Isolation, characterization and exploring biotechnological potential of halophilic archaea from salterns of western India.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Aparna; Singh, Anil Kumar

2018-01-01

Thirteen halophilic archaea were isolated from Kandla and Bhayander salt pans. These isolates were grouped into three different genera Halobacterium, Haloferax and Haloarcula based on morphological and biochemical characterization, polar lipid analysis, Amplified 16S rDNA restriction analysis (ARDRA) and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. Biochemical characterization suggested the ability of isolates to produce protease, amylase and poly-hydroxybutyrate (PHB) indicating their biotechnological potential. The isolates were further screened for the amount of extracellular protease produced. Halobacterium sp. SP1(1) showed significant protease production compared to other isolates. Protease producing ability of the isolate was influenced by several factors such as NaCl concentration, type of protein source, metal ions and surfactants, and presence of amino acid supplements in the production medium. Soybean flour, FeCl 3 and dicotylsulfosuccinate were found to increase protease production by 2.36, 1.54 and 1.26 folds, respectively compared to production in basal medium. Effect of organic solvents used in paints (n-decane, n-undecane and n-dodecane) was also investigated on protease production by the isolate. Protease production by Halobacterium sp. SP1(1) was enhanced by 1.2 folds in presence of n-decane compared to control. Furthermore, the ability of isolate to hydrolyse fish protein was investigated using three different edible fishes (Pomfret, Flat fish and Seer fish) as sole protein source. Pomfret was found to be a good protein source for protease production by the isolate. These results revealed that Halobacterium sp. SP1(1) may have potential for paint-based antifouling coating preparations and fish sauce preparation by virtue of its extracellular protease.

NRC drug-free workplace plan. Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-11-01

On September 15, 1986, President Reagan signed Executive Order 12564, establishing the goal of a Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The Order made it a condition of employment that all Federal employees refrain from using illegal drugs on or off duty. On July 11, 1987, Congress passed legislation affecting implementation of the Executive Order under Section 503 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1987, Public Law 100-71 (the Act). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission first issued the NRC Drug Testing Plan to set forth objectives, policies, procedures, and implementation guidelines to achieve a drug-free Federal workplace, consistent with the Executive Order and Section 503 of the Act. Revision 1, titled, ``NRC Drug-Free Workplace Plan,`` supersedes the previous version and its supplements and incorporates changes to reflect current guidance from the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other guidance.

NRC drug-free workplace plan. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-11-01

On September 15, 1986, President Reagan signed Executive Order 12564, establishing the goal of a Drug-Free Federal Workplace. The Order made it a condition of employment that all Federal employees refrain from using illegal drugs on or off duty. On July 11, 1987, Congress passed legislation affecting implementation of the Executive Order under Section 503 of the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 1987, Public Law 100-71 (the Act). The Nuclear Regulatory Commission first issued the NRC Drug Testing Plan to set forth objectives, policies, procedures, and implementation guidelines to achieve a drug-free Federal workplace, consistent with the Executive Order and Section 503 of the Act. Revision 1, titled, ''NRC Drug-Free Workplace Plan,'' supersedes the previous version and its supplements and incorporates changes to reflect current guidance from the Department of Justice, the Department of Health and Human Services, as well as other guidance

First insights in the Eu(III) speciation in Halobacterium noricense DSM-15987 suspensions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bader, Miriam; Moll, Henry; Cherkouk, Andrea [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Div. Biogeochemistry

2016-07-01

The association of Eu(III) on the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium (Hbt.) noricense DSM-15987 was investigated between pC{sub H+} 4 to 8 in 3 M NaCl. In contrast to uranium [1], a lower affinity of Eu(III) towards Hbt. noricense was observed. Three different Eu(III)- species could be isolated in this system, whereas one is the Eu(III) aquo ion and one represents a Hbt. noricense associated species. The third species might belong to a dissolved species.

Low-pass sequencing for microbial comparative genomics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kennedy Sean

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We studied four extremely halophilic archaea by low-pass shotgun sequencing: (1 the metabolically versatile Haloarcula marismortui; (2 the non-pigmented Natrialba asiatica; (3 the psychrophile Halorubrum lacusprofundi and (4 the Dead Sea isolate Halobaculum gomorrense. Approximately one thousand single pass genomic sequences per genome were obtained. The data were analyzed by comparative genomic analyses using the completed Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 genome as a reference. Low-pass shotgun sequencing is a simple, inexpensive, and rapid approach that can readily be performed on any cultured microbe. Results As expected, the four archaeal halophiles analyzed exhibit both bacterial and eukaryotic characteristics as well as uniquely archaeal traits. All five halophiles exhibit greater than sixty percent GC content and low isoelectric points (pI for their predicted proteins. Multiple insertion sequence (IS elements, often involved in genome rearrangements, were identified in H. lacusprofundi and H. marismortui. The core biological functions that govern cellular and genetic mechanisms of H. sp. NRC-1 appear to be conserved in these four other halophiles. Multiple TATA box binding protein (TBP and transcription factor IIB (TFB homologs were identified from most of the four shotgunned halophiles. The reconstructed molecular tree of all five halophiles shows a large divergence between these species, but with the closest relationship being between H. sp. NRC-1 and H. lacusprofundi. Conclusion Despite the diverse habitats of these species, all five halophiles share (1 high GC content and (2 low protein isoelectric points, which are characteristics associated with environmental exposure to UV radiation and hypersalinity, respectively. Identification of multiple IS elements in the genome of H. lacusprofundi and H. marismortui suggest that genome structure and dynamic genome reorganization might be similar to that previously observed in the

NRC regulatory agenda: Semiannual report, January--June 1997. Volume 16, Number 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-08-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a semiannual compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and of all petitions for rulemaking that the NRC has received that are pending disposition. The agenda consists of two sections that have been updated through June 30, 1997. Section 1, ''Rules,'' includes (A) rules on which final action has been taken since December 31, 1996, the closing date of the last NRC Regulatory Agenda; (B) rules published previously as proposed rules on which the Commission has not taken final action; (C) rules published as advance notices of proposed rulemaking for which neither a proposed nor final rule has been issued; and (D) unpublished rules on which the NRC expects to take action. Section 2, ''Petitions for Rulemaking,'' includes (A) petitions denied or incorporated into final rules since December 31, 1996; (B) petitions incorporated into proposed rules; and (C) petitions pending staff review

NRC regulatory agenda: Semiannual report, January--June 1995. Volume 14, Number 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-09-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a semiannual compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and of all petitions for rulemaking that the NRC has received that are pending disposition. The agenda consists of two sections that have been updated through June 30, 1995. Section 1, ''Rules,'' includes (A) rules on which final action has been taken since December 30, 1994, the closing date of the last NRC Regulatory Agenda; (B) rules published previously as proposed rules on which the Commission has not taken final action; (C) rules published as advance notices of proposed rulemaking for which neither a proposed nor final rule has been issued; and (D) unpublished rules on which the NRC expects to take action. Section 2, ''Petitions for Rulemaking,'' includes (A) petitions denied or incorporated into final rules since December 30, 1994; (B) petitions incorporated into proposed rules; (C) petitions pending staff review, and (D) petitions with deferred action

Microarray analysis in the archaeon Halobacterium salinarum strain R1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jens Twellmeyer

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Phototrophy of the extremely halophilic archaeon Halobacterium salinarum was explored for decades. The research was mainly focused on the expression of bacteriorhodopsin and its functional properties. In contrast, less is known about genome wide transcriptional changes and their impact on the physiological adaptation to phototrophy. The tool of choice to record transcriptional profiles is the DNA microarray technique. However, the technique is still rarely used for transcriptome analysis in archaea. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We developed a whole-genome DNA microarray based on our sequence data of the Hbt. salinarum strain R1 genome. The potential of our tool is exemplified by the comparison of cells growing under aerobic and phototrophic conditions, respectively. We processed the raw fluorescence data by several stringent filtering steps and a subsequent MAANOVA analysis. The study revealed a lot of transcriptional differences between the two cell states. We found that the transcriptional changes were relatively weak, though significant. Finally, the DNA microarray data were independently verified by a real-time PCR analysis. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: This is the first DNA microarray analysis of Hbt. salinarum cells that were actually grown under phototrophic conditions. By comparing the transcriptomics data with current knowledge we could show that our DNA microarray tool is well applicable for transcriptome analysis in the extremely halophilic archaeon Hbt. salinarum. The reliability of our tool is based on both the high-quality array of DNA probes and the stringent data handling including MAANOVA analysis. Among the regulated genes more than 50% had unknown functions. This underlines the fact that haloarchaeal phototrophy is still far away from being completely understood. Hence, the data recorded in this study will be subject to future systems biology analysis.

Analysis of NRC Regulatory Guide 1.21 Revision 2

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Sung Il; Yook, Dae Sik; Lee, Byung Soo [KINS, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2015-05-15

It is essential to have a degree of uniformity in the methods used for measuring, evaluating, recording, and reporting data on radioactive material in effluents and solid wastes. For this purpose, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) released a revised version of the Regulatory Guide 1.21 'Measuring, evaluating, and reporting radioactive material in liquid and gaseous effluents and solid waste' (revision 2) in 2009, updating the revision 1 version released in 1974. This study compares the previous revision 1 (1974) version with the revision 2 (2009) version to elaborate on the application of the guidelines to Korea. This study consists of an analysis of the 2009 Revision 2 version of the U.S. NRC Regulatory Guidelines 1.21 and an exposition of methods for its application in the domestic environment. Major revisions were made to allow for the adoption of a risk informed approach. Radionuclides with lower than 1% contribution to emission or radiation levels can be selected as principal radionuclides. Requirements for analysis of leaks and spills have been reinforced, with additional groundwater monitoring and hydrological data analysis becoming necessary.

10 CFR 2.709 - Discovery against NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Discovery against NRC staff. 2.709 Section 2.709 Energy... Rules for Formal Adjudications § 2.709 Discovery against NRC staff. (a)(1) In a proceeding in which the NRC staff is a party, the NRC staff will make available one or more witnesses, designated by the...

NRC comprehensive records disposition schedule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-05-01

Effective January 1, 1982, NRC will institute records retention and disposal practives in accordance with the approved Comprehensive Records Disposition Schedule (CRDS). CRDS is comprised of NRC Schedules (NRCS) 1 to 4 which apply to the agency's program or substantive records and General Records Schedules (GRS) 1 to 24 which apply to housekeeping or facilitative records. NRCS-I applies to records common to all or most NRC offices; NRCS-II applies to program records as found in the various offices of the Commission, Atomic Safety and Licensing Board Panel, and the Atomic Safety and Licensing Appeal Panel; NRCS-III applies to records accumulated by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards; and NRCS-IV applies to records accumulated in the various NRC offices under the Executive Director for Operations. The schedules are assembled functionally/organizationally to facilitate their use. Preceding the records descriptions and disposition instructions for both NRCS and GRS, there are brief statements on the organizational units which accumulate the records in each functional area, and other information regarding the schedules' applicability

Comparison of two extreme halophilic Halobacterium noricense strains on DNA and protein level

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bader, Miriam; Cherkouk, Andrea [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). HZDR Young Investigator Group; Flemming, Katrin [Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf e.V., Dresden (Germany). Biogeochemistry; Swanson, J.S. [Los Alamos National Laboratory, Carlsbad, NM (United States)

2017-06-01

Two strains of the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium noricense isolated from rock salt of different locations were used for interaction studies with uranium. It was found that both strains showed similar, atypical bioassociation kinetics accompanied by cell agglomeration as a stress response. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of both strains had a high similarity (> 99 %). However, differences in the whole protein pattern were apparent.

Comparison of two extreme halophilic Halobacterium noricense strains on DNA and protein level

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bader, Miriam; Cherkouk, Andrea

2017-01-01

Two strains of the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium noricense isolated from rock salt of different locations were used for interaction studies with uranium. It was found that both strains showed similar, atypical bioassociation kinetics accompanied by cell agglomeration as a stress response. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of both strains had a high similarity (> 99 %). However, differences in the whole protein pattern were apparent.

1996 NRC annual report. Volume 13

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-10-01

This 22nd annual report of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) describes accomplishments, activities, and plans made during Fiscal Year 1996 (FH 1996)--October 1, 1995, through September 30, 1996. Significant activities that occurred early in FY 1997 are also described, particularly changes in the Commission and organization of the NRC. The mission of the NRC is to ensure that civilian uses of nuclear materials in the US are carried out with adequate protection of public health and safety, the environment, and national security. These uses include the operation of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle plants and medical, industrial, and research applications. Additionally, the NRC contributes to combating the proliferation of nuclear weapons material worldwide. The NRC licenses and regulates commercial nuclear reactor operations and research reactors and other activities involving the possession and use of nuclear materials and wastes. It also protects nuclear materials used in operation and facilities from theft or sabotage. To accomplish its statutorily mandated regulatory mission, the NRC issues rules and standards, inspects facilities and operations, and issues any required enforcement actions.

1996 NRC annual report. Volume 13

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

This 22nd annual report of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) describes accomplishments, activities, and plans made during Fiscal Year 1996 (FH 1996)--October 1, 1995, through September 30, 1996. Significant activities that occurred early in FY 1997 are also described, particularly changes in the Commission and organization of the NRC. The mission of the NRC is to ensure that civilian uses of nuclear materials in the US are carried out with adequate protection of public health and safety, the environment, and national security. These uses include the operation of nuclear power plants and fuel cycle plants and medical, industrial, and research applications. Additionally, the NRC contributes to combating the proliferation of nuclear weapons material worldwide. The NRC licenses and regulates commercial nuclear reactor operations and research reactors and other activities involving the possession and use of nuclear materials and wastes. It also protects nuclear materials used in operation and facilities from theft or sabotage. To accomplish its statutorily mandated regulatory mission, the NRC issues rules and standards, inspects facilities and operations, and issues any required enforcement actions

Bacterio-opsin mutants of Halobacterium halobium

Science.gov (United States)

Betlach, Mary; Pfeifer, Felicitas; Friedman, James; Boyer, Herbert W.

1983-01-01

The bacterio-opsin (bop) gene of Halobacterium halobium R1 has been cloned with about 40 kilobases of flanking genomic sequence. The 40-kilobase segment is derived from the (G+C)-rich fraction of the chromosome and is not homologous to the major (pHH1) or minor endogenous covalently closed circular DNA species of H. halobium. A 5.1-kilobase Pst I fragment containing the bop gene was subcloned in pBR322 and a partial restriction map was determined. Defined restriction fragments of this clone were used as probes to analyze the defects associated with the bop gene in 12 bacterio-opsin mutants. Eleven out of 12 of the mutants examined had inserts ranging from 350 to 3,000 base pairs either in the bop gene or up to 1,400 base pairs upstream. The positions of the inserts were localized to four regions in the 5.1-kilobase genomic fragment: within the gene (one mutant), in a region that overlaps the 5′ end of the gene (seven mutants), and in two different upstream regions (three mutants). Two revertants of the mutant with the most distal insert had an additional insert in the same region. The polar effects of these inserts are discussed in terms of inactivation of a regulatory gene or disruption of part of a coordinately expressed operon. Given the defined nature of the bop mRNA—i.e., it has a 5′ leader sequence of three ribonucleotides—these observations indicate that the bop mRNA might be processed from a large mRNA transcript. Images PMID:16593291

Solid-state fermentation as a potential technique for esterase/lipase production by halophilic archaea.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin del Campo, Martha; Camacho, Rosa M; Mateos-Díaz, Juan C; Müller-Santos, Marcelo; Córdova, Jesus; Rodríguez, Jorge A

2015-11-01

Halophilic archaea are extremophiles, adapted to high-salt environments, showing a big biotechnological potential as enzyme, lipids and pigments producers. Four inert supports (perlite, vermiculite, polyurethane foam and glass fiber) were employed for solid-state fermentation (SSF) of the halophilic archaeon Natronococcus sp. TC6 to investigate biomass and esterase production. A very low esterase activity and high water activity were observed when perlite, vermiculite and polyurethane were used as supports. When glass fiber was employed, an important moisture loss was observed (8.6%). Moreover, moisture retention was improved by mixing polyurethane and glass fiber, resulting in maximal biomass and esterase production. Three halophilic archaea: Natronococcus sp. TC6, Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 and Haloarcula marismortui were cultured by submerged fermentation (SmF) and by SSF; an improvement of 1.3- to 6.2-fold was observed in the biomass and esterase production when SSF was used. Growth was not homogeneous in the mixture, but was predominant in the glass fiber thus was probably because the glass fiber provides a holder to the cells, while the polyurethane acts as an impregnation medium reservoir. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first report on haloarchaea cultivation by SSF aiming biomass and esterase/lipase activity production.

Assessment of the NRC Enforcement Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lieberman, J.; Coblentz, L.

1995-04-01

On May 12, 1994, the Executive Director for Operations (EDO) established a Review Team composed of senior NRC managers to re-examine the NRC enforcement program. A copy of the Review Team's charter is enclosed as Appendix A. This report presents the Team's assessment. The purpose of this review effort are: (1) to perform an assessment of the NRC's enforcement program to determine whether the defined purposes of the enforcement program are appropriate; (2) to determine whether the NRC's enforcement practices and procedures for issuing enforcement actions are consistent with those purposes; and (3) to provide recommendations on any changes the Review Team believes advisable. In accordance with its charter, the Review Team considered the following principal issues in conducting its assessment of the enforcement program: the balance between providing deterrence and incentives (both positive and negative) for the identification and correction of violations; the appropriateness of NRC sanctions; whether the commission should seek statutory authority to increase the amount of civil penalties; whether the NRC should use different enforcement policies and practices for different licensees (e.g., materials licensees in contrast to power reactors or large fuel facilities); and whether the commission should establish open enforcement conferences as the normal practice

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-10-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a quarterly compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action or has proposed, or is considering action and of all petitions for rulemaking that the NRC has received that are pending disposition

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-04-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a quarterly compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action or has proposed, or is considering action and of all petitions for rulemaking that the NRC has received that are pending disposition

NRC comprehensive records disposition schedule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-07-01

Effective January 1, 1982, NRC will institute records retention and disposal practices in accordance with the approved Comprehensive Records Disposition Schedule (CRDS). CRDS is comprised of NRC Schedules (NRCS) 1 to 4 which apply to the agency's program or substantive records and General Records Schedules (GRS) 1 to 22 which apply to housekeeping or facilitative records. The schedules are assembled functionally/organizationally to facilitate their use. Preceding the records descriptions and disposition instructions for both NRCS and GRS, there are brief statements on the organizational units which accumulate the records in each functional area, and other information regarding the schedules' applicability

NRC inventory of dams

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lear, G.E.; Thompson, O.O.

1983-01-01

The NRC Inventory of Dams has been prepared as required by the charter of the NRC Dam Safety Officer. The inventory lists 51 dams associated with nuclear power plant sites and 14 uranium mill tailings dams (licensed by NRC) in the US as of February 1, 1982. Of the 85 listed nuclear power plants (148 units), 26 plants obtain cooling water from impoundments formed by dams. The 51 dams associated with the plants are: located on a plant site (29 dams at 15 plant sites); located off site but provide plant cooling water (18 dams at 11 additional plant sites); and located upstream from a plant (4 dams) - they have been identified as dams whose failure, and ensuing plant flooding, could result in a radiological risk to the public health and safety. The dams that might be considered NRC's responsibility in terms of the federal dam safety program are identified. This group of dams (20 on nuclear power plant sites and 14 uranium mill tailings dams) was obtained by eliminating dams that do not pose a flooding hazard (e.g., submerged dams) and dams that are regulated by another federal agency. The report includes the principal design features of all dams and related useful information

Light-driven solute transport in Halobacterium halobium

Science.gov (United States)

Lanyi, J. K.

1979-01-01

The cell membrane of Halobacterium halobium exhibits differential regions which contain crystalline arrays of a single kind of protein, termed bacteriorhodopsin. This bacterial retinal-protein complex resembles the visual pigment and, after the absorption of protons, translocates H(+) across the cell membrane, leading to an electrochemical gradient for protons between the inside and the outside of the cell. Thus, light is an alternate source of energy in these bacteria, in addition to terminal oxidation. The paper deals with work on light-driven transport in H. halobium with cell envelope vesicles. The discussion covers light-driven movements of H(+), Na(+), and K(+); light-driven amino acid transport; and apparent allosteric control of amino acid transport. The scheme of energy coupling in H. halobium vesicles appears simple, its quantitative details are quite complex and reveal regulatory phenomena. More knowledge is required of the way the coupling components are regulated by the ion gradients present.

Gas Vesicle Nanoparticles for Antigen Display

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shiladitya DasSarma

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Microorganisms like the halophilic archaeon Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 produce gas-filled buoyant organelles, which are easily purified as protein nanoparticles (called gas vesicles or GVNPs. GVNPs are non-toxic, exceptionally stable, bioengineerable, and self-adjuvanting. A large gene cluster encoding more than a dozen proteins has been implicated in their biogenesis. One protein, GvpC, found on the exterior surface of the nanoparticles, can accommodate insertions near the C-terminal region and results in GVNPs displaying the inserted sequences on the surface of the nanoparticles. Here, we review the current state of knowledge on GVNP structure and biogenesis as well as available studies on immunogenicity of pathogenic viral, bacterial, and eukaryotic proteins and peptides displayed on the nanoparticles. Recent improvements in genetic tools for bioengineering of GVNPs are discussed, along with future opportunities and challenges for development of vaccines and other applications.

76 FR 57006 - Proposed Generic Communications; Draft NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2011-XX; NRC Regulation of...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-15

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Parts 30 and 150 [NRC-2011-0146] Proposed Generic Communications; Draft NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2011-XX; NRC Regulation of Military Operational Radium-226... published for public comment the proposed draft RIS 2011-XX; NRC Regulation of Military Operational Radium...

NRC/AMRMC Resident Research Associateship Program

Science.gov (United States)

2018-05-01

conducted the following activities in support of the subject contract: Outreach and Promotion The promotional schedule to advertise the NRC Research...Approved for Public Release; Distribution Unlimited 13. SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES 14. ABSTRACT During this reporting period, the NRC promoted research...Associateship Programs included the following: 1) attendance at meetings of major scientific and engineering professional societies; 2) advertising in

Interaction of Sp1 zinc finger with transport factor in the nuclear localization of transcription factor Sp1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Tatsuo; Kitamura, Haruka; Uwatoko, Chisana; Azumano, Makiko; Itoh, Kohji; Kuwahara, Jun

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → Sp1 zinc fingers themselves interact with importin α. → Sp1 zinc finger domains play an essential role as a nuclear localization signal. → Sp1 can be transported into the nucleus in an importin-dependent manner. -- Abstract: Transcription factor Sp1 is localized in the nucleus and regulates the expression of many cellular genes, but the nuclear transport mechanism of Sp1 is not well understood. In this study, we revealed that GST-fused Sp1 protein bound to endogenous importin α in HeLa cells via the Sp1 zinc finger domains, which comprise the DNA binding domain of Sp1. It was found that the Sp1 zinc finger domains directly interacted with a wide range of importin α including the armadillo (arm) repeat domain and the C-terminal acidic domain. Furthermore, it turned out that all three zinc fingers of Sp1 are essential for binding to importin α. Taken together, these results suggest that the Sp1 zinc finger domains play an essential role as a NLS and Sp1 can be transported into the nucleus in an importin-dependent manner even though it possesses no classical NLSs.

10 CFR 2.1202 - Authority and role of NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Authority and role of NRC staff. 2.1202 Section 2.1202... ORDERS Informal Hearing Procedures for NRC Adjudications § 2.1202 Authority and role of NRC staff. (a) During the pendency of any hearing under this subpart, consistent with the NRC staff's findings in its...

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-01-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

Irregular bilayer structure in vesicles prepared from Halobacterium cutirubrum lipids

Science.gov (United States)

Lanyi, J. K.

1974-01-01

Fluorescent probes were used to study the structure of the cell envelope of Halobacterium cutirubrum, and, in particular, to explore the effect of the heterogeneity of the lipids in this organism on the structure of the bilayers. The fluorescence polarization of perylene was followed in vesicles of unfractionated lipids and polar lipids as a function of temperature in 3.4 M solutions of NaCl, NaNO3, and KSCN, and it was found that vesicles of unfractionated lipids were more perturbed by chaotropic agents than polar lipids. The dependence of the relaxation times of perylene on temperature was studied in cell envelopes and in vesicles prepared from polar lipids, unfractionated lipids, and mixtures of polar and neutral lipids.

NRC influences on nuclear training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hannon, J.N.

1987-01-01

NRC influences on utility training programs through prescriptive requirements and evaluation of industry self-initiatives are discussed. NRC regulation and industry initiatives are complimentary and in some instances industry initiatives are replacing NRC requirements. Controls and feedback mechanisms designed to enhance positive NRC influences and minimize or eliminate negative influences are discussed. Industry and NRC efforts to reach an acceptable mix between regulator oversight and self-initiatives by the industry are recognized. Problem areas for continued cooperation to enhance training and minimize conflicting signals to industry are discussed. These areas include: requalification examination scope and content, depth of training and examination on emergency procedures; improved learning objectives as the basis for training and examination, and severe accident training

10 CFR 2.1505 - Role of the NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Role of the NRC staff. 2.1505 Section 2.1505 Energy... Legislative Hearings § 2.1505 Role of the NRC staff. The NRC staff shall be available to answer any Commission or presiding officer's questions on staff-prepared documents, provide additional information or...

NRC regulation of DOE facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buhl, A.R.; Edgar, G.; Silverman, D.; Murley, T.

1997-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE), its contractors, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) are in for major changes if the DOE follows through on its intentions announced December 20, 1996. The DOE is seeking legislation to establish the NRC as the regulatory agency with jurisdiction over nuclear health, safety, and security at a wide range of DOE facilities. At this stage, it appears that as many as 200 (though not all) DOE facilities would be affected. On March 28, 1997, the NRC officially endorsed taking over the responsibility for regulatory oversight of DOE nuclear facilities as the DOE had proposed, contingent upon adequate funding, staffing resources, and a clear delineation of NRC authority. This article first contrasts the ways in which the NRC and the DOE carry out their basic regulatory functions. Next, it describes the NRC's current authority over DOE facilities and the status of the DOE's initiative to expand that authority. Then, it discusses the basic changes and impacts that can be expected in the regulation of DOE facilities. The article next describes key lessons learned from the recent transition of the GDPs from DOE oversight to NRC regulation and the major regulatory issues that arose in that transition. Finally, some general strategies are suggested for resolving issues likely to arise as the NRC assumes regulatory authority over DOE facilities

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-04-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action or has proposed, or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC Regulatory Agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-08-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action or has proposed, or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC Information Notice No. 91-29, Supplement 1: Deficiencies identified during electrical distribution system functional inspections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1993-01-01

During multidiscipline inspections such as safety system functional inspections (SSFIs) or safety system outage modification inspections (SSOMIs), the NRC identified a number of deficiencies related to the electrical distribution system (EDS). As a result of these deficiencies, the NRC developed the EDSFI to specifically evaluate the EDS. Since 1989, the NRC has performed over 50 EDSFIs, and found design weaknesses in the following generic areas: (1) undervoltage relay setpoints for degraded grid conditions; (2) interrupting capacity of fault protection devices; (3) improper coordination of fault protection devices; (4) analysis of emergency diesel generator (EDG) capacity to power safety-related loads during postulated accidents; and (5) EDG mechanical interfaces. Each of these issues are discussed

NRC Regulatory Agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-10-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-04-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-07-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter. The rules on which final action has been taken since March 31, 1993 are: Repeal of NRC standards of conduct; Fitness-for-duty requirements for licensees who possess, use, or transport Category I material; Training and qualification of nuclear power plant personnel; Monitoring the effectiveness of maintenance at nuclear power plants; Licensing requirements for land disposal of radioactive wastes; and Licensees' announcements of safeguards inspections

NRC plan for cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, R.; Snyder, B.J.

1980-07-01

The NRC plan defines the functional role of the NRC in cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2 to assure that agency regulatory responsibilities and objectives will be fulfilled. The plan outlines NRC functions in TMI-2 cleanup operations in the following areas: (1) the functional relationship of NRC to other government agencies, the public, and the licensee to coordinate activities, (2) the functional roles of these organizations in cleanup operations, (3) the NRC review and decision-making procedure for the licensee's proposed cleanup operation, (4) the NRC/licensee estimated schedule of major actions, and (5) NRC's functional role in overseeing implementation of approved licensee activities

ITAAC Development for APR1400 NRC Design Certification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jin Kwon; Kim, Myoung Ki

2013-01-01

ITAAC (Inspections, Tests, Analyses and Acceptance Criteria) is essential document for Design Certification, which is certified by NRC and ruled as the Appendix of the 10 CFR Part 52. Approximately 870 ITAAC items were selected for APR1400 Design Certification to be submitted to NRC. In this paper, the code and standard related to ITAAC and process of ITACC development are discussed to seek the way to complete the best ITAAC to get the Design Certification of APR1400 from NRC through the lessons learned from other competitive applicants. For saving the time and manpower to complete ITAAC of APR1400 NRC DC and reduction of the RAIs (Request Additional Information) from NRC, we took advantage of the lessons learned from the competitive designs like US-APWR and AP1000 based on KNGR ITAAC. Finally new and different ITAAC from ITAAC of KNGR was developed for APR1400 DC from NRC. RG 1.206 and SRPs were applied first in Korea to the APR1400 DCD preparation. For testability and acceptability check, ITAAC V and V table was completed by the system designers. APR1400 DCD will be submitted by the end of September this year and we hope that NRC issues lees RAIs on ITAAC document

Halorhodopsin and photosensory behaviour in Halobacterium halobium mutant strain L-33

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Traulich, B.; Wagner, G. (Botanisches Institut l der Justus-Liebig-Universitat, Giessen (Germany, F.R.)); Hildebrand, E.; Schimz, A. (Kernforschungsanlage Juelich G.m.b.H. (Germany, F.R.). Inst. fuer Neurobiologie); Lanyi, J.K. (California Univ., Irvine (USA))

1983-05-01

Halobacterium halobium, strain L-33, which is deficient in bacteriorhodopsin (BR) but synthesizes increased amounts of halorhodopsin (HR), responds to changes in fluence rate with visible light or with UV light. The observations support an earlier report that BR is not essential for photosensing in H. halobium. In the UV-range, changes in light intensity elicit the maximal response at lambda = 370 nm. In the visible range, changes in light intensity show the maximal response at lambda = 565 nm and a secondary peak at lambda = 590 nm. The latter corresponds to the absorption maximum of HR (lambdasub(max) = 588 nm). This light-energy converting retinal pigment of H. halobium thus appears to contribute to photosensory behavior.

Transcriptional Regulation of Frizzled-1 in Human Osteoblasts by Sp1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shibing Yu

Full Text Available The wingless pathway has a powerful influence on bone metabolism and is a therapeutic target in skeletal disorders. Wingless signaling is mediated in part through the Frizzled (FZD receptor family. FZD transcriptional regulation is poorly understood. Herein we tested the hypothesis that Sp1 plays an important role in the transcriptional regulation of FZD1 expression in osteoblasts and osteoblast mineralization. To test this hypothesis, we conducted FZD1 promoter assays in Saos2 cells with and without Sp1 overexpression. We found that Sp1 significantly up-regulates FZD1 promoter activity in Saos2 cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP and electrophoretic mobility shift (EMSA assays identified a novel and functional Sp1 binding site at -44 to -40 from the translation start site in the FZD1 promoter. The Sp1-dependent activation of the FZD1 promoter was abolished by mithramycin A (MMA, an antibiotic affecting both Sp1 binding and Sp1 protein levels in Saos2 cells. Similarly, down-regulation of Sp1 in hFOB cells resulted in less FZD1 expression and lower alkaline phosphatase activity. Moreover, over-expression of Sp1 increased FZD1 expression and Saos2 cell mineralization while MMA decreased Sp1 and FZD1 expression and Saos2 cell mineralization. Knockdown of FZD1 prior to Sp1 overexpression partially abolished Sp1 stimulation of osteoblast differentiation markers. Taken together, our results suggest that Sp1 plays a role in human osteoblast differentiation and mineralization, which is at least partially mediated by Sp1-dependent transactivation of FZD1.

76 FR 54986 - NRC Enforcement Policy

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-06

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION 10 CFR Chapter I [NRC-2011-0209] NRC Enforcement Policy AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Proposed enforcement policy revision; request for comment. SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or the Commission) is soliciting comments from interested...

76 FR 76192 - NRC Enforcement Policy

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-06

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2011-0273] NRC Enforcement Policy AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Proposed enforcement policy revision; request for comment. SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear... licensees, vendors, and contractors), on proposed revisions to the NRC's Enforcement Policy (the Policy) and...

10 CFR 2.1316 - Authority and role of NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Authority and role of NRC staff. 2.1316 Section 2.1316... ORDERS Procedures for Hearings on License Transfer Applications § 2.1316 Authority and role of NRC staff. (a) During the pendency of any hearing under this subpart, consistent with the NRC staff's findings...

A comparison of an ATPase from the archaebacterium Halobacterium saccharovorum with the F1 moiety from the Escherichia coli ATP Synthase

Science.gov (United States)

Stan-Lotter, Helga; Hochstein, Lawrence I.

1989-01-01

A purified ATPase associated with membranes from Halobacterium saccharovorum was compared with the F sub 1 moiety from the Escherichia coli ATP Synthase. The halobacterial enzyme was composed of two major (I and II) and two minor subunits (III and IV), whose molecular masses were 87 kDa, 60 kDa, 29 kDa, and 20 kDa, respectively. The isoelectric points of these subunits ranged from 4.1 to 4.8, which in the case of the subunits I and II was consistent with the presence of an excess of acidic amino acids (20 to 22 Mol percent). Peptide mapping of sodium dodecylsulfate-denatured subunits I and II showed no relationship between the primary structures of the individual halobacterial subunits or similarities to the subunits of the F sub 1 ATPase (EC 3.6.1.34) from E. coli. Trypsin inactivation of the halobacterial ATPase was accompanied by the partial degradation of the major subunits. This observation, taken in conjunction with molecular masses of the subunits and the native enzyme, was consistent with the previously proposed stoichiometry of 2:2:1:1. These results suggest that H. saccharovorum, and possibly, Halobacteria in general, possess an ATPase which is unlike the ubiquitous F sub o F sub 1 - ATP Synthase.

Halocin C8: an antimicrobial peptide distributed among four halophilic archaeal genera: Natrinema, Haloterrigena, Haloferax, and Halobacterium.

Science.gov (United States)

Besse, Alison; Vandervennet, Manon; Goulard, Christophe; Peduzzi, Jean; Isaac, Stéphanie; Rebuffat, Sylvie; Carré-Mlouka, Alyssa

2017-05-01

Halophilic archaea thrive in hypersaline ecosystems and produce antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) named halocins. AMPs are essential effectors of microbial interactions in natural ecosystems. Halocin C8 is a 7.4 kDa peptide produced by Natrinema sp. AS7092. Surrounded by genes involved in regulation and transport, the halC8 gene encodes a precursor, processed into the mature halocin and an immunity protein, protecting the producing strain against its halocin. This feature constitutes a unique property of halocin C8, as known AMPs and their immunity proteins are generally encoded on distinct ORFs in an operon. By complementary in silico and PCR-based approaches, the presence of halC8 in halophilic archaea collected from various parts of the world was evidenced. The full-length halC8 gene is restricted and consistently found in the genomes of strains belonging to the phylogenetically related genera Natrinema and Haloterrigena, along with transport and regulation genes. Functional expression of halC8 was demonstrated by RT-PCR and antimicrobial assays. Active halocin C8 was shown to contain five disulphide bridges, presumably conferring a compact structure resistant to harsh environmental conditions. In other archaeal genera, Haloferax and Halobacterium, genes encoding halocin C8 with diverging immunity protein moiety were evidenced. A phylogenetic analysis of halocin C8 sequences was conducted.

NRC nuclear waste geochemistry 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Alexander, D.H.; Birchard, G.F.

1984-05-01

The purpose of the meeting was to present results from NRC-sponsored research and to identify regulatory research issues which need to be addressed prior to licensing a high-level waste repository. Important summaries of technical issues and recommendations are included with each paper. The issue reflect areas of technical uncertainty addressed by the NRC Research program in geochemistry. The objectives of the NRC Research Program in geochemistry are to provide a technical basis for waste management rulemaking, to provide the NRC Waste Management Licensing Office with information that can be used to support sound licensing decisions, and to identify investigations that need to be conducted by DOE to support a license application. Individual papers were processed for inclusion in the Energy Data Base

NRC antitrust licensing actions, 1978--1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mayer, S.J.; Simpson, J.J.

1997-09-01

NUREG-0447, Antitrust Review of Nuclear Power Plants, was published in May 1978 and includes a compilation and discussion of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proceedings and activity involving the NRC's competitive review program through February 1978, NUREG-0447 is an update of an earlier discussion of the NRC's antitrust review of nuclear power plants, NR-AIG-001, The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Antitrust Review of Nuclear Power Plants: The Conditioning of Licenses, which reviewed the Commission's antitrust review function from its inception in December 1970 through April 1976. This report summarizes the support provided to NRC staff in updating the compilation of the NRC's antitrust licensing review activities for commercial nuclear power plants that have occurred since February 1978. 4 refs., 4 tabs

NRC/RSR Data Bank Program description

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bankert, S.F.

1979-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has established the NRC/Reactor Safety Research (RSR) Data Bank Program to collect, store, and make available data from the many domestic and foreign water reactor safety research programs. Local direction of the program is provided by EG and G Idaho, Inc., at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory. The NRC/RSR Data Bank Program provides a central computer storage mechanism and access software for data to be used by code development and assessment groups in meeting the code and correlation needs of the nuclear industry. The administrative portion of the program provides data entry, documentation, and training and advisory services to users and the NRC. The NRC/RSR Data Bank Program and the capabilities of the data access software are described

Silencing the SpMPK1, SpMPK2, and SpMPK3 Genes in Tomato Reduces Abscisic Acid—Mediated Drought Tolerance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yan Liang

2013-11-01

Full Text Available Drought is a major threat to agriculture production worldwide. Mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs play a pivotal role in sensing and converting stress signals into appropriate responses so that plants can adapt and survive. To examine the function of MAPKs in the drought tolerance of tomato plants, we silenced the SpMPK1, SpMPK2, and SpMPK3 genes in wild-type plants using the virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS method. The results indicate that silencing the individual genes or co-silencing SpMPK1, SpMPK2, and SpMPK3 reduced the drought tolerance of tomato plants by varying degrees. Co-silencing SpMPK1 and SpMPK2 impaired abscisic acid (ABA-induced and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2-induced stomatal closure and enhanced ABA-induced H2O2 production. Similar results were observed when silencing SpMPK3 alone, but not when SpMPK1 and SpMPK2 were individually silenced. These data suggest that the functions of SpMPK1 and SpMPK2 are redundant, and they overlap with that of SpMPK3 in drought stress signaling pathways. In addition, we found that SpMPK3 may regulate H2O2 levels by mediating the expression of CAT1. Hence, SpMPK1, SpMPK2, and SpMPK3 may play crucial roles in enhancing tomato plants’ drought tolerance by influencing stomatal activity and H2O2 production via the ABA-H2O2 pathway.

Association of Eu(III) and Cm(III) with Bacillus subtilis and Halobacterium salinarum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, Takuo; Kimura, Takaumi; Ohnuki, Toshihiko; Yoshida, Zenko

2002-01-01

Adsorption behavior of Eu(III) and Cm(III) by Bacillus subtilis and Halobacterium salinarum was investigated. Both microorganisms showed almost identical pH dependence on the distribution ratio (K d ) of the metals examined, i.e., K d of Eu(III) and Cm(III) increased with an increase of pH. The coordination state of Eu(III) adsorbed on the microorganisms was studied by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). The coordination states of Eu(III) adsorbed on the B. subtilis and H. salinarum was of different characteristics. H. salinarum exhibited more outer-spherical interaction with Eu(III) than B. subtilis. (author)

Improved purification, crystallization and primary structure of pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase from Halobacterium halobium.

Science.gov (United States)

Plaga, W; Lottspeich, F; Oesterhelt, D

1992-04-01

An improved purification procedure, including nickel chelate affinity chromatography, is reported which resulted in a crystallizable pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase preparation from Halobacterium halobium. Crystals of the enzyme were obtained using potassium citrate as the precipitant. The genes coding for pyruvate:ferredoxin oxidoreductase were cloned and their nucleotide sequences determined. The genes of both subunits were adjacent to one another on the halobacterial genome. The derived amino acid sequences were confirmed by partial primary structure analysis of the purified protein. The structural motif of thiamin-diphosphate-binding enzymes was unequivocally located in the deduced amino acid sequence of the small subunit.

Reassessment of the NRC's program for protecting allegers against retaliation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-01-01

On July 6, 1993, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's) Executive Director for Operations established a review team to reassess the NRC's program for protecting allegers against retaliation. The team evaluated the current system, and solicited comments from various NRC offices, other Federal agencies, licensees, former allegers, and the public. This report is subject to agency review. The report summarizes current processes and gives an overview of current problems. It discusses: (1) ways in which licensees can promote a quality-conscious work environment, in which all employees feel free to raise concerns without fear of retaliation; (2) ways to improve the NRC's overall handling of allegations; (3) the NRC's involvement in the Department of Labor process; (4) related NRC enforcement practices; and (5) methods other than investigation and enforcement that may be useful in treating allegations of potential or actual discrimination. Recommendations are given in each area

NRC Information No. 89-89: Event notification worksheets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1992-01-01

The NRC ''Event Notification Worksheet,'' NRC Form 361, has been revised to assist the NRC Headquarters Operations Officers in obtaining adequate information for evaluation of significant events reported to the NRC Operations Center. The new forms more accurately reflect the event classifications and the 10 CFR 50.72 categories that must be reported. A copy of the new worksheet is enclosed for your reference. NRC Form 361 can be ordered from the NRC Information and Records Management Branch

NRC antitrust licensing actions, 1978--1996

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mayer, S.J.; Simpson, J.J.

1997-09-01

NUREG-0447, Antitrust Review of Nuclear Power Plants, was published in May 1978 and includes a compilation and discussion of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) proceedings and activity involving the NRC`s competitive review program through February 1978, NUREG-0447 is an update of an earlier discussion of the NRC`s antitrust review of nuclear power plants, NR-AIG-001, The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s Antitrust Review of Nuclear Power Plants: The Conditioning of Licenses, which reviewed the Commission`s antitrust review function from its inception in December 1970 through April 1976. This report summarizes the support provided to NRC staff in updating the compilation of the NRC`s antitrust licensing review activities for commercial nuclear power plants that have occurred since February 1978. 4 refs., 4 tabs.

Model Construction and Analysis of Respiration in Halobacterium salinarum.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cherryl O Talaue

Full Text Available The archaeon Halobacterium salinarum can produce energy using three different processes, namely photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation and fermentation of arginine, and is thus a model organism in bioenergetics. Compared to its bacteriorhodopsin-driven photosynthesis, less attention has been devoted to modeling its respiratory pathway. We created a system of ordinary differential equations that models its oxidative phosphorylation. The model consists of the electron transport chain, the ATP synthase, the potassium uniport and the sodium-proton antiport. By fitting the model parameters to experimental data, we show that the model can explain data on proton motive force generation, ATP production, and the charge balancing of ions between the sodium-proton antiporter and the potassium uniport. We performed sensitivity analysis of the model parameters to determine how the model will respond to perturbations in parameter values. The model and the parameters we derived provide a resource that can be used for analytical studies of the bioenergetics of H. salinarum.

Model Construction and Analysis of Respiration in Halobacterium salinarum.

Science.gov (United States)

Talaue, Cherryl O; del Rosario, Ricardo C H; Pfeiffer, Friedhelm; Mendoza, Eduardo R; Oesterhelt, Dieter

2016-01-01

The archaeon Halobacterium salinarum can produce energy using three different processes, namely photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation and fermentation of arginine, and is thus a model organism in bioenergetics. Compared to its bacteriorhodopsin-driven photosynthesis, less attention has been devoted to modeling its respiratory pathway. We created a system of ordinary differential equations that models its oxidative phosphorylation. The model consists of the electron transport chain, the ATP synthase, the potassium uniport and the sodium-proton antiport. By fitting the model parameters to experimental data, we show that the model can explain data on proton motive force generation, ATP production, and the charge balancing of ions between the sodium-proton antiporter and the potassium uniport. We performed sensitivity analysis of the model parameters to determine how the model will respond to perturbations in parameter values. The model and the parameters we derived provide a resource that can be used for analytical studies of the bioenergetics of H. salinarum.

NRC regulatory information conference: Proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-09-01

This volume of the report provides the proceedings from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Regulatory Information Conference that was held at the Mayflower Hotel, Washington, DC, on April 18, 19, and 20, 1989. This conference was held by the NRC and chaired by Dr. Thomas E. Mosley, Director, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulations (NRR) and coordinated by S. Singh Bajwa, Chief, Technical Assistance Management Section, NRR. There were approximately 550 participants from nine countries at the conference. The countries represented were Canada, England, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Spain, Taiwan, Yugoslavia, and the United States. The NRC staff discussed with nuclear industry its regulatory philosophy and approach and the bases on which they have been established. Furthermore, the NRC staff discussed several initiatives that have been implemented recently and their bases as well as NRC's expectations for new initiatives to further improve safety. The figures contained in Appendix A to the volume correspond to the slides that were shown during the presentations. Volume 2 of this report contains the formal papers that were distributed at the beginning of the Regulatory Information Conference and other information about the conference

10 CFR 2.1403 - Authority and role of the NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 1 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Authority and role of the NRC staff. 2.1403 Section 2.1403... ORDERS Expedited Proceedings with Oral Hearings § 2.1403 Authority and role of the NRC staff. (a) During the pendency of any hearing under this subpart, consistent with the NRC staff's findings in its own...

75 FR 60485 - NRC Enforcement Policy Revision

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-30

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2008-0497] NRC Enforcement Policy Revision AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Policy statement. SUMMARY: The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC or Commission) is publishing a major revision to its Enforcement Policy (Enforcement Policy or Policy) to...

Reassessment of the NRC`s program for protecting allegers against retaliation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-01-01

On July 6, 1993, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s (NRC`s) Executive Director for Operations established a review team to reassess the NRC`s program for protecting allegers against retaliation. The team evaluated the current system, and solicited comments from various NRC offices, other Federal agencies, licensees, former allegers, and the public. This report is subject to agency review. The report summarizes current processes and gives an overview of current problems. It discusses: (1) ways in which licensees can promote a quality-conscious work environment, in which all employees feel free to raise concerns without fear of retaliation; (2) ways to improve the NRC`s overall handling of allegations; (3) the NRC`s involvement in the Department of Labor process; (4) related NRC enforcement practices; and (5) methods other than investigation and enforcement that may be useful in treating allegations of potential or actual discrimination. Recommendations are given in each area.

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages. Volume 1, Revision 17: Report of NRC approved packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-10-01

This directory contains a Report of NRC Approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Materials Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on Quality Assurance Programs and Packagings which have been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Shipments of radioactive material utilizing these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR section 173.471 and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Section 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure themselves that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program

Impacts of NRC programs on state and local governments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nussbaumer, D.A.; Lubenau, J.O.

1983-12-01

This document reports the results of an NRC staff examination of the impacts of NRC regulatory programs on State and local governments. Twenty NRC programs are identified. For each, the source of the program (e.g., statutory requirement) and NRC funding availability are described and the impacts upon State and local governments are assessed. Recommendations for NRC monitoring and assessing impacts and for enhancing NRC staff awareness of the impacts are offered

Overview of NRC PRA research program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, M.A.; Drouin, M.T.; Ramey-Smith, A.M.; VanderMolen, M.T.

1997-01-01

The NRC's research program in probabilistic risk analysis includes a set of closely-related elements, from basic research to regulatory applications. The elements of this program are as follows: (1) Development and demonstration of methods and advanced models and tools for use by the NRC staff and others performing risk assessments; (2) Support to agency staff on risk analysis and statistics issues; (3) Reviews of risk assessments submitted by licensees in support of regulatory applications, including the IPEs and IPEEEs. Each of these elements is discussed in the paper, providing highlights of work within an element, and, where appropriate, describing important support and feedback mechanisms among elements

Respirator studies for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skaggs, B.J.; Fairchild, C.I.; DeField, J.D.; Hack, A.L.

1985-01-01

A project of the Health, Safety and Environment Division is described. The project provides the NRC with information of respiratory protective devices and programs for their licensee personnel. The following activities were performed during FY 1983: selection of alternate test aerosols for quality assurance testing of high-efficiency particulate air respirator filters; evaluation of MAG-1 spectacles for use with positive and negative-pressure respirators; development of a Manual of Respiratory Protection in Emergencies Involving Airborne Radioactive Materials, and technical assistance to NRC licensees regarding respirator applications. 2 references, 1 figure

Nuclear regulation. NRC's security clearance program can be strengthened

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fultz, Keith O.; Kruslicky, Mary Ann; Bagnulo, John E.

1988-12-01

Because of the national security implications of its programs, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) investigates the background of its employees and consultants as well as others to ensure that they are reliable and trustworthy. If the investigation indicates that an employee will not endanger national security, NRC grants a security clearance that allows access to classified information, material, and facilities. NRC also requires periodic checks for some clearance holders to ensure their continued clearance eligibility. The Chairman, Subcommittee on Environment, Energy, and Natural Resources, House Committee on Government Operations, asked GAO to review NRC's personnel security clearance program and assess the procedures that NRC uses to ensure that those who operate nuclear power plants do not pose a threat to the public. The Atomic Energy Act of 1954 requires NRC to conduct background investigations of its employees and consultants as well as others who have access to classified information, material, or facilities. To do this, NRC established a personnel security clearance program. Under NRC policies, a security clearance is granted after the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) or the Federal Bureau of Investigation checks the background of those applying for an NRC clearance. NRC also periodically reassesses the integrity of those holding the highest level clearance. NRC employees, consultants, contractors, and licensees as well as other federal employees hold approximately 10,600 NRC clearances. NRC does not grant clearances to commercial nuclear utility employees unless they require access to classified information or special nuclear material. However, the utilities have voluntarily established screening programs to ensure that their employees do not pose a threat to nuclear plants. NRC faces a dilemma when it hires new employees. Although its policy calls for new hires to be cleared before they start work, the security clearance process takes so long

NRC - regulator of nuclear safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) was formed in 1975 to regulate the various commercial and institutional uses of nuclear energy, including nuclear power plants. The agency succeeded the Atomic Energy Commission, which previously had responsibility for both developing and regulating nuclear activities. Federal research and development work for all energy sources, as well as nuclear weapons production, is now conducted by the U.S. Department of Energy. Under its responsibility to protect public health and safety, the NRC has three principal regulatory functions: (1) establish standards and regulations, (2) issue licenses for nuclear facilities and users of nuclear materials, and (3) inspect facilities and users of nuclear materials to ensure compliance with the requirements. These regulatory functions relate to both nuclear power plants and to other uses of nuclear materials - like nuclear medicine programs at hospitals, academic activities at educational institutions, research work, and such industrial applications as gauges and testing equipment. The NRC places a high priority on keeping the public informed of its work. The agency recognizes the interest of citizens in what it does through such activities as maintaining public document rooms across the country and holding public hearings, public meetings in local areas, and discussions with individuals and organizations

Transcriptional regulation of HIV-1 host factor COMMD1 by the Sp family.

Science.gov (United States)

Kudo, Eriko; Taura, Manabu; Suico, Mary Ann; Goto, Hiroki; Kai, Hirofumi; Okada, Seiji

2018-04-01

Copper metabolism Murr1 domain containing 1 (COMMD1) has multiple functions in the regulation of protein stability at the plasma membrane and in the cytoplasm. However, the regulation of COMMD1 transcriptional has remained to be elucidated. In the present study, the 5'‑flanking region (‑1,192/+83 bp) of the human COMMD1 gene was cloned. It was observed that the COMMD1 promoter region contains GC‑rich region that has 7 putative Sp1‑binding sites via in silico analysis. The proximal promoter region at ‑289/+83 bp was required for COMMD1 basal promoter activity by deletion constructs of COMMD1 promoter. Moreover, Sp1 inhibitor, mithramycin A, suppressed basal COMMD1 promoter activity. The Sp1‑binding site (‑11/‑1 bp) in the proximal promoter region was a critical site for COMMD1 gene regulation by Sp1 and Sp3. Sp1 upregulated COMMD1 promoter activity, whereas Sp3 suppressed it. Endogenous Sp1 and Sp3 bound to the proximal promoter region of COMMD1. Taken together, Sp1 constitutively regulates the basal expression of the COMMD1 gene in human epithelial cell lines.

NRC/RSR data bank program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bankert, S.F.; Evans, C.D.; Hardy, H.A.; Litteer, G.L.; Schulz, G.L.; Smith, N.C.

1978-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has established at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) the NRC/Reactor Safety Research (RSR) Data Bank Program. The program is under the direction of EG and G Idaho, Inc., and is intended to provide the means of collecting, processing, and making available experimental data from the many water reactor safety research programs. The NRC/RSR Data Bank Program collects qualified engineering data on a prioritized basis from experimental program data bases, stores the data in a single data bank in a common format, and makes the data available to users. The NRC/RSR Data Bank specializes in water reactor safety experimental data, but it has a number of other scientific applications where large amounts of numeric data are or will be available. As an example of size, a single water reactor safety test may generate 10 million data words. Future examples of the use of a data bank might be in gathering data on low head hydraulics, solar projects, and liquid metal reactor safety data

NRC Bulletin No. 87-02, Supplement 1: Fastener testing to determine conformance with applicable material specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1992-01-01

Item 5 of NRC Compliance Bulletin 87-02 requested that all holders of operating licenses or construction permits for nuclear power reactors information regarding the identity of the suppliers and manufacturers of the safety-related and non-safety-related fasteners selected for testing. After further consideration, the NRC has determined that it needs information regarding the identity of all vendors from which safety-related and non-safety-related fasteners have been obtained within the past 10 years, a reasonable period which will not put undue burden on addressees. This information will assist the NRC in determining whether nuclear facility fasteners in use have been supplied in accordance with their intended use. In addition, this information is needed so that the NRC can properly coordinate information with other government agencies concerned with problems identified in the quality of fasteners

NRC TLD Direct Radiation Monitoring Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1991-12-01

This report provides the status and results of the NRC Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) Direct Radiation Monitoring Network. It presents the radiation levels measured in the vicinity of NRC licensed facilities throughout the country for the third quarter of 1991

78 FR 5838 - NRC Enforcement Policy

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-28

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2013-0014] NRC Enforcement Policy AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission. ACTION: Policy revision; issuance and request for comments. SUMMARY: The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory... Nuclear Regulatory Commission Enforcement Policy,'' December 30, 2009 (ADAMS Accession No. ML093200520);(2...

NRC overview: Repository QA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, J.E.

1988-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE) is on the threshold of an extensive program for characterizing Yucca Mountain in Nevada to determine if it is a suitable site for the permanent disposal of high-level nuclear waste. Earlier this year, the DOE published the Consultation Draft Site Characterization Plan for the Nevada site, which describes in some detail the studies that need to be performed to determine if the site is acceptable. In the near future, the final site characterization plan (SCP) is expected to be issued and large-scale site characterization activities to begin. The data and analyses that will result from the execution of that plan are expected to be the primary basis for the license application to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Because of the importance of these data and analyses in the assessment of the suitability of the site and in the demonstration of that suitability in the NRC licensing process, the NRC requires in 10CFR60 that site characterization be performed under a quality assurance (QA) program. The QA program is designed to provide confidence that data are valid, retrievable, and reproducible. The documentation produced by the program will form an important part of the record on which the suitability of the site is judged in licensing. In addition, because the NRC staff can review only a selected portion of the data collected, the staff will need to rely on the system of controls in the DOE QA program

Memorandum of Understanding Between U.S. EPA Superfund and U.S. NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Walker, Stuart

2008-01-01

that NRC should consider that address the site-specific matter that triggered consultation. Over the course of consultations on the eight sites, there have been some reoccurring themes to EPA's views. Primarily, these are EPA: 1. Recommending that NRC consider selecting institutional controls to ensure that NRC's assumptions about future human exposure at the site are not exceeded. 2. Recommending that NRC consider using more site-specific information when conducting dose assessment modeling. 3. Recommending that NRC consider a flexible approach to groundwater protection that still ensures the public is not exposed to contamination levels over drinking water limits. 4. Recommending that NRC consider an approach similar to how EPA implements supplemental standards under 40 CFR 192 as an ARAR when the UMTRCA soil standard of 5 pCi/g is not being met

Deciphering a pathway of Halobacterium salinarum N-glycosylation

Science.gov (United States)

Kandiba, Lina; Eichler, Jerry

2015-01-01

Genomic analysis points to N-glycosylation as being a common posttranslational modification in Archaea. To date, however, pathways of archaeal N-glycosylation have only been described for few species. With this in mind, the similarities of N-linked glycans decorating glycoproteins in the haloarchaea Haloferax volcanii and Halobacterium salinarum directed a series of bioinformatics, genetic, and biochemical experiments designed to describe that Hbt. salinarum pathway responsible for biogenesis of one of the two N-linked oligosaccharides described in this species. As in Hfx. volcanii, where agl (archaeal glycosylation) genes that encode proteins responsible for the assembly and attachment of a pentasaccharide to target protein Asn residues are clustered in the genome, Hbt. salinarum also contains a group of clustered homologous genes (VNG1048G-VNG1068G). Introduction of these Hbt. salinarum genes into Hfx. volcanii mutant strains deleted of the homologous sequence restored the lost activity. Moreover, transcription of the Hbt. salinarum genes in the native host, as well as in vitro biochemical confirmation of the predicted functions of several of the products of these genes provided further support for assignments made following bioinformatics and genetic experiments. Based on the results obtained in this study, the first description of an N-glycosylation pathway in Hbt. salinarum is offered. PMID:25461760

10 CFR 51.40 - Consultation with NRC staff.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 10 Energy 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Consultation with NRC staff. 51.40 Section 51.40 Energy....40 Consultation with NRC staff. (a) A prospective applicant or petitioner for rulemaking is encouraged to confer with NRC staff as early as possible in its planning process before submitting...

Quality improvement on half-fin anchovy (Setipinna taty) fish sauce by Psychrobacter sp. SP-1 fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Bin; Liu, Yu; He, Xiaoxia; Hu, Shiwei; Li, Shijie; Chen, Meiling; Jiang, Wei

2017-10-01

A method of improving fish sauce quality during fermentation was investigated. Psychrobacter sp. SP-1, a halophilic protease-producing bacterium, was isolated from fish sauce with flavor-enhancing properties and non-biogenic amine-producing activity. The performance of Psychrobacter sp. SP-1 in Setipinna taty fish sauce fermentation was investigated further. The inoculation of Psychrobacter sp. SP-1 did not significantly affect pH or NaCl concentration changes (P > 0.05), although it significantly increased total moderately halophilic microbial count, protease activity, total soluble nitrogen content and amino acid nitrogen content, and also promoted the umami taste and meaty aroma (P sauce quality by fermentation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry.

The human luteinizing hormone receptor gene promoter: activation by Sp1 and Sp3 and inhibitory regulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Geng, Y; Tsai-Morris, C H; Zhang, Y; Dufau, M L

1999-09-24

To understand the transcriptional mechanism(s) of human LH receptor (LHR) gene expression, we have identified the dominant functional cis-elements that regulate the activity of the promoter domain (-1 to -176 bp from ATG). Mutagenesis demonstrated that the promoter activity was dependent on two Sp1 domains (-79 bp, -120 bp) in a transformed normal placental cell (PLC) and the choriocarcinoma JAR cell. Both elements interacted with endogenous Sp1 and Sp3 factors but not with Sp2 or Sp4. In Drosophila SL2 cells, the promoter was activated by either Sp1 or Sp3. An ERE half-site (EREhs) at -174 bp was inhibitory (by 100%), but was unresponsive to estradiol and did not bind the estrogen receptor or orphan receptors ERR1 and SF-1. The 5' upstream sequence (-177 to -2056 bp) inhibited promoter activity in PLC by 60%, but only minimally in JAR cells. Activation of the human LHR promoter through Sp1/3 factors is negatively regulated through EREhs and upstream sequences to exert control of gene expression. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

NRC/RSR Data Bank Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bankert, S.F.; Evans, C.D.; Hardy, H.A.; Litteer, G.L.; Schulz, G.L.; Smith, N.C.

1978-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has established the NRC/Reactor Safety Research (RSR) Data Bank Program to provide a means of collecting, processing, and making available experimental data from the many domestic and foreign water reactor safety research programs. The NRC/RSR Data Bank Program collects qualified engineering data from experimental program data bases, stores the data in a single data bank in a common format, and makes the data available to users. The program is designed to be user oriented to minimize the effort required to obtain and manipulate data of interest. The data bank concept and structure embodied in the data bank processing system are applicable to any program where large quantities of scientific (numeric) data are generated and require compiling, storage, and accessing in order to be collected and made available to multiple users. 3 figures

IRIS and the National Research Council (NRC)

Science.gov (United States)

Since the 2011 National Academies’ National Research Council (NRC) review of the IRIS Program's assessment of Formaldehyde, EPA and NRC have had an ongoing relationship into the improvements of developing the IRIS Assessments.

NRC perspectives on the digital system review process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mauck, J.L.

1998-01-01

Since about 1988, the USNRC has been involved in the review of digital retrofits to instrumentation and control (I and C) systems in nuclear power plants. Initially, this involvement was limited but with the advent of the 1990s, NRC involvement has become greater because of increased interest in and application of digital systems as existing analog systems become obsolete. Criteria for the design of such systems to ensure safety has been promulgated over the years and the USNRC has been actively involved both nationally and internationally with this effort. With the publication of the Zion Eagle 21 Safety Evaluation Report in 1992, Generic Letter 95-02 in April 1995 which endorses EPRI guidance document TR-102348 on digital upgrades and the latest revision to Regulatory Guide 1.152 which endorses IEEE 7.4.3.2-1993; a basic digital system review process was established. The NRC supplemented this review process with recently issued inspection procedures for use by NRC inspectors when conducting onsite reviews of digital modifications. In addition, the NRC undertook a major effort to codify the above guidance and the experience gained from digital system reviews of both operating plant modifications and advanced reactor designs, over these years into a revision to Standard Review Plan, (SRP), NUREG-0800, Chapter 7, Instrumentation and Control. This SRP revision was published in June, 1997, and included new SRP sections, branch technical positions and six new regulatory guides endorsing IEEE standards on software quality. The NRC staff believes that a stable digital system review process is now in place. (author)

Status of U. S. NRC Actions for the Events of Fukushima Dacha NPP

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Donghak; Lee, Jaeyong; Kim, Myungki

2013-01-01

In this study, status of U. S. NRC actions for the events of Fukushima is studied by reviewing commission papers, orders, request for information (RFI), Interim Staff Guidance (ISG) issued by NRC, etc. In order to acquire design certification of the APR1400, status of U. S. NRC actions for the events of Fukushima Dacha NTT is reviewed. The NRC has determined and conducted the 38 recommendations for action including 31 NTTF recommendations and seven additional recommendations. The recommendations are divided into Tier 1, Tier 2 and Tier 3. Tier 1 and Tier 2 recommendations are implemented by three Orders, one request for information and two rule makings. To comply with three orders and one request for information, the NRC issued six ISGs and NEI issued three technical reports. The final rule on strengthening and integrating onsite emergency response capabilities will be issued in February 2016. Station blackout mitigating strategies rulemaking on SBO mitigation capability and on spent fuel pool instrumentation and makeup capability will proceed

The N-terminal sequence of ribosomal protein L10 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui and its relationship to eubacterial protein L6 and other ribosomal proteins.

Science.gov (United States)

Dijk, J; van den Broek, R; Nasiulas, G; Beck, A; Reinhardt, R; Wittmann-Liebold, B

1987-08-01

The amino-terminal sequence of ribosomal protein L10 from Halobacterium marismortui has been determined up to residue 54, using both a liquid- and a gas-phase sequenator. The two sequences are in good agreement. The protein is clearly homologous to protein HcuL10 from the related strain Halobacterium cutirubrum. Furthermore, a weaker but distinct homology to ribosomal protein L6 from Escherichia coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus can be detected. In addition to 7 identical amino acids in the first 36 residues in all four sequences a number of conservative replacements occurs, of mainly hydrophobic amino acids. In this common region the pattern of conserved amino acids suggests the presence of a beta-alpha fold as it occurs in ribosomal proteins L12 and L30. Furthermore, several potential cases of homology to other ribosomal components of the three ur-kingdoms have been found.

REVIEW OF NRC APPROVED DIGITAL CONTROL SYSTEMS ANALYSIS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Markman, D.W.

1999-01-01

Preliminary design concepts for the proposed Subsurface Repository at Yucca Mountain indicate extensive reliance on modern, computer-based, digital control technologies. The purpose of this analysis is to investigate the degree to which the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has accepted and approved the use of digital control technology for safety-related applications within the nuclear power industry. This analysis reviews cases of existing digitally-based control systems that have been approved by the NRC. These cases can serve as precedence for using similar types of digitally-based control technologies within the Subsurface Repository. While it is anticipated that the Yucca Mountain Project (YMP) will not contain control systems as complex as those required for a nuclear power plant, the review of these existing NRC approved applications will provide the YMP with valuable insight into the NRCs review process and design expectations for safety-related digital control systems. According to the YMP Compliance Program Guidance, portions of various NUREGS, Regulatory Guidelines, and nuclear IEEE standards the nuclear power plant safety related concept would be applied to some of the designs on a case-by-case basis. This analysis will consider key design methods, capabilities, successes, and important limitations or problems of selected control systems that have been approved for use in the Nuclear Power industry. An additional purpose of this analysis is to provide background information in support of further development of design criteria for the YMP. The scope and primary objectives of this analysis are to: (1) Identify and research the extent and precedence of digital control and remotely operated systems approved by the NRC for the nuclear power industry. Help provide a basis for using and relying on digital technologies for nuclear related safety critical applications. (2) Identify the basic control architecture and methods of key digital control

Public citizen slams NRC on nuclear inspections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Newman, P.

1993-01-01

Charging the Nuclear Regulatory Commission with open-quotes abandoning tough regulation of the nuclear power industry,close quotes Public Citizen's Critical Mass Energy Project on Wednesday released a report asserting that NRC is shielding sensitive internal nuclear industry self-evaluations from public scrutiny. Based on their review of 56 Institute of Nuclear Power Operations reports and evaluations and comparing these to the NRC's Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance reports for the same plants, it was concluded that the NRC failed to address issues raised in all eight areas evaluated by the INPO reports

The NRC perspective on low-level radioactive waste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thompson, H.L. Jr.; Knapp, M.R.

1987-01-01

This paper describes the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) actions in response to the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act (the Act) and NRC's assistance to States and Compacts working to discharge their responsibilities under the Act. Three of NRC's accomplishments which respond explicitly to direction in the Act are highlighted. These are: development of the capability of expedited handling of petitions addressing wastes below regulatory concern (BRC); development of capability to review and process an application within fifteen months; and development of guidance on alternatives to shallow land burial. Certain NRC efforts concerning special topics related to the Act as well as NRC efforts to assist States and Compacts are summarized

Safeguards at NRC licensed facilities: Are we doing enough

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asselstine, J.K.

1986-01-01

Safeguards at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) facilities are discussed in this paper. The NRC is pursuing a number of initiatives in the safeguards area. The Commission is conducting a reassessment of its safeguards design basis threat statements to consider the possible implications of an explosive-laden vehicle for U.S. nuclear safeguards and to examine the comparability of safeguards features at NRC-licensed and DOE facilities. The Commission is also completing action on measures to protect against the sabotage threat from an insider at NRC-licensed facilities, and is examining the potential safety implications of safeguards measures. Finally, the NRC has developed measures to reduce the theft potential for high-enriched uranium

General statement of policy and procedures for NRC enforcement actions: Enforcement policy. Revision 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-05-01

This document includes the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s (NRC`s or Commission`s) revised General Statement of Policy and Procedure for Enforcement Actions (Enforcement Policy) as it was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 1998 (63 ER 26630). The Enforcement Policy is a general statement of policy explaining the NRC`s policies and procedures in initiating enforcement actions, and of the presiding officers and the Commission in reviewing these actions. This policy statement is applicable to enforcement matters involving the radiological health and safety of the public, including employees` health and safety, the common defense and security, and the environment.

General statement of policy and procedures for NRC enforcement actions: Enforcement policy. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-05-01

This document includes the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC's or Commission's) revised General Statement of Policy and Procedure for Enforcement Actions (Enforcement Policy) as it was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 1998 (63 ER 26630). The Enforcement Policy is a general statement of policy explaining the NRC's policies and procedures in initiating enforcement actions, and of the presiding officers and the Commission in reviewing these actions. This policy statement is applicable to enforcement matters involving the radiological health and safety of the public, including employees' health and safety, the common defense and security, and the environment

Sorption behavior of europium(III) and curium(III) on the cell surfaces of microorganisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ozaki, T.; Kimura, T.; Ohnuki, T.; Yoshida, Z.; Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J.

2004-01-01

We investigated the association of europium(III) and curium(III) with the microorganisms Chlorella vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Halomonas sp., Halobacterium salinarum, and Halobacterium halobium. We determined the kinetics and distribution coefficients (K d ) for Eu(III) and Cm(III) sorption at pH 3-5 by batch experiments, and evaluated the number of water molecules in the inner-sphere (N H 2 O ) and the degree of strength of ligand field (R E/M ) for Eu(III) by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). Exudates from C. vulgaris, Halomonas sp., and H. halobium had an affinity for Eu(III) and Cm(III). The log K d of Eu(III) and Cm(III) showed that their sorption was not fully due to the exchange with three protons on the functional groups on cell surfaces. The halophilic microorganisms (Halomonas sp., Halobacterium salinarum, H. halobium) showed almost no pH dependence in log K d , indicating that an exchange with Na + on the functional groups was involved in their sorption. The ΔN H 2 O (= 9 - N H 2 O ) for Eu(III) on C. vulgaris was 1-3, while that for the other microorganisms was over 3, demonstrating that the coordination of Eu(III) with C. vulgaris was predominantly an outer-spherical process. The R E/M for Eu(III) on halophilic microorganisms was 2.5-5, while that for non-halophilic ones was 1-2.5. This finding suggests that the coordination environment of Eu(III) on the halophilic microorganisms is more complicated than that on the other three non-halophilic ones. (orig.)

Sorption behavior of europium(III) and curium(III) on the cell surfaces of microorganisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ozaki, T.; Kimura, T.; Ohnuki, T.; Yoshida, Z. [Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Ibaraki (Japan); Gillow, J.B.; Francis, A.J. [Environmental Sciences Dept., Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States)

2004-07-01

We investigated the association of europium(III) and curium(III) with the microorganisms Chlorella vulgaris, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas fluorescens, Halomonas sp., Halobacterium salinarum, and Halobacterium halobium. We determined the kinetics and distribution coefficients (K{sub d}) for Eu(III) and Cm(III) sorption at pH 3-5 by batch experiments, and evaluated the number of water molecules in the inner-sphere (N{sub H{sub 2}O}) and the degree of strength of ligand field (R{sub E/M}) for Eu(III) by time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). Exudates from C. vulgaris, Halomonas sp., and H. halobium had an affinity for Eu(III) and Cm(III). The log K{sub d} of Eu(III) and Cm(III) showed that their sorption was not fully due to the exchange with three protons on the functional groups on cell surfaces. The halophilic microorganisms (Halomonas sp., Halobacterium salinarum, H. halobium) showed almost no pH dependence in log K{sub d}, indicating that an exchange with Na{sup +} on the functional groups was involved in their sorption. The {delta}N{sub H{sub 2}O} (= 9 - N{sub H{sub 2}O}) for Eu(III) on C. vulgaris was 1-3, while that for the other microorganisms was over 3, demonstrating that the coordination of Eu(III) with C. vulgaris was predominantly an outer-spherical process. The R{sub E/M} for Eu(III) on halophilic microorganisms was 2.5-5, while that for non-halophilic ones was 1-2.5. This finding suggests that the coordination environment of Eu(III) on the halophilic microorganisms is more complicated than that on the other three non-halophilic ones. (orig.)

NRC perspectives on fuel cycle and safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, K.R.

1976-01-01

This paper discusses NRC's mandate in the field of safeguards and the thoughts of NRC on other newly emerging policy considerations. The status of some of the current issues facing the nuclear community and the regulatory staff in particular is touched on

The use of U.S. NRC licensing practices for VVERs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Popp, D.M.

2000-01-01

The licensing process for the upgraded Temelin I and C and Fuel designs were enhanced with the introduction of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC practices. Specifically, the use of the NRC Regulatory Guide 1.70, 'Standard Format and Content Guide for Safety Analyses Reports' and NRC NUREG 0800, 'Standard Review Plan for the Review of Safety Analysis Reports for Nuclear Power Plants', were beneficial in the development and review of Temelin licensing documentation. These standards have been used for the preparation and review of Safety Analysis Reports in the United States and also in a large number of licensing applications around the world. Both Regulatory Guide 1.70 and NUREG 0800 were developed to provide a predictable and structured approach to licensing. This paper discusses this approach and identifies the benefits to designers, writers of licensing documentation and reviewers of licensing documents. (author)

NRC/RSR Data Bank Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bankert, S.F.; Evans, C.D.; Hardy, H.A.; Litteer, G.L.; Schulz, G.L.; Smith, N.C.

1978-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has established the NRC/Reactor Safety Research (RSR) Data Bank Program at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). The program provides the means of collecting, storing, and making available experimental data from the many water reactor safety research programs in the United States and other countries. The program collects qualified engineering data on a prioritized basis from experimental program data bases, stores the data in a single data bank in a common format, and makes the data available to users

NRC methods for evaluation of industry training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morisseau, D.S.; Koontz, J.L.; Persensky, J.J.

1987-01-01

On March 20, 1985, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission published the Policy Statement on Training and Qualification. The Policy Statement endorsed the INPO-managed Training Accreditation Program because it encompasses the five elements of performance-based training. This paper described the multiple methods that the NRC is using to monitor industry efforts to improve training and implement the NRC Policy Statement on Training and Qualification. The results of the evaluation of industry training improvement programs will be reviewed by the Commissioners in April 1987 to determine the nature of continuing NRC policy and programs for ensuring effective training for the US nuclear industry

Zac1, an Sp1-like protein, regulates human p21WAF1/Cip1 gene expression in HeLa cells

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Pei-Yao; Hsieh, Tsai-Yuan; Liu, Shu-Ting; Chang, Yung-Lung; Lin, Wei-Shiang; Wang, Wei-Ming; Huang, Shih-Ming

2011-01-01

Zac1 functions as both a transcription factor and a transcriptional cofactor for p53, nuclear receptors (NRs) and NR coactivators. Zac1 might also act as a transcriptional repressor via the recruitment of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). The ability of Zac1 to interact directly with GC-specific elements indicates that Zac1 possibly binds to Sp1-responsive elements. In the present study, our data show that Zac1 is able to interact directly with the Sp1-responsive element in the p21 WAF1/Cip1 gene promoter and enhance the transactivation activity of Sp1 through direct physical interaction. Our data further demonstrate that Zac1 might enhance Sp1-specific promoter activity by interacting with the Sp1-responsive element, affecting the transactivation activity of Sp1 via a protein–protein interaction, or competing the HDAC1 protein away from the pre-existing Sp1/HDAC1 complex. Finally, the synergistic regulation of p21 WAF1/Cip1 gene expression by Zac1 and Sp1 is mediated by endogenous p53 protein and p53-responsive elements in HeLa cells. Our work suggests that Zac1 might serve as an Sp1-like protein that directly interacts with the Sp1-responsive element to oligomerize with and/or to coactivate Sp1.

NRC/AMRMC Resident Research Associateship Program

Science.gov (United States)

2016-04-01

8. Curcumin : A Prototype Anti-inflammatory Therapeutic for Burn Pain and Wound Healing. Burn and Trauma Research Workgroup. BAMMC Burn Center 2014 9...from Burkholderia infection in mice. 9) PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS RESULTING FROM NRC ASSOCIATESHIP RESEARCH Provide complete citations: author(s), title...PUBLICATIONS AND PAPERS RESULTING FROM NRC ASSOCIATESHIP RESEARCH Provide complete citations: author(s), title, full name of journal, volume number, page

Amino acid sequences of the ribosomal proteins HL30 and HmaL5 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatakeyama, T; Hatakeyama, T

1990-07-06

The complete amino acid sequences of the ribosomal proteins HL30 and HmaL5 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui were determined. Protein HL30 was found to be acetylated at its N-terminal amino acid and shows homology to the eukaryotic ribosomal proteins YL34 from yeast and RL31 from rat. Protein HmaL5 was homologous to the protein L5 from Escherichia coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus as well as to YL16 from yeast. HmaL5 shows more similarities to its eukaryotic counterpart than to eubacterial ones.

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL), pre-NRC through December 31, 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-07-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL), Vol. 1, provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) which occurred and were reported from pre-NRC through December 31, 1989. Because of public interest, the Miscellaneous category includes a few events which involve either source material, byproduct material, or natural uranium which are exempt from safeguards requirements. Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, nonradiological sabotage, and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

Significant NRC Enforcement Actions

Data.gov (United States)

Nuclear Regulatory Commission — This dataset provides a list of Nuclear Regulartory Commission (NRC) issued significant enforcement actions. These actions, referred to as "escalated", are issued by...

Sp1 and Sp3 Are the Transcription Activators of Human ek1 Promoter in TSA-Treated Human Colon Carcinoma Cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Kuan, Chee Sian; See Too, Wei Cun; Few, Ling Ling

2016-01-01

Ethanolamine kinase (EK) catalyzes the phosphorylation of ethanolamine, the first step in the CDP-ethanolamine pathway for the biosynthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Human EK exists as EK1, EK2α and EK2β isoforms, encoded by two separate genes, named ek1 and ek2. EK activity is stimulated by carcinogens and oncogenes, suggesting the involvement of EK in carcinogenesis. Currently, little is known about EK transcriptional regulation by endogenous or exogenous signals, and the ek gene promoter has never been studied. In this report, we mapped the important regulatory regions in the human ek1 promoter. 5' deletion analysis and site-directed mutagenesis identified a Sp site at position (-40/-31) that was essential for the basal transcription of this gene. Treatment of HCT116 cells with trichostatin A (TSA), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, significantly upregulated the ek1 promoter activity through the Sp(-40/-31) site and increased the endogenous expression of ek1. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay revealed that TSA increased the binding of Sp1, Sp3 and RNA polymerase II to the ek1 promoter in HCT116 cells. The effect of TSA on ek1 promoter activity was cell-line specific as TSA treatment did not affect ek1 promoter activity in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, we showed that Sp1 and Sp3 are not only essential for the basal transcription of the ek1 gene, their accessibility to the target site on the ek1 promoter is regulated by histone protein modification in a cell line dependent manner.

NRC Perspectives on Waste Incidental to Reprocessing Consultations and Monitoring - 13398

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McKenney, Christepher A.; Suber, Gregory F.; Felsher, Harry D.; Mohseni, Aby [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Mail Stop T8F5, 11545 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD 20852 (United States)

2013-07-01

Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to consult with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for certain non-high level waste (HLW) determinations. The NDAA also requires NRC to monitor DOE's disposal actions related to those determinations to assess compliance with NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C. The NDAA applies to DOE activities that will remain within the States of South Carolina and Idaho. DOE has chosen to, under DOE Order 435.1, engage in consultation with NRC for similar activities in the State of Washington and New York, however, the NRC has no monitoring responsibilities. In 2007, the NRC developed a draft Final Report for Interim Use entitled, NUREG-1854: NRC Staff Guidance for Activities Related to U.S. Department of Energy Waste Determinations. Since the law was enacted, the DOE and NRC have consulted on three waste determinations within the affected States: (1) the Saltstone Disposal Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) within the State of South Carolina in 2005, (2) the INTEC Tank Farm at the Idaho National Laboratory within the State of Idaho in 2006, and (3) the F Tank Farm at SRS in 2011. After the end of consultation and issuance by DOE of the final waste determination, monitoring began at each of these sites, including the development of monitoring plans. In addition to the NDAA sites, DOE has requested NRC consultation support on both individual tanks and the entire C Tank Farm at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in the State of Washington. DOE also requested consultation of waste determinations performed on the melter and related feed tanks at the West Valley site in New York that would be disposed offsite. In the next few years, NRC and DOE will consult on the last of the NDAA waste determinations for a while, the H Tank Farm waste determination at SRS. DOE may identify other activities in the future but

NRC Perspectives on Waste Incidental to Reprocessing Consultations and Monitoring - 13398

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenney, Christepher A.; Suber, Gregory F.; Felsher, Harry D.; Mohseni, Aby

2013-01-01

Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA) requires the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to consult with the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for certain non-high level waste (HLW) determinations. The NDAA also requires NRC to monitor DOE's disposal actions related to those determinations to assess compliance with NRC regulations in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C. The NDAA applies to DOE activities that will remain within the States of South Carolina and Idaho. DOE has chosen to, under DOE Order 435.1, engage in consultation with NRC for similar activities in the State of Washington and New York, however, the NRC has no monitoring responsibilities. In 2007, the NRC developed a draft Final Report for Interim Use entitled, NUREG-1854: NRC Staff Guidance for Activities Related to U.S. Department of Energy Waste Determinations. Since the law was enacted, the DOE and NRC have consulted on three waste determinations within the affected States: (1) the Saltstone Disposal Facility at the Savannah River Site (SRS) within the State of South Carolina in 2005, (2) the INTEC Tank Farm at the Idaho National Laboratory within the State of Idaho in 2006, and (3) the F Tank Farm at SRS in 2011. After the end of consultation and issuance by DOE of the final waste determination, monitoring began at each of these sites, including the development of monitoring plans. In addition to the NDAA sites, DOE has requested NRC consultation support on both individual tanks and the entire C Tank Farm at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation in the State of Washington. DOE also requested consultation of waste determinations performed on the melter and related feed tanks at the West Valley site in New York that would be disposed offsite. In the next few years, NRC and DOE will consult on the last of the NDAA waste determinations for a while, the H Tank Farm waste determination at SRS. DOE may identify other activities in the future but largely

NRC/DAE reactor safety research Data Bank

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laats, E.T.

1982-01-01

In 1976, the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) established the NRC/Division of Accident Evaluation (DAE) Data Bank to collect, store, and make available data from the many domestic and foreign water reactor safety research programs. This program has since grown from the conceptual stage to a useful, usable service for computer code development, code assessment, and experimentation groups in meeting the needs of the nuclear industry. Data from 20 facilities are now processed and permanently stored in the Data Bank, which utilizes the Control Data Corporation (CDC) CYBER 176 computer system located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). New data and data sources are continually being added to the Data Bank. In addition to providing data storage and access software, the Data Bank program supplies data entry, documentation, and training and advisory services to users and the NRC. Management of the NRC/DAE Data Bank is provided by EG and G Idaho, Inc

Recommendations for NRC policy on shift scheduling and overtime at nuclear power plants

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lewis, P.M.

1985-07-01

This report contains the Pacific Northwest Laboratory's (PNL's) recommendations to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for an NRC policy on shift scheduling and hours of work (including overtime) for control room operators and other safety-related personnel in nuclear power plants. First, it is recommended that NRC make three additions to its present policy on overtime: (1) limit personnel to 112 hours of work in a 14-day period, 192 hours in 28 days, and 2260 hours in one year; exceeding these limits would require plant manager approval; (2) add a requirement that licensees obtain approval from NRC if plant personnel are expected to exceed 72 hours of work in a 7-day period, 132 hours in 14 days, 228 hours in 28 days, and 2300 hours in one year; and (3) make the policy a requirement, rather than a nonbinding recommendation. Second, it is recommended that licensees be required to obtain NRC approval to adopt a routine 12-hour/day shift schedule. Third, it is recommended that NRC add several nonbinding recommendations concerning routine 8-hour/day schedules. Finally, because additional data can strengthen the basis for future NRC policy on overtime, five methods are suggested for collecting data on overtime and its effects. 44 refs., 10 tabs.

Recommendations for NRC policy on shift scheduling and overtime at nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lewis, P.M.

1985-07-01

This report contains the Pacific Northwest Laboratory's (PNL's) recommendations to the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) for an NRC policy on shift scheduling and hours of work (including overtime) for control room operators and other safety-related personnel in nuclear power plants. First, it is recommended that NRC make three additions to its present policy on overtime: (1) limit personnel to 112 hours of work in a 14-day period, 192 hours in 28 days, and 2260 hours in one year; exceeding these limits would require plant manager approval; (2) add a requirement that licensees obtain approval from NRC if plant personnel are expected to exceed 72 hours of work in a 7-day period, 132 hours in 14 days, 228 hours in 28 days, and 2300 hours in one year; and (3) make the policy a requirement, rather than a nonbinding recommendation. Second, it is recommended that licensees be required to obtain NRC approval to adopt a routine 12-hour/day shift schedule. Third, it is recommended that NRC add several nonbinding recommendations concerning routine 8-hour/day schedules. Finally, because additional data can strengthen the basis for future NRC policy on overtime, five methods are suggested for collecting data on overtime and its effects. 44 refs., 10 tabs

Current perspectives on performance assessment at the NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coplan, S.M.; Eisenberg, N.A.; Federline, M.V.; Randall, J.D.

1992-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff is engaging in a number of activities involving performance assessment in order to support NRC's program in high-level waste management. Broad areas of activity include: (1) reactive work responding to products and activities of the Department of Energy (DOE), (2) proactive work, including development of an independent performance assessment capability, development of guidance for DOE, support for technical and programmatic integration, (3) a program of regulatory research, and (4) participation in a number of international activities. As the U.S. high-level waste program continues to mature, performance assessment is seen as playing a more prominent role in evaluating safety and focussing technical activities

NRC Regulatory Agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-07-01

This document is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

Scalability of Parallel Spatial Direct Numerical Simulations on Intel Hypercube and IBM SP1 and SP2

Science.gov (United States)

Joslin, Ronald D.; Hanebutte, Ulf R.; Zubair, Mohammad

1995-01-01

The implementation and performance of a parallel spatial direct numerical simulation (PSDNS) approach on the Intel iPSC/860 hypercube and IBM SP1 and SP2 parallel computers is documented. Spatially evolving disturbances associated with the laminar-to-turbulent transition in boundary-layer flows are computed with the PSDNS code. The feasibility of using the PSDNS to perform transition studies on these computers is examined. The results indicate that PSDNS approach can effectively be parallelized on a distributed-memory parallel machine by remapping the distributed data structure during the course of the calculation. Scalability information is provided to estimate computational costs to match the actual costs relative to changes in the number of grid points. By increasing the number of processors, slower than linear speedups are achieved with optimized (machine-dependent library) routines. This slower than linear speedup results because the computational cost is dominated by FFT routine, which yields less than ideal speedups. By using appropriate compile options and optimized library routines on the SP1, the serial code achieves 52-56 M ops on a single node of the SP1 (45 percent of theoretical peak performance). The actual performance of the PSDNS code on the SP1 is evaluated with a "real world" simulation that consists of 1.7 million grid points. One time step of this simulation is calculated on eight nodes of the SP1 in the same time as required by a Cray Y/MP supercomputer. For the same simulation, 32-nodes of the SP1 and SP2 are required to reach the performance of a Cray C-90. A 32 node SP1 (SP2) configuration is 2.9 (4.6) times faster than a Cray Y/MP for this simulation, while the hypercube is roughly 2 times slower than the Y/MP for this application. KEY WORDS: Spatial direct numerical simulations; incompressible viscous flows; spectral methods; finite differences; parallel computing.

Development of the NRC's Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paradies, M.; Unger, L.; Haas, P.; Terranova, M.

1993-10-01

The three volumes of this report detail a standard investigation process for use by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) personnel when investigating human performance related events at nuclear power plants. The process, called the Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP), was developed to meet the special needs of NRC personnel, especially NRC resident and regional inspectors. HPIP is a systematic investigation process combining current procedures and field practices, expert experience, NRC human performance research, and applicable investigation techniques. The process is easy to learn and helps NRC personnel perform better field investigations of the root causes of human performance problems. The human performance data gathered through such investigations provides a better understanding of the human performance issues that cause events at nuclear power plants. This document, Volume III, is a detailed documentation of the development effort and the pilot training program

Report to Congress on NRC emergency communications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1980-09-01

The accident at Three Mile Island highlighted the need for improved communications among the NRC and other organizations which respond to such emergencies. This report summarizes the communication problems identified by several major review groups after the accident, the status of corrective actions, and NRC plans to improve communications still further. (author)

Zac1, an Sp1-like protein, regulates human p21{sup WAF1/Cip1} gene expression in HeLa cells

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Pei-Yao [Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Hsieh, Tsai-Yuan [Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Internal Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Liu, Shu-Ting; Chang, Yung-Lung [Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Lin, Wei-Shiang [Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Wang, Wei-Ming, E-mail: ades0431@ms38.hinet.net [Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Dermatology, Tri-Service General Hospital, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Huang, Shih-Ming, E-mail: shihming@ndmctsgh.edu.tw [Graduate Institute of Life Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China); Department of Biochemistry, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan, ROC (China)

2011-12-10

Zac1 functions as both a transcription factor and a transcriptional cofactor for p53, nuclear receptors (NRs) and NR coactivators. Zac1 might also act as a transcriptional repressor via the recruitment of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1). The ability of Zac1 to interact directly with GC-specific elements indicates that Zac1 possibly binds to Sp1-responsive elements. In the present study, our data show that Zac1 is able to interact directly with the Sp1-responsive element in the p21{sup WAF1/Cip1} gene promoter and enhance the transactivation activity of Sp1 through direct physical interaction. Our data further demonstrate that Zac1 might enhance Sp1-specific promoter activity by interacting with the Sp1-responsive element, affecting the transactivation activity of Sp1 via a protein-protein interaction, or competing the HDAC1 protein away from the pre-existing Sp1/HDAC1 complex. Finally, the synergistic regulation of p21{sup WAF1/Cip1} gene expression by Zac1 and Sp1 is mediated by endogenous p53 protein and p53-responsive elements in HeLa cells. Our work suggests that Zac1 might serve as an Sp1-like protein that directly interacts with the Sp1-responsive element to oligomerize with and/or to coactivate Sp1.

Recent developments in NRC guidelines for atmosphere cleanup systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellamy, R.R.

1976-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) maintains the policy of updating when necessary, its published guidance for the design of engineered safety feature (ESF) and normal ventilation systems. The guidance is disseminated by means of issuing new, or revisions to, existing Regulatory Guides, Standard Review Plans, Branch Technical Positions and Technical Specifications. A revised Regulatory Guide, new Technical Specifications and new Standard Review Plans with Branch Technical Positions for atmosphere cleanup systems are discussed. Regulatory Guide 1.52, ''Design, Testing and Maintenance Criteria for Atmosphere Cleanup System Air Filtration and Adsorption Units of Light-Water-Cooled Nuclear Power Plants,'' was issued in July 1973. The major comments received from the nuclear industry since the guide was issued, NRC's experience in implementing the guide in recent license applications, status of operating plants in meeting the guidelines and NRC's continuing assessment of operating data and laboratory tests to assure that the guide reflects the latest technology are discussed

NRC perspective and experience on valve testing

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eapen, P.K.

1990-01-01

Testing of safety related valves is one of the major activities at commercial nuclear power plants. In addition to Technical Specification, valve testing is required in 10 CFR 50.55a and 10 CFR 50 Appendix J. NRC inspectors (both resident and specialists) spend a considerable amount of time in following the valve test activities as part of their routine business. In the past, depending on a licensee's organizational structure, a valve could be tested more than three times to verify conformance with Technical Specifications, 10 CFR 50.55a, and 10 CFR 50 Appendix J. The regulatory reviewers were isolated from each other. Licensee test personnel were also not communicating among themselves. As a result, NRC inspectors found that certain valves in the IST program were inadequately tested. The typical licensee response was to say that this valve is exempted from testing under Appendix J. Others would say that the technical specification does not require fast closure of a valve in question. In addition to the above, the inspectors had to deal with exemption requests that were not dispositioned by the NRC. In the seventies there was a gentlemen's agreement to allow the licensee to do the testing in accordance with the exception, without waiting for the NRC approval. Needless to say when the new NRC inspection procedure was issued in March 1989 for implementation, the Regional inspectors had extremely difficult time to cope with the gray areas of valve testing. In August 1987, NRC Region I was reorganized and the special test program section was established to perform inspections in the IST area. This section was chartered to optimize resources and develop a meaningful inspection plan. The perspectives and insights used in the development of a detailed inspection plan is discussed below

NRC comprehensive records disposition schedule. Revision 3

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-02-01

Title 44 US Code, ''Public Printing and Documents,'' regulations issued by the General Service Administration (GSA) in 41 CFR Chapter 101, Subchapter B, ''Management and Use of Information and Records,'' and regulations issued by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in 36 CFR Chapter 12, Subchapter B, ''Records Management,'' require each agency to prepare and issue a comprehensive records disposition schedule that contains the NARA approved records disposition schedules for records unique to the agency and contains the NARA's General Records Schedules for records common to several or all agencies. The approved records disposition schedules specify the appropriate duration of retention and the final disposition for records created or maintained by the NRC. NUREG-0910, Rev. 3, contains ''NRC's Comprehensive Records Disposition Schedule,'' and the original authorized approved citation numbers issued by NARA. Rev. 3 incorporates NARA approved changes and additions to the NRC schedules that have been implemented since the last revision dated March, 1992, reflects recent organizational changes implemented at the NRC, and includes the latest version of NARA's General Records Schedule (dated August 1995)

NRC comprehensive records disposition schedule. Revision 3

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-02-01

Title 44 US Code, ``Public Printing and Documents,`` regulations issued by the General Service Administration (GSA) in 41 CFR Chapter 101, Subchapter B, ``Management and Use of Information and Records,`` and regulations issued by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in 36 CFR Chapter 12, Subchapter B, ``Records Management,`` require each agency to prepare and issue a comprehensive records disposition schedule that contains the NARA approved records disposition schedules for records unique to the agency and contains the NARA`s General Records Schedules for records common to several or all agencies. The approved records disposition schedules specify the appropriate duration of retention and the final disposition for records created or maintained by the NRC. NUREG-0910, Rev. 3, contains ``NRC`s Comprehensive Records Disposition Schedule,`` and the original authorized approved citation numbers issued by NARA. Rev. 3 incorporates NARA approved changes and additions to the NRC schedules that have been implemented since the last revision dated March, 1992, reflects recent organizational changes implemented at the NRC, and includes the latest version of NARA`s General Records Schedule (dated August 1995).

NRC Regulatory Agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-07-01

This document compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rule making which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC's object-oriented simulator instructor station

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Griffin, J.I.; Griffin, J.P.

1995-06-01

As part of a comprehensive simulator upgrade program, the simulator computer systems associated with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) nuclear power plant simulators were replaced. Because the original instructor stations for two of the simulators were dependent on the original computer equipment, it was necessary to develop and implement new instructor stations. This report describes the Macintosh-based Instructor Stations developed by NRC engineers for the General Electric (GE) and Babcock and Wilcox (B and W) simulators

NRC Regulatory Agenda: Quarterly report, October--December 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-01-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules which the NRC has proposed or is considering action on, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission

Building beef cow nutritional programs with the 1996 NRC beef cattle requirements model.

Science.gov (United States)

Lardy, G P; Adams, D C; Klopfenstein, T J; Patterson, H H

2004-01-01

Designing a sound cow-calf nutritional program requires knowledge of nutrient requirements, diet quality, and intake. Effectively using the NRC (1996) beef cattle requirements model (1996NRC) also requires knowledge of dietary degradable intake protein (DIP) and microbial efficiency. Objectives of this paper are to 1) describe a framework in which 1996NRC-applicable data can be generated, 2) describe seasonal changes in nutrients on native range, 3) use the 1996NRC to predict nutrient balance for cattle grazing these forages, and 4) make recommendations for using the 1996NRC for forage-fed cattle. Extrusa samples were collected over 2 yr on native upland range and subirrigated meadow in the Nebraska Sandhills. Samples were analyzed for CP, in vitro OM digestibility (IVOMD), and DIP. Regression equations to predict nutrients were developed from these data. The 1996NRC was used to predict nutrient balances based on the dietary nutrient analyses. Recommendations for model users were also developed. On subirrigated meadow, CP and IVOMD increased rapidly during March and April. On native range, CP and IVOMD increased from April through June but decreased rapidly from August through September. Degradable intake protein (DM basis) followed trends similar to CP for both native range and subirrigated meadow. Predicted nutrient balances for spring- and summer-calving cows agreed with reported values in the literature, provided that IVOMD values were converted to DE before use in the model (1.07 x IVOMD - 8.13). When the IVOMD-to-DE conversion was not used, the model gave unrealistically high NE(m) balances. To effectively use the 1996NRC to estimate protein requirements, users should focus on three key estimates: DIP, microbial efficiency, and TDN intake. Consequently, efforts should be focused on adequately describing seasonal changes in forage nutrient content. In order to increase use of the 1996NRC, research is needed in the following areas: 1) cost-effective and

Enhanced hydrogen production by coupled system of Halobacterium halobium and chloroplast after entrapment within reverse micelles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, A.; Dubey, R.S. [Banaras Hindhu University, Varanasi (India). Dept. of Biochemistry; Pandey, K.D. [Banaras Hindhu University, Varanasi (India). Dept. of Botany

1999-08-01

Reverse micelles were used for the enhanced rate of photoproduction of hydrogen using the coupled system of Halobacterium halobium and chloroplasts organelles. Different combinations of organic solvents and surfactants were used for generating reverse micelles. A several fold enhancement in the rate of H{sub 2} production was observed when the coupled system was entrapped within reverse micelles as compared to the aqueous suspension where no detectable H{sub 2} was produced. The coupled system immobilized in reverse micelles formed by sodium lauryl sulfate and carbon tetrachloride yielded maximum rate of H{sub 2} evolution. The optimum temperature for such hydrogen production was 40{sup o}C using light of 520-570 nm wavelength and 100 lux intensity. (author)

Development of the NRC's Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paradies, M.; Unger, L.; Haas, P.; Terranova, M.

1993-10-01

The three volumes of this report detail a standard investigation process for use by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) personnel when investigating human performance related events at nuclear power plants. The process, called the Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP), was developed to meet the special needs of NRC personnel, especially NRC resident and regional inspectors. HPIP is a systematic investigation process combining current procedures and field practices, expert experience, NRC human performance research, and applicable investigation techniques. The process is easy to learn and helps NRC personnel perform better field investigations of the root causes of human performance problems. The human performance data gathered through such investigations provides a better understanding of the human performance issues that cause events at nuclear power plants. This document, Volume I is a concise description of the need for the human performance investigation process, the process' components, the methods used to develop the process, the methods proposed to test the process, and conclusions on the process' usefulness

Development of the NRC's Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Paradies, M.; Unger, L.; Haas, P.; Terranova, M.

1993-10-01

The three volumes of this report detail a standard investigation process for use by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) personnel when investigating human performance related events at nuclear power plants. The process, called the Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP), was developed to meet the special needs of NRC personnel, especially NRC resident and regional inspectors. HPIP is a systematic investigation process combining current procedures and field practices, expert experience, NRC human performance research, and applicable investigation techniques. The process is easy to learn and helps NRC personnel perform better field investigations of the root causes of human performance problems. The human performance data gathered through such investigations provides a better understanding of the human performance issues that cause event at nuclear power plants. This document, Volume II, is a field manual for use by investigators when performing event investigations. Volume II includes the HPIP Procedure, the HPIP Modules, and Appendices that provide extensive documentation of each investigation technique

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-02-01

This document is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considered action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC regulatory agenda

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-11-01

This document provides a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC plan for cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lo, R.; Snyder, B.

1982-02-01

This NRC Plan, which defines NRC's functional role in cleanup operations at Three Mile Island Unit 2 and outlines NRC's regulatory responsibilities in fulfilling this role, is the first revision to the initial plan issued in July 1980 (NUREG-0698). Since 1980, a number of policy developments have occurred which will have an impact on the course of cleanup operations. This revision reflects these developments in the area of NRC's review and approval process with regard to cleanup operations as well as NRC's interface with the Department of Energy's involvement in the cleanup and waste disposal. This revision is also intended to update the cleanup schedule by presenting the cleanup progress that has taken place and NRC's role in ongoing and future cleanup activities

NRC comprehensive records disposition schedule

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-03-01

Title 44 United States Code, ''Public Printing and Documents,'' regulations cited in the General Services Administration's (GSA) ''Federal Information Resources Management Regulations'' (FIRMR), Part 201-9, ''Creation, Maintenance, and Use of Records,'' and regulation issued by the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in 36 CFR Chapter XII, Subchapter B, ''Records Management,'' require each agency to prepare and issue a comprehensive records disposition schedule that contains the NARA approved records disposition schedules for records unique to the agency and contains the NARA's General Records Schedules for records common to several or all agencies. The approved records disposition schedules specify the appropriate duration of retention and the final disposition for records created or maintained by the NRC. NUREG-0910, Rev. 2, contains ''NRC's Comprehensive Records Disposition Schedule,'' and the original authorized approved citation numbers issued by NARA. Rev. 2 totally reorganizes the records schedules from a functional arrangement to an arrangement by the host office. A subject index and a conversion table have also been developed for the NRC schedules to allow staff to identify the new schedule numbers easily and to improve their ability to locate applicable schedules

Status of ECCS Acceptance Criteria Revision in U. S. NRC and Perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Joosuk; Woo, Swengwoong

2013-01-01

Subsequently the NRC had conducted a fuel cladding research program to investigate the behavior of high burnup fuel cladding under LOCA conditions. This research program conducted at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), as well as conducted as jointly-funded programs at the Kurchatov Institute and the Halden Reactor. From these programs, several important technical findings, listed in following section, for rule revision were obtained. On March 14, 2000, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) submitted a petition for rulemaking (PRM) requesting that the NRC amend its regulations in 50.44 and 50.46 (PRM 50-71). The NEI petition stated that these regulations apply to only two specific zirconium-alloy fuel cladding materials (zircaloy and ZIRLO TM ). The NRC resolved PRM-50-71 by deciding that it should be considered in the following rulemaking process. Meanwhile, on March 15, 2007, Mark Leyse submitted a PRM to the NRC (PRM 50-84). The petitioner requests that the NRC conduct rulemaking in the following areas: Establish regulations that require licensees to operate light-water power reactors under conditions that are effective in limiting the thickness of crud and/or oxide layers. Amend Appendix K to Part 50 to explicitly require that steady-state temperature distribution and stored energy in the reactor fuel at the onset of a postulated LOCA be calculated by factoring in the role of the thermal resistance of crud and oxide layers. Amend 50.46 to specify a maximum allowable percentage of hydrogen content in the cladding. The NRC resolved PRM-50-84 by deciding that the petitioner's issues should be considered in the rulemaking process. On August 13, 2009, the NRC published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to obtain stakeholder views on issues associated with amending 50.46. On March 1, 2012, and subsequently modified by the staff's June 1, 2012, SECY-12-0034 was submitted to the Commission to obtain approval to publish for public comment, and it was approved

Status of ECCS Acceptance Criteria Revision in U. S. NRC and Perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, Joosuk; Woo, Swengwoong [Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2013-05-15

Subsequently the NRC had conducted a fuel cladding research program to investigate the behavior of high burnup fuel cladding under LOCA conditions. This research program conducted at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), as well as conducted as jointly-funded programs at the Kurchatov Institute and the Halden Reactor. From these programs, several important technical findings, listed in following section, for rule revision were obtained. On March 14, 2000, the Nuclear Energy Institute (NEI) submitted a petition for rulemaking (PRM) requesting that the NRC amend its regulations in 50.44 and 50.46 (PRM 50-71). The NEI petition stated that these regulations apply to only two specific zirconium-alloy fuel cladding materials (zircaloy and ZIRLO{sup TM}). The NRC resolved PRM-50-71 by deciding that it should be considered in the following rulemaking process. Meanwhile, on March 15, 2007, Mark Leyse submitted a PRM to the NRC (PRM 50-84). The petitioner requests that the NRC conduct rulemaking in the following areas: Establish regulations that require licensees to operate light-water power reactors under conditions that are effective in limiting the thickness of crud and/or oxide layers. Amend Appendix K to Part 50 to explicitly require that steady-state temperature distribution and stored energy in the reactor fuel at the onset of a postulated LOCA be calculated by factoring in the role of the thermal resistance of crud and oxide layers. Amend 50.46 to specify a maximum allowable percentage of hydrogen content in the cladding. The NRC resolved PRM-50-84 by deciding that the petitioner's issues should be considered in the rulemaking process. On August 13, 2009, the NRC published an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPR) to obtain stakeholder views on issues associated with amending 50.46. On March 1, 2012, and subsequently modified by the staff's June 1, 2012, SECY-12-0034 was submitted to the Commission to obtain approval to publish for public comment, and it

Inhibition of Sp1 functions by its sequestration into PML nuclear bodies.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

June Li

Full Text Available Promyelocytic leukemia nuclear bodies (PML NBs are comprised of PML and a striking variety of its associated proteins. Various cellular functions have been attributed to PML NBs, including the regulation of gene expression. We report here that induced expression of PML recruits Sp1 into PML NBs, leading to the reduction of Sp1 transactivation function. Specifically, Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP assay demonstrated that induced expression of PML significantly diminishes the amount of Sp1 binding to its target gene promoter, immunofluorescence staining showed dramatic increase in the co-localization between PML and Sp1 upon induction of PML expression, moreover, PML and Sp1 co-fractionated in the core nuclear matrix. Our study further showed that PML promotes SUMOylation of Sp1 in a RING-motif-dependent manner, SUMOylation of Sp1 facilitates physical interaction between Sp1 and PML and recruitment of Sp1 into the PML NBs, the SUMO binding motif of PML was also important for its interaction with Sp1. The results of this study demonstrate a novel mechanism by which PML regulates gene expression through sequestration of the transcription factor into PML NBs.

Occupational radiation exposures at NRC-licensed facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brooks, B.G.

1980-01-01

For the past ten years, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and its predecessor, the Atomic Energy Commission, have required certain licensees to routinely submit two types of occupational radiation exposure reports: termination and annual reports. Each licensee engaged in any one of the activities: (1) operation of nuclear power reactors, (2) industrial radiography, (3) fuel fabrication, processing and reprocessing, and (4) large supply of byproduct material, is required to submit an annual statistical report and a termination report for each monitored employee who ends his employment or work assignment. A new regulation now requires all NRC licensees to submit annual reports for the years 1978 and 1979. These reports have been collected, computerized and maintained by the Commission at Oak Ridge, Tennessee. They are useful to the NRC in the evaluation of the risk of radiation exposure associated with the related activities. (author)

Inhibition of the Vacuolar-like ATPase from Halobacterium saccharovorum by Thiol Reagents: Evidence for Different Functional Thiols

Science.gov (United States)

Hochstein, L. I.; Stanlotter, H.; Emrich, E.; Morrison, David (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

N-Ethylmaleimide (NEM) inhibited the vacuolar-like ATPase from Halobacterium saccharovorum (K(sub i) approximately 1 mM) by modifying one or more of the thiols located on the largest of the subunit. ATP protected against inhibition and coincidentally prevented NEM binding which suggested that NEM acts at or near the catalytic site. p-Chloromercuriphenylsulfonate (PCMS) also inhibited this ATPase (K(sub i) approximately 90 microM). ATP did not protect against PCMS inhibition. Dithiothreitol (DTT) partially reversed PCMS inhibition and restored approximately half of the initial activity of 90% inhibited enzyme. DTT did not restore activity of the NEM-inhibited enzyme or the PCMS-inhibited enzyme when it was subsequently incubated with NEM. The failure of ATP to protect against PCMS inhibition and the inability of DTT to restore activity of enzyme incubated in the presence of PCMS and NEM suggests these reagents react with different thiols and that the PCMS-sensitive thiol may have a structural role.

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages. Volume 1. Summary report of NRC approved packages. Revision 6

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-09-01

This directory contains a Summary Report of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission's Approved Packages (Volume 1), all Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and Summary Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs (Volume 3) for Radioactive Material Packages effective September 14, 1983

Control of Branchionus sp. and Amoeba sp. in cultures of Arthrospira sp. Control de Branchionus sp. y Amoeba sp. en cultivos de Arthrospira sp.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Méndez

2012-09-01

Full Text Available Cultivation of cyanobacterium Arthrospira sp. has been developed in many countries for the production of proteins, pigments and other compounds. Outdoor mass cultures are often affected by biological contamination, drastically reducing productivity as far as bringing death. This study evaluates the control of Branchionus sp. and Amoeba sp. with two chemical compounds: urea (U and ammonium bicarbonate (AB, in laboratory conditions and outdoor mass culture of Arthrospira sp. The lethal concentration 100 (LC100 at 24 h for Branchionus sp. and Amoeba sp. determined was of 60-80 mg L-1 (U and 100-150 mg L-1 (AB. The average effective inhibition concentration for 50% of the population (IC50 in Arthrospira sp., after 72 h, was 80 mg L-1 (U and 150 mg L-1 (AB. The application of doses of 60 mg L-1 (U or 100 mg L-1 (AB in the outdoor mass culture of this contaminated microalga, completely inhibited grazing and did not affect the growth of Arthrospira sp. but rather promoted rapid recovery of algal density at levels prior to infestation. These compounds provided an economical and effective control of predators in cultures of Arthrospira sp.El cultivo de la cianobacteria Arthrospira sp. ha sido desarrollado en muchos países para la obtención de proteínas, pigmentos y otros compuestos. Cultivo que a nivel industrial se ve afectado frecuentemente por contaminación biológica, reduciendo drásticamente la productividad hasta causar la muerte. Este estudio evalúa el control de Branchionus sp. y de Amoeba sp. con dos compuestos químicos, la urea (U y bicarbonato de amonio (AB en cultivos de Arthrospira sp. La concentración letal 100 (LC100 determinada a las 24 h para Branchionus sp. y Amoeba sp. fue de 60-80 mg L-1 (U y 100-150 mg L-1 (AB. La concentración media de inhibición efectiva, después de 72 h, para el 50% de la población (IC50 en Arthrospira fue de 80 mg L-1 (U y 150 mg L-1 (AB. La aplicación de dosis de 60 mg L-1 (U ó 100 mg L-1 (AB en

NRC performance assessment program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coplan, S.M.

1986-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) performance assessment program includes the development of guidance to the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) on preparation of a license application and on conducting the studies to support a license application. The nature of the licensing requirements of 10 CFR Part 60 create a need for performance assessments by the DOE. The NRC and DOE staffs each have specific roles in assuring the adequacy of those assessments. Performance allocation is an approach for determining what testing and analysis will be needed during site characterization to assure that an adequate data base is available to support the necessary performance assessments. From the standpoint of establishing is implementable methodology, the most challenging performance assessment needed for licensing is the one that will be used to determine compliance with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) containment requirement

Photosensitized production of hydrogen by Halobacterium halobium MMT sub 22 coupled to Escherichia coli in reversed micelles of sodium lauryl sulfate in organic solvents

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Khan, M.M.T.; Bhatt, J.P. (Central Salt and Marine Research Inst., Bhavnagar (India))

1991-01-01

Observation on the enhanced production of hydrogen by Halobacterium halobium MMT{sub 22} coupled to Escherichia coli entrapped inside the reversed micelles formed by sodium lauryl sulfate in various organic solvents, namely benzene, carbon tetrachloride, toluene, n-heptane, nitrobenzene, chlorobenzene, are reported. In the present system, a hundred fold increase in activity as compared to the activity in the usual aqueous medium was observed. (author).

The NRC weighs public input on plant cleanup standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Simpson, J.

1993-01-01

In the wake of seven public open-quotes work-shopsclose quotes held around the country over the past several months, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is preparing to develop radiological criteria for decommissioning nuclear power plants. The criteria will apply to plants that operate for their normal lifespan, those that shut down prematurely, as well as a range of other NRC-licensed facilities, including materials licensees, fuel reprocessing and fabrication plants, and independent spent fuel storage installations. The criteria have been years in the making, and their progress is being monitored closely by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which shares with the NRC the authority to regulate radiological hazards. Both agencies have made abortive attempts to promulgate standards in the past. The EPA's most recent proposal, dating from 1986, has yet to reach the final rule stage. The NCRC's 1990 policy statement, open-quotes Below Regulatory Concern,close quotes was overturned by the Energy Policy Act of 1992, a setback that prompted the Commission's call for open-quotes enhanced participatory rulemakingclose quotes-a.k.a., public meetings-last December. In its Rulemaking Issues Paper, the NRC outlined for discussion four open-quotes fundamentalclose quotes objectives as a basis for developing decommissioning criteria: (1) establishing limits above which the risks to the public are deemed open-quotes unacceptableclose quotes; (2) establishing open-quotes goalsclose quotes below which the risks to the public are deemed open-quotes trivialclose quotes; (3) establishing criteria for what is achievable using the open-quotes best availableclose quotes cleanup technology; and (4) removing all radioactivity attributable to plant activity. The NRC expects to publish a proposed rule and a draft generic environmental impact statement in April 1994; the final rule is scheduled for May 1995

Recent NRC research activities addressing valve and pump issues

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Morrison, D.L.

1996-12-01

The mission of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is to ensure the safe design, construction, and operation of commercial nuclear power plants and other facilities in the U.S.A. One of the main roles that the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) plays in achieving the NRC mission is to plan, recommend, and implement research programs that address safety and technical issues deemed important by the NRC. The results of the research activities provide the bases for developing NRC positions or decisions on these issues. Also, RES performs confirmatory research for developing the basis to evaluate industry responses and positions on various regulatory requirements. This presentation summarizes some recent RES supported research activities that have addressed safety and technical issues related to valves and pumps. These activities include the efforts on determining valve and motor-operator responses under dynamic loads and pressure locking events, evaluation of monitoring equipment, and methods for detecting and trending aging of check valves and pumps. The role that RES is expected to play in future years to fulfill the NRC mission is also discussed.

NRC Regulatory Agenda: Quarterly report, July-September 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-11-01

The NRC Regulatory agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the commission and are pending disposition by the commission. The regulatory agenda is updated and issued each quarter

NRC regulatory agenda: Quarterly report, April--June 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-08-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

Safety Second: the NRC and America's nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adato, M.; MacKenzie, J.; Pollard, R.; Weiss, E.

1987-01-01

In 1975, Congress created the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Its primary responsibility was to be the regulation of the nuclear power industry in order to maintain public health and safety. On March 28, 1979, in the worst commercial nuclear accident in US history, the plant at Three Mile Island began to leak radioactive material. How was Three Mile Island possible? Where was the NRC? This analysis by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) of the NRC's first decade, points specifically to the factors that contributed to the accident at Three Mile Island. The NRC, created as a watchdog of the nuclear power industry, suffers from problems of mindset, says the UCS. The commission's problems are political, not technical; it repeatedly ranks special interests above the interest of public safety. This book critiques the NRC's performance in four specific areas. It charges that the agency has avoided tackling the most pervasive safety issues; has limited public participation in decision making and power plant licensing; has failed to enforce safety standards or conduct adequate regulation investigations; and, finally, has maintained a fraternal relationship with the industry it was created to regulate, serving as its advocate rather than it adversary. The final chapter offers recommendations for agency improvement that must be met if the NRC is to fulfill its responsibility for safety first

Status report on NRC's current below regulatory concern activities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dragonette, K.S.

1988-01-01

The concept of below regulatory concern (BRC) is not new to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or its predecessor agency, the Atomic Energy Commission. The regulations and licensing decisions have involved limited and de facto decisions on BRC since the beginning. For example, consumer products containing radioactive materials have been approved for distribution to persons exempt from licensing for some time and procedures for survey and release of equipment have traditionally been a part of many licensees' radiation safety programs. However, these actions have generally been ad hoc decisions in response to specific needs and have not been necessarily consistent. The need to deal with this regulatory matter has been receiving attention from both Congress and the NRC Commissioners. NRC response has grown from addressing specific waste streams, to generic rulemaking for wastes, and finally to efforts to develop a broad generic BRC policy. Section 10 of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act of 1985 addressed NRC actions on specific waste streams. In response, NRC issued guidance on rulemaking petitions for specific wastes. NRC also issued an advance notice of proposed rulemaking indicating consideration of Commission initiated regulations to address BRC wastes in a generic manner. The Commissioners have directed staff to develop an umbrella policy for all agency decisions concerning levels of risk or dose that do not require government regulation

Suitable conditions for xylanases activities from Bacillus sp. GA2(1 and Bacillus sp. GA1(6 and their properties for agricultural residues hydrolysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sudathip Chantorn

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Bacillus sp. GA2(1 and Bacillus sp. GA1(6 were isolated from soybean field in Khon Kaen province, Thailand. Crude enzymes from both isolates showed the activities of cellulase, xylanase, and mannanase at 37°C for 24 h. The highest xylanase activities of Bacillus sp. GA2(1 and Bacillus sp. GA1(6 were 1.58±0.25 and 0.82±0.16 U/ml, respectively. The relative xylanase activities from both strains were more than 60% at pH 5.0 to 8.0. The optimum temperature of xylanases was 50°C in both strains. The residual xylanase activities from both strains were more than 70% at 60°C for 60 min. Five agricultural wastes (AWs, namely coffee residue, soybean meal, potato peel, sugarcane bagasse, and corn cobs, were used as substrates for hydrolysis properties. The highest reducing sugar content of 101±1.32 µg/ml was obtained from soybean meal hydrolysate produced by Bacillus sp. GA2(1 xylanase.

10 CFR 51.104 - NRC proceeding using public hearings; consideration of environmental impact statement.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... environmental impact statement. 51.104 Section 51.104 Energy NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION (CONTINUED....104 NRC proceeding using public hearings; consideration of environmental impact statement. (a)(1) In... scope of NEPA and this subpart are in issue, the NRC staff may not offer the final environmental impact...

NRC concerns about steam generator tube U-bend failures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dillon, R.L.

1981-01-01

This paper concerns itself with genralized NRC regulatory policy regarding SGT failures and staff reports and opinions which may tend to influence the developing policy specific to U-bend failures. The most significant analysis at hand in predicting NRC policy on SGT U-bend failures is Marsh's Evaluation of Steam Generator Tube Rupture Events. Marsh sets out to describe and analyze the five steam generator tube ruptures that are known to NRC. All have occurred in the period 1975 to 1980

NRC closing remarks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Coffman, F.

1994-01-01

This section contains the edited transcript of the NRC closing remarks made by Mr. Franklin Coffman (Chief, Human Factors Branch, Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research) and Dr. Cecil Thomas (Deputy Director, Division of Reactor Controls and Human Factors, Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation). This editing consisted of minimal editing to correct grammar and remove extraneous references to microphone volume, etc

NRC/AMRMC Resident Research Associateship Program

Science.gov (United States)

2018-05-01

2- 0010 Report Period: 02/06/2012-02/28/2018 4/11/2018, 12:17 PM During the reporting period, the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering , and...to advertise the NRC Research Associateship Programs included the following: 1) attendance at meetings of major scientific and engineering ...professional societies; 2) advertising in programs and career centers for these and other professional society meetings; 3) direct mailing and emailing of

NF1, Sp1 and HSF1 are synergistically involved in sulfide-induced sqr activation in echiuran worm Urechis unicinctus

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xiaolong; Qin, Zhenkui; Li, Xueyu; Ma, Xiaoyu; Gao, Beibei; Zhang, Zhifeng, E-mail: zzfp107@ouc.edu.cn

2016-06-15

Highlights: • Sulfide activates sqr transcription against respiratory toxicity in Urechis unicinctus. • Sulfide increases expressions and activities of NF1, Sp1 and HSF1 in a time-dependent manner. • NF1 and Sp1 participate in both basal and early sulfide-induced sqr transcription. • HSF1 functions more significantly than NF1 and Sp1 in sulfide-induced sqr transcription. • Transcription factors NF1, Sp1 and HSF1 enhance sqr promoter activity synergistically. - Abstract: Background: Sulfide is a well-known environmental toxic substance. Mitochondrial sulfide oxidation is a main mechanism of sulfide detoxification in organisms, and sulfide: quinone oxidoreductase (SQR) is a key enzyme which is involved in transferring electrons from sulfide to ubiquinone and converting sulfide into thiosulfate. Previous studies have revealed the SQR-mediated mitochondrial sulfide oxidation exists in the echiuran worm Urechis unicinctus, and its sqr mRNA level increased significantly when the worm is exposed to sulfide. In this study, we attempt to reveal the synergistic regulation of transcription factors on sulfide-induced sqr transcription in U. unicinctus. Methods: ChIP and EMSA were used to identify the interactions between sqr proximal promoter (from −391 to +194 bp) and transcription factors NF1 (nuclear factor 1) and Sp1 (specificity protein 1). Site-directed mutation and transfection assays further revealed their binding sites and synergistic roles of HSF1, NF1 and Sp1 in the sqr transcription. When U. unicinctus were exposed to 150 μM sulfide, the expression levels and nuclear contents of NF1 and Sp1 were examined by Western blotting, and the binding contents between NF1 or Sp1 and the sqr promoter were also detected by ChIP. Results: Transcription factors NF1 and Sp1 were confirmed to interact with the sqr proximal promoter, and their binding sites were identified in −75 to −69 bp for NF1 and −210 to −201 bp for Sp1. Transfection assays showed mutation

Overview of the NRC performance monitoring program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jordan, E.L.

1987-01-01

In response to the accident at Three Mile Island, the NRC developed the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance (SALP) Program to aid in the identification of those licensees that were more likely than others to have safety problems and to provide a rational basis for allocation of inspection resources. The NRC also has an ongoing program of screening and evaluating operating reactor event reports on a daily basis for promptly identifying safety problems. Although the SALP and event report evaluation programs have been successful in identifying potential performance problems, a concern developed recently about the adequacy and timeliness of NRC programs to detect poor or declining performance. The performance indicator program as approved by the commission is in the implementation phase. The program is expected to undergo refinements as new indicators are developed and experience is gained in the use of indicators

Wnt-mediated down-regulation of Sp1 target genes by a transcriptional repressor Sp5

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fujimura, Naoko; Vacík, Tomáš; Machoň, Ondřej; Vlček, Čestmír; Scalabrin, S.; Speth, M.; Diep, D.; Krauss, S.; Kozmik, Zbyněk

2007-01-01

Roč. 282, č. 2 (2007), s. 1225-1237 ISSN 0021-9258 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z50520514 Keywords : Wnt -mediated signaling * Sp5 transcription factor * Sp1 target genes Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology Impact factor: 5.581, year: 2007

NRC Regulatory Agenda quarterly report, July--September 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-10-01

The NRC Regulator Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued each quarter

O-GlcNAc inhibits interaction between Sp1 and Elf-1 transcription factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Kihong; Chang, Hyo-Ihl

2009-01-01

The novel protein modification, O-linked N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc), plays an important role in various aspects of cell regulation. Although most of nuclear transcription regulatory factors are modified by O-GlcNAc, O-GlcNAc effects on transcription remain largely undefined yet. In this study, we show that O-GlcNAc inhibits a physical interaction between Sp1 and Elf-1 transcription factors, and negatively regulates transcription of placenta and embryonic expression oncofetal protein gene (Pem). These findings suggest that O-GlcNAc inhibits Sp1-mediated gene transcription possibly by interrupting Sp1 interaction with its cooperative factor.

Imperatorin inhibits HIV-1 replication through an Sp1-dependent pathway.

Science.gov (United States)

Sancho, Rocío; Márquez, Nieves; Gómez-Gonzalo, Marta; Calzado, Marco A; Bettoni, Giorgio; Coiras, Maria Teresa; Alcamí, José; López-Cabrera, Manuel; Appendino, Giovanni; Muñoz, Eduardo

2004-09-03

Coumarins and structurally related compounds have been recently shown to present anti-human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1) activity. Among them, the dietary furanocoumarin imperatorin is present in citrus fruits, in culinary herbs, and in some medicinal plants. In this study we report that imperatorin inhibits either vesicular stomatitis virus-pseudotyped or gp160-enveloped recombinant HIV-1 infection in several T cell lines and in HeLa cells. These recombinant viruses express luciferase as a marker of viral replication. Imperatorin did not inhibit the reverse transcription nor the integration steps in the viral cell cycle. Using several 5' long terminal repeat-HIV-1 constructs where critical response elements were either deleted or mutated, we found that the transcription factor Sp1 is critical for the inhibitory activity of imperatorin induced by both phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate and HIV-1 Tat. Moreover in transient transfections imperatorin specifically inhibited phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced transcriptional activity of the Gal4-Sp1 fusion protein. Since Sp1 is also implicated in cell cycle progression we further studied the effect of imperatorin on cyclin D1 gene transcription and protein expression and in HeLa cell cycle progression. We found that imperatorin strongly inhibited cyclin D1 expression and arrested the cells at the G(1) phase of the cell cycle. These results highlight the potential of Sp1 transcription factor as a target for natural anti-HIV-1 compounds such as furanocoumarins that might have a potential therapeutic role in the management of AIDS.

NRC Regulatory Agenda. Quarterly report, July-September 1982

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-10-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a quarterly compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed or is considering action and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received and are pending disposition by the Commission. The agenda consists of two sections. Section I, Rules, includes: (1) rules on which final action has been taken since June 30, the cutoff date of the last Regulatory Agenda; (2) rules published previously as proposed rules and on which the Commission has not taken final action; (3) rules published as advance notices of proposed rulemaking and for which neither a proposed nor final rule has been issued; and (4) unpublished rules on which the NRC expects to take action. Section II, Petitions for Rulemaking, includes: (1) Petitions incorporated into final rules or petitions denied since the cutoff date of the last Regulatory Agenda; (2) Petitions incorporated into proposed rules, (3) Petitions pending staff review; and (4) Petitions with deferred action

U.S. NRC training for research and training reactor inspectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sandquist, G.M.; Kunze, J.F.

2011-01-01

Currently, a large number of license activities (Early Site Permits, Combined Operating License, reactor certifications, etc.), are pending for review before the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (US NRC). Much of the senior staff at the NRC is now committed to these review and licensing actions. To address this additional workload, the NRC has recruited a large number of new Regulatory Staff for dealing with these and other regulatory actions such as the US Fleet of Research and Test Reactors (RTRs). These reactors pose unusual demands on Regulatory Staff since the US Fleet of RTRs, although few (32 Licensed RTRs as of 2010), they represent a broad range of reactor types, operations, and research and training aspects that nuclear reactor power plants (such as the 104 LWRs) do not pose. The US NRC must inspect and regulate all these entities. This paper addresses selected training topics and regulatory activities provided US NRC Inspectors for US RTRs. (author)

The archaeal COG1901/DUF358 SPOUT-methyltransferase members, together with pseudouridine synthase Pus10, catalyze the formation of 1-methylpseudouridine at position 54 of tRNA

Science.gov (United States)

Chatterjee, Kunal; Blaby, Ian K.; Thiaville, Patrick C.; Majumder, Mrinmoyee; Grosjean, Henri; Yuan, Y. Adam; Gupta, Ramesh; de Crécy-Lagard, Valérie

2012-01-01

The methylation of pseudouridine (Ψ) at position 54 of tRNA, producing m1Ψ, is a hallmark of many archaeal species, but the specific methylase involved in the formation of this modification had yet to be characterized. A comparative genomics analysis had previously identified COG1901 (DUF358), part of the SPOUT superfamily, as a candidate for this missing methylase family. To test this prediction, the COG1901 encoding gene, HVO_1989, was deleted from the Haloferax volcanii genome. Analyses of modified base contents indicated that while m1Ψ was present in tRNA extracted from the wild-type strain, it was absent from tRNA extracted from the mutant strain. Expression of the gene encoding COG1901 from Halobacterium sp. NRC-1, VNG1980C, complemented the m1Ψ minus phenotype of the ΔHVO_1989 strain. This in vivo validation was extended with in vitro tests. Using the COG1901 recombinant enzyme from Methanocaldococcus jannaschii (Mj1640), purified enzyme Pus10 from M. jannaschii and full-size tRNA transcripts or TΨ-arm (17-mer) fragments as substrates, the sequential pathway of m1Ψ54 formation in Archaea was reconstituted. The methylation reaction is AdoMet dependent. The efficiency of the methylase reaction depended on the identity of the residue at position 55 of the TΨ-loop. The presence of Ψ55 allowed the efficient conversion of Ψ54 to m1Ψ54, whereas in the presence of C55, the reaction was rather inefficient and no methylation reaction occurred if a purine was present at this position. These results led to renaming the Archaeal COG1901 members as TrmY proteins. PMID:22274953

Staged licensing: An essential element of the NRC's revised regulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Echols, F.S.

1997-01-01

Over the past several years, Congress has directed the Department of Energy (DOE), the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to abandon their efforts to assess an array of potential candidate geologic repository sites for the permanent disposal of spent nuclear reactor fuel and high level radioactive waste, to develop generally applicable requirements for licensing geologic repositories, and to develop generally applicable radiation protection standards for geologic repositories, and instead to focus their efforts to determine whether a single site located at Yucca Mountain, Nevada can be developed as a geologic repository which providing reasonable assurance that public health and safety and the environment will be adequately protected. If the Yucca Mountain site is found to be suitable for development as a geologic repository, then at each stage of development DOE will have to provide the NRC with progressively more detailed information regarding repository design and long-term performance. NRC regulations reflect the fact that it will not be until the repository has been operated for a number of years that the NRC will be able to make a final determination as to long-term repository performance. Nevertheless, the NRC will be able to allow DOE to construct and operate a repository, provided that the NRC believes that the documented results of existing studies, together with the anticipated results from continuing and future studies, will enable the NRC to make a final determination that it has reasonable assurance that the repository system's long-term performance will not cause undue risk to the public. Thus, in its efforts to revise its current regulations to assure that the technical criteria are specifically applicable to the Yucca Mountain site, the NRC should also make sure that it preserves and clarifies the concept of staged repository development

NRC regualtory agenda. Semiannual report, July 1997--December 1997

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1998-02-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a semiannual compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and of all petitions for rulemaking that the NRC has received that are pending disposition

NRC Monitoring of Salt Waste Disposal at the Savannah River Site - 13147

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pinkston, Karen E.; Ridge, A. Christianne; Alexander, George W.; Barr, Cynthia S.; Devaser, Nishka J.; Felsher, Harry D. [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (United States)

2013-07-01

As part of monitoring required under Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA), the NRC staff reviewed an updated DOE performance assessment (PA) for salt waste disposal at the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The NRC staff concluded that it has reasonable assurance that waste disposal at the SDF meets the 10 CFR 61 performance objectives for protection of individuals against intrusion (chap.61.42), protection of individuals during operations (chap.61.43), and site stability (chap.61.44). However, based on its evaluation of DOE's results and independent sensitivity analyses conducted with DOE's models, the NRC staff concluded that it did not have reasonable assurance that DOE's disposal activities at the SDF meet the performance objective for protection of the general population from releases of radioactivity (chap.61.41) evaluated at a dose limit of 0.25 mSv/yr (25 mrem/yr) total effective dose equivalent (TEDE). NRC staff also concluded that the potential dose to a member of the public is expected to be limited (i.e., is expected to be similar to or less than the public dose limit in chap.20.1301 of 1 mSv/yr [100 mrem/yr] TEDE) and is expected to occur many years after site closure. The NRC staff used risk insights gained from review of the SDF PA, its experience monitoring DOE disposal actions at the SDF over the last 5 years, as well as independent analysis and modeling to identify factors that are important to assessing whether DOE's disposal actions meet the performance objectives. Many of these factors are similar to factors identified in the NRC staff's 2005 review of salt waste disposal at the SDF. Key areas of interest continue to be waste form and disposal unit degradation, the effectiveness of infiltration and erosion controls, and estimation of the radiological inventory. Based on these factors, NRC is revising its plan for monitoring salt waste disposal at the SDF in

NRC Monitoring of Salt Waste Disposal at the Savannah River Site - 13147

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinkston, Karen E.; Ridge, A. Christianne; Alexander, George W.; Barr, Cynthia S.; Devaser, Nishka J.; Felsher, Harry D.

2013-01-01

As part of monitoring required under Section 3116 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (NDAA), the NRC staff reviewed an updated DOE performance assessment (PA) for salt waste disposal at the Saltstone Disposal Facility (SDF). The NRC staff concluded that it has reasonable assurance that waste disposal at the SDF meets the 10 CFR 61 performance objectives for protection of individuals against intrusion (chap.61.42), protection of individuals during operations (chap.61.43), and site stability (chap.61.44). However, based on its evaluation of DOE's results and independent sensitivity analyses conducted with DOE's models, the NRC staff concluded that it did not have reasonable assurance that DOE's disposal activities at the SDF meet the performance objective for protection of the general population from releases of radioactivity (chap.61.41) evaluated at a dose limit of 0.25 mSv/yr (25 mrem/yr) total effective dose equivalent (TEDE). NRC staff also concluded that the potential dose to a member of the public is expected to be limited (i.e., is expected to be similar to or less than the public dose limit in chap.20.1301 of 1 mSv/yr [100 mrem/yr] TEDE) and is expected to occur many years after site closure. The NRC staff used risk insights gained from review of the SDF PA, its experience monitoring DOE disposal actions at the SDF over the last 5 years, as well as independent analysis and modeling to identify factors that are important to assessing whether DOE's disposal actions meet the performance objectives. Many of these factors are similar to factors identified in the NRC staff's 2005 review of salt waste disposal at the SDF. Key areas of interest continue to be waste form and disposal unit degradation, the effectiveness of infiltration and erosion controls, and estimation of the radiological inventory. Based on these factors, NRC is revising its plan for monitoring salt waste disposal at the SDF in coordination with South

NRC/FEMA operational response procedures for response to a commercial nuclear reactor accident. Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-02-01

Procedures have been developed by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) which provide the response teams of both agencies with the steps to be taken in responding to an emergency at a commercial nuclear power plant. The emphasis of these procedures is mainly on the interface between NRC and FEMA at their respective Headquarters and Regional Offices and at the various sites at which such an emergency could occur. Detailed procedures are presented that cover for both agencies, notification schemes and manner of activation, organizations at Headquarters and the site, interface procedures, coordination of onsite and offsite operations, the role of the Senior FEMA Official, and the cooperative efforts of each agency's public information staff

Application of pregnancy specific β1 glycoprotein-radioimmunoassay (SP1-ria) in obstetrics and gynecology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Weiyuan

1988-01-01

Serum SP 1 values of 395 patients were determined by radioimmunoassay. It was found that SP 1 was apparently absent from the blood of normal men and nonpregnant women, increased with gestational stage in pregnant women, and was highest in late pregnancy. In high-risk pregnancy, SP 1 was lower than normal pregnamey group (PC0.01) could also be detected in ectopic pregnancy. In patients with benign and malignant hydatidiform mole, and choriocarcinoma, AP 1 level decreased with malignant degree. The authors suggest that measurement of SP 1 levels is a valuable index for monitoring high-risk pregnancy, diagnosing ectopic pregnancy and following-up trophoblastic cell diseases

Optimization Conditions of Extracellular Proteases Production from a Newly Isolated Streptomyces Pseudogrisiolus NRC-15

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

El-Sayed E. Mostafa

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Microbial protease represents the most important industrial enzymes, which have an active role in biotechnological processes. The objective of this study was to isolate new strain of Streptomyces that produce proteolytic enzymes with novel properties and the development of the low-cost medium. An alkaline protease producer strain NRC-15 was isolated from Egyptian soil sample. The cultural, morphological, physiological characters and chemotaxonomic evidence strongly indicated that the NRC-15 strain represents a novel species of the genus Streptomyces, hence the name Strptomyces pseudogrisiolus NRC-15. The culture conditions for higher protease production by NRC-15 were optimized with respect to carbon and nitrogen sources, metal ions, pH and temperature. Maximum protease production was obtained in the medium supplemented with 1% glucose, 1% yeast extract, 6% NaCl and 100 μmol/L of Tween 20, initial pH 9.0 at 50 °C for 96 h. The current results confirm that for this strain, a great ability to produce alkaline proteases, which supports the use of applications in industry.

Inhibition of the ATPase from Halobacterium Saccharovorum by Thiol Inhibitors: Evidence for the Presence of More Than One Essential Cysteinyl Residue

Science.gov (United States)

Hochstein, Lawrence I.; Emrich, Errol; Stan-Lotter, Helga; DeVincenzi, Donald L. (Technical Monitor)

1995-01-01

The vacuolar-like ATPase from Halobacterium saccha vorum is inhibited by N-ethylmaleimide and p-chloromercudphenylsulfonate. The failure of adenine nucleotides to protect against p-chloromercuriphenyisulfonate inhibition, of p-chloromercuriphenylsulfonate to protect against N-ethylmaleimide inhibition, and the difference in the temperature dependence of inactivation infers that the enzyme contains at least two thiols that are essential for enzyme activity. CNBr cleavage of C-14-N-ethylmaleimide labeled subunit results in two radioactive peptides that locates the N-ethylmaleimide-reactive cysteinyl residue as cysteine-262 in the H. salinarium sequence.

Initial experience with the NRC significance determination process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madison, A.L.

2001-01-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has revamped its inspection, assessment, and enforcement programs for commercial nuclear power plants. The new oversight process uses more objective, timely, and safety-significant criteria in assessing performance, while seeking to more effectively and efficiently regulate the industry. The NRC tested the new process at thirteen reactors at nine sites across the country on a pilot basis in 1999 to identify what things worked well and what improvements were called for before beginning Initial Implementation at all US nuclear power plants on April 2, 2000. After a year of experience has been gained with the new oversight process at all US plants, the NRC anticipates making further improvements based on this wider experience. (author)

Initial experience with the NRC significance determination process

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Madison, A.L. [Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation, US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (United States)

2001-07-01

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has revamped its inspection, assessment, and enforcement programs for commercial nuclear power plants. The new oversight process uses more objective, timely, and safety-significant criteria in assessing performance, while seeking to more effectively and efficiently regulate the industry. The NRC tested the new process at thirteen reactors at nine sites across the country on a pilot basis in 1999 to identify what things worked well and what improvements were called for before beginning Initial Implementation at all US nuclear power plants on April 2, 2000. After a year of experience has been gained with the new oversight process at all US plants, the NRC anticipates making further improvements based on this wider experience. (author)

Coupled processes in NRC high-level waste research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Costanzi, F.A.

1987-01-01

The author discusses NRC research effort in support of evaluating license applications for disposal of nuclear waste and for promulgating regulations and issuing guidance documents on nuclear waste management. In order to do this they fund research activities at a number of laboratories, academic institutions, and commercial organizations. One of our research efforts is the coupled processes study. This paper discusses interest in coupled processes and describes the target areas of research efforts over the next few years. The specific research activities relate to the performance objectives of NRC's high-level waste (HLW) regulation and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) HLW standard. The general objective of the research program is to ensure the NRC has a sufficient independent technical base to make sound regulatory decisions

Safeguards at NRC licensed facilities: Are we doing enough

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Asselstine, J.K.

1986-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is pursuing a number of initiatives in the safeguards area. The Commission is conducting a reassessment of its safeguards design basis threat statements to consider the possible implications of an explosive-laden vehicle for U.S. nuclear safeguards and to examine the comparability of safeguards features at NRC-licensed and DOE facilities. The Commission is also completing action on measures to protect against the sabotage threat from an insider at NRC-licensed facilities, and is examining the potential safety implications of safeguards measures. Finally, the NRC has developed measures to reduce the theft potential for high-enriched uranium

NRC study of control room habitability

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, J.J. Jr.; Muller, D.R.; Gammill, W.P.

1985-01-01

Since 1980, the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) has held several meetings with the NRC staff to discuss the subject of control room habitability. Several meetings between the ACRS and the staff have resulted in ACRS letters that express specific concerns, and the staff has provided responses in reports and meetings. In June of 1983, the NRC Executive Director for Operations directed the Offices of Nuclear Reactor Regulation and Inspection and Enforcement to develop a plan to handle the issues raised by the ACRS and to report to him specific proposed courses of action to respond to the ACRS's concerns. The NRC control room habitability working group has reviewed the subject in such areas as NRR review process, transformation of control room habitability designs to as-built systems, and determination of testing protocol. The group has determined that many of the ACRS concerns and recommendations are well founded, and has recommended actions to be taken to address these as well as other concerns which were raised independent of the ACRS. The review has revealed significant areas where the approach presently utilized in reviews should be altered

NRC TLD Direct Radiation Monitoring Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1992-06-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Direct Radiation Monitoring Network is operated by the NRC in cooperation with participating states to provide continuous measurement of the ambient radiation levels around licensed NRC facilities, primarily power reactors. Ambient radiation levels result from naturally occurring radionuclides present in the soil, cosmic radiation constantly bombarding the earth from outer space, and the contribution, if any, from the monitored facilities and other man-made sources. The Network is intended to measure radiation levels during routine facility operations and to establish background radiation levels used to assess the radiological impact of an unusual condition, such as an accident. This report presents the radiation levels measured around all facilities in the Network for the first quarter of 1992. All radiation measurements are made using small, passive detectors called thermoluminescent dosimeters (TLDs), which provide a quantitative measurement of the radiation levels in the area in which they are placed. Each site is monitored by arranging approximately 40 to 50 TLD stations in two concentric rings extending to about five miles from the facility. All TLD stations are outside the site boundary of the facility

Final report of the NRC-Agreement State Working Group to evaluate control and accountability of licensed devices

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-10-01

US NRC staff acknowledged that licensees were having problems maintaining control over and accountability for devices containing radioactive material. In June 1995, NRC approved the staff's suggestion to form a joint NRC-Agreement State Working Group to evaluate the problem and propose solutions. The staff indicated that the Working Group was necessary to address the concerns from a national perspective, allow for a broad level of Agreement State input, and to reflect their experience. Agreement State participation in the process was essential since some Agreement States have implemented effective programs for oversight of device users. This report includes the 5 recommendations proposed by the Working Group to increase regulatory oversight, increase control and accountability of devices, ensure proper disposal, and ensure disposal of orphaned devices. Specifically, the Working Group recommends that: (1) NRC and Agreement States increase regulatory oversight for users of certain devices; (2) NRC and Agreement State impose penalties on persons losing devices; (3) NRC and Agreement States ensure proper disposal of orphaned devices; (4) NRC encourage States to implement similar oversight programs for users of Naturally-Occurring or Accelerator- Produced Material; and (5) NRC encourage non-licensed stakeholders to take appropriate actions, such as instituting programs for material identification

Final report of the NRC-Agreement State Working Group to evaluate control and accountability of licensed devices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-10-01

US NRC staff acknowledged that licensees were having problems maintaining control over and accountability for devices containing radioactive material. In June 1995, NRC approved the staff`s suggestion to form a joint NRC-Agreement State Working Group to evaluate the problem and propose solutions. The staff indicated that the Working Group was necessary to address the concerns from a national perspective, allow for a broad level of Agreement State input, and to reflect their experience. Agreement State participation in the process was essential since some Agreement States have implemented effective programs for oversight of device users. This report includes the 5 recommendations proposed by the Working Group to increase regulatory oversight, increase control and accountability of devices, ensure proper disposal, and ensure disposal of orphaned devices. Specifically, the Working Group recommends that: (1) NRC and Agreement States increase regulatory oversight for users of certain devices; (2) NRC and Agreement State impose penalties on persons losing devices; (3) NRC and Agreement States ensure proper disposal of orphaned devices; (4) NRC encourage States to implement similar oversight programs for users of Naturally-Occurring or Accelerator- Produced Material; and (5) NRC encourage non-licensed stakeholders to take appropriate actions, such as instituting programs for material identification.

Shift technical advisors: in the eyes of the NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Crocker, L.P.

1981-01-01

Since January 1, 1980, the NRC has required that Shift Technical Advisors be on-shift at all operating nuclear power plants. The objective of the requirement is to assure that technical expertise is immediately available to each operating shift to assess off-normal events and to provide advice to control room personnel. Further, this advice and assistance is to be provided by an individual not responsible for control manipulations or for directing the activities of reactor operators. The long-term requirement for on-shift technical expertise is firm. However, the exact manner in which this expertise must be furnished has not been determined. Licensees have proposed various alternatives to meet this requirement. These proposals still are being reviewed by the NRC staff

The SpTransformer Gene Family (Formerly Sp185/333) in the Purple Sea Urchin and the Functional Diversity of the Anti-Pathogen rSpTransformer-E1 Protein

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, L. Courtney; Lun, Cheng Man

2017-01-01

The complex innate immune system of sea urchins is underpinned by several multigene families including the SpTransformer family (SpTrf; formerly Sp185/333) with estimates of ~50 members, although the family size is likely variable among individuals of Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. The genes are small with similar structure, are tightly clustered, and have several types of repeats in the second of two exons and that surround each gene. The density of repeats suggests that the genes are positioned within regions of genomic instability, which may be required to drive sequence diversification. The second exon encodes the mature protein and is composed of blocks of sequence called elements that are present in mosaics of defined element patterns and are the major source of sequence diversity. The SpTrf genes respond swiftly to immune challenge, but only a single gene is expressed per phagocyte. Many of the mRNAs appear to be edited and encode proteins with altered and/or missense sequence that are often truncated, of which some may be functional. The standard SpTrf protein structure is an N-terminal glycine-rich region, a central RGD motif, a histidine-rich region, and a C-terminal region. Function is predicted from a recombinant protein, rSpTransformer-E1 (rSpTrf-E1), which binds to Vibrio and Saccharomyces, but not to Bacillus, and binds tightly to lipopolysaccharide, β-1,3-glucan, and flagellin, but not to peptidoglycan. rSpTrf-E1 is intrinsically disordered but transforms to α helical structure in the presence of binding targets including lipopolysaccharide, which may underpin the characteristics of binding to multiple targets. SpTrf proteins associate with coelomocyte membranes, and rSpTrf-E1 binds specifically to phosphatidic acid (PA). When rSpTrf-E1 is bound to PA in liposome membranes, it induces morphological changes in liposomes that correlate with PA clustering and leakage of luminal contents, and it extracts or removes PA from the bilayer. The

Status of NRC approval of EPRI electromagnetic interference susceptibility testing guidelines for digital equipment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

James, R.W.; Shank, J.W.; Yoder, C.

1996-01-01

Historically, nuclear power plants installing digital equipment have been required to conduct expensive, site-specific electromagnetic interference (EMI) surveys to demonstrate that EMI will not affect the operation of sensitive electronic equipment. Consequently, EPRI formed a Utility Working Group which developed a set of generic EMI susceptibility testing guidelines, which were published as an EPRI report in September 1994. These guidelines are based upon EMI survey data obtained from several different plants and include criteria for determining their applicability. The Working Group interacted with NRC staff to obtain NRC approval. In April 1996, the NRC issued a Safety Evaluation Report (SER) endorsing the guidelines as a valid means of demonstrating EMI compatibility. The issuance of this SER was conditional on issuing a revision to the EPRI EMI Guidelines. This paper summarizes the guidelines, the NRC SER, and the current status of Revision 1 to the report

Overexpression of HDAC1 induces cellular senescence by Sp1/PP2A/pRb pathway

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chuang, Jian-Ying; Hung, Jan-Jong

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Overexpression of HDAC1 induces Sp1 deacetylation and raises Sp1/p300 complex formation to bind to PP2Ac promoter. → Overexpression of HDAC1 strongly inhibits the phosphorylation of pRb through up-regulation of PP2A. → Overexpressed HDAC1 restrains cell proliferaction and induces cell senescence though a novel Sp1/PP2A/pRb pathway. -- Abstract: Senescence is associated with decreased activities of DNA replication, protein synthesis, and cellular division, which can result in deterioration of cellular functions. Herein, we report that the growth and division of tumor cells were significantly repressed by overexpression of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 with the Tet-off induced system or transient transfection. In addition, HDAC1 overexpression led to senescence through both an accumulation of hypophosphorylated active retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and an increase in the protein level of protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac). HDAC1 overexpression also increased the level of Sp1 deacetylation and elevated the interaction between Sp1 and p300, and subsequently that Sp1/p300 complex bound to the promoter of PP2Ac, thus leading to induction of PP2Ac expression. Similar results were obtained in the HDAC1-Tet-off stable clone. Taken together, these results indicate that HDAC1 overexpression restrained cell proliferation and induced premature senescence in cervical cancer cells through a novel Sp1/PP2A/pRb pathway.

Overexpression of HDAC1 induces cellular senescence by Sp1/PP2A/pRb pathway

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chuang, Jian-Ying [Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Hung, Jan-Jong, E-mail: petehung@mail.ncku.edu.tw [Department of Pharmacology, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China); Institute of Bioinformatics and Biosignal Transduction, National Cheng-Kung University, Tainan 701, Taiwan (China)

2011-04-15

Highlights: {yields} Overexpression of HDAC1 induces Sp1 deacetylation and raises Sp1/p300 complex formation to bind to PP2Ac promoter. {yields} Overexpression of HDAC1 strongly inhibits the phosphorylation of pRb through up-regulation of PP2A. {yields} Overexpressed HDAC1 restrains cell proliferaction and induces cell senescence though a novel Sp1/PP2A/pRb pathway. -- Abstract: Senescence is associated with decreased activities of DNA replication, protein synthesis, and cellular division, which can result in deterioration of cellular functions. Herein, we report that the growth and division of tumor cells were significantly repressed by overexpression of histone deacetylase (HDAC) 1 with the Tet-off induced system or transient transfection. In addition, HDAC1 overexpression led to senescence through both an accumulation of hypophosphorylated active retinoblastoma protein (pRb) and an increase in the protein level of protein phosphatase 2A catalytic subunit (PP2Ac). HDAC1 overexpression also increased the level of Sp1 deacetylation and elevated the interaction between Sp1 and p300, and subsequently that Sp1/p300 complex bound to the promoter of PP2Ac, thus leading to induction of PP2Ac expression. Similar results were obtained in the HDAC1-Tet-off stable clone. Taken together, these results indicate that HDAC1 overexpression restrained cell proliferation and induced premature senescence in cervical cancer cells through a novel Sp1/PP2A/pRb pathway.

Radioimmunoassay of serum SP 1 and HPL in normal and abnormal pregnancies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pluta, M.; Hardt, W.; Schmidt-Gollwitzer, K.; Schmidt-Gollwitzer, M.

1979-01-01

Serum concentrations of the pregnancy-specific β 1 -glycoprotein (SP 1) and human placental lactogen (HPL) were measured by radioimmunoassay in 372 blood samples obtained from 40 women in the second half of a normal singleton pregnancy. The mean level of SP 1 steadily increased from 40 μg/ml in the 22nd week of pregnancy to 168 μg/ml in the 36th week of gestation and thereafter reached a plateau. The half-life of SP 1 during the first week after delivery was about 39 h. The clinical value of SP 1 in comparison to HPL estimation was assessed in a prospective study of a few high risk pregnancies. There were no significant differences between serum SP 1 and HPL levels in pregnancies complicated by preeclampsia with or without intrauterine growth retardation and in twin pregnancies. Serum HPL and SP 1 levels were equally effective in predicting placental insufficiency with fetal growth retardation. (orig./AJ) [de

NRC performance indicator program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Singh, R.N.

1987-01-01

The performance indicator development work of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) interoffice task group involved several major activities that included selection of candidate indicators for a trial program, data collection and review, validation of the trial indicators, display method development, interactions with the industry, and selection of an optimum set of indicators for the program. After evaluating 27 potential indicators against certain ideal attributes, the task group selected 17 for the trial program. The pertinent data for these indicators were then collected from 50 plants at 30 sites. The validation of the indicators consisted of two primary processes: logical validity and statistical analysis. The six indicators currently in the program are scrams, safety system actuations, significant events, safety system failures, forced outage rate, and equipment forced outages per 100 critical hours. A report containing data on the six performance indicators and some supplemental information is issued on a quarterly basis. The NRC staff is also working on refinements of existing indicators and development of additional indicators as directed by the commission

NRC quarterly [status] report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-01-01

This report covers the third quarter of calendar year 1987. The NRC licensing activity during the period of this report included the issuance of a full-power license for Beaver Valley 2 on August 14, 1987, and operating license restricted to five percent power for South Texas Unit 1 on August 21, 1987. Additional licensing delay for Shoreham is projected due to complex litigation. Also, licensing delay may occur for Comanche Peak Unit 1, because the duration of the hearing is uncertain. Although a license authorizing fuel loading and precriticality testing for Seabrook Unit 1 has been issued, there is a projected delay for low-power licensing. Full-power licensing for Seabrook Unit 1 will be delayed due to offsite emergency preparedness issues. The length of the delay is not known at this time. With the exception of Seabrook and Shoreham, regulatory delays in this report are not impacted by the schedules for resolving off-site emergency preparedness issues

Current NRC activities related to MQA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trottier, C.A.; Nellis, D.O. [Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Washington, DC (United States)

1993-12-31

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s (NRC`s) interest in measurement quality assurance (MQA) goes back to before 1963, when the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) published a notice in the Federal Register concerning the need for establishing a Film Dosimetry Calibration Laboratory, and also provided a set of minimum performance criteria to be used by the laboratory in evaluating film dosimetry services used by licensees. The proposed laboratory was not established, but in 1967 the AEC contracted with Battelle`s Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to evaluate film dosimeter performance criteria and provide a basis for establishing a Film Dosimetry Calibration Laboratory if the study showed that it was needed. Then, in 1973, the Conference of Radiation Control Program Directors (CRCPD), concerned with the state of dosimetry processing and the lack of adequate standards, recommended that the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) direct a performance testing program for personnel dosimetry processing services. Later, in 1976, NRC asked PNL to conduct a study to evaluate the four existing performance standards for personnel dosimetry processing. One result of this study was that the HPSSC standard, which later became ANSI N13.11, was recommended as the standard for use in a national dosimetry processing program. The rest is common knowledge. With the support of numerous other federal agencies and the CRCPD, NRC published a regulation, effective in 1988, that required all processors of personnel dosimeters be accredited under the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP), operated by the NBS, which is now called the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). At present, there are 75 dosimetry processing laboratories accredited under NVLAP. NRC has also been involved in extremity dosimeters, health physics survey instruments, bioassay measurements, electronic personnel dosimeters, and environmental monitoring around nuclear power plants.

NRC program of inspection and enforcement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LeDoux, J.C.; Rehfuss, C.

1978-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) regulates civilian uses of nuclear materials to ensure the protection of the public health and safety and the environment. The Office of Inspection and Enforcement (IE) develops and implements the inspection, investigation, and enforcement programs for the NRC. The IE conducts inspection programs for reactors under construction and in operation, nuclear industry vendors, fuel facilities and users of nuclear materials, and all aspects of the safeguarding of facilities and materials. Recently the IE began implementing a program that will place inspectors on site at nuclear power reactors and will provide for national appraisal of licensee performance and for an evaluation of the effectiveness of the inspection programs

Down-regulation of human topoisomerase IIα expression correlates with relative amounts of specificity factors Sp1 and Sp3 bound at proximal and distal promoter regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Isaacs Richard J

2007-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Topoisomerase IIα has been shown to be down-regulated in doxorubicin-resistant cell lines. The specificity proteins Sp1 and Sp3 have been implicated in regulation of topoisomerase IIα transcription, although the mechanism by which they regulate expression is not fully understood. Sp1 has been shown to bind specifically to both proximal and distal GC elements of the human topoisomerase IIα promoter in vitro, while Sp3 binds only to the distal GC element unless additional flanking sequences are included. While Sp1 is thought to be an activator of human topoisomerase IIα, the functional significance of Sp3 binding is not known. Therefore, we sought to determine the functional relationship between Sp1 and Sp3 binding to the topoisomerase IIα promoter in vivo. We investigated endogenous levels of Sp1, Sp3 and topoisomerase IIα as well as binding of both Sp1 and Sp3 to the GC boxes of the topoisomerase IIα promoter in breast cancer cell lines in vivo after short term doxorubicin exposure. Results Functional effects of Sp1 and Sp3 were studied using transient cotransfection assays using a topoisomerase IIα promoter reporter construct. The in vivo interactions of Sp1 and Sp3 with the GC elements of the topoisomerase IIα promoter were studied in doxorubicin-treated breast cancer cell lines using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Relative amounts of endogenous proteins were measured using immunoblotting. In vivo DNA looping mediated by proteins bound at the GC1 and GC2 elements was studied using the chromatin conformation capture assay. Both Sp1 and Sp3 bound to the GC1 and GC2 regions. Sp1 and Sp3 were transcriptional activators and repressors respectively, with Sp3 repression being dominant over Sp1-mediated activation. The GC1 and GC2 elements are linked in vivo to form a loop, thus bringing distal regulatory elements and their cognate transcription factors into close proximity with the transcription start site

NRC perspective on alternative disposal methods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pittiglio, C.L.; Tokar, M.

1987-01-01

In this paper is discussed an NRC staff strategy for the development of technical criteria and procedures for the licensing of various alternatives for disposal of low-level radioactive waste. Steps taken by the staff to identify viable alternative disposal methods and to comply with the requirements of the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Amendments Act (LLRWPAA) of 1985 are also discussed. The strategy proposed by the NRC staff is to focus efforts in FY 87 on alternative concepts that incorporate concrete materials with soil or rock cover (e.g., below ground vaults and earth-mounded concrete bunkers), which several State and State Compacts have identified as preferred disposal options. While the NRC staff believes that other options, such as above ground vaults and mined cavities, are workable and licensable, the staff also believes, for reasons addressed in the paper, that it is in the best interest of the industry and the public to encourage standardization and to focus limited resources on a manageable number of alternative options. Therefore, guidance on above ground vaults, which are susceptible to long-term materials degradation due to climatological effects, and mined cavities, which represent a significant departure from the current experience base for low-level radioactive waste disposal, will receive minimal attention. 6 references

Role of zinc finger structure in nuclear localization of transcription factor Sp1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ito, Tatsuo; Azumano, Makiko; Uwatoko, Chisana; Itoh, Kohji; Kuwahara, Jun

2009-01-01

Transcription factor Sp1 is localized in the nucleus and regulates gene expression. Our previous study demonstrated that the carboxyl terminal region of Sp1 containing 3-zinc finger region as DNA binding domain can also serve as nuclear localization signal (NLS). However, the nuclear transport mechanism of Sp1 has not been well understood. In this study, we performed a gene expression study on mutant Sp1 genes causing a set of amino acid substitutions in zinc finger domains to elucidate nuclear import activity. Nuclear localization of the GFP-fused mutant Sp1 proteins bearing concomitant substitutions in the first and third zinc fingers was highly inhibited. These mutant Sp1 proteins had also lost the binding ability as to the GC box sequence. The results suggest that the overall tertiary structure formed by the three zinc fingers is essential for nuclear localization of Sp1 as well as dispersed basic amino acids within the zinc fingers region.

Performance testing of dosimetry processors, status of NRC rulemaking for improved personnel dosimetry processing, and some beta dosimetry and instrumentation problems observed by NRC regional inspectors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dennis, N.A.; Kinneman, J.D.; Costello, F.M.; White, J.R.; Nimitz, R.L.

1983-01-01

Early dosimetry processor performance studies conducted between 1967 and 1979 by several different investigators indicated that a significant percentage of personnel dosimetry processors may not be performing with a reasonable degree of accuracy. Results of voluntary performance testing of US personnel dosimetry processors against the final Health Physics Society Standard, Criteria for Testing Personnel Dosimetry Performance by the University of Michigan for the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) will be summarized with emphasis on processor performance in radiation categories involving beta particles and beta particles and photon mixtures. The current status of the NRC's regulatory program for improved personnel dosimetry processing will be reviewed. The NRC is proposing amendments to its regulations, 10 CFR Part 20, that would require its licensees to utilize specified personnel dosimetry services from processors accredited by the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program of the National Bureau of Standards. Details of the development and schedule for implementation of the program will be highlighted. Finally, selected beta dosimetry and beta instrumentation problems observed by NRC Regional Staff during inspections of NRC licensed facilities will be discussed

The NRC measurement verification program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pham, T.N.; Ong, L.D.Y.

1995-01-01

A perspective is presented on the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) approach for effectively monitoring the measurement methods and directly testing the capability and performance of licensee measurement systems. A main objective in material control and accounting (MC and A) inspection activities is to assure the accuracy and precision of the accounting system and the absence of potential process anomalies through overall accountability. The primary means of verification remains the NRC random sampling during routine safeguards inspections. This involves the independent testing of licensee measurement performance with statistical sampling plans for physical inventories, item control, and auditing. A prospective cost-effective alternative overcheck is also discussed in terms of an externally coordinated sample exchange or ''round robin'' program among participating fuel cycle facilities in order to verify the quality of measurement systems, i.e., to assure that analytical measurement results are free of bias

Biosynthesis of ribose-5-phosphate and erythrose-4-phosphate in archaea: a phylogenetic analysis of archaeal genomes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tim Soderberg

2005-01-01

Full Text Available A phylogenetic analysis of the genes encoding enzymes in the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP, the ribulose monophosphate (RuMP pathway, and the chorismate pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis, employing data from 13 complete archaeal genomes, provides a potential explanation for the enigmatic phylogenetic patterns of the PPP genes in archaea. Genomic and biochemical evidence suggests that three archaeal species (Methanocaldococcus jannaschii, Thermoplasma acidophilum and Thermoplasma volcanium produce ribose-5-phosphate via the nonoxidative PPP (NOPPP, whereas nine species apparently lack an NOPPP but may employ a reverse RuMP pathway for pentose synthesis. One species (Halobacterium sp. NRC-1 lacks both the NOPPP and the RuMP pathway but may possess a modified oxidative PPP (OPPP, the details of which are not yet known. The presence of transketolase in several archaeal species that are missing the other two NOPPP genes can be explained by the existence of differing requirements for erythrose-4-phosphate (E4P among archaea: six species use transketolase to make E4P as a precursor to aromatic amino acids, six species apparently have an alternate biosynthetic pathway and may not require the ability to make E4P, and one species (Pyrococcus horikoshii probably does not synthesize aromatic amino acids at all.

Characterization and isolation of a light driven sodium pump from membranes of Halobacterium halobium. Final technical progress report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacDonald, R.E.

1982-01-01

We investigated three aspects of the light driven sodium pump (halorhodopsin, which appear to be crucial to our understanding of the mechanisms employed by Halobacterium halobium and to further investigate this unique system of energy conservation. We characterized the molecular mechanisms of transmembrane sodium transport in vesicles from H. halobium with particular reference to the mechanism of couplins of light energy to net sodium translocation. We develop procedures and techniques for extracting the components of the light driven sodium pump from membranes and incorporating them into artificial membrane systems. We examine the mechanism of conversion of bacteriorhodopsin from an active to an inactive form in membrane vesicles and to relate this alternative state of this pigment to the presence of the light driven sodium pump

The roles of NRC research in risk-informed, performance-based regulation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Morrison, D.L.; Murphy, J.A.; Hodges, M.W.; Cunningham, M.A.; Drouin, M.T.; Ramey-Smith, A.M.; VanderMolen, H.

1997-01-01

The NRC is expanding the use of probabilistic risk analysis (PRA) throughout the spectrum of its regulatory activities. The NRC's research program in PRA supports this expansion in a number of ways, from performing basic research to developing guidance for regulatory applications. The author provides an overview of the NRC's PRA research program, then focuses on two key activities - the review of individual plant examinations, and the development of guidance for use of PRA in reactor regulation

Congress, NRC mull utility access to FBI criminal files

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ultroska, D.

1984-01-01

Experiences at Alabama Power Company and other nuclear utilities have promped a request for institutionalizing security checks of personnel in order to eliminated convicted criminals and drug users. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), which could provide FBI criminal history information by submitting fingerprints, does not do so, and would require new legislation to take on that duty. Believing that current malevolent employees can be managed with existing procedures, NRC allows criminal background checks only on prospective employees in order to avoid a negative social impact on personnel. Legislation to transfer criminal histories to nuclear facilities is now pending, and NRC is leaning toward a request for full disclosure, partly because of terrorist threats and partly to save manpower time and costs in reviewing case histories

NRC as referee (reactor licensing following the Three Mile Island accident)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eisenhut, D.G.

1984-01-01

In this article, the NRC's licensing director reports on the progress made by US utilities in complying with the key regulations stemming from the Three Mile Island accident. Over 130 items must be improved at more than 65 reactors. The actions taken by France in response to its own analysis of the accident are discussed. New NRC requirements with regard to operational safety, design, and emergency-response capability are outlined. Nearly all the training, or software, items in Nureg-0737 (''Clarification of TMI Action Plan Requirements'') and more than half of the mechanical, or hardware, items have been completed at plants with operating reactors. The Committee to Review Generic Requirements was created to develop means for controlling the number and nature of NRC requirements placed on licensees. Probabilistic risk-assessment techniques were not widely used by the NRC until after the Three Mile Island accident. The NRC has directed licensees and applicants for operating licenses to conduct control-room design reviews to identify and correct human-engineering discrepancies. Includes 2 tables

Risk-informed inservice test activities at the NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fischer, D.; Cheok, M.; Hsia, A.

1996-01-01

The operational readiness of certain safety-related components is vital to the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Inservice testing (IST) is one of the mechanisms used by licensees to ensure this readiness. In the past, the type and frequency of IST have been based on the collective best judgment of the NRC and industry in an ASME Code consensus process and NRC rulemaking process. Furthermore, IST requirements have not explicitly considered unique component and system designs and contribution to overall plant risk. Because of the general nature of ASME Code test requirements and non-reliance on risk estimates, current IST requirements may not adequately emphasize testing those components that are most important to safety and may overly emphasize testing of less safety significant components. Nuclear power plant licensees are currently interested in optimizing testing by applying resources in more safety significant areas and, where appropriate, reducing measures in less safety-significant areas. They are interested in maintaining system availability and reducing overall maintenance costs in ways that do not adversely affect safety. The NRC has been interested in using probabilistic, as an adjunct to deterministic, techniques to help define the scope, type and frequency of IST. The development of risk-informed IST programs has the potential to optimize the use of NRC and industry resources without adverse affect on safety

Risk-informed inservice test activities at the NRC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fischer, D.; Cheok, M.; Hsia, A.

1996-12-01

The operational readiness of certain safety-related components is vital to the safe operation of nuclear power plants. Inservice testing (IST) is one of the mechanisms used by licensees to ensure this readiness. In the past, the type and frequency of IST have been based on the collective best judgment of the NRC and industry in an ASME Code consensus process and NRC rulemaking process. Furthermore, IST requirements have not explicitly considered unique component and system designs and contribution to overall plant risk. Because of the general nature of ASME Code test requirements and non-reliance on risk estimates, current IST requirements may not adequately emphasize testing those components that are most important to safety and may overly emphasize testing of less safety significant components. Nuclear power plant licensees are currently interested in optimizing testing by applying resources in more safety significant areas and, where appropriate, reducing measures in less safety-significant areas. They are interested in maintaining system availability and reducing overall maintenance costs in ways that do not adversely affect safety. The NRC has been interested in using probabilistic, as an adjunct to deterministic, techniques to help define the scope, type and frequency of IST. The development of risk-informed IST programs has the potential to optimize the use of NRC and industry resources without adverse affect on safety.

Spent nuclear fuel project multi-canister overpack, additional NRC requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garvin, L.J.

1998-01-01

The US Department of Energy (DOE), established in the K Basin Spent Nuclear Fuel Project Regulatory Policy, dated August 4, 1995 (hereafter referred to as the Policy), the requirement for new Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) Project facilities to achieve nuclear safety equivalency to comparable US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-licensed facilities. For activities other than during transport, when the Multi-Canister Overpack (MCO) is used and resides in the Canister Storage Building (CSB), Cold Vacuum Drying (CVD) facility or Hot Conditioning System, additional NRC requirements will also apply to the MCO based on the safety functions it performs and its interfaces with the SNF Project facilities. An evaluation was performed in consideration of the MCO safety functions to identify any additional NRC requirements needed, in combination with the existing and applicable DOE requirements, to establish nuclear safety equivalency for the MCO. The background, basic safety issues and general comparison of NRC and DOE requirements for the SNF Project are presented in WHC-SD-SNF-DB-002

Primary structures of ribosomal proteins from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui and the eubacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus.

Science.gov (United States)

Arndt, E; Scholzen, T; Krömer, W; Hatakeyama, T; Kimura, M

1991-06-01

Approximately 40 ribosomal proteins from each Halobacterium marismortui and Bacillus stearothermophilus have been sequenced either by direct protein sequence analysis or by DNA sequence analysis of the appropriate genes. The comparison of the amino acid sequences from the archaebacterium H marismortui with the available ribosomal proteins from the eubacterial and eukaryotic kingdoms revealed four different groups of proteins: 24 proteins are related to both eubacterial as well as eukaryotic proteins. Eleven proteins are exclusively related to eukaryotic counterparts. For three proteins only eubacterial relatives-and for another three proteins no counterpart-could be found. The similarities of the halobacterial ribosomal proteins are in general somewhat higher to their eukaryotic than to their eubacterial counterparts. The comparison of B stearothermophilus proteins with their E coli homologues showed that the proteins evolved at different rates. Some proteins are highly conserved with 64-76% identity, others are poorly conserved with only 25-34% identical amino acid residues.

Analysis of aggregate optical spectra using moments. Application to the purple membrane of halobacterium halobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemenger, R.P.

1978-01-01

The problem of extracting structural information from the optical spectra of aggregates of molecules interacting through their electronic transitions is studied. One serious difficulty common to all approaches to this problem is that of properly taking into account the effects of molecular vibrations. A series of exact relations derived previously which are correct with regard to molecular vibrations provide a number of independent, explicit connections between aggregate geometrical parameters and moments of experimental spectra. It is shown that, by applying these moment relations to the optical absorption and circular dichroism spectra of simple aggregates, a complete set of equations can be found, i.e., enough equations can be found to solve for all of the geometrical parameters which enter into the expressions for absorption and circular dichroism spectra. This procedure is applied in some detail to the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium. The results are completely consistent with what is known about its structure

NRC Response to an Act or Threat of Terrorism at an NRC-Licensed Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frank Congel

2000-01-01

The mandated response to a threat or act of terrorism at a U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)-licensed facility was examined through a tabletop exercise in May 2000 and a limited field exercise in August 2000. This paper describes some of the new issues addressed and lessons learned from those exercises

Sp1/Sp3 and DNA-methylation contribute to basal transcriptional activation of human podoplanin in MG63 versus Saos-2 osteoblastic cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Puri Christina

2007-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Podoplanin is a membrane mucin that, among a series of tissues, is expressed on late osteoblasts and osteocytes. Since recent findings have focussed on podoplanin's potential role as a tumour progression factor, we aimed at identifying regulatory elements conferring PDPN promoter activity. Here, we characterized the molecular mechanism controlling basal PDPN transcription in human osteoblast-like MG63 versus Saos-2 cells. Results We cloned and sequenced 2056 nucleotides from the 5'-flanking region of the PDPN gene and a computational search revealed that the TATA and CAAT box-lacking promoter possesses features of a growth-related gene, such as a GC-rich 5' region and the presence of multiple putative Sp1, AP-4 and NF-1 sites. Reporter gene assays demonstrated a functional promoter in MG63 cells exhibiting 30-fold more activity than in Saos-2 cells. In vitro DNase I footprinting revealed eight protected regions flanked by DNaseI hypersensitive sites within the region bp -728 to -39 present in MG63, but not in Saos-2 cells. Among these regions, mutation and supershift electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA identified four Sp1/Sp3 binding sites and two binding sites for yet unknown transcription factors. Deletion studies demonstrated the functional importance of two Sp1/Sp3 sites for PDPN promoter activity. Overexpression of Sp1 and Sp3 independently increased the stimulatory effect of the promoter and podoplanin mRNA levels in MG63 and Saos-2 cells. In SL2 cells, Sp3 functioned as a repressor, while Sp1 and Sp3 acted positively synergistic. Weak PDPN promoter activity of Saos-2 cells correlated with low Sp1/Sp3 nuclear levels, which was confirmed by Sp1/Sp3 chromatin immunoprecipitations in vivo. Moreover, methylation-sensitive Southern blot analyses and bisulfite sequencing detected strong methylation of CpG sites upstream of bp -464 in MG63 cells, but hypomethylation of these sites in Saos-2 cells. Concomitantly

Gap junctional communication modulates gene transcription by altering the recruitment of Sp1 and Sp3 to connexin-response elements in osteoblast promoters

Science.gov (United States)

Stains, Joseph P.; Lecanda, Fernando; Screen, Joanne; Towler, Dwight A.; Civitelli, Roberto

2003-01-01

Loss-of-function mutations of gap junction proteins, connexins, represent a mechanism of disease in a variety of tissues. We have shown that recessive (gene deletion) or dominant (connexin45 overexpression) disruption of connexin43 function results in osteoblast dysfunction and abnormal expression of osteoblast genes, including down-regulation of osteocalcin transcription. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms of gap junction-sensitive transcriptional regulation, we systematically analyzed the rat osteocalcin promoter for sensitivity to gap junctional intercellular communication. We identified an Sp1/Sp3 containing complex that assembles on a minimal element in the -70 to -57 region of the osteocalcin promoter in a gap junction-dependent manner. This CT-rich connexin-response element is necessary and sufficient to confer gap junction sensitivity to the osteocalcin proximal promoter. Repression of osteocalcin transcription occurs as a result of displacement of the stimulatory Sp1 by the inhibitory Sp3 on the promoter when gap junctional communication is perturbed. Modulation of Sp1/Sp3 recruitment also occurs on the collagen Ialpha1 promoter and translates into gap junction-sensitive transcriptional control of collagen Ialpha1 gene expression. Thus, regulation of Sp1/Sp3 recruitment to the promoter may represent a potential general mechanism for transcriptional control of target genes by signals passing through gap junctions.

Overexpression of transcription factor Sp1 leads to gene expression perturbations and cell cycle inhibition.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emmanuelle Deniaud

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The ubiquitous transcription factor Sp1 regulates the expression of a vast number of genes involved in many cellular functions ranging from differentiation to proliferation and apoptosis. Sp1 expression levels show a dramatic increase during transformation and this could play a critical role for tumour development or maintenance. Although Sp1 deregulation might be beneficial for tumour cells, its overexpression induces apoptosis of untransformed cells. Here we further characterised the functional and transcriptional responses of untransformed cells following Sp1 overexpression. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We made use of wild-type and DNA-binding-deficient Sp1 to demonstrate that the induction of apoptosis by Sp1 is dependent on its capacity to bind DNA. Genome-wide expression profiling identified genes involved in cancer, cell death and cell cycle as being enriched among differentially expressed genes following Sp1 overexpression. In silico search to determine the presence of Sp1 binding sites in the promoter region of modulated genes was conducted. Genes that contained Sp1 binding sites in their promoters were enriched among down-regulated genes. The endogenous sp1 gene is one of the most down-regulated suggesting a negative feedback loop induced by overexpressed Sp1. In contrast, genes containing Sp1 binding sites in their promoters were not enriched among up-regulated genes. These results suggest that the transcriptional response involves both direct Sp1-driven transcription and indirect mechanisms. Finally, we show that Sp1 overexpression led to a modified expression of G1/S transition regulatory genes such as the down-regulation of cyclin D2 and the up-regulation of cyclin G2 and cdkn2c/p18 expression. The biological significance of these modifications was confirmed by showing that the cells accumulated in the G1 phase of the cell cycle before the onset of apoptosis. CONCLUSION: This study shows that the binding to DNA

Sp1 is a transcription repressor to stanniocalcin-1 expression in TSA-treated human colon cancer cells, HT29.

Science.gov (United States)

Law, Alice Y S; Yeung, B H Y; Ching, L Y; Wong, Chris K C

2011-08-01

Our previous study demonstrated that, stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) was a target of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors and was involved in trichostatin A (TSA) induced apoptosis in the human colon cancer cells, HT29. In this study, we reported that the transcriptional factor, specificity protein 1 (Sp1) in association with retinoblastoma (Rb) repressed STC1 gene transcription in TSA-treated HT29 cells. Our data demonstrated that, a co-treatment of the cells with TSA and Sp1 inhibitor, mithramycin A (MTM) led to a marked synergistic induction of STC1 transcript levels, STC1 promoter (1 kb)-driven luciferase activity and an increase of apoptotic cell population. The knockdown of Sp1 gene expression in TSA treated cells, revealed the repressor role of Sp1 in STC1 transcription. Using a protein phosphatase inhibitor okadaic acid (OKA), an increase of Sp1 hyperphosphorylation and so a reduction of its transcriptional activity, led to a significant induction of STC1 gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay revealed that Sp1 binding on STC1 proximal promoter in TSA treated cells. The binding of Sp1 to STC1 promoter was abolished by the co-treatment of MTM or OKA in TSA-treated cells. Re-ChIP assay illustrated that Sp1-mediated inhibition of STC1 transcription was associated with the recruitment of another repressor molecule, Rb. Collectively our findings identify STC1 is a downstream target of Sp1. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

NRC/UBC Node

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellis-Perry, B. [Univ. of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada); Yogendran, Y. [NRC Inst. for Fuel Cell Innovation, Vancouver, British Columbia (Canada)

2004-07-01

'Full text:' In the search for cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, many of the most promising breakthroughs have been in hydrogen technology. However, this promise will remain unfulfilled without public interest and enthusiasm, and without the infrastructure to support the technology. In order to get there, we have to test, perfect, and demonstrate technology that is safe and affordable, and we must do so in practical, familiar settings. Ideally, such settings should be easily accessible to the engineers, planners, and architects of tomorrow while providing a showcase for hydrogen technology that will attract the general public. This place is the NRC/UBC Hydrogen Node. The UBC campus in Point Grey is home to leading edge, internationally recognized researchers in a range of disciplines, both within the University and at the NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation. On average, 40,000 students, faculty, and staff use the campus every day; UBC graduates go on to leadership positions in communities around the globe. Its spectacular setting makes UBC a popular destination for thousands of visitors from around the world. In 2006 UBC will host the World Urban Forum, and in 2010 it will be one of the sites for the Vancouver-Whistler Olympic Games. UBC and its South Campus neighbourhoods are developing as a model sustainable community, offering an excellent opportunity to develop and showcase hydrogen infrastructure and technology in a real-life, attractive setting that will be seen by thousands of people around the world. UBC's facilities, location, and Trek 2010 commitment to excellence in learning, research, and sustainability make it an ideal location for such a project. The H2 Village at UBC will be an integrated hydrogen demonstration project, linked to the hydrogen highway. This project is bringing together leading companies, researchers, and government agencies committed to making the refinement and early adoption of safe hydrogen technology a

NRC/UBC Node

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ellis-Perry, B.; Yogendran, Y.

2004-01-01

'Full text:' In the search for cleaner, more sustainable energy sources, many of the most promising breakthroughs have been in hydrogen technology. However, this promise will remain unfulfilled without public interest and enthusiasm, and without the infrastructure to support the technology. In order to get there, we have to test, perfect, and demonstrate technology that is safe and affordable, and we must do so in practical, familiar settings. Ideally, such settings should be easily accessible to the engineers, planners, and architects of tomorrow while providing a showcase for hydrogen technology that will attract the general public. This place is the NRC/UBC Hydrogen Node. The UBC campus in Point Grey is home to leading edge, internationally recognized researchers in a range of disciplines, both within the University and at the NRC Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation. On average, 40,000 students, faculty, and staff use the campus every day; UBC graduates go on to leadership positions in communities around the globe. Its spectacular setting makes UBC a popular destination for thousands of visitors from around the world. In 2006 UBC will host the World Urban Forum, and in 2010 it will be one of the sites for the Vancouver-Whistler Olympic Games. UBC and its South Campus neighbourhoods are developing as a model sustainable community, offering an excellent opportunity to develop and showcase hydrogen infrastructure and technology in a real-life, attractive setting that will be seen by thousands of people around the world. UBC's facilities, location, and Trek 2010 commitment to excellence in learning, research, and sustainability make it an ideal location for such a project. The H2 Village at UBC will be an integrated hydrogen demonstration project, linked to the hydrogen highway. This project is bringing together leading companies, researchers, and government agencies committed to making the refinement and early adoption of safe hydrogen technology a reality

NRC licensing criteria for portable radwaste systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, J.J. Jr.

1983-01-01

The shortcomings of various components of the liquid and solid radwaste systems at nuclear power reactors has resulted in the contracting of the functions performed by these systems to various contractors who utilize portable equipment. In addition, some streams, for which treatment was not originally anticipated, have been processed by portable equipment. The NRC criteria applicable to portable liquid and solid radwaste systems is presented along with discussion on what is required to provide an adequate 10 CFR Part 50.59 review for those situations where changes are made to an existing system. The criteria the NRC is considering for facilities which may intend to utilize portable incinerators is also presented

Divergent Roles of RPA Homologs of the Model Archaeon Halobacterium salinarum in Survival of DNA Damage.

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, Jessica J; Gygli, Patrick E; McCaskill, Julienne; DeVeaux, Linda C

2018-04-20

The haloarchaea are unusual in possessing genes for multiple homologs to the ubiquitous single-stranded DNA binding protein (SSB or replication protein A, RPA) found in all three domains of life. Halobacterium salinarum contains five homologs: two are eukaryotic in organization, two are prokaryotic and are encoded on the minichromosomes, and one is uniquely euryarchaeal. Radiation-resistant mutants previously isolated show upregulation of one of the eukaryotic-type RPA genes. Here, we have created deletions in the five RPA operons. These deletion mutants were exposed to DNA-damaging conditions: ionizing radiation, UV radiation, and mitomycin C. Deletion of the euryarchaeal homolog, although not lethal as in Haloferax volcanii , causes severe sensitivity to all of these agents. Deletion of the other RPA/SSB homologs imparts a variable sensitivity to these DNA-damaging agents, suggesting that the different RPA homologs have specialized roles depending on the type of genomic insult encountered.

Directory of Certificates of Compliance for Radioactive Materials Packages. Summary report of NRC approved packages. Volume 1, Revision 8

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

This directory contains a Summary Report of NRC Approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Summary Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Material Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on packagings which have been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To assist in identifying packaging, an index by Model Number and corresponding Certificate of Compliance number is included at the back of each volume of the directory. The Summary Report includes a listing of all users of each package design prior to the publication date of the directory. Shipments of radioactive material utilizing these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR 173.471 and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Section 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure them that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program. Copies of the current approval may be obtained from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Document Room files (see Docket No. listed on each certificate) at 1717 H Street, Washington, DC 20555. Note that the general license of 10 CFR 71.12 does not authorize the receipt, possession, use or transfer of byproduct source, or special nuclear material; such authorization must be obtained pursuant to 10 CFR Parts 30 to 36, 40, 50, or 70

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages. Summary report of NRC approved packages. Volume 1. Revision 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-10-01

This directory contains a Summary Report of NRC Approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Summary Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Material Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on packagings which have been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To assist in identifying packaging, an index by Model Number and Corresponding Certificate of Compliance number is included at the back of each volume of the directory. The Summary Report includes a listing of all users of each package design prior to the publication date of the directory. Shipments of radioactive material utilizing these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR 173.471 and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Sections 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure them that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program. Copies of the current approval may be obtained from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Document Room files (see Docket No. listed on each certificate) at 1717 H Street, Washington, DC 20555. Note that the general license of 10 CFR 71.12 does not authorize the receipt, possession, use or transfer of byproduct source, or special nuclear material; such authorization must be obtained pursuant to 10 CFR Parts 30 to 36, 40, 50, or 70

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages. Summary report of NRC approved packages. Volume 1, Revision 7

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-11-01

This directory contains a Summary Report of NRC Approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Summary Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Material Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on packagings which have been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To assist in identifying packaging, an index by Model Number and corresponding Certificate of Compliance number is included at the back of each volume of the directory. The Summary Report includes a listing of all users of each package design prior to the publication date of the directory. Shipments of radioactive material utilizing these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR 173.471 and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Section 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program. Copies of the current approval may be obtained from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Public Document Room files (see Docket No. listed on each certificate) at 1717 H Street, Washington, DC 20555. Note that the general license of 10 CFR 71.12 does not authorize the receipt, possession, use or transfer of byproduct source, or special nuclear material; such authorization must be obtained pursuant to 10 CFR Parts 30 to 36, 40, 50, or 70

Regulatory decision with EPA/NRC/DOE/State Session (Panel)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

O`Donnell, E.

1995-12-31

This panel will cover the Nuclear Regulatory Commission`s (NRC) proposed radiation limits in the Branch Technical Position on Low-Level Radioactive Waste Performance Assessment and the Environmental Protection Agency`s (EPA) draft regulation in Part 193. Representatives from NRC and EPA will discuss the inconsistencies in these two regulations. DOE and state representatives will discuss their perspective on how these regulations will affect low-level radioactive waste performance assessments.

Sp1 transcriptional activity is up-regulated by phosphatase 2A in dividing T lymphocytes.

Science.gov (United States)

Lacroix, Isabelle; Lipcey, Carol; Imbert, Jean; Kahn-Perlès, Brigitte

2002-03-15

We have followed Sp1 expression in primary human T lymphocytes induced, via CD2 plus CD28 costimulation, to sustained proliferation and subsequent return to quiescence. Binding of Sp1 to wheat germ agglutinin lectin was not modified following activation, indicating that the overall glycosylation of the protein was unchanged. Sp1 underwent, instead, a major dephosphorylation that correlated with cyclin A expression and, thus, with cell cycle progression. A similar change was observed in T cells that re-entered cell cycle following secondary interleukin-2 stimulation, as well as in serum-induced proliferating NIH/3T3 fibroblasts. Phosphatase 2A (PP2A) appears involved because 1) treatment of dividing cells with okadaic acid or cantharidin inhibited Sp1 dephosphorylation and 2) PP2A dephosphorylated Sp1 in vitro and strongly interacted with Sp1 in vivo. Sp1 dephosphorylation is likely to increase its transcriptional activity because PP2A overexpression potentiated Sp1 site-driven chloramphenicol acetyltransferase expression in dividing Kit225 T cells and okadaic acid reversed this effect. This increase might be mediated by a stronger affinity of dephosphorylated Sp1 for DNA, as illustrated by the reduced DNA occupancy by hyperphosphorylated Sp factors from cantharidin- or nocodazole-treated cells. Finally, Sp1 dephosphorylation appears to occur throughout cell cycle except for mitosis, a likely common feature to all cycling cells.

Characterization of the human Activin-A receptor type II-like kinase 1 (ACVRL1 promoter and its regulation by Sp1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Botella Luisa M

2010-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Activin receptor-like kinase 1 (ALK1 is a Transforming Growth Factor-β (TGF-β receptor type I, mainly expressed in endothelial cells that plays a pivotal role in vascular remodelling and angiogenesis. Mutations in the ALK1 gene (ACVRL1 give rise to Hereditary Haemorrhagic Telangiectasia, a dominant autosomal vascular dysplasia caused by a haploinsufficiency mechanism. In spite of its patho-physiological relevance, little is known about the transcriptional regulation of ACVRL1. Here, we have studied the different origins of ACVRL1 transcription, we have analyzed in silico its 5'-proximal promoter sequence and we have characterized the role of Sp1 in the transcriptional regulation of ACVRL1. Results We have performed a 5'Rapid Amplification of cDNA Ends (5'RACE of ACVRL1 transcripts, finding two new transcriptional origins, upstream of the one previously described, that give rise to a new exon undiscovered to date. The 5'-proximal promoter region of ACVRL1 (-1,035/+210 was analyzed in silico, finding that it lacks TATA/CAAT boxes, but contains a remarkably high number of GC-rich Sp1 consensus sites. In cells lacking Sp1, ACVRL1 promoter reporters did not present any significant transcriptional activity, whereas increasing concentrations of Sp1 triggered a dose-dependent stimulation of its transcription. Moreover, silencing Sp1 in HEK293T cells resulted in a marked decrease of ACVRL1 transcriptional activity. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated multiple Sp1 binding sites along the proximal promoter region of ACVRL1 in endothelial cells. Furthermore, demethylation of CpG islands, led to an increase in ACVRL1 transcription, whereas in vitro hypermethylation resulted in the abolishment of Sp1-dependent transcriptional activation of ACVRL1. Conclusions Our results describe two new transcriptional start sites in ACVRL1 gene, and indicate that Sp1 is a key regulator of ACVRL1 transcription, providing new insights into

Sp1/3 and NF-1 mediate basal transcription of the human P2X1 gene in megakaryoblastic MEG-01 cells

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ennion Steven J

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background P2X1 receptors play an important role in platelet function as they can induce shape change, granule centralization and are also involved in thrombus formation. As platelets have no nuclei, the level of P2X1 expression depends on transcriptional regulation in megakaryocytes, the platelet precursor cell. Since nothing is known about the molecular mechanisms regulating megakaryocytic P2X1 expression, this study aimed to identify and functionally characterize the P2X1 core promoter utilized in the human megakaryoblastic cell line MEG-01. Results In order to identify cis-acting elements involved in the transcriptional regulation of P2X1 expression, the ability of 4.7 kb P2X1 upstream sequence to drive luciferase reporter gene expression was tested. Low promoter activity was detected in proliferating MEG-01 cells. This activity increased 20-fold after phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA induced differentiation. A transcription start site was detected 365 bp upstream of the start codon by primer extension. Deletion analysis of reporter constructs indicated a core promoter located within the region -68 to +149 bp that contained two Sp1 sites (named Sp1a and Sp1b and an NF-1 site. Individual mutations of Sp1b or NF-1 binding sites severely reduced promoter activity whereas triple mutation of Sp1a, Sp1b and NF-1 sites completely abolished promoter activity in both untreated and PMA treated cells. Sp1/3 and NF-1 proteins were shown to bind their respective sites by EMSA and interaction of Sp1/3, NF-1 and TFIIB with the endogenous P2X1 core promoter in MEG-01 cells was demonstrated by chromatin immunoprecipitation. Alignment of P2X1 genes from human, chimp, rat, mouse and dog revealed consensus Sp1a, Sp1b and NF-1 binding sites in equivalent positions thereby demonstrating evolutionary conservation of these functionally important sites. Conclusion This study has identified and characterized the P2X1 promoter utilized in MEG-01 cells and

NRC regulatory agenda. Seminnual progress report, January 1996--June 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-08-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rule making which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The regulatory Agenda is updated and issued semiannually

NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] TLD [thermoluminescent dosimeter] direct radiation monitoring network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1989-09-01

This report provides the status and results of the NRC Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) Direct Radiation Monitoring Network. It presents the radiation levels measured in the vicinity of NRC licensed facility sites throughout the country for the second quarter of 1989

NRC TLD direct radiation monitoring network: Progress report, April--June 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1988-09-01

This report provides the status and results of the NRC Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) Direct Radiation Monitoring Network. It presents the radiation levels measured in the vicinity of NRC licensed facility sites throughout the country for the second quarter of 1988

Evidence for cooperative mineralization of diuron by Arthrobacter sp. BS2 and Achromobacter sp. SP1 isolated from a mixed culture enriched from diuron exposed environments.

Science.gov (United States)

Devers-Lamrani, Marion; Pesce, Stéphane; Rouard, Nadine; Martin-Laurent, Fabrice

2014-12-01

Diuron was found to be mineralized in buffer strip soil (BS) and in the sediments (SED) of the Morcille river in the Beaujolais vineyard repeatedly treated with this herbicide. Enrichment cultures from BS and SED samples led to the isolation of three bacterial strains transforming diuron to 3,4-dichloroaniline (3,4-DCA) its aniline derivative. 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that they belonged to the genus Arthrobacter (99% of similarity to Arthrobacter globiformis strain K01-01) and were designated as Arthrobacter sp. BS1, BS2 and SED1. Diuron-degrading potential characterized by sequencing of the puhA gene, characterizing the diuron-degradaing potential, revealed 99% similarity to A. globiformis strain D47 puhA gene isolated a decade ago in the UK. These isolates were also able to use chlorotoluron for their growth. Although able to degrade linuron and monolinuron to related aniline derivatives they were not growing on them. Enrichment cultures led to the isolation of a strain from the sediments entirely degrading 3,4-DCA. 16S rRNA sequence analysis showed that it was affiliated to the genus Achromobacter (99% of similarity to Achromobacter sp. CH1) and was designated as Achromobacter sp. SP1. The dcaQ gene encoding enzyme responsible for the transformation of 3,4-DCA to chlorocatechol was found in SP1 with 99% similarity to that of Comamonas testosteroni WDL7. This isolate also used for its growth a range of anilines (3-chloro-4-methyl-aniline, 4-isopropylaniline, 4-chloroaniline, 3-chloroaniline, 4-bromoaniline). The mixed culture composed of BS2 and SP1 strains entirely mineralizes (14)C-diuron to (14)CO2. Diuron-mineralization observed in the enrichment culture could result from the metabolic cooperation between these two populations. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The primary structures of ribosomal proteins L16, L23 and L33 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui.

Science.gov (United States)

Hatakeyama, T; Hatakeyama, T; Kimura, M

1988-11-21

The complete amino acid sequences of ribosomal proteins L16, L23 and L33 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui were determined. The sequences were established by manual sequencing of peptides produced with several proteases as well as by cleavage with dilute HCl. Proteins L16, L23 and L33 consist of 119, 154 and 69 amino acid residues, and their molecular masses are 13,538, 16,812 and 7620 Da, respectively. The comparison of their sequences with those of ribosomal proteins from other organisms revealed that L23 and L33 are related to eubacterial ribosomal proteins from Escherichia coli and Bacillus stearothermophilus, while protein L16 was found to be homologous to a eukaryotic ribosomal protein from yeast. These results provide information about the special phylogenetic position of archaebacteria.

On the Role of the SP1 Domain in HIV-1 Particle Assembly: a Molecular Switch?▿

Science.gov (United States)

Datta, Siddhartha A. K.; Temeselew, Lakew G.; Crist, Rachael M.; Soheilian, Ferri; Kamata, Anne; Mirro, Jane; Harvin, Demetria; Nagashima, Kunio; Cachau, Raul E.; Rein, Alan

2011-01-01

Expression of a retroviral protein, Gag, in mammalian cells is sufficient for assembly of immature virus-like particles (VLPs). VLP assembly is mediated largely by interactions between the capsid (CA) domains of Gag molecules but is facilitated by binding of the nucleocapsid (NC) domain to nucleic acid. We have investigated the role of SP1, a spacer between CA and NC in HIV-1 Gag, in VLP assembly. Mutational analysis showed that even subtle changes in the first 4 residues of SP1 destroy the ability of Gag to assemble correctly, frequently leading to formation of tubes or other misassembled structures rather than proper VLPs. We also studied the conformation of the CA-SP1 junction region in solution, using both molecular dynamics simulations and circular dichroism. Consonant with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) studies from other laboratories, we found that SP1 is nearly unstructured in aqueous solution but undergoes a concerted change to an α-helical conformation when the polarity of the environment is reduced by addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), trifluoroethanol, or ethanol. Remarkably, such a coil-to-helix transition is also recapitulated in an aqueous medium at high peptide concentrations. The exquisite sensitivity of SP1 to mutational changes and its ability to undergo a concentration-dependent structural transition raise the possibility that SP1 could act as a molecular switch to prime HIV-1 Gag for VLP assembly. We suggest that changes in the local environment of SP1 when Gag oligomerizes on nucleic acid might trigger this switch. PMID:21325421

Cytosine methylation does not affect binding of transcription factor Sp1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harrington, M.A.; Jones, P.A.; Imagawa, M.; Karin, M.

1988-01-01

DNA methylation may be a component of a multilevel control mechanism that regulates eukaryotic gene expression. The authors used synthetic oligonucleotides to investigate the effect of cytosine methylation on the binding of the transcription factor Sp1 to its target sequence (a G+C-rich sequence known as a GC box). Concatemers of double-stranded 14-mers containing a GC box successfully competed with the human metallothionein IIA promoter for binding to Sp1 in DNase I protection experiments. The presence of 5-methylcytosine in the CpG sequence of the GC box did not influence Sp1 binding. The result was confirmed using double-stranded 20-mers containing 16 base pairs of complementary sequence. Electrophoretic gel retardation analysis of annealed 28-mers containing a GC box incubated with an Sp1-containing HeLa cell nuclear extract demonstrated the formation of DNA-protein complexes; formation of these complexes was not inhibited when an oligomer without a GC box was used as a competitor. Once again, the presence of a 5-methylcytosine residue in the GC box did not influence the binding of the protein to DNA. The results therefore preclude a direct effect of cytosine methylation on Sp1-DNA interactions

nRC: non-coding RNA Classifier based on structural features.

Science.gov (United States)

Fiannaca, Antonino; La Rosa, Massimo; La Paglia, Laura; Rizzo, Riccardo; Urso, Alfonso

2017-01-01

Non-coding RNA (ncRNA) are small non-coding sequences involved in gene expression regulation of many biological processes and diseases. The recent discovery of a large set of different ncRNAs with biologically relevant roles has opened the way to develop methods able to discriminate between the different ncRNA classes. Moreover, the lack of knowledge about the complete mechanisms in regulative processes, together with the development of high-throughput technologies, has required the help of bioinformatics tools in addressing biologists and clinicians with a deeper comprehension of the functional roles of ncRNAs. In this work, we introduce a new ncRNA classification tool, nRC (non-coding RNA Classifier). Our approach is based on features extraction from the ncRNA secondary structure together with a supervised classification algorithm implementing a deep learning architecture based on convolutional neural networks. We tested our approach for the classification of 13 different ncRNA classes. We obtained classification scores, using the most common statistical measures. In particular, we reach an accuracy and sensitivity score of about 74%. The proposed method outperforms other similar classification methods based on secondary structure features and machine learning algorithms, including the RNAcon tool that, to date, is the reference classifier. nRC tool is freely available as a docker image at https://hub.docker.com/r/tblab/nrc/. The source code of nRC tool is also available at https://github.com/IcarPA-TBlab/nrc.

Bioactive metabolites produced by Penicillium sp. 1 and sp. 2, two endophytes associated with Alibertia macrophylla (Rubiaceae).

Science.gov (United States)

Oliveira, Camila M; Silva, Geraldo H; Regasini, Luis O; Zanardi, Lisinéia M; Evangelista, Alana H; Young, Maria C M; Bolzani, Vanderlan S; Araujo, Angela R

2009-01-01

In the course of our continuous search for bioactive metabolites from endophytic fungi living in plants from the Brazilian flora, leaves of Alibertia macrophylla (Rubiaceae) were submitted to isolation of endophytes, and two species of Penicillium were isolated. The acetonitrile fraction obtained in corn from a culture of Penicillium sp. 1 afforded orcinol (1). On the other hand, Penicillium sp. 1 cultivated in potato-dextrose-broth furnished two different compounds, cyclo-(L-Pro-L-Val) (2) and uracil (3). The chromatographic fractionation of the acetonitrile fraction obtained from Penicillium sp. 2 led to three dihydroisocoumarins, 4-hydroxymellein (4), 8-methoxymellein (5) and 5-hydroxymellein (6). Compounds 5 and 6 were obtained from the Penicillium genus for the first time. Additionally, metabolites 1-6 were evaluated for their antifungal and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitory activities. The most active compounds 1 and 4 exhibited detection limits of 5.00 and 10.0 microg against Cladosporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum, respectively. Compound 2 showed a detection limit of 10.0 microg, displaying potent AChE inhibitory activity.

Monoclonal antibodies against pregnancy-specific β1-glycoprotein (SP1) in immunohistochemistry and radioimmunoassay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wahlstroem, T.; Heikinheimo, M.

1983-01-01

Monoclonal mouse antibodies against pregnancy-specific beta-1-glycoprotein (SP 1 ) have been studied for their suitability in immunoperoxidase staining and radioimmunoassay methodologies. These antibodies were useful in staining normal placentas, hydatidiform moles, invasive moles and choriocarcinomas. They showed good specificity, with minimal background staining, and will thus be superior to conventional polyclonal antisera in immunohistochemistry. However, the presently tested monoclonal anti-SP 1 antibodies were found not to be suitable for radioimmunoassay. (Auth.)

Sp1-CD147 positive feedback loop promotes the invasion ability of ovarian cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Jing; Ye, Wei; Wu, Juan; Liu, Lijuan; Yang, Lina; Gao, Lu; Chen, Biliang; Zhang, Fanglin; Yang, Hong; Li, Yu

2015-07-01

CD147 is a novel cancer biomarker that has been confirmed to be overexpressed in ovarian carcinoma, which is significantly associated with poor prognosis. Although the Sp1 protein regulates the expression level of CD147, it remains unclear whether Sp1 phosphorylation plays a role in this regulation. A dual-luciferase assay revealed that T453 and T739 mutations decreased the activity of Sp1 binding to the promoter of CD147, followed by a decrease in CD147 mRNA and protein expression. Western blot analysis showed that CD147 promoted Sp1 phosphorylation at T453 and T739 through the PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK pathways. In addition, blocking the Sp1-CD147 positive feedback loop reduced the invasion ability of HO-8910pm cells. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the components of the feedback loop were overexpressed in ovarian cancer tissues. The correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between phospho-Sp1 (T453), phospho-Sp1 (T739) and CD147 expression levels, with correlation coefficients of r=0.477 and r=0.461, respectively. Collectively, our results suggest that a Sp1-CD147 positive feedback loop plays a critical role in the invasion ability of ovarian cancer cells.

Assessment of current NRC/IE professional training program and recommendations for improvement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bartley, H.J.; Hagerup, J.E.; Harrison, O.J.; Heyer, F.H.K.; Kaas, I.W.; Schwartz, E.G.

1978-05-01

This document is the General Research Corporation (GRC) report on Task III: to assess the current NRC/IE professional training program and to provide recommendations for improvement. The major objectives of this task were to determine the overall effectiveness of the NRC/IE training program and to provide recommendations for improvements where appropriate. The research involved a review of course manuals and of student critiques, observation in the classroom and person to person interviews; it also included an evaluation of the assignment of instructors to the Career Management Branch. Findings addressed refresher training, retread training and initial training--with emphasis on the last of these. Conclusions are that: (1) The curriculum provides, in general, types and levels of training needed; (2) the mix of training methods used is correct; and (3) the training management is effective. However, the training facilities do not reflect a commitment to quality instruction nor is assignment as instructor to the Career Management Branch attractive to inspectors. Recommendations presented in the report are based upon the findings; all lie within the implementing authority of Headquarters NRC/IE

Structure of a highly acidic β-lactamase from the moderate halophile Chromohalobacter sp. 560 and the discovery of a Cs+-selective binding site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arai, Shigeki; Yonezawa, Yasushi; Okazaki, Nobuo; Matsumoto, Fumiko; Shibazaki, Chie; Shimizu, Rumi; Yamada, Mitsugu; Adachi, Motoyasu; Tamada, Taro; Kawamoto, Masahide; Tokunaga, Hiroko; Ishibashi, Matsujiro; Blaber, Michael; Tokunaga, Masao; Kuroki, Ryota

2015-01-01

The tertiary structure of a β-lactamase derived from the halobacterium Chromohalobacter sp. 560 (HaBLA) was determined by X-ray crystallography. Three unique Sr 2+ -binding sites and one Cs + -binding site were discovered in the HaBLA molecule. Environmentally friendly absorbents are needed for Sr 2+ and Cs + , as the removal of the radioactive Sr 2+ and Cs + that has leaked from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant is one of the most important problems in Japan. Halophilic proteins are known to have many acidic residues on their surface that can provide specific binding sites for metal ions such as Cs + or Sr 2+ . The crystal structure of a halophilic β-lactamase from Chromohalobacter sp. 560 (HaBLA) was determined to resolutions of between 1.8 and 2.9 Å in space group P3 1 using X-ray crystallography. Moreover, the locations of bound Sr 2+ and Cs + ions were identified by anomalous X-ray diffraction. The location of one Cs + -specific binding site was identified in HaBLA even in the presence of a ninefold molar excess of Na + (90 mM Na + /10 mM Cs + ). From an activity assay using isothermal titration calorimetry, the bound Sr 2+ and Cs + ions do not significantly affect the enzymatic function of HaBLA. The observation of a selective and high-affinity Cs + -binding site provides important information that is useful for the design of artificial Cs + -binding sites that may be useful in the bioremediation of radioactive isotopes

Plan for reevaluation of NRC policy on decommissioning of nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-03-01

Recognizing that the current generation of large commercial reactors and supporting nuclear facilities would substantially increase future decommissioning needs, the NRC staff began an in-depth review and re-evaluation of NRC's regulatory approach to decommissioning in 1975. Major technical studies on decommissioning have been initiated at Battelle Pacific Northwest Laboratory in order to provide a firm information base on the engineering methodology, radiation risks, and estimated costs of decommissioning light water reactors and associated fuel cycle facilities. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is now considering development of a more explicit overall policy for nuclear facility decommissioning and amending its regulations in 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 50, and 70 to include more specific guidance on decommissioning criteria for production and utilization facility licensees and byproduct, source, and special nuclear material licensees. The report sets forth in detail the NRC staff plan for the development of an overall NRC policy on decommissioning of nuclear facilities

48 CFR 2009.100 - NRC policy.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... noncompetitive award of contracts to organizations where former NRC employees have dominant management interests...) Contracts awarded noncompetitively under the Small Business Administration's 8(a) Program; (2) Individual... consulting with the Executive Director for Operations. This is in addition to any justification and approvals...

Evaluation of NRC maintenance team inspection reports for managing aging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fresco, A.; Gunther, W.

1991-01-01

A nuclear power plant's maintenance program is the principal vehicle through which age-related degradation is managed. Over the past two years, the NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] has evaluated the maintenance program of every nuclear power plant in the U.S. The reports issued on these in-depth team inspections have been reviewed to ascertain the strengths and weaknesses of the programs as related to the need to understand and manage the effects of aging on nuclear power plant systems, structures, and components. Selected results of this review are presented in this paper, including examples of inspection and monitoring techniques successfully used by utilities to detect degradation due to aging. Attributes of plant maintenance programs where the NRC inspectors felt that improvement was needed to properly address the aging issue are also discussed. 6 refs., 1 tab

Typical NRC inspection procedures for model plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaylock, J.

1984-01-01

A summary of NRC inspection procedures for a model LEU fuel fabrication plant is presented. Procedures and methods for combining inventory data, seals, measurement techniques, and statistical analysis are emphasized

Assessment of whole genome amplification-induced bias through high-throughput, massively parallel whole genome sequencing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Plant Ramona N

2006-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Whole genome amplification is an increasingly common technique through which minute amounts of DNA can be multiplied to generate quantities suitable for genetic testing and analysis. Questions of amplification-induced error and template bias generated by these methods have previously been addressed through either small scale (SNPs or large scale (CGH array, FISH methodologies. Here we utilized whole genome sequencing to assess amplification-induced bias in both coding and non-coding regions of two bacterial genomes. Halobacterium species NRC-1 DNA and Campylobacter jejuni were amplified by several common, commercially available protocols: multiple displacement amplification, primer extension pre-amplification and degenerate oligonucleotide primed PCR. The amplification-induced bias of each method was assessed by sequencing both genomes in their entirety using the 454 Sequencing System technology and comparing the results with those obtained from unamplified controls. Results All amplification methodologies induced statistically significant bias relative to the unamplified control. For the Halobacterium species NRC-1 genome, assessed at 100 base resolution, the D-statistics from GenomiPhi-amplified material were 119 times greater than those from unamplified material, 164.0 times greater for Repli-G, 165.0 times greater for PEP-PCR and 252.0 times greater than the unamplified controls for DOP-PCR. For Campylobacter jejuni, also analyzed at 100 base resolution, the D-statistics from GenomiPhi-amplified material were 15 times greater than those from unamplified material, 19.8 times greater for Repli-G, 61.8 times greater for PEP-PCR and 220.5 times greater than the unamplified controls for DOP-PCR. Conclusion Of the amplification methodologies examined in this paper, the multiple displacement amplification products generated the least bias, and produced significantly higher yields of amplified DNA.

Effect of tea saponin on ephyrae and polyps of the moon jellyfish Aurelia sp.1.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhijun Dong

Full Text Available The moon jellyfish (Aurelia sp.1 is thought to be a nuisance for the sea cucumber aquaculture, which commonly occur in the sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus culture ponds of the Yellow Sea, China. To develop an appropriate method to control Aurelia sp.1 blooms, the toxic effects of tea saponin on Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae and polyps were tested in laboratory experiments. Our results revealed that tea saponin caused significant morphological changes, behavioral abnormality and mortality in Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae and polyps in 24 h and 48 h exposure experiments. The 24 h and 48 h median lethal concentrations (LC50 values of tea saponin for Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae were 1.9 and 1.1 mg L-1 respectively, while the LC50 value for Aurelia sp.1 polyps was 0.4 mg L-1 after 24h and 48 h of exposure to tea saponin. Comparison with literature results of tea saponin on A. japonicus indicates that the resistance of A. japonicus to tea saponin is 12-18 times greater than that of Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae. Therefore, the appropriate tea saponin dosage for the control of Aurelia sp.1 should be paid enough attention in order to minimize possible damage for sea cucumber. We suggest that the recommended level of tea saponin to eradicate Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae and polyps in sea cucumber culture ponds be lower than 1.35 mg L-1.

Effect of tea saponin on ephyrae and polyps of the moon jellyfish Aurelia sp.1.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Zhijun; Sun, Tingting; Liang, Likun; Wang, Lei

2017-01-01

The moon jellyfish (Aurelia sp.1) is thought to be a nuisance for the sea cucumber aquaculture, which commonly occur in the sea cucumber (Apostichopus japonicus) culture ponds of the Yellow Sea, China. To develop an appropriate method to control Aurelia sp.1 blooms, the toxic effects of tea saponin on Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae and polyps were tested in laboratory experiments. Our results revealed that tea saponin caused significant morphological changes, behavioral abnormality and mortality in Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae and polyps in 24 h and 48 h exposure experiments. The 24 h and 48 h median lethal concentrations (LC50) values of tea saponin for Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae were 1.9 and 1.1 mg L-1 respectively, while the LC50 value for Aurelia sp.1 polyps was 0.4 mg L-1 after 24h and 48 h of exposure to tea saponin. Comparison with literature results of tea saponin on A. japonicus indicates that the resistance of A. japonicus to tea saponin is 12-18 times greater than that of Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae. Therefore, the appropriate tea saponin dosage for the control of Aurelia sp.1 should be paid enough attention in order to minimize possible damage for sea cucumber. We suggest that the recommended level of tea saponin to eradicate Aurelia sp.1 ephyrae and polyps in sea cucumber culture ponds be lower than 1.35 mg L-1.

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages. Volume 3, revision 1. Summary report of NRC approved quality assurance programs for radioactive material packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-12-01

The directory contains a Summary Report of NRC approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Summary Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Material Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on packagings which have been approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To assist in identifying packaging, and index by Model Number and corresponding Certificate of Compliance number is included at the back of each volume of the directory. The Summary Report includes a listing of all users of each package design prior to the publication date of the directory

A transcription factor links growth rate and metabolism in the hypersaline adapted archaeon Halobacterium salinarum.

Science.gov (United States)

Todor, Horia; Dulmage, Keely; Gillum, Nicholas; Bain, James R; Muehlbauer, Michael J; Schmid, Amy K

2014-09-01

Co-ordinating metabolism and growth is a key challenge for all organisms. Despite fluctuating environments, cells must produce the same metabolic outputs to thrive. The mechanisms underlying this 'growth homeostasis' are known in bacteria and eukaryotes, but remain unexplored in archaea. In the model archaeon Halobacterium salinarum, the transcription factor TrmB regulates enzyme-coding genes in diverse metabolic pathways in response to glucose. However, H. salinarum is thought not to catabolize glucose. To resolve this discrepancy, we demonstrate that TrmB regulates the gluconeogenic production of sugars incorporated into the cell surface S-layer glycoprotein. Additionally, we show that TrmB-DNA binding correlates with instantaneous growth rate, likely because S-layer glycosylation is proportional to growth. This suggests that TrmB transduces a growth rate signal to co-regulated metabolic pathways including amino acid, purine, and cobalamin biosynthesis. Remarkably, the topology and function of this growth homeostatic network appear conserved across domains despite extensive alterations in protein components. © 2014 The Authors. Molecular Microbiology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Domestic wastewater treatment and biofuel production by using microalga Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Tian-Yuan; Wu, Yin-Hu; Hu, Hong-Ying

2014-01-01

Cultivation of microalgae for biomass production is a promising way to dispose of wastewater and recover nutrients simultaneously. The properties of nutrient removal and biomass production in domestic wastewater of a newly isolated microalga Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1 were investigated in this study. Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1, which was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant in Beijing, grew well in both the primary and secondary effluents of a wastewater treatment plant during the 21-day cultivation, with a maximal algal density of 3.6 × 10(6) and 1.9 × 10(6) cells · mL(-1), respectively. The total phosphorus concentrations in both effluents could be efficiently removed by over 97% after the cultivation. A high removal rate (over 90%) of total nitrogen (TN) was also observed. After cultivation in primary effluent for 21 days, the lipid content of Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1 in dry weight had reached about 32.2%. The lipid and triacylglycerol (TAG) production of Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1 was increased significantly with the extension of cultivation time. The TAG production of Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1 increased from 32 mg L(-1) at 21 d to 148 mg L(-1) at 45 d in primary effluent. All the experiments were carried out in non-sterilized domestic wastewater and Scenedesmus sp. ZTY1 showed good adaptability to the domestic wastewater environment.

Preparation for Scaling Studies of Ice-Crystal Icing at the NRC Research Altitude Test Facility

Science.gov (United States)

Struk, Peter M.; Bencic, Timothy J.; Tsao, Jen-Ching; Fuleki, Dan; Knezevici, Daniel C.

2013-01-01

This paper describes experiments conducted at the National Research Council (NRC) of Canadas Research Altitiude Test Facility between March 26 and April 11, 2012. The tests, conducted collaboratively between NASA and NRC, focus on three key aspects in preparation for later scaling work to be conducted with a NACA 0012 airfoil model in the NRC Cascade rig: (1) cloud characterization, (2) scaling model development, and (3) ice-shape profile measurements. Regarding cloud characterization, the experiments focus on particle spectra measurements using two shadowgraphy methods, cloud uniformity via particle scattering from a laser sheet, and characterization of the SEA Multi-Element probe. Overviews of each aspect as well as detailed information on the diagnostic method are presented. Select results from the measurements and interpretation are presented which will help guide future work.

Ecology of Hypersaline Microorganisms

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kerkar, S.

of ancient seas. Deep Sea brines are relatively stable as a result of their higher density as reported in the Red Sea and Gulf of Mexico (MacDonald et al, 1990). Preliminary studies have suggested that microbial activity occurs in some Deep Sea hypersaline... partially characterized extreme halophile called ?Halobacterium sp GN101? (GN = Guerrero Negro, Mexico) (Ebert and Goebel, 1985). Hal R1 activity is typical with first activity detected during the transition from exponential to stationary phase...

Estimated incremental costs for NRC licensees to implement the US/IAEA safeguards agreement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, R.G.; Brouns, R.J.; Chockie, A.D.; Davenport, L.C.; Merrill, J.A.

1979-01-01

A study was recently completed for the US Nuclear Regulatory Commision (NRC) by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory (PNL) to identify the incremental cost of implementing the US/IAEA safeguards treaty agreement to eligible NRC licensees. Sources for the study were cost estimates from several licensees who will be affected by the agreement and cost analyses by PNL staff. The initial cost to all eligible licensees to implement the agreement is estimated by PNL to range from $1.9 to $7.2 million. The annual cost to these same licensees for the required accounting and reporting activities is estimated at $0.5 to $1.5 million. Annual inspection costs to the industry for the limited IAEA inspection being assumed is estimated at $80,000 to $160,000

76 FR 48919 - NRC Enforcement Policy

Science.gov (United States)

2011-08-09

.... In all such cases when a licensee determines that an unplanned change during construction associated..., States, members of the public, and the regulated industry (i.e., reactor and materials licensees, vendors, and contractors), on construction-related topics addressed in this notice that the NRC staff is...

NRC Support for the Kalinin (VVER) probabilistic risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bley, D.; Diamond, D.J.; Chu, T.L.; Azarm, A.; Pratt, W.T.; Johnson, D.; Szukiewicz, A.; Drouin, M.; El-Bassioni, A.; Su, T.M.

1998-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the Federal Nuclear and Radiation Safety Authority of the Russian Federation have been working together since 1994 to carry out a probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) of a VVER-1000 in the Russian Federation. This was a recognition by both parties that this technology has had a profound effect on the discipline of nuclear reactor safety in the West and that the technology should be transferred to others so that it can be applied to Soviet-designed plants. The NRC provided funds from the Agency for International Development and technical support primarily through Brookhaven National Laboratory and its subcontractors. The latter support was carried out through workshops, by documenting the methodology to be used in a set of guides, and through periodic review of the technical activity. The result of this effort to date includes a set of procedure guides, a draft final report on the Level 1 PRA for internal events (excluding internal fires and floods), and progress reports on the fire, flood, and seismic analysis. It is the authors belief that the type of assistance provided by the NRC has been instrumental in assuring a quality product and transferring important technology for use by regulators and operators of Soviet-designed reactors. After a thorough review, the report will be finalized, lessons learned will be applied in the regulatory and operational regimes in the Russian Federation, and consideration will be given to supporting a containment analysis in order to complete a simplified Level 2 PRA

Pilot program: NRC severe reactor accident incident response training manual: US Nuclear Regulatory Commission response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sakenas, C.A.; McKenna, T.J.; Perkins, K.; Miller, C.W.; Hively, L.M.; Sharpe, R.W.; Giitter, J.G.; Watkins, R.M.

1987-02-01

This pilot training manual has been written to fill the need for a general text on NRC response to reactor accidents. The manual is intended to be the foundation for a course for all NRC response personnel. US Nuclear Regulatory Commission Response is the fifth in a series of volumes that collectively summarize the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) emergency response during severe power reactor accidents and provide necessary background information. This volume describes NRC response modes, organizations, and official positions; roles of other federal agencies are also described briefly. Each volume serves, respectively, as the text for a course of instruction in a series of courses for NRC response personnel. These materials do not provide guidance or license requirements for NRC licensees. Each volume is accompanied by an appendix of slides that can be used to present this material. The slides are called out in the text

Presentation on NRC Regulatory Positions and guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Russell, W.T.

1994-01-01

The NRC staff recognizes the potential for enhanced safety and reliability that digital systems bring to the nuclear industry. The staff also recognizes the challenges to safety that are unique to digital systems implementation

Development of the NRC`s Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP). Volume 3, Development documentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paradies, M.; Unger, L. [System Improvements, Inc., Knoxville, TN (United States); Haas, P.; Terranova, M. [Concord Associates, Inc., Knoxville, TN (United States)

1993-10-01

The three volumes of this report detail a standard investigation process for use by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) personnel when investigating human performance related events at nuclear power plants. The process, called the Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP), was developed to meet the special needs of NRC personnel, especially NRC resident and regional inspectors. HPIP is a systematic investigation process combining current procedures and field practices, expert experience, NRC human performance research, and applicable investigation techniques. The process is easy to learn and helps NRC personnel perform better field investigations of the root causes of human performance problems. The human performance data gathered through such investigations provides a better understanding of the human performance issues that cause events at nuclear power plants. This document, Volume III, is a detailed documentation of the development effort and the pilot training program.

Bacterioruberin and salinixanthin carotenoids of extremely halophilic Archaea and Bacteria: A Raman spectroscopic study

Science.gov (United States)

Jehlička, J.; Edwards, H. G. M.; Oren, A.

2013-04-01

Laboratory cultures of a number of red extremely halophilic Archaea (Halobacterium salinarum strains NRC-1 and R1, Halorubrum sodomense, Haloarcula valismortis) and of Salinibacter ruber, a red extremely halophilic member of the Bacteria, have been investigated by Raman spectroscopy using 514.5 nm excitation to characterize their carotenoids. The 50-carbon carotenoid α-bacterioruberin was detected as the major carotenoid in all archaeal strains. Raman spectroscopy also detected bacterioruberin as the main pigment in a red pellet of cells collected from a saltern crystallizer pond. Salinibacter contains the C40-carotenoid acyl glycoside salinixanthin (all-E, 2'S)-2'-hydroxy-1'-[6-O-(methyltetradecanoyl)-β-D-glycopyranosyloxy]-3',4'-didehydro-1',2'-dihydro-β,ψ-carotene-4-one), for which the Raman bands assignments of are given here for the first time.

NRC safety research in support of regulation - FY 1994. Volume 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-06-01

This report, the tenth in a series of annual reports, was prepared in response to congressional inquiries concerning how nuclear regulatory research is used. It summarizes the accomplishments of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during FY 1994. The goal of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research (RES) is to ensure the availability of sound technical bases for timely rulemaking and related decisions in support of NRC regulatory/licensing/inspection activities. RES also has responsibilities related to the resolution of generic safety issues and to the review of licensee submittals regarding individual plant examinations. It is the responsibility of RES to conduct the NRC's rulemaking process, including the issuance of regulatory guides and rules that govern NRC licensed activities

NRC Information No. 90-01: Importance of proper response to self-identified violations by licensees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunningham, R.E.

1992-01-01

NRC expects a high standard of compliance by its licensees and requires that licensees provide NRC accurate and complete information and that required records will also be complete and accurate in all material respects. Licensees should be aware of the importance placed by NRC on licensee programs for self detection, correction and reporting of violations or errors related to regulatory requirements. The General Statement of Policy and Procedures for NRC Enforcement Actions in Appendix C to 10 CFR Part 2 underscores the importance of licensees responding promptly and properly to self-identified violations in two ways. It is suggested that when a licensee identifies a violation involving an NRC-required record, the licensee should make a dated notation indicating identification, either on the record itself or other appropriate documentation retrievable for NRC review. The record with the self-identified violation noted should not be altered in any way to mask the correction. The licensee should determine the cause of the violation, correct the root cause of the violation, and document such findings in an appropriate manner. Licensees should also assure that if a report of the violation is required, the report is submitted to NRC in a timely manner. These actions will be considered by NRC in making any enforcement decision, and generally lead to lesser or no civil penalty

Molecular cloning, characterization and antigenicity of Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (Babesia cf. motasi) apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1).

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Qingli; Liu, Zhijie; Yang, Jifei; Guan, Guiquan; Pan, Yuping; Luo, Jianxun; Yin, Hong

2017-04-01

Apical membrane antigen-1 (AMA-1) has been described as a potential vaccine candidate in apicomplexan parasites. Here we characterize the ama-1 gene. The full-length ama-1 gene of Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (BLTAMA-1) is 1785 bp, which contains an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a 65-kDa protein of 594 amino acid residues; by definition, the 5' UTR precedes the first methionine of the ORF. Phylogenetic analysis based on AMA-1 amino acid sequences clearly separated Piroplasmida from other Apicomplexa parasites. The Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) AMA-1 sequence is most closely associated with that of B. ovata and B. bigemina, with high bootstrap value. A recombinant protein encoding a conserved region and containing ectodomains I and II of BLTAMA-1 was constructed. BLTrAMA-1-DI/DII proteins were tested for reactivity with sera from sheep infected by Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan). In Western-blot analysis, native Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) AMA-1 proteins were recognized by antibodies raised in rabbits against BLTrAMA-1 in vitro. The results of this study are discussed in terms of gene characterization, taxonomy and antigenicity.

Abstracts: NRC Waste Management Program reports

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heckman, R.A.; Minichino, C.

1979-11-01

This document consists of abstracts of all reports published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Waste Management Program at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). It will be updated at regular intervals. Reports are arranged in numerical order, within each category. Unless otherwise specified, authors are LLL scientists and engineers.

Abstracts: NRC Waste Management Program reports

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heckman, R.A.; Minichino, C.

1979-11-01

This document consists of abstracts of all reports published by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Waste Management Program at Lawrence Livermore Laboratory (LLL). It will be updated at regular intervals. Reports are arranged in numerical order, within each category. Unless otherwise specified, authors are LLL scientists and engineers

NRC/AMRMC Resident Research Associateship Program

Science.gov (United States)

2015-05-01

maintaining a presence on social media sites such as Facebook . The NRC attended a number of minority focused events in which we maintained exhibit booths...PROPOSAL The Use of Glial Inhibitors to Increase the Efficacy of Opioid Analgesics while Eliminating the Propensity for Addiction 7) SUMMARY OF RESEARCH

Agency procedures for the NRC incident response plan. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-02-01

The NRC Incident Response Plan, NUREG-0728/MC 0502 describes the functions of the NRC during an incident and the kinds of actions that comprise an NRC response. The NRC response plan will be activated in accordance with threshold criteria described in the plan for incidents occurring at nuclear reactors and fuel facilities involving materials licensees; during transportation of licensed material, and for threats against facilities or licensed material. In contrast to the general overview provided by the Plan, the purpose of these agency procedures is to delineate the manner in which each planned response function is performed; the criteria for making those response decisions which can be preplanned; and the information and other resources needed during a response. An inexperienced but qualified person should be able to perform functions assigned by the Plan and make necessary decisions, given the specified information, by becoming familiar with these procedures. This rule of thumb has been used to determine the amount of detail in which the agency procedures are described. These procedures form a foundation for the training of response personnel both in their normal working environment and during planned emergency exercises. These procedures also form a ready reference or reminder checklist for technical team members and managers during a response

Development of RESRAD probabilistic computer codes for NRC decommissioning and license termination applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen, S. Y.; Yu, C.; Mo, T.; Trottier, C.

2000-01-01

In 1999, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) tasked Argonne National Laboratory to modify the existing RESRAD and RESRAD-BUILD codes to perform probabilistic, site-specific dose analysis for use with the NRC's Standard Review Plan for demonstrating compliance with the license termination rule. The RESRAD codes have been developed by Argonne to support the US Department of Energy's (DOEs) cleanup efforts. Through more than a decade of application, the codes already have established a large user base in the nation and a rigorous QA support. The primary objectives of the NRC task are to: (1) extend the codes' capabilities to include probabilistic analysis, and (2) develop parameter distribution functions and perform probabilistic analysis with the codes. The new codes also contain user-friendly features specially designed with graphic-user interface. In October 2000, the revised RESRAD (version 6.0) and RESRAD-BUILD (version 3.0), together with the user's guide and relevant parameter information, have been developed and are made available to the general public via the Internet for use

Sp1-mediated transcription regulation of TAF-Ialpha gene encoding a histone chaperone.

Science.gov (United States)

Asaka, Masamitsu N; Murano, Kensaku; Nagata, Kyosuke

2008-11-28

TAF-I, one of histone chaperones, consists of two subtypes, TAF-Ialpha and TAF-Ibeta. The histone chaperone activity of TAF-I is regulated by dimer patterns of these subtypes. TAF-Ibeta is expressed ubiquitously, while the expression level of TAF-Ialpha with less activity than TAF-Ibeta differs among cell types. It is, therefore, assumed that the expression level of TAF-Ialpha in a cell is important for the TAF-I activity level. Here, we found that TAF-Ialpha and TAF-Ibeta genes are under the control of distinct promoters. Reporter assays and gel shift assays demonstrated that Sp1 binds to three regions in the TAF-Ialpha promoter and two or all mutaions of the three Sp1 binding regions reduced the TAF-Ialpha promoter activity. ChIP assays demonstrated that Sp1 binds to the TAF-Ialpha promoter in vivo. Furthermore, the expression level of TAF-Ialpha mRNA was reduced by knockdown of Sp1 using siRNA method. These studies indicated that the TAF-Ialpha promoter is under the control of Sp1.

Experimental in vitro transmission of Babesia sp. (EU1) by Ixodes ricinus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnet, Sarah; Brisseau, Nadine; Hermouet, Axelle; Jouglin, Maggy; Chauvin, Alain

2009-01-01

Babesia sp. (EU1), first characterized in 2003, has been implicated in human cases of babesiosis in Italy, Austria and Germany. It has been identified in roe deer and in its suspected tick vector, Ixodes ricinus, in several European countries. The aim of the present study was to validate the competence of I. ricinus as a vector of Babesia sp. (EU1) via experimental infections. For this purpose, a parasite strain isolated from roe deer was cloned in sheep erythrocytes. After experimental infections, parasite DNA was successfully amplified by PCR in both eggs and larvae originating from infected I. ricinus females and in the salivary glands of females exposed to Babesia sp. (EU1) as nymphs. We also demonstrate that infected females were able to transmit parasite DNA during a new blood meal. Together with previous epidemiological studies, these results validate I. ricinus as a competent vector for Babesia sp. (EU1).

NRC Consultation and Monitoring at the Savannah River Site: Focusing Reviews of Two Different Disposal Actions - 12181

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ridge, A. Christianne; Barr, Cynthia S.; Pinkston, Karen E.; Parks, Leah S.; Grossman, Christopher J.; Alexander, George W. [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (United States)

2012-07-01

radionuclide release from the waste. Because the waste inventory and concentration at both sites is sufficient to generate unacceptable doses to an off-site member of the public or inadvertent intruder in the absence of engineered barriers, the NRC staff review focused on the engineering features DOE plans to put in place to limit radionuclide release. At the FTF, DOE expects that peak doses are delayed beyond a 10,000 year performance period by a combination of (1) the flow-limiting effect of the steel tank liner and (2) chemical conditions created by the stabilizing grout overlying the waste that limit the solubility of key radionuclides for tens of thousands of years. At the SDF, DOE expects that flow will be significantly limited by water shedding along the closure cap lower drainage layer and that radionuclide release will be further limited by radionuclide precipitation or sorption within the high pH, chemically reducing conditions created within the saltstone waste form. Because the performance of both facilities depends on the performance of engineered barriers for thousands of years, the reviews included a detailed evaluation of the expected long-term behavior of these barriers. As previously discussed, NRC staff reviews of DOE waste determinations during consultation are designed to evaluate the three NDAA criteria, whereas the review of an updated PA during monitoring only addresses whether the NRC staff has reasonable assurance that the planned disposal action will meet the performance objectives of 10 CFR Part 61. The NRC staff review of the Waste Determination for the FTF did not include conclusions about whether the planned disposal of residual waste at the FTF would meet the NDAA criteria because of the substantial uncertainties in the degree of waste removal DOE would achieve and other technical uncertainties. The main product of the NRC staff review of the planned FTF disposal action is the recommendation that DOE should conduct waste release experiments to

Initial demonstration of the NRC`s capability to conduct a performance assessment for a High-Level Waste Repository

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Codell, R.; Eisenberg, N.; Fehringer, D.; Ford, W.; Margulies, T.; McCartin, T.; Park, J.; Randall, J.

1992-05-01

In order to better review licensing submittals for a High-Level Waste Repository, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission staff has expanded and improved its capability to conduct performance assessments. This report documents an initial demonstration of this capability. The demonstration made use of the limited data from Yucca Mountain, Nevada to investigate a small set of scenario classes. Models of release and transport of radionuclides from a repository via the groundwater and direct release pathways provided preliminary estimates of releases to the accessible environment for a 10,000 year simulation time. Latin hypercube sampling of input parameters was used to express results as distributions and to investigate model sensitivities. This methodology demonstration should not be interpreted as an estimate of performance of the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. By expanding and developing the NRC staff capability to conduct such analyses, NRC would be better able to conduct an independent technical review of the US Department of Energy (DOE) licensing submittals for a high-level waste (HLW) repository. These activities were divided initially into Phase 1 and Phase 2 activities. Additional phases may follow as part of a program of iterative performance assessment at the NRC. The NRC staff conducted Phase 1 activities primarily in CY 1989 with minimal participation from NRC contractors. The Phase 2 activities were to involve NRC contractors actively and to provide for the transfer of technology. The Phase 2 activities are scheduled to start in CY 1990, to allow Sandia National Laboratories to complete development and transfer of computer codes and the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses (CNWRA) to be in a position to assist in the acquisition of the codes.

NRC TLD Direct Radiation Monitoring Network. Progress report, January-June 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1982-04-01

This report provides the status and results of the NRC Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) Direct Radiation Monitoring Network. It presents the radiation levels measured in the vicinity of 55 NRC-licensed facility sites throughout the country for the first half of 1981. The program objectives, scope, and methodology are given. The TLD system, dosimeter location, data processing scheme, and quality assurance program are outlined

Protein cleavage strategies for an improved analysis of the membrane proteome

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Poetsch Ansgar

2006-03-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Membrane proteins still remain elusive in proteomic studies. This is in part due to the distribution of the amino acids lysine and arginine, which are less frequent in integral membrane proteins and almost absent in transmembrane helices. As these amino acids are cleavage targets for the commonly used protease trypsin, alternative cleavage conditions, which should improve membrane protein analysis, were tested by in silico digestion for the three organisms Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Halobacterium sp. NRC-1, and Corynebacterium glutamicum as hallmarks for eukaryotes, archea and eubacteria. Results For the membrane proteomes from all three analyzed organisms, we identified cleavage conditions that achieve better sequence and proteome coverage than trypsin. Greater improvement was obtained for bacteria than for yeast, which was attributed to differences in protein size and GRAVY. It was demonstrated for bacteriorhodopsin that the in silico predictions agree well with the experimental observations. Conclusion For all three examined organisms, it was found that a combination of chymotrypsin and staphylococcal peptidase I gave significantly better results than trypsin. As some of the improved cleavage conditions are not more elaborate than trypsin digestion and have been proven useful in practice, we suppose that the cleavage at both hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids should facilitate in general the analysis of membrane proteins for all organisms.

Merozoite proteins from Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) as potential antigens for serodiagnosis by ELISA.

Science.gov (United States)

Guan, G Q; Chauvin, A; Rogniaux, H; Luo, J X; Yin, H; Moreau, E

2010-05-01

Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) is a Babesia isolated from sheep infested with Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis in China, and is closely related to B. motasi based on the 18S rRNA gene sequence. In the present study, an ELISA was developed with merozoite antigens of Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) (BQMA) purified from in vitro culture. When the positive threshold was chosen as 30% of the antibodies rate, evaluated with 198 negative sera, the specificity was 95.5%. Except for Babesia sp. Tianzhu, there was no cross-reaction between BQMA and positive sera from Babesia sp. BQ1 (Ningxian)-, Babesia sp. Hebei-, Babesia sp. Xinjiang-, Theileria luwenshuni-, T. uilenbergi-, or Anaplasma ovis-infected sheep, which are the dominant haemoparasites of small ruminants in China. Specific antibodies against Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) were produced 1 or 2 weeks post-infection and a high level of antibodies persisted for more than 8 months in experimentally infected sheep. This ELISA was tested on 974 sera collected from field-grazing sheep in 3 counties of Gansu province, northwestern China to evaluate the seroprevalence of Babesia sp. BQ1 (Lintan) infection and the average positive rate was 66.84%. The feasibility of increasing the specificity of this BQMA-based ELISA, by using some BQMA antigens for serodiagnosis is discussed.

Amalgamation of performance indicators to support NRC senior management reviews

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wreathall, J.; Schurman, D.; Modarres, M.; Mosleh, A.; Anderson, N.; Reason, J.

1991-01-01

The purpose of this project is to develop a methodology for amalgamating performance indicators to provide an overall perspective on plant safety, as one input to Nuclear Regulatory Commission's (NRC) senior management reviews of plant safety. These reviews are used to adjust the level of oversight by NRC. Work completed to date includes the development of frameworks for relating indicator measures to safety, a classification scheme for performance indicators, and a mapping process to portray indicators in the frameworks

76 FR 10072 - Proposed Generic Communications; Draft NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2011-XX, Adequacy of Station...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-23

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2011-0013] Proposed Generic Communications; Draft NRC Regulatory Issue Summary 2011-XX, Adequacy of Station Electric Distribution System Voltages; Reopening of... (NRC's) Draft Regulatory Issue Summary 2011-XX, Adequacy of Station Electric Distribution System...

NRC Information No. 88-12: Overgreasing of electric motor bearings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1992-01-01

NRC personnel observed accumulations of grease on the air vent screens of electric motors used for driving such rotating equipment as fans and pumps at the Millstone and Calvert Cliffs nuclear power plants. The grease appeared to have come from overgreasing of the electric motor bearings. Grease was forced out of the bearing seals, onto the stator windings and rotor, from where it either fell or was thrown onto the inside of the motor housing. Because of these observations, the NRC began an investigation into problems that have been caused in the past, or could be caused in the future, by the overgreasing of electric motor bearings. The NRC staff has solicited technical information and operating experience on the problems caused by the overgreasing of electric motor bearings from motor and bearing manufacturers, as well as from other licensees. Their responses are summarized in this discussion

Methyl (Sp-2-(diphenylphosphinoferrocene-1-carboxylate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Petr Štěpnička

2009-10-01

Full Text Available The title compound, [Fe(C5H5(C19H16O2P], obtained serendipitously during recrystallization of 1-hydroxybenzotriazolyl (Sp-2-(diphenylphosphinoferrocene-1-carboxylate from methanol, crystallizes in the chiral space group P212121. Its crystal structure not only confirms the anticipated absolute configuration but also establishes a rather regular geometry for the ferrocene unit, devoid of any significant deformation due to the attached substituents. In the crystal, symmetry-related molecules are linked via weak C—H...O interactions.

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages. Volume 1. Summary report of NRC approved packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-12-01

Purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on packagings which have been approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. This volume contains a summary report of NRC-approved packages for radioactive material packages effective Nov. 30, 1977

76 FR 57767 - Proposed Generic Communication; Draft NRC Generic Letter 2011-XX: Seismic Risk Evaluations for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-16

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2011-0204] Proposed Generic Communication; Draft NRC Generic Letter 2011-XX: Seismic Risk Evaluations for Operating Reactors AGENCY: Nuclear Regulatory Commission... FR 54507), that requested public comment on Draft NRC Generic Letter 2011- XX: Seismic Risk...

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL). Pre-NRC through June 30, 1981

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

MacMurdy, P.; Davidson, J.; Lin, H.

1981-09-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, vandalism, arson, firearms, sabotage and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

NRC Regulatory Agenda semiannual report, July--December 1995. Volume 14, No. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-02-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued semianually

NRC regulatory agenda: Semiannual report, July--December 1996. Volume 15, Number 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-03-01

The NRC Regulatory Agenda is a compilation of all rules on which the NRC has recently completed action, or has proposed action, or is considering action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received by the Commission and are pending disposition by the Commission. The Regulatory Agenda is updated and issued semiannually

ORF Sequence: NC_002607 [GENIUS II[Archive

Lifescience Database Archive (English)

Full Text Available lobacterium sp. NRC-1] MSSEEQEDVDEDIQYFVRIGQTDLDGTKTVERALAELGGVGRRVARIVADEAGVDRTATMGGLEDDAIESVTDAVDSFTEHAPAW...LANRQNDFYTGENQHITGTDVELTRDQDINRMRMIRSYKGIRHERGQKVRGQRTKSTGRTEGTIGVNVEAIKEEQAEDDAADGGEE

NRC TLD [thermoluminescent dosimeter] Direct Radiation Monitoring Network: Progress report, January-March 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1988-06-01

This report provides the status and results of the NRC Thermoluminescent Dosimeter (TLD) Direct Radiation Monitoring Network. It presents the radiation levels measured in the vicinity of NRC licensed facility sites throughout the country for the first quarter of 1988

NRC staff site characterization analysis of the Department of Energy's Site Characterization Plan, Yucca Mountain Site, Nevada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-08-01

This Site Characterization Analysis (SCA) documents the NRC staff's concerns resulting from its review of the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) Site Characterization Plan (SCP) for the Yucca Mountain site in southern Nevada, which is the candidate site selected for characterization as the nation's first geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. DOE's SCP explains how DOE plans to obtain the information necessary to determine the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site for a repository. NRC's specific objections related to the SCP, and major comments and recommendations on the various parts of DOE's program, are presented in SCA Section 2, Director's Comments and Recommendations. Section 3 contains summaries of the NRC staff's concerns for each specific program, and Section 4 contains NRC staff point papers which set forth in greater detail particular staff concerns regarding DOE's program. Appendix A presents NRC staff evaluations of those NRC staff Consultation Draft SCP concerns that NRC considers resolved on the basis of the SCP. This SCA fulfills NRC's responsibilities with respect to DOE's SCP as specified by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) and 10 CFR 60.18. 192 refs., 2 tabs

NRC wants plant-specific responses on Thermo-Lag

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1994-01-01

Dissatisfied with recent industry-backed efforts to assure fire safety at nuclear power plants, the Nuclear Regulatory Commission announced on November 24 that it would direct all nuclear plant owners to specify the actions they would take to assure that the use of the Thermo-Lag 330 fire barrier material would not lead to insufficient protection of electrical cables connected to safe-shutdown systems. Previously, the NRC had been content to let the matter wait until tests sponsored by the Nuclear Management and Resources Council (Numarc) could show whether Thermo-Lag, used and installed in certain ways, would provide sufficient protection, but the NRC and Numarc have disagreed over the test methodology, and the Numarc tests are now considered to be several months behind schedule

Biological effects of space flight on SP{sub 1} traits of fenugreek

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rong, Xu; Jing, Yu; Jiang, Xu; Feng, Zhou; Jun, Chen [The Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Beijing Union Medical College, Beijing (China); Yougang, Liu [Tianjin Univ. of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin (China); Suqin, Sun [Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua Univ., Beijing (China)

2009-04-15

Fenugreek (Trigonella Foenum-graecum L.) seeds introduced from United Arab Emirates (UAE) were carried to the space by the recoverable satellite 'Shi Jian 8'. After space loading, the seeds were planted to be observed and investigated compared to the control group. The results showed that the germination rate declined after space loading compared to the control group. SP{sub 1} plants grew inhibited first, and then vigorously later at the seedling stage. The branch number, pods and plant weight of SP{sub 1} plants' increased. More important, single pod was changed to dual pod. At the same time, the Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to analyze and appraise the fenugreek SP{sub 1} seeds. The results indicated that the major components and the structures remained intact, in another word, space mutation had no obvious effect on the quality of SP{sub 1} seeds. Based on the results, some variations mutated by space flight could appear at the present generation. These variations were important to gain high yield. (authors)

Biodegradation of 2-nitrotoluene by Micrococcus sp. strain SMN-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mulla, Sikandar I; Hoskeri, Robertcyril S; Shouche, Yogesh S; Ninnekar, Harichandra Z

2011-02-01

A bacterial consortium capable of degrading nitroaromatic compounds was isolated from pesticide-contaminated soil samples by selective enrichment on 2-nitrotoluene as a sole source of carbon and energy. The three different bacterial isolates obtained from bacterial consortium were identified as Bacillus sp. (A and C), Bacillus flexus (B) and Micrococcus sp. (D) on the basis of their morphological and biochemical characteristics and by phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences. The pathway for the degradation of 2-nitrotoluene by Micrococcus sp. strain SMN-1 was elucidated by the isolation and identification of metabolites, growth and enzymatic studies. The organism degraded 2-nitrotoluene through 3-methylcatechol by a meta-cleavage pathway, with release of nitrite.

[Biofilm Formation by the Nonflagellated flhB1 Mutant of Azospirillum brasilense Sp245].

Science.gov (United States)

Shelud'ko, A V; Filip'echeva, Yu A; Shumiliva, E M; Khlebtsov, B N; Burov, A M; Petrova, L P; Katsy, E I

2015-01-01

Azospirillum brasilense Sp245 with mixed flagellation are able to form biofilms on various surfaces. A nonflagellated mutant of this strain with inactivated chromosomal copy of the flhB gene (flhB1) was shown to exhibit specific traits at the later stages of biofilm formation on a hydrophilic (glass) surface. Mature biofilms of the flhB1::Omegon-Km mutant Sp245.1063 were considerably thinner than those of the parent strain Sp245. The biofilms of the mutant were more susceptible to the forces of hydrodynamic shear. A. brasilense Sp245 cells in biofilms were not found to possess lateral flagella. Cells with polar flagella were, however, revealed by atomic force microscopy of mature native biofilms of strain Sp245. Preservation of a polar flagellum (probably nonmotile) on the cells of A. brasilense Sp245 may enhance the biofilm stability.

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL), Pre-NRC through December 31, 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-02-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, non-radiological sabotage, and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL): Pre-NRC through December 31, 1986

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-07-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, nonradiological sabotage and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

Policy issues raised by intervenor requests for financial assistance in NRC proceedings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1975-01-01

The purpose of the report presented is to focus and develop the myriad issues raised by intervenor requests for financial assistance for the NRC's proposed rulemaking proceeding. The report analyzes and assesses the various alternatives open to the Commission, and collects relevant data and material which may be informative to those participating in and conducting the rulemaking. Three major questions are examined: (1) should the Commission, as a matter of policy choice, provide financial assistance to intervenors in NRC proceedings; (2) are there preferable alternatives to direct intervenor financial aid, such as the establishment of an office of public counsel or provision of other forms of Commission assistance; and (3) what are the legal, administrative and policy considerations involved in implementing a determination to award financial assistance to intervenors, should the Commission so decide

Directory of Certificates of Compliance for Radioactive Materials Packages: Report of NRC Approved Packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-10-01

This directory contains a Report of NRC Approved Packages (Volume 1). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on Quality Assurance Programs and Packagings which have been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Shipments of radioactive material utilizing these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR section 173.471 and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Section 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure themselves that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program

Overview of the NRC nuclear waste management program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Malaro, J.C.

1976-01-01

The NRC has firmly established waste management as a high-priority effort and has made the commitment to act rapidly and methodically to establish a sound regulatory base for licensing waste management activities. We believe the priorities for NRC work in waste management are consistent with the needs of the overall national waste management program. Present licensing procedures and criteria are adequate for the short term, and priority attention is being given to the longer term, when the quantities of waste to be managed will be greater and licensing demands will increase. Recognizing that its decision will affect industry, other governmental jurisdictions, private interest groups, and the public at large, NRC has encouraged and will continue to encourage their participation in planning our program. We also recognize that the problems of nuclear waste management are international in scope. Many waste management problems (e.g., potential for contamination of oceans and atmosphere, need for isolation of some wastes for longer periods than governments and political boundaries have remained stable in the past), require a set of internationally acceptable and accepted solutions. The wastes from the U.S. nuclear industry will account for only about one third of the nuclear waste generated in the world. Therefore, we propose to cooperate and where appropriate take the lead in establishing acceptable worldwide policies, standards and procedures for handling nuclear wastes

Building confidence in nuclear waste regulation: how NRC is adapting in response to stakeholder concerns

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotra, Janet P.

2004-01-01

Increasing public confidence in the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission as an effective and independent regulator is an explicit goal of the Agency. When developing new, site-specific regulations for the proposed geologic repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, NRC sought to improve its efforts to inform and involve the public in NRC's decision-making process. To this end, NRC has made, and continues to make significant organizational, process and policy changes. NRC successfully applied these changes as it completed final regulations for Yucca Mountain, when introducing a draft license review plan for public comment, and when responding to public requests for information on NRC's licensing and hearing process. It should be understood, however, that these changes emerged, and continue to be applied, in the context of evolving agency concern for increasing stakeholder confidence reflected in institutional changes within the agency as a whole. (author)

Summary and recommendations of the NRC/INEL Activated Carbon Testing Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scarpellino, C.D.; Sill, C.W.

1986-01-01

The Committee on Nuclear Air and Gas Treatment (CONAGT) of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) sponsored an interlaboratory testing program, round-robin, of nuclear-grade activated carbon. The results of this round-robin revealed gross differences in penetration of radio-labeled methyl iodide as measured by the various laboratories when using Method A of the ASTM D-3803-79 Standard. These differences prompted the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to establish the NRC/INEL Activated Carbon Testing Program to determine the causes of these discrepancies and to provide recommendations that could lead to an accurate and reliable testing procedure that would ensure an adequate method for assessing the capability of activated carbon to remove radioiodine from gas streams within commercial nuclear power plants. The NRC/INEL Activated Carbon Testing Program has conducted formal and informal interlaboratory comparisons to identify problems with the test method and its application and to assess the effectiveness of changes to procedures and equipment voluntarily implemented by commercial laboratories to mitigate the disparity of test results. The results of the first formal NRC/INEL Interlaboratory Comparison (IC) essentially verified the CONAGT round-robin results despite the use of a detailed test protocol. This data indicated that many of the participating laboratories probably had been operating outside the ASTM specifications for relative humidity (RH) and flow. In addition, this process provided information which was used to modify the testing protocol employed for the second NRC/INEL Interlaboratory Comparison (IC-2) to make it more rugged and reliable. These changes to the protocol together with the results of INEL sensitivity testing are the basis for the recommendations presented

Transition from Consultation to Monitoring-NRC's Increasingly Focused Review of Factors Important to F-Area Tank Farm Facility Performance - 13153

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Barr, Cynthia; Grossman, Christopher; Alexander, George; Parks, Leah; Fuhrmann, Mark; Shaffner, James; McKenney, Christepher [U.S. NRC, Rockville, MD (United States); Pabalan, Roberto; Pickett, David [Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (United States); Dinwiddie, Cynthia [Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (United States)

2013-07-01

In consultation with the NRC, DOE issued a waste determination for the F-Area Tank Farm (FTF) facility in March 2012. The FTF consists of 22 underground tanks, each 2.8 to 4.9 million liters in capacity, used to store liquid high-level waste generated as a result of spent fuel reprocessing. The waste determination concluded stabilized waste residuals and associated tanks and auxiliary components at the time of closure are not high-level and can be disposed of as LLW. Prior to issuance of the final waste determination, during the consultation phase, NRC staff reviewed and provided comments on DOE's revision 0 and revision 1 FTF PAs that supported the waste determination and produced a technical evaluation report documenting the results of its multi-year review in October 2011. Following issuance of the waste determination, NRC began to monitor DOE disposal actions to assess compliance with the performance objectives in 10 CFR Part 61, Subpart C. To facilitate its monitoring responsibilities, NRC developed a plan to monitor DOE disposal actions. NRC staff was challenged in developing a focused monitoring plan to ensure limited resources are spent in the most cost-effective manner practical. To address this challenge, NRC prioritized monitoring areas and factors in terms of risk significance and timing. This prioritization was informed by NRC staff's review of DOE's PA documentation, independent probabilistic modeling conducted by NRC staff, and NRC-sponsored research conducted by the Center for Nuclear Waste Regulatory Analyses in San Antonio, TX. (authors)

Natural circulation cooldown analysis for Yonggwang 3 and 4 per US NRC BTP RSB 5-1 requirements

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seo, J.T.; Ko, C.S.; Ro, T.S.; Simoni, L.P.

2004-01-01

The Natural Circulation Cooldown (NCC) analysis from normal operations to shutdown cooling entry conditions for Yonggwang units 3 and 4 (YGN 3 and 4) was performed within the requirements of U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) Branch Technical Position (BTP) RSB 5-1. The results showed that the YGN 3 and 4 can be cooled and depressurized to the shutdown entry conditions (350 deg F, 410 psia) within 16 hours under natural circulation condition requiring only 78% of the minimum condensate water storage capacity in conformance with BTP RSB 5-1 requirements. The results also demonstrated that the safety grade Reactor Coolant Gas Vent System (RCGVS) has sufficient capacity for the RCS depressurization as well as for the steam void control in the reactor vessel upper head region. (author)

NRC Information No. 91-29: Deficiencies identified during electrical distribution system functional inspections

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1992-01-01

During multidisciplinary inspections, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has identified many deficiencies related to the electrical distribution system. To address these deficiencies, the NRC has developed an inspection to specifically evaluate the electrical distribution system. During the last year, the NRC completed eight EDSFIs, performing at least one in each of the several common deficiencies in the licensees' programs and in the electrical distribution systems as designed and configured at each plant. These deficiencies included inadequate ac voltages at the 480 Vac and 120 Vac distribution levels, inadequate procedures to test circuit breakers, and inadequate determinations and evaluations of setpoints

USA NRC/RSR Data Bank System and Reactor Safety Research Data Repository (RSRDR)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Maskewitz, B.F.; Bankert, S.F.

1979-01-01

The United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), through its Division of Reactor Safety Research (RSR) of the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, has established the NRC/RSR Data Bank Program to collect, process, and make available data from the many domestic and foreign water reactor safety research programs. An increasing number of requests for data and/or calculations generated by NRC Contractors led to the initiation of the program which allows timely and direct access to water reactor safety data in a manner most useful to the user. The program consists of three main elements: data sources, service organizations, and a data repository

Web-Based Training on Reviewing Dose Modeling Aspects of NRC Decommissioning and License Termination Plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

LePoire, D.; Cheng, J.J.; Kamboj, S.; Arnish, J.; Richmond, P.; Chen, S.Y.; Barr, C.; McKenney, C.

2008-01-01

NRC licensees at decommissioning nuclear facilities submit License Termination Plans (LTP) or Decommissioning Plans (DP) to NRC for review and approval. To facilitate a uniform and consistent review of these plans, the NRC developed training for its staff. A live classroom course was first developed in 2005, which targeted specific aspects of the LTP and DP review process related to dose-based compliance demonstrations or modeling. A web-based training (WBT) course was developed in 2006 and 2007 to replace the classroom-based course. The advantage of the WBT is that it will allow for staff training or refreshers at any time, while the advantage of a classroom-based course is that it provides a forum for lively discussion and the sharing of experience of classroom participants. The objective of this course is to train NRC headquarters and regional office staff on how to review sections of a licensee's DP or LTP that pertain to dose modeling. The DP generally refers to the decommissioning of non-reactor facilities, while the LTP refers specifically to the decommissioning of reactors. This review is part of the NRC's licensing process, in which the NRC determines if a licensee has provided a suitable technical basis to support derived concentration guideline levels (DCGLs)1 or dose modeling analyses performed to demonstrate compliance with dose-based license termination rule criteria. This type of training is one component of an organizational management system. These systems 'use a range of practices to identify, create, represent, and distribute knowledge for reuse, awareness and learning'. This is especially important in an organization undergoing rapid change or staff turnover to retain organizational information and processes. NRC is committed to maintaining a dynamic program of training, development, and knowledge transfer to ensure that the NRC acquires and maintains the competencies needed to accomplish its mission. This paper discusses one specific project

Co-operation of the transcription factor hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 with Sp1 or Sp3 leads to transcriptional activation of the human haem oxygenase-1 gene promoter in a hepatoma cell line.

Science.gov (United States)

Takahashi, Shigeru; Matsuura, Naomi; Kurokawa, Takako; Takahashi, Yuji; Miura, Takashi

2002-11-01

We reported previously that the 5'-flanking region (nucleotides -1976 to -1655) of the human haem oxygenase-1 ( hHO-1 ) gene enhances hHO-1 promoter activity in human hepatoma HepG2 cells, but not in HeLa cells [Takahashi, Takahashi, Ito, Nagano, Shibahara and Miura (1999) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 1447, 231-235]. To define more precisely the regulatory elements involved, in the present study we have functionally dissected this region and localized the enhancer to a 50 bp fragment (-1793 to -1744). Site-direct mutagenesis analysis revealed that two regions were responsible for this enhancer activity, i.e. a hepatocyte nuclear factor-4 (HNF-4) homologous region and a GC box motif homologous region. Mutation in either region alone moderately decreased enhancer activity. However, mutations in both regions reduced promoter activity to the basal level. Electrophoretic mobility-shift assays demonstrated that the P5-2 fragment (-1793 to -1744) interacted with at least two nuclear factors, i.e. HNF-4 and Sp1/Sp3. Co-transfection experiments using Drosophila SL2 cells revealed that HNF-4 and Sp1/Sp3 synergistically stimulated the enhancer activity of the P5-2 fragment. These results indicate that co-operation of HNF-4 with Sp1 or Sp3 leads to the activation of hHO-1 gene expression in hepatoma cells.

Structure of a highly acidic β-lactamase from the moderate halophile Chromohalobacter sp. 560 and the discovery of a Cs{sup +}-selective binding site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arai, Shigeki; Yonezawa, Yasushi; Okazaki, Nobuo; Matsumoto, Fumiko; Shibazaki, Chie; Shimizu, Rumi; Yamada, Mitsugu; Adachi, Motoyasu; Tamada, Taro [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Kawamoto, Masahide [Kyushu Synchrotron Light Research Center, 8-7 Yayoigaoka, Tosu, Saga 841-0005 (Japan); Tokunaga, Hiroko; Ishibashi, Matsujiro [Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Blaber, Michael [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Tallahassee, FL 32306-4300 (United States); Tokunaga, Masao [Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, 1-21-24 Korimoto, Kagoshima 890-0065 (Japan); Kuroki, Ryota, E-mail: kuroki.ryota@jaea.go.jp [Japan Atomic Energy Agency, 2-4 Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan)

2015-03-01

The tertiary structure of a β-lactamase derived from the halobacterium Chromohalobacter sp. 560 (HaBLA) was determined by X-ray crystallography. Three unique Sr{sup 2+}-binding sites and one Cs{sup +}-binding site were discovered in the HaBLA molecule. Environmentally friendly absorbents are needed for Sr{sup 2+} and Cs{sup +}, as the removal of the radioactive Sr{sup 2+} and Cs{sup +} that has leaked from the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant is one of the most important problems in Japan. Halophilic proteins are known to have many acidic residues on their surface that can provide specific binding sites for metal ions such as Cs{sup +} or Sr{sup 2+}. The crystal structure of a halophilic β-lactamase from Chromohalobacter sp. 560 (HaBLA) was determined to resolutions of between 1.8 and 2.9 Å in space group P3{sub 1} using X-ray crystallography. Moreover, the locations of bound Sr{sup 2+} and Cs{sup +} ions were identified by anomalous X-ray diffraction. The location of one Cs{sup +}-specific binding site was identified in HaBLA even in the presence of a ninefold molar excess of Na{sup +} (90 mM Na{sup +}/10 mM Cs{sup +}). From an activity assay using isothermal titration calorimetry, the bound Sr{sup 2+} and Cs{sup +} ions do not significantly affect the enzymatic function of HaBLA. The observation of a selective and high-affinity Cs{sup +}-binding site provides important information that is useful for the design of artificial Cs{sup +}-binding sites that may be useful in the bioremediation of radioactive isotopes.

25-hydroxycholesterol promotes RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis through coordinating NFATc1 and Sp1 complex in the transcription of miR-139-5p

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Lishan; Lv, Yinping; Xian, Guozhe; Lin, Yanliang

2017-01-01

25-hydroxycholesterol (25-HC) is implicated in many processes, including lipid metabolism and the immune response. However, the role of 25-HC in RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis remains largely unknown. Our results showed that 25-HC inhibited miR-139-5p expression in mouse bone marrow macrophages (BMMs) cultured in receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) and monocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (M-CSF). Further investigation suggested that 25-HC promoted the expression of nuclear factor of activated T cell cytoplasmic 1 (NFATc1) and Sp1, especially in the presence of RANKL and M-CSF. Meanwhile, 25-HC induced nuclear translocation of NFATc1, resulting in the interaction between NFATc1 and Sp1 that was confirmed by co-immunoprecipitation. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay indicated that Sp1 could bind to miR-139-5p promoter, but NFATc1 had no binding capacity. Although forming NFATc1/Sp1 complex increased its binding to miR-139-5p promoter, the complex inhibited the transcriptional activity of Sp1. Inhibition of NFATc1 increase the expression of miR-139-5p, which might be due to the release of free Sp1 that could bind to the promoter of miR-139-5p. Enforced expression of miR-139-5p impaired osteoclastogenesis induced by co-treatment with 25-HC and RANKL. These results suggested that 25-HC induced the interaction between NFATc1 and Sp1, reducing the level of free Sp1 to inhibit miR-139-5p expression and promote osteoclastogenesis. - Highlights: • 25-hydroxycholesterol inhibited miR-139-5p expression in bone marrow macrophages. • 25-hydroxycholesterol promoted the expression of NFATc1 and Sp1. • 25-hydroxycholesterol induced the interaction between NFATc1 and Sp1. • NFATc1/Sp1 complex inhibited the transcription of miR-139-5p. • MiR-139-5p impaired osteoclastogenesis induced by 25-hydroxycholesterol and RANKL.

NRC TLD Direct Radiation Monitoring Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.

1994-03-01

This report presents the results of the NRC Direct Radiation Monitoring Network for the fourth quarter of 1993. It provides the ambient radiation levels measured in the vicinity of 75 sites throughout the United States. In addition, it describes the equipment used, monitoring station selection criteria, characterization of the dosimeter response, calibration procedures, statistical methods, intercomparison, and quality assurance program

NRC TLD Direct Radiation Monitoring Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1993-03-01

This report present the results of the NRC Direct Radiation Monitoring Network for the fourth quarter of 1992. It provides the ambient radiation levels measured in the vicinity of 75 sites throughout the United States. In addition, it describes the equipment used, monitoring station selection criteria, characterization of the dosimeter response, calibration procedures, statistical methods, intercomparison, and quality assurance program

Safeguards summary event list (SSEL): Pre-NRC through December 31, 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-07-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, nonradiological sabotage, alcohol and drugs, and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

Butyric acid production from red algae by a newly isolated Clostridium sp. S1.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Kyung Min; Choi, Okkyoung; Kim, Ki-Yeon; Woo, Han Min; Kim, Yunje; Han, Sung Ok; Sang, Byoung-In; Um, Youngsoon

2015-09-01

To produce butyric acid from red algae such as Gelidium amansii in which galactose is a main carbohydrate, microorganisms utilizing galactose and tolerating inhibitors in hydrolysis including levulinic acid and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) are required. A newly isolated bacterium, Clostridium sp. S1 produced butyric acid not only from galactose as the sole carbon source but also from a mixture of galactose and glucose through simultaneous utilization. Notably, Clostridium sp. S1 produced butyric acid and a small amount of acetic acid with the butyrate:acetate ratio of 45.4:1 and it even converted acetate to butyric acid. Clostridium sp. S1 tolerated 0.5-2 g levulinic acid/l and recovered from HMF inhibition at 0.6-2.5 g/l, resulting in 85-92% butyric acid concentration of the control culture. When acid-pretreated G. amansii hydrolysate was used, Clostridium sp. S1 produced 4.83 g butyric acid/l from 10 g galactose/l and 1 g glucose/l. Clostridium sp. S1 produces butyric acid from red algae due to its characteristics in sugar utilization and tolerance to inhibitors, demonstrating its advantage as a red algae-utilizing microorganism.

NRC licensing of uranium enrichment plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moran, B.W.

1991-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) is preparing a rule making that establishes the licensing requirements for low-enriched uranium enrichment plants. Although implementation of this rule making is timed to correspond with receipt of a license application for the Louisiana Energy Services centrifuge enrichment plant, the rule making is applicable to all uranium enrichment technologies. If ownership of the US gaseous diffusion plants and/or atomic vapor laser isotope separation is transferred to a private or government corporation, these plants also would be licensable under the new rule making. The Safeguards Studies Department was tasked by the NRC to provide technical assistance in support of the rule making and guidance preparation process. The initial and primary effort of this task involved the characterization of the potential safeguards concerns associated with a commercial enrichment plant, and the licensing issues associated with these concerns. The primary safeguards considerations were identified as detection of the loss of special nuclear material, detection of unauthorized production of material of low strategic significance, and detection of production of uranium enriched to >10% 235 U. The primary safeguards concerns identified were (1) large absolute limit of error associated with the material balance closing, (2) the inability to shutdown some technologies to perform a cleanout inventory of the process system, and (3) the flexibility of some technologies to produce higher enrichments. Unauthorized production scenarios were identified for some technologies that could prevent conventional material control and accounting programs from detecting the production and removal of 5 kg 235 U as highly enriched uranium. Safeguards techniques were identified to mitigate these concerns

Development of the NRC`s Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP). Volume 2, Investigators`s Manual

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Paradies, M.; Unger, L. [System Improvements, Inc., Knoxville, TN (United States); Haas, P.; Terranova, M. [Concord Associates, Inc., Knoxville, TN (United States)

1993-10-01

The three volumes of this report detail a standard investigation process for use by US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) personnel when investigating human performance related events at nuclear power plants. The process, called the Human Performance Investigation Process (HPIP), was developed to meet the special needs of NRC personnel, especially NRC resident and regional inspectors. HPIP is a systematic investigation process combining current procedures and field practices, expert experience, NRC human performance research, and applicable investigation techniques. The process is easy to learn and helps NRC personnel perform better field investigations of the root causes of human performance problems. The human performance data gathered through such investigations provides a better understanding of the human performance issues that cause event at nuclear power plants. This document, Volume II, is a field manual for use by investigators when performing event investigations. Volume II includes the HPIP Procedure, the HPIP Modules, and Appendices that provide extensive documentation of each investigation technique.

NRC's geotechnical engineering research needs for the high-level waste repository program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gupta, D.C.; Philip, J.; Lorig, L.J.; Chowdhury, A.H.

1992-01-01

To develop the capability for independently assessing the US Department of Energy's (DOE's) geologic repository design within a limited time, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff needs to perform certain research well before receiving the license application. The NRC staff is using a number of factors to identify the areas that it needs to research. The staff assigns priorities to the needed research based on programmatic considerations and the significance of the work. In the geotechnical engineering field, the staff is conducting research in the following three areas: response of the repository to repeated strong ground motion, rock-mass sealing, and coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical interactions. In this paper, the NRC staff also presents the areas of additional research needed in the geotechnical engineering field

Quantitative approach to track lipase producing Pseudomonas sp. S1 in nonsterilized solid state fermentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahoo, R K; Subudhi, E; Kumar, M

2014-06-01

Proliferation of the inoculated Pseudomonas sp. S1 is quantitatively evaluated using ERIC-PCR during the production of lipase in nonsterile solid state fermentation an approach to reduce the cost of enzyme production. Under nonsterile solid state fermentation with olive oil cake, Pseudomonas sp. S1 produced 57·9 IU g(-1) of lipase. DNA fingerprints of unknown bacterial isolates obtained on Bushnell Haas agar (BHA) + tributyrin exactly matched with that of Pseudomonas sp. S1. Using PCR-based enumeration, population of Pseudomonas sp. S1 was proliferated from 7·6 × 10(4) CFU g(-1) after 24 h to 4·6 × 10(8) CFU g(-1) after 96 h, which tallied with the maximum lipase activity as compared to control. Under submerged fermentation (SmF), Pseudomonas sp. S1 produced maximum lipase (49 IU ml(-1) ) using olive oil as substrate, while lipase production was 9·754 IU ml(-1) when Pseudomonas sp. S1 was grown on tributyrin. Optimum pH and temperature of the crude lipase was 7·0 and 50°C. Crude enzyme activity was 71·2% stable at 50°C for 360 min. Pseudomonas sp. S1 lipase was also stable in methanol showing 91·6% activity in the presence of 15% methanol, whereas 75·5 and 51·1% of activity were retained in the presence of 20 and 30% methanol, respectively. Thus, lipase produced by Pseudomonas sp. S1 is suitable for the production of biodiesel as well as treatment of oily waste water. This study presents the first report on the production of thermophilic organic solvent tolerant lipase using agro-industry waste in nonsterile solid state fermentation. Positive correlation between survival of Pseudomonas sp. S1 and lipase production under nonsterile solid state fermentation was established, which may emphasize the need to combine molecular tools and solid state fermentation in future studies. Our study brings new insights into the lipase production in cost-effective manner, which is an industrially relevant approach. © 2014 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

High-level-waste records management system: the NRC pilot project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bender, A.; Altomare, P.

1987-01-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) and the US Dept. of Energy (DOE) have agreed to develop a licensing support system (LSS) to address the records management requirements created by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA). The NRC is planning to conduct a negotiated rule making the modify 10CFR2, including rules governing discovery, so that parties to the licensing process will use a single information management system as a source for all licensing-related documents. The successful demonstration of the pilot project has resulted in an operational on-line record management system for NRC-related HLW documents. Both incoming and outgoing documents are being scanned and stored on a mainframe system and on an optical disk. At this writing the optical disk portion of the system is being tested to evaluate its potential use as a future archival and distribution medium for licensing records. Experience gained from this project is being shared with other government agencies that are in the process of using similar technologies to come to grips with the complex records management problem endemic to our information-based society

Overexpression of the transcription factor Sp1 activates the OAS-RNAse L-RIG-I pathway.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valéryane Dupuis-Maurin

Full Text Available Deregulated expression of oncogenes or transcription factors such as specificity protein 1 (Sp1 is observed in many human cancers and plays a role in tumor maintenance. Paradoxically in untransformed cells, Sp1 overexpression induces late apoptosis but the early intrinsic response is poorly characterized. In the present work, we studied increased Sp1 level consequences in untransformed cells and showed that it turns on an early innate immune transcriptome. Sp1 overexpression does not activate known cellular stress pathways such as DNA damage response or endoplasmic reticulum stress, but induces the activation of the OAS-RNase L pathway and the generation of small self-RNAs, leading to the upregulation of genes of the antiviral RIG-I pathway at the transcriptional and translational levels. Finally, Sp1-induced intrinsic innate immune response leads to the production of the chemokine CXCL4 and to the recruitment of inflammatory cells in vitro and in vivo. Altogether our results showed that increased Sp1 level in untransformed cells constitutes a novel danger signal sensed by the OAS-RNase L axis leading to the activation of the RIG-I pathway. These results suggested that the OAS-RNase L-RIG-I pathway may be activated in sterile condition in absence of pathogen.

Software for automated tracking of open items at NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeWispelare, A.R.; Mackin, P.C.; Johnson, R.L.

1995-01-01

The Open Item Tracking System (OITS) was developed in response to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) need for a reliable, easy to use automated database system, to track all open (awaiting resolution) items related to regulatory, institutional, and technical uncertainties for the Department of Energy's (DOE's) high-level waste (HLW) disposal program. The OITS system was integrated with the Regulatory Program Database (RPD) Version 1.1, resulting in the RPD/OITS Version 2.0 system. RPD/OITS is a network bases system with client server architecture and a graphical user interface. This paper outlines the system and results of its implementation

INTERAKSI ANTARA Trichoderma Harzianum, Penicillium SP. DAN Pseudomonas SP. SERTA KAPASITAS ANTAGONISMENYA TERHADAP Phytophthora CapsicilN VITRO*[Interaction Among Trichoderma Harzianum, Penicillium SP., Pseudomonas SP. and Antagonism Capacities Against Phy

OpenAIRE

Suharna, Nandang

2003-01-01

A preliminary study has been done to know antagonism capacities of three isolates of Trichoderma harzianum, two isolates of Penicillium sp.and one isolate of Pseudomonas sp.against Phytophthora capsici in vitro and interaction among those six antagonists.The highest antagonism capacity possessed by Penicillium sp. KN1, respectively followed by Penicillium sp.KN2,Pseudomonas sp. GH1 and the three T. harzianum isolates. Except for those three T. harzianum isolates, the two Penicillium sp.isolat...

NRC TLD Direct Radiation Monitoring Network

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Struckmeyer, R.; McNamara, N.

1991-04-01

This report presents the results of the NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] Direct Radiation Monitoring Network for the fourth quarter of 1990. It provides the ambient radiation levels measured in the vicinity of 75 sites throughout the United States. In addition, it describes the equipment used, monitoring station selection criteria, characterization of the dosimeter response, calibration procedures, statistical methods, intercomparison, and quality assurance program. 3 figs., 4 tabs

The 10 sea urchin receptor for egg jelly proteins (SpREJ are members of the polycystic kidney disease-1 (PKD1 family

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miyata Shinji

2007-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Mutations in the human polycystic kidney disease-1 (hPKD1 gene result in ~85% of cases of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, the most frequent human monogenic disease. PKD1 proteins are large multidomain proteins involved in a variety of signal transduction mechanisms. Obtaining more information about members of the PKD1 family will help to clarify their functions. Humans have five hPKD1 proteins, whereas sea urchins have 10. The PKD1 proteins of the sea urchin, Strongylocentrotus purpuratus, are referred to as the Receptor for Egg Jelly, or SpREJ proteins. The SpREJ proteins form a subfamily within the PKD1 family. They frequently contain C-type lectin domains, PKD repeats, a REJ domain, a GPS domain, a PLAT/LH2 domain, 1–11 transmembrane segments and a C-terminal coiled-coil domain. Results The 10 full-length SpREJ cDNA sequences were determined. The secondary structures of their deduced proteins were predicted and compared to the five human hPKD1 proteins. The genomic structures of the 10 SpREJs show low similarity to each other. All 10 SpREJs are transcribed in either embryos or adult tissues. SpREJs show distinct patterns of expression during embryogenesis. Adult tissues show tissue-specific patterns of SpREJ expression. Conclusion Possession of a REJ domain of about 600 residues defines this family. Except for SpREJ1 and 3, that are thought to be associated with the sperm acrosome reaction, the functions of the other SpREJ proteins remain unknown. The sea urchin genome is one-fourth the size of the human genome, but sea urchins have 10 SpREJ proteins, whereas humans have five. Determination of the tissue specific function of each of these proteins will be of interest to those studying echinoderm development. Sea urchins are basal deuterostomes, the line of evolution leading to the vertebrates. The study of individual PKD1 proteins will increase our knowledge of the importance of this gene family.

Plan for reevaluation of NRC policy on decommissioning of nuclear facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-12-01

The present decommissioning regulations contained in Sections 50.33(f) and 50.82 of 10 CFR part 50 require applicants for power reactor operating licenses to demonstrate that they can obtain the funds needed to meet both operating costs and estimated costs of shutdown and decommissioning. The development of detailed, specific decommissioning plans for nuclear power plants is not currently required until the licensee seeks to terminate his operating license. Recognizing that the current generation of large commercial reactors and supporting nuclear facilities would substantially increase the need for future decommissionings, the NRC staff began an in-depth review and reevaluation of NRC's regulatory approach to decommissioning in 1975. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is now considering development of a more explicit overall policy for nuclear facility decommissioning and amending its regulations in 10 CFR Parts 30, 40, 50, and 70 to include more specific guidance on decommissioning criteria for production and utilization facility licensees and byproduct, source, and special nuclear material licensees. In response to comments from the public and states, and to information gained during the initial stage of execution of the plan, several modifications of the plan are now required. The revised overall report sets forth in detail the current NRC staff plan for the development of an overall NRC policy on decommissioning of nuclear facilities

Handbook for value-impact assessments of NRC regulatory actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mullen, M.F.; DiPalo, A.J.

1985-01-01

According to current Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) procedures, value-impact (cost-benefit) assessments must be prepared for all rulemaking actions and for a broad range of other regulatory requirements and guidance. Probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) methods furnish an important part of the information base for these assessments. PRA methods are frequently the principal quantitative tool for estimating the benefits (e.g., public risk reduction) of proposed regulatory actions. In December 1983, the NRC published A Handbook for Value-Impact Assessment, NUREG/CR-3568, which provides a set of systematic procedures for performing value-impact assessments. The Handbook contains methods, data, and sources of information that can assist the regulatory analyst in conducting such assessments. The use of probabilistic risk analysis to estimate the benefits of proposed regulatory actions is described. Procedures and methods are also given for evaluating the costs and other consequences associated with regulatory actions. The Handbook has been adopted by the NRC as the recommended guideline for value impact assessments. This paper presents the background, objectives, and scope of the Handbook, describes the value-impact assessment methods (including the use of probabilistic risk assessment to estimate benefits), and discusses a selection of current and planned applications, with examples to illustrate how the methods are used

Fungal communication requires the MAK-2 pathway elements STE-20 and RAS-2, the NRC-1 adapter STE-50 and the MAP kinase scaffold HAM-5.

Science.gov (United States)

Dettmann, Anne; Heilig, Yvonne; Valerius, Oliver; Ludwig, Sarah; Seiler, Stephan

2014-11-01

Intercellular communication is critical for the survival of unicellular organisms as well as for the development and function of multicellular tissues. Cell-to-cell signaling is also required to develop the interconnected mycelial network characteristic of filamentous fungi and is a prerequisite for symbiotic and pathogenic host colonization achieved by molds. Somatic cell-cell communication and subsequent cell fusion is governed by the MAK-2 mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade in the filamentous ascomycete model Neurospora crassa, yet the composition and mode of regulation of the MAK-2 pathway are currently unclear. In order to identify additional components involved in MAK-2 signaling we performed affinity purification experiments coupled to mass spectrometry with strains expressing functional GFP-fusion proteins of the MAPK cascade. This approach identified STE-50 as a regulatory subunit of the Ste11p homolog NRC-1 and HAM-5 as cell-communication-specific scaffold protein of the MAPK cascade. Moreover, we defined a network of proteins consisting of two Ste20-related kinases, the small GTPase RAS-2 and the adenylate cyclase capping protein CAP-1 that function upstream of the MAK-2 pathway and whose signals converge on the NRC-1/STE-50 MAP3K complex and the HAM-5 scaffold. Finally, our data suggest an involvement of the striatin interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complex, the casein kinase 2 heterodimer, the phospholipid flippase modulators YPK-1 and NRC-2 and motor protein-dependent vesicle trafficking in the regulation of MAK-2 pathway activity and function. Taken together, these data will have significant implications for our mechanistic understanding of MAPK signaling and for homotypic cell-cell communication in fungi and higher eukaryotes.

Induction of truncated form of tenascin-X (XB-S) through dissociation of HDAC1 from SP-1/HDAC1 complex in response to hypoxic conditions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kato, Akari; Endo, Toshiya; Abiko, Shun; Ariga, Hiroyoshi; Matsumoto, Ken-ichi

2008-01-01

ABSTRACT: XB-S is an amino-terminal truncated protein of tenascin-X (TNX) in humans. The levels of the XB-S transcript, but not those of TNX transcripts, were increased upon hypoxia. We identified a critical hypoxia-responsive element (HRE) localized to a GT-rich element positioned from - 1410 to - 1368 in the XB-S promoter. Using an electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), we found that the HRE forms a DNA-protein complex with Sp1 and that GG positioned in - 1379 and - 1378 is essential for the binding of the nuclear complex. Transfection experiments in SL2 cells, an Sp1-deficient model system, with an Sp1 expression vector demonstrated that the region from - 1380 to - 1371, an HRE, is sufficient for efficient activation of the XB-S promoter upon hypoxia. The EMSA and a chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay showed that Sp1 together with the transcriptional repressor histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) binds to the HRE of the XB-S promoter under normoxia and that hypoxia causes dissociation of HDAC1 from the Sp1/HDAC1 complex. The HRE promoter activity was induced in the presence of a histone deacetylase inhibitor, trichostatin A, even under normoxia. Our results indicate that the hypoxia-induced activation of the XB-S promoter is regulated through dissociation of HDAC1 from an Sp1-binding HRE site

NRC proposes changes to nuke decommissioning funding rules

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has proposed to amend its regulations to allow self-guarantee as a means of assuring adequate funding for nuclear plant decommissioning. It acted in response to a rulemaking petition filed by General Electric Co. and Westinghouse Electric Corp. The proposal would allow self-guarantees if certain conditions are met: Tangible net worth of at least $1 billion; Tangible net worth at least 10 times the present decommissioning cost estimate for all activities the utility is responsible for as a self-guaranteeing licensee and as parent guarantor; Domestic assets amounting to at least 90 percent of total assets or at least 10 times the present decommissioning cost estimate; A credit rating for the utility's most recent bond issuance of AAA, AA, or A (Standard ampersand Poor's), or Aaa, Aa, or A (Moody's). Additional requirements include that the utility licensee must have at least one class of equity securities registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and that an independent auditor must verify that the utility met the financial test. A utility also would be responsible for reporting any change in circumstances affecting the criteria used to meet the financial test, and would be responsible for meeting that test within 90 days of each financial year. The NRC will accept written comments until March 29, 1993

NRC staff site characterization analysis of the Department of Energy`s Site Characterization Plan, Yucca Mountain Site, Nevada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1989-08-01

This Site Characterization Analysis (SCA) documents the NRC staff`s concerns resulting from its review of the US Department of Energy`s (DOE`s) Site Characterization Plan (SCP) for the Yucca Mountain site in southern Nevada, which is the candidate site selected for characterization as the nation`s first geologic repository for high-level radioactive waste. DOE`s SCP explains how DOE plans to obtain the information necessary to determine the suitability of the Yucca Mountain site for a repository. NRC`s specific objections related to the SCP, and major comments and recommendations on the various parts of DOE`s program, are presented in SCA Section 2, Director`s Comments and Recommendations. Section 3 contains summaries of the NRC staff`s concerns for each specific program, and Section 4 contains NRC staff point papers which set forth in greater detail particular staff concerns regarding DOE`s program. Appendix A presents NRC staff evaluations of those NRC staff Consultation Draft SCP concerns that NRC considers resolved on the basis of the SCP. This SCA fulfills NRC`s responsibilities with respect to DOE`s SCP as specified by the Nuclear Waste Policy Act (NWPA) and 10 CFR 60.18. 192 refs., 2 tabs.

Directory of certificates of compliance for radioactive materials packages; Summary Report of NRC Approved Packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-12-01

This directory contains a Summary Report of NRC approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Summary Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Material Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on packagings which have been approved by the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. To assist in identifying packaging, and index by Model Number and corresponding Certificate of Compliance number is included at the back of each volume of the directory. The Summary Report includes a listing of all users of each package design prior to the publication date of the directory. Shipments of radioactive material using these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR 173.393a and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Section 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure them--that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program

NRC Licensing Status Summary Report for NGNP

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moe, Wayne Leland [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Kinsey, James Carl [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)

2014-11-01

The Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP) Project, initiated at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pursuant to provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, is based on research and development activities supported by the Department of Energy Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems Initiative. The principal objective of the NGNP Project is to support commercialization of high temperature gas-cooled reactor (HTGR) technology. The HTGR is a helium-cooled and graphite moderated reactor that can operate at temperatures much higher than those of conventional light water reactor (LWR) technologies. The NGNP will be licensed for construction and operation by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). However, not all elements of current regulations (and their related implementation guidance) can be applied to HTGR technology at this time. Certain policies established during past LWR licensing actions must be realigned to properly accommodate advanced HTGR technology. A strategy for licensing HTGR technology was developed and executed through the cooperative effort of DOE and the NRC through the NGNP Project. The purpose of this report is to provide a snapshot of the current status of the still evolving pre-license application regulatory framework relative to commercial HTGR technology deployment in the U.S. The following discussion focuses on (1) describing what has been accomplished by the NGNP Project up to the time of this report, and (2) providing observations and recommendations concerning actions that remain to be accomplished to enable the safe and timely licensing of a commercial HTGR facility in the U.S.

Investigating trehalose synthesis genes after cold acclimation in the Antarctic nematode Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anna C. Seybold

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1 is a freeze-tolerant Antarctic nematode which survives extensive intracellular ice formation. The molecular mechanisms of this extreme adaptation are still poorly understood. We recently showed that desiccation-enhanced RNA interference (RNAi soaking can be used in conjunction with quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR to screen for phenotypes associated with reduced expression of candidate genes in Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1. Here, we present the use of this approach to investigate the role of trehalose synthesis genes in this remarkable organism. Previous studies have shown that acclimating Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1 at 5°C before freezing or desiccation substantially enhances survival. In this study, the expression of tps-2 and other genes associated with trehalose metabolism, as well as lea-1, hsp-70 and gpx-1, in cold-acclimated and non-acclimated nematodes was analyzed using qPCR. Pd-tps-2 and Pd-lea-1 were significantly upregulated after cold acclimation, indicating an inducible expression in the cold adaptation of Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1. The role of trehalose synthesis genes in Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1 was further investigated by RNAi. Compared to the controls, Pd-tps-2a(RNAi-treated and cold-acclimated nematodes showed a significant decrease in mRNA, but no change in trehalose content or freezing survival. The involvement of two other trehalose synthesis genes (tps-2b and gob-1 was also investigated. These findings provide the first functional genomic investigation of trehalose synthesis genes in the non-model organism Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1. The presence of several trehalose synthesis genes with different RNAi sensitivities suggests the existence of multiple backup systems in Panagrolaimus sp. DAW1, underlining the importance of this sugar in preparation for freezing.

Hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein-5A activates sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c through transcription factor Sp1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Xiang, Zhonghua; Qiao, Ling; Zhou, Yan [Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3 (Canada); Babiuk, Lorne A. [University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta (Canada); Liu, Qiang, E-mail: qiang.liu@usask.ca [Vaccine and Infectious Disease Organization, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada S7N 5E3 (Canada)

2010-11-19

Research highlights: {yields} A chimeric subgenomic HCV replicon expresses HCV-3a NS5A in an HCV-1b backbone. {yields} HCV-3a NS5A increases mature SREBP-1c protein level. {yields} HCV-3a NS5A activates SREBP-1c transcription. {yields} Domain II of HCV-3a NS5A is more effective in SREBP-1c promoter activation. {yields} Transcription factor Sp1 is required for SREBP-1c activation by HCV-3a NS5A. -- Abstract: Steatosis is an important clinical manifestation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The molecular mechanisms of HCV-associated steatosis are not well understood. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) is a key transcription factor which activates the transcription of lipogenic genes. Here we showed that the nuclear, mature SREBP-1c level increases in the nucleus of replicon cells expressing HCV-3a nonstructural protein-5A (NS5A). We further showed that HCV-3a NS5A up-regulates SREBP-1c transcription. Additional analysis showed that transcriptional factor Sp1 is involved in SREBP-1c activation by HCV-3a NS5A because inhibition of Sp1 activity by mithramycin A or a dominant-negative Sp1 construct abrogated SREBP-1c promoter activation by HCV-3a NS5A. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated enhanced binding of Sp1 on the SREBP-1c promoter in HCV-3a NS5A replicon cells. These results showed that HCV-3a NS5A activates SREBP-1c transcription through Sp1. Taken together, our results suggest that HCV-3a NS5A is a contributing factor for steatosis caused by HCV-3a infection.

Hepatitis C virus nonstructural protein-5A activates sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c through transcription factor Sp1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiang, Zhonghua; Qiao, Ling; Zhou, Yan; Babiuk, Lorne A.; Liu, Qiang

2010-01-01

Research highlights: → A chimeric subgenomic HCV replicon expresses HCV-3a NS5A in an HCV-1b backbone. → HCV-3a NS5A increases mature SREBP-1c protein level. → HCV-3a NS5A activates SREBP-1c transcription. → Domain II of HCV-3a NS5A is more effective in SREBP-1c promoter activation. → Transcription factor Sp1 is required for SREBP-1c activation by HCV-3a NS5A. -- Abstract: Steatosis is an important clinical manifestation of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The molecular mechanisms of HCV-associated steatosis are not well understood. Sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) is a key transcription factor which activates the transcription of lipogenic genes. Here we showed that the nuclear, mature SREBP-1c level increases in the nucleus of replicon cells expressing HCV-3a nonstructural protein-5A (NS5A). We further showed that HCV-3a NS5A up-regulates SREBP-1c transcription. Additional analysis showed that transcriptional factor Sp1 is involved in SREBP-1c activation by HCV-3a NS5A because inhibition of Sp1 activity by mithramycin A or a dominant-negative Sp1 construct abrogated SREBP-1c promoter activation by HCV-3a NS5A. In addition, chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated enhanced binding of Sp1 on the SREBP-1c promoter in HCV-3a NS5A replicon cells. These results showed that HCV-3a NS5A activates SREBP-1c transcription through Sp1. Taken together, our results suggest that HCV-3a NS5A is a contributing factor for steatosis caused by HCV-3a infection.

Perspective on US NRC Policy Issues Concerning Use of Risk Insights for Non-LWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ha, Jun Su; Kim, In Goo; Huh, Chang Wook; Kim, Kyun Tae

2011-01-01

Since the PRA Implementation plan of US NRC (1994), PRA has been applied to all NPPs in USA and risk insights have been used for the regulation as a complement of the deterministic approaches. RIRIP (Risk-Informed Regulation Implementation Plan, 2000) and RPP (Risk-Informed and Performance-Based Plan, 2007) were announced by US NRC thereafter, which recommended enhanced use of risk insights. In the meantime, there have been lots of policy issues concerning use of risk insights for licensing Non-LWR designs, which will be discussed in this paper to understand the stream of perspectives on US NRC's approach

77 FR 33786 - NRC Enforcement Policy Revision

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-07

... methods: Federal Rulemaking Web site: Go to http://www.regulations.gov and search for Docket ID NRC-2011... search, select ``ADAMS Public Documents'' and then select ``Begin Web- based ADAMS Search.'' For problems... either 2.3.2.a. or b. must be met for the disposition of a violation as an NCV.'' The following new...

The evolution of the structure and application of U.S. NRC regulations and standards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Murley, T.E.; Rosztoczy, Z.R.; McPherson, G.D.

1991-01-01

NRC regulations and standards and their implementation have evolved from early adaptations of conventional engineering practices to a mature, cohesive set of regulations that govern NRC regulation of nuclear power plant safety in the United States. From a simple set of rules and design criteria and from the standards of the professional engineering societies, a hierarchy of practices, standards, guides, rules and goals has developed. Resting on a foundation of industrial practices, this hierarchy rises through levels of national standards, regulatory guides and standard review plans, policy statements and NRC regulations. The licensing process is evolving today toward one that permits both site approval and standard design certification before the plant is constructed. At the present time, NRC is reviewing five standard designs for certification for a period of 15 years. NRC focuses its regulation of operating nuclear plants on inspections conducted from five regional offices. Resident inspectors, specialist inspectors, and multi-disciplinary inspection teams examine specific plant situations. The results of all these inspections are used to develop a complete understanding of a plant's physical condition, its operation, maintenance and management. To improve safe operation of nuclear plants in the U.S., a most important program, the Systematic Assessment of Licensee Performance, measures operational performance, using a broad spectrum of functional areas. (orig.)

Nanoscale Electric Characteristics and Oriented Assembly of Halobacterium salinarum Membrane Revealed by Electric Force Microscopy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Denghua Li

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Purple membranes (PM of the bacteria Halobacterium salinarum are a unique natural membrane where bacteriorhodopsin (BR can convert photon energy and pump protons. Elucidating the electronic properties of biomembranes is critical for revealing biological mechanisms and developing new devices. We report here the electric properties of PMs studied by using multi-functional electric force microscopy (EFM at the nanoscale. The topography, surface potential, and dielectric capacity of PMs were imaged and quantitatively measured in parallel. Two orientations of PMs were identified by EFM because of its high resolution in differentiating electrical characteristics. The extracellular (EC sides were more negative than the cytoplasmic (CP side by 8 mV. The direction of potential difference may facilitate movement of protons across the membrane and thus play important roles in proton pumping. Unlike the side-dependent surface potentials observed in PM, the EFM capacitive response was independent of the side and was measured to be at a dC/dz value of ~5.25 nF/m. Furthermore, by modification of PM with de novo peptides based on peptide-protein interaction, directional oriented PM assembly on silicon substrate was obtained for technical devices. This work develops a new method for studying membrane nanoelectronics and exploring the bioelectric application at the nanoscale.

SU-A-210-02: Medical Physics Opportunities at the NRC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abogunde, M.

2015-01-01

The purpose of this student annual meeting is to address topics that are becoming more relevant to medical physicists, but are not frequently addressed, especially for students and trainees just entering the field. The talk is divided into two parts: medical billing and regulations. Hsinshun Wu – Why should we learn radiation oncology billing? Many medical physicists do not like to be involved with medical billing or coding during their career. They believe billing is not their responsibility and sometimes they even refuse to participate in the billing process if given the chance. This presentation will talk about a physicist’s long career and share his own experience that knowing medical billing is not only important and necessary for every young medical physicist, but that good billing knowledge could provide a valuable contribution to his/her medical physics development. Learning Objectives: The audience will learn the basic definition of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes performed in a Radiation Oncology Department. Understand the differences between hospital coding and physician-based or freestanding coding. Apply proper CPT coding for each Radiation Oncology procedure. Each procedure with its specific CPT code will be discussed in detail. The talk will focus on the process of care and use of actual workflow to understand each CPT code. Example coding of a typical Radiation Oncology procedure. Special procedure coding such as brachytherapy, proton therapy, radiosurgery, and SBRT. Maryann Abogunde – Medical physics opportunities at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) The NRC’s responsibilities include the regulation of medical uses of byproduct (radioactive) materials and oversight of medical use end-users (licensees) through a combination of regulatory requirements, licensing, safety oversight including inspection and enforcement, operational experience evaluation, and regulatory support activities. This presentation will explore the

SU-A-210-02: Medical Physics Opportunities at the NRC

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abogunde, M. [U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (United States)

2015-06-15

The purpose of this student annual meeting is to address topics that are becoming more relevant to medical physicists, but are not frequently addressed, especially for students and trainees just entering the field. The talk is divided into two parts: medical billing and regulations. Hsinshun Wu – Why should we learn radiation oncology billing? Many medical physicists do not like to be involved with medical billing or coding during their career. They believe billing is not their responsibility and sometimes they even refuse to participate in the billing process if given the chance. This presentation will talk about a physicist’s long career and share his own experience that knowing medical billing is not only important and necessary for every young medical physicist, but that good billing knowledge could provide a valuable contribution to his/her medical physics development. Learning Objectives: The audience will learn the basic definition of Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes performed in a Radiation Oncology Department. Understand the differences between hospital coding and physician-based or freestanding coding. Apply proper CPT coding for each Radiation Oncology procedure. Each procedure with its specific CPT code will be discussed in detail. The talk will focus on the process of care and use of actual workflow to understand each CPT code. Example coding of a typical Radiation Oncology procedure. Special procedure coding such as brachytherapy, proton therapy, radiosurgery, and SBRT. Maryann Abogunde – Medical physics opportunities at the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) The NRC’s responsibilities include the regulation of medical uses of byproduct (radioactive) materials and oversight of medical use end-users (licensees) through a combination of regulatory requirements, licensing, safety oversight including inspection and enforcement, operational experience evaluation, and regulatory support activities. This presentation will explore the

Interactive Computerized Based Training, In Radiation Protection at NRC-Negev

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sberlo, E.; Krumbein, H.; Ankri, D.; Ben-Shachar, B.; Laichter, Y.; Weizer, G.; Adorarn, D.

1999-01-01

According to the rules of safety at the working places in Israel, all radiation employees in Israel should receive once a year a refreshing course in several areas of safety. At the NRC-Negev there are two kinds of radiation employees: the ''hot area'' employees, who work in an environment of radioactive materials or radiation machines and the ''old area'' employees (all the other employees in the NRC-Negev). One of the main goals of the Department of Human Resources Development and Training at the NRC-Negev was to organize safety refresher courses. All ''hot area'' employees received a training program of two days in safety subjects, each year. The ''cold area'' employees received the same course, each second year. The former training program included several lectures in radiation protection, health physics, biological effects of ionizing radiation, etc., as well as same lectures in industrial safety, fast aid, fee fighting, emergency procedures, etc. The safety refresher courses were given by Rental lectures. There were a lot of disadvantages in these frontal lectures: The lecturers are employees of the NRCN who had to stop their routine work in order to lecture; the lecturers had to carry out identical training for each course for a large group of workers; there was a lack of testing methods or any other certification for the employees. Recently, seven safety courseware were developed by the NRC-Negev and the CET (Centre for Educational Technology), in order to perform these safety refresher courses. The courseware are based on an interactive computerized training including tutorials and quiz. The tutorial is an interactive course in each subject. The employee gets a simple and clear explanation (including pictures). After each Morial there is a quiz which includes 7 American style questions. The first two courseware are for all the employees, the next 4 courseware for the ''hot area'' employees, and the seventh for the ''cold area'' employees (the seventh is a

Transcriptional activation of Mina by Sp1/3 factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Lian, Shangli; Potula, Hari Hara S K; Pillai, Meenu R; Van Stry, Melanie; Koyanagi, Madoka; Chung, Linda; Watanabe, Makiko; Bix, Mark

2013-01-01

Mina is an epigenetic gene regulatory protein known to function in multiple physiological and pathological contexts, including pulmonary inflammation, cell proliferation, cancer and immunity. We showed previously that the level of Mina gene expression is subject to natural genetic variation linked to 21 SNPs occurring in the Mina 5' region. In order to explore the mechanisms regulating Mina gene expression, we set out to molecularly characterize the Mina promoter in the region encompassing these SNPs. We used three kinds of assays--reporter, gel shift and chromatin immunoprecipitation--to analyze a 2 kb genomic fragment spanning the upstream and intron 1 regions flanking exon 1. Here we discovered a pair of Mina promoters (P1 and P2) and a P1-specific enhancer element (E1). Pharmacologic inhibition and siRNA knockdown experiments suggested that Sp1/3 transcription factors trigger Mina expression through additive activity targeted to a cluster of four Sp1/3 binding sites forming the P1 promoter. These results set the stage for comprehensive analysis of Mina gene regulation from the context of tissue specificity, the impact of inherited genetic variation and the nature of upstream signaling pathways.

Professional ASPNET 35 SP1 Edition In C# and VB

CERN Document Server

Evjen, Bill; Rader, Devin

2009-01-01

Professional ASP.NET 3.5 SP1 In C# and VB. ASP.NET 3.5 brings the power of Visual Studio® 2008 along with the multitude of language improvements in C# 2008 and Visual Basic® 2008 as well as powerful new technology called LINQ, together with the ASP.NET 2.0 Framework you already know and love. Packed with valuable coverage of ASP.NET 3.5 SP1, this essential resource offers both C# and VB examples throughout the book, and shares new and updated content on the ADO.NET Entity Framework, ADO.NET Dynamic Data, and ADO.NET Data Services. While ASP.NET 3.5 boasts server controls like the ListView and

NRC Fact-Finding Task Force report on the ATWS event at Salem Nuclear Generating Station, Unit 1, on February 25, 1983

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1983-03-01

An NRC Region I Task Force was established on March 1, 1983 to conduct fact finding and data collection with regard to the circumstances which led to an anticipated transient without scram (ATWS) event at the Public Service Electric and Gas Company's Salem Generating Station, Unit 1 on February 25, 1983. The charter of the Task Force was to determine the factual information pertinent to management and administrative controls which should have ensured proper operation of the reactor trip breakers in the solid state protection system. This report documents the findings of the Task Force along with its conclusions

Guide to NRC reporting and recordkeeping requirements. Compiled from requirements in Title 10 of the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations as codified on December 31, 1993; Revision 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Collins, M.; Shelton, B.

1994-07-01

This compilation includes in the first two sections the reporting and recordkeeping requirements applicable to US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) licensees and applicants and to members of the public. It includes those requirements codified in Title 10 of the code of Federal Regulations, Chapter 1, on December 31, 1993. It also includes, in a separate section, any of those requirements that were superseded or discontinued between January 1992 and December 1993. Finally, the appendix lists mailing and delivery addresses for NRC Headquarters and Regional Offices mentioned in the compilation. The Office of Information Resources Management staff compiled this listing of reporting and recordkeeping requirements to briefly describe each in a single document primarily to help licensees readily identify the requirements. The compilation is not a substitute for the regulations, and is not intended to impose any new requirements or technical positions. It is part of NRC's continuing efforts to comply with the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1980 and the Office of Management and Budget regulations that mandate effective and efficient Federal information resources management programs

A review of NRC staff uses of probabilistic risk assessment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-03-01

The NRC staff uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and risk management as important elements its licensing and regulatory processes. In October 1991, the NRC`s Executive Director for Operations established the PRA Working Group to address concerns identified by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards with respect to unevenness and inconsistency in the staff`s current uses of PRA. After surveying current staff uses of PRA and identifying needed improvements, the Working Group defined a set of basic principles for staff PRA use and identified three areas for improvements: guidance development, training enhancements, and PRA methods development. For each area of improvement, the Working Group took certain actions and recommended additional work. The Working Group recommended integrating its work with other recent PRA-related activities the staff completed and improving staff interactions with PRA users in the nuclear industry. The Working Group took two key actions by developing general guidance for two uses of PRA within the NRC (that is, screening or prioritizing reactor safety issues and analyzing such issues in detail) and developing guidance on basic terms and methods important to the staff`s uses of PRA.

Changing emphasis at the NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Remick, F.J.

1994-01-01

One of the major objectives of the Office of Research is to ensure availability of sound technical information for timely decision making in support of the NRC's safety mission. The Office of Research is changing some of its emphasis to better meet the expected needs of the NRC's regulatory offices. Long-standing programs in support of operating reactors are nearing completion. These programs include plant aging and severe accident research for currently operating plants. This meeting will also address the new challenges faced by the NRC in its review of the advanced light water and non-light water reactors. As plant aging and severe accident research programs are nearing completion, the research activities are coming to focus on the emerging technologies, for example, digital instrumentation and control systems, both as replacement equipment for operating plants and as the technology of choice and necessity for the advanced reactors. Necessity, because analog equipment is becoming obsolete. Other examples include the use of new materials in operating plants, human factors considerations in the design and operation of the advanced plants, thermal-hydraulic characteristics of the advanced reactors, and new construction techniques

A review of NRC staff uses of probabilistic risk assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-03-01

The NRC staff uses probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) and risk management as important elements its licensing and regulatory processes. In October 1991, the NRC's Executive Director for Operations established the PRA Working Group to address concerns identified by the Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards with respect to unevenness and inconsistency in the staff's current uses of PRA. After surveying current staff uses of PRA and identifying needed improvements, the Working Group defined a set of basic principles for staff PRA use and identified three areas for improvements: guidance development, training enhancements, and PRA methods development. For each area of improvement, the Working Group took certain actions and recommended additional work. The Working Group recommended integrating its work with other recent PRA-related activities the staff completed and improving staff interactions with PRA users in the nuclear industry. The Working Group took two key actions by developing general guidance for two uses of PRA within the NRC (that is, screening or prioritizing reactor safety issues and analyzing such issues in detail) and developing guidance on basic terms and methods important to the staff's uses of PRA

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL). Pre-NRC-June 30, 1985. Revision 11

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-01-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSRL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, non-radiological sabotage and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels. 12 figs

48 CFR 2009.570 - NRC organizational conflicts of interest.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... conflicts of interest. 2009.570 Section 2009.570 Federal Acquisition Regulations System NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION COMPETITION AND ACQUISITION PLANNING CONTRACTOR QUALIFICATIONS Organizational Conflicts of Interest 2009.570 NRC organizational conflicts of interest. ...

Reassessment of NRC's dollar per person-rem conversion factor policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-12-01

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has completed a review and analysis of its dollar per person-rem conversion factor policy. As a result of this review, the NRC has decided to adopt a $2000 per person-rem conversion factor, subject it to present worth considerations, and limit its scope solely to health effects. This is in contrast to the previous policy and staff practice of using an undiscounted $1000 per person-rem conversion factor that served as a surrogate for all offsite consequences (health and offsite property). The policy shift has been incorporated in ''Regulatory Analysis Guidelines of the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission,'' NUREG/BR-0058, Revision 2, November 1995

Biomineralization of a calcifying ureolytic bacterium Microbacterium sp. GM-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Guojing Xu

2017-01-01

Conclusions: The results of this research provide evidence that Microbacterium sp. GM-1 can biologically induce calcification and suggest that strain GM-1 may play a potential role in the synthesis of new biominerals and in bioremediation or biorecovery.

[EFFICIENCY OF INTRODUCING CAROTENE PRODUCING STRAINS BACILLUS SP. 1.1 AND B. AMYLOLIQUEFACIENS UCM B-5113 INTO THE CHIKENS DIET].

Science.gov (United States)

Nechypurenko, O O; Kharhota M A; Avdeeva, L V

2015-01-01

It was shown the efficiency of carotene producing strains Bacillus sp. 1.1 and B. amyloliquefaciens UCM B-5113 in the diet of chickens. Also it was detected the lowering of the quantitative content of bacterial genera Enterococcus, Staphylococcus, family Enterobacteriaceae in the gut after eating by chickens cross "H&N Brown Nick" fodder with strains Bacillus sp. 1.1 and B. amyloliquefaciens UCM B-5113 alone and in composition in quantities 1 x 10(10) CFU per 1 g of feed. On the 18th day after introduction of cultures Bacillus sp. 1.1, B. amyloliquefaciens UCM B-5113 and their composition in the diet of poultry we revealed the increasing of body weight by 21.6, 7.6 and 22.0%, respectively, comparesing to controls. Also due to Bacillus sp. 1.1 it was detected the restore of intestinal villous structures, tissues of spleen, liver and heart. We found the additive effect of the composition of the investigated strains of bacteria genus Bacillus to the chickens.

Draft genome sequences of six neonatal meningitis-causing escherichia coli isolates (SP-4, SP-5, SP-13, SP-16, SP-46, and SP-65)

Science.gov (United States)

Neonatal meningitis Escherichia coli isolates (SP-4, SP-5, SP-13, SP-16, SP-46, and SP-65) were recovered from infants in the Netherlands from 1989 to 1997. Here, we report the draft genome sequences for these six E. coli isolates, which are currently being used to validate food safety processing te...

In vivo monitoring of nuclear research centre (NRC) workers. Vol. 4

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomaa, M A; Ali, E M; Taha, T M [Radiation Protection Departion, Nuclear Research Center, Atomic Energy Authority, Cairo (Egypt)

1996-03-01

Occupational workers of Nuclear research center (NRC) of atomic energy authority (AEA) working with radio-nuclides such as (Cs-137, I-131, and I-125) are monitored yearly. Individuals involved in routine work in hot laboratories are examined every three months. When an incident occurs, the workers involved are examined promptly. In order to measure internal contamination, the modified NRC-AEA whole body counter is used. More than hundred occupational workers had been examined in 1994. Results indicated that the annual limit of intake as recommended by ICRP was not exceeded. 3 figs., 3 tabs.

NRC research on the application of advanced I and C technology to commercial nuclear power plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gollei, K.R.; Hon, A.L.

1983-01-01

The operational safety and efficiency of commercial nuclear power plants (NPP's) could possibly be enhanced by utilizing advanced instrumentation and control technology developed by other industries. The NRC is interested in learning about new I and C technology that probably will or could be applied to new or existing plants. This would enable the NRC to be better prepared to evaluate the application without undue delays. It would also help identify any appropriate changes in NRC regulations or guidance necessary to facilitate the application of advanced IandC technology to NPP's. The NRC has initiated a project to work cooperatively with the advanced technology industry, power industry, EPRI, and technical organizations such as ISA toward this goal. This paper describes the objectives and plans of this cooperative effort. It summarizes the highlights of some of the advanced technology already being evaluated by NRC such as microprocessor applications, instruments to detect inadequate core cooling and other two-phase flow measurements, reactor noise surveillance and diagnostic techniques. This paper also suggests potential candidates for consideration such as utilization of advanced instruments for LOCA experiments. It also identifies some of the potential challenges facing the application of advanced technology to NPP's. It concludes that close cooperation between NRC and industry is essential for the success of such applications

Components of the CCR4-NOT complex function as nuclear hormone receptor coactivators via association with the NRC-interacting Factor NIF-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Garapaty, Shivani; Mahajan, Muktar A; Samuels, Herbert H

2008-03-14

CCR4-NOT is an evolutionarily conserved, multicomponent complex known to be involved in transcription as well as mRNA degradation. Various subunits (e.g. CNOT1 and CNOT7/CAF1) have been reported to be involved in influencing nuclear hormone receptor activities. Here, we show that CCR4/CNOT6 and RCD1/CNOT9, members of the CCR4-NOT complex, potentiate nuclear receptor activity. RCD1 interacts in vivo and in vitro with NIF-1 (NRC-interacting factor), a previously characterized nuclear receptor cotransducer that activates nuclear receptors via its interaction with NRC. As with NIF-1, RCD1 and CCR4 do not directly associate with nuclear receptors; however, they enhance ligand-dependent transcriptional activation by nuclear hormone receptors. CCR4 mediates its effect through the ligand binding domain of nuclear receptors and small interference RNA-mediated silencing of endogenous CCR4 results in a marked decrease in nuclear receptor activation. Furthermore, knockdown of CCR4 results in an attenuated stimulation of RARalpha target genes (e.g. Sox9 and HoxA1) as shown by quantitative PCR assays. The silencing of endogenous NIF-1 also resulted in a comparable decrease in the RAR-mediated induction of both Sox9 and HoxA1. Furthermore, CCR4 associates in vivo with NIF-1. In addition, the CCR4-enhanced transcriptional activation by nuclear receptors is dependent on NIF-1. The small interference RNA-mediated knockdown of NIF-1 blocks the ligand-dependent potentiating effect of CCR4. Our results suggest that CCR4 plays a role in the regulation of certain endogenous RARalpha target genes and that RCD1 and CCR4 might mediate their function through their interaction with NIF-1.

Public meeting on radiation safety for industrial radiographerss: remarks, questions and answers at five NRC regional meetings

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1978-11-01

Over the past several years thenumber of radiation overexposures experienced in the radiography industry has been higher than for any other single group of NRC licensees. To inform radiography licensees of NRC's concern fo these recurring overexposure incidents, NRC staff representatives met with licensees in a series of five regional meetings. At these meetings the staff presented prepared remarks and answered questions on NRC regulations and operations. The main purposes of the meetings were to express NRC's concern for the high incidence of overexposures, and to open a line of communication between the NRC and radiography licensees in an effort to achieve the common goal of improved radiation safety. The remarks presented by the staff and subjects discussed at these meetings included: the purpose, scope, findings and goals of the NRC inspection program; ways and means of incorporating safety into radiography operations; and case histories of overexposure incidents, with highlights of the causes and possible preventions. At each of the regional meetings the staff received a request for a copy of the prepared remarks and a consolidation of the questions and answers that were discussed. This document includes that information, and a copy is being provided to each organizaion or firm attending the regional meetings. Requests for other copies should be made in accordance with the directions printed inside the front cover of this document

Draft Genome Sequence of a Chitinase-producing Biocontrol Bacterium Serratia sp. C-1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seur Kee Park

2015-09-01

Full Text Available The chitinase-producing bacterial strain C-1 is one of the key chitinase-producing biocontrol agents used for effective bioformulations for biological control. These bioformulations are mixed cultures of various chitinolytic bacteria. However, the precise identification, biocontrol activity, and the underlying mechanisms of the strain C-1 have not been investigated so far. Therefore, we evaluated in planta biocontrol efficacies of C-1 and determined the draft genome sequence of the strain in this study. The bacterial C-1 strain was identified as a novel Serratia sp. by a phylogenic analysis of its 16S rRNA sequence. The Serratia sp. C-1 bacterial cultures showed strong in planta biocontrol efficacies against some major phytopathogenic fungal diseases. The draft genome sequence of Serratia sp. C-1 indicated that the C-1 strain is a novel strain harboring a subset of genes that may be involved in its biocontrol activities.

NRC approach to evaluating training effectiveness in accordance with the policy statement on training

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Persensky, J.J.; Blumer, A.H.

1985-01-01

The activity of the past two years has provided an opportunity for the NRC to examine and realign the way in which it views the training process. In the process, it has provided the industry with an incentive to emphasize training as an opportunity for enlightened self-regulation. As a result, the NRC and industry perspectives on training have, for all intents and purposes, merged into a single performance orientation. This cooperation should provide the needed momentum towards improvements in training effectiveness. It is the NRC's goal to monitor this momentum and to encourage progress toward the ideal of systematic, performance-based training for all essential personnel in the nuclear industry

Comparison between Radiology Science Laboratory, Brazil (LCR) and National Research Council, Canada (NRC) of the absorbed dose in water using Fricke dosimetry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salata, Camila; David, Mariano Gazineu; Almeida, Carlos Eduardo de

2014-01-01

The absorbed dose to water standards for HDR brachytherapy dosimetry developed by the Radiology Science Laboratory, Brazil (LCR) and the National Research Council, Canada (NRC), were compared. The two institutions have developed absorbed dose standards based on the Fricke dosimetry system. There are significant differences between the two standards as far as the preparation and readout of the Fricke solution and irradiation geometry of the holder. Measurements were done at the NRC laboratory using a single Ir-192 source. The comparison of absorbed dose measurements was expressed as the ratio Dw(NRC)/Dw(LCR), which was found to be 1.026. (author)

Implementation study for the NRC Application and Development Facility

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherwood, R.J.; Ross, D.J.; Sasser, D.W.

1979-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has expressed the desire to establish an Application and Development Facility (ADF) for NRC Headquarters. The ADF is a computer system which will provide safeguards analysts access to safeguards analysis computer software. This report analyzes the issues, requirements and options available in the establishment of an ADF. The purpose and goals of the ADF are presented, along with some general issues to be considered in the implementation of such a system. A phased approach for ADF implementation, which will allow for the earliest possible access to existing codes and also allow for future expansion, is outlined. Several options for central computers are discussed, along with the characteristics and approximate costs for each. The report concludes with recommended actions proposed to start the development of the ADF

NRC Regulatory Agenda. Quarterly report, July-September 1985

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a quarterly compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed, or is considering action as well as those on which it has recently completed action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received and are pending disposition by the Commission

NRC Regulatory Agenda: Quarterly report, January--March 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1988-07-01

The Regulatory Agenda is a quarterly compilation of all rules on which the NRC has proposed, or is considering action as well as those on which it has recently completed action, and all petitions for rulemaking which have been received and are pending disposition by the Commission

SP-D impedes transfer of HIV-1 from multi-layered vaginal epithelium with a distinct gene signature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hrishikesh Pandit

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Surfactant Protein (SP D is a member of the collectin family of soluble pattern recognition receptors. We have previously shown that a recombinant fragment of SP-D (rhSP-D inhibits gp120-CD4 interaction and HIV-1 entry in target cells. To potentiate its prophylactic use as a vaginal microbicide, we determined ex vivo efficacy using organotypic human vaginal-ectocervical epithelia (VEC-100 that closely resemble the native tissues of origin. VEC-100, stratified human vaginal-ectocervical tissues grown on membrane inserts were treated with rhSP-D followed by a challenge with HIV-1 to assess the transfer of HIV-1 through the VEC-100 tissues to PBMCs in the basal submucosal compartment. Treated VEC tissues were subjected to mRNA Illumina microarray analysis. Levels of transcripts encoding for immune mediators, adhesion and tight junction proteins were also evaluated. Effect of rhSP-D on viability, NFκB activation, cytokine secretion and bacterial colonization of cervical vaginal epithelial cells was determined. rhSP-D significantly inhibited HIV-1 transfer from the multi-layered epithelial tissues to the basal PBMCs as compared to HIV-1 alone. Global gene expression profile of HIV-1 challenged VEC-100 tissues revealed differential regulation of genes and pathways majorly involved in inflammation, cell survival and transcription factors. Levels of Guanylate-binding proteins (GBPs and interferon-inducible proteins were significantly upregulated suggesting an interferon host defense response. rhSP-D showed an inhibition in the levels of GBPs and rescued the cell adhesion molecules such as Claudin 2, 3, 4, 5 and Occludin, known to be down regulated by HIV-1 in primary vaginal cells. Importantly, rhSP-D conditioned VEC tissue supernatants did not enhance susceptibility of target cells to HIV-1. rhSP-D treated vaginal epithelial cells did not show any significant alteration in viability, NFκB activation and levels of immune mediators like IL-1RA, Elafin

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL), Pre-NRC through December 31, 1983. Rev. 9

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-06-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing/allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms-related, radiological sabotage and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

Serine proteases SP1 and SP13 mediate the melanization response of Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis, against entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Chu, Yuan; Liu, Yang; Shen, Dongxu; Hong, Fang; Wang, Guirong; An, Chunju

2015-06-01

Exposure to entomopathogenic fungi is one approach for insect pest control. Little is known about the immune interactions between fungus and its insect host. Melanization is a prominent immune response in insects in defending against pathogens such as bacteria and fungi. Clip domain serine proteases in insect plasma have been implicated in the activation of prophenoloxidase, a key enzyme in the melanization. The relationship between host melanization and the infection by a fungus needs to be established. We report here that the injection of entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana induced both melanin synthesis and phenoloxidase activity in its host insect, the Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Guenée). qRT-PCR analysis showed several distinct patterns of expression of 13 clip-domain serine proteases in response to the challenge of fungi, with seven increased, two decreased, and four unchanged. Of special interest among these clip-domain serine protease genes are SP1 and SP13, the orthologs of Manduca sexta HP6 and PAP1 which are involved in the prophenoloxidase activation pathway. Recombinant O. furnacalis SP1 was found to activate proSP13 and induce the phenoloxidase activity in corn borer plasma. Additionally, SP13 was determined to directly cleave prophenoloxidase and therefore act as the prophenoloxidase activating protease. Our work thus reveals a biochemical mechanism in the melanization in corn borer associated with the challenge by B. bassiana injection. These insights could provide valuable information for better understanding the immune responses of Asian corn borer against B. bassiana. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Biodegradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1.

Science.gov (United States)

Tallur, Preeti N; Mulla, Sikandar I; Megadi, Veena B; Talwar, Manjunatha P; Ninnekar, Harichandra Z

2015-01-01

Pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin is a environmental pollutant because of its widespread use, toxicity and persistence. Biodegradation of such chemicals by microorganisms may provide an cost-effective method for their detoxification. We have investigated the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 in various matrices such as, polyurethane foam (PUF), polyacrylamide, sodium alginate and agar. The optimum temperature and pH for the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. were found to be 30 °C and 7.0, respectively. The rate of degradation of 10 and 20 mM of cypermethrin by freely suspended cells were compared with that of immobilized cells in batches and semi-continuous with shaken cultures. PUF-immobilized cells showed higher degradation of cypermethrin (10 mM and 20 mM) than freely suspended cells and cells immobilized in other matrices. The PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 were retain their degradation capacity. Thus, they can be reused for more than 32 cycles, without losing their degradation capacity. Hence, the PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. could potentially be used in the bioremediation of cypermethrin contaminated water.

Biodegradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Preeti N. Tallur

2015-09-01

Full Text Available Pyrethroid pesticide cypermethrin is a environmental pollutant because of its widespread use, toxicity and persistence. Biodegradation of such chemicals by microorganisms may provide an cost-effective method for their detoxification. We have investigated the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 in various matrices such as, polyurethane foam (PUF, polyacrylamide, sodium alginate and agar. The optimum temperature and pH for the degradation of cypermethrin by immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. were found to be 30 °C and 7.0, respectively. The rate of degradation of 10 and 20 mM of cypermethrin by freely suspended cells were compared with that of immobilized cells in batches and semi-continuous with shaken cultures. PUF-immobilized cells showed higher degradation of cypermethrin (10 mM and 20 mM than freely suspended cells and cells immobilized in other matrices. The PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. strain CPN 1 were retain their degradation capacity. Thus, they can be reused for more than 32 cycles, without losing their degradation capacity. Hence, the PUF-immobilized cells of Micrococcus sp. could potentially be used in the bioremediation of cypermethrin contaminated water.

Friction correction for model ship resistance and propulsion tests in ice at NRC's OCRE-RC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Lau

2018-05-01

Full Text Available This paper documents the result of a preliminary analysis on the influence of hull-ice friction coefficient on model resistance and power predictions and their correlation to full-scale measurements. The study is based on previous model-scale/full-scale correlations performed on the National Research Council - Ocean, Coastal, and River Engineering Research Center's (NRC/OCRE-RC model test data. There are two objectives for the current study: (1 to validate NRC/OCRE-RC's modeling standards in regarding to its practice of specifying a CFC (Correlation Friction Coefficient of 0.05 for all its ship models; and (2 to develop a correction methodology for its resistance and propulsion predictions when the model is prepared with an ice friction coefficient slightly deviated from the CFC of 0.05. The mean CFC of 0.056 and 0.050 for perfect correlation as computed from the resistance and power analysis, respectively, have justified NRC/OCRE-RC's selection of 0.05 for the CFC of all its models. Furthermore, a procedure for minor friction corrections is developed. Keywords: Model test, Ice resistance, Power, Friction correction, Correlation friction coefficient

Analogies between respiration and a light-driven proton pump as sources of energy for active glutamate transport in Halobacterium halobium

Science.gov (United States)

Belliveau, J. W.; Lanyi, J. K.

1977-01-01

Halobacterium halobium is known to contain sheets of bacteriorhodopsin, a pigment which upon exposure to light undergoes cyclic protonation and deprotonation, resulting in net H(+) translocation. In this paper, experiments were conducted to test H. halobium cell envelope vesicles for respiration-induced glutamate uptake. It is shown that glutamate transport in H. halobium cell envelope vesicles can occur as a result of respiration, as well as light acting on bacteriorhodopsin. Glutamate transport can be energized by the oxidation of dimethyl phenylenediamine, and the properties of the transport system are entirely analogous to those observed with illumination as the source of energy. In the case of respiration-dependent glutamate transport, the transportation is also driven by a Na(+) gradient, thereby confirming the existence of a single glutamate transport system independent of the source of energy. The analogy observed is indirect evidence that the cytochrome oxidase of H. halobium functions as a H(+) pump.

Geotechnical engineering considerations in the NRC's review of uranium mill tailings remedial action plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gillen, D.M.

1985-01-01

To reduce potential health hazards associated with inactive uranium mill tailings sites, the Department of Energy (DOE) is presently investigating and implementing remedial actions at 24 sites in the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Program (UMTRAP). All remedial actions must be selected and performed with the concurrence of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). This paper provides a discussion of geotechnical engineering considerations during the NRC's preconcurrence review of proposed remedial action plans. In order for the NRC staff to perform an adequate geotechnical engineering review, DOE documents must contain a presentation of the properties and stability of all in-situ and engineered soil and rock which may affect the ability of the remedial action plans to meet EPA standards for long-term stability and control. Site investigations, laboratory testing, and remedial action designs must be adequate in scope and technique to provide sufficient data for the NRC staff to independently evaluate static and dynamic stability, settlement, radon attenuation through the soil cover, durability of rock for erosion protection, and other geotechnical engineering factors

Protective roles of bacterioruberin and intracellular KCl in the resistance of Halobacterium salinarium against DNA-damaging agents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shahmohammadi, H.R.; Asgarani, E.; Terato, Hiroaki; Saito, Takeshi; Ohyama, Yoshihiko; Gekko, Kunihiko; Yamamoto, Osamu; Ide, Hiroshi

1998-01-01

Halobacterium salinarium, a member of the extremely halophilic archaebacteria, contains a C 50 -carotenoid namely bacterioruberin. We have previously reported the high resistance of this organism against the lethal actions of DNA-damaging agents including ionizing radiation and ultraviolet light (UV). In this study, we have examined whether bacterioruberin and the highly concentrated salts in this bacterium play protective roles against the lethal actions of ionizing radiation, UV, hydrogen peroxide, and mitomycin-C (MMC). The colourless mutant of H. salinarium deficient in bacterioruberin was more sensitive than the red-pigmented wild-type to all tested DNA-damaging agents except MMC. Circular dichroism (CD) spectra of H. salinarium chromosomal DNA at various concentrations of KCl (0-3.5 M) were similar to that of B-DNA, indicating that no conformational changes occurred as a result of high salt concentrations. However, DNA strand-breaks induced by ionizing radiation were significantly reduced by the presence of either bacterioruberin or concentrated KCl, presumably due to scavenging of free radicals. These results suggest that bacterioruberin and intracellular KCl of H. salinarium protect this organism against the lethal effects of oxidative DNA-damaging agents. (author)

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL). Pre-NRC through December 31, 1984. Revision 10

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-05-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, non-radiological sabotage and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions in derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

Proceedings of the 23rd DOE/NRC nuclear air cleaning conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

First, M.W. [ed.] [Harvard Univ., Boston, MA (United States). Harvard Air Cleaning Lab.

1995-02-01

The report contains the papers presented at the 23rd DOE/NRC Nuclear Air Cleaning Conference and the associated discussions. Major topics are: (1) nuclear air cleaning codes, (2) nuclear waste, (3) filters and filtration, (4) effluent stack monitoring, (5) gas processing, (6) adsorption, (7) air treatment systems, (8) source terms and accident analysis, and (9) fuel reprocessing. Selected papers are indexed separately for inclusion in the Energy Science and Technology Database.

Sex determination and differentiation in Aurelia sp.1: the absence of temperature dependence

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Chunsheng; Gu, Zhifeng; Xing, Mengxin; Sun, Yun; Chen, Siqing; Chen, Zhaoting

2018-03-01

Cnidarians, being regarded as `basal' metazoan animals, are considered to have relatively high plasticity in terms of sex reversal. In this study we used an experimental approach to demonstrate sexual differentiation and plasticity in benthic polyps and pelagic medusae of Aurelia sp.1 maintained at different temperatures. Results indicated that in Aurelia sp.1, sex differentiation has been determined at the polyp stage and that all medusae originating from a given polyp are, phenotypically, of the same sex. In addition, the sex of polyps budding from the same clone (either male or female) at different temperatures appears to be the same as that of the parent. The sex of medusae that had originated from a known-sex polyp was observed to remain the same as that of the parent, irrespective of differences in strobilation or rearing temperatures. These results indicate that the mechanism of sex determination of Aurelia sp.1. is not influenced by prevailing temperature regimes. A comparison of variability in terms of sexual plasticity of Aurelia sp.1 with that of Hydrozoa and Anthozoa suggests that species characterized by a free-swimming medusa life stage have a high dispersal potential, which probably results in a lower rate of sex reversal.

Effect of space flight on seeds and plant growth of Dianthus barbatus in SP1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Xuejun; Teng Wenjun; Yuan Xiaohuan; Chao Gongping; Zhang Jianfang; Sun Zhenyuan

2011-01-01

The dry seeds of Dianthus barbatus were carried by recoverable satellite No.21 of China, and seeds were sown after returning back to the ground. The growth characteristic were observed, including seed vitality, emergence rate, plant growth and chlorophyll content of SP 1 generation. The results showed that the seed vitality, emergence rate and plant height, flower stalk length in SP 1 generation were significantly decreased and the floret size were significantly increased. The leaf width, chlorophyll content and chlorophyll a/b ratio decreased, while crown diameter and floret number increased in SP 1 generation plants. (authors)

Improvement of Fish Sauce Quality by Strain CMC5-3-1: A Novel Species of Staphylococcus sp.

Science.gov (United States)

Udomsil, Natteewan; Rodtong, Sureelak; Tanasupawat, Somboon; Yongsawatdigul, Jirawat

2015-09-01

Staphylococcus sp. CMC5-3-1 and CMS5-7-5 isolated from fermented fish sauce at 3 to 7 mo, respectively, showed different characteristics on protein hydrolysis and volatile formation. These Gram-positive cocci were able to grow in up to 15% NaCl with the optimum at 0.5% to 5% NaCl in tryptic soy broth. Based on ribosomal 16S rRNA gene sequences, Staphylococcus sp. CMC5-3-1 and CMS5-7-5 showed 99.0% similarity to that of Staphylococcus piscifermentans JCM 6057(T) , but DNA-DNA relatedness was sauce inoculated with Staphylococcus sp. CMC5-3-1 was 740.5 mM, which was higher than that inoculated by the strain CMS5-7-5 (662.14 mM, P sauce inoculated with Staphylococcus sp. CMC5-3-1 showed the highest content of total glutamic acid (P sauce inoculated with Staphylococcus sp. CMC5-3-1 was 2-methypropanal, contributing to the desirable dark chocolate note. Staphylococcus sp. CMC5-3-1 could be applied as a starter culture to improve the umami and aroma of fish sauce. © 2015 Institute of Food Technologists®

Summary of NRC LWR safety research programs on fuel behavior, metallurgy/materials and operational safety

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bennett, G.L.

1979-09-01

The NRC light-water reactor safety-research program is part of the NRC regulatory program for ensuring the safety of nuclear power plants. This paper summarizes the results of NRC-sponsored research into fuel behavior, metallurgy and materials, and operational safety. The fuel behavior research program provides a detailed understanding of the response of nuclear fuel assemblies to postulated off-normal or accident conditions. Fuel behavior research includes studies of basic fuel rod properties, in-reactor tests, computer code development, fission product release and fuel meltdown. The metallurgy and materials research program provides independent confirmation of the safe design of reactor vessels and piping. This program includes studies on fracture mechanics, irradiation embrittlement, stress corrosion, crack growth, and nondestructive examination. The operational safety research provides direct assistance to NRC officials concerned with the operational and operational-safety aspects of nuclear power plants. The topics currently being addressed include qualification testing evaluation, fire protection, human factors, and noise diagnostics

Licensing considerations in converting NRC-licensed non-power reactors from high-enriched to low-enriched uranium fuels

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carter, R.E.

1985-01-01

During the mid-1970s, there was increasing concern with the possibility that highly enriched uranium (HEU), widely used in non-power reactors around the world, might be diverted from its intended peaceful uses. In 1982 the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a policy statement that was intended to conform with the perceived international thinking, and that addressed the two relevant areas in which NRC has statutory responsibility, namely, export of special nuclear materials for non-USA non-power reactors, and the licensing of USA-based non-power reactors not owned by the Federal government. To further address the second area, NRC issued a proposed rule for public comment that would require all NRC-licensed non-power reactors using HEU to convert to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, unless they could demonstrate a unique purpose. Currently the NRC staff is revising the proposed rule. An underlying principle guiding the staff is that as long as a change in enrichment does not lead to safety-related reactor modifications, and does not involve an unreviewed safety question, the licensee could convert the core without prior NRC approval. At the time of writing this paper, a regulatory method of achieving this principle has not been finalized. (author)

Licensing considerations in converting NRC-licensed non-power reactors from high-enriched to low-enriched uranium fuels

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Carter, R E

1985-07-01

During the mid-1970s, there was increasing concern with the possibility that highly enriched uranium (HEU), widely used in non-power reactors around the world, might be diverted from its intended peaceful uses. In 1982 the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) issued a policy statement that was intended to conform with the perceived international thinking, and that addressed the two relevant areas in which NRC has statutory responsibility, namely, export of special nuclear materials for non-USA non-power reactors, and the licensing of USA-based non-power reactors not owned by the Federal government. To further address the second area, NRC issued a proposed rule for public comment that would require all NRC-licensed non-power reactors using HEU to convert to low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel, unless they could demonstrate a unique purpose. Currently the NRC staff is revising the proposed rule. An underlying principle guiding the staff is that as long as a change in enrichment does not lead to safety-related reactor modifications, and does not involve an unreviewed safety question, the licensee could convert the core without prior NRC approval. At the time of writing this paper, a regulatory method of achieving this principle has not been finalized. (author)

Kaempferol stimulates gene expression of low-density lipoprotein receptor through activation of Sp1 in cultured hepatocytes

Science.gov (United States)

Ochiai, Ayasa; Miyata, Shingo; Iwase, Masamori; Shimizu, Makoto; Inoue, Jun; Sato, Ryuichiro

2016-01-01

A high level of plasma low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is considered a risk factor for atherosclerosis. Because the hepatic LDL receptor (LDLR) is essential for clearing plasma LDL cholesterol, activation of LDLR is a promising therapeutic target for patients with atherosclerotic disease. Here we demonstrated how the flavonoid kaempferol stimulated the gene expression and activity of LDLR in HepG2 cells. The kaempferol-mediated stimulation of LDLR gene expression was completely inhibited by knockdown of Sp1 gene expression. Treatment of HepG2 cells with kaempferol stimulated the recruitment of Sp1 to the promoter region of the LDLR gene, as well as the phosphorylation of Sp1 on Thr-453 and Thr-739. Moreover, these kaempferol-mediated processes were inhibited in the presence of U0126, an ERK pathway inhibitor. These results suggest that kaempferol may increase the activity of Sp1 through stimulation of Sp1 phosphorylation by ERK1/2 and subsequent induction of LDLR expression and activity. PMID:27109240

75 FR 20009 - Development of NRC's Safety Culture Policy Statement: Cancellation of Public Workshops Scheduled...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-16

... included the development of the safety culture common terminology effort comprised of: (1) Development of a... alignment on the safety culture common terminology effort. The NRC held the first workshop on February 2-4... of individual industry groups, such as, [[Page 20010

A simple program to reduce the stress associated with NRC nuclear operator examinations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sajwau, T.; Chardos, S.

1988-01-01

The NRC license for nuclear reactor operators requires periodic written examinations to demonstrate ongoing technical competency. Poor performance raises a competency question and can affect the individuals' careers. Accordingly, the exams can be highly stressful events. Stress has been demonstrated to affect memory, perception, other cognitive attitudes, and test performance. The phenomenon of test anxiety is well known. Instead of a generic, broadly focused stress management approach, a sharply focused, two-part program was developed for TVA operators scheduled to take the NRC examination. The first part was presented early in preparatory training, and the second part was given just prior to the examination. The first part consisted of a simple model of stress found in exams, early warning signs of test stress, and tactics of stress management that were practical to use during the NRC exam itself

Low temperature electron microscopy and electron diffraction of the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayward, S.B.

1978-09-01

The structure of the purple membrane of Halobacterium halobium was studied by high resolution electron microscopy and electron diffraction, primarily at low temperature. The handedness of the purple membrane diffraction pattern with respect to the cell membrane was determined by electron diffraction of purple membranes adsorbed to polylysine. A new method of preparing frozen specimens was used to preserve the high resolution order of the membranes in the electron microscope. High resolution imaging of glucose-embedded purple membranes at room temperature was used to relate the orientation of the diffraction pattern to the absolute orientation of the structure of the bacteriorhodopsin molecule. The purple membrane's critical dose for electron beam-induced damage was measured at room temperature and at -120 0 C, and was found to be approximately five times greater at -120 0 C. Because of this decrease in radiation sensitivity, imaging of the membrane at low temperature should result in an increased signal-to-noise ratio, and thus better statistical definition of the phases of weak reflections. Higher resolution phases may thus be extracted from images than can be determined by imaging at room temperature. To achieve this end, a high resolution, liquid nitrogen-cooled stage was built for the JEOL-100B. Once the appropriate technology for taking low dose images at very high resolution has been developed, this stage will hopefully be used to determine the high resolution structure of the purple membrane

International cooperation during radiological emergencies. NRC program guidance for the provision of technical advice to foreign counterpart organizations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Senseney, R.

1986-04-01

This report defines the scope, application, and limits of the technical cooperation the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) would provide, upon request, to a foreign regulatory agency in a nuclear emergency. It outlines the basis for such cooperation, offers a model written agreement, and describes recent cases of NRC assistance. It also identifies non-NRC sources of emergency advisory assistance available to foreign organizations

Inducible Expression of the De-Novo Designed Antimicrobial Peptide SP1-1 in Tomato Confers Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Areli Herrera Diaz

Full Text Available Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs are small peptides with less than 50 amino acids and are part of the innate immune response in almost all organisms, including bacteria, vertebrates, invertebrates and plants. AMPs are active against a broad-spectrum of pathogens. The inducible expression of AMPs in plants is a promising approach to combat plant pathogens with minimal negative side effects, such as phytotoxicity or infertility. In this study, inducible expression of the de-novo designed AMP SP1-1 in Micro Tom tomato protected tomato fruits against bacterial spot disease caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. vesicatoria. The peptide SP1-1 was targeted to the apoplast which is the primary infection site for plant pathogens, by fusing SP1-1 peptide to the signal peptide RsAFP1 of radish (Raphanus sativus. The pathogen inducibility of the expression was enabled by using an optimized inducible 4XW2/4XS promoter. As a result, the tomato fruits of independently generated SP1-1 transgenic lines were significantly more resistant to X. campestris pv. vesicatoria than WT tomato fruits. In transgenic lines, bacterial infection was reduced up to 65% in comparison to the infection of WT plants. Our study demonstrates that the combination of the 4XW2/4XS cis-element from parsley with the synthetic antimicrobial peptide SP1-1 is a good alternative to protect tomato fruits against infections with X. campestris pv. vesicatoria.

Pilot program: NRC severe reactor accident incident response training manual: Severe reactor accident overview

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenna, T.J.; Martin, J.A.; Miller, C.W.; Hively, L.M.; Sharpe, R.W.; Giitter, J.G.; Watkins, R.M.

1987-02-01

This pilot training manual has been written to fill the need for a general text on NRC response to reactor accidents. The manual is intended to be the foundation for a course for all NRC response personnel. Severe Reactor Accident Overview is the second in a series of volumes that collectively summarize the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) emergency response during severe power reactor accidents and provide necessary background information. This volume describes elementary perspectives on severe accidents and accident assesment. Each volume serves, respectively, as the text for a course of instruction in a series of courses. Each volume is accompanied by an appendix of slides that can be used to present this material. The slides are called out in the text

Ovos de Toxocara sp. e larvas de Ancylostoma sp. em praça pública de Lavras, MG Toxocara sp. eggs and Ancylostoma sp. larva in public parks, Brazil

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antônio Marcos Guimarães

2005-04-01

Full Text Available Larva migrans visceral e cutânea são zoonoses parasitárias causadas pela infecção da larva de Toxocara sp. e Ancylostoma sp., respectivamente. O objetivo do estudo foi verificar a contaminação por ovos de Toxocara sp. e ovos e larvas de Ancylostoma sp. em amostras de solos coletadas de praças públicas e de áreas de recreação infantil de Lavras, Estado de Minas Gerais, por meio da técnica de centrífugo-flutuação e do método de Baermann. A ocorrência de ovos de Toxocara sp. e, ovos e larvas de Ancylostoma sp. foi observada em 69,6% (16/23 das amostras de solo coletadas de praças públicas. A contaminação somente por ovos de Ancylostoma sp. em amostras de solo coletadas em escolas/creches foi de 22,2% (4/18. A percentagem de amostras de areia coletadas de escolas/creches contaminadas somente com larvas de Ancylostoma sp. foi de 11,1% (2/18. Praças públicas são as áreas com maior risco potencial de infecção por Toxocara sp. e Ancylostoma sp. Exame coproparasitológico realizado em 174 amostras de fezes de cães observou 58% e 23%, respectivamente, com ovos de Ancylostoma sp. e Toxocara sp.Visceral and cutaneous larva migrans are parasitic zoonoses caused by the infection of larval nematodes Toxocara sp. and Ancylostoma sp. respectively. The objective of this study was to investigate the contamination by Toxocara sp. eggs and Ancylostoma sp. eggs and larva of soil samples collected from public parks and children's playground areas in state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, using both Baermann's method and centrifugal flotation technique. Toxocara sp. and Ancylostoma sp. eggs were observed in soil samples collected from public squares in 17.4% (4/23 and 69.6 (16/23 respectively. In schools and child day care settings the contamination by Ancylostoma sp. larva in sand samples was 11.1% (2/18. Public parks are settings of more potential risk of Toxocara sp. eggs and Ancylostoma sp. infection. Stool parasitology testing of 174 stool

Amino acid sequences of ribosomal proteins S11 from Bacillus stearothermophilus and S19 from Halobacterium marismortui. Comparison of the ribosomal protein S11 family.

Science.gov (United States)

Kimura, M; Kimura, J; Hatakeyama, T

1988-11-21

The complete amino acid sequences of ribosomal proteins S11 from the Gram-positive eubacterium Bacillus stearothermophilus and of S19 from the archaebacterium Halobacterium marismortui have been determined. A search for homologous sequences of these proteins revealed that they belong to the ribosomal protein S11 family. Homologous proteins have previously been sequenced from Escherichia coli as well as from chloroplast, yeast and mammalian ribosomes. A pairwise comparison of the amino acid sequences showed that Bacillus protein S11 shares 68% identical residues with S11 from Escherichia coli and a slightly lower homology (52%) with the homologous chloroplast protein. The halophilic protein S19 is more related to the eukaryotic (45-49%) than to the eubacterial counterparts (35%).

Transcriptional regulation of human FE65, a ligand of Alzheimer's disease amyloid precursor protein, by Sp1.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Yu, Hoi-Tin

2010-03-01

FE65 is a neuronal-enriched adaptor protein that binds to the Alzheimer\\'s disease amyloid precursor protein (APP). FE65 forms a transcriptionally active complex with the APP intracellular domain (AICD). The precise gene targets for this complex are unclear but several Alzheimer\\'s disease-linked genes have been proposed. Additionally, evidence suggests that FE65 influences APP metabolism. The mechanism by which FE65 expression is regulated is as yet unknown. To gain insight into the regulatory mechanism, we cloned a 1.6 kb fragment upstream of the human FE65 gene and found that it possesses particularly strong promoter activity in neurones. To delineate essential regions in the human FE65 promoter, a series of deletion mutants were generated. The minimal FE65 promoter was located between -100 and +5, which contains a functional Sp1 site. Overexpression of the transcription factor Sp1 potentiates the FE65 promoter activity. Conversely, suppression of the FE65 promoter was observed in cells either treated with an Sp1 inhibitor or in which Sp1 was knocked down. Furthermore, reduced levels of Sp1 resulted in downregulation of endogenous FE65 mRNA and protein. These findings reveal that Sp1 plays a crucial role in transcriptional control of the human FE65 gene.

Directory of Certificates of Compliance for Radioactive Materials Packages: Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Materials Packages

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-10-01

This directory contains a Report of NRC Approved Packages (Volume 1), Certificates of Compliance (Volume 2), and a Report of NRC Approved Quality Assurance Programs for Radioactive Materials Packages (Volume 3). The purpose of this directory is to make available a convenient source of information on Quality Assurance Programs and Packagings which have been approved by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission. Shipments of radioactive material utilizing these packagings must be in accordance with the provisions of 49 CFR section 173.471 and 10 CFR Part 71, as applicable. In satisfying the requirements of Section 71.12, it is the responsibility of the licensees to insure themselves that they have a copy of the current approval and conduct their transportation activities in accordance with an NRC approved quality assurance program

Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL), pre-NRC through December 31, 1989

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-07-01

The Safeguards Summary Event List (SSEL) provides brief summaries of several hundred safeguards-related events involving nuclear material or facilities regulated by the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC). Because of public interest, the Miscellaneous category includes a few events which involve either source material, byproduct material, or natural uranium which are exempt from safeguards requirements. Events are described under the categories of bomb-related, intrusion, missing and/or allegedly stolen, transportation, tampering/vandalism, arson, firearms, radiological sabotage, nonradiological sabotage, alcohol and drugs (involving reactor operators, security force members, or management persons), and miscellaneous. The information contained in the event descriptions is derived primarily from official NRC reporting channels

NRC assessment of the high-level waste repository quality assurance program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennedy, J.E.

1987-01-01

As part of its licensing responsibilities, the NRC is independently reviewing the DOE quality assurance program applied to the site characterization phase activities. Data collected and other information generated during this phase of the program will ultimately be used in a license application to demonstrate the suitability of one site for long-term isolation of waste. They must therefore fall under the quality assurance program to provide confidence in their adequacy. This NRC review consists of three main activities: development of staff guidance on quality assurance measures appropriate for site characterization activities; review of DOE QA plans and procedures; and audits and other reviews of the implementation of the program

76 FR 54507 - Proposed Generic Communication; Draft NRC Generic Letter 2011-XX: Seismic Risk Evaluations for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-09-01

... NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION [NRC-2011-0204] Proposed Generic Communication; Draft NRC Generic... functions. SSCs in operating nuclear power plants are designed either in accordance with, or have been... nuclear reactors. The background information relevant to this GL includes the individual plant...

Pilot program: NRC severe reactor accident incident response training manual: Public protective actions: Predetermined criteria and initial actions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, J.A. Jr.; McKenna, T.J.; Miller, C.W.; Hively, L.M.; Sharpe, R.W.; Giitter, J.G.; Watkins, R.M.

1987-02-01

This pilot training manual has been written to fill the need for a general text on NRC response to reactor accidents. The manual is intended to be the foundation for a course for all NRC response personnel. Public Protective Actions - Predetermined Criteria and Initial Actions is the fourth in a series of volumes that collectively summarize the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) emergency response during severe power reactor accidents and provide necessary background information. This volume reviews public protective action criteria and objectives, their bases and implementation, and the expected public response. Each volume serves, respectively, as the text for a course of instruction in a series of courses for NRC response personnel. These materials do not provide guidance or license requirements for NRC licensees. Each volume is accompanied by an appendix of slides that can be used to present this material. The slides are called out in the text

Bibliography of reports on research sponsored by the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, July--December 1976

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buchanan, J.R.

1977-03-01

A bibliography of 148 reports published by contractors of the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during the period July through December 1976 is presented along with abstracts from the Nuclear Safety Information Center computer file. The bibliography has been sorted into the subject categories used by NRC to organize the research program. Within the subject categories, the reports are sorted by contractor organization and then chronologically. A brief description of the NRC research program precedes the bibliography.

Bibliography of reports on research sponsored by the NRC office of nuclear regulatory research, July--December 1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchanan, J.R.

1978-04-01

A bibliography of 198 reports published by contractors of the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during the period July through December 1977 is presented along with abstracts from the Nuclear Safety Information Center computer file. The bibliography has been sorted into the subject categories used by NRC to organize the research program. Within the subject categories, the reports are arranged first by contractor organization and then chronologically. A brief description of the NRC research program precedes the bibliography

Bibliography of reports on research sponsored by the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research, July--December 1976

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buchanan, J.R.

1977-01-01

A bibliography of 148 reports published by contractors of the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during the period July through December 1976 is presented along with abstracts from the Nuclear Safety Information Center computer file. The bibliography has been sorted into the subject categories used by NRC to organize the research program. Within the subject categories, the reports are sorted by contractor organization and then chronologically. A brief description of the NRC research program precedes the bibliography

Bibliography of reports on research sponsored by the NRC office of nuclear regulatory research, July--December 1977

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Buchanan, J.R.

1978-04-01

A bibliography of 198 reports published by contractors of the NRC Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research during the period July through December 1977 is presented along with abstracts from the Nuclear Safety Information Center computer file. The bibliography has been sorted into the subject categories used by NRC to organize the research program. Within the subject categories, the reports are arranged first by contractor organization and then chronologically. A brief description of the NRC research program precedes the bibliography.

NRC Information No. 88-04: Inadequate qualification and documentation of fire barrier penetration seals

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rossi, C.E.

1992-01-01

The current NRC review was prompted by reports, inspection findings, allegations, and other information that indicated the possibility that NRC requirements for fire barrier penetration seals were not being met in all aspects. The review included: evaluations of fire barrier penetration seal specifications and procedures developed by licensees, licensee agents, and licensee contractors; evaluations of various fire barrier penetration seal tests and test data; and inspections of various fire barrier penetrations seal designs and installations. The types of concerns identified to date and mentioned below are related to weaknesses in the implementation of NRC requirements and guidelines as related to fire barrier penetration seal design qualification. The NRC review also has identified a current practice that can affect the qualification status of installed seals. Plant modifications are being made that require running new cable and conduits through existing penetration seals. These modifications are generally being made without an associated technical review to ensure that the resulting penetration seal design configuration or design parameters are consistent with those validated by initial qualification tests. Over a period of time, numerous minor modifications to the same area could cumulatively result in a degraded fire barrier rating

NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] perspective of software QA [quality assurance] in the nuclear history

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weiss, S.H.

1988-01-01

Computer technology has been a part of the nuclear industry since its inception. However, it is only recently that computers have been integrated into reactor operations. During the early history of commercial nuclear power in the United States, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) discouraged the use of digital computers for real-time control and monitoring of nuclear power plant operation. At the time, this position was justified since software engineering was in its infancy, and horror stories on computer crashes were plentiful. Since the advent of microprocessors and inexpensive computer memories, significant advances have been made in fault-tolerant computer architecture that have resulted in highly reliable, durable computer systems. The NRC's requirement for safety parameter display system (SPDS) stemmed form the results of studies and investigations conducted on the Three Mile Island Unit 2 (TMI-2) accident. An NRC contractor has prepared a handbook of software QA techniques applicable to the nuclear industry, published as NUREG/CR-4640 in August 1987. Currently, the NRC is considering development of an inspection program covering software QA. Future efforts may address verification and validation as applied to expert systems and artificial intelligence programs

aPKC-ι/P-Sp1/Snail signaling induces epithelial-mesenchymal transition and immunosuppression in cholangiocarcinoma.

Science.gov (United States)

Qian, Yawei; Yao, Wei; Yang, Tao; Yang, Yan; Liu, Yan; Shen, Qi; Zhang, Jian; Qi, Weipeng; Wang, Jianming

2017-10-01

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a highly malignant bile duct cancer that tends to invade and metastasize early. The epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) has been implicated in cancer cell invasion and metastasis, as well as in cancer cell evasion of host immunity. In this study, we investigated the interaction between atypical protein kinase C-iota (aPKC-ι) and Snail in the regulation of EMT and its relationship to CCA immunosuppression. Our results demonstrated that aPKC-ι, Snail, and infiltrated immunosuppressive cells were significantly up-regulated in CCA tumor tissues and linked to poor prognosis. aPKC-ι induced EMT and immunosuppression by regulating Snail in vitro and in vivo, although aPKC-ι did not directly interact with Snail in coimmunoprecipitation experiments. To further clarify the molecular interaction between aPKC-ι and Snail in relation to EMT, quantitative iTRAQ-based phosphoproteomic analysis and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry were conducted to identify the substrates of aPKC-ι-dependent phosphorylation. Combined with coimmunoprecipitation, we showed that specificity protein 1 (Sp1) was directly phosphorylated by aPKC-ι on Ser59 (P-Sp1). Both Sp1 and P-Sp1 were up-regulated in CCA tumor tissues and associated with clinicopathological features and poor prognosis in CCA patients. Moreover, using chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we found that P-Sp1 regulated Snail expression by increasing Sp1 binding to the Snail promoter. P-Sp1 also regulated aPKC-ι/Snail-induced EMT-like changes and immunosuppression in CCA cells. Our findings further indicated that CCA cells with EMT-like features appear to generate immunosuppressive natural T regulatory-like cluster of differentiation 4-positive (CD4 + )CD25 - cells rather than to increase CD4 + CD25 + natural T regulatory cells, in part by mediating T regulatory-inducible cytokines such as transforming growth factor β1 and interleukin 2. These results demonstrate that a

Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 isolated from Antarctica: a suitable renewable lipid source for biodiesel production.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Zhuo; Gong, Yangmin; Fang, Xiantao; Hu, Hanhua

2012-11-01

Microalgal lipids are promising alternative feedstocks for biodiesel production. Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1, an oil-rich freshwater microalga isolated from Antarctica, was identified to be a suitable candidate to produce biodiesel in this study. This strain could grow at temperatures ranging from 4 to 35 °C. With regular decrease in nitrate concentration in the medium, large quantities of triacylglycerols accumulated under batch culture conditions detected by thin layer chromatography and BODIPY 505/515 fluorescent staining. Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 achieved the average biomass productivity of 0.105 g l⁻¹ d⁻¹ (dry weight) and nearly the highest lipid content (35 % of dry cell weight) was reached at day 28 in the batch culture. Neutral lipids accounted for 78 % of total lipids, and C18:1 (n-9), C16:0 were the major fatty acids in total lipids, composing 37 and 20 % of total fatty acids of Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 grown for 36 days, respectively. These results suggested that Scenedesmus sp. NJ-1 was a good source of microalgal oils for biodiesel production.

Expression and purification of toxic anti-breast cancer p28-NRC chimeric protein

OpenAIRE

Soleimani, Meysam; Mirmohammad-Sadeghi, Hamid; Sadeghi-Aliabadi, Hojjat; Jahanian-Najafabadi, Ali

2016-01-01

Background: Chimeric proteins consisting of a targeting moiety and a cytotoxic moiety are now under intense research focus for targeted therapy of cancer. Here, we report cloning, expression, and purification of such a targeted chimeric protein made up of p28 peptide as both targeting and anticancer moiety fused to NRC peptide as a cytotoxic moiety. However, since the antimicrobial activity of the NRC peptide would intervene expression of the chimeric protein in Escherichia coli, we evaluated...

Metagenome-Assembled Genome Sequences of Acetobacterium sp. Strain MES1 and Desulfovibrio sp. Strain MES5 from a Cathode-Associated Acetogenic Microbial Community.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Daniel E; Marshall, Christopher W; May, Harold D; Norman, R Sean

2017-09-07

Draft genome sequences of Acetobacterium sp. strain MES1 and Desulfovibrio sp. strain MES5 were obtained from the metagenome of a cathode-associated community enriched within a microbial electrosynthesis system (MES). The draft genome sequences provide insight into the functional potential of these microorganisms within an MES and a foundation for future comparative analyses. Copyright © 2017 Ross et al.

Production of nutritionally-deficient mutants of the axenic blue-green alga Anabaena flos-aquae NRC-44-1 by ultraviolet irradiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kumar, H D; Gorham, P R

1975-01-01

Anabaena flos-aquae NRC-44-1 is a freshwater nitrogen fixing blue-green alga of some ecological significance because of its toxicity. In axenic culture and possibly also in nature, the alga is highly susceptible to lysis at certain stages of its growth. Nothing is known about genetic phenomena governing toxin production, nitrogen fixation or other characteristics of this organism, mainly because of unavailability of mutant strains that could be utilized in genetic experiments. With the object of overcoming this obstacle to the eventual study of genetics of Anabaena flos-aquae, attempts were made to produce and isolate nutritionally-deficient mutants of this species.

Differential regulation of the human progesterone receptor gene through an estrogen response element half site and Sp1 sites.

Science.gov (United States)

Petz, Larry N; Ziegler, Yvonne S; Schultz, Jennifer R; Kim, Hwajin; Kemper, J Kim; Nardulli, Ann M

2004-02-01

The progesterone receptor (PR) gene is regulated by estrogen in normal reproductive tissues and in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Although it is generally thought that estrogen responsiveness is mediated by interaction of the ligand-occupied estrogen receptor (ER) with estrogen response elements (EREs) in target genes, the human progesterone receptor (PR) gene lacks a palindromic ERE. Promoter A of the PR gene does, however, contain an ERE half site upstream of two adjacent Sp1 sites from +571 to +595, the +571 ERE/Sp1 site. We have examined the individual contributions of the ERE half site and the two Sp1 sites in regulating estrogen responsiveness. Transient transfection assays demonstrated that both Sp1 sites were critical for estrogen-mediated activation of the PR gene. Interestingly, rather than decreasing transcription, mutations in the ERE half site increased transcription substantially suggesting that this site plays a role in limiting transcription. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that Sp1 was associated with the +571 ERE/Sp1 site in the endogenous PR gene in the absence and in the presence of estrogen, but that ERalpha was only associated with this region of the PR gene after MCF-7 cells had been treated with estrogen. Our studies provide evidence that effective regulation of transcription through the +571 ERE/Sp1 site requires the binding of ERalpha and Sp1 to their respective cis elements and the appropriate interaction of ERalpha and Sp1 with other coregulatory proteins and transcription factors.

NRC Confirmatory Testing Program for SBWR

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Han, J.T.; Bessette, D.E.; Shotkin, L.M.

1994-01-01

The objective of the NRC Confirmatory Testing Program for SBWR is to provide integral data for code assessment, which reasonably reproduce the important phenomena and processes expected in the SBWR under various loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) and transient conditions. To achieve this objective, the Program consists of four coupled elements: (1) to design and construct an integral, carefully-scaled SBWR test facility at Purdue Univ., (2) to provide pre-construction RELAP5/CONTAIN predictions of the facility design, (3) to provide confirmatory data for code assessment, and (4) to assess the RELAP5/CONTAIN code with data. A description of the open-quotes preliminary designclose quotes of the Purdue test facility and test matrix is presented. The facility is scheduled to be built by December 1994. Approximately 50 tests will be performed from April 1995 through April 1996 and documented by interim data reports. A final and complete data report is scheduled to be published by July 31, 1996

NRC [Nuclear Regulatory Commission] staff evaluation of the General Electric Company Nuclear Reactor Study (''Reed Report'')

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-07-01

In 1975, the General Electric Company (GE) published a Nuclear Reactor Study, also referred to as ''the Reed Report,'' an internal product-improvement study. GE considered the document ''proprietary'' and thus, under the regulations of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), exempt from mandatory public disclosure. Nonetheless, members of the NRC staff reviewed the document in 1976 and determined that it did not raise any significant new safety issues. The staff also reached the same conclusion in subsequent reviews. However, in response to recent inquiries about the report, the staff reevaluated the Reed Report from a 1987 perspective. This re-evaluation, documented in this staff report, concluded that: (1) there are no issues raised in the Reed Report that support a need to curtail the operation of any GE boiling water reactor (BWR); (2) there are no new safety issues raised in the Reed Report of which the staff was unaware; and (3) although certain issues addressed by the Reed Report are still being studied by the NRC and the industry, there is no basis for suspending licensing and operation of GE BWR plants while these issues are being resolved

Canister storage building compliance assessment SNF project NRC equivalency criteria - HNF-SD-SNF-DB-003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

BLACK, D.M.

1999-01-01

This document presents the Project's position on compliance with the SNF Project NRC Equivalency Criteria - HNF-SD-SNF-DE-003, Spent Nuclear Fuel Project Path Forward Additional NRC Requirements. No non-compliances are shown. The compliance statements have been reviewed and approved by DOE. Open items are scheduled to be closed prior to project completion

Transcription of human resistin gene involves an interaction of Sp1 with peroxisome proliferator-activating receptor gamma (PPARgamma.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anil K Singh

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Resistin is a cysteine rich protein, mainly expressed and secreted by circulating human mononuclear cells. While several factors responsible for transcription of mouse resistin gene have been identified, not much is known about the factors responsible for the differential expression of human resistin.We show that the minimal promoter of human resistin lies within approximately 80 bp sequence upstream of the transcriptional start site (-240 whereas binding sites for cRel, CCAAT enhancer binding protein alpha (C/EBP-alpha, activating transcription factor 2 (ATF-2 and activator protein 1 (AP-1 transcription factors, important for induced expression, are present within sequences up to -619. Specificity Protein 1(Sp1 binding site (-276 to -295 is also present and an interaction of Sp1 with peroxisome proliferator activating receptor gamma (PPARgamma is necessary for constitutive expression in U937 cells. Indeed co-immunoprecipitation assay demonstrated a direct physical interaction of Sp1 with PPARgamma in whole cell extracts of U937 cells. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA upregulated the expression of resistin mRNA in U937 cells by increasing the recruitment of Sp1, ATF-2 and PPARgamma on the resistin gene promoter. Furthermore, PMA stimulation of U937 cells resulted in the disruption of Sp1 and PPARgamma interaction. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP assay confirmed the recruitment of transcription factors phospho ATF-2, Sp1, Sp3, PPARgamma, chromatin modifier histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1 and the acetylated form of histone H3 but not cRel, C/EBP-alpha and phospho c-Jun during resistin gene transcription.Our findings suggest a complex interplay of Sp1 and PPARgamma along with other transcription factors that drives the expression of resistin in human monocytic U937 cells.

Review of NRC Regulatory processes and functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1980-01-01

The Advisory Committee on Reactor Safeguards (ACRS) has spent much time over many years observing and examining the NRC licensing process. The Committee is, consequently, in a position to comment on the situation, and it believes this review will be helpful to those examining the regulatory process by discussing how it works, where it is weak, and the opportunities for improvement. The Committee's review may also help put current proposals and discussions in perspective

Spent Nuclear Fuel Project path forward: nuclear safety equivalency to comparable NRC-licensed facilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garvin, L.J.

1995-11-01

This document includes the Technical requirements which meet the nuclear safety objectives of the NRC regulations for fuel treatment and storage facilities. These include requirements regarding radiation exposure limits, safety analysis, design and construction. This document also includes administrative requirements which meet the objectives of the major elements of the NRC licensing process. These include formally documented design and safety analysis, independent technical review, and oppportunity for public involvement

NRC levies $62 100 fee for FY 1993 on all licensees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1993-01-01

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission has issued its final rule on fee collections for fiscal year 1993, partly in response to a court decision that challenged the agency's FY 1991 fee schedule. Because the NRC must recover all of its annual budget - in excess of $500 million - through fees on licensees and users of agency services, those licensees and users are very sensitive about who shoulders how much of the burden. The new rule voids the previous NRC policy of exempting nonprofit educational institutions from the fee schedule, and the allocation of generic costs for low-level waste management to groups of licensees, rather than to individual licensees. The new rule went into effect on August 19

LAMOST DR1: Stellar Parameters and Chemical Abundances with SP_Ace

Science.gov (United States)

Boeche, C.; Smith, M. C.; Grebel, E. K.; Zhong, J.; Hou, J. L.; Chen, L.; Stello, D.

2018-04-01

We present a new analysis of the LAMOST DR1 survey spectral database performed with the code SP_Ace, which provides the derived stellar parameters {T}{{eff}}, {log}g, [Fe/H], and [α/H] for 1,097,231 stellar objects. We tested the reliability of our results by comparing them to reference results from high spectral resolution surveys. The expected errors can be summarized as ∼120 K in {T}{{eff}}, ∼0.2 in {log}g, ∼0.15 dex in [Fe/H], and ∼0.1 dex in [α/Fe] for spectra with S/N > 40, with some differences between dwarf and giant stars. SP_Ace provides error estimations consistent with the discrepancies observed between derived and reference parameters. Some systematic errors are identified and discussed. The resulting catalog is publicly available at the LAMOST and CDS websites.

Recommendations for NEAMS Engagement with the NRC: Preliminary Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bernholdt, David E.

2012-01-01

The vision of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program is to bring a new generation of analytic tools to the nuclear engineering community in order to facilitate students, faculty, industry and laboratory researchers in investigating advanced reactor and fuel cycle designs. Although primarily targeting at advance nuclear technologies, it is anticipated that these new capabilities will also become interesting and useful to the nuclear regulator Consequently, the NEAMS program needs to engage with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the software is being developed to ensure that they are familiar with and ready to respond to this novel approach when the need arises. Through discussions between key NEAMS and NRC staff members, we tentatively recommend annual briefings to the Division of Systems Analysis in the NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. However the NEAC subcommittee review of the NEAMS program may yield recommendations that would need to be considered before finalizing this plan.

NRC nuclear-plant-analyzer concept and status at INEL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aguilar, F.; Wagner, R.J.

1982-01-01

The Office of Research of the US NRC has proposed development of a software-hardware system called the Nuclear Plant Analyzer (NPA). This paper describes how we of the INEL envision the nuclear-plant analyzer. The paper also describes a pilot RELAP5 plant-analyzer project completed during the past year and current work. A great deal of analysis is underway to determine nuclear-steam-system response. System transient analysis being so complex, there is the need to present analytical results in a way that interconnections among phenomena and all the nuances of the transient are apparent. There is the need for the analyst to dynamically control system calculations to simulate plant operation in order to perform what if studies as well as the need to perform system analysis within hours of a plant emergency to diagnose the state of the stricken plant and formulate recovery actions. The NRC-proposed nuclear-plant analyzer can meet these needs

Recommendations for NEAMS Engagement with the NRC: Preliminary Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bernholdt, David E [ORNL

2012-06-01

The vision of the Nuclear Energy Advanced Modeling and Simulation (NEAMS) program is to bring a new generation of analytic tools to the nuclear engineering community in order to facilitate students, faculty, industry and laboratory researchers in investigating advanced reactor and fuel cycle designs. Although primarily targeting at advance nuclear technologies, it is anticipated that these new capabilities will also become interesting and useful to the nuclear regulator Consequently, the NEAMS program needs to engage with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission as the software is being developed to ensure that they are familiar with and ready to respond to this novel approach when the need arises. Through discussions between key NEAMS and NRC staff members, we tentatively recommend annual briefings to the Division of Systems Analysis in the NRC's Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. However the NEAC subcommittee review of the NEAMS program may yield recommendations that would need to be considered before finalizing this plan.

MHTGR demonstration role in the NRC design certification process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelley, A.P. Jr.; Jones, G.

1986-01-01

A modular high-temperature gas-cooled reactor (MHTGR) design is being developed by the US HTGR Program. Because of the small size of the individual modules that would make up a commercial facility, it appears feasible to design and construct a single-module demonstration plant within the funding constraints on the public and private-sector program participants. Furthermore, the safety margins that can be made inherent to the design permit full-scale testing that could supply a new basis for demonstrating investment protection and safety adequacy to the public, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), and potential users. With this in mind, a Project Definition Study was sponsored by Gas-Cooled Reactor Associates and the Tennessee Valley Authority to study the potential benefits of undertaking such a demonstration project. One of the areas investigated was the potential benefits of such a facility in supporting the NRC design certification process, which is envisioned as a necessary commercialization step for the MHTGR

NRC staff review of licensee responses to pressure-locking and thermal-binding issue

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rathbun, H.J.

1996-12-01

Commercial nuclear power plant operating experience has indicated that pressure locking and thermal binding represent potential common mode failure mechanisms that can cause safety-related power-operated gate valves to fail in the closed position, thus rendering redundant safety-related systems incapable of performing their safety functions. In Generic Letter (GL) 95-07, {open_quotes}Pressure Locking and Thermal Binding of Safety-Related Power-Operated Gate Valves,{close_quotes} the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) staff requested that nuclear power plant licensees take certain actions to ensure that valves susceptible to pressure locking or thermal binding are capable of performing their safety functions within the current licensing bases of the facility. The NRC staff has received summary information from licensees in response to GL 95-07 describing actions they have taken to prevent the occurrence of pressure locking and thermal binding. The NRC staff has developed a systematic process to help ensure uniform and consistent review of licensee submittals in response to GL 95-07.

Antibacterial Actions and Potential Phototoxic Effects of Volatile oils of Foeniculum sp. (fennel, Salvia sp. (sage, Vitis sp. (grape, Lavandula sp. (lavender

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elif Ayse Erdogan Eliuz

2016-09-01

Full Text Available In the present study, the volatile compounds of essential oil of Foeniculum vulgare (fennel, Salvia officinalis (sage, Vitis vinifera (grape, Lavandula angustifolia (lavender were analysed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS using the Nist and Willey libraries. It was determined that the main components of Foeniculum sp. were anethole (41.11%, carvacrol (9.18%. whereas main components of Salvia sp were 1.8 cineole (34.09%, caryophyllene (10.95%, camphor (9.44%, α-pinene (8.42%. Vitis sp. contained linoleic acid (36.98%, 2,4-decadienal (30.79%. Finally, volatile component of Lavandula sp. was linalool (33.57%, linalyl acetate (30.74%. Photoxic antibacterial activity of volatile oil of those plants against Escherichia coli (ATCC 25293, Klebsiella pneumoniae (10031, Salmonella thyphimurium, Bacillus subtilis (ATCC 6633, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25925, Enterococcus feacalis (ATCC 29212 were examined by using disc diffusion method. We demonstrated that volatile oil effectively can be activated by a standard LED light. In vitro, significant phototoxicity was demonstrated by volatile oil of Foeniculum sp. and Vitis sp. (P < 0.05, while minor phototoxicity was induced by Lavandula sp. Therefore, volatile oil of plant can be considered as a potential photosensitizer in the photochemical therapy.