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This report presents basic background information on the collapse of the Enron Corporation, identifying public policy issues in financial market oversight. This report briefly summarizes some federal laws carrying criminal penalties which may be implicated in the events surrounding the collapse of the Enron Corp. This report compares the auditing and accounting reform measures passed by the House (H.R. 3763) and reported by the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs. This report compares the major provisions of three auditor and accounting reform proposals: H.R. 3763, S. 2673, and a rule proposed on June 20, 2002, by the SEC that would create a new auditor oversight board by using the SEC’s existing authority to regulate corporate accounting. The report focuses on Section 404(a) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), the federal statute that regulates employer-sponsored pension plans. Section 404(a) is considered the “touchstone for understanding the scope and object of an ERISA fiduciary’s duties.”

The shape of the hadronic form factor f{sub +} (q{sup 2}) in the decay D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup -} e{sup +}{nu}{sub e} has been measured in a model independent analysis and compared with theoretical calculations. They use 75 fb{sup -1} of data recorded by the BABAR detector at the PEPII electron-positron collider. The corresponding decay branching fraction, relative to the decay D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup -} {pi}{sup +}, has also been measured to be R{sub D} = BR(D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup -}e{sup +}{nu}{sub e})/BR(D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup -}{pi}{sup +}) = 0.927 {+-} 0.007 {+-} 0.012. From these results, and using the present world average value for BR(D{sup 0} {yields} K{sup -}{pi}{sup +}), the normalization of the form factor at q{sup 2} = 0 is determined to be f{sub +}(0) = 0.727 {+-} 0.007 {+-} 0.005 {+-} 0.007 where the uncertainties are statistical, systematic, and from external inputs, respectively.

Most large-scale applications of high-critical-temperature superconductors will require conductors that can carry large currents in the presence of applied magnetic fields. This report describes progress at Argonne National Laboratory (ANL) in the research and development of practical superconducting components and devices using the Y-Ba-Cu-O and Bi-Pb-Sr-Ca-Cu-O systems. Results are presented in the areas of fabrication of second- and first-generation composite conductors, characterization of their structures and superconducting properties, investigation of grain-boundary current transport and factors that influence it, testing and modeling of the components of a superconducting fault current limiter, and the measurement and modeling of a superconductor's response to a transient such as that in a fault current limiter after a fault.

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This report discusses what a farm bill is and the process of renewing one every year. This report specifically covers the farm bill for 2002 and the issues that come with it. Moreover, the report highlights the importance of exports within the U.S. agricultural economy and how this is a key interest in the renewal of farm bills.

An approach using positron emission tomography (PET) was developed, validated and used to measure myocardial fatty acid metabolism in patients with inherited forms of heart failure. Abnormalities were correlated with the severity of the clinical illness. The approach developed was also shown to identify abnormalities in myocardial fatty acid metabolism in some patients with acquired forms of heart failure. The PET technique thus permits identification of abnormal fatty acid metabolism and provides an approach to evaluate the efficacy of interventional strategies.

Calculational assessment and experimental verification of certain neutron cross sections that are related to widely needed new medical isotopes. Experiments were performed at the Oregon State University TRIGA Reactor and the High Flux Irradiation Reactor at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

This report discusses how the decisions made by the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in July 1997 impacted the process by which decisions are made by the agency. The new standards were subject to litigation, oversight hearings, and a Supreme Court ruling. Moreover, issues concerning implementation of the proposed air quality standards were raised.

Long-term processes of cathodoluminescence degradation of thin film phosphors Zn{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}:Ti and Zn{sub 2}GeO{sub 4}:Mn were investigated in a wide range of e-beam energies, current and power densities. The time dependencies describing decreasing of emission intensity have been found. At high-level densities of e-beam irradiation the specific behavior of long-term degradation processes was observed, which is characteristic with rapid degradation at initial stage and slow consequent decrease of intensity. The most probable mechanisms responsible for long-term processes of degradation in investigated phosphors are proposed.

The technologies of fabrication of thin film phosphors based on gallium nitride using rf-magnetron sputtering are developed and structural properties of films are studied. Luminescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectra of GaN and GaN-Mn thin films have been studied. The correlation between cathodoluminescence intensity and conductivity of GaN films has been found. The nature of emission centers in GaN and GaN-Mn thin films is discussed as well as mechanism of luminescence in these films is proposed.

High-speed micro-strip micro-channel plate (MCP) x-ray framing cameras are a well established diagnostic for laser plasma experiments. Each frame acquired with these devices requires a separate image, and with most reasonable x-ray optics, a separate line of sight, causing potential parallax problems. Gated image tubes have a single line of sight capability, but the conventional designs have not been effectively extended to the short gating times of the micro-strip-line MCP camera. A hybrid camera combining image tube and micro-strip-line MCP technology has been under development at LLNL in collaboration with UR/LLE, and KENTECH Instruments. The key feature of this single line of sight (SLOS) hybrid image tube is a deflection assembly that continuously divides the electrons from a single photocathode x-ray image into a set of four electron images. Temporal gating of these images is carried out using a microstripline microchannel plate framing camera module positioned at the image plane of the electron tube. Characterization measurements performed using both X-rays from a Manson source and from laser generated plasmas, will be presented. Some implementation improvements will be discussed. The results will be compared to simulations carried out using the charged particle optics code SIMION. Various dissector designs were simulated in …

Our ability to simulate physical processes numerically is constrained by our ability to solve the resulting linear systems, prompting substantial research into the development of multiscale iterative methods capable of solving these linear systems with an optimal amount of effort. Overcoming the limitations of geometric multigrid methods to simple geometries and differential equations, algebraic multigrid methods construct the multigrid hierarchy based only on the given matrix. While this allows for efficient black-box solution of the linear systems associated with discretizations of many elliptic differential equations, it also results in a lack of robustness due to assumptions made on the near-null spaces of these matrices. This paper introduces an extension to algebraic multigrid methods that removes the need to make such assumptions by utilizing an adaptive process. The principles which guide the adaptivity are highlighted, as well as their application to algebraic multigrid solution of certain symmetric positive-definite linear systems.

This report will identify and discuss oversight issues and legislation introduced in the 110th Congress to address specific concerns related to how ESA is implemented and how endangered species are managed, and will be updated periodically to reflect legislative action.

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This report provides a framework for understanding various types of assessments that are administered in elementary and secondary schools. It broadly discusses various purposes of educational assessment and describe comprehensive assessment systems. The report also provides a description and analysis of technical considerations in assessments, including validity, reliability, and fairness, and provide a discussion of how to use these technical considerations to draw appropriate conclusions based on assessment results.

Under the sponsorship of the U.S. DOE and DHS, we have developed a CFD model for simulating flow and dispersion of chemical and biological agents released in the urban environment. Our model, FEM3MP (Chan and Stevens, 2000), is based on solving the three-dimensional, time-dependent, incompressible Navier-Stokes equations on massively parallel computer platforms. The model uses the finite element method for accurate representation of complex building shapes and variable terrain, together with a semi-implicit projection method and modern iterative solvers for efficient time integration (Gresho and Chan, 1998). Physical processes treated include turbulence modeling via the RANS (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes) and LES (Large Eddy Simulation) approaches, atmospheric stability, aerosols, UV radiation decay, surface energy budget, and vegetative canopies, etc. Predictions from our model are continuously being verified and validated against data from wind tunnel (Chan and Stevens, 2000; Chan, et al., 2001) and field experiments (Chan, et al., 2002, 2003; Lee, et al., 2002; Humphreys, et al., 2003; and Calhoun, et al., 2004). Discussed below are several examples to illustrate the use of FEM3MP in simulating flow and dispersion in urban areas and forest canopies, with model results compared against available field measurements.

This study investigates the effects of uncertainty inrockphysics models on estimates of reservoir parameters from jointinversion of seismic AVA and CSEMdata. The reservoir parameters arerelated to electrical resistivity using Archie's law, and to seismicvelocity and density using the Xu-White model. To account for errors inthe rock-physics models, we use two methods to handle uncertainty: (1)the model outputs are random functions with modes or means given by themodel predictions, and (2) the parameters of the models are themselvesrandom variables. Using a stochastic framework and Markov Chain MonteCarlo methods, we obtain estimates of reservoir parameters as well as ofthe uncertainty in the estimates. Synthetic case studies show thatuncertainties in both rock-physics models and their associated parameterscan have significant effects on estimates of reservoir parameters. Ourmethod provides a means of quantifying how the uncertainty in theestimated reservoir parameters increases with increasing uncertainty inthe rock-physics model and in the model parameters. We find that in theexample we present, the estimation of water saturation is relatively lessaffected than is the estimation of clay content and porosity.

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Several dairy issues that were debated during the 108th Congress are expected to continue as issues of interest in the 109th Congress. Separate bills were introduced in the 108th Congress to extend authority for both the Milk Income Loss Contract (MILC) Program and the dairy forward pricing pilot program, and to address dairy producer concerns about the importation of milk protein concentrates.

The elimination of in-board ohmic heating solenoid is required for the spherical torus (ST) to function as an attractive fusion power plant. An in-board ohmic solenoid, along with the shielding needed for its insulation, increases the size and, hence, the cost of the plant. Here, we investigate using static as well as dynamic codes in ST geometries a solenoid-free start-up concept utilizing a set of out-board poloidal field coils. By using the static code, an optimization of coil positions as well as coil currents was performed to demonstrate that it is indeed possible to create a high quality multi-pole field null region while retaining significant flux (volt-seconds) needed for the subsequent current ramp-up. With the dynamic code that includes the effect of vacuum vessel eddy currents, we then showed that it is possible to maintain a large size field null region for several milliseconds in which sufficient ionization avalanche can develop in the applied toroidal electric field. Under the magnetic geometry typical of a next generation spherical torus experiment, it is shown that the well-known plasma breakdown conditions for conventional ohmic solenoid start-up of E(sub)TB(sub)T/B(sub)P {approx} (0.1-1) kV/m with V(sub)loop {approx} 6 V can be readily met while retaining significant …

Motivated by observations of supersonic argon-ion flow generated by linear helicon-heated plasma devices, a three-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) code is used to study whether stationary electrostatic layers form near mechanical apertures intersecting the flow of magnetized plasma. By self-consistently evaluating the temporal evolution of the plasma in the vicinity of the aperture, the PIC simulations characterize the roles of the imposed aperture and applied magnetic field on ion acceleration. The PIC model includes ionization of a background neutral-argon population by thermal and superthermal electrons, the latter found upstream of the aperture. Near the aperture, a transition from a collisional to a collisionless regime occurs. Perturbations of density and potential, with mm wavelengths and consistent with ion acoustic waves, propagate axially. An ion acceleration region of length ~ 200−300 λD,e forms at the location of the aperture and is found to be an electrostatic double layer, with axially-separated regions of net positive and negative charge. Reducing the aperture diameter or increasing its length increases the double layer strength.

The report is about the Impact on U.S. Trade and Implications for U.S. Trade Policy. The economic impact of FTAs and Relevant Legislation. United States has proposed to engage in negotiations to establish bilateral and free trade agreements with a number of trading partners.