Detection by LIBS of the deuterium retained in the FTU toroidal limiter

In this paper the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) measurement of the deuterium (used as a proxy for tritium) retained in and the surface elemental composition of the FTU Mo (TZM) toroidal limiter tiles, carried out from remote (∼2.5 m) during short breaks of the operations or during machine maintenance, are reported. Single pulse technique has been used with the FTU vessel under high vacuum or in Nitrogen or Argon atmosphere. In vacuum experiments Dα and Hα lines have been detected with good resolution, while in Ar atmosphere (5 × 104 Pa) the two lines were partially overlapped due to Stark broadening. First results of measurements in N2 atmosphere (105 Pa) showed no presence of Dα and Hα lines. These measurements were also carried out for supporting the foreseen use of a robotic arm for an extended LIBS analysis of retained deuterium in the FTU vessel components. Keywords: LIBS, FTU tokamak, Toroidal limiter, Deuterium retentio

LIBS experiments for quantitative detection of retained fuel

Abstract Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) provides chemical information from atomic and ionic plasma emissions generated by laser vaporization of a sample. At the ENEA research center, in collaboration with IPPLM, an equipment has been set up to qualitatively and quantitatively determine the chemical composition of impurities deposited on Plasma Facing Components (PFC). The strength of the LIBS, for its capability of light elements detection, is fully exploited to determine the deuterium content since this element can be considered as the best choice proxy for tritium; the latter being is of great importance in assessing safe conditions to assure the continuous operation in nuclear fusion tokamak. Here we present the results of the Double Pulse LIBS (DP-LIBS) probing of deuterated samples with the simultaneous optical detection by medium-resolution and high-resolution spectrometer. Deuterium emission at 656.1 nm has been detected then the elemental composition has been quantified by applying the Calibration Free (CF) approach. The obtained results demonstrate that the DP-LIBS technique combined with CF analysis is suitable for the quantitative determination of tritium content inside the PFCs of next fusion devices like ITER

Simultaneous tune and coupling feedback in the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider, and possible implications for the Large Hadron Collider commissioning

Simultaneous tune and coupling feedback were successfully implemented during RHIC run 6. In this paper we describe the measurement and control hardware and software used to accomplish this, present some of the results, discuss areas that require further investigation, and finally offer a few comments on possible implications of these results for LHC commissioning

Aperture Restriction Localisation in the LHC Arcs using an RF Mole and the LHC Beam Position Measurement System

Ensuring that the two 27km beam pipes of the LHC do not contain aperture restrictions is of utmost importance. Most of the ring is composed of continuous cryostats, so any intervention to remove aperture restrictions when the machine is at its operating temperature of 1.9K will require a substantial amount of time. On warming-up the first cooled sector, several of the sliding contacts which provide electrical continuity for the beam image current between successive sections of the vacuum chamber were found to have buckled into the beam pipe. This led to a search for a technique to verify the integrity of a complete LHC arc (~3km) before any subsequent cool-down. In this paper the successful results from using a polycarbonate ball fitted with a 40MHz RF transmitter are presented. Propulsion of the ball is achieved by sucking filtered air through the entire arc, while its progress is traced every 54m via the LHC beam position measurement system which is auto-triggered by the RF transmitter on passage of the ball. Reflectometry at frequencies in the 4-8 GHz range can cover the gaps between beam position monitors and could therefore be used to localise a ball blocked by an obstacle

Extracellular Matrix Proteomics Reveals Interplay of Aggrecan and Aggrecanases in Vascular Remodeling of Stented Coronary Arteries.

BACKGROUND: Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling contributes to in-stent restenosis and thrombosis. Despite its important clinical implications, little is known about ECM changes post-stent implantation. METHODS: Bare-metal and drug-eluting stents were implanted in pig coronary arteries with an overstretch under optical coherence tomography guidance. Stented segments were harvested 1, 3, 7, 14, and 28 days post-stenting for proteomics analysis of the media and neointima. RESULTS: A total of 151 ECM and ECM-associated proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. After stent implantation, proteins involved in regulating calcification were upregulated in the neointima of drug-eluting stents. The earliest changes in the media were proteins involved in inflammation and thrombosis, followed by changes in regulatory ECM proteins. By day 28, basement membrane proteins were reduced in drug-eluting stents in comparison with bare-metal stents. In contrast, the large aggregating proteoglycan aggrecan was increased. Aggrecanases of the ADAMTS (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs) family contribute to the catabolism of vascular proteoglycans. An increase in ADAMTS-specific aggrecan fragments was accompanied by a notable shift from ADAMTS1 and ADAMTS5 to ADAMTS4 gene expression after stent implantation. Immunostaining in human stented coronary arteries confirmed the presence of aggrecan and aggrecan fragments, in particular, at the contacts of the stent struts with the artery. Further investigation of aggrecan presence in the human vasculature revealed that aggrecan and aggrecan cleavage were more abundant in human arteries than in human veins. In addition, aggrecan synthesis was induced on grafting a vein into the arterial circulation, suggesting an important role for aggrecan in vascular plasticity. Finally, lack of ADAMTS-5 activity in mice resulted in an accumulation of aggrecan and a dilation of the thoracic aorta, confirming that aggrecanase activity regulates aggrecan abundance in the arterial wall and contributes to vascular remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: Significant differences were identified by proteomics in the ECM of coronary arteries after bare-metal and drug-eluting stent implantation, most notably an upregulation of aggrecan, a major ECM component of cartilaginous tissues that confers resistance to compression. The accumulation of aggrecan coincided with a shift in ADAMTS gene expression. This study provides the first evidence implicating aggrecan and aggrecanases in the vascular injury response after stenting

The Efficacy of Crotalidae Polyvalent Immune Fab (Ovine) Antivenom Versus Placebo Plus Optional Rescue Therapy on Recovery From Copperhead Snake Envenomation: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Clinical Trial

Study objective: Copperhead snake (Agkistrodon contortrix) envenomation causes limb injury resulting in pain and disability. It is not known whether antivenom administration improves limb function. We determine whether administration of antivenom improves recovery from limb injury in patients envenomated by copperhead snakes. Methods: From August 2013 through November 2015, we performed a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo- controlled, clinical trial to evaluate the effect of ovine Crotalidae polyvalent immune Fab (ovine) (CroFab; FabAV) antivenom therapy on recovery of limb function in patients with copperhead snake envenomation at 14 days postenvenomation. The study setting was 18 emergency departments in regions of the United States where copperhead snakes are endemic. Consecutive patients aged 12 years or older with mild- to moderate-severity envenomation received either FabAV or placebo. The primary outcome was limb function 14 days after envenomation, measured by the Patient-Specific Functional Scale. Additional outcomes included the Patient-Specific Functional Scale at other points; the Disorders of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand, Lower Extremity Functional Scale, and Patient’s Global Impression of Change instruments; grip strength; walking speed; quality of life (Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System Physical Fucntion-10); pain; and analgesic use. Results: Seventy-four patients received study drug (45 FabAV, 29 placebo). Mean age was 43 years (range 12 to 86 years). Fifty-three percent were men, 62% had lower extremity envenomation, and 88% had mild initial severity. The primary outcome, the least square mean Patient-Specific Functional Scale score at 14 days postenvenomation, was 8.6 for FabAV-treated subjects and 7.4 for placebo recipients (difference 1.2; 95% confidence interval 0.1 to 2.3; P1�4.04). Additional outcome assessments generally favored FabAV. More FabAV-treated subjects experienced treatment- emergent adverse events (56% versus 28%), but few were serious (1 in each group). Conclusion: Treatment with FabAV reduces limb disability measured by the Patient-Specific Functional Scale 14 days after copperhead envenomation. [Ann Emerg Med. 2017;70:233-244.

Remote mental health care interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: an umbrella review

Mitigating the COVID-19 related disruptions in mental health care services is crucial in a time of increased mental health disorders. Numerous reviews have been conducted on the process of implementing technology- based mental health care during the pandemic. The research question of this umbrella review was to examine what the impact of COVID-19 was on access and delivery of mental health services and how mental health services have changed during the pandemic. A systematic search for systematic reviews and meta-analyses was conducted up to August 12, 2022, and 38 systematic reviews were identified. Main disruptions during COVID-19 were reduced access to outpatient mental health care and reduced admissions and earlier discharge from inpatient care. In response, synchronous telemental health tools such as videoconferencing were used to provide remote care similar to pre-COVID care, and to a lesser extent asynchronous virtual mental health tools such as apps. Implementation of synchronous tools were facilitated by time-efficiency and flexibility during the pandemic but there was a lack of accessibility for specific vulnerable populations. Main barriers among prac- titioners and patients to use digital mental health tools were poor technological literacy, particularly when preexisting inequalities existed, and beliefs about reduced therapeutic alliance particularly in case of severe mental disorders. Absence of organizational support for technological implementation of digital mental health interventions due to inadequate IT infrastructure, lack of funding, as well as lack of privacy and safety, chal- lenged implementation during COVID-19. Reviews were of low to moderate quality, covered heterogeneously designed primary studies and lacked findings of implementation in low- and middle-income countries. These gaps in the evidence were particularly prevalent in studies conducted early in the pandemic. This umbrella review shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic, practitioners and mental health care institutions mainly used synchronous telemental health tools, and to a lesser degree asynchronous tools to enable continued access to mental health care for patients. Numerous barriers to these tools were identified, and call for further improve- ments. In addition, more high quality research into comparative effectiveness and working mechanisms may improve scalability of mental health care in general and in future infectious disease outbreaks

Simultaneous Tune and Coupling Feedback in RHIC, and Possible Implications for LHC Commissioning

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