Other written product issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As the United States reviews its plans to secure, stabilize, and rebuild Iraq, GAO has enclosed a series of issue papers for Congressional consideration in developing its oversight agenda for the 110th Congress and analyzing the President's revised strategy for Iraq. These papers are based on the continuing work of the U.S. Government Accountability Office and the 67 Iraq-related reports and testimonies we have provided to the Congress since May 2003. Iraq has had three successful elections, adopted a constitution, and installed its first elected government. At the same time, since the initial ground offensive ended in 2003, the costs to secure and stabilize Iraq have grown substantially, as has the level of violence that afflicts Iraqi society. Such violence stems from an insurgency that has grown more complex and lethal over the past 3 and 1/2 years and the Sunni-Shi'a conflict, which escalated dramatically in 2006. This instability complicates meaningful political reconciliation among Iraq's religious and tribal groups, reduces the effectiveness of U.S. and Iraqi reconstruction and capacity-building efforts, and diminishes the hopes and expectations of an Iraqi people without adequate jobs, water, fuel, and …

Theoretical and computational investigations are presented of boundary plasma microturbulence that take into account important effects of the geometry of diverted tokamaks--in particular, the effect of x-point magnetic shear and the termination of field lines on divertor plates. We first generalize our previous 'heuristic boundary condition' which describes, in a lumped model, the closure of currents in the vicinity of the x-point region to encompass three current-closure mechanisms. We then use this boundary condition to derive the dispersion relation for low-beta flute-like modes in the divertor-leg region under the combined drives of curvature, sheath impedance, and divertor tilt effects. The results indicate the possibility of strongly growing instabilities, driven by sheath boundary conditions, and localized in either the private or common flux region of the divertor leg depending on the radial tilt of divertor plates. We re-visit the issue of x-point effects on blobs, examining the transition from blobs terminated by x-point shear to blobs that extend over both the main SOL and divertor legs. We find that, for a main-SOL blob, this transition occurs without a free-acceleration period as previously thought, with x-point termination conditions applying until the blob has expanded to reach the divertor plate. We also derive …

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Most expert analyses of the projected world energy needs show utilization of nuclear energy will be essential for the next few decades, and hence the need to support this technology grows. But as one measure of the supporting science base of this field, as of December 2006, only 25 Pu containing structures were in the Cambridge Structural Database, as compared to 21,807 for Fe. A comparison of the rate of addition to this knowledge base reveals that approximately 500 Fe structures are registered with the Cambridge Structural Database every year, while in the same period only two or three Pu crystal structures are published. A continuing objective of this laboratory has been the development of new sequestering agents for actinide decorporation and selective extractions. This effort has been based on similarities in the properties of Pu(IV) and Fe(III), and the chelating groups in microbial Fe(III) sequestering agents, siderophores. The HOPO ligands (Figure 1) are one such class of chelating group which have been investigated as selective actinide extractants.

Laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy (LTRS) is a novel, nondestructive, and label-free method that can be used to quantitatively measure changes in cellular activity in single living cells. Here, we demonstrate its use to monitor changes in a population of E. coli cells that occur during overexpression of a protein, the extracellular domain of myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG(1-120)) Raman spectra were acquired of individual E. coli cells suspended in solution and trapped by a single tightly focused laser beam. Overexpression of MOG(1-120) in transformed E. coli Rosetta-Gami (DE3)pLysS cells was induced by addition of isopropyl thiogalactoside (IPTG). Changes in the peak intensities of the Raman spectra from a population of cells were monitored and analyzed over a total duration of three hours. Data was also collected for concentrated purified MOG(1-120) protein in solution, and the spectra compared with that obtained for the MOG(1-120) expressing cells. Raman spectra of individual, living E. coli cells exhibit signatures due to DNA and protein molecular vibrations. Characteristic Raman markers associated with protein vibrations, such as 1257 cm{sup -1}, 1340 cm{sup -1}, 1453 cm{sup -1} and 1660 cm{sup -1}, are shown to increase as a function of time following the addition of IPTG. Comparison of these …

Finite plasma temperature can modify the structure of thewake field, reduce the wave-breaking field, and lead to self-trappedelectrons, which can degrade the electron bunch quality in a plasma-basedaccelerator. A relativistic warm fluid theory is used to describe theplasma temperature evolution and alterations to the structure of anonlinear periodic wave exited in a warm plasma. The trapping thresholdfor a plasma electron and the fraction of electrons trapped from athermal distribution are examined using a single-particle model.Numerical artifacts in particle-in-cell models that can mimic the physicsassociated with finite momentum spread are discussed.

First-principles methods are employed to calculate the ground-state atomic densities (or volumes) of {alpha}-Pu alloyed with Al, Ga, and Am. Three configurations for the alloying atom are considered. (1) It is located at the most open and energetically most favorably site. (2) It is located in the least open site. (3) It is randomly distributed within the {alpha}-Pu matrix. When alloyed with Al or Ga, {alpha}-Pu behaves similarly, it expands considerably for configurations (2) and (3), while for (1) only small changes of the density occurs. Interestingly, for Am the alloying effects are quite different from that of Al and Ga. Small expansion is noted for the ordered configurations (1) and (2), whereas for the disordered (3), only insignificant changes of the density take place. The bonding character is thus differently influenced in Pu by the addition of Al and Ga on one hand and Am on the other. This is consistent with the view that Al and Ga stabilize the {delta} over the {alpha} phase in Pu by a different mechanism than Am, as has been discussed in recent publications.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether the Edwards Aquifer Authority may reduce groundwater withdrawal permit amounts for certain permit holders below the amount specified in section 1.16(e) of the Authority’s enabling act when, if all permitted amounts are withdrawn, over 450,000 acre-feet of water will be withdrawn from the aquifer in a calendar year (RQ-0469-GA)

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This report discusses the federal support for child care in several forms, ranging from grant programs to tax provisions. It also points out the federal child care-related programs and tax provisions.

Texas Daily Newspaper Association's Frank W. Mayborn Award for Community Leadership history. The Mayborn Award for Community Leadership is awarded annually by Texas Daily Newspaper Association to a publisher or newspaper executive who contributed most significantly to the society during the past year. The criteria for the nominee should exhibit outstanding and exemplary leadership which reflect credit upon the newspaper business. The award recipient for 2006 was Nelson Clyde IV (mis-identified in document), President and Publisher for the Tyler Morning Telegraph. The recipients for the Mayborn award have been listed all the way back to 1992.

Texas Daily Newspaper Association's Pat Taggart Award for Newspaper Leader of the Year history. The Pat Taggart Award are given to the recipients who are providing outstanding service/accomplishments to their newspaper, the newspaper business, and their community. The 2005 recipient of the Pat Taggart Award goes to Wesley R. Turner of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. The remaining document details all the recipients of the award as far back as 1977.

The results of searches for D{sup 0}-{bar D}{sup 0} mixing in the decays D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup 0} and D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup +}{pi}{sup -}{pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -}, using 230 fb{sup -1} of e{sup +}e{sup -} collisions collected from the BABAR detector at the PEP-II storage ring at SLAC, are presented. The combination of results from these analyses yields a value for the time-integrated mixing rate R{sub M} = (0.020{sub -0.010}{sup +0.011}(stat.))%, and an upper limit R{sub M} < 0.042% at the 95% confidence level. The data in these analyses are consistent with the no-mixing hypothesis at the 2.1% confidence level.

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The Harness project has developed novel software frameworks for the execution of high-end simulations in a fault-tolerant manner on distributed resources. The H2O subsystem comprises the kernel of the Harness framework, and controls the key functions of resource management across multiple administrative domains, especially issues of access and allocation. It is based on a “pluggable” architecture that enables the aggregated use of distributed heterogeneous resources for high performance computing. The major contributions of the Harness II project result in significantly enhancing the overall computational productivity of high-end scientific applications by enabling robust, failure-resilient computations on cooperatively pooled resource collections.

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Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) performed pilot-scale hydraulic/chemical testing of spherical resorcinol formaldehyde (RF) ion exchange (IX) resin for the River Protection Project Hanford Tank Waste Treatment & Immobilization Plant (WTP) Project. The RF resin cycle testing was conducted in two pilot-scale IX columns, 1/4 and 1/2 scale. A total of twenty-three hydraulic/chemical cycles were successfully completed on the spherical RF resin. Seven of the cycles were completed in the 12-inch IX Column and sixteen cycles were completed in the 24-inch IX Column. Hydraulic testing showed that the permeability of the RF resin remained essentially constant, with no observed trend in the reduction of the permeability as the number of cycles increased. The permeability during the pilot-scale testing was 2 1/2 times better than the design requirements of the WTP full-scale system. The permeability of the resin bed was uniform with respect to changes in bed depth. Upflow Regeneration and Simulant Introduction in the IX columns revealed another RF resin benefit; negligible radial pressures to the column walls from the swelling of resin beads. In downflow of the Regeneration and Simulant Introduction steps, the resin bed particles pack tightly together and produce higher hydraulic pressures than that found in upflow. …

As part of its own defense mechanism, most bacteria have developed an innate ability to enable toxic secretion to ward off potential predators or invaders. However, this naturally occurring process has been abused since over production of the bacteria's toxin molecules could render them as potential bioweapons. As these processes (also known as ''black biology'') can be clandestinely performed in a laboratory, the threat of inflicting enormous potential damage to a nation's security and economy is invariably clear and present. Thus, efficient detection of these biothreat agents in a timely and accurate manner is highly desirable. A wealth of publications describing various pathogen immuno-sensing advances has appeared over the last few years, and it is not the intent of this review article to detail each reported approach. Instead, we aim to survey a few recent highlights in hopes of providing the reader an overall sense of the breath of these sensing systems and platforms. Antigen targets are diverse and complex as they encompass proteins, whole viruses, and bacterial spores. The signaling processes for these reported immunoassays are usually based on colorimetric, optical, or electrochemical changes. Of equal interest is the type of platform in which the immunoassay can be performed. …

Challenges associated with the materials that remain in spent fuel storage pools are emerging as countries deal with issues related to storing and cleaning up nuclear fuel left over from weapons production. The K Basins at the Department of Energy's site at Hanford in southeastern Washington State are an example. Years of corrosion products and piles of discarded debris are intermingled in the bottom of these two pools that stored more 2,100 metric tons (2,300 tons) of spent fuel. Difficult, costly projects are underway to remove radioactive material from the K Basins. Similar challenges exist at other locations around the globe. This paper compares the challenges of handling and treating radioactive sludge at several locations storing spent nuclear fuel.

No feasible remediation technology has been identified for nuclear test cavities such that site management and institutional controls must be relied on to minimize the possibility of public exposure to these legacies of the Cold War. The most common exposure pathway of concern is migration of radionuclides with groundwater. Prediction of flow and transport behavior in the sparsely observed subsurface environment is inherently uncertain, but developing effective management strategies demands such predictions. An agreement between the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the State of Nevada provides a framework for addressing uncertainty in site management decisions. The central element of the framework is calculation of a predictive contaminant boundary at a specified confidence interval. This boundary is defined as a three-dimensional region encompassing all groundwater that contains radionuclides at concentrations higher than Safe Drinking Water Act limits at any time through a 1,000-year period, at a 95-percent confidence interval. In the process of predicting this boundary at the Shoal underground nuclear test site in rural Nevada, some interesting challenges were encountered. A stochastic groundwater flow and transport model was developed for the site using historic site data and information from four characterization wells drilled in 1996. Though the predicted mean …