Military Personnel: Financial Cost and Loss of Critical Skills Due to DOD's Homosexual Conduct Policy Cannot Be Completely Estimated (open access)

Military Personnel: Financial Cost and Loss of Critical Skills Due to DOD's Homosexual Conduct Policy Cannot Be Completely Estimated

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "From the passage of the homosexual conduct policy statute, in fiscal year 1994, through fiscal year 2003 the military services separated about 9,500 servicemembers for homosexual conduct. This represents about 0.40 percent of the 2.37 million members separated for all reasons during this period. Questions have been raised about the costs of separating servicemembers for homosexual conduct. Also, in the post-September 11th environment, there has been concern about the separation of servicemembers with critical occupations or important foreign language skills in, for example, Arabic. GAO was asked to determine (1) the military services' annual financial costs from fiscal year 1994 through fiscal year 2003 for certain activities associated with administering the Department of Defense's (DOD) policy on homosexual conduct--e.g., the recruitment and training of servicemembers to replace those separated under the homosexual conduct statute--and (2) the extent to which the policy has resulted in the separation of servicemembers with critical occupations and important foreign language skills. GAO provided DOD with a draft of this report for comment, and DOD provided additional information on separations for homosexual conduct compared with other unprogrammed separations."
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Homeland Security: Some Progress Made, but Many Challenges Remain on U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program (open access)

Homeland Security: Some Progress Made, but Many Challenges Remain on U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has established a program--the U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT)--to collect, maintain, and share information, including biometric identifiers, on selected foreign nationals who travel to the United States. By congressional mandate, DHS is to develop and submit for approval an expenditure plan for US-VISIT that satisfies certain conditions, including being reviewed by GAO. Among other things, GAO was asked to determine whether the plan satisfied these conditions and to provide observations on the plan and DHS's program management."
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Aviation Security: Measures for Testing the Impact of Using Commercial Data for the Secure Flight Program (open access)

Aviation Security: Measures for Testing the Impact of Using Commercial Data for the Secure Flight Program

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is developing a new passenger prescreening program, known as Secure Flight. Under the Secure Flight program, TSA plans to take over, from commercial airlines, the responsibility for comparing identifying information of domestic airline passengers against information on known or suspected terrorists. TSA is also considering using commercial data as part of Secure Flight if the data are shown, through testing, to improve the results of these comparisons. In the 2005 Homeland Security Appropriations Act, Congress mandated that, prior to testing the use of commercial data for Secure Flight, TSA develop measures to assess the impacts of using commercial data on aviation security, and that GAO review the measures. In response to that mandate, we reviewed TSA's measures for commercial data testing and briefed congressional staff on January 11, 2005, on our findings. This report documents the results of our review, which we presented in that briefing."
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
House Committees: A Framework for Considering Jurisdictional Realignment (open access)

House Committees: A Framework for Considering Jurisdictional Realignment

This report provides a framework for considering jurisdictional realignment on house committees.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Koempel, Maichael L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Public Safety Communications: Policy, Proposals, Legislation and Progress (open access)

Public Safety Communications: Policy, Proposals, Legislation and Progress

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Contaminant Uptake and Demography of the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Site 300 (open access)

Contaminant Uptake and Demography of the Loggerhead Shrike (Lanius ludovicianus) at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Site 300

Concentrations of eleven potential environmental contaminants (metals) in the blood and retrice feathers of fledged-Hatch Year and adult loggerhead shrikes (Lanius ludovicianus) were examined at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory's Site 300 and a control site, in San Joaquin and Contra Costa Counties, California. The purpose of this pilot study was to determine, through non-lethal means, if loggerhead shrikes are exposed to metals at Site 300 and whether specific demographic variables (i.e., clutch size, fledgling success, etc.) are affected. Loggerhead shrikes at Site 300 had higher blood concentrations of metals, especially birds on the west side of the site, when compared to control site birds. Metal concentrations in the feathers of control site birds tended to be higher than Site 300 shrikes. Blood concentrations of metals in loggerhead shrikes from both Site 300 and the control site were well below the Most Tolerant Dietary Level (MTDL) for domestic birds for all metals except selenium. Clutch size was similar to other populations but one deformed embryo was discovered in a failed egg. The results of this pilot study suggest further work is needed to understand possible synergistic effects related to other contaminants of concern found at Site 300 and overall population variability.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: van Hattem, M G & Santolo, G
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Analysis of Uranium and Plutonium by MC-ICPMS (open access)

Analysis of Uranium and Plutonium by MC-ICPMS

This procedure is written as general guidance for the measurement of elemental isotopic composition by plasma-source inorganic mass spectrometry. Analytical methods for uranium and plutonium are given as examples.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Williams, R. W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A HIgh Current Density Low Cost Niobium 3 Tin Titanium Doped Conductor Utilizing A Novel Internal Tin Process (open access)

A HIgh Current Density Low Cost Niobium 3 Tin Titanium Doped Conductor Utilizing A Novel Internal Tin Process

An internal tin conductor has been developed using a Mono Element Internal Tin (MEIT) with an integral Nb barrier surrounding the Nb filaments. High current densities of 3000 A/mm2+ at 12 T and 1800 A/mm2 at 15 T have been achieved in conductors as small as 0.152 mm with the use of Nb7.5Ta filaments and Ti in the Sn core. In contrast, conductors with pure Nb and Ti in the Sn achieved 2700 A/mm2 at 12 T. Two internal fins, developed and patented on the project, were introduced into the filament array and reduced the effective filament diameter (Deff) by 38%. Additional fins will further reduce Deff The conductor was produced from 152.4 mm diameter billets to produce wire as small as 0.152 mm. The process promises be scaleable to 304 mm diameter billets yielding wire of 0.304 mm diameter. The MEIT process wire was easy to draw with relatively few breaks. The cost of this conductor in large production quantities based on the cost model presented could meet the 1.5 $/kilo amp meter(KAM) target of the HEP community
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Zeitlin, Bruce A
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Electroweak physics: measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry of electron-positron pairs in p anti-p collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 tev (open access)

Electroweak physics: measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry of electron-positron pairs in p anti-p collisions at s**(1/2) = 1.96 tev

We report a measurement of the forward-backward charge asymmetry of electrons from W boson decays in p{bar p} collisions at {radical}s = 1.96 TeV using a data sample of 170 pb{sup -1} collected by the Collider Detector at Fermilab. The asymmetry is measured as a function of electron rapidity and transverse energy and provides new input on the momentum fraction dependence of the u and d quark parton distribution functions within the proton.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Acosta, D.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
ACIS Design Compliance with Principle Accelerator Safety Interlock Design Requirements. (open access)

ACIS Design Compliance with Principle Accelerator Safety Interlock Design Requirements.

Prior to and during the design of the APS's Access Control Interlock System (ACIS), an effort was made to insure that the design complied with the relevant DOE and ANL requirements as well as those set forth in other recognized documents then in circulation. A paragraph-by-paragraph listing of the requirements (in some cases, recommended practices) and the corresponding ACIS design features was compiled for use by the review committees then in place. This tabulation was incorporated in the APS Safety Analysis Document (SAD) as Appendix A. With the evolutionary changes that have occurred to the APS and to the documents referenced, some of the details of these compliances have evolved as well. It has been decided to maintain the SAD as a ''living'' document, editing it in close time proximity to the evolving APS. Since Appendix A depicted the ACIS's original design compliance to an also-evolving set of documents, it was decided to remove Appendix A but to retain it as a reference document. This LS Note now contains that set of original design compliances. As the APS and the ACIS continue to evolve, the changes made will be subject to internal review and approval and will always be subject …
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Knott, M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Tax Benefits for Health Insurance and Expenses: Current Legislation (open access)

Tax Benefits for Health Insurance and Expenses: Current Legislation

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Protein Model Database (open access)

Protein Model Database

The phenomenal success of the genome sequencing projects reveals the power of completeness in revolutionizing biological science. Currently it is possible to sequence entire organisms at a time, allowing for a systemic rather than fractional view of their organization and the various genome-encoded functions. There is an international plan to move towards a similar goal in the area of protein structure. This will not be achieved by experiment alone, but rather by a combination of efforts in crystallography, NMR spectroscopy, and computational modeling. Only a small fraction of structures are expected to be identified experimentally, the remainder to be modeled. Presently there is no organized infrastructure to critically evaluate and present these data to the biological community. The goal of the Protein Model Database project is to create such infrastructure, including (1) public database of theoretically derived protein structures; (2) reliable annotation of protein model quality, (3) novel structure analysis tools, and (4) access to the highest quality modeling techniques available.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Fidelis, K; Adzhubej, A; Kryshtafovych, A & Daniluk, P
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Genetic Information: Legal Issues Relating to Discrimination and Privacy (open access)

Genetic Information: Legal Issues Relating to Discrimination and Privacy

In April 2003, the finished sequence of the human genome was deposited into public databases. This milestone, which has been compared to the discoveries of Galileo, and other advances in genetics have created novel legal issues relating to genetic information. This report discusses current federal law, state statutes, and legislation related to these issues.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Jones, Nancy Lee & Smith, Alison M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Oxidation Resistance of Ru-Capped EUV Multilayers (open access)

Oxidation Resistance of Ru-Capped EUV Multilayers

Differently prepared Ru-capping layers, deposited on Mo/Si EUV multilayers, have been characterized using a suite of metrologies to establish their baseline structural, optical, and surface properties in as-deposited state. Same capping layer structures were tested for their thermal stability and oxidation resistance. Post-mortem characterization identified changes due to accelerated tests. The best performing Ru-capping layer structure was studied in detail with transmission electron microscopy to identify the grain microstructure and texture. This information is essential for modeling and performance optimization of EUVL multilayers.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Bajt, S.; Dai, Z.; Nelson, E. J.; Wall, M. A.; Alameda, J.; Nguyen, N. et al.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Perchlorate Contamination of Drinking Water: Regulatory Issues and Legislative Actions (open access)

Perchlorate Contamination of Drinking Water: Regulatory Issues and Legislative Actions

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Military Base Closures: Implementing the 2005 Round (open access)

Military Base Closures: Implementing the 2005 Round

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Financial Privacy Laws Affecting Sharing of Customer Information Among Affiliated Institutions (open access)

Financial Privacy Laws Affecting Sharing of Customer Information Among Affiliated Institutions

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Murphy, M. Maureen
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Purification of U and Pu from Bulk Environmental Samples for Analysis by MC-ICPMS (open access)

Purification of U and Pu from Bulk Environmental Samples for Analysis by MC-ICPMS

This procedure gives the methods used at LLNL for the purification of uranium and plutonium from bulk environmental samples provided by the IAEA through the DOE Network of Analytical Laboratories (NWAL).
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Williams, R. W.; Genetti, V. & Ramon, E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Final Technical Report: DE-FG03-01ER63099/DE-FG02-01ER63099 (open access)

Final Technical Report: DE-FG03-01ER63099/DE-FG02-01ER63099

Organic material contributes {approx}20-50% to the total fine aerosol mass at continental mid-latitudes (Saxena and Hildemann, 1996; Murphy et al., 1998; Peterson and Tyler, 2002; Putaud et al., 2004) and as much as 90% in tropical forested areas (Andreae and Crutzen, 1997; Artaxo et al., 2002). Significant amounts of carbonaceous aerosols are also observed in the free troposphere (Heald et al., 2005). A substantial fraction of the organic component of atmospheric particles consists of water-soluble, possibly multifunctional compounds (Saxena and Hildemann, 1996; Kavouras et al., 1998). It is critical that we understand how organic aerosols and their precursors are transformed in the atmosphere and the dependence of the transformation on the chemical and thermodynamic conditions of the ambient environment: (1) to accurately forecast how changing emissions will impact atmospheric organic aerosol concentrations and properties on the regional to global scale, and (2) to relate atmospheric measurements to sources. A large (but as yet unquantified) fraction of organic aerosol is formed in the atmosphere by precursor gases. In addition, both primary and secondary organic aerosol interact with other gas and aerosol species in the atmosphere so that their properties (i.e., size, hygroscopicity, light absorption and scattering sphere efficiency) can change significantly …
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Seinfeld, John H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program (open access)

U.S. Visitor and Immigrant Status Indicator Technology (US-VISIT) Program

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Seghetti, Lisa M. & Viña, Stephen R.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Payment Policies (open access)

Medicare Payment Policies

None
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Tilson, Sibyl L.; Chaikind, Hinda Ripps; O'Sullivan, Jennifer; Morgan, Paulette C.; Justice, Diane; Stone-Axelrad, Julie et al.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
India-U.S. Relations (open access)

India-U.S. Relations

This report briefs the context of India - U.S relations and also discusses its bilateral issues
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Kronstadt, K. Alan
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2006 (open access)

HIV/AIDS International Programs: Appropriations, FY2003-FY2006

On February 7th, 2005, the Bush Administration requested $3.16 billion for international HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and malaria program in FY2006, a 9% increase over the estimated amount to be provided in FY2005. The request included $2.564 billion to be appropriated through the Foreign Operations appropriations and $596 million through appropriations for the Departments of Labor and Health and Human Services.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Copson, Raymond W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC): Property Transfer and Disposal (open access)

Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC): Property Transfer and Disposal

The Defense Base Realignment and Closure Act of 1990 and the Federal Property and Administrative Services Act of 1949 provide the basic framework for the transfer and disposal of military installations closed during the base realignment and closure (BRAC) process. This report provides an overview of the various authorities available under the current law and describes the planning process for the redevelopment of BRAC properties.
Date: February 23, 2005
Creator: Flynn, Aaron M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library