D-depth profiling in as-implanted and annealed Li-based breeder blanket ceramics

In future power plants (i.e. DEMO), the nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes will be used for energy production. The behaviour of hydrogen isotopes in lithium-enriched ceramics for breeder blankets (BBs) is one of the most important items to be understood. In this paper we present the chemical, microstructural and morphological features of Li4SiO4, Li2TiO3 and a third ceramic candidate with a higher Li:Si proportion (3:1), implanted with D at an energy of 100 keV and at room temperature at a fluence of 1 × 1017 cm−2. The D depth-profile in as-implanted and annealed ceramics (at T ⩽ 200 °C) was characterised by Resonance Nuclear Reaction Analysis (RNRA). The RNRA data indicate that the total amount of D is retained at room temperature, while annealing at 100 °C promotes D release and annealing at T ⩾ 150 °C drives D to completely desorb from all the studied ceramics. D release will be discussed as a function of the microstructurural and morphological features of each material

Predictors of Response to Exclusive Enteral Nutrition in Newly Diagnosed Crohn´s Disease in Children: PRESENCE Study from SEGHNP

Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) has been shown to be more effective than corticosteroids in achieving mucosal healing in children with Crohn´s disease (CD) without the adverse effects of these drugs. The aims of this study were to determine the efficacy of EEN in terms of inducing clinical remission in children newly diagnosed with CD, to describe the predictive factors of response to EEN and the need for treatment with biological agents during the first 12 months of the disease. We conducted an observational retrospective multicentre study that included paediatric patients newly diagnosed with CD between 2014–2016 who underwent EEN. Two hundred and twenty-two patients (140 males) from 35 paediatric centres were included, with a mean age at diagnosis of 11.6 ± 2.5 years. The median EEN duration was 8 weeks (IQR 6.6–8.5), and 184 of the patients (83%) achieved clinical remission (weighted paediatric Crohn’s Disease activity index [wPCDAI] 15 mg/L and ileal involvement tended to respond better to EEN. EEN administered for 6–8 weeks is effective for inducing clinical remission. Due to the high response rate in our series, EEN should be used as the first-line therapy in luminal paediatric Crohn’s disease regardless of the location of disease and disease activityS

Desde la investigación biomédica a la clínica: avances del Centro Nacional Coordinador de Ensayos Clínicos

El Centro Nacional Coordinador de Ensayos Clínicos, encaminado a la eficacia en la evaluación clínica de los productos médico-farmacéuticos y biotecnológicos, así como de equipos cubanos, y atendiendo además a la importancia que tiene para todos los profesionales de la salud conocer los avances científicos-técnicos desarrollados desde su creación en 1991 hasta la actualidad, en busca de la eficacia y la seguridad de los productos que se evalúan bajo el cumplimiento estricto de las normas internacionales y las buenas prácticas clínicas, se realizó la presente revisión, donde se describe la incorporación de las tendencias mundiales más novedosas y su expansión a toda la red nacional. Se trabaja además en elevar el nivel científico-técnico de los profesionales, para lo cual se desarrollan diferentes modalidades de capacitación para todo la red nacional de los ensayos clínicos. Para la realización de este trabajo se consultaron fuentes relacionadas con el tema

TechnoFusión, a Relevant Facility for Fusion Technologies: The Remote Handling Area

The future commercial production of electricity based on thermonuclear fusion requires the development of a number of research projects in addition to ITER, mostly related to the development of long-term technologies needed for future fusion reactors. Among the priority areas identified in the framework of international fusion research programmes, it is projected to build a specific research centre for fusion technologies in Spain. The so-called National Centre for Fusion Technologies, TechnoFusión, will be equipped with a large number of top facilities for the fusion technological development. The research activities will be focused primarily on several areas, including the implementation of advanced manufacturing technologies, the evaluation of radiation effects on low activation structural and functional materials, the in-beam and out-beam characterization of materials, the development of robotics and automated systems for remote handling, studies of liquid metal technologies and computer simulation. Currently no similar facilities to TechnoFusión exist, so it will provide more realistic tests than those available in other facilities up today, helping in the fast track to DEMO and IFMIF. The present document summarizes a review of the different facilities to be included in TechnoFusión, with special emphasis on those proposed for remote handling (RH) applications. The paper will review the technical specifications concerning the RH facility, the analysis of the mock-up components and tests to be performed, and the relevance of the RH lab capabilities, particularly the required equipment under irradiation conditions.This work was funded by the Spanish Science and Innovation Ministry (MICINN) under grant ICTS-2008-9 and under the National Spanish Plan Radiafus II (CICYD Project ENE2008-06403-C06-01).Publicad