SOURCES 4C : a code for calculating ([alpha],n), spontaneous fission, and delayed neutron sources and spectra.

SOURCES 4C is a computer code that determines neutron production rates and spectra from ({alpha},n) reactions, spontaneous fission, and delayed neutron emission due to radionuclide decay. The code is capable of calculating ({alpha},n) source rates and spectra in four types of problems: homogeneous media (i.e., an intimate mixture of a-emitting source material and low-Z target material), two-region interface problems (i.e., a slab of {alpha}-emitting source material in contact with a slab of low-Z target material), three-region interface problems (i.e., a thin slab of low-Z target material sandwiched between {alpha}-emitting source material and low-Z target material), and ({alpha},n) reactions induced by a monoenergetic beam of {alpha}-particles incident on a slab of target material. Spontaneous fission spectra are calculated with evaluated half-life, spontaneous fission branching, and Watt spectrum parameters for 44 actinides. The ({alpha},n) spectra are calculated using an assumed isotropic angular distribution in the center-of-mass system with a library of 107 nuclide decay {alpha}-particle spectra, 24 sets of measured and/or evaluated ({alpha},n) cross sections and product nuclide level branching fractions, and functional {alpha}-particle stopping cross sections for Z < 106. The delayed neutron spectra are taken from an evaluated library of 105 precursors. The code provides the magnitude and spectra, if desired, of the resultant neutron source in addition to an analysis of the'contributions by each nuclide in the problem. LASTCALL, a graphical user interface, is included in the code package

Spectral algorithm modifications for (alpha,N) reactions on beryllium in the SOURCES computer code

This work represents a new tool to predict neutron energy spectra in the lower energy regime and, upon submission to the Radiation Safety Information Computational Center, the code distributor, will ultimately upgrade SOURCES from version 4C to 5A --Abstract, page iv

Present state of the SOURCES computer code

In various stages of development for over two decades, the SOURCES computer code continues to calculate neutron production rates and spectra from four types of problems: homogeneous media, two-region interfaces, three-region interfaces and that of a monoenergetic alpha particle beam incident on a slab of target material. Graduate work at the University of Missouri - Rolla, in addition to user feedback from a tutorial course, provided the impetus for a variety of code improvements. Recently upgraded to version 4B, initial modifications to SOURCES focused on updates to the 'tape5' decay data library. Shortly thereafter, efforts focused on development of a graphical user interface for the code. This paper documents the Los Alamos SOURCES Tape1 Creator and Library Link (LASTCALL) and describes additional library modifications in more detail. Minor improvements and planned enhancements are discussed

Continued development of the next generation of SOURCES

In development for over two decades, the SOURCES computer code calculates neutron production rates and spectra from four types of problems: homogeneous media, two-region interfaces, three-region interfaces and that of a monoenergetic alpha particle beam incident on a slab of target material. In terms of file structure, SOURCES consists of a usercreated input file (tapel), several data files (tapes 2-5) and up to six output files (outp, outp2, and tapes 6-9). SOURCES was recently upgraded from version 4A to version 48 when the code's decay data library, tapeti, was updated for 44 of the 105 available decay sources. The new version provided spontaneous fission information for 252Cf and alpha decay data revisions for 43 isotopes and isomers having Watt fission spectra parameters.' Following that work, this summary documents similar modifications made to the remaining 61 sources. It also summarizes additional enhancements and planned improvements to SOURCES for the next major code release

A New ⁹Be(A,n) Cross-Section Evaluation for Use in the SOURCES Computer Code

Experimental breakup reaction data was the basis for choosing a set of α optical potential parameters for calculating the cross section from the 9Be(α,α′n) reaction with the GNASH code. Although not in complete agreement with experimental values, the promising results suggest additional work and continued research for optimal parameters. Accommodating modifications in the SOURCES code system required improved data and an approximation for the three-body reaction branching fractions is presented as a temporary solution. Experimental spectra from AcBe, CmBe, and simulated AmBe neutron sources are compared to SOURCES calculations using the new branching fractions and serve as benchmarks for this new version of the code

Extremity model for neutron dose calculations

In personnel dosimetry for external radiation exposures, health physicists tend to focus on measurement of whole body dose, where 'whole body' is generally regarded as the torso on which the dosimeter is placed.' Although a variety of scenarios exist in which workers must handle radioactive materials, whole body dose estimates may not be appropriate when assessing dose, particularly to the extremities. For example, consider sources used for instrument calibration. If such sources are in a contact geometry (e.g. held by fingers), an extremity dose estimate may be more relevant than a whole body dose. However, because questions arise regarding how that dose should be calculated, a detailed extremity model was constructed with the MCNP-4Ca Monte Carlo code. Although initially intended for use with gamma sources, recent work by Shores2 provided the impetus to test the model with neutrons

Fluence-to-dose confusion regarding external stochastic dose determination within the DOE complex.

The Department of Energy's (DOE) occupational radiation protection dose limits are specified in 10 CFR 835 (hereafter referred to as 'regulation'). Ambiguity in the regulation regarding designation of dose and fluence-to-dose conversion factors leads to confusion and disagreement regarding the appropriate choice of conversion factors. Three primary dose quantities of relevance are absorbed dose, D, quality factor, Q, and the product of those, called dose equivalent, H. The modifier Q is intended to express the long-term fatal cancer causing potential of different radiation types and generally increases with energy for neutrons. For photons, Q is close to unity regardless of energy. In principle, H could be estimated by incorporating a phantom and relevant Q values in a radiation-transport model. In practice, this would entail too much model complexity and computer time. The evaluator of H instead relies on pre-calculated energy-dependent fluence-to-dose conversion factors. Three primary sets of fluence-to-dose conversion factors are commonly used to determine stochastic dose for neutrons and photons: (1) ANSI/ANS-6.1.1-1977 that incorporates the NCRP-38 data for neutrons and sets based on Claiborne and Wells for photons, (2) ANSI/ANS -6.1.1-1991 that are based on and nearly identical to the neutron and photon sets in ICRP -51, and (3) neutron and photon sets in ICRP-74. The first set is maximum H values in a 30-cm diameter cylinder phantom for neutrons and in a 30-cm thick slab phantom for photons. The second set is effective dose equivalent, HE, derived from an anthropomorphic phantom by summing the products of tissue dose equivalents, HT, and tissue weighting factors, w{sub T}. The third set is effective dose, E, also derived from an anthropomorphic phantom by summing the products of H{sub T} and w{sub T}. E is functionally identical to H{sub E} except H{sub T} is the product of D and the radiation weighting factor, w{sub R}, which is similar in meaning to Q

Comprehensive genomic characterization of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas

The Cancer Genome Atlas profiled 279 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) to provide a comprehensive landscape of somatic genomic alterations. Here we show that human-papillomavirus-associated tumours are dominated by helical domain mutations of the oncogene PIK3CA, novel alterations involving loss of TRAF3, and amplification of the cell cycle gene E2F1. Smoking-related HNSCCs demonstrate near universal loss-of-function TP53 mutations and CDKN2A inactivation with frequent copy number alterations including amplification of 3q26/28 and 11q13/22. A subgroup of oral cavity tumours with favourable clinical outcomes displayed infrequent copy number alterations in conjunction with activating mutations of HRAS or PIK3CA, coupled with inactivating mutations of CASP8, NOTCH1 and TP53. Other distinct subgroups contained loss-of-function alterations of the chromatin modifier NSD1, WNT pathway genes AJUBA and FAT1, and activation of oxidative stress factor NFE2L2, mainly in laryngeal tumours. Therapeutic candidate alterations were identified in most HNSCCsclose9