35 research outputs found
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Overview of the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center's urban research and development activities
This presentation describes the tools and services provided by the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) for modeling the impacts of airborne hazardous materials. NARAC provides atmospheric plume modeling tools and services for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear airborne hazards. NARAC can simulate downwind effects from a variety of scenarios, including fires, industrial and transportation accidents, radiation dispersal device explosions, hazardous material spills, sprayers, nuclear power plant accidents, and nuclear detonations. NARAC collaborates on radiological dispersion source terms and effects models with Sandia National Laboratories and the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. NARAC was designated the interim provider of capabilities for the Department of Homeland Security's Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center by the Homeland Security Council in April 2004. The NARAC suite of software tools include simple stand-alone, local-scale plume modeling tools for end-user's computers, and Web- and Internet-based software to access advanced modeling tools and expert analyses from the national center at LLNL. Initial automated, 3-D predictions of plume exposure limits and protective action guidelines for emergency responders and managers are available from the center in 5-10 minutes. These can be followed immediately by quality-assured, refined analyses by 24 x 7 on-duty or on-call NARAC staff. NARAC continues to refine calculations using updated on-scene information, including measurements, until all airborne releases have stopped and the hazardous threats are mapped and impacts assessed. Model predictions include the 3-D spatial and time-varying effects of weather, land use, and terrain, on scales from the local to regional to global. Real-time meteorological data and forecasts are provided by redundant communications links to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), U.S. Navy, and U.S. Air Force, as well as an in-house mesoscale numerical weather prediction model. NARAC provides an easy-to-use Geographical Information System (GIS) for display of plume predictions with affected population counts and detailed maps, and the ability to export plume predictions to other standard GIS capabilities. Data collection and product distribution is provided through a variety of communication methods, including dial-up, satellite, and wired and wireless networks. Ongoing research and development activities will be highlighted. The NARAC scientific support team is developing urban parameterizations for use in a regional dispersion model (see companion paper by Delle Monache). Modifications to the numerical weather prediction model WRF to account for characteristics of urban dynamics are also in progress, as is boundary-layer turbulence model development for simulations with resolutions greater than 1km. The NARAC building-resolving computational fluid dynamics capability, FEM3MP, enjoys ongoing development activities such as the expansion of its ability to model releases of dense gases. Other research activities include sensor-data fusion, such as the reconstruction of unknown source terms from sparse and disparate observations
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Advances in Modeling Radiation Dispersal Device and Nuclear Detonation Effects
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Advances in National Capabilities for Consequence Assessment Modeling of Airborne Hazards
This paper describes ongoing advancement of airborne hazard modeling capabilities in support of multiple agencies through the National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) and the Interagency Atmospheric Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC). A suite of software tools developed by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and collaborating organizations includes simple stand-alone, local-scale plume modeling tools for end user's computers, Web- and Internet-based software to access advanced 3-D flow and atmospheric dispersion modeling tools and expert analysis from the national center at LLNL, and state-of-the-science high-resolution urban models and event reconstruction capabilities
The effect of fluoride on enamel and dentin formation in the uremic rat incisor
Renal impairment in children is associated with
tooth defects that include enamel pitting and hypoplasia.
However, the specific effects of uremia on tooth formation
are not known. In this study, we used rat mandibular incisors,
which continuously erupt and contain all stages of tooth
formation, to characterize the effects of uremia on tooth
formation. We also tested the hypothesis that uremia
aggravates the fluoride (F)-induced changes in developing
teeth. Rats were subjected to a two-stage 5/6 nephrectomy or
sham operation and then exposed to 0 (control) or 50 ppm
NaF in drinking water for 14 days. The effects of these
treatments on food intake, body growth rate, and biochemical
serum parameters for renal function and calcium
metabolism were monitored. Nephrectomy reduced food
intake and weight gain. Intake of F by nephrectomized rats
increased plasma F levels twofold and further decreased food
intake and body weight gain. Uremia affected formation of
dentin and enamel and was more extensive than the effect of
F alone. Uremia also significantly increased predentin width
and induced deposition of large amounts of osteodentin-like
matrix-containing cells in the pulp chamber. In enamel
formation, the cells most sensitive to uremia were the
transitional-stage ameloblasts. These data demonstrate that
intake of F by rats with reduced renal function impairs F
clearance from the plasma and aggravates the already
negative effects of uremia on incisor tooth development
Alpha-synuclein oligomer-selective antibodies reduce intracellular accumulation and mitochondrial impairment in alpha-synuclein exposed astrocytes
Evaluation of endodontic files in digital radiographs before and after employing three image processing algorithms
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National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center Dispersion Modeling in Response to the Fukushima Daiichi Accident
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Atmospheric Dispersion Modeling: Challenges of the Fukushima Dai-ichi Response
Advances in Modeling Radiation Dispersal Device and Nuclear Detonation Effects
ABSTRACT Computer models that predict the effects of Radiation Dispersal Devices (RDD) and nuclear detonations are important tools for helping prepare for, and respond to, these threats. This paper describes recent advances made by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and collaborating laboratories in order to more realistically simulate (1) downwind deposition and dose from an RDD, (2) nuclear fallout fractionation processes, and (3) indoor radiation dose and sheltering strategies for nuclear fallout. These modeling capabilities are intended to produce nearreal-time predictions to aid emergency preparedness and response by informing protective action decisions on sheltering, evacuation, relocation, and worker protection. These capabilities are developed for use in the Department of Energy (DOE) National Atmospheric Release Advisory Center (NARAC) at the LLNL, which also serves as the operations hub for the Department of Homeland Security led Interagency Modeling and Atmospheric Assessment Center (IMAAC)