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, Dan Morales, regarding a legal question submitted for clarification: Construction of recent amendments to section 106.001(c)(2) of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code regarding a municipality's program to increase participation by minority business enterprises in public contract awards and related questions (RQ-516)

This project was initiated on August 1, 1992. The starting date resulted in this project being one month out of synchronization with the normal quarterly calendar (i.e., January, April, July, and October). On advice of Mr. John Augustine, DOE/PETC, the present report is prepared to cover only two months work, so that future quarterly reports will be aligned with the conventional reporting schedule. A significant pressure dependence was observed for the pyrolysis of n-tetradecane at 450{degree}C for 30 min. It appears that at least two processes are affected by the reactant pressure, but in opposite directions. The influence of inert gas pressure is dependent on both the initial sample volume and the pressure range. However, when the inert gas pressure is within a certain specific range, the changes in the sample volume have no impact on n-tetradecane conversion. Below or above this range, increasing inert gas pressure can either decrease or increase conversion, depending on the sample volume.

In the period covered by the purchase order CSIS has obtained one Landsat image and determined that two images previously supplied to the principal investigator under a subcontract with George Washington University were inherently defective. We have negotiated with EOSAT over the reprocessing of those scenes and anticipate final delivery within the next few weeks. A critical early purchase during the subcontract period was of an EXABYTE tape drive, Adaptec SCSI interface, and the appropriate software with which to read Landsat images at CSIS. This gives us the capability of reading and manipulating imagery in house without reliance on outside services which have not proven satisfactory. In addition to obtaining imagery for the study, we have also performed considerable analytic work on the newly and previously purchased images. A technique developed under an earlier subcontract for identifying underground nuclear tests at Pahute Mesa has been significantly refined, and similar techniques were applied to the summit of Rainier Mesa and to the Yucca Flats area. An entirely new technique for enhancing the spectral signatures of different regions of NTS was recently developed, and appears to have great promise of success.

Research in the Maryland Nuclear Theory Group focusses on problems in four basic areas of current relevance. The section on Hadrons in Nuclei reports research into the ways in which the properties of nucleons and the mesons which play a role in the nuclear force are modified in the nuclear medium. QCD sum rules supply a new insight into the decrease of the nucleon`s mass in the nuclear medium. The quark condensate decreases in nuclear matter, and this is responsible for the decrease of the nucleon`s mass. The section on the Structure of Hadrons reports progress in understanding the structure of the nucleon. These results cover widely different approaches -- lattice gauge calculations, QCD sum rules, quark-meson models with confinement and other hedgehog models. Progress in Relativistic Nuclear Physics is reported on electromagnetic interactions in a relativistic bound state formalism, with applications to elastic electron scattering by deuterium, and on application of a two-body quasipotential equation to calculate the spectrum of mesons formed as bound states of a quark and antiquark. A Lorentz-invariant description of the nuclear force suggests a decrease of the nucleon`s mass in the nuclear medium similar to that found from QCD sum rules. Calculations of three-body …

This thesis is divided into 8 sections: synthesis and characterization (char.) of Ba{sub 3}Mo{sub 18}O{sub 28} (an oligomer with four traps edge-sharing Mo octahedra); synthesis and char. of K{sub x}M{sub y}Mo{sub 14}O{sub 22} (M=Sn, Pb, Sr) (oligomers with three traps edge-sharing Mo octahedra); synthesis and char. of K{sub 0.19}Ba{sub 3.81}Mo{sub 22}O{sub 34} (an oligomer with five traps edge-sharing Mo octahedra); synthesis and char. of Ti{sub 0.31}Fe{sub 1.69}Mo{sub 4}O{sub 7} (a material containing closest-packing of infinite chains of octahedral Mo clusters); synthesis and char. of K{sub x}M{sub 2-x}Mo{sub 10}O{sub 16} (M=Ca, Sr, Gd) (oligomers with two traps edge-sharing Mo octahedra); synthesis and char. of the RE{sub 4}Mo{sub 4}O{sub 11} series; synthesis and char. of Pb{sub 0. 31}WO{sub 3} (a tetragonal tungsten bronze containing lead); and examination of superstructure in Fe{sub 1.89}Mo{sub 4.11}O{sub 7}, Sn{sub 0.9}Mo{sub 4}O{sub 6}, InMo{sub 4}O{sub 6}, and Mn{sub 1. 5}Mo{sub 8}O{sub 11} by electron microscopy.

Complete thermal desorption and photoemission studies of seven molecules (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid, isopropanol, acetone, waste and carbon monoxide) have been completed on four different SnO{sub 2}(110) surfaces (stoichiometric, reduced, slightly-defective and highly-defective). Initial thermal desorption studies of acetic acid and propene have also been done. Results indicate that different initial surface conditions can dramatically affect: (1) probability for heterolytic dissociation of Bronsted acids, (2) reaction kinetics for unimolecular decomposition of oxygenated surface intermediates, and (3) product selectivity.

The recent publication of the Digital Elevation Model (DEM) database by the US Geological Survey (USGS) has provided a unique opportunity for the development of cost-effective wind energy prospecting technology. This database contains terrain elevation values on a Latitude-Longitude grid with a resolution of 3 arc-seconds (about 90 m) for the contiguous United States, Hawaii, and Puerto Rico. This database has been coupled with software that will produce shaded-relief maps on a laser printer in a format compatible with the state wind power maps in the US wind energy atlas. By providing a much higher resolution of the terrain features than was possible when the US atlas was prepared, these maps can be useful in general wind prospecting activities. As highly resolved as the 90-m DEM data seem to be when compared to the atlas grid, they still appear to be too coarse to resolve terrain features in the detail required for local wind flow characterization and wind plant layout. Gridded terrain data at about 10-m resolution are available from the USGS for some areas of the United States. In areas where these data are unavailable, they may be generated by digitizing and gridding the contours from a 1:24,000-scale USGS …

Continental Shelf Associates, Inc. (CSA) was contracted to conduct a three-year study of the environmental and health related impacts of produced water and sand discharges from oil and gas operations. Data on naturally occurring radioactive materials (NORM), heavy metals, and hydrocarbons in water, sediment, and biota will be collected and evaluated. Health related impacts will be studied through field collections and analyses of commercially- and recreationally-important fish and shellfish tissues. Additionally, information on seafood catch, consumption, and use patterns for the Gulf of Mexico will be gathered and analyzed. The facilities to be studied will include both offshore and coastal facilities in the Gulf of Mexico. Coastal sites will be additionally studied to determine ecological recovery of impacted wetland and open bay areas. The economic impact of existing and proposed effluent federal and state regulations will also be evaluated. The primary objectives of the project are to increase the base of scientific knowledge concerning (1) the fate and environmental effects of organics, trace metals, and NORM in water, sediment, and biota near several offshore oil and gas facilities; (2) the characteristics of produced water and produced sand discharges as they pertain to organics, trace metals, and NORM variably found in …

This report concerns the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM) created and enhanced by Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) for the US Department of Energy`s Pittsburgh Energy Technology Center (DOE/PETC). The IECM provides a capability to model various conventional and advanced processes for controlling air pollutant emissions from coal-fired power plants before, during, or after combustion. The principal purpose of the model is to calculate the performance, emissions, and cost of power plant configurations employing alternative environmental control methods. The model consists of various control technology modules, which may be integrated into a complete utility plant in any desired combination. In contrast to conventional deterministic models, the IECM offers the unique capability to assign probabilistic values to all model input parameters, and to obtain probabilistic outputs in the form of cumulative distribution functions indicating the likelihood of different costs and performance results.

The primary goal of this test program was to conduct a series of fire test to provide information on the fire performance of 55 gallon metal waste drums used for solid waste disposal at Department Of Energy (DOE) facilities. This program was limited in focus to three different types of 55 gallon drums, one radiant heat source, and one specific fire size. The initial test was a single empty 55 gallon drum exposed to a standard ASTME-119 time temperature curve for over 10 minutes. The full scale tests involved metal drums exposed to a 6{prime} diameter flammable liquid fire for a prescribed period of time. The drums contained simulated dry waste materials of primarily class A combustibles. The test results showed that a conventional 55 gallon drum with a 1in. bung would blow its lid consistently.

This reporting term covers the first full quarter subsequent to the program kick-off meeting and the DOE authorization to proceed with the contract work. As such the work of this term principally involves ordering, assembling, and de-bugging equipment as well as the development of the solid electrolyte materials and some initial electrochemical studies. These initial studies make use of the above instrumentation and act as a source of calibration for subsequent studies. Specifically the work during this reporting term has involved the optimization of the sintering of the ceramic electrolyte freeze dried powder to allow for optimum performance of the IGR ceramic composite, the determination of the electrochemical properties in air of the above stabilized ceramic solid oxide electrolyte material over the relevant ranges of applied voltage and temperatures, and the detailed planning, equipment/parts ordering, acquisition, and integration for the computer controlled electrochemical test apparatus for the electrocatalytic materials.

Using Fabry-Perot interferometry techniques, we have determined the early time rate of energy release from detonating PETN and TNT explosives filled with 5 to 20 wt % of either 5 {mu}m or 18 {mu}m spherical aluminum with the detonation products, and calculate the extent of reaction at 1--3 {mu}s after the detonation. All of the metal in PETN formulations filled with 5 wt % and 10 wt % of either 5 {mu}m or 18 {mu}m aluminum reacted within 1.5 {mu}s, resulting in an increase of 18--22% in energy compared to pure PETN. For TNT formulations, between 5 to 10 wt % aluminum reacts completely with the same timeframe. A reactive flow hydrodynamic code model based on the Zeldovich-von Neumann-Doring (ZND) description of the reaction zone and subsequent reaction product expansion (Taylor wave) is used to address the reaction rate of the aluminum particles with detonation product gases. The detonation product JWL equation of state is derived from that of pure PETN using a parametric normalization methodology.

The city of Memphis Division of Housing and Community Development (HCD) receives grant funding each year from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to provide local housing assistance to low-income residents. Through the years, HCD has found that many of the program recipients have had difficulty in managing their households, particularly in meeting monthly financial obligations. One of the major operating costs to low-income households is the utility bill. Furthermore, HCD`s experience has revealed that many low-income residents are simply unaware of ways to reduce their utility bill. Most of the HCD funds are distributed to low-income persons as grants or no/low interest loans for the construction or rehabilitation of single-family dwellings. With these funds, HCD builds 80 to 100 new houses and renovates about 500 homes each year. Houses constructed or renovated by HCD must meet HUD`s minimum energy efficiency standards. While these minimum standards are more than adequate to meet local building codes, they are not as aggressive as the energy efficiency standards being promoted by the national utility organizations and the home building industry. Memphis Light, Gas and Water (MLGW), a city-owned utility, has developed an award-winning program named Comfort Plus which promotes energy …

A fuel first test was conducted on October 15, 1992, during which a toroidal composite vessel containing 6.5 kg of RX-08-FK Paste Extrudable Explosive was subjected to a dynamic (transient) thermal environment. The vessel was mounted inside a closed, but vented, thin-walled steel cylinder, and the entire assembly was then engulfed in a fuel fire. Approximately 5 minutes into the test, the PEX began to burn. At the time reaction of PEX occurred, temperatures of the inside wall of the steel cylinder were 815C and temperatures on outside wall of the composite vessel ranged from 163--454C. Subsequently, temperatures in excess of 950C were reached inside the cylinder for tens of minutes. Based on criteria set forth in MIL-STD-1648A(AS), the RX-08-FK-loaded vessel passed the fuel fire test, because no violent reaction beyond burning was observed.

The overall goal of this project is to be able to combine the molecular specificity of monoclonal antibodies with the imaging advantages of positron emission tomography. During the past year, were have made progress in a number of areas. This report will focus on our studies evaluating the potential of two different methods for labeling a monoclonal antibody fragment with positron-emitting F-18 both in vitro and in athymic mice bearing subcutaneous D-54 MG human glioma xenografts. The F (a b{prime}){sub 2} fragment of Me1-14, a murine egg{sub 2a} reactive with an epitope of the tumor associated proteoglycan sulfate present in gliomas and melanomas, was used. This antibody is a particular interest because of our ongoing clinical radioimmunotherapy trails using Me1--14 that could ultimately benefit from the determination of quantitative dosimetry using monoclonal antibody PET imaging. Our results demonstrated, for the first time, that MAb fragments could be labeled with F-18 with retention of immunoreactivity and affinity. Further, they show that selective and specific tumor uptake of an F-18 labeled MAb fragment can be achieved in a xenograft model in a time frame compatible with the short half life of this nuclide.

Polystyrene divinylbenzene was modified by acetyl, sulfonic acid, and quaternary ammonium groups. A resin functionalized with an acetyl group was impregnated in a PTFE membrane and used to extract and concentrate phenolic compounds from aqueous samples. The acetyl group created a surface easily wetted, making it an efficient adsorbent for polar compounds in water. The membrane stabilized the resin bed. Partially sulfonated high surface area resins are used to extract and group separate an aqueous mixture of neutral and basic organics; the bases are adsorbed electrostatically to the sulfonic acid groups, while the neutraons are adsorbed hydrophobically. A two-step elution is then used to separate the two fractions. A partially functionalized anion exchange resin is used to separate organic acids and phenols from neutrals in a similar way. Carboxylic acids are analyzed by HPLC and phenols by GC.

The grout system dynamic computer simulation was created to allow investigation of the ability of the grouting system to meet established milestones, for various assumed system configurations and parameters. The simulation simulates the movement of tank waste through the system versus time, from initial storage tanks, through feed tanks and the grout plant, then finally to a grout vault. The simulation properly accounts for the following (1) time required to perform various actions or processes, (2) delays involved in gaining regulatory approval, (3) random system component failures, (4) limitations on equipment capacities, (5) available parallel components, and (6) different possible strategies for vault filling. The user is allowed to set a variety of system parameters for each simulation run. Currently, the output of a run primarily consists of a plot of projected grouting campaigns completed versus time, for comparison with milestones. Other outputs involving any model component can also be quickly created or deleted as desired. In particular, sensitivity runs where the effect of varying a model parameter (flow rates, delay times, number of feed tanks available, etc.) on the ability of the system to meet milestones can be made easily. The grout system simulation was implemented using the ITHINK* …

The international effort to develop and implement new research reactor fuels utilizing low-enriched uranium, instead of highly- enriched uranium, continues to make solid progress. This effort is the cornerstone of a widely shared policy aimed at reducing, and possibly eliminating, international traffic in highly-enriched uranium and the nuclear weapon proliferation concerns associated with this traffic. To foster direct communication and exchange of ideas among the specialists in this area, the Reduced Enrichment Research and Test Reactor (RERTR) Program, at Argonne National Laboratory, sponsored this meeting as the eleventh of a series which began 1978. Individual papers presented at the meeting have been cataloged separately.

The purpose of the Human Genome Project is outlined followed by a discussion of electrophoresis in slab gels and capillaries and its application to deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Techniques used to modify electroosmotic flow in capillaries are addressed. Several separation and detection schemes for DNA via gel and capillary electrophoresis are described. Emphasis is placed on the elucidation of DNA fragment size in real time and shortening separation times to approximate real time monitoring. The migration of DNA fragment bands through a slab gel can be monitored by UV absorption at 254 nm and imaged by a charge coupled device (CCD) camera. Background correction and immediate viewing of band positions to interactively change the field program in pulsed-field gel electrophoresis are possible throughout the separation. The use of absorption removes the need for staining or radioisotope labeling thereby simplifying sample preparation and reducing hazardous waste generation. This leaves the DNA in its native state and further analysis can be performed without de-staining. The optimization of several parameters considerably reduces total analysis time. DNA from 2 kb to 850 kb can be separated in 3 hours on a 7 cm gel with interactive control of the pulse time, which is 10 times …

An unrecrystallized structure is found to significantly improve the work hardening characteristics by lowering the work hardening rate during early stages of deformation. This is in contrast to a recrystallized structure, which requires a higher work hardening rate to accommodate the greater degree of multiple slip necessary to maintain strain compatibility between the more randomly oriented grains. The stronger texture associated with the unrecrystallized structure allows deformation to occur more efficiently. Addition of magnesium also improves work hardening by increasing overall level of the work hardening rate. The improved characteristics of the work hardening behavior result in a parallel increase in both the strength and ductility at cryogenic temperatures. These findings are positive since they suggest a method by which improvements in the work hardening behavior and subsequent mechanical properties may be obtained through practical modifications of the microstructure and composition.

Measures to reduce the use of fossil fuels, suppression of on-farm emissions of methane (CH{sub 4}) and nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O), afforestation, and geoengineering ``fixes`` have been proposed to mitigate or eliminate greenhouse-forced climate change. These measures will impact agriculture and other sectors of the economy. this report discusses the above impacts.

The results shown in Figures 10 and 11 demonstrate that the formation of butenes was very sensitive to the alcohol partial pressure. A small elevation of the alcohol pressure suppressed the formation of butenes rather drastically at both 90 and 117{degree}C. The synthesis rates of DME, MIBE, and MTBE ethers were not significantly affected at 90{degree}C, although there was a trend to increase the space time yield of DME as the alcohol pressure was increased. At the reaction temperature of 117{degree}C, all of the ethers showed increasing productivities as the pressure of the reactants was increased (Figure 11). An isotope labelling experiment was carried out to provide mechanistic insight into the manner in which methanol and isobutanol react together to form DME, MIBE, and MTBE ethers and to determine if MTBE were derived from MIBE.

This document describes an X-window based Schema Editor for the Object-Protocol Model (OPM). OPM is a data model that supports the specification of complex object and protocol classes. objects and protocols are qualified in OPM by attributes that are defined over (associated with) value classes. Connections of object and protocol classes are expressed in OPM via attributes. OPM supports the specification (expansion) of protocols in terms of alternative and sequences of component (sub) protocols. The OPM Schema Editor allows specifying, displaying, modifying, and browsing through OPM schemas. The OPM Schema Editor generates an output file that can be used as input to an OPM schema translation tool that maps OPM schemas into definitions for relational database management systems. The OPM Schema Editor was implemented using C++ and the X11 based Motif toolkit, on Sun SPARCstation under Sun Unix OS 4.1. This document consists of the following parts: (1) A tutorial consisting of seven introductory lessons for the OPM Schema Editor. (2) A reference manual describing all the windows and functions of the OPM Schema Editor. (3) An appendix with an overview of OPM.

The cost of thin superconducting solenoid magnets can be estimated if one knows the magnet stored energy, the magnetic field volume product or the overall mass of the superconducting coil and its cryostat. This report shows cost data collected since 1979 for large superconducting solenoid magnets used in high energy physics. These magnets are characterized in most cases by the use of indirect two phase helium cooling and a superconductor stabilizer of very pure aluminum. This correlation can be used for making a preliminary cost estimate of proposed one of a kind superconducting magnets. The magnet costs quoted include the power supply and quench protection system but the cost of the helium refrigerator and helium distribution system is not included in the estimated cost.