Morphology of Würm Lateglacial and Holocene deposits in the Flemish valley (North Belgium)

The authors study the Würm Lateglacial evolution of the drainage, the morphology of the Lateglacial coversand ridges and their Holocene alterations. Special attention is drawn to sedimentological structures in relation to the reconstruction of the palaeo-environment and to the process of deposition. Palaeo-environmental and stratigraphical interpretations are based on lithological and sedimentological characteristics and successions. Palynological and 14C datings are being used but are not discussed here

An outcrop of Eemian and Early Weichselian deposits at Beernem (N.W. Belgium)

The authors study the sedimentological and paleobotanical characteristics of a continuous succession of Eemian and Weichselian deposits older than 50.000 y, B.F. It forms the major part of the Quaternary cover in a tributary valley of the Upper-Pleistocene Flemish-Valley-Belgian Coastal Plain complex at Beernem. They recognize an alluvial Eemian deposit covering the E4a, E4b, E5 and E6 pollenzones; a quick paleoclimatic transition and Weichselian deposits of a fluvio-periglacial and niveo-colluvial nature with numerous peat layers, one of which is linked with a buried paleopodzol (paleosol of Beernem) and correlatedwith the Amersfoort interstadial. The pre-Amersfoort peats are of EW I type, the post-Amersfoort ones of a PW type. The numerous syngenetic cryoturbation levels, suggest that all over the pre-Moershoofd Weichselian mean annual temperatures fell below -5°C, at least during successive rather long periods. They contrast the paleobotanical, chronological and sedimentological interpretations

Characteristics of light charged particle emission in the ternary fission of 250Cf and 252Cf at different excitation energies

The emission probabilities and the energy distributions of tritons, α and ^6He particles emitted in the spontaneous ternary fission (zero excitation energy) of ^250Cf and ^252Cf and in the cold neutron induced fission (excitation energy ≈ 6.5 MeV) of ^249Cf and 251Cf are determined. The particle identification was done with suited ΔE-E telescope detectors, at the IRMM (Geel, Belgium) for the spontaneous fission and at the ILL (Grenoble, France) for the neutron induced fission measurements. Hence particle emission characteristics of the fissioning systems ^250Cf and ^252Cf are obtained at zero and at about 6.5 MeV excitation energies. While the triton emission probability is hardly influenced by the excitation energy, the ^4He and ^6He emission probability in spontaneous fission is higher than for neutron induced fission. This can be explained by the strong influence of the cluster preformation probability on the ternary particle emission probability

Recommendations for MYRRHA relevant cross section data to the JEFF project

Within the framework of Work Package 10 of the EC FP7 CHANDA project, nuclear data of importance for the operation of MYRRHA, a lead-bismuth cooled accelerator driven reactor under development at SCK•CEN (BE), were studied. Based on data in the main nuclear data libraries, i.e. JEFF, JENDL, ENDF/B and BROND, and in the TENDL and CIELO libraries and on experimental data reported in the literature, recommendations to the JEFF project were made for several nuclides of interest to the MYRRHA reactor.JRC.G.2-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard

Intraoperative transfusion practices in Europe

Background: Transfusion of allogeneic blood influences outcome after surgery. Despite widespread availability of transfusion guidelines, transfusion practices might vary among physicians, departments, hospitals and countries. Our aim was to determine the amount of packed red blood cells (pRBC) and blood products transfused intraoperatively, and to describe factors determining transfusion throughout Europe. Methods: We did a prospective observational cohort study enrolling 5803 patients in 126 European centres that received at least one pRBC unit intraoperatively, during a continuous three month period in 2013. Results: The overall intraoperative transfusion rate was 1.8%; 59% of transfusions were at least partially initiated as a result of a physiological transfusion trigger-mostly because of hypotension (55.4%) and/or tachycardia (30.7%). Haemoglobin (Hb)-based transfusion trigger alone initiated only 8.5% of transfusions. The Hb concentration [mean (SD)] just before transfusion was 8.1 (1.7) g dl(-1) and increased to 9.8 (1.8) g dl(-1) after transfusion. The mean number of intraoperatively transfused pRBC units was 2.5 (2.7) units (median 2). Conclusions: Although European Society of Anaesthesiology transfusion guidelines are moderately implemented in Europe with respect to Hb threshold for transfusion (7-9 g dl(-1)), there is still an urgent need for further educational efforts that focus on the number of pRBC units to be transfused at this threshold

Status of evaluated data files for 238U in the resonance region

Experimental data and evaluated data libraries related to neutron induced reaction cross sections for 238U in the resonance region are reviewed. Based on this review a set of test files is produced to study systematic effects such as the impact of the upper boundary of the resolved resonance region (RRR) and the representation of the infinite diluted capture and in-elastic cross section in the unresolved resonance region (URR). A set of Benchmark experiments was selected and used to verify the test files. Based on these studies recommendations to perform a new evaluation have been defined. This report has been prepared in support to the CIELO (Collaborative International Evaluated Library Organisation) project. The objective of this project is the creation of a world-wide recognised nuclear data file with a focus on six nuclides, i.e. 1H, 16O, 56Fe, 235U, 238U and 239Pu. Within the CIELO project, the Joint Research Centre (JRC) at Geel (B) is in charge of the production of an evaluated cross section data file for neutron induced reaction of 238U in the resonance region.JRC.D.4-Standards for Nuclear Safety, Security and Safeguard