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North Korea's nuclear armament has placed South Korea in a dilemma, as it can neither rely entirely on the United States' nuclear extended deterrence (NED) nor pursue its own nuclear weapons development (the nuclear option). The reliability of the US NED has diminished, given North Korea's ability to deploy intercontinental ballistic missiles capable of striking the US mainland. However, pursuing the nuclear option is fraught with difficulties due to the stringent restrictions imposed by the international non-proliferation regime. This article evaluates the feasibility of South Korea's nuclear option using three factors: opportunity, willingness and the availability of special nuclear materials. The findings suggest that the feasibility of South Korea's nuclear option is very low. Consequently, the article advises the South Korean public to acknowledge this reality rather than making emotional demands for the nuclear option. Furthermore, it calls upon the international community to engage in discussions and address the dilemma faced by non-nuclear US allies, such as South Korea, in light of the growing threat of nuclear attacks from nuclear-armed states like Russia and North Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Do alliances help or hinder non-proliferation efforts? Existing theories of nuclear non-proliferation have looked at the direct effects of having allies on the spread of nuclear weapons, i.e., whether protégés are more or less likely to obtain atomic arsenals. However, there is value in examining the indirect impact of alliances on non-proliferation, namely how allies make it easier or harder for third parties to acquire nuclear weapons. In this article, I argue that transfers from suppliers allied with enforcers spoil the non-proliferation regime more than assistance from other suppliers, which underlines the difficulties enforcers face when combatting proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reflecting their tropism for keratinocytes, most poxviruses that infect vertebrates replicate to high titers and cause pathology in the skin. Keratinocytes, the main cells of the epidermis, are found in different stages of a differentiation program that produces the critical barrier against environmental damage. While systemic poxviruses (e.g. smallpox virus, sheeppox virus) also infect other cell types, the parapoxvirus orf virus (ORFV), which causes localized infections in sheep and goats, has not been shown to replicate in cells other than keratinocytes. Notably, ORFV infection only occurs after or concomitant with epidermal damage and the subsequent healing response and shows unexplained delayed virus replication in an uncharacterized keratinocyte subpopulation. Using in situ hybridization, immunohistochemistry, confocal microscopy, qPCR, and a full-thickness wound/infection model in sheep, the natural host, we show that during an initial 2-day eclipse phase viral transcription and viral DNA replication are not detected. Between days 2 and 3 pi, viral transcription is first detected in keratinocytes of the stratum granulosum and upper stratum spinosum in the proliferative zone at the wound margin. These cells are positive for cytokeratin 10, a suprabasal marker; cytokeratin 6, a protein induced during early repair responses; stratum granulosum markers filaggrin and loricrin; and negative for the nuclear proliferation marker Ki-67 and cytokeratin 14, a basal cell marker. This marker profile suggests that keratinocytes supportive of viral replication are engaged in advanced keratinocyte differentiation rather than proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ruthenium isotopes produced by fission in nuclear materials could be valuable signatures for nuclear verification or non-proliferation monitoring. In this study, ruthenium (Ru), uranium (U), and plutonium (Pu) isotope ratios and concentrations were measured in six different samples taken along a single nuclear fuel rod from a pressurized water reactor (PWR). The Ru isotope ratios Ru/ Ru, Ru/ and Ru/ Ru increase upon moving from the end of the rod towards the center, correlating with the amount of burnup of the fuel indicated by U and Pu isotope ratios. Ruthenium fission product concentrations also increase near the center of the rod, consistent with other isotopic and elemental concentration data indicative of burnup. The measured Ru ratios clearly comprise inputs from both fission and neutron capture reactions. These measurements serve as important experimental validation of previous theoretical studies suggesting that Ru isotope ratios reflect the burnup of nuclear fuel and could be used to distinguish between reactor types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the point of a nuclear umbrella? Conventional wisdom suggests that explicit nuclear security guarantees provide junior allies with credible security, facilitating regional stability and nuclear non-proliferation. Yet this is not the only possible reason to maintain a nuclear umbrella. Reassessing the history and politics of nuclear alignment through a case study of the US–Norway alliance, I find that nuclear umbrellas have endured, and can do so, in cases where both the security patron and client believe the arrangement to lack military credibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How have Western nongovernmental experts used remote sensing to make public knowledge about Iran's nuclear program? This article recounts several episodes in which experts and journalists congregated around satellite images to uncover hidden nuclear objects in Iran. Drawing from the theoretical tradition of co-production, I describe this recurrent collective experience as an imaginative exercise that can both coordinate and transform diverse communities of knowledge. I outline common temporal and thematic structures that define these episodes, and illuminate the role of commercial satellite imagery as material anchor that threads distributed imaginings together such that broadly-shared experience and sensibility can emerge. I argue that these collective imaginative practices have fomented civic-epistemic closure, not around affirmative nuclear facts or beliefs about Iran, but around a set of persistent questions about the 'possible military dimensions' of its nuclear past. I close by exploring the broader political effects of this form of recursive inquiry within the global nuclear order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis article addresses how peripheral non-nuclear-weapon states push for change in the global nuclear order. Ordering is a dynamic and multifaceted process driven by agents at different positions within global hierarchies. Those hierarchies are multi-layered and shape the international order in multiple ways. To make sense of this diversity, I develop the concept of ‘hierarchy complexes’ – that is, understanding hierarchies as a system composed of interacting parts which display collective behaviour that does not follow trivially the individual parts. The nuclear order, in that regard, is understood through three hierarchy complexes, each with its own layers and super- and subordinate relations. First, hierarchies in material power structures constrain countries in terms of their positionalities and localities. Second, hierarchies in institutional structures play out at the institutional level and at the sort of commitments that are made. Third, hierarchies as cognitive structures, that feature in ontologies and discourses. I illustrate how agency occurs in the interplay of those three complexes through the cases of Latin American and Caribbean countries’ participation in the Eighteen Nations Disarmament Committee (ENDC), which was tasked with negotiating the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, the Treaty of Tlatelolco, and the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AUKUS partnership between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States has advanced through the signing of a Naval Nuclear Propulsion Cooperation Agreement and the easing of export controls on defense-related trade. This agreement aims to provide Australia with conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines while ensuring the highest nuclear non-proliferation standards. The partnership also focuses on developing advanced military capabilities through cross-border defense-sector collaboration and integration, with discussions underway for possible cooperation with other countries like Japan, Canada, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea. [Extracted from the article]

This article examines the impact of new formats of nuclear cooperation launched by the United States with its allies on the international nonproliferation regime established by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). The two examples of such cooperation outlined in this article are the AUKUS partnership between Australia, United Kingdom and Untitled States that involves transfer to Canberra of a large amount of highly-enriched uranium for use in nuclear-powered submarines, as well as the extended deterrence between the United States and the Republic of Korea. This material presents the analysis of how (if at all) these initiatives are compatible with the NPT and what the most problematic elements are in each case in relation to the Treaty and its regime. It derives from the research that has been conducted that the new formats of United States’ nuclear cooperation are undermining the NPT regime and its international standing. As a result of such cooperation the NPT loses its unique international legal core that for more than half a century has allowed to stop proliferation of nuclear weapons. The norms that lied in the basis of the Treaty are also being eroded. Such tendencies create a completely new environment and inevitably affect security calculus of other States Parties to the NPT. Against this backdrop further decrease of the political weight of the Treaty cannot be excluded, together with its role in upholding international peace and stability. Such transformations may require a brand new look at and approach to the international nonproliferation regime in the future.

The article "Seeking the Bomb: Strategies of Nuclear Proliferation" by Vipin Narang delves into the various strategies that states employ to acquire nuclear weapons. Narang's book provides a detailed analysis of nuclear proliferation techniques, their origins, and their impact on global security. The author introduces a new theoretical framework, the "Proliferation Strategy Theory," to explain why states choose specific paths to obtain nuclear capabilities. Additionally, the text challenges conventional wisdom by offering a unique perspective on nuclear proliferation strategies, highlighting the complexities and nuances involved in state decisions regarding nuclear weapons. [Extracted from the article]

Even during the Cold War, the United States and the Soviet Union cooperated on nuclear safety and security. Since accidental or unauthorized nuclear detonations anywhere threaten peace everywhere, it seems straightforward that states more experienced in developing nuclear safety and security technologies would transfer such methods to other states. Yet, the historical record is mixed. Why? While existing explanations focus on the political costs and proliferation risks faced by the transferring state, this article argues that specific technological features condition the feasibility of assistance. For more complex nuclear safety and security technologies, robust technical cooperation is crucial to build the necessary trust for scientists to transfer tacit knowledge without divulging sensitive information. Leveraging elite interviews and archival evidence, my theory is supported by four case studies: US sharing of basic nuclear safety and security technologies with the Soviet Union (1961–1963); US withholding of complex nuclear safety and security technologies from China (1990–1999) and Pakistan (1998–2003); and US sharing of complex nuclear safety and security technologies with Russia (1994–2007). My findings suggest the need to examine not only the motivations behind nuclear assistance but also the process by which it occurs and the features of the technologies involved, with implications for how states cooperate to manage the global risks of emerging technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to localize and image radiation sources has found use in various applications for nuclear nonproliferation practices, specifically in treaty verification, nuclear safeguards, and homeland security. Technologies that are capable of angular radiation imaging have been prevalent for years and, recently, 3D imaging technologies making use of emerging media like mixed reality have been rapidly developing and gaining popularity. Modern imaging techniques typically use a Compton camera to record coincident events and reconstruct the incident directional information of a gamma ray-emitting radiation source. However, Compton cameras are limited as they cannot obtain accurate source depth information when used for simple back projection imaging. Neutron scatter cameras are a complementary imaging technique that use double elastic scatters but also have their own limitations. This work presents a framework for multiple scatter-based particle imagers to construct 3D images and to localize a radiation source using gamma rays or fast neutrons. Specifically, localization is achieved by accounting for the position of the imagers. The imaging algorithm was validated using experimental data, measuring a 252Cf source. A three-dimensional representation of the imaging data provides a more intuitive and informative depiction of source positions and can aid in scenarios with complex environmental geometries such as when sources are in containers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This comprehensive review paper delves into the multifaceted aspects of nuclear safeguards, emphasizing their indispensable role in upholding global security and preventing the illicit use of nuclear materials. Offering a fresh perspective on the nuclear safeguard system, the paper conducts a thorough examination of nuclear material accounting, underscoring the pivotal role of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in implementing and verifying these safeguards. It provides valuable insights into the safeguarding technologies, including the utilization of sophisticated Non-Destructive Assay (NDA) equipment such as neutron counting and Gamma-ray spectroscopy, which are essential for accurately characterizing nuclear materials, elucidating the crucial role of these activities in ensuring the integrity and effectiveness of nuclear safeguards. Furthermore, the study sheds light on the complexities inherent in the nuclear fuel cycle, elucidating various stages ranging from uranium mining to waste disposal. Additionally, it discusses different fuel cycle options and their implications for non-proliferation efforts. This discussion sheds light on how safeguards are integrated into each stage of the fuel cycle to prevent the proliferation of nuclear materials. The paper delves into the Additional Protocol, emphasizing its significance in enhancing the effectiveness of nuclear safeguards by providing the IAEA with expanded inspection access and information regarding nuclear activities. This comprehensive analysis not only enhances understanding of the current safeguarding landscape but also underscores the significance of ongoing research and development in this vital realm of nuclear safety and security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article deals with the issue of legal regulation of the fight against nuclear terrorism. The purpose of the article is to highlight the problems of legal regulation of the fight against nuclear terrorism. The authors of the article conducted a retrospective review and analyzed the state of development of Ukrainian legislation in the field of legal regulation of the fight against nuclear terrorism. As a result of such consideration, it was determined that the last decades of the 20th century, as well as the 21st century, showed that the greatest threat is terrorist organizations that have an international (transnational) character and are connected to organized criminal societies. Terrorist organizations have largely reoriented themselves from single murders or serious explosions of conventional explosives to active attempts to acquire or manufacture means of mass destruction with the subsequent threat of use. The level of risk of using nuclear weapons and radioactive materials can be pre-estimated by threats of committing acts of nuclear terrorism and theft of nuclear materials. The authors of the article provide separate data related to terrorist acts, as well as the most dangerous cases of their abduction. The article analyzes the basis of the provisions of the International Convention on Combating Acts of Nuclear Terrorism. The authors concluded that the International Convention on the Suppression of Acts of Nuclear Terrorism plays a key role in ensuring nuclear security. Before the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation in Ukraine, Ukraine was considered to be an example of a consistent and balanced policy in the field of nuclear non-proliferation. The events that have been going on in Ukraine for almost three years have shown that nuclear legislation, both international and domestic, in the sphere related to the use of nuclear energy is imperfect and does not provide adequate answers to many questions. Externally, the political activity of states that possess nuclear weapons is decisive for the future of humanity, for the survival of human civilization. To prevent the unthinkable - the destruction of life on earth, to defend peace - there is no more important task for all peoples of our planet today. According to the authors, it is expedient to develop and adopt an international act on the norms of relations between nuclear states, which would be of great importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What drives the nuclear weapons debate in South Korea? Using a public opinion survey that spans from 2013 to 2022, this study examines the factors that are important in understanding South Korea's nuclear ambitions in public debate. While an increasing number of studies have investigated this topic, the specific mechanisms of how public preferences for nuclear weapons are shaped are understudied in the literature. Using decade-long data, this study explores how external, domestic, and individual level factors are systematically related to South Koreans’ preference for nuclear weapons development. Regarding external factors, our findings provide supporting evidence that both perceptions of the North Korean nuclear weapons threat and the credibility of the U.S. security alliance are positively associated with public support for nuclear weapons development. Domestically, whether the incumbent government in power is from a conservative or progressive party can importantly shape the public's support for nuclear proliferation. Individual level traits, including political ideology, party affiliation, and age, also serve as important indicators. Overall, our study contributes to the literature by conducting a comprehensive analysis of the factors that are likely to shape the nuclear proliferation debate in South Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid advancements of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technologies, such as the well-known OpenAI ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, have sparked significant societal, economic, and regulatory challenges. Indeed, while the latter technologies promise unprecedented productivity gains, they also raise several concerns, such as job loss and displacement, deepfakes, and intellectual property violations. The present article aims to explore the present regulatory landscape of GenAI across the major global players, highlighting the divergent approaches adopted by the United States, United Kingdom, China, and the European Union. By drawing parallels with other complex global issues such as climate change and nuclear proliferation, this paper argues that the available traditional regulatory frameworks may be insufficient to address the unique challenges posed by GenAI. As a result, this article introduces a resilience-focused regulatory approach that emphasizes aspects such as adaptability, swift incident response, and recovery mechanisms to mitigate potential harm. By analyzing the existing regulations and suggesting potential future directions, the present article aims to contribute to the ongoing discourse on how to effectively govern GenAI technologies in a rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article is devoted to the characteristics of key international instruments in the field of control over the transfer of dual-use goods and technologies and the specifics of their influence on the formation and development of the export control mechanism of Ukraine. Even though the foundations of international legal cooperation in the relevant field were laid by treaties in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, Convention on Biological Weapons, Convention on Chemical Weapons), its regulatory core consists of acts adopted within the framework of multilateral regimes (groups) of export control (Zanger Committee, Nuclear Suppliers Group, Australian Group, Missile Technology Control Regime, Wassenaar Agreement), which, however, are not legally binding. The simplified procedure for the adoption of regulatory instruments, which define the basic principles and establish requirements for the procedure for control over the transfer of dual-use goods and technologies, as well as determine their lists, within the limits of multilateral export groups, allows for a prompt response to the challenges faced by the international community, taking into account the dynamics of scientific and technical development and hence the emergence, among other things, of new materials, equipment, software, which can potentially be used to develop the latest types of weapons of mass destruction. At the same time, the lack of appropriate regulatory flexibility lies in the fact that the effectiveness of international cooperation in the relevant field directly depends on the conscientious observance by states of the guidelines of “soft” law acts. Currently, Ukraine is a party to all treaties in the field of non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and a member of key multilateral export control groups, which directly affected the specifics of the national system of control over the international transfer of dual-use goods and technologies. The national institutional and legal mechanism generally reproduces the key principles of control over the transfer of dual-use goods and technologies reflected in relevant international treaties and acts of multilateral export control groups. At the same time, the Single List of Dual-Use Goods needs to be updated in accordance with the changes in the lists of controlled goods reflected in the guidelines of multilateral export regimes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nuclear proliferation literature typically differentiates supply-side and demand-side factors influencing the spread of nuclear weapons. These distinct approaches to the proliferation puzzle raise the following empirical questions: Does nuclear supply stimulate states' demand for nuclear weapons? Conversely, does the demand for nuclear weapons really facilitate the acquisition of nuclear supply? If such endogeneity exists between the demand-side and supply-side determinants, how would it cause empirical bias in the estimation of their effects on nuclear proliferation? This article aims to unpack endogenous mechanisms of nuclear demand and nuclear supply over the course of nuclear proliferation. In particular, it examines two potential sources of endogeneity: (1) simultaneous interactions between states' nuclear development decisions and nuclear technological capability and (2) selection bias in nuclear development. To address each source of endogeneity, simultaneous equation models and the duration models with selection are estimated, respectively. Contrary to what recent supply-side literature suggests, the empirical analyses reveal that states' nuclear demand is primarily driven by external security threats instead of their existing nuclear technology, and that their successful acquisition of nuclear technology mainly follows as the result of nuclear development efforts but does not necessarily depend on individual supply-side factors. This article addresses the typical inference issues in nuclear proliferation research and contributes to our synthetic understanding of proliferation mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of the war unleashed by the russian federation in Ukraine, the issues of national security and state security have acquired a remarkable scale of acuteness, actualized the expediency of both rethinking the current security documents and complex approaches to the issues of regulatory and legal security provision, became an impetus for the initiation of new processes related to the search for some new, more effective and efficient security guarantees for Ukraine. The proposed article raises an urgent problem in modern science and practice, in particular, the theory of law and the law of national security, international law, international relations - new regulatory security guarantees. Using the example of the Budapest Memorandum, a valid document on security guarantees, singned in 1994 in connection with Ukraine's accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, its legal nature is analyzed, attention is focused on the fallacy of attributing it to such a source of law as normative and legal contract, its features are singled out precisely as an act of «soft law», its place among other sources of law in the national legal system of Ukraine as a political document is specified, is classified as an auxiliary source of law, which has properties under certain conditions to penetrate into the main sources of law, contributing to the main law sources in the security issues legal regulation. The author states the problem of the necessity to substantiate the effectiveness of such documents in national security issues regulation, in particular their ability to counter real threats in the context of the right to security. Analyzing complex approaches to the understanding of security guarantees, the author tries to understand the needs, possibilities and expediency of the search for optimal security guarantees, as well as potential threats that may arise due to a misunderstanding of the role and place of acts of «soft law» among other sources of law. In this regard, aspects of both legal and non-legal issues are highlighted, and legal issues are first of all detailed and analyzed. Options for solving legal problems related to security guarantees are offered, as well as prospects for their development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australia is a strong supporter of global nuclear (and conventional) arms control and non-proliferation measures and has contributed significantly to their development; but it sees the world, strategically, through the eyes of a nuclear weapon state which, it believes, applies its nuclear deterrence doctrine also to the defence of Australia. It is thus effectively locked into what is essentially a nuclear weapon state’s view of the future that pays lip-service to nuclear disarmament as a distant ideal. Australian defence strategists routinely emphasise the importance of the US nuclear guarantee. Australia is though only likely to be attacked with nuclear weapons in the event of a nuclear war in which the United States is already engaged. The concept of extended nuclear deterrence thus assumes an essentially circular character by purporting to protect Australia from the nuclear threat that Australia’s alliance with its provider invites. Meanwhile, Australia is one of the few countries in its own region that have yet to sign the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW). This paper argues that—US hostility to the Treaty notwithstanding—Australian membership of the TPNW would be consistent with its generally positive disarmament record and compatible with its alliance commitments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As nuclear technology evolves in response to increased demand for diversification and decarbonization of the energy sector, new and innovative approaches are needed to effectively identify and deter the proliferation of nuclear arms, while ensuring safe development of global nuclear energy resources. Preventing the use of nuclear material and technology for unsanctioned development of nuclear weapons has been a long-standing challenge for the International Atomic Energy Agency and signatories of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Environmental swipe sampling has proven to be an effective technique for characterizing clandestine proliferation activities within and around known locations of nuclear facilities and sites. However, limited tools and techniques exist for detecting nuclear proliferation in unknown locations beyond the boundaries of declared nuclear fuel cycle facilities, representing a critical gap in non-proliferation safeguards. Microbiomes, defined as "characteristic communities of microorganisms" found in specific habitats with distinct physical and chemical properties, can provide valuable information about the conditions and activities occurring in the surrounding environment. Microorganisms are known to inhabit radionuclide-contaminated sites, spent nuclear fuel storage pools, and cooling systems of water-cooled nuclear reactors, where they can cause radionuclide migration and corrosion of critical structures. Microbial transformation of radionuclides is a well-established process that has been documented in numerous field and laboratory studies. These studies helped to identify key bacterial taxa and microbially-mediated processes that directly and indirectly control the transformation, mobility, and fate of radionuclides in the environment. Expanding on this work, other studies have used microbial genomics integrated with machine learning models to successfully monitor and predict the occurrence of heavy metals, radionuclides, and other process wastes in the environment, indicating the potential role of nuclear activities in shaping microbial community structure and function. Results of this previous body of work suggest fundamental geochemical-microbial interactions occurring at nuclear fuel cycle facilities could give rise to microbiomes that are characteristic of nuclear activities. These microbiomes could provide valuable information for monitoring nuclear fuel cycle facilities, planning environmental sampling campaigns, and developing biosensor technology for the detection of undisclosed fuel cycle activities and proliferation concerns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iran's pursuit of a civilian nuclear program raises concerns over the potential security threat it poses to the United States and its Middle East allies. The US suspects that Tehran's lack of compliance with the Nuclear Non‐Proliferation Treaty signifies its intention to build atomic weapons. This article aims to examine the strategies implemented during the presidencies of Obama, Trump, and Biden to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear arsenals. Employing a constructivist theory, the study examines how each administration constructed identities, perceptions, and norms regarding Iran, and how these shaped their diplomatic approaches. Drawing on a comprehensive data of primary and secondary sources, this research sheds light on the identities, perceptions, and power dynamics shaping US–Iran relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Marine sources contribute approximately 2% of global energy-related CO₂ emissions, with the shipping industry accounting for 87% of this total, making it the fifth-largest emitter globally. Environmental regulations by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), such as the MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships) treaty, have driven the exploration of alternative green energy solutions, including nuclear-powered ships. These ships offer advantages like long operational periods without refueling and increased cargo space, with around 200 reactors already in use on naval vessels worldwide. Among advanced reactor concepts, the molten salt reactor (MSR) is particularly suited for marine applications due to its inherent safety features, compact design, high energy density, and potential to mitigate nuclear waste and proliferation concerns. However, MSR systems face significant challenges, including tritium production, corrosion issues, and complex behavior of volatile fission products. Understanding the impact of marine-induced motion on the thermal–hydraulic behavior of MSRs is crucial, as it can lead to transient design basis accident scenarios. Furthermore, the adoption of MSR technology in the shipping industry requires overcoming regulatory hurdles and achieving global consensus on safety and environmental standards. This review assesses the current progress, challenges, and technological readiness of MSRs for marine applications, highlighting future research directions. The overall technology readiness level (TRL) of MSRs is currently at 3. Achieving TRL 6 is essential for progress, with individual components needing TRLs of 4–8 for a demonstration reactor. Community Readiness Levels (CRLs) must also be addressed, focusing on public acceptance, safety, sustainability, and alignment with decarbonization goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Artificial Intelligence, Hope, and the Human Spirit: Genesis" by Henry Kissinger, Eric Schmidt, and Craig Mundie explores the geopolitical implications of AI, warning of potential power imbalances if AI is concentrated in the hands of a few entities. The authors highlight the risks of authoritarian regimes exploiting AI for social control, while also emphasizing the unchecked influence of private corporations in the AI ecosystem. They call for international cooperation to address the ethical and strategic challenges posed by AI, urging leaders to consider the dual-edged nature of AI for global stability and human freedom." [Extracted from the article]

In recent years, there appears to be a growing consensus among policymakers in both the East and the West, that the decades of global peace after the Cold War has now come to an end, and that the world is facing mounting security risks to the future of humanity. Among those challenges, the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict poses particularly significant risks to regional and global security, and is closely related to many other contemporary international crises involving European states and their allies, particularly the Russo-Ukrainian War, the nuclear proliferation in Europe, and the military disputes between the Iran-backed Houthis and EU forces. But why has the U.S.-Iran relationship deteriorated so dramatically over the past years, and what are the future risks its presents to the international community? While extensive scholarly works have been conducted to examine the ideological, historical, and geopolitical variables that fuel this observed escalating antagonism, no study to date has formal-modelled the complex interactions between Tehran and Washington into a two-level game. Utilizing an infinitely-repeated game theory approach, this research presents a comprehensive analytical framework that explains how interrelated political factors at both the international and the domestic level jointly shape the dynamic of this bilateral relationship. We contend that the domestic rally effect created by risk-oriented diplomacy, incompatible ideological stances and political values, the increasing polarization within U.S. Congress, and the mounting rivalry between Israel and the Iran-led Axis of Resistance convince policymakers from both sides that their utilities can be maximized in a non-cooperative game. Based on our models, it can be forecasted that there is hardly any chance Washington and Tehran will concede to the other's security demands in the foreseeable future. Thus, the risks of high-intensity conflict escalation due to miscalculation will continue to upsurge in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) nuclear program has been a challenge to international security for three decades, the world still knows little about its nuclear intentions. A recently available dataset of Korean Central News Agency's English publications (1997–2018) provides a complete coverage of DPRK's nuclear activities in the time span. Our study employs the Louvain method of community detection in large networks to detect patterns and trends in North Korea's nuclear rhetoric. We have two findings: Pyongyang's primary objective is deterrence, although it also utilizes nuclear development to boost regime legitimacy. This secondary intention of legitimization is more prominent under Kim Jong-un than under Kim Jong-il, but still not as salient as deterrence. Our results suggest a policy approach of engagement and deterrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processing of used nuclear fuels and related materials is often complex and variable. The ability to quickly optimize conditions to the material being processed can aid in increasing efficiency and safety, but requires very quick determination of the conditions present in the feedstock, the process, and the product. Furthermore, accurate quantification of materials such as enriched uranium and plutonium aids in maintaining material accountancy and avoiding nuclear proliferation risks. Traditional analytical methods require process samples to be collected and analyzed in a laboratory, which often takes days to weeks. Online monitoring is suitable for collecting this information nearly instantaneously, enabling much faster optimization of the process or detection of material diversion. Online monitoring is also beneficial as it is typically based on robust and nondestructive analytical methods, so no material is removed as samples. This review examines online monitoring relevant to used nuclear fuel processing for the determination of both chemical and physical parameters. The chemical parameters include quantities such as concentration, isotopic composition, and speciation. These values are often well suited to spectroscopic or spectrometric measurements as they are fast, nondestructive, and easily implemented in an online manner. Physical quantities are often more varied and include temperature, pressure, tank fill levels, and others. Due to the specificity of these quantities, specialized instrumentation is often used. However, this instrumentation is often amendable to online monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the adoption of the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the order founded on the treaty has evolved into an increasingly fragmented regime complex. Fragmentation has resulted from forum-shifting initiated both at the top and at the bottom of the nuclear hierarchy: both the United States, with varying partners, and coalitions of small-and medium-sized non-nuclear states have repeatedly moved rule-making on nuclear issues to fora outside the NPT, adding partly conflicting institutions to the complex. To understand this dynamic, I propose a sociological perspective that highlights states' positional struggles in a multidimensionally stratified international society. Drawing on Bourdieusian global fields theory, I argue that both dominant and weak states use forum-shifting to manipulate exchange rates between different (material, institutional and social) forms of capital they possess. Thus, they seek to protect their positions in global hierarchies within and beyond the nuclear field when they perceive these hierarchies as being challenged by material or institutional power shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The threat of nuclear proliferation has led to the rapid development, acquisition and deployment of ballistic missile defenses around the globe. Smaller powers located in the proximity of new or potential nuclear powers must decide on the right mix of offensive and defensive capability necessary to balance the threat. In terms of defense, they have a number of choices such as indigenous development, licensing for domestic production, procurement from third parties, and participation in multilateral defensive systems. This paper presents a theoretical framework that helps explain the decision by small states to deploy a ballistic missile defense system as well as the particular type of system chosen. The framework predicts that the level of threat of both the new or potential nuclear power and the regional great power will drive fears of the security dilemma, entrapment, and abandonment. The balance of these three fears will determine whether to deploy ballistic missile defenses as well as the type of defenses. Using a case study focusing on South Korea, the paper illustrates the evolution of defensive thinking among the political elite and public support for various defensive options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digital engineering and digital twins are increasingly being used in nuclear energy projects with important impacts. At Idaho National Laboratory, these approaches have been applied in a variety of nuclear energy research, development, and demonstration projects, with key lessons and evolutions occurring for each. In this paper, we describe the use of digital engineering and digital twins in the Versatile Test Reactor design, National Reactor Innovation Center test beds, and nonproliferation analysis of the AGN-201 reactor design. We share key lessons learned for these projects related to tool selection, adoption and training, and working with existing assets versus beginning at the design phase. We also share highlights of future potential uses of digital twins and digital engineering, including using artificial intelligence to perform repetitive design tasks and digital twins to move towards semiautonomous nuclear power plant operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data analysis techniques can be powerful tools for rapidly analyzing data and extracting information that can be used in a latent space for categorizing observations between classes of data. Machine learning models that exploit learned data relationships can address a variety of nuclear nonproliferation challenges like the detection and tracking of shielded radiological material transfers. The high resource cost of manually labeling radiation spectra is a hindrance to the rapid analysis of data collected from persistent monitoring and to the adoption of supervised machine learning methods that require large volumes of curated training data. Instead, contrastive self-supervised learning on unlabeled spectra can enhance models that are built on limited labeled radiation datasets. This work demonstrates that contrastive machine learning is an effective technique for leveraging unlabeled data in detecting and characterizing nuclear material transfers demonstrated on radiation measurements collected at an Oak Ridge National Laboratory testbed, where sodium iodide detectors measure gamma radiation emitted by material transfers between the High Flux Isotope Reactor and the Radiochemical Engineering Development Center. Label-invariant data augmentations tailored for gamma radiation detection physics are used on unlabeled spectra to contrastively train an encoder, learning a complex, embedded state space with self-supervision. A linear classifier is then trained on a limited set of labeled data to distinguish transfer spectra between byproducts and tracked nuclear material using representations from the contrastively trained encoder. The optimized hyperparameter model achieves a balanced accuracy score of 80.30%. Any given model—that is, a trained encoder and classifier—shows preferential treatment for specific subclasses of transfer types. Regardless of the classifier complexity, a supervised classifier using contrastively trained representations achieves higher accuracy than using spectra when trained and tested on limited labeled data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skin cancer is the most widespread type of malignant tumor representing a major public health concern. Considering the numerous side effects associated with conventional treatments, phytotherapy may be regarded as a viable medicinal alternative. This study aimed to investigate the therapeutic potential of Orbea variegata (L.) Haw, an ornamental plant, in treating skin cancer using an animal model induced by a combination of ultraviolet (UV) irradiation and sulfuric acid treatment. The hydroethanolic extract of Orbea variegata underwent phytochemical characterization, identifying the presence of reducing sugars, coumarins, alkaloids, flavonoids, tannins, and saponins through qualitative screening. Quantitative analysis demonstrated significant amounts of phenolic compounds (29.435 ± 0.571 mg GAE/g of dry extract), flavonoids (6.711 ± 0.272 mg QE/g of dry extract), and tannins (274.037 ± 11.3 mg CE/g of dry extract). The administration the hydroethanolic extract in two concentrations (1 or 2 g/kg) to male Swiss mice exhibited no marked adverse effects, as evidenced by serum aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) enzyme activity levels. In addition, the extract significantly reduced skin hyperplasia and inflammation induced by UV/sulfuric acid treatment as noted in tissue analyses and decreased protein expression of nuclear proliferation marker (Ki-67). This improvement was associated with a marked decrease in oxidative stress, as indicated by diminished lipid peroxidation levels, and restoration of the activity of endogenous antioxidant enzyme catalase (CAT) to control levels. Our findings demonstrated the potential of Orbea variegata hydroethanolic extract to be considered as a treatment for skin cancer, exhibiting its apparent safety and efficacy in reducing inflammation and carcinogenesis in a UV/sulfuric acid-induced Swiss mouse model, attributed to its phytochemical content and associated antioxidant activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) possess mesenchymal stem cell characteristics and have potential for cell-based therapy. Cell expansion is essential to achieve sufficient cell numbers. However, continuous cell replication causes cell aging in vitro, which usually accompanies and potentially affect DPSC characteristics and activities. Continuous passaging could alter susceptibility to external factors such as drug treatment. Therefore, this study sought to investigate potential outcome of in vitro passaging on DPSC morphology and activities in the absence or presence of external factor. Methods: Human DPSCs were subcultured until reaching early passages (P5), extended passages (P10), and late passages (P15). Cells were evaluated and compared for cell and nuclear morphologies, cell adhesion, proliferative capacity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and gene expressions in the absence or presence of external factor. Alendronate (ALN) drug treatment was used as an external factor. Results: Continuous passaging of DPSCs gradually lost their normal spindle shape and increased in cell and nuclear sizes. DPSCs were vulnerable to ALN. The size and shape were altered, leading to morphological abnormality and inhomogeneity. Long-term culture and ALN interfered with cell adhesion. DPSCs were able to proliferate irrespective of cell passages but the rate of cell proliferation in late passages was slower. ALN at moderate dose inhibited cell growth. ALN caused reduction of ALP activity in early passage. In contrast, extended passage responded differently to ALN by increasing ALP activity. Late passage showed higher collagen but lower osteocalcin gene expressions compared with early passage in the presence of ALN. Conclusion: An increase in passage number played critical role in cell morphology and activities as well as responses to the addition of an external factor. The effects of cell passage should be considered when used in basic science research and clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces an innovative simulation software for nuclear forensics modeling. The software simulates fission tracks based on physical and radiation parameters, resembling light microscope images. These simulated tracks serve as foundational data for AI-driven decoder software and image analysis. The simulator also functions as an operator trainer and performance assessment tool. By connecting theory and application, it enhances nuclear forensics investigations, contributing to nuclear security and nonproliferation efforts. This versatile tool holds promise for deeper insights and robust methodologies in nuclear forensics, emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive validation using real-world data as a crucial focus for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

More often than not, violence between states in the field of international relations is understood in instrumental terms. States are thought to act purposively in the pursuit of some tangible object, treating those in their way as objects; the targets of that violence respond to such treatment phlegmatically, without any sense of outrage. Drawing on psychological research in 'virtuous violence', which argues that intergroup violence is primarily moralistic in character, we present results from three survey experiments in the United States and Russia and a re-analysis of a recent study, which demonstrate that moral condemnation of adversaries is extremely easy to invoke, hard to avoid, common across different cultural contexts, and a central feature of 'binding' morality, one of the most fundamental moral foundations. Our first survey experiment presents American respondents with a fictional state developing nuclear weapons. Strategic features of the situation – offensive capability, past history, and interest divergence – generate not only threat perception but, crucially, negative moral attributions that mediate between the two. In the next two survey experiments, we show that American and Russian respondents judge aggressive action against a third country, regardless of whether the aggressor pursues water necessary for its population or oil useful for its economy. Finally, our re-analysis of Rathbun & Stein 1 shows that moral condemnation strongly mediates the effect of binding morality on support for nuclear weapons use against terrorists. Our results suggest a future agenda on morality's role in international relations that highlights ethical dynamics beyond the taming influence of humanitarianism and cosmopolitan individualism. Morality can drive conflict, not just restrain it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The world is entering an era of nuclear disorder. Therefore, this article aims to examine the European engagement with nuclear weapon questions at the beginning of this disorder. The research questions are: in what ways does Europe engage with nuclear issues? And how to make sense of the divergence and ambivalent stances among European states on nuclear weapons? The review identified engagement regarding non-proliferation and divergence on disarmament at the EU level, but mostly disengagement with nuclear deterrence questions outside of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), apart from short-lived discussions on the so-called 'Eurodeterrent'. Regarding the former observation, it becomes increasingly hard to forge common positions on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament within an EU context. The latter observation is exemplified by recurring but ephemeral debates on a European nuclear deterrent. To understand the divergence and ambivalent stances, several factors are of importance, varying from the primacy of national interest to geography. Consequently, while the world is entering an era of nuclear disorder, Europeans should start a strategic dialogue on the necessity of nuclear weapons without undermining transatlantic relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The main prerequisites for signing the Budapest Memorandum by Ukraine are defined. An overview of the main miscalculations that led to the conclusion of the Memorandum is provided. The very form of the international document "memorandum" and its legal force have been analyzed. Statements are made regarding the reasons for the ineffectiveness of the norms of the Budapest Memorandum and ways of improving security agreements are proposed. It is investigated that when signing the Memorandum, Ukraine and its political leadership interpreted it as a security guarantee for Ukraine, but the actual war since 2014 and the full-scale invasion by the terrorist neighbor in the east have raised a number of questions about the effectiveness of such a document and even more questions about how in the future, mechanisms must be laid out, fixed and foreseen for implementation, which should guarantee real security, and not only bear the declarative nature of norms, for the violation of which the aggressor will not suffer a fair punishment. The article analyzes that Ukraine's signing of the Budapest Memorandum, as well as its accession to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, had a number of preconditions that were not only objective in nature, but this document contains neither guarantees nor security for the provision that was called from the point view of its presentation. The article also provides arguments about the fact that the main mistake that led Ukraine to the consequences that Ukrainian society is currently experiencing is the latter's weak legal consciousness, which was nurtured by puppet politicians and purposefully advanced. The planned weakening of the army of our country, the destruction of the military-industrial complex and the subsequent aggressive expropriation of Ukrainian culture and self-identification were clearly planned by the aggressor, in order to realize his terrorist and invasive intentions. This article is intended to initiate a scientific study of security agreements as a form of international guarantee of protection to all parties to such agreements, regardless of their importance in the political arena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern diplomacy in the 21st century has become increasingly complex, requiring a broader scope or the performance of more tasks that extend beyond the traditional high politics of old. This means that current diplomats must deal with more diverse global concerns due to the nature of the post-Cold War era marked by diplomatic inflation, the decline of US hegemony, the rise of China, nuclear proliferation, climate change, globalisation, the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), and the COVID-19 pandemic. Due to this diversification of the diplomatic agendas and the inclusion of a growing number of stakeholders, the diplomatic field is experiencing an amplified array of challenges. Therefore, this article examines these major changes and their impact on modern diplomacy by utilising the theoretical framework of the English School where the emphasis is on a 'society of states' and a world united by common humanity. The research also employs a comprehensive qualitative analysis of the mentioned post-Cold War issues and how diplomacy can contribute to mitigating them. The paper then concludes by recommending the need for a more specialised diplomatic corps who are well-versed in technological advancements and digital platforms. By becoming more specialised, diplomacy can become more effective and thus, remain a vital tool in navigating the intricacies of contemporary international politics while mitigating the major challenges the globe faces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]