Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), within the Department of the Interior, uses tax receipts from the sale of certain hunting, fishing, and boating equipment to fund the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration programs, which provide grants to state fish and wildlife management agencies to restore, conserve, manage, and enhance wildlife and sport fish resources. The Wildlife Restoration Program was established in 1938 following the passage of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, now referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act. The Sport Fish Restoration Program was established in 1950 by the Dingell-Johnson Sport Fish Restoration Act. Since their inception, according to the Service, these programs have provided more than $9.5 billion in grants to states and U.S. territories through fiscal year 2005. In 1999 and 2000, GAO identified several instances of mismanagement in these grant programs. Following GAO's work, Congress and the Service acted to improve the programs. In 1999 and 2000, GAO testified on the Service's management and oversight of funds used to administer the Wildlife and the Sport Fish Restoration programs. These testimonies identified several instances of mismanagement of administrative funds. For …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Given today's unprecedented terrorism threat environment and the resulting widespread congressional and public interest in the security of our nation's borders, GAO conducted an investigation testing whether radioactive sources could be smuggled across U.S. borders. Most travelers enter the United States through the nation's 154 land border ports of entry. Department of Homeland Security U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspectors at ports of entry are responsible for the primary inspection of travelers to determine their admissibility into the United States and to enforce laws related to preventing the entry of contraband, such as drugs and weapons of mass destruction. GAO's testimony provides the results of undercover tests made by its investigators to determine whether monitors at U.S. ports of entry detect radioactive sources in vehicles attempting to enter the United States. GAO also provides observations regarding the procedures that CBP inspectors followed during its investigation. GAO has also issued a report on the results of this investigation (GAO-06-545R)."

We report on searches for D{sup 0}-{bar D}{sup 0} mixing using decay-time distributions of D{sup 0} {yields} K{pi} and D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup (*)}e{nu} decays and a lifetime ratio analysis of D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup +}K{sup -}, {pi}{sup +}{pi}{sup -} decays using 91 fb{sup -1} of e{sup +}e{sup -} data taken at the PEP-II asymmetric-energy storage ring at energies near 10.6 GeV. Searches for CP-violation in D{sup 0} mixing and decay are also reported, as well as a measurement of R{sub D}, the ratio of the doubly Cabibbo-suppressed decay rate to the Cabibbo-allowed decay rate.

This paper documents the application of a new image processing algorithm, two-dimensional non-linear additive decomposition (NLAD), which is used to identify regions in a digital image whose gray-scale (or color) intensity is different than the surrounding background. Standard image segmentation algorithms exist that allow users to segment images based on gray-scale intensity and/or shape. However, these processing techniques do not adequately account for the image noise and lighting variation that typically occurs across an image. NLAD is designed to separate image noise and background from artifacts thereby providing the ability to consistently evaluate images. The decomposition techniques used in this algorithm are based on the concepts of mathematical morphology. NLAD emulates the human capability of visually separating an image into different levels of resolution components, denoted as ''coarse'', ''fine'', and ''intermediate''. Very little resolution information overlaps any two of the component images. This method can easily determine and/or remove trends and noise from an image. NLAD has several additional advantages over conventional image processing algorithms, including no need for a transformation from one space to another, such as is done with Fourier transforms, and since only finite summations are required, the calculational effort is neither extensive nor complicated.

A measurement of the spin of the {Omega}{sup -} hyperon produced through the exclusive process {Xi}{sub c}{sup 0} {yields} {Omega}{sup -}K{sup +} is presented using a total integrated luminosity of 116 fb{sup -1} recorded with the BABAR detector at the e{sup +}e{sup -} asymmetric-energy B-Factory at SLAC. Under the assumption that the {Xi}{sub c}{sup 0} has spin 1/2, the angular distribution of the {Lambda} from {Omega}{sup -} {yields} {Lambda}K{sup -} decay is inconsistent with all half-integer {Omega}{sup -} spin values other than 3/2. Lower statistics data for the process {Omega}{sub c}{sup 0} {yields} {Omega}{sup -}{pi}{sup +} from a 230 fb{sup -1} sample are also found to be consistent with {Omega}{sup -} spin 3/2. If the {Xi}{sub c}{sup 0} spin were 3/2, an {Omega}{sup -} spin of 5/2 cannot be excluded.

In the damping rings of the International Linear Collider (ILC), the resistive-wall instability is one of the dominant transverse instabilities. This instability directly influences the choice of material and aperture of the vacuum pipe, and the parameters of the transverse feedback system. This paper investigates the resistive-wall instabilities in an ILC damping ring under various conditions of beam pipe material, aperture, and fill pattern.

We have achieved {approx}30 psec single-photoelectron and {approx}12ps for multi-photoelectron timing resolution with a new 64 pixel Burle MCP-PMT with 10 micron microchannel holes. We have also demonstrated that this detector works in a magnetic field of 15kG, and achieved a single-photoelectron timing resolution of better than 60 psec. The study is relevant for a new focusing DIRC RICH detector for particle identification at future Colliders such as the super B-factory or ILC, and for future TOF techniques. This study shows that a highly pixilated MCP-PMT can deliver excellent timing resolution.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

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

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A pension plan information for the Texas Daily Newspaper Association board of directors meeting to be held on July 13, 2006. The document states that talks of a new remodeled pension plan must be discusses at the next TDNA meeting as the current pension plan benefited former TDNA member Phil Berkebile and it no longer suits the association's needs.

Finance report for the Texas Daily Newspaper Association Board of Directors meeting on July 28, 2005 at the Headliners Club in Austin, Texas. Detailing the 2005 Year-End budget projection at the end of May 2005. The document describes TDNA's finances are on the path to vitality, by the end of 2005 the -$24,489 deficit balance that ended 2004 will become a surplus of over $30,000. The remaining document goes into details about TDNA's income and expenses for the year.

A finance report for the Texas Daily Newspaper Association board of directors meeting July 13, 2006 at the Headliners Club, in Austin, Texas. The report states that TDNA has a surplus of funds compared to the previous year, and gives details about the income and the expenses of the association.

The 2006 year-end budget projection for the Texas Daily Newspaper Association as of May 31, 2006. The document states that the 2006 budget will produce a net profit beyond the association's budgeted $56,706, the document continues to detail budget highlights, the associations expected income and expenses for the remaining year.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

During the past two years, significant experimental and theoretical progress has been made in the US heavy ion fusion science program in longitudinal beam compression, ion-beam-driven warm dense matter, beam acceleration, high brightness beam transport; and advanced theory and numerical simulations. Innovations in longitudinal compression of intense ion beams by > 50 X propagating through background plasma enable initial beam target experiments in warm dense matter to begin within the next two years. They are assessing how these new techniques might apply to heavy ion fusion drivers for inertial fusion energy.

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Penetration deformation of columnar prismatic enamel was investigated using instrumented nanoindentation testing, carried out at three constant strain rates (0.05 s{sup -1}, 0.005 s{sup -1}, and 0.0005 s{sup -1}). Enamel demonstrated better resistance to penetration deformation and greater elastic modulus values were measured at higher strain rates. The origin of the rate-dependent deformation was rationalized to be the shear deformation of nanoscale protein matrix surrounding each hydroxyapatite crystal rods. And the shear modulus of protein matrix was shown to depend on strain rate in a format: G{sub p} = 0.213 + 0.021 ln {dot {var_epsilon}}. Most biological composites compromise reinforcement mineral components and an organic matrix. They are generally partitioned into multi-level to form hierarchical structures that have supreme resistance to crack growth [1]. The molecular mechanistic origin of toughness is associated with the 'sacrificial chains' between the individual sub-domains in a protein molecule [2]. As the protein molecule is stretched, these 'sacrificial chains' break to protect its backbone and dissipate energy [3]. Such fresh insights are providing new momentum toward updating our understanding of biological materials [4]. Prismatic enamel in teeth is one such material. Prismatic microstructure is frequently observed in the surface layers of many biological materials, as …

This paper outlines rock mechanics investigations associated with mechanical degradation of planned emplacement drifts at Yucca Mountain, which is the designated site for the proposed U.S. high-level nuclear waste repository. The factors leading to drift degradation include stresses from the overburden, stresses induced by the heat released from the emplaced waste, stresses due to seismically related ground motions, and time-dependent strength degradation. The welded tuff emplacement horizon consists of two groups of rock with distinct engineering properties: nonlithophysal units and lithophysal units, based on the relative proportion of lithophysal cavities. The term 'lithophysal' refers to hollow, bubble like cavities in volcanic rock that are surrounded by a porous rim formed by fine-grained alkali feldspar, quartz, and other minerals. Lithophysae are typically a few centimeters to a few decimeters in diameter. Part I of the paper concentrates on the generally hard, strong, and fractured nonlithophysal rock. The degradation behavior of the tunnels in the nonlithophysal rock is controlled by the occurrence of keyblocks. A statistically equivalent fracture model was generated based on extensive underground fracture mapping data from the Exploratory Studies Facility at Yucca Mountain. Three-dimensional distinct block analyses, generated with the fracture patterns randomly selected from the fracture model, were …

{sup 99}Tc is highly soluble and poorly adsorbed by natural materials under oxidizing conditions, thus being of particular concern for radioactive waste disposal. Activated carbon can potentially be used as an adsorbent for removing Tc from aqueous solutions. We have tested six commercial activated carbon materials for their capabilities for sorption of pertechnetate (TcO{sub 4}{sup -}). The tested materials can be grouped into two distinct types: Type I materials have high sorption capabilities with the distribution coefficients (K{sub d}) varying from 9.5 x 10{sup 5} to 3.2 x 10{sup 3} mL/g as the pH changes from 4.5 to 9.5, whereas type II materials have relatively low sorption capabilities with K{sub d} remaining more or less constant (1.1 x 10{sup 3} - 1.8 x 10{sup 3} mL/g) over a similar pH range. The difference in sorption behavior between the two types of materials is attributed to the distribution of surface functional groups. The predominant surface groups are identified to be carboxylic and phenolic groups. The carboxylic group can be further divided into three subgroups A, B, and C in the order of increasing acidity. The high sorption capabilities of type I materials are found to be caused by the presence of …

Over the last few years several extra-dimensional models have been introduced in attempt to deal with the hierarchy problem. These models can lead to rather unique and spectacular signatures at Terascale colliders such as the LHC and ILC. The ADD and RS models, though quite distinct, have many common feature including a constant curvature bulk, localized Standard Model(SM) fields and the assumption of the validity of the EH action as a description of gravitational interactions.

A spectral subggrid-scale eddy viscosity and magnetic resisitivity model based on the eddy-damped quasi-normal Markovian (EDQNM) spectral kinetic and magnetic energy transfer presented in [12] is used in large-eddy simulation (LES) of large kinetic and magnetic Reynold number magneto-hydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence. The proposed model is assessed via a posteri tests on three-dimensional, incompressible, isotropic, non-helical, freely-decaying MHD turbulence at asymptotically large Reynolds numbers. Using LES with an initial condition characterized by an Alfv{acute e}n ratio of kinetic to magnetic energy {tau}{sub A} equal to unity, it is shown that at the kinetic energy spectrum E{sub K}(k) and magnetic energy spectrum E{sub M}(k) exhibit Kolmogorov -5/3 inertial subrange scalings in the LES, consistent with the EDQNM model.