The SABR fusion-fission hybrid concept for a fast burner reactor, which combines the IFR-PRISM fast reactor technology and the ITER tokamak physics and fusion technology, is adapted for a fusion-fission hybrid reactor, designated SABrR. SABrR is a sodium-cooled 3000 MWth reactor fueled with U-Pu-10Zr. For the chosen fuel and core geometry, two configurations of neutron reflector and tritium breeding structures are investigated: one which emphasizes a high tritium production rate and the other which emphasizes a high fissile production rate. Neutronics calculations are performed using the ERANOS 2.0 code package, which was developed in order to model the Phenix and SuperPhenix reactors. Both configurations are capable of producing fissile breeding ratios of about 1.3 while producing enough tritium to remain tritium-self-sufficient throughout the burnup cycle; in addition, the major factors which limit metal fuel residence time, fuel burnup and radiation damage to the cladding material, are modest.

Velocity distributions are a key to understanding the interplay between particles and waves in a plasma. Any deviation from a Maxwellian distribution may be unstable and result in wave generation. Using data from the ion mass spectrometer IMA (Ion Mass Analyzer) and the magnetometer MAG on-board Venus Express,  ion distributions in the plasma environment of Venus are studied. The focus lies on temperature anisotropy, that is, the difference between the ion temperature parallel and perpendicular to the background magnetic field. This study presents spatial maps of the average ratio between the perpendicular temperature <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cperp" /> and parallel temperature <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cparallel" />, both for proton and heavy ions (atomic oxygen, molecularoxygen and carbon dioxide). Furthermore average values of <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cperp" /> and <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cparallel" /> are calculated for different spatial areas around Venus. The results show that proton <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cperp" /> and <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cparallel" /> are nearly equal in the solar wind. At the bow shock and in the magnetosheath, the ratio <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cperp/T_%5Cparallel" /> increases to provide conditions favoring mirror mode wave generation. An even higher anisotropy is found in the magnetotail with <img src="http://www.diva-portal.org/cgi-bin/mimetex.cgi?T_%5Cperp/T_%5Cparallel%5Capprox%202" /> for both protons and heavy ions.

The mechanisms involved in the transfer of mass and energy from the solar wind to any planetary magnetosphere is considered an important topic in space physics. With the use of the Mercury spacecraft MESSENGER's data, it has been possible to study these processes in an environment different, yet similar, to Earth's. These data have resulted in new knowledge advancing not only the extraterrestrial space plasma research, but also the general space physics field.   This thesis aims to investigate mechanisms for the transfer of mass and energy into Mercury’s magnetosphere, and magnetospheric regions affected by, and processes directly driven by, these. The work includes the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) at the magnetopause, which is one of the main drivers for mass and energy transfer on Earth, the low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL), which is in direct connection to the magnetopause and proposed to be affected by the KHI, magnetospheric ultra-low frequency (ULF) waves driven by the KHI, and isolated magnetic field structures in the magnetosheath as possible analogues to the Earth magnetosheath plasmoids and jets.   Kelvin-Helmholtz waves (KHW) and the LLBL are identified and characterized. The KHWs are observed almost exclusively on the duskside magnetopause, something that has not been observed on Earth. In contrast, the LLBL shows an opposite asymmetry. Results suggest that the KHI and LLBL are connected, possibly by the LLBL creating the asymmetry observed for the KHWs.   Isolated changes of the total magnetic field strength in the magnetosheath are identified. The similar properties of the solar wind and magnetosheath negative magnetic field structures suggest that they are analogues to diamagnetic plasmoids found on Earth. No clear analogues to paramagnetic plasmoids are found.     Distinct magnetospheric ULF wave signatures are detected frequently in close connection to KHWs. Results from the polarization analysis on the dayside ULF waves indicate that the majority of these are most probably driven by the KHI. In general, likely KHI driven ULF waves are observed frequently in the Hermean magnetosphere.  Although similar in many aspects, Mercury and Earth show fundamental differences in processes and structures, making Mercury a highly interesting planet to study to increase our knowledge of Earth-like planets. / <p>QC 20170519</p>

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a respiratory pathogen in the Paramyxoviridae family that infects nearly 100% of the world population. This enveloped RNA virus causes severe viral respiratory disease in infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients worldwide. Despite its prevalence and importance to human health, no therapies are available against this pathogen. Entry of paramyxoviruses into host cells generally requires the coordinated activity of the attachment glycoprotein, G, which interacts with a cell receptor, and the fusion glycoprotein, F, which promotes subsequent fusion of viral and cellular membranes. However, HMPV F is the primary viral protein mediating both binding and fusion for HMPV. Previous work that showed HMPV F mediates attachment to heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPGs), and some HMPV F fusion activity can be promoted by acidic pH. The work presented here provides significant advances in our understanding of the fusion and binding events during HMPV infection. We demonstrated that low pH promotes fusion in HMPV F proteins from diverse clades, challenging previously reported requirements and identifying a critical residue that enhances low pH promoted fusion. These results support our hypothesis that electrostatic interactions play a key role in HMPV F triggering and further elucidate the complexity of viral fusion proteins. Additionally, we characterized the key features of the binding interaction between HMPV and HSPGs using heparan sulfate mimetics, identifying an important sulfate modification, and demonstrated that these interactions occur at the apical surface of polarized airways tissues. We identified differences in particle binding related to the presence or absence of the HMPV G and SH glycoproteins. Lastly, we characterized paramyxovirus infection in cystic fibrosis bronchial epithelial cells, identifying a potential specific susceptibility to HMPV infection in these individuals. The work presented here contributes to our understanding of HMPV infection, from mechanisms of early events of entry to clinical scenarios.

Dans l'Introduction à l'histoire universelle (1831) et dans la Bible de l'humanité (1864), Michelet a l'ambition de comprendre la dynamique de l'histoire humaine dans sa totalité. Ces deux oeuvres constituent-elles les expressions diverses d'une seule et même pensée, auquel cas il serait légitime de parler d'une philosophie micheletienne de l'histoire ? Élaborée dans le contexte de la Restauration où écriture de l'histoire, philosophie et politique se mêlent intimement, l'histoire universelle de 1831 est une mise en série chronologique et téléologique de peuples types qui inventent les institutions réalisant progressivement une fusion des idées et des races afin de libérer l'humanité de la fatalité. Cette philosophie de l'histoire au sens strict va être progressivement infléchie puis reniée pour céder la place à une autre pensée de l'histoire. Inscrivant la Révolution française dans la tradition des peuples issus des Aryâs opposée à celle des Sémites, la Bible de l'humanité résulte, d'une part, de la faillite des concepts de 1831 mis à l'épreuve de l'histoire politique et de l'écriture de l'histoire et, d'autre part, de l'attraction exercée par le modèle migratoire des peuples élaboré par les linguistes aryanistes. Dans une triple perspective philosophique, historique et politique, s'opèrent progressivement une dichotomie de l'histoire, sa renaturalisation et une héroïsation de l'historien. Ainsi le spectateur serein du parcours de l'humanité vers la liberté dans l'égalité des droits à l'aube de la monarchie de Juillet cherche-t-il, en 1864, à inscrire activement dans l'histoire un nouveau credo – puisé dans la tradition indo-française – pour une fraternité à venir. / In the Introduction to Universal History (1831) and in the Bible of Humanity (1864), Michelet's aim is to understand the dynamic of human history in its totality. Do these two works constitute the various aspects of a unified philosophy, in which case it would be legitimate to speak of a Micheletian philosophy of history? Developed in the context of the Restoration in which historical, philosophical and political texts are very closely related, the Universal History of 1831 is a chronological and teleological order of national types which gives rise to institutions that increasingly fuse concepts and races in order to free humanity from its fate. This philosophy of history in its strictest sense is progressively revised and negated to give way to new historical thought. Locating the French Revolution in the tradition of people of Aryan descent as opposed to that of the Semites, the Bible of Humanity results on the one hand from the weakness of the 1831 concepts when tested against political history and historical writing and, on the other hand, from the attraction exerted by the migratory model of tribes as set out by linguists. In a threefold philosophical, historical and political perspective, a progressive dichotomy develops between the ‘‘renaturalization'' of history and the ‘‘heroization” of the historian. Thus did the serene witness of humanity's progress towards liberty in the equality of rights at the dawn of the July monarchy in 1864 seek to inscribe in history a new credo – drawn from the Indo-French tradition – for a future brotherhood of man.

. 21 ont des teneurs en Os > 1 ppb et des rapports 187Re/188Os < 3. Leurs TRD ERUPT varient de 0.7 à 2.3 Ga (moyenne 1.7 Ga). Les analyses isotopiques du Re/Os de 9 péridotites résiduelles (0.1-1.2% Al2O3) donnent des âges TRD ERUPT variant de 1.4 à 2.3 Ga (maximum de probabilité 2.1 Ga) Les cratons sont de vastes portions de lithosphère continentale formés d’une croûte continentale type TTG et d’un manteau lithosphérique épaissi (>200km), froid (40 mW/m²) et composé majoritairement par des péridotites fortement réfractaires (Mg#WR>0.92, Al2O3-CaO <1%), échantillonnées sous forme de xénolites lors des éruptions kimberlitiques. Il est admis que les péridotites cratoniques ont été formées par de hauts degrés de fusion partielle, cependant, les fortes teneurs en SiO2 de certaines xénolites impliquent des mécanismes de fusion très particuliers. De plus, les fortes teneurs en FeO, TiO2, REE, en cpx et en grenats d’un grand nombre d’échantillons ne sont pas cohérentes avec une origine résiduelle. En effet la majorité des péridotites cratoniques a subi des transformations qui masquent actuellement leur composition initiale. C’est pourquoi les conditions de la fusion et les processus post-formation qui affectent le manteau cratonique demeurent très mal contraints. Udachnaya est la seule kimberlite du craton Sibérien qui fournit des xénolites de péridotite de tailles suffisantes pour les études géochimiques et isotopiques (>>100g). Cette thèse se base sur une grande collection de xénolites de péridotites (>50) particulièrement fraîches i.e. les olivines et les autres minéraux sont préservés de l’altération et les pertes au feu des roches totales (LOI) sont <2%. Les péridotites sont des harzburgites et des lherzolites, généralement pauvres en cpx (<6%) du faciès à spinelle et à grenat, avec des microstructures aussi bien grenues que déformées. Cette collection est représentative de l’ensemble du profil lithosphérique (du Moho jusqu’à 220km). La majorité des péridotites à spinelle est pauvre en opx (<20%). Les péridotites riches en silice sont moins courantes dans le manteau cratonique sibérien que ce que l’étude de Boyd et al. (1997) a montré. Seul ¼ des péridotites à spinelle de notre collection a des compositions en opx >30%. Les péridotites à spinelle, pauvres en opx ont des compositions en éléments majeurs proches d’un résidu de fusion. Contrairement aux autres études, leurs compositions en Al2O3, FeO et Mg#WR définissent des trends qui, comparés aux études expérimentales, indiquent une origine par 38% d’une fusion fractionnée par décompression entre 7-4 GPa et ≤1–2 GPa ; ce qui est en accord avec les modélisations des éléments en trace. L’origine des péridotites riches en silice est incertaine, et l’hypothèse d’une interaction avec des liquides de subduction est peu probable : leurs compositions en SiO2 et FeO diffèrent des péridotites d’arc, et leur δ18OWR ~5.3 ± 0.2‰ est proche de la valeur référence pour le manteau (5.5‰). 1/3 des péridotites à grenat grenues a des compositions similaires aux péridotites à spinelle et indiquent donc des conditions de formation similaires. Le grenat, dans la majorité de ces péridotites, est d’origine résiduelle, contrairement au cpx qui lui est clairement d’origine métasomatique. La majorité des péridotites à grenat forme des séquences d’enrichissement en FeO, TiO2 et REE par rapport aux péridotites résiduelles. Cela traduit un métasomatisme modal (précipitation de cpx et de grenat), et ce par interaction entre le protolite des péridotites avec un magma riche en Si, Al, Fe (Ti, REE). Les cpx sont en équilibre avec un liquide de composition kimberlitique. Les kimberlites sont des magmas pauvres en Si, Al, Fe et ne peuvent pas être responsables du métasomatisme modal, mais un magma parent peut avoir interagi avec la roche peu de temps avant l’éruption. 28 péridotites ont été analysées pour obtenir leur composition isotopique Re/Os et leur composition en PGE / English abstract not supplied by the author. Résumé en anglais non fourni par l'auteur.

Les mitochondries sont des organelles de quelques micromètres qui proviendraient de l'incorporation d'une alpha-protéobactérie dans le cytoplasme des cellules eucaryotes par endosymbiose. Dans les cellules eucaryotes, la mitochondrie joue un rôle central dans la production d'ATP, mais aussi dans la mort cellulaire programmée par apoptose ainsi que dans la biosynthèse de nombreuses molécules. Les mitochondries sont très polymorphes, leurs taille, forme et organisation varient considérablement selon le type cellulaire ou l'état physiologique ou pathologique de la cellule. Depuis une vingtaine d'année, l'étude des mécanismes qui contrôlent la morphogenèse, la dynamique de fission et de fusion mitochondriale et leurs rôles physiologiques est devenue un domaine majeur dans la recherche sur la mitochondrie. De plus, avec les progrès de la vidéo-microscopie, il est devenu possible de filmer des mitochondries dans le cytoplasme de cellules vivantes. Durant ma thèse, j'ai participé à la caractérisation de la fonction du gène Pantagruelian Mitochondria I (PMI), un nouveau déterminant de la morphologie des mitochondries que nous avons découvert chez la drosophile. PMI est une protéine de la membrane interne qui, en intervenant dans l'organisation de cette membrane, est indispensable à la formation de mitochondries de forme tubulaire. J'ai également contribué au développement d'outils et de méthodologies permettant la visualisation et l'étude de la dynamique mitochondriale dans des embryons de drosophiles vivants. / Mitochondria are organelles which are a few micrometers long and are originated from the incorporation of an alpha-proteobacteria in the cytoplasm of eukaryotic cells through endosymbiosis. In eukaryotic cells, mitochondria play a central role in ATP production as well as in programmed cell death and in the biosynthesis of many molecules. Mitochondria are highly polymorphic in size and form. Their organization also varies considerably according to the cell type or physiological or pathological state of the cell. In the last two decades, the study of the mechanisms controlling morphogenesis, dynamic of mitochondrial fission and fusion and their physiological roles has become a major research field of mitochondria. In addition, the progress in video-microscopy enable to record mitochondrial dynamics in the cytoplasm of living cells. I participated in the research on the characterization of gene function called Pantagruelian Mitochondria I (PMI), a novel determinant of the mitochondrial morphology that we discovered in Drosophila. PMI, a protein of the inner membrane, is involved in its membrane organization and essential to form tubular mitochondria. I also contributed to the development of experimental tools and protocols to visualize and study the mitochondrial dynamics in living Drosophila embryos. Interestingly, a stereotyped process of mitochondrial remodeling during Drosophila embryogenesis has been found and it raised a question about its role in developmental processes through my work.

No description available.

Inflammasomes are a group of protein complex that regulate inflammation throughcomplex signal transduction, although their specific mechanisms and structures have notbeen fully described. As the protein that kickstarts assembly of a type of inflammasome,NLRP3 is a key regulator of inflammation and may play a relevant role in the developmentof inflammatory diseases. In this project it has been attempted to perform a Gene Fusionbetween a segment of NLRP3 and regions of Toll-Like Receptor 4 by means of overlapextensionPCR, a technique that employs hybrid primers to create an overlap between bothsequences that can be filled by a polymerase, causing them to merge. Results suggest GeneFusion was successful, however cloning and expression of the construct have not beenachieved so far. If expressed as a fusion protein, the added transmembrane domain willanchor two domains of NLRP3 to the membrane, allowing more precise study of thecomposition and functionality of the inflammasome. Removal of the terminal domain ofNLRP3 will help determine its implication and relevance in the assembly process of theprotein complex.

Aurora occurs in various shapes, one of which is the hitherto unreported phenomenon of auroral fragments. For three periods of occurrence of these fragments their properties were studied in detail during this master’s thesis, using mainly ground-based instrumentation located near Longyearbyen on Svalbard, Norway. A base dataset was constructed from 103 all-sky camera images, manually marking 305 fragments for further analysis. This thesis reports and describes the fragment observations during the observed events, including the auroral and geomagnetic context. Fragments generally seem to fall into two categories, the first being singular, apparently randomly distributed fragments, and the second being periodic fragments that occur in groups with a regular spacing close to auroral arcs. A typical fragment has a small horizontal size below 20 km, a short lifetime of less than a minute and shows no field-aligned extent in the emission. The fragments appear mainly west of zenith (73%) during the three observation nights, whereas their north-south distribution is symmetric around the zenith. Almost all of them exhibit westward drift, the estimated speed for one of the fragments passing the field of view of ASK is ∼1 km/s. A spectral signature can be seen in the green auroral wavelength of O at 557.7 nm and red emission line of N2 at 673.0 nm, but no emission enhancement was observed in the blue wavelengths. One fragment passing the EISCAT Svalbard radar’s field of view shows a local ion temperature increase in a small altitude range of ∼15 km, whereas there is no visible increase in electron density. This could be explained by fragment generation due to locally strong horizontal electric fields. A potential mechanism for this might be electric fields of atmospheric waves superposing with the converging electric fields of auroral arcs created by particle precipitation and the corresponding field-aligned currents. The resulting field would be perpendicular to the magnetic field and the auroral arcs, leading to wave-like density variations of excited plasma close to the arcs. Further study is required to verify this hypothesis and improve the understanding of fragment properties determined from the limited dataset used for this thesis.