A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In 2002, CMS contracted with Quality Improvement Organizations (QIO) to help nursing homes address quality problems such as pressure ulcers, a deficiency frequently identified during routine inspections conducted by state survey agencies. CMS awarded $117 million over a 3-year period to the QIOs to assist all homes and to work intensively with a subset of homes in each state. Homes' participation was voluntary. To evaluate QIO performance, CMS relied largely on changes in homes' quality measures (QM), data based on resident assessments routinely conducted by homes. GAO assessed QIO activities during the 3-year contract starting in 2002, focusing on (1) characteristics of homes assisted intensively, (2) types of assistance provided, and (3) effect of assistance on the quality of nursing home care. GAO conducted a Web-based survey of all 51 QIOs, visited QIOs and homes in five states, and interviewed experts on using QMs to evaluate QIOs."

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In February 2005, GAO reported that weaknesses in the Army's Active Duty Medical Extension (ADME) process caused injured and ill Army National Guard and Reserve (reserve component) soldiers to experience gaps in pay and benefits. During the course of GAO's previous work, the Army implemented the Medical Retention Processing (MRP) program in May 2004 and Community-Based Health Care Initiative (CBHCI) in March 2004. CBHCI allows reserve component soldiers on MRP orders to return home and receive medical care through a civilian health care provider. As directed by congressional mandate, GAO determined whether (1) MRP has resolved the pay issues previously identified with ADME and (2) the Army has the metrics it needs to determine whether it is effectively managing CBHCI program risks. GAO's scope did not include the medical, facilities, or disability ratings issues recently reported by the media at Walter Reed Army Medical Center."

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "This letter responds to Congress's April 24, 2007, request that GAO address questions submitted for the record by Members of the Subcommittee related to the March 29, 2007, hearing entitled JPDO and the Next Generation Air Transportation System: Status and Issues."

The estimated 200 gallons of sodium aluminosilicate scale (NAS) present in the 242-16H Evaporator pot prior to chemical cleaning was subjected to four batches of 1.5 M (9 wt%) nitric acid. Each batch was neutralized with 19 M (50 wt %) sodium hydroxide (caustic) before transfer to Tank 38. The chemical cleaning process began on November 20, 2006, and was terminated on December 10, 2006. An inspection of the pot's interior was performed and based on data gathered during that inspection; the current volume of scale in the pot is conservatively estimated to be 36.3 gallons, which is well below the 200 gallon limit specified in the Technical Safety Requirements. In addition, the performance during all aspects of cleaning agreed well with the flowsheet developed at the bench and pilot scale. There were some lessons learned during the cleaning outage and are detailed in appendices of this report.

This paper explores the feasibility of integrating energyefficiency program evaluation with the emerging need for the evaluationof programs from different "energy cultures" (demand response, renewableenergy, and climate change). The paper reviews key features andinformation needs of the energy cultures and critically reviews theopportunities and challenges associated with integrating these withenergy efficiency program evaluation. There is a need to integrate thedifferent policy arenas where energy efficiency, demand response, andclimate change programs are developed, and there are positive signs thatthis integration is starting to occur.

By combining the method of images with calculus of complex variables, we provide a simple expression for the electric field of a two-dimensional (2D) static elliptical charge distribution inside a perfectly conducting cylinder. The charge distribution need not be concentric with the cylinder.

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Most quantum states have wavefunctions that are widely spread over the accessible Hilbert space and hence do not have a good description in terms of a single classical geometry. In order to understand when geometric descriptions are possible, we exploit the AdS/CFT correspondence in the half-BPS sector of asymptotically AdS_5 x S5 universes. In this sector we devise a"coarse-grained metric operator" whose eigenstates are well described by a single spacetime topology and geometry. We show that such half-BPS universes have a non-vanishing entropy if and only if the metric is singular, and that the entropy arises from coarse-graining the geometry. Finally, we use our entropy formula to find the most entropic spacetimes with fixed asymptotic moments beyond the global charges.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Free weekly newspaper that includes business and classified advertising.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment to require each house of the legislature to take a record vote on final passage of a bill other than certain local bills, of a resolution proposing or ratifying a constitutional amendment, or of any other nonceremonial resolution, and to publish the record vote on the Internet.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment to allow the repurchase of real property acquired by a governmental entity through eminent domain.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to provide that the maximum appraised value of a residence homestead for ad valorem taxation is limited to the lesser of the most recent market value of the residence homestead as determined by the appraisal entity or 110 percent, or a greater percentage, of the appraised value of the residence homestead for the preceding tax year.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the legislature to exempt from ad valorem taxation one motor vehicle owned by an individual and used in the course of the owner's occupation or profession and also for personal activities of the owner.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the denial of bail to a person who violates certain court orders or conditions of release in a felony or family violence case.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment to clarify certain provisions relating to the making of a home equity loan and use of home equity loan proceeds.

Joint resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to proposing a constitutional amendment providing for the establishment of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas and authorizing the issuance of general obligation bonds for the purpose of scientific research of all forms of human cancer.

This report discusses the farm bill, which renewed about every five years, governs federal farm and food policy. The Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (P.L. 107-171) is the most recent omnibus farm bill, covering a wide range of programs including commodity price and income support, farm credit, agricultural conservation, research, rural development, and foreign and domestic food programs, among others.

This report discusses broadband Internet, examining what it is and the various technologies that allow for its transmission. Broadband or high-speed Internet access is provided by technologies that give users the ability to send and receive data at volumes and speeds far greater than access over traditional telephone lines; it also provides a continuous, "always on" connection (no need to dial-up) and a "two-way" capability, that is, the ability to both receive (download) and transmit (upload) data at high speeds.

This report summarizes the subsidies that are available for about 25 agricultural commodities representing about one-third of gross farm sales.

Concern has grown in Congress and elsewhere about China's military modernization. The topic is an increasing factor in discussions over future required U.S. Navy capabilities. The issue for Congress addressed in this report is: How should China's military modernization be factored into decisions about U.S. Navy programs?

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This is a Final Progress report of Gordon research conference on 2006 Iron-Sulfur Enzymes with the conference agenda.