A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense's (DOD) investment in new weapon systems is expected to exceed $1 trillion from fiscal years 2003 to 2009. To reduce the risk of cost and schedule overruns, DOD revamped its acquisition policy in May 2003. The policy provides detailed guidance on how weapon systems acquisitions should be managed. The Senate report accompanying the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2004 required GAO to determine whether DOD's policy supports knowledge-based, evolutionary acquisitions and whether the policy provides the necessary controls for DOD to ensure successful outcomes, such as meeting cost and schedule goals. The report also required GAO to assess whether the policy is responsive to certain requirements in the Bob Stump National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2003 concerning DOD's management of the acquisition process."

Memorandum from Gary W. Heckman to AF/XOR, AF/XPP, SAF/AQQ, SAF/AQP, and SAF/USA. Heckman calls for support from these in order to create groups of experts for the BRAC in order to assess military value of bases.

The goal of this project was the development of a family of wireless, single-chip, luminescence-sensing devices to solve a number of difficult distributed measurement problems in areas ranging from environmental monitoring and assessment to high-throughput screening of combinatorial chemistry libraries. These wireless luminescence integrated sensors (WLIS) consist of a microluminometer, wireless data transmitter, and RF power input circuit all realized in a standard integrated circuit (IC) process with genetically engineered, whole-cell, bioluminescent bioreporters encapsulated and deposited on the IC. The end product is a family of compact, low-power, rugged, low-cost sensors. As part of this program they developed an integrated photodiode/signal-processing scheme with an rms noise level of 175 electrons/second for a 13-minute integration time, and a quantum efficiency of 66% at the 490-nm bioluminescent wavelength. this performance provided a detection limit of < 1000 photons/second. Although sol-gel has previously been used to encapsulate yeast cells, the reaction conditions necessary for polymerization (primarily low pH) have beforehand proven too harsh for bacterial cell immobilizations. Utilizing sonication methods, they have were able to initiate polymerization under pH conditions conductive to cell survival. both a toluene bioreporter (Pseudomonas putida TVA8) and a naphthalene bioreporter (Pseudomonas fluorescens HK44) were successfully encapsulated in sol-gel …

The U.S. steel industry has faced increasing difficulties since the late 1990s. About 40 U.S. steel producers have gone into bankruptcy. While different companies and parts of the industry have been affected to different degrees, the two types of domestic producers of raw steel, integrated mills and minimills, have both supported restrictions on imports, which they say have undermined the ability of the U.S. industry to produce steel economically. This report reviews industry developments and the economic situation of the steel industry, including legacy cost aspects of its problems.

Thirty five years ago, while in the neutron cross section group led by Robert Howerton at LLNL, the concept of reconstructing a three dimensional spatial distribution from its projections onto two dimensional planes was tackled by some of us using three now well known methods: simple back projection, Fourier projection theorem methods and iterative least squares algebraic reconstruction. The method of iterative least squares reconstruction was implemented on patient data in the early 1970s using photons from radionuclides detected by the Anger Camera. The method useful for computed tomography was modified to include the attenuation of the photons from an unknown source through an unknown attenuation distribution (a problem thought to be intractable until 1974). These methods along with a multitude of other methods developed by my small group of Ronald Huesman, Grant Gullberg, William Greenberg and Stephen Derenzo were prepared as a library with examples in FORTRAN, RECLBL. Those codes were found useful for computed tomography, geophysical problems and plasma confinement research topics in addition to their use in Nuclear Medicine. The codes were used even in the early days of magnetic resonance imaging when back projection of filtered projection data were used before the incorporation of phase encoding …

Paleorecords from Minnesota and adjacent areas have often been used to evaluate large-scale climatic processes in the mid-continent of North America. However, most of these records are compromised by chronological flaws, making problematic any comparisons with climatic interpretations based on other records (e.g., GISP2 in Greenland). We report here a high-resolution pollen record with a secure chronology constrained by 26 {sup 14}C dates on terrestrial macrofossils from Steel Lake, central Minnesota. About 11,200 years ago (calibrated yr BP) the late-glacial Picea forest near Steel Lake was succeeded abruptly by Pinus banksiana and/or resinosa. The Pinus forest began to open 9.4 ka cal BP with the expansion of prairie taxa, and a pine parkland or savanna prevailed until about 8 ka cal BP, when Quercus replaced Pinus to become the dominant tree in the prairie areas for 4500 years. The close chronological control permits the correlation of key vegetational changes with those at other reliably dated sites in the eastern Dakotas and in Minnesota, suggesting that the abrupt decline of the spruce forest was time-transgressive from southwest to northeast during 2000 years, and that the development of prairie was time-transgressive in the same direction over 2600 years. Correlation of key pollen …

The {delta} to {alpha}' phase transformation in Pu-Ga alloys is intriguing for both scientific and technological reasons. On cooling, the ductile fcc d-phase transforms martensitically to the brittle monoclinic {alpha}'-phase at approximately -120 C (depending on composition). This exothermic transformation involves a 20% volume contraction and a significant increase in resistivity. The reversion of {alpha}' to {delta} involves a large temperature hysteresis beginning just above room temperature. In an attempt to better understand the underlying thermodynamics and kinetics responsible for these unusual features, we examined the {delta}/{alpha}' transformations in a 0.6 wt% Pu-Ga alloy using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and resistometry. Both techniques indicate that the martensite start temperature is -120 C and the austenite start temperature is 35 C. The heat of transformation is approximately 3 kJ/mole. During the {alpha}' {yields} {delta} reversion, ''spikes'' and ''steps'' are observed in DSC and resistometry scans, respectively. These spikes and steps are periodic, and their periodicity with respect to temperature does not vary with heating rate. With an appropriate annealing cycle, including a ''rest'' at room temperature, these spikes and steps can be reproduced through many thermal cycles of a single sample.

The deformation behavior of rapidly-grown tetragonal KD{sub 2x} H{sub 1(1-x)} PO{sub 4} (KDP and DKDP) single crystals, with a deuteration degree x of 0.0, 0.3, and 0.6, is studied by nanoindentation with a 1 {micro}m radius spherical indenter. Within experimental error, the deformation behavior is found to be independent of deuterium content and different for (001) and (100) surfaces. Multiple discontinuities (so called ''pop-in'' events) in force-displacement curves are observed during indentation loading, but not during unloading. Slip is identified as the major mode of plastic deformation in DKDP, and pop-in events are attributed to the initiation of slip.

One of the proposed options to increase the LHC luminosity is the replacement of the existing inner triplets at the Interaction Regions with new low-beta larger aperture quadrupoles operating at the same gradient. Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) is carrying out preliminary studies of a large-bore Nb{sub 3}Sn quadrupole. The mechanical design presents a support structure based on the use of keys and bladders without self-supporting collars. This technology has been proven effective in several successful common coil Nb{sub 3}Sn dipoles built at LBNL, and it is for the first time applied to a cos(2{var_theta}) design. In this paper we present a detailed analysis of the quadrupole mechanical behavior, demonstrating the possibility of delivering, through this method, well-controlled coil precompression during assembly, cool-down and excitation. The study has been performed with the finite element program ANSYS.

During a quench, significant temperatures can arise as a magnet's stored energy is dissipated in the normal zone. Temperature gradients during this process give rise to localized strains within the coil. Reactive forces in the magnet structure balance the electromagnetic and thermal forces and maintain on equilibrium. In this paper we present a complete 3D finite element analysis of a racetrack coil. Specifically, the analysis focuses on thermal, electrical and mechanical conditions in a 10 T Nb{sub 3}Sn coil built and tested as part of LBNL's Subscale Magnet Program. The study attempts to simulate time history of the temperature and voltage rise during quench propagation. The transient thermal stress after the quench is then evaluated and discussed.

The objective of this calculation is to establish an isotopic database to represent commercial spent nuclear fuel (CSNF) from pressurized water reactors (PWRs) in criticality analyses performed for the proposed Monitored Geologic Repository at Yucca Mountain, Nevada. Confirmation of the conservatism with respect to criticality in the isotopic concentration values represented by this isotopic database is performed as described in Section 3.5.3.1.2 of the ''Disposal Criticality Analysis Methodology Topical Report'' (YMP 2000). The isotopic database consists of the set of 14 actinides and 15 fission products presented in Section 3.5.2.1.1 of YMP 2000 for use in CSNF burnup credit. This set of 29 isotopes is referred to as the principal isotopes. The oxygen isotope from the UO{sub 2} fuel is also included in the database. The isotopic database covers enrichments of {sup 235}U ranging from 1.5 to 5.5 weight percent (wt%) and burnups ranging from approximately zero to 75 GWd per metric ton of uranium (mtU). The choice of fuel assembly and operating history values used in generating the isotopic database are provided is Section 5. Tables of isotopic concentrations for the 29 principal isotopes (plus oxygen) as a function of enrichment and burnup are provided in Section 6.1. Results …

Several bench-scale column tests (resin bed volume less than or equal to 75 mL) have been conducted with SuperLig 639 resin and simulated Hanford waste supernates. Rhenium (surrogate for technetium in actual waste samples) breakthrough profiles were determined for three simulant compositions which are representative of the basic waste categories requiring treatment in the Hanford River Protection Project Waste Treatment Plant. Considerable loading performance variability was observed between the three waste types, although the resin is effective at rhenium removal from each solution. Careful and frequent analysis during elution studies conducted at the conclusion of the column loading tests confirmed that sodium nitrate and sodium perrhenate ion pairs are primary sorbing species on SuperLig 639 resin. Furthermore, it was discovered that potassium nitrate and potassium perrhenate salts are significant competitors for sorption sites on the resin. Successive desorption profiles were identified for all four salt species during elution tests. Integration of the desorption profiles revealed that the resin is selective for removal of the potassium salts over the sodium salts.

This report quantified potential hydrogen diffusion through Hanford Site Single-Shell tank (SST) domes if the SSTs were hypothetically sealed airtight. Results showed that diffusion would keep headspace flammable gas concentrations below the lower flammability limit in the 241-AX and 241-SX SST. The purpose of this document is to quantify the amount of hydrogen that could diffuse through the domes of the SSTs if they were hypothetically sealed airtight. Diffusion is assumed to be the only mechanism available to reduce flammable gas concentrations. The scope of this report is limited to the 149 SSTs.

The goal of this project was to establish a dose response curve for radiation-induced neoplastic transformation of HeLa x skin fibroblast human hybrid cells in vitro under experimental conditions were an adaptive response, if it were induced, would have an opportunity to be expressed. During the first two years of the grant an exhaustive series of experiments were performed and the resulting data were reported at the 2000 Annual Meeting of the Radiation Research Society and then Subsequently published. The data showed that an adaptive response against spontaneous neoplastic transformation was seen up to doses of 10cGy of Cs-137 gamma rays. At dose of 30, 50 and 100 cGy the transformation frequencies were above background. This indicated that for this system, under the specific experimental conditions used, there was a threshold of somewhere between 10 and 30 cGy. The results also indicated some unexpected, though very interesting, correlations with relative risk estimates made from human epidemiologic studies.

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

Understanding virulence mechanisms of bacterial pathogens is vital to anticipating biological threats and to improving detectors, vaccines, and treatments. This project will characterize factors responsible for virulence of Yersinia pestis, the causative agent of plague and a biothreat agent, which has an inducible Type III secretion virulence mechanism also found in other animal, plant, and human pathogens. Our approach relies on genomic and proteomic characterization of Y. pestis in addition to a bioinformatic infrastructure. Scientific and technical capabilities developed in this project can be applied to other microbes of interest. This work will establish a significant new direction for biodefense at LLNL and expand our national and international scientific collaborations.

In the laboratory experiments designed to reproduce hydrodynamical phenomena of relevance for astrophysics the Reynolds numbers, although very large, are usually smaller than in real astrophysical systems. If the hydrodynamic flow reaches the turbulent state, it may then happen that differences (related to the difference in Reynolds numbers) would appear in the global-scale motions of the two systems. The difficulty in studying this issue in high energy density laboratory experiments lies in that equations of state and transport coefficients are usually not very well known, so that the subtle effect of the Reynolds number may be easily obscured by experimental uncertainties. An approach has recently been suggested [D.D. Ryutov, B.A. Remington, Phys. Plasmas, 10, 2629, 2003] that allows one to circumvent this difficulty and isolate the effect of the Reynolds number. In the present paper, after presenting a summary of the previous results, we briefly discuss various aspects of possible experiments.

As clusters are widely accepted as cost-effective infrastructures for many scientific and commercial applications, improving the deliverable performance and reducing the energy consumption of such systems has become a pressing issue. In this paper, we exploit the feasibility of achieving these objectives through efficiently scheduling the communicating processes of parallel applications. In this context, we conduct an in-depth evaluation of a broad spectrum of scheduling alternatives for clusters. These include the widely used batch scheduling, local scheduling, gang scheduling, all prior communication-driven coscheduling algorithms, and a newly proposed HYBRID coscheduling algorithm. In order to provide ease of implementation and portability across many cluster platforms, we propose a generic framework for deploying any coscheduling algorithm. We have implemented four prior coscheduling algorithms (Dynamic Coscheduling (DCS), Spin Block (SB), Periodic Boost (PB), and Co-ordinated Coscheduling (CC)) and the HYBRID coscheduling using this framework on a 16-node, Myrinet connected Linux cluster that uses GM as the communication layer. In addition, we use PBS as the batch scheduler and a previously proposed gang scheduler (SCore) to analyze all classes of scheduling techniques. Performance and energy measurements using several NAS and LLNL benchmarks on the Linux cluster provide several interesting conclusions. First, although batch scheduling …

Operational systems predict the consequences of atmospheric releases of hazardous materials for real-time emergency response, pre-event planning, and post-incident assessment. Such systems provide federal, state, and local agencies, emergency planners and responders, public health officials, military personnel, and other users with critical information on which to base life-and-death decisions on safe zones for siting of incident command posts, sheltering-in-place or evacuation advisories, the need for protective equipment, and the utilization of hospital and health care resources. A range of operational modeling capabilities is required to support different types of release events, distance scales, and response times. Fast-response deployable models are used to perform hazard assessments and initial response functions, and can serve as a backup when connections to a reach-back center are not available. Higher-fidelity three-dimensional dispersion models, coupled to real-time observational data and numerical weather prediction model output, are used for real-time response and support expert quality-assured predictions and refined assessments. Computational fluid dynamics models, which explicitly resolve urban structures, are used for high fidelity applications including vulnerability analyses and planning studies. This paper will briefly discuss the types and capabilities of models used or under development for emergency response systems, customer products, supporting data, and a few representative …

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This report discusses the policy, economic, and technical factors that contributed to higher spending and lower receipts, raising the deficit substantially from what was originally proposed.

Concert presented at the UNT College of Music Kenton Hall.

The Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) Superconducting Magnet Group has completed the design, fabrication and test of HD1, a 16 T block-coil dipole magnet. State of the art Nb{sub 3}Sn conductor was wound in double-layer racetrack coils and supported by an iron yoke and a tensioned aluminum shell. In order to prevent conductor movement under magnetic forces up to the design field, a coil pre-stress of 150 MPa was required. To achieve this level without damaging the brittle conductor, the target stress was generated during cool-down to 4.2 K by exploiting the thermal contraction differentials between yoke and shell. Accurate control of the shell tension during assembly was obtained using pressurized bladders and interference load keys. An integrated 3D CAD model was used to optimize magnetic and mechanical design and analysis.

Modern reproductive technologies are enabling the treatment of infertile men with severe disturbances of spermatogenesis. The possibility of elevated frequencies of genetically and chromosomally defective sperm has become an issue of concern with the increased usage of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which can enable men with severely impaired sperm production to father children. Several papers have been published about aneuploidy in oligozoospermic patients, but relatively little is known about chromosome structural aberrations in the sperm of these patients. We examined sperm from infertile, oligozoospermic individuals for structural and numerical chromosomal abnormalities using a multicolor ACM FISH assay that utilizes DNA probes specific for three regions of chromosome 1 to detect human sperm that carry numerical chromosomal abnormalities plus two categories of structural aberrations: duplications and deletions of 1pter and 1cen, and chromosomal breaks within the 1cen-1q12 region. There was a significant increase in the average frequencies of sperm with duplications and deletions in the infertility patients compared with the healthy concurrent controls. There was also a significantly elevated level of breaks within the 1cen-1q12 region. There was no evidence for an increase in chromosome-1 disomy, or in diploidy. Our data reveal that oligozoospermia is associated with chromosomal structural abnormalities suggesting …