This report discusses the ongoing major USDA disaster programs designed to help crop producers recover from the financial effects of natural disasters — federal crop insurance, noninsured assistance program (NAP) payments, and emergency disaster loans.

Alcohol use by persons under age 21 has been identified as a major public health problem. Studies note that it increases the risks for disability, and may be detrimental to the developing brain. Minors who drink are more likely to commit suicide, break the law, or be victims of violence. Alcohol is implicated in nearly one-third of youth traffic fatalities. The total annual cost of underage drinking is estimated at $62 billion. While most laws intended to prevent underage drinking are passed at the state level, there has been legislative activity and interest at the federal level to support states’ efforts to curb the problem. This report describes the extent of underage alcohol use, recent legislative activity on this issue, and various policy implications.

Daily newspaper from Altus, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The Office of Space and Defense Power Systems of the Department of Energy (DOE) provides Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) for applications where conventional power systems are not feasible. For example, radioisotope thermoelectric generators were supplied by the DOE to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration for deep space missions including the Cassini Mission launched in October of 1997 to study the planet Saturn. For the Cassini Mission, ORNL produced carbon-bonded carbon fiber (CBCF) insulator sets, iridium alloy blanks and foil, and clad vent sets (CVS) used in the generators. The Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) has been involved in developing materials and technology and producing components for the DOE for more than three decades. This report reflects program guidance from the Office of Space and Defense Power Systems for fiscal year (FY) 2006. Production activities for prime quality (prime) CBCF insulator sets, iridium alloy blanks and foil, and CVS are summarized in this report. Technology activities are also reported that were conducted to improve the manufacturing processes, characterize materials, or to develop information for new radioisotope power systems.

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

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Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Recital Hall in partial fulfillment of the Doctor of Musical Arts (DMA) degree.

Recital presented at the UNT College of Music Concert Hall in fulfillment of the Doctor of Music Arts (DMA) degree

The role of metal (Au, Pt, and Ag) electrodes in YSZ electrolyte-based impedancemetric nitric oxide (NO) sensors is investigated using impedance spectroscopy and equivalent circuit analysis. The test cell consists of a rectangular block of porous YSZ with two metal wire loop electrodes, both exposed to the same atmosphere. Of the electrode materials, only Au was sensitive to changes in NO concentration. The impedance behavior of porous Au electrodes in a slightly different configuration was compared with dense Au electrodes and was also insensitive to NO. Ag showed no sensitivity to either O{sub 2} or NO, and the measured impedances occurred at frequencies > 10 kHz, which are typically associated with ionic conduction in YSZ. Pt and porous Au showed sensitivity to O{sub 2}, which was quantified using power-law exponents that suggest electrochemical rate-determining mechanisms occurring at the triple phase boundary. The behavior of the dense Au suggests different rate-determining processes (e.g., diffusion or adsorption) for the O{sub 2} reaction. Although the exact mechanism is not determined, the composition and microstructure of the metal electrode seem to alter the rate-limiting step of the interfering O{sub 2} reaction. Impedance behavior of the O{sub 2} reaction that is limited by processes occurring …

Daily newspaper from Chickasha, Oklahoma that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

A faculty and guest artist recital performed at the UNT College of Music Concert Hall.

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The MBX experiment was built during the grant period. Details can be found in publications about MBX experiment. We created a low density plasma in a mirror configuration and rotated it at supersonic speeds in the theta direction. Under these conditions the plasma presents a high asymmetry in the current, plasma potential and consequently rotation with the voltage applied. We developed a two fluid model to describe the measurements based on a magnetofluid states ansatz. We also observed bistable and multiple states predicted by the two fluid model.

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "As the first to respond to natural disasters, domestic terrorism, and other emergencies, public safety agencies rely on timely communications across multiple disciplines and jurisdictions. It is vital to the safety and effectiveness of first responders that their electronic communications systems enable them to communicate with whomever they need to, when they need to, and when they are authorized to do so. GAO was asked to determine, among other things, (1) the extent to which Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and technical assistance has helped to improve interoperable communications in selected states and (2) the progress that has been made in the development and implementation of interoperable communications standards. To address these objectives, GAO reviewed grant information, documentation of selected states' and localities' interoperability projects, and standards documents."

This report provides an overview of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

We present radio observations at frequencies ranging from 240 to 8460 MHz of the radio galaxy 4C29.30 (J0840+2949) using the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT), the Very Large Array (VLA) and the Effelsberg telescope. We report the existence of weak extended emission with an angular size of {approx} 520 arcsec (639 kpc) within which a compact edge-brightened double-lobed source with a size of 29 arcsec (36 kpc) is embedded. We determine the spectrum of the inner double from 240 to 8460 MHz and show that it has a single power-law spectrum with a spectral index is {approx} 0.8. Its spectral age is estimated to be 33 Myr. The extended diffuse emission has a steep spectrum with a spectral index of {approx} 1.3 and a break frequency 240 MHz. The spectral age is {approx}>200 Myr, suggesting that the extended diffuse emission is due to an earlier cycle of activity. We reanalyze archival x-ray data from Chandra and suggest that the x-ray emission from the hotspots consists of a mixture of nonthermal and thermal components, the latter being possibly due to gas which is shock heated by the jets from the host galaxy.

This CRS Report for Congress contains descriptions of U.S. policy response, legislation, and sanctions pertaining to Iran. Updated April 2, 2007.

This report will analyze the current federal legislation that impacts the state juvenile justice systems.

This report begins with a summary of legislation that would, if enacted, change existing union recognition procedures. The report then reviews the rights and responsibilities of workers and employers under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) and the different ways that workers may form or join a union. The report then examines the potential impact of changes in union recognition procedures. Finally, the report considers whether there is an economic rationale for protecting the rights of workers to organize and bargain collectively.

A symplectic no-core shell model (Sp-NCSM) is constructed with the goal of extending the ab-initio NCSM to include strongly deformed higher-oscillator-shell configurations and to reach heavier nuclei that cannot be studied currently because the spaces encountered are too large to handle, even with the best of modern-day computers. This goal is achieved by integrating two powerful concepts: the ab-initio NCSM with that of the Sp(3,R) {contains} SU(3) group-theoretical approach. The NCSM uses modern realistic nuclear interactions in model spaces that consists of many-body configurations up to a given number of {h_bar}{Upsilon} excitations together with modern high-performance parallel computing techniques. The symplectic theory extends this picture by recognizing that when deformed configurations dominate, which they often do, the model space can be better selected so less relevant low-lying {h_bar}{Upsilon} configurations yield to more relevant high-lying {h_bar}{Upsilon} configurations, ones that respect a near symplectic symmetry found in the Hamiltonian. Results from an application of the Sp-NCSM to light nuclei are compared with those for the NCSM and with experiment.

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A Next Step Options (NSO) study was initiated to consider the logical steps that might be undertaken to restructure the U.S. Fusion Sciences Program. Most of the effort was concentrated on designing the Fusion Ignition Research Experiment (FIRE), which is in the preconceptual design phase. It utilizes 16 cryogenically cooled wedged copper TF coils with beryllium copper in the inner legs and OFHC copper in the outer legs. We provided significant contributions in the areas of neutronics, shielding and activation analyses. The design went through different changes. Early in the year 2002 the baseline design changed from a major radius of 2 m to a major radius of 2.14 m and an aspect ratio of 3.6. In addition the fusion power during the DT pulses changed from 200 MW to 150 MW. We spent significant part of the effort calculating the nuclear performance parameters for the final baseline design. While pulses producing a total of 5 TJ of DT fusion energy and 0.5 TJ of DD fusion energy were considered in the previous designs, a detailed experimental plan was developed that results in higher total fusion energy. We assessed the impact on the peak magnet insulator dose. Multi-dimensional calculations were …