This paper describes the general characteristics of disruptions halo currents in the National Spherical Torus Experiment [M. Ono, et al. Nuclear Fusion 40, 557 (2000)]. The commonly observed types of vertical motion and resulting halo current patterns are described, and it is shown that plasma discharges developing between components can facilitate halo current flow. The halo current fractions and toroidal peaking factors at various locations in the device are presented. The maximum product of these two metrics for localized halo current measurements is always significantly less than the worst-case expectations from conventional aspect ratio tokamaks (which are typically written in terms of the total halo current). The halo current fraction and impulse is often largest in cases with the fastest plasma current quenches and highest quench rates. The effective duration of the halo current pulse is comparable to or shorter than the plasma current quench time. The largest halo currents have tended to occur in lower β and lower elongation plasmas. The sign of the poloidal halo current is reversed when the toroidal field direction is reversed.

The H-Canyon facility will be used to dissolve Pu metal for subsequent purification and conversion to plutonium dioxide (PuO{sub 2}) using Phase II of HB-Line. To support the new mission, SRNL conducted a series of experiments to produce calcined plutonium (Pu) oxide and measure the physical properties and water adsorption of that material. This data will help define the process operating conditions and material handling steps for HB-Line. An anion exchange column experiment produced 1.4 L of a purified 52.6 g/L Pu solution. Over the next nine weeks, seven Pu(IV) oxalate precipitations were performed using the same stock Pu solution, with precipitator feed acidities ranging from 0.77 M to 3.0 M nitric acid and digestion times ranging from 5 to 30 minutes. Analysis of precipitator filtrate solutions showed Pu losses below 1% for all precipitations. The four larger precipitation batches matched the target oxalic acid addition time of 44 minutes within 4 minutes. The three smaller precipitation batches focused on evaluation of digestion time and the oxalic acid addition step ranged from 25-34 minutes because of pump limitations in the low flow range. Following the precipitations, 22 calcinations were performed in the range of 610-690 C, with the largest number …

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Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU), via the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education contract, evaluated the Enercon Services, Inc. report on site soils derived concentration guideline levels (DCGLs). The RESRAD code Version 6.5 was used in deterministic mode to consider a range of radionuclides and potential future receptors. A standard sensitivity analysis was also included, along with a probabilistic analysis to select conservative input values for the most sensitive physical parameters.

Initiative to increase acceptance of biodiesel in petroleum pipelines

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This report examines current political and economic conditions in Honduras as well as issues in Honduran-U.S. relations.

Cuba remains a one-party communist state with a poor record on human rights. The country's political succession in 2006 from the long-ruling Fidel Castro to his brother Raul was characterized by a remarkable degree of stability. This report contains information on U.S. policy as related to Cuba, legislative action, and more related information.

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This report discusses that framework and proposals to amend more than 30 acts of Congress that are part of or relevant to it.

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This report provides a description of FDA's medical device review process divided into two parts: pre market requirements and post market requirements. Appendix A provides a brief history of laws governing medical device regulation and Appendix B provides a table of acronyms used in the report.

This report discusses how the Arecibo Ionospheric Observatory gathers funding for future endeavors.

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The report describes why research on a drug's pharmacokinetics, safety, and effectiveness in children might be necessary. This report then presents why the marketplace has not provided sufficient incentives to manufacturers of drugs approved for adult use to study their effects in children. It also analyzes the impact of BPCA and PREA have had on pediatric drug research.

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This report is a primer on drug approval and regulation: it describes how drugs are approved and come to the market, including FDA's role in that process and FDA and industry roles once drugs are on the pharmacy shelves.

This report highlights the issue of one-fifth of medicare patients in 2005 being readmitted to a hospital within thirty days time. These readmissions put a strain on the budget, the majority of which it is estimated may be avoidable. The report notes that Medicare as a program is working on moving around those difficulties, without reducing the quality of care.

This report provides an overview of the SSA's mandatory spending but largely focuses on discretionary appropriations for the agency's administrative expenses. The size of the annual appropriations for administrative expenses affects the agency's ability to effectively administer the SSA's benefit programs as well as conduct program integrity activities designed to ensure that only eligible persons receive federal benefits.

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins ""