Disaster Recovery: Experiences from Past Disasters Offer Insights for Effective Collaboration after Catastrophic Events (open access)

Disaster Recovery: Experiences from Past Disasters Offer Insights for Effective Collaboration after Catastrophic Events

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "In the wake of the 2005 Gulf Coast Hurricanes, coordination and collaboration challenges created obstacles during the government's response and recovery efforts. Because of the many stakeholders involved in recovery, including all levels of government, it is critical to build collaborative relationships. Building on GAO's September 2008 report which provided several key recovery practices from past catastrophic disasters, this report presents examples of how federal, state, and local governments have effectively collaborated in the past. GAO reviewed five catastrophic disasters--the Loma Prieta earthquake (California, 1989), Hurricane Andrew (Florida, 1992), the Northridge earthquake (California, 1994), the Kobe earthquake (Japan, 1995), and the Grand Forks/Red River flood (North Dakota and Minnesota, 1997)--to identify recovery lessons. GAO interviewed officials involved in the recovery from these disasters and experts on disaster recovery. GAO also reviewed relevant legislation, policies, and the disaster recovery literature."
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Dynamic Simulation and Optimization of Nuclear Hydrogen Production Systems (open access)

Dynamic Simulation and Optimization of Nuclear Hydrogen Production Systems

This project is part of a research effort to design a hydrogen plant and its interface with a nuclear reactor. This project developed a dynamic modeling, simulation and optimization environment for nuclear hydrogen production systems. A hybrid discrete/continuous model captures both the continuous dynamics of the nuclear plant, the hydrogen plant, and their interface, along with discrete events such as major upsets. This hybrid model makes us of accurate thermodynamic sub-models for the description of phase and reaction equilibria in the thermochemical reactor. Use of the detailed thermodynamic models will allow researchers to examine the process in detail and have confidence in the accurary of the property package they use.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Barton, Paul I.; Kaximi, Mujid S.; Bollas, Georgios & Munoz, Patricio Ramirez
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Fast Tree: Computing Large Minimum-Evolution Trees with Profiles instead of a Distance Matrix (open access)

Fast Tree: Computing Large Minimum-Evolution Trees with Profiles instead of a Distance Matrix

Gene families are growing rapidly, but standard methods for inferring phylogenies do not scale to alignments with over 10,000 sequences. We present FastTree, a method for constructing large phylogenies and for estimating their reliability. Instead of storing a distance matrix, FastTree stores sequence profiles of internal nodes in the tree. FastTree uses these profiles to implement neighbor-joining and uses heuristics to quickly identify candidate joins. FastTree then uses nearest-neighbor interchanges to reduce the length of the tree. For an alignment with N sequences, L sites, and a different characters, a distance matrix requires O(N^2) space and O(N^2 L) time, but FastTree requires just O( NLa + N sqrt(N) ) memory and O( N sqrt(N) log(N) L a ) time. To estimate the tree's reliability, FastTree uses local bootstrapping, which gives another 100-fold speedup over a distance matrix. For example, FastTree computed a tree and support values for 158,022 distinct 16S ribosomal RNAs in 17 hours and 2.4 gigabytes of memory. Just computing pairwise Jukes-Cantor distances and storing them, without inferring a tree or bootstrapping, would require 17 hours and 50 gigabytes of memory. In simulations, FastTree was slightly more accurate than neighbor joining, BIONJ, or FastME; on genuine alignments, FastTree's …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: N. Price, Morgan; S. Dehal, Paramvir & P. Arkin, Adam
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
FY2010 Appropriations: District of Columbia (open access)

FY2010 Appropriations: District of Columbia

This is a report on the appropriations of the budget allocated for the district of columbia in the fiscal year 2010.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Boyd, Eugene
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Hazard Review Board as an ISMS Key Process (open access)

The Hazard Review Board as an ISMS Key Process

None
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: McEahern, P. M.
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Home Mortgages: Provisions in a 2007 Mortgage Reform Bill (H.R. 3915) Would Strengthen Borrower Protections, but Views on Their Long-term Impact Differ (open access)

Home Mortgages: Provisions in a 2007 Mortgage Reform Bill (H.R. 3915) Would Strengthen Borrower Protections, but Views on Their Long-term Impact Differ

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "H.R. 3915 (2007), a bill introduced, but not enacted by the 110th Congress, was intended to reform mortgage lending practices to prevent a recurrence of problems in the mortgage market, particularly in the nonprime market segment. The bill would have set minimum standards for all mortgages (e.g., reasonable ability to repay) and created a "safe harbor" for loans that met certain requirements. Securitizers of safe harbor loans would be exempt from liability provisions, while securitizers of non-safe harbor loans would be subject to limited liability for loans that violated the bill's minimum standards. In response to a congressional request, this report discusses (1) the proportions of recent nonprime loans that likely would have met and not met the bill's safe harbor requirements and factors influencing the performance of these loans, and (2) relevant research and the views of mortgage industry stakeholders concerning the potential impact of key provisions of the bill on the availability of mortgage credit. To do this work, GAO analyzed a proprietary database of securitized nonprime loans, reviewed studies of state and local anti-predatory lending laws, and met with financial regulatory agencies and …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Information Technology: HUD Needs to Strengthen Its Capacity to Manage and Modernize Its Environment (open access)

Information Technology: HUD Needs to Strengthen Its Capacity to Manage and Modernize Its Environment

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Information technology (IT) plays a critical role in the Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) ability to carry out its home ownership and community development mission, which was recently expanded under the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008. Pursuant to a congressional mandate to study HUD's IT environment, GAO reviewed the adequacy of key IT management and modernization controls within the department, including strategic planning and performance measurement, investment management, human capital management, enterprise architecture development and use, and modernization program office establishment. To do so, GAO compared HUD policies, guidance, plans, reports, and other products and actions to relevant aspects of statutory requirements, federal guidance, and related best practices."
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Investigations into the Early Life History of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead in the Grande Ronde River Subbasin, Annual Report 2008 : Project Period 1 February 2008 to 31 January 2009. (open access)

Investigations into the Early Life History of Naturally Produced Spring Chinook Salmon and Summer Steelhead in the Grande Ronde River Subbasin, Annual Report 2008 : Project Period 1 February 2008 to 31 January 2009.

This study was designed to document and describe the status and life history strategies of spring Chinook salmon and summer steelhead in the Grande Ronde River Subbasin. We determined migration timing, abundance, and life-stage survival rates for juvenile spring Chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha and summer steelhead O. mykiss in four streams during migratory year 2008 from 1 July 2007 through 30 June 2008. As observed in previous years of this study, spring Chinook salmon and steelhead exhibited fall and spring movements out of natal rearing areas, but did not begin their smolt migration through the Snake and lower Columbia River hydrosystem until spring. In this report we provide estimates of migrant abundance and migration timing for each study stream, and their survival and timing to Lower Granite Dam. We also document aquatic habitat conditions using water temperature and stream flow in four study streams in the subbasin.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Yanke, Jeffrey A.; Alfonse, Brian M. & Bratcher, Kyle W.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Medicare Physician Payments: Fees Could Better Reflect Efficiencies Achieved When Services Are Provided Together (open access)

Medicare Physician Payments: Fees Could Better Reflect Efficiencies Achieved When Services Are Provided Together

A letter report issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Medicare's physician fees may not always reflect efficiencies that occur when a physician performs multiple services for the same patient on the same day, and some resources required for these services do not need to be duplicated. In response to a request from Congress, GAO examined (1) the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services' (CMS) efforts to set appropriate fees for services furnished together and (2) additional opportunities for CMS to avoid excessive payments when services are furnished together. GAO examined relevant policies, laws, and regulations; interviewed CMS officials and others; and analyzed claims data to identify opportunities for further savings."
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nanoscale Reinforced, Polymer Derived Ceramic Matrix Coatings (open access)

Nanoscale Reinforced, Polymer Derived Ceramic Matrix Coatings

The goal of this project was to explore and develop a novel class of nanoscale reinforced ceramic coatings for high temperature (600-1000 C) corrosion protection of metallic components in a coal-fired environment. It was focused on developing coatings that are easy to process and low cost. The approach was to use high-yield preceramic polymers loaded with nano-size fillers. The complex interplay of the particles in the polymer, their role in controlling shrinkage and phase evolution during thermal treatment, resulting densification and microstructural evolution, mechanical properties and effectiveness as corrosion protection coatings were investigated. Fe-and Ni-based alloys currently used in coal-fired environments do not possess the requisite corrosion and oxidation resistance for next generation of advanced power systems. One example of this is the power plants that use ultra supercritical steam as the working fluid. The increase in thermal efficiency of the plant and decrease in pollutant emissions are only possible by changing the properties of steam from supercritical to ultra supercritical. However, the conditions, 650 C and 34.5 MPa, are too severe and result in higher rate of corrosion due to higher metal temperatures. Coating the metallic components with ceramics that are resistant to corrosion, oxidation and erosion, is an …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Bordia, Rajendra
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Near-ambient X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and kinetic approach to the mechanism of carbon monoxide oxidation over lanthanum substituted cobaltites (open access)

Near-ambient X-ray photoemission spectroscopy and kinetic approach to the mechanism of carbon monoxide oxidation over lanthanum substituted cobaltites

We have studied the oxidation of carbon monoxide over a lanthanum substituted perovskite (La0.5Sr0.5CoO3-d) catalyst prepared by spray pyrolysis. Under the assumption of a first-order kinetics mechanism for CO, it has been found that the activation energy barrier of the reaction changes from 80 to 40 kJ mol-1 at a threshold temperature of ca. 320 oC. In situ XPS near-ambient pressure ( 0.2 torr) shows that the gas phase oxygen concentration over the sample decreases sharply at ca. 300 oC. These two observations suggest that the oxidation of CO undergoes a change of mechanism at temperatures higher than 300 oC.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Hueso, J. L.; Martinez-Martinez, D.; Cabalerro, Alfonso; Gonzalez-Elipe, Agustin Rodriguez; Mun, Bongjin Simon & Salmeron, Miquel
Object Type: Article
System: The UNT Digital Library
Next Generation Hole Injection/Transport Nano-Composites for High Efficiency OLED Development (open access)

Next Generation Hole Injection/Transport Nano-Composites for High Efficiency OLED Development

The objective of this program is to use a novel nano-composite material system for the OLED anode coating/hole transport layer. The novel anode coating is intended to significantly increase not only hole injection/transport efficiency, but the device energy efficiency as well. Another goal of the Core Technologies Program is the optimization and scale-up of air-stable and cross-linkable novel HTL nano-composite materials synthesis and the development of low-cost, large-scale mist deposition processes for polymer OLED fabrication. This proposed technology holds the promise to substantially improve OLED energy efficiency and lifetime.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Wang, King
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union (open access)

Nonproliferation and Threat Reduction Assistance: U.S. Programs in the Former Soviet Union

This report focuses on funding for threat reduction and nonproliferation programs in the states of the former Soviet Union. Although the United States has expanded its efforts to programs that seek to assist other nations in securing nuclear, biological, and chemical weapons materials, the overwhelming majority of U.S. funds still support programs in the former Soviet states.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Woolf, Amy F.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Novel Composite Materials for SOFC Cathode-Interconnect Contact (open access)

Novel Composite Materials for SOFC Cathode-Interconnect Contact

This report summarized the research efforts and major conclusions of our University Coal Research Project, which focused on developing a new class of electrically-conductive, Cr-blocking, damage-tolerant Ag-perovksite composite materials for the cathode-interconnect contact of intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stacks. The Ag evaporation rate increased linearly with air flow rate initially and became constant for the air flow rate {ge} {approx} 1.0 cm {center_dot} s{sup -1}. An activation energy of 280 KJ.mol{sup -1} was obtained for Ag evaporation in both air and Ar+5%H{sub 2}+3%H{sub 2}O. The exposure environment had no measurable influence on the Ag evaporation rate as well as its dependence on the gas flow rate, while different surface morphological features were developed after thermal exposure in the oxidizing and reducing environments. Pure Ag is too volatile at the SOFC operating temperature and its evaporation rate needs to be reduced to facilitate its application as the cathode-interconnect contact. Based on extensive evaporation testing, it was found that none of the alloying additions reduced the evaporation rate of Ag over the long-term exposure, except the noble metals Au, Pt, and Pd; however, these noble elements are too expensive to justify their practical use in contact materials. Furthermore, the addition …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Zhu, J. H.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Optimizing Low Temperature Diesel Combustion (LTC-D) "FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program Solicitation for University Research and Graduate Automotice Technology Education (GATE) Centers of Excellence" (open access)

Optimizing Low Temperature Diesel Combustion (LTC-D) "FreedomCAR and Vehicle Technologies Program Solicitation for University Research and Graduate Automotice Technology Education (GATE) Centers of Excellence"

The engine industry is currently facing severe emissions mandates. Pollutant emissions from mobile sources are a major source of concern. For example, US EPA mandates require emissions of particulate and nitrogen oxides (NOx) from heavy-duty diesel engine exhaust to drop at least 90 percent between 1998 and 2010. Effective analysis of the combustion process is required to guide the selection of technologies for future development since exhaust after-treatment solutions are not currently available that can meet the required emission reduction goals. The goal of this project is to develop methods to optimize and control Low Temperature Combustion Diesel technologies (LTC-D) that offers the potential of nearly eliminating engine NOx and particulate emissions at reduced cost over traditional methods by controlling pollutant emissions in-cylinder. The work was divided into 5 Tasks, featuring experimental and modeling components: 1.) Fundamental understanding of LTC-D and advanced model development, 2.) Experimental investigation of LTC-D combustion control concepts, 3.) Application of detailed models for optimization of LTC-D combustion and emissions, 4.) Impact of heat transfer and spray impingement on LTC-D combustion, and 5.) Transient engine control with mixed-mode combustion. As described in the final report (December 2008), outcomes from the research included providing guidelines to the …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Reitz, Rolf; Farrell, P.; Foster, D.; Ghandhi, J.; Rutland, C. & Sanders, S.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Pawnee Nation Energy Option Analyses (open access)

Pawnee Nation Energy Option Analyses

In 2003, the Pawnee Nation leadership identified the need for the tribe to comprehensively address its energy issues. During a strategic energy planning workshop a general framework was laid out and the Pawnee Nation Energy Task Force was created to work toward further development of the tribe’s energy vision. The overarching goals of the “first steps” project were to identify the most appropriate focus for its strategic energy initiatives going forward, and to provide information necessary to take the next steps in pursuit of the “best fit” energy options. Based on the request of Pawnee Nation’s Energy Task Force the research team, consisting Tribal personnel and Summit Blue Consulting, focused on a review of renewable energy resource development potential, funding sources and utility organizational along with energy savings options. Elements of the energy demand forecasting and characterization and demand side options review remained in the scope of work, but were only addressed at a high level. Description of Activities Performed Renewable Energy Resource Development Potential The research team reviewed existing data pertaining to the availability of biomass (focusing on woody biomass, agricultural biomass/bio-energy crops, and methane capture), solar, wind and hydropower resources on the Pawnee-owned lands. Using these data, combined …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Matlock, M.; Kersey, K. & Riding In, C.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Private Health Insurance: Research on Competition in the Insurance Industry (open access)

Private Health Insurance: Research on Competition in the Insurance Industry

Correspondence issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "Health care providers and members of Congress have raised concerns that consolidation in the private health insurance industry may be resulting in less competitive markets and contributing to rising health insurance rates paid by consumers and employers. However, measuring the extent of changes in market competition over time or the effects of changes is challenging. In particular, reliable, longitudinal data to measure concentration, that is, the number of competitors and their relative market share, are only available on health maintenance organizations (HMO) but not on preferred provider organizations (PPO) or other insurance products that may comprise the market. Further, data on health insurers are not available at all geographic levels. Despite these challenges, researchers have used the data available to study competition in health insurance markets, typically using one of two measures of competition: (1) HMO market concentration or (2) the number of HMOs in a market. Researchers acknowledge that market concentration and the number of competitors are not perfect measures of competition in private health insurance markets and that there are limits to the conclusions to be drawn from studies that rely on the available data. This …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Recovery Act: States' Use of Highway Infrastructure Funds and Compliance with the Act's Requirements (open access)

Recovery Act: States' Use of Highway Infrastructure Funds and Compliance with the Act's Requirements

Testimony issued by the Government Accountability Office with an abstract that begins "The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act) included more than $48 billion for the Department of Transportation's (DOT) investment in transportation infrastructure, including highways, rail, and transit. This testimony--based on GAO report GAO-09-829, issued on July 8, 2009 and updated with more recent data, in response to a mandate under the Recovery Act--addresses (1) the uses of Recovery Act transportation funding including the types of projects states have funded, (2) the steps states have taken to meet the act's requirements, and (3) GAO's other work on transportation funding under the Recovery Act. In GAO-09-829, GAO examined the use of Recovery Act funds by 16 states and the District of Columbia (District), representing about 65 percent of the U.S. population and two-thirds of the federal assistance available through the act. GAO also obtained data from DOT on obligations and reimbursements for the Recovery Act's highway infrastructure funds."
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Government Accountability Office.
Object Type: Text
System: The UNT Digital Library
Report for General Research April 1 to July 26, 1950 (Actinium Volume) (open access)

Report for General Research April 1 to July 26, 1950 (Actinium Volume)

The present phase of the actinium program involves selecting a process and designing the necessary facilities to separate the actinium from five-gram batches of irradiated radium. This installation will serve as a pilot plant for future work and will provide a source of appreciable quantities of actinium. In the selection of a process we are relying to a great extent on the work done by F. T. Bagemaun at Argonne National Laboratory. Our facilities and equipment, for the most part, will be either developments of the Remote Control Division of Argonne National Laboratory or modifications of their work.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Haring, M. M.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Second Quarter Hanford Seismic Report for Fiscal Year 2009 (open access)

Second Quarter Hanford Seismic Report for Fiscal Year 2009

The Hanford Seismic Assessment Program (HSAP) provides an uninterrupted collection of high-quality raw and processed seismic data from the Hanford Seismic Network for the U.S. Department of Energy and its contractors. The HSAP is responsible for locating and identifying sources of seismic activity and monitoring changes in the historical pattern of seismic activity at the Hanford Site. The data are compiled, archived, and published for use by the Hanford Site for waste management, natural phenomena hazards assessments, and engineering design and construction. In addition, the HSAP works with the Hanford Site Emergency Services Organization to provide assistance in the event of a significant earthquake on the Hanford Site. The Hanford Seismic Network and the Eastern Washington Regional Network consist of 44 individual sensor sites and 15 radio relay sites maintained by the Hanford Seismic Assessment Team. The Hanford Seismic Network recorded over 800 local earthquakes during the second quarter of FY 2009. Nearly all of these earthquakes were detected in the vicinity of Wooded Island, located about eight miles north of Richland just west of the Columbia River. Most of the events were considered minor (magnitude (Mc) less than 1.0) with 19 events in the 2.0-2.9 range. The estimated depths …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Rohay, Alan C.; Sweeney, Mark D.; Hartshorn, Donald C.; Clayton, Ray E. & Devary, Joseph L.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Snake River Sockeye Salmon Habitat and Limnological Research : 2008 Annual Progress Report. (open access)

Snake River Sockeye Salmon Habitat and Limnological Research : 2008 Annual Progress Report.

In March 1990, the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes petitioned the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to list Snake River sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) as endangered. Snake River sockeye salmon were officially listed as endangered in November 1991 under the Endangered Species Act (56 FR 58619). In 1991, the Snake River Sockeye Salmon Habitat and Limnological Research Project was implemented. This project is part of an interagency effort to prevent the extinction of the Redfish Lake stock of Snake River sockeye salmon. The Shoshone-Bannock Tribal goal for this project is two tiered: the immediate goal is to increase the population of Snake River sockeye salmon while preserving the unique genetic characteristics of the evolutionarily significant unit (ESU). The Tribes long term goal is to maintain a viable population that warrants delisting and provides Tribal harvest opportunities. The Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) provides funding for this interagency Recovery effort. Collaborators in the recovery effort include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Idaho Department of Fish and Game (IDFG), the University of Idaho (UI), and the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (SBT). This report summarizes activities conducted by Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Fisheries Department personnel during the 2008 calendar year. Project tasks include: (1) monitor limnological parameters of …
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Kohler, Andre E.; Griswold, Robert G. & Taki, Doug
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Strategic Management Plan. (open access)

Strategic Management Plan.

A report which discusses last year's Strategic Management Plan by describing the integrated activities that comprise the Department's performance management system. It also establishes five top-level priorities for business operations.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: United States. Department of Defense.
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009 (open access)

The Student Aid and Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2009

This report reviews and briefly describes the proposals contained in H.R. 3221 to amend programs authorized under HEA and to establish and fund additional new education programs. It will be updated as warranted to track legislative developments.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Smole, David P.; Mahan, Shannon M.; McCallion, Gail; Skinner, Rebecca R.; Bradley, David H. & Dortch, Cassandria
Object Type: Report
System: The UNT Digital Library
Texas Register, Volume 34, Number 31, Pages 4961-5248, July 31, 2009 (open access)

Texas Register, Volume 34, Number 31, Pages 4961-5248, July 31, 2009

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.
Date: July 31, 2009
Creator: Texas. Secretary of State.
Object Type: Journal/Magazine/Newsletter
System: The Portal to Texas History