The 13th Workshop discussion sessions addressed recent progress, critical issues in implementing new technologies, and the role of fundamental R&D in the growing PV industry. For the first time, we included a rump session, which was held on Sunday evening, August 10. This session included a panel of representatives, from various photovoltaic companies, who led a discussion of''R&D Challenges in Si PV.'' A special poster/presentation session was held on Monday evening, August 11, in which NREL/DOE subcontractors highlighted their results of research performed during the current subcontract period. This session served as a subcontract review. The workshop offered special sessions to discuss: (1) High-Efficiency Si Solar Cells, which reviewed progress made in implementing high-efficiency Si solar cell fabrication processes in the manufacturing environment; (2) Advanced Processing, as future potential approaches for making Si solar cells; (3) Commercial Issues, which addressed basic understanding behind recent processes that have been used by the PV industry; and (4) Automation and Equipment, to address capabilities and requirements of new manufacturing equipment.

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The extended abstracts which are submitted here present a summary of the proceedings of the 6th International Workshop/12th LH Gray Workshop: Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response, held at St. Catherine's College, University of Oxford, UK on March, 29th-31st, 2003. In 1993 the 4th LH Gray Workshop entitled ''Microbeam Probes of Cellular Radiation Response'' was held at the Gray Cancer Institute in Northwood. This was organized by Prof BD Michael, Dr M. Folkard and Dr KM Prise and brought together 40 participants interested in developing and applying new microbeam technology to problems in radiation biology (1). The workshop was an undoubted success and has spawned a series of subsequent workshops every two years. In the past, these workshops have been highly successful in bringing together groups interested in developing and applying micro-irradiation techniques to the study of cell and tissue damage by ionizing radiations. Following the first microbeam workshop, there has been a rapid growth in the number of centres developing radiobiology microbeams, or planning to do so and there are currently 15-20 worldwide. Much of the recent research using microbeams has used them to study low-dose effects and ''non-targeted'' responses such bystander effects, genomic instability and adaptive responses. The …

Article on ab initio studies of polarization and piezoelectricity in vinylidene fluoride and BN-based polymers.

Article on an analysis of management and employee job satisfaction for gender, age group, length of time with the organization, and between management and non-management employees.

Article discussing research on applying technology to online counseling and suggestions for the beginning e-therapist.

The percentage of fine roots colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi varied with season and with species in the co-dominant shrubs Lurreu tridentutu and Ambrosia dumosu at a site adjacent to the Nevada Desert FACE (Free-Air CO{sub 2} Enrichment) Facility (NDFF) in the Mojave Desert. We excavated downward and outward from the shrub bases in both species to collect and examine fine roots (< 1.0 mm diameter) at monthly intervals throughout 2001 and from October 2002 to September 2003. Fungal structures became visible in cleared roots stained with trypan blue. We quantified the percent colonization of roots by AM fungi via the line intercept method. In both years and for both species, colonization was highest in fall, relatively low in spring when root growth began, increased in late spring, and decreased during summer drought periods. Increases in colonization during summer and fall reflect corresponding increases in precipitation. Spring mycorrhizal colonization is low despite peaks in soil water availability and precipitation, indicating that precipitation is not the only factor influencing mycorrhizal colonization. Because the spring decrease in mycorrhizal colonization occurs when these shrubs initiate a major flush of fine root growth, other phenological events such as competing demands for carbon by …

Data samples of {approx} 140pb{sup -1} gathered with CDF Run II's displaced vertex trigger and J/{Psi} trigger have led to measurements of B hadron lifetimes in exclusive and semileptonic modes which are presented here. Also discussed are evaluations of flavour tagging techniques in Run II data. .30.-a - 14.40.Nd.

Article on biosynthesis of monolignols and genomic and reverse genetic approaches.

Carbon nanotubes hold significant promise for a vast number of materials applications due to their unique mechanical, electrical, and gas storage properties. Although carbon single-wall nanotubes (SWNTs) have been synthesized since 1993 by the arc discharge method, and numerous other synthesis methods have since been developed, no method has yet produced 100% pure carbon nanotubes. Instead, a significant amount of impurities—various carbon structures and metal catalysts—are present in the raw soot. While arc discharge was the first method for SWNT synthesis, it also produces more impure raw soot in comparison to the more recently developed laser vaporization, which has produced the purest raw soot to date but is much slower. Geometry and thermal gradient are appreciably different between traditional arc discharge systems and laser vaporization systems. We report that, by incorporating some characteristics inherent to a laser vaporization system into an arc discharge system, improvement in the yield of SWNT raw soot may be achieved. This is accomplished by confining the arc within a 50 mm diameter quartz tube, similar to laser vaporization. We find through transmission electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy that SWNTs are made in significant numbers in this confined arc discharge system, comparable to laser vaporization synthesized …

With Run II of the Fermilab Tevatron well underway, many computing challenges inherent to analyzing large volumes of data produced in particle physics research need to be met. We present the computing model within CDF designed to address the physics needs of the collaboration. Particular emphasis is placed on current development of a large O(1000) processor PC cluster at Fermilab serving as the Central Analysis Farm for CDF. Future plans leading toward distributed computing and GRID within CDF are also discussed.

Wetlands are valuable resources that are disappearing at an alarming rate. Land development has resulted in the destruction of wetlands for approximately 200 years. To combat this destruction, the federal government passed legislation that requires no net loss of wetlands. The United States Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is responsible for regulating wetland disturbances. In 1991, the USACE determined that the construction of the Advanced Photon Source at Argonne National Laboratory would damage three wetlands that had a total area of one acre. Argonne was required to create a wetland of equal acreage to replace the damaged wetlands. For the first five years after this wetland was created (1992-1996), the frequency of plant species, relative cover, and water depth was closely monitored. The wetland was not monitored again until 2002. In 2003, the vegetation cover data were again collected with a similar methodology to previous years. The plant species were sampled using quadrats at randomly selected locations along transects throughout the wetland. The fifty sampling locations were monitored once in June and percent cover of each of the plant species was determined for each plot. Furthermore, the extent of standing water in the wetland was measured. In 2003, 21 species …

Seasonal and interannual droughts characteristic of deserts have the potential to modify plant interactions as atmospheric CO{sub 2} concentrations continue to rise. At the Nevada Desert FACE (free-air CO{sub 2} enrichment) facility in the northern Mojave Desert, the effects of elevated atmospheric C02 (550 vs. ambient {approx}360 {micro}mol mol{sup -1}) on plant interactions were examined during two years of high and low rainfall. Results suggest that CO{sub 2} effects on the interaction between native species and their understory herbs are dependent on the strength of competition when rainfall is plentiful, but are unimportant during annual drought. Seasonal rainfall for 1999 was 23% the long-term average for the area, and neither elevated CO{sub 2} nor the low production of herbaceous neighbors had an effect on relative growth rate (RGR, d{sup -1}) and reproductive effort (RE, number of flowers g{sup -1}) for Achnatherum hymenoides (early season perennial C{sub 3} grass), Pleuraphis rigida (late season perennial C{sub 4} grass), and Larrea tridentata (evergreen C{sub 3} shrub). In contrast, 1998 received 213% the average rainfall. Consequently, the decrease in RGR and increase in RE for Achnatherum, whose period of growth overlaps directly with that of its neighbors, was exaggerated at elevated CO{sub 2}. However, …

The American Academy of Microbiology convened a colloquium November 6-7, 2003, in Key Largo, Florida, to discuss the application of genomic methods to the study of pathogenesis. Professionals in the fields of genomics, bacteriology, virology, eukaryotic microbiology, medicine, clinical diagnostics, bioinformatics, and forensics contributed their expertise to discussions on the recent advancements in the field and the outlook for future research. A number of recommendations were made for ensuring that progress in the field continues. The availability of genome sequences from pathogenic bacteria, viruses, and fungi and other eukaryotes has opened new horizons for the field of pathogenesis. The genomes of over 100 bacterial pathogens have been fully sequenced, and scientists are busy investigating the mechanisms that regulate the diversity of bacterial pathogens and their myriad abilities to evade host defenses. Close to 1,200 viral genomes have been sequenced, and virologists are now beginning to examine the genomes of those viruses that cause undetected, cryptic infections. These virus-host interactions can serve as a reservoir of viral genes that later emerge in novel pathogens with the potential to infect humans, economically important animals, or crops. A number of eukaryotic microbes, including several pathogenic fungi, have also been sequenced, revealing unimagined diversity …

Transparent conducting oxides were successfully prepared from mixed zinc nitrate hexahydrate and indium nitrate hydrate solutions in ethylene glycol using sol-gel technique. The In content in the film was varied (0, 2, 10, 20, 40, 75 and 100 atom %). Films were prepared by spin coating of the liquid precursors followed by thermal decomposition at 400° C after each layer. According to X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements, the pure ZnO and pure InO films (0 and at 100 % In) were crystalline as-deposited. The crystallinity was suppressed in mixed compositions such that the films with compositions between 10 and 75 at % were amorphous. All the films were transparent with the transmission cut-off frequency near 400 nm, which is characteristic of TCO materials. All as-deposited films were conductive with 0 and 100 atom % In having the lowest resistivities. The resistivity of all compositions were improved by post-deposition reducing anneal in pure Ar at 300° C. The lowest resistivity of 0.2 Ωcm was obtained for the pure ZnO after Ar anneal. It was two-orders of magnitude higher than reported in the literature for the In-doped ZnO, which was attributed to the low processing temperature. The resistivities of as-deposited and annealed in …

Article discussing copyright and fair use in regards to ethics in a changing learning environment.

Electrochemical corrosion rate (ECR) probes were constructed and exposed along with mass loss coupons in a N2/O2/CO2/H2O environment to determine ECR probe operating characteristics. Temperatures ranged from 450 to 600 C and both ECR probes and mass loss coupons were coated with ash. Results are presented in terms of the probe response to temperature, the measured zero baseline, and the quantitative nature of the probes. The effect of Stern-Geary constant and the choice of electrochemical technique used to measure the corrosion rate are also discussed. ECR probe corrosion rates were a function of time, temperature, and process environment and were found to be quantitative for some test conditions. Measured Stern-Geary constants averaged 0.0141 V/decade and the linear polarization technique was found to be more quantitative than the electrochemical noise technique.

Article discussing the deep web and the new resource discovery service of the statewide virtual Library of Texas (LOT).

The D0 collaboration planned to upgrade the Silicon Tracker to withstand the radiation dose corresponding to above 2 fb{sup -1} of data. This new detector was designed to be functional up to at least 15 fb{sup -1}. The authors report on the design of the new Silicon Tracker with details of the innermost layer.

As residential areas continue to develop near military sites, possible impacts from military traffic and exercises become of greater concern. Of particular concern is the effect of particulate matter and atmospheric dust dispersion on air quality caused by such maneuvers. To aid this problem, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory proposed a plan to develop, document, and test a modeling system in support of dust dispersion reduction and management near government sites. To accomplish this task a model interface was developed that would be user friendly yet sophisticated enough to accommodate the varying needs of the client. One such need was for the modeling system to be capable of providing data for diverse locations and varying sites. To accomplish this task, the dust dispersion modeling system needed to be integrated with a geographic information system (GIS). Through use of the GIS application, data maps contained within the application could be used to create new sites. The GIS application would also allow the user to enter the point, area, or line source required to run the dispersion modeling system. Incorporating the GIS with the model would allow the user to view plume rise and expansion over actual data maps of the desired site. …

Draft of an article about Lance Avery Morgan and Brilliant Magazine to be published in Westlake Picayune.

The high-energy physics community is currently developing plans to build underground facilities as part of its continuing investigation into the fundamental nature of matter. The tunnels and caverns are being designed to house a new generation of particle accelerators and detectors. For these projects, the cost of constructing the underground facility will constitute a major portion of the told capital cost and project viability can be greatly enhanced by paying careful attention to design and construction practices. A review of recently completed underground physics facilities and related literature has been undertaken to identify some management principles that have proven successful in underground practice. Projects reviewed were constructed in the United States of America and Europe using both Design-Build and more traditional Engineer-Procure-Construct contract formats. Although the physics projects reviewed tend to place relatively strict tolerances on alignment, stability and dryness, their overall requirements are similar to those of other tunnels and it is hoped that some of the principles promoted in this paper will be of value to the owner of any underground project.

High levels of particulate matter (PM) are linked to some health problems and environmental issues. Air quality standards have been developed in hopes to reduce particulate matter problems. The most common fractions of particulate matter measured include PM2.5, PM10, and total suspended particles (TSP). The focus of this study was to evaluate relationships between PM2.5, PM10, and TSP concentrations specific to the Hanford Site, near Richland, Washington. Measurements of PM2.5 and PM10 concentrations continued while additional measurements of TSP were made over several summer months. Four sampling locations on the Hanford Site were used to compare spatial differences in the data. Comparison of the data revealed a strong linear correlation between PM10 and TSP for the time period evaluated. The correlation between PM2.5 and TSP was not as strong, and indicated that local sources rarely were above background measurements. This was supported by the correlation of ground level PM2.5 with PM2.5 concentrations measured on a near by mountain.

This article discusses ecological theory and values in the determination of conservation goals, as well as the interdisciplinary and interagency cooperation required for the success of conservation work.