Thermophotovoltaic (TPV) diodes fabricated from 0.52eV lattice-matched InGaAsSb alloys are grown by Metal Organic Vapor Phase Epitaxy (MOVPE) on GaSb substrates. 4cm{sup 2} multi-chip diode modules with front-surface spectral filters were tested in a vacuum cavity and attained measured efficiency and power density of 19% and 0.58 W/cm{sup 2} respectively at operating at temperatures of T{sub radiator} = 950 C and T{sub diode} = 27 C. Device modeling and minority carrier lifetime measurements of double heterostructure lifetime specimens indicate that diode conversion efficiency is limited predominantly by interface recombination and photon energy loss to the GaSb substrate and back ohmic contact. Recent improvements to the diode include lattice-matched p-type AlGaAsSb passivating layers with interface recombination velocities less than 100 cm/s and new processing techniques enabling thinned substrates and back surface reflectors. Modeling predictions of these improvements to the diode architecture indicate that conversion efficiencies from 27-30% and {approx}0.85 W/cm{sup 2} could be attained under the above operating temperatures.

SAF/IEB will oversee a series ofMAJCOM directed site surveys for bases affected by BRAC 2005 recommendations. These site surveys are the first step in identifying BRAC 2005 operational, communications and construction requirements for use in future programming actions. Attached is the installation site survey priority list (Atch I).

The analysis phase of the BRAC 2005 effort is coming to a close. It is time to consider implementation guidance and how it affects you. Initial guidance is being prepared to help you during preliminary BRAC implementation planning. The basic preparation for closure or realignment is similar to what bases and MAJCOMs went through during the last four BRAC rounds. Details might differ but the end result will be the same.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the discharge of a firearm across a property line; providing a penalty.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to a limitation on the use of eminent domain by certain conservation and reclamation districts.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to the use of certain weapons in or on the beds or banks of certain rivers and streams in particular counties; providing a penalty.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to a public hearing conducted by the secretary of state in regard to the question of approval of a voting system or voting system equipment for use in elections.

Bill introduced by the Texas House of Representatives relating to authorizing the presiding officer of a political subdivision to order an evacuation in certain emergency circumstances.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to subsidized child-care services and early childhood care and education program coordination.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the issuance of a certificate of birth resulting in stillbirth on request of a parent.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the amount of recovery in a civil action.

Bill introduced by the Texas Senate relating to the creation of an additional county court at law in Hidalgo County.

The fascinating shapes and hierarchical designs of biomineralized structures have long been an inspiration to materials scientists because of the potential they suggest for biomolecular control over synthesis of crystalline materials. One prevailing view is that mineral-associated macromolecules are responsible for initiating and stabilizing non-equilibrium crystal polymorphs and morphologies through interactions between anionic moieties and cations in solution or at mineral surfaces. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated that bio-organic additives can dramatically alter crystal shapes and growth-rates in vitro. However, previous molecular-scale studies revealing mechanisms of growth modification focused on small molecules such as amino acids or peptides and always observed growth inhibition. In contrast, studies using full proteins were non-quantitative and underlying sources of growth modification were ill-defined. Here we investigate interactions between proteins isolated from abalone shell nacre and growing surfaces of calcite. We find that these proteins significantly accelerate the molecular-scale kinetics and, though much larger than atomic steps, alter growth morphology through step-specific interactions that lower their free energies. We propose that these proteins act as surfactants to promote ion attachment at calcite surfaces.

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This report describes final progress made on measurements of advective CO2 flux to the overall forest carbon budget at the Niwot Ridge Ameriflux site in Colorado.

This report discusses the issue of U.S. economic assistance to sub-Saharan Africa, highlighting the importance of continued assistance in light of U.S. national security and also various U.S.-led efforts to promote reform amongst African citizens themselves. U.S. assistance finds its way to Africa through a variety of channels, including the USAID-administered DA program, food aid programs, and indirect aid provided through international financial institutions and the United Nations.

This is to inform you all awards of MILCON, P7111 P713 MFH MILCON, O&M Sustainment, and O&M Restoration & Modernization projects in CONUS and US territories will immediately be placed on hold through 16 May 2005. This applies to all projects with bid openings and those pending contract award. For projects currently out for bids or ready for advertisement, recommend MAJCOMs proceed to open bids with bid acceptance periods of 120 days.

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 phased out the government's control over fares and service and allowed market forces to determine the price and level of domestic airline service in the United States. The intent was to increase competition and thereby lead to lower fares and improved service. In 2005, GAO reported on the tenuous finances of some airlines that have led to bankruptcy and pension terminations, in particular among those airlines that predated deregulation (referred to as legacy airlines). The House Report accompanying the 2006 Department of Transportation (DOT) Appropriation Act expressed concern about airline pension defaults and charged GAO with analyzing the impact of reregulating the airline industry on reducing potential pension defaults by airlines. GAO subsequently agreed to address the pension issue within a broad assessment of the airline industry since deregulation. Specifically, GAO is reporting on, among other things, (1) broad airline industry changes since deregulation, (2) fare and service changes since deregulation, and (3) whether there is evidence that reregulation of entry and fares would benefit consumers or the airline industry, or save airline pensions. DOT agreed with the conclusions in …

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Amtrak has provided food and beverage service on its trains since it began operations in 1971. Amtrak has struggled since its inception to earn sufficient revenues and depends heavily on federal subsidies to remain solvent. While a small part of Amtrak's overall expenditures, Amtrak's food and beverage service illustrates concerns in Amtrak's overall cost containment, management and accountability issues. This testimony is based on GAO's work on Amtrak's management and performance as well as additional information gained from Amtrak and other transportation providers. This testimony focuses on (1) the provisions written into Amtrak's contract with Gate Gourmet to control costs, (2) the types of management controls Amtrak exercises to prevent overpayments, and (3) the information Amtrak collects and uses to monitor the service and to report to stakeholders such as its Board of Directors."

In his 22 Oct 03, "Memorandum for Military Department Infrastructure Steering Group Members," Mr. Wynne; Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics; requested each Military Department recommend "those classified ranges that should receive JCSG analysis."

This work summarizes recent data on minority carrier lifetime in n- and p-type double heterostructures (DHs) of 0.5-0.6 eV GaInAsSb confined with GaSb and AlGaAsSb cap layers. Recombination times were measured by time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) and by optical frequency response (OFR) to sinusoidal excitation. It was shown that one of the mechanisms responsible for interface recombination in GaSb/GaInAsSb/GaSb DHs is thermionic emission of carriers over the heterobarrier. Considerable improvement of carrier confinement was obtained with 1 eV AlGaAsSb cap layers. Optimization of the epitaxial growth resulted in a recombination velocity at GaInAsSb/AlGaAsSb interface as low as 30 cm/s.

The genome sequence of the solvent producing bacterium Clostridium acetobutylicum ATCC824, has been determined by the shotgun approach. The genome consists of a 3.94 Mb chromosome and a 192 kb megaplasmid that contains the majority of genes responsible for solvent production. Comparison of C. acetobutylicum to Bacillus subtilis reveals significant local conservation of gene order, which has not been seen in comparisons of other genomes with similar, or, in some cases, closer, phylogenetic proximity. This conservation allows the prediction of many previously undetected operons in both bacteria.

Antimony-based III-V thermophotovoltaic (TPV) cells are attractive converters for systems with low radiator temperature around 1100 to 1700 K, since these cells potentially can be spectrally matched to the thermal source. Cells under development include GaSb and the lattice-matched GaInAsSb/GaSb and InPAsSb/InAs quaternary systems. GaSb cell technology is the most mature, owing in part to the relative ease in preparation of the binary alloy compared to quaternary GaInAsSb and InPAsSb alloys. Device performance of 0.7-eV GaSb cells exceeds 90% of the practical limit. GaInAsSb TPV cells have been the primary focus of recent research, and cells with energy gap E{sub g} ranging from {approx}0.6 to 0.49 eV have been demonstrated. Quantum efficiency and fill factor approach theoretical limits. Open-circuit voltage factor is as high as 87% of the practical limit for the higher-E{sub g} cells, but degrades to below 80% with decreasing E{sub g} of the alloy, which might be due to Auger recombination. InPAsSb cells are the least studied, and a cell with E{sub g} = 0.45-eV has extended spectral response out to 4.3 {micro}m. This paper briefly reviews the main contributions that have been made for antimonide-based TPV cells, and suggests additional studies for further performance enhancements.

Confirmation of the fissile mass of a system containing plutonium can be done using neutron multiplicity techniques. This can be accomplished with a detector system that is smaller and less costly than a standard neutron multiplicity counter (NMC). Also the fissile mass of a uranium containing system can be confirmed by passive means. Recent work at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has demonstrated that simple slab neutron detectors and a novel approach to data acquisition and analysis can be used to make an accurate measurement of the mass of fissile materials. Purely passive measurement of kilogram quantities of highly enriched uranium (HEU) have also been shown to be feasible. In this paper we discuss calculational tools for assessing the application of these techniques to fissile material transparency regimes. The tools required to adequately model the correlations and their application will be discussed.