compared either to placebo (three studies) or to metformin (one study). Remission was defined by a Hamilton Depression Rating Scale score &lt;8 after treatment.Results: Pioglitazone could induce higher remission rates than control treatments (27% versus 10%, I2=17.3%, fixed-effect model: odds ratio [OR]&nbsp;=3.3, 95% confidence interval [95% CI; 1.4; 7.8], P=0.008). The OR was even higher in the subgroup of patients with major depressive disorder (n=80; 23% versus 8%, I2=0.0%; fixed-effect model: OR&nbsp;=5.9, 95% CI [1.6; 22.4], P=0.009) and in the subgroup of patients without metabolic comorbidities (n=84; 33% versus 10%, I2=0.0%; fixed-effect model: OR&nbsp;=5.1, 95% CI [1.5; 17.9], P=0.01). As compared to control treatments, results suggest six patients would need to be treated with pioglitazone in order to achieve the possibility of one more remission.Conclusion: Pioglitazone, either alone or as add-on therapy to conventional treatments, could induce remission of MDE, suggesting that drugs with PPAR-&gamma; agonist properties may be true and clinically relevant antidepressants, even in patients without metabolic comorbidities. Keywords: pioglitazone, major depressive episode, major depressive disorder, bipolar disorder, remission, meta-analysi

The SAFEST project towards pan-European Lab on Corium Behavior in Severe Accidents. Main Objectives and RetD priorities.

International audienceNo individual country has sufficient resources to address all severe accident important phenomena within the framework of a national research programme, therefore optimised use of resources and the collaboration at European and international level are very important. Integrating European severe accident research facilities into a pan-European laboratory for severe accident and corium studies and providing resources to other European partners for better understanding of possible accident scenarios and phenomena is necessary in order to improve safety of existing and, in the long-term, of future reactors.SAFEST (Severe Accident Facilities for European Safety Targets) is a European project networking the European corium experimental laboratories with the objective to establish coordination activities, enabling the development of a common vision and of research roadmaps for the next years, and of the management structure to achieve these goals. One of the main objectives is to address and resolve the variety of the remaining severe accident issues related to accident analysis and corium behaviour. The project is a valuable asset for the fulfilment of the severe accident RetD programmes that are being set up after the Fukushima Daiichi accidents and the subsequent European stress tests, addressing both national and European objectives.Roadmaps on European severe accident experimental research for water reactors and for GenIV technologies will be drafted. Joint RetD is conducted to improve the excellence of the SAFEST facilities this includes measurement of corium physical properties, improvement of instrumentation, consensus on scaling law rationales and cross comparison of material analyses.Joint experimental research is a clear objective in the SAFEST project to provide solutions for stabilisation of severe accident and termination of consequences for the current Gen II and III plants. Consequently, the knowledge obtained in SAFEST shall lead to improved severe accident management measures, which are essential for reactor safety. In addition, it will offer competitive advantages for the nuclear industry and contribute to the long-term sustainability of nuclear energy

On the EU-Japan roadmap for experimental research on corium behavior

International audienceA joint research roadmap between Europe and Japan has been developed in severe accident field of light water reactors, focusing particularly on reactor core melt (corium) behavior. The development of this roadmap is one of the main targets of the ongoing EU project SAFEST. This paper presents information about ongoing severe accident studies in the area of corium behavior, rationales and comparison of research priorities identified in different projects and documents, expert ranking of safety issues, and finally the research areas and topics and their priorities suggested for the EU-Japan roadmap and futurebilateral collaborations. These results provide useful guidelines for (i) assessment of long-term goals and proposals for experimental support needed for proper understanding, interpretation and learning lessons of the Fukushima accident; (ii) analysis of severe accident phenomena; (iii) development of accident prevention and mitigation strategies, and corresponding technical measures; (iv) study of corium samples in European and Japanese laboratories; and (v) preparation of Fukushima site decommissioning

In vitro and in vivo analysis of the Effects of corticotropin releasing factor on rat dorsal vagal complex

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/65458/1/jphysiol.2002.019281.pd

European Expert Network for the Reduction of Uncertainties in Severe Accident Safety Issues (EURSAFE)

EURSAFE thematic network was a concerted action in the 6th Framework Programme of the European Commission. It established a large consensus among the main actors in Nuclear Safety on the Severe Accident issues where large uncertainties still subsist. As the result of an action involving R&D governmental institutions, regulatory bodies, nuclear industry, utilities and universities from 6 EU member States (Finland, France, Germany, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom) plus JRC, 3 European third countries (Czech Republic, Hungary, Switzerland), and the USA, EURSAFE represents a significant step towards harmonisation and credibility of the approaches, and resolution of the remaining Severe Accident issues.JRC.F.4-Nuclear design safet