The alpha-decay of plutonium leads to the age-related change in physical properties. This paper presents updated results of age-related effects on enriched and reference alloys measured from immersion density, dilatometry, and mechanical tests. After nearly 100 equivalent years of aging, both the immersion density and dilatometry show that the enriched alloys are decreasing in density by less than 0.02% per year and now exhibit a near linear density decrease, without void swelling. The tensile tests show that the aging process increases the strength of plutonium alloys, followed by possible saturation past 70 equivalent years of age. The ultimate goal of this work is to develop capabilities to predict physical properties changed by aging effects.

Once considered the 'holy grail' of organometallic chemistry, synthetically useful reactions employing C-H bond activation have increasingly been developed and applied to natural product and drug synthesis over the past decade. The ubiquity and relative low cost of hydrocarbons makes C-H bond functionalization an attractive alternative to classical C-C bond forming reactions such as cross-coupling, which require organohalides and organometallic reagents. In addition to providing an atom economical alternative to standard cross - coupling strategies, C-H bond functionalization also reduces the production of toxic by-products, thereby contributing to the growing field of reactions with decreased environmental impact. In the area of C-C bond forming reactions that proceed via a C-H activation mechanism, rhodium catalysts stand out for their functional group tolerance and wide range of synthetic utility. Over the course of the last decade, many Rh-catalyzed methods for heteroatom-directed C-H bond functionalization have been reported and will be the focus of this review. Material appearing in the literature prior to 2001 has been reviewed previously and will only be introduced as background when necessary. The synthesis of complex molecules from relatively simple precursors has long been a goal for many organic chemists. The ability to selectively functionalize a molecule with …

This report provides background on the conflict over interpretation and implementation of the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) and the Clean Water Act. A brief discussion of the two laws is followed by a review of the major litigation of interest. EPA's efforts to clarify its policy in this area and the November 2006 rule and the 2009 federal court ruling are discussed, as well as possible options for EPA and Congress to further address the FIFRA-CWA issues. In June, EPA proposed a draft general CWA permit that it intends to finalize by April 2011 in response to the court ruling.

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This standard details the correct methods of lifting and handling Series 1 freight containers following ISO-3874 and ISO-1496. The changes within RPP-40736 will allow better reading comprehension, as well as correcting editorial errors.

This report discusses about Military Strategies and force structure. It further discusses about military force structure that includes what types of ground forces and special operation units are required for current and future operations.

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This report examines debates over what constitutes an unfunded federal mandate and Unfunded Mandates Reform Act of 1995 (UMRA's) implementation. It focuses on UMRA's requirement that Congressional Budget Office (CBO) issue written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in legislation, its procedures for raising points of order in the House and Senate concerning unfunded federal mandates in legislation, and its requirement that federal agencies prepare written cost estimate statements for federal mandates in rules. It also assesses UMRA's impact on federal mandates and arguments concerning UMRA's future, focusing on UMRA's definitions, exclusions, and exceptions which currently exempt many federal actions with potentially significant financial impacts on nonfederal entities.

Two widely proposed kt-dependent gluon distributions in the small-x saturation regime are investigated using two particle back-to-back correlations in high energy scattering processes. The Weizsacker-Williams gluon distribution, interpreted as the number density of gluon inside the nucleus, is studied in the quark-antiquark jet correlation in deep inelastic scattering. On the other hand, the unintegrated gluon distribution, defined as the Fourier transform of the color-dipole cross section, is probed in the direct photon-jet correlation in pA collisions. Dijet-correlation in pA collisions depends on both gluon distributions through combination and convolution in the large Nc limit. We calculate these processes in two approaches: the transverse momentum dependent factorization approach and the color-dipole/color glass condensate formalism, and they agree with each other completely.

Since enactment of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2008 (Post-9/11 GI Bill; P.L. 110-252; Title 38 U.S.C., Chapter 33), there has been discussion of problems and possible enhancements to improve the program's implementation, administration, and benefits. This report summarizes provisions in the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Act of 2010 (S. 3447), as reported by the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs on August 5, 2010, for full Senate consideration.

This report briefly explores the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), 18 U.S.C. 924(e), which requires imposition of a minimum 15-year term of imprisonment for recidivists convicted of unlawful possession of a firearm under 18 U.S.C. 922(g). Section 924(e) applies only to those defendants who have three prior state or federal convictions for violent felonies or serious drug offenses. The report includes descriptions of constitutional challenges to the application of section 924(e), which have been generally unsuccessful.

A model for the onset of the reduction in SRF cavity quality factor, the so-called Q-drop, at high accelerating electric fields is presented. Since magnetic fields at the cavity equator are tied to accelerating electric fields by a simple geometric factor, the onset of magnetic flux penetration determines the onset of Q-drop. We consider breakdown of the surface barrier at triangular grooves to predict the magnetic field of first flux penetration H{sub pen}. Such defects were argued to be the worst case by Buzdin and Daumens, [1998 Physica C 294 257], whose approach, moreover, incorporates both the geometry of the groove and local contamination via the Ginzburg-Landau parameter {kappa}. Since previous Q-drop models focused on either topography or contamination alone, the proposed model allows new comparisons of one effect in relation to the other. The model predicts equivalent reduction of H{sub pen} when either roughness or contamination were varied alone, so smooth but dirty surfaces limit cavity performance about as much as rough but clean surfaces do. Still lower H{sub pen} was predicted when both effects were combined, i.e. contamination should exacerbate the negative effects of roughness and vice-versa. To test the model with actual data, coupons were prepared by …

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This report examines the EU responses to the financial crisis through changes to the financial regulatory structure at the EU level as well as the member country level. The countries examined are Germany and the United Kingdom, which have single financial regulators; the Netherlands, which has a twin peaks regulatory structure; and Spain, which has a functional structure.

This report provides a legal overview of cases involving immigrant access to higher education, as well as an analysis of the legality of state laws that make in-state tuition rates available to illegal aliens.

This report discusses the key policy issues Congress faces related to missing and exploited children, sex offenders, and missing adults.

Every five years Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) generates an updated meteorological database to facilitate dosimetric calculations of accident and routine release scenarios for onsite and offsite populations. This information becomes the input of various environmental dosimetry codes run by the Environmental Dosimetry Group (EDG) at SRNL. The three most recent databases prior to the current one were completed for the time periods 1987-1991, 1992-1996, and 1997-2001. The current database covers the period 2002-2006. This study represents a portion of a larger study to compare the meteorological data among these four five-year periods and focuses on updating VENTSAR XL{copyright} for the current meteorological database. The updated meteorological data are also applied in other dosimetry models approved for risk and dose assessment at Savannah River Site (SRS). VENTSAR XL{copyright} is a Gaussian Plume model that includes building effects and plume rise. The typical input involves the location of the release, building dimensions, distance to the building, release height, vent diameter, vent gas temperature, gas molecular weight, ambient air temperature, breathing rate, meteorological conditions, radionuclides and their amount released. The output is easily converted into tables and graphs for further analysis and shows the concentrations and pathway doses for each of the …

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) evaluated a large number of Sludge Batch 6 (SB6) composition projections to support frit optimization for SB6 vitrification at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). The evaluations discussed in this report occurred over a period of about 4 months, and included about 40 composition projections, developed by both Savannah River Remediation (SRR) and SRNL. Paper study assessments were used to evaluate the sludge composition projections with arrays of potential frit compositions using the predictive models in the DWPF Product Composition Control System (PCCS). Both nominal sludge compositions and sludge compositions with anticipated compositional variation were considered. The model predictions were used to identify candidate frit compositions for each SB6 projection and to provide some guidance to SRR on washing and blending strategies for SB6 preparation. This report presents a chronological review of this process and summarizes the findings at each stage. Following initial feedback from this work, the number of washes in Tank 51 was reduced to increase the projected sodium concentration in SB6. Analyses of predicted frit performance before and after a potential decant of Tank 40 showed that the post-decant SB6 composition would be difficult to process with any frit composition and …

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested to provide Savannah River Remediation (SRR) with a recommended frit composition for Sludge Batch 6 (SB6) to optimize processing at the Defense Waste Processing Facility (DWPF). This report discusses the results of a series of melt rate experiments that were completed in support of the frit recommendation and the preparation of the feed used in the testing. The objective of the work was to identify the impact of individual frit component concentrations on melt rate for both SB6 and for DWPF sludge batches in general. The dry fed, Melt Rate Furnace (MRF) was used to compare the relative melt rate performance of several candidate frit compositions. Sludge composition projection changes and variation led to the fabrication and testing of several new frits along with Frit 418, which is currently utilized at the DWPF for Sludge Batch 5 (SB5) processing. The melt rate testing results show that changes in the frit composition, such as increases in B{sub 2}O{sub 3} or Li{sub 2}O concentrations, can provide a faster melt rate for SB6 relative to Frit 418. However, the composition of SB6 as currently projected (February 2010 blended with a 40 inch heel of SB5) …

This document catalogs the characteristics of current and potential future DC products and power systems.

This report provides a background of the history leading up to the litigation and review the issues that have proven so difficult for the judiciary to resolve.

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory performed a demonstration to determine the acceptable location in which to place an air sampling probe for emissions monitoring for radionuclides in the exhaust air discharge from the new 3430 Building Filtered Pathway Stack . The method was to adopt the results of a previously performed test series for a system of similar configuration, followed by a partial test on the actual system to verify the applicability of previously performed tests. The qualification criteria included 1) a uniform air velocity, 2) an average flow angle that does not deviate from the axis of the duct by more than 20°, 3) a uniform concentration of tracer gases, and 4) a uniform concentration of tracer particles. Section 1 provides background information for the demonstration, and Section 2 describes the test strategy, including the criteria for the applicability of model results and the test matrix. Section 3 describes the flow angle test and the velocity uniformity test, Section 4 provides the test results, and Section 5 provides the conclusions. Appendix A includes the test data sheets, and Appendix B gives applicable qualification results from the previously tested model stack. The data from the previously tested and similarly designed stack …

This report details the COMPETES Reauthorization Act of 2010 and the American COMPETES Act, as well as policy issues: STEM education, Federal Research Programs and Activities, Broadening Participation, and Funding.