Los Alamos National Laboratory Develops ''Quick to WIPP'' Strategy

The Cerro Grande forest fire in May of 2000 and the terrorist events of September 11, 2001 precipitated concerns of the vulnerability of legacy contact-handled (CH), high-wattage transuranic (TRU) waste stored at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). An analysis of the 9,100 cubic meters of stored CH-TRU waste revealed that 400 cubic meters or 4.5% of the inventory represented 61% of the risk. The analysis further showed that this 400 cubic meters was contained in only 2,000 drums. These facts and the question ''How can the disposition of this waste to the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP) be accelerated?'' formed the genesis of LANL's Quick to WIPP initiative

UV/Vis and fluorescence study on anthralin and its alkylated derivatives

Anthralin 1 and some of its C-10 or O-alkylated derivatives were investigated by UV/VIS- and fluorescence spectroscopy in different solvents and buffer systems, respectively. The effects of substituents on the formation of anthralin anion as well as the constitution of the resulting anions confirm that C-H acidity at position 10 is necessary for the formation of a fully aromatic anionic form. It is concluded that the resulting anion 1a is the pharmacologically active species of the antipsoriatic anthralin. Tautomerism of the neutral molecule is not observable

Production of Vegetables, Strawberries, and Cut Flowers Using Plasticulture (NRAES-133)

This 156 page publication (NRAES-133) was originally published by the Natural Resource, Agriculture, and Engineering Service (NRAES, previously known as the Northeast Regional Agricultural Engineering Service), a multi-university program in the Northeast US disbanded in 2011. Plant and Life Sciences Publishing (PALS) was subsequently formed to manage the NRAES catalog. Ceasing operations in 2018, PALS was a program of the Department of Horticulture in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) at Cornell University. PALS assisted university faculty in publishing, marketing and distributing books for small farmers, gardeners, land owners, workshops, college courses, and consumers.Plasticulture is the use of plastics in agriculture. The book discusses plastic mulch, drip irrigation, fertigation, season extension, windbreaks, crop establishment, and more. Strawberry and cut flower production are described in depth. Plasticulture helps achieve earlier and higher yields, and more efficient use of resources. Intended for growers, gardeners, landscapers, and educators the book includes 85 black and white photos, 18 illustrations, sample calculations, and a glossary

Serial MRIs provide novel insight into natural history of optic pathway gliomas in patients with neurofibromatosis 1

Background: Optic pathway gliomas (OPGs) are present in 20% of children with neurofibromatosis 1 (NF1) but are less frequently observed in adults. Our goal was to determine the natural history of OPGs in children and adults with NF1. Results: We analyzed the features of OPGs and other intracranial lesions on 1775 head MRI scans of 562 unselected adults and children with NF1 collected between 2003 and 2015. 52 (9.3%) of 562 patients in this study had an OPG diagnosed on their MRI. The median age at first scan with an OPG present was 12.7 years. Of the 52 OPG patients, the intraorbital optic nerves were affected in 29 patients (56%), the prechiasmatic optic nerves were affected in 32 patients (62%), the optic chiasm was affected in 17 patients (33%) and the optic radiations were affected in 19 patients (37%). 29 patients had two or more areas affected. One patient had a newly-appearing OPG, and 1 patient showed progression. The rate of progression over 5 years was 2.4% (95% CI: 0.4% to 16%). Four patients showed partial regression of their OPGs, but we observed no case of complete regression during this study. The rate of regression over 5 years was 8.9% (95% confidence intervals: 2.8% to 26%). We found the presence of UBOs and the presence of OPGs in individual patients to be highly associated (p = 0.0061). Conclusion: OPGs are more common in older adults with NF1 than previously thought. The occurrences of unidentified bright objects (UBOs) and asymptomatic OPGs are associated with each other. This suggests the possibility that OPGs that remain asymptomatic may differ pathogenically from those that become symptomatic.Medicine, Faculty ofOther UBCNon UBCMedical Genetics, Department ofRadiology, Department ofReviewedFacult