The UK's Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR)has published its assessment of the Periodic Safety Review (PSR) for Hunterston B in Ayrshire and Hinkley Point B in Somerset, alongside an update of EDF Energy Nuclear Generation's (NGL) revised graphite core safety case. Hunterston B and Hinkley Point B are Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors (AGRs) that both started up in 1976 and are scheduled to close in 2023.

In a statement on 24 February, ONR confirmed that EDF had carried out an adequate PSR for the two plants - HNB and HPB- and said it had accepted EDF's revised graphite core safety case for both sites, but had included recommendations as part of this acceptance.

To comply with a nuclear site licence, a periodic review - a comprehensive study of plant safety - is carried out every ten years to justify continued safe operations. This requirement means that the site licence company regularly reviews and reassesses safety at nuclear sites, making improvements where necessary.

The revised safety case provides new limits and conditions of operation in response to key-way root cracking of the graphite in the core, which is an expected part of the aging process as reactors get closer to their 'end of life'. Acceptance of the safety case is also reliant on a revised inspection and monitoring strategy.

Chief Nuclear Inspector Richard Savage said: "From our extensive review of the safety case processes and procedures, we confirm that EDF has justified future operations for the period through to end of generation (currently 2023) and defueling/decommissioning activities to 2027.

However, ONR said confirmation is subject to operations being supported by a "detailed understanding" of the condition of the core at each reactor.

"Our assessments in a range of technical disciplines, along with our frequent specialist inspections, and discussions with external experts, led ONR to make a number of recommendations with the aim of improving future safety cases. This includes the requirement for NGL to prepare a safety case for the graphite core, defining the safety limits marking end-of-generation."

A total of 15 regulatory assessments were commissioned covering the following topic areas: Structural Integrity; Mechanical Engineering; Civil Engineering; Electrical Engineering; Control and Instrumentation; Chemistry; Graphite; Fuel Safety; Internal Hazards; External Hazards; Fault Studies; Human Factors; Leadership and Management for Safety; Radioactive Waste Management and Decommissioning; and Radiological Protection.

In November 2015, EDF Energy said it had found cracks in three of the graphite bricks in unit 3 of its Hunterston B plant. Similar cracks were found in October 2014 in two of the graphite bricks of unit 4. In both cases, the company said the cracks had no safety implications.

Hunterston B is a nuclear licensed site operating two Advanced Gas-cooled Reactors - units 3 and 4. The graphite core of each of the reactors is made up of around 6000 graphite bricks - 3000 of these are the graphite bricks containing fuel channels - which are all connected together. Graphite ageing is one area used to determine the lifespan of an AGR nuclear power station. Greater understanding of the ageing process by sampling and modelling can lead to them operating safely for longer, giving the UK secure and reliable low-carbon electricity, the company has said.

The ONR said in its report the fundamental nuclear safety requirements of the graphite core are affected by the two principal ageing and degradation mechanisms affecting the HPB/HNB graphite bricks; graphite weight loss and irradiation induced dimensional change. The stresses within the graphite bricks later in life can result in cracks originating from the key-ways on the periphery of the bricks, known as key-way root cracking (KWRC). This is of nuclear safety concern because it potentially affects the functioning of the keying system of the core, which holds the bricks in alignment, the regular said. Along with the graphite weight loss, the progression of KWRC will probably determine the lifetime of the reactors, it added.

"The rate of KWRC was however uncertain, due to the differences in irradiation between bricks and the variability in the material properties of the bricks. NGL had attempted to derive the rate of cracking from statistical analyses. The PSR3 submission, based on mid-2014 data, predicted KWRC in 2019. However, the first KWRC was observed at HNB in 2015," the report said.

"Continued operation of HPB/HNB reactors is now supported by NGL's safety case NP/SC 7716 which sets an operational limit of 20% cracking in the core. The justified period of operation of each reactor at HPB/HNB is therefore dependent upon the findings from the inspections at each outage," it added.

A significant nuclear safety concern for operation beyond the onset of KWRC was the ability to safely shutdown the core during a seismic event. ONR said that, in addressing the concern, NGL identified and implemented a series of "reasonably practicable modifications" to the plant, such as establishing diverse shutdown capability of the core, in order to support plant life extension.

Inspection will "play a crucial role in supporting the period of safe operation of the reactor in late life," the regulator said, adding that certain improvements are necessary, such as the development of a capability to measure the condition of control rod channels. NGL should develop improved inspection and monitoring technology; in particular equipment capable of performing visual inspection and dimensional measurements of control rod channels, it said.

NGL's damage tolerance assessment was focused on brick cracking but ONR noted that the assessment had not yet defined a limit on the graphite channel bore distortion, nor channel bow or tilt.

"Given that these parameters were measures of changes in the geometry of the graphite channel hence bear direct influence on the normal operation, ONR considered that it would ultimately be necessary for a safety limit, end-of-life criteria, on the change of the channel shape to be substantiated in NGL's safety case, the regulator said.

NGL should determine end-of-life criteria for the reactors. This is likely to include measures of core distortion as well as numbers and morphology of cracks, it said.

For the "late life operation" of the graphite core, NGL needed to demonstrate the geometry of the control rod channels would be maintained to ensure "free and unimpeded" control rod insertion in normal operation, fault and seismic conditions. "Due to the significant uncertainties in graphite ageing with irradiation and weight loss, [we] considered that NGL should review the scope of its damage tolerance assessment, following each outage," ONR said.

Researched and written by World Nuclear News

Continued here:
EDF Energy graphite review gets regulatory guidance - World Nuclear News

HOW to lose fat quickly, according to experts.

GETTY

You know how it goes.

Your weight loss journey will always begin with the best intentions.

Youll cut out all the excess junk, go to the gym more often and the weight will start to slide off. But restricting yourself is a hard lifestyle to keep up.

Rather than crash dieting, you can make a few small tweaks to your current diet and exercise plan that will help you lose more fat and keep it off.

20 fat-burning foods that help you lose weight

1 / 20

Avacodo - includes monosaturated fatty acids that are more likely to be used as slow burning energy than stored as body fat

1. Eat more regularly

Eating every three to four hours can help prevent fat gain as it will give your body long-lasting energy and stop hunger and cravings that will make you reach for the chocolate.

Make sure your meals are filled with fruit and vegetables, as well as whole grains and lean protein.

The six best carbs for weight loss revealed

Khloe Kardashian inspires woman's seven stone weight loss

Gemma Collins shows off her weight loss in black dress

2. Do interval training

High-intensity interval training (HIIT) has been proven to promote fast weight loss.

The exercise which consists of short bursts of exercise with quick rest periods in between lead to a spiked heart rate which burns more calories.

Co-founder of SoHo Strength Lab Albert Matheny told Mens Health that the best kind of interval training to do is a Tabata-style workout which will boost your metabolism.

This kind of workout involves 20 seconds of intense exercise like burpees followed by a 10 second rest. You will do this for 20 minutes with five different exercises lasting four minutes each.

3. Strength train three times per week

Muscle mass will increase the speed of your metabolism and building muscle mass through weight training will increase how many calories you burn, Albert said.

He suggested doing three or four sets of squats, lunges, bench presses, bicep curls and tricep pull downs. Increase your weight when your current weight becomes too easy to lift.

LDN Muscle founder Tom Exton shows off his shredded body

1 / 18

4. Make sure youre getting enough sleep

A study published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine found those who sleep for eight and a half hours a night for two weeks lost twice as much weight than those who slept just five an a half hours per night even though both followed the same diet and workout plan.

This is because sleeping helps to keep your hunger hormones like leptin and ghrelin at bay so youre not waking up craving bacon.

More here:
Experts reveal the four best ways to lose fat fast - Daily Star

Want to drop the pounds but don't have the time to create the balanced meals your body needs? Now you can just pick up your healthy meals off the shelves in selected supermarkets, courtesy of Complete Nutrition Care (CNC).

CNC seeks to provide Jamaicans with a wholesome, healthy lifestyle through customised meal packages, diet counselling and suggested exercise regimes to improve the quality of life of their clients.

"Our meals are well balanced, nutritious, hence the tag line Meta-Balance 360, and provide the right caloric intake based on a complete assessment of clients' needs," Janet Rankine told Food.

Rankine started customising meal plans for individual clients in 2014 and has now taken her business to the next level, making pre-packaged meals as well as snacks.

Rankine has a genuine desire to improve the lives and welfare of those around her after seeing an increase in non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes. She noted that many have resorted to making unwise food choices due to time constraints.

Rankine conducted a market survey to see exactly what was in demand and found that more individuals sought frozen pre-packaged meals that had a shelf life for up to six months once kept frozen. So while they geared their planning towards three main daily meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) with healthy snacks inbetween, she takes her customers' opinions seriously, thus using their input to help fine-tune her products.

Supermarkets will have frozen meals - complete with protein, staples and vegetables, perfect for lunch or dinner. These dishes are prepared without oil, are low in fat, high in fibre, low in cholesterol, use all-natural seasoning, properly portioned, and do not interact with the glycemic level.

Snacks like mixed nuts will also be available. These are best between meals to prevent the body reacting to 'starvation', thus increasing one's metabolic rate, allowing one to lose weight quickly.

CNC has already been lauded for its good work, having received the New Manufacturer of the Year Award for 2015-2016 from the Jamaica Manufacturers' Association. They also will be providing meals for TVJ's new weight-loss programme 'Losing it'. But with all this growth, what means the most to Rankine is the results of her clients.

CNC is always available for consultation at various locations in Kingston, including Endocrinology Diabetes and Associates, Farico Medical, and Constant Spring Medical; and in Portmore - Greater Portmore Medical Centre, Portmore Medical Service and CNC Diet Centre at 1477 Cumberland Boulevard, Cumberland. They also still do deliveries of meals for free at convenient locations in and around the Corporate Area.

Janet Rankine Henry

(MPH, BSC, D/N)

General Manager

Complete Nutrition Care

Diet Centre

Email: info@

cncdietcentre.com

Website:

http://www.cncdietcentre.com

Link:
CNC makes ready-made meals on the go - Jamaica Gleaner

When you're trying to lose weight, get into shape or manage a condition like type 2 diabetes, it can be confusing to choose from the 20 different diets that all promise superb health and massive weight loss.

One diet that has gained popularity of late is the ketogenic diet, also known as the 'keto diet', a strict low carb, high fat way of eating.

To find out more about the keto diet, The Huffington Post Australia spoke to two health experts.

"The keto diet is basically a very low-carb diet to encourage the body to use fat as fuel instead of glucose," nutritionist Fiona Tuck told HuffPost Australia. "The lower the carbohydrate intake, the quicker the body enters a fat burning state."

The diet promotes eating fewer than 50 grams of carbohydrates a day to encourage the body into a state of ketosis, where the body is almost completely fuelled by fat (rather than glucose in the form of carbohydrates).

"When we dramatically limit carbohydrate intake, the body needs to look for an alternate fuel source, calling on the body to convert its supply of fat to glucose, a process called ketosis," Tuck said.

"Ketosis produces ketone bodies which are produced from the breakdown of fats in the liver. When the body calls on fat stores to supply energy, we lose weight.

"Some keto diets promote as little as 15-20 grams of carbohydrates a day. Carbohydrates are contained in a variety of foods such as bread, rice, pasta, whole grains, fruits and starchy vegetables."

According to nutritionist Anthony Power, by drastically reducing cabrohydrates in the diet, increasing fat and pushing the body into ketosis, the body uses a more stable source of fuel.

"The ketogenic diet is producing an alternative fuel for the body, not fuelling primarily on glucose from carbohydrates. It's fuelling on the breakdown of fat. We don't need outside glucose," Power said.

"A few thousand years ago, the body needed to be able to breakdown our own fat, or fat in animal products, to fuel our brain and body. And it did that by ketones."

Fat also has a much smaller impact on blood sugar levels, Power added, especially compared to carbohydrates and protein.

While giving up carbs sounds like an impossible feat, there are two significant pros for the ketogenic diet.

"The positives -- it's a quick and reliable way to lose weight quickly," Tuck said. "So it's better suited to someone that needs to lose weight quickly in a short period of time. For example, a morbidly obese person in need of medical intervention."

Because fat does not impact insulin the way carbohydrates too, Power said the ketogenic diet is ideal for people who are diabetic or insulin resistant. Research is proving this to be effective, too.

"The World Health Organisation currently estimates that 400 million people worldwide have diabetes -- nearly half a billion people," Power said. "Why? Because eating carbohydrates (which converts to glucose) then increases our blood sugar, increases our insulin, leads to weight gain and eventually heart disease and diabetes.

"The majority of patients I use the ketogenic diet for are diabetics, those with heart disease and gastrointestinal tract issues (reflux, constipation, bloating), and they've had great results when they reduce their carbohydrates."

According to Tuck, following a ketogenic diet can be potentially damaging to health, particularly in terms of nutritional deficiencies.

"If followed under medical supervision for a short period of time, it can be very successful. However, long term is not recommended due to potential side effects," Tuck said.

"Side effects of a long term ketogenic diet can include muscle loss, dizziness, loss of mental clarity and focus, kidney damage and acidosis.

"Cutting out food groups for a long period of time may also put the body at risk of nutritional deficiencies. Limiting carbohydrate intake means a higher fat and protein intake, leading to possible over-consumption of saturated fats and proteins."

Due to the strict nature of the diet, following a ketogenic diet can also be isolating and unsustainable.

"Cutting out carbohydrates to the degree that is required for the body to go into ketosis makes the diet very limited and potentially antisocial to follow," Tuck said.

Before starting any diet, it's important to see a GP, particularly those with health conditions, who are elderly, pregnant, on medication and who have a high intensity job and rely on mental alertness or physical exertion.

"Whatever diet you start, do it for a reason and have an endpoint," Power explained.

And if you don't need to diet, don't.

"If you're getting along fine in terms of the food you're eating, your body is not inflamed, you're not diabetic, you're not overweight, then terrific. But for those 400 million patients in the world today, putting them on a carbohydrate restricted diet works."

The main principles of the keto diet is a reduction of carbs to 50 grams or fewer, and an increase in fats.

"The ideal fat is grass-fed meat and butter, olive oil, avocado, oily fish, nuts and seeds -- not having mountains of highly processed vegetable oils or margarine that have been highly treated," Power said.

A person can check whether they're actually in a state of ketosis through urine testing strips as well as through blood and breath tests.

Power does warn people against starting the ketogenic diet without supervision or properly researching (researching online for 10 minutes doesn't count).

"That's the problem. Patients can feel pretty bad -- achy, irritable, poor sleep, cramping," Power told HuffPost Australia. "But they haven't increased their sodium, potassium or magnesium.

"When you go on a ketogenic diet, your body does change, including levels of electrolytes, potassium, sodium and magnesium. You're changing in a positive way but for many patients, for the first few weeks (especially those who are diabetic or have blood sugar issues) you have to really monitor it."

Even still, the ketogenic diet may not work for you.

"Everyone responds differently. You may lose 30 kilos, your best friend may lose three kilos and feel horrible. It's such an individual thing," Power said.

"It's not 'no carbohydrates' forever. It's just finding what amount is good for you and finding that sweet spot."

ALSO ON HUFFPOST AUSTRALIA

Read more here:
Here's A Simple Explainer On The Ketogenic Diet - Huffington Post Australia

Fitbit Pitfalls: Electronic Tracking Devices May Not Provide Increased Weight Loss Benefits Endocrinology Advisor Calorie tracker apps are often superior to fitness apps when it comes to increasing weight loss. I have noted an increase over the last few years in wearable electronic fitness-tracking devices on my patients. These gadgets measure data such as the ... and more »

Original post:
Fitbit Pitfalls: Electronic Tracking Devices May Not Provide Increased Weight Loss Benefits - Endocrinology Advisor

Julie, who is on TLC show My Extreme Excess Skin, also avoids sex with husband Mike

A MUM who shed nearly 13 stone after having gastric bypass surgery has told how she still hates her body because of the piles of excess skin and its driving a wedge between her and her family.

Self-confessed emotional eater Julie, from Menifee, California, once tipped the scales at 23st 9lb.

TLC UK

The mum-of-four had always been large, but her weight spiralled out of control as she struggled to shed her baby weight.

Julie has now shed12st 10lb with the help of weight loss surgery, but admits she is still unhappy with the way her body looks.

Speaking on TLC show My Extreme Excess Skin, Juliesaid she even tells her youngest child, son Jake, not to touch her because she still feels so uncomfortable with her body.

TLC UK

TLC UK

While Julie also avoids sex with husband Mike, despite him saying: Julie is the most beautiful person I know inside and out, and I just want to be affectionate with her.

Julie explains: Because of the skin, I feel like I cant be the wife that I want to be.

My husband knows that I come up with reasons to avoid intimacy until he goes to sleep.

I dont have that drive or that motivation to be intimate with my husband because I dont want him to see me naked. And that takes a toll on our relationship.

I also feel like I cant be the best mum that I want to be for my kids. I dont like it when my kids touch my skin.

My son for example, Jake, loves to rub and touch my arms and I have to shove him off and tell him no Jake dont touch mummy.

You dont ever want to tell your kids dont touch me. It just feels me with guilt.

The skin makes me feel distant from my whole family. Its a constant reminder that I was the fat girl, fat friend, fat wife, fat mum.

And as long as I have the skin, that will never change because I cant even hide it.

I just hate my body and no matter how hard I try there is no covering up this skin.

As long as its there, you can see it. And I gave up trying to hide it because I cant.

Its miserable and Ill never live the fulfilling life that I feel like I deserve. I need skin removal surgery, or Im never going to feel comfortable in my skin.

Julies is a common problem shared by many people who lose weight quickly.

Celebs including Lisa Riley and Big Brother star Josie Gibson also had operations to lose their excess skin.

TLC UK

TLC UK

Julie, who has surgery to remove her sagging skin in the TLC show, adds: "When I look in the mirror, all I can see is loose skin. It makes me feel kind of like a freak.

"Im desperate to have the skin removed because it just makes me feel really guilty and ashamed.

"I am happy that Ive lost massive amounts of weight, but Im not happy with the way that my body looks.

"I never thought that I would have this much skin after the weight loss. You get sweat underneath all of this right here, and it causes rashes.

"I try to deal with it by powdering but it doesnt matter how much you powder up, you feel unclean.

"Its just something that really holds me back because you have all this skin and you have to cover it constantly just to feel some semblance of normalcy.

"Whatever I try to hide it, its always there, its like a constant reminder of the abuse and neglect of my body."

My Extreme Excess Skin airs on Thursdays at 10pm on TLC.

Original post:
Woman who lost almost 13 stone is left unable to hug her 4 kids because she can't stand them touching her excess skin - The Sun