N/A

The symposium was held 10-12 May, 2007 at the Capitol Hilton Hotel in Washington, D. C. The 30 talks explored how some of today's key biological research developments (such as biocomplexity and complex systems analysis, bioinformatics and computational biology, the expansion of molecular and genomics research, and the emergence of other comprehensive or system wide analyses, such as proteomics) contribute to sustainability science. The symposium therefore emphasized the challenges facing agriculture, human health, sustainable energy, and the maintenance of ecosystems and their services, so as to provide a focus and a suite of examples of the enormous potential contributions arising from these new developments in the biological sciences. This symposium was the first to provide a venue for exploring how the ongoing advances in the biological sciences together with new approaches for improving knowledge integration and institutional science capacity address key global challenges to sustainability. The speakers presented new research findings, and identified new approaches and needs in biological research that can be expected to have substantial impacts on sustainability science.

In this perspective, we present an overview of nanoscience applications in catalysis, energy conversion, and energy conservation technologies. We discuss how novel physical and chemical properties of nanomaterials can be applied and engineered to meet the advanced material requirements in the new generation of chemical and energy conversion devices. We highlight some of the latest advances in these nanotechnologies and provide an outlook at the major challenges for further developments.

N/A

Development work to implement a new welding system for a Firing Set is presented. The new system is significant because it represents the first use of fiber laser welding technology at the KCP. The work used Six-Sigma tools for weld characterization and to define process performance. Determinations of workable weld parameters and comparison to existing equipment were completed. Replication of existing waveforms was done utilizing an Arbitrary Pulse Generator (APG), which was used to modulate the fiber laser’s exclusive continuous wave (CW) output. Fiber laser weld process capability for a Firing Set is demonstrated.

N/A

N/A

Differential cross sections for incoherent scattering by K-shell electrons were measured, using coincidence techniques, for incident photons having energies of 662 keV, 320 keV, and 145 keV. The spectral distributions of the scattered photons emerging at scattering angles from 20/sup 0/ to about 140/sup 0/ are reported. Target materials were iron, tin, holmium, and gold at 320 keV; tin and gold at 662 keV; and iron and tin at 145 keV. A typical energy spectrum consists of a scattered peak that is much narrower than would be expected from the bound state electron motion. The peak also, typically, reaches a broad maximum width for scattering angles between 45/sup 0/ and 60/sup 0/. Rather than monotonically increasing with atomic number the peak width reaches a broad maximum, generally, between Z = 50 and Z = 67, and then decreases with increasing atomic number. No Compton defect appears in any of the peaks to within +- 20 keV. A discussion of the expected magnitude of the Compton defect is included. The peak is superimposed on a continuum that diverges at the low end of the scattered photon spectrum for the following cases: gold, holmium, and tin targets for 320-keV incident photons; gold …

N/A

N/A

N/A

A 2400 line/mm variable spaced grating spectrometer (VSG) has been used to measure soft x-ray emission (8-22 {angstrom}) from laser-produced plasma experiments at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Compact Multipulse Terrawatt (COMET) Laser Facility. The spectrometer was coupled to a Kentech x-ray streak camera to study the temporal evolution of soft x-rays emitted from the back of mylar and copper foils irradiated at 10{sup 15} W/cm{sup 2}. The instrument demonstrated a resolving power of {approx} 120 at 19 {angstrom} with a time resolution of 31 ps. The time-resolved copper emission spectrum was consistent with a photodiode monitoring the laser temporal pulse shape and indicated that the soft x-ray emission follows the laser heating of the target. The time and spectral resolution of this diagnostic make it useful for studies of high temperature plasmas.

The human breast comprises three lineages: the luminal epithelial lineage, the myoepithelial lineage, and the mesenchymal lineage. It has been widely accepted that human breast neoplasia pertains only to the luminal epithelial lineage. In recent years, however, evidence has accumulated that neoplastic breast epithelial cells may be substantially more plastic in their differentiation repertoire than previously anticipated. Thus, along with an increasing availability of markers for the myoepithelial lineage, at least a partial differentiation towards this lineage is being revealed frequently. It has also become clear that conversions towards the mesenchymal lineage actually occur, referred to as epithelial to mesenchymal transitions. Indeed, some of the so-called myofibroblasts surrounding the tumor may indeed have an epithelial origin rather than a mesenchymal origin. Because myoepithelial cells, epithelial to mesenchymal transition-derived cells, genuine stromal cells and myofibroblasts share common markers, we now need to define a more ambitious set of markers to distinguish these cell types in the microenvironment of the tumors. This is necessary because the different microenvironments may confer different clinical outcomes. The aim of this commentary is to describe some of the inherent complexities in defining cellular phenotypes in the microenvironment of breast cancer and to expand wherever possible on …

None

The Tank Characterization Data Management (TCDM) system provides customers and users with data and information of known and acceptable quality when they are needed, in the form they are needed, and at a reasonable cost. The TCDM mission will be accomplished by the following: (1) maintaining and managing tank characterization data and information based on business needs and objectives including transfer of ownership to future contractors; (2) capturing data where it originates and entering it only once to control data consistency, electronic data and information management shall be emphasized to the extent practicable; (3) establishing data quality standards, and managing and certifying databases and data sources against these standards to maintain the proper level of data and information quality consistent with the importance of the data and information, data obtained at high cost with significant implications to decision making regarding tank safety and/or disposal will be maintained and managed at the highest necessary levels of quality; (4) establishing and enforcing data management standards for the Tank Characterization Database (TCD) and supporting data sources including providing mechanisms for discovering and correcting data errors before they propagate; (5) emphasizing electronic data sharing with all authorized users, customers, contractors, and stakeholders to the …

Studies on the carbonylation of ({eta}{sup 5}-indenyl)(L)(CO)Ru-R complexes (L = CO, PPh{sub 3}; R = CH{sub 2}OMe, CH{sub 3}) have been completed. Particularly noteworthy is that the methoxymethyl complexes readily transform to their acyl derivatives under mild conditions that leave their iron congeners inert towards CO. Surprisingly, even ({eta}{sup 5}-indenyl)(PPh{sub 3}){sub 2}Ru-CH{sub 3} carbonylates and gives ({eta}{sup 5}-indenyl)(PPh{sub 3})(CO)Ru-C(O)CH{sub 3}. Mechanistic studies on the ``non catalyzed`` hydrosilation of the manganese acyls (CO){sub 5}Mn-C(O)CH{sub 2}R (R = H, OCH{sub 3}, CH{sub 3}) with Et{sub 3}SiH and of cobalt acetyls (CO){sub 3}(PR{sub 3})CoC(O)CH{sub 3} with several monohydrosilanes have been completed. The cobalt acetyls cleanly give ethoxysilanes (not acetaldehyde), and the manganese acyls provide {alpha}-siloxyvinyl complexes Z-(CO){sub 5}Mn-C(OSiEt{sub 3})=CHR (R = H, CH{sub 3}, OCH{sub 3}). Carbonylation and protolytic cleavage of the latter generate pyruvoyl complexes (CO){sub 5}Mn-COCOR (R = CH{sub 3}, CH{sub 2}CH{sub 3}), formally the products of net ``double carbonylation`` sequences. Studies in progress are concerned with how manganese complexes as diverse as (CO){sub 5}Mn-Y [Y = C(O)R, R, BR - but not SiMe{sub 3} or Mn(CO){sub 5}] and ({eta}{sup 3}-C{sub 3}H{sub 5})Mn(CO){sub 2}L [but not CpMn(CO){sub 3} or CpMn(CO){sub 2}({eta}{sup 2}HSiR{sub 3})] function as efficient hydrosilation catalysts towards Cp(CO){sub 2}FeC(O)CH{sub …

This document defines the data quality objectives, (DQOS) for sampling the B-Cell racks waste stream. The sampling effort is concentrated on determining a ratio of Cs-137 to Sr-90 and Cs-137 to transuranics (TRU). Figure 1.0 shows the logic path of sampling effort. The flow chart begins with sample and data acquisition and progresses toward (a) statistical confidence and waste classification boundaries, (b) management decisions based on the input parameters and technical methods available, and (c) grout container volume/weight limits and radiation limits. The end result will be accurately classifying the B-Cell rack waste stream.

CALOR89 is a system of coupled Monte Carlo particle transport computer codes which has been successfully employed for the estimation of calorimeter parameters in High Energy Physics. In the past CALOR89 has been running on various IBM machines and on CRAY X-MP at Lawrence Livermore Lab. These machines had non-unix operating systems. In this report we present a UNIX version of CALOR89, which is especially suited for the UNIX work stations. Moreover CALOR89 is also been supplemented with two new program packages which makes it more user friendly. CALPREP is a program for the preparation of the input files for CALOR89 in general geometry and ANALYZ is an analysis package to extract the final results from CALOR89 relevant to calorimeters. This report also provides two script files LCALOR and PCALOR. LCALOR runs CALOR89 sequences of programs and EGS4 for a given configuration sequentially on a single processor and PCALOR concurrently on a multiprocessor unix workstation.

A predictive framework for supersymmetry at the TeV scale is presented, which incorporates the Ciafaloni-Pomarol mechanism for the dynamical determination of the \mu parameter of the MSSM. It is replaced by (\lambda S), where S is a singlet field, and the axion becomes a heavy pseudoscalar, G, by adding a mass, m_G, by hand. The explicit breaking of Peccei-Quinn (PQ) symmetry is assumed to be sufficiently weak at the TeV scale that the only observable consequence is the mass m_G. Three models for the explicit PQ breaking are given; but the utility of this framework is that the predictions for all physics at the electroweak scale are independent of the particular model for PQ breaking. Our framework leads to a theory similar to the MSSM, except that \mu is predicted by the Ciafaloni-Pomarol relation, and there are light, weakly-coupled states in the spectrum. The production and cascade decay of superpartners at colliders occurs as in the MSSM, except that there is one extra stage of the cascade chain, with the next-to-LSP decaying to its"superpartner" and \tilde{s}, dramatically altering the collider signatures for supersymmetry. The framework is compatible with terrestrial experiments and astrophysical observations for a wide range of m_G and<s>. …

We present the design and performance of a home-built high-pressure and high-temperature reactor equipped with a high-resolution scanning tunneling microscope (STM) for catalytic studies. In this design, the STM body, sample, and tip are placed in a small high pressure reactor ({approx}19 cm{sup 3}) located within an ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber. A sealable port on the wall of the reactor separates the high pressure environment in the reactor from the vacuum environment of the STM chamber and permits sample transfer and tip change in UHV. A combination of a sample transfer arm, wobble stick, and sample load-lock system allows fast transfer of samples and tips between the preparation chamber, high pressure reactor, and ambient environment. This STM reactor can work as a batch or flowing reactor at a pressure range of 10{sup -13} to several bars and a temperature range of 300-700 K. Experiments performed on two samples both in vacuum and in high pressure conditions demonstrate the capability of in situ investigations of heterogeneous catalysis and surface chemistry at atomic resolution at a wide pressure range from UHV to a pressure higher than 1 atm.

This report documents a detailed study to determine the expected efficiency and product costs for producing hydrogen via water-splitting using energy from an advanced nuclear reactor. It was determined that the overall efficiency from nuclear heat to hydrogen is high, and the cost of hydrogen is competitive under a high energy cost scenario. It would require over 40% more nuclear energy to generate an equivalent amount of hydrogen using conventional water-cooled nuclear reactors combined with water electrolysis compared to the proposed plant design described herein. There is a great deal of interest worldwide in reducing dependence on fossil fuels, while also minimizing the impact of the energy sector on global climate change. One potential opportunity to contribute to this effort is to replace the use of fossil fuels for hydrogen production by the use of water-splitting powered by nuclear energy. Hydrogen production is required for fertilizer (e.g. ammonia) production, oil refining, synfuels production, and other important industrial applications. It is typically produced by reacting natural gas, naphtha or coal with steam, which consumes significant amounts of energy and produces carbon dioxide as a byproduct. In the future, hydrogen could also be used as a transportation fuel, replacing petroleum. New processes …

As the original magnet designer and manufacturer of ORNL’s 9T, 5-inch ID bore magnet, American Magnetics Inc. (AMI) has collaborated with ORNL’s Materials Processing Group’s and this partnership has been instrumental in the development of our unique thermo-magnetic facilities and expertise. Consequently, AMI and ORNL have realized that the commercial implementation of the High Magnetic Field Processing (HMFP) technology will require the evolution of robust, automated superconducting (SC) magnet systems that will be cost-effective and easy to operate in an industrial environment. The goal of this project and CRADA is to significantly expedite the timeline for implementing this revolutionary and pervasive cross-cutting technology for future US produced industrial components. The successful completion of this project is anticipated to significantly assist in the timely commercialization and licensing of our HMFP intellectual property for a broad spectrum of industries; and to open up a new market for AMI. One notable outcome of this project is that the ThermoMagnetic Processing Technology WON a prestigious 2009 R&D 100 Awards. This award acknowledges and recognizes our TMP Technology as one of the top 100 innovative US technologies in 2009. By successfully establishing the design requirements for a commercial scale magnetic processing system, this project effort …

Studies have focused on the enzyme sucrose synthase, which plays an important role in the metabolism of sucrose in seeds and tubers. There are three isoforms of SUS in maize, referred to as SUS1, SUS-SH1, and SUS2. SUS is generally considered to be tetrameric protein but recent evidence suggests that SUS can also occur as a dimeric protein. The formation of tetrameric SUS is regulated by sucrose concentration in vitro and this could also be an important factor in the cellular localization of the protein. We found that high sucrose concentrations, which promote tetramer formation, also inhibit the binding of SUS1 to actin filaments in vitro. Previously, high sucrose concentrations were shown to promote SUS association with the plasma membrane. The specific regions of the SUS molecule involved in oligomerization are not known, but we identified a region of the SUS1 moelcule by bioinformatic analysis that was predicted to form a coiled coil. We demonstrated that this sequence could, in fact, self-associate as predicted for a coiled coil, but truncation analysis with the full-length recombinant protein suggested that it was not responsible for formation of dimers or tetramers. However, the coiled coil may function in binding of other proteins to …

Four new Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) groundwater monitoring wells were installed at the single-shell tank farm Waste Management Area (WMA) C in fiscal year 2003 to fulfill commitments for well installations proposed in the draft Hanford Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order milestone M-24-00. Well 299-E27-22, installed upgradient, was drilled through the entire uppermost unconfined aquifer to the basalt and wells 299-E27-4, 299-E27-21 and 299-E27-23 were drilled approximately 40 feet into the uppermost unconfined aquifer and installed downgradient of the WMA. Specific objectives for these wells include monitoring the impact, if any, that potential releases from inside the WMA may have on current groundwater conditions (i.e., improved network coverage) and differentiating upgradient groundwater contamination from contaminants released at the WMA. This report supplies the information obtained during drilling, characterization, and installation of the four new groundwater monitoring wells. This document also provides a compilation of hydrogeologic and well construction information obtained during drilling, well development, aquifer testing, and sample collection/analysis activities.