A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "September 11 exposed the vulnerability of U.S. financial markets to wide-scale disasters. Because the markets are vital to the nation's economy, GAO assessed (1) the effects of the attacks on market participants' facilities and telecommunications and how prepared participants were for attacks at that time, (2) physical and information security and business continuity plans market participants had in place after the attacks, and (3) regulatory efforts to improve preparedness and oversight of market participants' risk reduction efforts."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) provided about $3 billion to state agencies in fiscal year 2001 for food assistance, including infant formula, through its Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC). Most infants receiving formula are given a milk- or soy-based standard formula. To stretch program dollars, each state WIC agency contracts with a single company for purchases of that company's standard formula for which they receive rebates. These rebates totaled $1.4 billion in fiscal year 2001. Rebates do not apply to other companies' brands of standard formula (noncontract standard formula) or to nonstandard formulas designed to meet special medical or dietary conditions. GAO was directed to examine the extent that WIC agencies have restricted the use of noncontract standard formula to lower cost of the WIC program."

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "September 11 exposed the vulnerability of U.S. financial markets to wide-scale disasters. Because the markets are vital to the nation's economy, GAO assessed (1) the effects of the attacks on market participants' facilities and telecommunications and how prepared participants were for attacks at that time, (2) physical and information security and business continuity plans market participants had in place after the attacks, and (3) regulatory efforts to improve preparedness and oversight of market participants' risk reduction efforts."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks exposed the vulnerability of U.S. financial markets to wide-scale disasters. Because the markets are vital to the nation's economy, GAO's testimony discusses (1) how the financial markets were directly affected by the attacks and how market participants and infrastructure providers worked to restore trading; (2) the steps taken by 15 important financial market organizations to address physical security, electronic security, and business continuity planning since the attacks; and (3) the steps the financial regulators have taken to ensure that the markets are better prepared for future disasters."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Much has changed since the Congress enacted the Wendell H. Ford Aviation Investment and Reform Act for the 21st Century (AIR-21) 3 years ago--the downturn in the nation's economy and the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, have taken a heavy toll on aviation. Competition for federal funding has also grown. The reauthorization of AIR-21 provides an opportunity for the Congress and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to focus on several challenges to improving the national airspace system. These challenges include (1) funding planned airport capital development, (2) increasing capacity and efficiency, (3) implementing human capital and procurement reforms, and (4) ensuring aviation safety. This testimony is based on ongoing and published GAO work. The information on funding and development, obtained from FAA and the Airport Council International (ACI), a key organization representing the airport industry, is preliminary and therefore subject to change."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Coast Guard is one of 22 agencies being placed in the new Department of Homeland Security. With its key roles in the nation's ports, waterways, and coastlines, the Coast Guard is an important part of enhanced homeland security efforts. But it also has non-security missions, such as search and rescue, fisheries and environmental protection, and boating safety. GAO has conducted a number of reviews of the Coast Guard's missions and was asked to testify about the Coast Guard's implementation challenges in moving to this newly created Department."

Semiweekly newspaper from Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas that includes local, national, and campus news along with advertising.

Letter from Lieutenant General Thomas A. Baker to Eleanor Brown, inviting her to apply for membership in the Order of Daedalians, a fraternal order of military pilots.

Weekly newspaper from Rusk, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with extensive advertising.

Weekly student newspaper from the University of Dallas in Irving, Texas that includes campus news and commentaries along with advertising.

Weekly student newspaper from Texas Wesleyan University in Fort Worth, Texas that includes campus and local news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Wylie, Texas that includes local, state and national news along with advertising.

Semi-weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Semi-weekly newspaper from Seminole, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with extensive advertising.

Device fabrication and characterization studies relevant to the development of silicon carbide (SiC) based gas and temperature sensors have been performed. Initial studies of Pd deposition on Si were performed since the procedures for Si substrate preparation were well known to us. This allowed us to gain experience in controlling the deposition process while continuing to investigate methods of preparing the SiC substrate surface. Studies of SiC surface preparation were carried out under a separate contract. As our SiC substrate preparation techniques improved, studies of Pd deposition on SiC were performed and the thermal stability of Pd/SiC interfaces (i.e., the critical sensor component) was characterized. These studies have demonstrated that the Pd/SiC interface is remarkably stable at temperatures up to 670 C. At this time, we are moving rapidly to a point where the oxide overlayer can be reproducibly reduced to an acceptable level and large areas of the substrate can be reproducibly produced with the surface roughness reduced to the atomic scale. We believe that this will substantially improve the thermal stability of the Pd/SiC interface. In all these studies, techniques are being used that could readily be incorporated into commercial processes. Moreover, as a result of our ultrahigh …

The discharge parameters in Hall thrusters depend strongly on the yield of secondary electron emission from channel walls. Comparative measurements of the yield of secondary electron emission at low energies of primary electrons were performed for several dielectric materials used in Hall thrusters with segmented electrodes. The measurements showed that at low energies of primary electrons the actual energetic dependencies of the total yield of secondary electron emission could differ from fits, which are usually used in theoretical models. The observed differences might be caused by electron backscattering, which is dominant at lower energies and depends strongly on surface properties. Fits based on power or linear laws are relevant at higher energies of primary electrons, where the bulk material properties play a decisive role.

This project focuses on the synthesis of mesoporous aluminophosphate and aluminosilicates as catalysts for application in the conversion of large petroleum feedstock compounds to useful middle distillates and naphtha transportation fuels. Summarized herein, is our research progress for September 1, 2001 to August 31, 2002. The synthesis of aluminophosphates in the presence of nonionic surfactants and block co-polymers were explored over a wide range of synthesis variables such as temperature, Al/P ratio, pH and surfactants/polymer concentrations. In most cases, the resulting products were found to be amorphous. A partially ordered aluminophosphate mesophase was obtained in the presence of Brij 56 non-ionic surfactant. Further characterization to determine the phase type (e.g. hexagonal lamellar or cubic) of this product is pending. The amorphous nature of the products obtained using these classes of surfactants are in contrast to highly ordered aluminophosphates mesophases obtained in the presence of cationic quaternary ammonium surfactants, such as cetyltrimethylammonium detailed in a previous report. The synthesis of pure-silica and aluminosilicate mesophases of different type and quality were also conducted over a wide range of variables such as temperature, Si/Al ratio, pH and surfactants/polymer concentrations. However characterization of the phase type and quality of the materials produced is pending …

A glass bonded-sodalite ceramic waste form (CWF) has been developed to immobilize salt wastes from electrometallurgical treatment of sodium-bonded spent nuclear fuel. The CWF is a composite of salt-loaded sodalite and a binder glass formed at high temperature (850-950 C) by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) or pressureless-consolidation (PC) processes. A waste form degradation and radionuclide release model has been developed to support qualification of the CWF for disposal in the proposed repository at Yucca Mountain. Six series of tests were conducted in conjunction with the development of that model. (1) Static tests were conducted to measure the dissolution rate of sodalite, HIP binder glass, and HIP CWF at 40, 70, and 90 C in pH range 4.8-9.8 buffer solution. The parameter values in the degradation model were calculated from the dissolution rates measured by the static tests. (2) Static tests were conducted at 70 C in noncomplexing tertiary amine pH buffers to confirm that the dissolution rate measured with traditional buffers was not affected by the complexation of metal ions. The results showed that the difference between dissolution rate determined with noncomplexing buffer and that determined with traditional buffers was negligible. (3) Static tests were conducted in five buffer solutions …

The primary goal of the present work was to demonstrate the use of the chop-leach (with nitric acid) process to produce a feed solution for the UREX process.

The use of polymeric materials is extremely widespread in our lives today. The value of these materials is directly related to various macroscopic properties. High elasticity, toughness, and strength may all be ultimately important to the end user. A large number of analytical tests can be used to measure these macroscopic properties after the material has been processed. However, it is important to remember that these macroscopic properties ultimately derive from molecular level effects and hence, are already set when processing is complete. Polymers can be extruded into films, spun into fibers, and molded into parts with differing properties, but the understanding of how these properties can be affected by the processing step is unclear. An understanding of the cause and effect.

Semiweekly newspaper from Levelland, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Daily newspaper from Baytown, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Weekly newspaper from Yoakum, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The U. S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS) are engaged in a three-year cooperative study to observe the behavior of actinides in the natural environment at selected disposal sites and/or contamination sites in Russia. The purpose is to develop experimental data and models for actinide speciation, mobilization and transport processes in support of geologic repository design, safety and performance analyses. Currently at the mid-point of the study, the accomplishments to date include: evaluation of existing data and data needs, site screening and selection, initial data acquisition, and development of preliminary conceptual models.