Supply assurance in the nuclear fuel cycle

Errata sheet inserted.The economic, technical and political issues which bear on the security of nuclear fuel supply internationally are addressed. The structure of international markets for nuclear fuel is delineated; this includes an analysis of the political constraints on fuel availability, especially the connection to supplier nonproliferation policies. The historical development of nuclear fuel assurance problems is explored and an assessment is made of future trends in supply and demand and in the political context in which fuel trade will take place in the future. Finally, key events and policies which will affect future assurance are identified.U.S. Dept. of Energy Contract no. 426365-S

Nuclear fuel assurance : origins, trends, and policy issues

The economic, technical and political issues which bear on the security of nuclear fuel supply interna- tionally are addressed. The structure of international markets for nuclear fuel is delineated; this includes an analysis of the political constraints on fuel availability, especially the connection to supplier nonproliferation policies. The historical development of nuclear fuel assurance problems is explored and and assessment is made of future trends in supply and demand and in the political context in which fuel trade will take place in the future. Finally, key events and policies which will affect future assurance are identified.Prepared for the U.S. Dept. of Energy through Associated Universities, inc., Contract no. 426365-S

Social cost factors and the development of photovoltaic energy systems

Prepared for the United States Dept. of Energy.This report presents the results of a social cost evaluation of three prospective photovoltaic electricity supply technologies. The technologies-based on cadmium sulfide, silicon, and gallium arsenide--are compared with each other and with coal in three categories of direct social impacts: occupational and public health and environmental effects. Indirect impacts, due to opportunity costs and benefits, or to health or other effects of use of material, labor or energy itself, are also considered. Special attention is given to regulatory issues that will arise in connection with these social costs and to their potential importance to government programs and commercial development

Nuclear Charge Radius of 12^{12}Be

The nuclear charge radius of $^{12}$Be was precisely determined using the technique of collinear laser spectroscopy on the $2s_{1/2}\rightarrow 2p_{1/2, 3/2}$ transition in the Be$^{+}$ ion. The mean square charge radius increases from $^{10}$Be to $^{12}$Be by \delta ^{10,12} = 0.69(5) \fm^{2} compared to \delta ^{10,11} = 0.49(5) \fm^{2} for the one-neutron halo isotope $^{11}$Be. Calculations in the fermionic molecular dynamics approach show a strong sensitivity of the charge radius to the structure of $^{12}$Be. The experimental charge radius is consistent with a breakdown of the N=8 shell closure.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

Evidence for a functional role of the second C5a receptor C5L2

During experimental sepsis in rodents after cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), excessive C5a is generated, leading to interactions with C5aR, loss of innate immune functions of neutrophils, and lethality. In the current study, we have analyzed the expression of the second C5a receptor C5L2, the putative â defaultâ or nonsignaling receptor for C5a. Rat C5L2 was cloned, and antibody was developed to C5L2 protein. After CLP, blood neutrophils showed a reduction in C5aR followed by its restoration, while C5L2 levels gradually increased, accompanied by the appearance of mRNA for C5L2. mRNA for C5L2 increased in lung and liver during CLP. Substantially increased C5L2 protein (defined by binding of 125Iâ antiâ C5L2 IgG) occurred in lung, liver, heart, and kidney after CLP. With the use of serum ILâ 6 as a marker for sepsis, infusion of antiâ C5aR dramatically reduced serum ILâ 6 levels, while antiâ C5L2 caused a nearly fourfold increase in ILâ 6 when compared with CLP controls treated with normal IgG. When normal blood neutrophils were stimulated in vitro with LPS and C5a, the antibodies had similar effects on release of ILâ 6. These data provide the first evidence for a role for C5L2 in balancing the biological responses to C5a.Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154410/1/fsb2fj043424fje.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154410/2/fsb2fj043424fje-sup-0040.pd

Comparative susceptibility of mosquito populations in North Queensland, Australia to oral infection with dengue virus.

Dengue is the most prevalent arthropod-borne virus, with at least 40% of the world's population at risk of infection each year. In Australia, dengue is not endemic, but viremic travelers trigger outbreaks involving hundreds of cases. We compared the susceptibility of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes from two geographically isolated populations to two strains of dengue virus serotype 2. We found, interestingly, that mosquitoes from a city with no history of dengue were more susceptible to virus than mosquitoes from an outbreak-prone region, particularly with respect to one dengue strain. These findings suggest recent evolution of population-based differences in vector competence or different historical origins. Future genomic comparisons of these populations could reveal the genetic basis of vector competence and the relative role of selection and stochastic processes in shaping their differences. Lastly, we show the novel finding of a correlation between midgut dengue titer and titer in tissues colonized after dissemination

Regulatory role of C5a in LPS-induced IL-6 production by neutrophils during sepsis

Peer Reviewedhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154469/1/fsb2fj030708fje-sup-0001.pdfhttps://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/154469/2/fsb2fj030708fje.pd

Nearby early-type galaxies with ionized gas. The UV emission from GALEX observations

We present GALEX far-ultraviolet (FUV, $\lambda_{eff}$=1538 \AA) and near-ultraviolet (NUV, $\lambda_{eff}$=2316 \AA) surface photometry of 40 early-type galaxies (ETGs) selected from a wider sample of 65 nearby ETGs showing emission lines in their optical spectra. We derive FUV and NUV surface brightness profiles, (FUV-NUV) colour profiles and D$_{25}$ integrated magnitudes. We extend the photometric study to the optical {\it r} band from SDSS imaging for 14 of these ETGs. In general, the (FUV-NUV) radial colour profiles become redder with galactocentric distance in both rejuvenated ($\leq 4$ Gyr) and old ETGs. Colour profiles of NGC 1533, NGC 2962, NGC 2974, NGC 3489, and IC 5063 show rings and/or arm-like structures, bluer than the body of the galaxy, suggesting the presence of recent star formation. Although seven of our ETGs show shell systems in their optical image, only NGC 7135 displays shells in the UV bands. We characterize the UV and optical surface brightness profiles, along the major axis, using a Sersic law. The Sersic law exponent, $n$, varies from 1 to 16 in the UV bands. S0 galaxies tend to have lower values of $n$ ($\leq5$). The Sersic law exponent $n=4$ seems to be a watershed: ETGs with $n>4$ tend to have [$\alpha$/Fe] greater than 0.15, implying a short star-formation time scale. We find a significant correlation between the FUV$-$NUV colour and central velocity dispersions $\sigma$, with the UV colours getting bluer at larger $\sigma$. This trend is likely driven by a combined effect of `downsizing' and of the mass-metallicity relation.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS, 33 pages, 7 figure