A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The District of Columbia's Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA) is responsible for ensuring the safety and well being of about 3,000 children in its care and ensuring that services are provided to them and their families. In fiscal year 2003, CFSA's total budget was about $200 million. Concerns have been raised about CFSA's supply of caseworkers, the foster care and adoptive homes, and the quality and timeliness of mental health services for foster care children. To help address these issues, the Congress appropriated $14 million in fiscal year 2004 to CFSA, the Department of Mental Health (DMH), and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG) specifically for foster care improvement. GAO examined CFSA's (1) strategies for recruiting, retaining, and managing its caseworkers; (2) efforts to license an adequate supply of safe foster and adoptive homes; and (3) efforts to collaborate with DMH and the Family Court to provide timely mental health services to foster care children. GAO also reviewed plans for and use of the federal foster care improvement funds."

Document issued by the Office of the Attorney General of Texas in Austin, Texas, providing an interpretation of Texas law. It provides the opinion of the Texas Attorney General, Greg Abbott, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether a country clerk may serve simultaneously as a director of the Sabine River Authority (RQ-0203-GA).

The first hydrodynamics experiments were performed on the National Ignition Facility. A supersonic jet was formed via the interaction of a laser driven shock ({approx}40 Mbars) with 2D and 3D density perturbations. The temporal evolution of the jet's spatial scales and ejected mass were measured with point projection x-ray radiography. Measurements of the large-scale features and mass are in good agreement with 2D and 3D numerical simulations. These experiments are the first quantitative measurements of the evolution of 3D supersonic jets and provide insight into their 3D behavior.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory participated in a U. S. Department of Energy/Office of Industrial Technology sponsored research project 'Development of a Rolling Process Design Tool for Use in Improving Hot Roll Slab Recovery', as a Cooperative Agreement TC-02028 with the Alcoa Technical Center (ATC). The objective of the joint project with Alcoa is to develop a numerical modeling capability to optimize the hot rolling process used to produce aluminum plate. Product lost in the rolling process and subsequent recycling, wastes resources consumed in the energy-intensive steps of remelting and reprocessing the ingot. The modeling capability developed by project partners will be used to produce plate more efficiently and with reduced product loss.

Weekly newspaper from Clifton, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

The major objective of this program is to upgrade and replace instruments and equipment that significantly improve the performance, control and operational capability of the Purdue University nuclear reactor (PUR-1). Under this major objective one project on design and installation of interface cards for channel four detector was considered. This report is the final report and gives the efforts and progress achieved on these projects from August 2002 to July 2004.

The properties of a broad 2.86 eV photoluminescence band in carbon-doped GaN were studied as a function of C-doping level, temperature, and excitation density. The results are consistent with a C{sub Ga}-C{sub N} deep donor-deep acceptor recombination mechanism as proposed by Seager et al. For GaN:C grown by molecular-beam epitaxy (MBE) the 2.86 eV band is observed in Si co-doped layers exhibiting high n-type conductivity as well as in semi-insulating material. For low excitation density (4 W/cm{sup 2}) the 2.86 eV band intensity decreases as a function of cw-laser exposure time over a period of many minutes. The transient behavior is consistent with a model based on carrier diffusion and charge trapping-induced Coulomb barriers. The temperature dependence of the blue luminescence below 150 K was different for carbon-contaminated GaN grown by metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) compared to C-doped MBE GaN.

High efficiency frequency conversion while operating at average power is critical for the Mercury laser. We will demonstrate average power frequency conversion of face-cooled DKDP and YCOB crystals using a sapphire heat spreader approach.

Newspaper from Rose State College in Midwest City, Oklahoma that includes national, local, and campus news along with advertising.

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

Weekly newspaper from Dell City, Texas that includes local, state, and national news along with advertising.

Daily student newspaper from the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas that includes local, state and campus news along with advertising.

This report details our assessment of the chemistry of the planned Hanford Waste Vitrification Plant (HWVP) off-gas system and its impact on the applicability of known iodine removal and control methods. To predict the gaseous species in the off-gas system, we completed thermodynamic calculations to determine theoretical equilibrium concentrations of the various potential chemical species. In addition, we found that HWVP pilot-plant experiments were generally consistent with the known chemistry of the individual elements present in the off gas. Of the known trapping techniques for radioiodine, caustic scrubbing and silver-containing sorbents are, in our opinion, the most attractive methods to reduce the iodine concentration in the HWVP melter off gas (MOG) after it has passed through the high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter. These two methods were selected because they (1) have demonstrated retention factors (RFs), ratio of amount in and amount out, of 10 to 1000, which would be sufficient to reduce the iodine concentration in the MOG to below regulatory limits; (2) are simple to apply; (3) are resistant to oxidizing gases such as NOx; (4) do not employ highly hazardous or highly corrosive agents; (5) require containment vessels constructed or common materials; (6) have received extensive laboratory development; …

The 1.9 {angstrom} native structure of pyrimidine biosynthesis regulatory protein encoded by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis pyrR gene (Rv1379) is reported. Because pyrimidine biosynthesis is an essential step in the progression of TB, pyrR is an attractive antitubercular drug target. The Mycobacterium tuberculosis pyrR gene (Rv1379) encodes a protein that regulates expression of pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis (pyr) genes in a UMP-dependent manner. Because pyrimidine biosynthesis is an essential step in the progression of TB, the gene product pyrR is an attractive antitubercular drug target. We report the 1.9 {angstrom} native structure of Mtb pyrR determined by the TB Structural Genomics Consortium facilities (PDB entry 1W30) in trigonal space group P3{sub 1}21, with cell dimensions at 120K of a = 66.64 {angstrom}, c = 154.72 {angstrom}, and two molecules in the asymmetric unit. The 3D structure and residual uracil phosphoribosyltransferase activity point to a common PRTase ancestor for pyrR. However, while PRPP and UMP binding sites have been retained in Mtb pyrR, a novel dimer interaction among subunits creates a deep, positively charged cleft capable of binding pyr mRNA. In silico screening of pyrimidine nucleoside analogs has revealed a number of potential leads compounds that, if bound to Mtb pyrR, could facilitate …

The development of the Snake River hydroelectric system has affected fall chinook salmon smolts by shifting their migration timing to a period when downstream reservoir conditions are unfavorable for survival. Subsequent to the Snake River chinook salmon fall-run Evolutionary Significant Unit being listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act, recovery planning has included changes in hydrosystem operations to improve water temperature and flow conditions during the juvenile chinook salmon summer migration period. In light of the limited water supplies from the Dworshak reservoir for summer flow augmentation, and the associated uncertainties regarding benefits to migrating fall chinook salmon smolts, additional approaches for improved smolt survival need to be evaluated. This report describes research conducted by PNNL that evaluated relationships among river discharge, hyporheic zone characteristics, and egg pocket water temperature in Snake River fall chinook salmon spawning areas. The potential for improved survival would be gained by increasing the rate at which early life history events proceed (i.e., incubation and emergence), thereby allowing smolts to migrate through downstream reservoirs during early- to mid-summer when river conditions are more favorable for survival. PNNL implemented this research project throughout 160 km of the Hells Canyon Reach (HCR) of the Snake River. …

Chandra HETG spectra of the prototypical dwarf novae SS Cyg and U Gem in quiescence and outburst are presented and discussed. When SS Cyg goes into outburst, it becomes dimmer in hard X-rays and displays a dramatic shift in its relative line strengths, whereas when U Gem goes into outburst, it becomes brighter in hard X-rays and displays only a minor shift in its relative line strengths. In both systems, the emission lines become significantly broader in outburst, signaling the presence of high velocity gas either in Keplerian orbits around the white dwarf or flowing outward from the system.

This report details information such as history and analyses of renewable energy tax credit, budget, and electricity production issues.

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We designed and built a phantom consisting of vertical wires maintained under tension to be used as an ultrasonic test, calibration, and reconstruction object for the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory annular array scanner. We provide a description of the phantom, present example data sets, preliminary reconstructions, example metadata, and MATLAB codes to read the data.

Bounds on transport coefficients of random polycrystals of laminates are presented, including the well-known Hashin-Shtrikman bounds and some newly formulated bounds involving two formation factors for a two-component porous medium. Some new types of self-consistent estimates are then formulated based on the observed analytical structure both of these bounds and also of earlier self-consistent estimates (of the CPA or coherent potential approximation type). A numerical study is made, assuming first that the internal structure (i.e., the laminated grain structure) is not known, and then that it is known. The purpose of this aspect of the study is to attempt to quantify the differences in the predictions of properties of a system being modeled when such organized internal structure is present in the medium but detailed spatial correlation information may or (more commonly) may not be available. Some methods of estimating formation factors from data are also presented and then applied to a high-contrast fluid-permeability data set. Hashin-Shtrikman bounds are found to be very accurate estimates for low contrast heterogeneous media. But formation factor lower bounds are superior estimates for high contrast situations. The new self-consistent estimators also tend to agree better with data than either the bounds or the CPA …

In support of CH2M HILL Hanford Group, Inc.’s (CHG) preparation of a Field Investigative Report (FIR) for the Hanford Site Single-Shell Tank Waste Management Area (WMA) T and TX-TY, a suite of numerical simulations of flow and solute transport was executed using the STOMP code to predict the performance of surface barriers for reducing long-term risks from potential groundwater contamination at the T and TX-TY WMA. The scope and parametric data for these simulations were defined by a modeling data package provided by CHG. This report documents the simulation involving 2-D cross sections through the T Tank and the TX-TY Tank Farm. Eight cases were carried out for the cross sections to simulate the effects of interim barrier, water line leak, inventory distribution, and surface recharge on water flow and the transport of long-lived radionuclides (i.e., technecium-99 and uranium) and chemicals (i.e., nitrate and chromium For simulations with barriers, it is assumed that an interim barrier is in place by the year 2010. It was also assumed that, for all simulations, as part of tank farm closure, a closure barrier was in place by the year 2040. The modeling considers the estimated inventories of contaminants within the vadose zone and …

This report provides the details related to Salary adjustments of Federal white-collar employees for the Fiscal Year 2005

Quantum mechanical-based (or ab initio) methods are used to predict the stability properties of materials although their application is limited to relatively simple systems in terms of structures and number of alloy components. However thermodynamics of complex multi-component alloys requires a more versatile approach afforded within the CALPHAD formalism. Despite its success, the lack of experimental data very often prevents the design of robust thermodynamic databases. After a brief survey of ab initio methodologies and CALPHAD, it will be shown how ab initio electronic structure methods can supplement in two ways CALPHAD for subsequent applications. The first one is rather immediate and concerns the direct input of ab initio energetics in CALPHAD databases. The other way, more involved, is the assessment of ab initio thermodynamics '{acute a} la CALPHAD'. It will be shown how these results can be used within CALPHAD to predict the equilibrium properties of multi-component alloys. Finally, comments will be made on challenges and future prospects.