A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Testifying before Congress in 2002, military beneficiary groups and civilian managed care support contractors described problems with the processing of TRICARE claims for civilian-provided care. These problems included slow payments and procedures that made claims processing inefficient. The Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act of 2003 required GAO to review improvements to TRICARE claims processing and continuing impediments to claims processing efficiency. Specifically, GAO describes (1) efforts to improve claims processing and changes in processing timeliness and (2) Department of Defense (DOD) procedures and data that continue to affect claims processing efficiency. To identify improvements to claims processing and impediments to processing efficiency, GAO analyzed 1999 and 2002 claims data for changes in processing timeliness. GAO also interviewed and analyzed claims processing documentation from DOD officials, managed care support contractors, and claims processors."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In 2002, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued nearly 6 million new Social Security numbers (SSNs), of which 1.3 million were issued to noncitizens. Despite its narrowly intended purpose, the SSN has in practice become the national identifier. SSNs are key pieces of information in creating false identities, underscoring the importance of issuing SSNs only to those eligible for them and of protecting those already assigned to individuals. The flow of noncitizens into the United States and the accompanying number of SSNs issued to them over the last several years add to the importance of having sound practices to avoid issuing SSNs to those who do not qualify for them. Congress asked GAO to describe and assess SSA's key initiatives to ensure the appropriate issuance of SSNs to noncitizens and identify vulnerabilities to error or fraud SSA has not yet addressed."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "In the fall of 2001, letters containing anthrax spores were mailed to news media personnel and congressional officials, leading to the first cases of anthrax infection related to an intentional release of anthrax in the United States. Outbreaks of anthrax infection were concentrated in six locations, or epicenters, in the country. An examination of the public health response to the anthrax incidents provides an important opportunity to apply lessons learned from that experience to enhance the nation's preparedness for bioterrorism. Because of its interest in bioterrorism preparedness, Congress asked GAO to review the public health response to the anthrax incidents. Specifically, GAO determined (1) what was learned from the experience that could help improve public health preparedness at the local and state levels and (2) what was learned that could help improve public health preparedness at the federal level and what steps have been taken to make those improvements."

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The federal government faces large losses in its Senior Executive Service (SES), primarily through retirement but also because of other normal attrition. This presents the government with substantial challenges to ensuring an able management cadre and also provides opportunities to affect the composition of the SES. In a January 2003 report, GAO-03-34, GAO estimated the number of SES members who would actually leave service through fiscal year 2007 and reviewed the implications for diversity, as defined by gender, race, and ethnicity of the estimated losses. Specifically, GAO estimated by gender, race, and ethnicity the number of members of the career SES who will leave government service from October 1, 2000, through September 30, 2007, and what the profile of the SES will be if appointment trends do not change. GAO made the same estimates for the pool of GS-15s and GS-14s, from whose ranks the vast majority of replacements for departing SES members come, to ascertain the likely composition of that pool."

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the construction, acquisition, financing, maintenance, management, operation, ownership, and control of transportation facilities and the progress, improvement, policing, and safety of transportation in the state; making appropriations.

Two biodegradation models are developed to represent natural attenuation of fuel-hydrocarbon contaminants as observed in a comprehensive natural-gradient tracer test in a heterogeneous aquifer on the Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, USA. The first, a first-order mass loss model, describes the irreversible losses of BTEX and its individual components, i.e., benzene (B), toluene (T), ethyl benzene (E), and xylene (X). The second, a reactive pathway model, describes sequential degradation pathways for BTEX utilizing multiple electron acceptors, including oxygen, nitrate, iron and sulfate, and via methanogenesis. The heterogeneous aquifer is represented by multiple hydraulic conductivity (K) zones delineated on the basis of numerous flowmeter K measurements. A direct propagation artificial neural network (DPN) is used as an inverse modeling tool to estimate the biodegradation rate constants associated with each of the K zones. In both the mass loss model and the reactive pathway model, the biodegradation rate constants show an increasing trend with the hydraulic conductivity. The finding of correlation between biodegradation kinetics and hydraulic conductivity distributions is of general interest and relevance to characterization and modeling of natural attenuation of hydrocarbons in other petroleum-product contaminated sites.

Incomplete or sparse information on types of data such as geologic or formation characteristics introduces a high level of risk for oil exploration and development projects. ''Expert'' systems developed and used in several disciplines and industries have demonstrated beneficial results. A state-of-the-art exploration ''expert'' tool, relying on a computerized database and computer maps generated by neural networks, is being developed through the use of ''fuzzy'' logic, a relatively new mathematical treatment of imprecise or non-explicit parameters and values. Oil prospecting risk can be reduced with the use of a properly developed and validated ''Fuzzy Expert Exploration (FEE) Tool.'' This FEE Tool can be beneficial in many regions of the U.S. by enabling risk reduction in oil and gas prospecting as well as decreased prospecting and development costs. In the 1998-1999 oil industry environment, many smaller exploration companies lacked the resources of a pool of expert exploration personnel. Downsizing, low oil prices, and scarcity of exploration funds have also affected larger companies, and will, with time, affect the end users of oil industry products in the U.S. as reserves are depleted. The FEE Tool will benefit a diverse group in the U.S., leading to a more efficient use of scarce funds, …

A method for reducing excessive constant-fraction-discriminator walk that utilizes experimental data in the off-line analysis stage is introduced. Excessive walk is defined here as any walk that leads to an overall timing resolution that is much greater than the intrinsic timing resolution of the detection system. The method is able to reduce the contribution to the overall timing resolution from the walk that is equal to or less than the intrinsic timing resolution of the detectors. Although the method is explained in the context of a neutron time-of-flight experiment, it is applicable to any data set that satisfies two conditions. (1) A measure of the signal amplitude for each event must be recorded on an event-by-event basis; and (2) There must be a distinguishable class of events present where the timing information is known a priori.

The goal of this DOE Vision-21 project work scope was to develop an integrated suite of software tools that could be used to simulate and visualize advanced plant concepts. Existing process simulation software did not meet the DOE's objective of ''virtual simulation'' which was needed to evaluate complex cycles. The overall intent of the DOE was to improve predictive tools for cycle analysis, and to improve the component models that are used in turn to simulate equipment in the cycle. Advanced component models are available; however, a generic coupling capability that would link the advanced component models to the cycle simulation software remained to be developed. In the current project, the coupling of the cycle analysis and cycle component simulation software was based on an existing suite of programs. The challenge was to develop a general-purpose software and communications link between the cycle analysis software Aspen Plus{reg_sign} (marketed by Aspen Technology, Inc.), and specialized component modeling packages, as exemplified by industrial proprietary codes (utilized by ALSTOM Power Inc.) and the FLUENT{reg_sign} computational fluid dynamics (CFD) code (provided by Fluent Inc). A software interface and controller, based on an open CAPE-OPEN standard, has been developed and extensively tested. Various test runs …

Two CMS production Cathode Strip Chambers were tested for aging effects in the high radiation environment at the Gamma Irradiation Facility at CERN. The chambers were irradiated over a large area: in total, about 2.1 m{sup 2} or 700 m of wire in each chamber. The 40% Ar+50%CO{sub 2}+10%CF{sub 4} gas mixture was provided by an open-loop gas system for one of the chambers and by closed-loop recirculating gas system for the other. After accumulating 0.3-0.4 C per centimeter of a wire, which is equivalent to operation during about 30-50 years at the peak LHC luminosity, no significant changes in gas gain, chamber efficiency, and wire signal noise were observed for either of the two chambers. The only consistent signs of aging were a small increase in dark current from {approx}2 nA to {approx}10 nA per plane of 600 wires and a decrease of strip-to-strip resistance from 1000 G{Omega} to 10-100 G{Omega}. Disassembly of the chambers revealed deposits on the cathode planes, while the anode wires remained fairly clean.

We present two new measurements of the top-quark mass. Using the same methodology applied in Run I, the CDF experiment uses 72 pb{sup -1} of Run II data to measure M{sub top} = 171.2 {+-} 13.4{sub stat} {+-} 99{sub syst} GeV/c{sup 2}. On the other hand, the D0 experiment, using 125 pb{sup -1} from Run I, and applying a new method that extracts information from data through a direct calculation of a probability for each event, obtains M{sub top} = 180.1 {+-} 3.6{sub stat} {+-} 4.0{sub syst} GeV/c{sup 2}.

This Special Analysis for Components-in-Grout (CIG) expands the list of isotopes to the full suite of normal isotopes. This revision also addresses selected isotopes in special waste forms from the K and L basin resin that have waste-specific Kds and high-concentration I-129 wastes with waste-specific Kds, including Effluent Treatment Facility (ETF) activated carbon vessels. The full suite of normal isotopes was first screened using the Slit Trench screening results as a conservative approach. The isotopes that survived the screening were analyzed to determine the appropriate CIG inventory limits. The groundwater modeling was revised to incorporate improvements and changes in other recent Special Analyses and Unreviewed Disposal Question (UDQ) evaluations. The air pathway analysis was modified to consider a distributed source rather than a point source. These changes are discussed below in intruder and groundwater sections. Tables and figures are provided in appendices that are directly related to the most recent analyses. Changes to inventory limits are shown in Table 7. Inventory limits for solubility- limited radionuclides require special treatment as discussed in Section 3.1.1.3. U-238 and Pu-239 were analyzed as being solubility-limited, because otherwise they would consume excessive amounts of their inventory limits. Other U and Pu isotopes were not …

Time-varying magnetic fields of magnets in booster accelerators induce substantial eddy currents in the vacuum chambers. The eddy currents in turn act to produce various multipole fields that act on the beam. These fields must be taken into account when doing a lattice design. In the APS booster, the relatively long dipole magnets (3 meters) are linearly ramped to accelerate the injected 325 MeV beam to 7 GeV. Substantial dipole and sextupole fields are generated in the elliptical vacuum chamber from the induced eddy currents. In this note, formulas for the induced dipole and sextupole fields are derived for elliptical and rectangular vacuum chambers for a time-varying dipole field. A discussion is given on how to generalize this derivation method to include eddy-current-induced multipole fields from higher multipole magnets (quadrupole, sextupole, etc.). Finally, transient effects are considered.

Projected impacts on disposal limits of various studies have been estimated. Interim measures to compensate for the impacts are needed for the Engineered Trench and the Intermediate Level Vault. Interim measures are due to projected decreases in the radionuclide disposal limits derived from the groundwater pathway as a result of the Aquifer Source Node study and consideration of potential artificial dilution caused by the large size of the grid elements in the Intermediate Level Vault groundwater model. Recently, it became evident that, in the development of the groundwater model for the Slit Trenches, the selection of aquifer source nodes (i.e., the spatial elements of the saturated zone model into which the flux of radionuclides from the unsaturated zone model is introduced) was not optimum6. Optimizing the source nodes would likely result in increases in the resulting groundwater concentrations, which would suggest that the radionuclide disposal limits should be reduced. However, other studies may result in increases in disposal limits 7. Therefore, a decision was made to develop and implement an annual summary of the potential impact of technical studies and other information on radionuclide disposal limits and whether mitigating measures should be imposed pending completion and implementation of the studies. …

This report describes the effort to develop a predictive model of the stability of aqueous solutions of nuclear materials will enable the avoidance of concentrations that may cause salts to precipitate. Therefore, for the processing of off-normal material, the risk of producing unwanted solids that require processing to stop will be reduced. Processing delays result in higher operating costs. In addition, the improved model may reduce the work scope for future flowsheet development by identifying the concentration of dissolver solutions that avoid the precipitation of salts. As an initial impact, the improved INEEL model should reduce costs for the processing of difficult-to-dissolve residues from the Rocky Flats Environmental Technology Site by shortening the time it takes to determine dissolving solutions. As a long-term impact, this model should improve schedules to dissolve other off-normal nuclear materials and process aqueous solutions that are stored throughout the DOE complex.

We present the results of a novel new search of the first data-release from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey(SDSS-DR1) for the spectra of supernovae. The use of large spectroscopic galaxy surveys offers the prospect of obtaining improved estimates of the local supernova rate, with the added benefit of a very different selection function to that of conventional photometric surveys. In this Letter we present an overview of our search methodology and the details of 19 Type Ia supernovae found in SDSS-DR1. The supernovae sample is used to make a preliminary estimate Gamma{sub Ia} = 0.4 +- 0.2h2 SNu, of the cosmological SNe rate.

This report summarizes the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory internal assessment of Laboratory operational and administrative performance in key support functions for Fiscal Year (FY) 2003. The report provides documentation of ongoing performance-based management and oversight processes required by the Department of Energy (DOE) to monitor, measure, and evaluate Berkeley Lab work.

Rotational bands in {sup 175}Lu have been extended through investigation with the (n,n{prime}{gamma}) reaction. Spallation neutrons bombarded Lu samples, and the resulting {gamma} rays were detected in a large-scale Compton-suppressed Ge detector array. Prompt- and delayed-{gamma}{gamma} coincidences have been used to extend most of the existing known bands, and to tentatively assign a new band, based on the 7/2{sup -}[523] configuration, from its band head to spin 13/2. The 3-quasiparticle K{sup {pi}} = 19/2{sup +} isomer is confirmed and its half life determined to be 984 {+-} 13(stat.) {+-} 30(sys.) {micro}s, in agreement with previous results.

The {sup 193}Ir(n,n'){sup 193m}Ir cross section for the production of the 80-keV isomer in {sup 193}Ir is evaluated using a combination of experimental data and nuclear reaction modeling, from threshold to about 20 MeV. Four discrete {gamma} lines feeding the isomer were recently observed with the GEANIE {gamma}-ray detector at LANSCE. Theoretical calculations of the nuclear reaction mechanisms in play are then carried out to evaluate the contributions not accounted for in the experimental setup (direct population; fraction of {gamma}-lines not observed in the experiment; etc). Experiment and modeling are then combined to provide a total cross section for the production of the Iridium isomer. We finally compare our result with activation measurement data available for a few energy points.

The spontaneous decay of the K{sup {pi}} = 16{sup +}, 31-year {sup 178m2}Hf isomer has been investigated with a 15 kBq source placed at the center of a 20-element {gamma}-ray spectrometer. High-multipolarity M4 and E5 transitions, which represent the first definitive observation of direct {gamma}-ray emission from the isomer, have been identified, together with other low-intensity transitions. Branching ratios for these other transitions have elucidated the spin dependence of the mixing between the two known K{sup {pi}} = 8{sup -} bands. The M4 and E5 {gamma}-ray decays are the first strongly K-forbidden transitions to be identified with such high multipolarities, and demonstrate a consistent extension of K-hindrance systematics, with an inhibition factor of approximately 100 per degree of K forbiddenness. Some unplaced transitions are also reported.

This report outlines recent developments and pending issues regarding obscenity, child pornography, and indecency. The First Amendment provides that "Congress shall make no law...abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press..." The First Amendment applies, with two exceptions, to pornography and indecency, with those terms being used to refer to any words or pictures of a sexual nature. The two exceptions are obscenity and child pornography; because these are not protected by the First Amendment, they may be, and have been, made illegal.

Decay properties of multiphonon quadropole vibrational states and intruder structures in {sup 116}Cd have been examined with the (n,n'{gamma}) reaction. Gamma-ray excitation functions, angular distributions and {gamma}-{gamma} coincidences have been measured. Lifetimes of many levels were determined with the Doppler-shift attenuation method, exposing the degree of collectivity of the intruder structure and the three-phonon states. In combination with other recent results, this new information reveals that the intruder picture is well supported in the Cd nuclei. However, a conundrum not present in the lighter cadmium nuclei emerges in {sup 116}Cd; strong configuration mixing between intruder and multiphonon vibrational excitations cannot describe the observed decays of the lowest 0{sup +} excited states.

Various issues important to animal agriculture have generated interest among lawmakers in the first session of the 108th Congress. For example, under the 2002 farm bill (P.L. 107-171) many food stores in 2004 must provide country-of-origin labeling (COOL) on ground and fresh cuts of beef, beef, pork, and lamb. The House-passed USDA appropriation for FY2004 (H.R. 2673) would block funding to implemented COOL for meats. The Senate Committee version (S. 1427) lacks the ban.

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