TEM Characterization of Solar Wind Effects on Genesis Mission Silicon Collectors

The Genesis Discovery Mission passively allowed solar wind (SW) to implant into substrates during exposure times up to ~853 days from 2001 to 2004. The spacecraft then returned the SW to Earth for analysis. Substrates included semiconductor wafers (silicon, sapphire, and germanium), as well as a number of thin films supported by either silicon or sapphire wafers. During flight, subsets of the SW collectors were exposed to one of 4 SW regimes: bulk solar wind, coronal hole solar wind (CH, high speed), interstream solar wind (IS, low speed) or coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Each SW regime had a different composition and range of ion speeds and, during their collection, uniquely changed their host SW collector. This study focuses on bulk vs IS SW effects on CZ silicon

Inventory extension at the Nuclear Materials Storage Facility

The planned renovation of the Nuclear Material Storage Facility (NMSF) at Los Alamos National Laboratory will be a significant addition to the plutonium storage capacity of the nuclear weapons complex. However, the utility of the facility may be impaired by an overly conservative approach to performing inventories of material in storage. This report examines options for taking advantage of provisions in Department of Energy orders to extend the time between inventories. These extensions are based on a combination of modern surveillance technology, facility design features, and revised operational procedures. The report also addresses the possibility that NMSF could be the site of some form of international inspection as part of the US arms control and nonproliferation policy

Universal criterion for the breakup of invariant tori in dissipative systems

The transition from quasiperiodicity to chaos is studied in a two-dimensional dissipative map with the inverse golden mean rotation number. On the basis of a decimation scheme, it is argued that the (minimal) slope of the critical iterated circle map is proportional to the effective Jacobian determinant. Approaching the zero-Jacobian-determinant limit, the factor of proportion becomes a universal constant. Numerical investigation on the dissipative standard map suggests that this universal number could become observable in experiments. The decimation technique introduced in this paper is readily applicable also to the discrete quasiperiodic Schrodinger equation.Comment: 13 page

Swine Influenza Virus Antibodies in Humans, Western Europe, 2009

Serologic studies for swine influenza viruses (SIVs) in humans with occupational exposure to swine have been reported from the Americas but not from Europe. We compared levels of neutralizing antibodies against 3 influenza viruses—pandemic (H1N1) 2009, an avian-like enzootic subtype H1N1 SIV, and a 2007–08 seasonal subtype H1N1—in 211 persons with swine contact and 224 matched controls in Luxembourg. Persons whose profession involved contact with swine had more neutralizing antibodies against SIV and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus than did the controls. Controls also had antibodies against these viruses although exposure to them was unlikely. Antibodies against SIV and pandemic (H1N1) 2009 virus correlated with each other but not with seasonal subtype H1N1 virus. Sequential exposure to variants of seasonal influenza (H1N1) viruses may have increased chances for serologic cross-reactivity with antigenically distinct viruses. Further studies are needed to determine the extent to which serologic responses correlate with infection

A systems framework for defining nonproliferation program technology requirements

This is the final report for a one year Laboratory Directed Research and Development project at the Los Alamos National Laboratory. This systems analysis study provided a framework for evaluating the technology developments needed to support an emerging nonproliferation regime that provides for global fissile materials control. The project produced an integrated program plan describing areas for technology advancement and the supporting Los Alamos strengths. The research objectives and goals of this project are to identify current or future nonproliferation needs where LANL has a strong technical infrastructure. The first step in this process is to identify technical nonproliferation needs based on the global environment

Tidal and thermal stresses drive seismicity along a major Ross Ice Shelf rift

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2019. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters, 46(12), (2019): 6644-6652, doi:10.1029/2019GL082842.Understanding deformation in ice shelves is necessary to evaluate the response of ice shelves to thinning. We study microseismicity associated with ice shelf deformation using nine broadband seismographs deployed near a rift on the Ross Ice Shelf. From December 2014 to November 2016, we detect 5,948 icequakes generated by rift deformation. Locations were determined for 2,515 events using a least squares grid‐search and double‐difference algorithms. Ocean swell, infragravity waves, and a significant tsunami arrival do not affect seismicity. Instead, seismicity correlates with tidal phase on diurnal time scales and inversely correlates with air temperature on multiday and seasonal time scales. Spatial variability in tidal elevation tilts the ice shelf, and seismicity is concentrated while the shelf slopes downward toward the ice front. During especially cold periods, thermal stress and embrittlement enhance fracture along the rift. We propose that thermal stress and tidally driven gravitational stress produce rift seismicity with peak activity in the winter.NSF grants PLR‐1142518, 1141916, and 1142126 supported S. D. Olinger and D. A. Wiens, R. C. Aster, and A. A. Nyblade respectively. NSF grant PLR‐1246151 supported P. D. Bromirski, P. Gerstoft, and Z. Chen. NSF grant OPP‐1744856 and CAL‐DPR‐C1670002 also supported P. D. Bromirski. NSF grant PLR‐1246416 supported R. A. Stephen. The Incorporated Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) and the PASSCAL Instrument Center at New Mexico Tech provided seismic instruments and deployment support. The RIS seismic data (network code XH) are archived at the IRIS Data Management Center (http://ds.iris.edu/ds/nodes/dmc/). S. D. Olinger catalogued and located icequakes, analyzed seismicity and environmental forcing, and drafted the manuscript. D. A. Wiens and B. P. Lipovsky provided significant contributions to the analysis and interpretation of results and to the manuscript text. D. A. Wiens, R. C. Aster, A. A. Nyblade, R. A. Stephen, P. Gerstoft, and P. D. Bromirski collaborated to design and obtain funding for the deployment. D. A. Wiens, R. C. Aster, R. A. Stephen, P. Gerstoft, P. D. Bromirski, and Z. Chen deployed and serviced seismographs in Antarctica. All authors provided valuable feedback, comments, and edits to the manuscript text. Special thanks to Patrick Shore for guidance throughout the research process.2019-11-2

Current and Emerging Uses of Statins in Clinical Therapeutics: A Review

Statins, a class of cholesterol-lowering medications that inhibit 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-coenzyme A reductase, are commonly administered to treat atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Statin use may expand considerably given its potential for treating an array of cholesterol-independent diseases. However, the lack of conclusive evidence supporting these emerging therapeutic uses of statins brings to the fore a number of unanswered questions including uncertainties regarding patient-to-patient variability in response to statins, the most appropriate statin to be used for the desired effect, and the efficacy of statins in treating cholesterol-independent diseases. In this review, the adverse effects, costs, and drug–drug and drug–food interactions associated with statin use are presented. Furthermore, we discuss the pleiotropic effects associated with statins with regard to the onset and progression of autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, strokes, bacterial infections, and human immunodeficiency virus. Understanding these issues will improve the prognosis of patients who are administered statins and potentially expand our ability to treat a wide variety of diseases

Inventory extension considerations for long-term storage at the nuclear materials storage facility

Los Alamos National Laboratory is in the process of modifying its nuclear materials storage facility to a long-term storage configuration. In support of this effort, we examined technical and administrative means to extend periods between physical inventories. Both the frequency and sample size during a physical inventory could significantly impact required sizing of the non-destructive assay (NDA) laboratory as well as material handling capabilities. Several options are being considered, including (1) treating each storage location as a separate vault, (2) minimizing the number of items returned for quantitative analysis by optimizing the use of in situ confirmatory measurements, and (3) utilizing advanced monitoring technologies. Careful consideration of these parameters should allow us to achieve and demonstrate safe and secure storage while minimizing the impact on facility operations and without having to increase the size of the NDA laboratory beyond that required for anticipated shipping and receiving activities