Foreign Assistance: Sustained Efforts Needed to Help Southern Africa Recover from Food Crisis (open access)

Foreign Assistance: Sustained Efforts Needed to Help Southern Africa Recover from Food Crisis

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The southern Africa food crisis threatened 15.3 million people in six countries (Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, and Zimbabwe) with famine. GAO was asked to look at (1) factors that contributed to the crisis, (2) how well the populations' needs were met, (3) obstacles to the food aid effort, and (4) challenges to emerging from crisis."
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Department of Defense: Status of Financial Management Weaknesses and Progress Toward Reform (open access)

Department of Defense: Status of Financial Management Weaknesses and Progress Toward Reform

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "As seen again in Iraq, the excellence of our military forces is unparalleled. This same level of excellence is not yet evident in the Department of Defense's (DOD) financial management and other business areas, impeding DOD's ability to provide complete, reliable, and timely information to the Congress, DOD managers, and other decision makers. Congress asked GAO to testify on the status of DOD's financial management and business process reform efforts. Specifically, GAO was asked to provide an overview of the long-standing financial management weaknesses facing DOD and a summary of the underlying causes of DOD's financial management challenges. In addition, GAO's testimony focused on (1) key actions necessary to correct DOD's financial management problems and (2) the progress DOD is making toward business process reform."
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Endangered Species: Despite Consultation Improvement Efforts in the Pacific Northwest, Concerns Persist about the Process (open access)

Endangered Species: Despite Consultation Improvement Efforts in the Pacific Northwest, Concerns Persist about the Process

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Endangered Species Act requires all federal agencies to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service or the National Marine Fisheries Service (the Services) to determine the effect that the activities they conduct, permit, or fund may have on threatened or endangered species. In particular, federal agencies (action agencies) must ensure that their activities do not jeopardize the continued existence of any listed species or adversely modify critical habitat. After several fish species in the Pacific Northwest were listed in the late 1990s, the Services' consultation workload increased significantly in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington, and the Services were unable to keep up with requests for consultation. As a result, many proposed activities were delayed for months or years. Even under normal workload conditions, the consultation process can be difficult, in part because decisions about how species will be protected must often be made with uncertain scientific information using professional judgment. This testimony is based on ongoing work requested by the Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Fisheries, Wildlife, and Water. It addresses (1) efforts to improve the consultation process, by the Services and by four action agencies in …
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: United States. General Accounting Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Microsecond Microfluidic Mixing for Investigation of Protein Folding Kinetics (open access)

Microsecond Microfluidic Mixing for Investigation of Protein Folding Kinetics

We have developed and characterized a mixer to study the reaction kinetics of protein folding on a microsecond timescale. The mixer uses hydrodynamic focusing of pressure-driven flow in a microfluidic channel to reduce diffusion times as first demonstrated by Knight et al.[1]. Features of the mixer include 1 {micro}s mixing times, sample consumptions of order 1 nl/s, loading sample volumes on the order of microliters, and the ability to manufacture in fused silica for compatibility with most spectroscopic methods.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Hertzog, D E; Santiago, J G & Bakajin, O
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Child Pornography: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes (open access)

Child Pornography: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes

This report contains the constitutional principles and federal statutes of child pornography.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Cohen, Henry
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fracture toughness and crack growth rates of irradiated austenitic stainless steels. (open access)

Fracture toughness and crack growth rates of irradiated austenitic stainless steels.

Austenitic stainless steels (SSs) are used extensively as structural alloys in the internal components of reactor pressure vessels because of their superior fracture toughness properties. However, exposure to high levels of neutron irradiation for extended periods leads to significant reduction in the fracture resistance of these steels. Experimental data are presented on fracture toughness and crack growth rates (CGRs) of austenitic SSs irradiated to fluence levels up to 2.0 x 10{sup 21} n/cm{sup 2} (E > 1 MeV) ({approx}3.0 dpa) at {approx}288 C. Crack growth tests were conducted under cycling loading and long hold time trapezoidal loading in simulated boiling water reactor (BWR) environments, and fracture toughness tests were conducted in air. Neutron irradiation at 288 C decreases the fracture toughness of the steels; the data from commercial heats fall within the scatter band for the data obtained at higher temperatures. In addition, the results indicate significant enhancement of CGRs of the irradiated steels in normal water chemistry BWR environment; the CGRs for irradiated steels are a factor of {approx}5 higher than the disposition curve proposed for sensitized austenitic SSs. The rates decreased by more than an order of magnitude in low-dissolved-oxygen BWR environment.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Chopra, O. K.; Gruber, E. E. & Shack, W. J.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Field-scale in situ measurements of vadose zone flow and transport using multiple tracers at INEEL Vadose Zone Research Park (VZRP) - EMSP5-02-06 (open access)

Field-scale in situ measurements of vadose zone flow and transport using multiple tracers at INEEL Vadose Zone Research Park (VZRP) - EMSP5-02-06

This study is aimed at obtaining a better understanding of vadose zone flow and transport processes at the field scale and establishing defensible links between laboratory- and field-derived transport parameters for conservative and reactive elements in the vadose zone. The study site (Vadose Zone Research Park [VZRP] at INEEL) provides a three-dimensional instrumentation array strategically surrounding a new infiltration pond slated for initial use in the upcoming year, and the Big Lost River, and intermittent stream proximal to the infiltration ponds. The proposed research will utilize the infiltration ponds and the Big Lost River to study the effects of fluid flux, water chemistry and degree of saturation on contaminant transport in the vadose zone. Our research plan has four major objectives: (1) determine the transport of conservative and reactive solute and colloid tracers through the vadose zone and local perched water zones; (2) examine isotopic variations of U and Sr a nd compare these to introduced sorbing and non-sorbing tracers; (3) develop and calibrate a conceptual flow and transport model, and (4) examine the effects of flow and geochemical transients on tracer transport.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Roback, Robert C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF GAS-LIQUID CYLINDRICAL CYCLONE COMPACT SEPARATORS FOR THREE-PHASE FLOW (open access)

DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT OF GAS-LIQUID CYLINDRICAL CYCLONE COMPACT SEPARATORS FOR THREE-PHASE FLOW

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has awarded a five-year (1997-2002) grant (Mohan and Shoham, DE-FG26-97BC15024, 1997) to The University of Tulsa, to develop compact multiphase separation components for 3-phase flow. The research activities of this project have been conducted through cost sharing by the member companies of the Tulsa University Separation Technology Projects (TUSTP) research consortium and the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology (OCAST). As part of this project, several individual compact separation components have been developed for onshore and offshore applications. These include gas-liquid cylindrical cyclones (GLCC{copyright}), liquid-liquid cylindrical cyclones (LLCC{copyright}), and the gas-liquid-liquid cylindrical cyclones (GLLCC{copyright}). A detailed study has also been completed for the liquid-liquid hydrocyclones (LLHC). Appropriate control strategies have been developed for proper operation of the GLCC{copyright} and LLCC{copyright}. Testing of GLCC{copyright} at high pressure and real crude conditions for field applications is also completed. Limited studies have been conducted on flow conditioning devices to be used upstream of the compact separators for performance improvement. This report presents a brief overview of the activities and tasks accomplished during the 5-year project period, October 1, 1997-March 31, 2003 (including the no-cost extended period of 6 months). An executive summary is presented …
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Mohan, Dr. Ram S. & Shoham, Dr. Ovadia
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Correlation of point defects in CdZnTe with charge transport:application to room-temperature x-ray and gamma-ray. Final Technical Report (open access)

Correlation of point defects in CdZnTe with charge transport:application to room-temperature x-ray and gamma-ray. Final Technical Report

The primary goal of this project has been to characterize and identify point defects (e.g., impurities, vacancies, vacancy-impurity complexes, etc.) in CdZnTe and determine the mechanisms by which these defects influence the carrier {mu}{tau}products. Special attention is given to the role of shallow donors, shallow acceptors, and deeper acceptors. There are two experimental focus areas in the project: (1) liquid-helium photoluminescence (PL) and PL excitation spectroscopy are used to identify and characterize donors and acceptors and to determine zinc molar fraction; and (2) electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and photoinduced EPR experiments are performed at liquid-helium temperature to identify paramagnetic point defects and to determine the concentration of these defects. Results from the two experimental focus areas are correlated with detector performance parameters (e.g., electron and hole {mu}{tau} products), crystal growth conditions, and microstructure analyses.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Giles, Nancy C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Advanced High Resolution Seismic Imaging, Material Properties Estimation, and Full Wavefield Inversion for the Shallow Subsurface (open access)

Advanced High Resolution Seismic Imaging, Material Properties Estimation, and Full Wavefield Inversion for the Shallow Subsurface

Develop and test advanced near vertical to wide-angle seismic methods for structural imaging and material properties estimation of the shallow subsurface for environmental characterization efforts.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Levander, Alan; Croneis, Carey; Symes, W.W. & Zelt, C.A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Field-scale in situ measurements of vadose zone flow and transport using multiple tracers at INEEL Vadose Zone Research Park (VZRP) - EMSP5-02-06 (open access)

Field-scale in situ measurements of vadose zone flow and transport using multiple tracers at INEEL Vadose Zone Research Park (VZRP) - EMSP5-02-06

This study is aimed at obtaining a better understanding of vadose zone flow and transport processes at the field scale and establishing defensible links between laboratory- and field-derived transport parameters for conservative and reactive elements in the vadose zone. The study site (Vadose Zone Research Park [VZRP] at INEEL) provides a three dimensional instrumentation array strategically surrounding a new infiltration pond slated for initial use in the upcoming year, and the Big Lost River, and intermittent stream proximal to the infiltration ponds. The proposed research will utilize the infiltration ponds and the Big Lost River to study the effects of fluid flux, water chemistry and degree of saturation on contaminant transport in the vadose zone. Our research plan has four major objectives: (1) determine the transport of conservative and reactive solute and colloid tracers through the vadose zone and local perched water zones; (2) examine isotopic variations of U and Sr a nd compare these to introduced sorbing and non-sorbing tracers; (3) develop and calibrate a conceptual flow and transport model, and (4) examine the effects of flow and geochemical transients on tracer transport.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Roback, Robert C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Structural Analysis for Subsidence of Stacked B-25 Boxes (open access)

Structural Analysis for Subsidence of Stacked B-25 Boxes

The Savannah River Site (SRS) and other U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) sites use shallow land burial facilities (i.e., trenches) to dispose low-level radioactive waste. However, at SRS and other DOE sites, waste containers with up to 90 percent void space are disposed in the shallow land burial facilities. Corrosion and degradation of these containers can result in significant subsidence over time, which can compromise the integrity of the long-term cover. This in turn can lead to increased water infiltration through the long-term cover into the waste and subsequent increased radionuclide transport into the environment. Understanding and predicting shallow-buried, low-level waste subsidence behavior is necessary for evaluating cost-effective and appropriate stabilization required to maintain cover system long-term stability and viability, and to obtain stakeholder acceptance of the long-term implications of waste disposal practices. Two methods (dynamic compaction and static surcharge) have been used at SRS to accelerate waste and container consolidation and reduce potential subsidence prior to long term cover construction. Dynamic compaction comprises repeatedly dropping a heavy (20 ton) weight from about a 40-ft height to consolidate the waste and containers. Static surcharge is the use of a thick (15 ft to 30 ft) soil cover to consolidate the …
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Jones, W. E.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
HEU Measurements of Holdup and Recovered Residue in the Deactivation and Decommission Activities of the 321-M Reactor Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site (open access)

HEU Measurements of Holdup and Recovered Residue in the Deactivation and Decommission Activities of the 321-M Reactor Fuel Fabrication Facility at the Savannah River Site

This paper contains a summary of the holdup and material control and accountability assays conducted for the determination of highly enriched uranium in the deactivation and decommissioning of Building 321 -M at the Savannah River Site. The facility was the Reactor Fuel Fabrication Facility at SRS and assemblies and miscellaneous components for the SRS production reactors. The facility operated for 25 years. During this time thousands of uranium-aluminum-alloy production reactor fuel tubes were produced. After the facility ceased operations in 1995, all of the easily accessible U-Al was removed from the building, and only residual amounts remained. The D and D project is likely to represent an important example for D and D activities across SRS and across the Department of Energy weapons complex.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Dewberry, R.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments - Around the World (open access)

Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments - Around the World

This paper briefly reviews activities and research related to children and educational environments. The increasing prevalence and role of information and communications technology in the lives of children as well as the incidence of back pain and heavy loads children carry in back packs are raising concerns around the world. Out of this concern an International Ergonomics Association Technical Committee has been formed. A survey was sent to Ergonomics for Children and Educational Environments membership and those who have communicated through the committee. The results are compiled to describe a cross-section of international efforts to address the health and the future of children.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Bennett, C L & Tien, D
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Introducing Ergonomics in Two US Elementary Schools (open access)

Introducing Ergonomics in Two US Elementary Schools

The increasing presence of computers and other forms of information and communications technology (ICT) in schools has raised concerns in the United States (US) and elsewhere. Children are using computers more than any other age group in the US. It is not known whether early intensive use of ICT predisposes children to future injury. Ergonomics is not included in state curriculum standards or requirements but can be supported by some of the existing standards. Some who believe that children are better off being educated early about ergonomics are taking action to bring ergonomics into elementary and secondary schools. This paper describes the process used to introduce ergonomics into two elementary schools in two different states by initiators with two different roles.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Bennett, C L & Tien, D
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Carbon Nanotube Based Microfluidic Elements for Filtration and Concentration (open access)

Carbon Nanotube Based Microfluidic Elements for Filtration and Concentration

We have developed a method for integration of patterned arrays of carbon nanotubes or the ''nanotube mesh'' into microfabricated channels. The method includes standard lithographic methods for patterning and etching the substrate, followed by catalyst patterning, CVD deposition of nanotubes, and anodic bonding of coverslip top. We will describe a carbon nanotube filtering device fabricated using this method and discuss the use of carbon nanotube arrays as molecular concentration and separation media.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Bakajin, O; Ben-Barak, N; Peng, J & Noy, A
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security (open access)

Emergency Preparedness and Response Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security

None
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Bea, Keith; Krouse, William J.; Morgan, Daniel; Morrissey, Wayne A. & Redhead, C. Stephen
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes (open access)

Obscenity and Indecency: Constitutional Principles and Federal Statutes

None
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: unknown
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
A Fast Three-Dimensional Lighting Time Algorithm (open access)

A Fast Three-Dimensional Lighting Time Algorithm

A narrow band level-set method to calculate the physical lighting time in three dimensions has been implemented with arbitrary hexahedral element systems. This method does not involve finite difference calculation of spatial derivatives. Mesh regularity, and the local topologic equivalence to a regular mesh are not required. The lighting surface is represented by a collection of curved facets contained in partially burnt cells. Level-set functions are calculated by direct measurement of distance to the lighting surface, and are carried only for nodes of a set of elements in a narrow band that covers the lighting surface. In the case of a concave boundary, the nodal distances are calculated with geodesics. A polynomial fitting of nodal level-set values across elements provides third-order spatial accuracy where the surface is sufficiently smooth. The curvature of the lighting surface is explicitly calculated. The DSD levelset equation is integrated directly in the normal direction. The new algorithm is self-initialized and allows easy boundary treatment with body fitting meshes. It can also be used as a fast, accurate solver for general surface propagation problems.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Yao, J
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Reconnection in NIMROD: Model, Predictions, Remedies (open access)

Reconnection in NIMROD: Model, Predictions, Remedies

It is shown that in NIMROD the formation of closed current configurations, occurring only after the voltage is turned off, is due to the faster resistive decay of nonsymmetric modes compared to the symmetric projection of the 3D steady state achieved by gun injection. Implementing Spitzer resistivity is required to make a definitive comparison with experiment, using two experimental signatures of the model discussed in the paper. If there are serious disagreements, it is suggested that a phenomenological hyper-resistivity be added to the n = 0 component of Ohm's law, similar to hyper-resistive Corsica models that appear to fit experiments. Hyper-resistivity might capture physics at small scale missed by NIMROD. Encouraging results would motivate coupling NIMROD to SPICE with edge physics inspired by UEDGE, as a tool for experimental data analysis.
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Fowler, T. K.; Bulmer, R. H.; Cohen, B. I. & Hau, D. D.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The transforming activity of Ski is dependent on its ability to repress the activity of Smad proteins (open access)

The transforming activity of Ski is dependent on its ability to repress the activity of Smad proteins

None
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: He, Jun; Tegen, Sarah B.; Krawitz, Ariel R.; Martin, G. Steven & Luo, Kunxin
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
D-Area Treatment Trench (DTT-1) Evaluation (open access)

D-Area Treatment Trench (DTT-1) Evaluation

A limestone trench was installed adjacent to the D-Area Coal Pile Runoff Basin (DCPRB) on May 4, 1999. Since limestone is considered the most likely amendment to produce the optimal pH range for sulfate reduction in the D-Area low pH/metals/sulfate plume (Phifer, et al. 2001), the existing limestone trench has undergone a re-evaluation. The re-evaluation has been conducted to determine if the hydraulic and geochemical activity of the limestone trench is similar to its initial conditions upon installation and to determine the potential to promote sulfate reduction at the limestone trench with the addition of an organic carbon substrate. The results of the re-evaluation indicate that the limestone trench is essentially as hydraulically active now as it was at its installation. Additionally it has been determined that the limestone trench remains an effective treatment for increasing the pH and removing aluminum as at its installation. Finally it has been determined that the limestone trench has increased sulfate reducing bacteria (SRB) activity and has in general improved conditions relative to optimal sulfate reduction conditions. Based upon this re-evaluation it has been determined that limestone could potentially be a viable component of an in-situ sulfate reduction remediation system, and the addition of …
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Phifer, M. A.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for Corrective Action Unit 357: Mud Pits and Waste Dump, Nevada Test Site, Nevada: Revision 0, Including Record of Technical Change No. 1 (open access)

Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) Plan for Corrective Action Unit 357: Mud Pits and Waste Dump, Nevada Test Site, Nevada: Revision 0, Including Record of Technical Change No. 1

This Streamlined Approach for Environmental Restoration (SAFER) plan was prepared as a characterization and closure report for Corrective Action Unit (CAU) 357, Mud Pits and Waste Dump, in accordance with the Federal Facility Agreement and Consent Order. The CAU consists of 14 Corrective Action Sites (CASs) located in Areas 1, 4, 7, 8, 10, and 25 of the Nevada Test Site (NTS). All of the CASs are found within Yucca Flat except CAS 25-15-01 (Waste Dump). Corrective Action Site 25-15-01 is found in Area 25 in Jackass Flat. Of the 14 CASs in CAU 357, 11 are mud pits, suspected mud pits, or mud processing-related sites, which are by-products of drilling activities in support of the underground nuclear weapons testing done on the NTS. Of the remaining CASs, one CAS is a waste dump, one CAS contains scattered lead bricks, and one CAS has a building associated with Project 31.2. All 14 of the CASs are inactive and abandoned. Clean closure with no further action of CAU 357 will be completed if no contaminants are detected above preliminary action levels. A closure report will be prepared and submitted to the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection for review and approval upon …
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: United States. National Nuclear Security Administration. Nevada Site Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nuclear Weapons in Russia: Safety, Security, and Control Issues (open access)

Nuclear Weapons in Russia: Safety, Security, and Control Issues

None
Date: June 25, 2003
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library