Introduction: No reliable method currently exists for quantifying the degree of warm ischemia in kidney grafts prior to transplantation. We describe a method for evaluating pretransplant warm ischemia time using optical spectroscopic methods. Methods: Lewis rat kidney vascular pedicles were clamped unilaterally in vivo for 0, 5, 10, 20, 30, 60, 90 or 120 minutes; 8 animals were studied at each time point. Injured and contra-lateral control kidneys were then flushed with Euro-Collins solution, resected and placed on ice. 335 nm excitation autofluorescence as well as cross polarized light scattering images were taken of each injured and control kidney using filters of various wavelengths. The intensity ratio of the injured to normal kidneys was compared to ischemia time. Results: Autofluorescence intensity ratios through a 450 nm filter and light scattering intensity ratios through an 800 nm filter both decreased significantly with increasing ischemia time (p < 0.0001 for each method, one-way ANOVA). All adjacent and non-adjacent time points between 0 and 90 minutes were distinguishable using one of these two modalities by Fisher's PLSD. Conclusions: Optical spectroscopic methods can accurately quantify warm ischemia time in kidneys that have been subsequently hypothermically preserved. Further studies are needed to correlate results with …

This report discusses the details related to U.S interests in the South-west Pacific, U.S - Australian strategic relationships, Australia's role in the region, and China's growing regional influence

Perturbations on an interface driven by a strong blast wave grow in time due to a combination of Rayleigh-Taylor, Richtmyer-Meshkov, and decompression effects. In this paper, we present the first results from a computational study of such a system under drive conditions to be attainable on the National Ignition Facility. Using the multiphysics, AMR, higher order Godunov Eulerian hydrocode, Raptor, we consider the late nonlinear instability evolution for multiple amplitude and phase realizations of a variety of multimode spectral types. We show that compressibility effects preclude the emergence of a regime of self-similar instability growth independent of the initial conditions by allowing for memory of the initial conditions to be retained in the mix-width at all times. The loss of transverse spectral information is demonstrated, however, along with the existence of a quasi-self-similar regime over short time intervals. The initial conditions are shown to have a strong affect on the time to transition to the quasi-self-similar regime.

The relationship between structure and mechanical properties of sputter-deposited boron carbide films was investigated. Changes in the structure induced by annealing were characterized in terms of chemical composition, chemical bonding and concentrations of defects and of trapped impurities. The creation of new intericosahedral chains for higher annealing temperatures was revealed by infrared and Raman measurements, and the intensity of the infrared band at 1500 cm{sup -1} was found to be related with the hardness. The content of trapped Ar atoms and of open-volume defects are insensitive to relatively high annealing temperatures and do not influence the recovery of the hardness. Our results suggest annealing as a pathway to enhance the mechanical properties of boron carbide films.

We discuss the temporal and spectral properties of self-amplified spontaneous emission (SASE) utilizing an energy-chirped electron beam. A short temporal pulse is generated by using a monochromator to select a narrow radiation bandwidth from the frequency chirped SASE. For the filtered radiation, the minimum pulse length is limited by the intrinsic SASE bandwidth, while the number of modes and the energy fluctuation can be controlled through the monochromator bandwidth. Two cases are considered: (1) placing the monochromator at the end of a single long undulator; (2) placing the monochromator after an initial undulator and amplifying the short-duration output in a second undulator. We analyze these cases and show that tens of femtosecond x-ray pulses may be generated for the linac coherent light source.

This report provides an overview of the major exceptions to the First Amendment.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution provides that “Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press. . . .” This language restricts government both more and less than it would if it were applied literally. It restricts government more in that it applies not only to Congress, but to all branches of the federal government, and to all branches of state and local government. It restricts government less in that it provides no protection to some types of speech and only limited protection to others. This report provides an overview of the major exceptions to the First Amendment — of the ways that the Supreme Court has interpreted the guarantee of freedom of speech and press to provide no protection or only limited protection for some types of speech.

Fragments, bullets or projectiles can initiate a detonation in a high explosive (HE). For this to happen certain critical conditions need to be exceeded. For a given explosive, these critical conditions are the projectile velocity, the projectile size and shape, and the projectile material properties. A lot of work has been done in the area of metal shaped charge jets and individual fragments impacting the HE. One major gap in understanding initiation phenomena is the effect of multiple fragment impact. This study shows that multiple fragments can lower the fragment size and the kinetic energy thresholds.

The Department of Energy is sponsoring an initiative to facilitate efficient, effective and responsible use of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) and Enhanced Passive Remediation(EPR) for chlorinated solvents. This Office of Environmental Management Alternative Project, focuses on providing scientific and policy support for MNA/EPR. A broadly representative working group of scientists supports the project along with partnerships with regulatory organizations such as the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council and the Environmental Protection Agency. The initial product of the technical working group was a summary report that articulated the conceptual approach and central scientific tenants of the project, and that identified a prioritized listing of technical targets for field research. This report documented the process in which: (1) scientific ground rules were developed, (2) lines of inquiry were identified and then critically evaluated, (3) promising applied research topics were highlighted in the various lines of inquiry, and (4) these were discussed and prioritized. The summary report will serve as a resource to guide management and decision making throughout the period of the subject MNA/EPR Alternative Project. To support and more fully document the information presented in the summary report, we are publishing a series of supplemental documents that present the full texts from …

The Department of Energy is sponsoring an initiative to facilitate efficient, effective and responsible use of Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) and Enhanced Passive Remediation(EPR) for chlorinated solvents. This Office of Environmental Management Alternative Project, focuses on providing scientific and policy support for MNA/EPR. A broadly representative working group of scientists supports the project along with partnerships with regulatory organizations such as the Interstate Technology Regulatory Council and the Environmental Protection Agency. The initial product of the technical working group was a summary report that articulated the conceptual approach and central scientific tenants of the project, and that identified a prioritized listing of technical targets for field research. This report documented the process in which: (1) scientific ground rules were developed, (2) lines of inquiry were identified and then critically evaluated, (3) promising applied research topics were highlighted in the various lines of inquiry, and (4) these were discussed and prioritized. The summary report will serve as a resource to guide management and decision making throughout the period of the subject MNA/EPR Alternative Project. To support and more fully document the information presented in the summary report, we are publishing a series of supplemental documents that present the full texts from …

This report details the history of the three federal transfer taxes, tracing their development from their eighteenth century roots to the present.

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is planning to initiate vitrification of Sludge Batch 3 (SB3) in combination with Sludge Batch 2 (SB2) in the spring of 2004. The contents of Sludge Batch 3 will be a mixture of the heel remaining from Sludge Batch 1B, sludge from Tank 7F (containing coal, sand, and sodium oxalate), and sludge materials from Tank 18F. The sludge materials in Tank 18F contain part of a mound of zeolitic material transferred there from Tank 19F. This mound was physically broken up and transfers were made from Tank 19F to Tank 18F for vitrification into SB3. In addition, excess Pu and Am/Cm materials were transferred to Tank 51H to be processed through the DWPF as part of SB3. Additional Pu material and a Np stream from the Canyons are also planned to be added to SB3 before processing of this batch commences at DWPF. The primary objective of this task was to assess the impacts of the excess zeolite mound material in Tank 19F on the predicted glass and processing properties of interest when the zeolite becomes part of SB3. The two potential impacts of the Tank 19F zeolite mound on DWPF processing relates to …

The Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF) is planning to initiate vitrification of Sludge Batch 3 (SB3) in combination with Sludge Batch 2 (SB2) in the spring of 2004. The contents of Sludge Batch 3 will be a mixture of the heel remaining from Sludge Batch 1B, sludge from Tank 7F (containing coal, sand, and sodium oxalate), and sludge materials from Tank 18F. The sludge materials in Tank 18F contain part of a mound of zeolitic material transferred there from Tank 19F. This mound was physically broken up and transfers were made from Tank 19F to Tank 18F for vitrification into SB3. In addition, excess Pu and Am/Cm materials were transferred to Tank 51H to be processed through the DWPF as part of SB3. Additional Pu material and a Np stream from the Canyons are also planned to be added to SB3 before processing of this batch commences at DWPF. The primary objective of this task was to assess the impacts of the excess zeolite mound material in Tank 19F on the predicted glass and processing properties of interest when the zeolite becomes part of SB3. The two potential impacts of the Tank 19F zeolite mound on DWPF processing relates to …

Operation Iraqi Freedom accomplished a long-standing objective, the overthrow and capture of Saddam Hussein, but replacing that regime with a stable, moderate, democratic political structure has run into difficulty. Past U.S. efforts to change the regime failed because of limited U.S. commitment, disorganization of the Iraqi opposition, and the efficiency and ruthlessness of Iraq’s several overlapping security services. Previous U.S. Administrations had ruled out major U.S. military action to change Iraq’s regime, believing such action would be risky and not necessarily justified by the level of Iraq’s lack of compliance on WMD disarmament.

Stable and radiocarbon isotope measurements made on CO{sub 2} from high temperature hydrothermal vents on the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge indicate both magmatic and sedimentary sources of carbon to the hydrothermal system. The Endeavour segment is devoid of overlying sediments and has shown no observable signs of surficial magmatic activity during the {approx}20 years of ongoing studies. The appearance of isotopically heavy, radiocarbon dead CO{sub 2} after a 1999 earthquake swarm requires that this earthquake event was magmatic in origin. Evidence for a sedimentary organic carbon source suggests the presence of buried sediments at the ridge axis. These findings, which represent the first temporally coherent set of radiocarbon measurements from hydrothermal vent fluids, demonstrate the utility of radiocarbon analysis in hydrothermal studies. The existence of a sediment source at Endeavour and the occurrence of magmatic episodes illustrate the extremely complex and evolving nature of the Endeavour hydrothermal system.

The Laser Performance Operations Model (LPOM) has been developed to provide real time predictive capabilities for the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. LPOM uses diagnostic feedback from previous NIF shots to maintain accurate energetics models for each of the 192 NIF beamlines (utilizing one CPU per laser beamline). This model is used to determine the system setpoints (initial power, waveplate attenuations, laser diagnostic settings) required for all requested NIF shots. In addition, LPOM employs optical damage models to minimize the probability that a proposed shot may damage the system. LPOM provides post-shot diagnostic reporting to support the NIF community. LPOM was deployed prior to the first main laser shots in NIF, and has since been used to set up every shot in NIF's first quad (four beamlines). Real-time adjustments of the codes energetics parameters allows the LPOM to predict total energies within 5%, and provide energy balance within the four beamlines to within 2% for shots varying from 0.5 to 26 kJ (1.053 {micro}m) per beamline. The LPOM has been a crucial tool in the commissioning of the first quad of NIF.

The project ''Reinforcement of Aluminum Casting with Dissimilar Metal'' was a Cooperative Research and Development Agreements (CRADAs) between Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and Cummins Inc. This project, technologies have been developed to reinforce aluminum castings with steel insert. Defect-free bond between the steel insert and the aluminum casting has been consistently obtained. The push-out experiment indicated that the bond strength is higher than that of the Al-Fin method. Two patents have been granted to the project team that is comprised of Cummins Inc. and ORNL. This report contains four sections: the coating of the steel pins, the cast-in method, microstructure characterization, and the bond strength. The section of the coating of the steel pins contains coating material selection, electro-plating technique for plating Cu and Ni on steel, and diffusion bonding of the coatings to the steel. The section of cast-in method deals with factors that affecting the quality of the metallurgical bond between the coated steel and the aluminum castings. The results of microstructure characteristics of the bonding are presented in the microstructure characterization section. A push-out experiment and the results obtained using this method is described in the section of bond strength/mechanical property.

A commercial surface carburization treatment that shows promise for hardening the surfaces of the stainless steel target vessel of the Spallation Neutron Source against cavitation erosion and pitting caused by the action of pulsed pressure waves in the liquid mercury target has been investigated. To verify promotional claims for the treatment and to uncover any factors that might be of concern for the integrity of a carburized target vessel, some characterization tests of the nature of the surface layers of carburized austenitic 316LN stainless steel were conducted. The findings support most of the claims. The carburized layer is about 35 {micro}m thick. Its indentation hardness is about five times larger than that of the substrate steel and declines rapidly with depth into the layer. The surface is distorted by the treatment, and the austenite lattice is enlarged. The corrosion resistance of the carburized layer in an acid medium is greater than that for untreated austenite. The layer is not brittle; it is plastically deformable and is quite resistant to cracking during straining. Contrary to the provider's assertations, the maximum carbon content of the layer is much less than 6-7 wt% carbon, and the carbon is not simply contained in supersaturated …

We study a perturbation expansion for the solution of the nonlinear one-dimensional FEL equations. We show that in the case of a monochromatic wave, the radiated intensity satisfies a scaling relation that implies, for large distance z traveled along the undulator, a change in initial value of the radiation field corresponds to a translation in z (lethargy). Analytic continuation using Pade approximates yields accurate results for the radiation field early in saturation.

The Senate publishes its rules, precedents, and other related information so that Senators and their staff have convenient access to the Senate’s legislative procedures and can gauge how those procedures are likely to apply in various situations. Information about the Senate’s legislative procedures is published in four official documents. This report discusses these documents.

This document summarizes the result of a series of meetings with regulators, stakeholders, tribal representatives, and end users. The meetings focused on providing information from the Monitored Natural Attenuation and Enhanced Passive Remediation for Chlorinated Solvents, DOE Alternative Project for Technology Acceleration and eliciting feedback on the direction of the project, its usefulness, and its applicability to issues faced by the participants. The meetings were held with the DOE and operating contractor personnel working at and stakeholders/tribal representatives associated with the Hanford, Oak Ridge and Savannah River Sites, as well as EPA regions IV and X and state regulators from Washington, Tennessee and South Carolina. These meetings were conducted over the time period beginning August 12 and culminating September 23, 2003. Approximately 120 people participated in these meetings.

This document summarizes the result of a series of meetings with regulators,stakeholders, tribal representatives, and end users. The meetings focused on providing information from the Monitored Natural Attenuation and Enhanced Passive Remediation for Chlorinated Solvents, DOE Alternative Project for Technology Acceleration and eliciting feedback on the direction of the project, its usefulness, and its applicability to issues faced by the participants. The meetings were held with the DOE and operating contractor personnel working at and stakeholders/tribal representatives associated with the Hanford, Oak Ridge and Savannah River Sites, as well as EPA regions IV and X and state regulators from Washington, Tennessee and South Carolina. These meetings were conducted over the time period beginning August 12 and culminating September 23, 2003. Approximately 120 people participated in these meetings.

The results of this project include: (1) Development of econometrically estimated marginal abatement and associated production curves describing response of agricultural and forestry emissions/sink/offsets enhancements for use in integrated assessments. Curves were developed that reflected agricultural, and forestry production of traditional commodities, carbon and other greenhouse gas offsets and biofuels given signals of general commodity demand, and carbon and energy prices. (2) Integration of the non-dynamic curves from (1) into a version of the PNNL SGM integrated assessment model was done in cooperation with Dr. Ronald Sands at PNNL. The results were reported at the second DOE conference on sequestration in the paper listed and the abstract is in Annex B of this report. (3) Alternative agricultural sequestration estimates were developed in conjunction with personnel at Colorado State University using CENTURY and analyses can operate under the use of agricultural soil carbon data from either the EPIC or CENTURY models. (4) A major effort was devoted to understanding the possible role and applicable actions from agriculture. (5) Work was done with EPA and EIA to update the biofuel data and assumptions resulting in some now emerging results showing the criticality of biofuel assumptions.

OAK-B135 The results produced by this project include: (1) Development of econometrically estimated marginal abatement and associated production curves describing response of agricultural and forestry emissions/sink/offsets enhancements for use in integrated assessments. Curves were developed that reflected agricultural, and forestry production of traditional commodities, carbon and other greenhouse gas offsets and biofuels given signals of general commodity demand, and carbon and energy prices. This work was done jointly with Dr. Ronald Sands at PNNL. A paper from this is forthcoming as follows Gillig, D., B.A. McCarl, and R.D. Sands, ''Integrating Agricultural and Forestry GHG Mitigation Response into General Economy Frameworks: Developing a Family of Response Functions,'' Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, forthcoming, 2004. An additional effort was done involving dynamics and a second paper was prepared that is annex A to this report and is Gillig, D., and B.A. McCarl, ''Integrating Agricultural and Forestry Response to GHG Mitigation into General Economy Frameworks: Developing a Family of Response Functions using FASOM,'' 2004. (2) Integration of the non dynamic curves from (1) into in a version of the PNNL SGM integrated assessment model was done in cooperation with Dr. Ronald Sands at PNNL. The results were reported at the second …