Concurrent resolution introduced by the Texas House of Representatives and Senate relating to designating March 31 and April 1, 2009, as Gregg County Days at the State Capitol.

The objective of this project is to use the multi-scale modeling of materials (MMM) approach to develop an improved understanding of the effects of neutron irradiation on the mechanical properties of high-temperature structural materials that are being developed or proposed for Gen IV applications. In particular, the research focuses on advanced ferritic/ martensitic steels to enable operation up to 650-700°C, compared to the current 550°C limit on high-temperature steels.

This paper demonstrates, through MCNPX simulations, that a compact hexagonal array of detectors can be utilized to do both gamma isotopic identification (ID) along with neutron identification while simultaneously finding the direction of the source relative to the detector array. The detector array itself is composed of seven borated polyvinyl toluene (PVT) hexagonal light pipes approximately 4 inches long and with a 1.25 inch face-to-face thickness assembled in a tight configuration. The gamma ID capability is realized through judicious windowing algorithms as is the neutron spectral unfolding. By having multiple detectors in different relative positions, directional determination of the source can be realized. By further adding multiplicity counters to the neutron counts, fission events can be measured.

This report reviews the process by which candidate states are selected, including a sketch of the responsibilities of Congress and allied governments in final approval or disapproval of Albania and Croatia. The report reviews general political factors for qualification, as well as external issues such as the views of Russia and regional geopolitical considerations. Then follows an analysis of current conditions in the two states nominated to join, as well as in Macedonia. In addition, there is a brief analysis of the debate over the qualifications of Georgia and Ukraine for NATO's Membership Action Plan (MAP), a set of guidelines laid out by the alliance for governments that wish to take the next step of becoming actual candidates. An appendix examines key legislation on enlargement during the past fifteen years. (p. CRS-2).

This report provides information about the Proposals for Change on Federal Deposit and Share Insurance since deposit insurance for holders of accounts at banks and thrift institutions are under scrutiny for the last several congresses.

This report summarizes and analyzes four previous government market interventions (Home Owners Loan Corporation in 1933, Continental Illinois in 1984, the savings and loan insurance fund shortfall in 1989, and the Latin American debt crisis in 1989), in light of current mortgage market conditions. Current proposals to help delinquent homeowners share many features in common with all of these actions.

The Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) was requested to investigate the impact of decanting supernate from the Sludge Batch four (SB4) feed in Tank 40. The specific questions concerned the potential impact on the stoichiometric acid window determined for SB4 with respect to overall hydrogen generation rates, nitrite destruction in the Sludge Receipt and Adjustment Tank (SRAT) and the rheology of the sludge, SRAT product, and Slurry Mix Evaporator (SME) product slurries. The scope included considering an addition of sodium hydroxide to Tank 40 to partially offset the sodium lost during decanting as well as considering the impact of bounding quantities of Actinide Removal Process (ARP) feed and Modular Caustic-Side Solvent Extraction Unit (MCU) feed on these same parameters. Simulated SB4 waste was first adjusted to match the dilution that has occurred in Tank 40 during the initial period of SB4 operations in the DWPF. The adjusted simulant was decanted an equivalent of 100,000 gallons relative to 413,740 gallons projected supernate volume. The decanted simulant was divided into two equal parts. One part received an addition of sodium hydroxide to increase the Na{sub 2}O content of the calcined sludge solids by about 3%. The baseline decanted simulant and caustic adjusted …

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In this study we investigate the formation and properties of prestellar and protostellar cores using hydrodynamic, self-gravitating Adaptive Mesh Refinement simulations, comparing the cases where turbulence is continually driven and where it is allowed to decay. We model observations of these cores in the C{sup 18}O(2 {yields} 1), NH{sub 3}(1,1), and N{sub 2}H{sup +} (1 {yields} 0) lines, and from the simulated observations we measure the linewidths of individual cores, the linewidths of the surrounding gas, and the motions of the cores relative to one another. Some of these distributions are significantly different in the driven and decaying runs, making them potential diagnostics for determining whether the turbulence in observed star-forming clouds is driven or decaying. Comparing our simulations with observed cores in the Perseus and {rho} Ophiuchus clouds shows reasonably good agreement between the observed and simulated core-to-core velocity dispersions for both the driven and decaying cases. However, we find that the linewidths through protostellar cores in both simulations are too large compared to the observations. The disagreement is noticeably worse for the decaying simulation, in which cores show highly supersonic infall signatures in their centers that decrease toward their edges, a pattern not seen in the observed regions. …

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It is shown in this work that basic measurements made from well defined source detector configurations can be readily converted in to benchmark quality results by which Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) input stacks can be validated. Specifically, a recent measurement made in support of national security at the Nevada Test Site (NTS) is described with sufficient detail to be submitted to the American Nuclear Society’s (ANS) Joint Benchmark Committee (JBC) for consideration as a radiation measurement benchmark. From this very basic measurement, MCNP input stacks are generated and validated both in predicted signal amplitude and spectral shape. Not modeled at this time are those perturbations from the more recent pulse height light (PHL) tally feature, although what spectral deviations are seen can be largely attributed to not including this small correction. The value of this work is as a proof-of-concept demonstration that with well documented historical testing can be converted into formal radiation measurement benchmarks. This effort would support virtual testing of algorithms and new detector configurations.

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The future of the US nuclear arsenal continues to be guided by two distinct drivers: the preservation of world peace and the prevention of further proliferation through our extended deterrent umbrella. Timely implementation of US nuclear policy decisions depends, in part, on the current state of stockpile weapons, their delivery systems, and the supporting infrastructure within the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA). In turn, the present is a product of past choices and world events. Now more than ever, the nuclear weapons program must respond to the changing global security environment and to increasing budget pressures with innovation and sound investments. As the nation transitions to a reduced stockpile, the successes of the Stockpile Stewardship Program (SSP) present options to transition to a sustainable complex better suited to stockpile size, national strategic goals and budgetary realities. Under any stockpile size, we must maintain essential human capital, forefront capabilities, and have a right-sized effective production capacity. We present new concepts for maintaining high confidence at low stockpile numbers and to effectively eliminate the reserve weapons within an optimized complex. We, as a nation, have choices to make on how we will achieve …

Europium-doped strontium and barium iodide are found to be readily growable by the Bridgman method and to produce high scintillation light yields.

Using 383 million B{bar B} pairs from the BABAR data sample, they report results for branching fractions of six charged B-meson decay modes, where a charged kaon recoils against a charmless resonance decaying to K{bar K}* or {eta}{pi}{pi} final states with mass in the range (1.2-1.8) GeV/c{sup 2}. They observe a significant enhancement at the low K{bar K}* invariant mass which is interpreted as B{sup +} {yields} {eta}(1475)K{sup +}, find evidence for the decay B{sup +} {yields} {eta}(1295)K{sup +}, and place upper limits on the decays B{sup +} {yields} {eta}(1405)K{sup +}, B{sup +} {yields} f{sub 1}(1285)K{sup +}, B{sup +} {yields} f{sub 1}(1420)K{sup +}, and B{sup +} {yields} {phi}(1680)K{sup +}.

A weekly publication, the Texas Register serves as the journal of state agency rulemaking for Texas. Information published in the Texas Register includes proposed, adopted, withdrawn and emergency rule actions, notices of state agency review of agency rules, governor's appointments, attorney general opinions, and miscellaneous documents such as requests for proposals. After adoption, these rulemaking actions are codified into the Texas Administrative Code.

This report collects information from other studies to obtain an estimate of the average foreclosure costs. A brief discussion of the effect uniform foreclosure legislation may have on costs follows.

This report first provides definitions of weak states and describes the links between weak states, U.S. national security, and development challenges. Second, the report surveys recent key U.S. programs and initiatives designed to address threats emanating from weak states. Finally, it highlights relevant issues about U.S. policy toward these states that Congress may consider.

This annual report summarizes the activities of the Cornell Center for Pulsed-Power-Driven High-Energy-Density Plasma Studies, for the 12-month period October 1, 2005-September 30, 2006. This period corresponds to the first year of the two-year extension (awarded in October, 2005) to the original 3-year NNSA/DOE Cooperative Agreement with Cornell, DE-FC03-02NA00057. As such, the period covered in this report also corresponds to the fourth year of the (now) 5-year term of the Cooperative Agreement. The participants, in addition to Cornell University, include Imperial College, London (IC), the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR), the University of Rochester (UR), the Weizmann Institute of Science (WSI), and the P.N. Lebedev Physical Institute (LPI), Moscow. A listing of all faculty, technical staff and students, both graduate and undergraduate, who participated in Center research activities during the year in question is given in Appendix A.

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The U. S. Coast Guard is a multimission agency responsible for maritime safety, security, and stewardship. It performs these missions, relating to homeland security and non-homeland security in U.S. ports and inland waterways, along the coasts, and on international waters. The President's budget request, including the request for the Coast Guard, was transmitted to Congress on February 5, 2007. This testimony, which is based on current and past GAO work, synthesizes the results of this work as it pertains to the following: budget requests and performance goals, organizational changes and related management initiatives, current acquisition efforts and challenges, and challenges related to performing traditional legacy missions."

This report gives background on the rent-to-own industry and the issues raised by rental-purchase agreements. Information of the FTC survey and the status of federal regulation and legislation is discussed.

Discovery of aging phenomena in the materials of a structure may arise after its design and construction that impact its structural integrity. This condition can be addressed through a demonstration of integrity with the material-specific degraded conditions. Two case studies of development of fracture and crack growth property data, and their application in development of in-service inspection programs for nuclear structures in the defense complex are presented. The first case study covers the development of fracture toughness properties in the form of J-R curves for rolled plate Type 304 stainless steel with Type 308 stainless steel filler in the application to demonstrate the integrity of the reactor tanks of the heavy water production reactors at the Savannah River Site. The fracture properties for the base, weld, and heat-affected zone of the weldments irradiated at low temperatures (110-150 C) up to 6.4 dpa{sub NRT} and 275 appm helium were developed. An expert group provided consensus for application of the irradiated properties for material input to acceptance criteria for ultrasonic examination of the reactor tanks. Dr. Spencer H. Bush played a lead advisory role in this work. The second case study covers the development of fracture toughness for A285 carbon steel in …

Rapid granular flows and particle-laden flows were studied in laboratory experiments, molecular dynamics simulations, and simulations of continuum equations. The research demonstrated that the inclusion of friction is crucial in realistic modeling of granular flows; hence extensive previous analyses and simulations by many researchers for frictionless particles must be reconsidered in the light of our work.