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Neutron Emission Characteristics of Two Mixed-Oxide Fuels: Simulations and Initial Experiments
Simulations and experiments have been carried out to investigate the neutron emission characteristics of two mixed-oxide (MOX) fuels at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These activities are part of a project studying advanced instrumentation techniques in support of the U.S. Department of Energy's Fuel Cycle Research and Development program and it's Materials Protection, Accounting, and Control for Transmutation (MPACT) campaign. This analysis used the MCNP-PoliMi Monte Carlo simulation tool to determine the relative strength and energy spectra of the different neutron source terms within these fuels, and then used this data to simulate the detection and measurement of these emissions using an array of liquid scintillator neutron spectrometers. These calculations accounted for neutrons generated from the spontaneous fission of the actinides in the MOX fuel as well as neutrons created via (alpha,n) reactions with oxygen in the MOX fuel. The analysis was carried out to allow for characterization of both neutron energy as well as neutron coincidences between multiple detectors. Coincidences between prompt gamma rays and neutrons were also analyzed. Experiments were performed at INL with the same materials used in the simulations to benchmark and begin validation tests of the simulations. Data was collected in these experiments using an array of four liquid scintillators and a high-speed waveform digitizer. Advanced digital pulse-shape discrimination algorithms were developed and used to collect this data. Results of the simulation and modeling studies are presented together with preliminary results from the experimental campaign
Results of survey of stakeholders regarding knowledge of and attitudes towards feed intake, efficiency and genetic improvement concepts
Individual animal feed efficiency plays a key role in the profitability and sustainability of the US beef industry. During the growing and finishing phase of production, a 10% improvement in feed efficiency has a two-fold greater impact on profit than a 10% increase in rate of gain (Fox et al., 2001). The traits that beef producers routinely record are outputs which determine the value of product sold and not the inputs defining the cost of beef production. The inability to routinely measure feed intake and feed efficiency on large numbers of cattle has precluded the efficient application of selection despite moderate heritabilities (h2 = 0.16-0.46; Archer et al., 1999). Feed costs in calf feeding and yearling finishing systems account for approximately 66% and 77% of costs, respectively (Anderson et al., 2005).Feed costs account for approximately 65% of total beef production costs. Of the metabolizable energy required from conception to consumption of a beef animal, 72% is utilized during the cow-calf segment of production while 28% of calories are utilized in the calf growing and finishing phases of production (Ferrell and Jenkins, 1982). Of the calories consumed in the cow-calf segment, more than half are used for maintenance which presents a large selection target
Genome-Wide Polymorphism and Comparative Analyses in the White-Tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus): A Model for Conservation Genomics
The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) represents one of the most successful and widely distributed large mammal species within North America, yet very little nucleotide sequence information is available. We utilized massively parallel pyrosequencing of a reduced representation library (RRL) and a random shotgun library (RSL) to generate a complete mitochondrial genome sequence and identify a large number of putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) distributed throughout the white-tailed deer nuclear and mitochondrial genomes. A SNP validation study designed to test specific classes of putative SNPs provides evidence for as many as 10,476 genome-wide SNPs in the current dataset. Based on cytogenetic evidence for homology between cow (Bos taurus) and white-tailed deer chromosomes, we demonstrate that a divergent genome may be used for estimating the relative distribution and density of de novo sequence contigs as well as putative SNPs for species without draft genome assemblies. Our approach demonstrates that bioinformatic tools developed for model or agriculturally important species may be leveraged to support next-generation research programs for species of biological, ecological and evolutionary importance. We also provide a functional annotation analysis for the de novo sequence contigs assembled from white-tailed deer pyrosequencing reads, a mitochondrial phylogeny involving 13,722 nucleotide positions for 10 unique species of Cervidae, and a median joining haplotype network as a putative representation of mitochondrial evolution in O. virginianus. The results of this study are expected to provide a detailed template enabling genome-wide sequence-based studies of threatened, endangered or conservationally important non-model organisms
Evaluation of PRNP Expression Based on Genotypes and Alleles of Two Indel Loci in the Medulla Oblongata of Japanese Black and Japanese Brown Cattle
BACKGROUND: Prion protein (PrP) level plays the central role in bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) susceptibility. Increasing the level of PrP decreases incubation period for this disease. Therefore, studying the expression of the cellular PrP or at least the messenger RNA might be used in selection for preventing the propagation of BSE and other prion diseases. Two insertion/deletion (indel) variations have been tentatively associated with susceptibility/resistance of cattle to classical BSE. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied the expression of each genotype at the two indel sites in Japanese Black (JB) and Japanese Brown (JBr) cattle breeds by a standard curve method of real-time PCR. Five diplotypes subdivided into two categories were selected from each breed. The two cattle breeds were considered differently. Expression of PRNP was significantly (p<0.0001) greater in the homozygous deletion genotype at the 23-bp locus in JB breed. Compared to the homozygous genotypes, the expression of PRNP was significantly greater in the heterozygous genotype at the 12-bp locus in JB (p<0.0001) and in JBr (p = 0.0394) breeds. In addition, there was a statistical significance in the PRNP levels between the insertion and the deletion alleles of the 23-bp locus in JB (p = 0.0003) as well as in JBr (p = 0.0032). There was no significance in relation to sex, age, geographical location or due to their interactions (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the del/del genotype or at least its del allele may modulate the expression of PRNP at the 23-bp locus in the medulla oblongata of these cattle breeds
Worldwide Patterns of Ancestry, Divergence, and Admixture in Domesticated Cattle
The domestication and development of cattle has considerably impacted human
societies, but the histories of cattle breeds have been poorly understood
especially for African, Asian, and American breeds. Using genotypes from 43,043
autosomal single nucleotide polymorphism markers scored in 1,543 animals, we
evaluate the population structure of 134 domesticated bovid breeds. Regardless
of the analytical method or sample subset, the three major groups of Asian
indicine, Eurasian taurine, and African taurine were consistently observed.
Patterns of geographic dispersal resulting from co-migration with humans and
exportation are recognizable in phylogenetic networks. All analytical methods
reveal patterns of hybridization which occurred after divergence. Using 19
breeds, we map the cline of indicine introgression into Africa. We infer that
African taurine possess a large portion of wild African auroch ancestry,
causing their divergence from Eurasian taurine. We detect exportation patterns
in Asia and identify a cline of Eurasian taurine/indicine hybridization in
Asia. We also identify the influence of species other than Bos taurus in the
formation of Asian breeds. We detect the pronounced influence of Shorthorn
cattle in the formation of European breeds. Iberian and Italian cattle possess
introgression from African taurine. American Criollo cattle are shown to be of
Iberian, and not African, decent. Indicine introgression into American cattle
occurred in the Americas, and not Europe. We argue that cattle migration,
movement and trading followed by admixture have been important forces in
shaping modern bovine genomic variation.Comment: 38 pages, 15 figures. Various changes made to respond to peer
reviews. Mostly, arguments were clarified and additional f-statistics were
adde
High-speed signal switching with a monolithic integrated p-i-n/amp/switch on indium phosphide
Operation of an optoelectronic integrated circuit which
includes two p-i-ns, preamplifiers, 2 x 2 crosspoint .switch, and output
buffers has been demonstrated. These circuits have been fabricated in
semi-insulating 1nP:Fe substrates by vapor phase epitaxy and ion implantation
using a planar horizontally integrated technology. Signals
modulated at 150 MHz are shown to be switched at 15 MHz, with the
circuits capable of detecting and passing data modulated at - 1 GHz
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