Japan-U.S. relations are more uncertain and subject to greater strain today than at any time since World War II. Longstanding military allies and increasingly interdependent economic partners, Japan and the United States have worked closely together to build a strong, multifaceted relationship based on democratic values and interests in world stability and development. But Japan today is our foremost economic and technological competitor.

Japan's politics and government are undergoing a historic transition. The 38-year one-party rule of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) came to an end on July 18, 1993, when the party was voted out of power, even as it remained the single largest party in the lower house of Japan's bicameral Diet, or parliament. Seven non-communist parties, with little in common save their shared interest in dethroning the LDP, formed a shaky coalition.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Grand jury terms in the 83rd District Court, Brewster County (ID# 22243)

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Procedure for setting annual salaries of elected county officials (ID# 23532)

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Whether the composition of a board established pursuant to section 262.011 of the Local Government Code for the purpose of appointing a county purchasing agent must change in accordance with that section if the county’s population moves above or below 150,000 (ID# 20997)

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Disposition of surplus in an interest and sinking fund account (ID# 17797)

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether staging fights between dogs and hogs is a criminal offense (ID# 28813)

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Interpretation of sections 75.001 to 75.003 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code, which limit the liability of landowners, lessees, or occupants of real property who permit recreational use of their land (ID# 25540)

Letter opinion 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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification; Whether the activity known as "horse tripping" is prohibited by section 42.09 of the Penal Code (ID# 29575)

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

This is a project that sought to improve the amorphous silicon-germanium (SiGe) thin film deposition process in the production of solar cells. To accomplish this, the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma discharge, employed for the thin film deposition, was modified. Changes in the parameters of the plasma were monitored with diagnostic techniques, similar to those used in fusion plasma studies. That was the primary contribution from ORNL. Only one phase was contained in the statement of work, with the following tasks: (1) Develop a detailed program for plasma characterization. (2) Carry-out plasma modeling and analysis to support deposition systems design. (3) Operate experimental deposition systems for the purpose of plasma characterization. (4) Analyze data. (5) Modify deposition as directed by measurements. (6) This final report, which was deemed to be the only deliverable of this small project. And while the modified ECR discharge did not show measurable improvement of the conditions relevant to the deposition process, much was learned about the plasma parameters in the process. Some ideas on alternative designs are being discuss and funding options for testing such designed are being sought.

Phase plates are required for removing aberrations from laser beams caused by inhomogeneities in the optical components of the laser. The first type of plate that we prepared consisted of a bi-level optical component that caused spatial smoothing of the beam by breaking it up into a fine scale spatial structure. This was made by etching a pattern directly into the substrate using HF/NH{sub 4}F. Components up to 80 cm in diameter were prepared but these are only 85% efficient because of beam losses in secondary maxima. Multilevel designs are more efficient and we have prepared 5 inch diameter samples with 16 levels. These require four separate etch steps but have efficiencies greater than 90%.

This one-day TOPTEC session began with an overview of hybrid electric vehicle technology. Updates were given on alternative types of energy storage, APU control for low emissions, simulation programs, and industry and government activities. The keynote speech was about battery technology, a key element to the success of hybrids. The TOPEC concluded with a panel discussion on the mission of hybrid electric vehicles, with a perspective from industry and government experts from United States and Canada on their view of the role of this technology.

In wall construction, highly conductive members spaced along the wall, which allow higher heat transfer than that through less conductive areas, are referred to as thermal bridges. Thermal bridges in walls tend to increase heat loss and, under certain adverse conditions, can cause dust streaking (``ghosting``) on interior walls over studs due to temperature differentials, as well as condensation in and on walls. Although such adverse conditions can be easily avoided by proper thermal design of wall systems, these effects have not been well understood and thermal data has been lacking. Therefore, the present study was initiated to provide (1) a better understanding of the thermal behavior of steel-framed walls, (2) a set of R-values for typical wall constructions, and (3) information that could be used to develop improved methods of predicting R-values. An improved method for estimating R-value would allow an equitable comparison of thermal performance with other construction types and materials. This would increase the number of alternative materials for walls available to designers, thus allowing them to choose the optimum choice for construction. Twenty-three wall samples were tested in a calibrated hot box (ASTM C9761) to measure the thermal performance of steel-framed wall systems. The tests included …

A phase II study has been initiated to investigate surfactant-assisted coal liquefaction, with the objective of quantifying the enhancement in liquid yields and product quality. This report covers the sixth quarter of work. The major accomplishments were (1) Completion of the distillation of the liquid product from coal liquefaction autoclave reactor runs with Illinois No. 6 coal at 400{degree}C, with and without surfactant and/or catalyst at pressures of 1700 psig, (2) Batch autoclave runs at 375 and 400{degree}C with 1 wt % lignin to Illinois No. 6 coal to further define the surfactant effect of sodium lignosulfonate, and (3) a preliminary economic evaluation of the application of the lignosulfonate surfactant in an industrial liquefaction process and a proposed conceptual plant design.

This grant was awarded to provide for the scale-up of the process of production of a (1 {r_arrow})-{beta}-D-glucan which is produced by Cellulomonas flavigena. One of the goals was to provide sufficient amounts of the polysaccharide polymer to conduct a field test of its usefulness in subterranean permeability modification procedures of enhanced oil recovery. During September and October, 1994, fermentations and recoveries were done by Abbott Laboratories, to develop a process to provide at least 400 lbs of the glucan polymer for field testing. Shake flask runs and four fermentation runs were completed. A summary of the fourth fermentation run, conducted in a 40,000 liter fermentor, follows.

During this period work was continued on analyzing the use of the shield for the thermal energy storage in the PULSAR reactor design and it was found that this design approach was also applicable to the Li-self-cooled V-alloy structure blanket option. The ARIES-IV toroidal blanket final report was completed. The conceptual design for a 2in x 8in distributed gyrotron window was completed and long lead parts are on order. A dedicated DiMES experiment was successfully run in DIII-D. Useful material erosion and redeposition results were obtained and input for modeling analysis.