NEUTRON CRYSTALLOGRAPHY AIDING DRUG DESIGN

File Photo:  Chemistry.  Credit:  Wikimedia. 

FROM: LOS ALAMOS NATIONAL LABORATORY

Neutron Crystallography Aids Drug Design

Precisely tailored pharmaceuticals could reduce medical side effects



LOS ALAMOS, NEW MEXICO, October 9, 2012—Researchers at Los Alamos National Laboratory have used neutron crystallography for the first time to determine the structure of a clinical drug in complex with its human target enzyme. Seeing the detailed structure of the bonded components provides insights into developing more effective drugs with fewer side effects for patients.

 

The atomic details of drug binding have been largely unknown due to the lack of key information on specific hydrogen atom positions and hydrogen bonding between the drug and its target enzyme. In this research, scientists used the drug acetazolamide (AZM) -- a sulfonamide drug that has been used for decades to treat a variety of diseases such as glaucoma, altitude sickness, and epilepsy. But when the drug binds with the wrong form (called an isoform) of the target enzyme for the disease, it can produce unpleasant side effects in patients (so called "off-target" drug binding).

 

Enter neutron crystallography – the use of neutron scattering to paint a picture of these bonds.

 

By providing precise information on hydrogen bonding between target enzymes and the treatment drugs (carbon anhydrase II targeted by AZM in this study), the research enables improvements in targeted binding with fewer side effects. Neutron crystallography offers a new and unique insight into these details, providing imagery of the exact structures involved.

 

Scientists from Los Alamos National Laboratory collected the data at the Protein Crystallography Station using neutrons from the accelerator at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, LANSCE. The Journal of the American Chemical Society published the research, "Neutron Diffraction of Acetazolamide-Bound Human Carbonic Anhydrase II Reveals Atomic Details of Drug Binding".

 

Researchers include Zoë Fisher and Mary Jo Waltman of the Los Alamos Bioenergy and Environmental Science group, Andrey Kovalevsky formerly of Los Alamos and currently at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and Robert McKenna, David Silverman and Mayank Aggarwal of the University of Florida.

 

The U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science funds the Protein Crystallography Station at LANSCE. Zoë Fisher received partial support through a Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Early Career Award.

 

 

NATIONAL CENTER FOR MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE LOOKS FOR THREATS

Photo Credit:  U.S. Army

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Medical Intelligence Center Monitors Health Threats
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

FORT DETRICK, Md., Oct. 10, 2012 – From a windowless building behind barriers and fences here, scientists, physicians and other experts monitor a range of intelligence and open-source channels for threats to the health of U.S. forces and the homeland.

But the Defense Intelligence Agency’s National Center for Medical Intelligence, known as NCMI, is an intelligence organization, not a public health organization.

The job, NCMI Director Air Force Col. (Dr.) Anthony M. Rizzo told American Forces Press Service, is not to tell the public what is happening. "It is our responsibility to tell policymakers and planners … what we believe is going to happen," he explained.

The center’s intelligence targets are medical and scientific issues. Its products, like those of the rest of the intelligence community, are predictive analysis and products for warning, produced in four divisions whose experts follow developments in infectious disease, environmental health, global health systems and medical science and technology.

NCMI is the primary source of medical intelligence in the federal government, Rizzo said, "so as a consequence, we have to write for all levels, all customers, … from the president down to the most tactical intelligence officer or surgeon in the field."

In the hallways and offices of the nondescript NCMI building are a broad range of scientists, many with multiple advanced academic degrees, many of them leaders in their fields.

"We take these very smart people," Rizzo said, "and turn them into intelligence officers."

Downstairs is a typical operations center -- multiple desks and computer monitors face large, wall-mounted screens that carry news reports from around the world.

Also at work in the building are scientists from many partner organizations.

"We are an all-source organization, and thus we have to use every means available to get our data. And the intelligence community partners who provide national technical means are physically located here," the director said.

"But we also have responsibility for intelligence for homeland health protection," he added, "[and] we could not do that job without a large number of non-intelligence-community partners who are also resident here -- fully cleared and full-up members of the organization."

Resident partners include organizations like the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency and the Agriculture Department. And Rizzo said he has NCMI experts embedded at other intelligence agencies.

Each NCMI division needs a certain amount of baseline data to do its job, the director explained.

"In the Infectious Disease Division, the baseline requirement is to understand the risk of every type of [endemic] infectious disease in every country. You can imagine why," Rizzo said.

"If an outbreak of mystery disease occurs in a country, we need to be able to say that we know in that country that Ebola, malaria and dengue are very common, so my people can look at the symptoms of mystery disease and know" the most likely suspects, Rizzo said.

"If mystery disease doesn’t fit the things that are most likely," he added, "then we have to start looking really differently."

At NCMI, every division also has a baseline product in addition to alerts and threat forecasts. In the Infectious Disease Division, it’s the Infectious Disease Risk Assessment, a predictive product, Rizzo noted, "that says if you go to a place unprotected, we predict these are the diseases your people will get, and … these are the numbers of cases."

Every federal organization that sends Americans overseas uses this product, along with baseline products from the other divisions.

Also at NCMI is a cross-divisional pandemic warning team that spends all its time monitoring highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza and other potential pandemic diseases.

In April 2009, two months before the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officially declared the global outbreak of H1N1 influenza a pandemic, NCMI published an intelligence product for senior U.S. policymakers that predicted H1N1 would be a pandemic.

"That does not make us better than [CDC]," Rizzo said, "What it does do is make us different, because [CDC] has to be right. We in the intelligence community love to be right, but we also know that in order to provide timely warning, warning in time for the customer to take action to mitigate what we’ve predicted, we have to be early. And the earlier we predict, … the less certainty we have."

At NCMI, the Environmental Health Division monitors toxic industrial chemicals, materials and facilities worldwide. Its baseline product is the Environmental Health Risk Assessment, which addresses the quality of air, food, soil, water and risk from chemical exposure worldwide. The division also does what Rizzo calls predictive hazard area modeling.

"We can tell you with 99 percent accuracy," the director said, "if this thing that’s full of chemicals leaks next Thursday, here’s where the hazard area is, here’s where you should not be standing, and here’s where it’s OK to stand."

The division monitors several facilities around the clock and can forecast dispersion events at those places immediately, but it also can do similar forecasts for any chemical or nuclear facility on the planet, Rizzo said.

Every day of the year, the director said, "there is a biological or chemical event somewhere in the world, sometimes many of them. And we own the responsibility of assessing whether or not those events … are manmade or naturally occurring, and then making predictions about them."

The Global Health Systems Division is responsible for understanding the medical capabilities of every country in the world, and it monitors the quality of every nation’s blood supply. The division’s baseline product is the Medical Capabilities Assessment for each country, and it is responsible for maintaining Defense Department databases that characterize overseas medical facilities, including hospitals, clinics, labs, blood banks and pharmaceutical production facilities.

"If you’re a planner," the director said, "and I don’t care who you’re a planner for, you’re using that Infectious Disease Risk Assessment, you’re using that Medical Capabilities Assessment, you’re using the Environmental Health Assessment to decide, ‘What do I use to protect my people? What do I have to bring? What can I leave home?’"

The NCMI Science and Technology Division is responsible for understanding every nation’s medical defense capabilities against chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear weapons.

"If you understand a country’s medical defense capabilities, that can very much help you understand what their other capabilities might be and what their intent is," Rizzo said. "People plan medical defense based on what they think is going to happen to them or what they think they can do."

Along with the baseline products that come out of each NCMI division, all produce warnings, alerts and special products during crises.

"When it comes to a crisis such as the earthquake in Haiti or an invasion of a country or a NATO bombing campaign against a country, … we have to tailor products to support the U.S. government and the governments of our allies," Rizzo said. "So while we are writing all the time, we’re also very responsive to world events. When the earthquake in Haiti occurred, we put out close to 100 products."

Most products start out in a classified version, but the director said his people are very good at writing products to be shared with NCMI’s non-intelligence community partners.

"We don’t get credit," Rizzo added, "but that doesn’t matter."

NCMI itself is an important partner in the multiagency effort to implement the nation’s first U.S. National Strategy for Biosurveillance, released this summer by the White House to make sure that agencies can quickly detect a range of global health and security hazards.

"When we think of the word biosurveillance, we think of the kinds of things that the public health community does -- collecting cases, taking cultures, deciding which disease is which," Rizzo said. "But we in the intelligence community are looking way before that to determine [if there are] threats on the horizon."

When the experts at NCMI communicate a threat to the public health community, the director added, "they can focus … their public health efforts, and so we are very much involved in biosurveillance, but … at the front end of the process."

The whole world deals with limited resources, Rizzo added, and CDC, the World Health Organization and other public health organizations can’t look at everything all the time.

"But if we in the intelligence community, especially we in medical intelligence, are able to say, ‘Here’s a threat on the horizon that we perceive,’ … then it’s up to our customer to decide whether or not they will think about it," the director added.

"We have very good, nonadversarial, very supportive relationships with our partners," Rizzo said, "and typically if we say we’re concerned, they respond."

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY, USS ENTERPRISE
121004-N-ZZ999-016 ARABIAN SEA (Oct. 4, 2012) Two F/A-18 Super Hornets fly above the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65). Enterprise is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom. America's Sailors are Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Cmdr. Josh Hammond/Released

121006-N-AB355-338 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Oct. 6, 2012) Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Ryan Beaton pilots a rigid-hull inflatable boat from the guided-missile cruiser USS Gettysburg (CG 64) with Engineman 2nd Class Jonathan Hendry, left, and Electronics Technician 2nd Class Mark Galetti as porpoise leap beside the boat during Exercise Joint Warrior. Joint Warrior takes place off the coast of Scotland and is designed and led by the joint tactical exercise planning staff in the United Kingdom. It is intended to improve interoperability between allied navies and prepare participants for a role in a joint maritime environment during deployments. America's Sailors are Warfighters, a fast and flexible force deployed worldwide. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Foster Bamford/Released)

NEWS FROM AFGHANISTAN FOR OCTOBER 10, 2012

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE


U.S. Army Spcs. Ryan Langton, left, and James Morris prepare to depart Forward Operating Base Farah on a mission to Farah City in Afghanistan's Farah province, Sept. 27, 2012. Langton and Morris are assigned to Provincial Reconstruction Team Farah. U.S. Navy photo by Lt. Benjamin Addison




Combined Force Kills Several Insurgents
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release

KABUL, Afghanistan, Oct. 10, 2012 - An Afghan and coalition security force killed several armed insurgents during an operation to arrest a Taliban leader in Afghanistan's Sar-e Pul province today, military officials reported.

The security force also seized assault rifles, a machine gun, an extra machine-gun barrel and several grenades.

In other operations today:

-- A combined force in Helmand province detained several suspects during a search for a Taliban facilitator who is alleged to coordinate the movement of insurgent fighters and weapons while planning attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- A combined force killed an armed insurgent during a search for a Taliban leader in Kandahar province. The security force also detained several other suspected insurgents and seized an assault rifle.

In operations yesterday:

-- An Afghan-led, coalition-supported force arrested a Haqqani network leader and killed another during operations in Paktia province. The detained Haqqani leader was actively involved in high-profile attacks on Afghan government officials. The deceased Haqqani leader, Khalid, was responsible for suicide attack planning and the facilitation of weapons and roadside bombs. The security force also detained six additional suspects.

In other recent operations:

-- Afghan commandos partnered with coalition forces killed several insurgents during an Oct. 8 operation in Kunar province. Afterward, the security forces uncovered and destroyed a stockpile of tactical equipment.

-- A combined force killed Taliban leader Amir Gul during an Oct. 7 operation in Wardak province. Also known as Qurashi, he planned roadside bomb and rocket attacks against Afghan and coalition forces.

-- Taliban leader Khal Mohammad was killed Oct. 6 during a coalition airstrike in Kandahar province. He organized the placement of roadside bombs.

US Navy Videos: New MRI Center's Grand Opening

US Navy Videos

FINANCIAL FRAUD ENFORCEMENT TASK FORCE MEMBERS REVEAL RESULTS OF DISTRESSED HOMEOWNER INITIATIVE

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force Members Reveal Results of Distressed Homeowner Initiative

First Law Enforcement Effort Focused on Crimes Against Struggling Homeowners 530 Criminal Defendants Charged, 73,000 Victims and Losses of More Than $1 Billion

Attorney General Eric Holder, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, FBI Associate Deputy Director Kevin L. Perkins and Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Chairman Jon Leibowitz today announced the results of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative, the first-ever nationwide effort to target fraud schemes that prey upon suffering homeowners. The yearlong initiative, launched by the FBI, a co-chair of the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force’s Mortgage Fraud Working Group, resulted in 530 criminal defendants charged, including 172 executives, in 285 federal criminal indictments or informations filed in U.S. District Courts across the country. These cases involved more than 73,000 homeowner victims and total losses by those victims estimated by law enforcement at more than $1 billion.

"These comprehensive efforts represent an historic, government-wide commitment to eradicating mo rtgage fraud and related offenses," said Attorney General Holder. "The success of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative, and the developments we announce today, underscore our determination to pursue these and other financial fraud criminals around the country."

From Oct. 1, 2011, to Sept. 30, 2012 (FY 2012), the Distressed Homeowner Initiative focused on fraud targeting homeowners, such as foreclosure rescue schemes that take advantage of homeowners who have fallen behind on their mortgage payments. Typically, the con-artist in such a scheme promises the homeowner that he can prevent foreclosure for a substantial fee by, for example, having so-called investors purchase the mortgage, or transferring title in the home to persons in league with the scammer. In the end, the homeowner can lose everything. Other targets of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative include perpetrators of loan modification schemes who obtained advance fees from homeowners after falsely promises that they would negotiate more favorable mortgage terms on behalf of the homeowners.

"With home price increases helping homeowners get back above water and billions of dollars in new resources for families still at risk through the recent mortgage servicing settlement, borrowers are finally beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. We know, however, that too many families are still facing threats to sharing in that recovery," said HUD Secretary Donovan. "The Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force has made important progress through its Mortgage Fraud Working Group to crack down on some of the same types of scam artists that got us into this crisis in the first place—pushing predatory or fraudulent loans on families who simply wanted to own a home, and now pushing false hope for modification of those loans— often preying upon the trust families have in HUD and the Federal Housing Administration. With actions like those announced today, we send a very clear message: if you don’t operate ethically, transparently, and within the boundaries of the law, we will not hesitate to act."

As a part of the Justice Department’s efforts to improve the lives of struggling homeowners, the Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force’s Victims’ Rights Committee, in partnership with the Certified Financial Planning Board and the Foundation for Financial Planning, will begin offering unprecedented pro-bono financial planning assistance to the victims of a foreclosure rescue scheme, indicted by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. All 4,000 victims of the scheme, many of whom lost their homes as a result of the fraud, have been invited to attend a free financial planning workshop in Riverside, California. Those who attend the workshop will receive free financial information and education to assist them in recovering from the devastating effects the crime had on their lives and to help them plan for the future. The financial planners at the workshop will be able to answer critical questions relating to tax planning, debt management, foreclosure assistance, job loss, retirement planning, investment advice, insurance, employee benefits and more.

"We recognize the negative impact that mortgage fraud and foreclosures have on our economy and on our communities. We cannot merely investigate after the fact. We must use intelligence and sophisticated techniques to identify and stop those who seek to defraud American homeowners. We will continue to work with our partners across the country to ensure the integrity of the housing market, and to keep our communities safe," said FBI Associate Deputy Director Perkins.

In federal civil actions involving distressed homeowner victims, the Justice Department’s U.S. Trustee Program, the Federal Trade Commission and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), protectors of the nation’s bankruptcy laws and federal consumer laws, filed 110 cases against 153 defendants in federal cases across the country, with more than 15,000 victims identified and losses estimated at more than $37 million. False or abusive filings in U.S. Bankruptcy Court are commonly used to execute foreclosure rescue scams. State Attorneys General also filed criminal cases against 51defendants, with losses at more than $2 million, and also filed at least 104 civil enforcement actions against 125 defendants with losses to homeowners at approximately $5 million. Last, the Treasury Department’s Office of Financial Stability’s Antifraud Unit and the Office of the Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), in order to protect homeowners from fraudulent or confusing websites that misuse the Treasury seal and key TARP housing program names, such as the Home Affordable Modification Program, shut down or forced into compliance more than 900 mortgage rescue websites or web advertisers.

"With many homeowners still struggling to hold onto their homes, the FTC takes a hard line against con artists who are seeking their next victim," said FTC Chairman Leibowitz.

In order to protect struggling homeowners and increase the number of criminal enforcement actions made as part of this initiative, the members of the Mortgage Fraud Working Group were proactive. The FBI generated new investigations by gathering victim complaint data from FTC databases and other sources, analyzed the data and distributed information of lead value to field offices from coast-to-coast. The FBI, together with HUD Office of Inspector General, also utilized sophisticated undercover operations to facilitate the development of federal distressed homeowner criminal cases. Further, the FBI led a surge consisting of several law enforcement agencies in southern California, where many foreclosure rescue scam operators are located, to develop investigations that could be prosecuted in various federal districts. Many of the investigations initiated as part of the Distressed Homeowner Initiative are ongoing and will result in additional enforcement actions in the near future.

The initiative included federal criminal prosecutions brought by various U.S. Attorneys’ offices and the Department of Justice’s Criminal and Civil Divisions, civil enforcement cases filed by the Department of Justice’s U.S. Trustee Program, FTC and CFPB and criminal and civil cases brought by Attorneys General in over 11 states. Participating federal agencies included the FBI, the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Federal Housing Finance Agency’s Office of Inspector General (FHFA-OIG), SIGTARP, Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service and the U.S. Secret Service. In addition, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, a task force partner, announced today that during the Distressed Homeowner Initiative it collected 4,395 foreclosure rescue Suspicious Activity Reports, a critical tool for law enforcement agencies when conducting investigations.

Press Conference with Secretary Panetta at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

Press Conference with Secretary Panetta at NATO Headquarters, Brussels, Belgium

U.S. PRESIDENT OBAMA ANNOUNCES LEADERSHIP POSITIONS IN EUROPE AND AFGHANISTAN

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Obama Praises Nominees for Key Military Positions
By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 - President Barack Obama today announced his nominations for two key military leadership positions in Europe and Afghanistan.

The president is nominating Marine Corps Gen. John R. Allen to serve as NATO's supreme allied commander for Europe and commander of U.S. European Command and Marine Corps Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr. to succeed Allen as commander of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan.

If confirmed, Allen would succeed Navy Adm. James G. Stavridis, who will retire in the spring after three decades of service. Dunford currently serves as assistant commandant of the Marine Corps. Both nominations are subject to Senate confirmation.

For more than a year, Obama said, Allen has served with distinction in Afghanistan, guiding his forces through a critical period in the country's transition.

The president noted his personal reliance on Allen's counsel and lauded his devotion to national security and U.S. service members.

"Under General Allen's command, we have made important progress towards our core goal of defeating al-Qaida and ensuring they can never return to a sovereign Afghanistan," Obama said in a written statement. "Working with our Afghan partners and international civilians, the forces under General Allen's command have moved forward with a transition to Afghan security forces, who will take the lead for security across the country next year."

Obama noted that Allen's leadership of the coalition in Afghanistan has required close relationships with NATO nations and other partners. "During his tenure in Afghanistan, General Allen established his credibility with our NATO allies and ISAF partners as a strong and effective military leader," he said.

The president also thanked Stavridis for "his steadfast service on behalf of the United States and NATO."

"He has played a critical role in helping to make NATO a stronger alliance and ensuring we have the capabilities and partnerships to meet the challenges of the next century," Obama said.

In announcing Dunford's nomination, the president said the general will assume command of ISAF with "very difficult work" remaining ahead.

"I have full confidence in his extensive experience, strategic leadership and vision," Obama added. "If confirmed by the Senate, he will lead our forces through key milestones in our effort that will allow us to bring the war to a close responsibly as Afghanistan takes full responsibility for its security."

U.S. SAYS IT'S WORKING WITH JORDAN, TURKEY REGARDING PROBLEMS WITH SYRIA

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Panetta: DOD Works with Jordan, Turkey on Syria Repercussions
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10, 2012 - The Defense Department is working with Jordan and Turkey to help with collateral humanitarian and security issues affecting them because of the brutal war that continues in Syria, Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta said here today.

During a news conference held at the close of a NATO defense ministers meeting, Panetta described U.S. efforts in the Syrian border countries of Jordan and Turkey, where the numbers of Syrians fleeing to Turkey have spiked because of recent fighting in Aleppo.

Together the nations harbor tens of thousands of the more than 200,000 refugees from the violence and death produced since March 2011 by the clash between opposition fighters and the regime of Bashar Assad.

"We have been working with Jordan for a period of time now on a number of the issues that have developed as a result of what's happening in Syria," Panetta said.
One of the main issues is humanitarian relief, the secretary added, and the United States is doing what it can to help both countries respond to the flow of displaced Syrians.

Pentagon officials also have been working with Jordan in the effort to monitor Syrian chemical and biological weapon sites and to try to determine how best to respond to any concerns in that area, he said.

"We've also been working with [Jordan] to try to develop their own military and operational capabilities in the event of any contingency there," Panetta added.

For that reason, he said, "we have a group of our forces there, working to help them build a headquarters and to ensure that we make the relationship between the United States and Jordan a strong one so we can deal with all of the possible consequences" of the war in Syria.

The U.S. presence in Jordan consists of about 150 mostly Army special operations forces, some of whom have been in Jordan for several months, a senior defense official said.

The United States also has reached out to Turkey on humanitarian and chemical and biological weapons issues, the secretary said.

"They're obviously concerned about the CBW sites as well," Panetta said, "so we've worked with them to do what we can to monitor that situation."

On the U.S. approach to the situation in Syria, Panetta said the nation, in addition to working with allies to apply as much diplomatic pressure as possible, operates in three important areas.

One area is humanitarian relief, he said.

"We've provided funds for humanitarian assistance and we have provided other facilities that are needed ... to support the large number of refuges that have gathered in these different camps," the secretary said.

A second area involves monitoring chemical and biological weapon sites in Syria.

"We continue to be concerned about security at those sites," Panetta said. "We want to ensure that security is maintained and we want to be very sure that those [weapons] do not fall into the wrong hands." The United States continues to work with regional partners to monitor the situation and evaluate the security of the sites, he added.

The third area involves assisting the opposition, the secretary added, including providing nonlethal support.

"I know there are countries in the region that are providing lethal support," he said, "but our effort is aimed at trying to work with the opposition in every way possible to ... try to develop their capabilities as well."

BURMA: BEYOND VIOLENCE

From:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE 

Burma's Rohingya: Beyond the Communal Violence
Remarks
Anne C. Richard
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Open Society Foundation and Refugees International
Washington, DC
October 9, 2012





From:  CIA World Factbook

I was invited by my good friend Michel Gabaudin of Refugees International, and just now introduced by my good friend Mort Halpern of Open Society, to speak about this issue. And I said, "We can do better than that. I’ll come but we should have Kelly Clements speak." Because my Deputy Assistant Secretary Kelly Clements has just been out to the region on a very remarkable trip. In fact, the last two years have been quite remarkable. The trajectory of U.S.-Burma relations over the past two years, since Aung San Suu Kyi was released from house arrest in November 2010, has been an amazing time. Back then, our relationship with Burma was difficult and had many challenges. And while there are still tensions, no one would have thought possible all of the many developments of the past two years.
 
Highlights include Secretary Clinton’s visit to Nay Pyi Taw and Rangoon in early December of last year. In April 2012, the National League for Democracy, Aung San Suu Kyi’s party, won 43 of the 45 vacant seats in the lower house of Parliament, including a seat for The Lady, who now serves as Chair of the Rule of Law Committee. Ambassador Mitchell’s confirmation in June as our first Ambassador in two decades was another recent development, and most recently, Aung San Suu Kyi’s and President Thein Sein’s September visits to the United States. Perhaps the most important development has been indeed the partnership formed between the Burmese President and Aung San Suu Kyi.

Only a couple weeks ago, I was in a meeting at the State Department on the topic of rule of law with Aung San Suu Kyi. And the thought that she could come to the United States and discuss the situation in her country was unfathomable during her many years of imprisonment in her home.

The president and his partners in government have taken many reformist steps over the past year. However, mutual mistrust between the government and ethnic minority groups runs deep and a long road lies ahead. The June 2012 ethnic and sectarian violence in Rakhine State demonstrates the divisiveness in Burma cultivated over many decades, if not centuries. This will need to be overcome if the Burmese are to achieve lasting peace and genuine national reconciliation.

We, in the U.S. Government, are seeking an end to the violence and want the Burmese to establish a serious dialogue on fundamental political issues. Part of our role in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration is to provide aid to refugees and displaced people. And in fiscal year 2012, we provided almost $24 million to our international organization and non-governmental organization partners to support protection and humanitarian assistance programs for Burmese refugees and asylum seekers residing in neighboring countries and conflict-affected populations inside Burma. And we are looking at future opportunities to support humanitarian efforts inside.

My Bureau has also benefited from increased openness and unprecedented access, with our staff members being able to travel to places that previously had been off limits. I would specifically like to commend office director Dorothy Shea and program officer Hoa Tran for continuing to advance our engagement in Burma and the neighboring countries. In fact, they traveled to Rakhine state last May. And that trip was filled with great hope for progress, which subsequently was tempered by the June violence.

Most recently, as I said, Kelly Clements traveled to the region with three other senior officials; they were all Deputy Assistant Secretaries. So there was one from our Bureau, one from Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, one from the East Asia Pacific Bureau and one from the Bureau that covers Central Asia and South Asia. So it was called the 4 DAS’s trip, for ‘Deputy Assistant Secretary’. And they were joined in the respective countries by the U.S. Ambassador and the USAID Mission director. So this was really an unusual thing for the State Department to be so organized as to get these folks out there and traveling at the same time and talking to the host governments. Kelly is a PRM superstar. She’s super-smart, she’s super-active, whether she’s slicing and dicing refugee aid numbers or wrestling with foreign governments about flows of refugees. And so it was clearly the smart thing to do to get her to talk of her trip firsthand, things that she witnessed and saw, and so without further ado, let me introduce Kelly Clements.

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION AND BIG BUCKS FOR PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS SUPPORTING U.S. MANUFACTURING

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

Obama administration announces $20 million for 10 public-private partnerships to support American manufacturing and encourage investment in the US

Investments will promote job creation and economic growth in local industry clusters in Ariz., Calif., Mich., NY, Okla., Ore., Pa., Tenn. and Wash.

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration today announced that 10 public-private partnerships across America will receive $20 million in total awards to help revitalize American manufacturing and encourage companies to invest in the United States.

The 10 partnerships were selected through the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, which is a competitive multi-agency grant process announced in May 2012 to support initiatives that strengthen advanced manufacturing at the local level. These public-private partnerships consist of small and large businesses, colleges, nonprofits and other local stakeholders that "cluster" in a particular area. The funds will help the winning clusters support local efforts to spur job creation through a variety of projects, including initiatives that connect innovative small suppliers with large companies, link research with the startups that can commercialize new ideas, and train workers with skills that firms need to capitalize on business opportunities.

The Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge is a partnership among the U.S. Department of Commerce's Economic Development Administration and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Department of Labor's Employment and Training Administration, the U.S. Small Business Administration and the National Science Foundation.

In order to create an economy built to last, America needs to make more things the rest of the world wants to buy. After losing millions of good manufacturing jobs in the years before and during the deep recession, the economy has added nearly 500,000 manufacturing jobs since February 2010 — the strongest period of sustained job growth since the 1990s. While there's more work to be done, steps like today's announcement build on this momentum.

"By partnering across the federal government, these grants will help us leverage resources and ensure that training programs for advanced manufacturing careers provide the skills, certifications and credentials that employers want to see from day one," Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis said.

"A strong manufacturing base in America is critical to the health of the U.S. economy, and these awards further demonstrate the Obama administration's commitment to keeping this country on the cutting edge of innovation in manufacturing," said acting Secretary of Commerce Rebecca Blank. "This investment will help accelerate and unleash the most promising ideas in advanced manufacturing, and bring those ideas to market. This will lead to good jobs for American workers, increase the nation's competitiveness, and strengthen an economy that's built to last."

The awards will help regional clusters grow by strengthening their connections to regional economic development opportunities and advanced manufacturing assets, helping develop a skilled and diverse advanced manufacturing workforce, increasing exports, encouraging the development of small businesses, and accelerating innovation in technology. The 10 winning initiatives — based in Arizona, California, Michigan, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Washington — will each receive approximately $2 million to fund projects that are expected to train a total of 1,000 workers and help nearly 650 companies leverage a cluster's resources in their regions and create jobs across the country.

"As part of President Obama's blueprint for an economy built to last, the Energy Department is investing in innovative, public-private initiatives like the Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge that support the pillars of American energy, American manufacturing and skills for American workers," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. "These investments are helping America strengthen our competitive edge and leadership in the global manufacturing sector."

"The SBA pioneered the federal government's first regional cluster strategy two years ago, and we've already seen the tangible benefits of these investments, including job creation, innovation and increased competitiveness," said SBA Administrator Karen Mills. "These 10 new advanced manufacturing jobs and innovation accelerators are proof that we can continue to build on — and complement — the success that we've already achieved and support strong ecosystems of small businesses in targeted regions throughout the country and across key industries. Additionally, by supporting our small innovative manufacturing companies, we are fostering the growth of the American supply chain and creating an economy built to last."

As part of President Obama's commitment to creating an economy built to last, the administration has invested more than $200 million promoting regional innovation clusters. The administration created an interagency task force, known as the Taskforce for the Advancement of Regional Innovation Clusters, to develop and administer interagency grant competitions. This is the third round of the Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge and, in addition to the six partnering agencies, this initiative leverages technical assistance from up to eight other federal agencies.

The 10 winners announced today are:
Arizona: growing the Southern Arizona Aerospace and Defense Region, a project of the Arizona Commerce Authority ($1,817,000).
California: Advanced Manufacturing Medical/Biosciences Pipeline for Economic Development, a project of Contra Costa County, Manex, the University of California — Berkley, Laney College and the Northern California Small Business Development Center at Humboldt State University ($2,190,779).
Michigan: Innovation Realization: Building and Supporting an Advanced Contract Manufacturing Cluster in Southeast Michigan, a project of the Southeast Michigan Community Alliance, the Michigan Manufacturing Technology Center, the National Center for Manufacturing Sciences and Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation ($2,191,962).
New York: a Proposal to Accelerate Innovations in Advanced Manufacturing of Thermal and Environmental Control Systems, a project of Syracuse University, NYSTAR, the State University of New York's College of Environmental Science and Forestry and Onondaga Community College ($1,889,890).
New York: Rochester Regional Optics, Photonics and Imaging Accelerator, a project of the University of Rochester, NYSTAR and High Tech Rochester Inc. ($1,889,936).
Oklahoma: Manufacturing Improvement Program for the Oil and Gas Industry Supply Chain and Marketing Cluster, a project of the Oklahoma Manufacturing Alliance, the New Product Development Center at Oklahoma State University, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, the Center for International Trade and Development at Oklahoma State University and the Oklahoma Application Engineer Program ($1,941,999).
Pennsylvania: Agile Electro-Mechanical Product Accelerator, a project of Innovation Works, the Catalyst Connection, the National Center for Defense Manufacturing and Machining and the Westmoreland/Fayette Workforce Investment Board ($1,862,150).
Pennsylvania: Greater Philadelphia Advanced Manufacturing Innovation and Skills Accelerator, a project of the Delaware Valley Industrial Resource Center ($1,892,000).
Tennessee: AMP! — the Advanced Manufacturing and Prototyping Center of East Tennessee, a project of Technology 2020, the Tennessee Manufacturing Extension Partnership, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pellissippi State Community College and the University of Tennessee ($2,391,778).
Washington and Oregon: Innovations in Advanced Materials and Metals, a project of the Columbia River Economic Development Council, Impact Washington, Southwest Washington Workforce Development Council and the Oregon Microenterprise Network ($1,792,221).

REPORT ON BROKER-DEALER HANDLING OF CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION AND POTENTIAL MISUSE

New York Stock Exchange.  Photo:  U.S. Government.

FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC, Sept. 27, 2012 –The Securities and Exchange Commission today issued a staff report intended to help broker-dealers safeguard confidential information from misuse, such as insider trading. The report by the Office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations (OCIE) describes strengths and weaknesses identified in examinations into how broker-dealers keep material nonpublic information from being misused.

This report should help broker-dealers assess the effectiveness of their controls over sensitive information," said OCIE Director Carlo di Florio. "The report illustrates the types of conflicts of interest that may arise between a broker-dealer’s obligations to clients that provide confidential information for business purposes and the potential misuse of such information for insider trading or other improper ends. It also describes various methods that broker-dealers use to identify and effectively manage such conflicts, including information barriers that limit the flow of sensitive information."

Conflicts of interest and other issues of concern raised by the report include:
A significant amount of informal, undocumented interaction occurred between groups that have material nonpublic information and internal and external groups with sales and trading responsibilities that might profit from the misuse of such material nonpublic information
At some broker-dealers, a senior executive might have access to material nonpublic information from one business unit while overseeing a different unit that could potentially profit from misuse of that information, with few if any restrictions or monitoring to prevent such misuse
Some broker-dealers did not have risk controls to address certain business units that possess material nonpublic information such as sales, trading or research personnel who receive confidential information for business purposes; institutional and retail customers or asset management affiliates with access to material nonpublic information, or firm personnel who receive information through business activities outside of investment banking, such as participation in bankruptcy committees or through employees serving on the boards of directors of public companies.
The report also highlights effective practices that examiners observed at some broker-dealers, such as:
Broker-dealers sometimes adopted processes that differentiate between types of material nonpublic information based on the nature of the information or where it originated. In some cases, broker-dealers create tailored "exception" reports that take into account the different characteristics of the information
Some broker-dealers expanded reviews for potential misuse of confidential information to include trading in credit default swaps, equity or total return swaps, loans, components of pooled securities such as unit investment trusts and exchange traded funds, warrants, and bond options
Broker-dealers often considered electronic sources of confidential information and instituted monitoring to identify which employees had accessed the information
Broker-dealers often monitored access rights for key cards and computer networks to confirm that only authorized personnel had access to sensitive areas.
The types of issues identified in this report may be helpful to firms as they review their conflict of interest risk management programs. In particular, in any review of information barriers control programs, broker-dealers should be alert to changes in business practices and available compliance tools.

THE PERIMETER ACQUISITION RADAR CHARACTERIZATION SYSTEM

The Perimeter Acquisition Radar Characterization System at Cavalier Air Force Station provides early warning and attack characterization of submarine launched or intercontinental ballistic missile attack on the continental United States and Canada. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Cavalier innovation provides cutting-edge space surveillance
by Staff Sgt. Craig Gantt
10th Space Warning Squadron
FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE

10/9/2012 - CAVALIER AIR FORCE STATION, N.D. -- Driving on North Dakota's Highway 5, some perceive a behemoth 12-story radar building standing in the distance as a relic of the Cold War. However, unbeknownst to the passing public, the 10th Space Warning Squadron has undergone rigorous upgrades and modernizations as a culmination of necessity and innovation.

The radar at Cavalier Air Force Station is no stranger to innovation. In 1973, massive rooms in the radar were dedicated to providing the space necessary to house one of the first multiprocessor computers in the world. Considered an engineering marvel at the time, the 48 large metal cabinets have now been replaced by a modernized computer that can fit in a room no bigger than a small storage closet. Extremely complex hardware systems stand idle as emulation software suites now silently provide far superior capabilities.

The Perimeter Acquisition Radar Characterization System is a vital component of the Integrated Tactical Warning Attack Assessment System. Once a stalwart of the Army's Safeguard program, PARCS is now one of the most advanced ground-based radar sites in the world. The primary mission of PARCS is to provide early warning and attack characterization of submarine launched or intercontinental ballistic missile attack on the continental United States and Canada. PARCS is the only missile warning sensor that can provide attack characterization and assessment, and determine the number and types of missiles entering its radar coverage. Additionally, PARCS has the capability to provide earliest and next time of impact metrics for the continental United States.

PARCS is also a collateral space sensor. Its secondary mission is to support the Air Force's space surveillance mission by providing tracking, reporting, and Space Object Identification data on Earth satellite vehicles. PARCS accounts for nearly 40 percent of the Air Force's phased array radar observations, collecting up to 100,000 observations per day. As the workhorse of the space surveillance mission, PARCS has been the primary contributor for timely space event resolution for more than five years. It is also a major contributor to the conjunction assessment program, searching for lost objects and ensuring collision avoidance for the International Space Station and a wide variety of other orbiting assets. PARCS is an incredibly powerful radar. Its 16 transmitters are capable of producing 25 megawatts of power cumulatively. The radar is able to track 75 percent of all catalogued space objects on orbit today. Recent innovations to specific hardware and computer components have resulted in extensive advancements in promoting longevity and cost effectiveness of the system.

Two of the most recent innovations to the radar are upgrades to Central Logic Control and the Traveling Wave Tubes. The CLC is the heart of the radar's data processing system. It performs calculations, makes decisions and directs the operation of interfacing subsystem components. Recent upgrades have dramatically increased the efficiency and lifespan of the CLC. The old legacy system was replaced by emulation software which is more reliable and greatly increases system memory. Not only has this innovation increased system performance, but it has reduced maintenance costs.

Currently, Cavalier AFS uses more than 100 Traveling Wave Tubes that are essential to radar operations. The TWTs are linear electron accelerators capable of producing 200 kilowatts peak power of pulsed RF output. This power output results in the creation of the RF radiation PARCS uses to carry out its mission. This process can heat the TWTs up to temperatures of 1,100 degrees centigrade, resulting in damage to the TWT components and a shortened service life. At approximately $130,000 per TWT, heat damage can make system operations extremely expensive. Through improvement, Air Force and Navy studies produced new TWT filament regulators. The installation of these new regulators resulted in a change to TWT operating temperatures extending the service life of these components by up to 25,000 hours. Additionally, vacuum ion pumps have been added to prevent damage to TWTs. The historical consistency of innovation at Cavalier AFS has saved the Air Force millions of dollars.

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK AUTHORIZES $117.5 MILLION LOAN GUANTEE SUPPORTING AIRCRAFT SALES TO FLYDUBAI



The Burj-al-Arab Hotel in Dubai is one of the world's tallest hotels. Its distinctive shape is meant to mimic an Arab dhow (sailing vessel).

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Authorizes $117.5 Million in First Financing of Boeing Aircraft
to flydubai
WASHINGTON, D.C.: The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has authorized a $117.5 million loan guarantee supporting exports of Boeing 737-800 aircraft to flydubai, a low-cost airline owned by the government of Dubai.

Ex-Im Bank is guaranteeing a 12-year loan from the Private Export Funding Corp. It is the Bank’s first authorization supporting aircraft exports to flydubai.

"This financing is a first for Ex-Im Bank for this successful new carrier in the Middle East, and this export is a great opportunity for Boeing to expand its market reach in the United Arab Emirates. The aircraft financed supported hundreds of jobs at Boeing and its suppliers across the country," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred. P. Hochberg.

"We believed that it was the right time, in flydubai’s third year of operation, to diversify the sources of funding for our aircraft. We are delighted to have the support of Ex-Im Bank and the Private Export Funding Corp. as we continue to grow, and we look forward to developing our relationship with them in the future," said Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of flydubai.

In business since 2009, flydubai operates a route network of more than 45 destinations across the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian subcontinent, Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe. The airline is designated as a national carrier of the United Arab Emirates.

FIJI'S INDEPENDENCE DAY

Fiji Location.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Republic of Fiji's Independence DayPress Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 9, 2012

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send best wishes to the people of Fiji as you celebrate the 42nd anniversary of your nation’s independence this October 10.

Fiji Map.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

The United States values its relationship with Fiji. Our citizens share a mutual commitment to democracy, freedom, and rule of law. We will continue to build our partnership as we work together to strengthen democratic institutions, promote peace and security through democratic governance, and enhance economic development in the Pacific.


As you celebrate this special day, know that you have the support of the American people. We will continue to stand by you as you continue to build a freer and more democratic society. Best wishes for a prosperous year filled with peace, progress and prosperity.

　

MORE INFORMATION ON FIJI

FROM: CIA WORLD FACTBOOK
Fiji became independent in 1970 after nearly a century as a British colony. Democratic rule was interrupted by two military coups in 1987 caused by concern over a government perceived as dominated by the Indian community (descendants of contract laborers brought to the islands by the British in the 19th century). The coups and a 1990 constitution that cemented native Melanesian control of Fiji led to heavy Indian emigration; the population loss resulted in economic difficulties, but ensured that Melanesians became the majority. A new constitution enacted in 1997 was more equitable. Free and peaceful elections in 1999 resulted in a government led by an Indo-Fijian, but a civilian-led coup in May 2000 ushered in a prolonged period of political turmoil. Parliamentary elections held in August 2001 provided Fiji with a democratically elected government led by Prime Minister Laisenia QARASE. Re-elected in May 2006, QARASE was ousted in a December 2006 military coup led by Commodore Voreqe BAINIMARAMA, who initially appointed himself acting president but in January 2007 became interim prime minister. Since taking power BAINIMARAMA has neutralized his opponents, crippled Fiji's democratic institutions, and refused to hold elections.

　

WORKING TO KEEP BIODIVERSITY OF LIFE FORMS ON EARTH

African Elephant.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.

FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Stemming the Tide of Biodiversity Loss on Earth

Life on Earth is astounding in its diversity. Despite centuries of discovery, however, the vast majority of the planet's biodiversity remains unknown.

Only a few years ago, scientists shared the view that Earth's biodiversity was so vast that it might be beyond cataloging, much less understanding. That's no longer the case.

To characterize the lesser-known aspects of the diversity of life on Earth, the National Science Foundation has awarded 14 grants totaling $26.4 million in the third year of its Dimensions of Biodiversity program.

NSF's Directorates for Biological Sciences and Geosciences, and Office of International Science and Engineering support the program. Dimensions of Biodiversity is part of NSF's Science, Engineering and Education for Sustainability investment.

The Dimensions program has also formed a partnership with NASA, which co-funds projects that use its remote-sensing platforms. The global importance of biodiversity is reflected in further partnerships with funding agencies in China and Brazil, which support Dimensions collaborators in those countries.

"By establishing networks of interdisciplinary, globally-engaged scientists, the Dimensions of Biodiversity program will have a lasting effect on biodiversity science," says John Wingfield, NSF assistant director for Biological Sciences. "The program has the potential to transform the way we conduct biological research."

Plant Life In Pacific Northwest.  Credit:  Wikimedia.

This year's awardees will study subjects as diverse as the biota of the Amazon and its environment, how nutrient input drives biodiversity in China's extremely oxygen-deprived--or eutrophic--Lake Taihu, the components of tree biodiversity, and the lineage of species in Hawaii.

"The innovative and interdisciplinary teams of the Dimensions of Biodiversity program may accomplish in 10 years what, with a piecemeal approach, would have taken 50 years--a half-century we can no longer afford to wait," says Joann Roskoski, NSF deputy assistant director for Biological Sciences.

Monkey on Bali.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook

Advances in the ability to collect, analyze and integrate biological data have provided researchers with new tools to expand knowledge of Earth's biodiversity and to revolutionize our understanding of the living world.

The pace of discovery, however, is increasingly offset by the rapid and permanent loss of diversity. Reasons for biodiversity loss include climate change, over-exploitation of natural resources, "planetary re-engineering"--such as land-use change, water diversions, coastal development, fertilizer use--and the intentional or unintentional movements of species such that they become invasive.

With biodiversity loss, humanity is losing links in the web of life that provide ecosystem services, forfeiting opportunities to understand the history and future of the living world and giving up opportunities for future beneficial discoveries in food, fiber, fuel, pharmaceuticals and bio-inspired innovation.

Biodiversity research has often focused on a single dimension. For example, investigators have concentrated on the taxonomic diversity or phylogenetic history of a clade (an ancestor and all its descendants), the genetic diversity of a population or a species, or the functional role of a taxon (a group of one or more populations of organisms) in an ecosystem.

Bacillus-Subtilis. Credit: U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

Although this research has yielded important advances, huge gaps exist in our understanding of biodiversity. We know little about how these various dimensions, individually and in concert, contribute to environmental health, ecosystem stability, productivity and resilience, and biological adaptation to rapid environmental change.

Dimensions of Biodiversity takes a broad view of biodiversity that ranges from genes through species to ecosystems. Its long-term goal is to develop an integrated understanding of the key dimensions of biodiversity in our ever-changing world.

By 2020, NSF's Dimensions of Biodiversity program is expected to have transformed our understanding of the scope and role of life on Earth.

RENEWABLE ENERGY FOR U.S. NAVAL VESSELS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Electrochemical Acidification Carbon Capture Skid. The acidification cell was mounted onto a portable skid along with a reverse osmosis unit, power supply, pump, carbon dioxide recovery system, and hydrogen stripper to form a carbon capture system. (U.S. Naval Research Laboratory)

Refueling U.S. Navy vessels, at sea and underway, is a costly endeavor in terms of logistics, time, fiscal constraints and threats to national security and sailors at sea.

In Fiscal Year 2011, the U.S. Navy Military Sea Lift Command, the primary supplier of fuel and oil to the U.S. Navy fleet, delivered nearly 600 million gallons of fuel to Navy vessels underway, operating 15 fleet replenishment oilers around the globe.

Scientists at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory are developing a process to extract carbon dioxide (CO2) and produce hydrogen gas (H2) from seawater, subsequently catalytically converting the CO2 and H2 into jet fuel by a gas-to-liquids process.
"The potential payoff is the ability to produce JP-5 fuel stock at sea reducing the logistics tail on fuel delivery with no environmental burden and increasing the Navy’s energy security and independence," says research chemist, Dr. Heather Willauer.
NRL has successfully developed and demonstrated technologies for the recovery of CO2 and the production of H2 from seawater using an electrochemical acidification cell, and the conversion of CO2 and H2 to hydrocarbons (organic compounds consisting of hydrogen and carbon) that can be used to produce jet fuel.

"The reduction and hydrogenation of CO2 to form hydrocarbons is accomplished using a catalyst that is similar to those used for Fischer-Tropsch reduction and hydrogenation of carbon monoxide," adds Willauer. "By modifying the surface composition of iron catalysts in fixed-bed reactors, NRL has successfully improved conversion efficiencies up to 60 percent."

A Renewable Resource
CO<sub>2 is an abundant carbon (C) resource in the air and in seawater, with the concentration in the ocean about 140 times greater than that in air. Two to three percent of the CO2 in seawater is dissolved CO2 gas in the form of carbonic acid, one percent is carbonate, and the remaining 96 to 97 percent is bound in bicarbonate. If processes are developed to take advantage of the higher weight per volume concentration of CO2 in seawater, coupled with more efficient catalysts for the heterogeneous catalysis of CO2 and H2, a viable sea-based synthetic fuel process can be envisioned. "With such a process, the Navy could avoid the uncertainties inherent in procuring fuel from foreign sources and/or maintaining long supply lines," Willauer said.

NRL has made significant advances developing carbon capture technologies in the laboratory. In the summer of 2009 a standard commercially available chlorine dioxide cell and an electro-deionization cell were modified to function as electrochemical acidification cells. Using the novel cells both dissolved and bound CO2 were recovered from seawater by re-equilibrating carbonate and bicarbonate to CO2 gas at a seawater pH below 6. In addition to CO2, the cells produced H2at the cathode as a by-product.

These completed studies assessed the effects of the acidification cell configuration, seawater composition, flow rate, and current on seawater pH levels. The data were used to determine the feasibility of this approach for efficiently extracting large quantities of CO2 from seawater. From these feasibility studies NRL successfully scaled-up and integrated the carbon capture technology into an independent skid to process larger volumes of seawater and evaluate the overall system design and efficiencies.

The major component of the carbon capture skid is a three-chambered electrochemical acidification cell. This cell uses small quantities of electricity to exchange hydrogen ions produced at the anode with sodium ions in the seawater stream. As a result, the seawater is acidified.

At the cathode, water is reduced to H2 gas and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) is formed. This basic solution may be re-combined with the acidified seawater to return the seawater to its original pH with no additional chemicals. Current and continuing research using this carbon capture skid demonstrates the continuous efficient production of H2 and the recovery of up to 92 percent of CO2 from seawater.

Located at NRL’s Center for Corrosion Science & Engineering facility, Key West, Fla., (NRLKW) the carbon capture skid has been tested using seawater from the Gulf of Mexico to simulate conditions that will be encountered in an actual open ocean process for capturing CO2 from seawater and producing H2 gas. Currently NRL is working on process optimization and scale-up. Once these are completed, initial studies predict that jet fuel from seawater would cost in the range of $3 to $6 per gallon to produce.

How it Works: CO2 + H2 = Jet Fuel

NRL has developed a two-step process in the laboratory to convert the CO2 and H2 gathered from the seawater to liquid hydrocarbons. In the first step, an iron-based catalyst has been developed that can achieve CO2 conversion levels up to 60 percent and decrease unwanted methane production from 97 percent to 25 percent in favor of longer-chain unsaturated hydrocarbons (olefins).

In the second step these olefins can be oligomerized (a chemical process that converts monomers, molecules of low molecular weight, to a compound of higher molecular weight by a finite degree of polymerization) into a liquid containing hydrocarbon molecules in the carbon C9-C16 range, suitable for conversion to jet fuel by a nickel-supported catalyst reaction.

Information for this story provided by The

Naval Research Laboratory</sub>

RECENT U.S. NAVY PHOTOS

FROM: U.S. NAVY
120923-N-GG400-097 U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (Sept. 23, 2012) Senior Chief Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technician Chris Gardiner, right, and Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Giabao Pham, both assigned to Combined Task Group 56.1, conduct a satellite communications check during International Mine Countermeasures Exercise 2012 (IMCMEX 12). IMCMEX 12 includes navies from more than 30 countries whose focus is to promote regional security through mine countermeasures operations in the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility. The U.S. Navy is constantly deployed to preserve peace, protect commerce, and deter aggression through forward presence. Join the conversation on social media using #warfighting. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jumar T. Balacy/Released)

Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class William Lovett, from Stedman, N.C., and Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class Shane Huskey, from Englewood, Ohio, classify sonar contacts aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS James E. Williams (DDG 95). U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Daniel Meshel (Released) 121005-N-NL401-078