Correspondence issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Costs for nursing home care have almost doubled since 1990, from $53 billion to $92 billion in 2000. Much of that spending has been financed with public monies. Under the Medicare and Medicaid programs, the federal government financed 39 percent of the nation's nursing home spending in 2000, up from 28 percent in 1990. As federal outlays have grown, Congress has focused attention on the quality of care delivered and the level of staffing in nursing homes. Nursing home expenditures per resident day varied considerably across Ohio, Mississippi, and Washington--the 3 states covered in GAO's survey. Although the total level of spending varied, the average share devoted to resident-care activities, such as nursing care and medical supplies, was relatively stable. The share of spending devoted to buildings and equipment, by comparison, was more variable. Homes in Ohio and Washington that provided more nursing hours per resident day, especially nurses' aide hours, were less likely than homes providing fewer nursing hours to have repeated serious or potentially life-threatening quality problems. However, GAO found no clear relationship between a nursing home's spending per resident day and the number of serious …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Medicaid program served 33.4 million low-income families as well as elderly, blind, and disabled persons at a cost of $119 billion to the federal government and $88 billion to the states in fiscal year 2000. States are responsible for safeguarding Medicaid funds by making proper payments to providers, recovering misspent funds, and accurately reporting costs for federal reimbursement. At the federal level, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for overseeing state financial activities and ensuring the propriety of expenditures reported for federal reimbursement. Audits of state Medicaid finances have identified millions of dollars of questionable or unallowable costs. In addition, annual financial statement audits have identified many internal control weaknesses in CMS oversight of state Medicaid operations. CMS has only recently begun to assess areas at greatest risk for improper payments. As a result, controls that focus on the highest risk areas and resources had not yet been deployed for areas of greatest risk. Since 1998, auditors have noted that CMS failed to institute an oversight process that effectively reduced the risk of inappropriate medical claims and payments. CMS attributed most of the …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of Defense reports that is has been faced with difficulties adequately maintaining its facilities to meet mission requirements. Facilities have been aging and deteriorating as funds needed to sustain and recapitalize the facilities have fallen short of requirements. GAO's review of the services' condition assessments in conjunction with visits to the basic training locations showed that most barracks were in need of significant repair, although some barracks were in better condition than others. GAO found that the exteriors of each service's barracks were generally in good condition and presented an acceptable appearance, but the barracks' infrastructure often had persistent repair problems because of inadequate maintenance. The services' approaches to recapitalize their recruit barracks vary and are influenced by their overall priorities to improve all facilities. Although the Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps are addressing many of their recapitalization needs in the near-term, most of the Army's plans are longer term."

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "Following the 1991 Gulf War, reservists and employers flooded the government with questions and complaints concerning the reemployment rights of reservists who had been away from their jobs during the war. The Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 grants service members reemployment rights following military duty and addresses the rights and responsibilities of both reservists and their employers. Despite increases in operations since 1992, the average operational tempo of reserves department-wide increased only slightly between 1992 and 2001--from 43 to 46 days a year. Normal required training periods accounted for the bulk of this total. Several factors hamper Department of Defense (DOD) outreach efforts to both employers and reservists. DOD lacks complete information on who the reservists' employers are, and it has viewed the Privacy Act as a constraint that prevents it from requiring reservists to provide this information. DOD relies on volunteers in the field to carry out many of its outreach activities. However, these volunteers do not always report their contacts with reservists and employers, and, as a result, DOD does not know the full extent of problems that arise and …

A letter report issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "According to United Nations data, Cambodia has received more than $3 billion in assistance since 1993. Although Cambodia has achieved relative peace and stability, continued widespread corruption and a weak judicial system undermine efforts to reduce poverty and foster economic growth. Since 1993, the United States has provided Cambodia with over $200 million to reduce poverty and foster economic growth. This assistance has included programs to strengthen democracy, improve education and health care, and address problems posed by land mines. To address weaknesses in Cambodia's economic, social, and legal foundations, the Cambodian government and international donors of financial and technical assistance have established goals for strengthening governance in seven areas: increasing government revenue and strengthening budget management; creating a smaller, more professional military; providing Cambodian citizens with legal titles to land; developing Cambodia's weak legal framework and establishing an independent and competent judiciary; reducing risks in corrupt activities in the public sector and making public officials more accountable for their behavior; restructuring the civil service so that it can effectively provide services such as health care, primary education, and licenses to begin businesses; and preserving Cambodia's …

Testimony issued by the General Accounting Office with an abstract that begins "The over accumulation of vegetation is a serious problem, particularly in the interior West, where it is causing an increasing number of uncontrollable and destructive wildfires. The policy response to this was the development of the National Fire Plan--a long-term multibillion dollar effort to address wildland fire threats. GAO's work on wildland fires identified three needs: (1) a cohesive strategy to address growing threats to national forest resources and nearby communities from catastrophic wildfires, (2) clearly defined and effective leadership to carry out that strategy in a coordinated manner, and (3) accountability to ensure that progress is being made toward accomplishing the goals of the National Fire Plan. Two years ago, the Forest Service and the Department of the Interior developed strategies to address these problems, and recently established a leadership entity to respond to the need for greater contingency coordination. Whether the strategy and the council will serve as the framework and mechanism to effectively deal with the threat of a catastrophic wildland fire will depend on how well the National Fire Plan is implemented. To determine the effectiveness of this effort, a sound performance accountability framework …

Void swelling in structural materials used for nuclear reactors is characterized by an incubation period whose duration largely determines the usefulness of the material for core components. Significant evolution of the dislocation and void microstructures that control radiation-induced swelling can occur during this period. Thus, a theory of incubation must treat time-dependent void nucleation in combination with dislocation evolution, in which the sink strengths of voids and dislocations change in concert. We present theoretical results for void nucleation and growth including the time-dependent, self-consistent coupling of point defect concentrations to the evolution of both void populations and dislocation density. Simulations show that the incubation radiation dose is a strong function of the starting dislocation density and of the dislocation bias factors for vacancy and interstitial absorption. Irradiation dose rate and temperature also affect the duration of incubation. The results are in general agreement with experiment for high purity metals.

A collection of 6,000 mutant yeast strains spanning nearlyevery gene offers new promise for identifying human genes involved incellular responses to drugs, radiation and other treatments.

This project seeks to improve the basic understanding of the role of colloids in facilitating the transport of contaminants in the vadose zone. We focus on three major thrusts: (1) thermodynamic stability and mobility of colloids formed by reactions of sediments with highly alkaline tank waste solutions, (2) colloid-contaminant interactions, and (3) in situ colloid mobilization and colloid-facilitated contaminant transport occurring in both contaminated and uncontaminated Hanford sediments. The specific objectives that will be addressed are: (1) Determine the liability and thermodynamic stability of colloidal materials, which form after reacting Hanford sediments with simulated Hanford Tank Waste. (2) Determine the potential of Hanford sediments for in situ mobilization of colloids for different types of sediments and different leaching scenarios. (3) Characterize the interactions between initially-formed colloids, their dissolution/alteration products, and native colloidal particles with contaminants in batch experiments under various ionic strength and pH conditions. (4) Evaluate colloid-facilitated radionuclide transport through sediments under different degrees of water saturation in packed and undisturbed sediment columns. (5) Implement colloid-facilitated contaminant transport mechanisms and thermodynamic stability constants into a reactive chemical transport model, and verify model simulations with experimental transport data. Results of this project will help to understand the fundamental mechanisms of …

Mid-rapidity transverse mass spectra and multiplicity densities of charged and neutral kaons are reported for Au+Au collisions at {radical}s{sub NN}=130 GeV at RHIC. The spectra are exponential in transverse mass, with an inverse slope of about 280 MeV in central collisions. The multiplicity densities for these particles scale with the negative hadron pseudo-rapidity density. The charged kaon to pion ratios are K{sup +}/{pi}{sup -} = 0.161 {+-} 0.002(stat) {+-} 0.024(syst) and K{sup -}/{pi}{sup -} = 0.146 {+-} 0.002(stat) {+-} 0.022(syst) for the most central collisions. The K{sup +}/{pi}{sup -} ratio is lower than the same ratio observed at the SPS while the K{sup -}/{pi}{sup -} is higher than the SPS result. Both ratios are enhanced by about 50% relative to p+p and {bar p}+p collision data at similar energies.

The precision analytical technique known as MESERAN Analysis permits quantitative measurement of the level of preexisting nonvolatile organic residue (NVOR) on a substrate from <1 nanogram (ng)/cm{sup 2} to > 100 micrograms ({micro}g)/cm{sup 2} in 2 minutes. MESERAN Analysis is also applicable to determining NVOR in solvents and solvent extracts. The MESERAN method is able to quantify organic contamination levels down to and below 1 ng by depositing as little as 10 microliters ({micro}L) of solvent containing a known amount of contamination on a clean substrate, allowing it to evaporate, and measuring the evaporated residue. The method will be described in detail and NVOR measurements determined from MESERAN data will be presented.

We have created precise linear models of the storage ring in terms of {beta}-functions for both low-emittance and high-emittance lattices. Using these models, the {beta}-function beating corrections have been successfully applied. The lifetime was increased by 40% for the low-emittance lattice as a result of the corrections. The models allow the user to apply predictable and precise changes to the existing lattice. For example, after applying the {beta}-function corrections, the {beta}-function changes exactly coincide with the changes predicted by the model. This work would not be possible without the help provided by many APS people. In particular, one of the authors (VS) would like to thank S. Milton for stimulating and supporting the work, and M. Borland for his tremendous support with regard to the storage ring operation and software implementation.

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A collaboration has been established among the three highest energy storage ring synchrotron light sources: European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) (6 GeV), Advanced Photon Source (APS) (7 GeV), and Super Photon Ring (SPring-8) (8 GeV). The goal is to enhance understanding of impedance and beam instability characteristics for present performance and future machine development. In this paper, we compare the beam instability characteristics of the three rings and present a preliminary discussion of the similarities and differences. Topics for future, in-depth study, such as comparing the effect on the beam of in-vacuum insertion devices (IDs) and small-gap chambers, will be described.

An extension of the model developed in FY01 for predicting equilibrium distribution ratios in the Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction (CSSX) process is presented here. Motivation for extending the model arose from the need to predict extraction performance of the recently optimized solvent composition and the desire to include additional waste components. This model involves the extraction of cesium and potassium from different cesium, potassium, and sodium media over a large range of concentrations. Those different media include a large variety of anions such as nitrate, hydroxide, nitrite, chloride, fluoride, sulfate, and carbonate. The model was defined based on several hundreds of experimental data points and predicted satisfactorily the cesium extraction from five different SRS waste simulants. This process model encompassed almost exclusively 1:1:1 metal:anion:ligand species. Fluoride, sulfate, and carbonate species were found to be very little extractable, and their main impact is reflected through their activity effects. This model gave a very good cesium and potassium extraction prediction from sodium salts, which is what is needed when trying to predict the behavior from actual waste. However, the extraction from potassium or cesium salts, and the extraction of sodium could be improved, and some additional effort was devoted to improve the thermodynamic …

This report highlights the drilling of two shallow oil wells in Fayette County, Texas. The operator of these two wells was Stanton Mineral Development, Inc. The aim of this project was to successfully complete the two (2) wells, emphasizing tight oversight of the technological aspects, neglect of which are the primary causes of failure in this mature producing region as well as unnecessarily expensive wells. Discussions contained here within are not limited to just the execution of the project itself, but a historical and technical analysis which forms a basis for the decisions made both during drilling and completion. Additionally, there is substantial dialogue covering the financial benefits associated with the findings of this project.

This decision document presents the selected remedial for the Ford Building Waste Unit (FBWU), in Aiken, South Carolina, which was chosen in accordance with CERCLA, as amended by SARA, and, to the extent practical, the National Oil and Hazardous Substances Pollution Contingency Plan (NCP). This decision is based on the Administrative Record File for this specific RCRA/CERCLA site.

The goal of this work is to develop an efficient hydrogen separation process based on a new type of composite material. There are two main objectives: The first is to produce a sol-gel encapsulated metal hydride packing material that will (a) absorbs hydrogen selectively and reversibly, (b) not break down to fines, and (c) be resistant to reactive impurities. The second objective is to evaluate the hydrogen separation properties of these composite samples in a laboratory scale separation column.

In studies with positron beams in the Advanced Photon Source, a dramatic amplification was observed in the electron cloud for certain bunch current and bunch spacings. In modeling presented previously, we found qualitative agreement with the observed beam-induced multipacting condition, provided reasonable values were chosen for the secondary electron yield parameters, including the energy distribution. In this paper, we model and discuss the build-up and saturation process observed over long bunch trains at the resonance condition. Understanding this saturation mechanism in more detail may have implications for predicting electron cloud amplification, multipacting, and instabilities in future rings.

The Statement of Basis/Proposed Plan (SB/PP) is being issued by the United States Department of Energy (USDOE), which functions as the lead agency for Savannah River Site (SRS) remedial activities, with concurrence by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC). The purpose of this SB/PP is to describe the preferred remedial alternatives for the P-Area Burning/Rubble Pit (131-P) (PBRP) Operable Unit (OU) and to provide for public involvement in the decision-making process.

To date a global kinetic rate law has not been written to accurately describe solid-solid phase transformations of HMX and TATB where contributions from grain size effects, binder contents, and impurity levels are explicitly defined. Our recent work presented at the 2001 SCCM topical APS meeting, Atlanta, GA, demonstrated one can not confidently use the second harmonic generation (SHG) diagnostic to study energetic material phase transitions where non-uniform grain size distributions are present. For example, in HMX, the early arrival of SHG before the XRD in the SHG/XRD simultaneous high temperature experiment clearly indicates the partial molecular conversion from centrosymmetric to non-centrosymmetric without any structural changes as exhibit by the XRD pattern. This conversion is attributed to the changes of the surface molecules due to the differences in potential between the surface and the bulk. The present paper reports on accurate XRD measurements following changes of {beta}-HMX to {delta}-HMX at elevated temperature. The results are compared for sample with 2 different grain sizes for HMX. We report accurate temperature dependent lattice parameters and hence volume and linear thermal expansion coefficients along each crystallographic axis. We have also conducted kinetic studies of the behavior of 2 grain-sizes of HMX and concluded …

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This Report is categorized into four categories: (I) Background, (II) Description of the Restructuring Program, (III) Implementation of the Restructuring Program and (IV) Conclusion.