The MLS grid free rezone method, a simple, flexible finite difference method to solve general mechanics problems, especially detonation problems, is proposed in this paper. The spatial points that carry time dependent data are distributed in space in such a way that provides nearly uniform spacing of points, accurate presentation of boundaries, easy variation of resolutions and arbitrary deletion of irrelevant regions. Local finite difference operators are obtained with simple MLS differentiation. There is no specific topological or geometrical restriction with the distribution of data points. Therefore this method avoids many drawbacks of the traditional CFD methods. Because of its flexibility, it can be used to simulate a wide range of mechanics problems. Because of its simplicity, it has the potential to become a preferred method. Most traditional CFD methods, from a SPH view, can be considered as special cases of grid free methods of specific kernel functions. Such a generalization allows the development of a unified grid free CFD code that can be switched to various CFD methods by switching the kernel functions. Because of the flexibility in management and simplicity of coding, such a unified code is desired.

The preparation and characterization of energetic composite materials containing nanometer-sized constituents is currently a very active and exciting area of research at laboratories around the world. Some of these efforts have produced materials that have shown very unique and important properties relative to traditional energetic materials. We have previously reported on the use of sol-gel chemical methods to prepare energetic nanocomposites. Primarily we reported on the sol-gel method to synthesize nanometer-sized ferric oxide that was combined with aluminum fuel to make pyrotechnic nanocomposites. Since then we have developed a synthetic approach that allows for the preparation of hybrid inorganic/organic energetic nanocomposites. This material has been characterized by thermal methods, energy-filtered transmission electron microscopy (EFTEM), N{sub 2} adsorption/description methods, and Fourier-Transform (FT-IR) spectroscopy, results of which will be discussed. According to these characterization methods the organic polymer phase fills the nanopores of the composite material, providing superb mixing of the component phases in the energetic nanocomposite. The EFTEM results provide a convenient and effective way to evaluate the intimacy of mixing between these component phases. The safe handling and preparation of energetic nanocomposites is of paramount importance to this research and we will report on studies performed to ensure such.

This report is a descriptive journey of the Autophosphorylation of the DNA-Dependent Protein Kinase Catalyticsubunit is Required for Rejoining of DNA Double-Strand Breaks.

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This report gives an overview of Dairy policy issues and the contents include Dairy forward pricing pilot program, Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) payments, Milk protein concentrate trade issues, and dairy price support program

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We discuss two rare but interesting processes by which synchrotron x-rays with energies up to about 100 keV may be used to induce nuclear transitions. In the NEET (Nuclear Excitation by Electronic Transition) process, an intense x-ray beam is employed to make vacancies, e.g. K-holes, in the atoms of a specific nuclear isotope. When a vacancy is filled by an electronic transition from a higher atomic level, there is some probability that instead of the usual x-ray or Auger emission, the nucleus of the atom itself will be excited. This is then followed by a nuclear decay exhibiting characteristic gamma-rays or other types of radiation, with time delays typical of the nuclear states involved. The probability for NEET increases when the energies of the atomic and the nuclear transitions become close. We address some theoretical aspects of the process and describe experimental efforts to observe it in {sup 189}Os and {sup 197}Au. The second process to be discussed is the possibility of ''triggering'' the decay of a nuclear isomer by irradiation with an x-ray beam. We focus on the case of the 31-year, 2.4-MeV, 16+ isomer of {sup 178}Hf. There has been speculation that if one could isolate gram quantities, …

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On March 25, 2002 the FNAL Linac had been running at a decreased 40 ma of beam current for some time. Both the 400 MeV Linac and the 8GeV Booster had been tuned to optimum running during that time. Optimum running for the Booster was at 4.1e12 per pulse. Losses at injection and at transition were limiting intensity at the time. By March 26, 2002 the Linac beam current had been increased to 49 ma. The optimum Booster intensity immediately jumped to 4.5e12 per pulse and increased in the next few days to 4.8e12 and 5e12 per pulse. Booster was not retuned until early April when a low-loss 5.0e12 was obtained for stacking operations. Linac current had sagged to 47 ma by then. Measurements were made on the 25th at 40 ma and the 26th and 27th at 49 ma. This is a report and discussion of those measurements.

To assess the effects of long-term, low-dose-rate neutron exposure, tensile, hardness, and fracture properties were measured and microstructural characterization performed on irradiated 20% cold-worked Type 316 stainless steel. Samples were prepared from reactor core components retrieved from the EBR-II reactor following final shutdown. Sample locations were chosen to cover a dose range of 1-56 dpa at temperatures from 371-390 C and dose rates from 0.8-3.3 x 10{sup -7} dpa/s. Irradiation caused hardening, with the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) reaching about 800 MPa near 20 dpa and appearing to saturate at higher doses. The yield strength (YS) follows approximately the same trend as the ultimate tensile strength. At higher dose, the difference between the UTS and YS decreases, suggesting the work-hardening capability of the material is decreasing with increasing dose. The hardness and yield strength increases occur roughly over the same range of dose. While the material retained respectable ductility at 20 dpa, the uniform and total elongation decreased to <1 and <3%, respectively, at 47 dpa. Fracture in the 30 dpa specimen is mainly ductile but with local regions of mixed-mode failure, consisting mainly of dimples and microvoids. The fracture surface of the higher-exposure 47 dpa specimen displays more brittle …

Radiation-induced changes in composition are studied because these changes can degrade failure of materials irradiated in nuclear reactors. In this work, the effect of alloy composition on radiation-induced segregation, hardening, and void swelling is presented. Five alloys, Fe-18Cr-8Ni, Fe-16Cr-13Ni, Fe-18Cr-40Ni, Fe-16Cr-13Ni+Mo, and Fe-16Cr-13Ni+Mo+P (all compositions in wt. %), were irradiated with 3.2 MeV protons at 400 C to a dose of 0.5 displacements per atom. The change in grain boundary composition was measured using field emission gun scanning transmission electron microscopy and the hardening was measured using Vickers indentation. Void swelling is calculated from the void size distribution measured using transmission electron microscopy. After irradiation, Cr depletes and Ni enriches at grain boundaries. Increasing bulk Ni concentration causes greater Cr depletion and Ni enrichment at grain boundaries. For alloys with 16 Cr, the addition of P reduces the Cr depletion and Ni enrichment. Hardening does not directly correlate with composition, but a framework for isolating the effect of hardening and segregation on cracking is suggested. The amount of void swelling in the irradiated material is shown to correspond inversely with segregation. Those alloys with greater segregation tend to swell less.

Lack of technology for the production of large inexpensive feedstock, with uniform spherical primary phase throughout as required for semi-solid forming, has restricted realization of the full potential for the semi-solid forming process. Furthermore, narrow process windows and alloy chemistry restrictions increase process costs and limit performance attributes possible with existing semi-solid metal systems. Successful semi-solid forming trials utilizing Chesapeake Composites Corporation's DSC trademark Metals for feedstock indicate that this represents a generic approach to providing a permanent highly uniform, spherical solid phase, without electromagnetic or mechanical shearing. This approach also provides for further growth of semi-solid forming by providing for: low cost large diameter billet stock, reduced semi-solid forming costs, extension of semi-solid forming to new alloy systems, and semi-solid formed components with substantially enhanced physical and mechanical proper ties.

The ''Rhodopseudomonas palustris'' genome workshop took place in Iowa City on April 6-8, 2001. The purpose of the meeting was to instruct members of the annotation working group in approaches to accomplishing the 'human' phase of the 'R. palustris' genome annotation. A partial draft of a paper describing the 'Rhodopseudomonas palustris' genome has been written and a full version of the paper should be ready for submission by the end of the summer 2002.

This project was concerned with the development of process design and control strategies for improving energy efficiency, product quality, and productivity in the process industries. In particular, (i) the resilient design and control of chemical reactors, and (ii) the operation of complex processing systems, was investigated. Specific topics studied included new process modeling procedures, nonlinear controller designs, and control strategies for multiunit integrated processes. Both fundamental and immediately applicable results were obtained. The new design and operation results from this project were incorporated into computer-aided design software and disseminated to industry. The principles and design procedures have found their way into industrial practice.

Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Congress has provided funding for numerous highway demonstration projects in legislation authorizing surface transportation programs as well as annual appropriations acts for the Department of Transportation (DOT). In some cases, the projects are identified in the legislation itself. In others, they are identified in committee reports accompanying the legislation. These projects are all designated for specific locations within states and for specific purposes, and funds made available for them generally remain available until expended. As of March 31, 2002, there were 30 highway demonstration projects with unobligated balances no longer needed by the states totaling $5.6 million. These unobligated funds were provided in authorization or appropriations acts enacted from 1978 through 1994. Eight of the 30 projects have very small unobligated balances of less than $1.50 each."

A statement of record issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The United States General Accounting Office (GAO) is an independent, professional, nonpartisan agency in the legislative branch that is commonly referred to as the investigative arm of Congress. Congress created GAO in the Budget and Accounting Act of 1921 to assist in the discharge of its core constitutional powers--the power to investigate and oversee the activities of the executive branch, the power to control the use of federal funds, and the power to make laws. All of GAO's efforts on behalf of Congress are guided by three core values: (1) Accountability--GAO helps Congress oversee federal programs and operations to ensure accountability to the American people; (2) Integrity--GAO sets high standards in the conduct of its work. GAO takes a professional, objective, fact-based, non-partisan, nonideological, fair, and balanced approach on all activities; and (3) Reliability--GAO produces high-quality reports, testimonies, briefings, legal opinions, and other products and services that are timely, accurate, useful, clear, and candid."

A chapter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "This report discusses the nature and extent of dismantlement, removal, and restoration requirements for oil industry activities that are occurring on both federal and state lands located on the North Slope of the state of Alaska. The state of Alaska, which owns the lands where most of the North Slope's current oil production occurs, has adopted general dismantlement, removal, and restoration requirements that contain no specific stipulations on what infrastructure must be removed or to what condition the lands used for oil industry activities must be restored once production ceases. Alaska's requirements are similar to those of some states but less explicit than those of other states, which create a fixed obligation to fully restore the land according to specific requirements. Until the state of Alaska defines the condition in which it would like its lands returned, there is no way to accurately estimate the cost of dismantling and removing the infrastructure and restoring the disturbed land on Alaska's North Slope. Existing financial assurances, such as bonding requirements, ensure the availability of only a small portion of the funds that are likely to be needed to …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The District of Columbia Superior Court has made progress in planning the transition of its Family Division to a Family Court, but some challenges remain. The Superior Court's transition plan addresses most, but not all, of the required elements outlined in the District of Columbia Family Court Act of 2001. Significantly, the completion of the transition hinges on timely completion of a complex series of interdependent plans intended to obtain and renovate physical space to house the court and its functions. All required space may not be available, as currently planned, to support the additional judges the Family Court needs to perform its work in accordance with the act, making it uncertain as to when the court can fully complete its transition. Although not required as part of its transition plan efforts, the Superior Court has begun to coordinate its activities with social services agencies in the District. However, the court and agencies face challenges in achieving coordinated services in the longer term. Finally, the development and application of the District of Columbia Courts' Integrated Justice Information System will be critical for the Family Court to be able …

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This report presents Corporate "Inversions" and "Expatriation" related to Forms that incorporate abroad for Tax purposes.

The Nuclear Waste Policy Act of 1982 (NWPA) calls for disposal of spent nuclear fuel in a deep geologic repository that is unlikely to be disturbed for thousands of years. Low-level waste sites are a state responsibility under the Low-Level Radioactive Waste Policy Act of 1980. Pursuant to that act, 10 regional compacts for disposal of low level waste have been approved by Congress. Three commercial low-level waste sites are currently operating, in the states of South Carolina, Utah, and Washington.

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