The total difference in acceleration from CPU multislice to the fastest PRISM simulation shown in Fig. 7 is over three orders of magnitude.
The cDNAs were then used as templates in triplicate assays for RT-PCR amplification using the KAPA SYBR FAST ABI Prism kit (Kapa Biosystems, Boston, USA), and ABI PRISM 7000 sequence detection system.
Like most fast reactors, PRISM is cooled with molten sodium rather than the water used in conventional commercial reactors.
The cDNA was used in real-time PCR with a KAPA SYBR FAST ABI Prism qPCR kit (Kapa Biosystems).
Total RNA was isolated 48 hours after the transfection, reverse-transcribed, and transcript levels quantified by real time PCR using ABI7900HT (Life Technologies-Applied Biosystems, Wilmington, MA, USA) with KAPA SYBR FAST ABI Prism 2X qPCR Master Mix (Kapa Biosystems).
qRT-PCR was performed in a total volume of 30 μl containing 2x KAPA PROBE FAST ABI Prism qPCR kit (Kapa Biosystems, Wilmington, MA, USA) and 25 ng of cDNA using PrimeTime Mini qPCR assays (Integrated DNA technologies, Coralville, IA, USA) on an Abi 7900HT Sequencing Detection System (Applied Biosytems, UK).
A GeneAmp 5700 sequence detection system (ABI, Tokyo), KAPA PROBE FAST ABI Prism qPCR Kit (Kapa Biosystems, Boston, MA), and KAPA SYBR FAST ABI Prism qPCR Kit (Kapa Biosystems) were used to quantify the levels of CCL20 mRNA, CCL5 mRNA, CX3CL1 mRNA, IL-1β mRNA, TNFα mRNA, and HPRT mRNA.
The PRISM fast reactor is attracting friends among environmentalists formerly opposed to nuclear power.
GE Hitachi is in discussions with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority and with Decc to construct two of its Prism fast reactors to burn some of the 100 tonnes of plutonium at Sellafield, helping resolve the waste controversies.
But a previous Mox plant in the UK was deemed a failure, and GE-Hitachi claims that its Prism fast reactor – a completely different design fuelled by plutonium and cooled by liquid sodium – offers a more attractive solution.
