Search

___

The capability of the poloidal field coil system, as presently designed, to provide an effective vertical stabilization of the plasma in the IGNITOR machine has been investigated using the CREATE-L response model. An optimization of the vertical position control strategy has been carried out and the most effective coil combination has been selected to stabilize the plasma while fulfilling engineering constraints on the coils and minimizing the required power and voltage. The growth rate of the vertical instability and the power required by the active stabilization system has been estimated with this model. The possible failure of the relevant electromagnetic diagnostics has been taken into account, evaluating the robustness of the plasma position reconstruction strategy. A realistic description of the power supply system has permitted to carry out the optimization of the proportional-integrative-derivative (PID) controller, both with a voltage and a current loop control scheme. An assessment of the requirements for the plasma cross section shape control has been carried out considering perturbations of the plasma global parameters independent of each other and showing that the undesired shape modification rejection is possible with the present PFC and power supply system. The PF coils have been rated relative to their capability to restore shape modifications due to different plasma disturbances. The most effective coil combination, that minimizes recovery time and voltage required, has been identified. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

(#NP1.010) Bibliographic Code: 2006APS..DPPNP1010V

Renal pathologies have an hard impact on ill children's life style, psychic and physical development. In the last years, even if medical cures allowed these children to live longer and to have a better quality of life, today both their families and themselves have to face a lot of difficulties due to the kind of pathology. These children show behaviour troubles, bad sociability, aggressiveness, poor school performance, anxiety and depression, and then the subjects with chronic renal failure show a retard in neurological and cognitive development. In this study we evaluated the impact that the chronic renal illness has on children and adolescents' quality life.For this study, we have used the Impact of Childhood Illness Scale. It includes 30 questions that value 4 aspects of the child and family's life style: illness and its treatment, impact on the child, impact on parents and impact on the family. For every question, it considers the frequency of the problem and the degree of the worry that it causes. We gave the questionnaire to 47 couples of parents' children who are suffering from chronic renal diseases (19 subjects with nephrotic syndrome, 7 with chronic glomerulenephritis, 10 with chronic renal failure, 5 dialysed, 6 with kidney transplant). All parents compiled the questionnaire.The obtained results showed that developing age subjects, who are affected by chronic renal diseases, can have emotional and behavioural difficulties that have an effect on subject and on his family. Their parents live in a continuous stress state because chronic pain and anxiety cause depression, a sense of inadequacy and frustration.As in every chronic physical illness, the sick child and his family are obliged to face a series of physical, behavioural and emotional changes. Besides, they are faced by possible collateral effects of the illness and of its treatments on development.

The abuse of anabolic steroids is emerging as a psychosocially significant issue. In the last few years the use of the substances has shifted from professional sports to amateur sports and certain occupations (bouncers, models, etc.). In the literature, steroid users are portrayed as multidrug users who engage in dangerous and aggressive behavior towards themselves and others. This study looks into the habits, lifestyles and psychological profiles of a group of subjects who make regular use of sports centres in the city of Palermo, Italy, with the aim of establishing how the abuse of anabolic substances is associated with a specific lifestyle and particular psychosocial behaviour.A revision of the American Massachusetts Youth Risk Survey questionnaire (1993), adapted for the Italian context, and a personality assessment scale, The Adjective Check List (1980), were administered to a group of 71 subjects.Fifteen of these subjects admitted taking steroids with differing frequencies. Using Spearman's rho rank correlation, repeated use of anabolic steroids was found to be correlated with abuse of other types of drugs, risk behavior and a distinct personality pattern. Steroid abuse was found to be significantly correlated (r = 0.35, 0.31, 0.30, 0.28, P0.01) with illegal drug use (LSD, cocaine and heroin).It is therefore imperative to develop studies and analyses to investigate more thoroughly the phenomenon and its related psychological and social context in order to lay the foundations for a targeted prevention programme, especially in countries such as Italy where this type of drug abuse is still largely unrecognised and risks degenerating into a new, full-blown social disease.

The structural analysis of the IGNITOR machine load assembly has been performed taking into account the friction coefficients at the interfaces between the significant components. The finite element ANSYS model was used to analyze the nonlinear mechanical behavior of the structure. The calculation shows stresses within the allowable limits at the operating temperature. Interlaminar shear stresses values on TFC insulation have been validated by the results of test performed by Ansaldo. Two full size of Ignitor TFC turns have been manufactured by Kabel Metal to qualify the fabrication process and the hardening of the material OFHC. Several samples of the cooling channel were machined to validate the Electron Beam (EB) welding process

The upgraded design of the plasma chamber (PC) and of the first wall (FW) system consider the updated scenarios for IGNITOR vertical plasma disruption (VDE). The electromagnetic (EM) loads are so large to require a dynamic elastic-plastic structural analysis of the PC. A 360deg PC torus has been modeled to take into account the toroidal asymmetry of the halo current as well as the lateral EM loads. The PC wall thickness reduces the displacements within the clearance with toroidal coil. The PC low-cycle fatigue analysis results in a lifetime longer than the number of disruption events at the maximum performance

In the last few years some studies have been made about homosexual parenthood and especially if this interferes with the child's development, identity and future sexual tendency. These studies prove that the parents' homosexuality does not seem to compromise the child's psychosexual development and that the child's possible homosexuality does not depend on the parents' sexual behaviour but on different factors linked to the relationship; as a matter of fact there are no relevant differences in the occurrence of homosexuality in children born from homosexual and heterosexual parents. The present study investigated the psychological and sexual development in a group of children of homoparental family.The sample observed included 37 children, 22 male and 15 female. The following psychodiagnostic tests were used for assessment: spontaneous drawing, draw-a-person test, family drawing, blacky pictures test. The developmental of the child's sexual identity was determined through the preferences and fantasies he/she showed while playing, in the relationship with his/her mates, in the way of dressing. We used interviews with the child and the parents.All the children showed a good adherence to their sexual role. The observations and interviews proved that the children's disorders are not linked to the parents' homosexuality.Being brought up by homosexual parents does not seem to compromise the child's future sexual tendency. However, in these children the sexual preference could change in adult life, being influenced by future situations and circumstances.

Several studies focus on the psychic development of extremely low birth weight (ELBW) preterm infants and highlight the presence of neurological, cognitive and relating disorders. Several contributions have in fact shown that in these subjects in school age disturbances of cognitive functions may be encountered; in particular, disturbances of specific neuropsychological functions, such as attention defects, impaired visuo-spatial function, memory and language have been reported in subjects with a globally normal intelligence quotient.Forty-three school-aged children were studied (21 males and 22 females). They had a low birth weight (weight between 1,050-2,450 g), the gestation period was between 29 and 32 weeks and they were compared with a control sample whose birth weight was2,500 g. Cognitive development was assessed by a test battery including WISC-R, Zazzo "deux Barrage" Test, Benton Visual Retention Test and Frostig Developmental Test of Visual Perception. Parents were also called in to evaluate how they had experienced the birth of their child and how long the mother had been kept in the clinic.The overall analysis of our study suggests normal cognitive development in these children. No significant diffences were detected in the 2 studied groups. The lack of differences could be associated with the criteria used to select our sample because no children with severe perinatal disorders were included in the study. In addition, a good mother-child relationship seems to have been established in these children and this has certainly contributed to cognitive development adequate to their age.The prognosis of these children is therefore closely related both to the birth weight and, especially, to the difficulties faced in the neonatal age (severe perinatal diseases).

Several studies on the intelligence of children suffering from Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) found impairments in linguistic functions, memory and affective development. Memory deficit mainly involves long-term memory; short-term memory impairment was also present, even if less frequently. Some studies tried to establish a correlation between the distal deletion of the dystrophin gene and low intelligence levels.The present study investigated the cognitive, emotional and relational states in a group of DMD children. The patients were selected on the basis of physical examination, muscle biopsy, histochemical analysis, genetic testing, regular schooling. Molecular genetic testing detected a deletion in 2 high frequency deletion regions in all subjects. The following psychodiagnostic tests were used for assessment: WISC-R, Spontaneous Drawing, Draw-A-Person test, Family Drawing, Thematic Apperception test and Rorschach test.No impairment of the intellectual function was detected in the group of children we examined; only 2 subjects had a total IQ below average. Instead, psychic disorders were detected such as proneness to isolation, self-depreciation, past experiences of marginalization, minor depressive symptoms, insecurity signs, hypochondriac worries and high level of anxiety. In addition children exhibited poor adaptation to the environment and labile affectivity, scarcely controlled by the higher conscious levels.These disorders are often a dynamic prolongation of a psychological process starting when the diagnosis is made and continuing in a slow and latent fashion throughout the evolution of the disease.

The JET-EP antenna is designed to verify the design principles of that proposed for ITER, in relevant plasma conditions. It is intended to launch 7.2 MW of RF power to the plasma of the JET machine during its 'Enhanced Performance' program, at a power density of around 8 MW/m/sup 2/. The antenna comprises two poloidal current straps, each subdivided into four electrically short straps complete with in-vessel capacitors. The antenna is supported via a cantilever support box to the external support structure. This plug-in, through-port type assembly is clamped to the vacuum vessel externally. The antenna itself is fitted remotely. External rails and bellows allow radial positioning of the assembly. Eight capacitors are situated just behind the short antenna current straps. Plug-in replacement of the capacitors is performed through the vacuum vessel port.

Alcohol constitutes one of the main risk factors for the health of the newborn infant and is also one of the leading causes of cognitive deficit. The distinctive pattern of abnormalities that characterizes fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) includes: pre- and postnatal growth retardation, cognitive deficit, behavior and language disorders, cerebral malformations (schizencephaly, polymicrogyria, agenesis of the corpus callosum), facial changes (short palpebral fissures, low nasal bridge, anomalies of the auricle, maxillary hypoplasia, cleft lip and palate) and organ anomalies (heart defects, renal and skeletal malformations). As occurs with any teratogenic agent, the variability of phenotypic expression is wide and depends on dose, gestational stage, duration of exposure, maternal and fetal metabolism and other environmental and genetic factors. This study describes 6 subjects with FAS who express various characteristics of the clinical spectrum of the syndrome.

The FTU machine was designed to operate with circular plasma. A modification of the FTU (FTU-D) load assembly has been studied in order to allow operation with strongly shaped plasmas (R=1 m, a=0.19-0.22 m, elongation k=1.6, triangularity /spl delta/=0.8). The scientific aim of this proposal is the investigation of the so called advanced tokamak operation characterised by the simultaneous achievement of high-/spl beta/ and high bootstrap current fraction in regimes with high energy confinement achieved by current profile control.

The Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU) is now operating in the ohmic phase (I/sub p/ up to 1 MA B/sub t/=6 T) with a poloidal limiter. The large heat flux expected during the 8-MW, 8-GHz LH radio frequency heating experimental phase suggested the design and verification of the feasibility of a toroidal limiter. The analyses were carried out on both stainless steel and graphite. The results obtained demonstrate that the solution providing graphite tiles is much better in terms of mechanical performance and reliability. >

The electromagnetic (EM) loads during plasma disruptions represent one of the main concern for the ITER in-vessel components. To reduce their effects on the mechanical structures some blanket and divertor design changes have been recently introduced. The effectiveness of these changes has been checked for some of the most critical disruption events, centred disruptions and vertical displacement event disruptions. In order to evaluate the contribution to the EM loads of the halo currents as well as of the currents induced by the thermal quench, a plasma model has also been developed.

In the frame of the ITER Engineering Design Activity (EDA), the European Home Team (EU HT), in collaboration with the Joint Central Team (JCT) and the three other HTs, has contributed to the development of a joint water-cooled solid breeder blanket design concept for the ITER Enhanced Performance Phase. In early 1997 the EU HT gradually arrived at a different basic layout characterized in particular by an enhanced degree of overall reactor relevance and then started a rigorous design activity for its validation. The main peculiarities of the EU HT proposal are (i) the use of beryllium in form of a pebble bed, (ii) the adoption of flat radial-poloidal cooling panels, and (iii) the confinement of the breeder pebbles in poloidally oriented circular elements. In addition to the design rationale, this paper describes the main results of the April-September 1997 design activity in the areas of neutronic, thermal, thermal-hydraulic, electromagnetic, structural, thermo-mechanical as well as tritium and safety analyses. A specific sub-section is devoted to the results of an industrial assessment of the blanket module manufacturing and assembly.

The report presents an overview of the main results obtained with the Frascati Tokamak Upgrade (FTU) machine after four years of operation, Information is given on FTU plasma scenarios (plasma start-up, current ramp-up and ramp down), conditioning of the vacuum chamber, plasma performance during ohmic discharges and commissioning work on additional radiofrequency heating systems. Finally, the major FTU modifications and improvements carried out during the last major shutdown are described.

To verify the reliability of the evaluation of the original thought through verbal tests, processed and standardised with reference to different socio-cultural contexts. In this respect we focused our attention on the Torrence Test on Creative Thought (TTCT), considering the trans-cultural studies carried out by Torrence.The analyses were carried out on the linguistic output of 116 subjects attending the 4th and 5th years of primary school, responding to the first verbal activity of the TTCT. For the evaluation of the Italian output, pointing out the Type and Token, morphemes and phrases were considered as basic units. The authors calculated the percentage values of occurrence of phrases, morphemes and grammatical functions. Then they made cross comparisons between the resulting percentage values, found unique morphemes, morphemes recurring only twice, as well as phrases characterised by the presence of the aforesaid typology of words.TTCT prescriptive evaluation: the percentage (41.19%) is in favour of a widespread originality in the phraseological output of our sample. Evaluation of phrases/units according to their statistical frequency: 93.39 and 83.91% respectively of the type/phrases and of the overall phraseological output turned out to consist of unique phrases. Originality: Italian linguistic production is highly original. Analysis of phrases containing unique and double words: the evaluation of Originality according to Torrence's criteria was not adequately confirmed in our sample. Functional analysis: it showed that 23.17 and 41.67% of unique productions acted respectively verbs and as nouns; the only analogies in the comparison between American and Italian productions were pointed out by analyses carried out according to the criterion of the grammatical function of words.The data from this research bring forward the use of tests with verbal contents whose ideational solutions are articulate and complex linguistic propositions, validated on people that are different in terms of lexical structures and reference context, from those on whom the prescriptive criteria are identified and built. With reference to the higher levels of Originality noticed in the Italian linguistic output in comparison with American, the question is still open if they are linked to creative modes of thought or can be referred to specific cultural styles of the Italian language.

This paper summarises the preliminary results of the electromagnetic (EM) analyses for ITER vacuum vessel and in-vessel components, such as blanket and divertor modules. Two disruption scenarios are taken into account: plasma centered disruption, and vertical displacement event (VDE). Eddy currents and forces due to VDE/disruption were calculated using the 3D shell element code TYPHOON and the 3D solid element code EMAS and ANSYS. The plasma motion and current decay used in the EM analysis has been supplied by 2D axisymmetric plasma equilibrium codes, MAXFEA. The EM loads in the blanket module are reduced by deep poloidal and radial slits.

A modification of the FTU tokamak (toroidal field BT = 8T, plasma current IP = 1.6MA, minor radius a = 0.3m, major radius R = 0.93m) is proposed in order to extend the FTU operation to strongly shaped plasmas (FTU-D: R = 1m, a = 0.18 - 0.2m, elongation = 1.6, triangularity up to = 0.8). FTU has a circular vacuum vessel and was built to produce circular plasmas, however unbalancing the currents in the windings of the air core transformer a plasma shaping can be produced. Single Null (SN) and Double Null (DN) equilibria have been studied with a maximum current in the range 0.350-0.450 MA. The scientific aim of the project is the investigation of the advanced tokamak operation, characterised by the simultaneous achievement of high (normalised beta) and high bootstrap current fraction ( fB) in regimes with high-energy confinement obtained by current and pressure profile control. The main features of FTU-D, with respect to other existing tokamaks, are the high magnetic field ( BT = 5 - 2.5T), the high density and aspect ratio value (A = R/a = 5-6) and the possibility of investigating regimes with dominant electron heating.

Whereas the essential components for power generation and transmission on an ITER-sized ICRF plant are readily available, or only require modest extrapolation of present day ICRF systems, the IC launching structure itself is regarded as needing development, validation and convincing demonstration. During the ITER-EDA, the design requirements of the Next Step device have resulted in increasingly higher values for this power density, going from less than 1 MW/m2 with the launcher integrated in the blanket, to presently about 10 MW/m2 for the present ITER, where the launcher is required to fit inside an equatorial port. The presently proposed JET-Enhanced Performance project ITER-like ICRF launcher, due for installation during the 2004 shutdown, mainly features a high power density of about 8 MW/m2 at a relevant coupling of 4 Ohm/m and 1C heating scenarios at frequencies from 30 to 55 MHz for pulses up to 20 seconds with a tolerance to load variations due to ELMs.

Spastic hypertonia with or without athetosis is the main cause of impairment of motor functions. In actual treatments to this condition, it is provided the application of the type A botulinic toxin, which allows the decrease of spasticity and, at the same time, the amelioration of the movement control, reducing the incidence and gravity of contractures.This work relates about the treatment of spasticity with the use of type A botulinic toxin in a group of 18 subjects in evolutive age. Before the treatment and during the follow-up, each clinical case had an objective general test, a neurologic test, a video recording and, at the same time, the administration of the Physician Rating Scale (PRS) to evaluate both pace and amplitude of the circular movement.Ten subjects showed a prominent reduction of hypertonia and contractures, amelioration in ambulating and grievous symptomatology. Eight cases presented a light amelioration; only a case suffered of a temporary hyposthomia. The sensibility of the subject to the toxin can ever since be researched, through the toxin inoculation in a not jet involved distal muscle, and through a following clinical or electromyographic evaluation on the caused effect. This allows to put in evidence the increasing resistance to the toxin after repeated administrations.It is interesting to evaluate the way in which the lives of patients and their parents have been influenced by the disease, and how the use of botulinic toxin may positively interfere on it.

In 1967 a baby was observed who presented post-natal progressive growth deficit, mental retardation, craniofacial dysmorphias and other malformations which didn't form part of the syndromes till then known. However the first description of patients with this combination of anomalies dates back to 1981, when Niikawa and Kuroki described the main clinical signs which characterize the syndromic table. The size and weight deficit is progressive and it reveals itself during the first year of life. The features of the face are like the make-up of kabuki actors, the word from which the denomination comes. The mental retardation is of a slight degree; there is also a retardation in the acquisition of evolutive psychomotor stages. Speech is not very structured, it begins with the first syllables at about three years and remains poor with close, unclear and tied words. Other elements which define the syndrome are: the skeleton anomalies, dermatoglyphic anomalies, cardiological and renal anomalies. The aetiology is still unknown; it is thought that it may be X-linked or autosomal predominant transmission by new mutation. The genetic analysis has shown chromosomic anomalies only in a few cases. The rareness of the syndrome and the unmistakable clinical characteristics which make diagnosis possible leads to a description of three new case. All cases present a post-natal deficit of growth, psychomotor and/or mental retardation, autistic traits, dysmorphic facies, skeleton anomalies, partial epilepsy; two cases present cardiovascular defects. In one case the GH-dependent deficit of size has been corrected by hormonal treatment.

To investigate the antioxidant status of cultured uveal melanocytes from patients with uveal melanoma and uveal melanoma cells to characterize some of the biochemical properties of these cells in respect to the normal cutaneous melanocytes.The fatty acid pattern of membrane phospholipids, intracellular vitamin E level, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase activities were studied in uveal melanocytes (n = 10) and uveal melanoma cell (n = 10) cultures, by gas chromatography mass spectrometry or by spectrophotometer.Among the uveal melanocyte cultures, two groups were differentiated, according to catalase activity: group A with catalase values comparable to those of cutaneous ones and higher SOD activity and group B with catalase values 2 SD lower (P0.001) and lower SOD activity. Vitamin E concentration was not significantly different between melanoma cells and melanocytes, whereas a significantly higher percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids was found in melanoma cells and the B group of melanocytes (P = 0.022). In uveal melanoma cells SOD activity was significantly lower than that detected in uveal melanocytes (P0.005).These results show a different pattern of antioxidants in uveal melanocytes with respect to cutaneous ones, possibly related to the anatomic distribution. However, as in cutaneous melanocytes, two subgroups were identified on the basis of the antioxidant pattern that could be the expression of a constitutional increased susceptibility to oxidative stress in some subjects. Moreover, an imbalance of the antioxidants was observed in melanoma cells, possibly related to the disease status and progression.

The Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS) is characterized by congenital anomalies, mental retardation and the interstitial deletion of the 17p. 11.2 chromosome. The subjects affected by this syndrome show cranio-facial dysmorphias, brachycephalia, skeletal, ocular, cardiac, genitourinary and otolaryngological anomalies. The central nervous system is affected and this may be shown by psychomotor retardation, intellective deficit, electroencephalographic alterations (reduced/missing REM phase); the neuroradiological tests detect megacisterna magna, cerebellar hypoplasia, cortical dysplasia, ventricular asymmetry. Behavioural troubles are frequent and, among them, self-aggressive conducts (tearing out the nails). The syndrome is associated with the interstitial deletion of the 17p. 11.2 chromosome. The diagnosis can be made in the pre-natal period and a mosaic situation is possible. Even though the cases of SMS reported in the literature allow defining a characteristic phenotype, studies have been carried out to quantify the deletion of the chromosome 17 in order to identify the chromosomic tract which is responsible for the phenotypical induction. The deletion can either appear de novo or come from one of the parents. In addition, these subjects can show peripheral neuropathy, missing or reduced deep tendon reflexes and (rarely) epileptic crises. However, by reviewing the literature, no descriptions of patients affected by infant spasms are pointed out. This report refers to a new case of Smith-Magenis syndrome in a nine-month-old girl with spasms in extension.

We performed chromosome microdissection in order to define the "de novo" rearrangement observed in a female patient affected by: frontal microgyria, mild psychomotor retardation, thoracic scoliosis, XIIth rib asymmetry and facial dysmorphisms. Through the use of the micro-FISH we evidenced a deletion of the 3p25pter region and a 4p16.1 duplication. We performed a karyotype-phenotype correlation in our patient and in the ones previously reported in literature which had a 3p25pter deletion or the 4p16 duplication.

To contribute to a better understanding of the role of chromosomal rearrangements in the tumorigenesis of uveal melanoma, we present a case in which a structural aberration of chromosome 3 could indicate the specific region in which an uveal melanoma tumor suppressor gene could be located. We obtained a primary cell culture, characterized by cytogenetic study, through GTG- and CBG-banding techniques by using a mechanical dissection of a tumor sample obtained from an uveal melanoma. Cytogenetic analysis performed in the primary cell culture highlighted the presence of a structural rearrangement involving chromosomes 3 and 22. A t(3;22)(p13;p11) was observed as the only present clonal aberration. The 3p13 breakpoint involved in the aberration observed in our case could be essential in restricting the candidate region for the locus of an uveal melanoma tumor suppressor gene located on chromosome 3.

___

Controversial data have been reported about HLA alleles and susceptibility to melanoma. Our investigation was undertaken to analyze the relationship between HLA alleles distribution in patients with melanoma and susceptibility to the tumor, in order to study the possible correlation between HLA class II DQA1, DQB1 and DRB1 genes involved in immune recognition, and melanoma, usually considered a highly immunogenic tumor. We therefore typed by means of PCR-SSP (sequence-specific primers) 53 Italian patients and 53 healthy random controls coming from the same geographic area. We observed a decrease of all haplotypes bearing DQB1*0301, DQB1*0302 and DQB1*0303 alleles but not of haplotype DRB1*11;DQA1*0501;DQB1*0301. Our results seem to support the hypothesis of a protective role of some DQ3-bearing haplotypic combinations in melanoma.

The ITER divertor outboard channel has to remove about 220 MW out of the 400 MW of the whole divertor. In the normal operation the power is exchanged by radiation leading to average thermal load lower than 1.5 W/m2 and peak load of 5MW/m2. During transient phases, the thermal loads are much more severe: up to 20 MW/m2 for 10s have to be reliably removed. Besides, the eddy current originated during the plasma disruption events generate strong dynamic forces and the divertor components have to resists the neutron irradiation damage. For these reasons, the design of the high heat flux components comes from a trade off made evaluating the thermal hydraulic and thermal mechanical issues of several options. At the end, two solutions are still considered. The reference one is based on a combination of monoblock and flat tile concepts while the full flat tile option is considered as an alternative.

IGNITOR is a compact, high -field tokamak machine. The reference scanarios have been investigated while optimizing the poloidal field system so as to maximize the magnetic flux variation. Two start-up configurations have been verified. A description of the plasma disruption model adopted in the design of the machine is also given.

Using the finite element electromagnetic code EMAS, a single 3-D model, that include all the main in-vessel components of ITER has been developed, with a reasonable number of elements. The electromagnetic loads during plasma fast Centred Disruptions (CD) and during typical Vertical Displacement Event disruptions (VDE) have been evaluated for both the Shielding Blanket Assembly (SBA) and the Divertor Assembly (DA). A 2-D analysis of the ITER Breeding Blanket Assembly (BBA) has been also carried out to account for the very complicate geometry of this structure.

During the current phase of the design of the ITER plasma facing components, a large effort has been dedicated to the definition of a comprehensive set of worst-case plasma abnormal events and to the evaluation of the associated effects on the other side. The paper summarises the results of these studies and illustrates the response of selected in-vessel components to the electromagnetic excitation.

The effect of plasma deformability on vertical instability growth rate has been studied. The model describes an elongated, triangular plasma by a set of circuits that reproduces the same flux surfaces of a given plasma equilibrium. It is shown that in IGNITOR the vertical instability growth rate is higher for deformable than for rigid plasma and that proportional and derivative control feedback can stabilize vertical modes in a wide range of gain parameters. Finally, the dependence of the growth rate and of the safety factor q, on plasma finite displacement is given.

One of the primary goals in medical genetics is a precise clinical definition of chromosomal diseases. This is now possible because of the increased number of case reports and new techniques. A male patient, without a clear-cut syndrome, was cytogenetically investigated. Chromosomal analysis showed a small unidentified bisatellited supernumerary marker. In situ hybridization with a biotin-labeled DNA probe for the chromosome 15 centromere (D15Z1) demonstrated that the marker was derived from chromosome 15. Hybridization with the Prader-Willi Syndrome Cosmid biotinylated probe (localized to band 15q11-q13) showed a signal on both ends suggesting a marker with a symmetrical inv dup(15) and a breakpoint localized in q13. It was then possible to define the karyotype as: 47,XY,+ inv dup(15) (pter-q13::q13-pter). All cases of inv dup(15) reported in the literature were reviewed, paying particular attention to the different breakpoints involved, in order to provide a better clinical definition of this syndrome.

DIOSCUR is a superconducting Tokamak (R=3.7 m, a = 1.05m, kx=2), which at a magnetic field of 7 T can sustain a current of 10 MA. With 50 MW of total power, plasma density and temperature are expected to be close to those of a thermonuclear plasma, so that it would be straighforward to extrapolate the results of DIOSCUR to a reactor. The main goal of the device is to attain steady state operation by solving the problems connected with the handling of heat and particle fluxes on the first walls and an efficient current drive (CD) system. A large degree of flexibility has been emphasized in the DIOSCUR design: this will permit to investigate plasma regimes not yet fully explored in present experiments. Thus DIOSCUR could be both of support and complementary to the ITER programme.

We report cytogenetic studies performed on 20 patients with cutaneous malignant melanoma, characterized by clinical and histological parameters. Cytogenetic analyses were performed on peripheral blood lymphocytes, in order to exclude the presence of constitutional chromosomal aberrations, and on primary cell cultures obtained from neoplastic skin lesions. A metastasis was also cultured in order to characterize chromosome markers. Specific markers found in more than one patient were t(1;14)(q21;q32) and aberrations of the 4q21,8q24 and 10q24q26 regions. The research aims to identify possible subtypes of melanomas related to specific chromosomal markers. It is hoped that this will contribute to understanding of the aetiology and evolution of the disease in order to obtain a more exact classification. We compare our results with the data reported in the literature and discuss the possible role of the cytogenetic analyses in human malignant melanoma.

The wall loads due to fusion alphas as well as neutral beam injection- and ICRF-generated fast ions were simulated for ITER reference scenario-2 and scenario-4 including the effects of ferritic inserts (FIs), test blanket modules (TBMs), and 3D wall with two limiter structures. The simulations were carried out using the Monte Carlo guiding-centre orbit-following code ASCOT. The FIs were found very effective in ameliorating the detrimental effects of the toroidal ripple: the fast ion wall loads are reduced practically to their negligible axisymmetric level. The thermonuclear alpha particles overwhelmingly dominate the wall power flux. In scenario-4 practically all the power goes to the limiters, while in scenario-2 the load is fairly evenly divided between the divertor and the limiter, with hardly any power flux to other components in the first wall. This is opposite to earlier results, where hot spots were observed with 2D wall (Tobita et al 2003 Fusion Eng. Des. 65 561–8). In contrast, uncompensated ripple leads to unacceptable peak power fluxes of 0.5 MW m−2 in scenario-2 and 1 MW m−2 in scenario-4, with practically all power hitting the limiters and substantial flux arriving even at the unprotected first wall components. The local TBM structures were found to perturb the magnetic field structure globally and lead to increased wall loads. However, the TBM simulation results overestimate the TBM contribution due to an over-simplification in the vacuum field. Therefore the TBM results should be considered as an upper limit.

The temperature profiles of tokamak plasmas are obtained from a solution of the generalized Ohm's law, taking into account neoclassical resistivity, bootstrap currents, and nonstationary effects. These profiles have been coupled to a MHD equilibrium code and to a zero-dimensional transport code to simulate time dependent tokamak discharges. In this report, some examples are given of the effect on plasma equilibrium, flux consumption, and fusion plasma performances of strong temperature peaking due to nonstationary conditions. The present approach allows estimates of the current diffusion times inside the plasma volume, when nonstationary effects are taken into account. These estimates have been shown to account both for the temperature profiles and for the stabilization times of monsters and giant sawteeth at JET and have been assumed in the time dependent simulations given in this report.

The GRO1 oncogene (melanoma growth-stimulating activity alpha) has been localized in region 4q21. The involvement of this chromosomal region in clonal aberrations found in primary melanoma cell cultures could have an important role in the etiology and pathogenesis of this tumor. We characterized three primary cell cultures obtained from different patients, each of which showed clonal chromosomal aberrations involving the 4q21 region.