Direct measurement of the coherence time of a high-intensity laser beam (600 ps, 10{sup 14} W.cm{sup -2}) after plasma propagation is achieved using a Michelson interferometer. Through plasma of interest for indirect-drive fusion (0.1 x n{sub c}, 1 mm long), a large decrease of the coherence time is observed, from 100 ps to {approx} 10 ps, induced by the interaction between the intense beam and the plasma. This decrease is even stronger as the light is scattered at larger angles from the initial beam angular distribution and as the plasma density is increased. The results coincide with trends observed in recent numerical simulations.

The Central Solenoid Model Coil (CSMC) was designed and built from 1993 to 1999 by an ITER collaboration between the US and Japan, with contributions from the European Union and the Russian Federation. The main goal of the project was to establish the superconducting magnet technology necessary for a large-scale fusion experimental reactor. Three heavily instrumented insert coils were built to cover a wide operational space for testing. The CS Insert, built by Japan, was tested in April-August of 2000. The TF Insert, built by Russian Federation, will be tested in the fall of 2001. The NbAl Insert, built by Japan, will be tested in 2002. The testing takes place in the CSMC Test Facility at the Japan Atomic Energy Research Institute, Naka, Japan. The CSMC was charged successfully without training to its design current of 46 kA to produce 13 T in the magnet bore. The stored energy at 46 kA was 640 MJ. This paper presents the main results of the CSMC and the CS Insert testing--magnet critical parameters, ac losses, joint performance, quench characteristics and some results of the post-test analysis.

Homology-directed repair (HDR) of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) is a well-established mechanism that contributes to the maintenance of genomic stability in rodent cells, and it has been assumed that HDR is of similar importance in the repair of DSBs in human cells. However, in addition to promoting genomic stability, some outcomes of homologous recombination can be deleterious, suggesting that factors exist to regulate HDR. We previously demonstrated that overexpression of BCL-2 or BCL-xL enhanced the frequency of x-ray-induced mutations involving the TK1 locus, including loss of heterozygosity (LOH) events presumed to arise by mitotic recombination. The present study was designed to test whether HDR is a prominent DSB repair pathway in human cells, and to directly determine whether ectopic expression of BCL-xL affects HDR. We used the B-lymphoblastoid cell line TK6, which expresses wild-type TP53 and resembles normal lymphocytes in undergoing apoptosis following! genotoxic stress. U sing isogenic derivatives of TK6 cells (TK6-neo, TK6-bcl-xL), we find that a DSB in an integrated HDR reporter stimulates gene conversion 40-50-fold in TK6-neo cells, demonstrating that a DSB can be efficiently repaired by gene conversion in human cells. Significantly, DSB-induced gene conversion events are 3- to 4-fold more frequent in BCL-xL overexpressing cells. …

Prior laboratory corrosion studies along with experience at the black liquor gasifier in New Bern, North Carolina, clearly demonstrate that serious material problems exist with the gasifier's refractory lining. Mullite-based and alumina-based refractories used at the New Bern facility suffered significant degradation even though they reportedly performed adequately in smaller scale systems. Oak Ridge National Laboratory's involvement in the failure analysis, and the initial exploration of suitable replacement materials, led to the realization that a simple and reliable, complementary method for refractory screening was needed. The development of a laboratory test system and its suitability for simulating the environment of black liquor gasifiers was undertaken. Identification and characterization of corrosion products were used to evaluate the test system as a rapid screening tool for refractory performance and as a predictor of refractory lifetime. Results from the test systems and pl ants were qualitatively similar.

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) carries out a significant amount of transportation each year, including waste remediation activities at the sites for which it is responsible. In future years, the amount of material transported is expected to increase, and the costs of this transportation are expected to be large. To support the assessment of such costs, a cost-estimating model was developed in 1996, peer-reviewed against other available packaging and transportation cost data, and used to calculate the costs for a significant number of shipping campaigns of radioactive waste. This cost-estimating model, known as the Ten-year Plan Transportation Model (TEPTRAM), served as the cost-estimating model for radioactive material shipments in developing the DOE Office of Environmental Management's Ten Year Plan. The TEPTRAM model considered costs for recovery and processing of the wastes, packaging of the wastes for transport, carriage of the waste and a rough estimate of labor cost s associated with preparing and undertaking the shipments. At the user's direction, the model could also include the cost for DOE's interaction with its external stakeholders (e.g., state and local governments and tribal entities) and the cost associated with tracking and communication (e.g., use of the DOE TRANSCOM system). By …