A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Intended to resemble private sector 401(k) pension plans, the federal government's Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) held more than $128 billion in retirement assets for over 3 million participants at the end of 2003. Customer service-related difficulties during the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board's (TSP's governing body) record-keeping system conversion in 2003 led the Chairman of a Senate Committee to ask GAO to examine the customer service provided to TSP participants. This review describes (1) customer service provisions within TSP and those offered by private sector managers and (2) customer service practices used by private sector plan managers that could be considered for use in TSP."

We present a family of ordering algorithms that can be used as a preprocessing step prior to performing sparse LU factorization. The ordering algorithms simultaneously achieve the objectives of selecting numerically good pivots and preserving the sparsity. We describe the algorithmic properties and challenges in their implementation. By mixing the two objectives we show that we can reduce the amount of fill-in in the factors and reduce the number of numerical problems during factorization. On a set of large unsymmetric real problems, we obtained the median reductions of 12% in the factorization time, of 13% in the size of the LU factors, of 20% in the number of operations performed during the factorization phase, and of 11% in the memory needed by the multifrontal solver MA41-UNS. A byproduct of this ordering strategy is an incomplete LU-factored matrix that can be used as a preconditioner in an iterative solver.

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This report considers the AIDS epidemic in the Caribbean and Central America. The report measures the support the region has received from countries outside of it along with which agencies within the U.S. have been leading the charge. Moreover, the report examines the additional consequences an epidemic of this size could have on the region.

This report deals with broader issues in U.S relations with the Caribbean and does not include an extensive discussion of Haiti and Cuba.

The crack tip opening displacements and angles (CTOD/CTOA) are calculated with finite element method based on the test data of a set of constraint-dependent J-R curves for A285 carbon steel. The values of the CTOD/CTOA are initially high at initiation, but rapidly decrease to a nearly constant value. When the common practice is adopted by using only the constant part of CTOD/CTOA as the fracture criterion, the crack growth behavior is shown to be severely underestimated. However, with a bilinear form of CTOD/CTOA fracture criterion which approximates the initial non-constant portion, the experimental load vs. crack extension curves can be closely predicted. Furthermore, it is demonstrated that the CTOD/CTOA is crack tip constraint dependent. The values of CTOD/CTOA for specimens with various ratios of crack length to specimen width (a/W) are reflected by the J-R curves and their slopes.

This report summarizes the work done during the eighth quarter of the project.

We present comparisons of the CRANGE code to other well-known codes, SRIM and ASTAR, and to experimental results for ion-material interactions such as energy loss per unit length, ion range, and ion induced electron yield. These ion-material interaction simulations are relevant to the electron cloud effect in heavy ions accelerators for fusion energy and high energy density physics. Presently, the CRANGE algorithms are most accurate at energies above 1.0 MeV/amu. For calculations of energy loss per unit length of a potassium ion in stainless steel, results of CRANGE and SRIM agree to within ten percent above 1.0 MeV/amu. For calculations of the range of a helium ion in aluminum, results of CRANGE and ASTAR agree to within two percent above 1.0 MeV/amu. Finally, for calculations of ion induced electron yield for hydrogen ions striking gold, results of CRANGE agree to within ten percent with measured electron yields above 1.0 MeV/amu.

Scoria cones are commonly assumed to have been constructed by the accumulation of ballistically-ejected clasts from discrete and relatively coarse-grained Strombolian bursts and subsequent avalanching such that the cone slopes are at or near the angle of repose for loose scoria. The cone at the hawaiitic Lathrop Wells volcano, southern Nevada, contains deposits that are consistent with the above processes during early cone-building phases; these early deposits are composed mainly of coarse lapilli and fluidal bombs and are partially welded, indicating relatively little cooling during flight. However, the bulk of the cone is comprised of relatively fine-grained (ash and lapilli), planar beds with no welding, even within a few tens of meters of the vent. This facies is consistent with deposition by direct fallout from sustained eruption columns of relatively well-fragmented material, primarily mantling cone slopes and with a lesser degree of avalanching than is commonly assumed. A laterally extensive fallout deposit (up to 20 km from the vent) is inferred to have formed contemporaneously with these later cone deposits. This additional mechanism for construction of scoria cones may also be important at other locations, particularly where the magmas are relatively high in volatile content and where conditions promote the …

In order to drive an inertial fusion target or study high energy density physics with heavy ion beams, the beam radius must be focused to < 3 mm and the pulse length must be compressed to < 10 ns. The conventional scheme for temporal pulse compression makes use of an increasing ion velocity to compress the beam as it drifts and beam space charge to stagnate the compression before final focus. Beam compression in a neutralizing plasma does not require stagnation of the compression, enabling a more robust method. The final pulse shape at the target can be programmed by an applied velocity tilt. In this paper, neutralized drift compression is investigated. The sensitivity of the compression and focusing to beam momentum spread, plasma, and magnetic field conditions is studied with realistic driver examples. Using the 3D particle-in-cell code, we examine issues associated with self-field generation, stability, and vacuum-neutralized transport transition and focusing.

A calibration apparatus for calibrating a linear variable differential transformer (LVDT) having an armature positioned in au LVDT armature orifice, and the armature able to move along an axis of movement. The calibration apparatus includes a heating mechanism with an internal chamber, a temperature measuring mechanism for measuring the temperature of the LVDT, a fixture mechanism with an internal chamber for at least partially accepting the LVDT and for securing the LVDT within the heating mechanism internal chamber, a moving mechanism for moving the armature, a position measurement mechanism for measuring the position of the armature, and an output voltage measurement mechanism. A method for calibrating an LVDT, including the steps of powering the LVDT; heating the LVDT to a desired temperature; measuring the position of the armature with respect to the armature orifice; and measuring the output voltage of the LVDT.

A rotating aperture system includes a low-pressure vacuum pumping stage with apertures for passage of a deuterium beam. A stator assembly includes holes for passage of the beam. The rotor assembly includes a shaft connected to a deuterium gas cell or a crossflow venturi that has a single aperture on each side that together align with holes every rotation. The rotating apertures are synchronized with the firing of the deuterium beam such that the beam fires through a clear aperture and passes into the Xe gas beam stop. Portions of the rotor are lapped into the stator to improve the sealing surfaces, to prevent rapid escape of the deuterium gas from the gas cell.

Construction of models of geochemical and microbial activity in aqueous solutions, using theoretical predictions constrained by experimental data.

Savannah River National Laboratory estimated activities of various radionuclides in vapor phase associated with saltstone. These radionuclides, as well as the estimated activity and concentration of each in the gases phase are listed. Some of the activities are so low they should be considered zero. In particular, activity of the antimony and tin isotopes in the gas phase correspond to less than a molecule of gas per 340 m3 of vapor volume. Equilibrium calculations of the partitioning of each radionuclide between vapor and dissolved phases were done using the Geochemists Workbench (R). The conceptual model used was that 1 curie of each constituent was available to partition between vapor and dissolved phases. The overall assumption is that exposure would come from a single release of the vapor phase from a saltstone vault.

In most of the proposals for HIF reactors, beams propagate ballistically through the containment chamber. To get the required final radius ({approx} 3 mm), the charge of the beam must be neutralized to some extent. Several neutralization schemes are possible, as co-injection of negative-ions beams, inclusion of external sources of electrons, or it can be provided by electrons coming from ionization of the background gas. In this work, we study the role of the electron dynamic on the neutralization and final radius of the beam. This is done by performing fully-electromagnetic PIC simulations of the beam ballistic transport using the BPIC code[1]. In agreement with previous works we found that the evolution of an isolated beam is well described as a bidimensional adiabatic compression, and the beam neutralization degree and final radius can be estimated from the initial electron transversal temperature. When a background gas is present the evolution differs significantly from an adiabatic compression. Even for low gas densities, the continuous electrons flow coming from gas ionization limits efficiently the compressional heating, thus reducing the final radius. Aspects of beam neutralization by background gas ionization are discussed.

A drift compression and final focus lattice for heavy ion beams should focus the entire beam pulse onto the same focal spot on the target. The authors show that this requirement implies that the drift compression design needs to satisfy a self-similar symmetry condition. For un-neutralized beams, the Lie symmetry group analysis is applied to the warm-fluid model to systematically derive the self-similar drift compression solutions. For neutralized beams, the 1D Vlasov equation is solved explicitly and families of self-similar drift compression solutions are constructed. To compensate for the deviation from the self-similar symmetry condition due to the transverse emittance, four time-dependent magnets are introduced in the upstream of the drift compression such that the entire beam pulse can be focused onto the same focal spot.

A bead is provided which comprises or consists essentially of activated carbon immobilized by crosslinked poly (carboxylic acid) binder, sodium silicate binder, or polyamine binder. The bead is effective to remove metal and other ionic contaminants from dilute aqueous solutions. A method of making metal-ion sorbing beads is provided, comprising combining activated carbon, and binder solution (preferably in a pin mixer where it is whipped), forming wet beads, and heating and drying the beads. The binder solution is preferably poly(acrylic acid) and glycerol dissolved in water and the wet beads formed from such binder solution are preferably heated and crosslinked in a convection oven.

The processing rate of Savannah River Site (SRS) high-level waste decontamination processes are limited by the flow rate of the solid-liquid separation. The baseline process, using a 0.1 micron cross-flow filter, produces approximately 0.02 gpm/sq. ft. of filtrate under expected operating conditions. Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) personnel identified the rotary microfilter as a technology that could significantly increase filter flux, with throughput improvements of as much as 10X for that specific operation. With funding from the U. S. Department of Energy Office of Cleanup Technology, SRNL personnel are evaluating and developing the rotary microfilter for radioactive service at SRS. This work includes pilot-scale and actual waste testing to evaluate system reliability, the impact of radiation on system components, the filter flux for a variety of waste streams, and relative performance for alternative filter media. Personnel revised the design for the disks and filter unit to make them suitable for high-level radioactive service.

Highly ionized plasmas are being employed as a medium for charge neutralizing heavy ion beams in order to focus to a small spot size. Calculations suggest that plasma at a density of 1-100 times the ion beam density and at a length {approx} 0.1-1 m would be suitable for achieving a high level of charge neutralization. A radio frequency (RF) source was constructed at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) in support of the joint Neutralized Transport Experiment (NTX) at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) to study ion beam neutralization. Pulsing the source enabled operation at pressures {approx} 10{sup -6} Torr with plasma densities of 10{sup 11} cm{sup -3}. Near 100% ionization was achieved. The plasma was 10 cm in length, but future experiments require a source 1 m long. The RF source does not easily scale to the length. Consequently, large-volume plasma sources based upon ferroelectric ceramics are being considered. These sources have the advantage of being able to increase the length of the plasma and operate at low neutral pressures. The source will utilize the ferroelectric ceramic BaTiO{sub 3} to form metal plasma. A 1 m long section of the drift tube inner surface of NTX will …

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

Daily student newspaper from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas that includes local, state and campus news along with advertising.

Funeral program for Edward B. Porter, born May 14, 1964 and died January 11, 2005, and for Wynetta Porter, born October 24, 1988 and died January 11, 2005. The funeral was held Tuesday, January 18, 2005 at True Vision Baptist Church, officiated by Rev. Michael Brown. Funeral arrangements were made through Lewis Funeral Home and they were buried in Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery near San Antonio, Texas.

This report addresses procedural options that committees have when reporting about their actions during markup, when the specific language of a bill is finalized. It provides an overview of options for reporting amendments, options on how to report, and other reporting actions and considerations.

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