The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment: Exploring Fundamental Symmetries of the Universe

The preponderance of matter over antimatter in the early Universe, the dynamics of the supernova bursts that produced the heavy elements necessary for life and whether protons eventually decay --- these mysteries at the forefront of particle physics and astrophysics are key to understanding the early evolution of our Universe, its current state and its eventual fate. The Long-Baseline Neutrino Experiment (LBNE) represents an extensively developed plan for a world-class experiment dedicated to addressing these questions. LBNE is conceived around three central components: (1) a new, high-intensity neutrino source generated from a megawatt-class proton accelerator at Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, (2) a near neutrino detector just downstream of the source, and (3) a massive liquid argon time-projection chamber deployed as a far detector deep underground at the Sanford Underground Research Facility. This facility, located at the site of the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota, is approximately 1,300 km from the neutrino source at Fermilab -- a distance (baseline) that delivers optimal sensitivity to neutrino charge-parity symmetry violation and mass ordering effects. This ambitious yet cost-effective design incorporates scalability and flexibility and can accommodate a variety of upgrades and contributions. With its exceptional combination of experimental configuration, technical capabilities, and potential for transformative discoveries, LBNE promises to be a vital facility for the field of particle physics worldwide, providing physicists from around the globe with opportunities to collaborate in a twenty to thirty year program of exciting science. In this document we provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess.Comment: Major update of previous version. This is the reference document for LBNE science program and current status. Chapters 1, 3, and 9 provide a comprehensive overview of LBNE's scientific objectives, its place in the landscape of neutrino physics worldwide, the technologies it will incorporate and the capabilities it will possess. 288 pages, 116 figure

Y Chromosome Lineages in Men of West African Descent

The early African experience in the Americas is marked by the transatlantic slave trade from ∼1619 to 1850 and the rise of the plantation system. The origins of enslaved Africans were largely dependent on European preferences as well as the availability of potential laborers within Africa. Rice production was a key industry of many colonial South Carolina low country plantations. Accordingly, rice plantations owners within South Carolina often requested enslaved Africans from the so-called “Grain Coast” of western Africa (Senegal to Sierra Leone). Studies on the African origins of the enslaved within other regions of the Americas have been limited. To address the issue of origins of people of African descent within the Americas and understand more about the genetic heterogeneity present within Africa and the African Diaspora, we typed Y chromosome specific markers in 1,319 men consisting of 508 west and central Africans (from 12 populations), 188 Caribbeans (from 2 islands), 532 African Americans (AAs from Washington, DC and Columbia, SC), and 91 European Americans. Principal component and admixture analyses provide support for significant Grain Coast ancestry among African American men in South Carolina. AA men from DC and the Caribbean showed a closer affinity to populations from the Bight of Biafra. Furthermore, 30–40% of the paternal lineages in African descent populations in the Americas are of European ancestry. Diverse west African ancestries and sex-biased gene flow from EAs has contributed greatly to the genetic heterogeneity of African populations throughout the Americas and has significant implications for gene mapping efforts in these populations

Ancient genomes indicate population replacement in Early Neolithic Britain

The roles of migration, admixture and acculturation in the European transition to farming have been debated for over 100 years. Genome-wide ancient DNA studies indicate predominantly Aegean ancestry for continental Neolithic farmers, but also variable admixture with local Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. Neolithic cultures first appear in Britain circa 4000 bc, a millennium after they appeared in adjacent areas of continental Europe. The pattern and process of this delayed British Neolithic transition remain unclear. We assembled genome-wide data from 6 Mesolithic and 67 Neolithic individuals found in Britain, dating 8500–2500 bc. Our analyses reveal persistent genetic affinities between Mesolithic British and Western European hunter-gatherers. We find overwhelming support for agriculture being introduced to Britain by incoming continental farmers, with small, geographically structured levels of hunter-gatherer ancestry. Unlike other European Neolithic populations, we detect no resurgence of hunter-gatherer ancestry at any time during the Neolithic in Britain. Genetic affinities with Iberian Neolithic individuals indicate that British Neolithic people were mostly descended from Aegean farmers who followed the Mediterranean route of dispersal. We also infer considerable variation in pigmentation levels in Europe by circa 6000 bc

Skewed X-inactivation is common in the general female population

X-inactivation is a well-established dosage compensation mechanism ensuring that X-chromosomal genes are expressed at comparable levels in males and females. Skewed X-inactivation is often explained by negative selection of one of the alleles. We demonstrate that imbalanced expression of the paternal and maternal X-chromosomes is common in the general population and that the random nature of the X-inactivation mechanism can be sufficient to explain the imbalance. To this end, we analyzed blood-derived RNA and whole-genome sequencing data from 79 female children and their parents from the Genome of the Netherlands project. We calculated the median ratio of the paternal over total counts at all X-chromosomal heterozygous single-nucleotide variants with coverage ≥10. We identified two individuals where the same X-chromosome was inactivated in all cells. Imbalanced expression of the two X-chromosomes (ratios ≤0.35 or ≥0.65) was observed in nearly 50% of the population. The empirically observed skewing is explained by a theoretical model where X-inactivation takes place in an embryonic stage in which eight cells give rise to the hematopoietic compartment. Genes escaping X-inactivation are expressed from both alleles and therefore demonstrate less skewing than inactivated genes. Using this characteristic, we identified three novel escapee genes (SSR4, REPS2, and SEPT6), but did not find support for many previously reported escapee genes in blood. Our collective data suggest that skewed X-inactivation is common in the general population. This may contribute to manifestation of symptoms in carriers of recessive X-linked disorders. We recommend that X-inactivation results should not be used lightly in the interpretation of X-linked variants

Dissolved lead data collected from the R/V Pourquoi pas (GEOVIDE) in the North Atlantic, Labrador Sea (section GA01) during 2014

Dataset: Dissolved PbDissolved lead data collected from the R/V Pourquoi pas (GEOVIDE) in the North Atlantic, Labrador Sea (section GA01) during 2014 For a complete list of measurements, refer to the full dataset description in the supplemental file 'Dataset_description.pdf'. The most current version of this dataset is available at: https://www.bco-dmo.org/dataset/651880NSF Division of Ocean Sciences (NSF OCE) OCE-135722

Dynamic variability of dissolved Pb and Pb isotope composition from the U.S. North Atlantic GEOTRACES transect

This study presents dissolved Pb concentration and isotopic composition distributions from GEOTRACES GA03, the U.S. North Atlantic Transect. Pb in the ocean is primarily derived from anthropogenic sources and Pb fluxes into the North Atlantic Ocean have been steadily decreasing following the phase-out of alkyl leaded gasoline usage in North America and Europe between 1975 and 1995. A compilation of dissolved Pb profiles from three stations occupied repeatedly during the last three decades reveals a dramatic decrease in concentrations within the surface layers and the thermocline maxima, although elevated concentrations greater than 60pmol/kg are still observed in the center of the North Atlantic gyre where ventilation timescales are longer than at the western boundary. The evolution of stable Pb isotopes at these stations shows a shift from dominantly North American-like composition in surface waters in the early 1980s towards a more European-like composition in later years. The most recent shallow signatures at the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series station (BATS) show an even more recent trend returning to higher 206Pb/207Pb ratios after the completed phase-out of leaded gasoline in Europe, presumably because recently deposited Pb is more strongly influenced by industrial and incineration Pb than by residual alkyl leaded gasoline utilization. In surface waters, trends toward a more prominent European influence are also found in the middle of the basin and toward the European coast, coincident with higher concentrations of surface dissolved Pb. Scavenging of anthropogenic Pb is observed within the TAG hydrothermal plume, and it is unclear if there is any significant contribution to deep water by basaltic Pb leached by hydrothermal fluids. In the upper water column, many stations along the transect show Pb concentration maxima at ~100m depth, coincident with a low 206Pb/207Pb isotopic signature that is typical of European emission sources. Although Pb ores from the United States historically tend to carry 206Pb/207Pb signatures >1.17 (Hurst, 2002), subsurface signatures as low as 1.1563 in 206Pb/207Pb were observed in this feature. This signature appears to be carried westward within saline Subtropical Underwater (STUW), that ventilates from the Central Eastern part of the North Atlantic Subtropical Gyre where the lowest surface isotope 206Pb/207Pb ratios are observed. Along the western boundary, deep water masses of different ages carry distinct isotope ratios corresponding to their respective times of ventilation. Finally, a low 206Pb/207Pb signature in bottom water along the Eastern margin suggests that there may be some mobilization of European-derived anthropogenic Pb from recent surface deposits on the ocean floor

Anthropogenic Lead Emissions in the Ocean: The Evolving Global Experiment

We review the current distribution of lead and lead isotopes in the ocean with regard to the evolving pattern of human emissions during the past decades and centuries.National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant OCE-1233749)National Science Foundation (U.S.) (Grant Z792093-06

A Group of Cyclic Siloxane and Silazane Polymer Films as Nanoscale Electrolytes for Microbattery Architectures

Nanoscale (10–50 nm) thin films of cyclic siloxane and silazane polymers were synthesized by initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD). We have previously demonstrated that the non-line-of-sight iCVD synthesis process can create uniform conformal coverage of these films over complex nonplanar surfaces. This work will introduce the protocols used to convert these dielectric polymer films into ionic conductors at room temperature. The excellent thickness and morphological stability of these films will be demonstrated along with experiments that determine the ion content in the films. Finally, computational calculations will be used to elucidate the chemical nature of the ion doping and transport processes. These nanoscale, conformal, ionically conducting polymer thin films are attractive as a novel class of nanoscale electrolytes for emerging miniaturized or microbattery architectures such as three-dimensional (3D) batteries which combine high energy (due to high surface area) and power density (due to short ionic transport lengths) within small areal footprints