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Three-dimensional lithographically-defined organotypic tissue arrays for quantitative analysis of morphogenesis and neoplastic progression (open access)

Three-dimensional lithographically-defined organotypic tissue arrays for quantitative analysis of morphogenesis and neoplastic progression

Here we describe a simple micromolding method to construct three-dimensional arrays of organotypic epithelial tissue structures that approximate in vivo histology. An elastomeric stamp containing an array of posts of defined geometry and spacing is used to mold microscale cavities into the surface of type I collagen gels. Epithelial cells are seeded into the cavities and covered with a second layer of collagen. The cells reorganize into hollow tissues corresponding to the geometry of the cavities. Patterned tissue arrays can be produced in 3-4 h and will undergo morphogenesis over the following one to three days. The protocol can easily be adapted to study a variety of tissues and aspects of normal and neoplastic development.
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: Nelson, Celeste M.; Inman, Jamie L. & Bissell, Mina J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Multi-year search for a diffuse flxu of muon neutrinos with AMANDA-II (open access)

Multi-year search for a diffuse flxu of muon neutrinos with AMANDA-II

A search for TeV-PeV muon neutrinos from unresolved sources was performed on AMANDA-II data collected between 2000 and 2003 with an equivalent livetime of 807 days. This diffuse analysis sought to find an extraterrestrial neutrino flux from sources with non-thermal components. The signal is expected to have a harder spectrum than the atmospheric muon and neutrino backgrounds. Since no excess of events was seen in the data over the expected background, an upper limit of E{sup 2}{Phi}{sub 90%C.L.} < 7.4 x 10{sup -8} GeV cm{sup -2} s{sup -1} sr{sup -1} is placed on the diffuse flux of muon neutrinos with a {Phi} {proportional_to} E{sup -2} spectrum in the energy range 16 TeV to 2.5 PeV. This is currently the most sensitive {Phi} {proportional_to} E{sup -2} diffuse astrophysical neutrino limit. We also set upper limits for astrophysical and prompt neutrino models, all of which have spectra different than {Phi} {proportional_to} E{sup -2}.
Date: April 13, 2008
Creator: Collaboration, IceCube; Klein, Spencer; Achterberg, A. & Collaboration, IceCube
System: The UNT Digital Library
Radiation monitoring with CVD Diamonds and PIN Diodes at BaBar (open access)

Radiation monitoring with CVD Diamonds and PIN Diodes at BaBar

The BaBar experiment at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center has been using two polycrystalline chemical vapor deposition (pCVD) diamonds and 12 silicon PIN diodes for radiation monitoring and protection of the Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT). We have used the pCVD diamonds for more than 3 years, and the PIN diodes for 7 years. We will describe the SVT and SVT radiation monitoring system as well as the operational difficulties and radiation damage effects on the PIN diodes and pCVD diamonds in a high-energy physics environment.
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: Bruinsma, M.; Burchat, P.; Curry, S.; Edwards, A.J.; Kagan, H.; Kass, R. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Hyperfine Quenching of the 2s2p 3P0 State of Berylliumlike Ions (open access)

Hyperfine Quenching of the 2s2p 3P0 State of Berylliumlike Ions

The hyperfine-induced 2s2p {sup 3}P{sub 0}-2s{sup 2} {sup 1}S{sub 0} transition rate for Be-like {sup 47}Ti{sup 18+} was recently measured in a storage-ring experiment by Schippers et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98, 033001 (2007)]. The measured value of 0.56(3) s{sup -1} is almost 60% larger than the theoretical value of 0.356 s{sup -1} from a multiconfiguration Dirac-Fock calculation by Marques et al. [Phys. Rev. A 47, 929 (1993)]. In this work, we use a large-scale relativistic configuration-interaction method to calculate these hyperfine-induced rates for ions with Z = 6-92. Coherent hyperfine-quenching effects between the 2s2p {sup 1,3}P{sub 1} states are included in a perturbative as well as a radiation damping approach. Contrary to the claims of Marques et al., contributions from the {sup 1}P{sub 1} state are substantial and lead to a hyperfine-induced rate of 0.67 s{sup -1}, in better agreement with, though larger than, the measured value.
Date: March 13, 2008
Creator: Cheng, K T; Chen, M H & Johnson, W R
System: The UNT Digital Library
MARKOV Model Application to Proliferation Risk Reduction of an Advanced Nuclear System (open access)

MARKOV Model Application to Proliferation Risk Reduction of an Advanced Nuclear System

The Generation IV International Forum (GIF) emphasizes proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR&PP) as a main goal for future nuclear energy systems. The GIF PR&PP Working Group has developed a methodology for the evaluation of these systems. As an application of the methodology, Markov model has been developed for the evaluation of proliferation resistance and is demonstrated for a hypothetical Example Sodium Fast Reactor (ESFR) system. This paper presents the case of diversion by the facility owner/operator to obtain material that could be used in a nuclear weapon. The Markov model is applied to evaluate material diversion strategies. The following features of the Markov model are presented here: (1) An effective detection rate has been introduced to account for the implementation of multiple safeguards approaches at a given strategic point; (2) Technical failure to divert material is modeled as intrinsic barriers related to the design of the facility or the properties of the material in the facility; and (3) Concealment to defeat or degrade the performance of safeguards is recognized in the Markov model. Three proliferation risk measures are calculated directly by the Markov model: the detection probability, technical failure probability, and proliferation time. The material type is indicated by …
Date: July 13, 2008
Creator: Bari, R. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Colloid Science of Metal Nanoparticle Catalysts in 2D and 3D Structures. Challenges of Nucleation, Growth, Composition, Particle Shape, Size Control and their Influence on Activity and Selectivity (open access)

Colloid Science of Metal Nanoparticle Catalysts in 2D and 3D Structures. Challenges of Nucleation, Growth, Composition, Particle Shape, Size Control and their Influence on Activity and Selectivity

Recent breakthroughs in synthesis in nanosciences have achieved control of size and shapes of nanoparticles that are relevant for catalyst design. In this article, we review the advance of synthesis of nanoparticles, fabrication of two and three dimensional model catalyst system, characterization, and studies of activity and selectivity. The ability to synthesize monodispersed platinum and rhodium nanoparticles in the 1-10 nm range permitted us to study the influence of composition, structure, and dynamic properties of monodispersed metal nanoparticle on chemical reactivity and selectivity. We review the importance of size and shape of nanoparticles to determine the reaction selectivity in multi-path reactions. The influence of metal-support interaction has been studied by probing the hot electron flows through the metal-oxide interface in catalytic nanodiodes. Novel designs of nanoparticle catalytic systems are discussed.
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: Somorjai, Gabor A. & Park, Jeong Y.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Charmless Two-Body and Quasi-Two-Body B-decays at BABAR (open access)

Charmless Two-Body and Quasi-Two-Body B-decays at BABAR

The authors present improved measurements of the branching fractions and CP asymmetries in the two-body decays B{sup 0} {yields} {pi}{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0}, B{sup 0} {yields} K{sup 0}{pi}{sup 0} and B{sup 0} {yields} K{sup +}{pi}{sup -} as well as the quasi two-body B{sup 0} {yields} K{sub 1}(1270){sup +} {pi}{sup -} and B{sup 0} {yields} K{sub 1}(1400){sup +} {pi}{sup -} decays. These updated measurements are made using the complete set of BABAR data taken at the Y(4S) resonance, collected between 1999 and 2007 at the PEP-II collider at SLAC.
Date: October 13, 2008
Creator: Ofte, Ingrid
System: The UNT Digital Library
Shielding Calculations for NSLS-II Beamlines. (open access)

Shielding Calculations for NSLS-II Beamlines.

Brookhaven National Laboratory is in the process of designing a new Electron Synchrotron for scientific research using synchrotron radiation. This facility, called the 'National Synchrotron Light Source II' (NSLS-II), will provide x-ray radiation of ultra-high brightness and exceptional spatial and energy resolution. It will also provide advanced insertion devices, optics, detectors, and robotics, and a suite of scientific instruments designed to maximize the scientific output of the facility. The project scope includes the design, construction, installation, and commissioning of the following accelerators: a 200 MeV linac, a booster accelerator operating from 200 MeV to 3.0 GeV, the storage ring which stores 500 mA current of electrons at an energy of 3.0 GeV and 56 beamlines for experiments. It is planned to operate the facility primarily in a top-off mode, thereby maintaining the maximum variation in stored beam current to < 1%. Because of the very demanding requirements for beam emittance and synchrotron radiation brilliance, the beam life-time is expected to be quite low, on the order of 2 hours. Each of the 56 beamlines will be unique in terms of the source properties and configuration. The shielding designs for five representative beamlines are discussed in this paper.
Date: April 13, 2008
Creator: Job,P.K. & Casey, W.R.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Electronic Structure of Halogen Doped CuCr2Se4 (open access)

Electronic Structure of Halogen Doped CuCr2Se4

We have employed element and chemically sensitive X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) in order to address a long standing controversy regarding the electronic and magnetic state of CuCr{sub 2}Se{sub 4} via halogen doping of the Se anion site in CuCr{sub 2}Se{sub 4-x}Y{sub x} (Y=Cl and Br). Long range magnetic order is observed above room temperature for all samples. The Cr L{sub 2,3} XAS spectra show a prevalent 3+ valence for the Cr ions independent of doping concentration and doping agent. The Cu L{sub 2,3} XAS spectra show a combination of 1+ and 2+ valence states for all samples. XMCD spectra indicate the presence of a magnetic moment associated with the Cu ions that is aligned antiparallel to the Cr moment.
Date: September 13, 2008
Creator: Arenholz, Elke; Liberati, M.; Neulinger, J. R.; Chopdekar, R. V.; Bettinger, J. S.; Arenholz, E. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Machine-Detector Interface Issues for the ILCPolarimeters (open access)

Machine-Detector Interface Issues for the ILCPolarimeters

This note examines several Machine-Detector Interface (MDI) issues for the Compton polarimeters in the Beam Delivery System of the International Linear Collider (ILC), including (1) alignment tolerances, (2) impact of crossing angle and IR magnets on spin alignment, (3) Z-pole operation, and (4) costs and conventional facilities.
Date: June 13, 2008
Creator: Woods, Mike
System: The UNT Digital Library
CeBr3 as a High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Detector (open access)

CeBr3 as a High-Resolution Gamma-Ray Detector

Lanthanum halide (LaBr3:Ce) scintillators have been well-documented as high-resolution gamma-ray detectors that are operated at room temperature. These scintillators have better resolution (<3% at 662 keV) relative to sodium iodide (NaI(Tl)) scintillators (7% at 662 keV), but the naturally occurring radioactive isotope 138La causes self-activity in the crystal that occludes portions of the gamma-ray spectrum. This selfactivity limits the use of LaBr3:Ce in high-sensitivity applications. Cerium, the dopant in the LaBr3:Ce matrix possesses useful scintillation properties, and its selfactivity is on the order of 3750 times less than La; however, Ce has not been fully characterized as the chief component in a scintillation detector. This work investigated Ce as the key scintillation matrix component in a scintillation detector with the hypothesis that CeBr3 promises energy resolution comparable or superior to LaBr3:Ce. The researchers involved with this work believe that CeBr3 may be the answer to obtaining high-temperature, high-resolution spectra with greater sensitivity than LaBr3:Ce.
Date: November 13, 2008
Creator: Michael Reed, Paul Guss, Christopher Contreras
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nanofiltration of Electrolyte Solutions by Sub-2nm Carbon Nanotube Membranes (open access)

Nanofiltration of Electrolyte Solutions by Sub-2nm Carbon Nanotube Membranes

Both MD simulations and experimental studies have shown that liquid and gas flow through carbon nanotubes with nanometer size diameter is exceptionally fast. For applications in separation technology, selectivity is required together with fast flow. In this work, we use pressure-driven filtration experiments to study ion exclusion in silicon nitride/sub-2-nm CNT composite membranes as a function of solution ionic strength, pH, and ion valence. We show that carbon nanotube membranes exhibit significant ion exclusion at low salt concentration. Our results support a rejection mechanism dominated by electrostatic interactions between fixed membrane charges and mobile ions, while steric and hydrodynamic effects appear to be less important. Comparison with commercial nanofiltration membranes for water softening reveals that our carbon nanotube membranes provides far superior water fluxes for similar ion rejection capabilities.
Date: March 13, 2008
Creator: Fornasiero, F.; Park, H. G.; Holt, J. K.; Stadermann, M.; Kim, S.; In, J. B. et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The US Support Program to IAEA Safeguards Priority of Containment and Surveillance (open access)

The US Support Program to IAEA Safeguards Priority of Containment and Surveillance

The United States Support Program (USSP) priority for containment and surveillance (US) focuses on maintaining or improving the reliability and cost-effectiveness of C/S systems for IAEA safeguards, expanding the number of systems that are unattended and remotely monitored, and developing verification methods that help streamline the on-site inspection process. Existing IAEA C/S systems have evolved to become complex, integrated systems, which may include active seals, nondestructive assay (NDA) instruments, video cameras, and other sensors. These systems operate autonomously. They send analytical data to IAEA headquarters where it can be reviewed. These systems present challenges to the goals of improved system performance, standardization, reliability, maintainability, documentation, and cost effectiveness. One critical lesson from past experiences is the need for cooperation and common objectives among the IAEA, the developer, and the facility operator, to create a successful, cost effective system. Recent USSP C/S activities include Rokkasho Reprocessing Plant safeguard systems, production of a new shift register, numerous vulnerability assessments of C/S systems, a conduit monitoring system which identifies tampering of IAEA conduit deployed in the field, fiber optic seal upgrades, unattended monitoring system software upgrades, next generation surveillance system which will upgrade existing camera systems, and support of the IAEA's development of …
Date: June 13, 2008
Creator: Diaz,R.A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Generation IV PR and PP Methods and Applications (open access)

Generation IV PR and PP Methods and Applications

This paper presents an evaluation methodology for proliferation resistance and physical protection (PR&amp;PP) of Generation IV nuclear energy systems (NESs). For a proposed NES design, the methodology defines a set of challenges, analyzes system response to these challenges, and assesses outcomes. The challenges to the NES are the threats posed by potential actors (proliferant States or sub-national adversaries). The characteristics of Generation IV systems, both technical and institutional, are used to evaluate the response of the system and determine its resistance against proliferation threats and robustness against sabotage and terrorism threats. The outcomes of the system response are expressed in terms of six measures for PR and three measures for PP, which are the high-level PR&amp;PP characteristics of the NES. The methodology is organized to allow evaluations to be performed at the earliest stages of system design and to become more detailed and more representative as design progresses. Uncertainty of results are recognized and incorporated into the evaluation at all stages. The results are intended for three types of users: system designers, program policy makers, and external stakeholders. Particular current relevant activities will be discussed in this regard. The methodology has been illustrated in a series of demonstration and case …
Date: October 13, 2008
Creator: Bari, R. A.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Creep Testing Plastic-Bonded Explosives in Uni-axial Compression (open access)

Creep Testing Plastic-Bonded Explosives in Uni-axial Compression

High fidelity measurements of time-dependent strain in the plastic-bonded explosives LX-17-1 and PBX 9502 have been performed under constant, uni-axial, compressive load using a custom designed apparatus. The apparatus uses a combination of extensometers and linear variable differential transformers coupled with a data acquisition system, thermal controls, and gravitational loading. The materials being tested consist of a crystalline explosive material mixed with a polymeric binder. The behavior of each material is related to the type of explosive and to the percentage and type of binder. For any given plastic-bonded explosive, the creep behavior is also dependent on the stress level and test temperature. Experiments were conducted using a 3 x 3 stress-temperature matrix with a temperature range of 24 C to 70 C and with stresses ranging from 250-psi to 780-psi. Analysis of the data has shown that logarithmic curve fits provide an accurate means of quantification and facilitate a long-term predictive capability. This paper will discuss the design of the apparatus, experimental results, and analyses.
Date: March 13, 2008
Creator: Gagliardi, F J & Cunningham, B J
System: The UNT Digital Library
The U.S. Support Program to IAEA Safeguards - Destructive Analysis (open access)

The U.S. Support Program to IAEA Safeguards - Destructive Analysis

The U.S. Support Program (USSP) to IAEA Safeguards priority of destructive analysis is aimed at strengthening the IAEA's ability to use destructive analysis as a safeguards tool. IAEA inspectors bring back nuclear and environmental samples from inspections, which are first cataloged by the IAEA and then analyzed by a network of laboratories located in many Member States and the IAEA's own Safeguards Analytical Laboratory in Seibersdorf, Austria. Historically, the USSP was instrumental in introducing environmental sampling techniques to the IAEA in order to enhance its understanding of material processing activities conducted at nuclear facilities. The USSP has also worked with the IAEA to improve understanding of measurement uncertainty and measurement quality, incorporate new and improved analytical methods, and purchase analytical and computer equipment. Recent activities include a temporary increase in analysis of environmental samples using secondary ion mass spectrometry and provision of a cost-free expert to restore secondary ion mass spectroscopy laboratory functionality and to modernize the IAEA's Safeguards Analytical Laboratory Information System.
Date: July 13, 2008
Creator: Hoffheins,B.
System: The UNT Digital Library
A multi-model assessment of pollution transport to the Arctic (open access)

A multi-model assessment of pollution transport to the Arctic

We examine the response of Arctic gas and aerosol concentrations to perturbations in pollutant emissions from Europe, East and South Asia, and North America using results from a coordinated model intercomparison. These sensitivities to regional emissions (mixing ratio change per unit emission) vary widely across models and species. Intermodel differences are systematic, however, so that the relative importance of different regions is robust. North America contributes the most to Arctic ozone pollution. For aerosols and CO, European emissions dominate at the Arctic surface but East Asian emissions become progressively more important with altitude, and are dominant in the upper troposphere. Sensitivities show strong seasonality: surface sensitivities typically maximize during boreal winter for European and during spring for East Asian and North American emissions. Mid-tropospheric sensitivities, however, nearly always maximize during spring or summer for all regions. Deposition of black carbon (BC) onto Greenland is most sensitive to North American emissions. North America and Europe each contribute {approx}40% of total BC deposition to Greenland, with {approx}20% from East Asia. Elsewhere in the Arctic, both sensitivity and total BC deposition are dominated by European emissions. Model diversity for aerosols is especially large, resulting primarily from differences in aerosol physical and chemical processing …
Date: March 13, 2008
Creator: Shindell, D T; Chin, M; Dentener, F; Doherty, R M; Faluvegi, G; Fiore, A M et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
The AdS/CFT Correspondence and Light-Front QCD (open access)

The AdS/CFT Correspondence and Light-Front QCD

We identify an invariant light-front coordinate {zeta} which allows the separation of the dynamics of quark and gluon binding from the kinematics of constituent spin and internal orbital angular momentum. The result is a single-variable light-front Schroedinger equation for QCD which determines the eigenspectrum and the light-front wavefunctions of hadrons for general spin and orbital angular momentum. This frame-independent light-front wave equation is equivalent to the equations of motion which describe the propagation of spin-J modes on anti-de Sitter (AdS) space. Light-front holography is a remarkable feature of AdS/CFT: it allows hadronic amplitudes in the AdS fifth dimension to be mapped to frame-independent light-front wavefunctions of hadrons in physical space-time, thus providing a relativistic description of hadrons at the amplitude level. In principle, the model can be systematically improved by diagonalizing the full QCD light-front Hamiltonian on the AdS/QCD basis. Quark and gluon hadronization can be computed at the amplitude level by convoluting the off-shell T matrix calculated from the QCD light-front Hamiltonian with the hadronic light-front wavefunctions. We also note the distinction between static observables such as the probability distributions computed from the square of the light-front wavefunctions versus dynamical observables such as the structure functions and the leading-twist …
Date: October 13, 2008
Creator: Brodsky, Stanley J. & de Teramond, Guy F.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Product Quality Assurance for Off-Grid Lighting in Africa (open access)

Product Quality Assurance for Off-Grid Lighting in Africa

Although the emergence of markets for high efficiency off-grid lighting technologies holds promise, realizing the potential of this opportunity on a long-term, sustainable basis requires careful attention to issues of product quality, consumer protection, and the potential for significant 'market spoiling', in anticipation of increases of sales of low cost, low performance off-grid lighting products. The goal of the Lighting Africa quality assurance workshop was to articulate strategies to mitigate the dangers of market spoiling and to explore ways to protect consumers from misleading advertising for sales of inferior, off-grid lighting products in the context of Lighting Africa's overarching objective to support the industry in developing a robust off-grid lighting market in Africa. The workshop resulted in the identification of two strategic approaches for meeting Lighting Africa quality assurance programmatic needs. The first strategy is intended to meet a short-term programmatic need for quality associated with requests for lighting products by bulk procurement agents, such as in a World Bank-financed project. The development of procurement specifications and test procedures that could be used in a quality/usability screening method in order to provide guidance for forthcoming large volume purchases emerged as the best solution to meet this need. Such approaches are …
Date: July 13, 2008
Creator: Bank, World; Mills, Evan & Mills, Evan
System: The UNT Digital Library
Alpha(phi2) From a Time-Dependent Analysis of B0 -> (rhopi)0 Dalitz-plot (open access)

Alpha(phi2) From a Time-Dependent Analysis of B0 -> (rhopi)0 Dalitz-plot

The authors present results of time-dependent Dalitz plot analyses of B{sup 0} {yields} ({rho}{pi}){sup 0} and the corresponding constraints on the angle {alpha} or {phi}{sub 2} of the CKM unitarity triangle from the B factories.
Date: October 13, 2008
Creator: Mohanty, G & U., Warwick
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mechanisms of disease: epithelial-mesenchymal transition and back again: does cellular plasticity fuel neoplastic progression? (open access)

Mechanisms of disease: epithelial-mesenchymal transition and back again: does cellular plasticity fuel neoplastic progression?

Epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a conversion that facilitates organ morphogenesis and tissue remodeling in physiological processes such as embryonic development and wound healing. A similar phenotypic conversion is also detected in fibrotic diseases and neoplasia, which is associated with disease progression. EMT in cancer epithelial cells often seems to be an incomplete and bi-directional process. In this Review, we discuss the phenomenon of EMT as it pertains to tumor development, focusing on exceptions to the commonly held rule that EMT promotes invasion and metastasis. We also highlight the role of the RAS-controlled signaling mediators, ERK1, ERK2 and PI3-kinase, as microenvironmental responsive regulators of EMT.
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: Bissell, Mina J; Turley, Eva A.; Veiseh, Mandana; Radisky, Derek C. & Bissell, Mina J.
System: The UNT Digital Library
Mechanical Design of the LSST Camera (open access)

Mechanical Design of the LSST Camera

The LSST camera is a tightly packaged, hermetically-sealed system that is cantilevered into the main beam of the LSST telescope. It is comprised of three refractive lenses, on-board storage for five large filters, a high-precision shutter, and a cryostat that houses the 3.2 giga-pixel CCD focal plane along with its support electronics. The physically large optics and focal plane demand large structural elements to support them, but the overall size of the camera and its components must be minimized to reduce impact on the image stability. Also, focal plane and optics motions must be minimized to reduce systematic errors in image reconstruction. Design and analysis for the camera body and cryostat will be detailed.
Date: June 13, 2008
Creator: Nordby, Martin; Bowden, Gordon; Foss, Mike; Guiffre, Gary; Ku, John & Schindler, Rafe
System: The UNT Digital Library
Prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) and short-lived neutron activation analysis (NAA) applied to the characterization of legacy materials (open access)

Prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) and short-lived neutron activation analysis (NAA) applied to the characterization of legacy materials

Without quality historical records that provide the composition of legacy materials, the elemental and/or chemical characterization of such materials requires a manual analytical strategy that may expose the analyst to unknown toxicological hazards. In addition, much of the existing legacy inventory also incorporates radioactivity, and, although radiological composition may be determined by various nuclear-analytical methods, most importantly, gamma-spectroscopy, current methods of chemical characterization still require direct sample manipulation, thereby presenting special problems with broad implications for both the analyst and the environment. Alternately, prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA) provides a&#39;single-shot&#39; in-situ, non-destructive method that provides a complete assay of all major entrained elemental constituents.1-3. Additionally, neutron activation analysis (NAA) using short-lived activation products complements PGAA and is especially useful when NAA activation surpasses the PGAA in elemental sensitivity.
Date: February 13, 2008
Creator: Firestone, Richard B; English, G. A.; Firestone, R. B.; Perry, D. L.; Reijonen, J. P.; Leung, Ka-Ngo et al.
System: The UNT Digital Library
DHS Regional Reachback: Rapid Expert Radiation Alarm Assistance. (open access)

DHS Regional Reachback: Rapid Expert Radiation Alarm Assistance.

Following assessments that attacks with radiological and nuclear weapons are possible, detection system deployments are being supported at national and local levels. Detection systems include both, highly sensitive but non-discriminating detectors, as well as detectors and algorithms capable of distinguishing and identifying gamma rays by energy. The latter systems, usually handheld systems based on sodium iodide detectors, also provide analysis of the specific radionuclides present and are referred to as radioisotope identifiers (RIIDs). Studies have shown that sodium iodide based RIIDs fall far short of 100% accurate identifications. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated the Regional Reachback (RRB) Program in 2006 to provide rapid expert interpretation of gamma spectroscopic data from radiation alarms from detection systems deployed by state and local authorities. With expert specialists on call 24/7, RRB provides an avenue for local and state authorities to verify routine results, interpret unknown identifications, and notify national response assets if needed. This paper will provide details of the RRE3 program, an outline of the analysis process, a description of the drills and training systems used to maintain specialists response performance, and examples of drills and incidents from the first full year of operation.
Date: July 13, 2008
Creator: Bowerman, B.; Archer, D.; Young, J.; Monetti, M. & Savage, B.
System: The UNT Digital Library