Collection
Office of Scientific & Technical Information Technical Reports
1,607
Texas Laws and Resolutions Archive
940
Congressional Research Service Reports
853
Defense Base Closure and Realignment Commission
321
Government Accountability Office Reports
297
Texas Attorney General Opinions
49
Texas State Publications
21
Texas Register
17
Federal Register
4
End of Term Publications
2
2 More
Country
States
Decade
Month
Day
Language
4,113 Matching Results
Results open in a new window/tab.
Results:
1 - 24 of
4,113
next
Masters Thesis- Criticality Alarm System Design Guide with Accompanying Alarm System Development for the Radioisotope Production Laboratory in Richland, Washington
A detailed instructional manual was created to guide criticality safety engineers through the process of designing a criticality alarm system (CAS) for Department of Energy (DOE) hazard class 1 and 2 facilities. Regulatory and technical requirements were both addressed. A list of design tasks and technical subtasks are thoroughly analyzed to provide concise direction for how to complete the analysis. An example of the application of the design methodology, the Criticality Alarm System developed for the Radioisotope Production Laboratory (RPL) of Richland, Washington is also included. The analysis for RPL utilizes the Monte Carlo code MCNP5 for establishing detector coverage in the facility. Significant improvements to the existing CAS were made that increase the reliability, transparency, and coverage of the system.
Date:
December 20, 2009
Creator:
Greenfield, Bryce A.
Object Type:
Thesis or Dissertation
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Anaerobic Biotransformation and Mobility of Pu and of Pu-EDTA
The enhanced mobility of radionuclides by co-disposed chelating agent, ethylenediaminetetraacetate (EDTA), is likely to occur only under anaerobic conditions. Our extensive effort to enrich and isolate anaerobic EDTA-degrading bacteria has failed. Others has tried and also failed. To explain the lack of anaerobic biodegradation of EDTA, we proposed that EDTA has to be transported into the cells for metabolism. A failure of uptake may contribute to the lack of EDTA degradation under anaerobic conditions. We demonstrated that an aerobic EDTA-degrading bacterium strain BNC1 uses an ABC-type transporter system to uptake EDTA. The system has a periplasmic binding protein that bind EDTA and then interacts with membrane proteins to transport EDTA into the cell at the expense of ATP. The bind protein EppA binds only free EDTA with a Kd of 25 nM. The low Kd value indicates high affinity. However, the Kd value of Ni-EDTA is 2.4 x 10^(-10) nM, indicating much stronger stability. Since Ni and other trace metals are essential for anaerobic respiration, we conclude that the added EDTA sequestrates all trace metals and making anaerobic respiration impossible. Thus, the data explain the lack of anaerobic enrichment cultures for EDTA degradation. Although we did not obtain an EDTA …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Xun, Luying
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Budget Issues: Electronic Processing of Non-IRS Collections Has Increased but Better Understanding of Cost Structure Is Needed
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The Department of the Treasury's Financial Management Service (FMS) collections program provides services to agencies to collect, deposit, and account for collections through a variety of methods. Electronic collection methods can reduce government borrowing costs and agency administrative costs, while improving compliance and security. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to identify (1) the extent to which agencies other than the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) use various collection methods, (2) ways to maximize the benefits of and overcome any barriers to agency use of the various collection methods, and (3) issues that FMS should consider in its plans to improve the efficiency and security of collections. GAO analyzed collections data, plans, and documents from FMS and five case-study agencies in the Departments of the Interior and Commerce that use a variety of collection methods, observed fee collection methods, and interviewed FMS and case-study agency officials. GAO also interviewed selected payer groups for case study agencies."
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Central Asia: Regional Developments and Implications for U.S. Interests
This report discusses the current status of Central Asian states and U.S. policy, which has been aimed at facilitating their cooperation with U.S. and NATO stabilization efforts in Afghanistan and their efforts to combat terrorism, proliferation, and trafficking in arms, drugs, and persons. Congress will be considering an increase in support for the programs in Central Asia.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Nichol, Jim
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
China-U.S. Relations: Current Issues and Implications for U.S. Policy
This report addresses relevant policy questions in current U.S.-China relations, discusses trends and key legislation in the current Congress, and provides a chronology of developments and high-level exchanges.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Dumbaugh, Kerry
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Defense Acquisitions: Further Actions Needed to Address Weaknesses in DOD's Management of Professional and Management Support Contracts
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In fiscal year 2008, the Department of Defense (DOD) obligated $200 billion on services contracts, including $42 billion for professional and management services. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) previously identified weaknesses in DOD's management and oversight of services contracts, contributing to DOD contract management being on GAO's high-risk list. For selected professional and management support contracts, GAO was asked to examine (1) the extent to which DOD considered the risks of contractors closely supporting inherently governmental functions at key decision points, (2) how DOD implemented performance-based practices, (3) the extent to which DOD designated trained surveillance personnel, and (4) whether a new review process may improve DOD's management of such contracts. GAO reviewed federal regulations, agency policies and guidance, and analyzed seven acquisitions approved from 2004 to 2007 and 64 related task orders for services."
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Demonstration of Recessed Downlight Technologies: Power and Illumination Assessment
Solid state lighting (SSL), specifically light-emitting diodes (LED), has been advancing at a rapid pace, and there are presently multiple products available that serve as direct replacements for traditional luminaires. In this demonstration, conventional recessed lights in a conference room were used to compare conventional incandescent A-lamps, incandescent reflector R-lamps, dimming compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), to an LED replacement product. The primary focus during the study was on light delivered to the task plane as provided by the power required by the lighting system. Vertical illuminance, dimming range, and color shift are also important indicators of lighting quality and are discussed in the report. The results clearly showed that LEDs, with dimming-capable drivers, are much more efficient than incandescent and CFLs. Further, LEDs provide much smoother and consistent dimming than dimmable CFLs. On the potential negative side, it is important that the dimming switch be identified as compatible with the LED driver. A wide variety of dimmer switches are capable of dimming LEDs down to 15% of full light output, while select others can be capable of dimming LEDs down to 5%. In addition, LEDs can be intensive light sources, which can result in uncomfortable glare in some applications and …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Parker, Steven A. & Beeson, Tracy A.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Department of Homeland Security: Actions Taken Toward Management Integration, but a Comprehensive Strategy Is Still Needed
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Significant management challenges exist for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) as it continues to integrate its varied management processes, policies, and systems in areas such as financial management and information technology. These activities are primarily led by the Under Secretary for Management (USM), department management chiefs, and management chiefs in DHS's seven components. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine: (1) the extent to which DHS has developed a comprehensive strategy for management integration that includes the characteristics recommended in GAO's 2005 report; (2) how DHS is implementing management integration; and (3) the extent to which the USM is holding the department and component management chiefs accountable for implementing management integration through reporting relationships. GAO reviewed DHS plans and interviewed management officials in DHS's headquarters and in all components."
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Enhanced Magnetism in Epitaxial SrRuO3 Thin Films
We have observed enhanced magnetization in epitaxial SrRuO{sub 3} thin films compared to previously reported bulk and thin film values of 1.1-1.6 {mu}{sub B}/Ru ion. The degree of enhancement is strongly dependent on the lattice distortions imposed on the SrRuO{sub 3} films by SrTiO{sub 3}, (LaAlO{sub 3}){sub 0.3}(SrTaO{sub 3}){sub 0.7} (LSAT), and LaAlO{sub 3} substrates. A larger enhancement of magnetization for coherently strained SrRuO{sub 3} films on SrTiO{sub 3} and LSAT compared to fully relaxed films on LaAlO{sub 3} confirms the importance of the strain state in determining the magnetic ground state of the Ru ion. In particular, SrRuO{sub 3} films on (111) SrTiO{sub 3} exhibit exhanced moments as high as 3.8 {mu}{sub B}/Ru ion, thus suggesting the stabilization of a high-spin Ru{sup 4+} state.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Grutter, A.J.; Wong, F.; Arenholz, E.; Liberati, M.; Vailionis, A. & Suzuki, Y.
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Extending the search for neutrino point sources with IceCube above the horizon
Point source searches with the IceCube neutrino telescope have been restricted to one hemisphere, due to the exclusive selection of upward going events as a way of rejecting the atmospheric muon background. We show that the region above the horizon can be included by suppressing the background through energy-sensitive cuts. This approach improves the sensitivity above PeV energies, previously not accessible for declinations of more than a few degrees below the horizon due to the absorption of neutrinos in Earth. We present results based on data collected with 22 strings of IceCube, extending its field of view and energy reach for point source searches. No significant excess above the atmospheric background is observed in a sky scan and in tests of source candidates. Upper limits are reported, which for the first time cover point sources in the southern sky up to EeV energies.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Collaboration, IceCube
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Final Report: A Level-of-Detail Approach to Cluster-based Visualization
In this research project we have tightly integrate the use of level of detail with PC cluster-based rendering systems.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Cohen, Jonathan
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Financial Market Supervision: European Perspectives
This report addresses the European perspectives on a number of proposals that are being advanced for financial oversight and regulation in Europe. The European experience may be instructive because financial markets in Europe are well developed, European firms often are competitors of U.S. firms, and European governments have faced severe problems of integration and consistency across the various financial structures that exist in Europe.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Jackson, James K.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Generalized Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij Distribution and Envelope Equation for High-intensity Beams in a Coupled Transverse Focusing Lattice
In an uncoupled lattice, the Kapchinskij-Vladimirskij (KV) distribution function first analyzed in 1959 is the only known exact solution of the nonlinear Vlasov-Maxwell equations for high- intensity beams including self-fields in a self-consistent manner. The KV solution is generalized here to high-intensity beams in a coupled transverse lattice using the recently developed generalized Courant-Snyder invariant for coupled transverse dynamics. This solution projects to a rotating, pulsating elliptical beam in transverse configuration space, determined by the generalized matrix envelope equation.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Hong Qin, Moses Chung, and Ronald C. Davidson
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Inverse problem in anisotropic poroelasticity: Drained constants from undrained ultrasound measurements
Poroelastic analysis has traditionally focused on the relationship between dry or drained constants which are assumed known and the saturated or undrained constants which are assumed unknown. However, there are many applications in this field of study for which the main measurements can only be made on the saturated/undrained system, and then it is uncertain what the eects of the uids were on the system, since the drained constants remain a mystery. The work presented here shows how to deduce drained constants from undrained constants for anisotropic systems having symmetries ranging from isotropic to orthotropic. Laboratory ultrasound data are then inverted for the drained constants in three granular packings: one of glass beads, and two others for distinct types of more or less angular sand grain packings. Experiments were performed under uniaxial stress, which resulted in hexagonal (transversely isotropic) symmetry of the poroelastic response. One important conclusion from the general analysis is that the drained constants are uniquely related to the undrained constants, assuming that porosity, grain bulk modulus, and pore uid bulk modulus are already known. Since the resulting system of equations for all the drained constants is linear, measurement error in undrained constants also propagates linearly into the …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Berryman, J.G. & Nakagawa, S.
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Laboratory Tests on Post-Filtration Precipitation in the WTP Pretreatment Process
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) has been tasked by Bechtel National Inc. (BNI) on the River Protection Project-Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (RPP-WTP) project to perform research and development activities to resolve technical issues identified for the Pretreatment Facility (PTF). The Pretreatment Engineering Platform (PEP) was designed, constructed, and operated as part of a plan to respond to issue M12, "Undemonstrated Leaching Processes," of the External Flowsheet Review Team (EFRT) issue response plan (Barnes et al. 2006). The PEP is a 1/4.5-scale test platform designed to simulate the WTP pretreatment caustic leaching, oxidative leaching, ultrafiltration solids concentration, and slurry washing processes. The PEP replicates the WTP leaching processes using prototypic equipment and control strategies. A simplified flow diagram of the PEP system is shown in Figure 1.1. Two operating scenarios are currently being evaluated for the ultrafiltration process (UFP) and leaching operations. The first scenario has caustic leaching performed in the UFP-2 ultrafiltration feed vessels (i.e., vessel UFP-VSL-T02A in the PEP; and vessels UFP-VSL-00002A and B in the WTP PTF). The second scenario has caustic leaching conducted in the UFP-1 ultrafiltration feed preparation vessels (i.e., vessels UFP-VSL-T01A and B in the PEP; vessels UFP-VSL-00001A and B in the …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Russell, Renee L.; Peterson, Reid A.; Rinehart, Donald E. & Crum, Jarrod V.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Linking Automated Data Analysis and Visualization with Applications in Developmental Biology and High-Energy Physics
Knowledge discovery from large and complex collections of today's scientific datasets is a challenging task. With the ability to measure and simulate more processes at increasingly finer spatial and temporal scales, the increasing number of data dimensions and data objects is presenting tremendous challenges for data analysis and effective data exploration methods and tools. Researchers are overwhelmed with data and standard tools are often insufficient to enable effective data analysis and knowledge discovery. The main objective of this thesis is to provide important new capabilities to accelerate scientific knowledge discovery form large, complex, and multivariate scientific data. The research covered in this thesis addresses these scientific challenges using a combination of scientific visualization, information visualization, automated data analysis, and other enabling technologies, such as efficient data management. The effectiveness of the proposed analysis methods is demonstrated via applications in two distinct scientific research fields, namely developmental biology and high-energy physics.Advances in microscopy, image analysis, and embryo registration enable for the first time measurement of gene expression at cellular resolution for entire organisms. Analysis of high-dimensional spatial gene expression datasets is a challenging task. By integrating data clustering and visualization, analysis of complex, time-varying, spatial gene expression patterns and their formation …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Ruebel, Oliver
Object Type:
Thesis or Dissertation
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Lower Hybrid Heating and Current Drive on the Alcator C-Mod Tokamak
On the Alcator C-Mod tokamak, lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) is being used to modify the current profile with the aim of obtaining advanced tokamak (AT) performance in plasmas with parameters similar to those that would be required on ITER. To date, power levels in excess of 1 MW at a frequency of 4.6 GHz have been coupled into a variety of plasmas. Experiments have established that LHCD on C-Mod behaves globally as predicted by theory. Bulk current drive efficiencies, n20IlhR/Plh ~ 0.25, inferred from magnetics and MSE are in line with theory. Quantitative comparisons between local measurements, MSE, ECE and hard x-ray bremsstrahlung, and theory/simulation using the GENRAY, TORIC-LH CQL3D and TSC-LSC codes have been performed. These comparisons have demonstrated the off-axis localization of the current drive, its magnitude and location dependence on the launched n|| spectrum, and the use of LHCD during the current ramp to save volt-seconds and delay the peaking of the current profile. Broadening of the x-ray emission profile during ICRF heating indicates that the current drive location can be controlled by the electron temperature, as expected. In addition, an alteration in the plasma toroidal rotation profile during LHCD has been observed with a significant …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
R. Wilson, R. Parker, M. Bitter, P.T. Bonoli, C. Fiore, R.W. Harvey, K. Hill, A.E. Hubbard, J.W. Hughes, A. Ince-Cushman, C. Kessel, J.S. Ko, O. Meneghini, C.K. Phillips, M. Porkolab, J. Rice, A.E. Schmidt, S. Scott,S. Shiraiwa, E. Valeo, G.Wallace, J.C. Wright and the Alcator C-Mod Team
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Medicaid: Ongoing Federal Oversight of Payments to Offset Uncompensated Hospital Care Costs Is Warranted
A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In addition to standard Medicaid payments, hospitals receive supplemental payments for uncompensated costs of care provided to uninsured and Medicaid patients. These supplemental payments are referred to as disproportionate share hospital (DSH) payments. Hospitals may also receive non-DSH supplemental payments. In fiscal year 2006, DSH payments totaled about $17 billion and non-DSH supplemental payments exceeded $6 billion. Hospitals' DSH payments are limited to their uncompensated care costs, that is, their costs for covered care less Medicaid and other payments. Concerns have been raised about the accuracy of DSH payment limits, particularly as states may estimate limits using data that are not audited or up to date. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) was asked to examine (1) how state DSH payments in 2006 compared to DSH payment limits, and (2) certain aspects of states' calculations of 2006 DSH payment limits. In selected states, GAO analyzed state Medicaid payment data and interviewed officials from the states and from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), the federal agency that oversees Medicaid."
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
MHD-Stabilization of Axisymmetric Mirror Systems Using Pulsed ECRH
This paper, part of a continuing study of means for the stabilization of MHD interchange modes in axisymmertric mirror-based plasma confinement systems, is aimed at a preliminary look at a technique that would employ a train of plasma pressure pulses produced by ECRH to accomplish the stabilization. The purpose of using sequentially pulsed ECRH rather than continuous-wave ECRH is to facilitate the localization of the heated-electron plasma pulses in regions of the magnetic field with a strong positive field-line curvature, e. g. in the 'expander' region of the mirror magnetic field, outside the outermost mirror, or in other regions of the field with positive field-line curvature. The technique proposed, of the class known as 'dynamic stabilization,' relies on the time-averaged effect of plasma pressure pulses generated in regions of positive field-line curvature to overcome the destabilizing effect of plasma pressure in regions of negative field-line curvature within the confinement region. As will also be discussed in the paper, the plasma pulses, when produced in regions of the confining having a negative gradient, create transient electric potentials of ambipolar origin, an effect that was studied in 1964 in The PLEIDE experiment in France. These electric fields preserve the localization of the …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Post, R F
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Navy CG(X) Cruiser Program: Background, Oversight Issues, and Options for Congress
This report discusses the reasoning behind the development of the Navy CG(X) cruiser program, the budgetary actions taking place to enable their development, selected technical specifics of their design, and various other information relating to defense procurement costs.
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
O'Rourke, Ronald
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Noncitizen Eligibility and Verification Issues in the Health Care Reform Legislation
None
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Wasem, Ruth Ellen
Object Type:
Report
System:
The UNT Digital Library
A novel technique for the production of cool colored concrete tile and asphalt shingle roofing products
The widespread use of solar-reflective roofing materials can save energy, mitigate urban heat islands and slow global warming by cooling the roughly 20% of the urban surface that is roofed. In this study we created prototype solar-reflective nonwhite concrete tile and asphalt shingle roofing materials using a two-layer spray coating process intended to maximize both solar reflectance and factory-line throughput. Each layer is a thin, quick-drying, pigmented latex paint based on either acrylic or a poly(vinylidene fluoride)/acrylic blend. The first layer is a titanium dioxide rutile white basecoat that increases the solar reflectance of a gray-cement concrete tile from 0.18 to 0.79, and that of a shingle surfaced with bare granules from 0.06 to 0.62. The second layer is a 'cool' color topcoat with weak near-infrared (NIR) absorption and/or strong NIR backscattering. Each layer dries within seconds, potentially allowing a factory line to pass first under the white spray, then under the color spray. We combined a white basecoat with monocolor topcoats in various shades of red, brown, green and blue to prepare 24 cool color prototype tiles and 24 cool color prototypes shingles. The solar reflectances of the tiles ranged from 0.26 (dark brown; CIELAB lightness value L* = …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Levinson, Ronnen; Akbari, Hashem; Berdahl, Paul; Wood, Kurt; Skilton, Wayne & Petersheim, Jerry
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Nursing Homes: Opportunities Exist to Facilitate the Use of the Temporary Management Sanction
Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The nation's 1.4 million nursing home residents are a highly vulnerable population of elderly and disabled individuals for whom remaining at home is no longer feasible. The federal government plays a key role in ensuring that nursing home residents receive appropriate care by setting quality requirements that nursing homes must meet to participate in the Medicare and Medicaid programs and by contracting with states to conduct routine inspections--called standard surveys--and complaint investigations. To encourage compliance with quality requirements, Congress has authorized certain enforcement actions, known as sanctions, such as civil money penalties or termination from participating in the Medicare and Medicaid programs. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is responsible for imposing federal sanctions, typically on the basis of states' recommendations. One sanction--temporarily replacing a home's management--has been used infrequently. According to CMS guidance, temporary management may be used instead of termination in cases where nursing homes place residents at risk of death or serious injury--referred to as immediate jeopardy--or place residents at widespread risk of actual harm. CMS requires that a nursing home remove any immediate jeopardy within a short time frame of 23 calendar …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type:
Text
System:
The UNT Digital Library
Poroelastic measurement schemes resulting in complete data sets for granular and other anisotropic porous media
Poroelastic analysis usually progresses from assumed knowledge of dry or drained porous media to the predicted behavior of fluid-saturated and undrained porous media. Unfortunately, the experimental situation is often incompatible with these assumptions, especially when field data (from hydrological or oil/gas reservoirs) are involved. The present work considers several different experimental scenarios typified by one in which a set of undrained poroelastic (stiffness) constants has been measured using either ultrasound or seismic wave analysis, while some or all of the dry or drained constants are normally unknown. Drained constants for such a poroelastic system can be deduced for isotropic systems from available data if a complete set of undrained compliance data for the principal stresses are available - together with a few other commonly measured quantities such as porosity, fluid bulk modulus, and grain bulk modulus. Similar results are also developed here for anisotropic systems having up to orthotropic symmetry if the system is granular (i.e., composed of solid grains assembled into a solid matrix, either by a cementation process or by applied stress) and the grains are known to be elastically homogeneous. Finally, the analysis is also fully developed for anisotropic systems with nonhomogeneous (more than one mineral type), …
Date:
November 20, 2009
Creator:
Berryman, J.G.
Object Type:
Article
System:
The UNT Digital Library