Safety Classification Research Articles

Safety assessment for EU DEMO – Achievements and open issues in view of a generic site safety report

The way to arrive at a licensing phase for a nuclear fusion installation is not straightforward mainly because of the lack of operating experience and of dedicated nuclear regulations. In fact, only small/medium experimental facilities exist with limited licensing processes and only one large experiment, ITER, has obtained a construction license. Therefore, the safety assessment and the preparation of the preliminary safety report is almost a first of a kind for DEMO. Taking advantage of the fission power plants experience and considering to the maximum extent the ITER safety studies, the preparation of a Generic Site Safety Report (GSSR) has begun. It will require some years to be completed; however currently, at the starting point, the strategy to develop it is clear and well defined. This paper considers all the safety issues that will be included in the GSSR because they have been clarified in the frame of the European Workprogramme for DEMO from 2014 up to 2018, and should not be modified in the future, such as the safety requirements for the plant and the systems, the tools to be used for the safety assessment, the procedures for the selection of the reference accidents, and so on. Together with these topics, considered as goals achieved, there are others for which an additional effort is necessary because they do not cover all the expected requirements of the likely licensing procedures applicable for DEMO. A complete spectrum of Design Basis Accidents and Beyond Design Basis Accidents that can determine the risk of releases from the main systems of the power plant is still incomplete together with the safety classification of most of the Structures, Systems and Components, and the feasibility and analyses of some accident mitigation systems. The outcome of this study is the quantification, when possible, of the gap between the results achieved and the goals established in the power plant guidelines. It will help also to qualify the effort required in terms of studies, experiments and human resources to reach a good stage for successful DEMO licensing.

Comparison of simple and complex methods for determining refrigerant/air laminar burning velocities from the pressure rise in constant-volume experiments

Laminar burning velocity is currently one of the metrics for differentiating refrigerant flammability risk per ANSI/ASHRAE Standard 34-2019, Designation and Safety Classification of Refrigerants. Several methods exist for determining laminar burning velocity, and the HVAC&R industry is currently evaluating whether the constant-volume method (CVM) is appropriate for measuring the burning velocity of refrigerants. This study focuses specifically on the different data reduction techniques that can be applied to yield the laminar burning velocity from the pressure rise in CVM experiments. More specifically, simple analytical expressions and more complex numerical models are applied to estimate the mass fraction of burned gas from the pressure rise x(P), which is a requisite for determining burning velocity from the measure pressure. When following the experimental and post-processing recommendations outlined in this paper, one of the simpler methods of estimating x(P) yields R32/air burning velocities that are within 5% of those deduced using the more complex methods of estimating x(P). The method presented can be applied to experimental pressure rise data obtained in both normal gravity and microgravity.

An Open-Access Dataset of Thorough QT Studies Results

Along with the current interest in changes of cardiovascular risk assessment strategy and inclusion of in silico modelling into the applicable paradigm, the need for data has increased, both for model generation and testing. Data collection is often time-consuming but an inevitable step in the modelling process, requiring extensive literature searches and other identification of alternative resources providing complementary results. The next step, namely data extraction, can also be challenging. Here we present a collection of thorough QT/QTc (TQT) study results with detailed descriptions of study design, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamic endpoints. The presented dataset provides information that can be further utilized to assess the predictive performance of different preclinical biomarkers for QT prolongation effects with the use of various modelling approaches. As the exposure levels and population description are included, the study design and characteristics of the study population can be recovered precisely in the simulation. Another possible application of the TQT dataset is the analysis of drug characteristic/QT prolongation/TdP (torsade de pointes) relationship after the integration of provided information with other databases and tools. This includes drug cardiac safety classifications (e.g., CredibleMeds), Comprehensive in vitro Proarrhythmia Assay (CiPA) compounds classification, as well as those containing information on physico-chemical properties or absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) data like PubChem or DrugBank.

Learning From Accidents: Machine Learning for Safety at Railway Stations

In railway systems, station safety is a critical aspect of the overall structure, and yet, accidents at stations still occur. It is time to learn from these errors and improve conventional methods by utilizing the latest technology, such as machine learning (ML), to analyse accidents and enhance safety systems. ML has been employed in many fields, including engineering systems, and it interacts with us throughout our daily lives. Thus, we must consider the available technology in general and ML in particular in the context of safety in the railway industry. This paper explores the employment of the decision tree (DT) method in safety classification and the analysis of accidents at railway stations to predict the traits of passengers affected by accidents. The critical contribution of this study is the presentation of ML and an explanation of how this technique is applied for ensuring safety, utilizing automated processes, and gaining benefits from this powerful technology. To apply and explore this method, a case study has been selected that focuses on the fatalities caused by accidents at railway stations. An analysis of some of these fatal accidents as reported by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) is performed and presented in this paper to provide a broader summary of the application of supervised ML for improving safety at railway stations. Finally, this research shows the vast potential of the innovative application of ML in safety analysis for the railway industry.

Improving Care of Pediatric Behavioral Health Patients and Employee Safety through Quality Collaborative Participation

Background: With limited behavioral health placements, our hospital houses behavioral health patients for extended periods of time. Without a dedicated behavioral health unit and full-time behavioral health staff members, there was no consistent process for the management and care of pediatric behavioral health patients in our facility, a children’s hospital within an adult hospital, within a larger system. This led to patient and employee harm. A review of employee injury reports and days away restricted/transferred (DART) events related to behavioral patients found 5 total reports, 2 DART events, 64 lost days, and 146 restricted days (210 DART days total) between June 2017 and June 2018 (Fig. 1). Methods: Our interdisciplinary behavioral health team created a standardized room safety/preparation checklist, established a template and process for daily individualized safety plans based on the patient’s assigned safety classification, and developed a formalized process for the management of these patients. The facility also supported de-escalation training for all pediatric staff members, providing additional behavioral health education and resources for pediatric nurses and providers. Simultaneously, our facility joined the SPS Employee/Staff Safety: Patient Behavioral Events group. This provided a venue to share our progress and learn from other organizations. Results: After the process rollout in June 2018, 91% of behavioral health patients had individualized safety plans created, ensuring continuity between caregivers and as patients transfer units, and no serious patient harm has been reported. Postintervention employee injury report and DART results between June 2018 and June 2019 were 11 reports received, 1 DART event, 3 lost days, and 28 restricted days (31 DART days total) (Fig. 1). The interdisciplinary team has implemented a process to review pediatric behavioral health cases twice monthly to monitor progress and address opportunities. Our campus adult and system partners have adopted some of these best practices and we continue to share information to spread best practices across both the pediatric and adult population.Fig. 1.: Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital Employee Safety Reported Events and Days Away Restricted/Transferred (DART) Days, June 2017-September 2019/. Graph shows number of events reported per month and number of staff days from work or restricted per month related to violence caused by a behavioral health patient. Preintervention (June 2017 and June 2018), staff reported 5 events, 3 of which were OSHA recordable (TRIR) and 2 of which sustained injuries, resulting in 64 total lost days (days away) and 146 restricted days (210 DART days total). Postintervention between June 2018 and June 2019, 11 event reports were received (a 120% increase). One event was OSHA recordable (a 66% decrease) with the employee reporting sustaining injuries, which resulted in 3 lost days (a 95% decrease), and 28 restricted days (an 80% decrease), for a total of 31 DART days reported (an 80% decrease). CMHH, Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital; DART, days away restricted/transferred; OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Administration; TRIR, Total Recordable Incident Rate.Conclusions/Implications: Through our safety classification and daily safety plans, we have improved the standardization of care for our behavioral health patients. These interventions have reduced variability in care among caregivers and nursing units and provided a process for providers and nursing staff members to communicate and coordinate care for these patients. Decreased variability and improved coordination of care has led to improved competency in caring for this patient population as evidenced by decreased patient and staff member harm. We learned that data collection and regular retrospective chart audits help ensure compliance and timely course correction, stakeholder buy-in is crucial for a project of this magnitude, and the project must be scoped appropriately to continue moving toward goals.

LOAD FLOW ANALYSIS FOR NON COMMERCIAL POWER REACTOR 10 MW ELECTRICAL EMERGENCY POWER SUPPLY

Load flow analysis has been carried out for the emergency power supply system on Non-Commercial Power Reactors. The function of the electric power supply is very important so if there is a failure of the electric power supply it can have an impact on the continuity of the reactor operation. The only emergency diesel generators available are enough to supply the power supply for equipment needs related to the reactor safety system. The RDNK electrical system is designed in such a way that it is able to supply reliable electrical energy to loads consisting of various safety classifications. From the results of the analysis of power flow using ETAP simulation shows that all electrical power requirements related to the reactor safety system can be done properly and safely.

Application Analysis of SSG-30 of International Atomic Energy Agency(IAEA) Safety Classification Principle

The purpose of the safety classification is to ensure that items are designed, manufactured, constructed, tested and operated with appropriate requirements to ensure that items have the appropriate quality under all expected operating conditions and to ensure the realization of safety functions. The Safety Classification of Structures, Systems and Components (SSC) in Nuclear Power Plants (SSG-30) was issued in 2014 by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The principle of the safety classification covers five defense levels of nuclear power plants. It identifies the importance of safety-related items from two dimensions of design provisions and function categorized, considers the requirements of operating conditions and radioactive and operational limits of nuclear power plants, and determines the safety classification of items and related code requirements.

Assessing and Mitigating Impact of Time Delay Attack: Case Studies for Power Grid Controls

Due to recent cyber attacks on various cyber-physical systems (CPSes), traditional isolation based security schemes in the critical systems are insufficient to deal with the smart adversaries in CPSes with advanced information and communication technologies (ICTs). In this paper, we develop real-time assessment and mitigation of an attack's impact as a system's built-in mechanisms. We study a general class of attacks, which we call time delay attack, that delays the transmissions of control data packets in the CPS control loops. Based on a joint stability-safety criterion, we propose the attack impact assessment consisting of (i) a machine learning (ML) based safety classification, and (ii) a tandem stability-safety classification that exploits a basic relationship between stability and safety, namely that an unstable system must be unsafe whereas a stable system may not be safe. In this assessment approach, the ML addresses a state explosion problem in the safety classification, whereas the tandem structure reduces false negatives in detecting unsafety arising from imperfect ML. We apply our approach to assess the impact of the attack on power grid automatic generation control, and accordingly develop a two-tiered mitigation that tunes the control gain automatically to restore safety where necessary and shed load only if the tuning is insufficient. We also apply our attack impact assessment approach to a thermal power plant control system consisting of two PID control loops. A mitigation approach by tuning the PID controller is also proposed. Extensive simulations based on a 37-bus system model and a thermal power plant control system are conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of our assessment and mitigation approaches.

High-Power Testing of Guided-Wave Components for the ITER ECH Upper Launcher at the FALCON Test Facility

Each of the four ITER electron cyclotron heating (ECH) upper launchers (ULs) features eight transmission lines (TLs) made of guided-wave components used to inject 170-GHz microwave power into the plasma at a level of up to 1.31 MW per line, at the TL diamond window unit (DWU). The guided-wave components include a DWU, an isolation valve (IV), waveguides (WGs), and miter bends (MBs). These form part of the first confinement system (FCS) of the ITER UL. They must withstand the nominal mechanical structural stresses, the electromagnetic forces, and the dynamic loads (VDE, MD, and Seismic), while being compatible with the most stringent ITER vacuum and safety classification. Here, we report new results on plans for high-power testing of guided-wave components that the Swiss Plasma Center (SPC) of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL) has developed for the FCS. FALCON is home to testing equipment provided by Fusion for Energy (F4E) and ITER, including an ITER-grade 170-GHz GYCOM gyrotron and a matching optics unit (MOU), an evacuated TL including a power monitor MB (PMMB), a downtaper (DT) to the 50-mm ITER TL diameter, and a matched RF load (RFL). The facility is operated by the SPC.

Opioid Safety and Concomitant Benzodiazepine Use in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients.

Background Opioid use is common in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. However, safety of individual opioids and concomitant benzodiazepine use has not been studied. Objective To study the epidemiology of opioid and concomitant benzodiazepine use in ESRD population. To study the clinical safety profile of individual opioids in patients on hemodialysis. Design Retrospective analysis of the U.S. Renal Data System. A comprehensive review of the current literature was performed to update currently used opioid safety classification. Participants ESRD patients ≥18 years on hemodialysis who were enrolled in Medicare A and B and Part D between 2006 and 2012, excluding those with malignancy. Main Measures Hospital admission with diagnosis of prescription opioid overdose within 30, 60, and 90 days of prescription; death due to opioid overdose. Results Annually, the percentage of patients prescribed any opioid was 52.2%. Overall trend has been increasing except for a small dip in 2011, despite which the admissions due to opioid overdose have been rising. 30% of those who got a prescription for opioids also got a benzodiazepine prescription. 56.5% of these patients received both prescriptions within a week of each other. Benzodiazepine use increased the odds of being on opioids by 3.27 (CI 3.21–3.32) and increased the odds of hospitalization by 50%. Opioids considered safe such as fentanyl and methadone were associated with 3 and 6 folds higher odds of hospitalization within 30 days of prescription. Hydrocodone had the lowest odds ratio (1.9, CI 1.8–2.0). Conclusions Concurrent benzodiazepine use is common and associated with higher risk of hospitalization due to opioid overdose. Possible opioid-associated hospital admission rate is 4-5 times bigger in ESRD population than general population. Current safety classification of opioids in these patients is misleading, and even drugs considered safe based on pharmacokinetic data are associated with moderate to very high risk of hospitalization. We propose a risk-stratified classification of opioids and suggest starting to use them in all ESRD patients.

Analysis of slip safety risk by portable floor slipperiness tester in state institutions

Globally, 50% of occupational accidents occur as a result of falling and/or slipping. The slip safety risk should be determined in order to ensure the safety of people on floor coverings and minimize slips and fall accidents. The risk of slipping has been identified so that people can move safely on floor coverings. In this study, a new safety slip risk scale (SSRS) has been determined in order to move pedestrians on a floor covering more safely. The dynamic friction coefficients (DCOF) were examined with a portable (GMG 200) test device, in accordance with DIN EN 51131 standards, of commercial floor coverings used in state institutions in a wide range of applications over six zones of flooring materials in dry and wet conditions. In the statistical K average clustering (KMC) method, the SSRS was determined by using DCOF data. According to the SSRS, the safety classification of floor coverings were formed by taking the mean of the obtained DCOF data. Finally, when it is imperative to use flooring materials in a dry environment, six zones would be appropriate.

Effects of Road Infrastructure on Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrians represent more than 30% of all of Poland’s road traffic fatalities. This is much higher than the EU average (about 20%). Pedestrian accidents are usually the result of a complex situation and a number of contributing factors involving road users, the road and roadside and the vehicle. Pedestrian accidents are caused by road user error (drivers and pedestrians) and wrong planning and design. Poorly maintained road infrastructure is also a very frequent cause. The objective of the work was to identify risks for pedestrians that involve road infrastructure and roadside and to define how selected elements of geometry and traffic layout affect driver behaviour (speed on approaching pedestrian crossings). The results have helped to formulate recommendations on pedestrian crossing design. The research included an analysis of 2013-2017 statistics to identify the circumstances and causes of pedestrian accidents. Field work at about 2, 000 unsignalized pedestrian crossings was the basis for assessing the safety of these crossings. Assessment criteria were selected and a safety classification was made with specific recommendations made for possible treatments. More field work was designed to measure speeds near pedestrian crossings in three cases: no pedestrians in the crossing area, a pedestrian is approaching a crossing, a pedestrian is waiting to cross the road. The study was conducted in different areas (city, transit roads passing through small towns, non-built-up areas) for different cross-sections (one carriageway and two lanes – 1x2, two carriageways with two or three lanes each – 2x2, 2x3, one carriageway and four lanes – 1x4). The study also looked at speed limits – 50 and 70 km/h. The share of drivers giving way to pedestrians waiting to cross was also assessed. Pedestrians were surveyed and asked about how safe they feel crossing the road. The survey also asked drivers about driver behaviour and use of speed management measures. Statistical analyses show the circumstances and causes of pedestrian accidents. These include driving across a pedestrian crossing illegally, pedestrians stepping onto the road abruptly, night-time, excessive speed and others. Pedestrian crossings are the site of more than 30% pedestrian fatalities which shows the need for treatments. By assessing the hazards caused by road infrastructure near and at pedestrian crossings, the following hazards could be identified: limited sight-distance, poor illumination, excessive speed and no means of speed management, wrong geometry (length of crossing, number of traffic lanes), technical condition of the road and signage. Speed tests near pedestrian crossings show that some 40% of drivers do not observe the speed limits in built-up areas (especially on sections of transit roads passing through small towns and on dual carriageways in urban areas) and 30% do not observe the speed limits on rural roads.

Geo-hydrological and seismic risk awareness at school: Emergency preparedness and risk perception evaluation

One of the targets of the Sendai Framework is to reduce disaster damage to critical infrastructure and the disruption of basic services, particularly in educational facilities, and to develop their resilience. To assess the geo-hydrological and seismic risk awareness in schools in Tuscany (Italy), ad hoc questionnaires were set up. These questionnaires focused on the knowledge of the correct behaviours and procedures during an emergency as well as risk awareness and perception. These questionnaires were different for each school age (from 3 to 19 years old) and were even conceived as a didactic instrument. We distributed 5899 in total (820 to the school staff and 5079 to the students of each school stage), and the analysis shows that, a) as age and responsibilities increase, geo-hydrological and seismic risk awareness and preparation do not increase proportionally, which is almost inadequate for the staff, and b) there is a disconnect between the school evacuation plans and the city civil protection plan. The proposed questionnaires were found to be a good instrument for both disaster education (to increase and improve the level of awareness) and school-resilience evaluation (not only within the Geohazard Safety Classification method) to plan further action and improve it. Therefore, the present study suggests priorities for future school-based emergency management efforts, i.e., to increase school resilience and develop a resilience culture in the community. It is necessary to improve the dissemination of information on the local geo-hydrological and seismic hazards and ensure a link among the different emergency plans.

Social media monitoring on the perceived safety of medication use during pregnancy: A case study from the Netherlands.

AimsAn increasing number of women trust the Internet for information about medication safety during pregnancy. This study aimed to evaluate the availability and accuracy of social media content on the perceived safety of medication use in pregnancy.MethodsWe performed a systematic search of posts related to medication safety during pregnancy in the Dutch language published on social media, blogs and forums between May 2011 and April 2016 using Coosto, a tool for social media monitoring. The perceived safety in the posts was compared with the Dutch Teratology Information Service (TIS) safety classifications.ResultsWe included 1224 online posts, which described 1441 scenarios about medication safety in pregnancy. A total of 820 (57%) scenarios were in line with the TIS classification. Incorrect perception was higher for prescription medication compared to medication available over‐the‐counter (60 vs 25%). Furthermore, the safety classification of medications with a TIS classification on strict indication or second‐line drugs (93%) and medications with insufficient knowledge on their safety during pregnancy (76%) was more likely to be incorrectly perceived by the public compared to medications with the TIS classification safe (24%).ConclusionsSocial media monitoring may be useful for surveillance of potentially unsafe use of medications in pregnancy. Many social posts related to medication safety during pregnancy provide inaccurate information. As this information may affect women's perceptions and decisions, accurate communication between healthcare providers and pregnant women regarding the benefits and risks of medications is vital.

Human-Interaction-aware Adaptive Functional Safety Processing for Multi-Functional Automotive Cyber-Physical Systems

The functional safety research for automotive cyber-physical systems (ACPS) has been studied in recent years; however, these studies merely consider the change in the exposure of the functional safety classification and assume that the driver’s controllability in the functional safety classification is always fixed and uncontrollable. In fact, the driver’s controllability is variable during the runtime phase, such that the execution process of safety-critical automotive functions is a human-interaction-aware process between the driver and ACPS. To adapt to the changes in the driver’s controllability, this article studies the human-interaction-aware adaptive functional safety processing for multi-functional ACPS in two main phases. In the design phase, where the driver’s controllability is fixed at the highest level (i.e., C3), we obtain the approximate optimal priority sequence of safety-critical functions without exhausting all sequences by proposing the refined exploration method. In the runtime phase, where the driver’s controllability level is variable (i.e., C0, C1, C2, or C3), we propose the human-interaction-aware task remapping method to autonomously respond to the change of the driver’s controllability. Examples and experiments confirm that the proposed adaptive functional safety processing can reduce overall task redundancy of safety-critical automotive functions while meeting their functional safety requirements, shorten the overall response time of safety-critical automotive functions, and increase the slack time for non-safety-critical automotive functions.

R&D status of the Indian test facility for ITER diagnostic neutral beam characterization

The Indian test facility (INTF) is a R&D facility under development at the Institute for Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, as part of the neutral beam development from negative ion source program. The major advantage of the INTF, besides developing beams from large ion sources, is to characterize and benchmark the ITER diagnostic neutral beam (DNB) to the desired specifications over transport lengths of ~21 m, a unique feature of this test bed. Such a study will establish the expected power to be delivered by DNB into the ITER plasma, an important parameter to estimate the S/N ratio expected from the He ash measurements by charge exchange recombination spectroscopy. It may be noted that DNB is a procurement package for India as an in-kind contribution to ITER. Extensive physics and thermomechanical calculations have been performed to finalize the component design and layout. Adequate choice of materials, and manufacturing and jointing processes compatible to ITER safety standards have been made in order to make the components adhere to the safety and quality classification, thereby ensuring that the components survive the ITER lifetime while operating in harsh nuclear environments. The components are currently in various phases of manufacturing, and the first operations of the INTF are anticipated in Q4 of 2019.

LASER toy-induced macular burn: An illustrative case

Introduction: Light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation (LASER) toys are widely available in the market with no clear information about their wavelength and hazardous effects. To be safe to the eyes, LASER should be classified <3b (according to international safety classification). Case History: We here report an illustrative case of macular injury post LASER toy direct exposure. A 12-year-old boy, previously known hypermetrope with left-eye (LE) amblyopia, presented complaining of drop of vision in the right eye (RE) after his colleague pointed a LASER toy directly over his RE. His corrected visual acuity (VA) was 5/60 (amblyopic) in the LE and 6/18 in the RE. The anterior segment was normal in both eyes. Fundus examination showed the LE to be normal, and the RE had a macular yellowish, oval-shaped lesion. Optical coherence tomography and fundus picture revealed central macular burn. Local and systemic corticosteroids were prescribed tapering over 9 days. After 1-week, the patient noticed some improvement in VA in RE to 6/9. Conclusion: LASER toys available in several markets are reported to be vision threatening and cause macular burn which responds partially to corticosteroids. More education and strict regulation of distribution and use of LASER toys and instruments is urgently needed.

Safety important classification of EU DEMO components

The identification of structures, systems and components (SSCs) performing safety functions is of paramount importance for an EU DEMO development in all phases of the project: design, fabrication, commissioning, operation, maintenance, inspections and tests. Early identification of safety relevant SSCs contributes in the correct definition of systems requirements, preliminary layout and design integration. It may also be exploited as a supporting criterion for selection among the plant variants, e.g. alternative blanket concepts. Those SSCs assigned to a safety importance class (SIC) will receive adequate attention during the different developing phases.A graduation of safety important SSCs is adopted for DEMO on the basis of the IAEA Guide No. SSG-30, on SSCs classification. Three safety importance classes (SIC-1, SIC-2 and SIC-3) are assigned on the basis of: a) the consequences the loss of the safety function could lead to, b) the involvement of the SSCs in preventing, detecting or mitigating incident or accident and, c) the involvement of the SSCs in bringing and maintaining the plant in a safe state. In this paper, the provisional safety classification of the Primary Heat Transfer System (PHTS) related to the Helium Cooled Pebble Bed (HCPB) and Water Cooled Lithium Lead (WCLL) blankets of DEMO is presented.

超高水压电力越江盾构隧道结构监测

针对特高压GIL综合管廊工程地层分布复杂、外部水压力高、隧道断面尺寸大等特点，提出了一种适用于电力越江盾构隧道的结构健康监测方案及安全评价标准。根据电力越江盾构隧道结构受力的特点，对水土压力、钢筋应力、螺栓轴力、接缝张开量、隧道沉降等进行监测，取钢筋应力、接缝张开和螺栓轴力为安全分级控制值，制定了4级评价标准。 Considering the complex stratum, high water pressure and large section in the Sutong GIL power gallery project, a structure health monitoring and safety assessment method is adopted for electric power cross-river shield tunnel. According to the characteristics of the structure mechanical behavior of the electric power cross-river shield tunnel, the earth and water pressure, reinforce-ment stress, bolt axial force, joint splaying amount and tunnel settlement are monitored, the rein-forcement stress, joint splaying amount and bolt axial force are taken as safety classification control values and an evaluation criterion with 4 levels is proposed.

Investigation of Nrf2, AhR and ATF4 Activation in Toxicogenomic Databases.

Toxicological responses to chemical insult are largely regulated by transcriptionally activated pathways that may be independent, correlated and partially or fully overlapping. Investigating the dynamics of the interactions between stress responsive transcription factors from toxicogenomic data and defining the signature of each of them is an additional step toward a system level understanding of perturbation driven mechanisms. To this end, we investigated the segregation of the genes belonging to the three following transcriptionally regulated pathways: the AhR pathway, the Nrf2 pathway and the ATF4 pathway. Toxicogenomic datasets from three projects (carcinoGENOMICS, Predict-IV and TG-GATEs) obtained in various experimental conditions (in human and rat in vitro liver and kidney models and rat in vivo, with bolus administration and with repeated doses) were combined and consolidated where overlaps between datasets existed. A bioinformatic analysis was performed to refine pathways' signatures and to create chemical activation capacity scores to classify chemicals by their potency and selectivity of activation of each pathway. With some refinement such an approach may improve chemical safety classification and allow biological read across on a pathway level.